...Second Chance: Plot: A young man contemplating about what led him to the edge of the cliff. Characters: The main character is only known by his nick name Babs. He talks about his family and refers to his dad as Baba, (which is Arabic for dad). Conflict: A man with a conflicting mind contemplates and reflects on the past few years in his life that led him to the edge of the cliff, on his back, covered in blood, overwhelmed with regret, fear, and pain. There’s two ways off the ledge, either way, someone dies. Setting: This story takes place in both Chicago, Illinois in the winter of 2014, and in Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska in the summer of 2019. Point of View: The 1st person point of view of Babs. When death is lurking in your veins, your life presents itself to you through your dimming, and regretful eyes, in the way you lived. In life, every couple years or so, you reflect on yourself, seeing what and who you are versus what and who you wanted to be. I’ve never been where I should or wanted to be. I’ve made some mistakes, just like every other human being. What I’ve done in my short twenty four years of life on gods beautiful green earth has led me here. Lying on the edge of this cliff, with my neck and torso over this mountain top, blood slowly flowing up my shoulder and down my neck like a stream of interconnecting rivers; one river ending at my mouth forcing me to swallow my own blood, the others getting in my eyes and going throw my gaping nostrils gasping...
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...Vigilantes in Modern Cinema: Dirty Harry and Taxi Driver The focus of this paper will be the vague distinctions presented between the criminal and the vigilante through an examination and comparison of the films Dirty Harry and Taxi Driver. The inquiry will be concentrated on a character analysis of the Dirty Harry's protagonist, Harry Callahan, antagonist, Scorpio, and Taxi Driver's (anti)hero Travis Bickle. These three characters will be reviewed in their relationship to violence, justice, and purpose. To start, I must admit that the film Dirty Harry struck me as terribly unrealistic. Harry Callahan and Scorpio appeared so absurd simply because they were so incredibly unambiguous, a quality that made the film smack of propaganda. The production crew of Dirty Harry did almost all the thinking for the viewer. At no point in the film would any rational viewer have condoned the actions of Scorpio or condemned Dirty Harry for doing his utmost to stop this incredibly perverse criminal. This was an exceedingly underhanded ploy that exploited the viewer's sense of righteous indignation by concocting exceptional situations where any abuse of jurisprudence could be easily pardoned by the spectator. After recognizing the very obvious fact that Scorpio is the archetypal “bad-guy” one cannot help but notice his doubtful persona. First he kills a woman swimming on a roof-top pool, why? Perhaps she was wealthy, he was making a political statement. Only Harry discovers his note...
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...gritty. The movie follows a military veteran, Travis Bickle, who lives in New York as he battles insomnia and some dark demons. Travis decides to become a taxi driver in order to make some extra money. Travis seems to have this infatuation with cleaning up the streets of New York from the filth and scum. Travis records his accounts and thoughts daily in his diary. Travis decides to work the worst neighborhoods in New York; just adding to his hatred of the drug dealers and prostitutes who run free. The film has its moments that are a bit awkward. Like Travis’s unhealthy obsession with porn theaters. Later in the film, Travis becomes obsessed with a girl who works as a campaign volunteer, Becky. After a misunderstanding between them and she no longer wants to see Travis, he comes enraged. I thought the movie could not get any darker, but Travis begins to train and mold his body to what I would assume is a killing machine. I suppose he saw himself as a super hero sent to clean up the streets of New York. He begins to purchase fire arms and train with them regularly. Along the film, he meets a young girl by the name of Iris, who is caught up in a prostitution ring. Travis becomes determined to free her of her abusers and after a violent shootout between her pimps, he is able to rescue her. I enjoyed the film very much. At first, I just thought it was going to be a memoir of a lonely New York taxi driver. As the film progressed and Travis became more unpredictable, I grew to like the...
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...William Barret Travis a general, father, and most importantly a man of great honor who inspired thousands of soldiers throughout his life. From birth to departure William was a brilliant man scholar but a better general. As a child William lived in South Carolina next to his old friend Jim Bonham and attended school in a log house each weekday during winter. William’s father later sold their plantation and moved the family to Sparta, Alabama. Here William became a great scholar and graduated from the Sparta Academy. As a young man he taught children at school and eagerly started to study law. When William was 19 he finished his studies of law and began a successful law practice in the two towns of Claiborne and Clarksville. At the age of 20...
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...not only created as an entertainment tool, it can often also mirror society and its changing values. A film can be a communicator of ideas whether it is reflecting political perspectives or challenging cultural issues. This is the case in 1976, when Martin Scorsese and screenwriter Paul Schrader had created the modern film classic Taxi Driver. During this time America had undergone a lot of fluctuations in its economic and social movements. This film takes place in New York City through the perspective of the protagonist Travis Bickle, who is played by Robert De Niro. Through Bickle's eyes the city appears to be corrupted and struggling. Furthermore this iconic thriller takes place when America is facing new wounds from the post-world war two eras. From the main character’s perspective, the film examines the theme of loneliness that influences the protagonist’s character development in an urban society. On the surface, the film is based on the life of Travis Bickle who was once a Vietnam vet that finds the means to survive in the big apple through a blue-collar job as a Taxi Driver. The film illustrates the alienation that occurs to individuals after a social change to political events. In this film the story’s backdrop is placed in the 1970s of New York City....
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...“only a revenge movie cliché; like the shark attacks in Jaws” further stating that is only provided a reflexive physical reaction. Ebert, Roger. Rev. of Taxi Driver, by Martin Scorsese/Michael Phillips/Julia Phillips/Tony Bill. 1 Jan. 2004. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. < http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-taxi-driver-1976>. Ebert’s review of Taxi Driver directed by Martin Scorsese was a post look of great American films that Ebert put on his acclaimed “top rated” listing. Ebert describes the lead character Travis Bickle as “ a character with a desperate need to make some sort of contact somehow—to share or mimic the effortless social interaction he sees all around him, but does not participate in”. Ebert goes on to further review the personal pull everyone has on regards to feeling alone like Travis Bickle bringing the element of alienation into the review. Ebert also describes how Scorsese uses point-of-view cinematography to connect the audience with Travis, and see New York just as Bickle does, a dark underworld. Ebert ends the review stating that the climatic ending plays...
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...Antony, James Theater 122 9-28-2013 Three Part Writing Assignments In the playwright the situation would be a group of friends in Vegas to celebrate a friend’s 21st birthday. One guy of the group is not 21 yet and the group tries coming up with plans to get him inside each of the clubs. The whole time they are doing this they have no success and the group planned to ditch the friend who was holding them back. As they left one of the girls decided to stay behind to accompany the guy who was left alone. The conversation starts off by him telling the female character his all time favorite song. As they roamed the strip by themselves they grew closer and closer. Switching back to the group that left the two previous characters, they find out that the clubs they were going to be not what they were expecting. As they walk the strip they decide to test their luck and get into some clubs themselves. Each club they went to the female would seduce the guards and the guy snuck in. Every club they visited had a famous person in it and managed to befriend them and partied with them. As one of the celebrities hits on the girl the guy realizes he will be alone for the rest of the night so he walks off in the distance and takes one more glance at her. The girl looks back and he is already gone. She tells the celebrity that she has someone to find and takes off after the male character. She finally finds him standing in front of the water fountain show and hugs him behind. She...
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...Drafting an Essay Do you remember where you were 9/11 of 2001? I was in a Food and Nutrition class in high school getting ready to make baked goods when the news shocked the classroom. I don’t actually know anyone who doesn’t know where they were when the televisions powered on across the nation. Memorable moments happen that have the ability to change a person either on a small scale or even a larger one, depending on that individual’s experiences. In those moments the decisions that are made are believed to be what truly defines a person. I want to ponder on the past. The past affects me in multiple ways. The past is unavoidable in a sense that it did happen and, until proven otherwise, that will never change. I kind of think of the past as a teenager’s diary; remember when guy meets girl, those unforgettable memories you covet, and the rest is knowledge learned firsthand, best way to learn. I want to push past the present. The present affects me immensely and constantly. I am definitely living in the present thinking about only myself and instant gratification. I have the mental capacity to know that my decisions aren’t going to benefit me on a grand scale but they are good enough for me to default out, go with the quicker easier option. I am extremely optimistic and can find the positive in mountain negative and allows me to be comfortable in habitual situations. I am starting to feel like a duck in the stagnant waters of my life, calm on the surface but peddling...
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...The song Temporary Home was featured on Carrie Underwood’s hit album Play On that was released in October of 2009. This song had no impact on me at all until March of 2010. One of my dearest friends, Breanna Nicole Barber, was in a motorcycle dirt bike accident. She fell off of the bike hitting her head causing major brain damage. She was a vegetable and was taken off of life support. Her funeral was several days later and it was really the most unbelievable thing that has ever happened to me. They played Temporary Home at her funeral. I knew what a temporary home meant to me. It meant that one day I’d be at my final destination and that would be heaven. In these next few paragraphs I will reinforce the word ‘temporary’. I’ll describe to you my idea of why Carrie Underwood addresses 3 different stages of life. The word ‘temporary’ is specifically reinforced numerous times throughout the song. Carrie uses phrases like, “house that will never be a home”, “nowhere to go”, “passing through”, and “just a stop”. We have a clear understanding of most of these things and that they intend on being for a short period of time. [What about these words/phrases?] Carrie introduces three different stages of life throughout the song. First she mentions a little boy who is in foster care that keeps getting moved and placed in homes that feel unwelcoming to him. Then she mentions a single mom that needs help, has a baby, and practically has nothing. Lastly she mentions an old...
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..."The rocking horse winner" by D.H. Lawrence is a striking story about a 1. little boy, Paul who secretly rides his rocking horse to pick the winning horse in the various horse races that took place. After the beginning of the story, there is a short conversation between Paul and his mother about luck, and it was the conversation that started the whole dramatic episode which lead to Paul's death. The conversation between Paul and his mother, the phrase that is constantly heard in the house and the rocking horse itself are the main ideas covered in the scope of this paper. The dialogue between Paul and his mother is mainly about luck and how a person can get money if such a person is lucky. From the story, the reader should be aware of Hester's crave for money and her expensive taste, therefore, it is not surprising when she talks her son into believing that luck brings money. We could also establish at this point that the family is at least living comfortably, meaning they were not very poor; "They lived in a pleasant house, with a garden, and they had discreet servants." Paul's mother tells him that his father is not lucky and because of this, she is no longer a lucky woman. The conversation ends with Paul believing that he is a lucky boy, and the action he takes in finding this luck is what brings his demise in the end. The phrase "there must be more money" was mentioned in the story over ten times. The phrase symbolizes the insatiable desire the family has for money...
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...1.) After careful review of SGT Travis' records and from previous experiences with the soldier, it would be a honor to recommend SGT Travis for entry into the Warrant Officer Procurement Program as a Network Management Tech (255N), Informations Systems Tech (255A), or Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Tech (353T). He has more than proven himself with his hard work, diligence, and constant professional growth and has earned the right to compete for warrant officer selection. 2.) During his deployment to FOB Sharana, Afghanistan for 2013, SGT Travis proved himself invaluable to the continued success of the Intelligence and Electronic Warfare (IEW) shop. He managed over 9 different battalions worth of Distributed Common Ground - Army (DCGS-A) computers remotely, updating and troubleshooting while constantly talking to analysts. SGT Travis was also critical for maintaining the communication equipment essential for the networks used by the intelligence analysts. Two major problems that could not be solved by the primary companies or service contractors were solved by his commitment and attention to detail. His ability to manage technical issues of various types makes him a valuable asset for any technical job....
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...Drew. In a small northern village called Neyashing, an aboriginal community struggles to save their way of life against commercial development. Throughout this, Travis Nikigwun who is one of the citizens, is looked at as a leader and experiences the pressure of this. As we see him face the obstacles that come his way, it is visible that nature is a strong source for guidance...
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...Mobile Food Carts Thesis statement: Food Carts are the Future Works Cited “Andrea Juarez”- interview. "Certification 101 Workshop | AustinTexas.gov - The Official Website of the City of Austin." Certification 101 Workshop | AustinTexas.gov - The Official Website of the City of Austin. City of Austin, n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. Gaar, Brian. "Food Trailers Bloom into Key Piece of Austin's Economy." Austin News, Sports, Weather, Longhorns, Business. Statemen, n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. "Story - Hey Cupcake!" Story - Hey Cupcake! Hey Cupcake, n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. "Torchy's Tacos — Torchy's Story." Torchy's Tacos — Torchy's Story. Torchy's Tacos, n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. http://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Health/Environ http://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Health/eh_mobilefoodvendor_english__6_23_11.pdf http://www.statesman.com/news/business/food-trailers-bloom-into-key-piece-of-austins-econ/nSLPx/ https://www.heycupcake.com/story Food Carts the Future Food Carts have always been around in countries like Mexico, Honduras, and Italy. Some of the best food in other countries are often sold at a food cart or stand. It wasn’t until recently that the fascination with food carts began in the U.S. more specifically in Austin. Austin is becoming one of the fastest growing cites in America, so it is only natural that the food cart industry is growing as well. Food carts are going to be large part of the future of the food industry...
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...William Barret Travis A Texas Hero Born in south Corolina on August 9 1809, oldest of 11 children of Mark and Jemima.At the time of his birth they lived on Mine creek near the Red bank community Baptist Church in Edgefield District, near Saluda County, South Carolina. There is some confusion regarding the date and circumstances of his A boy named William Barret Travis, rose upon the others and made Texas history. William ended up studying law and became practicing attorny fot a good time. He ended up marying a women named Rossano Cato at the age of 19. When he had turn twenty years old his wife and William had a baby. The baby was named Charles Edward Travis, was born in Augest 8, 1829. Later on the marriage did not work out so he ended up leaving his family and started heading for Texas. After arriving in Texas early in 1831, Travis obtained land from Stephen F. Austin. He set up to practice law first in the town of Anahuac, and afterwards at San Felipe....
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...Site Visit to the Travis County Adult Probation SMART Program Tony Lee Merriwether HSCS/311 June 23, 2014 Sheri Meyer Site Visit to the Travis County Adult Probation SMART Program This paper is an overview of adult probation program designed to provide an alternative to incarceration. The Texas Criminal Justice Program designed the program as a diversionary mechanism to provide comprehensive treatment to offenders that require treatment for substance abuse and chemical dependency. The offenders must meet certain criteria to gain entrance into the program. The program is resident in nature to assist the offenders with re-socialization process. The counseling and intervention sessions are conducted by Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselors, (LCDC) which use cognitive behavioral therapies as a treatment tool. The SMART program is very structured in regard to the structure, its mission, and goals. There are strict eligibility requirements that offenders must meet to attend the 20-week program. The program is not gender specific and is available for male and female offenders. There are three levels of treatment provided at the treatment facility. Therapy is provided in the form of individual and group sessions. The writer visited the site while accompanied by LCDC Ms. Vicki Clark Merriwether; Ms. Merriwether gained her experience working with active duty Soldiers as an Alcohol and Drug counselor at several military locations in the United States and Europe. Ms. Merriwether...
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