From LO to LOL - Emphasis

From LO to LOL From LO to LOL It is 40 years ago, almost to the day, that the internet made its first connection. On 29 October 1969, a computer in the University of California connected with one several hundred miles away in the Stanford Research Institute, just long enough to receive the message LO. (It was meant to be LOGIN, but the system crashed before the G could be typed.) The rate at which the internet and related technologies have developed since that fateful day is positively dizzying: from science fiction to something tentatively toyed with by a very few, to a ubiquitous part of life for the vast majority in a few decades. Increasingly frequently this is our chosen method of communication in work and out to the point where the future of a national institution like the postal service is threatened. But could our relationship with language be threatened too? The question does keep rearing its worried head over the possibilities of the future: illiterate children? Txt spk @ work? Robot computers marking exam papers? Whats certain is that there will be an effect of some kind. After all, use of the word hello as the greeting we unthinkingly use originated when Thomas Edison declared it the clearest way of answering the telephone. Interestingly, in 2003 it was reported that traditional greetings like hello would soon become obsolete, replaced (as they often are in texts and email) with globespeak alternatives, such as hey, howdy and gday. This, if true, would effectively bring the life of hello full circle: both created for and destroyed by the rise of a new technology. Although we probably neednt sound its death knell quite yet. Then, of course, theres Microsoft: it may rule the world, but to what extent does it rule our words? We are all guilty of relying more and more heavily on Words varicoloured squiggly lines and AutoCorrect function to correct our mistakes, but we are all also probably aware that the program is far from infallible. For example, certain errors such as unnecessary initial capital letters or accidental use of homonyms may not be flagged, while words that are actually spelled accurately can be. Changes both in language and in technology are inevitable and move at a great pace, but theyre not always in step with each other. While newer words like podcast and texting have found their way into dictionaries, older versions of Word still mark them as wrong. The limitations of spellcheckers have been such that the phenomenon of them wreaking havoc with documents now has its own name: the Cupertino effect. Its so-called because Cupertino (the Californian city home to Apple Inc.) used to be the first offering to replace cooperation, back when spellcheckers only recognised the hyphenated version of the word. This meant that anyone breezily pressing accept all changes was left with such nonsensical phrases as the Cupertino with our Italian comrades proved to be very fruitful. (This is taken from an official NATO document from 2003.) Proper nouns and foreign words can also cause problems, as news service Reuters discovered when it inadvertently ended up referring to Pakistans Muttahida Quami Movement as the Muttonhead Quail Movement. Naturally, updates are being made all the time to prevent these particular blunders Microsoft Office 2010 offers a contextual speller in order to make correction suggestions more accurate. Nevertheless, other problems are quite likely to pop up and, however ingenious the algorithm behind the latest features, the ultimate responsibility is with us to check what we actually end up saying. It is also unavoidable that around periods of great change therell be those who fret over the potential consequences. The massive rise in texting has led to concern that this abbreviation-filled medium is going to destroy childrens literacy and have them including such terms as LOL (laugh out loud) and gr8 (great) in their schoolwork. Tales of such inclusions abound, but many are mere fabrication; in fact, several studies have found that the majority of children scornfully denounce the idea that theyd do such a thing. Indeed, a positive aspect could be that kids are taught the importance of writing appropriately for different contexts. We wont be able to stop the dual juggernauts of technology and language change, but we neednt necessarily fear them. The best approach is probably to stop worrying about a future filled with texted essays and automatons in charge of education, and make sure to keep a responsible eye on what we are each actually producing. After all, the future of writing if not the future of technology is largely in our hands.

The Pros and Cons of Ethanol Fuel

The Pros and Cons of Ethanol Fuel Ethanol is a relatively low-cost alternative fuel  that boasts less pollution and more availability compared to unblended gasoline, but there are a number of benefits and drawbacks to this newer form of fuel. For environmental purposes, ethanol is less harmful than unblended gasoline. Carbon monoxide production from ethanol fuel is significantly lower than that of gasoline engines, and ethanol is easier to source since it comes from processed corn. This means it also helps farms and manufacturing economies. The disadvantages of ethanol and other biofuels include the use of farmland for industrial corn and soy growth, rather than for food crops. Also, biofuels arent meant for all vehicles, especially older vehicles. There is some resistance from the automotive industry when it comes to adding biofuels to the market. However, many automakers are adapting to low-emissions vehicle standards which require vehicles to use ethanol blends rather than unblended gasoline. Ethanol Benefits for the Environment and Economy Overall, ethanol is considered to be better for the environment than gasoline. Ethanol-fueled vehicles produce lower  carbon dioxide emissions,  and the same or lower levels of hydrocarbon and oxides of nitrogen emissions. E85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, also has fewer volatile components than gasoline, which means fewer gas emissions from evaporation. Adding ethanol to gasoline in lower percentages, such as 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline (E10), reduces carbon monoxide emissions from the gasoline and improves fuel octane. Flexible fuel vehicles that can use E85 are widely available and come in many different styles from most major auto manufacturers. E85 is also widely available at a growing number of gas stations throughout the United States. Flexible fuel vehicles have the advantage of being able to use E85, gasoline, or a combination of the two, giving drivers the flexibility to choose the fuel that is most readily available and best suited to their needs. Because ethanol is mostly a product of processed corn, ethanol production supports farmers and creates domestic jobs. And because ethanol is produced domestically, from domestically-grown crops, it reduces U.S. dependence on foreign oil and increases the nation’s energy independence. Being able to grow ethanol-producing crops reduces the pressure to drill in environmentally-sensitive places, such as the north slope of Alaska, the Arctic Ocean, and the Gulf of Mexico. It can replace the necessity for environmentally-sensitive shale oil, like that coming from the Bakken Shale,  and reduces the need for the construction of new pipelines like the Dakota Access Pipeline. The Drawbacks of Ethanol Ethanol and other biofuels are often promoted as clean, low-cost alternatives to gasoline, but the production and use of ethanol are not all positive. The major debate about corn and soy-based biofuels is the amount of land it takes away from food production. Also, industrial corn and soy farming are harmful to the environment in a different way. Growing corn for ethanol involves large amounts of synthetic fertilizer and herbicide. Corn production, in general, is a frequent source of nutrient and sediment pollution. Also, the typical practices of industrial corn farmers, versus commercial and local food farmers, are considered more environmentally hazardous in general. The challenge of growing enough crops to meet the demands of ethanol and biodiesel production is significant and, some say, insurmountable. According to some authorities, producing  enough biofuels  to enable their widespread adoption could mean converting most of the world’s remaining forests and open spaces to farmland - a sacrifice few people would be willing to make. â€Å"Replacing only five percent of the nation’s diesel  consumption with biodiesel  would require diverting approximately 60 percent of today’s soy crops to  biodiesel production,† says Matthew Brown, an energy consultant and former energy program director at the National Conference of State Legislatures. In a 2005 study, Cornell University researcher David Pimental factored in the energy needed to grow crops and convert them to biofuels and concluded that producing ethanol from corn required 29 percent more energy than ethanol is capable of generating. Sources: EarthTalk staff. The Pros and Cons of Biofuels. James T. Ehler, February 2007. Susan S. Lang. Cornell ecologists study finds that producing ethanol and biodiesel from corn and other crops is not worth the energy. Cornell Chronicle, July 5, 2005, Ithaca NY.

Fire detection and suppression systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Fire detection and suppression systems - Essay Example This can be in form of sirens, flash lights, telephone calls and a signal sent to the city’s fire department. It comprises the following parts: The alarm system is composed of mainly the control panel, power supply, zone feature, input devices and the output devices. The input devices are the sensory zones of the alarm hence they include the smoke and heat detectors. If the signal is high enough, the control panel would provide notifications about the danger posed by the changes in the detectors. However, some signals may require immediate attention, for example a fire alert in a specific room of a building. In such an instance, the zone feature is programmed to activate instant sprinklers that would put off the fire. Finally, the output devices include the horns, voice announcements and flash lights that indicate danger (Hirschler, 1992). Fire alarm systems are very important in notifying the occupants of the building under fire to vacate. They are designed to use both sound and visual warnings hence ensuring evacuation of the buildings thus saving lives. In the recent models of the alarm systems, they are programmed to inform an individual the specific location of the fire hence giving him or her right direction of the nearest exit (Sturzenbecker, Adams & Burnside, 2012). The alarm systems assist the fire fighters to easily locate the building under fire thus facilitating quick response to the fire. In addition, the alarm system may produce a human voice that informs them of the location of the fire hence.

Outline the historical origins of neo-conservatism and critically Essay

Outline the historical origins of neo-conservatism and critically assess its key themes - Essay Example Neoconservatives originally approached this standpoint from the left political wing, particularly in reponse to main changes in modernhistory of the United States. The majority of predecessors of neoconservativism were liberals or socialists who actively supported theWorld War II, and whose views were influenced by the Depression-era concepts of ex-New Dealers, Trotskyism followers and trade unionists, especially those who supported the political study of Max Shachtman. â€Å"A number of future neoconservatives such as Jeane Kirkpatrick and Ken Adelman were Shachtmanites in their youth, while others were later involved with Social Democrats USA. Most neoconservatives, however, including those who have been close to SDUSA, will strenuously deny, even contrary to evidence, that they were ever Shachtmanites† (Dean, 2004,p.65). Disagreement with Dà ©tente with the USSR and the ideas of New Left, who were against both Soviet and capitalist ideologies, which occurred as a reaction to the USSR’s break with Stalinism ideology in the middle of 1950s, led the Neoconservatives to break with ‘liberal consent’ established in postwar years. The ‘prototypical’ neoconservative intellectuals I.Kristol and N.Podhoretz were connected to with the magazine named ‘Commentary’, and their academic development is quite apparent in those publications of that period (Stelzer, 2004). Over the course of the 1950s and early 1960s the original neoconservatives rejected communism, but accepted socialism and supported Civil Rights Movement initiated by Martin Luter King, and integration. Whereas, at the beginning of its development, the ideas of neoconservatism became well-known among the followers of hardline Communists, usually Jewish immigrant families, who lived in great poverty and those who has now become famous neoconservative thinkers. â€Å"Many neoconservatives also came to despise the counterculture of the 1960s and what they felt was a

Inherit The Wind Essay -- essays research papers

Matthew Harrison Brady, of Inherit the Wind by: Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, never fooled anyone. He may have seemed strong in the beginning but he no substance under the shell. Such a false front can be compared to water behind an earthen dam. It may hold some water for a time but once the water finds a weak point, the whole structure comes crashing down along with the fury of all the water behind it. Within brady, the water represents the gooey inner core of his personality. Once he loses his composure in front of his once adoring audience the entire fluid of his persona comes crashing out. The only strength of Matthew Harrison Brady is his power in deliveringh his ideas. As in the earthen dam example, the townspeople represent the city protected from the water by the dam. Once the dam breaks, all the townspeople below get wet and are shaken to their foundations. Matthew Harrison Brady, without a doubt, deserves no sympathy. One example of Brady’s overly self-confidence would be "No†¦I believe we should welcome Henry Drummond." (P g. 25). Ha! What a shock he is in for. His own "high and mighty" thinking is going to lead to his downfall. Even Brady is taken a tad aback by the news that Drummond will be joining the trial "Brady: (pale) Drummond?" (Pg. 25) While he basks in his loving audience of townspeople, he will yet be pulled down from his high throne to be questioned and scorned. While the town feels much stri...

A Room With A View English Literature Essay

In the gap of the fresh Forster nowadayss repression within the English category system taking to a life with no position which is represented by the fact that Lucy and Charlotte did non acquire the suites overlooking the Arno that they expected. Charlotte represents the stiff and conventional society that is keeping Lucy back. Charlotte ‘s â€Å" protecting embracing † gave Lucy the â€Å" esthesis of fog † . She wants Lucy to act in a â€Å" ladylike † manner and wants her to avoid any improper behavior with immature work forces. Charlotte holds Lucy back from showing her true emotions with George Emerson possibly because of being humiliated herself in a love matter many old ages ago. â€Å" I have met the type before. They rarely keep their feats to themselves. † This has prevented Charlotte from seeing that true love exists and so nowadayss to Lucy â€Å" the complete image of a cheerless, loveless universe † with no position. Forster besi des shows the reader that there are romantic characteristics concealed inside her. This is shown when she in secret tells Miss Lavish about George and Lucy ‘s buss who so proceeds to compose her novel about it. This same repression is seen with Lucy who plays her piano with passion demoing that merely through her music can Lucy genuinely express herself otherwise she is merely an ordinary conventional miss. â€Å" If Miss Honeychurch of all time takes to populate as she plays, it will be really exciting † ( p30 ) Mr Beebe is waiting for the minute when Lucy can interrupt free from Charlotte and take a more bold and audacious life. When Lucy returns to her place in England â€Å" the drawing room drapes at Windy Corner had been pulled to run into for the rug was new and merited protection from the August Sun. They were heavy drapes, making about to the land, and the visible radiation that filtered through them was subdued and varied † . The pulling room drapes pro tect the furniture from the detrimental beams of the Sun, merely as Lucy has been protected in Italy by Charlotte. There is no position and the visible radiation has been blocked. This symbolises how Lucy is repressed and prevented from seeing the true nature of life. They are denied the beauty of a â€Å" position † . Cecil besides attempts to protect Lucy with his restricting thoughts. Cecil ‘s attitude towards adult females is chesty and dismissive: he treats Lucy ‘s thoughts as if they are of â€Å" feminine inconsequence † and wants her to conform to an image of a Leonardo picture of enigma and soundlessness, in which he is ever dominant. When Lucy thinks of Cecil â€Å" it ‘s ever in a room † and one â€Å" with no position † ( p99 ) . This illustrates how Cecil is quashing Lucy ‘s feelings, supplying her with a life of humdrum and so forestalling her seeing the true position of life. Forster uses Italy to rouse Lucy to new ways of thought and the gap up of Windowss to see the universe. â€Å" The well-known universe had broken up, and at that place emerged Florence, a charming metropolis where people thought and did the most extraordinary things † that has â€Å" the power, possibly to arouse passions, good and bad, and convey them to speedy fulfillment † ( p51 ) . Italy is uninhibited by category limitations and this esthesis of equality and freedom shakes the foundations of Lucy ‘s old position of the universe. It is a topographic point where anything can go on. Lucy ‘s position on life ab initio begins to open up by George and Mr Emerson trading suites. â€Å" I have a position, I have a position†¦ This is my boy†¦ his name ‘s George. He has a position, excessively. † Mr Emerson is talking of their positions of the river, but the Forster intends the text to hold a dual significance. The Emersons ‘ position has to make with more than the quality of their suites and Forster implies a metaphorical significance in that the Ralph waldo emersons have a superior position of life which is much freer and more exciting. Miss Lavish takes her Baedeker guidebook and later loses her in Santo Croce when â€Å" for one ravishing minute Italy appeared † to Lucy. Inside the church he meets the Ralph waldo emersons who show her how to bask the church by following her bosom non by her guidebook. Their philosophic position helps Lucy in her geographic expedition of her ain life and the universe. â€Å" The baneful appeal of Italy worked on her, and alternatively of geting information, she began to be happy † . Furthermore when Lucy witnesses the slaying and the Italian falls at her pess she is overwhelmed the spontaneousness of the incident. When she regains consciousness after fainting and is rescued by George, she realises that she â€Å" every bit good as the deceasing adult male, had crossed some religious boundary † . Lucy begins to gain that her image of the universe based on how others think she should be is being replaced by self-generated reaction and natural inherent aptitude. A new position is opening up for her. â€Å" She contemplated the River Arno, whose boom was proposing some unexpected tune to her ears † . This position of the river symbolises the great alteration inside Lucy and the journey to happen her true position of life. Lucy nevertheless is non reborn into a passionate adult female until she is kissed by George. â€Å" The position was organizing at last † . Forster is demoing how Lucy ‘s find of her position mirrors her personal find. Her experiences in Italy alteration her, giving her new eyes to see the universe, and a position of her ain psyche as good. Finally Lucy at stopping points additions freedom to look out of Windowss. She is able to see clearly what she wants from life. George tells her that Cecil merely sees her as an object to be admired and will ne'er love her adequate to allow her independency, while George loves her for who she genuinely is. â€Å" Conventional, Cecil, you ‘re that, for you may understand beautiful things, but you do n't cognize how to utilize them ; and you wrap yourself up in art and books and music, and would seek to wrap up me. I wo n't be stifled, non by the most glorious music, for people are more glorious, and you hide them from me. † She so breaks off her battle with Cecil and in making this she breaks the societal codification of society. A last minute meeting with Mr Emerson convinces Lucy to acknowledge and move upon her love for George. â€Å" How he managed to beef up her. It was as if he had made her see the whole of everything at one time. † At the very terminal of th e novel George and Lucy have eloped and have returned to the same Pension in Italy and look out from the same window to the future universe. Although they both look out to the same position of Italy it is with a really different position of the universe. George ‘s position has become clear through his relationship with Lucy who has given him a point to his being and Lucy ‘s position has changed both emotionally and by interrupting off from her societal category. They both have a actual and metaphorical â€Å" room with a position † one that involves populating for the minute and non merely for society. In decision Forster ‘s rubric â€Å" A Room with a Position † is really affectional because through Lucy ‘s eyes we have strayed through the streets of Florence and returned somewhat changed, unable to look at the universe in the same old manner. We all need the room to show our personal truths and the openness and freedom to love that the positions in Forster ‘s fresh represent.

Essay on The Personality of Scrooge - 1338 Words

Ebenezer Scrooge is the major character in the story, A Christmas Carol written by Charles Dickens. A Christmas Carol is about how a â€Å"cold-hearted, tight fisted, selfish† money grabbing man is offered an opportunity of a life time, to change his behaviour, attitude... to have a second chance in life. The theme of this novella is to look at the good you do in life and how it carries over after your death. The moral of the book is; People can make changes in their lives whenever they really want to, even right up to the end. In this essay I am going to distinguish the personality of Scrooge also show you how he was at the beginning of the novella in the 1st Stave to how he changes at the end in the 5th Stave. The title to the novella†¦show more content†¦Also, Dickens describes Ebenezer Scrooge as a cold-hearted, tight fisted, selfish man who despises Christmas and all things that incite happiness. In addition, the words have a rhythm, they all have three syllables. The title of this book is A Christmas Carol. A Carol is a hymn, the three descriptive words is representing a carol so this refers back to the title. A quote from the book is The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, made his eyes red. Dickens portrays Scrooges characteristics like the wintry weather conditions. This illustrates the readers what kind of personality Scrooge has, to me it’s like Dickens is describing Scrooge like Jack Frost (from the Santa Claus 3 film). He is truly mean at the beginning but at the conclusion of his experience he changes to a nice man. Although Dickens describes Scrooge as a mean, rude man, it’s like Dickens is teaching us the viewers a lesson t hat everyone has a different side of them it just takes hard work to transform them. Squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching these words portray Scrooge and how he acts upon things and how his actions and behaviour effects people around him. The repeating, rhythmic hard consonant sounds which have a negative effect on Scrooge shows the readers that he is a vile, wealthy man. Also the words are really strong its like a claw, he has clutched on a bad, mean area of life and he cant let go and until he lets go he is going to stayShow MoreRelatedThe Personality of Scrooge Essay example1341 Words   |  6 PagesEbenezer Scrooge is the major character in the story, A Christmas Carol written by Charles Dickens. A Christmas Carol is about how a â€Å"cold-hearted, tight fisted, selfish† money grabbing man is offered an opportunity of a life time, to change his behaviour, attitude... to have a second chance in life. The theme of this novella is to look at the good you do in life and how it carries over after your death. The moral of the book is; People can make changes in their lives whenever they really wantRead MoreHow Does The Author Use Language From Present Scrooge s Unpleasant Personality?1376 Words   |  6 PagesHow does the author use language to present Scrooge s unpleasant personality? Charles dickens uses insults to portray Scrooge s unpleasant personality. This can be alluded from Stave 1 in the novel where Scrooge can be seen snubbing the charity workers who came seeking for a donation. If they would rather die, [...] they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population., such insult allows the reader to comprehend that Scrooge is nothing more than a greedy man who solely believes that theRead More Scrooge in A Christmas Carol By Charles Dickens Essay1089 Words   |  5 PagesA Christmas Carol By Charles Dickens Scrooge is represented from the beginning as a miserable old man being described as a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! 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Soon, three ghosts are sent to visit Scrooge to show him scenes that would help Scrooge learn and changeRead MoreThe Amazing Transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol669 Words   |  3 Pagesin A Christmas Carol after Ebenezer Scrooge is taken on a remarkable journey through time. Although A Christmas Carol was written in the 17th century, its messages and themes stay alive today. Scrooge started changing his personality and life-style throughout the novella. In A Christmas Carol Scrooge changed from being a money-pinching grouch to a kind-hearted man, he redeemed himself through freewill and life changing memories. After Marley visited Scrooge, The Ghost of Christmas Past soaredRead MoreA Christmas Carol854 Words   |  4 Pageswe are presented with Scrooge. From the beginning Scrooge is presented as a miser. In the extract we find out that he is an old, rude and ignorant man that doesn’t appreciate others around him. Dickens uses different language techniques to describe Scrooges appearance as clear as possible. In the opening paragraph Dickens uses imagery to create a vivid impression of Scrooge. He is described as ‘a tight-fisted hand at the grind-stone’, and this metaphor suggests that Scrooge works hard for his moneyRead MoreCharles Dickens A Christmas Carol1316 Words   |  6 PagesCharles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge is a character that is effortlessly described as a hardheaded cold man. It is simple to judge the character of Scrooge in this manner, but it is important to recognize the change in his personality throughout the story. Scrooge’s transformation happens very quickly, but he becomes generous and caring only when he is forced to see himself through a stranger’s eyes. By the visitations of three spirits, Scrooge realizes the harsh and ungenerous man thatRead MoreA Christmas Carol Text Response861 Words   |  4 Pagescompassion towards others. This is portrayed through the journey and transformation of the novella’s p rotagonist, Ebenezer Scrooge. Ebenezer Scrooge is a misanthropic moneylender who is introduced as an extremely self-absorbed man with a callous attitude towards poverty. Relatively well-off, Scrooge demonstrates his refusal to assist those nine need and his egotistical personality seems to be the focal point throughout the first stave. This is portrayed through Scrooge’s reaction towards the ‘portly