Angela’s Ashes is the 1997 Pulitzer Prize winning memoir of an Irish-Catholic childhood of the life of Frank McCourt. A recounting life of abject misery, poverty and torment which young Frank could only observe, borne by his mother Angela.
The book recounts surprising number of details through the eyes of a child born in America, the Land of the Free, but withheld by the depths of Depression, forcing the family in the plunge of Limerick, back home in Ireland. McCourt describes as to what he perceives the plight of his siblings on the steps of heaven, a constantly out-of-work over zealous patriotic inebriated father, apathetic kin, an indifferent town and the endurance of it all by one Angela, Frank’s mother.
The book is widely Frank McCourt’s memories in his early years and it not only reflects in his writings but also in a strong empathetic feeling generated as a reader towards his early days. Throughout the tragedy which can be called his life, his mind reflects, nay meanders, towards a silver lining. Be it in stealing apples or getting the proud satisfaction finding work in his adolescence.
Moreover, the grim tale encompasses definitions of what can bring the odd smile to the readers face. The book in all its subtlety is satirical at times. To think a boy in his youth can conjure why Jesus Christ was not born in damp Limerick, lest he died of the consumption, tells you why Frank McCourt can bring out the sun amongst the dark side that were his childhood years and more impudently it set about his literary skills to blossom.
The book was adapted as a movie in 1997 and although notable facets of his life are truncated, the core of this book has been captured and its essence flows in the dull and dreary scenes embossed forever on the readers mind. Read it and smile with an odd tear in your eye.
Cell phones have evolved to a vast array of services normally found in your Personal Computer. Samsung has found itself delved in this upcoming deluge in the world of upgraded communication devices.
The Samsung i710 is their attempt at just another SmartPhone. The handset looks, in the simplest of ways, smart. Its simplistic appearance makes it all the more appealing. It features, among others, a 2 Mega Pixel Camera powered by Windows Mobile 5.0 for Pocket PC.
The touchscreen is not at all bad and responds easily and without any feelings of constrictions due to its large 2.8 inch display. All applications seem to be well organized and permits customized menus and free allocation for its short cut keys. The camera also offers clean images of desired resolutions and minor editing options. Images captured in low light or in the night are surprisingly not a letdown considering there is no flash, something that should have enhanced its cumbersome capability. The sound quality is a bit to be desired, for you can only unleash its influence through the prescribed headphones.
The Microsoft Office feature spells out where the phone can be utilized at its best. Word and PowerPoint, although a bit basic, provide to be worthwhile on the move. Excel, on the other hand, lies on a similar page although using Excel may prove to be a bit of a handful as the display, although copious, does not seem to be large enough for this software. And disappointingly, Office only supports its 2003 cousin.
The handwriting recognition facet which can be used both for Office as well as basic SMS is tempting and lives up to its expectations and more importantly is fun to use. Other than this other basic features include MMS, Email, Bluetooth, Video and Audio for capturing and playback, a Memory slot and Java support.
Maybe asking for a Radio would have been a bit too much, but then again it also lacks WiFi which would have rendered the piece close to priceless. At least that is what I would like to believe. Moreover, the battery power is a bit weak and it may find time and again depleting itself to half its life with half the day gone, assuming you use most of the features it has to offer. Coming to its looks, the chrome plating on each of it sides, which gives a nice finish, comes off very easily taking most of the phones gloss away. But that may not be its worst attribute. Ever find yourself in an area with weak connectivity where other phones cling on to its last bar with its teeth. This doesn’t. This just gives up just before you reach such an area.
All in all, it has its fair share of frustration driving behavior which most of modern technology encompasses but then again there are others such as the HTC Touch which may offer the same as the i710 and just a bit more for just a bit less.
You are born; adolescence breeds indoctrination of social stigmas and those receptors you may or may not concur may lead you to a path of a content life or abject misery, or perhaps a permutation and combination of both.
What ends in a padded cell with a straight jacket is actually the beginning, of not an uncultured presence, but the transcendence of unadulterated thought. A thought devoid of infestation and subjugation, perhaps to democracy, a contest against ideologies, an antonym of measurement, a rebel of the rebellious, yet a non-conformist.
But, these are subverted by the very humanity that breeds it all. So don’t just free your mind…just loose the bloody thing!!!
