Prelude to Foundation Chapter 10 Book

HAND-ON-THIGH STORY-†¦ An occasion cited by Hari Seldon as the first turning point in his search for a method to develop psychohistory. Unfortunately, his published writings give no indication as to what that â€Å"story† was and speculations concerning it (there have been many) are futile. It remains one of the many intriguing mysteries concerning Seldon's career. Encyclopedia Galactica 45. Raindrop Forty-Three stared at Seldon, wild-eyed and breathing heavily. â€Å"I can't stay here,† she said. Seldon looked about. â€Å"No one is bothering us. Even the Brother from whom we got the dainties said nothing about us. He seemed to take us as a perfectly normal pair.† â€Å"That's because there is nothing unusual about us-when the light is dim, when you keep your voice low so the tribesman accent is less noticeable, and when I seem calm. But now-† Her voice was growing hoarse. â€Å"What of now?† â€Å"I am nervous and tense. I am†¦ in a perspiration.† â€Å"Who is to notice? Relax. Calm down.† â€Å"I can't relax here. I can't calm down while I may be noticed.† â€Å"Where are we to go, then?† â€Å"There are little sheds for resting. I have worked here. I know about them.† She was walking rapidly now and Seldon followed. Up a small ramp, which he would not have noticed in the twilight without her, there was a line of doors, well spread apart. â€Å"The one at the end,† she muttered. â€Å"If it's free.† It was unoccupied. A small glowing rectangle said NOT IN USE and the door was ajar. Raindrop Forty-Three looked about rapidly, motioned Seldon in, then stepped inside herself. She closed the door and, as she did so, a small ceiling light brightened the interior. Seldon said, â€Å"Is there any way the sign on the door can indicate this shed is in use?† â€Å"That happened automatically when the door closed and the light went on,† said the Sister. Seldon could feel air softly circulating with a small sighing sound, but where on Trantor was that ever-present sound and feel not apparent? The room was not large, but it had a cot with a firm, efficient mattress, and what were obviously clean sheets. There was a chair and table, a small refrigerator, and something that looked like an enclosed hot plate, probably a tiny food-heater. Raindrop Forty-Three sat down on the chair, sitting stiffly upright, visibly attempting to force herself into relaxation. Seldon, uncertain as to what he ought to do, remained standing till she gestured-a bit impatiently-for him to sit on the cot. He did so. Raindrop Forty-Three said softly, as though talking to herself, â€Å"If it is ever known that I have been here with a man-even if only a tribesman-I shall indeed be an outcast.† Seldon rose quickly. â€Å"Then let's not stay here.† â€Å"Sit down. I can't go out when I'm in this mood. You've been asking about religion. What are you after?† It seemed to Seldon that she had changed completely. Gone was the passivity, the subservience. There was none of the shyness, the backwardness in the presence of a male. She was glaring at him through narrowed eyes. â€Å"I told you. Knowledge. I'm a scholar. It is my profession and my desire to know, I want to understand people in particular, so I want to learn history. For many worlds, the ancient historical records-the truly ancient historical records-have decayed into myths and legends, often becoming part of a set of religious beliefs or of supernaturalism. But if Mycogen does not have a religion, then-â€Å" â€Å"I said we have history.† Seldon said, â€Å"Twice you've said you have history. How old?† â€Å"It goes back twenty thousand years.† â€Å"Truly? Let us speak frankly. Is it real history or is it something that has degenerated into legend?† â€Å"It is real history, of course.† Seldon was on the point of asking how she could tell, but thought better of it. Was there really a chance that history might reach back twenty thousand years and be authentic? He was not a historian himself, so he would have to check with Dors. But it seemed so likely to him that on every world the earliest histories were medleys of self-serving heroisms and minidramas that were meant as morality plays and were not to be taken literally. It was surely true of Helicon, yet you would find scarcely a Heliconian who would not swear by all the tales told and insist it was all true history. They would support, as such, even that perfectly ridiculous tale of the first exploration of Helicon and the encounters with large and dangerous flying reptiles-even though nothing like flying reptiles had been found to be native to any world explored and settled by human beings. He said instead, â€Å"How does this history begin?† There was a faraway look in the Sister's eyes, a look that did not focus on Seldon or on anything in the room. She said, â€Å"It begins with a world-our world. One world.† â€Å"One world?† (Seldon remembered that Hummin had spoken of legends of a single, original world of humanity.) â€Å"One world. There were others later, but ours was the first. One world, with space, with open air, with room for everyone, with fertile fields, with friendly homes, with warm people. For thousands of years we lived there and then we had to leave and skulk in one place or another until some of us found a corner of Trantor where we learned to grow food that brought us a little freedom. And here in Mycogen, we now have our own ways-and our own dreams.† â€Å"And your histories give the full details concerning the original world? The one world?† â€Å"Oh yes, it is all in a book and we all have it. Every one of us. We carry it at all times so that there is never a moment when any one of us cannot open it and read it and remember who we are and who we were and resolve that someday we will have our world back.† â€Å"Do you know where this world is and who lives on it now?† Raindrop Forty-Three hesitated, then shook her head fiercely. â€Å"We do not, but someday we will find it.† â€Å"And you have this book in your possession now?† â€Å"Of course.† â€Å"May I see that book?† Now a slow smile crossed the face of the Sister. She said, â€Å"So that's what you want. I knew you wanted something when you asked to be guided through the microfarms by me alone.† She seemed a little embarrassed. â€Å"I didn't think it was the Book.† â€Å"It is all I want,† said Seldon earnestly. â€Å"I really did not have my mind on anything else. If you brought me here because you thought-â€Å" She did not allow him to finish. â€Å"But here we are. Do you or don't you want the Book?† â€Å"Are you offering to let me see it?† â€Å"On one condition.† Seldon paused, weighing the possibility of serious trouble if he had overcome the Sister's inhibitions to a greater extent than he had ever intended. â€Å"What condition?† he said. Raindrop Forty-Three's tongue emerged lightly and licked quickly at her lips. Then she said with a distinct tremor in her voice, â€Å"That you remove your skincap.† 46. Hari Seldon stared blankly at Raindrop Forty-Three. There was a perceptible moment in which he did not know what she was talking about. He had forgotten he was wearing a skincap. Then he put his hand to his head and, for the first time, consciously felt the skincap he was wearing. It was smooth, but he felt the tiny resilience of the hair beneath. Not much. His hair, after all, was fine and without much body. He said, still feeling it, â€Å"Why?† She said, â€Å"Because I want you to. Because that's the condition if you want to see the Book.† He said, â€Å"Well, if you really want me to.† His hand probed for the edge, so that he could peel it off. But she said, â€Å"No, let me do it. I'll do it.† She was looking at him hungrily. Seldon dropped his hands to his lap. â€Å"Go ahead, then.† The Sister rose quickly and sat down next to him on the cot. Slowly, carefully, she detached the skincap from his head just in front of his ear. Again she licked her lips and she was panting as she loosened the skincap about his forehead and turned it up. Then it came away and was gone and Seldon's hair, released, seemed to stir a bit in glad freedom. He said, troubled, â€Å"Keeping my hair under the skincap has probably made my scalp sweat. If so, my hair will be rather damp.† He raised his hand, as though to check the matter, but she caught it and held it back. â€Å"I want to do that,† she said. â€Å"Its part of the condition.† Her fingers, slowly and hesitantly, touched his hair and then withdrew. She touched it again and, very gently, stroked it. â€Å"It's dry,† she said. â€Å"It feels†¦ good.† â€Å"Have you ever felt cephalic hair before?† â€Å"Only on children sometimes. This†¦ is different.† She was stroking again. â€Å"In what way?† Seldon, even amid his embarrassment, found it possible to be curious. â€Å"I can't say. Its just†¦ different.† After a while he said, â€Å"Have you had enough?† â€Å"No. Don't rush me. Can you make it lie anyway you want it to?† â€Å"Not really. It has a natural way of falling, but I need a comb for that and I don't have one with me.† â€Å"A comb?† â€Å"An object with prongs†¦ uh, like a fork†¦ but the prongs are more numerous and somewhat softer.† â€Å"Can you use your fingers?† She was running hers through his hair. He said, â€Å"After a fashion. It doesn't work very well.† â€Å"Its bristly behind.† â€Å"The hair is shorter there.† Raindrop Forty-Three seemed to recall something. â€Å"The eyebrows,† she said. â€Å"Isn't that what they're called?† She stripped off the shields, then ran her fingers through the gentle arc of hair, against the grain. â€Å"That's nice,† she said, then laughed in a high-pitched way that was almost like her younger sister's giggle. â€Å"They're cute.† Seldon said a little impatiently, â€Å"Is there anything else that's part of the condition?† In the rather dim light, Raindrop Forty-Three looked as though she might be considering an affirmative, but said nothing. Instead, she suddenly withdrew her hands and lifted them to her nose. Seldon wondered what she might be smelling. â€Å"How odd,† she said. â€Å"May I†¦ may I do it again another time?† Seldon said uneasily, â€Å"If you will let me have the Book long enough to study it, then perhaps.† Raindrop Forty-Three reached into her kirtle through a slit that Seldon had not noticed before and, from some hidden inner pocket, removed a book bound in some tough, flexible material. He took it, trying to control his excitement. While Seldon readjusted his skincap to cover his hair, Raindrop Forty-Three raised her hands to her nose again and then, gently and quickly, licked one finger. 47. â€Å"Felt your hair?† said Dors Venabili. She looked at Seldon's hair as though she was of a mind to feel it herself. Seldon moved away slightly. â€Å"Please don't. The woman made it seem like a perversion.† â€Å"I suppose it was-from her standpoint. Did you derive no pleasure from it yourself?† â€Å"Pleasure? It gave me gooseflesh. When she finally stopped, I was able to breathe again. I kept thinking: What other conditions will she make?† Dors laughed. â€Å"Were you afraid that she would force sex upon you? Or hopeful?† â€Å"I assure you I didn't dare think. I just wanted the Book.† They were in their room now and Dors turned on her field distorter to make sure they would not be overheard. The Mycogenian night was about to begin. Seldon had removed his skincap and kirtle and had bathed, paying particular attention to his hair, which he had foamed and rinsed twice. He was now sitting on his cot, wearing a light nightgown that had been hanging in the closet. Dors said, eyes dancing, â€Å"Did she know you have hair on your chest?† â€Å"I was hoping earnestly she wouldn't think of that.† â€Å"Poor Hari. It was all perfectly natural, you know. I would probably have had similar trouble if I was alone with a Brother. Worse, I'm sure, since he would believe-Mycogenian society being what it is-that as a woman I would be bound to obey his orders without delay or demur.† â€Å"No, Dors. You may think it was perfectly natural, but you didn't experience it. The poor woman was in a high state of sexual excitement. She engaged all her senses†¦ smelled her fingers, licked them. If she could have heard hair grow, she would have listened avidly.† â€Å"But that's what I mean by ‘natural.' Anything you make forbidden gains sexual attractiveness. Would you be particularly interested in women's breasts if you lived in a society in which they were displayed at all times?† â€Å"I think I might.† â€Å"Wouldn't you be more interested if they were always hidden, as in most societies they are?- Listen, let me tell you something that happened to me. I was at a lake resort back home on Cinna†¦ I presume you have resorts on Helicon, beaches, that sort of thing?† â€Å"Of course,† said Seldon, slightly annoyed. â€Å"What do you think Helicon is, a world of rocks and mountains, with only well water to drink?† â€Å"No offense, Hari. I just want to make sure you'll get the point of the story. On our beaches at Cinna, we're pretty lighthearted about what we wear†¦ or don't wear.† â€Å"Nude beaches?† â€Å"Not actually, though I suppose if someone removed all of his or her clothing it wouldn't be much remarked on. The custom is to wear a decent minimum, but I must admit that what we consider decent leaves very little to the imagination.† Seldon said, â€Å"We have somewhat higher standards of decency on Helicon.† â€Å"Yes, I could tell that by your careful treatment of me, but to each its own. In any case, I was sitting at the small beach by the lake and a young man approached to whom I had spoken earlier in the day. He was a decent fellow I found nothing particularly wrong with. He sat on the arm of my chair and placed his right hand on my left thigh, which was bare, of course, in order to steady himself. â€Å"After we had spoken for a minute and a half or so, he said, impishly. ‘Here I am. You know me hardly at all and yet it seems perfectly natural to me that I place my hand on your thigh. What's more, it seems perfectly natural to you, since you don't seem to mind that it remains there.' â€Å"It was only then that I actually noticed that his hand was on my thigh. Bare skin in public somehow loses some of its sexual quality. As I said, its the hiding from view that is crucial. â€Å"And the young man felt this too, for he went on to say, ‘Yet if I were to meet you under more formal conditions and you were wearing a gown, you wouldn't dream of letting me lift your gown and place my hand on your thigh on the precise spot it now occupies.' â€Å"I laughed and we continued to talk of this and that. Of course, the young man, now that my attention had been called to the position of his hand, felt it no longer appropriate to keep it there and removed it. â€Å"That night I dressed for dinner with more than usual care and appeared in clothing that was considerably more formal than was required or than other women in the dining room were wearing. I found the young man in question. He was sitting at one of the tables. I approached, greeted him, and said, ‘Here I am in a gown, but under it my left thigh is bare. I give you permission. Just lift the gown and place your hand on my left thigh where you had it earlier.' â€Å"He tried. I'll give him credit for that, but everyone was staring. I wouldn't have stopped him and I'm sure no one else would have stopped him either, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. It was no more public then than it had been earlier and the same people were present in both cases. It was clear that I had taken the initiative and that I had no objections, but he could not bring himself to violate the proprieties. The conditions, which had been hand-on-thigh in the afternoon, were not hand-on-thigh in the evening and that meant more than anything logic could say.† Seldon said, â€Å"I would have put my hand on your thigh.† â€Å"Are you sure?† â€Å"Positive.† â€Å"Even though your standards of decency on the beach are higher than ours are?† â€Å"Yes.† Dors sat down on her own cot, then lay down with her hands behind her head. â€Å"So that you're not particularly disturbed that I'm wearing a nightgown with very little underneath it.† â€Å"I'm not particularly shocked. As for being disturbed, that depends on the definition of the word. I'm certainly aware of how you're dressed.† â€Å"Well, if we're going to be cooped up here for a period of time, we'll have to learn to ignore such things.† â€Å"Or take advantage of them,† said Seldon, grinning. â€Å"And I like your hair. After seeing you bald all day, I like your hair.† â€Å"Well, don't touch it. I haven't washed it yet.† She half-closed her eyes. â€Å"It's interesting. You've detached the informal and formal level of respectability. What you're saying is that Helicon is more respectable at the informal level than Cinna is and less respectable at the formal level. Is that right?† â€Å"Actually, I'm just talking about the young man who placed his hand on your thigh and myself. How representative we are as Cinnians and Heliconians, respectively, I can't say. I can easily imagine some perfectly proper individuals on both worlds-and some madcaps too.† â€Å"We're talking about social pressures. I'm not exactly a Galactic traveler, but I've had to involve myself in a great deal of social history. On the planet of Derowd, there was a time when premarital sex was absolutely free. Multiple sex was allowed for the unmarried and public sex was frowned upon only when traffic was blocked: And yet, after marriage, monogamy was absolute and unbroken. The theory was that by working off all one's fantasies first, one could settle down to the serious business of life.† â€Å"Did it work?† â€Å"About three hundred years ago that stopped, but some of my colleagues say it stopped through external pressure from other worlds who were losing too much tourist business to Derowd. There is such a thing as overall Galactic social pressure too.† â€Å"Or perhaps economic pressure, in this case.† â€Å"Perhaps. And being at the University, by the way, I get a chance to study social pressures, even without being a Galactic traveler. I meet people from scores of places inside and outside of Trantor and one of the pet amusements in the social science departments is the comparison of social pressures. â€Å"Here in Mycogen, for instance, I have the impression that sex is strictly controlled and is permitted under only the most stringent rules, all the more tightly enforced because it is never discussed. In the Streeling Sector, sex is never discussed either, but it isn't condemned. In the Jennat Sector, where I spent a week once doing research, sex is discussed endlessly, but only for the purpose of condemning it. I don't suppose there are any two sectors in Trantor-or any two worlds outside Trantor-in which attitudes toward sex are completely duplicated.† Seldon said, â€Å"You know what you make it sound like? It would appear-â€Å" Dors said, â€Å"I'll tell you how it appears. All this talk of sex makes one thing clear to me. I'm simply not going to let you out of my sight anymore.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Twice I let you go, the first time through my own misjudgment and the second because you bullied me into it. Both times it was clearly a mistake. You know what happened to you the first time.† Seldon said indignantly, â€Å"Yes, but nothing happened to me the second time.† â€Å"You nearly got into a lot of trouble. Suppose you had been caught indulging in sexual escapades with a Sister?† â€Å"It wasn't a sexual-â€Å" â€Å"You yourself said she was in a high state of sexual excitement.† â€Å"But-â€Å" â€Å"It was wrong. Please get it through your head, Hari. From now on, you go nowhere without me.† â€Å"Look,† said Seldon freezingly, â€Å"my object was to find out about Mycogenian history and as a result of the so-called sexual escapade with a Sister, I have a book-the Book.† â€Å"The Book! True, there's the Book. Let's see it.† Seldon produced it and Dors thoughtfully hefted it. She said, â€Å"It might not do us any good, Hari. This doesn't look as though it will fit any projector I've ever encountered. That means you'll have to get a Mycogenian projector and they'll want to know why you want it. They'll then find out you have this Book and they'll take it away from you.† Seldon smiled. â€Å"If your assumptions were correct, Dors, your conclusions would be inescapable, but it happens that this is not the kind of book you think it is. It's not meant to be projected. The material is printed on various pages and the pages are turned. Raindrop Forty-Three explained that much to me.† â€Å"A print-book!† It was hard to tell whether Dors was shocked or amused. â€Å"That's from the Stone Age.† â€Å"It's certainly pre-Empire,† said Seldon, â€Å"but not entirely so. Have you ever seen a print-book?† â€Å"Considering that I'm a historian? Of course, Hari.† â€Å"Ah, but like this one?† He handed over the Book and Dors, smiling, opened it-then turned to another page-then flipped the pages. â€Å"Its blank,† she said. â€Å"It appears to be blank. The Mycogenians are stubbornly primitivistic, but not entirely so. They will keep to the essence of the primitive, but have no objection to using modern technology to modify it for convenience's sake. Who knows?† â€Å"Maybe so, Hari, but I don't understand what you're saying.† â€Å"The pages aren't blank, they're covered with microprint. Here, give it back. If I press this little nubbin on the inner edge of the cover- Look!† The page to which the book lay open was suddenly covered with lines of print that rolled slowly upward. Seldon said, â€Å"You can adjust the rate of upward movement to match your reading speed by slightly twisting the nubbin one way or the other. When the lines of print reach their upward limit when you reach the bottom line, that is-they snap downward and turn off. You turn to the next page and continue.† â€Å"Where does the energy come from that does all this?† â€Å"It has an enclosed microfusion battery that lasts the life of the book.† â€Å"Then when it runs down-â€Å" â€Å"You discard the book, which you may be required to do even before it runs down, given wear and tear, and get another copy. You never replace the battery.† Dors took the Book a second time and looked at it from all sides. She said, â€Å"I must admit I never heard of a book like this.† â€Å"Nor I. The Galaxy, generally, has moved into visual technology so rapidly, it skipped over this possibility.† â€Å"This is visual.† â€Å"Yes, but not with the orthodox effects. This type of book has its advantages. It holds far more than an ordinary visual book does.† Dors said, â€Å"Where's the turn-on?-Ah, let me see if I can work it.† She had opened to a page at random and set the lines of print marching upward. Then she said, â€Å"I'm afraid this won't do you any good, Hari. It's pre-Galactic. I don't mean the book. I mean the print†¦ the language.† â€Å"Can you read it, Dors? As a historian-â€Å" â€Å"As a historian, I'm used to dealing with archaic language-but within limits. This is far too ancient for me. I can make out a few words here and there, but not enough to be useful.† â€Å"Good,† said Seldon. â€Å"If it's really ancient, it will be useful.† â€Å"Not if you can't read it.† â€Å"I can read it,† said Seldon. â€Å"It's bilingual. You don't suppose that Raindrop Forty-Three can read the ancient script, do you?† â€Å"If she's educated properly, why not?† â€Å"Because I suspect that women in Mycogen are not educated past household duties. Some of the more learned men can read this, but everyone else would need a translation to Galactic.† He pushed another nubbin. â€Å"And this supplies it.† The lines of print changed to Galactic Standard. â€Å"Delightful,† said Dors in admiration. â€Å"We could learn from these Mycogenians, but we don't.† â€Å"We haven't known about it.† â€Å"I can't believe that. I know about it now. And you know about it. There must be outsiders coming into Mycogen now and then, for commercial or political reasons, or there wouldn't be skincaps so ready for use. So every once in a while someone must have caught a glimpse of this sort of print-book and seen how it works, but it's probably dismissed as something curious but not worth further study, simply because it's Mycogenian.† â€Å"But is it worth study?† â€Å"Of course. Everything is. Or should be. Hummin would probably point to this lack of concern about these books as a sign of degeneration in the Empire.† He lifted the Book and said with a gush of excitement, â€Å"But I am curious and I will read this and it may push me in the direction of psychohistory.† â€Å"I hope so,† said Dors, â€Å"but if you take my advice, you'll sleep first and approach it fresh in the morning. You won't learn much if you nod over it.† Seldon hesitated, then said, â€Å"How maternal you are!† â€Å"I'm watching over you.† â€Å"But I have a mother alive on Helicon. I would rather you were my friend.† â€Å"As for that, I have been your friend since first I met you.† She smiled at him and Seldon hesitated as though he were not certain as to the appropriate rejoinder. Finally he said, â€Å"Then I'll take your advice-as a friend-and sleep before reading.† He made as though to put the Book on a small table between the two cots, hesitated, turned, and put it under his pillow. Dors Venabili laughed softly. â€Å"I think you're afraid I will wake during the night and read parts of the Book before you have a chance to. Is that it?† â€Å"Well,† said Seldon, trying not to look ashamed, â€Å"that may be it. Even friendship only goes so far and this is my book and it's my psychohistory.† â€Å"I agree,† said Dors, â€Å"and I promise you that we won't quarrel over that. By the way, you were about to say something earlier when I interrupted you. Remember?† Seldon thought briefly. â€Å"No.† In the dark, he thought only of the Book. He gave no thought to the hand-on-thigh story. In fact, he had already quite forgotten it, consciously at least. 48. Venabili woke up and could tell by her timeband that the night period was only half over. Not hearing Hari's snore, she could tell that his cot was empty. If he had not left the apartment, then he was in the bathroom. She tapped lightly on the door and said softly, â€Å"Hari?† He said, â€Å"Come in,† in an abstracted way and she did. The toilet lid was down and Seldon, seated upon it, held the Book open on his lap. He said, quite unnecessarily, â€Å"I'm reading.† â€Å"Yes, I see that. But why?† â€Å"I couldn't sleep. I'm sorry.† â€Å"But why read in here?† â€Å"If I had turned on the room light, I would have woken you up.† â€Å"Are you sure the Book can't be illuminated?† â€Å"Pretty sure. When Raindrop Forty-Three described its workings, she never mentioned illumination. Besides, I suppose that would use up so much energy that the battery wouldn't last the life of the Book.† He sounded dissatisfied. Dors said, â€Å"You can step out, then. I want to use this place, as long as I'm here.† When she emerged, she found him sitting cross-legged on his cot, still reading, with the room well lighted. She said, â€Å"You don't look happy. Does the Book disappoint you?† He looked up at her, blinking. â€Å"Yes, it does. I've sampled it here and there. It's all I've had time to do. The thing is a virtual encyclopedia and the index is almost entirely a listing of people and places that are of little use for my purposes. It has nothing to do with the Galactic Empire or the pre-Imperial Kingdoms either. It deals almost entirely with a single world and, as nearly as I can make out from what I have read, it is an endless dissertation on internal politics.† â€Å"Perhaps you underestimate its age. It may deal with a period when there was indeed only one world†¦ one inhabited world.† â€Å"Yes, I know,† said Seldon a little impatiently. â€Å"That's actually what I want-provided I can be sure its history, not legend. I wonder. I don't want to believe it just because I want to believe it.† Dors said, â€Å"Well, this matter of a single-world origin is much in the air these days. Human beings are a single species spread all over the Galaxy, so they must have originated somewhere. At least that's the popular view at present. You can't have independent origins producing the same species on different worlds.† â€Å"But I've never seen the inevitability of that argument,† said Seldon. â€Å"If human beings arose on a number of worlds as a number of different species, why couldn't they have interbred into some single intermediate species?† â€Å"Because species can't interbreed. That's what makes them species.† Seldon thought about it a moment, then dismissed it with a shrug. â€Å"Well, I'll leave it to the biologists.† â€Å"They're precisely the ones who are keenest on the Earth hypothesis.† â€Å"Earth? Is that what they call the supposed world of origin?† â€Å"That's a popular name for it, though there's no way of telling what it was called, assuming there was one. And no one has any clue to what its location might be.† â€Å"Earth!† said Seldon, curling his lips. â€Å"It sounds like a belch to me. In any case, if the book deals with the original world, I didn't come across it. How do you spell the word?† She told him and he checked the Book quickly. â€Å"There you are. The name is not listed in the index, either by that spelling or any reasonable alternative.† â€Å"Really?† â€Å"And they do mention other worlds in passing. Names aren't given and there seems no interest in those other worlds except insofar as they directly impinge on the local world they speak of†¦ at least as far as I can see from what I've read. In one place, they talked about ‘The Fifty.' I don't know what they meant. Fifty leaders? Fifty cities? It seemed to me to be fifty worlds.† â€Å"Did they give a name to their own world, this world that seems to preoccupy them entirely?† asked Dors. â€Å"If they don't call it Earth, what do they call it?† â€Å"As you'd expect, they call it ‘the world' or ‘the planet.' Sometimes they call it ‘the Oldest' or ‘the World of the Dawn,' which has a poetic significance, I presume, that isn't clear to me. I suppose one ought to read the Book entirely through and some matters will then grow to make more sense.† He looked down at the Book in his hand with some distaste. â€Å"It would take a very long time, though, and I'm not sure that I'd end up any the wiser.† Dors sighed. â€Å"I'm sorry, Hari. You sound so disappointed.† â€Å"That's because I am disappointed. It's my fault, though. I should not have allowed myself to expect too much.-At one point, come to think of it, they referred to their world as ‘Aurora.' â€Å" â€Å"Aurora?† said Dors, lifting her eyebrows. â€Å"It sounds like a proper name. It doesn't make any sense otherwise, as far as I can see. Does it mean anything to you, Dors?† â€Å"Aurora.† Dors thought about it with a slight frown on her face. â€Å"I can't say I've ever heard of a planet with that name in the course of the history of the Galactic Empire or during the period of its growth, for that matter, but I won't pretend to know the name of every one of the twenty-five million worlds. We could look it up in the University library-if we ever get back to Streeling. There's no use trying to find a library here in Mycogen. Somehow I have a feeling that all their knowledge is in the Book. If anything isn't there, they aren't interested.† Seldon yawned and said, â€Å"I think you're right. In any case, there's no use reading any more and I doubt that I can keep my eyes open any longer. Is it all right if I put out the light?† â€Å"I would welcome it, Hari. And let's sleep a little later in the morning.† Then, in the dark, Seldon said softly, â€Å"Of course, some of what they say is ridiculous. For instance, they refer to a life expectancy on their world of between three and four centuries.† â€Å"Centuries?† â€Å"Yes, they count their ages by decades rather than by years. It gives you a queer feeling, because so much of what they say is perfectly matter-of-fact that when they come out with something that odd, you almost find yourself trapped into believing it.† â€Å"If you feel yourself beginning to believe that, then you should realize that many legends of primitive origins assume extended life spans for early leaders. If they're pictured as unbelievably heroic, you see, it seems natural that they have life spans to suit.† â€Å"Is that so?† said Seldon, yawning again. â€Å"It is. And the cure for advanced gullibility is to go to sleep and consider matters again the next day.† And Seldon, pausing only long enough to think that an extended life span might well be a simple necessity for anyone trying to understand a Galaxy of people, slept. 49. The next morning, feeling relaxed and refreshed and eager to begin his study of the Book again, Hari asked Dors, â€Å"How old would you say the Raindrop sisters are?† â€Å"I don't know. Twenty†¦ twenty-two?† â€Å"Well, suppose they do live three or four centuries.† â€Å"Hari. That's ridiculous.† â€Å"I'm saying suppose. In mathematics, we say ‘suppose' all the time and see if we can end up with something patently untrue or self-contradictory. An extended life span would almost surely mean an extended period of development. They might seem in their early twenties and actually be in their sixties.† â€Å"You can try asking them how old they are.† â€Å"We can assume they'd lie.† â€Å"Look up their birth certificates.† Seldon smiled wryly. â€Å"I'll bet you anything you like-a roll in the hay, if you're willing-that they'll claim they don't keep records or that, if they do, they will insist those records are closed to tribespeople.† â€Å"No bet,† said Dors. â€Å"And if that's true, then it's useless trying to suppose anything about their age.† â€Å"Oh no. Think of it this way. If the Mycogenians are living extended life spans that are four or five times that of ordinary human beings, they can't very well give birth to very many children without expanding their population tremendously. You remember that Sunmaster said something about not having the population expand and bit off his remarks angrily at that time.† Dors said, â€Å"What are you getting at?† â€Å"When I was with Raindrop Forty-Three, I saw no children.† â€Å"On the microfarms?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Did you expect children there? I was with Raindrop Forty-Five in the shops and on the residential levels and I assure you I saw a number of children of all ages, including infants. Quite a few of them.† â€Å"Ah.† Seldon looked chagrined. â€Å"Then that would mean they can't be enjoying extended life spans.† Dors said, â€Å"By your line of argument, I should say definitely not. Did you really think they did?† â€Å"No, not really. But then you can't close your mind either and make assumptions without testing them one way or another.† â€Å"You can waste a lot of time that way too, if you stop to chew away at things that are ridiculous on the face of it.† â€Å"Some things that seem ridiculous on the face of it aren't. That's all. Which reminds me. You're the historian. In your work, have you ever come across objects or phenomena called ‘robots'?† â€Å"Ah! Now you're switching to another legend and a very popular one. There are any number of worlds that imagine the existence of machines in human form in prehistoric times. These are called ‘robots.' â€Å"The tales of robots probably originate from one master legend, for the general theme is the same. Robots were devised, then grew in numbers and abilities to the status of the almost superhuman. They threatened humanity and were destroyed. In every case, the destruction took place before the actual reliable historic records available to us today existed. The usual feeling is that the story is a symbolic picture of the risks and dangers of exploring the Galaxy, when human beings expanded outward from the world or worlds that were their original homes. There must always have been the fear of encountering other-and superior-intelligences.† â€Å"Perhaps they did at least once and that gave rise to the legend.† â€Å"Except that on no human-occupied world has there been any record or trace of any prehuman or nonhuman intelligence.† â€Å"But why ‘robots'? Does the word have meaning?† â€Å"Not that I know of, but it's the equivalent of the familiar ‘automata.' â€Å" â€Å"Automata! Well, why don't they say so?† â€Å"Because people do use archaic terms for flavor when they tell an ancient legend. Why do you ask all this, by the way?† â€Å"Because in this ancient Mycogenian book, they talk of robots. And very favorably, by the way.-Listen, Dors, aren't you going out with Raindrop Forty-Five again this afternoon?† â€Å"Supposedly-if she shows up.† â€Å"Would you ask her some questions and try to get the answers out of her?† â€Å"I can try. What are the questions?† â€Å"I would like to find out, as tactfully as possible, if there is some structure in Mycogen that is particularly significant, that is tied in with the past, that has a sort of mythic value, that can-â€Å" Dors interrupted, trying not to smile. â€Å"I think that what you are trying to ask is whether Mycogen has a temple.† And, inevitably, Seldon looked blank and said, â€Å"What's a temple?† â€Å"Another archaic term of uncertain origin. It means all the things you asked about-significance, past, myth. Very well, I'll ask. It's the sort of thing, however, that they might find difficult to speak of. To tribespeople, certainly.† â€Å"Nevertheless, do try.†

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Types of Software Systems Computers are the brain of new world that belong humanity. People save up time and obtain some functions with computers. In time, the future seen on computers and people pursue them. At first, they just consist of a lot of pieces electronic circuits to operate some function such as addition and subtraction. Electronic circuits in other words hardware systems are taken on meaning with software systems to solve more complicated function. Computer software systems are divided into three major categories: system software, programming oftware and application software. The initial section about software systems refers to system software. System software is substratum point on computer system which provide major actions. Other software systems base system software to command their functions. System software includes device drivers, operating systems and servers. Operating systems with other words collection of software resource common services for computer programs . They are the vital system on computer and provide database to application softwares.Device drivers which manage a particular kind of device, are computer program. Considering microphones that attached to computers, they need software to recognise themselves to operating systems. Servers is the system software that relate computers to each others. Internet is formed with server systems. Thus, information is accessible from person to person. The second part of software systems is about programming software. Programming software include tools that is used by software developers, such as create, ebug, maintain, or otherwise support other programs and applications. Computer need compiler which is set of programs for transforming source code into another computer programming language. This transformation create an executable program. In addition, computer debug and test from controller system to avoid bugs. This system is called debugger. Also, interpreters execute instructions written in programming language. They are language and basis of casual programs. Matlab and BASIC are instances for interpreter.The final section of software systems is application softwares. Application softwares support the user to perform specific tasks. This category of software systems contains user-friendly programs such as media players, office suites, accounting software, graphics software. Application softwares synchronize with system and programming softwares. All in all, system softwares, programming softwares and application softwares are main sections of computer softwares. Computers become functional with these softwares that synchronize hardwares.

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ENGH - Essay Example imes, she would sit with my friends and I as we watched the other neighborhood kids turning on the fire hydrants and running underneath the water spray just to cool off. During those instances, she would ask us to each tell a story about what we thought the other kids were doing under the spray of water. While my friends and I made up stories about the scenes unfolding before us, grandmother would pull up her rocking chair and ask us to sit around her. This was often the signal for the game that she loved to play with us. She would ask a child to start the story and then point to another child to continue the story and we would go on like that for around an hour or so until she would say â€Å"last 4 kids need to help end the story.† That was how we whiled away our time during our youth. My grandmother encouraged us to let our imagination soar and get as creative as possible with the stories that we were chaining together. It was really sad that we could only practice the chain story telling when my grandmother was staying with us. Our parents did not have the time to play with us the same way that she did. As for me, I enjoyed the story telling activity so much that I wanted to keep doing it even while my grandmother was away. That is why I once asked my mother to buy me a notebook and some extra pens. I would sit on our front step and observe the people who passed me by. Then I would jot down something that I observed about that person and what I thought he or she was thinking as she walked past. Before I knew it, I had begun to write simple stories of the fictional kind. Maybe it was because of the constant repetition of the activity, it maybe it was the enjoyment that I got from releasing my imagination and allowing it to soar. But I discovered later on that I had a natural talent and love for fictional writing. My grandmother was my first ever editor and my biggest fan. She encouraged me to continue discovering my writing talent in a way that my parents

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Rewrite article from a quantitative to a qualitative study Essay

Rewrite article from a quantitative to a qualitative study - Essay Example Compounded with the aging population of registered nurse, the problem is yet to be solved. The author identifies high turnover and increased cost of replacement as a major research problem. Current literature contains numerous research articles on job satisfaction. However, most of these literature materials analyze the problem from a business perspective. Although health organizations operate under fundamental business principles, job satisfaction issues require professional analysis. Ideally, the article intends to express severity of the looming nurse’s shortages, determine the leading factors, and hypothesize possible solutions to the nurses’ recruitment and retention question. The author intended to develop sufficient solution to fundamental research questions. Firstly, the author wanted to establish the role of job satisfaction in employee retention. Additionally the article explores the role of workload and incentives on recruitment and retention of specialized n urse. Issues of remuneration and the need to harmonize the salary of nurses with those of other civil servant also featured in the article. The researcher utilized quantitative techniques for (n=62). Questionnaires were the main research tools applied in the research. Samples were drawn from qualified nurse in critical and surgical care units of five Southern States Hospitals that were identified for the study. The researchers distributed 201 questionnaires, of which 121 were considered valid. The nursing job satisfaction scale NJSS was used alongside the questionnaires to gauge the level of satisfaction among nurse (Davis, Ward, Woodall, Shultz, & Davis, 2007). Additionally, other researchers relied on demographic materials to collect essential information. Critical information acquired from demographic materials included level of education, experience, and age and employment status of nurses. Participation in the research was on voluntary basis. This element was essential in ensur ing equal participation of nurses from different specializations. Although the research did not consolidate all possible cases, it achieved a fair coverage. Independent variables in the study included new recruitments, highest attained qualification for nurse, age, and level of incentives. Independent variables included rate of employee’s turnover, new applications and rate of employee retention. The choice of independent and dependent variables favored the research questions. Arguably, the research design allowed the researcher to respond to the initial research questions. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS (Version 14.0). This analysis was conducted using an independent t test to differentiate between surgical and critical unit nurse. The quantitative research did not establish significant differences between critical unit nurses and surgical nurses in terms of job satisfaction. Additionally, the study established that both units experienced equivalent rate of employee turnover. Ideally, job satisfaction among health workers is independent of salary scale and professional level of individual employee. Being a quantitative study the research intended to measure response of independent variable from subsequent changes in independent variables. Alternatively, if the study were qualitative, the researcher would be concerned with change of human behavior from change in each of the

Minor capacity judgement Essay Example for Free

Minor capacity judgement Essay Mohori Bibee and another Vs. Dharmodas Ghose Mohori Bibee and another Vs. Dharmodas Ghose Options Dock Print PDF Court :  Kolkata Reported in :  (1903)30IndianAppeals114 Judge :  Lord Macnaghten; Lord Davey; Lord Lindley; Sir Ford North; Sir Andrew Scoble; Sir Andrew Wilson, JJ. Decided On :  Mar-04-1903 Acts :  Indian Evidence Act, 1877 Section 115; Indian Contract Act Sections 41, 19, 64, 65 Appellant :  Mohori Bibee and another Respondent :  Dharmodas Ghose Advocate for Respondent :  W. W. Box, Adv. Advocate for Appellant :  Watkins; Lempriere, Advs. Judgment: SIR FORD NORTH, J. On July 20, 1895, the respondent, Dhurmodas Ghose, executed a mortgage in favour of Brahmo Dutt, a money-lender carrying on business at Calcutta and elsewhere, to secure the repayment of Rs. 20,000 at 12 per cent. interest on some houses belonging to the respondent. The amount actually advanced is in dispute. At that time the respondent was an infant; and he did not attain twenty-one until the month of September following. Throughout the transaction Brahmo Dutt was absent from Calcutta, and the whole business was carried through for him by his attorney, Kedar Nath Mitter, the money being found by Dedraj, the local manager of Brahmo Dutt. While considering the proposed advance, Kedar Nath received information that the respondent was still a minor; and on July 15, 1895, the following letter was written and sent to him by Bhupendra Nath Bose, an attorney:— â€Å"Dear Sir,—I am instructed by S. M. Jogendranundinee Dasi, the mother and guardian appointed by the High Court under its letters patent of the person and property of Babu Dhurmodas Ghose, that a mortgage of the properties of the said Babu Dhurmodas Ghose is being prepared from your office. I am instructed to give you notice, which I hereby do, that the said Babu Dhurmodas Ghose is still an infant under the age of twenty-one, and any one lending money to him will do so at his own risk and peril. † Kedar Nath positively denied the receipt of any such letter; but the Court of first instance and the Appellate Court both held that he did personally receive it on July 15; and the evidence is conclusive upon the point. On the day on which the mortgage was executed, Kedar Nath got the infant to sign a long declaration, which, he had prepared for him, containing a statement that he came of age on June 17; and that Babu Dedraj and Brahmo Dutt, relying on his assurance that he had attained his majority, had agreed to advance to him Rs. 0,000. There is conflicting evidence as to the time when and circumstances under which that declaration was obtained; but it is unnecessary to go into this, as both Courts below have held that Kedar Nath did not act upon, and was not misled by, that statement, and was fully aware at the time the mortgage was executed of the minority of the respondent. It may be added here that Kedar Nath was the attorney and agent of Brahmo Dutt, and says in his evidence that he got the declaration for the greater security of his â€Å"client. † The infant had not any separate legal adviser. On September 10, 1895, the infant, by his mother and guardian as next friend, commenced this action against Brahmo Dutt, stating that he was under age when he executed the mortgage, and praying for a declaration that it was void and inoperative, and should be delivered up to be cancelled. The defendant, Brahmo Dutt, put in a defence that the plaintiff was of full age when he executed the mortgage; that neither he nor Kedar Nath had any notice that the plaintiff was then an infant; that, even if he was a minor, the declaration as to his age was fraudulently made to deceive the defendant, and disentitled the plaintiff to any relief; and that in any case the Court should not grant the plaintiff any relief without making him repay the moneys advanced. By a further statement the defendant alleged that the plaintiff had ubsequently ratified the mortgage; but this case wholly failed, and is not the subject of appeal. Jenkins J. , who presided in the Court of first instance, found the facts as above stated, and granted the relief asked. And the Appellate Court dismissed the appeal from him. Subsequently to the institution of the present appeal Brahmo Dutt died, and this appeal has been prosecuted by his executors. The first of the appellants reasons in support of the present appeal is that the Courts below were wrong in holding that the knowledge of Kedar Nath must be imputed to the defendant. In their Lordships opinion they were obviously right. The defendant was absent from Calcutta, and personally did not take any part in the transaction. It was entirely in charge of Kedar Nath, whose full authority to act as he did is not disputed. He stood in the place of the defendant for the purposes of this mortgage; and his acts and knowledge were the acts and knowledge of his principal. It was contended that Dedraj, the defendants gomastha, was the real representative in Calcutta of the defendant, and that he had no knowledge of the plaintiffs minority. But there is nothing in this. He no doubt made the advance out of the defendants funds. But he says in his evidence that â€Å"Kedar Babu was acting on behalf of my master from the beginning in this matter†; and a little further on he adds that before the registration of the mortgage he did not communicate with his master on the subject of the minority. But he did know that there was a question raised as to the plaintiffs age; and he says, â€Å"I left all matters regarding the minority in the hands of Kedar Babu. † The appellants counsel contended that the plaintiff is estopped by s. 115 of the Indian Evidence Act (I. f 1872) from setting up that he was an infant when he executed the mortgage. The section is as follows: â€Å"Estoppel. When one person has by his declaration act or omission intentionally caused or permitted another person to believe a thing to be true, and to act upon such belief, neither he nor his representative shall be allowed in any suit or proceeding between himself and such person or his representative to deny the truth of that thing. † The Courts below seem to have decided that this section does not apply to infants; but their Lordships do not think it necessary to deal with that question now. They consider it clear that the section does not apply to a case like the present, where the statement relied upon is made to a person who knows the real facts and is not misled by the untrue statement. There can be no estoppel where the truth of the matter is known to both parties, and their Lordships hold, in accordance with English authorities, that a false representation, made to a person who knows it to be false, is not such a fraud as to take away the privilege of infancy: Nelson v. Stocker. 0 The same principle is recognised in the explanation to s. 19 of the Indian Contract Act, in which it is said that a fraud or misrepresentation which did not cause the consent to a contract of the party on whom such fraud was practised, or to whom such misrepresentation was made, does not render a contract voidable. The point most pressed, however, on behalf of the appellants was that the Courts ought not to have decreed in the respondents favour without ordering him to repay to the appell ants the sum of Rs. 0,500, said to have been paid to him as part of the consideration for the mortgage. And in support of this contention s. 64 of the Contract Act (IX. of 1872) was relied on:— â€Å"Sect. 64. When a person at whose option a contract is voidable rescinds it, the other party thereto need not perform any promise therein contained of which he is promisor. The party rescinding a voidable contract shall, if he have received any benefit thereunder from another party to such contract, restore such benefit, so far as may be, to the person from whom it was received.    Both Courts below held that they were bound by authority to treat the contracts of infants as voidable only, and not void; but that this section only refers to contracts made by persons competent to contract, and therefore not to infants. The general current of decision in India certainly is that ever since the passing of the Indian Contract Act (IX, of 1872) the contracts of infants are voidable onl y. This conclusion, however, has not been arrived at without vigorous protests by various judges from time to time; nor indeed without decisions to the contrary effect. Under these circumstances, their Lordships consider themselves at liberty to act on their own view of the law as declared by the Contract Act, and they have thought it right to have the case reargued before them upon this point. They do not consider it necessary to examine in detail the numerous decisions above referred to, as in their opinion the whole question turns upon what is the true construction of the Contract Act itself. It is necessary, therefore, to consider carefully the terms of that Act; but before doing so it may be convenient to refer to the Transfer of Property Act (IV of 1882), s. of which provides that every person competent to contract and entitled to transferable property. . . . is competent to transfer such property. . . . in the circumstances, to the extent, and in the manner allowed and prescribed by any law for the time bring in force. That is the Act under which the present mortgage was made, and it is merely dealing with persons competent to contract; and s . 4 of that Act provides that the chapters and sections of that Act which relate to contracts are to be taken as part of the Indian Contract Act, 1872. The present case, therefore, falls within the provisions of the latter Act. Then, to turn to the Contract Act, s. 2 provides: (e) Every promise and every set of promises, forming the consideration for each other, is an agreement. (g) An agreement not enforceable by law is said to be void. (h) An agreement enforceable by law is a contract. (i) An agreement which is enforceable by law at the option of one or more of the parties thereto, but not at the option of the other or others, is a voidable contract. Sect. 0 provides: â€Å"All agreements are contracts if they are made by the free consent of parties competent to contract for a lawful consideration and with a lawful object, and are not hereby expressly declared to be void. † Then s. 11 is most important, as defining who are meant by â€Å"persons competent to contract†; it is as follows; â€Å"Every person is competent to contract who is of the age of majority according to the law to which he is subject, and who is o f sound mind, and is not disqualified from contracting by any law to which he is subject. † Looking at these sections, their Lordships are atisfied that the Act makes it essential that all contracting parties should be â€Å"competent to contract,† and expressly provides that a person who by reason of infancy is incompetent to contract cannot make a contract within the meaning of the Act. This is clearly borne out by later sections in the Act. Sect. 68 provides that, â€Å"If a person incapable of entering into a contract, or any one whom he is legally bound to support, is supplied by another person with necessaries suited to his condition in life, the person who has furnished such supplies is entitled to be reimbursed from the property of such incapable person. It is beyond question that an infant falls within the class of persons here referred to as incapable of entering into a contract; and it is clear from the Act that he is not to be liable even for necessaries, a nd that no demand in respect thereof is enforceable against him by law, though a statutory claim is created against his property. Under ss. 183 and 184 no person under the age of majority can employ or be an agent. Again, under ss. 47 and 248, although a person under majority may be admitted to the benefits of a partnership, he cannot be made personally liable for any of its obligations; although he may on attaining majority accept those obligations if he thinks fit to do so. The question whether a contract is void or voidable presupposes the existence of a contract within the meaning of the Act, and cannot arise in the case of an infant. Their Lordships are, therefore, of opinion that in the present case there is not any such voidable contract as is dealt with in s. 64. A new point was raised here by the appellants counsel, founded on s. 5 of the Contract Act, a section not referred to in the Courts below, or in the cases of the appellants or respondent. It is sufficient to say tha t this section, like s. 64. starts from the basis of there being an agreement or contract between competent parties, and has no application to a case in which there never was, and never could have been, any contract. It was further argued that the preamble of the Act shewed that the Act was only intended to define and amend certain parts of the law relating to contracts, and that contracts by infants were left outside the Act. If this were so, it does not appear how it would help the appellants. But in their Lordships opinion the Act, so far as it goes, is exhaustive and imperative, and does provide in clear language that an infant is not a person competent to bind himself by a contract of this description. Another enactment relied upon as a reason why the mortgage money should be returned is s. 41 of the Specific Relief Act (I. of 1877), which is as follows: â€Å"Sect. 41. On adjudging the cancellation of an instrument the Court may require the party to whom such relief is granted to make any compensation to the other which justice may require. Sect. 38 provides in similar terms for a case of rescission of a contract. These sections, no doubt, do give a discretion to the Court; but the Court of first instance, and subsequently the Appellate Court, in the exercise of such discretion, came to the conclusion that under the circumstances of this case justice did not require them to order the return by the r espondent of money advanced to him with full knowledge of his infancy, and their Lordships see no reason for interfering with the discretion so exercised. It was also contended that one who seeks equity must do equity. But this is the last point over again, and does not require further notice except by referring to a recent decision of the Court of Appeal in Thurstan v. Nottingham Permanent Benefit Building Society21, since affirmed by the House of Lords. 22 In that case a female infant obtained from the society of which she was a member part of the purchase-money of some property she purchased; and the society also agreed to make her advances to complete certain buildings thereon. They made the advances, and took from her a mortgage for the amount. On attaining twenty-one she brought the action to have the mortgage declared void under the Infants Relief Act. The Court held that, as regards the purchase-money paid to the vendor, the society was entitled to stand in his place and had a lien upon the property, but that the mortgage must be declared void, and that the society was not entitled to any repayment of the advances. Dealing with this part of their claim Romer L. J, says23: â€Å"The short answer is that a Court of Equity cannot say that it is equitable to compel a person to pay any moneys in respect of a transaction which as against that person the Legislature has declared to be void. So here. Their Lordships observe that the construction which they have put upon the Contract Act seems to be in accordance with the old Hindu Law as declared in the laws of Menu, ch. viii. 163; and Colebrookes Dig. liii. 2, vol. ii. p. 181; although there are no doubt, decisions of some weight that before the Indian Contract Act an infants contract was voidable only in accordance with English law as it then stood. The appeal, therefore, wholly fails; and their Lordships will humbly advise His Majesty that it should be dismissed. The appellants must pay the costs of the appeal.

Does Damage To The Environment Pose Security Threat Politics Essay

Does Damage To The Environment Pose Security Threat Politics Essay Traditionally the focus of security studies has been on the military and states, however with the end of the cold war focus began to shift to other security issues which had previously been neglected. The environment began to rise on the international political agenda, and numerous studies have been conducted to assess the impact environmental change can have on security. However, there is still no firm consensus on the impact it has. In fact, there is no real consensus on the meaning of security either, thus making this assessment problematic. The aim here is to establish whether damage to the environment poses a threat to security, and, if so, in what ways. This essay will start with a short analysis of what  constitutes an environmental problem, and the extent to which damage to it is a security issue at all, by introducing the ongoing debate surrounding the importance of environment on the security agenda (Neo-Malthusian vs. Cornucopian); Then I will present the two opposing vi ews regarding the focus of security studies (National Security vs. Human Security). This will be followed by an assessment of the different ways damage to the environment poses a security threat, both in terms of National Security and Human Security. I will conclude with a summary of the issue and my own perspective. The Environment and Security An environmental problem is a change of state in the physical environment which is brought about by human interference with the physical environment, and has effects which society deems unacceptable in the light of its shared norms  [1]  . Human behaviour is generating CO2 which appears to result in depletion of the ozone layer. This causes overheating of the Earths surface which is passed on to overheating of the core which is triggering increased tectonic activity which results in volcanic activity, earthquakes, tsunamis and the resultant problems including radioactivity. This eventually puts undue pressure on food supplies and other resources. However, there is an ongoing debate within the environmental security literature as to the importance of environmental problems and whether they should be considered a security issue. The neo Malthusian approach attempts to highlight the dangers of population growth outstripping food production. Arguably this would lead to a competition for resources, and ultimately cause conflict and possibly war, thus creating a security issue  [2]  . Cornucopians, or Promethians, believe that Neo-Malthusians exaggerate problem and that their pessimistic view is unnecessary because human beings will devise solutions to environmental challenges and that there is, in reality, an infinite supply of natural resources.  [3]  For the purpose of this essay we shall assume that environment is a security issue, not necessarily in the traditional sense of what constitutes a security issue, but indeed for a variety of reasons, which are often excluded or ignored. The term security is taken generally to mean the protection of people against violence, or the defence against all forms of insecurity; this includes economic and environmental insecurity. Analysts have focused traditionally on the challenges posed by war and belligerence, but today the area of interest has expanded. The UN Secretary-Generals High Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change categorised the threats facing the world currently, and along with terrorism, transnational organised crime and WMDs, the panel included economic and social threats including poverty, disease, and environmental degradation  [4]  . Some would argue that environmental change becomes a threat when it endangers national security, others when it threatens human welfare. NATO adheres to the former, but this maybe is to be expected given its state-centric, military approach; whereas the United Nations is more a humanitarian organisation, and subscribes to the latter. Whichever, the environment is regarded increasingly as both a human and an international security issue, albeit for somewhat different reasons. While the focus of security has historically been on people  [5]  , with the development of academic International Relations (IR), it fell on the State, and the concept of national interest emerged. This is linked to the realist approach to International Relations, in which the interests of the State come first with the protection of national interests being vital  [6]  . In this view security is closely related to military power; therefore a strong Armed Forces is necessary if the State is to be protected from threats. Walker and Loader maintain that the State-centric approach is still dominant within international relations practice, characterised by an enduring attachment to the nation as the main actor in global politics. According to Page, the traditional focus of work on security has been on the investigation of military threats to the territorial integrity of a given state that arise either externally (military activity from another state) or internally (from subversiv e, and generally violent, activities of terrorist groups).  [7]   After 1989, and the subsequent improvement in relations between NATO and the former USSR, conventional understandings of security became less relevant. Simultaneously, humanitarian concerns were increasingly coming to the fore of national and international politics and policy  [8]  . This review of the concept of security led many to believe that the focus should not be on states but on people, and the welfare of humans. In 1995 a UN report stated too often in the past, preserving the security of the state has been used an excuse for policies that undermined the security of people  [9]  . The concept of human security is embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human rights adopted by the UN in 1948. The Declaration states that everyone has the right to life, liberty and personal security. Human security means safety from the constant threats of hunger, disease, crime and repression, and protection from sudden and hurtful disruptions in the patterns of our daily lives-whether in our homes, jobs, communities or environment  [10]  . Writing in 1989, Mathews argued for a broadening definition of national security to include resource, environmental and demographic issues  [11]  , claiming that environmental protection and national security are inseparable. In 1997 Buzan wrote about broadening the concept of security, to include human and environmental security  [12]  , whereas Kaplans article, The Coming Anarchy, centred on the role of environmental degradation and anarchy, and marked a decided elevation of the environment and security debate  [13]  . Environmental security poses a threat if national security is undermined Many traditionalists may find it hard to connect environmental issues to security. However, some would argue that environmental issues can become a security issue when national security is threatened. Environmental degradation leads to the depletion of resources and competition for the remaining resources can create conflict, which may in some cases lead to war, thereby undermining national security. This is a popular assumption in the security literature  [14]  . Ullman argues that resource conflict is at the root of most violent conflicts in history  [15]  . After a decade of research into the connection between environmental scarcity and violent conflict, Thomas Homer-Dixon reached the conclusion that environmental scarcity can contribute to violence and ethnic clashes, and these incidents will probably increase as scarcities of cropland, freshwater and forest worsen  [16]  . However, there are other issues to consider also. The most important disputed issue in past violent conflicts has been territory, and if climate change and rising sea levels lead to diminished land area, this can lead to conflict. For example, a 45 cm rise in sea-level will potentially result in a loss of 10.9% of Bangladeshs territory, forcing over 5 million people to relocate  [17]  . Furthermore, measures implemented to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will also incur costs, which could be damaging to the national economy. Goldstone argues that some countries, such as Saudi Arabia, already demonstrate certain characteristics conducive to political unrest, and the situation may intensify as a result of implementation of the Kyoto Protocol  [18]  . Some observe that environmental changes lead to migration, which in turn can lead to conflict in the host nation. However, as Goldstone observes, the crucial element is not migration per seWhat appears to matter for conflict are those cases wherein migration leads to clashes of national identity  [19]  . Therefore it is less the movement of people and more the social and political responses to that movement that matters most in conflicts in which immigration is a factor  [20]  . Nevertheless, climate-related conflicts are most likely to occur as a result of migration  [21]  . As soils are degraded, clean water supplies are depleted, infrastructure is damaged and lives are lost, migration may seem like the best solution for many people. Rises in sea-level may also induce large scale migration in the longer-term. For example, with the predicted rise in sea-level, people living on the Ganges Delta in Bangladesh will be forced to relocate. Some may move inland, but many more may move to neighbouring India and Pakistan and previous migration of this kind has been a factor in violence in the region  [22]  . According to both Elliot and Homer-Dixon, environmental change can lead to conflict when it interacts with other social, economic, political and cultural factors which reduce stability in a given domain  [23]  . In fact, these other aspects seem to be far more important factors affecting the likelihood of violent conflict. For example, stable democracies with a high level of development also seem to experience a lower rate of violent conflict. Damage to the environment poses a security threat if human security is threatened While the majority of studies of environmental security focus on the way environmental change may impact national security, others would argue that this concern is misplaced  [24]  . Global environmental change may, in some cases lead to violent conflict, but it may also have a significant impact on human security or welfare. Insufficient access to safe water resources and inadequate food supply are detrimental to human security  [25]  . Furthermore, according to Smil, environmental security has become a htreat similar to that of global nuclear warfare as it shares two characteristics: both are global in reach and the effects of both could be highly devastating  [26]  . Although the impact of climate change can be felt in many ways, either directly or indirectly, there are a number of ways in which human security will be harmed by manmade environmental change. In the UNDP report of Human Development of 1995 it was stated that environmental degradation poses a major threat to human security. As many as 70,000 square kilometres of farmland are abandoned each year as a result of degradation, and about 4 million hectares of rain-fed cropland are lost annually to soil erosion  [27]  . The planet is currently going through a period of change; temperatures are rising, causing a melting of the ice caps, which in turn brings about a rise in water levels. Most of the observed temperature increase has been caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases, which result from human activities such as the burning of fossil fuel and deforestation. The Climate Change induced rise in sea level will deeply impact coastal areas and islands. It will bring about increased salinity of fresh water and increased flooding. Flooding puts 45 million people a year at risk due to storm surges. A 50cm rise in sea level would increase this number to about 92 million  [28]  . However, the rise in temperatures also provokes prolonged droughts, leading to desertification and severely impacting already vulnerable areas, such as sub-Saharan Africa and some parts of Southern Asia. There are also health impacts connected to the increased intensity and duration of heat waves. (eg. Malari a, yellow fever, dengue). Infectious diseases are currently the worlds leading cause of death, killing nearly 17 million people a year  [29]  . Climate change also impacts agriculture and the subsequent availability of food. The food crisis of the mid 1970s sparked a detailed analysis into the relationship between hunger, famine and environmental causes, such as drought, flooding and land degradation.  [30]  It is now well recognised that such events can tip already vulnerable local societies into acute distress. Almost 800 million people in the developing world do not have enough to eat, and a further 3 million in the industrialised countries and economies in transition also suffer from chronic food insecurity  [31]  . Poor or insufficient nutrition can eventually lead to sever health problems such as gastro-intestinal infections, measles and malaria  [32]  . In discussions of the possible links between environment and security we often find reference to water. It is essential to human survival, has value in economic terms, and sometimes strategic significance. Nonetheless, in 1999 it was reported that 20% of the worlds population already lacks access to safe drinking water  [33]  . Water pollution can be extremely harmful both in terms of health and economy; not only does it further reduce the availability of clean drinking water, but it could also cause extensive damage to marine life and severely hurt the economy, as we saw in the 2010 BP oil spill  [34]  . At the P-7 conference in 2000, delegates from the poorest nations gathered and called for water to be treated as a fundamental human right, not as a market commodity  [35]  . Not only does water scarcity lead to health issues, a human security issue, but it also can lead to violent conflict if nations are in competition over the resource, thus becoming a national securit y issue. Indeed, damage to, or degradation of, the environment results in resource depletion which, on the one hand, causes civil unrest, leading to conflict, while, on the other, causes famine and illness, threatening human security, or welfare. Conclusion Traditionally the term Security was used to mean State Security, but with the fall of the Soviet Union security studies has expanded to include other threats including environmental damage. However, so far, emphasis has been placed on environmental change as cause of violent conflict, due to competition over resources or territory, but there are other possible implications, such as the effect it has on Human Security. To understand environmental damage as a security threat- in that it poses a threat to human security or welfare- we must move away from the traditional view that security is a state-centric, military led, affair. While it may be true that environmental damage can lead to conflict, albeit in conjunction with other factors, we should also be looking at how damage to the environment affects people. As mentioned in the UNDP in 1994, Human security is not a concern with weapons it is a concern with human life and dignity  [36]  . Everyone has the right to live a life fr ee from insecurity. It can be argued that environmental damage is a constant security issue for some nation-states, communities and individuals. Not only can it lead to violent conflict, and threaten national security but it can also threaten human life and welfare. Some damage, such as climate change, poses cultural, health, and life-threatening risks comparable to the impact of warfare. We often see security threats as those which come from other states, involve the military and concern national security; however, environmental damage can become a threat to security, indeed, for many states it can be the most serious security problem that these countries face, because it directly threatens their life and their wellbeing.

The Industrialisation And Globalisation Of The World Economy

The Industrialisation And Globalisation Of The World Economy Due to the industrialisation and globalisation the worlds economy became as a single market where the business can be done across the world this made edge to edge competition among the organisations. Due to the huge competition and necessity to expand globally made the organisations to make them self strong and specialised by concentrating on external and internal aspects like recruiting highly skilled employees, giving advanced training to employees, introducing advanced technologies etc. and changing their dimensions according to the changes of the worlds markets. Employees are very important to an organisation. The success of an organisation depends on the skills and ability its human resources. Human resources are the major/ important determinant of the company performance over the long term (Ronald R.Sims, 2002, p.1). My company value is zero (0) from 6 pm to 9 am because there will be no employee (Narayana murthy, CEO ). According to Budhwar and Debrah(1984) in an organisation human resource is the easiest resource which can manage easily and same way human resources are the toughest resources to manage. According to Grandhi Malikarujna rao (2008) if u manage, utilize and control the human resources of an organisation then 90% of the organisation is succeed. About company: Vodafone is the first UKs mobile company which made call at past midnight on 1st January 1985. 1/3 of the new customers are connecting to Vodafone. In 1982 the Recal Telecomms (Division of Recal Electronics group) renamed as Vodafone having less than 50 employees in one building. Now it is operating in 27 countries across 5 Continents, 186.8 million customers and 33 partner networks. Sir John Bond is Chairman and Vittorio Colao is Chief Executive of Vodafone. (Home page, History, Meet the Board) Vision: The long term goal of the company is to be a leader in mobile communication by enriching customers lives, helping people, business and communities across the globe to get connected. Team Building: This is a fairly general term that is used in a number of different ways. It can cover either what you are trying to achieve or how you are trying to achieve it or both! The following cover most of the options: Team building is developing working relationships. Team building is improving the performance of the team. Team building is outdoor activities that challenge the individuals within the team. Team building is about improving motivation, communication, support and trust within a team. A Team-wise team building event will be is great fun however they have been developed with several aims in mind: Working relationships will be developed People have to work together and by doing so colleagues will develop more effective working relationships with team members who are new to the team and with team members who have been part of the team for some time. Shared positive experience The whole day is very memorable, team members will be talking about it for the rest of the year. As such colleagues will share a positive and memorable experience which further develops bonds. Strengths and talents Everyone gets fully involved in the day and their are lots of different roles so team workers will see their colleagues in a whole new light and will have a greater understanding of their strengths and talents. Teamwork Everything during the team building day clearly requires teamwork and as such team members will leave with a greater awareness of how teams work and how to make them work better. Reward Staff enjoy the day and feel that the company cares about them. According to Brill (1976, p.10) that work which is done by a group of people who possess individual expertise, who are responsible for making individual decisions, who hold a common purpose and who meet together to communicate, share and consolidate knowledge from which plans are made, future decisions are influenced, and actions determined. According to Cannon-bowers A team is set of two or more individuals who interact interdependently and adoptively toward a common goal or objective. In addition, team members have specific roles or functions and the span of memberships is limited Vodafone employees spread in different locations has to interact in a multicultural environment with employees from diverse cultural and geographical backgrounds employee training from the core part of facilitating process of living the employees to a common organisational culture. Stages of Team Building: Forming: When a new team forms, the team members are new they dont know with each, they dont know the tasks what to do, what are punishments and rewards if the tasks are performed and not performed so the team leader should arrange the meeting (group meeting) and make clear about the goal of forming team, individual tasks, rules and regulations, rewards and punishments. Storming: If any problems arise in the team, the leader should bring all the members together by dialogues and make them to work towards the goal and objectives of the group forming. This the crucial part which effects the team performance if the team members does not have proper co-operation then the team leader should arrange meeting(group meeting) as early as possible and make the team perform well. Norming: In this stage team leader reduces his tasks himself and encourages the team members to take over load ( more tasks). He spends more time individually with each member and reviews their performances and motivates them to achieve the goals. Performing: Team leader should make the team members to perform well in order to achieve goal. Team leader should encourage the team members to complete their individual tasks within the time. Adjourning: This is the lost stage where the performance of the team and individual is analyzed, rewarding for the best performers in team and splitting/ separating the team officially. Learning and development in Vodafone: Learning and development is centred on quality excellence and efficiency. The main focus area is to develop the existing human capital (human resources) in line with the ever changing face of the industry and make the employees a more stable and most motivated work force with more opportunities for growth and development within the company using the latest development in learning technology. The company recognises the importance of on the job learning obtain through different assignments which are Taylor made to suit interest and provide an opportunity to develop the skills for preparing them for new roles with in Vodafone. Interaction with group in Vodafone: The annual people survey where the employees interact formally through performance dialogues with line managers from the bases employee engagement programs in Vodafone. The relationship between employee feedback and informal performance is co-related .the focus is on improving situations where employees are performing poorly. One of the main concerns is to use feedback strategies that improve the areas of poor performance and to evaluate negative feedback received by the company. This involves processing the feedback between the employee and the supervisor and identifies areas of improvement .From the employee perspective the process is motivated to maintain a positive self esteem for the supervisor and rooted in the reluctance to give any negative feedback (James .R. Larson, JR 1969). The various initiatives are targeted at improving informal and formal communication in the company. As part of working in the group people Work as a group through team meetings and interaction with group managers. All employees interact with others using the internet site using it for formal engagements and through online discussions and engagements as well as through blogs and wikis .online team rooms facilitate information transfer with subsidiaries with email news bulletin and Internal TV Channel. Conflict management Organizational managers do not view management conflict as strategic as managing information ,but this is changing gradually and the current view is to manage information and human resource and align it with financial systems .normally the conflict management is dealt with on two fronts ,one is emotional and one is strategic were it is aligned with the total business goals of the company .relationship conflict is concerned with the idea of addressing interpersonal incompatibilities and involves reducing tension within the group and solving personal issues and settling annoyance and frustration which can act as negative factors in a company s growth. A company like Vodafone with several subsidiaries should have a centralises system in conflict management and should be treated as a strategic issue rather than one which is solved emotionally and out of the book. This can go a long way in creating a congenial environment for emotional and intellectual growth. Internal communication within the group Every organization looks out for effective means to communicate within the group and the key to success lies in effective communication within the organization. A change in management can distort communication channels within the organization. The example of this can be seen in the takeover of Hutchison Essar in March 2007. The sudden change in management has displaced communication channels in its Indian subsidiary. The solution was not to distort the existing in the newly acquired company. The model the company adopted has similarities to the research paper published by (Tony Proctor 2003) Leadership within Vodafone Organizational culture has to age and has progressed to be critical in defining the work culture in the company .unbiased approach and fairness has to be key aspects that govern the policy in an organization. Large organizations like Vodafone face coordination problems in different levels in the organization. The three core areas were management in contemporary organizations face problems are the issues related to transformational management .the leadership has to facilitate the performance of collective tasking in the organization. Some research like (Garry Yuki 2002) suggests that managing and leadership should be treated separately .in publically listed companies there is an increased influence to satisfy the expectations of stakeholders. The contemporary roles of leaders have change, long gone are the notions of military leaders who use to win battles .the current role of leaders have changed and the ability of managers is there ability to turnaround failing organizations into successfully managed profitable ventures. The contemporary example can be the turnaround of automobile Giant Chrysler Corporation under the charismatic leadership of Lee Iacocca (Fried .E.Feidler 1996). For an organization like Vodafone there has to be synergy of various styles of leadership like: Emergent leadership The behavior of persons within the group and their ability to perform as a group is crucial in defining successful process of building leaders in the organization. Knowledge acquisition by first line managers is equally important and much research has successfully established it helps to lever ones core competencies and achieve competitive advantages. There is another factor which surrounds this which says about the co-relation of leadership and job satisfaction. (John .D.Politics 2001). An emergent leader is mostly situational and does not possess any serious traits of a leader. The ability to accomplish goals within a specified time defines the Emergent leaders. There are mostly selected out of intuitions rather than any pre planned strategy. The other theory is centred on effectiveness where effective is measures by conducted assessment of previous work and similarities between suitable traits and the leader is analyzed. The assessment even though is formally assessed is not fully standardized and uniform, which therefore can have variations is implementation. The core centre of this theory is that it is centred around the concept that those who are socially adept and bright are more set to be prospective leaders in the future. Succession management policy Vodafone a global company were succession planning has to be carried out at different levels. And it has to be relevant and engineered to suit. The most important aspect is to cater to the gap between the is planned and what is achieved. The focus should be on how leaders can be relevant and reengineered to remain relevant and make it suitable to suit the organization. The changing expectations of the society and accelerated changes in business leadership .the workplace is becoming increasingly diverse and every effort has to made to see that women ,minorities ,ethnicities has to be taken care of in the Global context. Coclusion:   Books Naomi I. Brill (1976). Teamwork: working together in the Human Services. Toronto: Lippincott. P5-11. Ronald R. Sims (2002)Organizational success through effective human resources management. p1-5. Pawan S.Budhwar and Yaw.Debrah (1984). Human Resource Management in Developing Countries. 3rd ed. Londan: Routledge. Articles Janis A. Cannon-Bowers and Eduardo Salas . (1998). Team Performance and Training in Complex Environments: Recent Findings from Applied Research. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Current Directions in Psychological Science. 7 (3), 83-87. Osama Abudayyeh. (1994). Partnering: A Team Building Approach to Quality Construction Management. Journal of Management in Engineering. 10 (6), p26-29. (Source: http://cedb.asce.org/cgi/WWWdisplay.cgi?9404719) News Papers Interview with Narayanamurthy (Founder of Infosys)by eenadu Business Desk. http://www.eenadu.net/newarchive.asp Interview with Grandhi Malikarjuna Rao (Chairman of GMR Group)by eenadu Business Desk. http://www.eenadu.net/archives/archive-24-1-2010/buisnesshead.asp?myqry=9HYPERLINK http://www.eenadu.net/archives/archive-24-1-2010/buisnesshead.asp?myqry=9reccount=11HYPERLINK http://www.eenadu.net/archives/archive-24-1-2010/buisnesshead.asp?myqry=9reccount=11reccount=11 websites http://www.team-wise.co.uk/defintion_of_team_building.htm accessed on 4/3/2010