Masculinity and the Mythology of Cinematic heros Essay Example for Free

Masculinity and the Mythology of Cinematic heros Essay Gender roles have been a part of the social norm of society since the early existence of civilizations. These roles strictly incline to the two collective divisions of society known as males and females, thus, such gender roles are dubbed as masculinity and femininity. Masculinity is a term which refers to the characteristics attributed to the male populace of society, while femininity signifies qualities reflective to females (Devor, 58). Generally, masculinity is applied with the integration of dominance and pride, in this sense, masculinity for the longest time has been commonly associated with agression and superiority in various aspects of human capability (Devor, 58). In an aesthetic context, motion pictures particularly often incorporate the stereotypical domineering qualities of males in the element of character. Regardless if a role be a police officer, a cowboy, a superhero or an average individual, masculinity is always expressed in male Hollywood film characters, from Superman to Rambo to Terminator, the fundamentals of toughness, dominance and power are always the viewers heroes. Furthermore, machismo, in fact, seems to be the only reasonable and vital characteristic distinct to characters of major motion pictures. Contemporary filmmakers, conversely resshaped the cinematic interpretations of heros, this modern approach is considered to be an augmentation of masculinity since these heroes express more humane qualities, emotion and sensitivity while still poised with conventional toughness. The exemplification of such hybrid portrayal of masculinity is evident in Bruce Willis film Live Free or Die Hard. The motion picture Live Fast or Die Hard gives the hybrid depiction of a hero in John McClaines (Bruce Willis) persona. McClaines responsible yet femine character departs from the dogmatic and arrogant side of manliness. McClaines brawn elements, however, prove to be the only viable means to defeat his adversary, consequently, masculinity is portrayed to be valued and in turn advocates the ideology of male supremacy and patriarchy. The motion picture Live Free or Die Hard depicts John Mclaine at war with an internet based terrorist faction led by Thomas Gabriel (Timothy Olyphant). In erference to the films plot may urge a disturbing thought on the emasculation of the conventional cowboys stature in the American film industry. In this regard Live Free or Die Hard may address to this cultural ordeal as it serves as the contemporary guide on the retention of American ideas on the aforementioned character. The film begins with the establishment of the modern hybrid hero, where McClaine is shown as a veteran detective of the New York Police Department receiving a degrading treatment from non-ranking members. The principles of masculinity are epitomized by the law enforcing fathers over-protective nature results to a blatant display of masculinity when his daughter Lucy (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) is caught torridly kissing a guy in a car. The intimacy of the moment is interrupted when the young man tries to go to second base, McClaine then pry opens the door to apprehend the individual who is taking advantage of his daughter. McClaines knight-in-shining-armor routine, scares the male companion half dead as the latter is single-handedly pulled out of the vehicle. The subsequent scene bequeathes another panorama of the modern heros amlgamation. The supposed macho hero is then found chauffeuring a computer hacker, Matt Farrell (Justin Long) to Washington, a total contraband to the archetypal duty of a hero of saving such national nerds from national bullies. The total drift on the popular notion of heroism is not only on the supporting characters treatment of McClaine but on the plot as well, there are several conflicts in the film that only Farrell can resolve. It is also important to take notice of Farrells qualities; scrawny physique, rebellious attitude and in the fact that Farrell requires some saving every once in a while. There are, conversely, counter-villain moves that do not require the brain-bashing experties of McClaine, a very unorthodox execution of an action movie with an established character. Additionally, to add more insult to the injury of traditional masculine male heroes, Farrell gets to kill the last villain in the movie. The potential hybrid treatment of the hero is consequently transferred to the scrawny computer geek since he gets to battle the villains in the cyberworld, hence, this weak bodied geek gets to save the day. In this regard, the masculinity is now present in the person with the nerdy smarts.

Overview Of The Nigerian Financial Sector And Economy Finance Essay

Overview Of The Nigerian Financial Sector And Economy Finance Essay CHAPTER 2 Nigeria is one of the largest countries in Africa. It was a colony of the British Empire. In 1960, after the abolishment of the colonization, Nigeria became independent and a new country was established and ruled by Nigerians. This was viewed as an outstanding milestone in that Nigeria at that time was viewed as one of the African countries with apparent growth potentials and it was believed that it will rise up to defend all other Africa countries dignity. However, this dream could neither be materialized nor actualized. Nigeria is known as a federal country, which consists of thirty-six different states and a federal capital territory. This nature of Nigeria came about due to the fact that Nigeria is a multi-cultural society, consisting of different ethnic groups with their respective languages and cultural identity. Nigeria is a culturally diverse country. Nigeria is a country blessed with vast mineral resources ranging from agricultural products which includes cash crops like coffee, pepper, cocoa, palm kernel, timber and rubber. Also mineral resources like tin, columbite, steel, bauxite, crude oil and natural gas are of vast availability. Amongst these; crude oil constitutes the largest revenue. Table 2.1 below contains the data for the economic and business environment which explains Nigeria at glance. Table 1: Overview of Nigerian Economic and Business Environment: The Economic Profile. 1 Land Area 923,773 Square kilometers 2 Population 140,000,000 3 GDP 140 Billion (2007) 4 GDP Growth 10% 5 GDP/H $1,200 6 % Petroleum to Total Revenue 95% 7 % Petroleum to Export Earnings 95% 8 Average Daily Output 2.3b/d 9 Oil Reserves 40bb 10 Gas Reserves 150 Trillion Cubic Meter. 11 Average Interest Rates 22% per annum 12 Average Inflation 17% 13 Exchange Rates N240/GBP $1 : N150 14 Major Trading Partners UK, USA, Spain, Germany, France and China. 15 Cost Of Capital 8.7 16 Country Rating BB by SP, Moody and Fitch. Source: Husaini Muhammad (2010), Pg.4. Given the economic profile above, one can discover all the indicators needed in seeing the strengths and weaknesses of the Nigerian financial sector and the economy at large. By looking at the land area, it can be seen that the huge population of 140 million people, which comprises of vast young population that are perceived to be productive labor force, both skilled and un-skilled since technical expertise is closely associated with the literacy level in a country which Nigeria has high level of illiteracy rate as indicated by most of the international organizations in their development reports such as the international monetary fund and the world bank. As can be seen from the report above, petroleum is one of the major exports which are in fact the main export that generates revenues for Nigeria. Nigeria is the 12th largest producer of petroleum in the world and the 8th largest exporter, and has the 10th largest proven reserves. (The country joined OPEC in 1971). Petroleum plays a large role in the Nigerian economy, accounting for 40% of GDP and 80% of Government earnings. However, agitation for better resource control in the Niger Delta, its main oil producing region, has led to disruptions in oil production and currently prevents the country from exporting at 100% capacity (Wikipedia, 2010) As the report shows, 95% of the revenue that is generated as a result of export is through petroleum and the rest of the 5% includes all other activities from different sectors such as the agriculture, services and so on. The revenue generated from the sale of petroleum is huge amounting to 44 billion USD, which in principle can be enough for the development of Nigeria infrastructure and other sectors as well. Yet upon the huge revenues from the oil sector, the GDP Per capita is relatively low compared to most of the countries in the world that are by far poorer than Nigeria in every aspect. Nigeria has been classified by the World Bank group as a lower middle income country. Also according to the Economist Intelligence Unit and the World Bank, Nigerian GDP at purchasing power parity has nearly doubled from $170.7Â  billion in 2005 to 292.6Â  billion in 2007. The GDP per head has jumped from $692 per person in 2006 to $1,754 per person in 2007 (Wikipedia, 2010). Almost Doubling of the GDP per head and GDP at purchasing power parity is a sign that Nigerian economy is doing well, because as we have known that these aggregate measures are the ones being used to access the growth potential and facts of a certain country, which therefore makes Nigeria a potential place for investment as a result of the certain improvements mentioned that took place. A clear sign shows that when GDP per capita increases and the purchasing power also increases, the welfare of the people is attached to that because the whole poverty index decreases as a result thereby increasing the living standards of Nigerians in general. The fact also shows that Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, the eighth most populous country in the world, and the most populous country in the world in which the majority of the population is black. It is listed among the Next Eleven economies, and is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The economy of Nigeria is one of the fastest growing in the world, with the International Monetary Fund projecting a growth of 9% in 2008 and 8.3% in 2009 .It is the second largest economy in Africa, and is a regional power that is also the hegemon in West Africa (Wikipedia, 2010) This gives Nigerians privileged amongst their African counterparts. With the growth rate increasing from a lower figure to the level of 9%, even though it decreased by 0.7% is not that much but taking in to consideration that its an aggregate measure, this makes it very important because all sectors are included and therefore, the whole economy is taken into consideration. 2.2 The Formal Financial Sector Formal financial sector consists of all regulated financial institutions such as banks and insurance companies. What determines a formal financial sector changes from country to country because of the differences in the level of their respective economic developments. The way the formal financial sector is shaped depends on how market environment is perceived in a given country. Nigerian financial sector consists of different sections. These sections include: 2.2.1 The Regulatory Authorities The Nigerian Financial System comprises bank and non-bank financial institutions which are regulated by the Federal Ministry of Finance (FMF), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), National Insurance Commission (NIC), Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), and the National Board for Community Banks (NBCB).These agencies are briefly discussed below: The Federal Ministry of Finance (FMF): The Federal Ministry of Finance advises the Federal Government on its fiscal operation and co-operates with Central bank of Nigeria in monetary matter. Recent amendment to the laws of the Central Bank of Nigeria compels it to report through the Federal Ministry of Finance to the Presidency. This ministry serves as the centre where the whole economic activities are being viewed and also it acts as a linkage between the trades partnerships between Nigeria and the world. The minister who is dully in charge of all the financial as well as economic activities those are of interest to the Nigerian society. Also it serves as the centre that informs different business initiatives that are of particular interest on Nigeria. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN): This is the apex regulatory authority of the financial system. It was established by the Central Bank of Nigeria Act of 1958 and commenced operations on 1st July 1959. Among its primary functions, the Bank promotes monetary stability and a sound financial system, and acts as banker and financial advisor to the Federal Government, as well as banker of last resort to the banks. The Bank also encourages the growth and development of financial institutions. Enabling laws made in 1991, gave the Bank more flexibility in regulating and overseeing the banking sector and licensing finance companies which hitherto operated outside any regulatory framework. By the powers of the central bank of Nigeria, the whole economy and especially the financial sector is being regulated and overseen. This gives Nigerian financial sector, hence the banking sector a sound environment in which the banks and other financial sector actors performed well even during the recent e conomic down turn. The Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC): This compliments the regulatory and supervisory role of the central bank of Nigeria. It is however autonomous of the CBN and reports to Federal Ministry of Finance. The NDIC effectively took off in 1989 and was set up to provide deposit insurance and related services for banks in order to promote confidence in the banking industry. The NDIC is empowered to examine the books and affairs of insured banks and other deposit-taking financial institutions. Licensed banks are mandated to pay of 1% of their total deposit liabilities as insurance premium to the NDIC. A depositors claim is limited to maximum of N50, 000.00 in the event of a bank failure. The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN): The FMBN took over the assets and liabilities of the Nigerian Building Society. The FMBN provides banking and advisory services, and undertakes research activities pertaining to housing. Following the adoption of the National Housing Policy in 1990, The FMBN is empowered to license and regulate primary mortgage institutions in Nigeria and act as the apex regulatory body for the mortgage finance industry. The financing function of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria was carved out and transferred to the Federal Mortgage Finance, while the FMBN retains its regulatory role. The FMBN is under the control of the Central Bank. With this bank serving as the apex regulatory authority for the mortgage industry in Nigeria, investors have hugely invested in real estate and this has been in boom right from the adequate regulation of the mortgage sector in Nigeria. The Financial Services Coordinating Committee (FSCC): This is a committee established to co-ordinate the activities of all regulatory institutions in the financial system. The Committee is chaired by the Federal Minister of Finance. This committee is one of the important nails of the Nigerian financial sector because it reports on basis the strengths and shortcomings of the financial sector and the economy at large. By having that report as needed, and by co-operating with the legislative body which is the parliament, which is responsible for passing the budget allocation and its ratification, the whole financial system is being scanned to meet the needs of the present world and make the sector as competitive as possible with adequate regulations and supervisions. Figure 1: A Typical Nigerian Financial System Source: Husaini Muhammad (2010), Pg.8. 2.3 The Informal Financial Sector While the formal sector consists of the highly regulated portion of the economy that deals with the day-to-day operations of the economy, the informal sector as well play a very big and important role in the economy. Its true that the informal sector is un-regulated, and as a result, certain benefits that the economy get from different sectors is being missed, one cannot say that its not an important sector of the economy. This is because of the fact that the informal sector in some countries is perceived to be an added option when it comes to job opportunities. Job opportunities are almost endless when it comes to the informal sector perspective because anytime a person wants to enter it can be possible as a result of its nature of not being regulated and taken into consideration. Millions of dollars are being traded in the informal sector. Lets take an example of the black money market in Nigeria. This market consists of people selling and buying currencies and exchanging currencie s, which huge transactions takes place every day of the year. Why most of the time people prefer this sector and why that it disregards all the regulatory rules that are been exerted on those businesses called bureau de change which are dealing with the currency exchange. One can go directly and buy or sell any currency he/she wishes and leave in peace without giving any identity in carrying out the transaction. Traditionally, the informal sector in Nigeria comprises not only of the currency exchange market, it consists of different modes of transactions have been happening long periods of time. In the old days, inhabitants of different districts in Nigeria have their own ways of transacting currencies from one place to another, and these ways were all informal. Long before the arrival of the colonial powers, inhabitants in the country now called Nigeria were dealing with outside traders. This trade depends entirely of the closeness of the trade in terms of distance. For long time; the Arab caravan traders have penetrated the northern Nigeria since before the coming of the white colonial powers. This made them to know and get exposed to the world of gold as an object-serving like a currency for exchange of goods and services at that time. The southern part of Nigeria too had its on exposure with the white men, which its believed that they stayed there for decades before they penetrated to th e mainland Nigeria. By looking at the recent situations compared to the old days that I have discussed above, the situation some few decades changed as a result of the changing nature of the world itself due to different developments that took place. Clearly it has been observed that different ways of savings and business techniques developed amongst different ethnic entities in Nigeria. A common way where poor people used to save to gather money in order to use for the future, as its believed that poor people always have the thought of saving for the future because they always feel insecure that they are poor, with also cultural and religious beliefs that made the poor to save for their future welfare. In Nigeria, there used to be special kind of people who usually are informal groups that go round taking money from people in their job places, these kinds of people serve like the village bank, where they accept the money as deposit and save it for the people. This kind of agreement between the inhabitants of the respected area and the people going round to collect their money is in form of trust between them. Although it defers between community to community, the whole idea is the same which is deposit taking and saving, but what remains interesting here is that in some cases, these people that agree to save form group amongst them, and one or two people among them collect the money after it has been accumulated, usually they gather the money for some months, ranging from 6-12 months. The people that collect the money usually use it to boost their businesses and have agreements such as paying higher than what they have taken after some few month, which they are required to return b ack the money to the deposit taker, which another person among them will get the same and this procedure turns round and round. This is only one of the interesting cases because it gives us an insight of what informally the financial sector had been conducted in Nigerian villages and towns. These kinds of activities discussed above were those that gave rise to the need for the rural or remote area inhabitants to organize groups which are little bit stronger than the ones before. These groups were mainly in the form of Non-Governmental Organization NGOs that represent the interest of the inhabitants. Solidarity and trust were the main mechanism behind the driven force of these organizations. Moving from Southern to Northern Nigeria, these organizations became popular as every community wants to have a proper lead and a controlling leader that will prevent their business interests. Taking an example of the eastern part of Nigeria where is inhabited predominantly by the Igbo speaking tribe. Igbo people are known to have elders in their communities long before the western influence came to Nigeria. Apart from the elders, a king also is available. The elders are the king-makers, so they have the controlling power. These elders organize community groups which purposely protec t the businesses of the poor people from being bullied by the richer ones.so this is a typical example that can be seen as protection of the minority businesses against any monopolistic pressure from other bigger businesses around, hence one can conclude that this constitute the earlier version of micro-finance of a village think. These kinds of savings that the remote inhabitants engaged have been named differently among the ethnic groups in Nigeria. Generally there are three major ethnic groups in Nigeria which comprises of the Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo. These groups provide savings and credit services to their members. The informal microfinance arrangements operate under different names: esusu among the Yorubas of Western Nigeria, etoto for the Igbos in the East and adashi in the North for the Hausas (CBN, 2000). This became one of the main driven forces behind the establishments of the modern day micro-finance banks in Nigeria. The informal associations that operate traditional microfinance in various forms are found in all the rural communities in Nigeria (Otu, 2003). They also operate in the urban centers. However, the size of activities covered under the scheme has not been determined. 2.4 The Nigerian Banking System and Environment The Nigerian banking sector has been in existence right from the colonial era. The fact that Nigeria was a top producer of most of the needed cash crops by the colonial masters, it became an important need for the country to have a proper financial system that will be used in conducting the businesses efficiently. In 1892 Nigerias first bank, the African Banking Corporation, was established. No banking legislation existed until 1952, at which point Nigeria had three foreign banks (the Bank of British West Africa, Barclays Bank, and the British and French Bank) and two indigenous banks (the National Bank of Nigeria and the African Continental Bank) with a collective total of forty branches. A 1952 ordinance set standards, required reserve funds, established bank examinations, and provided for assistance to indigenous banks. Yet for decades after 1952, the growth of demand deposits was slowed by the Nigerian propensity to prefer cash and to distrust checks for debt settlements. (CIA, 1991). Since then,the Central Bank Of Nigeria has been the regulatory authorithy that oversees the whole banking system of nigeria in order to guarantee the soundness in the financial system.Since from its inception,many banks were given licences which could not perform well and some of them failed as a result of bad risk management or mis aapropriations of public funds.In the early years back some banks were reported to have weak capital base and some of them could not meet their daily liquidity needs,this rose the idea of tightening the regulatory standards of the establishing laws of the Central Bank Of Nigeria which led to the amendments of the CBN act in 1999 which restructure the banking system and tight risk management policies were implemented (CBN, Amendments Of CBNAct, 1999). As a result of adequate regulatory system by the CBN, in 2004 also another development took place. This development was aimed at a comprehensive change of the whole Nigerian banking industry, particularly the deposit money banks which are otherwise knows as conventional or traditional banks.These major key points and solutions were proposed by the CBN Governor and are indicated in Appendix A. With these amendments taken into force in 2005, which made the banks to have adequate capital base to at least begin to be able to regain their reputations in the eyes of world. Before the reforms, Nigerian banking sector stopped attracting international investors due to the higher country risk and inadequate regulatory rules on the banking sector. Many businesses were attracted as a result of the reforms which increased the soundness of the banking and hence the financial sector in Nigeria. As a result, some banks had to merge with others because they cannot meet the capital requirement of 25 Billion Naira set by the CBN. This reduced the total number of the banks from 89 to 24 in 2005 as a result of the reforms (CBN, Banking Supervision Annual Report, 2008). Below is a table showing some of the banks that merged and acquired other banks as reported by the CBN bank supervision annual report in 2008. Table 2: Resolution Of Private Sector Deposits for Acquiring and assumed Banks. Source: Central Bank of Nigeria, Bank Supervision Annual Report, (2008).Pg.24. However, by looking at the table 2 above, its understandable for the Nigerian banks to merge because they had less capital base to continue with their operations and be able to meet-up and compete with the rest of the world. The merging of the banks gave them strength in terms of capital and also variables like number of branches and employees and hence human capital and technical expertise increased. Even though that some of the banks had to close down totally, that did not affect the financial system negatively in terms of performance measures accessed of the banks, instead efficiency is fostered and more reliability is seen in the banking sector as the whole aggregate balance sheet structure of the banking system showed below: Table 3: Aggregate Balance Sheet Structure of the Nigerian Banking System Source: Central Bank of Nigeria Bank Supervision Annual Reports (2010), Pg.68. Clearly changes have been seen between the pre-mergers/recapitalization and post-mergers/recapitalization of the banks. The pre-merger period which was the year 2004, the annual growth of the entire banks in the system was 12.24 percent and in 2008 which is the recent post-merger period, the annual growth rate stood at 60.43 percent, even though in 2007, a negative growth of 12.78 percent was realized. Certainly, this was an outstanding performance that indicated the working of the mergers between the previous 89 banks in the system. This clearly shows that the merging of the banks to 24 banks in number had brought to the banking system of Nigeria a sound sense that is perceived as a component that will aid in regaining the long-eroded trust of the industry in the eyes of the world. Therefore, this was and still is a tremendous milestone in the history of the Nigerian banking system. Table 4 below shows the list of the current 24 banks that came to being as a result of the mergers between the previous 89 banks. Note that some of the banks maintained their positions and name due to the fact that they met up with the requirements setup by the CBN. Table 4: List of the Current Banks in Nigeria. Institution Name Type Of Institution Date Re-registered Date Licensed 1 Access Bank Nigeria Plc. Universal Bank 1/17/1990 1/17/1990 2 Afribank Nigeria Plc. Universal Bank 1/3/2006 1/3/2006 3 Citibank Nigeria Limited Universal Bank 10/11/2004 10/8/2004 4 Diamond Bank Nigeria Plc. Universal Bank 12/31/1990 12/31/1990 5 Ecobank Nigeria Plc. Universal Bank 4/24/1989 4/24/1989 6 Equitorial Trust Bank Plc. Universal Bank 1/2/2006 1/2/2006 7 Fidelity Bank Plc. Universal Bank 1/2/2006 1/2/2006 8 First Bank of Nigeria Plc. Universal Bank 1/29/1979 1/29/1894 9 First City Monument Bank Plc. Universal Bank 11/11/1983 11/11/1983 10 First Inland Bank Plc. Universal Bank 1/2/2006 1/2/2006 11 Guaranty Trust Bank Plc. Universal Bank 1/17/1990 1/17/1990 12 Intercontinental Bank Plc. Universal Bank 10/2/1989 10/2/1989 13 Oceanic Bank International Nigeria Plc. Universal Bank 1/31/2006 3/20/2000 14 Platinum Habib Bank Plc. Universal Bank 5/2/2001 5/2/2001 15 Skye Bank Plc. Universal Bank 1/3/2006 1/3/2006 16 Spring Bank Plc. Universal Bank 1/3/2006 1/3/2006 17 Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc. Universal Bank 1/2/2006 1/2/2006 18 Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Plc. Universal Bank 12/1/2004 6/9/1999 19 Sterling Bank Plc. Universal Bank 1/25/1999 11/25/1960 20 Union Bank of Nigeria Plc. Universal Bank 1/2/2006 1/2/2006 21 United Bank For Africa Plc. Universal Bank 1/2/2006 1/2/2006 22 Unity Bank Plc. Universal Bank 1/2/2006 1/2/2006 23 Wema Bank Plc. Universal Bank 1/18/1965 1/17/1945 24 Zenith Bank Plc. Universal Bank 9/13/2004 6/20/1990 Source: Central Bank of Nigeria, (2010).

Leisure: From Ancient Greece To Today

Leisure: From Ancient Greece To Today Leisure, used as an all-inclusive term to describe the meaning, conditions, functions, and opportunity complex in which recreation / play occurs (Murphy, p. 22), and can thus be seen as a concept or study which only offers information about the way in which people spend their spare time, but is also actually far more intriguing and multifaceted. An interesting fact is that the term leisure is derived from the Latin word licere or to be permitted to abstain from occupation or service' (Murphy, p. 24), thus showing the roots of leisure; being free from the physical and forced activities like labour. In this paper I will attempt to examine what precisely leisure entails and how it can be linked to identity formation, as well as depicting the developments in leisure as a concept throughout history. In order to do so, I will touch upon three remarkable periods of the past; first of all Ancient Greece as the era of the great philosophers, then the period around 1900 in Western Europe, and finally I will research the significance of leisure in todays globalising world. Finally, to discuss the relationship between leisure and identity formation, I will incorporate the subsequent topics within each historical time frame; The concept and division/availability of leisure The relation between work and leisure The link between leisure and human development The social differences between individuals and groups of individuals After having discussed each time period in detail and having thus constructed a general timeline of leisure, I will round up with a conclusion hoping to have then found answers to the questions surrounding the notion of leisure. Ancient Greece Ancient Greece, which is generally considered as the period from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BCE to 146 BCE and the Roman conquest of Greece after the Battle of Corinth (Amazines), can be seen as the era of the great philosophers who we still recognize today. Not only this is what makes Ancient Greece so fascinating, but this is also the period in which leisure as a concept emerged, with the cultivation of the self interpretation developed by Aristotle (384 B.C. 322 B.C.) (Murphy, p. 23). During these days, leisure was seen as an activity used to seek the truth, and the understanding of the self. Contemplation was key, and it was considered a notion of being free, and of not being occupied with work or other commitments. But which exact activities did leisure entail then? I believe that Anderson puts it properly, though from the Greco-Roman perspective; They learned music and played it and enjoyed the physical arts of war and sport. They were skilled in intellectu al conversation, and that consumed much time. But they rarely had an interest in talking about handwork and ordinary labour or even cared to understand its meaning. In their way of life there was no hurry (Anderson, p. 91). Thus, leisure was at the root of society and its culture, and paved the way for many great philosophers through intellectual discussions. But for leisure to exist in the way it did in Ancient Greece as the time free from commitments or work, a distinction had to be made between individuals. This distinction was mainly to allow certain people to engage in leisure, while others were forced to engage in the opposite of leisure; labour and hard work. Or as Murphy puts it; the aristocratic quality of the Ancient democracy gave the leisure class a tradition of taste and elegance which was maintained by the nobility (Murphy, p. 24), consequently leisure was made possible for the privileged because slavery existed. The privileged used slavery as a way to express power and control, maybe even only for the sake of being in control over others. But dominating and bossing others around, are among the first activities that humans, newly empowered, discovered and enjoyed for their own sakes (Hunnicutt, p. 60), showing that leisure not only existed off contemplation and conversation, but also of horrid activities creating a division between groups of people. Still, undoubtedly servants and women held in whatever degree of bondage, were able to understand the difference between the times in their lives when service was required of them, and other times when they were free to do more of what they wished (Hunnicutt, p. 60). So, although leisure is mainly seen as a privilege for the higher classes of men, also the women and slaves experienced leisure to some extent. This shows that the availability of leisure differed depending on your class of gender, but that most likely everybody experienced it to some extend in Ancient Greece. Therefore, leisure should be seen as key to human development. Not only did it pave the way for great philosophers and religious men, others also used it in connection to their identity as it is part of human nature. For the Greeks, leisure was used as a cultural arena in which vital questions of human means and ends, of purpose and hence of meaning, have been addressed (Hunnicutt, p. 58), and thus gave room to answer significant questions concerning life and human-beings since man is a symbolizing, conceptualizing, meaning-seeking animal (Geertz, p. 140). Leisure could be seen as a means to understand the meaning of life, and come to know and develop the self. Leisure thus led to identity and self-development through personal growth and freedom, since the sign of an educated person was active leisure (Hunnicutt, p. 64). Industrial Revolution After the Ancient Greece timeframe as previously discussed, the leisure tradition established by the Greeks continued through the Middle Ages. The Liberal Arts taught in the universities, the understanding of work and leisure as means to ends, endured (Hunnicutt, p. 67). And when the Industrial Revolution was ongoing in Europe, leisure was still present but significant changes were gradually taking place in its character and the influence it held in daily life. It could be said that a revolution in human history and leisure occurred when capitalism transformed the role of work, as one does not work to live, one lives to work (Pieper, p. 40). Then, work became a spiritual end in itself and was thought to answer the questions vis-Ã  -vis leisure. It also started to take on a submissive role as it was used as a way to achieve and support the highest purpose; work. Subsequently, work emerged out of the nineteenth century both as the basis of modern culture and as the glue that held soci eties together (Hunnicutt, p. 69), and basically took over the role leisure held in Ancient times. But even though work was key, the concept of spare time, and thus leisure, changed over time after the Industrial Revolution had left its mark. For example, farmers and factory-workers worked six ten-hours days from sunrise to sunset, and it was not until the sixty-hour work week of 1900 shrank to thirty-nine hours by 1975 (Rosenthal, p. 11), that people possessed more free time to spend on leisure activities of ones own choice. Even though they still had to work hard the work ethic gradually changed, people now possessed a day, and later even two, during which they were free to choose what to do. It was no longer the master who possessed free time and told his slaves what to do, the whole day, every day. More money was now being made, and thus being spend during those few hours or days the workers had off and activities related to sport, education, self-development, and entertainment started to rise. Also, the availability of more and cheaper goods due to the revolution led to an in crease in the standard of living, and thus formation of identity. People were slightly and slowly more able to establish themselves as different from others, and to use goods to identify with. Finally, it was only in the nineteenth century that the real impact of steam would be fully felt (Robinson, B). Steam changed the availability of opportunities, as well as leisure. Work was performed faster and more efficient, and changes also happened geographically as factories could now be located anywhere, as well as the workers. Transportation increased due to the invention of railways, and thus leisure opportunities surfaced since people could travel further and were no longer limited to the area they worked and lived in; horizons slowly widened. The Ancient Greeks were able to see leisure as their work, but the workers from the Industrial Revolution could only participate in leisure and non-work behaviour after their long days of labour. Not only the content and value of leisure changed, but also the impact it had on the individual. Since the Industrial Revolution, Americans have inherited a sociopsychological attitude which equates individual self-worth and productivity with working (Murphy, p. 27), thus showing the influence work had on life and ones goals. The Revolution created further interest in the individual in society and the responsibilities of society to them, together with the realization that the ultimate power within society is in the hands of those that are governed rather than the governing classes (Ouedraogo, D). The working class, and thereby the individual and his interests became more important, and people had more choices related to identity formation as mentioned before. Todays globalizing world The changes that took place in leisure in Ancient Greece and around the 1900s show its roots, but also the rudiments that have made leisure to be what it is today. Today, the twenty-first century, leisure still takes up an important place in many aspects of peoples lives and is still seen as time free from work-related responsibilities (Murphy, p. 27), as well as obligatory household tasks. More and more activities are now acceptable forms of leisure, and more money and time is dedicated to them. Also, due to globalization much more is possible, since the world is brought closer to our home. We now have internet, television, mass media and facilitation of travelling; anything is possible. Too see what function leisure holds in todays society in relation to identity and development, I will look at it from the following perspectives; behavioural, psychological and social. Behaviour in leisure should be recognized as an expression of the individuals total self; cognitive, affective, and motor domains are potentially engaged (Murphy, p. 29). Thus, engaging in leisure is key to personal development since it touches upon many important aspects of the individual. Also, since behaviour is goal-directed, leisure can also be seen as as direct result of goal-seeking (Murphy, p. 29), and success or failure in such activities will strongly influence ones mental and physical state, as well as future participation. Also, according to the French sociologist Joffre Dumazedier, leisure fulfils three functions: relaxation, entertainment, and personal development (Murphy, p. 30), again showing that leisure is key to self-development through exercising ones capacities. From the second and psychological perspective, leisure is also important for self-improvement, as to leisure means to be oneself, to express ones talents, ones capacities, ones potentials (Murphy, p. 30), as stated by Neulinger. Leisure is a state of mind and being, since it is then that one is free to choose what to do and engage in what brings satisfaction, fulfilment and pleasure. Thus, from the psychological perspective, it would tend to analyze leisure activities according to the needs they satisfy (Murphy, p. 31), which can only be fulfilled during free time and not through achievement in work like during the Industrial Revolution was the case. Examples are needs for sex, independence, understanding, getting along with others (Murphy, p. 32). The third perspective is that the social function of leisure, as the most significant determinant of what one does in leisure is membership in a social group. Leisure is a means for establishing and sustaining intragroup solidarity (Murphy, p. 32). Friendship and kinship are crucial determents here, and belonging to a social circle with common interests is what individuals aim at through leisure. This can be seen when people participate in sports, theatre, crafts, or other clubs organized to bring those together who are alike. This can also be through identifying with others with similar education, occupation, race, or income; some of the socioeconomic-demographic indicators. What also plays an important role in leisure, is the newfound presence of choice in this globalizing world. So much is present and available when it comes to activities, resources, knowledge and goods that choice greatly penetrates our culture; it has transformed not only how we live but also how we think and who we are (Rosenthal, p. 1), through the presence of excessive choice. We no longer have to give something up in order to gain something else, we can now sometimes have our cake and eat it too (Rosenthal, p. 9) and now sacrifice les which made our wants become needs. We have embraced change, and the necessity to travel down all of lifes branches is real to us (Rosenthal, p. 9). Since we have excessive choice, our leisure has become so broad and open to our own preferences that we can maximize our own potentials through it. Also, since one hours work buys six times as much now as it did in 1900 (Rosenthal, p. 12) we can spend much more on leisure, and thus again have to choose l ess and have more. Today, we also develop ourselves through serious leisure, which is the degree of seriousness tied to an activity as the activity involvement of these devotes shows a degree of intensity that is consistent with flow experience and a patterns of commitment that joins them with others in a unique ethos of shared meaning and perseverance (Kleiber, p. 25). Leisure activities of this level can seem to work in some extent, but are free of choice and are therefore sources of self-esteem, self-actualization, and other psychological and social benefits (Kleiber, p. 25), showing the great link between serious leisure and development. Also, since leisure in todays globalizing world is less linked to gender and race and more and more available to everybody, it can be seen as a true sources for self-development and identity formation. Identity formation then takes place not only through serious leisure, but also through more general and simplified versions of leisure. For example, athletics perform sports as their work. For most, engaging in sport is a form of leisure that brings pleasure and self-improvement, but for a true sportsman this is his identity. He is a footballer, he is a rugby player, he is a dancer. Wherever he will go, this part of him will be at the roots of his other actions since he is so serious about it and cannot afford letting other types of leisure take away from what he has achieved; their identification and commitment is evident in joining groups and sacrificing other aspects of life (Kleiber, p. 25). This is the same for musicians, many band members identify with their job and consider the musician label to be indistinguishable from their identity. Conclusion Leisure can thus truly be seen as a source of self-development and identity formation. Even though leisure has gradually changed throughout the years and has even shown distinct characteristics during when comparing the timeframes, the core has remained the same; free time dedicated activities of ones own choice used to better the self. To conclude, most noteworthy is the part leisure took up in an individuals life. In Ancient Greece, leisure mainly served as an activity that took up the entire day for the elite, whereas for the slaves it consisted of the little time free from the orders of the master. It was mainly used to engage in intellectual conversations, and plain activities like sports. During the Industrial Revolution this outlook changed, and work became most important and took over the role leisure used to hold in the lives of the elite; self-improvement was achieved through work and not leisure. However, this was also the period when the workers started to protest and managed to receive a better work-week with more free time in the weekend; time free to be dedicated to leisure since money was also more available. Finally, in todays society leisure takes up an maybe even more important role and is still the time dedicated to activities free of choice used to develop the self. Thus, leisure has always play ed an important role and its nature has remained constant, while its use and availability has changed.

Steven King Essay -- Biography Biographies

Bio of Steven King Stephen King Stephen Edwin King was born September 21, 1947in Portland, Maine, U.S. He is an American novelist and short-story writer whose many novels and story collections, and the numerous films adapted from this large body of work, have established his reputation as the leading author of horror fictions in contemporary literature, and with reviving the genre of horror fiction in the late 20th century. King graduated from the University of Maine in 1970 with a bachelor's degree in English. Abused by a fanatically religious mother and ridiculed by her classmates, Carrie was the first of many novels in which King blended horror, the macabre, fantasy, and science fiction. Among such works were Salem's Lot (1975), an equally nihilistic novel, which portrays a small Maine village overrun and repopulated by vampires. The Shining (1977; filmed 1980), a writer, his wife, and their young son act as winter caretakers in a ghost-ridden hotel. The Stand (1978), The Dead Zone (1979; filmed 1983), Firestarter (1980), Cujo (1981), Christine (1983), It (1986), Misery (1987), The Tommyknockers (1987), and The Dark Half (1989). In his books King explored almost every terror-producing theme imaginable, from vampires, rabid dogs, deranged killers, and a pyromaniac to ghosts, extrasensory perception and telekinesis, biological warfare, and even a malevolent automobile. Though his work was disparaged as undisciplined and inelegant, King was a talented storyteller...

Roswell :: essays research papers

For fifty years the unexplained air craft wreckage found outside Roswell, New Mexico, has been in the center of on-going speculation about alien life forms and US Government and Military cover-ups. It is my personal belief that extraterrestrial bodies are present in this Universe and have landed on earth. There is more evidence pointing to the fact that there are aliens present in the universe as proved in this essay. Retired military officials will admit to there being extraterrestrials being present on earth. An excellent example of this is what happened in Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947. When the US Government and Military first found the wreckage of an unidentified aircraft they issued a press release stating that they had come into possession of an Unidentified Flying Object. The present US Government have passed the Roswell incident off as a closed case - their investigations declared the incident to be nothing more than a crashed weather balloon from the top secret Project Mogul and the alien bodies merely to be crash test dummies. This essay will argue the point that there is other life in the Universe and that the crash landing at Roswell in 1947, was an alien space craft and not a weather balloon. Leading up to the 'Roswell Incident' UFOs were spotted all over New Mexico and the mid-western coast line. On July 1 of 1947, an Unidentified Flying Object appeared on the radar screens of surrounding airforce bases. People also saw these objects in the skies that night and the next. On July 4 - Independence Day - radar screens showed an object pulsate then explode. Some archaeologists in the area were watching the sky and saw the aerial display as did a large number of the people living in the town. The archaeologists set out the next morning to look for the wreckage they saw fall to ground after the explosion. They reached the crash site about 10am and found wreckage scattered over a site three quarters of a mile long and two to three hundred feet wide. The archaeology team alerted authorities then peered into the rubble to find the bodies of five aliens (the number of aliens is debatable), four of them already dead but one still alive with a severe wound to the thigh. The witnesses are sure they saw aliens in the space ship, not crash dummies, and the wreckage was too advanced to be human technology. A number of witnesses who saw the crash site before the US Government intervened were interviewed and all gave comprehensive descriptions of the aliens and their flying craft.

Organized Cybercrimes Essay

Verizon business researched and reported in 2009 a case study involving data breaches in secured network. Within their findings, they summarize the threats, which industry, and which records are the most popular. The report fist showed that a percentage of the hacking from outside sources came from the European Union, and the most popular info being stolen was financial and retail goods. Surprisingly there were a large amount of threats in house that took advantage of software issue’s and exploited them. More than likely sold the info to outside source to further continue hacking and establishing a backdoor it the database. Of the all the outside attacks according from the European Union, most of them were organized crime family’s that originated out of the Soviet bloc nations. It is by far cheaper the hack and sells credit card numbers abroad that sit on a corner and peddle illegal goods. Another cash crop for cybercrime and hacking is the diversion of goods, especially from ports of entry. Using financial records and accounts to pose as a company that is entitled to receive goods is one the tactics used. Once those item are in there possession, they disappear. A percentage of these hackers can by way of software be totally transparent, and for intent purposes be invisible until the crime has committed. This poses a very job to law enforcement to track capture and convict these criminals, not to mention some these countries don’t even have extradition rights to the USA. It would take a co-op effort of the Euro nations and US and Asia to make the act of hacking and breaching networks a more serious crime.

Stefan’s Diaries: The Craving Chapter 16

November 12, 1864 Life with Damon is like playing chess with a mad person. I can think of a thousand different possibilities to defend against, a thousand different moves he could make, and then he goes and changes the rules of the game. It's just his newfound predilection for casual violence that makes him so incalculable, but the way he revels in it. Though blood is our diet, we as vampires at least have a modicum of self-will. Damon doesn't have to let his dark side win, and yet he embraces it. I view this change in him with horror and guilt, as I was the one who set him down the path of the vampire. Katherine was the one who changed him, but I force-fed him his first human. After seeing his message to me I can't consider leaving the Sutherlands until I have figured out a way to keep them all safe. What my brother did to Callie†¦ it obviously isn't beyond him to just dispose of the entire family once they serve their purpose. But when will he take action? At the wedding? After the wedding? After the honeymoon? Next year? Could I spirit the girls away somewhere? Could I convince them to hide? Could I compel them to? Damon managed to find me here, could he find me – or them – anywhere? I have to come up with a plan, in case Damon doesn't just leave town with his newfound fortune. Of course, the simplest solution would be to kill Damon. Voil – one maniacal, insane, unpredictable, murderous vampire gone, the world, and myself, a thousand times safer. That's assuming I could do it. I am so much weaker than he is, it would have to be done by surprise or guile or something equally underhanded, like a knife in the back. Like he killed Callie. There isn't any point in thinking that way. I will not stoop to his level. He is my brother. And as awful as he is, he is the only relative left to me. The next day, time flew by as if it had nothing better to do than gallop me toward matrimony. Before I knew it, I'd been stuffed into my suit, force-fed pancakes, and spirited over one hundred blocks north to the altar, where I stood awaiting my fate, as the Sutherlands unknowingly awaited their own. Damon and I stood side by side in Woodcliff Manor's great hall – the pretty family chapel nearby was far too small for Bridget's tastes. The Richards were kind enough to let her use their home at the tip of Manhattan Island. It was really more of a castle than a home, with gray towers, parapets, and decorative portcullises, all made from the gray rock that jutted seamlessly out of the rocky promontory on which it sat. Not so far from there, outside the arched gothic windows, were the remains of Fort Tryon, the site of a sad defeat of Continental forces under George Washington by the British. My thoughts drifted as I imagined redcoats and scrappy American soldiers and puffs of gunpowder†¦ and then something occurred to me. Katherine could have witnessed such a battle. I never asked how old she was – perhaps Damon did – but she was far older than her appearance suggested. She had probably witnessed events I only read about in history books. I shivered at the thought, but the chill was instantly dispelled by the incredible heat in the room. Damon and I stood in front of a crowd of more than two hundred of New York's finest socialites, all sitting uncomfortably in hastily pulled together pews. They had no idea how dangerous it was for them to be there. I pulled at my collar and tie, which suddenly felt too tight, my vision blurring. The room shifted and morphed, and for just a second, the finery and skin of every wedding attendee melted off as though they'd been caught up in a blaze. Skin flaked off like corn husks, leaving behind pure-white bone and twisted tendons. â€Å"Stefan!† Damon hissed, elbowing me. I realized then that I was clutching his arm. â€Å"Do I need to call a medic for you?† he asked sarcastically. I shook my head, wondering what illness had overcome me. The crowd came back into focus, alive, happy, laughing, and fanning themselves discreetly. Even I had to admit that Mrs. Sutherland had done a fantastic job working with Mrs. Richards and her housekeepers. A rich red carpet had been laid out, and it was scattered with so many rose petals you could scarcely see the fabric beneath. Pink, white, and deep, deep red, it looked like a beautiful trail through a magnificent rose garden. Garlands of expensive and exotic flowers hung along the pews, and the scent of orange and lemon was heavy in the air. Overhead hung giant balls of flowers like fireworks in petals. Vases in every gothic arched nook and cranny held elegant arrangements of grasses and blooming branches of quince, enhancing the woodland effect. Everyone wore full formal regalia, tailcoats for the men, some with diplomatic sashes. Heavy moire silks for the older women, lighter for the young women, yards and yards of fabric swirled around their feet like more rose petals. Hats were decked out in plumes and gems and sometimes entire birds. And the real heirloom jewelry had been pulled out for this occasion, pearls and diamonds and rubies on every neck and wrist, some gems the size of my thumb. All the women had fans, of course, made from silk and painted in Japan or England, and they tried to flutter them delicately, but most wound up just flapping them as fast as they could. The ladies' countenances remained stubbornly rosy despite their efforts to keep pale. Everyone whispered and talked excitedly, and of course I could tune in to any conversation I felt like listening to with my enhanced hearing. I almost didn't mean to, because it was the same in every seat: â€Å"†¦ so quick. Only met a month ago. Did you hear the story? He was so chivalrous†¦.† â€Å"†¦ lucky girl. I hope my Lucretia marries as well†¦.† â€Å"Apparently, the youngest Beaumont threw herself at DeSangue, but he only had eyes for Lydia†¦.† â€Å"†¦ such a handsome man! And a count!†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"†¦ yes, but who's that other one again? Marrying Bridget?† I closed my eyes, wishing I could close my ears. How I longed to be back in my grotto in the park. â€Å"Seems like old times, doesn't it, brother?† Damon sighed, adjusting one of his cuffs. â€Å"In another life, you and Rosalyn would be married already.† â€Å"Shut up,† I said. He was right, though. If Katherine hadn't killed my childhood playmate, I would have married her. Back then, I thought a forced marriage with someone I didn't love was the worst fate imaginable. How innocent I was†¦. I continued smiling, although it must have looked forced by that point. My eyes darted over the crowd, seeking out anyone in a badly matched scarf. That morning I had managed to grab and drain a pair of white doves, initially intended to be released as a romantic gesture after the wedding ceremony. But when was the last time Damon had fed? Or did he have a big, bloody feast planned? â€Å"Look at us, together,† Damon whispered, nodding at someone in the crowd and smiling. â€Å"We make quite a handsome pair.† â€Å"I'm doing this,† I whispered, â€Å"to save lives. Now be quiet.† Damon rolled his eyes. â€Å"You're no fun, brother. I hope you develop a sense of humor soon, or it's going to be a loooooong eternity.† The wedding march began, saving me from having to respond. Margaret's husband and Bram, ushers, came down the aisle first. The remaining ushers were callow youths who flirted outrageously with the bridesmaids they escorted. The girls wore pretty matching peach gowns and absolutely giant hats†¦ but I noticed that one had a slightly different accessory from the rest. Hilda wore a hastily tied kerchief around her neck. I glared at Damon. He shrugged. â€Å"I got a little peckish waiting around.† In truth, I was a little relieved – it meant he wasn't starving himself in anticipation of something later. Finally came Winfield, proudly striding down the aisle with a daughter on each arm. Lydia walked regally and easily. She wore a simple white gown of heavy material whose folds rustled with her movements. It went to the top of her neck and the bottom of her wrists, and its only ornamentation was a line of pearl buttons down the front. A net veil hung behind her, floating down her back. She looked like a fairy-tale queen, and smiled with a secretive look that only added to her beauty. On Winfield's left arm was Bridget, wearing her brocade and satin. She actually looked quite beautiful, if a bit overdone. An enormous lace veil perched on top of her head like a crown. It was hard to imagine, now, that I'd ever seen anything of Callie in her. Where Bridget was frilly and immature, Callie had been independent and practical. Thinking of Callie now was a bad idea. Time slowed down. Bridget's foot rose and fell, bringing her a few inches closer to me. Her skirts drew forward, as if of their own accord. Her mouth opened and closed in a giggle that sounded far-off and distorted. And then came the distinctive scent of lemon and ginger. Everything blurred – Katherine? Suddenly, instead of Bridget coming toward me dressed as a bride was the woman who had brought me to this place. Her thick black hair was caught up in a lace veil, revealing her perfect shoulders and neck. The blue cameo gleamed on her neck. She lowered her head demurely, but beneath her long lashes her eyes danced mischievously in my direction. She pursed her lips and I felt my knees weaken. Did Damon see her, too? I looked askance at my brother, to see if he was thinking or seeing the same thing I was. Whatever compelled me to feel the way I did about Katherine, true love or a vampire's Power, I was still under her spell, haunted by her. But Damon's face was a perfect mask of happiness and love. Time started back up again. Bridget resumed her place in my sight, smiling excitedly up at me. And then the girls were before us, and the priest was there, and rings were in our hands. It was, thankfully, a fairly short ceremony. The priest gave a speech about love and read several nice passages from the Bible that I would have liked in any other circumstance. I wasn't sure whether to pray that the priest go on, and on, and on, and give me as much time as possible before the inevitable, or if he should just hurry up and get it over with. â€Å"If anyone here knows of any impediment why these two couples may not be lawfully joined together in matrimony, you do now confess it.† I looked around the room, hoping someone would stand up and object. Maybe Margaret would speak out, with some sort of proof that Damon DeSangue wasn't who he said he was, or that I was some sort of Confederate spy, or†¦ The oldest sister shook her head and gritted her teeth, but kept silent. I may have imagined it, but I think her mother's hand had an iron grip on her knee. Damon went first, marrying the elder bride. I wasn't listening; there seemed to be a dull roar in my ears that was so loud I was surprised no one else could hear it. What was going to happen when it was over? Would the Sutherlands make it through this night? Would I be forced, on my wedding day, to fight my own brother to the death? â€Å"Repeat after me,† the priest finally said. I did as I was told. â€Å"I, Stefan Salvatore, take thee, Bridget Lynn Cupbert Sutherland, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till†¦ death us do part.† I almost choked, and could only hope that the audience thought I was overwhelmed with emotion. â€Å"I, Bridget Lynn Cupbert Sutherland, take thee, Stefan, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part.† She forgot my surname, and from the look in her eyes it was because she was thinking about the night before. And then there was a ring in my hand. A simple gold band with my and Bridget's initials inscribed on the inside. Precious metal binding me to my fate. I took Bridget's hand. My voice came out surprisingly clear and calm. â€Å"With this ring, I thee wed, and with my worldly goods I thee endow, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.† I slipped it on her finger. She squealed in joy. I kissed her. It was hard and quick, hopefully long enough for the audience to appreciate. Bridget clung to me, trying to make the moment last. She tasted of mint. I felt terrible. And just like that, I was a married vampire.