Tablets

Tablets are stupid. I don't own one. I don't intend to own one ever.

     I don't necessarily understand the fascination with tablets. It's like a big iPhone. I can still do most of the things that an iPad can on a device that fits in my pocket. If I have that, why would I ALSO want to have an iPad. I own a MacBookPro laptop and it services all of my Internet and basic computer needs. They most definitely are a fad. The only reason anybody wants one is because they don't have one. It isn't our future because it isn't replacing existing technologies; those that need no improvement.
     I honestly only use my laptop anymore to access school related sites or shop online for the convenience of a keyboard.  My iPhone has replaced my laptop for most of the other reasons I use the internet, particularly social networking.
     For some instances, I DO understand the need for a tablet. Theses instances mainly relate to children. I noticed that my younger cousins used tablets quite frequently for reading and gaming apps.  This is a use that is somewhat lost on my generation.  We tend to have to read physical copies of books and favor gaming consoles for our entertainment needs.
     As for this current generation of children who are disconnected from society due to an overload of technological advances, tablets provide a unique way for parents to keep their kids quiet and entertained for hours on end.
     Otherwise, I don't understand the need for an iPad or other tablet.  I'm not too sure what more they can provide that my iPhone or laptop doesn't already provide for me. If I want a big screen, I'll watch something on my laptop or my TV. If I want to socially network, I'll use my phone. Not a tablet.

Frame Usage for “Essex County Book Two: Ghost Stories” and “Batman: The Dark Knight Returns”

     Jeff Lemire's "Essex County" and Frank Miller's "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns" both have very unique structures with their frame usage. Both use a wide variety of different frames. As well, both possess an interesting and varied usage of transitions.

Jeff Lemire's "Ghost Stories"

Lemire's second installment, "Ghost Stories" is a story of recollection and memories of past events.  Many of the frames correlate with this mode of narration. The frames are somewhat standard of comics but are often interrupted to aid in the display of flashbacks and flashforwards.

Jeff Lemire's "Ghost Stories"

Frank Miller's "Dark Knight Returns"

     Frank Miller's "Dark Knight Returns", uses a very unique style for its framing.  Often times the standard format of framing is as per the example on the left. However oftentimes, the normal format of framing is interrupted by segments in which the frames resemble TV screens viewing the news. The example on the right displays how this format typically repeats throughout the novel.

Frank Miller's "Dark Knight Returns"

     While at times each novel has similar standard frame formatting, both novels use their own unique formats to help aid their narratives. "Ghost Stories" relays dissonant and dreamy sequences with its frame usage to tell a flashback/memory based story.  In "Dark Knight Returns", the story is very much based in chaos. The frame usage helps reflect the anarchy and tense conflict that the story is based on.

Annoying Technology: Touchless Bathrooms

The most annoying bit of technology that I found from the list would have to be touchless bathroom installments.

I work in the kitchen of a restaurant. For the workers’ “convenience”, all of the soap, sanitizer and paper towel dispensers are automatic, touchless devices. This would be great and help prevent cross contamination, amongst other things...IF THEY EVERY FUCKING WORKED!!

I can’t recall the numerous amounts of times that I have place my hand under a filled soap dispenser to was my hands and receive no soap. The same can be said for sanitizer and paper towel dispensers.  To make the situation even more frustrating, half the time the soap dispenses after you pull your hand away in anger. Many times the motion sensors are faulty at best.  This isn’t all necessarily at my job, but in bathrooms elsewhere as well.  Sinks and soap dispensers only occasionally work correctly for me.  There is always at least a minor portion of trial and error.

Another inconvenience of these contraptions is stocking. You have to press a billion buttons to get the damn things open and unwrap an equal number of things to refill soap or paper towels.  Far from convenient.  I would MUCH rather use paper towels on the old fashioned, no fucking improvement needed, paper towel roll. It’s almost like someone invented a simple dispensing mechanism for these things on purpose...

But surely enough, humans will be humans. Nothing is fast or convenient enough for us ever. The thirst cannot be quenched. We go out of our way to make intricate contraptions that either end up not working at all or proving to be more difficult to use than their predecessors.