High-tech Snooping Threatens Our Privacy :: Free Argumentative Essays

High-tech Snooping Threatens Our Privacy The Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution states: The right of the people to be secure in their person's houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. The Fourth Amendment values privacy in the home and protects people's privacy from unlawful search and invasion. This topic interests me because I am concerned about the recent use of thermal imaging and the ways it could be used to invade the average citizen's privacy. Thermal imaging devices allows police to view heat as a visible light image. When police use this technique as a means of gathering evidence before a warrant is obtained, it can be said to violate our guaranteed Fourth Amendment rights under the Constitution. In the recent Supreme Court case, Kyllo v. United Sates, "the Supreme Court held that police use of a thermal imaging device to scan a suspect's residence violated his right under the Fourth Amendment. The decision had reversed a federal appeals court ruling finding the scan lawful" (Is warrantless?). In the case cited, police suspected Kyllo was growing marijuana in his home. They used a thermal imaging device from across the street to scan Kyllo's home to see if the level of heat escaping from it was consistent with high-intensity lights used to grow marijuana indoors. The result of the scan showed that portions of Kyllo's home were relatively hot compared to the rest of his home. Using the result of the scan, as well as other information, police obtained a warrant to search Kyllo's home, and found a marijuana-growing operation in their search. When the trial court refused to suppress the evidence, Kyllo appealed to the federal court and challenged the legality of the search, saying a search warrant should have been obtained prior to using the thermal imaging device. Law-enforcement officials argued that a warrant was not required before a using technological surveillance device that merely records information about a home that is exposed to public view. The federal appeals court affirmed the trial court's decision, finding that Kyllo had no subjective expectation of privacy because he did not try to conceal the heat escaping from his home. Even if he had, the appeals court said, there was no objectively reasonable expectation of privacy because the thermal imager did not expose any intimate details of Kyllo's life, only vague hot spots on his home's exterior.

Modulation: Computer Software and Unknown Music Virus

Richard Powers’ â€Å"Modulation† is about a mysterious, unhackable music virus that is taking over and controlling the minds of the people it comes in contact with. Out of nowhere this virus comes about and starts to spread vigorously through cyberspace, eating up computer software systems around the world. Not only is this virus spreading to computer systems and to data bases, but it starts spreading through people’s minds. Toshi, Marta, Jan, and Mitchell are the main characters in this story and all are unified throughout by this music virus.Powers tells how each character deals with the virus and how it affects them internally. Toshi, thrilled off of hacking through cyberspace, finally met his match when the RIAA hired him to work for their company. They thought by hiring the man that hacked through their system could defeat such a virus as this one. Toshi, in awe by this unknown music virus, is being beaten internally because it is the one thing he himself c annot beat, but at the same time this scares him because he does not know what it is capable of.The virus was something Toshi had never seen or heard before. It was a new type of music, so haunting and powerful that it imbedded inside his brain. Marta, a reporter reporting on the war in Iraq, hears this catchy tune she had never heard before. It sticks in her head as if it was like an â€Å"earworm† of some sort. This tune she keeps hearing is like a sickness she cannot get rid of. It starts eating at her mind like a virus eats at a computer hard drive. The only way Marta is at ease is when she hears the catchy tune again.The music virus not only sickens her, but also relieves her; making the tune the perfect medication. Not only is it a virus trying to destroy, but it also serves as a firewall against itself. Jan, a recently retired music professor, is searching for something he has never heard before. He wants something new and reinvented to offer society so he can change h ow people look at music. He believes all music should be free and his life passion is discovering world music. As soon as he hears the music virus he knows it is what he had been searching for.This tune was so refined and new, he had never heard such a tune before. After listening to this he knew his lifelong goal had been met. His search for a new and different type of music had been complete. He could now die a happy man. On another note, Mitchell, a music composer, found himself threatened by the music virus. His compositions were starting to sound like the infamous tune. No matter what he did he could not get the catchy tune out of his head. His performance was in danger as he could not produce anything but what was ingrained in his mind by the virus.He soon realizes he can use this threat as an opportunity to achieve greatness in his compositions and as a composer. All of the characters that Powers uses in his short story are unified by this sick, unhackable music virus that ha s only one motive: to spread. Each character deals with the virus to the best of their ability and tries not to let this innovative type of music control and get the best of them in times of vulnerability. Powers tells the readers how each character in the story deals with the music virus, how it affects them internally and how they try to overcome it.

Macbeth Paper on Evil Essay

Macbeth is a real tragedy written by William Shakespeare for what’s presented is a morally significant struggle, one that attempts to engage our sympathies and understanding. In this dark and powerful tragedy, Macbeth is a part of several murders, including the murder of King Duncan of Scotland. Macbeth performs these murders after he encounters the weird sisters and hears the prophecy that he will one day become the King of Scotland. But although Macbeth was the one that was directly involved in every murder, there are other influences that have an impact on his pursue for the crown of Scotland and could be responsible for the evil done in the play. When Lady Macbeth first hears about the prophecy of the witches, she immediately plans Duncan’s murder because of her ambition for her husband to become king. The weird sisters, also known as the three witches, initiates the murders because they prompt Macbeth to murder Duncan with their prophecies that Macbeth will one day become the King of Scotland. But ultimately, Macbeth is the villain of this tragedy in view of the fact that he is accountable for the murder of Duncan and also orders his subordinates to murder Banquo and the family of Macduff. Macbeth is most responsible for the evil done in the play owing to the fact that his killing of Duncan provokes the other murders and evil in the play. Although Lady Macbeth is a part of the murders that occur in Macbeth, she is not responsible for the evil done in the play. Lady Macbeth is a very cunning, manipulative character. When she hears about the witches’ prophecy of Macbeth becoming the future king of Scotland, she immediately demands Macbeth to murder Duncan so Macbeth could become king. Lady Macbeth successfully persuades him to kill Duncan by questioning his masculinity. Lady Macbeth puts the idea in Macbeth’s mind that he will be a coward if he does not commit the murder. After persuading him, Macbeth finally commits the murder. Therefore, Lady Macbeth is evil for she pressures Macbeth into killing Duncan. But, she is not responsible for the evil done in the play. Although she is a strong, significant figure in the murder of Duncan, she begins to change through the play as she starts to feel the guilt and remorse for persuading Macbeth to kill Duncan. She ultimately kills herself because she couldn’t manage the guilt and grief for her involvement in the murder and seeing her husband turn into an evil, uncontrollable villain. Therefore, she is not responsible for the evil done in the play because although she persuades Macbeth to kill Duncan, she later feels guilt for what she’s done. The three witches are also not responsible for the evil done in the play. In the beginning, the three witches tells Macbeth his prophesy that he will one day become the king of Scotland. When Lady Macbeth hears about the prophecy, all she thinks about is her husband becoming king. So, Lady Macbeth convinces Macbeth to kill Duncan in order for Macbeth to become king as soon as possible. If the three witches never told Macbeth the prophesy of him becoming king, none of the murders would have happened. Therefore, without the witches, there would be no evil in the play. But, the three witches are not responsible for the evil done in the play because even though they incite Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s desire for king, it was Macbeth who ultimately decides to murder Duncan, which causes the rest of the evil done in the play. Macbeth is responsible for the evil done in the play. Macbeth is more evil than the other characters because he is the reason why all of the murders in the play occur. He murders Duncan because of his evil desire to become the king of Scotland as soon as possible. â€Å"Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires.† (I, Scene 4, lines 57-58) This quote shows Macbeth’s great desire to become king and also shows how he is aware that his thoughts are evil. But, he does not do anything to keep himself away from these dark thoughts and he eventually commits the evil murder. The murder is certainly avoidable, but he let Lady Macbeth influence him. â€Å"This night’s great business†¦ sway and masterdom.† (I, Scene 5, Lines 80-82) This quote shows how Lady Macbeth has total control over Macbeth and how Macbeth put the power into Lady Macbeth’s hands. Macbeth could have told Lady Macbeth to stop her plans, but instead he gives all the power to her and eventually agrees with her. Therefore, the murder of Duncan is completely his fault because he lets Lady Macbeth influence him and commit the murder himself. Macbeth is also responsible for the other murders in the play because he hires three murderers to kill Banquo and orders his servants to kill Macduff’s family. Consequently, Macbeth is responsible for the evil done in the play because he involves himself in all of the murders in the play. Macbeth is accountable for the evil done in Macbeth because his murder of Duncan causes a chain reaction and brings about the rest of the evil in the play. Although Lady Macbeth has a notable influence on Macbeth to commit the murder of Duncan, it was ultimately his decision to kill Duncan and order the other murders. The Three Witches incites Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s desire for the throne of Scotland, but Macbeth’s decision to commit the murders ultimately brought darkness and fear onto Scotland. Macbeth is responsible for Duncan’s death, and that murder causes a chain reaction and incites the other murders. If he did not murder Duncan, there would not have been any evil in this play to start with. Ultimately, Macbeth compels to arise these evils, and it is his greed to blame. Macbeth is already known as a man of integrity for being appointed as the Thane of Cawdor, but his greed and avarice brings about the evil that he carries out. This relates to human nature because even if a man has everything to gratify his needs, his greed can demand for more, leading to trouble just like Macbeth. This demonstrates that if you only care about your own needs and always ask for more, you will be unsuccessful. As Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi once said, â€Å"Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed.† [Word Count: 1057]

How to Design a Logo Essays

How to Design a Logo Essays How to Design a Logo Essay How to Design a Logo Essay HOW TO DESIGN A LOGO You know a great logo when you see one but you would like to know how to properly design one. A word of caution if youre thinking about going the do it yourself route in designing your own logo. It is one thing to read and understand the elements or principles of good design, but applying them appropriately is another matter. The explosion in software development has flooded the market with a wide variety of programs that will enable you to design your own identity. Even the most basic Desktop Publishing program has enough features to get the job done. Creativity is an art, not a science, and all too often novices sit down with the DTP software and are so enamoured with the available features that they use as many of them as they can. Professionals know what features to apply and in what proportions. The Internet has made a variety of lower cost professionals available at reasonable prices. Most offer custom design services and include diagnostic interviews so they can learn what your company is all about. So at least explore the possibility of hiring a professional design consultant to help. The use of color will illustrate one of the many benefits of professional services. If you go it alone your DTP program will let you concoct color combinations never seen by human eyes. But when you take your logo to the printer, can they be reproduced? A professional designer will know. Organizing Principle of Logo Design The color discussion leads us to the organizing principle of design: simplicity leads to functionality. Think about it and youll realize that some of the best logos ever created are really pretty simple. The McDonalds Golden Arch, Apples apple with the bite out of it, and Nikes swoosh are all examples. So where does functionality fit in? Logos are used in too many ways to even list. Consider some of them: on the corporate offices and satellite locations, on banners and billboards, on the Internet, on letterhead and business cards, on every piece of marketing material the company produces, on promotional items like shirts and hats, and yes, even on the tops of sticks placed in drinks served at company sponsored events. Simple images will work for any of those uses. They can pretty much go anywhere and do anything. So remember the KISS principle: Keep it Simple, Stupid! Font Style and Size As is the case with all elements, Fonts should be selected which match the nature of the companys business. If you want viewers of your company image to be reassured that your company is reliable, safe, and trustworthy, avoid flashy fonts and bold use of font sizes. Leave that for the companies representing bold, new, and innovative fields like alternative energy development. Banks and other financial service companies should use traditional and familiar font styles. Using Color Again, use bold colors like reds and oranges for bold businesses. Muted colors are not what you want here. Use of a lot of colors can actually be distracting. The old Apple logo contained multiple layers of color but it was redesigned to improve its functionality in the late 1990s. Using Enhancing Effects Many good logos simply present the company name and graphically enhance certain letters by wrapping them or stretching them in some way. Look at the FedEx logo. Simply boxing off the name created the desired effect. Simple, yet functional! That is how you design a logo.

To Open a Pandoras Box

To Open a Pandoras Box To Open a Pandoras Box To Open a Pandoras Box By Maeve Maddox Ive found an expression that annoys me more than deja vu all over again. Its a box of Pandoras. Denmark has tumbled into a box of Pandoras. Meryl may regret having opened this whole box of Pandoras (language site, discussion of the difference between can and may) My, I do seem to have opened a can of worms (or a box of Pandoras) here. (the topic is the music of Chopin.) In many places the expression is attributed to former governor of New Mexico Bruce King: His [Kings] most famous malapropism, frequently repeated by legislators during floor debates, was the time King said that a legislative proposal would open a whole box of Pandoras. (Santa Fe-New Mexican, Nov. 14, 2009) Ive also seen it attributed to Casey Stengel, Al Gore, former Arkansas Governor Frank White, and former Washington D.C. mayor Marion Barry. Ideas about nature are famously malleable. Try to take just a peek, and Shazamm!you have opened what Casey Stengal [sic] once called A Box of Pandoras. (excerpt at Amazon from a published book about Nature) We dont want to open up a box of Pandoras. Vice-President Albert Gore, Jr. (comment at a site called TruckNet) â€Å"We dont want to open a box of Pandoras.† That was said by Marion Barry, the former mayor of Washington, D.C. He was referring to the Greek Pandoras’ Box. (a blog called Dahn Batchelors opinions) As former Gov. Frank White of Arkansas once put it, the president thus opened a whole box of Pandoras. (article by Frank Perly at WashingtonTimes.com, May 18, 2010) The expression to open a Pandoras box has long been used to describe an act that may have unforeseen and unpleasant consequences. It derives from a Greek myth in which the woman Pandora, driven by curiosity, opens a jar (or a box) containing various human evils, unintentionally loosing them on the world. The distortion to open a box of Pandoras may owe its galloping popularity to its similarity to opening a can of worms. As a figurative expression, opening a box of Pandoras may have sounded amusing the first time it was used, but as an ongoing expression it gets old fast. NOTE: the word Pandora on its own enjoys a huge popularity as a product name and in other contexts. Someone opening a delivery of electronic gadgets might have reason to declare that he was opening a box of Pandoras. 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 Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Words for Facial ExpressionsUse a Dash for Number Ranges5 Ways to Reduce Use of Prepositions

The Role of Fluency in Comprehension Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Role of Fluency in Comprehension - Essay Example This paper, basically, examines the effects of reading fluency on comprehension. Fluency refers to the ability to read aloud automatically and expressively with understanding (Fountas & Pinnell 62). Fluency is one of the requirements for becoming an excellent reader. Excellent readers are efficient problem solvers, who utilize syntax and meaning as they quickly decode unfamiliar words efficiently. Fluency should, however, not replace the meaning as the main focus of reading (Fountas & Pinnell 64). According to Mrs. Pepper, a speech pathologist in Athens, fluency is the ability to pronounce the words without struggling. She suggests that struggling to call words affects people’s thoughts. The National Reading Panel defines fluency as the ability to read comprehension accurately, quickly, and with proper expression (Fountas & Pinnell 68). The study of fluency among school children became a significant concern, after NRP realized the children were not getting the proper fluency r equired out of them. Limited fluency makes it difficult for the children to understand what they reading. The researchers analyzed two teaching approaches since they had not settled on one. The first approach requires students to read comprehension orally with feedback and guidance (Fountas & Pinnell 65). This includes paired reading, assisted reading, repeated reading, and shared reading. The second approach encourages students to read extensively. This includes programs such as accelerated reader, drops everything and read (DEAR), sustained silent reading (SSR), or any other appropriate incentive program (Fountas & Pinnell 67). The researcher at NRP established that Guided Repeated Reading procedures are efficient enough to improve reading fluency, and general reading achievement. These procedures improve word fluency, recognition and comprehension (Fountas & Pinnell 70). However, the researchers found out that children do not improve their fluency if they are left to read on thei r own. It is also necessary recognize that these programs do not improve reading skills. Fluency is usually analyzed with respect to comprehension. After the Pre-Kindergarten level, children are expected to begin reading independently. As the complexity and volume of reading materials and expectations get wider, children who still have a problem in reading fluency usually have difficult times understanding and handling schoolwork (Fountas & Pinnell 69). Students who cannot read and understand passages lose both the academic and intellectual grounds. The NPR identifies a strong correlation between comprehension and fluency. Fluency frees reference materials to process meaning. Fluency is something that is instantly acquired, and therefore, it is long-term. Classroom activities and strategies like repeated reading can encourage students achieve fluency (Fountas & Pinnell 72). There are various strategies that tutors can use to develop, and improve fluency among their students. For ins tance, teachers and students can do repeated reading in classroom, try readers’ theater in class, and model fluent reading (Fountas & Pinnell 65). Modeling provides approaches through which the teachers demonstrate unfamiliar reading strategy or skill to the students. Teachers are experienced readers, and they do modeling whenever they participate in literacy activities. Pre-Kindergarten students learn from their teachers when they turn pages, hold books, and read from left to right. They also listen to the tonal variation and

The Feminine Voice of Africa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 19

The Feminine Voice of Africa - Essay Example Men and women both get caught up by the forces of history and circumstances of their physical and social environment, getting transformed in the process. As a result, they are bound together by a common fate in the face of hardship and oppression to assert their rights. Ousmane portrays the strike from all possible angles and in that respect, the novel is often compared to Émile Zola's masterpiece, Germinal. In God’s Bits of Wood, the strike causes evolution in the self-perceptions of the Africans themselves, both men and women. This is most evident in the women characters—Bamako, Thies, and Dakar. These women go from mutely standing behind the men in their lives, to walking alongside them and eventually marching ahead of them. In the course of the novel, they undergo a metamorphosis in terms of initiative and expression. Ousmane establishes the central issue in the opening pages of the novel through the musings of Niakoro, an aged woman of the community. When the men are able to work the jobs that the train factory provides them, the women are responsible for running the markets, preparing the food, and rearing the children. However with the onset of the strike, the role of bread-winner or perhaps more precisely bread scavenger, shifts to the women. Women go from supporting the strike to actively participating in the strike. Eventually, it is the women that march on foot, over four days from Thies to Dakar.