How does Harper Lee show that Tom Robinson's treatment is cruel and unfair?

Lee shows that the treatment of Tom Robinson is unfair in many ways. 

First, there is a mob of people that comes to harm Tom Robinson for being on trial.  The injustice of this comes to light further when we consider that the trial did not even take place.  So, a bunch of white men have come to harm or kill him based on hearsay.  This shows pure hatred and blind racism.

The trial itself also shows the treatment of Tom Robinson is unfair.  Even though Atticus gives an incredible defense of Tom, the jury is not moved at all.  To put it another way, he is guilty before the trial even begins. Jem says it best when he says "it is not fair." Here is a quote:

“It was Jem’s turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd. ‘It ain’t right,’ he muttered, all the way to the corner of the square where we found Atticus waiting.”

Finally, Tom dies in prison.  We do not know the details, but he is shot by guards, who say that he tried to escape.  Hence, the story of Tom Robinson ends even more tragically.

If fusion could provide earth with clean energy for thousand of generations, why don't we start using it now?

Nuclear energy can be harnessed by two ways, either we can break larger atoms into smaller atoms or we can rely on the formation of larger nucleus from smaller nuclei. The first process is known as the nuclear fission, while the second is known as nuclear fusion. In this process, smaller nuclei such as hydrogen combine together to from helium. This is the process that powers our Sun and other stars. To initiate this process, extremely high temperatures are required. It is simply not possible to generate such high temperatures for extended duration to maintain the process of nuclear fusion for longer time scales. This is the reason why nuclear fusion is not yet the answer to our energy crisis. Even in extremely controlled conditions of laboratory, nuclear fusion cannot be maintained for more than a small fraction of a second or so.

Till we can sustain the nuclear fusion for longer duration, nuclear fission is the only possible and practical solution of harnessing nuclear power. But yes, once we can sustain fusion, it can provide us clean energy for a really long time.

Hope this helps. 

What is the purpose of NAFTA?

Established in 1994, the purpose of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is to eliminate trade and investment barriers between its member countries, specifically the United States, Canada, and Mexico. By reducing and eventually eliminating tariffs, the signatories hoped the NAFTA would better the American, Canadian, and Mexican economies.

Evidence seems to indicate that all three member countries have experienced benefits from the NAFTA. In addition to having the ability to export more items to the other two countries, each nation has experienced an increase in direct foreign investment from citizens of its fellow NAFTA signatories.

However, the NAFTA has been criticized for several reasons. First, the NAFTA has resulted in a number of job losses in the United States as some U.S. companies have relocated factories to Mexico (however, the increase in free trade has enabled more small businesses to operate, recouping some net jobs). The NAFTA also hurt Mexican corn farmers. Because the U.S. government subsidizes corn production, U.S. farmers could export it to Mexico at prices far cheaper than the local Mexican farmers could afford to compete with.

How would one prove that "The Eagle" is not a mere description of an eagle?

First, the eagle is personified, described as having "hands," and this is a big clue that he represents more than just an eagle (line 1).  In addition, the fact that his hands are described as "crooked," a word with two pertinent denotations, is another clue: "crooked" can mean "bent" (as an eagle's talons would be) as well as "corrupt" (as an unethical or immoral person would be) (1).  Further, the eagle is described as "stand[ing]" and "clasp[ing]" instead of perching, two more word choices that hint at his power and strength (especially compared to the "crawl[ing]" sea in the second stanza) and suggest that he is not just a bird.

Moreover, the description of the sea as "crawl[ing]," a movement associated with the weak or powerless, helps to show that this is, ultimately, a poem about power: who has it, how they keep it, and who doesn't.  Finally, the speaker says, in the last line, that the eagle "falls," not that he dives, and this compels us to consider the poem as a comment on absolute power and, perhaps, how it changes hands (6).

Therefore, by choosing words that more often describe human features or activities, Tennyson forces us to reflect on the way in a human being could acquire and exploit absolute power, as the eagle does.

Was it fitting for Montag to plant books in Fireman Black's home?

When Montag goes to Faber for help to understand books, Faber doesn't see the point because literacy is hated and illegal in their society. Montag suggests that the two of them actually start printing books again, and Faber says that wouldn't be possible unless society supported literacy. Faber also argues that if he were to start printing again, even without the support of the community, he would like to see something else happen first.

"The only way I could possibly listen to you would be if somehow the fireman structure itself could be burnt. Now if you suggest that we print extra books and arrange to have them hidden in firemen's houses all over the country, so that seeds of suspicion would be sown among these arsonists, bravo, I'd say!" (85).

This is where Montag gets the idea to plant books in firemen's houses. This act of sabotage would help to break down the structure and authority of firehouses. Since firehouses are the strong arm of the law, if people started to view the men running them as hypocrites, then the firemen would lose credibility in society. If the firemen lose credibility in society, then people would be less afraid of them as a whole. Then, if people weren't so afraid of the firemen, those who have books might be more inclined to come out of hiding and maybe literacy could come back again. Therefore, the point behind planting books in Mr. Black's house is that he is a fireman. He is one of the first to be on the receiving end of Faber and Montag's plan. This act is fitting because it is directly related to their plan. It is also ironic because no one would expect a fireman to have books and then be caught with them.

Do Shumel and Bruno die in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas?

Yes, it seems that the two boys die in the gas chamber. Once Bruno has his hair cut off and he dons the "striped pajamas," there is little apparent difference among him and the Jewish prisoners who are marched into large, dark room that is airtight.

In Chapter 16 Bruno has lice in his hair and must have his head shaved; as a result, he more closely resembles Shumel. Then, in Chapter 17 Bruno learns that everyone in his family but his father are returning to Berlin, so he goes to see Shumel in order to inform his friend that he will be leaving. Outside the fence that confines Shumel, Bruno is saddened that they have not had an adventure. Then, he has a "brainstorm" and tells Shumel that if he could come inside the fence, he could help him look for his father as the boy is very worried about what has become of his parent. Shumel says that he knows where the uniforms are kept and that he will try to take one.

The next day, then, Shumel provides Bruno with a uniform, and after donning it, Bruno crawls under the fence. Bruno's next words, a quote of his actress grandmother's, ring with a terrible irony:

"You wear the right outfit and you feel like the person you're pretending to be."

Together, then, they search to no avail for Bruno's father. Just as Bruno is about to return to the spot where earlier he crawled under the fence so he can now return home, a loud whistle blows, and ten soldiers surround them. Because he has the outfit that makes him look like a Jew, Bruno is herded with Shmuel into a long room. Suddenly, everyone gasps as a loud metallic sound is heard from the outside.

From this description, the reader infers that the boys and others are sent into a gas chamber. For days, Bruno's father searches for him, but all he finds are his clothes by the fence; since there is no sign of Bruno anywhere on the camp or in the villages or towns nearby, Bruno's father deduces the terrible fate that befell his son.

What is the effect of calling the character in the story, "The Pedestrian", by his full name and title, Mr Leonard Mead?

I think calling Mr. Leonard Mead by his complete name indicates two things.  First, Bradbury may be pointing out that by using his full name, Mead is an individual in a world where everyone is the same.  Mead does not stay at home and plant himself in front of the television like other citizens in this society.  Instead, he wanders the streets at night enjoying the sites and fresh air.  At the end of the story it is Mead’s house that is lit up, unlike his neighbor’s house that are dark.  Again, this shows him to be an individual.

Another reason his complete name is used could be to show how the world in which he live in impersonal.  It is very formal to call someone “Mr.” with his full name.  Mead is not seen as an individual, but as a rebel who needs to be taken to the nearest psychiatric hospital for his “bizarre” behavior of walking.  The police car doesn’t give Mead time to explain himself, and it just assumes that he is insane.  No personal human connection is made between the robotic police car and Meade. 

The reasons are an oxymoron and contradict each other, a unique message by Bradbury.

What are the risks of using computers in our society?

Computers have made numerous significant contributions to our society, but there are disadvantages of it as well. Computers have resulted in automation of various processes and this has reduced the amount of labor required to carry out various operations. While this has sped up the process, reduced losses and resulted in sustained quality; the introduction of computers to manufacturing has also resulted in job loss for unskilled or semi-skilled labor. With the internet connectivity and adoption of social media platforms on large scale, face to face interaction has reduced and we have more regular friends on Facebook than in real life. Our communication patterns have also changed due to IMs (instant messengers) and Twitter, and we have resorted to using shorter messages and abbreviations of several words. There are also health risks associated with long and sustained use of computers. Data security and privacy invasion are other risks of too much dependence on computers.

Hope this helps. 

What are some basic reasons for studying anatomy?

Anatomy is the study of the body's external and internal structures and functions. Studying human anatomy is beneficial for the following reasons.

1. Medical professions- In order to treat patient ailments quickly and efficiently, medical practitioners need a clear understanding of the functioning of the human body. Additionally, future medical advancements and pharmaceutical developments rely on a strong understanding of all parts of the body.

2. Maintaining Personal Health- Understanding how the body works will enable individuals to make healthy decisions for their own bodies and the bodies of their loved ones.

3. Athletics- Trainers, coaches, and athletes all need a firm understanding on how the body functions in order to prevent overtraining and ensure the highest level of performance from an individual or team.  

Is the location of Brussels, the capital of Belgium, relatively good or problematic?

The location of Brussels is good in most instances. Brussels is, for the most part, in the center of Belgium. This makes it easily accessible. It is fairly easy to get to Brussels. This is good for trade and for tourism. Several international groups, including NATO, have their headquarters in Brussels. Brussels isn’t very far from major cities in nearby countries. Being near water influences the climate of Brussels. The oceanic climate keeps Brussels from getting too warm in the summer and too cold in the winter.

One disadvantage Brussels faces is that a good part of the country, including Brussels, is very flat. This was a disadvantage during World War I and during World War II. Germany found it much easier to move its army through the flat land of Belgium than to move it through the mountainous border between Germany and France. In both World War and in World War II, the location of Brussels proved to be a disadvantage because it was fairly easy to invade.

For the most part, Brussels is in a very good location.

Why does the government handicap George but not Hazel?

In this story, which takes place in a futuristic dystopia, people are handicapped according to their abilities. If you are slightly intelligent, you are slightly handicapped. If you are extremely intelligent, your handicaps are extreme and even more debilitating. The same prescription goes for physical ability. The stronger you are, the stronger your handicaps will be. The goal is to make everyone equal. The government wants to bring the smart people down to a certain socially common level of intelligence. They also want to make everyone equal in terms of physical ability and looks. 

Hazel is completely average. She has a "perfectly average intelligence" and since she is right at the common average, she doesn't need a mental handicap. If she was a bit smarter, she would require a mild handicap. George, on the other hand, has a much higher intelligence. So, in order to bring him down to the common, average level, he is given a handicap in his ear that disrupts his thinking whenever his thoughts get too profound or intellectual.

Their son, Harrison, is profoundly gifted, mentally and physically. This is why he is given the most severe handicaps the H-G men can come up with.

How does "Soldier's Home" relate to contemporary crises or conditions we face today?

It could be argued that the protagonist in Hemingway's short story "Soldier's Home" suffers from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). His experience in the trenches of World I has changed Harold Krebs. He comes home and is at first unable to talk about the war and then, when he does, no one wants to hear it. He has become figuratively paralyzed and finds it difficult to act. He says he wouldn't mind going out with a girl but doesn't want to go through the trouble of actually talking. Hemingway writes,

It was exciting. But he would not go through all the talking. He did not want one badly enough. He liked to look at them all, though. It was not worth it.

He also clashes with his mother over getting a job and when she asks him to pray with her, he refuses. He has become lost in a familiar world and the title of the story is ironic.

There are no studies about the overall mental condition of returning World War I veterans, but, judging by several of Hemingway's characters, novels like All Quiet on the Western Front, and the war poetry of Rupert Brooke, Siegfried  Sassoon and Herbert Asquith, we may assume that assimilation back into society was difficult for those who had witnessed the horrors of what might be considered the first modern war, replete with machine guns, tanks and airplanes.   

Likewise, tens of thousands of recent returning veterans have gone through the same experience. A war in Vietnam and two wars in Iraq have caused health officials to coin the term PTSD. Troops who suffer from PTSD have suffered some extreme emotional trauma triggered by witnessing or living through a terrifying event.

In Vietnam, troops were traumatized by jungle warfare and being attacked by an enemy they often could not see. In Iraq many of our troops were wounded by remote explosives from an enemy they never saw. Unfortunately, statistics released by the Wounded Warrior Homes website (see link) estimates that 22 veterans commit suicide each day in the United States. According to some sources (see link), tens of thousands of returning World War I British troops who spent up to four years in the trenches committed suicide after the war, and many more were committed to mental institutions. 

While Harold Krebs doesn't commit suicide, the reader may feel that his emotional state is far from normal and his life forever affected by his experiences in the war. Today, in America, we have tens of thousands of veterans who can certainly relate to Hemingway's story.

What form of potential energy is stored in reactants?

The potential energy stored in the reactants of a chemical reaction is called chemical energy or chemical potential energy.  It's released during a chemical reaction. Energy is absorbed when chemical bonds are broken and released when new chemical bonds are formed in the product molecules.  

It's somewhat of a simplification to say that energy is stored in the bonds of the reactant molecules. There's a net release of energy by a chemical reaction if the forming of new bonds releases more energy than that absorbed to break the bonds in the reactant molecules. This is called an exothermic reaction. In this case the products have less energy than the reactants.

An endothermic reaction occurs when the enegy absorbed in breaking bonds is greater than the energy released when new bonds form, resulting in a net absorption of energy. The products have more energy than the reactants.

Chemical potential energy can be thought of as the difference between the energy states of the products and the reactants. 

What is the symbolism/metaphorical use of albatross in literature?

An albatross can be a symbol of good luck, or a symbol of some psychological or emotional burden.  The albatross plays a key role in Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s 1798 poem “Rime of the Ancient Mariner.”  At sea, being followed by an albatross is generally considered good luck for the voyage, and in this poem the mariner’s ship becomes stuck amid the ice of the Antarctic when an albatross appears and leads them out of their predicament.  The mariner then shoots the bird, and when the ship is driven to the balmy reaches of the Equator and becalmed, and the crew is dying of thirst, they turn against the mariner, and see the shooting of the albatross – of their savior – as bad luck indeed.  Thus:

Ah! Well a-day! What evil looks
Had I from old and young!
Instead of the cross, the albatross
About my neck was hung.

The albatross was hung around the mariner’s neck as a testament to the burden of the ship’s new predicament, which he, being the cause of the bad luck, must bear. 

After the poem was published, “having an albatross around one’s neck” became an idiomatic expression in English to mean “bearing the weight of some burden,” and carrying the mental strain that comes with such.  So, an albatross live at sea is a symbol of good luck – however woe to the man who kills the beast! 

How has Armand reacted when the baby is first born?

After the baby is born, Armand is "the proudest father"; in fact, he is so happy that he becomes more lenient with his slaves.

As Désirée talks with her mother who pays her a visit, she answers her mother's question about Armand's first reactions upon seeing their baby, declaring that Armand is so proud because his baby is a boy. Apparently, however, Madame Valmondé has seen something in the baby for her to have asked this question. This is something that Désirée already has noticed; for, when the baby was nearly three months old, Désirée sensed that there was something subtle "menacing her peace." There were many far-off neighbors who came to see the baby, and her husband does not look her in the eye anymore.  

He absented himself from home; and when there, avoided her presence and that of her child, without excuse. And the very spirit of Satan seemed suddenly to take hold of him in his dealings with the slaves. Désirée was miserable enough to die.

When a quadroon (one-fourth African) boy who fans her one day, Désirée notices that he bears a strong likeness to her baby, and she begins to understand what has caused others to peer at the child.

“Armand,” she panted once more, clutching his arm, “look at our child. What does it mean? tell me.”

Her husband bluntly tells her that the baby is not white; she is not white. Poor Désirée believes him because she was a foundling. But, the irony of the story is that it is Armand who is not white. Even though the story of Armand's baby ends badly, when the baby is first born, Armand is happy and sees a happy future. 

Compare Scout and Atticus to Burris and Bob Ewell. What can we conclude about the relationship between adults and children in To Kill a Mockingbird...

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, we see two distinct parent-child relationships that couldn't be in sharper contrast to each other. The relationship between Scout and her father, Atticus, is one of tenderness and love, mingled with moments of paternal wisdom taught during important stages of Scout's childhood. He teaches her compassion and caring for others less fortunate, as well as great empathy. He does this by way of his actions and through his own words.

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”

In several instances throughout the novel, Atticus turns many situations into teachable moments and Scout learns valuable lessons about integrity, respect for others, as well as an understanding of society, both the good and the bad that affects everyone. As a result of her father's positive guidance, Scout matures and grows into a more thoughtful person, who learns, among other things, to embrace people in her community as individuals, with all of their flaws and complexities.

In sharp contrast, we see the relationship of Bob Ewell with his children as one of a bullying, neglectful and abusive father. Ewell is the opposite of Atticus, who is gentle, civilized and noble in character. Bob Ewell is an ignorant, ignoble drunk, who threatens and intimidates his own children, as well as the other townspeople. It is no wonder that his son Burris rarely comes to school and when he does, he is sent home by the teacher because his hair is infested with "cooties." Mayella, his young adult daughter, feels so very lonely and abused that when Tom Robinson shows kindness to her she responds effusively, which leads to the tragic event of Tom's trial and subsequent killing. While Atticus is shown as a nurturing parent, Bob Ewell is a brutish, dysfunctional one.  

What are 10 questions I could ask John F. Kennedy in an interview if he was alive today?

The world might be a very different place if John F. Kennedy had survived his 1963 assassination. Stephen King has written an interesting and entertaining novel about that subject. The book, 11/22/63, is about a man who goes back in time and kills Oswald before the fatal shot. King's prediction, however, is that the world went totally out of control because Kennedy lived. Of course, King's forecast has more to do with what happens when the past is changed than any condemnation of Kennedy.

Anyway, if I were to ask JFK ten questions, some might involve events that happened in the aftermath of his death and some about more recent history. These ten questions are in no particular order as to importance.

1. Mr. President, you wrote an excellent book called Profiles in Courage about American senators who displayed great bravery or integrity in the service of the country. If you were to rewrite the book and only include senators from the last 60 years, who might they be?

2. The Revenue Act of 1964 (which you originally campaigned for and supported although it was passed after your death) cut the top tax rate from 91% to 65%. Today the top tax rate is 39%. Do you think this is a positive or a negative for the country?

3. You were the first president to have a poet read at the inaugural address. It was Robert Frost, who is considered one of the greatest poets in American history. The tradition has been carried on by recent presidents. If you were to be inaugurated in 2016, which living poet might you choose to read?

4. OK, here's the big question I'm sure you've been waiting for. If you had been alive in August of 1964 when the USS Maddox was attacked by North Vietnamese ships in the Gulf of Tonkin, what would have been your immediate response? Do you agree that Johnson did the right thing in escalating the American presence in Vietnam, or was he wrong?

5. Here's another question about Johnson. Would you have favored Johnson's war on poverty? It has been much debated in the last several years. Some say it worked, but most conservatives say it led to more problems. What would you have done differently to help the poor in America?

6. If you had been alive in 1968, just finishing your second term as president, would you have encouraged your brother Robert to run for president?

7. On a similar note, what do you think of the fact that, like the Kennedy's, the Bush's and Clintons seem to be always present in the run for president? In fact, either a Clinton or a Bush has run for president in every election (except 1984 and 2012) since 1980.

8. Your favorite poem was "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening." One line of the poem reads, 

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep

If you had lived, what promises would you have kept and what would have been your top priorities if you had won a second term as president (as you probably would have)?

9. One of your biggest mistakes as president was the Bay of Pigs invasion. It was a failure and helped legitimize the Cuban regime of Fidel Castro. In 2015 the United States has finally diplomatically recognized the island country. What do you think of that decision in light of the last 60 years?

10. Finally, you know I had to ask it. The tabloids really want to know. Did you really have an affair with Marilyn Monroe, as has been reported by several sources? If it's true, do you think her death had anything to do with you? 

In Shakespeare's Richard III, Act 1 Scene 4, the two assassins have a discussion before murdering Clarence in the Tower of London. In this scene,...

Two men are sent by Gloucester to dispatch his brother, the Duke of Clarence. They are known only as “First Murderer” and “Second Murderer” and they have the kind of comic repartee that Shakespeare would later develop further in the First and Second Gravediggers in Hamlet. The Second Murderer first confesses to having some qualms about the murder; though they have a warrant that legally sanctions the killing, the Second Murderer is worried he’ll be sent to hell for it, since having permission doesn’t necessarily save you from damnation. His theological and moral doubts are resolved when the First Murderer reminds him of the reward promised; it’s all very well to have a conscience, but the Second Murderer is content to keep it “in the Duke of Gloucester’s purse." Then the First Murderer has a momentary twinge of conscience himself, but it passes, though he is resolved not to kill Clarence in his sleep; upon awakening, Clarence will try to negotiate for his life.