Suggestion by D Howe = Read the assignments, expressly those compenents based on the weekly objectives. Take notes while reading, specifically about those sections related to the readings, use WritePoint before submitting papers.  Use primary research when tackling citations, sources with secondary research for background.  No .com citations.

Writing Expectations:

Companies are not “they” use “it”  ….Internet is always capitalized,  Don’t use contractions 2 spaces after periods times new roman 12 pt for this class.

Use posted except for running head and abstract.

Presentations – off topic “B” for Black or “W” for white

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance of Power in U.S. Government

Kelly Hewitt

University of Phoenix

 

 

Balance of Power in U.S. Government

 

Authors of the United States Constitution addressed perceived tyrannical rule of those living in the American colonies suffered under British rule.  Outlined in the first three articles of the U.S. Constitution we find a framework that attempts to balance power among three separate branches of government.  The three branches manage different and vital roles in the operation of a central government; none functions properly without the complicity of other two. 

Article I of the U.S. Constitution mandated a Senate and House of Representatives to represent the people of the United States.  As expressed in the formal document of the United States Senate, “Article.I. Section.1. All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives“(The United States Constitution, 2006).  This two-part, or bicameral body is made up of citizen elected representatives that serve at the pleasure of the citizenry establishing requirements of pay, service period and powers they exercise.  Specific responsibilities of the Congress are to introduce bills for adoption to the President of the United States, if the President neither opposes nor agrees to the bill it will become a law after ten days. The United States Constitution, Article 1 grants the Congress to establish armies, navies, courts, regulate commerce between states, declare war, and raise money for the central government.  Article 1 also restricts the Congress from making money, they may not exercise preferential treatment of one state versus another, and they may not create titles of nobility, or royalty.  Congress mandate is to be representative body of the citizens of the U.S. to their government.

 

Article II of the U.S. Constitution established an Executive for the government, or President.  An electoral college appoints the President.  The Electoral College is a delegation of voters, the number determined by the number of Senators and Representatives of each state.  The sum of the votes cast by the Electoral College from all states combined determines who will be President.  The President is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, establishes treaties with other nations, and picks judges that will serve in federal courts.  The Congress must ratify Judges.  The Presidents obligation to the citizens of the U.S. is to insure the laws of the U.S. are carried out.

Article III of the U.S. Constitution established a Judiciary.  The Judiciary includes a Supreme Court with jurisdiction as outlined by the Supreme Court’s website (A Brief overview, 2010)  “According to the Constitution (Art. III, §2):  The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority;-to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls;-to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction;-to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party;-to Controversies between two or more States;—between a State and Citizens of another State;-between Citizens of different States;—between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.”  These restrictions allow the Judiciary to determine the lawfulness of acts of the other two branches of government, and disqualify laws that are contrary to previous laws or the Constitution itself.

The authors of the U.S. Constitution recognized the realities of failed and tyrannical governments, through the evolution of thought inspired by several writings, including the Federalist Papers #10 authored by James Madison, and #21 authored by Alexander Hamilton.  Both writings express the impractical nature of a purely federal system and in the inequality that it creates among the citizenry and the government.  This philosophy evolved into the concept of Separation of Powers  “The three branches of the U.S. government are carefully balanced against each other to ensure that no branch monopolizes the reins of power. The individuals in each branch can only exercise power in cooperation with the other branches” (USA.gov, 2010).

A branch of government may gain lead position over other branches by discontinuing a collaborative role with the others, in good or bad faith.  The U.S. Congress discontinued war time funding the military during the Viet Nam conflict. The result removed the President’s intended execution of a war strategy that was no longer popular with Congress or the American People leading to a withdrawal of U.S. forces troops from Viet Nam.  In another example the Supreme Court ruled an anti-abortion law the Congress passed was not legal, and conflicted with the U.S. Constitution.  Justice Blackmon’s opinion from the court as recounted at tourolaw.edu “[The Constitution] is made for people of fundamentally differing views and the accident of our finding certain opinions natural and familiar or novel and even shocking ought not to conclude our judgment upon the question whether statutes embodying them conflict with the Constitution of the United States.”  These expressions outline that the balance of power is to structure the powers by each branch by delegating the final say in any decision to another branch.

Political parties that were recognized in 1776 included the Federalist Party created by Alexander Hamilton and the Democratic-Republican Party created by Jefferson and Madison.   Federalists were founded on ideals of fiscally sound government policies and a strong central government (brittanica.com, 2010).  Democratic-Republicans “…believed that a powerful central government posed a threat to individual liberties.  They viewed the United States more as a confederation of sovereign entities woven together by a common interest.”  The evolution over time has produced separate, but closely related parties, the most popular being the Democratic and the other Republican.  The Democratic platform is that a strong central government is necessary to render services to the American people, while the Republican party suggests they are a party that seeks to reduce the overall size of government and recognize the sovereign rights of the states before the central entity.  The reality shared by many political analysts is that Democratic and Republican parties both seek to enlarge government and expand the power of elected officials rather than represent states rights.  The Separation of Powers keeps this power-creep in check.

With this review of the U.S. Constitution and the Federalist Papers, it is clear that the U.S. has a system of government today that far exceeds the personal representation of citizenry than any other in place in the world since adoption and continues through today.  The emphasis on separation of powers and balancing the individual need to the need of the common good is still very much alive.  There is no better form of personal representation and liberty than the one provided for by the authors of the U.S. constitution.

 

References

 

A Brief overview of supreme court. (2010, June 1). Retrieved (2010, May 27), from http://www.supremecourt.gov/about/briefoverview.aspx

 

Democratic-republican party. (2010). Retrieved (2010, May 27), from http://law.jrank.org/pages/6058/Democratic-Republican-Party.html

 

Federalist party. (2010). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved (2010, May 27), from Encyclopædia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/203519/Federalist-Party

 

Outline of U.S. legal system. (2010, May 18). Retrieved (2010, May 27), from http://www.america.gov/publications/books/outline-of-u.s.-legal-system/

 

Roe v. wade. (2010). Retrieved (2010, May 27), from http://www.tourolaw.edu/patch/roe/

 

The United States Constitution. (2006). House document. Retrieved (2010, May 27), from http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_documents&docid=f:sd17.pdf

Influences on the Constitution Table
Documents	Summarize what this is…	Why Notable
Magna Carta	Document issuing English liberties by King John, 1215	It indicates that no one is beyond the reach of law
Mayflower Compact	Document of agreement of settlers at New Plymouth, 1620	It meted fair and equal treatment for the common good of the settlement
Articles of Confederation	Document forming confederation of the American colonies, 1777	First constitution of the United States, each state retained power rather than strong central government
Northwest Ordinance	Document establishing government for the Northwest Territories, 1787	Outlined admission of new colonies guaranteed equality with existing colonies
Declaration of Independence	Document of the 2nd Continental Congress establishing Sovereignty from Britain, 1776	Incited the with withdrawal of the Colonies from British Rule
Philosophers	Summarize who this person is and why he is notable.	What philosophies influenced him?
Thomas Hobbes	English Philosopher, Humans were selfish and are self-fulfilling & hard working	Oxford, believed in Absolute Rule and Monarchy resulting from a ‘social contract ‘surrenders freedom for security
John Locke	English Philosopher, argued the case for inalienable rights for life liberty and property	Hobbes influenced him with the ‘social contract’ notion
Selected Signers
Benjamin Franklin	Commissioner of US to France, Wanted a nation formulated around a strong federal government, and signor of the Constitution
Alexander Hamilton	Writer of many Federalist Papers suggesting insurrection, aid to General Washington, and signor of the Constitution
John Langdon	Wealthy United States Senator from New Hampshire, and signor of the Constitution
Rufus King	Wealthy, Mass. delegate to Congress, and signor of the Constitution
Roger Sherman	On the committee that drafted that DoI, as well as a a Rep and Senator, only one to have igned Continental Assoc. Declaration of Ind. And Articles of Conf. and signor of the Constitution
William Livingston	1st governor of New Jersey, delegate to the Constitutional Convention and signor of the Constitution
David Brearley	Delegate to the Constitutional Convention and signor of the Constitution, established electoral college in his writing and signor of the Constitution
Thomas Mifflin	Continental Congressman from PA,  and a Major Gen. in the Revolutionary War and signor of the Constitution
Robert Morris	American Merchant, financial backbone of the revolution and signor of the Constitution
George Clymer	Advised complete independence from Britain, and signor of the Constitution
Hugh Williamson	Nationalist frontiersman, and signor of the Constitution
Charles Pinckney	Governor of SC, Senator and Representative, and signor of the Constitution
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney	SC native, Federalist, Brigadier General, and signor of the Constitution
John Rutledge	1st Governor of SC, Signed Declaration of Ind, served on Supreme Court, and signor of the Constitution
James Wilson	One of six original Justices of the Supreme Court, and signor of the Constitution
John Dickinson	Wealthy, congressman from PA and DE, delegate to the Constitutional Convention, and signor of the Constitution
Gouverneur Morris	New Yorker,  represented PA in the Constitutional Convention, wrote the preamble “We the people…:” , and signor of the Constitution

Grim is the Reaper,  A Play

Written By: Kelly Hewitt, J Barlow, Courtney Read, Debbie Orr and Keith Garcia

Characters

           Andrea Barlow             The patient and Wife to James

           Sandy Keegan PhD           The Therapist

           Grim Reaper                As Himself

           Ray Foretold               Grim Reaper’s Boss 

           Jimmy Young                The young Boy

           Dr. James Barlow III     Husband to Andrea

 

Scene 1

     It was May 13, 2009 a Friday afternoon, in the posh Seattle therapist office of 55-year old Sandy Keegan. Sandy is quietly listening to her 26-year-old highbrow client Andrea Barlow, wife of the millionaire and 51-year-old Dr. James Barlow III.

 

 

PATIENT: [is conversing with Sandy, she is wearing designer jeans, a wrinkled silk blouse, hair is a mess, and she looks frazzled, occasional sniffles and crying]. I can’t seem to make a difference to anyone, Jim is always busy working, when I get home late from the gym or the club I have to take care of the those pesky step-kids. The nanny leaves at seven on weekdays and there is never enough time for me, sometimes I have to clean up after the maid leaves! If I could spend just one week doing something without being interrupted by all of these domestic problems, things would be fine, I wanted to go to Cannes but couldn’t because of his mother’s funeral. I cannot help it if I am 26 and he is 51, I am still young and active, I cannot waste my time doing this! I just cannot do it anymore! [Crying] It has been four days since he took me out, why doesn’t he care about me? I should just go on the road with Slash, he is my new boyfriend, if I did that, I might be able to see Paris in the spring and life would be different, and perfect! [pause, outburst of crying] oh, why, why, why?

 

                                  

THERAPIST: [is wearing a conservative suit with glasses and writes on a notepad from time to time.] I am sorry to see you are hurting, tell me something you would do if you had a week to yourself.

                                  

                                    

PATIENT: Well I haven’t really thought about it, I guess I would go to Paris with Slash.

 

 

 

                                    

THERPAIST: [Accusingly] A whole week and you would spend it with your boyfriend? That would help you feel better about the situation.

                                  

                                  

PATIENT Well, yeah, or maybe no…I don’t know at least Slash makes me feel alive, and he loves to party.

                                  

                                  

THERPAIST: Have you talked with Jim about what your needs are?

 

PATIENT I never get a chance to talk with him during the week, he is always gone!

 

                                  

THERAPIST:[Looking uncomfortable to push further] Any chance to talk with him on weekends? 

 

                                   ANDREA

PATIENT Last Friday for example, or I guess it was early Saturday afternoon [sniffle] I got home from clubbing with the girls like we do every Friday, Jim left, taking the kids out sailing in the sound, leaving a note said, “Sorry, we missed you, be home Sunday night.”  The nerve of him leaving me home alone to tend to my hangover, he is such a jerk!

 

                                   SANDY

THERAPIST: So did you have plans to go with Jim and the children earlier on Saturday and then unable to go with them?

 

                                   ANDREA

PATIENT [incensed]  Oh, no you don’t, do not take his side again, I have told you how mad that makes me!  I pay you good money to help me with my problems not his! [looking at watch]  now I need to leave for my massage or else I’ll be late, please have your secretary call me a cab,  and have her call an schedule another appointment with my assistant next week. [Andrea gathers her purse and walks into the background]

 

                                   SANDY

THERAPIST:[Sullenly picks up phone] Please cancel my appointments for the remainder of the day, I am feeling ill.  [Puts down the notepad looking melancholy]

 

 

 

 

Scene 2.

On a ledge 5 stories up from the street outside Sandy’s office window, Sandy is getting ready to end her life, by jumping to her death.

 

THERPAIST: Goodbye Andrea Barlow, goodbye husband I never had, goodbye everyone. [jumps]

 

Scene 3.

On the busy New York street, crowds have stopped to look.

                                  

                                    

GRIM: [Leaning over Sandy’s body, speaks in a somewhat scripted manner, he is wearing black]  Hello, Sandy do not be alarmed by my appearance, I’m the Grim Reaper, many also know me as the Angel of Death. Your body is dead but your soul is very much alive.  My role is to escort you to the next world.  [with a smile]  Are you carrying any weapons or sharp objects that I should be aware of?

 

THERPAIST:[Lying down confused and tired] Very funny, no let’s get going I’m finished with this place. [sits up slowly and brushes herself off, then freezes motionless as if time has stopped]

                                  

                                  

GRIMS BOSS: [to the point] Enough with the gags Grim, this one needs to go back, it is not her time yet, you should have been able to spot that. Send her back.

 

                                    

GRIM:[somewhat mumbling, as if unsure] No, I think she is dead boss. I think you might be wrong on this one.

 

                                  

GRIMS BOSS [frustrated]  Grim, normally I am patient specter, but I am at my wits end with you.  You’ve been applying for the Santa Claus job for the last 1200 years; every time you apply someone from HR calls me to ask if you are a good candidate.  I have to say no!  Do you know how tired I am of saying no?

 

                                  

GRIM: [frustrated] You promised me when I came to THE GRIM GROUP that I would get promoted quickly, yet I am still working nights and weekends, that is ghoulishly unfair!

 

                                  

GRIMS BOSS: [in an understanding fatherly voice]  Grim, you are a great guy and all, but you just aren’t developing fast enough, remember in 1987 when you took a busload of school kids to hell when you should have taken that bachelor party bus with all the strippers? The big guy, doesn’t take stuff like that lightly and he doesn’t forget! You do this job and maybe I won’t say no next time HR calls.

 

                                    

GRIM: [sighs] Whatever!

 

                                  

THERAPIST: [now reanimated, shakes her head] I am ready to leave when you are.

 

                                  

GRIM: Dreadfully sorry, there has been a misunderstanding, you have to go back, it’s my bad really, you have more work to do here, I thought you were done but I am told you are not.  Just lie back down and close your eyes.

 

                                  

THERAPIST: [mad, stands up] I don’t think so; I am ready to go, just point me in the right direction.

 

                                  

GRIM:[nervously] This isn’t optional, you are dead and you shouldn’t be, you have to go back or I get in trouble, again.

 

                                  

THERAPIST: [getting heated] Listen here, I finished my life my way, if you did what I did in life all day long you would have checked out early too. People always saying it is someone else, well, trust me, it never is. This perfect little millionaire in my office was the final straw, no sir, I am finished.

 

 

GRIM: [pleading] I hate to beg but if you don’t go back I’ll be doing this Grim job forever. So, please just lie down.

 

                                  

THERAPIST: [compassionately] Well I expected a lot of things when I died, but none of them like this. If you don’t do this job what job would you do?

 

                                  

GRIM:[smiling and looking upward] Santa Claus.

 

                                  

THERAPIST: [frustrated] Santa Claus, you have got to be kidding me?  Talking about a thankless job, spoiled kids begging for more presents year after year when people are starving, then complaining about what they get. I see those kids in my office every week. You WANT that job, why?

 

GRIM: [looking at Sandy] It’s been a dream of mine for a long time, I love kids and making people happy.  Now I just scare people, especially kids and I hate that.

    

THERAPIST [interested] Scare kids, who can even see you?

 

                                  

GRIM: [turning his gaze to boy on the street] Watch over there.  [Grim’s eyes start to glow red, and he points to a little boy on the street corner]

 

                                  

Boy: [a 9 year old boy with red hair jeans and a t-shirt shrieks]  Mom look at that, it’s a horrible ghost, right by that dead lady in the street!

 

                                  

GRIM: [turning back to Sandy] See what I mean?

 

 

THERAPIST: I do, but you do look pretty, creepy. I guess someone has to do your job, right?

 

                                  

GRIM:[sighs] Well, they have been saying I could advance to THE SANTA CLAUS GROUP a long time ago but I make so many mistakes I have been stuck here forever. Nobody deserves this, the work is dreadful, the hours are long, and I go to hell and back almost every day. [smiling] If you could do this for me, I would make it worth your while on Christmas.

 

                                  

THERAPIST [smiling] I am a sucker for a hard case like yours Grim.  Okay, I’ll go back on one condition.

 

                                  

GRIM: [smiling] Name your price.

 

 

THERAPIST [starting to lay back down] Send me a good husband.

 

                                  

GRIM:[deviously smiling] Now, that I can help you with.

 

Scene 4.

Outside of Sandy Keegan’s office on the busy New York street, Andrea Barlow is waiting at a coffee stand for her husband.

                                  

                                  

HUSBAND: [James Barlow III dressed in a three-piece suit is walking smiling toward his wife at a coffee stand and noticing Sandy Keegan in the street rushes out to where she is lying]  Stand back everyone, I’m a doctor.

 

THERAPIST [opening her eyes and smiling] Well, hello there.

                                  

HUSBAND [smiling at Sandy] Well, hello there, don’t worry ma’am, everything will be just fine. [he touches Sandy’s beautiful face and realizes that she is uninjured, and strikingly beautiful]

 

                                  

PATIENT:[incensed that her husband abandoned her on the sidewalk rushes into the street]  James, we have an appointment, she is somebody else’s problem. [a speeding taxi races passed a bus, the driver not paying attention hits Andrea and kills her instantly.]

 

GRIMS BOSS: [Shaking his head] Alright Grim, I’ll put in a good word for you to HR.

                                  

GRIM:[leaning over Andrea’s body]  Hello, Andrea do not be alarmed by my appearance, I’m the Grim Reaper, many also know me as the Angel of Death. Your body is dead but your soul is very much alive. My role is to escort you to the next world.[with a smile] Are you carrying any weapons or sharp objects that I should be aware of? [Then the acting portion of this scene is the person playing the grim slowly fades their voice and as he finishes the word] “Death”

 

Ray, Grim’s boss immediately begins his final dialogue.

 

GRIMS BOSS:[Shaking his head] Good work Santa Clause…

Cravings Buffet at the Mirage

3400 Las Vegas Blvd S, Mirage Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV 89109

Cuisine:                       

Food Quality:                

Food Selection:

Service:                       

Ambiance:                    

Cleanliness:                 

Location:                      

Price:               

Hours:             

Notes:             

Introduction – Grab Attention, thesis at end, includes intro to topic

Body-

1. Info supporting topic: Supporting info

2. Info supporting topic: Research details

3. Info supporting tropic Explanations and illustrations

Conclusion-  restate thesis

The Patriot

Kelly Hewitt

English 340, University of Phoenix

May 6, 2010

“North Korea lends no credibility to the Axis of Evil remark …”  George said in slightly French accented English, his volume increasing as did his accent; now he was wagging his finger across the table at a dour Brock Lesnar.  Brock Lesnar looked down at his tuna salad, now at room temperature; as a Manager at Kleinfeld Engineering he sure seemed to put up with a lot of trash talk from the foreigners assigned to his team.

“The U.S. involvement in those places is a point of national interest–” Brock began but was quickly cutoff by George.

“Oil and power!”  George sneered.  Those at nearby tables at the Los Alamos cafeteria had stopped their lunchtime banter and were looking intently toward George.  “Those countries have the right to develop their economies, and provide for defense just as America does!”  Flecks of spittle flew across the table landing on Brock’s face.

This was going nowhere and Brock knew it.  Minotauro Noguera, the Executive VP of Tactical Propulsion Systems and Brock’s boss, had hired George St. Pierre, a French citizen and a prodigy from MIT, two years ago.  George at 25 years old was being groomed for the top job in R&D at Kleinfeld; clearly, Minotauro had a personal interest in this belligerent Frenchman, but what?  What Brock did not know was how a foreigner like George could get a Secret Level 2 clearance to work on the Nexis missile project?  Well since Brock was the Nexis project manager he had to calm things down… .“Listen George, I think we are going to have to agree to disagree.  Let’s leave the policy decisions to the elected officials and we’ll continue to make gadgets, is that fair?”  Brock was hoping that George would realize his demeanor was out of bounds for a junior scientist addressing a superior and fold his tail between his legs.

“For once you are right; on this we disagree.  Someday soon the U.S. will pay for the wrongs it has committed to North Korea and everyone else,” he said in little more than a whisper.  George’s curly dark hair was just long enough to hang over the top of his spectacles.  With the dark beard, he had recently started growing and swarthy skin he could almost pass for a Middle Easterner rather than a Parisian.  George gathered his coffee mug and clipboard, leaving the remains of his uneaten soup on the table and walked quickly toward the exit.

Brock needed to talk to Minotauro about this, or maybe even Los Alamos security; had this been a threat of some kind?  He looked around and realized no one else had heard the last remark, which made it hearsay …the U.S. must pay for the wrongs it has committed… he collected the uneaten remains of lunch and deposited in the trash receptacle near the door.

Upon leaving the cafeteria, Brock left the building through the side door and went to the executive office building a ten-minute stroll past green gardens and flowerbeds to the other side of the Los Alamos campus.  He finally arrived at Minotauro’s office on the fourth floor.  Brock stopped at Minotauro’s administrative assistant’s desk who smiled politely and motioned him directly into Minotauro’s office.

Brock knew he was intruding but felt the conditions warranted it.  The office was large with a mahogany desk and a computer screen, which Minotauro seemed to be reading intently.  Brock noticed that Minotauro was consciously avoiding eye contact with him.  “Sorry Minotauro, something just happened; do you have a minute to talk about George St. Pierre?”

“Of course, I know of what you are speaking of and we do need to discuss it.”  Minotauro had been born in Sao Paulo, Brazil; his father was a politician and sent him to school at Northwestern University in the States where he achieved a PhD in aeronautical engineering.  Once a laboratory scientist he was now an administrator.  An Executive Vice President at Kleinfeld, his responsibilities included hiring the right technical talent for the six or so propulsion projects under his purview.

“I was just eating lunch in the cafeteria with George St. Pierre, and—“Brock was cut off again!  “Well, before you get too detailed, I want to let you know I am we need to have Uriah from HR join us for the discussion, he will be here shortly.”  Minotauro turned away from Brock toward the glass wall that looked south to a neighboring building; he leaned back and folded his hands behind his head.  “Brock, just so you know Uriah received this call from George, not me, Uriah called me just before you came by and explained he can’t work with you anymore, he thinks your ideologies are getting in the way of properly managing the Nexis project staff.”  Minotauro paused for a moment, and turned around, his pockmarked face was completely devoid of emotion, and he was letting the statement sink in and wanted to see if Brock’s face would give away some secret.  At that moment, Uriah Faber head of Kleinfeld HR at Los Alamos entered the office and sat in a chair next to Brock.  “Perhaps you can imagine how concerned I am about such a statement, it sounds like the two of you have been butting heads since you started working together?”

“Listen Minotauro, I have always been straight with you, everyone knows that I wear my patriotism on my sleeve, I am a veteran of the Gulf War for Christ’s sake!  Is that what is eating this French kid?” Brock paused, trying to read how this was sinking in with Minotauro, he was not responding.  “I have been at Kleinfeld since ‘94, I’ve paid my dues, and this French kid comes in and thinks he is running Nexis and disrespecting me, talking trash about my country, in my country?”  Minotauro was looking at Uriah now, gauging his reaction to what was unfolding.  “The fact of the matter is that George suggests that America is the bad guy, the reason why everything that is bad, happens.  Why would Kleinfeld hire a guy like that?”  Brock meant this as an indirect stab at Minotauro.

Minotauro was apparently no longer in the mood to discuss this.  He postured at his desk with his hands clenched leaning forward, preparing to volley his own response when Uriah broke in, “George is a valuable resource, I know you are a patriotic man Brock, I understand that, but I am also aware that American’s aren’t particularly accepting of the French line of thinking, anyone else’s for that matter.  Kleinfeld has hires employees with the highest aptitude from around the world, you may want to consider taking leaving your politics at home and being more accepting of those employees that Kleinfeld has from different countries.  Anyway, we cannot tolerate your repeated attempts to undermine his work here.  Why don’t you leave this afternoon and take Friday off, relax this weekend and we’ll all return Monday to Minotauro’s office to discuss this again, hopefully with cooler heads.”  He smiled only with his mouth at Brock, a dead giveaway that there would be more to come from Faber.  Brock was seething now.  Minotauro excused Brock by saying, “schedule an appointment with my admin on the way out, and we’ll see you Monday.”  The look on Minotauro’s face left little to the imagination, he recalled the same look from his days in the Air Force when his Flight Commander gave an order and it was to be obeyed.

Brock left Minotauro’s office and headed down the hall. What was happening here?  How had Kleinfeld, a leading defense department contractor have fumbled upon people like these to lead this work?  Many of them foreigners, he confessed that most of the scientists at the Lab were brilliant but none of them were veterans, none of them had lost a father in Viet Nam and none of them could appreciate what price that America had paid to earn her freedoms.

Heading South down State Road 4 toward home, Brock’s ’88 Econoline van rumbled along at an even 55 MPH on the freshly paved road.  About 10 minutes later, he turned into his neighborhood in White Rocks.  This New Mexican town was something similar to what old mining communities referred to as a company town.  Most of the residents here were either Los Alamos employees or service workers supporting them.  He passed new homes with neatly groomed yards, his mother’s voice was echoing in his mind “don’t forget what others have sacrificed…” His was the last home on the right, the only one on the street with a flagpole; the American flag given to him by the VFW local auxiliary was still.

Brock closed the garage door and went into the house, Skittles, his faithful shepherd barked excitedly.  Entering the kitchen, Brock passed a cabinet that displayed the flag his mother had been given when his father was killed in Viet Nam and the Purple Heart he personally had earned after being shot down in the Gulf War.  He reminisced about being behind enemy lines; he had managed to hide in a ravine for 5 days before being rescued by Kurds.  Unfortunately, the Docs were unable to repair his fractured spine thus leaving him to find a new path in life, not as a pilot but rather as a wheelchair bound aerospace scientist.  He opened the cupboard with dog bones and demanded Skittles to “Sit” before providing the bone then he offered a loving scratch behind his ears has he quickly cracked and crunched on the dry treat.

Brock lived alone, he stayed distant from women since the accident, he had considered being with a woman but realized that not being able to give himself fully would lead to regret, and that is something he did not want.  So tonight, like other nights he sat in front of the evening news, eating a TV dinner while skittles lay nearby.

The Hispanic CNN anchor in expressionless English announced, An American citizen, born in Pakistan was caught boarding an aircraft en route to the United Arab Emirates, he is the alleged architect of the New York City Times Square attempted bombing… How many American’s would need to be sacrificed before people would listen?  Was 2001 really that long ago?  Had people forgotten 9/11?

Brock cleaned up and took Skittles for a walk around the block; he watched neighbors as they went about their ordinary lives, seemingly unaware of the dangers that lurked as intruders were infiltrating the institutions that were meant to protect America.  He returned home, went to his logged into his laptop computer, looked through his contacts, and quickly found George St. Pierre’s phone number.  He placed the call to George on his study phone, George answered on the third ring:

“Bien”

“Hello, George, this is Brock.”

“Yes,” was his cold reply.

“Listen, about today, I think it was a big misunderstanding, I wanted a chance to explain myself, could you meet me at Desoto’s?”

Minotauro had suggested to George that he make an extra effort to leave his politics at home.  Deciding that he could use less drama at work he agreed to meet Brock at Desoto’s to get things aired out.  Desoto’s was a popular sports bar for the Los Alamos crowd which also happened to be the only bar within 30 miles.

George responded, “I’ll meet you there in about 10 minutes?”  He was serious about that, it had to be hard for this crippled American to eat crow, and at Desoto’s that is just what he would be serving, he smiled and grabbed his car keys.

“Sounds good, thanks” Brock agreed. 

Brock went to the van loaded his chair and started it up; Skittles had followed him to the garage through the open door and was sitting quietly in the garage.  From across the street a curious neighbor noticed Brock leave but the garage door never closed, realizing the problem he went across the street and said some soothing words to Skittles as he managed to close the door and escape before the door came all the way down.  Skittles barked a few times inside the garage then was quiet again.

Brock wheeled himself across the floor of Desoto’s, he could see George had selected a corner table near the window; apparently he had arrived earlier and already was half through his first Heineken.

George stood as Brock came closer and smiled politely, he gestured to the side of the table, a place fitting for Brock’s wheelchair right next to the wall.  Brock returned the smile and easily slid in behind the table, looking over George’s shoulder he noticed everything in the bar at that instant, a quiet conversation of a couple at nearby table, a baseball game was on the TV over the bar.

“So you wanted to talk?”  George said, getting right to the point.

Brock produced an automatic pistol from a pocket that hung at the side of his wheelchair.  George was at once curious and shocked as the gun raised then stunned while it pointed at his face.

“Dieu, No!—“

Brock squeezed the trigger and George’s face disappeared in smoke and red mist, the second time he pulled the trigger he expected to here the sharp crack of the weapon discharging, instead he heard nothing at all, Brock slumped forward in his wheelchair, his thumb still holding the trigger.

Sights

The street lights on the winding road only creep through the trees and growth a little, the lights of the dash are much brighter, illuminating her smiling smiling face.  She is beautiful tonight, her long brown hair swirling wildly across her face and above her head, her bikini top clinging tight, hard not to keep looking at her, her tummy is bare riding high above her short shorts,  her tan skin from long days lounging at the city pool shows dark brown in the dim light,  her white teeth and eyes seem to glow.

Touch

The warm July air is rushing through the open window as we race along, I am driving too fast for this road, the speed limit of 45 came and went long ago.  She keeps reaching over and touching my hand when she laughs.

Sounds

Each time a car passes a “swoosh” sound grows and fades as we rush by.

Actions

I am shifting down now, squeezing more speed out of the Volkswagen, it’s working hard to climb the canyon, in 3rd now, going back to 4th just past the curve.  The funny accident story I’m telling is audible only because I yell it over “Girlfriend in a coma” plays on the tape deck, Brittany is laughing uncontrollably as I stutter out the punch line, can’t stop laughing myself.

Smells

I can smell coconut oil and something like smoke is apparent, maybe something burning, certainly isn’t the brakes but maybe the clutch.  We have 3 hours until we have to be home, plenty of time.  It is exciting, exhilarating, sexy and fun, I feel strong and alive… this IS 17 to me.

Play Document Formatting

***

Screenplay Formatting

Interior Classroom Day

Dialogue

—->23sp NARRATOR

—>10sp  “…”

—>10sp  “…”

4″

—->23sp JIM

—>10sp  “…”

—>10sp  “…”

4″

—->23sp JANE

—>10sp  “…”

—>10sp  “…”

***

Stage Play Formatting
ACTS & SCENES

Act & scene designations should only appear on the 1st page of each act or scene.
Acts are usually designated with Roman numerals or spelled out: Act II, Act Two
Numeral designations tend to be reserved for scenes: Scene 3
Begin each act or scene at the top of a new page.


PAGE MARGINS

Top: .75 - 1.0"
Bottom 1.0 - 1.5"


PAGE NUMBERING

Numbering begins with the first page of Dialogue
Numbering is always in the upper right hand corner of the page.
Each act is number consecutively through the end of the act: i.e. I-1, I-2, etc.
Start new page numbers with each act: i.e II-1, II-2 III-1, III-2
Preliminary pages (front matter) should either be not numbered at all or, numbered with lower case Roman numerals.


DIALOGUE:
Character Tags:

Use all capital letters to identify the character speaking.
The first letter of each character name is centered (4.25") with the rest of the name
spelled out to the right.
If the characters line goes over a page break, identify the character speaking with a second character tag on the new page and follow the tag with: (cont¹d). e.g. TOM (cont'd)


Margins:

Left 1.5 - 2.0"
Right 1.0"


Spacing:

Double space after previous stage directions or dialogue, before the character tag.
Single space between character tags and character stage directions or dialogue.
Single space all dialogue
Double space after dialogue before the next stage direction or character tag.


STAGE DIRECTIONS
General Stage Directions

Use all capital letters when a character name appears in the stage directions.
Margins:
Left: 3.5"
Right 1.0"
Spacing: Single spaced, but double space between paragraphs if needed.
Character Stage Directions: Appear directly under the character's name or between the lines of dialogue of a single speech and enclose them in parenthesis.


These are general rules to follow. You may want to use some small variations depending on your own writing. For example if the lines of dialogue are short sometimes having a character tag centered is not useful, the tag is too far away from the line. In that situation you may want to put character tags in two or three tab stops. The big key is consistency throughout your script. You are communicating, to a reader a director or an actor HOW to read your work. It is worthwhile spending time focusing on these details.

Short Story Outline

Kelly Hewitt

May 2, 2010

 

 

Plot Events

1. Georges fights with Brock about the US policy of anti-terrorism and why it doesn’t work.
2. Brock escalates his concerns to Minotauro and they are rejected.
3. Brock traps Georges in his own arrogance, proving that he is selling secrets.
4. Georges returns to France is traded to Iran and killed by a North Korean intelligence officer.

Conflicts

-          Brock vs. Georges, Brock is tired of hearing about how great a thinker Georges is, sure Georges is smart but in order to be intelligent he needs to be focus on his work and not the work of others.  Brock thinks that Goerges is a rich French snob and his high-rolling trips to North Africa make him suspicious. He knows that Georges connects to the office VPN when on vacation and this concerns him.  Georges consistently avoids the reporting structure at Kleinfeld and takes all of his personality conflicts with Brock to Minotauro, who has reprimanded Brock several times in support of Georges eccentric French cultural differences.

• Resolved by Brock proving that Georges is a spy and Georges going to jail

 

-          Minotauro vs. Brock, Minotauro knows that Brock is an effective leader and his “street smarts” enable him to relate complex ideas to executives easily, however he takes every opportunity to slam Georges in meetings and keeps saying he is suspicious but provides no basis for his suspicion.

• Resolved by Brock proving Georges is a spy, Minotauro is reprimanded and demoted

-          Georges vs. USA, Georges is selling defense secrets to the highest bidder, he rationalizes his betrayal by suggesting that America deserves it because they are an immoral and unethical country

• Resolved, Georges is found out as a spy and expelled to France where he spends is traded to Iran in a prisoner exchange and is inexplicably shot in Turkey during the prisoner exchange  by a North Korean intelligence agent protecting North Korean security.

Setting

Kleinfeld Engineering, located at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico is a scientific campus where employees are engaged in scientific research for, mostly related to national defense.  The scientists have come from around the world, the facilities are modern and hi-tech, the campus is well kept and has a collegial feel.

Characterization

Georges St. Pierre

Georges has been at Kleinfeld Aerospace since graduating from MIT in 2008 with a PhD. in Physics, an emphasis in field theory. Georges is a French citizen born in Marseilles of Haitian immigrants.  Early Georges was found to be brilliant and often returns to France to lecture at University of Paris.  Recently Georges has travelled to North Africa, he reported his travel as required by his security clearance and as a stipulation of employment of Kleinfeld which has many defense contracts with the Unites States, British, Canadian and Australian governments.  He thrives on contention and borders on egotistical, he challenges most superiors and most would suggest he is a primadonna.  Georges often declares that the Americans are tyrannical and overbearing, that is why the world is always at odds with them.   He is a spy, he is currently selling military secrets to North Korea and is trying to make arrangements to sell information to Iran.

Brock Lesnar

Brock is a Project Managert and a stand-up guy, although currently wheelchair bound,  he found his way into Kleinfeld not because of his brilliance but because his Uncle Edward Lesnar (D-MA) was on the Senate Appropriations Committee that approved Kleinfeld’s $1.7 billion supplemental research program for HAARP. Brock found his rhythm as an innovative communicator and has been selected for promotion as the VP of Strategic Planning at Kleinfeld.  Brock was an Air Force Captain in the first Gulf War and was injured when his plane went down in bad weather over the desert.  He spent 16 days evading the Republican Guard units before a SAR team found him in an abandoned building outside of Ramala. Brock is the project manager for the Hydrogen Propulsion Re-Fire System, a top secret project to inject liquid hydrogen into a solid fuel engine creating an additional 50% thrust.  Brock is suspicious of Georges constant anti-american ban tar with the other scientists and his foreign travel destinations don’t seem likely spots for visiting the people he calls “family”.

Minotauro Noguera

Minotauro is the department head of tactical propulsion systems at Kleinfeld.  He was born in Brazil and is has a PhD. in aerospace engineering and thermodynamics, he immigrated to study at Northwestern University in 1972 and is an adjunct professor at California Institute of Technology, he worked as  an advisor to Presidents Clinton and Bush and has appeared before congress as a science SME on multiple occasions.  Minotauro hires talent into Kleinfeld and is accountable for 125 technical resources working on 8 different classified projects at Kleinfeld.  Mino, as his colleagues address him hired both Brock and Georges and maintains the company’s privacy and security policy as agreed by the US Deparment of Defense.  Minotauro is awed by Georges genious and takes every opportunity to compliment him personally and in his reviews with the leadership team.

Theme

We are subject to the consequences resulting from our actions.