The creative invention of the Sony Walkman free essay sample

Now a day’s carry music with you is very simple and easy, you just have to download music to your cell phone, Ipod, Mp3, Smartphone, and have some headphones with you, and you can listening some music everywhere. It seems very easy and practicable now, but throwback in time this wasn’t possible; the Sony Walkman, was the first product where you can take music with you, using a cassette and without disturbing others. Who was this creative person? Masuru Ibuka was born in Japan in April 11 of 1908 and died in December 19 of 1997. He co-founded Sony and his friends known him as â€Å"genius inventor†. He had many personality traits that make him the person that he was. He was imaginative, because he came out with the idea of a product that let you to listen music in any activity that you make, the Walkman represented a breakthrough in imagination, also this complements with intuition, he knew that this idea can revolutionized the music industry as how it works. We will write a custom essay sample on The creative invention of the Sony Walkman or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page One of the things he loved most was listening to music and traveling, all his passion for music makes that the Walkman became true, thanks to the fact that he take risks, risks for the things that he believe and that he can make them come true; at that time the idea of the Walkman was criticized and named as â€Å"crazy idea† but he don’t let that all that commentaries affect them, and continued with his idea, and convinced Sony to make this innovation. At first was difficult to believe in the Walkman, because people were used big recorders or speakers and carry them everywhere making a big sound, and the idea of a kind of little recorder, where you can put any cassette and use headphones to listen music seems unrealizable comparing with big and heavy recorders, but he continued in the production of the artifact that revolutionized the music industry. One of the things he loved most was listening to music and traveling. but when he travel, walk or do any activity he wanted to hear their music and bring it around, without disturbing others around him, because he said that not everyone liked all the same kind of music, and also wanted to have some privacy with music, because when he heard some music he relaxed more, was happy listening to music. Was one of the things he liked and enjoyed doing. So he started thinking about how he can enjoy his music anytime but without carried every  time a huge recorder, and without listen someone else music, but that was only ideas that came out of his mind at that time. On a sunny morning of 1979, Ibuka was running around a park when suddenly he felt like listening to music. So he took a look around him and saw a lot of people walking, running and bicycling and came out with the idea of a device which people could carry while they are doing all these activities, and that it how he came out with the idea of the Walkman. He extracted the circuit from a tape recording and put a stereo amplifier with headphones; also he requested to the general manager of the Tape Recorder Business Division, begin work on a small tape recorder that Sony had launched in 1977 called the Walkman, his name expressed a man walking with his music. When the Walkman was launching Sony sold millions of units. It allowed getting quality sound, similar to a home computer without being so big and noisy. It changed the music industries and became a symbol of the 80 ´s . Many people, especially young people, where so happy with this invention, that the Walkman became very famous, and sell a lot of units in that time, This is the product that will satisfy those young people who want to listen to music all day. Theyll take it everywhere with them, and they wont care about record functions. If we put a playback-only headphone stereo like this on the market, itll be a hit. . They were so successful that they star to develop new types of Walkman, was the sport Walkman that was special for customers that make sports and the where in different colors; also they created a small cassette so in that way they made walkmans smaller and easier to carry them everywhere. When de CD ´S came out, Sony saw an opportunity to improve his device, and the Discman came out in 1984, where the cassettes were replaced for CD ´S, they continued innovating and include a screen where they can watch videos (Video Walkman), and also make the CD ´s smaller and the Minidisc Walkman was born in 1999. The completion starts when Apple launched the IPod that was a similar device where you can listen music and easier to carried because it size, pretty the same as the Walkman MP3 that was launched at that time. The IPod became a really hard competitor for the fact that it came with the iTunes software that change the entire music industry which at the time was grappling with the digitalization of music with audio files. ITunes was and continue being a media player and media library, developed by Apple, that is use to download songs, videos, from a personal computer and directly injected into the IPod. Now a day’s Sony Company is focus in a variety of products, they have produced TV’s, computers, Play Station, speakers, Smartphone, and a big variety of Walkmans, of different sizes, colors, types. Is a very famous and recognized company because the good quality and long life of all their products. This company is very successful in all his products, thanks to their Walkman invention companies as Apple innovate the original walkman and created a different and innovate product. The IPod has the majority of the market in the industry of music player, thanks to all the innovations that they made like the IPod touch, mini IPod that has access to internet, take photos, video recorder, and games, by just an account in the App store and ITunes. â€Å"By 1995, total production of Walkman units reached 150 million and over 300 different Walkman models have been produced to date.† The Walkman was very successful at that time, by selling millions of units and using by all kind of people at that time. Many commercials came out where they show people doing any type of activity; the first commercial was a ballerina stretches it with the walkman before she starts too practiced. I can say that for 80 ´s and 90 ´s the Walkman revolutionized the music industry, it changes as we know today, where you can hear different songs from your phone, iPod, mp3, walkman, everywhere. I can remember using my purple Discman with my favorites CD ´s in every family trip that I have, in my house before I went to sleep, or in any bored moment, I put my headphones on, and play my music and started to dance, it was fun for me, that’s why I’m very thankful to this invention. We can achieve any dream if we believe it and take risk with them, like Masuru Ibuka because of his invention now we can play music everywhere. Bibliography

Graffiti essays

Graffiti essays Chicano political activists began using graffiti to make statements. Chicanos used graffiti to tell about their history, their family unity, and their bicultural pride. Chicanos also used their graffiti to unify the Chicano community during the Chicano Movement. Eventually this led to architectural decoration, murals to remember the deceased, personal shout-outs and gangs territorial markings. This paper will discuss the elements of graffiti and how it is used today. It is unfortunate that graffiti should be dismissed as mere vandalism on par with tire slashing and window breaking, because for many young people who often exhibit considerable talent, graffiti constitutes an aesthetic discipline. Graffiti has existed in one form or another as long as writing. The earliest known cave paintings, dating from 20,000 years ago, seems to have more in common with modern graffiti than with writing because they were mostly drawings of their surroundings. When Henry Chalfant's documentary film, Style Wars, came out in 1985, graffiti, break dancing and rap music were all seen as elements of hip hop culture. It was in this context that it spread. A Chicago graffiti writer Orko said, We swallowed it as a whole package: breaking, rapping, DJing and graffiti together. We never split them apart." Orko goes so far as to claims that "Graffiti is the center of hip hop. That's why the best MCs were all graffiti writers: KRS-One, Rakim." Graffiti is a vivid and tangible urban artifact, signaling, at the very least, the writer's disrespect for the institution of private property and his/her willingness to take risks. There is a trend, especially in California, toward full-scale productions featuring elaborate scenes and characters, which are easier to appreciate. More often, a writer's mission seems to be able to find an honorable place in the cadre of writers, by writing the tag-name as often, in as many places, and as skillfully ...

Epidemly and biostat Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Epidemly and biostat - Assignment Example The objective is to evaluate one or more new treatments for a disease or condition. Intervention trial therefore involves choosing a sample from the diseased people to investigate there rare disease and undertake a follow up condition. Q2. What statistical method(s) a researcher can use to determine if the mean body mass index of the population is the same for three groups of subjects (group1=diet restriction; group2=exercise; group3=none). (EACH IS TWO POINTS =TOTAL=SIX POINTS) Q3. Ã… ¶ represents the predicted value of y calculated using the equation Ã… ¶ = a + bx. In the formula, SBP = 34 + 0.2 x; where x = value of postnatal age (hours) for the neonates ≠¤ 1,000 grams? What is the value of the intercept (a)? What is the value of the slope (b)? (TWO POINTS) Q5. An equation indicating that systolic blood pressure or SBP = 30 + 0.4x. If the value of x is postnatal age of 20 hours, what is the value for Ã… ¶ or SBP for neonates ≠¤ 1,000 grams? Show your calculations. (TWO POINTS) Population attributable fraction is a statistic used to estimate the proportional reduction in average disease risk over a given time interval that would be achieved by eliminating the exposure of interest from the population while distribution of other risk factors in the population remain constant. This means that 85% of the cases of a disease could be avoided if the factor causally related to increase risk is eliminated and that the distribution of other risk factors remains unchanged. Q9. The death rates from various conditions are often compared across geographic areas. These comparisons are usually based on directly age-standardized mortality rates. Which of the following best describes what is meant by an age-standardized rate created by the direct method? (Choose one best answer and provide rationale). (TWO POINT) Q12. The strength of an association is one of the criteria for

Writing Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Writing Project - Research Paper Example The sport has received immense support globally and is popularly known in Europe as majority of the racings are done within the continent. However, over years, the scope of the sports has evolved as today racing is being held in different countries like United States and other continents. The sports has garnered support among different fans who in most occasions views the racings conducted by renowned sports men through such media devices like televisions which today is available at every corner of the world (Baer, 1995). This paper therefore, examines formula one racing as an aspect of motorsports. Formula one racing has led to major changes in the history of sports racing making the sports to be competitive globally. The idea behind formula one can be traced back to1946 where races concentrating on cars were first brought up and the idea to find the best drivers on the planet initiated. However, this did not come to be immediately until 1950 when the first motorsport race was held. However, after the first motorsports, there were several motorsports championship which were held but they were not given much consideration as there was nothing to be profited from the races conducted. In 1983, the sport was deemed to be unprofitable as drivers were not benefiting from the race leading to shortages on the people who were participating on the race (Baer, 1995). Likewise, most participants in the sports were using their own cars and they solely bore the costs related to the races like vehicle repair and the usual wear and tear. Interestingly, different cars models which were being u sed for racing purposes back then included Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Meserati and the Mercedes benz (Formula 1Â ®. (n.d.), 2015). Over the years the different car manufactures which were being used in formula one race made technological advancements on their cars. This included new engine and tire types which gave

Project Manager Roles and Responsibilities Essay Example for Free

Project Manager Roles and Responsibilities Essay The Project Manager is the person responsible for developing, in conjunction with the Project Sponsor, a definition of the project. The Project Manager then ensures that the project is delivered on time, to budget and to the required quality standard (within agreed specifications). He/she ensures the project has sufficient resources and manages relationships with a wide range of groups (including all project contributors). The Project Manager is also responsible for managing the work of consultants, allocating and utilizing resources in an efficient manner and maintaining a co-operative, motivated and successful team. Additional responsibilities include: managing and leading the project team,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   recruiting project staff and consultants, managing co-ordination between the partners and working groups engaged in project work, detailed project planning and control. Control would incorporate: Developing and maintaining a detailed project plan. Managing project deliverables in line with the project plan. Maintaining records of and managing project issues. Resolving conflicts at project level. Managing project scope and change control and escalating issues where necessary. Monitoring project progress and performance. Providing status reports to the project sponsor. Managing project training within the defined budget. Liaison with, and updates on progress to, the project steering board/senior management. Managing project evaluation and dissemination activities. Managing consultancy input within the defined budget. Final approval of the design specification. Working closely with users to ensure the project meets business needs. Definition and management of : â€Å"User Acceptance Testing† stage. Identifying user training needs and devising and managing user training programmes. As an illustration of the roles and responsibilities of a Project manager, I am going to use the simple example of changing the wheel of a car with one person in charge (project manager). In the exposition that follows, the steps followed will be under the headlines of the five essential ones outlined in the PMBOK: Initiating The initiating stage in replacing a punctured car-wheel is the process of preparing to replace the wheel. To begin with, the project manager, or whoever is overseeing the operation, ensures that all the tools necessary for the job are available. The tools necessary in this case would comprise the jerk, wheel spanner, the unique key-for some car models, maybe some props such as stones where there is a possibility of the car slipping downhill and finally, labor. Planning   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Once the initiating stage is completed, we move on to the planning stage whereby different strategies are proposed and quickly debated with one being agreed upon. The role of the project manager in this stage is to ensure that everyone is given an opportunity to express their opinions on how best to approach the problem. Then, he/she should harmonize every participant’s views and in cases if the group cannot reach a resolution unanimously, he/she should apply his/her critical thinking abilities and skills in choosing the most reasonable approach that would be most efficient, effective and feasible. The planning would entail deciding which nuts to unscrew first e.g. diagonally, where to place the jerk and the props and where to put the tools and nuts in such a manner as to ensure they don’t get lost or pose a hazard to any of the team members. The Plan will also incorporate delegation of duties amongst the team members i.e. deciding who will place the jerk, who will unscrew the nuts, who will carry the spare wheel, and who will screw the new wheel back. The delegation of duties should be fair such that no member feels exploited or alienated and it is the work of the project manager to study everyone’s character and tell who is suited best for what. The final parts of the plan involve training participants as necessary, scheduling everything, and monitoring progress. Executing or Implementation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After initiating and planning, finally the time comes to put the plan into action. During this stage, the team implements the strategy decided upon with a view to achieving the intended objective. The team removes the bad wheel and replaces it with one that is in good condition. The work of the project manager is to ensure that each participant plays his/ her assigned role and that the operation goes according to plan by correcting any digressions and getting rid of any impediments that might arise in the course of the implementation. Controlling and Monitoring   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As to controlling and monitoring, this entails putting measures in place in anticipation of pitfalls during the process of implementing the plan. Pitfalls to be anticipated might include: some members do not like the roles they are assigned and so they don’t play their roles with the necessary devotion. Also it is possible   that some members might want to sabotage the project for any of a number of reasons or one of the tools gets damaged and cannot be repaired in time for the work at hand. To avoid alienation, the project manager should make every member feel as though they own the project and when it succeeds the glory will be shared and the benefits mutual. In addition, the project manager has the responsibility of ensuring that, if a member were assigned a role he/she does not like, they are free to voice their concerns so that a speedy resolution is sought. The speedy resolution could be training or instruction where a member is assigned work they do not know how to do. Alternatively, members could swap roles to resolve any stalemates. Finally, a backup plan should be in place to cater for unanticipated hitches. Closing   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In finishing up, the project manager should ensure the team tightens the nuts to the required extent and remove the jerk and props. He/she should also ensure that any member who sustains any injury should be attended to and all the tools-wheel spanners, jerk, props, key- together with the bad wheel are all returned and checked to ensure they are in good condition, then put in their respective places of storage. BIBLIOGRAPHY K. Bainey, The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), 3rd ed. Project Management Institute, New Jersey, 2004

Songs of Innocence and Experience by William Blake :: essays research papers

Songs of Innocence and Experience. (1794) by William Blake Songs of Innocence Introduction Piping down the valleys wild Piping songs of pleasant glee, On a cloud I saw a child, And he laughing said to me: Pipe a song about a Lamb: So I piped with merry chear. Piper, pipe that song again - So I piped: he wept to hear. Drop thy pipe, thy happy pipe, Sing thy songs of happy chear: So I sung the same again, While he wept with joy to hear. Piper, sit thee down and write In a book that all may read - So he vanish’d from my sight And I pluck’d a hollow reed, And I made a rural pen And I stain’d the water clear And I wrote my happy songs, Every child may joy to hear. The Shepherd How sweet is the Shepherd's sweet lot! From the morn to the evening he strays; He shall follow his sheep all the day And his tongue shall be filled with praise. For he hears the lambs innocent call, And he hears the ewes tender reply. He is watchful while they are in peace, For they know when their Shepherd is nigh. The Ecchoing Green The Sun does arise And make happy the skies, The merry bells ring To welcome the Spring: The skylark and thrush The birds of the bush Sing louder around To the bells' chearful sound, While our sports shall be seen On the Ecchoing Green. Old John with white hair Does laugh away care Sitting under the oak Among the old folk. They laugh at our play, And soon they all say: Such, such were the joys When we all girls & boys In our youth-time were seen On the Ecchoing Green Till the little ones weary No more can be merry, The sun does descend, And our sports have an end: Round the laps of their mothers Many sisters and brothers, Like birds in their nest, Are ready for rest: And sport no more seen On the darkening Green. The Lamb Little Lamb, who made thee? Dost thou know who made thee? Gave thee life & bid thee feed By the stream & o'er the mead: Gave thee clothing of delight, Softest clothing, woolly, bright: Gave thee such a tender voice, Making all the vales rejoice: Little Lamb, who made thee, Dost thou know who made thee? Little Lamb, I'll tell thee, Little Lamb, I'll tell thee: He is called by thy name For he calls himself a Lamb. He is meek & he is mild, He became a little child: I a child & thou a lamb, We are called by his name: Little Lamb god bless thee, Little Lamb god bless thee! The Little Black Boy My mother bore me in the southern wild,

Carrie Chapter Four

(or only hopeful) that she wasn't that weak, not that liable to fall docilely into the complacent expectations of parents, friends, and even herself. But now there was this shower thing, where she had gone along and pitched in with high, savage glee. The word she was avoiding was expressed To Conform, in the infinitive, and it conjured up miserable images of hair in rollers, long afternoons in front of the ironing board in front of the soap operas while hubby was off busting heavies in an anonymous Office; of joining the P.T.A. and then the country club when their income moved into five figures; of pills in circular yellow cases without number to insure against having to move out of the misses' size before it became absolutely necessary and against the intrusion of repulsive little strangers who shat in their pants and screamed for help at two in the morning; of fighting with desperate decorum to keep the niggers out of Kleen Korners, standing shoulder to shoulder with Terri Smith (Miss Potato Blossom of 1975) and Vicki Jones (Vice President of The Women's League), armed with signs and petitions and sweet, slightly desperate smiles. Carrie, it was the goddamned Carrie, this was her fault. Perhaps before today she had heard distant, circling footfalls around their lighted place, but tonight, hearing her own sordid, crummy story, she saw the actual silhouettes of all these things, and yellow eyes that glowed like flashlights in the dark. She had already bought her prom gown. It was blue. It was beautiful. ‘You're right,' he said when she was done. ‘Bad news. Doesn't sound a bit like you.' His face was grave and she felt a cool slice of terror. Then he smiled-he had a very jolly smile-and the darknesss retreated a bit. ‘I kicked a kid in the slats once when he was knocked out. Did I ever tell you about that?' She shook her head. ‘Yeah.' He rubbed his nose reminiscently and his cheek gave a small tic, the way it had when he made his confession about getting the rubber wrong the first time. ‘The kid's name was Danny Patrick. He beat the living shit out of me once when we were in the sixth grade. I hated him, but I was scared, too. I was laying for him. You know how that is?' She didn't, but nodded anyway. ‘Anyway, he finally picked on the wrong kid a year or so later. Pete Taber. He was just a little guy, but he had lots of muscles. Danny got on him about something. I don't know, marbles or something, and finally Peter just rose up righteous and beat the shit out of him. That was on the playground of the old Kennedy Junior High. Danny fell down and hit his head and went out cold. Everybody ran. We thought he might be dead. I ran away too, but first I gave him a good kick in the ribs. Felt really bad about it afterwards. You going to apologize to her?' It caught Sue flat-footed and all she could was clinch weakly: ‘Did you?' ‘Huh? Hell no! I had better things to do than spend my time in traction. But there's a big difference, Susie.' ‘There is?' ‘It's not seventh grade any more. And I had some kind of reason, even if it was a piss-poor reason. What did that sad, silly bitch ever do to you?' She didn't answer because she couldn't. She had never passed more than a hundred words with Carrie in her whole life, and three dozen or so had come today. Phys. Ed. was the only class they'd had in common since they had graduated from Chamberlain Junior High. Carrie was taking the commercial/business course. Sue, of course, was in the college division. She thought herself suddenly loathsome. She found she could not bear that and so she twisted it at him. ‘When did you start making all these big moral decisions? After you started fucking me?' She saw the good humour fade from his face and was sorry. ‘Guess I should have kept quiet,' he said, and pulled up his pants. ‘It's not you, it's me.' She put a hand on his arm. ‘I'm ashamed, see?' ‘I know,' he said. ‘But I shouldn't be giving advice. I'm not very good at it.' ‘Tommy, do you ever hate being so †¦ well, popular?' ‘Me?' The question wrote surprise on his face. ‘Do you mean like football and class president and that stuff?' ‘Yes.' ‘No. Ifs not very important. High school isn't a very important place. When you're going you think it's a big deal, but when it's over nobody really think. it was great unless they're beered up. That's how my brother and his buddies are, anyway.' It did not soothe her; it made her fears worse. Little Susie mix ‘n match from Ewen High School, Head Cupcake of the entire Cupcake Brigade. Prom gown kept forever in the closet, wrapped in protective plastic. The night pressed dark against the slightly steamed car windows. ‘I'll probably end up working at my dad's car lot,' he said. ‘I'll spend my Friday and Saturday nights down at Uncle Billy's or out at The Cavalier drinking beer and talking about the Saturday afternoon I got that fat pitch from Saunders and we upset Dorchester. Get married to some nagging broad and always own last years model, vote Democrat-‘ ‘Don't,' she said, her mouth suddenly full of a dark, sweet horror. She pulled him to her. ‘Love me. My head is so bad tonight. Love me. Love me.' So he loved her and this time it was different, this time there finally seemed to be room and there was no rubbing but a delicious friction that went up and up: Twice he had to stop, panting, and held himself back, and then he went (he was a virgin before me and admitted it I would have believed a lie) and went hard and her breath came in short, digging gasps and then she began to yell and hold at his back, helpless to stop, sweating, the bad taste washed away, every cell seeming to have its own climax, body filled with sunlight, musical notes in her mind, butterflies behind her skull in the cage of her mind. Later, on the way home, he asked her formally if she would go to the Spring Ball with him. She said she would. He asked her if she had decided what to do about Carrie. She said she hadn't. He said that it made no difference. but she thought that it did. It had begun to seem that it meant all the difference. From Telekinesis: Analysis and Aftermath (Science Yearbook 1982), by Dean K. L. McGuffin: There are, of course, still these scientists today – regretfully, the Duke University people are in their forefront – who reject the terrific underlying implications of the Carrie White affair. Like the Flatlands Society, the Rosicrucians, or the Corlies of Arizona, who are positive that the atomic bomb does not work, these unfortunates are flying in the face of logic with their heads in the sand, and beg your pardon for the mixed metaphor. Of course one is able to understand the consternation, the raised voices, the angry letters and arguments at scientific convocations. The idea of telekinesis itself has been a bitter pill for the scientific community to swallow, with its horror-movie trappings of ouija boards and mediums and table rappings and floating coronets; but understanding will still not excuse scientific irresponsibility. The outcome of the White affair raises grave and difficult questions. An earthquake has struck our order notions of the way the natural world is supposed to act and react. Can you blame even such a renowned physicist as Gerald Luponet for claiming the whole thing is a hoax and a fraud, even in the face of such overwhelming evidence as the White Commission presented? For if Carrie White is the truth, then what of Newton? †¦ They sat in the living room, Carrie and Momma, listening to Tennessee Ernie Ford singing ‘Let the Lower Lights Be Burning' on a Webcor phonograph (which Momma called the victrola, or, if in a particularly good mood, the vic). Carrie sat at the sewing machine, pumping with her feet as she sewed the sleeves on a new dress. Momma sat beneath the plaster crucifix, tatting doilies and bumping her feet in time to the song, which was one of her favourites. Mr P. P. Bliss, who had written this hymn and others seemingly without number, was one of Momma's shining examples of God at work upon the face of the earth. He had been a sailor and a sinner (two terms that were synonymous in Momma's lexicon), a great blasphemer, a laugher in the face of the Almighty. Then a great storm had come up at sea, the boat had threatened to capsize, and Mr P. P. Bliss had gotten down on his sinsickly knees with a vision of Hell yawning beneath the ocean floor to receive him, and he had prayed to God. Mr P. P. Bliss promised God that if He saved him, he would dedicate the rest of his life to Him. The storm, of course, had cleared immediately. Brightly beams our Father's mercy From his lighthouse evermore, But to us he gives the keeping Of the lights along the shore †¦ All of Mr P. P. Bliss's hymns had a seagoing flavour to them. The dress she was sewing was actually quite pretty, a dark wine colour-the closest Momma would allow her to red-and the sleeves were puffed. She tried to keep her mind strictly on her sewing, but of course it wandered. The overhead fight was strong and harsh and yellow, the small dusty plush sofa was of course deserted (Carrie had never had a boy in To Sit), and on the far wall was a twin shadow: the crucified Jesus, and beneath Him, Momma. The school had called Momma at the laundry and she had come home at noon. Carrie had watched her come up the walk, and her belly trembled. Momma was a very big woman, and she always wore a hat. Lately her legs had begun to swell, and her feet always seemed on the point of overflowing her shoes. She wore a black cloth coat with a black fur collar. Her eyes were blue and magnified behind rimless bifocals. She always carried a large black satchel purse and in it was her change purse, her billfold (both black), a large King James Bible (also black) with her name stamped on the front in gold, and a stack of tracts secured with a rubber band. The Tracts were usually orange, and smearily printed. Carrie knew vaguely that Momma and Daddy Ralph had been Baptists once but had left the church when they became convinced that the Baptists were doing the work of the Antichrist. Since that time, all worship had taken place at home. Momma held worship on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Fridays. These were called Holy Days. Momma was the minister, Carrie the congregation. Services lasted from two to three hours. Momma had opened the door and walked stolidly in. She and Carrie had stared at each other down the short length of the front hall for a moment, like gunfighters before a shootout. It was one of those brief moments that seem (fear could it really have been fear in momma's eyes) much longer in retrospect. Momma closed the door behind her. ‘You're a woman,' she said softly. Carrie felt her face twisting and crumpling and could not help it. ‘Why didn't you tell me?' she cried. ‘Oh Momma, I was so scared! And the girls all made fun and threw things and-‘ Momma had been walking towards her, a now her hand flashed with sudden limber speed, a hard hand, laundry-calloused and muscled. It struck her backhand across the jaw and Carrie fell down in the doorway between the hall and the living room, weeping loudly. ‘And God made Eve from the rib Of Adam,' Momma said. Her eyes were very large in the rimless glasses; they looked like poached eggs. She thumped Carrie with the side of her foot and Carrie screamed. ‘Get up, woman. Let's get in and pray. Let's pray to Jesus for our womanweak, wicked, sinning souls.' ‘Momma' The sobs were too strong to allow more. The latent hysterics had come out grinning and gibbering. She could not stand up. She could only crawl into the living room with her hair hanging in her face, braying huge hoarse sobs. Every now and again Momma would swing her foot. So they progressed across the living room toward the place of the altar, which had once been a small bedroom. ‘And Eve was weak and – say it, woman. Say it-‘ ‘No, Momma, please help me-‘ The foot swung. Carrie screamed. ‘And Eve was weak and loosed the raven on the world,' Momma continued, ‘and the raven was called Sin, and the first Sin was Intercourse. And the Lord visited Eve with a Curse, and the Curse was the Curse of Blood. And Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden and into the World and Eve found that her belly had grown big with child.' The foot swung and connected with Carrie's rump. Her nose scraped the wood floor. They were entering the place of the altar. There was a cross on a table covered with an embroidered silk cloth. On either side of the cross there were white candles. Behind this were several paint-by-the-numbers of Jesus and His apostles. And to the right was the worst place of all, the home of terror, the cave where all hope, all resistance to God's will – and Momma's – was extinguished. The closet door leered open. Inside, below a hideous blue bulb that was always lit, was Derrault's conception of Jonathan Edwards' famous sermon. Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. ‘And there was a second Curse, and this was the Curse of Childbearing, and Eve brought forth Cain in sweat and blood.' Now Momma dragged her, half-standing and half-crawling, down to the altar, where they both fell on their knees. Momma gripped Carrie's wrist tightly. ‘And following Cain, Eve gave birth to Abel, having not yet repented of the Sin of Intercourse. And so the Lord visited Eve with a third Curse, and this was the Curse of Murder. Cain rose up and slew Abel with a rock. And still Eve did not repent, nor all the daughters of Eve, and upon Eve did the Crafty Serpent found a kingdom of whoredom and pestilences.' ‘Momma!' she shrieked. ‘Momma, please listen! It wasn't my fault!' ‘Bow your head,' Momma said. ‘Let's us pray.' ‘You should have told me!' Momma brought her hand down on the back of Carrie's neck, and behind it was all the heavy muscle developed by eleven years of slinging heavy laundry bags and trucking piles of wet sheets. Carrie's eye-bulging face jerked forward and her forehead smacked the altar, leaving a mark and making the candles tremble. ‘Let's us pray,' Momma said softly, implacably. Weeping and snuffling, Carrie bowed her head. A runner of snot hung pendulously from her nose and she wiped it away. (if i had a nickel for every time she made me cry here) with the back of her hand. Lord,' Momma declaimed hugely, her head thrown back, ‘help this sinning woman beside me here see the sin of her days and ways. Show her that if she had remained sinless the Curse of Blood never would have come on her. She may have committed the Sin of Lustful Thoughts. She may have been listening to rock ‘n roll music on the radio. She may have been tempted by the Antichrist. Show her that this is Your kind, vengeful hand at work and-‘ ‘No! Let me go!' She tried to struggle to her feet and Momma's hand, as strong and pitiless as an iron manacle, forced her back to her knees. ‘-and Your sign that she must walk the straight and narrow from here on out if she is to avoid the flaming agonies of the Eternal Pit. Amen.' She turned her glittering, magnified eyes upon her daughter. ‘Go to your closet now.' ‘No!' She felt her breath go thick with terror. ‘Go to your closet. Pray in secret. Ask forgiveness for your sins.' ‘I didn't sin, Momma. You sinned. You didn't tell me and they laughed.' Again she seemed to see a flash of fear in Momma's eyes, gone as quickly and soundlessly as summer lightning. Momma began to force Carrie toward the blue glare of the closet. ‘Pray to God and your sins may be washed away.' ‘Momma, you let me go.' ‘Pray, woman.' ‘I'll make the stones come again, Momma.' Momma halted. Even her breath seemed to stop in her throat for a moment. And then the hand tightened on her neck, tightened, until Carrie saw red, lurid dots in front of her eyes and felt her brain go fuzzy and far-off. Momma's magnified eyes swam in front of her. ‘You spawn of the devil,' she whispered. ‘Why was I so cursed?' Carrie's whirling mind strove to find something huge enough to express her agony, shame, terror, hate, fear. It seemed her whole life had narrowed to this miserable, beaten point of rebellion. Her eyes bulged crazily, her mouth, filled with spit, opened wide. ‘YOU SUCK!' she screamed. Momma hissed like a burned cat. ‘Sin!' she cried. ‘O, Sin! She began to beat Carrie's back, her neck, her head. Carrie was driven, reeling, into the close blue glare of the closet. ‘YOU FUCK!' Carrie screamed. (there there o there it's out how else do you think she got you o god o good) She was whirled into the closet headfirst and she struck the far wall and fell on the floor in a semidaze. The door slammed and the key turned. She was alone with Momma's angry God. The blue light glared on a picture, of a huge and bearded Yahweh who was casting screaming multitudes of humans down through cloudy depths into an abyss of fire. Below them, black horrid figures struggled through the flames of perdition while The Black Man sat on a huge flame-coloured throne with a trident in one hand. His body was that of a man, but he had a spiked tail and the head of a jackal.