Saturday, December 28, 2019

Environmental effects on the impact of moderate exercise...

Environmental effects on the impact of moderate exercise on mood state The link between exercise and its effects on peoples mood-state has long been questioned. Only recently has evidence been obtained supporting this proposed claim. Studies contributed by Berger and Motl assert that ‘there is a strong consensus that mood enhancement is benefitted by physical activity†. Hansen, Steven and Coast also develop the idea that Psychical activity can play a key role in enhancing Mood by decreasing confusion and increasing vigour and total mood. Both these studies provide data based on verifiable studies that support the notion that exercising improves ones mood. Environmental influences may also be influential in physical activities effect on†¦show more content†¦A study done by Hansen, Stevens and Coast found that twenty-one participants aged 20-26 taking part noted increases in Vigour and Total Mood and a decrease in Confusion. To account for any gender differential 14 females and 7 males took part. The participants did a total of four tests. The first test involved sitting for 30 minutes. The second test involved a warmup on an exercise bike. The participants cycled for 10 minutes and raise their heart rate (HR) to 60% of their VO2 max (maximum oxygen consumption). Test 3 involved cycling for 20 minutes while raising their HR to 60% VO2max. Test 4 lasted for 30 minutes while the participants again raised their HR to 60% VO2max. Following each test the participants had a 10-minute cool down cycle. Each participant filled a Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) on the Friday before the test. Before exercising a Profile of Mood State (POMS) was taken and than succeeding the 10-minute cool down the POMS was taken again to record any change in mood state. Research conducted by Dyer and Crouch (1988) found that mood is most positive 15-20 minutes after exercise and even after 30 minutes residual effects can be noted. Mean Pre-Post POMS Differences (SDs) and t-tests for Differences Mood factor Alone group (n = 40) Together group (n = 40) t-test for differences M SD M SD t(78) p Tension -3.21* (3.70) -1.40* (3.26) 2.32 .02 Depression -0.32* (0.94) -0.10Show MoreRelatedSocial And Biological Aspects Of Depression3644 Words   |  15 Pagescertainly agrees that it can be, however it is often unclear why. This report examines some of the extensive literature available on this topic and considers factors such as medication, social and biological aspects of depression as well the role that exercise can play in complimenting traditional therapies to promote positive management of a frequently negative disease. Depression is a complex illness which affects different people in different ways. The factors influencing the severity of a person’sRead MorePhysical Activity And Mental Health1478 Words   |  6 PagesPhysical activity can impact one s body in a variety of ways. Someone who exercises regularly can have an overall better mental health, relief of stress and anxiety, and a slimmer figure. For most people, exercise or working out is not the first thing that comes to their mind when feeling stressed or anxious. Recent studies show, however, that maybe people should be encouraged to exercise. Scientists are working to determine how much of exercise to prescribe to get an effect, but the general sayingRead MoreExercise Refferal Case Study for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Depression Elderly5303 Words   |  22 PagesNortriptyline Physiological Information Blood Pressure (seated): 122/82 mmHG Resting Heart Rate: 64 bpm Predicted VO2max: 24 ml/kg/min Present physical activity: Very low, essentially sedentary Patient’s statement regarding state of change: â€Å"I want to exercise, and I think I can do it, but I will need some support† (Preparation) Medical conditions Rhematoid Arthritis – Is an autoimmune disease which can cause chronic inflammation of body`s organs, joints, and the surrounding tissue ofRead MoreSilent Spring by Rachel Carson Essay1451 Words   |  6 Pagesphysical health like venomous chemicals or radiation, restricted access to sanitary and pure natural resources, and the infinite amalgamation of them all. Decisions taken in areas apparently detached from health frequently have the prospect to have an impact on people’s health in either positive or negative manner due to a large number of links and connections in modern life. Health is an area comprised of highly intricate systems, which can be accidentally disturbed in unpredictable ways and end up inRead MoreOsteoporosis Is A Health Problem1643 Words   |  7 Pagesincrease (SBO). Worldwide, osteoporosis has an estimated total of affecting 200 million women, one-tenth of women aged 60, one-fifth of women aged 70, two-fifths of women aged 80, and two-thirds o f women aged 90. Across the areas of Europe, United States, and Japan, osteoporosis has affected an estimate of 75 million people (International Osteoporosis Foundation). The National Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that more than millions have low bone mass and are at high risk developing the conditionRead MorePhysical Exertion Of The Body2155 Words   |  9 Pagesprofessionals and the government in the hope to abolish this behaviour and restore the health (the state of complete mental, physical and social wellbeing, not merely the absence of illness) (WHO, 2003) of members of society labelled with this tag who are suffering from sedentary-related conditions that potentially require expensive treatment or hospital admission. The aim is to implement exercise (physical exertion of the body resulting in healthier physical fitness) (Medical News Today, 2014) targetingRead MoreThe Garbage Problem in America Essay1693 Words   |  7 Pagesdilemma has become the centerpiece of the pol itics of garbage. The mood of the crisis manifests itself in countless ways, including attempts to export the problem, here or abroad. Numerous municipalities, counties, and states, particularly those with heavier concentrations of industry and greater urban density, have attempted to send their waste to less dense, often poorer areas. This has created a garbage war between states. California seeks to dispose in Arizona, New York looks to Vermont,Read MoreSingle-system design. Meditation to decrease anxiety.1937 Words   |  8 Pagesscore on the Clinical Assessment of Anxiety through the intervention of meditative breathing. A baseline of three weeks was measured followed by four weeks of treatment phase. During the treatment phase, the participant completed meditative breathing exercise three times daily for five days each week. The participant completed the Clinical Assessment of Anxiety each Friday of the treatment phase. The results indicated improvement in the scores, however the participant s score never got below the clinicalRead MoreThe Health Promotion Measures For Healthy Living2749 Words   |  11 Pagesother dimensions like physical, mental, social, spiritual, emotional, vocational, philosophical, cultural, socio-economic, environmental, educational, nutritional and preventive dimensions of healthy living. A Road map towards healthy living titled â€Å"The Road to Healthy Living† was thus prepared which included health promotion measures in the areas of physical activity and exercise, nutrition, weight optimization, prevention of chronic diseases, addictions, stress management, quality of sleep, healthyRead MoreCaring for a Patient with Bipolar Disorder1992 Words   |  8 Pagesor food, the manic patient may exercise poor judgment and go on extravagant spending sprees. Patients may lose all their inhibition and engage in bizarre sexual behavior or have multiple sexual encounters. Unfortunately, mania can also be enticing to a bipolar patient. A less severe type, Hypomania is a less severe form of mania that may feel good to the patient, because the excess energy can enhance their functioning and productivity without any negative effects on their personal life. However

Friday, December 20, 2019

Babylon As A Great Civilization - 1473 Words

Babylon was a great civilization which at one time could have ruled the world. The name Babylon means â€Å"Gate of God†. Babylon was located in an ancient region surrounded by the Tigris and Euphrates River. This great civilization first initiated around 3500 BC and began to crumble after the year 323 BC. The Babylon culture was successful because of the advanced citizens, cultural cities, their technology, and legal systems. Babylon was home to 10,000 to 40,000 Babylonians. This paper will talk about Babylon’s culture, Babylon’s everyday lifestyle, Babylon’s clothing, Hammurabi, the code of Hammurabi, Babylon’s religion and Babylon’s education. Like many other cultures, the Babylonians too were very elaborate on their wedding ceremonies. Marriage signifies the union between the bride and groom is watched over by tons of people. The ceremony conducted then is almost the same as it is conducted today however, the huge difference is the gift giving during the ceremony. The gifts given by guest during the old Babylonian wedding ceremonies range from flour to jewellery. Based upon the gifts given, it can show the occupation of the gift giver, either a merchant, a goldsmith or a farmer. The amount given by the gift giver is usually recorded for future purpose to either repay the gift given during a wedding ceremony of his son or daughter or to simply identify who was the gift giver of that certain gift. Another interesting finding about Babylon is how their everyday life is dividedShow MoreRelatedThe Babylonian Civilization Of Babylon Essay1185 Words   |  5 PagesThe Babylonian civilization About the civilization of Babylon: Babylonian civilization is considered as one of the most important civilizations in the ancient world. The Babylonians took and developed everything after the Sumerians civilization especially in the spiritual realm and in the field of building an integrated civilization. The earlier civilizations had big role in the Babylonians civilization period when Babylonians took all the cuneiform writing, mathematicalRead More The Intent Behind the Enuma Elish (Creation Epic) Essay624 Words   |  3 PagesElish are secondary to the authorà ­s effort to explain the supremacy of Marduk, to justify absolute oriental monarchy, and to defend Babylon as the axis mundi. The Enuma Elish was composed in Babylonin the early second millennium B.C.E. The decay of Sumerian civilization allowed the Old-Babylonian Empire to become the cultural and political center of Mesopotamia. Babylon was governed by absolute and despotic kings capable of wielding enough power to ensure the continued existence of massive buildingRead MoreRome Essay Question1622 Words   |  7 PagesEmpire, both, hit on other civilizations, misc. I’m planning to link examples that explain how other emperors didn’t do what Rome did correctly directly with my fact on what Rome did do correct. As far as the second half of the question goes I am planning on taking what I have on each empire and try to make references to them during my arguments above. Tom L. was emphasizing Assyria during his explanation of this response. I listed some main points to hit on for every civilization below. Then with theRead MoreThe Earth And It s Peoples1068 Words   |  5 Pages1. A cosm opolitan civilization developed through increased and farther-reaching trade, connections, conquests, and relocations. This civilization took the form of diverse groups of people with similar technologies and beliefs. The book, â€Å"The Earth and It’s Peoples† says, â€Å"Akkadian became the language of correspondence between governments. The Elamites and Hittites, among others, adapted the cuneiform system to write their own languages†¦ Mesopotamian myths, legends, and styles of art and architectureRead MoreRise of Greek Civilization Essay641 Words   |  3 Pagestowards the rise of civilization in Greece? How is it something special in the intellectual world? Is it true that science and philosophy were born at the same time i.e. in the 6th century B.C.? What were the reasons for the early development of civilizations (E.g. writing in 4000 B.C.) in Egypt and Mesopotamia? When were the pyramids built? How did Gods get associated with morality, as in breaching law became impiety? What was the oldest legal code of Hammurabi, the king of Babylon? What was theRead MoreThe Law of Hammurabi in Mesopotamia and Babylon815 Words   |  3 Pagesand ruler of Babylon from 1792-1750 B.c at the beginning of his rein, Mesopotamia was divided into many city states, all with their own patterns of shifting rules, but Hammurabi eventually brought the entire region under his control, he collected laws from varied city states, and wrote down a set of codes, that soon governed the entire area (King 56). Hammurabi’s written code allowed lot to be a matter of public knowledge and so help advance the rule of law in society. Babylon’s great monuments makeRead MoreComparing The Achaemenid Empire And The Imperial Stability And Prosperity Were Cyrus And Darius1638 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout human civilization, it has been invariably true that the ideas and innovations belonging to particular societies have been adopted by both concurrent and later cultures. This has culminated in remarkably advanced societies, whose success can be attributed to that of their ancient counterparts. Much of the prosperity of modern civilization can certainly be accredited to the Achaemenid Empire, a pluralistic empire founded in 550 BCE. At its peak, it stretched from the Indus River ValleyRead MoreThe Hanging Gardens Of Babylon1510 Words   |  7 PagesA Mysterious Ancient Marvel Introduction The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders, and also the only one with unknown location and there is no physical evidence that it ever existed. It is said that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon was ordered to be constructed by the ruling Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II. The gardens were built for the homesick queen Amyitis. The gardens were said to be on the top of a building of four floors of platforms and the building itself was made of bricksRead MoreThe Assyrians and Cyrus Essay1228 Words   |  5 PagesINTRODUCTION At its height, the ancient Assyrian Empire stretched from the north in the upper Tigris river valley, south to the northern tip of the Persian Gulf including Babylon, along the Mediterranean Sea from Tarsus to Jerusalem and all the way down into Egypt to the city of Thebes. This vast empire took several thousand years to build. Early settlements can be traced back to the northern city of Nineveh around 5000 B.C. The success of this nearly 2000 year empire had a lot to do withRead MoreThe Contributions of Ancient Civilizations to History Essay855 Words   |  4 PagesWhat contributions did near eastern civilizations make to history? New ideas and inventions of Pre History man were important, but how they evolved and led to new and more complex ideas and inventions is imperative to history. Over time these advancements brought people into a more efficient living environment, making for higher population and spread of cultural, political, economic, and social ideals over large geographical areas. What we know about the people before written records is limited

Thursday, December 12, 2019

1000 Acres Essay Example For Students

1000 Acres Essay Every book adaptation of an existing work has its own set of problems. Not only was Jane Smileys 1991 novel a Pulitzer Prize-winning best seller with a large number of devoted fans, but the book A Thousand Acres was in turn self-conscious reworking of King Lear, which is a play with a larger number of more devoted fans. It might not be fair to directly compare Smileys text with Shakespeare but the way in which this modernization invokes Lear invites such comparisons. Smiley isnt just reusing the idea of a father who gives his land to his three daughters, she is retaining so many specifics of Lear that the reader has to view the book as not merely a borrowing of elements but as a direct rewrite of the original text.For instance, the names are coded equivalents of Shakespeares: Lear has been changed to Larry, while Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia have become Ginny, Rose, and Caroline. The political alliances of the play have been reproduced as financial alliances. The storm, at least, is still a storm. The nature of Smileys divergences from Shakespeare suggests a feminist re-evaluation of the tale. She seems to be interested in reclaiming it from the male-controlled cultural tradition, or at least in suggesting an alternative reading, which is a different side of the same story, from the standpoint of daughters rebelling against a grotesque patriarchy rather than through the eyes of the spurned patriarch. Larry Cook a hard-working, well-to-do Iowa farmer who has built up the thousand-acre spread he inherited from his father and grandfather has three daughters. Ginny the oldest, lives with her husband Ty down the road from Larry; Rose also lives on the grounds with husband Pete and two daughters; and Caroline is a lawyer in Des Moines. One day Larry announces that hes retiring and splitting the farm among the three girls. Ginny is agreeable, and Rose downright enthusiastic, but Caroline, who has escaped the farm life, isnt sure shes interested. Her reaction deeply offends Larry, who disowns her, both materially and emotionally. Ginny tries to reconcile them, to no avail. Ginny, Rose, Ty, and Pete begin an ambitious expansion of the farm, but Larry, who immediately regrets his retirement, becomes resentful of his self-imposed retirement, sinking into drink and madness. After an ugly confrontation with his eldest daughters, he teams up with Caroline to combat what he sees as his betrayal by a pair of usurpers. Up to this point the plot has been the same an in Lear. Still, the story is being narrated by Ginny: As the oldest in a motherless family, she has always been the one to smooth over conflicts, but she is knocked over by a revelation that completely changes her. Because of the Lear parallels, this revelation shocks the reader. Had we not been led to expect the blow-by-blow updating of Shakespeare, we would have guessed it much earlier. Suddenly it becomes clear how and why Smiley has deviated from the original. All along we have been getting the equivalent of Gonerils take on events; but until this point Ginny has been a self-deceived idiot. Her take has been fairly close to the traditional view of the story, but now she realizes what she has always denied: Larry is simply a monster, a depiction of everything thats wrong about men and fathers. The logical conclusion is that Shakespeare, being a male, has inevitably given us either an untrue or horribly one-sided reading of the story. Our sympathies have been aligned primarily with Cordelia and secondarily with Lear, against the conniving Goneril and Regan. As injustice upon injustice are heaped upon Ginny and Rose, the local townspeople, ignorant of the worst of Larrys behavior, all side with him. .u76132bb8cae74419e63da75b9ef20d20 , .u76132bb8cae74419e63da75b9ef20d20 .postImageUrl , .u76132bb8cae74419e63da75b9ef20d20 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u76132bb8cae74419e63da75b9ef20d20 , .u76132bb8cae74419e63da75b9ef20d20:hover , .u76132bb8cae74419e63da75b9ef20d20:visited , .u76132bb8cae74419e63da75b9ef20d20:active { border:0!important; } .u76132bb8cae74419e63da75b9ef20d20 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u76132bb8cae74419e63da75b9ef20d20 { 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; } .u76132bb8cae74419e63da75b9ef20d20:active , .u76132bb8cae74419e63da75b9ef20d20:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u76132bb8cae74419e63da75b9ef20d20 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u76132bb8cae74419e63da75b9ef20d20 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u76132bb8cae74419e63da75b9ef20d20 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u76132bb8cae74419e63da75b9ef20d20 .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; } .u76132bb8cae74419e63da75b9ef20d20:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u76132bb8cae74419e63da75b9ef20d20 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u76132bb8cae74419e63da75b9ef20d20 .u76132bb8cae74419e63da75b9ef20d20-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u76132bb8cae74419e63da75b9ef20d20:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Right To Vote - Should I Do? Essay The assumption is that Larry, as a hard working pillar of the community, must be in the right. The townspeople are simply stand-ins for the viewers of Lear: They represent the audience that has always taken Goneril and Regan as villains. Whereas in Shakespeare, Lear considers Cordelia a serpent-toothed child who betrays her father, here Carolines betrayal is against her stand-in mothers Ginny and Rose. It is her love for Larry that marks her as the thankless child. We never actually see Larrys most terrible sins; we only have Ginny and Roses accounts of them. The option exists that we are deliberately being shown not a revised view of Lear but an equally one-sided perspective, exactly as unfinished and unreliable as Shakespeares.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Hopeful Encounter Essay Example For Students

Hopeful Encounter Essay The sun was setting. Far to the east, threatening black clouds arosefrom the fumes of pollution from the several smoke stacks towering over thecity. The streets were pock marked and dented with the recent shower ofacid rain. Hot boiling steam from the sewers made the temperature of daymuch hotter than it really was. Just outside the borders of the city is alake covered with muck and crude oil spills. Death and despair floatedaimlessly on the surface of the unhospitable body of water. Corpses of deadfish, seagulls bobbed just under the rim of the black slime. The blackslime sensing fresh prey, extended its corrupt and revolting tendrilsfartheruntil it caught another unsuspecting victim, choking andengulfing, destroying, leaving just another emtpy shell behind, devoid ofany life. Night set in, the stars were obscured by thick blankets of smoke. Theday was done. Stores got ready to lock up and street lights were turned onto aid the bread winners, so they may travel safely. Few were fortunateenough to own automobiles so they could avoid the cold dangerous streetsand dark alleyways. Most shops were already abandoned, finished for theday. Yet few doors were still open, desperate for any last minutecustomers. One such shopkeeper was Phil Anderson. Anderson had worked asa pharmacist for most of his life. At forty, he had little to show for. The pollution that caused the gradual decay of the city had had negativeeffects on business, as well as the environment. Phil, though by all meansnot an old man, showed signs of premature aging. His skin was pale anddry, wrinkled by the everyday punishment of the deteriorating sorroundings. Few strands of grayish white hair lined his almost bald, dandruff infestedscalp. Looking at Phil with his characteristic limp, slouched posture andbulging belly one might think him an extremely unathletic person. But thenagain it was not entirely his fault. His eyes were red and bloodshot, theglasses he wore only made these features more obvious. With shaking skinny hands, Phil slowly put away the last of the itemson top of the counter. Finally done, he flicked off the lights andrummaged through his pockets for his keys. Looking one last time to makesure the shop was in order, Phil locked up the store and left. He failed to notice a dark shadow spying on him as he counted the bills he had earnedtoday, and put it away into his black leather wallet. The tall dark figurestudied the pharmacist a while longer before trailing him. The narrowdirty street smelled of weeks old garbage and animal wastes. Smog wasstill thick in the air causing him to cough repeatedly. He stopped for amoment to catch his breath. Remembering his air filter in his pocket, Philgingerly took it out and put it on. Feeling much better Phil continueddown the street, heaving a sigh of relief. He headed towards home, but soon remembering that he always stops bythe Charleton Bar for a drink or two, Phil abruptly changed direction. Sounds of laughter and grumbling reached his ears as Phil pushed open thedoors of the Charleton. The Charlton is located at Bradleys street, just a couple of blocksaway from Phils Pharmacy. Often did Phil come here to unload and forgethis problems. This old bar is small and a little rundown but by no meansdeserted. Though built with concrete, The Charleton was wooden inside. Itwas dimly lit by old-fashioned lanterns placed along the walls, that gaveit an atmosphere of relaxation. At least the problems of the world can betemporarily forgotten in here, drowned out in a pint of beer. A lowslanted ceiling hung over head. Years of exposure to acid rain caused thewood to decay. Wood fillings was occasionally used to patch up the holes. Although the variety of alchoholic beverages served here were not abundent,the ones they did have were quite popular. Their Spinner and Geinis forexample, were among the house favorites. Few scattered chairs and tableswere spread around the room in no apparent order. Most were occupied. Amiddle aged couple sat in the middle of the room talking softly amongstthemselves, minding their own business. Far in the shadows of the cornerwas a young lad, who it seemed to Phil, was too Young to have legallyentered the bar. Clutched in his hands was the weaker of the drinks thatthe bar offered. Yet the young inexperianced drinker wobbled heavily inhis seat, unaccostomed to anything containing alcohol. He must havesneaked in, Phil thought casually, many do. These days no one really caresanymore. Scattered around the rest of the Charlton were the usual bunch, afew bums, workers who had shops close to the Charleton, and young ones whofind the world outside too harsh and demanding, so they come here to seekshelter. But it was no permanent shelter, Phil knew. They would have toface their problems all too soon. There was one person in the crowed that Phil did not recognize. Hewas a newcommer, Phil knew, because He was sitting on his favorite stool,up on the counter. He sat alone sipping on his Spinner with long easygulps, marking him a frequent vistor to Taverns. The stranger had clearblue eyes and sandy coloured hair. The corner of his eyes mouth were drawnwith lines, proof of the hard times. He was of normal built and seemed alittle taller than average height. His posture was a little stooped, heprobrably worked on construction or something straining to the body. Thenewcomer was no means unattractive though, Phil would guess he could pickup a girl or two any day. There was something refreshing about him. Acertain aurora of confidence and hope radiated from him. Maybe it was theway he handled himself, or something else, made Phil curious about him. Hedecided to walk over to talk to him. Phil leaned slighly on his right legmaking his way to bar. The floor boards creaked with each step Phil took. Was Prince Hamlet Wacko? Essay After a quick goodbye to his buddies, Phil rose and joined Bill, theyopened the doors of the Charelton and headed out to the streets. Phil felt a certain bond towards Bill, he inspired hope andconfidence. Phil hadnt felt this certain of himself for so long that heforgot how great it felt. He knew that this would be a start of a goodfriendship. So tell me more about yourself and your kids, what do you do to helpthe environment?, Phil wanted to know. Bill did not answer, he seemed tobe preoccuppied with some other thoughts. Are you all right? ,Philasked. Oh, sorry I was just thinking about something. What?, thePharmacist inquired. How to rob you!, came Bills reply. Phil looked toStevens in shocked disbelief, he then noticed the smile that was playingacoss Bills face, and realized it was a joke. Phil laughed long and hard,he hasnt felt this good in a while. They walked down a few more blocksand were approaching the run down part of town. This place always givesme the creeps, it really helps that your with me. Yeah right., Billsaid. They were walking down a particullary dark alleyway when Bill suddenlystopped. He looked around to make sure nobody was around. Phil, puzzledasked, Something wrong Bill? Nothing, came the answer, everything isjust fine. Bill suddenly grabbed the scruff of Phils shirt and pushedhim against the wall. Bill what are you doing?, Phil cried out,frightened and confused. What does it look like Im doing you fatbastard!, Bill snapped sarcastically.Now, wheres your wallet?, thethief demanded. Bill I dont get it? Why are you doing this?, Philcroaked weakly, even more confused now. Why am I doing this? Are youthat stupid? To survive in this polluted dump! Phil shook his head,struggling in vain to break free of Bills grasp. What about all thethings you said about the world being a better place?, Phil askeddesperately. What about your family, your kids? You actually believedall that bull. I just told you whatever it took to get you out of that barand get you here. So I can do this! Phil saw coldnes s in Bill, hisexpression, distant and unfeeling. The Bill he had met at the Charletonwas no more. Replaced by a cold and calculated thief. You really meantwhat you said in the bar, I can tell! You really did! Its true, wellsurvive! You cant be like this. I know theres good in Bill Stevens!Phil sputtered. Thats not true and you know it, and you believed it!You were a fool to have me trick you! Listen Bill, everyone can change,you made me believe. I was wrong to simply complain and do nothing when Icould help save the world. If we all pitch in, as you said, it can reallywork! Phil pleaded with the thief, trying to make him see reason. Billhesitates for a moment and his expression softened, revealling desperationand guilt. But then in seconds, the mask of coldness returned. Bill fixedPhil with a hard stare, then reached into Phils pocket. This is my life,what I do, I cant change now. Its too late!, Bill said, as if it wasany consolation to Phil. Its never too late!, Phil cried, Bill, j usthear me out! Bill snorted and gave Phil a swift and strong blow to theabdomen, dropping him to the pavement like a ton of bricks. Doing that,Bill ran off and disappeared into the night. Leaving a crumpled, patheticform, lying in the dirty deserted alleyway. The pitter patter of rain drops soon bombarded the city. Sulphurousclouds released pounding sheets acid rain. Though this downpour did notcool the city in any way. Steam from the gutters still erupted withunrelented pressure. As the stinging pelts continued their assault onnature. The lake outside the borders of the city was filled with morebodies of helpless victims, that slowly suffered, because of man. The moonwas still not seen, nor will it be, anytime in the future, as dark swirlingclouds obscured the sky. IN the alley, the rain fell down upon Phil as he sat peniless andhopeless in a puddle. The acidic rain burned through Phils coat,gradually eroding away the fabric. Footsteps headed towards Phil in urgenthaste. Phil, what happened? Are you all right?, Tom called out. Philsbuddies in the Charleton had just finished their drinks and were justheading home. Tom, who spotted Phil hunched on the pavement and quicklycame to see what was wrong. Ray and Wil followed not too far behind butelected to keep silent. Depressed and angry, Phil simply wanted to be aloneright now, Get out of here! Go away! Leave me alone, he shouted inbetween tears. Tom flinched at the harshness of Phils tone. He glancedone more time at his friend and walked away. Wil and Ray not knowing whatto do followed Toms example and granted Phils request for privacy. Cold and numb, Phil put his hands into his pockets in a pitifullattempt to stay warm. After losing all his money, he was even moredepressed than ever. Reaching deeper into his pocket, Phil felt arectangular leather object, then smiled. Once again, Phil Anderson, felthope.