Foundation PART IV THE TRADERS

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

International organizations Essay

International organizations provide a common platform wherein representatives from different parts of the world can discuss and evolve solutions for contemporary issues. In common parlance, it is well known as intergovernmental organizations. The World trade Organization, European Union and Council of Europe are international Organizations to name a few. Evolution Of International Organizations There was need to have a neutral forum where countries could participate and discuss problems that were of significance the world over. This gave rise to international Organizations. Role Of International Organizations The participating countries define the function of the International Organizations. The objective of international organization is to study, collect and propagate information, setting up of laws that are internationally accepted. The international organizations also help in cooperation between different countries by setting up negotiation deals between them. The international Organizations also help in technical assistance. The International Organizations play an important role in collecting statistical information, analyzing the trends in the variables, making a comparative study and disseminate the information to all other countries. There are some intergovernmental organizations that have set international Minimum standards. Such norms are difficult to be set at the state level. There are some international organizations that perform certain supervisory functions. The supervisory system of the UN is very weak. In contrast, the supervisory mechanism of the ILO is quite strong. The European Union, together with the Commission and the Court of Justice, has a relatively strong supervisory mechanism. The third function of the international organizations is setting up multilateral or bilateral agreements between countries. Another function, that has assumed importance in the recent times, is lending out technical cooperation to the member countries. By technical cooperation we mean the provision of intellectual or financial material to the countries, which require them. Amongst all the roles and activities of the international organizations, the most important is negotiating and setting up multilateral agreements. Minimizing the transaction costs can strengthen the cooperation between different  countries. Beside they also provide lucidity and information. For negotiations, forums for bargaining are set up and focal point structures are constructed during negotiations. The multilateral agreements that are settled by the international organizations occur in sections like environment protection, development trade, crime human rights, etc. Success and failure of League of Nations The League itself was a success, as nothing like it had ever existed before. The League was successful in the 1920s in settling disputes between countries. Finland and Sweden argued over which country should own the Aaland Islands. The League settled the dispute in favour of Finland. When Greece and Bulgaria became involved in a border dispute, the League was called in to decide who was right. The League also did very good work in a campaign to stamp out the slave trade and in tackling diseases. In August 1923 five Italian surveyors were mapping the Greek-Albanian border for the League of Nations. They were shot and killed on the Greek side of the border and Mussolini, the Italian Prime Minister, demanded compensation from the Greeks. When the Greek government ignored the demand, Mussolini ordered the Italian navy to bombard and then occupy the Greek island of Corfu. Italy was also a Permanent Member of the Council of the League. Eventually the League backed Mussolini and forced the Greeks to pay compensation. Then Mussolini had to withdraw his forces from the island. The Corfu incident seemed to suggest that Permanent Members of the Council could get away with breaking the Covenant. It also suggested that while the League could deal effectively with small countries, it could not deal with large countries. The successes of the League of Nations In view of the League’s desire to end war, the only criteria that can be used to classify a success, was whether war was avoided and a peaceful settlement formulated after a crisis between two nations. The League experienced success in: The Aaland Islands (1921) These islands are near enough equal distant between Finland and Sweden. They had traditionally belonged to Finland but most of the islanders wanted to be  governed by Sweden. Neither Sweden nor Finland could come to a decision as to who owned the islands and in 1921 they asked the League to adjudicate. The League’s decision was that they should remain with Finland but that no weapons should ever be kept there. Both countries accepted the decision and it remains in force to this day. Upper Silesia (1921) The Treaty of Versailles had given the people of Upper Silesia the right to have a referendum on whether they wanted to be part of Germany or part of Poland. In this referendum, 700,000 voted for Germany and 500,000 for Poland. This close result resulted in rioting between those who expected Silesia to be made part of Germany and those who wanted to be part of Poland. The League was asked to settle this dispute. After a six-week inquiry, the League decided to split Upper Silesia between Germany and Poland. The League’s decision was accepted y both countries and by the people in Upper Silesia. Memel (1923) Memel was/is a port in Lithuania. Most people who lived in Memel were Lithuanians and, therefore, the government of Lithuania believed that the port should be governed by it. However, the Treaty of Versailles had put Memel and the land surrounding the port under the control of the League. For three years, a French general acted as a governor of the port but in 1923 the Lithuanians invaded the port. The League intervened and gave the area surrounding Memel to Lithuania but they made the port an â€Å"international zone†. Lithuania agreed to this decision. Though this can be seen as a League success – as the issue was settled – a counter argument is that what happened was the result of the use of force and that the League responded in a positive manner to those (the Lithuanians) who had used force. Turkey (1923) The League failed to stop a bloody war in Turkey (see League failures) but it did respond to the humanitarian crisis caused by this war. 1,400,000 refugees had been created by this war with 80% of them being women and children. Typhoid and cholera were rampant. The League sent doctors from the Health Organisation to check the spread of disease and it spent  £10 million on building farms, homes etc for the refugees. Money was also invested in  seeds, wells and digging tools and by 1926, work was found for 600,000 people. A member of the League called this work â€Å"the greatest work of mercy which mankind has undertaken.† Greece and Bulgaria (1925) Both these nations have a common border. In 1925, sentries patrolling this border fired on one another and a Greek soldier was killed. The Greek army invaded Bulgaria as a result. The Bulgarians asked the League for help and the League ordered both armies to stop fighting and that the Greeks should pull out of Bulgaria. The League then sent experts to the area and decided that Greece was to blame and fined her  £45,000. Both nations accepted the decision. The failures of the League of Nations Article 11 of the League’s Covenant stated: â€Å"Any war of threat of war is a matter of concern to the whole League and the League shall take action that may safe guard peace.† Therefore, any conflict between nations which ended in war and the victor of one over the other must be considered a League failure. Italy (1919) In 1919, Italian nationalists, angered that the â€Å"Big Three† had, in their opinion, broken promises to Italy at the Treaty of Versailles, captured the small port of Fiume. This port had been given to Yugoslavia by the Treaty of Versailles. For 15 months, Fiume was governed by an Italian nationalist called d’Annunzio. The newly created League did nothing. The situation was solved by the Italian government who could not accept that d’Annunzio was seemingly more popular than they were – so they bombarded the port of Fiume and enforced a surrender. In all this the League played no part despite the fact that it had just been set up with the specific task of maintaining peace. Teschen (1919) Teschen was a small town between Poland and Czechoslovakia. Its main importance was that it had valuable coal mines there which both the Poles and the Czechs wanted. As both were newly created nations, both wanted to make their respective economies as strong as possible and the acquisition of rich coal mines would certainly help in this respect. In January 1919, Polish and Czech troops fought in the streets of Teschen. Many died. The  League was called on to help and decided that the bulk of the town should go to Poland while Czechoslovakia should have one of Teschen’s suburbs. This suburb contained the most valuable coal mines and the Poles refused to accept this decision. Though no more wholesale violence took place, the two countries continued to argue over the issue for the next twenty years. Vilna (1920) Many years before 1920, Vilna had been taken over by Russia. Historically, Vilna had been the capital of Lithuania when the state had existed in the Middle Ages. After World War One, Lithuania had been re-established and Vilna seemed the natural choice for its capital. However, by 1920, 30% of the population was from Poland with Lithuanians only making up 2% of the city’s population. In 1920, the Poles seized Vilna. Lithuania asked for League help but the Poles could not be persuaded to leave the city. Vilna stayed in Polish hands until the outbreak of World War Two. The use of force by the Poles had won. War between Russia and Poland (1920 to 1921) In 1920, Poland invaded land held by the Russians. The Poles quickly overwhelmed the Russian army and made a swift advance into Russia. By 1921, the Russians had no choice but to sign the Treaty of Riga which handed over to Poland nearly 80,000 square kilometres of Russian land. This one treaty all but doubled the size of Poland. What did the League do about this violation of another country by Poland? The answer is simple – nothing. Russia by 1919 was communist and this â€Å"plague from the East† was greatly feared by the West. In fact, Britain, France and America sent troops to attack Russia after the League had been set up. Winston Churchill, the British War Minister, stated openly that the plan was to strangle Communist Russia at birth. Once again, to outsiders, it seemed as if League members were selecting which countries were acceptable and ones which were not. The Allied invasion of Russia was a failure and it only served to make Communist Russia even more antagonistic to the West. The invasion of the Ruhr (1923) The Treaty of Versailles had ordered Weimar Germany to pay reparations for war damages. These could either be paid in money or in kind (goods to the value of a set amount) In 1922, the Germans failed to pay an installment.  They claimed that they simply could not rather than did not want to. The Allies refused to accept this and the anti-German feeling at this time was still strong. Both the French and the Belgium’s believed that some form of strong action was needed to ‘teach Germany a lesson’. In 1923, contrary to League rules, the French and the Belgium’s invaded the Ruhr – Germany’s most important industrial zone. Within Europe, France was seen as a senior League member – like Britain – and the anti-German feeling that was felt throughout Europe allowed both France and Belgium to break their own rules as were introduced by the League. Here were two League members clearly breaking League rules and nothing was done about it. For the League to enforce its will, it needed the support of its major backers in Europe, Britain and France. Yet France was one of the invaders and Britain was a major supporter of her. To other nations, it seemed that if you wanted to break League rules, you could. Few countries criticised what France and Belgium did. But the example they set for others in future years was obvious. The League clearly failed on this occasion, primarily because it was seen to be involved in breaking its own rules. Italy and Albania (1923) The border between Italy and Albania was far from clear and the Treaty of Versailles had never really addressed this issue. It was a constant source of irritation between both nations. In 1923, a mixed nationality survey team was sent out to settle the issue. Whilst travelling to the disputed area, the Italian section of the survey team, became separated from the main party. The five Italians were shot by gunmen who had been in hiding. Italy accused Greece of planning the whole incident and demanded payment of a large fine. Greece refused to pay up. In response, the Italians sent its navy to the Greek island of Corfu and bombarded the coastline. Greece appealed to the League for help but Italy, lead by Benito Mussolini, persuaded the League via the Conference of Ambassadors, to fine Greece 50 million lire. To follow up this success, Mussolini invited the Yugoslavian government to discuss ownership of Fiume. The Treaty of Versailles had given Fiume to Yugoslavia but with the evidence of a bombarded Corfu, the Yugoslavs handed over the port to Italy with little argument

Enterprise Application Architecture Research Paper

Enterprise Application Architecture - Research Paper Example These three disciplines have each contributed to the development of this discipline. Computer science is a discipline that has been very important in the development of information science enterprise architecture. This discipline has been seen to be instrumental in developing underlying theory and scientific theories. The discipline is the mother of all other information technology ideas and theories. It is the one that has been seen to be used to develop architectures that are used in developing software. Most of the research about new paradigms in software development has been seen to be developed using computer science knowledge. Computer science is used to do research on the new ways of developing software. Most of the theories that have been seen to develop have been seen to come out of computer science. Computer science is not concerned with the application of the software and the various software paradigms that have been developed per se, but it has been seen to be used to dev elop architectures and prototypes that have been used to develop software (Sate University, 2011). On the other hand, information system has been seen to be instrumental to get the real requirements of the systems that are being used in organizations. The main aim of information systems is that of assessing the relationship that information systems have with the organizations that they are installed in. the relationship that exist between the organization and the enterprise information system not only deals with the theory that are used to develop the information system architecture that are installed in the organization but is also concerned with the development and the application of the architectures too (Sate University, 2011). It is also concerned with training of the users into good use of the software. The information system course is meant to help students to connect business and information technology and make strategic moves in this. Information systems are not meant to ru n on their own. This will enable the current methods in technology and the current trends to be adopted. The knowledge that is taught is geared to understand the application part of the application. Enterprise application software will be used to evaluate the performance of a given architecture and the features that these architectures. They will then be assessed and recommended accordingly. From this, it is clear that information systems course helps to understand the application and the effectiveness of a given architecture. On the other hand, library information science is a science is also equally important in enterprise application development and architecture. Although its contributions are minimal, it is hard to ignore this discipline as it is equally important. It adds to the knowledge of information systems. It has been used in the knowledge of information systems. References Sate University. (2011). Software development job description, career as a network administrator, s alary, employment. Infoworld, 63(2),

Heat Exhaustion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Heat Exhaustion - Essay Example Sunburns, heat cramps, heat stress, heat stroke and heat exhausting are some of the heat related disorders. While the symptoms and treatment may differ, in each case there is overexposure to heat or the person has over exercised for his/her age and physical condition in the existing thermal environment. Heat exhaustion is caused by a loss of salt and water from the body usually through excessive sweating (SJA, 2007). Severe debilitation occurs due to extreme body heat. Excessive heat and dehydration cause the body temperature to rise above 102 degrees (Alonzo, 2003). While the causes of heat exhaustion can be many, there are various ways in which people can protect themselves from the effects of prolonged exposure to extreme heat. The symptoms of heat exhaustion include paleness, nausea, extreme fatigue, dizziness, light-headedness, or even vomiting, fainting and cool and clammy skin (Alonzo). The treatment and prevention are issues which should be known to every individual. If the victim is out in the sun, he/she should be brought out of the sun and made to lie down after loosening the clothes preferably in an air conditioned room. Wet cloth should be applied and urged to take frequent sips of water. If this causes nausea then water sips have to be discontinued. Medical attention may be required if vomiting persists. There are various ways in which the people themselves or the organizations can reduce or even prevent heat exhaustion. First and foremost the body should be allowed to acclimatize to the difference in temperature especially for those who are not used to working in hot environment (Dresser). They have to get accustomed to working in the heat which normally takes a week or two to get used to. Reducing the physical demands of the job for a week or two allows a worker to acclimatize. Cool shady environments are prerequisites for prevention of heat exhaustion. Secondly, the body has to be well hydrated and this means

Revolution in Egypt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Revolution in Egypt - Essay Example Currently, similar protests are ongoing in Libya and Yemen, creating lot of political and economic uncertainty in the Arabic world. This paper expounds on the causes and the effects of Egyptian revolution in the country and in the world. Causes and effects of Egyptian revolution In the streets of Sidi Bouzid city in Tunisia, a twenty six year old university graduate, Mohamed Bouazizi set himself ablaze in late December 2010, allegedly for lack of job and harassment by the government officials for hawking groceries in the streets. This incident sparked the now popular revolution in the Arabic countries that have for so long resisted the political changes occurring around the globe. In highly globalized world, the actions of Bouazizi elicited anger and desire for political and economic change especially among the youths across these countries, through social networking sites. Within a brief period, the Tunisian president resigned, and simultaneous protests broke out in Algeria, Albania , Libya, Mauritania and Oman. Other countries where similar protests have since spread include Yemen, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Morocco (Blue, 2011). These protests have ultimately changed the political environment in Arabic world, resulting to resignation of presidents and implementation of economic reforms. For about three decades, Egypt demonstrated a sense of stability in the extremely politically volatile Middle East region. Since President Hosni Mubarak succeeded Anwar Sadat in 1981, the country has enjoyed cordial relations with the United States, mainly because of the critical role that Egypt plays in maintaining peace between Israel and other Arabic countries in the Middle East (ECFA, 2000). For a president who had served for such a long period, winning with landslide victories in a series of presidential elections that had been conducted in the country since 1981, his ouster was a surprise to many political observers in the world. There are several causes of the revolution in Egypt and in other Arabic countries in general. For long periods, autocratic leadership that undermines basic human rights and liberties enjoyed in the free world characterizes political governance in most Arabic countries (Bruce, 2008, p63) Egypt is not an exception. Historically, major revolutions across the world originate from a variety of reasons, but the main underlying factor is the gross abuse of human rights. The main causes of revolts include gross abuse of state power, whereby the state uses violence, threats and intimidation to suppress dissent, freedom of expression, association and other forms of public expressions. In most cases, the suppressed populations are at economic disadvantage, experiencing high levels of poverty and discrimination in accessing employment opportunities in the government or public service (Mythen, 2008, p19). The causes of Egyptian revolution in 2011 originated from autocratic governance, economic problems, corruption, and re volutionary movement that had just happened in Tunisia accelerated Egyptian movement (Blue, 2011). The major concerns for the youth who played a crucial role in the revolution included lack of employment opportunities, abuse of basic human rights, including freedom of expression (Blue, 2011). According to ECFA (2000), the Egyptian government has invested in education of the youth and the country has one of the highest populations of university graduates in the

Art essay, statement and analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Art , statement and analysis - Essay Example Botticelli’s painting of Three Graces (1482) is a fragment of the tempera panel painting â€Å"Primavera†; it describes three Greek mythological goddesses Aglaia, Thalia and Euphrosyne. They are pictured dancing and holding their hands, looking at each other. The women look a kind of alike, they have the same hair color and the textures of their dresses are also similar, which shows that artist intended to picture them as a separate part from the whole composition, but didn’t want to emphasize on each of them, on the contrary, Botticelli made them as one element of the painting. The lines on the painting are soft and precise; color and shading form a three-dimensional picture – these factors influent on the naturalistic visualization of the Graces. The curling hair of the goddesses and the translucent elements of their clothes create an impression of lightness and serenity of women’s characters, and the dark background simultaneously emphasizes on t his impression by contrasting, but also alienates this group of characters from the others in the painting. Three Graces are depicted extremely naturally; with a high technique Botticelli succeed to describe the goddesses both mythically and realistically. The sculpture of Three Graces (Roman copy of a Greek work of the second century b.c (marble) is an image of three young women, holding each other’s shoulders, the one in the middle is turned backwards. Some of the women have their hands cut and they all don’t have a head details, the statue was damaged, the artist created this work is unknown. Because of the damages this work of art cannot be properly interpreted. The sculpture is made of marble, white color and smooth surface; the figures of goddesses are real human sized, they stand on ovoid base surrounded by two pillars on lateral sides. Elements of the sculpture were made smooth and polished; in addition, the connection between women in the

Book report on the book One Bullet Away by Nathaniel Fick Essay

Book report on the book One Bullet Away by Nathaniel Fick - Essay Example Though other veterans f the Iraq war have covered similar territory (see box), the author, a captain in an elite Recon battalion, is a keen observer whose fine writing is distinguished by its intelligence and candor. The Marines in his command are vividly drawn and oddly endearing--perhaps because Fick neatly captures their deep, dark humor. (A seared enemy corpse becomes "beef jerky man"; another, flattened by several tanks, is "tomato crate man.") Though cool under fire, Fick sifts through the moral dilemmas in the field: Ignoring protocol, he allows his Marines to blow up an unexploded rocket-propelled grenade that threatens an Iraqi neighborhood. Fick's book is aptly named, as a good part f it is devoted to his training to become a Marine officer, and then a member f the elite reconnaissance group, the Marine equivalent f the Navy Seals or Army Rangers. The training was rigorous, tough and even brutal at times, but the author survived and feels it accomplished its purpose, making him capable f functioning professionally in combat. The book's title is an old Marine adage that a platoon sergeant is one bullet away from becoming the platoon leader, and the platoon leader one bullet away from becoming the company commander. All Marines should be able to step quickly into a position f higher authority with no loss f efficiency. His battalion had a relatively brief tour f duty in Af... Serving as a kind f memoir, or partial autobiography, the book is naturally subjective, all events are seen through the prism f the author's beliefs and experience. Although he held in esteem the Marine generals he had come in contact with, and respected his regimental commander and other field grade officers in his battalion, he had no confidence in his immediate superior, the company commander, who he felt made poor combat decisions for the wrong reasons. But even with this enduring friction, which could become intense when one's life was at stake, the author feels that his training and the training f the Marines under him kept his platoon on a high professional level. His attitude toward the war was basically apolitical. After surviving a botched ambush by a contingent f Syrians (so identified by the passports in their effects) he mused on their appearance. He felt that fighting in a foreign country, they were similar to his Marines in age and middle class background but were markedly inferior in combat ability. He does not, however, state the difference between their goals. The jihadists wanted a medieval theocracy which he could not possibly live under, and loathed the democracy he came from. After the fall f Baghdad his battalion was given various occupation duties which changed too rapidly for any lasting good. He points out the inadequacies f this planning and feels that if they had been left in one place long enough to establish a working accommodation with the residents the occupation would have gone more smoothly. In "No True Glory: A Firsthand Account f the Battle for Fallujah," Bing West tries to give us an accurate and complete picture f one f the most controversial episodes f the Iraq