#but i have participated in class discussions enough to know the gist

[theonceandfuturequeenoftarts]

Harry really should’ve expected something like this, but he’s still bewildered.

(And more than a little pissed off.)

Of course some bastard managed to enter him as the fifth champion in the Triwizard Tournament.

...Well. There are four schools participating, but “Quadwizard Tournament” doesn’t have the same ring to it.

There are several people shouting at each other and him in a variety of languages, and while he has no idea what they’re saying, he gets the gist of it: how did this scrawny fifth year have the audacity to trick the Goblet of Fire and enter the prestigious (and deadly) tournament?

He wishes they’d ask him so he could clear up that he hadn’t done that, and he doesn’t want to take part in this tournament, and they’re all being world-class prats right now.

Well. Except for Cedric Diggory. He just looks a bit confused, bless him.

Dumbledore asks him if he put his name in, and he says no, and maybe he overestimated these people because pretty much all of them scoff and don’t believe him. 

The Koldovstoretz champion’s voice cuts through the hullabaloo and says, in barely accented English, “If he is required to participate, why not let him forfeit?”

Thank Merlin, there’s a voice of reason in all this idiocy.

All eyes turn to the tall young man – Tom Riddle, Harry’d heard the name said by his love-struck peers enough times since the other schools arrived to remember it – who looks politely disinterested in the chaos around him.

“That sounds good to me,” Harry says, hoping that’ll be the end of it.

But of course it isn’t. 

The Durmstrang headmaster sneers something that sounds awfully rude at Riddle in a language Harry doesn’t recognise, which makes the boy tense and darkens his eyes. And then the shouting starts up again.

For all that the gathered headmistresses and headmasters and students were arguing against his participation before, they’re now demanding that he take responsibility and not besmirch the tournament’s prestigious history nor the Goblet’s choice by bowing out. Harry is once again of the opinion that there is no continuity or logic in the thinking of magical people, so he zones out like he does when Uncle Vernon wants to rant at him.

As the group finally quiets down and Dumbledore explains what the next steps are for the champions, Harry tunes back in to listen with half an ear. The other schools’ representatives send him dark looks as they depart, while Cedric gives him a pensive frown. Dumbledore ignores Harry’s attempts to catch his eye and disappears as soon as the discussion ends.

Well that’s just great.

Harry decides to head back to the Gryffindor common room – he needs to vent his anger at this madness to his friends, who will hopefully have his back.

(Though, the look on Ron’s face when Harry’s name had been called… No. Ron knows him better than that.)

Before he gets too far, he hears a voice call, “Harry Potter.”

He turns reluctantly, hoping it’s not another person ready to call him an attention-seeker or cheat, to find Tom Riddle.

Feeling his shoulders lower from his ears where they’d risen in pre-emptive defensiveness, Harry manages a half-hearted smile for the older boy. “Hey. Thanks for trying to help, back there.”

Riddle shrugs and somehow makes the motion elegant. “It was obvious you did not want to be chosen." 

Harry thought so, but apparently they're the only two of that opinion. “What did the Durmstrang headmaster say to you?”

“Nothing I didn’t expect,” Riddle says dismissively. When Harry doesn’t relent, he clarifies, “Igor Karkaroff rejected my application to Durmstrang because I’m not a pureblood. I’m sure you can imagine his opinion of me – and my blood – hasn’t changed in the intervening years.”

Harry can feel his hackles rise. Yes, he can imagine – he’s heard what the pureblood bigots have said about Hermione and the other muggleborn students over the years.

“Well, there’s only one thing to do, isn’t there?” Harry says, grinning sharply. “We’ll both just have to–” absolutely crush them all “–prove them all wrong.”

Riddle’s eyebrows rise slightly and one side of his mouth twitches. “I suppose we will.”

Harry holds out a hand. “May the best champion win.”

Riddle accepts the handshake. “Indeed. I’m glad to have your support.” 

Delivered in a perfect deadpan, it takes Harry a couple moments to realise the other boy is making a joke. He laughs, and Riddle finally lets his face break into a grin.

—

When Riddle uses parseltongue to get past the Peruvian Vipertooth (“What were they thinking, including a human-eating dragon?” Hermione demands when Harry first sees her after the first task) and retrieves the egg in less than two minutes, it causes an uproar. How did someone with Slytherin’s gift, who was born on British soil, not end up going to Hogwarts? The details of Riddle’s first introduction to magic and meeting with Professor Dumbledore are splashed across the front page of the Daily Prophet the following day.

Needless to say, the headmaster is in a bit of hot water with the Hogwarts board of trustees and the pureblood crowd.

(Karkaroff is looking decidedly pale, too.)

Harry thinks he’s the only one who sees the vengeful grin on Riddle’s face while everyone else is staring at Dumbledore getting dressed down. When Harry congratulates Riddle later that day, he knows the older boy understands it’s for more than just retrieving the egg the fastest.

(As for his performance in the first task, Harry’s content with how he did against the Hungarian Horntail, even if he’d gotten a little singed. He might be in second place, but he’s nipping at Riddle’s heels.)

[crimeronan]

I feel like Luz “Separation Anxiety” Noceda would be a bit dismayed upon learning that Vee and her friends are going to graduate and go to college at the end of the school year (presuming that Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior are Human Realm Exclusive Terms)

Like “oh my entire social life actually revolves around you and your friends because I’m too awkward and different to know how to approach people and am too nice and accommodating to any and everyone because of The Horrors to tell anybody to back off if they get too nosy so truly I cannot fathom how I’m going to function in a school setting without you but it’s Fine :) I’m really happy for you and not at all going to cry about this :)))”

Maybe she’ll join the school band to try and become socially independent and then just get really sad cause she misses Raine :(((

baby girl :(

i think she'd have a kind of tough time in a school environment to begin with, honestly. i made a post to that effect earlier but decided it was too depressing and deleted it.... but! since i ended up thinking a LOT about how her school experience would be handled. the gist was:

she'd have a really good 504 plan in place -- 504 plans are written plans that help students with disabilities stay in a normal classroom. it would have accommodations like her getting pre-written notes about what they'd discuss in class, a slightly separate desk to avoid being unexpectedly touched by other students, blanket permission to step out into the hallway if she gets nervous, extra time on tests, etc.

she'd purposefully be matched with the friendliest teachers and the easiest graders, people who are Very willing to talk with her about her needs. and also to say "i'm not upset with you." probably the really relaxed english teacher from TTT is one of them. this occasionally does remind her of raine and make her feel incredibly guilty/sad :(

and i think she'd have a one-on-one aide assigned to sit with her and show her what she's supposed to do in a classroom and help her navigate between classes. most likely this person is with her all day except for during lunch periods, when she takes her break....

this definitely marks luz Other by the student body (as having a paraprofessional does for every kid in a mainstream classroom) but she actually does not mind it! it feels like being guarded & she's grateful to have someone telling her what to do.

(in my head the aide's name is miss delilah and she's an OC who exists purely to be really kind and understanding. because please god give luz this.)

even with all of this, though....

classrooms are not Easy for luz. in the canon, she has CRIPPLINGLY hyperactive ADHD and can't focus on anything going on. she's weird and offputting and exuberant and causes ten million problems.

here, she has a LOT of baggage from belos. not just the physical trauma, but also everything she's internalized about How To Behave. she's learned a lot about how not to annoy him. and school is a public-facing event, which means she's in full Gracious Princess Mode. trying to make herself as small and unobtrusive as possible

so all of her concentration goes into Sitting Still and Being Quiet. she can't anxiously stim without disrupting the classroom, she can't chatter without annoying people, she can't chew through pencils or rip up paper without attracting Concern.

this is. incredibly stressful!! for her!!

stressful enough that she can't really retain anything the teacher says in classes. her homework is always done and her notes are always neat, but her quiz and test scores are Abysmal. because she either can't process the questions or can't remember the answers. because being in the classroom is Hard

which just adds another layer of stress. luz is like. PLEASE don't tell my mom. please please please please please don't tell my mom :(

vee doesn't really understand this -- she Loves the classroom. loves to sit at a desk and participate in discussion. loves to do worksheets. loves to get good grades and be a pleasure to have in class. Behaving Normally is a lot less stressful for vee than it is for luz.

which makes luz even clingier, when she can have lunch with vee or see her between classes. she's microdosing on being in the company of someone who feels Normal And Fine. and who has friends who clearly feel Normal And Fine. and who don't mind if luz is weird around them

luz being like oh!! you're going away. i see :) um. congratulations!! i'll be right back. i need to lock myself in the shower and cry so hard i throw up.

[real-internal-revenue-service]

This is a Mary Anne apologist blog

[bokunoheroanalysisforthefuture]

Time for the rest of the first challenge. Event. Whatever. Words hard.

[No. 26 - Chase Down The Leader]

We flashback just a minute or so from where we left off, in order to see just how Izuku pulled off his impressive launch across the field. He stands at the start of the minefield, watching other students pick their way through - and occasionally setting off mines with missteps - while having a veritable mumblefest over the mines and the general issue of trying to pick past them. 

The general gist of the mumbling: The mines are the type that blow up when stepped on, and aren’t that strong, but can throw a student off enough to possibly cause a chain reaction and lose them a lot of time. It’s better to go slow to avoid damage, even for leaping types, and trying to slow others is a guaranteed time loss. Izuku then analyzes the field in front of him, noting the spots people avoid and that most students will be most on guard at the entrance, which means there are plenty of mines left for his plan so long as they stay frosty. 

Izuku puts his armor plate to work digging up mines, muttering about how anti-personnel mines should only be 14 centimeters or so deep (about 6 inches). Jirou, just making her way into the field and using her quirk to… I guess disable mines in front of her? Anyway, she actually notices Izuku is up to something and asks what he’s doing, though I think it’s not one she expects to get answered. In short order, Izuku has a pile of about a dozen mines, and mentally claims he’s taking a page from Kacchan’s book. Meanwhile, Present Mic announces Shouto and Katsuki are still in the lead, and that they’re about to cross the finish line.

Not for long, though, as Izuku names his adhoc maneuver ‘great blasting turbo speed’, throwing himself on top of his armor sheet and onto the pile of mines, launching him over the field and right towards the two leading the pack. Pretty much everyone hesitates or stops to stare for a moment, shook by the sheer brass balls it had to take to literally blow yourself sky high. The two most shook, of course, are Shouto and Katsuki, who only just start moving again when Izuku actually flies ahead of them, forgoing their fight in order to catch back up.

Izuku considers the whole experience intense, and is even more focused now that he’s managed to gain the lead. However, there’s one huge issue - he didn’t think far enough ahead to consider how he was going to land. As if that’s not enough, Katsuki is throwing himself forward with more explosions, screaming at ‘Deku’ to get back there (presumably to fight). Shouto’s not far behind, giving up keeping the others hindered in exchange for the speed he gets from icing over the field ahead of him - he doesn’t have time to worry about those behind him now.

Present Mic announces the temporary ceasefire between the two in order to chase down Izuku, and how when a common enemy appears, people stop fighting - then tacks on that, well, actually they’re still fighting, just not each other. Aizawa wonders what his friend is even trying to say. 

Izuku starts floating away from his armor sheet, the larger surface area causing it to stall and slow faster then he is. He grabs onto one of the wires as he recognizes this, and that if he loses time on his landing, passing the two again will be impossible. As the two just start to rush past him, Izuku swears mentally, telling himself to not let go - while he’s still ahead, this is his only chance. So, if passing them is impossible, then he has to maintain the lead. 

Somehow, he manages to flip in the air, using the momentum to bring the armor plate swinging around and into the ground right between the two, the pressure enough to set off several more mines. The two are forced to stop from the resulting explosion, while Izuku’s newfound momentum throws him readily ahead. 

As he falls into a duck and roll, Present Mic announces how Izuku blows off the competition with no time to lose. He goes on to marvel at Aizawa’s class, wondering what he’s teaching the kids. Aizawa says it’s not his doing, and that they’ve been spurring each other on all on their own. Present Mic rolls on with his commentary, asking who could have predicted such an incredible turn of events? Aizawa asks if he’s being ignored as Present Mic announces the first one back to the stadium:

Midoriya Izuku. The crowds go absolutely wild. Outside the stadium, Death Arms recognizes Izuku as the kid from a year ago. At home, Inko falls off the couch sobbing while repeatedly stumbling over Izuku’s name. In an unknown location, Shigaraki watches on while scratching idly at his neck. 

Izuku looks around the stadium while breathing heavily, eventually looking at one spot in particular. Somehow, he’s found Toshinori in the stands, and the two have a Moment™ from across the stadium. 

These fucking two, man. 

While Izuku is trying to keep himself from crying, the other students start making their way across the finish line as well. 

Toshinori thinks about how Izuku has the spirit of a savior hero to the core, but the sports festival is a competition that tests the exact opposite of that - your willingness to take down the enemy. Heroes nowadays depend on popular opinion so much. So many selfishly seek to beat everyone else. But that’s not Izuku - and that’s why Toshinori chose him, even as he thoughts that lack of selfishness would be his one weakness. He claps in the stands, happy to have been proved wrong and mentally apologizing for doubting him, even as he laments Izuku’s crying habits.

Some business students nearby catch Toshinori’s attention, mostly due to them discussing Izuku’s potential and how they’d market him. They talk about how Izuku’s stock is about to rise, but it’s hard to say what’s still in store for him since he didn’t show his quirk. They then start speculating about how a hero agency would market him if they took it on, with one pointing out how he’s not much to look at, so they’re have to push his skills and his unique, almost artistic sensibilities. When the resources you need aren’t there… Well, we don’t hear how that gets handled, but Toshinori does note how some things never change.

We get a brief narrative insert about the business course, most notably how they have nothing to gain by directly competing in the sports festival. Instead, they hone their skills as salespeople and run business simulations. 

Back with the hero students, we see Katsuki and Shouto both catching their breath. Katsuki is furious at Izuku once again managing to wrangle a win right from under him, while Shouto is just staring after Izuku silently. Present Mic announces more racers reaching the finish line, and that the standings will be gone over later, so the students can catch their breath for now.

Ochako and Tenya make their way over to Izuku. Ochako calls Izuku’s strategy awesome, while Tenya is in despair over losing a race with his quirk, stating that he still has progress to make. Ochako states that she’s jealous of Izuku’s first place; Izuku flushes and hides his face behind his arms, stating that it wasn’t that impressive, and was still too close. Internally, he laments that he just got lucky, that all his chance strategies happened to work. They say it’s awesome, but it was just a lucky break, and that the real test of skill starts now.

Anyways, Midnight announces the end of the race, and we get the results:

Midoriya Izuku

Todoroki Shouto

Bakugou Katsuki

Shiozaki Ibara

Honenuki Juuzou

Iida Tenya

Tokoyami Fumikage

Sero Hanta

Kirishima Eijirou

Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu

Ojiro Mashirao

Awase Yosetsu

Asui Tsuyu

Shouji Mezou

Satou Rikidou

Uraraka Ochako

Yaoyorozu Momo

Mineta Minoru

Ashido Mina

Kouda Kouji

Jirou Kyouka

Kaibara Sen

Tsuburaba Kosei

Kaminari Denki

Bondo Kojiro

Yanagi Reiko

Shinsou Hitoshi

Kendo Itsuka

Shishida Jurota

Kuroiro Shihai

Kodai Yui

Rin Hiryu

Shouda Nirengeki

Komori Kinoko

Kamakiri Togaru

Monoma Neito

Tsunotori Pony

Hagakure Touru

Tokage Setsuna

Fukidashi Manga

Hatsume Mei

Aoyama Yuuga

I wasn’t able to find this list in word form anywhere online, so I made it myself. You’re welcome. I also calculated the points each of them had going into the second event, but I’m not gonna worry about that here. I’ll do individual and team points when we actually get to the teams. That way, we’ll know who has which teams’ headbands at the end!

Moving on with the chapter. Midnight announces that the top 42 from the qualifying round will move on, conveniently just including every hero student as well as the two non-hero students who managed to place higher. For those who placed lower, the sports festival will have another way for them to show their stuff!

(Not that we see said show, which I mean, makes sense narratively speaking, but also…)

[I was going to insert the server discussion about my thoughts on the arbitrary cut-off point here, but it’s getting long enough to merit its own post at this point. So look forward to that whenever it goes up!]

Anyways, Midnight continues on, explaining that now the main selection really begins, and that the press corp is going to be jumping out of their seats, so the students should give it all they’ve got. Now, onto the second event, which she already knows - which confirms these are predetermined by UA and they just do the randomizer for the sake of the crowds. Said event is… 

the cavalry battle!

Kaminari is nervous at that, thinking about how he’s going to suck. Mineta is also looking concerned. Tsuyu notes they’re teaming up, but how, exactly? Midnight explains with a neat little graphic:

Basically, participants get in teams of two to four, and get into a horse-and-rider formation. The rules are the same as your regular cavalry battle - snag the opponent’s headbands while guarding your own - but with a twist. Each student has an assigned value based on their placement in the race. 

Sato notes that it sounds like the points in the entrance exam, so it sounds simple. Hagakure comments on how this means the point value of each team is based on its members. Midnight snaps and cracks her whip at the students that she’s about to explain, so they should shut up already. 

Individual point values start at five, at the bottom, so the student in 42nd place is forth five, 41st is worth ten, etc etc. However, the first place participant - that is, Izuku - is instead worth a whole ten million points.

That, my friends, is the face of someone realized they done fucked up.

Basically all the students stare down Izuku as he goes stiff from the internal panicking. Shinsou and Hatsume seem to be shown particular interest in it. Midnight finishes the chapter by noting that the higher-ranked students are the ones to aim for, and that this survival game is a chance for a comeback. It’s anyone’s game!

And with that, we end chapter 26… and volume three. Which means bonus content will be coming soon! See y’all then, and we’ll be back with more sports festival action in the next volume. 

[wenevergotusedtoegypt]

I definitely don't disagree with you that a Jew is a Jew is a Jew. However, do you take the extremist viewpoint that all non-Orthodox conversions are invalid?

I think I’ve demonstrated over time that I’m willing to discuss these types of issues in an open and honest way. So it’s frustrating when someone comes into my inbox with wording like this that clearly implies you want to check whether I have the Good Opinion or the Bad Opinion rather than being curious to hear and try to understand another perspective (yes, that’s what you’re doing when you label my assumed opinion “extremist” from the get-go).

That said…

It’s not about Orthodox vs. non-Orthodox. As I explained in the post that prompted this ask, I believe that the entire Torah, Written and Oral, was received by the Jewish people from G-d via Moshe Rabbeinu at Sinai, and is fully binding. Jewish law has very clear instructions for how a non-Jewish person can join the Jewish people: after studying enough to be properly equipped to live according to Jewish law, the person must have a bris milah if relevant, immerse in a kosher mikvah in front of a beis din of fully Torah-observant witnesses, and accept upon themselves all 613 mitzvos.

Any conversion that meets those requirements makes a person Jewish according to Jewish law. Any conversion that does not meet those requirements does not make a person Jewish according to Jewish law. It has nothing to do with discriminating against non-Orthodox conversions per se…those conversions just don’t meet the requirements. 

The thing is, this really shouldn’t be upsetting to non-Orthodox converts, provided their rabbis did the decent thing and informed them of the situation prior to working with them (unfortunately, I have heard of many cases where that was not done, and the people only found out after the fact - that, I completely understand being upsetting). If you care about halacha and about people who follow halacha accepting your conversion, so then convert according to halacha. If you don’t care about halacha and decide to convert another way, that’s a free choice you made and it shouldn’t matter to you what people who do follow halacha think. Here’s an imperfect but still pertinent analogy:

I don’t remember exactly how the Common App works because it’s been 9 years since I was applying for college, but for the purposes of this post, the gist is that there is a bunch of information one fills out that will be submitted to all universities to which one is applying, and then individual universities may choose to require additional supplemental questions.

You decide you want to go to college. You fill out all the general questions on the Common App, and hit submit.

Acceptances and rejections go out. You are accepted by University A and University B, which do not require any supplemental questions, but you hear nothing from University C. You call up the admissions office and ask about the status of your application. There is a brief silence as the woman on the other end of the line looks through the university’s system for your application. “I’m sorry,” she eventually says, “but it looks like you never actually completed the application for our university.”

“Uh, yeah, I dunno, maybe?” you say. “But does that mean I’m accepted and I can register for classes this semester?”

“I’m sorry,” she says again, “but if you want to attend here, you’ll have to apply during the next round of admissions.”

“What?!” you demand, irate. “But I filled out the questions you’re supposed to fill out to get into college! University A and University B said I did everything I needed to do! And I’m an amazing student! I got straight A’s all through high school and participated in 19 extracurriculars! I deserve to be accepted to this school just as much as anyone else who filled out the Common App!”

“I see that you did fill out all the general questions on the app,” the woman says, “but our university requires all applicants to complete 5 additional essays that you did not submit. I’m sure you are a great student and it’s quite possible you would do well here. It’s truly nothing personal. Unfortunately, though, we can’t accept you if you didn’t comply with our designated application process.”

Scenario A:

You wanted to attend University C, but you didn’t know about the supplemental questions. This is on you - there were instructions, but you skimmed over them instead of taking the time to read them fully.

Scenario B:

“But I spoke to someone from the Common App office at one point and they never told me about the supplemental questions for University C!”

Yeah, you know what? You’re right. The person you spoke to was negligent in not giving you all the information when you asked for it; they didn’t do their job. But regardless of who is at fault for your lack of knowledge about the application process, University C still needs all the requested information in order to process and accept your application. It sucks, and it’s upsetting, but at the end of the day you do have to go back and provide that extra information if you want to be accepted. And the miscommunication is, in any case, not the fault of University C, so there’s no point holding it against them or their staff.

Scenario C:

You knew full well that University C required supplemental questions as part of its application. You consciously decided not to fill them out because you don’t really want to attend that school anyway - you’re much more of a University A or B person. You have no right to be upset at University C or to expect to be able to enroll in their classes, because it was your own choice not to complete the extra questions required for admission to their school.

In none of these scenarios is University C at fault or “extremist.” They laid out a process for being accepting into the school; you either purposely or inadvertently didn’t follow that process. And if you really want to attend their courses, all you have to do is go back and follow the process and you’ll be able to.

—

All of that said, a person’s conversion not being halachically legitimate obviously doesn’t excuse mistreating them. I can’t count you in a minyan, marry you, etc. because I follow halacha and you chose to do a conversion that isn’t valid according to halacha, but I’m not going to sit around yelling at you that you aren’t Jewish or kick you out of the Chabad house if you show up or whatever. There are people on this site I’m friendly with who did non-halachic conversions who can vouch for that.

[ljones41]

“X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE” (2009) Review

“X-MEN: WOLVERINE” (2009) Review

I must admit that when I had first learned of Marvel’s plans to release a fourth movie in the ”X-MEN” franchise nearly six years ago, I did not warm to the idea. And when I learned that this fourth movie would focus upon the origins of James Howlett aka Logan aka Wolverine, my wariness deepened.

Fortunately, ”X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE” eased most of my doubts. It turned out to be a surprisingly entertaining movie. Directed by Gavin Hood, it told the story of how a Canadian mutant named James Howlett (or Logan) became the amnesiac Wolverine first introduced in the 2000 film, ”X-MEN”. The movie not only provided a brief glimpse of his tragic childhood in mid-19th century Canada, which included the deaths of his stepfather; and real father and his relationship with his half-brother, Victor Creed aka Sabertooth, along with an extraordinary title sequence that highlighted the two brothers’ experiences as Canadian mercenaries for the U.S. Army during the Civil War, World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War. But the gist of the film centered around their work as mercenaries for the U.S. Army’s “Team X”, led by military scientist Major William Stryker; and James’ (Logan’s) later conflicts with Victor and Stryker after he left the team.

”X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE” had received some bad word of mouth before its release at the beginning of May. A rumor circulated that either Marvel or 20th Century-Fox had meddled with director Hood’s finished work. Since I do not know whether this is true or not, all I can do is comment upon what I had seen on the movie screen. And to be honest, I am not a big fan of the Wolverine character . . . despite Hugh Jackman’s portrayal. Yes, he can be very entertaining. But uber-macho types like Logan have never been my forte. But I went ahead saw the movie, anyway.

First, I have to say that ”X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE” was not perfect. One, I never understood why James and Victor had served as mercenaries for the U.S. Army during both World War I and II, since Canada had participated in both wars and at least seven decades had passed between the deaths of John Howlett and Thomas Logan (James’ step-father and father) in 1845 and their participation in World War I in 1917-1918. And two, how did Stryker know that Victor had less chance of surviving the adamantium process than James? Was it ever explained in the movie? I also had problems with two of the characters in the movie, along with Nicholas De Toth and Megan Gill’s editing. But I will discuss those later.

Despite some of the flaws mentioned in the previous paragraph, ”X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE” turned out to be better than I had expected. The movie took viewers on James Howlett’s emotional journey that started with him as a young boy in 1845 Canadian Northwest Territories, who stumbled upon an unpleasant truth about his parentage in the worst possible way. By the time the movie ended, James (or Logan) had fought in several wars, participated in Team X’s black operations, estranged himself from Victor, fallen in love, experienced loss, acquired his adamantium claws and lost his memories. Several fans had complained that Logan’s character did not seem like the complex loner from ”X-MEN” throughout most of the movie. Instead, he seemed more like the slightly benign team player that had emerged at the end of ”X-MEN 3: THE LAST STAND”. I must admit that these fans have a point. Only . . . I am not complaining. This only tells me that screenwriters David Benioff and Skip Woods had properly done their jobs. If Logan’s character had remained the cynical loner throughout the entire film, I would have been disappointed. One key to good writing is character development. In all of the previous three ”X-MEN”, Logan’s character had developed slowly from the loner to the team player shown at the end of ”THE LAST STAND”. But ”X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE”is only one movie. And in that single film, the screenwriters, along with Hood and actor Hugh Jackman had to show the audience how James Howlett became that amnesiac loner. The last thing I wanted to see was a one-dimensional portrayal of his character. And I am thankful that I have no reason to complain about Logan’s character arc.

Not only was I impressed by Logan’s character development (which was the gist of the story), I was also impressed by how Hood, Benioff, Woods and Jackman handled Logan’s relationships with Victor and Stryker. I enjoyed how the screenwriters created the con job that both Stryker and Victor had committed against Logan. They had manipulated Logan into volunteering for the adamantium process, so that he could seek revenge against Victor for his girlfriend’s death. What Logan did not know was that he had been nothing more than an experiment – a test run – to see if the process would work for Stryker’s new weapon – a mutant called Weapon XI or Deadpool that had been injected with the abilities of other mutants, including Logan’s healing factor. I feel that Benioff and Woods’ creation of the con job was an imaginative twist to the story . . . and very essential to Logan’s character development.

Speaking of Logan, I must say that Hugh Jackman did an excellent job of conveying Logan’s emotional journey in the film. Thanks to his first-class performance, he took Logan from the loyal, yet wary half-brother of the increasingly violent Victor Creed to the amnesiac mutant who ended up rejecting Remy LaBeau’s help amidst the ashes of Three Mile Island. Mind you, Jackman’s portrayal of Logan has always been first-rate. But since this movie featured a more in-depth look into the character’s development, I feel that it may have featured Jackman’s best performance as aggressive and self-regenerative mutant.

Liev Schreiber seemed equally impressive in his portrayal of Logan’s half-brother, Victor Creed aka Sabertooth. Like Logan, Victor possessed a regenerative healing factor, an aggressive nature and superhuman senses. But Schreiber’s Victor seemed not to have embarked on an emotional journey. Instead, his character seemed to be in some kind of quandary. Not only did Schreiber portray Victor as a more aggressive and violent man than Logan, but he did so with a touch of style that seemed to be lacking in Tyler Mane’s portrayal in the 2000 movie. Schreiber also did a magnificent job in revealing Victor’s conflicted feelings toward the character’s younger half-brother. He loves James, yet at the same time, harbors several resentments toward the younger man – including one toward Logan’s abandonment of Team X and him.

Normally I would pity the actor forced to fill Brian Cox’s shoes in the role of U.S. Army scientist William Stryker. The Scottish actor had given a superb performance in ”X-MEN 2: X-MEN UNITED”. Fortunately, Marvel hired Danny Huston for the role. Not only did he successfully fill Cox’s shoes in my opinion, he managed to put his own stamp on the role. Like Cox, Huston did a great portrayal of Stryker as the soft-spoken, yet ruthless and manipulative military scientist who would do anything to achieve his goals regarding the existence of mutants. But whereas the older Stryker simply wanted to destroy mutants, Huston’s Stryker seemed to desire control over them . . . for his own personal experiments. And Huston . . . was superb.

I felt more than satisfied with most of the movie’s supporting cast. Ryan Reynolds was memorable in his brief role of a wisecracking mercenary with lethal swordsmanship named Wade Wilson. He was both hilarious and chilling as the mutant who eventually became Stryker’s premiere experiment – Weapon XI aka Deadpool. Taylor Kitsch made a charming, yet intense Remy LaBeau, the New Orleans hustler and mutant who had escaped from Stryker’s laboratory on Three Mile Island. Rapper will.i.am made a solid screen debut as the soft spoken teleporter, John Wraith. Dominic Monaghan gave a quiet and poignant performance as Bradley, another member of Stryker’s Team X that happened to be a technopath. Kevin Durand as funny as the super strong Fred Dukes aka Blob, who developed an eating disorder after leaving Team X. Daniel Henney was intense and unforgettable as Team X’s ruthless tracker and marksman, Agent Zero. I enjoyed Tahyna Tozzi’s portrayal of the strong-willed Emma “Frost” so much that I found myself wishing she had been the movie’s leading lady.

Which brings me to Lynn Collins as Kayla Silverfox. I am sure that Ms. Collins is a competent actress. But her performance as Kayla, Logan’s telepathic girlfriend struck me as a bit uninspiring. Oddly enough, she physically reminded me of Evangeline Lilly of ”LOST”. In fact, her portrayal of Kayla damn near came off as flat so much that her acting skills almost seemed as mediocre as Ms. Lilly’s. Considering Ms. Collins’ reputation as an actress, I suspect that screenwriters Benioff and Woods are to blame for the flat portrayal of Kayla, instead of Ms. Collins’ acting skills. Tim Peacock gave a competent, yet unmemorable performance as the younger Scott Summers aka Cyclops – another mutant who became one of Stryker’s prisoners on Three Mile Island and a part of the Weapon XI experiment. If this Cyclops is supposed to be twenty years younger than the one featured in the first three ”X-MEN” films, then I believe that a younger actor should have been cast in this film. Why? I never got the impression that James Marsden’s Cyclops had been somewhere between 34 and 38 in the three previous films.

As I had stated earlier, I was not impressed by Nicholas De Toth and Megan Gill’s editing of the film. At times, it struck me as slightly choppy and amateurish. Only the editing featured in the opening title sequence struck me as impressive. And imaginative. However, Donald McAlpine’s photography and the visual effects supervised by Dean Franklin, Craig Veytia and Mike Rotella struck me as very impressive – especially in the title sequence and the scene featuring Logan and Victor’s fight against Deadpool on Three Mile Island.

In conclusion, I found ”X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE” to be surprisingly enjoyable. It turned out better than I had expected, despite some flaws. It would probably rank third for me in the ”X-MEN” franchise – somewhere between ”X-MEN 3” and ”X-MEN: FIRST CLASS”. I find this astonishing, considering I did not have any real hopes for this film when it first hit the theaters nearly nine years ago. I realize that many fans of the franchise have low opinions of the film. But you know what? I guess I really do not care.

[shia-coons-writing]

     As the teacher dismissed them, Adam stood up and began packing his books away. He and David had been attending classes to get their GED, and it had gone better than expected. The work was easy so far. David had already taught him much of the math while they were in Jubruw, and what David couldn’t teach, Thesuk taught him. The literature and history was mosty new, but even if Adam didn’t have the body he had grown to love, he still had his mind, and he knew how to study well. Even so, he wished David had been here today. However, his brother had had an interview and couldn't make it.

    A loud thump beside him startled him out of his thoughts. Owen Maddox stood beside the table, his backpack on the floor. “How ya’ doin’, Nguyen?”

    Eyeing him warily, Adam replied, “Fine. You?”

    Owen grinned. “I’m just fine. Look, you wanna come over to my place this weekend? My friends and I are heading to New York, and we thought we’d invite you along.”

    Adam blinked in surprise. He had known Owen since middle school, and neither of them had gotten along. Owen and his friends were well known for being the local troublemakers. Most of them had DUI's, and it was not uncommon for them to be seen hanging out with highschool girls. Owen had made his contempt for Adam very clear on many occasions.

    “Why me?”

    Owen grinned again. “Well, we thought you could tell us what you were up to the past few years. Your brother is too stuck up to even consider coming with us, but you and me, Adam, we’re pals, aren’t we? You could tell us where you went, and we could hook you up with some of the good stuff.”

    Inside the privacy of his own skull, Adam laughed. Tell him where he’d been? Owen clearly thought that he and David had run away, and was hoping to get in on the scoop. As if he’d tell this nineteen year old his memories of starvation, war, love, and hate. The good stuff? He’d tried alcohol once, and he knew how dangerous it could be for someone like him. David had taken to it quickly, and it had been years before his brother had managed to break the habit.

    Instead of all that, all he said was, “No, thanks. I told my parents I’d help out with my sister’s birthday party.”

    The grin on Owen’s face twisted into an ugly snarl. “You think you’re so cool, don’t you, Nguyen? Running away like that? Well, see if you can get anything from me after this. I gave you a chance. You could have had friends, besides just your brother.”

    Adam calmly smiled back, and began to walk away. “I don’t think I want your friends, Maddox. I like to stay away from trouble.”

    It had been eight months since David and Adam had arrived. It was now early spring, and things were getting tight. The first harvest wouldn’t come into the city until after the spring rains had fallen on the northern plains. There was little fresh food in the town, and shopkeepers were keeping a closer eye than ever on their food. The watch had even pitched in to make sure food wasn’t stolen from the larger markets. 

David and Adam sat with the rest of the kids in a circle. They were now considered full members of the group, and participated in all discussions and decisions. Viewet was talking. 

    “We need to get jobs! At least us older ones- we’re going to be caught otherwise.”

    Rathe, rational as always, interrupted, “How, moron? Only three of us are over sixteen, and besides, all the actual adults have taken the jobs.”

    “Well, I don’t know, Rathe, maybe outside the city? On farms or something? If some of us older ones left, it’d be easier for the younger ones.”

    Heyjuk interrupted here. “We can’t leave the younger ones. That’s practically just handing them over to the watch. We just have to find some other way.”

    Adam watched them argue, and worried. These people may not have been related to him by blood like David was, but he still felt that same tie of loyalty. They had taken him and David in when no one else would have, fed them when they could not help provide, taught them the language, and shown them how to survive. 

    Clearing his throat, he asked, “What we need most is money, right?”

    The room quieted as they all turned to look at him. 

    Viewet shrugged. “That’s the gist of it, yeah.”

    Hesitantly, Adam asked, “So why don’t we just take it from the nobles?”

    There was a heavy pause. Finally, Rathe said, “How? We’re just street kids, we don’t have the skill to steal from the nobility.”

    David, sitting beside Adam, shrugged. “If we planned things right, and sent just a few of the older ones in, we might be able to get something. It’s worth a shot. If we get caught, the worst we’ll get is a beating.”

    People glanced around the circle, coming to a consensus. Heyjuk was the first to speak. “Alright, so how do we do that?”

    It took some time to get organised, many test trials on smaller houses, a few failed attempts (and subsequent rescuing of team members from jail) before they began to succeed. They never took much, just enough to support everyone for two weeks or so, but not so much that the other gangs would become jealous and try to steal from them.

    It was a six man mission. Usually, Rathe and Adam caused a distraction, usually something like a fire, false break in or loose animals, while Heyjuk and David snuck in. Both were tall, slender, and strong, so the rough stone on walls of the towers and mansions were easy. When they had located the money, food, or other objects picked out over the week before, they dropped them down to the two others waiting on the ground. Once they were away, David and Heyjuk attracted the attention of the guards so that Adam and Rathe could sneak away. Then, they fled over the rooftops and hid in a safe house until morning. 

    It was after about two months of doing this that they began to hear rumors. The army had had enough. Whole squads, sometimes even a platoon, were breaking away and joining a rebellion. There wasn’t really a cause yet, just men tired of fighting and wanting to leave. It caused a lot of discussion among the younger children, but the older ones ignored the rumors and moved on. When asked why, Rathe gave a wry smile. “We’ve heard about stuff like this before- have for the past seven years. Nothing ever changes. Besides, even if it were true, they have no purpose. They’re just a bunch of men hiding away. I don’t have time to think about them, not with our next raid to plan and the watch always on our heels.”

    David agreed with her. Adam, on the other hand, did not. 

    “David, we should go join them!”

    David stared at his younger brother. They were in the central marketplace, coming back from buying food for the day for everyone. “What?”

    “You heard me! We should go join them, it’d be fun.”

    “Fun? Fun?! Adam, we don’t know where they are or even who they are. For all we know, it’s just a bunch of troublemakers who deserted before they got disciplined, then tried to come up with a better story.”

    Adam paused at this. “I guess that could be true.”

    David snorted. “Could be, that’s the most likely answer. Besides, if we leave we may never know how to get back home.”

    Sighing, Adam asked, “Do you think we will, ever? I mean, for real. Don’t give me some crappy answer about how the heroes always make it out in the end. I mean, for real. We have no idea where we were when we arrived, and no idea how to operate whatever took us here.”

    “I guess we’ll just have to find out. But I don’t want to leave until we know for certain that there’s no way back.”

[gearchronicles]

Danganropa Re:Birth Class Trial One Transcript

I didn’t find any translation on the Class Trial of the video that Miwashiba posted yet, so I did one.�� 

【DRRB】ダンガンロンパ-Re:Birth-　裁判（前編）【非公式二次創作】.

And well heads up, while I did try my best shot on translating this, I have never really translated anything before yet, did no proof checking, or grammer, or an y other kind of checking yet (because it’s 2 am and I’ve been sitting on this since 6pm non stop), and it’s a rushed one person project I just did for fun.

You should only use this if you absolutely have no idea what they are saying, and even then only as a reference. I have no actual confidence in my japanese, if you could even call it that. I just barely managed roughly translate what they are saying. Sentences in { } mean that I actually have no idea if that’s what they are saying or not. Well it still should be possible to get the gist of the trial with thsi transcript... I hope. 

Also I can’t actually read japanese properly so I did this mostly by ear. Segments with Fujimori thinking are not translated because of this. Since it’s not voiced. Please do bear in mind it’s almost 3 am and I didn’t go over this script over yet. If you’re asking yourself why I used their first name instead their last name (except Koga). I have absolutely no idea.

Danganronpa Re:Birth Transcript -Opening- -Menu- -Class Trial Start- Monodora: Well now then...! I shall give simple explanation for the first Class Trial! Monodora:  In a Class Trial the one [Who did it] will be deduced and you'll vote on the culprit based on that conclusion. Monodora: If you can come to the rightful conclusion on who the blackend is, only the blackend will be punished... but if you by chance make the wrong person the blackend... Monodora: Everyone besides the blackend will be punished, and the left blackened will obtain the right to Graduation and will be allowed to graduate from Kaiho Acedemy! Monodora: Ah, and futhermore. Be sure that during Voting time to vote for someone. The person who didn't vote, shall be punished too, okay Monodora: Well then! It's the awaited start of the Class Trial! Ayumu: Well... it s-started, but... Kasumi: That is, it's just like what that Drago said that you'd understand, right? Aren't your ears rotten? Maiko: Man-! It's not the time to be insulting each other. If we don't cooperate, we won't find the culprit, you know! Misuzu: It's just like you said. ...First off, in order to discuss logically, we should start with laying our emotions aside, how does that sound? Akira: Do we have time to take things so leisurely? Let's quickly find the culprit and return... Kego: If we can find them by chattering, {that's not what makes them blackend} ? Arumi: Monodora killed, in order for us to participate in a Class Trial... isn't that what could've happend? Monodora: How rude! I wouldn't do something like that! Monodora: {After all, it's way funnier to look from an absolute and safe position after all! I wouldn't need to manipulate the results after all!} ? Maiko: Uwah... he really has bad tastes. Koga (Horse): If Monodora that bastard didn't do it, then that means the culprit is someone within our circle, doesn't it! Koga (Deer): Ehhh~ I don't want that... {I'd rather have this conclude fast...} ? Kazuomi: I'd be grateful if it went like that, but I don't think it will, right. Ayumu: That's right... Now since the Class Trial opend, I think the culprit plans to escape like that and go to the outside. Ayumu: In exchange for our lives... right. Kasumi: I- I don't want that! Kasumi doesn't want to die yet! Kasumi: Ah, but if I died then I wonder if I can become an existence like [those childs]/[them]...? ((I think Anoko refers to children? Considering her profile I she talks about ghost though)) Mikoto: That's not going to happen. Let's already start the Class Trial. Kasumi: Uhh--! W-What, it's fine even if you don't glare! Narumi: But, but- I haven't done something like a Trial yet. How do you do it? Nico: Over there, there's a person who seems to know how to. Kego: Miss Himuro... if you look at me that much, I'll  get embarrassed. Kego: Underground citzien, {because they continue to keep shut} are undergound, you see. Kego: Now in a situation {like that, (stopping to act undergound like can't be)/(I'll lose my right to be undergound right)} ((Truthfully I'm not entirely sure what he says here, 6:39 revisit)) Narumi: J-just in what kind of world did you live in...? Seishi: That's right... even if you say Trial, we don't have any {knowledge or experience}. Seishi: For starters, {it's important to talk first.} After that, I think it's fine if we take turns to organise our information. Seishi: If we do that, we should be walking directly into the truth. Marin: That's true. If we talk about the most important thing- Marin: Why did Saisai die, that's it right- Aruma: Well that's- it's fine to think that you're talking about Rokudo-chan, right? Misuzu: About the death? I think it's fine to talk (from a point where we can (continue)/(move forward from))/ (from a more advanced position). ((I think she means that they can skip the part about why he died)) Seishi: No, we should make sure everyone has the same level of information. Seishi: {So that we can make sure that the culprit doesn't say something like only they didn't know. That kind of development can happen too.} ((??? I think he says something along these lines)) Koga (Horse) : That happens quite often in Drama's right! Kazuomi: Well {reviewing the case}, starting from there is fine too I think. Misuzu: Yeah that's right... I'll {reflect} ((I actually don't know the last word she said)) Seishi: Well then, let's review what everyone know's about Rokudo's case. Ayumu: *thinks in words I can't read* Ayumu: *continues to think* Ayumu: *more thinking* -Debate start- -Bullets loading- First statement (Misuzu): On [Rokudo-sans's corpse] was... Second statement (Misuzu) : evidence left that his head was hit, right? Third statement (Akira): That's what was written in the Monodora Files too, right. Forth statement (Narumi): The time of murder was... during [{Night}] wasn't it? ((I'm not sure about the highlightend word, but considering how the trial goes the murder occured somewhere after midnight)) Fifth statement (Aruma): But Rokudo-chan... Sixth statement (Aruma):  why was he killed during nighttime in the [boy's bathroom]? Seventh statement (Kasumi) : If you say stuff like he "suddenly wanted to move his body", that's not going to happen right...? Eighth statement (Marin): Surely someone called for him- Ninth statement (Marin): cornered him, and was firmly [strangled by hand], right? ((I'm not sure if it says struck down, strangled, hanged, or something else, I'll go with strangle)) Ayumu: *thinks* -Circles through the bullets and replays debate- -Shoots [strangled by hand]- -Ayumu "No, that's wrong"- -Debate BREAK!!!- Ayumu: No, Seiji-kun wasn't killed by being strangled by hand. Marin: Eh? The murder method- it wasn't firmly strangling him by both hands? Ayumu: It's just like the Monodora Files say, {on the back of Seiji-kun's neck there were traces left of something thin and fine that strangled him} (yeah i don't understand the second part at all) Ayumu: That's why..., that he was strangled by hand, I don't think that happend. Marin: I see- Right, if the hands are small, it'd be hard to {wrap them around} his neck, too. Nico: I don't think it's decided that the culprit is a {} person. ((Yeah it's always the important words that I don't know orz)) Kazuomi: But you know, that thin and fine like thing. Inside the male's bathroom, there didn't seem to be anything thin like that. Ayumu: I looked here and there, and there wasn't anything like that. Maiko: So within Saiji-kun's proximity, there wasn't a weapon like thing? Kego: If that's the case, where do you think the culprit found that thin like thing? Aruma: {Close by}, there was something seemed like a rope. Aruma: But it's so long and thick... {if it was an Amateur, I don't think an amateur would use it}. Narumi: Inside the dining hall there were noodles, but I don't think anyone would use them. Narumi: Normally, nobody would use them to strangle someone right? Kasumi: You're the scary one for being able to think something like that up... Seishi: Not quite, even if we weren't able to find that thin and fine thing nearby facilities, Seishi: You all should have seen something like that at least once. And it's even closeby. Ayumu: *thinking* Ayumu: That weapon that we've seen somewhere... Answer One: *Still can't read* Answer Two: Own Room Answer Three: *Something japanese* -Ayumu "That's right!"- Ayumu: Inside our rooms! Narumi: Our rooms... was there something like that in our rooms? Seishi: Not quite, if we were to talk about in more detail, it was inside the decor, right. Ayumu: Yes. Kazuomi: ...Ah you're talking about our weapon-set aren't you? Misuzu: The weapon-set... the thing we received together with our videos from Monodora, right? Ayumu: That's right. Everyone, won't you please recall once more what the content of the weapon-set was. Kazuomi: Inside the weapon-set were... A knive, rope, hammer and a {small bottle}, weren't there? Maiko: ...Ah! That rope! Ayumu: Right... If it was the rope that was included with the weapon-set, I think we should {reconsider, because of the evidence left on Saiji-kun} Seishi: {It's fine enough} and the lenght is excatly 1.5 m long. In order to wrap it around a neck, I think that lenght is more than enough. Mikoto: During the investigation time, I ran around and looked at all facilities, but... Mikoto: Just like the other say, a rope that was long enough to be used as a weapon to strangle Rokudo, only the one inside the weapon-set could have been used. Mikoto: That's why, I think we can confirm that the weapon that was used was that rope. Misuzu: Running around investigating... you want to say that you looked around such a large perimeter during such a short time...!? Mikoto: What? It's not like I'm saying something impossible, right. Maiko: I do have some confidence in my stamina, but... Maiko: even so investigating, while running around every facility, I think that's pretty impressive. Maiko: Itsuki-san, when you have to do something you sure do! Mikoto: If you have time for {useless banter}, use that to proceed the discussion instead. Maiko: Eh--- it wasn't {useless banter} though. Ayumu: Umm... Then, we can agree that that was Saiji-kun's murder weapon, right? Seishi: That's right. Should we review the murder next? Seishi: The next thing we should consider next is... the murder location, shouldn't we? Misuzu: We want to confirm the location where Rokudo-san died, isn't that so. Narumi: The one's who watched over the male's bathroom were - Samejima-chan, Koga-chan, Todoroki-chan, weren't they? Kazuomi: Yeah. We wouldn't have stayed quiet if someone tried to erase evidence, alright. Kazuomi: That's because, I vigilantly stayed watch after all! It's fine to be relieved. Seishi: That's true... Then we will have those three speak now. Seishi: What did you see, and what did you notice. It'd be nice if you told us. Koga (Horse): Well it can't be helped alright! Be grateful and listen to my words! Koga (Deer): Why is Uma-kun (Horse) always like he is looking at others from above? Koga (Horse): Shut up! Those who have {strong flesh}, are always at the top! Narumi: Uma-chan (Horse) is more like flesh to be eaten isn't he? Aruma: Well I'll do something about it. Ayumu: *thinking* Ayumu: *thinking* -Debate start- -Bullets loading- First statement (Kazuomi): Rokudo was found in the [male's bathroom] late at night. Second statement (Aruma): Did Rokudo-chan go to the male's bathroom on [his own volition], I wonder? Third statement (Koga (Deer)): That's the only way, isn't it? Fourth statement (Aruma): No, not quite, it could be... Fifth statement (Aruma): did someone call him out there? Sixth statement (Koga (Horse)): That does sound possible! Seventh statement (Kazuomi): But you know... Eigth statement (Kazuomi): There wasn't [anything suspicious] like that in the bathroom, right? -Shoots [anything suspicious]- -Ayumu "That's wrong!"- -Debate BREAK!!!- Ayumu: ...No, I found something that suspicious inside the male's bathroom. Aruma: Oh my? Was there anything like that? Ayumu: It's this. Marin: Well this is, a letter? Ayumu: Yes. It was in the trash can, mixed with the other garbage. Nico: So, is that letter the one which summoned Rokudo-kun? Maiko: Ah... I see! Maiko: Then just like Aruma-chan said, Saiji-kun was called by someone, isn't that so? Ayumu: No... this Letter is indeed used to call someone to the male's bathroom. Ayumu: But, the receiver wasn't Saiji-kun. Kego: Hm, if it wasn't Mister Rokudo, then to whom exactly is this Love Letter addressed to? Ayumu: Samejima-san. You knew about this Letter, didn't you? Kazuomi: Ah...!! Koga (Horse): Ehhh!? You bastard were the culprit!? Kazuomi: Y-You're wrong! Why should it be me!? Koga (Deer): {So noone would notice that you'd get rid of the evidence, you volunteered to stand guard didn't you} Kazuomi: Nghh---!! Kazuomi: I didn't say that! The whole time while I stayed watch, I was asleep! Akira: Is that your weak excuse? (Is something that weak your excuse?) Seishi: Fujimori-san. I think it would be fine if you told everyone it's content. Ayumu: Right. So... Ayumu: [Regarding the motive video, if you want more information, it's hidden inside the male's bathroom's locker.] Ayumu: This was written inside the letter. Misuzu: The motive video... That is the video we received from Monodora, right? Narumi: What was it? There was a continuation to that video!? Kego: Then, the one who sent that letter was Monodora? Ayumu: No... the name of the one who sent it wasn't on it. Ayumu: But, even though we can't determine who sent it, Samejima-san, receiving this letter, you went to the male's bathroom, didn't you? Kazuomi: I'm telling you, I didn't go there... Mikoto: If you say that you didn't go, isn't it weird that this letter was in the bathroom's trashbin? Mikoto: You... if you're lying you should be prepared {for the consequences.} Kazuomi: Ngh...!? Misuzu: Please wait just a moment. Koga (Horse): Ehh? What is it, do you have any complaints? Koga (Horse): No matter how you look at it Samejima-san is suspicious! Misuzu: No, I think it would be too rash to determine that Samejima-san went to the bathroom just based on that letter. Misuzu: I mean... we can't deny the possibility that someone else threw that letter away on purpose. Nico: And that is for what reason? Seishi: From the information that we've gathered, perhaps in order to draw suspicion on Samejima-san and  avert suspicion away from themself. Misuzu: That is right. That's why we shouldn't blaming Samejima-san without evidence or concrete proof. Nico: That {Neet} over there, {} you seem to be awake every night, don't you know something? Akira: Hah? Since when did I develop that kind of rotten {habit}. Akira: Even if I was awake, if I was in that windowless room the whole time, I wouldn't know about anything that happened elsewhere, you know... Akira: {While everyone was collecting evidence}, I was in that room the whole time, you know. Narumi: So you really were all alone, weren't you. ((You're really a Hikkimori, Shut In)) Misuzu: If you don't have any concrete evidence... shouldn't we think about an other possibility then? Kazuomi: Heh... it's just like Aisaka said. Kazuomi: That's what I said from the beginning that I didn't go! Kazumi: If you want proof, there is some... Kazuomi: If you say that, say it {more straight forwardly}. Kasumi: If you want proof, there is some!! Kazuomi: Uwahhhh!!? Nico: Don't raise your volume so suddenly. {Those poison like rotten eyes, shall I turn them around...?} Kasumi: Ihhh! Wh-what...! Even though I was just about to tell you about the proof...! Kasumi: If you say you don't want it, then I wont tell about it! Ayumu: Uh-- no, that's not the case! Ayumu: That's why... Izumo-san, won't you tell us about it? Maiko: Yes, that's right! Bullying is not good! Kasumi: Uhh.... uh.. I... I saw it. Kasumi: Kasumi saw Samejima last night. Kazuomi: Ngah! Koga (Horse/Deer): W-What did you say-!? Mikoto: I wonder if that's the truth. Kasumi: What's with you! Kasumi dosen't have a reason to cover for that {half assed, thick skulled ape} Samejima! Kazuomi: Who are you calling {half assed, thick skulled ape}!? Seishi: Well... it's true that we asked around who went around during nighttime. Seishi: But, at that time, why didn't you tell us about it? Kasumi: Hii--- B-because... Kasumi: Then you all would look at Kasumi with those blaming eyes...! Ayumu: W-we didn't have any intention of that though... Seishi: A..hahaha... I'm sorry. Well anyway I'd like you to continue, if that's alright. Kasumi: I, I understand... Kasumi: Ihi... hihihihi.... you better listen to Kasumi properly.... Kasumi: You better be careful, because if you anger those children, even Kasumi can't lend you a hand...! Seishi: Ahahaha.... I'll take note of it. Ayumu: *Thinking in process* Ayumu: *More lines thought* -Debate start- -Bullets loading- First statement (Kasumi): In order to play with those children, Kasumi always goes outside at night... Second statement (Kasumi): And last night, ((Kasumi)) saw [Samejima Figure]...! Third statement (Kazuomi): And was that really me!? Fourth statement (Kasumi): It's the truth! I wouldn't tell somelie! Fifth statement (Kasumi): The one who walked towards [the gym], {Kasumi} really saw them! Sixth statement (Kazuomi): But it's not like you saw how he walked towards the male bathroom! Seventh statement (Kazuomi): If there's [no other evidence] that I went to the bathroom, then... -Shoots [no other evidence]- -Ayumu "That's wrong!"- -Debate BREAK!!!- Ayumu: ...Not quite, there's proof that Samejima-san went to the bathroom with high probability, that's left within the bathroom. Kego: Hmmm... there was something else than the Letter? Ayumu: Yes. Ayumu: That is... the locker. Kazuomi: The locker? What do you want to say? Ayumu: If Samejima-san went to the bathroom, then- no, Ayumu: He should be able to remember. About the locker door, that {was wide open.} Aruma: The Locker's door which was open... It was the one where Rokudo-chan was inside right? Ayumu: Yes. About the Locker's door state before the incident, Yodagawa-san should know about it. Seishi: Hmm... that Locker's door, when I investigated it before, it was closed shut. Seishi: {Except that the door wouldn't budge, it was in a beautiful state.} Marin: If that's the case- why was the Locker open then-? Koga (Horse): Wasn't it in order to hide the body inside of it!? Koga (Deer): That's it~! Mikoto: Koga, you're annyoing. Shut up. Koga: ... Kazuomi: Wait a second! Just because that locker was open, why would it be my fault!? Ayumu: That locker, it wasn't just closed. Ayumu: The hinge, it was in a bad condition. Kazuomi: The hinge...!? Ayumu: Yes. That's the reason why the door wouldn't unlock that easily. Seishi: My strength as one boy, I couldn't open that door. Narumi: But still, Samejima-san just has the "strength of one boy" too. Ayumu: No... if it is Samejima-san there would be a possibility. Akira: And that reason is? Ayumu: *thinking* Answer One: SHSL Karate Fighter Answer Two: SHSL Akaido Fighter Answer Three: SHSL  Fighter -Selects Answer One [SHSL Karate Fighter]- -Ayumu "That's right!"- Ayumu: Samejima-san is the SHSL Karate Fighter, isn't that right? Ayumu: Using that talent's physical strength... it would be possible to open the door without much problem wouldn't it? Kazuomi: Huh...!? Akira: That's right... that he {even wears an outfit fitting to such a tick skull/ physical idiot} Kazuomi: How is that even related!? Maiko: But, there doesn't seem another boy with that kind of strength, right? Maiko: Suprisingly, there might be another girl who could thought! Seishi: Just like I said before, I couldn't open it. Kego: I wouldn't do something so uncool, like forcing a door open. Akira: I am... just like you see. Koga (Horse): He can't carry anything that's heavier than a puppet! Marin: Ahh-! Your forcast seems quite downcast, right! Ayumu: A, ahaha... well. Ayumu: Between the boys who could open that Locker's door... After all I think only Samejima-san could do it. Kazuomi: Ngh.... Mikoto: Samejima, I just told you didn't I? Mikoto: If you're lying, you are better prepared for the consequences. Kazuomi: ... Ayumu: Samejima-san... Ayumu: I'm going to borrow Yodagawa-san's words... If we talk about it, we should be walking straightforward to the truth. Ayumu: That's why, won't you tell us about what really happend? Kazuomi: ... Kazuomi: ...I went. Ayumu: Eh? Kazuomi: Last Night... I went to the male's bathroom. Nico: So you really went there, huh. Kasumi: See! It's exactly what Kasumi said! Kasumi was rigth, e... ehehehe... Ayumu: That is, after you read that letter, was it? Kazuomi: Yeah. Kuzomi: It became nighttime, and I went to take a shower. Kazuomi: As I went out of the shower... that letter fell out nearby the door. Kazuomi: Probably, it was from the {doors slit}. Nico: Eh... So, you went just like the letter asked you too? Nico: I think {even a coward like you}, can be cute. Just kidding. Nico: Just a moment... isn't your {pride} a bit too low? Kazuomi: J-just leave me alone! It's {about my weak point after all!} Kazuomi: I thought I could've been from that Monodora... Kazuomi: But when I went to the male's bathroom, there was noone there. Seishi: Not even Rokudo-kun? Kazuomi: Yeah... he wasn't there. Seishi: Hmm. Then that means, it was before the crime happened that's when Samejima-san went to the male's bathroom, huh. Kazuomi: Well I wouldn't know about the time, anyway I opened the Locker then. Mikoto: Your motive video, is it so important for you? Kazuomi: At the very least, it's nothing I want others to see. Kazuomi: That's why I thought if there really was that Video {I thought about retrieving it.} Aruma: Then that means, what kind of secret was it? Kazuomi: ... Kego: Heh... Mister Samejima. If you keep quiet you won't be able to tell us anything. Ayumu: If it's impossible to speak about... Kazuomi: ......... {perfomance, }.... Ayumu: Eh? Kazuomi: My performance, it {}... Narumi: Is that something to be embarrassed about? Kazuomi: Ahh!! It's embarrassing! It's extremly embarrassing!!! Kazuomi: On a level where I'd die!! Ayumu: T-That bad... is it? Kazuomi: That's why I wanted to retrieve it at all costs! Seishi: I see... That's why you opened that Locker, even though it's bad state. Kazuomi: But... inside the Locker, there wasn't any continuation of that video!! Kazuomi: Then I though that it was some kind of prank... I got extremly irritated, threw that Letter into the trash and went back. Mikoto: So that's your take on it huh. Kazuomi: I just told you the truth, so it's fine right. Ayumu: Uhn. Thank you, Samejima-san. For telling us the truth. Koga (Horse): Is that truly the truth? Ayumu: Eh? Koga (Deer): Couldn't we think of another posibility...? Koga (Horse): The truth is Rokudo was there first and found that video!! Kazuomi: Guh...!? Misuzu: Koga-san, do you want to say that Samejima-san is telling a lie? Koga (Deer): After all~ {Even if you gather all the evidence~} Koga (Horse): I think the only culprit could've been Samejima after all! Seishi: I wonder about that? It is possible that someone else entered the crime scene. Koga (Horse): That's why I told you! It could be possible that he didn't open that locker in order to search for that video, but to hide the corpse! Kasumi: That's true... It's just like Koga says... Kasumi: That's what the children are saying too... that Samejima is the culprit! Kazuomi: I've only told the truth! Nico: Well then... why didn't you tell us right away? Nico: If you would have told us from the start, we wouldn't need to be so suspicious about you. Kazuomi: That's because... if it was found out that I was at the crime scene, I'd be marked as the culprit. Kazuomi: And I didn't want to talk about the video after all... Kasumi: That's why, isn't the reason why you hid that because you are the culprit? Kazuomi: You're wrong! That was really not me! Kazuomi: I wouldn't do something like killing Rokudo!! Kasumi: The way you're getting angry about it... {on the contray doesn't that make you suspicious!} Narumi: Uhmm, what should we do? My mind is swirling around--...? Maiko: So it has become a discussion of wether we should believe Kazuomi or not? Kego: Well, if Mister Samejima is truly the culprit, then it'd be fine to just vote. Misuzu: However we can't be certain that Samejima-san is truly lying, is rushing the voting time really fine...? Aruma: {If it isn't the blackened}, then we'll be the one to die you know? Nico: But if we look at how Samejima-san has acted so far, it seems rather like that he had told us a lie rather than the truth you see. Maiko: Kazuomi-kun you did deny that you went to the bathroom at first... Kazuomi: W-what's wrong with this kind of atmosphere... Kazuomi: It just looks like, {you believe} that I'm truly the culprit! Akira: Well no matter how you think about it, that's how it is. Akira: Just until now {it looks like you're repeating the same routine} Kazuomi: Ugh...!? Nico: Well... isn't it fine to just vote? Koga (Horse): {Just let us get over this already, and let's end this!} Misuzu: No, shouldn't we talk this through a little bit more... Kasumi: What are you talking about...! {If you want to increase this unpleasent atmosphere then...} Kasumi: I can't bear that!! Ayumu: *Thinking* Ayumu: *More thinking* Ayumu: *Why isn't this voiced* Ayumu: *Well at least I got an excuse to not translate this* -Flash Anagram start- First letter: Ko Second letter: I Third Letter: So Fourth letter: Ku [Rules] -Ayumu "That's it!"- -COMPLETE!!- Ayumu: Everyone please wait! Ayumu: The voting, can you please wait for it a bit longer? Kasumi: W-what's with you. Fujimori are you Samejima's ally? Ayumu: That's not what I'm saying... but with this kind of information, I don't think we should start voting yet. Aruma: If you say it like that, is there anything that you're curious about? Ayumu: Everyone, won't you please remember this school's rules once more? Misuzu: Rules? Akira: If a murder occurs and one become's blackened, if you get caught they'll be punished and be executed. Akira: Are you talking about this rule? Ayumu: That's right. Ayumu: If you get caught as a blackened, there is a rule that you'll be executed. {A simple rule like that anyone could understand} Nico: That is only if they are caught isn't it? Nico: Just like Koga-kun said, {being shown the video, what then...?} Akira: {Realistically}, there's the possibility that he called {him to the crime} Ayumu: Even so... the fact that that evidence was at the crime scene, you'd get caught. Ayumu: *thinking* Answer One: *I'm trying my best you know* Answer Two: *But stuff I can't read* Answer Three: *That's just impossible* -Answer One- -Ayumu "That's right!"- Ayumu: Well, the Letter Samejima-san got that was thrown into the trash bin in the bathroom, Ayumu: If Samejima-san's name was written on it, something so easy to {figure out}, would he truly just leave it at the crime scene? Seishi: That's true, there was proof that {Samejima-san was in the bathroom.} Seishi: Stuff like the Letter and the Locker, isn't that so. Mikoto: If by chance Samejima truly went outside to commit a murder... he would have tried a little bit harder to conceal the evidence. Mikoto: That's why, {he should've burned or hidden the letter somewhere}, so it wouldn't reach the eyes of others. Mikoto: ...but he didn't just think about it, that kind of possibility exist too, though. Kazuomi: Not even I am that stupid! Misuzu: That's right... {now that we see more than one possibility, I think it's foolish to start the voting.} Mikoto: So we're starting to guess who the culprit is again... Marin: Uhmm... The outlook has become quite gloomy again... Marin: I want to quickly {ask Otengi-sama again} Narumi: But is there even another suspicious person? Seishi: We need to discuss who could be suspicious once again. Kasumi: Kasumi can't think of anyone else but Samejima... Nico: However...{} Kego: The one who are to be doubted are, the assembled men's here, that means every boy is suspicious right now. Seishi: If we think about the current information, right. Maiko: The male's bathroom... only boy's can enter it rigth? That's a rule isn't it? Akira: I didn't do it. Koga (Horse): I too didn't do it. Kazuomi: Well, I didn't do it either, alright! Marin: That's quite bad! Everyone is saying that they didn't do it! Misuzu: Well if the culprit said that he was it, then he'd get punished after all. Misuzu: Well then... the one's who {are targeted right now} , won't we just let them talk? Aruma: Truly, I think that's good. Aruma: The dogs who are lying... I'll throughoutly reeducate them alright...! Ayumu: *Thinks* Ayumu: *Thinks* -Debate start- -Bullets loading- First statement (Misuzu): [The crime scene: The male's bathroom]... Second statement (Misuzu): can only be entered by males, so I think the probability that the [culprit is male] is high. Third statement (Kasumi): So besides Samejima, is there a boy who entered the bathroom? Fourth statement (Narumi): Tsuchiya-chan [didn't leave his room], so it's not him right! Fifth statement (Nico): Because he is a {Shut-In}, on the contray he should have been quite active. Sixth statement (Aruma): Sakuma-chan is a DJ, so he's quite active at night too. Seventh statement (Marin): This sister thinks, the one's who should be fast asleep during that time are Set-chan (Deer-chan) und Uma-chan (Horse-chan), isn't that so? Eigth statement (Marin): Mitssun seems to [be talking to his puppets] before he goes to sleep, that's the kind of image I get. Ninth statement (Nico): Huh... that's kinda {creepy}. Tenth statement (Misuzu): Well it seems the {these are all that are [under the suspicion] of killing Rokudo-san} -[Under the suspicion] shot through- -Maiko "That's wrong!"- -BREAK!!?- Ayumu: Eh? Maiko: ... Misuzu: Kagura-san, what do you mean that "that's wrong"? Maiko: There aren't only five suspicious people. Misuzu: Eh? Aruma: Yodagawa-chan, Koga-chan, Tsuchiya-chan, Sakuma-chan, Samejima-chan, that's five right? Narumi: Rokudo-chan died after all, so there is no one else is there? Maiko: No. There is one. One more boy. Akira: The phantom sixth player? Kasumi: As if there a miracle like this would just happen!? Maiko: That you all wouldn't know is natural! After all... Maiko: Because the one is the one, who hid the fact that he was a boy after all. Maiko: Isn't it so, Fujimori Ayumu-kun? Ayumu: Uh...!! Kasumi: Eh? Ahh! Fujimori, you were a boy!? Marin: Ehh-! Ayumu, you were a boy all along! Marin: Sister couldn't tell at all- Koga (Horse): But hey wait! While looking at us like you had nothing to do with it, you doubted us!! Koga (Deer): Uwah...! Scary~ Human's are scary~ {Sniff sniff} Mikoto: While the others didn't know about it, why did you know about it? Maiko: I heard it directly from Ayumu-kun. Maiko: When we investigated the gym. Misuzu: That's true... that day the one who investigated the gym were Fujimori-san, Yodagawa-san and Kagura-san, those three. Maiko: Yes. When we went to the gym, Seishi-kun looked into the boy's bathroom, and I and Ayumu-kun were to look into the girl's bathroom, that's what we said. Maiko: Once I took his hand to drag him into the bathroom, he took away his hand. Maiko: At that time Ayumu-kun talked to me about how he actually was a boy. Misuzu: I see... because of the rules entering the bathroom of the opposite sex is forbidden, so he had to tell you the truth, is what you're saying. Mikoto: So concering this information, Fujimori won't you say something about it. Ayumu: ... Ayumu: ...there's nothing. It's just like Maiko-chan says. Ayumu: I am a boy. Mikoto: Is that so. Misuzu: Monodora were you aware of this? Monodora: Of course! The student's information even {}, are known to the headmaster. Monodora: Fujimori Ayumu-kun is proper {} boy. Akira: If you knew, why didn't you say anything... Monodora: Just like Tsuchiya-kun said, if you don't ask I won't answer! Monodora: And futhermore, in this world there are a lot people with different hobbies, right? Ayumu: You're saying this, even though you know that's wrong... Kazuomi: You... have a hobby pretending to be a girl. Misuzu: N-no, it's just like Monodora said, everyone has a different kind of sensevity on how far hobbies go... Misuzu: Fujimori-san! There's nothing to be bothered about by it! Ayumu: That's why, I'm telling you that that isn't my hobby aren't I! Monodora: Puyahahahahaha! Now that your shocking secret has been revealed, should we get changed? -Outfit transformation scene- Ayumu: Eh? Ayumu: So there was such an uniform as well... Monodora: Well of course there is? Even I won't do something so lowly. Monodora: Well since I wasn't asked, I didn't tell either! Ayumu: *shocked thinking* Kego: Now that we know that Miss Fujimori is Mister Fujimori, that only increased the suspects, didn't it. Kasumi: No, if we talk about the most suspicious one, wouldn't that be Fujimori? Kasumi: After all, since he hid that truth, isn't it because he did something suspicious? Ayumu: N-no that's wrong! I didn't do something like that! Marin: But, why didn't you tell anyone else? Ayumu: Well that is, there are a lot of reasons, but mainly because I didn't find a good timing for it... Seishi: Thinking about how we met the first time, you already had the female appearance right? Ayumu: Yeah, Yodogawa-san said I had such a cute and female like name, I panicked and couldn't correct him either... Ayumu: And just like that, I greeted everyone like that. Kazuomi: I believe you. Kazuomi: Fujimori cleared {the doubt about me}. He's trying to seriously face this trial after all. Misuzu: I too, think it's weird to suspect Fujimori-san just based on that. Misuzu: Just like Sakuma-san said, the other boys could have entered the crime scene too. Kego: Hmm, {} Kego: If you asked me, the change from cute girl to cool boy is the only thing that happened. Ayumu: {Even if you say that to me like that,} Nico: Is that wrong? Ayumu: That's wrong! Ayumu: A-anyway I'll apologize right away from not being honest about my gender. Ayumu: But even if you knew that I was a boy... it's not like the other's suspicion have been lifted yet. Ayumu: That's why let's continue talking, while adding me to the suspect list. -Kasumi "You're being {trapped}"- Kasumi: What are you talking about, the way you tackled this, the one who is steeped in sin the most... Kasumi: Fujimori, that's only you! Ayumu: Eh? Maiko: Hey Ayumu-kun. Maiko: The one who's least likely to be found out in this case, it's only you right? Maiko: I mean, if you kept shut about your gender, nobody would've doubted you. Akira: Well that's true. Akira: Choosing the boy's bathroom as the crime scene, {the one most likely to choose it is} Fujimori isn't that so. Aruma: If you say it like that, it's kinda convincing. Narumi: Uhmm, I might have started to think like that too... Ayumu: T-Thats... Kasumi: That's why the one who should be doubted the most is... Kasumi: Fujimori!! That's not wrong is it!!? Ayumu: I didn't do it... I... Ayumu: Saiji-kun, I didn't kill him... Koga (Horse): Well you're only saying it after all!! Akira: So- isn't there a more logical response to that. Ayumu: *Thinks* Ayumu: *Thinks* Ayumu: *Thinks* Kasumi: See, since you're not saying anything at all, that means... -Seishi "That logic is faulty, you see"- Seishi: Hey Izumo-san. Kasumi: Uhe!? W-what is it? Seishi: You're trying to push Fujimori-san as a culprit, but is there something that you have that can confirm your suspicions? Ayumu: Eh? Kasumi: Th-That the fact that Fujimori hid his gender is enough proof isn't it? Seishi: Fujimori-san gave you a good reason why he did so, didn't he? Seishi: And besides that? Could it be that there isn't anything? Seishi: If there's nothing then... it's boring to hear you{r tantrum}. Kasumi: Ih... B-but... Kazuomi: It's just like Yadogawa-san says. Don't you believe what Fujimori-san says? Kazuomi: Up until now, Fujimori's deductions only have saved us from the wrong choice! Koga (Horse): Well that was only an act to deceive us from thinking that he is the culprit! Koga (Deer): I don't want this~ Humans are scary~ Misuzu: Not quite... By unraveling the mystery, we draw closer to who the culprit is. Misuzu: If Fujimori-san is the culprit then, his deduction up until now {feel kind of weird} Aruma: That is because he had confidence that his true nature wouldn't be revealed wasn't it? Narumi: Uhuh! If the flow kept going that the culprit had to be a boy then, Fujimori-chan definitely wouldn't have become a suspect! Akira: Yeah that's right. Fujimori himself has been quite quiet since then. Ayumu: ... Mikoto: {}. {Being suddenly doubted to be the culprit, it's not like that wasn't likely though.} Mikoto: It's just like what we said earlier for Samejima, dropping those kinds of hints... Mikoto: And then believing that one wouldn't be suspected, is something that's quite {}. Ayumu: I can't refute that... Kasumi: What? Are you guys going to be Fujimori's allies? Seishi: Well Allies or not... Coming to that conclusion through logic {are the white's duty} is something I am saying. Seishi: Instead of being consumed by one piece of information, I wonder looking for other possibilities  isn't a better solution? Seishi: Well I don't plan to {give you some weird/misleading} hand though. Kasumi: N-no matter what things you say... Kasumi: Kasumi doesn't think that she is going to stop looking about evidence that might be able to pin the blame on Fujimori after all! Ayumu: *thinks* Ayumu: *thinks* Mikoto: Fujimori. Ayumu: Eh? Mikoto: Do you think that it's fine to continue like that? Ayumu: hu... Ayumu: There's no way that I would think like that! Mikoto: Right. Then get that messy brain organized. Mikoto: {And face it straighforwardly.}  In order to change something, you need to walk forward. Ayumu: ...! Ayumu: Itsuki-san, thank you. Ayumu: *thinks* Ayumu: *thinks* Ayumu: *thinks* -Debate start- -Bullets loading- First statement (Kasumi): The fact that Fujimori hid that he was a boy, isn't that the truth? First Counter (Seishi): Well that's because everyone around him saw him as a girl, that he couldn't tell anyone that he was a boy... he said so himself didn't he? Second statement (Maiko): But if we wouldn't have realized that he was a boy, {we couldn't make sure that he would be a suspect too.} Second Counter (Misuzu): Fujimori participated with his logical deductions. If he truly was the culprit wouldn't that be weird? Third statement (Narumi): But the male bathroom only boy's can enter so, and Fujimori is a boy after all... Third Counter (Kazuomi): It's true that he could've been at the crime scene, but we still haven't found evidence that he was indeed there! Fourth statement (Koga (Horse)): It's fine already, just let's get the voting starting! After all the culprit is going to be Fujimori after all! That's why he has been so quiet the whole time! Fourth Counter (Mikoto): If you keep pushing at him from above, there is no evidence that you couldn't have been the culprit either. Fifth statement (Azuma): However there was no [other suspicious place] other than the male's bathroom, was there? -Shoots through [other suspicious place]- -Counter side "We're going to shoot down that statement!"- -Debate BREAK!!- Ayumu: No, the only suspicious place isn't only the male's bathroom. Aruma: Eh? Was there somewhere else? Ayumu: The female bathroom. Ayumu: Before the incident happend, the place where something changed was the female bathroom! Aruma: W-what did you say? Kasumi: What are you trying to say with that? Kasumi: Rokudo's death is unrelated to the female bathroom isn't it? Seishi: Not quite, we can't say that for sure yet. Kasumi: Hhii-- Seishi: Fujimori-san is talking about the {something important} inside the female bathroom isn't that so? Narumi: Oh... besides the {} , he's talking about that right? Ayumu: Right, however when I began investigating, I looked at it again the cart was in a slightly clean state. Misuzu: Then that means--- {it was used for something, is what you want to say?} Ayumu: That's what I believe. Ayumu: Hey Maiko-chan, the one who told me about {that thing}, was Maiko-chan wasn't it? Ayumu: This information isn't wrong is it? Or did you move {that thing}? Maiko: Uh, no, I didn't touch the cart. Ayumu: I see, then it's fine to think that that's the truth isn't it? Maiko: Yes... Akira: But even so... that's not proving that this is related to this trial at all is it? Seishi: Well then, is there someone who touched that cart? Kasumi: ... Maiko: ... Narumi: ... Seishi: It doesn't seem that way. Seishi: Since noone {is taking responsibility for that}, couldn't that mean that that cart too can be seen as evidence in this case? Mikoto: If that's the case... Mikoto: It becomes that one of the female's is the one who did it. Asuma: Ehh? Marin: Ohh? And why is that so? Mikoto: Just like only boy's can enter the male's bathroom, only girls can enter the female bathroom. Mikoto: The one who used that cart can only be a girl. Narumi: H-How should we know about that? Narumi: Yodagawa-san is a girl after all... isn't that how it can turn out too? Misuzu: While I can understand that wanting to avoid doubting eyes. Misuzu: The only one who has such hobbies... I do hope it only remains with Fujimori-san. Aruma: Well I'd welcome it. Ayumu: *thinks* Marin: Uhm, but still to say that that cart was used to kill Saisai, that wasn't determined yet, right? Nico: Truly, it could have been used for another purpose after all. Kasumi: Y-yeah that's right, if it was used for something else there's nothing special about it after all. Kego: Humm, but earlier nobody responded to Mister Yodagawa's question. Kego: That means. There's a high chance that it was used, isn't there? Kazuomi: That's right! And that's after you all suspected that only boys could be the culprit... Kazuomi: Now that you stand on the same level, there's nothing you can say! Misuzu: That's right. On this ground called Class Trial, you are already in a position to be doubted that's what you need to confirm with yourself. Misuzu: Futhermore you need to clearly convey that you're not the culprit with your own words and speak the truth. Nico: Eh... There's a weird doll thinking that it's a human, trying to push us to start the voting and blaming others to be the culprit. Koga (Deer): She's clearly talking about us isn't she? Koga (Deer): uhuhuh, the way you worded that was cruel... Even we are trying our best... Nico: {Even though you're not telling us your name, thinking you could get away with that, aren't you a bit too full of yourself} Koga (Horse): Shut UP! The truth is we're trying to {cope with the death}! Koga (Horse): If we forget the way the dead one thought, that's too what a true bully is right? Nico: Ah... {the fact that you think about the deceased, I wonder if I should compliment you on that.} Akira: Well anyway... from here on... what are we gonna do? Seishi: Obviously, we're going to keep discussing. Seishi: The theroy on who the suspect is from one of the girls. Kasumi: That's why, Kasumi didn't do it! Narumi:  It's not me either! Marin: Sister isn't it either! Ayumu: Uwah!? Stay calm, one after another! Kasumi: Fujimori please be quiet. Ayumu: Ehh!? Why only me!? Seishi: Oh my, oh my. This situation has become quite {fickle} hasn't it? Seishi: Well if it's Fujimori-san, he's going to be alright. Ayumu: *Thinks* Ayumu: *Thinks* -Class Trial Intermission-

[iblogwithgrace]

Hey guys! How are you doing? What'your week looking like? Personally, I can finally tick "Visit Ibadan" off my buck list.

In last weeks post here my former roommate Chidera discussed some of her experiences as a student of the Nigerian Law school. This week she shares her experience with her law school roommates, her study pattern, fellowship and so on.

Continued from last week.

...it became very necessary. We had been pre-forwarded our task for the day. After the morning session of lectures, we went on a break and came back for the afternoon session to solve the task. This session was handled by Mr Kanu, a very brilliant lecturer who added humor to his teaching. Each group came out to present and answer questions. How this process went varied. If Mr Kanu was the one asking questions, then you had to be ready to give your 100 because his questions were brain twisting. This was basically the routine for the 17 weeks of lectures. 

Tuesday was for civil litigation. Now, there are teachers and there are TEACHERS. Mrs Odukoya, that woman broke down the life out of civil litigation. During our first lecture with her, she stood for four straight hours, teaching, explaining, giving the best examples. It was always a great time in her class. Her favorite word is ''circulate.'' She always said that after making corrections to a group tasks and instructed them to circulate the answers to other groups.   

Wednesday was for Property Law Practice. Now Wednesdays were probably my most dramatic days in law school. The combination of lecturers for that course was an embodiment of perfection and at the same time trouble. They seemed to be a good fit for one another. Mrs Odusote, tall, beautiful, stern and intimidating. Mr Udemezue, jovial, intelligent and rather talkative. Mrs James, the absolute image of small but mighty. Her petite frame didn’t do justice to all the energy she had in her. It was in this class that I first heard the term ''committee of friends'' used outside the context of a social event.  If you came in late to a property law class and Mr Udemezue was there, you would come to the front of the class as a member of the committee of friends and would have to answer a question before you were permitted to go back to your seat. Everyone desperately avoided this committee but many times, we fell prey at one point. I remember the day that even the Student Representative Council Chairman, Garrick Nosa John fell a victim. On some days, Mrs Odusote would start calling random registration numbers to answer a question. My heart was always in my hands. I can’t even lie.  It was always a dramatic day because some students would refuse to own up to their numbers and answer the questions they were asked. She would then instruct Mrs James to take down the numbers. This was a mild threat to make you own up or be issued with a query. Or they would start calling hostel room numbers and tell you to call your best or worst roommate to answer the question. 

One fateful Thursday in law school, I met a young man who is arguably the most intelligent person I have met: Kenneth Okwor Ononeze. This young man was still 24 when he became our lecturer. He is tall, handsome, well spoken, with a good fashion sense (even though some people I know may disagree) and most importantly, he was willing to teach everything he knew no matter how long it took. This young man actually taught alteration of a company’s memorandum from beginning to end without any guide. He taught straight from his head with his CAMA in his hand (he didn’t open it once) and taught walking around the class not missing any section. The course didn’t thrill me one bit. It might have been my nemesis at the end of the day. Who knows? But watching him teach it was everything.

Mrs James also taught this class. You see, I’m sure in my own way, I loved Mrs James but I didn’t appreciate her lectures for one simple reason; she always asked me a question. Which meant I had to put on my microphone and talk. Have I already mentioned to you that hard as I tried, while my body was in class, my mind was hardly there. But I have been like this my whole academic life. Once it was 11am or the very maximum, 12noon, my mind shuts down for that day but law school has failed and continues to fail to understand that people have different attention spans. So rather than letting us thrive as we should, they make everyone sit in class all day whether we are learning anything or not. You can imagine that everytime Mrs James asked me a question, I fumbled and flopped. Maybe she could see what lay ahead. I always suspected that she could see something in me that wasn’t good. When we get to the end of this story, we would all know. 

It is important to explain why Mrs James bothered so much with me. I was an official in the campus recognized fellowship, CLASFON(Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria) for which she was the staff adviser. She made it a point of duty to ask as many officials questions whenever she was in class. 

Finally, Fridays. On Fridays, we had Professional ethics and skills class. I can just hear Mr Udemezue saying “Prof Ethix.” This course had two main lecturers, Dr Hameed and Mr Orimunguje but from time to time, different lecturers came in to take one topic or the other. I hated this class because I found it extremely boring but I loved one thing about it; it always ended early. That was music to my ears when by 1:30pm or 2pm we are told that we are dome for the day. It was a blissful way to begin my weekend.

My Law School Roommates, my family

The first place the weekend started was in my room. I had three very interesting roommates. Viola (who by the way was Best Graduating Student in my university and in law school), Kelechi who I met through Viola and finally Beebah. Viola and I had been friends in university. Good friends actually. But I wasn’t sure if being roommates with her was going to be a walk in the park. To cut a long story short, I had the best time with her. We would mimic lecturers all afternoon after class, sleep and gist later. Obviously we read too. I mean she was BGS back to back. We also had mutual friends from university and in law school. The closest being Marcus, Bolanle and Moyo.  

Kelechi was my hissing roommate who always had a new chiker every day. She is beautiful, slender and my birthday mate to add to the mix. Three of us were already roommates and were not in need of a fourth one. 

The reason is simple. The law school made provision for four beds in the room and three wardrobes. Like, what is the plan right? Well law school is what it is. We got Beebah as a fourth roommate. We were not welcoming at first. We made it clear that we owned the room and clearly didn’t want her. With time, we got over our childish ways and mixed nicely. Beebah and Kelechi became bestfriends. They did everything together. Went to class together, studied together, bought indomie from ‘’man of god’’ together and as is the next thing, always got into an argument of some sort with each other. However, I spent the most time with Beebah. During our externship, we remained in our room. The easiest way to describe what we had going was sisterhood. We became sisters. It didn’t matter that I was Igbo and she was Yoruba or that I am Christian and she is Muslim. We learnt to love and live with each other. We had a few misunderstandings. We had to. When I decided to participate in the hallelujah challenge by Nathaniel Bassey, she made sure she woke me up to participate every time it was 12midnight and I had fallen asleep. 

My fellowship

Remember how my roommates came into this discussion, we were talking about my weekend. My weekends in law school were far from your ideal weekend. I didn’t start with “it’s Friday and we must chill” or anything like that. A good Friday night involved a good laugh with my rommates, a show on youtube and a peaceful sleep. I remember so many times in law school when this sleep was interrupted on a Saturday morning. That brings me to a part of my law school experience that will forever remain with me; my fellowship.

One lovely day after lectures, Mrs James made an announcement that if you were a CLASFON executive in your university, you should wait behind after the class to meet with her. I did as I was an executive in university and I loved CLASFON. A few of us met with her and that was the beginning of it all. We had our first fellowship the next week, filled out data forms and were eventually invited to interviews one faithful Saturday morning. The following Sunday, I was made the drama co-ordinator of the fellowship. 

That was a shocker but I could handle it, at least I thought I could. It was a big responsibility to take on with the intensity of the work load. We had fellowships on Thursday and service on Sundays. I had all kinds of fears. Would I be able to handle it? Will I serve well? Will I please God? Was it God’s will for my life? Was I good enough to have been chosen by God? 

Those were my initial troubles until I had my first executive council (exco) meeting and I was sure I didn’t want to work with a few of the people I had been appointed with. That weekend went by very quickly and we were faced with our last week of lectures for the term. It was yet another Friday and I had a lot of backlog of note forming to do. I was glad it was coming to an end today but I was met with the shock of my life, a snap test. 

See eh, nothing prepares you for it. And I certainly was not prepared for it. I was so worried that I had disgraced myself and that the results were going to be uploaded to the website for everyone to see. Later that evening, we had a meeting as excos with Mrs James. It was a prayer type of thing. She prayed and prayed with us. I saw some things go on that day that made me in awe of her in some way, yet in another way, I held a type of resentment against her. I may have been intimidated by the fact that even though she wore no earrings and make up and didn’t fit into my definition of beautiful, she had an amazing sense of confidence and what I perceived to be a strong relationship with God which I coveted. That meeting went on and another was rescheduled for the next day by 6am. I’m like “whatttt.” To cap up my misery, the next day was a Saturday. We were to have a prayer walk before our meeting. At this point, let me introduce you to my CLASFON president whom I despised in the beginning who later became one of my best friends in law school, Nonso Egbumokei. He is a perfect description of “spirooooo”. That’s where I’ll leave it. At the end of that meeting this precious “Saturday” I was drained. More often than not, as time went on, I had one meeting or program scheduled on Saturday. 

School was done for the term and boy was I grateful. My birthday was a few days away, my family and I were travelling to celebrate my aunts 50th birthday. It was an amazing time for me. But like the song writer asks “why do all good things come to an end?”. Mine came to an abrupt end and I was saddled with take home assignment that I hadn’t done. Thankfully, I had Marcus as a friend so I just dubbed his for the most part. 

My study pattern…

What is this story if I don’t tell you how I burned the proverbial midnight candle?

Before starting law school, I spent about two months with a friend in Enugu. While staying at her place, I woke up very early every morning to pray and do a little reading before stepping out for the day. This pattern seemed to work very well for me. And as the person that I am, please don’t judge me, I believed God had given me a pattern for law school. Yes. I believed it. And so I lived it out. I woke up between 4:30am and 5am prayed, got dressed and went to class to prepare for the day. 

On some days, I was great following the lecturers and all but on others I was just tired and trying to sleep. After class, I would sleep and wake up and study in my room for as many hours as I could or I would go to the library. I don’t want to deceive you into believing that I read like there was no end to it during the 17weeks of lectures. I tried my best but the truth is, it was difficult for me. After a while, I stopped waking up so early. One of the main factors was because I had to attend my compulsory group meeting by 6pm everyday which sometimes lasted till 7:30pm or 8pm. This was after ending lectures by 4pm or later every day. After that, I’m not a robot now, so I had to eat. While getting dinner, you may meet a friend or two and engage in a discussion and before you know it, all your time is gone and it’s time to go to bed and start the whole process again. I considered it wise to make a few changes. Wisdom is profitable to direct right. I stopped my morning routine and just made sure that I went through the task for the next day either the night before the class or in the morning before the class. Most of the time, I went through the already solved task which my group had submitted. 

I don’t do well just reading my textbooks. I am a note former. I tried forming most of my notes in class while the lectures were going on. This process had an appeal for two reasons. First was that it helped me stay awake and follow the class. Second was that in the evening when I was going through my textbooks, I only had to add a few things here and there. I strongly advice anyone in law school to do this. Form your notes while in class and please follow the corrections to the tasks while the lecturers are going through them. You will discover that law school is more of what you listen to and understand in class than what you read later. There was a lot to read, there was little time to read it. What I simply did was follow the lectures as much as I could, solve the tasks for the next day and read after class. There were days when I was too tired to do any of these things. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to, I was discouraged. 

One thing you need to know is that law school, at least the Lagos campus is an institution that thrives on fear. The lecturers claim to be encouraging you but the truth is, they tell you all kinds of stories about how people fail, how people who did well in university come to law school and flopped (this was my worst story), how you shouldn’t offend them, how you are to know everything because you don’t know where the questions would come from. 

On a normal day and in a reasonable environment, these things don’t seem insurmountable but the Nigerian law school has an extra twist to it. You are graded by your lowest grade. If you make all A’s and one B, you leave the institution with a 2.2. There’s no focus on all your strengths, just your weakness. 

I am one of those strongly against the law school grading system. People may think I am bitter because I was one of those affected by it. They might be right. My take on it is that, if you want the first class grade to remain as sacred as it, then to make a first class, you must make straight A’s. Anything short of that will be determined by the average into the other categories. I have always been against the grading system and the fact that I am a victim of it only gives me more standing to speak against it. The sum total of 9months in one institution should not be determined by a mistake or two in one course. Your strengths and your weaknesses should be used to judge you. Not your weaknesses alone. 

At some point, I told myself that I will start my reading afresh during the externship. I made it through the 20weeks of lectures with God on my side. I was determined to make the best out of my externship period. There were books to read, multiple choice questions to solve, past questions to answer, unformed notes to form. I chose to stay in Lagos. I believed I would study better here since I was in an academic environment. My mates were here with me so we would do a lot together. Fortunately, I didn’t have to pay to stay on the hostel. I was in the law clinic and it was free for its members. 

Externship is made up of Court placement for six weeks and law firm placement for another six weeks. I was posted to the High Court of Lagos state. Specifically to Hon Justice O.A Adamson’s court, court 52, commercial division which was also a fast track court. If you’re ever in the high court of Lagos state area, I beg you, look for his court. I promise you will learn a thing or two in his court. His assistants and registrars are also the nicest people ever. I found the first week of my court placement interesting. The cases were good, the judge was very knowledgeable. It was a wholesome experience. I also needed to fill my log book which was actually steesful. You would think that recounting what you did in a day should be easy to recollect and pen down right? Well, when you have to write out your activities and reflect on them in accordance to a rule of law or something you have learnt, it isn’t so easy after all.

 By the second week, all I wanted was to leave court early enough to study. I started reading in court sometimes with my tablet. Some of our predecessors had some lifesaving notes that I advise everyone to get. I am of the strong view that notes like that of Kenneth Okwor, Adaji Rose, Gabriella Ndu and Adaeze were better than most of our textbooks. 

Our lecturers would disagree with me but maybe one day, they should take a look at those notes for themselves. They might change them to their new lecture guides. I decided to read a course for about 6-8 days first without forming my notes. I called this just reading to understand. I did this for every course but professional ethics. By the time I was done with this, about 25days were gone out of about a 100 and I began regretting this decision. I am a planner. I am not a good executor. I struggled with my plans but God had mercy on me. I really needed help with my MCQs. A book had been introduced to us in class which contained MCQ questions, answers and the reasons for the answers done by a corporate law lecturer in Enugu. It was during my search for where to purchase this book that one of my best friendships in law school developed. I was told that the SRC chairman, Garrick Nosa John had copies he was selling. I didn’t like him very much at the time but whatever, I needed the book. After contacting him for days, I was finally able to reach him and purchase the book. He obviously noticed my keen interest in doing well at the bar exams. Later that night, I got a text message from him asking if I wanted to solve MCQ questions together. I was definitely in need of the help and so I said yes. Garrick became my reading partner. For 3 hours every day, we made sure we solved the MCQ questions and timed ourselves. We even made little shading papers to use as practice papers. After we were done, we would use the answers at the back of the question book to score ourselves. After that, we would take each question one by one and try to determine the real answer and why. We would search our textbooks, compare the laws, argue and argue till we came to a perfect conclusion. 

On some days, we were fortunate to have Oliseh with us. After this, we started drafting. I got the list of all the drafts required topic by topic and we solved as much as we could every night and made corrections. I’m not sure how long we did this for but it was a refreshing way to learn. 

At the end of May, we started law office placement. You see, you have to fill that form carefully. I got posted to a law firm not too far from law school. So did 11 other people and the law firm took only 10 persons. By my calculations and forehand information, two people were going to be left roaming the streets of Lagos looking for another firm to accept them and really that couldn’t be me. Beyond looking for another firm, you had to report to the externship coordinator who was in charge to either find you another place or approve where you had found for yourself. It doesn’t like a big deal right now, but when 10days later you still don’t have a firm but you’re to attach yourself somewhere so you can fill your logbook and stand the risk of not being called to bar because you don’t meet the criteria for portfolio assessment, you suddenly realize that you are actually in boiling soup, you are on fire, the pot is on fire and so is the gas cooker. 

The law firm is not one of the big names you know. All ten of us were kept in their conference room. It was the only place that could take us. Four out of ten of us knew each other very well. We were in the same drama family in school. 

Permit me at this point to introduce my drama family to you. Surely, you remember that I was an executive member of my fellowship and that I was the drama coordinator. Being drama coordinator meant that you had to create awareness about the fellowship. I had been told that we could even do skits in class you know. I thought this was a brilliant idea. We did a few skits in class. The first was an attempted spoken words. I didn’t go well. Someone actually put on his microphone and asked if it was a Nigerian movie. I was so hurt and discouraged. But I was encouraged because three people who I had just met in law school for the first time believed in my idea and agreed to go with it: Ife, Fiyin and Tobi Babalola. We needed to do more skits for the different departments and their different activities. Two stand out for me. First was one done for the music department and a program they had coming up. Believe it or not, the whole class broke out singing and clapping. I was thrilled, shocked and worried that we would get reported. The second was an invitation to draft day. It was done by Blessed and all I can say was, he killed it with his acting. The turnout for the event was beyond massive. On the program of events for the fellowship, the drama department had its own service. Every single member brought their A game. We had spoken words, a dance, a drama and a dialogue. It was so good we were invited to a church to minister. You’re probably wondering what type of law students we were but this was us and I loved every single one of them: Ife, Fiyin, Williams, Izunna, Vivian, Chdinma, Uche, Demola, Chike, Elizabeth, Korede and Chima. They were the best family and my greatest joy is that we all made it to the Bar.

Yes, so four of us were posted to the same law firm with six other incredible people. There’s this belief that where there are a lot of girls in a place, and less guys, it is catastrophic. Our case was different. We were seven young ladies and three young men and for the most part, we got along really well. Getting along really well had its down sides. We were always talking. We had to consciously decide to take time to stop talking and read. At this point, I still hadn’t finished making some of my notes but there was nothing I could do about that now. It was the middle of June and MCQs were close by. I decided to read and read the topics I hadn’t formed and tried to write out what I could remember instead of forming a note. That way, I was sure I had read the topic at least once. I was still solving MCQs, I had started drafting as well. A few times, I got to look at past questions. MCQs were scheduled for the 21st of July and I had to as much as possible, get 20/20 in all the courses.

To be continued next week.

For the non lawyers MCQ means multiple choice questions. It's a compulsory part of the bar part 2 examinations, and is usually administered in July/early August every year.

I hope you truly enjoyed this weeks post. Please leave a comment. 

See you here next week.

xx,

Alexandra for Lily of Nigeria.

[philosopherking1887]

Another Neitzche/Plato/You ask: I'm worrying a LOT about anti-intellectualism. So I'm thinking about the philosopher-king idea and the gist I have (don't have a solid grasp as you know) that Neitzche supports the idea of rule by a group of intellectuals. I'm honestly just so disgusted/misanthropic right now I'm torn between my ideal socialist/direct-democracy rule by the people & screaming "JESUS FUCK we're mostly idiots we need the brilliant people fixing the bullshit." Um... comment?

In the wake of the election, there was some discussion among philosophers and political theorists about the advantages and disadvantages of an “epistemocracy,” i.e., government by the knowledgeable/ intelligent/ educated. In principle, I think this is a fabulous idea, but a lot would have to be in place before it could be effectively implemented. The notion of a “literacy test” as a precondition for voting has extremely bad precedent in America, and right now the outcome of such a condition would basically just be government by the relatively wealthy. Even if we were just talking about rigorous examinations as a condition for serving in the government -- something like the system they had in Ming Dynasty China -- the tendency would also be to discriminate against the poor, those who never had access to good primary education in order to matriculate into good secondary education, etc.

This seems to be a problem with our current education system rather than with the idea of an epistemocracy as such. So what if we really could guarantee equal access to good primary education to everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status? Then the remaining issue would be what kind of knowledge about government and current events would be required for voting, and whether this would exclude people who have time-consuming occupations that prevent them from staying properly informed. People like Aristotle thought that the only way to maintain a “democracy” -- in which all property-owning citizens voted and served in government periodically -- was to have a permanent slave class (not to mention women) doing the menial labor to leave time for the gentlemen to give their attention to the affairs of the state. So maybe the bar should be low enough that a lot of leisure time is not a requirement for participation. And if there were truly equitable access to primary education, would a test even be needed? (My inclination is to say yes, because some people are just dumb, but maybe I’m wrong.) Should there only be a test of knowledge and intelligence for people who enter the civil service (who generally do have to go through rigorous training anyway, except for the political appointees at the top) and for people to be permitted to run for office?

The possibilities I’m discussing are still a lot more democratic than anything Plato or Nietzsche had in mind. Plato did think (if we are to believe that what Socrates says in the Republic represents Plato’s own views) that all children should be given the same education to start out with, but only the few who show aptitude for the most advanced subjects should govern the city, while the next tier down serve it as warriors (or “guardians”) and the ones who drop out of the education program earlier are its merchants, craftsmen, etc. Nietzsche never says anything that clear about his ideal system, though he sometimes talked (facetiously?) about “breeding” a ruling class that might end up being hereditary. Plato was also in favor of having the current rulers act as matchmakers for the next batch of rulers in training in order to produce the best offspring, which of course sounds extremely distasteful to us now.

[kashmiresims]

The Ambassador

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Evelyn Jane Orbinson and her immediate family were standing at the front door to an enormous cliffside mansion in Memosa Bay. She had finished her midterms the day before and was not in the mood to play the part of the polite, perfect daughter. She wanted to have fun and being forced to spend the evening with the Ambassador of Takemizu was not even close to what she considered ‘fun’.

She saw her father adjust the cuffs of his dinner jacket anxiously; her mother leaned forward and seemed to be reassuring him of something. He had been on edge lately. It was an election year and his opposition had higher poll numbers. He was the Mayor of Kashmire and had been for the last eight seasons.

She figured this diplomatic visit was an effort on his part to make connections and see if the Ambassador could do anything for the re-election campaign. The Ambassador of Takemizu had only just arrived in Kashmire within the last week and had invited the Orbinsons to dinner.

Evelyn Jane was tasked with holding a vase of lilies which was to be a gift for the Ambassador to thank him for his generous invitation. She didn’t see why Reggie couldn’t hold it. He was currently shuffling about with his hands in his pockets, and he hadn’t shaved either so he didn’t look as well put together as the rest of the family. 

Victoria, her elder sister, didn’t seem to want to hold the vase either. Victoria was usually effortlessly sweet and kind, like a regular princess from a fairy tale, but as of late she had been transforming into somewhat of a bridezilla. She was getting married next season.

“Why did I have to come to this stupid dinner?” Evelyn Jane mumbled under her breath and adjusted her hold on the vase. Her father rang the doorbell and a Butler greeted them.

“Maybe because you haven’t brought a guy home for mother and father to meet in years and they’re trying to give you a respectable option?” Victoria murmured and placed a comforting hand on her sister’s shoulder.

“That’s ridiculous, father is clearly here for political reasons,” Evelyn Jane’s frown deepened. Even if that were true, she needed no aid in getting a man. The first night in her scholarship house at Academie Le Tour, she ended up sleeping with the chapter president’s fiancé. It was to assert her dominance more than anything, and it worked because in the next house election she was unanimously voted in as president, a title she had kept even now as a senior.  

“And how is nudging you toward a diplomat not political?” Victoria responded rhetorically.

Evelyn Jane held in a doubtful snort—she couldn’t imagine her parents thinking she’d be remotely interested in some boring, old Takemizian if that were really the reason she was forced to come along.

They entered the mansion and followed the Butler up a spiral staircase to the first floor. The home smelled amazingly fresh and sweet, and she realized why as she saw there were many indoor flowerbeds containing a variety of blooms and topiary bushes.

There was a man playing with a dog in the kitchen.

“Ambassador Bao, I present the Orbinson family of Isla Del Kashmire,” the Butler cleared his throat and bowed, gesturing toward them.  

The man turned toward his guests and then issued a command to the dog in his native tongue. The Ambassador was not what Evelyn Jane had expected. He had a soft, handsome face, was much younger than she had originally assumed, and seemed less stiff and formal than an ambassador should be despite his dapper style. 

He smiled in greeting and came toward them before returning the bow. His dog followed.

“Ambassador Bao, thank you so much for inviting my family and me to dine with you,” her father stepped forward and said returning the gesture. “To show our appreciation, we have brought you a gift.”

Her father motioned Evelyn Jane forward and she presented the vase. The Ambassador’s face lit up seeing the lilies. He gladly accepted it, nodding in approval and handed it to his Butler. He must have instructed the man where to put the gift, but it was still said in Takemizese.

Evelyn Jane wondered if he spoke any Simlish. If not, this dinner would be silent and awkward.  

“Tukzee,” she mumbled. It was a basic phrase and meant ‘you are welcome.’

The Ambassador faced her promptly with a grin, probably amused by her horrible accent, “You speak Takemizese?”

“Three words of it maybe,” she admitted. She only knew a few words of the language since she had taken a class in high school. He seemed to speak her language substantially. Not surprising for being an ambassador.

Her answer caused him to laugh heartily, “Well I thank you for it, and for accepting my invitation. Please let us be introduced now.”

Her father took action and presented her along with the rest of the family. The Ambassador introduced his dog, Sebastian—it was clear that the man had a very close bond with his dog—evident by the way he gushed adoringly over the animal.

While the Butler prepared dinner, Ambassador Bao led the Orbinsons through the mansion on a tour, showing them all the beautiful and meticulously landscaped outside terraces.  

“In Takemizu, it’s bad luck to have a room devoid of beauty and life—which is why you see flowers just about everywhere here,” the Ambassador explained, “Nature is the origin of life and beauty.”

Evelyn Jane noticed that he was looking right at her when he said the last part. She averted her gaze to take in the scenery the current terrace provided—an overview of the Skyscrapers of Memosa Bay. It was a bit overkill, all this space only being used by one man and his dog. Then again he was an ambassador, he probably got whatever he wanted as part of Kashmire’s goodwill.

After the tour, they sat down in a formal dining room to eat dinner. She noticed that the vase of lilies sat in the center of the table. Salad was the first course. The Ambassador and the Mayor accepted glasses of wine with their food and started talking about the election.  

Their mother started in on wedding details with Victoria. Evelyn Jane inwardly gagged. It wasn’t that she was unhappy her sister was getting married but wedding-talk was so boorish. 

Reggie kept quiet and a touch broody as he poked at his salad. Evelyn Jane noticed her younger brother had been increasingly moody over the last few years. She figured he was having a harder time at college. Reggie had difficulty making friends; she didn’t know if he even had any at the moment. But it wasn’t her responsibility to make sure Reggie was being social. If he felt like moping for no reason, then let him at it.  

“And what about you?” She heard the Ambassador ask. It took her a second to understand that his inquiry was addressed to her.

“Me?” she replied stupidly and reached for her glass of water.

“Yes, your father tells me you are an accomplished violinist. I’d love to hear you play,” he took a sip of wine.

“How accomplished can she be if she’s still taking lessons from the Maestro?” Reggie blurted rudely.

Evelyn Jane almost spat her drink out. Everyone else at the table looked to the youngest member of the Orbinson family with curiosity. Instead of replying with something equally as rude, she leveled a glare at Reggie and said, “They’re not lessons. The maestro wants to collaborate with me on a new concerto he is writing.”

“That’s wonderful!” their mother exclaimed.  

“Very impressive,” the mayor nodded in agreement.

Reggie rolled his eyes, figuring his sister to be lying. Sure, she was collaborating all right, when 'collaborating’ really meant 'having an affair’. She could tell the gist of what he thought, she’d known him long enough to tell, and narrowed her eyes. Reggie didn’t know a damn thing. She wasn’t entirely lying. Shaun Piper really did value her opinions on his music, and his music was phenomenal. She had once been one of his biggest admirers.

Reggie bit his tongue and continued to poke at his salad.

After the main course was finished, the ambassador and his guests retreated to the highest room in the mansion that overlooked Memosa Bay. The Butler handed everyone a dessert wine. Well, everyone except Reggie, who still wasn’t old enough to drink legally.

As much as she tried to avoid it, Evelyn Jane was flagged down to participate in a discussion with her mother and Victoria about the upcoming wedding.

“You’ll need to get a pink bridesmaids dress, Evie,” Victoria instructed. Pink was not Evelyn Jane’s color at all. She didn’t even think she had any article of clothing in her wardrobe that was pink.

She couldn’t hide her grimace.

“It’s not your wedding,” her mother chided, seeing the displeased facial expression, “When the time comes you can put Vikki in whatever color she hates though I’d hope that my daughters’ weddings would be more about love than a means for fashion revenge.”

Evelyn Jane downed her glass of wine and signaled to the Butler for another, before taking leave of them. Love was a joke. “Who says I’ll even get married?”

She was to be Victoria’s maid of honor. She was close with Victoria and always had been growing up. Though ever since Victoria got engaged she did feel a sort of rift with her sister. Her sister was someone she told all her secrets to. There was only one she kept sealed behind her lips because it was so shameful.

Shaun Piper was blackmailing her.

She would have wiped her hands clean of the symphony conductor years ago if he hadn’t promised to ruin her reputation and family name with the fact that she had tried to seduce him, a judge, to gain favor in a local battle of the bands competition. It wasn’t shameful just because he was over 30 years her senior and already married, but there was the fact, totally unbeknownst to her at the time, that he was her uncle by marriage. It was the sort of detail that could be missed when one had an estranged aunt. The whole situation was disgusting, and she knew she couldn’t tell anyone. If she ended her affair with Shaun, though, everyone would find out about it in the tabloids.

With a fresh glass of wine in hand, she went to stand by herself in front of the sitting room’s fireplace. The fire was crackling behind her, casting warmth on the back of her legs and she hooked the edge of her heel into part of it while leaning backward to rest against the low mantle. She watched Victoria move on to Reggie and her father to explain what they were to wear for the wedding and felt a twinge of pity for them.

“Are you excited?” the Ambassador approached and tilted his head toward her family, “For your sister’s big day?”

Evelyn Jane shrugged one shoulder apathetically, “It’s just another day.”

The Ambassador gave her a puzzled look, “Is that your philosophy on life?”

“It’s becoming that way,” she replied and took a sip of her wine. The truth was, Evelyn Jane didn’t feel much of anything anymore. There was no more thrill in her life. Her ambitions had seemed to slowly die with every visit to the maestro, and her tenacity and cleverness had no doubt dulled with nothing to sharpen them on. Why wasn’t he tried of her yet? The only thing she wanted, she couldn’t obtain without it destroying her. Freedom. “Why do you want to know so much about me anyway?”

She didn’t care if it came off as rude. She was so very tired of being polite.

He didn’t seem offended at all.  “I have yet to make any friends of my contemporaries in Kashmire, I hear that getting to know someone is the clearest path to friendship.”

“How old are you anyway?” She asked, arching a brow. She would have guessed he was in his thirties from the way he carried himself.

“I’m twenty-five.”

Only three years older than her.

“How were you able to become ambassador at such a young age?” She was impressed, but that didn’t mean she was interested in being his friend.

“Now who is it that wants to know about who?” He grinned, and she smiled at the clever way he’d turned her original question on her. To her surprise, he reached forward and clinked his glass with hers though there was nothing to toast to, “I’d be happy to indulge you Miss Orbinson, if you would be so kind to agree to take me on a tour of Memosa Bay next weekend.”

She was about to decline, just because next weekend was the start of Fall break and she needed it. She could be persuaded to negotiate a different time for taking the Ambassador sight-seeing. However her father must have been keenly listening and took that moment to step in, "Evie would be delighted to show you around the city, she doesn’t go to school far from here either.”

Evelyn Jane caught Victoria’s eye from across the room and Victoria raised her glass with a knowing smirk. Damn it. Victoria had guessed correctly, this was a thinly veiled attempt by her parents to match her up. She held her breath in to keep from shouting out.

“Yes. I’d be delighted,” she forced the words out through a very false smile. She then took a large gulp of her wine, once more rendering her glass empty. She promised herself then, she wasn’t going to like this guy. It wasn’t that he was unlikable, Evelyn Jane just avoided any type of romantic pursuits due to her unfortunate predicament and she loathed it when she was used as a pawn in her family’s political games.

She marched back to the bar and grabbed the bottle of wine, refilling her glass since the Butler was busy elsewhere. She noticed that Reggie had been quiet since dinner, silently brooding and looking out the window. What in the Red Diamond of Aspirational Hell did he have to brood about anyway? He wasn’t being blackmailed, he wasn’t being sneakily coerced to go on a date for political advancement, and he was the one to inherit all of the Orbinson estate and most of the family assets. So what was  his problem? 

She might have chucked the empty wine bottle at him if not for Victoria approaching her and snatching the bottle out of her hand with a sharp whisper, “Evie, you’ve had enough.” 

[ecotone99]

[HM] Stick and Poke

Mark Piletski, coming in at six foot two, weighing no more than 150 pounds, and having enough acne to create a topographical map of Colorado, was in the middle of asking me if I could shout out his Twitter account on my site when I saw Mallory Green for the first time. She was being escorted by another girl, one of the new-student ambassadors. The ambassador chick was holding what looked like Mallory’s class schedule, chattering loudly about the glories of West High. At that moment, I stopped hearing the outside world. All sounds—Mark’s Twitter shoutout request, the intercom announcements, every voice in the school hallway—went underwater.

Mallory was wearing a white t-shirt with a blue-and-red bullseye on it, along with the name of a 1960s band. The neckline was stretched with wear and hung off the side of one shoulder, revealing a single, tantalizing purple bra strap. Her black jeans rode up to just below her belly button, ending an inch before the shirt began, showing a midriff and a flash of glitter that must’ve been a belly-button ring. In fact, she seemed to be a fan of body hardware; a length of shiny black studs circled the outline of her ear and a small gold septum ring hung in between her two nostrils. Her arms were decorated with stick-and-poke tattoos, which, in high school, was the universal signal of saying “I’ve seen some shit”.

For the people in the back who don’t know what a stick-and-poke tattoo is, here’s the gist: Kids who hate their parents (and probably the world) bust open ink pens and, using a sewing needle, dip into the ink and poke permanent, regretful words/images on their young bodies. It happens one tiny stab at a time, and I imagine it hurts like hellfire, but there are always those troubled few who partake in such activities. Usually the practice of stick-and-poke would fall into the category of Super Fucking Lame. Kids who did it were always twisted out of their minds on a mixture of pure THC and UV Blue vodka, such so the tattoos always came out horribly.

Pam Keith, a West High junior notorious for destructive behaviors (self or otherwise) had stuck-and-poked Brandon Strogie’s name onto her thigh after the first week they started dating. She showed it off to all her friends the next day, Brandon’s name barely legible. I saw the tattoo and had to stare at it for a little too long before I could pick out the “BRANDON”. I originally thought his name was a cheap copy of the Patagonia mountain range. The night before, she’d taken the three remaining pain pills from her wisdom teeth surgery to accomplish the bulk of the work. The rest had been helped along with a few shots of 140-proof vodka. Sanitation was most certainly not on her mind in her inebriated state. God only knows where she found that needle, probably her mom’s sewing kit that hadn’t been cleaned or updated since it was received as a wedding gift in 1988. The skin around the tattoo was flaming red from infection by the end of the week, you could’ve cooked an egg on her upper thigh with all that heat. But love is blinding. Pam still thought her tattoo was Super Cute.

She wore short jean shorts and skirts every day to show it off. She was, of course, alone in her belief that the tattoo was Super Cute. Consensus at West High was that it was a Really Stupid Fucking Move on her part, but her friends at least had a couple of brain cells left to understand that the tattoo wasn’t going anywhere, so criticism would help no one. Pam was met with a myriad of “Oh . . . that’s cute”s and “Ah, interesting”s on her first day of showing off her body art (I suppose you could call it “art”, in the sense that it was a literal representation of a high school girl’s blind devotion to her stoner boyfriend).

Tragically, on that very same night when Pam was holed up in her bedroom mutilating her flesh with her lover’s name, Brandon himself was out hooking up with not one but two of the girls on the dance team, both of the girls blondes, but all three participants dumbasses. Pam was informed of Brandon’s infidelity by Alec Mackwood outside of the band room, near the exit door she usually went out to smoke cigarettes after school. Her reception of this information was nothing short of a firestorm. I heard the screams from my locker, screams of surprise, rage, and maybe even shame (If Pam Keith was capable of such a thing as shame).

I saw several administrators take off down the hallway to get a handle on the commotion. Luckily for Pam, she was already bowling out the band room doors and booking it down to the parking lot. Brandon was halfway down, strutting along with his buddies in that type of walking reserved for only the worlds class-act douchebags. You know what type of walk I mean. It took Angry Pammy a little less than 1.4 seconds to catch up to him. I can’t recount exactly what happened, I wasn’t there, but the witness accounts shared the following day agreed on several simple facts.

First, Pam screamed in rage and threw her entire body weight, which was probably 110 pounds, at Brandon’s back, causing him to fall face-first into the dirt.

Second, Brandon turned over and just looked at Pam. He didn’t even bother talking. The guy knew exactly why he was being taken to church. He just sat there, staring up at her, waiting for the punishment that would fit his crime. Yes Pammy, I’ve been a bad boy, I deserve this.

Third, and this was the most discussed of all, Pam screamed some close variation of the words: “I hope those dance sluts liked your micro-penis, fucking deformed freak!”

Fourth, Pam rushed the rest of the way down the parking lot in her flats, skinny arms pumping and black skirt flying. When she got there, she went to work on Brandon’s 2012 black Nissan Altima. She pulled out a switchblade, which she carried on her all the time like most of the kids in her crowd and gave each of his tires a hearty stab. High school administration was just leaving the school and heading towards the scene, otherwise I think Pam would’ve stuck around to carve something crazy into Brandon’s car the way she’d carved something crazy into her own flesh.

Red-faced for eighty different reasons, Pam made her escape in her own deep blue Nissan Altima, the same year model as Brandon’s, which I found to be quite poetic. It truly is a fitting story for a girl whose name is Pam Keith, which is literally a combination of the worst female name and worst male name, in my humble opinion. Note: further investigation confirmed that Brandon Strogie did, in fact, have a micro-penis.

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[seosmagic]

How Do I Get Visitors to My Site? (The Truth About search engine optimization)

Think of your web site as a bodily vicinity. How might you get people to return and notice you? Direct mail, newspapers, magazines, radio, TV, word of mouth, flyers, commercial enterprise playing cards, T-shirts, packaging, Facebook, Twitter, e-mail campaigns, banner commercials on web sites - traditional advertising works for websites too.

Then there are those methods you can handiest use for websites: click on via advertising and marketing and SEO (search engine marketing). Click thru advertising costs either by way of the advert, like conventional advertising or by using the clicking - each time someone clicks to your ad to get to your site, you pay. As with different advertising channels, the extra people who are recognized to view the page in which your ad resides, the extra you pay. Ads can appear on various web websites, or on the pinnacle of seek engine pages. The most popular pay in line with click on the app is Google AdWords. Click thru advertising and marketing can be a great option for you.

This article will focus on the opposite online best technique: Search Engine Optimization (SEO). SEO is all about getting your website online to the pinnacle of the list while someone does a search in Google, Bing/Yahoo or any other seek engine.

Watch out for Snake Oil

Many claims that SEO (getting your web site to the top of that listing) is science or magic or some different sort of thriller that only a few very unique humans have the brains to understand. - NOT TRUE! Effective SEO is a lot of work. And it does take a few technical expertise. But the basics are simply that - primary.

The reason for this article is to demystify SEO so you can choose an honest search engine optimization firm. Or if you have a bit of tech-savvy you could see that it's no longer impossible so as to do for your personal. And even for those of you who like to browse, but aren't so relaxed with the technical details, there is lots of the search engine marketing activity which you are more certified to do (or as a minimum supervise) than any search engine marketing company.

How an awful lot of search engine marketing do you need?

Is your website online in your faculty and every body who will ever want to find it on Google already is aware of it exists and will appearance it up with the aid of typing in "Peoria Middle School"? Then you need just the tiniest bit of search engine marketing.

Is your website on your family car dealership and the tri-state location sees Uncle Joe on TV each spring hopping up and down in a bunny in shape inviting "y'all" to "come on down to the Kalamazoo Kia Kangaroo Sale"? Yours is not the most effective automobile dealer in town and whilst humans search for automobile dealers they will possibly kind in something like "Kalamazoo vehicles" rather than "Kalamazoo Kia", despite the fact that in the event that they absolutely like Uncle Joe's bunny healthy, nicely you in no way can tell. This state of affairs requires a little SEO.

Is your enterprise is totally on-line? Say you sell remanufactured digicam parts that you refurbish for your garage nights and weekends. Then pull out all the stops. You need plenty of search engine marketing.

Put Yourself in Google's Shoes

Look at search engine marketing from the angle of the SERPs. What's their goal? The equal as yours: masses of visitors. How do they entice a lot of these visitors? They placed the most useful websites at the pinnacle of the hunt effects list. How do they determine which sites are maximum useful? They look for the most famous ones.

That's proper. SEO isn't rocket science. It's a reputation contest.

So then, how do you make your website greater famous? First permit's outline recognition in seek phrases - links from different web sites to your site. Think about the excessive school. Popularity equals friends. So you need lots of pals, and no longer simply any buddies, you want popular buddies. But properly, when push involves shoving, no longer so popular friends are better than no pals at all. Translation - friends equal hyperlinks and you want masses of hyperlinks, but not simply any hyperlinks. You want links from sites that have plenty of other sites linking to them. And those websites ought to have plenty of sites linking to them and so on and so forth and so forth. A link from CNN.Com goes to get you loads extra popularity points than a hyperlink out of your local newspaper website. But then one hundred links from so-so web sites are probably better than one hyperlink from CNN. It's difficult to inform.

And it truly is where the mystery/technological know-how SEO legend takes to preserve. The engines like google are not going to tell you exactly how they rank pages. If they gave away all their secrets the cheaters might faux the whole thing essential to get to the top of the listing.

There is a tradition of search engine optimization experts who spend their complete lives trying to unravel the ideal algorithms the foremost engines like google use to rank pages. And then they figure out a way to use that information to their benefit. It's an ordeal and error method. Eventually, they get websites to rank high. Then the primary SERPs trap on and tweak things a bit so the search engine marketing specialists need to begin all over again. It's a by no means-ending sport of tug of struggle.

Not these types of authorities are awful guys. Most are honest business people operating to get the brink at the opposition. But how a good deal careful tweaking does your website really want? And how a great deal of money do you want to spend? It's one of these diminishing returns things. Up to some extent spending, greater money and time will yield a more and greater rating, after which, increase, a big amount greater will yield almost nothing.

Is there whatever to search engine marketing besides hyperlinks?

Yes. KEYWORDS. These are the phrases and terms which are typed into the hunt bar. In order for the engines like google to locate your site, those keywords should be coded into nearly each web page to your web site.

The nitty-gritty

I am going to expose you:

How to choose key phrases and Where to discover websites inclined to link to yours. That's it. That's the gist of the complete SEO factor. No massive thriller.

Keywords

These are the phrases (and/or phrases) that humans type in the seek bar while they are looking for sites like yours. They additionally inform the engines like google that your web page exists and what it is all about.

You need to select phrases that human beings will use to find your site, however on the way to yield few enough outcomes which you are more likely to appear near the pinnacle of the list.

Let's use the example of Kalamazoo KIA. You don't want to use "vehicle" for a keyword. I tried that and Google gave me four.Nine billion consequences. What's the probability that Kalamazoo Kia goes to be everywhere near the pinnacle of that listing? Zero. Kia" could be higher, however nevertheless too large. "Kalamazoo vehicles", "Kalamazoo Kia", "Michigan Kia", "Kalamazoo new cars", these might all yield a smaller pool of outcomes. So how many keywords do you want? 10 or 15 is right. Too many receive us to that diminishing returns factor again. So I've notion up 4 words by myself and now my creativeness has run out. What other words may potential Kalamazoo Kia customers type in? I can't examine minds, but I can discover. There is that this cool device, Google AdWords, and it's miles unfastened. Once you sign in you may kind in numerous keywords, "Kalamazoo Kia" for example, and discover what associated searches human beings have used and the way famous the ones search phrases are. Da! Da! - more beneficial key phrases. I discovered "Kalamazoo KIA dealerships". After doing a Google search for "Kalamazoo Kia" I found out why it was important to add the "dealerships". Kalamazoo has "Kia's" that aren't even vehicles. Who'd a thunk?

So you've got your keywords. What do you do with them? Use them on your URL, have your internet designer upload them to the name and outline tags on your internet pages, and use them liberally, however no longer too liberally at some point of your web site reproduction.

Now that you have your keywords entered on your website pages, the search engines like google can categorize you through these keywords. Next, you need to make sure that human beings searching for your class locate you and no longer your competition.

Links

You want to be popular. You have were given to get links. It's time to pound the cyber pavement. SEO experts can try this to give you the results you want but in case you're on a price range, you can do most of the work your self.

Get indexed in industry directories. If you're promoting necklaces you could look for "rings listing".

Pursue reciprocal hyperlinks. Look for websites that may be willing to link for your site, so long as you link to theirs. Continuing with the necklace example you would look for "earrings upload URL".

If you have a bodily area, get your site listed on local listing/yellow page kind sites.

Participate in industry forums, and if the discussion board allows, paintings a link in your site into your advice.

If there are any activities related to your site, list them on on-line community calendars.

Get an article, listing or point out about your web site on the sites of any industry institutions you belong to.

Write a press release and submit it to free press launch sites like 

Try to get the web sites that hyperlink to yours to use your keywords of their link.

BAD - Click here to discover about refurbished digicam parts. GOOD - Click right here to find out approximately refurbished camera components. Don't hide from the engines like google

DO have your internet fashion designer generate a sitemap and robots.Txt files upload them on your web page. The search engines search for these documents when they're trolling the net for websites.

Do NOT expect the search engines like google to locate your keywords within the sections of your website online that use: key-word links in pictures or javascript, frames/iframes, Flash or dynamic pages.

Don't make the serps mad

Playing dirty hints, in an attempt to make your website seem popular, can get you blacklisted. Yep, the Search engines will turn their heads and pretend you don't exist. You will not appear everywhere within the listings. If this occurs you could enchantment however your chances are not properly. Your excellent desire in case you are blacklisted is to begin over with today's web site.

So what are these grimy tricks? Some are simple, and some are complex, however, make certain your SEO firm doesn't do any of them. They consist of repeating your key phrases multiple times, key-word stuffing (hiding keywords through making the textual content the same color because the background), the use of key phrases that don't relate in your web page's content material, automatic programs that generate faux links just to make you appearance famous, robots that create zillions of pages for your web site which might be truly simply copies of your present pages with a few modifications here and there, to make you appearance critical and famous. There are many others, but usually talking, whatever that tries to make you look greater popular than you in reality are is awful.

Putting search engine marketing to work

Let's go back to our 3 examples from the start of this text. How can we practice search engine optimization for everyone?

Peoria Middle School - a few key phrases - "Peoria college" "Peoria center faculty" and for folks who can't appear to get it right "Peoria intermediate school" need to do it. That way those who look you up on Google in place of by using typing in your URL  can be capable of locate you.

Kalamazoo Kia- most of your ability customers already know who you are. They're "both looking for a new automobile or a new KIA vehicle. They're seeking out deals, pics of the modern fashions, or they want your telephone wide variety or customer support hours. There aren't too many vehicle sellers on the town so that you are popular amongst automobile dealers with the aid of default - now not an excessive amount of need to worry about hyperlinks. You'll need your key phrases. Then you may list with the "nearby listing" websites and the auto supplier and KIA directories. Are you collaborating in these 12 months' meals force? Make a statement in your neighborhood online network calendars. A couple of popularity factors might not kill you however you do not have to paintings too hard.

Cal's Re-engineered camera components - you are a needle in a haystack. You need all the help you may get. You'll need keywords of direction. And a complete linking campaign. You might not have tons of money to spend on a search engine optimization company so that you ought to work like the tortoise: sluggish and steady. Do a few press releases, check out all the enterprise sites and digital camera buff websites and organizations. Respond on forums - come to be an expert. Find some reciprocal links. Get listed in directories. Do a bit regular. Eventually, you turn into recognized to those who are seeking out refurbished digicam components.

Who can help me get the process finished?

Help! You stated SEO wasn't rocketed technological know-how. This is getting complex. I can not try this all by myself - who will help?

Well it's not rocket science and it is not magic; nor is styling hair, but you won't find me everywhere close to all and sundry's head with a couple of scissors. Search engine marketing does require specialized knowledge. If you have that know-how, first-rate, you could do that in your own in case you choose, but for those who do not the reason of this article to get you to understand the fundamentals, show you which ones components you could do in your very own (I can not cut my very own hair, but I do wash and brush it every day), and that will help you discover a sincere dealer for the rest.

Search engine marketing firm - so long as they have got access to the back give up of your web site they are able to do it all for you. Refer to this text and ask questions. Make sure the company is above board.

Web dressmaker - Your net designer should be capable of put your key phrases into your pages and create and upload your sitemap.Xml and robots.Txt files. Beyond that their capacity and willingness to help with search engine optimization will range greatly. You may additionally prefer an internet dressmaker who specializes or one which does all of it.

What you could do in your personal if you pick out - you already know your commercial enterprise/undertaking higher than your net fashion designer or search engine marketing company. You are in a higher position than they're to discern out your keywords and to determine which sites you want to hyperlink lower back to yours. You can also do a whole lot of the leg paintings if you select - contacting websites and asking for links, writing press releases, making announcements on network calendars, taking part in forum discussions, and so on.

If you do all of the above, tailor-made for your precise state of affairs of the path, you will be ahead of the SEO sport. Use commonplace sense. Spend the time and money you want, but do not go overboard and attain the point of diminishing returns. And keep in mind, search engine optimization takes time to yield consequences.

Linda Meyer is a web fashion designer and developer with over twenty years of records generation and control experience. She has come to comprehend that promoting bells and whistles is a good manner to confuse clients and generate a whole lot of mistrust. Clear, "layman's phrases" descriptions allow the technique to paintings greater smoothly for all and sundry. http://seosmagic.com/

[margdarsanme]

NCERT Class 11 English Reading Passages for Note-Making and Summarizing

NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Reading :: Passages for Note-Making and Summarizing

Format Of Note Making For Class 11 CBSE With Example:

Note Making

Notes are short written record of facts to aid the memory. Notes are usually taken to record a speech or dictation while listening to it or after reading a book, magazine or article. They are referred back whenever needed and may be reproduced in the desired way.

The necessity of note makingKnowledge is vast and unlimited, but our memory is limited. We cannot remember all the information all the time. Hence note-making is necessary. With the help of notes we can recall the entire information read/heard months ago. Note-making is quite useful to students preparing so many subjects. At the time of examinations, it is not possible to go through voluminous books. At such critical times, notes are quite handy. Hence note-making fulfils three useful functions:

It keeps a lot of information at our disposal for ready reference.

It helps us reconstruct what was said or written and thus accelerates the process of remembering/recall. .

It comes in handy in delivering a speech, participation in a debate/discussion, writing an essay and revising lessons before an examination.

How note making helps us

While making notes we do not simply read the passage/listen to speech but consider various points made by the writer/speaker and draw our own inferences about what is being presented. Thus note-making helps us in understanding the passage in a better way and organising our thoughts systematically.

Characteristics of good notes

Short and Compact: Good notes must be short and compact.

Complete Information: They must contain all the important information.

Logical: They must be presented in a logical way.

Understandable: They should be understandable when consulted at a later stage.

Mechanics of note making

While making notes we follow certain standard practices. These may be listed as follows:(a) Heading and Sub-headings(b) Abbreviation and Symbols(c) Note-form(d) Numbering and Indentation

Heading and sub-headingsThe heading reflects the main theme whereas the sub-headings point out how it has been developed. The selection of proper heading and sub-heading reveals the grasp of the passage by the students. In the absence of proper assimilation of main ideas and subsidiary points it is impossible to make notes.

Abbreviations and symbolsThey are used for precision and economy of words and hence quite helpful in note-making. At least four recognisable abbreviations are to be used in note-making in your board examination.These are essential components of note-making. Students often make use of abbreviations and symbols in doing their written work.

Note. Confusing abbreviations should be avoided, e.g., the abbreviation ‘under’ may stand for understand, understood and understanding. Similarly ‘indst’ may stand for industry, industrial, industrious.

Note-FormWhile making notes the whole information is listed in note-form in points only. Notes should not be written in complete sentences as we can’t remember the whole information. So only the main points are listed one under the other and numbered.It implies the logical division and sub-division of the listed information by using figures, letters, dashes and spaces.All examples and figurative speeches are eliminated.

Numbering and indentingIndentationIndentation means leaving space at the beginning of a line of print or writing.First write the title and then write down the notes in a logical order. From the main headings to the sub-headings, the numbering should be spaced a little to the right.

ConclusionNote-making is a useful skill. You must develop it with constant practice. Notes form an essential part of your academic life and will serve you well in your School/Board examinations.

How to write note making

Follow the following steps:Step 1 : (i)Read the passage carefully.(ii)Try to get the theme and subject of the passage. You may ask yourself: “What is this passage about?” This will provide you the gist.Step 2 : Read carefully. Identify main ideas and important supporting details.Step 3 : Make notes of the main ideas under headings and add sub-points under sub-headings.Step 4 : Use proper layout/format, e.g.,(a) Indented, linear form(b) Sequential form(c) Tabular form(d) Flow chart(e) Pie chart, graphs or diagrams, etc.Step 5 : Use recognisable abbreviations wherever possible

Note making Examples Solved Questions

Read the following passages carefully:

Note making Example – Passage 1:

Conversation is indeed the most easily teachable of all arts. All you need to do in order to become a good conversationalist is to find a subject that interests you and your listeners. There are, for example, numberless hobbies to talk about. But the importantthing is that you must talk about other fellow’s hobby rather than your own. Therein lies the secret of your popularity. Talk to your friends about the things that interest them, and you will get a reputation for good fellowship, charming wit, and a brilliant mind. There is nothing that pleases people so much as your interest in their interest.

It is just as important to know what subjects to avoid and what subjects to select for good conversation. If you don’t want to be set down as a wet blanket or a bore, be careful to avoid certain unpleasant subjects. Avoid talking about yourself, unless you are asked to do so. People are interested in their own problems not in yours. Sickness or death bores everybody. The only one who willingly listens to such talk is the doctor, but he gets paid for it.

To be a good conversationalist you must know not only what to say, but how also to say it. Be mentally quick and witty. But don’t hurt others with your wit. Finally try to avoid mannerism in your conversation. Don’t bite your lips or click your tongue, or roll your eyes or use your hands excessively as you speak.

Don’t be like that Frenchman who said, “How can I talk if you hold my hand?”

2.1 Make notes an the contents of above paragraph in any format, using abbreviations. Supply a suitable title also. 52.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:2.1 Title: The Art of Conversation Notes:

Conv’n—most easily tch’ble art(a) Reqd. interest’g subject – hobbies(b) Talk about other fellow’s int./hobby(c) Win’g reptn. as good conversationalist(i) good f’ship(ii) charm’g wit(iii) brl. mind

Fit subs, for conversationalist(a) What subs, to avoid/select?(b) Avoid unpl’nt subs.(i) sickness(ii) death(c) Avoid talk’g about self

Qualities of a good conversationalist(a) What to say & how to say it(b) ment’y quick & witty(c) pleasant & unhurt’g(d) avoid mannerisms.

2.2 Conversation is the easiest and the most effective tool than other arts. To have such attractive quality, you need to pick a subject that interest your listners more than you. Talk to your friends on topics that can indulge your friends in the conversation for a longer period of time. Being a good conversationalist, you have to quick and witty. You should have a pleasant and unhurting quality. Mannerism should be avoided.

Note making Example Passage 2:

A good business letter is one that gets results. The best way to get results is to develop a letter that, in its appearance, style and content, conveys information efficiently. To perform this function, a business letter should be concise, clear and courteous.

The business letter must be concise: don’t waste words. Little introduction or preliminary chat is necessary. Get to the point, make the point, and leave it. It is safe to assume that your letter is being read by a very busy person with all kinds of papers to deal with. Re-read and revise your message until the words and sentences you have used are precise. This takes time, but is a necessary part of a good business letter. A short business letter that makes its point quickly has much more impact on a reader than a long-winded, rambling exercise in creative writing. This does not mean that there is no place for style and even, on occasion, humour in the business letter. While it conveys a message in its contents, the letter also provides the reader with an impression of you, its author: the medium is part of the message.

The business letter must be clear. You should have a very firm idea of what you want to say, and you should let the reader know it. Use the structure of the letter—the paragraphs, topic sentences, introduction and conclusion—to guide the reader point by point from your thesis, through your reasoning, to your conclusion. Paragraph often, to break up the page and to lend an air of organisation to the letter. Use an accepted business-letter format. Re-read what you have written from the point of view of someone who is seeing it for the first time, and be sure that all explanations are adequate, all information provided (including reference numbers, dates, and other identification). A clear message, clearly delivered, is the essence of business communication.

The business letter must be courteous. Sarcasm and insults are ineffective and can often work against you. If you are sure you are right, point that out as politely as possible, explain why you are right, and outline what the reader is expected to do about it. Another form of courtesy is taking care in your writing and typing of the business letter. Grammatical and spelling errors (even if you call them typing errors) tell a reader that you don’t think enough of him or can lower the reader’s opinion of your personality faster than anything you say, no matter how idiotic. There are excuses for ignorance; there are no excuses for sloppiness.

The business letter is your custom-made representative. It speaks for you and is a permanent record of your message. It can pay big dividends on the time you invest in giving it a concise message, a clear structure, and a courteous tone.

2.1 Make notes on the passage using recognisable abbreviations in any suitable format. Give a title to the passage. 52.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:2.1 Title: Writing a Business LetterNotes:

Features of a gd. busns letter1.1 conveys info efficiently to get results1.2 is concise1.3 is clear1.4 is courteous

How to write a gd. busns. letter2.1 Making letter concise2.1.1 Intro shd be brief2.1.2 make your pt in precise words and sent’s2.1.3 short letr more effective2.1.4 style is imp.—may ocasnly have hum’r2.2 Achieving clarity2.2.1 Have a clear idea of what you wish to say2.2.2 structr the letter—intro & conclsn.2.2.3 use accepted format; para, topic, sent’s2.2.4 check facts, expl’ns, refs.2.3 Being courteous2.3.1 Expln. your pt. politely—avoid sarcasm/insults.2.3.2 careful wrtg & typg.2.3.3 gram. & spel’g errors to be avoided

Importance of busns. letr3.1 a representative3.2 permanent rec. message.

2.2 A good business letter is that lends you positive and quality results. To get such results, a business letter should be effective in appearance, style and content. Apart from this a letter should be concise, clear and courteous. The business letter should be to the point as the message can be clear to the reader with an impression of you. The structure of letter should have topic sentence, introduction, paragraphs to conclusion. Reread the points you have written to avoid sarcasm and insults that can work against your motive. Further more grammar and spelling errors need to be avoided.

Note making Example Passage 3:

Good decoration reflects the personality of the people who live in the home. It should, first of all, be distinctive, just as each person is distinctive. A home should have unitynot only within each room but also throughout the house. Rooms should, to some degree, harmonize with each other. The colour and styling of each room, particularly, should fit into the colour and styling of the rooms which run out of it.

Attractive home furnishings set the stage for pleasant living. If they are an expression of yourself, you will have a feeling of satisfaction every time you enter your home, and friends will share your enjoyment.

However, furnishings and surroundings expressive of just the right note of restfulness, gay informality, or elegant simplicity are not often assembled by accident. Even enthusiasm alone is not enough. For most home decorators, it takes poring over plans, trying colour schemes, finding ingenious ways to make the best of what you have, and shopping around to search out just the right purchases at prices you can afford to pay. But there is keen pleasure in striving for the perfect result, and great satisfaction in achieving it.

A successful house and successful rooms will depend upon the proper relationship of each element in it to the others and to the whole. Therefore, in selecting each piece it is well to consider the background, the usage, the draperies, the floor covering, the upholstering materials, the woods, shapes, colour scheme, and the “feeling” you prefer for the room.

Work and plan to enjoy your house. Limit the expenditures of time, effort and money to the extent of your abilities, so that just running the house doesn’t dominate your life. Elegance and delicate things may be a drain you can afford only in a limited way. If you can’t afford outside help, select a house and furnishings that require less care. Plan your activities so that tumult and upset are limited to a few rooms—an activity room or a bedroom, or a comer of the dining room.

You’ll get more pleasure out of a house if you have a hobby connected with it—collecting glass or antiques, gardening or indoor flower growing ceramics, art, cooking, decorating, flower arrangements, etc. And you’ll get more satisfaction and a great deal of help from studying household activities.

You can select a pleasing combination of colours from a wallpaper, a fabric, an oriental mg, a flower or scene, or even a picture in a magazine. If you don’t already have the furniture or mgs, it is a good idea to make up a colour scheme in this way. Let one colour predominate. Limit a colour scheme to two or three colours, with white or gray tones.

These points will help you:

Always choose colours that please you personally— subtle, calm colours if you prefer a restful atmosphere, intense colours if you like liveliness and cheer.

Don’t be afraid of colour. Experimenting on paper will give you confidence. (But remember larger batches of colour are more intense.) Try out various colour combinations, then live with them—look at them frequently before you actually start buying.

Colours should harmonize with furniture, draperies, carpets.

2.1 Make notes on the passage in any suitable format. Use abbreviations, wherever necessary. Give a suitable title. 52.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:2.1 Title: Decorating One’s HomeNotes:

Home reflects personality of home-owner1.1 unity & harmony bet. rooms1.2 colour & styling sh’d match

Elements of decoration2.1 colour schemes2.2 draperies, rugs, upholstery, woods, shape

Plan to enjoy the House3.1 limit time, effort & money3.2 select fumish’gs which require little care3.3 confine hectic activities to a few rooms3.4 hobby connected with house—great pleasure.

Choice of Colours4.1 one colour sh’d predominate4.2 one can expt with colours4.3 calm colours for restfulness; intense for liveliness4.4 colours sh’d harmonise with furniture, draperies, carpets

2.2 The maintenance of the house reflects the personality of the people who live in that. So the distinctive decoration is as important as one attire in good clothes. A unity in the home can only be seen if the rooms in the house have a degree of harmony, colour and styling. Furniture is a working strategy for the pleasant living. If there is an expression of oneself then one will have a mental satisfaction everytime one enter one’s home. To attain such satisfaction one need to pore over plants, try colour schemes, window shopping to search the best thing for one’s home.

Note making Example Passage 4:EXERCISE YOUR WAY TO A HEALTHY HEART

The epidemic of heart attacks has been attaining alarming proportion in recent times causing grave concern specially to the medical fraternity.

To contain and control the increasing death and disability from heart attacks and to focus on public awareness and their involvement at global level, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Heart Federation observed September 24th as the World Heart Day.

What causes heart attacks? Dr H.S. Wasir, Chief Cardiologist and Medical Director, Batra Hospital and Medical Research Centre lists four main habits which adversely affect the heart health. These are lack of physical exercise, wrong eating habits, cigarette smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, and stressful lifestyle.

The importance of physical exercise in minimising the incidence of heart attacks cannot be underestimated. “Physical exercise,” says Dr Wasir, “plays a major role in achieving a long and healthy life in general and prevention of heart attacks in particular.” There are several studies showing that physically active people have higher longevity than those sedentary or physically inactive.

In fact, the review of modern medical literature sums up the role of physical activity in health as ‘Regular physical exercise adds not only years to life but also life to years’. It is the experience of many modern day physicians that some patients of angina (chest pain or discomfort on physical or mental exertion or after meals) do get relief with regularly done physical exercise.

What type of physical exercise and how much, one may ask. It is the isotonic (dynamic) exercise that is beneficial for the heart and not the isometric (static) exercise which should be avoided by heart patients. Weight lifting, carrying heavy suitcases while travelling, pushing a car are some of the examples of isometric exercises. Examples of the beneficial type of physical activity (dynamic exercise) are brisk walking, swimming, golf without power carts, badminton and tennis (doubles for those with old heart attacks but fully recovered, to be started only after physician’s advice).

Walking is the best mode of doing regular physical exercise which requires no equipment, money, material or membership of a club! 30 to 60 minutes brisk walk even on alternate day has been proven to be beneficial. Stationary cycling or walking on a treadmill at home are the other alternatives.

Walking up the stairs instead of using a lift if going up to three or four floors or getting off the lift two or three floors before the destination and walking up the rest through stairs. Going up several floors in a overcrowded lift with limited fresh air to be shared by so many may also prove unhealthy.

Park a little away from the work place and walk that healthy distance.

Best time for brisk walks would be the early mornings before the traffic flow picks up and walking in the parks with thick plantation. Jogging on the roads with heavy traffic should be avoided as you will be inhaling air polluted with the toxins from vehicular exhaust such as dioxides of sulphur and nitrogen.

“Before starting any physical exercise programmes for the first time, one must get fully evaluated by a cardiologist so as to avoid any harm being done by exercise if there is serious underlying heart disease needing treatment,” warns Dr Wasir.

2.1 Make notes on the above passage in any suitable format using recognizable abbreviations wherever necessary. Assign a suitable heading to the passage. 52.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:2.1 Title: Having a Healthy HeartNotes:

World Heart Day. 24 Sept.(a) to control death & disability(b) to increase awareness

Causes of Heart Attacks(a) lack of phy’l exercise(b) wrong eating habits(c) smoking & alcohol(d) stressful lifestyle

Role of Physical Excse.(a) prevents hrt attacks—longer life(b) isotonic-beneficial; isometric—harmful(c) walking: best excse.(i) 30 to 60 mts. brisk walk(ii) no equipment, money, mat’l or membership of club(iii) early morning: ideal for walking(d) Other beneficial excses(i) stay cycling(ii) swimming(iii) walk’g on treadmill

Consult cardiologist before beginning an excse progrme.

2.2 In recent times, heart attack is an epidemic disease that cause grave concern to the medical fraternity. To have control on increasing death and disability due to heart attacks, the World Health Organisation (W.H.O) and World Heart Federation has observed September 24th as the World Heart Day to focus on public awareness. According to health expert there are four main habits that cause heart attack, these are lack of physical exercise, wrong eating habits, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and stressful lifestyle. The affects of heart attack can be reduced to greater extent with the help of regular exercise.

Note making Example Passage 5:

Scientists in the USA and Japan are developing a set of smart materials that clean themselves off dirt and stains besides eliminating foul odours and dangerous bacteria.

Exploiting powerful catalytic properties, researchers succeeded in creating tiles, glass, paint, paper and cloth that can keep themselves sparkling clean.

The first item to reach the market, a self-cleaning wall and counter tile, can not only kill bacteria but also eliminate odours and staining associated with smoke from cooking oils and cigarettes, reports the journal Technology Review.

The key to the self-cleansing world of the future is the interaction between titanium dioxide and ultraviolet rays from the sun or fluorescent lights. The special properties of titanium dioxide—a substance used to make paint and tooth-paste white—were first discovered by Tokyo University chemist Akira Fujishima and Associates in 1969. Their research showed that when exposed to solar energy, titanium dioxide has the ability to break down water into hydrogen and oxygen.

After a quarter-century of observation, scientists now understand that the reaction occurs as titanium dioxide absorbs ergy from the UV band of sunlight and reacts with water vapour in the air to produce oxygen molecules. These molecules are energetic enough to break down organic matter into carbon dioxide and trace elements.

“When light shines on the white paint pigment, titanium dioxide, it produces an active form of oxygen that can burn combustible material at room temperature,” says David Ollis, Professor of Chemical Engineering at North Carolina State University. “It is a fire without a flame.”

Scientists have discovered that titanium dioxide-coated materials can easily remove thin deposits such as bacteria and fingerprints, though they are unable to break down thick splotches of organic materials—such as blood stains—because light and oxygen in the air cannot reach the surface where the reaction occurs.

Fujishima says that when titanium-dioxide tiles were used in the operating rooms and bathrooms of Ako Central Hospital in Ako, Japan, they killed 99.9 per cent of bacteria on their surface. Included among them were penicillin-resistant Staphylococcus and other germs that can cause secondary infections among patients.

The tiles—marketed by Japan’s Toto Corp under the name NeoClean—remain effective even though they are coated with a layer of titanium dioxide only one micron thick, about one-fiftieth the diameter of a human hair. Once the fine layer of compound is permanently affixed—it is commonly sprayed and then baked onto the tile’s surface— the company says it is resistant to the abrasion of ordinary scrubbing that might be needed for thicker stains. Moreover, because titanium dioxide acts only as a catalyst for the photochemical reaction, it theoretically never gets used up.

While cleaning time varies with the thickness of the deposit, Adam Heller, a professor of Chemistry at the University of Texas at Austin, says his experiment shows that titanium dioxide-treated glass removed fingerprints in about two hours. This glass, versions of which both Heller and Fujishima have developed, could be made reactive on both sides, making it ideal for everything from sky-scraper windows to car window glass.

The Japanese have tested other titanium dioxide-treated materials as well. Kazuhito Hashimoto, a chemist at Tokyo University, applied the compound to a porcelain urinal. After a month, the treated urinal looked sparkling clean while an untreated unit was blotched and yellowed. Elsewhere, researchers are experimenting to see if the tiles can keep themselves clean on the walls of heavily polluted car and truck tunnels. And a Japanese paper company is developing windows and partitions for Japanese houses while a camping equipment manufacturer is testing a self-cleaning tent fabric.

But the most promising self-cleaning product is likely to be a wash-itself paint. Both the Texas and the Tokyo laboratories have demonstrated the self-cleaning capacities of paints containing titanium dioxide. While they are not saying exactly how they did it, both claim to have overcome an intrinsic problem in which titanium dioxide breaks down materials that bind pigments in coloured paints.

2.1 Give a suitable title to the passage. 12.2 Make notes of the contents of the passage you have read. Use a format you consider suitable. Use recognizable abbreviations wherever necessary. 42.3 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:2.1 Title: Self Cleaning Materials2.2 Notes:

Self clg. mats.(a) clean dirt, stains(b) eliminate foul odour & dang, bacteria

Self clg. tiles—pple. of wk.(a) uv rays —> TiO2

Spl. props, of TiO2(a) Ti02 makes paint/tooth paste white(b) ability to break down H20 into H2 and O2(c) abs. energy from uv band + reacts with H2O vapours —> prod. O2—> brk. org. matter —> CO2 + trace elements

Discovery Testing & Research(a) dis.- Akira Fujishima (Tokyo Univ.)—1969(b) Testg.- Ako Central Hospl.(c) Adam Heller (Texas Univ.)—TiO2 coated glass—removed finger prints in 2 hrs.

Marketing(a) Tiles called ‘Neo clean’(b) Jap. Toto Corp.

Future Prospects wash itself paint

2.3 Scientists of Japan and USA have developed many smart materials that not only clean themselves off dirt and stains but also eliminate adours and dangerous bacteria. Some tiles, glass, paint, paper and cloth have been introduced those can be kept clean manually. Titanium dioxide and ultraviolet rays from the sun are the keys to the self cleaning world. But the most effective and promising, self cleaning product is likely to be wash itself paint.

Note making Example Passage 6:

It’s headache having a headache. Almost all of us have suffered from a headache at some time or the other. For some headache is a constant companion and life can be a painful hell of wasted time.

The most important step to cope with headaches is to identify the type of headache one is suffering from. In tension headaches (two hand headache), a feeling of a tight band around the head exists along with pain in the neck and shoulders. It usually follows activities such as long stretches of driving, typing or sitting on the desk. They are usually short-timed, but can last for days or weeks?

A headache is usually caused due to spinal misalignment of the head, due to poor posture. Sleeping on the stomach with the head turned to one side and bending over positions for a long time make it worse.

In migraine headaches (one handed headaches), the pain is usually on one side of the head and may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, irritability and bright spots of flashes of light. This headache is made worse by activity, especially bending. The throbbing pain in the head gets worse by noise and light. Certain triggers for migraines may be chocolate, caffeine, smoking or MSU in certain food items. The pain may last from eight to 24 hours and there may be a hangover for two-three days.

Migraines are often preceded by an aura—changes in sight and sensation. There is usually a family history of migraine.

In a headache the pain originates not from the brain but from irritated nerves of muscles, blood vessels and bones. These send pain signals to the brain which then judges the degree of distress and relays it at appropriate sites. The pain may sometimes be referred to sites other than the problem areas. This is known as referred pain and occurs due to sensation overload. Thus, though most headaches start at the base of the skull the referred pain is felt typically behind the eyes.

Factors causing headaches are not fully understood but it is known that a shift in the level of body hormones and chemicals, certain food and drinks and environmental stress can trigger them.

If headaches trouble you often, visit the doctor, who will take a full health history relating to diet, lifestyle stresses, the type of headache, triggering factors and relief measures. You may be asked to keep a “headache diary” which tells you to list the time the headache started, when it ended, emotional, environmental and food and drink factors which may have contributed to it. The type and severity of pain and the medications used which provided most relief, are also to be listed.

This helps the doctor in determining the exact cause and type of headache and the type of drugs to use. Apart from this a physical examination is done to rule out any serious underlying cause. The blood pressure is recorded, vision tested and muscle coordination o; the eyes is checked to rule out these as causes. Blood tests may be done to rule out anaemia, diabetes and thyroid disease. If any of the above is abnormal or otherwise a CT Scan or MRI may be done to see tissues and structures around the brain. These will rule out causes such as tumors, haemorrhage and infection of the brain, this examination gives a clear picture of the problem to the doctor.

Immediate relief can be obtained by certain medications and a few simple self-care techniques. Using ice against the pain site, covering eyes with dark glasses, drinking plenty of fluids and lying down in a dark and quiet room, provide relief in a migraine attack. Pain killers like aspirin, ibuprofen (brufen) and crocin can be taken and provide relief in different proportions. These should be used with caution and under medical supervision, if used for long periods and large quantities as all of them can cause many side effects. An antiemetic like perinorm can help the nausea associated with a migraine.

2.1 On the basis of your reading of the passage make notes on it, using recognizable abbreviations wherever necessary. Use a suitable format. Supply an appropriate title. 52.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answer2.2 All of us suffer from headache. It can be of many types. The tension headache is short lived. But there can be headache due to body posture. Migraine headache is caused due to nausea, vomitting and irritability. In headache pain starts from irritated nerves of muscles; blood vessels and bones. There are many other factors like food environment and body postures that may result in a headache. It can be cured through physical examination of doctor. Other diseases like B.P., diabetes may also be got checked. The best technique is to have self care or to use pain killers as per prescription of the doctor.

Note making Example Passage 7:

It is an unpretentious structure tucked in a comer of Chandni Chowk. It could be missed by a passer-by but for the chirping which gives away its unique mission. The Charity Birds Hospital is the only one of its kind in the country. Many people arrive here daily with injured birds which they may have found lying by the roadside. After a quick inspection, an attendant makes a simple entry in the register: name of the person, kind of bird and date and “admits the patient” for treatment free of cost. The bird then becomes the sole responsibility of the hospital.

The ailing bird is administered first-aid and then kept in an isolated cage. Often medication and proper care is all that is needed. After the wound heals, the bird is moved to a common section with other birds of its kind. Soon it will be healthy enough to fly away, may keep visiting the terrace for food and water. The work began way back in 1929 in a small one-room structure. One Lala Lachumal Jain, along with others, decided to start a medical facility for birds. A few years later it became increasingly difficult to treat the large number of birds being brought. In 1957 the present building was inaugurated.

The progress of the hospital has been slow but steady. Till 1968 only ayurvedic treatment was being administered. Allopathy was adopted that year. And it was as recently as in 1992 that a laboratory was set up to conduct pathological tests. Though surgery is conducted at times and doctors try their best to save the bird’s life, it is often too late. The mortality rate is quite high: around five to six birds die everyday.

The hospital survives only on charity. The trustees proudly claim that there is a steady flow of donations. Rich businessmen, visitors and even tourists donate generously. Till date they have never approached the government for funds. However, the hospital has drawbacks. It does not accept carnivorous birds and does not admit pet birds. Moreover, the bird is subjected to a lot of stress as, being in old Delhi, the place is not easily accessible. Since it survives on charity, it is unable to take up research work.

But work goes on. The staff says, they have received as many as 50-60 cases a day. The hospital has an emergency ward and stays open round the clock. It spends approximately ? ₹ 6 lakh to ? ₹ 7 lakh annually and at any given time looks after 4000 to 5000 birds.

2.1 On the basis of your reading of the passage make notes on it, using recognizable abbreviations wherever necessary. Use a format you consider suitable. Supply a suitable title. 52.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:2.1 Title: Charity Hospital for BirdsNotes:

Place & Origin1.1 Locn. : Corner of Ch. Chowk1.2 Founder : Lala Lachumal Jain (1929)1.3 Growth : 1929 – 1 room struc.1957 – pres. bldg.1.4 Facilities : Upto 1968 – ayurvedic treatmentfrom 1968 – allopathy introducedfrom 1992 – path, lab tests & surgery

Procedure of treatment

Uniqueness4.1 charitable—no govt, funds4.2 free of cost trtmt—4000 to 5000 birds per day4.3 expenditure: Rs 6 – 7 lakhs annually

Drawbacks5.1 carnivorous & pets excluded5.2 locn. inaccessible5.3 no research wk.

2.2 Chandni Chowk has an unpretentious structure that is charity birds hospital which is one in the whole country. Birds are treated in the hospital after making an entry to the register, name of the person who carries the injured bird and treatment starts free of cost. The hospital takes the sole responsibility to heal the wounds of a bird. The bird is kept under observation till it become able to move to the common section with other birds. The hospital gets fund from tourists, visitors and common men but it does not get any fund from the govt. It’s annual expenditure is ? ₹ 6-7 lakhs.

Note making Example Passage 8:

The term earthquake is applied to any tremor or shaking of the ground. Many earthquakes are so gentle as to pass almost unrecognised, others are sufficiently pronounced to excite general alarm, while some spread enormous destruction. Destructive earthquakes are usually confined to limited regions. The usual phenomena recorded in well-known earthquakes are first a trembling, next one or more severe shocks, and then a trembling which gradually dies away. In most cases, each shock lasts only a few seconds, but the tremblings that follow may continue for days, weeks, or even months. Noises of various kinds usually accompany an earthquake. They have been likened to the howling of storm, the growling of thunder, the clanking and clashing of iron chains, or the rumbling of heavy wagons along a road. Such noises are conducted through the ground, or thev may travel through the sea or air, and are often heard at great distances from the place where the shock is felt. Some earthquakes, however, are not accompanied by these noises. At the time of the terrible shock which destroyed Riobamba in Ecuador on February 4, 1797, a complete silence reigned.

Many changes are produced on the earth’s surface by earthquakes. They cause landslips and cracks in the earth, which will sometimes alter the drainage system of a country. They are frequently accompanied by great seawaves, which will often sweep rocks and sand great distances inland. Permanent elevations and depressions of land are sometimes caused. After the great earthquakes of 1750, the coast of Chili was found to have been permanently raised from three to four feet. Well-known examples of permanent depressions are those of the Runn of Kutch and the coastlands near Chittagong, which suddenly sank during the Bengal earthquake of 1762.

Earthquakes are the most common in volcanic and mountainous regions, and many of them are no doubt due to volcanic action. These appear to originate in the sea, and may be due to the flashing into steam of the water which finds its way down through cracks to the underlying heated rocks. Others appear to originate in volcanoes themselves, being due to the explosion of vapours which expand. Many other causes are ascribed, of which two may be mentioned. Some earthquakes may be due to the collapse of hollows beneath the ground, and others again to the snapping of strata which has been subjected to too great a strain. It is noticeable that most earthquakes occur during the cold months of winter.

Among destructive earthquakes in modern times may be mentioned the one that altered the Straits of Messina between Italy and Sicily in 1908, and the terrible upheaval in Japan in 1925, which destroyed whole towns and caused the death of thousands of people.

2.1 Make notes of the contents of the passage you have read. Use a format you consider suitable. Use recognizable abbreviations where necessary. Give a suitable title to the passage. 52.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:2.1 Title: EarthquakeNotes:

Defn.-tremor/shak’g of grnd

Types ofE’quake(a) Gentle – unrecog’d(b) Suff. pron’d – gentle alarm(c) Severe—eno. dest’n

Signs of Occurrence(a) Trembl’g – 1 or more severe shocks – trembl’g(b) Various Noises(i) howl’g of storm(ii) growl’g of thunder(iii) clank’g / clash’g of iron chains(iv) rumbl’g of heavy wagon on road(c) Range – thro’ grd, sea, air – heard at distance(d) Some e’quakes silent

Changes in Earth’s Surface(a) Landslips and cracks – drainage alt’d(b) E’quake + sea waves – roAt. & :;.rr,d awept inland(c) Perm’t elev’ns/depr’ns

Origin(a) mount, region(b) sea(c) volcanoes

Causes(a) Volcanic action in mount.(b) Sea water entg. heated rocks(c) Explo’n of expanding vapour(d) Collapse of under grd. hollows(e) Snap’g of strata

Occurrence – cold months/winter

Most Dest. E’quakes(i) 1908 – straits of Messina altered(ii) 1925 – Japan – Upheaval – Towns dest’d – thousands kill’d

2.2 Earthquake takes place due to tremor or shaking of the ground. Some earthquakes are so gentle that these are known unrecognised while some spread destruction. Destructive earthquakes are noisy, linked to the howling of storm, the growling of thunder, the clanking and clashing of iron chains. Many earthquakes also cause land slips and cracks in the earth that sometimes affect the drainage system of the country. In volcanic and mountainous regions, earthquakes are common. It is also noted that most earthquake occur during winter.

Passage 9:

The one industry that remains unaffected by any depression in trade is the beauty industry. The women world over continue to spend money on their faces and bodies even when there is a great slump in other areas of trade. The number of advertisements proclaiming the miracles performed by the various beauty aids goes to support the fact that, today, with all the talk about emancipation, equality of sexes and feminism, women are still observed with their physical beauty as they were in the times of Cleopatra.

America leads the figures, literally and metaphorically. Many parts of Europe by virtue of being affected by political and economic instability, leave precious little for women to beautify themselves. May be, all that women in Europe, can then do is to wash and hope for the best. But, the rich and upper middle class women, everywhere in the world, block a substantial amount of their income on beautifying themselves. Why is it so?

The richer the man gets the more obsessed he becomes with high powered cars and electronic gadgets and bank balances. On the contrary, the women, especially the urban upper middle class women, find their bodies and faces worthy of investing a major part of their income.

Women, these days, are much freer than they were in the last century. Not only are they free to take part in social and professional functions of a society as an equal to man, but also to look attractive in any given situation. The beauty industry is shrewd enough to exploit this trend and women in every walk of life have something to buy from the range of products that the beauty industry offers. The British matron, today, is the thing of the past.

As a result of the number of beauty parlours that have sprung up in every street corner of the metropolises, and the exercises, the health motors and the skin foods that they offer, you can hardly run into an old woman these days. One could say ‘old ladies’ are fast becoming an extinct species. White hair, wrinkles, bent backs and hollow cheeks are features of a bygone era. Cosmetic surgery has slowly eradicated these unwanted phenomena. If children of posterity want to look at an old woman, they might have to run to an art gallery and find a medieval painting.

2.1 On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes on it, using recognizable abbreviations where necessary. Use a format you consider suitable. Supply an appropriate title. 52.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:2.1 Title: Beauty IndustryNotes:

Flourishing Ind.(a) Unaffected by depn.(b) Advts. – miracles of bty. aids .(c) Phy. bty – still pop. among women

Craze for Beautification(a) America leads figs.(b) Parts of Europe – little for bty. aids(c) Everywhere in the world – sub. amt.(i) Rich(ii) Upp. mid. els.

Reasons(a) Rich women – invt on bodies & faces(b) Women’s freedom – eq. to man(i) social/prof, funct. of soc.(ii) Look attractive in any sitn.(c) Shrewdness of bty ind.(i) Exploits the trend to look btyful(ii) Women of all classes – buy beauty aids

Old ladies – extinct species(a) Beauty parlours(i) ex. thro, health motors(ii) skin foods(b) Cosmetic surgeryNo white hair, wrinkles, bent backs or hollow cheeks

2.2 Beauty industry has become flourishing industry which is unaffected by any depression. Advertisements proclaim miracles of beauty aids. Women loves to maintain their physical beauty in all nations. America leads the figures, though in some parts of Europe the women are not crazy for beauty. Yet everywhere in the world the women spent a big amount of their income on beautifying themselves. The women of all classes buy beauty aids and pay a handsome amount in beauty parlours. The features of old age has been challenged by cosmetic surgery. So the old ladies are fast becoming an extinct species.

Passage 10:

According to the National Council for Applied Economic Research’s latest report, India’. Human Development Report which is a profile of the Indian states in the 1990s, there are many problems in women’s education. Girls are taken out of school as soon as some calamity hits the family’s fortunes. They are made to look after their younger siblings and they are not looked upon as ‘investment’. In order to marry them off early and without problems, girls are not allowed to traverse long distances to go to schools. They are not allowed to study under male teachers. Affluent families invest in girls’ education only if they are assured of getting better bridegrooms.

So high is the girls’ drop out rate that there are only 52 girls to every 100 boys who complete middle school. Gender disparity is higher among matriculates and 40 women to every 100 men ever pass the examination. The only gender egalitarian state is Kerala and it is very difficult to come across a female graduate in a village excepting in Kerala. Gender disparity varies with household income and poverty level and the poorer the family, the greater the temptation to invest in boys’ education. It also varies according to social class. The lowest level of matriculates is among the SC/STs and Muslims.

Another important finding is that at the critical age of 25 to 34 years, there is higher gender disparity in education, with high levels of female illiteracy, in the problematic central Indian states (Bihar, MP, Rajasthan and UP). This is indicative of other connected problems that these states face. When women are illiterate, they are not able to look after their children’s health and the mortality rate may be high. Faced with a high mortality rate of children, there is a tendency to have more children and the fertility rate remains high. Among the SC/ST women in the reproductive age of 15 to 35, only 6 to 9 percentage of literacy can be found in Bihar and UP.

Female labour participation reveals that as soon as the family’s income improves, women give up working whether in the fields or in non-farm activities or at home in income generating activities. It is not surprising that they stop working because there is a huge gender disparity in wage rates. Even when women do the same arduous work they are paid on average ? ₹ 17 a day as compared to ? ₹ 23 for men.

When women are educated they can at least look after their own and the family’s health, better. Without adequate education, there is a low level of awareness about ailments and sheer ignorance can cause them to ascribe ailments to non-medical, often supernatural causes. Uneducated women are often too shy to reveal their diseases and many do not go to doctors out of fear that it may cause undue expenses to their budgetary balances. Pregnant women in many villages have been found not to be given any special diet. In fact they often reduce their food intake because of the prevailing belief that they cannot digest heavy food. There is gender disparity in most states in the treatment of young children and the elderly.

In any case, a majority of the rural areas do not have provision for primary health care services. The prevalence of diseases is rather high in the southern states, West Bengal and Punjab perhaps because of better reporting of sickness and the availability of treatment. About 41 million individuals receive medication for major illnesses at a point of time in India and the highest prevalence is of hypertension followed by tuberculosis. The critical issues of education and health are closely connected with expansion of job opportunities and while reducing unemployment has been a standard slogan during the elections by all parties, the emphasis on health and education has been subdued.

2.1 Make notes on the contents of the passage you have read. Use a format you consider suitable. Use abbreviations where necessary. Also give a suitable title to the passage. 52.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:2.1 Title: Neglect of Women’s Education & HealthNotes:

Female drop-outs in schools(a) family hit by calamity—girl looks after siblings(b) girl’s edn. – not regarded invt.(i) rich – invt. if better bridegm(c) prob. free mar’ge(i) early age(ii) no long dist. to sch’l(iii) no male trs.

High drop-out rate/illiteracy(a) gender disparity in edn – directly: to(i) h.h. income & poverty level(ii) social clusters(iii) prob. central Indian states

Female labour participation(a) family income imps. – women give up wkg(b) huge gender disparity in wage rates

Results of inadequate female edn.(a) Health probs.(i) ignorance(ii) superstitions(iii) shyness about disease(iv) fear of undue expenses(v) lack of proper diet to preg. wn.

Lack of rural/health care services(a) high prevalence of diseases41 millions get medn.(b) southern states, W.B. & Pun.(i) better report’g of sickness(ii) availability of trtmt.(c) most com’n diseases(i) h’tension(ii) T.B.

2.2 Women’s education is still legging behind under various factors. If any calamity hits the family girls are taken out of school to look after their younger siblings. Girls education is not regard as investment. Only the rich class educate their girls for better match. Most of the parents do not like to send their girl child in distant school or taught by male teachers. The working womens give up their job with an increase in their family income. Secondly inadequate education in female create health problems due to ignorance, superstitions and fear of undue expense. There is lack of rural health care services so the rural women become victims of diseases like T.B., hypertension etc.

Passage 11:

The recently concluded Kyoto Conference on the production of gases with a greenhouse effect on the environment has again brought into focus the issue involving the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

These are widely used for their cooling and propelling actions in equipment such as air- conditioners, fire extinguishers and refrigerators. Most of the CFCs are non-toxic, inert and non-inflammable, therefore, ideal for both domestic and commercial use. In medicine, their use is widespread for general purposes listed above. More specifically, they are used as propellants for inhalational drugs commonly used by patients with asthma and other lung diseases. Millions of patients using metered dose inhalers (MDI) are thus dependent on CFCs—until CFC-free inhalers become available.

The inhalational therapy, which almost revolutionised the management of asthma, is apparently in danger. It was in the 1970s when the scientists first discovered that the CFCs were dangerous for the environment. CFCs released in the environment are broken down by the sunlight to release chlorine atoms. It is the chlorine atom which destroys the ozone layer present about 40 km above the earth.

The effect is so potent that one atom of chlorine can destroy up to 100000 molecules of ozone.

The normally present ozone layer prevents the entry of the extra terrestrial rays on the earth. A hole created in this protective umbrella allows the harmful ultraviolet and other rays to pass unfiltered. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as the greenhouse effect resulting in global warming. The size of the hole which was supposedly of a football ground until a few years ago, has grown to that of Antarctica. That in itself speaks of the enormity of the problem.

The contribution of CFC propellants used in medicine to the greenhouse effect is negligible. CFCs used in inhalers are less than 0.5 per cent of its total worldwide use. In fact, propulsion of a single satellite in space releases more chlorine than that by the worldwide use of MDIs for a whole year. Even the Montreal Protocol which introduced total ban on CFCs had spared the essential uses such as that for MDIs.

But a ban on CFCs for most of their uses is bound to affect their inhalational therapy. Production of CFCs is likely to stop in the near future. Moreover, a relative scarcity of CFCs is likely to greatly increase the costs of inhalers. Alternative approaches, therefore, are immediately required.

Inhalational therapy is now established as an important method of administration of drugs. It is certainly the mainstay for treatment of asthma. But several other drugs, including antibiotics are administered in inhaled forms. CFCs are required only when a drug is available in a premixed form in a canister for direct inhalation. But drugs, other than those for asthma are not available as ready-made inhalers. Most of those drugs, including many used for asthma as well, are given by nebulization which involves the use of compressed air (or oxygen) to change the liquid solution into a vapour-form. But nebulization does not solve the problem as it cannot replace the inhalers.

Alternative propellant gases using fluorocarbons without a chlorine atom, are being developed. Fluorine released by these propellants is considered to be safe for the ozone layer. But inhalers employing such gases are yet not available.

Another novel technique is to substitute the liquid inhalational drug with a powdered form. Several kinds of dry-powder inhalers are already available in the market. The methodology is easy and simple for the patient but for the problem of dosage. Per dose the amount of drug which can be inhaled in a powder form is generally less than that from an MDI. We have différé .t rotahalers and rotacaps available in India. Elsewhere, in the world, there are disc-halers where a single disc contains multiple (six to eight) blisters of the drug, or a turbohaler where 100 to 200 dosages are made available in a single unit. It is only a question of time when these forms shall be marketed in this country as well. Those are bound to be costlier to absorb the expenses of research, development and marketing.

Undoubtedly, better alternatives will be developed in future. Until then, one hopes that the benefits of inhalational therapy with or without the use of CFCs are not denied to the patients.

2.1 On the basis of your reading of the above passage make notes using appropriate symbols and abbreviations in any one of the accepted formats. Also supply an appropriate title. 52.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:2.1 Title: Inhalers and EnvironmentNotes:

CFCs & Envt(a) dangerous for envt.(b) releases Cl – dest. Og(c) green-house effect—global warm’g

Use of CFCs(a) Domestic & commercial(i) AC, fridge.(ii) fire extg.(b) Medicine(i) propellants for inhal. drugs(ii) MDI for asthma.

Inhaler Therapy(a) CFC inhal’s – neg. gr’n house eff.(b) Trtmt. of asthma.(c) Admn. antibiotic in inhaled forms.

Alternative Approach(a) neb’n(b) FCS w’out Cl(c) dry powder inhs.—prob. of dosages

rotahalers & rota caps.

disc halers – 6 to 8 dos.

turbohalers – 100 to 200 dos.

2.2 CFCs is dangerous for environment as it releases chlorine atoms which destroy the ozone layer, causes greenhouse effect and global warming. It is widely used in domestic and commercial purposes. CFC inhalers contribute negligible greenhouse effect. It is not only treatment of Asthma but also administrates antibiotic in inhaled forms. As alternate approaches FCs without chlorine atom are being developed. Another novel technique is to substitute the liquid inhalational drug with a powdered form. Different rotahalers and rotacaps are available in India.

Passage 12:

This may seem like straight out of a Harry Potter book, but it happens to be true. The three thousand year old publishing medium – Paper, might soon get obsolete. Or, its use might get severely curtailed, with the arrival of electronic ink – a close cousin to the e-paper.

The functionality of the whole experiment lies in its simplicity. The new technology not only looks, feels and is portable like the conventional paper, but is also eco-friendly.

E-ink, a US based company is on the fast track of developing e-ink that looks just like grey paint, but inside there are hundreds and thousands of microcapsules, which change their colour from light to dark when exposed to an electronic field.

Since these microcapsules float free in an oil-based liquid – the “carrier medium”, they can be printed on just about any flat surface, convex, concave or even cloth material. Currently, e-ink is hawking this technology only to the likes of JC Penney, which has begun to use its simplified versions for a futuristic promotional campaign. Commercial application is still a bend away. The primitive version of the technology was developed at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Centre and was promptly christened Gyricon (from a Greek word standing for rotate + image). This was because the technology involved floating microspheres.

The success formula behind the cutting-edge technology lies in the reusable paper that can ‘typeset’ itself through a wireless system, enabling updation of contents throughout the day-almost like a web update.

The fundamentals are so simple, it is amazing how it eluded scientists for so long. In a nutshell, it combines the clarity, userfriendliness and affordability of the conventional paper, with the immediacy of the Web and can even be folded and kept in the briefcase for an easy lugging to the office.

“There is a strong demand to retain all the good properties of paper and yet couple it with electronic distribution”, says a senior scientist associated team on the company’s Web site. In other words, if one is to replace paper, the electronic alternative should also look like paper. This might even please the strong environmentalists’ lobby, who have always stood up in arms against the massive tree-felling by the paper industry. According to one conservative estimate, an average reader consumes nearly 740 pounds of paper pulp every year.

Another drawback with the paper industry is that the printed words are so static that they can neither be erased nor updated. The new technology creates a dynamic high resolution display over a thin and flexible medium and is expected to hit the market by 2003. It will perhaps herald an altogether new reading style with the paraphernalia of e-books and e-paper that can display volumes of information as easily as turning a page and permanent newspaper surfaces that update themselves daily via a wireless broadcast.

E-ink constitutes of millions of microcapsules having a transparent outer shell. Inside are tiny white pigment chips that float in a blue coloured dye. These white spheres carry a positive charge. The e-ink with millions of such microcapsules are placed between two electrodes. When the top electrode layer is negatively charged, it draws the positively charged white coloured pigment chips towards the top, reading surface, making them shine and stand out against the background of the blue dye. And, Loila! the letters and images become legible. A similar charge in the lower layer pulls the white pigments down, making them invisible to the eye. A combination of such white pigment chips on the surface make the words and images visible. These characters can easily be changed any time by altering with the charge on the electrode layers, which is manipulated through the wireless signals. The e-ink is already in use on display boards at several US supermarkets, airports, ATMs and offices.

The commercial advantages include its thinness, low weight and power efficiency (0.1 watts). The system is networkable through wireless and wired systems and is also mobile (if supported by wireless system). Thus, the displays can be controlled from one central location. Need a publisher or,a reader ask for anything more? (For more details access the official site, www.eink.com).

2.1 Make notes on the contents of the passage above. Use a format you consider suitable. Use abbreviations where necessary. Also give a suitable title to the passage. 52.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

2.1 Title: E-ink & E-paper .Notes:

Characteristics of E-ink(a) looks like grey paint(b) mns. micro caps.(c) oil-based liquid(d) printed on any surface.(i) flat (ii) convex (iii) concave (iv) cloth

E-paper – Qualities(a) reus’le – typset itself(b) updat’g contents – like web(c) clarity, userfr’dliness, affordability – convn’l paper(d) imm’cy of web(e) foldg. & lug’g

Advantages of E-paper(a) no tree fell’g – envt. lobby pleased(b) printed words stat. – no erasion no. updt’g(c) high display over thin & flex’le medium

Working of E-ink(a) white pigment chips inside micro caps —> +ve charge(b) blue coloured dye(c) E-ink placed between 2 electrodes(d) – ve charged top elec, layer – pig’ts shine – letters image(e) – ve charged lower layer – pig’ts invisible(f) manipulation by wireless

2.2 Electronic ink-a close cousin of the e-paper looks like grey paint. This oil based liquid has thousands of microcapsules as carrier medium. They can be printed on just about any flat surface, convex, concave or even cloth material. The E-paper is eco-friendly. The printed words are static that they can neither is erased nor updated. High resolution is displayed over a thin and flexible medium. The tiny white pigment chips carry a positive charge. The commercial advantages include its thinness, low weight and power efficiency. The system is manipulated by wireless.

Passage 13:

Many have labelled the prevailing drought situation as a man-made disaster. Towns and villages over large parts of the country are desperate for water. Many are dependent on periodic tanker supplies ferried across considerable distances. As summer advances, communities may be compelled to migrate unless help comes their way.

Rainfall is often erratic and unevenly distributed over space and time. Many regions regularly experience recurrent drought and/or flood as part of their normal hydrological cycle. Droughts, like floods, are therefore no surprise. It can be mitigated, even averted, by drought-proofing and, like flood, must be appropriately managed as and when it occurs.

Population growth and development aimed at enhancing the quality of life entails larger water use. This is subjecting India to increase seasonal and regional water stress, with deteriorating water quality being an aggravating factor. Water conservation at all times and places, improved water management and maintaining water quality are therefore critical.

These measures are not necessarily mutually exclusive and each has certain costs and benefits. The objective should be to secure optimality. The notion that rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge and sound water management by themselves can provide a complete or sufficient answer to India’s water needs is mistaken. Pursued as a panacea that obviates the need for large dams, it could rob the country of vital insurance against disaster.

It is wholly fallacious to argue that if hundreds of large dams (over 15 metres high) have not averted the drought this year, the hugely demonised Sardar Sarovar, for instance, will make no difference. The simple answer is that the hundreds of dams and storages on local rain-fed rivers and smaller conservation works and traditional systems must fail if the rains fail. Deserted villages are mute testimony to this truth.

Sufficient rain must first fall before it can be harvested in situ. North Gujarat, Saurashtra and Kutch suffer aridity. But the Narmada rises over 1300 kilometres away in a relatively high rainfall region. If its abundant flood waters are stored, these can be diverted from the terminal Sardar Sarovar dam to the very areas of Gujarat most troubled by drought. Gujarat’s allotted share of nine million acre feet of water—or even half that quantum— would have averted much of the present distress had the dam height reached 110 metres when the canals would begin to flow and generate energy.

The distribution system is far advanced and would have guaranteed drinking water, fodder and livelihood to millions. It would have recharged groundwater and filled hundreds of village ponds and depressions en route.

Dams are not a unique or absolute solution. But it is a dangerous mantra that small is beautiful, big is bad. The two go together. What would northwest India, indeed all of India, be minus the Bhakra-Pong? The country has a huge task ahead to manage its water resources sensibly, optimally and equitably. This is what the nation must address unitedly without losing more time in futile, wholly unproductive arguments. The present drought is both a crisis and an opportunity. Which shall it be?

2.1 Make notes on the contents of the above passage in any format, using abbreviations. Supply an appropriate title also. 52.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:2.1 Title: Managing Country’s Water CrisisNotes:

Effects of Drought(a) towns & vills. desperate for water(b) periodic tanker supply(c) mign. in sum. if ho help

Cause of Drought(a) erratic & uneven rainfall(b) population growth & development – large water use(c) deterioration in water quality

Measures to Overcome Drought(a) wat. conservat’n(b) improved water management(c) maintain’g water quality(d) harvest’g rain water(e) recharg’g ground water(f) storage – micro to mega

Water Mgmt. by Dams(a) stor. & prop, distn.(i) drkg. wat.(ii) fodder(iii) livelihood(b) supplements traditional measures(i) recharg’g grd wat.(ii) filling vill. ponds & depressions

Ideal Solutiondams + trad’l measures

2.2 Drought is manmade disaster. Towns and villages disperate of water get periodic taker supply. In summer in lack of sufficient supply people have to migrate. Drought cause due to uneven rainfall, large use of water by large population. To overcome drought water conservation, water management, rain water harvesting and recharging of the ground water should be promoted. Hundreds of dams and storage on local rain fed rivers and small traditional manners can also reduce the problem of water drought.

Passage 14:

The world today is confronted with a large number of problems like arms proliferation, fundamentalism, separatist movements as well as international terrorism. International terrorism has today emerged as one of the most ominous threats to world peace and security. There has been considerable growth of terrorism between the 1960s and 1980s. This has largely been due to the characteristics of the international system. The most important of these are deep and bitter ethnic, religious and ideological conflicts which remain unresolved and which fester in the international system, spawning many forms of violent conflicts, terrorism and periodically erupting into civil and international wars.

Another underlying factor for the growth of terrorism is the use of unconventional and proxy war methods. Here terrorism becomes an attractive instrument of policy for states and sub-state organisations such as national liberation movements. Such methods are low-cost, relatively low-risk and yet afford the possibility of high yields.

The worldwide dissemination of new technology has also facilitated the growth of terrorism. For example, the development of international civil aviation has created new vulnerabilities and lucrative targets for terrorists to exploit. Modern weapon technology has also proved to be a boon to terrorists.

Terrorism today has taken different forms. These include political terrorism involving not only the use of terrorism by the state but also against the state, religious terrorism, micro terrorism as well as the recent emergence of nuclear terrorism.

The legitimacy of terrorism depends on various factors. Perceptions vary. The greatest justification which a terrorist finds is in a struggle between two adversaries: it is not the means but the end which is important. The United Nations Human Rights Commission has recognised that terrorism can destroy human rights and fundamental freedom of the people and threatens the territorial integrity of nations.

One of the most basic rights of every individual is the right to life. Terrorism, which basically involves violence and killing thus takes away this right from individuals. Besides, the use of violence for achieving a goal, no matter how justified it is the same cannot be approved.

Terrorism also poses a law and order problem for the state while at the same time the economy suffers as a result of damage to trade, valuable resources as well as scaring away of investors. It is thus imperative to look for some mechanism to check the problem of international terrorism. Although there exists a large number of treaties including extradition treaties, they have not been able to check terrorism. This has happened due to the failure of states to comply with the provision of the treaties.

2.1 On the basin of your reading of the passage , make notes on it using recognizable abbreviations wherever necessary. Also suggest a suitable title to the passage. 52.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:2.1 Title: International TerrorismNotes:

Terrorism—threat to world peace & security(a) probs. like crime proliferation

Causes of terrorism(a) deep & bitter ethnic, rel. & ideo. conflicts(b) periodical civil & internat’l wars(c) unconv’l & proxy war methods(i) low cost(ii) low-risk(iii) high yield(d) dissemination of new technology(e) modem weapon tech.

Diff. forms of Terrorism

Justification of Terrorism(a) struggle between 2 adversaries(b) end imp. not means

Dangers of Terrorism(a) destroy human rights & freedom of people(b) threatens terr’l integrity of nations(c) law & order prob.(d) setback to economy(i) damages trade & resources(ii) scares away investors

2.2 Terrorism is threat to world peace and security. The causes behind it are deep and bitter ethnic, religious and ideological conflicts, periodical civil and international wars. Unconventional and proxy war methods are also another factor. The worldwide dissemination of new technology support the terrorism while modem weapon technology has also proved to be a boon to terrorism. Basically terrorism has taken different forms like political, religious, microterrorism and nuclear terrorism. Terrorism is struggle between two adversaries as it destroy human rights and freedom of people. So it must be eradicated to protect integrity of nations.

Passage 15:

Out of the staggering amount of money that the state and central government spend on higher education, fifty per cent is wasted due to fifty per cent failures in the university examinations all over the country. There is a single strong reason why a university degree should be paid for in full by the student himself.

This thinking has been gathering momentum since January 1986, when the pay scales of college and university teachers were revised and which put an additional burden of more than a hundred crores on the University Grants Commission and the state governments. Arrears to the tune of ₹ 5,000 to ₹ 22,000 were given to all teachers in most of the 150 universities and 5,000 colleges of the country. Because of the enhanced salary and dearness allowance, which is revised every January and July, the government expenditure on higher education has almost doubled during the last five years.

As against this, the tuition fees have remained static since Independence (with minimal revisions last year). Not that the governments did not consider the question of raising them, but the threat of student agitation and political unpopularity proved a hurdle too strong to surmount. Consequently, there is now a yawning gap between what a college student pays and what the state spends on him.

According to UGC sources, a student pays rupees 200, 250 and 325 per annum for education in arts, commerce and science respectively, whereas the government subsidy amounts to Rupees 2800, 3400 and 4200 annually. This includes the expenditure incurred by some trust managed colleges which, according to the rules of the states in which they function, comes to 5 per cent to 3 per cent. But as most of the colleges have found ways to evade even this responsibility, the ultimate burden falls on the governments themselves.

A way out of the imbroglio was thought out in recent years. The Human Resources Development Ministry floated the concept of autonomous colleges. After much public debate it was decided that some hundred colleges should be granted autonomy to begin with. Now about 90 colleges are autonomous. They are making appointments, framing their own syllabi and conducting examinations, but have not yet been able to muster up courage to enhance fees. They continue to eive maintenance grants from the state coffers.

Under the circumstances, the concept of self-financing higher education seems to be a remote dream. Secondly, as most of the university campuses are politically alive and financially bankrupt, the government will have to continue paying them their annual grants. Suddenly, converting them into self-financing institutions has become impossible. It is a different matter if the states start a new set of educational institutions as totally self-financed. But who will bear the huge initial expenditure—the parents or the government?

2.1 On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes on it, using recognizable abbreviations where necessary. Use a format you consider suitable. Supply an appropriate title. 52.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:2.1 Self-financing University Education

Reasons for making univ. degrees paid in full1.1. huge expenditure due to hr. edu.1.2 50% wastage due to univ. exams1.3. univ. income static1.4. wide diff. between income & exp.

Reason for keeping tuition fee static2.1. threat of student agitation2.2. fear of political unpopularity

Concept of autonomous colleges3.1. HRD Ministry’s brain child – a way out3.2. have autonomy in(i) framing syllabi(ii) appointments(iii) exams.3.3. Fees not enhanced yet

Self-financing hr. edu. remote4.1. univ. campus politically alive, financially bankrupt4.2. new set of educational institutions – totally self-financed4.3. to introduce self-financing or not4.4. huge initial expenditure – who will bear – parents/govt.?

2.2 Fifty percent of staggering amount of money spent by govt, on higher education is wasted. There are various reasons for making university degree paid in full. Huge expenditure due to higher education, static income of university. Fear of political unpopularity and threat of student agitation prevent universities in revising the fees. Autonomous colleges have also failed to enhance fear. Most of the university campuses are politically alive and financially bankrupt. Self financial educational institutions are remote dream under these circumstances but who will bear the huge initial expenditure – the parents or the government?

Passage 16:

There are so many things we humans tend to hold back on. We repress a lot of our emotions, whether they are considered ‘good’ or “had’ ones.

Sometimes we hold back on expressing our love for fear of being misunderstood, or perhaps thinking the timing is not ‘right’. Most commonly, we have been taught to hold back on our ‘negative’ emotions fear, anger, sorrow, pain, etc.

As a child, I was often told to squelch those emotions that demonstrated ‘weakness’. I held back my tears in order to appear strong. I repressed my anger to be a ‘good girl’ and ‘loving’.

Yet, I now realize that holding back anger or any other emotion affects negatively the person who is holding back. The anger I refused to let out stayed locked up inside, fermented, and gave rise to all kinds of poison. Frustrations and anger were withheld, only to explode when I’d ‘had enough’. This anger later had to be released through illness, situations where the anger was unleashed at someone or something else (or at myself), or through therapy.

What happens when you feel anger (consciously or sub-consciously) but want to hide it? Whatever we hold back becomes a part of us and gets stored in our body as a tangible manifestation in the form of headaches, tension, pain, illness, ulcers, cancer, arthritis, back pain, and many other physical ailments.

Of course, we feel that by holding back on expressing our anger we are doing the ‘right’ thing and not hurting anyone. Yet, little do we know, the other person may need to hear what we have to say, just as much as we need to express it.

Of course, we need to learn how to express our anger or discontent without ‘dumping’ on the other. We can express ourselves without destroying the other person’s sense of self-worth or attacking them emotionally, verbally, or physically.

Expressing our deepest feelings also applies to expressing feelings of love and appreciation. How many times have we felt gratefulness towards another being, sometimes just for their presence in our life, and failed to express it? That person may really need to hear your words of praise to give them a boost in their own self-esteem. May be they are unaware of what you so clearly see in them.

I have found that at times when I expressed feelings of gratitude and love to others, they were surprised at the way I saw them. Never assume that the other person knows how much you appreciate them. If you think it and feel it, then say it.

Our rational mind has been well trained to dissect and analyse. It likes to hold back on acting instinctively and instead question scientifically what is the ‘right’ action to take. So, we’ve held our true selves back, and not expressed that inner inspiration to laugh, cry, scream, give a hug, or say a kind word when our first feeling guided us to do so.

Whatever first thought or feeling comes to you is your intuition, or in other words, your divine inspiration. Any other thoughts that follow, i.e. “may be I shouldn’t say that”, etc., are only your mind (ego) doubting and questioning, afraid of making a ‘mistake’.

The best thing to do is to follow your first instinct, your inner guidance, which comes as the first feeling or thought. That is your ‘God-self.’ The universal power of Love guides us towards happiness, and that is why our first instinct is always the one that will bring us true happiness and inner peace.

We can choose to let go of the fear of being wrong, or appearing ridiculous, etc., and act on our feelings. Be true to yourself. Holding back is only postponing the truth and can harm the other as well as ourselves. Holding back is postponing the freedom to be who we really are loving, truthful children who desire to be happy and free from negativity.

Let go! Express your truth today! You and your world will be better for it.

2.1 On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes on it, using recognizable abbreviations where necessary. Yse a format you consider suitable. Supply an appropriate title. 52.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:2.1 Title: Repression V/s Expression of EmotionsNotes:

Repression of emotions(a) children taught to repress -ve emotions(b) even love not expressed(i) fear of being misunderstood(ii) time not rt.

Negative Effects of Repressed emotions(a) suppressed anger & frustration —> poison —> sudden explosion(b) ways of Release:(i) illness(ii) situations(iii) therapy.(c) Tangible manifestationsheadache, tension, pain, ulcers, cancer, arthiritis, etc.(d) postponing truth∴ harmful to self & others(e) postponing freedom to be real self i.e.loving, truthful, happy & free from-vity

Rational Mind V/s Instinct(a) Mind dissects & analyses∴ checks instinctive reaction(b) First instinct inner inspiration or intuition∴ gives love, happiness and peace

Conclusion(a) follow inner inspiration(b) express yourself freely

2.2 Children are taught to repress negative emotions. Fear of being misunderstood prevent them even in expressing love. Repressed emotions suppressed anger, frustration, poison and sudden explosion which may cause illness like headache tension, pain, ulcers, cancer, arthirites etc. In life postponing truth is harmful to self as well as others. So freedom should not be postponed to make your world better and happier.

Passage 17:

Had it not been for an alert and environmentally conscious judiciary, chances are that we would have literally been wallowing in our own filth. Once again, the Supreme Court has intervened decisively to prevent the further degradation of the Yamuna by asking industries discharging effluents into the river to install treatment plants by November 1 or face closure. The river, once Delhi’s lifeline, is now ‘dead’ for a stretch of around 32 km around the Capital. The courts have been forced into this sort of judicial activism time and again in the face of blatant violations of environmental norms both by industries and citizens. Over the last few years, the courts have facilitated the introduction of lead- free petrol, ordered the phasing out of automobiles which are over 15 years old and made pollution checks for all vehicles mandatory. The apex court has been relentless in its opposition to any move which affects the environment adversely. From banning polythene bags in cities to censuring polluting shrimp farms in Tamil Nadu and chemical units in Rajasthan, it has always upheld the principle that pollution prevention is better than control. The courts have laid down rigorous standards for industries right from the inception stage. Indian industry has been particularly indifferent to preserving the environment and the health of those in and around industrial units.

The Central Pollution Control Board has come up with a number of positive suggestions on enforcing the green agenda. But the response from industries has been tardy. One was a scheme which sought to pool the resources of industrial units so as to fund a common effluent treatment plant. But, industries find it more convenient to discharge their waste any which way, endangering the lives of those in the vicinity and degrading common resources like land and water. Proposals to levy commercial rates on water supply to industries have been overlooked so far, leaving industries with little incentive to treat and reuse water. Now the government itself has agreed to foot part of the cost to set up effluent treatment plants in the hope that this will motivate industry to take action. The common refrain that the technology required for waste management is expensive is valid, but industries have to realise that they cannot indulge in poisonous practices in the pursuit of profit to the detriment of the greater common good. It is this attitude that the polluter will not pay that has led the courts to step in. An example of the efficacy of judicial activism is the manner in which Agra has been rid of highly polluting industries which were destroying the fabled Taj. The Indian experience has shown that when faced with censure, industries prefer to shut shop rather than invest in clean technology. Many do so in order to cash in on burgeoning real estate prices as in the Bombay mills story. In this context, the courts’ insistence that environmental norms be built into project proposals is commendable. Denying permission to set up shop is hitting industry where it hurts the most. This will, in the long run, force it to stop taking the green agenda quite so lightly.

2.1 Make notes on the contents of above passage in any format, using abbreviations. Supply a suitable title also. 52.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:2.1 Title: Clearing the MessNotes:

Yamuna – life line of Delhidead river for 32 km

SC’s order to industrialists(a) instal effluent trtmt. pit. by Nov. 1(b) face closure

SC’s Jud’l Actvsm(a) lead free petl.(b) phasing 15 yrs. old autos(c) mandatory polln. check(d) ban. polybags(e) censur’g shrimp farm’g in TN(f) chem. units in Raj

Responsibility of Industrialists(a) CPCB’s +ve suggestion: Indus. – ve response(i) pool resources – com. effluent trtmt. pit.(b) No incentive for trtmt. & reuse of water(i) comm’l rates on water supply – o’looked(c) Govt, setting up eff. trtmt. pit.(i) Indus, to follow(d) Tech, for waste management expensive – discharge waste anyhow

SC’s Intervention(a) indus, not. profit only – responsibility(b) common good – no poisonous polln.(c) polluter won’t pay – S.C. intervention(d) censured indus: reacts -ve(i) stops(ii) no investment in cleaning tech.(e) SC’s insistence on envtl. norms

2.2 Yamuna, once Delhi’s life line, is now dead for a stretch of around 32 km around the capital. The industries were forbidden to discharge effluents in the river by court. Courts have facilitated the introduction of lead free petrol to check pollution by old automobiles, polybags, consuming shrings farming in Tamil Nadu and chemical units in Rajasthan. The Central Pollution Control Board suggestion got negative response. Govt, is setting up effective treatment plant. Though technique for waste managementis expensive. Yet it is responsibility of all. Overall supreme court insists on environment norms.

Passage 18:

Shop till you drop is no longer a problem that only women with money in their purses and time on their hands suffer from. Excessive shopping and insatiable appetite for goods are causing problems in all countries which have hitherto promoted nakedconsumerism because personal debts are mounting, creating innumerable difficulties for credit card businesses. Millions are gripped by an insatiable appetite to spend and visit the frequent sales that keep occurring in New York, Milan, London or Paris. People can become compulsive buyers of anything from household gadgets, food, clothes, to cars.

Compulsive buying has now been diagnosed as a disease and is the result of the growing advertising campaigns and competition in which shops and firms undercut each other with huge price discounts. If shops are closed and it is too late, there is always the possibility of shopping through the net. The addiction to shopping is spreading all over the world. In UK, 2.5 million people are gripped by the shopping fever. In America, a shopper’s paradise, the number is much more at 15 million. With rising incomes, millions of Indians could join the league of ‘shopoholics’. It is called ‘oniomania’ which is a compulsive disorder that drives people to buy in a repetitive and uncontrolled manner regardless of consequences.

Self-help groups are springing up to help compulsive shoppers. Because people affected by this problem suffer greatly from feelings of isolation, guilt and fear. It can lead to a break down of relationships under the burden of debt and deceit. Women are more vulnerable than men to this addiction because they tend to believe that to be valued by society they have to look good. They are more insecure about their image and while they are shopping, they get a boost to their self image from the attention they get from shop assistants. They come back feeling beautiful and successful. Men too are now joining the ranks of keen shoppers.

The results can be devastating and debts can be huge. Compulsive shoppers keep borrowing on their credit cards. Psychologists are now saying that people have to face compulsive shopping as a disorder. It is like the eating disorder or work or exercise addiction. Most people with eating disorders also have shopping/spending problems. To break the habit various tips are now being offered and one of the important tips is not to look at glossy magazines. Most of these magazines work on people’s aspirations and make the readers discontented with their lifestyle and prompt them to buy more. Other tips include taking regular stock of one’s clothes and accessories and piling them up in heaps to convince oneself that one doesn’t need more.

Other ways to discourage shoppers is to make credit less easily available. Advertising that encourages consumers to borrow and buy instantly are also encouraging shopoholics. Easy credit to the young is one way of encouraging them to shop without guilt and thus more careful screening of potential card holders is necessary to ward off future bad debts. But unfortunately, these deterrents may not work because like the children of alcoholics and drug addicts turn to these substances, children of shoppers also indulge in compulsive shopping.

2.1 On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes on it. using recognizable abbreviations where necessary. Supply a suitable title. 52.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:2.1 Title: Compulsive BuyingNotes:

Consumerism1.1. insatiable appetite for goods1.2. mount’g debts.

Compulsive buying – a disease2.1. a disorder called ‘oniomania’2.2. price discounts2.3. grow’g advt. camp’n & compta2.4. shop’g thro’ net2.5. credit cards – easy & instt. borrowing2.6. shopoholics – worldwide

Problems of compulsive buyers3.1. Isolation, guilt & fear3.2. breakdown of relationship(i)debt(ii)deceit3.3. women more vulnerable to addiction

Tips to break habit of compulsive buying4.1. Avoid looking at glossy mag’s4.2. Take regular stock of clothes/accessories4.3. Making credit less easily available4.4. Check on advt. encouraging easy borrowing

2.2 Consumerism encourage insatiable appetite for goods which mount debts compulsive buying is a disease or a disorder called ‘oniomania’. Price discount, Net shopping growing advertisement, credit cards etc. promote this disorder. This results in isolation, guilt and fear. Women are more vulnerable to addiction. This disorder can be checked by avoiding looking at glossy magazines, taking regular stocks of accessories and making credit less easily available. Advertisements encouraging easy borrowing must be strictly checked.

Passage 19:

Ever since the first genetic sequence was elucidated in the 70s, biotechnology has fast evolved into an information science. Scientists have already compiled the three gigabytes that spell out the human genetic code—a quantity of information that might fill more than 2,000 standard computer diskettes. But that’s just the initial trickle of a flood of knowledge to be tapped from the Human Genome Project. Considering that the project aims to identify all the estimated 80,000 genes in human DNA, the sequences of its three billion chemical bases will definitely be deciphered by the end of 2005. And once these genes are known, the data available will be mammoth, as scientists try to understand how these genes impact health and diseases.

“At that point,” asserts Dr Philip Campbell, Editor-in-Chief, Nature, “a marriage between biology and computer science will become increasingly crucial within the peripheries of the biotech industry.” In fact, according to a CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) study, the challenge of processing complex colossal data has already spawned a hot global industry called bioinformatics, poised to touch $ 60 billion by 2005. Major players all over the globe have, as a result, formed bioinformatics groups, thereby creating a boom in job opportunities.

Those in bioinformatics need to perform two critical roles: develop IT tools embodying novel algorithms and analytical techniques, or apply existing tools to achieve new insights into molecular biology. There are, however, other opportunities as well. Jobs range from testing, documentation, running operating procedures and database administration to programming, software development, algorithm creation and scientific visualisation.

One needs to be either a biologist with a certain degree of computer knowledge or a computer professional with a serious interest in biology. For increased career opportunities, possessing both skill-sets is a good idea though employers usually desire a knowledge in computer applications. Companies need people at all levels. M.Sc., M.Tech., and Ph.Ds. In fact, a number of professionals do advanced diploma courses in bioinformatics, though the most sought-after candidates are those who have done a Masters degree.

Professionals trained in bioinformatics can expect to earn salaries upwards of ₹ 2,00,000 per annum. A key indicator of the popularity of the field is the placement of students. For instance, students from the University of Pune have been lapped up by various Indian and multinational biotech and pharmaceutical companies. With experience, professionals can expect to earn anything between ₹ 30,000-75,000 per month.

In fact, industry watchers feel that since the earning potential in the West is much higher, most scientists and professionals from premier research organisations leave for greener pastures, forcing Indian research institutes to go on recruitment drives.

“We should make job positions in India much more lucrative,” says Prof. P.C. Trivedi, Head, Biotechnology Department, Maharaja’s College, Jaipur. This is more so because there is going to be a huge demand for top class database management. As creating a database is an expensive proposition in the West, Indian IT companies have a cost- advantage when it comes to offering complete database solutions to pharmaceutical and genome-based biotech companies worldwide. Says Prof. Raka Kamal, Principal, Maharani’s College, Jaipur, “Because of its strength in the fields of mathematics, IT, physics and chemistry, the nation is ideally positioned to emerge as a front-runner in biotech and bioinformatics.” What we need is investment, bandwidth and integrated databases. With these in place, India is set to go to the top in this particular race.

Answers:2.1 Title: Bioinformatics BonanzaNotes:

Biotech becoming hot1.1. Developing as info. Sc.1.2. Expanding Human Genome project(i) 80,000 human genes(ii) Deciphering 3 bn. chem’l bases by 2005.

Union of Biology and Computer Sc.2.1. processing complex collosal data2.2. bioinformatics industry: $ 60 bn by 2005(i) boom in job opportunities

Career in Bioinformatics3.1. Job opportunities: 2 main fields(i) dev’g IT tools(ii) new insight into molecular biology(iii) other opportunities

Qualifications!Skill needed4.1. Biologist + compu. awareness4.2. Compu. prof’l + awareness of Bio.4.3. Compu. appl’s4.4. Dip. in bioinformatics

Salary & Mobility5.1. upwardly of 2,00,000 p.a.(i) with experience: 30,000 – 75,000 p.m.5.2 easy placement.5.3 high earn’g pot’l in West.

Checking Migration of Scientists6.1. making job positions in India more lucrative6.2. India’s strength in IT, Math, Phy. & Chem.6.3. Investment, bandwidth & strong databases

2.2 Biotechnology has fast evolved into an information science and expanded human genome project. As Union of Biology and computer science it process complex data and become boon in job opportunities specially in developing IT tools, new insight into molecular biology and other opportunities. A deserving candidate should be biologist with computer awareness diploma in bioinformatics and knowledge of computer applications are desirable for attractive salaries and easy placement. Capable scientists should have job positions in India.

Passage 20:

While there is no dearth of activists shouting themselves hoarse about skyrocketing air and water pollution levels in the Capital, it is unfortunate that the equally escalating and medically injurious noise pollution level is totally ignored. With Diwali round the corner, many are resigned to suffering the bone-jarring explosions of firecrackers, not to mention the pollutants they emit.

Well, it seems everyone is getting into the act. The Department of Environment has carried out campaigns in 150 schools this year to educate children about the harmful effects of bursting crackers on the eardrums and the lungs. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has already initiated its campaign entitled “Say no to crackers, join the anti-cracker campaign.” NGOs like Pravaha and Pandies Theatre along with the DPCC have organised meetings and plays to get the message across. Last year, the stipulation on restricting cracker burning from 6.00 pm to 11.00 pm on Diwali went a long way in curbing noise levels. The Delhi Government is also requesting people this year to keep away from streets and parking lots within residential colonies and to burst crackers in open spaces and parks. Infants and pregnant women are more vulnerable to the ill-effects of noise pollution.

But by and large, the problem of noise pollution remains ignored. Despite warnings from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) the decibel levels on the street are way above safe levels – even in the silence zones. While traffic congestion and increasing population are the main culprits, lack of public awareness and civic sense compounds the problem. The CPCB standards have fixed the daytime noise limits to 55 dB in a residential colony and 45 dB for night. Almost all Delhi colonies are well over these marks. The health and behaviour patterns of those exposed to high noise levels above 55 dB changes. Aggressive behaviour and sleep disturbance along with annoyance and irritability become marked. Regular exposure to 65 dB can lead to hypertension. Anything above 75 dB can cause extreme stress, increasing heart rates and potential hearing loss. In infants, noise pollution can cause speech disorder and decreased learning ability. The medical fraternity maintains that 2 per cent of the Indian population has a hearing problem, the percentage being even greater in metros and industrial townships.

In Delhi vehicular traffic, three wheelers, trucks and motorcycles with silencers chopped off contribute the most to noise pollution levels. Then there are the zillion generators in residential, commercial and industrial locations. The Delhi High Court had, in August this year, directed the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to notify the emission norms for portable generators and asked the CPCB to finalise noise standards. Meanwhile the National Committee on Noise Pollution Control (NCNPC) recommended reduction of 5 to 15 dB in the noise levels for gensets up to 2.5 KVA. Unfortunately nothing has been done on this front and gensets of all shapes and sizes continue to drone.

A gazette notification from the NCNPC will soon make it mandatory for manufacturers to display how noisy each domestic gadget is. According to a study, mixer grinders, which can be heard churning a block away, are also a major source of noise pollution in residential colonies, apart from coolers and gensets. The Delhi Ridge and the Zoo are the major sufferers. The high noise levels in the arterial roads around the Zoo along with the noise caused by movement of trains makes the animals irritable and in some cases has also affected the mating pattern. The silence zones, particularly schools and hospitals, have also been badly hit. In fact, sometimes the biggest culprits are the police—at the busy AIIMS intersection, they use loudspeakers to control traffic and pedestrian movement. Yes, there is no dearth of laws and regulations to curb the noise menace but it’s the implementation that remains tardy. Air horns and loudspeakers are banned in public, but who cares.

2.1 Make notes on the contents of the above passage in a suitable format, using abbreviations where necessary. Also supply an appropriate title. 52.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:2.1 Title: Noise MenaceNotes:

Noise pollution – ignored(a) escalating & medically injurious(b) near Diwali(i) noise of crackers(ii) pollutants emitted(c) Some reactions(i) DOE – campaigns in schs. – harmful effs. of crackers on eardrums & lungs(ii) DPCC – say no to crackers(iii) NGO – meetings & plays(iv) D.Govt. – burst crackers in open spaces/ parks

Prob. of Noise Polln.(a) Above CPCB stds 55dB(day)resdl. colonies 45 dB(night)(b) Causes(i) traffic cong’tn(ii) increasing population(iii) lack of pub.awareness(iv) generators(v) airhoms

Effect of Noise Polln.on Health & Behaviour

Laws & implementation(a) many laws & regulations(b) tardy impl’n

2.2 Noise pollution should not be ignored. It is escalating and medically injurious. Near Diwali noise of crackers may harm ear drums and lungs by noise and emitted pollutants. Except it sound above 55 dB results in aggressive behaviour, sleep disturbance, annoyance and irritability. While upto 65 dB cause hypertension and above 75 dB leads to extreme stress, increasing heart rate and potential hearing loss. To check noise pollution many laws and regulations have been made but their implementation remains tardy.

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