Use of Technology Essay Example for Free

Use of Technology Essay The information age presents many challenges for those in education and government where there is the need for the whole population to be able to access and use new technologies. This will include use of computers, the internet and digital television which is key in determining and establishing a skilled workforce and empowered citizenry for the twenty first century; the possibility and potential of these new technologies to allow people to learn throughout the life-course is also seen as a ready means of establishing developed countries as a learning society. Governments around the world have come out and set targets and development policies to help all adult technologies – information communication technology- in making these users friendly in their own environments, (Selwyn, Gorard, Furlong, 2006). Despite the sums of money being invested in ICT and education, there is the need for establishing how close the society is in establishing technology based learning societies and the challenges that might be faced along the way. There is also the need to recognize the promise and potential of new technologies, mapping how ICT and ICT-based learning fit with the everyday lives of each individual as well as the ability of research in the community. In this time and age, many of us already have a hand held mobile device, a hand held computing device of some description as well as some form of Internet access in the homes or at the office. As well, the enthusiasts of the power of technology see the need to support and shape our everyday activities proliferate via newspapers, textbooks and television screens. All these are learning avenues and as well these have increased to e-commerce, e-tailing, cybersex, blogging, networked computerized technologies in the nineteenth century revolution; inspired by grand notions of globalization and post modernity, some scholars have taken to portraying adults in the early twenty-first century as living in a plentiful post-physical age where all that is solid melts into bits The importance of learning in information society The prominence of education and learning within the post-industrial, information society analysis was in no small part responsible for the high profile reassessment of education and training by educators and politicians in developing countries over the latter half of the 1990s. In countries such  as the UK, this was infamously embodied in New Labor’s 1977 election commitment to concentrate on education. The information society and knowledge economy agenda were particularly evident in the rise of political favor during the 1990s of the broad concept of lifelong learning, a notion embracing not only the compulsory phases of education but also education throughout adult life. This lifelong learning involves more than a narrow technical adjustment to the organization of educational provision; it is an attempted transformation in learning opportunities in order to meet the implicit demands of the information society/knowledge economy. If it is accepted that the production and distribution of knowledge and information are increasingly significant processes in the determination of global economic competitiveness and development, which are reflected in turn, in economic growth, employment change and levels of welfare, then the capacities of organizations and individuals to engage successfully in the learning process of a variety of kinds is an obvious determinant of economic performance. Policies and usage of ICT in schools For an effective learning environment in schools that incorporate ICT, the use of computers need to have policy frameworks to specify their use and how effective they will be in their use as this will give a general guideline in use as well as maintenance. In South Africa, the proportion of principles indicating the existence of written policies for both the lower and upper education levels were virtually the same, but emphasis was quite different. In almost all the schools too, there was a common vision on ICT as a policy goal that pay attention to norms and values when using services such as the internet; a survey in south Africa revealed that such visions were fully or partially realized both at the upper and the lower levels as other principals reported that developing a common vision was realized as a goal, (Howie, Muller, Paterson, 2005) On the other hand, at the upper level involving mature learning, it is certainly not hard to detect enthusiasms for ICT based technologies within the educational literature, reflecting the proliferation of new technologies such as the computer and internet in adult changing settings. In essence and principle, ICTs are argued to make learning more effective and more equitable, to offer a diverse range of  learning opportunities to a diverse range of adult learners on a suitable, convenient and cost effective basis as technology has been heralded by some to facilitate learning which is eclectic, holistic and flexible. In short, this is to say that ICTs are portrayed as making the wider goals of the knowledge economy and information society, (Howie, Muller, Paterson, 2005) Conclusion According to Law, Yuen Fox, (2011), sustaining or transformative uses of technology do not depend on technology alone, they also depend on the intended use of the technology in the specific educational contexts, often, and specific technologies priorities certain uses and hence can be used more easily for sustaining or transformative purposes. Such prioritization is not deterministic as further, the characteristic that mist influences the choice and deployment of ICT in school education is the pedagogical decision-making of the teacher. This in turn is determined by the curriculum goals and training as well as pedagogical competencies of the teacher, (Law, 2008) Transformative use of technology in schools and education as discussed above are those that are integral to the implementation of innovative pedagogical practices. This involves the changing roles of the teachers, learners and members of the community, and the power relationships among these three groups. The way learning outcomes are assessed and staff performance is appraised also changes, thus challenging the predominant value and reward system inherent in the education system today. In particular, the integration of ICT in learning can be an effective tool in widening education participation, supporting a diversity of educational provision as well as lead to better form and outcomes of adult learning. ? Work Cited Howie, S. J., Muller, A., Paterson, A. (2005). Information and Communication Technologies in. Howie, S. J., Muller, A., Paterson, A. (2005). Information and Communication Technologies in (n.d.): 1-9. Web. Sept.-Oct. 2014. This journal discusses the benefits of using technology in education, as well as the challenges it has created. The writer’s thoroughly researched paper convinces its readers of the vastness of the technological world. South Africa: Reforming Higher Education and Transforming the National System of Innovation. Academia.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Oct. 2014. This article is written to inform its readers about, the transformation of education with rapid inventions of newer technologies. Nurturing Leadership and Establishing Learning Organizations. Educational Innovations Beyond Technology. N.p., n.d. Web. Oct.-Nov. 2014.Selwyn, N., Gorard, S., Furlong, J. (2006). This research discuses the methods and technological innovations used in learning. Adult Learning in the Digital Age: Information Technology and the Learning Society. N.p., n.d. Web. Oct.-Nov. 2014. This research discusses the use of technology in education, as well as its impact on education.

Document Analysis of John Browns Address to the Virginia Court Essay Example for Free

Document Analysis of John Browns Address to the Virginia Court Essay The address given by John Brown to the Virginia court was his final words before execution on charges of treason. The charges were given because of a raid that he directed with the intent to take federal weapons which is an act of treason. On October 16th-18th, 1859, the radical abolitionist John Brown led a group of white and black men, including two of his sons, on Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Brown’s goal was to seize the federal arsenal, arm the local slaves, and fight a way into the North as described in this primary source in court. This raid was not surprising because of his abolitionist background and insanity as described by the Robert E. Lee who led the Union Army that suppressed the revolt. The group held up in a fire department and was attacked by Lee’s soldiers. The failed attempt resulted in Brown’s capture, trial, and execution on December 2nd. This episode of slave resistance was the last major rebellion contributing to the secession of the South and, eventually, the Civil War. Purpose: John Brown had a a few purpose for delivering this address. Obviously, it was given in response to charges accumulated from the raid, and the address also makes several points explaining his defense. Brown stated that he did not intend to fire a single gun but wanted simply to take slaves from plantations and lead them to northern states or Canada. Brown also stated that he did not induce the others involved in the raid to join him which lessened his crime in his mind. To the charges he addressed, â€Å"I never did intend murder, or treason, or the destruction of property, or to excite or incite slaves to rebellion, or to make insurrection. Though he denied the charges, one can infer that Brown really did want a slave uprising to occur in the South due to his strong abolitionist morals and beliefs. If the raid were to be successful, Brown would not stop with those slaves, but rather continue his forced manumission of the South. Brown’s impression of the trial was one of satisfaction, but he argued that â€Å"it is unjust that I should suffer such a penalty [of death]. † He made this argument because his intent was not to start this uprising but, instead, to be an act of defiance that he knew would indirectly cause a mass insurrection in the South. Value: John Brown’s address is not a historical landmark and was a less significant historical document that had minimal aftermath; however, it provides a specific example of responses in court giving insight into how acts of slave resistance are dealt with legally. Brown gives this document a unique texture because of his eloquence in court compared with his savagery in the raid. Overall, he is given the status of a martyr with his words: â€Å"I submit [to death]: so let it be done! † Brown reveals a very different side of his personality in which he is a dignified martyr. He predicts that slavery will never end peacefully in the country whose â€Å"rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments†. Historians can use this document today to show people strong in their beliefs who act upon them, and although some failed in their efforts, their cause was strengthened. Limitations: The address made by John Brown contains several limitations that affect its credit as a historical source. A significant limiting factor is that there is only one opinion to explain the raid. Brown had a biased opinion mainly because of his childhood having been greatly influenced with abolitionist morals and beliefs. One would think that Brown’s address would be biased in spite of his numerous accusations, but he speaks as if he had nothing to lose. The aiding and abetting criminals in the raid would not have delivered a speech as dignified and passionate as Brown’s but would obviously be similar in their renditions of the event. To fully understand Brown’s raid, historians would need to consult Robert E. Lee’s notes. After viewing both sides of the story, a historian can either choose a side or make an inference that incorporates both.

The Process Of Brewing Beer

The Process Of Brewing Beer Beer is the worlds ancient and most generally consumed alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea. The word beer comes from the Latin word bibere, meaning to drink. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches, mainly derived from cereal grains predominantly malted barley, although wheat, maize (corn), and rice are widely used. Maximum beer is flavored with hops, which enhance bitterness and also acts as a natural preservative, nevertheless other flavorings such as herbs or fruit may rarely be included. The chemical equation beneath sum up to form beer: C6H12O6 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 2 CH3CH2OH + 2 CO2 History The history of beer making is a story of creation, dedication and honor. While wine making is a very old art that probably invented with the Phoenicians some 2,600 years ago, the art of beer making is said to be older than that of farming. Around 10,000 and 15,000 years ago, women were known to collect wild grain and utilize it to make beer by fermentation which would dependent on spontaneous air borne yeast. Along the birth of civilization correspondingly originated the skilled beer brewing. The Sumerians in around 6,000 years old developed different varieties by soaking barley bread in water. Around 4000 years ago seal, of a Goddess of brewing Hymn to Ninkasi was found in Sumerians period. In which hymn is also a process for making beer. The Babylonians around 2000 years later brought forth several further varieties. Babylonians also distributed and exported the beer and above all, there were laws on the beer. For example the king used to decide the quantity of beer that a person can consume. Beer in that was also sold on barter system. After Babylonians, Egyptians carried on the custom of beer brewing. They also developed many different varieties of beer by adding dates and other fruits. Greeks and Romans carried the tradition of beer brewing as the capture on the Egyptians. In Roman Empire beer was drank in some parts where there was no wine available. Beer of that time could not be s tored and there was no yeast introduced yet. As the culture of barley spread in in north and west, the beer brewing also grabbed attention. After that period, slowly beer brewing reached the entire world and also developed because of trade, wars, and modernization of world. Process of beer brewing The simplest way to describe the process of beer making is fermentation of Malted barley, hops, water and yeast. But sometimes to give beer a specific flavor, ingredients like wheat, maize (corn), rice, fruit, dry fruit and spices are introduced and this dependence on the region where the beer is produced. If the process is considered in detail beer brewing has different stages like malting, milling, mashing, brewing, cooling, fermentation which is followed by maturation, filtering (finishing) and packaging. What is barley? Barley is a towering grass and on the top of the stalk it has got seeds. Barley is not used for baking because it does not form good dough nevertheless it is good for brewing beer. Barley is available numerous strains and ranges that eventually influence the flavor of the beer. Malting Malting is the first step of beer making. In this process barley is prepared to be used in brewing. Barley cannot be used directly to produce the wert since the starch in its floury kernels is insoluble. As the process of malting progress it exposes the starches present in the barley. The first step is Steeping in malting in which grain is soaked in a barrel of water for approximately 40 hours. The second step is germination of the barley grain and for the grain to germinate it is spread on the flat surface in the sprouting room for roughly three to five days where the formation of rootlets instigated. The germination process produces the enzymes by breaking down. At the end of the process, the starch become soft but the enzymes is not in progress of transforming the starch into sugar. Now the barley grain is knows as green malt. Kilning The next process is kilning. Germination is stopped by drying the green malt on metal shelves in the oven (kiln house) at 50 ° C. The temperature is then raised up to 85 °C to make a light malt, or more upper for a dark malt. It is essential that temperature should be raised slowly for the reason that the enzymes in the grain are not ruined. The malted shoots are separated and then dried malts are stored in grain storage. Even though malted barley is the chief ingredient, unmalted corn, rice or wheat are added sometimes, to create diverse beer flavors in this malting process. At the end of kilning, the product obtained malt. The flavor, color and aroma of the beer would be different as there are variations in the ways of malting the barley. Milling Next process is milling and as the name suggest it is the cracking of the grain which the brewer chooses for the particular batch of beer. Milling the grain allows it to absorb the water which would eventually be mixed in order to let water to extract sugars from the malt. Mashing The following step to milling is Mashing. Mashing is the process of making the finest ground malt into a sweet syrupy fluid. Mashing transforms the starches into sugars that can be fermented and which are released throughout the malting period. The milled grains are released into warm water then are slowly heated to about 75 ° C in a big cooking container so called as mash tun. In this mash tun, the grain and heated water forms a cereal mash which dissolves the starch into the water, converting it into sugar mostly maltose. Water itself is a key ingredient in beer because water is an important part of the brewing process. This water which contains sugar is then strained through the bottom of the mash and is now entitled as wert. Brewing Brewing is one of the most an important process in beer making. The finished grains are drained out and wert are ready for boiling and this consist of several technical and chemical reactions. During this stage, vital judgments are made for the flavor, color and aroma of the beer. Different kinds of hops are added at different times throughout the boil process for either bitterness or aroma and also for preserve it. The wert is boiled for 1 or 2 hours to sterilize and concentrate it and extract the necessary essence from the hops. Cooling Cooling is the next step. The wert is shifted quickly from the brew kettle to filter out the hops through a method, and then it is taken to a heat exchanger for cooled. It is essential to rapidly cool wert to a point where yeast can be securely added, as yeast doesnt grow in high heat. Fermentation Fermentation is a vital step in brewing. The brewer now selects a type of yeast and adds it to the fermentation tank. This is where the real magic of brewing happens when the yeast, eats the sugar in the wert and turns it into alcohol and carbon dioxide. This process takes ten days. The wort finally becomes beer. Maturation Maturation which is also known as racking. The beer has now been brewed, but it can still be improved through maturation. Throughout this stage, the brewer transfers and shelves the beer into a new tank known as the conditioning tank. The brewer then just waits for the beer aging process to complete and thus its flavor also ripens. The liquid clarifies as yeast and other particles settle. Secondary fermentation saturates the beer with carbon dioxide. Finishing Finishing is the end of the brewing process. Here the beer is filtered and carbonated. Additional filtering contributes to the sparkling clarity of beer. The beer is transformed to a holding tank where it kept till it is bottled, canned or put into kegs. Filling systems ensure that air does not come into contact with the beer and is not trapped inside the container. Chemistry of beer What are the different flavor and color of beer and from where does the beer get them? There are many forms of malts. This include pale malts with are dried at a low temperature. Therefore it produces a malt that give the beer a pale golden color and a slightly bready flavor such as a pilsner. (PILSENER: A pale lager with strong flavor of hops; first brewed in the Bohemian town of Pilsen.). Mild ale malts are kilned to a bit higher temperature which produces a pale malt that gives the beer a deeper color and slightly toasted biscuit flavors. Many English ales go for this malt process. Vienna and Munich malts are simmered and lightly kilned thus helps some of the starch to convert more sugar which give the beer an orangey amber color and the classic toffees taste, furthermore nutty flavors of Oktoberfest beer and other Bavarian, German specialties. The highest temperatures are used to acquire very flavorful and aromatic malts. Caramel and Crystal malts are slowly boil until all of their starches are converted into sugars then they are kilned until they caramelize and th is caramel flavored malt gives the beer a reddish-amber color, rich flavors. Kiln the barley longer and at higher temperatures and the darker and roastier the beer will be. Just like higher roasted coffee beans. This will give the beer darker color and chocolate, coffee and espresso-like flavors. What does yeast do in beer? Each brewery has its own strains of yeast, and it is these that largely determine the character of the beer. In some yeast varieties, the cells rise to the top at the end of fermentation, and are then skimmed off. This is called top fermentation, and ales are brewed in this way. When at the end of fermentation the yeast cells sink to the bottom, the process is known as bottom fermentation, used for lager or pils. When ales are brewed yeast commonly used is known as Saccharomyces cerevisia and for lager and pils Saccharomyces calsbergensis. Some special Belgian beers use a third method where fermentation relies on spontaneous action by airborne yeasts. Alcohol percentages of beer worldwide Alcohol percentages vary by country to country. As British ale beer contains average alcohol about 4.4% whereas Belgian beers tend to have average alcohol of about 8%. In India there are 3 common types of beer which include lager beer which consist of around 4% of alcohol, about 8% is premium beer and super strong beer consist of about 15%. The strongest beer sold in Britain was Dogfish Heads which had 21% alcohol in 2003. In Japan in 2005, the Hakusekikan Beer Restaurant sold an eisbock, believed that it had 28% alcohol. The strongest beers sold in 2009 Scotlands Brew Dog Brewing released Tactical Nuclear Penguin, claiming the title of worlds strongest beer at which had 32%. Recently for Brew Dog, Schorschbrà ¤u Brewing from Germany released Schorschbock in January 2010 which consists of about 40% alcohol. Infected beer The diacetyl, light struck, oxidation, esters, phenols, over or under carbonation, acidic are some infection that beer can get. Diacetyl is instigated when there is not sufficient oxygen in wort and high temperature initial fermentation. Light struck is affect the beer when the beer is exposed to light. When air is bonded with beer oxidation takes place and the beer is spoiled which gives the beer a cardboard or paper smell. When Banana, apple flavor comes from beer the beer is affected by esters. Over or under carbonation is caused when the bottles are not sealed properly moreover this can also happen when the yeast added to the beer is wild. When bacterias like lactobacillus and bacillus attack the beer the beer is infected and this is seen when the beer gets acidic. Conclusion

Equivocation and Double Meanings in Macbeth :: GCSE Coursework Macbeth Essays

Equivocation and Double Meanings in Macbeth Shakespeare uses equivocation not to confuse but to either get across multiple meanings or to leave dialogue and events in the play open ended. Equivocation can be seen with the witches and whenever they talk. The witches are themselves a vague set of characters who talk in a puzzling riddle-like manner. For instance when Macbeth goes to see them for the second time they are very vague about predicting his future, intentionally confusing him and making him overly confident. An example of this riddled dialogue goes like this: All (three witches): Listen, but speak not to't. Apparition: Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are: Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until; Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill Shall come against him. Macbeth: That will never be: Who can impress the forest, bid the tree ... That excerpt shows how the witches twist and play with Macbeth's mind and feelings. By the end of the Apparition's lines, Macbeth is convinced he can not be killed by anyone, and so grows in confidence till seething and almost rupturing with it. It also shows Shakespeare's use of equivocation and how, unless certain lines are studied, their true, if vague, meaning cannot be seen or understood. The quoted phrase, â€Å"fair is foul and foul is fair† is used frequently, the phrase itself is an oxymoron. Early in the play the reader sees Macbeth as the hero because he has saved all of Scotland from the Norwegians. Duncan, honoring Macbeth, says, â€Å"More is thy due than more than all can pay.† (Act 1, Scene ) Towards the middle of the play the reader suddenly begins to pity Macbeth, slowly realizing his encroaching insanity for what it is, a downward spiral of death and increased mistakes. Finally, at the end of the play, the reader's opinion of Macbeth moves more towards hate and a feeling that Macbeth is unmistakably evil. As the second witch said: By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes: (-Act 4, Scene 1) Such is Macbeth's fair to foul story in a flash. There is also Lady Macbeth, Macduff, Malcolm, and Donalbain, and perhaps even Banquo. Each of these character's development follows the â€Å"fair is foul and foul is fair† format.

A Child Called Essay -- Essays Papers

A Child Called Amelia Mary Earhart was born on July 24, 1897 in Atchison, Kansas. She was the daughter of a railroad attorney and had a younger sister named Muriel. Amelia was a tomboy and was always interested in learning. She was educated at Columbia University and Harvard Summer School. She taught English to immigrant factory workers. During World War I, Amelia was a volunteer in a Red Cross hospital. Amelia heard of a woman pilot, Neta Snook, who gave flying lessons. She had her first lesson on January 2, 1921. On July 24, 1921, Amelia bought her first plane, a prototype of the Kinner airplane and named it â€Å"The Canary.† In 1928, she accepted the invitation of the American pilots Wilmer Stultzman and Louis Gordon to join them on a transatlantic flight, becoming the first woman to make the crossing by air She described the flight in a book she wrote, 20 Hours. 40 Minutes. After that flight, Amelia made a career of flying. Aviation was a new concept and the industry looked for ways to improve its image. In 1921, Amelia was appointed Assistant to the General Traffic Manager and Transcontinental Air Transport (TWA) with a special responsibility of attracting women passengers. Amelia organized a cross-country air race for women pilots in 1929, the Los Angeles to Cleveland Women’s Air Derby, later called the â€Å"Powder Puff Derby.† Amelia placed third in this race. After the race, Amelia had a meeting in her hotel room in Cleveland with other women pilots. She formed a women’s pilot organization called the â€Å"Ninety-Nines† because of the ninety-nine applicants. She served as the organization’s first president. Amelia continued to work for TWA and was writing regular articles for Cosmopolitan and other magazines, and had speaking engagements in many cities across the country. In 1930, she broke several women’s speed records in her Lockheed Vega aircraft. In 1931, she wrote a book about those exciting experiences called The Fun of It. By early 1932, no other person had successfully flown solo across the Atlantic Ocean since Charles Lindbergh. Amelia decided she would be the first woman to fly solo over the Atlantic. She would not duplicate Lindbergh’s course, but would fly from Harbour Grace, Newfoundland and the British Isles would be her destination. On May 20, 1932, exactly five years a... ...nconfirmed sightings have been reported and there are many theories of their fate. Some of those theories are that Amelia was a on a spy mission authorized by President Roosevelt and was captured; that she purposely dove her aircraft into the Pacific; they were captured by the Japanese, Noonan was executed and Earhart was forced to broadcast to the American GI’s as â€Å"Tokyo Rose† during World War II; and another theory is that Amelia lived for years on an island in the South Pacific with a native fisherman. In 1961 it was thought that the bones of Earhart and Noonan had been found on the island of Saipan, but they turned out to be those of Saipan natives. In 1992, a search party reported finding remnants of the Electra at Nikumaroro, Kiribati, but those claims were disputed by people who worked on Earhart’s plane. Researches believe that the plane ran out of fuel and that Earhart and Noonan died at sea. Amelia Earhart spent most of her lifetime establishing the permanent role of women in aviation. She became an international heroine overnight as the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. Amelia’s disappearance is still a mystery, but her enduring legacy remains.

The Real Monster in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Essay -- Who is the Tr

Frankenstein is a classic horror novel, but with a twist of many other genres. Written by Mary Shelley, it was a novel which mixed many exciting elements, such as horror, drama and romance. The story follows a young doctor named Victor Frankenstein, who has an obsession to reincarnate the dead, but his attempts at this fail horribly, and Victor finds himself in deep peril, as the monster stalks him throughout the world. I aim to investigate the issue, however, of who is the true monster in Frankenstein. The monster or Frankenstein himself? Mary Shelley, the creator of Frankenstein, was a highly intellectual and creative woman, one of the elite writers in Britain. Her inspiration for Frankenstein was taken from several things. The plan itself for Frankenstein was taken from a dream, but her theories of life and explanation of the human anatomy came from noted scientists, philosophers and alchemists from Europe. This spawned the seed of the monster of Frankenstein, an intellectual creature, a lover of music, poetry and other such sophisticated occupancies. The basis of the whole story in itself, however, is a result of a visit to the country and place where the actual book was based in itself. In the summer of 1816, nineteen-year-old Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin and her lover, the poet Percy Shelley (whom she married later that year), visited the poet Lord Byron at his villa beside Lake Geneva in Switzerland. Normally, poor weather conditions would entreat them to go into the house, where they would often entertain each other with a volume of ghost stories Lord Byron held in his possession. . One particularly stormy evening, Byron challenged his guests to each write one themselves. Mary's story, inspired by... ... the monster with less than basic human emotions; he spurned it, and hoped never to see it again. This is an extremely irresponsible decision. It is evident that Frankenstein did not realize that, even though his â€Å"specimen† was defective on the outside, it was still a living, breathing, thinking being. A being which needed love, care and tutoring. In his misguided and blind attempts to cheat death, Frankenstein has in fact brought death on others, which is a despicable act. Some may argue that Frankenstein had no choice, but I believe that is inaccurate. He had a choice. He could have stayed, tutored the monster, and tutor it as an equal, in matters of logic and science, and given it as normal a life as it could have. Or, he could have chosen the path that he did, that path Mary Shelley laid out for this book, one which inevitably led to pain and chaos.

Deception Point Page 21

Tolland groaned. â€Å"Now he's showing off. What Corky means is that we can prove a rock is a meteorite simply by measuring its chemical content.† â€Å"Hey, ocean boy!† Corky chided. â€Å"Let's leave the science to the scientists, shall we?† He immediately turned back to Rachel. â€Å"In earth rocks, the mineral nickel occurs in either extremely high percentages or extremely low; nothing in the middle. In meteorites, though, the nickel content falls within a midrange set of values. Therefore, if we analyze a sample and find the nickel content reflects a midrange value, we can guarantee beyond the shadow of a doubt that the sample is a meteorite.† Rachel felt exasperated. â€Å"Okay, gentlemen, fusion crusts, chondrules, midrange nickel contents, all of which prove it's from space. I get the picture.† She laid the sample back on Corky's table. â€Å"But why am I here?† Corky heaved a portentous sigh. â€Å"You want to see a sample of the meteorite NASA found in the ice underneath us?† Before I die here, please. This time Corky reached in his breast pocket and produced a small, disk-shaped piece of stone. The slice of rock was shaped like an audio CD, about half an inch thick, and appeared to be similar in composition to the stony meteorite she had just seen. â€Å"This is a slice of a core sample that we drilled yesterday.† Corky handed the disk to Rachel. The appearance certainly was not earth-shattering. It was an orangish-white, heavy rock. Part of the rim was charred and black, apparently a segment of the meteorite's outer skin. â€Å"I see the fusion crust,† she said. Corky nodded. â€Å"Yeah, this sample was taken from near the outside of the meteorite, so it still has some crust on it.† Rachel tilted the disk in the light and spotted the tiny metallic globules. â€Å"And I see the chondrules.† â€Å"Good,† Corky said, his voice tense with excitement. â€Å"And I can tell you from having run this thing through a petrographic polarizing microscope that its nickel content is midrange-nothing like a terrestrial rock. Congratulations, you've now successfully confirmed the rock in your hand came from space.† Rachel looked up, confused. â€Å"Dr. Marlinson, it's a meteorite. It's supposed to come from space. Am I missing something here?† Corky and Tolland exchanged knowing looks. Tolland put a hand on Rachel's shoulder and whispered, â€Å"Flip it over.† Rachel turned the disk over so she could see the other side. It took only an instant for her brain to process what she was looking at. Then the truth hit her like a truck. Impossible! she gasped, and yet as she stared at the rock she realized her definition of â€Å"impossible† had just changed forever. Embedded in the stone was a form that in an earth specimen might be considered commonplace, and yet in a meteorite was utterly inconceivable. â€Å"It's†¦ † Rachel stammered, almost unable to speak the word. â€Å"It's†¦ a bug! This meteorite contains the fossil of a bug!† Both Tolland and Corky were beaming. â€Å"Welcome aboard,† Corky said. The torrent of emotions that gripped Rachel left her momentarily mute, and yet even in her bewilderment, she could clearly see that this fossil, beyond question, had once been a living biological organism. The petrified impression was about three inches long and looked to be the underside of some kind of huge beetle or crawling insect. Seven pairs of hinged legs were clustered beneath a protective outer shell, which seemed to be segmented in plates like that of an armadillo. Rachel felt dizzy. â€Å"An insect from space†¦ â€Å" â€Å"It's an isopod,† Corky said. â€Å"Insects have three pairs of legs, not seven.† Rachel did not even hear him. Her head was spinning as she studied the fossil before her. â€Å"You can clearly see,† Corky said, â€Å"that the dorsal shell is segmented in plates like a terrestrial pill bug, and yet the two prominent tail-like appendages differentiate it as something closer to a louse.† Rachel's mind had already tuned Corky out. The classification of the species was totally irrelevant. The puzzle pieces now came crashing into place-the President's secrecy, the NASA excitement†¦ There is a fossil in this meteorite! Not just a speck of bacteria or microbes, but an advanced life-form! Proof of life elsewhere in the universe! 23 Ten minutes into the CNN debate, Senator Sexton wondered how he could have been worried at all. Marjorie Tench was grossly overestimated as an opponent. Despite the senior adviser's reputation for ruthless sagacity, she was turning out to be more of a sacrificial lamb than a worthy opponent. Granted, early in the conversation Tench had grabbed the upper hand by hammering the senator's prolife platform as biased against women, but then, just as it seemed Tench was tightening her grip, she'd made a careless mistake. While questioning how the senator expected to fund educational improvements without raising taxes, Tench made a snide allusion to Sexton's constant scapegoating of NASA. Although NASA was a topic Sexton definitely intended to address toward the end of the discussion, Marjorie Tench had opened the door early. Idiot! â€Å"Speaking of NASA,† Sexton segued casually. â€Å"Can you comment on the rumors I keep hearing that NASA has suffered another recent failure?† Marjorie Tench did not flinch. â€Å"I'm afraid I have not heard that rumor.† Her cigarette voice was like sandpaper. â€Å"So, no comment?† â€Å"I'm afraid not.† Sexton gloated. In the world of media sound bites, â€Å"no comment† translated loosely to â€Å"guilty as charged.† â€Å"I see,† Sexton said. â€Å"And how about the rumors of a secret, emergency meeting between the President and the administrator of NASA?† This time Tench looked surprised. â€Å"I'm not sure what meeting you're referring to. The President takes many meetings.† â€Å"Of course, he does.† Sexton decided to go straight at her. â€Å"Ms. Tench, you are a great supporter of the space agency, is that right?† Tench sighed, sounding tired of Sexton's pet issue. â€Å"I believe in the importance of preserving America's technological edge-be that military, industry, intelligence, telecommunications. NASA is certainly part of that vision. Yes.† In the production booth, Sexton could see Gabrielle's eyes telling him to back off, but Sexton could taste blood. â€Å"I'm curious, ma'am, is it your influence behind the President's continued support of this obviously ailing agency?† Tench shook her head. â€Å"No. The President is also a staunch believer in NASA. He makes his own decisions.† Sexton could not believe his ears. He had just given Marjorie Tench a chance to partially exonerate the President by personally accepting some of the blame for NASA funding. Instead, Tench had thrown it right back at the President. The President makes his own decisions. It seemed Tench was already trying to distance herself from a campaign in trouble. No big surprise. After all, when the dust settled, Marjorie Tench would be looking for a job. Over the next few minutes, Sexton and Tench parried. Tench made some weak attempts to change the subject, while Sexton kept pressing her on the NASA budget. â€Å"Senator,† Tench argued, â€Å"you want to cut NASA's budget, but do you have any idea how many high-tech jobs will be lost?† Sexton almost laughed in the woman's face. This gal is considered the smartest mind in Washington? Tench obviously had something to learn about the demographics of this country. High-tech jobs were inconsequential in comparison to the huge numbers of hardworking blue-collar Americans. Sexton pounced. â€Å"We're talking about billions in savings here, Marjorie, and if the result is that a bunch of NASA scientists have to get in their BMWs and take their marketable skills elsewhere, then so be it. I'm committed to being tough on spending.†