Pros And Cons Of War On Drugs - 889 Words

War on Drugs Introduction In 1971, President Nixon created the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 commonly known as the War on Drugs. The war on drugs was implemented to combat production, distribution, and consumption of illegal drugs (Olaya Angel, 2017). In 2007, law enforcement officers made approximately two million drug arrests in the United States (Potter, 2014). Supporters state that the war on drugs was successful because it lowered some drug users in the United States, created a deterrence in crime, as well as it provided stability in areas that were volatile and impoverished. On the other hand, critics of the war on drugs argue that the war on drugs did not diminish crime instead it created an†¦show more content†¦Lastly, the war on drugs has implemented stability in various communities which contributes to the betterment of society overall. A drug-free area or population is possible due to the lack of drugs and the increased difficulty in obtaining illegal drugs ( 9 Important Pros and Cons of the War on Drugs, 2017). The war on drugs spawned programs such as D.A.R.E that helped thousands of schools in America and 52 other countries by addressing drugs, violence, bullying, Internet safety, and different high-risk circumstances (D.A.R.E. America, n.d.). The war on drugs became a joint project between various communities and the government to combat drugs and its consequences. Disadvantages of the War on Drugs On the other hand, critics of the war on drugs argue that the war on drugs did not diminish crime instead it created an international drug enterprise. In addition, critics would debate the misallocation of resources and funds, and it leads to an increase of crime and overcrowded prisons. The war on drugs was instituted to decrease the use of illegal drugs and stop them from circulating throughout the United States. Critics would argue that the opposite occurred since drugs became more available thus transcending into an international enterprise (Addiction.com Staff, 2014). The U.S. federal government spent over $7 billion spent annually towards arresting and prosecuting people for marijuana offenses in 2005. Regulating drugs of regulating drugs, byShow MoreRelatedThe Prison System And The Jail System1352 Words   |  6 Pagespolitical action memo that I will be discussing is about the jail system. First, I will define the jail system, and what this system can do for the citizens. Second address the cons and pros about the jail system by illustrating the topic into main bullet points. Third, voice my thoughts about the jail system with adding pros and cons to a political action I should address, and concluding which action I am going to take to further y concern abou t the jail system. 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Nineteenth Century Industrialization in the United States...

Nineteenth Century Industrialization in the United States During the second half of the nineteenth century, the United States experienced an urban revolution unparalleled in world history up to that point in time. As factories, mines, and mills sprouted out across the map, cities grew up around them. The late nineteenth century, declared an economist in 1889, was â€Å"not only the age of cities, but the age of great cities.† Between 1860 and 1910, the urban population grew from 6 million to 44 million. The United States was rapidly losing its rural roots. By 1920, more than half of the population lived in urban areas. The rise of big cities during the nineteenth century created a distinctive urban culture. People from different†¦show more content†¦The â€Å"roads paved with gold† theory led to the downfall of the vast majority of immigrants. They came with huge aspirations but ended up working for extremely low wages and living in awful living conditions. Immigrants working for low wages and their constant availability was necessary for industrialization’s success. Without the huge numbers of immigrants working their would have been no one to work in the factories. The immigrants were so large in number that they would take almost any job for any wage. Large owners of factories and business tycoons were able to make large amounts of money because labor was so cheap. In turn, the economy grew immensely during the period of industrialization. In What Social Classes Owe to Each Other by William Sumner, he gives evidence to the fact that the poor man is vital to a society. He writes, â€Å"There is no possible definition of â€Å"a poor man.† A pauper is a person who cannot earn his living; whose producing powers have fallen positively below his necessary consumption; who cannot, therefore, pay his way. A human society needs the active co-operation and productive energy of every person in it. 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Privacy and Security Points D-Link Router

Question: Discuss about the Privacy and Security Points D-Link Router. Answer: Introduction Ethical Dilemma is defined as a complex situation that leads the individual to select between the two choices when neither of the choices is helpful in bringing positive result on the society as well as to the individual (Ball, Borger and Greenwald 2013).The report illustrates FTC IoT privacy and security push points out D-Link router and webcam flaws. The scenario discusses the privacy as well as security challenges that are faced by the Us Federal trade Commission. The case study suggests that FTC have charged D-link Corporation and its different American subsidiary for putting the privacy at risk. (Cobb2017). The Taiwan based computer networking equipment manufacturer was charged by FTC as the organization provides inadequate security of its cameras as well as computer routers. The case study illustrates the challenges that FTC needs to face in context with data privacy as well as security in the US as it is applied to the IoT. In this assignment, the case study is reviewed from the viewpoint of stakeholders for analyzing the problem. The report also discusses different types of ethical obligations, reasons for solving the problem using ethical avenues and guidance provided by Australian Computer Societys Code of Ethics. Ethical issue from the viewpoint of the stakeholder The scenario FTC IoT privacy and security push points out D-Link router and webcam flaws reflects the ethical issues that are faced by the people. The D-link Corporation, which is Taiwan based manufacturer of computer networking equipment, has put many of its consumers at risks. From the viewpoint of the consumers, the organization D-link Corporations have provided routers as well as cameras with inadequate security. This means that the consumers that have used the cameras as well as routers have faced number of ethical issues due to absence of proper and effective security. The actions of D-link Corporations have put the data privacy as well as security of US at risk as specifically they are associated with Internet of Things (Kshetri 2013). The consumers claimed that according to the policies of FTC the organization is having unfair business practices (Hall and McGraw 2014). They claimed that the organization D-link sells their products by advertising that their product uses very m uch advanced security system for protecting the private data of the consumers, which is not true. This leads that D-Link Corporations make an unjustified product claim for increasing their sales as well as revenues. The criteria used by D-link is very much unethical as many other vendors utilizes the products who might be honest to their client but due to the unfair practices of the organization they loses not only their brand but also their sales. The vendor that uses the product may faces number of challenges due to the critical flaws that are present in the routers. The FTC makes a complainant against the organization that they utilizes a tag line mentioning that by using their products, data and information can be secured easily (Agaku, et al. 2014). The tagline, which is used by D-Link Corporation, has attracted many vendors who became the victim of security flaws and their data as well as information are in danger. The unfair practices by D-Link have put many of the consumers privacy at risk. Reasons for solving the problem using ethical avenues rather than legal ones It is quite important to resolve the problem by utilizing some of the ethical avenues rather using legal ones. This is because the D-Link Corporation has used unfair business practices and the consumers that have used the products of the organization are facing huge challenges due to the loss of data and information. The problem can only be resolved if the D-Link organization uses proper as well as effective steps in improving the security of the products. The products must be submitted to some other organization for scrutiny (Eun, Lee and Oh 2013). This not only helps in increasing the assurance but it also helps in improving the security as well as privacy of the products. There are number of additional flaws, which are present in the D-link corporations, which can only be improved by using ethical avenues than legal ones. It has been analyzed that a command injection, which is considered as a software flaw, is present in the organization (Xiong et al. 2013). This flaw helps in ena bling the remote attackers for controlling the routers of the consumers by forwarding them to unauthorized commands over the Internet. The most significant problem that is analyzed can be solved legally is that private key code which is utilized for signing into the organization was present on a public website for a round six months. The organization must take proper decisions for resolving the issue (Pearson 2013).. The FTC must also need to support the organization so that they can improve their privacy as well as security. The ethical steps taken by the organization not only helps D-Link increasing their brand image but also helps their vendors in increasing their sales. The legal steps are not worthy enough to improve the security of the products of the organization because it does not provide D-link the opportunity to improve the security of their product by taking help from an outsider (Cobb 2017). The ethical steps helps in resolving all the ethical challenges and also helps the organization in providing advanced security that further assists them to have fair business practice so that no one can blame them o r can charge them legally. Ethical obligations that the stakeholders have towards one another as well as general population The vendors of the organization D-Link Corporation have certain obligations against one another as well as the populations. The vendors or the other small organization that uses the products are very much honest to the customers and therefore they did not want to cheat them. In order to provide them with proper product the organizations needs to improve the security as well as privacy of the products delivered by D-Link Corporations as the organization D-link uses unfair practices of business (Cobb 2017). They provide computer routers as well as cameras with inadequate securities and the vendor of the organization who uses the products of the company faces huge ethical challenges due to inadequate privacy as well as security (Sen et al. 2013).The consumers or the vendors of the organization detect the problem and thus them wants to resolve it. The main obligations of these organizations are to provide proper security as well as privacy to the data and information of the clients and as a result in order to fulfill those obligations they tried to improve the quality of products that are supplied by D-Link. Therefore the vendors claimed that the products delivered by the organization D-Link Corporation does not have advanced security for protecting the private data. FTC has charged a case against D-link blaming that the organization uses tagline that there product is very much secure which is not correct. The action of D-link is very much immoral whereas it is analyzed that the steps taken by the vendors are moral on the basis of ethical obligations (Ancker et al. 2013).This is because the actions taken by the vendors helps in improving the quality of product of D-link and it must also forbids D-link engagement in immoral activities of business. As a result the vendors of the organization follows ethical obligations for provi ding privacy as well as security to their clients by using methods that are helpful in improving the product of D-Link Corporations. Guidance provided by Australian Computer Societys Code of Ethics The American Code of Ethics is a part of ACS constitution. It helps in providing some of the guidance or implications in order to resolve the ethical issue. The implications include: The Primacy of the Public Interest: The organization must provide products with proper privacy as well as security as it helps in attracting more number of customers and automatically the sales of the organization increases. The Enhancement of quality of Life: The D-link must improve its quality of product be providing proper security to the products (Pathan 2016). It helps in securing the data as well as information off the users. It not only enhances the quality of life of the users but also increases the brand image of the organization. Honesty: Honesty is very much required by D-link as it provides product with inadequate security (Pearson 2013).The organization must be honest by using fair means of business practices so that it does not create a challenge for the users. Competence: The D-link organization as well as its vendors must work with proper competence in order to resolve the challenge (Dinev et al. 2013). It not only helps in minimizing the problem but also helps in improving the products of D-link. Professional Development: The organization D-link Corporations must enhance professionalism among themselves as well as its workers in order to deliver product with advanced security. Professionalism: If D-link uses fair means of business by providing advanced security within its products then the organization will be helpful in enhancing integrity in society. It also helps in increasing the brand image of the organization. Conclusion It can be concluded that D-link is practicing business in an unfair way which creates numerous ethical challenges for its users. It is analyzed that in order to improve the security of the products the organization must follow some rules. The charge that is provided by FTC helps the organization in improving their security by taking the help of the outside scrutinizer. It is identified from the overall scenario that the actions taken by vendors are very much moral whereas the actions of D-link is considered as immoral. This is because D-link provides provide computer routers as well as cameras with inadequate securities and the vendor of the organization who uses the products of the company faces huge ethical challenges due to inadequate privacy as well as security. It is identified that the organization must resolve the problem ethically as the ethical steps not only helps in resolving all the ethical challenges but it also helps the organization in providing advanced security which further assists them to have fair business practice so that no one can blame them or can charge them legally. The American Code of Ethics helps in providing guidance for resolving the issues. References Agaku, I.T., Adisa, A.O., Ayo-Yusuf, O.A. and Connolly, G.N., 2014. Concern about security and privacy, and perceived control over collection and use of health information are related to withholding of health information from healthcare providers.Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association,21(2), pp.374-378. Ancker, J.S., Silver, M., Miller, M.C. and Kaushal, R., 2013. Consumer experience with and attitudes toward health information technology: a nationwide survey.Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association,20(1), pp.152-156. Ball, J., Borger, J. and Greenwald, G., 2013. Revealed: how US and UK spy agencies defeat internet privacy and security.The Guardian,6. Cobb, S. (2017).FTC IoT privacy and security push points out D-Link router and webcam flaws. [online] WeLiveSecurity. Available at: https://www.welivesecurity.com/2017/01/06/ftc-d-link-iot-privacy-and-security/ [Accessed 8 Jan. 2017]. Dinev, T., Xu, H., Smith, J.H. and Hart, P., 2013. Information privacy and correlates: an empirical attempt to bridge and distinguish privacy-related concepts.European Journal of Information Systems,22(3), pp.295-316. Eun, H., Lee, H., and Oh, H., 2013. Conditional privacy preserving security protocol for NFC applications.IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics,59(1), 153-160. Hall, J.L. and McGraw, D., 2014. For telehealth to succeed, privacy and security risks must be identified and addressed.Health Affairs,33(2), pp.216-221. Kshetri, N., 2013. Privacy and security issues in cloud computing: The role of institutions and institutional evolution.Telecommunications Policy,37(4), pp.372-386. Nepomuceno, M.V., Laroche, M. and Richard, M.O., 2014. How to reduce perceived risk when buying online: The interactions between intangibility, product knowledge, brand familiarity, privacy and security concerns.Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services,21(4), pp.619-629. Pathan, A.S.K. ed., 2016.Security of self-organizing networks: MANET, WSN, WMN, VANET. CRC press. Pearson, S., 2013. Privacy, security and trust in cloud computing. InPrivacy and Security for Cloud Computing(pp. 3-42). Springer London Sen, M., Dutt, A., Agarwal, S. and Nath, A., 2013, April. Issues of privacy and security in the role of software in smart cities. InCommunication Systems and Network Technologies (CSNT), 2013 International Conference on(pp. 518-523). IEEE. Xiong, L., Sunderam, V., Fan, L., Goryczka, S. and Pournajaf, L., 2013. Predict: Privacy and security enhancing dynamic information collection and monitoring.Procedia Computer Science,18, pp.1979-1988.

The Effect Of Innovative Benefits And Services On Employee Retention E

The Effect Of Innovative Benefits And Services On Employee Retention WEBSTER UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SCHOOL THE EFFECT OF INNOVATIVE BENEFITS AND SERVICES ON EMPLOYEE RETENTION AT SAS INSTITUTE, INC. by A paper presented to the Graduate School of Webster University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts July 26, 2000 Pope Airforce Base, NC Abstract Employee benefits programs are crucial to the recruitment and retention of employees in any industry. Effective programs enable employees to better cope with the demands of home and the workplace. These same policies can also contribute to lower employee turnover rates, retention of qualified employees, and motivation of workers. The computer industry has become the leader not only in technology and business, but also in the need for technically qualified employees. This personnel demand and the strength of the economy have created a job market in which skilled individuals are difficult to retain. SAS Institute Inc., based in Cary, NC has successfully created a corporate work environment that has significantly benefited the company, and placed SAS as one of the most desirable companies to work for in the US. Table of Contents 1. Overview..?Page 4, Paragraph 1 2. Demand for competent employees in today's economy..Page 4, Paragraph 2 3. How benefits and services falls fits in HR modelPage 5, Paragraph 1-2 4. Human Resource department responsibilities a. Recruitment.?..Page 5, Paragraph 2 b. Retention..Page 5, Paragraph 3-Page 6, Paragraph 3 c. Compensation..?.Page 6, Paragraph 4 d. Corporate Culture..Page 6, Paragraph 5 5. The SAS Institute: a. Background...Page 7, Paragraph 1 b. Comparison of benefits study by Albertson.Page 7, Paragraph 2 6. SAS Benefits: a. Child care facility....Page 8, Paragraph 2 b. Medical Clinic.Page 8, Paragraph 3 c. 35-hour work week.Page 9, Paragraph 1 d. Fitness facilityPage 9, Paragraph 2 e. Cafeteria..Page 9, Paragraph 3 f. Ergonomics.Page 10, Paragraph 1 g. Vacation/sick days..Page 10, Paragraph 2 7. Comparison to similar companies.....Page 11, Paragraph 4 8. SAS Awards and other recognition...Page 12, Paragraph 2 List of Tables/Appendices 1. Table of company comparison...Page 12 2. Data extract: Study of benefits and working conditions among manufacturers?APPENDIX A In the computer industry, as in any industry, companies are always striving to attract and retain skilled, loyal employees. In today's thriving economy, this task has become a challenge for some companies. Skilled workers have become free agents who can invest their human capital in the companies of their choice. The Human Resources department is at the forefront of this challenge, tackling recruitment, retention, compensation, and contributing to corporate culture. SAS Institute Inc. is a software manufacturing company that has recently risen to the top in both business and financial success, and also in employee retention rates. SAS's innovative approach to treatment of its employees has made the company an example of how an effective employee benefits program can reap rewards in many aspects of the business. The list of employee benefits and new-age perks is striking. A recent survey was conducted (see Appendix A), in which the benefits and working conditions among manufacturers were compared. SAS Institute provides better benefits at a significantly higher percentage than most companies, (Albertson, 2000). Although competitive companies offer similar benefits and services, SAS remains a leader, evidenced by the company's low turnover rate. When comparing SAS Institute with Nortel Networks, IBM, Cisco, and Intel the SAS benefits are superior. The SAS Institute has received many awards in several areas, and has been named as one of the top companies to work for in the US (Branch, 1999). The unemployment rate in the United States has reached the lowest level in nearly 11 years, roughly 5 percent since 1997 (Solomon, 1997). The proportion of people with jobs is at an all-time high, and the economy continues to grow. Economic growth continues to rise as inflation is remaining steady, and consumer confidence is high (Solomon, 1997). The ?Employment Outlook Survey? of 16,000 companies conducted by Manpower Inc. predicts that 30 percent will seek additional employees in the near future (Solomon, 1997). Because of this upward trend in the economy, for many businesses the biggest obstacle is in labor shortages. Now faced with continual changes in technology and development of new products, the demand for skilled employees in the computer industry is even more taxing. Workers possessing these shortage skills are so critically needed that they are able to ?write their own ticket.? A programmer may be hired by company

Senior Iraqi al

This news story gives the press statement issued by the Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri Maliki, and U.S. officials. The statement said that two officials of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri and Abu Omar al-Baghdad, were killed when Iraqi forces with U.S. support attacked their hideout (â€Å"Al-Qaeda in Iraq says leaders dead†; â€Å"Iraq al-Qaeda leaders killed in rocket attack†).Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Senior Iraqi al-Qaeda leaders ‘killed’, news analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The subject matter in this story is that both the U.S. and Iraq saw the killings as a major breakthrough in the War on Terror. This is because the demise of the terrorists was a significant blow to the operations of al-Qaeda in Iraq and in the world. In reporting this story, the writers of the news articles use selective data in reporting this useful information. The writers pick o nly information that supports the argument in the story and leaves everything else out. Since al-Qaeda is a global terrorist organization, the deaths of these two men could not have such a huge impact on the operations of the group as postulated by the writers. The story is believable since it is based on evidence; even al-Qaeda itself acknowledged the death of the two men. In reporting this story, the writes do not ignore counter-arguments. For example, the BBC news reports, â€Å"al-Qaeda had tried to camouflage Baghdadi by presenting several people with his name† (â€Å"Senior Iraqi al-Qaeda leaders ‘killed,† para. 18). Therefore, they give evidence to support the identity of the terrorists. Of all the information that has been presented in this story, the writers mainly emphasize on the reduction in al-Qaeda’s influence following the demise of its top leaders. The implication of this story is that we are able to see the growth of democratic principles in Iraq. Following this attack by the Iraqi government, several Iraqis criticized how the attack was handled. Some years back in Iraq, no one could be heard criticizing the Iraqi government. In presenting the story, the writers present some statements or overtones of values and emotions. For example, an al-Qaeda official was quoted saying, â€Å"you can kill our top guy but we’re still around and we’re in control of events† (Rising, para. 26). In this instance, the writer tries to bring the feeling that War on Terror is still something that needs a collaborative effort in order to be won. Regarding word choice, the writers chose the most appropriate language that is able to persuade the readers to come to terms with the issue at hand. Since in times of war, clarity is usually the first casualty, the writers portrayed vigilance in protecting news statement from collateral damage.Advertising Looking for critical writing on international relations? Let's see i f we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More When reporting controversial statements, they preferred quoting the source directly. For example, â€Å"Can al-Qaeda pull off†¦how do Iraqis respond?†(Rising, para. 27). The story is written objectively by paying attention to fairness, factuality, and nonpartisanship. After the two terrorists were killed, the writers quoted response statements from both the Iraqi government officials and the al-Qaeda officials. This story was written when the Iraqi government, with the support of the U.S., was involved in efforts of reducing the threat that was posed by al-Qaeda in Iraq. Since the announcement was made by the Iraqi Prime Minister, al-Maliki, it indicated the effort its government was making in fighting the insurgents. The writers have given this story against the background of the hotly contested election results in Iraq. After this incident, he gained reputation as the one who can restore stability to the country once again. Works Cited â€Å"Al-Qaeda in Iraq says leaders dead.† News: Middle East. Aljazeera. 25 April 2010. Web. Galey, Patrick. â€Å"Thousands march in Beirut to promote secularism in politics.† Be seen,  be on the star scene. The Daily Star. 30 April 2010. Web. â€Å"Iraq al-Qaeda leaders killed in rocket attack.† New statesman. New Statesman. 20 April 2010. Web. This critical writing on Senior Iraqi al-Qaeda leaders ‘killed’, news analysis was written and submitted by user Cali Howell to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Math Term Paper Topics

Math Term Paper Topics Math term papers are one of the rare kinds of term papers as many students don’t have mathematics as a subject in their carrier run. So, it usually becomes difficult for the students to understand and implement their term papers. Math term paper becomes problematic sometimes if a student is not ready for the subject matter which was assigned to him. But it is never too late to seek for help and get help in raising your grades. A Mathematics term paper requires great amount of research and needs right approach to every point or idea used in it as every single point must be supported by logical conclusions and valid proofs. It usually is time consuming and makes many students frustrated. In order to make a simple math term paper you must simplify your ideas and put them in a straightforward way. You must make sure that each of your results depends on the main theorem and that all the theories used are related to each other and defined in a proper step by step order. It will make it easier for the reader to judge your ideas and implementation resulting in high scores. A standard format for math term papers consists of an introduction, body, theory and conclusion. There are no restrictions as in APA or MLA formats but a proper outline must be needed which will present your math term paper in a proper way. References must be given in your math term paper for each and every work cited. Special attention must be given to the notations used, so before starting your math term paper you must specify them and be consistent throughout your term paper. Math term paper topics are as easy to find as it seems difficult to work out with them. For example, the number theory, linear algebra, vectors, geometry are most common topics. You can even choose any great mathematician or scientist and use his achievements in your term paper. For example, Sir Isaac Newton, John Napier, Euclid, Einstein and their lifetime achievements can be discussed in your term paper. Still if you have lack of information or you have no time left to complete the paper on your own and you need assistance, please contact CustomWritings.com and we will clear your doubts in the minimum possible time and in the best possible way. Our writers will help you to find the best math term paper topics as well as interesting mathematics term paper topics.

Are Americans Getting Over On Our Welfare System Essay

Are Americans Getting Over On Our Welfare System - Essay Example Even Devilma admits that, if it were not for her son and the recent expiry of her cash aid, she would rather live on welfare than take an entry-level job at McDonald’s, which she considers unsuited to her level of education (economist.com). Thus poses the question, â€Å"Are Americans Getting over on Our Welfare System?† If given the opportunity to have a job which would bring in a source of income so that one would not be solely dependent on federal aid, which in turn would free funds for those who do not have employment opportunities, why not take advantage of it to better your situation? It is in no way equal or fair that some people must work for a living while others sit back and be catered for by other persons’ tax dollars. Seeing things such as this is what persuaded me to really analyze the qualifications, surveys, and federal websites to see if taxpayer’s funds are being taken advantage of (Ramsey, 2010). The research involved analyzing the amount that the low-income earners earn in the US and the amount that people get from the welfare state (Levin, 2011). From my analysis, I realized that most of the people who depend on the welfare state are more comfortable with what they get because they do not work the only receive money for doing nothing (Hewitt, 2012). This is opposed to the people who work hard and only earn a small amount of money that cannot sustain their families. From the analysis, I also found out that most of the people who do not rely on the welfare state are not happy with the initiative. The project was started with an aim of helping the needy. However, with time, the welfare has been exploited and most able people are taking advantage of it. That means that people who have the ability to work do not look for jobs because the welfare state is providing for them some income that they can use to survive. According to a research carried out by Forbes, when the war on poverty began, the poverty levels fell to 1 2.1% (Moore, 2001) However, the poverty level rose to 14.3% in 2009 and it is currently at 16.1%. That means that poverty won the war that was aimed against it. That happened because after the initiative, the poor stopped working so that they can depend on the money from the welfare state. That means that the initiative is currently not helping the poor but rather making them lazy and the poverty levels are rising. Recommendations on the welfare state It would be advisable for the law dealing with the welfare state to be changed. The law should state that only the physically disabled persons should benefit from the money. That will help the able persons to look for jobs. Working to earn a living will make them to be motivated and they will strive to ensure that they satisfy their needs. That will also make them more motivated and that will help them want to achieve more. Since not all people are able to earn white-collar jobs, the government can start up a program that will forward loans to people so that they can start up their own businesses. That means that all the people will be independent. The loans can be formulated in such a way that the financial institutions give the people a grace period of around 6 months before they start repaying the loan. The grace period will help ensure that the business that has been put up is

Power Of Images In Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Power Of Images In Marketing - Essay Example It is also worth noting that a bad picture may also affect negatively a company’s product. Therefore, it is very important that a company chooses a good image – one that can attract the consumers towards the product in question. The image chosen should stands out and should be able to provide an emphasis of the company’s core values of what is being marketed. One such company that uses the image to market its products is the Nivea skin and beauty care products. This paper will discuss the power of pictures in marketing of Nivea products. The essay will also explore how certain pictures are associated with some feelings, which motivate the customer to buy the product. Finally, the essay will explore why certain pictures make some consumers buy a certain product even though they may not need the product. Breiting (n.d) argues that a picture plays an important role in marketing a company’s product in a number of ways. This includes documenting a companyâ€⠄¢s offers, in which the picture can be used to portray a company’s brand image. Therefore, the more it is attractive to the customers, the more customers will be willing to accept it. This is because it functions as an eye catcher, and persuades buyers in a positive mood. Nivea is a company that recognizes the power of image in promoting its skin and beauty products. The company understands that the picture they portray on the product gives its customers an impression regarding the product and the company’s values, which has contributed to the rising sales volume of the product. For instance, Nivea has made use of picture in advertising of Nivea Visage Young from the time of its launch in 2005. The images used in the advertisements are shown below: Figures 1: Images used by Nivea This picture used by Nivea to promote its Nivea Visage Young has a lot of impression just by looking at it. By portraying a beautiful woman with a child having soft, smooth and attractive faces the company informs the customers that this good is a beauty and skin care product. The impression that the customer may have of this product is that it smoothes and softens the skin besides offering protection. The other impression that a customer may deduce of the image is that the product is suitable for both women and girls. The mood as portrayed by the picture also communicates a lot about the product. It has the impact of informing a customer that by applying Nivea Visage Young, one feels good, attractive and jovial. The flowers on the background are also a show of beauty, which many consumers may want to associate with. Nivea recognizes image as one of the driving forces behind the increased sales turnover of the product since it was launch (Dinsdag 8 Maart, 2011).However, it is worth noting that the picture may also invoke the feeling that Nivea Visage Young is only meant for the ladies and not men. This is because, the marketers of the product have only chosen to por tray the image of a woman and a young girl. This implies that the image may be detrimental in case men are also expected to use the product. This implies how important it is to choose the right image to use in promoting a given product (Dinsdag 8 Maart, 2011). Certain pictures make consumers buy a certain product even though in the actual sense they do not need the product. This scenario is common in the world of sports and celebrities in which an individual may buy a t-shirt associated with

Herbal Remedies Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Herbal Remedies - Assignment Example Some of the factors that influence herbal use in America include ethnicity, history of family, immigrant, and herbal use among members of the family. There is a reported high use of herbal medicine among Italian Americans from recent studies on ethnicity and racial lines. There are many illnesses treated using herbal medicine. These vary from patient to patient due to varying responses to the medicine. Some of the illnesses that are treated using herbal medicine among the African Americans and Italian Americans include: varicose veins, indigestion, obesity and weight loss among other medical conditions. The African Americans and Italian Americans use varying herbs to treat these illnesses. However, there are commonly used herbs among the two cultural groups such as bitter orange for treating indigestion, chaparral for treating hypertension, and ginger and germander for obesity and other liver related illnesses. The medical herbs are purchased from herbs clinics and traditional doctors that treat chronic conditions among the communities. The side effects associated with the use of herbal medicine are as mentioned: heart attack and fainting resulting from use of bitter orange; chaparral which may lead to damage of the liver, hypertension suffered by patients with cancer as well as problems with kidney; ginger may lead to an alteration in bleeding time among females while germander may damage the liver of the patients. When a patient uses herbal medicine after using allopathic medicines, there could be adverse effects on the condition, however, there are no particular complications identified by name, however, the patient medical condition may worsen resulting from a mix of reaction between the two

Assessment of Airborne Bacteria and Fungi

Assessment of Airborne Bacteria and Fungi Quantitative Assessment of Fungi and bacteria in air inside Bradford Apartment Abstract The experiment was conducted from the week from 10/26/2014 to 11/02/2014 at the Bradford apartments. Different types of agar media were used to estimate and quantitatively assess fungi and bacteria in air within an air-conditioned apartment unit. Fungi are essential to our environment, due to their function of decomposing organic materials. Nevertheless, airborne fungal spores can cause irritations and allergies and can even compromise the human immune system in less maintained buildings. Inappropriate humid control or water damage, as seen in the apartment used for this experiment, can lead to high loads of fungal spores. Thus, this study focuses on the qualitative assessment of Fungi and bacteria in air inside a Bradford Apartment by using different agar media, which were incubated at two different temperatures corresponding to human body temperature (37 °C) and room temperature (25 °C) . Noticeable is that almost all agars incubated at 25 °C show a greater count of colonies than those incubated at 37 °C. Introduction The Apartment of interest is on the top floor and recently experienced some water damage due to a leak in the roof structure. It currently houses an Oceanic 29 gallon Biocube, which evaporates about one gallon of water within a week. The Apartment temperature was set to 25 C while conducting the experiment. The building contains vaulted ceilings and central air conditioning, which creates various microclimates favorable by fungi and bacteria. In addition, the living room and bedroom of the apartment contains carpet. Airborne fungal spores can cause irritations and allergies and can even compromise the human immune system in less maintained buildings (Taylor et al. 2014). The kingdom Fungi includes funguses or fungi, which represent a large group of eukaryotic organisms. All fungi are heterotrophs, which means they absorb nutrients through their cell walls and cell membranes. They are essential to our environment, because they decompose organic material and therefore, recycle nutrients essential for plant growth. Besides yeast, all fungi consist of elongated filaments, also called hyphae. When the hyphae grows bigger in size, it creates a network called mycelium. Once fruiting, they become mushrooms or molds. Fungi are abundant everywhere, such as dead matter, air, and soil but also in symbiosis with plants, animals and/or with other fungi (Van De Graaff, Kent M. et al, 2009). Bacteria belong to prokaryotic microorganisms, which lack a true nucleus and bounded organelles. They appear in different shapes such as spiral, spherical or rod-shaped. It is believed that bacteria were the first life form on our planet and are therefore present in soil, water, deep in the earth crust, and extreme conditions such as nuclear reactors. Most bacteria are harmless and can be found on and in the human body like the gastrointestinal tract. They also live in symbiosis with other animals and plants. One of their roles is to break down surrounding organic materials by converting them into absorbable compounds. (Van De Graaff, Kent M. et al, 2009). The media for this lab includes Rose Bengal Agar (RBA), Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) and trypticase soy Agar (TSA). In past research experiments PDA and RBA have been used to cultivate fungi. TSA is used for Bacterial growth (Neogen 2011). Frequent sinus infections were traced back to severe allergic irritations in eyes and sinuses, which compromised the renter’s immune system and caused illness. Therefore, this experiment focuses on bacterial and fungi abundance in air regarding different locations with three different growth media. Due to the structure of the apartment, greater fungal counts should be expected at 25oC than at 37oC. Methods Experiment was conducted from 10/26/2014 until 11/02/2014. Each agar was prepared with 500 ml deionized water, which was added into three different 1 liter conical flasks. Each dehydrated medium was weighed according to each Agar type: 16 g of Rose Bengal Agar, 39 g of Potato Dextrose Agar, and 40 g of Trypticase Soy Agar. Each dehydrated media was added into its own flask, it was well shaken and mixed. After sealing each flask with aluminum foil and autoclave tape, all three flasks were autoclaved at 15 PSI (120 °C) for 20 minutes. Once safe to open the autoclave machine, the flasks were taken out and allowed to cool down. Meanwhile, 4 petri dishes were labeled for each location, Patio, Bedroom, Living room and bathroom. Each flask was tilted sideways before removing the aluminum foil to prevent contamination through air entering the flask. The solution was then poured into 24 petri dishes. All dishes were left out for about 30 minutes to cool down and solidify. After sealing each petri dish, there were transported to the location of interest. Two petri dishes of each agar were exposed for 15 minutes at each location besides the patio location, which were exposed for only 5 minutes. Of the two petri dishes from each location, one was incubated at 25 °C while the other one was incubated at 37 °C. All petri storage units were sterilized before exposed petri dishes were placed upside-down inside of it. The first storage united only contained petri dishes incubated of 25oC, where as the second unit contained only dishes incubated for 37 °C. Each united was labeled accordantly and placed in its according incubation set to 25 °C or 37 °C. After a week, plates were examined and number of colonies were noted. Only fungi colonies were recorded on Rose Bengal and Potato Dextrose agar, while Trypticase Soy Agar only noted Bacteria colonies. Results Note that high numbers of 35 and 26 fungi colonies have been counted on RBA and PDA which were exposed outside for 5 minutes and incubated at 25 °C. In contrast, TSA only showed 7 bacterial colonies at the same conditions. TSA shows great numbers of 19 bacterial colonies at 25 °C in the bathroom, while Rose bengal only counts fungi colony for the same location. On the other hand, Potato Dextrose counts 4 fungal colonies. Noticeable is that almost all agars incubated at 25 °C show a greater count of colonies than those incubated at 37 °C, except PDA for the bathroom (Table 1). Discussion Fungi are present everywhere in great numbers and play an important role in decomposing organic matter. Our subtropical climate outside contains heat and moisture, which can affect the building structure. Furthermore, the apartment houses a 29 gallon Oceanic Biocube, which evaporates approximately one gallon within a week. The greatest amount of colonial growth was noted outside on my patio in PDA and RBA. PDA is composed of Potato Starch and Dextrose that encourages fungal growth, because dextrose and starch are a sugar unit called glucose. It functions as an energy source for fungal sporulation. This explains why 26 fungi colonies have been noted on PDA. The final pH of PDA is 5.6 +/- 0.2 which inhibits most bacterial growth but provides a good base for fungi. Some of the components in Rose Bengal Agar are soy pentose and dextrose. These substances provide nitrogen, vitamins, and energy encouraging fungal growth. Rose Bengal is a major ingredient in the Agar to avoid rapidly growin g molds and inhibits bacterial growth. Another ingredient is Magnesium Sulfate, providing trace elements essential for good fungal growth. All the ingredients provide a perfect base for fungal growth, explaining the 35 colonies counted. On the other hand, the air inside the apartment is filtered, dried, cooled down, and distributed by the air conditioner. Nevertheless, the water vapor from the aquarium causes high humidity within the apartment and changes the air conditions within the rooms. Some fungi and bacteria live in symbiosis within the human gastrointestinal tract. This explains why the greatest number of bacterial colonies were present in the bathroom. One ingredient in TSA is Pancreatic Digestion of casein, which provides nitrogen, vitamins and carbons for good bacterial growth. A majority of bacteria and fungi are known to survive very harsh conditions known to humans. Therefore, even though the bathroom is frequently cleaned, some bacteria and fungi are able to survive. As a result, 19 colonies in the bathroom were collected and incubated. Bacteria and fungi grow in many environments with different temperatures, from the cold arctic to hot springs. Therefore, the optimum growth temperatures vary. Bacteria can be psychrophilic, mesophilic, or thermophilic, with wide ranges of temperatures. Bacteria living within the human digestive system are exposed to a temperature of 37 °C, explaining the colonial count at 37 °C (Eddleman 1998). Fungi can live in different ranges of temperatures just as Bacteria, but the ranges differ. Most fungi are mesophilic, which lay between 18 °C-22 °C. Some fungi are tolerant to temperature changes, meaning they can survive or even grow in higher or lower temperatures varying from their optimum temperature. On the one hand, if the temperatures rise below the optimum temperature range, it can slow down or even inhibit chemical reactions, which can slow down growth. On the other hand, higher temperatures lead to denaturation of enzymes causing death of the cell. Therefore, the petri dishes incubated at 25 °C have a greater number of colonies than the ones incubated at 37 °C (Neogen 2008). References Dr. Burge, Harriet. â€Å"How Does Heat Affect Fungi.† The Environmental Reporter. Environmental Mircobiology Laboratory, Inc. March, 2006. Web. 19 September, 2013. 1-13. Ph. D. Eddleman, Harold. â€Å"Optimum Temperature for Growth of Bacteria.† Indiana Biolab, Palmyra IN. Revision #3. 23 January 1998. Web. 19 September, 2013. 1-5. Neogen. â€Å"POTATO DEXTROSE AGAR.† Acumedia. 4 April, 2011. Web. 19 September, 2013. 1-2. Neogen. â€Å"ROSE BENGAL CHLORAMPHENICOL AGAR.† Acumedia. 2 January, 2012. Web. 19 September, 2013. 1-2. Neogen. â€Å"TRYPCTIC SOY AGAR.† Acumedia. 6 November 2010. Web. 19 September, 2013. 1-3. Van De Graaff, Kent. Crawley, John L. â€Å"A Photographic Atlas for the Biology Laboratory.† Morton Publishing Company. 6th Edition. Englewood, Colorado, 2009. 63-76. 27-28. Print. Taylor, Michael. Gaskin, Sharyn. Bentham, Richard. Pisaniello, Dino. â€Å"Airborne fungal profiles in office buildings in metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia: Background levels, diversity and seasonal variation.† Indoor and Built Environment. 14 August 2013.

Cheltham prison was a medium security prison

There was a cold chill in the air as keys jangled in the distance. ‘Lights out!' shouted a voice from the end of the corridor. ‘How did I end up in here?' James thought to himself. As the cells descended into darkness. ‘I had a good education and I blew it all for a group of people.' Cheltham prison was a medium security prison. It housed around seven hundred inmates. The offences committed by the inmates varied from traffic penalties to common burglary. James Henderson was one of many at the prison. ‘I could have had such a good life. Good job, nice car, big house and a family, but I don't and its all my fault.' When James was fifteen he had problems at home because of this he got in to a bad crowd. ‘I lost everything thanks to these people.' James had become friends with typical young hooligans he started using drugs, going to pubs and just generally getting into trouble. ‘Wednesday nights were the worst; we couldn't go to the pub. So we just hung around the streets.' One man, Martin Walsh, controlled the group of about six. Martin was only sixteen but had already been in trouble with the police three times. It was on Wednesday night that Martin came up with the idea of going to the local park. ‘That's when the real trouble started.' We were bored with nothing to do so†¦' a voice broke James's thoughts. ‘Quieten down, this isn't a place to socialise.' ‘†¦We broke all the play equipment.' It had been Martins smart idea to vandalise everything. ‘We were all too scared of him to refuse, so we just did it. The playground was decimated by the time we had finished. Martin stood back to admire his work; I can still remember his words,' ‘Well done everyone same time next week!' Martin said proudly. Martin wasn't kidding. Within a month the group had destroyed four public play areas and three school playgrounds. Nobody had stood up to Martin. By this time the police had been involved, but still no one knew it was Martin. ‘I remember the exact day Martin got found out. We had met, like we always did, on a Wednesday night. Martin wasn't himself; he was angry, violent.' ‘The police have been to see me.' Martin growled ‘they know about the playgrounds. How do they know? Who told them? Come on own up' No one did. Although Martin had an idea, a small boy name Chris was his target. Chris was a gifted boy, he didn't agree with Martin's ways but was a friend though fear. ‘Martin took it out on Chris. Punching, kicking. No one stood up to him. After that night we never saw Chris again.' ‘As time went on and our crimes got worse I started to see how I had wasted my life.' James and the group, still lead by Martin, had started stealing. At first it was just sweets then CDs, clothes, CD players, TVs if it wasn't bolted to the floor Martin would steal it. ‘ I could handle stealing small but TVs CD players that had gone to far. Stealing a CD player was when I first got caught.' ‘A local shop Tim's TVs was my target on that particular day. It was a small family business easy to steal from, so I thought.' ‘It was a Saturday morning and the shop was rather busy, that surprised me, I had stolen many times before so I just walked in. I must have looked suspicious from the start, but they didn't let on. I walked around for a while. When I got to the CD players, I checked to see if anyone was around, no one was, so I just put it in my coat. I was so calm as I reached for the door handle but just at that seconded a hand reached out and grabbed my arm, id been caught.' The police were called and as it was James's first offence he got away with a strong warning. The next time the group met Martin was pleased. ‘James well done for your efforts and the way you handled the police. I have a task for you' Martin beamed at James. James knew it was a bad idea but was too afraid to argue. The next night James met Martin. ‘You've proved yourself as a good friend James.' Martin started walking down the street. ‘I had no idea what to do, so I just followed Martin. Bad choice.' The next ten minutes were all a blur to James. ‘The next thing I knew I was sitting in a car, driving really fast. I started to shout at Martin to let me out.' ‘What's gotten into you Henderson, you were all for it a minute ago.' Martin screamed. ‘Just let me out!' I screamed back. Martin stopped the car and James got out. ‘You aren't who I thought you were James, don't let me see your face again.' With that martin was gone. James was left to walk home. ‘It was cold and dark, I suddenly realised what had happened, id been involved in a grand theft auto. I was as horrific as Martin. I had wasted a good education to become a common criminal.' It had been two years since James met Martin; it had been a roller coaster of vandalism and embezzlement. James had no future. That wasn't the end of Martin. The police had caught him. Martin had told the police about James's involvement. The police paid James a visit the next day. ‘It was terrible; the look of disappointment on my parents faces. They had no idea. Both Martin and I were called into court on grand theft auto. The judge was harsh. To set an example he said, a jail sentence and community service.' So James isn't the only one in prison. ‘Martins in here too.' A voice disrupts James thoughts. ‘James shifts over.' The voice bellowed from the darkness. ‘No, Martins in here all right. On a jail sentence. The only difference is at least community service lets me go home at night,' ‘Thanks mate. I'll see you tomorrow.' With that James was gone.

Foundation’s Edge CHAPTER ONE COUNCILMAN

COUNCILMAN â€Å"I don't believe it, of course,† said Golan Trevize standing on the wide steps of Seldon Hall and looking out over the city as it sparkled in the sunlight. Terminus was a mild planet, with a high water/land ratio. The introduction of weather control had made it all the more comfortable and considerably less interesting, Trevize often thought. â€Å"I don't believe any of it,† he repeated and smiled. His white, even teeth gleamed out of his youthful face. His companion and fellow Councilman, Munn Li Compor who had adopted a middle name in defiance of Terminus tradition, shook his head uneasily. â€Å"What don't you believe? That we saved the city?† â€Å"Oh, I believe that. We did, didn't we? And Seldon said that we would, and he said we would be right to do so, and that he knew all about it five hundred years ago.† Compor's voice dropped and he said in a half-whisper, â€Å"Look, I don't mind your talking like this to me, because I take it as just talk, but if you shout it out in crowds others will hear and, frankly, I don't want to be standing near you when the lightning strikes. I'm not sure how precise the aim will be.† Trevize's smile did not waver. He said, â€Å"Is there harm in saying that the city is saved? And that we did it without a war?† â€Å"There was no one to fight,† said Compor. He had hair of a buttery yellow, eyes of a sky blue, and he always resisted the impulse to alter those unfashionable hues. â€Å"Have you never heard of civil war, Compor?† said Trevize. He was tall, his hair was black, with a gentle wave to it, and he had a habit of walking with his thumbs hitched into the soft-fibered sash he always wore. â€Å"A civil war over the location of the capital?† â€Å"The question was enough to bring on a Seldon Crisis. It destroyed Hannis's political career. It put you and me into the Council last election and the issue hung†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He heisted one hand slowly, back and forth, like a balance coming to rest on the level. He paused on the steps, ignoring the other members of the government and the media, as well as the fashionable society types who had finagled an invitation to witness Seldon's return (or the return of his image, at any rate). All were walking down the stairs, talking, laughing, glorying in the correctness of everything, and basking in Seldon's approval. Trevize stood still and let the crowd swirl past him. Compor, having walked two steps ahead, paused – an invisible cord stretching between them. He said, â€Å"Aren't you coming?† â€Å"There's no hurry. They won't start the Council meeting until Mayor Branno has reviewed the situation in her usual flat-footed, one-syllable-at-a-time way. I'm in no hurry to endure another ponderous speech. – Look at the city!† â€Å"I see it. I saw it yesterday, too.† â€Å"Yes, but did you see it five hundred years ago when it was founded?† â€Å"Four hundred ninety-eight,† Compor corrected him automatically. â€Å"Two years from now, they'll have the hemimillennial celebration and Mayor Branno will still be in the office at the time, barring events of, we hope, minor probability.† â€Å"We hope,† said Trevize dryly. â€Å"But what was it like five hundred years ago when it was founded? One city! One small city, occupied by a group of men preparing an Encyclopedia that was never finished!† â€Å"Of course it was finished.† â€Å"Are you referring to the Encyclopedia Galactica we have now? What we have isn't what they were working on. What we have is in a computer and it's revised daily. Have you ever looked at the uncompleted original?† â€Å"You mean in the Hardin Museum?† â€Å"The Salvor Hardin Museum of Origins. Let's have the full name, please, since you're so careful about exact dates. Have you looked at it?† â€Å"No. Should I?† â€Å"No, it isn't worth it. But anyway – there they were – a group of Encyclopedists, forming the nucleus of a town – one small town in a world virtually without metals, circling a sun isolated from the rest of the Galaxy, at the edge, the very edge. And now, five hundred years later, we're a suburban world. The whole place is one big park, with all the metal we want. We're at the center of everything now?† â€Å"Not really,† said Compor. â€Å"We're still circling a sun isolated from the rest of the Galaxy. Still at the very edge of the Galaxy.† â€Å"Ah no, you're saying that without thinking. That was the whole point of this little Seldon Crisis. We are more than the single world of Terminus. We are the Foundation, which sends out its tentacles Galaxy-wide and rules that Galaxy from its position at the very edge. We can do it because we're not isolated, except in position, and that doesn't count.† â€Å"All right. I'll accept that.† Compor was clearly uninterested and took another step downward. The invisible cord between them stretched farther. Trevize reached out a hand as though to haul his companion up the steps again. â€Å"Don't you see the significance, Compor? There's this enormous change, but we don't accept it. In our hearts we want the small Foundation, the small one-world operation we had in the old days – the days of iron heroes and noble saints that are gone forever.† â€Å"Come on!† â€Å"I mean it. Look at Seldon Hall. To begin with, in the first crises in Salvor Hardin's day, it was just the Time Vault, a small auditorium in which the holographic image of Seldon appeared. That was all. Now it's a colossal mausoleum, but is there a force-field ramp in the place? A slideway? A gravitic lift? – No, just these steps, and we walk down them and we walk up them as Hardin would have had to do. At odd and unpredictable times, we cling in fright to the past.† He flung his arm outward passionately. â€Å"Is there any structural component visible that is metal? Not one. It wouldn't do to have any, since in Salvor Hardin's day there was no native metal to speak of and hardly any imported metal. We even installed old plastic, pink with age, when we built this huge pile, so that visitors from other worlds can stop and say, ‘Galaxy! What lovely old plastics' I tell you, Compor, it's a sham.† â€Å"Is that what you don't believe, then? Seldon Hall?† â€Å"And all its contents,† said Trevize in a fierce whisper. â€Å"I don't really believe there's any sense in hiding here at the edge of the Universe, just because our ancestors did. I believe we ought to be out there, in the middle of everything.† â€Å"But Seldon says you're wrong. The Seldon Plan is working out as it should.† â€Å"I know. I know. And every child on Terminus is brought up to believe that Hari Seldon formulated a Plan, that he foresaw everything five centuries ago, that he set up the Foundation in such a way that he could spot certain crises, and that his image would appear holographically at those crises, and tell us the minimum we had to know to go on to the next crisis, and thus lead us through a thousand years of history until we could safely build a Second and Greater Galactic Empire on the ruins of the old decrepit structure that was falling apart five centuries ago and had disintegrated completely by two centuries ago.† â€Å"Why are you telling me all this, Golan?† â€Å"Because I'm telling you it's a sham. It's all a sham. – Or if it was real to begin with, it's a sham now! We are not our own masters. It is not we who are following the Plan.† Compor looked at the other searchingly. â€Å"You've said things like this before, Golan, but I've always thought you were just saying ridiculous things to stir me up. By the Galaxy, I actually think you're serious.† â€Å"Of course I'm serious!† â€Å"You can't be. Either this is some complicated piece of fun at my expense or you're out of your mind.† â€Å"Neither. Neither,† said Trevize, quiet now, hitching his thumbs into his sash as though he no longer needed the gestures of hands to punctuate passion. â€Å"I speculated on it before, I admit, but that was just intuition. That farce in there this morning, however, has made it suddenly all. quite plain to me and I intend, in turn, to make it quite plain to the Council.† Compor said, â€Å"You are crazy!† â€Å"All right. Come with me and listen.† The two walked down the stairs. They were the only ones left – the last to complete the descent. And as Trevize moved slightly to he fore, Compor's lips moved silently, casting a voiceless word in the direction of the other's back: â€Å"Fool!† Mayor Harla Branno called the session of the Executive Council to order. Her eyes had looked with no visible sign of interest at the gathering; yet no one there doubted that she had noted all who were present and all who had not yet arrived. Her gray hair was carefully arranged in a style that was neither markedly feminine nor imitation masculine. It was simply the way she wore it, no more. Her matter-of-fact face was not notable for beauty, but somehow it was never for beauty that one searched there. She was the most capable administrator on the planet. No one could, or did, accuse her of the brilliance of the Salvor Hardins and the Hober Mallows whose histories enlivened the first two centuries of the Foundation's existence, but neither would anyone associate her with the follies of the hereditary Indburs who had ruled the Foundation just prior to the time of the Mule. Her speeches did not stir men's minds, nor did she have a gift for the dramatic gesture, but she had a capacity for making quiet decisions and sticking by them as long as she was convinced she was right. Without any obvious charisma, she had the knack of persuading the voters those quiet decisions would be right Since by the Seldon doctrine, historical change is to a large degree difficult to swerve (always barring the unpredictable, something most Seldonists forget, despite the wrenching incident of the Mule), the Foundation might have retained its capital on Terminus under any conditions. That is a â€Å"might,† however. Seldon, in his just finished appearance as a five-century-old simulacrum, had calmly placed the probability of remaining on Terminus at 87.2 percent. Nevertheless, even to Seldonists, that meant there was a 12.8 percent chance that the shift to some point closer to the center of the Foundation Federation would have been made, with all the dire consequences that Seldon had outlined. That this one-out-of-eight chance did not take place was surely due to Mayor Branno. It was certain she would not have allowed it. Through periods of considerable unpopularity, she had held to her decision that Terminus was the traditional seat of the Foundation and there it would remain. Her political enemies had caricatured her strong jaw (with some effectiveness, it had to be admitted) as an underslung granite block. And now Seldon had backed her point of view and, for the while at least, that would give her an overwhelming political advantage. She had been reported to have said a year earlier that if in the coming appearance Seldon did back her, she would consider her task successfully completed. She would then retire and take up the role of elder statesperson, rather than risk the dubious results of further political wars. No one had really believed her. She was at home in the political wars to an extent few before her had been, and now that Seldon's image had come and gone there was no hint of retirement about her. She spoke in a perfectly clear voice with an unashamed Foundation accent (she had once served as Ambassador to Mandrels, but had not adopted the old Imperial style of speech that was so fashionable now – and was part of what had been a quasi-Imperial drive to the Inner Provinces). She said, â€Å"The Seldon Crisis is over and it is a tradition, and a wise one, that no reprisals of any kind – either in deed or in speech – be taken against those who supported the wrong side. Many honest people believed they had good reason for wanting that which Seldon did not want. There is no point in humiliating them to the point where they can retrieve their self-respect only by denouncing the Seldon Plan itself. In turn, it is a strong and desirable custom that those who supported the lost side accept the loss cheerfully and without further discussion. The issue is behind us, on both sides, forever.† She paused, gazed levelly at the assembled faces for a moment, then went on, â€Å"Half the time has passed, people of the Council half the thousand-year stretch between Empires. It has been a time of difficulties, but we have come a fang way. We are, indeed, almost a Galactic Empire already and there remain no external enemies of consequence. â€Å"The Interregnum would have endured thirty thousand years, were it not for the Seldon Plan. After thirty thousand years of disintegration, it might be there would be no strength left with which to form an Empire again. There might be left only isolated and probably dying worlds. â€Å"What we have today we owe to Hari Seldom and it is upon his long-dead mind that we must rely far the rest. The danger henceforward, Councillors, is ourselves, and from this point on there must be no official doubt of the value of the Flan. Let us agree nosy, quietly and firmly, that there are to be no official doubts, criticisms, or condemnations of the Plan. We must support it completely. It has proved itself over five centuries. It is the security of humanity and it must not be tampered with. Is it agreed?† There was a quiet murmur. The Mayor hardly looked up to seek visual proof of agreement. She knew every member of the Council and how each would react. In the wake of the victory, there would be no objection now. Next year perhaps. Not now. She would tackle the problems of next year next year. Always except for – â€Å"Thought control, Mayor Branno?† asked Golan Trevize, striding down the aisle and speaking loudly, as though to make up for the silence of the rest. He did not bother to take his seat which, since he was a new member, was in fine back row. Branno still did not look up. She said, â€Å"Your views, Councilman Trevize?† â€Å"That the government cannot impose a ban on free speech; that all individuals – most certainly including Councilmen and Councilwomen who have been elected for the purpose – have a right to discuss the political issues of the day; and that no political issue can possibly be divorced from the Seldon Plan:† Branno folded her hands and looked up. Her face was expressionless. She said, â€Å"Councilman Trevize, you have entered this debate irregularly and were out of order in doing so. However, I asked you to state your views and I will now answer you. â€Å"There is no limit to free speech within the context of the Seldon Plan. It is only the Plan itself that limits us by its very nature. There can be many ways of interpreting events before the image makes the final decision, but once he makes that decision it can be questioned no further in Council. Nor may it be questioned in advance as though one were to say, ‘If Hari Seldon were to state thus-and-so, he would be wrong.'† â€Å"And yet if one honestly felt so, Madam Mayor?† â€Å"Then one could say so, if one were a private individual, discussing fine matter in a private context.† â€Å"You mean, then, that the limitations on free speech which you propose are to apply entirely and specifically to government officials?† â€Å"Exactly. This is not a new principle of Foundation law. It has been applied before by Mayors of all parties. A private point of view means nothing; an official expression of opinion carries weight and can be dangerous. We have not come this far to risk danger now.† â€Å"May I point out, Madam Mayor, that this principle of yours has been applied, sparsely and occasionally, to specific acts of Council. It has never been applied to something as vast and indefinable as the Seldon Plan.† â€Å"The Seldon Plan needs the protection most, for it is precisely there that questioning can be most fatal.† â€Å"Will you not consider, Mayor Branno†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Trevize turned, addressing now the seated rows of Council members, who seemed one and ail to have caught their breath, as though awaiting the outcome of a duel. â€Å"Will you not consider, Council members, that there is every reason to think that there is no Seldon Plan at all?† â€Å"We have all witnessed its workings today,† said Mayor Branno, even more quietly as Trevize became louder and more oratorical. â€Å"It is precisely because we have seen its workings today, Councilmen and Councilwomen, that we can see that the Seldon Plan, as we have been taught to believe it to be, cannot exist.† â€Å"Councilman Trevize, you are out of order and must not continue along these lines.† â€Å"I have the privilege of office, Mayor.† â€Å"That privilege has been withdrawn, Councilman.† â€Å"You cannot withdraw the privilege. Your statement limiting free speech cannot, in itself, have the force of law. There has been no formal vote in Council, Mayor, and even if there were I would have the right to question its legality.† â€Å"The withdrawal, Councilman, has nothing to do with my statement protecting the Seldon Plan.† â€Å"On what, then, does it depend?† â€Å"You are accused of treason, Councilman. I wish to do the Council the courtesy of not arresting you within the Council Chamber, but waiting at the door are members of Security who will take you into custody as you leave. I will ask you now to leave quietly. If you make any ill-considered move, then, of course, that will be considered a present danger and Security will enter the Chamber. I trust you will not make that necessary.† Trevize frowned. There svgs absolute silence in the hall. (Did everyone expect this – everyone but himself and Compor?) He looked back at the exit. He saw nothing, but he had no doubt that Mayor Branno was not bluffing. He stammered in rage. â€Å"I repre – represent an important constituency, Mayor Branno†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No doubt, they will be disappointed in you.† â€Å"On what evidence do you bring forth this wild charge?† â€Å"That will appear in due course, but be assured that we have all we need. You are a most indiscreet young man and should realize that someone may be your friend and yet not be willing to accompany you into treason:† Trevize whirled to meet Compor's blue eyes. They met his stonily. Mayor Branno said calmly, â€Å"I call upon all to witness that when I made my last statement, Councilman Trevize turned to look at Councilman Compor. Will you leave now, Councilman, or will you force us to engage in the indignity of an arrest within the Chamber?† Golan Trevize turned, mounted the steps again, and, at the door, two men in uniform, well armed, fell in on either side. And Harla Branno, looking after him impassively, whispered through barely parted lips, â€Å"Fool!† Liono Kodell had been Director of Security through all of Mayor Branno's administration. It was not a backbreaking job, as he liked to say, but whether he was lying or not, one could not, of course, tell. He didn't look like a liar, but that did not necessarily mean anything. He looked comfortable and friendly, and it might well be that this was appropriate for the job. He was rather below the average height, rather above the average weight, had a bushy mustache (most unusual for a citizen of Terminus) that was now more white than gray, bright brown eyes, and a characteristic patch of primary color marking the outer breast pocket of his drab coverall. He said, â€Å"Sit down, Trevize. Let us keep this on a friendly basis if we can.† â€Å"Friendly? With a traitor?† Trevize hooked both his thumbs in his sash and remained standing. â€Å"With an accused traitor. We have not yet come to the point where accusation – even by the Mayor herself – is the equivalent of conviction. I trust we never do. My job is to clear you, if I can. I would much rather do so now while no harm is done – except, perhaps, to your pride – rather than be forced to make it all a matter of a public trial. I hope you are with me in this.† Trevize didn't soften. He said, â€Å"Let's not bother with ingratiation. Your job is to badger me as though I were a traitor. I am not one, and I resent the necessity of having to have that point demonstrated to your satisfaction. Why should you not have to prove your loyalty to my satisfaction?† â€Å"In principle, none. The sad fact, however, is that I have power on my side, and you have none on yours. Because of that, it is my privilege to question, and not yours. If any suspicion of disloyalty or treason fell upon me, by the way, I imagine I would find myself replaced, and I would then be questioned by someone else, who, I earnestly hope, would treat me no worse than I intend to treat you.† â€Å"And how do you intend to treat me?† â€Å"Like, I trust, a friend and an equal, if you will so treat me.† â€Å"Shall I stand you a drink?† asked Trevize bitterly. â€Å"Later, perhaps, but for now, please sit down. I ask it as a friend.† Trevize hesitated, then sat. Any further defiance suddenly seemed meaningless to him. â€Å"What now?† he said. â€Å"Now, may I ask that you will answer my questions truthfully and completely and without evasion?† â€Å"And if not? What is the threat behind it? A Psychic Probe?† â€Å"I trust not.† â€Å"I trust not, too. Not on a Councilman. It will reveal no treason, and when I am then acquitted, I will have your political head and the Mayor's too, perhaps. It might almost be worth making you try a Psychic Probe.† Kodell frowned and shook his head slightly. â€Å"Oh no. Oh no. Too much danger of brain damage. It's slow healing sometimes, and it would not be worth your while. Definitely. You know, sometimes, when the Probe is used in exasperation†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"A threat, Kodell?† â€Å"A statement of fact, Trevize. – Don't mistake me, Councilman. If I must use the Probe I will, and even if you are innocent you will have no recourse.† â€Å"What do you want to know?† Kodell closed a switch on the desk before him. He said, â€Å"What I ask and what you answer to my questions will be recorded, both sight and sound. I do not want any volunteered statements from you, or anything nonresponsive. Not at this time. You understand that, I am sure.† â€Å"I understand that you will record only what you please,† said Trevize contemptuously. â€Å"That is right, but again, don't mistake me. I wilt not distort anything you say. I will use it or not use it, that is all. But you will know what I will not use and you will not waste my time and yours. â€Å"We'll see.† â€Å"We have reason to think, Councilman Trevize† – and somehow the touch of added formality in his voice was evidence enough that he was recording – â€Å"that you have stated openly, and on a number of occasions, that you do not believe in the existence of the Seldon Plan.† Trevize said slowly, â€Å"If I have said so openly, and on a number of occasions, what more do you need?† â€Å"Let us not waste time with quibbles, Councilman. You know that what I want is an open admission in your own voice, characterized by its own voiceprints, under conditions where you are clearly in perfect command of yourself.† â€Å"Because, I suppose, the use of any hypno-effect, chemical or otherwise, would alter the voiceprints?† â€Å"Quite noticeably.† â€Å"And you are anxious to demonstrate that you have made use of no illegal methods in questioning a Councilman? I don't blame you .. â€Å"I'm glad you do not blame me, Councilman. Then let us continue. You have stated openly, and on a number of occasions, that you do not believe in the existence of the Seldon Plan. Do you admit that?† Trevize said slowly, choosing his words, â€Å"I do not believe that what we call Seldon's Plan has the significance we usually apply to it. â€Å"A vague statement. Would you care to elaborate?† â€Å"My view is that the usual concept that Hari Seldon, five hundred years ago, making use of the mathematical science of psychohistory, worked out the course of human events to the last detail and that we are following a course designed to take us from the First Galactic Empire to the Second Galactic Empire along the line of maximum probability, is naive. It cannot be so:' â€Å"Do you mean that, in your opinion, Hari Seldon never existed?† â€Å"Not at all. Of course he existed.† â€Å"That he never evolved the science of psychohistory?† â€Å"No, of course I don't mean any such thing. See here, Director, I would have explained this to the Council if I had been allowed to, and I will explain it to you. The truth of what I am going to say is so plain†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The Director of Security had quietly, and quite obviously, turned off the recording device. Trevize paused and frowned. â€Å"Why did you do that?† â€Å"You are wasting my time, Councilman. I am not asking you for speeches.† â€Å"You are asking me to explain my views, aren't you?† â€Å"Not at all. I am asking you to answer questions – simply, directly, and straightforwardly. Answer only the questions and offer nothing that I do not ask for. Do that and this won't take long.† Trevize said, â€Å"You mean you will elicit statements from me that will reinforce the official version of what I am supposed to have done.† â€Å"We ask you only to make truthful statements, and I assure you we will not distort them. Please, let me try again. We were talking about Hari Seldon.† The recording device was in action once more and Kodell repeated calmly, â€Å"That he never evolved the science of psychohistory?† â€Å"Of course he evolved the science that we call psychohistory,† said Trevize, failing to mask his impatience, and gesturing with exasperated passion. â€Å"Which you would define – how?† â€Å"Galaxy! It is usually defined as that branch of mathematics that deals with the overall reactions of large groups of human beings to given stimuli under given conditions. In other words, it is supposed to predict social and historical changes – â€Å" â€Å"You say ‘supposed to' Do you question that from the standpoint of mathematical expertise?† â€Å"No,† said Trevize. â€Å"I am not a psychohistorian. Nor is any member of the Foundation government, nor any citizen of Terminus, nor any†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Kodell's hand raised. He said softly, â€Å"Councilman, please!† and Trevize was silent. Kodell said, â€Å"Have you any reason to suppose that Hari Seldon did not make the necessary analysis that would combine, as efficiently as possible, the factors of maximum probability and shortest duration in the path leading from the First to the Second Empire by way of the Foundation?† â€Å"I wasn't there,† said Trevize sardonically. â€Å"How can I know?† â€Å"Can you know he didn't?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"Do you deny, perhaps, that the holographic image of Hari Seldon that has appeared during each of a number of historical crises over the past five hundred years is, in actual fact, a reproduction of Hari Seldon himself, made in the last year of his life, shortly before the establishment of the Foundation?† â€Å"I suppose I can't deny that.† â€Å"You ‘suppose.' Would you care to say that it is a fraud, a hoax devised by someone in past history for some purpose?† Trevize sighed. â€Å"No. I am not maintaining that.† â€Å"Are you prepared to maintain that the messages that Hari Seldon delivers are in any way manipulated by anyone at all?† â€Å"No. I have no reason to think that such manipulation is either possible or useful.† â€Å"I see. You witnessed this most recent appearance of Seldon's image. Did you find that his analysis – prepared five hundred years ago – did not match the actual conditions of today quite closely?† â€Å"On the contrary,† said Trevize with sudden glee. â€Å"It matched very closely.† Kodell seemed indifferent to the other's emotion. â€Å"And yet, Councilman, after the appearance of Seldon, you still maintain that the Seldon Plan does not exist.† â€Å"Of course I do. I maintain it does not exist precisely because the analysis matched so perfectly.† Kodell had turned off the recorder. â€Å"Councilman,† he said, shaking his head, â€Å"you put me to the trouble of erasing. I ask if you still maintain this odd belief of yours and you start giving me reasons. Let me repeat my question.† He said, â€Å"And yet, Councilman, after the appearance of Seldon, you still maintain that the Seldon Plan does not exist.† â€Å"How do you know that? no one had a chance to speak to my informer friend, Compor, after the appearance.† â€Å"Let us say we guessed, Councilman. And let us say you have already answered, ‘Of course I do' If you will say that once more without volunteering added information, we can get on with it.† â€Å"Of course I do,† said Trevize ironically. â€Å"Well,† said Kodell, â€Å"I will choose whichever of the ‘Of course I do's' sounds more natural. Thank you, Councilman,† and the recording device was turned off again. Trevize said, â€Å"Is that it?† â€Å"For what I need, yes.† â€Å"What you need, quite clearly, is a set of questions and answers that you can present to Terminus and to all the Foundation Federation which it rules, in order to show that I accept the legend of the Seldon Plan totally. That will make any denial of it that I later make seem quixotic or outright insane.† â€Å"Or even treasonable in the eyes of an excited multitude which sees the Plan as essential to the Foundation's safety. It will perhaps not be necessary to publicize this, Councilman Trevize, if we can come to some understanding, but if it should prove necessary we will see to it that the Federation hears.† â€Å"Are you fool enough, sir,† said Trevize, frowning, â€Å"to be entirely uninterested in what I really have to say?† â€Å"As a human being I am very interested, and if an appropriate time comes I will listen to you with interest and a certain amount of skepticism. As Director of Security, however, I have, at the present moment, exactly what I want† â€Å"I hope you know that this will do you, and the Mayor, no good.† â€Å"Oddly enough, I am not at all of that opinion. You will now leave. Under guard, of course.† â€Å"Where am I to be taken?† Kodell merely smiled. â€Å"Good-bye, Councilman. You were not perfectly co-operative, but it would have been unrealistic to have expected you to be.† He held out his hand. Trevize, standing up, ignored it. He smoothed the creases out of his sash and said, â€Å"You only delay the inevitable. Others must think as I do now, or will come to think that way later. To imprison me or to kill me will serve to inspire wonder and, eventually, accelerate such thinking. In the end the truth and I shall win.† Kodell took back his hand and shook his head slowly. â€Å"Really, Trevize,† he said. â€Å"You are a fool.† It was not till midnight that two guards came to remove Trevize from what was, he had to admit, a luxurious room at Security Headquarters. Luxurious but locked. A prison cell by any name. Trevize had over four hours to second-guess himself bitterly, striding restlessly across the floor for much of the period. Why did he trust Compor? Why not? He had seemed so clearly in agreement. – No, not that. He had seemed so ready to be argued into agreement. – No, not that, either. He had seemed so stupid, so easily dominated, so surely lacking a mind and opinions of his own that Trevize enjoyed the chance of using him as a comfortable sounding board. Compor had helped Trevize improve and hone his opinions. He had been useful and Trevize had trusted him for no other reason than that it had been convenient to do so. But it was useless now to try to decide whether he ought to have seen through Compor. He should have followed the simple generalization: Trust nobody. Yet can one go through life trusting nobody? Clearly one had to. And who would have thought that Branno would have had the audacity to pluck a Councilman out of the Council – and that not one of the other Councilmen would move to protect one of their own? Though they had disagreed with Trevize to their very hearts; though they would have been ready to bet their blood, drop by drop, on Branno's rightness; they should still, on principle, have interposed themselves against this violation of their prerogatives. Branno the Bronze she was sometimes called, and she certainly acted with metallic rigor – Unless she herself was already in the grip – No! That way led to paranoia! And yet – His mind tiptoed in circles, and had not broken out of uselessly repetitive thought when the guards came. â€Å"You will have to come with us, Councilman,† the senior of the two said with unemotional gravity. His insignia showed him to be a lieutenant. He had a small scar on his right cheek, and he looked tired, as though he had been at his Job too long and had done too little – as might be expected of a soldier whose people had been at peace for over a century. Trevize did not budge. â€Å"Your name, Lieutenant.† â€Å"I am Lieutenant Evander Sopellor, Councilman.† â€Å"You realize you are breaking the law, Lieutenant Sopellor. You cannot arrest a Councilman.† The lieutenant said, â€Å"We have our direct orders, sir.† â€Å"That does not matter. You cannot be ordered to arrest a Councilman. You must understand that you will be liable for court-martial as a result.† The lieutenant said, â€Å"You are not being arrested, Councilman.† â€Å"Then I don't have to go with you, do I?† â€Å"We have been instructed to escort you to your home.† â€Å"I know the way.† â€Å"And to protect you en route.† â€Å"From what? – Or from whom?† â€Å"From any mob that may gather.† â€Å"At midnight?† â€Å"It is why we have waited for midnight, sir. – And now, sir, for your protection we must ask you to come with us. May I say – not as a threat but as a matter of information – that we are authorized to use force if necessary.† Trevize was aware of the neuronic whips with which they were armed. He rose with what he hoped was dignity. â€Å"To my home, then. – Or will I find out that you are going to take me to prison?† â€Å"We have not been instructed to lie to you, sir,† said the lieutenant with a pride of his own. Trevize became aware that he was in the presence of a professional man who would require a direct order before he would lie – and that even then his expression and his tone of voice would give him away. Trevize said, â€Å"I ask your pardon, Lieutenant. I did not mean to imply that I doubted your word.† A ground-car was waiting for them outside. The street was empty and there was no sign of any human being, let alone a mob – but the lieutenant had been truthful. He had not said there was a mob outside or that one would form. He had referred to â€Å"any mob that may gather.† He had only said â€Å"may.† The lieutenant had carefully kept Trevize between himself and the car. Trevize could not have twisted away and made a run for it. The lieutenant entered immediately after him and sat beside him in the back. The car moved off. Trevize said, â€Å"Once I am home, I presume I may then go about my business freely – that I may leave, for instance, if I choose.† â€Å"We have no order to interfere with you, Councilman, in any way, except insofar as we are ordered to protect you.† â€Å"Insofar? What does that mean in this case?† â€Å"I am instructed to tell you that once you are home, you may not leave it. The streets are not safe for you and I am responsible for your safety.† â€Å"You mean I am under house arrest.† â€Å"I am not a lawyer, Councilman. I do not know what that means.† He gazed straight ahead, but his elbow made contact with Trevize's side. Trevize could not have moved, however slightly, without the lieutenant becoming aware of it. The car stopped before Trevize's small house in the suburb of Flexner. At the moment, he lacked a housemate – Flavella having wearied of the erratic life that Council membership had forced upon him – so he expected no one to be waiting for him. â€Å"Do I get out now?† Trevize asked. â€Å"I will get out first, Councilman. We will escort you in.† â€Å"For my safety?† â€Å"Yes, sir.† There were two guards waiting inside his front door. A night-light was gleaming, but the windows had been opacified and it was not visible from outside. For a moment, he was indignant at the invasion and then he dismissed it with an inward shrug. If the Council could not protect him in the Council Chamber itself, then surely his house could not serve as his castle. Trevize said, â€Å"How many of you do I have in here altogether? A regiment?† â€Å"No, Councilman,† came a voice, hard and steady. â€Å"Just one person aside from those you see, and I have been waiting for you long enough.† Harla Branno, Mayor of Terminus, stood in the door that led into the living room. â€Å"Time enough, don't you think, for us to talk?† Trevize stared. â€Å"All this rigmarole to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But Branno said in a low, forceful voice. â€Å"Quiet, Councilman. – And you four, outside. Outside! – All will be well in here.† The four guards saluted and turned on their heels. Trevize and Branno were alone.