Saturday, August 31, 2019

Foundation’s Edge CHAPTER TWO MAYOR

MAYOR Branno had been waiting for an hour, thinking wearily. Technically speaking, she was guilty of breaking and entering. What's more, she had violated, quite unconstitutionally, the rights of a Councilman. By the strict laws that held Mayors to account since the days of Indbur III and the Mute, nearly two centuries before – she was impeachable. On this one day, however, for twenty-four hours she could do no wrong. But it would pass. She stirred restlessly. The first two centuries had been the Golden Age of the Foundation, the Heroic Era – at least in retrospect, if not to the unfortunates who had lived in that insecure time. Salvor Hardin and Hober Mallow had been the two great heroes, semideified to the point of rivaling the incomparable Hari Seldon himself. The three were a tripod on which all Foundation legend (and even Foundation history) rested. In those days, though, the Foundation had been one puny world, with a tenuous hold on the Four Kingdoms and with only a dim awareness of the extent to which the Seldon Plan was holding its protective hand over it, caring for it even against the remnant of the mighty Galactic Empire. And the more powerful the Foundation grew as a political and commercial entity, the less significant its rulers and fighters had come to seem. Lathan Devers was almost forgotten. If he was remembered at all, it was for his tragic death in the slave mines, rather than for his unnecessary but successful fight against Bel Riose. As for Bel Riose, the noblest of the Foundation's adversaries, he too was nearly forgotten, overshadowed by the Mule, who alone among enemies had broken the Seldon Plan and defeated and ruled the Foundation. He alone was the Great Enemy – indeed, the last of the Greats. It was little remembered that the Mule had been, in essence, defeated by one person – a woman, Bayta Darell – and that she had accomplished the victory without the help of anyone, – without even the support of the Seldon Plan. So, too, was it almost forgotten that her son and granddaughter, Toran and Arkady Darrell, had defeated the Second Foundation, leaving the Foundation, the First Foundation, supreme. These latter-day victors were no longer heroic figures. The times had become too expansive to do anything but shrink heroes into ordinary mortals. Then, too, Arkady's biography of her grandmother had reduced her from a heroine to a figure of romance. And since then there had been no heroes – not even figures of romance. The Kalganian war had been the last moment of violence engulfing the Foundation and that had been a minor conflict. Nearly two centuries of virtual peace! A hundred and twenty years without so much as a ship scratched. It had been a good peace – Branno would not deny that – a profitable peace. The Foundation had not established a Second Galactic Empire – it was only halfway there by the Seldon Plan – but, as the Foundation Federation, it held a strong economic grip on over a third of the scattered political units of the Galaxy, and influenced what it didn't control. There were few places where â€Å"I am of the Foundation† was not met with respect. There was no one who ranked higher in all the millions of inhabited worlds than the Mayor of Terminus. That was still the title. It was inherited from the leader of a single small and almost disregarded city on a lonely world on the far edge of civilization, some five centuries before, but no one would dream of changing it or of giving it one atom more glory-in-sound. As it was, only the all-but-forgotten title of Imperial Majesty could rival it in awe. – Except on Terminus itself, where the powers of the Mayor were carefully limited. The memory of the Indburs still remained. It was not their tyranny that people could not forget but the fact that they had lost to the Mule. And here she was, Harla Branno, the strongest to rule since the Mule's death (she knew that) and only the fifth woman to do so. On this day only had she been able to use her strength openly. She had fought for her interpretation of what was right and what should be – against the dogged opposition of those who longed for the prestige – filled Interior of the Galaxy and for the aura of Imperial power – and she had won. Not yet, she had said. Not yet! Jump too soon for the Interior and you will lose far this reason and for that. And Seldon had appeared and had supported her in language almost identical with her own. It made her, for a time, in the eyes of all fine Foundation, as wise as Seldon himself. She knew they could forget that any hour, however. And this young man dared to challenge her on this day of days. And he dared to be right? That was the danger of it. He was right? And by being right, he might destroy the Foundation! And now she faced him and they were alone. She said sadly, â€Å"Could you not have come to see me privately? Did you have to shout it all out in the Council Chamber in your idiotic desire to make a fool of me? What have you done, you mindless boy?† Trevize felt himself flushing and fought to control his anger. The Mayor was an aging woman who would be sixty-three on her next birthday. He hesitated to engage in a shouting match with someone nearly twice his age. Besides, she was well practiced in the political wars and knew that if she could place her opponent off-balance at the start then the battle was half-won. But it took an audience to make such a tactic effective and there was no audience before whom one might be humiliated. There were just the two of them. So he ignored her words and did his best to survey her dispassionately. She was an old woman wearing the unisex fashions which had prevailed for two generations now. They did not become her. The Mayor, the leader of the Galaxy – if leader there could be – was just a plain old woman who might easily have been mistaken for an old man, except that her iron-gray hair was tied tightly back, instead of being worn free in the traditional male style. Trevize smiled engagingly. However much an aged opponent strove to make the epithet â€Å"boy† sound like an insult, this particular â€Å"boy† had the advantage of youth and good looks – and the full awareness of both. He said, â€Å"It's true. I'm thirty-two and, therefore, a boy – in a manner of speaking. And I'm a Councilman and, therefore, ex officio, mindless. The first condition is unavoidable. For the second, I can only say I'm sorry.† â€Å"Do you know what you've done? Don't stand there and strive for wit. Sit down. Put your mind into gear, if you can, and answer me rationally.† â€Å"I know what I've done. I've told the truth as I've seen it.† â€Å"And on this day you try to defy me with it? On this one day when my prestige is such that I could pluck you out of the Council Chamber and arrest you, with no one daring to protest?† â€Å"The Council will recover its breath and it will protest. They may be protesting now. And they will listen to me all the more for the persecution to which you are subjecting me.† â€Å"No one will listen to you, because if I thought you would continue what you have been doing, I would continue to treat you as a traitor to the full extent of the law.† â€Å"I would then have to be tried.. I'd have my day in court.† â€Å"Don't count on that. A Mayor's emergency powers are enormous, even if they are rarely used.† â€Å"On what grounds would you declare an emergency?† â€Å"I'll invent the grounds. I have that much ingenuity left, and I do not fear taking the political risk. Don't push me, young man. We are going to come to an agreement here or you will never be free again. You will be imprisoned for the rest of your life. I guarantee it. They stared at each other: Branno in gray, Trevize in multishade brown. Trevize said, â€Å"What kind of an agreement?† â€Å"Ah. You're curious. That's better. Then we can engage in conversation instead of confrontation. What is your point of view?† â€Å"You know it well. You have been crawling in the mud with Councilman Compor, have you not?† â€Å"I want to hear it from you – in the light of the Seldon Crisis just passed.† â€Å"Very well, if that's what you want – Madam Mayor!† (He had been on the brink of saying â€Å"old woman.†) â€Å"The image of Seldon was too correct, too impossibly correct after five hundred years. It's the eighth time he has appeared, I believe. On some occasions, no one was there to hear him. On at least one occasion, in the time of Indbur III, what he had to say was utterly out of synchronization with reality but that was in the time of the Mule, wasn't it? But when, on any of those occasions, was he as correct as he was now?† Trevize allowed himself a small smile. â€Å"Never before, Madam Mayor, as far as our recordings of the past are concerned, has Seldon managed to describe the situation so perfectly, in all its smallest details.† Branno said, â€Å"Is it your suggestion that the Seldon appearance, the holographic image, is faked; that the Seldon recordings have been prepared by a contemporary such as myself, perhaps; that an actor was playing the Seldon role?† â€Å"Not impossible, Madam Mayor, but that's not what I mean. The truth is far worse. I believe that it is Seldon's image we see, and that his description of the present moment in history is the description he prepared five hundred years ago. I have said as much to your man, Kodell, who carefully guided me through a charade in which I seemed to support the superstitions of the unthinking Foundationer.† â€Å"Yes. The recording will be used, if necessary, to allow the Foundation to see that you were never really in the opposition.† Trevize spread his arms. â€Å"But I am. There is no Seldon Plan in the sense that we believe there is, and there hasn't been for perhaps two centuries. I have suspected that for years now, and what we went through in the Time Vault twelve hours ago proves it.† â€Å"Because Seldon was too accurate?† â€Å"Precisely. Don't smile. That is the final proof.† â€Å"I'm not smiling, as you can see. Go on.† â€Å"How could he have been so accurate? Two centuries ago, Seldon's analysis of what was then the present was completely wrong. Three hundred years had passed since the Foundation was set up and he was wide of the mark. Completely!† â€Å"That, Councilman, you yourself explained a few moments ago. It was because of the Mule. The Mule was a mutant with intense mental power and there had been no way of allowing for him in the Plan.† â€Å"But he was there just the same – allowed or not. The Seldon Plan was derailed. The Mule didn't rule for long and he had no successor. The Foundation regained its independence and its domination, but how could the Seldon Plan have gotten back on target after so enormous a tearing of its fabric?† Branno looked grim and her aging hands clasped together tightly. â€Å"You know the answer to that. There were one of two Foundations. You've read the history books.† â€Å"I've read Arkady's biography of her grandmother – required reading in school, after all – and I've read her novels, too. I've read the official view of the history of the Mule and afterward. Am I to be allowed to doubt them?† â€Å"In what way?† â€Å"Officially we, the First Foundation, were to retain the knowledge of the physical sciences and to advance them. We were to operate openly, our historical development following – whether we knew it or not – the Seldon Plan. There was, however, also the Second Foundation, which was to preserve and further develop the psychological sciences, including psychohistory, and their existence was to be a secret even from us. The Second Foundation was the fine-tuning agency of the Plan, acting to adjust the currents of Galactic history, when they turned from the paths outlined by the Plan.† â€Å"Then you answer yourself,† said the Mayor. â€Å"Bayta Darell defeated the Mule, perhaps under the inspiration of the Second Foundation, although her granddaughter insists that was not so. It was the Second Foundation without doubt, however, which labored to bring Galactic history back to the Plan after the Mule died and, quite obviously, they succeeded. – What on Terminus, then, are you talking about, Councilman?† â€Å"Madam Mayor, if we follow Arkady Darell's account, it is clear that the Second Foundation, in making the attempt to correct Galactic history, undermined Seldon's entire scheme, since in their attempt to correct they destroyed their own secrecy. We, the First Foundation, realized that our mirror image, the Second Foundation, existed, and we could not live with the knowledge that we were being manipulated. We therefore labored to find the Second Foundation and to destroy it.† Branno nodded. â€Å"And we succeeded, according to Arkady Darell's account, but quite obviously, not until the Second Foundation had placed Galactic history firmly on track again after its disruption by the Mule. It is still on track.† â€Å"Can you believe that? The Second Foundation, according to the account, was located and its various members dealt with. That was in 378 F. E., a hundred twenty years ago. For five generations, the have supposedly been operating without the Second Foundation, and yet have remained so close to target where the Plan is concerned that you and the image of Seldon spoke almost identically.† â€Å"This might be interpreted to mean that I have seen into the significance of developing history with keen insight:† â€Å"Forgive me. I do not intend to cast doubt upon your keen insight, but to me it seems that the more obvious explanation is that the Second Foundation was never destroyed. It still rules us. It still manipulates us. – And that is why we have returned to the track of the Seldon Plan.† If the Mayor was shocked by the statement, she showed no sign of it. It was past 1 A. m. and she wanted desperately to bring an end to it, and yet could not hasten. The young man had to be played and she did not want to have him break the fishing line. She did not want to have to dispose of him uselessly, when he might first be made to serve a function. She said, â€Å"Indeed? You say then that Arkady's tale of the Kalganian war and the destruction of the Second Foundation was false? Invented? A game? A lie?† Trevize shrugged. â€Å"It doesn't have to be. That's beside the point. Suppose Arkady's account were completely true, to the best of her knowledge. Suppose all took place exactly as Arkady said it did; that the nest of Second Foundationers was discovered, and that they were disposed of. How can we possibly say, though, that we got every last one of them? The Second Foundation was dealing with the entire Galaxy. They were not manipulating the history of Terminus alone or even of the Foundation alone. Their responsibilities involved more than our capital world or our entire Federation. There were bound to be some Second Foundationers that were a thousand – or more – parsecs away. Is it likely we would have gotten them all? â€Å"And if we failed to get them all, could we say we had won? Could the Mule have said it in his time? He took Terminus, and with it all the worlds it directly controlled – but the Independent Trading Worlds still stood. He took the Trading Worlds – yet three fugitives remained: Ebling Mis, Bayta Darell, and her husband. He kept both men under control and left Bayta – only Bayta – uncontrolled. He did this out of sentiment, if we are to believe Arkady's romance. And that was enough. According to Arkady's account, one person – only Bayta – was left to do as she pleased, and because of her actions the Mule was not able to locate the Second Foundation and was therefore defeated. â€Å"One person left untouched, and all was Lost! That's the importance of one person, despite all the legends that surround Seldon's Plan to the effect that the individual is nothing and the mass is all. â€Å"And if we left not just one Second Foundationer behind, but several dozen, as seems perfectly likely, what then? Would they not gather together, rebuild their fortunes, take up their careers again, multiply their numbers by recruitment and training, and once mare make us all pawns?† Branno said gravely, â€Å"Do you believe that?† â€Å"I am sure of it.† â€Å"But tell me, Councilman? Why should they bother? Why should the pitiful remnant continue to cling desperately to a duty no one welcomes? What drives them to keep the Galaxy along its path to the Second Galactic Empire? And if the small band insists on fulfilling its mission, why should we care? Why not accept the path of the Plan and be thankful that they will see to it that we do not stray or lose our way?† Trevize put his hand over his eyes and rubbed them. Despite his youth, he seemed the more tired of the two. He stared at the Mayor and said, â€Å"I can't believe you. Are you under the impression that the Second Foundation is doing this for us? That they are some sort of idealists? Isn't it clear to you from your knowledge of politics – of the practical issues of power and manipulation – that they are doing it for themselves? â€Å"We are the cutting edge. We are the engine, the force. We labor and sweat and bleed and weep. They merely control-adjusting an amplifier here, closing a contact there, and doing it all with ease and without risk to themselves. Then, when it is all done and when, after a thousand years of heaving and straining, we have set up the Second Galactic Empire, the people of the Second Foundation will move in as the ruling elite.† Branno said, â€Å"Do you want to eliminate the Second Foundation then? Having moved halfway to the Second Empire, do you want to take the chance of completing the task on our own and serving as our own elite? Is that it?† â€Å"Certainly! Certainly! Shouldn't that be what you want, too? You and I won't live to see it, but you have grandchildren and someday I may, and they will have grandchildren, and so on. I want them to have the fruit of our labors and I want them to look back to us as the source, and to praise us for what we have accomplished. I don't want it all to fall to a hidden conspiracy devised by Seldon – who is no hero of mine. I tell you he is a greater threat than the Mule – if we allow his Plan to go through. By the Galaxy, I wish the Mule had disrupted the Plan altogether – and forever. We would have survived him. He was one of a kind and very mortal. The Second Foundation seems to be immortal.† â€Å"But you would like to destroy the Second Foundation, is that not so?† â€Å"If I knew how!† â€Å"Since you don't know how, don't you think it quite likely they will destroy you?† Trevize looked contemptuous. â€Å"I have had the thought that even you might be under their control. Your accurate guess as to what Seldon's image would say and your subsequent treatment of me could be all Second Foundation. You could be a hollow shell with a Second Foundation content.† â€Å"Then why are you talking to me as you are?† â€Å"Because if you are under Second Foundation control, I am lost in any case and I might as well expel some of the anger within me and because, in actual fact, I am gambling that you are not under their control, that you are merely unaware of what you do.† Branno said, â€Å"You win that gamble, at any rate. I am not under anyone's control but my own. Still, can you be sure I am telling the truth? Were I under control of the Second Foundation, would I admit it? Would I even myself know that I was under their control? â€Å"But there is no profit in such questions. I believe I am not under control and you have no choice but to believe it, too. Consider this, however. If the Second Foundation exists, it is certain that their biggest need is to make sure that no one in the Galaxy knows they exist. The Seldon Plan only works well if the pawns-we-are not aware of how the Plan works and of how we are manipulated. It was because the Mule focused the attention of the Foundation on the Second Foundation that the Second Foundation was destroyed in Arkady's time. – Or should I say nearly destroyed, Councilman? â€Å"From this we can deduce two corollaries. First, we can reasonably suppose that they interfere grossly as little as they can. We can assume it would be impossible to take us all over. Even the Second Foundation, if it exists, must have limits to its power. To take over some and allow others to guess the fact would introduce distortions to the Plan. Consequently, we come to the conclusion that their interference is as delicate, as indirect, as sparse as is possible – and therefore I am not controlled. Nor are you.† Trevize said, â€Å"That is one corollary and I tend to accept it – out of wishful thinking, perhaps. What is the other?† â€Å"A simpler and more inevitable one. If the Second Foundation exists and wishes to guard the secret of that existence, then one thing is sure. Anyone who thinks it still exists, and talks about it, and announces it, and shouts it to all the Galaxy must, in some subtle way, be removed by them at once, wiped out, done away with. Wouldn't that be your conclusion, too?† Trevize said, â€Å"Is that why you have taken me into custody, Madam Mayor? To protect me from the Second Foundation?† â€Å"In a way. To an extent. Liono Kodell's careful recording of your beliefs will be publicized not only in order to keep the people of Terminus and the Foundation from being unduly disturbed by your silly talk – but to keep the Second Foundation from being disturbed. If it exists, I do not want to have its attention drawn to you.† â€Å"Imagine that,† said Trevize with heavy irony. â€Å"For my sake? For my lovely brown eyes?† Branno stirred and then, quite without warning, laughed quietly. She said, â€Å"I am not so old, Councilman, that I am not unaware that you have lovely brown eyes and, thirty years ago, that might have been motive enough. At this time, however, I wouldn't move a millimeter to save them – or all the rest of you – if only your eyes were involved. But if the Second Foundation exists, and if their attention, is drawn to you, they may not stop with you. There's my life to consider, and that of a number of others far mare intelligent and valuable than you – and all the plans we have made.† â€Å"Oh? Do you believe the Second Foundation exists, then, that you react so carefully to the possibility of their response?† Branno brought her fist down upon the table before her. â€Å"Of course I do, you consummate fool! If I didn't know the Second Foundation exists, and if I weren't fighting them as hard and as effectively as I could, would I care what you say about such a subject? If the Second Foundation did not exist, would it matter that you are announcing they do? I've wanted for months to shut you up before you went public, but lacked the political power to deal roughly with a Councilman. Seldon's appearance made me look good and gave me the power – if only temporarily – and at that moment, you did go public. I moved at once, and now I will have you killed without a twinge of conscience or a microsecond of hesitation – if you don't do exactly as you're told. â€Å"Our entire conversation now, at an hour in which I would much rather be in bed and asleep, was designed to bring you to the point of believing me when I tell you this. I want you to know that the problem of the Second Foundation, which I was careful to have you outline, gives me reason enough and inclination to have you brainstopped without trial.† Trevize half-rose from his seat. Branno said, â€Å"Oh, don't make any moves. I'm only an old woman, as you're undoubtedly telling yourself, but before you could place a hand on me, you'd be dead. We are under observation, foolish young man, by my people.† Trevize sat down. He said, just a bit shakily, â€Å"You make no sense. If you believed the Second Foundation existed, you wouldn't be speaking of it so freely. You wouldn't expose yourself to the dangers to which you say I am exposing myself.† â€Å"You recognize, then, that I have a bit more good sense than you do. In other words, you believe the Second Foundation exists, yet you speak freely about it, because you are foolish. I believe it exists, and I speak freely, too – but only because I have taken precautions. Since you seem to have read Arkady's history carefully, you may recall that she speaks of her father having invented what she called a ‘Mental Static Device.' It serves as a shield to the kind of mental power the Second Foundation has. It still exists and has been improved on, too, under conditions of the greatest secrecy. This house is, for the moment, reasonably safe against their prying. With that understood, let me tell you what you are to do.† â€Å"What's that?† â€Å"You are to find out whether what you and I think is so is indeed so. You are to find out if the Second Foundation still exists and, if so, where. That means you will have to leave Terminus and go I know not where – even though it may in the end turn out, as in Arkady's day, that the Second Foundation exists among us. It means you will not return till you have something to tell us; and if you have nothing to tell us, you will never return, and the population of Terminus will be less one fool.† Trevize found himself stammering. â€Å"How on Terminus can I look for them without giving away the fact? They will simply arrange a death for me, and you will be none the wiser.† â€Å"Then don't look for them, you naive child. Look for something else. Look for something else with all your heart and mind, and if, in the process, you come across them because they have not bothered to pay you any attention, then goods You may, in that case, send us the information by shielded and coded hyperwave, and you may then return as a reward.† â€Å"I suppose you have something in mind that I should look for.† â€Å"Of course I do. Do you know Janov Pelorat?† â€Å"Never heard of him.† â€Å"You will meet him tomorrow. He will tell you what you are looking for and he will leave with you in one of our most advanced ships. There will be just the two of you, for two are quite enough to risk. And if you ever try to return without satisfying us that you have the knowledge we want, then you will be blown out of space before you come within a parsec of Terminus. That's all. This conversation is over.† She arose, looked at her bare hands, then slowly drew on her gloves. She turned toward the door, and through it came two guards, weapons in hand. They stepped apart to let her pass. At the doorway she turned. â€Å"There are other guards outside. Do nothing that disturbs them or you will save us all the trouble of your existence.† â€Å"You will also then lose the benefits I might bring you,† said Trevize and, with an effort, lie managed to say it lightly. â€Å"We'll chance that,† said Branno with an unamused smile. Outside Liono Kodell was waiting for her. He said, â€Å"I listened to the whole thing, Mayor. You were extraordinarily patient.† â€Å"And I am extraordinarily tired. I think the day has been seventy-two hours long. You take over now.† â€Å"I will, but tell me. Was there really a Mental Static Device about the house?† â€Å"Oh, Kodell,† said Branno wearily. â€Å"You know better than that. What was the chance anyone was watching? Do you imagine the Second Foundation is watching everything, everywhere, always? I'm not the romantic young Trevize is; he might think that, but I don't. And even if that were the case, if Second Foundational eyes and ears were everywhere, would not the presence of an MSD have given us away at once? For that matter, would not its use have shown the Second Foundation a shield against its powers existed – once they detected a region that was mentally opaque? Isn't the secret of such a shield's existence – until we are quite ready to use it to the full – something worth not only more than Trevize, but more than you and I together? And yet†¦Ã¢â‚¬  They were in the ground-car, with Kodell driving. â€Å"And yet†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Kodell. â€Å"And yet what?† said Branno. † – Oh yes. And yet that young man is intelligent. I called him a fool in various ways half a dozen times just to keep him in his place, but he isn't one. He's young and he's read too many of Arkady Darell's novels, and they have made him think that that's the way the Galaxy is – but he has a quick insight about him and it will be a pity to lose him.† â€Å"You are sure then that he will be lost?† â€Å"Quite sure,† said Branno sadly. â€Å"Just the same, it is better that way. We don't need young romantics charging about blindly and smashing in an instant, perhaps, what it has taken us years to build. Besides, he will serve a purpose. He will surely attract the attention of the Second Foundationers – always assuming they exist and are indeed concerning themselves with us. And while they are attracted to him, they will, perchance, ignore us. Perhaps we can gain even more than the good fortune of being ignored. They may, we can hope, unwittingly give themselves away to us in their concern with Trevize, and let us have an opportunity and time to devise countermeasures.† â€Å"Trevize, then, draws the lightning.† Branno's lips twitched. â€Å"Ah, the metaphor I've been looking for. He is our lightning rod, absorbing the stroke and protecting us from harm.† â€Å"And this Pelorat, who wilt also be in the path of the lightning bolt?† â€Å"He may suffer, too. That can't be helped.† Kodell nodded. â€Å"Well, you know what Salvor Hardin used to say. ‘Never let your sense of morals keep you from doing what is right.'† â€Å"At the moment, I haven't got a sense of morals,† muttered Branno. â€Å"I have a sense of bone-weariness. And yet – I could name a number of people I would sooner lose than Golan Trevize. He is a handsome young man. – And, of course, he knows it.† Her tact words slurred as she closed her eyes and fell into a light sleep.

Friday, August 30, 2019

A Clean and Well-Lighted Place

â€Å"A Clean and Well-Lighted Place† Analysis Does one's purpose in life diminish after there is nothing left in life to look forward to? In Ernest Hemingway’s short story, â€Å"A Clean and Well-Lighted Place,† this question is addressed in terms of the four main themes of existentialism: existence precedes essence, absurdity, anxiety or angst, and nothingness. The author does this by creating a story in which all of these themes are featured individually.Existentialism is â€Å"a philosophy that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individual experience in a hostile or indifferent universe, regards human existence as unexplainable, and stresses freedom of choice and responsibility for the consequences of one’s acts. † The most prominent theme of existentialism is that of nothingness. This is featured in the story through the old waiter when he comes to the conclusion that without motivation to live, one wanders in a world of nothingness . This story highlights issues like depression, isolation, aging and anguish, but are all centered on the theme of existentialism.One of the themes of existentialism is, existence precedes essence. In other words, an independently acting and responsible conscious person is more important than the labels, and stereotypes that the individual falls under. This can be found within the first interaction in the story, between the two waiters. They are talking about the old man that is perpetually drinking his life away. The young waiter is judging the old man based on how much money he has, how old he is, and that he is deaf. The young waiter is unable to understand why he should try to kill himself, when he has money.However, the old waiter is constantly defending the old man like, â€Å"‘Not always, This old man is clean. He drinks without spilling. Even now, drunk. Look at him. ’† The old waiter is focusing more on how the old man conducts himself, rather than looki ng at his features, and income to judge him. The next theme of existentialism is that of anxiety or angst. This is a feeling of dread, which is not directed to an object, but of the nothingness of human existence. A person that cannot find their purpose in life or is unable to define themselves would feel this dread.This pertains to the story, because this is what the old man drinking at the cafe is feeling. The first example of this is the soldier that is mentioned. He doesn’t recognize nothingness, rather he tries to find something that gives his life purpose, like joining the service. But, he is still left with a sense of nothingness, so he tries to find meaning in the act of sexual gratification. In the opening lines of the story, the two waiters discuss how the old man tried to kill himself. When asked why he tried to commit suicide, one waiter replied, â€Å"‘He was in despair’ ‘What about? ‘Nothing. ’† The old waiter understands w hy this old man tried to commit suicide. The theme of anxiety can be applied to another part of this story, and that is why the old man chose to stay at the cafe and not go home and drink out of a bottle. The clean and bright cafes are the only reason that the old man is able to get through the night, without collapsing into despair. Absurdity is the idea that there is no meaning to life outside of the meaning that an individual gives it. Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician and philosopher states, When I consider the short duration of my life, swallowed up in the eternity before and after, and the little space I fill, and even can see, engulfed in the infinite immensity of space of which I am ignorant, and which knows me not, I am frightened, and am astonished at being here rather than there, why now rather than then† (Gormley 1). This theme can be seen in the story from the conversations between the two waiters. To the young waiter money and material satisfaction is everyth ing. The young waiter is also portrayed as in a constant hurry.He wants to be home with his wife, while the old waiter is content to sit in the cafe. The old waiter believes life to be absurd, and his short time on earth isn’t going to alter anyone’s life. The final theme of existentialism is the idea of nothingness. For many existentialists religion is absurd, because these religions fail to reflect existence. They are in fact part of someone’s essence, because people can be classified as a Christian or a Jew. This idea is bleak, and suggests that there is nothing but a void after death. This is part of the reason that many existentialists suffer from depression and insomnia.The understanding there is nothing structuring one’s world, it becomes very daunting. This is the reason that the old man and old waiter search for refuge in a well-lighted place, because for people like themselves, this is the only escape from the lonely and dark night. When the old waiter starts to recite the Lord’s prayer, he replaces most of the nouns with â€Å"nada,† or â€Å"nothing† in Spanish, this reflects the atheist view that many existentialists share. They believe that there is nothing after death, but only a void. Understanding that Hemingway actually ended his own life gives this story another meaning.In the final part of this story, the old man gives up his search of his own clean and well-lighted place, and resigns to go home and lie in his bed. He admits he suffers from insomnia, and justifies it to himself by stating, â€Å"Many must have it. † This could be Hemingway’s way of showing pity to his readers who, like him, cannot bear the emptiness. Hemingway gives the reader the bare minimum of information, leaving the reader no way to understand â€Å"nada† and existential depression. However, he offers the reader an escape from this pain of â€Å"nada. † In order to survive with dignity, one ha s to find a â€Å"clean and well-lighted† place of their own.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Case Attrition Essay Example for Free

Case Attrition Essay Case attrition is the failure of arrests to come to trial; less than half of all felony arrests result in conviction (Meyer, J & Grant, D. 2003). Basically, case attrition is when an arrest does not end in a trial conviction, which happens quite often in the court justice system. The effect case attrition has on the criminal justice system effects all levels of the criminal justice process, because an arrest or no arrest affects all aspects of the criminal justice process. Law enforcement officers can develop negative feelings about the justice system and feel that their work is not getting noticed. The high levels of case attrition in modern systems shows that the criminal law has very substantial limitations as a direct crime control such as, deterrence, incapacitation, and rehabilitation. Criminal convictions and penalties deserved punishment and reinforce important societal denunciation, but if these penal consequences are imposed according to procedure that are widely perceived as fair and just. Attrition can get rid of individuals in the over-worked justice system that were arrested that either had a problem with the legality of the arrest or it was the result of an overworked, or bad officer in a situation where an arrest was not necessary (Meyer, J & Grant, D. 2003). When these cases are removed from the justice system, it is possible for attorneys and judges to be able to focus on more serious crimes. Reference Meyer, J & Grant, D. (2003) The Courts in Our Criminal Justice System Case Attrition. (2016, Mar 17).

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

How do consumers engage with fashion, as a routine aspect of everyday Research Paper

How do consumers engage with fashion, as a routine aspect of everyday life - Research Paper Example oduction and display of new and emerging fashion styles, innovative and engaging consumers and their selections, and the urge to express the spirit of the times (Pink, 2001). Core in defining fashion is the interaction of fashion products, their distribution and the manner in which they are consumed. Several theories have been postulated to explain fashion, its momentum and influences on everyday life. Most of these theories envisage the expanse and distribution of fashion as a movement or trickle from one level or aspect of life in society to another (Felski, 2000). This trickle is viewed as being diffused from the center to the edge in either a hierarchical or horizontal manner. These perceptions of fashion trickle led to the three theories of fashion; the trickle-down, trickle-across, or trickle-up theories. In the trickle down theory, fashion movement is based on a hierarchical society, which supports the upward movement of fashion among social strata (Felski, 2000). According to this theory, people at the top of the societal strata are offered and accept a fashion styles and brands first. The style is then gradually accepted by those in lower strata. In other terms, this theory envisages a situation in which lower strata people seek to copy the affluence of upper strata people in society. Such consumers seek recognition and try to distance themselves from the lower cadre groups, where they actually belong. Those supporting the trickle-across theory feel that fashion runs horizontally among groups on the same social level. There is this little, if any lag time between the time of adoption by one group and another. In this theory, designers have prices for all the social levels. The reasons for which this theory is preferred include promotional or advertising benefits to designers, manufacturers and retailers, rapid mass communications benefits and exposure of design to all fashion levels and sectors (Pink, 2001). In the trickle up theory, the newest of the

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Themes of War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Themes of War - Essay Example The theme of the author is able to display how war affects every level of society while holding the wrong intent that negatively impacts those directly and indirectly involved without good reason. This is displayed through the monologue and the way that the author describes the specific situation. The first way in which the author describes the problem is with the individuals that are fighting in Iraq and what this has caused to their personal lives. This occurs specifically with Cheo’s brother who is fighting in the war. The conditions which are described show how his brother is suffering not from the fighting but, instead, from the lack of care which is received while being in Iraq. â€Å"He sat in a tank in the middle of the Saudi Arabian desert. Wrote six, seven, eight hours a day. These brilliant letters of fear† (Rivera, 346). The fear is then described with the brother waiting to die while there is nothing to do but wait. This problem is one which continuously ar ises in the main theme, specifically in how it has affected his brother by creating fear and causing him to believe only in death. The conditions of the war and the treatment of the soldiers further show that the Iraqi war is one which is not worth fighting and is only leading to misery and loss of life. The individuals that are affected then move into the familial relationships that have connections to those that are in the war. Cheo, as the main character, is first shown with the effects that he has had toward the war because of him missing his brother and of the pain which he knows he is in. This is followed by his confusion over the rights and beliefs which he knows he should have and which cause a division of whether to believe in the war or not. The problem which arises is first seen with Cheo’s observations of his brother and how he changes from saying that he loves others to fighting them and no longer having this characteristic. The reflection continues with Cheo cha nging his belief in wanting blood and bombs and waiting every day for Iraq to be bombed so his brother can come home (347). The change in the character of Cheo shows how the relationships of the family and those that are waiting for the war to be over affect the situation even more, as well as the attitudes of those that are placed in the war. The problems noted with the family then turn to the dialogue becoming one of a national and societal problem. This creates a connection that moves from the family and into the political and social impact that is created. â€Å"And this billboard went up in my town showing Stalin, Hitler, and Hussein, saying we stopped him twice before we have to stop him again! This billboard was put up by a local newspaper!† (348). The attitude created in society is one which shows the same violence that is taking place in the war, despite the lack of knowledge or understanding of what is occurring in the war as well as why it is being fought. The them e of violence and how this takes over at every level is displayed through this dialogue and by showing that there is a sense of the war spreading because of attitudes, changing beliefs and the position of being involved in the war. The war, then, becomes one that is based on growing attitudes of violence over nothing that is occurring within society except for a desire to have money and oil. The theme continues with noting that the war is based not only on problems

Monday, August 26, 2019

International refugee law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

International refugee law - Essay Example In this regard the paper is divided into two sections with the first section dealing with the internationally recognized rights of refugees and the second section providing for the context of Somali refugees in Kenya and their right to stay out of refugee camps. Countries have been allowing protection for people and groups escaping persecution for centuries, however the current approach to protecting the rights of these individuals is based on a law that has its origins in the aftermath of the Second World War. The greatest challenge facing individuals arriving in a foreign country is to convince authorities that they are entitled to recognition as refugees. The questions that are raised by the authorities is the level of risk necessary by the standard of well-founded fear, the harm encompassed by being persecuted and the duty of the refugees to seek an internal remedy before seeking refugee protection in another country. Also important are the grounds for the protection of refugees as well as the connection required between these grounds and the risk of being persecuted. For reasons of both pragmatism and principle less developed countries, which host the greater majority of refugees, rarely contest the eligibility of refugee status for in dividuals arriving at its borders. The conceptual generosity of these states, however does not match with the efforts of these countries to treat the refugees in line with the provisions of the refugee convention. In essence, refugees in less developed countries are often socially marginalized, detained, left physically at risk and even denied the capability of meeting their most basic needs.1 Individuals who are forced to run away from their country due to the fear of persecution, whether as part of a group or on an individual basis due to religious, military, political or any other reason are regarded as refugees. The meaning of a refugee has varied according to place and time,

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology - Coursework Example Water has been obtained as the primary constituent of all living organisms. Be it plants or animals, the water has its role in the process of metabolism. It is required in the process of photosynthesis where light energy is utilized splitting the water molecule such that the hydrogen gets separated and the oxygen is released in the air. Many substances in the body are hydrolyzed by water as well. For example, it is capable of breaking amino acids bonds in proteins and peptide linkages of monosaccharide in polysaccharides. Diffusion of several materials is also obtained through the component of water (Saint, 2004). Water helps in the transport of different substances within the body since it easily dissolves other materials and thus acts as a good solvent. This function of the water also enables the removal of waste products like ammonia and urea from the body. Water being capable of diluting such waste products enables their recycling process in the Nitrogen cycle. Since water is vis cous in nature it also acts a good lubricant and form different lubricating fluids in the body that include mucus, synovial fluid, pleural fluid and pericardial fluid having different functions in the body. Apart from all these functions, water also acts as a supporting medium for several organisms since it is not easily condensed. Overall in the biological systems, water has miscellaneous functions that include maintaining body temperature, as well as dispersal in the process of reproduction (Saint, 2004). 2. Structure of Carbohydrates: Monosaccharide, Disaccharide, and Polysaccharide: Carbohydrates are formed as a result of the combinations of carbon and water molecules. In general the carbohydrates may be represented through the formula (CH2O)n. Here C represents the carbon molecules and H2O represents the water molecules, n being the number of atoms of this combination of molecules. However, in some cases carbohydrates might also contain greater numbers of sulphur or nitrogen mo lecules. If the molecular structure of the carbohydrates is studied, carbons are found to form chains or rings with hydroxyl groups two or more in number along with an aldehyde or a ketone group. There is a carbonyl group at the terminal end of an aldehyde that gets bonded to hydrogen molecule or carbon. A ketone is different from an aldehyde and represents a carbonyl group bonded in between two carbon molecules (Talaro & Park, 2007, p.42). Different configurations are obtained of the carbohydrates. Monosaccharide refers to one of the forms of carbohydrates that represent a simple polyhydroxy aldehyde or molecule of ketone that contain 3 to 7 molecules of carbon. The structure of a disaccharide varies from a monosaccharide in that a disaccharide is formed from two monosaccharides in combination. When five or more monosaccharides combine to form a carbohydrate, then that structure represents a polysaccharide. The monosaccharides and disaccharides are represented by prefix- ose at the end of the name. The name however depends on the number of carbons in the structure. For example, pentose has 5 carbons in it, hexose is composed of 6 carbons, and so on (Talaro &

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Press Release Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Press Release - Essay Example Recognizing that fans are interested in more than just sports commentary, Fanzplanet (or Terry Davenport) provides an unparalleled forum for fan interaction. While traditional sports news sites only focus on major news elements, this new social network recognizes that the fan experience expands well beyond what happens between the start and end of the game. Within this spectrum of understanding there are a variety of specific elements that are implemented. As noted, the site implements social media and fan interaction as primary modes of operation. Curious about the atmosphere outside the Super Bowl or World Series? Fanzplanet allows fans to post tailgate, at-game, and home videos that record their game experiences. Fans can login and see actual videos of outside game events, then tune in on television and catch the game. There will even be Fan-Buzz cameras that capture exclusive interviews with fans at the game. In addition to video posting this site allows participants to blog and connect as part of a sports community. Traditional sporting news sites have largely operated to disseminate news, with commentary only as a second-thought. This site brings fan commentary and interaction to the foreground, as in-game blogging occurs allowing fans to directly interact and comment with each other on in-game occurrences. Fans can then add each other to communicate and debate over future games. This increased interactivity is not only informative, it allows fans to participate in the game in a way that brings the sports bar experience to their computer console. Ultimately, this site will be an exciting contribution to the sports and social networking landscape. For the casual and passionate fan, this site offers an unparalleled experience for all sporting experiences. Don’t miss out! Fans can also follow updates on twitter at http://twitter.com/fanzplanetfans and via their Facebook fans page at http://bit.ly/93KsFj. Members of Fanzplanet

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Anthropological theories on the common property Term Paper

Anthropological theories on the common property - Term Paper Example In this regard, the theory can be used to describe the behavior individual in the use of common property to meet their needs for more satisfaction. Moreover, people tend to focus on the utilization of utilities which are as cost effective as possible. In this regard the propensity for the use of common property is justified. The human nature which makes them to seek cost effectiveness in their actions and behavior is described within the instrumental rationality which lies in the spectrum of the rational choice theory (Kim and Mahoney 223). In the illustration of rational choice theory, it is observable that people for example tend to use public parks because of the cost effectiveness associated with them. In this regard, the society makes choices based on instrumental rationality to ensure that they enjoy better than bad at the most cost effective manner (McLellan 13). In this regard, the justification which people give for the use of common property is likely to include the fact th at they are cost effective even though they may not reveal this apparently because of the social attitudes associated with the common property. ... Rationality within the rational choice theory is used to signify the sanity which people employ in the use of common property. This means that people are left with no choice but to make realistic and hence sane choices in the utilization of common property (Dowding and Andrew 455). For example it makes sense for sane choices of utilization of common property because of the cost effectiveness associated with them. This can be exemplified by an individual who makes sane choices of using common property swimming pools instead of installing his or her own which would be impractical due to limitations in space, costly and time consuming. The rational choice theory further is used to exemplify the thoughtful nature of human beings in the use of common property. This means that the use of common property is often evaluated or assessed by the users with an aim of determining its usefulness or benefits in relation to the possible advantages (Hechter and Satoshi 194). The rational choice is th us conclusively based on the ability of people to weigh between benefits and disadvantages of utilization of specific common services or property under a thoughtful process before a choice is eventually reached. The motive of rational choice as postulated by the rational choice theory is the maximization of the advantages that can be accrued from personal utilization of common property (Yalman 388). Therefore, there is a rational process which drives the use of common property. The rational process and the cognition of a person therefore define the attitudes and behaviors which are demonstrated during the use or conversation about common property (Roberts 32). More importantly, the rational choice theory is postulated within the concept of preference (Nehring 205). For example

Friday, August 23, 2019

Managing External Influences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managing External Influences - Essay Example Union Pacific Railroad Company Profile Union Pacific Railroad Company is the largest railroad network operating in the United States of America (Union Pacific Official Site). It covers 23 states across the western two-thirds the United States. The railroad network is based out of Omaha, Nebraska and employs 45,000 people. Union Pacific’s primary service is freight transportation, however, it also operates passenger rail in Chicago in the form of Metra. Union Pacific’s innovative presence in the railroad industry is recognized by Fortune. On March 9, 2009, Fortune has named Union Pacific the railroad industry’s ‘Most Admired Company’. Union Pacific ranked #1 among all key attributes of the railroad industry. Political Factors Political factors are those factors over which the company has no control. These factors are totally in control of the government and decisions can conflict with company priorities and objectives. However, the company needs to adjust itself to the existing conditions to remain in the market. For instance, The Federal Railroad Administration is the controlling authority of railroad policies and it has developed a bridge inspection program whereby officials will perform safety inspections to ensure safety of pedestrians and freight (Department of Transportation). This is not a problem for the Union Pacific Railroad Company as they are already doing a pretty good job to ensure safety.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

History of Coffee Essay Example for Free

History of Coffee Essay Coffee is one of the world’s most poplar beverages. Some claim it is the most widely consumed liquid in the world aside from water. Coffee is more than a beverage , however. It is a memory , anticipation, a lifetime of consoling moments of modest pleasure woven into our lives. Coffee’s success as a beverage undoubtedly owes both to the caffeine it harbors and to its sensory pleasure. Coffee lovers come to associate the energizing lift of the caffeine with richness and aroma of the beverage that delivers it. Coffee is grown in more than 50 countries around the world and the principal commercial crop of over a dozen countries, half of which earns 25% to 50% of their foreign exchange revenue from coffee exports. More than 10 billion pounds of coffee beans are grown per year, providing more than 20 million jobs. Coffee is indigenous to Ethiopia and was most likely discovered as a food before it became a drink. The most popular legend of how coffee was discovered involves an Abyssinian goat herder named kaldi. Kaldi awoke one night to find his goats dancing around a tree speckled with red cherries. When he tasted one of the cherries, he too started dancing with the goats. As interesting as this story may be it is more likely that coffee was used as a food supplement by wandering Ethiopian tribes-men. The tribes-men are said to have squashed the coffee cherries and carried them on long journeys, eating them for nourishment as needed. Later, the coffee cherries were soaked in water, possibly to make wine, but some historians say it was not until 1000 AD, when the Arabs discovered how to boil, that coffee was serve hot. Coffee was also believed to have medicinal properties. Avicenna, an Islamic physician and philosopher of the eleventh century, said of coffee: â€Å"It fortifies the members, it cleans the skin and dries up the humilities that are under it, and gives an excellent smell to all the body† CHAPTER – 1 HISTORY OF COFFEE HISTORY OF COFFEE [pic] Palestinian women grinding coffee the old fashioned way, 1905 The history of coffee goes at least as far back as the fifteenth century, though coffees origins remain unclear. It had been believed that Ethiopian ancestors of todays Oromo people were the first to have discovered and recognized the energizing effect of the coffee bean plant. However, no direct evidence has been found indicating where in Africa coffee grew or who among the natives might have used it as a stimulant or even known about it, earlier than the 17th century. The story of Kaldi, the 9th-century Ethiopian goatherd who discovered coffee, did not appear in writing until 1671 and is probably apocryphal. From Ethiopia, coffee was said to have spread to Egypt and Yemen. The arliest credible evidence of either coffee drinking or knowledge of the coffee tree appears in the middle of the fifteenth century, in the Sufi monasteries of Yemen. It was here in Arabia that coffee beans were first roasted and brewed, in a similar way to how it is now prepared. By the 16th century, it had reached the rest of the Middle East, Persia, Turkey, and northern Africa. Coffee then spread to Italy, and to the rest of Europe, to Indonesia, and tothe Americas. Origins Etymology: The word coffee entered English in 1598 via Dutch koffie. This word was created via Turkish kahve, the Turkish pronunciation Arabic qahwa, a truncation of qahhwat al-bun or wine of the bean. One possible origin of the name is the Kingdom of Kaffa in Ethiopia, where the coffee plant originated; its name there is bunn or bunna. Legendary accounts. There are several legendary accounts of the origin of the drink itself. One account involves the Yemenite Sufi mystic Shaikh ash-Shadhili. When traveling in Ethiopia, the legend goes; he observed goats of unusual vitality, and, upon trying the berries that the goats had been eating, experienced the same vitality. A similar Legend of Dancing Goats attributes the discovery of coffee to an Ethiopian goatherder named Kaldi. The story of Kaldi did not appear in writing until 1671, and these stories are considered to be apocryphal. It used to be believed Ethiopian ancestors of todays Oromo tribe, were the first to have recognized the energizing effect of the native coffee plant. Studies of genetic diversity have been performed on Coffea arabica varieties, found to be of low diversity but which retained some residual heterozygosity from ancestral materials, and closely-related diploid species Coffea canephora and C. liberica; however, no direct evidence has ever been found indicating where in Africa coffee grew or who among the natives might have used it as a stimulant, or known about it there, earlier than the seventeenth century. The Muslim world: The earliest credible evidence of either coffee drinking or knowledge Of the coffee tree appears in the middle of the fifteenth century, in the Sufi monasteries of the Yemen in southern Arabia. It was in Yemen that coffee beans were first roasted and brewed as they are today. From Mocha, coffee spread to Egypt and North Africa, and by the 16th century, it had reached the rest of the Middle East, Persia and Turkey. From the Muslim world, coffee drinking spread to Italy, then to the rest of Europe, and coffee plants were transported by the Dutch to the East Indies and to the Americas. Syrian Bedouin from a beehive village in Aleppo, Syria, sipping the traditional murra (bitter) coffee, 1930. The earliest mention of coffee noted by the literary coffee merchant Philippe Sylvestre Dufour is a reference to bunchum in the works of the 10th century CE Persian physician Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi, known as Rhazes in the West, but more definite information on the preparation of a beverage from the roasted coffee berries dates from several centuries later. The most important of the early writers on coffee was io-de-caprio, who in 1587 compiled a work tracing the history and legal controversies of coffee entitled Umdat al safwa fi hill al-qahwa. He reported that one Sheikh, Jamal-al-Din al-Dhabhani, mufti of Aden, was the first to adopt the use of coffee (circa 1454). Coffees usefulness in driving away sleep made it popular among Sufis. A translation traces the spread of coffee from Arabia Felix (the present day Yemen) northward to Mecca and Medina, and then to the larger cities of Cairo, Damascus, Baghdad, and Istanbul. Coffee beans were first exported from Ethiopia to Yemen. Yemeni traders brought coffee back to their homeland and began to cultivate the bean. The first coffeehouse opened in Istanbul in 1554. Coffee was at first not well received. In 1511, it was forbidden for its stimulating effect by conservative, orthodox imams at a theological court in Mecca. However, the popularity of the drink led these bans to be overturned in 1524 by an order of the Ottoman Turkish Sultan Selim I, with Grand Mufti Mehmet Ebussuud el-Imadi issuing a celebrated fatwa allowing the consumption of coffee. In Cairo, Egypt, a similar ban was instituted in 1532, and the coffeehouses and warehouses containing coffee beans were sacked. Similarly, coffee was banned by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church some time before the 12th century. However, in the second half of the 19th century, Ethiopian attitudes softened towards coffee drinking, and its consumption spread rapidly between 1880 and 1886; according to Richard Pankhurst, this was largely due to [Emperor] Menilek, who himself drank it, and to Abuna Matewos who did much to dispel the belief of the clergy that it was a Muslim drink. Europe [pic] Dutch engraving of Mocha in 1692 Coffee was noted in Ottoman Aleppo by the German physician botanist Leonhard Rauwolf, the first European to mention it, as chaube, in 1573; Rauwolf was closely followed by descriptions from other European travellers. Coffee was first imported to Italy from the Ottoman Empire. The vibrant trade between Venice and the Muslims in North Africa, Egypt, and the East brought a large variety of African goods, including coffee, to this leading European port. Venetian merchants introduced coffee-drinking to the wealthy in Venice, charging them heavily for the beverage. In this way, coffee was introduced to Europe. Coffee became more widely accepted after controversy over whether it was acceptable during Lent was settled in its favor by Pope Clement VIII in 1600, despite appeals to ban the drink. The first European coffee house (apart from those in the Ottoman Empire, mentioned above) was opened in Venice in 1645. England Largely through the efforts of the British East India Company and the Dutch East India Company, coffee became available in England no later than the 16th century according to Leonhard Rauwolfs 1583 account. The first coffeehouse in England was opened in St. Michaels Alley in Cornhill. The proprietor was Pasqua Rosee, the servant of Daniel Edwards, a trader in Turkish goods. Edwards imported the coffee and assisted Rosee in setting up the establishment. Oxfords Queens Lane Coffee House, established in 1654, is still in existence today. By 1675, there were more than 3,000 coffeehouses throughout England. Popularity of coffeehouses spread rapidly in Europe, and later, America. The banning of women from coffeehouses was not universal, but does appear to have been common in Europe. In Germany women frequented them, but in England they were banned. Many believed coffee to have several medicinal properties in this period. For example, a 1661 tract entitled A character of coffee and coffee-houses, written by one M. P. , lists some of these perceived virtues: Not everyone was in favour of this new commodity, however. For example, the anonymous 1674 Womens Petition against Coffee declared: France Antoine Galland (1646-1715) in his aforementioned translation described the Muslim association with coffee, tea and chocolate: We are indebted to these great [Arab] physicians for introducing coffee to the modern world through their writings, as well as sugar, tea, and chocolate. Galland reported that he was informed by Mr. de la Croix, the interpreter of King Louis XIV of France, that coffee was brought to Paris by a certain Mr. Thevenot, who had travelled through the East. On his return to that city in 1657, Thevenot gave some of the beans to his friends, one of whom was de la Croix. However, the major spread of the popularity of this beverage in Paris was soon to come. In 1669, Soleiman Agha, Ambassador from Sultan Mehmed IV, arrived in Paris with his entourage bringing with him a large quantity of coffee beans. Not only did they provide their French and European guests with coffee to drink, but they also donated some beans to the royal court. Between July 1669 and May 1670, the Ambassador managed to firmly establish the custom of drinking coffee among Parisians. [pic]. Melange in Vienna Austria The first coffeehouse in Austria opened in Vienna in 1683 after the Battle of Vienna, by using supplies from the spoils obtained after defeating the Turks. The officer who received the coffee beans, Polish military officer of Ukrainian origin Jerzy Franciszek Kulczycki, opened the coffee house and helped popularize the custom of adding sugar and milk to the coffee. Until recently, this was celebrated in Viennese coffeehouses by hanging a picture of Kulczycki in the window. Melange is the typical Viennese coffee, which comes mixed with hot foamed milk and a glass of water. Netherlands The race among Europeans to make off with some live coffee trees or beans was eventually won by the Dutch in the late 17th century, when they allied with the natives of Kerala against the Portuguese and brought some live plants back from Malabar to Holland, where they were grown in greenhouses. The Dutch began growing coffee at their forts in Malabar, India, and in 1699 took some to Batavia in Java, in what is now Indonesia. Within a few years the Dutch colonies (Java in Asia, Surinam in Americas) had become the main suppliers of coffee to Europe. Americas. Gabriel de Clieu brought coffee seedlings to Martinique in the Caribbean circa 1720. Those sprouts flourished and 50 years later there were 18,680 coffee trees in Martinique enabling the spread of coffee cultivation to Haiti, Mexico and other islands of the Caribbean. Coffee also found its way to the island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean known as the Isle of Bourbon. The plant produced smaller beans and was deemed a different variety of Arabica known as var. Bourbon. The Santos coffee of Brazil and the Oaxaca coffee of Mexico are the progeny of that Bourbon tree. Circa 1727, the Emperor of Brazil sent Francisco de Mello Palheta to French Guinea to obtain coffee seeds to become a part of the coffee market. Francisco initially had difficulty obtaining these seeds yet he captivated the French Governors wife and she in turn, sent him enough seeds and shoots which would commence the coffee industry of Brazil. In 1893, the coffee from Brazil was introduced into Kenya and Tanzania (Tanganyika), not far from its place of origin in Ethiopia, 600 years prior, ending its transcontinental journey. The French colonial plantations relied heavily on African slave laborers. Ancient Production of coffee The first step in Europeans wresting the means of production was effected by Nicolaes Witsen, the enterprising burgomaster of Amsterdam and member of the governing board of the Dutch East India Company who urged Joan van Hoorn, the Dutch governor at Batavia that some coffee plants be obtained at the export port of Mocha in Yemen, the source of Europes supply, and established in the Dutch East Indies; the project of raising many plants from the seeds of the first shipment met with such success that the Dutch East India Company was able to supply Europes demand with Java coffee by 1719. Encouraged by their success, they soon had coffee plantations in Ceylon Sumatra and other Sunda islands. Coffee trees were soon grown under glass at the Hortus Botanicus of Leiden, whence slips were generously extended to other botanical gardens. Dutch representatives at the negotiations that led to the Treaty of Utrecht presented their French counterparts with a coffee plant, which was grown on at the Jardin du Roi, predecessor of the Jardin des Plantes, in Paris. The introduction of coffee to the Americas was effected by Captain Gabriel des Clieux, who obtained cuttings from the reluctant botanist Antoine de Jussieu, who was loath to disfigure the kings coffee tree. Clieux, when water rations dwindled during a difficult voyage, shared his portion with his precious plants and protected them from a Dutchman, perhaps an agent of the Provinces jealous of the Batavian trade. Clieux nurtured the plants on his arrival in the West Indies, and established them in Guadeloupe and Saint- Domingue in addition to Martinique, where a blight had struck the cacao plantations, which were replaced by coffee plantations in a space of three years, is attributed to France through its colonization of many parts of the continent starting with the Martinique and the colonies of the West Indies where the first French coffee plantations were founded. The first coffee plantation in Brazil occurred in 1727 when Lt. Col. Francisco de Melo Palheta smuggled seeds, still essentially from the germ plasm originally taken from Yemen to Batavia, from French Guiana. By the 1800s, Brazils harvests would turn coffee from an elite indulgence to a drink for the masses. Brazil, which like most other countries cultivates coffee as a commercial commodity, relied heavily on slave labor from Africa for the viability of the plantations until the abolition of slavery in 1888. The success of coffee in 17th-century Europe was paralleled with the spread of the habit of tobacco smoking all over the continent during the course of the Thirty Years War (1618–48). For many decades in the 19th and early 20th centuries, Brazil was the biggest producer of coffee and a virtual monopolist in the trade. However, a policy of maintaining high prices soon opened opportunities to other nations, such as Colombia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Indonesia and Vietnam, now second only to Brazil as the major coffee producer in the world. Large-scale production in Vietnam began following normalization of trade relations with the US in 1995. Nearly all of the coffee grown there is Robusta. Despite the origins of coffee cultivation in Ethiopia, that country produced only a small amount for export until the Twentieth Century, and much of that not from the south of the country but from the environs of Harar in the northeast. The Kingdom of Kaffa, home of the plant, was estimated to produce between 50,000 and 60,000 kilograms of coffee beans in the 1880s. Commercial production effectively began in 1907 with the founding of the inland port of Gambela, and greatly increased afterwards: 100,000 kilograms of coffee was exported from Gambela in 1908, while in 1927-8 over 4 million kilograms passed through that port. Coffee plantations were also developed in Arsi Province at the same time, and were eventually exported by means of the Addis Ababa Djibouti Railway. While only 245,000 kilograms were freighted by the Railway, this amount jumped to 2,240,000 kilograms by 1922, surpassed exports of Harari coffee by 1925, and reached 9,260,000 kilograms in 1936. Australia is a minor coffee producer, with little product for export, but its coffee history goes back to 1880 when the first of 500  acres (2. 0  km2) began to be developed in an area between northern New South Wales and Cooktown. Today there are several producers of Arabica coffee in Australia that use a mechanical harvesting system invented in 1981. *** CHAPTER – 2 INSIGHT ON COFFEE INSIGHT ON COFFEE |Coffee | |[pic] | |Roasted coffee beans | |Type |Hot or cold beverage | |Country of origin |Ethiopia, and  Yemen | |Introduced |Approx. 15th century AD (beverage) | |Color |Brown | Coffee  is a  brewed  drink  prepared from roasted  seeds, commonly called  coffee beans, of the  coffee plant. They are seeds of coffee cherries that grow on trees in over 70 countries. Green coffee, for example, is one of the most traded agricultural commodities in the world. Due to its  caffeine  content, coffee can have a stimulating effect in humans. Today, coffee is one of the most popular beverages worldwide. It is thought that the energizing effect of the coffee bean plant was first recognized in  Yemen  in Arabia and the north east of  Ethiopia, and the cultivation of coffee first expanded in the Arab  world. The earliest credible evidence of coffee drinking appears in the middle of the fifteenth century, in the  Sufi  monasteries of the  Yemen  in southern  Arabia. From the  Muslim world, coffee spread to Italy, then to the rest of Europe, to  Indonesia, and to the Americas. Coffee has played an important role in many societies throughout history. In Africa and Yemen, it was used in religious ceremonies. As a result, the  Ethiopian Church  banned its secular consumption until the reign of EmperorMenelik II of Ethiopia. It was banned in  Ottoman  Turkey during the 17th century for political reasons,  and was associated with rebellious political activities in Europe. Coffee berries, which contain the coffee bean, are produced by several species of small  evergreen  bush of the  genus  Coffea. The two most commonly grown are  Coffea canephora  (also known as  Coffea robusta) and  Coffea arabica. Both are cultivated primarily in  LatinAmerica,Southeast Asia, and Africa. Once ripe, coffee berries are picked, processed, and dried. The seeds are then roasted to varying degrees, depending on the desired flavor. They are then ground and brewed to create coffee. Coffee can be prepared and presented in a variety of ways. An important export commodity, coffee was the top agricultural export for 12 countries in 2004,  and in 2005, it was the worlds seventh-largest legal agricultural export by value. Some controversy is associated with coffee cultivation and its impact on the environment. Many studies have examined the relationship between coffee consumption and certain medical conditions; whether the overall effects of coffee are ultimately positive or negative has been widely disputed. However, the method of brewing coffee has been found to be important. Biology Several species of shrub of the genus  Coffea  produce the berries from which coffee is extracted. The two main cultivated species,  Coffea canephora(also known as  Coffea robusta) and  C. arabica, are native to subtropical Africa and southern Asia. Less popular species are  C. liberica,  excelsa,stenophylla,  mauritiana, and  racemosa. They are classified in the large family  Rubiaceae. They are  evergreen  shrubs or small trees that may grow 5  m (15  ft) tall when unpruned. The leaves are dark green and glossy, usually 10–15  cm (4-6  in) long and 6  cm (2. 4  in) wide. Clusters of fragrant white flowers bloom simultaneously and are followed by oval berries of about 1. 5  cm. Green when immature, they ripen to yellow, then crimson, before turning black on drying. Each berry usually contains two seeds, but 5–10% of the berries  have only one; these are called  peaberries. Berries ripen in seven to nine months. Cultivation Coffee is usually propagated by seeds. The traditional method of planting coffee is to put 20  seeds in each hole at the beginning of the  rainy season; half are eliminated naturally. A more effective method of growing coffee, used in Brazil, is to raise seedlings in nurseries, which are then planted outside at 6 to 12  months. Coffee is often intercropped with food crops, such as corn, beans, or rice, during the first few years of cultivation. [pic] Map showing areas of coffee cultivation: r:Coffea canephora m:Coffea canephora  and  Coffea arabica a:Coffea arabica Of the two main species grown, arabica coffee (from  C. arabica) is considered more suitable for drinking than robusta coffee (from  C. canephora); robusta tends to be bitter and have less flavor but better body than arabica. For these reasons, about three-quarters of coffee cultivated worldwide is  C. arabica. However,  C. canephora  is less susceptible to disease than  C. arabica  and can be cultivated in  environments  where  C. arabica  will not thrive. Robusta coffee also contains about 40–50% more caffeine than arabica. For this reason, it is used as an inexpensive substitute for arabica in many commercial coffee blends. Good quality robustas are used in some  espresso  blends to provide a better foam head, a full-bodied result, and to lower the ingredient cost. The species  Coffea liberica  and  Coffea esliaca  are believed to be indigenous to  Liberia  and southern  Sudan, respectively. Most arabica coffee beans originate from either  Latin America,  eastern Africa, Arabia, or Asia. Robusta coffee beans are grown in western and  central Africa, throughout  southeast Asia, and to some extent in Brazil. Beans from different countries or regions can usually be distinguished by differences in flavor, aroma,  body, or acidity. These taste characteristics are dependent not only on the coffees growing region, but also on genetic subspecies (varietals) and processing. Varietals are generally known by the region in which they are grown, such as  Colombian,  Java  or  Kona. Production Brazil  is the world leader in production of green coffee, followed by  Vietnam  and  Colombia  the last of which produces a much  softer coffee. |Top twenty green coffee producers  Ã¢â‚¬â€ Tonnes (2007) and Bags thousands (2007) | |Country |Tonnes |Bags thousands | |[pic]  Brazil |2,249,010 |36,070 | |[pic]  Vietnam |961,200 |16,467 | |[pic]  Colombia |697,377 |12,515 | |[pic]  Indonesia |676,475 |7,751 | |[pic]  Ethiopia |325,800 |4,906 | |[pic]  India |288,000 |4,148 | |[pic]  Mexico |268,565 |4,150 | |[pic]  Guatemala |252,000 |4,100 | |[pic]  Peru |225,992 |2,953 | |[pic]  Honduras |217,951 |3,842 | |[pic]  Cote dIvoire |170,849 |2,150 | |[pic]  Uganda |168,000 |3,250 | |[pic]  Costa Rica |124,055 |1,791 | |[pic]  Philippines |97,877 |431 | |[pic]  El. Salvador |95,456 |1,626 | |[pic]  Nicaragua |90,909 |1,700 | |[pic]  Papua New Guinea |75,400 |968 | |[pic]  Venezuela |70,311 |897 | |[pic]  Madagascar[note 2] |62,000 |604 | |[pic]  Thailand |55,660 |653 | |  Ã‚  World |7,742,675 |117,319 | Ecological effects [pic] [pic] A flowering  Coffea arabica  tree in a Brazilian plantation Originally, coffee farming was done in the  shade  of trees, which provided a habitat for many animals and insects. This method is commonly referred to as the traditional shaded method, or shade-grown. Many farmers switched their production method to sun cultivation, in which coffee is grown in rows under full sun with little or no forest canopy. This causes berries to ripen more rapidly and bushes to produce higher yields, but requires the clearing of trees and increased use of fertilizer and pesticides, which damage the environment and cause health problems. When compared to the sun cultivation method, traditional coffee production causes berries to ripen more slowly and produce lower yields, but the quality of the coffee is allegedly superior. In addition, the traditional shaded method is environmentally friendly and provides living space for many wildlife species. Opponents of sun cultivation say environmental problems such as deforestation, pesticide pollution,  habitat destruction, and soil and water degradation are the side effects of these practices. The  American Birding Association,  Smithsonian Migratory Bird- Center, Rainforest Alliance, and the  Arbor Day Foundation  have led a campaign for shade-grown and  organic coffees, which it says are sustainably harvested. However, while certain types of shaded coffee cultivation systems show greater biodiversity than full-sun systems, they still compare poorly to native forest in terms of habitat value. Another issue concerning coffee is its  use of water. According to  New Scientist, if using industrial farming practices, it takes about 140 liters of water to grow the coffee beans needed to produce one cup of coffee, and the coffee is often grown in countries where there is a water shortage, such as  Ethiopia. By using   sustainable agriculture  methods, the amount of water usagecan be dramatically reduced, while retaining comparable yields. Coffee grounds may be used for  composting  or as a  mulch. They are especially appreciated by  worms  and  acid-loving plants  such as  blueberries. *** CHAPTER – 3 TYPES OF COFFEE TYPES OF COFFEE Coffea Arabica | | |Scientific classification | |Kingdom: |Plantae | |(unranked): |Angiosperms | |(unranked): |Eudicots | |(unranked): |Asterids | |Order: |Gentianales | |Family: |Rubiaceae | |Genus: |Coffea | |Species: |C. arabica | |Binomial name | |Coffea arabica |. Coffea arabica is a species of coffee originally indigenous to the mountains of Yemen in the Arabian Peninsula, hence its name, and also from the southwestern highlands of Ethiopia and southeastern Sudan. It is also known as the coffee shrub of Arabia, mountain coffee or arabica coffee. Coffea arabica is believed to be the first species of coffee to be cultivated, being grown in southwest Arabia for well over 1,000 years. It is considered to produce better coffee than the other major commercially grown coffee species, Coffea canephora (robusta). Arabica contains less caffeine than any other commercially cultivated species of coffee. Wild plants grow to between 9 and 12 m tall, and have an open branching system; the leaves are opposite, simple elliptic-ovate to oblong, 6–12  cm long and 4–8  cm broad, glossy dark green. The flowers are white, 10–15  mm in diameter and grow in axillary clusters. The fruit is a drupe (though commonly called a berry) 10–15  mm in diameter, maturing bright red to purple and typically contain two seeds (the coffee bean). | | Distribution and habitat Originally found in the southwestern highlands of Ethiopia, Coffea arabica is now rare there in its native state, and many populations appear to be mixed native and planted trees. It is common there as an understorey shrub. It has also been recovered from the Boma Plateau in southeastern Sudan. Coffea arabica is also found on Mt Marsabit in northern Kenya, but it is unclear whether this is a truly native or naturalised occurrence. Yemen is also believed to have native Coffea arabica growing in fields. Cultivation Coffea arabica takes about seven years to mature fully and does best with 1- 1. 5 meters (about 40-59  inches) of rain, evenly distributed throughout the year. It is usually cultivated between 1,300 and 1,500 m altitude, but there are plantations as low as sea level and as high as 2,800 m. The plant can tolerate low temperatures, but not frost, and it does best when the temperature hovers around 20  °C (68  °F). Commercial cultivars mostly only grow to about 5 m, and are frequently trimmed as low as 2 m to facilitate harvesting. Unlike Coffea canephora, Coffea arabica prefers to be grown in light shade. Two to four years after planting Coffea arabica produces small, white and highly fragrant flowers. The sweet fragrance resembles the sweet smell of jasmine flowers. When flowers open on sunny days, this results in the greatest numbers of berries. This can be a curse however as coffee plants tend to produce too many berries; this can lead to an inferior harvest and even damage yield in the following years as the plant will favor the ripening of berries to the detriment of its own health. On well kept plantations this is prevented by pruning the tree. The flowers themselves only last a few days leaving behind only the thick dark green leaves. The berries then begin to appear. These are as dark green as the foliage, until they begin to ripen, at first to yellow and then light red and finally darkening to a glossy deep red. At this point they are called cherries and are ready for picking. The berries are oblong and about 1  cm long. Inferior coffee results from picking them too early or too late, so many are picked by hand to be able to better select them, as they do not all ripen at the same time. They are sometimes shaken off the tree onto mats, which means that ripe and unripe berries are collected together. The trees are difficult to cultivate and each tree can produce anywhere from 0. 5–5  kg of dried beans, depending on the trees individual character and the climate that season. The real prize of this cash crop are the beans inside. Each berry holds two locules containing the beans. The coffee beans are actually two seeds within the fruit; there is sometimes a third seed or one seed, a peaberry in the fruits at tips of the branches. These seeds are covered in two membranes, the outer one is called the parchment and the inner one is called the silver skin. In perfect conditions, like those of Java, trees are planted at all times of the year and are harvested year round. In less ideal conditions, like those in parts of Brazil, the trees have a season and are harvested only in winter. The plants are vulnerable to damage in poor growing conditions and are also more vulnerable to pests than the Robusta plant. Gourmet coffees are almost exclusively high-quality mild varieties of coffea arabica, like Colombian coffee. Arabica coffee production in Indonesia began in 1699. Indonesian coffees, such as Sumatran and Java, are known for heavy body and low acidity. This makes them ideal for blending with the higher acidity coffees from Central America and East Africa. Coffea canephora | | |Scientific classification | |Kingdom: |Plantae | |(unranked): |Angiosperms | |(unranked): |Eudicots | |(unranked): |Asterids | |Order: |Gentianales | |Family: |Rubiaceae | |Genus: |Coffea | |Species: |C. canephora | |Binomial name | |Coffea canephora | Coffea canephora (Robusta Coffee Coffea robusta) is a species of coffee which has its origins in central and western subsaharan Africa. It is grown mostly in Africa and Brazil, where it is often called Conillon. It is also grown in Southeast Asia where French colonists introduced it in the late 19th century. In recent years Vietnam, which only produces robusta, has surpassed Brazil, India, and Indonesia to become the worlds single largest exporter. Approximately one third of the coffee produced in the world is robusta. Canephora is easier to care for than the other major species of coffee, Coffea arabica, and, because of this, is cheaper to produce. Since arabica beans are often considered superior, robusta is usually limited to lower grade coffee blends as filler. It is however often included in instant coffee, and in espresso blends to promote the formation of crema. Robusta has about twice as much caffeine as arabica. Description Coffea canephora grew.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Trash in My Life Essay Example for Free

Trash in My Life Essay Every person is guilty of contributing to the local landfill and I am no exception to this. As all people are responsible for deadline with wastes and creating such, I often find myself a part of it as most of my trash has to do with paper in some form. Every time I go to the supermarket I return home with plastic and paper bags and boxes and I noticed that practically everything I purchase has with it some paper waste. As an example, while enjoying my milk, I tend to buy them in boxes and when these are empty, they somehow find their way to the trash bin and would become another waste added to the tons there is that can be found on the big trash container that will be collected. The community garbage collectors would soon come and take this to the local landfill to join the other trash disposed on different days. While thinking about it, I see myself with no choice but to throw the waste into the trash containers because there is no other way to dispose it especially if it is not recyclable. I have thought about trash and recycling several times. When I purchase toothpaste, for example, it comes in a little box and the paste is contained in a plastic tube. The same applies to many other things which are placed in plastic packages and would also be placed in plastic bags to contain everything else I shopped for. To remedy this, the best thing I can do is to take my own plastic or paper bag so I will not be given another. However, we cannot do this for everything. A good definition of waste is that which is an â€Å"unwanted or undesired material. † I think about the â€Å"unwanted† part when most of the trash that we produce can be used for other purposes. Some components of waste can be recycled such as plastic bottles, metals, glass or paper. If the materials cannot be used for other purposes, then it is this time where they can be considered as waste, which increases the amount of things that have to be taken to the local landfill until it is full and another has to be created. Trash is a major form of environmental pollutant with many types taking hundreds of years to properly decompose when thrown away. The quantity of which is constantly increasing and last year, it is estimated that America generated 390 million tons of trash. With this amount of trash sent in everyday to the landfill, it will be of no surprise that it would soon be filled and this has to be melted down with chemicals and monitoring of the same is a must. To date, there are about 2,216 land fills that are in operation in the US and around 100 landfills across the country closed last year because they were full. Within 50 years, landfills that exist today will be filled (Chang). The idea of recycling came into being when laws were passed that prevented people from burning trash to protect the environment. Attention was given to the fact that many things could be reused and will result to a reduction of the amount of trash produced. At the same time, the materials from the item can be reused to save resources at the same time. A major problem that can be encountered in such is whether the material reused would be cheaper or whether unused materials are cheaper. Goldofttas, in â€Å"Recycling,† stated that most people recycle only about 20 percent of their total waste. Due to the low rate of recycling, laws were passed that all towns with 4,000 or more people had to offer curbside collection of recyclables (Goldofttas). The author also found that in New Jersey, only an estimate of 15 percent was recycled even though the people were encouraged to find ways to recycle 50 percent of the trash (Goldoftas). Some things that can be recycled are being thrown away by people. These things prove to be more costly such as the plastic, glass and aluminum containers which can be recycled if the cost is not higher as compared to the plastic bottle. I believe people put a lot of things in the trash that could be recycled (Monk). I am just as guilty as a lot people, rarely thinking about how trash could be recycled. I enjoy the activity of reading through the news everyday as soon as I see my newspaper delivered to my door. Despite the fact that I could easily have access to the same news through the television, I still prefer to have the news paper inside my house. After reading it, I have to send it to the trash bin and I sometimes forget the act of recycling and I regret not doing so because I could have saved a lot of trees. Being more conscientious of this, I no longer throw paper in the trash along with the garbage, but will take the time to have a special trash can for paper so that it can be recycled. No recyclable materials are allowed in the trash for if it is placed in the trash it will not be picked out to be recycled. It seems that those who pick up the trash each week assume that people are aware of the importance of recycling. Added to this is the fact that most of the trash cans are picked up by trucks, without the collectors knowing what was in them. Toronto was given by Michigan the chance to dump their trash into the land fill located at Carleton Farms, which is a 40-minute drive in the south of Detroit. This is near Flat Rock and the two villages, Waltz and Willow. Supposedly, this is a short-time deal but after six years, the trash is continuously dumped to United States. It is nowhere near end as at the very least 85 18-wheelers filled with 30 tons of refuse, and another 15 trucks filled with dehydrated sewage continue to dump their trash. On days where it is hot, the trucks coming down the road can be smelled and people are affected by the smell (Preville). This is an example of the country’s needs for disposing trash with the space becoming smaller and smaller. There is a need to find ways for people to increasingly engage in recycling. Each city should provide increased literature regarding waste from time to time as much needs to be known about it. The information can be given to the public through the newspapers, television ads at certain times. This is most important around those times when people give gifts that are wrapped in paper, put in boxes, anything creating waste, but which is a waste that can be used again and again. More should be done by the local governments to ensure that those living in the city can help deal with trash as local landfills get filled within a very short time. It is believed that much of the trash being put in the local landfill today could have been put in a recycled bin to be used again. WORKS CITED Chang, Mona. â€Å"What a Dump. † Science World, 57. 13, April 9, 2001, p. 14. Goldoftas, Barbara. â€Å"Recycling. † Technology Review, Nov-Dec, 1987, p. 28. HotFact. â€Å"Facts about Trash and Garbage. † 8 March 2006. Hotfact. 8 March 2008 [www. hotfact. com/facts-about-trash-and-garbage. html]. Monk, Dan. â€Å"Recycling. †  ¬Cincinnati Business Courier. 11. n3, May 30, 1994, p 28. Noyes, Katherine. â€Å"Clean-up Your Trash. † Charity Guide. 8 March 2008 [http://www. charityguide. org/volunteer/fifteen/trash. htm] Parrish Linda. â€Å"Trash and Garbage Collection Regulations. † 8 March 2008 [http://www. fennimore. com//trash. htm]. Preville, Philip. â€Å"Dumps. † Toronto Life 40. 8, August 2006, p. 27. â€Å"Trash Can Depot, Your Source of Trash Cans. † TrashCanDepot. com, Janisan. 8 March 2008 [http://www. trashcandepot. com].

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Social and Emotional Well Being

Social and Emotional Well Being Social and Emotional Well Being Introduction Social and emotional well-being has been the area of interest for people belonging to different walks of life but still it remains the least researched area in relation to the nursing profession (Health I, 2010). Nurses play a valuable part in patient care as they interact directly with the patient and are also involved in decision making about the treatment at various instances. Therefore the ability of a nurse to understand different elements influencing social and emotional well being of a person is of critical importance (Litwin, 2011). Though current bio-medical practices have provided enough facilities and now treatment has become much easier but still human beings have specific emotional demands. Nurses while taking care of their patients must understand and care for various SWEB perspectives. They must also take into account the cultural values, family dynamics, relationship conflicts and communication barriers a patient faces. Without having complete understanding of a patie nt’s emotional and social situation it is impossible to ensure environment facilitating appropriate healthcare delivery. In the present literature there are different opinions about the importance of social and emotional well-being perspectives and their role in assuring suitable environment for healthcare delivery. The coming paragraphs will discuss opinions of various authors in relation to these perspective and then a conclusion will be drawn as to how understanding of different dynamics of SEWB becomes imperative for a nurse. Bio-medical model says that health is a condition wherein a person does not face any kind of disability or disease. Proponents of this model are deeply obsessed by the concepts of biochemical and pathogenic origin of the disease (Kobau et al., 2011). While on the other hand, there are many scholars (Wang et al., 2010, Latwin et al. 2010 etc) who believe that social and emotional wellbeing is as important as the physical health of a person. In simpler words well-being can be called as existence of satisfactory condition. According to bio medical journal (2011) a person aspiring to create the environment of complete social and emotional well-being must be able to satisfy the needs by coping with the environmental pressures. Social and personal resources and physical capacities of a person all can be brought under the umbrella of social and emotional well being (BMJ, 2011). Here it is important to distinguish between the concept of social and emotional well being amongst indigenous and the idea of mental health amongst non-indigenous settings. In indigenous settings the idea of social and emotional well-being comes more from the culture, land, spirituality, family values and how all these elements affect health and life of a person. While on the other hand, mental health amongst non-indigenous people focuses more on clinical perspectives and the level of functioning of a person in social environment (Larson et al., 2009). Marmot (2010) says that in the culture of aboriginals and Torres Islanders the so cial and emotional well-being cannot be achieved solely by achieving physical health instead there is a need to cover a wide range of issues including trauma, violence, abuse and domestic conflicts. Wang et al. (2010) favors the concept of social and emotional well-being of aboriginals saying that complex, multi-dimensional model of healthcare cannot work without appropriate understanding and communication. Each and every person should work according to the clear lines of responsibilities. They must show capability and capacity to support and assume the responsibility of joint care in health management system (Wang et al., 2010). It means that Nurses and doctors should try to fond various social factors that affect the physical and mental condition of a patient. Wang et al. (2010) also argue that the entire system cannot work in isolation and here is a need to boost linkage amongst all the players through communication and understanding. For healthcare providers it is critical to understand different perceptions of health because they cannot facilitate a diverse range of people one by utilizing stereotypic principles. Here it is also important to note that there cannot be one model to cater the needs of all patients instead an integrated approach should be developed based on human understanding. Each model can prove be suitable to one condition for which it has been developed and not for every patient facing different health issues (Kobau et al., 2010). Thomas et al. (2010) believes that the indigenous concept of social and emotional well-being is more effective because it works on the basic principles of human health. It takes into account community, family, spirituality and ancestry. All these elements provide a person with a unique reservoir of recovery when he has o face adversity (Thomas et al., 2010). In the above context, in order to bring social and emotional well-being in a community it is critical to understand cultural and behavioral dimensions of a person’s well-being. But in contrast to the above proponents of the Medical Model and Mental Health Plan believe that mental health is all about achieving condition wherein a person is able to interact socially. He must be able to cope with the social stress while working in a productive manner and having optimum opportunities for development. For instance Helliwell et al. (2010) oppose the concept of SEWB as presented by the aboriginal community saying that this is a broader concept that puts emphasizes on changing society instead of changing the condition of the person who is ill. In most of the cases it is possible to reshape the entire society and the effort can become a time waste. On the other hand, if focus is maintained on reshaping the health condition of a person, good results can be obtained (Helliwell et al., 2010). Huber et al. (2011) also reinforce the above standpoint saying that extreme focus on the social and emotional well being of a person withdraws attention from the basic principles of diagnosis. More attention is given to changing the society instead of reshaping the health condition of the patient. This is an extreme approach according to which the person who is affected must not be dealt for his illness and the entire society should be forced to change. Yoon et al. (2008) also strongly criticize the social and emotional well being concept saying that this idea is disruptive as it brings a lot of confusion and shifts the attention of the healthcare provider from the basic principles of medicine to completely a different approach that is also impractical. This approach does not help anyone understand the cause of disease or disability (Yoon et al., 2008). Yoon et al. (2008) also believe that the concept of SEWB denies the diagnostic criterion that is set to identify the origin and cause of a disease. Existing definitions of physical and mental ailments do not fit to this concept. According to him this idea is also unrealistic because if society could play a strong role to change one person then everyone else living in the same society must change and experience the same symptoms. Conclusion Torres Islanders and Aboriginals favor the concept of social and emotional health and well-being and while working with them it becomes even more important to take care of what they believe in. Many scholars also favor this idea saying that this is the perspective that shows positive and holistic approach to the physical and emotional well being of a person. According to them social, emotional, physical well being cannot be achieved without a holistic approach that focuses on the life of families, communities and individuals. A nurse working on the basic principles of social and emotional well-being can participate in the integrated care plan very effectively. She can also participate in the healthcare programs designed for patients coming from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures. Through such practices patients are also empowered and a range of needs and problems of these people who come to find treatment are addressed. Though there are opposing views as well and many believ e that extreme focus on these dynamics can withdraw attention of the healthcare provider from the actual matter. However, in my opinion the social and emotional well being should be taken into account while finalizing the medical approach for treatment. It helps the medical practitioner to identify the cause and origin of a specific health condition and then suitable treatment options such as medication, change of environment, counseling and other remedies can be suggested. This the only way to appreciate the role of society that it plays in changing the physical and mental state of a person. Without appropriate diagnosis of a patient’s state and origin of his disability or disease cannot be identified and finally suitable treatment options can also not be selected. References Heath, I. (2010). Conceptual Explorations on Person-centered Medicine 2010: Person-centered prevention and health promotion.International journal of integrated care,10(Suppl). Helliwell, J. F., Wang, S. (2010).Trust and well-being(No. w15911). National Bureau of Economic Research. Huber, M., Knottnerus, J. A., Green, L., Horst, H. V. D., Jadad, A. R., Kromhout, D., Smid, H. (2011). How should we define health?.BMJ-British Medical Journal,343(6), d4163. Kobau, R., Seligman, M. E., Peterson, C., Diener, E., Zack, M. M., Chapman, D., Thompson, W. (2011). Mental health promotion in public health: perspectives and strategies from positive psychology.American Journal of Public Health,101(8). Litwin, H., Shiovitz-Ezra, S. (2011). Social network type and subjective well-being in a national sample of older Americans.The Gerontologist,51(3), 379-388.. Larson, A., Gillies, M., Howard, P. J., Coffin, J. (2009). Its enough to make you sick: the impact of racism on the health of Aboriginal Australians.Australian and New Zealand journal of public health,31(4), 322-329. Marmot, M. (2010). Social determinants of health inequalities.The Lancet,365(9464), 1099-1104. Thomas, A., Cairney, S., Gunthorpe, W., Paradies, Y., Sayers, S. (2010). Strong Souls: development and validation of a culturally appropriate tool for assessment of social and emotional well-being in Indigenous youth.Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry,44(1), 40-48. Yoon, E., Lee, R. M., Goh, M. (2008). Acculturation, social connectedness, and subjective well-being.Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology,14(3), 246.