Good vs. Evil Essay -- essays research papers

Good vs. Evil So often we see a battle of good vs. evil in movies, books, society, and in this case, an epic poem. This motif is used so often because it pertains to so many facets of authentic life. The epic poem Beowulf is an example of this because the hero of the story has an ongoing conflict with the evil villain, Grendel. The same motif is true in the discussion of Christianity versus Non-Christianity. Good and Evil can be talked about in different ways, but here you will see the Good in Beowulf, then in Christianity and the Evil in Grendel along with Non-Christianity. Beowulf reveals numerous qualities that prove he is a great leader and warrior. Courage, religion, and strength just break the ice. He proves to be courageous when he says, â€Å"That I alone and with the help of my men may purge all evil from this hall.† Throughout the story, Beowulf has the courage to never back down from a confrontation and is willing to fight till the death. Beowulf shows that he is religious when â€Å"they gave thanks to God for their easy crossing.† This is talking about when the Geats make their journey safely from home to the Danish shore. Every time Beowulf is victorious in battle he gives thanks to God and says that he knows his fate is in God’s hands. Beowulf is also strong. Strength allows him to show society that they can be strong. He shows strength as a leader but he also shows this as a warrior when he used his strength to kill Grendel and his mother. Beowulf shows integrit...

A Man For All Seasons :: essays research papers

A "Man for All Seasons" is about a man so subtle and saintly that an actor who takes on the role must be able to project an almost superhuman presence. As is evident, the story is based on the life of Sir Thomas More, man of God and chancellor to the court of Henry VIII. The year is 1530 and from what I know, actors in this movie typically wear transparent half-masks and double up on roles. More was the only member of Henry VIII's government who would not be seduced or corrupted by Henry's threats. When the king asked More to sign an oath establishing the monarchy as head of the Church of England, More refused. He could not alter the law, he said. As the play progresses and More loses his wealth and even his freedom, he becomes almost self-righteous in his strict adherence to the law. Exasperating, but he must remain sympathetic as his family goes down with him into grief and poverty. The man who plays him must show both his affectionate disposition and his unshakable piety or the script would be just an exercise in mouthing lines. What I saw from the story was how the wheels turn in More's mind, the glow of warmth and the bleakness of despair that flicker across his face. It is not enough to paint him as a man. He must be a man among grovelers and syncophants, a towering presence. A man for all seasons, in other words. In most cases, I am compelled to say that one probably would not be able to successfully preserve their integrity in a situation such as Thomas More's. But in response to the question of whether or not a man can reasonably hope to do so, I believe that More's behavioral response exemplifies a positive confirmation of such. Even if it could not be reasonably expected for a man to maintain his integrity when consistently faced with such a dilemma, it would probably be asserted that such was understandable. Somewhat indirectly, this case reminds me of Aristotelian and Platonic discussions of virtue and the nature of man. Some philosophers would probably insist that man

muscle memory :: essays research papers

What does it mean to learn a new skill and go from "novice" to "expert"? In the world of heavy equipment, part of that learning means memorizing how to use levers, joysticks, and even pedals in a coordinated way to control the attachment at the end of the boom. But how does this memorizing take place? At first, you need to concentrate in order to make your fingers, hands, arms (and feet) move in just the right way, based on what you see. What you're learning is precision, i.e. how to make the boom attachment perform the task (move a load, grapple a tree, drill a hole, etc.) carefully. (Scientists have discovered that there are a large number of internal brain structures, which work together with the input and output brain structures to form fleeting images in the mind. Using these images, we learn to interpret input signals, process them, and formulate output responses in a deliberate, conscious, way.) But after a while, the "seeing-thinking-doing" gradually becomes "seeing-doing" because your muscles seem to "know" and "remember" just what to do. What you're learning now is speed, i.e. how to perform the task carefully and quickly. That's muscle memory. Scientists call this "kinesthetic memory" or "neuro-muscular facilitation" and they speak of "sensory-motor" learning, since you are combining sensing input, i.e. what you see with your eyes, with motor output, i.e. what you do with your body. Of course, during the "drill-and-practice", your muscles aren't really memorizing anything (since all memories are stored in your brain). Instead, what you see with your eyes is interpreted by your brain in the form of nerve signals to your muscles to make your body move. Now by making the same movements in response to the same visual cues over and over again, the associated nerve-muscle connections gradually become more effective, i.e. the transmission of the signals becomes more effective, and this is how the "thinking" in the "seeing-thinking-doing" is gradually replaced by "seeing-doing", i.e. by muscle memory. And this is exactly what we observe when people spend time at the controls of our Personal Simulators. At first, their body language tells you at a glance that they are concentrating carefully, working hard to watch and learn. But come back sometime later and the same people are now relaxed, sitting back, and making the same precise gestures but now much faster! In the world of heavy equipment, muscle memory is especially important because it's the combination of care and speed that make operators truly competent.

How Fitzgerald Tell the Story in Chapter 1 of the Great Gatsby Essay

Write about some of the ways Fitzgerald tells the story in chapter 1 The chapter begins with Nick Carraway introducing himself as the narrator. Fitzgerald uses a first-person retrospective narrative, therefore we are given Nicks point of view throughout. The chapter begins with Nick remembering his father’s advice that â€Å"all people in this world haven’t had the advantages that [he’s] had† this tells the reader that the main theme of the novel is wealth. The use of the word â€Å"advantages† suggests that Nick comes from a wealthy family. Fitzgerald makes Nick claim that â€Å"I’m inclined to reserve all judgements† yet quickly contradicts this he tells â€Å"the intimate revelations of young men† are â€Å"marred by obvious suppressions†, by Fitzgerald doing this, the audience are given an opinion on Nick, realising he is likely to be an unreliable narrator. However when Nick says â€Å"I’m inclined to reserve all judgements† the reader may also feel that Nick will give a true and honest account of the events and will not be biased against any of the characters. Fitzgerald uses this chapter to set the scene of the novel. Fitzgerald makes it clear through Nick’s narration that the events within the novel have already taken place â€Å"back from the East last autumn†, the reader instantly knows that we will be given an interpretation of the events and they will all be from Nicks point of view. Nick talks about â€Å"Midas and Morgan and Maecenas† all three of these men were renowned for their wealth. Morgan and Maecenas were real men, whereas Midas’s story is a Greek myth. By mentioning both myth and reality in the first chapter Fitzgerald tells the reader that myth and reality will be mixed throughout the novel. Fitzgerald introduces most of the main characters within this chapter as part of the establishment of the text. Gatsby is the first to be introduced excluding Nick, which could suggest that Gatsby is the protagonist of the novel. Later on in the chapter we are introduced to Tom, Daisy and Jordan as Nick goes to a dinner party over at East egg. Fitzgerald has Nick use exaggerations of expressions and body language to create an impression of Tom Buchannan and the others in East egg. Fitzgerald has Nick harshly describe Tom as being â€Å"arrogant† and powerful â€Å"not even the effeminate swank of his riding clothes could hide the enormous power of that body† by using this description Fitzgerald highlights his role as a dominant male, Fitzgerald supports this by the use of direct speech from Tom â€Å"I am stronger and more of a man than you are†, this again shows that Tom believes  he is above everybody else again re-enforcing his arrogance. Fitzgerald uses oxymoron’s to describe the way in which Tom handles Nick â€Å"he turned me around again politely and abruptly† this shows that Nick as a narrator is contradicting himself hence causing the reader to question his narrat ion once again. Throughout the chapter, Nick uses adverbs such as â€Å"accusingly† and â€Å"helplessly† when referring to Daisy, allowing Fitzgerald to give the impression that she is dominated by Tom and that they are living in a patriarchal society. This contrast is displayed by Nick’s use of adverbs such as â€Å"decisively†, â€Å"restlessly† and â€Å"crossly† when retelling Tom’s speech, showing Tom’s power. During the dinner where also introduced to myrtle in a way as her phone call interrupts dinner, we also find out about how Jordan talks about her Tom and his family, â€Å"Tom’s got some woman in new York†, therefore showing she’s not a very trustworthy character. Fitzgerald also uses simile’s to add more emphasis to the point he is making â€Å"compelled me to the room as though he were moving a checker to another square†, this also shows Tom’s power. towards the end of the chapter Nick witnesses Gatsby standing at the end of his lawn, nick describes the way in which Gatsby held out his arms as â€Å"curious† this gives the reader an urge to want to read on and find out what the green light is and what significance it holds in relation to Gatsby. Fitzgerald makes Nick use the word â€Å"vanished† at the end of the chapter which give the chapter a more dramatic end.

Second Foundation 6. One Man, the Mule – and Another

Two men, apparently relaxed and entirely at ease, poles apart physically – with every nerve that served as emotional detector quivering tensely. The Mule, for the first time in long years, had insufficient surety of his own way. Channis knew that, though he could protect himself for the moment, it was an effort – and that the attack upon him was none such for his opponent. In a test of endurance, Channis knew he would lose. But it was deadly to think of that. To give away to the Mule an emotional weakness would be to hand him a weapon. There was already that glimpse of something – a winner's something – in the Mule's mind. To gain time- Why did the others delay? Was that the source of the Mule's confidence? What did his opponent know that he didn't? The mind he watched told nothing. If only he could read ideas. And yet- Channis braked his own mental whirling roughly. There was only that; to gain time- Channis said: â€Å"Since it is decided, and not denied by myself after our little duel over Pritcher, that I am a Second Foundationer, suppose you tell me why I came to Tazenda.† â€Å"Oh, no,† and the Mule laughed, with high-pitched confidence, â€Å"I am not Pritcher. I need make no explanations to you. You had what you thought were reasons. Whatever they were, your actions suited me, and so I inquire no further.† â€Å"Yet there must be such gaps in your conception of the story. Is Tazenda the Second Foundation you expected to find? Pritcher spoke much of your other attempt at finding it, and of your psychologist tool, Ebling Mis. He babbled a bit sometimes under my†¦ uh†¦ slight encouragement. Think back on Ebling Mis, First Citizen.† â€Å"Why should I?† Confidence! Channis felt that confidence edge out into the open, as if with the passage of time, any anxiety the Mule might be having was increasingly vanishing. He said, firmly restraining the rush of desperation: â€Å"You lack curiosity, then? Pritcher told me of Mis' vast surprise at something. There was his terribly drastic urging for speed, for a rapid warning of the Second Foundation? Why? Why? Ebling Mis died. The Second Foundation was not warned. And yet the Second Foundation exists.† The Mule smiled in real pleasure, and with a sudden and surprising dash of cruelty that Channis felt advance and suddenly withdraw: â€Å"But apparently the Second Foundation was warned. Else how and why did one Bail Channis arrive on Kalgan to handle my men and to assume the rather thankless task of outwitting me. The warning came too late, that is all.† â€Å"Then,† and Channis allowed pity to drench outward from him, â€Å"you don't even know what the Second Foundation is, or anything of the deeper meaning of all that has been going on.† To gain time! The Mule felt the other's pity, and his eyes narrowed with instant hostility. He rubbed his nose in his familiar four-fingered gesture, and snapped: â€Å"Amuse yourself, then. What of the Second Foundation?† Channis spoke deliberately, in words rather than in emotional symbology. He said: â€Å"From what I have heard, it was the mystery that surrounded the Second Foundation that most puzzled Mis. Hari Seldon founded his two units so differently. The First Foundation was a splurge that in two centuries dazzled half the Galaxy. And the Second was an abyss that was dark. â€Å"You won't understand why that was, unless you can once again feel the intellectual atmosphere of the days of the dying Empire. It was a time of absolutes, of the great final generalities, at least in thought. It was a sign of decaying culture, of course, that dams had been built against the further development of ideas. It was his revolt against these dams that made Seldon famous. It was that one last spark of youthful creation in him that lit the Empire in a sunset glow and dimly foreshadowed the rising sun of the Second Empire.† â€Å"Very dramatic. So what?† â€Å"So he created his Foundations according to the laws of psychohistory, but who knew better than he that even those laws were relative. He never created a finished product. Finished products are for decadent minds. His was an evolving mechanism and the Second Foundation was the instrument of that evolution. We, First Citizen of your Temporary Union of Worlds, we are the guardians of Seldon's Plan. Only we!† â€Å"Are you trying to talk yourself into courage,† inquired the Mule, contemptuously, â€Å"or are you trying to impress me? For the Second Foundation, Seldon's Plan, the Second Empire all impresses me not the least, nor touches any spring of compassion, sympathy, responsibility, nor any other source of emotional aid you may be trying to tap in me. And in any case, poor fool, speak of the Second Foundation in the past tense, for it is destroyed.† Channis felt the emotional potential that pressed upon his mind rise in intensity as the Mule rose from his chair and approached. He fought back furiously, but something crept relentlessly on within him, battering and bending his mind back – and back. He felt the wall behind him, and the Mule faced him, skinny arms akimbo, lips smiling terribly beneath that mountain of nose. The Mule said: â€Å"Your game is through, Channis. The game of all of you-of all the men of what used to be the Second Foundation. Used to be! Used to be! â€Å"What were you sitting here waiting for all this time, with your babble to Pritcher, when you might have struck him down and taken the blaster from him without the least effort of physical force? You were waiting for me, weren't you, waiting to greet me in a situation that would not too arouse my suspicions. â€Å"Too bad for you that I needed no arousal. I knew you. I knew you well, Channis of the Second Foundation. â€Å"But what are you waiting for now? You still throw words at me desperately, as though the mere sound of your voice would freeze me to my seat. And all the while you speak, something in your mind is waiting and waiting and is still waiting. But no one is coming. None of those you expect – none of your allies. You are alone here, Channis, and you will remain alone. Do you know why? â€Å"It is because your Second Foundation miscalculated me to the very dregs of the end. I knew their plan early. They thought I would follow you here and be proper meat for their cooking. You were to be a decoy indeed – a decoy for a poor, foolish weakling mutant, so hot on the trail of Empire that he would fall blindly into an obvious pit. But am I their prisoner? â€Å"I wonder if it occurred to them that I'd scarcely be here without my fleet – against the artillery of any unit of which they are entirely and pitifully helpless? Did it occur to them that I would not pause for discussion or wait for events? â€Å"My ships were launched against Tazenda twelve hours ago and they are quite, quite through with their mission. Tazenda is laid in ruins; its centers of population are wiped out. There was no resistance. The Second Foundation no longer exists, Channis – and I, the queer, ugly weakling, am the ruler of the Galaxy.† Channis could do nothing but shake his head feebly. â€Å"No- No-â€Å" â€Å"Yes- Yes-† mimicked the Mule. â€Å"And if you are the last one alive, and you may be, that will not be for long either.† And then there followed a short, pregnant pause, and Channis almost howled with the sudden pain of that tearing penetration of the innermost tissues of his mind. The Mule drew back and muttered: â€Å"Not enough. You do not pass the test after all. Your despair is pretense. Your fear is not the broad overwhelming that adheres to the destruction of an ideal, but the puny seeping fear of personal destruction.† And the Mule's weak hand seized Channis by the throat in a puny grip that Channis was somehow unable to break. â€Å"You are my insurance, Channis. You are my director and safeguard against any underestimation I may make.† The Mule's eyes bore down upon him. Insistent- Demanding- â€Å"Have I calculated rightly, Channis? Have I outwitted your men of the Second Foundation? Tazenda is destroyed, Channis, tremendously destroyed; so why is your despair pretense? Where is the reality? I must have reality and truth! Talk, Channis talk. Have I penetrated then, not deeply enough? Does the danger still exist? Talk, Channis. Where have I done wrong?† Channis felt the words drag out of his mouth. They did not come willingly. He clenched his teeth against them. He bit his tongue. He tensed every muscle of his throat. And they came out – gasping – pulled out by force and tearing his throat and tongue and teeth on the way. â€Å"Truth,† he squeaked, â€Å"truth-â€Å" â€Å"Yes, truth. What is left to be done?† â€Å"Seldon founded Second Foundation here. Here, as I said. I told no lie. The psychologists arrived and took control of the native population.† â€Å"Of Tazenda?† The Mule plunged deeply into the flooding torture of the other's emotional upwellings – tearing at them brutally. â€Å"It is Tazenda I have destroyed. You know what I want. Give it to me.† â€Å"Not Tazenda. I said Second Foundationers might not be those apparently in power; Tazenda is the figurehead-† The words were almost unrecognizable, forming themselves against every atom of will of the Second Foundationer, â€Å"Rossem – Rossem – Rossem is the world-â€Å" The Mule loosed his grip and Channis dropped into a huddle of pain and torture. â€Å"And you thought to fool me?† said the Mule, softly. â€Å"You were fooled.† It was the last dying shred of resistance in Channis. â€Å"But not long enough for you and yours. I am in communication with my Fleet. And after Tazenda can come Rossem. But first-â€Å" Channis felt the excruciating darkness rise against him, and the automatic lift of his arm to his tortured eyes could not ward it off. It was a darkness that throttled, and as he felt his tom, wounded mind reeling backwards, backwards into the everlasting black – there was that final picture of the triumphant Mule – laughing matchstick – that long, fleshy nose quivering with laughter. The sound faded away. The darkness embraced him lovingly. It ended with a cracking sensation that was like the jagged glare of a lightning flash, and Channis came slowly to earth while sight returned painfully in blurry transmission through tear-drenched eyes. His head ached unbearably, and it was only with a stab of agony that he could bring up a hand to it. Obviously, he was alive. Softly, like feathers caught up in an eddy of air that had passed, his thoughts steadied and drifted to rest. He felt comfort suck in – from outside. Slowly, torturedly, he bent his neck – and relief was a sharp pang. For the door was open; and the First Speaker stood just inside the threshold. He tried to speak, to shout, to warn – but his tongue froze and he knew that a part of the Mule's mighty mind still held him and clamped all speech within him. He bent his neck once more. The Mule was still in the room. He was angry and hot-eyed. He laughed no longer, but his teeth were bared in a ferocious smile. Channis felt the First Speaker's mental influence moving gently over his mind with a healing touch and then there was the numbing sensation as it came into contact with the Mule's defense for an instant of struggle and withdrew. The Mule said gratingly, with a fury that was grotesque in his meagre body: â€Å"Then another comes to greet me.† His agile mind reached its tendrils out of the room- out- out- â€Å"You are alone,† he said. And the First Speaker interrupted with an acquiescence: â€Å"I am thoroughly alone. It is necessary that I be alone, since it was I who miscalculated your future five years ago. There would be a certain satisfaction to me in correcting that matter without aid. Unfortunately, I did not count on the strength of your Field of Emotional Repulsion that surrounded this place. It took me long to penetrate. I congratulate you upon the skill with which it was constructed.† â€Å"Thank you for nothing,† came the hostile rejoinder. â€Å"Bandy no compliments with me. Have you come to add your brain splinter to that of yonder cracked pillar of your realm?† The First Speaker smiled: â€Å"Why, the man you call Bail Channis performed his mission well, the more so since he was not your mental equal by far. I can see, of course, that you have mistreated him, yet it may be that we may restore him fully even yet. He is a brave man, sir. He volunteered for this mission although we were able to predict mathematically the huge chance of damage to his mind – a more fearful alternative than that of mere physical crippling.† Channis' mind pulsed futilely with what he wanted to say and couldn't; the warning he wished to shout and was unable to. He could only emit that continuous stream of fear- fear- The Mule was calm. â€Å"You know, of course, of the destruction of Tazenda.† â€Å"I do. The assault by your fleet was foreseen.† Grimly: â€Å"Yes, so I suppose. But not prevented, eh?† â€Å"No, not prevented.† The First Speaker's emotional symbology was plain. It was almost a self-horror; a complete self-disgust: â€Å"And the fault is much more mine than yours. Who could have imagined your powers five years ago. We suspected from the start – from the moment you captured Kalgan – that you had the powers of emotional control. That was not too surprising, First Citizen, as I can explain to you. â€Å"Emotional contact such as you and I possess is not a very new development. Actually it is implicit in the human brain. Most humans can read emotion in a primitive manner by associating it pragmatically with facial expression, tone of voice and so on. A good many animals possess the faculty to a higher degree; they use the sense of smell to a good extent and the emotions involved are, of course, less complex. â€Å"Actually, humans are capable of much more, but the faculty of direct emotional contact tended to atrophy with the development of speech a million years back. It has been the great advance of our Second Foundation that this forgotten sense has been restored to at least some of its potentialities. â€Å"But we are not born with its full use. A million years of decay is a formidable obstacle, and we must educate the sense, exercise it as we exercise our muscles. And there you have the main difference. You were born with it. â€Å"So much we could calculate. We could also calculate the effect of such a sense upon a person in a world of men who did not possess it. The seeing man in the kingdom of the blind- We calculated the extent to which a megalomania would take control of you and we thought we were prepared. But for two factors we were not prepared. â€Å"The first was the great extent of your sense. We can induce emotional contact only when in eyeshot, which is why we are more helpless against physical weapons than you might think. Sight plays such an enormous part. Not so with you. You are definitely known to have had men under control, and, further, to have had intimate emotional contact with them when out of sight and out of earshot. That was discovered too late. â€Å"Secondly, we did not know of your physical shortcomings, particularly the one that seemed so important to you, that you adopted the name of the Mule. We didn't foresee that you were not merely a mutant, but a sterile mutant and the added psychic distortion due to your inferiority complex passed us by. We allowed only for a megalomania – not for an intensely psychopathic paranoia as well. â€Å"It is myself that bears the responsibility for having missed all that, for I was the leader of the Second Foundation when you captured Kalgan. When you destroyed the First Foundation, we found out – but too late – and for that fault millions have died on Tazenda.† â€Å"And you will correct things now?† The Mules thin lips curled, his mind pulsing with hate: â€Å"What will you do? Fatten me? Restore me to a masculine vigor? Take away from my past the long childhood in an alien environment. Do you regret my sufferings? Do you regret my unhappiness? I have no sorrow for what I did in my necessity. Let the Galaxy Protect itself as best it can, since it stirred not a whit for my protection when I needed it.† Your emotions are, of course,† said the First Speaker, â€Å"only the children of your background and are not to be condemned – merely changed. The destruction of Tazenda was unavoidable. The alternative would have been a much greater destruction generally throughout the Galaxy over a period of centuries. We did our best in our limited way. We withdrew as many men from Tazenda as we could. We decentralized the rest of the world. Unfortunately, our measures were of necessity far from adequate. It left many millions to die – do you not regret that?† â€Å"Not at all – any more than I regret the hundred thousand that must die on Rossem in not more than six hours.† â€Å"On Rossem?† said the First Speaker, quickly. He turned to Channis who had forced himself into a half-sitting posture, and his mind exerted its force. Channis, felt the duel of minds strain over him, and then there was a short snapping of the bond and the words came tumbling out of his mouth: â€Å"Sir, I have failed completely. He forced it from me not ten minutes before your arrival. I could not resist him and I offer no excuses. He knows Tazenda is not the Second Foundation. He knows that Rossem is.† And the bonds closed down upon him again. The First Speaker frowned: â€Å"I see. What is it you are planning to do?† â€Å"Do you really wonder? Do you really find it difficult to penetrate the obvious? All this time that you have preached to me of the nature of emotional contact – all this time that you have been throwing words such as megalomania and paranoia at me, I have been working. I have been in contact with my Fleet and it has its orders. In six hours, unless I should for some reason counteract my orders, they are to bombard all of Rossem except this lone village and an area of a hundred square miles about it. They are to do a thorough job and are then to land here. â€Å"You have six hours, and in six hours, you cannot beat down my mind, nor can you save the rest of Rossem.† The Mule spread his hands and laughed again while the First Speaker seemed to find difficulty in absorbing this new state of affairs. He said: â€Å"The alternative?† â€Å"Why should there even be an alternative? I can stand to gain no more by any alternative. Is it the lives of those on Rossem I'm to be chary of? Perhaps if you allow my ships to land and submit, all of you – all the men on the Second Foundation – to mental control sufficient to suit myself, I may countermand the bombardment orders. It may be worthwhile to put so many men of high intelligence under my control. But then again it would be a considerable effort and perhaps not worth it after all, so I'm not particularly eager to have you agree to it. What do you say, Second Foundationer? What weapon have you against my mind which is as strong as yours at least and against my ships which are stronger than anything you have ever dreamed of possessing?† â€Å"What have I?† repeated the First Speaker, slowly: â€Å"Why nothing – except a little grain – such a little grain of knowledge that even yet you do not possess.† â€Å"Speak quickly,† laughed the Mule, â€Å"speak inventively. For squirm as you might, you won't squirm out of this.† â€Å"Poor mutant,† said the First Speaker, â€Å"I have nothing to squirm out of. Ask yourself – why was Bail Channis sent to Kalgan as a decoy – Bail Channis, who though young and brave is almost as much your mental inferior as is this sleeping officer of yours, this Han Pritcher. Why did not I go, or another of our leaders, who would be more your match?† â€Å"Perhaps,† came the supremely confident reply, â€Å"you were not sufficiently foolish, since perhaps none of you are my match.† â€Å"The true reason is more logical. You knew Channis to be a Second Foundationer. He lacked the capacity to hide that from you. And you knew, too, that you were his superior, so you were not afraid to play his game and follow him as he wished you to in order to outwit him later. Had I gone to Kalgan, you would have killed me for I would have been a real danger, or had I avoided death by concealing my identity, I would yet have failed in persuading you to follow me into space. It was only known inferiority that lured you on. And had you remained on Kalgan, not all the force of the Second Foundation could have harmed you, surrounded as you were by your men, your machines, and your mental power.† â€Å"My mental power is yet with me, squirmer,† said the Mule, â€Å"and my men and machines are not far off.† â€Å"Truly so, but you are not on Kalgan. You are here in the Kingdom of Tazenda, logically presented to you as the Second Foundation – very logically presented. It had to be so presented, for you are a wise man, First Citizen, and would follow only logic.† â€Å"Correct, and it was a momentary victory for your side, but there was still time for me to worm the truth from your man, Channis, and still wisdom in me to realize that such a truth might exist.† â€Å"And on our side, oh, not-quite-sufficiently-subtle one, was the realization that you might go that one step further and so Bail Channis was prepared for you.† â€Å"That he most certainly was not, for I stripped his brain clean as any plucked chicken. It quivered bare and open before me and when he said Rossem was the Second Foundation, it was basic truth for I had ground him so flat and smooth that not the smidgeon of a deceit could have found refuge in any microscopic crevice.† â€Å"True enough. So much the better for our foresight. For I have told you already that Bail Channis was a volunteer. Do you know what sort of a volunteer? Before he left our Foundation for Kalgan and you, he submitted to emotional surgery of a drastic nature. Do you think it was sufficient to deceive you? Do you think Bail Channis, mentally untouched, could possibly deceive you? No, Bail Channis was himself deceived, of necessity and voluntarily. Down to the inmost core of his mind, Bail Channis honestly believes that Rossem is the Second Foundation. â€Å"And for three years now, we of the Second Foundation have built up the appearance of that here in the Kingdom of Tazenda, in preparation and waiting for you. And we have succeeded, have we not? You penetrated to Tazenda, and beyond that, to Rossem – but past that, you could not go.† The Mule was upon his feet: â€Å"You dare tell me that Rossem also, is not the Second Foundation?† Channis, from the floor, felt his bonds burst for good, under a stream of mental force on the part of the First Speaker and strained upright. He let out one long, incredulous cry: â€Å"You mean Rossem is not the Second Foundation?† The memories of life, the knowledge of his mind – everything – whirled mistily about him in confusion. The First Speaker smiled: â€Å"You see, First Citizen, Channis is as upset as you are. Of course, Rossem is not the Second Foundation. Are we madmen then, to lead you, our greatest, most powerful, most dangerous enemy to our own world? Oh, no! â€Å"Let your Fleet bombard Rossem, First Citizen, if you must have it so. Let them destroy all they can. For at most they can kill only Channis and myself – and that will leave you in a situation improved not in the least. â€Å"For the Second Foundation's Expedition to Rossem which has been here for three years and has functioned, temporarily, as Elders in this village, embarked yesterday and are returning to Kalgan. They will evade your Fleet, of course, and they will arrive in Kalgan at least a day before you can, which is why I tell you all this. Unless I countermand my orders, when you return, you will find a revolting Empire, a disintegrated realm, and only the men with you in your Fleet here will be loyal to you. They will be hopelessly outnumbered. And moreover, the men of the Second Foundation will be with your Home Fleet and will see to it that you reconvert no one. Your Empire is done, mutant.† Slowly, the Mule bowed his head, as anger and despair cornered his mind completely, â€Å"Yes. Too late- Too late- Now I see it.† â€Å"Now you see it,† agreed the First Speaker, â€Å"and now you don't.† In the despair of that moment, when the Mule's mind lay open, the First Speaker – ready for that moment and pre-sure of its nature – entered quickly. It required a rather insignificant fraction of a second to consummate the change completely. The Mule looked up and said: â€Å"Then I shall return to Kalgan? â€Å"Certainly. How do you feel?† â€Å"Excellently well.† His brow puckered: â€Å"Who are you?† â€Å"Does it matter?† â€Å"Of course not.† He dismissed the matter, and touched Pritcher's shoulder: â€Å"Wake up, Pritcher, we're going home.† It was two hours later that Bail Channis felt strong enough to walk by himself. He said: â€Å"He won't ever remember?† â€Å"Never. He retains his mental powers and his Empire – but his motivations are now entirely different. The notion of a Second Foundation is a blank to him, and he is a man of peace. He will be a far happier man henceforward, too, for the few years of life left him by his maladjusted physique. And then, after he is dead Seldon's Plan will go on – somehow.† â€Å"And it is true,† urged Channis, â€Å"it is true that Rossem is not the Second Foundation? I could swear – I tell you I know it is. I am not mad.† â€Å"You are not mad, Channis, merely, as I have said, changed. Rossem is not the Second Foundation. Come! We, too, will return home.†

Gun Violence in Canada

Gun violence in Canada is an issue which is evident within Canadian society, especially in the last year. The shooting in the Eaton’s Centre in Toronto recently was the largest mass shooting in its history. The reason behind the shooting was related to gang violence in the area, therefore there is a social issue that demands solution. Gun violence in Canada is generally on the low end of the overall crime rate, and in recent years the severity of crime was down four percent, but this does not mean there is no reason for alarm anymore.A Statistics Canada study on criminal code statistics offer misleading information on the severity of the situation, this includes gun violence. A past Statistics Canada study based on 2009 data showed that only 31 percent of the most common types of crimes were reported, therefore there is 69 percent that has not been recorded leaving a gap in the knowledge we have about the true violence within Canada (Ottawa Citizen,2012). Gun violence is as Gl obal Mail see’s it an expression on manly rage, but I do not agree with this accusation.Gun violence in Canada is a social issue in relation to gang violence, and although this crime rate is not on the rise it cannot be taken lightly and it is not to be blamed as an expression of manly rage also known as pistolization. As the Globe and Mail states two weeks after the shooting in Toronto’s Eaton’s Centre, Police Chief Bill Blair sees the gang violence at its root (Globe and Mail, Aug 2012). Gang violence is the cause for the largest mass shooting Toronto has ever seen, but it is also the basis for any other reported shooting in the Toronto area, along with the rest of Canada.The solution is to prevent the young men in and around the communities with the highest recorded gang violence from joining or going down the path of gang violence. Catching them at a young age is easy, young men are easily influenced and this is generally how they join a gang in the first pl ace. Therefore, if society gives those who are in a higher risked neighbourhood the attention they need, gang violence may decrease. With this decrease will come the decrease of criminal rates, this includes gun violence.Young men who are brought up in a home with risk factors such as domestic abuse and alcoholism are prone to being initiated into a gang. Solutions such as summer employment programs are the best options for these kids. Helping these children may also change Canadians views on the issue of gun violence. People’s impressions of crime are formed by more than what is captured by official crime stats (Ottawa Citizen, 2012). Statistics Canada does not report all they are informed about, Canadians then take what they hear on the news and what they experience for themselves when understanding violence, this gives them a false understanding.People are not that concerned for their own general safety, this may be because of how little we know but at least from what we d o understand we are trying to change. It would be the best viable option if Canadians were to be informed more in terms of violence in Canada. Crime is a problem even if crime rates are diminishing, and although many of us are not in imminent danger we still need to change for the future. That is why dealing with young men before they curb to the norms of gang violence would be the best long lasting solution.In opposition to this belief, blaming gun violence in Canada on pistolization is not the most appropriate way in dealing with this issue. Although it is obvious that gun crimes are nearly always perpetrated by men does not mean that gun violence is a problem of men’s social-psychological dimensions (Globe and Mail, July 2012). We live in a culture that gun violence is all over the media, whether it be in video games or in movies. There is proof that men tend to be more susceptible to any sort of violence, but just because gun violence falls under this category does not me an there is a social psychological problem.Women can be part of the same crimes as men, the only reason the rate for women is lower is because we still live in a society where the media is still geared towards men. It is also unwise to believe that gun violence coming from men is a form of status anxiety and that the culture has been significantly shaped by pistolization and guns are being used as a weapon for acting out (Globe and Mail, July 2012). Blaming gun violence in Canada on drug dealing because there is no form of legal recourse is a scapegoat.It is true that drug deals can be violent if a merchandiser or customer of drugs does not live up to their end of the bargain, but to blame gun violence in Canada on this is inappropriate. It would be understandable if one was in Columbia, due to the amount of cocaine that is imported and exported from there, but Canada has never been one of the top countries in drug solicitation. These issues are complex, and they are merely speculat ions of the plausible explanation of gun violence in Canada.Gun violence in Canada is not to be blamed on expression of manly rage which is pistolization; it instead is due to the social issue in relation to gang violence and diminishing crime rates. Gang violence is the leading cause to gun violence in Canada, the best long lasting solution to ensure that crime rates do not raise is to deal with young men before they are influenced into joining a gang. Crime rates from Statistics Canada give a false apparition into the true violence that is evident in Canada.Both the media and government know either too much or too little but whatever the case may be they are not giving the full story to the Canadian public. Canadians are little concerned with their safety due to the diminutive knowledge they have been given. Their impression of Canada may change if they had the whole story, but this is not the case. The blame of gun violence being either because of pistolization or drug abuse in C anada is not a viable argument. In turn, gun violence in Canada is due to gang violence and is best dealt with in the neighbourhoods with higher rated crimes before they grow in numbers and moved on to new communities.

Alcohol Abuse Introduction

Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse Signs, Symptoms, and Help for Drinking Problems It’s not always easy to see when your drinking has crossed the line from moderate or social use to problem drinking. But if you consume alcohol to cope with difficulties or to avoid feeling bad, you’re in potentially dangerous territory. Alcoholism and alcohol abuse can sneak up on you, so it’s important to be aware of the warning signs and take steps to cut back if you recognize them. Understanding the problem is the first step to overcoming it. In This Article: * Understanding drinking problems * Signs & symptoms of alcohol abuse Signs & symptoms of alcoholism * Drinking problems and denial * Effects of alcoholism * Getting help for alcohol abuse * When a loved one has a drinking problem Understanding alcoholism and alcohol abuse Alcoholism and alcohol abuse are due to many interconnected factors, including genetics, how you were raised, your social environment, and your emotional heal th. Some racial groups, such as American Indians and Native Alaskans, are more at risk than others of developing alcohol addiction. People who have a family history of alcoholism or who associate closely with heavy drinkers are more likely to develop drinking problems.Finally, those who suffer from a mental health problem such as anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder are also particularly at risk, because alcohol may be used to self-medicate. Since drinking is so common in many cultures and the effects vary so widely from person to person, it’s not always easy to figure out where the line is between social drinking and problem drinking. The bottom line is how alcohol affects you. If your drinking is causing problems in your life, you have a drinking problem. Do you have a drinking problem? You may have a drinking problem if you†¦ Feel guilty or ashamed about your drinking. * Lie to others or hide your drinking habits. * Have friends or family members who are worried a bout your drinking. * Need to drink in order to relax or feel better. * â€Å"Black out† or forget what you did while you were drinking. * Regularly drink more than you intended to. Signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse Substance abuse experts make a distinction between alcohol abuse and alcoholism (also called alcohol dependence). Unlike alcoholics, alcohol abusers have some ability to set limits on their drinking.However, their alcohol use is still self-destructive and dangerous to themselves or others. Common signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse include: * Repeatedly neglecting your responsibilities at home, work, or school because of your drinking. For example, performing poorly at work, flunking classes, neglecting your kids, or skipping out on commitments because you’re hung over. * Using alcohol in situations where it’s physically dangerous, such as drinking and driving, operating machinery while intoxicated, or mixing alcohol with prescription medication ag ainst doctor’s orders. Experiencing repeated legal problems on account of your drinking. For example, getting arrested for driving under the influence or for drunk and disorderly conduct. * Continuing to drink even though your alcohol use is causing problems in your relationships. Getting drunk with your buddies, for example, even though you know your wife will be very upset, or fighting with your family because they dislike how you act when you drink. * Drinking as a way to relax or de-stress. Many drinking problems start when people use alcohol to self-soothe and relieve stress.Getting drunk after every stressful day, for example, or reaching for a bottle every time you have an argument with your spouse or boss. The path from alcohol abuse to alcoholism Not all alcohol abusers become full-blown alcoholics, but it is a big risk factor. Sometimes alcoholism develops suddenly in response to a stressful change, such as a breakup, retirement, or another loss. Other times, it gra dually creeps up on you as your tolerance to alcohol increases. If you’re a binge drinker or you drink every day, the risks of developing alcoholism are greater. Signs and symptoms of alcoholism (alcohol dependence)Alcoholism is the most severe form of problem drinking. Alcoholism involves all the symptoms of alcohol abuse, but it also involves another element: physical dependence on alcohol. If you rely on alcohol to function or feel physically compelled to drink, you’re an alcoholic. Tolerance: The 1st major warning sign of alcoholism Do you have to drink a lot more than you used to in order to get buzzed or to feel relaxed? Can you drink more than other people without getting drunk? These are signs of tolerance, which can be an early warning sign of alcoholism. Tolerance means that, over time, you need more and more alcohol to feel the same effects.Withdrawal: The 2nd major warning sign of alcoholism Do you need a drink to steady the shakes in the morning? Drinking to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms is a sign of alcoholism and a huge red flag. When you drink heavily, your body gets used to the alcohol and experiences withdrawal symptoms if it’s taken away. These include: * Anxiety or jumpiness * Shakiness or trembling * Sweating * Nausea and vomiting * Insomnia | * Depression * Irritability * Fatigue * Loss of appetite * Headache | In severe cases, withdrawal from alcohol can also involve hallucinations, confusion, seizures, fever, and agitation.These symptoms can be dangerous, so talk to your doctor if you are a heavy drinker and want to quit. Other signs and symptoms of alcoholism (alcohol dependence) * You’ve lost control over your drinking. You often drink more alcohol than you wanted to, for longer than you intended, or despite telling yourself you wouldn’t. * You want to quit drinking, but you can’t. You have a persistent desire to cut down or stop your alcohol use, but your efforts to quit have been unsu ccessful. * You have given up other activities because of alcohol.You’re spending less time on activities that used to be important to you (hanging out with family and friends, going to the gym, pursuing your hobbies) because of your alcohol use. * Alcohol takes up a great deal of your energy and focus. You spend a lot of time drinking, thinking about it, or recovering from its effects. You have few if any interests or social involvements that don’t revolve around drinking. * You drink even though you know it’s causing problems. For example, you recognize that your alcohol use is damaging your marriage, making your depression worse, or causing health problems, but you continue to drink anyway.Drinking problems and denial Is my drinking a problem? by Harvard Health Publications Denial is one of the biggest obstacles to getting help for alcohol abuse and alcoholism. The desire to drink is so strong that the mind finds many ways to rationalize drinking, even when t he consequences are obvious. By keeping you from looking honestly at your behavior and its negative effects, denial also exacerbates alcohol-related problems with work, finances, and relationships. If you have a drinking problem, you may deny it by: * Drastically underestimating how much you drink Downplaying the negative consequences of your drinking * Complaining that family and friends are exaggerating the problem * Blaming your drinking or drinking-related problems on others For example, you may blame an ‘unfair boss’ for trouble at work or a ‘nagging wife’ for your marital issues, rather than look at how your drinking is contributing to the problem. While work, relationship, and financial stresses happen to everyone, an overall pattern of deterioration and blaming others may be a sign of trouble.If you find yourself rationalizing your drinking habits, lying about them, or refusing to discuss the subject, take a moment to consider why you’re so d efensive. If you truly believe you don’t have a problem, there should be no reason for you to cover up your drinking or make excuses. Five myths about alcoholism and alcohol abuse Myth #1: I can stop drinking anytime I want to. Maybe you can; more likely, you can’t. Either way, it’s just an excuse to keep drinking. The truth is, you don’t want to stop.Telling yourself you can quit makes you feel in control, despite all evidence to the contrary and no matter the damage it’s doing. Myth #2: My drinking is my problem. I’m the one it hurts, so no one has the right to tell me to stop. It’s true that the decision to quit drinking is up to you. But you are deceiving yourself if you think that your drinking hurts no one else but you. Alcoholism affects everyone around you—especially the people closest to you. Your problem is their problem. Myth #3: I don’t drink every day, so I can’t be an alcoholic OR I only drink wine o r beer, so I can’t be an alcoholic.Alcoholism is NOT defined by what you drink, when you drink it, or even how much you drink. It’s the EFFECTS of your drinking that define a problem. If your drinking is causing problems in your home or work life, you have a drinking problem—whether you drink daily or only on the weekends, down shots of tequila or stick to wine, drink three bottles of beers a day or three bottles of whiskey. Myth #4: I’m not an alcoholic because I have a job and I’m doing okay. You don’t have to be homeless and drinking out of a brown paper bag to be an alcoholic.Many alcoholics are able to hold down jobs, get through school, and provide for their families. Some are even able to excel. But just because you’re a high-functioning alcoholic doesn’t mean you’re not putting yourself or others in danger. Over time, the effects will catch up with you. Myth #5: Drinking is not a â€Å"real† addiction like drug abuse. Alcohol is a drug, and alcoholism is every bit as damaging as drug addiction. Alcohol addiction causes changes in the body and brain, and long-term alcohol abuse can have devastating effects on your health, your career, and your relationships.Alcoholics go through physical withdrawal when they stop drinking, just like drug users do when they quit. Effects of alcoholism and alcohol abuse Alcoholism and alcohol abuse can affect all aspects of your life. Long-term alcohol use can cause serious health complications, affecting virtually every organ in your body, including your brain. Problem drinking can also damage your emotional stability, finances, career, and your ability to build and sustain satisfying relationships. Alcoholism and alcohol abuse can also have an impact on your family, friends and the people you work with.The effects of alcoholism and alcohol abuse on the people you love Despite the potentially lethal damage that heavy drinking does to the body—in cluding cancer, heart problems, and liver disease—the social consequences can be just as devastating. Alcoholics and alcohol abusers are much more likely to get divorced, have problems with domestic violence, struggle with unemployment, and live in poverty. But even if you’re able to succeed at work or hold your marriage together, you can’t escape the effects that alcoholism and alcohol abuse has on your personal relationships.Drinking problems put an enormous strain on the people closest to you. Often, family members and close friends feel obligated to cover for the person with the drinking problem. So they take on the burden of cleaning up your messes, lying for you, or working more to make ends meet. Pretending that nothing is wrong and hiding away all of their fears and resentments can take an enormous toll. Children are especially sensitive and can suffer long-lasting emotional trauma when a parent or caretaker is an alcoholic or heavy drinker. Getting help for alcoholism or alcohol abuseIf you’re ready to admit you have a drinking problem, you’ve already taken the first step. It takes tremendous strength and courage to face alcohol abuse and alcoholism head on. Reaching out for support is the second step. Whether you choose to go to rehab, rely on self-help programs, get therapy, or take a self-directed treatment approach, support is essential. Recovering from alcohol addiction is much easier when you have people you can lean on for encouragement, comfort, and guidance. Without support, it’s easy to fall back into old patterns when things get tough.Getting sober is only the beginning Learn about roadblocks to staying sober Watch 3 min. video: Roadblocks to awareness Your continued recovery depends on continuing mental health treatment, learning healthier coping strategies, and making better decisions when dealing with life’s challenges. In order to stay alcohol-free for the long term, you’ll also ha ve to face the underlying problems that led to your alcoholism or alcohol abuse in the first place. Those problems could be depression, an inability to manage stress, an unresolved trauma from your childhood, or any number of mental health issues.Such problems may become more prominent when you’re no longer using alcohol to cover them up. But you will be in a healthier position to finally address them and seek the help you need. Helping a loved one with alcoholism or alcohol abuse If someone you love has a drinking problem, you may be struggling with a number of painful emotions, including shame, fear, anger, and self-blame. The problem may be so overwhelming that it seems easier to ignore it and pretend that nothing is wrong. But in the long run denying it will be more damaging to you, other family members, and the person with the drinking problem.What Not To Do * Don't attempt to punish, threaten, bribe, or preach. * Don't try to be a martyr. Avoid emotional appeals that ma y only increase feelings of guilt and the compulsion to drink or use other drugs. * Don't cover up or make excuses for the alcoholic or problem drinker or shield them from the realistic consequences of their behavior. * Don't take over their responsibilities, leaving them with no sense of importance or dignity. * Don't hide or dump bottles, throw out drugs, or shelter them from situations where alcohol is present. * Don't argue with the person when they are impaired. Don't try to drink along with the problem drinker. * Above all, don't feel guilty or responsible for another's behavior. Adapted from: National Clearinghouse for Alcohol ; Drug Information Dealing with a loved one’s alcohol problem can be an emotional rollercoaster. It’s vital that you take care of yourself and get the support you need. It’s also important to have people you can talk honestly and openly with about what you’re going through. A good place to start is by joining a group such as Al-Anon, a free peer support group for families coping with alcoholism.Listening to others with the same challenges can be a tremendous source of comfort and support. You can also turn to trusted friends, a therapist, or people in your faith community. * You cannot force someone you love to stop abusing alcohol. As much as you may want to, and as hard as it is to watch, you cannot make someone stop drinking. The choice is up to them. * Don’t expect the person to stop drinking and stay sober without help. Your loved one will need treatment, support, and new coping skills to overcome a serious drinking problem. * Recovery is n ongoing process. Recovery is a bumpy road, requiring time and patience. An alcoholic will not magically become a different person once sober. And the problems that led to the alcohol abuse in the first place will have to be faced. Admitting that there’s a serious problem can be painful for the whole family, not just the alcohol abuser. But don†™t be ashamed. You’re not alone. Alcoholism and alcohol abuse affects millions of families, from every social class, race, and culture. But there is help and support available for both you and your loved one.What Not To Do * Don't attempt to punish, threaten, bribe, or preach. * Don't try to be a martyr. Avoid emotional appeals that may only increase feelings of guilt and the compulsion to drink or use other drugs. * Don't cover up or make excuses for the alcoholic or problem drinker or shield them from the realistic consequences of their behavior. * Don't take over their responsibilities, leaving them with no sense of importance or dignity. * Don't hide or dump bottles, throw out drugs, or shelter them from situations where alcohol is present. Don't argue with the person when they are impaired. * Don't try to drink along with the problem drinker. * Above all, don't feel guilty or responsible for another's behavior. Adapted from: National Clearinghouse for Alcohol & Drug In formation When your teen has a drinking problem Discovering your child is drinking can generate fear, confusion, and anger in parents. It’s important to remain calm when confronting your teen, and only do so when everyone is sober. Explain your concerns and make it clear that your concern comes from a place of love.It’s important that your teen feels you are supportive. Five steps parents can take: 1. Lay down rules and consequences: Your teen should understand that drinking alcohol comes with specific consequences. But don’t make hollow threats or set rules that you cannot enforce. Make sure your spouse agrees with the rules and is prepared to enforce them. 2. Monitor your teen’s activity: Know where your teen goes and who he or she hangs out with. Remove or lock away alcohol from your home and routinely check potential hiding laces for alcohol—in backpacks, under the bed, between clothes in a drawer, for example. Explain to your teen that this la ck of privacy is a consequence of him or her having been caught using alcohol. 3. Encourage other interests and social activities. Expose your teen to healthy hobbies and activities, such as team sports, Scouts, and afterschool clubs. 4. Talk to your child about underlying issues. Drinking can be the result of other problems. Is your child having trouble fitting in? Has there been a recent major change, like a move or divorce, which is causing stress? . Get outside help: You don’t have to go it alone. Teenagers often rebel against their parents but if they hear the same information from a different authority figure, they may be more inclined to listen. Try seeking help from a sports coach, family doctor, therapist, or counselor. Next step†¦ Find the right treatment for you. Many effective alcohol treatment options are available, including rehab programs. However, professional help isn’t the only way to get better. There are also plenty of things you can do to help yourself stop drinking and achieve lasting recovery.