Analytical Book Review of Time Quake by Kurt Vonnegut Essay

Analytical Book Review of Time Quake by Kurt Vonnegut - Essay Example Kilgore Trout describes the nature of the Timequake as "a cosmic charley horse in the sinews of Destiny" (Vonnegut 17) in his unfinished memoir entitled My Ten Years on Automatic Pilot. This cosmic event occurred in the year 2001 when "a sudden glitch in the space-time continuum, made everybody and everything do exactly what they'd done during a past decade . . . a second time" (Vonnegut 1). Trout story reveals the ineptitudes of human awareness. Kilgore becomes a hero through his use of free will. The timequake is a device to unveil the cultural condition of America, in the hope that it might shock readers into an awareness of their careless disregard of human potential and indifference to the ideals of human dignity and unanimity in our society. Vonnegut tells readers: In real life, as during a rerun following a timequake, people don't change, don't learn anything from their mistakes, and don't apologize. In a short story they have to do at least two out of three of those things, or you might as well throw it away in the lidless wire trash receptacle chained and padlocked to the fire hydrant in front of the American Academy of Arts and Letters" (Vonnegut 43). To-do so, Vonnegut portrays... The academy's executive secretary is Monica Pepper. Those stories are read with delighted awe by her husband, Zoltan, a man she had paralyzed from the waist down in an accident, and who once plagiarized a Kilgore Trout story when he was a boy. Vonnegut depicts that after "automatic pilot" crash their cars and airplanes, or fall down at the foot of escalators, the only person who seems able to take control of himself again is none other than Kilgore. To mobilize people to put their free will to use and restore order, he shouts out a phrase: "You were sick, but now you're well again, and there's work to do" (Vonnegut 61). He is killed the instant the timequake is over by a berserk fire truck that smashes his wheelchair into the steel door of the academy headquarters. But with that fortress now blasted open, Kilgore uses the building as a morgue and sets up a triage hospital in the homeless shelter next door, after organizing the bums into rescue teams. Trout is the one who goes into th e street to get people back on their feet and functioning with the message. It seems appropriate that this man, whose imagination finds anything possible, should be the one to accept the situation with some alacrity and carry on. His message, "You were sick, but now you're well again, and there's work to do," captures something fundamental in the nature of Trout himself. In general, the book negatively and cynically portrays modern society, human values, norms and traditions. Vonnegut uses acute critic to unveil false morals and drawbacks of the modern world order. Cruel jokes can be seen as a characteristic of humor. The loneliness, emptiness, and alienation

Business policy-strategic management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business policy-strategic management - Essay Example Internet ticketing is another long-term objective in the strategy of Southwest airline. It arranges its bookings online for its reliable customers to save time and the hassle involved in seat reservations. This long-term objective seeks to make it continue to run its resources efficiently and ensure a stringent approach based on qualitative customer participation and estimated future occurrences. Southwest airlines seek to have extended operations (ETOPS) documentation to fly over water. They already have an airplane to achieve this goal, and just need appropriate documentation to start their services in Hawaii. The airline plans to adopt a new seating arrangement that has a new design and more row seats. This will help it generate additional revenue. The seating arrangement will be adopted in several airplanes, and customers are already showing their satisfaction in the new development. Another long-term objective that involves safety is to provide Ramp Employees in its system with hands-free wireless headsets. This is in the quest to make it possible for pilots and the ground crew to communicate and synchronize the push back of planes from open space gates in an efficient manner. The airline seeks to improve its fuel efficiency in the coming years. It seeks to achieve this through power conservation on the ground, development of optimum cruising speeds in order to cut down emissions. Next generation fuel-efficient jets seek to replace their traditional aircrafts (Panchuk,

Poems by Blake and Wordsworth Essay Example for Free

Poems by Blake and Wordsworth Essay Two aspects of London as shown through a response to poems by Blake and Wordsworth. When comparing Blake and Wordsworths pieces, the respective perspectives of the authors should never be far from our thoughts. Whereas Blake lived in London his whole life and seldom ventured outside its borders, Wordsworth was a rural person whose only experiences of London came from short visits. Unaccustomed to the hustle and bustle of City life, Wordsworth led a comparatively relaxed existence which perhaps accounts for his romantic and gentile style. We should not be surprised to see that Blake, a frequenter of the less-desirable districts of the capital, offers a far more cynical portrayal of London. Blakes poem is a social commentary which points an ugly finger at the industrialist pioneers and the flaws of Industrial society. Blake was a renowned radical of the era with far-reaching ideas. He uses many literary devices to impart his opinions upon his audience. This is superbly demonstrated when he writes: I wander through each chartered street The reference is a metaphorical reflection on Blakes perception that anything and everything is for sale in an industrial society and, in particular, in its impoverished areas. Repetition is clearly employed when the piece claims: In every cry of every man, In every infants cry of fear, In every voice, in every ban, The mind-forged manacles I hear The repetition could be equated with anything from the machinery at work in the factories and mills, to an assault of stabbing pain upon those suffering in poverty. Within the framework which Blake creates, the reader is left to determine his own idea of what the repetition may represent, and this is at the centre of the verses success. Irony is employed with great effect in the verse beginning How the chimney-sweepers cry. The author contrasts the poverty and ill-health of chimney-sweeps with the wealth of the church, and suggests that instead of helping the poor the church pays them a pittance to work in hazardous conditions. Irony often stands side by side with black humour, and both are well-demonstrated in this verse. The amusing of the reader with a subject which should not amuse serves to further draw them into the piece. In the latter part of the same verse, emotive comparisons are made between the plight of Londons less-fortunate and warfare. Blakes use of the word soldiers is no accident here; for soldiers are tools of war, and must have opponents. This leads the reader to ask: with whom are the soldiers at war? As Marx foretold and the French Revolution demonstrated, the working classes and those controlling the means of production operate with opposing aims. Blake brings a new element of severity to the situation by suggesting that forces are at work against the poor subjects. INSERT LAST VERSE DISCUSSION HERE Wordsworth is blissfully unaware of the scenes which Blake paints. Indeed, Wordsworths London is so far removed from Blakes that one is led to ask whether the two are writing of the same city at all. There is a significant period of time between the two which could arguably account for this; Wordsworths work being written before the Industrial Revolution and Blake at its height.

Introduction To Computer Components Computer Science Essay

Introduction To Computer Components Computer Science Essay A keyboard is a computer hardware input device. keyboard is similar to the mechanical typewriter design, if we compare to keyboard with other computer hardware it is technological advance.New ergonomic keyboards can cost as much as a central processing unit or quality computer monitor. Instead of mouse the keyboard is often the principal input device on home and office computers.the basic functions of keyboards are it is used for text input,keyboards are also used to precise image, interface manipulation such as sending special commands to the operating system even controlling characters and objects in computer games. Due to advance technology now adays some keyboards includes other input and output devicessuch as card reader,usb ports or integrated trackballs. Although there are pseudo-standards regarding key arrangement, the manufacturer of keyboards are free to create original arrangements and designs. While most keyboards intended for use in English-language environments use the QWERTY layout, many keyboards are available with alternative layouts such as Dvorak. Some specialty keyboards have two or more layouts or languages printed on the keys, while others have no layout printed at all. The blank keyboards are designed for a specific purpose such as this can be use by the touch typists only, who have no need to look at the keyboard while entering informationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..till here Most conventional keyboards are built using dome-membrane technology. In these models, keys are mounted on a tray which affords them up and down movement only. The keys are supported in the up position by rubber membrane domes on which they rest. The domes are easily collapsible, and quickly return to their upright positions when released from the collapsing force. The underside of each dome houses a graphite bullet, which completes an open circuit underneath the dome when the dome is collapsed. Special circuitry senses the completed circuit, and translates this to a key press which is then transmitted to the computer. Complex circuitry grids and patterns allow most keyboards to support over one hundred different keys with only about two dozen different circuits. In fact, careful layout of specific meta keys allows two- and even three- key-press combinations to be registered. More complex key-press combinations require very specialized circuitry, which few keyboards today support. Special features of the keyboard include: Numeric keypad: In numeric keypad is a portion in keyboard whichs allows to use keyboard like a calcuclator and input numbers into application program.it has an option of numlock key when this key has been pressed it activates the portion of the keyboard so that numbers can be entered in the computer. When the num lock key is not on, there are arrow keys on the keyboard which then work to move the cursor in different directions. The NUM LOCK key is a toggle key which switches back and forth between these two modes. Caps Lock: The CAP LOCKS key works in this same manner as the NUM LOCK key. If the Caps Lock is pressed on the keyboard whatever alphabets type from keyboard will type only in capital letters. If the Cap Lock light is not lit it will type only in small letters. Function Keys: The function keys are used to initiate commands on help menus or database programs especially before the development and use of computer pointing devices. They are still used extensively today as options on the keyboard to pull down menus or to be programmed to do specific functions in application programs. Ctrl or Shift keys also work with Function keys to add more commands to programs and what are called shortcuts, ways to operate functions like saving and deleting without going through elaborate features and steps. Short cuts speed up typing and input into the computer. Escape Key: One of the most important keys is the escape key. It usually use to cancel the command or to takes you back to the previous step ina a program. Main Types Of Keyboard: Keyboards are available in various shapes and sizes . they can be large and small almost like a custom car. They come in various colours and can be designed specifically for the user especially in a case of disabledà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦done QWERTY: The most popular is the standard QWERTY keyboard. The newer keyboards can have a trackball built into the keyboard. This allows the user the convenience of a built in pointing device. The trackball acts as the mouse and saves time and space in the work area. Ergonomic: This keyboard is built so that the keyboard is divided into two parts. One half fits the right hand and the other half fits the left hand. This split keyboard arrangement is built to fit the natural positioning of the hand and to help with repetitive motion hand injury which occurs when a job is carried out over and over again, such as in keyboarding. History of the Computer  Keyboard Keyboarding has 2 references nowadays; the first being typing with an alpha-numeric keyboard or typewriter, and the second of playing a piano, organ, or electronic keyboard. Keyboarding (typing) started in form with the invention of the Printing Press in the 1600s. Manual typewriters came some time later (with the keyboard layout of letters that we are accustomed to now). Additionally, there was another simple form of mono-keyboarding in electronic for with the advent of the telegraph (developed by Samuel Morse Morse Code) wherein a series of dots and dashes created letters, which spelled out words, which then composed a telegram to someone. There is another niche of keyboarding, which involves a courtroom recorder using a stenography machine. This machine has less character than a standard keyboard, and involves a system of shorthand in conjunction with fewer keys. A good example of shorthand is the use of abbreviations, such as Mfr stands for manufacturer. The invention of the computer keyboard begins with the typewriter The invention of the modern computer keyboard began with the invention of the  typewriter. Christopher Latham Sholes patented the typewriter that we commonly use today in 1868. The Remington Company mass marketed the first typewriters starting in 1877. Sholes and Glidden Type-writer: The first typewriter to be commercially successful was invented in 1867 by C. Latham Sholes, Carlos Glidden and Samuel W. Soule in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, although Sholes soon disowned the machine and refused to use, or even to recommend it. The working prototype was made by the machinist Matthias Schwalbach. The patent (US 79,265) was sold for $12,000 to Dens more and Yost, who made an agreement with E. Remington and Sons (then famous as a manufacturer of sewing machines) to commercialize the machine as the Sholes and Glidden Type-Writer. This was the origin of the term typewriter. Remington began production of its first typewriter on March 1, 1873, in Ilion, New York. It had a QWERTY keyboard layout, which because of the machines success, was slowly adopted by other typewriter manufacturers. Because the type bars of this typewriter strike upwards, the typist could not have seen characters as they were typed. This was the case in most early keyboard typ ewriters, however, as the type bars struck upward against the bottom of the platen and what was typed was not visible until a carriage return caused it to scroll into view. The difficulty with any other arrangement was ensuring that the type bars fell back into place reliably when the key was released. This was eventually achieved with various ingenious mechanical designs and so-called visible typewriters, such as the Oliver typewriter, were introduced in 1895. The older style continued in production to as late as 1915. Inventions Leading to the Computer Keyboard A few key technological developments created the transition of the typewriter into the computer keyboard. The teletype machine, introduced in the 1930s, combined the technology of the typewriter (used as an input and a printing device) with the  telegraph. Elsewhere, punched card systems were combined with typewriters to create what was called keypunches. Keypunches were the basis of early adding machines and IBM was selling over one million dollars worth of adding machines in 1931. Early computer keyboards were first adapted from the  punch card  and teletype technologies. In 1946, the  Eniac computer  used a punched card reader as its input and output device. In 1948, the Binac computer used an electromechanically controlled typewriter to both input data directly onto magnetic tape (for feeding the computer data) and to print results. The emerging electric typewriter further improved the technological marriage between the typewriter and the computer. Typewriter/printer hybrids: Towards the end of the commercial popularity of typewriters in the 1980s, a number of hybrid designs combining features of printers were introduced. These often incorporated keyboards from existing models of typewriters and printing mechanisms of dot-matrix printers. The generation of teletypes with impact pin-based printing engines was not adequate for the demanding quality required for typed output, and alternative thermal transfer technologies used in thermal label printers had become technically feasible for typewriters. IBM produced a series of typewriters called Thermotronic with letter-quality output and correcting tape along with printers tagged Quiet writer. Brother extended the life of their typewriter product line with similar products. DEC meanwhile had the DECwriter. The development of these proprietary printing engines provided the vendors with exclusive markets in consumable ribbons and the ability to use standardized printing engines with varying degrees of electronic and software sophistication to develop product lines. Although these changes reduced prices and greatly increased the convenience of typewriters, the technological disruption posed by word processors left these improvements with only a short-term low-end market. To extend the life of these products, many examples were provided with communication ports to connect them to computers as printers. The increasing dominance of personal computers, desktop publishing, the introduction of low-cost, truly high-quality, laser and inkj et printer technologies, and the pervasive use of web publishing, e-mail and other electronic communication techniques have largely replaced typewriters in the United States. Typewriter erasers: The traditional erasing method involved the use of a special typewriter eraser made of hard rubber that contained an abrasive material. Some were thin, flat disks, pink or gray, approximately 2 inches (51 mm) in diameter by 1à ¢Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾8 inches (3.2 mm) thick, with a brush attached from the center, while others looked like pink pencils, with a sharpen able eraser at the lead end and a stiff nylon brush at the other end. Either way, these tools made possible erasure of individual typed letters. Business letters were typed on heavyweight, high-rag-content bond paper, not merely to provide a luxurious appearance, but also to stand up to erasure. Typewriter eraser brushes were necessary for clearing eraser crumbs and paper dust, and using the brush properly was an important element of typewriting skill; if erasure detritus fell into the typewriter, a small buildup could cause the type bars to jam in their narrow supporting grooves Computer Keyboards Send Direct Electronic Impulses Earlier computer keyboards had been based either on teletype machines or keypunches. There were many electromechanical steps in transmitting data between the keyboard and the computer that slowed things down. With VDT technology and electric keyboards, the keyboards keys could now send electronic impulses directly to the computer and save time. By the late 70s and early 80s, all computers used electronic keyboards and VDTs. Nevertheless, the layout of the computer keyboard still owes its origin to the inventor of the first typewriter, Christopher Latham Sholes who also invented the QWERTY layout. However, the computer keyboard does have a few extra function keys. Present Keyboard technologies Solar Keyboard: Two solar panels at the top of the keyboard work to keep the internal battery charged, even in low indoor ambient light. When I took it out of the box, the battery was more than 50 percent charged after spending just 15 minutes in direct sunlight. After dark, the light from a 100-watt overhead bulb was able maintain the charge. The thing is anorexic when it comes to power consumption Wireless keyboard: (With Bluetooth Device) The Apple Wireless Keyboard is a wireless keyboard built for Macintosh computers and the iPad. It interacts over Bluetooth wireless technology and unlike its wired version, it has no USB connectors or ports. Both generations have low-power features when not in use. Bluetooth Laser Virtual Keyboard This is tiny device laser-projects a keyboard on any flat surface, it can type away accompanied by simulated key click sounds. It really is true future magic at its best. With 63 keys and and full size QWERTY layout the Laser Virtual Keyboard can approach typing speeds of a standard keyboard. in a size a little larger than a matchbook. Gaming Keyboard When it comes to video game input devices, the keyboard is probably the furthest from ideal. Lets face it, keyboards were not designed to serve as game peripherals. However, PC gamers have bent their gaming habits to fit the restrictions of the standard keyboard for so many years that most prefer keyboard controls to a gamepad. The WASD control scheme for shooters has long been the default but as games have become more complex shooters especially the need for quick access to the surrounding keys has become more and more evident. Hardware manufacturers recognized the need for faster, smoother and more-precise mice as gaming became more popular and many felt they could improve on the keyboard design as well. The problem is that the keyboard is not a finesse device. Either the keys are there or they arent and either you can reach them or you cant. Multimedia Keyboard A multimedia keyboard is designed to make it one-touch simple for the user to access often-used programs. There are special keys used to access the Internet, music, and other frequently used programs such as email. A typical multimedia keyboard contains buttons that control various computer processes, such as turning on the computers power, putting the CPU to sleep, and waking it up again.

Herbal Phen-fen :: Pills Phen-fen Health Weight Loss Essays

Herbal Phen-fen "Lose All the Weight You Want", "Look Sexy and Feel Great", "Use the Safer Alternative", claim advertisements promoting the use of a recently-created dietary supplement known as herbal phen fen (CompuGraph International ) Created after the original phen fen (phentermine fenfluramine) drug was recalled from the market as a result of serious side effects, including severe heart problems which proved fatal for some consumers, the new herbal phen fen was praised by creators for being "all natural" and lacking any harmful side effects. One who relies strictly on internet advertisements for information concerning herbal phen fen, however, may be seriously misinformed and misled about the true nature of this herbal "cure-all" for weight problems. Articles from various journals and periodicals reveal a darker side of herbal phen fen, illustrating the possible harmful side effects of the pill and explaining the dangers of individual ingredients composing herbal phen fen. Claims of many advert isements for herbal phen fen drectly contradict medical research and scientific studies, raising questions about the effectiveness and safety of the new pill. Popular culture teaches people to search for immediate gratification and quick fix-all methods for every problem, thus fast-working pills appeal to those who don't want to spend months trying to lose weight by exercising and eating healthfully. Advertisers capitalize on this quality of public consumers by appealing to public demands for fast results. "Phen-'Nominal' Results Fast" states one ad on the internet, appropriately titled "Herbal Phen Fast", which boasts the pill's ability to "suppress the formation of fats". The ad, which was produced by the company HealthMatrix, Inc., portrays herbal phen fen as a quick, safe, easy and effective way to control hunger, reduce cravings and ultimately lose weight, yet avoids explaining the side effects of the pill by dismissing symptoms as "few and well-tolerated". The ad names and defines the two primary ingredients of herbal phen fen, St. John's Wort and Mahuang, explaining that the combination of these ingredients leads to weight loss. The ad is designed to appear scientific with the claim that the main ingredient of herbal phen fen, St. John's Wort, "prolongs the reuptake of serotonin in the brain", leading to feelings of personal satisfaction (HealthMatrix, Inc.) The ad provides no evidence, research or case studies for this claim or any other claims. Three quotations by consumers of the pill are included in the ad, but interestingly enough, though the consumers claim feeling "more energetic" and satisfied by smaller portions, none of the quotations actually mention weight loss.

Plato Vs Socrates Essay -- Philosophy

Plato's point of view is different from many other peoples. He says that people do wrong not because they are inherently evil, but because they are unclear about what is best for them. While the good truly is good, the pleasant do not know good and therefore have the incorrect belief of good. He is saying someone who is good knows what good is and those who do not do good do not know good itself. Plato believes that the contemporary society is mistaken about their interpretations of good and pleasant. Society believes that good is pleasant. Plato portrays this message through the mouth piece of Socrates. The philosopher Polus argues that good is made by the possessor. He says one can achieve good through their actions. Good is achievable by all, different to all and can be attained by the possessor through good actions. Socrates argues that his definition is correct. He says civilization does good not for good itself but for other reasons. He says, humans do make the medicine for the sake of medicine but they make this to improve the health and well-being of someone. People are concerned about the results of the good they are doing rather than the action of doing good itself. Socrates mentions that a long distance runner does not run incredibly long distances just for the thrill of running, but the runner runs these long distances to maintain his health and to stay fit. Socrates gives Polus an example as to how his definition of good is wrong. Kings are faced with criminals everyday that must be punished for their wrongful actions. The criminals must be put to death supposedly for the "good of the state." This is one example of how a ruler or possessor does what he does he thinks is good. Th... ...in of thirst from ourselves and pleasuring ourselves with drink. I also question what Socrates says about wrong being an individuals opinion rather than a standard by which we live. It seems like Socrates is saying that no one has morals and society can do wrong and not even realize it. It sounds like humans do not know the difference between right and wrong. He seems as though he knows all and has all the right answers. There is also another way at looking at what Socrates says here. Everybody lives a different lifestyle. Some people live a life dedicated to a certain religion and some people are part of the mafia or live in street alleys. Everyone is going to have their own position on what is wrong and what is not. Even though stealing is wrong homeless people may argue that they needs food to survive and stealing it is the only way they can get it.

Republican Foundations

This national bank would take the nation out of debt from the war. The bank would additionally provide loans for businessmen and to provide a place to deposit federal funds. He believed that the government should foster business and contribute to the growth of capitalistic enterprise. Hamilton additionally believed that the United States should have a protective tariff to aid manufactures. Jefferson on the other hand, opposed Hamilton's idea of creating a national bank. He additionally didn't believe that the United States should have a protective tariff to aid anufactures.He preferred a society with some industrial alternative to agriculture. Jefferson believed that all of the national debt should be paid off quickly because it will be harmful to society. Socially, Hamilton believed that the wealthy people should run the society. A variety of taxes, like the taxes on whiskey harmed the lower and middle class the most. However, Hamilton supported the upper class. Hamilton believed th at only the wealthy should be qualified to vote because they were smarter than the lower and middle classes.Merchants, bankers, manufactures, and wealthy farmers were considered Hamiltonians. Jefferson once more, opposed Hamilton's suggestions. Jefferson supported the lower and middle classes. He believed that the â€Å"common† people (lower and middle classes) were capable of running the government. He believed that the lower and middle classes were qualified to vote too. Artisans, shopkeepers, frontier settlers, and owners of small towns were considered Jeffersonian. Politically, Hamilton believed that the British aristocracy should be a model for theAmerican Government. He clearly believed in a strong central government. He wanted a broad interpretation of the constitution to strengthen the central government at the expenses of the state rights. Hamiltonians favored restrictions of speech and the press. They believed that America should closely associate itself with Britai n and break the bonds with France. Jefferson believed in a more democratic government compared to Britain's. He wanted to reduce the number of federal office holders and he favored freedom of the press and speech.Jefferson also had a broad interpretation of the constitution but many times, it was only to favor himself or the situation. He was suspicious of the central government because of probable tyrannical overpowering like England and wanted to increase state rights. Revolutionary War period of the United States. The opposing views point of the Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. Economically, Hamilton believed in creating a national bank to pay off the nations debt, while Jefferson believed that the debt would be harmful to the society and should be paid off quickly.Socially, Hamilton believed the upper class should run things and only be able to vote, but Jefferson believed that the common people should be able to have a say in the government and also be able to vote. Politically, Hamilton believed that the government should be similar to Britain's government while Jefferson didn't believe in a strong central government, but a more democratic one. The opposing ideas of Hamilton and Jefferson is what has created variety of ideas to contribute to the improvements of the United States.