Quantum Cryptography Comes to Smart Phones

Here is the link to the article.

     Have you ever seen a person doing something absolutely idiotic with a smartphone? I sure have. I think that the idea of a smartphone is actually quite stupid. A smartphone takes away from your life. I have some crappy phone with a slide out keyboard that I use every now and then. I also have an iPod touch, second generation. I bought it with the mindset that all the apps and the ease of music navigation would be worth it. I mainly bought it, however, because it was around the time that everyone started getting them. If I had known how useless they actually are, I would have put my money I worked hard to earn to better use. Nowadays, the only thing I use my iPod Touch for is my book app (which is actually awesome, it has all the classics you could think of; it claims some 23,000+ books, but I would still prefer a kindle) and as a clock. I use my sister's old green iPod for music, but mainly listen on Spotify on my computer. The unneeded distractions spawned by smart phones don't seem to be going away, or anywhere for that matter, so instead of arguing with the feeble people who use them, I will instead talk about the article.
     The author relied on logos mostly in an attempt to warn the infidels of their blessed iPhone's shortcomings. That is actually quite ironic as people with iPhones probably don't read SI. And not Sports Illustrated. As these foolish people continue to place their trust in the fact that nobody can hack it because it's their phone, more and more are being robbed. It is sort of sad I think; the poor people too stupid to realize it are playing prey to sleazy people. These thieves are real threats, and people are too caught up in their iLightSabers to take heed. None of this would've happened if we didn't have smart phones in the first place. They are a way for pompous people to flaunt their wealth. Nobody needs one, especially high schoolers.  There is nothing important enough happening in anyone's lives at Hanover to constitute the number of Twitter followers they think they deserve. News flash, you are a boring, miserable, shallow person! Nobody should willingly pay attention to your status updates, profile picture changes, and relationship statuses. I see a fair number of my classmates on their iPhones in class constantly. They are repeat offenders; some even sit in the class with their iPhones in their laps, blatantly disrespecting their teachers, classmates, and making themselves look bad. If you had an actual emergency, excuse yourself from class and make a call in the office. Just because you think what you will be drinking Friday night is more important than your schoolwork doesn't mean that it actually is. In short, smart phones are a dehumanizing society and creating emotional, ethical, and social issues. They are unnecessary and should be disposed of accordingly.

Memoir Take Two: Townie

Townie by Andre Dubus III.

Funny, You're So Sad

Here is the link to the article.

     I haven't read the article yet. However, before I do, I will take the time to say that this entire post will be about the linguistic style of David Hill because I feel like I've been getting off-topic as of late. I will be right back.

     Back. Hill used a fair amount of rhetorical devices which is actually better than most of the Times Columnists already. However, it was not to the point of abuse so that it took away from what he was trying to say. An example of one would be the providing of examples. He would do it indirectly, never coming out and rattling off a list, instead telling his story while he did so. "The more comedy shows I went to, the more I began to think like a comic. Every insight I would have, every observation, every anecdote, I subconsciously turning into jokes. The scenes in my real life played out in my head as stories told on stage framed by a spotlight - each beat followed by a comforting blanket of laughs from a sympathetic audience," (Hill). He expresses his longing for a comedic experience in which he nails his jokes and is recognized as a good guy.
     You have to feel bad for him; David Hill has been through a lot. Not to sound pretentious, but I like the fact that he doesn't dwell on his losses. He offers the information without remorse, coolly even, without looking back. He has an it-is-what-it-is attitude, and you can tell he doesn't want to trip over the minor details that could potentially take away from his plot. Douglas Adams once wrote something along the lines of "I never got the hang of Tuesdays" in The Guide and never mentioned it again. Not throughout the entire "trilogy". David Hill's voice was smooth, almost relaxing if it were not for his revelation of the truth of most comedians. His use of pathos and ethos compliment each other, however, there is an absent of logos. Let's be honest though, there is little logic in comedy ( I am not hating I swear). Anyhow, it was a nice read, and it actually had some lyrical worth. Check it out.

An Abundance of Exoplanets Changes our Universe

Here is the link to the article.

     I have often thought about this. What is out there? Who is out there? There is no doubt in my mind that there are other life forms out there (Hawking has almost proved it statistically) but the question that lingers is where are they, will we find them before we die out, and if we do find them, how could we contact them? There are many more that I don't wish to talk about including should we talk to them, or will they be able to understand us? Mark my words: there is non-earth life out there. Watch this and argue statistics with me, I dare you. Until we find each other, life goes on. That is all I have to say about that.

     I think this article is a bit useless. It is asking us to appreciate the Universe as the writer sees it, which is all the stars that have been studied and named when in actuality, we can never accomplish that goal. NEVER! Space is expanding too quickly! We physically cannot capture all the stars within the observable universe (about 13 BILLION light years because that is about the time of the Big Bang) and then record all the ones that were recently spawned. Think about that: there is actually something out there that is quantifiably impossible.

     Take a look at the map of the observable universe shown in the video. Those lights aren't just stars, or galaxies, but THOUSANDS of galaxies! There is so much out there that I cannot even describe it. It surpasses the ability of the human mind to comprehend, so why even try? Plus, we don't even know exactly how much is beyond our view! I thought that the article was a good thought and a step in the right direction, but it was an ENORMOUS understatement as to the size of the Universe and the discoveries we've made. There is (as usual) nothing spectacular or otherwise to discuss linguistically in the article. It was written with an awestruck tone, which leads me to believe the author is easily astounded. To end, I would like to leave the reader with a couple of theories. The first one says if ever anyone discovers exactly what the universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory that states that this has already happened. These are the products of the eccentric and genius mind of Douglas Adams. Goodnight.

The Tender Bar as an Addition to the AP Curriculum

     Yesterday, I went skiing. On the three-hour drive up to the mountain, I forgot where I was. I didn't know that I was going skiing with my cousins who I won't see for months because they're going to Sweden. I didn't know that the day that we picked was the day that the lift tickets were only ten dollars, and that it just snowed the perfect amount the night before. I was consumed. I was engrossed within a memoir that isn't. It does not recount the J.R. Moehringer's life thus far. It presses rewind and repeat.
     Never have I read a book so rhetorically sound. A work like this comes around very rarely, and I am lucky enough to be cherishing it today. I didn't even choose to read the book; Mrs. Fay said something like "Here Jimbo read this", and off I went. I was dreading the book. Everything about it seemed alien. I didn't like the look of the author, the title, really anything about it. Without reading a synopsis, I jumped right into the prologue, with my usual negative mindset of books that I don't want to read.
     In ten pages, I was hooked, reeled in, salted, and served. I have never read (or at least taken notice of) a book so rhetorically rich. A line I found particularly exciting was "Of course many bars in Manhasset, like bars everywhere, were nasty places, full of pickled people marinating in regret," (Moehringer 7). This was the first great example I came across. All of a sudden, as I was reading an unexceptional introduction, I was hit with a perfect line. The word "marinating" is so expertly placed that I had to stop reading to appreciate its value. As I carry on reading, the word continues to present its true meaning to the reader. Dickens, Moehringer's favorite bar, is a tool for outlining the true definition of the verb "marinate" because of its people, its relax at all costs attitude, and its atmosphere. The air was described as the color of beer. There are countless amounts of examples of words that can describe everything in this book. That is the way Moehringer writes: he tells the hideous truth beautifully.
     Mrs. Fay, I feel that I have learned more in the first 113 pages of J.R. Moehringer's The Tender Bar that in any other piece of literature we've read in class. For next year's class, I would recommend one memoir of the student's choice and The Tender Bar. Your job will become one billion times easier and your students will be handed fives on the AP exam, I guarantee it (that is not a guarantee). The moral of the story is that everyone should read this book, and I cannot wait until the sweet end.

Edit: This book just made me tear up, right here in the middle of history class. I have strong doubts that this will ever happen again as I didn't imagine it possible to begin with. This shows just how spectacular the book is, and I implore you to experience it.

A Long Overdue Rant on Scheduling...AGAIN

     Yes, I ranted about it before in response to Kelly's article in the Mariner. Today is one of the worst days of all time. I can only think of two others so bad. Today is terrible because I have a physics lab to do. The highest grade I've ever gotten on one was a B-. I have only not gotten a perfect score or above perfect score on one of Doc's tests which proves that I know the material thoroughly. Why the f**k should I have to do a lab that takes three out of my four days off to do? It pisses me off to no end. It's not that I'm mad at Doctor DeFranzo; it is a part of his course. I am ticked off because I got forced into doing this garbage. The guidance department and the administrators responsible should have been fired for the atrocity that occurred. My peers and I have been put at a disadvantage that cannot be undone. I would've thought that the administration would at least try to stay on the ball with NEASC right around the corner.
     My year is a joke. I am not learning anything. English is the only class I consider remotely challenging, and that's only because of the work load, not the content. Why should a kid who sleeps through a level one class he was forced into, yet still gets the highest grade in the class, need to do the busy work that comes with level one classes? Work will be the death of me. As long as I am learning, work is no big deal. But when it gets to the point that I know the concept, I need to move on or else I go insane. The only productive part about physics is that I practice sight reading music all the time. I haven't learned anything because I'm not compatible with the class. I only know one other person in my class who gets the material like I do, and she feels the same way as I do. Oh and there are a couple in the other level one that got forced in like me who also treat it like a study and get A's. It is too hard for me to actually concentrate on this stupid, pointless lab that I really just feel like guessing with the numbers because I know that even if I got a zero on this lab I would still have an A. I can't do this. F word. To summarize, I wish to learn, but my school will not allow me to. I am ashamed to be graduating from Hanover High.

The Whirling Sound of Planet Dickens

Here is the link to the article.

     Dickens is pretty chill. The thing that bugs me about this is that whenever I think of him, I automatically think about the Doctor Who episode about him. Also, when he's being interviewed on the "tele", it's quite funny. He says something along the lines of this year's special will involve ghosts of the past, present, and future all at once! It was funny because time had collapsed and all time was happening at once and was about to deteriorate into nothing! Speaking of which, this year's Christmas special was miserable. I strongly disliked it, which is sad because I loved last year's so much. It was too sappy. Last year's was straight up sad, but this one was the feel-good story of the year. I did, however, like what they did with the trees and how they have souls and spirits. Also, I liked the Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe-esque feel, specifically the box.
     But let's get back to Dickens. I thought that they kind of described him as a 19th century rock star. He partied, was crazy, and was extremely successful. This is somewhat in contrast to the Doctor Who bit, in which he seemed very inquisitive. Actually that might be because he met a Time Lord. But in the article, he seems like he has every answer to everything. He seems so self-assured that he needs to wander the streets in search of new questions that need answering. This he probably considered to be his life's aim. It is not a bad one if you ask me. Dickens is probably one of the most interesting people to ever live. I wish I could talk to him for just an hour to gain some his wisdom in writing and in life. I liked the line, "Every night he walked a dozen miles, without which, he said, 'I should just explode and perish.'” However, I think the real beauty lies in Dickens' character. The article was a pretty good read, and surprisingly well written. I would  recommend it.