China’s Economic Growth and Demographic Structure Essay Example for Free

China’s Economic Growth and Demographic Structure Essay Wei and Hao (2010) argue that changes in demographic structure have helped fuel China’s economic growth since 1989. Demographic structure is described as the age distribution of a population (Wei Hao, 2010) and is usually measured by the total dependence ratio, which is the ratio of the total number of the dependent population to that of the working-age population. The economic growth refers to the income growth in China, measured by China’s per capita GDP. 2. The relation between China’s economic growth and demographic structure Changes in demographic structure affected the economic growth in China, mostly in the long run (Wei Hao, 2010). The decline in the dependency ratio accounted for about one-sixth of the provincial growth rate of GDP per capita in 1989-2004 (Wei Hao, 2010). Declining dependency rates imply that the working-age population is growing more rapidly than the population as a whole which will lead to more rapid growth of per capita GDP for any given increase in productivity per worker (Naughton, 2007). In other words, there are more productive workers with valuable human capital. Particularly the lower youth dependency ratio, due to the increasing levels of education and government policies like the ‘one child’ policy, influenced the income growth in China. Furthermore, the launch of the market reform is found to have greatly improved the efficiency of the labor and capital markets (Wei Hao, 2010) and thereby influence d the economic growth. Wei and Hao (2010) explain this by the effect of market reforms, which improved the flexibility of the labor market and the capital market and turned the expanded working-age population to employment and translated accumulated savings into productive investment. Another aspect argued by Naughton (2007) is the transforming of China from predominantly low skill, hard physical labor to a middle-income economy where education and skill begin to transform the nature of work for many workers. Wei and Hao (2010) also suggest that economic growth has helped to lower birth rates, delay women’s mean age at the first marriage and extend life expectancy. Due to Wei and Hao (2010) there is a reverse causality between demographic structure and economic growth. 3. Impact of the One-Child Policy According to Wei and Hao (2010) and Naughton (2007) the One-Child Policy has had important impacts on China’s economic development but they also argue that it may need to be reconsidered. They argue that China is transitioning to an ageing society and if the one-child policy were to be relaxed, they expect birth rates to rise modestly and the rapid trend towards ageing would be ameliorated to some extent. In my opinion it is risky to change the one -child policy because I expect a fluctuating dependency ratio with periods of economic growth varied by periods with economic decline, because of the fluctuating working-age group. I think China needs to cope with one period with a high elderly dependency ratio to reach a long period with a more stable total dependency ratio. In other words, I think it is necessary to prevent periods varying from a high birth rate (allowed by the government) to a low birth rate (with policies to prevent the population to grow). Wei, Z. Hao, R. (2010). Demographic structure and economic growth: Evidence from China. Journal of Comparative Economics, 38, 472-491. Naughton, B. (2007). The Chinese economy: Transition and growth. Cambrigde MA: The MIT Press.

Biosynthesis of Nanocomposites Using Leaf Extract

Biosynthesis of Nanocomposites Using Leaf Extract ABSTRACT Various nanoparticles and nanocomposites have been synthesized using leaf extract and evaluated for their antibacterial activity. This review intends to present biosynthesis of nanocomposites using leaf extract. Here, I have discussed biosynthesis methods of polymer nanocomposites using leaf extract. The potential of nanotechnology and biological science together is enormous. There are many potential antibacterial applications of nanocomposites such as in antimicrobial textiles, food preservation, surface disinfection, burn dressings, safe cosmetics, medical devices, drug carriers, dental fillers and adhesives, water treatment etc. In recent years nanocomposite films have been studied for wound dressing. I have discussed a bionanocomposite film and hydrogel that have application in wound dressing. CHAPTER 1:  INTRODUCTION 1.1 Nanotechnology Nanotechnology is a branch of science and technology that deals with matter of size 1-100nm. Since then there has been lot of advancement in nanotechnology. Nanotechnology has applications in almost every field such as electronics, medicine, biomaterials, energy production etc. When a macroscopic material changes to nanomaterials, properties such as electrical, mechanical, optical, catalytic, medicinal, biological etc change. Gold which does not react with other chemicals easily at normal scales acts as a good catalyst when converted to nanoscale. 1.2 Nanoscale materials Nanoscale materials include materials which posses at least one dimension in the nanometer range i.e. 1-100nm. The key characteristics defining the potential applications of nanoscale materials include the following: Higher surface area Higher chemical reactivity Better catalytic properties Better adsorption Variety of chemical synthesis routes. Natural and synthetic strategies 1.3 Nanocomposites Nanocomposites are materials made from two or more individual components with properties different from each other, which when combined produce a material with properties completely different from the individual materials. A nanocomposite consists of two or more phases where one phase is monolithic (single crystal) into which the reinforcement are embedded. The monolithic material is known as a matrix. Reinforcement, in a nanocomposite is a nanosized materials embedded into the parent material called matrix. Nanocomposites are broadly classified into three types a) ceramic-matrix nanocomposites b) metal-matrix nanocomposites c) polymer-matrix nanocomposites d) inter metallic matrix nanocomposites. CHAPTER 2:  BIOSYNTHESIS OF NANOCOMPOSITE USING LEAF EXTRACT Nanoparticles are being used in many sectors of the economy and it is important to consider the biological and environmental safety of their production. The main methods for nanoparticle synthesis are chemical and physical approaches and these approaches are often expensive and potentially harmful to the environment. Green synthesis approach has been pursued in recent years as an alternative, inexpensive, efficient, and environmentally safe method for synthesizing nanoparticles with specific properties. The main focus is on the role of the natural plant (leaf) extracts involved in the bioreduction and capping of metal salts during the nanocomposite synthesis. Many researchers have reported the biosynthesis of nanoparticles by leaf extracts and their potential applications in various fields. 2.1 Commonly used leaf extracts for synthesis of nanocomposites Binomial name: Murraya koenigii Common Name: Curry Tree Family Name: Rutaceae Description: Curry tree is native to India and Sri Lanka. The leaves ofMurraya koenigiiare used as an  herb  in  Ayurvedic medicine because of its antioxidant, anti-diabetic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti- hypercholesterolemic properties. Curry leaves recently been found to be as a potent antioxidant due to high concentrations of carbazoles, a water soluble heterocyclic compound. Carbazoles found in leaf extract may be responsible for the reduction and stabilization of metal ions. Further research is necessary to explain and extend the reduction mechanism of Murraya koenigii leaf extract for further application. Binomial Name: Tridax procumbens Common Name: Coat buttons or Tridax Daisy Family Name: Asteraceae Description: Tridax procumbens is a widespread weed and pest plant native to America. The plant has various medicinal properties. Tridax procumbens is rich in alkaloids, flavanoids, carotenoids and tannins. It is used in nanoparticle synthesis as it has high amounts of ketones, amines, phenols, lactones and alkanes which are capable of reducing metal ions. Binomial Name : Ficus benghalensis Common Name: Banyan Tree Family: Moraceae Description: Banyan tree is a deciduous tree found throughout the forest tract of India, in sub-Himalayan region. Ficus benghalensis is widely used for its medicinal properties. Ficus benghalensis leaf extract has proteins/enzymes which reduce the metal ions and it also contains reducing sugars such as flavanones which provide stability to the nanoparticles. Binomial Name: Calotropis gigantean Common Name: Crown Flower Family Name: Apocynaceae Description: Calotropis gigantean is a large shrub rich in metabolites responsible for reduction metal ions. Organic compounds like alkaloids, polyphenols, and proteins present in plant extracts are capable of reducing and capping nanoparticles. Binomial Name: Catharanthus roseus Common Name: Madagascar periwinkle Family Name: Apocynaceae Description: Catharanthus roseus is a medicinal subshurb. Catharanthus roseus contains more than 70 alkaloids. 2.3 Nanocomposites synthesized using leaf extract A broad spectrum of leaf extracts can be utilized for the biosynthesis of nanoparticles. In this section I have briefly discussed synthesis of two polymer-matrix nanocomposites using leaf extract. In both the examples, reinforcement is silver nanoparticle and the matrix of the nanocomposite is a polymer. 2.3.1 Ag impregnated Microcrystalline Cellulose Bionanocomposite film Silver nanoparticles are impregnated into microcrystalline cellulose to form a nanocomposite. Curry leaf extract is used for the bioreduction and capping of silver nanoparticles. First 0.001M silver nitrate solution is prepared in 1000 mL of deionised water. 10 g of microcrystalline cellulose is added to the silver nitrate solution and sonicated for 10 minutes. 50 mL of curry leaf broth is added to the mixture and the mixture is stirred for 6 hours. Silver ions are reduced to silver by curry leaf extract. Reduced silver nucleates in to the silver nanoparticles on the microcrystalline fibrils. After 6 hours the mixture is allowed to settle down and excess reaction mixture is decanted. The silver nanoparticles impregnated microcrystalline cellulose is washed with deionized water and ethanol and then dried in oven at 55ËÅ ¡C over night. The formation of silver nanoparticles is confirmed by UV-vis spectra as the peak is observed at 430 nm. The colour of microcrystalline cellulose is white and after impregnation of silver on it, it changes to yellowish brown. 0.5 g of polylactic acid is dissolved in 20 mL of chloroform with moderate heating and constant stirring for 30 minutes. The dried silver nanoparticle coated microcrystalline powder is added in 5%, 10% and 20% w/w concentration to separate samples. The polylactic acid is stirred with silver impregnated microcrystalline cellulose for a day to allow for dispersion. The mixture is poured to glass Petri dish and left to evaporate. When the chloroform evaporates, the plastic film is removed and collected from Petri dish. Silver impregnated microcrystalline bionanocomposite film is obtained. [6] 2.3.2 Silver/Starch-co-polyacrylamide hydrogel nanocomposite Gelatinized starch solution is prepared by mixing a known amount of starch powder in 10 mL of deionized water and 1 mL of 0.5 mL of 0.5 M sodium hydroxide solution. The mixture is heated at 90ËÅ ¡C for 10 minutes in a water bath with continuous stirring. A predetermined amount of maleic acid is then added to the gelatinized starch solution. The mixture of gelatinized starch and maleic acid is further heated at 80ËÅ ¡C in a water bath for 4 hours. Then acrylamide is added and stirred for 30 minutes at 50ËÅ ¡C. After that initiator (potassium persulfate or KPS) and crosslinker (methylenebisacrylamide or MBA) is added. Finally, an aqueous solution of tetramethylenediamide (TEMED) is added to the solution and for another 10 minutes same temperature is maintained. The synthesized co-polymeric hydrogel is taken out after the completion of free radical polymerization. Then the synthesized co-polymeric hydrogel is immersed in double distilled water at room temperature for a da y to remove excess of unreacted reagents and monomers present in hydrogel network. To remove the residue effectively the double distilled water is refreshed for every 12 hours. At last the hydrogel is dried at ambient temperature for 48 hours. Precisely weighed dried starch-co-polyacrylamide hydrogel is equilibrated with double distilled water for 48 hours and instantly transferred to a beaker containing 100 mL of 0.005 M silver nitrate solution and then equilibrated for 24 hours. During this process the silver ions are exchanged from solution into free network spaces of co-polymeric hydrogel. To a beaker containing 50 ml Tridax procumbens leaf extract, hydrogel with absorbed silver ions is added and kept for 24 hours. Reduction of silver ions into silver nanoparticles occurs and hydrogel turns into brown colour. The brown colour confirms the formation of silver nanoparticles in hydrogel matrix. [7] CHAPTER 3:  ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF NANOCOMPOSITES SYNTHESIZED USING LEAF EXTRACT Due to the rising concerns of bacterial infections, there is a growing need to develop new and powerful antibacterial agents. Mainly, nanoparticles have been applied in burn dressings, cosmetics, food preservation, medical devices, water treatment etc. There is a wide bioapplication of nanoparticles. It has been recognized that the bactericidal effect of nanoparticles is dependent on their size, size distribution, shape, morphology, surface functionalization, and their stability. Additionally, the use of inorganic nanoparticles as antimicrobial agents has numerous benefits such as enhanced stability and safety in contrast with the organic antimicrobial agents. Green synthesis and functionalization of nanoparticles enhances their antibacterial activity and improves their stability. In this section antibacterial activity of silver/polymer film and hydrogel is discussed. So the antibacterial activity of nanocomposites is enhanced. 3.1 Antibacterial activity of Ag impregnated Microcrystalline Cellulose Bionanocomposite film The PLA/MCC sample was tested for antimicrobial activity using Charm disk assay. Firstly an agar plate was seeded with Bacillus stearothermophilus. Then small circular pieces of the films were placed on the seeded agar and incubated. Indicators are present in agar which signifies the status of microbial growth. Yellow colour indicates the microbial growth and purple indicates the inhibition. The initial analysis shows that the film exhibits considerable antibacterial properties. [6] 3.2 Antibacterial activity of Silver/Starch-co-polyacrylamide hydrogel nanocomposite The antibacterial activity of SNCH was evaluated by disc diffusion technique against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria such as Bacillus and Escherichia coli. Firstly, nutrient agar medium was prepared by mixing beef extract (3 g), peptone (5 g) and sodium chloride (5 g) in 1000 mL distilled water. The pH of the medium was adjusted to 7. Finally agar (15 g) was added to the prepared solution and then medium was sterilized in an autoclave at a pressure of 15 lbs for 30 minutes at 121ËÅ ¡C. This medium was then transferred into a sterilized glass Petri dish in a laminar air flow chamber. After the media solidified, Escherichia coli and Bacillus culture (50à °Ã‚ Ã…“†¡L) was spread on the solid surface of the media. Paper discs (6mm diameter) were soaked in the test compounds (20mg/20mL) overnight. Then these discs were loaded on culture plates. The plates were incubated for 24 hours at 37à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‹Å"C. The inhibition zone appears around the disc which shows the anti bacterial effect of SNCH. [7] Pure hydrogels are generally inefficient for antibacterial activity. It is seen that smaller the size of silver nanoparticle greater is the antibacterial activity. .The SNCH having low silver nanoparticles concentration still showed excellent antibacterial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bactericide. This results into inhibition of bacterial cell growth. So SNCH nanocomposites can be used as successful antibacterial agents such as wound-dressing materials. [7] Modern wound dressing theory, suggests promoting dynamic equilibrium between exudate absorption and optimal surface moisture at the wound surface. In addition, it should be able to exchange gas to provide the wound with adequate oxygen tension. 3.3 Mechanism of antibacterial activity of nanoparticles Antibacterial activity is a property due to which compounds are capable to kill or slow down the bacterial growth, without causing toxicity to host cells. Such agents are classified as a) bactericidal, which kill bacteria, 2) bacteriostatic, which slow down the bacterial growth. The exact mechanism of nanoparticle toxicity against various types of bacteria is not completely evaluated yet. It is proposed that nanoparticles attach themselves to bacterial membrane by electrostatic interaction and disrupt its integrity. Nanotoxicity is triggered by the initiation of oxidative stress by free radical formation, i.e. ROS, followed by the administration of nanoparticles. The nanoparticle toxicity depends on composition, intrinsic properties, surface modification of the bacterial species and the physical and chemical properties of nanoparticles, indicating the mechanisms to be highly complex. The antibacterial mechanisms of nanomaterials is not fully elucidated, but the existing concept suggests various combinations of processes that can occur (1) ions are released which is followed by cellular uptake and a cascade of intracellular reactions, (2) extracellular and intracellular generation of ROS and (3) direct interactions between nanoparticles and cell membrane. At sub-micromolar concentrations, ions are internalized and they react with the thiol groups of cellular proteins, which lead to uncoupling of ATP synthesis from respiration, loss of proton motive force, and interference with the phosphate efflux system. At millimolar levels, nanoparticles induce detachment of the cell wall from the cytoplasm, possibly releasing the intracellular content, DNA condensation and loss of replication ability. ROS produces oxidative stress which results in lipid membrane and DNA damage. Finally, nanoparticles increase the cell membrane permeability and, subsequently, penetrate inside c ells to induce any one or the entire cascade of effects mentioned above. [9] CONCLUSION The most important objective of nanobioscience involves application of nanotools to relevant biological and medical problems and refining these applications. The use of microorganisms and plants for synthesis of metal nanoparticles is of great interest. In contrast to chemical and physical synthesis methods, biological processes for synthesizing nanomaterials can be achieved in aqueous phase in gentle and environment friendly conditions. This approach has become attractive focus in current green nanotechnology. With the help of this approach we can synthesize nanomaterials in less toxic way as it replaces toxic chemical reducing and capping agents. Inorganic nanoparticles naturally possess bacteria-killing properties, but by modifying the inorganic nanoparticles i.e. forming nanocomposites, these properties can be enhanced. In the biomedical field, a synthesis of nanocomposite films and hydrogels by a green process was developed to enhance the inactivation of bacteria in wounds. Ther e are also other potential antibacterial applications of nanocomposites such as in antimicrobial textiles, food preservation, surface disinfection, burn dressings, safe cosmetics, medical devices, drug carriers, dental fillers and adhesives, water treatment etc. Further research on nanocomposites capable of antibacterial activity is necessary for large scale commercial application

Manipulation in Oscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray Essay

Manipulation in Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray  Ã‚        Ã‚  "I do not think that one person influences another, nor do I think there is any bad influence in the world," Oscar Wilde uttered when under trial (Hyde 353). Although this statement may be true, one of Wilde's most famous works shows a great deal of the effects of people shaping one another, causing one to wonder about Wilde's sincerity in that statement. The Picture of Dorian Gray shows variations on the existence and purposes of influence, displaying two types of personal influence: obvious manipulations such as that of Lord Henry upon Dorian and that of Dorian over Sybil Vane, and those that are more often overlooked such as the more subtle manipulation of Dorian over Basil, of Dorian over Lord Henry, and in the interaction between Dorian and his portrait. Wilde demonstrates the many possible impacts made in these two categories, proving that there is more to a relationship than an outside viewer may perceive, and eventually leading the reader to the unavoidable morbid end ing of the book, in which the characters meet their own pathetic ends, with Dorian Gray committing what could be considered a ghastly suicide. Taking into account Wilde?s own life of controversial relationships, this book is especially poignant in its autobiographical suggestions. Dorian Gray is first described as a naà ¯ve and attractive young boy, with a striking resemblance to Adonis, having the physical description of a Greek god. The beauty and innocence of youth cause him to be quite attractive, and the fact that he is unaware of the power of this beauty is even more appealing. Dorian?s beauty is the source of Basil Hallward?s obsession, which peaks in the act of Hallward painting Do... ...rinceton University Press, 1967. Twentieth Century Criticism, Volume 41. Pages 353-60. Shewan, Rodney. Oscar Wilde: Art and Egotism. The Macmillan Press Ltd, 1977. Excerpted in Twentieth Century Criticism, Volume 41. Pages 374-84. Spivey, Ted. R. "Oscar Wilde and the Tragedy of Symbolism," The Journey Beyond Tragedy: A Study of Myth and Modern Fiction. Copyright 1980, Board of Regents of the State of Florida, University Presses of Florida, 1980. Twentieth Century Criticism, Volume 41. Pages 501-2. Summers, Claude J. "In Such Surrender There May Be Gain: Oscar Wilde and the Beginnings of Gay Fiction, " Gay Fiction: Wilde to Stonewall, Studies in Male Homosexual Literacy Tradition, Continuum, 1990. Excerpted in Twentieth Century Criticism, Volume 41. Pages 398-401. Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. Oxford University Press, New York. 1994

A Comparison of Hamlet and The Turn of the Screw :: comparison compare contrast essays

Hamlet vs. The Turn of the Screw    Although Hamlet and The Turn of the Screw are very different works, both William Shakespeare and Henry James use the themes of love and ghosts to complicate their work. By having these themes, both authors make the readers question and wonder if the accounts the characters are having really exist. Are these two main characters, Hamlet and the governess , mentally ill or does the stories explain their actions?    The most obvious commonality, between Hamlet and The Turn of the Screw, is the use of ghosts. On one hand, Hamlet speaks with the ghost of his father, Hamlet. When Hamlet firsts sees the ghost he asks, "Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damned,/ Bring with thee airs from heaven or blasts from Hell,/ Be thy intents wicked or charitable," (I. 4. 40-42). When Hamlet finally meets the ghost and converses with him, the ghost creates a problem that lasts throughout the whole play. On the other hand, the governess sees the two deceased workers, Peter Quint and Miss Jessel. These ghosts also create a problem. Speaking with Mrs. Grose, the governess tells her there was a ghost. After Mrs. Grose asks what the ghost wants, the governess says, "Heaven forbid! The man. He [Quint] wants to appear to them [the children]." Are the ghost real? Do the children see the ghosts and lie?    In both works, love also plays a role. Hamlet's love, Ophelia, sees Hamlet at his worse. To make the people around him think he's crazy, Hamlet visits Ophelia and acts mad. When speaking with her father, Ophelia says, "Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbraced,/ No hat upon his head, his stockings fouled,/ Unaltered , and down-gyvà ¨d to his ankles," (II. 1. 77-79). Soon, his mother and the king think Hamlet is insane. Is Hamlet really crazy? In The Turn of the Screw, the ghosts appear to the governess while she is thinking about the master, her infatuation, or his heir, Miles. The governess states, "...the only way to be sure he knew would be to see it, and the kind light of it, in his [the master`s] handsome face" (James 23). Suddenly Peter Quint appears in a high window. A Comparison of Hamlet and The Turn of the Screw :: comparison compare contrast essays Hamlet vs. The Turn of the Screw    Although Hamlet and The Turn of the Screw are very different works, both William Shakespeare and Henry James use the themes of love and ghosts to complicate their work. By having these themes, both authors make the readers question and wonder if the accounts the characters are having really exist. Are these two main characters, Hamlet and the governess , mentally ill or does the stories explain their actions?    The most obvious commonality, between Hamlet and The Turn of the Screw, is the use of ghosts. On one hand, Hamlet speaks with the ghost of his father, Hamlet. When Hamlet firsts sees the ghost he asks, "Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damned,/ Bring with thee airs from heaven or blasts from Hell,/ Be thy intents wicked or charitable," (I. 4. 40-42). When Hamlet finally meets the ghost and converses with him, the ghost creates a problem that lasts throughout the whole play. On the other hand, the governess sees the two deceased workers, Peter Quint and Miss Jessel. These ghosts also create a problem. Speaking with Mrs. Grose, the governess tells her there was a ghost. After Mrs. Grose asks what the ghost wants, the governess says, "Heaven forbid! The man. He [Quint] wants to appear to them [the children]." Are the ghost real? Do the children see the ghosts and lie?    In both works, love also plays a role. Hamlet's love, Ophelia, sees Hamlet at his worse. To make the people around him think he's crazy, Hamlet visits Ophelia and acts mad. When speaking with her father, Ophelia says, "Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbraced,/ No hat upon his head, his stockings fouled,/ Unaltered , and down-gyvà ¨d to his ankles," (II. 1. 77-79). Soon, his mother and the king think Hamlet is insane. Is Hamlet really crazy? In The Turn of the Screw, the ghosts appear to the governess while she is thinking about the master, her infatuation, or his heir, Miles. The governess states, "...the only way to be sure he knew would be to see it, and the kind light of it, in his [the master`s] handsome face" (James 23). Suddenly Peter Quint appears in a high window.

FDR: New Deal Essay -- American History, New Deal, Franklin Roosevelt

Franklin Delanor Roosevelt (FDR) is responsible for creating and establishing the New Deal which saved the United States after the Great Depression. The New Deal was important because the United States was in a major financial hole and had to get itself out. After the stock market crashed in 1929 there were millions of people who were struggling just to get something to eat and have a roof to sleep under. The program that FDR created made it possible for the U.S. to get up and dust itself off. It created jobs and many organizations that were responsible for a lot of the public works and state department organizations that we still use today. The new deal also set the U.S. up for success if something financially wrong happened again by establishing many fail safes such as federal bank guarantees, stock regulations, social security, unemployment and other programs that would allow this country to recover. These programs allowed unemployment to rise from a whopping 25% to 1.9% giving millions of Americans the chance to start over. (Location 146-52, American-Made: The Enduring Legacy of the WPA: When FDR Put the Nation to Work, Kindle Version; Nick Taylor) This New Deal also came just in time for the U.S. to help out and eventually defeat the Nazi communist party.The New Deal was started by Franklin Delano Roosevelt on Thursday, March 9 1933, the same month he took office. (Location 5557-64, FDR, Kindle Version; Jean Edward Smith) This contribution was started because of the Stock Market Crash twice within 5 days difference on Thursday, October 24 1929 and Tuesday, October 29 1929. The New Deal wasn’t initiated until nearly 3 and a half years after the Stock Market crashed because President Hoover didn’t take the initiative to ... ...aced by the WPA (Works Progress Administration) and helped give millions of Americans jobs. As president of the United States I would say that FDR wanted to do everything in his power to fix the nation that he vowed to assume responsibility for. I understand from Smith’s book that FDR was a very popular and man of power that many agreed with and had the backing of congress and senators all over the nation to do whatever was needed to get done. With the backing he received FDR must have thought that people had a lot of faith in him and as long as he used his better judgment and gave everything he did his full attention that he would do his best and the country would reap the benefits. Works Cited Page 1. FDR, Jean Edward Smith, Amazon Kindle 2. American-Made: The Enduring Legacy of the WPA: When FDR Put the Nation to Work, Nick Taylor, Amazon Kindle

Forward the Foundation Chapter 22

Part IV Wanda Seldon SELDON, WANDA-†¦ In the waning years of Hari Seldon's life, he grew most attached to (some say dependent upon) his granddaughter, Wanda. Orphaned in her teens, Wanda Seldon devoted herself to her grandfather's Psychohistory Project, filling the vacancy left by Yugo Amaryl†¦ The content of Wanda Seldon's work remains largely a mystery, for it was conducted in virtually total isolation. The only individuals allowed access to Wanda Seldon's research were Hari himself and a young man named Stettin Palver (whose descendant Preem would four hundred years later contribute to the rebirth of Trantor, as the planet rose from the ashes of the Great Sack [300 F.E.1). Although the full extent of Wanda Seldon's contribution to the Foundation is unknown, it was undoubtedly of the greatest magnitude†¦ Encyclopedia Galactica 1 Hari Seldon walked into the Galactic Library (limping a little, as he did more and more often these days) and made for the banks of skitters, the little vehicles that slid their way along the interminable corridors of the building complex. He was held up, however, by the sight of three men seated at one of the galactography alcoves, with the Galactograph showing the Galaxy in full three-dimensional representation and, of course, its worlds slowly pinwheeling around its core, spinning at right angles to that as well. From where Seldon stood he could see that the border Province of Anacreon was marked off in glowing red. It skirted the edge of the Galaxy and took up a great volume, but it was sparsely populated with stars. Anacreon was not remarkable for either wealth or culture but was remarkable for its distance from Trantor: ten thousand parsecs away. Seldon acting on impulse, took a seat at a computer console near the three and set up a random search he was sure would take an indefinite period. Some instinct told him that such an intense interest in Anacreon must be political in nature-its position in the Galaxy made it one of the least secure holdings of the current Imperial regime. His eyes remained on his screen, but Seldon's ears were open for the discussion near him. One didn't usually hear political discussions in the Library. They were, in point of fact, not supposed to take place. Seldon did not know any of the three men. That was not entirely surprising. There were habitues of the Library, quite a few, and Seldon knew most of them by sight-and some even to talk to-but the Library was open to all citizens. No qualifications. Anyone could enter and use its facilities. (For a limited period of time, of course. Only a select few, like Seldon were allowed to â€Å"set up shop† in the Library. Seldon had been granted the use of a locked private office and complete access to Library resources.) One of the men (Seldon thought of him as Hook Nose, for obvious reasons) spoke in a low urgent voice. â€Å"Let it go,† he said. â€Å"Let it go. It's costing us a mint to try to hold on and, even if we do, it will only be while they're there. They can't stay there forever and, as soon as they leave, the situation will revert to what it was.† Seldon knew what they were talking about. The news had come over TrantorVision only three days ago that the Imperial government had decided on a show of force to bring the obstreperous Governor of Anacreon into line. Seldon's own psychohistorical analysis had shown him that it was a useless procedure, but the government did not generally listen when its emotions were stirred. Seldon smiled slightly and grimly at hearing Hook Nose say what he himself had said-and the young man said it without the benefit of any knowledge of psychohistory. Hook Nose went on. â€Å"If we leave Anacreon alone, what do we lose? It's still there, right where it always was, right at the edge of the Empire. It can't pick up and go to Andromeda, can it? So it still has to trade with us and life continues. What's the difference if they salute the Emperor or not? You'll never be able to tell the difference.† The second man, whom Seldon had labeled Baldy, for even more obvious reasons, said, â€Å"Except this whole business doesn't exist in a vacuum. If Anacreon goes, the other border provinces will go. The Empire will break up.† â€Å"So what?† whispered Hook Nose fiercely. â€Å"The Empire can't run itself effectively anymore, anyway. It's too big. Let the border go and take care of itself-if it can. The Inner Worlds will be all the stronger and better off. The border doesn't have to be ours politically; it will still be ours economically.† And now the third man (Red Cheeks) said, â€Å"I wish you were right, but that's not the way it's going to work. If the border provinces establish their independence, the first thing each will do will be to try to increase its power at the expense of its neighbors. There'll be war and conflict and every one of the governors will dream of becoming Emperor at last. It will be like the old days before the Kingdom of Trantor-a dark age that will last for thousands of years.† Baldy said, â€Å"Surely things won't be that bad. The Empire may break up, but it will heal itself quickly when people find out that the breakup just means war and impoverishment. They'll look back on the golden days of the intact Empire and all will be well again. We're not barbarians, you know. We'll find a way.† â€Å"Absolutely,† said Hook Nose. â€Å"We've got to remember that the Empire has faced crisis after crisis in its history and has pulled through time and again.† But Red Cheeks shook his head as he said, â€Å"This is not just another crisis. This is something much worse. The Empire has been deteriorating for generations. Ten years' worth of the junta destroyed the economy and since the fall of the junta and the rise of this new Emperor, the Empire has been so weak that the governors on the Periphery don't have to do anything. It's going to fall of its own weight.† â€Å"And the allegiance to the Emperor-† began Hook Nose. â€Å"What allegiance?† said Red Cheeks. â€Å"We went for years without an Emperor after Cleon was assassinated and no one seemed to mind much. And this new Emperor is just a figurehead. There's nothing he can do. There's nothing anyone can do. This isn't a crisis. This is the end. â€Å" The other two stared at Red Cheeks, frowning. Baldy said, â€Å"You really believe it! You think that the Imperial government will just sit there and let it all happen?† â€Å"Yes! Like you two, they won't believe it is happening. That is, until it's too late.† â€Å"What would you want them to do if they did believe it?† asked Baldy. Red Cheeks stared into the Galactograph, as if he might find an answer there. â€Å"I don't know. Look, in due course of time I'll die; things won't be too bad by then. Afterward, as the situation gets worse, other people can worry about it. I'll be gone. And so will the good old days. Maybe forever. I'm not the only one who thinks this, by the way. Ever hear of someone named Hari Seldon?† â€Å"Sure,† said Hook Nose at once. â€Å"Wasn't he First Minister under Cleon?† â€Å"Yes,† said Red Cheeks. â€Å"He's some sort of scientist. I heard him give a talk a few months back. It felt good to know I'm not the only one who believes the Empire is falling apart. He said-â€Å" â€Å"And he said everything's going to pot and there's going to be a permanent dark age?† Baldy interjected. â€Å"Well no,† said Red Cheeks. â€Å"He's one of these real cautious types. Ire says it might happen, but he's wrong. It will happen.† Seldon had heard enough. He limped toward the table where the three men sat and touched Red Cheeks on the shoulder. â€Å"Sir,† he said, â€Å"may I speak to you for a moment?† Startled, Red Cheeks looked up and then he said, â€Å"Hey, aren't you Professor Seldon?† â€Å"I always have been,† said Seldon. He handed the man a reference tile bearing his photograph. â€Å"I would like to see you here in my Library office at 4 P.M., day after tomorrow. Can you manage that?† â€Å"I have to work.† â€Å"Call in sick if you have to. It's important.† â€Å"Well, I'm not sure, sir.† â€Å"Do it,† said Seldon. â€Å"If you get into any sort of trouble over it, I'll straighten it out. And meanwhile, gentlemen, do you mind if I study the Galaxy simulation for a moment? It's been a long time since I've looked at one.† They nodded mutely, apparently abashed at being in the presence of a former First Minister. One by one the men stepped back and allowed Seldon access to the Galactograph controls. Seldon's finger reached out to the controls and the red that had marked off the Province of Anacreon vanished. The Galaxy was unmarked, a glowing pinwheel of mist brightening into the spherical glow at the center, behind which was the Galactic black hole. Individual stars could not be made out, of course, unless the view were magnified, but then only one portion or another of the Galaxy would be shown on the screen and Seldon wanted to see the whole thing -to get a look at the Empire that was vanishing. He pushed a contact and a series of yellow dots appeared on the Galactic image. They represented the habitable planets-twenty-five million of them. They could be distinguished as individual dots in the thin fog that represented the outskirts of the Galaxy, but they were more and more thickly placed as one moved in toward the center. There was a belt of what seemed solid yellow (but which would separate into individual dots under magnification) around the central glow. The central glow itself remained white and unmarked, of course. No habitable planets could exist in the midst of the turbulent energies of the core. Despite the great density of yellow, not one star in ten thousand, Seldon knew, had a habitable planet circling it. This was true, despite the planet-molding and terraforming capacities of humanity. Not all the molding in the Galaxy could make most of the worlds into anything a human being could walk on in comfort and without the protection of a spacesuit. Seldon closed another contact. The yellow dots disappeared, but one tiny region glowed blue: Trantor and the various worlds directly dependent on it. As close as it could be to the central core and yet remaining insulated from its deadliness, it was commonly viewed as being located at the â€Å"center of the Galaxy,† which it wasn't-not truly. As usual, one had to be impressed by the smallness of the world of Trantor, a tiny place in the vast realm of the Galaxy, but within it was squeezed the largest concentration of wealth, culture, and governmental authority that humanity had ever seen. And even that was doomed to destruction. It was almost as though the men could read his mind or perhaps they interpreted the sad expression on his face. Baldy asked softly, â€Å"Is the Empire really going to be destroyed?† Seldon replied, softer still, â€Å"It might. It might. Anything might happen.† He rose, smiled at the men, and left, but in his thoughts he screamed: It will! It will! 2 Seldon sighed as he climbed into one of the skitters that were ranked side by side in the large alcove. There had been a time, just a few years ago, when he had gloried in walking briskly along the interminable corridors of the Library, telling himself that even though he was past sixty he could manage it. But now, at seventy, his legs gave way all too quickly and he had to take a skitter. Younger men took them all the time because skitters saved them trouble, but Seldon did it because he had to-and that made all the difference. After Seldon punched in the destination, he closed a contact and the skitter lifted a fraction of an inch above the floor. Off it went at a rather casual pace, very smoothly, very silently, and Seldon leaned back and watched the corridor walls, the other skitters, the occasional walkers. He passed a number of Librarians and, even after all these years, he still smiled when he saw them. They were the oldest Guild in the Empire, the one with the most revered traditions, and they clung to ways that were more appropriate centuries before-maybe millennia before. Their garments were silky and off-white and were loose enough to be almost gownlike, coming together at the neck and billowing out from there. Trantor, like all the worlds, oscillated, where the males were concerned, between facial hair and smoothness. The people of Trantor itself-or at least most of its sectors-were smooth-shaven and had been smooth-shaven for as far back as he knew-excepting such anomalies as the mustaches worn by Dahlites, such as his own foster son, Raych. The Librarians, however, clung to the beards of long ago. Every Librarian had a rather short neatly cultivated beard running from ear to ear but leaving bare the upper lip. That alone was enough to mark them for what they were and to make the smooth-shaven Seldon feel a little uncomfortable when surrounded by a crowd of them. Actually the most characteristic thing of all was the cap each wore (perhaps even when asleep, Seldon thought). Square, it was made of a velvety material, in four parts that came together with a button at the top. The caps came in an endless variety of colors and apparently each color had significance. If you were familiar with Librarian lore, you could tell a particular Librarian's length of service, area of expertise, grades of accomplishment, and so on. They helped fix a pecking order. Every Librarian could, by a glance at another's hat, tell whether to be respectful (and to what degree) or overbearing (and to what degree). The Galactic Library was the largest single structure on Trantor (possibly in the Galaxy), much larger than even the Imperial Palace, and it had once gleamed and glittered, as though boasting of its size and magnificence. However, like the Empire itself, it had faded and withered. It was like an old dowager still wearing the jewels of her youth but upon a body that was wrinkled and wattled. The skitter stopped in front of the ornate doorway of the Chief Librarian's office and Seldon climbed out. Las Zenow smiled as he greeted Seldon. â€Å"Welcome, my friend,† he said in his high-pitched voice. (Seldon wondered if he had ever sung tenor in his younger days but had never dared to ask. The Chief Librarian was a compound of dignity always and the question might have seemed offensive.) â€Å"Greetings,† said Seldon. Zenow had a gray beard, rather more than halfway to white, and he wore a pure white hat. Seldon understood that without any explanation. It was a case of reverse ostentation. The total absence of color represented the highest peak of position. Zenow rubbed his hands with what seemed to be an inner glee. â€Å"I've called you in, Hari, because I've got good news for you. We've found it! â€Å"By ‘it,' Las, you mean-â€Å" â€Å"A suitable world. You wanted one far out. I think we've located the ideal one.† His smile broadened. â€Å"You just leave it to the Library. Hari. We can find anything.† â€Å"I have no doubt, Las. Tell me about this world.† â€Å"Well, let me show you its location first.† A section of the wall slid aside, the lights in the room dimmed, and the Galaxy appeared in three-dimensional form, turning slowly. Again, red lines marked off the Province of Anacreon, so that Seldon could almost swear that the episode with the three men had been a rehearsal for this. And then a brilliant blue dot appeared at the far end of the province. â€Å"There it is,† said Zenow. â€Å"It's an ideal world. Sizable, well-watered, good oxygen atmosphere, vegetation, of course. A great deal of sea life. It's there just for the taking. No planet-molding or terraforming required-or, at least, none that cannot be done while it is actually occupied.† Seldon said, â€Å"Is it an unoccupied world, Las?† â€Å"Absolutely unoccupied. No one on it.† â€Å"But why-if it's so suitable? I presume that, if you have all the details about it, it must have been explored. Why wasn't it colonized?† â€Å"It was explored, but only by unmanned probes. And there was no colonization-presumably because it was so far from everything. The planet revolves around a star that is farther from the central black hole than that of any inhabited planet-farther by far. Too far, I suppose, for prospective colonists, but I think not too far for you. You said, ‘The farther, the better.' â€Å" â€Å"Yes,† said Seldon, nodding. â€Å"I still say so. Does it have a name or is there just a letter-number combination?† â€Å"Believe it or not, it has a name. Those who sent out the probes named it Terminus, an archaic word meaning ‘the end of the line.' Which it would seem to be.† Seldon said, â€Å"Is the world part of the territory of the Province of Anacreon?† â€Å"Not really,† said Zenow. â€Å"If you'll study the red line and the red shading, you will see that the blue dot of Terminus lies slightly outside it-fifty light-years outside it, in fact. Terminus belongs to nobody; it's not even part of the Empire, as a matter of fact.† â€Å"You're right, then, Las. It does seem like the ideal world I've been looking for.† â€Å"Of course,† said Zenow thoughtfully, â€Å"once you occupy Terminus, I imagine the Governor of Anacreon will claim it as being under his jurisdiction.† â€Å"That's possible,† said Seldon, â€Å"but we'll have to deal with that when 1 he matter comes up.† Zenow rubbed his hands again. â€Å"What a glorious conception. Setting up a huge project on a brand-new world, far away and entirely isolated, so that year by year and decade by decade a huge Encyclopedia of all human knowledge can be put together. An epitome of what is present in this Library. If I were only younger, I would love to join the expedition.† Seldon said sadly, â€Å"You're almost twenty years younger than I am.† (Almost everyone is far younger than I am, he thought, even more sadly.) Zenow said, â€Å"Ah yes, I heard that you just passed your seventieth birthday. I hope you enjoyed it and celebrated appropriately.† Seldon stirred. â€Å"I don't celebrate my birthdays.† â€Å"Oh, but you did. I remember the famous story of your sixtieth birthday.† Seldon felt the pain, as deeply as though the dearest loss in all the world had taken place the day before. â€Å"Please don't talk about it,† he said. Abashed, Zenow said, â€Å"I'm sorry. We'll talk about something else. If, indeed, Terminus is the world you want, I imagine that your work on the preliminaries to the Encyclopedia Project will be redoubled. As you know, the Library will be glad to help you in all respects.† â€Å"I'm aware of it, Las, and I am endlessly grateful. We will, indeed, keep working.† He rose, not yet able to smile after the sharp pang induced by the reference to his birthday celebration of ten years back. He said, â€Å"So I must go to continue my labors.† And as he left, he felt, as always, a pang of conscience over the deceit he was practicing. Las Zenow did not have the slightest idea of Seldon's true intentions. 3 Hari Seldon surveyed the comfortable suite that had been his personal office at the Galactic Library these past few years. It, like the rest of the Library, had a vague air of decay about it, a kind of weariness-something that had been too long in one place. And yet Seldon knew it might remain here, in the same place, for centuries more-with judicious rebuildings-for millennia even. How did he come to be here? Over and over again, he felt the past in his mind, ran his mental tendrils along the line of development of his life. It was part of growing older, no doubt. There was so much more in the past, so much less in the future, that the mind turned away from the looming shadow ahead to contemplate the safety of what had gone before. In his case, though, there was that change. For over thirty years psychohistory had developed in what might almost be considered a straight line-progress creepingly slow but moving straight ahead. Then six years ago there had been a right-angled turn-totally unexpected. And Seldon know exactly how it had happened, how a concatenation of events came together to make it possible. It was Wanda, of course, Seldon's granddaughter. Hari closed his eyes and settled into his chair to review the events of six years before. Twelve-year-old Wanda was bereft. Her mother, Manella, had had another child, another little girl, Bellis, and for a time the new baby was a total preoccupation. Her father, Raych, having finished his book on his home sector of Dahl, found it to be a minor success and himself a minor celebrity. He was called upon to talk on the subject, something he accepted with alacrity, for he was fiercely absorbed in the subject and, as he said to Hari with a grin, â€Å"When I talk about Dahl, I don't have to hide my Dahlite accent. In fact, the public expects it of me.† The net result, though, was that he was away from home a considerable amount of time and when he wasn't, it was the baby he wanted to see. As for Dors-Dors was gone-and to Hari Seldon that wound was ever-fresh, ever-painful. And he had reacted to it in an unfortunate manner. It had been Wanda's dream that had set in motion the current of events that had ended with the loss of Dors. Wanda had had nothing to do with it-Seldon knew that very well. And yet he found himself shrinking from her, so that he also failed her in the crisis brought about by the birth of the new baby. And Wanda wandered disconsolately to the one person who always seemed glad to see her, the one person she could always count on. That WAS Yugo Amaryl, second only to Hari Seldon in the development of psychohistory and first in his absolute round-the-clock devotion to it. Hari had had Dors and Raych, but psychohistory was Yugo's life; he had no wife and children. Yet whenever Wanda came into his presence, something within him recognized her as a child and he dimly felt-for just that moment-a sense of loss that seemed to be assuaged only by showing the child affection. To be sure, he tended to treat her as a rather undersized adult, but Wanda seemed to like that. It was six years ago that she had wandered into Yugo's office. Yugo looked up at her with his owlish reconstituted eyes and, as usual, took a moment or two to recognize her. Then he said, â€Å"Why, it's my dear friend Wanda. But why do you look so sad? Surely an attractive young woman like you should never feel sad.† And Wanda, her lower lip trembling, said, â€Å"Nobody loves me.† â€Å"Oh come, that's not true.† â€Å"They just love that new baby. They don't care about me anymore.† â€Å"I love you, Wanda.† â€Å"Well, you're the only one then, Uncle Yugo.† And even though she could no longer crawl onto his lap as she had when she was younger, she cradled her head on his shoulder and wept. Amaryl, totally unaware of what he should do, could only hug the girl and say, â€Å"Don't cry. Don't cry.† And out of sheer sympathy and because he had so little in his own life to weep about, he found that tears were trickling down his own cheeks as well. And then he said with sudden energy, â€Å"Wanda, would you like to see something pretty?† â€Å"What?† sniffled Wanda. Amaryl knew only one thing in life and the Universe that was pretty. He said, â€Å"Did you ever see the Prime Radiant?† â€Å"No. What is it?† â€Å"It's what your grandfather and I use to do our work. See? It's right here.† He pointed to the black cube on his desk and Wanda looked at it woefully. â€Å"That's not pretty,† she said. â€Å"Not now,† agreed Amaryl. â€Å"But watch when I turn it on.† He did so. The room darkened and filled with dots of light and flashes of different colors. â€Å"See? Now we can magnify it so all the dots become mathematical symbols.† And so they did. There seemed a rush of material toward them and there, in the air, were signs of all sorts, letters, numbers, arrows, and shapes that Wanda had never seen before. â€Å"Isn't it pretty?† asked Amaryl. â€Å"Yes, it is,† said Wanda, staring carefully at the equations that (she didn't know) represented possible futures. â€Å"I don't like that part, though. I think it's wrong.† She pointed at a colorful equation to her left. â€Å"Wrong? Why do you say it's wrong† said Amaryl, frowning. â€Å"Because it's not†¦ pretty. I'd do it a different way.† Amaryl cleared his throat. â€Å"Well, I'll try to fix it up.† And he moved closer to the equation in question, staring at it in his owlish fashion. Wanda said, â€Å"Thank you very much, Uncle Yugo, for showing me your pretty lights. Maybe someday I'll understand what they mean.† â€Å"That's all right,† said Amaryl. â€Å"I hope you feel better.† â€Å"A little, thanks,† and, after flashing the briefest of smiles, she left the room. Amaryl stood there, feeling a trifle hurt. He didn't like having the Prime Radiant's product criticized-not even by a twelve-year-old girl who knew no better. And as he stood there, he had no idea whatsoever that the psychohistorical revolution had begun. 4 That afternoon Amaryl went to Hari Seldon's office at Streeling University. That in itself was unusual, for Amaryl virtually never left his own office, even to speak with a colleague just down the hall. â€Å"Hari,† said Amaryl, frowning and looking puzzled. â€Å"Something very odd has happened. Very peculiar.† Seldon looked at Amaryl with deepest sorrow. He was only fifty-three, but he looked much older, bent, worn down to almost transparency. When forced, he had undergone doctors' examinations and the doctors had all recommended that he leave his work for a period of time (some said permanently) and rest. Only this, the doctors said, might improve his health. Otherwise-Seldon shook his head. â€Å"Take him away from his work and he'll die all the sooner-and unhappier. We have no choice.† And then Seldon realized that, lost in such thoughts, he was not hearing Amaryl speak. He said, â€Å"I'm sorry, Yugo. I'm a little distracted. Begin again.† Amaryl said, â€Å"I'm telling you that something very odd has happened. Very peculiar.† â€Å"What is it, Yugo?† â€Å"It was Wanda. She came in to see me-very sad, very upset.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Apparently it's the new baby.† â€Å"Oh yes,† Hari said with more than a trace of guilt in his voice. â€Å"So she said and cried on my shoulder-I actually cried a bit, too, Hari. And then I thought I'd cheer her up by showing her the Prime Radiant.† Here Amaryl hesitated, as if choosing his next words carefully. â€Å"Go on, Yugo. What happened?† â€Å"Well, she stared at all the lights and I magnified a portion, actually Section 428254. You're acquainted with that?† Seldon smiled. â€Å"No, Yugo, I haven't memorized the equations quite as well as you have.† â€Å"Well, you should,† said Amaryl severely. â€Å"How can you do a good job if-But never mind that. What I'm trying to say is that Wanda pointed to a part of it and said it was no good. It wasn't pretty. â€Å" â€Å"Why not? We all have our personal likes and dislikes.† â€Å"Yes, of course, but I brooded about it and I spent some time going over it and, Hari, there was something wrong with it. The programming was inexact and that area, the precise area to which Wanda pointed, was no good. And, really, it wasn't pretty.† Seldon sat up rather stiffly, frowning. â€Å"Let me get this straight, Yugo. She pointed to something at random, said it was no good, and she was right?† â€Å"Yes. She pointed, but it wasn't at random; she was very deliberate.† â€Å"But that's impossible.† â€Å"But it happened. I was there.† â€Å"I'm not saying it didn't happen. I'm saying it was just a wild coincidence.† â€Å"Is it? Do you think, with all your knowledge of psychohistory, you could take one glance at a new set of equations and tell me that one portion is no good?† Seldon said, â€Å"Well then, Yugo, how did you come to expand that particular portion of the equations? What made you choose that piece for magnification?† Amaryl shrugged. â€Å"That was coincidence-if you like. I just fiddled with the controls.† â€Å"That couldn't be coincidence,† muttered Seldon. For a few moments he was lost in thought, then he asked the question that pushed forward the psychohistorical revolution that Wanda had begun. He said, â€Å"Yugo, did you have any suspicions about those equations beforehand? Did you have any reason to believe there was something wrong with them?† Amaryl fiddled with the sash of his unisuit and seemed embarrassed. â€Å"Yes, I think I did. You see-â€Å" â€Å"You think you did?† â€Å"I know I did. I seemed to recall when I was setting it up-it's a new section, you know-my fingers seemed to glitch on the programmer. It looked all right then, but I guess I kept worrying about it inside. I remember thinking it looked wrong, but I had other things to do and I just let it go. But then when Wanda happened to point to precisely the area I had been concerned about, I decided to check up on her-otherwise I would just have let it go as a childish statement.† â€Å"And you turned on that very fragment of the equations to show Wanda. As though it were haunting your unconscious mind.† Amaryl shrugged. â€Å"Who knows?† â€Å"And just before that, you were very close together, hugging, both crying.† Amaryl shrugged again, looking even more embarrassed. Seldon said, â€Å"I think I know what happened, Yugo. Wanda read your mind.† Amaryl jumped, as though he had been bitten. â€Å"That's impossible!† Slowly Seldon said, â€Å"I once knew someone who had unusual mental powers of that sort†-and he thought sadly of Eto Demerzel or, as Seldon had secretly known him, Daneel-â€Å"only he was somewhat more than human. But his ability to read minds, to sense other people's thoughts, to persuade people to act in a certain way-that was a mental ability. I think, somehow, that perhaps Wanda has that ability as well.† â€Å"I can't believe it,† said Amaryl stubbornly. â€Å"I can,† said Seldon â€Å"but I don't know what to do about it.† Dimly lie felt the rumblings of a revolution in psychohistorical research-but only dimly.

East Asian literature Essay

Based on Yasutaka Tsutsui’s â€Å"The Standing Woman†, the power of the collective over that of the individual is positive. This can be surmised based on three points of argumentation which are the main character’s thoughts at the beginning of the story, the old man’s revelation in his conversation with the main character, and the main character’s discussion with his wife. At the beginning of the story, we find the main character who is a writer thinking about the story that he finished. He mentions that the story is â€Å"capable of neither harm nor good†. Since he had spoken this to himself then it must be true. Later on it would be revealed in the story that his wife who he loves so much has been turned to a manpillar by the government. Yet instead of being angry and seeking vengeance, the man even at the start of the story already seems defeated by the very society that persecuted his wife. At the middle of the story, the writer converses with an old man who reveals that he had also been a writer but is now too afraid of persecution to write anything at all. The conversation shows that society has also broken the old man without even needing to arrest him and turn him into a mantree. The old man’s fear of getting exposed to the public and being ridiculed had already overpowered him and these fears came from society because it is the collective society that has the greatest power to ridicule. The last proof comes from the writer’s discussion with his wife. His wife who had once been so proud and strong has been reduced to a yielding subject to society’s whims to a point of not even protesting injustices done to her by drunks. In conclusion, the power of a collective society truly does overwhelm the resolve of any particular member.