Shockwave Rider By Brunner Essays - Haflinger, The Shockwave Rider

Shockwave Rider By Brunner There are numerous books on the science fiction market, that deal with the myriad of possibilities involving the technology of the future. John Brunner's book, "Shockwave Rider," is one of the most popular, as well as one of the most famous, books dealing with this issue. Brunner presents many different realities to the reader, and they are all potentially very realistic in terms of the current state of technology. For the most part, Brunner seems to illustrate that technology, as it relates to the world wide datanet, is a good thing. This is not to say that he does not illustrate it as a very negative reality in the world he presents to the reader, but he does indicate that the world wide datanet and technology has great potential to make the world a better place for all concerned. In Brunner's book we have a reality that is incredibly tense, and almost plausible today. The space that the author deals with is filled with endless bits of information (information overload to be more precise), corporate domination, and it appears, just like many science fiction books that deal with the planet earth in the future, everything is known about everyone. there are no secrets from the system. Brunner illustrates this as a reality that is not necessarily very desirable. He plants a character, Nickie Haflinger, onto the scene. As with many books we can look at this character and see the author within. Haflinger is a prodigy whose talents allow him to switch identities with a simple phone call. By the advanced technology and the ingenuity that is completely Haflinger's, we see that the author is not one to be content with the realities that may be a possibility in the future of technology. Brunner clearly illustrates, by the previous description of Haflinger, that technology and the advances within that field, are incredibly beneficial, or they can be. but he is clearly unhappy with the way things have turned out due to the controlling nature of the governments. This is further illustrated in the fact that Brunner's hero is a young man who is bent on changing the world. He struggles to evade the officials and uses all skills available to him, whether inherent skills or technological ones, to the best of his ability, to put an end to the misuse of power that is so much a part of his world which involves the entity of the world wide datanet. Perhaps, one of the most insightful parts of the book comes in the first half, when Haflinger is experiencing flashbacks due to interrogations. It is in these sections that we see the inner mind of Brunner as he deflty illustrates the world and mind of Haflinger. In this part we see many different ethical arguments arise between Haflinger and his interrogators. Not only does it seem as though Brunner is telling a fascinating story, but that he is attempting to enlighten people about the possibilities that may arise due to the growth of technology. He is clearly illustrating that this reality, although fictional, may well be close at hand. Who knows, but we may be able to access the Internet by telephone in just a few years. There seems to be no stopping this type of technology that is bent on bringing communication, and control along with it, to a level where anyone and everyone can become actively involved. These interrogations approach many difficult and intriguing questions. For example, if all the choices of a race are known, where does the freedom lie? Or if those choices, and their end result, can be easily assumed. If a society is so intricately interconnected, almost to the point where there is no individuality whatsoever, what happens when one man or woman stands apart from the crowd? We know full well how such individuals have been treated in a society where we claim to embrace the unique and free minded individual. But to envision such an individual in a place and time when nearly everyone was essentially identical, brings the reader to a position where the truth of such a future is quite stifling and evident. Anyone with any sense would not like to exist in such a world. Brunner is clearly indicating that such a world wide datanet would not be desirable at all. these are very real possibilities and as any good science fiction writer knows, the future is often illustrated as it might be, in an attempt to help eliminate the possibility. The

Korean pottery essays

Korean pottery essays From 10,000 to 6,000 years ago, the mankind started to make earthenware and use them. In Korea, they have used earthenware from 7~8,000years ago-the New Stone Age. As time went by, glazes were sometimes employed. The firing temperature varied between 500 and 1,100 degrees. Earthenware was used in Korea until the early Koryo dynasty (10-11th centuries). Earthenware and bronze developed in parallel through the prehistoric age, and then the periods known in Korea as Silla and Kaya (from 57 BC until the 10th century), and Koryo (10-14th centuries). The earthenware pottery of Silla and Kaya is particularly noted for its formal qualities. The earthenware was used for utilitarian vessels, which were sometimes modelled into the shape of people, houses, and animals. Among the various pieces surviving from this period, we can find vessels expressing vividly the characteristic spirit of the Korean people, a spirit that has remained alive through the centuries until the present day. The facial e xpressions are comically exaggerated, we find amusing caricatures, as well as bold sexual features suggesting use in fertility rites, a variety of concise artistic details indicating a rich imagination. Through such works the image of our ancestors of centuries past has been transmitted to us today. In 9th century Silla(Koreas earliestdynasty), they have had great opportunity to trade with China and accepted manufacturing technology of Celadon. In China, jade signifies the true gentleman, wealth and honor. Therefore jade was popular for use in objects enclosed in tombs. The ruling classes were eager to possess jade, but it was too little for their needs, and very expensive. Therefore artisans tried to create jade from clay, and the result was the pottery known in the West as Celadon. In Korea, Chinese celadon pottery has been found in tombs dating from the 4-6th centuries, suggesting that the royal family of the period imported celadon from China as...

Voiced vs. Unvoiced Pronunciation

Voiced vs. Unvoiced Pronunciation Voiced vs. Unvoiced Pronunciation Voiced vs. Unvoiced Pronunciation By Maeve Maddox Two terms I often use when writing about pronunciation are voiced and unvoiced. Apparently they are not as familiar in this context as I assumed they were. A reader has asked me to explain my use of them. In one sense, to voice something is the same as to say or speak it: Homeowners voice their concerns about increased earthquake activity. Likewise, in some contexts, unvoiced means unspoken: If people seem tense because of  unvoiced  disagreements, you may have to bring  concerns  out into the open. In the context of pronunciation, however, voiced and unvoiced refer to consonant sounds that are uttered with the lips, tongue and teeth in the same position, but which produce different sounds. Voiced sounds result when the vocal cords are touching and vibrate. Unvoiced sounds are pronounced with the vocal cords apart. For example, both sounds, /d/ and /t/ are uttered with the tongue in the same position, but the sound at the beginning of the word dog is voiced. The sound at the beginning of the word toy is unvoiced. The following English consonant letter pairs represent voiced and unvoiced sounds: b/p = boy, pit d/t = dog, toy v/f = van, fan Note: The usual spelling for the unvoiced sound in this pair is f. An exception is the word of, in which the letter f represents the voiced sound. j/tch = jet, witch Note: The letter g represents two sounds. The â€Å"soft† sound is the same as that of the letter j. The â€Å"hard† sound belongs to the following consonant pair. g/k = girl, kite The letter s and the letter-combination th represent both voiced and unvoiced sounds: s = music [voiced], sing [unvoiced] th = they [voiced], thin [unvoiced] The sound /zh/ is represented by the letter g in a few English words derived from French, such as genre and menagerie, but more often the sound /zh/ is spelled with the letter combination si: invasion, intrusion, vision. The /zh/ sound is also spelled with the letter s followed by u: visual, casual. The unvoiced sound of /zh/ is /sh/, as in ship. The sounds for the letters l, m, n, ng, and r are voiced. They do not have unvoiced equivalents in English. 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 Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Math or Maths?"Have" vs "Having" in Certain ExpressionsPreposition Mistakes #1: Accused and Excited

Central Processing Time Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Central Processing Time - Lab Report Example The methods used in achieving the results in this experiment via the use of a standard deck of playing cards and the involvement of one subject or individual. The participant in this case is a male individual, weighing 120 pounds, is 5 foot 9’ and is 26 years old. The three tasks to be performed are listed below: The mean processing time varies across the 3 sorting tasks set for the experiment. The second task – Suit Sort took a longer processing time compared to the last task – Color Sort with Preview. The facts are listed down on the data sheet. The processing time is dependent on complexity of the task to be performed and the type of hand used, if either it is the dominant one or the non-dominant one. The color sort with preview process took a lesser processing time because it involved the preview and use of the dominant hand. The computer generated graph for the mean processing time across the three tasks is represented below: The graph is plotted to show the output relation of the plot processing time against that of the class average time for the three tasks

Why I want to be a Nurse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Why I want to be a Nurse - Essay Example I believe being a nurse is more of a calling than a profession. Taking care of others has always interested me. There is something that happens within me when I help another person. I not only feel a great sense of purpose but also experience happiness in my ability to help someone in need. When you help and take care of someone; it makes you feel that you have contributed in making their life more beautiful, less painful and more hopeful, at least that’s the way I feel about it. I once heard someone say â€Å"A doctor treats a disease that a person happens to have, but a nurse treats a patient who just happens to have a disease.† There is so much suffering in this world today and since I am an extremely sensitive and compassionate young person, I feel personally challenged to contribute in whatever way I can and make a difference in this world. At present I volunteer at a local veterinary animal hospital and also a care home. I am extremely interested in geriatrics - t he branch of medicine that deals with the diseases, debilities, and care of aged persons. I believe that pursuing a career in Nursing will enable me to learn and provide professional medical assistance to these people who are in need. I am sure the nursing profession will no doubt be challenging and demanding, and that’s why I keep with me the words written by Rn Cardillo Donna (2001) where she goes on to say â€Å"When the reality of your chosen profession hits, it can be overwhelming. But never lose sight of the reason you chose to enter this glorious profession – to help others, make a difference, and make the world a better place to be. That’s what it’s all about†.

Technology and Society in 1984, Fahrenheit 451, Enders Game, and America in 2004 :: comparison compare contrast essays

Technology and Society in 1984, Fahrenheit 451, Ender's Game, and America in 2004 Science fiction authors of the 1940's and 50's like George Orwell, Ray Bradbury, and Isaac Asimov wrote their books about technological dilemmas such as automation (robots), information technology, and technologically influenced utopias (or depending on the reader, dystopias). Charles Allen once said that "if the human race wants to go to Hell in a basket, technology can help it get there by jet." In the era of the mentioned authors, technology was a new and exciting idea, and the concept of technology causing so many problems was far from their minds. Today, however, our lives are practically dictated by technology. Ray Bradbury and George Orwell were more frightened of the endless possibilities of what humans can do with technology. In 1984, George Orwell wrote of a future where people didn't know what privacy was because the government used the art of spying to gain control and acceptance. The government watched the actions of its citizens from the moment they were born until the time of their death. Protection from surveillance was impossible because all technology was owned by "Big Brother." Besides that, how can one miss something they've never experienced? If you were born without a finger, do you really miss it? It may be useful, but if you've never experienced it, how do you know you're actually missing out? We face the same conflict today, almost fifty years later. Our government uses all kinds of surveillance to keep track of its citizens, from satellites in space to cameras mounted on telephone poles. Although it's highly unlikely that total privacy has been taken from us, the concept is possible. When Orwell wrote 1984, he wrote of a foreign idea, not realizing that we are experiencing excerpts of his book in 1999. It's almost sad, in a way, that our government has taken a piece of one man's imagination and applied it to everyday life. Who's Big Brother now? Fahrenheit 451, written by Ray Bradbury, is set in a society where the written word is strictly forbidden. Firemen of the future are required to set fires, not put them out. They are required to find houses, buildings, basically any place that contains the forbidden books.

Imperialism in India

Imperialism, as defined by the Dictionary of Human Geography, is â€Å"the creation and/or maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationship, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination. † Imperialism has positive and negative effects, especially with Great Britain’s imperialism with India. The positive effects are in Documents 1 and 4, stating that the manufacturing aided in the majority of India’s achievements. The negative effects stated in Documents 2 and 7 shows how bitter sweet the effect of imperialism truly is.The positive effects of imperialism in India were quite plentiful. Grouping together Documents 1 and 4, one would like to state that they both encourage the beneficial view of manufacturing. In Document 1 it states that, â€Å"They [the English] develop the territory by building roads, canals, railways, and telegraphs. The progressive nations can establish schools and new spapers for the people of the colonies. † Noticeably, the point of view of this Document happens to be an Englishman who saw only the benefits of imperialism and took no thought of the negative effects.Using this document one can realize that the manufacturing of these certain matters can lead to the civilization of a country. Stated in Document 4 India gained a â€Å"higher standard of living† (Document 4) and because of this industrialization, has a â€Å"great number of bridges†¦ 40,000 miles of railway, and 70,000 miles of paved roads† (Document 4). Even though the document states a bias view of the beneficial effects, there is a certain missing voice. Because the document is written by an Englishman who has the authority and power to write this, no native Indian could back them up as to why it is negatively effective until later years.The negative effects of imperialism in India were thought of mainly by the Indians living in their home land. One would group together Documents 2 and 7 because of the point of view of the author. Both authors are Indian, giving us not an Englishman’s view on imperialism, but giving us an idea of how the native Indians felt about it. Dadabhai Naoroji, an Indian, states in Document 2, â€Å"Natives, no matter how fit, are deliberately kept out of the social institutions started by Europeans†¦ All they [the Europeans] do is live off of India while they are here. When they go, they carry all they have gained. What Naoroji is trying to say is that Englishmen are only in India for their own beneficial purposes and when they have gained that beneficial purpose, they will leave, and no Indian will have the right to tell them not to. In Document 7, Gandhi offers a complaint about imperialism and how the British has â€Å"given us no responsibility for our own government. † Because of the order of taking over India, the British have taken India and their government, leaving the natives alm ost helpless and useless. The missing voice of these documents is the Englishmen.Certainly one can tell that if a British man was present, they would argue back, stating the positive views on imperialism, leaving them the missing voice. Britain imperialized India for the better and for the worse. Because of the reign of Britain in India, the native Indians almost seemed inferior to the British, leaving them with these negative and positive effects. Indeed, India began to industrialize thanks to Britain, but India also lost control of their own country, letting the British take over. In conclusion, the imperialism act against Britain and India caused many opinionated occurrences.