netherlands :: essays research papers

Netherlands Location: Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany Geographic coordinates: 52 30 N, 5 45 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 41,526 sq km land: 33,883 sq km water: 7,643sqkmArea - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey Land boundaries: total: 1,027 km bordercountries:Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km Coastline: 451 km Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM Climate: temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters Terrain: mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Prins Alexanderpolder -7 m highest point: Vaalserberg 321 m Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, arable land Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: 8% other: 39% (1996 est.) Irrigated land: 6,000 sq km (1996 est.) Natural hazards: flooding Environment - current issues: water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities; acid rain Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Geography - note: located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde) Netherlands People Top of Page Population: 15,981,472 (July 2001 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.38% (male 1,501,925; female 1,436,017) 15-64 years: 67.9% (male 5,518,575; female 5,333,442) 65 years and over: 13.72% (male 899,052; female 1,292,461) (2001 est.) Population growth rate: 0.55% (2001 est.) Birth rate: 11.85 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) Death rate: 8.69 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) Net migration rate: 2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.) Infant mortality rate: 4.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.43 years male: 75.55 years female: 81.44 years (2001 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.65 children born/woman (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.19% (1999 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 15,000 (1999 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: 100 (1999 est.) Nationality: noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women) adjective: Dutch Ethnic groups: Dutch 91%, Moroccans, Turks, and other 9% (1999 est.) Religions: Roman Catholic 31%, Protestant 21%, Muslim 4.4%, other 3.6%, unaffiliated 40% (1998) Languages: Dutch total population: 99% (2000 est.

Full Time Job Narrative Essay

I had just graduated from high school; a typical Santa Barbara local, with ambitions of attending SBCC. I always did fairly well in school, but was definitely more concerned with how the waves were breaking, instead how of my grades were. That all changed on June 15th. I got a call from a family friend asking if I would be interested in a summer job at a shipping warehouse in Carpinteria. My parents had been nagging me day in and day out to get a summer job, so this seemed so perfect. I accepted the job and my friend let me know I should show up at 7:30 Monday morning for my first day of work. That Monday morning, I woke up late and stumbled out of bed, threw on some clothes and was out the door with no time for breakfast. I will never forget that car ride down to Carpinteria, and the anxious feelings I felt in my stomach. My mind was racing in a million different directions and I really had no idea what I was in for. Pulling up to the warehouse, I remember the cold wind blowing across my face, the distinct smell of ocean heavy in the air, and the flapping of the State Park flags in the distance. The job description my friend gave me over the phone didn’t really stress how labor intensive it would be, so my first day I was in for quite a surprise. All day I was packing and carrying 60-70 lbs packages and not a minute went by where I didn’t regret taking my new job offer. Much to my surprise, my coworkers were all much older than me, and it was somewhat depressing to see people my parents and grandparents age doing such laborious work. One of my coworkers was an older woman named Maria, who sort of acted like the â€Å"mother† around facility. She didn’t speak the best of English, but despite that, we quickly became friends, and shortly thereafter Maria began giving me all sorts of advice and pointers she thought would benefit me in life. Once she found out how old I was, she asked what my plans for school were. I let her know school wasn’t something I was too worried about but that I would be attending City College in the fall. The look on her face was unforgettable. She looked back at me and said â€Å"Sammy, School is the most important thing in your life†. Maria went on to say â€Å"look around you; all these people have sad expressions on their faces. They didn’t have the opportunity you are blessed with. You need to realize school will lead you to a more successful and happy life. â€Å"That day on the drive home I looked out at the ocean and thought how nice it would be to have zero obligations anymore and just be able to hangout at the beach. It was at that moment that I actually realized that any dream is completely unachievable without vision, determination and hard work. After my three months were up, my mindset towards school had completely changed. Maria’s words burned into my head that -I no longer thought of myself as a lazy surfer who just wanted the bare minimum, but rather as a determined young student. School used to seem like an inevitable obstacle you had to endure, but now I truly see the importance and value of an education. While I admired the work ethic of the people I worked with in the warehouse, I know that through higher education, there is better future for me.

The Mexican American War A Controversial Event - 1543 Words

The Mexican American War was a very controversial event. The Americans believed in their â€Å"Manifest Destiny† which prompted them to annex the territory of Texas which, in turn, initiated the war on April 25, 1846. Texas was annexed to the Union as a slave state on December 29, 1845. This upset all of the Free states along with the Mexicans but the Southerners were in favor of the war because it gave them more strength when fighting for slavery. While there were many different beliefs about the Mexican-American War throughout the United States, these beliefs generally were the same within a region. What were New England’s opinions? The people in New England believed that the war was unnecessary and had been caused by the President of the United States. There were many reasons that they thought this. These people from the Northeast region of America were generally Whigs and disapproved of the democratic president James K. Polk. They also disliked him because their abolitionist beliefs did not line up with his love of slavery. New Englanders at the time of the Mexican War believed that it was the president’s fault that the war started. Pennsylvania was one of the states in New England that disapproved of the war and its origins. The Whigs that were living there and other places in New England thought that the president had abused his power to start the war. Describing the beliefs of the Whigs in New England, the Somerset Herald of Pennsylvania declared, â€Å"and they asShow MoreRelatedThe Expansion Of The United States1200 Words   |  5 PagesLouisiana Purchase, and the Mexican-American war are all historical events that changed the path and future of America dramatically, through the making of controversial decisions. The expansion started with humans on the move, and hunters tracking food/game across a recently discovered land bridge from Siberia to Alaska, where they discover an ice-free passage leading to the south. They continue and reach the great continental grasslands, still hunting, but now with success. American animals have never encounteredRead MoreNorth South Tensions Before Civil War868 Words   |  4 PagesCivil War The Civil War was not a spontaneous conflict, rather it was the culmination of various events in American history that were in the two decades preceding it. These events exposed a rift in American society which would eventually lead to the Civil War. Among these events were the Kansas-Nebraska Act and Mexican-American War. Both of them lead to a highly polarized reactions from Northerners and Southerners in the slavery debate. In the end, the Kansas-Nebraska Act and Mexican-American WarRead MoreThe American War Of 1844-481217 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"I do not think there was ever a more wicked war than that waged by the United States on Mexico† (274). The Mexican-American War of 1844-48 was both a controversial and significant part of United States history, yet it’s forgotten by most Americans today. Events such as, the American-Civil War and Spanish-American war overshadows the memory of the Mexican-American War. However without the consequences of the American conflict with Mexico, American history would look significantly different. ThatRead MoreMexican American War : The Structure Of North America1095 Words   |  5 PagesMary Juarez Professor: Andrew Hollinger History 1301 Class: 9:05 am – 10:00 am Mexican-American War, Discussing the Battle that Defined the Structure of North America. Mexican-American War was caused mainly by the priority from both parts to gain territory as well as the desire of Texas to become an independent republic. This topic does not spark many conversations in the U.S. However, states like California, Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico which were precisely involved in this conflictRead MoreBook Analysis: The Texas Rangers and the Mexican Revolution1280 Words   |  6 PagesThe Texas Rangers and the Mexican Revolution: The Bloodiest Decade, 1910-1920. By Charles H. Harris III and Louis R. Sadler (Albuquerque: Univ. of New Mexico, 2007. Print.) This is the most comprehensive collection of The Texas Rangers during the Mexican revolution that has been published. Charles Harris III and Louis Sadler share the details behind this unstable period by uncovering the views and actions of the Rangers during the highest point of border violence up until that time. The RangersRead MoreThe Mexican American War On America Essay1430 Words   |  6 PagesThe Mexican-American War showed citizens how â€Å"†¦the war and its unintended consequences shaped the meaning of American identity, ethics, and patriotism† . The U.S.-Mexican conflict proposed questions that struck at the heart of American culture. â€Å"What would become of slavery?† Southerners asked themselves; while abolitionists fought against the institution in the North, on the western front soldiers protected America from becoming divided. However, little did citizens know that the U.S.-Mexican conflictRead MoreMexican Folk Songs Or Corridos1468 Words   |  6 PagesMexican folk songs or corridos have encounter great change over the years. Some of the changes of corridos can be credited to the different culture we live in now. Corridos in the past have been about the Mexican-American War, but most recently corridos began to be about life struggles such as immigration and the violent drug war. While the topics of corridos have changed over the years, corridos keep a familiar format with focusing on key issues of oppression, daily life, and socially relevant eventsRead MoreThe Mexican American War Of Mexico1255 Words   |  6 PagesDid you know that in the Mexican-American War, the US took half of Mexico s land? After Mexico s independence from Spain in 1821, the northern lands of Mexico were rarely used. America saw this as an opportunity to expand by seizing Mexico’s northern lands, and took it. They accepted Mexico s offer to live in Texas, and soon Texas became overrun with Americans. They influenced Texas to go against Mexic o, and eventually Texas was won by the US in battle. After that, Mexico and America began havingRead MoreAbraham Lincoln And The American War1712 Words   |  7 Pagesopposed the Mexican American War, since he argued it was unnecessary and unconstitutional. He questioned the U.S. president’s honesty and even accuses the president’s justification to be â€Å"from beginning to end, the sheerest deception.† Furthermore, he criticizes the president for supporting the war with arguments and not facts. He also bashes on the president’s mentality on a personal level. Moreover, Abraham Lincoln argues that President Polk is lying about the initial cause of the war in which theRead MoreThe Conflict Between The Old World And The New World1299 Words   |  6 Pagesconquest of the Incan empire, American colonists’ history of injustices toward Native Americans, and the reasoning behind the Mexican American War. Pizarro’s conquest of the Incan empire is illustrative of the nature of colonialism at the very beginning of the discovery of the New World by European explorers. The rapid colonization of the Americas was far from subtle; the Spanish conquistador method of colonialism is rooted in direct conquest through violence and war. The primary motivation behind

What s Your Privacy Worth You - 812 Words

What’s Your Privacy Worth to You? Maeson Hayes Mrs. Marlow English 2A 12/17/16 Recent scandals involving the NSA and reports about the government’s use of surveillance technology have called the current ethics of maintaining public security into question. These events have caused us to ask what our privacy is worth in an age of global terrorism. Orwell’s warning that totalitarian regimes’ reliance on surveillance and the invasion of privacy to restrict individual freedom and endanger citizens is still relevant today. Although the invasion of privacy is sometimes necessary to ensure the security of citizens, it may cause people to question the legitimacy of their government’s programs surrounding surveillance. The NSA was put in place to protect the American citizens in 1954; however it took advantage of Americans by violating their privacy, just as Big Brother used surveillance to monitor the citizens of Oceania. In society today as compared to Orwell’s world, there are many places one can go to seemingly enjoy personal privacy. The irony is that although quiet and isolated places may seem private, electronic surveillance during today’s device driven world ensures that there is actually almost no privacy anywhere. For example Andy Greenberg, author of Forbes magazine argues that the NSA’s surveillance of Verizon’s phones is a privacy violation. NSA had ordered that innocent Verizon costermers had their phones wirelessly tapping and listening to their conversations toShow MoreRelatedChanging Demographics And Its Impact On The Health Care Markets1735 Words   |  7 Pagesnormally funded by the government and having this trend, the working population decreases so the taxes that is normally use to fund the health care sector is also affected. Also, because of the government aggressiveness to promote healthy lifestyle, Kiwi s life expectancy lengthen too (Life Expectancy). This only means that most of the old people live longer and the government are know obliged to support them. All in all, aging population will have a huge impact to the health care sector. B. Urban/RuralRead MorePrivacy, The State Of Being Away From Public Attention1614 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout time, privacy and security have been two heavily debated topics. There has always been a struggle to find middle ground between a private environment and a secure environment, but the dawn of technology and the Internet has made this struggle even more difficult. The Internet has drastically decreased the expectation of privacy of any and all individuals that have ever used it. Technology in general can pose a threat to an individual’s physical and virtual security. The Internet has alsoRead MoreA Brief Note On The Aviation And Transportation Security Act1125 Words   |  5 Pages4/6/2016 Quiz #1 Info. Privacy Business Travel Many people take advantage of air travel, whether it be for business or for travel but post September 11, there have been many issues with privacy in regards to the tightening of security. To fix this problem airport security has started to use full body scanners, searching bags, screening and many other things to tighten security. After 9/11. The Aviation and Transportation Security Act was passed, allowing certain privacy laws to be overlooked. WithRead MoreNsa Should Be Stopped. Nsa1177 Words   |  5 Pagessuspicious activities. The problem is that many feel as if the NSA has no right to evade their privacy. The NSA should be penalize every time they do so, or should have some type of warrant, but only for last resort, or stopped completely. There are many other ways to go about finding troublesome threats like antagonist programs like CDT as I mentioned earlier. Having your privacy tampered with isn’t worth it. The NSA is not needed that bad. â€Å"After years of denial, much of which likely constitutedRead MoreInfa 610 Final Exam Solutions1377 Words   |  6 PagesSolutions https://hwguiders.com/downloads/infa-610-final-exam-solutions/ INFA 610 Final Exam Solutions Part 1: Short discussion, determine if each of the following questions is true or false and defend your position in a brief discussion if you think it is necessary. Write your answer, T or F, to each question in the following Answer Table. (10 questions at 1.5 points each, 15 points totally) 1. Deleting the browsing history and cookies in a computer system can be the way to completelyRead More Internet Shopping Essay1446 Words   |  6 Pagesexperience of shopping? is lost, it is open to fraud and the ?try before you buy? concept does not occur. From this information, it could be stated, ?The promise of Internet shopping is drowning in a flood of deceit, customer dissatisfaction, fraud and misappropriation. The Internet is best known for being a information superhighway, not a superhighway to the shopping mall.? Shopping from the convenience and comfort of your own home may have its apparent advantages; no more standing in line, noRead MoreIs Data Mining Violating Our Privacy And Rights? Why Are Companies Still Collecting Our Personal Information?1431 Words   |  6 PagesImagine, that you come back from a hard day’s work. You put on your favorite grey sweats with a cozy sweater. Soon after, you get a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows. Then you lean back on the sofa, turn on the television and change the channel to the local news. Breaking news with bright red letters are plastered across the screen. The news anchor goes on explaining that an employee at the local hospital accidentally donated data of patients. This means that patient’s social security numbersRead MoreChildhood Testing For Late Onset Genetic Diseases1634 Words   |  7 Pagesare both advantages and disadvantages to having children tested in order to assess their carrier status. She articulates that when working with a disease like Huntington’s Disease, which is dominant so you only need to be carrying one copy of the gene in order to be affected, the cons of knowing your fate far outweigh the pros. Presymptomatic testing leads to a spiral of possible â€Å"over-testing†, depression, difficulty obtaining health care, and even â€Å"survivor guilt† for those who do not carry the diseaseRead MoreInternet Shopping - Good or Bad?1598 Words   |  7 PagescenterbShopping on the Internet is increasing but would you do business this way?/b/center br brThe Internet?s popularity has dramatically escalated over the past few years and has become an integral part of daily life. It has wide spread uses ranging from, obtaining information, downloading files, business advertisement to Internet commerce, which plays a major part in Internet practice. Our social structure is pressuring society to connect to the Internet, with schools world wide becomingRead MoreAdoptees Have The Right Of Original Birth Certificates1086 Words   |  5 Pagesparents are., bBut, there are laws preventing her from doing so. The big question in this essay is, â€Å"Should adoptees have the right to know who their biological parents are,† You could also phrase it asking the question, â€Å"Do adoptees have the right to access original birth certificates?† This question covers much more, and will be what the information in this essay circles around. This essay covers three things: adoptees have the right to access to original birth certificates be cause they have questions

A Modern Crime Or A Masterpiece - 1300 Words

Myra: A Modern Crime or a Masterpiece? Controversial art is inevitable, some more profound than others. The majority of these works exhibit a distaste for conformity, therefore upsetting much of the public. But, the idea of each unique piece explores this psychological rejection in order to traffic popularity. Many of these artists, as a consequence fall into infamy- but they are obsessed over as much as the classics. Great art, however, is only achieved once the creator is successfully able to unnerve the audience. The viewer must step out of his or her’s defined boundaries of comfort and face these reproductions of monsters throughout history. Criminals of all scales find themselves recreated in pop culture, even the most unsettling of†¦show more content†¦In 1977, Myra was exhibited in a controversial show- Sensation. Artwork from young British artists of the Royal Academy of Art in London were featured, having secured its status as the most important piece in the exhibition’s entirety. Norman Rosenthal, the secretary comments â€Å"Myra as very cathartic work. The artist’s intentions are clear in a somber and serious tone, yet rejection of the piece was soon to follow. After backlash from an angry press, vandalism found the painting- smashed glass, eggs, and ink damaged the painting, and it was removed in lieu of repairs. During the public vandalization, two art students of the academy were verbally assaulted by a man who was in the process of repainting Myra in blue and red ink, â€Å"They should be ashamed of themselves†, they were unsure of the reaction’s escalation- after the revisions, jokes were made about how she â€Å"looked like she had a bloody nose† and donned the â€Å"bruises† well. This preceded the statement of question- How could anyone be allowed to gain money or fame out of children’s deaths. This, however, was not the end. Winnie Johnson, a victim’s mother, would soo n make an

John Proctor and John Hale Good Person vs Good C Essay Example For Students

John Proctor and John Hale Good Person vs Good C Essay itizenJohn Proctor and John Hale- Good Citizen vs. Good PersonIn The Crucible, Arthur Miller portrays the two main characters, John Proctor and Reverend John Hale as good men. The term good men in this play is ambiguous. Reverend John Hale was a good man in the sense of being the perfect and good citizen of Massachusetts in the 1600s. He was pious, adherent to the laws and beliefs, and a good Puritan Christian. John Proctor, on the contrary would not be considered the greatest citizen. He was not so religious, nor the perfect Christian, and was not so adherent to the Puritans laws and beliefs. However, he was still considered a good man, as a person rather than being an ideal Puritan citizen. He was very honest, moral, loyal to his friends and family, and was generous. The major difference between the two are good citizen vs. good person. The most important trait to prove that John Proctor was a good person was his honesty. In every scene in the play that John Proctor is in, his commendable honesty stands out. It didnt matter how much trouble he would bring himself into, his philosophy was I may speak my heart (Miller, p. 30). Proctors honesty eventually lead to his downfall and death.The first incident in the play where we see Proctors honesty is after the affair he had with Abigail. He realized his mistake and was honest and admitted it to his wife Elizabeth. In the next situation where Proctor is involved he tells the Reverend Parris why he does not like him, and it also gets him into trouble. He tells him, Can you speak one minute without we land in hell again, Im sick of hell! (p. 30). He is honest, yet disrespectful to his reverend. While in court, John Proctor is too honest to the judges. He admits his guilt of not being a religious Christian and says I have once or twice plowed on Sunday (p.91) and he also admits not going to church every Sunday. He also admits that he committed adultery and had an affair with Abigail. His most commendable moment of honesty was when he was on death row and would rather die than confess and lie.Proctors morality, and loyalty also contribute to being a good person. When the marshals Herrick and Cheever came to arrest his wife, he stuck with her to protect her, even though she was accused of being a witch. He is bold by ripping up the warrant, and risked getting arrested to help her. He is strict to the officer of law and tells him youll leave her out of sight and out of mind, mister! (p.74). He publicly curses the deputy governor, Damn the deputy governor! Out of my house! (p.77) He makes a sacrifice to help his family rather than help himself. Proctor was a good man, though not such a good Puritan Christian. He did not go to church every Sunday, and broke the Sabbath by plowing. He violated one of the ten commandments by committing adultery. He is a sinner against the moral fashion of time (p. 20), states the narrator of this play. Nor did he believe in all the Puritan beliefs and laws. He didnt believe that witchcraft was invading the community, I have wondered if there be witches in the world although I cannot believe they come among us now (p.69). This is considered heresy towards the beliefs of the Puritan religious authority, and the Reverend Hale points that out to Proctor. Proctor did not have faith in the court system and clearly disregarded the official court warrant. John Hale was a good citizen. He was a very pious Puritan, by the fact that he became a reverend. .u130d5de642c5d3b7ffbf2b1037124614 , .u130d5de642c5d3b7ffbf2b1037124614 .postImageUrl , .u130d5de642c5d3b7ffbf2b1037124614 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u130d5de642c5d3b7ffbf2b1037124614 , .u130d5de642c5d3b7ffbf2b1037124614:hover , .u130d5de642c5d3b7ffbf2b1037124614:visited , .u130d5de642c5d3b7ffbf2b1037124614:active { border:0!important; } .u130d5de642c5d3b7ffbf2b1037124614 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u130d5de642c5d3b7ffbf2b1037124614 { 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; } .u130d5de642c5d3b7ffbf2b1037124614:active , .u130d5de642c5d3b7ffbf2b1037124614:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u130d5de642c5d3b7ffbf2b1037124614 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u130d5de642c5d3b7ffbf2b1037124614 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u130d5de642c5d3b7ffbf2b1037124614 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u130d5de642c5d3b7ffbf2b1037124614 .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; } .u130d5de642c5d3b7ffbf2b1037124614:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u130d5de642c5d3b7ffbf2b1037124614 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u130d5de642c5d3b7ffbf2b1037124614 .u130d5de642c5d3b7ffbf2b1037124614-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u130d5de642c5d3b7ffbf2b1037124614:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Exciting and colourful logo Essay Also, he was shocked by the fact that someone missed a day of church, and could plow on Sabbath becaue he believed a Christian on Sabbath Day must be in Church! (p. 51) . He is an expert in the field witchcraft, therefore believing in the existence of witches, as the Puritans did, and says that we shall find him out

The writer of Stone Cold Essay Example

The writer of Stone Cold Paper In my opinion, it is possible for a novel to deliver a serious message and offer entertainment for the reader. In order to demonstrate this, I am using Stone Cold by Robert Swindells and The Black Veil by Charles Dickens. Set in the cold hard streets of London, Stone Cold is a definite warning for those planning to run away from home in the near future. Not only is it a rough, painful life full of poverty, but theres also an insane killer on the loose. When Links newly found friend, Ginger, mysteriously goes missing one day, Link begins to get worried. All the time I was looking for him, and he didnt show. Link While Link is looking for his friend, he finds something sinister about the man living at Nine Mornington Place, because he was the last person to see Ginger. But as Link closes in, so does danger. With the mysterious Shelter on his tail, Link will be lucky if he gets away alive. But he does get away, with a little help from Gail, who is really a reporter in disguise. Shelter is taken away, leaving Link worse off than before, with no friends and no hope of a life. One evening, a young doctor is sat in front of a warm fire, simply waiting for patient. We will write a custom essay sample on The writer of Stone Cold specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The writer of Stone Cold specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The writer of Stone Cold specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer His first patient enters, dressed in black with her face covered with a black veil. While speaking is peculiar riddles, she tries to explain her situation to the doctor. How can I hope that others will believe what seems incredible even to myself? The lady Eventually, she gives him the address, and tells him to come at a certain time the following morning. He arrives, but only to discover that the patient that the lady was talking about is her dead son. He has turned to crimes to get things that his mother could not provide for him, and has been hanged as a result. The lady realises that the doctor cannot help her son, and blames herself for his death. The doctor feels sorry for her, and helps her in any way he can for as long as she lives. He is paid back in full, because he is never short of patients or money again. Mood In both stories, a mood of mystery is created, although there is more in The Black Veil than there is in Stone Cold. Stone Cold takes place during winter, and ends the following winter. This is a particularly hard time for people on the street. And dont forget the cold. If youve ever tried dropping off to sleep with cold feet, even in bed, youll know its impossible. - Link. The writer also includes a mystery person, Gail. She appears out of nowhere when Link is at his lowest, and is desperate to be with him. Dont go. Gail Link assumes that Ginger has moved on and left him, and vows that he will never get that dependant on anybody, or trust anyone again. A little later, Link thinks that he is in love with this mysterious Gail character. The reader wants to believe him as well, because they think he deserves some happiness after the miserable life he has had up until now. All along, the reader is hoping that things will work out for Link, and he will maybe get a job, get married to Gail, have children, and lead a normal life; but they dont. Gail turns out to be a newspaper reporter called Louise, who is just out for a good story on homelessness. Both the reader and Link are shocked at this news, even though there have been clues earlier on in the story that Gail might not be what she seems. The reader hopes that Gail will make a difference to Links lonely life. A mood of horror and fear is also created. The writer of Stone Cold includes a surprise person, Shelter. This character tells the reader that he used to be in the army, and the reader assumes that he has retired. And that was my mission in life to turn dirty, scruffy, pimply youths into soldiers. And I did it, too. Year after year. Yes, and what thanks do I get? Ill tell you Shelter. Near the beginning of the novel, he talks about his mission to clean up the streets of London. His mission, as the reader finds out a little later on in the novel, is actually to go around the city murdering all the homeless people he thinks deserve to die. The reader finds this out fairly so, but the other narrator, Link, doesnt know much about Shelter. Not only does Shelter murder these poor, unsuspecting people in cold blood, but he also keeps their bodies under the floorboards in his house. He gives these corpses names, cuts their hair, and buys them new clothes and boots. He keeps telling the reader how smart they look, and takes looks at them constantly for pleasure. They look quite smart, his mother would have been proud. Link suspects that there is something not quite normal about him, but he cant be sure. We could be talking murder here. Double murder, but its all supposition, my old mate. Nick, another homeless person. Even near the very end of the novel, the reader knows that Link cant be that sure about Shelter, otherwise he would never have stepped into his house. Like Stone Cold, a mood of mystery is created in The Black Veil. Firstly, the writer chooses to set the story on a dark, stormy night, where one of the main characters, the doctor, is sat in front of a warm fire, simply waiting for a patient. A patient arrives soon after, who is so mysterious that neither the reader nor the doctor knows anything about her. All that is known is that the lady knows someone who is in need of the doctors help, but the help that is required is not the usual kind that you ask doctors for. Then you could not help him? (Doctor) I could not(lady). The rest is kept in the dark, until the very end of the story. The reader knows that the doctor does not have any more knowledge than the reader, because he wonders about the problem as he is travelling to the ladys house in the morning. It could not be that the man was to be murdered in the morning, bound to secrecy by oath, had relented, and though unable to prevent the commission of outrage the doctor. He clearly has no idea. The writer keeps hinting at the full story, but only reveals it all at the very end, when both the reader and the doctor find out that the man that the lady keeps talking about is her only so. He has turned to crime because he wanted things that his other could not give him, and has been hanged as a result. Setting Both of these stories are set in London, more than a century apart from each other. The Black Veil, sent on a dark stormy night, is set well away from a civilised society. Make her appearance form the door of a dirty house to empty the contents of some cooking utensil into the gutter in front, or to scream after some slipshod girl who had contrived to stagger a few yards from the door under the weight of a sallow infant almost as big as herself. the doctor. Harsh, poverty-stricken people inhabit the place, and all the buildings surrounding are all shabby and run-down. All this description adds to the fact that this is a place where criminals were thought to live. In Links point of view, London has not changed much since the 1800s. He is isolated form the rest of society, and ordinary people dont care much about homeless people. He is invisible to everybody else, he has no place in society, nobody knows him, and he owns nothing. Because he has made himself homeless in the middle of winter only makes it worse for him. He only has the street to sleep on, or if hes got a little bit of money, he can stay in the slave ship. Have you ever seen that famous diagram of a slave ship slaves crammed like sardines into every square centimetre of space? Well, thats what it was like of the boat me and Ginger ended up on.