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|Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute
Marcia Cohen and Sherrie H. McKenna
ōDuring the first four months of 1981, 31 rapes were reported in New Haven. ThatÆs one rape every 4 days.ö1
Since the early 1970s and the resurgence of the womenÆs movement, there have been several excellent studies and books published on rape. These contain a multitude of case studies and interviews with actual rape victims. In addition to the information we have presented here, we urge teachers to read some of these first-person accounts in order to better understand the complexities of rape.
Rape is a womanÆs issue because, except in those rare instances of homosexual rape, it is the woman who is the victim. However, it is a manÆs issue too, because women who have been raped need the support and understanding of all those around them including their fathers, brothers, husbands, and friends.
Feminist writers see rape as an extension of a male-dominated societyÆs control over females. Since the Stone Age, women have been viewed as possessions of first their fathers, and then of their husbands. In the Old Testament, we are told ōThou shalt not covet thy neighborÆs house, thou shalt not covet thy neighborÆs wife . . . , nor anything that is thy neighbors.ö (Exodus 20: 17).
Little girls are taught to be passive and little boys to be aggressive. When these stereotypes become extended to our sexual roles, some people feel that women want to be sexually dominated by men, and that men have the right to demand sexual compliance from any female.
We intend this unit to provide information on rape as a crime of violence, but we hope to go beyond that and raise the consciousness of those who believe that men are free to demand sexual favors from women.
One commonly believed myth is that rape is primarily a sexual act. Persons with this belief often unintentionally place the victim on trial. Her motives, her dress and her actions become suspect not only to law enforcement officials but also to her family and friends. The womanÆs credibility may be questioned and her sexual activity and private life may be made public. Perhaps because of the guilt, embarrassment and humiliation, rape has been a highly underreported crime. However, throughout the past 20 years a variety of psychologists and sociologists have begun to study the psychology of rape and rapists. Their findings have shown that rape is a crime of violence, often regarded by the woman as a life-threatening act in which fear and humiliation are her dominant emotions. Sexual desire is less a motivation for the man than violent aggression.
Rape as a crime of violence is perhaps best understood by examining studies of the rapist, who he is and why he does it. However, it is somewhat disconcerting. Research by Amir in the 60Æs and 70Æs indicates that rapists are not the psychopathic, antisocial men one would think them to be.2 There are of course the extreme individuals, but most rapists blend well into their own communities. In fact, there may be more similarities between rapists and ourselves then there are differences. However, research on the rapist is subject to serious questions. The sampling of subjects are often full of bias. Most rape arrests still do not result in conviction. Therefore the men who are interviewed represent a very small percentage of the entire rapist population. Since the sampling pool is so limited, the conclusions drawn from such studies must be viewed cautiously. With that in mind, the findings of research by Dr. Menachiam Amir, an Israeli criminologist, and the National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice will be presented.3
Dr. Amir studied rape and rapists in Philadelphia between 1958 and 1960. He found the median age of the Philadelphia rapist was 23 but the largest age group among rapists was the 15-19 year olds. Amir found most rapists were unmarried, however that could be due to their young age. He also found that the older the rapist the younger the victim. According to Amir most rapists were at the lower end of the economic scale and about half had previous arrest records. However, few of their prior arrests were for sex offenses. Amir also found that more than half the rapes took place on the weekends with Saturday being the peak day. Again almost half were committed between 8:00 P.M. and 2:00 A.M. Further, approximately 71% of the rapes were planned. The choice of victim was often left to chance and circumstance, but the rapist set out to rape someone. Planning is even more prevalent in pair or gang rapes.
The National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice examined the characteristics and behaviors of rapists in 5 cities during the mid 1980s: Seattle, Detroit, Kansas City, New Orleans and Phoenix. There were several similarities between their findings and AmirÆs. Both found minority males were overrepresented; that most victims tended to be under 30 years old; and most rapists did some planning before the rape occurred, Amir however found 43% of the rapes involved more than one offender. The Institute found an overwhelming majority of rapes were committed by a single individual. The use of weapons varied from city to city but were used in approximately half the assaults.5
Offenders interviewed by members of the Institute at a maximum security state mental hospital believed that the prevention or avoidance of rape was the responsibility of the women. Their advice, perhaps sexist, nonetheless advised women not to go out alone, not to hitchhike, not to drink alone and to learn self defense.
In conclusion, most of what is currently known about rape and the rapist has been found in police blotter statistics. The whys of the crime are still being investigated. Amir theorized rapists fell into 2 categories which he labeled ōcriminalö and ōpsychiatricö. The criminal rapist he viewed as a poorly educated man from the lower socioeconomic level who had a criminal record of offenses such as exhibitionism, fetishism, etc. He saw him as generally antisocial and easily influenced by his peers. The psychiatric rapist was viewed as a well educated man from a higher economic bracket. He was believed to rape because of some personal problems or inadequacy and he may feel remorse after the assault. However, these are not generally accepted theories but are considered a stepping stone to more indepth research. A more widely accepted theory is that most rapists seem to come from a subculture of violence whose values may be different from those of the dominant culture. Therefore these adolescents and young men may be demonstrating their toughness and masculinity in a more violent and antisocial manner.
The first step in preventing any crime is to avoid placing oneself in a vulnerable position. Women should avoid walking alone at night, keep car doors locked, check the back seat of the car when getting in, and if giving directions to someone, maintain a distance between oneself and the strangerÆs car. Hitchhiking and admitting strangers to oneÆs home should be avoided always. If a repairman is expected, it is a good idea to have more than one person at home.
There are available in many communities self-defense classes, rape prevention courses, and brochures provided by police, insurance companies, and rape crisis centers which intend to help women avoid rape. These often consist of lists of prevention techniques some of which we have mentioned above. However, it is impossible to describe a ōcommonö rape. Each rapist operates in an individual way, and women need to be aware of a variety of techniques to help themselves in a rape situation. There is no one answer to assure safety. Suppose a woman, in spite of taking care not to place herself in a vulnerable position, finds herself face to face with a man threatening rape. What alternatives does she have?
One possibility is to talk her way out of the situation. Some women have turned a rapist off by saying they were menstruating, pregnant, or had a venereal disease. Others have surprised their attackers with some repulsive physical act such as vomiting, urinating, defecating, belching or fainting.
Behaving in a friendly, solicitous manner and gaining a potential rapistÆs confidence has been used successfully by some women. Complimenting him and appearing to go along with his advances will sometimes cause the rapist to relax and perhaps give the woman an opportunity to escape. However, for some rapists, such behavior may be encouraging.
Verbal self defense may be effective with many potential rapists. To succeed in talking oneÆs way out of a sexual assault, a woman must have confidence in herself and her ability to gain control of a situation. Often though, a woman does not have the opportunity to use her verbal skills or she finds that words have not worked in dissuading the rapist.
Physical self defense is an option with which some women may never feel comfortable. Electing to submit to a rapist, rather than risk injury or even death is a legitimate choice. Females have been taught from birth not to fight or even rough house, and therefore, find physical resistance impossible.
If a woman chooses to defend herself by force, she must be certain that she can hurt a man badly enough to stop himŚmerely inflicting pain is not sufficient. The nose, eyes, and throat are particularly vulnerable and susceptible to pain, whereas striking a man on the arm or head is virtually useless. Self defense classes teach people to use the weapons that are at their disposal alwaysŚtheir hands and feet, and of course, their voices. Women who carry cans of mace or sharp objects do not always have them available when they are needed. Self defense and martial arts classes increase oneÆs self confidence as well as oneÆs ability to defend oneself, and women should consider enrolling in such a course.
Children and adults of all ages need to be taught to feel positive about themselves. A positive self image will go a long way in helping a person defend herself against a sexual assault.
Why do so many women choose to remain silent after being sexually assaulted? To answer that question, one should look at the three institutions with which she will come into contact: the police, the hospital, and the courts.
Police. In most locations the patrol officer on call will respond to a complaint by a rape victim. This officer has probably had little, if any, training in dealing with rape. Later, the case is referred to an investigator who most likely works with all types of assaults. In some cities, female police officers are used to investigate rape cases; however, most investigations are still conducted by males.
Unfortunately, many police officers are antagonistic toward the female rape victim. They may feel embarrassed themselves at having to question a woman about a sexual assault. Very often police questioning focuses on the woman having ōbrought on the attackö herself by her dress, her inviting a man to her house, accepting a ride from a man, going to a bar unescorted, or by her past sexual experiences. The officer may dwell on the sexual aspect of the rape, asking her to describe her feelings during the attack, the rapistÆs genitals, or the position in which he raped her. Fortunately, in many areas of the country police departments are establishing special rape units and training police to work with rape victims.
The Hospital. Whether or not a rape victim intends to report an attack to the police, she should obtain medical care. When a woman who has been raped arrives at a hospital, medical personnel have a two-fold responsibility. They must treat the patient and also provide evidence for the police that a rape did occur.
In addition to checking a victimÆs entire body for injury, a doctor should explain to her when she must return for pregnancy and venereal disease tests. A doctor will check for the presence of semen in the vagina as well as on other parts of her body and clothes. A rape victim should not wash herself before going to the hospital, and her clothing should be made available for the investigation. Doctors in hospital emergency rooms, where most rape victims are taken, do not always react sympathetically. Here, too, women frequently report they are subjected to hostile and irrelevant questions.
The Courts. A woman may report an assault to the police but choose not to press charges. However, if she does decide to file a complaint and the rapist is arrested, she may come to feel that she, not the rapist, is the person on trial. With few exceptions, statements by these victims describe their court experiences as unpleasant and difficult.
While the police and medical personnel often subject a rape victim to unfair questions, in the courtroom she must endure even more. Rape is defined as a crime against the state, and the victim is a ōwitnessö for the prosecution. She may choose to have her own attorney, but that person only serves as an advisor; the court appoints the prosecutor over whom she will have no control.
The victim will often be attacked by the defense attorney on three major issues. (1) Consent. How much did she resist? Many rapists have been released on the grounds that a rape did not occur because the victim did not struggle. In no other crime would this issue be raised. If a person is robbed, she is not expected to resist the robber and refuse to surrender her money.
(2) Corroboration. A few states still require that another witness testify that the rape took place or that there is some evidence such as the victimÆs injuries or the presence of semen. If the victim was not harmed or she delayed reporting the rape so that the semen had disappeared, there would be no physical evidence and the case might be dismissed. Going back to our robbery, one does not have to prove that she was carrying a wallet in order to charge someone with theft.
(3) Chastity. The victimÆs past sexual behavior is often presented as evidence on behalf of the defendant. Testimony by a rape victim who admits to having sexual relations with someone to whom she is not married is used as proof that she is immoral and therefore, she is likely to have consented to intercourse. Conversely, the past crimes of the defendant are not admissible as evidence.
Acquittals in jury trials have been based on the admission by the victim that she had gone to a bar alone, that she was hitchhiking, that she showed no evidence of physical abuse, that she was dressed seductively, and that jury members found her unattractive (thus, why would anyone rape her?)
Looking at the number of people with whom a woman may have to speak in filing charges and the insensitive treatment she may receive, one can understand why some women who have reported a rape feel as though they have been raped a second time. There is usually a great deal of emotional conflict involved in making the decision to press charges or not. On the one hand, the woman may feel anger and want to see the rapist captured and punished; on the other, she may feel so humiliated that she does not wish to recount the details of the rape to the police.
Since the mid-1970s, many states have reexamined their laws regarding rape. While more changes are needed, the trend has been to revise rape statutes along the lines of other laws. That is, to define rape by degrees rather than as a single degree assault; to use threat of injury as proof that rape occurred rather than insisting that a woman must have suffered actual physical injury by resisting the rapist; and, in a few states, to restrict the discussion of the victimÆs past sexual behavior and the need for corroboration by proof other than the victimÆs testimony. This gradual change in the rape laws has been brought about by two opposite forces; the womenÆs movement and police, prosecutors, and legislators who want rape viewed as a law-and-order, not a feminist, issue.
Although not all police, hospital personnel, and attorneys are intent upon protecting the accused rapist by making the victim appear guilty, it is not surprising that many women either do not report a rape or withdraw the rape charge before it is brought to trial. Some areas allow rapes to be reported anonymously or accept information from a third party. This is sometimes helpful in providing data for the police who are looking for a particular offender. It also may alert the police to an area where additional police patrols are needed. Charges could, of course, not be filed in these cases, but women might choose this alternative if they were unwilling to expose themselves as rape victims. Some elect not to report a rape because they feel the rapist will not be apprehended or they do not wish to recount the circumstances of the attack to others.
Rape Crisis Centers. Perhaps more than with physical injuries, women need help with recovering from the emotional shock of a sexual assault. A growing number of rape crisis centers have begun to provide services for the rape victim. Their services may include a telephone answering line, group and individual counseling, escort service, self-defense classes, and womenÆs discussion groups. Since most of these centers have limited funds, they rely on volunteers to assist in their work.
Immediately following a rape, most women are in a state of shock. They may or may not be physically injured but all have been through a life threatening situation and will need time and support to recover. Women may react differently to an assault. Some women may become hysterical while others go through a denial stage and appear calm and in control. The circumstances surrounding the rape may vary as well, but all victims feel varying degrees of fear, guilt, embarrassment and anger. These emotions will not surface all at once but will effect the woman for a long time after the attack. It is important for all those close to her, especially the men to understand her feelings and support her through the crisis.
The fear a woman feels may weave through all aspects of her life. More than likely she was attacked going about her business, feeling safe in her world. Once that security is invaded the woman may be fearful about the once routine activities of her daily life. She may approach strangers and even friends and acquaintances with a new caution.
A woman may feel guilt, wondering why she was the victim. She may question whether she really did ōask for itö or lead someone to the wrong impression. She may also be embarrassed about what other people think of her. These feelings may cause her to avoid sexual relationships for a time. And finally the anger that her personal freedom was violated and the man is walking around free takes over. Anger may take different forms but most psychologists feel that it is the emotion that can lead to a successful emotional recovery. It is at this stage that the woman wants to fight back and get her life in order. However there is the possibility this anger may be projected onto others not involved. Men need to be aware of the feelings a woman experiences. The woman who denies the event and says sheÆs OK needs the same kind of counseling and support as other women, perhaps more so as she is repressing her true feelings.
Men too react differently to the attack of a woman close to them. Some men are disgusted and repulsed by the thought of rape, while others are angry and may seek revenge. Still some men react with disinterest and view the rape as just another sexual event. They donÆt see a need for a big fuss. All of these emotions must be recognized and discussed. A rape crisis center or counseling agency can often help people work through their feelings. Many centers have specific groups for adults, adolescents, and for parents of rape victims. These should be utilized to help ease and hasten the recovery of everyone involved.
Being wary of strangers does not always protect a child. Unfortunately, those who sexually assault children are primarily men who are known to the child. A prominent study done in 1969 by the ChildrenÆs Division of the American Humane Society found that this was true in 75% of the sex crimes against children. This study used a sample of 250 cases reported in an eighteen month period in Brooklyn and the Bronx. (This sample was a small portion of the total reported cases since in one year over 1000 cases were reported in Brooklyn alone).
Because the offender is often a family member or friend, the reporting of child rape is a very sensitive issue. Children must depend on adults to report a rape to the police. The reaction of a parent to a childÆs claim that she* has been molested is not always one of sympathy for the child. Some parents will punish a child, saying they misbehaved and brought on the attack themselves. For children, who are taught that adults are authority figures, placing the blame on themselves may be a common reaction. Some parents refuse to believe the child. They become angry and may even defend the attackerÆs integrity. Many parents feel embarrassed for themselves and do not want others, including the police, to know that their child has been sexually assaulted.
In his essay on Femininity, Freud concluded that ōReports of childhood assault were fantasies that the child contrived as a defense against her own genital pleasure and her guilty wish to sleep with her father.ö Many who followed Freud continued to blame the child and to describe the child rape victim as attractive, seductive, and/or charming. While young children may appear to behave in a seductive manner, they are usually seeking affection and attention. Not until puberty do youngsters ōhave conceptions of sexual responses and behavior that are analogous to those of adults.ö7 It is possible, of course, to read of incidents of reported sexual molestations of children where the child has either fabricated or fantasized the assault.
*In the Humane Society study, 10 girls were molested for every 1 boy.
Feminist writers see the abuse of young girls as a reflection of our male-dominated society. Children are viewed as possessions, and while there exists a taboo against incest, there also exists a taboo against outside interference with the absolute rule of the man in the home.
Because of the reaction children may receive from parents if they relate an incident involving sexual molestation, children may suffer extreme guilt feelings if anyone forces them to submit sexually. Adults must recognize the seriousness of sexual abuse and discuss this issue with children so that they understand it is the offender and not the victim who is guilty. In the Humane Society study, over 40% of the cases involved repeated sexual abuse by the same person over a period of time. This statistic may well be a reflection of the abused childÆs difficulty in accusing an adult of sexual assault.
Finally, many parents are reluctant to press charges against their childÆs rapist in order to protect the child from an unpleasant court ordeal. Few defense lawyers are used to cross-examining children, and many, in an attempt to defend their clients, will try to place the blame on the child. In the Humane Association study, 173 arrests were made, and the child victims appeared in court more than 1000 times. Asking a child to recount the circumstances of a sexual assault even once before a courtroom of strangers is unthinkable for many parents and children.
Brownmiller suggests that rape in a male prison is an acting out of power roles, rather than expressing a sexual need.8 In this situation the weaker man is overpowered and assumes the feminine, typically passive role. Homosexual rapes in this situation are somewhat analogous to heterosexual rape in that the rapist tends to be a younger inmate who chooses a smaller man as his victim. Fear, brutality and humiliation often accompany the rape, and victims are frequently encouraged by guards not to report it to spare their family and friends the humiliation. The men who rape in prisons are often incarcerated for crimes of violence.
In 1968 Alan J. Davis of the district attorneyÆs office in Philadelphia conducted a study of prisons in Philadelphia.9 He too found that homosexual rape was not primarily motivated by the need for sexual release since masturbation was easier. Conquest and degradation did appear to be a primary goal. Gagnon and Simon argue that while masturbation may be easier it may be less acceptable to men who have been socialized to the taboos of such an act. They view the rape as an expression of the individualÆs power and masculinity. The rapist, although involved in a homosexual act, is still viewed by others as heterosexual as long as there is no reciprocity from the victim. Davis would agree as he found that prison rape was a product of the violent subcultureÆs definition of masculinity through physical triumph.
Brownmiller states that providing women will not alleviate the rape problem in prisons. She reinforces the view that it is not a sexual release these men are seeking as much as it is a need to establish a hierarchy of the strong over the weak.10
Women respond to imprisonment somewhat differently. Although there is some lesbian activity and sexual assault among the inmates, women tend to establish family systems. Women respond to the depersonalization of prisons by forming pseudo-families with a husband, wife, children, and often aunts, uncles and cousins. These are usually not violent clusters, yet do establish a hierarchal system and pattern of behavior based on role definitions. Homosexual activity then may be expressed in the context of the roles of husband/wife relationships.
Gagnon and Simon summarize well when they state that ōwhat is occurring in the prison situation for both men and women is not a problem of sexual release but rather the use of sexual relationships in the service of creating a community of relationships for satisfying needs for which the prison fails to provide in any other form.ö11 In other words, if a male feels his masculinity is being questioned or challenged, he may use rape as a vehicle to reaffirm his position. Similarly women who need to reorganize their lives to provide the emotional as well as physical releases may form families and act out their respective roles.
Objective Students will be able to differentiate between myths about rape and facts, with 90% accuracy.
Materials Pencils and paper.
Strategy The survey that follows can be given before the unit on rape is begun to assess how much students already know. It can serve as an evaluative instrument if used again as a post test to see how well students have comprehended the ideas presented.
- 1. The primary motive for rape is sexual.
- 2. Rape occurs only among strangers.
- 3. Women who are raped are asking for it by the kind of clothes they wear.
- 4. Victims of rape are usually young, attractive women.
- 5. Rapists are usually one-time offenders.
- 6. Most rapists are between 16 and 24 years old.
- 7. Rape is not planned but done on an urge.
- 8. Rapes happen most often in the street, or alleys in the early evening.
- 9. Most rapes are not reported to the police.
- 10. In most cases a woman can fight off her attacker.
- 11. A victim can report a rape to the police without charges being pressed against the rapist.
- 12. Medical treatment for rape victims is not necessary unless the victim is physically injured, i.e., cuts or bruises.
- 1. False. Rape is an act of violence with domination a key factor.
- 2. False. Rape often occurs between acquaintances or dates as well.
- 3. False. Women no more want to be raped than a person who carries money wants to be robbed.
- 4. False. Known victims have ranged in age from 6 months to 90 years.
- 5. False. Since so few rapists are convicted they tend to repeat their actions.
- 6. True.
- 7. False. Rapes are often planned but the victim is left to chance.
- 8. False. Most rapes occur in the victimÆs home. Most rapes occur between 8 p.m.-2 a.m. and more frequently on weekends.
- 9. True.
- 10. False. Most often a victim is caught off guard, is probably less strong and probably isolated.
- 11. True. If a victim does not want to identify herself to the police she can anonymously give a description of the attacker and details of the assault.
- 12. False. It is important for the victim to be checked internally as well as having venereal disease and pregnancy prevention measures taken.
Materials Paper and pencil.
Strategy Ask each student to write a description of a rape including the following information.
If the teacher feels that the class response would be better, this exercise could be done as a group activity with the teacher writing the groupÆs responses on the blackboard.
- 1. The ages of the victim and the rapist.
- 2. A physical description of both individuals.
- 3. The location where the attack occurred.
- 4. The time.
- 5. Whether the people involved were acquainted with each other.
- 6. What the victim did following the rape.
Another alternative would be to divide the class into small groups of 4 or 5 and ask each to write a description.
Whatever method is chosen, the studentsÆ work should be shared with the entire class.
Objective To help students formulate responses to situations in which they might find themselves threatened by a rapist. This lesson should be used after the students have completed and discussed the fact vs. myth survey. Male students should be asked to put themselves in the place of the females in the situations.
Materials Paper and pencil (if done as written exercise)
Strategy: Ask the students to respond in writing or verbally. Before using this lesson the teacher should discuss with the class prevention tactics (see Appendix A). Several of the books in the teacher bibliography have short case studies that could be used in class to illustrate the actual circumstances under which rapes have occurred. Sharing these with students can be helpful in dispelling the notion that only women who put themselves in dangerous positions are raped.
What would you do if:
- 1. You were home alone and a man asked to use the telephone in your apartment to call a service station.
- 2. You were being driven home from a party by a man you like, and he stopped the car in a lonely area and began to force himself on you.
- 3. You had been babysitting at a neighborÆs house. The husband returned home first and started kissing you and fondling your body.
- 4. You had gone to the corner store at night for cigarettes; a man you had seen around the neighborhood followed you down the street. It is two blocks from your house, and no one else is outside.
- 5. You awakened at 2 in the morning and a man was in your bed with a knife at your throat.
Objective Students will be able to display through role playing and/or verbally articulate some of the emotional turmoil experienced by a rape victim.
Materials None in particular. However a secure and accepting classroom atmosphere is suggested to permit student improvisation.
Strategies The teacher may reproduce the background information provided, read it to the students and/or discuss it with the class.
The teacher should then ōset the stageö by using the suggested situation or one of her own. Allow students to ad lib the dialogue and follow each scene with a discussion of what different outcomes could occur. This scene can be played several times by changing the person to whom the woman calls for help.
The Situation
A young woman is unloading groceries from her car. A young man whom she recognizes as another resident of her apartment building, but does not know, offers to help her carry the packages into her apartment. She accepts the offer. Once inside her home, the man takes out a knife and rapes the woman. After the assault the woman calls her fiancee (father, mother, police, husband, son, girlfriend) for help.
Students should assume the roles of the woman, the rapist, the fiancee (father, mother, police, etc.). The emphasis of the follow-up discussion should be on how the people involved FEEL, and what kinds of reactions the people involved may have.
Contained on these pages in Ms. AngelouÆs autobiography is a description of her sexual molestation by her motherÆs boyfriend.
Boston WomenÆs Health Book Collective, Our Bodies, Ourselves, Second Edition, New York: Simon and Schuster, 1979, pp. 155-161.
A brief, but comprehensive chapter on rape which includes several case studies, prevention tactics, and suggestions on what to do if you are raped.
Peck, Richard, Are You in the House Alone? New York: Dell Publishing Co., 1976.
A fictional account of a teenagerÆs rape by a classmate.
The information in this book is based on a study of forcible rape cases recorded by the Philadelphia Police Department during 1958 and 1960.
A variety of data on variables including race, age, marital status, employment, etc. of rapists and victims is presented and discussed.
Bode, Janet, Fighting Back, How to Cope with the Medical, Emotional and Legal Consequences of Rape, New York: MacMillan, 1978.
This was written by a woman who was raped; she points out some of the horrors, but also the help that rape victims receive. State rape laws are summarized individually.
Brownmiller, Susan, Against Our Will: Men, Women, and Rape, New York: Simon and Schuster, 1975.
Perhaps the best and most complete study on rape available. A large portion of this book is devoted to the historical data regarding rape.
Burgess, Ann Wolbert and Lynda Lytle Holstrom, Rape: Victims of Crisis, Bowie, Maryland: Robert J. Brady, 1974.
This book provides insights into the needs of victims, the motivation of offenders and institutional problems in dealing with rape.
Chappell, Duncan, Robley Geis, and Gilbert Geis, Eds., Forcible Rape: The Crime, the Victim and the Offender, New York: Columbia University Press, 1977.
A collection of published articles by various authors covering different topics related to rape.
Connell, Noreen and Cassandra Wilson, Eds., New York Radical Feminists, Rape: The First Sourcebook for Women, New York: New American Library, 1974.
Contains transcripts of consciousness raising sessions with women discussing rape plus speeches made at a rape conference held in New York in 1971.
Gager, Nancy and Cathleen Shurr, Sexual Assault: Confronting Rape in America, New York: Grosset and Dunlop, 1976.
This is a good book to read to gain a general understanding of nearly every aspect of rape.
Gagnon, John H. and William Simon, ōSexual Encounters Between Adults and Children,ö Distributed by Sex Information and Education Council of the U.S. (SIECUS), 1855 Broadway, New York, 1970.
Gagnon, John H. and William Simon, ōThe Social Meaning of Prison Homosexuality,ö Distributed by Sex Information and Education Council of the U.S. (SIECUS), 1855 Broadway, New York.
This article discusses male and female sexual responses to imprisonment.
Hilberman, Elaine, The Rape Victim, New York: Basic Books, 1976.
An overview is provided here of the crime of rape plus five articles with detailed guidelines to victims and those with whom they come in contact following a sexual assault.
Holmstrom, Lynda L. and Ann Wolbert Burgess, The Victim of Rape: Institutional Reactions, New York: John Wiley, 1978.
This is a study of 146 persons admitted to Boston City Hospital in a one-year period with a rape complaint. The authors interviewed the victims immediately after the complaint was made and followed them through the entire court process.
Horos, Carol V., Rape, New Canaan, CT: Toby Publishing Co., 1974.
This book discusses research related to rape victims and rapists as well as outlines self defense procedures and what to do following an assault. What a victim can expect from the police and courts is also described.
Sanford, Linda Tschirhart and Ann Fetter, In Defense of Ourselves, a Rape Prevention Handbook for Women, New York: Doubleday, 1977.
An excellent book that could also be used by students; it contains many photographs showing self defense techniques and verbal exercises for improving self concept.
Storaska, Frederic, How to Say No to a Rapist and Survive, New York: Random House, 1975.
Very concrete suggestions are offered on how to extricate oneself from a rapistÆs clutches. The author refuted all the usual methods generally advocated as ways of preventing rape.
Wheeler, Stanton, ōSex Offenses: A Sociological Critique,ö Law and Contemporary Problems, Spring, 1960.
This article discusses characteristics of different kinds of sex offenders and their criminal career history.
ŚŚŚ, Forcible Rape, Final Project Report by the National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, United States Department of Justice, March 1978.
This report was undertaken to increase the effectiveness of the police, prosecution, and legislators in dealing with the crime of rape. It summarizes extensive data collected from police and prosecutors as well as from rape victims and offenders.
Produced in cooperation with the Sex Crimes Detail of the San Francisco Police Dept. It presents 3 cases of rape attacks from the victimÆs point of view contrasted with convicted rapistsÆ perspectives.
Available in Spanish. Release date: 1974 Length: 18 minutes Purchase $350/One Week Rental $60
A young hitchhiker is picked up on her way to work. Emphasis is on the psychological control of the rape and the varying sensitivity of police officers responding to the emotions of the victim.
Release date: 1975 Length: 10 minutes
Purchase $195/One Week Rental $35
Designed to present positive steps for rape prevention. Through a series of vignettes, the film emphasizes that there are no hard and fast rules to follow to avoid being rapes, but that there are things women can do to protect themselves and reduce risk. Narrated by Lee Meriwether.
Release date: 1979 Length: 17 minutes
Purchase $275/One Week Rental $40
From the first call for help to the end of the medical exam, this dramatization of a rape investigation deals with the intricate chain of events engulfing everyone involved in a rape situation. Deals frankly and honestly with the victimÆs emotional needs.
Release date: 1977 Length: 20 minutes
Purchase $395/One Week Rental $60
This film challenges the widely held premise that the victimÆs behavior is a logical defense to a rape charge.
Release date: 1977 Length: 7 minutes
Purchase $135/One Week Rental $35
To order or arrange for previews: call 800 323-1900, or write
MTI Teleprograms Inc.
4825 N. Scott Street, Suite 23 Schiller Park, Ill. 60176
I. General Precautions
- 1. Be aware that assaults, including rape, can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. Observe your environment and be alert.
- 2. Trust your gut feeling. If someone looks suspicious to you, leave and get to a safe place. It is better to be embarrassed than hurt.
- 3. Never hitchhike and donÆt accept rides from strangers; donÆt pick up hitchhikers.
- 4. Know your neighborhood and neighbors. Look for potential danger areas and safety areas. Know what stores, etc. are open late and may serve as shelters. Take note of unlighted or little travelled areas and avoid them when possible.
- 5. Be familiar with your limitations and think about how you react under stress. Some women can respond effectively by physical struggle or fighting, others by flight and running and others by distraction, screaming or talking. What is your style?
- 6. If you are attacked in your apartment building, car, or anywhere, yell, ōFIRE!ö (It gets more response than screams for ōHELPö).
- 7. If someone drives you home, ask them to wait until you are safely inside. Get a signal.
II. Outside Precautions
A. On foot.
B. Public Transportation.
- ____1. Try to always walk with a friend or several friends.
- ____People walking alone are easy targets.
- ____2. Be alert to your surroundingsŚknow where you are going and donÆt look lost.
- ____3. Walk briskly and confidently.
- ____4. If youÆre walking and think youÆre being followed, trust your feeling, turn around and look. DonÆt worry about looking foolish. Run, cross the street, go into an open store, get out of the wayŚyou could be saving your life.
- 5. Choose well lighted streets to walk on.
- ____6. Try to walk facing traffic so you wonÆt be caught off guard by a car pulling up behind you. But if youÆre walking with traffic and a car pulls up behind you or starts following you, turn around and walk the other way.
- ____7. Think about how you are dressed. Do you have the freedom to run, or are your clothes too confining and heels too high?
- ____8. DonÆt overload yourself with packages.
- ____9. Walk close to the center of the sidewalk (not too close to cars or shrubbery) or in the street.
- ____10. When walking at night, make sure you approach corners and other areas where your view is blocked in a way that you can see as much of what is around the corner as possible.
- ____11. If people ask you for directions, give them if you want, but donÆt get too close. Be especially careful when persons in a car ask for directions that you donÆt get too close to the car. Just give directions verballyŚdonÆt offer to lead a person to where theyÆre going or ride along with them.
- ____12. Always avoid shortcuts at nightŚalleys, parks, backyards, dark streets, etc. In some neighborhoods it is a good idea to avoid shortcuts down alleys and hidden streets during the daytime too.
C. In your car
- ____1. Sit with most passengers or next to the driverŚespecially at night or when the bus is almost empty. The same goes for a subway or train. If you canÆt sit next to the driver, take an aisle seat next to the exitŚnever be trapped next to a window or wall.
- ____2. If you are bothered by a man on the bus, donÆt get off at your regular stop. Inform the bus driver.
- ____3. Change seats if youÆre uncomfortable where you are.
- ____4. DonÆt take rides from ōbus stop samaritansö who stop to give you a lift in their car, even if youÆve missed the bus.
- ____5. When getting into a taxi, check the driverÆs identification immediately. If his or her face doesnÆt match the pictureŚget out.
- ____6. It is better not to enter an elevator alone with a strange man or men if possible. Stand near the control panel so that you can push the alarm button if necessary.
- ____1. Look into your back seat before you get into the car.
- ____2. Keep car doors locked at all times including when you are riding in the car. Assailants have been known to jump into cars at stop lights.
- ____3. Never pick up a hitchhiker.
- ____4. Do not stop to help a motorist. Think of your safety first, and be a good samaritan by stopping at the nearest phone and calling for help.
- ____5. If you have car trouble and have to pull over, keep your doors locked and windows up. Always carry a road flare to signal when you have car trouble. It should be outside the car, not you. If no one is nearby, or you donÆt have a flare, jump out and raise the hood and get back into the car and lock it. If someone stops and offers to help you, ask them to call the police or a garage. Do not open your door.
- ____6. If you believe that you are being followed by another car, donÆt pull into your driveway. Drive straight to the nearest police station or fire station and honk your horn. Do not leave your car until you are sure that itÆs safe.
- ____7. If your car is ransacked, donÆt get in, someone may be hiding and waiting for you, leave and call the police.
- ____8. Try to keep your gas tank full, so you wonÆt run out of gas in an isolated place.
- ____9. Always carry enough money for an emergency phone call or taxi ride.
III. At Home Precautions
A. Be careful who you let into your home.
B. General precautions at home.
- ____1. Never let a stranger into your home. Check identification through the viewer and donÆt let anyone in who doesnÆt have identification, including repairmen. Before opening the door check with their supervisor by phone if you are suspicious. If a repairman or some other stranger has to come into your home, try to make sure someone will be there with you.
- ____2. If a stranded motorist or someone else comes to your door asking to make an emergency phone call, donÆt let them in. Ask them who they want called and make the call for them.
- ____3. Never feel guilty about closing the door on someone you donÆt know.
- ____4. Always talk to strangers through your door, donÆt open the door.
- ____1. If youÆre at home and hear an unusual noise outside donÆt be enticed outside. If the noise worries you, call the police.
- ____2. If you live in an apartment, make sure the area around the apartment house is well lighted and that hallways and stairwells are well lighted.
- ____3. If you come home and your home looks like it has been broken into, do not go in, someone may be in there. Leave and call the police.
- ____4. Always have your keys ready to be inserted in the lock before reaching your door.
- ____5. Keep your curtains drawn at night to avoid being observed and your home being cased.
Acquaintance Rape Prevention Films (available through the Consultation Center)
The Party Game. Kathy recently broke up with her boyfriend. She attends a party with friends and meets Mark who has crashed the party looking for girls. He tries to pick up Kathy. Each one is misunderstood by the other; she needs affirmation of her attractiveness and he wants easy sex. The result is a confrontation involving violence.
The Date. Charlotte, 16, is going out with Raymond, 20. It is the end of their second date and Raymond has spent a lot of money. Now he wants sex in return and moves in to get it when he learns that CharlotteÆs parents are not home. Charlotte misunderstands RaymondÆs intentions and continues to live out a fantasy of the perfect evening. Raymond acts out his disappointment and humiliation by becoming violent.
Just One of the Boys. Mike, who is sexually inexperienced, is invited to celebrate a football victory by going out with two teammates, Ed and Jake. He learns that Ed has been ōsetting-upö Josie, a girl with a bad reputation. Josie has a crush on Ed and thinks his sudden interest is genuine. Mike is presented with a moral dilemma when his friends insist that he participate in sexually attacking her.
End of the Road. JennyÆs car breaks down on a lonely road, leaving her stranded. Dan who remembers her from summer school, happens by and stops to help. He is silently overjoyed at the chance to be with a woman who otherwise would never notice him. He offers to take her home and then tries to persuade her to spend more time with him. She says no, sheÆs late already, but maybe some other time. Feeling desperate, he stops at the side of the road and begins to force himself on her.
- 1. New Haven Register, Sunday, May 17, 1981.
- 2. Horos, Carol V. Rape, Toby Publishing Co., New Canaan, CT, 1974, p. 6.
- 3. Brownmiller, Susan. Against Our Will: Men, Women and Rape. New York, Simon and Schuster, 1975, p. 183.
- 4. Ibid., p. 182.
- 5. Horos, Carol V. Rape. Toby Publishing Co., New Canaan, CT, 1974. p. 21.
- 6. Forcible Rape, Final Project Report by the National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, United States Department of Justice, March 1978, p. 15.
- 7. Gagnon, John H. and William Simon, ōSexual Encounters Between Adults and Children,ö SIECUS, January, 1970.
- 8. Brownmiller, Susan. Against Our Will, Men, Women and Rape, Simon and Schuster, N. Y., 1975, p. 256.
- 9. Ibid. p. 264.
- 10. Ibid. p. 257.
- 11. Gagnon, John and William Simon. ōThe Social Meaning of Prison Homosexuality.ö Distributed by SIECUS, 1855 Broadway, N. Y. C. #066, p. 6.
Contents of 1981 Volume III | Directory of Volumes | Index | Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute


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UK Women's Basketball
Cats' win over Gamecocks a real pick-me-up
It's amazing what just one win can do for team morale.
Kentucky had been mired in a four-game losing streak and was falling toward the bottom of the Southeastern Conference. "It's been a tough couple of weeks to say the least," Coach Matthew Mitchell said. All of that seemed like ancient history Thursday night as UK overwhelmed South Carolina early and then dropped the Gamecocks 61-47 at Memorial Coliseum. "It's like a breakthrough, really," said senior Eleia Roddy, who led a balanced Cats attack with 11 points and 11 rebounds. "We'd been down for so long. ... We were definitely needing this win."
Kentucky looked like a team playing with a sense of urgency at the start, racing out to a 26-9 lead and holding the Gamecocks to 2-for-24 shooting. In the first half, they were held to 14.3 percent from the field. "We made a statement that we were going to play real hard tonight and do what we have to do to win and that needs to be contagious for us," Mitchell said. It wasn't all UK, though.
South Carolina was without its two leading scorers, who were both out with knee injuries. The Gamecocks struggled to find a rhythm and the basket, even on close-range shots. "They were getting a lot of offensive rebounds and that kind of deflates you and takes your breath away on offense," said first-year coach Dawn Staley, whose team was held to a season-low 23.6 percent shooting. The three-time Olympic gold medalist didn't sugar coat what she thought of her team's performance against Kentucky (13-10, 3-5 SEC). "Poor," she said, preceded by an alliterative adjective. "Quite simply, we don't compete for 40 minutes. What we don't have in our lineup we have to make up for in certain areas like effort, being scrappy, doing the intangible things."
In those areas, Kentucky played much better, Mitchell said. UK outrebounded South Carolina 49-29 and outscored the Gamecocks 19-3 on second-chance points. Every player that saw the floor scored and got at least two rebounds.
Mitchell had asked for more board work from his guards — even devoting an hour-long practice to just rebounding — and he got it. Amani Franklin had eight rebounds to go with her nine points. Carly Ormerod had eight points and six boards (all defensive). The Cats scored 11 straight midway through the second half to grab their largest lead of the game, 51-27 before South Carolina made a game of it. A 19-3 run threatened UK's dominance and cut the Cats' lead to eight points with 4:15 to go on a C.J. Pace three-pointer, which was one of four straight treys. "They got too good of looks," said point guard Amber Smith, who led UK with 13 points. "That was all on us. We weren't pressuring the ball." But Kentucky righted itself and held the Gamecocks (9-12, 1-7) to a single point the rest of the way.
The Cats connected on seven of eight free throws in the final four minutes to seal a much-needed win. "We didn't handle it well at the end, but we bounced back and toughed it out," Smith said. "We knew we needed one; we needed one in a bad way. We just had to go out there and work hard and get it." Smith went a step further, predicting the end of these long losing streaks for her team, which will face Vanderbilt on Sunday. "We're getting over the hump right here," Smith said. "We're trying to win every game from here on out, that's the goal."

subset: commoncrawl


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What is the average price for renter's insurance in New York?
The average flight time is 18 hours, 43 minutes. This is only an approximation and flight times are likely to vary. Your airline will provide you with a flight time when you book a flight.
What is the average price of renters insurance in MI?
Prostitution, drugs, lying about income, hosting gambling, illegal firearms or explosives, violence.
What is the average price for renters insurance in MD?
What is the average price for renters insurance in AL?
Renters insurance is similar to condo insurance. It typically covers the personal contents inside but there is the option to obtain dwelling coverage to protect the structure of the items that are ...
Read More »
What is the average price for renters insurance?
In North Carolina, $25,000 in coverage will run anywhere between $75.00 to $150.00 per year depending on the deductible, construction type (frame or brick), and zip code.


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After numerous false starts, begging, cajoling and a minor tantrum, I finally got myself on a Riverbed Steelhead training course. I've worked with Juniper WX (formally Peribit for those of you with long memories) for a number of years. This gave me my first production experience with dynamic routing which, as a security specialist, was pretty scary. During the Steelhead course, I could not help but contrast the two and think about the subtle differences between how the technologies go about achieving the same thing: accelerating traffic across the WAN.
Finally in October 2012, Juniper announced the "End of life" (EOL) of the entire WX Branch portfolio. Unusually, Juniper also came out and recommended the Riverbed Steelhead as a replacement technology, directing existing customers to the Riverbed WX trade-in program. And so, many long-term Juniper/Peribit customers find themselves staring at a platform refresh in the face; suddenly the "minor" differences between the two products cease to be academic. So, the goal of this pair of posts is to cover some aspects on how the products differ, and how they are similar. But first, some basics:
Traffic Interception
For traffic to be optimised by any WAN-X, it needs to enter the unit. Both the Steelhead and the WX only start the optimisation process once they successfully intercept the start of the flow: the TCP-SYN packet. The "easy" way to deploy both technologies is as a transparent bridge in "in-line" mode. In larger and especially data-centre environments, you tend to see "off-path" deployments such as Policy Based Routing, WCCPv2 or in the case of the WX, route injection. These off-path deployments tend to be more scalable and reliable, but require more forethought than the "drop-in" approach of the "in-line".
Once the packet enters the device, we run into our first significant difference between the technologies. The first TCP packet (assuming a completely cold start) to transit the Steelhead injects a header into the TCP-Option field before forwarding the packet otherwise unmolested. Assuming the modified TCP-SYN reaches the WAN port of another Steelhead, the header is stripped, and the packet forwarded onto the original destination. In parallel, an "adjacency" is formed between the client-side Steelhead (CSH) and server-side Steelhead (SSH). An "out-of-band splice" management back-channel between the CSH and SSH devices is also formed. Things get really crazy when there is more than two Steelheads between the client and server, but that's a topic for another day. Consider the Steelhead method as "send and hope we find another Steelhead on the network". This makes configuration very easy and the box can be up and running very quickly; it also means that network mapping every corner of your network is not necessary.
The WX approach is somewhat different; the most straightforward comparison is with IPSEC VPN tunnels. One device is designated a registration server into which all the other devices report. Each device (hub, spoke, or mesh node) is configured by the administrator with a list of LAN-speed local subnets which can be optimised. This is achieved by either punching in static routes or learning them dynamically via RIP or OSPF. These routes are pushed to the registration server to allow all other nodes to build a "remote routing table" which looks a lot like an IPSEC Secure Association table, matching remote subnets to remote WXs. This creates an "overlay" routing table to the real one, which can be confusing if you don't know the WXs are there and how they behave. When a packet enters a WX, it performs a route-table lookup on the source-destination pair; if the packet is headed for a destination it has a matching entry for, it enters the tunnel to go through the various compression and acceleration stages. Otherwise, it's put back on the wire in pass-through mode and unchanged.
The network level knowledge required to configure the WX means that it is not an especially straightforward product to configure in comparison to the Steelhead. I have run into deployments where an end-user (or even a reseller) has attempted to deploy them without so much as reading the "getting started" guide, working on the premise that, "It's Juniper. How hard can it be?". The result was significantly less than an optimised WAN.
So, the Steelhead can pretty much be thrown into the network (indeed, Riverbed has a cheesy video of just this happening) without much effort and it will have a good stab at optimising traffic. The default policy excludes traffic which cannot be optimised without further configuration (Exchange 2010, HTTPs etc.). By default, the WX comes with virtually no configuration, it has to be "told" the location of its registration server, fed the local routes for which it is responsible and which other devices it is allowed to form tunnels with. Frankly, this is a lot of faffing and takes about 30 minutes from cold start to get a device properly interacting with other nodes and optimising traffic flows. However, this is not all bad and does force you to PLAN your deployment properly. Both technologies can fall flat on their respective shiny metal faces unless consideration is given to the proper deployment. Do that with a Steelhead and you'll kinda/sorta get it working and optimising *some* traffic. With WX, if you don't plan or understand the target network properly, it'll spray dropped packets around the place like a leaf blower. This is not rocket science; deploy any technology which messes with the traffic in the way that WAN Optimisation does, and it's going to end in tears sooner or later.
In my next post, "Riverbed Steelhead vs. Juniper WX Part II – When a tunnel is not a tunnel," I'll dig down into the packet-level detail of the different transports used by the two technologies.


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The weather, however, that Mother Nature seems to keep handing us this winter of 2016/2017 has been no joke! Beyond winter, last summer never really translated into fall while fall never really turned into winter and winter, as confused as he may be, is trying his darnedest to at least make one brave stand before he hands the keys over to spring next week. Who knows what spring has up her sleeves? Perhaps we should check with Mother Nature.😉
|Well, at least the Lenten Rose (Helleborus orientalis) is blooming during Lent, out in the
yard, in spite of the snowy and frigid cold weather.


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If you have been hurt by sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, or sexual harassment it was not your fault and you are not alone.
The Aurora Center staff and trained volunteers offer free and confidential support and advocacy to University of Minnesota, TC and Augsburg College students, staff and faculty. We will listen to you and explore options with you. Any choice you make about your situation is your decision, and we will support you.
We encourage you and those in our community who are survivors to connect with an advocate from The Aurora Center. Stop by our office in Appleby Hall or call our 24 hour helpline at 612.626.9111.


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During carnival, it can sometimes be a little difficult even before the cachaça makes its effects known to work out who is girl, boy or undecided. After all, a big slice of the party's fun is its ability to bring everyone together in a riot of colour and costume and uninhibited louche behaviour, but there are definitely some spots that are worth hanging around more than others.
Farme de Amoedo
Even on those rare days when there is no bloco in Ipanema, Farme is, as you might expect, a bit like a parade of its own. Simply turn up and grab a drink, and watch the action, or get yourself invited to one of the impromptu parties that springs up on Rio's gay main street. Expect things to get on the heated side here.
Unidos de Tijuca
Of all the samba schools, Unidos de Tijuca has the closest relationship with the gay community, not least because it hosts Mr Gay Rio once a year. You can find transgender members of the school in the desfile (parade), and the school has a gay-friendly atmosphere while not by any means describing itself as a gay school.
Banda de Ipanema
The most historic Zona Sul bloco of them all. Affectionately known simply as Banda, it began in 1965, rising in status during the military dictatorship. Utterly laidback but always packed, it attracts young and old, gay and straight, drag queens and, simply, queens and while the organisers may not pitch their event as gay, it has become the number one homo-bloco in town. Its not hard to find straight men getting into the swing of things by dressing up as women either. Starts Rua Gomes Carneiro, finishes General Osório, Ipanema. 4 & 18 February.
Simpatia é Quase Amor
This bloco really began to hit its stride in the early post-dictatorship years in Brazil, attracting the young, tanned and beautiful people of Zona Sul in their thousands to their parades. If it is hot, drunk Brazilians you are after then look no further, and whilst the gay representation is a little more subtle than at Banda, it is no less excitable and up for it. Starts General Osório, finishes Henrique Dumont, Ipanema. 11 & 19 February.
Rainbow kiosk
Operating a bit like Farme during carnival, the area around this kiosk in front of the Copacabana Palace gets animada during carnival, even when there isn't a bloco around. It's a great place to grab a beer and check out some of the talent.
The party to end all parties, Bitch is held every year at Fundição Progresso and is always eagerly awaited. Make sure you get a ticket in advance, and if you feel like spoiling yourself, the red carpet treatment (including free drinks, food and exclusive VIP area) is available, at a price.
Baile Gay
Your average bloco might make up for in enthusiasm what it lacks in glamour, but for the full-on fancy dress experience head to the Jockey Club for the baile gay. A troupe of drag acts will pay homage to Carmen Miranda, and once again there are VIP options galore for those who want to make an occasion of it.


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|Pirates & Dragons
And welcome to a review of the portable document format (PDF) of Pirates & Dragons, written by Peter Cakebread & Ken Walton (site). Pirates & Dragons is available at drivethrurpg.com. Cakebread & Walton were generous enough to provide a complimentary download as well as a digital copy of Curious Creatures of the Dragon Isles, the RPG book of beasts and animals and a full color quality resolution map of The Dragon Isles, the main setting for adventure. Pirates & Dragons was brought to life via Kickstarter to the tune of £6,544 or a bit over $7K US.
Disclosure: Product links within this post include my drivethrurpg.com affiliate identification. At no additional cost I receive a token % if you purchase something from the landing page. It's one way to support this blog and its content. Thank you for that support.
The Pirates and Dragons PDF is full color and clocks in at whopping 349 pages cover to cover. Curious Creatures of the Dragon Isles is full color as well and 147 pages. Fortunately, I'm an avid reader and I take good notes. By page count, the game is by far the largest I've reviewed for Indy Game Scene.
Similar to my review of LotFP, I'm breaking tradition of my regular format and focusing the review on the most interesting aspects of this RPG. Let's jump in and read what the game has to say for itself.
"Pirates & Dragons is a role-playing game of fantasy swashbuckling in a world of magic and treasure, of fantastical islands inhabited by strange beasts and vile necromancers, of treachery and heroism. Together with a group of friends, you take on the role of pirates, out for adventure and booty – raiding the treasure galleons of Esbania, the merchant fleets of Gaule and Batavia, the dragon-hunting ships of Albion, the ruins of lost Adalantas... and the gold-filled caves of ancient and evil dragons.
Gather your crew. Load your flintlocks. And prepare to plunder!" (Pg. 9)
I had to review this RPG in sessions (due to some real life scheduling things) and with each time I sat down, I found myself wanting to read more. Fortunately, it's well written and despite its page count it was an easy read. The relationships between the games main ingredients or specifically how the setting, rules and game mechanics fit together really impressed me.
From a design standpoint while the current trend of RPGs leans-more towards a focus on mechanics and rules which imply a setting and little bit of fluff to glue it all together, it was a nice contrast to read the effort of game designers who seemingly put world building first; or for a change, the setting ahead of the system. Whether this is actually the case it doesn't matter. The fact is Pirates and Dragons is an RPG which offers a complete system and setting.
Speaking of setting and as you read in the above quoted, Pirates and Dragons is a clash of high seas adventure and fantasy. The game isn't a typical high fantasy setting and has toned down or omitted some of the more commonly used Tolkien inspired elements (such as demi-human races), trading these in for doubloons and black powder. There is a certain give and take with the writing of this game that when you finally wash ashore, you'll realize all of the elements contained therein have been tweaked (that is from what we typically see in a fantasy RPG) in such a way which should allow gamers to experience a unique game world.
The main setting is the Dragon Isles, a collection of warm tropical (think Caribbean) islands and provides the main theater for adventure. Here is a brief on the main cast of cultures.
An impressive amount of detail paints the four most common (human) cultures known as the Uropans. These cultures venture to the "Isles" in search of treasure and glory. Each is inspired from historic seafaring European cultures of the 1600-1800s. Just for fun, the Uropan cultures are the Albionic Batavian, Esbanian and Gallic. Which fictional culture is inspired by which actual culture? If you think about it Uropan- European, you might hit a couple-on the nose.
|Curious Creatures of the Dragon Isles
Dragons are the overlords of the Isles, more often than not to each their own island and Dragon Tribe. One of the most interesting aspects of Dragons with this game is their preference for necromancy magic. Not to be excluded are the undead minions commanded by these dragon barons. With an entire tribe under one wing, necromancy at the summons of a thought and a host of undead beneath the other wing, dragons are the setting's most powerful protagonists.
In regards to game mechanics, Pirates and Dragons utilizes the Renaissance System (RS) which is a D100 system. Required are a complete set of standard polyhedral dice, with most game rolls hinging on the use of the D100 (or two D10s) or as some know them better percentage rolls. I would put the RS in the light/medium crunch category and should be easy to master.
For those familiar and as far as I can tell, the core of character creation and some aspects of the system are comparable to Basic Role Playing (BRP). Admittedly, it's been a very long time since I played BRP and I only played it a few times so I'm not going to be comparing the system directly with Pirates and Dragons, but system "wise," the two, as best I recall, seem similar. To make a long story short, if you like BRP you'll likely feel at home with RS. Thankfully, if you have no idea and if you're feeling curious… Or if happen to be afflicted with tight-wad syndrome, you can take a look yourself as The Renaissance System is available as a free download over at Drivethrurpg.com.
In regards to adventurer development or system, one interesting aspect is how Improvement Points (Experience Points) function with the individual aspects of adventurer (character) progression. The game utilizes an ingeniously simple format for adventurer progression, which includes a point buy structure. Adventurer progression is without a level based system and creates a respectable amount of balance between adventurers. Hero are not born, they are developed.
As with any system, player adventurers accumulate Improvement Points and spend these points towards potential advancement. Key is potential advancement, not automatic advancement. Because each category that a player can increase for their adventurer is weighted; the more advanced a character is, concerning skills, magic or characteristics the more likely that attempting to increase these abilities will fail.
For instance to increase skills the player spends an improvement point and takes his chance with dice gawds rolling a D100. If the dice total is above the adventurer's current skill percentage the skill is increased 1D4+1 (%) points. If the dice total is below the current skill percentage, the improvement point has been spent but no increase to the skill is awarded. Another facet of this is that totals above 100 are possible as skill points are automatically increased with rolls at 96 through 100. So player could conceivably increase his adventurer's skill if say it was at 98 with a roll of 97, the only caveat of this being that once skills reach 100 they only increase in 1 point increments. Adventurer progression for other areas of potential advancement is similar with this weighted approach.
(Disclosure: This review is property of Kenzer & Company and republished here with expressed permission.)
I might very well be the only person I know who gets excited about how RPG systems work as well as the ideas and design choices behind them. This might also be why I enjoy writing this column. The rules which make up a system are rarely sexy but often a few well thought and written rules can make something decent into something great. Pirates and Dragons provides a comprehensive system and a healthy dose of rules including maritime situations and well beyond. No RPG can cover every situation but if there was anything absent I missed it.
Conclusion: While I usually spend some amount of space nitpicking something I honestly didn't find much if anything to critique. As far as I'm concerned everything you need to play Pirates and Dragons is adequately covered. Curious Creatures of the Dragon Isles, the games book of beasts and animals would make a nice companion though there is also a decent sized listing of creatures in the main book. Due to the sheer amount of detail while there might have been a section or two I could argue was a bit lite, my tendency was to think that this was more about prioritizing space for what the creators thought were more pertinent.
The organization and layout of this RPG is well put together. The art is respectable as well as consistent. While it spanned a 3 week journey to get through, when I finished I was really impressed. Introducing Pirates & Dragons as an exploratory RPG product or as something new and different to your player group you'd be hard pressed to find something better.
Walk the plank I say...


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2015 Toyota Yaris updated
Adding a dose of visual spark along with a handful of upgrades to its standard and optional equipment lists, the 2015 Toyota Yaris returns in base L, LE and sporty SE trims as well as 3-door and 5-door hatchbacks. Model year changes for Toyota's front-drive subcompact include a recast front fascia highlighted by a bigger, bolder grille treatment and revamped headlamps.
Also: The Class of 2015 -- New Vehicles Ready to Roll
New dash, touchscreen
Inside of its cabin, the Yaris boasts a redesigned dash complemented by additional soft-touch surfaces and revamped trim. All versions feature air conditioning as well as a 6-speaker Entune Audio system with a 6.1-inch touch screen, AM/FM CD player with MP3/WMA playback capability, HD Radio with iTunes Tagging, AUX jack, USB port with iPod connectivity/control, hands-free phone capability, voice recognition, and music streaming via Bluetooth. For the first time, the Yaris also will offer a navigation system as a dealer-installed option.
Also: 10 Coolest Cars Under $18,000
Stiffer structure
Less obvious but no less meaningful, the 2015 Yaris benefits from a reinforced body structure, retuned suspension, quicker-ratio electric power steering and an extra helping of sound deadener which promise to give the car a smoother, quieter and more dynamic character. All versions of the Yaris are fitted with the existing 106-horsepower/1.5-liter VVT-i 4-cylinder engine. While the 4-speed automatic transmission carries over unchanged, the 5-speed manual - standard issue in the 3-door Yaris L and 5-door Yaris SE - has been LE - is now linked to a new hydraulic clutch.
The 2015 Toyota Yaris lineup goes on sale later this month. Base pricing will range from $15,255 for a 3-door L model to $18,165 for a range-topping 5-door Yaris SE with automatic transmission.
More Subcompact Cars...
The 2014 Chevy Spark is the only minicar to earn an IIHS Top Safety Pick rating
The 2015 Fiat 500 Abarth will offer a new 6-speed automatic transmission
The 2014 Ford Fiesta 1.0-liter EcoBoost gets a class-best 45 mpg on the highway
Popular at KBB.com


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UK lawmaker defends making 14 cent expenses claim
LONDON (AP) — A British lawmaker is defending claiming 9 pence ($0.14) on expenses for a short car journey, saying such claims may look "odd" but the mileage adds up.
Conservative lawmaker Rob Wilson said the 322-meter (352-yard) journey in March 2014 was a "constituency engagement." He also made several other small claims for short journeys, including 13 pence for a trip in his car to attend a business meeting.
Wilson told Metro News on Tuesday he was an active lawmaker who often met with local voters. He said many of his trips are fairly short, but add up because he takes a number of them each week.
Beginning the end of July, British lawmakers will get a 10 percent pay increase from 67,060 pounds ($104,271) to 74,000 pounds ($115,000) a year.
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Walkthrough video for the game X-ray Detective! See how to go through this game. An easy way to get help, if you are having trouble in this game. In this video for the game X-ray Detective you can see detailed instructions on how to play the game. Have fun! And watch more of our walkthrough videos when you have problems.
You can also play related games to X-ray Detective games . See listed free game tips bellow.
Become the fastest driver on the track with this exciting formula x speed 3d racing game. choose your sports car and track fi..
Play as ray bibbia, the toughest exorcist in the whole world and free a poor girl from an evil possession. dodge tons of bull..
Mobile and desktop game called x-mas friends is logic but amusing game, where you match up magical elves so they hold each ot..
Dare devil stunt motobikes are back in new version. start your machine and make the best stunts for the public. you have to d..
Put your thumb on the throttle and get ready for a weird race! ride over the sometimes nightmarish circus-themed tracks, lean..
When the bank is robbed, little red car wheely is on the case! figure out what to click on in each level and how to clear a s..
Race in the second part of this game and win all the races. during the race, hit the red cars and avoid the blue cars. contro..
Compete with other rivals in the world championship. to win the money, buy new cars or upgrade existing ones. there is also a..
See all Mario bross games with legendary gaming persons.
All parts of legendary zombie killing game. Buy and upgrade your car or truck and kill them all.
Don't forget Sift heads has more then 10 parts and they are ready to fight all enemies in expensive graphic and story.
Snail Bob is still on the way. His dramatic stories take your heart. Does he come to the End ?
Games which are similar to Angry birds style. Shoot and hit enemies by cannon and save friends.
Tycoon games are one from the best types of online strategic games. Build your own railroad, hotel, resort, nightclub or building.
Great strategic online game from Middleages time. Millions of players around the world. Fight with them and be great king of your land.
You have to build city in game Shadow kings. Your mission is to develop the economy of city. Attention, you will be under attack of enemy units!
Zombie games take place in modern day-styled game worlds. Zombie outbreaks are normally the product of scientific experiments gone wrong.
Cooking games are usually aimed at children, especially girls. These educational games teach girls how to read and follow recipes.
Hotel games are strategic time management games that allow the players to manage their own hotel. Usually the player is in charge of purchasing in-game properties.
Math games are extremely educational puzzle games that teach children how to solve mathematical problems. They are available for children of all ages.
Sniper games are first-person shooter games that rely on a player's reflexes. They can be rather complicated to beat and oftentimes rely on strategic thinking.
Educational games can encompass any number of game categories. They are usually aimed at younger children who are playing games for the first time.
Select vehicle and ride. Famous Uphill rush series presents latest part of fantastic ride.


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Senokozlieva, Maria, Fischer, Oliver, Bente, Gary and Krämer, Nicole (2006) Of frames and cultures - a crosscultural comparison of TV newscasts. Zeitschrift für Medienpsychologie, 18 (4). pp. 160-173.
TV news are essentially cultural phenomena. Previous research suggests that the often-overlooked formal and implicit characteristics of newscasts may be systematically related to culture-specific characteristics. Investigating these characteristics by means of a frame-by-frame content analysis is identified as a particularly promising methodological approach. To examine the relationship between culture and selected formal characteristics of newscasts, we present an explorative study that compares material from the USA, the Arab world, and Germany. Results indicate that there are many significant differences, some of which are in line with expectations derived from cultural specifics. Specifically, we argue that the number of persons presented as well as the context in which they are presented can be interpreted as indicators of Individualism/Collectivism. The conclusions underline the validity of the chosen methodological approach, but also demonstrate the need for more comprehensive and theory-driven category schemes.
|Item Type:
|Cross-cultural comparison; content analysis; news structure; personalisation; political communication
|Organisational behaviour
|Faculty of Organisational Behaviour
|Date Deposited:
|24 Feb 2012 18:05
|Last Modified:
|23 Oct 2015 14:07
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- Advertise your item in both Trade-a-Boat magazine and online
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As american centre consoles continue to grow in popularity, the Sportsman 232 Open refreshed our weary Kevin Smith with its focus and value.+MORE
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|You hear the effect of a Doppler
shift in frequency every time a car goes by. But what happens to produce a sonic
boom when a fast jet goes by? This short exercise below will shed some light on the idea
(yes! Doppler works for light too!).
The animation below shows the sound wavefronts eminating from a moving source. Begin this exercise by slowing down the source, when about mid stream, until it is stationary . (The value next to the slider shows the speed of the source relative to the speed of the waves.)
(Design of exercise: Jon M Pearce; Creation of applet: Wolfgang Christian)


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Contact Us
Our online supporting time from 8:30 a.m to 7:00 p.m EST 6 days a week.We respond to emails 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.If you have any problems, please feel free to contact us. We will provide the best service for you.
Email---One-to-one communication would benefit a quicker answer for emails you sent.You can send an email to [email protected] regarding what you need, which will be replied within 12 hours, 48 hours on weekends.
Factory and Customer Service Department:
Room 515, Fuli Building, Gangbei Road, Baiyun District, Guangzhou, China
You can order online 24 hours a day. Also, it's open to customers all over the world, as long as DHL, EMS, USPS or FedEx can reach you. So wherever you are, you are welcomed to shop here at any time.


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I've already featured Lauren Conrad as one of my style icons, and with her own fashion line and style book, I think we can say the girl does know her stuff. I came across a snippet of an interview she recently did with Redbook magazine and she had what I thought was really great advice when it comes to shopping! It's advice that I think could help with the whole "shopping your own closet" idea, but if shopping in a store/online, it will help ensure you make wise decisions when it comes to your purchases.
When it comes to shopping her advice is to pull out your 10 favourite pieces or most worn pieces and lay them out. This will help you "figure out what you gravitate toward, what makes you feel good". Two perks of this: that you have a clear view of what you actually wear, and what you WILL actually wear; also that with these pieces in mind, you can build a wardrobe around them which will keep them in rotation! She also mentions the usefulness of this practice when thinking about accessories - you won't be as likely to buy things on a whim and realize that it doesn't go with anything you wear!
To try out this advice I decided to scour my closet for my favourite/most-worn pieces. In order to get a well rounded and most accurate view, I made sure to include work attire as well. These are the pieces I came up with:
Will it help? Time will tell. What do you think of this advice? Do you have any tricks or tips yourself to make sure you get the most bang for your buck?
Fashion / Entertainment / Food / Social Media /Life / All Things Worth Obsessing Over
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Shopping Advice via Lauren Conrad
Labels: advice, celebrity, clothes, fashion, Lauren Conrad, shopping, style, style icon
2 comments:
That's a great idea, I can definitely envision several of my 'TOP 10' pieces.ReplyDelete
PS - I just realized this was you, and not some other Sam that I didn't 'know' (from a past life of Jacob and Santa Fe ;)! Good to 'see' you! LOL (and I know you've been commenting for a long time, I just didn't know it was YOU).
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£76.00 £127.00
The Brushed Zigzag Scarf is made in Scotland using traditional techniques, then, washed in local spring water and brushed to create a wonderful cosy finish.
Wearing this Brushed Scarf is like being wrapped in the softest cloud of fleecy lambswool.
Enjoy it out on a cold winters day.
Available in Oatmeal, Corona & Military
Knitted in Scotland from 100% lambswool
200 x 21cm
Style 11


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Separate names with a comma.
Welcome to the CNC Maker Zone Forum. We are a community for both the CNC Professional and Novice. Why wait another moment? Register today, and get started! Best of all, it's FREE!!!
Discussion in 'WoodWorking Tools' started by cncguy, Dec 20, 2015.
What table saw do you like? In the market for a saw under 1200.00 any thoughts.
I really like this one- http://www.grizzly.com/products/10-Hybrid-Table-Saw-with-Riving-Knife-Polar-Bear-Series/G0715P great bang for the buck!


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Women who have breast implants are 40 per cent more likely to die from breast cancer than others who develop the disease, a new study suggests.
Researchers said that the disease was likely to diagnosed later - when it is less likely to be treatable - because the devices can obscure signs of tumours which should be detected during mammograms.
The research by Canadian researchers, published on the British Medical Journal's website, examined five studies into cancer patients who had undergone breast augmentation.
It found that women with cosmetic implants had a 38 per cent higher risk of dying from breast cancer than other women with the same disease.
The researchers at Quebec University examined a further 12 studies, which concluded that women who had undergone breast enlargements had 26 per cent increased risk of being first diagnosed with the disease at a later stage.
Previous studies have found that silicone and saline breast implants can create shadows on mammograms, which obscure large amounts of breast tissue, meaning that changes which could indicate cancer can go undetected.
Other research has found that common complications - such as hardened scar tissue, which occurs for one in five patients after breast augmentation - can also reduce the accuracy of screening.
Julia Frater, Cancer Research UK's senior cancer information nurse, said: "This research suggests that breast implants may make cancer harder to detect, leading to later diagnosis. But it needs confirming in larger studies.
"Any woman who notices changes in the look or feel of her breasts should visit the GP for a check-up."
The research authors said that their findings should be treated with "caution" because some of the studies they examined did not adjust for other potential factors which might have increased the risk of disease in certain groups.
They called for further investigations into the long-term health effects of breast implants.
"This systematic review suggests that women with cosmetic breast implants have later stage tumours at diagnosis of breast cancer," wrote the authors, from the faculty of medicine at Quebec University.
"In our second meta-analysis, the results show a higher risk of breast cancer specific mortality among women with breast cancer who have implants compared with women with breast cancer without implants.
"Nevertheless, the overall estimate should still be interpreted with caution because this meta-analysis included a relatively small number of studies."
Thousands of British women who had PIP breast implants manufactured in France had them removed and replaced last year after a scandal which began with the 2010 death from cancer of a French woman who received such devices.
British investigations concluded that the PIP implants did not increase the risk of cancer but were more likely to rupture than other implants.


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A view from above. Piloted and directed by Chase Heavener who has over 10 years of RC/ Drone flying experience, this reel was shot on locations all over the world including, Scotland, Hawaii, The Isle Of Man, and Florida. The video shared and spread throughout the far reaches of the internet and was dubbed "Chill Wave Drone Vacation" by The Verge.
Chase Heavener


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Things to do: Delray's annual 'Turkey Trot' 5k to benefit Thanksgiving food drive
DELRAY BEACH — The 30th annual Delray Beach Turkey Trot race to benefit a local food drive is planned for Saturday, Nov. 19.
The race begins and ends at oceanfront Anchor Park in southern Delray Beach. All proceeds from the Turkey Trot, which drew nearly 800 participants last year, go toward the Keith Straghn Feed the Hungry Thanksgiving Drive.
The food drive was started three decades ago by Straghn, a Delray Beach man who delivered turkey dinners to homeless and needy families in Delray's Pompey Park for years. The Thanksgiving drive has since grown to feed families in neighboring Boynton Beach and Boca Raton, as well as Delray Beach.
Medals will be awarded to the first, second and third place winners in the different age divisions of the 5K race. The top overall male and female runners will also be awarded.
The race begins at 7:30 a.m., but registration begins at Anchor Park at 6 a.m.
To avoid long registration lines on race day, participants can pick up information packets at the Delray Beach Community Center, at 50 NW 1st Ave., on Nov. 15-18 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. To register online, visit www.SplitSecondTiming.com.
The race is also seeking volunteers and vendors. For more information, contact the project coordinator, Danielle Beardsley, at (561) 243-7277 or email@example.com.


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The weekend rolls around and you're stuck with the big question: what am I going to do this weekend? Or maybe it's a weeknight and you don't have to work or study. What do you do with your free time? For many, the answer is "watch a movie." But with so many movies to watch, which do you pick? You've seen all the new releases at the local Redbox, and you don't want watch something you already have. You want a new experience.
When it comes to this situation, sometimes you have to scour your local video store (yes, they still have brick & mortar rental shops), check out Best Buy or Target, or see what Netflix has. But before heading out and making your final decision on what to watch, you need to ask yourself: horror or comedy? newer or classic? action or romance? Check out my list below of some great movies in various genres that you (probably) haven't seen.. but should. Ready? Go!
In-home date night? Here's one selection you can go with. 2009's 500 Days of Summer launched stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception) and Zooey Deschanel (TV's New Girl) to stardom, and it's no question why: this film is quirky, smart, and best of all, fun. Despite a jumping narrative structure, it's easy for viewers to follow along with the story of a man who falls in love with a woman. But, as the beginning of the movie states, this isn't a love story.
When it comes to pseudo-horror, there are so many options out there that it becomes impossible to pick one. An adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis's book, American Psycho stars Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman, a New York banking exec who hides his psychopathic alter-ego from all his friends and co-workers while spiraling into disturbingly sadistic fantasies. Besides being a horror movie, American Psycho is filled with dark and somewhat uproarious humor. You'll be both cringing and laughing while watching this one.
This is easily one of Stanley Kubrick's most notable films, but I have to believe that many in the younger crowd haven't even heard of it. Dr. Strangelove stars Peter Sellers (who plays 3 different roles in this movie) in a film based on this premise: what would happen if the U.S. accidentally got itself into a nuclear war? Originally conceived as a tense war thriller, Kubrick realized after writing the script that many of the scenes he wrote were quite funny, and he ultimately rewrote it as such. Another movie filled with dark humor, but this one is a true classic and a must-see for any film fan. Or really, just anybody.
This animated flick gives Up a run for its money as the best animated movie of 2009. But while you have likely seen Up, there's a chance you never got around to watching Fantastic Mr. Fox. Fantastic Mr. Fox is an animated movie done the old-fashioned way: stop-motion photography. The movie, based on a classic Roald Dahl children's book, follows Mr. Fox, a creature who can't seem to tame his old farm-raiding ways, which gets him into trouble throughout the movie. Fantastic Mr. Fox stars a superb cast of voice actors, including George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray and Owen Wilson. Fantastic Mr. Fox is quite possibly the most charming movie of the last 3 years.
You just don't get a theater experience like this much anymore, and unless you caught Grindhouse in its brief theater stint in 2007, you may never have the chance to experience it again. But that doesn't mean you can't mimic the experience at home. Grindhouse is the 2007 B-movie double feature horrorfest from renowned filmmakers Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino. Rodriguez's half, Planet Terror, is about a group of survivors who must stop infected zombie-like creatures after an experimental bio-weapon is released; Death Proof, Tarantino's half, is about a stuntman who stalks two different sets of women at two different times (Tarantino's usual multiple storylines) while using his "death proof" stunt car to execute his plans. This back-to-back shlockfest is pure horror fun, and Grindhouse makes for a great movie night double feature.
For those of you who don't mind movies made about depressingly true stories, this one's for you. And if you want to see or have seen director Steve McQueen's Shame, then I must recommend this one as well. McQueen teams up with Michael Fassbender to tell the story of Bobby Sands, the man who led the 1981 prison hunger strike in Northern Ireland during British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's rule. Hunger is real, it's affecting, and ultimately, it's an all-around great movie that really makes you consider the world.
When it comes to Tarantino, so many people are drawn to either his first two films, Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, or his more recent work, the Kill Bills and Inglourious Basterds. Oft-forgotten is his middle work, Jackie Brown, as many consider it to be lesser than Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction or his newer, more action-driven work, but it's hard to see why exactly. Jackie Brown has the feel of Pulp Fiction but moves along in a more straightforward story arc, and it works to great lengths if you give it the chance. Here's the setup: there are six different people hot on the trail of a half-million dollars in cash. But, who's playing who? It's an excellent story of crime and deceit, and it's all neatly wrapped up in a Tarantino-esque bow.
My girlfriend will hate me for putting this one on the list, but what does she know, right? Well, quite a bit, to be fair, but she's wrong about this one. Kick-Ass is likely the most underrated movie of 2010, a film about a teenage comic-book fan who decides to become a superhero, despite having no discernable superpowers or strengths of any kind. After a viral video makes Kick-Ass (Aaron Johnson) a household name, he is joined by Hit Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) and Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage), a super duo better than Batman & Robin, in fighting crime. Kick-Ass has loads of funny moments, lots of action, and even some heartfelt dramatic sequences (ruined, of course, by Hit Girl's hilarious sailor mouth). It's a superhero spoof movie that outdoes its genre, one that is too good to pass up when you've got a chance to see it. Maybe now my girlfriend will watch it with me.
The movie that essentially started the now-hot film career of actress Natalie Portman, who stars, at age 12, alongside renowned French actor Jean Reno and 2011 Academy Award nominee Gary Oldman. Mathilda (Portman) seeks the help of professional assassin Léon (Reno) (Portman) to avenge the deaths of her family members after her parents and brother are killed by a two-faced cop (Oldman). Léon is the story of a professional killer who takes in a young girl and, while teaching her how to seek revenge for the family she has lost, learns anew how to live, feel, and love. It is one action-drama movie that you must see, and by that, I mean see it now.
I'll preface my opinion with this: I don't like vampire movies. Horror itself can be hard for me to get into. Yet, I loved Let Me In, which is both a vampire horror flick. A bullied young boy (Kodi Smit-McPhee) befriends a young female vampire (Chloë Grace Moretz) who moves in next door and lives in secrecy with her "guardian." The story is simple, but it works so well and goes down so easily. The 2010 remake of a highly successful Swedish film, Let Me In is a story of revenge and, ultimately, love that is so deep and inspiring that you can't help but get involved in it.
Midnight in Paris is writer/director Woody Allen's highest grossing movie ever, but at $56 million, that means you likely didn't see this 2011 romantic comedy. An engaged couple, played by Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams, travels to Paris with family and must confront the illusion (or is it?) that a life different from their own is better. Gil Pender (Wilson) is a Hollywood writer-turned-novelist who believes he should have lived in the 1920s, and in Paris at midnight, he gets his chance, meeting a multitude of famous Parisians that will have you marveling and trying to figure out which ones you know. Midnight in Paris is an excellent film and is perfect for date night, but even if you're alone or just with family and friends, check out Woody Allen's latest and see just how magical it is. There's a reason that this is one of my favorite films of 2011.
Alfred Hitchcock is a well-known name in film., but have you ever seen one of his movies? Maybe you saw Psycho once and are in the mood to check out more Hitchcock fare, or maybe you've never seen a Hitchcock and want to know what it's all about. Or perhaps you just want to see a good classic film. Either way, North by Northwest is for you. A New York ad exec (Cary Grant) gets caught in a mistaken-identity situation, and is chased across the country by government agents and foreign spies. The crop dusting scene is iconic, but North by Northwest is great in so many other ways that it warrants a view or two when you've got the chance.
Director Martin Scorsese struck it big this year as Hugo nabbed 11 Oscar nominations, and while many know him for GoodFellas or Raging Bull, I think Taxi Driver is one film of his that you really must see. Taxi Driver revolves around Travis (Robert De Niro), a mentally unstable Vietnam veteran who takes up work as a part-time taxi driver in a city of sleaze and decadence (yeah, I'm talking about you, NYC). Travis begins to feel the need to lash out as he becomes more and more disturbed by the decaying world around him. This is Scorsese at his best, and when he teams up with Robert De Niro, you can never go wrong.
Of course, there are many other great movies besides these that you could pick. Want sci-fi? Check out Blade Runner or Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Other great comedies? Try O Brother Where Art Thou? or Dogma. A good shoot-em-up with some dark humor? Go for In Bruges. Or you could go for a war film like The Thin Red Line, or a mystery-thriller such as Zodiac.
But no matter what you do, be sure to expand your horizons a bit. Step outside of your typical comfort zone. See something you might not have normally watched. After all, there is a reason that this is a list is of the best movies you haven't seen.
Got some other suggestions? Let us know in the comments section about some movies that you love but that people have maybe never seen!