How Can Health Care Professionals Effectively Deal Sociologically With Essay

By what method Can Health Care Professionals Effectively Deal Sociologically With Issues Of Domestic Violence In Pregnancy - Essay Example This exposition focuses on that shockingly, and as opposed to past exploration on ladies dwelling in aggressive behavior at home havens, passionate help was not a noteworthy indicator of emotional wellness when seriousness of savagery was controlled. Reasonable guide, in any case, anticipated both uneasiness and confidence. This finding is predictable with the main safe house study that looked at enthusiastic and down to earth underpins. This paper makes an end that there are a few significant intercession suggestions from this examination. Initially, basic help assumes a key job in the psychological wellness of ladies who have fierce accomplices. Along these lines, support for ladies in fierce connections must maintain a strategic distance from analysis of their lives and choices. Obviously, the capacity to discuss the maltreatment in an empathic, non-basic condition is a significant key to positive emotional well-being for these ladies. Since homophily was identified with analysis in this examination, it might be that advocates, as opposed to homophilous peer bolster gatherings, give the best mediations. Furthermore, reasonable guide, instead of enthusiastic help, was identified with positive psychological wellness. In this manner, solid help with every day life bothers and difficulties ought to be a high need for offices serving battered ladies. At last, the positive connection between nonhomophilous supporters an d psychological well-being recommends that organizations may help battered ladies in finding new wellsprings of help so as to build up an informal community made out of more ladies who have not been battered

Cyber Threats Essay Example for Free

Digital Threats Essay Before we get into the major digital fear based oppression dangers that we as a whole need to manage I needed to initially characterize what digital psychological warfare is. As per the U. S. Government Bureau of Investigation, digital fear based oppression is any planned, politically persuaded assault against data, PC frameworks, PC projects, and information which brings about savagery against non-soldier focuses by sub-national gatherings or surreptitious specialists Unlike an irritating infection or PC assault that outcomes trying to claim ignorance of administration, a digital psychological oppressor assault could prompt physical viciousness or extraordinary monetary damage. As per the U. S. Commission of Critical Infrastructure Protection, conceivable digital psychological warfare targets incorporate the financial business, army bases, power plants, aviation authority focuses, and water frameworks. Digital fear based oppression is regularly alluded to as electronic psychological oppression or data war. In view of late reports and the data introduced to congress, America has far to go before security dangers are enough tended to. Practically 50% of 2,131 U. S. ompanies surveyed had no conventional security strategies set up, and most depended essentially on client passwords and various logons for insurance. Just 49% of U. S. organizations had plans to raise client attention to strategies and methods in the following year. Unfathomably just 50% of 150 organizations reviewed by InformationWeek Research multi week after the fear monger assaults said that they intend to reconsider the security of their offices considering those occasions. We need more indivi duals to accomplish progressively imaginative considering PC security, than the individuals who are attempting to assault us. In December, 2000 the Advisory Panel to Assess Domestic Response Capabilities for Terrorism Involving Weapons of Mass Destruction (otherwise known as The Gilmore Commission) discharged their subsequent yearly report which expressed two potential digital psychological militant situations. To start with, It is anything but difficult to imagine an organized assault by psychological militants, utilizing an ordinary or little scope concoction gadget, with digital assaults against law implementation interchanges, crisis clinical offices, and different frameworks basic to a reaction. Second, it is possible that psychological oppressors could mount a digital assault gainst force or water offices or modern plants for instance, a business concoction plant that delivers a profoundly poisonous substance to create setbacks in the many thousands. The report includes that the most probable culprits of digital assaults on basic frameworks are fear based oppressors and criminal gatherings as opposed to country states. Denning, 2003 So, what should be possible proactively to forestall digital psychological oppression and digital wrongdoing assaults? The first and simplest thing for you to do is solidify and secure your frameworks by building up secure arrangements. Next you can get ready for interruptions by preparing for identification and reaction. You likewise need to ensure you distinguish interruptions immediately when they do happen. You likewise need to react to interruptions rapidly to guarantee you limit the harm to your frameworks. Ultimately you have to improve your security to help ensure against future assaults. There are a large number of approaches to help ensure against digital psychological oppression dangers yet I think coming up next are the least complex and best approaches to begin, Make sure all records have passwords and the passwords ought to be irregular, hard to figure. Make certain to change the system arrangement when deformities become known. Continually check with sellers for redesigns and fixes that can be introduced to help fortify your safeguards. You can likewise decide to review frameworks and check logs to help in identifying and following a gatecrasher.

RA Selection Day 5 and a day off (kinda)

RA Selection Day 5 and a day off (kinda) Yesterdays tie was red, and my subcommittee was McGregor (also MIT 00) and a current student (from the Middle East). Aside from some fantastic applications, the highlight of the day (for me) was my making mango lassis for the staff, to go along with the Indian food we had from India Castle (one of 13 Indian restaurants within a mile of MIT, according to Yahoo Yellow Pages). Today, Marilee gave us a day off to rest and catch up on chores, etc. It was nice to have a day at home, though I used the day to continue reviewing international applications so that were all set to go for international selection, less than two weeks from now. Tonight, Im going to a screening of the Oscar-nominated short films at the Coolidge Corner Theater, a really terrific independent theater in Brookline, a part of Boston with great food as well as large populations of Russian and Jewish folks. Tomorrow will be Selection Day 6; I also hope to answer the questions that are piling up in my comments section =) Happy Presidents Day!

The Poetry Pundits Racism - 1197 Words

The Poetry Pundits: Racism *Introductory Music * Hello all, welcome back to another episode of The Poetry Pundits. I’m your host Max Millis, and in today’s podcast I will be analysing two poems by acclaimed American poet, storyteller, activist, and autobiographer, Maya Angelou. Angelou spent most of her childhood in Arkansas, and as an African American, experienced firsthand racial prejudices and discrimination at an early age. Angelou sadly passed in 2014; however she will forever be remembered as a prolific and widely-read poet, whose poetry was lauded for its influential depictions of black beauty, the strength of women, and the human spirit. In today’s podcast, the two poems I will be discussing remind us how deplorable and†¦show more content†¦Rumi described poetry as being dangerous, â€Å"especially beautiful poetry, because it gives the illusion of having had the experience without actually going through it.† I for one can certainly grasp this concept. Poetry I enjoy tends to be about a different world than mine. However, if I close my eyes I can see the story unfolding before me. Perhaps the characteristic most fundamental to the meaning of poetry is its unwillingness to be defined, labelled, or nailed down. This is what makes Maya Angelou’s poetry so effective. Her work challenged the status quo and improved the human condition of all people. She fought for equality and for humanity. In her body of work, we see the plights and triumphs of marginalized people. Angelou, like many other poets, used words to tell her story of struggle, and allowed the readers to experience her people’s pain. Alright, I’ll stop teasing you now. Let’s take a look at our first of Angelou’s masterpieces – â€Å"Equality†. *Recording of Poem* Throughout this poem, themes of equality, freedom, and racism are conveyed through repetition and poetic techniques. It is evident that this poem is directly correlated to race, the history of race, and racism in America. The second line, â€Å"through a glass that will not shine†, is a metaphor illustrating that she isn’t being seen accurately and that they aren’t being given the chance to show their full potential. The line â€Å"while my drums beat out the message and the rhythms never change† evokes

William Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice - 1320 Words

In England’s history, the Elizabethan era was notorious for its anti-Semitism. Jews were segregated by being forced to wear a red hat when outside of the ghetto, and were treated as inferior to the rest of the city. William Shakespeare’s play The Merchant of Venice exhibits the prejudicial attitudes of his era. Antonio, a Christian merchant, makes a deal with Shylock, a Jewish moneylender. Shylock uses it as an opportunity to exact revenge by demanding a pound of Antonio’s flesh if he does not meet his end of the bargain. By pitting the majority of his characters against Shylock, Shakespeare portrays Shylock in a way that discriminates against all Jews. The interactions that Shylock has with Antonio, Jessica, and Portia clearly enforce the idea of anti-Semitism. Shakespeare demonstrates prejudice towards Jews through Antonio’s relationship with Shylock; the bond made between the two Venetians and the trial scene prove the anti-Semitic nature of the play. In the first scene between the two characters, their hatred is introduced and explained. When Antonio and Shylock are discussing the bond, Antonio makes rude comments directly towards Shylock. After he calls him several names, including â€Å"the devil† and â€Å"an evil soul† (1.3.98*online version*), Antonio tells Shylock that he will continue to discriminate against him whether or not the deal is made: â€Å"I am as like to call thee so again, to spet on thee again, to spurn thee too† (1.3.98-99). Antonio is open about his dislikeShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice Essay1624 Words   |  7 PagesWilliam Shakespeare s comedy The Merchant of Venice uses contrasting religions to draw out major themes through the ethnic divides that are exemplified. The play expresses the extreme cultural divide between the Jews and Christians through a legal contract between two men. The rivalry between the two men, Shylock and Antonio is clear from the beginning of the play and only intensifies as it continues on. Modern day readers most likely take away a slightly different message from the play than whatRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice2269 Words   |  10 PagesSamantha Hansen ENG 314 Brother Brugger 12.15.14 The Question of Shylock It is hard to read The Merchant of Venice without finding at least one character to sympathize with. The unforgettable villain Shylock as well as Portia, Shakespeare’s first and one of his most famous heroines are arguably some of this plays most beloved characters. But, is Shylock really the villain? Or is he a victim of circumstance? Shylock’s insistence for a pound of flesh has made him one of literatures most memorableRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice1970 Words   |  8 Pagesthe titles are reflective of the protagonists featured within. For example, the famous titles of Julius Caesar and Hamlet tell the tragedies of those respective characters. However, when it comes to William Shakespeare’s fourteenth play, The Merchant of Venice, it can be argued that Antonio, the merchant, is not who the play is about. In fact, there is not just one character, but instead multiple that fit the description of the protagonist. The main plot, or rather p lots, of the play revolve aroundRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice1315 Words   |  6 PagesIn The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare the play is based upon the hierarchy between Christian men and Jewish men. A character by the name of Bassanio borrows money from his friend Antonio, and Antonio borrows the money from Shylock to give to Bassanio. Eventually, Antonio cannot pay the money back because his ships have supposedly sunk. Therefore, he comes close to death because he signed a bond with Shylock stating that Shylock would get a pound of his flesh if the bond was not repaidRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice1532 Words   |  7 Pagesuseless dialogue can make readers skip over what seems like a false beginning to a good story. But think about this: what if those seemingly lengthy, extra, useless words were actually important? For example, the opening 115 lines of William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice are provide minimal support to the story at first glance. In these lines, Antonio and his friends are discussing the dynamics of happiness and sadness in order to find the root of Antonio’s sad mood. This portion of the play givesRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Merchant Of Venice988 Words   |  4 PagesAs I finished reading Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare, I realized that the struggle of the play gyrates around whether justice is truly served and is morality advocated or manipulated by those in authority. The struggle between the principles of justice have caused many readers to question the interaction between the definition of morality and justice. The bond that causes readers to take a closer look throughout the play originates from Shylock’s desire for vengeance and Antonio’s desireRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice1532 Words   |  7 Pagesfundamentalist Americans. The ills of money-lending from the Eastern perspective have been fodder for Western literature for centuries, replete with illustrations that mirror the differences and similarities in East-West cultural norms. In William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, money-lending has gone awry. In Act I, Scene iii, the Italian Antonio seeks to borrow 3,000 ducats from the Jewish Shylock, and Shylock intends to charge him interest, which is against Jewish economic-religious principles (BateRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice Essay1275 Words   |  6 PagesShakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice is so alike to our financially afflicted world. The rules of law and commerce are subject to deceptive manipulation, fear of the other overwhelms respect for a common humanity, duplicity is the norm, sexuality is a vehicle for ambition, and money drives and wraps almost every action. It is a classic tale that includes important details of the financial crisis in the Unit ed States during 2007-2009. Shakespeare’s Venice, like the New York of his time - and theRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice2059 Words   |  9 Pagesin The Merchant of Venice resembles a folktale known as â€Å"A Pound of Flesh† (325). Artese supports his supposition with background context and parallels between the two story lines. Literary versions of the pound of flesh story circulated during the sixteenth century and were collected since the nineteenth century because of the plot’s longevity and populairity Shakespeare would have been familiar with pound of flesh stories (326). Human commodification is a central issue in both The Merchant of VeniceRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice1616 Words   |  7 PagesThe Merchant of Venice offers another unique perspective on crossdressing as it existed on the English Renaissance stage. Howard suggests that Portia’s crossdressing is â€Å"more disruptive than Violaâ€⠄¢s† (Howard, p. 433) because Portia herself was an unruly woman to begin with. Portia has become the master of her own destiny with the passing of her father, for she is referred to as the Lord of Belmont now that no man exists to fill such a role. What remains of the patriarchal authority, particularly

Washington Irvings Rip Van Winkle Shapes American...

Washington Irvings Rip Van Winkle Shapes American Culture Darkness...lowers upon my mind, and the times are so hard they sicken my soul, says Washington Irving in a letter to a friend (Letters 446). This statement reveals Irvings intense emotional condition, and in many ways indicates the intense social atmosphere as well as his personal conflicts, during the composition of The Sketch Book. Upon the bankruptcy of his familys fortune, of which he depended on solely for his monetary security, Irving found himself flung into the galling mortifications of independence (Letters 487). In response to this trauma, he sailed to England to regain his composure and hopefully secure his stake as a writer so he could provide for†¦show more content†¦And this incapacitation resulted in great despondency until one night when speaking to Van Wart (the owner of the house where he stayed). Upon Van Warts attempts to cheer him, Irvings mind suddenly let loose and thoughts came with a rush, faster than he could write them (Williams 168). This is an excerpt describing the night he wrote The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle: ...for being fettered so long by the ice of long mental despondency. Until morning and through the small hours he wrote. At morning the June sun shone through the shutters, revealing him still bent over his table. The Van Warts at breakfast looked up to see him enter, radiant, the fresh manuscript in his hand. He said it had all come back to him; Sleepy Hollow had awakened him from his long dull, desponding slumber; and then he read the first chapters of Rip Van Winkle (Williams 169). The composition of these sketches was sporadic in nature and it seems as if the Muses opened up their floodgates on Irving that night. This aspect of the composition of these stories, as well The Sketch Book as a whole, adds somewhat of a romantic atmosphere on Irving as a writer. Because so many want to believe that authors somehow transcend normal human efforts, and their hands and minds are just vessels for the words, thoughts, andShow MoreRelatedSymbolism In Rip Van Winkle1165 Words   |  5 PagesWashington Irving Rip Van Winkle, a short story written by Washington Irving, is set in the Dutch culture of pre-Revolutionary war in New York and is based on a German folktale. Rip is a farmer that goes into the Kaatskill mountains to get away from his wife but ends up drinking a strange liquor, falls asleep, wakes up 20 years later to find out that the world around him has changed dramatically including the death of his wife and his children growing up. In the story of Rip Van Winkle, Irving intertwinesRead MoreWashington Irving Essay665 Words   |  3 PagesWashington Irving Diedrich Knickerbocker; Geoffrey Crayon; Henry A. Buchanan; Jonathan Oldstyle. All were famous writers of the nineteenth century. All had one important thing in common-they are all one man-Washington Irving. Using these pen names, among many, Irving developed a legacy of utilizing European culture to cultivate American aspects of literature. Fred Lewis Pattee asserted, American short story began in 1819 wit Washington Irving. (Gale Group 4) Irving is best known forRead More The Search for America in Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow3267 Words   |  14 Pagesfor America in Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the early to mid-1800s, Washington Irving was an immensely popular writer heralded as one of the great American writers.   Irvings importance lies especially in Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the sketches in which he creates the vision of the alternate America(n).   His critique of American society through his main characters-Rip and Ichabod-and the towns in which they live gives shape to an AmericaRead MoreEarly American Literature Essay1511 Words   |  7 Pageswith the triumph of American independence, many at the time saw this as a divine sign that America and her people were destined for greatness. Greatness came with a strong nation and thousands of poems and stories that still shape our nation. The recent revolution greatly expressed the heart of the American people. However, it would take another fifty years of development throughout American before it produced the first great generation of American writers such as, Washington I rving, Ralph WaldoRead MoreWashington Irving and Romanticism Essays1611 Words   |  7 PagesThe short stories of Washington Irving are examples of the literary movement of Romanticism and its characteristics which are evidenced in this author’s works. These characteristics are sometimes found in abundant quantities or limited amounts in each of his short stories. However, no matter what short story Washington Irving wrote, the Age of Romanticism and its defining characteristics are found in each of his selections. So, too, do each of the author’s short stories present a unique study about

Chemical Fertilizer vs. Organic Fertilizers free essay sample

Agriculture is the most primitive occupation of the people which mainly needs land to grow different crops for food and as raw materials for different industries. Industrial use of agriculture for supplying raw materials came much later. Originally land was used for agriculture to supply food for human beings by the use of organic manures particularly animal dung. At the beginning land was used in its natural form to grow food. Land contains natural humus that supplies nutrients for crop. But people began to think that natural fertility of land cannot supply sufficient food crops for human to survive. This belief became concrete when Thomas Robert Malthus wrote in 1798 that population grows at a faster rate than the growth of food by the famous quote, â€Å"food grows at arithmetic progression and population grows at geometric progression. † As we cannot survive without food; so we have to grow more food to feed the fast growing population. To grow more food we have to add plant nutrition and research on plant nutrition began perhaps in 19th century after the publication of Malthusian Theory. In the 19th century a German chemist Justus von Liebig started the modern science of plant nutrition denouncing the vitalist theory of humus. For the first time he argued the importance of ammonia and in later course tried to promote the idea of using inorganic minerals to plant nutrition. Thus the concept of using fertilizer began and different types of inorganic fertilizer are manufactured and in this manner Erling Johnson in 1927 developed an industrial method of producing nitrophosphate. During the 19th century in England fertilizer companies were established and commercial production of inorganic fertilizer began and the debate on uses of organic versus inorganic was also started. In India widespread use of inorganic fertilizer began in 1968 which ushered a Green Revolution by large production of wheat using High Yielding Varieties of Seeds (HYV Seeds) ‘The HYV Seeds was first introduced in India by Dr. Norman Borlaug and the credit for introducing the Green Revolution goes to Dr. M. S. Swaminathan WHAT ARE FERTILIZERS? Fertilizers can be defined as a chemical or natural substance added to soil to increase its fertility. Fertilizers contain nutrients that promote plant growth. Created from numerous ingredients, derived from animals and commercial products, fertilizers are necessary for maximizing a plants health and size. Fertilizers can be composed of organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. Manure and compounds contain nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which are spread on or worked into soil to increase capacity of crop yield. Fertilizers are available in various forms. The most classic form is solid fertilizer found in granulated or powdered forms. The next most common form is liquid fertilizer. It has some advantages like its effectiveness is immediate and its coverage is wide. There are also slow-release fertilizers most notably fertilizer spikes, tabs, etc. which reduce the problem of burning the plants due to excess nitrogen. Recently, organic fertilizer is on high rise as people are resorting to environmental friendly (or green) products. Though organic fertilizers usually contain a lower concentration of nutrients, this lower concentration avoids complication of nitrogen burn harming the plants. Moreover ,organic fertilizers such as compost and worm castings break down slowly into complex organic structures (humus) which constructs the soils structure and moisture- and nutrient-retaining capabilities. CLASSIFICATION OF FERTILIZERS: Fertilizers can be broadly classified into two types: (1)Organic Fertilizers or Chemical Fertilizers (2)Inorganic Fertilizers Chemical Fertilizers: A chemical fertilizer may be as defined as any inorganic material of wholly or partially synthetic origin that is added to the soil to sustain plant growth. Since chemical fertilizers are synthetically derived from inorganic materials , they may have some harmful acids, which stunt the growth of microorganisms found in the soil helpful for plant growth naturally. They’re mostly rich in the three essential nutrients needed for plant growth viz. nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium popularly known as â€Å"NPK†. Some examples of chemical fertilizers are ammonium sulphate , ammonium phosphate, ammonium nitrate, urea, ammonium chloride ,etc. ADVANTAGES OF CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS: Some of the major advantages of using chemical fertilizers are as following: (1)Commercial chemical fertilizers have the advantage of predictability and reliability. (2)Formulations of this type of fertilizers are blended with accuracy and we can buy different blends for different types of plants as per our requirement. (3)Commercial chemical fertilizers contains a balanced distribution of the three main essential nutrients needed for plant growth: nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. The amount of percentage of the three main ingredients is listed in an order on the fertilizer labels as the N-P-K ratio. 4) In addition to these three basic nutrients some fertilizer formulations may also contain iron, sulfur and cooper. Commercial formulated fertilizers allow us to know exactly which nutrients we’re giving our plants. DISADVANTAGES OF CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS: Some of the major disadvantages of using chemical fertilizers are as following: (1)Cont inuous use of chemical fertilizers led to degradation of soil health as farmers are now forced to use more and more chemical fertilizers to achieve the same production level thus making the cost of cultivation high. (2)Commercial chemical fertilizers are more expensive than natural fertilizers. 3)Some fertilizers may contain ingredients that may have high acid content or toxic substances which may burn our skin or affect adversely to our respiratory system. (4)We also need to mix and measure them accurately. If we use access of the fertilizers than it can kill our plants. (5)Chemical fertilizers escape from soil and pollute groundwater, lakes, rivers, kill bacteria and other microorganisms in the soil making it infertile. ORGANIC FERTILIZERS: Organic fertilizers are fertilizer compounds that contain one or more than one kinds of organic matter. The ingredients may include animal or vegetable matter or a combination of the two. Some naturally occurring organic materials are chicken litter, manure, worm castings, compost, seaweed, guano, bone meal or naturally occurring mineral deposits for e. g. saltpeter can be used to form organic fertilizers. Poultry litter and cattle dung often create environmental and disposal problems, making their use as a constituent of fertilizer. Bones of dead animals can be processed into phosphate-rich bone meal; however, most are simply buried in landfills. Recent studies show that urine can also be improved by converting it to struvite , which already has been experimented by a Dutch firm using human urine. The conversion is performed by adding magnesium to the urine. The economical advantage of using urine as fertilizer is that it contains a large amount of phosphorus which is an important ingredient for plant growth. Leguminous cover crops are also grown to enrich soil as a green manure through nitrogen fixation from the atmosphere; as well as phosphorus (through nutrient mobilization) content of soils. ADVANTAGES OF ORGANIC FERTILIZERS: Some of the major advantages of using organic fertilizers are as following: (1) Organic fertilizers are known to improve biodiversity , soil life and long-term productivity of soil, and may prove a large depository for excess carbon dioxide. (2) Organic nutrients increase the abundance of soil organisms by providing organic matter and micronutrients for organisms such as fungal mycorrhiza , bacteria (which aid plants in absorbing nutrients), and can drastically reduce external inputs of pesticides and chemical fertilizer, at the cost of decreased yield. 3) In nature, decomposition of organic matter creates a natural fertilizer. Applying organic compost or well-aged herbivore manure adds nutrient-rich organic material to the soil, improving quality and texture of the soil. (4) Adding organic material to the soil improves and increases its ability to hold water; reduces erosion from water and wind; increases soil organic matter; improves soil structure and tilth ;decreases compaction and crusting of the soil; and raises soil phosphate. (5) Natural fertilizers are less likely to burn tender, young plants as they are less concentrated in acid and toxic substances than chemical fertilizers. 6)Natural fertilizers are cheap, easily available and easy to handle. DISADVANTAGES OF ORGANIC FERTILIZERS: Some of the major disadvantages of organic fertilizers are as following: (1) The nutrients in organic fertilizers are not equal and unevenly distributed. Moreover organic fertilizers may contain pathogens and other disease causing organisms if not properly composted. (2) Nutrient contents are variable and their release to available forms that the plant can use may not occur at the right plant growth stage. (3) Natural fertilizers are slow in breaking down the nutrients it contains to the growing plants/crops requires. 4) Many natural fertilizers, such as manure, seaweed or fish oil are quite smelly as they release foul odour and are too offensive to use on indoor plants. (5)Gathering natural materials, such as animaldung, grass clippings and leaves, to add to the compost pile is labor-intensive and time-consuming. (6) Organic materials break down at different rates, so the composition and content of organic fertilizer is never consistent. Therefore from the above given Advantages and Disadvantages of chemical as well as organic fertilizers we can draw the following comparisions between the two: ? NPK Ratio: In chemical fertilizer it is 20 to 60% but in organic fertilizer it is about 14%. ?Rate of production: Immediate supply in case of chemical fertilizer and in case of organic fertilizer its release is slow. ?Source: Chemical fertilizers are manufactured from synthetic material but it is reverse in case of organic fertilizers as they are made from materials derived from living things. ?Preparation: Chemical fertilizers are artificially prepared but organic fertilizers are prepared naturally and that is why one can prepare organic fertilizers, themselves or can also buy. Cost: Chemical fertilizers are costly but organic fertilizers are cheap and easily affordable. ?Nutrients: Chemical fertilizers have equal distribution of three essential nutrients: phosphorous, nitrogen, potassium but The nutrients in organic fertilizers are not equal and unevenly distributed. ?Effect on environment: Both has some effect on environment but the larger effect is being created by chemical ferti lizers. CONCLUSION: Population on this earth is increasing day by day but the crop yield is not sufficient. So in order to keep the pace organic fertilizers were insufficient, thus modern techniques of farming were introduced which includes chemical fertilizers. But when people came to know the drawbacks of these chemical fertilizers ,people started making a transition to organic farming. Thus we come to a conclusion that neither of chemical fertilizer nor organic fertilizers are fully/wholly perfect. It is a controversial matter in the society that people are opposing the use of chemical fertilizer and supporting to use organic fertilizers. They say that it is more eco friendly and safer to people sustaining on earth. It may be a misconception to believe that just because a fertilizer is organic, it is automatically safer. Whatever may be the contradiction and controversy of the use of chemical fertilizer over organic fertilizers or vice-versa ,it is the duty of the people of a society , agricultural sectors as well as Governments to implement and invent new fertilizers which coexist the characteristics of both chemical and organic fertilizers and make our surroundings clean and mother earth pollution free.

Aphra Behn essays

Aphra Behn essays [...] a Devil on't the Woman damns the Poet. Aphra Behn, Preface to The Lucky Chance Aphra Behn (1640-1689) was not the first woman writer; neither was she the only woman writer of her day. But Aphra Behn holds the singular distinction of being the first professional woman writer in the English language. That's right, ladies Aphra Behn was the first woman writer who did it for money. It was a natural choice for this young woman, a recent spy for the crown and a widow at the age of 26, to turn to selling herself (in a manner of speaking) in order to survive.Many other women of the period did so; but instead of novels and plays, they sold something much more fundamental and far more common. Single women, whether spinsters or widows, often allowed themselves to be kept by rich men of the commons and nobility alike. Mrs. Behn chose not to sell herself but her wits and words, and was branded a whore for her efforts. Not much is known of her origins. Most biographers seem to agree she was born Aphra Johnson in or around 1640, and that she acquired her education and her connections at court through a noble childhood friend for whom her mother acted as a wet-nurse. She very likely traveled with her family to Surinam in her early 20s; at the age of 26, after having been briefly married to a Mr. Behn (of which nothing is known), she went to Antwerp as a spy for the crown. The mission was singularly unsuccessful, and she returned to England a debtor (very likely serving a short term in prison). When she got out, she began to write, at first "for bread," but soon she made it clear that she was writing not only for money but for fame and also to fulfill what she called "my masculine part, the poet in me" clearly asserting her rights as an artist despite her gender. She ...

The French Revolution1 essays

The French Revolution1 essays There was a loud thunk as the blade hit, and then a roar of the crowd as another noblemans head was raised, after being cut off. The French Revolution (1789-1795) was one if not the most bloodiest revolutions ever in history. There were three social classes in France known as the Estates-General. The French revolutionists took the phrase Liberty, Equality, Fraternity as their slogan into battle (Comptons Interactive Encyclopedia). They were out to win equality, even if it meant sacrificing their own lives for it. Stands between King Louis XVI and the Estates-General are what caused the revolution. Despite their efforts to bring France to a new form government, one, which would serve the common people, France still fell into a state of corruption. The Estates-General were made up of the clergy, nobles, and the common people. It was known to have been around since 1302 (Comptons Inter. Encyclopedia) but wasnt really used again until 1788 when King Louis XVI was forced to call the almost forgotten body together again. Most all of the taxes were paid by the common people (third estate), very little were paid by the other two estates. This was one of the reasons that caused the treasury to go dry, which made Louis XVI call the Estates-General together. King Louis XVI greeted the Estates-General warmly on May 5 1789. Sirs, this day which my heart awaited since a long time has finally arrived and I see myself surrounded by the representatives of the nation which I am honored to command. The debt of the state, already immense on my coming to the throne, has accumulated during my reign. The increase in tax has been the unavoidable result and had been rendered more painful by their unequal distribution. (The Fr. Rev. and the Estates-Gen.pg.2) Louis decided to start making the first and second estates pay some taxes, still not as much as the third estate. This did how...

Gateway art Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Gateway art - Assignment Example She adds voice to her portraits by including calligraphy on the images, one of the calligraphy is a poem by feminist contemporary Iranian poet. Farrokhzad was one of the renowned Iran female poets whose work enticed Neshat to include in her paintings. Artistically works and poems were the main channels the Muslim women could use in revolution against their frustrations with the social and cultural restrictions. Following Iranian unveiling in 1936 the Irans women bodies were unveiled, subsequently female poets and artists like Neshat started revealing their thoughts, emotions and desire (Meskimmon, 2012). Neshat portrays Iranian women determination in executing their mission by the picture of her self-cladding in a black chador with her rifle aiming at the viewer. This portrait is unlike the others that do not direct their weapons at the audience the black veil leaves only the upper part of her face visible. Neshat grew up in an era before the Islamic revolution when Shahs government was trying to promote secular culture. She employs the art of photography in self-expression when she displays the characteristics of Iranian society culture and traditions. All the images covered in the women of Allah illustrate the theme of bound restriction, silence, old-fashioned and the violent Muslim women (Sheybani, 1999). Historically Islam religion and believes hold it that a womans body is a battleground for several kinds of rhetoric and political ideology. Neshat uses photography in exploring the relation between a Muslim woman and the positions that she inhabits. The traditional arrangements of the western democratic society were making efforts in eliminating difference and boundaries, comparatively contrary to Islamic culture where Islamic men and women holding different spaces are meant to come together to create a cohesive unit. Women of Allah series was Neshats artwork after visiting Iran in 1990 she makes a

The Benefits of Understanding Financial Ratios Essay

The Benefits of Understanding Financial Ratios - Essay Example Within the questions that were considered were the specific ratios CFAs use to measure liquidity, long-term debt paying ability, and probability; and what are the relative importance of specific financial ratios. While there were sixty-ratios considered, a number of prominent points emerged. In these regards, it’s noted that a single ratio oftentimes functions to measure more than one aspect of financial health. One example is that a ratio of days’ sales measures both liquidity and profitability. In terms of the most important financial ratio, analysts placed the most emphasis on return on equity after tax. b) Specification of thesis – main point The main point thesis of the article is that financial analysis places great emphasis on the corporate annual report and the financial ratios that examine it. A further thesis is that financial ratios have a varying degree of importance in terms of a variety of financial categories, specifically liquidity, long-term debt paying ability, and profitability. c) Supporting opinions/reasons There is a great body of research that supports the notion that financial ratios are an integral part of determining a firm’s financial performance. ... al to measuring a business’ financial performance and future viability; in addition they add the DuPont Ratio as a significant financial ratio for analysis. Financial ratios have also been extended to examine the financial strength of a firm when enlisting an underwriter before an IPO; this perspective was noted by Quantitative Applications in Economics & Finance (2008). Another prominent perspective was advanced by Kaufman (1995). Kaufman (1995) considered that bank failures are oftentimes linked and anticipated by the key financial ratio of low capital-to-assets. d) Opposing opinions/reasons While there are a number of strong elements supporting these understandings of financial rations, there are also a number of opposing perspectives. One perspective, as proposed by Ming-Yuan, Meng-Feng, et all (2007), argues that instead of financial ratios, behavioral determinants of firms’ oversees financing policies function as the primary analytic criteria. This study examined behavioral factors of, â€Å"(1) persistence behavior effects, (2) mental account effects, (3) the year of the company, (4) attraction effect, (5) character qualifications of managers and (6) overseas investment effects† (Ming-Yuan, Meng-Feng, et all 2007, pg. 183) in attempting to determine financial strength. The study revealed that there were statistically significant correlations between behavioral aspects and firms’ oversees financing decisions. Even more notable, financial ratios were not influential in these decisions. Another prominent consideration was that advanced by Pantos (2008). Pantos (2008) argues that previous arguments, specifically those of Emm and Gay (2005), that high concentration ratios can demonstrate significant risk implications in over-the-counter derivatives markets are

To Kill a Mocking Bird

To Kill a Mocking Bird Significance of the Study This book, To Kill a Mocking Bird, not only does it entertain us but it gives us a brief understanding about the issues in our society such as racial and social discrimination. Through this book, we will be able to relate ourselves with the characters and open our eyes on the happenings of our society. This book will also give young readers understanding of the importance of equality and human rights. Statement of the Problem Specifically, the study will seek answers to the following problems: What were the different symbolisms presented in the novel? What is the relationship of each symbolism to the current issues faced by the people? What is the parenting style Atticus Finch? What relationship does he have with his children? How does he try to inspire conscience in them? Do the characters of Calpurnia and Tom Robinson represent a realistic black society? Scope and Limitation of the Study This paper shows how Lee Harper’s novel To Kill A Mocking Bird can be read as an innovative inversion of two interrelated narrative traditions, that of coming-of-age story, and Gothic, a sub-genre which developed in the late colonial fiction of the early twentieth century. Lees trademark ironic twist appears here as a cheap device that diminishes the complexity of what she has tried to build before. From a seemingly simple scenario of children adventures, Harper Lees To Kill a Mocking evolves into an exploration of racism, responsibility, love, and courage. In their efforts to discover the truth about inequality and discrimination in their town, the central narrator learns to act in a more adult way, even a more ladylike way, and to see the people around her as actual human beings as the opening lines figures prominently in the novel: kill all the blue jays you like but remember it’s a sin to kill a mocking bird. I chose this book, To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee, because I find it interesting to read. When I first saw it, I felt that it was something worth reading. It was worthy time. I am not really into reading books, but this made me change my perspective. Definition of Terms Akimbo-body position hands on hips, elbows bent outward Apoplectic-on the verge of having a stroke Arbor-an outdoor area shaded by trees Asafetida-strong smelling substance made from parsley that is often used in folk medicine Bantam cock a small agressive rooster Calomel-a laxative often used to rid a person of intestinal worms catawba worms-caterpillars; highly prized as fishbait in the American South changelings-a child secretly put in the place of another chiffarobe-a large cabinet with drawers and a place for hanging clothes collards-cabbage with very coarse, thick leaves cootie-slang term for a head louse dog-trot hall-a covered passageway between two parts of a building eddy-a whirlpool or current of water that moves against the current edification-instruction or education fey-strange or eccentric guile-craftiness and cunning habiliments-clothing haint-ghost or spook hookah-a tobacco pipe of Eastern origin that draws smoke through a bowl of water Jews Harp-small musical instrument played by plucking a piece of metal while holding the instrument to ones mouth. Kudzu-a large leafed quick-growing vine of the South Manacles-handcuffs morphodite (hermaphrodite)-Scout hears Miss Maudie call her and Jems snowman a morphodite. Miss Maudie most likely said hermaphrodite, which is an animal or plant with both male and female reproductive organs. Nome-no maam Obstreperous-noisy and unruly Palliate-to lessen pain roly-poly-a small bug that can turn itself into a ball. Also known as a pillbug rotogravure print-a kind of photograph ruttin -slang for having sexual intercourse scrip stamps-paper money of small denominations issued by government agencies for temporary emergency use; particularly common during the Great Depression scuppernongs-sweet grapes grown in the American South shinny-slang term for whiskey smockin-decorative stitching that gathers fabric widows walk-a platform with a rail around it built on the roof of a house, named for women who would stand on it and wait in vain for their husbands ships to return to port CHAPTER 2 Review of Related Studies To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee is a Pulitzer Prize winning novel, which gives an outlook of life through an innocent young girl’s eyes. The novel portrays and focused two main themes which are discrimination and racism. Racism is perhaps the main theme of the novel. It comes in as a subtle and open style that is being shown through actions and speeches. Racism in Maycomb takes mostly the form of having black people being discriminated by white people. A number of people in Maycomb are racist because they perceive Negroes as a disgraced race and are typically undependable and deceitful. The actions and speeches are most likely the most familiar forms of racism though the layout of Maycomb is of racial discrimination too. Racial discrimination happens also in our society today. Discrimination refersto a system of differential treatment and opportunities that can act on multiple levels to unfairly disadvantage groups of people because they hold certain characteristics (e.g., race, sex, religion, drug use, prior incarceration) that are negatively construed (JaryJary, 1995; Jones, 2000, 2003).The impact of discrimination on other marginalized and stigmatized groups such as substance users is beginning to receive closer attention. Although investigations of discrimination and its relation to mental health among drug users is sparse, there is evidence of an independent association between racially and non–racially based discrimination and higher prevalence of depression and lower mental health scores among substance users (Ahern, Stuber, Galea, 2007; Stuber et al., 2008). Prejudice is also depicted in various forms in the novel. A number of characters in the novel suffer from prejudice and discrimination due to age, social status, sex and gender.Racism seems to be as normal to the people in the story as breathing. At the beginning of the novel, Scout, Jem and Dill choose to take a glimpse into the window of the Boo Radley. They made noises which alert, Boos older brother, Nathan Radley who fires his gun to scare them off which awakens the people. When the crowd gathers into where the event happened, they immediately thought that a black was the prowler. When they ask if the intruder had been shot, Miss Stephanie gives the following reply. Shot in the air. Scared him pale, though.Says if anybody sees a white nigger around, thats the one. (Lee 54). Racial insults are normal and have always been included in the natural conversation among the people in Maycomb. IT is enunciated as casually as if she were talking about the weather. Current readers may be s urprised, perhaps shocked by this unconcealed racism, but Leeclearly illustrates how acceptable this behavior in the society was back in the 1930s. According to Turneyet. al (2014), The impact of discrimination on other marginalized and stigmatized groups such as substance users is beginning to receive closer attention. Although investigations of discrimination and its relation to mental health among drug users is sparse, there is evidence of an independent association between racially and non–racially based discrimination and higher prevalence of depression and lower mental health scores among substance users (Ahern, Stuber, Galea, 2007; Stuber et al., 2008). There can be a possibility that discrimination may manifest inversely within diverse types of social atmospheres. For example, neighborhood characteristics have been shown to be independently associated with levels of depression (Beard et al., 2009; Cutrona, Wallace, Wesner, 2006; Galea et al., 2007) and reports of racial discrimination (Dailey, Kasl, Holford, Lewis, Jones, 2010). The inequality of racism becomes deceptive when Tom Robinson, a black man is accused of raping MayellaEwell, a white woman. Even with the absence of evidence, the town and jury is averse to take the statement of a black man over the accusers, MayellaEwell and Bob Ewell. In the event where Scout is verbally attacked because her father’s decision in taking the caseof Tom Robinson, she becomes furious, resulting to physical violence directed to others. Probably this is the start of her realization of how infuriating it must be to be prejudiced and judged for something you cannot control. Scout could not command anymore who her father defended than somebody who could decide on their race. Then, Scout recognizes the feeling of being judged as she suffers scoffs and taunts. Discrimination has a direct effect on the behavior of the individual as seen in the actions of Scout from the taunts and mocks of her classmates. Not only it affect the behavior of an individual but as well as to the mental and physical health of a person. Several factors have been employed to explain the disparities that exist concerning the health of Black men, including racial discrimination, income inequalities, lack of insurance, poor health behaviors, difficulty in obtaining care, and mistrust of health care providers (Dressler, Oths, Gravlee, 2005; Rich, 2000; Williams, 2003). Experiences of discrimination have been associated with a number of negative psychological outcomes, including depression (KarlsenNazroo,2002; Williams, Takeuchi, Adair, 1992), psychological distress (Gee, 2002; Jacksonet al., 1996; Sellers, 2001), and decreased self-esteem (Diaz, Ayala, Bein, Henne, Marin, 2001; Verkuyten, 1998). Discrimination is a major theme in the novel and according the study conducted by Angobung (2011), he claimed that according to St. Thomas discrimination is a violation of the common good. A particular act of injustice that is deliberate thought, word, deed, desire, and omission clearly manifests an act that is contrary to right reason. Unfortunately, discrimination in the society is normally unconsciously accepted in the society. Pearson et. al. (2009), arguethat current racial attitudes of Whites toward Blacks in the United States are fundamentally ambivalent, characterizedby a widespread contemporary form of racial prejudice, aversive racism, that is manifested in subtle and indirect ways, and illustrate its operation across a wide range of settings, from employment and legal decisions, to group problem-solving and everyday helping behavior.

Discrimination Against Gay Adoption Essay -- adoption by same-sex coup

Note: This paper has a very long Annotated Bibliography. In recent years, same-sex relationships have become more encompassing in US society. State legislation is changing such as accepting gay marriages, enforcing anti-discrimination laws, and legal gay adoptions; the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community is becoming public. Gay-headed families, like heterosexuals, are diverse and varying in different forms. Whether a created family is from previous heterosexual relationships, artificial insemination, or adoption, it deserves the same legal rights heterosexual families enjoy. Full adoption rights needs to be legalized in all states to provide a stable family life for children because sexual orientation does not determine parenting skills, children placed with homosexual parents have better well-being than those in foster care, and there are thousands of children waiting for good homes. The argument sexual orientation interferes with ones parenting skills is common belief that Charlotte J. Patterson identifies as myth in her work, Lesbian and Gay Parents and their Children, suggesting the belief that â€Å"lesbians’ and gay men’s relationships with sexual partners leave little time for ongoing parent–child interactions.† In the Who is Mommy tonight? case study, how 18 lesbian adoptive parents, 49 lesbian parents who formed their families biologically, and 44 heterosexual adoptive parents experience and perceive their parenting role, how they respond when their children seek them or their partner for particular nurturing, and how the parents negotiate the cultural expectation of a primary caregiver (Ciano-Boyce & Shelley-Sireci, 2002) is looked at. The empirical data found proposes lesbian parent couples were more equ... ...df This study examined associations among family type (same-sex vs. opposite-sex parents); family and relationship variables; and the psychosocial adjustment, school outcomes, and romantic attractions and behaviors of adolescents. Participants included 44 12- to 18-year-old adolescents parented by same-sex couples and 44 same-aged adolescents parented by opposite-sex couples, matched on demographic characteristics and drawn from a national sample. Normative analyses indicated that, on measures of psychosocial adjustment and school outcomes, adolescents were functioning well, and their adjustment was not generally associated with family type. Assessments of romantic relationships and sexual behavior were not associated with family type. Regardless of family type, adolescents whose parents described closer relationships with them reported better school adjustment.

Foundation’s Edge CHAPTER FOURTEEN FORWARD!

FORWARD! Janov Pelorat looked out at the dim landscape in the graying dawn with an odd mixture of regret and uncertainty. â€Å"We aren't staying long enough, Golan. It seems a pleasant and interesting world. I would like to learn more about it.† Trevize looked up from the computer with a wry smile. â€Å"You don't think I would like to? We had three proper meals on the planet – totally different and each excellent. I'd like more. And the only women we saw, we saw briefly – and some of them looked quite enticing, for – well, for what I've got in mind.† Pelorat wrinkled his nose slightly. â€Å"Oh, my dear chap. Those cowbells they call shoes, and all wrapped around in clashing colors, and whatever do they do to their eyelashes. Did you notice their eyelashes?† â€Å"You might just as well believe I noticed everything, Janov. What you object to is superficial. They can easily be persuaded to wash their faces and, at the proper time, off come the shoes and the colors.† Pelorat said, â€Å"I'll take your word for that, Janov. However, I was thinking more of investigating the matter of Earth further. ‘What we've been told about Earth, thus far, is so unsatisfactory, so contradictory – radiation according to one person, robots according to another.† â€Å"Death in either case.† â€Å"True,† said Pelorat reluctantly, â€Å"but it may be that one is true and not the other, or that both are true to some extent, or that neither is true. Surely, Janov, when you hear tales that simply shroud matters in thickening mists of doubt, surely you must feel the itch to explore, to find out.† â€Å"I do,† said Golan. â€Å"By every dwarf star in the Galaxy, I do. The problem at hand, however, is Gaia. Once that is straightened out, we can go to Earth, or come back here to Sayshell for a more extended stay. But first, Gaia.† Pelorat nodded, â€Å"The problem at hand! If we accept what Quintesetz told us, death is waiting for us on Gaia. Ought we to be going?† Trevize said, â€Å"I ask myself that. Are you afraid?† Pelorat hesitated as though he were probing his own feelings. Then he said in a quite simple and matter-of-fact manner. â€Å"Yes. Terribly!† Trevize sat back in his chair and swiveled to face the other. He said, just as quietly and matter-of-factly, â€Å"Janov, there's no reason for you to chance this. Say the word and I'll let you off on Sayshell with your personal belongings and with half our credits. I'll pick you up when I return and it will be on to Sirius Sector, if you wish, and Earth, if that's where it is. If I don't return, the Foundation people on Sayshell will see to it that you get back to Terminus. No hard feelings if you stay behind, old friend.† Pelorat's eyes blinked rapidly and his lips pressed together for a few moments. Then he said, rather huskily, â€Å"Old friend? We've known each other what? A week or so? Isn't it strange that I'm going to refuse to leave the ship? I am afraid, but I want to remain with you.† Trevize moved his hands in a gesture of uncertainty. â€Å"But why? I honestly don't ask it of you.† â€Å"I'm not sure why, but I ask it of myself. It's†¦ it's Golan, I have faith in you. It seems to me you always know what you're doing. I wanted to go to Trantor where probably – as I now see nothing would have happened. You insisted on Gaia and Gaia must somehow be a raw nerve in the Galaxy. Things seem to happen in connection with it. And if that's not enough, Golan, I watched you force Quintesetz to give you the information about Gaia. That was such a skillful bluff. I was lost in admiration.† â€Å"You have faith in me, then.† Pelorat said, â€Å"Yes, I do.† Trevize put his hand on the other's upper arm and seemed, for a moment, to be searching for words. Finally he said, â€Å"Janov, will you forgive me in advance if my judgment is wrong, and if you in one way or another meet with – whatever unpleasant may be awaiting us?† Pelorat said, â€Å"Oh, my dear fellow, why do you ask? I make the decision freely for my reasons, not yours. And, please – let us leave quickly. I don't trust my cowardice not to seize me by the throat and shame me for the rest of my life.† â€Å"As you say, Janov,† said Trevize. â€Å"We'll leave at the earliest moment the computer will permit. This time, we'll be moving gravitically – straight up – as soon as we can be assured the atmosphere above is clear of other ships. And as the surrounding atmosphere grows less and less dense, we'll put on more and more speed. Well within the hour, we'll be in open space.† â€Å"Good,† Pelorat said and pinched the tip off a plastic coffee container. The opened orifice almost at once began steaming. Pelorat put the nipple to his mouth and sipped, allowing just enough air to enter his mouth to cool the coffee to a bearable temperature. Trevize grinned. â€Å"You've learned how to use those things beautifully. You're a space veteran, Janov.† Pelorat stared at the plastic container for a moment and said, â€Å"Now that we have ships that can adjust a gravitational field at will, surely we can use ordinary containers, can't we?† â€Å"Of course, but you're not going to get space people to give up their space-centered apparatus. How is a space rat going to put distance between himself and surface worms if he uses an openmouthed cup? See those rings on the walls and ceilings? Those have been traditional in spacecraft for twenty thousand years and more, but they're absolutely useless in a gravitic ship. Yet they're there and I'll bet the entire ship to a cup of coffee that your space rat will pretend he's being squashed into asphyxiation on takeoff and will then sway back and forth from those rings as though he's under zero – gray when its gee-one-normal-grav, that is – on both occasions.† â€Å"You're joking.† â€Å"Well, maybe a little, but there's always social inertia to everything – even technological advance. Those useless wall rings are there and the cups they supply us have nipples.† Pelorat nodded thoughtfully and continued to sip at his coffee. Finally he said, â€Å"And when do we take off?† Trevize laughed heartily and said, â€Å"Got you. I began talking about wall rings and you never noticed that we were taking off right at that time. We're a mile high right now.† â€Å"You don't mean it.† â€Å"Look out.† Pelorat did and then said, â€Å"But I never felt a thing.† â€Å"You're not supposed to.† â€Å"Aren't we breaking the regulations? Surely we ought to have followed a radio beacon in an upward spiral, as we did in a downward spiral on landing?† â€Å"No reason to, Janov. No one will stop us. No one at all.† â€Å"Coming down, you said†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"That was different. They weren't anxious to see us arrive, but they're ecstatic to see us go.† â€Å"Why do you say that, Golan? The only person who talked to us about Gaia was Quintesetz and he begged us not to go.† â€Å"Don't you believe it, Janov. That was for form. He made sure we'd go to Gaia. – Janov, you admired the way I bluffed the information out of Quintesetz. I'm sorry, but I don't deserve the admiration. If I had done nothing at all, he would have offered the information. If I had tried to plug my ears, he would have shouted it at me.† â€Å"Why do you say that, Golan? That's crazy.† â€Å"Paranoid? Yes, I know.† Trevize turned to the computer and extended his sense intently. He said, â€Å"We're not being stopped. No ships in interfering distance, no warning messages of any kind.† Again he swiveled in the direction of Pelorat. He said, â€Å"Tell me, Janov, how did you find out about Gaia? You knew about Gaia while we were still on Terminus. You knew it was in the Sayshell Sector. You knew the name was, somehow, a form of Earth. Where did you hear all this?† Pelorat seemed to stiffen. He said, â€Å"If I were back in my office on Terminus, I might consult my files. I have not brought everything with me – certainly not the dates on which I first encountered this piece of data or that.† â€Å"Well, think about it,† said Trevize grimly. â€Å"Consider that the Sayshellians themselves are close-mouthed about the matter. They are so reluctant to talk about Gaia as it really is that they actually encourage a superstition that has the common people of the sector believing that no such planet exists in ordinary space. In fact, I can tell you something else. Watch this!† Trevize swung to the computer, his fingers sweeping across the direction hand-rests with the ease and grace of long practice. When he placed his hands on the manuals, he welcomed their warm touch and enclosure. He felt, as always, a bit of his will oozing outward. He said, â€Å"This is the computer's Galactic map, as it existed within its memory banks before we landed on Sayshell. I am going to show you that portion of the map that represents the night sky of Sayshell as we saw it this past night.† The room darkened and a representation of a night sky sprang out onto the screen. Pelorat said in a low voice, â€Å"As beautiful as we saw it on Sayshell.† â€Å"More beautiful,† said Trevize, impatiently. â€Å"There is no atmospheric interference of any kind, no clouds, no absorption at the horizon. But wait, let me make an adjustment† The view shifted steadily, giving the two the uncomfortable impression that it was they who were moving. Pelorat instinctively took hold of the arms of his chair to steady himself. â€Å"There!† said Trevize. â€Å"Do you recognize that?† â€Å"Of course. Those are the Five Sisters – the pentagon of stars that Quintesetz pointed out. It is unmistakable.† â€Å"Yes indeed. But where is Gaia?† Pelorat blinked. There was no dim star at the center. â€Å"It's not there,† he said. â€Å"That's right. It's not there. And that's because its location is not included in the data banks of the computer. Since it passes the bounds of likelihood that those data banks were deliberately made incomplete in this respect for our benefit, I conclude that to the Foundation Gaiactographers who designed those data banks – and who had tremendous quantities of information at their disposal – Gaia was unknown.† â€Å"Do you suppose if we had gone to Trantor†¦Ã¢â‚¬  began Pelorat. â€Å"I suspect we would have found no data on Gaia there, either. Its existence is kept a secret by the Sayshellians – and even more so, I suspect, by the Gaians themselves. You yourself said a few days ago it was not entirely uncommon that some worlds deliberately stayed out of sight to avoid taxation or outside interference.† â€Å"Usually,† said Pelorat, â€Å"when mapmakers and statisticians come across such a world, they are found to exist in thinly populated sections of the Galaxy. It's isolation that makes it possible for them to hide. Gaia is not isolated.† â€Å"That's right. That's another of the things that makes it unusual. So let's leave this map on the screen so that you and I might continue to ponder the ignorance of our Gaiactographers – and let me ask you again. – In view of this ignorance on the part of the most knowledgeable of people, how did you come to hear of Gaia?† â€Å"I have been gathering data on Earth myths, Earth legends, and Earth histories for over thirty years, my good Golan. Without my complete records, how could I possibly†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"We can begin somewhere, Janov. Did you learn about it in, say, the first fifteen years of your research or in the last fifteen?† â€Å"Oh! Well, if we're going to be that broad, it was later on.† â€Å"You can do better than that. Suppose I suggest that you learned of Gaia only in the last couple of years.† Trevize peered in Pelorat's direction, felt the absence of any ability to read an unseen expression in the dimness, and raised the light level of the room a bit. The glory of the representation of the night sky on the screen dimmed in proportion. Pelorat's expression was stony and revealed nothing. â€Å"Well?† said Trevize. â€Å"I'm thinking,† said Pelorat mildly. â€Å"You may be right. I wouldn't swear to it. When I wrote Jimbor of Ledbet University, I didn't mention Gaia, though in that case it would have been appropriate to do so, and that was in – let's see – in – and that was three years ago. I think you're right, Golan.† â€Å"And how did you come upon it?† asked Trevize. â€Å"In a communication? A book? A scientific paper? Some ancient song? How? – Come on!† Pelorat sat back and crossed his arms. He fell into deep thought and didn't move. Trevize said nothing and waited. Finally Pelorat said, â€Å"In a private communication. – But it's no use asking me from whom, my dear chap. I don't remember.† Trevize moved his hands over his sash. They felt clammy as he continued his efforts to elicit information without too clearly forcing words into the other's mouth. He said, â€Å"From a historian? From an expert in mythology? From a Gaiactographer?† â€Å"No use. I cannot match a name to the communication.† â€Å"Because, perhaps, there was none.† â€Å"Oh no. That scarcely seems possible.† â€Å"Why? Would you have rejected an anonymous communication?† â€Å"I suppose not.† â€Å"Did you ever receive any?† â€Å"Once in a long while. In recent years, I had become well known in certain academic circles as a collector of particular types of myths and legends and some of my correspondents were occasionally kind enough to forward material they had picked up from nonacademic sources. Sometimes these might not be attributed to anyone in particular.† Trevize said, â€Å"Yes, but did you ever receive anonymous information directly, and not by way of some academic correspondent?† â€Å"That sometimes happened – but very rarely.† â€Å"And can you be certain that this was not so in the case of Gaia?† â€Å"Such anonymous communications took place so rarely that I should think I would remember if it had happened in this case. Still, I can't say certainly that the information was not of anonymous origin. Mind, though, that's not to say that I did receive the information from an anonymous source.† â€Å"I realize that. But it remains a possibility, doesn't it?† Pelorat said, very reluctantly, â€Å"I suppose it does. But what's all this about?† â€Å"I'm not finished,† said Trevize peremptorily. â€Å"Where did you get the information from – anonymous or not? What world?† Pelorat shrugged. â€Å"Come now, I haven't the slightest idea.† â€Å"Could it possibly have been from Sayshell?† â€Å"I told you. I don't know.† â€Å"I'm suggesting you did get it from Sayshell.† â€Å"You can suggest all you wish, but that does not necessarily make it so.† â€Å"No? When Quintesetz pointed out the dim Star at the center of the Five Sisters, you knew at once it was Gaia. You said so later on to Quintesetz, identifying it before he did. Do you remember?† â€Å"Yes, of course.† â€Å"How was that possible? How did you recognize at once that the dim star was Gaia?† â€Å"Because in the material I had on Gaia, it was rarely referred to by that name. Euphemisms were common, many different ones. One of the euphemisms, several times repeated, was ‘the little Brother of the Five Sisters. ‘ Another was ‘the Pentagon's Center' and sometimes it was called ‘o Pentagon. ‘ When Quintesetz pointed out the Five Sisters and the central star, the allusions came irresistibly to mind.† â€Å"You never mentioned those allusions to me earlier.† â€Å"I didn't know what they meant and I didn't think it would have been important to discuss the matter with you, who were a†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Pelorat hesitated. â€Å"A nonspecialist?† â€Å"You realize, I hope, that the pentagon of the Five Sisters is an entirely relative form.† â€Å"What do you mean?† Trevize laughed affectionately. â€Å"You surface worm. Do you think the sky has an objective shape of its own? That the stars are nailed in place? The pentagon has the shape it has from the surface of the worlds of the planetary system to which Sayshell Planet belongs – and from there only. From a planet circling any other star, the appearance of the Five Sisters is different. They are seen from a different angle, for one thing. For another, the five stars of the pentagon are at different distances from Sayshell and, seen from other angles, there could be no visible relationship among them at all. One or two stars might be in one half of the sky, the others in the other half. See here†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Trevize darkened the room again and leaned over the computer. â€Å"There are eighty-six populated planetary systems making up the Sayshell Union. Let us keep Gaia – or the spot where Gaia ought to be – in place† (as he said that, a small red circle appeared in the center of the pentagon of the Five Sisters) â€Å"and shift to the skies as seen from any of the other eighty-six worlds taken at random.† The sky shifted and Pelorat blinked. The small red circle remained at the center of the screen, but the Five Sisters had disappeared. There were bright stars in the neighborhood but no tight pentagon. Again the sky shifted, and again, and again. It went on shifting. The red circle remained in place always, but at no time did a small pentagon of equally bright stars appear. Sometimes what might be a distorted pentagon of stars – unequally bright – appeared, but nothing like the beautiful asterism Quintesetz had pointed out. â€Å"Had enough?† said Trevize. â€Å"I assure you, the Five Sisters can never be seen exactly as we have seen it from any populated world but the worlds of the Sayshell planetary system.† Pelorat said, â€Å"The Sayshellian view might have been exported to other planets. There were many proverbs in Imperial times – some of which linger into our own, in fact – that are Trantor-centered.† â€Å"With Sayshell as secretive about Gaia as we know it to be? And why should worlds outside the Sayshell Union be interested? Why would they care about a ‘little Brother of the Five Sisters' if there were nothing in the skies at which to point?† â€Å"Maybe you're right.† â€Å"Then don't you see that your original information must have come from Sayshell itself? Not just from somewhere in the Union, but precisely from the planetary system to which the capital world of the Union belongs.† Pelorat shook his head. â€Å"You make it sound as though it must, but it's not something I remember. I simply don't.† â€Å"Nevertheless, you do see the force of my argument, don't you?† â€Å"Yes, I do.† â€Å"Next. – When do you suppose the legend could have originated?† â€Å"Anytime. I should suppose it developed far back in the Imperial Era. It has the feel of an ancient†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You are wrong, Janov. The Five Sisters are moderately close to Sayshell Planet, which is why they're so bright. Four of them have high proper motions in consequence and no two are part of a family, so that they move in different directions. Watch what happens as I shift the map backward in time slowly.† Again the red circle that marked the site of Gaia remained in place, but the pentagon slowly fell apart, as four of the stars drifted in different directions and the fifth shifted slightly. â€Å"Look at that, Janov,† said Trevize. â€Å"Would you say that was a regular pentagon?† â€Å"Clearly lopsided,† said Pelorat. â€Å"And is Gaia at the center?† â€Å"No, it's well to the side.† â€Å"Very well. That is how the asterism looked one hundred and fifty years ago. One and a half centuries, that's all. – The material you received concerning ‘the Pentagon's Center' and so on made no real sense till this century anywhere, not even in Sayshell. The material you received had to originate in Sayshell and sometime in this century, perhaps in the last decade. And you got it, even though Sayshell is so close-mouthed about Gaia.† Trevize put the lights on, turned the star map off, and sat there staring sternly at Pelorat. Pelorat said, â€Å"I'm confused. What's this about?† â€Å"You tell me. Consider! Somehow I got the idea into my head that the Second Foundation still existed. I was giving a talk during my election campaign. I started a bit of emotional byplay designed to squeeze votes out of the undecided with a dramatic ‘If the Second Foundation still existed – † and later that day I thought to myself: What if it did still exist? I began reading history books and within a week, I was convinced. There was no real evidence, but I have always felt that I had the knack of snatching the right conclusion out of a welter of speculation. This time, though†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Trevize brooded a bit, then went on. â€Å"And look at what has happened since. Of all people, I chose Compor as my confidant and he betrayed me. Whereupon Mayor Branno had me arrested and sent into exile. Why into exile, rather than just having me imprisoned, or trying to threaten me into silence? And why in a very late-model ship which gives me extraordinary powers of Jumping through the Galaxy? And why, of all things, does she insist I take you and suggest that I help you search for Earth? â€Å"And why was I so certain that we should not go to Trantor? I was convinced you had a better target for our investigations and at once you come up with the mystery world of Gaia, concerning which, as it now turns out, you gained information under very puzzling circumstances. â€Å"We go to Sayshell – the first natural stop – and at once we encounter Compor, who gives us a circumstantial story about Earth and its death. He then assures us its location is in the Sirius Sector and urges us to go there.† Pelorat said, â€Å"There you are. You seem to be implying that all circumstances are forcing us toward Gaia, but, as you say, Compor tried to persuade us to go elsewhere.† â€Å"And in response, I was determined to continue on our original line of investigation out of my sheer distrust for the man. Don't you suppose that that was what he might have been counting on? He may have deliberately told us to go elsewhere just to keep us from doing so.† â€Å"That's mere romance,† muttered Pelorat. â€Å"Is it? Let's go on. We get in touch with Quintesetz simply because he was handy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Not at all,† said Pelorat. â€Å"I recognized his name.† â€Å"It seemed familiar to you. You had never read anything he had written – that you could recall. Why was it familiar to you? – In any case, it turned out he had read a paper of yours and was overwhelmed by it – and how likely was that? You yourself admit your work is not widely known. â€Å"What's more, the young lady leading us to him quite gratuitously mentions Gaia and goes on to tell us it is in hyperspace, as though to be sure we keep it in mind. When we ask Quintesetz about it, he behaves as though he doesn't want to talk about it, but he doesn't throw us out – even though I am rather rude to him. He takes us to his home instead and, on the way there, goes to the trouble of pointing out the Five Sisters. He even makes sure we note the dim star at the center. Why? Is not all this an extraordinary concatenation of coincidence?† Pelorat said, â€Å"If you list it like that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"List it any way you please,† said Trevize. â€Å"I don't believe in extraordinary concatenations of coincidence.† â€Å"What does all this mean, then? That we are being maneuvered to Gaia?† â€Å"By whom?† Trevize said, â€Å"Surely there can be no question about that. Who is capable of adjusting minds, of giving gentle nudges to this one or that, of managing to divert progress in this direction or that?† â€Å"You're going to tell me it's the Second Foundation.† â€Å"Well, what have we been told about Gaia? It is untouchable. Fleets that move against it are destroyed. People who reach it do not return. Even the Mule didn't dare move against it – and the Mule, in fact, was probably born there. Surely it seems that Gaia is the Second Foundation – and finding that, after all, is my ultimate goal. Pelorat shook his head. â€Å"But according to some historians, the Second Foundation stopped the Mule. How could he have been one of them?† â€Å"A renegade, I suppose.† â€Å"But why should we be so relentlessly maneuvered toward the Second Foundation by the Second Foundation?† Trevize's eyes were unfocused, his brow furrowed. He said, â€Å"Let's reason it out. It has always seemed important to the Second Foundation that as little information as possible about it should be available to the Galaxy. Ideally it wants its very existence to remain unknown. We know that much about them. For a hundred twenty years, the Second Foundation was thought to be extinct and that must have suited them right down to the Galactic core. Yet when I began to suspect that they did exist, they did nothing. Compor knew. They might have used him to shut me up one way or another – had me killed, even. Yet they did nothing.† Pelorat said, â€Å"They had you arrested, if you want to blame that on the Second Foundation. According to what you told me, that resulted in the people of Terminus not knowing about your views. The people of the Second Foundation accomplished that much without violence and they may be devotees of Salvor Hardin's remark that ‘Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.† â€Å"But keeping it from the people of Terminus accomplishes nothing. Mayor Branno knows my view and – at the very least – must wonder if I am correct. So now, you see, it is too late for them to harm us. If they had gotten rid of me to begin with, they would be in the clear. If they had left me alone altogether, they might have still remained in the clear, for they might have maneuvered Terminus into believing I was an eccentric, perhaps a madman. The prospective ruin of my political career might even have forced me into silence as soon as I saw what the announcement of my beliefs would mean. â€Å"And now it is too late for them to do anything. Mayor Branno was suspicious enough of the situation to send Compor after me and – having no faith in him either, being wiser than I was – she placed a hyper – relay on Compor's ship. In consequence, she knows we are on Sayshell. And last night, while you were sleeping, I had our computer place a message directly into the computer of the Foundation ambassador here on Sayshell, explaining that we were on our way to Gaia. I took the trouble of giving its co-ordinates, too. If the Second Foundation does anything to us now, I am certain that Branno will have the matter investigated – and the concentrated attention of the Foundation must surely be what they don't want.† â€Å"Would they care about attracting the Foundation's attention, if they are so powerful?† â€Å"Yes,† said Trevize forcefully. â€Å"They lie hidden because, in some ways, they must be weak and because the Foundation is technologically advanced perhaps beyond even what Seldon himself might have foreseen. The very quiet, even stealthy, way in which they've been maneuvering us to their world would seem to show their eager desire to do nothing that will attract attention. And if so, then they have already lost, at least in part – for they've attracted attention and I doubt they can do anything to reverse the situation.† Pelorat said, â€Å"But why do they go through all this? Why do they ruin themselves – if your analysis is correct – by angling for us across the Galaxy? What is it they want of us?† Trevize stared at Pelorat and flushed. â€Å"Janov,† he said, â€Å"I have a feeling about this. I have this gift of coming to a correct conclusion on the basis of almost nothing. There's a kind of sureness about me that tells me when I'm right – and I'm sure now. There's something I have that they want – and want enough to risk their very existence for. I don't know what it can be, but I've got to find out, because if I've got it and if it's that powerful, then I want to be able to use it for what I feel is right.† He shrugged slightly. â€Å"Do you still want to come along with me, old friend, now that you see how much a madman I am?† Pelorat said, â€Å"I told you I had faith in you. I still do.† And Trevize laughed with enormous relief. â€Å"Marvelous! Because another feeling I have is that you are, for some reason, also essential to this whole thing. In that case, Janov, we move on to Gaia, full speed. Forward!† Mayor Harla Branno looked distinctly older than her sixty-two years. She did not always look older, but she did now. She had been sufficiently wrapped up in thought to forget to avoid the mirror and had seen her image on her way into the map room. So she was aware of the haggardness of her appearance. She sighed. It drained the life out of one. Five years a Mayor and for twelve years before that the real power behind two figureheads. All of it had been quiet, all of it successful, all of it – draining. How would it have been, she wondered, if there had been strain – failure – disaster. Not so bad for her personally, she suddenly decided. Action would have been invigorating. It was the horrible knowledge that nothing but drift was possible that had worn her out. It was the Seldon Plan that was successful and it was the Second Foundation that made sure it would continue to be. She, as the strong hand at the helm of the Foundation (actually the First Foundation, but no one on Terminus ever thought of adding the adjective) merely rode the crest. History would say little or nothing about her. She merely sat at the controls of a spaceship, while the spaceship was maneuvered from without. Even Indbur III, who had presided over the Foundation's catastrophic fall to the Mule, had done something. He had, at least, collapsed. For Mayor Branno there would be nothing! Unless this Golan Trevize, this thoughtless Councilman, this lightning rod, made it possible. – She looked at the map thoughtfully. It was not the kind of structure produced by a modern computer. It was, rather, a three-dimensional cluster of lights that pictured the Galaxy holographically in midair. Though it could not be made to move, to turn, to expand, or to contract, one could move about it and see it from any angle. A large section of the Galaxy, perhaps a third of the whole (excluding the core, which was a â€Å"no-life's land†) turned red when she touched a contact. That was the Foundation Federation, the more than seven million inhabited worlds ruled by the Council and by herself – the seven million inhabited worlds who voted for and were represented in the House of Worlds, which debated matters of minor importance, and then voted on them, and never, by any chance, dealt with anything of major importance. Another contact and a faint pink jutted outward from the edges of the Federation, here and there. Spheres of influence! This was not Foundation territory, but the regions, though nominally independent, would never dream of resistance to any Foundation move. There was no question in her mind that no power in the Galaxy could oppose the Foundation (not even the Second Foundation, if one but knew where it was), that the Foundation could, at will, reach out its fleet of modern ships and simply set up the Second Empire. But only five centuries had passed since the beginning of the Plan. The Plan called for ten centuries before the Second Empire could be set up and the Second Foundation would make sure the Plan would hold. The Mayor shook her sad, gray head. If the Foundation acted now, it would somehow fail. Though its ships were irresistible, action now would fail. Unless Trevize, the lightning rod, drew the lightning of the Second Foundation – and the lightning could be traced back to its source. She looked about. Where was Kodell? This was no time for him to be late. It was as though her thought had called him, for he came striding in, smiling cheerfully, looking more grandfatherly than ever with his gray-white mustache and tanned complexion. Grandfatherly, but not old. To be sure, he was eight years younger than she was. How was it he showed no marks of strain? Did not fifteen years as Director of Security leave its scar? Kodell nodded slowly in the formal greeting that was necessary in initiating a discussion with the Mayor. It was a tradition that had existed since the bad days of the Indburs. Almost everything had changed, but etiquette least of all. He said, â€Å"Sorry I'm late, Mayor, but your arrest of Councilman Trevize is finally beginning to make its way through the anesthetized skin of the Council.† â€Å"Oh?† said the Mayor phlegmatically. â€Å"Are we in for a palace revolution?† â€Å"Not the least chance. We're in control. But there'll be noise.† â€Å"Let them make noise. It will make them feel better, and I – I shall stay out of the way. I can count, I suppose, on general public opinion?† â€Å"I think you can. Especially away from Terminus. No one outside Terminus cares what happens to a stray Councilman.† â€Å"I do.† â€Å"Ah? More news?† â€Å"Liono,† said the Mayor, â€Å"I want to know about Sayshell.† â€Å"I'm not a two-legged history book,† said Liono Kodell, smiling. â€Å"I don't want history. I want the truth. Why is Sayshell independent? – Look at it.† She pointed to the red of the Foundation on the holographic map and there, well into the inner spirals, was an in-pocketing of white. Branno said, â€Å"We've got it almost encapsulated – almost sucked in – yet it's white. Our map doesn't even show it as a loyal-ally-inpink.† Kodell shrugged. â€Å"It's not officially a loyal ally, but it never bothers us. It is neutral.† â€Å"All right. See this, then.† Another touch at the controls. The red sprang out distinctly further. It covered nearly half the Galaxy. â€Å"That,† said Mayor Branno, â€Å"was the Mule's realm at the time of his death. If you'll peer in among the red, you'll find the Sayshell Union, completely surrounded this time, but still white. it is the only enclave left free by the Mule.† â€Å"It was neutral then, too.† â€Å"The Mule had no great respect for neutrality.† â€Å"He seems to have had, in this case.† â€Å"Seems to have had. What has Sayshell got?† Kodell said, â€Å"Nothing! Believe me, Mayor, she is ours any time we want her.† â€Å"Is she? Yet somehow she isn't ours.† â€Å"There's no need to want her.† Branno sat back in her chair and, with a sweep of her arm over the controls, turned the Galaxy dark. â€Å"I think we now want her.† â€Å"Pardon, Mayor?† â€Å"Liono, I sent that foolish Councilman into space as a lightning rod. I felt that the Second Foundation would see him as a greater danger than he was and see the Foundation itself as the lesser danger. The lightning would strike him and reveal its origin to us.† â€Å"Yes, Mayor!† â€Å"My intention was that he go to the decayed ruins of Trantor to fumble through what – if anything – was left of its Library and search for the Earth. That's the world, you remember, that these wearisome mystics tell us was the site of origin of humanity, as though that matters, even in the unlikely case it is true. The Second Foundation couldn't possibly have believed that was really what he was after and they would have moved to find out what he was really looking for.† â€Å"But he didn't go to Trantor.† â€Å"No. Quite unexpectedly, he has gone to Sayshell. Why?† â€Å"I don't know. But please forgive an old bloodhound whose duty it is to suspect everything and tell me how you know he and this Pelorat have gone to Sayshell. I know that Compor reports it, but how far can we trust Compor?† â€Å"The hyper-relay tells us that Compor's ship has indeed landed on Sayshell Planet.† â€Å"Undoubtedly, but how do you know that Trevize and Pelorat have? Compor may have gone to Sayshell for his own reasons and may not know – or care – where the others are.† â€Å"The fact is, that our ambassador on Sayshell has informed us of the arrival of the ship on which we placed Trevize and Pelorat. I am not ready to believe the ship arrived at Sayshell without them. What is more, Compor reports having talked to them and, if he cannot be trusted, we have other reports placing them at Sayshell University, where they consulted with a historian of no particular note.† â€Å"None of this,† said Kodell mildly, â€Å"has reached me.† Branno sniffed. â€Å"Do not feel stepped on. I am dealing with this personally and the information has now reached you – with not much in the way of delay, either. The latest news – just received – is from the ambassador. Our lightning rod is moving on. He stayed on Sayshell Planet two days, then left. He is heading for another planetary system, he says, some ten parsecs away. He gave the name and the Galactic co-ordinates of his destination to the ambassador, who passed them on to us.† â€Å"Is there anything corroborative from Compor?† â€Å"Compor's message that Trevize and Pelorat have left Sayshell came even before the ambassador's message. Compor has not yet determined where Trevize is going. Presumably he will follow.† Kodell said, â€Å"We are missing the why's of the situation.† He popped a pastille into his mouth and sucked at it meditatively. â€Å"Why did Trevize go to Sayshell? Why did he leave?† â€Å"The question that intrigues me most is: Where? Where is Trevize going?† â€Å"You did say, Mayor, did you not, that he gave the name and coordinates of his destination to the ambassador. Are you implying that he lied to the ambassador? Or that the ambassador is lying to us?† â€Å"Even assuming everyone told the truth all round and that no one made any errors, there is a name that interests me. Trevize told the ambassador he was going to Gaia. That's G-A-I-A. Trevize was careful to spell it.† Kodell said, â€Å"Gaia? I never heard of it.† â€Å"Indeed? That's not strange.† Branno pointed to the spot in the air where the map had been. â€Å"Upon the map in this room, I can set up, at a moment's notice, every star – supposedly – around which there circles an inhabited world and many prominent stars with uninhabited systems. Over thirty million stars can be marked out – if I handle the controls properly – in single units, in pairs, in clusters. I can mark them out in any of five different colors, one at a time, or all together. What I cannot do is locate Gaia on the map. As far as the map is concerned, Gaia does not exist.† Kodell said, â€Å"For every star the map shows, there are ten thousand it doesn't show.† â€Å"Granted, but the stars it doesn't show lack inhabited planets and why would Trevize want to go to an uninhabited planet?† â€Å"Have you tried the Central Computer? It has all three hundred billion Galactic stars listed.† â€Å"I've been told it has, but does it? We know very well, you and I, that there are thousands of inhabited planets that have escaped listing on any of our maps – not only on the one in this room, but even on the Central Computer. Gaia is apparently one of them.† Kodell's voice remained calm, even coaxing. â€Å"Mayor, there may well be nothing at all to be concerned about. Trevize may be off on a wild goose chase or he may be lying to us and there is no star called Gaia – and no star at all at the co-ordinates he gave us. He is trying to throw us off his scent, now that he has met Compor and perhaps guesses he is being traced.† â€Å"How will this throw us off the scent? Compor will still follow. No, Liono, I have another possibility in mind, one with far greater potentiality for trouble. Listen to me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She paused and said, â€Å"This room is shielded, Liono. Understand that. We cannot be overheard by anyone, so please feel free to speak. And I will speak freely, as well. â€Å"This Gaia is located, if we accept the information, ten parsecs from Sayshell Planet and is therefore part of the Sayshell Union. The Sayshell Union is a well-explored portion of the Galaxy. All its star systems – inhabited or not inhabited – are recorded and the inhabited ones are known in detail. Gaia is the one exception. Inhabited or not, none have heard of it; it is present in no map. Add to this that the Sayshell Union maintains a peculiar state of independence with respect to the Foundation Federation, and did so even with respect to the Mule's former realm. It has been independent since the fall of the Galactic Empire.† â€Å"What of all this?† asked Kodell cautiously. â€Å"Surely the two points I have made must be connected. Sayshell incorporates a planetary system that is totally unknown and Sayshell is untouchable. The two cannot be independent. Whatever Gaia is, it protects itself. It sees to it that there is no knowledge of its existence outside its immediate surroundings and it protects those surroundings so that outsiders cannot take over.† â€Å"You are telling me, Mayor, that Gaia is the seat of the Second Foundation?† â€Å"I am telling you that Gaia deserves inspection.† â€Å"May I mention an odd point that might be difficult to explain by this theory?† â€Å"Please do.† â€Å"If Gaia is the Second Foundation and if, for centuries, it has protected itself physically against intruders, protecting all of the Sayshell Union as a broad, deep shield for itself, and if it has even prevented knowledge of itself leaking into the Galaxy – then why has all that protection suddenly vanished? Trevize and Pelorat leave Terminus and, even though you had advised them to go to Trantor, they go immediately and without hesitation to Sayshell and now to Gaia. What is more, you can think of Gaia and speculate on it. Why are you not somehow prevented from doing So?† Mayor Branno did not answer for a long time. Her head was bent and her gray hair gleamed dully in the light. Then she said, â€Å"Because I think Councilman Trevize has somehow upset things. He has done something – or is doing something – that is in some way endangering the Seldon Plan.† â€Å"That surely is impossible, Mayor.† â€Å"I suppose everything and everyone has its flaws. Even Hari Seldon was not perfect, surely. Somewhere the Plan has a flaw and Trevize has stumbled upon it, perhaps without even knowing that he has. We must know what is happening and we must be on the spot.† Finally Kodell looked grave. â€Å"Don't make decisions on your own, Mayor. We don't want to move without adequate consideration.† â€Å"Don't take me for an idiot, Liono. I'm not going to make war. I'm not going to land an expeditionary force on Gaia. I just want to be on the spot – or near it, if you prefer, Liono, find out for me – I hate talking to a war office that is as ridiculously hidebound as one is sure to be after one hundred and twenty years of peace, but you don't seem to mind – just how many warships are stationed close to Sayshell. Can we make their movements seem routine and not like a mobilization?† â€Å"In these piping times of peace, there are not many ships in the vicinity, I am sure. But I will find out.† â€Å"Even two or three will be sufficient, especially if one is of the Supernova class.† â€Å"What do you want to do with them?† â€Å"I want them to nudge as close to Sayshell as they can – without creating an incident – and I want them sufficiently close to each other to offer mutual support.† â€Å"What's all this intended for?† â€Å"Flexibility. I want to be able to strike if I have to.† â€Å"Against the Second Foundation? If Gaia can keep itself isolated and untouchable against the Mule, it can surely withstand a few ships now.† Branno said, with the gleam of battle in her eyes, â€Å"My friend, I told you that nothing and no one is perfect, not even Hari Seldon. In setting up his Plan, he could not help being a person of his times. He was a mathematician of the days of the dying Empire, when technology was moribund. It followed that he could not have made sufficient allowance in his Plan for technological advance. Gravities, for instance, is a whole new direction of advance he could not possibly have guessed at. And there are other advances, too. â€Å"Gaia might also have advanced.† â€Å"In isolation? Come. There are ten quadrillion human beings within the Foundation Federation, from among whom contributors to technological advance can step forward. A single isolated world can do nothing in comparison. Our ships will advance and I will be with them.† â€Å"Pardon me, Mayor. What was that?† â€Å"I will be going myself to the ships that will gather at the borders of Sayshell. I wish to see the situation for myself.† Kodell's mouth fell open for a moment. He swallowed and made a distinct noise as he did so. â€Å"Mayor, that is – not wise.† If ever a man clearly intended a stronger remark, Kodell did. â€Å"Wise or not,† said Branno violently, â€Å"I will do it. I am tired of Terminus and of its endless political battles, its infighting, its alliances and counteralliances, its betrayals and renewals. I've had seventeen years at the center of it and I want to do something else – anything else. Out there,† she waved her hand in a direction taken at random, â€Å"the whole history of the Galaxy may be changing and I want to take part in the process.† â€Å"You know nothing about such things, Mayor.† â€Å"Who does, Liono?† She rose stiffly to her feet. â€Å"As soon as you bring me the information I need on the ships and as soon as I can make arrangements for carrying on with the foolish business at home, I will go. – And, Liono, don't try to maneuver me out of this decision in any way or I'll wipe out our long friendship in a stroke and break you. I can still do that.† Kodell nodded. â€Å"I know you can, Mayor, but before you decide, may I ask you to reconsider the power of Seldon's Plan? What you intend may be suicide.† â€Å"I have no fears on that score, Liono. It was wrong with respect to the Mule, whom it could not anticipate – and a failure to anticipate at one time implies the possibility of failure at another.† Kodell sighed. â€Å"Well then, if you are really determined, I will support you to the best of my ability and with complete loyalty.† â€Å"Good. I warn you once again that you had better mean that remark with all your heart. And with that in mind, Liono, let us move on to Gaia. Forward!†