Monday, September 30, 2019

Summary and Critique of George F. Will’s View on Inaugural Addresses

Wade Vierheller Professor Combs English 300 27 September 2012 ‘Let Us’†¦? No, Give it a Rest Summary and Critique George F. Will is a Pulitzer-Prize writer and an editor for Newsweek. He is well-known for his strong conservative political commentary. He discusses the history of Inaugural Addresses and how they reflect the way the country has changed throughout the years. He points out a number of differences such as sentence structure, tone, and topics. For example, he cites the numbering of words.He mentions George Washington’s second sentence of his address, which was 87 words. On the one hand, I was summoned by my country, whose voice I can never hear but with veneration and love, from a retreat which I had chosen with the fondest predilection, and, in my flattering hopes, with an immutable decision, as the asylum of my declining years–a retreat which was rendered every day more necessary as well as more dear to me by the addition of habit to inclin ation, and of frequent interruptions in my health to the gradual waste committed on it by time.Back then, the culture was much different, as most people learned to read were through difficult literature such as Pilgrim’s Progress and the King James Bible. Herbert Stein, â€Å"who for 60 years was an economist and connoisseur of American’s political culture,† discovered that the average number of words per sentence for Inaugural Addresses has steadily decreased: â€Å"from Washington through Buchanan the average number of words per sentence was 44; from Lincoln through Wilson, 34; since Wilson, 25. † Will believes that â€Å"the general shortening of sentences reflects, in part, a change in nature of Inaugural Addresses. He refers to Teddy Roosevelt who called the presidency â€Å"a bully pulpit. † Later addresses have had an incentive to tell Americans how to behave with phrases such as â€Å"The only thing we have to fear†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and †Å"Ask not†¦Ã¢â‚¬  A more popular phrase which was used by Kennedy and Nixon was â€Å"Let us†¦,† which according to Will means, â€Å"For Pete’s sake, pull up your socks and shape up. † The content of the Inaugural Addresses has also changed. George Washington had to be much more modest, speaking about his personal problems and as much as he would like to rest, his country was calling him.In the beginning with Washington, the issue was that he would be able to turn the presidency into another monarchy. Around the time of Cleveland and Garfield, a major issue was polygamy. During the time of Monroe, the issue was coastal fortifications. As of today, these are no longer on the list of major issues. This progression shows how the country has grown over the many years. Though Will is happy that we do not have to talk about the issues of the past anymore, he does not like the shortening of sentences and how Presidents have become more like preachers.He sho ws appreciation of Washington’s modesty despite the amount of praise he was showered with, but understands how there were different problems during that time. Most of what Will says is backed up with some strong points, using factual information from past people such as Cleveland, Garfield, and Teddy Roosevelt. This greatly backs up his claims, making them hard to argue against. He makes strong arguments that clearly show how there has been quite a change throughout the history of the Inaugural Addresses. A significant point he brings up is the decrease in the word count per sentence over the years.It’s true there has been a major change in literature over the years. Personally, I had some trouble keeping up with the incredibly long sentence made by George Washington. It’s interesting how he partly blames it for the â€Å"change in the nature of Inaugural Addresses. † I’m not sure if I see much connection between the two. Also, though shorter sente nces shows our reading mental muscles are weaker than our ancestors’, but this does not seem to have any major negative effect on society, unless Will’s statement about the changing in Inaugural Addresses in coordination with shortening of sentences is true.This leads us to another point about the context of Inaugural Addresses. Looking at the parts of Washington’s address or Lincoln’s address (â€Å"Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this might scourge of war may speedily pass away†¦ With malice toward none, with charity for all†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ), they show hope and love in their speeches. When looking at later ones, they’ve become much more preach-y. For Will, this does not seem to be a good adjustment, and I have to agree with him here. At least in the beginning, it’s never been the President’s job to tell us how to behave.It is true that he is our leader, but his part in leading the country is taking care of politica l matters such as federal law and diplomatic troubles. Another very interesting matter he brings up is the drastic change in subject matter from speech to speech. With Washington, it was the fear of monarchy. For Monroe, it was coastal fortifications. For Lincoln, it was slavery. For Garfield and Cleveland, it was polygamy. Throughout the years, the severity of the nation’s problems has declined. It’s really something to be proud about. It shows that despite the other reasons Will has pointed out, this country has grown for the better.We’ll always have problems and we’ll keep working to solve them. This gives us drive and displays our strength and motivation. In his article, Will has done a good job of backing up his opinions with strong factual information. While I do not completely agree with him, I’m able to understand and respect his views. Really the only problem I have with the paper is the assumption on how the shortening of sentences  "reflects†¦ a change in the nature of Inaugural Addresses,† because I can’t understand how that exactly works.Works Cited Will, George F. â€Å"‘Let Us’†¦? No, Give it a Rest. † Newsweek 22 Jan. 2001: 64. Print. .

Sunday, September 29, 2019

How does Jane Austen ensure that Lizzy and Darcy are the most attractive couple in the novel? Essay

We are introduced to the character of Lizzy early on, and in such away that we are immediately given a positive impression of her. We first hear of her in a conversation between Mr and Mrs Bennet when discussing the arrival of Mr Bingley. â€Å"I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy† Mr Bennet says, â€Å"Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters† This is the first impression that we have of Lizzy. To introduce her character in this way means that even before meeting her, we are already thinking of her character and already have an image of her in our minds. We see that Mr Bennet points out Lizzy’s ‘quickness’, showing that she is clever and not absent minded and dull. By hearing his praise of her, we can not dislike her unless we see something that we disapprove, which never occurs, as such. In order for Darcy and Elizabeth to be attractive as a couple, they also need to be attractive as individuals. Their attractiveness, not just of looks but of personality, are hinted to us throughout the novel. Lizzy is strong-willed, witty, bright and intelligent. â€Å"Really, ma’am, I think it would be very hard upon younger sisters, that they should not have their share of society and amusement, because the elderly may not have the means or inclination to marry early. The last born has a good a right to the pleasures of youth as the first.† This is from the conversation between Lizzy and Lady Catherine about Lydia’s marriage, which shows how Lizzy is happy to speak her mind and show her point of view. To the reader this is admirable, perhaps especially at the time when in society she would have kept it to herself due to her age, position and feminism. We see also, that various people, like her father, have much more respect for her due to it. This leads to influence us to see her in the same way. Darcy originally appears to us in a different manner. While the first impression we get of Lizzy is positive, the impression we get of Darcy is soon considerably negative. However, Jane Austen does not immediately influence us to dislike him. â€Å"his friend Mr Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien, and the report which was in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance, of his having ten thousand a-year.† The quote is taken from when Darcy first enters the story at the Meryton ball. He is talked of with much approval and very much admired. However, this view is soon altered when we witness his conversation with Bingley at the dance. Bingley is attempting to persuade Darcy to participate and to dance with Lizzy. â€Å"She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men.† This insults Lizzy, being in her earshot, and yet she can laugh at how ridiculous his manner was. His rudeness also influences the reader of how we perceive him. With additional incidents similar, we are for a long time under the impression that Darcy is a very proud and rude man and so it takes a long time to change our views. However, with the image of the very first description of Darcy, there is something slightly attractive in his character to grow on. It is interesting to note that although Darcy is handsome and very rich, we do not base his attractiveness individually on this. There are also other attractive features of Darcy that develop later on in the novel. This is interesting as it is opposite to an incident in the book concerning Wickham. â€Å"She could have added, â€Å"A young man, too, like you, whose very countenance may vouch for your being amiable†.† Here Lizzy has mistaken the good looks of Wickham for goodness. While Wickham is attractive in the face, his personality is not so. We are not only drawn to Darcy for his looks, however, but also look for something more attractive than physical attraction and wealth. â€Å"He is the best landlord, and the best master,† she said, â€Å"that ever lived; not like the wild young men nowadays, who think nothing but themselves. There is not one of his tenants or servants but what will give him a good name.† This report of Darcy from his housekeeper demonstrates the character we see developing. By such information, it is suggested that what we originally presumed of him to be proud and rude, may actually, in some ways, be misunderstandings of his character, as we learn that he is merely the strong, silent type. The improvement of Darcy’s character, as well as the less obvious improvement of Elizabeth’s, is one of the attractive features of their partnership. The way that they work on their relationship is attractive because they do not just settle with an easy option but admit mistakes and amend problems. They both realise faults in themselves due to each other. Darcy’s pride and Lizzy’s prejudice. Darcy’s pride we have already seen at the ball. This is shown to us in an obvious manner and even stated and talked about. It is often Lizzy who complains about it and is the reason that she despises Darcy so much and for so long. This also demonstrates her prejudice. Although it is noticeable in many occasions, her prejudice is less public. However, she still learns from her mistakes. These two aspects of their characters do not mix and so is not until they can overcome them, that they realise how right they are for each other. The development of their partnership in this way is attractive, rising it above other couples in the novel. We can look at the marriage of Bingley and Jane, for instance, for comparison. Jane and Bingley’s marriage is the only other in the book that we are happy for, however, the marriage of Lizzy and Darcy still improves on it. While the former is very simple and ‘pretty’, the latter is a lot deeper, with the way it was developed forming interesting layers of characters. Other couples are a lot more obviously unsuited. Mr and Mrs Bennet are one such example. When their marriage took place, Mrs Bennet married up in society, while Mr Bennet married down. Mrs Bennet was attractive but vacuous and she didn’t improve in intelligence. We can presume that Mr Bennet regretted the marriage. We see an inclination of this when he is advising Lizzy on her marriage to Darcy. â€Å"My child, let me not have the grief of seeing you unable to respect your partner in life. You know not what you are about.† We can suggest from this that Mr Bennet is reflecting on himself, and the mistake that he carried out in marrying Mrs Bennet, as he appears to be talking from experience. We see many examples where he is not happy with his marriage and not happy with Mrs Bennet. â€Å"My dear, do not give way to such gloomy thoughts. Let us hope for better things. Let us flatter ourselves that I may be the survivor† This is Mr Bennet’s reply to a conversation with Mrs Bennet about what would happen to their property when he died. We see how he has no respect for her as he is continually mocking her in this cruel way throughout the book. The amount of sarcasm and irony he uses suggests that he is merely taking it all as a joke, as if were he to take it seriously, he would not be able to handle it. We see also in the novel how, to get away from it, he spends a lot of his time by himself in his library where Mrs Bennet and the rest of the family can not disturb him. Lizzy and Darcy’s marriage however, already proves to be more successful. As a couple, they are good for each other. They can succeed in the development of each others character. They are both intelligent people, unlike Mrs Bennet, who can carry out intellectual conversations and discussions. We can see this in an earlier conversation. â€Å"To yield readily – easily – persuasion of a friend is no merit with you.† â€Å"To yield without conviction is no compliment to the understanding of either.† â€Å"You appear to me, Mr Darcy, to allow nothing for the influence of friendship and affection† This is one such example of Darcy and Lizzy exchanging and debating opinions. We can also compare this to the marriage of Charlotte Lucas and Mr Collins. â€Å"When Mr Collins could be forgotten, there was a great air of comfort throughout, and by Charlotte’s evident enjoyment of it, Elizabeth supposed he must often be forgotten.† This was taken from Lizzy’s visit to Hunsford to visit Mr and Mrs Collins. It shows how happier Charlotte is when her husband isn’t there, and that this is often the case. Lizzy and Darcy however, enjoy each other’s company immensely and do not tire of it. We see that the Collins’ marriage is a marriage of convenience. It is stable, they have money and their own space from each other, but there is no love. They would never sit and enjoy a conversation but would much rather be separate from each other, similarly to Mr and Mrs Bennet, but right from the start of their marriage. Darcy and Lizzy as a couple are attractive because they are so meant to be. Jane Austen has written us a Romantic novel where the well matched always end up living happily ever after. They are not bad like Lydia and Wickham and so we feel a great love for them and believe that they deserve to be happy together. By being able to compare them to many other couples in the book we see even more clearly how they, as a couple, are the most attractive.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Phil in literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Phil in literature - Essay Example What does it entail? What kind of statement is this--a definition, a description, or an exhortation? The given statement means that a literary activity arises out of a special occasion of encountering the established order. While lacking the possibilities of development and enhancing the potential of coercion, the statement entails that a social order gives way to the human expression, in the form of literary expression, linked up with the conscience having concern for humanity. The literary activity has to address its social environment and can not remain in isolation. The solipsistic activity can generate a literary activity but it will not be considered a literary piece unless it imbibes within it the cries of uneven social justice. The given statement tries to develop a definition for the literary expression. To identify an expression as a literary expression, the expression must be seen in the light of three things: challenging the existing legal order; having conscience; and mu st have a concern for the humanity. A literary piece must be having all these three elements in order to be identified as a literary expression. In this sense the statement can be considered as a definitional statement. However, the statement is also exhortative. It is certainly not a universally accepted truth that literary piece must be having all three given elements. ... b- Testing the Truth: Is it true? Can we test its truth? How can we justify (or refute) Algren's claim, and what kind of evidence might suffice? The statement makes a point in such a way that it should be considered as a truth. However, the truth of this sort is different from the truth of many other sorts. There are truth-claims making an objective universal claim of truth. From any perspective such truth-claims can be accepted as truth positions. Sciences, especially those of physical and natural sciences make such claims. For Jurgen Habermas, these forms of truth-claim are purposive-rational and directed towards technical interest of controlling the environment (McCarthy 55). Sciences employ Empirical-analytic method for following purposive-rationality within their specific tradition in order to gain better control on natural environment. The empirical-analytic method brings forward objective truth claims through collecting sufficient experimental evidence. There is however anothe r form of expression that brings forward different sort of social interest, as what Jurgen Habermas says, practical interest (McCarthy 56). Truth generates within society and also embeds within itself the social interests. It is not possible for any individual to transcend this condition, even a scientist needs to be a social being first for producing a scientific fact. Society however does not only generate interest emerged out of as scientific interests; an objective observatory tendency to generate a truth-position for finding out the essential-truth of the natural environment in order to have a predictable control. Society also brings forward the conflicting tendencies rooted in the existing social justice. An expression that emerges out of aesthetic feelings

Friday, September 27, 2019

Black Plague Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Black Plague - Essay Example The result was a change in the way that most focused on the urban development, specifically with a different perspective toward construction and use of materials. In the novel, â€Å"A Journal of the Plague Year,† by Daniel Defoe, there are references to how individuals began to think after the plague. The reference wasn’t only toward the outcomes and tragedies associated with the plague, but instead led to the beliefs that those who didn’t have the lower social status and misled construction also weren’t subjected to the outcome of the plague. This line of thinking is seen throughout the book, as well as the belief that the plague was a sign to restructure into the modern urban development. The way in which most began to think about the Black Plague after it had been stopped from overtaking Europe was based on preventative measures that wouldn’t allow another disease to take over the land. The objective became the need to find ways and means to cha nge society, specifically which would safeguard individuals from being weakened and dying from the plague. According to Huppert, there was an understanding that the society needed to change so it didn’t exceed the resources that were available. When the plague began to decrease in 1700, there was also a change in how many farmed and lived. This included smaller plots of lands, a focus on not having as large of populations in one place and living within confines that didn’t use as many natural resources.... There are references to the market that is in the city, specifically which is a sign of the plentiful ness of the country. There are references to several coming to town with large amounts and supplies of different items which could be used for those that were going to the market. However, during and after the plague, this began to change with constrained resources that could be monitored and widely used for those that were in need of food or other farm items. â€Å"Without interruption [they] came up to that market known still by the name of Bear – Key, where they supplied the City plentifully with Corn, when Land Carriage began to fail, and when the people began to be sick coming from many places in the country† (Defoe, 252: 1817). This shows the transition which was made between using the extra resources and the response to the plague from what happened to those who took advantage of the excess resources. Another concept which appears in Huppert’s recounts of the Black Plague and from the book is the rebuilding of both urban and rural society. The Black Plague was known to wipe out almost one-third of the population and led cities to have to rebuild for years. This led to several years of trying to restructure the way that the cities should function while being cautious about another plague coming into the cities. The changes were based first on several experiencing life outside of the past constraints from politics and the agendas that were associated with peasants. Many of the peasants began to look for freedom, emancipation and ways to rebuild society in a way where they weren’t considered as slave labor for higher society. The main ideal was to get land without permission from land owners, buy and sell heritages and to work with the bourgeoisie and land

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Importance of Following Rules and Regulations Essay

Importance of Following Rules and Regulations - Essay Example The rules are appointed for the benefit of all by a higher command. This allows the experience of experts to be brought into the lives of inexperienced people. Each person can position himself or herself more easily within a clear and consistent framework. This requirement to take up a position and follow rules and regulations is most obvious in the military. The Navy, for example, as part of the United States government, establishes its own requirements for all its staff to follow. It has a high level of responsibility, and the only way to guarantee that this responsibility is carried out, is to ensure that the command chain is observed. The rules allow the senior officers to steer all members in the required direction. The importance of command is that it guides and helps the members to uphold the rules. It must ensure that this happens, and that any errors or omissions are followed up and corrected. At times the rules may seem to make little sense to junior members of the Navy, but the main point of the command system is to train everyone in following the rules with professionalism and discipline. This is what marks out the military from civilian life and it can mean the difference between life and death in some situations. The service operates as a tightly controlled unit, and this is why it is important to follow its rules and

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Fully discuss the multiple pieces of legislation that led to heated Essay

Fully discuss the multiple pieces of legislation that led to heated arguments in Congress that would ultimately lead to the Civil War - Essay Example Moreover, the southern slave masters established that such a characteristic restraint of the current slavery would magnanimously breach the principle of state rights. Abraham Lincoln emerged the winner in the 1860 presidential elections, devoid of ten of the southern areas voting. His characteristic triumph prompted the seven slave areas to pronounce secessions, resulting into the formation of the coalition states even before Lincoln took up a post. Autonomists in the north rebuffed from recognizing these secessions (Yazawa 19). Additionally, the USA government in Washington refuted the recognition of the possession of forts of the allies, though they lay squarely in the region of the confederacy states. As emphasized by numerous contemporary historians, the characteristic disunions were principally the key cause of the war. However, they argue that among those key causes were additional aspects of states’ rights and economics. Notably, the northern populace was augmenting more hastily than the southern, making it extremely difficult for the south to influence the national government. At the time of the 1860 elections, the intensively agricultural southern states had fewer electoral centres, enabling Lincoln to win the presidential voting without the participation of the southerners (Goldfield, et al. 39). The southerners had much to worry regarding the hasty growth of the manufacturing and populace in the case of the northerners. With the aim of sustaining unity in the USA, the chief politicians had constantly moderated characteristic antagonism to slavery, resulting in massive compromises, for example the Missouri compromise of 1820 (Yazawa 11). As the compromise yielded an aversion of an instant political crisis, it did not completely resolve the issue of slave power. Being a fraction of the compromises of 1820, the fugitive slave edict that required the people from the north to aid the southerners in the reclamation of the fugitive slaves

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Movie Application Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Movie Application Paper - Essay Example Plot summary The King’s Speech is a biopic on King George VI the father of the current British Queen Elizabeth II. The story is built up in the year 1934 with King George V looking for a successor to the throne. His eldest son, the Prince of Wales is having an affair with a divorcee, Wallis Simpson and is not fit to occupy the throne. Hence, the option to become the ceremonial head of this country lies with the young prince, Bertie who has a stammering problem. He suffers from stammering when he was around 4 or 5 years of age and this prevents the prince from attending any public speaking function. During this time, he turns to an Australian speech therapist, Lionel Logue to cure him of his speech impediment. The many subtle moments in the film, sketching the agonies that the prince suffered in childhood and the panic he experiences upon the death of his father and the abdication of the throne by the elder brother has been well portrayed in the movie. The movie details the jou rney of a prince suffering from a speech impediment and the manner in which he overcame this hindrance with the aid of his friend, the Australian speech therapist, Lionel Logue. ... Intrapersonal conflict is that which develops in the minds of an individual. Hence, conflict may be best explained as a behavior or conduct. On the other hand, interpersonal conflict has to occur between two persons. This movie has well depicted the interpersonal conflict between the prince and the speech therapist. Interpersonal conflict may be explained as a struggle which is expressed and takes place between two independent individuals having the perception of incompatible objectives. Intrapersonal conflict The intrapersonal conflict depicted in this movie, is the inner fear of the prince of public speech given his speech impediment. The movie has well depicted the traumatic childhood of the young prince which made him stammer. The manner in which he was strictly controlled by the nanny and certain events which made him lose his confidence and in fact fear the very thought of speaking in public display interpersonal conflict. Interpersonal conflict and power In this movie, interpe rsonal conflict, in the first half of the movie has been displayed between the prince and his speech therapist. It has been observed that disagreement is the fundamental element in all conflicts. However, not all disagreements may be termed as conflicts. A conflict is a situation in which both parties rely on each other; in a way that the conduct of each independent party may impact the other. Power may also lead to conflicts. In this movie, the first instance of expert power has been depicted. In this case, the king has to comply with the directions of his speech therapist mainly because his speech therapist has expertise in curing speech impediments. Despite the fact that the king commands legitimate power, he has to obey the rules laid down by his

Monday, September 23, 2019

Auditing Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Auditing - Case Study Example Overstating of revenues and the understating of expenses Revenues can be overstated so as to show that the company is doing well and that would attract new shareholders. The shareholders would be attracted by the increased revenues and that would imply that they would also get more dividends from the company because of the god performance of the company. The understating of expenses will mean that the profits of the company will increase and that will be appealing to the shareholders of the company (Kara and David, 178). The above facts will make the area of revenues and expenses more risky because the areas will have a direct effect on the shareholders decision concerning investment decisions. The auditor should carry out all the required procedures to ensure that the financial statements of the company reflect a true and fair view and the information will be useful for the shareholders and other company stakeholders. From the financial statements of the company, the operating incom e from sales has increased from 175.80 in 2011 to 197.40 in 2012. The increase in income is consistent with the increase in the previous years. However, that should not be the case because the margin of increase of tax is more than the other years, which are 33.30 in 2011 to 51.50 in 2012. That could imply that there is a probability that either the revenues were overcastted or the expenses understated and hence the area is a risky area. The company also has a reduced gross margin of 83.30 from 132.40 from 2011 and that could serve as an indicator for further investigations to ensure that there was no under stating of the expenses and the overstating of the incomes listed as other incomes. 2. Understating cost of sales The cost of sales can be understated to show an overstated profit. Cost of sales usually increases because of inefficiency in the company operations. Efficiency usually arises from the machinery that are been used, the company processes and the operations of the emplo yees. The company should ensure that it purchases its raw products at the lowest price possible to keep costs at a low level. The level of efficiency in a company is usually hard to calculate. The efficiency of the machines is usually dependent on a number of factors that may include the age of the machine and the power supply available to the machine. In that case, the auditors should treat the area of the cost of sales as a risky area because if the amounts are understated, the investors are likely to get a loss because of wrong investment decisions. Most investors usually carry out an analysis such as ratio analysis that can be used to endure that the ratios are favorable for the investor. The change in the cost of sales as compared to the prior years as per the financial statements of Stagecoach Company is not consistent. The issue of inconsistent could act as a risky area that needs further investigations and the auditor should analyze that area. The cost of sales has increased to 2507.40 in 2012 from 2257.40 in 2011. However, the operating income of the company in 2012 is greater than that in 2011. 3. Current assets and liabilities The area of current assets and liabilities is a risky area because a company can overstate its current assets and understate the liabilities to make the financial position of a company to be more appealing to investors. That is not a good thing on the part of

Sunday, September 22, 2019

International Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

International Management - Essay Example What is a trade policy? It has been described as a government tool used to encourage or restrict import and export. These tools may be in form of tariffs, quotas and voluntary export restraint. There are also domestic mandatory regulations requiring for adoption to health and safety standards. The domestic mandatory regulations are done to encourage or discourage bringing of goods and services to the domestic economy. Another trading tool to encourage export production done by the government is paying of subsidy of certain products, such as subsidy to farming production. Subsidy to sugar production is common in the United States. Trade policies should also be negotiated in bilateral agreements as this will form part of the nation’s obligations and national policies. Antigua-Barbuda is a small country comprising of 442 square kilometers (171 square miles). For a clear idea of size, it is twice and a half the size of Washington D.C. It has an English speaking population of 74,097, has a workforce of 30,000 working for commerce and service, agriculture and other industry. Unemployment rate as of 2006 is 13%. (US Dept. of State. 2009) This policy has transformed the current level of export and importations of the country. It could be seen from Chart 1 below that exports have increased from US$400m in 2000-01 to US$600m in 2005-06, while the level of imports remain the same for the specified years. Country’s exports to Italy, Germany, Poland and Singapore consist of food, manufacturing, machines and petroleum products. Imported items are food, machines, chemicals and oil coming from China, Germany, Singapore and US. (Economy Watch) 3. Antigua-Barbuda’s trade policy. This part of the study will provide information on the national trade policy, information on agreements, regulations, standards and investment climate of

Saturday, September 21, 2019

The American image of Thanksgiving Essay Example for Free

The American image of Thanksgiving Essay The American image of Thanksgiving is much different from the historical facts. The American vision is a big happy celebration with many people sitting around a long, wooden table. This, sadly, is not historically accurate at all. In this essay I will explain the current American’s Thanksgiving story as well as the historically accurate version. Today, Thanksgiving in America consists of big family gatherings, plentiful food, and giving thanks. One of the more obvious differences between the current Thanksgiving and the first on is the food. Today, everyone has an electric oven to bake breads, pies, and cakes. In the early American days electricity had not been invented yet. This meant that cooking meat was long, tedious, and over a fire. The early pilgrims and Native Americans had no way to bake all the foods we have today. In the earlier days, the people would hunt their food. The first Thanksgiving probably consisted of wild turkey, deer, fowl, and fish. This is very different from the big, farm-raised, store-bought turkeys that sit on our tables today. If you ask any elementary student, they will describe Thanksgiving as many happy pilgrims and Indians around a big table with plenty of food to go around. This, again, is incorrect. The Native Americans and pilgrims were quite hostile during this time. Several pilgrims had died by cause of disease and malnutrition. Many of the Native Americans had also been killed off because of Indian raids from the pilgrims. Some fragments of the current American’s story of the first Thanksgiving are correct. The famous Native American, Squanto did help the pilgrims learn how to plant food. He was there, helping create peace between the two groups of people. The pilgrims were very thankful for Squanto and his help, as we give thanks today. The meal eaten at the first Thanksgiving was similar to the Thanksgiving meal we eat today, with few differences. They ate wild turkey, along with other hunted meat and vegetables. The differences between the American’s view of the first Thanksgiving and the historically accurate version are abundant. The pilgrims and Native Americans were very hostile toward each other at the time of the first Thanksgiving. Food was not as plentiful as it seems. There were far less  people than thought at the first Thanksgiving due to disease, malnourishment, and Indian raids.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Impact Of Barriers To Entry On Market Strategy

Impact Of Barriers To Entry On Market Strategy Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review previous research and to propose a model for the impact of barriers to entry on the market strategy of an entrant firm, where product/market scope and product differentiation are central strategy components. The paper asks, what is the impact of barriers on market strategies of entrants? Are early and late entrants affected in different ways? Design/methodology/approach A model and propositions are developed-based on a review of previous research. The model applies the contingency perspective and company cases exemplify the model. Findings It is proposed that a firm that enters a market late and faces extensive barriers would choose a broader product/market scope and differentiate its products to a larger extent than an early entrant. It is also proposed that incumbents market strategies indirectly affect the market strategy of an entrant firm as incumbents market strategies interact with barriers, and the effects are due to entry timing. Research limitations/implications The study contributes theoretically as it extends current knowledge of the impact of barriers to entry on strategy. Management of entrant firms are advised to strive for a fit between barriers and market strategy and consider the propositions. Originality/value The model and the propositions concern barrier effects on two key components of the nmrket strategy of an entrant firm: product/market scope and product differentiation. Another important value is that the model accounts for interactions between incumbent strategies and harriers to entry, and effects on the market strategy of an entrant firm. Keywords Market entry, Marketing strategy, Competitors Paper type Literature review Introduction Barriers to entry have been a popular field of research since the seminal work of Bain (1956). Barriers are obstacles preventing entrant firms from being established in a particular market (Porter, 1980). However, despite the practical and theoretical importance of the matter, we still have only limited understanding of the impact of barriers on the market strategy of an entrant firm. A deeper empirical exploration of the issue calls for a reliable model that clarifies expected relationships. An empirical example is the comprehensive work that takes place within the European Union in order to create unified rules for international competition and reduce the impact of barriers originating from government regulations. Industries such as telecommunications are subject to these unification processes (Pehrsson, 2001). A general aim is to encourage the establishment of both domestic competitors and competitors stemming from other countries (Karlsson, 1998). But what is the expected impact of barriers on market strategies of entrants? Are early and late entrants affected in different ways? In theoretical terms, we need further knowledge of a relation between conditions external to the firm and the firm strategy, and, therefore, application of the contingency perspective (Hambrick, 1983; Peteraf and Reed, 2007) is appropriate. The central view is that a fit between external conditions and firm strategy provides a basis for competitive advantage and high performance (Miller, 1996). According to the review by Peteraf and Reed (2007), an earlier central criticism of contingency theory was that contingency research was reductionist (Meyer et aL, 1993), and empirical models did not account for the impact of interactions among central elements. However, recent studies on internal alignment focus on interaction effects among firm attributes and impact on firm performance (Kauffman, 1993; Levinthal, 1997). Yet, we still have very limited knowledge of interactions among external conditions and the impact on firm strategy. This paper applies the contingency perspective and focuses on the impact of barriers to entry on the market strategy of early and late entrants. The purpose is to review previous research and to propose a model for the impact of barriers on strategy where product/market scope and product differentiation are central strategy components. The resulting model addresses external firm conditions and proposes direct effects of exogenous and endogenous barriers and indirect effects of incumbents market strategies. These constitute the frame for barriers that originate from incumbents behavior, and incumbent strategies assumingly interact with barriers to entry. Although, for example, the performance impact of barriers to entry has been widely investigated (Marsh, 1998), only a few studies have focused on the impact on the market strategy of entrant firms. Robinson and McI)ougall (2001) studied entrants and found that the negative performance effects of three barriers (scale effects, capital need, and product differentiation) were particularly important when the product/market scope was narrow. Further, Pehrsson (2001) observed that deregulation in the telecommunications industry caused adjustments of the product/market scope of market entrants. Finally, Han et a!. (2001) and Salavou et at. (2004) found that a need for capital stimulated the mnovativeness and product differentiation of entrants. We therefore need to continue to study the impact of barriers on the product/market scope and product differentiation of market entrants. More precisely, there is a lack of knowledge of direct and indirect barrier effects on entrants product/market scope and product differentiation. The fact that competitors may constitute a primary source of barriers has largely been neglected, and incumbents market strategies most probably indirectly affect the strategy of an entrant firm. Competitors are crucial here as they demonstrate certain market strategies and thereby create customer loyalties and other barriers (Porter, 1980). Also, the literature indicates that the effects are due to entry timing Karakaya and Stahl, 1989), and the effects on the strategy of an early entrant may not be the same as those for a late entrant. The paper is organized in this way: In Section 2, I review previous research on barriers to entry and the strategy impact of barriers; in Section 3, I present the model and propositions about relationships in the model; Section 4 presents illustrative company cases; conclusions and implications follow in Section 5. Literature review This section of the paper first presents important exogenous and endogenous barriers to entry that have been observed by scholars. The section then reviews previous studies on the impact of barriers on product/market scope and product differentiation, and the impact on entry timing. Important barriers to entry A barrier to entry can be categorized as either exogenous or endogenous (Shepherd, 1979). Exogenous barriers are those that are embedded in the underlying market conditions and, in principle, firms are not able to control exogenous barriers. On the contrary, endogenous barriers are created by the established firms through their market strategies and their competitive behavior and are thus based on incumbents reactions to new entrants efforts to become established. However, Gable ci a!. (1995) observed that frequently the barrier types are mutually reinforcing, and they may be difficult to interpret. Table I lists important barriers to entry that have been observed in the literature, with studies cited by author and publication date. As regards the exogenous barriers, incumbents cost advantages are considered important by several authors (Gable et al., 1995; Han et al., 2001). This barrier means that incumbents may possess absolute or variable cost advantages, forcing the entrant firm to achieve scale effects and low costs. Incumbents product differentiation (Pehrsson, 2004; Schlegelmilch and Ambos, 2004) is another important barrier as it creates loyalties and relations among buyers and established sellers, and accompanying obstacles for the entrant trying to access customers Gohansson and Elg, 2002). Furthermore, the extensive need for capital in order to be firmly established in a market is an important exogeneous barrier emphasized by many authors (flarrigan, 1981; Siegfried and Evans, 1994), and the importance is also valid for customers switching costs (Gruca and Sudharshan, 1995; Karakaya and Stahl, 1989). This barrier is due to the costs that any potential customer faces trying to switch from one supplier to another. For example, costs may be allocated to employee retraining or changes in product design. Available distribution channels might not be anticipated by the entrant firm, or they may be controlled by competitors, creating customer access obstacles (Han el al., 2001; Pehrsson, 2004). Other barriers may include incumbents brand loyalty Q Endogenous barriers are created by the competitive behavior of incumbent firms in accordance with their market strategies. Important endogenous barriers may originate from excess capacity. This is generally accompanied by increased advertising or promotional activity (Demsetz, 1982; Gable el aL, 1995) or pre-emptive pricing resulting in price competition (Guiltinnan and Gundlach, 1996; Simon, 2005). T A B L E It is thus appropriate to view endogenous barriers as established firms reaction to new entrants (Karakaya and Stahl, 1989; Yip, 1982). In fact, incumbents may deter the entry of new comers simply by creating expectations of fear for the incumbents post-entry reaction (Karakaya and Stahl, 1989). However, Gable et a!. (1995) found that exogenous and endogenous barriers are mutually reinforcing. They studied entry barriers in retailing and found that incumbents frequently increased advertising and sales promotion when reacting to market entrants. These measures enhanced the degree of product and service differentiation attributed to the incumbent, while the measures also provided a method for an existing retailer to increase the costs of entry to a potential competitor. The observed endogenous barriers of increased advertising and sales promotion thus reinforce the exogenous barriers of capital need and product differentiation. Further, a number of studies (Karakaya, 2002; Karakaya and Kerin, 2007; Karakaya and Stahl, 1989; Siegfried and Evans, 1994) have explored the relative importance of individual barriers. Karakaya (2002) examined the importance of 25 potential barriers to entry in industrial markets. The majority of the executives in the survey considered the most important barriers to be incumbents cost advantages and the need for capital to enter markets. The impact of barriers on strategy Researchers have studied the impact of barriers to entry on two strategy components, namely product/market scope (Bonardi, 1999; Delmas and Tokat, 2005; Haveman, 1993; Pehrsson, 2001, 2007; Robinson and McDougall, 2001), and product differentiation (Delmas ci at, 2007; Russo, 2001; Schlegelmilch and Ambos, 2004) including innovativeness (Han ci at, 2001; Salavou ci at, 2004). Table TI summarizes key findings of the studies of strategies of market entrants and incumbents. As regards product/market scope, Pehrsson (2007) studied perceptions of expansion barriers in 191 subsidiaries of incumbent Swedish manufacturing firms in Germany, the United States and the UK. I-Ic found that the impact of balTiers was due to the breadth of the product/market scope of the firms. Hence, obstacles to access customers affect performance in a negative way if the firm has a narrow product/market scope. One reason why the obstacles are not significant if the scope is broad may be that different customer types and delivered products in this context are associated with more degrees of freedom in choosing customers. Problems in accessing a certain customer type may thus be balanced against limited problems regarding other types. Robinson and McDougall (2001) established a similar pattern. They studied the moderating effect of product/market breadth on the relationship between entry barriers and performance of 115 new ventures. Three barriers were closely studied: economies of scale, capital need, and product differentiation, It was found that the negative effect of capital need on return Ofl sales was smaller for ventures pursuing a broad scope. Further, the negative effects of all barriers were smaller for broad-scope ventures as regards shareholder wealth. Government policy changes manifested by, for example, deregulation or other institutional changes stimulate adjustments of the product/market scope of incumbents (Bonardi, 1999; Delmas and Tokat, 2005; Haveman, 1993; Pehrsson, 2001). Haveman (1993) showed that many firms in the savings and loans industry had expanded into new areas as a result of deregulation. Further, Pehrsson (2001) found that choices of customers made by both incumbents and entrant firms followed deregulations in the British and Swedish telecommunications industries. As regards the product differentiation component of market strategy, Han el al. (2001) and Salavou et al. (2004) found that market entrants innovativeness reduced the impact of capital need. A finns innovativeness reflects its way of pursuing product differentiation relative to competitors (Kustin, 2004). The literature also addresses changes in barriers to entry due to deregulation and their effects on rncuinbents differentiation Dehnas el aL, 2007; Russo, 2001; Schlegelmilch and Ambos, 2004). Delmas et a!. (2007) observed a variety of differentiation efforts in response to deregulation in the US electric utility industry, while Schlegelmilch and Ambos (2004) studied strategic options in such industries. In particular, Russo (2001) found that technology differentiation was a common effect of deregulation in the utility industry. Delmas et a!. (2007) advocate that, in fact, differentiation is common in industries that is subject to deregulation. The impact of barriers on entry timing Makadok (998) and Pehrsson (2004) underscore that the entry timing advantages of first- and early-movers seem to be resistant to erosion by the entry of additional competitors in a market. Once a new competitor has entered the market, it is difficult to match the performance of the incumbents due to extensive customer loyalties established previously. For the entrant firm this creates severe obstacles to customer access. Karakaya and Stahl (1989) studied the effects of barriers on the timing of market entry of 49 firms delivering industrial goods and consumer goods. The researchers particularly found that switching costs of potential customers is perceived as more important for late entry than early entry in both industrial goods and consumer goods markets. This finding supports the notion that late market entrants will face extensive obstacles to access customers due to previous loyalties between sellers and buyers. A model of the impact of entry barriers on strategy The model presented in this section proposes relationships between barriers to entry, incumbents market strategies and the market strategy of an entrant firm (Figure 1). The model applies the contingency perspective Hambrick, 1983; Peteraf and Reed, 2007) and proposes that an entrant firms market strategy is contingent on the external conditions of barriers to entry (P12 in Figure 1). It is also assumed that competitors constitute a main source of barriers; therefore, the model proposes indirect effects and interactions between incumbents market strategies and barriers (P3). Further, entry timing is important; the propositions suggest that strategies of early and late entrants differ. This section first defines the key concepts of the model and continues with motivations and presentations of the propositions. The concepts in the model The term barriers to entry stems from industrial organization literature and refers to obstacles that firms have to face when they try to establish themselves in a market (Porter, 1.980). Advantages of incumbent firms established earlier correspond to the extent to which the incumbents can raise their prices above a theoretical equilibrium without attracting other firms to enter the market (Bain, 1956). Barriers are exogenous or endogenous and are mutually reinforcing (see the literature review above). Entrant firms and incumbents demonstrate certain market strategies. Miller (1987) found that the dominant content components of strategy were product/market scope, product innovation, differentiation, and cost control. Product/market scope corresponds to the breadth of business activities and is manifested by the breadth of the range of product types and customer types. As product innovation is a way of differentiating the product in relation to competing products, I include innovation in product differentiation (Kustin, 2004). Further, as cost control is an ingredient of price, and customers are generally more concerned with prices than firm costs, prices are frequently subject to differentiation (Porter, 1980). rrherefore product differentiation in the model also includes pricing. However, product differentiation does not only refer to the physical product core. Usunier (1993) suggests that services linked to products such as after-sales services are central to differentiation, and Pehrsson (2006) further emphasizes flexibility attributes. Th attributes combine with other attributes in order to meet individual customer needs, and include, for example, solutions to customer problems and distribution features. Differentiating products in relation to products of competitors may thus give the firm competitive advantages. In essence, Porter (1980) convincingly argues that differentiation is a way of creating layers of insulation against competitive warfare and increases the odds of achieving high financial performance. Direct effects of barriers to entry Pehrsson (2007) and Robinson and McI)ougall (2001) found that the effects of barriers were less severe if the product/market scope of a market entrant was broad. Based on the findings, the researchers argue that product/market breadth of market entrants generally moderates the relationship between entry barriers and performance. Theoretically, a market entrant that has to face extensive barriers to entry would prefer a broad product/market scope. In that way, the entrant may be able to exploit the degrees of freedom that accompany the broad scope, and balance obstacles in accessing a certain customer type against obstacles relating to other types. However, research has shown that late market entrants tend to be exposed to more comprehensive barriers than early entrants (Makadok, 1998; Pehrsson, 2004). In particular, customer loyalties and customers switching costs (Karakaya and Stahl, 1989) constitute key competitive advantages of early entrants. A late market entrant would, therefore, theoretically have to face more severe obstacles in trying to access customers than would an early entrant: P1. A firm that enters a market late and has to face extensive barriers will chxse a broader product/market scope than an early entrant. In accordance with the results of Han el at (2001) and Salavou el at. (2004), market entrants frequently use product innovations to overcome market entry barriers. As innovativeness manifests product differentiation, it is logical to propose that a market entrant may use product differentiation in order to respond to barriers, and that comprehensive differentiation efforts follow extensive barriers. As a late entrant is theoretically exposed to more extensive barriers than an early entrant, this leads to the second proposition: P2. A firm that enters a market late and has to face extensive barriers will differentiate its products to a larger extent than an early entrant. Indirect effects of barriers to entry P1 and P2 do not pay attention to indirect effects, crucial interactions among barriers to entry and other important conditions external to the entrant firm. However, we can expect that barriers interact with incumbents market strategies. This expectation relies on the necessity of observing competitors as they pursue certain market strategies, and are able to create customer loyalties and other barriers (Porter, 1980). If we pay attention to incumbents, a strategy that promotes the development of brand loyalty, for example, focuses on a factor that create barriers (Krouse, 1984). Further, entry timing advantages of first- and early-movers (Makadok, 1998; Pehrsson, 2004) generally stem from the firms opportunities to penetrate potential customers, start to differentiate products, and develop customer relationships. If successful, the customer relationships and accompanying loyalties become effective barriers to competition. Theoretic-ally, late entrants therefore have difficulty matching the performance of the early entrants. We may therefore propose that the interaction affects early and late entrants in different ways: P3. Incumbents market strategies indirectly affect the market strategy of an entrant firm as incumbents market strategies interact with barriers to entry. The effects are different for early and late entrants. Illustrative cases Deregulation and unification of rules pertaining to firms operating telecommunications networks caused operators to reconsider their market strategies in Europe (Pehrsson, 2001). Unlike many other European countries, Sweden has never legalized a monopoly for the establishment of telecommunications networks or for the offering of services. However, Televerket (the Swedish public telecommunications administration) historically had a monopoly-like hold on many sectors of the market. This organization was converted in 1993 into a company group with a parent fIrm, Telia. As there are no regulations protecting Swedish interests or restricting foreign operators from establishing themselves in the country, many firms have entered the market. Any firm with a desire to enter the market will have to face the barrier of capital need in terms of the arrangement of infrastructure. For example, Tele2 entered the market early and addressed this need for capital by cooperating with the Swedish State Rail Administration. The background for Kinneviks establishment of Tele2 is that Kinnevik had gained experience from mobile telephony in the USA (NetCom Systems, 1994). Parallel with these activities, preparations began within traditional telecommunications for voice and data in the 1980s. A gateway for data traffic was opened in 1986, and in 1989 an agreement was concluded with the Swedish State Rail Administration for joint investments in a fiber optic network. Tele2 was formed in 1987 with the intention to offer stationary telephony primarily to households based on low prices. When the deregulation of the telecommunications market accelerated in 1993, Tele2 was able to act fast and reached second place after the incumbent, Telia. I)otcom l)ata Telecommunications entered the Swedish market late and had to face the extensive barriers caused by the dominance of the incumbent and early entrants. By the end of the 1990s, Dotcom was the only operator in the Swedish market with telecommunications operations that were not part of the original corporate core business Dotcom Data Telecommunications, 1995). The product/market scope was dominated by local data networks and included also stationary telephony, leased lines, office exchanges, extensive communications systems, support systems and so on. Middle-sized companies, large companies, and public administrations were the main target groups. In sum, the case of Dotcom Data Telecommunications illustrates P1. The firm was exposed to extensive barriers due to the firms late market entry and chose a broad product/market scope. In that way, the firm was able to exploit the degrees of freedom that accompanied the broad scope, and balance obstacles in accessing a certain customer type against obstacles regarding other types. Further, Dotcom Data Telecommunications tried to avoid price competition and, instead, strived for long-term customer relationships. As there were six phases of the delivery chain (analysis of needs, systems design, installation, education, service, and financing) there were many options to conduct product differentiation. A comparison with the limited low-price differentiation of Tele2 illustrates P2. However, in accordance with P3, both entrants had to face the barriers caused by the incumbents cTelias) strategy of keeping its market dominance and loyal customers. Conclusions and implications Despite the limitation that there may be more important external conditions beyond incumbents market strategies that interact with barriers to entry, we are now able to conclude the a firm that enters a market late and has to face extensive barriers probably would chxse a broader product/market scope and differentiate its products to a larger extent than an earlier entrant. Also, it is proposed that incumbents market strategies indirectly affect the market strategy of an entrant firm as incumbents market strategies interact with barriers, where the effects are due to entry timing. In sum, the model extends our knowledge as it accounts for the direct impact of barriers to entry on product/market scope and product differentiation, and specifies central conditions external to the entrant firm. Also, the model accounts for entry timing effects. In accordance with the contingency perspective management of entrant firms would be advised to strive for a fit between barriers to entry and market strategy and thereby bear in mind the proposals put forward in this paper. Of importance are not only direct effects of barriers on product/market scope and product differentiation, but also the way incumbent strategies interact with balTiers. It would also be advisable for each firm to evaluate the relative importance of barriers and acknowledge that a late entry is generally accompanied by more extensive barriers than an early entry. Further, as exogenous barriers and endogenous barriers are often mutually reinforcing, attention needs to be paid to combined effects. Further empirical research should be conducted in terms of applying the model developed in this paper. A suggestion for future research is to explore how management perceives barriers to entry, and how this perception contributes to the emergence and sustainability of competitive advantage. Also, it would be interesting to explore managerial knowledge of barriers in early and late phases of market entry.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Measure for Measure Essay: Immorality and Corruption -- Measure for Me

Immorality and Corruption in Measure for Measure      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In ‘Measure for Measure’, Shakespeare demonstrates that there is an innate immorality and corruption in the heart of man. Shakespeare illustrates that power does not cause corruption.   This is achieved by presenting the Duke, who has the most power in Vienna, as a moral hero, and conversely revealing the corruption of the powerless class through characters including Pompey, Mistress Overdone, and Barnadine.   Through all this, Shakespeare uses Lord Angelo in Measure for Measure to show that immorality and corruption is innate in mankind. It is worth noting that Lord Angelo's name evokes an image of purity and holiness.   Names are given at birth, and the idea that he is called angelic from the start, would argue against this doctrine of innate depravity.   But, as Shakespeare argues, it's a name that can't be lived up to because of natural passions and lusts, which ultimately leads to Angelo's hypocrisy.   The play opens up not only labelling Angelo with a pure name, but also as a puritanical deputy, who has been "elected" (1.1.18) to enforce the laws while the Duke is away.   This idea of "election" not only signifies the political decree of Vienna, but also a Pauline doctrine that relates to men and angels.   But what's even more interesting, is that when the apostle Paul writ... ...lives in spite of them.    Works Cited and Consulted: Black, James. "The Unfolding of Measure for Measure." Shakespeare Survey 26 (1973): 119-28. Leech, Clifford. "The 'Meaning' of Measure for Measure." Shakespeare Survey 3 (1950): 69-71. New American Standard Bible. Reference ed. Chicago: Moody Press, 1975. Shakespeare, William. Measure for Measure. The Arden Shakespeare. Ed. J.W. Lever. London: Routledge, 1995. Thomas, Vivian.   The Moral Universe of Shakespeare's Problem Plays.   London: Croom Helm, 1987. Wilders, John.   "The Problem Comedies."   In Wells, Stanley, ed.   Shakespeare: Select Bibliographical Guides.   London: Oxford UP, 1973.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Comparison between F.Scott Fitzgerald and Jay Gatsby Essay -- Gatsby F

Comparison between F.Scott Fitzgerald and Jay Gatsby After watching the biography of F.Scott Fitzgerald, I noticed there are a lot of similarities between F.Scott Fitzgerald and the protagonist of the novel â€Å"The Great Gatsby† – Jay Gatsby. First of all, their romantic idealism are very much the same, they both love the person that love so deeply. In the novel, before Gatsby and Daisy were first separated, Gatsby was already deep in love with Daisy, we can see this from a quote in the novel, â€Å"well, there I was, ‘way off my ambitions, getting deeper in love every minute, and all of a sudden I don’t care. What was the use of doing great things if I could have a better time telling her what I was going to do?† (Chapter 8). However, Gatsby was poor and Daisy didn’t want to marry a poor boy, so Daisy married a rich man named Tom afterwards. This didn’t stop Gatsby’s love towards Daisy. He waited for almost five years and during that time, he got rich by bootlegging. So he came back and ready to win Daisy’s love again. This showed how much Gatsby loves Daisy and willing...

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Dune Essay -- essays research papers

Dune   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This book all started with the family Atreides landing on plant Arrakis, commonly known as Dune. The planet Dune was the centre of the universe due to its immense amounts of spice. This spice is greatly needed for all planets as fuel and for raw materials. The family Atreides were asked by Emperor himself to go and mine the spice on the planet. Their greatest enemy the Harkonnen's, were also on Dune. These two families mining the precious spice on the same plant would lead to great troubles and wars.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Soon after that, I was introduced to a very brave and insightful young man. The young man is Paul Atreides. Paul is medium height with short, black hair. His mother Jessica is a Bene Gesserit that means she knows the â€Å"weirding way.† This means Jessica is trained to kill and is also trained as a mind reader. She is very tall and beautiful and is always concerned with the actions of Paul, the future ruler of the galaxy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jessica's teacher, the Reverend Mother heard of Paul and thought that he might be the great leader that the prophets told of. The Reverend Mother came to Dune and tested Paul to see if this was so. Paul underwent great pain and suffering but passed the tests with the highest reverence. Duke Leto, Paul's father now came into the picture. He was the leader of the Atreides Family. He seemed very established and perceptive. The Atreides family represented good and honesty while their enemies, the Harkonnen's, were ruthless killers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Harkonnen home planet, Gedi Prime was very desolate and dark. It represented the immorality and darkness within the Harkonnens. Their leader Baron Vladimir Harkonnen was very obese and inhuman. He killed his own slaves for fun and hated the Atreides with a passion. He hated their peaceful and honest ways. Most of all he despised their coming to Dune. This Harkonnen leader appeared the typical tyrant leader. Vladimir Harkonnen's most trusted solider Feyd-Rautha was also like him except his physical appearance was that of ideal shape and form.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Back at the Atreides base more characters are introduced to me. They are Duncan Idaho who was the personal trainer for Paul Atreides, Dr. Yeuh who was a good friend of the Duke and later was found out to be a traitor, and Thufir... ... understand the characters and their emotions with more comprehension. There were many themes in ‘Dune' such as â€Å"you shall get your just deserves.† This means that what you have done to others shall be done back to you in full. The Harkonnens army combined with the Emperors attacked and beat the Atreides. Paul in turn strikes back with brute force that many have not seen throughout their existence. The Harkonnens and the Emperor were annihilated and Paul's vengeance was paid. I must say that this science fiction book did create a sense of reality meaning that this situation could happen in the future. A boy or girl born in the future who is destined to be the almighty ruler. He/she will guide us out of depression and into a new era of peace and prosperity. Their may be truth to this story and one day a fight between good and evil may come to reality. Dune is the typical `Good guys vs. Bad guys' theme. The Atreides are at war with the Harkonnens and the good always win (as you already know.) Although this plot is really used too much Frank Herbert did an excellent job to disguise this fact. He blended this into a great story line of action packed adventure and dreams of the future.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Propaganda Theory Essay

All over the world, the wheel of propaganda keeps churning. Governments have launched propaganda blitzes to mold public opinion and further their political objectives. In certain instances, they have failed. In other cases, like global wars, they have caused mass deception and destruction. People employ numerous propaganda techniques for a variety of reasons. It may be to cushion the impact of a crisis, soften antagonistic sentiments of people governed, reinforce friendly relations between countries, or foil attempts to usurp power. Propaganda in recent years has been used in a derogatory sense, characterized by doublespeak, coupled with endorsements from individuals capable of influencing others, to win public support for an idea or doctrine. When employed by nations as an act of aggression, it can unleash a never-ending series of counterpropaganda measures, and become counterproductive. Learning about propaganda — how it works, and actual examples across cultures — provides many interrelated insights. Propaganda Theory I. The Meaning and Types of Propaganda Propaganda is defined in many ways. It is â€Å"a systematic effort to persuade a body of people to support or adopt a particular opinion, attitude or course of action† (Funk & Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary, 1963). Propaganda is something resorted to since ancient times, and has assumed many connotations through the years. It is commonly understood as the deliberate, systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions, and direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist. Propaganda is a term culled from the Latin word propagare which â€Å"means to propagate or to show† (Jowett and O’Donnell, 2006, p. 2). French philosopher and sociologist Jacques Ellul, who conducted a thorough study on propaganda, propounded that it is a â€Å"sociological phenomena, not as something made or produced by people of intentions† (Jowett and O’Donnell, 2006, p. 4). Ellul did not discount the fact, though, that while it may have negative impact, particularly in discouraging critical thought, people have a need for it. Propaganda is characterized by certain characteristics. It has to be total, seamless, with a target audience that is â€Å"self-acting and capable of screening out contrary messages for themselves (or) partial to the thrust of the message and willing to listen to it, and†¦ works best when it prepares symbols that the public will understand, and then manipulates those symbols to achieve a desired effect† (Thompson, 2004, pp. 6-8). Propaganda, as widely used today, connotes â€Å"a coordinated strategy to minimize negative information and present in a favorable light a story that can be damaging to self-interests† (Jowett and O’Donnell, 2006, p. 3). This is blatantly shown by many news organizations and governments today. In most cases, â€Å"propaganda themes are produced not because the relationship between the state and the media is antagonistic and incompatible but because they serve a common purpose† (Wilcox, 2005, p. 4). To achieve the propagandist’s intent, there are several types and techniques employed. In the corporate world, one type of propaganda is a simple testimonial. Testimonials may utilize celebrities and other people of prominence or credibility, or symbols like a flag or a respectable institution, in advertisements prodding and enticing people to purchase goods and services. Most advertisements that instill brand recall by being constantly aired on all forms of media are also a form of propaganda. Usually, the propagandist conceals his main agenda in a deliberate attempt to win public favor. Propaganda may be classified then as white, or â€Å"from a correctly identified source and is not intentionally deceptive† (Brahm, 2006, parag. 4) or black, which is the exact opposite. As for the techniques, propagandists employ age-old techniques to influence or win over people to their side, like name-calling, whereby the object is to make a person see an object, person or idea in a negative light without carefully assessing evidences; use of glittering generalities that uses abstract terms, especially ideals like freedom, justice, and truth to appeal to the listener’s emotions or valued principles; card stacking, which highlights only one view to an argument while downplaying or totally repressing the dissenting or contradictory opinions in order to manipulate the sentiments or change the mindset of the audience; transfer technique, in which case the propagandist uses an object or symbolism that is generally revered or respected to win over people; testimonials, which uses prominent, authoritative or famous people to appeal to listeners’ emotions or in some instances, both the emotions and logic; and bandwagon, which presupposes that since majority of people are doing or supporting something, then that general trend must have merits worth considering. The propagandist, in this case, expects the audience to conform to the general will and reap the benefits offered (â€Å"The Art of Propaganda,† n. d. ). II. Propaganda Through the Years Propaganda’s various meanings and connotations have evolved through the years. In the modern world, the most common conduit or mouthpiece of propaganda is the news media, whether print, television, radio or online. Many governments have used media as disseminator of propaganda, especially during crisis moments or to win major support for conflict intervention. Milestones that have been part and parcel of the history of propaganda go way back to 1622, when the Vatican, under Pope Gregory XV, â€Å"established the Sacra Congregatio de Propaganda Fide, meaning the sacred congregation, for propagating the faith of the Roman Catholic Church† (Jowett and O’Donnell, 2006, p. 2). Succeeding events led to the loss of impartiality in the term propaganda. In the present information age, some people who are well-read and aware of issues and news developments are able to discern whenever their government has set into motion a major information campaign to gain public support for an electoral campaign or even a war effort. There are also insidious ways individuals or governments use propaganda, like in the case of terrorist groups enlisting people to support their cause, or military leaders trying to outmart the enemy by overstating the size of one’s fleet or amplifying the sophisticated weaponry at their disposal. Propaganda has been used countless times for political warfare. History is replete with cases of governments swaying the populace to gain support for their cause or political ends. An example of 20th century propaganda are the anti-German propaganda materials widely disseminated by British agencies. Former US President George Bush’s propaganda machine emphasized an anti-terrorism stance. Ironically, he had denounced numerous propaganda tactics directed at the US which he thought to have vilified the country’s image in the global community. The US government employed similar propaganda techniques during the Gulf War and Kosovo Conflict in the 1990s. Many political rulers, like Joseph Stalin, used propaganda in a damaging sense. Another clear-cut illustration of 20th century propaganda is Adolf Hitler’s reign of terror. Everyone knows how the charismatic dictator won over people to his side not only with his eloquent speeches but with his military tactics and well-oiled propaganda machinery. Naxi propaganda bordered on censorship. Books and films that ran counter to the beliefs of the rulers were burned. In their stead, radio communications called â€Å"People’s Receiver† were offered at a cheap price. There were also organized rallies that succeeded in gaining the public’s loyalties. â€Å"In Nazi publications and German newspapers, newsreels, posters, ‘educational’ materials, etc), much use was made of cartoons from Julius Streicher–the Nazis’ vitriolic and foremost hate monger† (Thompson, 2004, parag. 11). On the other hand, there have also been countless examples of propaganda back in the 18th century. Propaganda was employed, to promote the cause of independence, through the dissemination of pamphlets during the American Revolution. In France and Europe, there was widespread criticisms for the ruling class by learned men. It was an age when anti-enlightenment ideas proliferated, and propaganda was at its peak. III. Propaganda in the Arab World Propaganda has found strong use in the Arab world. â€Å"The anti-Semitic literature published by the Arabs since World War II has been voluminous†¦Arab propagandists and sympathizers have persisted in the charge that Israel is a foreign outpost of Western civilization, the intruding offspring of Europe inhabited by European survivors of Nazi brutality† (Peters, n. d. ). Consumed by the overriding belief that Israel does not have the right to exist, most Arab and Muslim states engaged in propagandist tactics, including biased reporting and use of language that detracts from the true meaning. Propaganda was also applied through the use of official newspapers that tackled how Jews manage all the world’s governments. In similar manner, the US government has launched anti-Arab propaganda material, much to its own detriment and reputation in the international community. References Brahm, Eric. (2006). â€Å"Propaganda. † Beyond Intractability. Eds. Guy Burgess and Heidi Burgess. Retrieved May 31, 2009, from http://www. beyondintractability. org/essay/propaganda/ Funk & Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary. (1963). New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc. Jowett, Garth S. and Victoria O’Donnell. (2006). Propaganda and persuasion (4th ed. ). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Peters, Joan. (n. d. ). â€Å"From time immemorial – the origins of the Arab-Jewish conflict over Palestine. † Retrieved May 31, 2009, from http://gospelpedlar. com/articles/Church%20History/jews. html

Europeans and Africans Essay

The two stages of contact between Europeans and Africans in the modern era, according to Morel, were the slave trade and the â€Å"power of modern capitalistic exploitation†. In the first he describes the horrors of the African slave trade that had occurred in the 1700-1800’s, the way the slaves were captured from their homes and transported in terrible, torturous conditions to their destinations. Morel sees this as horrific, but also acknowledges that despite the fact they were put through so much they were able to continue to multiply and have more children, even in slavery. Morel felt that the exploitation of the African nations will be even more devastating because it will bring European work ethics and culture to the Africans, thus changing their entire way of life and taking away the vitality of their culture. In general, the history of European domination over Africans was extreme. They would dominate them, either by making them slaves or taking away their land and using the natural resources of their homelands for their own benefits. 2. How did Europeans abuse and exploit Africans? What benefits did they bring to Africans, if any? The Europeans abused and exploited the Africans because they had weapons that the Africans did not. They had guns and other forms of technology and weaponry that could dominate the Africans and keep them under their control, taking away their way of life and leaving them to die. The Europeans did not bring any benefits to the Africans except that the slave trade was ceased when the Europeans realized that they could overcome the Africans and were better off exploiting the natural resources of their countries. In a way, this was perhaps a benefit in one respect but a curse in another. 3. This book was written in 1920. How did Morel see the future of European domination in Africa playing out over the course of the twentieth century? Morel sees the future of European domination in Africa playing out over the course of the twentieth century in such a way that he Africans are overtaken by weapons and the technology of the Europeans. He sees the Europeans as using all of the terrible weapons they have to win control of the continent, not only man made weapons but because they will bring disease to the African people. He also feels that when the European system of work and exploiting the environment will eventually kill the Africans from their soul outward to their body because it is so different from their own way of living and what is important to them, like the environment and having a relaxed way of life.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

State Capitol Building

The first state capitol building in Jefferson City was built in the period of 1823-1826 and was destroyed by fire in 1837. A new capitol building had been approved at the time and was completed in 1840. The second capitol was destroyed by fire on February 5, 1911, when a bolt of lightning struck the dome. The present capitol was built in the period of 1913-1917 and stands upon the same spot as the first, high atop a bluff overlooking the Missouri River.One significance in the capitol building is the Missouri State Museum, which is located on the first floor of the Missouri State Capitol Building, and run by the Department of Natural Resources and Division of State Parks. The museum contains long-term exhibits and regularly changing temporary exhibits. Also, there is a program that develops a series of traveling exhibits that can be used as educational tools by schools, civic and other groups. The Missouri State Museum is responsible for a large collection, consisting of approximately 93,000 artifacts and objects from all aspects of Missouri’s history.These artifacts and objects have been collected since the museum was first opened. One of the highlights of the collection is the collection of over 125 Missouri Civil War battle flags. Thirty-three of the flags have been conserved and eleven have been framed. The â€Å"Missouri Veterans Gallery† is in the east end of the Missouri State Museum is a new long-term exhibit. The centerpiece of the exhibit is a brass model of the USS Missouri battleship built by the U. S. Navy for research. The exhibit also includes artifacts and images related to Missouri veterans as well as excerpts from interviews with veterans.The Museum staff developed this exhibit to inform visitors about the key role of Missouri veterans in the history of the state. In 1935, Missouri native Thomas Hart Benton was summoned upon the Missouri House of Representatives to paint a mural on all 4 walls of the House Lounge, which is a large meeting room on the third floor in the Capitol’s west wing. The mural portrays bold and vivid scenes of everyday Missouri life, which at first sparked controversy among the legislators. Benton’s mural represents a source of pride and a popular stop for visitors touring the Capitol.In addition to housing the two legislative bodies, the Capitol provides office space for the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, State Auditor and some administrative agencies. The structure is also notable for its architectural features, including its eight 48-foot columns on the south portico and six 40-foot columns on the north side; its 30-foot-wide grand stairway and its bronze front doors, each 13 by 18 feet. There are no weaknesses of the capitol building when providing a historical museum, free guided tours, and opened almost everyday of the year.The purpose of the capitol building is more to inform tourist about Missouri history than housing for two legisla tive bodies, the Capitol provides office space for the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, State Auditor and some administrative agencies. The museum had excellent exhibits, including the brass model of the USS Missouri battleship. Throughout the first floor, the capitol building had exhibits about the early settlers. I would recommend to people who love to learn about history to take a tour of the Missouri State Capitol Building.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Foundation’s Edge CHAPTER TWENTY CONCLUSION

CONCLUSION Mayor Harla Branno had every reason for satisfaction. The state visit had not lasted long, but it had been thoroughly productive. She said, as though in deliberate attempt to avoid hubris, â€Å"We can't, of course, trust them completely.† She was watching the screen. The ships of the Fleet were, one by one, entering hyperspace and returning to their normal stations. There was no question but that Sayshell had been impressed by their presence, but they could not have failed to notice two things: one, that the ships had remained in Foundation space at all times; two, that once Branno had indicated they would leave, they were indeed leaving with celerity. On the other hand, Sayshell would not forget either that those ships could be recalled to the border at a day's notice – or less. It was a maneuver that had combined both a demonstration of power and a demonstration of goodwill. Kodell said, â€Å"Quite right, we can't trust them completely, but then no one in the Galaxy can be trusted completely and it is in the self-interest of Sayshell to observe the terms of the agreement. We have been generous.† Branno said, â€Å"A lot will depend on working out the details and I predict that will take months. The general brushstrokes can be accepted in a moment, but then come the shadings: just how we arrange for quarantine of imports and exports, how we weigh the value of their grain and cattle compared to ours, and so on.† â€Å"I know, but it will be done eventually and the credit will be yours, Mayor. It was a bold stroke and one, I admit, whose wisdom I doubted.† â€Å"Come, Liono. It was just a matter of the Foundation recognizing Sayshellian pride. They've retained a certain independence since early Imperial times. It's to be admired, actually.† â€Å"Yes, now that it will no longer inconvenience us.† â€Å"Exactly, so it was only necessary to bend our own pride to the point of making some sort of gesture to theirs. I admit it took an effort to decide that I, as Mayor of a Galaxy-straddling Federation, should condescend to visit a provincial star-grouping, but once the decision was made it didn't hurt too much. And it pleased them. We had to gamble that they would agree to the visit once we moved our ships to the border, but it meant being humble and smiling very broadly.† Kodell nodded. â€Å"We abandoned the appearance of power to preserve the essence of it.† â€Å"Exactly. – Who first said that?† â€Å"I believe it was in one of Eriden's plays, but I'm not sure. We can ask one of our literary lights back home.† â€Å"If I remember. We must speed the return visit of Sayshellians to Terminus and see to it that they are given the full treatment as equals. And I'm afraid, Liono, you will have to organize tight security for them. There is bound to be some indignation among our hotheads and it would not be wise to subject them to even slight and transient humiliation through protest demonstrations.† â€Å"Absolutely,† said Kodell. â€Å"It was a clever stroke, by the way, sending out Trevize.† â€Å"My lightning rod? He worked better than I thought he would, to be honest. He blundered his way into Sayshell and drew their lightning in the form of protests with a speed I could not have believed. Space! What an excellent excuse that made for my visit – concern lest a Foundation national in any way disturbed then and gratitude for their forbearance.† â€Å"Shrewd! – You don't think it would have been better, though, to have brought Trevize back with us?† â€Å"No. On the whole, I prefer him anywhere but at home. He would be a disturbing factor on Terminus. His nonsense about the Second Foundation served as the perfect excuse for sending him out and, of course, we counted on Pelorat to lead him to Sayshell, but I don't want him back, continuing to spread the nonsense. We can never tell what that might lead to.† Kodell chuckled. â€Å"I doubt that we can ever find anyone more gullible than an intellectual academic. I wonder how much Pelorat would have swallowed if we had encouraged him.† â€Å"Belief in the literal existence of the mythical Sayshellian Gaia was quite enough – but forget it. We will have to face the Council when we return and we will need their votes for the Sayshellian treaty. Fortunately we have Trevize's statement – voiceprint and all – to the effect that he left Terminus voluntarily. I will offer official regrets as to Trevize's brief arrest and that will satisfy the Council.† â€Å"I can rely on you for the soft soap, Mayor,† said Kodell dryly. â€Å"Have you considered, though, that Trevize may continue to search for the Second Foundation?† â€Å"Let him,† said Branno, shrugging, â€Å"as long as he doesn't do it on Terminus. It will keep him busy and get him nowhere. The Second Foundation's continued existence is our myth of the century, as Gaia is Sayshell's myth.† She leaned back and looked positively genial. â€Å"And now we have Sayshell in our grip – and by the time they see that, it will be too late for them to break the grip. So the Foundation's growth continues and will continue, smoothly and regularly.† â€Å"And the credit will be entirely yours, Mayor.† â€Å"That has not escaped my notice,† said Branno, and their ship slipped into hyperspace and reappeared in the neighborhood space of Terminus. Speaker Stor Gendibal, on his own ship again, had every reason for satisfaction. The encounter with the First Foundation had not lasted long, but it had been thoroughly productive. He had sent back his message of carefully muted triumph. It was only necessary – for the moment – to let the First Speaker know that all had gone well (as, indeed, he might guess from the fact that the general force of the Second Foundation had never had to be used after all). The details could come later on. He would describe how a careful – and very minor – adjustment to Mayor Branno's mind had turned her thoughts from imperialistic grandiosity to the practicality of commercial treaty; how a careful and rather long-distance – adjustment of the leader of the Sayshell Union had led to an invitation to the Mayor of a parley and how, thereafter, a rapprochement had been reached with no further adjustments at all with Compor returning to Terminus on his own ship, to see that the agreement would be kept. It had been, Gendibal thought complacently, almost a storybook example of large results brought about by minutely crafted mentalics. It would, he was sure, squash Speaker Delarmi flat and bring about his own elevation to First Speaker very soon after the presentation of the details at a formal meeting of the Table. And he did not deny to himself the importance of Sum Novi's presence, though that would not need to be stressed to the Speakers generally. Not only had she been essential to his victory, but she gave him the excuse he now needed for indulging his childish (and very human, for even Speakers are very human) need to exult before what he knew to be a guaranteed admiration. She did not understand anything that had happened, he knew, but she was aware that he had arranged matters to his liking and she was bursting with pride over that. He caressed the smoothness of her mind and felt the warmth of that pride. He said, â€Å"I could not have done it without you, Novi. It was because of you I could tell that the First Foundation – the people on the large ship†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Yes, Master, I know whom you mean.† â€Å"I could tell, because of you, that they had a shield, together with weak powers of the mind. From the effect on your mind, I could tell, exactly, the characteristics of both. I could tell how most efficiently to penetrate the one and deflect the other.† Novi said tentatively, â€Å"I do not understand exactly what it is you say, Master, but I would have done much more to help, if I could.† â€Å"I know that, Novi. But what you did was enough. It is amazing how dangerous they might have been. But caught now, before either their shield or their field had been developed more strongly, they could be stopped. The Mayor goes back now, the shield and the field forgotten, satisfied over the fact that she has obtained a commercial treaty with Sayshell that will make it a working part of the Federation. I don't deny that there is much more to do to dismantle the work they have done on shield and field – it is something concerning which we have been remiss – but it will be done.† He brooded about the matter and went on in a lower voice, â€Å"We took far too much for granted with the First Foundation. We must place them under closer supervision. We must knit the Galaxy closer together somehow. We must make use of mentalics to build a closer co-operation of consciousness. That would fit the Plan. I'm convinced of that and I'll see to it.† Novi said anxiously, â€Å"Master?† Gendibal smiled suddenly. â€Å"I'm sorry. I'm talking to myself. – Novi, do you remember Rufirant?† â€Å"That bone-skulled farmer who attacked you? I should say I do.† â€Å"I'm convinced that First Foundation agents, armed with personal shields, arranged that, together with all the other anomalies that have plagued us. Imagine being blind to a thing like that. But then, I was bemused into overlooking the First Foundation altogether by this myth of a mysterious world, this Sayshellian superstition concerning Gaia. There, too, your mind came in handy. It helped me determine that the source of that mentalic field was the warship and nothing else.† He rubbed his hands. Novi said timidly, â€Å"Master?† â€Å"Yes, Novi?† â€Å"Will you not be rewarded for what you have done?† â€Å"Indeed I will. Shandess will retire and I will be First Speaker. Then will come my chance to make us an active factor in revolutionizing the Galaxy.† â€Å"First Speaker?† â€Å"Yes, Novi. I will be the most important and the most powerful scholar of them all.† â€Å"The most important?† She looked woebegone. â€Å"Why do you make a face, Novi? Don't you want me to be rewarded?† â€Å"Yes, Master, I do. – But if you are the most important scholar of them all, you will not want a Hamishwoman near you. It would not be fitting.† â€Å"Won't I, though? Who will stop me?† He felt a gush of affection for her. â€Å"Novi, you'll stay with me wherever I go and whatever I am. Do you think I would risk dealing with some of the wolves we occasionally have at the Table without your mind always there to tell me, even before they know themselves, what their emotions might be – your own innocent, absolutely smooth mind. Besides†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He seemed startled by a sudden revelation, â€Å"Even aside from that, I – I like having you with me and I intend having you with me. – That is, if you are willing.† â€Å"Oh, Master,† whispered Novi and, as his arm moved around her waist, her head sank to his shoulder. Deep within, where the enveloping mind of Novi could scarcely be aware of it, the essence of Gaia remained and guided events, but it was that impenetrable mask that made the continuance of the great task possible. And that mask – the one that belonged to a Hamishwoman – was completely happy. It was so happy that Novi was almost reconciled for the distance she was from herself/them/all, and she was content to be, for the indefinite future, what she seemed to be. Pelorat rubbed his hands and said, with carefully controlled enthusiasm, â€Å"How glad I am to be back on Gaia.† â€Å"Umm,† said Trevize abstractedly. â€Å"You know what Bliss has told me? The Mayor is going back to Terminus with a commercial treaty with Sayshell. The Speaker from the Second Foundation is going back to Trantor convinced that he has arranged it – and that woman, Novi, is going with him to see to it that the changes that will bring about Galaxia are initiated. And neither Foundation is in the least aware that Gaia exists. It's absolutely amazing.† â€Å"I know,† said Trevize. â€Å"I was told all this, too. But we know that Gaia exists and we can talk.† â€Å"Bliss doesn't think so. She says no one would believe us, and we would know that. Besides, I, for one, have no intention of ever leaving Gaia.† Trevize was pulled out of his inner musing. He looked up and said, â€Å"What?† â€Å"I'm going to stay here. – You know, I can't believe it. Just weeks ago, I was living a lonely life on Terminus, the same life I had lived for decades, immersed in my records and my thoughts and never dreaming anything but that I would go to my death, whenever it might be, still immersed in my records and my thoughts and still living my lonely life – contentedly vegetating. Then, suddenly and unexpectedly, I became a Galactic traveler; I was involved with a Galactic crisis; and – do not laugh, Golan – I have found Bliss.† â€Å"I'm not laughing, Janov,† said Trevize, â€Å"but are you sure you know what you're doing?† â€Å"Oh yes. This matter of Earth is no longer important to me. The fact that it was the only world with a diverse ecology and with intelligent life has been adequately explained. The Eternals, you know.† â€Å"Yes, I know. And you're going to stay on Gaia?† â€Å"Absolutely. Earth is the past and I'm tired of the past. Gaia is the future.† â€Å"You're not part of Gaia, Janov. Or do you think you can become part of it?† â€Å"Bliss says that I can become somewhat a part of it – intellectually if not biologically. She'll help, of course.† â€Å"But since she is part of it, how can you two find a common life, a common point of view, a common interest†¦Ã¢â‚¬  They were in the open and Trevize looked gravely at the quiet, fruitful island, and beyond it the sea, and on the horizon, purpled by distance, another island – all of it peaceful, civilized, alive, and a unit. He said, â€Å"Janov, she is a world; you are a tiny individual. What if she gets tired of you? She is young†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Golan, I've thought of that. I've thought of nothing but that for days. I expect her to grow tired of me; I'm no romantic idiot. But whatever she gives me till then will be enough. She has already given me enough. I have received more from her than I dreamed existed in life. If I saw her no more from this moment on, I have ended the winner.† â€Å"I don't believe it,† said Trevize gently. â€Å"I think you are a romantic idiot and, mind you, I wouldn't want you any other way. Janov, we haven't known each other for long, but we've been together every moment for weeks and – I'm sorry if it sounds silly – I like you a great deal.† â€Å"And I, you, Golan,† said Pelorat. â€Å"And I don't want you hurt. I must talk to Bliss.† â€Å"No no. Please don't. You'll lecture her.† â€Å"I won't lecture her. It's not entirely to do with you – and I want to talk to her privately. Please, Janov, I don't want to do it behind your back, so grant me your willingness to have me talk to her and get a few things straight. If I am satisfied, I will give you my heartiest congratulations and goodwill – and I will forever hold my peace, whatever happens.† Pelorat shook his head. â€Å"You'll ruin things.† â€Å"I promise I won't I beg you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Well, But do be careful, my dear fellow, won't you?† â€Å"You have my solemn word.† Bliss said, â€Å"Pel says you want to see me.† Trevize said, â€Å"Yes.† They were indoors, in the small apartment allotted to him. She sat down gracefully, crossed her legs, and looked up at him shrewdly, her beautiful brown eyes luminous and her long, dark hair glistening. She said, â€Å"You disapprove of me, don't you? You have disapproved of me from the start.† Trevize remained standing. He said, â€Å"You are aware of minds and of their contents. You know what I think of you and why.† Slowly Bliss shook her head. â€Å"Your mind is out of bounds to Gaia. You know that. Your decision was needed and it had to be the decision of a clear and untouched mind. When your ship was first taken, I placed you and Pel within a soothing field, but that was essential. You would have been damaged – and perhaps rendered useless for a crucial time – by panic or rage. And that was all. I could never go beyond that and I haven't – so I don't know what you're thinking.† Trevize said, â€Å"The decision I had to make has been made. I decided in favor of Gaia and Galaxia. Why, then, all this talk of a clear and untouched mind? You have what you want and you can do with me now as you wish.† â€Å"Not at all, Trev. There are other decisions that may be needed in the future. You remain what you are and, while you are alive, you are a rare natural resource of the Galaxy. Undoubtedly there are others like you in the Galaxy and others like you will appear in the future, but for now we know of you – and only you. We still cannot touch you.† Trevize considered. â€Å"You are Gaia and I don't want to talk to Gaia. I want to talk to you as an individual, if that has any meaning at all.† â€Å"It has meaning. We are far from existing in a common melt. I can block off Gaia for a period of time.† â€Å"Yes,† said Trevize. â€Å"I think you can. Have you now done so?† â€Å"I have now done so.† â€Å"Then, first, let me tell you that you have played games. You did not enter my mind to influence my decision, perhaps, but you certainly entered Janov's mind to do so, didn't you?† â€Å"Do you think I did?† â€Å"I think you did. At the crucial moment, Pelorat reminded me of his own vision of the Galaxy as alive and the thought drove me on to make my decision at that moment. The thought may have been his, but yours was the mind that triggered it, was it not?† Bliss said, â€Å"The thought was in his mind, but there were many thoughts there. I smoothed the path before that reminiscence of his about the living Galaxy – and not before any other thought of his. That particular thought, therefore, slipped easily out of his consciousness and into words. Mind you, I did not create the thought. It was there.† â€Å"Nevertheless, that amounted to an indirect tampering with the perfect independence of my decision, did it not?† â€Å"Gaia felt it necessary.† â€Å"Did it? – Well, it may make you feel better – or nobler – to know that although Janov's remark persuaded me to make the decision at that moment, it was the decision I think I would have made even if he had said nothing or if he had tried to argue me into a decision of a different kind. I want you to know that.† â€Å"I am relieved,† said Bliss coolly. â€Å"Is that what you wanted to tell me when you asked to see me?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"What else is there?† Now Trevize sat down in a chair he had drawn opposite her so that their knees nearly touched. He leaned toward her. â€Å"When we approached Gaia, it was you on the space station. It was you who trapped us; you who came out to get us; you who have remained with us ever since – except for the meal with Dom, which you did not share with us. In particular, it was you on the Far Star with us, when the decision was made. Always you.† â€Å"I am Gaia.† â€Å"That does not explain it. A rabbit is Gaia. A pebble is Gaia. Everything on the planet is Gaia, but they are not all equally Gaia. Some are more equal than others. Why you?† â€Å"Why do you think?† Trevize made the plunge. He said, â€Å"Because I don't think you're Gaia. I think you're more than Gaia.† Bliss made a derisive sound with her lips. Trevize kept to his course. â€Å"At the time I was making the decision, the woman with the Speaker†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"He called her Novi.† â€Å"This Novi, then, said that Gaia was set on its course by the robots that no longer exist and that Gaia was taught to follow a version of the Three Laws of Robotics.† â€Å"That is quite true.† â€Å"And the robots no longer exist?† â€Å"So Novi said.† â€Å"So Novi did not say. I remember her exact words. She said: ‘Gaia was formed thousands of years ago with the help of robots that once, for a brief time, served The human species and now serve them no more.† â€Å"Well, Trev, doesn't that mean they exist no more?† â€Å"No, it means they serve no more. Might they not rule instead?† â€Å"Ridiculous!† â€Å"Or supervise? Why were you there at the time of the decision? You did not seem to be essential. It was Novi who conducted matters and she was Gaia. What need of you? Unless†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Well? Unless?† â€Å"Unless you are the supervisor whose role it is to make certain that Gaia does not forget the Three Laws. Unless you are a robot, so cleverly made that you cannot be told from a human being.† â€Å"If I cannot be told from a human being, how is it you think that you can tell?† asked Bliss with a trace of sarcasm. Trevize sat back. â€Å"Do you not all assure me I have the faculty of being sure; of making decisions, seeing solutions, drawing correct conclusions. I don't claim this; it is what you say of me. Well, from the moment I saw you I felt uneasy. There was something wrong with you. I am certainly as susceptible to feminine allure as Pelorat is – more so, I should think – and you are an attractive woman in appearance. Yet not for one moment did I feel the slightest attraction.† â€Å"You devastate me.† Trevize ignored that. He said, â€Å"When you first appeared on our ship, Janov and I had been discussing the possibility of a nonhuman civilization on Gaia, and when Janov saw you, he asked, in his innocence, ‘Are you human?' Perhaps a robot must answer the truth, but I suppose it can be evasive. You merely said, ‘Don't I look human?' Yes, you look human, Bliss, but let me ask you again. Are you human?† Bliss said nothing and Trevize continued. â€Å"I think that even at that first moment, I felt you were not a woman. You are a robot and I could somehow tell. And because of my feeling, all the events that followed had meaning for me – particularly your absence from the dinner.† Bliss said, â€Å"Do you think I cannot eat, Trev? Have you forgotten I nibbled a shrimp dish on your ship? I assure you that I am able to eat and perform any of the other biological functions. – Including, before you ask, sex. And yet that in itself, I might as well tell you, does not prove that I am not a robot. Robots had reached the pitch of perfection, even thousands of years ago, where only by their brains were they distinguishable from human beings, and then only by those able to handle mentalic fields. Speaker Gendibal might have been able to tell whether I were robot or human, if he had bothered even once to consider me. Of course, he did not.† â€Å"Yet, though I am without mentalics, I am nevertheless convinced you are a robot† Bliss said, â€Å"But what if I am? I admit nothing, but I am curious. What if I am?† â€Å"You have no need to admit anything. I know you are a robot If I needed a last bit of evidence, it was your calm assurance that you could block off Gaia and speak to me as an individual. I don't think you could do that if you were part of Gaia – but you are not You are a robot supervisor and, therefore, outside of Gaia. I wonder, come to think of it, how many robot supervisors Gaia requires and possesses?† â€Å"I repeat: I admit nothing, but I am curious. What if I am a robot?† â€Å"In that case, what I want to know is: What do you want of Janov Pelorat? He is my friend and he is, in some ways, a child. He thinks he loves you; he thinks he wants only what you are willing to give and that you have already given him enough. He doesn't know – and cannot conceive – the pain of the loss of love or, for that matter, the peculiar pain of knowing that you are not human†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Do you know the pain of lost love?† â€Å"I have had my moments. I have not led the sheltered life of Janov. I have not had my life consumed and anesthetized by an intellectual pursuit that swallowed up everything else, even wife and child. He has. Now suddenly, he gives it all up for you. I do not want him hurt. I will not have him hurt. If I have served Gaia, I deserve a reward – and my reward is your assurance that Janov Pelorat's well-being will be preserved.† â€Å"Shall I pretend I am a robot and answer you?† Trevize said, â€Å"Yes. And right now.† â€Å"Very well, then. Suppose I am a robot, Trev, and suppose I am in a position of supervision. Suppose there are a few, a very few, who have a similar role to myself and suppose we rarely meet. Suppose that our driving force is the need to care for human beings and suppose there are no true humans beings on Gaia, because all are part of an overall planetary being. â€Å"Suppose that it fulfills us to care for Gaia – but not entirely. Suppose there is something primitive in us that longs for a human being in the sense that existed when robots were first formed and designed. Don't mistake me; I do not claim to be age-old (assuming I am a robot). I am as old as I told you I was or, at least, (assuming I am a robot) that has been the term of my existence. Still, (assuming I am a robot) my fundamental design would be as it always was and I would long to care for a true human being. â€Å"Pel is a human being. He is not part of Gaia. He is too old to ever become a true part of Gaia. He wants to stay on Gaia with me, for he does not have the feelings about me that you have. He does not think that I am a robot. Well, I want him, too. If you assume that I am a robot, you see that I would. I am capable of all human reactions and I would love him. If you were to insist I was a robot, you might not consider me capable of love in some mystic human sense, but you would not be able to distinguish my reactions from that which you would call love – so what difference would it make?† She stopped and looked at him – intransigently proud. Trevize said, â€Å"You are telling me that you would not abandon him?† â€Å"If you assume that I am a robot, then you can see for yourself that by First Law I could never abandon him, unless he ordered me to do so and I were, in addition, convinced that he meant it and that I would be hurting him more by staying than by leaving.† â€Å"Would not a younger man†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"What younger man? You are a younger man, but I do not conceive you as needing me in the same sense that Pel does, and, in fact, you do not want me, so that the First Law would prevent me from attempting to cling to you.† â€Å"Not me. Another younger man†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"There is no other. Who is there on Gaia other than Pel and yourself that would qualify as human beings in the non-Gaian sense?† Trevize said, more softly, â€Å"And if you are not a robot?† â€Å"Make up your mind,† said Bliss. â€Å"I say, if you are not a robot?† â€Å"Then I say that, in that case, you have no right to say anything at all. It is for myself and for Pel to decide.† Trev said, â€Å"Then I return to my first point. I want my reward and that reward is that you will treat him well. I won't press the point of your identity. Simply assure me, as one intelligence to another, that you will treat him well.† And Bliss said softly, â€Å"I will treat him well – not as a reward to you, but because I wish to. It is my earnest desire. I will treat him well.† She called â€Å"Pel!† And again, â€Å"Pel!† Pelorat entered from outside, â€Å"Yes, Bliss.† Bliss held out her hand to him. â€Å"I think Trev wants to say something.† Pelorat took her hand and Trevize then took the doubled hand in his two. â€Å"Janov,† he said, â€Å"I am happy for both of you.† Pelorat said, â€Å"Oh, my dear fellow.† Trevize said, â€Å"I will probably be leaving Gaia. I go now to speak to Dom about that. I don't know when or if we will meet again, Janov, but, in any case, we did well together.† â€Å"We did well,† said Pelorat, smiling. â€Å"Good-bye, Bliss, and, in advance, thank you.† â€Å"Good-bye, Trev.† And Trevize, with a wave of his hand, left the house. Dom said, â€Å"You did well, Trev. – But then, you did as I thought you would.† They were once more sitting over a meal, as unsatisfactory as the first had been, but Trevize did not mind. He might not be eating on Gaia again. He said, â€Å"I did as I thought you would, but not, perhaps, for the reason you thought I would.† â€Å"Surely you were sure of the correctness of your decision.† â€Å"Yes, I was, but not because of any mystic grip I have on certainty. If I chose Galaxia, it was through ordinary reasoning – the sort of reasoning that anyone else might have used to come to a decision. Would you care to have me explain?† â€Å"I most certainly would, Trev.† Trevize said, â€Å"There were three things I might have done. I might have joined the First Foundation, or joined the Second Foundation, or joined Gaia. â€Å"If I had joined the First Foundation, Mayor Branno would have taken immediate action to establish domination over the Second Foundation and over Gaia. If I had joined the Second Foundation, Speaker Gendibal would have taken immediate action to establish domination over the First Foundation and over Gaia. In either case, what would have taken place would have been irreversible – and if either were the wrong solution, it would have been irreversibly catastrophic. â€Å"If I joined with Gaia, however, then the First Foundation and the Second Foundation would each have been left with the conviction of having won a relatively minor victory. All would then have continued as before, since the building of Galaxia, I had already been told, would take generations, even centuries. â€Å"Joining with Gaia was my way of temporizing, then, and of making sure that there would remain time to modify matters – or even reverse them – if my decision were wrong.† Dom raised his eyebrows. His old, almost cadaverous face remained otherwise expressionless. He said in his piping voice, â€Å"And is it your opinion that your decision may turn out wrong?† Trevize shrugged. â€Å"I don't think so, but there is one thing I must do in order that I might know. It is my intention to visit Earth, if I can find that world.† â€Å"We will certainly not stop you if you wish to leave us, Trev†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I do not fit on your world.† â€Å"No more than Pel does, yet you are as welcome to remain as he is. Still, we will not hold you. – But tell me, why do you wish to visit Earth?† Trevize said, â€Å"I rather think you understand.† â€Å"I do not.† â€Å"There is a piece of information you withheld from me, Dom. Perhaps you had your reasons, but I wish you had not.† Dom said, â€Å"I do not follow you.† â€Å"Look, Dom, in order to make my decision, I used my computer and for a brief moment I found myself in touch with the minds of those about me – Mayor Branno, Speaker Gendibal, Novi. I caught glimpses of a number of matters that, in isolation, meant little to me, as, for example, the various effects Gaia, through Novi, had produced on Trantor – effects that were intended to maneuver the Speaker into going to Gaia.† â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"And one of those things was the clearing from Trantor's library of all references to Earth.† â€Å"The clearing of references to Earth?† â€Å"Exactly. So Earth must be important – and not only does it appear that the Second Foundation must know nothing about it, but that I must not, either. And if I am to take the responsibility for the direction of Galactic development, I do not willingly accept ignorance. Would you consider telling me why it was so important to keep knowledge of Earth hidden?† Dom said solemnly, â€Å"Trev, Gaia knows nothing about such clearance. Nothing!† â€Å"Are you telling me that Gaia is not responsible?† â€Å"It is not responsible.† Trevize thought for a while, the tip of his tongue moving slowly and meditatively over his lips. â€Å"Who was responsible, then?† â€Å"I don't know. I can see no purpose in it.† The two men stared at each other and then Dom said, â€Å"You are right. We had seemed to have reached a most satisfactory conclusion, but while this point remains unsettled, we dare not rest. – Stay a while with us and let us see what we can reason out. Then you can leave, with our full help.† â€Å"Thank you,† said Trevize. THE END