Big City Dangers :: Environmental Pollution Essays

Big City Dangers Since the industrial revolution the world has witnessed the rapid expansion of its metropolises. For years humans have been flocking to these urban centers in search of jobs, commodities, entertainment and other phenomena that can commonly be found in cities. With this grand, not so new invention which most of us exploit, one must wonder what negative effects city living might have on our health. When populations of animals are clustered together certain dangers arise that threaten the well being of each organism. Notably in China, Japan, India and the United States which contain extensive cities humans battle the health risks that come along them. One such well-known city in the USA which has documented and studied the biological threats to its inhabitants is New York City. A press release from the Department of Health is not necessary to let New Yorkers know that their home is hazardous to their health. Walking along any street in Manhattan the average observer can smell car fumes in the air, see the filth in the gutters and occasionally witness a purse-snatching. The potential for catching communicable diseases or being injured in some way is severely heightened in concentrated populations like New York. Some of the alleged pollution problems are water contamination, excessive noise and the presence of smog. Several diseases have spread throughout the city in recent years including the flu, West Nile Virus and meningitis. Another biological contaminant that has been found in NYC recently is Anthrax. This substance being sent through the postal system and other crimes endanger the well being of the citizens of this famous city. Anything from a car accident to an intentional murder or shooting can cause an unnatural death. Additionally, freak occur rences like terrorist attacks can kill or infect populations of people like those in New York City. These factors increase the likelihood that residents of a city will contract a particular disease, suffer from an environmentally caused illness, die in an accident or be the victim of a violent crime. Dangers associated with cities threaten the most basic biological feature that urban, suburban and country humans possess, life. Air pollution is one of the most noticeable and common complaints of people in an urban setting. On a hot day one can see the contaminated cloud-like structures hanging over a bustling metropolis.

Foundation PART IV THE TRADERS

1. TRADERS†¦ and constantly in advance of the political hegemony of the Foundation were the Traders, reaching out tenuous fingerholds through the tremendous distances of the Periphery. Months or years might pass between landings on Terminus; their ships were often nothing more than patchquilts of home-made repairs and improvisations; their honesty was none of the highest; their daring†¦ Through it all they forged an empire more enduring than the pseudo-religious despotism of the Four Kingdoms†¦ Tales without end are told of these massive, lonely figures who bore half-seriously, half-mockingly a motto adopted from one of Salvor Hardin's epigrams, â€Å"Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right!† It is difficult now to tell which tales are real and which apocryphal. There are none probably that have not suffered some exaggeration†¦. ENCYCLOPEDIA GALACTICA Limmar Ponyets was completely a-lather when the call reached his receiver which proves that the old bromide about telemessages and the shower holds true even in the dark, hard space of the Galactic Periphery. Luckily that part of a free-lance trade ship which is not given over to miscellaneous merchandise is extremely snug. So much so, that the shower, hot water included, is located in a two-by-four cubby, ten feet from the control panels. Ponyets heard the staccato rattle of the receiver quite plainly. Dripping suds and a growl, he stepped out to adjust the vocal, and three hours later a second trade ship was alongside, and a grinning youngster entered through the air tube between the ships. Ponyets rattled his best chair forward and perched himself on the pilot-swivel. â€Å"What've you been doing, Gorm?† he asked, darkly. â€Å"Chasing me all the way from the Foundation?† Les Gorm broke out a cigarette, and shook his head definitely, â€Å"Me? Not a chance. I'm just a sucker who happened to land on Glyptal IV the day after the mail. So they sent me out after you with this.† The tiny, gleaming sphere changed hands, and Gorm added, â€Å"It's confidential. Super-secret. Can't be trusted to the sub-ether and all that. Or so I gather. At least, it's a Personal Capsule, and won't open for anyone but you.† Ponyets regarded the capsule distastefully, â€Å"I can see that. And I never knew one of these to hold good news, either.† It opened in his hand and the thin, transparent tape unrolled stiffly. His eyes swept the message quickly, for when the last of the tape had emerged, the first was already brown and crinkled. In a minute and a half it had turned black and, molecule by molecule, fallen apart. Ponyets grunted hollowly, â€Å"Oh, Galaxy!† Les Gorm said quietly, â€Å"Can I help somehow? Or is it too secret?† â€Å"It will bear telling, since you're of the Guild. I've got to go to Askone.† â€Å"That place? How come?† â€Å"They've imprisoned a trader. But keep it to yourself.† Gorm's expression jolted into anger, â€Å"Imprisoned! That's against the Convention.† â€Å"So is the interference with local politics.† â€Å"Oh! Is that what he did?† Gorm meditated. â€Å"Who's the trader'? Anyone I know?† â€Å"No!† said Ponyets sharply, and Gorm accepted the implication and asked no further questions. Ponyets was up and staring darkly out the visiplate. He mumbled strong expressions at that part of the misty lens-form that was the body of the Galaxy, then said loudly, â€Å"Damnedest mess! I'm way behind quota.† Light broke on Gorm's intellect, â€Å"Hey, friend, Askone is a closed area.† â€Å"That's right. You can't sell as much as a penknife on Askone. They won't buy nuclear gadgets of any sort. With my quota dead on its feet, it's murder to go there.† â€Å"Can't get out of it?† Ponyets shook his head absently, A know the fellow involved. Can't walk out on a friend. What of it? I am in the hands of the Galactic Spirit and walk cheerfully in the way he points out.† Gorm said blankly, â€Å"Huh?† Ponyets looked at him, and laughed shortly, â€Å"I forgot. You never read the ‘Bood of the Spirit,' did you?† â€Å"Never heard of it,† said Gorm, curtly. â€Å"Well, you would if you'd had a religious training.† â€Å"Religious training? For the priesthood?† Gorm was profoundly shocked. â€Å"Afraid so. It's my dark shame and secret. I was too much for the Reverend Fathers, though, They expelled me, for reasons sufficient to promote me to a secular education under the Foundation. Well, look, I'd better push off. How's your quota this year?† Gorm crushed out his cigarette and adjusted his cap, â€Å"I've got my last cargo going now. I'll make it.† â€Å"Lucky fellow,† gloomed Ponyets, and for many minutes after Les Gorm left, he sat in motionless reverie. So Eskel Gorov was on Askone and in prison as well! That was bad! In fact, considerably worse than it might appear. It was one thing to tell a curious youngster a diluted version of the business to throw him off and send him about his own. It was a thing of a different sort to face the truth. For Limmar Ponyets was one of the few people who happened to know that Master Trader Eskel Gorov was not a trader at all; but that entirely different thing, an agent of the Foundation! 2. Two weeks gone! Two weeks wasted. One week to reach Askone, at the extreme borders of which the vigilant warships speared out to meet him in converging numbers. Whatever their detection system was, it worked and well. They sidled him in slowly, without a signal, maintaining their cold distance, and pointing him harshly towards the central sun of Askone. Ponyets could have handled them at a pinch. Those ships were holdovers from the dead-and-gone Galactic Empire but they were sports cruisers, not warships; and without nuclear weapons, they were so many picturesque and impotent ellipsoids. But Eskel Gorov was a prisoner in their hands, and Gorov was not a hostage to lose. The Askonians must know that. And then another week a week to wind a weary way through the clouds of minor officials that formed the buffer between the Grand Master and the outer world. Each little sub-secretary required soothing and conciliation. Each required careful and nauseating milking for the flourishing signature that was the pathway to the next official one higher up. For the first time, Ponyets found his trader's identification papers useless. I Now, at last, the Grand Master was on the other side of the Guard-flanked gilded door and two weeks had gone. Gorov was still a prisoner and Ponyets' cargo rotted useless in the holds of his ship. The Grand Master was a small man; a small man with a balding head and very wrinkled face, whose body seemed weighed down to motionlessness by the huge, glossy fur collar about his neck. His fingers moved on either side, and the line of armed men backed away to for a passage, along which Ponyets strode to the foot of the Chair of State. â€Å"Don't speak,† snapped the Grand Master, and Ponyets' opening lips closed tightly. â€Å"That's right,† the Askonian ruler relaxed visibly, â€Å"I can't endure useless chatter. You cannot threaten and I won't abide flattery. Nor is there room for injured complaints. I have lost count of the times you wanderers have been warned that your devil's machines are not wanted anywhere in Askone.† â€Å"Sir,† said Ponyets, quietly, â€Å"there is no attempt to justify the trader in question. It is not the policy of traders to intrude where they are not wanted. But the Galaxy is great, and it has happened before that a boundary has been trespassed unwittingly. It was a deplorable mistake.† â€Å"Deplorable, certainly,† squeaked the Grand Master. â€Å"But mistake? Your people on Glyptal IV have been bombarding me with pleas for negotiation since two hours after the sacrilegious wretch was seized. I have been warned by them of your own coming many times over. It seems a well-organized rescue campaign. Much seems to have been anticipated a little too much for mistakes, deplorable or otherwise.† The Askonian's black eyes were scornful. He raced on, â€Å"And are you traders, flitting from world to world like mad little butterflies, so mad in your own right that you can land on Askone's largest world, in the center of its system, and consider it an unwitting boundary mixup? Come, surely not.† Ponyets winced without showing it. He said, doggedly, â€Å"If the attempt to trade was deliberate, your Veneration, it was most injudicious and contrary to the strictest regulations of our Guild.† â€Å"Injudicious, yes,† said the Askonian, curtly. â€Å"So much so, that your comrade is likely to lose life in payment.† Ponyets' stomach knotted. There was no irresolution there. He said, â€Å"Death, your Veneration, is so absolute and irrevocable a phenomenon that certainly there must be some alternative.† There was a pause before the guarded answer came, â€Å"I have heard that the Foundation is rich.† â€Å"Rich? Certainly. But our riches are that which you refuse to take. Our nuclear goods are worth† â€Å"Your goods are worthless in that they lack the ancestral blessing. Your goods are wicked and accursed in that they lie under the ancestral interdict.† The sentences were intoned; the recitation of a formula. The Grand Master's eyelids dropped, and he said with meaning, â€Å"You have nothing else of value?† The meaning was lost on the trader, â€Å"I don't understand. What is it you want?† The Askonian's hands spread apart, â€Å"You ask me to trade places with you, and make known to you my wants. I think not. Your colleague, it seems, must suffer the punishment set for sacrilege by the Askonian code. Death by gas. We are a just people. The poorest peasant, in like case, would suffer no more. I, myself, would suffer no less.† Ponyets mumbled hopelessly, â€Å"Your Veneration, would it be permitted that I speak to the prisoner?† â€Å"Askonian law,† said the Grand Master coldly, â€Å"allows no communication with a condemned man.† Mentally, Ponyets held his breath, â€Å"Your Veneration, I ask you to be merciful towards a man's soul, in the hour when his body stands forfeit. He has been separated from spiritual consolation in all the time that his life has been in danger. Even now, he faces the prospect of going unprepared to the bosom of the Spirit that rules all.† The Grand Master said slowly and suspiciously, â€Å"You are a Tender of the Soul?† Ponyets dropped a humble head, â€Å"I have been so trained. In the empty expanses of space, the wandering traders need men like myself to care for the spiritual side of a life so given over to commerce and worldly pursuits.† The Askonian ruler sucked thoughtfully at his lower lip. â€Å"Every man should prepare his soul for his journey to his ancestral spirits. Yet I had never thought you traders to be believers.† 3. Eskel Gorov stirred on his couch and opened one eye as Limmar Ponyets entered the heavily reinforced door. It boomed shut behind him. Gorov sputtered and came to his feet. â€Å"Ponyets! They sent you?† â€Å"Pure chance,† said Ponyets, bitterly, â€Å"or the work of my own personal malevolent demon. Item one, you get into a mess on Askone. Item two, my sales route, as known to the Board of Trade, carries me within fifty parsecs of the system at just the time of item one. Item three, we've worked together before and the Board knows it. Isn't that a sweet, inevitable set-up? The answer just pops out of a slot.† â€Å"Be careful,† said Gorov, tautly. â€Å"There'll be someone listening. Are you wearing a Field Distorter?† Ponyets indicated the ornamented bracelet that hugged his wrist and Gorov relaxed. Ponyets looked about him. The cell was bare, but large. It was well-lit and it lacked offensive odors. He said, â€Å"Not bad. They're treating you with kid gloves.† Gorov brushed the remark aside, â€Å"Listen, how did you get down here? I've been in strict solitary for almost two weeks.† â€Å"Ever since I came, huh? Well, it seems the old bird who's boss here has his weak points. He leans toward pious speeches, so I took a chance that worked. I'm here in the capacity of your spiritual adviser. There's something about a pious man such as he. He will cheerfully cut your throat if it suits him, but he will hesitate to endanger the welfare of your immaterial and problematical soul. It's just a piece of empirical psychology. A trader has to know a little of everything.† Gorov's smile was sardonic, â€Å"And you've been to theological school as well. You're all right, Ponyets. I'm glad they sent you. But the Grand Master doesn't love my soul exclusively. Has he mentioned a ransom?† The trader's eyes narrowed, â€Å"He hinted barely. And he also threatened death by gas. I played safe, and dodged; it might easily have been a trap. So it's extortion, is it? What is it he wants?† â€Å"Gold.† â€Å"Gold!† Ponyets frowned. â€Å"The metal itself? What for?† â€Å"It's their medium of exchange.† â€Å"Is it? And where do I get gold from?† â€Å"Wherever you can. Listen to me; this is important. Nothing will happen to me as long as the Grand Master has the scent of gold in his nose. Promise it to him; as much as he asks for. Then go back to the Foundation, if necessary, to get it. When I'm free, we'll be escorted out of the system, and then we part company.† Ponyets stared disapprovingly, â€Å"And then you'll come back and try again.† â€Å"It's my assignment to sell nucleics to Askone.† â€Å"They'll get you before you've gone a parsec in space. You know that, I suppose.† â€Å"I don't,† said Gorov. â€Å"And if I did, it wouldn't affect things.† â€Å"They'll kill you the second time.† Gorov shrugged. Ponyets said quietly, â€Å"If I'm going to negotiate with the Grand Master again, I want to know the whole story. So far, I've been working it too blind. As it was, the few mild remarks I did make almost threw his Veneration into fits.† â€Å"It's simple enough,† said Gorov. â€Å"The only way we can increase the security of the Foundation here in the Periphery is to form a religion-controlled commercial empire. We're still too weak to be able to force political control. It's all we can do to hold the Four Kingdoms.† Ponyets was nodding. â€Å"This I realize. And any system that doesn't accept nuclear gadgets can never be placed under our religious control† â€Å"And can therefore become a focal point for independence and hostility. Yes.† â€Å"All right, then,† said Ponyets, â€Å"so much for theory. Now what exactly prevents the sale. Religion? The Grand Master implied as much.† â€Å"It's a form of ancestor worship. Their traditions tell of an evil past from which they were saved by the simple and virtuous heroes of the past generations. It amounts to a distortion of the anarchic period a century ago, when the imperial troops were driven out and an independent government was set up. Advanced science and nuclear power in particular became identified with the old imperial regime they remember with horror.† â€Å"That so? But they have nice little ships which spotted me very handily two parsecs away. That smells of nucleics to me.† Gorov shrugged. â€Å"Those ships are holdovers of the Empire, no doubt. Probably with nuclear drive. What they have, they keep. The point is that they will not innovate and their internal economy is entirely non-nuclear. That is what we must change.† â€Å"How were you going to do it?† â€Å"By breaking the resistance at one point. To put it simply, if I could sell a penknife with a force-field blade to a nobleman, it would be to his interest to force laws that would allow him to use it. Put that baldly, it sounds silly, but it is sound, psychologically. To make strategic sales, at strategic points, would be to create a pro-nucleics faction at court.† â€Å"And they send you for that purpose, while I'm only here to ransom you and leave, while you keep on trying? Isn't that sort of tail-backward?† â€Å"In what way?† said Gorov, guardedly. â€Å"Listen,† Ponyets was suddenly exasperated, â€Å"you're a diplomat, not a trader, and calling you a trader won't make you one. This case is for one who's made a business of selling and I'm here with a full cargo stinking into uselessness, and a quota that won't ever be met, it looks like.† â€Å"You mean you're going to risk your life on something that isn't your business?† Gorov smiled thinly. Ponyets said, â€Å"You mean that this is a matter of patriotism and traders aren't patriotic?† â€Å"Notoriously not. Pioneers never are.† â€Å"All right. I'll grant that. I don't scoot about space to save the Foundation or anything like that. But I'm out to make money, and this is my chance. If it helps the Foundation at the same time, all the better. And I've risked my life on slimmer chances.† Ponyets rose, and Gorov rose with him, â€Å"What are you going to do?† The trader smiled, â€Å"Gorov, I don't know not yet. But if the crux of the matter is to make a sale, then I'm your man. I'm not a boaster as a general thing, but there's one thing I'll always back up. I've never ended up below quota yet.† The door to the cell opened almost instantly when he knocked, and two guards fell in on either side. 4. â€Å"A show!† said the Grand Master, grimly. He settled himself well into his furs, and one thin hand grasped the iron cudgel he used as a cane. â€Å"And gold, your Veneration.† â€Å"And gold,† agreed the Grand Master, carelessly. Ponyets set the box down and opened it with as fine an appearance of confidence as he could manage. He felt alone in the face of universal hostility; the way he had felt out in space his first year. The semicircle of bearded councilors who faced him down, stared unpleasantly. Among them was Pherl, the thin-faced favorite who sat next to the Grand Master in stiff hostility. Ponyets had met him once already and marked him immediately as prime enemy, and, as a consequence, prime victim. Outside the hall, a small army awaited events. Ponyets was effectively isolated from his ship; he lacked any weapon, but his attempted bribe; and Gorov was still a hostage. He made the final adjustments on the clumsy monstrosity that had cost him a week of ingenuity, and prayed once again that the lead-lined quartz would stand the strain. â€Å"What is it?† asked the Grand Master. â€Å"This,† said Ponyets, stepping back, â€Å"is a small device I have constructed myself.† â€Å"That is obvious, but it is not the information I want. Is it one of the black-magic abominations of your world?† â€Å"It is nuclear in nature, admitted Ponyets, gravely, â€Å"but none of you need touch it, or have anything to do with it. It is for myself alone, and if it contains abominations, I take the foulness of it upon myself.† The Grand Master had raised his iron cane at the machine in a threatening gesture and his lips moved rapidly and silently in a purifying invocation. The thin-faced councilor at his right leaned towards him and his straggled red mustache approached the Grand Master's ear. The ancient Askonian petulantly shrugged himself free. â€Å"And what is the connection of your instrument of evil and the gold that may save your countryman's life?† â€Å"With this machine,† began Ponyets, as his hand dropped softly onto the central chamber and caressed its hard, round flanks, â€Å"I can turn the iron you discard into gold of the finest quality. It is the only device known to man that will take iron the ugly iron, your Veneration, that props up the chair you sit in and the walls of this building and change it to shining, heavy, yellow gold.† Ponyets felt himself botching it. His usual sales talk was smooth, facile and plausible; but this limped like a shot-up space wagon. But it was the content, not the form, that interested the Grand Master. â€Å"So? Transmutation? Men have been fools who have claimed the ability. They have paid for their prying sacrilege.† â€Å"Had they succeeded?† â€Å"No.† The Grand Master seemed coldly amused. â€Å"Success at producing gold would have been a crime that carried its own antidote. It is the attempt plus the failure that is fatal. Here, what can you do with my staff?† He pounded the floor with it. â€Å"Your Veneration will excuse me. My device is a small model, prepared by myself, and your staff is too long.† The Grand Master's small shining eye wandered and stopped, â€Å"Randel, your buckles. Come, man, they shall be replaced double if need be.† The buckles passed down the line, hand to hand. The Grand Master weighed them thoughtfully. â€Å"Here,† he said, and threw them to the floor. Ponyets picked them up. He tugged hard before the cylinder opened, and his eyes blinked and squinted with effort as he centered the buckles carefully on the anode screen. Later, it would be easier but there must be no failures the first time. The homemade transmuter crackled malevolently for ten minutes while the odor of ozone became faintly present. The Askonians backed away, muttering, and again Pherl whispered urgently into his ruler's ear. The Grand Master's expression was stony. He did not budge. And the buckles were gold. Ponyets held them out to the Grand Master with a murmured, â€Å"Your Veneration!† but the old man hesitated, then gestured them away. His stare lingered upon the transmuter. Ponyets said rapidly, â€Å"Gentlemen, this is pure gold. Gold through and through. You may subject it to every known physical and chemical test, if you wish to prove the point. It cannot be identified from naturally-occurring gold in any way. Any iron can be so treated. Rust will not interfere, not will a moderate amount of alloying metals† But Ponyets spoke only to fill a vacuum. He let the buckles remain in his outstretched hand, and it was the gold that argued for him. The Grand Master stretched out a slow hand at last, and the thin-faced Pherl was roused to open speech. â€Å"Your Veneration, the gold is from a poisoned source.† And Ponyets countered, â€Å"A rose can grow from the mud, your Veneration. In your dealings with your neighbors, you buy material of all imaginable variety, without inquiring as to where they get it, whether from an orthodox machine blessed by your benign ancestors or from some space-spawned outrage. Come, I don't offer the machine. I offer the gold.† â€Å"Your Veneration,† said Pherl, â€Å"you are not responsible for the sins of foreigners who work neither with your consent nor knowledge. But to accept this strange pseudo-gold made sinfully from iron in your presence and with your consent is an affront to the living spirits of our holy ancestors.† â€Å"Yet gold is gold,† said the Grand Master, doubtfully, â€Å"and is but an exchange for the heathen person of a convicted felon. Pherl, you are too critical.† But he withdrew his hand. Ponyets said, â€Å"You are wisdom, itself, your Veneration. Consider to give up a heathen is to lose nothing for your ancestors, whereas with the gold you get in exchange you can ornament the shrines of their holy spirits. And surely, were gold evil in itself, if such, a thing could be, the evil would depart of necessity once the metal were put to such pious use.† â€Å"Now by the bones of my grandfather,† said the Grand Master with surprising vehemence. His lips separated in a shrill laugh, â€Å"Pherl, what do you say of this young man? The statement is valid. It is as valid as the words of my ancestors.† Pherl said gloomily, â€Å"So it would seem. Grant that the validity does not turn out to be a device of the Malignant Spirit.† â€Å"I'll make it even better,† said Ponyets, suddenly. â€Å"Hold the gold in hostage. Place it on the altars of your ancestors as an offering and hold me for thirty days. If at the end of that time, there is no evidence of displeasure if no disasters occur surely, it would be proof that the offering was accepted. What more can be offered?† And when the Grand Master rose to his feet to search out disapproval, not a man in the council failed to signal his agreement. Even Pherl chewed the ragged end of his mustache and nodded curtly. Ponyets smiled and meditated on the uses of a religious education. 5. Another week rubbed away before the meeting with Pherl was arranged. Ponyets felt the tension, but he was used to the feeling of physical helplessness now. He had left city limits under guard. He was in Pherl's suburban villa under guard. There was nothing to do but accept it without even looking over his shoulder. Pherl was taller and younger outside the circle of Elders. In nonformal costume, he seemed no Elder at all. He said abruptly, â€Å"You're a peculiar man.† His close-set eyes seemed to quiver. â€Å"You've done nothing this last week, and particularly these last two hours, but imply that I need gold. It seems useless labor, for who does not? Why not advance one step?† â€Å"It is not simply gold,† said Ponyets, discreetly. â€Å"Not simply gold. Not merely a coin or two. It is rather all that lies behind gold.† â€Å"Now what can lie behind gold?† prodded Pherl, with a down-curved smile. â€Å"Certainly this is not the preliminary of another clumsy demonstration.† â€Å"Clumsy?† Ponyets frowned slightly. â€Å"Oh, definitely.† Pherl folded his hands and nudged them gently with his chin. â€Å"I don't criticize you. The clumsiness was on purpose, I am sure. I might have warned his Veneration of that, had I been certain of the motive. Now had I been you, I would have produced the gold upon my ship, and offered it alone. The show you offered us and the antagonism you aroused would have been dispensed with.† â€Å"True,† Ponyets admitted, â€Å"but since I was myself, I accepted the antagonism for the sake of attracting your attention.† â€Å"Is that it? Simply that?† Pherl made no effort to hide his contemptuous amusement. â€Å"And I imagine you suggested the thirty-day purification period that you might assure yourself time to turn the attraction into something a bit more substantial. But what if the gold turns out to be impure?† Ponyets allowed himself a dark humor in return, â€Å"When the judgement of that impurity depends upon those who are most interested in finding it pure?† Pherl lifted his eyes and stared narrowly at the trader. He seemed at once surprised and satisfied. â€Å"A sensible point. Now tell me why you wished to attract me.† â€Å"This I will do. In the short time I have been here, I have observed useful facts that concern you and interest me. For instance, you are young-very young for a member of the council, and even of a relatively young family.† â€Å"You criticize my family?† â€Å"Not at all. Your ancestors are great and holy; all will admit that. But there are those that say you are not a member of one of the Five Tribes.† Pherl leaned back, â€Å"With all respect to those involved,† and he did not hide his venom, â€Å"the Five Tribes have impoverished loins and thin blood. Not fifty members of the Tribes are alive.† â€Å"Yet there are those who say the nation would not be willing to see any man outside the Tribes as Grand Master. And so young and newly-advanced a favorite of the Grand Master is bound to make powerful enemies among the great ones of the State it is said. His Veneration is aging and his protection will not last past his death, when it is an enemy of yours who will undoubtedly be the one to interpret the words of his Spirit.† Pherl scowled, â€Å"For a foreigner you hear much. Such ears are made for cropping.† â€Å"That may be decided later.† â€Å"Let me anticipate.† Pherl stirred impatiently in his seat. â€Å"You're going to offer me wealth and power in terms of those evil little machines you carry in your ship. Well?† â€Å"Suppose it so. What would be your objection? Simply your standard of good and evil?† Pherl shook his head. â€Å"Not at all. Look, my Outlander, your opinion of us in your heathen agnosticism is what it is but I am not the entire slave of our mythology, though I may appear so. I am an educated man, sir, and, I hope, an enlightened one. The full depth of our religious customs, in the ritualistic rather than the ethical sense, is for the masses.† â€Å"Your objection, then?† pressed Ponyets, gently. â€Å"Just that. The masses. I might be willing to deal with you, but your little machines must be used to be useful. How might riches come to me, if I had to use what is it you sell? well, a razor, for instance, only in the strictest, trembling secrecy. Even if my chin were more simply and more cleanly shaven, how would I become rich? And how would I avoid death by gas chamber or mob frightfulness if I were ever once caught using it?† Ponyets shrugged, â€Å"You are correct. I might point out that the remedy would be to educate your own people into the use of nucleics for their convenience and your own substantial profit. It would be a gigantic piece of work; I don't deny it; but the returns would be still more gigantic. Still that is your concern, and, at the moment, not mine at all. For I offer neither razor, knife, nor mechanical garbage disposer.† â€Å"What do you offer?† â€Å"Gold itself. Directly. You may have the machine I demonstrated last week.† And now Pherl stiffened and the skin on his forehead moved jerkily. â€Å"The transmuter?† â€Å"Exactly. Your supply of gold will equal your supply of iron. That, I imagine, is sufficient for all needs. Sufficient for the Grand Mastership itself, despite youth and enemies. And it is safe.† â€Å"In what way?† â€Å"In that secrecy is the essence of its use; that same secrecy you described as the only safety with regard to nucleics. You may bury the transmuter in the deepest dungeon of the strongest fortress on your furthest estate, and it will still bring you instant wealth. It is the gold you buy, not the machine, and that gold bears no trace of its manufacture, for it cannot be told from the natural creation.† â€Å"And who is to operate the machine?† â€Å"Yourself. Five minutes teaching is all you will require. I'll set it up for you wherever you wish.† â€Å"And in return?† â€Å"Well,† Ponyets grew cautious. â€Å"I ask a price and a handsome one. It is my living. Let us say, for it its a valuable machine the equivalent of a cubic foot of gold in wrought iron.† Pherl laughed, and Ponyets grew red. â€Å"I point out, sir,† he added, stiffly, â€Å"that you can get your price back in two hours.† â€Å"True, and in one hour, you might be gone, and my machine might suddenly turn out to be useless. I'll need a guarantee.† â€Å"You have my word.† â€Å"A very good one,† Pherl bowed sardonically, â€Å"but your presence would be an even better assurance. I'll give you my word to pay you one week after delivery in working order.† â€Å"Impossible.† â€Å"Impossible? When you've already incurred the death penalty very handily by even offering to sell me anything. The only alternative is my word that you'll get the gas chamber tomorrow otherwise.† Ponyet's face was expressionless, but his eyes might have flickered. He said, â€Å"It is an unfair advantage. You will at least put your promise in writing?† â€Å"And also become liable for execution? No, sir!† Pherl smiled a broad satisfaction. â€Å"No, sir! Only one of us is a fool.† The trader said in a small voice, â€Å"It is agreed, then.† 6. Gorov was released on the thirtieth day, and five hundred pounds of the yellowest gold took his place. And with him was released the quarantined and untouched abomination that was his ship. Then, as on the journey into the Askonian system, so on the journey out, the cylinder of sleek little ships ushered them on their way. Ponyets watched the dimly sun-lit speck that was Gorov's ship while Gorov's voice pierced through to him, clear and thin on the tight, distortion-bounded ether-beam. He was saying, â€Å"But it isn't what's wanted, Ponyets. A transmuter won't do. Where did you get one, anyway?† â€Å"I didn't,† Ponyets answer was patient. â€Å"I juiced it up out of a food irradiation chamber. It isn't any good, really. The power consumption is prohibitive on any large scale or the Foundation would use transmutation instead of chasing all over the Galaxy for heavy metals. It's one of the standard tricks every trader uses, except that I never saw an iron-to-gold one before. But it's impressive, and it works very temporarily.† â€Å"All right. But that particular trick is no good.† â€Å"It got you out of a nasty spot.† â€Å"That is very far from the point. Especially since I've got to go back, once we shake our solicitous escort.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"You yourself explained it to this politician of yours,† Gorov's voice was on edge. â€Å"Your entire sales-point rested on the fact that the transmuter was a means to an end, but of no value in itself, that he was buying the gold, not the machine. It was good psychology, since it worked, but† â€Å"But?† Ponyets urged blandly and obtusely. The voice from the receiver grew shriller, â€Å"But we want to sell them a machine of value in itself, something they would want to use openly; something that would tend to force them out in favor of nuclear techniques as a matter of self-interest.† â€Å"I understand all that,† said Ponyets, gently. â€Å"You once explained it. But look at what follows from my sale, will you? As long as that transmuter lasts, Pherl will coin gold; and it will last long enough to buy him the next election. The present Grand Master won't last long.† â€Å"You count on gratitude?† asked Gorov, coldly. â€Å"No on intelligent self-interest. The transmuter gets him an election; other mechanisms† â€Å"No! No! Your premise is twisted. It's not the transmuter, he'll credit it'll be the good, old-fashioned gold. That's what I'm trying to tell you.† Ponyets grinned and shifted into a more comfortable position. All right. He'd baited the poor fellow sufficiently. Gorov was beginning to sound wild. The trader said, â€Å"Not so fast, Gorov. I haven't finished. There are other gadgets already involved.† There was a short silence. Then, Gorov's voice sounded cautiously, â€Å"What other gadgets?† Ponyets gestured automatically and uselessly, â€Å"You see that escort?† â€Å"I do,† said Gorov shortly. â€Å"Tell me about those gadgets.† â€Å"I will, ?if you'll listen. That's Pherl's private navy escorting us; a special honor to him from the Grand Master. He managed to squeeze that out.† â€Å"So?† â€Å"And where do you think he's taking us? To his mining estates on the outskirts of Askone, that's where. Listen!† Ponyets was suddenly fiery, â€Å"I told you I was in this to make money, not to save worlds. All right. I sold that transmuter for nothing. Nothing except the risk of the gas chamber and that doesn't count towards the quota.† â€Å"Get back to the mining estates, Ponyets. Where do they come in?† â€Å"With the profits. We're stacking up on tin, Gorov. Tin to fill every last cubic foot this old scow can scrape up, and then some more for yours. I'm going down with Pherl to collect, old man, and you're going to cover me from upstairs with every gun you've got just in case Pherl isn't as sporting about the matter as he lets on to be. That tin's my profit.† â€Å"For the transmuter?† â€Å"For my entire cargo of nucleics. At double price, plus a bonus.† He shrugged, almost apologetically. â€Å"I admit I gouged him, but I've got to make quota, don't I?† Gorov was evidently lost. He said, weakly, â€Å"Do you mind explaining'?† â€Å"What's there to explain? It's obvious, Gorov. Look, the clever dog thought he had me in a foolproof trap, because his word was worth more than mine to the Grand Master. He took the transmuter. That was a capital crime in Askone. But at any time he could say that he had lured me on into a trap with the purest of patriotic motives, and denounce me as a seller of forbidden things.† â€Å"That was obvious.† â€Å"Sure, but word against simple word wasn't all there was to it. You see, Pherl had never heard nor conceived of a microfilm-recorder.† Gorov laughed suddenly. â€Å"That's right,† said Ponyets. â€Å"He had the upper hand. I was properly chastened. But when I set up the transmuter for him in my whipped-dog fashion, I incorporated the recorder into the device and removed it in the next day's overhaul. I had a perfect record of his sanctum sanctorum, his holy-of-holies, with he himself, poor Pherl, operating the transmuter for all the ergs it had and crowing over his first piece of gold as if it were an egg he had just laid.† â€Å"You showed him the results?† â€Å"Two days later. The poor sap had never seen three-dimensional color-sound images in his life. He claims he isn't superstitious, but if I ever saw an adult look as scared as he did then, call me rookie. When I told him I had a recorder planted in the city square, set to go off at midday with a million fanatical Askonians to watch, and to tear him to pieces subsequently, he was gibbering at my knees in half a second. He was ready to make any deal I wanted.† â€Å"Did you?† Gorov's voice was suppressing laughter. â€Å"I mean, have one planted in the city square.† â€Å"No, but that didn't matter. He made the deal. He bought every gadget I had, and every one you had for as much tin as we could carry. At that moment, he believed me capable of anything. The agreement is in writing and you'll have a copy before I go down with him, just as another precaution.† â€Å"But you've damaged his ego,† said Gorov. â€Å"Will he use the gadgets?† â€Å"Why not? It's his only way of recouping his losses, and if he makes money out of it, he'll salve his pride. And he will be the next Grand Master and the best man we could have in our favor.† â€Å"Yes,† said Gorov, â€Å"it was a good sale. Yet you've certainly got an uncomfortable sales technique. No wonder you were kicked out of a seminary. Have you no sense of morals?† â€Å"What are the odds?† said Ponyets, indifferently. â€Å"You know what Salvor Hardin said about a sense of morals.†

The Conspiracy Theorists, The 1969 Apollo 11 - 984 Words

According to Dave Cosnette and countless other conspiracy theorists, the 1969 Apollo 11 mission never went to the moon and several say never left Earth’s atmosphere. The theories range from the crew never leaving Earth to the crew only getting into the orbit of the moon. Their evidence consists of anomalies found in the footage captured by the crew on the moon as well as in space, technology at the time of the mission, and numerous natural phenomena that the crew would have to overcome to land on the moon. Their arguments depend on low quality video and photographs, along with limited insight due to a lack of credentials and knowledge on the events and physics. Some â€Å"evidence† commonly used by conspiracy theorists are the shadows in the film, lack of stars while on the moon, the Van Allen belt, and many more anomalies that may not even be relevant to the mission itself. The conspiracy theory that will be discussed is the one where the mission never left the lower a tmosphere of Earth proven by anomalies in the film along with the â€Å"impassable† Van Allen radiation belt (Cosnette 1). The â€Å"evidence† presented by those who believe that the Apollo missions were a hoax do not hold any water against scientific inquiry. The first piece of evidence to regard is the deadly Van Allen belt. The majority of conspiracy theorists will say that the amount of radiation that the crew would have received while in the belt would have almost instantly killed them. Usually offeringShow MoreRelatedMoon Landing Conspiracy807 Words   |  4 PagesScientific Facts for Moon Landing Conspiracy Theorists: An Essay on the Apollo 11 Conspiracies Tatiana Odishoo Ms. Betances, English 1 Pre-IB Global Issue Research Paper June1, 2011 Odishoo, Tatiana Ms. Betances/ English 1 Pre-IB Per.5 Global Issue Draft 20 May 2011 Scientific Facts for Moon Landing Conspiracy Theorists People around the globe are familiar with the triumphant words, â€Å"One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.† However, nearly 20% (Russo) believe they wereRead MoreInformative Speech1303 Words   |  6 Pageswhile accompanied with Buzz Aldrin as they landed on the moon, July 20, 1969. A third man, Michael Collins, stayed in orbit, and waited for the two to come back, and return back to Earth. The â€Å"Space Race† was one of the biggest competitions of the mid-to-late 20th century, along with the Space Race, there are many little known facts about the First Lunar Landing and with every government operation, and there are conspiracies. There will always be people who believe the lunar landing was faked, evenRead MoreThe Theory Of The Conspiracy Theory1863 Words   |  8 Pagesdirector and the thrilled clapping of everyone else in the studio. This was Apollo 11 for the moon landing conspiracy theorists, who will swear by their beliefs despite the standard opinion of the television and the textbook. Minute details differ, but the foremost claim of the conspiracy theory goes something like this: in 1969, the United States was unable to perform a manned lunar landing, and therefore staged the Apollo missions in an attempt to defeat the Soviet Union in the Space Race. FaultyRead MoreMoon Landing Exploratory Essay1029 Words   |  5 PagesMoon Landing 1969 â€Å"Ignition sequence starts, three, two, one, all engine running, zero, lift off.† On July 16th 9:32 a.m., Apollo 11 was successfully launched as millions watched. Indeed, the lunar mission of the Apollo 11 was a new break through in the field of space exploration. Soon after, however, many controversies were raised on the authenticity of this event. Many critics of the lunar landing believe that this event was a hoax perpetuated to deceive the society. The debate, whether the moonRead MoreMoon Landing : Conspiracy Or Reality?1461 Words   |  6 PagesMoon Landing: Conspiracy or Reality? It wasn t until I really sat down and thought about it that I realized the moon landing was questionable. As a kid I always thought it would be amazing to be an astronaut so the thought that maybe there is no real astronauts at all had me concerned. On July 20th 1969, the Apollo 11 with astronaut Neil Armstrong and his crew, guided by thousands of NASA technicians, supposedly landed in the surface of the moon. This landing at its time was considered the mostRead MoreThe Authenticity of the 1969 Apollo 11 Moonlanding Essay1226 Words   |  5 PagesThe Apollo 11 mission of 1969 marks the biggest leap in technological advancements for humanity. Neil Armstrong is seen taking the first steps on the moon forever making his mark in humanity. However, theories surrounding the moon landing have come to light. Conspiracy theorists say NASA, the National Aeronautics Space Administration, have faked the Apollo 11 moon landing. Yet, present evidence can support the authenticity of the moon landi ng. Evidence such as photos, rock samples, technology, andRead MoreStar Trek Is Real?1183 Words   |  5 PagesStar Trek is Real?: An Analysis on the Moon Landing Conspiracy On September 08, 1966, Captain James T. Kirk set out on his 5 year long voyage in his starship, the Enterprise, with his crew-mates to go where no man has gone before. This isn’t history but the air date and the synopsis for the fictional TV show Star Trek, about a captain and his crew exploring the wonders the galaxy. A great and fictional TV series Star Trek was, it is more surprising that in just approximately 3 years after this dateRead MoreApollo 11 : A Great Trick2562 Words   |  11 PagesFor a considerable length of time, the Apollo 11 moon landing mission has been the subject of level headed discussions following the time when it happened. This paper is saying that the Apollo 11 did not really happen. Most importantly, what does Apollo 11 even mean? As indicated by NASA, The Apollo 11 is the first manned missions to the moon; the space travelers or the pilots were Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin (O’Connor, 2010). Neil Armstrong was popular for his quotable lin e: One small stepRead MoreMoon Landing Conspiracy And Its Effects On The World Essay1894 Words   |  8 PagesMoon Landing Conspiracy The United States and Mankind have gone on to do many amazing feats that were once though impossible. However, nothing comes to be quite as amazing as the Apollo 11 mission that landed the first men on the surface of the moon. At the time this act caused widespread celebration, and cheer. Over the years some people started to doubt the legitimacy of what occurred on that day back in 1969. These people came on to form the basis of the moon landing conspiracy theory. A theoryRead MoreAmericans DID Land on the Moon1056 Words   |  4 Pagesenormous goal, that would appear to be a catalyst for domestic pride, has as many ties to the Cold War, as it does to the moon itself. Regardless of this, when Apollo 11 landed on the moon in July of 1969, the entire country rejoiced. While some doubted the motives of Kennedy’s goal, a bigger conspiracy may have lay just beneath the surface; a conspiracy that could have shaken the entire country and enraged the world. Many well known scientist s and government officials claim that the United States of America

What Is The Types Of Music - 1587 Words

English 2 Jessica Cao 2/21/16 What is the types of music? Music became an important thing since i was really young.It grew up with me together and it brings me a lot of things that other things can’t give me.Now,let me tell you all about what i learned from music,and my feeling with music.I found there are many different types of music.And every type of music brings listener different feelings.Types makes music totally different. If i am a narrator,then music is like a main character in my life.Actually because of the environment of my family,they let me start learning drawing when i was 7 years old.They made me feel like drawing is my one and only hobby.But when i grew up,music†¦show more content†¦Its origins were lost in the early decades of colonization, when the folk dances (Scottish reels, Irish jigs, and square dances, the poor man s version of the French cotillion and quadrille) and the British ballad got transplanted into the new world and g ot contaminated by the religious hymns of church and camp meetings.Here is the types,Early Country Music or Mountain Music,Blue Grass Music,Traditional Country music,Cowboy and Western music,Western Swing,Honky Tonk,Rockabilly,Nashvile Sound,Country Rock,Bakersfield Sound,Outlaw Country,New Traditionalist,Texas Country,Alternative Country,Contemporary Country.Fifteen types total,that is a big family.(Piero scaruffi) From then on, I begin to find out how many kind of music we have,i found there are blues,classical music,country music,electronic music,jazz,latin music,pop music,metal music,punk music,rap,reggae music,rhythm and blues(RB) and rock.14 kinds of music.(different types of music)Every kind of it have more small divide.For blues,i got Piedmont blues or East Coast blues,Jump blues,Chicago blues three branch.Blues is a genre and musical form that

College Education Degrees Outweigh Debt - 873 Words

The average college student acquires over $29,000 in educational debt. The debt of American college students has been steadily on the rise. Tuition has been increasing while the average American families’ income has been decreasing. Some students qualify for federal grants; however, the majority of money used to pay for college is debt that has been borrowed from private lenders. Students who qualify for federal grants must still depend on private lenders to fund their education. â€Å"Seven in ten seniors graduated with student loan debt, and a fifth of that debt was owed to private lenders, which often charge higher interest rates.† (CNNMoney) Most students enroll in college to better their lives, provide a more stable environment for their†¦show more content†¦Repayment plans can also be differed while still attending school. According to an article by, Scott Cohn at CNBC, â€Å"There’s a lot of similarities between what’s happening with stude nt loans and the housing crisis. But there is also a key difference; unlike a mortgage, in which a borrower can refinance or -at worst-face foreclosure and bankruptcy, student loans do not go away.† Restructuring or refinancing student loans can prove to be difficult. However, most lenders are willing to work with students and graduates who are in contact with them and attempting to pay down their debts. Many college students are lower income learners, and the increased demand for borrowed funds is being stretched to the breaking point. The current job market is not supplementing the income needed to repay the loans at the rate in which they are being borrowed. The job market for current graduates is the worst in a generation, and with the increase in borrowed money, some fear that the whole educational system is spiraling downward. The creator of this visual argument used a playful cartoon to depict a very serious and controversial subject. Student loans affect a huge majorit y of college graduates. By using the medium of a cartoon, the creator engages his audience by making the argument easily relatable. An argument, when clearly aimed at a particular audience and adhered with humor, has the desired effect of the viewers. By taking a serious topic and adding humor, it makes theShow MoreRelatedAt This Point In America, There Is An Increasingly Intense1194 Words   |  5 Pagesincreasingly intense debate about if education should be a right or a privilege. This decision can be discussed between Americans but for significant impact, the federal and state governments must act. Since Americans value the chance at an education so much, the cost for that said education should not be so expensive that it outweighs the rewards. Students in college now are accruing tens of thousands of dollars in debt. Some may not even earn their degrees. But because opportunity is importantRead MoreThe Issue Of Financial Success982 Words   |  4 Pagesgenerations simply fou nd that success by attending college and obtaining Bachelor’s Degrees or higher (â€Å"Generations†). The action of obtaining a degree was rewarded by employers with a high rate of starting pay in the field they desired, which led to a comfortable financial situation, while also the pursuit of their dream job. Millennials (those born from 1977-1994) are facing a different situation. Financial success in America is often defined as living debt free, with enough money to cover monthly expensesRead MoreWhy so Expensive?922 Words   |  4 PagesWhy So Expensive? College is said to be some of the best years of your life. The parties, the freedom, and the new experience help you find new friends, hopefully a career and yourself, but rising college cost are having young adults stressing instead of enjoying the college experience. Every year less and less states are giving their college’s money and more and more students are asking for financial aid or taking out student loans. The more that college tuition continues to rise the more ofRead MoreThe Goal of College Attendance991 Words   |  4 Pagesby some, that with a college degree a person could have any job and would be very successful. In Colonial America, colleges were mainly founded by the wealthy. The goal of college at this time was to â€Å"produce Christian gentlemen who would inherit their family business† (Thelin). After a â€Å"college boom† so many state colleges were built and some became co-ed, adding â€Å"special† courses for women. The goal of c ollege attendance still was not completion of a bachelor’s degree. College during this time wasRead MoreGraduation Speech Over College Education Essay1686 Words   |  7 PagesOver the years, there has been a great deal of debate over college education and it’s worth to society and the students who is currently contemplating where they should go or not. In addition, the question of cost, and just how expensive college has become over the last decade has come to attention. It is clear that Americans and important figureheads have argued over whether the benefits of attending college outweigh the benefits of just high school diploma or another type of post-secondary schoolingRead MoreBenefits Of College Education940 Words   |  4 Pagesadults and graduates. In today’s modern society, this means that people with college degrees will land jobs that others don’t. Many citizens believe a college education is unnecessary to make a sufficient living. This migh t be true on some occasions, but a college education has a clear impact on your future. College might not be for everyone, but those who complete their education reap the benefits. A four-year college degree results in higher wages, lower chances of unemployment, improved credibilityRead MoreCollege Tuition Or Student Loans1371 Words   |  6 Pagesthings needed like higher education. Graduating from college is essential to finding a successful job, since more jobs are making college degree a requirement, more people are going to college. The problem is the cost of going to college outweighs the earning from the career you obtain. Very little people are able to pay for college out of pocket. In 2014, 42% of undergraduates paid for college out of pocket (Sallie Mae). The result of this is that students seeking higher education are forced to take outRead MoreThe Effects Of Rising Tuition On Students Choice Of Future Career Field1308 Words   |  6 Pageschoice of future career fiel d Christin C Hyslop Ferrum College Fall 2014 The Effects of Rising Tuition Costs on Ferrum Students’ choice of future career field Introduction Do rising tuition costs affect Ferrum College students’ choice of major? Descriptive research will be done to determine if there is a relationship between rising tuition costs and Ferrum College students’ choice in major. A sample set of students attending Ferrum College will be participating in the study. Qualitative researchRead MoreProfit Education Is A Higher Education University982 Words   |  4 PagesFor profit education is a higher education university that is run and operated by private institutions who receives a profit. In the beginning of 2015, Corinthian College, a large for profit incorporation, was closed for lawsuits of fraudulent statistics of placement rates to jobs after graduating. Placement rates are the jobs that students have received through their degrees, and Corinthian Colleges would advertise the amount of graduates that have been hired in their field. The schools publishedRead MoreIs College Worth It?1425 Words   |  6 PagesImportance of a College Degree There is no simple answer to the question â€Å"Is College worth it?† Where some degrees pay for themselves while others simply do not. Many students are contemplating whether or not to take on huge student loans, because they are constantly told that college is the gateway to the middle class and the way to a secure and steady income. So the questions still on the mind is â€Å"Do the benefits of college still outweigh the costs?† I believe that although college brings heavy

Corporate Account and Business Combination

Question: Discuss about the. Answer: Introduction Business combination can be done by the combination between two or more companies for better advancement of resources, achieving economies of scale, to better able to compete with the competitors or to achieve the target of becoming the industry leader (IFRS foundation). Business combination is suggested for a company in forming makeover. It can be exercised between any suitable characteristics like combination between a labor intensive company and capital intensive company. It is usually suggested to a corporation to enable it in targeting big market, and having comparatively bigger market share and forming monopoly in the industry, it can also be done to Witten the goodwill or market share enjoyed by the competitors (Whittington Delaney, 2010). Business combination Business combination is a practice which is commonly adopted now days by companies. In this a business is acquired by the other company. The business who has acquired the other company is called as the acquirer, whereas the business which is acquired is called as the acquiree. In business combination, there can be combination between two or more that two companies. The business combination can be done by acquisition, merger and takeover (Mc Graw Hill Higher Education, 2013). For business combination, a business must qualify the characteristics of a business. A business is an entity which is governed by the managers for the purpose of earning profits, providing dividends to its shareholders, and other economic benefits which needs to be distributed between the members, government, owners and participants. It is also required by the law that after business combination the company has to strictly follow the going concern concept that is the company should not liquidate its business just after the combination (Chartered education, 2016). Methods to business combination There are three methods of business combination that are purchase method, acquisition method, and new entity method, turnover. Merger method (pooling of interest method): it is one of the simplest method. In this method the net assets of the acquiree company and the acquiring company are taken at the book value that is the value at which the assets are recorded in its financial statement, they are added together to present the financial statements as consolidated financial statements. Under this method the companies which were under merger process may continue their business after it also. Acquisition method: this method is adopted to have control over the selling company assets and its operations. In this method only one company is in existence after the business combination that is the acquired company. Here the fair value given to the selling company in exchange of its operations, whcih is known as net consideration. If net consideration is greater than the value of the net assets (assets less liabilities excluding share capital), it is termed as goodwill (Business combinations and non controlling interests). New entity method: in the earlier methods discussed that is merger method and acquisition method the values to be entered in the consolidated financial statement is taken at the book value. But in case of new entity method the values taken in the consolidated financial statement are taken by converting them into the fair values that is the value on acquisition date (business combination, 2017). Steps to business combination If business combination is done by acquisition, the steps need to be followed are: Identification of acquirer: the acquirer is the company who has acquired or purchased the existing business, as after the acquisition, the acquired company will be known by the acquiring company (Lee, 2006). Hence it is very necessary to identify about the acquirer. Determination of acquisition date: this is the date on which the business is acquired or the final settlement between the parties has been done. Apart from this it is also necessary because on this date only the fair value of the assets and liabilities would be calculated. For calculating pre acquisition and post acquisition dividends, acquisition date is required, as calculation is different for both. The fair value is the sum of money which the purchasing company has to give to selling company for its business. The fair value must be calculated by IAS12 keeping in mind. Recognition and measurement of asset and liabilities of the acquiree: the information which must be known by the acquirer company, regarding the target company business is the value of asset, liability and non controllable interest in its balance sheet and their fair value in the market if they can be calculated effectively and efficiently. In asset the information must be known are of intangible assets, if they can be identified separately and could be measured with full accuracy. They should be accounted by keeping in consideration of IAS 38. In the calculation of purchasing cost the expected future cost should be excluded because it is not compulsory for the acquirer business to pay them off. Apart from that contingent liability must be taken into consideration by keeping in mind the standards set by IAS 37. This is usually occurred when the selling company is in a legal dispute. While in the case of measurement of assets and liabilities, they should be calculated separately by keeping in mind the fair value on acquisition date. While controlling the purchasing price apart from the value of asset, liabilities, share capital, the mentioned things must be known that are, contingent cost that may be in the form of legal charges, profit or loss arose during the process of business combination, deferred cost should also be kept in mind this is the cost which arise due to interest rate on loans, sources of finance available to the selling company (American bar association, 2008). Recognition and measurement of goodwill: goodwill can be measured by subtracting the value of net assets from the summation of consideration paid and the value of non controlling interest. This can better be understood by quoting an example: A company p wishes to acquire S on an interest of 80% in S ordinary shares Neuhausen, Schlank Pippin, 2007). The fair value of S assets and liabilities is estimated at 600, while the fair value of non controlling interest that is (remaining 20% holding of its ordinary shares) is 185. Hence the calculation of goodwill is done as: Particulars NCI on fair value NCI on net assets consideration transferred 800 800 NCI 185 120 total 985 920 net assets 600 600 goodwill 385 320 Importance of business combination Business Combination helps the business to meet the competition from its competitors and from its respective industry. It enables the company to raise the value of its share capital by increase in its share price in market. It also helps the company in production at large scale, by this economies of scale can be achieved, and the unit price of the goods and services offered would be comparatively less than before. Operating cost can also beget reduced, the acquirer company would be able to run the company as an industry leader, hence price stability can also be followed, standardization in products and services can also be followed ( Dagwell, Wines Lambert, 2012). Importance of knowing the acquirer It is necessary to know about the acquirer companys ownership, its operations and management style, because it is the only one who will be running the organization on behalf of the acquired company, all the assets and liabilities would be transferred to the acquirers company, the shareholding would be transferred to the new company that is the purchasing company, and by this voting rights of both the companies (majorly of selling company) would also be changed. Apart from that after business combination it will be the acquiring company mangers and board of directors who would be controlling the board (Deliotte, 2017). Level of control Control can be exercised by buying the assets; by this it will give the asset control to the buyer. Or it can be exercised by having control on all over the corporation, by this the purchased company can be termed as subsidiary and the acquirer company can be termed as holding company. Control can be termed as when acquiring company has control over the financial and operations of the purchasing company. It can be said when the purchasing company can exercise the powers like control over 50% of its shareholding, control over the finance and operations of the selling company as required by the law, authority to remove or appoint the board of directors (Burton Jermakowicz, 2015). ). Hence examples of level of control can be assets, by having control over operations in finance and operations. Members rights Before indulging into business combination, the board of members and directors must take the approval of the shareholders, and especially those who have at least two third of the stock holding. It is required that the company must inform its shareholders that they are thinking of merger and acquisition with mentioning the target company (Complied Accounting Standard, 2006). After the shareholders consent only the proceedings can go further. The members or shareholders can exercise their voting rights in the meetings conducted by the board of directors, or annual general meeting, as the case may be. There should be at least 75% shareholders in favor of the companys decision (Tong, 2013).They must agree to all the terms and conditions set for the merger and acquisition. There should also be consent taken for the protection and payment to the liability holders. It is the right given to shareholders that either they can transfer their shares into the purchasing company or they can take p ayment in exchange for their share holding (Business combinations: comptrollers licensing manual 2006). It is the liability of the directors and board to comply with this requirement, and if they got failed in compliance they personally should be liable to the company stockholders and creditors. All the rights which are exercised by the shareholder must be followed by the rules and regulations formed by the law, and there should be benefit as a whole to shareholders and the company (Lambert Gerhard,2017). Facts to be Recognized by the Acquirer In case of business combination, the things to be known by the acquirer regarding acquiree are the time it has been into the industry, the net consideration to be calculated, as it would be the exchange price of the business of acquiree, it is suggested that business combination must be done between those companies which can lead to strategic fit that is which can generate values to both the acquirer and acquiree. These are the assets that can be named as non controllable assets. A company presents non controllable assets in its consolidated financial statements in equity that is when the company separates the equity from its owners. When the company has deficit balance it is also termed as non controllable assets. Following are the examples of some companies: Examples of intangible assets in business combination are those which give future benefits like goodwill, licensing, third party contract. Conclusion The motive which can be derived from the business combination is to fill in the gap between the expected and the actual performance of the company. Corporate managers must ensure that the result of business combination results into positive for the companies involved, that is strategic fit should be achieved. It can be any form whether it is resources, technology, and market. There is not any suggested business combination given by the law, but it is required that all the parties related to the combination whether it is shareholders, owners, creditors, and other stakeholders, all should be benefited. Apart from that it is also suggested that combination should not be done by threatening or at the gun point, rather there should be consent of all the related members. References AFN staff writers.(2014). Food and beverage mergers and acquisition in Australia in 2014. Retrieved by https://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/2014/12/23/food-and-beverage-mergers-and-acquisitions-in-australia-in-2014-2.html American bar association. (2008). Model business corporation act annotated, edition 4th, volume 1 Burton,G,F Jermakowicz,E,K,.(2015). International financial reporting standards: a framework based perspective, Routledge, Business combination, chapter 3.(2017). Retrieved from https://www.pearsoned.ca/highered/divisions/virtual_tours/beechy/03-Chapter03.pdf Business combinations and non controlling interests: application of the U.S. GAAP and IFRS standards.(2014). accessed from https://www.pwc.com/us/en/cfodirect/assets/pdf/accounting-guides/pwc-business-combinations-noncontrolling-interests.pdf Business combinations: comptrollers licensing manual,(2006). Retreived from https://www.occ.gov/publications/publications-by-type/licensing-manuals/bizcombo.pdf Chartered education, 2016, The 4 step acquisition method for business combinations under IFRS3. Retrieved from https://www.charterededucation.com/ifrs/the-4-step-acqusition-method-for-business-combinations-under-ifrs-3/ Complied Accounting Standard,(2006), AASB 3, Business Combinations, commonwealth of Australia. retrieved from https://www.aasb.gov.au/admin/file/content105/c9/AASB3_07-04_COMPjun05.pdf Dagwell,R,. Wines,G,. Lambert,C,.(2012). Corporate accounting in Australia, Pearson Higher Education, Australia Deliotte, (2017), IFRS 3- Business Combination. retrieved at https://www.iasplus.com/en/standards/ifrs/ifrs3 IFRS foundation: TraiMethods to business combinationning material for the IFRS for SMEs, Module 19- Business combinations and goodwill, London. Retreived from https://www.ifrs.org/IFRS-for-SMEs/Documents/IFRS%20for%20SMEs%20Modules/Module19_version%202013%20(final).pdf Lambert,C Gerhard,F,.(2017), what form do the business combination take, retrieved from https://www.homburger.ch/fileadmin/publications/MAACH02.pdf Lee,C,F,.(2006), Encyclopedia of finance, Springer science business media, USA Mc Graw Hill Higher Education, (2013), Modern Advance Accounting in Canada. Retrieved from https://highered.mheducation.com/sites/007105152x/student_view0/chapter3/what_you_really_need_to_know.html Neuhausen,B,S,. Schlank,R,. Pippin,R,G,. (2007). CCH accounting for business combination, goodwill and other intangible assets, CCH, Chicago Tong,T.L, (2013), consolidated financial statements, international edition, CCH Asia Pte Ltd Whittington,O,R Delaney,P,R.(2010 ).wiley CPA exam review, American institute of certified public accountants, inc, New Jersey

Ryan Strassburger SAE Coming Of Age October 10, 1996 A Lesson Before D

Ryan Strassburger SAE Coming of Age October 10, 1996 A Lesson Before Dying In A Lesson Before Dying, Mr. Grant Wiggins' life crises were the center of the story. Although he was supposed to make Jefferson into a man, he himself became more of one as a result. Not to say that Jefferson was not in any way transformed from the "hog" he was into an actual man, but I believe this story was really written about Mr. Wiggins. Mr. Wiggins improved as a person greatly in this book, and that helped his relationships with other people for the most part. At the start of the book, he more or less hated Jefferson, but after a while he became his friend and probably the only person Jefferson felt he could trust. The turning point in their relationship was the one visit in which Jefferson told Mr. Wiggins that he wanted a gallon of ice cream, and that he never had enough ice cream in his whole life. At that point Jefferson confided something in Mr. Wiggins, something that I didn't see Jefferso n doing often at all in this book. "I saw a slight smile come to his face, and it was not a bitter smile. Not bitter at all"; this is the first instance in which Jefferson breaks his somber barrier and shows emotions. At that point he became a man, not a hog. As far as the story tells, he never showed any sort of emotion before the shooting or after up until that point. A hog can't show emotions, but a man can. There is the epiphany of the story, where Mr. Wiggins realizes that the purpose of life is to help make the world a better place, and at that time he no longer minds visiting Jefferson and begins becoming his friend. Mr. Wiggins' relationship with his Aunt declined in this story, although it was never very strong. His Aunt treated him like he should be a hog and always obey, yet she wanted him to make a hog into a man. His Aunt was not a very nice person, she would only show kindness towards people who shared many of her views, and therefore was probably a very har d person to get along with. The way Mr. Wiggins regarded his relationships most likely would have been different were he white. Mr. Wiggins feels, and rightly so, that several white men try to mock or make a fool of him throughout the story. This was a time of racial discrimination with much bigotry, so if the story took place in the present, it would be much different. In fact, there probably would have not even been a book because in the modern day, and honest and just jury would have found him innocent due to the lack of evidence. It wasn't really clear what sort of situation Mr. Wiggins was in regarding money, but he could not have been too well off because he needed to borrow money to purchase a radio for Jefferson, and he commented about the Rainbow Cafe: "When I was broke, I could always get a meal and pay later, and the same went for the bar." I suppose he had enough money to get by, but not much extra. As the book progresses he probably had less money to work with due to the money he was spending to buy the radio, comic books, and other items for Jefferson. Mr. Wiggins seemed to be well respected by the community, and he felt superior to other African Americans because he was far more educated than they were. That makes Mr. Wiggins guilty of not practicing what he preaches, although Jefferson probably made it clearer to him that the less intelligent are still humans with feelings. At the start of the book, Mr. Wiggins did not understand this. He went to visit Jefferson because Miss Emma and his Aunt more or less forced him to do it. He really had no motivation except that he would be shunned by his Aunt if he did not comply. The whole process of Mr. Wiggins' development and the plot of this story both spawn from the crimes of