Tuesday, December 17, 2019

The Bermuda Triangle Essay - 961 Words

The Bermuda triangle is a heavily debated topic. Over the years people have fought back and forth on the matter. However, no one can seem to come to a consensus. What is the truth? Does the Bermuda triangle qualify as a strange, unexplainable site? If it does, is it the reason for the many strange happenings and events? Despite the lack of answers, the legend of the Bermuda triangle will continue to be debated and discussed by believers and skeptics. For both sides claim to contain strong solid evidence defending their stance. Overall, the Bermuda Triangle is a great argumentative topic between paranormal believers and knowledgeable professionals. The Bermuda Triangle is the connecting point of Bermuda, Florida, and Puerto Rico. Due to the conspiracy surrounding this particular location, it has also been termed â€Å"The Devil s Triangle†. The legend was named in 1964 by writer Vincent Gaddis. However, its popularity didn’t rise until Charles Berlitz provided his knowledge and opinion. Berlitz, who was very interested in the paranormal, proposed that Atlantis, a historic mythical city, actually existed and could be using its unique energy to draw in the likes of aircraft and ships (Benjamin Radford). Since his bestseller on the topic in 1974, the discussion and theories have not relented. As more ships and aircraft began to disappear, more ideas started to surface. From paranormal energy resembling gravity to rogue tidal waves, the possibilities seem endless.TheShow MoreRelatedThe Triangle Of The Bermuda Triangle1733 Words   |  7 PagesThe Bermuda Triangle. You may have heard of it but, do you kn ow what it is? The Bermuda Triangle lies near the South-East coast of the United States and forms a triangle in the Atlantic Ocean. The corners of the triangle are: Miami, Florida; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Bermuda; a north-Atlantic island which the name Bermuda Triangle originated from. What is so mysterious about these waters? Well, unexplained events happened in which planes flying over this area have mysteriously disappeared leavingRead MoreThe Triangle Of The Bermuda Triangle2023 Words   |  9 PagesIntroduction The Bermuda Triangle also known as the Devils Triangle it is considered to be a cursed region. Over one thousand ships, planes and lives have been lost in the Triangle without leaving a trace of what happened. Many theories have been put forth, but still none universally accepted explanation exists for the mystery that surrounds the Bermuda Triangle. The first written boundaries of the Bermuda Triangle were from an article by Vincent Gaddis in a 1964 issue of the pulp magazine ArgosyRead MoreThe Triangle Of The Bermuda Triangle1190 Words   |  5 PagesEveryone has heard of the scariest place on earth, the bermuda triangle. Since its theoretical existence, there has been hundreds of cases that have been reported that involved the Bermuda Triangle in one way or another. The points of the Bermuda triangle are between Miami, Florida, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the Mid-Atlantic island, Bermuda. The History of this myth has gone back hundreds of years, dating back all the way to the year 1492, when Christopher Columbus first reported seeing flamesRead MoreThe Bermuda Triangle Essay902 Words   |  4 PagesYou might know that the Bermuda Triangle is a legendary place where numerous disappearances have occurred, but how much do you really know about it? Some people don’t believe in such a place, but some do. Research has been conducted to try and figure out what could possibly be happening here, but with no hard evidence. The mysterious Bermuda Triangle may be more than just a myth though; the Bermuda triangle has a long history with disappearances, few people live through it to tell the tale, and possibleRead More Bermuda Triangle Essay1469 Words   |  6 Pages The Bermuda Triangle nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Is the Bermuda Triangle really a place where strange powers are at work? The Bermuda Triangle is a very complex and mystifying area that is noted for a high incidence of unexplained losses of ships, small boats, and aircraft. From reading this paper one will learn geographic features of the Bermuda Triangle, famous disappearances, and possible explanations for them. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;There is a section of the western Atlantic, offRead MoreEssay on The Bermuda Triangle921 Words   |  4 PagesThe Bermuda Triangle The Bermuda Triangle is a triangular area in the Atlantic Ocean bounded by Miami, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico. Many people believed that people, ships, and planes have mysteriously vanished in this area. The size of the triangle varies from 500,000 square miles. Some trace the mystery back to the time of Columbus. Bermuda Triangle estimates range from about 200 to no more than 8,000 distress calls in the area and that there have been more than 50 ships and 20 planes to goRead MoreThe Bermuda Triangle : The Devils Triangle1961 Words   |  8 PagesThe Bermuda Triangle, also known popularly as the ‘Devil’s Triangle’, is a triangular shaped area in the Atlantic Ocean which has gained infamy as a location in which vessels, aircraft and people are susceptible to going missing without a trace. The area considered to constitute the Bermuda Triangle varies, although the most popular definition is that the triangle’s three vertices are located at Miami in Florida , San Juan in Puerto Rico, and at the island of Bermuda in the Atlantic Ocean. HoweverRead MoreReview Of The Bermuda Triangle 1795 Words   |  8 PagesReview of Literature I. Introduction to the Bermuda Triangle The Bermuda Triangle is a legendary mythological section of the Atlantic Ocean, made up of the triangle formed by Miami, Florida; San Juan Puerto Rico; and the islands of the Bahamas. The triangle covers about five-hundred thousand (500,000) square miles of the ocean. The phrase â€Å"Bermuda Triangle† was first coined by Vincent H. Gaddis (1913-1997). He was writing an article for Argosy magazine back in 1964. The article was receivedRead More The Bermuda Triangle Essay1902 Words   |  8 PagesThe Bermuda Triangle Off the southern tip of Florida lies a phenomenon called the Bermuda Triangle. Ships, planes, and over one thousand lives were lost in the Triangle without a trace. Theories have been put forth, but still no universally accepted explanation exists for the mystery that surrounds the Bermuda Triangle. The Bermuda Triangle covers almost 440,000 square miles of the Atlantic Ocean. An imaginary line that begins near Melbourne, Florida, extends south to Bermuda, and west toRead MoreThe Bermuda Triangle Essay1230 Words   |  5 Pages The Bermuda Triangle,also known as the Hoodoo Sea, the Devils Triangle, the Limbo of the Lost, and the Twilight Zone, is a part of the ocean in which planes, ships, and people mysteriously seem to just disappear. It is an imaginary area shaped as a triangle. Which is located in the outer tip of Florida. Its been the biggest mystery of time because of the mysterious disappearances that have happened over time. â€Å"The term Bermuda Triangle was first used in an article written by Vincent H. Gaddis

Monday, December 9, 2019

Shawshank Redemption Film Essay Example For Students

Shawshank Redemption Film Essay The movie of the Shawshank Redemption is based on a short story by Steven King. The movie shows how prison life affects prisoners during their sentence in jail and after when they are released. The director concentrates mostly on the personal cost of adapting to prison life and how some convicts, once they conform, lose the ability to survive beyond the barbed wire and iron bars. As a character puts it, These walls are funny. First you hate them, then you get used to them, then you start to depend on them. The director shows us to what extent prisoners can be made to depend on them. The two episodes that I will analyse are examples of two different paths prisoners can take once released from prison. One is to survive and live their life, another is to give up and end it. In the movie Red, a prisoner at Shawshank says, get busy living or get busy dying. This quote plays an important role in the movie because Red and Brooks, two important characters who get out of jail have to make the choice to either get busy living or get busy dying. Red and Brooks are characters with many similar traits and have gone through many of the same circumstances. Both entered the confines of Shawshank Prison youths but left its walls as old men. They have seen many prisoners come in and out. They spent decades behind the dull enclosure and got used to it. They have adapted themselves to the concepts of routine, forced conformity, power abuse and have lost all elements of individuality within themselves. Red says you come here for your life and thats exactly what they take from you. The episodes of the release of both men contribute very much to the understanding of the theme of this movie. Both episodes start off very similarly but throughout the scenes the characters make different decisions. The first episode is the release of Brooks and his life on the outside. When he leaves the prison he is dressed very smartly in a dark suit. We next see him on the bus. The camera is set in front of him and we see him sitting with his feet and hands on the rail before him. The director has given him a crow like image. From this we interpret that something bad will happen. When he steps out the camera follows him down the road. While the episode is going on, Brooks is narrating his feelings. When he wants to cross the road he is abruptly taken back as he sees an automobile pass by. He says that there are many more automobiles now than there were before and doesnt like the way the world has turned out to be. After, we see him feeding the birds. He says that he hopes that Jake might come by and say hello'. I believe that this is the scene in which we see Brooks in a most open space, it gives us hope that he will do alright. Brooks is placed in a half-way house and is given a job at a supermarket. When he sleeps we see he is very agitated. The camera films him from above (crane) and in a voice-over he tells us he is often scared at night. We can compare this to some of the mens, including Andys, first nights at Shawshank Prison. Working as a grocery-bagger at the supermarket everything goes wrong, he is criticised. Lonely, afraid, melancholy, and disoriented, the outside world is like a new prison to Brooks. In a bit of humour he tells us he might shoot the manager of the supermarket to go back to Shawshank but hes too old even for that. .u4a2fb49f52fb1ee59c4b9aba874df87f , .u4a2fb49f52fb1ee59c4b9aba874df87f .postImageUrl , .u4a2fb49f52fb1ee59c4b9aba874df87f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u4a2fb49f52fb1ee59c4b9aba874df87f , .u4a2fb49f52fb1ee59c4b9aba874df87f:hover , .u4a2fb49f52fb1ee59c4b9aba874df87f:visited , .u4a2fb49f52fb1ee59c4b9aba874df87f:active { border:0!important; } .u4a2fb49f52fb1ee59c4b9aba874df87f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u4a2fb49f52fb1ee59c4b9aba874df87f { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u4a2fb49f52fb1ee59c4b9aba874df87f:active , .u4a2fb49f52fb1ee59c4b9aba874df87f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u4a2fb49f52fb1ee59c4b9aba874df87f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u4a2fb49f52fb1ee59c4b9aba874df87f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u4a2fb49f52fb1ee59c4b9aba874df87f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u4a2fb49f52fb1ee59c4b9aba874df87f .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u4a2fb49f52fb1ee59c4b9aba874df87f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u4a2fb49f52fb1ee59c4b9aba874df87f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u4a2fb49f52fb1ee59c4b9aba874df87f .u4a2fb49f52fb1ee59c4b9aba874df87f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u4a2fb49f52fb1ee59c4b9aba874df87f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The fifth element EssayAs he goes back to his room he packs his belongings into his case. While doing this he narrates that hes planning on leaving, that he doesnt like where he is and hes tired of being scared all the time. He is in his suit and stands by a table. He looks up and then climbs onto it. The camera focuses on Brooks feet. As we see sawdust falling onto the table. This reminds us of Andy in prison when carving his name into his cell wall. As the camera is still focused on his feet, the sawdust stops falling and we expect to see him coming down. The way the director has chosen to film is very effective as it creates a tense atmosphere and suspense as we do not know what is happening. The table then starts to shake and Brooks kicks out the table from under his weight, his feet are dangling. He got busy dieing. As the camera tilts upwards we see Brooks face behind the wooden bars of the ceiling, an image of prison bars. We then see the message he had carved, Brooks was here. This is the end of the episode. Brooks had been to the limit, become institutionalised, he could no longer take life on the outside. His only way out of it was death. The director has chosen to make many aspects of Reds release very similar to Brooks. He is given the same crow-like position in the bus, is placed in the same room at the half-way house, is given the same job at the supermarket. He also narrates this episode and tells us there is no way Ill make it on the outside. We fear that he might take the same path as Brooks. As hes walking down the street he stops by a shop window. The camera focuses on two different things, a series of hand guns and a compass. The director has allowed us to see the two choices a man can take. The compass shows freedom to live and travel. The gun shows death. Red gives us a similar speech as Brooks. He tells us that all he thinks of is ways of going back to prison. That he hates living in fear. He wants to be back at prison where things make sense to him. But one thing stops him, a promise I made to Andy. Red gets a ride on a pick-up truck to the countryside and takes out his compass. It is now that the second episode begins. The camera is behind Red and we see him by a stone wall looking towards a big oak tree, the oak tree Andy has spoken to him about. As Red walks towards the hayfield we see the big contrast between the closed areas of prison and the open space of the outside world. The camera pans so we can see the fields stretched out until the horizon. Brooks had only never discovered these open spaces because he hadnt had something Red had, hope. As Red walks toward the oak tree classical music builds up, music played by a harmonica, the instrument Andy had given him in prison. The camera focuses on Reds feet, they walk slowly but freely towards the oak tree. As he gets to the oak tree he searches for what Andy had left for him. He finds a box with the design of a boat on it. The director intention on using a boat will have been to show yet another image of freedom. In the box Red finds money and a letter. The music stops but the birdsong continues. Red reads the letter. It is directed to him. It is from Andy and tells him to come a little further and join him in Mexico, the place he had told Red about in Prison. .uafbb7a953ae04efad4b763524e2738bd , .uafbb7a953ae04efad4b763524e2738bd .postImageUrl , .uafbb7a953ae04efad4b763524e2738bd .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uafbb7a953ae04efad4b763524e2738bd , .uafbb7a953ae04efad4b763524e2738bd:hover , .uafbb7a953ae04efad4b763524e2738bd:visited , .uafbb7a953ae04efad4b763524e2738bd:active { border:0!important; } .uafbb7a953ae04efad4b763524e2738bd .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uafbb7a953ae04efad4b763524e2738bd { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uafbb7a953ae04efad4b763524e2738bd:active , .uafbb7a953ae04efad4b763524e2738bd:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uafbb7a953ae04efad4b763524e2738bd .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uafbb7a953ae04efad4b763524e2738bd .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uafbb7a953ae04efad4b763524e2738bd .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uafbb7a953ae04efad4b763524e2738bd .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uafbb7a953ae04efad4b763524e2738bd:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uafbb7a953ae04efad4b763524e2738bd .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uafbb7a953ae04efad4b763524e2738bd .uafbb7a953ae04efad4b763524e2738bd-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uafbb7a953ae04efad4b763524e2738bd:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Film Review - The Pianist EssayRed stands up again and walks back through the hayfields, the birdsong continues and the music builds up again. Red goes back to his room he also packs his bag and dresses smartly. He stops by the table, takes out a pocket knife and climbs the table. This again resembles very much Brooks episode, once again the camera focuses on Reds feet. We are made to fear that he will end his life the same way as Brooks, but Red soon comes back down again and as he exits his room says with a hidden smile get busy living or get busy dying, thats god-damn right. Red has chosen life, hope. As the camera tilts up we read on the ceiling Brooks was here So was Red. The next shot is of a bus, the camera zooms in to Red, his head out the window and smiling. He says he feels the emotion only a free man can feel, that he hopes he can get across the border, that he hopes he can find his friend and that he hopes the Pacific is like in his dreams. The shot then dissolves into the image of the open Pacific, an image of freedom, space, accomplishment, redemption. Then the camera turns to a warm sunlit beach. The camera then pans and turns so we have a frontal view of Red. He is walking alongside the sea with his trousers rolled up and his shoes in his hands. The camera stops moving and we see Red coming closer and closer. The shot is then cut and a new shot views Andy further down the beach on a boat, scrubbing its surface. As he looks up he sees Red, he stands up and smiles, his eyes gleaming. He jumps down to greet Red. As the friends hug, the camera pulls back, revealing the wide, distant horizon of the blue Pacific with no end in sight. No longer are the Red and Andy confined by walls and iron bars nor watched on by guards. Both are free. Brooks had attained the limits at prison, he had become institutionalised and once released had found the only way out was death. Red, on the other hand, had hoped, and hope had led him to freedom, to happiness, to redemption. Through the themes and the cinematic decisions applied in these two episodes the director has made these vital to the understanding of the movie. He has given two examples of the extreme situations to which prisoners go depending on their emotions. One of the emotions is yet one of the main themes of the movie, hope, and in my opinion it has been brought up extremely effectively.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Julius And Ethel Rosenberg Essays - , Term Papers

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg The outcome of the Julius and Ethel Rosenberg trial for espionage in 1951 and their subsequent execution in 1953 was directly related to the political climate at that time. The government's evidence against the Rosenbergs was not overwhelming, but due to a combination of fear and political pressure, the guilty verdict was inevitable. Even though Julius did not deliver the secrets of the atomic bomb to Moscow, nor did they cause the Korean War, as Judge Kaufman claimed, the pair were sentenced to death. Their death confirmed their guilt because America would never kill innocent people. Their execution also reinforced the heinous nature of their crime and other soviet spys' crimes as well. The fear of communism and the cold war sealed the fate for Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. The cold war was the general term for the post-1945 political, ideological, strategic and military conflict between the western allies led by the United States and the Soviet Union and other communist countries. 1 This global confrontation was fuel by mutual fear and distrust. Both camps defaulted on postwar agreements which, led to further alienation.2 The end of WWII saw Europe economically devastated and in political turmoil. 3 The defeat of Germany left the European continent vulnerable to outside influence. In addition to the economic strength shown by the western allies, the United States not only had nuclear capabilities, but also without hesitation used the power twice. 4 The Soviet Union, in an effort to contract the economic and military might of the United States and its allies, set about tightening its grasp on the east European countries it had occupied during WWII. 5 In the years between 1945 and 1948 the Soviet Union gained control of Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Yugoslavia. The Soviet Union hoped that by adding these separate governments and militaries, it could offset the United States nuclear capabilities and provide its western boarder with a buffer zone. 6 Though the Soviet Union was actively developing its own nuclear capabilities, the communist power realized that the U.S. had used its atomic bomb with devastating results. 7 Although the United States was putting much fear into the hearts of many Soviets, the post WWII conflict was affecting the United States in much the same way. The United States was worried about the leader of the Soviet Union and his power over many countries. 5 The United States would come to realize that this would not be an easy fight to win. The leader of the Soviet Union at that time was a man named Joseph Stalin. He had much control over people's ideas and beliefs and he used that to his advantage. 8 The United States feared his leadership because of his power and his dishonesty. Stalin went back on his word to create a more democratic government inside the Soviet Union, and took total control of Poland when he said he would not at the Yalta conference in 1945. 5 Iran became the starting point of East-West confrontation. The United States and the Soviet Union had occupied parts of Iran during WWII in order to protect allied oil supplies. Both countries agreed to withdraw at wars' end. But in 1945 the Soviet Union refused to withdraw its troops. The conflict ended in 1946 when the USSR pulled out its troops in return for oil rights in Iran. 9 Later in 1946, Stalin gave a speech declaring ideological war against the West. 10 To counter Stalin's aggressive actions in 1947, the president proposed the Truman Doctrine. The Truman Doctrine was designed to give military aid to Greece in its battle against communist-backed rebel forces. 11 It also gave economic aid to Turkey, whose economy was being stressed by the need to maintain a large army in order to resist the USSR and its demand for a naval base within its boundaries. President Truman's pitch to Congress was meant to scare the American people into action. It succeeded in getting the Greek-Turk ish aid bill passed and it also set the tone for the cold war. Less than a year later the United States pressured Iran to take back the previously granted oil rights to the USSR, thus creating more suspicion

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

John Battaglia Killed His Daughters for Revenge Against His Wife

John Battaglia Killed His Daughters for Revenge Against His Wife John David Battaglia shot and killed his two young daughters to get even with his ex-wife for reporting him to his  parole officer on a probation violation. A former Marine and CPA, John Battaglia was well liked by his friends and family. He appeared to be a good guy- fun spirited and charming. That was what MaryJean Pearle thought when she married him, but on their wedding night, Battaglias dark side began to emerge. At first,  he would fly off the handle and throw a few curse words and insults at his new wife. Pearle did not like it, but she put up with it  because they shared more good times together than bad. The following year  their first daughter, Faith, was born and then Liberty, three years later. Now with a family to consider, Pearle tried even harder to make the marriage work. An Idyllic Life With Hidden Secrets Living in an upscale neighborhood in Dallas, the small family seemed to have an idyllic life. But inside the home, Battaglias violent episodes began happening more often. He verbally abused Pearle, screaming obscenities at her and calling her vile names.   As time went on, the verbal attacks lasted longer and in an effort to keep her family together, Pearle endured it. The girls adored their dad, who had always been a gentle and loving father to them, even though his temper tantrums that he unleashed on Pearle continued to increase. Then one night, his anger switched from verbally attacking Pearle to going after her physically. She was able to get away and call 911. Battaglia was placed on probation and although he was allowed to see the girls, he was not allowed to enter their home. The separation gave Pearle a chance to think and it did not take long for her to realize that after seven years of abuse and having her children exposed to a lot of it, that it was time to file for a divorce. Christmas 1999 On Christmas day in 1999, Pearle allowed Battaglia to come into the home so he could visit with the girls. The visit ended in the two of them arguing and Battaglia violently attacking Pearle. He beat her with full force on the back of her head as she tried to protect herself from the blows. Battaglia was arrested and charged with assault. He was put on two years probation and was forbidden to have contact with Pearle. He could also not visit his daughters for 30 days. When the 30 days ended, normal weekly visitation started back up and so did the verbal assaults toward his ex-wife. Rage and Resentment The divorce came through the following August, but that did not deter Battaglia from leaving obscene and often threatening messages on his ex-wifes phone. As the threats progressed, Pearle became more fearful that one day her ex-husband might really act on what he was saying, but the thought that he would ever hurt the girls did not enter her mind. Visitation between the girls and their father continued. After a particularly frightening call from Battaglia in April 2001, Pearle decided it was time to get help. She contacted her ex-husbands probation officer and reported that he had been making threatening calls, which was a violation of his parole.   A few weeks later, on May 2, Battaglia found out that his parole had been revoked and that he was probably going to be arrested for the calls that he made to his ex-wife and for testing positive for marijuana.  He was assured by a police officer that the warrant would not be executed in front of his children and that he could make arrangements with his lawyer to peacefully turn himself in. He was scheduled to have the girls over for dinner that same night and Pearle,  not knowing that Battaglia had any knowledge that she had reported him to his parole officer, dropped off the girls with him at the normal meeting place. A Daughters Cry Later that evening, Pearle received a message from one of her daughters. When she returned the call, Battaglia put the call on speakerphone, and told his daughter Faith to ask her mother, Why do you want Daddy to go to jail? Then Pearle heard her daughter screaming, No, Daddy, please dont, dont do it. Gunshots  followed the childs cry and then Battaglia screamed, Merry (profanity) Christmas, then there were more gunshots. Mary Jean Pearle hung up the phone and frantically called 911. After shooting 9-year-old Faith three times and 6-year-old Liberty five times Battaglia went to his office where he left one more message, but this time to his dead daughters. Goodnight my little babies, he said. I hope youre resting in a different place. I love you, and I wish that you had nothing to do with your mother. She was evil and vicious and stupid. I love you dearly. Then he met up with a girlfriend and went to a bar and then to a tattoo shop and had two red roses tattooed on his left arm in honor of his daughters that he had just murdered. Battaglia was arrested as he left the tattoo shop at 2 a.m. It took four officers to restrain and handcuff him. Officers took a fully loaded revolver from Battaglias truck after his arrest. Inside his apartment, police found several firearms and the automatic pistol used in the shootings laying on the kitchen floor. Autopsy Faith had three gunshot wounds, including a shot to her back which severed her spinal cord and ruptured her aorta, a contact shot to the back of her head which exited her forehead, and a shot to her shoulder. Either of the first two shots would have been rapidly fatal. Six-year-old Liberty had four gunshot wounds and a graze wound to the top of her head. One shot entered her back, severed her spinal cord, went through a lung, and lodged in her chest. After losing about one-third of her blood, she received a contact shot to her head which passed through her brain, exited her face, and was immediately fatal. A History of Abuse is Revealed In less than 20 minutes of deliberation, the jury found Battaglia guilty of murder.   During the  punishment phase of the  trial, Battaglias first wife,  Michelle Gheddi, testified about the abuse she had suffered during their marriage that lasted from 1985 to 1987, and then after their divorce. Twice  Battaglia was physically violent toward Gheddis son from a previous marriage. Once when Ms. Gheddi was traveling with  Battaglia  in the car, he became angry at some other motorists and tried to reach for a gun he had in the car. They separated after an incident in which Battaglia struck Gheddi while she was holding their daughter Kristy, causing her to drop the child. After the separation, Battaglia stalked Gheddi,  watched her through the windows of her home, followed her in his car and somehow managed to tap her phone line.  He called Gheddis employers and creditors and made false statements about her. He threatened to kill himself and her, and once described to her in detail how he planned to cut her up and kill her with a knife. One night Gheddi woke up sometime after midnight to find her estranged husband standing over her bed and holding her shoulders down. He wanted to have sex, but she refused. Later she filed a police report about the incident. In January of 1987, Battaglia spent several days in jail after throwing a rock at Gheddi through her car window. After his release, things seemed to improve, but for only for a few months. Gheddi again filed charges against Battaglia after two more violent episodes.  Battaglia begged her to drop the charges, but she refused. Later that day, he approached Gheddi outside of her sons school. Smiling as he came toward her, he told her, If Im going back to jail, Im going to make it worth my while. He then beat Gheddi until she lost consciousness, breaking her nose and dislocating her jaw. After she got out of the hospital, he threatened to do the same to her son, so she moved to Louisiana At noon on the day that Faith and Liberty were killed,  Battaglia left a message on Gheddis  answering machine saying that maybe Pearl should lose her kids. He left another message later that evening for Kristy, telling her that he was sending her money for college and to use it wisely. Psychiatric Testimony Four forensic psychiatrists testified about  Battaglias mental state when he murdered his children.  They all agreed that Battaglia suffered from bipolar disorder, and all but one of the doctors thought that with the proper medication and under a controlled environment, he was a low risk for future criminal violence. All of the doctors testified that Battaglia knew what he was doing when he murdered his daughters. Death Sentence On May 1, 2002, after deliberating for close to seven hours, the jury agreed with the prosecutors who felt that the murders were a result of Battaglia seeking revenge because of his ex-wifes actions and that he could pose a possible threat in the future.  Battaglia, who was 46 years old at the time, was sentenced to death  by lethal injection. Best Little Friends Referring to his daughters as his best little friends, Battaglia told The Dallas Morning News that he did not feel like he had killed his daughters and that he was, a little bit in the blank about what happened. During the interview Battaglia showed no remorse for murdering his daughters,  instead placing the blame for his situation on his ex-wife, the prosecutor, the judge and the news media. He said that  Pearle was putting a lot of financial pressure on him and that after the divorce he had to work two jobs to keep up with his obligations.   On the night that he shot and killed his daughters, he said that Faith had told him that  Pearle was trying to have him arrested. Stressed out, exhausted, angered and wanting  Pearle to suffer, he did the one thing he knew would hurt her the most. He killed the children, although he says he has little memory of the actual event. Execution Halted Hours Before Battaglia was Scheduled to Die John Battaglia,  age 60,  was scheduled for lethal injection on Wednesday, March 30, 2016, for the revenge killing of his two young daughters, but the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals  put a halt to it. The court agreed with Battaglias attorney that he has a right to claim that he is too mentally incompetent and delusional to be executed investigated. Battaglia was eventually executed by lethal injection on Feb. 1, 2018, in the  Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville, Texas.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

The Descent of Hag

The Descent of Hag The Descent of Hag The Descent of Hag By Mark Nichol The headline of this post uses descent in two senses: This post discusses the etymological origin of hag, but it also points out how the connotation of the term has plummeted in status. The contemporary connotation of hag is â€Å"old woman,† with additional senses of a careless, ugly, or evil appearance; the offensive term â€Å"fag hag† refers to a straight woman who associates with gay men. In the Middle Ages, the term referred to a female demon or an evil spirit, but it was originally associated with highly respected oracles, or soothsayers. Hag is the truncated version of the Old English term hagetes (also spelled hagtesse), meaning â€Å"witch† or â€Å"sorceress.† The second syllable, later misidentified as a mere suffix, was lopped off, but that’s the essential element; it’s probably related to words in other languages referring to demons or spirits, while hag is likely cognate with hedge. The significance of that term is that hedges were considered the boundary between civilization and the wild, and witches- and reclusive women with mysterious healing abilities who were sometimes accused of being witches- straddled both worlds. A term with a loose association, hagridden, refers to sleep paralysis, because of the belief that one’s sense of being immobilized while lying in bed was caused by a spirit bearing down on the sufferer; by extension, the term also means â€Å"tormented,† and the verb hagride means â€Å"torment.† Similarly, the rare adjective hagged originally meant â€Å"bewitched† and later acquired the sense of â€Å"gaunt,† due to the belief that such an appearance was the result of bewitchment. Haggard, originally meaning â€Å"unruly† or â€Å"wild,† is not directly related- it comes from the Old French phrase faulcon hagard (â€Å"wild falcon†)- but it’s a distant relation that acquired the sense of â€Å"worn† by association with hag. Other related words include the archaic noun haw, meaning â€Å"enclosure† (the first syllable of hawthorn), and hex, which originally referred to a witch but later came to apply to a witch’s spell. (Haggle has a separate derivation; it’s related to hack.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Apply to, Apply for, and Apply withWriting the Century25 Idioms with Clean

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Resulting and Constructive Trust in Equity & Trust Case Study

Resulting and Constructive Trust in Equity & Trust - Case Study Example She also, throughout the relationship, looked after the children and performed all the usual domestic duties around the home. In Sept 2003, Lynn formed a liaison with another man and moved out of the house. She brought an action against Mike claiming that she was entitled to a half-share in the house by reason of her contributions to the house hold expenses during the period the parties lived together. According to the evidence at the trial in the High Court, both Lynn and Mike had assumed that the house was jointly owned although the matter was never actually discussed between them. It is also not in dispute that, if it had not been for the fact that Lynn was working part-time, Mike would not have been able to meet the mortgage payments out of his own salary. 1) Applying Lloyds Bank plc v Rosset (1994) 1 A.C. 107, (HL), in the absence of any finding of an agreement, arrangement or understanding between the parties to share beneficially, Lynn's indirect contributions to household expenses were insufficient to found a beneficial interest in the house. In particular, the court refused to follow the decision of Mr. Nicholas Mostyn Q.C. (sitting as a deputy High judge) in Le v Le Foe (2002) 2 F.L.R. 970on the ground that it was inconsistent with Lord Bridge's speech in Rosset; 2) Distinguishing Midlands Bank Plc v Cooke (1995) 4 All E.R. 562 (C.A.), it was not open to the court to assess Glady's beneficial share in the house by undertaking a survey of the whole course of dealings between the parties relevant to their ownership and occupation of the property. The principle enunciated in Cooke applied only to the establishment of an equitable interest through direct contributions. In December 2004, the Court of Appeal dismissed Lynn's appeal affirming both grounds given by the High Court. Task: Lynn now wishes to appeal to the House of Lords against the Court of Appeal's decision and seeks your written opinion on the merits of her claim. You should support your advice by reference to decided cases. Answer: The current state of caselaw on implied trust and beneficial or equitable interest in property due to indirect contributions to family home is not favourable to the appeal being considered by Lynn Jones. English courts are reluctant to adopt the remedial constructive trust principles of Canadian courts. It seems to be that judicial reasoning on implied trust rely on contributions to the purchase price and provable agreement, arrangement or understanding between the parties to share the property beneficially prevent the application of principles of justice and conscience in the present case. The facts of the problem show that the court had already struck down Lynn Jones arguments on the application of resulting trust principles because of the lack of contribution to the purchase price or proof of agreement, arrangement or understanding to share equitable interest. Not only the Rosset and Cooke cases but also the basic direction of

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Compare and contrast the depiction of Muslim men to that of Muslim Essay

Compare and contrast the depiction of Muslim men to that of Muslim women in orientalist discourses - Essay Example im scholars try to disprove the oppressed and inferior position of Muslim women and state that such opinion was necessary for West to keep the opinion about the East as about the backward part of the world. The orientalism in the broadest sense is the description of the East and Islam from a certain point of view, which carries a fair share of subjectivity and not always reflects the true state of affairs, but often distorts the reality. The orientalism considers Islam and everything connected with it – a culture, a civilization, a geographical area as something that contradicts with rational human principles of the West. â€Å"Whether they are televised or printed, it is not surprising that Western media reports maintain a constant distorted image of Arabs and Muslims. Fabricated stereotypes of Islam are omnipresent in Western media through all means of communication. What is lamentably odd is that Arabs and Muslims are seen as one and unique entity with the aim to be arbitrarily regarded collectively as anti-rational, barbaric, anti-democratic, etc. To achieve this aim the western media deliberately distort many Islamic concepts† (Ridouani, 2011). If to look at a question with the eyes of orientalists, the following picture appears: Muslim women didnt make any contribution to history, they either were sold on the markets or were kept in harems as sexual objects. â€Å"Stories about Muslim women living in non-Western countries were often stories about political violence where they were represented as victims of violence and Islamic practices. Representations of Muslim women were also marked by a continual obsession with the veil. Muslim women were often portrayed as victims in need of Western liberation† (Mishra, 2007). Men on the contrary are depicted as tyrants and oppressors, who are humiliating women, and if to look at the issue from the point of view of the West, the East, especially Islamic world, was a huge harem. Ð ¡ertainly, there are certain reasons