Foundation’s Edge CHAPTER ONE COUNCILMAN

COUNCILMAN â€Å"I don't believe it, of course,† said Golan Trevize standing on the wide steps of Seldon Hall and looking out over the city as it sparkled in the sunlight. Terminus was a mild planet, with a high water/land ratio. The introduction of weather control had made it all the more comfortable and considerably less interesting, Trevize often thought. â€Å"I don't believe any of it,† he repeated and smiled. His white, even teeth gleamed out of his youthful face. His companion and fellow Councilman, Munn Li Compor who had adopted a middle name in defiance of Terminus tradition, shook his head uneasily. â€Å"What don't you believe? That we saved the city?† â€Å"Oh, I believe that. We did, didn't we? And Seldon said that we would, and he said we would be right to do so, and that he knew all about it five hundred years ago.† Compor's voice dropped and he said in a half-whisper, â€Å"Look, I don't mind your talking like this to me, because I take it as just talk, but if you shout it out in crowds others will hear and, frankly, I don't want to be standing near you when the lightning strikes. I'm not sure how precise the aim will be.† Trevize's smile did not waver. He said, â€Å"Is there harm in saying that the city is saved? And that we did it without a war?† â€Å"There was no one to fight,† said Compor. He had hair of a buttery yellow, eyes of a sky blue, and he always resisted the impulse to alter those unfashionable hues. â€Å"Have you never heard of civil war, Compor?† said Trevize. He was tall, his hair was black, with a gentle wave to it, and he had a habit of walking with his thumbs hitched into the soft-fibered sash he always wore. â€Å"A civil war over the location of the capital?† â€Å"The question was enough to bring on a Seldon Crisis. It destroyed Hannis's political career. It put you and me into the Council last election and the issue hung†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He heisted one hand slowly, back and forth, like a balance coming to rest on the level. He paused on the steps, ignoring the other members of the government and the media, as well as the fashionable society types who had finagled an invitation to witness Seldon's return (or the return of his image, at any rate). All were walking down the stairs, talking, laughing, glorying in the correctness of everything, and basking in Seldon's approval. Trevize stood still and let the crowd swirl past him. Compor, having walked two steps ahead, paused – an invisible cord stretching between them. He said, â€Å"Aren't you coming?† â€Å"There's no hurry. They won't start the Council meeting until Mayor Branno has reviewed the situation in her usual flat-footed, one-syllable-at-a-time way. I'm in no hurry to endure another ponderous speech. – Look at the city!† â€Å"I see it. I saw it yesterday, too.† â€Å"Yes, but did you see it five hundred years ago when it was founded?† â€Å"Four hundred ninety-eight,† Compor corrected him automatically. â€Å"Two years from now, they'll have the hemimillennial celebration and Mayor Branno will still be in the office at the time, barring events of, we hope, minor probability.† â€Å"We hope,† said Trevize dryly. â€Å"But what was it like five hundred years ago when it was founded? One city! One small city, occupied by a group of men preparing an Encyclopedia that was never finished!† â€Å"Of course it was finished.† â€Å"Are you referring to the Encyclopedia Galactica we have now? What we have isn't what they were working on. What we have is in a computer and it's revised daily. Have you ever looked at the uncompleted original?† â€Å"You mean in the Hardin Museum?† â€Å"The Salvor Hardin Museum of Origins. Let's have the full name, please, since you're so careful about exact dates. Have you looked at it?† â€Å"No. Should I?† â€Å"No, it isn't worth it. But anyway – there they were – a group of Encyclopedists, forming the nucleus of a town – one small town in a world virtually without metals, circling a sun isolated from the rest of the Galaxy, at the edge, the very edge. And now, five hundred years later, we're a suburban world. The whole place is one big park, with all the metal we want. We're at the center of everything now?† â€Å"Not really,† said Compor. â€Å"We're still circling a sun isolated from the rest of the Galaxy. Still at the very edge of the Galaxy.† â€Å"Ah no, you're saying that without thinking. That was the whole point of this little Seldon Crisis. We are more than the single world of Terminus. We are the Foundation, which sends out its tentacles Galaxy-wide and rules that Galaxy from its position at the very edge. We can do it because we're not isolated, except in position, and that doesn't count.† â€Å"All right. I'll accept that.† Compor was clearly uninterested and took another step downward. The invisible cord between them stretched farther. Trevize reached out a hand as though to haul his companion up the steps again. â€Å"Don't you see the significance, Compor? There's this enormous change, but we don't accept it. In our hearts we want the small Foundation, the small one-world operation we had in the old days – the days of iron heroes and noble saints that are gone forever.† â€Å"Come on!† â€Å"I mean it. Look at Seldon Hall. To begin with, in the first crises in Salvor Hardin's day, it was just the Time Vault, a small auditorium in which the holographic image of Seldon appeared. That was all. Now it's a colossal mausoleum, but is there a force-field ramp in the place? A slideway? A gravitic lift? – No, just these steps, and we walk down them and we walk up them as Hardin would have had to do. At odd and unpredictable times, we cling in fright to the past.† He flung his arm outward passionately. â€Å"Is there any structural component visible that is metal? Not one. It wouldn't do to have any, since in Salvor Hardin's day there was no native metal to speak of and hardly any imported metal. We even installed old plastic, pink with age, when we built this huge pile, so that visitors from other worlds can stop and say, ‘Galaxy! What lovely old plastics' I tell you, Compor, it's a sham.† â€Å"Is that what you don't believe, then? Seldon Hall?† â€Å"And all its contents,† said Trevize in a fierce whisper. â€Å"I don't really believe there's any sense in hiding here at the edge of the Universe, just because our ancestors did. I believe we ought to be out there, in the middle of everything.† â€Å"But Seldon says you're wrong. The Seldon Plan is working out as it should.† â€Å"I know. I know. And every child on Terminus is brought up to believe that Hari Seldon formulated a Plan, that he foresaw everything five centuries ago, that he set up the Foundation in such a way that he could spot certain crises, and that his image would appear holographically at those crises, and tell us the minimum we had to know to go on to the next crisis, and thus lead us through a thousand years of history until we could safely build a Second and Greater Galactic Empire on the ruins of the old decrepit structure that was falling apart five centuries ago and had disintegrated completely by two centuries ago.† â€Å"Why are you telling me all this, Golan?† â€Å"Because I'm telling you it's a sham. It's all a sham. – Or if it was real to begin with, it's a sham now! We are not our own masters. It is not we who are following the Plan.† Compor looked at the other searchingly. â€Å"You've said things like this before, Golan, but I've always thought you were just saying ridiculous things to stir me up. By the Galaxy, I actually think you're serious.† â€Å"Of course I'm serious!† â€Å"You can't be. Either this is some complicated piece of fun at my expense or you're out of your mind.† â€Å"Neither. Neither,† said Trevize, quiet now, hitching his thumbs into his sash as though he no longer needed the gestures of hands to punctuate passion. â€Å"I speculated on it before, I admit, but that was just intuition. That farce in there this morning, however, has made it suddenly all. quite plain to me and I intend, in turn, to make it quite plain to the Council.† Compor said, â€Å"You are crazy!† â€Å"All right. Come with me and listen.† The two walked down the stairs. They were the only ones left – the last to complete the descent. And as Trevize moved slightly to he fore, Compor's lips moved silently, casting a voiceless word in the direction of the other's back: â€Å"Fool!† Mayor Harla Branno called the session of the Executive Council to order. Her eyes had looked with no visible sign of interest at the gathering; yet no one there doubted that she had noted all who were present and all who had not yet arrived. Her gray hair was carefully arranged in a style that was neither markedly feminine nor imitation masculine. It was simply the way she wore it, no more. Her matter-of-fact face was not notable for beauty, but somehow it was never for beauty that one searched there. She was the most capable administrator on the planet. No one could, or did, accuse her of the brilliance of the Salvor Hardins and the Hober Mallows whose histories enlivened the first two centuries of the Foundation's existence, but neither would anyone associate her with the follies of the hereditary Indburs who had ruled the Foundation just prior to the time of the Mule. Her speeches did not stir men's minds, nor did she have a gift for the dramatic gesture, but she had a capacity for making quiet decisions and sticking by them as long as she was convinced she was right. Without any obvious charisma, she had the knack of persuading the voters those quiet decisions would be right Since by the Seldon doctrine, historical change is to a large degree difficult to swerve (always barring the unpredictable, something most Seldonists forget, despite the wrenching incident of the Mule), the Foundation might have retained its capital on Terminus under any conditions. That is a â€Å"might,† however. Seldon, in his just finished appearance as a five-century-old simulacrum, had calmly placed the probability of remaining on Terminus at 87.2 percent. Nevertheless, even to Seldonists, that meant there was a 12.8 percent chance that the shift to some point closer to the center of the Foundation Federation would have been made, with all the dire consequences that Seldon had outlined. That this one-out-of-eight chance did not take place was surely due to Mayor Branno. It was certain she would not have allowed it. Through periods of considerable unpopularity, she had held to her decision that Terminus was the traditional seat of the Foundation and there it would remain. Her political enemies had caricatured her strong jaw (with some effectiveness, it had to be admitted) as an underslung granite block. And now Seldon had backed her point of view and, for the while at least, that would give her an overwhelming political advantage. She had been reported to have said a year earlier that if in the coming appearance Seldon did back her, she would consider her task successfully completed. She would then retire and take up the role of elder statesperson, rather than risk the dubious results of further political wars. No one had really believed her. She was at home in the political wars to an extent few before her had been, and now that Seldon's image had come and gone there was no hint of retirement about her. She spoke in a perfectly clear voice with an unashamed Foundation accent (she had once served as Ambassador to Mandrels, but had not adopted the old Imperial style of speech that was so fashionable now – and was part of what had been a quasi-Imperial drive to the Inner Provinces). She said, â€Å"The Seldon Crisis is over and it is a tradition, and a wise one, that no reprisals of any kind – either in deed or in speech – be taken against those who supported the wrong side. Many honest people believed they had good reason for wanting that which Seldon did not want. There is no point in humiliating them to the point where they can retrieve their self-respect only by denouncing the Seldon Plan itself. In turn, it is a strong and desirable custom that those who supported the lost side accept the loss cheerfully and without further discussion. The issue is behind us, on both sides, forever.† She paused, gazed levelly at the assembled faces for a moment, then went on, â€Å"Half the time has passed, people of the Council half the thousand-year stretch between Empires. It has been a time of difficulties, but we have come a fang way. We are, indeed, almost a Galactic Empire already and there remain no external enemies of consequence. â€Å"The Interregnum would have endured thirty thousand years, were it not for the Seldon Plan. After thirty thousand years of disintegration, it might be there would be no strength left with which to form an Empire again. There might be left only isolated and probably dying worlds. â€Å"What we have today we owe to Hari Seldom and it is upon his long-dead mind that we must rely far the rest. The danger henceforward, Councillors, is ourselves, and from this point on there must be no official doubt of the value of the Flan. Let us agree nosy, quietly and firmly, that there are to be no official doubts, criticisms, or condemnations of the Plan. We must support it completely. It has proved itself over five centuries. It is the security of humanity and it must not be tampered with. Is it agreed?† There was a quiet murmur. The Mayor hardly looked up to seek visual proof of agreement. She knew every member of the Council and how each would react. In the wake of the victory, there would be no objection now. Next year perhaps. Not now. She would tackle the problems of next year next year. Always except for – â€Å"Thought control, Mayor Branno?† asked Golan Trevize, striding down the aisle and speaking loudly, as though to make up for the silence of the rest. He did not bother to take his seat which, since he was a new member, was in fine back row. Branno still did not look up. She said, â€Å"Your views, Councilman Trevize?† â€Å"That the government cannot impose a ban on free speech; that all individuals – most certainly including Councilmen and Councilwomen who have been elected for the purpose – have a right to discuss the political issues of the day; and that no political issue can possibly be divorced from the Seldon Plan:† Branno folded her hands and looked up. Her face was expressionless. She said, â€Å"Councilman Trevize, you have entered this debate irregularly and were out of order in doing so. However, I asked you to state your views and I will now answer you. â€Å"There is no limit to free speech within the context of the Seldon Plan. It is only the Plan itself that limits us by its very nature. There can be many ways of interpreting events before the image makes the final decision, but once he makes that decision it can be questioned no further in Council. Nor may it be questioned in advance as though one were to say, ‘If Hari Seldon were to state thus-and-so, he would be wrong.'† â€Å"And yet if one honestly felt so, Madam Mayor?† â€Å"Then one could say so, if one were a private individual, discussing fine matter in a private context.† â€Å"You mean, then, that the limitations on free speech which you propose are to apply entirely and specifically to government officials?† â€Å"Exactly. This is not a new principle of Foundation law. It has been applied before by Mayors of all parties. A private point of view means nothing; an official expression of opinion carries weight and can be dangerous. We have not come this far to risk danger now.† â€Å"May I point out, Madam Mayor, that this principle of yours has been applied, sparsely and occasionally, to specific acts of Council. It has never been applied to something as vast and indefinable as the Seldon Plan.† â€Å"The Seldon Plan needs the protection most, for it is precisely there that questioning can be most fatal.† â€Å"Will you not consider, Mayor Branno†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Trevize turned, addressing now the seated rows of Council members, who seemed one and ail to have caught their breath, as though awaiting the outcome of a duel. â€Å"Will you not consider, Council members, that there is every reason to think that there is no Seldon Plan at all?† â€Å"We have all witnessed its workings today,† said Mayor Branno, even more quietly as Trevize became louder and more oratorical. â€Å"It is precisely because we have seen its workings today, Councilmen and Councilwomen, that we can see that the Seldon Plan, as we have been taught to believe it to be, cannot exist.† â€Å"Councilman Trevize, you are out of order and must not continue along these lines.† â€Å"I have the privilege of office, Mayor.† â€Å"That privilege has been withdrawn, Councilman.† â€Å"You cannot withdraw the privilege. Your statement limiting free speech cannot, in itself, have the force of law. There has been no formal vote in Council, Mayor, and even if there were I would have the right to question its legality.† â€Å"The withdrawal, Councilman, has nothing to do with my statement protecting the Seldon Plan.† â€Å"On what, then, does it depend?† â€Å"You are accused of treason, Councilman. I wish to do the Council the courtesy of not arresting you within the Council Chamber, but waiting at the door are members of Security who will take you into custody as you leave. I will ask you now to leave quietly. If you make any ill-considered move, then, of course, that will be considered a present danger and Security will enter the Chamber. I trust you will not make that necessary.† Trevize frowned. There svgs absolute silence in the hall. (Did everyone expect this – everyone but himself and Compor?) He looked back at the exit. He saw nothing, but he had no doubt that Mayor Branno was not bluffing. He stammered in rage. â€Å"I repre – represent an important constituency, Mayor Branno†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No doubt, they will be disappointed in you.† â€Å"On what evidence do you bring forth this wild charge?† â€Å"That will appear in due course, but be assured that we have all we need. You are a most indiscreet young man and should realize that someone may be your friend and yet not be willing to accompany you into treason:† Trevize whirled to meet Compor's blue eyes. They met his stonily. Mayor Branno said calmly, â€Å"I call upon all to witness that when I made my last statement, Councilman Trevize turned to look at Councilman Compor. Will you leave now, Councilman, or will you force us to engage in the indignity of an arrest within the Chamber?† Golan Trevize turned, mounted the steps again, and, at the door, two men in uniform, well armed, fell in on either side. And Harla Branno, looking after him impassively, whispered through barely parted lips, â€Å"Fool!† Liono Kodell had been Director of Security through all of Mayor Branno's administration. It was not a backbreaking job, as he liked to say, but whether he was lying or not, one could not, of course, tell. He didn't look like a liar, but that did not necessarily mean anything. He looked comfortable and friendly, and it might well be that this was appropriate for the job. He was rather below the average height, rather above the average weight, had a bushy mustache (most unusual for a citizen of Terminus) that was now more white than gray, bright brown eyes, and a characteristic patch of primary color marking the outer breast pocket of his drab coverall. He said, â€Å"Sit down, Trevize. Let us keep this on a friendly basis if we can.† â€Å"Friendly? With a traitor?† Trevize hooked both his thumbs in his sash and remained standing. â€Å"With an accused traitor. We have not yet come to the point where accusation – even by the Mayor herself – is the equivalent of conviction. I trust we never do. My job is to clear you, if I can. I would much rather do so now while no harm is done – except, perhaps, to your pride – rather than be forced to make it all a matter of a public trial. I hope you are with me in this.† Trevize didn't soften. He said, â€Å"Let's not bother with ingratiation. Your job is to badger me as though I were a traitor. I am not one, and I resent the necessity of having to have that point demonstrated to your satisfaction. Why should you not have to prove your loyalty to my satisfaction?† â€Å"In principle, none. The sad fact, however, is that I have power on my side, and you have none on yours. Because of that, it is my privilege to question, and not yours. If any suspicion of disloyalty or treason fell upon me, by the way, I imagine I would find myself replaced, and I would then be questioned by someone else, who, I earnestly hope, would treat me no worse than I intend to treat you.† â€Å"And how do you intend to treat me?† â€Å"Like, I trust, a friend and an equal, if you will so treat me.† â€Å"Shall I stand you a drink?† asked Trevize bitterly. â€Å"Later, perhaps, but for now, please sit down. I ask it as a friend.† Trevize hesitated, then sat. Any further defiance suddenly seemed meaningless to him. â€Å"What now?† he said. â€Å"Now, may I ask that you will answer my questions truthfully and completely and without evasion?† â€Å"And if not? What is the threat behind it? A Psychic Probe?† â€Å"I trust not.† â€Å"I trust not, too. Not on a Councilman. It will reveal no treason, and when I am then acquitted, I will have your political head and the Mayor's too, perhaps. It might almost be worth making you try a Psychic Probe.† Kodell frowned and shook his head slightly. â€Å"Oh no. Oh no. Too much danger of brain damage. It's slow healing sometimes, and it would not be worth your while. Definitely. You know, sometimes, when the Probe is used in exasperation†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"A threat, Kodell?† â€Å"A statement of fact, Trevize. – Don't mistake me, Councilman. If I must use the Probe I will, and even if you are innocent you will have no recourse.† â€Å"What do you want to know?† Kodell closed a switch on the desk before him. He said, â€Å"What I ask and what you answer to my questions will be recorded, both sight and sound. I do not want any volunteered statements from you, or anything nonresponsive. Not at this time. You understand that, I am sure.† â€Å"I understand that you will record only what you please,† said Trevize contemptuously. â€Å"That is right, but again, don't mistake me. I wilt not distort anything you say. I will use it or not use it, that is all. But you will know what I will not use and you will not waste my time and yours. â€Å"We'll see.† â€Å"We have reason to think, Councilman Trevize† – and somehow the touch of added formality in his voice was evidence enough that he was recording – â€Å"that you have stated openly, and on a number of occasions, that you do not believe in the existence of the Seldon Plan.† Trevize said slowly, â€Å"If I have said so openly, and on a number of occasions, what more do you need?† â€Å"Let us not waste time with quibbles, Councilman. You know that what I want is an open admission in your own voice, characterized by its own voiceprints, under conditions where you are clearly in perfect command of yourself.† â€Å"Because, I suppose, the use of any hypno-effect, chemical or otherwise, would alter the voiceprints?† â€Å"Quite noticeably.† â€Å"And you are anxious to demonstrate that you have made use of no illegal methods in questioning a Councilman? I don't blame you .. â€Å"I'm glad you do not blame me, Councilman. Then let us continue. You have stated openly, and on a number of occasions, that you do not believe in the existence of the Seldon Plan. Do you admit that?† Trevize said slowly, choosing his words, â€Å"I do not believe that what we call Seldon's Plan has the significance we usually apply to it. â€Å"A vague statement. Would you care to elaborate?† â€Å"My view is that the usual concept that Hari Seldon, five hundred years ago, making use of the mathematical science of psychohistory, worked out the course of human events to the last detail and that we are following a course designed to take us from the First Galactic Empire to the Second Galactic Empire along the line of maximum probability, is naive. It cannot be so:' â€Å"Do you mean that, in your opinion, Hari Seldon never existed?† â€Å"Not at all. Of course he existed.† â€Å"That he never evolved the science of psychohistory?† â€Å"No, of course I don't mean any such thing. See here, Director, I would have explained this to the Council if I had been allowed to, and I will explain it to you. The truth of what I am going to say is so plain†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The Director of Security had quietly, and quite obviously, turned off the recording device. Trevize paused and frowned. â€Å"Why did you do that?† â€Å"You are wasting my time, Councilman. I am not asking you for speeches.† â€Å"You are asking me to explain my views, aren't you?† â€Å"Not at all. I am asking you to answer questions – simply, directly, and straightforwardly. Answer only the questions and offer nothing that I do not ask for. Do that and this won't take long.† Trevize said, â€Å"You mean you will elicit statements from me that will reinforce the official version of what I am supposed to have done.† â€Å"We ask you only to make truthful statements, and I assure you we will not distort them. Please, let me try again. We were talking about Hari Seldon.† The recording device was in action once more and Kodell repeated calmly, â€Å"That he never evolved the science of psychohistory?† â€Å"Of course he evolved the science that we call psychohistory,† said Trevize, failing to mask his impatience, and gesturing with exasperated passion. â€Å"Which you would define – how?† â€Å"Galaxy! It is usually defined as that branch of mathematics that deals with the overall reactions of large groups of human beings to given stimuli under given conditions. In other words, it is supposed to predict social and historical changes – â€Å" â€Å"You say ‘supposed to' Do you question that from the standpoint of mathematical expertise?† â€Å"No,† said Trevize. â€Å"I am not a psychohistorian. Nor is any member of the Foundation government, nor any citizen of Terminus, nor any†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Kodell's hand raised. He said softly, â€Å"Councilman, please!† and Trevize was silent. Kodell said, â€Å"Have you any reason to suppose that Hari Seldon did not make the necessary analysis that would combine, as efficiently as possible, the factors of maximum probability and shortest duration in the path leading from the First to the Second Empire by way of the Foundation?† â€Å"I wasn't there,† said Trevize sardonically. â€Å"How can I know?† â€Å"Can you know he didn't?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"Do you deny, perhaps, that the holographic image of Hari Seldon that has appeared during each of a number of historical crises over the past five hundred years is, in actual fact, a reproduction of Hari Seldon himself, made in the last year of his life, shortly before the establishment of the Foundation?† â€Å"I suppose I can't deny that.† â€Å"You ‘suppose.' Would you care to say that it is a fraud, a hoax devised by someone in past history for some purpose?† Trevize sighed. â€Å"No. I am not maintaining that.† â€Å"Are you prepared to maintain that the messages that Hari Seldon delivers are in any way manipulated by anyone at all?† â€Å"No. I have no reason to think that such manipulation is either possible or useful.† â€Å"I see. You witnessed this most recent appearance of Seldon's image. Did you find that his analysis – prepared five hundred years ago – did not match the actual conditions of today quite closely?† â€Å"On the contrary,† said Trevize with sudden glee. â€Å"It matched very closely.† Kodell seemed indifferent to the other's emotion. â€Å"And yet, Councilman, after the appearance of Seldon, you still maintain that the Seldon Plan does not exist.† â€Å"Of course I do. I maintain it does not exist precisely because the analysis matched so perfectly.† Kodell had turned off the recorder. â€Å"Councilman,† he said, shaking his head, â€Å"you put me to the trouble of erasing. I ask if you still maintain this odd belief of yours and you start giving me reasons. Let me repeat my question.† He said, â€Å"And yet, Councilman, after the appearance of Seldon, you still maintain that the Seldon Plan does not exist.† â€Å"How do you know that? no one had a chance to speak to my informer friend, Compor, after the appearance.† â€Å"Let us say we guessed, Councilman. And let us say you have already answered, ‘Of course I do' If you will say that once more without volunteering added information, we can get on with it.† â€Å"Of course I do,† said Trevize ironically. â€Å"Well,† said Kodell, â€Å"I will choose whichever of the ‘Of course I do's' sounds more natural. Thank you, Councilman,† and the recording device was turned off again. Trevize said, â€Å"Is that it?† â€Å"For what I need, yes.† â€Å"What you need, quite clearly, is a set of questions and answers that you can present to Terminus and to all the Foundation Federation which it rules, in order to show that I accept the legend of the Seldon Plan totally. That will make any denial of it that I later make seem quixotic or outright insane.† â€Å"Or even treasonable in the eyes of an excited multitude which sees the Plan as essential to the Foundation's safety. It will perhaps not be necessary to publicize this, Councilman Trevize, if we can come to some understanding, but if it should prove necessary we will see to it that the Federation hears.† â€Å"Are you fool enough, sir,† said Trevize, frowning, â€Å"to be entirely uninterested in what I really have to say?† â€Å"As a human being I am very interested, and if an appropriate time comes I will listen to you with interest and a certain amount of skepticism. As Director of Security, however, I have, at the present moment, exactly what I want† â€Å"I hope you know that this will do you, and the Mayor, no good.† â€Å"Oddly enough, I am not at all of that opinion. You will now leave. Under guard, of course.† â€Å"Where am I to be taken?† Kodell merely smiled. â€Å"Good-bye, Councilman. You were not perfectly co-operative, but it would have been unrealistic to have expected you to be.† He held out his hand. Trevize, standing up, ignored it. He smoothed the creases out of his sash and said, â€Å"You only delay the inevitable. Others must think as I do now, or will come to think that way later. To imprison me or to kill me will serve to inspire wonder and, eventually, accelerate such thinking. In the end the truth and I shall win.† Kodell took back his hand and shook his head slowly. â€Å"Really, Trevize,† he said. â€Å"You are a fool.† It was not till midnight that two guards came to remove Trevize from what was, he had to admit, a luxurious room at Security Headquarters. Luxurious but locked. A prison cell by any name. Trevize had over four hours to second-guess himself bitterly, striding restlessly across the floor for much of the period. Why did he trust Compor? Why not? He had seemed so clearly in agreement. – No, not that. He had seemed so ready to be argued into agreement. – No, not that, either. He had seemed so stupid, so easily dominated, so surely lacking a mind and opinions of his own that Trevize enjoyed the chance of using him as a comfortable sounding board. Compor had helped Trevize improve and hone his opinions. He had been useful and Trevize had trusted him for no other reason than that it had been convenient to do so. But it was useless now to try to decide whether he ought to have seen through Compor. He should have followed the simple generalization: Trust nobody. Yet can one go through life trusting nobody? Clearly one had to. And who would have thought that Branno would have had the audacity to pluck a Councilman out of the Council – and that not one of the other Councilmen would move to protect one of their own? Though they had disagreed with Trevize to their very hearts; though they would have been ready to bet their blood, drop by drop, on Branno's rightness; they should still, on principle, have interposed themselves against this violation of their prerogatives. Branno the Bronze she was sometimes called, and she certainly acted with metallic rigor – Unless she herself was already in the grip – No! That way led to paranoia! And yet – His mind tiptoed in circles, and had not broken out of uselessly repetitive thought when the guards came. â€Å"You will have to come with us, Councilman,† the senior of the two said with unemotional gravity. His insignia showed him to be a lieutenant. He had a small scar on his right cheek, and he looked tired, as though he had been at his Job too long and had done too little – as might be expected of a soldier whose people had been at peace for over a century. Trevize did not budge. â€Å"Your name, Lieutenant.† â€Å"I am Lieutenant Evander Sopellor, Councilman.† â€Å"You realize you are breaking the law, Lieutenant Sopellor. You cannot arrest a Councilman.† The lieutenant said, â€Å"We have our direct orders, sir.† â€Å"That does not matter. You cannot be ordered to arrest a Councilman. You must understand that you will be liable for court-martial as a result.† The lieutenant said, â€Å"You are not being arrested, Councilman.† â€Å"Then I don't have to go with you, do I?† â€Å"We have been instructed to escort you to your home.† â€Å"I know the way.† â€Å"And to protect you en route.† â€Å"From what? – Or from whom?† â€Å"From any mob that may gather.† â€Å"At midnight?† â€Å"It is why we have waited for midnight, sir. – And now, sir, for your protection we must ask you to come with us. May I say – not as a threat but as a matter of information – that we are authorized to use force if necessary.† Trevize was aware of the neuronic whips with which they were armed. He rose with what he hoped was dignity. â€Å"To my home, then. – Or will I find out that you are going to take me to prison?† â€Å"We have not been instructed to lie to you, sir,† said the lieutenant with a pride of his own. Trevize became aware that he was in the presence of a professional man who would require a direct order before he would lie – and that even then his expression and his tone of voice would give him away. Trevize said, â€Å"I ask your pardon, Lieutenant. I did not mean to imply that I doubted your word.† A ground-car was waiting for them outside. The street was empty and there was no sign of any human being, let alone a mob – but the lieutenant had been truthful. He had not said there was a mob outside or that one would form. He had referred to â€Å"any mob that may gather.† He had only said â€Å"may.† The lieutenant had carefully kept Trevize between himself and the car. Trevize could not have twisted away and made a run for it. The lieutenant entered immediately after him and sat beside him in the back. The car moved off. Trevize said, â€Å"Once I am home, I presume I may then go about my business freely – that I may leave, for instance, if I choose.† â€Å"We have no order to interfere with you, Councilman, in any way, except insofar as we are ordered to protect you.† â€Å"Insofar? What does that mean in this case?† â€Å"I am instructed to tell you that once you are home, you may not leave it. The streets are not safe for you and I am responsible for your safety.† â€Å"You mean I am under house arrest.† â€Å"I am not a lawyer, Councilman. I do not know what that means.† He gazed straight ahead, but his elbow made contact with Trevize's side. Trevize could not have moved, however slightly, without the lieutenant becoming aware of it. The car stopped before Trevize's small house in the suburb of Flexner. At the moment, he lacked a housemate – Flavella having wearied of the erratic life that Council membership had forced upon him – so he expected no one to be waiting for him. â€Å"Do I get out now?† Trevize asked. â€Å"I will get out first, Councilman. We will escort you in.† â€Å"For my safety?† â€Å"Yes, sir.† There were two guards waiting inside his front door. A night-light was gleaming, but the windows had been opacified and it was not visible from outside. For a moment, he was indignant at the invasion and then he dismissed it with an inward shrug. If the Council could not protect him in the Council Chamber itself, then surely his house could not serve as his castle. Trevize said, â€Å"How many of you do I have in here altogether? A regiment?† â€Å"No, Councilman,† came a voice, hard and steady. â€Å"Just one person aside from those you see, and I have been waiting for you long enough.† Harla Branno, Mayor of Terminus, stood in the door that led into the living room. â€Å"Time enough, don't you think, for us to talk?† Trevize stared. â€Å"All this rigmarole to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But Branno said in a low, forceful voice. â€Å"Quiet, Councilman. – And you four, outside. Outside! – All will be well in here.† The four guards saluted and turned on their heels. Trevize and Branno were alone.

Evaluation of Critical Theory in Tourism Essay

In spite of the consensus on the importance of research, the existing literature in hospitality and tourism research does not contain any commonly agreed upon ways of evaluating research performance. The most frequently used proxy for assessing research performance is authorship and institution analyses by counting the number of published articles in selected research journals (Jogaratnam, McCleary, Mena, and Yoo, 2005; Malhotra and Kher, 1996; Sheldon, 1991; Weaver, McCleary, and Farrar, 1990; Zhao and Ritchie, 2006). 4 While counting the number of published articles in selected journals may be simple to perform and interpret, this approach is subject to many methodological problems. Wood (1995), as well as Losekoot, Verginis, and Wood (2001), argued that counting publications in selected journals as an indicator of academic productivity is too narrow and geographically-based. Similarly, Ryan (2005) and Hall (2005) stated that focusing on publications in research journals would exclude many researchrelated activities such as writing books, supervising postgraduate students, and taking on leadership roles in the international academic community. Likewise, the conjecture which this paper makes is that using the number of published articles in selected tourism and hospitality journals as an indicator of research performance is an incomplete, if not biased approach, as other research-related activities are simply excluded from consideration. Such a statement is made on the basis that many established academics do not publish in the selected journals. In addition, in order to obtain a more comprehensive measurement of research performance, other scholarly activities such as participation in research projects, editorship of research journals, membership of editorial boards and conference committees, participation in international conferences, and memberships of international/national organisations should also be incorporated into the overall evaluation process. In response to the absence of prior studies on determining research performance for tourism and hospitality academics in a comprehensive way, this exploratory study makes an attempt to fill the void by investigating the perception of university program heads on the importance of different research-related activities. Program heads are the academics who assume key responsibilities in academic departments or  divisions. Examples of these key responsibilities include research leadership and evaluations (Wikipedia, 2006). Findings are thus anticipated to lead to 5 further insights on research performance evaluation, which in turn help academics appropriately set their own career development plans.

Management Theory and Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Management Theory and Practice - Essay Example The people of different countries do depict changes in tastes and perceptions which are required by the business concerns to effectively tap and thereby bring about changes in the production or operating system. Similarly, in order to tap the different markets in a much effective manner, the business organization must adjust its different policies regarding both price and distribution. The business concern through the changing of their price structure helps in pervading the minds of the consumers in a more prolific manner. Moreover, the business concern should fulfill the different guidelines as envisaged by the government of the country while endeavoring to promote the different goods and services to a large number of consumers. Further, the business corporations in order to internationalize their operations need to gain a large pool of people working across the globe for the company. Working across different cultures and diversities require the business organizations to act in a pr udent fashion to help satisfy the needs of both the internal and external stakeholder groups like the employees, the group of suppliers, the consumers and social groups and the government at large (Yip, Loewe and Yoshino, 1988, p.1-8).... In the light of the above discussion the paper endeavours to analyse McDonald’s sense of adaptability to its changing business environment. Factors of Changes in Business Organisations The increasing mode of globalisation has required the business corporations to synchronize its business processes to adapt itself to the changing business environments. It is observed that business organisations to successfully operate in the global climate need to customize the product or service offerings on an expanded scale. The people of different countries do depict changes in tastes and perceptions which are required by the business concerns to effectively tap and thereby bring about changes in the production or operating system. Similarly in order to tap the different markets in a much effective manner the business organisation must adjust its different policies regarding both price and distribution. The business concern through the changing of their price structure helps in pervading th e minds of the consumers in a more prolific manner. Moreover the business concern should fulfil the different guidelines as envisaged by the government of the country while endeavouring to promote the different goods and services to the large number of consumers. Further the business corporations in order to internationalise their operations need to gain a large pool of people working across the globe for the company. Working across different cultures and diversities require the business organisations to act in a prudent fashion to help satisfy the needs of both the internal and external stakeholder groups like the employees, the group of suppliers, the consumers and social groups and the government at large (Yip, Loewe and Yoshino, 1988, p.1-8). McDonald in

Business path way Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business path way - Essay Example Income inequality may either benefit an economy or derail the economic growth. The extent to which income inequality negatively affects the economic growth is debatable. This essay provides an elaborate argument about the degree in which income inequality may affect the economy. Overview This essay provides an overview of some of the ways in which income inequality may influence an economy. It contains several ideas regarding the degree in which income inequality may affect growth of an economy. It provides thorough analysis of possible positive effects of income inequality and the negative effects of income inequality on an economy. This essay covers an elaborate debate which clearly points out at risks that may be imposed on an economy due to income inequality. 2.0 Main Body: Effects Analysis Income inequality is instigated by supply and demand for labor caused by imperfect competition and uneven distribution of information. Income inequality may have different effects on economy. It may either drag or catapult growth of economy. The central theme of this analysis is to make an evaluation about the degree in which income inequality may negatively affect economic growth. 2.1 Positive Effects on Economic Growth High income inequality may be vital for economic growth. ... Excessive money in circulation may have extremely negative effect on the growth an economy due to inflation. Foreign trade may be very expensive especially when a country tries to import raw materials. Moreover, low income earners may tend to borrow money from financial institutions and this can be used as a tool for controlling money circulation (Castello-Climent 2010, 293-315). Additionally, there income inequality may result into wide gap between the rich and the poor. Wider gap between the rich and the poor can be very helpful in promoting competition and innovativeness. There is a high level of social stratification which prompts competition for status thus spurring growth of the economy due to hard work (Judis 2013, n.p). Also high income inequality may decrease efficiency because of low incentive to work. Because of income inequality, the rich will always get richer and save money for investment (Allen 1999, 143-150). Furthermore, high income earners may enjoy all the faciliti es such as the recreational facilities present in the country thus increasing revenue earned from these facilities. Happiness which is associated with high income contributes a lot in predicting the future behaviors such as productivity in the labor market and happier people also tend to be healthier and live longer (Shin 2012, 2049-2056). 2.2 Negative Effects on Economic Growth Nevertheless, income inequality has an adverse effect on the growth of an economy. Equal income inequality reduces the gap between the rich and the poor thus leading to distributive efficiency within a country. Distributive efficiency reduces marginal utility of resources and further lowers personal utility. An extra dollar consumed by a low income earner is automatically directed to necessities which are

HURRICANES IN THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS Research Paper

HURRICANES IN THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS - Research Paper Example Hurricanes are one of the most devastating natural phenomena known to man. They are chactacterised by strong winds, storm surges, and heavy rainfalls, all of which when combined, leads to extensive loss of human life, destruction of property and ecosystems and the alteration of landscapes. Definition of hurricanes and an exploration of their formation process A hurricane is a spiralling and powerful form of a tropical cyclone, which originates from warm sea surface and then moves towards the mainland. In order for hurricanes to be formed, the sea water must have surface warmth of more than 27 degrees. This temperature level results in the release of moisture and heat into the atmosphere. As the sea moisture rises it condenses to form storm clouds. During condensation, heat (latent heat of condensation) is released into the atmosphere. It is this heat which propels the hurricane. The latent heat makes the atmospheric air warm thereby causing the air to rise further. The void left by the risen air becomes occupied by additional moist air from the surface of the ocean in a continuous, cyclical pattern. This results in the formation of a wind pattern which is circular in nature. This is what is known as a hurricane. Provided that a hurricane remains above a sea surface of 27 degrees and higher, it keeps on pulling moisture from the sea, there by becoming larger in size and in momentum. Propelled by the latent heat and wind patterns in the sea, the hurricane may then head towards land where it finally loses its momentum.

Illegal Immigration in the US Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Illegal Immigration in the US - Essay Example For example, editorial of the Los Angeles Times hits the Republican presidential hopefuls’ illegal immigration solutions as simply nothing but rhetorical promises that do not resolve the problem but aim only to win Latino votes; whereas, editorial of the New York Times challenges Obama’s leadership in bringing about his promise to reform the immigration law and to protect the civil rights of immigrants, citing his presidential powers enough to legally question the deeply unjust Arizona law against illegal immigration. The main concern of both editorials is to see that the country’s problem of illegal immigration be resolved; both are also doubtful on the sincerity of both Republicans and Democrats to solve the problem, accusing both political parties of simply using the issue for political expediency – to win immigrant votes for the coming presidential elections. Although both news companies criticize and challenge both the Republican and Democratic partie s’ stance on illegal immigration, they however differ on their specific concern from which their bias on the issue is observable. For example, the LA Times did not bother to comment on the Republicans’ call tougher and stricter immigration law enforcement despite contending public opinion on the extremism of the Arizona Law – This law essentially criminalizes illegal immigration and makes all immigrants feel unsafe (Baker A12; Editorial, New York Times, A24). Instead, the LA Times showed more concern on the practicality of the solutions the Republican presidential hopefuls offer, citing existing immigration policies and practices that render their proposals useless – e.g. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s proposal to impose a national identification card combined with an electronic database for employers to verify their workers’ immigration status is criticized to simply force illegal immigrants to underground economy rather than self- deport; Newt Gingrich’s proposal to create a guest worker program is criticized for its failure to consider the 10-year ban against illegal immigrants; while Rick Santorum’s call for illegal immigrants to go back in line to immigrate legally is criticized to see that there is no such line for poor immigrants (Editorial, Los Angeles Times, par. 3-6). While the LA Times seemingly agrees with the Republicans for tougher and stricter border enforcement, it criticizes them for not heading-on the issue, cautioning them that such posturing will not win them the Latino votes. On the contrary, the NY Times concern centers more on challenging Obama – a democrat – to fulfill his promise to protect the rights and dignity of migrants, that he so strongly defends in his speech citing the cruelty of the Arizona Law, as he urges the US congress to reform the immigration law. The NY Times challenges Obama as he is confronted with Republican senators who have rejected bipa rtisanship and have dissented any practical and reasonable immigration reform (Editorial, New York Times, A24), and as Obama is similarly suspected of using the issue of illegal immigration for the coming presidential elections. Meaning Obama’s call for a bipartisan reform of the immigration law is meant to win Hispanic and middle-class votes and to put the blame on Republicans for the failure of

WorldCulture Research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

WorldCulture - Research Paper Example The Middle Ages have been regarded as the time of severe punishments and intense torture for committing criminal activities. The harsh criminal justice system of the age went through several stages and was influenced by different cultures, civilizations and people. Since early medieval England had a monarchical or feudal system governing the people, law of that particular era was much rigid and brutal than the later era. The powerful kings, lords, barons and priests had the hold of all judicial matters and they resolved the matters the way which best suited their authorities1. William the Conqueror, crowned in 1066, believed in making an example of the ones who dared to disobey by maiming him for the rest of his life rather than simply executing them. He introduced three goals to make change in the crime and justice scenario. The first one was to firmly establish his power as England ruler, second was the restoration of peace and stability within the Kingdom and the third was getting support for the crown through taxes collection. He also introduced ten decrees for the welfare of the English people and established Christianity as state religion2. The people were given right to justice according to their status; slaves and poor were the ultimate victims of this system. Due to serfdom, the poor people were the most down-trodden and were harshly treated by the landlords; therefore, theft was the most common crime committed to get hold of the basic necessities of life in those times. Theft, on the other hand, was the most condemned crime of the era since honesty was regarded as the basic aspect of male honour3. The first written law for the English people was brought forward in Anglo-Saxon era which included crimes as petty as â€Å"seizing a man by the hair† to the hideous crime of murder and accordingly punishments were described for each relative crime. Though these jurisdictions were harsh but it is also a fact that they the Anglo

Carl Von Clausewitz on War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Carl Von Clausewitz on War - Essay Example As an initial matter, if one wishes to understand how leaders and military strategists approach the issues associated with war, it is necessary to understand the types of logic that they espouse. One school of thought, attributed to Karl Von Clausewitz, approaches war as a series of rational calculations. He rejects the notion that war is initiated, prosecuted, or terminated as a result of emotional whims; quite the contrary he sets forth a detailed framework by which relevant actors either do or ought to consider at each stage. In effect, he establishes a type of cost-benefit analysis attached to a political object. This cost-benefit analysis he has stated thusly: war is not an act of senseless passion but is controlled by its political object, the value of this object must determine the sacrifices to be made for it in magnitude and duration. Once the expenditure of efforts exceeds the value of the political object, the object must be renounced and peace must follow (Von Clausewitz, 1873). This short statement contains a number of relevant factors relevant to the conduct and termination of a war. First, the political object must be clearly defined or it may become very challenging to engage in any type of cost-benefit analysis. Nations that do not have a clearly defined political objective, or which find themselves confronted with changing political objectives, may find themselves unable to calculate meaningfully. America’s war in Iraq is a case in point; to illustrate, the political object was publicly stated to be the need to eliminate a dictator’s possession of weapons of mass destruction. This was a clearly defined political object and a cost-benefit analysis would have been rather straightforward. The American leadership could have determined the sacrifices, financially and in terms of lives lost, by determining the magnitude and duration of the military operation required to eliminate such weapons of mass destruction. A problem,

Empowering People through Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Empowering People through Education - Essay Example Universal education has been on the global agenda since the 1948 Declaration of Human Rights proclaimed free and compulsory education to be a basic human right. The 1990 Convention on the Rights of the Child, signed by all but two of the world's governments, reaffirmed this right as a legally binding obligation. Since then, there have been many high-level international commitments to education for all (Bloom & Cohen, 2002). Indeed, education is a tool for human beings to push them to advance their goals in life. This is the reason why education was inculcated in the Declaration of Human Rights. This is also why, of all American institutions, the educational system has perhaps the greatest impact on the lives of ordinary people. Children gain knowledge about a standard range of subjects from English and history to mathematics and science. They also learn social skills and are exposed to different people and ideas. Educational achievement is the single largest influence on an individual's future earning power. More than anything else, in fact, it is education that shapes a person's future. Professor Stephen Heyneman of Vanderbilt University, in his article "Are We Our Brothers' Keeper", pointed out that that economic development depends on educational progress. The evidence supporting this claim emerged from multiple sources and common intuitive judgment: nations with an educated population are economically adaptable, healthy, and innovative. But the challenges to providing education in low-income countries are daunting. Generally, they can be divided into three categories: schooling's access, quality, and purpose. This is why world leaders are thinking how greater educational opportunity can be provided to low-income countries, how the quality of that opportunity can be improved, and how the international community should guide these schools to reduce extremist nationalist and religious curricula (The World and I, 2003, p. 18). So if "ignorance is bliss", why do we still pursue to educate ourselves and our children It may be true, but no individual wants to become ignorant. If a person is not educated, he or she is susceptible to being taken advantage of. Holmes (1981) offered a more viable answer to this question by expounding the aims of education. According to Holmes (1981), these aims are often expressed in general terms in order to induce widespread public appeal. Aims such as the holistic development of children and the acquisition of skills and knowledge deemed desirable for societal well-being are often palatable to a variety of stakeholders, including governments, businesses, parents, educators, and students (Holmes, 1981). Thus, the intentions of education, as Holmes has argued, are often described in terms of their intrinsic value (knowledge for knowledge's sake), their social value (process of initiation into acceptable social standards), and their intended outcomes (all-around individual devel opment). The aims of education, therefore, represent a society's idealized hopes and visions for its citizens: In so far as aims are statements of what "ought to be the case" and represent man's hopes and aspirations not only for himself but for future generations, they are part of our socially constructed world and can be accepted or rejected according to taste. (p. 114) Thus, the aims of educa

Riordan Manufacturing, Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Riordan Manufacturing, Inc - Essay Example The company has a mission of providing outstanding quality and it believes it can achieve it through deploying Total Quality Management Practices (TQM) such as Six Sigma. The company has a strong emphasis on enhancing its quality control practices in order to accomplish and exceed the quality standards set by the customers. Hence, the processes of Riordan Manufacturing should be compatible with the mission which they are undertaking to provide outstanding quality. More importantly, we know that bad quality is highly correlated with increasing costs and lost sales. Review of the current processes The supply chain of Riordan Manufacturing is initiated by the procurement department. As raw materials are received, they are moved to the factory after validation by the respective personnel. At the same time the shipping documents of the raw materials are compared by the supervisor against the incoming orders. At the end of the day, the receiving area manager provides the details of the ent ire amount of raw materials to the inventory clerk who enters the information into the inventory control system. The second stage of the supply chain starts with manufacturing of the goods which takes place when inventory from the storage area is received to the manufacturing premises. The inventory clerk adjusts the information by taking out raw materials and sub assemblies (Work in process) and incorporating them to the inventory control system.... Potential Bottlenecks and Possible Solutions As per the definition, a bottleneck is the activity in a process that inhibits or slows down the overall capacity of the process (Chase, Jacobs & Aquilano, 2006). This reduces the productivity and causes the cost of production to increase. According to the processed defined, we need to enhance these processes a way such that inefficiencies are reduced in the system. At the current moment, the processes of supply chain management for Riordan Manufacturing are being handled through a manual process which is inefficient and consumes a lot of time. The manual based operation creates a paper based environment where there is a lot of room for error. From the beginning of the supply chain that is procuring raw materials to the final product that is delivered to the customer, every operation is performed manually. These are the inherent bottlenecks in the system as it can have disastrous consequences in the long term as a result of inventory loss which will further trigger lost sales and an increased cost of production. The initial process of supply chain is managed by the procurement department which is supposed to procure or remove raw materials from the inventory. They use a hard copy of the data which is processed to further departments. This is a major hurdle in the way of improving efficiency since it increases the physical transaction that is involved with each department. Furthermore, the productivity of the department also slows down since each department has to enter the data into their respective database. An optimal solution to handle this issue is to implement a single online system which can

Case Brief Essay Example for Free

Case Brief Essay Mr. David R. Bullock filed an appeal from his convictions for attempted statutory rape, and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor. David R. Bullock put himself in numerous conversations via email and chat rooms with a Newton County Deputy Sheriff who was conducting a sting operation against pedophiles. The Deputy took on a persona of a thirteen year old female by the name of â€Å"Ashley Anne†. Many of the conversations that took place between Mr. Bullock and â€Å"Ashley† were of a sexual nature. During conversations between Mr. Bullock and â€Å"Ashley†, he discussed how he would like to engage in certain acts (sexual) with her and her friends (girls of younger age) and how he would like to video those acts. He informed â€Å"Ashley† that the conversations about meeting with her and her friends should not be discussed because it was not legal for them to meet. Eventually a meeting was scheduled for a time and a place to meet and specific instructions were given to â€Å"Ashley† on how the meeting should take place. â€Å"Ashley† was told that upon her arrival to the specified location, she should meet Mr. Bullock in a specific area of that location. History On October 18, 2002, Mr. Bullock and the decoy â€Å"Ashley† were present at the specified location, along with computer and video equipment in his vehicle, which ultimately leads to the arrest of Mr. Bullock. At the time of the arrest, Mr. Bullock did not deny having conversations with â€Å"Ashley† but explained that if she would arrive, he just wanted her to be counseled by the authorities on the dangers of meeting strangers on the internet. Mr. Bullock argues that his case is a case of entrapment and that he took no â€Å"substantial steps† towards committing the crimes he has been charged with. Issue: The sufficiency of the evidence is challenged and Appellant claims an entrapment defense for the reason that he was not predisposed to engage in the charged offenses, we shall set forth in greater detail a series of sordid internet and telephone communications between Appellant and the purported 3 victim than we usually would. Holding First, Appellant does not admit that he committed the crimes for which he was convicted and, second, there is no evidence that Appellant was not predisposed, ready and willing to commit these crimes.   Appellant did not meet his burden of injecting into the case a proper case for entrapment. Rational Appellant tendered four jury instructions alleging the affirmative defense of entrapment.   Appellant cites to the evidence that Ashley induced Appellant to take the â€Å"substantial step† of committing the crimes of statutory rape and sexual exploitation of a minor when he was not otherwise so inclined.   Appellant contends that he was only willing to express his fantasies, which was not a crime he was charged or convicted of, and he was not willing to act upon his fantasies without the inducement by Ashley.   He notes that Ashley initiated the majority of contacts with Appellant; specifically, he claims Ashley initiated seventeen of the nineteen instant messages and four of the eight e-mails between her and Appellant.   Appellant indicated the portions of the conversations where Ashley first proposed that Appellant come to Diamond and persisted in trying to set a firm date; he claims he was reluctant to act on his desires.   Appellants cla im that he would not have committed the charged offenses but for the enticement by Ashley is not supported by the evidence.

Nestle Report Essay Example for Free

Nestle Report Essay INTRODUCTION OF NESTLE: Nestle is the leading FMCG company of Switzerland established by Henri Nestle. Nestle is serving worldwide with its more than 500 factories in 86 countries comprising almost all continents. Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s product portfolio is more than 500 products all over the world serving best to their customers. Henri Nestlà © endowed his company with the symbol derived from his name. His family coat of arms, the nest with a mother bird protecting her young, became the Companys logo and a symbol of the Companys care and attitude to life-long nutrition. The Nestlà © nest represents the nourishment, security and sense of family that are so essential to life. The first product made by Henri Nestlà ©, a food for babies who were unable to breastfeed. His first success was a premature infant who could not tolerate his mothers milk or any of the usual substitutes. People quickly recognized the value of the new product, after Nestlà ©s new formula saved the childs life, and soon, Farine Lactà ©e Henri Nestlà © was being sold in much of Europe. Nestlà © has been serving Pakistani consumers since 1988, when the parent company, the Switzerland-based Nestlà © SA, first acquired a share in Milkpak Ltd. NESTLE BRANDS: Quality is an essential ingredient in all the Nestlà © brands and Nestlà © brands maintain nutritional balance in a fast pace world, that is why people around the globe choose. The detail of the Nestlà © brand is as follows: * Baby foods (Nestlà © Cerelac, NAN) * Breakfast cereals (Nestlà © Cereals) * Dairy products (Milkpak, NIDO, Nespray, Nestlà © Yogurts, Everyday) * Ice-creams (Movenpick, Dreyer’s) * Chocolate confectionary (Kit Kat, Smarties, Toffo) * Beverages (Nescafe, Milo, Nestlà © juices) * Food service (Nestlà © Jumbo Bottle) * Prepared foods (Maggi, Powered Soups) * Bottled water ( Nestlà © Pure Life, Nestlà © Aquarral) * Pet care (Pro Plan, Purine, ONE, Fancy feast, Dog Chow, Cat Chow, Felix, Alpo) * Pharmaceuticals (Ophthalmic drugs, lens-care solutions optical surgical Instruments) * Nesquick and Nesvita pro bones BRANDS. * NESTLE VISION. The consumers voice is the key to Nestlà © Pakistans vision and working. Whether you live in the remotest village or the city of Karachi, Nestle consumer services team stands ready to listen to your concerns and provide  answers about our products and guidance on matters of health and wellness. Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s global vision is to be the leading health, wellness, and Nutrition Company of the world. Nestle’ Pakistan subscribes fully to this global vision. In addition to that, Nestle Pakistan also envisions to: * Lead a dynamic motivated and professional workforce that is proud of its heritage and bullish about the future. * Meet the nutritional needs of all age groups through a diversified product range that contains an innovative portfolio of branded food and beverages of the highest quality. * Maintain long-term growth and deliver shareholder value. * Establishing responsible communication with the consumer, which in turn can provide us a better look into what changes need to be made to our products. * Strengthen the position as the best career destination for talented and motivated individuals. * NESTLE MISSION. â€Å"Nestle is dedicated to providing the best foods to people throughout their day, throughout their lives, throughout the world. With our unique experience of anticipating consumers needs and creating solutions, Nestle contributes to your well-being and enhances your quality of life.†(3) * NESTLE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES. Nestle business objective is to manufacture and market the Companys products in such a way as to create value that can be sustained over the long term for shareholders, employees, consumers, and business partners. Nestle recognizes that its consumers have a sincere and legitimate interest in the behavior, beliefs, and actions of the Company behind brands in which they place their trust and that without its consumers the Company would not exist. Nestle continues to maintain its commitment to follow and respect all applicable local laws in each of its markets. At the entrance of this new millennium, Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s objective Is to consolidate and strengthen its leading position at the cutting edge of innovation in the food area in order to meet the needs and desires of customers around the world, for pleasure, convenience, health and well being. * NESTLE TODAY. Nestle is now the worlds largest food company. It is present on all five  continents, has an annual turnover of 74.7 billion Swiss francs, runs 509 factories in 83 countries and employs about 231,000 people the world over. The Company owes its current status to the pioneering spirit inherited from its founders which continues to inspire it, to its concern with quality and to its constant search for new ways of satisfying mans nutritional needs. Wherever possible, it sets up factories locally, employs personnel from the country concerned and relies on indigenous raw materials. Its agricultural services provide assistance to improve the quality and yield of the raw materials it uses. Much attention is devoted to professional training and to the integration of the Company in its economic and social environment. HRM AT NESTLE. HR Policy * Joining Nestlà © The long-term success of the Company depends on its capacity to attract, retain and develop employees able to ensure its growth on a continuing basis. This is a primary responsibility for all managers. The Nestlà © policy is to hire staff with personal attitudes and professional skills enabling them to develop a long-term relationship with the Company. Therefore, the potential for professional development is an essential standard for recruitment. Each new member joining Nestlà © is to become a participant in developing a sustainable quality culture, which implies a commitment to the organization and a sense for continuous improvement leaving no room for complacency. Therefore, and in view of the importance of these Nestlà © values, special attention will be paid to the matching between a candidates values and the Company culture. * Culture Nestle culture consist of values, norms, and understandings within its working environment Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s culture is Achievement culture because its statement shows that Nestle has a clear vision for its purpose and goals. As they have set some standards and goals to meet in future (100 Million company in 2014) * Management style Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s has a narrow span of control and high departmentalization formulation is very high so their management style is bureaucratic but participation is also appreciated .as they have also C.I department that recognize the idea and thoughts by employees PROJECT REPORT. Q: 1 What is the criterion of selection in your organization? Ans: Following are the criterion of selection in our organization: * He should be well granted personality. * Good internships * Good curriculum projects * GPA does not matter if the person’s basic concepts are clear about his major subjects. * One should friendly and have mobility factor to adjust in culture of our organization that is specific. * Confidence level should be high. * One should sincere and loyal. Q: 2 Do you prefer written tests? Ans: No, we do not take any type of written tests. Q: 3 Do institutions influence? Ans: 3,4 years ago institutions influence the selection of the candidate but now the selection totally depends on person’s abilities , institution does not matter at all. Q: 4 Do you hire employees which are having good G.PA? Ans: GPA does not matter if the person’s basic concepts are clear about his major subjects. Q: 5 What is the portion of personality assessment and technical assessment in your interview and tests? Ans: Well, it depends on job. For management job the portion of personality assessment is 60 % and technical assessment  is 40 % while for engineers the portion of technical assessment is more than personality assessment. Q: 6 Do you prefer I.Q or E.Q? State the reason. Ans: They prefer E.Q over I.Q because an emotionally intelligent person is emotionally more stable and can adjust in nestle culture he can show high growth in a very short time period and we want such candidates. Q: 7 How one should introduce oneself? Ans: First, you should tell your strengths and then weakness. Also tell about your some unique ability that differs you from others e.g. basketball player, a good swimmer etc. Q: 8 Do you prefer panel interview or individual interview? State the reason. Ans: Mostly panel interview is preferable but sometimes-individual interview is also taken when others are busy. Q: 9 Do physical appearance matter during interview? Ans: Physical appearances do not matter at all. They consider the person is all abilities. Q: 10 Do you prefer experienced graduates to non-experienced graduates? Ans: It depends on the particular job. At primary level, they do not need experienced ones but at higher level, they want experienced ones. Q: 11 While hiring does you prefer boys over girls? Ans: When in an interview both boy and girl are at same level they prefer girl over boy, to maintain gender balance because in nestle the percentage of girls are only 4%. Q: 12 What are the things that attracted employees to work for this organization? Ans: Following are the incentives to attract candidates: * Growth * International organization * If a candidate is consistently working well they send him to other countries. * Diversity * Flexibility for family * Female friendly * Environment is good * Nestle is a big name Q: 13 Are majority of Pakistani candidates worthy or not with the perspective of personality of communication skills? State the reason. Ans: Yes, communication skills hold a very important position specially in the field of marketing. Their total weightage is 60 %. Q: 15 While hiring you prefer references or merit for the selection of the candidates? Ans: They prefer merit for selection but if the candidate with reference is more capable then we will hire the latter one. Q: 16 while hiring do you discriminate between a religious or a modern personality? Ans: No, nestle do not discriminate between a religious and a modern personality. They still have women working with veil and men with beard. Q: 17 do you prefer an English-speaking candidate or Urdu speaking candidate? Ans: We don’t give preference to any specific language , what matters is the confidence and how well a person communicate with others. However if the person can speak multiple languages it gives a good impression. Q: 18 do family background, caste, color or creed matters? Ans: No , caste, color or creed does not matter at all but as far as family background is concern we ask, to know whether a person has mobility factor or not, whether he can go to our other branches in different cities or not. Q: 19 What advice you suggest us for our personality grooming? Ans: Following are the suggestions: * Should have knowledge about the current affairs. * Should take part in extracurricular activities that will show that he is hardworking that he participates in extracurricular activities while maintaining the good G.P.A. * Basic concepts should be clear. Q: 20 What do you see while firing a staff member? Ans: Firing a person is more difficult task. Nestle fired an employee due to miss management in matter of corruption or when he does anything illegal. Q: 21 Any interesting interview you want to share with us? Ans: She shared an interesting interview with us that a girl who had applied for the job came to us. She had a clear and focused aim of what she wants to be in future. Q: 22 What are the basic points which you observe during interview? Ans: Following are the basic points: * C.V should be impressive and influencing one. One should not use the C.V of others, such that it should not get lost in the crowd. * Introduce yourself: first strengths and then weakness. * Do homework about organization. * Confidence level. * Basic concepts should be clear. * 5 years plan. * Should have knowledge about the current affairs. Q: 23 Any tip for giving a good interview? Ans: Following are the tips: * High confidence level but not over confident. * One should be comfortable to oneself and should know oneself very well. * One should know his subject and should have a firm grasp on the subject. * Basic concepts should be clear. * One should be friendly, humility and behave well to others. * Should take part in extracurricular activities that will show that he is hardworking that he participates in extracurricular activities while maintaining the good G.P.A. * Dressing should be formal. Conclusion: we have gone through all the different procedures and management activities  of nestle .we apply all our knowledge and studies in the research of management activities of nestle, this was a great practical experience for us that will help us in practical life as well and the project will help us in practical life as well and the project will help us to know the management of an organization.

Disadvantages Of Moving To A Paperless Office

Disadvantages Of Moving To A Paperless Office The growth in the economy of a country immediately raises the demands for several products to make business work. These demands will in turn influence the growing production and increased output which requires additional energy to run the production machines. Both issues, while common in business, have potential to cause long-term problems; especially when dealing with environmental issues. In product development for instance, corporations are driven to develop and produce new products that comply with environmental requirements like environmentally-safe packaging and fuel-efficient vehicles using hybrid technology. These issues highlight that the future of business is so challenging that innovation becomes the key focus to win business. The development of technology spawns new trends in our business environment. One of the emerging technologies in the information era is a paperless office that benefits from the digitalization of documents. Most of these trends, like any other, possess both advantages and disadvantages. Paperless Office In this paper I am discussing the popular concept of a paperless office. However, the discussion will focus on its issues and disadvantage rather than its benefits. History of Paperless Office In the 1970s there were predictions regarding an office which doesnt require any use of paper. One of those predictions can be viewed in an edition of Business Week in 1975 (The Office of the Future, 1975). It was a dream of an office in 1975 that, in the future, paper would be obsolete. According to some predictions, offices would not require any paper because everything was processed and stored digitally through various technologies. The predictions stemmed from the birth of Personal Computers (Selen, 2001). In reality however, these predictions are still the stuff of cinema. A paperless office as predicted above has never been fully implemented. On the contrary, for most offices today, the presence of the personal computer has not radically reduced using papers as output. People have been swayed away with the easiness of writing or drawing within a personal computer only to then print them on a piece of paper; forgetting the dreams that were present before. Current Expectations Regarding Paperless Office Today, when the need for efficiency has been called for, we return to the hope of a paperless office. The concept has been slightly modified however in the realization that paper has been a part of our daily lives and that the use of personal computers in the 1990s has produced the need for more paper. The concept of Paperless Office is now a philosophy; one of working with minimal paper, using processes that eliminate the use of paper, and to make documentation in digital form whenever possible. The main focus is no longer on how much paper is used, but on the efficiency that is gained from the process towards a Paperless Office (McIndoo, 2009). Processes of Paperless office There are two methods of transforming a company into paperless office. The first is by automating the processes that generally use paper as an essential tool. Technologies that exist in facilitating that process are: Enterprise Data Automation Software. Software used to integrate forms and data with systems that processes them. Form Technology. Software used to design various types of forms. Using forms is no longer necessary if people performing business transactions have personal computers with form technology in it. Databases. Device to replace the function of a filing cabinet. Data is made into digital form and then stored in a database with sufficient security technology in it. Digital Signature. Software allows evidence of signature in digital form. Papers are generally used as business evidences. This is required in business transactions to generate legal binding between two or more parties. Workflow Platforms. Process flow of an office. Paper documents are generally used to transfer a data to other departments so that it can continue doing what is needed next. This flow of work can now be documented and transferred in digital form, using the workflow platforms. The second method of pursuing the paperless office is data storage transformation. In a general office, the data is conventionally stored and protected in a filing cabinet or in warehouses. This generally ends up creating piles of useless scrap paper rather than useful files. Using the Paperless Office technology, all this data can be transformed to a digital form very easily. Some of the tools available to support this process are scanners, book copiers, photo scanners, microfiche scanners, negative scanners, fax to PDF converter, and document management systems. (The Economist, 2008). Issues in Implementing Paperless Office Despite the benefits that are offered by the presence of the concept, the paperless office also generates several problems in implementation that have not yet been overcome. In order to make ease of our understanding, these issues will be divided into the two methods below. Issues in Digitizing the Work-Flow In digitizing the office processes, issues that arise include: Difficulty in Submitting and Signing Digital Documents. It is foreseeable that we can process documents digitally with sufficient practicality. Nevertheless, it is still difficult to image a digital station that can be transferred to our clients desks, so that he/she can sign it. This process is made more complicated if we are to think about the legal implications of digital work processing. It is still a huge question whether digital signature can be used as legal evidence or not. End-user Adoption of the New Processes is Difficult. The issue of getting all divisions of a group of large companies on board regarding the digital processing system can be complex. The system concept may be accepted easier by high ranking officers. However, for end users and executors, the concept of digital work processing might be difficult to adopt. Additional planning and modifications become essential. Changing from the Legacy Processes Can be Problematic. An issue that arises in terms of transforming paper-based processes into digital processes is with dealing with parties that have not adopted the digital processing method. As the world has globalized, we are to think about how to serve and deal with practically all people in the world. Expecting all of them to accept and apply the digital processing system now is practically wishful thinking (Gladwell, 2005). Cost Saving Justifications are Sometimes Not Fulfilled. Another important issue to consider is whether the digital processing system can all be financially justified or not. The basic purpose of digitizing most of the working process is to get significant cost savings out of it. It might work on a smaller scale in areas that we have initially chosen. The question is, whether it will remain cost beneficial when it is implemented in a wider scale or in all areas without exceptions. Issues in Transferring Existing Documents into Digital Form Despite the pros and cons in practicing the paperless office, there are several requirements to take into account when making all documents digital. The issues are as follows: Legal Ramifications. The legal and governmental aspects of a technological development often grow very slowly compared to the technology itself. This should also be rationally expected in a paperless office. Will digital contracts be as lawfully binding as paper agreements? Can document manipulation be considered a heavy violation against the law? Questions like these need to be pondered over by the business society. The Target Reader. Even today, forming a financial report requires a sufficient consideration of the target readers ability to understand the report. The same applies to digital documents. Will the reader accept the new way of doing business or are they more likely to feel comfortable with the old ones? The readers ability to adapt is an important factor for consideration. Changed Longevity of the Documents. This is a similar consideration to our paper-based documentation. Will the technology exist to maintain the longevity of digital documents, at least 5 years into its future? 10 years? 20 years? This is necessary to abide with the rules of business and accounting (Walker, 2009). Companies Going Green. Some companies still perceive that the idea of being green companies is merely to comply with government regulation that forces them to do so. But, in fact, it provides the company with strategic opportunity to take benefits of the consumers increasing awareness of using green products. Since being green companies right now has become part of a corporations marketing strategy, it is now common that they start using traditional performance evaluation measures such as return on investment (ROI), net present value (NPV), market share, and other factors to assess their go green initiatives. In general, the driving forces of going green concept are the result of two forces: external or internal pressures. The Transfer Process. Figure 1 shows that by relying on paperwork, we spend a great deal of time on the process and also waste many sources. Figure 1 Paperless Office Schematic Process Conclusion In hindsight we can now conclude, the concept of a paperless office may not be even feasible. However with growing demands, the need to reduce our dependency on paper and its inefficient storage constraints can be analyzed to meet the growing demands of business. The main focus is no longer on moving to a completely paperless process but to a more efficient, cost effective, and environmentally friendly paper reduction process. Many factors need to be taken into consideration during the economical growth cycle of a business and the people who support that growth. Word processors, scanners, software advancement, algorithms, hardware developments, etc. continue to improve the ability of businesses to be able to plan and implement the digitalization of accessible documents. Combined strategies help move the business forward by reducing paper reliance and improving efficiencies of data access while still maintaining security measures. Cost, ease of use, and legal issues continue to be a driving factor in determining when processes can be digitized. Transforming a business to a digitized process can be difficult and complex. Cost, timing, and longevity of the process need to be analyzed to determine if digitization is even a feasible concept for a particular process. State and federal regulations need also to be considered. Despite the benefits offered by the concept of a paperless office, several problems in implementation have not yet been overcome. Digitalization may work on smaller scales and may never be able to materialize on a wider scale. Cost and ease of use for all people continues to be the driving factor in preventing a paperless system in all areas without exception. There will always be issues and disadvantages of moving to a paperless office. The key focus is to define all the issues and disadvantages of moving to a reduced paper office along with the advantages and timeline constraints.

Karen van der Zees A Secret Sorrow and Gail Godwins A Sorrowful Woman

Karen van der Zee's A Secret Sorrow and Gail Godwin's A Sorrowful Woman Though fulfilling love, happiness and trust in a relationship can be comforting, couples often are unsuccessful in finding or keeping the love that their relationship need; even if issues may interfere within the relationship, couples should find a way in working through their problems. Once a couple's happiness, trust and love have been fulfilled, they can experience unconditional love. Although they would need to make every possible step to heal their relationship, if and when their relationship breaks down, there is still much they can learn. With this stated this idea holds opposing views among the two females in A Secret Sorrow and "A Sorrowful Woman." In both selections of Karen van der Zee's romance novel, "A Secret Sorrow," and of Gail Godwin's fairy-tale like story, "A Sorrowful Woman," the story lines revolve around two women who struggle with their own personal issues-- in which in A Secret Sorrow, Faye could not have happiness in her life with fulfilling her dream of getting married and having children of her own; in contrary, in "A Sorrowful Woman, the secluded woman had already the fulfillment of being married and having a child, but was now at the point of not wanting that kind of life anymore--and in which how each of the women handle their situation. Faye is worried about how her relationship with her boyfriend will be affected by her inability to conceive children. On the other hand, the unnamed woman of "A Sorrowful Woman" is unhappy with her marriage and isolates herself from her family. Faye and Kai's relationship is one of those relationships that can never be broken. Meaning, that they have gotten to know each ... ... to the role of being a wife and mother to a family, who did not ever cause any pain or trouble? Sadly, the woman felt her marriage was weighing pressure on her, and her only resolution was to take her own life; abandoning her husband and son. In conclusion, A Secret Sorrow reveals that not everything in life can bring happiness for every situation, but with the search for answers and the help of friends or significant other, anybody should be able to resolve their situation and move on with their life on a brighter note. For Faye, she was on the verge of giving up hope, but since she had the help of Kai, her worst fear ended with true happiness. This was not true in "A Sorrowful Woman," in which the woman did not find happiness with her marriage and chose the wrong path by excluding herself from her family, and resolving her situation in a negative way.

The Intervention of the Judicial System in Violence Against Women Essay

The Intervention of the Judicial System in Violence Against Women Women in this country have been a part of violence for an enormous amount of time. This violence includes pornography, rape, and even domestic violence. The United States judicial system has intervened into the so-called private sphere and eradicated women in society, providing precedent and even updating statutes as well as other types of legislation. Without intervention women may still have no rights as human beings and the victims of much worse violence. Not to say that the violence that comes about is not extremely painful and an obscene amount of torture for women, but without our judicial system to minimize some of these violent acts would be in total chausses. Throughout these acts of violence women are treated as animals, beaten, slaughtered, and killed eventually. For some, this may seem unthinkable and unrealistic but pornography, rape, and domestic violence does just this. These women who sell their bodies through porn usually-not all- have unusual childhood backgrounds. These backgrounds include, molestation, rape, incest, are penetrated with objects as children, sold for child porn by their parent or parents, being tortured through every moment of their lives. When these women grow up into adults what kind of life are they expected to have? A loving family, a college education, and a respectable profession? Or no education, broken family, and for them to fall into the same profession their parents taught them? These women don?t understand that parents are supposed to love their children unconditionally. What else should we expect from women who all of their lives they have been treated as inhumane. Rape, also a sexually violent act that women enco... ... most popular remedy for battered women. This remedy always involves the state or state vs. someone and proves beyond a reasonable doubt. The second remedy is Civil law where the burden of proof is the highest. This involves private individuals, or an individual and some branch of government. The continuing of violence is dangerous to women especially the first 72 hours after she leaves. Statute 16-25-20 states if there is an injury a police officer must arrest but if only fear is involved police have discretion. Self-defense is another aspect of domestic violence. What if she decides, no more beatings and kills him. Has he drove her to insanity or should she control her anger and just leave after so many times of asking him to stop? What if she does control her anger and he kills her for leaving? These are questions that must be addressed in helping battered women.

Flagstaff, Arizona :: Flagstaff Personal Narratives Essays

Flagstaff, Arizona Could a town really change me as much as I think? Flagstaff, Arizona is one of the coolest towns that I have ever been, but at the same time; one of the quirkiest. Is Flagstaff a small mountain town, a big city, a hip university town, or a large industrial center? The environment and culture of Flagstaff is extremely diverse, making it difficult for outsiders to find their place in Flagstaff. I often wonder how I ended up in this little town in the mountains. I came from a relatively large city in Indiana, but knew that I had to escape the Midwest’s conservative grasp. I never really intended to end up in Flagstaff. For as long as I can remember, I had wanted to go to the University of Arizona and live in Tucson. I obviously didn’t end up in Tucson. From the first time that I visited Flagstaff, I knew that this town was special. Perhaps it holds more draw for outsiders than locals, but its environment and culture has definitely drawn me in, changed me, and changed my life. When I decided to attend Northern Arizona University and be a Lumberjack, it was initially due to its reputation as the best teachers college in Arizona, but ironically, I have never been an education major, or taken any education courses. Education was an overcrowded field, so I entertained the idea of being a Computer Science major. Ha! That lasted less than a month before I knew that was going to fail. Early on the path towards graduation, I still held a primarily etic point of view of Flagstaff. For about the first two years in Flagstaff, I viewed Flagstaff as a cool town, but still considered Indiana to be my home. I either didn’t realize or wasn’t allowing myself to become a part of this town. Once I realized that I was part of this town, my notion of Flagstaff changed, and the town began to change me. As I began to understand how this town ticks I wanted to find a way to become a bigger part of this town. I understood that this town was heavily reliant on tourism for it economy. This is how I came to be a Parks and Recreation Management major. Flagstaff, Arizona :: Flagstaff Personal Narratives Essays Flagstaff, Arizona Could a town really change me as much as I think? Flagstaff, Arizona is one of the coolest towns that I have ever been, but at the same time; one of the quirkiest. Is Flagstaff a small mountain town, a big city, a hip university town, or a large industrial center? The environment and culture of Flagstaff is extremely diverse, making it difficult for outsiders to find their place in Flagstaff. I often wonder how I ended up in this little town in the mountains. I came from a relatively large city in Indiana, but knew that I had to escape the Midwest’s conservative grasp. I never really intended to end up in Flagstaff. For as long as I can remember, I had wanted to go to the University of Arizona and live in Tucson. I obviously didn’t end up in Tucson. From the first time that I visited Flagstaff, I knew that this town was special. Perhaps it holds more draw for outsiders than locals, but its environment and culture has definitely drawn me in, changed me, and changed my life. When I decided to attend Northern Arizona University and be a Lumberjack, it was initially due to its reputation as the best teachers college in Arizona, but ironically, I have never been an education major, or taken any education courses. Education was an overcrowded field, so I entertained the idea of being a Computer Science major. Ha! That lasted less than a month before I knew that was going to fail. Early on the path towards graduation, I still held a primarily etic point of view of Flagstaff. For about the first two years in Flagstaff, I viewed Flagstaff as a cool town, but still considered Indiana to be my home. I either didn’t realize or wasn’t allowing myself to become a part of this town. Once I realized that I was part of this town, my notion of Flagstaff changed, and the town began to change me. As I began to understand how this town ticks I wanted to find a way to become a bigger part of this town. I understood that this town was heavily reliant on tourism for it economy. This is how I came to be a Parks and Recreation Management major.