The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan free essay sample

This book critically evaluates this dust ball and does not ignore the economic and physical effects while still touching one lives lost and lives of the survivors. In reference to The Worst Hard Time, the Dust Bowl hit a widen plain ranging from Oklahoma panhandles and Texas, extending to the southeastern Colorado and western bit of Kansas to borders of Nebraska. The Oklahoma panhandle was referred to as â€Å"no mans land†. Egan writes that, â€Å"Anybody who lived in No Mans Land for long knew about natures capricious power†¦. It was abusive, a beater, a snarling son of a bitch, and then it would forgive and give something back† (Egan 76). The white settles found the native Americans living a nomadic way of life and came along with alternative land use. The white settler drove out the Native Americans who were nomads and later drove out the others from their homestead and began to grow crops by clearing the prairie grasses The clearing of the prairie grass was the beginning of what would be a national disaster. We will write a custom essay sample on The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Initially the farmers earned great prices catalyzed by the high demand from the WWI. This high demand led to more acres of the great plains being cleared as more settlers flocked in to make quick money, it is this demand that resulted to inventions of tractor. 929, October marked the black Friday as the American economy began to collapse. Considering that 25% of the Americans worked in the farms, this would be a disaster since these farmers would half less purchasing power as the supply exceeded the demand ion the market. In 1930 summer, a boom wheat harvest was realized but the market prices were 50% below the production prices. The ecological disaster occurred as the economy could not manage the clearing of the Prairie grass. Though there were economic activities, rain was cyclic and drought was common, hence the area was referred to as Great American Desert. In 1930, there was uncommon long drought that did not clear all the vegetation, but it was catalyzed by human activity. According to Egan, tractors did what had never occurred in the entire history of the southern plains. He notes, â€Å"They had removed the native prairie grass, a web of perennial species evolved over twenty thousand years or more, so completely that by the end of 1931 it was a different land† (ibid 101). an academic research revealed that study by 13 million acres of cultivated land were extremely eroded prior to the drought calcifying the soil, however the biggest cause of the Dust Blow was farmers negligence. It is concluded that the drought added more injury to the already eroded soil in which the prairie grass was acting as the plain’s refinement. It is the prairie that held the soil together against the strong wind hailstorm, drought. Meanwhile the prairie able to overcome the adversity when the millions of acres of land were left uncovered, they blew up to the sky. The worst Dust Blow occurred on 1935, April 14; however, the numerous Dust Blows had devastating effects. Men could not shake hands due to the high voltage of static electricity while all metallic gadgets were shielded with cloth to avoid shock. Inhaling dust was inevitable for animals and human yet the dust was accompanied with silica from prairie, which is lethal as it accumulates and causes silicosis. Egan notes â€Å"But it takes years to build up. In the High Plains, doctors were seeing a condition similar to silicosis after just three years of storms. By the mid-1930s, a fourth condition, dust pneumonia, was rampant. It was one of the biggest killers† (ibid 173). The years of Dust Blow devastated the towns and families economically, emotionally and physically. There was vast internal migration. In 1936, a Nebraska farmer noted, â€Å"July saw the worst month (so far) of the worst year ever† (ibid 247). It is inevitable to note that the Dust Bowl caused deaths to both the animals and the human beings. The farmers could not farm and lived on what they had saved and when their stock was exhausted, some had to eat tumbleweeds. Eventually, the all present dust slowed the economic growth of US. The US government authorized a study and on August 1938, the Great Plains Drought Area Committee report was issued to the government. The report clearly stated that the Dust Bowls were not driven by climatic change but laid blame on the federal government. Since the government â€Å"kept land allotments low and required that a portion of each should be plowed, is now seen to have caused immeasurable harm, limiting an individual holding to 160 acres, was on the western plains almost an obligatory act of poverty†(ibid 268). The then president, Roosevelt, established several bodies to ensure conservation of soil and crops through adoption of several policies. The policies formulated and implemented guaranteed soil conservation and created jobs for the citizens in the hit areas. The soil erosion prevention strategies that included planting of windbreaks and the shelterbelts played a key role in restoring the present day prairie. Roosevelt also put in place policies such as subsidies to farmers and paying farmers in order to practice good agricultural practices. The Dust Bowl produced positive economical and political effects and the residual restoration of the Prairies. In general the polices adopted to control the Dust Bowl were the best at the time taking into consideration that the government was faced with multi-facet challenges. The economy was collapsing; there was no farm production while many people were jobless. Faced with these challenges, Roosevelt’s government adopted the best policies that remain in historical records for the US generations. The Dust Bowl should be used as a reference in the US history since its impacts touched all sectors of the economy. The US and the other economies should clearly monitor the man’s activities to avoid such a catastrophe. The economic impact of the was great since agricultural productions stopped temporarily and food shortage and joblessness become an issue. The lives lost during the catastrophe should be a reference point to all the global citizens that they need to be cautious while at the same time controlling global warming. It is not a doubt that Egan is an accurate historian since his work has accurate date citations and properly referenced. More so, Egan’s ability to write an historical event which shall be used by the future generations.

The Tensions of Susan Moller Okin’s Essay Essays

The Tensions of Susan Moller Okin’s Essay Essays The Tensions of Susan Moller Okin’s Essay Essay The Tensions of Susan Moller Okin’s Essay Essay Susan Moller Okin’s â€Å"Feminism and Multiculturalism: Some Tensions† is a well-argued paper that explores the â€Å"tensions† between feminism and multiculturalism (particularly the â€Å"group-rights† variety) from a consistent liberal perspective. The author writes as a liberal and as a feminist in putting forth a critique of the ways in which multiculturalism – as it was, and still is, being advocated by various activists and academics – poses real dangers to the rights and interests of girls and women that belong to minority groups. The way she does this is admirable: In a manner that is clear and with not-so-well-known examples, she shows how most of the major cultures of the world puts a premium on â€Å"maintaining control of women† and how the advancement of the rights and interests of women conflict and clash with particular practices within the cultures of minority groups. She is admirable in standing firm with the feminist insight that â€Å"more often than not, sex discrimination is far less overt. In many cultures, strict control of women is enforced in the private sphere by the authority of either actual or symbolic fathers, often acting through, or with the complicity of, the older women of the culture. † This, I think, is her central argument in making the case that there are â€Å"tensions,† if not contradictions, between feminism and multiculturalism. Despite my respect for Okin’s arguments and mode of argumentation, I also have a few critical remarks: (1) For a couple of times in the essay, Okin referred to â€Å"more patriarchal minority cultures exist[ing] in the context of less patriarchal majority cultures. † This, I think, is one of the great assumptions of her essay – the situation that is implied to be the context of her thinking and writing. The question therefore arises: Is she talking about North America and Europe? I wish that Okin made this assumption an argument, changed it from being implicit to being explicit. This would have made her case stronger, or at least clearer, and not prone to charges of Eurocentrism in this context, or the assumption that states in North America and Europe are liberal ones that are good or even better for girls and women to grow up in. Not that I disagree with this belief completely, but I believe that this must be shown rather than merely assumed. Had Okin made this explicit, perhaps she would have posed and addressed related issues such as the degree of â€Å"liberalism† or â€Å"feminism† of these states with regard to girls and women, especially when compared with cultures of â€Å"minority groups. † (2) I also hoped that Okin presented what advocates of â€Å"group rights† are fighting for, or what they themselves say they are fighting for. I think that she will agree that these advocates are not fighting for group rights for the sole purpose of controlling or oppressing women. By not presenting the objectives of these advocates, however, we are left with the impression – one-sided, surely – that the enforcement of these group rights by the state will only lead to the tighter control and greater oppression of women. Had she presented the objectives of these advocates, we readers will probably be given the chance to weigh these against the dangers that she had posed. It is not that the rights of minority groups should take precedence over the rights and interests of girls and women within these groups. But the fact that these objectives can constitute real gains for populations of minority groups, and not just attacks on the rights and interests of girls and women suggests that the struggle for the rights and interests of women on the one hand, and of the minority group on the other, could be seen as complementing each other, part of a struggle to expand freedoms of various peoples. (3) I wish to make a few comments regarding various points of Okin’s paper. (a) Okin defends feminists (needless to say, from one culture) who criticize anti-women practices in other cultures. I agree with her on this score. Such a view, however, should be balanced by the view that real change happens only when its constituents fight for it. I agree that we can pass judgment on the tyranny of Saddam Husein but I do not agree that this gives us license to attack Iraq. Real change in Iraq should come from its people, not from other countries. (b) I have the feeling that control and oppression of women in the family sphere is too systemic a problem for it to used as a yardstick for measuring gains that group rights can actually bring a minority population. (c) One more thing that’s sorely missing in Okin’s essay is an appreciation of how changes in history take place. I think that piecemeal reforms for oppressed people are important and can lead to bigger things. What she does, from one perspective, is to pit piecemeal reforms against systemic changes – which is not, I think, how changes in history take place.

Restoration Of Ecology Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Restoration Of Ecology - Term Paper Example Removal of invasive species from the wood is significant in making sure that the growth of certain wood species is affected by the invasive species. From the presentation, it was learned that invasive species are those that are not native to a given ecosystem but are those that are likely to cause economic, socio-cultural and environmental harm to human health. It was brought out that the species are brought about as a result of movement of products and people around the world. The species are likely to be introduced to new environments from food, wood and wood products and household goods. The invasive species that have been challenging to management are those introduced to ecosystems to provide economic, environmental and social benefits. The problem has become a serious concern for the environment since most of the trees that are used in agroforestry, desert control, and commercial forestry is mainly alien and not the species of the particular area. In research, it is vital to ens ure that the species that are imported serve the purposes that are intended in the area they are introduced and was implemented so that they do not cause negative effects to the ecosystem as it was observed at Riverwood Conservancy, Mississauga. There are still many debates on impacts that are caused by the invasive species, positively and negativelyÃ'Ž In the context of management of forests, the management explained that initiatives have been implemented with most focusing on the damages that are caused.

Financial modeling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Financial modeling - Essay Example But this is not to say that financial modeling cannot be performed manually.There are various financial models that a company can use in evaluating its investment projects. The only challenge for the company is to identify the model that will provide the most accurate information that can help the company make the right decision.With the advent of technology and computer, many models nowadays are calculated and evaluated using computer software which makes the whole process easy and faster. It is a fact that in a competitive world, companies should be able to make fast, timely and accurate investment decisions. But this is not to say that financial modeling cannot be performed manually.There are various financial models that a company can use in evaluating its investment projects. The only challenge for the company is to identify the model that will provide the most accurate information that can help the company make the right decision.Some of there models include Value- at- risk mod els, Interest rate models, Equity pricing models, Asset allocation models, Trading models, Investment portfolio models that can be used on equity or derivatives, Business simulation models that include Monte Carlo simulation and binary free and genetic algorithms used in optimization decisions.This is a model of calculating the probability of a collection of investment securities generating returns more than the anticipated. It is a model of analyzing past market performance, security correlation and the security movements. A basic value-at-risk model involves all types of market uncertainties e.g. interest, stock, goods and currency risks. It enables the determination of an estimate on the value of portfolio risk (maximum loss) based on the past performance of the portfolio at a given rate of certainty. The various models under the value-at-risk include the variance-covariance method, historical simulation and Monte Carlo simulation models. Variance-covariance It uses past values of security movements and relationship to determine the estimate of the future loses that could occur. Security movements and security relationship risk is calculated for a given period of time. Historical simulation models It generates a lot of results of the security value. It uses security risk and their associated probabilities to generate these results which are used to estimate the value of VaR. Interest rate models Some of the most commonly used interest rate financial models are the Black-Derman-Toy (BDT) model, Black -Karainsky (BK) model, Heath- Jarrow-Morton (HJM) model and the White-Hull model, Black-Derman-Toy Interest Rate Model It is mainly used for determining the value of derivatives by considering a preliminary zero rate term structure and the movement of the yield by constructing a tree explaining the interest rates. This model can also be a single-factor or multi-factor. The Heath-Jarrow-Morton model It uses statistical data and processes to derive the value of the derivatives by considering preliminary zero rate term structure and the up and down movement of future rates. Hull-white model It is a single factor that uses the preliminary term structure of interest rates with the up and down movement term structure to construct a trinomial free of short rates. Equity pricing models One of the widely used equity pricing model is the Capital Assets Pricing Model developed by William Sharpe and John Litner. It works on the premise that the return of a given security is affected by the risk called systematic. This risk is measured using beta () and it cannot be diversified away by holding a portfolio of securities. This model evolved from the portfolio theory which did not

Answering Questions Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 12

Answering Questions - Research Paper Example Hogan is incredibly light in her touch in connecting these ideas, relying on the inbuilt notions of her reader more than her own prowess. Answer: Hogan’s tone is incredibly personal, and she tries to bring out the magic of her subjects to give a sense of wonder to her reader. She starts out by being incredibly personal, telling about her own life, which helps build a report and avoids any stilted formality. She then moves on, however, to connect her life to the wonders of the cosmos in the form of the voyager space craft, expanding her vocabulary and putting herself in the context of the wider universe. She thus minimizes both herself and her reader, asking them to see themselves in the context of the wonder of the universe. Answer: I think that it is a natural human impulse to put our best foot forward, and in that way we were somewhat honest to ourselves in leaving some things out. We sent this to be a craft that was supposed to demonstrate who humans want to be, the best of our capabilities, not the worst. To answer this question, ask yourself if it would be wise to tell a stranger the best and worst things about you all at once when you first meet them. In any society on the planet Earth, the answer would be a definitive no. We were being honest to who we are: people who want the universe to think well of us. Finally, putting the bad in with the good might codify the bad: make the bad okay, normal, who we

Applying Gis To Coastal Erosion And Hazards Environmental Sciences Essay

Applying Gis To Coastal Erosion And Hazards Environmental Sciences Essay The coast is the area where marine and terrestrial processes meet and interact. Limits of their respective actions are not well known, as processes which are characteristic of each of these environments are interrelated. This particular characteristic makes the coastal zone highly complex and vulnerable to human actions, which in many cases, cause permanent damage to the natural environment. Coastal Erosion has turned out to be one of the most crucial socio-economic and environmental problems facing authorities in charge of coastal hazard management. Irrespective of the major causes of this hazard, which could be human or anthropogenic, it has caused economic losses, social problems and ecological damage. The problem of coastal erosion can extend hundreds of kilometres along the shore line or it might be localized to small areas affecting surrounding communities or the tourism industry. Coastal Erosion has been defined as a natural process by which coastlines adjust to different sea levels, energy levels, sediment supply and existing topography. It poses a problem when it threatens to destroy human life and property. In identifying the problems of erosion, human value judgements come in as erosion does have many societal and natural benefits. Coastal Erosion is usually judged as problematic wherever the rate of erosion, considered in conjunction with economic, recreational, agricultural, demographic, ecological and other relevant factors, indicates that action to remedy erosion hazard may be justified and required. The coast is used for several purposes and based on this fact, it is important to devise ways of attaining compatibility among these various uses while at the same time attempting to preserve the natural environment. Faced with the threat of climate change and possible sea level rises, it is necessary to put in place elaborate coastal management scenarios that will consider all elements for planning and sustainable development. Many recent studies done on Coastal Erosion have approached the problem within an integrated framework. This integrated approach takes into consideration the need for deep knowledge of the physical environment and the relationships between processes of involved elements and acceptable coastal management plans. These physical factors are also conditioned by legal, environmental and social factors (Barragan, 2003). The frequency of occurrence of coastal erosion is expected to rise and has become an issue of great concern to scientists and authorities in charge. Broad scale modelling of coastal morphology has been a major challenge for scientists and authorities alike. Several studies have been carried out in order to address this issue and its determinants (Townsend and Burgess, 2004; Burgess et all, 2002). More detailed analyses of risks and responses in coastal hazard management are affected by little knowledge of the magnitude and location of erosion hazard zones for different shoreline changes and management situations. GIS AND COASTAL HAZARD MANAGEMENT The coast is unique because of several marine and terrestrial processes that occur there. As result of this, there is need for integration of data relating to different aspects and factors of the coastal environment in policy development and planning. GIS provides the right platform for data collection, analyses, and storage and information dissemination. It has the ability to display spatial and temporal evolution of processes and factors that control them in order to analyse them better and evaluate their impact on the coastal environment (Hamada, 2004). It also able to identify spatial connections between different data layers leading to the development of models for geomorphologic evolution and coastal change prediction. Several studies using GIS applications and methodologies in coastal hazard management have been carried out in several parts of the world. These studies have lead to the development of GIS applications or models and a few of these include: BALTICSEAWEB (Latinen and Neuvonen, 2001) Oceanic Bigeographic Information Systems (OBIS) (Zhang and Grassel, 2002). Coastal Erosion and Shoreline Development Regulation (Miller et all, 2003). SCAPEGIS (Walkden and Hall, 2005). Dune Hazard Assessment Tool (NOAA Coastal Services Centre, 2003) These applications have been developed for specific coastal areas as each area requires its own peculiar management strategies and therefore its own GIS application for planning and policy development. Recent studies in this area have advocated an integrated approach (ICZM) which promotes sustainable development of coastal areas by blending the use of natural resources in ways that limit damage to the environment. In using this approach GIS is useful as it aids data integration, storage, analyses and visualisation. GIS AS A TOOL FOR COASTAL HAZARD MANAGEMENT For the application of GIS to coastal hazard management to be carried out, there is need for data required for the different task to be available and accessible. The data requirements for this include slope, lithology, vegetation, drainage, structural conditions, coastal erosion and human action etc. In the coastal environment GIS is being increasingly used as a tool for collection, integration of required information and storage in a database with a view to accessing data, generating thematic maps and performing spatial and geo statistical analyses (Latinen and Neuvonen, 2001). During the process, relevant information is sourced and collected, compiled into a geo database, converted into relevant units and introduced into the GIS platform. This is useful in the integration and analysis of parameters used in coastal vulnerability assessments resulting in coastal risk maps (Doukakis, 2005). This is advantageous because it provides a flexible system. Data can be accessed and used through the database model system. It also allows data automation, visualisation, editing, mapping, spatial analyses, geo statistical analyses etc. The flexibility and versatility allows GIS to be used in many planning tasks in different situations for example in the area of maps, aerial photographs, statistics, tables and graphs that give details of the environmental conditions and their spatial distributions can be displayed. Fig 1. An example of a cartographic information prepared using GIS for coastal Management. Maps, aerial photos, tables and graphs that show spatial distribution of environmental conditions are displayed for visualisation. (Rodriguez et all, 2009) APPLICATION OF GIS TO COASTAL EROSION ESTIMATION GIS has been useful in studies of prediction and estimation of coastal erosion. The datasets required for this include topographic data, bathymetric data, recession rate data, historical maps and time series data as they describe the vulnerable state of the coastal environment and coastal erosion. Some of the applications of GIS include: GIS allows comparison between cartographic or map information that has been geo-referenced and this is very important for coastal change analyses. GIS allows collection of data showing temporal trends of shoreline positions for different dates. Such data can be derived from sources like satellite imageries, aerial photographs and cartography digitization. GIS allows integration of data from all these sources. GIS allows shoreline positions corresponding to different year to be overlaid with a view to aiding the identification of areas that have experienced movements or changes. GIS aids the calculation of erosion and accretion rates. It does this by calculating line lengths and perimeter of polygons. GIS allows detailed analyses of evolutionary trends. It aids the definition of the system and prediction of likely occurrence allowing change anticipation and hazard preparedness. GIS is advantageous because new data can be integrated and constant and dynamic follow up of coastal processes can be carried out. This allows continued development of models that can be useful in studying other aspects of the coastal environment (Sanchez et all, 2005). GIS has also been used in dune evolution studies and it has been highly useful in the area the data requirements are wind transport data, swell, sediments, wind speed, topography, soil humidity, bathymetry etc are required. These datasets are needed for the determination of dune field evolution and aeolian transport rates. This in turn enables the characterisation of the sedimentology, geomorphology and meteorology of coastal zones. Some other studies have made use of GIS as a tool for analyses and interpretation of coastal erosion model outputs. Making use of GIS to visualise predictions of coastal erosion provides a vital means of understanding coastal changes and their impacts locally and regionally (Brown et all, 2004). The intended target audience here are policymakers and planners interested in visualising erosion predictions and to carry out analyses of their implications so that proper mitigation measures can be set up by integrating other data sets for impact estimation and decision support. This basically involves the use models developed specifically for coastal erosion and one of such has been (SCAPEGIS) which is a process based model that determines the reshaping and retreat of shore profiles along the coast (Walkden and Hall, 2005; Dickson et all, 2005).It was developed from soft cliff and platform erosion model. These models provide the input for SCAPEGIS. It has been used in integrated assessments of coastal erosion and flood risk for strategic planning of responses to flood and erosion hazards. The SCAPE model was run for different climatic and management scenarios and the results were integrated into SCAPEGIS with other auxiliary data for detailed visualisation and impact analyses. The advantage of this GIS platform is that it allows importation of other erosion models developed with similar data output format. Fig. 2. The Impacts Estimation dialog of SCAPEGIS. Source: (Koukalas et all, 2005) Fig 3. An example of an Erosion Risk Map showing recession lines under certain climatic scenarios and management. The land after the yellow line towards the sea is assumed lost while the land between the yellow and blue lines is at risk. (Koukalas et al, 2005) The constant rise in the degradation of coastal environments has led to the need to develop techniques of balancing the protection of people and the economy against the cost of coastal hazards. As a result of this, a multidisciplinary approach to coastal management has been proposed (Nicholls et all, 2007). Coastal environments have become more vulnerable to the effects of climate change and rising sea levels. They also have high social, economic and biological value. In order put all this factors into consideration, the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Framework was proposed with a view to integrating all this factors while at the same time preserving the natural environment. Methodologies for the application of GIS within this framework have been developed by several institutions like UNESCO, European Union and several working groups (Olsen et all, 2003; IPCC, 2007) to mention a few. Within this framework, GIS is useful because of its ability to collect, integrate and analyse the different data requirements within an integrated framework. It has been used for coastal dune system research projects and shoreline evolution studies (Hernandez et all 2007; Ojeda et all, 2005). GIS aids the integration of required data like dune perimeter, shore line position so that spatial analyses of these data layers can be carried out and some of its application in this regard include: GIS aids integration, organisation and structuring of required data sets. GIS aids the development f Digital Elevation Models needed for the estimation of dune volume, volumetric evolution and dune migration. GIS allows for determination of dune morphology, dune slope and orientation. GIS allows for creation of possible dune predictions depending on sea level rise and waves. 3D GIS has proved to be very useful for this task (Sanchez et all, 2005) The advantage offered by SCAPEGIS tools is made evident in the analyses of coastal erosion model results. It has been proposed that these models be linked with other models of environmental studies like land use models for better appreciation of coastal hazard management (Hall et all, 2005). CONCLUSION In coastal erosion and hazard management, modelling spatial and temporal dimensions of dynamics of the coastal environment have proven to be some of the most challenging tasks in marine and costal GIS. The shift from the regular line and polygon data structure to digital shoreline is as a result of the need to develop technology for shoreline change detection and spatial modelling. GIS is being increasingly used in the development of policy and planning in coastal erosion and hazard management. This is due to the fact that in management policy implementation there is need for a tool able to store, analyse and display spatial and temporal data. GIS provides an appropriate platform for this. It provides a suitable instrument for integration of territorial data, makes variable analyses easier, allows for future scene simulations and allows potentially hazardous area to be identified. GIS is also use for evolutionary trend analyses and system characterisation which are important in the management of the coastal environment. However, models used are not always accurate as there are errors and uncertainties and as such these uncertainties should be systematically looked into when the results are being analysed for planning and policy development. There is also the problem data availability and accessibility. Data required may not always be available or accessible. In the developed world, access to such data is more reliable and available. In other parts of the world, required data can be unavailable and where they are, may be inaccurate.

Kurt Vonnegut and City News Bureau

1. In what year was Vonnegut born? Vonnegut was born in 1922. 2. What two colleges did he attend? He attended Cornell University. The army sent him to the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) and the University of Tennessee to study mechanical engineering. 3. Although Vonnegut trained as a chemist, what did he work as? He worked as a teacher at the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop. 4. What was his job at the City News Bureau of Chicago? He was the corresponding judicial at the City News Bureau of Chicago. 5. Which of his books, based on his experiences as a prisoner of war during War World II in Germany, made him a millionaire? Slaughterhouse-Five, a post-modern anti-war science fiction novel dealing with a soldier's (Billy Pilgrim). Also experiences during World War II and his journeys with time travel. 6. In what genre did Vonnegut most often write? Vonnegut's experience as a soldier and prisoner of war had a profound influence on his work, as you can see in most of his books. Part 2: 1. How are George and Hazel Bergeron described? What sort of life do they lead? There's no physical description, it's just said that â€Å"Hazel has a perfectly average intelligence, which meant she can't think about anything except in short bursts†. And George is said to have an intelligence way above normal, but he has a little mental handicap radio in his ear. â€Å"He is required by law to wear it at all times. It's tuned to a government transmitter. Every twenty seconds or so, the transmitter will send out some sharp noise to keep people like George from taking unfair advantage of their brains. † They live a simple average life, like everybody else in 2081! 2. What is the meaning of the last words of the Bergeron’s, â€Å"that one was a doozy†? Think Hazel is talking about the noise in the ears of her husband, meaning this one the sound was â€Å"extraordinaire†, incredible! The noise in George's ears is made so unbearable so that he won't be able to concentrate on his child's death, and when Hazel told him after that â₠¬Å"Gee – I could tell that one was a doozy,† he answers â€Å"You can say that again†. But she doesn't understand, so she thinks he wants her to repeat it again, so she does! 3. In real life, what ways do we try to make people equal? Does it work to make people equal, or just to make them alike? Why do you think we use these methods? Are they effective? By going to school for example, just so people can have equal chances in life. As for physical flaws and imperfections, there's always plastic surgery! But it's of no use! I my opinion, I think it just helps people feel better, just by believing that so they can be just like everybody else, what with all the women willing to look like their favorite actress†¦ It doesn't help at all, and in the contrary it can only make one people inferior to the person he want to copy! . Consider the characters of Hazel and George. Why isn't Hazel handicapped? It’s obvious that Hazel isn't handicapped because she is already born handicapped, so there's no need to handicap her in a artificial way just like her husband! And I think that if not for the handicap stuff he is obliged to wear, George would have married her in the first place! 5. To what extent do television, radio, and the mass media generally function like George's mental handicap radio? | I think that governments use all these stuffs to prevent us from really look under the surface of what they do! Everyday we're so drowned over so many TV shows, there's always something new to see on internet, something to download, and the radio is continually functioning, how can one really concentrate on what is important with these never-ending stuffs? How can one think properly? And you're said you must learn more, you must work harder to achieve your goals and live a good life, but meanwhile life is passing by, and you can't even profit of it while you're still young. One day you wake up, and you're old! And it's too late.