Financial accounting and Managerial use Essay

Background LJB Company , a small business local distributor who understands to go public in the future, the company should be in accordance with the law and may need to take more stringent internal control principles. At the request of the president, an independent internal evaluation of internal controls was conducted to evaluate the direction of strength and weakness. Objective The objectives of this report should evaluate the existing controls and make recommendations that will ensure the companies assets and help get the most accurate financial information. Based on a system of internal checks and balances will be just in my recommendations to the president of the company, since most of the internal control systems provide for independent internal control; This principle involves the review of data prepared by employees. To get the maximum benefit from an independent internal control : Control values and Integrity from the top make it clear that it is unethical activities will not be accepted, and set the tone for the company’s culture . There are several principles of management : 1. Establishment of responsibility: management is most effective when a single source may be responsible for the problem, including the authorization and approval of transactions. Weakness: LJB has only one accountant who serves as treasurer and controller , which can optimize the processes , but it creates an inherent risk . Cashier handled informally . Accountant is so busy that the company handles the checkout bit differently . All employees have access to the petty cash drawer and just put a note asking if they use any of the cash. Recommendation: * Align the specific obligations of employees to limit access to authorized employees so that the buyer is not the same person who authorizes the payment without the approval of the head at least . Otherwise , a person may make payments that are made to yourself. * Use unique passwords per employee to protect the purchasing system to provide adequate documents and records management. * Assign petty cash custodian. 2 . Segregation of duties : † After one employee should , without duplication of effort , provide a sound basis for evaluating the work of another employee. † 2 * Strength: Accountant receives the checks and completes the monthly bank reconciliation. This force , as the bank and the company maintain independent records , which may not always agree on what may be a simple mistake of either party. To maintain maximum benefits , a worker who has no other duties associated with cash should prepare a reconciliation. * Weakness: The same accountant all purchases of supplies and pays for these purchases per hour is a dual role . Petty cash handled all . * Recommendation: 1. Divide the purchase task to avoid the temptation of possible abuse. Keeper of the petty cash fund makes payments , but the reviews accountant to recharge . 2 . Require the authorization of the buyer and payment of employees on vacation at different times of the year. 3 . Documentation and procedures to provide evidence that the transactions and events occurred * Strength: Accountant recently started using pre- numbered invoices. * Weaknesses: Unclear procedures for shipping requirements , invoices and time signatures in developing accounting documents . All employees are required only to leave a note in the box , not supply a receipt. * Recommendation: * Delivery document indicates well have been shipped, invoice sales means that the client has been announced. Use remittance advice (mail receipts ) , cash register tapes, and deposit slips . * Require signature to identify the person responsible for the activity . * If possible , the user pre- numbered documents . It also helps to ensure that the transaction is no recorded several times or not at all . * Require time when documents should be sent in accounting for timely accounting. * Require receipts for most, if not all operations on a small number of dollars. Note: accountant wants to buy an indelible ink machine to print their checks. I would recommend the purchase of this equipment , depending on the cost-benefit analysis . Keep blank checks in safes with limited access will  be my first suggestion to cut spending immediately , with no additional costs. | 4 . Physical control can be mechanical and electronic asset protection . * Strength: Before leaving for the weekend accountant , accountant will move checks in a safe in his office . * Weakness: For salaries , checks selected accountant and left in his office for pick-up . Cashier box is not locked. * Recommendation: * Closed storage inventory and records management and control at all times, and not just for the weekend . * Alarm to prevent tampering if appropriate cost benefit * Closed petty cash . 5 . Independent internal verification includes an overview and comparison of the data to reconcile * Strength: Does not work . * Weaknesses: Unclear procedures requirements signatures , such as small cash transactions. Accountant is so busy that the company handles the checkout bit differently . All employees have access to the petty cash drawer and just put a note asking if they use any of the cash. * Recommendation: 1. Require an accountant to examine receipts and documents to verify costs to replenish funds. 2 . Surprise internal audits 6. Office of Human Resources * Strength: Employees seem to stay with the company for a long time and seems to be loyal . * Weakness: The President is still quite embarrassed because he was forced to fire one of their employees for viewing pornography on a company computer. He later learned that this man was a convicted felon who served time for molesting children. The Company had a hard time getting the employee to admit that this is it, because the company does not assign individual passwords. The President expressed his disappointment because he and an accountant and an interview and approve all new employees. * Recommendation: 1. Perform back ground checks and verify education credentials 2 . Check references , but never used the figures provided a reference sheet 3 . Employees bonds that deal cash 4 . Assign unique passwords for employees Conclusion: There are limitations of internal control , but they must provide reasonable assurance that assets are protected and accounting are accurate. Currently, as a small company LJB can not have a very complicated system of internal control , but must recognize the reality of the law for trading companies with the public are held at a higher level of compliance . LJB Company does some things right , but there are several areas for improvement . Literature : http://map.ais.ucla.edu/go/1002631 Paul D. Kimmel , Jerry J. Weygandt, Donald Kieso – 2010 – Business & Economics http://www.macomb.edu/About+Macomb/College+Policies/Policies/Guidelines+for+Purchasing+Activities.htm https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/†¦/fin106c07.pdf http://www.brockport.edu/intcontrol/questions.html

Shadow Kiss Chapter 6

SIX THERE HAD ONLY BEEN THREE other witnesses to what had happened out on the quad. Yet, unsurprisingly, everyone seemed to know about it when I returned to the commons later on. Classes were done, but plenty of students moved about in the corridors, off to study or retake tests or whatever. They tried to hide their glances and whispers, but they didn't do a very good job. Those who made eye contact with me either gave me tight-lipped smiles or immediately looked away. Wonderful. With no psychic link to Christian, I had no clue where to find him. I could sense that Lissa was in the library and figured that would be a good place to start looking. On my way there, I heard a guy's voice call out behind me. â€Å"Took things a bit far, didn't you?† I turned around and saw Ryan and Camille walking several steps back. If I'd been a guy, the appropriate response would have been, â€Å"You mean with your mom?† Because I was not a guy, though, and because I had manners, I just said, â€Å"Don't know what you're talking about.† Ryan hurried to catch up with me. â€Å"You know exactly what I mean. With Christian. I heard that when Stan attacked, you were just like, ‘Here, take him,' and walked away.† â€Å"Oh good God,† I groaned. It was bad enough when everyone was talking about you, but why did the stories always end up changing? â€Å"That is not what happened.† â€Å"Oh yeah?† he asked. â€Å"Then why did you get called in to see Alberta?† â€Å"Look,† I said, not feeling so well mannered anymore, â€Å"I just messed up the attack†¦you know, kind of like you did earlier when you weren't paying attention in the hall?† â€Å"Hey,† he said, flushing slightly. â€Å"I ended up getting in on that – I did my part.† â€Å"Is that what they're calling getting killed nowadays?† â€Å"At least I wasn't a whiny bitch who refused to fight.† I had just about calmed down after speaking with Dimitri, but now my temper was rising already. It was like a thermometer ready to burst. â€Å"You know, maybe instead of criticizing others, you should pay more attention to your own guardian duties.† I nodded toward Camille. She had thus far been quiet, but her face showed me she was eating all of this up. Ryan shrugged. â€Å"I can do both. Shane's farther behind us, and the area ahead is clear. No doors. Easy.† He patted Camille's shoulder. â€Å"She's safe.† â€Å"It's an easy place to secure. You wouldn't do so well in the real world with real Strigoi.† His smile faded. Anger glinted in his eyes. â€Å"Right. The way I hear it, you didn't do such a great job out there either, at least not as far as Mason was concerned.† Taunting over what had happened with Stan and Christian was one thing. But implying that I was at fault for Mason's death? Unacceptable. I was the one who'd kept Lissa safe for two years in the human world. I was the one who had killed two Strigoi in Spokane. I was the only novice at this school with molnija marks, the little tattoos given to guardians to mark Strigoi kills. I'd known there had been some whispers about what had happened to Mason, but no one had ever actually said anything to me. The thought of Ryan or anyone else thinking I was to blame for Mason dying was too much. I blamed myself plenty enough already without their help. The thermometer broke. In one smooth motion, I reached past him, grabbed Camille, and swung her up against the wall. I hadn't thrown her hard enough to hurt her, but she was clearly startled. Her eyes widened in shock, and I used my forearm to pin her, pressing it against her throat. â€Å"What are you doing?† exclaimed Ryan, peering back and forth between our faces. I shifted my stance slightly, still keeping the pressure on Camille. â€Å"Furthering your education,† I said pleasantly. â€Å"Sometimes places aren't as easy to secure as you think.† â€Å"You're crazy! You can't hurt a Moroi. If the guardians find out – â€Å" â€Å"I'm not,† I argued. I glanced toward her. â€Å"Am I hurting you? Are you in extreme pain?† There was a hesitation; then she gave as much of a shake of her head as she could manage. â€Å"Are you uncomfortable?† A small nod. â€Å"See?† I told Ryan. â€Å"Discomfort isn't the same thing as pain.† â€Å"You're insane. Let her go.† â€Å"I'm not done, Ry. Pay attention because here's the point: Danger can come from anywhere. Not just Strigoi – or guardians dressed up like Strigoi. Keep acting like an arrogant asshole who thinks he knows everything† – I pressed my arm in a little harder, still not enough to affect her breathing or cause real pain – â€Å"and you miss things. And those things can kill your Moroi.† â€Å"Okay, okay. Whatever. Please, stop it,† he said. His voice wavered. There was no more attitude. â€Å"You're scaring her.† â€Å"I'd be scared too, if my life was in your hands.† The scent of cloves alerted me to Adrian's presence. I also knew that Shane and a few others had come to watch. The other novices looked uncertain, like they wanted to pry me off but were afraid of getting Camille hurt. I knew I should let her go, but Ryan had just made me so angry. I needed to prove a point to him. I needed to get him back. And really, I didn't even feel sorry for Camille either since I was sure she'd done her fair share of gossiping about me too. â€Å"This is fascinating,† said Adrian, his voice as lazy as usual. â€Å"But I think you've made your point.† â€Å"I don't know,† I said. The tone of my voice managed to be both sweet and menacing at the same time. â€Å"I still don't think Ryan gets it.† â€Å"For God's sake, Rose! I get it,† cried Ryan. â€Å"Just let her go.† Adrian moved around me, going over to stand beside Camille. She and I were pressed close together, but he managed to squeeze in so that his face was in my line of sight, almost beside hers. He wore that goofy smirk he normally had, but there was something serious in his dark green eyes. â€Å"Yes, little dhampir. Let her go. You're done here.† I wanted to tell Adrian to get away from me, that I would be the one to say when this was finished. Somehow, I couldn't get the words out. A part of me was enraged at his interference. The other part of me thought he sounded†¦reasonable. â€Å"Let her go,† he repeated. My eyes were all over Adrian now, not Camille. Suddenly, all of me decided he sounded reasonable. Completely reasonable. I needed to let her go. I moved my arm and stepped away. With a gulp, Camille darted behind Ryan, using him like a shield. I saw now that she was on the verge of tears. Ryan simply looked stunned. Adrian straightened up and made a dismissive gesture toward Ryan. â€Å"I'd get out of here – before you really annoy Rose.† Ryan, Camille, and the others slowly backed off from us. Adrian put his arm around me and hurried me away toward the library. I felt weird, kind of like I was waking up, but then, with each step, things grew clearer and clearer. I pushed his arm off me and jerked away. â€Å"You just used compulsion on me!† I exclaimed. â€Å"You made me let her go.† â€Å"Someone needed to. You looked like you were seconds away from strangling her.† â€Å"I wasn't. And I wouldn't have.† I pushed open the library door. â€Å"You had no right to do that to me. No right at all.† Compulsion – making people do what you wanted – was a skill all vampires had to a very small degree. Using it was considered immoral, and most couldn't control it well enough to do any real damage. Spirit strengthened the ability, however, making both Adrian and Lissa very dangerous. â€Å"And you had no right to tackle some poor girl in the hall just to soothe your own hurt pride.† â€Å"Ryan had no right to say those things.† â€Å"I don't even know what ‘those things' are, but unless I've misjudged your age, you're too old to be throwing a tantrum over idle gossip.† â€Å"Throwing a – â€Å" My words fell short as we reached Lissa working at a table. Her face and feelings told me trouble was coming. Eddie stood a couple feet away from her, leaning against a wall and watching the room. His eyes widened when he saw me, but he didn't say anything at my approach. I slid into the chair opposite Lissa. â€Å"Hey.† She looked up and sighed, then returned her attention to the textbook open in front of her. â€Å"I wondered when you'd turn up,† she said. â€Å"Did you get suspended?† Her words were calm and polite, but I could read her underlying feelings. Annoyed. Even a little angry. â€Å"Not this time,† I said. â€Å"Just got stuck with community service.† She said nothing, but the irate mood I sensed through the bond remained unchanged. Now I sighed. â€Å"Okay, talk to me, Liss. I know you're mad.† Adrian looked at me, then her, and then me again. â€Å"I feel like I'm missing something here.† â€Å"Oh, great,† I said. â€Å"You went and busted up my fight and didn't even know what it was about.† â€Å"Fight?† asked Lissa, confusion joining her anger. â€Å"What happened?† repeated Adrian. I nodded to Lissa. â€Å"Go ahead, tell him.† â€Å"Rose got tested earlier and refused to protect Christian.† She shook her head, exasperated, and fixed me with an accusatory glare. â€Å"I can't believe you're seriously still mad enough to do something like that to him. It's childish.† Lissa had jumped to the same conclusions as the guardians. I sighed. â€Å"I didn't do it on purpose! I just sat through a whole hearing on this crap and told them the same thing.† â€Å"Then what happened?† she demanded. â€Å"Why did you do it?† I hesitated, unsure what to say. My reluctance to talk didn't even have anything to do with Adrian and Eddie overhearing – though I certainly didn't want them to. The problem was more complex. Dimitri had been right – there were people I could trust, and two of them I trusted unconditionally: him and Lissa. I'd already held back from telling him the truth. Would I – could I – do the same with her? Although she was mad, I knew without a doubt that Lissa would always support me and be there for me. But just like with Dimitri, I balked at the idea of telling my ghost story. Also just like with Dimitri, it left me in the same bind: crazy or incompetent? Through our bond, I felt her mind, pure and clear. There was no taint, no darkness, or sign of madness – and yet, something tingled in the background. A slight stirring. Antidepressants took awhile to fully get into and out of one's system, but her magic was already waking up after one day. I thought back to my ghostly encounters, dredging up the memory of that sad, translucent Mason. How could I even begin to explain that to her? How could I bring up something as weird and fantastic as that when she'd been trying so hard to get a little normality in her life and now faced the challenge of getting her magic under control? No, I realized. I couldn't tell her. Not yet – especially when it suddenly occurred to me that there was still something else big I needed to let her know about. â€Å"I froze,† I said finally. â€Å"It's stupid. I'd been so cocky about being able to take out anyone, and then Stan †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I shrugged. â€Å"I don't know. I just couldn't react. It†¦ it's really embarrassing. And him of all people.† Lissa studied me intently, looking for any sign of dishonesty. It hurt to think that she'd mistrust me, except†¦well, I was actually lying. As I'd told Dimitri, though, I could be a good liar when I wanted to be. Lissa couldn't tell. â€Å"I wish I could read your mind,† she mused. â€Å"Come on,† I said. â€Å"You know me. Do you really think I'd do this? Abandon Christian and make myself look stupid on purpose just to get back at my teachers?† â€Å"No,† she said finally. â€Å"You'd probably do it in a way where you wouldn't get caught.† â€Å"Dimitri said the same thing,† I grumbled. â€Å"I'm glad everyone has so much faith in me.† â€Å"We do,† she countered. â€Å"That's why all of this is so weird.† â€Å"Even I make mistakes.† I put on my brash, overconfident face. â€Å"I know it's hard to believe – kind of surprises me myself – but I guess it has to happen. It's probably some kind of karmic way to balance out the universe. Otherwise, it wouldn't be fair to have one person so full of awesomeness.† Adrian, blessedly silent for a change, was watching the two of us talk, much as one would look back and forth at a tennis match. His eyes were narrowed slightly, and I suspected he was studying our auras. Lissa rolled her eyes, but fortunately, the anger I'd felt earlier lightened. She believed me. Her gaze then lifted from my face to someone beyond me. I felt the happy, golden emotions that signaled Christian's presence. â€Å"My loyal bodyguard returns,† he declared, pulling up a chair. He glanced at Lissa. â€Å"Are you done yet?† â€Å"Done with what?† she asked. He inclined his head toward me. â€Å"Giving her a hard time about how she threw me into the deadly clutches of Alto.† Lissa blushed. She was already feeling a little bad about jumping on me, now that I'd defended myself sufficiently. Christian's flippant, knowing observation just made her feel more foolish. â€Å"We were just talking about it, that's all.† Adrian yawned and slouched back in his chair. â€Å"Actually, I think I've figured it all out. This was a scam, wasn't it? A scam to scare me off since I'm always talking about you being my guardian. You thought if you pretended to be a bad guardian, I wouldn't want you. Well, it's not going to work, so there's no point in risking anyone else's life.† I was grateful he didn't mention the incident in the hall. Ryan had absolutely been out of line, but as more time passed, it became harder and harder for me to believe I'd snapped like that. It was like something that had happened to someone else, something that I'd simply been watching. Of course, I seemed to be snapping over everything lately. I'd been mad about getting Christian, mad about the guardians' accusation, mad about – Oh, right. It was probably time for me to drop the bomb. â€Å"So, um †¦ there's something you guys should know.† Four sets of eyes – even Eddie's – turned to me. â€Å"What's wrong?† asked Lissa. There was really no easy way to tell them, so I just pushed forward. â€Å"Well, it turns out that Victor Dashkov was never found guilty of what he did to us. He's just been locked up. But they're finally going to have an official trial – in another week or so.† Lissa's reaction to hearing his name was similar to mine. Shock shot through the bond, followed immediately by fear. A slide show of images flashed through her mind. The way Victor's sick game had made her question her sanity. The torture his henchman had subjected her to. The bloody state she'd found Christian in after he'd been attacked by Victor's hounds. She clenched her fists on the table, knuckles going white. Christian couldn't sense her reaction the way I could, but he didn't need to. He moved his hand over hers. She barely noticed. â€Å"But†¦ but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She took a deep, steadying breath, fighting to stay calm. â€Å"How could he not be guilty already? Everyone knows†¦. They all saw†¦.† â€Å"It's the law. They supposedly have to give him a fighting chance.† There was confusion all over her, and slowly, she came to the same realization that I had last night with Dimitri. â€Å"So†¦wait†¦ are you saying there's a chance they might not find him guilty?† I looked into her wide, frightened eyes and couldn't bring myself to tell her. Apparently, my face said it all. Christian slammed his fist against the table. â€Å"This is bullshit.† Several people at other tables glanced over at his outburst. â€Å"This is politics,† said Adrian. â€Å"People in power never have to play by the same rules.† â€Å"But he nearly killed Rose and Christian!† cried Lissa. â€Å"And he kidnapped me! How can there be any question?† Lissa's emotions were all over the place. Fear. Sorrow. Anger. Outrage. Confusion. Helplessness. I didn't want her delving into those dark feelings and hoped desperately that she'd grow calm again. Slowly, steadily, she did – but then I started getting angry again. It was like Ryan all over. â€Å"It's a formality, I'm sure,† said Adrian. â€Å"When all the evidence is in, there probably isn't going to be much of a debate.† â€Å"That's the thing,† I said bitterly. â€Å"They're not going to have all the evidence. We aren't allowed to go.† â€Å"What?† exclaimed Christian. â€Å"Then who's testifying?† â€Å"The other guardians who were there. We apparently can't be trusted to keep the whole thing quiet. The queen doesn't want the world to know that one of her precious royals might have done something wrong.† Lissa didn't seem to take offense at me trashing royals. â€Å"But we're the reason he's on trial.† Christian stood up, glancing around as though Victor might be in the library. â€Å"I'm going to go take care of this right now.† â€Å"Sure,† said Adrian. â€Å"I bet going in there and kicking down the door will change their minds. Take Rose with you, and you guys'll make a really good impression.† â€Å"Yeah?† asked Christian, clenching the back of his chair and fixing Adrian with a stormy glare. â€Å"You have a better idea?† Lissa's calmness began to waver again. â€Å"If Victor was free, would he come after us again?† â€Å"If he gets loose again, he won't stay that way for long,† I said. â€Å"I'll make sure of it.† â€Å"Careful there,† said Adrian. He seemed to find all of this funny. â€Å"Even you couldn't get away with a royal assassination.† I started to tell him that I'd practice on him first, but then Eddie's sharp voice interrupted my thoughts. â€Å"Rose.† Instinct born from years of training instantly kicked into place. I looked up and immediately saw what he'd noticed. Emil had just entered the library and was scanning for novices, taking notes. I shot up out of my chair, taking a position not far from Eddie that gave me a view of Christian and most of the library. Damn it. I had to get a grip, or I'd end up proving Ryan right. Between my brawl in the hall and now this Victor thing, I was completely neglecting my guardian duties. I might not even need Mason to fail this. Emil hadn't seen me sitting and socializing. He strolled by, glanced at us, and made a few notes before heading off to scout the rest of the library. Relieved at escaping my close call, I tried to gain control of myself. It was hard. That black mood had seized me again, and listening to Lissa and Christian rage over Victor's trial wasn't really helping me relax. I wanted to go over there and weigh in. I wanted to yell and rant and share my own frustration. But that wasn't a luxury I had as a guardian. My first duty was to protect Moroi and not give into my own impulses. Over and over, I repeated the guardian mantra: They come first. Those words were really starting to annoy me.

Foundation’s Edge CHAPTER EIGHT FARMWOMAN

FARMWOMAN Thd Speakers sat about the table, frozen in their mental shielding. It was as though all – with one accord – had hidden their minds to avoid irrevocable insult to the First Speaker after his statement concerning Trevize. Surreptitiously they glanced toward Delarmi and even that gave away much. Of them all, she was best known for her irreverence – Even Gendibal paid more lip service to convention. Delarmi was aware of the glances and she knew that she had no choice but to face up to this impossible situation. In fact, she did not want to duck the issue. In all the history of the Second Foundation, no First Speaker had ever been impeached for misanalysis (and behind the term, which she had invented as cover-up, was the unacknowledged incompetence). Such impeachment now became possible. She would not hang back. â€Å"First Speaker!† she said softly, her thin, colorless lips more nearly invisible than usual in the general whiteness of her face. â€Å"You yourself say you have no basis for your opinion, that the psychohistorical mathematics show nothing Do you ask us to base a crucial decision on a mystical feeling?† The First Speaker looked up, his forehead corrugated. He was aware of the universal shielding at the Table. He knew what it meant. He said coldly, â€Å"I do not hide the lack of evidence. I present you with nothing falsely. What I offer is the strongly intuitive feeling of a First Speaker, one with decades of experience who has spent nearly a lifetime in the close analysis of the Seldon Plan.† He looked about him with a proud rigidity he rarely displayed, and one by one the mental shields softened and dropped. Delarmi's (when he turned to stare at her) was the last. She said, with a disarming frankness that filled her mind as though nothing else had ever been there, â€Å"I accept your statement, of course, First Speaker. Nevertheless, I think you might perhaps want to reconsider. As you think about it now, having already expressed shame at having to fall back on intuition, would you wish your remarks to be stricken from the record if, in your judgment they should be†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And Gendibal's voice cut in. â€Å"What are these remarks that should. be stricken from the record?† Every pair of eyes turned in unison. Had their shields not been up during the crucial moments before, they would have been aware of his approach long before he was at the door. â€Å"All shields up a moment ago? All unaware of my entrance?† said Gendibal sardonically. â€Å"What a commonplace meeting of the Table we have here. Was no one on their guard for my coming? Or did you all fully expect that I would not arrive?† This outburst was a flagrant violation of all standards. For Gendibal to arrive late was bad enough. For him to then enter unannounced was worse. For him to speak before the First Speaker had acknowledged his attendance was worst of all. The First Speaker turned to him. All else was superceded. The question of discipline came first. â€Å"Speaker Gendibal,† he said, â€Å"you are late. You arrive unannounced. You speak. Is there any reason why you should not be suspended from your seat for thirty days?† â€Å"Of course. The move for suspension should not be considered until first we consider who it was that made it certain I would be late – and why.† Gendibal's words were cool and measured, but his mind clothed his thoughts with anger and he did not care who sensed it. Certainly Delarmi sensed it. She said forcefully, â€Å"This man is mad.† â€Å"Mad? This woman is mad to say so. Or aware of guilt. – First Speaker, I address myself to you and move a point of personal privilege,† said Gendibal. â€Å"Personal privilege of what nature, Speaker?† â€Å"First Speaker, I accuse someone here of attempted murder.† The room exploded as every Speaker rose to his or her feet in a simultaneous babble of words, expression, and mentality. The First Speaker raised his arms. He cried, â€Å"The Speaker must have his chance to express his point of personal privilege.† He found himself forced to intensify his authority, mentally, in a manner most inappropriate to the place – yet there was no choice. The babble quieted. Gendibal waited unmoved until the silence was both audibly and mentally profound. He said, â€Å"On my way here, moving along a Hamish road at a distance and approaching at a speed that would have easily assured my arrival in good time for the meeting, I was stopped by several farmers and narrowly escaped being beaten, perhaps being killed. As it was, I was delayed and have but just arrived. May I point out, to begin with, that I know of no instance since the Great Sack that a Second Foundationer has been spoken to disrespectfully – let alone manhandled – by one of these Hamish people.† â€Å"Nor do I,† said the First Speaker. Delarmi cried out, â€Å"Second Foundationers do not habitually walk alone in Hamish territory! You invite this by doing so?† â€Å"It is true,† said Gendibal, â€Å"that I habitually walk alone in Hamish territory. I have walked there hundreds of times in every direction. Yet I have never been accosted before. Others do not walk with the freedom that I do, but no one exiles himself from the world or imprisons himself in the University and no one has ever been accosted. I recall occasions when Delarmi†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and then, as though remembering the honorific too late, he deliberately converted it into a deadly insult. â€Å"I mean to say, I recall when Speakeress Delarmi was in Hamish territory, at one time or another, and yet she was not accosted.† â€Å"Perhaps,† said Delarmi, with eyes widened into a glare, â€Å"because I did not speak to them first and because I maintained my distance. Because I behaved as though I deserved respect, I was accorded it.† â€Å"Strange,† said Gendibal, â€Å"and I was about to say that it was because you presented a more formidable appearance than I did. After all, few dare approach you even here. – But tell me, why should it be that of all times for interference, the Hamish would choose this day to face me, when I am to attend an important meeting of the Table?† â€Å"If it were not because of your behavior, then it must ‘have been chance,† said Delarmi. â€Å"I have not heard that even all of Seldon's mathematics has removed the role of chance from the Galaxy – certainly not in the case of individual events. Or are you, too, speaking from intuitional inspiration?† (There was a soft mental sigh from one or two Speakers at this sideways thrust at the First Speaker.) â€Å"It was not my behavior. It was not chance. It was deliberate interference,† said Gendibal. â€Å"How can we know that?† asked the First Speaker gently. He could not help but soften toward Gendibal as a result of Delarmi's last remark. â€Å"My mind is open to you, First Speaker. I give you – and all the Table – my memory of events.† The transfer took but a few moments. The First Speaker said, â€Å"Shocking! You behaved very well, Speaker, under circumstances of considerable pressure. I agree that the Hamish behavior is anomalous and warrants investigation. In the meantime, please join our meeting†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"A moments† cut in Delarmi. â€Å"How certain are we that the Speaker's account is accurate?† Gendibal's nostrils flared at the insult, but he retained his level composure. â€Å"My mind is open:† â€Å"I have known open minds that were not open.† â€Å"I have no doubt of that, Speaker,† said Gendibal, â€Å"since you, like the rest of us, must keep your own mind under inspection at all times. My mind, when open, however, is open.† The First Speaker said, â€Å"Let us have no further†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"A point of personal privilege, First Speaker, with apologies for the interruption,† said Delarmi. â€Å"Personal privilege of what nature, Speaker?† â€Å"Speaker Gendibal has accused one of us of attempted murder, presumably by instigating the farmer to attack him. As long as the accusation is not withdrawn, I must be viewed as a possible murderer, as would every person in this room – including you, First Speaker.† The First Speaker said, â€Å"Would you withdraw the accusation, Speaker Gendibal?† Gendibal took his seat and put his hands down upon its arms, gripping them tightly, as though taking ownership of it, and said, â€Å"I will do so, as soon as someone explains why a Hamish farmer, rallying several others, should deliberately set out to delay me on my way to this meeting.† â€Å"A thousand reasons, perhaps,† said the First Speaker. â€Å"I repeat that this event will be investigated. Will you, for now, Speaker Gendibal, and in the interest of continuing the present discussion, withdraw your accusation?† â€Å"I cannot, First Speaker. I spent long minutes trying, as delicately as I might, to search his mind for ways to alter his behavior without damage and failed. His mind lacked the give it should have had. His emotions were fixed, as though by an outside mind.† Delarmi said with a sudden little smile, â€Å"And you think one of us was the outside mind? Might it not have been your mysterious organization that is competing with us, that is more powerful than we are?† â€Å"It might,† said GendibaI. â€Å"In that case, we – who are not members of this organization that only you know of – are not guilty and you should withdraw your accusation. Or can it be that you are accusing someone here of being under the control of this strange organization? Perhaps one of us here is not quite what he or she seems?† â€Å"Perhaps,† said Gendibal stolidly, quite aware that Delarmi was feeding him rope with a noose at the end of it. â€Å"It might seem,† said Delarmi, reaching the noose and preparing to tighten it, â€Å"that your dream of a secret, unknown, hidden, mysterious organization is a nightmare of paranoia. It would ft in with your paranoid fantasy that Hamish farmers are being influenced, that Speakers are under hidden control. I am willing, however, to follow this peculiar thought line of yours for a while longer. Which of us here, Speaker, do you think is under control? Might it be me?† Gendibal said, â€Å"I would not think so, Speaker. If you were attempting to rid yourself of me in so indirect a manner, you would not so openly advertise your dislike for me.† â€Å"A double-double-cross, perhaps?† said Delarmi. She was virtually purring. â€Å"That would be a common conclusion in a paranoid fantasy.† â€Å"So it might be. You are more experienced in such matters than I. â€Å"† Speaker Lestim Gianni interrupted hotly. â€Å"See here, Speaker Gendibal, if you are exonerating Speaker Delarmi, you are directing your accusations the more tightly at the rest of us. What grounds would any of us have to delay your presence at this meeting, let alone wish you dead?† Gendibal answered quickly, as though he had been waiting for the question. â€Å"When I entered, the point under discussion was the striking of remarks from the record, remarks made by the First Speaker. I was the only Speaker not in a position to hear those remarks. Let me know what they were and I rather think I will tell you the motive for delaying me.† The First Speaker said, â€Å"I had stated – and it was something to which Speaker Delarmi and others took serious exception – that I had decided, on the basis of intuition and of a most inappropriate use of psychohistorical mathematics, that the entire future of the Plan may rest on the exile of First Foundationer Golan Trevize:† Gendibal said, â€Å"What other Speakers may think is up to them. For my part, I agree with this hypothesis. Trevize is the key. I find his sudden ejection by the First Foundation too curious to be innocent.† Delarmi said, â€Å"Would you care to say, Speaker Gendibal, that Trevize is in the grip of this mystery organization – or that the people who exiled him are? Is perhaps everyone and everything in their control except you and the First Speaker – and me, whom you have declared to be uncontrolled?† Gendibal said, â€Å"These ravings require no answer. Instead let me ask if there is any Speaker here who would like to express agreement on this matter with the First Speaker and myself? You have read, I presume, the mathematical treatment that I have, with the First Speaker's approval, circulated among you.† There was silence. â€Å"I repeat my request,† said Gendibal. â€Å"Anyone?† There was silence. Gendibal said, â€Å"First Speaker, you now have the motive for delaying me.† The First Speaker said, â€Å"State it explicitly.† â€Å"You have expressed the need to deal with Trevize, with this First Foundationer. It represents an important initiative in policy and if the Speakers had read my treatment, they would have known in a general way what was in the wind. If, nevertheless, they had unanimously disagreed with you – unanimously – then, by traditional self-limitation, you would have been unable to go forward. If even one Speaker backed you, then you would be able to implement this new policy. I was the one Speaker who would back yon, as anyone who had read my treatment would know, and it was necessary that I must, at all costs, be kept from the Table. That trick proved nearly successful, but I am now here and I back the First Speaker. I agree with him and he can, in accordance with tradition, disregard the disagreement of the ten other Speakers.† Delarmi struck the table with her fist. â€Å"The implication is that someone knew in advance what the First Speaker would advise, knew in advance that Speaker Gendibal would support it and that all the rest would not – that someone knew what he could not have known. There is the further implication that this initiative is not to the liking of Speaker Gendibal's paranoia-inspired organization and that they are fighting to prevent it and that, therefore, one or more of us is under the control of that organization:† â€Å"The implication is there,† agreed Gendibal. â€Å"Your analysis is masterly.† â€Å"Whom do you accuse?† cried out Delarmi. â€Å"No one. I call upon the First Speaker to take up the matter. It is clear that there is someone in our organization who is working against us. I suggest that everyone working for the Second Foundation should undergo a thorough mental analysis. Everyone, including the Speakers themselves. Even including myself – and the First Speaker.† The meeting of the Table broke up in greater confusion and greater excitement than any on record. And when the First Speaker finally spoke the phrase of adjournment, Gendibal – without speaking to anyone – made his way back to his room. He knew well that he had not one friend among the Speakers, that even whatever support the First Speaker could give him would be half-hearted at best. He could not tell whether he feared for himself or for the entire Second Foundation. The taste of doom was sour in his mouth. Gendibal did not sleep well. His waking thoughts and his sleeping dreams were alike engaged in quarreling with Delora Delarmi. In one passage of one dream, there was even a confusion between her and the Hamish farmer, Rufirant, so that Gendibal found himself facing an out-of-proportion Delarmi advancing upon him with enormous fists and a sweet smile that revealed needlelike teeth. He finally woke, later than usual, with no sensation of having rested and with the buzzer on his night table in muted action. He turned over to bring his hand down upon the contact. â€Å"Yes? What is it?† â€Å"Speaker!† The voice was that of the floor proctor, rather less than suitably respectful. â€Å"A visitor wishes to speak to you:† â€Å"A visitor?† Gendibal punched his appointment schedule and the screen showed nothing before noon. He pushed the time button; it was 8:31 a.m. He said peevishly, â€Å"Who in space and time is it?† â€Å"Will not give a name, Speaker.† Then, with clear disapproval, â€Å"One of these Hamishers, Speaker. Arrived at your invitation.† The last sentence was said with even clearer disapproval. â€Å"Let him wait in the reception room till I come down. It will take time.† Gendibal did not hurry. Throughout the morning ablutions, he remained lost in thought. That someone was using the Hamish to hamper his movements made sense – but he would like to know who that someone was. And what was this new intrusion of the Hamish into his very quarters? A complicated trap of some sort? How in the name of Seldon would a Hamish farmer get into the University? What reason could he advance? What reason could he really have? For one fleeting moment, Gendibal wondered if he ought to arm himself. He decided against it almost at once, since he felt contemptuously certain of being able to control any single farmer on the University grounds without any danger to himself – and without any unacceptable marking of a Hamish mind. Gendibal decided he had been too strongly affected by the incident with Karoll Rufirant the day before. – Was it the very farmer, by the way? no longer under the influence, perhaps – of whatever or whoever it washe might well have come to Gendibal to apologize for what he had done and with apprehension of punishment. – But how would Rufirant know where to go? Whom to approach? Gendibal swung down the corridor resolutely and entered the waiting room. He stopped in astonishment, then fumed to the proctor, who was pretending to be busy in his glass-walled cubicle. â€Å"Proctor, you did not say the visitor was a woman.† The proctor said quietly, â€Å"Speaker, I said a Hamisher. You did not ask further.† â€Å"Minimal information, Proctor? I must remember that as one of your characteristics.† (And he must check to see if the proctor was a Delarmi appointee. And he must remember, from now on, to note the functionaries who surrounded him, â€Å"Lowlies† whom it was too easy to ignore from the height of his still-new Speakership.) â€Å"Are any of the conference rooms available?† The proctor said, â€Å"Number 4 is the only one available, Speaker. It will be free for three hours.† He glanced briefly at the Hamishwoman, then at Gendibal, with blank innocence. â€Å"We will use Number 4, Proctor, and I would advise you to mind your thoughts.† Gendibal struck, not gently, and the proctor's shield closed far too slowly. Gendibal knew well it was beneath his dignity to manhandle a lesser mind, but a person who was incapable of shielding an unpleasant conjecture against a superior ought to learn not to indulge in one. The proctor would have a mild headache for a few hours. It was well deserved. Her name did not spring immediately to mind and Gendibal was in no mood to delve deeper. She could scarcely expect him to remember, in any case. He said peevishly, â€Å"You are†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I be Novi, Master Scowler,† she said in what was almost a gasp. â€Å"My previous be Sura, but I be called Novi plain.† â€Å"Yes. Novi. We met yesterday; I remember now. I have not forgotten that you came to my defense.† He could not bring himself to use the Hamish accent on the very University grounds. â€Å"Now how did you get here?† â€Å"Master, you said I might write letter. You said, it should say, ‘Speaker's House, Apartment 27' I self-bring it and I show the writing – my own writing, Master.† She said it with a kind of bashful pride. â€Å"They ask, ‘For whom be this writing?' I heared your calling when you said it to that oafish bane-top, Rufirant. I say it be for Stor Gendibal, Master Scowler.† â€Å"And they let you pass, Novi? Didn't they ask to see the letter?† â€Å"I be very frightened. I think maybe they feel gentle-sorry. I said, ‘Scowler Gendibal promise to show me Place of Scowlers,' and they smile. One of them at gate-door say to other, ‘And that not all he be show her.' And they show me where to go, and say not to go elseplace at all or I be thrown out moment-wise.† Gendibal reddened faintly. By Seldon, if he felt the need for Hamish amusement, it would not be in so open a fashion and his choice would have been made more selectively. He looked at the Trantorian woman with an inward shake of his head. She seemed quite young, younger perhaps than hard work had made her appear. She could not be more than twenty-five, at which age Hamishwomen were usually already married. She wore her dark hair in the braids that signified her to be unmarried – virginal, in fact – and he was not surprised. Her performance yesterday showed her to have enormous talent as a shrew and he doubted that a Hamishman could easily be found who would dare be yoked to her tongue and her ready fist. Nor was her appearance much of an attraction. Though she had gone to pains to make herself look presentable, her face was angular and plain, her hands red and knobby. What he could see of her figure seemed built for endurance rather than for grace. Her lower lip began to tremble under his scrutiny. He could sense her embarrassment and fright quite plainly and felt pity. She had, indeed, been of use to him yesterday and that was what counted. He said, in an attempt to be genial and soothing, â€Å"So you have come to see the – uh – Place of Scholars?† She opened her dark eyes wide (they were rather fine) and said, â€Å"Master, be not ired with me, but I come to be scowler own-self.† â€Å"You want to be a scholar?† Gendibal was thunderstruck. â€Å"My good woman†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He paused. How on Trantor could one explain to a completely unsophisticated farmwoman the level of intelligence, training, and mental stamina required to be what Trantorians called a â€Å"scowler†? But Sura Novi drove on fiercely. â€Å"I be a writer and a reader. I have read whole books to end and from beginning, too. And I have wish to be scowler. I do not wish to be farmer's wife. I be no person for farm. I will not wed farmer or have farmer children.† She lifted her head and said proudly, â€Å"I be asked. Many times. I always say, ‘Nay! Politely, but ‘Nay. â€Å"‘ Gendibal could see plainly enough that she was lying. She had not been asked, but he kept his face straight. He said, â€Å"What will you do with your life if you do not marry?† Novi brought her hand down on the table, palm flat. â€Å"I will be scowler. I not be farmwoman.† â€Å"What if I cannot make you a scholar?† â€Å"Then I be nothing and I wait to die. I be nothing in life if I be not a scowler.† For a moment there was the impulse to search her mind and find out the extent of her motivation. But it would be wrong to do so. A Speaker did not amuse one's self by rummaging through the helpless minds of others. There was a code to the science and technique of mental control – mentalics – as to other professions. Or there should be. (He was suddenly regretful he had struck out at the proctor.) He said, â€Å"Why not be a farmwoman, Novi?† With a little manipulation, he could make her content with that and manipulate some Hamish lout into being happy to marry her – and she to marry him. It would do no harm. It would be a kindness. – But it was against the law and thus unthinkable. She said, â€Å"I not be. A farmer is a clod. He works with earthlumps, and he becomes earth-lump. If I be farmwoman, I be earthlump, too. I will be timeless to read and write, and I will forget. My head,† she put her hand to her temple, â€Å"will grow sour and stale. No! A scowler be different. Thoughtful!† (She meant by the word, Gendibal noted, â€Å"intelligent† rather than â€Å"considerate.†) â€Å"A scowler,† she said, â€Å"live with books and with – with – I forget what they be name – said.† She made a gesture as though she were making some sort of vague manipulations that would have meant nothing to Gendibal – if he did not have her mind radiations to guide him. â€Å"Microfilms,† he said. â€Å"How do you know about microfilms?† â€Å"In books, I read of many things,† she said proudly. Gendibal could no longer fight off the desire to know more. This was an unusual Hamisher; he had never heard of one like this. The Hamish were never recruited, but if Novi were younger, say ten years old What a waste? He would not disturb her; he would not disturb her in the least, but of what use was it to be a Speaker if one could not observe unusual minds and learn from them? He said, â€Å"Novi, I want you to sit there for a moment. Be very quiet. Do not say anything. Do not think of saying anything. just think of falling asleep: Do you understand?† Her fright returned at once, â€Å"Why must ‘ do this, Master?† â€Å"Because I wish to think how you might become a scholar.† After all, no matter what she had read, there was no possible way in which she could know what being a â€Å"scholar† truly meant. It was therefore necessary to find out what she thought a scholar was. Very carefully and with infinite delicacy he probed her mind; sensing without actually touching-like placing one's hand on a polished metal surface without leaving fingerprints. To her a scholar was someone who always read books. She had not the slightest idea of why one read books. For herself to be a scholar – the picture in her mind was that of doing the labor she knew – fetching, carrying, cooking, cleaning, following orders – but on the University grounds where books were available and where she would have time to read them and, very vaguely, â€Å"to become learned.† What it amounted to was that she wanted to be a servant – his servant. Gendibal frowned. A Hamishwoman servant – and one who was plain, graceless, uneducated, barely literate. Unthinkable. He would simply have to divert her. There would have to be some way of adjusting her desires to make her content to be a farmwoman, some way that would leave no mark, some way about which even Delarmi could not complain. – Or had she been sent by Delarmi? Was all this a complicated plan to lure him into tampering with a Hamish mind, so that he might be caught and impeached? Ridiculous. He was in danger of growing paranoid. Somewhere in the simple tendrils of her uncomplicated mind, a trickle of mental current needed to be diverted. It would only take a tiny push. It was against the letter of the law, but it would do no harm and no one would ever notice. He paused. Back. Back. Back. Space! He had almost missed it! Was he the victim of an illusion? No! Now that his attention was drawn. to it, he could make it out clearly. There was the tiniest tendril disarrayed – an abnormal disarray. Yet it was so delicate, so ramification-free. Gendibal emerged from . her mind. He said gently, â€Å"Novi.† Her eyes focused. She said, â€Å"Yes, Master?† Gendibal said, â€Å"You may work with me. I will make you a scholar†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Joyfully, eyes blazing, she said, â€Å"Master†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He detected it at once. She was going to throw herself at his feet. He put his hands on her shoulders and held her tightly. â€Å"Don't move, Novi. Stay where you are. – Stay!† He might have been talking to a half-trained animal. When he could see the order had penetrated, he let her go. He was conscious of the hard muscles along her upper arms. He said, â€Å"If you are to be a scholar, you must behave like one. That means you will have to be always quiet, always soft-spoken, always doing what I tell you to do. And you must try to learn to talk as I do. You will also have to meet other scholars. Will you be afraid?† â€Å"I be not afeared – afraid, Master, if you be with me:† â€Å"I wilt be with you. But now, first – I must find you a room, arrange to have you assigned a lavatory, a place in the dining room, and clothes, too. You will have to wear clothes more suitable to a scholar, Novi.† â€Å"These be all I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she began miserably. † â€Å"We will supply others.† Clearly he would have to get a woman to arrange for a new supply of clothing for Novi. He would also need someone to teach the Hamisher the rudiments of personal hygiene. After ail, though the clothes she wore were probably her best and though she had obviously spruced herself up, she still had a distinct odor that was faintly unpleasant. And he would have to make sure that the relationship between them was understood. It was always an open secret that the men (and women, too) of the Second Foundation made occasional forays among the Hamish for their pleasure. If there was no interference with Hamish minds in the process, no one dreamed of making a fuss about it. Gendibal himself had never indulged in this, and he liked to think it was because he felt no need for sex that might be coarser and more highly spiced than was available at the University. The women of the Second Foundation might be pallid in comparison to the Hamish, but they were clean and their skins were smooth. But even if the matter were misunderstood and there were sniggers at a Speaker who net only turned to the Hamish but brought one into his quarters, he would have to endure the embarrassment. As it stood, this farmwoman, Sura Novi, was his key to victory in the inevitable forthcoming duel with Speaker Delarmi and the rest of the Table. Gendibal did not see Novi again till after dinnertime, at which time she was brought to him by the woman to whom he had endlessly explained the situation – at least, the nonsexual character of the situation. She had understood – or, at least, did not dare show any indication of failure to understand, which was perhaps just as good. Novi stood before him now, bashful, proud, embarrassed, triumphant – all at once, in an incongruous mixture. He said, â€Å"You look very nice, Novi.† The clothes they had given her fit surprisingly well and there was no question that she did not look at all ludicrous. Had they pinched in her waist? Lifted her breasts? Or had that just been not particularly noticeable in her farmwoman clothing? Her buttocks were prominent, but not displeasingly so. Her face, of course, remained plain, but when the tan of outdoor life faded and she learned how to care for her complexion, it would not look downright ugly. By the Old Empire, that woman did think Novi was to be his mistress. She had tried to make her beautiful for him. And then he thought: Well, why not? Novi would have to face the Speaker's Table – and the more attractive she seemed, the more easily he would be able to get his point across. It was with this thought that the message from the First Speaker reached him. It had the kind of appropriateness that was common in a mentalic society. It was called, more or less informally, the â€Å"Coincidence Effect.† If you think vaguely of someone when someone is thinking vaguely of you, there is a mutual, escalating stimulation which in a matter of seconds makes the two thoughts sharp, decisive, and, to all appearances, simultaneous. It can be startling even to those who understand it intellectually, particularly if the preliminary vague thoughts were so dim – on one side or the other (or both) – as to have gone consciously unnoticed. â€Å"I can't be with you this evening, Novi,† said Gendibal. â€Å"I have scholar work to do. I will take you to your room. There will be some books there and you can practice your reading. I will show you how to use the signal if you need help with anything – and I will see you tomorrow.† Gendibal said politely, â€Å"First Speaker?† Shandess merely nodded. He looked dour and fully his age. He looked as though he were a man who did not drink, but who could use a stiff one. He said finally, â€Å"I ‘called' you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No messenger. I presumed from the direct ‘call' that it was important.† â€Å"It is. Your quarry – the First Foundationer – Trevize†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"He is not coming to Trantor.† Gendibal did not look surprised. â€Å"Why should he? The information we received was that he was leaving with a professor of ancient history who was seeking Earth.† â€Å"Yes, the legendary Primal Planet. And that is why he should be coming to Trantor. After all, does the professor know where Earth is? Do you? Do I? Can we be sure it exists at all, or ever existed? Surely they would have to come to this Library to obtain the necessary information – if it were to be obtained anywhere. I have until this hour felt that the situation was not at crisis level – that the First Foundationer would come here and that we would, through him, learn what we need to know.† â€Å"Which would certainly be the reason he is not allowed to come here.† â€Å"But where is he going, then?† â€Å"We have not yet found out, I see.† The First Speaker said pettishly, â€Å"You seem calm about it.† Gendibal said, â€Å"I wonder if it is not better so. You want him to come to Trantor to keep him safe and use him as a source of information. Will he not, however, prove a source of more important information, involving others still more important than himself, if he goes where he wants to go and does what he wants to do – provided we do not lose sight of him?† â€Å"Not enough!† said the First Speaker. â€Å"you have persuaded me of the existence of this new enemy of ours and now I cannot rest.† â€Å"Worse, I have persuaded myself that we must secure Trevize or we have lost everything. I cannot rid myself of the feeling that he – and nothing else – is the key.† Gendibal said intensely, â€Å"Whatever happens, we will not lose, First Speaker. That would only have been possible, if these Anti-Mules, to use your phrase again, had continued to burrow beneath us unnoticed. But we know they are there now. We no longer work blind. At the next meeting of the Table, if we can work together, we shall begin the counterattack.† The First Speaker said, â€Å"It was not the matter of Trevize that had me send out the call to you. The subject came up first only because it seemed to me a personal defeat. I had misanalyzed that aspect of the situation. I was wrong to place personal pique above general policy and I apologize. There is something else.† â€Å"More serious, First Speaker?† â€Å"More serious, Speaker Gendibal.† The First Speaker sighed and drummed his fingers on the desk while Gendibal stood patiently before it and waited. The First Speaker finally said, in a mild way, as though that would ease the blow, â€Å"At an emergency meeting of the Table, initiated by Speaker Delarmi†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Without your consent, First Speaker?† â€Å"For what she wanted, she needed the consent of only three other Speakers, not including myself. At the emergency meeting that was then called, you were impeached, Speaker Gendibal. You have been accused as being unworthy of the post of Speaker and you must be tried. This is the first time in over three centuries that a bill of impeachment has been carried out against a Speaker†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Gendibal said, fighting to keep down any sign of anger, â€Å"Surely you did not vote for my impeachment yourself.† â€Å"I did not, but I was alone. The rest of the Table was unanimous and the vote was ten to one for impeachment. The requirement for impeachment, as you know, is eight votes including the First Speaker – or ten without him.† â€Å"But T was not present.† â€Å"You would not have been able to vote.† â€Å"I might have spoken in my defense.† â€Å"Not at that stage. The precedents are few, but clear. Your defense will be at the trial, which will come as soon as possible, naturally.† Gendibal bowed his head in thought. Then he said, â€Å"This does not concern me overmuch, First Speaker. Your initial instinct, I think, was right. The matter of Trevize takes precedence. May I suggest you delay the trial on that ground?† The First Speaker held up his hand. â€Å"I don't blame you for not understanding the situation, Speaker. Impeachment is so rare an event that I myself have been forced to look up the legal procedures involved. Nothing takes precedence. We are forced to move directly to the trial, postponing everything else.† Gendibal placed his fists on the desk and leaned toward the First Speaker. â€Å"You are not serious?† â€Å"It is the law.† â€Å"The law can't be allowed to stand in the way of a clear and present danger.† â€Å"To the Table, Speaker Gendibal, you are the clear and present danger. – No, listen to me! The law that is involved is based on the conviction that nothing can be more important than the possibility of corruption or the misuse of power on the part of a Speaker.† â€Å"But I am guilty of neither, First Speaker, and you knew it. This is a matter of a personal vendetta on the part of Speaker Delarmi. If there is misuse of power, it is on her part. My crime is that I have never labored to make myself popular – I admit that much – and I have paid too little attention to fools who are old enough to be senile but young enough to have power.† â€Å"Like myself, Speaker?† Gendibal sighed. â€Å"You see, I've done it again. I don't refer to you, First Speaker. – Very well, then, let us have an instant trial, then. Let us have it tomorrow. Better yet, tonight. Let us get it over with and then pass on to the matter of Trevize. We dare not wait.† The First Speaker said, â€Å"Speaker Gendibal. I don't think you understand the situation. We have had impeachments before – not many, just two. Neither of those resulted in a conviction. You, however, will be convicted! You will then no longer be a member of the Table and you will no longer have a say in public policy. You will not, in fact, even have a vote at the annual meeting of the Assembly.† â€Å"And you will not act to prevent that? â€Å"I cannot. I will be voted down unanimously. I will then lie forced to resign, which I think is what the Speakers would like to see. â€Å"And Delarmi will become First Speaker?† â€Å"That is certainly a strong possibility.† â€Å"But that must not be allowed to happen!† â€Å"Exactly! Which is why I will have to vote for your conviction.† Gendibal drew a deep breath. â€Å"I still demand an instant trial.† â€Å"You must have time to prepare your defense.† â€Å"What defense? They will listen to no defense. Instant trial!† â€Å"The Table must have time to prepare their case.† â€Å"They have no case and will want none. They have me convicted in their minds and will require nothing more. In fact, they would rather convict me tomorrow than the day after – and tonight rather than tomorrow. Put it to them.† The First Speaker rose to his feet. They faced each other across the desk. The First Speaker said, â€Å"Why are you in such a hurry?† â€Å"The matter of Trevize will not wait.† â€Å"Once you are convicted and I am rendered feeble in the face of a Table united against me, what will have been accomplished?† Gendibal said in an intense whisper, â€Å"Have no fears! Despite everything, I will not be convicted.†

Is war ever justified?? Essay

Diamond, a precious metal, is famous for two important characteristics which are its hardness and thermal conductivity, although, extraction and processing of a diamond are a very difficult process. Diamond is one of the most expensive metals in the world as it is rarely found in the world. The extraction and processing of a diamond is done in the following manner: Discovery of diamond mine, Extraction of diamond in raw form, further processed in industries and finally it is supplied to the markets. The first step in the procedure of a diamond is Discovery of diamond mine, it is the major and the most difficult step in the procedure of diamond, this is because, diamond mines are rarely found in the world and it is very difficult to discover diamond mine because it requires high amount of capital, machinery and manpower. The second step in the procedure of diamond is Extraction of diamond from its mines. It is a difficult process which requires heavy machinery and labor force. Diamonds are attached in heavy rocks and these rocks come to the earth surface by volcanic eruptions. On the other hand, this stage is very risky for the labors who are working on the site this is because, in the process of extraction there are many hazardous gasses which are being leaked and which affects the health of the people who are working there so all of them must be very careful as it can be very dangerous for them. The third step in the procedure of diamond is further processing. In this step all raw form diamonds are sent to the industries where all other impurities are separated from the diamonds and these raw form of diamonds are converted into finished goods. Diamonds have many uses firstly, it is used in making jewels. Secondly, it is used as a thermal conductor in many science experiments as it is the best thermal conductor. The fourth and the last step in the procedure of diamond is the supply of diamond to the markets. In this stage finished good are supplied to the  market. Diamond is supplied worldwide because, there are very less reserves of diamonds in the world so this step is also an important one. In conclusion, the process of a diamond from its mine to finished goods is a difficult process and you need to follow these steps to safely extract diamonds. Diamonds are very expensive because of their unique characteristics and because of high process cost.

The importance of Commitment in any relationship that one hopes will Essay

The importance of Commitment in any relationship that one hopes will last - Essay Example The role of the simplistic Gimpel in â€Å"Gimpel the Fool† is a classic example of total commitment to a relationship – in this case, to his wife Elka. The story, set in a small Jewish town, tells how a gullible Gimpel is lured into marriage with an adulterous woman who treats him with contempt and ridicule, brazenly carrying on affairs with different lovers. Gimpel suffers this humiliation, sometimes yearning to break away from the relationship (â€Å"Enough of being a donkey,† he used to chide himself, â€Å"Gimpel isn’t going to be a sucker all his life†). But sucker he chose to be, turning down the advice of the rabbi to divorce Elka (â€Å"Let her go, the harlot,† said he, â€Å"and her brood of bastards with her†). Gimpel continues to believe in his wife â€Å"What is the good of not believing? Today it’s your wife you don’t believe, tomorrow it’s God himself you won’t take stock in†), staying totally committed to her until her untimely death. Elka realizes the importance of commitment in their relationship only when she is on her death bed, when she pleads with her husband to forgive her (â€Å"Forgive me Gimpel. It was ugly how I deceived you all these years†). The wrongs that she committed, and the bad way she treated her simple but good husband, continue to plague her even after death (at the end of the story, Elka’s ghost materializes, urging Gimpel to continue in the path of righteousness). â€Å"The Lady with the Dog† is a story set in Russia. The protagonist, Dmitri Gurovm denigrates women and refers to them as â€Å"the lower race†. Unhappy with his marriage, bound to a wife â€Å"who loved without any genuine feeling†, and linked to the conventional Moscow society, he looks for diversions. He does not attach importance to commitments in various extra-marital relationships as â€Å"simple and amusing,† testimony of his â€Å"eagerness for life.† Anna

Health Care Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Health Care Crisis - Essay Example The high cost of the multi-payer system is at the core of the unsustainable medical care costs in America. Medical care does not obey the laws of demand and supply. This makes the seller set the price as far as they can. In the U.S, the price has been set too high making it impossible to provide universal health care. The federalism form of government also makes it difficult to initiate changes to government policies. Furthermore, America does not have a uniform medical care system, making it difficult for the implementation of universal health coverage. The nation has substitute programs that have extended insurance coverage to the legal American citizens in place of universal healthcare coverage. There are already costly related programs, such as Social Security Disability Insurance. If the universal health coverage is implemented, it will put the American firms at a global competitive loss. Next, the insurance policies that have been bought abroad stops being effective in America, especially for those people travelling from the home countries to the U.S. Universal health care coverage would reduce the competition the competition between the American biotechnological and pharmaceutical sector that has resulted in numerous medical breakthroughs. These issues have made it difficult for the United States to have universal health coverage. Health care is a very crucial component in any economic system. Borger et al. (2006) observe that universal health coverage entails some certain form of government action that is aimed at expanding medical care as far as possible in addition to setting minimum standards. Numerous distinct organizations in the U.S provide medical care. Most of the medical care facilities are operated and owned by the private sector enterprises. Statistics have indicated that about 56% of the American community hospitals are non-profit, with the remaining 22% are either state-owned or operate as non-profit organizations (Niles, 2014). The U.S

World Fusion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

World Fusion - Essay Example According to Mathew Montfort, the author of â€Å"Ancient Traditions—Future Possibilities: Rhythmic Training Through The Traditions of Africa, Bali, and India,† he defines it as music consistent of a variety of musical ideas from the world’s traditions. World fusion music is a variant definition of the term world music. To this end, Dr. Robert Brown, an ethnomusicologist from the Center of World Music, used world music in reference to all the traditional music available throughout the world which is inclusive of Cajun and Balinese music. On the other hand, Montfort incorporated the term fusion as a distinguishing term of the contemporary sound by ‘Ancient Future,’ from the traditional music that inspired it (Broughton, Simon, Trillo, and Ellingham, 56). World fusion music has been largely influenced by the cross cultural interaction of people all over the world that resulted into the exchange music. For example, Flamenco music is believed to be the r esult of the cross-cultural interaction between Cale and Andalucian people. Evidently, composers of cross cultural music are driven by the conscious efforts to exhibit the significance of learning and appreciating music from different cultures. The subsequent sections will delve into characteristics of the genre, instruments, culture, religion, prominent composers, aspects of notation, performance venues, and other aspects related to world fusions music. Characteristics of World Fusion World fusion music delves into the realistic musical background within various traditions. To this end, world fusion can be seen as a process involving different stages. The first stage of world fusion music entails the experiences that are evident when musicians drawn from different cultures and devoid of knowledge of each other’s traditions attempt to establish a common ground. In this regard, there are usually mixed results characteristics of great moments and instances of searching (Brought on and Burton, 76) The second stage is characterized with many musicians studying different music types in search of knowledge and inspiration and consequently applying the information acquired to create their art. In this regard, this stage is synonymous with the conception of ‘Ancient Future’ in 1978. The final stage is evident when master musicians drawn from different cultures create world fusion following years of learning from each other and created an understanding of each other traditions. Evidently, the third stage world fusion music is evident in the â€Å"Planet Passion† record produced by Ancient Future. In this regard, whenever master musicians drawn from different cultures perform together, there are a host of benefits which arise. To this end, the musicians achieve growth as they learn new forms and techniques which further enriches their music. World fusion is equally a blending of different musical genres that complement each other and consequent ly enrich knowledge in the global music. Furthermore, there is also a blend in tempo, rhythm, dynamic and style. To this end, world fusion entails a cross cultural music collaboration of indigenous, western classical and folk tunes which result into a unique musical blend. Other musical characteristics of world fusion entail modal and none Western scales, complex rhythmic patterns and melismas (Broughton, Simon, Ellingham, and Trillo, 192). Furthermore, the thematic messages synonymous with world fusion music include exploitation of indigenous people, conservation and political undertones concerning war. The rhythmic characteristics synonymous with world fusions music is evident from the messages normally conveyed. The conveyance of the rhythmic stories reverberates with the daily experiences of life. The