The Fool

Fool
"I did impeticos thy gratillity, for Malvolio’s nose is no whipstock. My lady has a white hand, and the Myrmidons are no bottle-ale houses."
Act II, sc. III, i. 27

The Fool is talking nonsense to Sir Andrew. Sir Andrew is completely amused by his use of silly words and phrases such as "impeticos thy gratillity" in which gratillity sounds like "gratuity." In this line, the Fool is thanking Sir Andrew for the money he sent him for his girlfriend. He gave the money as a present to his girlfriend. The Fool asserts that Sir Andrew would not be able to grip Malvolio's nose to whip his horse with it. The Fool continues saying his girlfriend has white hands and great warriors (the Myrmidions) are not bottle-ale houses. The word "white" was then synonymous with "beautiful." This is word nonsense in order to amuse Sir Andrew. The Fool is doing what he is best at. In his drunken state, Sir Andrew cannot get enought of the Fool's singing voice and implores the Fool to sing. Sir Andrew even claims in the line before that he would give forty shillings to have the Fool's legs and voice. He could say anything to Sir Andrew and he would think it is funny. The Fool is the smartest one in this play. He secretly holds all the wisdom while all the other characters are the real fools.

Questions for Twelfth Night

1. Why is Orsino's love and attraction so strong towards Olivia?

2. Why does Viola want to disguise herself as a eunuch?

3. Why will Olivia not show return affection towards Orsino?

4. Why does Viola not reveal her true affections towards Orsino?

5. Is it possible that Malvolio is in love with Olivia?

6. How did Olivia's brother die?

'High-Tech Trash"

All over e-waste is choking the landscape and the people who are living nearby. Chris Carroll asserts in "High-Tech Trash" that "People have always been proficient at making trash." Carroll has had first hand experience in this department having travled to Ghana and having seen the endless amounts of old electronics that litter the area. As electronics become outdated and broken, the heaps of trash escalate. Carroll writes, "According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, an estimated 30 millions to 40 million PCs will be ready for "end-of-life management" in each of the next few years." This does not include televisions or cell phones. Most of these old-fashioned electronics end up in landfills which contribute to dangerous toxins leaking into the ground. Most of the waste that is supposed to be recycled is not necessarily disposed of. E-waste is flowing in and out of different countries. China in previous years has become the hot spot for e-waste. Today, the serious effects of high levels of dioxin in the air and soil are taking its toll on the country. What goes around comes around. Contaminated products will find their back to the United States. Chris Carroll concludes his article by saying, "In a global economy, out of sight will not stay out of mind for long." The effects will soon pile up and changes will need to be made so that the e-waste may flow in a responsible and safe direction.

"To Take Wilderness In Hand"

Conservationists need to to come together. Climate changes are not waiting and neither should environmentalists. In "To Take Wilderness In Hand," Michelle Nijhuis describes Connie Barlow's journey in trying to help save the Torreya taxifolia, an ancient tree species, located in Torreya State Park in Florida. Today, there are less than a thousand of these trees left with the causes being unknown to scientists and ecologists. Barlow made a vow after her visit to Torreya State Park that she would make a stand to change this fact, even if it took moving all the trees someplace else. However, Connie Barlow was very serious in her intention to move the trees or more recently termed "assisted migration." Many conservasionists are horrified at the thought including David Printiss, a manager of the Nature Conservancy Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve, who says it would "make an already bad situtation worse." Michelle Nijhuis states, "But climate changes calls all this into question." The research showing rising seas, increasing global temperatures and plants and animals moving toward the poles is undeniable. Without new stategies toward preserving the Torreya taxifolia all of the trees in time will die and possibly become extinct later down the road. Everyone should realize sooner than later that climate changes are not going to stop. They will only worsen. A job must be done by conservationists if they want to win the fight against global warming.

"Virtual Iraq"

The best way to live through somthing is to face the fear dead on. Sue Halpern in "Virtual Iraq" describes the experimental treatment used to help PSTD. It is none other than a video game in which veterans take on a helmet and video goggles and are stimulated by smells, sounds and visuals made to renact live combat. Sue Halpern has had first hand experience when dealing with the video game having played around with the game twice. Albert Rizzo, the inventor of the game, adapts Virtual Iraq to his patients whether by changing seating positions in a Humvee or having explosions go off. The game makes veterans relive their darkest moments during war. However, pschologists do this in stages in order to not completely scare the patient. Halpern was able to interview Travis Boyd, a marine from Iraq. After just a few weeks of Virtual Iraq, Boyd for the first time since his days in Iraq was able to relax. Experiments using Virtual Iraq have proved that the stimulating video game truly works and gives veterans the ability to live again after war. You can never underestimate the power of men and their video games.

iPad

If I want something I want it fast and I want it now. Contemporary American society has shown this trait by the use of credit cards, drive thrus, airplanes, labtops and cell phones. The average American wants something that is easy, convenient and effective in order to get the desired job at hand done. Today, it takes too much effort just to take out all the different array of devices that one is carrying around to do their everyday functions. These "essential" devices include one's cell phone, labtop, iPod and very soon the new, revolutionary iPad introduced by Apple on January 27 in San Francisco. The iPad was unveiled by Steve Jobs, Apple's Chief Executive who described the new product as a "third category" between smartphones and labtops. Instantly after introducing the invention people all over the country have been talking about the iPad questioning the product's actual uses and asking what exactly it even does.

The first thing that comes up on Apple's home page is a huge picture of the iPad and the sentence, "Our most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price." Who can beat that? The Apple corporation makes it sound like they have found the cure for cancer at a low cost for everyone. Apple also states on its website that the iPad is "The best way to experience the web, email, photos, and video. Hands down." With the iPad one is able to play with the web, youtube, video, itunes, ibooks, photos, maps, notes and the app store using up to 10 hours of battery life. Not to mention the iPad is only 1.5 pounds and 0.5 inches thin making it comfortable to hold and available to transport anywhere.

The iPad has everything and anything a person could want in one device besides the product being a cell phone. Technology buffs will be running to get their hands on the new iPad. There is nothing more a person could ask for. When the iPod came out in 2001 I never thought I would buy one. I did not see what the big fuss was about. My uncle decided to surprise me for Christmas and bought me a iPod. I have not been without my iPod since. I cannot imagine the days when I used a cd player. It is amazing how easy one becomes attached to a product. I am sure that the new iPad will become popular and eventually everyone will be carrying one in place of their four other gadgets.

The Apple corporation is not filled with dummys. The executives focus greatly on what their consumers want. American consumers always want to be ahead of the game, one step ahead of everyone else. They want a product that is fast and that does the job. The new iPad offers an array of activities that can all be done on one device. Steve Jobs says, "What this device does is extraordinary. It is the best browsing experience you have ever had." Americans will be sure to test out this new device and who knows maybe in a couple of years everyone will be carrying around an iPad.