Listing Securities

Listing of Securities Chapter Objectives ? To understand the concept of listing of securities ? To know the criteria for listing shares ? To learn the listing procedure ? To understand the concept of delisting Concept of Listing of Securities ?It means the admission of shares of a public limited company on the stock exchange for the purpose of trading. ?A company intending to have its shares listed on the stock exchange has to write an application to one or more recognised stock exchanges. ?A company becomes qualified to list its shares after getting the prior permission from the stock exchange. Some of the advantages of listing of securities are: ? Liquidity Best prices Wide publicity ? Some disadvantages of listing of securities are: ? Subjected to various regulatory measures ? Expensive exercise Criteria for Listing A company that wants its securities to be listed in the stock exchange has to fulfil certain minimum requirements, such as: ? Minimum issued capital: A company shoul d have minimum issued capital of Rs. 3 crores and the minimum public offer must be of Rs. 75 lakhs. ?Listing on multiple exchanges: It is essential for a company to get listed in the stock exchange if its paid up capital is above Rs. crores. ?Number of shareholders: A company must have a minimum ten shareholders. ?Articles of Association: The Articles of Association must be prepared in line with the sound corporate practice of a company. ?Advertisement: A company during the subscription period must not advertise by thanking the public for their overwhelming response. ?Applying mode: A company must issue a prospectus, which provides information on how the investor should apply for the shares. ?Public offer size: A company, in the first page of the prospectus must state the size of the public offer and the value of shares. Listing ProcedureTo get the listing permission from the stock exchange, a company has to undertake the following steps: ?Preliminary discussion: A company must have a detailed discussion with the authorities of the stock exchange in order to acquire complete knowledge about the various formalities to be completed for listing of securities. ?Articles of Association approval: A company must fulfil the following requirements in order to get the Articles of Association approved by the stock exchange authorities: ?It must use a common form of transfer. ?In case of distributing dividends, it must comply with Section 205-A f the Companies Act. ?The free dealing of shares must not be restricted by any provision. ?Draft prospectus approval: It is very essential for a company to get its draft prospectus approved from the stock exchange authorities. A prospectus must contain all the information required by the stock exchange. Listing Application ?A company that wants to offer its shares through the prospectus must file an application to the stock exchange. ?A company has to file following certificates alongwith the prospectus: ?Three certified copies of the memorandum and articles of association, and debenture trust deed. A copy of every report, balance sheet, valuation, court order, etc. as specified in the prospectus. ?Certified copies of underwriting, brokerage and sales managers’ agreement. ?Copies of agreements with the financial institutions. Listing Fee ?It is a fee charged by the stock exchange from the company for permitting the company’s securities to be traded in the exchange. ?It varies from major stock exchanges to regional stock exchanges. ?It also varies due to the equity base of the company. Listing of Right Shares A company has to fulfil certain formalities in case of isting right shares in the stock exchange, such as: ? ? ? ? ? A company must inform the stock exchange about the date of meeting with the Board of Directors for considering the proposal of listing right shares. A company must obtain the consent of the shareholders by passing on a special resolution. A company must file a letter of offer that provides the financial information about the current market price of the share. A company must file a letter of offer within six weeks. A company must file a specimen copy of the offer letter to the stock exchange. Delisting It is the removal of a company’s shares from the listing in the stock exchange. ? Delisting can be of two types: ? Compulsory: The causes for compulsory delisting are as follows: ? Non-payment of the listing fee ? Non-redressal of grievances ? Unfair trade practices carried on by the managers ? Voluntary: The causes for voluntary delisting are as follows: ? ? ? Business suspended Mergers and takeovers Small capital base Chapter Summary By now, you should have: ? Understood the concept of listing of securities ? Learnt the procedure of listing of securities ? Understood the concept of delisting

Morphology of Dragonflies

Lab Section 1 Wednesday 1:10-4:00 M. Moore Zoology Lab #1 Morphology of Dragonflies In analyzing the morphology of dragonflies by looking at two different time periods and the water levels, data was found to illustrate that body size might be directly influenced by water levels. By looking at the dragonfly species Sympetrum vincinum during the 2001 drought and 2008 normal rainfall, the data showed that there was no statistical difference in abdomen depth (p value 0. 20741). There was a statistical difference in forewing length (p value 0. 006), hindwing area (p value 0. 000164) and thorax depth (p value 0. 0001). The means provided from the different species showed that there was a small difference from 2001 to 2008 and that the 2008 data was smaller with the normal amount of rainfall opposed to the 2001 draught.The Mean for 2001 of the Forewing length (23. 30mm), Hindwing area (169. 88mm2), thorax depth (6. 04mm), abdomen length (21. 08mm), were larger than 2008. The 2008 means are as follows, Forewing Length (22. 06mm), Hindwing Area (148. 61mm2), Thorax Depth (5. 25mm) and Abdomen Length (20. 0mm). In the study â€Å"Fitness and body size in mature odonates† it was found that body size has an important role in the fitness of dragonflies and is directly related to their ability to reproduce and survive (Sokolovska, Rowe, and Johansson 2000). Through this study it was found that there was no statistical difference in the abdomen depth from 2001 and 2008 with varying water levels. This suggests that the dragonflies did not change their abdomen size because that particular size was the one that best aided their fitness, not relying on water levels.Egg Laying in Petrels: Successful versus Failed Eggs In the comparison of the successful eggs and the failed eggs, there was a statistical difference between them concerning the egg’s length, breadth and mass. This leads to idea that the failed eggs were not cared for as well as the successful eggs had be en. For the comparison of the successful versus the failed eggs, the egg length (p value 0. 01849), egg breadth (p value 0. 00057) and the egg mass (p value 0. 00057). In the study of â€Å"Leach’s Storm- Petrel done by Huntington et al. n 1996, they found that there may be various reasons why there are unsuccessful egg hatching with these birds. In the data analysis of the successful versus the failed eggs the reasons that there is a statistical difference between them may be because of nesting site, incubation time, or size of parental birds (Huntington et al. 1996). There are many factors to contribute to the reasons why there is a statistical difference between the sizes of the successful versus failed eggs. This data proves that there is a significant difference between the egg sizes and this will lead to further studies to gain more information.Egg Laying in Guillemots: Inter- Year Effects The data found from the analysis of measuring the length and breadth of eggs fro m Guillemonts to see when the birds had better reproduction ability from the first year of their breeding in comparison to their second or third year. The data illustrated a statistical difference between the egg length and breadth from the first year to the second or third year. The birds produced larger eggs in their first year of breeding in comparison to their second or third year breeding.The length comparison between first year and second or third year (p value 0. 00036) and the breadth comparison was (p value 0. 019112), which both exhibit a significant statistical difference. The egg size and shape varies on many different factors including the environment, the age of the female and when the eggs are laid (Butler and Buckley 2002). This analysis proves the point that egg size is affected by the age of the female and that the first breeding season of the female produces the best eggs.Works Cited Butler, G. R. , Buckley, E. D. 2002. Black Guillemot. The Birds of North America, No. 675. Huntington, E. C. , Butler, G. R. , and Mauck A. R. 1996. Leach’s Storm- Petrel. The Birds of North America, No. 233. Sokolovska N. , Rowe L. , and Johansson F. 2000. Fitness and body size in mature odondates. Ecological Entomology, 25:239-248. Table 3. Wing Variable recorded for male Sympetrum vincinum at Lemon Stream in Franklin County (ME) in September 2001 and September 2008. Table 3. . Morphological variables recorded for male Sympetrum vincinum at Lemon Stream in Franklin County (ME) in September 2001 and September 2008. Table 6. Egg measurements collected on Great Island (Newfoundland, Canada) from nesting Leach’s Storm-petrels in 1983 (from Butler, unpublished data). Table 9. Black Guillemot egg measurements collected on Great Duck Island (Hancock County, Maine) from banded adults in their 1st and 2nd and 3rd breeding seasons 1991 and 1993 (Butler and Barkley 2002).

How Will Science and Technology Change Our Lives Essay

The Contribution of India to the world of Science & Technology dates back to ancient times. India had the best of the scientists in different fields of science and technology – mathematics, medicine, architecture, astronomy, geometry, chemistry, metallurgy, etc. Aryabhatta was a fifth century mathematician, astronomer, astrologer and physicist. He introduced the concept and symbol for Zero and the decimal place value system to the world of mathematics. Bhaskaracharya introduced Chakrawat Method or the Cyclic Method to solve algebraic equations. Kanad, a sixth century scientist developed the atomic theory which says that the material universe is made up of anu/atom, which cannot be further subdivided and they are indivisible and indestructible. This is what the modern atomic theory says. In the field of medicine, India was a front runner. Susruta was a pioneer in the field of surgery. Charak, considered the father of ancient Indian science of medicine, was the first to talk about digestion, metabolism and immunity as important for health and so medical science. The science of Yoga was developed in ancient India as an allied science of Ayurveda for healing without medicine. India was a pioneer in many technologies such as metallurgy (steel making, iron, zinc, bronze etc) and Architecture. The findings in Moganjatharo civilisation stand testimony to this fact. The structures such as Iron Pillar in Delhi, Taj Mahal, Gol Gumbaz, Mahabalipuram, Tanjore Periya Kovil are some examples of India’s supremacy in the Architecture. Science and Modern India Indian scientists have played a stellar role in the development of India. In the short span of its post-independence history India has achieved several great scientific achievements. Indian scientists have proved their mettle in the face of international sanctions and have made India one of the scientific powerhouses of the world. Sir M. Visvesvaraya, Sir CV Raman, Jagadish Chandra Bose, Subramaniam Chandrasekar, Srinivasa Ramanujam, Homi Bhaba, Vikram Sarabhai are some of the names leading the pack of Indian scientists. How technology impacts people’s life? Technology affects people’s lives by improving medicines, provides better treatment for diseases and insures a longer life. It improves transportation by helping people move from one corner of the world to other in hours by using transportation services such as Airways, Railways, or even Bus Transportation. Modern Technology changed people’s lifestyle and the way they live. For example, now it’s possible to surf Internet on TV, watch programs, pause Live TV, and even playback live shows. Internet surfing is a technology revolution. Because of that technology, a person could know what is happening on the other side of the world. Due to Internet, it is now possible to say that the world is at your fingertips. Recent discoveries and scientific breakthroughs such as Cracking the DNA code and Mapping the Genome may completely change the way people look even before they are born. Diseases that are passed through generations, like diabetes, chronic diseases may be eliminated from the unborn child. What India should do? While India is uniquely positioned to use technology for progress, it has in the recent past lagged behind in the quality and spread of science research. The need for a strong science eco-system based on a sound research foundation is the need of the hour for India to become a Global Power house. The key to continued success for India in a globalised knowledge-driven economy is building a higher education system that is superior in quality and committed encouragement of relevant research in science and technology. To achieve this, the government, universities, companies, venture capitalists, and other stakeholders should come together to enable Research and Development to achieve superiority in the field of science and technology.

The relevancy of cultural icons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The relevancy of cultural icons - Essay Example Hence the foray into serious literature was bold as it is the right approach.   As the oft quoted maxim states, ‘The more ethnic a work of art is, the more universal is its appeal’.   This is precisely what modern writers of the Highlands and Islands appear to have done since the beginning of the twentieth century.   In specific, they brought to the fore the influence of cultural icons, indigenous and foreign, and made their persona bear upon the written word. The rewards for this enterprise are for all patrons of good art to be enjoyed.   Writers of such renown as Alasdair Gray, Carol Ann Duffy, Irvine Welsh, etc serve as stellar examples of this success.   And as interviews and analysis of modern Scottish writers makes clear, their works are informed and inspired by key cultural icons, native or foreign. (Horwich, 2002)In an interview with Kathy Acker in 1986, Alasdair Gray mentions key personalities that influenced his artistic development.   Among the boo ks he read early in life are those by George Orwell, Franz Kafka and James Joyce.   Timeless classics such as 1984, The Trial and the Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man made a big impression on the formative mind of Gray.   These writers were cultural icons in their own right as they were recognized for their socio-cultural comment as much for their literary genius.   Today, their thought is well-assimilated into Scottish public discourse.  (Horwich, 2002)... As the oft quoted maxim states, ‘The more ethnic a work of art is, the more universal is its appeal’. This is precisely what modern writers of the Highlands and Islands appear to have done since the beginning of the twentieth century. In specific, they brought to the fore the influence of cultural icons, indigenous and foreign, and made their persona bear upon the written word. The rewards for this enterprise are for all patrons of good art to be enjoyed. Writers of such renown as Alasdair Gray, Carol Ann Duffy, Irvine Welsh, etc serve as stellar examples of this success. And as interviews and analysis of modern Scottish writers makes clear, their works are informed and inspired by key cultural icons, native or foreign. (Horwich, 2002) In an interview with Kathy Acker in 1986, Alasdair Gray mentions key personalities that influenced his artistic development. Among the books he read early in life are those by George Orwell, Franz Kafka and James Joyce. Timeless classics s uch as 1984, The Trial and Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man made a big impression on the formative mind of Gray. These writers were cultural icons in their own right as they were recognized for their socio-cultural comment as much for their literary genius. Today, their thought is well-assimilated into Scottish public discourse. Gray’s influences go further back in history, as he even drew inspiration from the Greek classics and epic folk narratives. Considering that ancient Greek thought is integral to Western academia, it is not unfair to claim that the intellectual traditions of the Highlands and Islands have drawn considerably from the former. Likewise, Gray’s adaption of key literary genres, forms and devices from across history says something of Scotland’s literary culture.

Achieving and Sustaining Growth at Lenovo Research Paper

Achieving and Sustaining Growth at Lenovo - Research Paper Example The Company has ranked behind only two companies – Hewlett Packard and Dell in profitability for 2006. However, customer perception of the Company does not appear good on certain issues such as installation, after sales service and availability of credit, based on a survey conducted as a part of this research effort. Lenovo must improve on these aspects, as well as build upon its success factors in order to sustain its current levels of growth. Japan, the United States and Europe represented the majority of global production and sales of computers and related products during the 2000s. One division of the computer industry is Personal Computers – which are systems with inbred processing facilities embedded in one silicon chip, and these computers are primarily intended for single users. Personal computers first appeared in the 1970s with Apple II being introduced in 1977. IBM PCs became competitive in 1981. (Snapshot). The two major types of personal Computers are PC and Macs, which are Personal Computers manufactured by the Apple Company. In the computer industry, Japan and the United States were the largest supercomputer manufacturers. Mainframe sales dropped in the 1980s and 1990s due to the development of client/server technology, with mid-range systems developing in the 1990s. With increasing sales, IBM and Hewlett Packard emerged as the major players and Hewlett Packard’s partnership with Intel has facilitated its growth in the marketplace (Snapshot). With an increase in globalization, smaller, cheaper, standardized systems like PCs have been gaining popularity. In an effort to improve sales volumes and reduce costs, PC companies have been entering into networking arrangements with other companies to share research and development costs. One example is that of Microsoft and Intel that worked together to develop the Net-PC and NEC’s PC operations with Packard Bell, forming a new venture known as Packard Bell-NEC (Snapshot).  Ã‚  

TESCO and the JIT Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

TESCO and the JIT Philosophy - Essay Example While it is not clear which supermarket pioneered this revolutionary supply chain model, which is now adopted by many in the industry and is considered as a standard of best practice, many attribute it to Tesco’s reforms set up late in the 1990s. This is a report on Tesco’s supply chain management practices, which is recognized to be designed after Toyota’s â€Å"just in time† (JIT) model. Specifically, this report will compare JIT principles to Tesco’s business practices and assess the latter’s efficacy in the navigation of the challenges Tesco faces amidst the internationalization of both suppliers and its market. II. Relevant Operational Theories and Principles Supply Chain Management Fundamentally, supply chain management is the framework by which processes, structures, managements elements in the value chain is integrated and coordinated. It is crucial in the drive for competitive advantage and concerns the alignment of management practices into what the requirements of the customers. Seuring (2003) outlined the basic characteristics of the concept: †¢ Supply chain management is primarily an integration-oriented logistics management concept, characterized by the strategic, cooperation-oriented and interorganizational initiatives; †¢ The task of the concept is to manage the supplier-buyer relationships, particularly streamlining the complex chain and network involved; The goal is to align all activities to satisfy the requirements and needs of customers and reduce costs and enable the organization to take advantage of opportunities; The focus is to realize efficiencies and the expansion of covered activities beyond logistics, including management components and information flows among the supply chain partners. (p169-168) Lambert was able to depict the framework in the following model: Supply Management Framework (Lambert, 2000, p70) SCM Tools Supply chain management tools are essentially systems and solutions that are designed to enhance it so that the processes produce value for customers either in facilitating, integrating, coordinating, controlling, optimizing and so forth. An excellent example is technology. Through this tool, SCM is able to automate order processing, warehousing, among other stages in the value chain and make centralization possible and more efficient. Tesco’s continuous replenishment system is a specific example. Th en, there is also the so-called electronic data interchange

Summarizing the Documentary with particular emphasis on the law Essay

Summarizing the Documentary with particular emphasis on the law - Essay Example The basics of law and the sources of law in United States of America Law can basically be defined as rules that guide the conduct of businesses, persons and the society in general. The rules protect individuals and their belongings from undue interference and outline the punishment that should be meted to those who go against the letter and spirit of the law. Basically, the quality of law as exhibited by American law should be fair and flexible. Law has several schools of thoughts and these are law and economic school, command school, Natural school law, historic school, sociological school, analytical school, and critical legal studies school. Although the different schools have different definition of law, they basically hold that it is a set of rules and regulation that dictate the social, economic and political aspects of people. In United States of America, there are several sources of law that have played a key role in maintaining order and cohesiveness of the society. These ar e the English common law, the constitution, judicial precedence, statutes, treaties, and executive orders. Court system and their jurisdiction Basically, there are two court systems in the United States of America. These are the state court and federal court systems. The state court systems consist of limited jurisdiction trial courts, general jurisdiction trial courts, intermediate appellate courts which analyses the ruling of trial courts in case of an appeal, and the highest state courts or â€Å"supreme court of state† which hears appeals from some trial courts and the highest state court. Federal court systems include special federal courts, US District courts located in each state, US court of appeal that have 13 circuits and hear appeals from the districts courts and the Supreme Court located in Washington DC and its jurisdiction is to hear appeals from the highest state courts, Federal district courts, Federal circuit district courts of appeals, and special federal co urts. The jurisdiction of state courts includes cases than cannot be heard by the federal courts and a concurrent jurisdiction that a defendant decides. The federal courts have jurisdiction to hear cases that arise from the US Constitution, federal statutes, treaties, citizen diversity, an amount that exceed $75000 in dispute, federal crimes, and commercial related disputes. An important case involving the jurisdiction of the federal courts is the Hertz Corporation versus Friend that was presented to the supreme court of USA with an intention of determining whether Hertz Corporation was a citizen of California State. Alternative, judicial and e-dispute resolution Judicial resolution entails a number of processes that include discovery, pleading, pretrial motion and settlement conference. The pleading process involves complaints by the plaintiff, summons by the court, answer by the defendant, cross-complaint, reply filed by the plaintiff, intervention by other interested parties who intend to join the case, consolidation involving integration of lawsuit emanating from the same situation and class action. Example of a close related case is Wal-Mart store inc versus Dukes. Discovery process entails ascertaining witnesses and the facts of the case. The forms of discoveries are production of documents, interrogatories, mental and physical examination and deposition. Pre trial motion is one in which a party may endeavor to

Business Statistics Homework Speech or Presentation

Business Statistics Homework - Speech or Presentation Example What proportion of brook trout caught will be between 12 and 18 inches in length? 8. The discrete random variable X is the number of students that show up for Professor Smiths office hours on Monday afternoons. The table below shows the probability distribution for X. What is the expected value E(X) for this distribution? 10. The time required for a citizen to complete the 2000 U.S. Census "long" form is normally distributed with a mean of 40 minutes and a standard deviation of 10 minutes. The slowest 10% of the citizens would need at least how many minutes to complete the form? 11. On average, a major earthquake (Richter scale 6.0 or above) occurs 3 times a decade in a certain California county. What is the probability that less than six months will pass before the next earthquake? 17. On a Sunday in April, dog bite victims arrive at Carver Memorial Hospital at a historical rate of 0.6 victims per day. On a given Sunday in April, what is the probability that exactly two dog bite victims will arrive? 19. If the mean time between unscheduled maintenance of LCD displays in a hospitals CT scan facility is 4,000 operating hours, what is the probability of unscheduled maintenance in the next 5,000 hours? 21. In Melanies Styling Salon, the time to complete a simple haircut is normally distributed with a mean of 25 minutes and a standard deviation of 4 minutes. What percent of customers require less than 32 minutes for a simple haircut? 22. A large number of applicants for admission to graduate study in business are given an aptitude test. Scores are normally distributed with a mean of 460 and standard deviation of 80. What fraction of applicants would you expect to have scores of 600 or above? 23. On average, a major earthquake (Richter scale 6.0 or above) occurs 3 times a decade in a certain California county. Find the probability that at least one major earthquake will occur within

Comparative Legal System Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Comparative Legal System - Article Example During the early centuries, the judges and justices were responsible for adapting the Writ system to meet everyday needs, and the application of a mixture of common sense and precedent in order to create a body of internally consistent law. For example, the Law Merchant began in the Pie-Powder Courts (a corruption of the French "pieds-poudr's" or "dusty feet", meaning ad hoc marketplace courts). "As Parliament developed in strength, and subject to the doctrine of separation of powers, legislation gradually overtook judicial law making so that, today, judges are only able to innovate in certain very narrowly defined areas. Time before 1189 was defined in 1276 as being time immemorial." (English law English law. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_law) According to Mary Ann Glendon, "Reception of a legal system depends upon the fusion of the local culture with that of the settling nation ... Where a cultural assimilation has occurred, the English common law has shown remarkable capaci ty for adaptation." (Mary Ann Glendon et al 1999) During the British Empire, Britain exported its legal system to various countries in the Commonwealth of Nations, including the United States, and many aspects of the British legal system have persisted since the withdrawal of the British. English law before the Independence Wars still has an influence on the law in the United States, and English law provides the basis for some American policies and legal traditions. Many states that were formerly subject to English law (such as Australia) continue to recognise a link to English law - subject, of course, to statutory modification and judicial revision to match the law to local conditions - and decisions from the English law reports continue to be cited from time to time as persuasive authority in present day judicial opinions. For a few states, the British Privy Council remains the ultimate court of appeal (English_law http://www.smso.net/English_law)Similarly, because the UK remains a strong international trading nation, "international consistency of decision making is of vital importance, so the Admiralty is strongly influenced by Public International Law and the modern commercial treaties and conventions regulating shipping" (http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/English-law) As former colonists of Great Britain, the Founding Fathers of the United States tended to adopt much of the British legal system. The United States, Great Britain and Wales all have a law that is made by courts (common law) rather than laws handed down by a monarch or some other central governmental authority such as a legislature. The jury, a panel of ordinary citizens chosen to decide a case, is an integral part of our common-law system. Use of juries to decide cases, is a distinguishing feature of the American legal system. Few other countries in the world use juries as we do in the United States. Over the centuries, many people have believed that juries in most cases reach a fairer and more just result than would be obtained using a judge alone, as many

Leadership Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Leadership - Research Paper Example art U.S., â€Å"should work with OUR Wal-Mart to improve jobs at our company so that we have an opportunity to join the middle class, strengthen our company’s bottom line and improve our nation’s economy† (Ausick, 2014, para 2). This paper discusses Wal-Mart’s problem in ethical leadership, and proposes and defends solution to this dilemma. The proposed solutions are ethically grounded and based on principles of social justice and quality of life. OUR Wal-Mart publicly specified three issues that the former Wal-Mart leader, Bill Simon, failed to address: weakening brand image, dropping sales, and low wages. The organization refers to a research by Demos-- a public policy research institute-- that reported a higher wage rate for full-time workers of retail corporations that hire thousands of employees could significantly improve the quality of life of hundreds of thousands of women and their families (Tepel, 2014). The worsening performance of Wal-Mart U.S. has also been observed by some professional groups, and they claimed that Simon’s use of smaller stores was not the appropriate solution. The organization also mentions a survey of consumers that reveals â€Å"Wal-Mart’s pay and treatment of workers are influencing shopping habits† (Reuters, 2014, para 2). The poll revealed that a quarter of the overall number of the company’s most loyal customers is disappointed by how Wal-Mart handles its emplo yees, and that they, consequently, avoid shopping at the stores (Reuters, 2014, para 2-3). Although Wal-Mart’s terrible business practices have been known for several years, workers were not inclined to protest against it; but OUR Wal-Mart changes it. Since these courageous employees are not unionized, they were risking their jobs by protesting. In 2012, Wal-Mart publicly announced $444 billion in profits. Robson Walton, the successor of Wal-Mart, received roughly $420 million in 2011, while the company’s employees receive a meager annual salary of $15,500

Military History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Military History - Essay Example A Short History of the NCO is dedicated to the foundation of the NCO, its evolution, history, educational system; includes explanatory photos and tables. NCO Duties, Responsibilities, and Authorities Study Guide is a list of the main UCO duties and responsibilities which is shown in the form of questions and answers. B. The purpose of this paper is to show the role of the NCO corps and staff in the postwar history. The question demanding the answer: has the NCO played the active and appreciable role in the postwar U.S. Army history 2. A. After the World War II the constant growth of military technologies led to the necessity of new educational programs development: "Emphasis on NCO education increased to the point that by 1959 over 180,000 soldiers would attend NCO academies located in the continental United States. In addition to NCO academies, the Army encouraged enlisted men to advance their education by other means" (1). In 1950 the U.S.A. sent soldiers in Korea. The NCO soldiers took part in the war, and some of them were real heroes: "Near Surang-ni, Sergeant Ola L. Mize led the defense of "Outpost Harry." Learning of a wounded soldier in an outlying listening post, during an artillery barrage, Mize moved to rescue the soldier. Returning to the main position with the soldier, Mize rallied the troops into an effective defense as the enemy attacked in force" (2). During the war in Vietnam the NCO took a large part in combat leadership: "Needing large numbers of NCOs for combat, the Army created the Noncomm issioned Officers Candidate Course. Three branches were established at Fort Benning, Fort Knox, and Fort Sill" (2). There were also many cases of heroism among the NCO soldiers during the war: "Five times, Ashley and his newly-formed unit attacked enemy positions, clearing the enemy and proceeding through booby trapped bunkers. Wounded by machine gun fire, Ashley continued on, finally directing air strikes on his own position to clear the enemy. As the enemy retreated, he lapsed into unconsciousness" (2). B. In 1971 the NCO Educational System was introduced. Firstly it consisted of three training levels: "Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course (to provide basic leadership skills and a knowledge of military subjects needed at the squad and team level), Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Course (to provide the student with advanced technical and leadership skills), and the Sergeants Major Academy (which prepared senior NCOs to perform duties as sergeants major at the division and higher headquarters)" (2). The next rather important step of the NCO reforming took place in 1986, when was "established the Primary Leadership Development Course as a mandatory prerequisite for promotion to staff sergeant. This was the first time an NCOES course actually became mandatory for promotion" (2). In 1987 a new Sergeant Major Academy was build: "This 17.5 million dollar, 125,000 square foot structure allowed the Academy to expand course loads and number of courses" (2). Today the NCO Education

Concert Review Form Essay Example for Free

Concert Review Form Essay Each student is responsible for attending a live music performance and turning in one concert review each trimester. The concert review can be handed into you current band director before the end of the trimester. You concert review should be designed so that it could be printed in a newspaper as a music or concert critique. All of the below questions should be answered, but responses should be in paragraph, rather than numbered format. Concert Review Checklist: Be sure to use complete sentences, correct grammar and spelling. Answer each question within the context of the review. Title your critique in reference to both the music and the performance. All reviews should be typed and double-spaced. Reports will be graded on the quality and thoroughness of the response. Attach this sheet, a ticket stub and/or program (if available) to the top of the report. Concert Reviews need to be turned in before the end of the trimester. Concert Review Reminders: †¢ Concert Reviews will not be accepted unless they are typed. †¢ If you have not answered the questions below, your Concert Review is less than complete. †¢ Do not use casual or conversation language. For example: umm, well, yea, etc. †¢ Do not wait until the last moment to see a concert. †¢ Do not answer the questions in numbered format. 1. Introduction: Tell the reader about the performance. Include both visual and audio clues for the reader. Be descriptive about how the setting of the space (or the uniforms, or the programs) helped the audience understand what was about to be performed. a. The performers and the space: What type of performance did you attend? What was the name of the group (if any)? Give a brief description about the group: size, instrumentation, professionals/amateurs, purpose of the performance. 2. Development: Tell the reader about the music. Include descriptive words that allow the reader to know what you thought about the performance without exactly stating your opinion. For example: â€Å"The second piece on the program was Bach chorale that contrasted well with the first piece of music. However, the minimal use of dynamics and lack of passion from the performers resulted in a lackluster performance.† a. The music: What type of music did they perform? How did the performers act? (Did they appear nervous or confident? Did they seem to know what to do? How did they interact with each other? How did they interact with the audience?) 3. Your Critique: What did you like? Why did you like it? If it was an amateur group, did the group play up to their ability or above/below it? a. What you liked/disliked: Give a brief description of what you liked about the performance. List 2-3 things specifically that you would want the reader to know. 4. Your Conclusion: Give the reader some final thoughts about what you enjoyed about the piece of music and how you thought the performance went. Would you buy the CD? Go to another concert? Recommend it to a friend?

Archaeologists Interpretations of Sex and Gender

Archaeologists Interpretations of Sex and Gender How have archaeologists attempts to interpret sex and gender relations in the past changed? Gender, as a point of request in the investigation of prehistoric studies, has not been of essential enthusiasm until late history. It has just been as of late in the last thirty or forty years that the investigation of sex and gender relations as far as examining it in archaeological revelation has been a point that archaeologists have been truly seeking after. The subject of gender has still not been argued to the degree that which we need it to be, the sub topics considered a detail of investigation as opposed to the core interest. One of the obstinate conclusions on this theme is on account of it is for the most part accepted that the patriarchal society has been the prevailing social structure all through the current societies, along these lines to study sexual orientation relations is to summon a similar outcome through numerous social orders (Bettina and Wicker 2001).However, this is the centre issue with the path in which societies have been celebrated internationally through western conviction frameworks hence making suppositions about the way that sex and sex are considered inside those social orders subject to present day gauges of understanding it is imperative re-evaluate the way of social structures that have been resolved through one-sided suspicions keeping in mind the end goal to better build a photo of an antiquated social orders. In the last 40 years or so, Feminism has become one of the key influences for archaeologists, especially the post-processualists. Feminism was also one of the driving forces behind the interest in practice, meaning and identity in archaeological theory. It originated when women questioned why there was an absence of women in archaeological fields and also from the past that archaeologists wrote about. For instance, there were only a small number of fields that were run by women and although, there are usually more women that study archaeology than men, after they graduate, more men decide to get a job in archaeology. There is a drop off in number of female archaeologists with age. You could ask, why does feminism matter in archaeology? Some people would say that it is just about diversity, when it comes to feminism, allowing more equality between men and women. However, it is not just about this. It is also about the potential of archaeology as a subject. Many statements or stereotyp es made about gender and sexuality are still presented as timeless; Women care for children, men are superior leaders, etc. However, it can be argued that, the time depth of archaeology gives us the chance to modify these views and instead offer different narratives for the history of gender and sexuality. To show that it is not always the same, that it has changed through time and space. It is because archaeology is a potentially powerful subject that we have to think about these issues in the long term. In order to tackle the issue of gender, we must discuss what gender is and whether there is an absolute biological difference. One of the standard definitions of bodily identity is the classic biological description which is of two genders dictated by chromosomes, with females having XX chromosomes and males XY. The traditional biological view that sex defines gender was criticised by Simone de Beavoir who showed that the ideas of what a woman should be were not natural but cultural, I was not born, but rather, became a woman. People were expected to behave in certain ways. The idea that girls like pink, that they play with dolls not guns and that theyre passive quiet and submissive. Those classic ideas about what a woman was, particularly at the time Beavoir was writing are not at all natural but in fact cultural that are learned, that society placed upon us. In the New Archaeology, there was no consideration of gender. There was always the constant use of man and a failure to engag e with gender meant that there were essentially no roles for women in the past, and even if there were a role, it would most likely be secondary work and usually based on assumption rather than evidence. A particular example would be the idea that man was the hunter and woman the gatherer. Feminism had a huge impact in archaeology in the form of three waves which challenged he status quo. The first wave asked simple questions such as; where are the women in the past? Why arent there that many female archaeology professors? Why do men receive more benefits than women? Meg Conkey and Joan Gero who wrote the book Engendering Archaeology ­, which was the first active attempt to think about what the role of women in prehistory was. A lot of first wave feminism comes out of these two archaeologists (Gero and Conkey 1991). The second wave of feminism is even more concerned with the role of women and the sense that archaeologists have always presumed that men did all the important stuff (Nelson et al 1994). Janet Spectors book What This Awl Means thinks about the role of women in Dakota Village. As a result of all this, we get an increasing emphasis on the study of past gender relations. So, it is not just about what women are doing but about what the relationship between me n and women in the past. The third wave of Feminism begins to critique the other waves by asking whether the gender categories are universal, why do we assume that categories such as men and women have any meaning in the past? It also began to ask about transgender people, alternative genders and also different histories of sexualities. It is about thinking in a more complicated way and by this point, were not basing upon basic categories about men and women. Mary Louise Sorensens book Gender Archaeology focuses more on gender archaeology rather than feminist archaeology, thinking about the different gender combinations and how it all plays out. At this point, it can be argued that it is not just about women now. Archaeologists have taken a huge interest in masculinity, asking questions such as; How were male identities constructed in the past? How has the role of men changed? A solid example can be found in the works of Paul Treharne on the bronze age in Europe where he is looking at the idea of a warrior identity which we see in some of the graves in central and eastern Europe. This idea that there was a particular role in society and that they also had a particular look. The traditional sex model suggests that sex is biologically determined, that its clear genetically but also through sexual characteristics and the idea that sex is universal and natural. Opposed to this, we get the concept of gender, and gender in this sense is culturally determined, the product of our own experiences and the society that we grow up in as well as demonstrating through clothing, behaviour and possible bodily alterations. If we argue that that this is what it is about, if its sex being biological and gender being cultural, then isnt this just a nature/culture divide. In a sense, no. It is a lot more complicated; XX and XY are just two of eleven different possible chromosome combinations. Some people can be genetically XX but have male characteristics and vice-versa. In fact, the two-sex model, the idea that sex is just these two opposed identities is just a particular product of the way that we have thought about science in the west, in the same way that gender is a co nstruction and that we are easily willing to accept that. We see it as culturally determined, the product of the society we grow up in. Judith Butler looked at what we call Gender Performativity which was the attempt to move beyond the nature culture divide in our thinking about sexuality in the past. She argues that gender and sex are not pre-determined by our biology but something that we produce through practice and performance. Butler argues that there are male and female regulatory ideals and so it is not that we are born male and female but from the very moment we are born, our gender identity begins to be constructed and it is certainly affected by the regulatory ideals that society has for us (i.e. parents etc.). Butler uses the example of girling the girl; this notion that the midwife lifts up the baby and says its a girl. Begins the process for gender performance. Her argument is that in acting and performing the gendered regulatory ideals, we also sustain the gender performance. Her idea of a regulatory ideal is the idea that there are key concepts of what it is to be male and what it is to be female and t hat these are very particular and historically constructed and that we often attempt to try and live up to them or perhaps to question them? So, the idea that wearing certain clothes, acting in certain ways, having particular ideas about how one would want their life to work out, the idea that women should want to have children. All of these help us to live up the standards that we can never actually quite achieve. In doing so, we help to sustain these regulatory ideals. At one point, we can undermine and challenge regulatory ideals. By doing this we can act to shift them. Butler is often accused of playing the body. We do not choose our genitalia so how can we perform our gender. Butler points out that we are not meant to deny the role of the body but instead to argue that our bodies and biology are caught up in social discourse. We do not live in a world where we can only understand our bodies through brute biology, our understandings of our bodies are also always shaped by our cultural context. You can think about how you think about your own body, whether you think about it as biological, the product of our DNA and genes we inherit from our parents, or whether is it cultural, eat particular foods to look a particular way. Modifications to the body can also be thought about; tattoos and piercing, as cultural things. As a result of this, they are often viewed as superficial. What is personhood? The condition or state of being a person (Fowler). Not everyone understands sex, gender or the body in the same way across time and space and equally different cultures understand what it means to be a person differently. Who we recognise as a person, at what point do we recognise a person is different across culturally. In the west, we understand people and personhood to be about individualism, the idea that we are physically determined by our biology, that people have free will and as a result, they are responsible or their own actions and that we think this is the same in all time and space, and we consider the idea of the individual to be a natural state of being. This is a person who is bounded and defined by their skin. When the same way our bodies are not natural, the production of the western individual is not natural at all. Our individualism is created and sustained by our technology and culture. So, we have mobile phones, sleep in private beds, have dia ries etc. All of these are cultural choices about the way we organise our world. The opposite of individual personhood is relational personhood and in this model a person is defined by the relationships that they have with others. There are differing ideas about free will and personal responsibility. If a person is defined by their relationships and the other people that surround them then free will and responsibility shift. In a more modern view, boundaries of the body, skin and person are viewed as more permeable. The point is that if personhood isnt the same everywhere today, was it the same everywhere in the past? As a result, should we be walking about individuals in the past? In one sense, yes. People such Hodder and Meskell would argue that we should be looking for individuals in the past and tell their stories. However, there are other archaeologists such as Thomas and Fowler, who believe that we shouldnt talk about individuals in the past as they are just a concept as a result of western philosophy. We should recognise that although past personhood might have some familiar aspects we cannot assume people in the past were individuals. Personhood allows us to think in interesting ways about what it means to be a person in the past. This stops us universally and presuming that everyone always and everywhere understands what it means to be human in the same way. BIBLIOGRAPHY Fowler, C. 2004. The Archaeology of Personhood: An Anthropological Approach. London: Routledge. Butler, J. 1993. Bodies that Matter: on the Discursive Limits of Sex. London: Routledge. Gero, J. and Conkey, M. (eds.) 1991. Engendering Archaeology: Women and Prehistory. Oxford: Blackwell. Meskell, L. 1996. The somatization of archaeology: institutions, discourses, corporeality. Norwegian Archaeological Review 29 (1): 1-16. Nelson, S. 1997. Gender in Archaeology. London: AltaMira. Sà ¸renson, M.L.S. 2000. Gender Archaeology. Oxford: Blackwell. Spector, J.D. 1991. What this awl means: towards a feminist archaeology. In J.M. Gero and M.W. Conkey (eds.) Engendering Archaeology: Women and Prehistory. Oxford: Blackwell, pp. 388-407. Treherne, P. 1995. The warriors beauty: the masculine body and self-identity in Bronze Age Europe. Journal of European Archaeology 3 (1): 105-144 Gilchrist, R. 1999. Gender and Archaeology: Contesting the Past. London: Routledge.

Comparing Economy Size Of India And China

Comparing Economy Size Of India And China Over the next twenty years, what is the likelihood that India will overtake China in terms of the size of its economy? Evaluate each economy using Khans economic rent analysis and one other analytical framework. Identity the factors driving economic growth in recent years and the social and political bases of these factors. Will they sustain themselves over the next several decades? China and India are the two largest developing countries in the world and have both been experiencing rapid economic growth since the 1980s. With similar development strategies, the two economies have both insulated themselves from the world economy before eventually making the move to reform/liberalise (Srinivasan, 2002). Although, from similar economic backgrounds, the political environments of the two economies couldnt be more different and could be argued as affecting particular drivers of economic growth. FDI levels are seen as an important determinant of both the growth and size of an economy and there are notable differences between the two and thus it is around this topic the analysis will focus (Wei, 2005). FDI has been shown to greatly contribute to Chinas economic growth, in particular through a broad range of manufacturing activities. In comparison, India has attracted very little manufacturing FDI and instead any inward FDI has largely gone to services, electronic and co mputing industries (Huang and Khanna, 2003). This essay will argue that India is likely to overtake China in terms of the size of its economy in several decades and that India does not need to try to match Chinas levels of FDI due to the structure and composition of the economy, which reflect what it is, an international market niche (Balasubramanyam, Sapsford, 2007). In particular, the essay will begin by using Khans economic rents analysis to evaluate each economy before exploring the determinants of difference between China and India in market performance, including a look at the similarities and differences of both, and the advantages and disadvantages of investing in each in relation to the firm before drawing conclusions as to the future of these two emerging economies in the world market. Rent is defined as the portion of earnings in excess of the minimum amount needed to attract a worker to accept a particular job or a firm to enter a particular industry (Milgrom and Roberts, 1992, p.269). The existence of rent in capital employed to a particular activity implies inefficiency in the processes of that activity however not in some cases where their existence is necessary. Rent may sometimes indeed be efficient and even essential in promoting economic growth and development. These complexities were not duly explored in older rents analysiss such as: the competitive market model where no distinction was made between the minimum income that would be accepted (in terms of alternative comparison) and the minimum amount that would be realistically accepted before reciprocating with the goods service (Khan, 2000). Ultimately, previous models were unable to compare and explain the large differences in performance of countries. Firstly, this essay will explore corruption as a rent and its consequential effect as a driver of economic growth. Corruption is defined as when public officials break the law in pursuit of their private interest (Khan, 2006 p.1), ultimately allowing the creation of rents. Several economists have stated a link between corruption and economic performance (Knack and Keefer, 1997) and this will be explored in the case of China and India. Often the powers given to public officials enable the ability or someone to bargain for bribes in exchange for allocating rents to those who can pay for them (Khan, 2006, p.5). The bribes in such a situation are illegal; however, the creation of such rents is seen as worth the risk, thus the incentive outweighs the risk. There are two drivers of corruption; the first is the need for a formal state so that the government can create legal rents, and secondly, is the formation of obstacles which results in people willing to pay money to access certain rent s. Evidence suggests that corruption has a negative effect on society and in particular, China has a long history of corruption. Most recently, in 2000, Margolis noted that corruption in china has rarely been worse or reached higher (Margolis, 2000 p.1). Corruption in China is in many economists minds aiding the growth of such a large economy, and, due to its sheer size is difficult to regulate, however, measures are being taken to crack down on corruption due to increased tension between the state and the public. India reflects a similar story as with most developing nations that corruption is indeed widespread. However, corruption in India is lower than China and for many offers a more attractive host environment for international firms. Indias government have active responses to corruption and the results of such have seen India go down in rankings. Thus, using the rent of corruption, Indias economy could be said as being in a more politically stable mindset. Furthermore, other rents as highlighted by Khan can be applied to provide a deeper analysis of both economies. Monopoly rents are dependent on the level of market competition and barriers to entry. Freedom of entry and exit would ensure no rents as if any player was gaining rents then other competitors would enter the fray thus driving down prices. Therefore net-social benefit would reach an optimal level, as would economic growth and efficiency. However, certain common phenomena such as economies of scale will always create the possibility for reduced cost structures and therefore a cost/price advantage for larger competitors who can resultantly monopolize markets and gain considerable rents. Although this is less prevalent in developing countries such as India and China with massive fragmentation of their markets due to disparity of consumer demographic types between geographic regions, it is more prevalent in China than in India since China have an emphasis on mass production thus supporting our conclusion. Conversely, the existence of natural resources rents signals efficiency and therefore their maximization would optimize net social benefit. This is because increased use and hence depletion of natural resources (for example: numbers of fish) would increase the difficulty and costs of tapping those resources. This would eventually reach a point where the cost is only exactly covered by the price due to the greater interest phenomena. Finally, rents based on transfers, in developed countries income from production is often lost through transfers, however, in developing countries these transfers can become the source of additional income and the basis for asset accumulation. As it is rarely the case that both parties in a transfer value the item equally the social welfare effect of this would be typically positive. Schumpteranian rents are particularly salient as they regard the level of innovation within an economy, which has been pointed out by many scholars as a source of competitive advantage (Porter). Although innovations are economically beneficial they create rents for the entrepreneur who has created a massive competitive advantage. The optimal social benefit can therefore be reached through most rapid competitor innovation imitation. This is what would put India ahead of China as India has been shown to be seven years ahead of China in its ability to imitate new technologies (Huang and Khanna, 2003), and this is resultantly the main factor in the conclusion that can be made from the consultation of Khans economic rents analysis. This essay will now move on to present the advantages of investing in both countries. The two emerging economies do share similarities which has lead to increased comparison, for example; both have large markets of one billion plus, and both have achieved high levels of growth in a short amount of time. On the basis of economic determinants China does better than India, but is this all that really matters? Chinas total and per capita GDP are higher and thus this makes it a more attractive location for market seeking FDI. Alongside this China reports higher levels of literacy compared to India, and thus is viewed as being able to provide a more skilled workforce and in turn this is attractive to efficiency seeking investors. However, there are advantages which cross between the two emerging economies. China has large natural resource endowments, in particular Chinas infrastructure makes it a more competitive place, particularly in richer parts of China on the coast. On the other hand, although China may have the advantage of natural resources and thus a greater potential for net social beneit in terms of natural resources rents (Khan, 2000), India is able to have an advantage over technical manpower in particular, in its skilled area of IT, India is able to provide the cheapest technically qualified manpower in the West however, a weakness arises in that India is yet to adopt a system of bulk production similar to China and therefore Chinas large domestic market with a system of mass production is attractive to multinationals. Compared to China, India has become known for its heterogeneity, it is diverse in culture, religions and language. Although this may pose a problem for multinational firms, we now live in a world where firms are increasingly adapting to local environments and thus in order to be successful in the Indian market it is necessary to locally adapt. However saying this despite an emphasis on local culture many Indians are fluent in English and this greatly enables Indian firms to do business in the West, unlike many Chinese firms where often language barriers arise. The Indian market does hold great benefits to a firm willing to overcome any problems associated with heterogeneity and in particular, India could provide a niche market for international investors. As well as its highly skilled technological staff, India has a democratic political system and western style financial systems. As noted in an article in economic and political weekly, Indias financial systems are more developed tha n China and this provides an advantage for firms investing in India over China. Indias ability to attract R and D centres, also provides India with the capability of absorbing industry know how quicker than China, India is likely to become more technologically superior as it continues to absorb information from firms investing. Chinas economy in its very nature requires high levels of FDI due to labour intensive technologies and therefore is attracting knowledge along the lines of management styles. In order to assess the strength of India, one particular aspect of Dunnings eclectic paradigm has been applied (Dunning, 1981). It is clear that China is the worlds global factory with high levels of FDI and an emphasis on manufacturing. However, to show that perhaps FDI figures are not the only economic factor such a theory will be applied to show other factors need to be considered and how such factors relate to India. Dunning (1988) related three factors to FDI, location, ownership and internationalisation factors. This essay will look at the first location factors to assess how they apply to India, such a theory may provide further understanding as to why, even though India has attracted considerably less FDI than China it is in good stead to compete and even overtake China in years to come. Dunning defined location-specific advantages as those advantages that a firm benefits from by choosing a particular location, as shown, India possesses communication facilities which enable i t to effectively communicate with the rest of the world. In particular, many call centres are in India and thus many time constraints are being over come through 24hour international call centres. India is pioneering new technologies and it is shown to be 6-7 years ahead of China in terms of its superiority (Srinivasan, 2004). It is Indias IT sector which has outstripped China and the widespread of the English language has allowed Indian companies to deal with Western companies. Secondly, Indian government policies are also allowing foreign firms to benefit from lower levels of corporate tax. Thirdly, infrastructure in India is good, particularly in areas which are considered technology hubs, more specifically areas such as Bangalore in India which is often referred to as the Indian Silicon Valley, offer great location specific advantages. Bangalore, is an organic phenomenon (Huang and Khanna, 2003) and is based on knowledge, education, ambition and intangible assets. The advantage gained here comes from the concentration of computer software and IT industries and arises from a network of firms which allows each firm to benefit from technological spillovers (Hill, 2009). This advantage is perhaps the most important advantage firms look to gain when investing in India. According to the BRICS study, the world economy is set to show dramatic changes over the next fifty years. If we look at the data from this study we can predict the future activities of China and India in order to further conclude the likely future of these two economies. In the study it was predicted that both India and China will overtake the likes of America, Japan and Germany in terms of GDP. Ultimately, the study shows that both India and China will be key players in the economy come 2050. More specifically, India is shown to have the most potential to show the fastest growth over the next fifty years, more specifically it is predicted that as India is less reliant on exports it is less sensitive to changes in the world economy and due to its organic progression many economists are tipping India to overtake China in the long run. What is particularly interesting to note is that India is following a strategy of that seen in developed countries by investing in IT and services unli ke most developing countries which follow Chinas strategy by offering a manufacturing base complete with cheap labour. In conclusion, the two emerging economies have very different strategies and this is reflected in the difference in their economic forecast. China has a strategy of labour intensive export led growth compared to India whom provides a more international niche, stepping away from the mass production market and moving towards providing a technologically superior nation focusing largely on IT and services. China has experienced great levels of growth and according to the predictions of the BRICS study is set to dominate the world economy by 2050. As it stands India is more technologically advanced Ultimately, however India holds great advantage over China as concluded in Khans analysis and referring to its developed private sector, stable democracy, and skilled workforce. As a final note as Huang and Khanna (2003 p.78) notes; China may have won the race to be the worlds factorywith the help of its diaspora, India could become the worlds technology lab.

Math Perceptions of Taiwanese and American children Essay -- essays re

Article Critique The objective of this article critique is to review and evaluate several empirical studies which have examined mathematics perception cross-culturally. The main study that focuses on examining mathematics perception cross-culturally is a study that was done in 2004 by Dr. Yea-Ling Tsao. In this study, researchers proved that Taiwanese students consistently score higher in cross-national studies of achievement than American students. Several other studies were done that also support this theory. Therefore, the main purpose of this article critique is to evaluate Tsao’s study in order to properly assess both the validity of Tsao’s design and the inferences drawn from the study. This critique will also show that, while different studies were done at different times, researchers still have come up with one consistent hypothesis: American students are constantly scoring below the national average in academic testing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order for Tsao to complete her study, she came up with specific research questions and hypotheses for her study. The study done in 2004 was to determine why is it that Chinese students are constantly amongst the top scorers in cross-national studies of achievement and American students are constantly below the national average. Dr. Yea-Ling Tsao gives an example early on in her article about how different studies have shown that American students are consistently performing poorly on tests of mathematics and science. She also gives an example of how in a recent national study of mathematics achievement, American students in the middle school grades were performing lower than the national average in problem solving, geometry, algebra, calculus, and other areas of mathematics. In contrast, Japanese students from the same grade level had significantly higher average scores.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this study, Dr. Yea-Ling Tsao is trying to understand the reasons for the different perceptions of mathematics of Taiwanese children compared to American children. Tsao is concerned in taking a deeper look at the cross-cultural differences in mathematics perception and attitudes of younger children. Those tested were 21 students in Denver, Colorado, and 37 students in Taipei, Taiwan.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The researcher’s main concern in the study was to determine if attitudes and beliefs ... ... from. All of the studies that were analyzed were given to young subjects. While we do need the relevancy of young children, we also need to see the effect of the parent and care-givers of the young children. As we all know, most thoughts and perceptions of children stem from their parent’s thoughts and perceptions. That is why it is absolutely vital for researchers to first study how children are taught and who better to show this than their parents. Works Cited Stevenson, Harold W., Lee, Shin-ying & Stigler, James W. (1986). Mathematics Achievement of Chinese, Japanese, and American Children. Science, New Series, Vol. 231, No. 4739, 693-699. Stevenson, Harold W., Chen, Chuansheng & Lee, Shin-ying. (1993). Mathematics Achievement of Chinese, Japanese, and American Children: Ten Years Later. Science, New Series, Vol. 259, No. 5091, 53-58. Stigler, James W., Lee, Shin-Ying & Stevenson, Harold W. (1987). Mathematics Classrooms in Japan, Taiwan, and the United States. Child Development, 58, 1272-1285. Tsao, Y. (2004). A comparison of American and Taiwanese Students: Their Math Perception. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 31, 206-213.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

An Analysis of the Final Passage in Chopin’s The Awakening :: Chopin Awakening Essays

An Analysis of the Final Passage in Chopin’s The Awakening As this passage commences, Chopin, through Edna’s thoughts, describes the seemingly endless sea that presents itself before her. Edna, through personification, shows the intimacy of her relationship with both nature and the sea. This large, â€Å"[†¦] never ceasing [†¦]† (Chopin 139) body of water has entranced and enthralled Edna to the point where she is now beginning to see this natural element that amazes her so much as the only option left to her in life. Chopin reveals these intentions to the reader by describing the sea as â€Å"[†¦] inviting the soul to wander in the abyss of solitude† (Chopin 139). The word abyss in itself leaves the reader the impression of a mysterious place in which one might not return from; and it is later implied that Edna accepts this sensuous invitation from the sea. In this final passage, Chopin seems to emphasize words describing the ecstacy of solitude that Edna encounters in her final visit to the sea. When Edna speaks of there being â€Å"[†¦] no living thing in sight† (Chopin 139) around her, her thoughts never stray to a memory of her past experiences, acquaintances, or even emotions. Even when Edna sees her bathing suit from the past summer, her thoughts remain fixated on solely the unending sea that lies before her. Chopin also uses Enda’s encounter with her old bathing suit to show how distanced Edna is from her former life. Edna, seeing the garment, describes the former piece of clothing as being faded. As the color has fled from this garment, similarly has Edna’s soul fled from her former life. Edna originally begins to put the bathing suit on, however, the garment, seeming unpleasant to her skin, is almost immediately cast off. This garment, representing Edna’s former life, also shows how foreign Edna’s past life seems to her presently. Edna is so far removed from her former life, in fact, that the garment is shown as being physically irritating to her skin.

Prelude to Foundation Chapter 6 Rescue

LEGGEN, JENARR-†¦ His contributions to meteorology, however, although considerable, pale before what has ever since been known as the Leggen Controversy. That his actions helped to place Hari Seldon in jeopardy is undisputable, but argument rages-and has always raged-as to whether those actions were the result of unintentional circumstance or part of a deliberate conspiracy. Passions have been raised on both sides and even the most elaborate studies have come to no definite conclusions. Nevertheless, the suspicions that were raised helped poison Leggen's career and private life in the years that followed†¦ Encyclopedia Galactica 25. It was not quite the end of daylight when Dors Venabili sought out Jenarr Leggen. He answered her rather anxious greeting with a grunt and a brief nod. â€Å"Well,† she said a trifle impatiently. â€Å"How was he?† Leggen, who was entering data into his computer, said, â€Å"How was who?† â€Å"My library student Hari. Dr. Hari Seldon. He went up with you. Was he any help to you?† Leggen removed his hands from the keys of his computer and swivelled about. â€Å"That Heliconian fellow? He was of no use at all. Showed no interest whatever. He kept looking at the scenery when there was no scenery to look at. A real oddball. Why did you want to send him up?† â€Å"It wasn't my idea. He wanted to. I can't understand it. He was very interested. Where is he now?† Leggen shrugged. â€Å"How would I know? Somewhere around.† â€Å"Where did he go after he came down with you? Did he say?† â€Å"He didn't come down with us. I told you he wasn't interested.† â€Å"Then when did he come down?† â€Å"I don't know. I wasn't watching him. I had an enormous amount of work to do. There must have been a windstorm and some sort of downpour about two days ago and neither was expected. Nothing our instruments showed offered a good explanation for it or for the fact that some sunshine we were expecting today didn't appear. Now I'm trying to make sense of it and you're bothering me.† â€Å"You mean you didn't see him go down?† â€Å"Look. He wasn't on my mind. The idiot wasn't correctly dressed and I could see that inside of half an hour he wasn't going to be able to take the cold. I gave him a sweater, but that wasn't going to help much for his legs and feet. So I left the elevator open for him and I told him how to use it and explained that it would take him down and then return automatically. It was all very simple and I'm sure he did get cold and he did go down and the elevator did come back and then eventually we all went down.† â€Å"But you don't know exactly when he went down?† â€Å"No, I don't. I told you. I was busy. He certainly wasn't up there when we left, though, and by that time twilight was coming on and it looked as though it might sleet. So he had to have gone down.† â€Å"Did anyone else see him go down?† â€Å"I don't know. Clowzia may have. She was with him for a while. Why don't you ask her?† Dors found Clowzia in her quarters, just emerging from a hot shower. â€Å"It was cold up there,† she said. Dors said, â€Å"Were you with Hari Seldon Upperside?† Clowzia said, eyebrows lifting, â€Å"Yes, for a while. He wanted to wander about and ask questions about the vegetation up there. He's a sharp fellow, Dors. Everything seemed to interest him, so I told him what I could till Leggen called me back. He was in one of his knock-your-head-off tempers. The weather wasn't working and he-â€Å" Dors interrupted. â€Å"Then you didn't see Hari go down in the elevator?† â€Å"I didn't see him at all after Leggen called me over.-But he has to be down here. He wasn't up there when we left.† â€Å"But I can't find him anywhere.† Clowzia looked perturbed. â€Å"Really?-But he's got to be somewhere down here.† â€Å"No, he doesn't have to be somewhere down here,† said Dors, her anxiety growing. â€Å"What if he's still up there?† â€Å"That's impossible. He wasn't. Naturally, we looked about for him before we left. Leggen had shown him how to go down. He wasn't properly dressed and it was rotten weather. Leggen told him if he got cold not to wait for us. He was getting cold. I know! So what else could he do but go down?† â€Å"But no one saw him go down.-Did anything go wrong with him up there?† â€Å"Nothing. Not while I was with him. He was perfectly fine except that he had to be cold, of course.† Dors, by now quite unsettled, said, â€Å"Since no one saw him go down, he might still be up there. Shouldn't we go up and look?† Clowzia said nervously, â€Å"I told you we looked around before we went down. It was still quite light and he was nowhere in sight.† â€Å"Let's look anyway.† â€Å"But I can't take you up there. I'm just an intern and I don't have the combination for the Upperside dome opening. You'll have to ask Dr. Leggen.† 26. Dors Venabili knew that Leggen would not willingly go Upperside now. He would have to be forced. First, she checked the library and the dining areas again. Then she called Seldon's room. Finally, she went up there and signaled at the door. When Seldon did not respond, she had the floor manager open it. He wasn't there. She questioned some of those who, over the last few weeks, had come to know him. No one had seen him. Well, then, she would make Leggen take her Upperside. By now, though, it was night. He would object strenuously and how long could she spend arguing if Hari Seldon was trapped up there on a freezing night with sleet turning to snow? A thought occurred to her and she rushed to the small University computer, which kept track of the doings of the students, faculty, and service staff. Her fingers flew over the keys and she soon had what she wanted. There were three of them in another part of the campus. She signed out for a small glidecart to take her over and found the domicile she was looking for. Surely, one of them would be available-or findable. Fortune was with her. The first door at which she signaled was answered by a query light. She punched in her identification number, which included her department affiliation. The door opened and a plump middle-aged man stared out at her. He had obviously been washing up before dinner. His dark blond hair was askew and he was not wearing any upper garment. He said, â€Å"Sorry. You catch me at a disadvantage. What can I do for you, Dr. Venabili?† She said a bit breathlessly, â€Å"You're Rogen Benastra, the Chief Seismologist, aren't you?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"This is an emergency. I must see the seismological records for Upperside for the last few hours.† Benastra stared at her. â€Å"Why? Nothing's happened. I'd know if it had. The seismograph would inform us.† â€Å"I'm not talking about a meteoric impact.† â€Å"Neither am I. We don't need a seismograph for that. I'm talking about gravel, pinpoint fractures. Nothing today.† â€Å"Not that either. Please. Take me to the seismograph and read it for me. This is life or death.† â€Å"I have a dinner appointment-â€Å" â€Å"I said life or death and I mean it.† Benastra said, â€Å"I don't see-† but he faded out under Dors's glare. He wiped his face, left quick word on his message relay, end struggled into a shirt. They half-ran (under Dors's pitiless urging) to the small squat Seismology Building. Dors, who knew nothing about seismology, said, â€Å"Down? We're going down?† â€Å"Below the inhabited levels. Of course. The seismograph has to be fixed to bedrock and be removed from the constant clamor and vibration of the city levels.† â€Å"But how can you tell what's happening Upperside from down here?† â€Å"The seismograph is wired to a set of pressure transducers located within the thickness of the dome. The impact of a speck of grit will send the indicator skittering off the screen. We can detect the flattening effect on the dome of a high wind. We can-â€Å" â€Å"Yes, yes,† said Dors impatiently. She was not here for a lecture on the virtues and refinements of the instruments. â€Å"Can you detect human footsteps?† â€Å"Human footsteps?† Benastra looked confused. â€Å"That's not likely Upperside.† â€Å"Of course it's likely. There were a group of meteorologists Upperside this afternoon.† â€Å"Oh. Well, footsteps would scarcely be noticeable.† â€Å"It would be noticeable if you looked hard enough and that's what I want you to do.† Benastra might have resented the firm note of command in her voice, but, if so, he said nothing. He touched a contact and the computer screen jumped to life. At the extreme right center, there was a fat spot of light, from which a thin horizontal line stretched to the left limit of the screen. There was a tiny wriggle to it, a random non-repetitive seder of little hiccups and these moved steadily leftward. It was almost hypnotic in its effect on Dors. Benastra said, â€Å"That's as quiet as it can possibly be. Anything you see is the result of changing air pressure above, raindrops maybe, the distant whirr of machinery. There's nothing up there.† â€Å"All right, but what about a few hours ago? Check on the records at fifteen hundred today, for instance. Surely, you have some recordings.† Benastra gave the computer its necessary instructions and for a second or two there was wild chaos on the screen. Then it settled down and again the horizontal line appeared. â€Å"I'll sensitize it to maximum,† muttered Benastra. There were now pronounced hiccups and as they staggered leftward they changed in pattern markedly. â€Å"What's that?† said Dors. â€Å"Tell me.† â€Å"Since you say there were people up there, Venabili, I would guess they were footsteps-the shifting of weight, the impact of shoes. I don't know that I would have guessed it if I hadn't known about the people up there. Its what we call a benign vibration, not associated with anything we know to be dangerous.† â€Å"Can you tell how many people are present?† â€Å"Certainly not by eye. You see, we're getting a resultant of all the impacts.† â€Å"You say ‘not by eye.' Can the resultant be analyzed into its components by the computer?† â€Å"I doubt it. These are minimal effects and you have to allow for the inevitable noise. The results would be untrustworthy.† â€Å"Well then. Move the time forward till the footstep indications stop. Can you make it fast-forward, so to speak?† â€Å"If I do-the kind of fast-forward you're speaking of-then it will all just blur into a straight line with a slight haze above and below. What I can do is move it forward in fifteen-minute stages and study it quickly before moving on.† â€Å"Good. Do that!† Both watched the screen until Benastra said, â€Å"There's nothing there now. See?† There was again a line with nothing but tiny uneven hiccups of noise. â€Å"When did the footsteps stop?† â€Å"Two hours ago. A trifle more.† â€Å"And when they stopped were there fewer than there were earlier?† Benastra looked mildly outraged. â€Å"I couldn't tell. I don't think the finest analysis could make a certain decision.† Dors pressed her lips together. Then she said, â€Å"Are you testing a transducer-is that what you called it-near the meteorological outlet?† â€Å"Yes, that's where the instruments are and that's where the meteorologists would have been.† Then, unbelievingly, â€Å"Do you want me to try others in the vicinity? One at a time?† â€Å"No. Stay on this one. But keep on going forward at fifteen-minute intervals. One person may have been left behind and may have made his way back to the instruments.† Benastra shook his head and muttered something under his breath. The screen shifted again and Dors said sharply, â€Å"What's that?† She was pointing. â€Å"I don't know. Noise.† â€Å"No. Its periodic. Could it be a single person's footsteps?† â€Å"Sure, but it could be a dozen other things too.† â€Å"It's coming along at about the time of footsteps, isn't it?† Then, after a while, she said, â€Å"Push it forward a little.† He did and when the screen settled down she said, â€Å"Aren't those unevennesses getting bigger?† â€Å"Possibly. We can measure them.† â€Å"We don't have to. You can see they're getting bigger. The footsteps are approaching the transducer. Go forward again. See when they stop.† After a while Benastra said, â€Å"They stopped twenty or twenty-five minutes ago.† Then cautiously, â€Å"Whatever they are.† â€Å"They're footsteps,† said Dors with mountain-moving conviction. â€Å"There's a man up there and while you and I have been fooling around here, he's collapsed and he's going to freeze and die. Now don't say, ‘Whatever they are!' Just call Meteorology and get me Jenarr Leggen. Life or death, I tell you. Say so!† Benastra, lips quivering, had passed the stage where he could possibly resist anything this strange and passionate woman demanded. It took no more than three minutes to get Leggen's hologram on the message platform. He had been pulled away from his dinner table. There was a napkin in his hand and a suspicious greasiness under his lower lip. His long face was set in a fearful scowl. † ‘Life or death?' What is this? Who are you?† Then his eye caught Dors, who had moved closer to Benastra so that her image would be seen on Jenarr's screen. He said, â€Å"You again. This is simple harassment.† Dors said, â€Å"It is not. I have consulted Rogen Benastra, who is Chief Seismologist at the University. After you and your party had left Upperside, the seismograph shows clear footsteps of one person still there. It's my student Hari Seldon, who went up there in your care and who is now, quite certainly, lying in a collapsed stupor and may not live long. â€Å"You will, therefore, take me up there right now with whatever equipment may be necessary. If you do not do so immediately, I shall proceed to University security-to the President himself, if necessary. One way or another I'll get up there and if anything has happened to Hari because you delay one minute, I will see to it that you are hauled in for negligence, incompetence-whatever I can make stick-and will have you lose all status and be thrown out of academic life. And if he's dead, of course, that's manslaughter by negligence. Or worse, since I've now warned you he's dying.† Jenarr, furious, turned to Benastra. â€Å"Did you detect-â€Å" But Dors cut in. â€Å"He told me what he detected and I've told you. I do not intend to allow you to bulldoze him into confusion. Are you coming? Now?† â€Å"Has it occurred to you that you may be mistaken?† said Jenarr, thin-lipped. â€Å"Do you know what I can do to you if this is a mischievous false alarm? Loss of status works both ways.† â€Å"Murder doesn't,† said Dors. â€Å"I'm ready to chance a trial for malicious mischief. Are you ready to chance a trial for murder?† Jenarr reddened, perhaps more at the necessity of giving in than at the threat. â€Å"I'll come, but I'll have no mercy on you, young woman, if your student eventually turns out to have been safe within the dome these past three hours.† 27. The three went up the elevator in an inimical silence. Leggen had eaten only part of his dinner and had left his wife at the dining area without adequate explanation. Benastra had eaten no dinner at all and had possibly disappointed some woman companion, also without adequate explanation. Dors Venabili had not eaten either and she seemed the most tense and unhappy of the three. She carried a thermal blanket and two photonic founts. When they reached the entrance to Upperside, Leggen, jaw muscles tightening, entered his identification number and the door opened. A cold wind rushed at them and Benastra grunted. None of the three was adequately dressed, but the two men had no intention of remaining up there long. Dors said tightly, â€Å"It's snowing.† Leggen said, â€Å"It's wet snow. The temperature's just about at the freezing point. It's not a killing frost.† â€Å"It depends on how long one remains in it, doesn't it?† said Dors. â€Å"And being soaked in melting snow won't help.† Leggen grunted. â€Å"Well, where is he?† He stared resentfully out into utter blackness, made even worse by the light from the entrance behind him. Dors said, â€Å"Here, Dr. Benastra, hold this blanket for me. And you, Dr. Leggen, close the door behind you without locking it.† â€Å"There's no automatic lock on it. Do you think we're foolish?† â€Å"Perhaps not, but you can lock it from the inside and leave anyone outside unable to get into the dome.† â€Å"If someone's outside, point him out. Show him to me,† said Leggen. â€Å"He could be anywhere.† Dors lifted her arms with a photonic fount circling each wrist. â€Å"We can't look everywhere,† mumbled Benastra miserably. The founts blazed into light, spraying in every direction. The snowflakes glittered like a vast mob of fireflies, making it even more difficult to see. â€Å"The footsteps were getting steadily louder,† said Dors. â€Å"He had to be approaching the transducer. Where would it be located?† â€Å"I haven't any idea,† snapped Leggen.-That's outside my field and my responsibility.† â€Å"Dr. Benastra?† Benastra's reply was hesitant. â€Å"I don't really know. To tell you the truth, I've never been up here before. It was installed before my time. The computer knows, but we never thought to ask it that.-I'm cold and I don't see what use I am up here.† â€Å"You'll have to stay up here for a while,† said Dors firmly. â€Å"Follow me. I'm going to circle the entrance in an outward spiral.† â€Å"We can't see much through the snow,† said Leggen. â€Å"I know that. If it wasn't snowing, we'd have seen him by now. I'm sure of it. As it is, it may take a few minutes. We can stand that.† She was by no means as confident as her words made it appear. She began to walk, swinging her arms, playing the light over as large a field as she could, straining her eyes for a dark blotch against the snow. And, as it happened, it was Benastra who first said, â€Å"What's that?† and pointed. Dors overlapped the two founts, making a bright cone of light in the indicated direction. She ran toward it, as did the other two. They had found him, huddled and wet, about ten meters from the door, five from the nearest meteorological device. Dors felt for his heartbeat, but it was not necessary for, responding to her touch, Seldon stirred and whimpered. â€Å"Give me the blanket, Dr. Benastra,† said Dors in a voice that was faint with relief. She flapped it open and spread it out in the snow. â€Å"Lift him onto it carefully and I'll wrap him. Then we'll carry him down.† In the elevator, vapors were rising from the wrapped Seldon as the blanket warmed to blood temperature. Dors said, â€Å"Once we have him in his room, Dr. Leggen, you get a doctor-a good one-and see that he comes at once. If Dr. Seldon gets through this without harm, I won't say anything, but only if he does. Remember-â€Å" â€Å"You needn't lecture me,† said Leggen coldly. â€Å"I regret this and I will do what I can, but my only fault was in allowing this man to come Upperside in the first place.† The blanket stirred and a low, weak voice made itself heard. Benastra started, for Seldon's head was cradled in the crook of his elbow. He said, â€Å"He's trying to say something.† Dors said, â€Å"I know. He said, ‘What's going on?' â€Å" She couldn't help but laugh just a little. It seemed such a normal thing to say. 28. The doctor was delighted. â€Å"I've never seen a case of exposure,† he explained. â€Å"One doesn't get exposed on Trantor.† â€Å"That may be,† said Dors coldly, â€Å"and I'm happy you have the chance to experience this novelty, but does it mean that you do not know how to treat Dr. Seldon?† The doctor, an elderly man with a bald head and a small gray mustache, bristled. â€Å"Of course, I do. Exposure cases on the Outer Worlds are common enough-an everyday affair-and I've read a great deal about them.† Treatment consisted in part of an antiviral serum and the use of a microwave wrapping. â€Å"This ought to take care of it,† the doctor said. â€Å"On the Outer Worlds, they make use of much more elaborate equipment in hospitals, but we don't have that, of course, on Trantor. This is a treatment for mild cases and I'm sure it will do the job.† Dors thought later, as Seldon was recovering without particular injury, that it was perhaps because he was an Outworlder that he had survived so well. Dark, cold, even snow were not utterly strange to him. A Trantorian probably would have died in a similar case, not so much from physical trauma as from psychic shock. She was not sure of this, of course, since she herself was not a Trantorian either. And, turning her mind away from these thoughts, she pulled up a chair near to Hari's bed and settled down to wait. 29. On the second morning Seldon stirred awake and looked up at Dors, who sat at his bedside, viewing a book-film and taking notes. In a voice that was almost normal, Seldon said, â€Å"Still here, Dors?† She put down the book-film. â€Å"I can't leave you alone, can I? And I don't trust anyone else.† â€Å"It seems to me that every time I wake up, I see you. Have you been here all the time?† â€Å"Sleeping or waking, yes.† â€Å"But your classes?† â€Å"I have an assistant who has taken over for a while.† Dors leaned over and grasped Hari's hand. Noticing his embarrassment (he was, after all, in bed), she removed it. â€Å"Hari, what happened? I was so frightened.† Seldon said, â€Å"I have a confession to make.† â€Å"What is it, Hari?† â€Å"I thought perhaps you were part of a conspiracy-â€Å" â€Å"A conspiracy?† she said vehemently. â€Å"I mean, to maneuver me Upperside where I'd be outside University jurisdiction and therefore subject to being picked up by Imperial forces.† â€Å"But Upperside isn't outside University jurisdiction. Sector jurisdiction on Trantor is from the planetary center to the sky.† â€Å"Ah, I didn't know that. But you didn't come with me because you said you had a busy schedule and, when I was getting paranoid, I thought you were deliberately abandoning me. Please forgive me. Obviously, it was you who got me down from there. Did anyone else care?† â€Å"They were busy men,† said Dors carefully. â€Å"They thought you had come down earlier. I mean, it was a legitimate thought.† â€Å"Clowzia thought so too?† â€Å"The young intern? Yes, she did.† â€Å"Well, it may still have been a conspiracy. Without you, I mean.† â€Å"No, Hari, it is my fault. I had absolutely no right to let you go Upperside alone. It was my job to protect you. I can't stop blaming myself for what happened, for you getting lost.† â€Å"Now, wait a minute,† said Seldon, suddenly irritated. â€Å"I didn't get lost. What do you think I am?† â€Å"I'd like to know what you call it. You were nowhere around when the others left and you didn't get back to the entrance-or to the neighborhood of the entrance anyway-till well after dark.† â€Å"But that's not what happened. I didn't get lost just because I wandered away and couldn't find my way back. I told you I was suspecting a conspiracy and I had cause to do so. I'm not totally paranoid.† â€Å"Well then, what did happen?† Seldon told her. He had no trouble remembering it in full detail; he had lived with it in nightmare for most of the preceding day. Dors listened with a frown. â€Å"But that's impossible. A jet-down? Are you sure?† â€Å"Of course I'm sure. Do you think I was hallucinating?† â€Å"But the Imperial forces could not have been searching for you. They could not have arrested you Upperside without creating the same ferocious rumpus they would have if they had sent in a police force to arrest you on campus.† â€Å"Then how do you explain it?† â€Å"I'm not sure,† said Dors, â€Å"but it's possible that the consequences of my failure to go Upperside with you might have been worse than they were and that Hummin will be seriously angry with me.† â€Å"Then let's not tell him,† said Seldon. â€Å"It ended well.† â€Å"We must tell him,† said Dors grimly. â€Å"This may not be the end.† 30. That evening Jenarr Leggen came to visit. It was after dinner and he looked from Dors to Seldon several times, as though wondering what to say. Neither offered to help him, but both waited patiently. He had not impressed either of them as being a master of small talk. Finally he said to Seldon, â€Å"I've come to see how you are.† â€Å"Perfectly well,† said Seldon, â€Å"except that I'm a little sleepy. Dr. Venabili tells me that the treatment will keep me tired for a few days, presumably so I'm sure of getting needed rest.† He smiled. â€Å"Frankly, I don't mind.† Leggen breathed in deeply, let it out, hesitated, and then, almost as though he was forcing the words out of himself, said, â€Å"I won't keep you long. I perfectly understand you need to rest. I do want to say, though, that I am sorry it all happened. I should not have assumed-so casually-that you had gone down by yourself. Since you were a tyro, I should have felt more responsible for you. After all, I had agreed to let you come up. I hope you can find it in your heart to†¦ forgive me. That's really all I wish to say.† Seldon yawned, putting his hand over his mouth. â€Å"Pardon me.-Since it seems to have turned out well, there need be no hard feelings. In some ways, it was not your fault. I should not have wandered away and, besides, what happened was-â€Å" Dors interrupted. â€Å"Now, Hari, please, no conversation. Just relax. Now, I want to talk to Dr. Leggen just a bit before he goes. In the first place, Dr. Leggen, I quite understand you are concerned about how repercussions from this affair will affect you. I told you there would be no follow-up if Dr. Seldon recovered without ill effects. That seems to be taking place, so you may relax-for now. I would like to ask you about something else and I hope that this time I will have your free cooperation.† â€Å"I will try, Dr. Venabili,† said Leggen stiffly. â€Å"Did anything unusual happen during your stay Upperside?† â€Å"You know it did. I lost Dr. Seldon, something for which I have just apologized.† â€Å"Obviously I'm not referring to that. Did anything else unusual happen?† â€Å"No, nothing. Nothing at all.† Dors looked at Seldon and Seldon frowned. It seemed to him that Dors was trying to check on his story and get an independent account. Did she think he was imagining the search vessel? He would have liked to object heatedly, but she had raised a quieting hand at him, as though she was preventing that very eventuality. He subsided, partly because of this and partly because he really wanted to sleep. He hoped that Leggen would not stay long. â€Å"Are you certain?† said Dors. â€Å"Were there no intrusions from outside?† â€Å"No, of course not. Oh-â€Å" â€Å"Yes, Dr. Leggen?† â€Å"There was a jet-down.† â€Å"Did that strike you as peculiar?† â€Å"No, of course not.† â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"This sounds very much as though I'm being cross-examined, Dr. Venabili. I don't much like it.† â€Å"I can appreciate that, Dr. Leggen, but these questions have something to do with Dr. Seldon's misadventure. It may be that this whole affair is more complicated than I had thought.† â€Å"In what way?† A new edge entered his voice. â€Å"Do you intend to raise new questions, requiring new apologies? In that case, I may find it necessary to withdraw.† â€Å"Not, perhaps, before you explain how it is you do not find a hovering jet-down a bit peculiar.† â€Å"Because, my dear woman, a number of meteorological stations on Trantor possess jet-downs for the direct study of clouds and the upper atmosphere. Our own meteorological station does not.† â€Å"Why not? It would be useful.† â€Å"Of course. But we're not competing and we're not keeping secrets. We will report on our findings; they will report on theirs. It makes sense, therefore, to have a scattering of differences and specializations. It would be foolish to duplicate efforts completely. The money and manpower we might spend on jet-downs can be spent on mesonic refractometers, while others will spend on the first and save on the latter. After all, there may be a great deal of competitiveness and ill feeling among the sectors, but science is one thing-only thing-that holds us together. You know that, I presume,† he added ironically. â€Å"I do, but isn't it rather coincidental that someone should be sending a jet-down right to your station on the very day you were going to use the station?† â€Å"No coincidence at all. We announced that we were going to make measurements on that day and, consequently, some other station thought, very properly, that they might make simultaneous nephelometric measurements-clouds, you know. The results, taken together, would make more sense and be more useful than either taken separately.† Seldon said suddenly in a rather blurred voice, â€Å"They were just measuring, then?† He yawned again. â€Å"Yes† said Leggen. â€Å"What else would they possibly be doing?† Dors blinked her eyes, as she sometimes did when she was trying to think rapidly. â€Å"That all makes sense. To which station did this particular jet-down belong?† Leggen shook his head. â€Å"Dr. Venabili, how can you possibly expect me to tell?† â€Å"I thought that each meteorological jet-down might possibly have its station's markings on it.† â€Å"Surely, but I wasn't looking up and studying it, you know. I had my own work to do and I let them do theirs. When they report, I'll know whose jet-down it was.† â€Å"What if they don't report?† â€Å"Then I would suppose their instruments failed. That happens sometimes.† His right fist was clenched. â€Å"Is that all, then?† â€Å"Wait a moment. Where do you suppose the jet-down might have come from?† â€Å"It might be any station with jet-downs. On a day's notice-and they got more than that-one of those vessels can reach us handily from anyplace on the planet.† â€Å"But who most likely?† â€Å"Hard to say: Hestelonia, Wye, Ziggoreth, North Damiano. I'd say one of these four was the most likely, but it might be any of forty others at least.† â€Å"Just one more question, then. Just one. Dr. Leggen, when you announced that your group would be Upperside, did you by any chance say that a mathematician, Dr. Hari Seldon, would be with you.† A look of apparently deep and honest surprise crossed Leggen's face, a look that quickly turned contemptuous. â€Å"Why should I list names? Of what interest would that be to anyone?† â€Å"Very well,† said Dors. â€Å"The truth of the matter, then, is that Dr. Seldon saw the jet-down and it disturbed him. I am not certain why and apparently his memory is a bit fuzzy on the matter. He more or less ran away from the jet-down, got himself lost, didn't think of trying to return-or didn't dare to-till it was well into twilight, and didn't quite make it back in the dark. You can't be blamed for that, so let's forget the whole incident on both sides. â€Å"Agreed,† said Leggen. â€Å"Good-bye!† He turned on his heel and left. When he was gone, Dors rose, pulled off Seldon's slippers gently, straightened him in his bed, and covered him. He was sleeping, of course. Then she sat down and thought. How much of what Leggen had said was true and what might possibly exist under the cover of his words? She did not know.