Operations management Essay

Q.1. Discuss Bill Jones and his approach to automation compared others? Operations management as applied by by Bill Jones approaches to automation helped increase production and boost the employees morale and therefore credited his approach to be emulated.   He demonstrated the best principle of management based on the ability to bring workers, managers and machines together to increase production at Cambria steelton industry. He was an experienced caring leader who was promoted from his reputation of building the furnaces at Chattaniooga in Tennessee.   He was of strong character which helped him to blend corporate goals with those of his workers therefore generating accomplishment one after the other. Besides, he believed that the steel industry required strategic constant sequential upgrading and   motivated men to work for eight hours only as opposed to the standard 12 hours which he considered as brutal and counter productive to the industry.   This was however in contrast with most of the other leaders who insisted on full exploitation of the 12 hours automation system of the steel company (Gerald, 1981).   His operation management style superimposed on him being a community man earned him the heart of many which acted as motivation to them. The employees identified with him so much that they were refereed to as Jones boys.   He was occasionally seen eating peanuts and smoking cigars on the street of Braddock.   He insisted for the 12 hours working duration due to his love and generosity that made him contribute freely to the society.   Besides he was human enough in that by considering the working hours to be eight, the workers would be involved with other constructive ways for their lives like sports which was very helpful to the industry though indirectly.   He relied on promotions from within the company as the employees having served under him had the relevant experience to run different sections (Gerald, 1981). He encouraged innovations and improvements to increase production from the company.   He initiated the use of the use of the larger mixers which allowed for continuous flow of the liquid pig iron.   Also, he innovated the use of steel bolts in rail housing that raised the strength of the iron products made in the company.   As a result, this ensured continuous production and processing of steel in the company during and after his management period. Bill Jones operation management based on the belief of careful selection of the men he employed, assisted him assisted him to increase production as he worked with innovation oriented people only in the company.   He combined the operation of the machines with the high motivation of the employees to increase the production.   He reiterated that the aim of the firm was to keep the company running steadily.   Therefore he encountered less resistance from the employees in terms of employments claims and overworking which increased the company production (Gerald, 1981). Due to his management approaches and link to his combined automation mode, other leaders differed with him.   Carnegie tried to pressurize Bill Jones to adopt the 12 hours system and reduce the use of machines which Jones dismissed as abuse for humanity.   This mode however had led to the demonstrations on overworking and less pay due yo reduced production from the system.   As Jones dislike the use of labor unions for championing the employees rights, Carnegie opted to negotiate with them and had great successes in his production mode. Morel lust like Jones, believed in combination of machines and experienced people to be able to increase the production of the company.   He had a loving attitude towards the employees and encouraged ethics in the work p;lace where the employees did not have to work for the whole long eight hours for the employees to be motivated.   He also encouraged the gradual introduction of the machines to the company for improvement.   Morrell developed and molded John Fritz on the basis of Engineering and automation which later earned him the name â€Å"dean of steel makers† (Gerald, 1981). Discuss why inventory control is key to lean? Inventory control is important to lean as it acts as the gauge and the main determinant of the progression of an individuals business.   This method calls employment of the main principles of scientific management and better employee benefits to achieve high customer satisfaction for the company.   It is the main tool for success in business having been adopted by large successful companies like Ford manufacturing and Toyota.  Ã‚   Inventory control and lean practices entails careful consideration of the customers requirements and desire as the key element for the success of the business.   Inventory therefore as Heinz indicates, is the measure of the efficiency after the quality demands of the customer have been met.   The employees must understand the operation system of the lean philosophy for better application (Gerald, 1981). Heinz adds that in in this mode, the company must choose the market in which he will supply his goods for success to be achieved.   The inventory must be tied to and envisioned in dollars to increase the production and reduce the overhead costs.   Then the managers salaries should be related to the wasted inventory dollars for the lean manufacture to succeed.   Big companies managers may loose the feel of inventory but smaller businesses keep their inventories carefully and refer to them as dollars and therefore progress faster as they manage leanly their manufacturing system. The inventory process therefore tells you the level of efficiency you are operating on and therefore assist you in making different immediate decisions that are meant to help your business to grow if it had bottle necks.   To add to that, these inventories help the managers identify the problems well in advance therefore being adequately equipped for to tackle them. Heinz indicates that â€Å"hedge inventories are built because of poor performance†. â€Å"Decision making on questionable products had to be made quickly† (Gerald, 1981). The supply of the raw materials into the company for making the products is part of the company business activities.   Lean requires ample supply of raw materials in the production line and consequent market determination to enhance the exit of the products at the desired prices.   Physical inventory therefore assists to address the problem of the supplies in the company by prior prediction of the trends. Heinz insists that, â€Å"you can never run lean without a good supply chain of your company† In addition, inventory ensures that dynamism in the customer requirements are easy to deal with thus changing of products can be done quickly without losing the market.   It ensures that the employees are flexible in their operations through proper planning.   Mr. Heinz had used no tooling but had to change to different food products quickly through ample planning and flexibility of the employees. For successful lean to be realized adequate supply of labor must be available in the production and supply unit.   Temporary and part time laborers should be engaged as they increase the flexibility of the company in times of the production swings as different times of the year.   Therefore location on places with inadequate supply like major towns would help greatly increase the efficiency of the lean.   Heinz employed large numbers of women on temporary and part time basis to heighten the production differences at various periods.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Inventory control therefore under the vision for high quality helps in implementing the lean philosophy. Compare the approach of Charles Schwab at Bethelem Steel to Edison on innovation? Charles Schwab differed with Edison on the operation management in the steel company for improvement thorough innovation (Gerald, 1981).  Ã‚   Though both of their approaches were aimed at increasing production their diversity resulted to the varying production levels. Charles believed that men are driven by competition while the business is driven by cooperation and therefore ensured that customer suppler cooperative network was maintained.   Through this approach Charles was able to marvel may as to the method he used to get access to the vast dynamic market.   Even the internal relationship of the employees revolved on the employee friend ship who were the key pillars to supply in the company (Gerald, 1981). Edison on the other hand believed on the market driven forces to gain the market through the forces of demand and supply.   He equally succeeded but his levels were lower than those of Charles.   Charles notes that the production was driven through commitment and understanding between the employees and the management. They both believed that labor and management must go hand in hand for the consistency of the employment to be maintained.   Though this was rather visionary,   it was achieved with greater satisfaction to the employees who were guaranteed their wages and salaries in the production line and thus improved their morale for more production.   Charles insisted that manual rewards should be based on the profitability of the production system.   This also improves the quality of products as well as the welfare of the employees.   Edison on the other hand insisted on use of Bonuses and Employees rewards which also raised the morale of the employees in the company.   Though both methods improved the rate of production from the employees, the later system may be hard to establish and is open to biasness (Gerald, 1981). Charles just like Edison invested strongly in the employees and believed that the managers must play a paternal role by protecting and developing the employees.   They believed that the employees were the key to increased production of the factory and thus their welfare must be taken seriously.   Their safety, health, and living conditions must go hand in hand with the current trends and the state of the company.   Charles used safety and pension schemes innovation for the employees to concentrate in their work (Gerald, 1981).   The paternal approach was respectful of the workers and therefore was no considered to be like the welfare where the integrity was taken aback (Gerald, 1981). To add to that, they both believed in application of technology and investment as the first application of profits in the company.   The technology would reduce greatly the cost of production through innovation at the different sections of production.   This would in return increase the profit margin for the company.   High levels of innovations and integration of management, machines and the employees, must be carefully balanced to increase the production levels of a company.   As indicated above, the employees in any production management unit form the most important asset that should carefully handled to raise the production levels at all times.

Expanded Functions of Dental Assistants

Dental Assistant are expected to perform â€Å"basic supportive dental procedures†, that is, dental procedures that have technically elementary characteristics, are completely reversible, and are unlikely to post potentially hazardous conditions for the patient being treated. Some states require Dental Assistants to be trained in a variety of â€Å"expanded duties†. Each state differs in expected requirements. Florida and Minnesota are the two states I am going to focus on.Dental Assistants in the state of Florida must have formal training to perform multiple expanded functions. For an individual to perform the expanded functions of a Dental Assistant they must graduate from a CODA accredited Dental Assisting program provided that it includes the appropriate training in expanded functions. Kaplan College in Jacksonville, FL is one of these schools. The other way a Dental Assistant that lives in Florida can perform expanded duties is if they successfully complete a Flori da Board approved expanded duties training program.Florida offers 14 expanded functions under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist, 18 expanded functions under indirect supervision of the dentist and 2 expanded functions under general supervision. These expanded functions allow a Dental Assistant in the state of Florida to be a huge asset to a dental clinic. Florida offers one of the longest lists of expanded functions available for the Dental Assistant to perform. By learning to be comfortable with the expanded functions, you are allowing yourself to learn beyond the average assistant and excelling at your career.Some of the 14 expanded functions that are required of a Dental Assistant under direct supervision of a licensed dentist include: ~ Using appropriate implements for preliminary charting of the existing restorations and missing teeth and visual assessment of existing oral conditions. ~Packing and removing retraction cord. ~Polishing clinical crowns when not for the purpose of changing the existing contour of tooth. ~Selecting and pre-sixing orthodontic bands. ~Removing and recementing properly contoured and fitting loose bands. ~ Making impressions. Fabricating temporary crowns or bridges. ~Cementing temporary crowns and bridges with temporary cement. ~Placing or removing temporary restorations. ~Removing excess cement from dental restorations. ~Monitor the administration of nitrous oxide, make adjustments during administration. ~Inserting or removing dressings from alveolar sockets in post-operative situations. Some of the 18 expanded functions that are required of a Dental Assistant under indirect supervision of a licensed dentist include: ~Removing sutures. ~Securing or unsecuring an archwire. Applying topical fluorides. ~Positioning and exposing dental and carpal radiographic film. ~ Placing and removing dental dams. ~ Applying cavity liners, varnishes or bases. ~Placing periodontal dressings. ~ Applying sealants. ~ Placing and removing pr escribed pretreatment separators ~ Making impressions for study cases. ~ Placing and/or removing matrixes. ~ Removing periodontal or surgical dressings. The 2 functions that a Dental Assistant in Florida can perform under general supervision include: ~Instructing patients in oral hygiene care. Fabricating temporary crowns or bridges in a laboratory. Being an Expanded Function Dental Assistant in the state of Florida is a rewarding and challenging job. Florida offers multiple locations to receive your degree and is one of the leading states in accelerated programs. The job outlook for Dental Assistance in Florida is very good. The average pay for an Expanded Functions Dental Assistant is between $14. 00 and $18. 00 an hour. Now let’s take a look at the expanded functions of a Dental Assistant in the state of Minnesota.First of all, the educational requirements in Minnesota differ greatly from the requirements of Florida. The state of Minnesota does not recognize the name of Ex panded Function Dental Assistant; instead, they are Licensed Dental Assistants. To earn the status of a Licensed Dental Assistant in the state of Minnesota, a dental assistant must pass the DANB Certified Dental Assistant exam and either: ~Graduate from a MN CODA-accredited dental assisting program Or ~Graduate from a CODA-accredited program in a state other then MN and upon MN board review of curriculum, complete additional coursework Or Graduate from a non-CODA accredited dental assisting program or complete office training and complete a MN board approved course in Expanded Functions in MN. You also need to pass the MN Licensure exam, pass the MN Jurisprudence Exam and apply for registration to the MN Board of Dentistry. As you can see, MN is one state that requires a lot of certification to be considered an Expanded Function Dental Assistant. I feel it is important to know what is required of you from state to state so you are prepared as a Dental Assistant to meet each requirem ent before you decide to officially move.There are 3 expanded functions that an Expanded Functions Dental Assistant can perform under direct supervision by the licensed dentist, 12 functions that can be performed under indirect supervision, 2 functions under general supervision and 3 functions under personal supervision. The schooling required in the state of Minnesota outdoes the amount of responsibilities you will perform in your career as an Expanded Dental Assistant. The average salary in the state of MN is the same as the state of Florida – $14. 00 to $18. 00 per hour. It all depends on the office you work in to determine your pay and benefits.The expanded functions that a Dental Assistant can perform in the state of Minnesota differ then the expanded functions in the state of Florida. There are only 3 expanded functions that can be performed under direct supervision of a licensed dentist, 12 expanded functions under indirect supervision and 2 expanded functions under ge neral supervision. There are also 3 expanded functions that can be performed under personal supervision. The expanded functions that can be performed by the Dental Assistant under direct supervision include: ~ Place and remove matrix bands.Fabricate, cement and adjust temporary restorations extraorally and intraorally. ~ Remove temporary restorations with hand instruments only. This list is quite a bit shorter than the list of expanded functions that can be performed under direct supervision of a licensed dentist in Florida. The expanded functions that can be performed under indirect supervision include: ~Perform mechanical polishing to clinical crowns ~ Remove sutures ~ Dry root canals with paper points. ~ Remove and place ligature ties and arch wires on orthodontic appliances. ~ Apply topical medication. Place and remove rubber damns. ~ Preselect orthodontic bands. ~ Place and remove periodontal dressings. ~ Etch appropriate enamel surfaces. ~ Place and remove elastic orthodontics . ~ Monitor a patient that who has been induced by a dentist. ~ Remove excess cement from inlays, crowns, bridges and orthodontic appliances.The expanded functions that can be performed under general supervision include: ~Take radiographs. ~ Place temporary fillings. The expanded functions that can be performed by a Dental Assistant under personal supervision include: Retract a patient’s cheek, tongue or other parts of tissue during a dental operation. ~ Remove debris normally created during the course of treatment. ~Provide general assistance to a licensed dentist, hygienist and registered dental assistants in the performance of their duties. After reviewing the expanded functions of Dental Assistants in the state of Florida and Minnesota, I am very happy to start my Dental Assisting career. I will have more responsibilities and duties to perform in a dental practice in Florida. This will allow me to show the Dentist how productive and motivated I am in my career.I was surpr ised how different each states requirement for education compared to what an Assistant can perform though, but am glad I am now aware of what each state offers. I look forward to all the expanded functions available for me in both states and I know that I will excel at them. This research project allowed me to fully understand what will be expected of me here in Florida and Minnesota.Work Cited:(1) http://www. payscale. com Average state salary(2)http://www. danb. org Educational requirements and allowable functions

Rogerian Argument – Gun Control

1) What was the purpose of the essay? In your response, explore the deeper meaning of this question. The goal is not just to complete the assignment but instead to convey a message. What do you plan to accomplish with this essay? What do you hope the reader takes away from this argument? This essays purpose is to education people about gun regulations without favoring one side over the other. By using facts and not flat out saying what your stance is, I hope to persuade the reader to not listen to the media and make their own options.2) What did you learn from completing this assignment?  Did you experience a new understanding of the topic? Did you change your perspective after completing the research? The most interesting thing I found was gunfacts. info. That cites contained numerous facts about crime and how different actions used by Government played out. I always figured the UK would have a lower amount of gun violence with its strict regulations, but if fact it only made thin gs worse.3) What difficulties did you encounter during the research, writing, or editing phases of the assignment? I found it hard to remain neutral and not favor my true option.  While I’m sure it easy to figure out, I do see where the other side is coming from. I just don’t think they realize what their idea of â€Å"fixing† the problem would cause.4) What did you enjoy about this assignment? I’ve always enjoyed a good argument. While writing this paper I constantly went back and forth with my wife on what we thought should be implemented. We still disagree on magazine sizes.5) What made you decide to write about this particular topic? Is this a topic that you are discussing in another course? Is this a topic that concerns you in particular?  I know that the Government won’t take away my M-16 until my Military service is complete. I carry a concealed handgun anytime I go out. I could care less what happens to me, but if anyone try’s to hurt my wife they won’t like the outcome.6) Is there anything else you would like for me to know before reading your essay? Fact: Every day 550 rapes, 1,100 murders, and 5,200 other violent crimes are prevented just by showing a gun. In less than 0. 9% of these instances the gun ever actually fired. (Smith) Fact: Guns prevent an estimated 2. 5 million crimes a year or 6,849 every day.Often the gun is never fired and no blood (including the criminal’s) is shed. (Smith) I Would Gladly Pay You Tuesday for a Handgun Today Keeping guns out of the hands of people that wish to do harm to others, should be a goal of congress. This goal would be most effective if it was to be split into three category’s; Control of guns used for concealed carrying, control of guns used for home protection and keeping guns out of the hands of criminals. The last one is the most important, because most criminals don’t procure guns by using legal means.Gunfacts. info claims that peo ple with concealed carry permits are â€Å"5.7 times less likely to be arrested for violent offenses than the general public† (Smith) and â€Å"13. 5 times less likely to be arrested for non-violent offenses than the general public. † (Smith) So what does this tell us? Let’s look at what is required for most people to obtain a permit. In order to get a permit in South Carolina you have to attend a handgun safety class that teaches proper use and laws related to weapons. You must be 21 years old and the step that I think that should apply to anyone who what’s to own a weapon, submit finger prints for a background check.(Slider)It doesn’t seem like that would be too much to ask if you want to own something that could kill another person. So this tells me that perhaps to lower crimes with firearms, we need to educate people about firearms. This education would do the most good if it covered how to store firearms not only to prevent children from handl ing them, but to keep criminals from stealing them. Besides the illegal smuggling of firearms into the United States, criminal’s next popular means of obtaining weapons it through breaking into someone’s home.Properly securing your weapons in a manner that prevents unauthorized use would stop children from taking them into their school and criminals from walking off with them. Educating people on how to handle and clear a firearm would cut down on accidental deaths related to guns. You wouldn’t throw a teenager behind the wheel of a car without training. Before they can even drive they’re taught to look both ways before crossing the road. Why not take this concept with weapons?According to the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute the â€Å"overall accidental firearm deaths have  declined more than 70% from an average of 3,000 deaths annually in the 1920s and 1930s to 800 in 2002. † (SAAMI) Before we make new laws to combat gun violence, maybe we should look at the current laws and why there now working.Congressman Mike Pompeo said it best in his response to President Obama’s gun control proposal, â€Å"Is it too much to ask that our President enforce the laws we already have in place rather than try to take guns away from law-abiding citizens? † (Pompeo) Making new laws to supplement the ones we already have doesn’t seem like a productive way to solve a problem.Well, what if we ban guns completely? â€Å"Ironically, firearm use in crimes in the UK has doubled in the decade since handguns were banned. † (Smith) It seems getting rid of guns can’t even solve the problem. So why is it that we think limiting guns will? The biggest advocate for gun ownership is the National Rifle Association (NRA). This organization lobbies politicians to vote against laws that would limit the rights of gun owners. While at some times it may seem like they are doing the right thing, it is the belief of many that they are becoming too involved in legislation.The Business Insider states that †Because the NRA is simultaneously a lobbying firm, a campaign operation, a popular social club, a generous benefactor and an industry group, the group is a juggernaut of influence in Washington. † (Hickey) How can a group as powerful as the NRA be held responsible for where they spend their money and who it influences? The monopoly that the NRA has is hindering the ability to pass law that could curb gun violence. But they are also protecting the rights of citizen to own and carry firearms.It might be this all or nothing stance that the government needs to take on gun control. Just like parents have been saying for years, â€Å"if you can’t play nice, no one gets to use it. † There isn’t a simple fix to the problem at hand. No one answer can please all the groups involved. There are already too many guns in the population to ban them completely an d giving them away freely wouldn’t help either. Even if we educate everyone we still won’t be stop gang violence. Keeping guns out of the hands of criminals needs to start with getting rid of the need to commit crime.The random acts of violence like school shooting shouldn’t dictate the policy that restricts guns. Just like we don’t blame automobiles for drunk drivers, we need to focus on the criminals and not the tools they use. Hickey, Walter. â€Å"How The NRA Became The Most Powerful Special Interest In Washington. † Business Insider. Business Insider, 18 Dec. 2012. Web. 20 Jan. 2013. This article is filled with information on how the NRA became so powerful. I list their methods for financing and what it is involved in. The NRA is the wealthiest and most powerful interest group.  SAAMI.â€Å"Decades of Success In Reducing Firearms Accidents. † Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute, INC. N. p. , 2003. Web. 20 Jan. 2013. This is a simple pamphlet outlining how education has reduced accidental gun deaths. It conveys a lot of information quickly and using easy to read graphs. It takes credit for the decrease in death since the 1920’s. Slider, Gary, Steve Aikens, Eric F. Crist, and Jason Schafer. â€Å"Hand Gun Laws. † Handgunlaw. PC Solutions, Inc, 16 Jan. 2013. Web. 20 Jan. 2013. This is any handgun owner’s best resource.It has everything someone would need to know about the laws in every state and how they apply to gun owners. By simply clicking on your state you can see what other states honor your permit and clicking on other states will tell you their regulations if you want to travel there. Smith, Guy. â€Å"Gun Facts. † Gun Facts. N. p. , 10th Apr. 2012. Web. 20 Jan. 2013. This is an invaluable resource for anyone looking for statistics on guns. It covers other countries and spans over numerous years to provide comprehensive information. His approach of using myths a nd then outlining the facts about it is very enlightening.

Pfizer- Puffery or Deception Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pfizer- Puffery or Deception - Essay Example ’ is pertaining to this aspect of advertising. Even if one assumes that the information given by Pfizer in the ads is truthful, it in no way justifies using Dr. Jarvik as an ambassador for Lipitor. Pharmaceuticals are products that have a scientific basis. Hence, the purpose of any advertisement pertaining to a drug should focus on educating the physicians and increasing their awareness regarding that drug. Its objective should be to convince the targeted physicians about the effectiveness of that drug by extending scientific facts and data. In that context, the association of Dr. Jarvik with the ads points towards an attempt by Pfizer to influence the medical practitioners by impressing them with the appeal and stature of Dr. Jarvik. Going by the fact that drugs are products that could have severe impact on the users, usage of emotional appeal in a drug advertisement conveys an unethical and irresponsible attitude on the part of its manufacturers. Drugs are not like cereals o r washing machines that could or should rely on celebrity endorsements to increase sales. They are products that could make or mar the life of a patient. So, the USP of any drug should be reliable and scientific data and not emotional propaganda. For one, Pfizer tried to push the sales of its product by using emotional appeal.

Communication for Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Communication for Management - Assignment Example First of all, I would allow all my team members to express their individual views regarding a particular topic. Each of the member’s view would be properly listened. Contribution of each of them would be given enough importance. It is crucial to note that differences among group member’s beliefs, values and attitudes are the main source of conflict (Team Building Directory, n.d.). Hence, it is very important to apply this above mentioned strategy. The main objective of doing these would be to make the members feel that their involvements are very much significant in the way of achieving the group’s main target. Secondly, team members would be made involved in the decision making processes. This is likely to make sure that the decisions are not in favor of any particular individual rather they are taken for the overall betterment of the group and its performance. Communication is a crucial aspect which greatly impacts the aspects like ‘conflict’. As a manager of the team I would make sure that all the channels through which communication among the team members including me takes place are working properly. In simple words, there should not be any communication gap between me and my group

Causes for adoption of Chinas early modern period trading policies Essay

Causes for adoption of Chinas early modern period trading policies - Essay Example In order to find a probable explanation, the study of the economic history and the trading policies of China in the early modern period are very important to establish a relation with the present trading policies of the country and the causes for adoption of the same. The economic history of China ranges over the last two millennia. Although the Chinese economy was the largest for a major part of the history consisting of the pre-imperial, early imperial and the late imperial era, the wealth of the Chinese economy remained average due to the intermediate periods of prosperity and downfall. The late imperial period has been referred to as the early modern period that ranges from 1368-1911. This period was under the rule of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) followed by the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). Causes for adoption of China’s early modern period trading policies The collapse of the feudal system in China towards the end of imperial period led to the rise of merchant class in the e arly modern period in China. The rise of the merchant class led to the increase in trading. The introduction of paper money, technological advancements led to widespread economic transactions and the increase in trade. The state’s control over the Chinese economy diminished and this allowed the merchant class to engage into higher scale of investment in their zeal to attain higher profits. The Ming dynasty under Zhu Yuanzhang that ruled from 1368-1644 in the early modern period in China is considered to be the most prosperous periods and one of the Golden periods in the economy history of China. After leading the rebellion against the Mongol rule, Zhu Yuanzhang set up the Ming dynasty in the early modern period that encouraged the growth of private industries and replaced the state owned enterprises. The trade policies adopted by the Ming dynasty led to the increase in foreign trade supported by privatization policies. This led to increased trading between the East and the We st. This resulted in the growth of Chinese economy and GDP due to the trade policies that were adopted. Trade contacts were developed initially with India and Africa with state regulations. Slowly and gradually, the restrictions on foreign trade were removed. The Europeans, Japanese importers started to pay for the Chinese goods in exchange of silver which helped in monetizing the Chinese economy (Stearns 68). The end of the Ming dynasty saw the rise of the Qing dynasty towards the end of the early modern period. The Qing dynasty believed that their country is rich with resources and there was no need of foreign trade. This brought about stagnancy in the economy. After the warfare ended, the prohibition on foreign trade was lifted in 1684. This led to massive increase in foreign trade mainly with the European countries. This trade policy led to the development of the economy which in turn raised domestic demands in the early modern period. The prosperity of the Chinese economy, the rise in domestic demand, increase in gross domestic product observed in the early modern period due to the trade policies of increasing foreign trade backed by privatization are the major causes that led to the adoption of those trade policies that prevailed in the early modern period. Conclusion The probable explanation for the adoption of trade policies of the early modern period of China has been the effective decision making of the government to bring back the Golden days in the Chinese economy. After the People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949, the trading policies have not been much effective due to the excessive control of the state. In order to modernize the economy and bring sustainable

Does the term organizational culture infer that an organization has a Personal Statement

Does the term organizational culture infer that an organization has a healthy culture - Personal Statement Example The term organizational culture does not imply health. Instead, it implies any behavior by the workforce in the organization. These behaviors are mainly products of the organization history, market, the style of management, or type of employees working in the organization. Some organizations that have a negative history of poor management or handling of employees find it very hard to eradicate the negative cultures that erupted during these times (Alvesson 13). However, even when elements of these cultures are remaining, the organization cannot be said to be healthy. Therefore, an organization with a healthy culture is one that has been able to eliminate negative culture either through introducing change or replacing a generation of employees with new ones. Some of the positive cultures that makes the organization to be referred as healthy include; innovation, emphasis on outcome, emphasis on customers, teamwork, etc. However, these can be tarnished by negative cultures such as discr imination. Therefore, the top managers have a role of ensuring that the organization has a positive

Computer Based Training vs.Instructor Lead Training Term Paper

Computer Based Training vs.Instructor Lead Training - Term Paper Example The information provided will base on facts and previous researches. A conclusion will be based on information the essay provides. The aim of the essay is to determine the effectiveness of various modes of training and recommend on which mode is to be applied while undertaking training both as a student and as a faculty in general. Every school wants to have a competitive advantage and the result is the introduction of various training modes. The two modules contain various similarities in that the outcome will always depend on the set of guideline that is designed in the curriculum. The similarities include the learning objective, which in any cases is aimed at passing information to students, and develop graduates that are competitive in the market (Moyer, 2003). The institutional goals and mission guide this principle. The other similarity is the structure and layout, what is taught is similar this includes the three principles of learning which include acquiring, demonstration and assessment. Acquiring entails the passing of knowledge to the students and the mode of training is what creates demonstration. The two combine to create a learning environment that is conducive. The assessment is always in two forms, the continuous assessments, which majorly includes the course work and the final assessment that combines every element of the course. The three are similar in both computer-based training and instructor led tr aining. There exists the issue of accessibility in which the mode provides for readily available information. When enrolling one can do so at any given time of the learning calendar contrary to the other mode in which enrollment is done on a specified date. The issue of distance and travelling challenges are dealt with by this mode of training, in that one can acquire knowledge and be assessed online without visiting the training facility. The accessibility issue can also be applied to the working students where they

Machiavelli vs. Mohandas Gandhi-Martin Luther King Jr. on Power Essay - 1

Machiavelli vs. Mohandas Gandhi-Martin Luther King Jr. on Power - Essay Example The term ‘power’ has been explicatively the most contriving subject, a deep political discourse and a philosophical thought since generations and among great thinkers of the bygone era and even of today. What exhibits a power within a paradigm of political intrigues and among ruling elite is a question answered by philosophers with their philosophical juxtaposition to the contemporary political situation of the era. For some philosophers, the rule by force or law justifies power politics but through abiding by the moral principles. Following the ethical principles makes the ruler rightful heir to the powers he can exert. However the term ‘power’ has much more deep intensity and depth explored and applied into the consciousness of the people with great dexterity into the current political scenario. Machiavelli in his most famous treatise The Prince criticized this moral principle of authority to explain the power. For him there is no moral or ethical ground o n the basis of which legitimate or illegitimate use of power can be discussed, instead a person who is in authority has a right to command. This power position and explanation of power is contrary to the principles of Mahatma Gandhi-Martin Luther King Jr. for whom power is a means not an end in the political circle and when deep apathetic political overtures are being undertaken. The following essay will be a discussion on the Machiavelli’s concept against much lighter in intensity Mahatma Gandhi’s and Martin Luther King’s concept of power.

Planning an Educational Program Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Planning an Educational Program - Article Example The early educational practitioners realized the significant differences between adult education and the education of younger people. Consequently, adult educations programs were theoretically scrutinized and redesigned to meet the needs of the adult population. Currently, most of the educational programs that are targeting adults are increasingly being planned to ensure quality education for this particular social group (Merriam and Caffarella, 1999, p.47). The history of the contemporary adult educational program models dates back to the periods when the Veteran administration public schools were formed in the 1930s during the great depression. Throughout the 20th century, adult educational programs continued to develop along various disciplinary lines and, therefore, affected the larger organizations (Knowles, 1980, p.70). Some of the notable disciplines that contributed to the growth of these programs included psychology, philosophy, and sociology. For example, the early philosophers attempted to synchronize the theories of adult learning with the learning models through experimental learning. One of the most significant practitioners who championed the use of learning philosophy as a basis of adult learning programs was John Dewey. Dewey particularly pioneered the sub-field of reflective learning which eventually brought a number of new experiences to adult educational theories and perspectives. According to Dewey (1963), â€Å"lea rning is a lifelong process and individuals continue to learn new things and grow throughout their life times† (p.19). This view, however, contradicted the previous view that both growth and learning processes are finite and diminish once an individual has reached adulthood. Dewey also proposed that learning can only take place best within an institutional setting which does not obstruct any experience, and, therefore, learning environments should be designed to create new experiences and develop personality of the learners. The current workshop model of adult education programs is largely built on Dewey’s ideas. The modern models of adult educational programs have also been significantly shaped by developmental psychology, particularly through the use of social psychological theories of adult learning and development. According to these theories, adults are psychologically different from the normal young college students who are often in their adolescence ages. Consequ ently, the adult educational program models should demand a relatively different learning structure. For example, the theory of psychological development suggests that personality development occurs throughout the life span of an individual. As a person grows and matures, there is often a desire for new meanings which naturally is absent in childhood. On the other hand, Havinghurst (1971, p17) believed that the learning processes of adults are largely shaped by their subconscious social developmental tasks such as their need to find a mate, quest of how to live with a partner, how to develop their career goals, and how to establish their civic responsibilities. According to this perspective, adults can only learn best when they use learning programs that motivate and allow them to learn new behaviors that will enable them to achieve these task demands. Similarly, other moral development model of adult education programs were developed on the basis of the demands of cognitive develop ment in adults.

The Celtic Religion Essay Example for Free

The Celtic Religion Essay The Celts were an ancient group of people who populated a substantial area of Europe from the British Isles to Galatia. The Celts are thought to have existed from about 1000BC to the 1st century when they were conquered by the Romans. The Celtic religion was extremely complex and is difficult for modern day man to understand. This essay will discuss the nature and role of religion in the ancient Celtic society. The Celts were polytheistic sharing some beliefs that spanned across all the tribes; however, each tribe had their own beliefs and rituals. The Celts worshiped many gods and goddesses and a lot of the Celtic religion revolved around the worship of natural phenomena including water, sky, mountains, trees and earth. The worship of water deities was common among all Celtic tribes due to their medicinal and healing properties. There have been a number offerings which the Celts made for their gods that have been discovered in rivers, springs and wells. An example of a famous Celtic-healing site linked with water is Bath found in England. Other places where Celts made offerings to their gods were in sacred groves and forest clearings. Animals were revered by the Celts for their special qualities of speed, strength, ferocity and cunning and the gods that were represented were mostly in animal form. Some of the animals important to the Celts included boars, stags, bears, hares, birds and horses. Due to the Celts close connection with nature shrines and altars were built in the forest. These were generally made of wood, evidence for this is found in classical literature. For example, Lucan, a Roman poet, describes an altar in a forest near Marseilles, â€Å"altars were erected on little hillocks and all the trees were purifies with human blood.† This is also evidence of sacrifice, which formed a part of the nature of the Celtic religion. Both humans and animals were sacrificed in honour of their gods. Julius Caesar mentions such sacrifice in The Conquest of Gaul, â€Å"†¦after a victory they sacrifice the captured the animals and collect the rest of the spoil in one spot†. The Druids were Celtic priests who played a major role in the ancient Celtic society and were of a high status among the Celts. Their role was that of priest, scholar and judge. They were in charge of religious activities; they performed rituals and also played the role of a judge. No significant political decision was made without the Druids as there attendance was seen as necessary to obtain the gods favor. When disputes arouse the Druids played the role of a judge whether the issue was between tribes or individuals; whatever the crime being committed was, it was the responsibility of the Druids to arbitrate the problem and decide on the compensation to be paid and received by the parties involved. The Druids also gave rulings on all religious questions and groups of numerous men would go to them for instruction and advice. According to the historian, Diogenes Laà «rtius, it is apparent that the Druids held three truths; the need to honour the gods, to abstain from evil and to show bravery. The Druids spent many years learning the sacred texts and passing them onto their followers. An example of the way in which they taught their followers were at feast and festivals through the bardic tradition of singing and reciting stories of gods and heroes. As can be seen, the Druids played an important role in the lives of the Celtic people. It is evident from looking at the writings of classical authors that Celtic festivals, when held, were grand. They included great feasts, processions, the making of offerings and human and animal sacrifices to their gods. The four main festivals that were held by the Celts were the Samhain, Imbloc, Belteine or Beltane and Lughnasadh. Samhain was believed to be the most important festival and occurred on the first of November, some believe this was the beginning of the Celtic year. This was not only a significant religious festival that included proper ceremonies and sacrifices, but was also a day holding important political and administrative functions. Barry Cunliffe writes in his book The Celtic World, â€Å"During Samhain†¦ the whole tribe presumably assembled for feasting and to ensure, through sacrifice, the continued fertility of the crops and herds.† The Imbloc festival was celebrated on the first of February and meant ‘ewe’s milk’, this name was given for this festival as it marked the birth of the first lambs and commemorates the return of fresh milk. This festival celebrates the return of the cycle of new life to the earth and marks the rebirth of nature and fertility. It is the celebration of bringing nature back to life. The Belteine or Beltane festival took place on the first of May and is the feast of light and marks the season of sunny weather. On this day the Druids light the beacon fires to bring good news of the coming season to the people. The Lughnasadh was a harvest festival that occurred on the first of August and marked the end of summer growth and the beginning of autumn harvest. These four festivals marked the seasons of the year and were major events for the Celtic society. The practice of human sacrifice in honour of their gods was a normal occurrence in Celtic society. Strabo, a Greek geographer, talks about the Celts and human sacrifice in his book Geography, â€Å"They used to strike a human being, whom they have devoted to death, in the back with a sword, and then divine from his death struggle.† The Celts held the belief â€Å"an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth† and also â€Å"a life for a life†. For example when a person was sick, the relatives may make a human sacrifice in order that their kin would be spared. Other reasons the Celts made human sacrifices were to ensure survival of warrior before battle, the prisoners were usually the ones that were sacrificed in this circumstance and in times of need such as famine or plague. Celtic society was heavily influenced by their religious beliefs and practices, this is shown through the connection they felt with nature, the Druids status and power in the society and the festivals that marked their calendar year. Religious matters were never expressed in writing; however, the strong oral tradition of the Celts enabled the passing down of their religious practices. This along with classical literature has provided the future generations with an insight into both the nature and role that religion played in Celtic society.

Domestic Politics and International Relations Essay Example for Free

Domestic Politics and International Relations Essay I. International relations as venerable subject. A. People were studying international relations before there were nations. B. Kautilya, Sun Tzu, Thucydides, and Herodotus were the first philosophers and scientists to write about international relations more than 2,500 years ago. C. The key fundamental law of international relations states that politics is rooted in domestic affairs. D. The moral law causes people to remain subjected to their ruler and moral law restrains the use of force. II. Methods to investigate the history of international relations are combining logic and evidence, mathematical method and statistical analysis. A. The method of combining logic and evidence or case studies. 1. Knowledge of international relations will be improved. 2. The path to insight is to analyze individual events or, in other words, to develop a case study. 3. Case studies are effective in evaluating the verisimilitude between the theory and practice (action). B. Statistical analysis suggests aims at investigating general patterns among the cases and examines large numbers of events. 1. Predicted patterns should include the probability distribution across the outcomes, not across deterministic results. 2. The method uncovers ideas and key points about the general orderliness of the origin of international relations. 3. In contrast to case study approach, statistical method probes the generality of the hypothesis under investigation, as well as its extreme validity. C. Mathematical analysis ensures internal consistency in arguments about complex relations about variables. 1. Mathematics is claimed to be the best tool for pursuing logical analysis of the complex problems as the alternative contains greater ambiguity and imprecision in meaning. 2. Still many scientists denounce the importance of mathematical method in learning international relations as they argue that ‘the interesting problems of politics are too complex to be reduced to mathematical equations’, but mathematics is exact when dealing with complex problems. 3. Mathematical approach is necessary for linking case study and archival techniques. III. Fundamental insight in the nature of international affairs through effectiveness and combination of key methods. A. Case studies should be facilitated because of their nature unique and not indicative of general laws. B. Productive collaboration with colleagues should be encouraged by combing mathematical, statistical and formal methods. C. The benefits of case studies are well-known, whereas the benefits of logical and mathematical methods are still under debate. D. Nowadays, all three methodologies are used for evaluation how international relations are shaped to domestic politics.

The Protection Of Marine Ecosystems Environmental Sciences Essay

The Protection Of Marine Ecosystems Environmental Sciences Essay Oceans cover approximately 71 % of Earths surface and comprise the greatest preponderance of its hydrosphere. While all the seas of the world share certain obvious characteristics, many have unique attributes. For example, shipping lanes and straits are used more intensively than other parts of the ocean for navigation, making accidents and spills there more likely; some areas of the sea are more ecologically fragile than others; some seas such as the Mediterranean and the Baltic, are semi-closed, inhibiting the exchange of their waters with those of the rest of the ocean and thus slowing the process of self-purification; and some parts of the ocean are utilized more intensively by humans than others, resulting in more pollution, both chronic and accidental. The worlds oceans are under stress from over-fishing, climate change, invasive species and marine pollution. United Nations Environmental Programme Ocean Atlas define pollution sources that exist through the world as leading to a state of silent collapse. The stresses are particularly acute in coastal areas. In addition to ocean dumping and spills, intensive shore development funnels oil and toxic pollutants into coastal waters. Nutrient run off from farm and yard fertilizers cause algae blooms which threaten coral reefs and sea grass beds. In this project, the various aspects related to the protection of marine ecosystems have been analyzed in detail. Also, the particular problems of the conservation of marine ecosystemand marine biodiversity and the threats with which they are confronted have been examined. Finally, the international regime for the protection of marine ecosystem has been discussed in detail with special reference to UNCLOS. Also, the international regime for the protection of marine ecosystem components has been discussed in brief. WHAT IS MARINE ECOSYSTEM? The problems of addressing the conservation of marine ecosystems and the maintenance of biodiversity in the oceans are qualitatively different from those of terrestrial systems. Because mankind is a terrestrial creature, there is, perhaps, inevitably a terrestrial bias in understanding of species and of ecosystem as well as the means which have been developed for their protection. This bias is reflected in the Convention on Biological Diversity itself.Article 2 of the Convention defines biological diversity to include variability amongst living organisms from all sources includingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are a part, however it goes on to specify that this includes diversity within the species, between species and of ecosystems. Nowhere else in the Convention is specific reference made to the protection of marine biodiversity although Article 22(2) does specifically provide that contracting States shall implement the Convention with respect to the marine environment consistently with the rights and obligations of States under the law of the sea. In fact the whole approach of the Convention directed as it is to the biotechnology issues and, arguably a concept of national ownership of resources based on assumptions about endemic species bypasses some of the key issues of marine biodiversity conservation. Awareness of the importance of ecosystems or of ecosystem conservation and management is relatively new in international arena. Few international instruments rarely use this precise terminology. MARINE BIODIVERSITY: WHY IS IT IMPORTANT AND HOW IS IT THREATENED? The oceans cover 70% of the planet yet far less is known about the marine environment than the terrestrial; 80% of all the known species are terrestrial; only sixteen of the 6,691 species officially classified as endangered are marine and fourteen of these are mammals and turtles creatures which have some affinity with the terrestrial creatures. Because of the fluid nature of the marine environment scientists suggest that there has been less opportunity or need for speciation in marine organisms, as there has been in land organisms in which species and subspecies have developed as they have become separated from each other by physical forces. This does not mean however that, oceans are single amorphous system. Apart from the obvious variations in the oceans at different latitudes or depths, the existence of closed or semi-closed seas and of major currents, confluences and gyres in the open system means that there is a wide variety of different ecosystems in the marine environment. H owever, these bear little relation to the various legal jurisdictional zones established by customary international law and now to be found codified in the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention. As seen from the definition of biodiversity given in CBD, the common practice of terrestrial biologists of assessing biological diversity or richness in terms of number of species and subspecies in a particular ecosystem, especially number of those who are unique or endemic. However, as far as marine biodiversity is concerned speciation is low and endemism uncommon. In oceans there is far greater variety of organisms amongst the higher taxonomic orders than species or subspecies. In the last few years entirely new life-forms which thrive in the boiling waters around deep ocean thermal vents have been discovered which offer exciting opportunities for development of medical and industrial processes. Marine and coastal systems provide important food sources, and marine creatures offer a multitude of different substances which may be of significance to the medical and chemical industry. It is well established that oceans play a key role as sinks for greenhouse gases, but also, and perhaps more significantly, there is increasing evidence that marine biota play an important role in global chemical processes which may affect the climate change. Thorne Miller and Catena suggest that the concentration on genetic, species and ecological diversity reflected in the work of terrestrial biologists (and strongly represented in the 1992 Convention) overshadows what has been termed functional diversity which reflect biological complexity of an ecosystem. In their words: In the face of environmental change, the loss of genetic diversity weakens a populations ability to adapt; the loss of species diversity weakens a communitys ability to adapt; the loss of functional diversity weakens an ecosystems ability to adapt; and the loss of ecological diversity weakens the whole biospheres ability to adapt. The evidence suggest that marine ecosystems are rich in functional diversity, and that there are therefore dangers in transferring to the marine environment concerns about lower order diversity and about protection of rarity which have been developed in a terrestrial context. There are threats to the very maintenance of ecosystems. The most significant threats are posed by marine pollution from a variety of sources and activities, from over-exploitation or indiscriminate exploitation of marine species, as well as the destruction of the coastal habitats. A large proportion of sea creatures depend on the inshore or coastal areas for an important part of their breeding or life-cycles. The destruction or degradation of coastal habitats or the degradation of coastal water quality therefore has a major impact on a widespread of marine `life. This does suggest that protection of rare and endangered species and of key and representative ecosystems may also be appropriate to certain aspects of marine biodiversity conservation. These protected areas cannot in themselves provide protection from marine pollution. It must also be said that despite the fact that 1982 UNCLOS specifically recognizes that the problems of ocean space are closely inter-related and need to b e considered as a whole. Also, the maritime jurisdictional zones recognized by UNCLOS, inevitably make arbitrary decisions in ocean ecosystems, do not assist a holistic approach to management of these issues. The recognition by international environmental law of the importance of ecosystem management is relatively of recent origin. The earlier environmental treaties related simply to species protection. It is possible to group the general classes of relevant international obligations. Firstly, those that address specific threats to marine environment and therefore to marine ecosystem.Secondly, those obligations that address the conservation what might be called ecosystems components and finally those obligations that require conservation of marine ecosystems per se. Such a classification may serve to identify the strengths as well as defects and lacunae in the current legal regimes. CONSERVATION OF MARINE ECOSYSTEMS The recognition of importance of management of ecosystems, rather than simply those of their components which maybe of immediate significance to mankind, is a relatively recent phenomenon. Crucial steps in development were the 1972 Stockholm Declaration and the 1980 IUCN World Conservation Strategy which formed the basis of the 1982 UN General Assembly World Charter for Nature, and which popularized the concept of, as well as the term, life support systems and which stressed the interrelationship of these with other ecological processes and genetic diversity. INTERNATIONAL REGIME FOR THE PROTECTION OF MARINE ECOSYSTEM UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE LAW OF SEA, 1982 (UNCLOS) In order to seek an answer to a wider question of whether there is a general obligation on all States to conserve marine ecosystem, it is necessary to look beyond the specific treaty obligations at customary international law. The starting point of this assessment is UNCLOS which came into force only in November, 1994 but which is widely recognized as reflective of customary law. Customary law recognizes the division of ocean into a series of juridical regimes which reflect criteria related to Coastal States sovereignty and resource exploitation rather than considerations of ecosystem integrity. The nature of the obligations which the customary international law, and now the 1982 UNCLOS, imposes on the States in relation to the marine environment does to a large extent depend upon the juridical nature of the particular waters under consideration, consequently these jurisdictional divisions can create a major obstacle to the rational management of ecosystems or species which cross or straddle more than one zone. Broadly, the oceans are divided into the following maritime zones: internal waters behind the coastal state baseline; a belt of territorial waters up to 12 nautical miles in breadth, a 24 nm contiguous zone with restricted enforcement jurisdiction, a 200 nm exclusive economic zone or fishing zone, and the high seas beyond these limits. Within each of these zones, the Convention envisages a different balance of rights and duties between the coastal states and other states. UNCLOS contains a number of provisions of general significance for the protection of marine ecosystems. Nevertheless, it would probably be a mistake to think this was a conscious drafting objective per se. It is certainly possible to read into the provisions of Part XII of the Convention endorsement for a marine ecosystem approach to marine conservation, although these obligations are even less precise than those relating to pollution control. Article 192 of UNCLOS recognizes a general obligation to protect and preserve marine environment. In so far as this goes beyond simple protection, it can be interpreted as being an obligation to behave in a precautionary way. Article 194(5) specifically requires that measures taken in accordance with this Part shall include those necessary to protect and preserve rare and fragile ecosystems as well as the habitat of depleted, threatened or endangered species and other forms of marine life. As this provision is located within general provisions of Part XII this requires all States to protect these special ecosystems and habitats form the effects of pollution originating from all sources in addition to other general conservation measures. Article 196 requires the States to take all measures to prevent, reduce and control pollution from the use of technologies under either their jurisdiction or control. This could be mean to read biotechnology or any other polluting technology. The rest of the paragraph requires the states to prevent, reduce and control the incidental or accidental introduction of species, alien or new, to a particular part of marine environment which may cause significant or harmful changes thereto. However, the definition of pollution adopted by UNCLOS does not make explicit reference to impacts on marine ecosystems. This defect has been remedied by in some regional conventions. In the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) (Part V) coastal States are obliged to ensure through proper conservation and management measures that the maintenance of living resources is not endangered by over-exploitation, taking into consideration the effects on species associated with or dependent upon harvested species with a view to maintaining or restoring populations of such associated or dependent species above levels at which their reproduction may become seriously threatened. Similar provisions apply to such species in high sea fisheries. But these provisions only aim to maintain the viability of such species, and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..[not] to protect their role within the food web or the functioning of the marine ecosystem as a whole. 1980 CANBERRA CONVENTION ON THE CONSERVATION OF ANTARTIC MARINE LIVING RESOURCES This is arguably the first convention to be centered on ecosystem approach to conservation and has been described as a model of ecological approach. Even the geographical scope of the treaty itself is unique, in that it is designed around the Antarctic ecosystem. Under Article 1, the Convention applies to the Antarctic marine resources of the area south of 60 degrees South latitude and to the Antarctic marine living resources of the area between that latitude and the Antarctic Convergence which form a part of Antarctic marine ecosystem. The Antarctic ecosystem is then defined by Article 1(3) as the complex of relationships fop Antarctic marine living resources with each other and with their physical environment. The sole objective of the Convention is declared to be the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources; conservation however is defined to include rational use. To achieve this end any harvesting or associated activities has to be conducted in accordan.ce with declared principles. These objectives, which clearly relate to the maintenance of the ecosystem rather than its exploitation, are implemented by the Commission for Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) which coordinates research on Antarctic marine living resources and adopts appropriate conservation and management measures. A further formal step in the protection of Antarctic Ecosystem was taken with the conclusion of the 1991 Madrid Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty on Environmental Protection. 1985 ASEAN CONVENTION ON CONSERVATION OF NATURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES Another treaty of major potential significance but, unfortunately, still not in force after a decade is the 1985 ASEAN Convention on Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. This Convention reflects in its wording the concepts contained in the 1980 IUCN World Conservation Strategy, embracing a clear ecosystem approach to conservation. Kiss and Shelton describe this Treaty at the most comprehensive approach to viewing conservation problems that exist today. The Convention recognizes the interdependence of living resources, between them and other natural resources, within the ecosystems of which they are a part. It is divided into eight chapters. It is tempting to observe that the major treaties calling for marine ecosystem conservation considered thus far are either limited in geographical scope, or not yet in force, or both. GENERAL CUSTOMARY INTERNATIONAL LAW There is a general obligation first promulgated by Principle 21 of Stockholm Declaration and now to be found in Principle 2 of Rio Declaration to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment of other States or to areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction. This obligation not to cause damage extends not simply to activities physically located within the State territory but also to activities within the State jurisdiction. Customary international law would impose responsibility on States under this principle for a range of activities which impact on marine ecosystems whether such activities take place within the areas of national jurisdiction or outside or straddling such areas.Activities which could be argued to cause damage to marine ecosystems and to fall foul of this principle would include marine pollution particularly that emanating from land based sources and activities; it could also be extended to fishing and related activities which impact upon rare and endangered marine species or their habitat. REGIMES FOR THE CONSERVATION OF MARINE ECOSYSTEM COMPONENTS Historically, the two main techniques which have been utilized by international conventions for the conservation of marine species are derived from those taken for terrestrial species, namely, the regulation or prohibition of the taking of designated species and the protection of habitat by designation of protection areas. PROTECTION OF SPECIES The protection of designated species has habitually been addressed by the imposition of restrictions and prohibitions on the harvesting, taking or killing of target species. The approach was taken by the 1946 Whaling Convention, by the various seal hunting regulatory agreements and by the 1973 Polar Bears Agreement. Such a strategy is still maintained as a part of approach adopted by more modern generic or regional protected species treaties such as the 1979 Bonn Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals and the regional treaties concluded under UNEP Regional Seas Programme. PROTECTED AREAS The second key technique, often used in combination with protection of species and in modern treaties increasingly merge with it, is the establishment of protected areas either to protect the habitats of specific species or as representative examples of ecosystems or habitats. These may be important isolated areas or take their place within a systematic network permitting for example transnational migration. In the terrestrial environment between 5-8% of the total world land mass now lies in protected areas. Despite the fact the sea covers more than two and a half times the land area, marine protected areas may cover an area less than half that of terrestrial protected areas. REGULATION OF TRADE IN WILD SPECIES One of the major threats to marine species such as sea turtles is the commercial trade in products such as turtle shell. Other well known threats to marine ecosystems are posed by over exploitation of shells and corals for the tourist souvenir trade and of reef fish for the aquarium trade. CITES provides the main regulation of such trade, although a number of treaties provide independent proscriptions or regulation of such trade. CONCLUSION It is paradoxical that although the particular problems of conservation of many marine creatures, particularly pelagic creatures, make them particularly suitable to regulation at an international level under a treaty on biological diversity, in fact the most important discussions concerning conservation of marine biological diversity are currently taking place in the context of other forums those relating to land based resources, straddling fish stocks or at a regional or sectoral level. The recognition by the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity of the issue of the conservation of biological diversity as a matter of common concern of humankind implies that all states have a legal interest in the issue as well as positive responsibility to safeguard it. However, this common concern still requires a more obvious focus than national actions or diverse regional or sectoral actions, for much of the attention has to be taken in international waters as well in coastal waters or in ways that will reflect natural ecosystem boundaries rather than national maritime jurisdictional boundaries. It can thus, be concluded that there is an existence of a substantial body of treaty law which seeks to address one or more aspects of marine ecosystem conservation. Although, a few treaties actually commit themselves to this, it is clear that a large number of treaty regimes are developing an ecosystem approach through their parties interpretation of their existing treaty obligations. UNCLOS can be seen as a most positive force in the crystallization of the general obligations of States to protect the marine environment. Nevertheless, important though the obligations of Part XII are in this respect, they too require further substantial elaboration and implementation. A protocol on the conservation of marine biodiversity in context of protection of marine ecosystems would be an obvious way of seeking to remedy the lacunae of existing regimes and refocusing attention on this crucial, but somewhat neglected, aspect of biodiversity debate.

Modern Tragic Hero Essay -- Character Analysis, Willy Loman

Death of a Salesman, considered as Author Millers most accomplished and successful plays, features the life of Willy Loman, a delusional salesman with a grandiose plan to live the American dream. As a result to the tragic events of Willy Loman’s life starting with his father’s abandonment, and ending with his suicide, Willy Loman never lives the life he has always dreamed. Although, arguably discredited as a tragic hero, Willy Loman attains the qualities essential to credit him as a tragic hero of modern times. Whether or not Willy Loman is a tragic hero in Death of a Salesman’s has been a subject of controversy since the play’s first production. Traditional Aristotelian perception of a tragedy asserts that a tragic hero must be of noble descent by birth or soul (Nienhuis 2). However, Author Miller’s essay â€Å"Tragedy and the Common Man,† appeals the Aristotelian view, and insists â€Å"the flaw, or crack in the character, is really nothing—and need be nothing, but his inherent unwillingness to remain passive in the face of what he conceives to be a challenge to his dignity.† Miller declares that in all tragedies a hero reflects a tragic flaw that need not come only through noble descent but through a fight to stay in one’s position. In the present time, traditional tragedy fails to evoke emotions based on a lack of first-hand experience with heroes of noble rank. Thus, the rank of a character â€Å"no longer raises our passio ns, nor our concepts of justice,† as it would have previously because we do not live in a time ruled by kings and queens (Miller, Tragedy, and the Common Man 3). Today emotions are evoked through the pain and suffering of the common man because as times change so do the persons that people can relate to.... ... considered pathetic. Nevertheless, Willy’s suicide cuts the deep into the emotions causing a feeling of sorrowfulness on his behalf because he vigorously tried to provide a great life for his family and never could. In a final analysis, Willy Loman misses the mark, and does not fit Aristotle’s strict definition of a tragic hero. Despite the ancient definition of a tragic hero, Willy Loman appeals to our emotions, has several tragic flaws, and partially realizes his wrongs. Thus, Willy Loman is a common tragic hero in the present time. Times have drastically changed since Aristotle, and it is time for a change in how a tragic hero is perceived. Arthur Miller provides perfect justification for a common tragic hero he states, â€Å"I believe that the common man is as apt a subject for tragedy in its highest sense as kings were† (Miller, Tragedy, and the Common Man 3).

Symbolism In The Great Gatsby Essay -- essays research papers

Symbolism in The Great Gatsby   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of The Great Gatsby, uses symbolism throughout the novel to create the characters and events of the post World War I period. Colors are one way symbolism was used to develop the characters’ personalities and set up events. This is shown by colors like the green at the end of Daisy Buchannan’s dock, the color of Jay Gatsby’s car and how Myrtle and Jordan surrounded themselves by white. Other symbolisms used to set up events are the difference in the people of the West Egg and East Egg and the sign in the â€Å"valley of ashes†. Daisy Buchanan has a green light at the end of her of dock on the other side of the bay from Jay Gatsby’s house. The green light represents Jay’s money, jealousy, and the go ahead for Jay Gatsby to get Daisy back from Tom no matter what it takes.. â€Å"Gatsby stretched his arms towards the dark water in a curious way, and as far as I was from him I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward-and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of the dock† (p25-26). Jay Gatsby thinks that money will make his former lover come back to him. Every one that attends the party is very envious of Jay Gatsby’s money. Gatsby is very jealous of Tom because he is married to Daisy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Countryman 2 Gatsby bought a gold car to show of his great wealth. He wanted Daisy to see the car, ...

The Magic Of Queen Essay examples -- Music

Do you ever wonder what an arduous task it is to listen to the music and understand the complexity of it? Just as Walker Percy implies in his essay "The Loss of the Creature," people generally tend to divide into two categories when it comes to viewing the issues of life. We have the "common" individuals who notice the complexity of the matters, but who interpret it in superficial ways, and we have the "complex" individuals who tear through the outer layer and look to find the answers to their questions (Percy . It was not until I remembered an event which took place a few years ago, that I started to apply this simple-sounding division to a process of enjoying the splendor of music. I was sixteen at the time, tired of the difficulty of life, and the monotony of the gray colored everyday existence. Being trapped in the middle of the teenage years seems trivial, and somewhat insignificant now that I understand that the infamous "struggle" is in fact something which makes life worth living. Nevertheless, at the time of my sweet sixteen I was dissatisfied with the organized routine of my life, and seriously broken-hearted. I remember aimlessly wandering the streets one rainy evening. I never imagined that the weak sound coming from an open window of an apartment complex, and desperately trying to tear its way through the curtain of rain would, in fact, later become my ultimate discovery of the real meaning of music. I stood in the pouring rain mesmerized by something that touched my soul, after tearing through the layer of    "normality." It was a rock song. Rock, but different in some way – a mixture of ethereal mysticism, magic and strength. It was for the first time that I started looking for complexity in music, not only for... ...e, needed to go on in the hearts of those who loved his music. "My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies," Freddie sang. This is exactly the portrait he left in the minds of his fans. He transferred me into the world of magic and fairytales, and this is what almost everyone of us needs from time to time. A break from reality and real life. Things like that help us all retain sanity on the little stranded islands of loneliness, in the sea of people, worries, and everyday problems. Until I arrive on the sandy beach, with a precious disc tucked under my arm, wish me luck†¦ Work Cited Marcus, Greil, eds. Stranded: Rock and Roll for a Desert Island. New York: Da Capo Press, 1996. Dean, Ken. Queen. Krakow: Wydawnictwo "Rock-Serwis", 1992. Percy, Walker. "The Loss of the Creature." The Message in the Bottle. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1975: 46-63. The Magic Of Queen Essay examples -- Music Do you ever wonder what an arduous task it is to listen to the music and understand the complexity of it? Just as Walker Percy implies in his essay "The Loss of the Creature," people generally tend to divide into two categories when it comes to viewing the issues of life. We have the "common" individuals who notice the complexity of the matters, but who interpret it in superficial ways, and we have the "complex" individuals who tear through the outer layer and look to find the answers to their questions (Percy . It was not until I remembered an event which took place a few years ago, that I started to apply this simple-sounding division to a process of enjoying the splendor of music. I was sixteen at the time, tired of the difficulty of life, and the monotony of the gray colored everyday existence. Being trapped in the middle of the teenage years seems trivial, and somewhat insignificant now that I understand that the infamous "struggle" is in fact something which makes life worth living. Nevertheless, at the time of my sweet sixteen I was dissatisfied with the organized routine of my life, and seriously broken-hearted. I remember aimlessly wandering the streets one rainy evening. I never imagined that the weak sound coming from an open window of an apartment complex, and desperately trying to tear its way through the curtain of rain would, in fact, later become my ultimate discovery of the real meaning of music. I stood in the pouring rain mesmerized by something that touched my soul, after tearing through the layer of    "normality." It was a rock song. Rock, but different in some way – a mixture of ethereal mysticism, magic and strength. It was for the first time that I started looking for complexity in music, not only for... ...e, needed to go on in the hearts of those who loved his music. "My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies," Freddie sang. This is exactly the portrait he left in the minds of his fans. He transferred me into the world of magic and fairytales, and this is what almost everyone of us needs from time to time. A break from reality and real life. Things like that help us all retain sanity on the little stranded islands of loneliness, in the sea of people, worries, and everyday problems. Until I arrive on the sandy beach, with a precious disc tucked under my arm, wish me luck†¦ Work Cited Marcus, Greil, eds. Stranded: Rock and Roll for a Desert Island. New York: Da Capo Press, 1996. Dean, Ken. Queen. Krakow: Wydawnictwo "Rock-Serwis", 1992. Percy, Walker. "The Loss of the Creature." The Message in the Bottle. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1975: 46-63.

Eastern Theater Essay

Noh and Kyogen The earliest existing Kyogen scripts date from the 14th century. Kyogen was used as an intermission between Noh acts — it linked the theme of the Noh play with the modern world by means of farce and slapstick. The Noh was only performed to the high level class. Unlike Noh, the performers of Kyogen do not wear masks, unless their role calls for physical transformation. Both men and women were allowed to perform Kyogen until 1450. Kabuki The best known form of Japanese theatre is Kabuki. It was performed by Okunis. Perhaps its fame comes from the wild costumes and swordfights, which used real swords until the 1680s. Kabuki grew out of opposition to Noh — they wanted to shock the audience with more lively and timely stories. The first performance was in 1603. Like Noh, however, over time Kabuki became not just performing in a new way, but a stylized art to be performed only a certain way. As a matter of interest, the popular Gekidan Shinkansen, a theatrical troupe based in Tokyo today, insists it follows pure kabuki tradition by performing historical roles in a modern, noisy, and outlandish way — to shock the audience as kabuki intended, if you will. Whether or not they are kabuki, however, remains a matter of debate and personal opinion. Kabuki is a type of theatre that combines music, drama, and dance. Bunraku Puppets and Bunraku were used in Japanese theatre as early as the noh plays. Medieval records record the use of puppets actually in Noh plays. Puppets are 3- to 4-foot-tall (0.91 to 1.2 m) dolls that are manipulated by puppeteers in full view of the audience. The puppeteers controlling the legs and hands are dressed entirely in black, while the head puppeteer is wearing colorful clothing. Music and chanting is a popular convention of bunraku, and the shamisen player is usually considered to be the leader of the production. Modern theatre Japanese modern drama in the early 20th century, the 1910s, consisted of Shingeki (experimental Western-style theater), which employed naturalistic acting and contemporary themes in contrast to the stylized conventions of Kabuki and Noh. HÃ… getsu Shimamura and Kaoru Osanai were two figures influential in the development of shingeki. In the postwar period, there was a phenomenal growth in creative new dramatic works, which introduced fresh aesthetic concepts that revolutionized the orthodox modern theater. Challenging the realistic, psychological drama focused on â€Å"tragic historical progress† of the Western-derived shingeki, young playwrights broke with such accepted tenets as conventional stage space, placing their action in tents, streets, and open areas and, at the extreme, in scenes played out all over Tokyo. Plots became increasingly complex, with play-within-a-play sequences, moving rapidly back and forth in time, and intermingling reality with fantasy. Dramatic structure was fragmented, with the focus on the performer, who often used a variety of masks to reflect different personae. Playwrights returned to common stage devices perfected in Noh and Kabuki to project their ideas, such as employing a narrator, who could also use English for international audiences. Major playwrights in the 1980s were Kara Juro, Shimizu Kunio, and Betsuyaku Minoru, all closely connected to specific companies. In contrast, the fiercely independentMurai Shimako won awards throughout the world for her numerous works focusing on the Hiroshima bombing. ELEMENTS The Musician’s Stage (Yuka)This is the auxiliary stage upon which the gidayu-bushi is performed. It thrusts out into the audience area at the front right portion of the seats. Upon this auxiliary stage there is a special revolving platform. It is upon this revolving platform that the chanter and the shamisen player make their appearance, and, when they are finished, it turns once more, bringing them backstage and placing the next performers on the stage. The Partitions (Tesuri) and the Pit (Funazoko)Between extreme upstage and extreme downstage, there are three stage partitions, known as â€Å"railings† (tesuri). The area behind the second partition is called the pit (funazoko;lit., â€Å"ship bottom†), and it is where the manipulators stand. It is one step lower than the main stage. When the puppets move, their feet move along the railings, making it look as though they are actually walking upon the ground. The building (yatai) or painted backdrop (kakiwari) is attached to the partition farthest from the audience (main railing). Training to become a puppeteer begins with the feet, and then the left hand, and finally proceeds to the head and right hand. Such a long period of study was required those in olden times, it was said: â€Å"Ten years for the feet, ten years for the left.† In order to help the left-hand puppeteer maintain a more comfortable position, the head puppeteer wears some special footwear known as â€Å"stage clogs† or â€Å"elevated clogs.† A large doll can be as much as 1 m 50 cm tall, while a smaller one is about 1 m 30 cm, so the height of the elevated clogs to be used can vary from 20 cm to 50 cm, depending upon such conditions as the size of the doll. The heads of the dolls are carved of wood and are hollow, and they are placed atop a special head-grip stick (dogushi), which is placed through a hole in the shoulder board; it is with this stick that the main puppeteer manipulates the doll. There are lengths of fabric draped both in front of and in back of the shoulde r board, and they are attached to bamboo hoops. The puppet’s costumes consist of an under robe (juban), an inner kimono (kitsuke), an outer jacket (haori) or outer robe (uchikake), the collar (eri), and the belt-like sash (obi). In order to give the dolls’ bodies the sensation of softness, the robes are lightly stuffed with cotton. Further, there is a hole in the back of the robes to allow the puppeteer to manipulate the dolls. For each performance, the costume masters choose costumes out of many of the same types of robes of different colors and patterns, deciding which robes to use with which puppet. The complete set of robes that they have chosen is then sent to the puppeteers. The puppeteers then take part in what is called koshirae, or the dressing of the doll. Because they are used on the stage, the robes’ lose their bright colors, they become soiled, and in places they are even worn out. Therefore, they are in constant need of maintenance and repair. Furthermore, preparing new sets of costumes for the characters in a new play is another important task of the costume masters. The Nobori-hige mask is worn by the Ai-kyogen in a Noh drama in which he plays the role of the god of a subsidiary shrine. The smiling expression of its open, toothless mouth gives a better hint of human goodness than of sacredness. The Oto mask is often used to portray ugly women, but it is also used by characters who disguise themselves as the deity Jizo. The Buaku mask is like a Kyogen version of the Noh Beshimi, and although it is a demon mask, its humorous expression is not frightening. TheKentoku mask is used for the spirits of non-human beings, such as horses, cows, dogs, and crabs. TheUsofuki mask looks like it is whistling, and is used for the spirits of mosquitoes and mushrooms. TheKitsune mask is used for the old fox in Fox Trapping, the highest-ranking Kyogen play. In the Edo period, it seems that there were many realistic animal masks use, but today only the fox (Kitsune), monkey (Saru), and badger (Tanuki) remain. The daimyo (feudal lords) that appear in Kyogen usually wear a dan-noshime as an under robe, a suosuit as trousers and vest / jacket, and a special cap (hora-eboshi). Taro Kaja, who might be said to be representative of Kyogen, usually wears a stripednoshime as an under robe, a kataginu as a kind of vest / jacket, and a pair of han-bakama (shorthakama) as trousers. One special characteristic of akataginu is that it is usually decorated with a free design of an animal, plant, or utensil that graphically depicts some theme from the character’s daily life. On the half-hakama as well, pestles, sailboats, and giant radishes are often dyed in circular motifs, and on characters such as travelers, warrior priests, con-men, salesmen, and the spirits of plants or animals,kyakuhan (loose trousers that are tight fitting on the lower leg) are used, in order to indicate that they are very active. Almost all female characters wearnuihaku as under robes, and a special hat calledbinan-boshi. This is actually a 5-meter piece of white linen that is wrapped around the head, in such a way that long sections fall from the head down, like braids; the ends of these sections are tucked into the waist band. Unlike the white tabi (split-toed socks) worn by Noh actors, all Kyogen actors, even those taking the part of the ai-kyogen in a Noh play, wear yellow or brown tabi. The heads (kashira) of the Bunraku puppets are divided into male and female, and then classified into categories according to the age, rank (social class), and distinguishing personality traits of the role they portray, and all of them have special names reflecting their special characteristics. If the play is different but the type of character is the same, the same head might be used for different characters in different plays. Sometimes, in order to match the character more closely, they are even repainted to give the right skin tone, or the wig might be changed, as the heads as used for one role after another. The wigs in Bunraku as called kazura, and there are a number of fundamental styles, depending upon the type of character being portrayed. It is the job of the wig masters (called tokoyama), to sew and create an appropriate hairstyle (keppatsu) for every role, based upon these fundamental styles. Also, the tokoyama does not just style the wigs; he also makes them by attaching hair to copper plates. The type of hair used is mostly human hair, but sometimes, in order to create the illusion of volume, the hair of a yak’s tail is also used. The finished wig is then carefully placed upon, and then securely attached to, the head. When creating a special hairstyle, no oil is used, in order to prevent soiling the face, so the styling must be done only with water and beeswax (bintsuke). The small hand props of Bunraku include things that are carried in the hand or attached to bodies, such as swords or handkerchief-like tenugui, as well as larger items such as chests of drawers or lighting fixtures. There are also a number of disposable items, such as letters that get torn up and thrown away, along with numerous others. All the hand props are small in size, in order to match the size of the puppets. Yet the types of fans used are the same size as those used by humans, which strangely enough does not seem to appear incongruous. The prop masters prepare all of the small props that are needed for each performance. THEMES 1. Classification by work content Jidaimono Jidaimono means the Kabuki works describing the world of samurai and kuge (court nobles) in periods earlier than the Edo period, including works such as â€Å"Kanadehon chushingura† based on incidents that occurred in the Edo period, but were rewritten as if they occurred before the Edo period. This alteration of historical era was made because the Tokugawa Shognate prohibited the dramatization of historical acts that occurred in and after the late Sengoku period (the age of civil wars in old Japan). Kabuki works based on stories from the Heian period or earlier are called Ochomono or Odaimono (tales of royalty/tales of the imperial era) . Sewamono are Kabuki works based on the lives of tradesmen in the Edo period. These were the modern plays of that era. Works focusing on the lives of common people of low social position are called Kizewa. The Kizewa works by Tsuruya Namboku 4th who was active in the Bunka/Bunsei period [1804 – 1830] are famous. Shosagoto means Buyo (Kabuki dance). At first, Shosagoto were considered to be the speciality of Onnagata, but from the latter half of the 18th century, tachiyaku also started to dance. Later, in the Bunka/Bunsei period, works called Hengebuyo (transformation dances) in which a single actor alone portrays multiple different characters became popular. Shosagoto can be classified by subject into groups of works such as Shishimono, Matsubamemono and Dojojimono. Gidayu-kyogen are also called Maruhonmono, meaning works which were initially performed in Ningyo-joruri (puppet play) and later dramatized for Kabuki. The story is advanced by the reciting of Takemoto (narrative recitation and music). Much of the action, production techniques and movements are stylized and are synchronized with the narration and musical accompaniment. References: http://www.arlymasks.com/japanese_history_timeline.htm http://www2.ntj.jac.go.jp/unesco/bunraku/en/contents/whats/stage.html http://www2.ntj.jac.go.jp/unesco/noh/en/kg_mask/kg_mask.html http://www2.ntj.jac.go.jp/unesco/bunraku/en/contents/creaters/operator.html http://www2.ntj.jac.go.jp/unesco/bunraku/en/contents/dolls/kashira.html http://www2.ntj.jac.go.jp/unesco/bunraku/en/contents/creaters/wig.html http://www2.ntj.jac.go.jp/unesco/bunraku/en/contents/creaters/cloth.html http://www2.ntj.jac.go.jp/unesco/bunraku/en/contents/creaters/prop.html http://www2.ntj.jac.go.jp/unesco/kabuki/en/5/5_03.html

Foundation’s Edge CHAPTER NINE HYPERSPACE

HYPERSPACE Trevize said, â€Å"Are you ready, Janov?† Pelorat looked up from the book he was viewing and said, â€Å"You mean, for the jump, old fellow?† â€Å"For the hyperspatial jump. Yes.† Pelorat swallowed. â€Å"Now, you're sure that it will be in no way uncomfortable. I know it is a silly thing to fear, but the thought of having myself reduced to incorporeal tachyons, which no one has ever seen or detected†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Come, Janov, it's a perfected thing. Upon my honor! The jump has been in use for twenty-two thousand years, as you explained, and I've never beard of a single fatality in hyperspace. We might come out of hyperspace in an uncomfortable place, but then the accident would happen in space – not while we are composed of tachyons.† â€Å"Small consolation, it seems to me.† â€Å"We won't come out in error, either. To tell you the truth, I was thinking of carrying it through without telling you, so that you would never know it had happened. On the whole, though, I felt it would be better if you experienced it consciously, saw that it was no problem of any kind, and could forget it totally henceforward.† â€Å"Well † said Pelorat dubiously. â€Å"I suppose you're right, but ‘honestly I'm in no hurry.† â€Å"I assure you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No no, old fellow, I accept your assurances unequivocally. It's just that – Did you ever read Sanertestil Matt?† â€Å"Of course. I'm not illiterate.† â€Å"Certainly. Certainly. I should not have asked. Do you remember it?† â€Å"Neither am I an amnesiac.† â€Å"I seem to have a talent for offending. All I mean is that I keep thinking of the scenes where Santerestil and his friend, Ban, have gotten away from Planet 17 and are lost in space. I think of those perfectly hypnotic scenes among the stars, lazily moving along in deep silence, in changelessness, in†¦ Never believed it, you know. I loved it and I was moved by it, but I never really believed it. But now – after I got used to just the notion of being in space, I'm experiencing it and – it's silly, I know – but I don't want to give it up. It's as though I'm Santerestil†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"And I'm Ban,† said Trevize with just an edge of impatience. â€Å"In a way. The small scattering of dim stars out there are motionless, except our sun, of course, which must be shrinking but which we don't see. The Galaxy retains its dim majesty, unchanging. Space is silent and I have no distractions†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Except me.† â€Å"Except you. – But then, Golan, dear chap, talking to you about Earth and trying to teach you a bit of prehistory has its pleasures, too. I don't want that to come to an end, either.† â€Å"It won't. Not immediately, at any rate. You don't suppose we'll take the jump and come through on the surface of a planet, do you? We'll still be in space and the jump will have taken no measurable time at ail. It may well be a week before we make surface of any kind, so do relax.† â€Å"By surface, you surely don't mean Gaia. We may be nowhere near Gaia when we come out of the jump.† â€Å"I know that, Janov, but we'll be in the right sector, if your information is correct. If it isn't – well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Pelorat shook his head glumly. â€Å"How will being in the right sector help if we don't know Gaia's co-ordinates?† Trevize said, â€Å"Janov, suppose you were on Terminus, heading for the town of Argyropol, and you didn't know where that town was except that it was somewhere on the isthmus. Once you were on the isthmus, what would you do?† Pelorat waited cautiously, as though feeling there must be a terribly sophisticated answer expected of him. Finally giving up, he said, â€Å"I suppose I'd ask somebody.† â€Å"Exactly! What else is there to do? – Now, are you ready?† â€Å"You mean, now?† Pelorat scrambled to his feet, his pleasantly unemotional face coming as near as it might to a look of concern. â€Å"What am I supposed to do? Sit? Stand? What?† â€Å"Time and Space, Pelorat, you don't do anything. Just come with me to my room so I can use the computer, then sit or stand or turn cartwheels – whatever will make you most comfortable. My suggestion is that you sit before the viewscreen and watch it. It's sure to be interesting. Come!† They stepped along the short corridor to Trevize's room and he seated himself at the computer. â€Å"Would you like to do this, Janov?† he asked suddenly. â€Å"I'll give you the figures and all you do is think them. The computer will do the rest.† Pelorat said, â€Å"No thank you. The computer doesn't work well with me, somehow. I know you say I just need practice, but I don't believe that. There's something about your mind, Golan†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Don't be foolish.† â€Å"No no. That computer just seems to fit you. You and it seem to be a single organism when you're hooked up. When I'm hooked up, there are two objects involved – Janov Pelorat and a computer. It's just not the same.† â€Å"Ridiculous,† said Trevize, but he was vaguely pleased at the thought and stroked the hand-rests of the computer with loving fingertips. â€Å"So I'd rather watch,† said Pelorat. â€Å"I mean, I'd rather it didn't happen at all, but as long as it will, I'd rather watch.† He fixed . his eyes anxiously on the viewscreen and on the foggy Galaxy with the thin powdering of dim stars in the foreground. â€Å"Let me know when it's about to happen.† Slowly he backed against the wall and braced himself. Trevize smiled. He placed his hands on the rests and felt the mental union. It came more easily day by day, and more intimately, too, and however he might scoff at what Pelorat said – he actually felt it. It seemed to him he scarcely needed to think of the co-ordinates in any conscious way. It almost seemed the computer knew what he wanted, without the conscious process of â€Å"telling.† It lifted the information out of his brain for itself. But Trevize â€Å"told† it and then asked for a two-minute interval before the jump. â€Å"All right, Janov. We have two minutes: 120 – 115 – 110 Just watch the viewscreen.† Pelorat did, with a slight tightness about the corners of his mouth and with a holding of his breath. Trevize said softly, â€Å"15 – 10 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 – 0† With no perceptible motion, no perceptible sensation, the view on the screen changed. There was a distinct thickening of the starfield and the Galaxy vanished. Pelorat started and said, â€Å"Was that it?† â€Å"Was what it? You flinched. But that was your fault. You felt nothing. Admit it.† â€Å"I admit it.† â€Å"Then that's it. Way back when hyperspatial travel was relatively new – according to the books, anyway – there would be a queer internal sensation and some people felt dizziness or nausea. It was perhaps psychogenic, perhaps not. In any case, with more and more experience with hyperspatiality and with better equipment, that decreased. With a computer like the one on board this vessel, any effect is well below the threshold of sensation. At least, I find it so.† â€Å"And I do, too, I must admit. Where are we, Golan?† â€Å"Just a step forward. In the Kalganian region. There's a long way to go yet and before we make another move, we'll have to check the accuracy of the jump.† â€Å"What bothers me is – where's the Galaxy?† â€Å"All around us, Janov. We're weal inside it, now. If we focus the viewscreen properly, we can see the more distant parts of it as a luminous band across the sky.† â€Å"The Milky Way!† Pelorat cried out joyfully. â€Å"Almost every world describes it in their sky, but it's something we don't see on Terminus. Show it to me, old fellow!† The viewscreen tilted, giving the effect of a swimming of the starfield across it, and then there was a thick, pearly luminosity nearly filling the field. The screen followed it around, as it thinned, then swelled again. Trevize said, â€Å"It's thicker in the direction of the center of the Galaxy. Not as thick or as bright as it might be, however, because of the dark clouds in the spiral arms. You see something like this from most inhabited worlds.† â€Å"And from Earth, too.† â€Å"That's no distinction. That would not be an identifying characteristic.† â€Å"Of course not. But you know. – You haven't studied the history of science, have you?† â€Å"Not really, though I've picked up some of it, naturally. Still, if you have questions to ask, don't expect me to be an expert.† â€Å"It's just that making this jump has put me in mind of something that has always puzzled me. It's possible to work out a description of the Universe in which hyperspatial travel is impossible and in which the speed of light traveling through a vacuum is the absolute maximum where speed is concerned.† â€Å"Certainly.† â€Å"Under those conditions, the geometry of the Universe is such that it is impossible to make the trip we have just undertaken in less time than a ray of light would make it. And if we did it at the speed of light, our experience of duration would not match that of the Universe generally. If this spot is, say, forty parsecs from Terminus, then if we had gotten here at the speed of light, we would have felt no time lapse – but on Terminus and in the entire Galaxy, about a hundred and thirty years would have passed. Now we have made a trip, not at the speed of light but at thousands of times the speed of light actually, and there has been no time advance anywhere. At least, I hope not.† Trevize said, â€Å"Don't expect me to give you the mathematics of the Olanjen Hyperspatial Theory to you. All I can say is that if you had traveled at the speed of light within normal space, time would indeed have advanced at the rate of 3.26 years per parsec, as you described. The so-called relativistic Universe, which humanity has understood as far back as we can probe inter prehistory – though that's your department, I think – remains, and its laws have not been repealed. In our hyperspatial jumps, however, we do something out side the conditions under which relativity operates and the rules are different. Hyperspatially the Galaxy is a tiny object – ideally a nondimensional dot – and there are no relativistic effects at all. â€Å"In fact, in the mathematical formulations of cosmology, there are two symbols for the Galaxy: Gr for the â€Å"relativistic Galaxy,† where the speed of light is a maximum, and Gh for the â€Å"hyperspatial Galaxy,† where speed does not really have a meaning. Hyperspatially the value of all speed is zero and we do not move with reference to space itself, speed is infinite. I can't explain things a bit more than that. â€Å"Oh, except that one of the beautiful catches in theoretical physics is to place a symbol or a value that has meaning in Gr into an equation dealing with G11 – or vice versa – and leave it there for a student to deal with. The chances are enormous that the student falls into the trap and generally remains there, sweating and panting, with nothing seeming to work, till some kindly elder helps him out. I was neatly caught that way, once.† Pelorat considered that gravely for a while, then said in a perplexed sort of way, â€Å"But which is the true Galaxy?† â€Å"Either, depending on what you're doing. If you're back on Terminus, you can use a car to cover distance on land and a ship to cover distance across the sea. Conditions are different in every way, so which is the true Terminus, the land or the sea?† Pelorat nodded. â€Å"Analogies are always risky,† he said, â€Å"but I'd rather accept that one than risk my sanity by thinking about hyperspace any further. I'll concentrate on what we're doing now.† â€Å"Look upon what we just did,† said Trevize, â€Å"as our first stop toward Earth.† And, he thought to himself, toward what else, I wonder. â€Å"Well,† said Trevize. â€Å"I've wasted a day.† â€Å"Oh?† Pelorat looked up from his careful indexing. â€Å"In what way?† Trevize spread his arms. â€Å"I didn't trust the computer. I didn't dare to, so I checked our present position with the position we had aimed at in the jump. The difference was not measurable. There was no detectable error.† â€Å"That's good, isn't it?† â€Å"It's more than good. It's unbelievable. I've never heard of such a thing. I've gone through jumps and I've directed them, in all kinds of ways and with all kinds of devices. In school, I had to work one out with a hand computer and then I sent off a hyper-relay to check results. Naturally I couldn't send a real ship, since – aside from the expense – I could easily have placed it in the middle of a star at the other end. â€Å"I never did anything that bad, of course,† Trevize went on, â€Å"but there would always be a sizable error. There's always some error, even with experts. There's got to be, since there are so many variables. Put it this way – the geometry of space is too complicated to handle and hyperspace compounds all those complications with a complexity of its own that we can't even pretend to understand. That's why we have to go by steps, instead of making one big jump from here to Sayshell. The errors would grow worse with distance.† Pelorat said, â€Å"But you said this computer didn't make an error.† â€Å"It said it didn't make an error. I directed it to check our actual position with our precalculated position – ‘what is' against ‘what was asked for.' It said that the two were identical within its limits of measurement and I thought: What if it's lying?† Until that moment, Pelorat had held his printer in his hand. He now put it down and looked shaken. â€Å"Are you joking? A computer can't lie. Unless you mean you thought it might be out of order.† â€Å"No, that's not what I thought. Space! I thought it was lying. This computer is so advanced I can't think of it as anything but human – superhuman, maybe. Human enough to have pride – and to lie, perhaps. I gave it directions – to work out a course through hyperspace to a position near Sayshell Planet, the capital of the Sayshell Union. It did, and charted a course in twenty-nine steps, which is arrogance of the worst sort.† â€Å"Why arrogance?† â€Å"The error in the first jump makes the second jump that much less certain, and the added error then makes the third jump pretty wobbly and untrustworthy, and so on. How do you calculate twenty-nine steps all at once? The twenty-ninth could end up anywhere in the Galaxy, anywhere at all. So I directed it to make the first step only. Then we could check that before proceeding.† â€Å"The cautious approach,† said Pelorat warmly. â€Å"I approve!† â€Å"Yes, but having made the first step, might the computer not feel wounded at my having mistrusted it? Would it then be forced to salve its pride by telling me there was no error at all when I asked it? Would it find it impossible to admit a mistake, to own up to imperfection? If that were so, we might as well not have a computer.† Pelorat's long and gentle face saddened. â€Å"What can we do in that case, Golan?† â€Å"We can do what I did – waste a day. I checked the position of several of the surrounding stars by the most primitive possible methods: telescopic observation, photography, and manual measurement. I compared each actual position with the position expected if there had been no error. The work of it took me all day and wore me down to nothing.† â€Å"Yes, but what happened?† â€Å"I found two whopping errors and checked them over and found them in my calculations. I had made the mistakes myself. I corrected the calculations, then ran them through the computer from scratch – just to see if it would come up with the same answers independently. Except that it worked them out to several more decimal places, it turned out that my figures were right and they showed that the computer had made no errors. The computer may be an arrogant son-of-the-Mule, but it's got something to be arrogant about.† Pelorat exhaled a long breath. â€Å"Well, that's good.† â€Å"Yes indeed! So I'm going to let it take the other twenty-eight steps.† â€Å"All at once? But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Not all at once. Don't worry. I haven't become a daredevil just yet. It will do them one after the other – but after each step it will check the surroundings and, if that is where it is supposed to be within tolerable limits, it can take the next one. Any time it finds the error too great – and, believe me, I didn't set the limits generously at all – it will have to stop and recalculate the remaining steps.† â€Å"When are you going to do this?† â€Å"When? Right now. – Look, you're working on indexing your Library†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Oh, but this is the chance to do it, Golan. I've been meaning to do it for years, but something always seemed to get in the way.† â€Å"I have no objections. You go on and do it and don't worry. Concentrate on the indexing. I'll take care of everything else.† Pelorat shook his head. â€Å"Don't be foolish. I can't relax till this is over. I'm scared stiff.† â€Å"I shouldn't have told you, then – but I had to tell someone and you're the only one here. Let me explain frankly. There's always the chance that we'll come to rest in a perfect position in interstellar space and that that will happen to be the precise position which a speeding meteoroid is occupying, or a mini-black hole, and the ship is wrecked, and ;we're dead. Such things could – in theory – happen. â€Å"The chances are very small, however. After all, you could be at home, Janov – in your study and working on your films or in your bed sleeping – and a meteroid could be streaking toward you through Terminus's atmosphere and hit you right in the head and you'd be dead. But the chances are small. â€Å"In fact, the chance of intersecting the path of something fatal, but too small for the computer to know about, in the course of a hyperspatial jump is far, far smaller than that of berg hit by a meteor in your home. I've never heard of a ship being lost that way in all the history of hyperspatial travel. Any other type of risk – like ending in the middle of a star – is even smaller.† Pelorat said, â€Å"Then why do you tell me all this, Golan?† Trevize paused, then bent his head in thought, and finally said, â€Å"I don't know. – Yes, I do. What I suppose it is, is that however small the chance of catastrophe might be, if enough people take enough chances, the catastrophe must happen eventually. No matter how sure I am that nothing will go wrong, there's a small nagging voice inside me that says, ‘Maybe it will happen this time.' And it makes me feel guilty. – I guess that's it. Janov, if something goes wrong, forgive me!† â€Å"But Golan, my dear chap, if something goes wrong, we will both be dead instantly. I will not be able to forgive, nor you to receive forgiveness.† â€Å"I understand that, so forgive me now, will you?† Pelorat smiled. â€Å"I don't know why, but this cheers me up. There's something pleasantly humorous about it. Of course, Golan, I'll forgive you. There are plenty of myths about some form of afterlife in world literature and if there should happen to be such a place – about the same chance as landing on a mini-black hole, I suppose, or less – and we both turn up in the same one, then I will bear witness that you did your honest best and that my death should not be laid at your door.† â€Å"Thank you! Now I'm relieved. I'm willing to take my chance, but I did not enjoy the thought of you taking my chance as well.† Pelorat wrung the other's hand. â€Å"You know, Golan, I've only known you less than a week and I suppose I shouldn't make hasty judgments in these matters, but I think you're an excellent chap. – And now let's do it and get it over with.† â€Å"Absolutely! All I have to do is touch that little contact. The computer has its instructions and it's just waiting for me to say: ‘Starts' Would you like to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Never! It's all yours? It's your computer.† â€Å"Very well. And it's my responsibility. I'm still trying to duck it, you see. Keep your eye on the screen!† With a remarkably steady hand and with his smile looking utterly genuine, Trevize made contact. There was a momentary pause and then the starfield changed – and again – and again. The stars spread steadily thicker and brighter over the viewscreen. Pelorat was counting under his breath. At â€Å"15† there was a halt, as though some piece of apparatus had jammed. Pelorat whispered, clearly afraid that any noise might jar the mechanism fatally. â€Å"What's wrong? What's happened?† Trevize shrugged. â€Å"I imagine it's recalculating. Some object in space is adding a perceptible bump to the general shape of the overall gravitational field – some object not taken into account – some uncharted dwarf star or rogue planet†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Dangerous?† â€Å"Since we're still alive, it's almost certainly not dangerous. A planet could be a hundred million kilometers away and still introduce a large enough gravitational modification to require recalculation. A dwarf star could be ten billion kilometers away and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The screen shifted again and Trevize fell silent. It shifted again – and again. – Finally, when Pelorat said, â€Å"a8,† there was no further motion. Trevize consulted the computer. â€Å"We're here,† he said. â€Å"I counted the first jump as ‘r.' and in this series I started with ‘z' That's twenty-eight jumps altogether. You said twenty-nine.† â€Å"The recalculation at jump is probably saved us one jump. I can check with the computer if you wish, but there's really no need. We're in the vicinity of Sayshell Planet. The computer says so and I don't doubt it. If I were to orient the screen properly, we'd see a nice, bright sun, but there's no point in placing a needless strain on its screening capacity. SaysheIl Planet is the fourth one out and it's about 3.2 million kilometers away from our present position, which is about as close as we want to be at a jump conclusion. We can get there in three days – two, if we hurry.† Trevize drew a deep breath and tried to let the tension drain. â€Å"Do you realize what this means, Janov?† he said. â€Å"Every ship I've ever been in – or heard of – would have made those jumps with at least a day in between for painstaking calculation and re-checking, even with a computer. The trip would have taken nearly a month. â€Å"Or perhaps two or three weeks, if they were willing to be reckless about it. We did it in half an hour. When every ship is equipped with a computer like this one†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Pelorat said, â€Å"I wonder why the Mayor' let us have a ship this advanced. It must be incredibly expensive.† â€Å"It's experimental,† said Trevize dryly. â€Å"Maybe fine good woman was perfectly willing to have us try it out and see what deficiencies might develop.† â€Å"Are you serious?† â€Å"Don't get nervous. After all, there's nothing to worry about. We haven't found any deficiencies. I wouldn't put it past her, though. Such a thing would put no great strain on her sense of humanity. Besides, she hasn't trusted us with offensive weapons and that cuts the expense considerably.† Pelorat said thoughtfully, â€Å"It's the computer I'm thinking about. It seems to be adjusted so well for you – and it can't be adjusted that well for everyone. It just barely works with me.† â€Å"So much the better for us, that it works so well with one of us.† â€Å"Yes, but is that merely chance?† â€Å"What else, Janov?† â€Å"Surely the Mayor knows you pretty well.† â€Å"I think she does, the old battlecraft.† â€Å"Might she not have had a computer designed particularly for you?† â€Å"I just wonder if we're not going where the computer wants to take us.† Trevize stared. â€Å"You mean that while I'm connected to the computer, it is the computer – and not me – who is in real charge?† â€Å"I just wonder.† â€Å"That is ridiculous. Paranoid. Come on, Janov.† Trevize turned back to the computer to focus Sayshell Planet on the screen and to plot a normal-space course to it. Ridiculous! But why had Pelorat put the notion into his head?