The Relationship Between Czar Nicholas And Kaiser Wilhelm

1. The relationship between Czar Nicholas and Kaiser Wilhelm was tense, but friendly. Through their letters, you can tell that these two men had a friendship that neither wished to end. They talked about being saddened that their friendship may come to an end due to this was. 2. The tone taken in these letters are friendly, but urgent. Both leaders required an immediate response due to possibility of a war being so immediate. Towards the end of the document, Kaiser Wilhelm without much resistance told Czar Nicholas not to pass his border, or his troops will die. Even though his response is forthright, there is an underlying tone of sadness. 3. Kaiser Wilhelm is referring to the fact Russia had to protect Serbia even though Serbia was in the wrong. This leads people to highly criticize Russia, because they have to protect Serbia even if what they did was wrong. 4. Kaiser Wilhelm suggests for Czar Nicholas to be a spectator in the war. He should take no action, and let Austria have its way with Serbia. This way, Russia remains safe from any conflict. 5. The Kaiser finds Russia’s mobilization of troop again Austria and Hungary to be troublesome. This lead Kaiser Wilhelm to mobilize his own troops and prepare for a defense. 6. The Czar advises the Kaiser to mobilize his troop, but not take any action against Russia. Both sides would seem as if they are helping their allies, but they would still remain neutral. 7. Kaiser Wilhelm says this because he has withheld uponShow MoreRelatedOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesof the world’s human population for the first time in history. He gives considerable attention to changes in city planning, patterns of urban growth, and important differences between industrialized Europe and North America and the developing world, as well as the contrasts in urban design and living conditions between different sorts of political regimes— communist, capitalist, colonial, and fascist. Particularly revealing are Spodek’s discussions of the influence of prominent urban planners

The, You re A Fag Masculinity And Sexuality - 1399 Words

What is masculinity? Answers may vary depending on who you may ask, C.J. Pascoe’s ethnography titled Dude, You’re A Fag: Masculinity and Sexuality in High School targets high school as being the important location where the term masculinity is asserted, defended and defined by the students who roam the halls of River High. High school is a difficult time for anyone, especially when we bring up the ideals of sexuality and gender identity, all topics which are explored in this ethnography. Pascoe spent around eighteen months of fieldwork in the racially diverse working middle-class River High School. Dude You’re A Fag sheds a new light on masculinity as a meaning as well as a set of social practices. C. J. Pascoe s unconventional approach examines masculinity as not only a gendered process but also a sexual one. Pascoe demonstrates how the threat of the word fag becomes a disciplinary mechanism for regulating heterosexual as well as homosexual boys and how th e fag discourse is as much tied to gender as it is to sexuality. Pascoe set up her book in an interesting way; she begins her book with a brief literature review on the evolution of feminist, gender, and then later moving towards masculinity, while at the same time highlighting their intersections with racial and queer theory (Fag Discourse). This worked well for anyone who may be new to the anthropology/sociology world, such as me. Dude You’re A Fag was an easy and enjoyable read, there were clear language asShow MoreRelated`` Dude You re A Fag : Masculinity And Sexuality Essay1536 Words   |  7 PagesC.J. Pascoe’s book, Dude You’re A Fag: Masculinity and Sexuality in High School, examines masculinity and its connection with sexuality through an eighteen-month study at River High School. The goal of Pascoe’s study is to explain how teenagers, teachers, and schooling construct adolescent masculinity through idioms of sexuality. In addition, the book investigates the relationships between gender and sexuality as it relates to a major social institution. Throughout the book she asks how heteronormitiveRead MoreHigh School : Gender And Gender Identity1681 Words   |  7 Pageswith especially if sexuality and gender identity are in the process. Students who are male or female are exploring in a smart and insightful ways. During C.J. Pascoe’s eighteen months of observation in a racially assorted high school, â€Å"Dude, You re a Fag† shows new light on masculinity both as a field of meaning and as a set of social practices. C. J. Pascoe s unusual approach questions masculinity as not only a gender process but also a sexual one. She proves how the word fag becomes a disciplinaryRead MoreGender As A Primary Cultural Frame1517 Words   |  7 Pagescan see how pervasive gender identities are outside of physical social interactions. For my analysis, I decided to gather my data from one of the popular forms of social media, Facebook. One of the patterns found in the collected data was of the â€Å"fag discourse† in which homophobia is central to constructing masculine identity (Pascoe 2007). The example representing this pattern is a news article about white-male beauty blogger named James Charles being announced as the first male ambassador of CoverGirlRead MoreAnalysis Of Dorothy Allison s Book Two Or Three Things I Know For Sure 1677 Words   |  7 Pagesdone many reading’s that have touched on topics such as race, gender, sextuality, and more. One reading that stands out though is Dorothy Allison s book â€Å"Two or Three Things I Know For Sure.† This reading discusses Dorothy s childhood in a way where you get the picture of the true effects of poverty on her family, and herself. This look into her life can show the reader a real life depiction of her emotions and feelings at any given time in her life. This story of her life can also give the readerRead MoreMedia Representation Of Women s Sports1707 Words   |  7 PagesWhen men engage in sports, it is seen and interpreted as an opportunity for them to exhibit dominance in the masculinity and as an expression of heterosexuality. When women have traditionally engaged in sports, it has caused commentators to question one’s heterosexuality, to question their femininity, and to almost ridicule the idea of women engaging in a traditionally male-dominated activity. This analysis focuses on media representations of men and women in sports, and the differences that existRead MoreThe Internet Celebrity Anita Sarkeesian1380 Words   |  6 Pages1002/9780470997024.ch3 Anita Sarkeesian. (n.d.). Retrieved December 06, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anita_Sarkeesian Brand, D. (1998). Bread out of stone. Toronto: Vintage Canada. Pascoe, C. J. (2005). Dude, You re a Fag : Adolescent Masculinity and the Fag Discourse. Sexualities, 8(3), 329-346. doi:10.1177/1363460705053337 Read MoreThe Exploration Of Violating Female Gender Norms Essay1586 Words   |  7 Pagessociety, to the extent that the general population will only notice and acknowledge the presence of gender when the norms are breached and questioned. For this particular assignment, I have decided to enact a gender norm violation of demonstrating masculinity by wearing a tie, sitting while taking up as much room as possible, and building furniture with an aggressive, loud and assertive approach. My uncharacteristic behavior at my workplace, a conventional law firm, drew both subtle and unsubtle reactionsRead MoreCanada s Laws Should Be Unbiased And Non Discriminatory3047 Words   |  13 Pages46,2013). The tribunal concluded that the School Board was not responsible for behaviour of the students that violated the human right actions. But, the tribunal did agree to compensate $4,500 to Azmi (Black, pg.46, 2013). However, the school board re-examined the decision and the British Colombia superio r court overturned the ruling of the tribunal. The ruling of the tribunal was overturned on the basis of the interpretation that the behaviour was not included in the section eight of the BritishRead MoreWhy Is Complex Thinking Important For The Profession Of Social Work? Essay2249 Words   |  9 Pagesto the documentary by Katz , Identify what it means to be a male and they replied that a man should be strong, powerful , athletic, tough, independent, in control and physically. However, if the male did not conform, they were called pussy queer, fag, emotional and bitch. The media glorifies men and violence which the society welcomes it, some men had spent their lives trying to prove that they are not weak and this made them to jump at any chance to use violence, whether it is warranted or not

Korea Nuclear Weapons And the six party talks Free Essays

Just recently, North Korean President King Jong Il proudly proclaimed the success of his government’s underground testing of their first-ever nuclear weapon in the barren hinterlands of the his reclusive country. Western countries, led by the United States, quickly condemned the move as an imminent threat to the security of the Korean peninsula and the international political system in general, especially in the light of the withdrawal of North Korea from the six-party talks negotiating the shutdown of North Korea’s nuclear facilities. On the other hand, the nuclear testing was hailed overwhelmingly by anti-imperialist states around the globe, led by Venezuela and Cuba, and anti-imperialist movements comprising mostly of Marxist parties of every sort, such as the Communist Party of the Philippines and the Communist Party of India-Maoist. We will write a custom essay sample on Korea Nuclear Weapons And the six party talks or any similar topic only for you Order Now It was seen as a triumph of the Korean people against the intense political pressure by US imperialism to bring the North Korean government to its knees on all fronts – militarily and economically. Nonetheless, while the North Korean government was euphoric over its success, it earned the ire of the general international community through the United Nations that sweeping economic sanctions were imposed such as strict inspection of cargo shipments entering North Korean territory, notwithstanding the long-standing implied trade embargo by scores of countries around the world. Actually, the Korean peninsula has been the perennial site of unending geopolitical tensions in the East Asian region since the Korean War in the fifties. This paper will examine the nature of the six-party talks and North Korean brinksmanship in the context of North Korea’s acquisition of nuclear weapons. The Six-Party Talks The Six-Party Talks include the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK, North Korea’s official name), South Korea, United States, Russia, Japan, and the People’s Republic of China, whose essential goal has been the peaceful and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. The talks were launched primarily due to the refusal of the United States to foster bilateral talks with the DPRK due to the latter’s breach of a 1994 Framework Agreement. Moreover, it contained economic commitments by the member states to the DPRK, in terms aiding its energy requirements for as long as the DPRK abandons its nuclear program, particularly its pursuit of nuclear weapons. On the other hand, the United States and its allies formally assured the DPRK that it shall not result to acts of aggression against the reclusive country and seek alternative ways in resolving the diplomatic issues with the DPRK. According to Dr. Edberto Villegas (personal communication, 2007), a political economist of the University of the Philippines specializing of socialist politics, the Six-Party talks was formed not only to stabilize the threat of the DPRK against the United States and South Korea, but to secure the geopolitical interests of the member states as well. Japanese participation in the talks is very important as the DPRK has time and again threatened Japan, due to historic tensions since the Japanese invasion of the Korean peninsula a century ago and continues even up to the present, especially as Japan is now seen as a reliable ally of the United States in enforcing its foreign policies in the region. China is also interested in the talks as it is within its national interest that the Korean peninsula is stable to prevent the undocumented and illegal migration of North Koreans to Chinese territories. (globalsecurity.org, 2007) North Korean Brinksmanship In international politics, the DPRK and its leader, Kim Jong Il, has been adjudged the master of nuclear brinksmanship in securing economic and military concessions from world powers, including the United States. As the DPRK knows fully well its geopolitical handicap, it continually breaches international agreements in supposed pursuit and assertion of its national interest and sovereignty, especially when it deliberately withdrew from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and insisted on producing nuclear weapons for its defense against perceptions of a conspiracy by the United States forcibly overthrow the Kim Jong Il regime by force. According Villegas (personal communication, 2007), the DPRK fully believes that only by building up its military capability, particularly nuclear power, can the DPRK secure substantial concessions from world powers, consistent with the Maoist maxim of political power emerging from the barrel of a gun. These concessions, however, are not entirely of a military or diplomatic character, but usually in terms of economic aid, as the DPRK continues to battle years of infertile agricultural lands and famine that has led to the deaths and exodus of thousands of North Koreans. As can be seen from the recent nuclear testing in the hinterlands of North Korea, the world, while united in its condemnation of the act, has acceded, to a certain extent, to the demands of the North Korean government such as the release of its $25 million frozen assets in Macau and the delivery of more economic aid from developed nations. Nonetheless, it can be surmised that the actuations of the DPRK and the flaunting of its military might are not exactly aimed at threatening the world, especially South Korea, Japan and the United States, but only to secure adequate leverage for political and economic agreements which would not have been possible if the DPRK acted otherwise. More so, the DPRK are not that ignorant of the military history of the world to foolishly start military aggressions against perceived enemy states, knowing fully well the superior military power of the United States and its allies. (personal communication, 2007) However, in order to fully understand the North Korean nuclear question, the DPRK strategy of Songun politics must be examined. According to Han of the Unification Institute in New York, the DPRK views the relationship of the DPRK and the United States not as co-equal states in international law but as opposing and antagonistic entities representing the conflict between imperialism and socialism, in which peaceful coexistence is never possible. King Jong Il believes that all of these are part of the efforts of the DPRK to foist an ideological confrontation against the United States and secure the socialist gains in the Korean peninsula (Han, 2003) More so, the Songun politics of the DPRK involves the building of a strong revolutionary army to save the North Korean socialist system from collapse, over and above the necessity of putting adequate food on the tables of the Korean people. Such an utterly militarist mindset is a big departure from the classical Marxist theory of empowering the working class and the withering away of the state, leading foreign policy experts to believe that King Jong Il’s brinksmanship is merely to ensure the survival of his family’s hold on the entire North Korean political system. (globalsecurity.org) Nonetheless, the military outcome of policies like these has been very effective in forcing the international community to stand at attention and listen to the demands, even blackmail , of the DPRK. Conclusion: The World and the Way Forward The Korean nuclear question has given the United States and the international community a terrible political headache which all must continually confront until the threat of the DPRK has been conclusively neutralized.   While it is true that independent nations such as the DPRK must assert its national sovereignty at all times against external threats, particularly imperialist countries, the manner by which the reclusive regime of King Jong Il has been conducting the defense of its homeland and revolution borders on a subjective revolutionary hysteria which the rulers of the DPRK are exploiting to the prejudice of the welfare of its people. There are many other ways to confront modern imperialism which are no less revolutionary, such as the strides achieved by the Venezuelan and Cuban governments in their experiment with socialism without adversely affecting the lives of their people. As such, it is clearly the responsibility of the international community to diplomatically convince the DPRK to gradually embrace the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and cease using military blackmail as a ruse to secure concessions from world powers. An outright denuclearization policy as suggested by the United States and Japan might be totally unrealistic at present, and might even provoke the DPRK further. The path to a lasting peace in the Korean peninsula is an arduous one which can only be confronted if the world itself is prepared to build confidence with the DPRK that aggression against the communist country is none of the options considered to resolve the long-standing diplomatic dispute on nuclear weapons. Works Cited: Han, Ho-sok. Songun Politics of North Korea the Situation on the Korean   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Peninsula. Songun Politics Study Group. Sept. 8, 2003. Retrieved from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.geocities.com/songunpoliticsstudygroup/Songuninterview.htm  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   l on April 17, 2007. Six-Party Talks. GlobalSecurity.Org. Retrieved from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/dprk/6-party.htm on April 16, 2007. Villegas, Edberto. Email Interview. April 14, 2007. How to cite Korea Nuclear Weapons And the six party talks, Essay examples

Cesar Chavez The Hardships And Accomplishments In The Fields Sample Essay Example For Students

Cesar Chavez: The Hardships And Accomplishments In The Fields Sample Essay Cesar Chavez: The adversities and achievements in the Fieldss Throughout Cesar Chavezes life he witnessed the favoritism of his people in the country of farm work. which lead to Chavezes forming of labour brotherhoods. nonviolent protests. and in bend was looked upon as being a hero by the Mexican American people. Cesar Chavez struggled throughout his life to accomplish equality amongst farm workers. With much regard held for this great hero. Santa Barbara named a street in award of him. In add-on. the assembly is seeking to do Chavezes birthday a province vacation. This paper will discourse the early life of Chavez. life conditions during 1930’s depression. Peoples that influenced Chavezes life. Chavezes educational background. C. S. O. NFWA. and his protests with the United Farm Workers. Cesar Estrada Chavez was born March 31. 1927 in Yuma. Arizona. Chavez was born during the 1930’s. During the 30’s the U. S. economic system collapsed and 1000000s of people were out of work. This period during American history was called the great depression. It was particularly difficult during these times for Mexican American’s because they were unable to happen work and it was easy to know apart against them. † When the Chavezes arrived in California. they discovered that 300. 000 hapless and hungry people had already come to happen work. excessively. Frequently. the contractors decided who would work and who would non. Some workers had to purchase their occupation with a payoff. There were many dishonest contractors acquiring rich at the disbursal of the migratory labourers. Sometimes they even charged the workers for H2O they drank While reaping in the hot Sun. † ( Cedeno P. 10 ) There were other factors that contributed to the deficiency of work for migratory Mexican American people. Many Farmers lost their land during these times because they could non afford to pay revenue enhancements or to turn harvests. Other farmers’ lands were no longer fertile because of a terrible drouth in the sou-west. As a immature kid Cesar Chavez witnessed inequalities for farm workers and the favoritism of his people. This greatly influenced him at a immature age. and he knew someday that he would be able to assist his people. Cesar became influenced by many people. which helped him with his hereafter patterns. These future patterns were protesting and working towards equality for farm workers. His female parent. Juana. would declaim words of wisdom to him at a immature age. A typical one was. â€Å"It’s best to turn the other cheek. † Another was † It takes two to contend. and one can’t make it alone† ( Ferris A ; Sandoval P. 154 ) . These â€Å"dichos† would subsequently act upon Chavez to protest and take actions nonviolently. Cesar grew up in Arizona and learned justness from his male parent at a immature age. Cesar’s father agreed to clear 80 estates of land and in exchange he would gain 40 estates of excess land for his place. Then all of a sudden the understanding was broken. Then Mr. Chavez went to a attorney who advised him to borrow money and purchase the land back. Mr. Chavez bought the land back. but was forced to sell it after he couldn’t pay the involvement on a loan. In 1938. the Chavez household was forced to travel to California. Cesar grew up disliking school. because he was raised in a Spanish speech production environment. The bulk of his instructors were anglo and merely spoke English. which made it hard for Cesar to pass on with them. During school Cesar was invariably being punished for talking Spanish to his fellow schoolmates. † He recalls being punished with a swayer to his brass knuckss for talking Spanish† ( DelCastillo A ; Garcia P. 232 ) . This was a important ground for Cesars antipathy in school. although he was a really bright kid. In the early 1940’s. segregation was besides a concern to Chavez and school seemed intending less at the clip. Cesar disliked school because. † It felt like he was a monkey in a cage† ( Ferris A ; Sandoval P. 32 ) . Chavez recalls holding to listen to racist comments and seeing marks that read † Whites merely. † In add-on. Cesar remembers being discriminated against when traveling to the films. Chavez felt that because he had served in the U. S. Navy. he deserved to sit anyplace. The theatre direction did non hold. so Chavez and his friends were arrested for interrupting the regulations. Although he was subsequently released. † Cesar Chavez would retrieve this act of discrimination† ( Cedeno P. 28 ) Throughout his clip in school. Cesar and his brother Richard attended 37 different schools. † Cesar at the clip didn’t believe instruction had anything to make with his farm work/migrant manner of life† ( Cedeno P. 25 ) . Cesa r graduated 8th class in 1942. After 8th grade his male parent was hurt in a auto accident. Cesar proceeded to go forth school and work full clip in the Fieldss. Cesar planned to finish his instruction after a couple old ages of work. but it did non go on. 12 Angry Men EssayThis made the grape strikes drag on and Chavez decided to seek to forestall the agriculturists from exchanging labels. Chavezes solution was to declare a Boycott on all California grapes. Then College pupils and labour brotherhoods across the U. S. set up lookout lines in forepart of food market shops. stating consumers non to purchase California grapes. Peoples across the state began to halt purchasing California grapes. but the procedure was non traveling fast plenty. A big bulk of the people striking with Chavez began to desire to utilize force in order to rush up the procedure. † Sheds were burned down on several farms. battles broke out on lookout lines and some lookouts began to transport guns† ( Cedeno P. 30 ) . Then Chavez became discouraged and called for a meeting of the UFW. He spoke out for nonviolent tactics such as boycotting. picketing. contact and fasting. Chavez believed if the UFW continued to utilize force they would neglect and lose regard from the general populace. He decided to fast for 25 yearss and demo his fellow brotherhood followers the pattern of nonviolent protesting. † Farm workers everyplace are angry and worried that we can non win without force. We have proved it before through continuity. difficult work. religion and willingness to give. We can win and maintain our ego regard and construct a great brotherhood that will procure the spirit of all people if we do it through rededication and recommitment to the battle for justness through non- violence† ( Garcia A ; Delcastillo P. 102 ) . After Cesar’s fast he lost about 35 lbs. The terminal of the fast marked the terminal of the grape boycott. During the clip of his fast if the bundle of grapes consumers were purchasing did non hold the symbol of the black bird of Jove. they would non purchase the grapes. Grape agriculturists were losing so much money that after five long old ages. in 1970. the largest agriculturists signed work contracts with the UFW. About 4. 000 people came to observe Chavezes mass and the terminal of the grape boycott. This provides a perfect illustration of how Chavez used nonviolent protests to carry through his ends for the UFW. Cesar Chavez dedicated his life to assisting others and sharing the dream of a better life that his gramps more than a 100 old ages had strived for. In add-on. to better wage for farm work. the UFW brought new self-respect and regard to Mexican Americans. Furthermore. Chavez and his Colleagues accomplished this end without fall backing to the usage of force. In malice of the ageless difficult work and the long manner he had yet achieved intervention for all farm workers. Chavez neer became demoralized. One of the expressions Chavez lived by was. † Hay mom tiempo que vida â€Å" ( Cedeno P. 22 ) . Which meant † There is more clip than life† ( CedenoP. 22 ) . Cesar Chavez devoted himself to others. to contending unfairness in a wholly nonviolent mode. History will retrieve him as a great adult male who by illustration led the farm workers towards the way of equality. Work Cited Sandoval. Ricardo and Ferris. Susan. The Fight In The Fields Cesar Chavez And The Farmers Movement. ( 1997 ) Harcourt Brace and Company. New York. Delcastillo. Richard and Garcia. Richard. Cesar Chavez A Triumph of Spirit. ( 1992 ) The University of Oklahoma Press Publishing Division of the University. OK. Norman. Molina. Joshua. Santa Barbara News Press: † The Family Business. † March 31. 2000 Cedeno. Maria. Labor Leader. ( 1948 ) The Millbrook Press. Connecticut. Brookfield. hypertext transfer protocol: //www. phosphate buffer solution. org/chicano/bios/chavez. hypertext markup language

Internet Impact on Thinking free essay sample

The digital revolution has brought about a plethora of information accessible to anyone, anywhere, anytime, as long as they are hooked up to the internet. Considering the pervasiveness of the Internet in our lives, it is certainly having an effect on our brains. After all, everything we do, is related to our brain and affects it in some way, either positive or negative. In the article â€Å"Impact of Internet on Thinking† Alan Greenblatt touches various aspects of how the growing dominance of internet is affecting our thinking, our attention span, and how it is leading us to a world of temptation. He introduces the work of Nicholas Carr, the author of â€Å"Is Google Making Us Stupid† to support the ideas that Internet is having bad effect on our brains. Jonah Lehrer’s ideas are also introduced in the article, who thinks that Internet is keeping our brains active and also doing a great deal to improve our efficiency. We will write a custom essay sample on Internet Impact on Thinking or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This is true, but even then, we cannot deny the fact that the impact of information overload is having damaging effects on our lives. Internet is having profound effect on our intelligence and our attention span; and the temptations of new technologies are leading us to a world of addiction. Internet is making our intelligence level go down. Before the wide spread use of Internet, it was brain’s work to store information, and to memorize the things, but now everything is stored digitally. Machines have taken up a greater share of the tasks, once done by human brain. Everything can be looked up instantly, so nothing needs to be remembered. Internet helps gather up information quickly and easily. This rapid transmission and accumulation of knowledge and flood of information leaves people with no time to think. Internet makes it hard to memorize information because of the continuous influx of the competing messages, which interferes with the physical mechanism of the brain. The information can then only get to the short-term memory system and it cannot be moved up into long-term memory storage. Continuous stimulation of the brain prevents the learning process. Internet talks only to primitive parts of the brain, the parts that do not connect to the deep thought and contemplation. When we read online, we tend to become â€Å"mere decoders of information. † Our ability to interpret text, to make the rich mental connections that form when we read deeply and without distraction, remains largely disengaged. Therefore, Internet use is only concerned with the superficial learning and no deep thoughts and no long-term memory storage, which results in low- level of intelligence as a whole. Just because we have more information, doesn’t necessarily mean that the information is better. In fact, this information is being dumb-down and infantilized due to our ever-shrinking attention spans. Internet has brought about a super abundance of things to do. There are e-mails, texts, audios, videos, competing graphics, and hyperlinks to much more pages. Everything goes on simultaneously and our curiosity to know about what new is happening around, instigates us to keep switching from one page to another and we cannot focus on just one thing. Even if we try to focus on one thing, the e-mail alerts, the status-updates, the pop-up advertisements etc. , distract that focus. This continuous stimulation to the brain to keep switching from one page to another, has changed the ability of the brain to function as it used to be. As a result it’s not just the long articles for which we have lost our attention span or our focus, but similar is true for the classroom lectures and other things which need our attention. This problem was much less common before the development of technology, so it is clear that it’s not an inherent change in the way we are thinking now. It’s a change in technology that forces us to change our focus often. According to an example given in the article, Ellas Aboujaoude, a psychiatry and behavioral science professor at Stanford University states, â€Å"Studies suggest that people who spend a lot of time online have shorter attention spans†, therefore this change in our focusing ability is very much due to the impact of technology. Too much of anything can be harmful and the same is true for the internet use. People get overwhelmed by the attraction of different websites and want to visit those sites again and again. Not only the sexual things (pornography sites), can be attractive or seductive, but equally seductive could be a very simple thing like an e-mail in-box. The thrill of getting the new message in the in-box can make the person keep sticking to it. It’s like a slot machine, in the hope of getting some reward (even a juicy gossip can be a reward), often people make it a habit to keep checking the site again and again and later on these habits become so strong, that they take the form of addiction Excessive use, often associates with a loss of sense of time or even neglect of basic drives leading to poor nutrition, anxiety, irritability, This addiction can even cost the relationships and ork or schoolwork. Greenblatt gives an example of Tim O’Leary, the head of a marketing firm who says that he is tied to his laptop as it was an oxygen machine and he must carry it all around to keep breathing. So, people make such strong habits that they feel like they can’t just live without these devices and this is not anything less than an addiction. Ultimately, it is clear from the article that these ever-developing technologies are not only beneficial to us in our everyday lives, but equally harmful are the side-effects. So, as the article states â€Å"With ever more capable technologies comes a greater burden to choose wisely and well†, it is now our responsibility to choose and act wisely; and to get the best out of it by eliminating as many negativities as we can.

Free Essays on The Harlem Renaissance And Black Theatre

Introduction Beginning in the early 1900’s, African-American literature, art, music, drama and social commentary began to flourish in Harlem. The period that is commonly referred to today as the Harlem Renaissance is generally agreed to span from the end of World War I through the middle of the1930’s depression. Originally called the â€Å"New Negro Movement†, the black cultural production of the period was not solely located in Harlem, the celebration of African-American Heritage spread across the nation, encouraging a talented pool of African-American artists, and activists. During this same period, leading up to the 1930’s, black musical theater was one of the few ways to be successful and upwardly mobile in a white society. The route to success in show business for blacks during this period was almost exclusively through black musical theatre. With the debut of Shuffle Along during the early period of the Harlem Renaissance, the face of black theatre was forever changed. Numerous pioneers (that are often forgotten) paved the theatrical road to the Harlem Renaissance. From A Trip to Coontown to Harlem’s Lafayette Theatre, â€Å"†¦black performed play, an oddity in the nineteenth century, became the rage in the early twentieth.† The Early Period 1998-1910 In 1987 Bob Cole and Billy Johnson, with their years of experience on the minstrel and vaudeville circuit, left the group they were touring with to put together their own production. In April of 1898, A Trip to Coontown opened in New York making its debut as the first full-length musical play written and produced by blacks, even if it was slightly off Broadway. A Trip to Coontown was indeed popular, but it ran only briefly on the stage. Coontown, though groundbreaking, was unsophisticated entertainment that did not differ much from a minstrel show. The play was not innovative in it’s content and style, however A Trip to Coontown proved that there was ind... Free Essays on The Harlem Renaissance And Black Theatre Free Essays on The Harlem Renaissance And Black Theatre Introduction Beginning in the early 1900’s, African-American literature, art, music, drama and social commentary began to flourish in Harlem. The period that is commonly referred to today as the Harlem Renaissance is generally agreed to span from the end of World War I through the middle of the1930’s depression. Originally called the â€Å"New Negro Movement†, the black cultural production of the period was not solely located in Harlem, the celebration of African-American Heritage spread across the nation, encouraging a talented pool of African-American artists, and activists. During this same period, leading up to the 1930’s, black musical theater was one of the few ways to be successful and upwardly mobile in a white society. The route to success in show business for blacks during this period was almost exclusively through black musical theatre. With the debut of Shuffle Along during the early period of the Harlem Renaissance, the face of black theatre was forever changed. Numerous pioneers (that are often forgotten) paved the theatrical road to the Harlem Renaissance. From A Trip to Coontown to Harlem’s Lafayette Theatre, â€Å"†¦black performed play, an oddity in the nineteenth century, became the rage in the early twentieth.† The Early Period 1998-1910 In 1987 Bob Cole and Billy Johnson, with their years of experience on the minstrel and vaudeville circuit, left the group they were touring with to put together their own production. In April of 1898, A Trip to Coontown opened in New York making its debut as the first full-length musical play written and produced by blacks, even if it was slightly off Broadway. A Trip to Coontown was indeed popular, but it ran only briefly on the stage. Coontown, though groundbreaking, was unsophisticated entertainment that did not differ much from a minstrel show. The play was not innovative in it’s content and style, however A Trip to Coontown proved that there was ind...

Human Resources (Healthcare) - Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human Resources (Healthcare) - - Case Study Example Thirdly the selection process involves understanding or evaluation of an individual’s potential in handling controversial or confronting issues and to work harmoniously in a pressurized job setting. Similarly in the fourth case the selection process should also tend to evaluate the degree of innovation incorporated in rendering new initiatives in a proactive fashion by the managerial applicants in troubleshooting problems. Finally the selection process of the supervisors should also tend to observe the agility in the management staffs to enhance their technical and process knowhow through learning. Along with the above parameters specific tools can be incorporated like ‘Role Playing’ that in turn contributes to the reduction of the event of Role Ambiguity in the workplace. Similarly apart from conducting ‘Personal Interviews’ scales can be adequately designed to rate the behavioral attributes of the different applicants based on ‘Behavioral Anch ored Rating Scales’. The scales can be created on a Five Point basis from ‘Very Good’ to ‘Very Poor’ rating the different parameters like ‘Interpersonal Skills’, ‘Initiative’, ‘Working under Pressure’, ‘Leadership’, ‘Prompt Decision Making Potential’ and others to thereby present an effective assessment of the individual potencies involved in matching the requirements of the role set (Rice and Burnett, n.d., p.2-5). The selection process for the supervisors can be further enhanced through the incorporation of the 360 degree appraisal program. Incorporation of the 360 degree appraisal contributes in the gaining of effective feedback from subordinate and peers of the applicants involved such that an effective selection procedure can be implemented. The supervisor to be selected would work to gain success for the concern not in an isolated fashion. Rather the person would be require to draw in the support of the staffs involved whether along the same level or subordinates to help him

Prevalence and incidence rates for diseases or health conditions allow Term Paper

Prevalence and incidence rates for diseases or health conditions allow us to make comparisons between communities - Term Paper Example This essay will compare and contrasts obesity and overweight of the blacks in San Diego against other communities in the country and against the national obesity situation in Canada. CDC (2012) defines body weight affected by a mixture of genes, culture among others; on the other hand, obesity is known as the condition of overweight in which a person has body weight which is more than is considered healthy for that individual’s height. Often the body mass index (BMI) is used to measure this condition however; most medical professionals do not need to use this method as mere observation of the patient can be used to evaluate the condition. According to Shields, Carroll and Ogden (2011), amongst children aged between six to ten years old, it is defined to be at or above the sex and age specific ninety seventh percentile of BMI. On the other hand in adults it is measured as a Body Mass Index of at least 30kg/m2. In the county of San Diego, the number of blacks who are obese is ve ry high and as will be shown below, this community in the county has a high percentage of more then forty percent amongst the adults. Other recent reports have predicted that the number could even be higher amongst children. Adults that may be described as neither overweight nor obese according to the 2009 to 2010 survey of adults in the county amongst the blacks stood at a mere 23.2 percent. In the paragraph below, it is important to compare it against other ethnic and racial communities in the county (California Healthcare Foundation, 2010). In the county of San Diego, the four major ethnic and racial communities used in obesity survey are; blacks, whites, Hispanics and Mexican-Americans. In a survey conducted between 2009 and 2010, blacks had on average the highest number of adults with obesity. Hispanics and Mexican Americans were on average had the highest number of people who are overweight; therefore, the number of adults was determined as people who had the at least 20 years . The percentage number of white people in the county who are obese stood at 33.2 whilst a higher percent of 33.5 percent were overweight. The percentage number of blacks in the county who are obese in the county was the highest at 46.6 percent while only 28.3 percent of the black population in the county was overweight. The percentage number of Hispanics in the county, who are obese, was 38.4 percent and 39.3 percent for the overweight. In the county during a 2009 demographic research, the central region of the county had the highest percentage of obese adults at approximately 29.3 percent whereas the North Central region had a meager 14.2 percent, the lowest in the county amongst obese adults (Ogden et al., 2012). An analysis conducted in the year 2007 and 2009 in Canada to gauge the rate of obesity in the country revealed that the incidence in that country was 24.1 per cent. Unlike in the county of San Diego where there is significant number of blacks amongst the population, Cana da actually has a higher number of South Asians. Over the same period, both reports have revealed some damning information; the prevalence rates of obesity in both regions have increased significantly. The two reports have further noted that the number of obese amongst blacks in San Diego and the population in Canada amongst adult men aged 60 to 74 are very high. In general, whist black population have a

CHANGE MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

CHANGE MANAGEMENT - Essay Example The necessity for the change management process has been recognised because of the three main issues. One of the prime concerning issues is that the department was not being able to reach around 30% of the population targeted by them. It has also been noted that the department was not being capable to reach the own targets set by themselves with regards to performance, customer service and finance. Thus, the government’s target population was not being able to receive the services that were offered by the department. At last, the local authorities decided that the department should consist of youth who will be responsible for delivering services to all the children within the age group of 0-19 years. The department also has planned to provide support to children at the earliest stage who have been identified with additional needs (Education and Families Department, n.d.). The discussion in the paper will include the major processes that took place in the department’s ch ange management initiative. ... The Implemented Change Process in the Department The existing department comprises The Extended Service Team which was formed to be a part of the Children’s Partnership Service along with the Integrated Services Team and Young People’s Sexual Health Team. The department achieved their objectives by working in collaboration among the teams that were associated with the department. The teams had to provide services spread over 12 establishments which were costing the local authority very significantly. Thus, the future plans within the change process include setting up of 16 establishments which will increase the budget for the local authorities if the same model or management was followed (Education and Families Department, n.d.). However, the economic downturn made the competent authorities to focus on bringing certain changes in the management structure and processes that could lead them to deliver effective services through efficient planning. Children centres being r elatively newer concept, the department decided to establish a forum for governors and local management board members of all children centres. The issues for dissolving the earlier board were blocking the pace for development which made the department to work in partnerships with different boards and government bodies. The Education and Families Department planned to provide excellent services to the families with children under statutory school age. The transformation of the management decided to develop a streamlined governance structure which will be efficient and provide strong support to all the centres across each locality (Education and Families Department, n.d.). The department’s proposed structure included the decision to merge

Psychological Assessment of Richard Ramirez

Psychological Assessment of Richard Ramirez Purpose of Assessment Richard Ramirez, also known as the Night Stalker is currently sentenced to capital punishment for multiple counts of murder, attempted murder, sexual assaults, and burglaries. For a final request before his death, Mr. Ramirez has requested a psychological assessment be conducted as to evaluate his mental health when committing his crimes. In order to conduct the assessment, I will be reviewing Mr. Ramirezs criminal history and prior events leading up to his crimes analyzing any patterns relevant to the assessment. In concluding the review of Mr. Ramirezs history, I will conduct a psychological assessment and determine in my professional view any mental illness Mr. Ramirez has and state the symptoms he may have using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DMS-V; American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Description of the Crime Between the years of 1984 and 1985, Mr. Ramirez committed several acts of sexual assault, murder, attempted murder, and burglaries until his arrest on August 29, 1985 (Crime Investigation, 2014). Mr. Ramirezs first victim, Jennie Vincow, was burglarized and sexually assaulted during a burglary in her home (Crime Investigation, 2014). Nine months after the death of Jennie Vincow, Mr. Ramirez attacked Angela Barrios and killed her roommate, Dayle Okazaki (Crime Investigation, 2014). However, unsatisfied with the results from his assault that evening, Mr. Ramirez stabbed Tsai Lian Yu in the same night (Crime Investigation, 2014). Throughout the next five months, Mr. Ramirez repeated the same assault with his victims, in which, his attacks escalated rapidly that had murdered, injured, and sexually assaulted 22 other people until his arrest (Crime Investigation, 2014). Prior to his criminal convictions, Mr. Ramirez had a criminal record from his youth that had began with petty crimes such as robberies in 1977 placing him in juvenile detention (Crime Investigation, 2014). Years later, Mr. Ramirez engaged in criminal acts such as burglary and car theft in 1983 which led to a sentence in jail where he was released in April 1984. Psychological History Mr. Ramirezs social history has exhibited persistent patterns of exposure of criminal behaviour and violence. At and early age, Mr. Ramirez was exposed to an abusive nature as his father was abusive (Famous People, 2016). During his childhood, Mr. Ramirez was influenced by his older cousin, named Mike, which had told and shown pictures of violent acts that he acquired while serving in the Vietnamese War, introduced Mr. Ramirez to drugs, and had killed his wife in the presence of Mr. Ramirez (Crime Investigation, 2014). As an adolescent, Mr. Ramirez moved to San Francisco, then Los Angeles. While residing in San Francisco and Los Angeles, he had continued petty theft crimes to fuel his drug addiction as he then used cocaine and LSDs, which led Mr. Ramirez in an interest of Satanism (Famous People, 2016). With being exposed to violence and crime, Mr. Ramirez dropped out of high school and ventured into criminal acts (Famous People, 2016) Current Psychological Functioning In this section of the assessment, I will conduct an analysis of Mr. Ramirezs criminal history and the relationship between any potential mental disorders that may lead to any recidivism. This section will discuss two subtopics. First, I will provide a quick assessment of Mr. Ramirez in relations to Conduct Disorder and the symptoms outlined by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM-V; American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Second, I will then assess Mr. Ramirez for psychopathy using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R; Hare, 2016). Conduct Disorder According to the Diagnosis and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2013), Conduct Disorder refers to a repetitive and persistent pattern of behaviour in which the basic rights of others or major age-appropriate societal norms or rules are violated (p. 469). In order to be diagnosed with Conduct Disorder at least three of the following 15 criteria must be shown within 12 months, with at least one characteristic present within 6 months (American Psychiatric Association, 2013): Bullies, threatens or intimidates others Often initiates physical fights Has used a weapon that can seriously cause physical harm to others Has been physically cruel to people Has been physically cruel to animals Has stolen while confronting victim Has forced someone into sexual activity Deliberately engaged in fire setting with intention of causing serious damage Destroyed others property (other than fire setting) Broken into someone elses house, building, or car Often lies to obtain goods, favours, or to avoid obligations Stolen items of nontrivial value without confronting the victim Staying out at night despite parental prohibitions Runs away from home overnight at least twice while living with a guardian or once without returning for a lengthy period of time Is often missing from school Based on the details of Mr. Ramirezs report and the diagnosis of Conduct Disorder that Mr. Ramirez does acquire the symptoms of the mental illness. Mr. Ramirez exhibits ten out of the possible symptoms listed above. During childhood and adolescent years, Mr. Ramirez would have often dealt with using drugs with his older cousin, Mike, and missed/dropped out of school to pursue a life of crime. With all of his victims, Mr. Ramirez has displayed violent intentions by intimidating, torturing, and sexually assaulting his victims before physically harming or killing them with either a knife or a gun. In assaulting and murdering his victims, Mr. Ramirez would initially engage in burglarizing his victims houses and cars. The Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) The definition of psychopathy can be defined as persuasive emotional and interpersonal deficits, impulsivity and antisocially (Hosker-Field, Molnar, Book, 2016). To measure psychopathy on an individual, the use of a psychological instrument called a Psychopathy Checklist-Revised is used as it assesses the characteristics of psychopathy by reviewing any reports, interviews, or various sources of the individual to determine their level of psychopathy (Storey, Hart, Cooke, Michie, 2016). During the assessment of the PCL-R, it is comprised of two factors. The first factor or Factor 1, is comprised of the interpersonal and affective characteristics of psychopathy (Hare Neumann, 2010). The second factor or Factor 2 reflects more of the antisocial characteristics of the individual (Hare Neumann, 2010). The total of characteristics being applied are 12 with six characteristics in both factors. On a point system of 0 to 2, a score of 18 and over out of 24 will determine that the individua l is have psychopathy. A score that is 12 or under will determine that the individual is a non-psychopath. As a result of the PCL-R assessment, Mr. Ramirez had scored a 9 out of a possible 12 in Factor 1, and scored a 9 out of a possible 12 in Factor 2. In conclusion, Mr. Ramirez, in my professional opinion meets the criteria of being a psychopath in the assessment of the PCL-R. Relevant Psychological Function Based on Mr. Ramirezs criminal history and the early exposure of violent and criminal life events, the most relevant theory for understanding his criminal behaviour is the trauma-control model. Trauma-control model argues that with the combination of predispositional factors, such as biological, sociological, and psychological factors, and early traumatic events interact with other factors over the individuals life may determine their criminal psychopathy (Correction Service Canada, 2007). At a young age, Mr. Ramirez witnessed his cousin, Mike, killed his wife, which may have increased his development of psychopathy and with being surrounded with criminal and violent influences it could have increasingly developed his psychopathy even more when Mr. Ramirez started to use drugs such as cocaine and LSD (Famous People, 2016). Relating trauma-control model to Mr. Ramirezs history, by residing in an environment that had engaged with criminal, violent, and drug abuse activities it increase d the development of psychopathy. References Hare, R. D., Neumann, C. S. (2010). The role of antisociality in the psychopathy construct: Comment on Skeem and Cooke (2010). Psychological Assessment, 22(2), 446-454. doi:10.1037/a0013635 Hosker-Field, A. M., Molnar, D. S., Book, A. S. (2016). Psychopathy and risk taking: Examining the role of risk perception. Personality and Individual Differences, 91, 123-132. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2015.11.059 Storey, J. E., Hart, S. D., Cooke, D. J., Michie, C. (2016). Psychometric properties of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) in a representative sample of Canadian federal offenders. Law and Human Behavior, 40(2), 136-146. doi:10.1037/lhb0000174 Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. (2013). Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association. Richard Ramirez Biography. (2016). Retrieved November 15, 2016, from http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/richard-ramirez-6730.php Richard Ramirez: The Night Stalker. (2014). Retrieved November 13, 2016, from http://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/crime-files/richard-ramirez-the-night-stalker The Role of Escalating Paraphilic Fantasies and Behaviours in Sexual, Sadistic, and Serial Violence: A Review of Theoretical Models. (2007). Retrieved November 13, 2016, from http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/research/shp2007-paraphil06-eng.shtmls. (2007). Retrieved November 13, 2016, from  http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/research/shp2007-paraphil06-eng.shtml Dhingra, K., Boduszek, D. (2013). Psychopathy and criminal behaviour: A psychosocial research perspective.  Journal of Criminal Psychology,  3(2), 83-107. doi:10.1108/jcp-06-2013-0014 Hare, R. D. (2016). Psychopathy, the PCL-R, and criminal justice: Some new findings and current issure.  Canadian Psychology/Psychologie Canadiene, 57  (1), 21-34. doi:10.1037/cap0000041 Hare, R. D., Mcpherson, L. M. (1984). Violent and aggressive behavior by criminal psychopaths.  International Journal of Law and Psychiatry,  7(1), 35-50. doi:10.1016/0160-2527(84)90005-0 Appendix A Psychopathy-Checklist Revised (Class Version) Factor 1 (Emotional/Interpersonal Symptoms) Item 1: Glib and Superficial0 1 2 Presentation is shallow and difficult to believe Display of emotions do not appear genuine Attempts to portray self in a positive light Tell unlikely stories; has convincing explanations for behaviour Uses technical language and jargon, often inappropriately Conversation and interpersonal behaviour are engaging Item 2: Egocentric and Grandiose0 1 2 View of abilities and self worth are inflated Self-assured and opinionated Exaggerates status and reputation Considers circumstances to be result of bad luck Sees self as the victim of the system Displays little concern for the future Item 3: Lack of Remorse/Guilt..0 1 2 Appears to have no capacity for guilt/no conscience Verbalizes remorse in an insincere manner Displays little emotion to actions Does not appreciate impact on others Concerned more with own suffering than with that of others Item 4: Lack of Empathy0 1 2 Cold and callous Indifferent to the feelings of others Unable to appreciate the emotional consequences of others Item 5: Deceitful and Manipulative0 1 2 Manipulates without concern for the rights of others Distorts the truth Deceives with self-assurance and with no apparent anxiety A fraud artist or con man Enjoys deceiving others Item 6: Shallow Emotions..0 1 2 Expressed emotions are shallow and labile Verbal and non-verbal expressions of emotion are inconsistent Factor 2 (Social Deviance Symptoms) Item 7: Impulsive.0 1 2 Does things on the spur of the moment (including crimes); spends little time considering the consequences of actions Frequently changes jobs, schools, or relationships A drifter; lives a nomadic lifestyle with frequent changes of residence Item 8: Poor Behavioural Controls0 1 2 Easily angered or frustrated, especially when drinking Often verbally abusive (swears, makes threats) Often physically abusive (breaks or throws objects; pushes, slaps, or punches people) Abuse may be sudden and unprovoked Outbursts are often short-lived Item 9: Need for Excitement.0 1 2 Easily bored; has difficulty doing things that require sustained attention Likes to do things that are exciting, risky, and dangerous Item 10: Lack of Responsibility.0 1 2 Behaviour frequently causes hardship to others or puts them at risk Unreliable as a spouse or parent; lacks commitment to relationships, fails to care adequate for children; etc. Job performance is inadequate; is frequently late, absent, etc., Untrustworthy with money; has been in trouble for defaulting on loans, not paying bills, not paying child support Item 11: Early Behaviour Problems.0 1 2 Conduct problems at home and at school as an adolescent In trouble with the law as a youth/minor Antisocial activities were varied and frequent Item 12: Adult Anti-social Behaviour0 1 2 Disregards rules and regulations; has had legal problems as an adult Has been charged with or convicted of criminal offences Antisocial activities are varied and frequent

Global Social Change Manifesto Essay -- Society

Change, without a doubt, is ongoing constantly on a Global scale throughout Society. The great need for and the urgency of coming to understand this phenomenon is becoming increasingly obvious. Religion and philosophy have, since the dawn of civilization, sought to direct the Change in a way that would be beneficial to mankind as a whole. They have failed to make any significant change in the way Society is progressing. The way Society is going now is controlled by a ‘few’ who have control of vast resources for directing and manipulating the masses. And they have violent oppression of those who will not submit to their structured system of control as a back up resource. Revolution is not the answer. Revolution is a building block of the way Society is now. The power of control simply shifts hands and continues on a slightly altered path. ‘Power to the people’ is a common thread that runs through revolutionary manifestos, and is lost as soon as the current oppressors are vanquished and the new ‘few’ assume power. The great sedatives of the masses, religion and philosophy, teach that the way to change the way of Society is to change yourself. Be what you think is good and don’t rock the boat. They are right about rocking the boat, it isn’t the way to do any good. Self improvement good. Self improvement fine. It’s not going to change the world. No mater how much you shine. The methods of self-improvement that dogmas advocate as the only way to effect changes in the big picture are proven to be ineffective. They have been practiced for thousands of years and for every one that does improve themselves there is another who will equally digress to take advantage of them. There is a solution. If we look at Society as an entity ... ...e this key common knowledge throughout Society to attain critical mass for Change. We have to cross the barriers of languages and cultures. We can do that with a universal symbol to represent the idea we want to convey. So we need to have a symbol, a word will work, that must remain the same in all languages while the simple meaning, â€Å"acknowledge the Feeling† will be translated in to all different languages. Then all we have to do is, â€Å"Teach the world a word†. Since English is the international language of business and we have the business of changing the â€Å"direction† of Society at hand, we can use English to construct our universal word/symbol. At the Bottom Line in our decision making process we want the outcome to Turn Right. BLTR makes the acronym BLitTeR. BLitTeR –â€Å"acknowledge the Feeling† â€Å"Teach the world a word†, to change the â€Å"direction† of Society.

Racism against black people Essay

Slavery in the United States began after English colonists first settled Virginia and lasted until the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1865. The American colonies were established with the idea of freedom and liberty to all but has change into racism. Now, racism against African Americans in America has been a huge problem in the south. Slavery in the United States began soon after English colonists first settled Virginia and lasted until the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1865. The 19th century saw a hardening of institutionalized racism and legal discrimination against citizens of African descent in the United States. Although technically able to vote, poll taxes, acts of terror (often perpetuated by groups like the KKK) and discriminatory laws kept African Americans disenfranchised, particularly in the South. During this time, segregation, racial discrimination and expressions of white supremacy all increased, as did anti-black violence such as lynching and race riots. Racism, which had been viewed primarily as a problem in the Southern states, burst onto the national consciousness following the Great Migration, the relocation of millions of African Americans from their roots in the Southern states to the industrial centers of the North after World War I. This took place particularly in cities such as Boston, Chicago and New York (Harlem). In northern cities, racial tensions exploded most violently in Chicago. The 1950s and 1960s saw the peaking of the American Civil Rights Movement with the desegregation of schools in 1954 and the organizing of widespread protests across the nation under a younger generation of leaders. Martin Luther King was a catalyst for many nonviolent protests in the 1960s, which led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The act prohibited discrimination in public facilities, in government and in employment and invalidating the Jim Crow laws (which mandated segregation in all public facilities, with a â€Å"separate but equal† status for black Americans and other non-white racial groups) in the southern United States. It became illegal to force segregation of the races in schools, housing or  hiring. This signified a change in the social acceptance of racism that had been written into American law and an increase in the number of opportunities available for people of color in the United States. However, African American poverty and education inequalities continue and have deepened in the post-industrial era.

Why Do We Sweat

Why Do We Sweat The human body and other living organisms have numerous natural adaptive mechanisms that keep them at the state of functioning properly. Sweating is one of these very crucial processes. Sweating can be defined as a natural thermoregulation process that helps in maintaining a balanced body temperature (Franklin, 2005).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Why Do We Sweat? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This research paper seeks to investigate the reasons why we as human beings sweat. It will thus explain how sweating occurs biologically, the circumstances under which we sweat and factors enhancing it, the sweat components, and finally discuss the genetic and sex influence on sweating. Sweating, as mentioned above, is one of the most crucial natural ways through which the body cools down especially during hot conditions. Sweating which is also referred to as perspiration may seem to make the body hotter, especial ly when the temperatures are slightly higher. However, without sweating, our bodies would not be able to withstand the heat that it produces. According to research, the sweating process occurs in order to maintain the normal body temperature which has been clinically determined to be about 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit or 37 degrees Celsius (Roizen Oz, 2008). In the event of sweating failure, human beings would suffer from heatstroke especially during hot weather or when they are exercising. Sweating can be explained from a physiological perspective. We all eat food most of the time in order to sustain life and keep ourselves healthy. The food that we take in daily has to be burned off during the metabolic process of respiration (Franklin, 2005). This process, therefore, produces large amounts of heat energy which in turn triggers the hypothalamus in our brain to automatically jump start the natural cooling off process. Beneath the human skin, that is in the epidermis, are long and spira ling tubes of body structures which are called sweat glands and are responsible for ensuring the cooling process. During warm or hot days, the vessels carrying blood in our skin open up and the glands contract resulting in the sweat glands releasing the fluid through the sweat pores found on the surface of the skin. The released sweat moisturizes the skin and then it evaporates taking away some amount of heat from the body (Freudenrich, 2006, April 23). Normally, it is this evaporation process that causes general cooling of the body.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The number of sweat glands in our body is estimated at 2 million. Sweating is not, however, restricted to hot conditions only, but we also perspire during cold days even when we are not engaged in any strenuous work (Franklin, 2005). It has been established that our body constitutes of two-thirds o f water and we lose such a great amount of it on a daily basis through the perspiration process. This is the reason why physiological professionals recommend the consumption of about two liters of water daily if the lost fluid is to be fully replenished. Further studies into the body system have revealed that there are two major types of sweat glands, namely, the apocrine and eccrine glands. The more dominant of the two is the eccrine glands which are found in most body parts like the forehead, soles of the feet, and palms of hands and are shallower. The apocrine glands can be found mainly in the groin, armpits, around the nipples, and at the end of the hair follicles. The apocrine fluid is more viscous and the glands become activated at puberty stage of human development. It is much easier to recognize sweat in the armpits and the groin region because it is not easy to evaporate unlike sweat on the exposed skin surfaces like the forehead and the palms (Freudenrich, 2006, April 23). Regions like the external genital organs, the nipples, and the lips have no sweat glands. Scientists have also investigated the composition of sweat. There are different elements that make up sweat. The most dominant elements that can be found in sweat are water and sodium, which is commonly know as salt. Traces of potassium, urea, and lactate, can also be detected in the sweat that we release. In most instances when it is cold or we are less active, our bodies produce less sweat. Apart from large amounts of sweat being produced during warm weather, a lot of exercising does lead to perspiration. Furthermore, stressful situations and nausea also cause sweating. When our bodies sweat profusely, the sweat contains approximately 20 percent more salt compared to cold weather when there is low production of sweat. Research has further revealed a significant difference in the chemical components when we perspire through the two major sweat glands. Sweat produced through the apocrine gland s, or rather in the armpit, will be much thicker and may contain a yellowish coloration (Clare, 2006).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Why Do We Sweat? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is due to the fact that the perspiration consists of proteins and fatty acids, including bacteria excreted from the body system. Most people prefer using antiperspirants under their armpits. These contents explain why the sweat from this region can turn clothing yellowish in color. The apocrine sweat mostly produces a bad smell and this is why deodorants are usually applied only to the armpits. Sweat is normally odorless but it starts to produce an unpleasant smell when it decomposes and bacteria act on it. It is advisable to use antiperspirants on the underarms since the amount of sweat released is very low and hence cannot affect the body’s overall cooling process (Fabian Society of Great Britain, 1990). People in different parts, according to research findings, do have different rates of perspiration depending on there environmental conditions. For instance, the people in India produce larger amounts of sweat due to the hotter weather. As a result, they consume a lot of salt that would be considered abnormal by people in much colder regions. This can be explained by the fact that Indians lose a lot of sodium during perspiration and hence the need to replace them accordingly for the proper functioning of the body. Sometimes, sweating may be considered embarrassing yet it is one of the most important natural responses for the proper functioning of the body and hence our survival (Roizen Oz, 2008). The amount of sweat that can be produced by an individual who is not used to hot weather is estimated by researchers at about one liter each hour. From the discussion above, sweating occurs due to increased environmental temperatures and when we engage ourselves in strenuous exercises. Further re search to find out why we sweat has revealed that we perspire when our nervous system is over-stimulated. This normally occurs when an individual is in a tense state or anticipating a tense situation. For instance, before a job interview, an upcoming first ever date or ones wedding ceremony, a presentation before a large audience, or sitting for an exam, an individual will realize sweat on the palms or the armpits. Furthermore, sweating may also occur due to embarrassment, sexual arousal, and anxiety in general. Under such situations, the triggered apocrine glands release a much oilier fluid which gets to the skin surface and evaporates causing cooling (Clare, 2006). All these occur due to the involuntary stimulation of the nervous system. This finding indicates that sweating is significantly affected, not only by our physical activity but also by our emotional states. This response is also one of the major reasons why human beings sweat a lot.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to research, genetics also play a central role as far as sweating is concerned. Every individual is born with unique number of sweat glands ranging from two million to five million for mature persons. This will therefore determine the amount of sweat released per time. It has also been established that sweating depends on sex where women have more sweat glands than men, but men sweat more profusely than women due to their sweat glands being more active (Roizen Oz, 2008). The paper has extensively explored the reasons why we sweat including the numerous factors behind this natural and crucial process. A biological explanation of sweating has been offered together with the factors which enhance it like environmental conditions, number and location of sweat glands. The chemical components of sweat fluid have been discussed and that sodium and chlorine (salt) are the most dominant minerals with some traces of potassium. Furthermore, it has been found that water constitutes 99 % of a given sweat volume. We can therefore conclude that perspiration is a necessary physiological process that ensures our survival and hence should not be considered as causing embarrassment. References Clare, B. (2006). Why do we sweat? Howstuffworks. Retrieved from https://serendipstudio.org/exchange/node/30 Fabian Society of Great Britain (1990). Sweating: a focus on the causes and its remedy. Kraus Reprint. Franklin, K. W. (2005). The sweating system: understanding thermoregulation. American Physiological Journal, 4 (12), 1-22. Freudenrich, C. (2006, April 23). How Sweat Works. The New York Times, p. 12-13. Roizen, M. F. Oz, M. C. (2008). Being Beautiful: why do we sweat? Simon Schuster.

History of the Wailing or Western Wall

History of the Wailing or Western Wall The Wailing Wall, also referred to as the Kotel, the Western Wall or Solomons Wall, and whose lower sections date to about the second century B.C.E., is located in the Old Quarter of East Jerusalem in Israel. Built of thick, corroded limestone, it is about 60 feet (20 meters) high and close to 160 feet (50 meters) long, though most of it is engulfed in other structures.   A Sacred Jewish Site The wall is believed by devout Jews to be the Western Wall of the Second Temple of Jerusalem (destroyed by the Romans in 70 C.E.), the only surviving structure of the Herodian Temple. The temples original location is in dispute, leading some Arabs to dispute the claim that the wall belongs to the temple, arguing instead that it is part of the structure of Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount. The structures description as the Wailing Wall derives from its Arabic identification as el-Mabka, or place of weeping, frequently repeated by European - and particularly French - travelers to the Holy Land in the 19th century as le mur des lamentations.  Jewish devotions believe that the divine presence never departs from the Western Wall. The Wailing Wall is one of the great Arab-Israeli struggles. Jews and Arabs dispute who is in control of the wall and who has access to it, and many Muslims maintain that the Wailing Wall has no relation to ancient Judaism at all. Sectarian and ideological claims aside, the Wailing Wall remains a sacred place for Jews and others who often pray - or perhaps  wail - and sometimes slip prayers written on paper through the walls welcoming fissures. In July 2009, Alon Nil launched a free service allowing people around the world to Twitter their prayers, which are then taken in printed form to the Wailing Wall. Israels Annexation of the Wall After the war of 1948 and the Arab capture of the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem, Jews were generally banned from praying at the Wailing Wall, which was at times defaced by political posters. Israel annexed Arab East Jerusalem immediately after the 1967 Six Day War and claimed ownership of the citys religious sites. Incensed - and fearing that the tunnel the Israelis began digging, starting from the Wailing Wall and under the Temple Mount, shortly after the war was over was designed to undermine the foundations of Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islams third holiest site after the mosques in Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia - Palestinians and other Muslims rioted, triggering a clash with Israeli forces that left five Arabs dead and hundreds wounded. In January 2016, the Israeli government  approved the first space where non-Orthodox Jews of both sexes can pray side by side, and the first Reform prayer service of both men and women took place in February 2016 in a section of the wall known as Robinsons Arch.

Community Policing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Community Policing - Assignment Example By community partnerships, expected participation and collaboration by law enforcement agencies with other members of the community are seen to be instrumental in contributing to the peace and order of local communities. Organizational transformation, on the other hand, means â€Å"the alignment of organizational management, structure, personnel, and information systems to support community partnerships and proactive problem solving† (Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), n.d., par. 3). And, finally, the problem solving process includes relevant elements such as scanning, analyzing, providing immediate response, and evaluating the effectiveness and success of response programs and initiatives. The benefits of community policing programs (or foot patrol) were revealed by Trojanowicz and Pollard (1986) as follows: increased contact on a one-on-one basis between law enforcement officers and citizens; fostering of increased trust; enabling law enforcements to focus on eminent problems in the community; by being actively seen, this approach gives greater public support, and immediate availability to address emergency situations (pars. 16 & 17). As revealed in Pearson Education (2010), there are five distinct core police operation strategies that assist law enforcement agencies to meet their goals. These core strategies are as follows: preventive patrol, routine incident response, emergency response, criminal investigation, problem solving, and support services (an ancillary operational strategy). These were validated by Scott (2000) in his published work entitled â€Å"Problem-Oriented Policing: Reflections on the First 20 Years†. A vivid example was clearly indicated by Trojanowicz and Pollard (1986) as follows: â€Å"one neighborhood may suffer a particularly large number of problems with juveniles, therefore the officer there devotes a greater share of his time to such concerns, perhaps

Any from book Juvenile Delinquency 11th edition Term Paper

Any from book Juvenile Delinquency 11th edition - Term Paper Example This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of juvenile delinquency and crime theories that aim at predisposing the idea of juvenile crime and how it develops. This paper further addresses the problem of juvenile crime in detail. The history of juvenile dates back to the 19th century and it remains dynamic to have a clear understanding and the statistics associated with the vice. Adolescents go through various social problems as they grow. According to Zimmerman, Ramirez-Valles, & Maton (1999), 31% of adolescents are faced by drug abuse, 14% face other social problems, and 14% face crime related problems while 7% suffer the repercussions of sexual abuse. So intense are these problems that the survival and growth of affected adolescents depend on how efficiently they tackle the problems. Counseling is one of the practices that can help adolescents cope with whatever problems that they face from time to time. Adolescents between the age of 9 and 13 are the most vulnerable to these problems due to their high anxiety and excitement coupled with their newness to the adolescent stages (Siegel & Welsh, 2012). To this group, however, counseling is the most important thing in making them control themselves. This coun seling must be administered by the right person and at the right time if positive results need to be realized. It is noteworthy that the adolescent stage is one of the most challenging stages for individuals as it is full of difficulty in making decisions, thus indulgence in risky behavior. According to Miller (2010), youths have always failed to make safe and healthy choices that would effectively support them avoid risky behaviors such as drug abuse, poor school attendance record, criminal gangs, and sexual activity. This kind of trend is certainly observable in environments characterized by increased poverty level, high crime rate, as well as violence. It is no doubt that black urban males in single parenting setting living in subsidized

Third Journal Entry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Third Journal Entry - Essay Example Based on these responsibility-related considerations, the professor’s story relates to the larger story of mankind as responsibilities are laid forth for accomplishment, faces challenges in both professional and personal settings, and deserves compassion based on likely occurrence of burnout in the management of work-life balance. The audience addressed comprises of English Language learners with the purpose of introducing the personality of the professor as influenced by career choice, physical appearance, and mastery of a subject. Based on the professor’s profile above, the choice of including the age group, the human side, likely side effects of the career choice was merited by the likely assumptions students make about their professors in general. By introducing the professor’s personality and expectations within his career, the purpose of composing this profile was to give new language students an idea of what is expected of them when addressing, judging, or even responding to the professor’s questions, assignments, and other academic tasks. By providing an easy environment in everything humans do, everyone can handle their challenges appropriately while at the same time projecting the strengths towards a meaningful purpose that influences positive growth. Reflecting on observations about looks and body language, the included details from the interview questions include the professor’s exposure to burnout as well as the personal responsibility of managing work-life balance.

Age of Iron by J.M. Coetzee Essay Example for Free

Age of Iron by J.M. Coetzee Essay The extract from the prose Age of Iron written by J.M. Coetzee is about the depiction of different generations conflicting with one another. This extract is set up as an old wise woman a one-way conversation during the 1990s. This extract illustrates the young boy being forced in listening to the old wise womans opinion about the cons of the apartheid, more specifically being the war. Throughout the prose, the young boy refuses to listen to the voice of authority and shows the old wise woman that with stubbornness and self-determination, young children do not accept what they are told from authority. With the portrayal of the two generations conflicting, the extract suggests that the immense amount of influence of authority can play a major role on younger generations leading them to choose the wrong path. This prose is shown as a one-way conversation and is during the time period of the 1990s which is also known as the South African Apartheid. With the Apartheid regime, the tone of the extract is in a depressed mood because of their struggle to freedom. The old wise womans opinions are demonstrated through her stream of consciousness and moves from quick dialogue with the young boy to descriptions showing the vivid imagery of the war. The depressed plot of this extract shows the social activism of the younger generation and the minorities in South Africa fighting for their own rights. The old womans advice is however being ignored from the young boy who refuses; due to his stubbornness and goes onto the wrong path putting himself into great danger. The setting of this prose most likely takes place in the old womans house because of the depiction that the old woman do[esnt] have bandages in the house. This shows that the young boy illustrates the dramatic beginning by making splashing noises indicating that it was rainy day outside and he needed to go inside somewhere dry. Since the young boy went inside the old womans house without knocking, this shows that there is a family connection between the old woman and the boy however not a strong connection because of the one-way dialogue throughout the prose. However, they do have family connection where the boy visits often because she notices the bandage [is] off and with surprise [she] noticed that the stitches were still in. This line depicts that she cares for the boy and that there is a family connection between the two characters because of the connection of the boy being able to go into her house and the fact that he has visited before with a bandage on. The prose then continues into short dialogue, demonstrating that the narrator is represented as a motherly figure because of the tone of caring in the dialogue such as when did you leave the hospital and you must keep that cut covered, otherwise it will get infected The protagonist in this prose is represented as a mother figure because of the consecutive questions she asks the boy about his cut and exaggerates that it will leave a memento on his forehead for the rest of his life. The protagonist is shown as a hen that loses its chicks because in the prose, the young boy that steps into the protagonists house isnt blood-related to the old woman however, this line depicts that the old woman will still treat him as her own son because of the theme nature vs. nurture. The old woman also recommends to the young boy to go [see] a doctor soon, or a clinic to have the stitches taken out. This quotation also initiates the spark of the young boy choosing the wrong path in life, leading him into great danger because he cleverly moves away from the topic by saying that he must rest [his] arm and his head is not sore. By saying this to the old woman, she immediately thinks that he is running away from someone and by being silent, she starts to show her caring and loving for the boy by telling him advice. Since she asked the young boy with care and love if he was running away from someone, and with no reply, the old woman got worried and starts to explain to the young boy again that he is too young for this kind of thing. The old woman starts to tell explain to the young boy that it is not a good thing to die and that even though he is fighting for his own rights during the war, he should be careful because [they are] throwing away [their] lives before [they] know what life can [really] be. It is also indicated in the prose, that she is an old person because she says so herself when she is explaining to the young boy. She also talks about Bheki, her son who died at a young age because he fought in the war however when she explained to the young boy that war isnt a good thing to participate; he didnt understand because he asked after she had explained about the cons of war. The vivid imagery is brought out into that particular paragraph because she illustrates the war as an age of chivalry where men [hack] other men to death. However her strong opinion against the war didnt work on the young boy because he wasnt influenced at all because his desires were very strong about war. In the prose, the young boy has rebelled against the voice of authority (old woman_ by not paying attention to her when she was talking as she explained through dialogue and imagery that war isnt something to be proud about. However, the young boys desire grew and he became more passionate about the war showing that all of the immense influencing she did was a waste of time. Consequently, she gets furious when he asks where is Bheki. This shows that the young boy wasnt paying attention to the old woman and shows that he is also immature. This specific quotation indicates that the young boy isnt mature because he didnt understand her hint when she said that I told Bheki so [Ill] tell you again. This being the turning point of the prose, the old woman changes her voice of tone from soft and sweet into more of a demanding voice by telling him to sit down. As he follows her orders, she starts to explain that Bheki is actually in a box in a hole with earth heaped on top of him. She says this with great pain and as she quickly brushes that off her shoulders, she then changes her way of explaining to the boy into a more childish way. She starts to use basic terms for the young boy to understand as her diction goes from complex to simple. Her voice changes immediately and the old woman start to explain to the boy as if he was a little child who was learning to ride a bike. As the conclusion starts to approach, her mood also becomes more furious because she knows that compassions is the most important thing and pushes that war is a struggle and pain. With her great influence upon the young boy, he threw off [the] talk and chooses the path of war as a sign of discipline. In the prose Age of Iron the influence of authority is shown throughout the prose. With the old woman trying to lure the young boy out from war is not successful as all the young boys listen to discipline and nothing else. However with him refusing the talk which had weighed down the generation of his grandparents and his generation of his parents; he decided to choose the wrong path leading him into a great deal of danger. Even though, the old wise woman knew what she was talking about and had heard about past experiences through memory and sense-perception, her influence upon the boy was very significant however with the two generations conflicting, the immense amount of influence of the old wise woman wasnt successful which lead the young boy in choosing the wrong path.

The Existence of Black Holes Essays -- Concept Essays

The Existence of Black Holes I have always had an interest in science, especially in the sciences regarding outer space. When I was younger I was always fascinated with rockets, and especially in stars. I have often regretted not pursuing this interest at its infancy. I do remember going to the Planetarium, and studying about a topic that I had seen talked about on television. The topic was black holes, and back then all that they knew was that they were black. The idea of a space in the universe that is completely void of light was difficult to imagine. Recently, I have learned more about this topic and a science call cosmology. I had never even heard of this field of science before I was introduced to a scientist by the name of Stephen Hawking. The introduction was very informal. In fact, I have never even seen him. My first introduction to Stephen's theories came when I read a popular book that Stephen wrote called A Brief History of Time, in this book he attempts to explain some of his most complicated theor ies. These include the topics of black holes, imaginary time, and the origin of the universe. Stephen is the front runner in his field. Many of his peers consider his to be the greatest mind since Einstein. (Stone, 27) One of Stephen's areas of specialty that interests me is the topic of small mass exploded in the grandest explosion in history. Scientists today say that ever since the Big Bang the universe has been expanding at the speed of light. Stephen's theory is that eventually the universe will reach an outer limit and will then implode on itself at the speed of light. (A Brief History of Time, 76) The ideas that Stephen has about the lifetime of our universe are very complicated. I will not even pretend to c... ...se and everything in it at one time consisted in a very small mass. This mass contained an incredible amount of energy. The theory is that the Stephen's work in this field regarding blackholes, and imaginary time is unsurpassed by anyone and is truly remarkable. Bibliography Hawking, Stephen. A Brief History of Time. New York: Bantam Books, 1988. Hawking, Stephen. A Reader's Guide to a Brief History of Time. New York: Bantam Books 1992. Hawking, Stephen. Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays. New York: Bantam Books, 1994. Hawking Stephen. An Essay On Time. New York: Bantam Books, 1992. Penrose, Roger. A Thesis on Relativity. New York: Bantam Books, 1990. Stone, Gene. A Reader's Companion to A Brief History of Time. New York: Bantam Books, 1992. Thorne, Kip. A Thesis on Quantum Mechanics. London: Oxford Publishing, 1989.

Microwaves :: essays research papers

You might remember the heroic role that newly-invented radar played in the Second World War. People hailed it then as "Our Miracle Ally". But even in its earliest years, as it was helping win the war, radar proved to be more than an expert enemy locator. Radar technicians, doodling away in their idle moments, found that they could focus a radar beam on a marshmallow and toast it. They also popped popcorn with it. Such was the beginning of microwave cooking. The very same energy that warned the British of the German Luftwaffe invasion and that policemen employ to pinch speeding motorists, is what many of us now have in our kitchens. It's the same as what carries long distance phone calls and cablevision. Hitler's army had its own version of radar, using radio waves. But the trouble with radio waves is that their long wavelength requires a large, cumbersome antenna to focus them into a narrow radar beam. The British showed that microwaves, with their short wavelength, could be focussed ina narrow beam with an antenna many times smaller. This enabled them to make more effective use of radar since an antenna could be carried on aircraft, ships and mobile ground stations. This characteristic of microwaves, the efficiency with which they are concentrated in a narrow beam, is one reason why they can be used in cooking. You can produce a high-powered microwave beam in a small oven, but you can't do the same with radio waves, which are simply too long. Microwaves and their Use The idea of cooking with radiation may seem like a fairly new one, but in fact it reaches back thousands of years. Ever since mastering fire, man has cooked with infrared radiation, a close kin of the microwave. Infrared rays are what give you that warm glow when you put your hand near a room radiator or a hotplate or a campfire. Infrared rays, flowing from the sun and striking the atmosphere, make the Earth warm and habitable. In a conventional gas or electric oven, infrared waves pour off the hot elements or burners and are converted to heat when they strike air inside and the food. Microwaves and infrared rays are related in that both are forms of electromagnetic energy. Both consist of electric and magnetic fields that rise and fall like waves on an ocean. Silently, invisibly and at the speed of light, they travel through space and matter. There are many forms of electromagnetic energy (see diagram). Ordinary light from the sun is one, and the only one you can actually see. X-rays are another. Each kind, moving at a separate wavelength, has a unique effect on any matter it

Chapter 14 Snape’s Grudge

No one in Gryffindor Tower slept that night. They knew that the castle was being searched again, and the whole House stayed awake in the common room, waiting to hear whether Black had been caught. Professor McGonagall came back at dawn, to tell them that he had again escaped. Throughout the day, everywhere they went they saw signs of tighter security; Professor Flitwick could be seen teaching the front doors to recognize a large picture of Sirius Black; Filch was suddenly bustling up and down the corridors, boarding up everything from tiny cracks in the walls to mouse holes. Sir Cadogan had been fired. His portrait had been taken back to its lonely landing on the seventh floor, and the Fat Lady was back. She had been expertly restored, but was still extremely nervous, and had agreed to return to her job only on condition that she was given extra protection. A bunch of surly security trolls had been hired to guard her. They paced the corridor in a menacing group, talking in grunts and comparing the size of their clubs. Harry couldn't help noticing that the statue of the one-eyed witch on the third floor remained unguarded and unblocked. It seemed that Fred and George had been right in thinking that they — and now Harry, Ron, and Hermione — were the only ones who knew about the hidden passageway within it. â€Å"D'you reckon we should tell someone?† Harry asked Ron. â€Å"We know he's not coming in through Honeyduke's,† said Ron dismissively. â€Å"We'd've heard if the shop had been broken into.† Harry was glad Ron took this view. If the one-eyed witch was boarded up too, he would never be able to go into Hogsmeade again. Ron had become an instant celebrity. For the first time in his life, people were paying more attention to him than to Harry, and it was clear that Ron was rather enjoying the experience. Though still severely shaken by the night's events, he was happy to tell anyone who asked what had happened, with a wealth of detail. â€Å"†¦ I was asleep, and I heard this ripping noise, and I thought it was in my dream, you know? But then there was this draft†¦I woke up and one side of the hangings on my bed had been pulled down†¦I rolled over†¦and I saw him standing over me†¦like a skeleton, with loads of filthy hair†¦holding this great long knife, must've been twelve inches†¦and he looked at me, and I looked at him, and then I yelled, and he scampered. â€Å"Why, though?† Ron added to Harry as the group of second year girls who had been listening to his chilling tale departed. â€Å"Why did he run?† Harry had been wondering the same thing. Why had Black, having got the wrong bed, not silenced Ron and proceeded to Harry? Black had proved twelve years ago that he didn't mind murdering innocent people, and this time he had been facing five unarmed boys, four of whom were asleep. â€Å"He must've known he'd have a job getting back out of the castle once you'd yelled and woken people up,† said Harry thoughtfully. â€Å"He'd've had to kill the whole house to get back through the portrait hole†¦then he would've met the teachers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Neville was in total disgrace. Professor McGonagall was so furious with him she had banned him from all future Hogsmeade visits, given him a detention, and forbidden anyone to give him the password into the tower. Poor Neville was forced to wait. outside the common room every night for somebody to let him in, while the security trolls leered unpleasantly at him. None of these punishments, however, came close to matching the one his grandmother had in store for him. Two days after Black's break-in, she sent Neville the very worst thing a Hogwarts student could receive over breakfast — a Howler. The school owls swooped into the Great Hall carrying the mail as usual, and Neville choked as a huge barn owl landed in front of him, a scarlet envelope clutched in its beak. Harry and Ron, who were sitting opposite him, recognized the letter as a Howler at once — Ron had got one from his mother the year before. â€Å"Run for it, Neville,† Ron advised. Neville didn't need telling twice. He seized the envelope, and holding it before him like a bomb, sprinted out of the hall, while the Slytherin table exploded with laughter at the sight of him. They heard the Howler go off in the entrance hall — Neville's grandmother's voice, magically magnified to a hundred times its usual volume, shrieking about how he had brought shame on the whole family. Harry was too busy feeling sorry for Neville to notice immediately that he had a letter too. Hedwig got his attention by nipping him sharply on the wrist. â€Å"Ouch! Oh — thanks, Hedwig.† Harry tore open the envelope while Hedwig helped herself to some of Neville's cornflakes. The note inside said: Dear Harry and Ron, How about having tea with me this afternoon 'round six? I'll come collect you from the castle. WAIT FOR ME IN THE ENTRANCE HALL; YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED OUT ON YOUR OWN. Cheers, Hagrid â€Å"He probably wants to hear all about Black!† said Ron. So at six o'clock that afternoon, Harry and Ron left Gryffindor Tower, passed the security trolls at a run, and headed down to the entrance hall. Hagrid was already waiting for them. â€Å"All right, Hagrid!† said Ron. â€Å"S'pose you want to hear about Saturday night, do you?† â€Å"I've already heard all abou' it,† said Hagrid, opening the front doors and leading them outside. â€Å"Oh,† said Ron, looking slightly put out. The first thing they saw on entering Hagrid's cabin was Buckbeak, who was stretched out on top of Hagrid's patchwork quilt, his enormous wings folded tight to his body, enjoying a large plate of dead ferrets. Averting his eyes from this unpleasant sight, Harry saw a gigantic, hairy brown suit and a very horrible yellow-and-orange tie hanging from the top of Hagrid's wardrobe door. â€Å"What are they for, Hagrid?† said Harry. â€Å"Buckbeak's case against the Committee fer the Disposal o' Dangerous Creatures,† said Hagrid. â€Å"This Friday. Him an' me'll be goin' down ter London together. I've booked two beds on the Knight Bus†¦.† Harry felt a nasty pang of guilt. He had completely forgotten that Buckbeak's trial was so near, and judging by the uneasy look on Ron's face, he had too. They had also forgotten their promise about helping him prepare Buckbeak's defense; the arrival of the Firebolt had driven it clean out of their minds. Hagrid poured them tea and offered them a plate of Bath buns but they knew better than to accept; they had had too much experience with Hagrid's cooking. â€Å"I got somethin' ter discuss with you two,† said Hagrid, sitting himself between them and looking uncharacteristically serious. â€Å"What?† said Harry. â€Å"Hermione,† said Hagrid. â€Å"What about her?† said Ron. â€Å"She's in a righ' state, that's what. She's bin comin' down ter visit me a lot since Chris'mas. Bin feelin' lonely. Firs' yeh weren' talking to her because o' the Firebolt, now yer not talkin' to her because her cat –â€Å" â€Å"?C ate Scabbers!† Ron interjected angrily. â€Å"Because her cat acted like all cats do,† Hagrid continued doggedly. â€Å"She's cried a fair few times, yeh know. Goin' through a rough time at the moment. Bitten off more'n she can chew, if yeh ask me, all the work she's tryin' ter do. Still found time ter help me with Buckbeak's case, mind†¦She's found some really good stuff fer me†¦reckon he'll stand a good chance now†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Hagrid, we should've helped as well — sorry –† Harry began awkwardly. â€Å"I'm not blamin' yeh!† said Hagrid, waving Harry's apology aside. â€Å"Gawd knows yeh've had enough ter be getting' on with. I've seen yeh practicin' Quidditch ev'ry hour o' the day an' night — but I gotta tell yeh, I thought you two'd value yer friend more'n broomsticks or rats. Tha's all.† Harry and Ron exchanged uncomfortable looks. â€Å"Really upset, she was, when Black nearly stabbed yeh, Ron. She's got her heart in the right place, Hermione has, an' you two not talkin' to her –â€Å" â€Å"If she'd just get rid of that cat, I'd speak to her again!† Ron said angrily. â€Å"But she's still sticking up for it! It's a maniac, and she won't hear a word against it!† â€Å"Ah, well, people can be a bit stupid abou' their pets,† said Hagrid wisely. Behind him, Buckbeak spat a few ferret bones onto Hagrid's pillow. They spent the rest of their visit discussing Gryffindor's improved chances for the Quidditch Cup. At nine o'clock, Hagrid walked them back up to the castle. A large group of people was bunched around the bulletin board when they returned to the common room. â€Å"Hogsmeade, next weekend!† said Ron, craning over the heads to read the new notice. â€Å"What d'you reckon?† he added quietly to Harry as they went to sit down. â€Å"Well, Filch hasn't done anything about the passage into Honeydukes†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry said, even more quietly. â€Å"Harry!† said a voice in his right ear. Harry started and looked around at Hermione, who was sitting at the table right behind them and clearing a space in the wall of books that had been hiding her. â€Å"Harry, if you go into Hogsmeade again†¦I'll tell Professor McGonagall about that map!† said Hermione. â€Å"Can you hear someone talking, Harry?† growled Ron, not looking at Hermione. â€Å"Ron, how can you let him go with you? After what Sirius Black nearly did to you! I mean it, I'll tell –â€Å" â€Å"So now you're trying to get Harry expelled!† said Ron furiously. â€Å"Haven't you done enough damage this year?† Hermione opened her mouth to respond, but with a soft hiss, Crookshanks leapt onto her lap. Hermione took one frightened look at the expression on Ron's face, gathered up Crookshanks, and hurried away toward the girls' dormitories. â€Å"So how about it?† Ron said to Harry as though there had been no interruption. â€Å"Come on, last time we went you didn't see anything. You haven't even been inside Zonko's yet!† Harry looked around to check that Hermione was well out of earshot. â€Å"Okay,† he said. â€Å"But I'm taking the Invisibility Cloak this time.† On Saturday morning, Harry packed his Invisibility Cloak in his bag, slipped the Marauder's Map into his pocket, and went down to breakfast with everyone else. Hermione kept shooting suspicious looks down the table at him, but he avoided her eye and was careful to let her see him walking back up the marble staircase in the entrance hall as everybody else proceeded to the front doors. â€Å"Bye!† Harry called to Ron. â€Å"See you when you get back!† Ron grinned and winked. Harry hurried up to the third floor, slipping the Marauder's Map out of his pocket as he went. Crouching behind the one-eyed witch, he smoothed it out. A tiny dot was moving in his direction. Harry squinted at it. The minuscule writing next to it read Neville Longbottom. Harry quickly pulled out his wand, muttered, â€Å"Dissendium!† and shoved his bag into the statue, but before he could climb in himself, Neville came around the corner. â€Å"Harry! I forgot you weren't going to Hogsmeade either!† â€Å"Hi, Neville,† said Harry, moving swiftly away from the statue and pushing the map back into his pocket. â€Å"What are you up to?† â€Å"Nothing,† shrugged Neville. â€Å"Want a game of Exploding Snap?† â€Å"Er — not now — I was going to go to the library and do that vampire essay for Lupin –â€Å" â€Å"I'll come with you!† said Neville brightly. â€Å"I haven't done it either!† â€Å"Er — hang on — yeah, I forgot, I finished it last night!† â€Å"Great, you can help me!† said Neville, his round face anxious. â€Å"I don't understand that thing about the garlic at all — do they have to eat it, or –â€Å" He broke off with a small gasp, looking over Harry's shoulder. It was Snape. Neville took a quick step behind Harry. â€Å"And what are you two doing here?† said Snape, coming to a halt and looking from one to the other. â€Å"An odd place to meet –â€Å" To Harry's immense disquiet, Snape's black eyes flicked to the doorways on either side of them, and then to the one-eyed witch. â€Å"We're not — meeting here,† said Harry. â€Å"We just — met here.† â€Å"Indeed?† said Snape. â€Å"You have a habit of turning up in unexpected places, Potter, and you are very rarely there for no good reason†¦I suggest the pair of you return to Gryffindor Tower, where you belong.† Harry and Neville set off without another word. As they turned the corner, Harry looked back. Snape was running one of his hands over the one-eyed witch's head, examining it closely. Harry managed to shake Neville off at the Fat Lady by telling him the password, then pretending he'd left his vampire essay in the library and doubling back. Once out of sight of the security trolls, he pulled out the map again and held it close to his nose. The third floor corridor seemed to be deserted. Harry scanned the map carefully and saw, with a leap of relief, that the tiny dot labeled Severus Snape was now back in its office. He sprinted back to the one-eyed witch, opened her hump, heaved himself inside, and slid down to meet his bag at the bottom of the stone chute. He wiped the Marauder's Map blank again, then set off at a run. Harry, completely hidden beneath the Invisibility Cloak, emerged into the sunlight outside Honeydukes and prodded Ron in the back. â€Å"It's me,† he muttered. â€Å"What kept you?† Ron hissed. â€Å"Snape was hanging around.† They set off up the High Street. â€Å"Where are you?† Ron kept muttering out of the corner of his mouth. â€Å"Are you still there? This feels weird†¦Ã¢â‚¬  They went to the post office; Ron pretended to be checking the price of an owl to Bill in Egypt so that Harry could have a good look around. The owls sat hooting softly down at him, at least three hundred of them; from Great Grays right down to tiny little Scops owls (â€Å"Local Deliveries Only†), which were so small they could have sat in the palm of Harry's hand. Then they visited Zonko's, which was so packed with students Harry had to exercise great care not to tread on anyone and cause a panic. There were jokes and tricks to fulfill even Fred's and George's wildest dreams; Harry gave Ron whispered orders and passed him some gold from under the cloak. They left Zonko's with their money bags considerably lighter than they had been on entering, but their pockets bulging with Dungbombs, Hiccup Sweets, Frog Spawn Soap, and a Nose-Biting Teacup apiece. The day was fine and breezy, and neither of them felt like staying indoors, so they walked past the Three Broomsticks and climbed a slope to visit the Shrieking Shack, the most haunted dwelling in Britain. It stood a little way above the rest of the village, and even in daylight was slightly creepy, with its boarded windows and dank overgrown garden. â€Å"Even the Hogwarts ghosts avoid it,† said Ron as they leaned on the fence, looking up at it. â€Å"I asked Nearly Headless Nick†¦he says he's heard a very rough crowd lives here. No one can get in. Fred and George tried, obviously, but all the entrances are sealed shut†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry, feeling hot from their climb, was just considering taking off the cloak for a few minutes when they heard voices nearby. Someone was climbing toward the house from the other side of the hill; moments later, Malfoy had appeared, followed closely by Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy was speaking. â€Å"†¦should have an owl from Father any time now. He had to go to the hearing to tell them about my arm†¦about how I couldn't use it for three months†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Crabbe and Goyle sniggered. â€Å"I really wish I could hear that great hairy moron trying to defend himself†¦'There's no ‘arm in ‘im, ‘onest –‘†¦That Hippogriff's as good as dead –â€Å" Malfoy suddenly caught sight of Ron. His pale face split in a malevolent grin. â€Å"What are you doing, Weasley?† Malfoy looked up at the crumbling house behind Ron. â€Å"Suppose you'd love to live here, wouldn't you, Weasley? Dreaming about having your own bedroom? I heard your family all sleep in one room — is that true?† Harry seized the back of Ron's robes to stop him from leaping on Malfoy. â€Å"Leave him to me,† he hissed in Ron's ear. The opportunity was too perfect to miss. Harry crept silently around behind Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, bent down, and scooped a large handful of mud out of the path. â€Å"We were just discussing your friend Hagrid,† Malfoy said to Ron. â€Å"Just trying to imagine what he's saying to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. D'you think he'll cry when they cut off his Hippogriff's –â€Å" SPLAT! Malfoy's head jerked forward as the mud hit him; his silverblond hair was suddenly dripping in muck. â€Å"What the –?† Ron had to hold onto the fence to keep himself standing, he was laughing so hard. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle spun stupidly on the spot, staring wildly around, Malfoy trying to wipe his hair clean. â€Å"What was that? Who did that?† â€Å"Very haunted up here, isn't it?† said Ron, with the air of one commenting on the weather. Crabbe and Goyle were looking scared. Their bulging muscles were no use against ghosts. Malfoy was staring madly around at the deserted landscape. Harry sneaked along the path, where a particularly sloppy puddle yielded some foul-smelling, green sludge. SPLATTER! Crabbe and Goyle caught some this time. Goyle hopped furiously on the spot, trying to rub it out of his small, dull eyes. â€Å"It came from over there!† said Malfoy, wiping his face, and staring at a spot some six feet to the left of Harry. Crabbe blundered forward, his long arms outstretched like a zombie. Harry dodged around him, picked up a stick, and lobbed it at Crabbe's back. Harry doubled up with silent laughter as Crabbe did a kind of pirouette in midair, trying to see who had thrown it. As Ron was the only person Crabbe could see, it was Ron he started toward, but Harry stuck out his leg. Crabbe stumbled — and his huge, flat foot caught the hem of Harry's cloak. Harry felt a great tug, then the cloak slid off his face. For a split second, Malfoy stared at him. â€Å"AAARGH!† he yelled, pointing at Harry's head. Then he turned tail and ran, at breakneck speed, back down the hill, Crabbe and Goyle behind him. Harry tugged the cloak up again, but the damage was done. â€Å"Harry!† Ron said, stumbling forward and staring hopelessly at the point where Harry had disappeared, â€Å"you'd better run for it! If Malfoy tells anyone — you'd better get back to the castle, quick –â€Å" â€Å"See you later,† said Harry, and without another word, he tore back down the path toward Hogsmeade. Would Malfoy believe what he had seen? Would anyone believe Malfoy? Nobody knew about the Invisibility Cloak — nobody except Dumbledore. Harry's stomach turned over — Dumbledore would know exactly what had happened, if Malfoy said anything — Back into Honeydukes, back down the cellar steps, across the stone floor, through the trapdoor — Harry pulled off the cloak, tucked it under his arm, and ran, flat out, along the passage†¦Malfoy would get back first†¦ how long would it take him to find a teacher? Panting, a sharp pain in his side, Harry didn't slow down until he reached the stone slide. He would have to leave the cloak where it was, it was too much of a giveaway in case Malfoy had tipped off a teacher — he hid it in a shadowy corner, then started to climb, fast as he could, his sweaty hands slipping on the sides of the chute. He reached the inside of the witch's hump, tapped it with his wand, stuck his head through, and hoisted himself out; the hump closed, and just as Harry jumped out from behind the statue, he heard quick footsteps approaching. It was Snape. He approached Harry at a swift walk, his black robes swishing, then stopped in front of him. â€Å"So,† he said. There was a look of suppressed triumph about him. Harry tried to look innocent, all too aware of his sweaty face and his muddy hands, which he quickly hid in his pockets. â€Å"Come with me, Potter,† said Snape. Harry followed him downstairs, trying to wipe his hands clean on the inside of his robes without Snape noticing. They walked down the stairs to the dungeons and then into Snape's office. Harry had been in here only once before, and he had been in very serious trouble then too. Snape had acquired a few more slimy horrible things in jars since last time, all standing on shelves behind his desk, glinting in the firelight and adding to the threatening atmosphere. â€Å"Sit,† said Snape. Harry sat. Snape, however, remained, standing. â€Å"Mr. Malfoy has just been to see me with a strange story, Potter,† said Snape. Harry didn't say anything. â€Å"He tells me that he was up by the Shrieking Shack when he ran into Weasley — apparently alone.† Still, Harry didn't speak. â€Å"Mr. Malfoy states that he was standing talking to Weasley, when a large amount of mud hit him in the back of the head. How do you think that could have happened?† Harry tried to look mildly surprised. â€Å"I don't know, Professor.† Snape's eyes were boring into Harry's. It was exactly like trying to stare down a Hippogriff. Harry tried hard not to blink. â€Å"Mr. Malfoy then saw an extraordinary apparition. Can you imagine what it might have been, Potter?† â€Å"No,† said Harry, now trying to sound innocently curious. â€Å"It was your head, Potter. Floating in midair.† There was a long silence. â€Å"Maybe he'd better go to Madam Pomfrey,† said Harry. â€Å"If he's seeing things like –â€Å" â€Å"What would your head have been doing in Hogsmeade, Potter?† said Snape softly. â€Å"Your head is not allowed in Hogsmeade. No part of your body has permission to be in Hogsmeade.† â€Å"I know that,† said Harry, striving to keep his face free of guilt or fear. â€Å"It sounds like Malfoy's having hallucin –â€Å" â€Å"Malfoy is not having hallucinations,† snarled Snape, and he bent down, a hand on each arm of Harry's chair, so that their faces were a foot apart. â€Å"If your head was in Hogsmeade, so was the rest of you.† â€Å"I've been up in Gryffindor Tower,† said Harry. â€Å"Like you told –â€Å" â€Å"Can anyone confirm that?† Harry didn't say anything. Snape's thin mouth curled into a horrible smile. â€Å"So,† he said, straightening up again. â€Å"Everyone from the Minister of Magic downward has been trying to keep famous Harry Potter safe from Sirius Black. But famous Harry Potter is a law unto himself. Let the ordinary people worry about his safety! Famous Harry Potter goes where he wants to, with no thought for the consequences.† Harry stayed silent. Snape was trying to provoke him into telling the truth. He wasn't going to do it. Snape had no proof — yet. â€Å"How extraordinarily like your father you are, Potter,† Snape said suddenly, his eyes glinting. â€Å"He too was exceedingly arrogant. A small amount of talent on the Quidditch field made him think he was a cut above the rest of us too. Strutting around the place with his friends and admirers†¦The resemblance between you is uncanny.† â€Å"My dad didn't strut,† said Harry, before he could stop himself. â€Å"And neither do I.† â€Å"Your father didn't set much store by rules either,† Snape went on, pressing his advantage, his thin face full of malice. â€Å"Rules were for lesser mortals, not Quidditch Cup-winners. His head was so swollen –â€Å" â€Å"SHUT UP!† Harry was suddenly on his feet. Rage such as he had not felt since his last night in Privet Drive was coursing through him. He didn't care that Snape's face had gone rigid, the black eyes flashing dangerously. â€Å"What did you say to me, Potter?† â€Å"I told you to shut up about my dad!† Harry yelled. â€Å"I know the truth, all right? He saved your life! Dumbledore told me! You wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for my dad!† Snape's sallow skin had gone the color of sour milk. â€Å"And did the headmaster tell you the circumstances in which your father saved my life?† he whispered. â€Å"Or did he consider the details too unpleasant for precious Potter's delicate ears?† Harry bit his lip. He didn't know what had happened and didn't want to admit it — but Snape seemed to have guessed the truth. â€Å"I would hate for you to run away with a false idea of your father, Potter,† he said, a terrible grin twisting his face. â€Å"Have you been imagining some act of glorious heroism? Then let me correct you — your saintly father and his friends played a highly amusing joke on me that would have resulted in my death if your father hadn't got cold feet at the last moment. There was nothing brave about what he did. He was saving his own skin as much as mine. Had their joke succeeded, he would have been expelled from Hogwarts.† Snape's uneven, yellowish teeth were bared. â€Å"Turn out your pockets, Potter!† he spat suddenly. Harry didn't move. There was a pounding in his ears. â€Å"Turn out your pockets, or we go straight to the headmaster! Pull them out, Potter!† Cold with dread, Harry slowly pulled out the bag of Zonko's tricks and the Marauder's Map. Snap picked up the Zonko's bag. â€Å"Ron gave them to me,† said Harry, praying he'd get a chance to tip Ron off before Snape saw him. â€Å"He brought them back from Hogsmeade last time –â€Å" â€Å"Indeed? And you've been carrying them around ever since? How very touching†¦and what is this?† Snape had picked up the map. Harry tried with all his might to keep his face impassive. â€Å"Spare bit of parchment,† he said with a shrug. Snape turned it over, his eyes on Harry. â€Å"Surely you don't need such a very old piece of parchment?† he said. â€Å"Why don't I just — throw this away?† His hand moved toward the fire. â€Å"No!† Harry said quickly. â€Å"So!† said Snape, his long nostrils quivering. â€Å"Is this another treasured gift from Mr. Weasley? Or is it — something else? A letter, perhaps, written in invisible ink? Or — instructions to get into Hogsmeade without passing the Dementors?† Harry blinked. Snape's eyes gleamed. â€Å"Let me see, let me see†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he muttered, taking out his wand and smoothing the map out on his desk. â€Å"Reveal your secret!† he said, touching the wand to the parchment. Nothing happened. Harry clenched his hands to stop them from shaking. â€Å"Show yourself!† Snape said, tapping the map sharply. It stayed blank. Harry was taking deep, calming breaths. â€Å"Professor Severus Snape, master of this school, commands you to yield the information you conceal!† Snape said, hitting the map with his wand. As though an invisible hand were writing upon it, words appeared on the smooth surface of the map. â€Å"Mooney presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business.† Snape froze. Harry stared, dumbstruck, at the message. But the map didn't stop there. More writing was appearing beneath the first. â€Å"Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Mooney and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git.† It would have been very funny if the situation hadn't been so serious. And there was more †¦ â€Å"Mr. Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a professor.† Harry closed his eyes in horror. When he'd opened them, the map had had its last word. â€Å"Mr. Wormtail bids Professor Snape good day, and advises him to wash his hair, the slimeball.† Harry waited for the blow to fall. â€Å"So †¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Snape softly. â€Å"We'll see about this †¦Ã¢â‚¬  He strode across to his fire, seized a fistful of glittering powder from a jar on the fireplace, and threw it into the flames. â€Å"Lupin!† Snape called into the fire. â€Å"I want a word!† Utterly bewildered, Harry stared at the fire. A large shape had appeared in it, revolving very fast. Seconds later, Professor Lupin was clambering out of the fireplace, brushing ash off his shabby robes. â€Å"You called, Severus?† said Lupin mildly. â€Å"I certainly did,† said Snape, his face contorted with fury as he strode back to his desk. â€Å"I have just asked Potter to empty his pockets. He was carrying this.† Snape pointed at the parchment, on which the words of Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs were still shining. An odd, closed expression appeared on Lupin's face. â€Å"Well?† said Snape. Lupin continued to stare at the map. Harry had the impression that Lupin was doing some very quick thinking. â€Å"Well?† said Snape again. â€Å"This parchment is plainly full of Dark Magic. This is supposed to be your area of expertise, Lupin. Where do you imagine Potter got such a thing?† Lupin looked up and, by the merest half-glance in Harry's direction, warned him not to interrupt. â€Å"Full of Dark Magic?† he repeated mildly. â€Å"Do you really think so, Severus? It looks to me as though it is merely a piece of parchment that insults anybody who reads it. Childish, but surely not dangerous? I imagine Harry got it from a joke shop –â€Å" â€Å"Indeed?† said Snape. His jaw had gone rigid with anger. â€Å"You think a joke shop could supply him with such a thing? You don't think it more likely that he got it directly from the manufacturers?† Harry didn't understand what Snape was talking about. Nor, apparently, did Lupin. â€Å"You mean, by Mr. Wormtail or one of these people?† he said. â€Å"Harry, do you know any of these men?† â€Å"No,† said Harry quickly. â€Å"You see, Severus?† said Lupin, turning back to Snape. â€Å"It looks like a Zonko product to me –â€Å" Right on cue, Ron came bursting into the office. He was completely out of breath, and stopped just short of Snape's desk, clutching the stitch in his chest and trying to speak. â€Å"I — gave — Harry — that — stuff,† he choked. â€Å"Bought — it†¦in Zonko's†¦ ages — ago†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Well!† said Lupin, clapping his hands together and looking around cheerfully. â€Å"That seems to clear that up! Severus, I'll take this back, shall I?† He folded the map and tucked it inside his robes. â€Å"Harry, Ron, come with me, I need a word about my vampire essay — excuse us, Severus –â€Å" Harry didn't dare look at Snape as they left his office. He. Ron, and Lupin walked all the way back into the entrance hall before speaking. Then Harry turned to Lupin. â€Å"Professor, I –â€Å" â€Å"I don't want to hear explanations,† said Lupin shortly. He glanced around the empty entrance hall and lowered his voice. â€Å"I happen to know that this map was confiscated by Mr. Filch many years ago. Yes, I know it's a map,† he said as Harry and Ron looked amazed. â€Å"I don't want to know how it fell into your possession. I am, however, astounded that you didn't hand it in. Particularly after what happened the last time a student left information about the castle lying around. And I can't let you have it back, Harry.† Harry had expected that, and was too keen for explanations to protest. â€Å"Why did Snape think I'd got it from the manufacturers?† â€Å"Because†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Lupin hesitated, â€Å"because these mapmakers would have wanted to lure you out of school. They'd think it extremely entertaining.† â€Å"Do you know them?† said Harry, impressed. â€Å"We've met,† he said shortly. He was looking at Harry more seriously than ever before. â€Å"Don't expect me to cover up for you again, Harry. I cannot make you take Sirius Black seriously. But I would have thought that what you have heard when the Dementors draw near you would have had more of an effect on you. Your parents gave their lives to keep you alive, Harry. A poor way to repay them — gambling their sacrifice for a bag of magic tricks.† He walked away, leaving Harry feeling worse by far than he had at any point in Snape's office. Slowly, he and Ron mounted the marble staircase. As Harry passed the one-eyed witch, he remembered the Invisibility Cloak — it was still down there, but he didn't dare go and get it. â€Å"It's my fault,† said Ron abruptly. â€Å"I persuaded you to go. Lupin's right, it was stupid, we shouldn't've done it –â€Å" He broke off; they reached the corridor where the security trolls were pacing, and Hermione was walking toward them. One look at her face convinced Harry that she had heard what had happened. His heart plummeted — had she told Professor McGonagall? â€Å"Come to have a good gloat?† said Ron savagely as she stopped in front of them. â€Å"Or have you just been to tell on us?† â€Å"No,† said Hermione. She was holding a letter in her hands and her lip was trembling. â€Å"I just thought you ought to know†¦Hagrid lost his case. Buckbeak is going to be executed.†