http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Method_of_loci
http://mnemotechnics.org/files/2011/03/Emma-Willard-1846-temple.jpg
Thursday, November 10, 2011
The Memory Palace
The Memory Palace, also termed the Method of loci, according to wikipedia, is a method whereby a person builds up spaces within his/her mind in order to remember a list or events or anything really. The person, to recall these memories, simply 'walks' through these spaces in their mind in order to recall them. The method was used and perhaps first discovered by ancient Romans and is used by people today to win memory contests or in application of everyday life. One does not have to be particularly intelligent in order to use this technique, just disciplined. Apparently one person used this technique to memorize over 65,000 digits of pi. And Dr. Hannibal Lecter used the technique in the fictional film.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Method_of_loci
http://mnemotechnics.org/files/2011/03/Emma-Willard-1846-temple.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Method_of_loci
http://mnemotechnics.org/files/2011/03/Emma-Willard-1846-temple.jpg
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
GMOs and Pale Fire
Well, now that I'm a partial expert in the policies that have allowed France to take practically all Genetically Modified Food off their supermarket shelves, I thought I would share some of my new found expertise.
First, Genetically Modified Organisms are each created with a distinct purpose. A particular section of a plants DNA is chosen for its properties, isolated from the rest of the DNA and then removed.
Second, a piece of DNA from another organism, often a bacterium, is selected for its specific properties, isolated and then removed.
Next is a lenghty process in which the DNA pieces are modified and placed in sort of parcels that are given to a bacterium that then transports the DNA and inserts it into the rest of the plant's DNA.
Finally, individual cells are sprayed with antibiotics, those cells that survive are kept while those that don't are discarded.
The plant's immune system has been changed through human intervention. The new plants are often either Herbicide tolerant, meaning they can withstand herbicides meant to destroy other plants, or insect tolerant, meaning they are immune to the insects that once destroyed them. They sometimes contain bacteria in their pollen that kills a targeted insect species. Some plants can also kill weeds or they were meant to. Before the local population came and destroyed the field, a group of scientists were working on a type of sunflowers that would kill off the local ambrosia, a plant that can cause severe allergic reactions (ironic isn't it).
Now, GMOs are controversial in many ways. For one thing, humans are interfering in the natural evolution of plant life (one can argue that breeding has been doing the same thing for eons, but this process is a bit more invasive). The use of antibiotics in the plants makes them resistant to those antibiotics which could lead to the humans ingesting those plants to be antibiotic resistant. This, as well as the plants new found resistance to insects and herbicides, could lead to the creation of superbugs that could lead to the end of humanity as we know it (sorry this is a bit too dramatic, but superbugs are no laughing matter). There is also the possibility of GM crops infecting heirloom crops, which could lead to the loss of those rare species. And of course, there are incidences where mysterious illnesses have caused lots of deaths and injuries and they can be related back to genetically modified dietary supplements.
In short, genetic modification is the process whereby an organisms is infused with the essence of another organism so that the original organism can better survive in the world we humans have created for it and there is the possibility that these modified organisms will kill everyone eventually.
So, how does this relate to Pale Fire? Well Kinbote obviously. Nabokov has engineered this crazy character by adding on bits and pieces of mythology, literature, history and his own life experiences and then in this world that Nabokov has created, Kinbote eventually kills off his best friend and all he's worried about is the survival of Shade's poem.
So, I would like to explore all the bits and pieces that Nabokov added to Kinbote, how this modification had an effect on the other weeds and insects (characters in the novel) and how all this led to John Shade's death, if he truly existed or if any of the characters truly existed.
First, Genetically Modified Organisms are each created with a distinct purpose. A particular section of a plants DNA is chosen for its properties, isolated from the rest of the DNA and then removed.
Second, a piece of DNA from another organism, often a bacterium, is selected for its specific properties, isolated and then removed.
Next is a lenghty process in which the DNA pieces are modified and placed in sort of parcels that are given to a bacterium that then transports the DNA and inserts it into the rest of the plant's DNA.
Finally, individual cells are sprayed with antibiotics, those cells that survive are kept while those that don't are discarded.
The plant's immune system has been changed through human intervention. The new plants are often either Herbicide tolerant, meaning they can withstand herbicides meant to destroy other plants, or insect tolerant, meaning they are immune to the insects that once destroyed them. They sometimes contain bacteria in their pollen that kills a targeted insect species. Some plants can also kill weeds or they were meant to. Before the local population came and destroyed the field, a group of scientists were working on a type of sunflowers that would kill off the local ambrosia, a plant that can cause severe allergic reactions (ironic isn't it).
Now, GMOs are controversial in many ways. For one thing, humans are interfering in the natural evolution of plant life (one can argue that breeding has been doing the same thing for eons, but this process is a bit more invasive). The use of antibiotics in the plants makes them resistant to those antibiotics which could lead to the humans ingesting those plants to be antibiotic resistant. This, as well as the plants new found resistance to insects and herbicides, could lead to the creation of superbugs that could lead to the end of humanity as we know it (sorry this is a bit too dramatic, but superbugs are no laughing matter). There is also the possibility of GM crops infecting heirloom crops, which could lead to the loss of those rare species. And of course, there are incidences where mysterious illnesses have caused lots of deaths and injuries and they can be related back to genetically modified dietary supplements.
In short, genetic modification is the process whereby an organisms is infused with the essence of another organism so that the original organism can better survive in the world we humans have created for it and there is the possibility that these modified organisms will kill everyone eventually.
So, how does this relate to Pale Fire? Well Kinbote obviously. Nabokov has engineered this crazy character by adding on bits and pieces of mythology, literature, history and his own life experiences and then in this world that Nabokov has created, Kinbote eventually kills off his best friend and all he's worried about is the survival of Shade's poem.
So, I would like to explore all the bits and pieces that Nabokov added to Kinbote, how this modification had an effect on the other weeds and insects (characters in the novel) and how all this led to John Shade's death, if he truly existed or if any of the characters truly existed.
5 Discoveries
5 discoveries about the novel Pale Fire: Which turn out to be more questions on what was really going on in Nabokov's twisted neurons
1. Reality is not what it seems -
which leads to the next discovery
3. There are references all over this book to mythology, literature, history and they are in plain sight and deeply buried
This next is a question and a discovery
4. After listening to the presentation on Nabokov's Blues and learning about Nabokov's life and work with Lepidoptery, Nabokov has included personal references among the mythological and literary within this work. Things like the butterfly in John Shade's death scene. Being as how the poem is about the death of a child and her parents' reaction to that death, why did Nabokov pick such a poignant subject on which to write a poem? Why is a mad man then interpreting it with the idea that the work revolves around him?
5. Sybil Shade is an incredibly patient woman
1. Reality is not what it seems -
- Is Charles really the King of this distant land, Zembla or is he just making it up?
- Is Gradus really an assassin from Zembla out to shoot Charles or is a crazy man that just escaped form an asylum?
- If Charles isn't the King of Zembla are all the friends and acquaintances he talks about real or are they too just a figment of Charles' imagination?
- If Charles works at a University and he's crazy, how did he get there? And then again, does Charles really work at the University?
- Are the crown jewels real? Do they represent something if they are not real?
- and the list could continue indefinitely...
which leads to the next discovery
3. There are references all over this book to mythology, literature, history and they are in plain sight and deeply buried
This next is a question and a discovery
4. After listening to the presentation on Nabokov's Blues and learning about Nabokov's life and work with Lepidoptery, Nabokov has included personal references among the mythological and literary within this work. Things like the butterfly in John Shade's death scene. Being as how the poem is about the death of a child and her parents' reaction to that death, why did Nabokov pick such a poignant subject on which to write a poem? Why is a mad man then interpreting it with the idea that the work revolves around him?
5. Sybil Shade is an incredibly patient woman
5 obvious facts about pale fire
I have learned, mostly through design in Architecture courses my Freshman year of College, that in order to design you have to start at the beginning and progress to the end. Without the progression you lose something along the way and your design holds up like wet tissue paper.
So, Five obvious facts about pale fire:
1. The book contains a poem called Pale Fire written by a man called John Shade
2. The poem is interpreted by a man called Charles Kinbote or Charles Xavier
3. John Shade is shot
4. John Shade and Charles Kinbote appear to work at a University
5. Charles Kinbote says he is the King of a distant northern land called Zembla
So, Five obvious facts about pale fire:
1. The book contains a poem called Pale Fire written by a man called John Shade
2. The poem is interpreted by a man called Charles Kinbote or Charles Xavier
3. John Shade is shot
4. John Shade and Charles Kinbote appear to work at a University
5. Charles Kinbote says he is the King of a distant northern land called Zembla
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