Stranded

It has been three months on this island and no sign of human kind other than my sister and L every day is a challenge between shelter and food Saftey isn't even a factor in this situation it really is a great challenge. We are currently located at a abandoned ship beeched near some rocks. There were a couple of supplies we gathered along the was such as bottles, containers, planks and more. Saphlre my sister gashed her leg while searching for fich on a sea shell It has begun toget Infected, we are hoping to find some medical supplies on the ship. so have begun doing everything around here.The food situation Is not well. Its beginning to get chilly Inwlch the flsh are not near shore and the frlut is gone. we have nothing but small creatures to catch and eat. I have been hunting often attempting to find something larger but not succeeding. I don't know how long we can live In this type of situation. The weather patterns are so different since the war the Island should not be getting co ld. The seasons are rapidly changing and It Is maklng things harder and us weaker. It has been a week since her leg Injury and 1m beginning to worry. I can see the pain in her eyes.It is a struggle tor her to even speak im hoping she will survive. Hope is all that is left. have made the decision it we dont tind a new shelter we have no chance. have been working on a ratt and have gathered enough tood. We will be leaving tor sea in the early morning. My sister needs help. I have been placing maggots on her open wound and attempting to keep it clean that's all I can offer. Were on our way! just got us going, Hoping we will find land soon. packed enough food for two weeks, and enough water for three. Im hoping we find land before we run out.

Prelude to Foundation Chapter 14 Billibotton

DAHL-†¦ Oddly enough, the best-known aspect of this sector is Billibotton, a semi-legendary place about which innumerable tales have grown up. In fact, a whole branch of literature now exists in which heroes and adventurers (and victims) must dare the dangers of passing through Billibotton. So stylized have these stories become that the one well-known and, presumably, authentic tale involving such a passage, that of Hari Seldon and Dors Venabili, has come to seem fantastic simply by association†¦ Encyclopedia Galactica 66. When Hari Seldon and Dors Venabili were alone, Dors asked thoughtfully, â€Å"Are you really planning to see this ‘Mother' woman?† â€Å"I'm thinking about it, Dors.† â€Å"You're an odd one, Hari. You seem to go steadily from bad to worse. You went Upperside, which seemed harmless enough, for a rational purpose when you were in Streeling. Then, in Mycogen, you broke into the Elders' aerie, a much more dangerous task, for a much more foolish purpose. And now in Dahl, you want to go to this place, which that young man seems to think is simple suicide, for something altogether nonsensical.† â€Å"I'm curious about this reference to Earth-and must know if there's anything to it.† Dors said, â€Å"It's a legend and not even an interesting one. It is routine. The names differ from planet to planet, but the content is the same. There is always the tale of an original world and a golden age. There is a longing for a supposedly simple and virtuous past that is almost universal among the people of a complex and vicious society. In one way or another, this is true of all societies, since everyone imagines his or her own society to be too complex and vicious, however simple it may be. Mark that down for your psychohistory.† â€Å"Just the same,† said Seldon, â€Å"I have to consider the possibility that one world did once exist. Aurora†¦ Earth†¦ the name doesn't matter. In fact-â€Å" He paused and finally Dors said, â€Å"Well?† Seldon shook his head. â€Å"Do you remember the hand-on-thigh story you told me in Mycogen? It was right after I got the Book from Raindrop Forty-Three†¦ Well, it popped into my head one evening recently when we were talking to the Tisalvers. I said something that reminded me, for an instant-â€Å" â€Å"Reminded you of what?† â€Å"I don't remember. It came into my head and went out again, but somehow every time I think of the single-world notion, it seems to me I have the tips of my fingers on something and then lose it.† Dors looked at Seldon in surprise. â€Å"I don't see what it could be. The hand-on-thigh story has nothing to do with Earth or Aurora.† â€Å"I know, but this†¦ thing†¦ that hovers just past the edge of my mind seems to be connected with this single world anyway and I have the feeling that I must find out more about it at any cost. That†¦ and robots.† â€Å"Robots too? I thought the Elders' aerie put an end to that.† â€Å"Not at all. I've been thinking about them.† He stared at Dors with a troubled look on his face for a long moment, then said, â€Å"But I'm not sure.† â€Å"Sure about what, Hari?† But Seldon merely shook his head and said nothing more. Dors frowned, then said, â€Å"Hari, let me tell you one thing. In sober history-and, believe me, I know what I'm talking about there is no mention of one world of origin. It's a popular belief, I admit. I don't mean just among the unsophisticated followers of folklore, like the Mycogenians and the Dahlite heatsinkers, but there are biologists who insist that there must have been one world of origin for reasons that are well outside my area of expertise and there are the more mystical historians who tend to speculate about it. And among the leisure-class intellectuals, I understand such speculations are becoming fashionable. Still, scholarly history knows nothing about it.† Seldon said, â€Å"All the more reason, perhaps, to go beyond scholarly history. All I want is a device that will simplify psychohistory for me and I don't care what the device is, whether it is a mathematical trick or a historical trick or something totally imaginary. If the young man we've just talked to had had a little more formal training, I'd have set him on the problem. His thinking is marked by considerable ingenuity and originality-â€Å" Dors said, â€Å"And you're really going to help him, then?† â€Å"Absolutely. Just as soon as I'm in a position to.† â€Å"But ought you to make promises you're not sure you'll be able to keep?† â€Å"I want to keep it. If you're that stiff about impossible promises, consider that Hummin told Sunmaster Fourteen that I'd use psychohistory to get the Mycogenians their world back. There's just about zero chance of that. Even if I work out psychohistory, who knows if it can be used for so narrow and specialized a purpose? There's a real case of promising what one can't deliver.† But Dors said with some heat, â€Å"Chetter Hummin was trying to save our lives, to keep us out of the hands of Demerzel and the Emperor. Don't forget that. And I think he really would like to help the Mycogenians.† â€Å"And I really would like to help Yugo Amaryl and I am far more likely to be able to help him than I am the Mycogenians, so if you justify the second, please don't criticize the first. What's more, Dors†-and his eyes flashed angrily-â€Å"I really would like to find Mother Rittah and I'm prepared to go alone.† â€Å"Never!† snapped Dors. â€Å"If you go, I go.† 67. Mistress Tisalver returned with her daughter in tow an hour after Amaryl had left on this way to his shift. She said nothing at all to either Seldon or Dors, but gave a curt nod of her head when they greeted her and gazed sharply about the room as though to verify that the heatsinker had left no trace. She then sniffed the air sharply and looked at Seldon accusingly before marching through the common room into the family bedroom. Tisalver himself arrived home later and when Seldon and Dors came to the dinner table, Tisalver took advantage of the fact that his wife was still ordering some last-minute details in connection with the dinner to say in a low voice, â€Å"Has that person been here?† â€Å"And gone,† said Seldon solemnly. â€Å"Your wife was out at the time.† Tisalver nodded and said, â€Å"Will you have to do this again?† â€Å"I don't think so,† said Seldon. â€Å"Good.† Dinner passed largely in silence, but afterward, when the daughter had gone to her room for the dubious pleasures of computer practice, Seldon leaned back and said, â€Å"Tell me about Billibotton.† Tisalver looked astonished and his mouth moved without any sound issuing. Casilia, however, was less easily rendered speechless. She said, â€Å"Is that where your new friend lives? Are you going to return the visit?† â€Å"So far,† said Seldon quietly, â€Å"I have just asked about Billibotton.† Casilia said sharply, â€Å"It is a slum. The dregs live there. No one goes there, except the filth that make their homes there.† â€Å"I understand a Mother Rittah lives there.† â€Å"I never heard of her,† said Casilia, her mouth closing with a snap. It was quite clear that she had no intention of knowing anyone by name who lived in Billibotton. Tisalver, casting an uneasy look at his wife, said, â€Å"I've heard of her. She's a crazy old woman who is supposed to tell fortunes.† â€Å"And does she live in Billibotton?† â€Å"I don't know, Master Seldon. I've never seen her. She's mentioned sometimes in the news holocasts when she makes her predictions.† â€Å"Do they come true?† Tisalver snorted. â€Å"Do predictions ever come true? Hers don't even make sense.† â€Å"Does she ever talk about Earth?† â€Å"I don't know. I wouldn't be surprised.† â€Å"The mention of Earth doesn't puzzle you. Do you know about Earth?† Now Tisalver looked surprised. â€Å"Certainly, Master Seldon. It's the world all people came from†¦ supposedly.† â€Å"Supposedly? Don't you believe it?† â€Å"Me? I'm educated. But many ignorant people believe it.† â€Å"Are there book-films about Earth?† â€Å"Children's stories sometimes mention Earth. I remember, when I was a young boy, my favorite story began, ‘Once, long ago, on Earth, when Earth was the only planet-‘ Remember, Casilia? You liked it too.† Casilia shrugged, unwilling to bend as yet. â€Å"I'd like to see it sometime,† said Seldon, â€Å"but I mean real book-films†¦ uh†¦ learned ones†¦ or films†¦ or printouts.† â€Å"I never heard of any, but the library-â€Å" â€Å"I'll try that.-Are there any taboos about speaking of Earth?† â€Å"What are taboos?† â€Å"I mean, is it a strong custom that people mustn't talk of Earth or that outsiders mustn't ask about it?† Tisalver looked so honestly astonished that there seemed no point in waiting for an answer. Dors put in, â€Å"Is there some rule about outsiders not going to Billibotton?† Now Tisalver turned earnest. â€Å"No rule, but it's not a good idea for anyone to go there. I wouldn't.† Dors said, â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"It's dangerous. Violent! Everyone is armed.-I mean, Dahl is an armed place anyway, but in Billibotton they use the weapons. Stay in this neighborhood. It's safe.† â€Å"So far,† said Casilia darkly. â€Å"It would be better if we left altogether. Heatsinkers go anywhere these days.† And there was another lowering look in Seldon's direction. Seldon said, â€Å"What do you mean that Dahl is an armed place? There are strong Imperial regulations against weapons.† â€Å"I know that,† said Tisalver, â€Å"and there are no stun guns here or percussives or Psychic Probes or anything like that. But there are knives.† He looked embarrassed. Dors said, â€Å"Do you carry a knife, Tisalver?† â€Å"Me?† He looked genuinely horrified. â€Å"I am a man of peace and this is a safe neighborhood.† â€Å"We have a couple of them in the house,† said Casilia, sniffing again. â€Å"We're not that certain this is a safe neighborhood.† â€Å"Does everyone carry knives?† asked Dors. â€Å"Almost everyone, Mistress Venabili,† said Tisalver. â€Å"It's customary. But that doesn't mean everyone uses them.† â€Å"But they use them in Billibotton, I suppose,† said Dors. â€Å"Sometimes. When they're excited, they have fights.† â€Å"And the government permits it? The Imperial government, I mean?† â€Å"Sometimes they try to clean Billibotton up, but knives are too easy to hide and the custom is too strong. Besides, it's almost always Dahlites that get killed and I don't think the Imperial government gets too upset over that.† â€Å"What if it's an outsider who gets killed?† â€Å"If it's reported, the Imperials could get excited. But what happens is that no one has seen anything and no one knows anything. The Imperials sometimes round up people on general principles, but they can never prove anything. I suppose they decide it's the outsiders' fault for being there.-So don't go to Billibotton, even if you have a knife.† Seldon shook his head rather pettishly. â€Å"I wouldn't carry a knife. I don't know how to use one. Not skillfully.† â€Å"Then it's simple, Master Seldon. Stay out.† Tisalver shook his head portentously. â€Å"Just stay out.† â€Å"I may not be able to do that either,† said Seldon. Dors glared at him, clearly annoyed, and said to Tisalver, â€Å"Where does one buy a knife? Or may we have one of yours?† Casilia said quickly, â€Å"No one takes someone else's knife. You must buy your own.† Tisalver said, â€Å"There are knife stores all over. There aren't supposed to be. Theoretically they're illegal, you know. Any appliance store sells them, however. If you see a washing machine on display, that's a sure sign.† â€Å"And how does one get to Billibotton?† asked Seldon. â€Å"By Expressway.† Tisalver looked dubious as he looked at Dors's frowning expression. Seldon said, â€Å"And once I reach the Expressway?† â€Å"Get on the eastbound side and watch for the signs. But if you must go, Master Seldon†-Tisalver hesitated, then said-â€Å"you mustn't take Mistress Venabili. Women sometimes are treated†¦ worse.† â€Å"She won't go,† said Seldon. â€Å"I'm afraid she will,† said Dors with quiet determination. 68. The appliance store dealer's mustache was clearly as lush as it had been in his younger days, but it was grizzled now, even though the hair on his head was still black. He touched the mustache out of sheer habit as he gazed at Dors and brushed it back on each side. He said, â€Å"You're not a Dahlite.† â€Å"Yes, but I still want a knife.† He said, â€Å"It's against the law to sell knives.† Dors said, â€Å"I'm not a policewoman or a government agent of any sort. I'm going to Billibotton.† He stared at her thoughtfully. â€Å"Alone?† â€Å"With my friend.† She jerked her thumb over her shoulder in the direction of Seldon, who was waiting outside sullenly. â€Å"You're buying it for him?† He stared at Seldon and it didn't take him long to decide. â€Å"He's an outsider too. Let him come in and buy it for himself.† â€Å"He's not a government agent either. And I'm buying it for myself.† The dealer shook his head. â€Å"Outsiders are crazy. But if you want to spend some credits, I'll take them from you.† He reached under the counter, brought out a stub, turned it with a slight and expert motion, and the knife blade emerged. â€Å"Is that the largest you have?† â€Å"Best woman's knife made.† â€Å"Show me a man's knife.† â€Å"You don't want one that's too heavy. Do you know how to use one of these things?† â€Å"I'll learn and I'm not worried about heavy. Show me a man's knife.† The dealer smiled. â€Å"Well, if you want to see one-â€Å" He moved farther down the counter and brought up a much fatter stub. He gave it a twist and what appeared to be a butcher's knife emerged. He handed it to her, handle first, still smiling. She said, â€Å"Show me that twist of yours.† He showed her on a second knife, slowly twisting one way to make the blade appear, then the other way to make it disappear. â€Å"Twist and squeeze,† he said. â€Å"Do it again, sir.† The dealer obliged. Dors said, â€Å"All right, close it and toss me the haft.† He did, in a slow upward loop. She caught it, handed it back, and said, â€Å"Faster.† He raised his eyebrows and then, without warning, backhanded it to her left side. She made no attempt to bring over her right hand, but caught it with her left and the blade showed tumescently at once-then disappeared. The dealer's mouth fell open. â€Å"And this is the largest you have?† she said. â€Å"It is. If you try to use it, it will just tire you out.† â€Å"I'll breathe deeply. I'll take a second one too.† â€Å"For your friend?† â€Å"No. For me.† â€Å"You plan on using two knives?† â€Å"I've got two hands.† The dealer sighed. â€Å"Mistress, please stay out of Billibotton. You don't know what they do to women there.† â€Å"I can guess. How do I put these knives on my belt?† â€Å"Not the one you've got on, Mistress. That's not a knife belt. I can sell you one, though.† â€Å"Will it hold two knives?† â€Å"I might have a double belt somewhere. Not much call for them.† â€Å"I'm calling for them.† â€Å"I may not have it in your size.† â€Å"Then we'll cut it down or something.† â€Å"It will cost you a lot of credits.† â€Å"My credit tile will cover it.† When she emerged at last, Seldon said sourly, â€Å"You look ridiculous with that bulky belt.† â€Å"Really, Hari? Too ridiculous to go with you to Billibotton? Then let's both go back to the apartment.† â€Å"No. I'll go on by myself. I'll be safer by myself.† Dors said, â€Å"There is no use saying that, Hari. We both go back or we both go forward. Under no circumstances do we separate.† And somehow the firm look in her blue eyes, the set to her lips, and the manner in which her hands had dropped to the hafts at her belt, convinced Seldon she was serious. â€Å"Very well,† he said, â€Å"but if you survive and if I ever see Hummin again, my price for continuing to work on psychohistory-much as I have grown fond of you-will be your removal. Do you understand?† And suddenly Dors smiled. â€Å"Forget it. Don't practice your chivalry on me. Nothing will remove me. Do you understand?† 69. They got off the Expressway where the sign, flickering in the air, said: BILLIBOTTON. As perhaps an indication of what might be expected, the second ‘I' was smeared, a mere blob of fainter light. They made their way out of the car and down to the walkway below. It was early afternoon and at first glance, Billibotton seemed much like the part of Dahl they had left. The air, however, had a pungent aroma and the walkway was littered with trash. One could tell that auto-sweeps were not to be found in the neighborhood. And, although the walkway looked ordinary enough, the atmosphere was uncomfortable and as tense as a too-tightly coiled spring. Perhaps it was the people. There seemed the normal number of pedestrians, but they were not like pedestrians elsewhere, Seldon thought. Ordinarily, in the press of business, pedestrians were self-absorbed and in the endless crowds on the endless thoroughfares of Trantor, people could only survive-psychologically-by ignoring each other. Eyes slid away. Brains were closed off. There was an artificial privacy with each person enclosed in a velvet fog of his or her own making. Or there was the ritualistic friendliness of an evening promenade in those neighborhoods that indulged in such things. But here in Billibotton, there was neither friendliness nor neutral withdrawal. At least not where outsiders were concerned. Every person who passed, moving in either direction, turned to stare at Se ldon and Dors. Every pair of eyes, as though attached by invisible cords to the two outsiders, followed them with ill will. The clothing of the Billibottoners tended to be smudged, old, and sometimes corn. There was a patina of ill-washed poverty over them and Seldon felt uneasy at the slickness of his own new clothes. He said, â€Å"Where in Billibotton does Mother Rittah live, do you suppose?† â€Å"I don't know,† said Dors. â€Å"You brought us here, so you do the supposing. I intend to confine myself to the task of protection and I think I'm going to find it necessary to do just that.† Seldon said, â€Å"I assumed it would only be necessary to ask the way of any passerby, but somehow I'm not encouraged to do so.† â€Å"I don't blame you. I don't think you'll find anyone springing to your assistance.† â€Å"On the other hand, there are such things as youngsters.† He indicated one with a brief gesture of one hand. A boy who looked to be about twelve-in any case young enough to lack the universal adult male mustache had come to a full halt and was staring at them. Dors said, â€Å"You're guessing that a boy that age has not yet developed the full Billibottonian dislike of outsiders.† â€Å"At any rate,† said Seldon, â€Å"I'm guessing he is scarcely large enough to have developed the full Billibottonian penchant for violence. I suppose he might run away and shout insults from a distance if we approach him, but I doubt he'll attack us.† Seldon raised his voice. â€Å"Young man.† The boy took a step backward and continued to stare. Seldon said, â€Å"Come here,† and beckoned. The boy said, â€Å"Wa' for, guy?† â€Å"So I can ask you directions. Come closer, so I don't have to shout.† The boy approached two steps closer. His face was smudged, but his eyes were bright and sharp. His sandals were of different make and there was a large patch on one leg of his trousers. He said, â€Å"Wa' kind o' directions?† â€Å"We're trying to find Mother Rittah.† The boy's eyes flickered. â€Å"Wa' for, guy?† â€Å"I'm a scholar. Do you know what a scholar is?† â€Å"Ya went to school?† â€Å"Yes. Didn't you?† The boy spat to one side in contempt. â€Å"Nah.† â€Å"I want advice from Mother Rittah-if you'll take me to her.† â€Å"Ya want your fortune? Ya come to Billibotton, guy, with your fancy clothes, so I can tell ya your fortune. All bad.† â€Å"What's your name, young man?† â€Å"What's it to ya?† â€Å"So we can speak in a more friendly fashion. And so you can take me to Mother Rittah's place. Do you know where she lives?† â€Å"Maybe yes, maybe no. My name's Raych. What's in it for me if I take ya?† â€Å"What would you like, Raych?† The boy's eyes halted at Dors's belt. Raych said, â€Å"The lady got a couple o' knives. Gimme one and I'll take ya to Mother Rittah.† â€Å"Those are grown people's knives, Raych. You're too young.† â€Å"Then I guess I'm too young to know where Mother Rittah lives.† And he looked up slyly through the shaggy halt that curtained his eyes. Seldon grew uneasy. It was possible they might attract a crowd. Several men had stopped already, but had then moved on when nothing of interest seemed to be taking place. If, however, the boy grew angry and lashed out at them in word or deed, people would undoubtedly gather. He smiled and said, â€Å"Can you read, Raych?† Raych spat again. â€Å"Nah! Who wants to read?† â€Å"Can you use a computer?† â€Å"A talking computer? Sure. Anyone can.† â€Å"I'll tell you what, then. You take me to the nearest computer store and I'll buy you a little computer all your own and software that will teach you to read. A few weeks and you'll be able to read.† It seemed to Seldon that the boy's eyes sparkled at the thought, but-if so-they hardened at once. â€Å"Nah, Knife or nothin'.† â€Å"That's the point, Raych. You learn to read and don't tell anyone and you can surprise people. After a while you can bet them you can read. Bet them five credits. You can win a few extra credits that way and you can buy a knife of your own.† The boy hesitated. â€Å"Nah! No one will bet me. No one got credits.† â€Å"If you can read, you can get a job in a knife store and you can save your wages and get a knife at a discount. How about that?† â€Å"When ya gonna buy the talking computer?† â€Å"Right now. I'll give it to you when I see Mother Rittah.† â€Å"You got credits?† â€Å"I have a credit tile.† â€Å"Let's see ya buy the computer.† The transaction was carried through, but when the boy reached for it, Seldon shook his head and put it inside his pouch. â€Å"You've got to get me to Mother Rittah first, Raych. Are you sure you know where to find her?† Raych allowed a look of contempt to cross his face. â€Å"Sure I do. I'll take ya there, only ya better hand over the computer when we get there or I'll get some guys I know after you and the lady, so ya better watch out.† â€Å"You don't have to threaten us,† said Seldon. â€Å"We'll take care of our end of the deal.† Raych led them quickly along the walkway, past curious stares. Seldon was silent during the walk and so was Dors. Dors was far less lost in her own thoughts, though, for she clearly remained conscious of the surrounding people at all times. She kept meeting, with a level glare, the eyes of those passersby that turned toward them. On occasion, when there were footsteps behind them, she turned to look grimly back. And then Raych stopped and said, â€Å"In here. She ain't homeless, ya know.† They followed him into an apartment complex and Seldon, who had had the intention of following their route with a view to retracing his steps later, was quickly lost. He said, â€Å"How do you know your way through these alleys, Raych?† The boy shrugged. â€Å"I been loafin' through them since I was a kid,† he said. â€Å"Besides, the apartments are numbered-where they ain't broken off-and there's arrows and things. You can't get lost if you know the tricks.† Raych knew the tricks, apparently, and they wandered deeper into the complex. Hanging over it all was an air of total decay: disregarded debris, inhabitants slinking past in clear resentment of the outsiders' invasion. Unruly youngsters ran along the alleys in pursuit of some game or other. Some of them yelled, â€Å"Hey, get out o' the way!† when their levitating ball narrowly missed Dors. And finally, Raych stopped before a dark scarred door on which the number 2782 glowed feebly. â€Å"This is it,† he said and held out his hand. â€Å"First let's see who's inside,† said Seldon softly. He pushed the signal button and nothing happened. â€Å"It don't work,† said Raych. â€Å"Ya gotta bang. Loud. She don't hear too good.† Seldon pounded his fist on the door and was rewarded with the sound of movement inside. A shrill voice called out, â€Å"Who wants Mother Rittah?† Seldon shouted, â€Å"Two scholars!† He tossed the small computer, with its small package of software attached, to Raych, who snatched it, grinned, and took off at a rapid run. Seldon then turned to face the opening door and Mother Rittah. 70. Mother Rittah was well into her seventies, perhaps, but had the kind of face that, at first sight, seemed to belie that. Plump cheeks, a little mouth, a small round chin slightly doubled. She was very short-not quite 1.5 meters tall-and had a thick body. But there were fine wrinkles about her eyes and when she smiled, as she smiled at the sight of them, others broke out over her face. And she moved with difficulty. â€Å"Come in, come in,† she said in a soft high-pitched voice and peered at them as though her eyesight was beginning to fail. â€Å"Outsiders†¦ Outworlders even. Am I right? You don't seem to have the Trantor smell about you.† Seldon wished she hadn't mentioned smell. The apartment, overcrowded and littered with small possessions that seemed dim and dusty, reeked with food odors that were on the edge of rancidity. The air was so thick and clinging that he was sure his clothes would smell strongly of it when they left. He said, â€Å"You are right, Mother Rittah. I am Hari Seldon of Helicon. My friend is Dors Venabili of Cinna.† â€Å"So,† she said, looking about for an unoccupied spot on the floor where she could invite them to sit, but finding none suitable. Dors said, â€Å"We are willing to stand, Mother.† â€Å"What?† she looked up at Dors. â€Å"You must speak briskly, my child. My hearing is not what it was when I was your age.† â€Å"Why don't you get a hearing device?† said Seldon, raising his voice. â€Å"It wouldn't help, Master Seldon. Something seems to be wrong with the nerve and I have no money for nerve rebuilding.-You have come to learn the future from old Mother Rittah?† â€Å"Not quite,† said Seldon. â€Å"I have come to learn the past.† â€Å"Excellent. It is such a strain to decide what people want to hear.† â€Å"It must be quite an art,† said Dors, smiling. â€Å"It seems easy, but one has to he properly convincing. I earn my fees.† â€Å"If you have a credit outlet,† said Seldon. â€Å"We will pay any reasonable fees if you tell us about Earth-without cleverly designing what you tell us to suit what we want to hear. We wish to hear the truth.† The old woman, who had been shuffling about the room, making adjustments here and there, as though to make it all prettier and more suitable for important visitors, stopped short. â€Å"What do you want to know about Earth?† â€Å"What is it, to begin with?† The old woman turned and seemed to gaze off into space. When she spoke, her voice was low and steady. â€Å"It is a world, a very old planet. It is forgotten and lost.† Dors said, â€Å"It is not part of history. We know that much.† â€Å"It comes before history, child,† said Mother Rittah solemnly. â€Å"It existed in the dawn of the Galaxy and before the dawn. It was the only world with humanity.† She nodded firmly. Seldon said, â€Å"Was another name for Earth†¦ Aurora?† And now Mother Rittah's face misted into a frown. â€Å"Where did you hear that?† â€Å"In my wanderings. I have heard of an old forgotten world named Aurora on which humanity lived in primordial peace.† â€Å"It's a lie.† She wiped her mouth as though to get the taste of what she had just heard out of it. â€Å"That name you mention must never be mentioned except as the place of Evil. It was the beginning of Evil. Earth was alone till Evil came, along with its sister worlds. Evil nearly destroyed Earth, but Earth rallied and destroyed Evil-with the help of heroes.† â€Å"Earth was before this Evil. Are you sure of that?† â€Å"Long before. Earth was alone in the Galaxy for thousands of years-millions of years.† â€Å"Millions of years? Humanity existed on it for millions of years with no other people on any other world?† â€Å"That's true. That's true. That's true.† â€Å"But how do you know all this? Is it all in a computer program? Or a printout? Do you have anything I can read?† Mother Rittah shook her head. â€Å"I heard the old stories from my mother, who heard it from hers, and so on far back. I have no children, so I tell the stories to others, but it may come to an end. This is a time of disbelief.† Dors said, â€Å"Not really, Mother. There are people who speculate about prehistoric times and who study some of the tales of lost worlds.† Mother Rittah made a motion of her arm as though to wipe it away. â€Å"They look at it with cold eyes. Scholarly. They try to fit it in with their notions. I could tell you stories for a year of the great hero Ba-Lee, but you would have no time to listen and I have lost the strength to tell.† Seldon said, â€Å"Have you ever heard of robots?† The old woman shuddered and her voice was almost a scream. â€Å"Why do you ask such things? Those were artificial human beings, evil in themselves and the work of the Evil worlds. They were destroyed and should never be mentioned.† â€Å"There was one special robot, wasn't there, that the Evil worlds hated?† Mother Rittah tottered toward Seldon and peered into his eyes. He could feel her hot breath on his face. â€Å"Have you come to mock me? You know of these things and yet you ask? Why do you ask?† â€Å"Because I wish to know.† â€Å"There was an artificial human being who helped Earth. He was Da-Nee, friend of Ba-Lee. He never died and lives somewhere, waiting for his time to return. None knows when that time will be, but someday he will come and restore the great old days and remove all cruelty, injustice, and misery. That is the promise.† At this, she closed her eyes and smiled, as if remembering†¦ Seldon waited a while in silence, then sighed and said, â€Å"Thank you, Mother Rittah. You have been very helpful. What is your fee?† â€Å"So pleasant to meet Outworlders,† the old woman replied. â€Å"Ten credits. May I offer you some refreshment?† â€Å"No, thank you,† said Seldon earnestly. â€Å"Please take twenty. You need only tell us how to get back to the Expressway from here.-And, Mother Rittah, if you can arrange to have some of your tales of Earth put into a computer disc, I will pay you well.† â€Å"I would need so much strength. How well?† â€Å"It would depend on how long the story is and how well it is told. I might pay a thousand credits.† Mother Rittah licked her lips. â€Å"A thousand credits? But how will I find you when the story is told?† â€Å"I will give you the computer code number at which I can be reached.† After Seldon gave Mother Rittah the code number, he and Dors left, thankful for the comparatively clean odor of the alley outside. They walked briskly in the direction indicated by the old woman. Dors said, â€Å"That wasn't a very long interview, Hari.† â€Å"I know. The surroundings were terribly unpleasant and I felt I had learned enough. Amazing how these folktales tend to magnify.† â€Å"What do you mean, ‘magnify'?† â€Å"Well, the Mycogenians fill their Aurora with human beings who lived for centuries and the Dahlites fill their Earth with a humanity that lived for millions of years. And both talk of a robot that lives forever. Still, it makes one think.† â€Å"As far as millions of years go, there's room for- Where are we going?† â€Å"Mother Rittah said we go in this direction till we reach a rest area, then follow the sign for CENTRAL WALKWAY, bearing left, and keep on following the sign. Did we pass a rest area on the way in?† â€Å"We may be leaving by a route different from the one we came in. I don't remember a rest area, but I wasn't watching the route. I was keeping my eye on the people we passed and-â€Å" Her voice died away. Up ahead the alley swelled outward on both sides. Seldon remembered. They had passed that way. There had been a couple of ratty couch pads resting on the walkway floor on either side. There was, however, no need for Dors to watch passersby going out as she had coming in. There were no passersby. But up ahead in the rest area they spotted a group of men, rather large-sized for Dahlites, mustaches bristling, bare upper arms muscular and glistening under the yellowish indoor light of the walkway. Clearly, they were waiting for the Outworlders and, almost automatically, Seldon and Dors came to a halt. For a moment or two, the tableau held. Then Seldon looked behind him hastily. Two or three additional men had stepped into view. Seldon said between his teeth, â€Å"We're trapped. I should not have let you come, Dors.† â€Å"On the contrary. This is why I'm here, but was it worth your seeing Mother Rittah?† â€Å"If we get out of this, it was.† Seldon then said in a loud and firm voice, â€Å"May we pass?† One of the men ahead stepped forward. He was fully Seldon's height of 1.73 meters, but broader in the shoulders and much more muscular. A bit flabby at the waist, though, Seldon noted. â€Å"I'm Marron,† he said with self-satisfied significance, as though the name ought to have meaning, â€Å"and I'm here to tell you we don't like Outworlders in our district. You want to come in, all right-but if you want to leave, you'll have to pay.† â€Å"Very well. How much?† â€Å"All you've got. You rich Outworlders have credit tiles, right? Just hand them over.† â€Å"No.† â€Å"No point saying no. We'll just take them.† â€Å"You can't take them without killing me or hurting me and they won't work without my voiceprint. My normal voiceprint.† â€Å"That's not so, Master-see, I'm being polite-we can take them away from you without hurting you very much.† â€Å"How many of you big strong men will it take? Nine? No.† Seldon counted rapidly. â€Å"Ten.† â€Å"Just one. Me.† â€Å"With no help?† â€Å"Just me.† â€Å"If the rest of you will clear away and give us room, I would like to see you try it, Marron.† â€Å"You don't have a knife, Master. You want one?† â€Å"No, use yours to make the fight even. I'll fight without one.† Marron looked about at the others and said, â€Å"Hey, this puny guy is a sport. He don't even sound scared. That's sort of nice. It would be a shame to hurt him. I tell you what, Master. I'll take the girl. If you want me to stop, hand over your credit tile and her tile and use your right voices to activate them. If you say no, then after I'm through with the girl†¦ and that'll take some time†-he laughed-â€Å"I'll just have to hurt you.† â€Å"No,† said Seldon. â€Å"Let the woman go. I've challenged you to a fight-one to one, you with a knife, me without. If you want bigger odds, I'll fight two of you, but let the woman go.† â€Å"Stop, Hari!† cried out Dors. â€Å"If he wants me, let him come and get me. You stay right where you are, Hari, and don't move.† â€Å"You hear that?† said Marron, grinning broadly. † ‘You stay right where you are, Hari, and don't move.' I think the little lady wants me. You two, keep him still.† Each of Seldon's arms were caught in an iron grip and he felt the sharp point of a knife in his back. â€Å"Don't move,† said a harsh whisper in his ear, â€Å"and you can watch. The lady will probably like it. Marron's pretty good at this.† Dors called out again. â€Å"Don't move, Hari!† She turned to face Marron watchfully, her half-closed hands poised near her belt. He closed in on her purposefully and she waited till he had come within arm's length, when suddenly her own arms flashed and Marron found himself facing two large knives. For a moment, he leaned backward and then he laughed. â€Å"The little lady has two knives-knives like the big boys have. And I've only got one. But that's fair enough.† His knife was swiftly out. â€Å"I hate to have to cut you, little lady, because it will be more fun for both of us if I don't. Maybe I can just knock them out of your hands, huh?† Dors said, â€Å"I don't want to kill you. I'll do all I can to avoid doing so. Just the same, I call on all to witness, that if I do kill you, it is to protect my friend, as I am honor-bound to do.† Marron pretended to be terrified. â€Å"Oh, please don't kill me, little lady.† Then he burst into laughter and was joined by the other Dahlites present. Marron lunged with his knife, quite wide of the mark. He tried it again, then a third time, but Dors never budged. She made no attempt to fend off any motion that was not truly aimed at her. Marron's expression darkened. He was trying to make her respond with panic, but he was only making himself seem ineffectual. The next lunge was directly at her and Dors's left-hand blade moved flashingly and caught his with a force that pushed his arm aside. Her right-hand blade flashed inward and made a diagonal slit in his T-shirt. A thin bloody line smeared the dark-haired skin beneath. Marron looked down at himself in shock as the onlookers gasped in surprise. Seldon felt the grip on him weaken slightly as the two who held him were distracted by a duel not going quite as they had expected. He tensed himself. Now Marron lunged again and this time his left hand shot outward to enclose Dors's right wrist. Again Dors's left-hand blade caught his knife and held it motionless, while her right hand twisted agilely and drew downward, even as Marron's left hand closed upon it. It closed on nothing but the blade and when he opened his hand there was a bloody line down the palm. Dors sprang back and Marron, aware of the blood on his chest and hand, roared out chokingly, â€Å"Someone toss me another knife!† There was hesitation and then one of the onlookers tossed his own knife underhanded. Marron reached for it, but Dors was quicker. Her right-hand blade struck the thrown knife and sent it flying backward, whirling as it went. Seldon felt the grips on his arms weaken further. He lifted them suddenly, pushing up and forward, and was free. His two captors turned toward him with a sudden shout, but he quickly kneed one in the groin and elbowed the other in the solar plexus and both went down. He knelt to draw the knives of each and rose as double-armed as Dors. Unlike Dors, Seldon did not know how to handle the blades, but he knew the Dahlites would scarcely be aware of that. Dors said, â€Å"Just keep them off, Hari. Don't attack yet.-Marron, my next stroke will not be a scratch.† Marron, totally enraged, roared incoherently and charged blindly, attempting by sheer kinetic energy to overwhelm his opponent. Dors, dipping and sidestepping, ducked under his right arm, kicked her foot against his right ankle, and down he crashed, his knife flying. She then knelt, placed one blade against the back of his neck and the other against his throat, and said, â€Å"Yield!† With another yell, Marron struck out against her with one arm, pushed her to one side, then scrambled to his feet. He had not yet stood up completely when she was upon him, one knife slashing downward and hacking away a section of his mustache. This time he yowled like a large animal in agony, clapping his hand to his face. When he drew it away, it was dripping blood. Dors shouted, â€Å"It won't grow again, Marron. Some of the lip went with it. Attack once more and you're dead meat.† She waited, but Marron had had enough. He stumbled away, moaning, leaving a trail of blood. Dors turned toward the others. The two that Seldon had knocked down were still lying there, unarmed and not anxious to get up. She bent down, cut their belts with one of her knives and then slit their trousers. â€Å"This way, you'll have to hold your pants up when you walk,† she said. She stared at the seven men still on their feet, who were watching her with awestruck fascination. â€Å"And which of you threw the knife?† There was silence. She said, â€Å"It doesn't matter to me. Come one at a time or all together, but each time I slash, someone dies.† And with one accord, the seven turned and scurried away. Dors lifted her eyebrows and said to Seldon, â€Å"This time, at least, Hummin can't complain that I failed to protect you.† Seldon said, â€Å"I still can't believe what I saw. I didn't know you could do anything like that-or talk like that either.† Dors merely smiled. â€Å"You have your talents too. We make a good pair. Here, retract your knife blades and put them into your pouch. I think the news will spread with enormous speed and we can get out of Billibotton without fear of being stopped.† She was quite right.

The Effects of Sleep Deprivation

There are few things that mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish have in common; sleep is one of them. Sleep is when the body completely relaxes, sensory activities are suspended, and a lack of consciousness takes effect. Humans need to sleep on a daily basis in order for our bodies to function properly. The average adult needs seven to nine hours of sleep each day, and not getting adequate sleep can lead to sleep deprivation. Some symptoms of sleep deprivation include constant yawning, grogginess when waking up in the morning, poor concentration and mood changes. Sleep deprivation can have serious effects on both your mental and physical health. The causes of sleep deprivation can range greatly from person to person, but most often they can be broken down in to three categories which include choosing to sleep too little, lack of time to sleep, and medical conditions that make sleeping difficult. We live in a fast-paced society that places a high value on activity. Some believe that sleep isn’t necessary, and they try to limit the amount of sleep they get. Some people would rather stay up later to read a book, watch television, or socialize with their friends or partners instead of going to sleep at a reasonable time. Other people find that there just isn’t enough time in the day to devote to sleeping. Sometimes people who have jobs that require long hours, or who have tasks that cannot be avoided will find they are sleep deprived due to a lack of time. Medical conditions may also play a large role in sleep deprivation. Sleep apnea is a condition where the person actually wakes themselves multiple times through the night because they stop breathing. Stress and anxiety may also play a role in insomnia, which is being able to fall asleep and stay asleep. Memory is one of the largest areas that can be affected by too little sleep. College students may stay up all night â€Å"cramming† for their exams, just to find that in the morning they really don’t remember anything. That is because your brain consolidates memories at a certain point in your sleep, which causes the memory to become stable. Without sleep it’s very difficult for your brain to retain information. Poor judgment is also a possibility if you are lacking sleep. Have you ever heard anyone use the term â€Å"let me sleep on it†? It’s for good reason seeing as how lack of sleep can actually impair judgment. Poor Judgment also goes hand-in-hand with the lack of focus and attention caused by sleep deprivation. When you go without enough sleep, you become less and less alert to your surroundings, and your ability to think and process information is decreased because of your excessive sleepiness during the day. Not only can too little sleep be harmful for you, it can also be harmful to those around you. If you work in a field that requires you to be on your toes at all times, yet you re significantly sleep deprived, you are more at risk for work-related injuries. Pilots, for example are now required to get a set amount of sleep before flying. People working in the medical field, or emergency services field should also be required to get set amounts of sleep due to the fact that they are protecting the lives of others and need to make sound decisions. Automobile accidents can also be cause by sleep deprivation. Driving drowsy can produce the same hazardous effects as driving drunk, and it causes thousands of automobile accidents and fatalities every year. Sleep deprivation may also lead to risky decision-making. People who have been awake for extended periods of time can’t accurately assess risks that are associated with certain situations. Being awake for 24 hours can produce some of the same effects as a 0. 1% blood alcohol level, which would be the equivalent of having 6 glasses of wine in one hour. No wonder getting too little sleep is so dangerous. Lack of sleep leads to many mental dysfunctions, but it has repercussions on physical appearance as well. Getting too little sleep on a consistent basis will start to alter your body’s ability to metabolize glucose, which can in turn make you look significantly older than you actually are. The amount of time we spend sleeping can drastically change our appetites and the ways we think about food. This may over time lead to sudden weight gains or losses. These changes happen because of the peptides Ghrelin and Leptin sends signals to the brain to tell it that it’s satisfied, and suppresses appetite, while Ghrelin does the opposite and stimulates hunger. Not getting enough sleep often decreases levels of Leptin, and increases levels of Ghrelin which may cause changes in appetite resulting in weight changes. It is apparent that sleep deprivation can have serious effects on both physical and mental health, but how do we break the cycle of too little sleep? I believe more emphasis should be put on how important it is to get your fill of shut eye every night. How many accidents can be avoided, and how many medical conditions averted just by getting adequate sleep at night? Society needs to start putting a higher value on our sleep, and in turn we may see a rise in our productivity. For the people who have medical problems and find sleep nearly impossible I urge you to seek help from a doctor. Do whatever you must do to improve your quality and quantity of sleep each night and in turn be happier, be healthier and live longer.

Greek Mythology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Greek Mythology - Essay Example Not long after Agamemnon arrives, he is killed along with the captured Trojan princess named Cassandra, by Clytemnestra and Aegisthus. Subsequently, there begins an effort to avenge the death of the king, Agamemnon, as the Chorus hope for Agamemnon’s son, Oretes, to get back from his exile. Two conflicting ideas of revenge and justice are visible from the stories; Aegisthus and Clytemnestra avenge the death of their siblings and daughter respectively while the Chorus along with Oretes scheme to bring down the order established by Aegisthus and Clytemnestra thereby avenging the death of Agamemnon. Therefore, to conclude who is the real tyrant or victim is a hard judgment in the trilogy as the history of revengeful actions reveal how the feuds originated generations ago and still persist. Agamemnon had just returned from a victorious capture of Troy in the decades-long Trojan War. Earlier he had sacrificed his and Clytemnestra’s daughter, Iphigenia, as a token to ask the goddess, Artemis to bring good winds for the Greeks. This sacrifice saddened Clytemnestra who plotted to kill Agamemnon with Aegisthus who also wanted revenge from Agamemnon. However, on the war end, Troy had been successfully captured and the news was brought home and Agamemnon returned to Argos with Cassandra, daughter of Prius, as a war prisoner. Clytemnestra asks Agamemnon to enter the palace walking over a purple fabric however the King was apprehensive of angering the Gods by this act of extravagance. However, Agamemnon is finally made to walk over the purple fabric as it leads into the palace. Cassandra however refuses to enter the palace while stays quiet and unresponsive of Clytemnestra. Agamemnon has thus entered the palace while Cassandra remains outside with the Chorus. Cassandra, who has prophetic powers of seeing into the past and future, prophesizes that she will be killed if she enters inside the

Career Exploration and Decision Making Assignment

Career Exploration and Decision Making - Assignment Example For instance, matching idealist and really creates a conducive environment for the business company. Again, artistic and rationalist when they work in the same environment produces wonderful counseling and social team. These indicators are the best to assist one to do self-assessment and lead in choosing a suitable and satisfying career. Having diverse temperament traits combined contribute to success in many ways because each trait has its strength and weakness (Johnston 54). Hence, when there are challenges the different traits which are manifested in different person in a unique way helps in handling the case. Possessing the trait of artistry and being determined in seeing things done in a systematic way counseling can be a gratifying career. This is because these are persons who can give all for their heartwarming. Again teaching need someone who understands and knows how to relate to others the temperament traits such as realistic, idealist and rationalist fits much. Effectiveness and competency can be realized in understanding one's temperament  traits.     

Hummer, BMW, and Corolla's Brand Personalities Coursework - 2

Hummer, BMW, and Corolla's Brand Personalities - Coursework Example Hummer has a rugged image but to enhance their sales, they decided to change the brand personality to attract the youth and the women. Corolla has a dull image but is keen to give up its conservative approach which projects nothing except dependability. BMW gives rise to feelings of sophistication and yearning and hence is preferred by the wealthy and those who seek importance. It is hence recommended that brand owners should first segment their target market and try to understand the needs of their segment. This would help them design the features as per their requirement and hence would be more appealing to the customers. At the same time, the same brand can appeal to more than one segment and this can be done by appealing to their self-concept.Products and services today are imbued with personality characteristics and are recognized through these characteristics both by the consumers and the marketers. Marketers are trying to project an image of the brand that matches the personal ity of the individual consumer. They try to use marketing material such as advertisements and phrases so that the brand has an emotional appeal to the consumer. This becomes necessary because to buy a product the consumer must have an awareness of the brand. The brand would catch the consumer’s attention if he finds some similarities with his own requirements and personality. This led to the concept of brand personality which has been described by Aaker as a specific mix of human traits that are attributed to a particular brand.   Within a sector, different products and marketers apply different strategies to attract the right customer. Each product has its own specifications and hence they target a particular segment. Thus, the personality of the brand that is projected to the target segment must have similar characteristics and emotional appeal. This paper evaluates how three different automobile manufacturers project their brands to attract the right segment to enhance t heir sales. Online academic journals and some useful websites have been used to study the concept of brand personality in the automobile sector.  

The United States vs Jones Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The United States vs Jones - Research Paper Example However, arguments emerged because the court used evidence from wiretaps, search incidences on traffic stop as well as placement of GPS on Jones vehicle for 4weeks until his interdiction (Totenberg). With respect to the law, these were a violation of the right of an individual. The argument by Jones seems realistic since indeed the FBI violated his right in respect to the legal law on the fourth amendment (Totenberg). The police ought to acquire a warrant prior to the placement of any tracking devices on a suspect to ensure that the laws are not violated. The police have the obligation to keep law and order and should therefore serve as examples to the public. In attaching any tracking devices to a suspect’s vehicle, it becomes a violation of law and action should be taken against the police officers who do not pursue protocol. According to the fourth amendment, liberties that are liberty to privacy and liberty to privacy from arbitrary invasion are protected. It states that a search should be carried out when one violates a sensible anticipation of privacy while a seizure is the hindrance with an individual possessory concern in possessions. A person usually is seized if the police or any enforcement personnel use force to restrain a person that is if it seems reasonable in a similar situation. The law enforcement workforce are however restricted from any irrational searches and seizures. The Fourth Amendment outlaws indiscriminate searches, except unusual situations place the community in danger. The claimant ought to contain a justifiable expectation of confidentiality at the searched locality. This expectation must meet up mutually the subjective and objective assessment of rationality. The subjective assessment needs the claimant to anticipate privacy legitimately, and the objective assessment entail that, given the circumstance, a rational person in a comparable situation also would have anticipated privacy. Order to keep away from illegitimately s earching or seizing possessions, law enforcement officeholder normally acquire warrant. They must demonstrate probable reason, supported by pledge or affirmation, and express in specify the place they will investigate and the things they will confiscate. A judge may possibly find apparent reason only by probing the entirety of the situation. According to an oral argument by Michael R. Dreeben on behalf of the petitioner, in the utilization of GPS and wiretaps in thecae of Jones, it is a violation of the fourth amendment while in the case of Knotts, the fourth amendment was not infringed because the police used visual and beeper to survey him. Michael argues with Dreeben on various cases in which the police did not infringe the laws in support of the petitioner. The oral argument provides the various instances in which the police have managed to interdict suspects without the violation of the fourth amendment. The oral argument presents various issues concerning the fourth amendment and its implementation within law enforcement organizations. In the oral argument, Dreeben suggests that the court should institute a suspicion standard, which enables the police to follow suspects on public roadways, and allow them to conduct visually, as well as allow them to investigate leads and tips if the circumstances have no possible cause (Alderson 26). Dreeben also suggested that the police should probably use the GPS during the early periods of any investigation that is before

Should Animal Experimentation Be Permitted Essay

Should Animal Experimentation Be Permitted - Essay Example Experiments on the regeneration of spinal nerve endings were conducted at the University of Zurich. In test-tube testing, nerves dismembered from rats were left open to immunoglobulin that blocked regeneration. The nerves regenerated successfully though not fully. The rats were the animals of choice because there was no other suitable replacement. The use of animals in these studies is important as those involved cannot present a raw form of treatment directly to humans. Opposition of experiments conducted on animals is a threat to medical advances and the furtherance of human knowledge. In relation to medical research, since there are no suitable replacements for animals, animal experimentation should be allowed. On the hand, due to the emotions attached individuals to animals, activists call for a ban as this is a selfish act for humans. The claim also is that, â€Å"will humans keep experimenting and murdering animals for these selfish gains till they are endangered?† Moreo ver, still on medical advances, animal testing should not be permitted as the same animals do not have the complexity of the human body (Murnaghan, par 3). Thus, should the products tested on animals fail on humans; it will be a waste of animals such as rats and mice. As a replacement for animals, computer models and simulations can be used to predict the likely reactions from an experiment (Murnaghan, par 3). Animal experiments should not be permitted if at all they are carried out unnecessarily (Environment commission, p.1). This is, in cases, such as those carried out for aesthetic value where animals should not be allowed for use. Instead, they should test their products by looking for volunteers, as it is the humans to use the products. At the same time, it tests on animals should be allowed as the animals conditions are put into considerations during the tests. In this case, they are not to suffer according to the law. This is such that, when the animals acquire adverse condit ions and complications from the experiments or reach the â€Å"human endpoint† (serious respiratory problems, loss of weight and extreme tumor growth), the animal is euthanized if the case is severe (Vos, p. 1). This is to mean that as long the animals welfare is taken into account, testing should be allowed. In drug experiment, animal testing assists in ensuring the wellbeing of medication taken by human beings or stuffs that human being are uncovered to frequently. Animals are used to test the dangers of these substances on humans thus lowering the potential harm and saving lives. Animal experiments should not be allowed as there are alternatives. Despite not being the best alternatives to animals, they can be used to reduce the numbers of animals used as well as the level of their suffering during experimentation. Replacements could be; cell cultures, which reduce the, number of animals used, use of statistics, which uses comprehensive data to gauge the spread of disease, and finally the use of advanced scanning technology that allows for investigation of disease through human scans rather than performing animal testing(Paul, 7). The use of animals for experimenting increases the knowledge and understanding of the animal being used for the experiment. This means that the animal species being used is a beneficiary of the experiment in that researchers may come up with ways to help the animals survive. This is as in cases where

Socialist Critique of Capitalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Socialist Critique of Capitalism - Essay Example Furthermore, socialism argues for the collective ownership of the means of production as this prioritizes the common good against individualistic advantage (A Brief Introduction to Socialism from a Non-Marxist, Democratic Libertarian Perspective, n.d.). One can easily recognize that the socialist argument subordinates individual advantage to collective good as this, it is assumed, will overshadow the inherent selfishness of man. Marx was triumphant in his critique against capitalism (Manifesto of the Communist Party, 1847) which was strongly manifested after the 1950s; nations of the Soviet Union, China, Cuba, and Eastern Europe were aptly persuaded to overthrow their existing mode of production and replace it with Marx's communism/socialism that promises a classless society which was rather Utopian at the time and until now. Marx fittingly made use of theories of human nature to cogently deliver his denigration against capitalism. However, Marx did not directly use the term "human nature" but instead applied another concept which was "species-being" or "species-essence". This conception of Marx in relation to human nature was borrowed from the philosophy of Ludwig Feuerbach which submits to both specific human nature and the entire humanity. Marx translated this philosophy as a treatise that declares humans as conscious actors in the unfolding of history and nature itself. In the year 1845, Marx inscribed to the world his belief that the human essence cannot be found in a particular individual but in his association with the larger social relations which he belongs. Logically, this statement points to the insight that the human essence is a fluid concept which is hardwired on the total structure of social relations borne out from a society. He then goes on to assert that the fundamental essence of humans as individuals enmeshed in a particular mode of production is their labor. One of the primary arguments of Marx was that humans are distinguished through their behavior toward production and that this economic activity is their soul. Yet, he did not entirely described "labor" as a perfectly embedded human essence but one that is also the source of oppression, alienation, and private property. He ardently argued that in communism "labor" is an unnecessary human activity and an abhorrent fraction of the material state of societies; whereas in capitalism labor represents the material ex igencies of the few owners of production and the workers themselves were merely caricatures of torment, suffering, and hard work. Moreover, Marx alleged that productive activities which are vital to human nature are only gratifying if executed freely. Under the pretext of capitalism, labor is nothing but a tool of dehumanization and isolation for the providers of the valuable labor. Furthermore, labor performed in capitalism invariably produces alienation of the workers from their own produce. Marx (1932), in his article on historical materialism, used the allegory of a carpenter working on a chair. A carpenter who successfully accomplished an entire chair is more self-fulfilled than the carpenter who only took fractions of work to complete an entire chair. Marx related labor with self-identity thus claiming that in capitalism which is characterized by

Germans children Essay Example for Free

Germans children Essay The children of the Jewish Holocaust during the Nazi era were placed under very unjust, cruel, and exacting circumstances. Education, a basic right of children in developed nations of that era, was denied to Jews in areas of Europe where Hitler’s rule and influence were adopted. During the time of transition during which the exclusion of Jewish children from schools was being implemented, non-Jewish children were formally taught that their Jewish counterparts were inferior. In order to do this, Jewish youth were used to demonstrate the appearance of inferiority by placing them in front of the class and pointing out their characteristic phenotypes as being undesirable. Occurrences like this placed severe limitations on the ability of Jews to learn in these schools, as they were constantly mistreated, neglected, and abused because of their race. Growing restrictions were also placed upon these children’s accessibility to the resources within the schools, until finally they were prevented altogether from attending schools, which were open now only to Germans children (FCIT). Fred Spiegel describes his first weeks of school (shul) in Dinslaken, Germany, where he had to attend a Jewish shul, as the German schools were no longer open to Jewish children (Spiegel 27, 29). The alternative Jewish schools were understaffed and unsupported by the state. Spiegel himself recalls his school’s having only one teacher (29). Later, Arnold Blum recalls an even more frightening occurrence in which his school was being burned before his very eyes (Blum, 20). He immortalizes this event in his memoir â€Å"Kristallnacht† (20). More than just restricting these Jewish children’s ability to attend state schools, they were being stripped of their right to any education at all in the burning of their Jewish school. The parks were also an area in which Jewish children felt the abuse of Nazism. German children, who were armed with the idea that Jews were inferior, played in the parks and discriminated against the Jews they found there. The Jewish children were called names, spat upon, and otherwise abused by non-Jewish children. Spiegel also describes his time spent in the park behind his house in Dinslaken. The last time he remembers going there, he was cursed and called a â€Å"Dirty Jew† by the other children (Spiegel, 28). His grandfather too was cursed by his friends. Kristallnacht, which occurred on November 9-10, 1938, ushered in the destruction of all that was Jewish. Beyond the burning of schools came the burning and destruction of Jewish homes, businesses and synagogues (Blum, 20). Fred Spiegel recalls the night he was forced to leave his home and the abuses even he as a child faced. He was already emotionally crippled by the sight of his community being gutted by fires. He further recalls being cursed and spit upon by the non-Jews as he and his family were being forced from their homes. Some Jews were evicted to concentration camps and ghettos. Others were turned out of the country altogether. Spiegel writes about the events he witnessed upon entering his home, which had been destroyed, for the last time as a child: â€Å"My mother, sister, and my Aunt Klara were standing on the balcony crying. My grandfather had been arrested and taken away by two policemen. [†¦] Soon the two policemen returned. We were told we could not stay in our apartment and had to go with them. On the way out we passed by the downstairs apartment that was empty because the Abosch-family, a Jewish family who had rented it from my mother, had been expelled to Poland a few weeks earlier. Their apartment too was totally destroyed† (Spiegel, 30). Children were also abused through the mandate that they live in the ghettos. Because the ghettos were sequestered from the rest of the German civilization and restrictions were placed on items that could be brought into the area, children often suffered hunger. Many of them were reduced to smuggling food into the ghettos in order to aid in the support of their families. While these were very risky actions, some Jewish children were left even more vulnerable as their parents were killed or taken away to concentration camps. These orphaned children were left alone in the ghettos to make a living under doubly cruel circumstances.

History and Impact of the Smart Phone

History and Impact of the Smart Phone INTRODUCTION This report is regarding the smartphone which is used nowadays worldwide. In this modern world, almost every person is using a smartphone, even kids know how to use a smartphone. With the help of computers and laptops, we are able to complete all our necessary works with the help of these. After the invention of smartphones, people think that, some of their work can be completed with the help of a smartphone. We can carry our smartphones where ever we go as we cannot take our computers. A smartphone provides us a wide range of facilities. We can say that a smartphone can be also called as a mini computer because it gives almost all our facilities which can be done with a computer. Smartphones are at affordable cost ranging from  £100 to  £900. Figure 1: Different smartphones HISTORY Smartphones has almost features like a computer. They have a great history. In the early years Simon was the first to develop a mobile phone with software and touch screen in the year 1994. In further Years different smartphones with different operating systems have been invented. Nokia came forward and invented its 1st smartphone in the year 1999. In 2003 Motorola launches its smartphone. Apple in 2007 invented its smartphone with IOS operating system. Now, there are many types of smartphones with wide range of facilities. OPERATING SYSTEMS Each company developed their own smartphone with their respective operating systems. There are abundant smartphones, buying a smartphone with a good operating system is also necessary. Each mobile company have their own operating systems. Android, IOS, Windows phone, blackberry are some operating systems of their companies. Samsung smartphones have Android operating system which was developed by Google. Android smartphones got a huge response and they have been sold in a large number. An another operating system with extraordinary features is IOS which was developed by Apple Inc. After introducing Apple Smartphones, they received a huge response. An another operating system which was developed by Microsoft is Windows phone. Every Smartphone company are developing day by day their operating systems and trying to attract their users as much as they can. Figure3: Different operating systems INTERACTION AND ITS APPLICATION APPLICATIONS, ITS USES AND EFFECTS ON SOCIAL LIFE: In the world of technology, each smartphone has a different operating system. In the same way applications are very important for the users as it provides all. Day by day new applications are developed and introduced in this world for the use of smartphones. A wide range of applications are available to all users nowadays, how smartphones are important the applications for the smartphone are also important. Applications which are available for us provides us a wide range of facilities like to buy or sell goods, internet banking, watching movies, listening to songs, playing games. Access to internet in smartphones gives us various facilities which can be done by using a computer. Before different applications were introduced it was difficult to use these kind of facilities which we are using these now. Communication is now an important aspect in our life, we can interact with people all over the world. With the use of social apps like facebook and twitter, we can get a lot of information what is going all round the world and in the same way it effects our daily life, as we are daily watching news many people got addicted to these social apps and lost their lives. Interest in games in a limit is acceptable, but some people make playing games as their habit and playing whole the day is not good. A recent game Pokemon go which was introduced now a days became popular, while playing we assume that we are in a real world inside the game, many people started playing this game and a number of people lost their lives too playing this game. Texting friends always has become a habit to many people and this may result affecting their studies too. Figure4 :Different applications in a Smartphone INTERACTION: The interaction design for Apple IPhone is very attractive when compared to the remaining smartphones. Apple IPhone has a very well user interfaced design and good usability compared to android smartphones. The first apple IPhone has been released in the year 2007, year after year they have been releasing new models with better interfaced design and introducing new updates. Figure5: IOS vs Android I would like to draw a contrast between IOS and Android devices. Android is available on many phones like Samsung, HTC, LG and Sony, were as IOS is available in iPhones, iPod, iPad. According to Simon hill, interaction design of apple iPhone is better than the android devices. He illustrated that the android devices have basic customizable home screens, app drawer, pull down notifications. Where it is perfectly uniform across all IOS devices. Apple, after undergoing major design its platform is bright and it has modern feeling. More people like to use Apple IOS devices because it has well designed user interface, its speed and its usability. But the file transfer in Apple devices is quiet difficult compared to the android devices where it is easy to transfer files to it. There is good Security in IOS devices compared to android devices. According to Pfeiffer, Apple IOS has been rated better in user experience compared to android. 3D BASED INTERACTION: Figure6: Figure showing 3d based interaction Now a days 3d based smartphone interaction is widely spread and people are enjoying it. According to Alejandro Rodriguez, these 3d capability, touch input and a very high compute power made smartphones attractive with visualization and a good 3D interaction. With these kind of 3d interaction people get attracted towards the smartphones and try to buy smartphones with 3D interaction. CONCLUSION: Well, I would like to conclude this report with some key points. Smartphones are important to us, but its usage should be in limit. Using it all the time will affect the humans very badly. As we have a number of uses from it we have too many disadvantages too. They are revolutionary which makes things very useful to the humans as it gives a wide range of facilities like talking to people all over the world, texting, games, internet facility, online banking, and etc.. But reports showed that many people are using smartphones continuously always checking their phones, texting and playing games. This may make our brain defective. All smartphones with respective operating systems are good with their software. All applications available in our app stores in our respective smartphone devices are almost good but some are harmful. In kinds of user interface I suggest that Apple IOS devices are good compared to the remaining devices. REFERENCES: Smartphone (2016). . In Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartphone Bloom, P. (2016, November 14). How Smartphones are killing conversation. Retrieved November 23, 2016, from http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_smartphones_are_killing_conversation Hill, S. (2016, October 31). Which smartphone OS wins 2016? Android Nougat vs. IOS 10 vs. Windows 10 mobile. Retrieved November 23, 2016, from http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/best-smartphone-os Alejandro Rodrà ­guez Alejandro J. Leà ³n. Smartphone based intearction. Retrieved November 23, 2016, from http://www.digitalheritage2015.org/portfolio/smartphone-based-interaction Android vs iOS difference and comparison. (2014, April ). Retrieved November 23, 2016, from http://www.diffen.com/difference/Android_vs_iOS Nield, D. (2016, July 29). Android vs iOS: Which is the best mobile OS? . Retrieved from http://www.t3.com/news/android-vs-ios-showdown Pfeiffer. Retrieved November 23, 2016, from user experience report, http://www.pfeifferreport.com/v2/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/iOS7-User-Experience-Shootout.pdf DeGroot, Z. (2015, April 9). Smartphones replacing human interaction. Retrieved November 23, 2016, from http://collegian.com/2015/04/are-smartphones-replacing-human-interaction LIST OF FIGURES: Figure1: Smartphones. (2016, November 7). Retrieved November 23, 2016, from https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=smartphones Figure2: Smartphone (2016). . In Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartphone Figure3: Smartphones with operating systems. (2013, May 1). Retrieved November 23, 2016, from https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=smartphones+with+operating+systems Figure4: smartphone with applications. Retrieved November 23, 2016, from https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=smartphone+applications Figure5: Ios vs android. (2016, February 8). Retrieved November 23, 2016, from https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ios+vs+android Figure6: Alejandro Rodrà ­guez Alejandro J. Leà ³n. Smartphone based intearction. Retrieved November 23, 2016, from http://www.digitalheritage2015.org/portfolio/smartphone-based-interaction

Urban Heat Island and Green Infrastructure

Urban Heat Island and Green Infrastructure Chapter 1 What is urban heat island? History â€Å"Did you know that people can affect the environment and even change the weather? Well, next time you are told you cannot, say you already have.†[1] The more urban areas and construction industry develop, the more profoundly the surrounding landscape is altered but also the city scene is changed. Buildings and streets infrastructure replace open land and vegetation. Regions that were once permeable and moist are converted into impervious and dry surfaces. These changes cause urban regions to become warmer than their suburban and rural surroundings therefore forming areas of higher temperatures or heat bubbles in the landscape. This effect is now known as urban heat island and is absolutely not related to the greenhouse effect or global warming. It is strictly a land use phenomena, sometimes exacerbated by city activities. It was in the 1810’s when Luke Howard, a British meteorologist, first investigated and in 1818-1820 described the phenomena. His study[2] was made on the London climate and he documented the effect that built-up areas have on the local weather and temperature. Nowadays, the urban heat island is one of the most studied climate effects of settlements and there is a large body of data on urban heat island characteristics from cities globally. Components of urban heat island In order to identify and describe the urban heat island in one metropolitan area, scientists use temperature registrations of different components. The first component is the surface temperature which represents the temperature of exposed urban surfaces like streets, pavements, faà §ades and roofs. The second component is the atmospheric temperature defined by the air temperature measured in two layers from a vertical city section. These two layers are defined like this: Urban canopy layer – represents the city’s layer of air from the ground to the roofs’ level Urban boundary layer – represents the city’s layer of air from above the roofs to the point where urban activity no longer influences the atmosphere. Figure 2‑a Picture illustrates the difference between urban boundary layer and urban canopy layer Apparently, surface and air temperatures are not related, however surface temperature has an indirect, but extremely significant influence on air temperature, especially in the urban canopy layer. During day time, heat is absorbed by urban infrastructure and edifices and after sunset the energy is slowly released in the air. Consequently, the air temperature in the city during night is maintained at a high level while in suburbs it is cooling down. Figure 2‑b Picture illustrates the city heat bubble Urban heat island is manifested as heat bubble that incorporates the affected parts of the city. But for a better general understanding, when referred to urban heat island effect, it is normally presented as a temperature difference or comparison between the air within the urban canopy layer and that measured in a suburban or rural area outside the settlement both during day and night. Figure 2‑c Picture illustrates the temperature difference between the urban and suburban areas The temperature difference between the two zones is specific for every settlement and it depends significantly on local climate and city morphology. The same rule applies to how warm the urban area is during nighttime compared to daytime. As a general approximation, it could be stated that the city temperature is warmer with 2 ° to 12 °C than suburbs and surrounding rural areas but its. As a result the annual mean air temperature of a city can be with 1 ° to 5 °C warmer than its surroundings.[3] How do urban heat islands form? From the beginning it should be pointed out that every settlement is capable of generating a heat island regardless of its size or location. However, the aspect of urban heat island is characteristic to every city. In addition to the local climate which is subjected to various meteorological factors such as temperature, relative humidity and wind, a number of man-made causes determine the occurrence and intensification of urban heat islands. This phenomena must be seen as the combined result of energy losses and gains together with the increasing area urbanization. City background Climate Settlements’ background strongly influence urban heat island formation. Climate, predominantly wind and clouds, is one of the most significant factors. Heat island levels are largest under calm and clear weather conditions while increasing winds mix the air and reduce the phenomena. Figure 2‑d Picture illustrates how radiative cooling works on cloudy and cloudless nights Radiative cooling is â€Å"the process by which a body releases heat†[4]. In this case the bodies are buildings and pavements. This process is substantially affected by the presence or absence of clouds therefore the level of urban heat island is different depending on the conditions. The maximum level of radiative cooling is experienced on cloudless nights. If there is no wind there is nothing that can block the release of heat in the atmosphere. Therefore the air within the urban canopy layer will continuously be heated and in this case the urban heat island reaches the highest point. Clouds reduce radiative cooling as they increase humidity level and also bring precipitations. Furthermore clouds act like a barrier that absorbs released heat and re-radiate it both back and towards the atmosphere, fact that leads to temperature equalization within the canopy layer. Table 2‑c Temperature equalization process When the temperature equalization is reached, the radiative cooling process stops. In this case, the urban heat island is less prominent than during clear sky nights. Geographic location Geographic location has also an influence on urban heat island. A coastal city may experience cooling of urban temperature as well as cities in cold or temperate climates. A city located in the proximity of a forested area has the tendency to create a higher urban heat island than a city developed in a desert. Forests are cooler, therefore the temperature difference between the city and the forest will be higher compared to the desert case where the temperatures are close. City’s morphology Albedo An additional factor that influences urban heat island, particularly at night, is urban morphology. Increasing urbanization heavily alters the ground cover and water formations. What used to be vegetation, beach or lake, now is converted into a city form which comprises the materials used in constructions and infrastructure, the buildings’ dimensions and spacing and amount of green spaces. Materials’ surface color is also an important factor in the city’s morphology. Albedo is determined by the reflectivity of a surface. It is usually defined as a percentage of reflected radiation or by a number between 0 and 1. An albedo with a value of 1 means that 100% of the incoming radiation is reflected and 0% of it is absorbed. An albedo with a value of 0 means that 100% of the incoming radiation is absorbed and 0% of it is reflected. Additionally, urban geometry influences the wind flow direction and speed. Figure 2‑e Albedo illustrations Urban materials One typical city can have approximately 10-20% of its land surface rooftops. Concrete, asphalt and pavements may cover up to 35-55% of the city’s area. All previously mentioned surfaces are really burning during summer, and during day time they can be hotter with more than 50 °C than the air temperature. These structures and the materials they are composed of have large heat capacity and surface radiative properties that facilitate absorption and storage of solar energy. What is more is that urban construction materials are often dark in color, especially roof coverings and a low albedo effect contributes even more to the development of urban heat island. Cities can have multiple and different formations but the ones most relevant to urban heat island are urban canyons. They are like a standard classification of the urban environment, covering the width of the streets and buildings’ height and are usually defined by a ratio between these two factors. Building height is defined by H and canyon with, which represents the streets’ width and thus the distance between buildings from the sides of the street, is defined by W. A high ratio of H:W means that the urban canyon is tall and narrow and a low H:W means that the urban canyon is low and wide. This ratio is a relative measurement. Figure 2‑f Upstream urbanization â€Å"To cool cities, build them tall and shiny†[5]. The impression that tall buildings act as a protection from heat is a completely misplaced one. In fact, small, modern cities with upstream urbanization can have a larger urban heat island effect than a bigger city with no upstream urbanization. This study Thermal Effects of Urban Canyon Structure on the Nocturnal Heat Island: Numerical Experiment Using a Mesoscale Model Coupled with an Urban Canopy Model[6] on tall and narrow urban canyons demonstrates the complex effect that skyscrapers have. These urban canyons display a larger amount of materials that can retain heat and the faà §ades area is close to or even bigger than the canyon area itself. Buildings act as a barrier against wind and air is hardly circulated. Narrow urban canyons with skyscrapers limit the sky view and streets are most of the time shaded. But even with a modest amount of daylight comes a large retention of heat. At the beginning of the day, only the uppermost part of the faà §ades are directly sunlit, but during the day, the beam of light reaches lower. At the end of the day, more than 60% of the skyscrapers’ faà §ade area is sunlit by the direct light beam and thus results a maximized heat absorption per unit area. The absorbed heat is rel eased during night and narrow spaces between buildings act as a trap and the cooling process becomes slower. The amount of released heat combined with hot gas emissions and reduced wind speed make these city segments experience an increased urban heat island effect. Another very common urban canyon is the wide and high type. Skyscrapers act as wind barriers but there is a higher chance to have a better natural ventilation because of the wide spaces between the buildings. The sky view is larger than in a narrow and high urban canyon therefore the building shading effect is lower. Buildings and pavements receive direct sunlight throughout the entire day and at night the cooling process is slow. This is because a large amount of heat is released in the same time in a relatively small space and there is very little wind to help the process. Figure 2‑i Shadow effect in low urban canyons Wide and low canyons receive more sunlight and wind enters between buildings easier than in a high urban canyon. Streets are only partly shaded by buildings and buildings across the street rarely shade each other. In this situation, during the day, buildings and streets absorb heat faster and on the entire surface area. Surfaces receive direct light beam with maximum heat and they also absorb the small reflected heat by surrounding materials. Likewise heating process the cooling process at night is also faster because the large space between buildings does not trap the warmth and allows air circulation. Lack of vegetation As previously mentioned, increasing urbanization alters the local landscape and most importantly it is done in many ways that really trap a lot of heat. Most of the city’s area is covered with different materials which obstruct the growing of vegetation and prevent the ingress of water in the soil. Therefore the natural circulation process of water in atmosphere is completely changed and it becomes a general concern only when it is too late for changing. As a result, city’s top view in general looks like a mass of concrete combined with asphalt and with not too many little green spots as parks. Therefore, cities are considered hotspots of heat also due to the lack of grass and trees. Vegetation provides moisture and shade which helps lower the surface and air temperature. Open land is a living component compared to concrete and asphalt and it is cooler due to water infiltration high albedo. When sun is shining the water is released from the ground and it cools the surfa ce and also the air by providing humidity. Effects The most obvious effect of urban heat island is that it increases the annual mean temperature of the city. Increased surface heat, especially during summer, can pose a threat to indoor temperatures as well. When a building is designed, faà §ades and roofs are projected to act as an envelope that protects the indoor for outdoor in normal circumstances. But the envelopes’ outside materials are exposed to direct sunlight throughout the day. When the outside surfaces reach abnormal high temperatures hotter than air temperature, no matter how well the walls and roofs are insulated, the indoor air is affected. As a result, air conditioning and mechanical ventilation systems (HVAC) are overused and the energy consumption of the building is increasing. Figure 2‑j Heat bubble effect on clouds The urban heat island can be represented as a heat bubble which incorporates the city. â€Å"When a normal cloud hits the heat bubble it can expand up to two times and can blow up about the half way through. This leads to an increase in precipitations and sometimes the midtown can see up to two times more rainfalls quantity than areas surrounding it.†[7] 1 | Page [1] Quote from Elliot, M. (Director), 2013. The urban heat island explained on The Weather Channel [2] Howard, L., 1818-20. The climate of London: deduced from Meteorological Observations, made at different places in the neighborhood of the metropolis (1st ed., Vol. I). London [3] Quote from Wikipedia, 2001. Urban heat island. [online] [4] Quote from Wikipedia, 2003. Radiative cooling. [online] [5] Quote from Upton, J., 2014. To cool cities, build them tall and shiny. [online] [6] Paragraph information from Kusaka, H., Kimura, F., 2004. Thermal Effects of Urban Canyon Structure on the Nocturnal Heat Island: Numerical Experiment Using a Mesoscale Model Coupled with an Urban Canopy Model. American Meteorological Society. [7] Quote from Elliot, M. (Director). (2013). The urban heat island explained on The Weather Channel

High School to the NBA? Essay -- Argumentative Basketball Persuasive E

High School to the NBA? The National Basketball Association, more commonly known as the NBA, is a league that millions of people in the world are familiar with. Fans of this association range from toddlers to senior citizens. The men employed by the NBA are friends, fathers, husbands and sons, but some people these men are heroes. So many fans look to these men as role models and want to shadow their every move. The NBA players are all very talented and their life styles are quite unique. The constant traveling and practicing is hard to get used to. As the game of basketball ages, young men are becoming more and more skilled. Although the skill might be there, boys right out of high school are not mentally or physically ready to go straight to the NBA. A law should be passed claiming that these young men should have to be enrolled in college before they are allowed to enter into the NBA. These young men are simply not ready for the changes that come with going straight from high school to the NBA. High scho ol basketball is like playing with children compared to the level that the pros play at. My junior year of high school I took a public speaking class. I met a boy whose name is Brian Johnson. At the time he was a sophomore, yet he was not just an ordinary sophomore. He stood a tall six feet nine inches and weighed two hundred and thirty pounds. He was recruited from a small town in North Carolina by my school’s basketball coach and given a great opportunity. The chance to be able to play high school ball in a private school gave Brian the opportunity to be recognized by more colleges. Even though Brian and I are quite opposite in many ways, we seemed to click right away in class and have been best friends ever since. Si... ... high school which will be this May, he may be up for the NBA draft. Brian has done the math and knows that between the money from the team contract and a shoe contract add up to millions of dollars for about three to five years. That is a lot of money and Brian is quite aware of the fact that he would be able to support his family comfortably. Yet, with all of this knowledge, Brian knows that he needs to go to college to get an education and gain more experience on the court. Not all of the young men who have the same or more talent then Brian are mature enough to make the right decision. I just believe that there should be a law that forced these skilled young men to go to college before they were allowed to enter the National Basketball Association. I think that this would eliminate some major mistakes that end up creating problems in one’s career and even life.

Octopus :: essays research papers

Recently, researchers have discovered the existence of an extremely unique type of octopus. The species, known as the Indo-Malayan octopus, has the ability to alter its shape, form, and color pattern to mimic or imitate other sea creatures in order to avoid predation (2). The discovery of the mimic octopus is noteworthy because no other type of cephalopod is known to have impersonation abilities. The octopus is also not limited to one imitation. Researchers have observed up to eight different formations. The alternations occur depending upon the appetite, surrounding environment, and proximity of predators the octopus encounters (1). In analyzing the formations, behaviors, and predators of the mimic octopus, it is important to isolate the origins of this exclusive, and highly intelligent defense mechanism. Is this means of protection or evolutionary development, one that allows the cephalopod a better means of survival? Or is this the result of observed behaviors where the mimic oct opus becomes aware of the relations occurring in the environment, and successfully imitates a species based upon their ability to subsist when dealing with dangerous predators? The existence of mimic octopi is restricted to the islands of Indonesia, specifically off the coasts off Solawesi, and Bali (3). Surprisingly, the octopi have been viewed during the daylight hours, generally residing near sand tunnels, and holes (1). The octopi enjoy these mounds because they provide a significant source of food, including small worms, fish, and crustaceans. The octopus utilizes its arms to feel for prey, and then captures the food through the use of expanded webs. However, when the animal is attempting to hide itself from possible enemies, the Indo-Malayan octopus can transform itself into a variety of organisms, including fish, sea snakes, and anemones. If the octopus observes a cluster of damselfishes, it will change into a lionfish by swimming above the ocean floor, with arms extended beyond the body (2). The lionfish is known to possess poisonous spikes, which successfully deter the damselfish from preying upon the mimic octopus. Another possible transformation includes the sole fish. The octopus is able to propel itself in a similar manner by forming a leaf-shaped arm that moves it across the ocean floor effortlessly. The octopus's arms are also useful in impersonating the sea snake. Two arms are waved around to appear like a pair of snakes, while the other six are hidden from view. The octopus also changes its color and creates yellow and dark bands across the exposed arms.