Silent Night by Mary Higgins Clark Essay Example

Silent Night by Mary Higgins Clark Essay In this report I’m going to analyze Silent Night by Mary Higgins Clark in terms of plot, theme, style and message. The book is considered to be the classics of suspense. The plot of the book is complicated but clear and comprehensible. It is very tense and absorbing, menace and thrilling, exciting and vivid. On the Christmas Eve the main character of the story, Brian, is standing with his mother Catherine and his elder brother observing the Rockefeller Center’s Christmas tree. Dornans family has arrived to New York because father Tom, who has leukaemia, desperately needs an operation. Brian notices an unknown woman take the wallet his Mom has accidentally dropped. The wallet has St. Christopher medal inside, which is a gift for their father. Brian follows the thief into the subway. Later his mother would recollect: We will write a custom essay sample on Silent Night by Mary Higgins Clark specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Silent Night by Mary Higgins Clark specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Silent Night by Mary Higgins Clark specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer â€Å"He hadnt cared about the money. He followed her because he believed that medal would make his father get well.† (Clark, 1996, p.92) The woman turns out to be Cally Hunter, sister of Jimmy Siddons, who is an escaped convict accused of murder. When Cally and Brian reach the apartment, Jimmy takes the boy hostage and kidnaps Brian to Canada in a stolen car and it flippes over.   But the boy has precious St. Christopher medal with him, and finally he hears â€Å"the sirens screamed and wailed.† (Clark, 1996, p. 168) Happy end is very natural in this story and doesn’t make it sound unrealistic. The book speaks about universal values, but it does it with fresh look and creative approach. The courage of the seven-year old boys is worth admiring. When kidnapped, he thinks not about hi own life and security, but about giving St. Christopher’s medal to his ill father: â€Å"He felt the medal dangling against his chest and closed his fist around it. Please get me back to Mom, he prayed silently, so I can bring you to Dad.† (Clark, 1996, p.44) This is an amazing example of son’s life and self-sacrifice. Family love and support are the milestones of this beautiful Christmas story. I would like to focus my attention on the relation between Brian and Michael. As all the teenagers, brothers sometimes face contradictions, but they love and care for each other. A force majeur situation is sometimes needed to make us realize the importance of those people, whom we see every day. When Catherine heard that her husband was feeling better, she said: â€Å"Our family has known many happy Christmases, but this will be the best ever because we know what we so nearly lost.† (Clark, 1996, p.119) The loving family of Dornans is contrasted to the relations between Jimmy and his sister: â€Å"With eyes that denied any history of affection between them, Jimmy stood over his sister, again holding the gun to her head.† (Clark, 1996, p.47) Still, the author strongly believes in the universal goodness of humankind, because â€Å"even Jimmy wouldnt hurt a little boy.† (Clark, 1996, p.72) The story teaches us not to lose hope in any situation, regardless of its dramatic nature. Simple thing like a prayer and mutual support help Dornans family to believe in the happy outcome of their troubled situation: â€Å"On this very special evening, we ask you to continue to pray that Brian is safely returned to his family, and wish you and all of your loved ones a very Merry Christmas.† (Clark, 1996, p.121) The style of the book is perfect. Mary Higgins Clark uses descriptive language, but never goes too deep into details. She has a unique ability of keeping the reader fully into the novel. The atmosphere of Christmas Eve is full of deep imagery and symbolism. Although many artists were inspired by this theme, Mary Higgins Clark interprets it in her own way. Christmas has been traditionally considered family holiday, and young Brian only desires to spend this day with his family. Christmas details are very touching, and the very spirit of hope and belief is the strongest side of the book. Many mysterious coincidences (I dare call them miracles) happen in the course of the story. The excessive symbolism of the story is definitely worth analyzing, and the main symbol is St. Christopher medal. It embodies Dornan’s heredity and everlasting family ties. The medal saved Brian’s grandfather in World War II and is intended to save his father’s life. During the thrilling ride to Canada the medal embodied â€Å"strong saint who carried the little kid across the dangerous river.† (Clark, 1996, p. 116) Catherine is first sceptical when the Brian’s grandmother gives the medal to her. But Brian deeply believes in the supernatural qualities of St. Christopher’s medal. So the message here stresses the power of faith, and we are not to be afraid to turn dream into miracle, as it happened to the Dornans family. As for the disadvantages of the book, I can name only a few. The course of the vents and the final outcome are quite predictable. The heroes are idealistic in a certain way, but I believe the story to be parable empathizing universal values. The author’s choice was to show that unbelievable things can happen to the most ordinary people, and this plot has been dominant in literature since Middle Ages. It’s surprising how such banal plot could make a readable story. Now let me proceed with sharing my personal impressions of the book. I can’t say that I want to reread the story once again, but my impressions are solely positive. The book made me rethink many serious issues, for instance, the importance of family relations or the nature of crime. Still, I was able to analyze the book only on finishing it, because I couldn’t tear myself away. The author makes us sympathise the characters so much that they virtually become the members of your family. To sum up, I would like to say that Silent Night by Mary Higgins Clark is worth reading, and I would recommend it to any audience.

Natural Selection essays

Natural Selection essays In suggesting the process of natural selection as the means resulting in evolution, Charles Darwin shows how evolutionary changes have occurred in organisms. Genetic change through time Understanding natural selection is paramount to our comprehension of evolution. is a much more accepted than the theory man has evolved from apes. Despite the fact that we are unable to prove without a shadow of doubt that man has evolved from apes, natural selection is relevant to the changes that have occurred over the years in humans. Charles Darwins theory of natural selection was based on two observations, first the fact that all species exhibit variability, for example height, colour, etc. Secondly all organisms than survive to reproduce. To understand why natural selection is much more acceptable than the idea of evolution from apes, we must first understand the Principles of Natural selection. The first principle of natural selection is that a species must be capable of reproduction of more than enough offspring to replace itself. Secondly, the environment may affect ones chances of survival. Third, because each individual is unique some may have more chances of survival than another. Lastly, the ability to adapt to ones environment increases ones chance for survival. After the acceptance of these principles, one can understand how change through time or evolution must have occurred in the past and continues to occur today. The reproductive capacity of most organisms is enormous compared to the number of offspring that reach maturity in each generation. For example spiders can produce hundreds of offspring, dogs and cats produce fourteen or more offspring in a litter and human beings may produce ten or more offspring in a lifetime. It is this reproductive capability that fulfills the first of Darwins principles. By reproducing we are continuing the life cycle allowing for more of each creature to exist in the future. It is th...

Manson Family Member Lynette Squeaky Fromme

Manson Family Member Lynette Squeaky Fromme Lynette Squeaky Fromme Lynette Squeaky Fromme became the voice of the  cult leader, Charlie Manson when he was sent to prison. After Manson was sentenced to life in prison, Fromme continued to devote her life to him. To prove her devotion to Charlie, she aimed a gun at President Ford, for which she is now serving a life sentence. In 2009, she was released on parole. Unlike most other former Manson family members, it is said that she has remained loyal to Charlie. Frommes Childhood Years Lynette Alice Squeaky Fromme was born in Santa Monica, California on October 22, 1948, to Helen and William Fromme. Her mother was a homemaker and her father worked as an aeronautical engineer. Lynette was the oldest of three children and was one of the star performers in a childrens dance troop called the Westchester Lariats. The troop was so talented that they performed around the country and appeared on the Lawrence Welk show and at the White House. Fromme Leaves Home During Lyns junior high school years she was a member of the Athenian Honor Society and the Girls Athletic Club. Her home life, however, was miserable. Her tyrannical father often berated her for minor things. In high school, Lyn became rebellious and began drinking and taking drugs. After barely graduating, she left home and moved in and out with different people. Her father put a halt to her gypsy lifestyle and insisted that she return home. She moved back and attended El Camino Junior College. Fromme Meets Charlie Manson After a ferocious argument with her father over the definition of a word, Lyn packed her bags and left home for the final time. She ended up at Venice Beach where she soon met Charlie Manson. The two talked at length and Lyn found Charlie captivating as he spoke of his beliefs and his feelings about life. The intellectual connection between the two was strong and when Manson invited Lyn to join him and Mary Brunner to travel the country, Lyn quickly agreed. Fromme and George Spahn As the Manson family grew, Lyn seemed to hold an elite spot in the Manson hierarchy. When the family moved onto the Spahn ranch, Charlie assigned Lyn to the job of caring for 80-year-old, George Spahn who was blind and also the caretaker of the property. Lyns name eventually changed to Squeaky because of the sound she would make when George Spahn would run his fingers up her legs. It was rumored that Squeaky took care of all of Spahns needs including those of a sexual nature. Squeaky Becomes The Head of the Family In October 1969, the Manson family was arrested for auto theft and Squeaky was rounded up with the rest of the gang. By this time, some of the group members had participated in the infamous murders at the home of actress Sharon Tate and the murders of the LaBianca couple. Squeaky had no direct involvement in the murders and was released from prison. With Manson in jail, Squeaky became the head of the family. She remained dedicated to Manson, branding her forehead with the infamous X. Squeaky is Arrested Numerous Times The authorities did not like Squeaky or any of the Manson family for that matter. Squeaky and others she directed were placed under arrest numerous times, often because of their actions during the Tate-LaBianca trial. Fromme was arrested on charges including contempt of court, trespassing, loitering, attempted murder, and lacing a hamburger given to ex-family member Barbara Hoyt with an overdose of LSD. The Ever Devout Squeaky In March of 1971, Manson and his co-defendants were sentenced to death, later changed to a life sentence. Squeaky moved to San Francisco when Manson was transferred to San Quentin, but prison officials never allowed her to visit him. When Manson was moved to Folsom Prison, Squeaky followed and lived in a home in Stockton, CA with Nancy Pitman, two ex-cons, and James and Lauren Willett. Prosecutor Bugliosi believed the Willetts were responsible for the death of defense lawyer, Ronald Hughes. International Peoples Court of Retribution On Nov. 1972, James and Lauren Willett were found dead and Squeaky and four others were arrested for the murders. After the four confessed to the crime, Squeaky was released and she moved to Sacramento. She and family member Sandra Good moved in together and began the International Peoples Court of Retribution, a fictitious organization used to scare corporate executives into believing that they were on a large terrorist organizations hit list because they polluted the environment. Order of the Rainbow Manson recruited the girls as nuns for his new religion called the Order of the Rainbow. As nuns, Squeaky and Good were forbidden to have sex, watch violent movies, or smoke and were required to dress in long hooded robes. Manson renamed Squeaky Red and her job was to save the Redwoods. Good was renamed Blue because of her blue eyes. Assassination Attempt Red was committed to making Manson proud of her environmental work, and when she found out that President Gerald Ford was coming to town, she stuck a .45 Colt automatic into a leg holster and headed out to Capital Park. As Ford came through the crowd, Squeaky Red Lynette Fromme pointed the gun at Ford and was immediately taken down by the Secret Service. She was charged with attempting to assassinate the President, although it was later disclosed that the gun she carried did not have bullets in the firing chamber. Sentenced to Life in Prison As was the Manson way, Fromme represented herself at her trial but refused to present testimony that was relevant to the case and instead used it as a platform to speak about the environment. Judge Thomas McBride ultimately removed her from the courtroom. At the end of the trial, Fromme hurled an apple at U.S. Attorney Dwayne Keyes head because he had not turned over exculpatory evidence. Lynette Fromme was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. A Less Than Model Prisoner Frommes prison days have not been without incident. At a prison in Pleasanton California, it was reported that she brought the claw end of a hammer down on the head of Julienne Busic, a Croatian Nationalist who was imprisoned for her involvement in a 1976 airline hijacking. In December 1987, she escaped from prison in order to see Manson who she heard was dying of cancer. She was quickly caught and returned to prison. She served until 2009 when she was released on parole. See Also: The Manson Family Photo Album Source:Desert Shadows by Bob MurphyHelter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt GentryThe Trial of Charles Manson by Bradley Steffens

Reaction paper - James Weldon Johnson Personal Statement

Reaction paper - James Weldon Johnson - Personal Statement Example The ex-colored man is a complex character but very human. The narrative, told in first person, allows the reader to see and feel through the character. It makes the narration very real and, in fact, it pulls the reader in understanding the struggles of the blacks, and how the African American community behaves similar to the Whites. Although of a different color, we have the same dreams as they have, to have economic stability, to have independence and freedom, to improve our social status. We are no different than them, and this is one pressing point of the story. The only difference between the two races is the existing racial block, the very same reason that the ex-colored man threw his black dreams away. As his millionaire friend put it, becoming a black means throwing away life to the poverty, ignorance and the hopeless struggle of the black people. This statement clearly signifies the entire direction of the narration. The ex-colored man has chosen his path away from racial, so cial and economic discrimination to become a regular man who can move freely without any prejudice from the society. The narrative does not only signify the differences between the races, rather it gives us a realization that we, as humans, choose to side with the dominant culture in order to avoid the negative forces of the

Consumer Behavior- B Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Consumer Behavior- B - Essay Example 3-Graham is a college student who is impulsive and somewhat rebellious.   He seeks out variety and excitement, usually looking for something new, offbeat, and risky.   Even though he was 18 years old and  eligible to vote, he didnt vote in the last presidential election and is not very interested in world events.   To which VALS segment does Graham belong? ESSAY 1- Discuss how a small bio-technology firm could influence the reference group infrastructure and the lead users to accelerate adoption of its products in the market. A small bio-technology firm can significantly influence the reference group infrastructure and its lead users to accelerate adoption of its products in the market by way of exploring key characteristics of lead users and major reference groups like key consumers, suppliers, and industry experts. Only after gaining acquaintance with their key characteristics or their behavior can a firm hope to sell more products in the market. This is because such knowledge can inform a firm about what are the currently hot demands in the buying market. This can boost adoption of products in the market because the firm will be then able to act in accordance of those demands. Lead users form a major reference group and researching such users’ preferences and dislikes can give a firm a lot of valuable material regarding how they can influence other potential customers in foreseeable future. A seller organization hoping to accelerate adoption of its products in the market should essentially understand the buying motives and decisions of their lead users. They can later use this kind of information to convince other customers to make the same kind of decisions. ESSAY 2- Unheard of twenty years ago, discuss the rationale people use today to shop or NOT shop on the Internet.   Given  your response,  what are the benefits to purchasing an iPod direct from a channel member.  

Mumbai attacks Essay Example for Free

Mumbai attacks Essay INTRODUCTION The day of 26th November, 2008 would have been as usual and pleasant as any other day for Mumbai but the terror attacks by the members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, considered as terrorist organisation by India, who wreaked havoc in the India’s largest city. There were ten gunmen, nine of whom were subsequently shot dead and one captured by security forces. Witnesses reported that they looked to be in their early twenties, wore black t-shirts and jeans, and that they smiled and looked happy as they shot their victims. It was initially reported that some of the attackers were British citizens, but the Indian Government later stated that there was no evidence to confirm this. Similarly, early reports of twelve gunmen were also later shown to be incorrect. On December 9, the ten attackers were identified by Mumbai police, along with their home towns in Pakistan: Ajmal Amir from Faridkot, Abu Ismail Dera Ismail Khan from Dera Ismail Khan, Hafiz Arshad and Babr Imran from Multan, Javed from Okara, Shoaib from Narowal, Nazih and Nasr fromFaisalabad, Abdul Rahman from Arifwalla, and Fahad Ullah from Dipalpur Taluka. Dera Ismail Khan is in the North-West Frontier Province; the rest of the towns are in Pakistani Punjab. Ajmal Kasab was the only attacker captured alive by police and is currently under arrest. Much of the information about the attackers preparation, travel, and movements comes from his confessions to the Mumbai police. Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab was born on July 13, 1987. He briefly joined his brother in Lahore, who worked as a labourer, and then returned to Faridkot. He left home after a fight with his father in 2005. He had asked for new clothes on Eid, but his father could not provide them, which made him angry. He then became involved in petty crime with his friend Muzaffar Lal Khan, soon moving on to armed robbery. On Dec 21, 2007, Bakr-Eid day, they were in Rawalpindi trying to buy weapons when they encountered members of Jamaat-ud-Dawah, the political wing of Lashkar-e-Taiba, distributing pamphlets. After a brief chat, they decide to sign up for training with the Lashkar-e-Taiba, ending up at their base camp, Markaz Taiba. According to Deputy Commissioner of Mumbai Police he spoke rough Hindi and barely any  English. Some sources said his father asked him to join the militant group, Lashkar-e-Taiba so that he could use the money they gave him to run the family. When asked about this, Ajmal Amirs father told reporters, â€Å"I dont sell my sons.† Even David Coleman Headley is charged for scouting the locations for 2008 Mumbai terror attacks by Laskar-e-Taiba. He is alleged by FBI for conspiring to bomb targets in Mumbai, India; providing material support to Lashkar-i-Taiba, a militant Pakistani Islamist group; and aiding and abetting the murder of U.S. citizens. Training Ajmal Amir is alleged to be among a group of 24 men who received training in marine warfare at a remote camp in mountainous Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Part of the training is reported to have taken place on the Mangla Dam reservoir. Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, a senior commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, reportedly offered to pay his family Rs.150,000 for his participation in the attacks. Another report said the 21-year old man was recruited from his Punjab, Pakistan home in part based on a pledge by recruiters to pay USD $1,250 US (Rs. 62,412.50) to his family when he became a martyr. Other sources put the reward to USD $4,000. Stages of training This batch of 25 went through the following stages of training: †¢ Psychological: Indoctrination to Islamist propaganda, including compiled footage of Indian atrocities in Jammu Kashmir, and imagery of the atrocities suffered by Muslims in India, Chechnya, Palestine and across the globe. †¢ Basic Combat: Lashkar’s basic combat and terror methodology course,  the Daura Aam. †¢ Advanced Training: Selected to undergo advanced specialised training at a camp near Mansehra, a course the organisation calls the Daura Khaas. This includes advanced weapons and explosives training supervised by retired personnel of the Pakistan Army, along with survival training and further indoctrination. †¢ Finally, an even smaller group selected for specialised marine commando and navigation training given to the fidayeen unit selected to target Mumbai. From the batch of about 25, 10 were handpicked for the Mumbai mission. They also received training in swimming and sailing, besides the use of high-end weapons and explosives under the supervision of LeT commanders. According to a media report citing an unnamed former Defence Department Official of the US, the intelligence agencies of the US had determined that the former officers from Pakistans Army and Inter-Services Intelligence agency assisted actively and continuously in training. They were given blueprints of all the four targets Taj Mahal Palace Tower, Oberoi Trident hotel and Nariman House. The type of training which he got completely washed his brain and it was enough to make him think only of destruction and only destruction. Feeling of hatred incited him against India to that level that he only wanted to kill Indians and to destroy India. Pakistanis give these terrorist institutions the name of militant organisations to hide these from the eyes of the world but these are recognised as terrorist groups in India, USA and UK. These institutions give militant training to those individuals who do not have sufficient money and gradually prepare them as a ‘militant terrorist’ in the name of ‘jihad’. ATTACKS Entry into India According to investigations the attackers traveled by sea from Karachi, Pakistan across the Arabian Sea, hijacked the Indian fishing trawler Kuber, killing the crew of four, and then forced the captain to sail to Mumbai. After killing the captain, the terrorists entered Mumbai on a rubber dinghy. The captain of Kuber, Amar Singh Solanki, had earlier been imprisoned for six months in a Pakistani jail for illegally fishing in Pakistani waters. The first events were detailed around 20:00 Indian Standard Time (IST) on 26 November, when 10 Urdu-speaking men in inflatable speedboats came ashore at two locations in Colaba. They reportedly told local Marathi-speaking fishermen who asked them who they were to mind their own business before they split up and headed two different ways. The fishermens subsequent report to police received little response. Involvement in Attack He was captured on CCTV during his attacks at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus along with another terrorist, Ismail Khan. Ajmal Amir reportedly told the police that they wanted to replicate theIslamabad Marriott hotel attack, and reduce the Taj Hotel to rubble, replicating the 9/11 attacks in India. Ajmal Amir and his accomplice Abu Dera Ismail Khan, age 25, attacked the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) railway station. They then moved on to attack a police vehicle (a white Toyota Qualis) at Cama Hospital, in which senior Mumbai police officers (Maharashtra ATS Chief Hemant Karkare, Encounter Specialist Vijay Salaskar and Additional Commissioner of Mumbai Police Ashok Kamte) were traveling. After killing them in a gun battle and taking two constables’ hostage in the Qualis, Ajmal Amir and Ismail Khan drove towards Metro cinema. Ajmal Amir joked about the bullet proof vests worn by the police and killed one constable when his mobile phone rang. They fired some shots into a crowd gathered at Metro Cinema. They then drove towards Vidhan Bhavan where they fired a few more shots. Their vehicle had a tire puncture, so  they stole a silver Ã…  koda Laura and drove towards Girgaum Chowpatty. Earlier, the D B Marg police had got a message from police control at about 10pm, saying that two heavily armed men were at large after gunning down commuters at CST. 15 policemen from D B Marg were sent to Chowpatty where they set up a double barricade on Marine Drive armed with 2 self-loading rifles (SLRs), two revolvers and lathis (or batons). The Skoda reached Chowpatty and halted 40 to 50 feet from the barricade. It then reversed and tried to make a U-turn. A shootout ensued and Abu Ismail was killed. Ajmal lay motionless playing dead. Assistant sub-inspector Tukaram Omble, who was armed only with a lathi(gapp), was killed when the police charged the car. Umbale took five bullets, but held on to Ajmals weapon, enabling his colleagues to capture him alive. A mob gathered and attacked the two terrorists. This incident was captured on video. Some reports said that Ajmal Amir was shot and had bullet wounds in his hand or both hands. There are other reports by doctors who treated him that he had no bullet wounds. While it is reported that he told the police that he was trained to kill to the last breath, when he was arrested, he pleaded with the medical staff: I do not want to die. Put me on saline. Later, after interrogation in the hospital by the police, he said: Now, I do not want to live, requesting the interrogators to kill him for the safety of his family in Pakistan who could be killed or tortured for his surrender to Indian police. Fidayeen terrorists are strictly instructed by Lashkar commanders not to be captured and interrogated, use aliases instead of their real names and hide their nationality. He is also quoted as saying I have done right, I have no regrets. Reports also surfaced that the group planned to escape safely after the attack, ruling out this being a suicide mission. It is also reported that he expressed to Indian police his willingness to switch loyalties, saying: If you give me regular meals and money I will do the same that I did for them. Ajmal Amir has told interrogators that right through the fighting, the Lashkar headquarters from Karachi, Pakistan remained in touch with the group, calling their phones through a voice-over-internet service. Investigators have succeeded in reconstructing the group’s journey through the Garmin GPS set that has been seized from him. The mail sent from a bogus group calling itself the Deccan Mujahideen claiming responsibility has been traced to a Russian proxy which was then traced back to Lahore, Pakistan with the help of the FBI. It was in fact the Lashkar-e-Toiba operating under an alternate name after being banned by U.S. Methodology The attackers had planned the attack several months ahead of time and knew some areas well enough for the attackers to vanish, and reappear after security forces had left. Several sources have quoted Kasab telling the police that the group received help from Mumbai residents. The attackers used at least three SIM cards purchased on the Indian side of the border with Bangladesh, pointing to some local collusion. There were also reports of one SIM card purchased in New Jersey, USA. Police had also mentioned that Faheem Ansari, an Indian Lashkar operative who had been arrested in February 2008, had scouted the Mumbai targets for the November attacks. Later, the police arrested two Indian suspects, Mikhtar Ahmad, who is from Srinagar in Kashmir, and Tausif Rehman, a resident of Kolkata. They supplied the SIM cards, one in Calcutta, and the other in New Delhi. Type 86 Grenades made by Chinas state-owned Norinco were used in the attacks. Blood tests on the attackers indicate that they had taken cocaine and LSD during the attacks, to sustain their energy and stay awake for 50 hours. Police say that they found syringes on the scenes of the attacks. There were also indications that they had been taking steroids. The gunman who survived said that the attackers had used Google Earth to familiarise themselves with the locations of buildings used in the attacks. DISPUTE ON NATIONALITY Dispute There was a dispute on the matter regarding the issue of nationality of Ajmal Kasab in the court. After the attacks, India asserted that Ajmal was a Pakistani national based on his confession and evidence gathered due to the information provided by him. Several reporters visited the village in Pakistan where Ajmal Amir said his family lived, and verified the facts provided by him. Former Pakistan Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif confirmed that Ajmal Amir was from Faridkot village in Pakistan, and criticized President Zardari for cordoning off the village and not allowing his parents to meet anyone. Investigative journalist Saeed Shah travelled to Ajmal Amirs village and produced national identity card numbers of his parents, Mohammed Amir and Noor Elahi soon after they themselves disappeared on the night of December 3, 2008. Also, the Mumbai Police said that much of the information that Ajmal Amir provided had proved to be accurate. He disclosed the location of a fishing trawler, MV Kuber, that the terrorists used to enter Mumbais coastal waters. He also told investigators where they would find the ship captains body, a satellite phone and a global-positioning device, which they did. Despite mounting evidence, Pakistani officials, including President Asif Ali Zardari, initially denied the assertion that Ajmal Amir was Pakistani. Pakistani government officials attempted to erase evidence that there was a Lashkar-e-Taiba office in Deepalpur, near Kasabs village. The office was hurriedly closed in the week of December 7. Moreover, at Faridkot many residents and local plainclothes police appeared to be trying to hurriedly cover up Ajmal Amirs connection with the village. The atmosphere turned hostile, and several reporters who went to Faridkot were roughed up. In early December, dealing a major blow to Pakistans claims, Ajmal Amirs father admitted in an interview that the captured terrorist was his  son. In January 2009, a month after the attacks, Pakistans national security advisor Mahmud Ali Durrani admitted to Ajmal Amir being a Pakistani citizen while speaking to the CNN-IBN news channel. The Pakistan Government then hastily acknowledged that Ajmal was a Pakistani, but also announced that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had fired Durrani for failing to take Gilani and other stakeholders into confidence before making this information public, and for a lack of coordination on matters of national security. This is a satire on the administrative system of Pakistan. Kasab’s confession on Nationality The statement made by the Pakistani minister was contradicted by their own official and even Kasab. Kasab even admitted before the court that he is a Pakistani and belong to Faridkot in Pakistan. Kasab accepted before the trial judge that he was a Pakistani national and told the court that he is fine with government-provided lawyer to defend him. Kasab appeared before special judge M L Tahiliyani via video link from the Arthur Road jail where he is presently lodged in a high security cell giving the media the first glimpse of the surviving terrorist who along with his nine accomplices were involved in the carnage. Tahiliyani asked Kasab to identify himself and asked him where he was from. Kasab replied that he was from Faridkot, in Pakistans Punjab province. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS Kasab’s confession Pakistani terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, in his dramatic confession before a special court Monday, said that he was a decorator by profession but since his income was little, he was attracted to jehad (holy war). Through some contacts, he came in touch with the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and later underwent training under Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Abu Hamza, Abu Kafa and Abu Jhundal, the masterminds of the Nov 26, 2008, Mumbai terror attacks, at a place called Battal in Pakistan. Recounting how he joined terrorism, Kasab said he worked with Haji Sultan as a small-time decorator in Jhelum in Punjab province. It was a month before the Bakr-Eid festival, that co-worker Muzaffar and he spoke of how they were not making enough money from the work. Muzaffar suggested that they could indulge in thefts or dacoity to make more money. While on a visit to Rawalpindi, Kasab had approached some LeT activists whom they located in the Raja market. I told them that I wanted to become a jehadi. One of them enquired about where we stayed and asked us to bring our belongings there. Another accompanied us with a piece of paper on which Markaz Taiba Murqui was written and gave us some money, he said. There they met more boys and joined them. After 21 days, Kasab was sent to Mansera, and then to Mankheda Aksa. Later, all the boys were taken to a hilly place called Battal where they were trained to operate pistols, guns, AK-47s and other weapons for 21 days. Later, they were sent to Daura Khaas for three months. Kasab said three people trained them Abu Ansa, Abu Basheer and Abu Abdul Rehman. From Battal, he travelled to Azad Kashmir, the Pakistan-administered Kashmir, where he met Sayeed. All the boys were taken to another camp and trained for three months by Abu Maviya, Abu Saiful Rehman, Abu Talaah and Abu Sariya. Here they learnt to operate rocket launchers, grenades and other deadly weapons. Later, Kasab said, he was given a weeks break to go home. Upon return, Sayeed, Abu Hamza and Abu Kafa selected some of the boys to go to Kashmir.  They also learnt swimming from Abu Imran and were for a month taken to Karachi, where they were trained to get acclimatised to the sea. They returned to Muzaffarabad in PoK, were given identity cards and clothes which they wore on the day of the Mumbai terror attacks. Kasab and Abu Ismail were the first to get out after landing at Colaba in south Mumbai that evening. They hailed a cab to go to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), as instructed by Hamza and left one bomb in the taxi and another at CST. After entering the CST, they opened fire as instructed by Hamza; Ismail lobbed grenades inside the station premises and opened fire from his AK-47. The duo continued firing and throwing grenades at regular intervals and continued moving ahead even as the security forces started confronting them and later surrounded them. Seeing little or no retaliation from the stunned police forces that night, the duo decided to take the CST subway, but Ismail beckoned him to go to Platform No. 1 where a train was waiting. They continued moving ahead in the direction of the bridge at the end of the station. They tried to force open some vehicles parked outside in a small lane. They saw a person coming from the opposite direction and Kasab killed him. Ismail started firing ahead and the duo jumped a short wall there and entered one of the wards of Cama Hospital. Ismail asked Kasab to wait at the hospital gate and he went inside, firing and later led him in. As they went inside, Kasab held a person as a shield after the police forces confronted them. They started firing and throwing grenades, outside the main gate they fired at a car and encountered firing from a jeep nearby. They hid behind a bush and later dragged out the limp bodies of three policemen and hijacked the jeep to go towards the Metro cinema junction. It was in Cama Hospital that Kasab and Ismail gunned down Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare and his associate Vijay Salaskar. They also killed another senior police official, Additional Commissioner of Police Ashok Kamte, before hijacking the police jeep. However, they kept moving in circles and by then, the jeep had developed a flat tyre. Kasab was also injured on his right elbow and left wrist and pleaded that he could not do anything more. Ismail urged him on and said that even he had sustained a bullet on his knee. Then they saw a Skoda car, they ordered the passengers a couple, to stop, forcibly took the keys from them and took the vehicle, blindly following another car as they did not know where to proceed. At a point on the road (Girgaum Chowpatty), they saw a police barricade, and when they were ordered to stop, Ismail attempted to take a u-turn on the road, but failed. The police rushed towards them and dragged out Kasab and hammered him with a baton, snatched his gun and attacked him in the tummy with the butt. Kasab claimed that he did not fire at anyone at that juncture and had lost consciousness. When he revived, he found himself at Nair Hospital, under arrest by the Mumbai police. TRIAL Chargesheet Indian investigators filed a formal 11,000 page Chargesheet against Kasab on 25 February 2009. Due to the fact that the chargesheet was written in Marathi and English, Kasab had requested that an Urdu translation of the charge sheet be given to him. Kasab has been charged with murder, conspiracy and waging war against India along with other crimes. His trial was to have started on April 15 but was put off as his lawyer, Anjali Waghmare, had been dismissed for a conflict of interest. He has gotten a new lawyer named Abbas Kazmi. On 28 April, he wrote a letter through his lawyer to the magistrate  requesting a perfume bottle, a toothpaste, Urdu Times newspaper and permission to walk in the adjacent varandah alongside his barack. He also requested the court to deposit the amount (given to him by the terrorists) seized from him by police into his jail account. Time line of Proceedings On 26 Nov 2008, Ujjwal Nikam was appointed as Public Prosecutor. In Jan 2009, M L Tahiliyani was appointed as judge to conduct the trial. In Feb 2009, an 11,000-page charge sheet was served on Kasab. In Mar 2009, advocate Anjali Waghmare was appointed as Kasabs lawyer. Kasab appeared through video-conferencing. In Apr 2009, Waghmare was removed as Kasabs lawyer. Abbas Kazmi was appointed as defence lawyer in mid-April. Trial began on April 17, 2009. On 20 Apr 2009, the prosecution submitted a list of charges, including the murder of 166 people. On 6 May 2009 Kasab pleaded not guilty to 86 charges. In May 2009, an eye witness identified Kasab in court. Another said he saw Kasab and nine others arrive by boat. Two doctors who treated him, identified him. On 2 June 2009, Kasab told the judge he now also understood Marathi. In June 2009, the special court issued non-bailable warrants against 22 absconding accused including Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafeez Saeed and chief of operations of Lashkar-e-Toiba, Zaki-ur-Rehman Laqvi. On 20 July 2009 Kasab retracted his non-guilty plea and pleaded guilty to all  charges, but his trial will continue. Visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in an interview with Thai publication The Nation during the ASEAN conference in Phuket in July 2009 that had Kasab been educated, he wouldnt have been a terrorist. On 18 December 2009, Kasab says he is innocent, he was framed and tortured by Indian Police. In a surprising U-turn he claims to have come to Mumbai 20 days ago and was simply roaming at Juhu beach when police arrested him. Details of proceedings Ajmal Amir has written to the Pakistani High Commission in India requesting help and legal aid. In the letter, he confirmed the nationality of himself and the nine slain terrorists as Pakistani. He also asked the Pakistani High Commission to take custody of the body of fellow terrorist Ismail Khan, who was killed in an encounter in south Mumbai on the night of November 26. Pakistani officials confirmed the receipt of the letter and were reported to be studying its details. However, no further updates were given on the matter by Pakistan. Kasabs trial was delayed due to legal issues, as many Indian lawyers were unwilling to represent him. A Mumbai Bar Association passed a resolution proclaiming that none of its members would represent Kasab. However, the Chief Justice of India stated that Kasab needed a lawyer for a fair trial. A lawyer for Kasab was eventually found, but was replaced due to a conflict of interest. On February 25, 2009, Indian investigators filed an 11,000-page Chargesheet, formally charging Kasab with murder, conspiracy, and waging war against India among other charges. Kasabs trial began on 6 May 2009. He initially pleaded not guilty, but later admitted his guilt on 20 July 2009. He initially apologized for the attacks and claimed that he deserved the death penalty for his crimes, but later retracted these claims, saying that he had been tortured by police to force his confession, and that he had been arrested while roaming the beach. The court had accepted his plea, but due to the lack of completeness within his admittance, the judge  had deemed that many of the 86 charges were not addressed and therefore the trial will continue. Kasab could, and will almost certainly, be hanged if given the maximum penalty of death. Indian and Pakistani police have exchanged DNA evidence, photographs and items found with the attackers to piece together a detailed portrait of the Mumbai plot. Police in Pakistan have arrested seven people, including Hammad Amin Sadiq, a homeopathic pharmacist, who arranged bank accounts and secured supplies, and he and six others begin their formal trial on 3 Oct 2009 in Pakistan, though Indian authorities say the prosecution stops well short of top Lashkar leaders. In November 2009, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that Pakistan has not done enough to bring the perpetrators of the attacks to justice. On the eve of the first anniversary of 26/11, a Pakistani anti-terror court has formally charged seven accused, including LeT operations commander Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi. Ujjawal Nikam, public prosecutor in the matter of Kasab, said there was ample evidence to show Kasab and the two arrested accused, Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed, were part of the conspiracy hatched in Pakistan to strike terror in the financial capital. He said foreign experts would be examined but their names and addresses should be kept secret. Nikam also said that further investigations in this case were on and supplementary chargesheet would be filed later. Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told the court that Kasab, the prime accused in the case, would be charged with murder of 166 persons in the attack unleashed by Pakistan-based terror outfit LeT on November 26, 2008 here. Although he was not directly involved in killing all 166 persons, Kasab was an active member of conspiracy hatched in Pakistan to commit terror attacks in India, Nikam said in his brief preliminary address to open the case. Kazmi who had earlier defend to 30 accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blast trial, told the court he was willing to defend Kasab. Nikam said 1,820 witnesses had been cited but only potential among them will be examined. Prosecution would place 750 articles and 1350 documents as  evidence. Nikam told the court that Kasab was directly involved in seven different cases of terror attacks. These pertain to murder of five crew of Kuber boat, including its navigator Amar Singh Solanki, bomb blast in a taxi at suburban Vile Parle, firing at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Cama Hospital firing attack, killing of three police officers near Cama Hospital and theft of Skoda car and attack on police team near Chowpatty, he said. In all these cases, Kasab was involved with co-conspirator Ismail Khan, who was killed in police encounter near Chowpatty, Nikam alleged. He said there are five other cases in which Kasab has been charged with murder conspiracy, although he had not directly participated in them. These are firing in Hotel Taj Mahal, Hotel Oberoi, Restaurant Leopold Cafe, Nariman House and bomb explosion in a taxi at Mazgaon. The court took on record advocate Ejaz Naqvi as defence counsel for Faheem Ansari and Ahmed. Since Naqvi did not appear in morning session and Faheem sought time to appoint another lawyer, the court asked Faheems wife to call Naqvi to the court. Later, he came and told the court that he would continue to defend Faheem. Demanded trial by International Court The alleged gunman in the 2008 bloody siege of Mumbai said he should be tried by an international court because he does not expect justice in India. Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, 21, told a special court that police had falsely implicated him in the case. I should be tried in an international court, he told Judge M.L. Tahiliyani. Earlier Kasab retracted his confession that he sprayed gunfire into a crowd at the railroad station. He also said police tortured him into admitting having a role in the attacks. Kasab also said thathe wanted to call witnesses from Pakistan for his defense, and that he should be allowed to meet Pakistani officials. Witnesses would include a passport officer, he said, without providing other details. The judge asked him to file a petition through his attorney. Kasab could face the death penalty if convicted. Murder and conspiracy to wage war against India are among the charges he faces. Kasab told the judge he came to Mumbai as a tourist and was arrested 20 days before the siege began. On the day the attacks started, Kasab said police took him from his cell because he resembled one of the gunmen. They then shot him to make it look as if he had been involved in the attacks and re-arrested him, Kasab said. ANALYSIS It is mockery of the Indian Judicial System that even the charge is proved on the convict but the trail is going on. In the month of July last year the convict pleaded guilty of all the charges, but the Judge said that the other 86 cases have not been addressed therefore the trial should continue and in the month of September he again told the court that he was forced to plead for guilty by the Indian police. Has anyone think over it that if the verdict would have been given as soon as he pleaded guilty what would happen? Such kinds of questions were raised, and will raise on Indian Judicial System if it will continue to follow such kind of path. The Court should has given its verdict on the basis of the evidences produced by the public, eye witnesses and moreover the acceptance of the charge by the convict. The other matters could have been addressed later on. Even there was news that Kasab giggle over the question asked by the judge and made fun of it. This is a satire on the discipline of the courts. The judge has to order him to  behave in the court. This clearly shows that giving a chance of fair trial to convict made him to perceive as nothing is going to happen to him for the next ten years. People have such kind of mentality towards the Judicial System. If a suit has been filed in a court then the guilty has nothing to do with it for many years. Our Judicial System needs changes. This system has to be discarded and a new system should be introduced. Indian Police is not required to file a charge sheet of 11,000 pages and judges are needed not to give judgements running through thousand of pages. A simple and logical statement is sufficient for the parties involved in it and for the general public as well. In my view this trial of Ajmal Kasab should be finished because there is nothing more to think over it. Otherwise it will lead to expenditure of more and more money of the government on such a heinous criminal, which is of no worth.

Richard Wagner :: essays research papers

Richard Wilhelm Wagner Richard Wagner was born in Leipzig, Germany, on May 22, 1813. His work was done throughout the romantic period. His father died soon after his birth, and in 1814 the family moved to Dresden. In 1822 Wagner entered Dresden's Kreuzschule. In 1828 he enrolled at the Nicolaischule in Leipzig, where he began lessons in harmony with the conductor named Christian Gottlieb Mà ¼ller. Over the next three years he composed several piano sonatas, overtures, and seven songs. Inspired by the works of Beethoven, Mozart, and Weber and Shakespeare, Goethe, and Schiller, he taught himself piano and composition. He entered the University of Leipzig. There he lived wildly but he seriously paid attention to composition. His 'Symphony in C' was performed in Prague in 1832 and the following year it was played in Leipzig. The next six years he spent as a conductor at low class local theaters. In 1836 he married the actress Minna Planer, and in 1839, they left for Paris. Living with poor German artists, Wagner wrote musical journalism and did cut work. But in 1840 he completed â€Å"Rienzi†, his first major opera. It was successfully produced at Dresden in 1842 and resulted in his slot as musical director of the Saxon court. Here â€Å"The Flying Dutchman† was produced in 1843, and â€Å"Tannhà ¤user† was completed in 1845. These operas were much criticized, because they lacked the melodies of the popular operas. Wagner took part in the German political revolt of 1848-1849 and was forced to leave the country. For about ten years he lived in Zà ¼rich, Switzerland. In 1864 King Ludwig II of Bavaria invited him to continue his musical work in Munich. During the years in Munich, he completed â€Å"The Ring of the Nibelung† which was a series of operas based on old German myths that he had begun in Zà ¼rich. The opera house in Munich was too small for these great operas. Wagner suggested that a theater be built from his own designs. The king approved the project, and the outcome was the famous Wagnerian Festival Theater in Bayreuth, Bavaria.