Audio description - Kung Fu Panda

CAJ - High-tech housing

Dear diary,

today is May 5th, 2038. My robot ‘Charlie’ woke me up early and when I was looking out of my window, I spotted a building opposite my apartment. I hardly believed my eyes and felt confused as well as disorientated since this house hasn’t been there the day before. Due to my huge curiosity I got dressed and went outside to see my new neighbor so as to find answers for what has happened. This is roughly what I was told: “Believe it or not, but this is the new revolution as far as housing is concerned. My modest residence was built overnight within approximately seven hours. High-tech housing’s goal to advance manufactured housing into new frontiers has finally been achieved. I don’t want to boast but I had my own high-tech housing builder who designed my house completely by my imagination. I don’t even need a key anymore because a face detection system is implemented into my door. For collateral securities I still can adjust a code system to play it safe. My home is pure quality and design which no other manufacturer could match. – I know that I’ve invested my money with confidence. Apart from a huge solar system, which is responsible for the whole heating and lighting,  my wish was to set up a protecting system, preserving the walls and the roof against any kind of rainfall. So, the wall colors aren’t going to fade over time and no hail could ever hole my roof. Additionally, the wall color can be changed at one’s pleasure. During spring or summer you can even let grow grass on it. This makes your home unique and unmatchable. – I have to admit that it was expensive, however, it totally pays off because in this way the usual expenses are greatly reduced”

After this little novel, I was impressed and decided to buy such a house as well. About an hour ago I’ve already called my builder. He and his team will arrive tonight at around 9 p.m. and my new home will be finished in the early morning. I can hardly wait!!!! Tomorrow I will write you from inside my new four walls.

Yours, Joe Average

Janet Napolitano about the importance of the Alphonse-Bertillon System

My name is Janet Napolitano, currently member of the Democratic Party in the USA and proud to be the first woman serving the United States Secretary of Homeland Security, a department which was founded after the terror attacks of 9/11. Due to my high interest in criminology I would like to give you an understanding of the importance of Bertillon’s system of criminal identification for criminology in the late 19^th and very early 20^th centuries.                                                                                                          Alphonse Bertillon, French law enforcement officer and criminologist, discovered that each individual had a unique combination of measurements of various body parts and therefore he was able to differentiate individuals by comparing them. The latter were measurements of the head and body, shape formations of eyes, mouth, etc., as well as individual markings, scars and personality characteristics. This turned out to be a breakthrough since by this means, a record of unique identifiers could be established in order to track suspects, prisoners and repeat delinquents. Before its establishment, the only way to identify criminals was through eyewitness accounts or unorganized files of photographs. However, some problems occurred, i.e. measuring tools had need for constant adjustment, which in turn was expensive, and measurements could also change because of the aging delinquent. Apart from this system, the criminologist developed an effective method so as to document as well as scrutinize the body of the victim and its cause of death. Thus, police photographers were able to record all the details in close proximity of a victim’s body with a specific camera. This method was finally adopted in the early 20^th century.                                                                                                     With regard to this substantial progress in the history of criminology, I want you to imagine what life would be like if this system had not been invented. Certainly many criminals might still be out of prison instead being behind bars, but what else?