Conan OBrain Speech Essays - Conan OBrien, Burbank, California

Conan O'Brain Speech In the confusing and chaotic world of late night television, a battle is being fought. Network versus network, host versus host, the big shots of the television media have squared off in a race for ever desired ratings. Each with their own distinct style, greats like Jay Leno and David Lettermen have set forth their way of doing things, and by doing so, have entertained millions while raking in record breaking amounts of profit. However, the true king of late night cannot be found amongst such these billboard filling giants. Not arriving on your television set before many of you have fallen fast asleep, he has conquered all with his year 2000 predictions and the crazy antics of each and everyone of his imaginative characters. Who could it be? None other than NBCs very own, Conan OBrien. It all started on April 18, 1963 in Brookline, Massachusetts, a small suburb of Boston. Born into a large Irish family of five other siblings, Conan grew quickly into a good student coming directly fr om a good home. His father a prosperous doctor, and his mother a lawyer, were constantly working hard, and Conan learned immediately that this was the key to success. Before he knew it, he was had finished high school at the top of his class, and would follow through to attend local college Harvard University. A Magna Cum Laude student, this is where Conan began his career. Although he would complete college with a degree in both Literature and American History, while at Harvard, Conans sense of humor began to mature. He became well known around campus after debuting on the colleges newspaper, the Harvard Lampoon, and greatly enjoyed the fame it brought him. He knew immediately that this was the life for him, and after leaving college, he quickly began to pursue many opportunities in the field of show business. He landed small gigs here and there, but it wasnt until the late 1980s that Conan would get his first big break, after finding his way amongst the very best as a writer for N BCs Saturday Night Live. Here, Conan continued to grow, making friendships with such comedic greats as Dana Carvey and Chris Rock. However, in 1991, change came. Leaving SNL, Conan quickly landed another job with Matt Groenings The Simpsons. He would stay here until 1993 when Conans true stardom began.With NBC looking to fill a vacant spot after the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Conans previous time with SNL paid off. Casters immediately thought of Conan for the job, and after a brief audition, he became the man of choice. Without even thinking, Conan accepted. Now, the structure of the show had to be set and NBC made it quite clear that they would let Conan direct this process himself. With this in place, Conan went to work, immediately selecting NBCs New York Rockafeller Plaza for his set. Second, much like his childhood idol Johnny Carson, Conan decided that he would need a sidekick. This spot was filled with funny man Andy Richter, and music was directed by past drummer for Bruce Springstein Max Weinberg and his six other band members. For over seven years now, Emmy winning Late Night with Conan OBrien has entertained audiences by the millions, thanks largely to the work of the host, the brain and Boston native Conan Christopher OBrien.

The 8 Worst Office Problems Youll Deal With in the Summer

The 8 Worst Office Problems Youll Deal With in the Summer Summer is here! Which means most days you’ll be daydreaming about being absolutely anywhere else than where you are (aka at your desk). Here are 8 of the absolute worst summer office problems, just so you can be prepared for their awfulness in advance. 1. The Great Temperature DebateIt’s a hundred billion degrees outside and subzero inside. Whoever is in charge of the AC has gone way overboard and you find yourself shivering at your desk. You’ve brought socks and a heavy sweater just to make it through your day without losing a toe. Or worse, you’re the guy at the window with the sun baking in, and no matter what temperature the AC is set on, you’re still sweating buckets!2.  Commuting via Train or BusOkay, so this one is about getting to your office, but it’s still hell. There’s never AC in your subway  car or bus, and no one seems to understand the concept of deodorant. You’ve got smelly armpits and sweaty backs everywhere you turn. Tip: start avoiding rush hour. Come in early! Go home late! You don’t have to stay at work all that time, but you’ll spare yourself the inhumanity of the sardine commute. Happy hour, anyone?3. The â€Å"It† VacayEveryone is talking about going to that one island (like Ibiza or St. John) or that one summer party everybody goes to. None of your vacation plans or party plans are cool enough. You didn’t know people owned that much white linen.4. The Constant Countdownsâ€Å"16 days, 4 hours, and 39 minutes!† Your coworkers are all chirping out their timelines and squealing about just how soon their vacation is coming up! Even worse will be their Instagram feeds when they actually get to their glamorous destination. #neverleaving (sigh)5. Summer TreatsBe it a routine iced coffee run in the afternoon, or an ice cream habit†¦ bad for the waistline, good for morale. Still not really compensation, however, for being stuck inside.6. Outside L unchesOkay, despite sweating into your salad, so this is not a problem so much as a perk. Enjoy it. Sit on a park bench and bask.7. Dressing for WorkDo you dress for the swelter? Or the professional standard? Can you get away with showing all that cleavage? Or should you risk drenching yourself in sweat to arrive at the office modestly covered up? It’s a dilemma every day.8. The Office DeodorizerYes, we’re very glad our coworkers keep extra deodorant in their desks for days such as these. But do we need to SEE them apply? Or worse†¦ spray?

Complete the Statistical Process Control for the Process Term Paper

Complete the Statistical Process Control for the Process - Term Paper Example Leading tools in Statistical process control are control charts, which is based on constant perfection and premeditated testing. Control charts, also recognized as process-behavior charts. In statistical process control, control charts are key practice utilized to establish whether or not a production or commercial process is in a condition of statistical control. The control chart can be envisioned as ingredient of a purpose and regimented approach that permits acceptable judgments concerning organization and management of the process, as well as whether or not to alter process control constraints. Process constraints should never be altered for a procedure that is in proper organization, as this will consequence in despoiled process routine. Being insightful of a process, the process is characteristically mapped out and the process is controlled using control charts. Control charts are utilized to recognize disparity that may be due to special causes, and to liberate the consumer f rom apprehension over disparity due to common causes. This is a nonstop, continuing process. When a procedure is steady and does not activate any of the detection rules for a control chart, a process competence analysis may also be carried out to forecast the capability of the present procedure to manufacture compliant products in the upcoming activities surrounded by specifications. A control chart comprises of points on behalf of a statistical mean, range, and proportion of dimensions of a quality feature in illustrations (samples) opted from the procedure at dissimilar points in time. The mean of this statistic process control utilizing the entire collections of the sample is enumerated; it incorporates the mean of the means, mean of the ranges, and mean of the proportions. A middle line is placed at the numerical value of the mean of the statistical process control chart. The standard error meaning the standard deviation/sqrt(n) for the mean of the statistic is in addition preme ditated by means of the entire collections of all the samples. Upper and lower control limits, at times termed as "natural process limits", designate the threshold at which the procedure output is measured statistically improbable are drawn characteristically at 3 standard errors starting from the center line. The chart can also be additionally equipped with possible features, like upper and lower warning limits, placed as detached lines, characteristically two standard errors on top of and underneath the center line, as well as separation into zones, with the accumulation of regulations leading frequencies of interpretations in every zone in addition to it can also encompass the explanation with procedures of interest, as explicated by the Quality Engineer in command of the process's quality. Control charts put 3-sigma or 3-standard error limits on the few foundations, these foundations include the common consequence of Chebyshev's inequality that the probability of an occurring bi gger than k standard deviations as of the mean is at mainly 1/k2 for any probability distribution. The better-quality product of the Vysochanskii-Petunin inequality that the probability of a event larger than k standard deviations as of the mean is of the value maximum 4/(9k2) for any uni-modal probability distribution. The empirical examination of various probability distr

When Friend Forgets to Pay Back Loans Personal Statement

When Friend Forgets to Pay Back Loans - Personal Statement Example This is true, and such situations need to be handled with care. If a friend of mine does not repay the loan, I will have no option but to confront him in a peaceful and amicable manner. Firstly, I would arrange for the both of us to have an open talk. A friendly and confiding talk can bridge the gap that the unpaid loan has brought in. Next, I would ask him for the reason that had prevented him form keeping up his word. I shall help him take me into confidence and confide in me about his position or circumstance. By treating him with courtesy and not intending to spoil our friendship, I would also talk to him openly about my dilemma. The fact that I am in a financial crunch and in bad need of the sum would be explained to him in a very amicable manner. Next, I would go no to tell him that if not for this crunch, I wouldn't have been hell-bent and too strict with the dates of repayment. I would politely but strictly tell him to repay it within a week at the maximum.

Drug Use at Workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Drug Use at Workplace - Essay Example Additionally, the "meth" epidemic really was not properly categorized at all. Actually, the issue is the use of stimulants, not so much crystal meth. Meth use takes a terrible toll on the mind and body of the user. The devastating physical effects of using this extremely addicting drug range from mildly debilitating to severely incapacitating and potentially lethal. Common side effects for using meth include facial disfigurement, rotting teeth (meth mouth), anorexia, body tremors, convulsions, high blood pressure, and seizures. But it is the destructive psychological and neurological effects on the addict that make meth an issue for the entire workplace. Even short-term meth use can cause severe mood swings, depression, paranoia, and emotional instability in the user, increasing the potential for violence in the workplace. Americans are working harder and longer, and now some people are turning to drugs for a quick boost--with dire consequences. Drugs in the workplace may not be a new phenomenon, but there's a new poison taking precedence: Workplace methamphetamine abuse rose 68 percent in 2003. Meth use and stimulus amphetamine injestion can cause serious damage to employees and the overall work environment. While high on meth, employees may think they're in control, but it's a false sense of security. Employees are not completely aware of their environment and are apt to have more on-the-job accidents. Signs of meth addiction include dizziness, irritability, sudden weight loss, inability to get along with co-workers or supervisors, and a possible tendency toward violence. b) What are the tangible benefits of resolving the problem Sadly, the article does not speak to solving the problem. Rather it readily admits that researchers haven't a clue as to how to treat meth addiction. My own independent research indicates the rampant effects of methamphetamine addiction at work. Clearly there are no tangible benefits to the employer. Tragically, it appears that the main benefit is to protect the workplace from the addict. 4) Describe and evaluate any solutions provided in the article. The article did not offer any solutions at all. It readily admits that there is a paucity of information available on how to treat this latest epidemic in the world of drug

Character Development Example for Script Writing

Character Development Example for Script Writing Andrew LÃ ¶tter Ezraette Luthor Sociological characteristics She is a scholar aged 14 during the film, in grade 8 at St. John’s High School, She was born in St. George’s Hospital in Port Elizabeth and raised in Pupaville, Eastern Cape, South Africa. She is English South African from both sides, but knows nothing of her roots, except vague stories her mother would tell her from her maternal heritage. Ezraette’s home has always been on Job’s Well Done farm. In the year when she was six years old, and again when she was nine years old, her father, Job Luthor, physically abused her mother, Harmony Smith, when he was still an alcoholic. This caused Ezraette to distrust male figures. Her father was not taken away from her but rather simply rehabilitated at the local church hostel each time. She has always generally seen him more as an acquaintance than a father. It was only from grade 7 until the middle of act one in the film, that she saw him as a casual friend, when he would take her on fast rides on his motorcycle. Eac h time he physically abused her mother, though, the relationship had lost a little more affection, until she simply acknowledged him. Each time he hit her mother, she would try to hit him, which never had much effect. Throughout her life, she has been able to talk to animals, and in fact has always preferred their company over that of people. This of course led to school children teasing her. She was never beaten up though, because she had always had a fierce rage that would cause her to topple any child if they hurt her. Her school and pre-school teachers often asked her to help them with handing out tests, cleaning the board, carrying boxes, etc. because she is usually quite gentle and curious, but also because they want her to get away from playing too much with animals and rather act human. This has caused her to seem like a teacher’s pet, increasing the teasing and decreasing the likelihood of being physically abused. However, this caused her to be isolated on the playground, and although she could occasionally go to a classroom to help a teacher during break, the teachers allowed it as an exception and not a rule. She was sent by her parents to go to the Prevenient Grace Methodist Church, but found it boring at Sunday school and tended to talk to the few ants in the building. Most of the children teased her there too. In the two years when her father was physically abusive to her mother, she found that Thomas van der Berg would suddenly spend time with her, per Saul van der Berg’s instructions, and they would start building a deep friendship, but once her situation at the time improved, he would spend more time with other boys and only be civil to her. Her and her mother have a loving relationship and she loves to hear stories around the hearth fire of her adventures in Port Elizabeth. Her mother has never found her behaviour strange, but had to discipline her in how to act more civilised. Her mother was more helpful in the realm of school work, helping Ezraette to pass mathematics, Afrikaans and English, with which she struggled dearly. Ezraette likes to play sport, and is in the school tennis team. Her only political belief is that tariffs in South Africa should be strengthened, but this is only because her father is a farmer, and is not a very sophisticated belief on her part. Her family does not eat meat as per her mother’s instructions. Psychological characteristics She secretly wants to make a human friend, but predominantly wants animals to be treated with the same respect as humans. She does not fear physical conflict in terms of herself and another, but hates seeing others abused, and is often seen as the ‘superhero’ on the playground when she beats up bullies. She also hates seeing dead animals and becomes increasingly depressed when animal bodies suddenly appear in the months before the start of the film. She also hates seeing animals abused, of course. Academically, she has never failed a school year. She is highly intelligent when it comes to physiological, zoological and botanical knowledge, but has some difficulty when dealing with abstract concepts. Thus is why she tends to ask the teachers after class to help explain certain mathematical and grammatical terms. She has often expressed to her mother how since grade 5, Ezraette has occasionally seen a black cat near the mealie field. She does not fear it but rather plays wi th it. Her mother does not find this strange. Ezraette has to control her temper when she smells children eating meat. In fact, when she can’t control her rage anymore, she must leave the room or general area. She has a dream of one day becoming a zoologist, specialising in horses. She finds it difficult to approach children her own age for conversation, and sometimes asks a teacher to speak to a learner on her behalf. Sometimes she manages to do the talking herself. Occasionally, she will have an intense craving for liquorice, which she will eventually abandon, then start up again. The only verse in the Bible which she actually remembers off by heart is Isaiah 11: 6-9, which she learnt in grade 6. In grade 7, she had a recurring dream every night from middle June to early July that this biblical scene is spoilt by the black cat viciously killing every creature in the scene and being swallowed up by the little child, which is Ezraette. Physical characteristics Height and weight: 155 cm tall and 49 kg heavy Appearance, attractiveness, complexion: alert and often leaning forward, very welcoming face, fairly attractive, freckles on her face and body, slightly tanned white skin Clothing: likes wearing green, flowy clothes, like skirts Brawn or physique: lean but powerful, athletic build Hair and eyes, defects or scars: light brown semi curly neck base length hair, wide brown eyes, no defects Health: good health Strength, athletic ability, physical skills: strong and fast, can play sports needing long-term stamina, prefers sports with lots of running Voice quality: Slightly high pitch, sharp but inviting voice Moral characteristics She believes in God but is not affiliated with any particular religion, because her mother taught her about other religions, and so she understands moral relativism in that sense. She does pray though and uses the term ‘God’. She expects all humans to be good, which often creates disappointment. She believes in the sanctity of nature but is not as distraught about human death as animal death. All suffering is appalling to her, though. She does not believe in destiny, but rather in vastly distant connections in the universe. She does not eat meat, but does not mind eggs or milk. She does not believe in leaving a matter for later but rather resolves an issue immediately. She is a feminist, but would not call herself one. She believes in fair play and is kind to everyone initially. She does not respect institutional structures. At the end, she is compassionate enough and forgiving towards her father. She is painfully honest but will first listen to the other’s viewpo int before making a final judgement. Job Luthor Occupation: Owner of Job’s Well Done farm, pays workers poorly and makes offensive personal remarks Upbringing: Born and raised in Uitenhage, father was a construction worker until a head injury caused him to go on welfare, while mother was housewife, who got cancer and died when he was 16. After years of being seen and seeing himself as a failure in school by students and teachers alike, he left home and joined a biker gang of thieves. He killed the farming family who used to own Job’s Well Done and draws energy from their tortured souls, using black magic he learnt from one of the bikers. He obviously did not finish school. He is now 40 years old. Present home life: he spends most of his day farming or riding his motorcycle and at night pretends to enjoy Harmony telling stories around the camp fire. He tries to make up for his verbal abuse towards her for keeping her maiden name after their marriage and also because she refuses for them to eat meat. This he allowed in order to have a reason to be abusive. He tries to spend quality time with Ezraette. Social status: seen as a loner by the community, some suspect him of killing the previous farming family, but most believe him that they moved to go and work in Stellenbosch. Pastor Saul sells Job’s mealies to hospitals and Job enjoys mocking pastor Paul. He only barely interacts with the community during church. He believes foreign exchange tariffs should be raised. Psychological characteristics: His actual goal is to fight off his demonic urge and return to normal before becoming psychotic. Thus he spends time with Ezraette hoping for her to save him. He often spends time in an empty shed trying to absorb and overpower Pitch Instinct, the cat djinn who tortures the dead farmer souls. He fears confronting both his father’s failure and his own terrible lifestyle. He is chauvinistic and manipulative. He is psychologically astute but not sympathetic. He is not naturally a hard worker but learnt to be one through farming. When he feels especially low, he cuts himself. Every few years, he has an alcoholic phase and must eventually dry out, usually with smoking as a substitute. Physical characteristics: Height and weight: 220 cm tall and 105 kg heavy Appearance, attractiveness, complexion: broodingly handsome, often with a cocky smile, thin lips, some cuts on his face form youthful bar fights, tanned white skin Clothing: wears black leather clothes, even while farming Brawn or physique: strong muscles from strenuous labour Hair and eyes, defects or scars: shaven head, left eye black, right eye grey Health: good health, except older face, violent coughing and smoker’s teeth Strength, athletic ability, physical skills: very powerful, can move quite fast because of strength and height, but not for long before wheezing, often jerky movement Voice quality: very base voice modulates from gritty to clear Moral characteristics: Job is Christian, but not forgiving and believes in survival of the fittest. He has no respect for animals. He has a surface belief that people are unreliable and only useful for sadistic entertainment, yet actually respects human potential for success. Thus he is selfish and even kills a dog in front of his daughter for pleasure. He is spiteful and cannot be trusted to be compassionate towards anyone when it really matters. Harmony Smith Sociological characteristics: Born in Port Elizabeth to Christian family who did not accept her being psychic and made her feel demonically possessed. Ran away and married Job. Housewife and farmer at Job’s Well Done farm. Tries to make friends at church and with other parents at school, who do not know her power. She is only marginally successful because of her husband and daughter’s foul reputations, and also because of her veganism and maintained maiden name. Politically, she is an anarchist. Her husband verbally and rarely physically abuses her, at which point she phones the police. She tries not to retaliate at his words because he enjoys hearing her get upset. She married him because he initially seemed kind and intelligent. She is 30 years old. Ethnically, she is English South African. Psychological characteristics: She has a deeply rooted fear that her psychic power is actually a demonic curse. Her pet peeves are pet names and chauvinism. Her surface ambition is to become a respectable member of the community. Her real ambition is to accept her psychic power as perfectly natural. She has a slight persecution complex, constantly worried that someone may find out about her power. Only Job and Ezraette know about these powers. Her powers entail vague visions of the future and seeing spirits, including Pitch Instinct. She enjoys telling stories of when she was young and carefree and silly animal stories she experienced as a child. She is Christian because she loves reading the Gospels, but does not believe anyone goes to hell. Physical characteristics: Height and weight: 180 cm tall and 78 kg heavy Appearance, attractiveness, complexion: quite attractive, upright posture, inviting but slightly amused expression, quite pale and freckled Clothing: wears patchy clothing Brawn or physique: fairly muscular, from farm work Hair and eyes, defects or scars: reddish brown hair, usually made in three shoulder blade long braids Health: good health Strength, athletic ability, physical skills: not very physically active, but theoretically fairly swift, but not too powerful Voice quality: alto voice, modulates mainly between ironic and morose Moral characteristics: She is reliable, compassionate and trusting to a degree. She would do anything to protect her daughter, even maim her own husband. She is not a hard worker but her empathy is quite potent. He has the capacity to break society’s morals and withstand long periods of abuse in order to provide and protect her daughter. Harmony thinks she does not have the courage to express herself, but in the end is brave enough to stand up for zraette’s freedom to choose the farm’s purpose. She would even absorb a djinn to save her daughter. Thomas Van Der Berg Sociological characteristics: Thomas was born in Pupaville and is aged 13 during the film. He is a Grade 7 scholar at St John’s High School in the same town. He lives in 24 Retief Road, Pupaville, with his father, pastor Saul Van Der Berg. Because his father was first a social worker and then a pastor, the other children, whose fathers were farmers, would initially bully him, but in later years, encourage bullying in him. His sense of belonging is thus tied up to the level of pain he can inflict on others. Thomas has been in love with Ezraette since he had met her, but because she kept beating him up when he would bully people, he would only ever admire her from a distance and never talk to her. During the years when pastor Saul sent Thomas to make a connection with Ezraette during her father’s drunken phases, Thomas would stop bullying people and relish in conversation with her. At school, his teachers admire his intellect and his willingness to give his all to his studies as well as sport. His mother died of cancer a few months before the film. He has a mixture of admiration for his father’s kind heart towards people as a social worker, and resentment of his father. This is because his father made a vow to never act in a way that implies God does not have a divine plan for all, after a friend of Saul’s died and only Saul and his wife Sonja could look after the 3 year old Thomas. Saul is sterile and Sonja had cheated on him previously. Thomas’ adoption was a gift that saved their marriage. The vow that Saul made resulted in Saul ending their life and health insurance. Over the years that followed, Thomas had many bouts of sickness which caused him to grow smaller than most of his age. Thomas spends his time playing soccer, rugby and tennis. He is in the rugby team. He has many sport acquaintances, who all admire his superb soccer-playing ability, but no real friend except for Ezraette. He spends his time at home studying the Bible with his father. They do not watch television in their townhouse, but only listen to radio. He is Afrikaans in ethnicity, centre right wing in politics and Methodist in religion with his father as pastor of Prevenient Grace Methodist Church. Psychological characteristics He has a fear of not being accepted by his bully gang as masculine. He also has a deep seated fear of being bullied again. His lack of faith causes him to fear being destroyed by the God that could have killed him with sickness. He has a prejudice towards anything that is not seen as masculine, so he finds Ezraette’s vegetarianism quite appalling as it seems too feminine for him. He has a pet peeve of physical weakness and historical inaccuracies. He has a superstition of not being able to touch pink things or girls’ clothes because he believes that the more feminine something is, the more likely it is to be destroyed. His surface desire is to become a professional soccer player, but after he meets Ezraette, he wishes to play a team sport with or against her and for them to be a couple. His genuine need in life is to be full of faith and to overcome his inferiority complex for being initially undergrown. Thomas enjoys history, the Old Testament, military subjects and re gular, rigorous exercise. He has an excellent memory and sense aptitude for sport tactics. Thomas gets very good marks at school because of these traits. An occasionally bad temper and a generally cocky disposition accompany his lack of physical addictions except for exercise. Physical characteristics Height Weight: 140 cm in height, 60 km in weight Appearance, Hair, Eyes, Defects or scars: severe yet arrogant expression, very muscular and upright posture, military cut red hair, blue eyes, slightly broken nose Clothing: tends to wear camouflage, golf shirts and sports-themed clothes with numbers on them, always with sneakers Health: often has the cold, so he sneezes occasionally, though he still plays sport despite this Strength, Physical skills, Fitness: brilliant athlete in agility, speed, stamina, strength but not eye coordination Attractiveness, Complexion: tanned white skin, attractive in a rugged and orderly military way Voice quality: low tenor voice but a mockingly knowing manner and slowly deliberate pace Moral characteristics: Thomas believes in God, but believes that God cannot be trusted to do things for the good of humanity; therefore Thomas does not expect either himself or others to do anything purely for the greater good. Deep down, he seeks compassion but believes it out of reach and thus he has very little faith. He will lie, hurt and mock anyone to uphold his image of masculinity. He will not keep a secret because the subtlety of another’s problems are too delicate for him to appreciate. He works very hard at school because he equates this with masculinity. When a decision is to be made, he will respect a man’s behaviour but hardly take anything a woman says seriously. He is selfish and even resorted to slicing at Harmony to gain faith.

Cold Knap Lake :: English Literature

Cold Knap Lake This poem is about an incident from the poet's childhood. Cold Knap Lake is a real place near Barry in Glamorgan, South Wales. It is a Bronze Age burial site, and something of a local beauty spot. A little girl is drowned in the lake, or so it seems, but the poet's mother gives her the kiss of life, and her (the poet's) father takes the child home. The girl's parents are poor and beat her as a punishment. At this point, the poet wonders whether she, too, "was...there" and saw this (the beating, rather than the rescue) or not. The poem is inconclusive - the writer sees the incident as one of many things that are lost "under closing water". What begins as a reflection on a vivid memory ends by recognizing the limits and vagueness of the way we recall the past. In the opening lines, the poet seizes the reader's attention with the seeming seriousness of death. This makes the mother's action seem yet more miraculous. If we assume that the "wartime frock" is being worn during (not after) the Second World War, then the poet (born in 1937) would have been at most eight years old. The mother is a "heroine" but her action has nothing to do with the war. The rest of the crowd either do not know about artificial respiration, or fear to take the initiative. And they are "silent" perhaps because they do not expect the child to recover. The poet notes how her mother's concern is selfless - she gives "her breath" to "a stranger's child". (We can contrast this with the poet's admission of her own coldness to someone else's child in Baby-sitting.) The image also suggests the miracle of creation as related in Genesis (the first book of the Bible), where God gives Adam life, by breathing into his nostrils. Back to top The poet does not condemn, but seems shocked by, the child's being "thrashed for almost drowning". But for all we know, the parents who beat her thought this was the right way to teach their daughter to be more careful. (The incident may also explain the poet's reluctance, years later, as she writes in Catrin, to let her own daughter skate in the dark.) In the penultimate stanza, the lake of the title supplies an apt image of memory. Under the shadow of willow trees, cloudy with "satiny mud", stirred as the swans fly from the lake - the "troubled surface" hides any exact information. What really happened lies with many other "lost things" under the water that closes over them - in the lake, where