The Lottery And The Possibility Of Evil By Shirley Jackson

Literary devices are defined as techniques used by writers that help establish a special effect in their works. Various literary devices can be used to not only to convey a certain tone or mood in a piece of writing, but also in some cases add a unique and unexpected twist to a seemingly ordinary story. Shirley Jackson, the author of short stories â€Å"The Lottery† and â€Å"The Possibility of Evil†, uses both imagery and diction to establish a calm mood in the beginning of her stories; however, the usage of different types of irony at later points in the story makes both endings unique. The author uses diction in the beginning of both â€Å"The Lottery† as well as ‘The Possibility of Evil† to establish a normal and somewhat peaceful mood. Residents†¦show more content†¦Little does the reader know that the stones being collected by the children would be used to stone an innocent woman to death in the end of the story. Similar to how the auth or used diction to establish mood, she used imagery as well. Although the towns in the stories are not what they seem, the author’s use of imagery helps the reader to imagine a quaint and beautiful town. Imagery is used in â€Å"The Possibility of Evil† to give the reader the impression that Ms. Strangeworth as well as the town she lives in are completely ordinary. Jackson explains, â€Å"The sun was shining, the air was fresh and clear after the night’s heavy rain, and everything...looked washed and bright† (Jackson, 1). Through the use of imagery, the reader can imagine a warm summer day in the small town. The author also uses the same device when describing Ms. Strangeworth. â€Å"Miss Strangeworth told the tourists, with a pretty little dimple showing by her lip† (Jackson, 1). Imagery is used in a similar way in â€Å"The Lottery†. The day the lottery takes place is described as a clear, warm, and fresh summer day. The flowers we blossom ing and the grass was a rich green color. The dresses worn by many of the women are worn down and old, meaning that they are ordinary women and many of them are mothers. Though the author uses imagery and diction similarly,Show MoreRelatedThe Possibility Of Evil, And The Lottery, By Shirley Jackson1102 Words   |  5 Pagesteaches the main character a lesson, or the reader themselves. Jackson acts as a master of literary devices, as she navigates the reader through intense scenes that evoke an emotional response to the experiences of the main character. In the short stories, â€Å"The Possibility of Evil† and â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson, she used the same three literary devices to grasp the reader’s attention from beginning to end. In â€Å"The Possibility of Evil† Miss Adela Strangeworth caused a stir by sending anonymousRead MoreExamples Of The Possibility Of Evil In The Lottery By Shirley Jackson818 Words   |  4 Pagesnot everything is as if it seems. In Shirley Jackson’s short stories, ‘The Possibility of Evil† and â€Å"The Lottery†, Jackson uses specific literary devices in each story. In each short story, everything seems to be normal and typical until the hidden secrets are revealed. Jackson’s uses irony, mood and theme for a better understanding of the two short stories. First Jackson presents use with irony in both short stories but with different meanings. In â€Å"The Lottery† Tessie, daughter of Bill HutchinsonRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson Analysis784 Words   |  4 Pagesoutcomes. Throughout her short stories, â€Å"The Lottery† and â€Å"The Possibility of Evil†, Shirley Jackson shocks readers with her unthinkable plot twists. During both stories, they begin very peaceful and calm but as you near the end, your view of both readings completely change. Throughout â€Å"The Lottery† if you win the lottery that year you will be sacrificed, which no one would believe would happen as the title has a positive connotation; also, â€Å"The Possibility of Evil† starts out with a nice older woman enjoyingRead More Shirley Jacksons The Lottery 946 Words   |  4 PagesShirley Jackson is said to be one of the most â€Å"brilliant and influential authors of the twentieth century.† â€Å"Her fiction writ ing is some of the most important to come out of the American literary canon.† (http://shirleyjackson.org/Reviews.html) Jackson wrote many short stories and even some books. They are more on the dark, witchlike side, however. Kelleher explains that Jackson stated in some interviews that she practiced magic. No one really knows if she was serious while practicing witchcraftRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson934 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson signifies the physical connection between the villagers and their unwillingness to give up their tradition. â€Å"The Lottery† is very unpredictable and quite misleading. The black box has no functionality, except every June 27th. Shirley Jackson depicts the black box as an important and traditional tool. Although the villagers in â€Å"The Lottery† are terrified of the goal of the lottery and the black box, they are unwilling to let go of the tradition. Shirley Jackson portraysRead MoreWinning the Lottery Equals Death in Shirley Jackson, The Lottery786 Words   |  4 PagesTo win a lottery should be an exciting and joyful thing, but in â€Å"The Lottery† created by Shirley Jackson, winning the lottery in the story would be the most unfortunate thing for everyone as it equals to death. â€Å"The Lottery† is a tradition to pick a scapegoat, it has been carried out in the village for a very long time and it is a part of life for everyone. No one wants to question the tradition as they believe that it would help them to having a great harvest. A Third person narrator tells theRead MoreTradition Stays Put in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson1053 Words   |  4 PagesTradition Stays Put Easily regarded as one of America’s most beloved short stories, â€Å"The Lottery,† by Shirley Jackson, leaves readers with excitement and perhaps a small sense of doubt. Doubt could be an aspect of the reader’s mind due to the gory fact of the cultural tradition in the small farming town of the story. Shirley Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery† displays the theme of unwavering ritualistic tradition and symbolism. This means the village is unable to move past their tradition while symbolismRead More The Lottery Essay811 Words   |  4 Pagesword lottery, you probably think of winning a large sum of money before being stoned to death. quot; The Lotteryquot; by Shirley Jackson brings this horrible idea to life. While the overall mood of the story depicts a typical day in a small rural town, through great use of imagery and irony, one is set up for an unusual ending. Shirley Jackson uses the element of surprise. The way of the story ends is unlike anyone could predict. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The main object of The Lottery is theRead MoreCritical Criticism Of The Lottery1448 Words   |  6 PagesSherley’s Jackson short story, â€Å"The Lottery† tells the story of villagers that hold a terrible lottery tradition every year. Even though the story begins with the audiences with a bad close to the community by competing in a crisis tradition on a very important day, and at the end with a death of the â€Å"winner† by stoning the person that leads to s discussions between the people, and continued to be revise in modern days (Jackson). The â€Å"theory that based on the critical perspective of the story onRead MoreSymbolism Of The Lottery By Shirley Jackson1577 Words   |  7 PagesShirley Jackson s The Lottery , is a story that is filled with symbolism. The author uses symbolism to help her represent human nature as tainted, no matter how pure one thinks of himself or herself, or how pure their environment may seem to be. The story is very effective in raising many questions about the pointless nature of humanity regarding tradition and violence. The Lottery clearly expresses Jackson s feelings concerning mankind?s evil nature hiding behind traditions and rituals

Adolescence is a fascinating time of life Free Essays

Adolescence is a phase of life that begins with the self-discovery of oneself and relationship with the world outside. It is a phase when children are finding themselves entered into adult life surrounded by turbulence and stress already stored for them. Freud captured the stage of adolescence in its delimited fascicule when he evoked; â€Å"Adolescence is fraught with internal struggle. We will write a custom essay sample on Adolescence is a fascinating time of life or any similar topic only for you Order Now Upon entering the ‘genital’ phase of adolescence, the child is bombarded with instinctual impulses that disrupt this balance. The ego is torn between the strong impulses of the id and the restrictions of the superego. This conflict makes adolescence a time of tremendous stress and turmoil†. (Recapp Online) The youths are swayed by the waves of society’s upheavals and parental hypocritical approaches towards their lives, making them to question their own identity. Jeffrey Jensen Arnett refers adolescence to as Emerging Adulthood where adolescents are slowly and gradually moving towards adulthood. It is a time when they are free from any social obligations and expectations and find themselves independent wanting to break from all bondages. It was in February 2008, court prosecuted 15 years old girl in an aiding and abetting manslaughter by filming happy slapping attack whereby a man was succumbed to death. Mr. Waterhouse was given punches and kicking by two youths 19, and a 17-year-old youth in Keighley, West Yorkshire, in the month of September 2007. Though the man was able to take a walk back to his flat but soon died. All the youths admitted to the crime and the girl pleaded guilty for becoming part of this atrocious act of theirs. (Porter, ABC News Online, 2006) Happy slapping incident has become quite common among youths, formerly originated from South London in 2004. The victims are hit, punched and kicked and all the actions are recorded by youths in their mobile phones or put up on the net to be enjoyed later. The trend of indulging in such violent behaviors have become quite common as revealed by the New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research. The Bureau’s director, Don Weatherburn reported saying that around 10 to 14 years old adolescents had become the cause of the serious concern for the law enforcement agencies. There was an abrupt rise of incidents from 175 per 100,000 population in 1995 to 487 in 2004. (Porter, ABC News Online, 2006) The above incident clearly shows girls more inclined towards violent behavior. Her mother has put all the blame on the binge drinking which has become very common among youngsters in Britain-a socio cultural compulsion for youths. But the story above lacks clear explanation of what motivated a girl to become a part of the crime. Was it due to drinking or a trend or some other psychological or social factor? Pearson linked the girl’s violent behavior to the social problem faced by them. She says, â€Å"Girls don’t want to be endlessly told that they’re nothing but sex objects with low self-esteem†¦; they are rejecting victimhood.† (Pearson, 1997) In the process of resisting sexism, girls have unfortunately â€Å"gotten hip.† (Pearson, 1997) Several studies have been conducted and several approaches applied to understand t he increasing trend of the violent behavior among girls and Theories of Aggressive behavior is one among them putting forward the psychoanalytic aspect to the behavior problems among girls. News reported by April Simpson, in Boston Globe on 30th January 2007, changed our whole conception of how we perceive youth’s behavior. On one hand, adolescent behavior plunges us into the thought and on the other hand, the above news report shatters this myth. Many youths have proved themselves as responsible citizens and take violent behavior as a blotch on the society. Some youths from Boston, tired of violent behavior took initiative of starting a process of regular meetings with the police to bring law and order problems and several other issues concerning youths to the notice of Police and other city officials. In first ever meeting at the Tobin-Mission Hill Community Center, around dozen students participated and discussed their problems and the measures to control crimes with Thomas M. Menino, Mayor, State Representative Jeffrey Sanchez, Councilor Michael P. Ross, and area police officers. (Simpson, 2007) From then on, these meetings became a routine affair. Not just with officers concerned they also held the meetings among themselves to sort out measures to control violence they had been witnessing quite often in their neighborhood. This story does show youths shouldering responsibility to create conducive environment in their locality but this story does not show to what extent they have tried to address the problems and come out with the possible solutions and how far these youths were successful in their mission? Both these stories reflect contrasting shades of youth’s behavior. In the story above, where girls are too demonstrating behavior not conducive for them shows gravity of the situation our youths have involved themselves. Looking at the current social and economic problem, it is not surprising to see youths especially girls being carried away by the lure of status and societal position and bullying and brawling on roads along-with their mail counterparts. But it is also true their show of cat fighting is not new, and the main culprit is their role model in movie or TV soap, known as Script theory. As these are scripts only that create impressionable image of brawling girls. For e.g. Power-puff girls defeating their archenemy, Mojo Jojo, with hitting and kicking increases the likelihood that girls will also imitate them and see the bullying and aggressiveness as a means to resolve their problems. (Kirsh, 2006) Criminologists also state the exposure to violence at homes as the biggest reason for the youths especially girls to show their aggressive attitude. Lisa Broidy and Robert Agnew also point to the failed relationships as biggest crises in the lives of girls. These girls show their repressed feelings and grievances by shouting, yelling, hitting and abusing, in their own words, â€Å"Abusive and failed relationships are a major source of strain in the lives of many female offenders.† (Chesney-Lind Pasko, 2004) For guys, violence becomes a means to show their macho power among their peers. Though socio and economic factors too count as the reason behind their adapting to the aggressive behavior but it is more of their hurt ego, which immerses in the form of violence. Many psychologists termed their criminal tendency towards Social-information-processing theory. Theory posits the view that â€Å"Youths engage in these mental processes over and over in real time during social interactions and that within particular types of situations, individuals develop characteristic patterns of processing cues at each step in the model. These patterns form the basis of psychopathologic tendencies†. (Psychiatry Health SE.com, Online) For e.g. if provoked, youths may resort to cues such as threats, show hostile intentions to others and adopt aggressiveness skillfully and successfully, which implies that they are more prone to adopt conduct disorder. It is the community programs and initiatives as demonstrated by the youths from Boston that could make some difference in the long run in the lives of youths prone to violence. Dr Toni Makkai, the Director of the Australian Institute of Criminology, called for more and more intervention programs to support young mothers and give them knowledge and skills to foster in their children their importance toward s society, address their problems with love and bring them into the environment of friendliness and care. (Porter, ABC News Online, 2006) WORKS CITED Arnett Jensen. 2006. Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood, 3rd edition, Prentice Hall. Chesney-Lind, M Pasko, L. 2004. Girls, Women, and Crime: Selected Readings. Sage Publications. Kirsh, S. J. 2006. Children, Adolescents, and Media Violence: A Critical Look At Research. California London: Sage Publications. Pearson, P. 1997. You’re so cute when you’re mad. The Globe and Mail. 29 November, p. D3. Porter, B. (ABC News Online) 2006. PM – NSW youth crime on the rise. Retrieved on April 6, 2008. Psychiatry.HealthSE.com. 2004-2005. Social-Information-Processing Theory. Recapp. Developmental Theories. Retrieved on April 6, 2008 from W.W.W:  HYPERLINK http://www.etr.org/recapp/theories/AdolescentDevelopment/developmentalTheories.htm
http://www.etr.org/recapp/theories/AdolescentDevelopment/developmentalTheories.htm Simpson, A. (Boston Globe) Teens reach out for help against violence. Retrieved How to cite Adolescence is a fascinating time of life, Essays

Dinner or Menu Comparison

Questions: 1. Identify the festive/cultural dining experience event from your cultural background that you want to compare with another culture. Briefly describe the significant of the event? 2. Describe 5 key points about your cultural background and customs/traditions. Research and list 5 key points from the culture you are comparing? 3. Develop a traditional dining experience at your chosen event and design a formal meal menu for your own culture and then prepare an alternative formal meal menu for the alternative culture you have selected? 4. For each of the two menus developed an appropriate food and wine/drink pairing that aligns with each food course of your selected menu items? 5. Finally, state 2 interesting points reflecting upon what you learned about the dining and drinking habits of the 2 cultures menu you have compared? Answers: 1. Christmas dinner is the special meal which is eaten at Christmas. This meal can take place any time from the evening of Christmas to the evening of Christmas day itself. They are rich in nature and become the part of the Christian feast day celebration. These meals are the important part of parties which are held to celebrate Christmas. In some areas many religious customs are associated with Christmas meal. Usually, Christmas meals are different in every part of the world and prepared on the basis of regional cuisines and their local traditions. Therefore, Christmas meals are influenced by the culture of the country. In Canada, Christmas dinner is influenced from the culture of England. Christmas dinner includes turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and vegetables such as carrots, turnip, parsnips, etc. some other type poultry items are also used such as roast beef and ham. In deserts, many things are used such as pumpkin or apple pie, raisin pudding, Christmas pudding, or fruitcakes are most important. Deserts which are influenced with alcohol are also prepared such as Eggnog which is milk based punch. Many other things such as Christmas cookies, butter tarts and short bread are baked before the holidays in traditional manner and these are served to visitors on Christmas and New Year parties. In French Canada, meals are inspired by tradition of France (Potter, 2016; Tucker, 2015). 2. Cultural background in Canada: 1. In Canada people open their gifts on Christmas Eve, and some only open their stockings. 2. In Canada, people decorate their houses their houses with Christmas trees and they also hung Christmas stockings by the fireplace. 3. Christmas meal includes roast turkey and mashed potatoes and vegetables. 4. Christmas desert includes Christmas plum puddings and mincemeat tarts. 5. If there is snow then they go for skiing, skating etc (Brown, 2014). Cultural background in Australia: 1. In Australia, people hang wreaths on their front door. 2. Australians decorate their houses with bunches of 'Christmas Bush', which is considered as traditional tree in Australia with small green leaves and cream colour flowers. 3. In each state candlelight service arrange large carols. 4. In Australia people believes that Santa gives rest to reindeer and use kangaroos and six white boomers. 5. On Boxing Day people visit their friends and also arrange barbecues on beach (Why Christmas. Com, n.d.). 3. Menu for Christmas dinner in Canada: Eggnog- on Christmas Eve this drink is perfect, and as an adult a little shot of rum and a pinch of cinnamon turned this appetizer in amazing beverage. Eggnog introduced in England, where it was known as Egg Flip. Tortiere- this dish is traditional French Canadian meat based pie, and the meat is of pigeon. This dish was prepared from last many years and usually people used beef based tortiere but there are number of people who also used pork, veal, and fish. Turkey- turkey is considered as most important dish for Christmas meal from traditional point of view. According to farmers of Canada almost 3.8 million turkeys are purchased in 2014. Shortbreads- Christmas meal in Canada is influenced by the culture of England, and these shortbreads are also come from UK. On cookie tray these cookies are the beauty of Canadian Christmas (Canadian Living, n.d.). Menu for Christmas dinner in Australia: Glazed Ham- it is a traditional Christmas recipe which is famous in all over the world, and this dish is very important from traditional point of view in Australia. Roasted meat- turkey is the most loved dish of Christmas Eve in Australia and served with roast chicken, lamb and beef which are the important part of Australian Christmas traditions. We can also pair the Christmas feast with different types of vegetables such golden roast potatoes and honey yard carrots. Pudding- after completing the roasted lunch, there is much need of classic pudding to compliment and complete the Christmas dinner (Kumm, 2015). 4. Wine which is appropriate with Canadian menu items are: Mulled Wine- With the turkey dinner the most suitable wine is mulled wine. This drink is very essential on Christmas. Mulled wine is the important part of European traditions which still followed by many peoples. Different methods are used to prepare mulled wine but it must involve wine doused with spices, sugar, and pinch of orange slice for flavor. This drink play very important role on Christmas Eve, and Wine has starring role on dinner tables. The origin of mulled wine is very easy because people add sugar and spices when wine went bad. This wine is associated with the Christmas tradition and relation becomes stronger. Therefore, this wine is suitable with the menu items which are set for Christmas dining (The Times, 2016; Aggarwal, 2016). Wine which is appropriate with Australian menu items are: We can choose similar wine for both turkey as well as chicken, but wine must have more flavours and gaminess than the flesh of the bird. Pinot red is the most suitable red wine with the menu items for Christmas Eve. It contains tannins which make it compatible with most medium to full flavoured savoury foods such as with roasted meat with flavour of cheese, pasta and risottos. It is also served with different types of sauces and marinated fish and other sea foods, glazed ham, etc. With multiple items of dining, this wine would match perfectly. This wine is consistent wine, and there are many peoples who use this wine from many years (Hooke, 2015). 5. Canadian culture: There are number of peoples in Canada who are working on Christmas Eve, but it is also a last day of preparation for the holidays. Peoples who are planning to have traditional meal on Christmas day then they start preparations on Christmas Eve. Christmas meal includes roast turkey or goose with squash, different type of vegetables etc. however, in Canada people like to eat dishes such as clam chowder, spicy chicken wings, and different type of foods which are belonged to different cultures and presented by modern Canada. In Quebec, the traditional meal provided after Christmas service is a pie of meat, potatoes and onions known as In Canada, there was large number of European settlers from different backgrounds and these peoples have their own customs and traditions. Dining culture of Canada is influenced from different type of cultures (Time and date, n.d.). Australian culture: In Australia, Christmas season begins in late November, and Australian prepare English food on Christmas. Turkey, pork and ham are traditional dishes of Australia on Christmas eve. In desert Australian peoples like Christmas pudding which is also influenced by English culture. Christmas meals are served in afternoon at lunch time, and because of warm weather in Australia people celebrate their day on beaches with barbecue (Mackeinell, 2016). References: Potter, J. (2016). 15 Traditional Christmas Foods Across Canada. Retrieved on 4th February 2017from: https://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/great-canadian-cookbook/traditional-christmas-foods-across-canada/#!Pecan-Butter-Tarts-recipe. Tucker, R. (2015). How to make a truly Canadian Christmas dinner. Retrieved on 4th February 2017 from: https://news.nationalpost.com/life/food-drink/how-to-make-a-truly-canadian-christmas-dinner. Brown, N. (2014). How do Christmas celebrations differ between the US and UK. Retrieved on 4th February 2017from: https://www.quora.com/How-do-Christmas-celebrations-differ-between-the-US-and-UK. Why Christmas.com. Christmas in Australia. Retrieved on 4th February 2017from: https://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/australia.shtml. Canadian Living. Traditional christmas dinner made easy. Retrieved on 4th February 2017from: https://www.canadianliving.com/food/cooking-school/article/traditional-christmas-dinner-made-easy. Kumm, W. B. (2015). A Traditional Australian Christmas Menu. Retrieved on 4th February 2017from: https://deliciousfoodandwine.com/a-traditional-australian-christmas-menu/. The Times, (2016). Mulled wine. Retrieved on 4th February 2017from: https://wellingtontimes.ca/mulled-wine-3/. Aggarwal, K. (2016). Whats in your Christmas cup. Retrieved on 4th February 2017from: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/specials/luxe/whats-in-your-christmas-cup/article9438338.ece. Hooke, H. (2015). Matching wines to food on Christmas Day. Retrieved on 4th February 2017from: https://www.goodfood.com.au/drinks/matching-wines-to-food-on-christmas-day-20151207-glcr4b. Time and Date. Christmas Eve in Canada. Retrieved on 4th February 2017from: https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/canada/christmas-eve. Mackenell, I. (2016). What do Australians eat during Christmas. . Retrieved on 4th February 2017from: https://www.quora.com/What-do-Australians-eat-during-Christmas.

Technological Singularity Essay Example

Technological Singularity Essay In a guest column, Computers vs. Brains on the Opinionator of The New York Times, Sandra Aamodt and Sam Wang analyzed some of the arguments by inventor Raymond Kurzweil, one of the leading inventors of our time, in his most recent futurist manifesto: â€Å"The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology† (2005). Kurzweil estimates that machines will inevitably be able to surpass our thinking capabilities within a few decades. Kurzweils speculative reasoning has been heavily debated and challenged. In Aamodt and Wangs article they point out that there are fundamental differences between our brains and computers that makes Kurzweils predictions improbable. The purpose of this essay is to evaluate the arguments of sides, Kurzweils book and Aamodt and Wangs article. I will attempt to accomplish this by using various critical thinking methods such as defining, clarifying and explaining some of the history of the concepts and the debates involved. To understand the debate we must first clarify what is technological singularity. A technological singularity is the moment our technological development becomes so rapid that it makes the future after the singularity unpredictable. Writers on singularity, such as Raymond Kurzweil, define the concept in terms of the technological creation of super-intelligence (Kurzweil, 2005). The article points out that any comparison of the brain and computers misses the messy truth about the fundamental differences between them. The article provides various reasons why the brain is superior to computers and ways in which it is not. We will write a custom essay sample on Technological Singularity specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Technological Singularity specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Technological Singularity specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The debate focuses on differences on energy consumption, information processing strategies and capacity, and the pros and cons of artificial versus biological between brain and computers. The brain contains many systems that have evolved through natural selection for one task then was adopted for another. It is efficient for nature to adapt an old system that to build a new one. As such, the brain is composed of the brain stem, the limbic system and the brain cortex carrying out a complex communication with each other that we have yet to decipher. Engineers however, have the advantage to start over to get it just right. A persistent problem, with not just artificial intelligence, but all machines, is the tendency of components to fail. Yet our biological neurons and synapses fail all the time, even under healthy conditions, but unlike computers, new neuron connections can form as well as break throughout a lifetime, this provides an infinite potential for new paths and brain activity. The human brain uses 12 watts, which is less than a typical refrigerator light while the memory of an artificial brain would use nearly a gigawatt, the amount currently consumed by all Washington, D. C. (Aamodt Wang, 2009). To solve this challenge Kurzweil invoked Moores Law. The law is named after Intel co-founders Gordon E. Moore, who originally described the trend in 1965. In this paper Moore noted that number the of transistors in integrated circuits had doubled every year from the invention of the integrated circuit in 1958 until 1965 and predicted that the trend would continue for at least ten years (Moore, 1965). His prediction has proved to be incredibly accurate, in part because most technology and electronic industries now use this principle to set targets for research and development (Disco Meulen, 1998). For the last four decades memory and chip capacity has doubled every one or two years (est. 2025 to 2030). The article claims that Kurzweil overlooks Moores Law power consumption per chip, which has also increased immensely since 1985 (Aamodt Wang, 2009). While this is true, it implies that electrical power consumption will continue to grow whereas electrical power and storage technologies such as batteries, fuel cells and renewable energies will remain stagnant. The problem in this logic is that history and technology advancements do not evolve at a constant pace, in fact the capabilities of many digital electronic devices and technologies like energy efficiency are also linked to Moores law. New revolutionary technologies are emerging fast to address this issue of increased electrical power generation and storage needs. An example is teams of MIT scientists that have created a synthetic, self-assembling chloroplast that can be break and reassemble repeatedly, a self-restoring solar cell. Dillow, 2010). Another example is a company called Bloom Energy, which is producing tiny fuel cell boxes called â€Å"Bloom Boxes. † Two of these can power an average U. S. home. Each device is about the size of a standard brick. Although they need to be surrounded by a larger unit that takes in an energy source, they are still about the size of a refrigerator. This alternative is already being tested by companies such as Google and eBay (Siegler, 20 10). One striking feature of brain tissue is its compactness. The memory capacity in this small volume is potentially immense. For computer capacity, to begin to approach that of a human brain, as we get closer to the physical limits of silicon and other materials used in current computing components like computer chips and memory; manufacturers would possibly need to experiment with other production techniques and materials. As humans have evolved, we have developed the ability to make fast inferences in very complex situations. We can make logical approximations and find â€Å"good enough† solutions. This type of decision-making will undoubtedly be hard to match but there are already robots accomplishing seemingly simple tasks like matching socks and playing soccer autonomously, which are actually very complicated tasks. On good example is ASIMO, which is currently the worlds most advanced humanoid robot; it is the culmination of two decades of research by Honda engineers. ASIMO can run, walk on uneven slopes and surfaces, turn smoothly, climb stairs, and reach for and grasp objects, comprehend and respond to simple voice commands. ASIMO can also have the some face recognition capability and can map its environment and register stationary objects. ASIMO can also avoid moving obstacles as it moves through its environment (Honda. com). However, we bring a large amount of background information to bear on simple tasks, allowing us to make inferences that are difficult for machines. Even the most advanced computer has trouble differentiating a dog and a cat apart, something even a toddler can do without any effort. In regards to the declaration that engineers can learn from brain strategies (Aamodt Wang, 2009), it should be noted for the purpose of clarification that researchers and engineers are constantly trying to mimic the tricks that millions of years of evolution and development have taught to biology. If engineers can recreate this tricks and shortcuts, computers that share our imperfections. This may not be exactly what we want, but it could lead to better â€Å"soft† judgment or so called â€Å"fuzzy† reasoning from computers (Aamodt Wang, 2009). What determines a computers ability to make such inferences is related to the artificial intelligence software not hardware. In addition several devices can share computing resources through wireless technologies and the implementation of cloud computing strategies. Cloud computing refers to a shift towards internet-based computing, where shared software or information are provided on demand. Why bother? The article concludes that we should no try to achieve the goal of sophisticated artificial intelligence since, human beings are already capable of fulfilling all those requirements and in order to create a new one all it akes is a fertile couple with the resources to nurture their child. Although, it will eventually be possible to design devices that imitate human behavior, we already have such an incredible device in humans. I do agree that humans have achieved an intellectual and self-awareness that seems incomprehensible at times. The article misses one of the most important argu ments of Kurzweils discussion. The functionality of the brain is computable in terms of technology that we can build in the near future. We must take into account that preliminary research is already suggesting that prolonged use of such devices is affecting the way our minds work. â€Å"The technology is rewiring our brains,† said Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse and one of the world’s leading brain scientists. Our brain is evolving, she and other researchers compare digital stimulation less to drugs and alcohol than to food and sex, which are essential but counterproductive in excess (Richtel, 2010). We must always remember that Kurzweil describes this technological singularity as resulting from three different technologies and disciplines: genetics, nanotechnology, and robotics (which includes artificial intelligence). Genetic modification is the manipulation of an organisms genetic material in a way that does not occur under natural conditions. Nanotechnology is the study of controlling matter on a molecular scale to create new materials and devices with a wide range of applications, such as in medicine, electronics and energy production. Robotics is related to electronics, mechanics, and software. Kurzweil argues we are in the process of reaching new levels of refinement in our technology that will allow us to merge biological and artificial to create higher forms of life and intelligence. The article fails to make a persuasive argument against the inevitably of the technological singularity and the reasons for not pursuing this goal. There are many reasons why people will aim to achieve this such as vanity, medical and cognitive compensation or enhancements. We must not assume that the only goal in producing such technology is to just emulate humans, but to augment and even transcend our biology, as the book title suggests. References Aamodt, S. Wang, S. (March, 2009). Guest Column: Computers vs. Brains, New York Times, Retrieved from: http://opinionator. blogs. nytimes. com/2009/03/31/guest-column-computers-vs-brains/ Dillow, C. (2010). MITs Self-Assembling Solar Cells Recycle Themselves Repeatedly, Just Like Plant Cells.

Laurels and What One Does With Them

Laurels and What One Does With Them Laurels and What One Does With Them Laurels and What One Does With Them By Maeve Maddox I heard a newscastersports I thinksay that someone was waiting on the laurels of someone. Sometimes I feel like an ancient Roman watching Latin turn into French. What did the newscaster mean? He had a vague recollection of having heard something about laurels and an -ing verb. The expression he was reaching for is resting on ones laurels. To rest upon ones laurels is to expend less effort, to give up striving for new victories, to rely on past success to cover up current failures. In classical times, winners of athletic contests and poetry slams were crowned with laurel wreaths because the laurel wreath was an attribute of the god Apollo, deity of music, poetry, and the arts. NOTE: art didnt mean the same to the ancients as it does in modern usage. For the Greeks, athletics belonged to the category of art. To the major arts, according to Cicero, belonged political and military arts; to the second class belonged purely intellectual arts, i.e., sciences, but also poetry and eloquence; to the third class belonged painting, sculpture, music, acting, athletics. Dictionary of the History of Ideas From this custom of crowning the best poets with a laurel wreath comes the term poet laureate, an official versifier appointed by a government to write poems for special occasions. Roman custom extended the use of the laurel wreath to crown victorious generals. During the Roman Republic, the second highest military honor was the Civic Crown, a wreath made of oak leaves. It was awarded to a Roman who had saved the life of fellow citizens by slaying an enemy on a spot not further held by the enemy that same day. Wikipedia The highest military honor was the Grass Crown, awarded to a general who broke a blockade around a threatened legion or army, saving it from annihilation. This one wasnt awarded too often. The association of oak leaves with military achievement survives to modern times. Certain miltary decorations make use of oakleaf clusters. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Masters Degree or Master's Degree?35 Genres and Other Varieties of FictionHow to Write a Proposal

Ellis Island Database, History, Immigrants and Lists

Ellis Island Database, History, Immigrants and Lists Ellis Island, a small island in New York Harbor, served as the site of Americans first Federal immigration station. From 1892 to 1954, over 12 million immigrants entered the United States through Ellis Island. Today the approximately 100 million living descendants of these Ellis Island immigrants account for more than 40% of the countrys population. The Naming of Ellis Island In the early 17th century, Ellis Island was no more than a small 2-3 acre lump of land in the Hudson River, just south of Manhattan. The Mohegan Indian tribe who inhabited the nearby shores called the island Kioshk or Gull Island. In 1628 a Dutch man, Michael Paauw, acquired the island and renamed it Oyster Island for its rich oyster beds. In 1664, the British took possession of the area from the Dutch and the island was once again known as Gull Island for a few years, before being renamed Gibbet Island, following the hanging there of several pirates (gibbet refers to a gallows structure). This name stuck for over 100 years, until Samuel Ellis purchased the little island on January 20, 1785, and gave it his name. American Family Immigration History Center at Ellis Island Declared part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument in 1965, Ellis Island underwent a $162 million renovation in the 1980s and opened as a museum on September 10, 1990. Researching Ellis Island Immigrants 1892-1924 The free Ellis Island Records database, provided online by the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, allows you to search by name, year of arrival, year of birth, town or village of origin, and ship name for immigrants who entered the U.S. at Ellis Island or the Port of New York between 1892 and 1924, the peak years of immigration. Results from the database of more than 22 million records provide links to a transcribed record and a digitized copy of the original ship manifest. The Ellis Island immigrant records, available both online and through kiosks at the Ellis Island American Family Immigration History Center, will provide you with the following type of information about your immigrant ancestor: Given nameSurnameGenderAge at arrivalEthnicity / NationalityMarital statusLast ResidenceDate of arrivalShip of travelPort of origin You can also research the history of the immigrant ships that arrived at Ellis Island, NY, complete with photos. If you believe your ancestor landed in New York between 1892 and 1924 and you cant find him or her in the Ellis Island database, then make sure youve exhausted all of your search options. Due to unusual misspellings, transcription errors and unexpected names or details, some immigrants may be difficult to locate. Records of passengers that arrived at Ellis Island after 1924 arent yet available in the Ellis Island database. These records are available on microfilm from the National Archives and your local Family History Center. Indexes exist for New York passenger lists from June 1897 to 1948. Visiting Ellis Island Each year, more than 3 million visitors from around the world walk through the Great Hall at Ellis Island. To reach the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Immigration Museum, take the Circle Line - Statue of Liberty Ferry from Battery Park in lower Manhattan or Liberty Park in New Jersey. On Ellis Island, the Ellis Island Museum is located in the main immigration building, with three floors dedicated to the history of immigration and the important role played by Ellis Island in American history. Dont miss the famous Wall of Honor or the 30-minute documentary film Island of Hope, Island of Tears. Guided tours of the Ellis Island Museum are available.

E-crime against Stilianos Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

E-crime against Stilianos - Assignment Example This study looks into electronic crime, a new phase of technological mishap that to a large extent thwarts the effort of achieving secured information system and network system running. Electronic crime or e-crime basically refers to a situation whereby crime is committed by the use of technology. In most cases, these crimes are committed by against information systems and other technologically enhanced systems. Typical examples can be given as the invasion of a person’s bank details by the use of technology or breaking into the database system of a university by the use of technology. It is in this direction that Crime Wales notes that â€Å"e-Crime generally refers to a criminal activity where a computer or computer network is the source, tool, target, or place of a crime.† Crime Wales therefore concerns a deliberate attempt to invade or harm a computer system. This is very common today because of the general growth and use of technology and technology tools. It can b e observed that modern growth in technology use has resulted in a situation whereby all major global institutions are hooked unto a network in one form or the other. Very common among these network systems are the use of the systems to create electronic commerce and protection of data from public domain. E-crime is a major form of cyber threat that has resulted in a lot of advocacy programs to combat the situation. The e-crime Bureau therefore notes that â€Å"The development of appropriate legislations and policies across corporate and government departments is an integral aspect of mitigating the cyber threat.† ... It will be noted that â€Å"Linux is a multitasking, multiuser operating system, which means that many people can run many different applications on one computer at the same time† (Grove, 1998). By this, there is a very high change of taking advantage of the multiplex nature of the accessibility core of the Linux. But indeed, the mere fact that Linux allows for multiuser system does not permit just any person to break into the system of other people. From the case study, it can be noticed that there is a particular hub that has been invaded by whoever is behind the plot. There confirmation that there was a specific target on one of the hubs is the fact that when nmap scan of the suspect system was done using the IT technician’s laptop, there were conflicting output listings as against the running of the lsof program to list the open transport layer network file descriptors on the same suspect system. Basically, Linux operates with a shell. A shell has been explained as â€Å"a program that takes the commands you type and translates them into instructions to the operating system† (Grove, 1998). In the person’s effort to invade Stilianos’ system without Stilianos’ notice, it is very much likely that the shell was the first system component to be tampered with. It is for this reason that according to the case study, two listening services on TCP ports 3457 and 32411 did not show up when viewed from within the system. b) Answers to the following questions: When and how Stilianos’ machine was initially compromised? The indication has already been given that the shell might have been tempered with as the first move to invade Stilianos’ system. As far as the shell of the Linux system