Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Pc Specification Essay - 952 Words

PC Specification HP 20 Touch-Screen TouchSmart All-In-One Computer - 4GB Memory - 1TB Hard Drive HP 20† Touch-Screen TouchSmart All-In-One-Computer with a 4GB Memory and 1TB Hard Drive will be the user type that will be identified. With the state of the art high definition widescreen for online chat rooms to include video conferences and web courses. The integrated premium stereo speakers produce clear, crisp sound. Just plug in one power cord to get started with simple and easy set up. It offers built in capabilities that include a wireless keyboard, wireless mouse and integrated WLAN to meet the users desired tasks and results. This PC will definitely offer optical performance for the office’s requirements. The PC will be†¦show more content†¦| STORAGE DEVICES | - Multiformat DVD ±RW/CD-RW drive with double-layer support- MMC- MMC Plus- Memory Stick- Memory Stick Pro- Secure Digital (SD)-Built in Bluetooth Interface | Storage devices will allow the user to quickly and easily transfer digital photos, videos and audio to share via email, bulletin boards and in chat rooms.DVD ±RW/CD-RW records up to 8.5GB of data or 4 hours of video using compatible media.Bluetooth helps the user link enabled devices such as mobile phone or MP3 player. | OTHER PERIPHERAL DEVICES | -Lexmark Platinum Pro 905- Canon PowerShot G12 Digital Camera | All in one printer allows the user to print, scan, copy and fax. Print documents to include photo quality color printing.Digital camera to take high quality photos and videos. | SYSTEMS UNIT FEATURES TABLE DEVICE CATEGORY | TYPE | USER REQUIREMENT MET | PROCESSOR | - AMD VISION A4 APU, 2.7GHz | Energy-efficient PC with multicore performance that will deliver all of the benefits of Windows 7 to allow the user to work to desired standard. | RAM | - DDR3 SDRAM 4GB | Helps with multitasking power for the user. | ADAPTER CARDS | -Show MoreRelatedPc Specification Table1939 Words   |  8 Pageshigh quality CD labels, 4. utilize online services like banking, email, and calendars, and 5. transfer information between PCs. Rita is not interested in â€Å"overbuying†, and would like to limit unnecessary purchases. I suggest that Rita invest in a mid-range system that utilizes high-quality components and allows for future expansion. The HP Pavilion Elite HPE-410y Desktop PC would be an ideal purchase; this unit provides for all of Rita’s needs while staying within a reasonable budget (currentlyRead MorePc Specification Table1951 Words   |  8 Pageshigh quality CD labels, 4. utilize online services like banking, email, and calendars, and 5. transfer information between PCs. Rita is not interested in â€Å"overbuying†, and would like to limit unnecessary purchases. I suggest that Rita invest in a mid-range system that utilizes high-quality components and allows for future expansion. The HP Pavilion Elite HPE-410y Desktop PC would be an ideal purchase; this unit provides for all of Rita’s needs while staying within a reasonable budget (currentlyRead MorePc Specification Instructions Essay1860 Words   |  8 PagesPC Specification Instructions and Requirements Part 1: Specifications Table (MS Word) For the selected case study, create a summary of user requirements and a PC Specifications Table in Microsoft Word. This Word document will include a two-paragraph summary that classifies the user type and identifies the PC category(ies) that will be recommended and Word tables that identify and contain the hardware and software requirements to meet the selected case study requirements. Students will needRead MoreThe Error Into Software Execution Code1783 Words   |  8 Pagesproving is one of the key ways to deal with formal check. It is also known as A hypothesis prover is a PC program for building and checking deductions in a formal verification . A formal specification language used to describe the system. There are 3 specifications we should include into the language. 1. A formal dialect to express formulas: Depending on the requirement, we use the formal specification languages; eg.OBJ 2. A collection of equations called axioms It uses the storedRead MoreMobile Computing Is And Ever Developing Way Of Life1305 Words   |  6 Pagesportable versions of desktop PCs, and usually based around the same type of hardware, and capable of running the same software applications. Since late 2011, some very thin, light laptops that meet certain Intel specifications have started to be branded as ultrabooks. A third, if sadly declining, category of mobile computer is the netbook. These are considerably smaller than most laptops, though usually capable of running the same or similar software as a laptop or desktop PC. Fourthly, we then haveRead MoreMobile Computing Is A Human Computer Interaction1477 Words   |  6 PagesIBM Simon, which can also be considered as the first smartphone. After that, in 1996, Nokia introduced a PDA with full mobile phone functionality, which is 9000 Communicator, this became the world s best-selling PDA. PDA can be synchranized with PC, so that you can always have a backup of your data. The other main feature of PDA is we can store contact information and make notes easily, perform calculations and also allows you to connect to internet using wi-fi. PDAs and smartphones typicallyRead MoreRelational Database Of An Ecommerce Website1775 Words   |  8 PagesKehinde Akinola Department of Computer Science The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, Texas, U.S.A. kaakinola@utep.miners.edu Z Specifications derived from the Constraints in a Relational Database of an ecommerce website? Abstract— The project is simply derivation of Z specifications form the constraints in a relational database of an ecommerce website. An ecommerce website is developed from scratch using modern technology WordPress and Bootstrap. I developed the website as well as relationalRead MoreInformation Technology Department s Plan Essay1770 Words   |  8 Pagesconcurrent computer usage: one cart may be used in the computer lab, while another teacher checks out the second cart to be used in a different classroom. While thin computing clients like Chromebooks do not have the processing or storage capabilities that PC laptops tend to have, the benefits of using thin clients in education are many. According to Cimen, Kavurucu, and Aydin (2014), the benefits of using a thin-client and server architecture in an educational setting include the ability to provide â€Å"educationalRead MoreCMIT Quiz25794 Words   |  104 Pages1/25/2015 Combo  with  Combo  with  TestOut  PC  Pro  A+  220 ­801  /  220 ­802  |  Troubleshooting  and  7  others  and  1  other  flashcards  |  Quizlet Combo with Combo with TestOut PC Pro A+ 220-801 / 220-802 | Troubleshooting and 7 others and 1 Ready to study?  Start with Flashcards other 629 terms by ivel170 Which  LCD  component  is  used  to illuminate  a  notebook  computer s  display? Backlight A  user  reports  that  he  can t  browse  to  a specific  Web  site  on  the  Internet.  From  his computer,  you  find  that  a  ping  test  to  theRead MoreImc for Samsung Galaxy12749 Words   |  51 Pagesbillion dollars of net income in 2009 (Refer to Appendix 1). ------------------------------------------------- Product Overview Last year is period of PC Tablet and nobody do not know about the success of Appleby releasing Ipad which is leading products of century in tablet technology. Many other electronics company had released their own PC tablet to follow the trend. However, not many products can stand for long time. Figure 1: Chart of Favorite Tablet 2010 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd is

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Book Report of Language in My Thought and My Action

Reading Assignment - Language in Thought and Action by S.I. Hayakawa and Alan R. Hayakawa book report Language in my Thought and my Action Since I was born, I have been learning languages consciously and unconsciously without asking why. S.I. Hayakawa and Alan R. Hayakawa‘s Language in Thought and Action remind me the goal of the study of language – to learn to think more clearly, to speak and to write more effectively, and to listen and to read with greater understanding. This book is divided into 2 parts, the functions of language and language and thought. The deepest debt of the author in this book is to the general semantics. It is designed to educate the reader using concepts that are first explained in straightforward terms†¦show more content†¦Learning from Obama, I should take advantage of informative connotation to delivery the news and use affective language like humor and familiar language to grab reader or audience’s sight. It helps rating of the show. The Open and Closed Mind Hayakawa summarized The Open and Closed mind on pages 131-3. It tells that people with closed minds apparently feel threatened and fearful. If someone trusted the speaker, but rejected his statement, he would view the speaker as unconsciously on the enemy side. If someone rejected the speaker, the statement is unacceptable to him too. He rejects both. They are two-valued people, which have to like everything about the speaker or nothing. Reasonably secure and well organized persons enjoy their own belief system, but they are also open to information about their disbeliefs system. They can empathize with persons who hold others ideas that they do not believe in, is to have an open mind. A question raised up in my mind is that, am I a news anchor with an open mind? Theoretically, anchor should be open-minded, to writing the true story and report the fact o the audiences. But, if I am a closed-mind anchor, I know in advance which side I am on, and engage the correspondent or accept the article that will give aid and comfort to that side. Forsaking the obligation to illuminate, I may turn on the heat. However, the result is inevitable: the other side fights back. But in this world, whatever the country isShow MoreRelatedMy Writing For Writing A Writing Intensive Course1228 Words   |  5 Pageshow these goals will help me to improve my writing proficiency in the writing intensive course. However, it was not an easy journey for me. I did have my struggles with writing essay for this class due to insufficient of English grammar rules but I manage to do better than I thought. My essays might not be the best but I do notice that I did improve better than before. This clas s taught me how to plan, revise and editing based on the feedback that I got from my classmates and instructor. The four goalsRead MoreMy Own Initial Theory Of An Unconscious And Conscious Affect The Functioning Of The Person816 Words   |  4 PagesIn this section, I will report the results of my survey, compare, and contrast them to my own initial theory leanings. A screen shot of the results is in Figure 1. My psychodynamic score is 68% with sub-scores of 83% Psychoanalysis, 63% Analytical and 58% Individual Psychology. My Cognitive-Behavior Score is 87% with sub-scores of 93% Behavioral, 96% REBT, 100% Congnitive-Behavioral and 61% Reality therapy. My Existential Humanist Score is 77% with sub-scores of 65% Existential, 85% Person-CenteredRead MoreThe Big Four : And Others Of The Peace Conference1736 Words   |  7 PagesGeorge, and Vittorio E. Orlando. Lansing’s report of these four men compromised three fourths of the entire book, leaving the rest of the book to the representatives of other States, such as Eleftherios Venizelos, Emir Feisul, Louis Botha, and Ignace Jan Paderewski. One of the most significant features of this book is that it offers a different perspective of the Peace talks because it is a look at how people viewed these Statesmen and their actions at that time. Lansing’s goal was to â€Å"treat theRead MoreMy Observation At Oakwood Methodist Preschool1693 Words   |  7 Pagesconducted my observation at Oakwood Methodist Preschool on May 9, 2016 at 9:30 in the morning and 3:00 in the afternoon. The child I observed was a 16-month old female that I did have previously relations too. I use to work at Oakwood Methodist as an Extended Care Teacher. I use to care for Baby M in the infant room. During the observation there were two teachers, and 7 infants. The room that the observation took place in had many toys such as: balls, bouncers, walkers, rattles, and soft plush books. ThereRead MoreHow Literacy Is Used As A Communication Method1527 Words   |  7 Pageswrite. It all truly depends on the way you use your skills in literature. Literacy is different to each and every person, depending on who they are as a person. It can consist of your culture, pronunciation, the way you dress, as well as all of your actions. That being said, personally literature means not only knowing how to read and write, but the way we approach it as an individual. For example, we are judged by the way we speak, look, act, where we come from, as well as how weRead MoreAre You a Good Communicator Essays1164 Words   |  5 Pagesis always room for improvement and skills development. Being in a position of authority can be a hindrance if one cannot learn the skills to manage others. Reading and understanding verbal and nonverbal skills will become a major factor in owning my own business. I never really had a problem reading nonverbal signs in relating to others. Prior employment and experience in interview and investigation techniques will need to be utilized in working with others in the field of business developmentRead MoreTda 2.9 Support Children and Young People’s Positive Behaviour1440 Words   |  6 Pagesgood behaviour and tend to be told off more than others. It is also essential to praise constant good behaviour (from pupils who never misbehave) to avoid the development inappropriate behaviour. Children respond to all kinds of positive praise. In my setting, the class teacher and LSA’s often add positive words like ‘fantastic’, ‘brilliant’ or ‘well done’ when acknowledging their input towards the class. We also use house tokens to reward good behaviour. Giving the pupils a physical reward makesRead MoreExperiential Language Module On Indonesian1609 Words   |  7 PagesMy forecast:   †¨You are about to attend session six of your experiential language module on Indonesian. You have mastered the progressive verbs, (jalan  jalan etc.) But you are currently struggling with reported speech in this beautiful but trying language. You have a meeting with Putu, your Indonesian language partner. Don t worry about the time  difference though--It s only Putu s avatar. The real Putu is fast asleep in his tempat tidur. When he wakes up, he will catch the feed to see what he missedRead MoreHSER 511 Support Group Report Essay example1344 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿ Support Group Report Support Group Report In this paper, I will be discussing my finding in Overeaters Anonymous support group. I will enlighten the reader further by providing knowledge of the topic. The purpose of the OA meetings and objective will be included along with the support groups dynamics and demographics. I will be incorporating my observations from the Corey video and the reading. The working stage of group development alongRead MoreLanguage And Cognitive Development Based On A Longitudinal Study1528 Words   |  7 PagesEvidence About Language and Cognitive Development Based on a Longitudinal Study: Hypotheses for Intervention† (Goldin-Meadow et al., 2014). The article discusses the research that was done on language learning in toddlers. I will summarize the purpose of the research, the methods used, and an interpretation of the findings. I will then discuss the findings in relation to developmental theories as discussed by Berger (2014). I will conclude with a reflection on how this relates to my own experience

Saturday, December 14, 2019

The Lost Symbol Chapter 7-11 Free Essays

string(34) " ear and paced in a tight circle\." CHAPTER 7 Katherine Solomon hurried across the parking lot through the cold rain, wishing she had worn more than jeans and a cashmere sweater. As she neared the building’s main entrance, the roar of the giant air purifiers got louder. She barely heard them, her ears still ringing from the phone call she’d just received. We will write a custom essay sample on The Lost Symbol Chapter 7-11 or any similar topic only for you Order Now That which your brother believes is hidden in D.C. . . . it can be found. Katherine found the notion almost impossible to believe. She and the caller still had much to discuss and had agreed to do so later that evening. Reaching the main doors, she felt the same sense of excitement she always felt upon entering the gargantuan building. Nobody knows this place is here. The sign on the door announced: SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM SUPPORT CENTER (SMSC) The Smithsonian Institution, despite having more than a dozen massive museums on the National Mall, had a collection so huge that only 2 percent of it could be on display at any one time. The other 98 percent of the collection had to be stored somewhere. And that somewhere . . . was here. Not surprisingly, this building was home to an astonishingly diverse array of artifacts–giant Buddhas, handwritten codices, poisoned darts from New Guinea, jewel-encrusted knives, a kayak made of baleen. Equally mind-boggling were the building’s natural treasures–plesiosaur skeletons, a priceless meteorite collection, a giant squid, even a collection of elephant skulls brought back from an African safari by Teddy Roosevelt. But none of this was why the Smithsonian secretary, Peter Solomon, had introduced his sister to the SMSC three years ago. He had brought her to this place not to behold scientific marvels, but rather to create them. And that was exactly what Katherine had been doing. Deep within this building, in the darkness of the most remote recesses, was a small scientific laboratory unlike any other in the world. The recent breakthroughs Katherine had made here in the field of Noetic Science had ramifications across every discipline–from physics, to history, to philosophy, to religion. Soon everything will change, she thought. As Katherine entered the lobby, the front desk guard quickly stashed his radio and yanked the earplugs from his ears. â€Å"Ms. Solomon!† He smiled broadly. â€Å"Redskins?† He blushed, looking guilty. â€Å"Pregame.† She smiled. â€Å"I won’t tell.† She walked to the metal detector and emptied her pockets. When she slid the gold Cartier watch from her wrist, she felt the usual pang of sadness. The timepiece had been a gift from her mother for Katherine’s eighteenth birthday. Almost ten years had now passed since her mother had died violently . . . passing away in Katherine’s arms. â€Å"So, Ms. Solomon?† the guard whispered jokingly. â€Å"Are you ever gonna tell anybody what you’re doing back there?† She glanced up. â€Å"Someday, Kyle. Not tonight.† â€Å"Come on,† he pressed. â€Å"A secret lab . . . in a secret museum? You must be doing something cool.† Miles beyond cool, Katherine thought as she collected her things. The truth was that Katherine was doing science so advanced that it no longer even resembled science. CHAPTER 8 Robert Langdon stood frozen in the doorway of the National Statuary Hall and studied the startling scene before him. The room was precisely as he remembered it–a balanced semicircle built in the style of a Greek amphitheater. The graceful arched walls of sandstone and Italian plaster were punctuated by columns of variegated breccia, interspersed with the nation’s statuary collection–life-size statues of thirty-eight great Americans standing in a semicircle on a stark expanse of black-and-white marble tile. It was exactly as Langdon had recalled from the lecture he had once attended here. Except for one thing. Tonight, the room was empty. No chairs. No audience. No Peter Solomon. Just a handful of tourists milling around aimlessly, oblivious to Langdon’s grand entrance. Did Peter mean the Rotunda? He peered down the south corridor toward the Rotunda and could see tourists milling around in there, too. The echoes of the clock chime had faded. Langdon was now officially late. He hurried back into the hallway and found a docent. â€Å"Excuse me, the lecture for the Smithsonian event tonight? Where is that being held?† The docent hesitated. â€Å"I’m not sure, sir. When does it start?† â€Å"Now!† The man shook his head. â€Å"I don’t know about any Smithsonian event this evening–not here, at least.† Bewildered, Langdon hurried back toward the center of the room, scanning the entire space. Is Solomon playing some kind of joke? Langdon couldn’t imagine it. He pulled out his cell phone and the fax page from this morning and dialed Peter’s number. His phone took a moment to locate a signal inside the enormous building. Finally, it began to ring. The familiar southern accent answered. â€Å"Peter Solomon’s office, this is Anthony. May I help you?† â€Å"Anthony!† Langdon said with relief. â€Å"I’m glad you’re still there. This is Robert Langdon. There seems to be some confusion about the lecture. I’m standing in the Statuary Hall, but there’s nobody here. Has the lecture been moved to a different room?† â€Å"I don’t believe so, sir. Let me check.† His assistant paused a moment. â€Å"Did you confirm with Mr. Solomon directly?† Langdon was confused. â€Å"No, I confirmed with you, Anthony. This morning!† â€Å"Yes, I recall that.† There was a silence on the line. â€Å"That was a bit careless of you, don’t you think, Professor?† Langdon was now fully alert. â€Å"I beg your pardon?† â€Å"Consider this . . .† the man said. â€Å"You received a fax asking you to call a number, which you did. You spoke to a total stranger who said he was Peter Solomon’s assistant. Then you willingly boarded a private plane to Washington and climbed into a waiting car. Is that right?† Langdon felt a chill race through his body. â€Å"Who the hell is this? Where is Peter?† â€Å"I’m afraid Peter Solomon has no idea you’re in Washington today.† The man’s southern accent disappeared, and his voice morphed into a deeper, mellifluous whisper. â€Å"You are here, Mr. Langdon, because I want you here.† CHAPTER 9 Inside the Statuary Hall, Robert Langdon clutched his cell phone to his ear and paced in a tight circle. You read "The Lost Symbol Chapter 7-11" in category "Essay examples" â€Å"Who the hell are you?† The man’s reply was a silky calm whisper. â€Å"Do not be alarmed, Professor. You have been summoned here for a reason.† â€Å"Summoned?† Langdon felt like a caged animal. â€Å"Try kidnapped!† â€Å"Hardly.† The man’s voice was eerily serene. â€Å"If I wanted to harm you, you would be dead in your Town Car right now.† He let the words hang for a moment. â€Å"My intentions are purely noble, I assure you. I would simply like to offer you an invitation.† No thanks. Ever since his experiences in Europe over the last several years, Langdon’s unwanted celebrity had made him a magnet for nut-cases, and this one had just crossed a very serious line. â€Å"Look, I don’t know what the hell is going on here, but I’m hanging up–â€Å" â€Å"Unwise,† said the man. â€Å"Your window of opportunity is very small if you want to save Peter Solomon’s soul.† Langdon drew a sharp breath. â€Å"What did you say?† â€Å"I’m sure you heard me.† The way this man had uttered Peter’s name had stopped Langdon cold. â€Å"What do you know about Peter?† â€Å"At this point, I know his deepest secrets. Mr. Solomon is my guest, and I can be a persuasive host.† This can’t be happening. â€Å"You don’t have Peter.† â€Å"I answered his private cell phone. That should give you pause.† â€Å"I’m calling the police.† â€Å"No need,† the man said. â€Å"The authorities will join you momentarily.† What is this lunatic talking about? Langdon’s tone hardened. â€Å"If you have Peter, put him on the phone right now.† â€Å" â€Å"That’s impossible. Mr. Solomon is trapped in an unfortunate place.† The man paused. â€Å"He is in the Araf.† â€Å"Where?† Langdon realized he was clutching his phone so tightly his fingers were going numb. â€Å"The Araf? Hamistagan? That place to which Dante devoted the canticle immediately following his legendary Inferno?† The man’s religious and literary references solidified Langdon’s suspicion that he was dealing with a madman. The second canticle. Langdon knew it well; nobody escaped Phillips Exeter Academy without reading Dante. â€Å"You’re saying you think Peter Solomon is . . . in purgatory?† â€Å"A crude word you Christians use, but yes, Mr. Solomon is in the in-between.† The man’s words hung in Langdon’s ear. â€Å"Are you saying Peter is . . . dead?† â€Å"Not exactly, no.† â€Å"Not exactly?!† Langdon yelled, his voice echoing sharply in the hall. A family of tourists looked over at him. He turned away and lowered his voice. â€Å"Death is usually an all-or-nothing thing!† â€Å"You surprise me, Professor. I expected you to have a better understanding of the mysteries of life and death. There is a world in between–a world in which Peter Solomon is hovering at the moment. He can either return to your world, or he can move on to the next . . . depending on your actions right now.† Langdon tried to process this. â€Å"What do you want from me?† â€Å"It’s simple. You have been given access to something quite ancient. And tonight, you will share it with me.† â€Å"I have no idea what you’re talking about.† â€Å"No? You pretend not to understand the ancient secrets that have been entrusted to you?† Langdon felt a sudden sinking sensation, now guessing what this was probably about. Ancient secrets. He had not uttered a word to anyone about his experiences in Paris several years earlier, but Grail fanatics had followed the media coverage closely, some connecting the dots and believing Langdon was now privy to secret information regarding the Holy Grail–perhaps even its location. â€Å"Look,† Langdon said, â€Å"if this is about the Holy Grail, I can assure you I know nothing more than–â€Å" â€Å"Don’t insult my intelligence, Mr. Langdon,† the man snapped. â€Å"I have no interest in anything so frivolous as the Holy Grail or mankind’s pathetic debate over whose version of history is correct. Circular arguments over the semantics of faith hold no interest for me. Those are questions answered only through death.† The stark words left Langdon confused. â€Å"Then what the hell is this about?† The man paused for several seconds. â€Å"As you may know, there exists within this city an ancient portal.† An ancient portal? â€Å"And tonight, Professor, you will unlock it for me. You should be honored I contacted you–this is the invitation of your lifetime. You alone have been chosen.† And you have lost your mind. â€Å"I’m sorry, but you’ve chosen poorly,† Langdon said. â€Å"I don’t know anything about any ancient portal.† â€Å"You don’t understand, Professor. It was not I who chose you . . . it was Peter Solomon.† â€Å"What?† Langdon replied, his voice barely a whisper. â€Å"Mr. Solomon told me how to find the portal, and he confessed to me that only one man on earth could unlock it. And he said that man is you.† â€Å"If Peter said that, he was mistaken . . . or lying.† â€Å"I think not. He was in a fragile state when he confessed that fact, and I am inclined to believe him.† Langdon felt a stab of anger. â€Å"I’m warning you, if you hurt Peter in any–â€Å" â€Å"It’s far too late for that,† the man said in an amused tone. â€Å"I’ve already taken what I need from Peter Solomon. But for his sake, I suggest you provide what I need from you. Time is of the essence . . . for both of you. I suggest you find the portal and unlock it. Peter will point the way.† Peter? â€Å"I thought you said Peter was in `purgatory.'† â€Å"As above, so below,† the man said. Langdon felt a deepening chill. This strange response was an ancient Hermetic adage that proclaimed a belief in the physical connection between heaven and earth. As above, so below. Langdon eyed the vast room and wondered how everything had veered so suddenly out of control tonight. â€Å"Look, I don’t know how to find any ancient portal. I’m calling the police.† â€Å"It really hasn’t dawned on you yet, has it? Why you were chosen?† â€Å"No,† Langdon said. â€Å"It will,† he replied, chuckling. â€Å"Any moment now.† Then the line went dead. Langdon stood rigid for several terrifying moments, trying to process what had just happened. Suddenly, in the distance, he heard an unexpected sound. It was coming from the Rotunda. Someone was screaming. CHAPTER 10 Robert Langdon had entered the Capitol Rotunda many times in his life, but never at a full sprint. As he ran through the north entrance, he spotted a group of tourists clustered in the center of the room. A small boy was screaming, and his parents were trying to console him. Others were crowding around, and several security guards were doing their best to restore order. â€Å"He pulled it out of his sling,† someone said frantically, â€Å"and just left it there!† As Langdon drew nearer, he got his first glimpse of what was causing all the commotion. Admittedly, the object on the Capitol floor was odd, but its presence hardly warranted screaming. The device on the floor was one Langdon had seen many times. The Harvard art department had dozens of these–life-size plastic models used by sculptors and painters to help them render the human body’s most complex feature, which, surprisingly, was not the human face but rather the human hand. Someone left a mannequin hand in the Rotunda? Mannequin hands, or handequins as some called them, had articulated fingers enabling an artist to pose the hand in whatever position he wanted, which for sophomoric college students was often with the middle finger extended straight up in the air. This handequin, however, had been positioned with its index finger and thumb pointing up toward the ceiling. As Langdon drew nearer, though, he realized this handequin was unusual. Its plastic surface was not smooth like most. Instead, the surface was mottled and slightly wrinkled, and appeared almost . . . Like real skin. Langdon stopped abruptly. Now he saw the blood. My God! The severed wrist appeared to have been skewered onto a spiked wooden base so that it would stand up. A wave of nausea rushed over him. Langdon inched closer, unable to breathe, seeing now that the tips of the index finger and thumb had been decorated with tiny tattoos. The tattoos, however, were not what held Langdon’s attention. His gaze moved instantly to the familiar golden ring on the fourth finger. No. Langdon recoiled. His world began to spin as he realized he was looking at the severed right hand of Peter Solomon. CHAPTER 11 Why isn’t Peter answering? Katherine Solomon wondered as she hung up her cell phone. Where is he? For three years, Peter Solomon had always been the first to arrive for their weekly seven P.M. Sunday-night meetings. It was their private family ritual, a way to remain connected before the start of a new week, and for Peter to stay up-to-date on Katherine’s work at the lab. He’s never late, she thought, and he always answers his phone. To make matters worse, Katherine was still not sure what she was going to say to him when he did finally arrive. How do I even begin to ask him about what I found out today? Her footsteps clicked rhythmically down the cement corridor that ran like a spine through the SMSC. Known as â€Å"The Street,† the corridor connected the building’s five massive storage pods. Forty feet overhead, a circulatory system of orange ductwork throbbed with the heartbeat of the building–the pulsing sounds of thousands of cubic feet of filtered air being circulated. Normally, during her nearly quarter-mile walk to her lab, Katherine felt calmed by the breathing sounds of the building. Tonight, however, the pulsing had her on edge. What she had learned about her brother today would have troubled anyone, and yet because Peter was the only family she had in the world, Katherine felt especially disturbed to think he might be keeping secrets from her. As far as she knew, he had kept a secret from her only once . . . a wonderful secret that was hidden at the end of this very hallway. Three years ago, her brother had walked Katherine down this corridor, introducing her to the SMSC by proudly showing off some of the building’s more unusual items–the Mars meteorite ALH-84001, the handwritten pictographic diary of Sitting Bull, a collection of wax-sealed Ball jars containing original specimens collected by Charles Darwin. At one point, they walked past a heavy door with a small window. Katherine caught a glimpse of what lay beyond and gasped. â€Å"What in the world is that?!† Her brother chuckled and kept walking. â€Å"Pod Three. It’s called Wet Pod. Pretty unusual sight, isn’t it?† Terrifying is more like it. Katherine hurried after him. This building was like another planet. â€Å"What I really want to show you is in Pod Five,† her brother said, guiding her down the seemingly endless corridor. â€Å"It’s our newest addition. It was built to house artifacts from the basement of the National Museum of Natural History. That collection is scheduled for relocation here in about five years, which means Pod Five is sitting empty at the moment.† Katherine glanced over. â€Å"Empty? So why are we looking at it?† Her brother’s gray eyes flashed a familiar mischief. â€Å"It occurred to me that because nobody is using the space, maybe you could use it.† â€Å"Me?† â€Å"Sure. I thought maybe you could use a dedicated lab space–a facility where you can actually perform some of the theoretical experiments you’ve been developing for all these years.† Katherine stared at her brother in shock. â€Å"But, Peter, those experiments are theoretical! To actually perform them would be almost impossible.† â€Å"Nothing is impossible, Katherine, and this building is perfect for you. The SMSC is not just a warehouse of treasures; it’s one of the world’s most advanced scientific research facilities. We’re constantly taking pieces from the collection and examining them with the best quantitative technologies money can buy. All the equipment you could possibly need would be here at your disposal.† â€Å"Peter, the technologies required to run these experiments are–â€Å" â€Å"Already in place.† He smiled broadly. â€Å"The lab is done.† Katherine stopped short. Her brother pointed down the long corridor. â€Å"We’re going to see it now.† Katherine could barely speak. â€Å"You . . . you built me a lab?† â€Å"It’s my job. The Smithsonian was established to advance scientific knowledge. As secretary, I must take that charge seriously. I believe the experiments you’ve proposed have the potential to push the boundaries of science into uncharted territory.† Peter stopped and looked her squarely in the eyes. â€Å"Whether or not you were my sister, I would feel obliged to support this research. Your ideas are brilliant. The world deserves to see where they lead.† â€Å"Peter, I can’t possibly–â€Å" â€Å"Okay, relax . . . it was my own money, and nobody’s using Pod Five right now. When you’re done with your experiments, you’ll move out. Besides, Pod Five has some unique properties that will be perfect for your work.† Katherine could not imagine what a massive, empty pod might offer that would serve her research, but she sensed she was about to find out. They had just reached a steel door with boldly stenciled letters: POD 5 Her brother inserted his key card into a slot and an electronic keypad lit up. He raised his finger to type his access code, but paused, arching his eyebrows in the same mischievous way he always had as a boy. â€Å"You sure you’re ready?† She nodded. My brother, always the showman. â€Å"Stand back.† Peter hit the keys. The steel door hissed loudly open. Beyond the threshold was only inky blackness . . . a yawning void. A hollow moan seemed to echo out of the depths. Katherine felt a cold blast of air emanating from within. It was like staring into the Grand Canyon at night. â€Å"Picture an empty airline hangar waiting for a fleet of Airbuses,† her brother said, â€Å"and you get the basic idea.† Katherine felt herself take a step backward. â€Å"The pod itself is far too voluminous to be heated, but your lab is a thermally insulated cinder- block room, roughly a cube, located in the farthest corner of the pod for maximum separation.† Katherine tried to picture it. A box inside a box. She strained to see into the darkness, but it was absolute. â€Å"How far back?† â€Å"Pretty far . . . a football field would fit easily in here. I should warn you, though, the walk is a little unnerving. It’s exceptionally dark.† Katherine peered tentatively around the corner. â€Å"No light switch?† â€Å"Pod Five is not yet wired for electricity.† â€Å"But . . . then how can a lab function?† He winked. â€Å"Hydrogen fuel cell.† Katherine’s jaw dropped. â€Å"You’re kidding, right?† â€Å"Enough clean power to run a small town. Your lab enjoys full radio-frequency separation from the rest of the building. What’s more, all pod exteriors are sealed with photo-resistant membranes to protect the artifacts inside from solar radiation. Essentially, this pod is a sealed, energy-neutral environment.† Katherine was starting to comprehend the appeal of Pod 5. Because much of her work centered on quantifying previously unknown energy fields, her experiments needed to be performed in a location isolated from any extraneous radiation or â€Å"white noise.† This included interference as subtle as â€Å"brain radiation† or â€Å"thought emissions† generated by people nearby. For this reason, a university campus or hospital lab wouldn’t work, but a deserted pod at the SMSC could not have been more perfect. â€Å"Let’s go back and have a look.† Her brother was grinning as he stepped into the vast darkness. â€Å"Just follow me.† Katherine stalled at the threshold. Over a hundred yards in total darkness? She wanted to suggest a flashlight, but her brother had already disappeared into the abyss. â€Å"Peter?† she called. â€Å"Leap of faith,† he called back, his voice already fading away. â€Å"You’ll find your way. Trust me.† He’s kidding, right? Katherine’s heart was pounding as she stepped a few feet over the threshold, trying to peer into the darkness. I can’t see a thing! Suddenly the steel door hissed and slammed shut behind her, plunging her into total blackness. Not a speck of light anywhere. â€Å"Peter?!† Silence. You’ll find your way. Trust me. Tentative, she inched forward blindly. Leap of faith? Katherine could not even see her hand directly in front of her face. She kept moving forward, but within a matter of seconds, she was entirely lost. Where am I going? That was three years ago. Now, as Katherine arrived at the same heavy metal door, she realized how far she had come since that first night. Her lab–nicknamed the Cube–had become her home, a sanctuary within the depths of Pod 5. Exactly as her brother had predicted, she had found her way through the darkness that night, and every day since–thanks to an ingeniously simple guidance system that her brother had let her discover for herself. Far more important, her brother’s other prediction had come true as well: Katherine’s experiments had produced astonishing results, particularly in the last six months, breakthroughs that would alter entire paradigms of thinking. Katherine and her brother had agreed to keep her results absolutely secret until the implications were more fully understood. One day soon, however, Katherine knew she would publish some of the most transformative scientific revelations in human history. A secret lab in a secret museum, she thought, inserting her key card into the Pod 5 door. The keypad lit up, and Katherine typed her PIN. The steel door hissed open. The familiar hollow moan was accompanied by the same blast of cold air. As always, Katherine felt her pulse rate start to climb. Strangest commute on earth. Steeling herself for the journey, Katherine Solomon glanced at her watch as she stepped into the void. Tonight, however, a troubled thought followed her inside. Where is Peter? How to cite The Lost Symbol Chapter 7-11, Essay examples

Friday, December 6, 2019

How Songwriters And Musicians Are Affected By Lo Essay Example For Students

How Songwriters And Musicians Are Affected By Lo Essay cationThis Land is My Land: An Analysis of How Songwriters and Musicians are Affected by LocationThis land is your land, this land is my landFrom California To the New York IslandFrom the Redwood forestTo the Gulf Stream watersThis land was made for you and me. -Woody GuthrieAlthough the above lines, from Woody Guthries geographical classic This Land is Your Land, are deep-rooted in American Soil they still work as an excellent indicator of how a songwriters location can reflect the ideas and meaning behind the work that they produce. In Guthries case, life revolved around extensive travels throughout North America and therefore the images he conjures up represent a vast cross-section of geographical landmarks and natural representatives from several locales. His was the life of the traveler, never knowing one home for very long, and therefore it is quite obvious as to why his songwriting reflected that very lifestyle. Contrasting this, it can also be said that a finer understanding of a specific area can be achieved through a songwriters ability to concentrate on a single area and allow it to inspire all that they write about. Whether the influence on the songwriter is a positive or a negative one there is still something to be said for th e Canadian songwriter and his ability to convey a very strong sense of place in his/her songs. Whether it is the people of a particular city, an areas surrounding natural landmarks, or the main source of industry for a specific location, it can be said that Canadian songwriters are truly able to bring forth the true character behind their respective areas. For example, Neil YoungIt is very simple to listen to music without ever allowing yourself to actually hear what it is youre listening to, and based on this it can easily be understood as to why very few people ever realize exactly how large an impact a songwriters surroundings can have on their songwriting and the tone of their music. A prime example of this for Canada would be Bryan Adams. Early in his career Adams wrote songs that seemed to convey a true sense of nostalgia for, or inspiration from, the area from where he came- Vancouver, British Columbia. In his 1985 hit, The Summer of 69, Adams seems to be looking back fondly on his youth. The song truly has an air of yearning to it and the tone of the song, though fast-paced, is still a pleasant one that seems more based on fond recollection than regret. When I look back nowThe summer seemed to last forever. And if I had a choiceId just want to be there. Those were the best days of my life. This is a perfect example of what Adams songwriting was like before he became a star outside of Canada and achieved massive success in the United States. However, what he may have gained monetarily he lost in his sense of place. Now Bryan Adams, though still a Canadian, lives in Los Angeles and has homes all around the world. It has been several years since he lived in his native Canada and it shows in his songwriting. Whereas his songs used to inspire images and evoke memories, they are now reduced to empty hits that have no sense of location whatsoever. He may write one hit song after another but he has lost something in his ability to relate to his home, mainly because he is essentially without one. This can be seen clearly in Adams 1997 hit song The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me (Is You): The only thing I want. The only thing I need. The only thing I choose. Yeah the only thing that looks good on meIs you. Adams songwriting since his move from Canada in the late eighties has continued to become more and more laden with boring sexual innuendo and trite ramblings about his own overblown ego. Whereas he used to be a Canadian songwriter, he has, over the last eight to ten years become merely a songwriter from Canada. He has truly lost his sense of place and it shows. Over the course of this essay several Canadian bands will be used to prove just how much of an impact their location has had on their musics lyrical content and tone, in addition to their individual sounds. To make it as simple as possible to understand the differences in sound, one band from each of three Canadian locations has been chosen for analysis. Each location, no matter how near or how far their proximity from the others, is vastly different in many ways. From Canadas east coast, Newfoundlands Great Big Sea have been chosen; from the west coast, British Columbias She Stole My Beer; and from our own province of Ontario , Torontos Rush will be used. Each of these bands, through their music, work as perfect examples of how severe an impression geographic location can have on both lyrical content and sound. When discussing or pandering the characteristics of a city like Toronto, one is consistently pelted with images that reflect a fast-paced, hectic, heavily populated, industry-laden, concrete jungle. And therefore it is not with any great surprise that a band like Rush, formed in Toronto in the early 1970s, would make music and write lyrics reflecting that very lifestyle. Throughout their long-standing career Rush has been known to produce music of an aggressive nature. Heavy drums, driving and wailing guitars and pounding bass lines have become known as standard fare from Torontos most well known trio. The sound of Rushs music lives and breathes as a reflection of their surroundings while growing up and living in Canadas largest and most heavily populated city. Like the city itself, their music is also cluttered with a sound that can, at times, become almost overwhelming to the listener. Although the band consists of only three members they are somehow able to produce a sound that ca rries the intensity of a much larger group. Within their hard-hitting style you can almost hear the sounds of the city humming in the background. And if you listened carefully you would think that you could hear the harsh clangs, shouts and clatter of Toronto deep in the background of their music. But with a band like Rush, the effects of being from a large city run much deeper than just the music. Rushs lyricist, Neil Peart, born and raised in Toronto, is possibly the best example of just how much of an impact geographic location can have on what kind of lyrics a band or songwriter can produce. Timothy Zahn is one of Science Fiction's most reno EssayGreat Big Sea can be classified as a classical East coast band as they try and work the sound of their homeland into each and every song. Even though their songs are often fast-paced they are not a rock band- far from it, actually. Their sound is birthed from the very land that surrounds them, a land that seems to have little to do with modern technology. Therefore Great Big Sea are mainly an acoustic band; putting aside wailing guitars, heavy drums and synthesizers in favor of acoustic guitars, whistles, and traditional Celtic sounds. The lyrics to their songs also live and breath as a tribute to the area from where they came. Ive got a smile on my faceIve got four walls around me. The sun in the skyThe water surrounds me. Ill win now but sometimes Ill loseIve been battered but Ill never bruise. Its not so bad. Taken from their song Ordinary Day, these lyrics summarize all that Great Big Sea, the province of Newfoundland and the East Coast represent. The sound of the song is as light-hearted and whimsical as the lyrics. This type of song not only reflects the type of band Great Big Sea is, it also works as an accurate reflection of the kind of people who live in this area. The type of attitude conveyed in the song matches the type of attitude you would have to have if you lived in Newfoundland where jobs were scarce. The narrator of the song is telling the listeners to be glad for what they have (four walls around them) and to enjoy the beauty of the natural surroundings (sun, sky and water). The narrator believes that without the ability to appreciate these things the people who live in that area would begin to feel those same four walls start to close in on them. It is for this reason that they have to hold their heads up and not let their situation effect the way the feel. The narrator i s telling them that if they have faith in their natural surroundings they will eventually win what they have been deserved of for so long. Its a beautiful dayBut theres always some sorrow. Its a double-edged knifeBut theres always tomorrow. Its up to you nowIf you sink or you swim. Keep the faithAnd your ship will come in. Once again, as with Rush, Great Big Sea have acknowledged the duality of their location. The double-edged knife they refer to is a metaphor that could be utilized by almost any given sea in any given geographic location. The last band that will be discussed with the confines of this short essay is Vancouver, British Columbias She Stole My Beer. However, whereas both Rush and Great Big Sea were analyzed for both their lyrical content and sound, it seems that bands from the West Coast of Canada are best analyzed based solely on sound. Many bands from the west tend to use their lyrics to look within themselves for some kind of answer to a higher question, ignoring what is the earmark of their location- nature. The West coast is very likely the most picturesque and scenic area in Canada, yet most bands from the area seem to set it aside in place of heavy contemplation and over-symbolic personal insight. However, what they lack in lyrical content they more than make up for in musicianship. Much like the atmosphere and attitude in the west, the music these bands make is almost always listenable and, for lack of a better term, friendly. Much like the people of the west, the music composed seems, whether aco ustic or electric, to have an air of approachability to it. She Stole My Beer work as an excellent example of this as their music is able to hold onto a pleasant tone no matter what type of instruments they are playing. Like the area surrounding them they are able to be as loud as a rushing river or as hushed and relaxed as a mountains peak without ever making either of the two seem out of place or ineffective. Even though what they are singing about can oftentimes become confusing, the sound surrounding those lyrics is one born of the very area that they are from. Bands from the West coast of Canada are somehow able to convey more images and feelings with their music than they are with the words within it. As can be noted from the information herein, each area discussed has its own unique and distinct purpose. Whether it be Rushs intense confusing clang representing the industry/technology-laden area of Toronto and other large cities, Great Big Seas seemingly constant head-held-hig h homage to the East coast and its surrounding natural beauty, or She Stole My Beers easy-going musicianship reflecting the West coast, it becomes obvious just how severe an impact a band or songwriters geographical location has on the work that they produce. And even though each band from these three areas assumedly has its own individual sound and style they are all drawn toward their personal surroundings in their own way, whether it be the people or the landscape, and allow it to seep through into the music they create. Social Issues