The Stupidest Angel Chapter 3

Chapter 3 HOSED FOR THE HOLIDAYS Tuesday night. Christmas was still four days away, and yet there was Santa Claus cruising right down the main street of town in his big red pickup truck: waving to the kids, weaving in his lane, belching into his beard, more than a little drunk. â€Å"Ho, ho, ho,† said Dale Pearson, evil developer and Caribou Lodge Santa for the sixth consecutive year. â€Å"Ho, ho, ho,† he said, suppressing the urge to add and a bottle of rum, his demeanor more akin to that of Blackbeard than Saint Nicholas. Parents pointed, children waved and frisked. By now, all of Pine Cove was abuzz with expat Christmas cheer. Every hotel room was full, and there wasn't a parking space to be found down on Cypress Street, where shoppers pumped their chestnuts into an open fire of credit-card swipe-and-spend denial. It smelled of cinnamon and pine, peppermint and joy. This was not the coarse commercialism of a Los Angeles or San Francisco Christmas. This was the refined, sincere commercialism of small-town New England, where a century ago Norman Rockwell had invented Christmas. This was real. But Dale didn't get it. â€Å"Merry, happy – oh, eat me, you little vermin,† Dale grinched from behind his tinted windows. Actually, the whole Christmas appeal of their village was a bit of a mystery to the residents of Pine Cove. It wasn't exactly a winter wonderland; the median temperature in the winter was sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit, and only a couple of really old guys could remember it ever having snowed. Neither was it a tropical-beach getaway. The ocean there was bitterly cold, with an average visibility of eighteen inches, and a huge elephant seal rookery at the shore. Through the winter thousands of the rotund pinnipeds lay strewn across Pine Cove beaches like great barking turds, and although not dangerous in themselves, they were the dietary mainstay of the great white shark, which had evolved over 120 million years into the perfect excuse for never entering water over one's ankles. So if it wasn't the weather or the water, what in the hell was it? Perhaps it was the pine trees themselves. Christmas trees. â€Å"My trees, goddammit,† Dale grumbled to himself. Pine Cove lay in the last natural Monterey-pine forest in the world. Because they grow as much as twenty feet a year, Monterey pines are the very trees cultivated for Christmas trees. The good news was you could go to almost any undeveloped lot in town and cut yourself a very respectable Christmas tree. The bad news was that it was a crime to do so unless you obtained a permit and planted five trees to replace it. The Monterey pines were a protected species, as any local builder could tell you, because whenever they cut down a few trees to build a home, they had to plant a forest to replace them. A station wagon with a Christmas tree lashed to the roof backed out in front of Dale's pickup. â€Å"Get that piece of shit off my street,† Dale scrooged. â€Å"And Merry Christmas to all you scumbags,† he added, in keeping with the season. Dale Pearson, quite unwillingly, had become the Johnny Appleseed of the Christmas tree, having planted tens of thousands of seedlings to replace the thousands that he had chain-sawed to build rows of tract mansions across Pine Cove's hills. But while the law stated that the replacement trees had to be planted within the municipality of Pine Cove, it didn't say that they had to go in anywhere near where they had actually been cut down, so Dale planted all of his trees around the cemetery at the old Santa Rosa Chapel. He'd bought the land, ten acres, years ago, in hope of subdividing it and building luxury homes, but some hippie meddlers from the California Historical Society stepped in and had the old two-room chapel declared a historic landmark, thus making it impossible for him to develop his land. So in straight rows, with no thought for the natural lay of a forest, his construction crews planted Monterey pines until the trees became as thick around the chapel as feathers on a bird 's back. For the last four years, during the week before Christmas, someone had gone onto Dale's land and dug up truckloads of live pine trees. He was tired of answering to the county about having to replace them. He didn't give a damn about the trees, but he'd be damned if he'd put up with someone siccing the county watchdogs on him over and over. He'd fulfilled his duty to his Caribou buddies of passing out joke gifts to them and their wives, but now he was going to catch a thief. His Christmas present this year was going to be a little justice. That's all he wanted, just a little justice. The jolly old elf turned off Cypress and headed up the hill toward the chapel, patting the thirty-eight snub-nose revolver he'd stuffed into his wide black belt. Lena hefted the second Christmas tree into the bed of her little Toyota pickup and snuggled it into one of the ten-gallon cedar boxes that she'd nailed together herself just for that purpose. The underprivileged were only getting four-footers this year, maybe a foot or so taller once in the box. It had rained only once since October, so it had taken her nearly an hour and a half to dig the two saplings from the hard, dry ground. She wanted people to have live Christmas trees, but if she went for full seven-footers she'd be out here all night and only get a couple. This is real work, Lena thought. By day she did property management for vacation rentals at a local realtor, sometimes putting in ten- or twelve-hour days during the peak seasons, but she realized that hours spent and actual work were two different things. She realized it every year when she came out here by herself and got behind her bright red shovel. Sweat was pouring down her face. She wiped her hair out of her eyes with the back of a chamois work glove, leaving a streak of dirt on her forehead. She shrugged off the flannel shirt she'd put on against the night chill and worked in a tight black tank top and olive drab cargo pants. With her red shovel in hand, she looked like some kind of Christmas commando there at the edge of the forest. She sank the shovel into the pine straw about a foot from the trunk of the next tree she'd targeted and jumped on the blade, pogoing up and down until the blade was buried to the hilt. She was swinging on the handle, trying to lever up the forest floor, when a bright set of headlights swept across the edge of the forest and stopped with a stereo spotlight on Lena's truck. There's nothing to worry about, she thought. I'm not going to hide, I'm not going to duck. She wasn't doing anything wrong. Not really. Well, sure, technically, she was stealing, and breaking a couple of county ordinances about harvesting Monterey pines, but she wasn't really harvesting them, was she? She was just transplanting them. And†¦ and she was giving to the poor. She was like Robin Hood. No one was going to mess with Robin Hood. Just the same she smiled at the headlamps and did a sort of â€Å"oh well, I guess I'm busted† shrug that she hoped was cute. She shielded her eyes with her hand and tried to squint into the headlights to see who was driving the truck. Yes, she was sure it was a truck. The engine sputtered to a stop. A slight nausea rose in Lena's throat as she realized that it was a diesel truck. The truck's door opened, and when the light went on Lena caught a glimpse of someone in a red-and-white hat behind the wheel. Huh? Santa was coming out of the blinding light toward her. Santa with a flashlight, and what was that in his belt? Santa had a gun. â€Å"Dammit, Lena, I should have known it was you,† he said. Josh Barker was in big trouble. Big trouble indeed. He was only seven, but he was pretty sure his life was ruined. He hurried along Church Street trying to figure out how he was going to explain to his mom. An hour and a half late. Home long after dark. And he hadn't called. And Christmas just a few days away. Forget explaining it to his mom, how was he going to explain it to Santa? Santa might understand, though, since he knew toys. But Mom would never buy it. He'd been playing Barbarian George's Big Crusade on the PlayStation at his friend Sam's house, and they'd gotten into the infidel territory and killed thousands of the ‘Rackies, but the game just didn't have any way to exit. It wasn't designed so you could ever get out of it, and before he knew it, it was dark outside and he'd forgotten, and Christmas was just going to be ruined. He wanted an Xbox 2, but there was no way Santa was going to bring it with a home long after dark AND a didn't even bother to call on his list. Sam had summarized Josh's situation as he led him out the door and looked at the night sky: â€Å"Dude, you're hosed.† â€Å"I'm not hosed, you're hosed,† said Josh. â€Å"I'm not hosed,† Sam said. â€Å"I'm Jewish. No Santa. We don't have Christmas.† â€Å"Well, you're really hosed, then.† â€Å"Shut up, I am not hosed.† But as Sam said it he put his hands in his pockets and Josh could hear him clicking his dreidel against his asthma inhaler, and his friend did, indeed, appear to be hosed. â€Å"Okay, you're not hosed,† said Josh. â€Å"Sorry. I'd better go.† â€Å"Yeah,† said Sam. â€Å"Yeah,† said Josh, realizing now how the longer it took him to get home the more hosed he was going to be. But as he hurried up Church Street toward home, he realized that perhaps he would receive an emergency reprieve on his hosing, for there, at the edge of the forest, was Santa himself. And although Santa did appear to be quite angry, his anger was directed at a woman who was standing knee-deep in a hole, holding a red shovel. Santa held one of those heavy black Maglite flashlights in one hand and was shining it in the woman's eyes as he yelled at her. â€Å"These are my trees. Mine, dammit,† said Santa. Aha! Josh thought. Dammit was not bad enough to get you on the naughty list, not if Santa himself said it. He'd told his mom that, but she'd insisted that dammit was a list item. â€Å"I'm only taking a few,† said the woman. â€Å"For people who can't afford a Christmas tree. You can't begrudge something that simple to a few poor families.† â€Å"The fuck I can't.† Well, Josh had been sure the F-word would get you on the list. He was shocked. Santa pushed the flashlight in the woman's eyes. She brushed it aside. â€Å"Look,† she said, â€Å"I'll just take this last one and go.† â€Å"You will not.† Santa shoved the flashlight in the woman's face again, but this time when she brushed it away, he flipped it around and bopped her on the head with it. â€Å"Ouch!† That had to hurt. Josh could feel the blow rattle the woman's teeth all the way across the street. Santa certainly felt strongly about his Christmas trees. The woman used the shovel to brush the flashlight out of her face again. Santa bopped her again with the flashlight, harder this time, and the woman yowled and fell to her knees in the hole. Santa reached into his big black belt and pulled out a gun and pointed it at the woman. She came up swinging the shovel in a wide arc and the blade caught Santa hard in the side of the head with a dull metallic clank. Santa staggered and raised the pistol again. The woman crouched and covered her head, the shovel braced blade up under her arm. But as he aimed, Santa lost his balance, and fell forward onto the upraised blade of the shovel. The blade went up under his beard and suddenly his beard was as bright red as his suit. He dropped the gun and the flashlight, made a gurgling noise, and fell down to where Josh could no longer see him. Josh could barely hear the woman crying as he ran home, the pulse in his ears ringing like sleigh bells. Santa was dead. Christmas was ruined. Josh was hosed. Speaking of hosed: three blocks away, Tucker Case moped along Worchester Street, trying to exercise off his dinner of bad diner food with a brisk walk under the weight of a large measure of self-pity. He was pushing forty, trim, blond, and tan – the look of an aging surfer or a golf pro in his prime. Fifty feet above him, a giant fruit bat swooped through the treetops, his leathery wings silent against the night. So he could sneak up on peaches and stuff without being detected. Tuck thought. â€Å"Roberto, do your business and let's get back to the hotel,† Tuck called into the sky. The fruit bat barked and snagged an overhead limb as he passed, his momentum nearly sending him in a loop around it before he pendulumed and settled in upside-down attitude. The bat barked again, licked his little doggy chops, and folded his great wings around himself to ward off the coastal cold. â€Å"Fine,† Tuck said, â€Å"but you're not getting back into the room until you poop.† He'd inherited the bat from a Filipino navigator he'd met while flying a private jet for a doctor in Micronesia; a job he'd only taken because his U.S. pilot's license had been yanked for crashing the pink Mary Jean Cosmetic jet while initiating a young woman into the Mile-High Club. Drunk. After Micronesia he'd moved to the Caribbean with his fruit bat and his beautiful new island wife and started a charter business. Now, six years later, his beautiful island wife was running the charter business with a seven-foot Rastafarian and Tucker Case had nothing to his name but a fruit bat and temporary gig flying helicopters for the DEA, spotting marijuana patches in the Big Sur wilderness area. Which put him in Pine Cove, holed up in a cheap motel room, four days before Christmas, alone. Lonesome. Hosed. Tuck had once been a ladies' man of the highest order – a Don Juan, a Casanova, a Kennedy sans cash – yet now he was in a town where he didn't know a soul and he hadn't even met a single woman to try to seduce. A few years of marriage had almost ruined him. He'd become accustomed to affectionate female company without a great deal of manipulation, subterfuge, and guile. He missed it. He didn't want to spend Christmas alone, dammit. Yet here he was. And there she was. A damsel in distress. A woman, alone, out here in the night, crying – and from what Tuck could tell by the headlights of a nearby pickup truck, she had a nice shape. Great hair. Beautiful high cheekbones, streaked with tears and mud, but you know, exotic-looking. Tuck checked to see that Roberto was still safely hanging above, then straightened his bomber jacket and made his way across the street. â€Å"Hey there, are you okay?† The woman jumped, screamed a bit, looked around frantically until she spotted him â€Å"Oh my God,† she said. Tuck had had worse responses. He pressed on â€Å"Are you okay?† he repeated. â€Å"You looked like you were having some trouble.† â€Å"I think he's dead,† the woman said. â€Å"I think – I think I killed him† Tuck looked at the red-and-white pile on the ground at his feet and realized for the first time what it really was: a dead Santa. A normal person might have freaked out, backed away, tried to quickly extract himself from the situation, but Tucker Case was a pilot, trained to function in life-and-death emergencies, practiced at grace under pressure, and besides, he was lonely and this woman was really hot. â€Å"So, a dead Santa,† said Tuck. â€Å"Do you live around here?† â€Å"I didn't mean to kill him. He was coming at me with a gun I just ducked, and when I looked up – † She waved toward the pile of dead Kringle. â€Å"I guess the shovel caught him in the throat.† She seemed to be calming down a bit. Tuck nodded thoughtfully â€Å"So, Santa was coming at you with a gun?† The woman pointed to the gun, lying in the dirt next to the Maglite â€Å"I see,† said Tuck. â€Å"Did you know this –  » â€Å"Yes. His name is Dale Pearson. He drank.† â€Å"I don't. Stopped years ago,† Tuck said. â€Å"By the way, I'm Tucker Case. Are you married?† He extended his hand to her to shake. She seemed to see him for the first time. â€Å"Lena Marquez. No, I'm divorced; â€Å"Me, too,† said Tuck. â€Å"Tough around the holidays, isn't it? Kids?† â€Å"No. Mr., uh, Case, this man is my ex-husband and he's dead.† â€Å"Yep. I just gave my ex the house and my business, but this does seems cheaper,† Tuck said. â€Å"We had a fight yesterday at the grocery store in front of a dozen people. I had the motive, the opportunity, and the means – † She pointed to the shovel. â€Å"Everyone will think I killed him.† â€Å"Not to mention that you did kill him.† â€Å"And don't think the media won't latch onto that? It's my shovel sticking out of his neck.† â€Å"Maybe you should wipe off your prints and stuff. You didn't get any DNA on him, did you?† She stretched the front of her shirt out and started dabbing at the shovel's handle. â€Å"DNA? Like what?† â€Å"You know, hair, blood, semen? Nothing like that?† â€Å"No.† She was furiously buffing the handle of the shovel with the front of her tank top, being careful not to get too close to the end that was stuck in the dead guy. Strangely, Tuck found the process slightly erotic. â€Å"I think you got the fingerprints, but I'm a little concerned about there where your name is spelled out in Magic Marker on the handle. That might give things away.† â€Å"People never return garden tools if you don't mark them,† Lena said. Then she began to cry again. â€Å"Oh my God, I've killed him.† Tuck went to her side and put his arm around her shoulders. â€Å"Hey, hey, hey, it's not so bad. At least you don't have kids you have to explain this to.† â€Å"What am I going to do? My life is over.† â€Å"Don't talk like that,† Tuck said, trying to sound cheerful. â€Å"Look, you've got a perfectly good shovel here, and this hole is nearly finished. What say we shove Santa in, clean up the area a little, and I take you to dinner.† He grinned. She looked up at him. â€Å"Who are you?† â€Å"Just a nice guy trying to help out a lady in distress.† â€Å"And you want to take me out to dinner?† She seemed to be slipping into shock. â€Å"Not this minute. Once we get this all under control.† â€Å"I just killed a man,† she said. â€Å"Yeah, but not on purpose, right?† â€Å"A man I used to love is dead.† â€Å"Damn shame, too,† Tuck said. â€Å"You like Italian?† She stepped away from him and looked him up and down, paying special attention to the right shoulder of his bomber jacket, where the brown leather had been scraped so many times it looked like suede. â€Å"What happened to your jacket?† â€Å"My fruit bat likes to climb on me.† â€Å"Your fruit bat?† â€Å"Look, you can't get through life without accumulating a little baggage, right?† Tuck nodded toward the deceased to make his point. â€Å"I'll explain over dinner.† Lena nodded slowly. â€Å"We'll have to hide his truck.† â€Å"Of course.† â€Å"Okay, then,† Lena said. â€Å"Would you mind pulling the shovel – uh, I can't believe this is happening.† â€Å"I got it,† Tuck said, jumping into the hole and dislodging the spade from Saint Nick's neck. â€Å"Call it an early Christmas present.† Tuck took off his jacket and began digging in the hard ground. He felt light, a little giddy, thrilled that he wasn't going to have to spend Christmas alone with the bat again.

Buying a Laptop

There are many things to consider when making any large purchase. It is very important to have an understanding of the product you wish to purchase, as well as a realistic estimate of how much you are willing to spend. I have recently been doing research about notebook computers, and have visited many websites to weigh the pros and cons of different brands. Ultimately, I am looking for a computer that is the best value for what I need. Since I like to play games and watch movies, I need a computer with specific features. However, given that I am a student, I have limited funds available.I approached this endeavor with an expectation of spending about $1,300 before tax. The most important features that I need are a fast processor, a lot of memory, and a good graphics card. All three components are essential to both gaming and watching DVDs. Portability is not really an issue for me, since I do not intend to carry it around too often. Given this fact, I am able to get a larger screen, which is a great for the purposes I need the computer for. My first inclination was to try discount websites, mostly because I anticipated lower prices.I first visited www. tigerdirect. com and viewed some of their portable computers. Before I started to get approximate costs, I decided to view the customer service section of their website. I was immediately concerned with their 15% restocking fee for returns. I don't like the idea of losing money if the product doesn't work out. I also briefly entertained the idea of purchasing a computer from e-Bay. However, I decided against that since there is not much recourse if a product turns out to be misrepresented or has issues.I then turned to www. walmart. com, and looked at what they had to offer. I like the idea of being able to go into my local store to physically see what the computers look like. Also, they carry a range of brands. Upon further examination, I discovered that the only 17†³ portables available were made by HP. I looked at the HP Pavilion DV9005US; it has an AMD processor, which I am not particularly fond of. However, I am very impressed with the 1 GB of memory, as well as the 100 GB hard drive. It also has a great graphics card. It has a 17†³ LCD monitor.The price with a 3 year warranty was about $1,200 before tax, which is certainly within my budget. However, since accidental damage is not covered I was a little leery. Next, I tried www. dell. com. I enjoyed being able to customize my own computer. The model that really caught my attention was the Inspiron E1705. The computer I configured has a Intel Duo processor, which I would prefer over the AMD, 1 GB of memory and an 80 GB hard drive. I am not concerned by the slightly smaller hard drive because I can always use the CD-RW to store data.It also has a 17†³ monitor. What really pleased me was the 3 year warranty-which includes accidental damage! It is slightly over my original budget though. Before tax, the total is $1,386. The overage is of course, less than $100. So, after careful consideration, I have decided that the Dell computer offers me a better value for my money. Even though it is more expensive, the accidental damage insurance means that I can properly protect my investment. I hope to never need it, but it is nice to know that if something does happen to it I can have it repaired.Another big factor in my decision is the fact that Dell is a reputable company. I know people who have Dell computers, and they seem very satisfied. I also like the fact that I can return the computer if I decide I don't like it, which makes up for not actually being able to see the computer before I buy it. Works CitedElectronics: Laptop Computers. Walmart. 18 November 2006. < http:// www. walmart. com/catalog/catalog. gsp? cat=4070&fromPageCatId=3951&catNavI d=3951>Home Page. Dell. 18 November 2006. Home Page. Tiger Direct. 18 November 2006.

Business Finance Report

You need to conduct a research on equity capital available for new ventures in your home country and prepare the report.   1) An introduction explaining major sources of equity capital for new ventures, such as 2) Describe all main BA, VC and PE firms in your home country (their structure, history, approach, number of deals, total amount of capital raised, etc.) – all factors you may consider appropriate to have a better understanding of their activities. 3) Summarize BA, VC and PE firms in your home country in the following table:   Sectors: list all the sectors in which they invest (e.g. high tech, tel , agriculture, etc.) Website: Give the link to the website 4) Give your conclusion on the situation with equity capital in your home country and perspectives for the future. You are required to prepare the report based on the results of your research and analysis. The report should contain: tables of contents, introduction, analysis and conclusion. The student’s work will be assessed by analytical abilities, deepness of research, solid judgments, logic of statements, and understanding of implications of finance and business.    Business angle are individual investor who finance new start-ups from his own fund directly. He /she are independent financially i.e. his profit or loss will not hamper the whole economy of a country. They do not have any family relation with the startups. They make their own investment decision, which is final[1]. Their investment varies from medium to long term depending n the case. Venture capital was first introduced in the 20th century, which means risky capital. It supports new ideas that are very risky but have high profit and growth. It is a type of equity financing which is very long term. There is a liquidity problem in venture capital as during the startups the project is expected to run for several years. It involves high technology and enjoys capital, which is the main benefit when the business succeeded[2]. It does not take a dividend in the intermediate stage. It also participate I the management o the entrepreneur and give expert advice besides monetary support. Private equity is a class of asset that consists of various securities, which are invested, in panies to generate high values. There are various types of Private equity like leveraged buyout (LBO), venture capital, Mezzanine capital and growth capital Growth capital refers to small amount of investment in the equity of a matured pany to help it expand its capital base or increase its market share without any changes in the management control of the pany[3].  Ã‚   In this section detailed analysis of various BA, VC and PE in Spain will be done and their impact on the new ventures will be discussed. In Spain, many business angle brokers support startups. However, top 10 are: Carlos Blanco: He is one of the greatest business angle in Spain. He is the cofounder of a gaming pany named Akamon Entertainment. He is also the CEO of Grupo ITnet. He has invested in many panies like Infantium or Kantox. Yago Arbeloa: He is the brother of Spanish footballer Alvaro Arbeloa and is in this business from the year 2010. He has invested in panies like Reclamador, Percentil and Really late Booking. He is also the president of AIEI and media group of Hello[4]. Francois Derbaix: he is the most active angle business in Spain. He has given support to almost 21 panies in past year, which includes Startupexplore, Tiendeo and unitae. He is also the co-founder of Toprural and Rentalia[5]. Currently he is running Soysuper. Every entrepreneur must read his personal blog before starting up a venture. Jesus Encinar:   He is called the founder of Idealista. He also invested in Spanish startups like Etece and AsesorSeguros. He is the advisory board member of Seaya Ventures, a venture capital firm founded by Micheal Kleindl and Beatriz Gonzallez, which has invested in panies like Ticketea and Cabify since 2013. Bernando Hernandez: Previously he is the director management of product in Google and currently he is running the product division of Flickr’s. He is the one of the initial investor of Tuenti that is a social networking site purchased by Telefonica[6]. As an angle business investor he has also funded Mad Video and Mola . Jesus Monleon: He has a lot of expertise and experience in investing and creating various panies. He has founded Emagister in 2000 and recently founded Offerum. For 7 years he has worked in Caixa Capital Risc as an venture associate backing both early stage and mature panies[7]. As an angel business investor, he has funded panies like DADA panies, Chicfy and Deporvillage. Axel Serene: He has at least 20 years of knowledge in the business of internet and is the Chief Executive Officer of Vittalia. As an individual investor, he has funded and backed various panies like Tiendeo, Popplaces and Akamon. He is a Barcelona based investor. Walter Kobylanski: He is the co-founder of panies like Gigas based in Madrid. He and his brother Christian has founded an investment vehicle known as Danka Capital that is backing panies in its early stages[8]. As an individual investor he has funded panies like TouristEye, Ducksboard and Jugo. Martin Varsavsky: He is very famous for inventing and promoting tech juggernaunts like Ta and jazztel. Recently he has fuended Fon-Martin that is an active investor for startups over the past decade[9]. With the help of Jazzya Investment he has supported more than 30 panies like Hootsuite, Meneame and Tumblr which was purchased by Yahoo for $1 billion in 2013. Juan Margenat: He is the co-founder of Marfeel, which is a based in Barcelona. He is also the advisor of Conector. Previously he founded Plan B and Weekendesk Iberia. He has also invested in Habitissimo and fintech darling Kantox. Top 10 Venture capital firms supporting new startups in Spain are as follows: Axon Partners group: Unlike most of the other Spanish venture capital firms is focuses on international market and has office in Spain, Colombia and India. In addition to funding the startups, it also gives consultancy services to panies in which it does not have a holding. In the year, 2010 Party Gaming was merged with this Venture capital firm[10]. Since 2013 it has funded 8 panies raising an   amount of euro 23.9 million. Cabiedes & Partners: It is one of the most famous VC firm in Spain, which have backed more than 40 panies within the country. It was founded in late 90s and is run by Cabiedes brothers. The firm has raised euro 30 million funds in 2014 and focuses on performance and key metrics[11]. It has entered into 17 deals since 2013 raising an amount of euro 25.2 million. Kibo Ventures: Telefonica chose it so that it can manage its Amerigo fund which aims at Latam and Spanish startups. It has entered into 16 number of deals since 2013 raising an amount of euro 24.7 million. It has its head quarter in Madrid and was founded in 2011 Nauta Capital: Like Axon, it also has an international base. It has offices in London and Barcelona. It backs panies, which is at its growth-stage[12]. It has   raised 100-150 million Euros in 2014 and invested in 30 startups within Spain, US and UK. Since 2013 it has entered into 7 deals raising a fund of 35 million euro.   Vitamin K: It is based in Madrid and invest in internet panies and technology which are at its early stage. It is run by Rafael Garrido and has funded at least 10 panies since it was founded. It has entered into 6 deals since 2013 raising an amount of 6.2 million euro. Active venture partner: Their policy is to invest 80% of its funds in Spanish startup and rest are allocated to European countries. It is one of the key funders of BuyVIP, the online shopping pany, which was purchased by Amazon in 2010 for $110 million[13]. It has entered into 4 deals since 2013 raising an amount of 14 million euro. Bosnai Venture capital: It is the oldest venture capital firm of Spain, which was founded in 1999. It invests in panies, which are at its early stage, and its portfolio has startups like Wallapop. It is one of the oldest funders of Idealista[14]. It has entered into 2 deals since 2013 raising a total fund of 3.87 million euro. Lanta Digital Ventures: Angel Garcia founded it in 2013, a very experienced entrepreneur who was previously the Chief finance Officer of a technology pany named Fractus that was the main developer of mobile phone. It has entered into 2 deals since 2013 raising a fund of 50k Euros. Seaya Ventures: Beatriz Gonzalez daughter of president of BBVA’S and Michael Kleindl founded it, which helps panies at their growth stages with an approximate investment of 10 million Euros[15]. It has entered into 5 deals since 2013 raising a fund of 23.4 million Euros. Caixa Capital Risc: It is the most active investment vehicle in Spain. Since 2011, it started funding technological panies and has a portfolio of almost 100 panies including La Caixa which was the most friendly startup banks in Spain. It has entered into 18 deals since 2013 raising an amount of 202 million Euros. Top 5 Private equity firm in Spain are as follows:   Magnum Partners: It manly focuses and invests in Iberian region. It targets all the middle level to upper middle level panies in Portugal and Spain. Portobello Capital: It is Spanish based private equity firms that invest in new ventures and startups, which have high growth aspects, but risk factor involved is very high. Mercapital Servicios: it supports the middle size panies in Spain by steering their process of internationalization[16]. It also invests in panies in Latin America who wants their development to speed up N+1: It supports the existing ventures that are willing to extend their market base and diversify in different sectors. They support panies who are setting up new units or expanding its exiting setup. MCH: It invests in panies who are willing to introduce new technology in the market. They not only provide funds to these panies but also give them expert advice relating to technological development.   https://www.linkedin /in/yago-arbeloa-2448623 https://es.linkedin /in/kobylanski https://www.linkedin /in/martinvarsavsky https://es.linkedin /in/juanmargenat Digital marketing, Online Advertising https://www.linkedin /in/jesusmonleon https://www.linkedin pany/axon-partners-group https://www.crunchbase /organization/cabiedes-partners https://www.crunchbase /organization/kibo-ventures www.nautacapital /news/nauta-iii www.webmd /vitamins-and-supplements/supplement-guide-vitamin-k www.bonsaiventurecapital /en/node/7 https://www.linkedin pany/caixa-capital-risc www.bloomberg /profiles/.../3407468Z:SM-mercapital-servicios-financieros-sl Storm water discharge, Scrape Recycling mch.aarogya /mch/what-is-mch/12-over-all-mch-and-health-sector-situation.html From the above discussion, it can be said that BA, VC and PE have changed the face of startup venture all over the world. In the recent year BA, VC and PE has grown at lot in Spain supporting new ventures and technologies, which involves high risk as well as high growth. It not only supports news startup panies with fund but also provide them technological and expert advices. Now a days, they are also involving in the management of new ventures which was previously not a tradition. Almost 10 BA, 10 VC and PE has been discussed in this report which gives an overview that this BA, VC and PE are focusing on every industry and giving financial and other assistant to panies who need support. Startup ventures, which previously used to struggle to enter into the market with new schemes and technology because of lack of fund are now a day’s supported by this BA, VC and PE with investment. This new ventures are now getting a platform to highlight their talent in the market. Their success and growth rate has also increased a lot during these years because of these BA, VC and PE.  Ã‚   Baldock, Robert, and David North. "The role of UK government hybrid venture capital funds in addressing the finance gap facing innovative SMEs in the post-2007 financial crisis era."  Research Handbook on Entrepreneurial Finance(2015): 125. Business, Small, and Tourism Branch. "ARCHIVED—Financing With Venture Capital: Advances in Knowledge Over the Last Ten Years and Research Avenues References." (2012). Cumming, Douglas J., and Sofia A. Johan.  Venture capital and private equity contracting: An international perspective. Academic Press, 2013. Demaria, Cyril.  Introduction to Private Equity: Venture, Growth, LBO and Turn-Around Capital. John Wiley & Sons, 2013. Dutta, Supradeep, and Timothy B. Folta. "A parison of the effect of angels and venture capitalists on innovation and value creation."  Journal of Business Venturing  31, no. 1 (2016): 39-54. Gregson, Geoff, Sacha Mann, and Richard Harrison. "Business angel syndication and the evolution of risk capital in a small market economy: evidence from Scotland."  Managerial and Decision Economics  34, no. 2 (2013): 95-107. Harrison, Richard. "Book Review: Venture Capital, Private Equity, and the Financing of Entrepreneurship."  International Small Business Journal  31, no. 7 (2013): 832-834. Hellmann, Thomas, and Veikko Thiele. "Friends or foes? The interrelationship between angel and venture capital markets."  Journal of Financial Economics115, no. 3 (2015): 639-653. Hisrich, Robert D., SaÃ… ¡a PetkoviĆ¡, Veland Ramadani, and Là ©o-Paul Dana. "Venture capital funds in transition countries: Insights from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Macedonia."  Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development  23, no. 2 (2016): 296-315. Lumme, Annareetta, Colin Mason, and Markku Suomi.  Informal venture capital: Investors, investments and policy issues in Finland. Springer Science & Business Media, 2013. Manigart, Sophie, and Mike Wright. "Reassessing the relationships between private equity investors and their portfolio panies."  Small Business Economics  40, no. 3 (2013): 479-492. Mason, Colin, and Yannis Pierrakis. "Venture capital, the regions and public policy: the United Kingdom since the post-2000 technology crash."  Regional Studies  47, no. 7 (2013): 1156-1171. Mason, Colin, ed.  Handbook of research on venture capital. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2012. Rosenbusch, Nina, Jan Brinckmann, and Verena Mà ¼ller. "Does acquiring venture capital pay off for the funded firms? A meta-analysis on the relationship between venture capital investment and funded firm financial performance."Journal of Business Venturing  28, no. 3 (2013): 335-353. Siepel, Josh. "Book review: Handbook of research on venture capital, volume 2: A globalizing industry."  International Small Business Journal  32, no. 4 (2014): 474-475. Vanacker, Tom, Veroniek Collewaert, and Ine Paeleman. "The relationship between slack resources and the performance of entrepreneurial firms: The role of venture capital and angel investors."  Journal of Management Studies  50, no. 6 (2013): 1070-1096.

Strategic Management-Case study Nike Research Paper

Strategic Management-Case study Nike - Research Paper Example The other factors entail the customers who are capable enough to compel firms to bring down its prices by triggering competition between the particular firm and its respective competitor. Suppliers can also restrict the profits of the firms by way of demanding higher prices. Fresh participants or competitors with new facilities and zeal to capture the market can escalate the investments for a firm in order to stay in the competition and compete with the fresh force. Lastly, alternate choices also negatively manipulate the profit of the firms as it can facilitate in taking away the customers of a particular firm by luring them with the alternate choices. Therefore, all these factors need to be evaluated while designing an effectual strategy of a firm. The evaluation would provide a complete understanding of the ways by which the profit can get affected in an industry (Porter, 2011). Firms should get a complete understanding of the mentioned forces and structure plans particularly to cut down on the profits that are being taken away by the other market contestants or competitors. Firms require taking heed of those forces and planning accordingly so as to continue its sustained existence. Firms should take steps to counterbalance the power of the suppliers by setting specifications for the procured materials so that it becomes easy for the firm to change vendors without affecting the operations as well as increasing the related costs. In order to reduce the effect of the powers of the customers, firms need to develop and spread out their services as well as products so that it can hold on to the customers from losing to its opponents. It is a common phenomenon for the opponents to alter its prices in order to capture the market. Owing to this reason firms need to manufacture products which should vary notably from the products of its competitors. Therefore, firms need to design strong

The future of US military intervention Research Paper

The future of US military intervention - Research Paper Example Whereas the United States policy makers were quick to launch these interventions, the results of such moves have offered invaluable lessons regarding future military interventions. This research paper seeks to analyze the future of U.S. military interventions in regard to past interventions in countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan. The case in point is the Malian case where at least three terror organizations are suspected to be operational in this North American state. However, the United States has been cautious in its move to send its military to this nation. What are some of the probable reasons that have triggered such an attitude? Will United States consider intervention in future humanitarian crisis in Mali as even the extremist Islamic terrorist organizations continue propagating acts of terror on Malian citizens and neighboring states? These are some of the major question that this research paper seeks to analyze. Background The last decade has seen the United States milita ry engaged in two major wars- the Iraq war and the Afghanistan war. Thousands of army personnel each year are sent across the seas to eliminate illegal terror groups or regimes that threaten the national security of the U.S. and the world in general. It is worth noting that these interventions have been a matter of necessity rather than desire to exercise superiority complex. For instance, the U.S. intervention in Iraq was necessitated by the fact that the Iraq leader, Sadaam Hussein, propagated all sorts of human abuses against its citizens as well as threatened the U.S. homeland security. On the other hand, the choice for President Bush’s government to send military in Afghanistan was necessitated by the terrorist attacks in American soil in 2001. Al-Qaeda, which is a terrorist organization harbored in Afghanistan, claimed responsibility for the attack that killed approximately 3000 people and left a trail of massive destruction behind1. Nearly 12 years ever since the first troops made their way to Afghanistan in the wake of the September 11 attacks, American has been left counting its losses. Over seven thousand lives have been lost and approximately $3 trillion spent. U.S. policymakers are now faced with a far different strategic reality than it did before the commencement of the war. Currently, the U.S. economy is comparatively weaker and there is mounting pressure to cut down on the budget spent in the military. Also, the military forces have significantly been worn out following constant deployment of the forces. As a result, the idea of sending additional ground forces overseas appears almost unthinkable even in cases where the course pursued is significantly justifiable2. According to the recent polls conducted and released by Gallup and the Council on Foreign Relations, the United States domestic support for military action has hit its lowest mark ever since the years following the Vietnam War. As all this developments and considerations are t aking place, the reality on the ground is that unstable regions around the globe-North Africa, the Middle East, and Central America are in dire need for U.S. support in terms of expertise, technical aspect and advisory. In vein of the above developments, the biggest question that remains in the mind of many Americans is whether United States will be willing to carry out further military interventions in countries such as Mali. It is almost

The compensation and benefit strategy of an organization Coursework

The compensation and benefit strategy of an organization - Coursework Example The research studies show that company managers are not focusing on these kinds of additional benefits for the employees. Compensation can include monetary and non-monetary terms. The additional component to basic salary includes health insurance, performance bonuses, retirement investment opportunities, awards, gold medals and many other benefits, which actually motivate employees and attract the potential capable people to become a part of the organization. These compensation packages actually help any organization to increase the job satisfaction level of the employees, to decrease the absenteeism rate of the employees and enhance organizational commitment towards the mutually shared goals. All of these ultimately help to achieve the main milestone of low employee turnover rate in the organization. Here we are taking the example of the famous pesticide Company Bayer. Bayer Crop Science is a multinational Company having its widespread operations in many countries including Asian countries. The strategy and policy making for the multinational companies is a little bit different from other companies. All the multinational companies have to make their policies and strategies in the way that they can be fit according to the norms and values of different cultures. For this purpose, they can go for a standard set of the policies and the strategies, which can help them to cop up with the problems. Another solution can be the flexibility in the decision making process and the strategy making so that they can be changed according to any specific geographical area or territory. Bayer Crop Science is working hard on the improvement of the compensation packages and other benefits plans. The Human resource managers at Bayer Crop Science truly know the importance of these compensation plans and their beneficial impacts on the employee’s

Epistemology of Jean Piaget Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Epistemology of Jean Piaget - Essay Example Piaget proposes that there are three types of knowledge: physical, social, and logical mathematical. According to Piaget, "Intelligence is an adaptationTo say that intelligence is a particular instance of biological adaptation is thus to suppose that it is essentially an organization and that its function is to structure the universe just as the organism structures its immediate environment". "Piaget also called his view constructivism, because he firmly believed that knowledge acquisition is a process of continuous self-construction. That is, Knowledge is not out there, external to the child and waiting to be discovered. But neither is it wholly performed within the child, ready to emerge as the child develops with the world surrounding her...Piaget believed that children actively approach their environments and acquire knowledge through their actions". Piaget declared that he is neither an innatist nor an empiricist. He believes that we always interpret according to our own structu re. Innatists believe that every individual is born with preexisting ideas present in the mind. Empiricists, on the other hand, believe that experience, especially of the senses, are the only sources of knowledge. Piaget argues that for empiricists, knowledge is a copy of objects. But actually, knowledge is always an assimilation or interpretation. In drawing a geometrical shape, the child does not draw what he sees, rather, he draws his idea of it - he draws what he knows of it. To look at it a clearer perspective, the child actually draws his interpretation of the object, and not the exact object itself. Asking a child to draw a diamond shape, showing the child a model of that shape, would give the child an idea of what you want him to do. He may see the diamond shape as a square with some points on it, so he may draw a square with a point in it or with a point beside it. In the light that Piaget believes knowledge is primarily operative, he points out that children who are in the concrete operations stage (seven to eleven years old), and in the formal operations stage (twelve years old and up) constructs their perception of the world through the cognitive development which results from the child's interaction with the environment. The interiorisation of this interaction then forms internal models of reality or "operational structures" which forms the basis of perception upon which the child acts. In the seriation demonstration, four children were asked to arrange a set of rods in order of length. Barbara is 3.5 years old, Renaud is 4 years old, Matthieu, 6.5 years old, and Catherine who is 9 years old. Among the four children, Catherine mastered the seriation structure as she can comprehend the processes of relating, corresponding, ordinal estimation, measurement, and classification. Catherine is at the age wherein she has mastered the nature of coordination. Barbara, on the other hand, being the youngest in the group, at 3.5 years old, she in the stage wherein she is motivated by biological and social impulses, also she has no sense of obligation to rules. She is the one with the poorest seriation structure among the group. Renaud is a few months older than Barbara, and similar results are expected from him regarding the seriation process, but better, as he is more

Video from TED Talks Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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Contrast leadership and power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Guillermos Furniture Store Scenario Essay Example for Free

Guillermos Furniture Store Scenario Essay Financial principles, financial markets, and business ethics construct a major infrastructure for financial decisions that all managers or supervisors must make on a constant basis. The purpose of this paper is to explain the financial concepts found in this week’s readings and how these concepts relate to the Guillermo’s Furniture Store Scenario. According to the text reading, â€Å"the principles of finance, described in this section and the two that follow, are based on logical deduction and on empirical observation† (Chapter 2, p. 20). Until the late 1990s, Guillermo’s Furniture Store retained its competitive advantage in the furniture market. The arrival of a new overseas competitor entering the furniture market, decreased furniture prices, and increased labor costs posed as a new challenge for the organization (University of Phoenix, 2009). For several years, Guillermo’s Furniture Store dominated the furniture manufacturing market with the ideal supply of timber to create a variation of types of furniture. As a result, the owner did not know how to forecast the new challenges that faced the company. As the new competition starts to enter the furniture market, these competitors have developed an advanced technology that produces a more customized product to meet consumer demand. With labor costs rising, Guillermo did not realize these changes and how this would affect his current business. Guillermo’s Furniture Store will need to consider the principle of self-interested behavior to help minimize the risks associated with the changes in the furniture business to meet customer expectations. The concept of the principle of self-interested behavior basically implies that with a level playing field in the furniture business meaning all aspects of the business equals one another, then Guillermo will need to act or perform in the best financial interest of his own company. One option for Guillermo’s Furniture Store would be to purchase a high-tech laser lather operating equipment for manufacturing the product. This would be an example of the principle of self-interested behavior as it is an important corollary of this principle (Emery, Finnerty, Stowe, 2007). This action will create a more desirable competing action for the benefit of his organization. Guillermo could also consider becoming a furniture manufacturer for a Norway company by facilitating all distributing pathways and this behavior is an example of the principle of valuable ideas. Emery, Finnerty Stowe state, â€Å"new products or services can create value, so if you have a new idea, you might then transform it into extraordinary positive value for yourself† (Chapter 2, p. 24). This type of behavior is clear if the owner decides to patent the current process for coating the furniture as it creates new ideas. Guillermo will need to consider ways to create value by developing exceptional customer service with the creation of better products and services at the lowest possible price without sacrificing the quality of the product or service. The competition is fierce overseas as a direct result of inexpensive parts and labor. The furniture store will have to create the lowest and best quality product to meet consumer demands. Guillermo will need to meet the competition with its market presence by focusing on remaining competitive with the patent process. In order to make a strategic decision on which process will be best for the furniture store, Guillermo will need to take a closer look at the financial statements to make the financial decision. Strategic analysis of financial transaction is one of the most vital facets of an organization with regard to important business decisions. This type of analysis assists any business owner or manager in deciding which type of alternative or plan would be most beneficial to the company. These decisions should also consider the impact on the market and the competition as well as the organization. Guillermo will need to discover the financial impact of either choice mentioned above to make the best decision. Reference Emery, D. R., Finnerty, J. D., Stowe, J. D. (2007). Corporate Financial Management (3rd ed). Chapter 2: The Financial Environment: Concepts and Principles. Prentice Hall, Inc: A Pearson Education Company. University of Phoenix. Guillermo’s Furniture Store Data. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, Corporate Finance-FIN571 website. University of Phoenix (2012). Guillermo’s Furniture Store Scenario. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, Corporate Finance-FIN571 website

Steganography: Uses, Methods, Tools and Examples

Steganography: Uses, Methods, Tools and Examples Steganography by Mohammed Almintakh ABSTRACT This paper talks about steganography, steganography is the art or hiding data within a medium without letting others to know about that data is exsisting. I will go through an introduction about it , then explaining the background of it and more information about the uses of this technique , and how organization use it in their own good. This topic surprisingly is new for most of people who read its name , ill try to simplify the idea of this approach as much as possible. 1. Introduction Steganography is the art of hiding a message. The purpose of steganography is to hide a message from a someone you don’t want to see it. It is different than cryptography, the art of secret writing, which is intended to make a message cannot be read , but does not hide the existence of the secret communication. Although steganography differs from cryptography, there are many analogies between the two, and some authors classify steganography as a form of cryptography since hidden communication is a type of secret writing. Steganography works by changing bits of useless or bot used  data in regular computer  files  (such as graphics, sound, text,  HTML) with bits of different, invisible information. This hidden information can be  plain text,  cipher text, or even images. 2. Steganography Background: Information hiding is related to two fields, Steganography and watermarking. There are three main aspects for information hiding, capacity, security, and robustness. Capacity means the amount of information that can be hidden, security refers to the unability of an eavesdropper to detect hidden information, and robustness to the amount of modification the cover medium can resist before the hidden information is corrupted. In general, information hiding goes through these processes: 1. Identification of redundant bits in a cover medium. Redundant bits are those bits that can be edited without taking care of the quality of the cover medium. 2. Then, we select a subset of the redundant bits to be replaced with data from a private message. The stage medium is created by replacing the selected redundant bits with message bits. The modification of redundant bits can change the statistical properties of the cover medium. As a result, statistical analysis may reveal the hidden content. 3. Uses of Steganography Steganography means of storing data in a way that it hides the existence of them. Steganography used to carry out hidden exchanges .For example, Governments are interested in two types of communication of hidden data: first, which supports national security and second, which does not. Steganography support both types, also business have similar concerns, about trade secrets for new technologies or products information. Of course, using steganography to communicate greatly reduces the risk of information leakage. Businesses takes advantage of another form of steganography, called watermarking. Watermarking is mainly used to identify and entails hidden unique part of information within a medium without touching the medium. For example , let’s say that I have design an image , with that image , I have embedded a watermark that identifies me as the one who created this image, later on , when this image is spread with people , I can later identify myself as the creator and I can of course prove that I am the owner of this. This approach is used by companies for the copyrighted digital media a lot for the purpose of protection. Also, steganography enhances the privacy individually, although it is not a substitute for encryption, of course this is effective only if the hidden embedded information is not detected. If the communication is almost never exists, this will becomes so private to be caught. Like many tools, steganography: 1. Steganography can be a way which makes it possible to send news and information without being censored and without the fear of the messages being intercepted and traced back to us. 2. It is also possible to simply use steganography to store information on a location. For example, several information sources like our private banking information, some military secrets, can be stored in a cover source. When we are required to unhide the secret information in our cover source, we can easily reveal our banking data and it will be impossible to prove the existence of the military secrets inside. 3. Steganography can also be used to implement watermarking. Although the concept of watermarking is not necessarily steganography, there are several steganography techniques that are being used to store watermarks in data. The main difference is on intent, while the purpose of steganography is hiding information, watermarking is merely extending the cover source with extra information. Since people will not accept noticeable changes in images, audio or video files because of a watermark, steganography methods can be used to hide this. 4- Steganographic Methods: The formula below describes the process of steganography as discussed above: cover_medium + hidden_data + stego_key = stego_medium The explanation of this formula is, The cover medium refers to the file that we are going to put our information on it. Hidden data obviously is the data we want to keep secret. An encryption advanced which is a choice for us. The result shall be a stego medium , which is the same file as the cover medium. The easiest way to hide the data in an image , is called LSB(least significant bit) insertion. Figure 1: shows a common taxonomy of steganographic techniques. 5. Steganography Tools: A  steganography  software tools allows a user to attach hidden data in a carrier file, such as an image or video, and sometimes it could be an audio , and later take off that data. It is not necessary to hide the message in the original file at all. Thus, it is not necessary to edit the original file and thus, it is hard to detect nothing. If a given part of the message is subjected to successive bitwise manipulation to generate the cyphertext, then there is no evidence in the original file to show that it is being used by a third party. to encrypt a file. An example of this method is described in a self-published science fiction novel. In that example a file is encrypted using a 1949 photo from a digital archive of National Geographic magazine. 6. Steganography Example: There are software that preform steganography, some of well knows programs are : Hide4PGP (http://www.heinz-repp.onlinehome.de/Hide4PGP.htm) MP3Stego (http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~fapp2/steganography/mp3stego/) Stash (http://www.smalleranimals.com/stash.htm) Steganos (http://www.steganos.com/english/steganos/download.htm) S-Tools (available fromhttp://www.webattack.com/download/dlstools.shtml) 7- Describing a tool of Steganography and how it works: Take a look on this picture Figure 2: Stego picture This picture looks ok , nothing suspicious , nothing wrong with it , but in reality it has a hidden message. If you use a software tool to analyze the pictures , this result will come up: Figure 3: QuickStego program Basically , this technique is done by these steps below : Figure 4: Steganography process 8- Deep knowledge of Steganography: Steganography comes from the Greek words for â€Å"covered writing†.It is the practice of disguising the existence of a message.Generally, innocent looking carriers, e.g., pictures, audio, video, text, etc. that hold the hidden information The combination of hidden data-plus-cover is known as the stego-object Stegokey An additional piece of information, such as a password or mathematical variable, required to embed the secret information Typical Scenario Sender Sender Hides Secret Message In a Cover Using a Stegokey Transmitted Carrier Appears Innocuous Receiver Decodes Secret Message by Removing the Cover Using the Stegokey Receiver Reads Secret Message 9.Steganography and Security As noted above , steganography is an effective and efficient way of hiding data, it is just protecting the data from the unauthorized or unwanted interception. But stego is merely one of many methods to defend the confidentiality of data. It is probably the best used in integration with another data-hiding method. When used in collection, these ways can all be a part of a layered security mechanism. Some good complementary methods include: Encryption-  Encryption  is the operation of crossing data or plaintext through a series of mathematical processes that generate an alternate form of the original text known as ciphertext. The encrypted text can only be read by one who have been given the proper key to decrypt the ciphertext back into its original plaintext form. Encryption doesnt hide data, but it does make it difficult to read! Hidden directories (Windows)- Windows provides this feature, which allows users to hide files. Using this mechanism is as easy as changing the characteristics of a directory to hidden, and hoping that no one can view all types of files in their explorer. Hiding directories (Unix)- in current directories that have a lot of files, such as in the /dev directory on a Unix implementation, or making a directory that starts with three dots () versus the normal single or double dot. Covert channels- Some tools can be used to transfer important data in seemingly normal network traffic. One such tool that does that is Loki. Loki is a tool that hides data in ICMP traffic (like ping). 10.  Steganography vs. Encryption The goal of steganography is to not keep others know the hidden information, of cource , to keep others from thinking that the information even exist.if a method of steganography causes someone to suspect the medium which carries the data , then the method has failed. Encryption and Steganography achieve separate goals, encryption is changing the meaning of the message so it cannot be read, steganography does not change the meaning or change the data to make it unusable or unintended, rather, it prevents the third party from suspecting that there is a communication or data even exists. For these people who want to reach ultimate in security or privacy , can combine both approaches , encryption and steganography. Encrypted data is difficult to be differentiate from normal occurring phenomena than a normal plain text (which is a raw text) in the medium, there are several steganography tools that can encrypt data before hiding them in a chosen medium. Steganography should not be confused with encryption .Encryption disguises the content of a message. The existence of the message is usually obvious.Steganography disguises the existence of the message .However, additional security can be obtained if steganography is combined with encryption. 11. Steganalysis and its techniques: Steganalysis , is the counter measure of steganography, is the art of detecting that there is a steganography exists , or a decoded data within a medium. There are two main major tools in Steganalysis, information theory and statistical analysis. Mainly , this reveals clearly the tremendous potential for hidden information in the interner data of course as long as a set of data can be compressed to smaller sizes.there should be a space for hidden data within the medium. Steganalysis can be classified in a similar way as cryptanalysis methods, largely based on how much prior information is known : Steganography-only attack: The steganography medium is the only item available for analysis. Known-carrier attack: The carrier and steganography media are both available for analysis. Known-message attack: The hidden message is known. Chosen-steganography attack: The steganography medium and algorithm are both known. Chosen-message attack: A known message and steganography algorithm are used to create steganography media for future analysis and comparison. Known-steganography attack: The carrier and steganography medium, as well as the steganography algorithm, are known. 12. Method of Steganography: A lot of methods are available for digital Steganography. But exploiting the lenient constraints of a file formats is the most famous one. There are a lot of softwares that uses this technique. a- Image as carriers: One of the ways to hide data is using images , which is a good method. The difficulty to reveal the data hidden increases with the detailed in an image, and that makes it harder to guess or to suspect that image. JPHIDE/JPSeek is a package that uses the coefficients to hide the information. (http://linux01.gwdg.de/~alatham/stego.html). There was a new method of that , that embeds data in visually insignificant parts of an image. These both methods modify the image. The user however can explore image degradation with different messages and images of different length. Another way is for GIF images, is to modify an image’s palette for hiding its data. Gifshuffle, which is a tool , that doesn’t modify the image itself, in any visible way. It permutes a GIF image’s color map, that will leave the original image completely intact. b- Audio File Carriers: A lot of packages also available for embedding and hiding data in the audio files. One of the tools for audio file hiding stego is the MP3Stego,which does not only hide information effectively , of cource arbitrary, rather also claims to be partly strong method of watermarking the targeted MP3 audio files. The WAV formal , which stands for Wavaform Audio File Format, is a Microsoft audio format which mainly windows depends on, however, this format lets users hide data using StegoWave or Steghide (http://www.radiusnet.net/crypto/steanography/Java/stegowav.zip) (http://steghide.sourceforge.net/). These sites refer to both programs in order. Steghide modifies the LSB of data to be transmit in the carrier medium. Using an audio file as a medium is less popular than using an image as a steganography medium. c- Data Ordering: The data ordering which does not have ordering constrains, is usually a very good method of steganography. Each change of a group of objects could be pointed to a positive integer. pointing can then be used to encode the hidden data by modifying the sequence of objects that are not considered in ordered by the carrier medium. While this technique mainly, does not change the information quality, the data which are hidden can of course easily get lost if the medium is encoded again. For example, if we have a GIF which its color map consist of hidden data, we could then open the GIF in our favorite graphics-editing tool package that will be used , and save it again. Visually, the result will be both identical , from the original file to the second file, but the ordering of the color map may have been lost. 13. Limitations: Steganography is limited just like that encryption is, if bob wants to send an image with a hidden message to alice , he have to first agree secretly with alice on a way of steganography. Underneath the encryption model , alice can be fairly sure when she has got some ciphertext. Let us have a scenario about alice ,when she wants to borrow bobs camera and neglects to tell him to be careful for every 73rd byte in the images she sends him.Bobs will be ignorant of Alice’s steganography efforts. The chanses that bob will let alice borrow his digital camera will decrease the large number of pictures he will receive from her.The amount of data that could be effectively hidden in a medium is heading to be limited by the size of the medium itselt. The less limitations that exist on the integrity of the medium, the more potential it has for hiding data. 14. Conclution I have briefly explained and defined steganography , which is in my opinion an effective tool to do so many things regarding security or reliability in any field of communication .what I mean that , this technique can be used in any section in real life, military , businesess, educational , governments and more.Also , I have shown varous tools and how they function well. 15- References: 1- Artz, D. (2001). Digital steganography: Hiding data within data. IEEE Internet Computing, 75-80. 2- Provos, N., Honeyman, P. (2012). Detecting Steganographic Content on the Internet. 3- Classification of Hiding Techniques Ref: F.A.P. Petitcolas, R.J. Anderson, and M.G. Kuhn, â€Å"Information Hiding A Survey,† in Proc. Of the IEEE , vol. 87, No. 7, July 1999, pg. 1063 Kessler, G. (2001, September 11). Steganography: Hiding Data Within Data. Retrieved December 6, 2014, from http://www.garykessler.net/library/steganography.htmlhttp://www.garykessler.net/library/fsc_stego.html Kessler, G. (2004, February 2). An Overview of Steganography for the Computer Forensics Examiner. Retrieved December 6, 2014, from http://www.garykessler.net/library/fsc_stego.html http://www.symantec.com/connect/articles/steganography-revealed http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steganography#Network http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/steganography.html http://quickcrypto.com/free-steganography-software.htm

Comparing Destruction in Rocking Horse Winner and Scarlet Ibis :: comparison compare contrast essays

Seeds of Destruction in Rocking Horse Winner and Scarlet Ibis Family relationships can, in many cases, bear the "seeds of destruction" that lead to the downfall of other family members. This is evident in Paul's relationship with his mother in "The Rocking Horse Winner" by D. H. Lawrence, and in Doodle's relationship with his brother in the short story "The Scarlet Ibis" by James Hurst. Both Paul and Doodle are controlled by a relationship within their family that pushes them too hard, causing their deaths. Doodle is controlled by his brother with fear on several separate occasions. When they were younger, Brother took Doodle into the barn loft and showed him the coffin they had made, expecting him to die as a baby. Doodle becomes extremely frightened, and doesn't want to touch the coffin. Brother makes him touch it, by threatening to leave him alone if he doesn't. In response to the threat, Doodle cries, "Don't leave me, Brother," (p 3) and touching the casket, screams. Brother uses fear to control his younger brother, forcing him to do cruel things. In the other story, Paul also is controlled in family relationships. His mother puts great strain on him by being financially irresponsible, and living beyond their means. Paul feels the strain, and is influenced by it to take the pressure away. Also, Paul's mother did not love him. This is a controlling factor because he works extra hard to gain her love. The family relationships with both Doodle and Paul also push them beyond their limits. Doodle is forced to learn to walk through Brother's determination. "Shut up, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm going to teach you to walk," his brother has said before heaving him up to try again. Brother's pride pushes Doodle to be like the other children, causing them to set unattainable goals of rowing, climbing, and swimming. Doodle is stretched to exhaustion through these exertions.

New Age Voting :: Voting Government Essays

New Age Voting The government of the United States of America is founded upon the Constitution, written by our forefathers to create a working democracy incapable of transforming into a monarchy. Basic human rights were established, and power, although little, was given to each individual. The power given to the people can also be referred to as a voice, and in the election system we use, we call this voice a vote. This country fought for and gained its independence from injustices placed upon our ancestors’ lives. Our leaders made sure that these injustices would not occur again, and that by speaking out, by voting, the people could be appeased in the best way possible. Why is it that so many young adults between the ages of 18 and 29, those who apparently have so much to complain about, aren’t using their voices? As a whole, only about half of the population eligible to vote does so. In the election of our forty-third president, fifty one percent of those eligible voted. The young adult age group, 18-29, makes up the smallest part of that group. Seventeen percent of eligible voters between this age group voted (Lewis). In the latest presidential election, 30 million 18-30 year olds did not vote (Anthony, Skaags). Only a small percentage of voters came out of this age group-the smallest; however, it is not uncommon to see members of the group participating in protests or other complaint oriented activities with the intent of making change. Change is able to come easier than most people think. We have a say in everything we do. That â€Å"say† does not always come from our lips; it comes from the ballot. This is important because the government plays an integral role in everything we do. It may not seem like it, and directly, it really isn’t that important to the little everyday things we do, but indirectly, we encounter it all the time. That extra weekend spending money: tax returns. The helpful financial boost that allowed you to open your own small business: government loans. The money needed for important schooling or research: grants. The government also gives back to us by attempting to improve the economy, creating more jobs for the unemployed, and creating programs for general interest.

East vs West :: Comparative, Rukmani and Kenny

In Nectar in a Sieve, Rukmani and Kenny highlight the differences in the two cultures, showing how the two cultures have different standards for relationships and how Westerners try to change suffering and poverty while Easterners accept it. As Rukmani points out to Kenny, â€Å"Have I not so much sense to see that you are not one of us? You live and work here†¦ but this is not your country† (Markandaya 106). Kenny and Rukmani are friends, but their different values on subservience in relationships and suffering cause them to butt heads during most of their conversations. Rukmani and Kenny’s conversations show how Easterners value respect and reverence, while Westerners put and emphasis on equality. After Kenny helps her conceive, Rukmani bends down to kiss Kenny’s feet, thinking she is showing respect. Kenny doesn’t like it: â€Å"He withdrew [his feet] quickly and told me to get up. ‘I am not your benefactor’† (Markandaya 32). Similarly, Rukmani is hesitant to ask about Kenny’s family because it is personal: â€Å"Of himself he did not speak†¦ I held my tongue, for I felt to ask would be to offend him† (Markandaya 33). Both of these events show how the two cultures misunderstand each other. Kenny doesn’t like when Rukmani kisses his shoes because he doesn’t feel above her, but she is just trying to be nice. And Rukmani doesn’t understand what will and won’t offend Kenny because her culture doesn’t encourage asking personal questions. Their conversations show more deeply how each culture views marital relationships. Rukmani only sees Kenny for her fertility problems when her husband won’t find out; she believes he will be angry (Markandaya 21). She also only takes Ira to Kenny when her husband leaves town: â€Å"I (Rukmani) waited all day [to see you]. My husband will be back soon and the I cannot come† (Markandaya 59). Though she subverts it, Rukmani is limited by her belief she cannot disobey her husband. Instead, since she doesn’t ask his permission, she can’t break his rules. Kenny scorns this, saying, â€Å"You people will never learn. It is pitiful to see your foolishness† (Markandaya 59). In Kenny’s country, women have rights. They can even divorce their husbands, as Kenny’s wife does. Rukmani fails to understand how this woman can leave her husband and wonders if it’s Kenny’s long absences. They discuss women’s role, Rukmani says, â₠¬Å"A woman’s place is with her husband† Kenny replies, â€Å"You simplify everything†¦ Your views are so limited it is impossible to explain to you† (Markandaya 106).

Poetry Questions Essay

In Ralph Waldo Emerson’s work, â€Å"Nature†, the speaker forces the reader to analyze their core beliefs and values. The speaker asks, â€Å"why should we grope among the dry bones of the past, or put the living generation into masquerade out of its faded wardrobe? The sun shines today also†. By asking this simple question, the speaker is essentially asking the audience why they should accept the beliefs and traditions handed down to them through their ancestors instead of creating their own. This question is furthered when the speaker states, â€Å"There are new lands, new men, new thoughts. Let us demand our own works and laws and worship†. The speaker is making a call to his readers for a change in society. Rather than blindly accept the laws and beliefs from long gone ancestors, the speaker is challenging his audience to be independent thinkers, and follow their own path of discovery, rather than continue to be force fed hundred year old traditions. In the poem, â€Å"Apparently With No Surprise†, the speaker is admiring a flower and suddenly it dies. Through the language in the poem, it seems as though the speaker is questioning whether God oversees life and death within nature. In this poem, nature is portrayed as a brutal assassin, taking the life from an innocent and blooming flower. The Frost is named the murderer, but the speaker says that it has done so in â€Å"accidental power† while at play. The speaker proceeds to question whether there is a God that controls nature’s violent tendancies. In the last few lines of the poem, the speaker answers her own questions, by noting that God is approving of nature’s order, which is reflected in the line that reads, â€Å"The Sun proceeds unmoved to measure off another Day for an Approving God†. The tone of the poem suggests that the speaker things that God is just as malevolent as nature for allowing nature to take its course. 3. The most important characteristic of the landscape in â€Å"Desert Places† is the snow. Frost notes that the ground is â€Å"almost covered smooth in snow†, which gives the reader a sense of coldness and expansive nothingness in an environment that is typically warm and inviting. It seems as though Frost is comparing this desert to himself. By stating that the desert is a â€Å"blanker whiteness of benighted snow with no expression†, Frost gives the reader a sense of emptiness that not only is a characteristic of the snow, but also of how empty and emotionless he feels. Frost ties together the desert and his own emotions in the last few lines of the poem. Frost ties the description of a vast and barren desert with the feelings of emptiness and lack of emotion that he feels about his own life. By ending the poem with the line, â€Å"to scare myself with my own desert places†, Frost displays his fear at his absolute lack of emotion and emptiness. â€Å"Kitchenette Building† uses many terms to explain how life in this urban society feels. Gwendolyn Brooks uses the term â€Å"involuntary plan† to describe the situation that the black speaker is currently in. The â€Å"involuntary plan† describes shady real estate deals that created small, cramped apartments for black tenants from what were previously spacious apartments in white neighborhoods. The speaker is showing the reader how the slum lords have exploited the black tenants in this urban society. The speaker makes reference to the â€Å"garbage ripening in the hall†, which is another way in which the exploitation of the black tenant is made apparent – the simple maintenance of disposing of the trash is ignored by these shady landlords. The speaker also notes that â€Å"we wonder. But not well! Not for a minute!†, which indicates that she doesn’t have the time or the energy to meditate on the problem of exploitation, or any wa y to attempt to change it. As soon as the fifth member of the family emerges from the bathroom, her thoughts shift to more practical things, such as a warm bath. 5. In Allen Ginsberg’s work, â€Å"Howl†, he makes reference to Moloch in an attempt to criticize the society of 1950s America. Moloch refers to a biblical idol to which sacrifices of children were brought. By comparing 1950s American society to this bloodthirsty idol, Ginsberg is painting a clear picture of his view of the era that America had entered into at that time. Ginsberg paints prisons, apartments, and industries as all that is evil with society with the line that reads, â€Å"Moloch! Moloch! Robot apartments! invisible suburbs! skeleton treasuries! blind capitals! Demonic industries!†   Ginsberg is making the point that with the new industrialization of society, the forgotten artists, musicians, and creative thoughts are forgotten, and even given a negative connotation. Ginsberg makes it clear that he believes that the industry with their factories and warehouses only create more of a diversion from the artistic world of colors and music. This point is made though the line that reads, â€Å"Moloch whose factories dream and croak in the fog! Moloch whose smokestacks and antennae crown the cities!† As an artist himself, Ginsberg is forcing society to recognize the apparent evils of the industrialization of his society.6. In Sarah Orne Jewett’s work, â€Å"A White Heron†, the main character, Sylvia is a young girl, who has a love for animals. She is befriended by a hunter, who is tracking a white heron that he intends to kill and add to his collection of stuffed birds. Sylvia perches in a giant pine tree very early in the morning, searching for the heron to make her new friend happy. Sylvia finds the bird nested on a branch not far from where she sits. The bird flies away and Sylvia runs home to tell the hunter where the bird is. Upon returning to her house, however, she has a change of heart and realizes that she cannot tell the hunter where the heron has gone. Though Sylvia obviously has a crush on the hunter, she allows him to go on his way without giving him the location of the heron. Though she is only a child, Sylvia has made a very adult-like choice by electing to save the life of the white heron, and not allowing herself to be coerced into confessing the bird’s whereabouts to the attractive man. Even though the hunter offered Sylvia a $10.00 reward for helping him find the heron, she still chooses to keep silent about the heron’s location. Sylvia realizes that she values life more than any reward she could receive. In William Cullen Bryant’s work, â€Å"To A Waterfowl†, the speaker views a bird in flight and seems to feel an almost spiritual connection with the bird. The speaker admires the bird’s ability to continue on its way, day or night, even with the threat of being hunted by man. The speaker says that, â€Å"All day thy wings have fann’d at that far height, the cold thin atmosphere: Yet stoop not, weary, to the welcome land, though the dark night is near†. In this line, that speaker is almost admiring the bird’s dedication to continuing on its path until it reaches its destination, without stopping because it is tired. This gives the speaker a sense of pushing forward even when things seem hard or one is weary. The speaker watches the bird and imagines it reaching its destination and finding a â€Å"summer home, and rest†, which is the bird’s reward for its dedication. The bird disappears into the sky, and the speaker feels that the bird has been cared for by God. This thought makes the speaker realize that if God can care and provide for a bird, God can certainly guide the path of the speaker.

Modernism in “A passage to India”

Modernism refers to a classification of literature that was written between 1914 and 1965.   E. M. Forster's A Passage to India was published in 1924, placing it in the early years of the Modernist Period as well as within the Georgian Age (Harmon 597).   In art and literature, Modernism paralleled the rise of industrial technology and advances in science. In music, atonalism – that is, music which deliberately avoids key centers and is often dissonant – was produced by composers such as Arnold Schoenberg. Visual art found expression in cubism. Theories by Sigmund Freud also had a powerful influence on this movement. In literature, the Modernistic writing style is characterized by breaking with tradition.   It is inner-self oriented, and that inner-self is often explored using a stream of consciousness manner.   Modernism rejects traditional values and assumptions.   The individual takes pride of place while the social and outward are cast aside.   Some scholars see Modernism as a reaction to the practical and systematic sensibilities of Realism and Naturalism (Harmon 326). Not surprisingly, the Modern Era was also when Existentialism came into prominence – a related philosophy in which human beings are expected to create their own meaning for existence.   Forster's â€Å"Oriental-leaning† characters in this novel provide examples of a Modernistic mindset contrasting with the traditional English Imperialist mindset provided by other characters. Forster uses the symbol of water to represent the idea of renewal in the â€Å"Temple† chapter. There is an event in which the Hindus are â€Å"preparing to throw God away† (Forster 308), and part of the ceremony involves a replica of the village of Gokul that is placed on a tray and is to perish.   Meanwhile, the British and others are in boats out in the water, observing the festivities, and the boats collide, expelling the passengers.   The symbolic village perishes so that it can be renewed, and is representative of the renewal of mindsets of some of the passengers in the boats. Aziz in particular in the latter portion of the â€Å"Temple† section, exhibits several examples of stream of consciousness thinking.   In one instance Fielding asks Aziz to meet with Stella and Ralph, and Aziz does not reply.   Instead, the reader is allowed into his thoughts, which are not linear but circular, and is one example of how a human mind jumps around from topic to feeling to emotion and back (Forster 314). Because Forster is examining traditional values through a Modernistic lens in this novel, material detail is much less important than what the characters are thinking.   The action in this story is in each character's mind, and how they grapple with new ideas concerning culture, religion, and morality. Professor Godbole and Mrs. Moore express their inner character and the workings of their minds in an â€Å"Oriental† manner, embodied in the Hindu sensibility.   Mrs. Moore, although a Christian, is accepted into Oriental culture, and she clashes with Heaslop prior to Aziz's trial.   Heaslop does not understand his mother because he does not recognize her spirituality, and he sides with the English Imperialist mindset against Aziz, the Oriental.   Mrs. Moore will have no part in helping her son succeed to the detriment of an Oriental.   She ultimately leaves India and the trial (Forster 201). In A Passage to India, Forster uses Modernism to explore the inclusive attitude of the â€Å"Oriental† and how diverse people make their passages in coming to terms with this sensibility.   Forster makes use of a Modernistic approach to help him tell a story with great depth, complexity and surprise. Works Cited Forster, E. M.   A Passage to India.   New York:   Harcourt, 1924. Harmon, William and C. High Holman.   A Handbook to Literature. 7th ed.   Upper Saddle River, New Jersey:   Prentice Hall, 1996.   

Essay on Journeys Essay

A journey is a path of hardship which leads an individual to accept the past and move towards the future. This concept is embodied through the play ‘Away’, by Michael Gow, which explores the spiritual journey of characters through the transition of a physical journey. This idea of a physical journey provoking a spiritual change is portrayed through the poem ‘I wandered lonely as a cloud’ by William Wordsworth and â€Å"Running out of time† by anonymous. Each respective composer conveys their interpretation of journeys, evident through Gow’s characters of Coral and Tom, introducing the theme of acceptance. A journey is a process which allows an individual to experience hardships and difficulties, leading to the theme of acceptance. This theme has been demonstrated through the character of Coral, the mother of a fallen son in war, resulting in her depression and isolation. The events experienced through Corals physical and inner journey is therapeutic by which her understanding of acceptance is shaped. Corals inner journey is evidently overcome in Act 5, scene 1, which reveals Corals renounced sense of understanding and acceptance as she, â€Å"Lifts out a handful of shells† (Page 56). The significance is placed on Coral physically letting go of the sea shells. This action symbolises her ability to ‘let go’ of the skeletons of her past, representing her deceased son. Gow also utilises the symbolism of shells to demonstrate the significance of acceptance towards an individual’s wellbeing. This connotes to the idea of change and allows the audience to understand Corals experiences of struggle and strength to accept the past. The idea of acceptance and moving on is further portrayed when Coral and Roy leave the shells behind them. The perception of change is further reinforced through the following stage direction in Act 5, scene 1, and â€Å"Coral comes in carrying her hat upside down† (Page 65). Corals hat being flipped conveys how there is no need for disguising herself from the world anymore, depicting the composer’s purpose of illustrating the inner journey undertaken by the experiences of Coral. Contrastingly, the idea of self-acceptance is often challenged when an individual embarks on a journey, clearly evident throughout the poem, â€Å"I wandered lonely as a cloud†, by William Wordsworth. Through this physical ourney, an inner journey of self-isolation is apparent. The persona’s failure to move on from his solitude is reflected through his inner thoughts and perceptions, evident through who perceives, â€Å"A crowd/ a host of golden daffodils†. Wordsworth personifies a crowd of people to that of daffodils to create a sense of curiosity and interest within the reader. The poet further communicates the persona’s solitude through the lines, â€Å"I wandered lonely as a cloud†. This simile is emphasized through the use of repetition in the title and the first line, to identify the personas lonely nature which highlights both his physical and inner journey. Towards the end of the poem, the personas earlier solitude is now blissful solitudness. Correspondently, the play ‘Away’ by Gow highlights how each character undergoes a journey of self-discovery, hardship, bonding and overcoming the dealings of reality. The inner journey of Corals solitude and depression creates a connection with the persona in the poem, â€Å"I wandered lonely as a cloud†, allowing both composers to effectively portray similar ideas involving concepts of journeys. The concept of journeys can be portrayed when a individual fails to accept the past and move on. Ideas of acceptance are reinforced through the character of Tom in the dramatic play ‘Away’. Tom is a 14 year-old school boy who struggles with his inner journey, as he finds it difficult to accept the fact that he has terminal cancer, he does not have long to live. By Tom covering up his illness and isolating himself from others, it is immediately evident that he does not accept his current situation. As the play progresses however, the theme of acceptance begins to unfold. Tom finally realises the reality of his illness and through the help of Meg, accepts his current situation. His acceptance is clearly demonstrated in Act 3, scene 5 where, after the storm, Tom wears a Hawaiian shirt at the beach, â€Å"Tom is wearing board shorts and a Hawaiian shirt† (Page 41). This stage direction symbolises a new beginning of change for Tom and his parents. Through Tom wearing a ‘colourful’ shirt on the beach, it is evident that he is finally overcoming his barrier of fear and isolation. The imagery of colours conveys that the storm has passed and things have gotten brighter and better. Through costume and colour, it is undeniable that acceptance is formed. This allows the audience to effectively identify a change in Tom’s journey of acceptance. The composer’s purpose of conveying the theme of acceptance is shaped through the character of Tom. The inner thoughts and perceptions of an individual begin to unfold when the theme of acceptance is evident. The concept of acceptance is evident throughout the poem, â€Å"Running out of time† composed by anonymous. The composer demonstrates towards the reader, the persona’s inability to move on and accept current situations, reinforced in the following line, â€Å"While still more and more pain inside†. The composer utilises repetition to further highlight and suggest that the persona is attempting to mask his depression and melancholy attitude.. Through this, it is clear that the persona is undergoing some form of an inner journey of self-isolation. The persona’s inner journey is further depicted through the gloomy tone created by the composer. Keep hiding behind the smile, pretending to be happy†. The use of the depressing tone symbolises the way Tom is not accepting the dealings of reality and that he is going to die. Tom is disguising himself and hiding away the truth from others, further relating back to how the persona is covering up his illness. The composer of â€Å"Running out of time† creates a connection with the character of Tom and the persona, further illustrating how an individual’s inner thoughts may shape the ability to accept the present.