Chapter 9 The Dark Mark

â€Å"Don't tell your mother you've been gambling,† Mr. Weasley implored Fred and George as they all made their way slowly down the purple-carpeted stairs. â€Å"Don't worry, Dad,† said Fred gleefully, â€Å"we've got big plans for this money. We don't want it confiscated.† Mr. Weasley looked for a moment as though he was going to ask what these big plans were, but seemed to decide, upon reflection, that he didn't want to know. They were soon caught up in the crowds now flooding out of the stadium and back to their campsites. Raucous singing was borne toward them on the night air as they retraced their steps along the lantern-lit path, and leprechauns kept shooting over their heads, cackling and waving their lanterns. When they finally reached the tents, nobody felt like sleeping at all, and given the level of noise around them, Mr. Weasley agreed that they could all have one last cup of cocoa together before turning in. They were soon arguing enjoyably about the match; Mr. Weasley got drawn into a disagreement about cobbing with Charlie, and it was only when Ginny fell asleep right at the tiny table and spilled hot chocolate all over the floor that Mr. Weasley called a halt to the verbal replays and insisted that everyone go to bed. Hermione and Ginny went into the next tent, and Harry and the rest of the Weasleys changed into pajamas and clambered into their bunks. From the other side of the campsite they could still hear much singing and the odd echoing bang. â€Å"Oh I am glad I'm not on duty,† muttered Mr. Weasley sleepily. â€Å"I wouldn't fancy having to go and tell the Irish they've got to stop celebrating.† Harry, who was on a top bunk above Ron, lay staring up at the canvas ceiling of the tent, watching the glow of an occasional leprechaun lantern flying overhead, and picturing again some of Krum's more spectacular moves. He was itching to get back on his own Firebolt and try out the Wronski Feint†¦.Somehow Oliver Wood had never managed to convey with all his wriggling diagrams what that move was supposed to look like†¦.Harry saw himself in robes that had his name on the back, and imagined the sensation of hearing a hundred-thousand-strong crowd roar, as Ludo Bagman's voice echoed throughout the stadium, â€Å"I give you†¦.Potter!† Harry never knew whether or not he had actually dropped off to sleep – his fantasies of flying like Krum might well have slipped into actual dreams – all he knew was that, quite suddenly, Mr. Weasley was shouting. â€Å"Get up! Ron – Harry – come on now, get up, this is urgent!† Harry sat up quickly and the top of his head hit canvas. â€Å"‘S' matter?† he said. Dimly, he could tell that something was wrong. The noises in the campsite had changed. The singing had stopped. He could hear screams, and the sound of people running. He slipped down from the bunk and reached for his clothes, but Mr. Weasley, who had pulled on his jeans over his own pajamas, said, â€Å"No time, Harry – just grab a jacket and get outside – quickly!† Harry did as he was told and hurried out of the tent, Ron at his heels. By the light of the few fires that were still burning, he could see people running away into the woods, fleeing something that was moving across the field toward them, something that was emitting odd flashes of light and noises like gunfire. Loud jeering, roars of laughter, and drunken yells were drifting toward them; then came a burst of strong green light, which illuminated the scene. A crowd of wizards, tightly packed and moving together with wands pointing straight upward, was marching slowly across the field. Harry squinted at them†¦.They didn't seem to have faces†¦.Then he realized that their heads were hooded and their faces masked. High above them, floating along in midair, four struggling figures were being contorted into grotesque shapes. It was as though the masked wizards on the ground were puppeteers, and the people above them were marionettes operated by invisible strings that rose from the wands into the air. Two of the figures were very small. More wizards were joining the marching group, laughing and pointing up at the floating bodies. Tents crumpled and fell as the marching crowd swelled. Once or twice Harry saw one of the marchers blast a tent out of his way with his wand. Several caught fire. The screaming grew louder. The floating people were suddenly illuminated as they passed over a burning tent and Harry recognized one of them: Mr. Roberts, the campsite manager. The other three looked as though they might be his wife and children. One of the marchers below flipped Mrs. Roberts upside down with his wand; her nightdress fell down to reveal voluminous drawers and she struggled to cover herself up as the crowd below her screeched and hooted with glee. â€Å"That's sick,† Ron muttered, watching the smallest Muggle child, who had begun to spin like a top, sixty feet above the ground, his head flopping limply from side to side. â€Å"That is really sick†¦.† Hermione and Ginny came hurrying toward them, pulling coats over their nightdresses, with Mr. Weasley right behind them. At the same moment, Bill, Charlie, and Percy emerged from the boys' tent, fully dressed, with their sleeves rolled up and their wands out. â€Å"We're going to help the Ministry!† Mr. Weasley shouted over all the noise, rolling up his own sleeves. â€Å"You lot – get into the woods, and stick together. I'll come and fetch you when we've sorted this out!† Bill, Charlie, and Percy were already sprinting away toward the oncoming marchers; Mr. Weasley tore after them. Ministry wizards were dashing from every direction toward the source of the trouble. The crowd beneath the Roberts family was coming ever closer. â€Å"C'mon,† said Fred, grabbing Ginny's hand and starting to pull her toward the wood. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and George followed. They all looked back as they reached the trees. The crowd beneath the Roberts family was larger than ever; they could see the Ministry wizards trying to get through it to the hooded wizards in the center, but they were having great difficulty. It looked as though they were scared to perform any spell that might make the Roberts family fall. The colored lanterns that had lit the path to the stadium had been extinguished. Dark figures were blundering through the trees; children were crying; anxious shouts and panicked voices were reverberating around them in the cold night air. Harry felt himself being pushed hither and thither by people whose faces he could not see. Then he heard Ron yell with pain. â€Å"What happened?† said Hermione anxiously, stopping so abruptly that Harry walked into her. â€Å"Ron, where are you? Oh this is stupid – lumos!† She illuminated her wand and directed its narrow beam across the path. Ron was lying sprawled on the ground. â€Å"Tripped over a tree root,† he said angrily, getting to his feet again. â€Å"Well, with feet that size, hard not to,† said a drawling voice from behind them. Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned sharply. Draco Malfoy was standing alone nearby, leaning against a tree, looking utterly relaxed. His arms folded, he seemed to have been watching the scene at the campsite through a gap in the trees. Ron told Malfoy to do something that Harry knew he would never have dared say in front of Mrs. Weasley. â€Å"Language, Weasley,† said Malfoy, his pale eyes glittering. â€Å"Hadn't you better be hurrying along, now? You wouldn't like her spotted, would you?† He nodded at Hermione, and at the same moment, a blast like a bomb sounded from the campsite, and a flash of green light momentarily lit the trees around them. â€Å"What's that supposed to mean?† said Hermione defiantly. â€Å"Granger, they're after Muggles, â€Å"said Malfoy. â€Å"D'you want to be showing off your knickers in midair? Because if you do, hang around†¦.they're moving this way, and it would give us all a laugh.† â€Å"Hermione's a witch,† Harry snarled. â€Å"Have it your own way, Potter,† said Malfoy, grinning maliciously. â€Å"If you think they can't spot a Mudblood, stay where you are.† â€Å"You watch your mouth!† shouted Ron. Everybody present knew that â€Å"Mudblood† was a very offensive term for a witch or wizard of Muggle parentage. â€Å"Never mind, Ron,† said Hermione quickly, seizing Ron's arm to restrain him as he took a step toward Malfoy. There came a bang from the other side of the trees that was louder than anything they had heard. Several people nearby screamed. Malfoy chuckled softly. â€Å"Scare easily, don't they?† he said lazily. â€Å"I suppose your daddy told you all to hide? What's he up to – trying to rescue the Muggles?† â€Å"Where're your parents?† said Harry, his temper rising. â€Å"Out there wearing masks, are they?† Malfoy turned his face to Harry, still smiling. â€Å"Well†¦if they were, I wouldn't be likely to tell you, would I, Potter?† â€Å"Oh come on,† said Hermione, with a disgusted look at Malfoy, â€Å"let's go and find the others.† â€Å"Keep that big bushy head down, Granger,† sneered Malfoy. â€Å"Come on,† Hermione repeated, and she pulled Harry and Ron up the path again. â€Å"I'll bet you anything his dad is one of that masked lot!† said Ron hotly. â€Å"Well, with any luck, the Ministry will catch him!† said Hermione fervently. â€Å"Oh I can't believe this. Where have the others got to?† Fred, George, and Ginny were nowhere to be seen, though the path was packed with plenty of other people, all looking nervously over their shoulders toward the commotion back at the campsite. A huddle of teenagers in pajamas was arguing vociferously a little way along the path. When they saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione, a girl with thick curly hair turned and said quickly, â€Å"O est Madame Maxime? Nous l'avons perdue -â€Å" â€Å"Er – what?† said Ron. â€Å"Oh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The girl who had spoken turned her back on him, and as they walked on they distinctly heard her say, â€Å"‘Ogwarts.† â€Å"Beauxbatons,† muttered Hermione. â€Å"Sorry?† said Harry. â€Å"They must go to Beauxbatons,† said Hermione. â€Å"You know†¦Beauxbatons Academy of Magic†¦.I read about it in An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe.† â€Å"Oh†¦yeah†¦right,† said Harry. â€Å"Fred and George can't have gone that far,† said Ron, pulling out his wand, lighting it like Hermione's, and squinting up the path. Harry dug in the pockets of his jacket for his own wand – but it wasn't there. The only thing he could find was his Omnioculars. â€Å"Ah, no, I don't believe it†¦I've lost my wand!† â€Å"You're kidding!† Ron and Hermione raised their wands high enough to spread the narrow beams of light farther on the ground; Harry looked all around him, but his wand was nowhere to be seen. â€Å"Maybe it's back in the tent,† said Ron. â€Å"Maybe it fell out of your pocket when we were running?† Hermione suggested anxiously. â€Å"Yeah,† said Harry, â€Å"maybe†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He usually kept his wand with him at all times in the wizarding world, and finding himself without it in the midst of a scene like this made him feel very vulnerable. A rustling noise nearby made all three of them jump. Winky the house-elf was fighting her way out of a clump of bushes nearby. She was moving in a most peculiar fashion, apparently with great difficulty; it was as though someone invisible were trying to hold her back. â€Å"There is bad wizards about!† she squeaked distractedly as she leaned forward and labored to keep running. â€Å"People high – high in the air! Winky is getting out of the way!† And she disappeared into the trees on the other side of the path, panting and squeaking as she fought the force that was restraining her. â€Å"What's up with her?† said Ron, looking curiously after Winky. â€Å"Why can't she run properly?† â€Å"Bet she didn't ask permission to hide,† said Harry. He was thinking of Dobby: Every time he had tried to do something the Malfoys wouldn't like, the house-elf had been forced to start beating himself up. â€Å"You know, house-elves get a very raw deal!† said Hermione indignantly. â€Å"It's slavery, that's what it is! That Mr. Crouch made her go up to the top of the stadium, and she was terrified, and he's got her bewitched so she can't even run when they start trampling tents! Why doesn't anyone do something about it?† â€Å"Well, the elves are happy, aren't they?† Ron said. â€Å"You heard old Winky back at the match†¦'House-elves is not supposed to have fun'†¦that's what she likes, being bossed around†¦.† â€Å"It's people like you, Ron,† Hermione began hotly, â€Å"who prop up rotten and unjust systems, just because they're too lazy to -â€Å" Another loud bang echoed from the edge of the wood. â€Å"Let's just keep moving, shall we?† said Ron, and Harry saw him glance edgily at Hermione. Perhaps there was truth in what Malfoy had said; perhaps Hermione was in more danger than they were. They set off again, Harry still searching his pockets, even though he knew his wand wasn't there. They followed the dark path deeper into the wood, still keeping an eye out for Fred, George, and Ginny. They passed a group of goblins who were cackling over a sack of gold that they had undoubtedly won betting on the match, and who seemed quite unperturbed by the trouble at the campsite. Farther still along the path, they walked into a patch of silvery light, and when they looked through the trees, they saw three tall and beautiful veela standing in a clearing, surrounded by a gaggle of young wizards, all of whom were talking very loudly. â€Å"I pull down about a hundred sacks of Galleons a year!† one of them shouted. â€Å"I'm a dragon killer for the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures.† â€Å"No, you're not!† yelled his friend. â€Å"You're a dishwasher at the Leaky Cauldron†¦but I'm a vampire hunter, I've killed about ninety so far -â€Å" A third young wizard, whose pimples were visible even by the dim, silvery light of the veela, now cut in, â€Å"I'm about to become the youngest ever Minister of Magic, I am.† Harry snorted with laughter. He recognized the pimply wizard: His name was Stan Shunpike, and he was in fact a conductor on the triple-decker Knight Bus. He turned to tell Ron this, but Ron's face had gone oddly slack, and next second Ron was yelling, â€Å"Did I tell you I've invented a broomstick that'll reach Jupiter?† â€Å"Honestly!† said Hermione, and she and Harry grabbed Ron firmly by the arms, wheeled him around, and marched him away. By the time the sounds of the veela and their admirers had faded completely, they were in the very heart of the wood. They seemed to be alone now; everything was much quieter. Harry looked around. â€Å"I reckon we can just wait here, you know. We'll hear anyone coming a mile off.† The words were hardly out of his mouth, when Ludo Bagman emerged from behind a tree right ahead of them. Even by the feeble light of the two wands, Harry could see that a great change had come over Bagman. He no longer looked buoyant and rosy-faced; there was no more spring in his step. He looked very white and strained. â€Å"Who's that?† he said, blinking down at them, trying to make out their faces. â€Å"What are you doing in here, all alone?† They looked at one another, surprised. â€Å"Well – there's a sort of riot going on,† said Ron. Bagman stared at him. â€Å"What?† â€Å"At the campsite†¦some people have got hold of a family of Muggles†¦.† Bagman swore loudly. â€Å"Damn them!† he said, looking quite distracted, and without another word, he Disapparated with a small pop! â€Å"Not exactly on top of things, Mr. Bagman, is he?† said Hermione, frowning. â€Å"He was a great Beater, though,† said Ron, leading the way off the path into a small clearing, and sitting down on a patch of dry grass at the foot of a tree. â€Å"The Wimbourne Wasps won the league three times in a row while he was with them.† He took his small figure of Krum out of his pocket, set it down on the ground, and watched it walk around. Like the real Krum, the model was slightly duck-footed and round-shouldered, much less impressive on his splayed feet than on his broomstick. Harry was listening for noise from the campsite. Everything seemed much quieter; perhaps the riot was over. â€Å"I hope the others are okay,† said Hermione after a while. â€Å"They'll be fine,† said Ron. â€Å"Imagine if your dad catches Lucius Malfoy,† said Harry, sitting down next to Ron and watching the small figure of Krum slouching over the fallen leaves. â€Å"He's always said he'd like to get something on him.† â€Å"That'd wipe the smirk off old Draco's face, all right,† said Ron. â€Å"Those poor Muggles, though,† said Hermione nervously. â€Å"What if they can't get them down?† â€Å"They will,† said Ron reassuringly. â€Å"They'll find a way.† â€Å"Mad, though, to do something like that when the whole Ministry of Magic's out here tonight!† said Hermione. â€Å"I mean, how do they expect to get away with it? Do you think they've been drinking, or are they just -â€Å" But she broke off abruptly and looked over her shoulder. Harry and Ron looked quickly around too. It sounded as though someone was staggering toward their clearing. They waited, listening to the sounds of the uneven steps behind the dark trees. But the footsteps came to a sudden halt. â€Å"Hello?† called Harry. There was silence. Harry got to his feet and peered around the tree. It was too dark to see very far, but he could sense somebody standing just beyond the range of his vision. â€Å"Who's there?† he said. And then, without warning, the silence was rent by a voice unlike any they had heard in the wood; and it uttered, not a panicked shout, but what sounded like a spell. â€Å"MORSMORDRE!† And something vast, green, and glittering erupted from the patch of darkness Harry's eyes had been struggling to penetrate; it flew up over the treetops and into the sky. â€Å"What the -?† gasped Ron as he sprang to his feet again, staring up at the thing that had appeared. For a split second, Harry thought it was another leprechaun formation. Then he realized that it was a colossal skull, comprised of what looked like emerald stars, with a serpent protruding from its mouth like a tongue. As they watched, it rose higher and higher, blazing in a haze of greenish smoke, etched against the black sky like a new constellation. Suddenly, the wood all around them erupted with screams. Harry didn't understand why, but the only possible cause was the sudden appearance of the skull, which had now risen high enough to illuminate the entire wood like some grisly neon sign. He scanned the darkness for the person who had conjured the skull, but he couldn't see anyone. â€Å"Who's there?† he called again. â€Å"Harry, come on, move!† Hermione had seized the collar of his jacket and was tugging him backward. â€Å"What's the matter?† Harry said, startled to see her face so white and terrified. â€Å"It's the Dark Mark, Harry!† Hermione moaned, pulling him as hard as she could. â€Å"You-Know-Who's sign!† â€Å"Voldemort's – ?† â€Å"Harry, come on!† Harry turned – Ron was hurriedly scooping up his miniature Krum – the three of them started across the clearing – but before they had taken a few hurried steps, a series of popping noises announced the arrival of twenty wizards, appearing from thin air, surrounding them. Harry whirled around, and in an instant, he registered one fact: Each of these wizards had his wand out, and every wand was pointing right at himself, Ron, and Hermione. Without pausing to think, he yelled, â€Å"DUCK!† He seized the other two and pulled them down onto the ground. â€Å"STUPEFY!† roared twenty voices – there was a blinding series of flashes and Harry felt the hair on his head ripple as though a powerful wind had swept the clearing. Raising his head a fraction of an inch he saw jets of fiery red light flying over them from the wizards' wands, crossing one another, bouncing off tree trunks, rebounding into the darkness – â€Å"Stop!† yelled a voice he recognized. â€Å"STOP! That's my son!† Harry's hair stopped blowing about. He raised his head a little higher. The wizard in front of him had lowered his wand. He rolled over and saw Mr. Weasley striding toward them, looking terrified. â€Å"Ron – Harry† – his voice sounded shaky – â€Å"Hermione – are you all right?† â€Å"Out of the way, Arthur,† said a cold, curt voice. It was Mr. Crouch. He and the other Ministry wizards were closing in on them. Harry got to his feet to face them. Mr. Crouch's face was taut with rage. â€Å"Which of you did it?† he snapped, his sharp eyes darting between them. â€Å"Which of you conjured the Dark Mark?† â€Å"We didn't do that!† said Harry, gesturing up at the skull. â€Å"We didn't do anything!† said Ron, who was rubbing his elbow and looking indignantly at his father. â€Å"What did you want to attack us for?† â€Å"Do not lie, sir!† shouted Mr. Crouch. His wand was still pointing directly at Ron, and his eyes were popping – he looked slightly mad. â€Å"You have been discovered at the scene of the crime!† â€Å"Barty,† whispered a witch in a long woolen dressing gown, â€Å"they're kids, Barty, they'd never have been able to -â€Å" â€Å"Where did the Mark come from, you three?† said Mr. Weasley quickly. â€Å"Over there,† said Hermione shakily, pointing at the place where they had heard the voice. â€Å"There was someone behind the trees†¦they shouted words – an incantation -â€Å" â€Å"Oh, stood over there, did they?† said Mr. Crouch, turning his popping eyes on Hermione now, disbelief etched all over his face. â€Å"Said an incantation, did they? You seem very well informed about how that Mark is summoned, missy -â€Å" But none of the Ministry wizards apart from Mr. Crouch seemed to think it remotely likely that Harry, Ron, or Hermione had conjured the skull; on the contrary, at Hermione's words, they had all raised their wands again and were pointing in the direction she had indicated, squinting through the dark trees. â€Å"We're too late,† said the witch in the woolen dressing gown, shaking her head. â€Å"They'll have Disapparated.† â€Å"I don't think so,† said a wizard with a scrubby brown beard. It was Amos Diggory, Cedric's father. â€Å"Our Stunners went right through those trees†¦.There's a good chance we got them†¦.† â€Å"Amos, be careful!† said a few of the wizards warningly as Mr. Diggory squared his shoulders, raised his wand, marched across the clearing, and disappeared into the darkness. Hermione watched him vanish with her hands over her mouth. A few seconds later, they heard Mr. Diggory shout. â€Å"Yes! We got them! There's someone here! Unconscious! It's – but – blimey†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You've got someone?† shouted Mr. Crouch, sounding highly disbelieving. â€Å"Who? Who is it?† They heard snapping twigs, the rustling of leaves, and then crunching footsteps as Mr. Diggory reemerged from behind the trees. He was carrying a tiny, limp figure in his arms. Harry recognized the tea towel at once. It was Winky. Mr. Crouch did not move or speak as Mr. Diggory deposited his elf on the ground at his feet. The other Ministry wizards were all staring at Mr. Crouch. For a few seconds Crouch remained transfixed, his eyes blazing in his white face as he stared down at Winky. Then he appeared to come to life again. â€Å"This – cannot – be,† he said jerkily. â€Å"No -â€Å" He moved quickly around Mr. Diggory and strode off toward the place where he had found Winky. â€Å"No point, Mr. Crouch,† Mr. Diggory called after him. â€Å"There's no one else there.† But Mr. Crouch did not seem prepared to take his word for it. They could hear him moving around and the rustling of leaves as he pushed the bushes aside, searching. â€Å"Bit embarrassing,† Mr. Diggory said grimly, looking down at Winky's unconscious form. â€Å"Barty Crouch's house-elf†¦.I mean to say†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Come off it, Amos,† said Mr. Weasley quietly, â€Å"you don't seriously think it was the elf? The Dark Mark's a wizard's sign. It requires a wand.† â€Å"Yeah,† said Mr. Diggory, â€Å"and she had a wand.† â€Å"What?† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"Here, look.† Mr. Diggory held up a wand and showed it to Mr. Weasley. â€Å"Had it in her hand. So that's clause three of the Code of Wand Use broken, for a start. No non-human creature is permitted to carry or use a wand.† Just then there was another pop, and Ludo Bagman Apparated right next to Mr. Weasley. Looking breathless and disorientated, he spun on the spot, goggling upward at the emerald-green skull. â€Å"The Dark Mark!† he panted, almost trampling Winky as he turned inquiringly to his colleagues. â€Å"Who did it? Did you get them? Barry! What's going on?† Mr. Crouch had returned empty-handed. His face was still ghostly white, and his hands and his toothbrush mustache were both twitching. â€Å"Where have you been, Barty?† said Bagman. â€Å"Why weren't you at the match? Your elf was saving you a seat too – gulping gargoyles!† Bagman had just noticed Winky lying at his feet. â€Å"What happened to her?† â€Å"I have been busy, Ludo,† said Mr. Crouch, still talking in the same jerky fashion, barely moving his lips. â€Å"And my elf has been stunned.† â€Å"Stunned? By you lot, you mean? But why -?† Comprehension dawned suddenly on Bagman's round, shiny face; he looked up at the skull, down at Winky, and then at Mr. Crouch. â€Å"No!† he said. â€Å"Winky? Conjure the Dark Mark? She wouldn't know how! She'd need a wand, for a start!† â€Å"And she had one,† said Mr. Diggory. â€Å"I found her holding one, Ludo. If it's all right with you, Mr. Crouch, I think we should hear what she's got to say for herself.† Crouch gave no sign that he had heard Mr. Diggory, but Mr. Diggory seemed to take his silence for assent. He raised his own wand, pointed it at Winky, and said, â€Å"Ennervate!† Winky stirred feebly. Her great brown eyes opened and she blinked several times in a bemused sort of way. Watched by the silent wizards, she raised herself shakily into a sitting position. She caught sight of Mr. Diggory's feet, and slowly, tremulously, raised her eyes to stare up into his face; then, more slowly still, she looked up into the sky. Harry could see the floating skull reflected twice in her enormous, glassy eyes. She gave a gasp, looked wildly around the crowded clearing, and burst into terrified sobs. â€Å"Elf!† said Mr. Diggory sternly. â€Å"Do you know who I am? I'm a member of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures!† Winky began to rock backward and forward on the ground, her breath coming in sharp bursts. Harry was reminded forcibly of Dobby in his moments of terrified disobedience. â€Å"As you see, elf, the Dark Mark was conjured here a short while ago,† said Mr. Diggory. â€Å"And you were discovered moments later, right beneath it! An explanation, if you please!† â€Å"I – I – I is not doing it, sir!† Winky gasped. â€Å"I is not knowing how, sir!† â€Å"You were found with a wand in your hand!† barked Mr. Diggory, brandishing it in front of her. And as the wand caught the green light that was filling the clearing from the skull above, Harry recognized it â€Å"Hey – that's mine!† he said Everyone in the clearing looked at him. â€Å"Excuse me?† said Mr. Diggory, incredulously. â€Å"That's my wand!† said Harry. â€Å"I dropped it!† â€Å"You dropped it?† repeated Mr. Diggory in disbelief. â€Å"Is this a confession? You threw it aside after you conjured the Mark?† â€Å"Amos, think who you're talking to!† said Mr. Weasley, very angrily. â€Å"Is Harry Potter likely to conjure the Dark Mark?† â€Å"Er – of course not,† mumbled Mr. Diggory. â€Å"Sorry†¦carried away†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I didn't drop it there, anyway,† said Harry, jerking his thumb toward the trees beneath the skull. â€Å"I missed it right after we got into the wood.† â€Å"So,† said Mr. Diggory, his eyes hardening as he turned to look at Winky again, cowering at his feet. â€Å"You found this wand, eh, elf? And you picked it up and thought you'd have some fun with it, did you?† â€Å"I is not doing magic with it, sir!† squealed Winky, tears streaming down the sides of her squashed and bulbous nose. â€Å"I is†¦I is†¦I is just picking it up, sir! I is not making the Dark Mark, sir, I is not knowing how!† â€Å"It wasn't her!† said Hermione. She looked very nervous, speaking up in front of all these Ministry wizards, yet determined all the same. â€Å"Winky's got a squeaky little voice, and the voice we heard doing the incantation was much deeper!† She looked around at Harry and Ron, appealing for their support. â€Å"It didn't sound anything like Winky, did it?† â€Å"No,† said Harry, shaking his head. â€Å"It definitely didn't sound like an elf.† â€Å"Yeah, it was a human voice,† said Ron. â€Å"Well, we'll soon see,† growled Mr. Diggory, looking unimpressed. â€Å"There's a simple way of discovering the last spell a wand performed, elf, did you know that?† Winky trembled and shook her head frantically, her ears flapping, as Mr. Diggory raised his own wand again and placed it tip to tip with Harry's. â€Å"Prior Incantato!† roared Mr. Diggory. Harry heard Hermione gasp, horrified, as a gigantic serpent-tongued skull erupted from the point where the two wands met, but it was a mere shadow of the green skull high above them; it looked as though it were made of thick gray smoke: the ghost of a spell. â€Å"Deletrius!† Mr. Diggory shouted, and the smoky skull vanished in a wisp of smoke. â€Å"So,† said Mr. Diggory with a kind of savage triumph, looking down upon Winky, who was still shaking convulsively. â€Å"I is not doing it!† she squealed, her eyes rolling in terror. â€Å"I is not, I is not, I is not knowing how! I is a good elf, I isn't using wands, I isn't knowing how!† â€Å"You've been caught red-handed, elf!† Mr. Diggory roared. â€Å"Caught with the guilty wand in your hand!† â€Å"Amos,† said Mr. Weasley loudly, â€Å"think about it†¦precious few wizards know how to do that spell†¦.Where would she have learned it?† â€Å"Perhaps Amos is suggesting,† said Mr. Crouch, cold anger in every syllable, â€Å"that I routinely teach my servants to conjure the Dark Mark?† There was a deeply unpleasant silence. Amos Diggory looked horrified. â€Å"Mr. Crouch†¦not†¦not at all. â€Å"You have now come very close to accusing the two people in this clearing who are least likely to conjure that Mark!† barked Mr. Crouch. â€Å"Harry Potter – and myself. I suppose you are familiar with the boy's story, Amos?† â€Å"Of course – everyone knows -† muttered Mr. Diggory, looking highly discomforted. â€Å"And I trust you remember the many proofs I have given, over a long career, that I despise and detest the Dark Arts and those who practice them?† Mr. Crouch shouted, his eyes bulging again. â€Å"Mr. Crouch, I – I never suggested you had anything to do with it!† Amos Diggory muttered again, now reddening behind his scrubby brown beard. â€Å"If you accuse my elf, you accuse me, Diggory!† shouted Mr. Crouch. â€Å"Where else would she have learned to conjure it?† â€Å"She – she might've picked it up anywhere -â€Å" â€Å"Precisely, Amos,† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"She might have picked it up anywhere†¦.Winky?† he said kindly, turning to the elf, but she flinched as though he too was shouting at her. â€Å"Where exactly did you find Harry's wand?† Winky was twisting the hem of her tea towel so violently that it was fraying beneath her fingers. â€Å"I – I is finding it†¦finding it there, sir†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she whispered, â€Å"there†¦in the trees, sir. â€Å"You see, Amos?† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"Whoever conjured the Mark could have Disapparated right after they'd done it, leaving Harry's wand behind. A clever thing to do, not using their own wand, which could have betrayed them. And Winky here had the misfortune to come across the wand moments later and pick it up.† â€Å"But then, she'd have been only a few feet away from the real culprit!† said Mr. Diggory impatiently. â€Å"Elf? Did you see anyone?† Winky began to tremble worse than ever. Her giant eyes flickered from Mr. Diggory, to Ludo Bagman, and onto Mr. Crouch. Then she gulped and said, â€Å"I is seeing no one, sir†¦no one†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Amos,† said Mr. Crouch curtly, â€Å"I am fully aware that, in the ordinary course of events, you would want to take Winky into your department for questioning. I ask you, however, to allow me to deal with her.† Mr. Diggory looked as though he didn't think much of this suggestion at all, but it was clear to Harry that Mr. Crouch was such an important member of the Ministry that he did not dare refuse him. â€Å"You may rest assured that she will be punished,† Mr. Crouch added coldly. â€Å"M-m-master†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Winky stammered, looking up at Mr. Crouch, her eyes brimming with tears. â€Å"M-m-master, p-p-please†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Mr. Crouch stared back, his face somehow sharpened, each line upon it more deeply etched. There was no pity in his gaze. â€Å"Winky has behaved tonight in a manner I would not have believed possible,† he said slowly. â€Å"I told her to remain in the tent. I told her to stay there while I went to sort out the trouble. And I find that she disobeyed me. This means clothes.† â€Å"No!† shrieked Winky, prostrating herself at Mr. Crouch's feet. â€Å"No, master! Not clothes, not clothes!† Harry knew that the only way to turn a house-elf free was to present it with proper garments. It was pitiful to see the way Winky clutched at her tea towel as she sobbed over Mr. Crouch's feet. â€Å"But she was frightened!† Hermione burst out angrily, glaring at Mr. Crouch. â€Å"Your elf's scared of heights, and those wizards in masks were levitating people! You can't blame her for wanting to get out of their way!† Mr. Crouch took a step backward, freeing himself from contact with the elf, whom he was surveying as though she were something filthy and rotten that was contaminating his over-shined shoes. â€Å"I have no use for a house-elf who disobeys me,† he said coldly, looking over at Hermione. â€Å"I have no use for a servant who forgets what is due to her master, and to her master's reputation.† Winky was crying so hard that her sobs echoed around the clearing. There was a very nasty silence, which was ended by Mr. Weasley, who said quietly, â€Å"Well, I think I'll take my lot back to the tent, if nobody's got any objections. Amos, that wand's told us all it can – if Harry could have it back, please -â€Å" Mr. Diggory handed Harry his wand and Harry pocketed it. â€Å"Come on, you three,† Mr. Weasley said quietly. But Hermione didn't seem to want to move; her eyes were still upon the sobbing elf. â€Å"Hermione!† Mr. Weasley said, more urgently. She turned and followed Harry and Ron out of the clearing and off through the trees. â€Å"What's going to happen to Winky?† said Hermione, the moment they had left the clearing. â€Å"I don't know,† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"The way they were treating her!† said Hermione furiously. â€Å"Mr. Diggory, calling her ‘elf' all the time†¦and Mr. Crouch! He knows she didn't do it and he's still going to sack her! He didn't care how frightened she'd been, or how upset she was – it was like she wasn't even human!† â€Å"Well, she's not,† said Ron. Hermione rounded on him. â€Å"That doesn't mean she hasn't got feelings, Ron. It's disgusting the way -â€Å" â€Å"Hermione, I agree with you,† said Mr. Weasley quickly, beckoning her on, â€Å"but now is not the time to discuss elf rights. I want to get back to the tent as fast as we can. What happened to the others?† â€Å"We lost them in the dark,† said Ron. â€Å"Dad, why was everyone so uptight about that skull thing?† â€Å"I'll explain everything back at the tent,† said Mr. Weasley tensely. But when they reached the edge of the wood, their progress was impeded. A large crowd of frightened-looking witches and wizards was congregated there, and when they saw Mr. Weasley coming toward them, many of them surged forward. â€Å"What's going on in there?† â€Å"Who conjured it?† â€Å"Arthur – it's not – Him?† â€Å"Of course it's not Him,† said Mr. Weasley impatiently. â€Å"We don't know who it was; it looks like they Disapparated. Now excuse me, please, I want to get to bed.† He led Harry, Ron, and Hermione through the crowd and back into the campsite. All was quiet now; there was no sign of the masked wizards, though several ruined tents were still smoking. Charlie's head was poking out of the boys' tent. â€Å"Dad, what's going on?† he called through the dark. â€Å"Fred, George, and Ginny got back okay, but the others -â€Å" â€Å"I've got them here,† said Mr. Weasley, bending down and entering the tent. Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered after him. Bill was sitting at the small kitchen table, holding a bedsheet to his arm, which was bleeding profusely. Charlie had a large rip in his shirt, and Percy was sporting a bloody nose. Fred, George, and Ginny looked unhurt, though shaken. â€Å"Did you get them, Dad?† said Bill sharply. â€Å"The person who conjured the Mark?† â€Å"No,† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"We found Barry Crouch's elf holding Harry's wand, but we're none the wiser about who actually conured the Mark.† â€Å"What?† said Bill, Charlie, and Percy together. â€Å"Harry's wand?† said Fred. â€Å"Mr. Crouch's elf?† said Percy, sounding thunderstruck. With some assistance from Harry, Ron, and Hermione, Mr. Weasley explained what had happened in the woods. When they had finished their story, Percy swelled indignantly. â€Å"Well, Mr. Crouch is quite right to get rid of an elf like that!† he said. â€Å"Running away when he'd expressly told her not to†¦embarrassing him in front of the whole Ministry†¦how would that have looked, if she'd been brought up in front of the Department for the Regulation and Control -â€Å" â€Å"She didn't do anything – she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time!† Hermione snapped at Percy, who looked very taken aback. Hermione had always got on fairly well with Percy – better, indeed, than any of the others. â€Å"Hermione, a wizard in Mr. Crouch's position can't afford a house-elf who's going to run amok with a wand!† said Percy pompously, recovering himself. â€Å"She didn't run amok!† shouted Hermione. â€Å"She just picked it up off the ground!† â€Å"Look, can someone just explain what that skull thing was?† said Ron impatiently. â€Å"It wasn't hurting anyone†¦.Why's it such a big deal?† â€Å"I told you, it's You-Know-Who's symbol, Ron,† said Hermione, before anyone else could answer. â€Å"I read about it in The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts.† â€Å"And it hasn't been seen for thirteen years,† said Mr. Weasley quietly. â€Å"Of course people panicked†¦it was almost like seeing You-Know-Who back again.† â€Å"I don't get it,† said Ron, frowning. â€Å"I mean†¦it's still only a shape in the sky†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Ron, You-Know-Who and his followers sent the Dark Mark into the air whenever they killed,† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"The terror it inspired†¦you have no idea, you're too young. Just picture coming home and finding the Dark Mark hovering over your house, and knowing what you're about to find inside†¦.† Mr. Weasley winced. â€Å"Everyone's worst fear†¦the very worst†¦Ã¢â‚¬  There was silence for a moment. Then Bill, removing the sheet from his arm to check on his cut, said, â€Å"Well, it didn't help us tonight, whoever conjured it. It scared the Death Eaters away the moment they saw it. They all Disapparated before we'd got near enough to unmask any of them. We caught the Robertses before they hit the ground, though. They're having their memories modified right now.† â€Å"Death Eaters?† said Harry. â€Å"What are Death Eaters?† â€Å"It's what You-Know-Who's supporters called themselves,† said Bill. â€Å"I think we saw what's left of them tonight – the ones who managed to keep themselves out of Azkaban, anyway.† â€Å"We can't prove it was them, Bill,† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"Though it probably was,† he added hopelessly. â€Å"Yeah, I bet it was!† said Ron suddenly . â€Å"Dad, we met Draco Malfoy in the woods, and he as good as told us his dad was one of those nutters in masks! And we all know the Malfoys were right in with You-Know-Who!† â€Å"But what were Voldemort's supporters -† Harry began. Everybody flinched – like most of the wizarding world, the Weasleys always avoided saying Voldemort's name. â€Å"Sorry,† said Harry quickly. â€Å"What were You-Know-Who's supporters up to, levitating Muggles? I mean, what was the point?† â€Å"The point?† said Mr. Weasley with a hollow laugh. â€Å"Harry, that's their idea of fun. Half the Muggle killings back when You-Know-Who was in power were done for fun. I suppose they had a few drinks tonight and couldn't resist reminding us all that lots of them are still at large. A nice little reunion for them,† he finished disgustedly. â€Å"But if they were the Death Eaters, why did they Disapparate when they saw the Dark Mark?† said Ron. â€Å"They'd have been pleased to see it, wouldn't they?† â€Å"Use your brains, Ron,† said Bill. â€Å"If they really were Death Eaters, they worked very hard to keep out of Azkaban when You-Know-Who lost power, and told all sorts of lies about him forcing them to kill and torture people. I bet they'd be even more frightened than the rest of us to see him come back. They denied they'd ever been involved with him when he lost his powers, and went back to their daily lives†¦.I don't reckon he'd be over-pleased with them, do you?† â€Å"So†¦whoever conjured the Dark Mark†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Hermione slowly, â€Å"were they doing it to show support for the Death Eaters, or to scare them away?† â€Å"Your guess is as good as ours, Hermione,† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"But I'll tell you this†¦it was only the Death Eaters who ever knew how to conjure it. I'd be very surprised if the person who did it hadn't been a Death Eater once, even if they're not now†¦.Listen, it's very late, and if your mother hears what's happened she'll be worried sick. We'll get a few more hours sleep and then try and get an early Portkey out of here.† Harry got back into his bunk with his head buzzing. He knew he ought to feel exhausted: It was nearly three in the morning, but he felt wide-awake – wide-awake, and worried. Three days ago – it felt like much longer, but it had only been three days – he had awoken with his scar burning. And tonight, for the first time in thirteen years, Lord Voldemort's mark had appeared in the sky. What did these things mean? He thought of the letter he had written to Sirius before leaving Privet Drive. Would Sirius have gotten it yet? When would he reply? Harry lay looking up at the canvas, but no flying fantasies came to him now to ease him to sleep, and it was a long time after Charlie's snores filled the tent that Harry finally dozed off.

Global Market Place Activities Essay

Internet America is a wireless ISP (WISP) that operates within the southern United States. Currently we have been expanding the use of WiMAX hardware to provide our customer base a better user experience with fewer issues. Our older hardware has become unusable due to the vendor being restricted from sales in the United States so we made the recent decision to utilize WiMAX hardware developed by an Israeli company. This has brought on the added challenge of maintaining the hardware in the event of a Middle East conflict that potentially could choke off supplies of the equipment in the United States. This ongoing conflict has no foreseeable end in sight so the CEO made the decision to negotiate into the contract with the Israeli company to provide us onsite spares for all major hardware to mitigate the chances of service interruptions to our customers in the event of an escalation of events in that region of the world. Risk Sources The first identified risk for Internet America is the potential loss of our climate control systems that cool our corporate data center location. This location has a large number of temperature sensitive devices that are currently cooled by systems that are aging (8-12 years old) and are heavily utilized most of the year due to the location of our corporate offices in Houston Texas. This location necessitates that we run these systems continually for nine to eleven months of the year. This heavy utilization and the hardware’s age pose a very real risk to the serviceability of our corporate structure and support of our customers. Being a WISP, the company relies heavily on the ability to move data to and from the customers. Our corporate headquarters are fed by a point to point fiber connection to our datacenter at Cyrus 1 in Houston TX. As with any buried cabling there is the potential for a cabling cut due to construction or as is more likely for our current location road repairs. The access streets in our location are in disrepair and are being constantly serviced due to the heavy trucks that utilize them constantly. Attacks to our core devices and support structures are common and attempts to breach our systems occur on an almost daily basis. We have determined that most of these  attempts are mainly just beginner computer enthusiasts that are trying out something they read on the internet or inadvertently tried to access our systems. This is evident in the amateur attacks that are attempted, however several times a month we get attempts from more advanced hackers that really test our abilities to detect and stop the attack. A large number of these more advanced hacks are initiated from China. Being located in Houston TX our fourth identified risk would be damage to our Cyrus 1 datacenter location. This building was chosen due to its design and the lengths that the facilities owner has gone through to provide a stable and reliable infrastructure. Even with the most adept preparation there is no way to fully prepare a location in the event of a major natural disaster. Houston is well known for being impacted by hurricanes, tornadoes, and flooding. All of which could potentially destroy any structure in the city if the conditions are just right. The fifth identified risk is the potential for our WiMAX vender to be unable to provide hardware support in the event of an escalation of tensions in the Middle East. The conflicts in this region are well documented and have lasted for many decades with little to no end in sight. In the event of an escalation of terrorist activities against the Israeli nation we may see our hardware support be limited until the activity recedes or peace talks begin again. As with any service industry, Internet America in not immune to the possibility of personnel loss due to the turndown in the economy. Internet service for most people would be considered a necessity in today’s society so the effects of a bad economy do not affect us as hard as other industries; however our core customer base is in rural areas and those customers do not have as cemented a need for internet service. This leaves the company vulnerable to revenue loss and possible staff reductions in a bad economic environment. The availability of commercial power is fairly ubiquitous across the United States, and most companies take for granted that the service will stay on  when needed. This however is not always the case and eventually most businesses will be afflicted with the loss of power during business hours. For Internet America this could be catastrophic as the loss of commercial power would render the customer support teams unable to service our clients and detect/resolve any outages that occur throughout the network. The final and least likely risk Internet America faces is the possibility that we may fail a fire code inspection in the corporate offices. Due to the installed fire suppression systems in the datacenter, the company is required to undergo an annual fire safety inspection. In the event of a failure the facilities would not be usable until the needed repairs are completed. This could potentially disrupt our ability to service our clients properly.

Mega events on their effct Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mega events on their effct - Essay Example This work will take into consideration the Muslim event of Hajj as the central theme of discussion and aim to find the effect of Hajj on tourism industry in the region where this pilgrimage occurs annually. Literature suggests further research in the area of consumer behaviour in mega events tourism (Jago, 1997: 113). On the basis of this, it is important to understand the behaviour of those who attend such mega events. Value perceptions have been approached in mega events (Doukas, 2007: 62). However, further research is required to better understand religious mega events attendees’ behaviour, and particularly, value perceptions and place attachment. As far as the research gap is concerned, academic research to highlight the importance of place attachment regarding the holy places of Saudi Arabia is scarce. It is well-known that religion can contribute significantly to place attachment and this attachment is learned through performing rituals and visiting places (Mazumdar, & Mazumdar, 2004: 385-397.). Muslims from all over the world gather together at the holy cities of Saudi Arabia for performing rituals and visiting their sacred places; an act that contributes to their place attachment. It should be understood that place attachment in this case is different from others, since religious emotions are involved in this case. Therefore, place attachment serves additional purpose in this case. If tourists have a purpose of visit, other than entertainment, the behaviour and choices may differ. Since Muslims visit Saudi Arabia due to their religious beliefs, they have a special kind of relationship with this place. Research should be directed towards revealing the differences in behaviour of people if they have a place attachment different from the normal ones. Additionally, an analysis of the perceived value of this form of tourism is an area that has

Facing the enigma of Californias Water Crisis Essay

Facing the enigma of Californias Water Crisis - Essay Example These include water conservation, recycling and ground water desalination. The San Francisco/Bay Area's agribusinesses, wildlife habitats, and fisheries are gravely endangered by state and federal agencies' plans to increase water diversions from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, rivers, and estuaries. Already, water exports are killing fish indigenous to the area and poisoning water quality in upstream rivers and the delta. Increasingly, these diversions will only add to the problem, while subsidizing corporate produce growers in the San Joaquin Valley and urban sprawl in Southern California. The planned diversion is unnecessary because there are possible solutions through conservation, water recycling, and ground water desalination. The growing demand for water, at a low cost, can be met without further imperiling Northern California's wildlife and water quality. Water use in California is very high due to a combination of factors. One, it being an agricultural state, and the other, is its population rate continues to rise rapidly. Keene's (2003) research finds that, "California's population is projected to increase by 600,000 every year." Water is a precious and limited resource. Yet there are few who are aware of this. We waste our water down the drain all the time. Since it is a public resource, we treat it as our property and not value it as much. California, like many other places, is well known to face problems related to power and oil. Yet what is much less known is the growing water crisis. As California's population keeps growing and new industries emerging, the demand for water and consumption also increases. So diversions were created in "the Bay-Delta Estuary, which includes the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, Suisun Marsh and the embayments upstream of the Golden Gate. The Delta and Suisun Marsh are located where California's two major river systems, the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, converge to flow westward through San Francisco Bay" (State Water Resource Control Board, 1998). California diverts more than half of the water that naturally flows through this ecosystem. The water was drained faster than the rain could refill it. As billions and billions of gallons were diverted, there appeared to be concerns about the quality and shortage of water. This idea of water diversions is not something new. "For 150 years, the Bay-Delta has suffered from human activity. Frequent pumping from the Bay-Delta has made it no longer function adequately as either a water supply or a healthy habitat for fish and other wildlife" (The Bay-Delta, 2004). So what are these diversions According to the hyper dictionary the word diversions have three different meanings. 1. The direction of water in a stream away from its natural course. 2. The draft of water from one channel to another 3. The interception of runoff by something which discharges it through unnatural channels In plain words these water diversions are man-made and unnatural. The Delta is an important part of California. Reviews of research on the Bay-Delta (2004) find, businesses from Sacramento to the Bay Area and all the way down to southern part of California in San Diego--all rely on the Bay-Delta water. Whatever the kind of industry--computer sciences, healthcare or construction--most need large volumes of

The Enlightenment Era Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Enlightenment Era - Essay Example This era condemned going with old, traditional ways of thinking only so that rational and carefully thought-of theories are formulated that are in time with the current events, of 18th century thereof. (E. Cassirer et al., 2007). Philosophy is a complete organism or system that is concerned with the human character and the world that exists. What this interaction basically is and how the human mind or the person itself interacts with the world he lives in. Philosophy is a question. It provokes mankind to answer questions and theories, and subjects a human to how life is lived and how is he living it, or how he is treating other people etc. This philosophy does not have some physical form, rather mostly through the expression in words. (Thomas, 2005) Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy. This is related to things like what reality is and what existence is defined as. And how do both of these function together. The enlightenment Era gave birth to this idea. Sometimes, this era is also known as the "age of criticism" and rightly said so because all formerly beliefs were questioned so that science and logic could follow through. Kant studied metaphysics closely and his knowledge of the functioning of society was based on metaphysics. He said that society has to retreat from what effect objects bring to the mind. He said that the new philosophy should be how the mind affects everything around it and those same objects. (Hunt, 2004). As far as the eighteenth century philosophers are concerned, they did some great work to bring this era to light. Some of these include Kant in Germany, the Encyclopedists in France, David Hume (1711-76) in Scotland and d'Holbach (1723-89). These philosophers became famous for their own different ideologies and concepts related to philosophy. There are many other popular and renowned names also that are worth mentioning like Plato, Ren Descartes, Aristotle etc. (Hunt, 2004). There have been many different philosophical ideas including rationalism, empiricism, the Encyclopedists, the analytic and synthetic, logic and also determinism. Philosophy is dependent on all of these. Other ideas that floated through this century are science, religion, morality, truth, reason, faith, belief, class, power, rationality etc. And all philosophers have written or shown their works through the expression of one of these or the other. The major philosophers of this age were Kant and Voltaire. Victor Hugo Voltaire is a huge name in the world of philosophy when we talk about the eighteenth century. Apart from Voltaire, Kant and John Locke have been great thinkers too. Locke defined empiricism and his works greatly relate to this field of philosophy. (Hunt, 2004). John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau are some other names in the Enlightenment Era who have been said to create great works as thinkers in this period. The most famous of these works being "noble savage" and endorsement of the idea of free trade principle. The patron of these works was Rousseau. Because of this afore-mentioned work, relations pertaining to political and economic criteria were greatly affected. Many views changed and the association promoted this free trade concept. However, Roman Catholic views and theories were then

ANISHINABBE STUDIES ( FINAL PAPER) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

ANISHINABBE STUDIES ( FINAL PAPER) - Essay Example At the time of its passage in 1876, the law was primarily a consolidation of numerous laws regarding the Native Indians previously enacted by the British colonial government in North America. However, currently, the scope of the act is wide ranging covering governance of the Indians such as the Anishinabbe, native lad use, education, healthcare among other aspects of the aboriginal lives. This paper presents an expanded perspective of the Indian Act with particular emphasis to its possible connections or impact on the people of Anishinabbe. The original justification of the Indian act was to assimilate the members of the first nations into the Canadian civilization through a process known as enfranchisement. Prior to a federal recognition as an Indian within Canada or the broader U.S, a person should be in a position to abide by very unique government regulation standards. In this light, the Canadian Indian Act has more meaning than a set of laws that have managed to control every perspective of Indian life for more than a century. In the capacity of a regulatory regime, the act provides a means through which people can understand Native identity whilst coordinating a conceptual framework which has been key in shaping the current Native lives in a manner that looks rather familiar and tending to natural. This paper explores different aspects of the Indian Act including the amendments and policies that have been enacted through the Indian Act. The Indian Act refers to Canada-based federal law governing in matters regarding bands, status as well as Indian reserves. The Act has a broader scope that revolves around issues like governance, education, healthcare as well as land use. History reveals a paternalistic and highly invasive perspective of this act, since it grants the Canadian federal government the authority to control and oversee the affairs plus daily lives of all reserve communities and

Effects of Engery Drinks on the Human Body Essay

Effects of Engery Drinks on the Human Body - Essay Example The energy drinks are beneficial and effective when consumed in right quantity and in right combination where the individual responses vary from person to person. All possible negative effects known to date are only because of their inappropriate usage and all the effects are reversed once refrained from these drinks. The negative effects of energy drinks are; Blood pressure and heart related problems: Caffeine and taurine in the energy drinks effects the functioning of heart and affect blood pressure and also alter the effectiveness of their medications. The increased body metabolism by the energy drinks causes impairment in blood pressure which could adversely affect cardiac functioning. Hence people with Hypertension and heart problems are advised to refrain from energy drinks. Combination effects: Generally all energy drinks contain caffeine. Caffeine in combination with other drinks exerts different effects. However when combined with alcohol like vodka it is proved to be lethal due to the combination of two opposite qualities where alcohol is a depressant and energy drink is a stimulant (Istvan and Matarazzo, 1984) where as caffeine in combination with glucose with herbal flavoring fractions improve aspects

Global Inequality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Global Inequality - Essay Example hermore, it has provided an effective platform to developing countries to develop themselves through different available opportunities in this global village. However, it is observed that such globalization has not been very beneficial for many countries, and it has affected them in a negative manner. Specifically, this paper will discuss and analyze some of the significant aspects of effects of globalization in especially developing countries. In the past, developing countries used to await the opportunity of globalization due to its characteristic of boosting economy, as well as, improvement of society standards in the country. However, recent wave of globalization has been quite different due to a number of social, economical, and cultural factors, which has resulted in an economic strain of developing economies due to globalization. In this regard, attempt of globalization has now become a debatable question for the developing countries, which will be discussed in this paper. In order to understand the consequences, it is very imperative to identify some of the pros and cons of the term globalization. In specific, it is observed that developing countries acquire the opportunities to increase their national income through presence of competition in globalized platform. In the result, such countries are able to access the capital on global level, and in other words, capital is not restricted to national level, resulting in greater opportunities for the improvement of living standards. (Prasad et. al, 2003) As earlier mentioned, information technology has played a crucial role in the advancement of globalization, and therefore, globalization allows developing countries to equip themselves with technological tools that are now essential for economic, social, as well as, cultural growth. Additionally, globalization is not only beneficial for countries on national level; however, it brings developmental and promotional opportunities for individuals as well, as an

Sony Walkman Essay Example for Free

Sony Walkman Essay Sony is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It ranked 73 on the 2011 list of Fortune Global 500. Sony is one of the leading manufacturers of electronics products for the consumer and professional markets. Walkman is a Sony brand trade name originally used for portable audio cassette players, and now used to market Sony’s portable audio players as well as a line of former Sony Ericsson mobile phone. The original walkman introduces a changed in music listening habits by allowing people to carry music with them and listen to music through lightweight headphone. The device was built in 1978 by audio-division engineer Nobutoshi Kihara for Sony chairman Akio Morita, who wanted to be able to listen to operas during his frequent tans pacific plane trips. The original walkman was marketed in 1979 as the walkman in Japan. Then other countries including the US were attracted by walkman. In the United States, the retail list prices of the walkman models I and ii are about $100 and $180. Sony sold in a variety of retail outlets, because they realize that competitors will come soon so they try to get market as much as possible. And competitive products with a range of feature are sold in essentially the same retail outlets at list prices ranging from $75 to $250. There are many competitors entry the market because the market has low barriers to entry with low cost. But Sony has advantages of the business. Sony has its famous brand name and he is the early bird of the market, what they need do is to emphasis the market.

Stress Management in the Workplace

Stress Management in the Workplace The study of human relations looks at the interaction between people in the workplace. From study of Masters in Business and personal experience, I understand the one major problem for human relations and therefore corporations is how to manage stressful events/issues in the workplace. Highly stressed workers are less productive, change jobs much more frequently, and experience more negative health consequences than their less stressed colleagues (North Western National Life, 1991, 1992). This is exactly the reason why good management is needed to combat the problem of stress. This critical reflection will examine stress management from my personal point of view and reflect on the topics learnt regarding human relations in the workplace. This critical reflection utilizes the knowledge and experience I have gained from my fathers workplace, HDFC Bank Ltd India. This company like most banks can be a very stressful and fast paced workplace and like most companies there is conflict, co-o perative efforts and group relationships. From my fathers management in his company I understand that an employee is not just made up of his/her skills. An employee is a person, a human being, and an effective way of managing human relations is to utilize not just that persons skills but the diversity they bring to the company when individual employees make up a team. Companies must limit the amount of conflict within the workplace in order to increase productivity and maximize the efficiency of their workers. Conflict arises due to a difference in values, interest, cultures and can also arise due to miscommunication. It is important when dealing with conflict, that managers understand the underlying factors of why certain conflict arises. With understanding co-workers, employees become compassionate and empathise with each other as they start to understand and grow to know one another. On the other hand, too much agreement between employees is said to be unhealthy for a company. This does not necessarily mean conflict but rather relates to debate over certain issues. Debate is healthy for companies especially if it generates higher productivity. However, I believe, it is necessary for managers to make sure employees behave in a polite and constructive manner. In my opinion, it is also important for managers to have effective negotiation skills. With the arise of conflict, comes in need for managers to resolve conflict and disputes in a fair and equal manner. The two types of negotiation, distributive and integrative negotiation can be achieved with the effective management. Distributive negotiation refers to one party winning and the other party losing whereas integrative negotiation is a win-win situation. Unfortunately the latter cannot always be achieved and with conflict there is sometimes a losing party. Therefore conflict resolution, as a manager it is important to express the need to compromise when conflicts arise. As a manger, I am striving to create my skill in negotiating, more importantly I believe managers like myself, should increase their skill in collaboration and accommodating negotiation skills. In aiming to reduce stress in the workplace, negotiation skills such as finding a common ground, a common interest can divert a ttention away from the conflict and therefore end the stress. Stress in the workplace does not only come from conflicts between employees. In a bank it is very fast paced and the amount of work that the employees have can also cause stressful tensions. This type of stress is known as the treadmill syndrome. Another type of stress can be caused by interruptions in day-to-day processes. This means that employees that are interrupted many times have higher stress levels. However, other types of stress can come from managers and the employers themselves. Uncertainty in company policies, employee contracts or future employment can also result in tension. From personal experience I believe the manager must always aim to achieve a good relationship with co-workers and also aim to decrease the level of stress through effective management skills. I also believe that treating employees as individuals, respecting the diversity in the workplace can also lead to happy and less tensed employees. In my fathers company one effective way of achieving this is to be inclusive with all employees. This can be difficult when dealing with large teams however being able to make employees feel safe, secure and included can reduce the amount of stress in the job. An example of this is where employees share their knowledge and skills so that the team is not only made up of individuals working alone completing separate tasks, but instead works as a group to achieve a common goal. The effective control of self-esteem is also an important element in stress management. Self-esteem when properly managed, can allow employees to feel engaged and happy in the workplace. An effective level of self-esteem will create an effective worker. From personal experience creating a balanced self-esteem within employees is all about personal development. Setting goals and giving employees the knowledge and skills to achieve those goals can boost self-esteem, create confidence in the employees abilities and decrease the level of stress. Another way of creating confidence is by developing a reward system. A reward system allows for praise to be given when employees deserve it however the management of the system should be carefully scrutinised so that employee do not become dissatisfied when they cannot achieve goals. From personal experience I have seen this system in use and by giving employees praise and rewards for doing a good job the workplace can be comparative and employe es feel good about success thus creating high self-esteem and happy effective workers. Happy effective workers may be easy to establish, however the continuation of this emotion and the deliverance of a low stress workplace can only be achieved through effective management. My view of effective management begins with the ability for managers to be able to set an example of how they want their employees to work. This is closely related to the topic of self- management, which enables a manager to lead by example. The concept of leader and follower is very important to establish for managers. Being able to direct and instruct employees in an appropriate manner can also effectively manage stress. I have seen this when personally dealing with lecturers and teachers. An effective leader, manager or teacher should be able to make people feel calm, valued and secure through their attitude towards work and also the manner in which they conduct themselves. In personal experience teachers have made me feel calm, valued and secure by their positive attitude, friendly personality a nd ability to live what they preach (they lead by example). The managers ability to lead by example also relates to gathering information on employees likes and dislikes and making sure communication between employees is at an effective level. The main aims of communication are knowledge management; decision making; coordinating work activities; fulfilling relatedness needs; inform; express feelings and influence. (Evans, (2010) Communication: Interpersonal Effectiveness, [PowerPoint Slides] retrieved from www.jcu.edu). Although these aims are not directly related to stress management, it can be devised that if these aims are achieved the employees work load and general day-to-day tasks will become less stressful. In this day and age, intellectual technology has allowed fir communication to become more efficiently received. However, communication which has been received electronically has more of a chance at being misread. Email, memos, voicemails etc. can create greater conflicts than there would be with face to face communication. Through p ersonal experience and observing my father I have learnt that extensive training in electronic communication and how to write without mistakenly offending people is very important. Face-to-face communication also allows for employees to disclose certain information, allowing people to become comfortable with each other and work more closely as a team. The stress reduction factor in the ability for employees to communication effectively is seen when communication lowers the risk of conflicts and also decreases the amount of mistakes employees make due to miscommunication. In my fathers company I have heard of many mistakes made due to miscommunication, such as Bank Policies on human relations and employment conditions causing panic and unrest with employees and decreasing efficiency. The miscommunication between bank departments and the creation of rumours results in high levels of stress which could be avoided if better management had been in place. The kind of manager that I want t o be relates closely with the Johari window and the four panes of relationships. I believe that by developing a close, professional relationship with employees can generate trust and great communication skills. I also believe that a manager should have the ability to criticise employees in a way which will make them more efficient at their job. Constructive criticism, as many call this, is the ability to point out a persons behaviour in a way which makes that person examine their behaviour but is done in a positive manner. Learning to restructure the way in which I give criticism so that my communication is positive and employees are able to learn from the criticism I give them. I learnt from my father that the way he manages his employees, that positive language generates more positive responses to productivity. This ability to disclose information, communicate and take criticism can only happen if there is a certain level of trust already gained between co-workers. An example, Emp loyees perceptions of low role overload-quantitative, role overload qualitative and lack of career development as sources of stress most likely result in low job stress; in turn, this would benefit both the organizations and the employees themselves. Low job stress should result in better job satisfaction and organizational commitment, since researchers have found significant negative associations between job stress and both job satisfaction and organizational commitment (Jamal Badawi, 1995). Although communication is vital, being able to communicate with a diverse range of employees can be difficult. That is why it is necessary for managers to learn how to communicate in different styles. For example, in the workplace there may be employees which are able to process instructions which are verbally communicated. However, others may be more visually inclined and therefore managers will need the self-disclosure and close relationship with co-workers to develop and understand what communication styles are needed. However, managers are not able to control every little event that happens in the workplace and conflict can still arise even with good management. A managers ability to observe, notice and counter act any possible conflict is a great skill to have. However, no manager is able to control peoples emotions in this can develop into conflict. The managers job in this case is to educate employees on the proper ways of controlling and handling their emotions in times of high stress. In my point of view, I believe that company retreats where employees get to know one another in an environment other than the workplace can lead to high levels of trust between co-workers and also creates opportunities to develop their ability to handle emotional stressful events. From my personal experience in studying I have learnt how to deal with stressful events and control my emotions so that I make rational decisions through observing how my father deals with stress (Exercise and Hobbies) and also through seminars which have taught me how to understand how people think and react to different saturations. As mentioned above, positive language, communication and good management are all good ways to deal with stress in the workplace. One other way to create a stress free environment is to motivate employees in the belief that if workers are motivated and believe in their job conflicts will be diminished, emotions and irrational behaviours will decrease and staff will be happy within themselves and productive. Motivation, I find is a very hard skill to learn and can sometimes take years to develop. From the personal experience I have witnessed great management and motivational skills from one of my teachers. Her motivational skills came from her passion for her subject and the belief in what she was doing. Her passion and excitement motivated her whole class and her creativity and ingenuity for teaching and learning pedagogies catered to a diverse yet successful classroom. Along with motivational skills comes the ability to be able to observe and distinguish learning capabilities. Not every individual has the ability to learn in the same way, and as mentioned before, some may be visual learners others may be auditory and lastly, managers may come across tactile learners. In believe the ability to encourage employees to continue their lifelong learning is an important skill and through learning comes the ability to gain knowledge and ultimately understanding and consideration for others. As a manager, I believe it is this consideration which is also important to stress management. From personal experience I know that knowledge can bring wisdom and the ability to act rationally when conflicts arise. According to my point of view work life balance can be achieved through proper prioritising between work, career and ambition on the one hand and life, pleasure, leisure and family on the other hand. Through this the manager should be able to promote workplace health and understand the work or family conflict. Stress can be related to this, if an employee is does not have a good work life balance he will undergoing stress in all the ways. I believe that there should be a work life balance in the working environment where the employees should be happy and they can give their own effort to achieve the common goal. An example, Singaporean employee perceptions of a supportive HR environment will be negatively related to their perceptions of role overload and responsibility. (International Journal of Stress Management July 2002). In summary, it is very important for managers to learn this significance of stress management. As a manager I believe it is important to keep in mind the organisations, although made up of individuals are essentially individuals that work together. There may be different departments with different managers and therefore different ways of dealing with tasks however, these departments work as a whole in order to successfully achieve a common goal. This is a significance of why stress management is important. If employees are stressed and goals are not achieved, productivity and the company suffer. As expressed above in the critical reflection stress can arise from many situations caused from over work, interruptions or general conflicts between employees. In dealing with stress in the workplace it is important to continue learning new skills in how to deal with conflicts. Some of the factors underlying conflicts which were examined above included miscommunication, lack of knowledge or understanding over diverse workplace etc. The importance of these factors allows for managers to develop a process or plan helping to deal with these factors. I.E self-disclosure will hopefully create a better working environment due to greater knowledge and understanding of each other and thus the ability to communicate more efficiently and effectively with each other. With conflict comes the need for negotiation in order to resolve conflicts and establish a united workplace. My personal experiences and study has allowed me to develop into the kind of manager I believe is most efficient. This involves the ability to communicate effectively with a diverse range of learning abilities and also able to negotiate to the best of my ability so that compromises can be reached when conflicts arise. But most importantly, I believe in setting a good example for my co-workers which includes continuing my learning through professional development, sharing my knowledge and skills with fellow co- workers, listening and learning from my co-workers and lastly gaining the ability to be emphatic and understanding of diverse cultures and people which I may come across both personally and professionally.

The Best Ideology To Achieve The Common Good Politics Essay

The Best Ideology To Achieve The Common Good Politics Essay Is there a best ideology to achieve the common good? Throughout centuries there have been different ideologies that have been put in place to control people of different nations. History has shown that most ideologies such as Communism, Fascism, and Socialism, have all failed do to the fact that it imposes a strong restriction upon people. This is factual, as history has shown in the downfall of the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany in their treacherous ways of controlling its people. Reform liberalism, Classical liberalism, and Conservatism are ideologies that guarantees people freedom and democracy but there are many criticisms that underlie these philosophies. This essay will analyse all the six ideologies that persisted throughout history and also in todays society, but come to a conclusion on what ideology specifically works best for the conditions society faces in this modern day and age. Communism is a system in which private property has been replaced by collective or communal ownership and in which everyone would be free to take from society what they need (Mintz et al, p.114). Modern day Communism is based on the writings of two German economists, Karl Marx and Fredrich Engels. Karl Marx saw history as the story of human labour and struggle. Friedrich Engel a friend of Marx was a big critic of capitalism. Their partnership and ideas gave birth to what we know as communism. Communism, a branch of socialism, is a social system, characterized by lack of private property. The community as a whole owns the means of production and thus the profit is shared equally with everyone. In theory, labour would be divided up among all citizens according to ability and interest and resources would be distributed according to need. There would also be no ruler, no president, king, or dictator. The assumption is that private ownership of property somehow corrupts humans, making the m greedy, selfish, arrogant and uncooperative. Communism believes that human nature is determined by external social and economic relations, so if the community is fair and equal, people will automatically be more kind, virtuous and unselfish (Sheldon, p.66). Fascism is a political theory that emphasizes a unified powerful state to which all individuals and groups submit (Sheldon, p.102). The original fascist movement was that of Italian leader Benito Mussolini in Italy, organized in March 1921,although its origins lie in the first world war and ,more deeply , in the intellectual reaction against liberalism which began in the latter half of the nineteenth century (Bogdanor,p.227). Unhappy with the liberal emphasis on the individual and with the socialist emphasis on contending social classes, the fascist provided a view of the world in which individuals and classes were to absorbed into an all embracing whole a mighty empire under the control of a single party and a supreme leader (Ball et al.p.173). Nazism is a version of fascism associated with Adolf Hitler, the Nazi leader of Germany, emphasizing racial conflict and the superiority of the Aryan race (Mintz et al, p.117). In most respect Nazism in Germany closely resembled Fascism in It aly. Both had a hatred for liberalism and communism. For Hitler and his followers, the essential fact of human life is that human beings belong to different races. There is no such thing as a universal human nature, in their view, because the differences that distinguish one race from another mark each race for a different role or destiny in the world. The swift destruction of fascist states and philosophy after World War II ended this ideology, except in Spain where it continued into the 1970s. Latin American countries such as Argentina with close ties to Germany and Spain had fascist military government but lacked the influence of European fascist regimes (Sheldon, p.103). Socialism is an economic and social system and ideology that denies the absolute individual right to private property ownership and insists that society as a whole (or its state) should control production and distribution of wealth (Bogadanor, p.487). Socialist theory is often contrasted with capitalism developed in Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries in response to industrialism. Socialist theories and systems varied widely over the extent of private property and trade allowed, the state management of the economy, and the community regulation of individual behaviour advocated and an agricultural commune style of society focused on advanced, mass industrial production, social democracy blends private entrepreneurship with state regulation for the economy and state ownership of key industries (e.g., telecommunications and transportation) (Sheldon, p.280). The main premise of socialism is that people will work harder and be more creative, kind, and happy if all their basic materi al needs are taken care of by society. Reform Liberalism is a version of liberalism that combines support for individual freedom with a belief that government action may be needed to help remove obstacles to individual development (Mintz et al, p.104). But reform liberalism maintains that government is not just necessary evil. On the contrary, properly directed government can be a positive strength for encouraging individual independence by ensuring that everyone enjoys an equal opportunity in life. Reform liberalism argues that government should play a role in assisting the disadvantage through such measures as employment insurance, old age pensions, healthcare, and education. This will create a proper way of freedom for the less fortunate and it will ensure that a minimum standard of living is available to everyone. Reform liberalism also argues that property rights may need to be limited, to some extent in order to advance the rights and freedom of others. An example would a freedom of a factory owner may need to be li mited by the government regulations in order to protect labourers from unsafe working conditions, consumers from harmful products, and the environment from the discharge of pollutants (Mintz et al,p.105). Reform liberalists think authority should be used to support free trade, but also protect the parts of society that are vulnerable. They believe that governments should facilitate redistribution. In all reform liberalism is based on the notion that everyone is equal when it comes to opportunity. Classical Liberalism is a form of liberalism that emphasizes the desirability for limited government and the free marketplace (Mintz et al, p.104). Todays classical liberals agree that individual freedom ranks above material equality, that the states sphere has to be more strictly limited than it is today and that freedom is the guarantor of wealth for the people (WordPress,2010). Classical liberalism, however, is not such a rational body of thought, as it sometimes appears to be, partly because the original liberal tradition was also one of considerable diversity. Although more sceptical of state coercion than the new liberals in general, the old liberals held widely differing views about the states responsibilities. It is a blend of political liberalism and economic liberalism which is derived from Enlightenment thinkers such as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Adam Smith, Voltaire, John Stuart Mill, and Immanuel Kant (Sheldon, p.89). Classical liberalists think that political authority should be used carefully to ease free markets, free trade and to protect the individuals right to private property and other economic freedoms. Conservatism is a political viewpoint that sees value in conserving past traditions, especially the timeless truths about human nature and society in the Judaeo-Christian religion (Sheldon, p.71). The leading modern conservative was Edmund Burke, an Englishmen philosopher and a statesman, who believed that the perennial truths of western civilization Ancient Greek and Roman philosophy and law, Western Christianity, classical literature such as that of Shakespeare, high art architecture, and music reflect the best thing in the world and must be taught to young people to produce civilized, decent, and moral human beings and a healthy, orderly society (Sheldon, p.72). Conservatism sees past traditions caring for the future world that we leave our children. Conservatism hates innovation, disrespect, and change for the sake. Conservatives typically oppose government policies designed to move society in the direction of greater equality (for example redistribution of income, wealth, and pr operty from the rich to the poor). In a conservative perspective, people are naturally unequal (Mintz et al, p.107). (Sheldon, 2001). Conservative basic ideas include self-reliance, Personal responsibility; Private property rights limited government powers. Conservatism in the 21st century, as a whole is on the bases of us versus them the right and the left, which is dangerous in the world we live in nowadays because of the threat of terrorist acts being witnessed. Conservatives are known us the right wing in the political spectrum. Today their ideas are more focused on diving rather than uniting. This type of politics is very typical and being witnessed in the United States. There is really no best ideology to achieve the common good. The world is full of problems like poverty and war. So come to come to a conclusion on the perfect ideology is absolutely impossible. Ideologies are based on different beliefs and values, which every human being shares differently. The one ideology that approach within reach in not achieving the common good but just equality for people would have to be reform liberalism. Reform liberalism to me promotes fairness and equality for people of all. It gives each individual a chance at better life but also the government to intervene and help whenever a person is need of assistance. Though were all equivalent but at the same time we have equal opportunities to achieve whatever it is we desire. Reform liberalism to me is the closes way to achieve the common good but also is the best ideology that benefits most and is praise upon by the majority of society. In conclusion ideologies have shaped the world but also history. The rise and fall of the communist and fascist regime proves that human beings are not to be controlled. Instead be in charge of their own destiny. Ideologies such as liberalism and conservatism have work because of the freedom it ensures its people. Limiting the government in our everyday lives and less control is what is desired amongst society. In retrospect the more we learn about failed past ideologies the better it is for humanity to learn from and progress into a better future.

Juvenile Psychopaths :: Violent Crimes Teenagers Morals Essays

Juvenile Psychopaths What is the "super predator"? He or she are young hypercriminals who are committing acts of violence of unprecedented coldness and brutality. This newest phenomena in the world of crime is perhaps the most dangerous challenge facing society and law enforcement ever. While psychopaths are not new, this breed of super criminal exceeds the scope of psychopathic behavior. They are younger, more brutal, and completely unafraid of the law. While current research on the super predator is scarce, I will attempt to give an indication as to the reasons a child could become just such a monster. Violent teenage criminals are increasingly vicious. John DiIulio, Professor of Politics and Public Affairs at Princeton University, says that "The difference between the juvenile criminals of the 1950s and those of the 1970s and early 1980s was the difference between the Sharks and the Jets of West Side Story and the Bloods and the Crips. It is not inconceivable that the demographic surge of the next ten years will bring with it young criminals who make the Bloods and the Crips look tame." (10) They are what Professor DiIulio and others call urban "super predators"; young people, often from broken homes or so-called dysfunctional families, who commit murder, rape, robbery, kidnapping, and other violent acts. These emotionally damaged young people, often are the products of sexual or physical abuse. They live in an aimless and violent present; have no sense of the past and no hope for the future; they commit unspeakably brutal crimes against other people, often to gratify whatever urges or desires drive them at the moment and their utter lack of remorse is shocking.(9) Studies reveal that the major cause of violent crime is not poverty but family breakdown - specifically, the absence of a father in the household. Today, right now, one-fourth of all the children in the United States are living in fatherless homes - this adds up to 19 million children without fathers. Compared to children in two parent family homes, these children will be twice as likely to drop out of school, twice as likely to have children out of wedlock, and they stand more than three times the chance of ending up in poverty, and almost ten times more likely to commit violent crime and ending up in jail. (1) The Heritage Foundation - a Conservative think tank - reported that the rise in violent crime over the past 30 years runs directly

Perceiving the Flavor of Fat :: Obesity Health Essays

Perceiving the Flavor of Fat When we crave our favorite foods and snacks, those tasty visions in our heads don't usually resemble that of a large, juicy carrot stick or a sumptuous rice cake. We want fat. It's delicious, it's filling, and it just makes everything taste better. It can also make you considerably overweight, not to mention the heart disease and other complications that can result if dietary fat is not consumed in moderation. The appealing taste of fat may very well attribute for the fact that one in three Americans is overweight ("FDA Approves,"1996). Is there anything that can be done about this terrible problem that affects us all? Many researchers say there is. You can either choose to face the facts and simply steer clear of the nasty culprit, or you can fool your taste buds into perceiving the taste of fat without the real stuff ever actually passing your lips. However, before discussing these options, let's talk a little more about fat itself and some of the things it's responsible for. With the large percentage of Americans that are overweight today, it's no surprise that so many physicians are continually recommending diet changes to their patients. However, the majority of these doctors say that the largest barrier keeping Americans from changing their diets is food taste preference (Soltesz, Price, Johnson, & Telljohan, 1994). The patients don't want to switch to a high-fiber low-fat diet because low-fat high-fiber foods don't taste as good as high-fat low-fiber foods. A big bowl of bran flakes just doesn't have the same calming, pleasurable effects as a big bowl of Blue Bell ice cream. Of course, large individual differences must be acknowledged. Some people may actually prefer the taste of bland foods. In fact, one study done on anorexic individuals found that these people actually disliked the taste of foods rich in fat (Simon, Bellisle, Monneuse, Samuel-Lajeunesse, et. al. 1993). Much of what we now know about fat and its effects comes from studies done on mice and rats. For example, Rockwood (1990) found that adult rats and developing rats prefer a diet with a relatively high level of fat. In addition to showing that animals as well as humans prefer the taste of fat, there also appears to be a link between fat consumption and behavior. Hilakivi-Clarke, Cho, and Onsjafe (1996) uncovered some startling evidence suggesting that a high-fat diet may induce aggressive behavior in male mice and rats.

Relationship between Satyagraha and Swaraj for Gandhi Essay

The word ‘Satya’ means ‘Truth’ and ‘Graha’ means ‘Force’, Satyagraha therefore means ‘Truth force’ or the force obtained by the practice of truth. The term Satyagraha is largely associated with non-violence. Gandhi advocated Satyagraha as a means to attain ‘Swaraj’ or ‘self-governance’. Satyagraha is a political philosophy propagated and practiced by Gandhi and his followers. The practitioners of this philosophy are called ‘satyagrahis’. The satyagrahis are guided by the principles advocated by Gandhi based on Yoga Sutra; non-violence, truth, non-stealing, chastity, non-possession and fearlessness. The essential elements of Satyagraha are civil-disobedience and non-cooperation as a means to attain freedom. Civil-disobedience entailed breaking a law which is found as unjust and courting arrest. Non-co-operation meant â€Å"refusing to co-operate with the opponent, refusing to submit to the injustice being fought† (What is Satyagraha? ). â€Å"Gandhiji felt that laws which were totally against the welfare of the people could be fought peacefully by organizing mass-protests in a civil way’ (Jyotsna Kamat) The basic principles of Satyagraha are essentially based on non-violence. It is observed as a basic fact that violence brings more violence. Violence causes destruction, damage to people and property and any violent protest, even for a right cause, invariably leaves a negative mark on the society. Non-violence on the contrary is free from the negative aspects of violence, yet non-violent protests send a very strong message and are successful. Gandhi believed that by demonstrating protests in a non-violent manner it is possible to completely transform the antagonist and effect a positive change. He believed that transformation in the antagonist mindset can only be brought about by non-violent means. He worked to ‘convert’ the antagonist, to truly transform him from within which forms the core values of Satyagraha. Thus the political philosophy of Satyagraha with non-violence as its essence is an ideology that came to be widely accepted and practiced. It is a concept that has been instrumental to the independence of India. The concept of ‘civilized’ protests with no damage to public property and protesting without resorting to violence of any sort is commendable. Gandhi’s idea of civil disobedience and civil non-cooperation emphasizes a respect for the general rule of the law and is focused on protesting only against any law that is felt as unjust. â€Å"Swaraj lays stress on governance not by a hierarchical government, but self governance through individuals and community building. The focus is on political decentralization† (Wikipedia). The basic idea of Swaraj was to evolve a political system where the power ultimately lies in the hands of the people, building a government ‘for the people and by the people’. â€Å"The real goal of the freedom struggle was not only to secure political azadi (independence) from Britain, but rather to gain true swaraj (liberation and self-rule)† (What is Swaraj?) as Gandhi explains â€Å"It is Swaraj when we learn to rule ourselves†. Swaraj is Gandhi’s endeavor to build a political system where the common man is empowered and he had a spiritual outlook towards his political philosophy which is reflected in the principles of Swaraj. According to Gandhi, â€Å"at the individual level Swaraj is vitally connected with the capacity for dispassionate self-assessment, ceaseless self-purification and growing self-reliance†. He believed that it is important for people to rule themselves properly and never be a disturbance to the society. Swaraj is when everyone is his own ruler and the government facilitates this individual and community development. Works Cited Jyotsna Kamat. 14 April 2005. Mahatma Gandhi: Story of Satyagraha.  © 1996-2009 Kamat’s Potpourri. http://www. kamat. com/mmgandhi/satyagraha. htm. 18 July 2009 Satyagraha. Wikipedia Foundation Inc. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Satyagraha. 18 July 2009 What is Satyagraha?. Gandhi Research Foundation. www. gandhifoundation. net. 18 July 2009 What is Swaraj?. The Swaraj Foundation. www. swaraj. org . 18 July 2009