Algebra Writing Assignment

Joey Dolce Mr. Moore Algebra 2 28 September 2012 Algebra Writing Assignment The articles written by Roger C. Schank oppose the standard way of educating the young minds of America. The articles explain why, Algebra, Chemistry, Physics, History, and more academic subjects are useless in developing a young teenagers mind and growth. Although Roger C. Schank makes valid points about his arguments, I disagree with him on most of his opinions. Even though math is not a strong subject of mine I think math is used in someone’s everyday life.When making a decision math helps me think of the different possibilities and outcomes to make the best possible decision. Math is involved in many of the jobs society has to offer today. Engineering, construction, computer programmer, financial advisor, market analyst, and many more all include the involvement of math. Roger C. Schank criticizes the way subjects are taught in school. I think he forgets that since our nation has instituted the ide a of curriculum into the classrooms in 1892 America has advanced tremendously.We would not have advanced this much if the subjects taught in the classrooms were so useless and unimportant. Furthermore, Math is heavily involved in a nation’s economy and finances. Almost all economic decisions regarding a nation has math included in it. Whether to produce more of one good then another or how much money a nation should spend on its military is based off equations that math has given us. Not only does math help a nation but it also helps in small ways, such as in a family. If a couple decides to have kids, they should decide if they are financially ready for the kids.Will they have to make sacrifices on vacations or new appliances to have a child? All these decisions are solved through some sort of math. In, conclusion I believe that algebra is a very important part of life. Not only does algebra help you with life but mostly of all the subjects taught in school help you in some shape or form. In each subject, you learn new vocabulary, build on your writing skills, and learn better ways to study and prepare. All these skills taught in these subjects can help you prepare better for your future. Test: â€Å"Study Guide Algebra†

Clinical Reflection Essay

The first three weeks in my clinical placement at Facility, I have already gained a lot of practical experience that is different from what I am familiar with. During our orientation at the facility, we met the nurse manager of the third floor who is courteous enough to share a little bit of information about working in the facility and how the system works in the long- term care facility. The nurse manager even told us, that she is also an international educated nurse. Knowing this has inspired me to become successful in my chosen career. After the orientation, our group was divided into two and we were given directions on which wing we will be assigned. There were three of us in my group, and each one of us was assigned to a resident attendant. We were given instructions to just shadow and observe on how things are being done during the first three hours of the resident attendant’s shift. Since I had the experience in a long-term care facility, I am familiar with some of the procedures and routines that are being done by the Personal Support Worker (PSW). That being said, I could say that I was comfortable in assisting the resident attendant/ PSW in providing nursing care to the clients. Although I was familiar and comfortable with the setting of a long-term care facility, I still felt anxious on how I can provide the best care possible for the residents. In this clinical placement, I have learned that being too comfortable and excited is not always a good thing especially for a student. Because of my eagerness to learn new things, I was not able to pay attention on the sign that was posted in a clients’ room. The client was in isolation for contact precaution. The incident happened while I was walking at the hallway and the client called my attention by waving her hand. It made me think that she needed help and I immediately came to her aid without even looking at the sign. The PSW saw me going out from the clients’ room and told me right away that I should not be in the clients’ room without any personal protection equipment (PPE). I suddenly realized that I broke a policy that is highly implemented in every healthcare facility, and that is the â€Å"Infection Control†. My teacher saw what happened and reminded me about the rules in the facility. I apologized and owned up to my mistake. I was embarrassed of what I have done, but also I have learned something that I will never forget. I have learned to be more aware and attentive of my surroundings. As a nurse, I should be one-step ahead, especially when it comes to clients’ safety. I almost put the client at risk by not following the directives on the precaution signs posted on the door of the resident. It may be the risk that I don’t know that I could actually cause greater harm, for this reason I need to be more vigilant and use practice routines in all patient care activities.

Apush Constitution Essay Example for Free

Apush Constitution Essay The Federalists, on the other hand, maintained as broad constructionists who argue that government should do whatever that is not forbidden on the Constitution. However, throughout the course of 1801 to 1817, both parties failed to stay consistent with their original principles and adopted whichever interpretation of the Constitution that serves them best. Politically, the War of 1812, also known as â€Å"Mr. Madison’s war† with Britain, stirred the most controversy in Federalist and Republicans. Madison supported the war because of the seemingly auspicious terms he can get out of the war. War of 1812 promised several things: more land for settlement, completely elimination of Britain’s presences in America and Canada, and most importantly, it promised to restore unity in U. S. Federalists, now acting as strict constructions, demands word by word justification of declaring war on Britain. For example, Daniel Webster argued that â€Å"†¦Where is it written in the Constitution, in what article or section is it contained, that you may take children from their parents, and parents from their children, and compel them to fight the battles of any war in which the folly or the wickedness of the government may engage it?†¦ † Many Federalists felt declaring war with the country of their origin is unfaithful to the Canon Laws which they obey in churches. Furthermore, they view France as America’s real enemy since it seized more cargo from American merchants than Britain. Economically, both Jefferson and Madison shift their constructionist policies and contradict with their former ideologies about the interpretation of Constitution. For example, prior to Jefferson’s presidency, he firmly addressed his belief that the power of government comes from what is given from the Constitution in lines â€Å"I believe [we] shall obtain†¦a majority in the legislature of the United States, attached to the preservation of the federal Constitution, according o its obvious principles and those rights unquestionably remaining with them;† (Doc A). However, he contradicted his belief in strict constructionism with Louisiana Purchase, since Constitution didn’t grant him the power to make such purchases. Many Federalists now shifted their stances to strict constructionist who demands justification of whether such expenditure is constitutional or not. Jefferson, acting as loose constructionist now, supports the purchase because it opens lands for settlement and strengthens his popularity in South and West. The loose constructionism of the Jeffersonian Republicans is also shown in the Embargo Act of 1807 and Non-intercourse Act. Both acts restricted American ships from engaging foreign trade between the years of 1807 to 1812 especially to England and France. To Federalists in New England, who profited from supplying Britain and French during Napoleonic war, the two acts placed by Jefferson is an abuse of power by the Federal government. They felt the constitution did not provide government the power to place embargo, and believe that the government is dragging the nation’s economy back (Doc C). Jefferson once again loosely interprets and Constitution and validates these acts by claiming these acts as protection of American interests and avoid warfare. The Protective Tariff of 1816, which designs to benefit domestic economy, further accentuates the Jeffersonian Republicans’ shift from strict constructionism. Several strict constructionists in Democratic Republican Party pointed out that â€Å"†¦ the present government renounces the true republican principle†¦ its principle now is old Federalism†¦it would be unjust, to aggravate the burdens of the people for the purpose of favoring manufactures†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Many Democratic Republicans felt the imposition of tariffs on citizens overrides the original republican belief that the government shall have no power to interdict actions that Constitution didn’t specify (Doc. B) and therefore, the strict constructionists in the Republican Party felt cheated by Jefferson and Madison. In general and Jeffersonian Republicans and Federalists are more than willing to compromise their originals principles for national and sometimes self-serving interests whenever they feel necessary. Jefferson, later in 1816, addresses that â€Å"†¦the laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightens, as new discoveries are made, new truths disclosed, and manners and opinions change with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also and keep pace with the times. † (Doc. G) Apush Constitution. (2018, Nov 01).

Public International Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 2

Public International Law - Essay Example Jus cogens symbolizes principles of international law that are considered to be so fundamental that no nation can ignore them. In particular, where international crimes are alleged to have been committed by a former head of State, it is even more important that justice is not executed by local authorities but by the application of the principles of international law, which can ensure that justice is done through the application of impartial principles that are universally valid. In the context of the trail against Saddam Hussein for crimes against humanity, the Iraqi ruler was guilty of crimes against humanity, which by application of the principle of jus cogens would involve the fundamental application of international criminal law. According to Michael Sharf, the Saddam Hussein trial can be classed as one of the most important cases in international law because (a) the scale of atrocities was high (b) Hussein was a top ranking leader (c) interest of the international community due to the coalition led against Iraq (d) sets a legal precedent for international crimes and (e) effect of the trial and whether it was perceived as fair.

Unit 3 Discussion Exploring the 1960's Research Paper

Unit 3 Discussion Exploring the 1960's - Research Paper Example As a result, America and Russia both massively built up the stock piles of nuclear weapons. Thus, this Cold War never turned hot, USA and USSR never fought directly during the 20th century instead the domino effect of USA caused the places like Vietnam, Korea and under-developed nation around the world (Burbank & Cooper, 2011). Through contemplation of 1960’s revolution, it occurred when Europe was caught in the mid Cold War of USA and USSR there was a clear indication that in the name of protection both the super powers might make agreement in the area of economy and politics might cause the position and stability of Europe. Invasion of America’s direct investment in production and technology could have affected the sovereignty and position of Europe. This threat led the Europe to catch-up with cultural and economical and social revolution during 1960’s in Europe (Jacobson, 1994) Communist countries are threat for developed countries in modern status quo because it is believed that communist want to rule the world according to their own legal tradition and regulations. This is considerably due to the lack of co-operation of Communist countries towards international peace treaties (Burbank & Cooper, 2011) Scott, P. D. (2012). The Kennedy Assassination and the Vietnam War (1971). Retrieved July 20, 2012, from History-matters:

The Federal Reserve System Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Federal Reserve System - Term Paper Example Its major mandate is to regulate the monetary policy in the country in order to support the broader economic objectives of economic stability, low inflation as well as the unemployment level. President of United States of America appoints the chairman of the Fed along with the seven members of the board of governors. Board of governors is required to serve for the period of 14 years however; the approval of the Congress is required in order to give legal credence to the appointment of the members of the Board. This paper therefore will discuss Fed, how it operates, and its role in the future monetary policy besides discussing its structure and broader objectives it is required to achieve. The Role of Central Bank Before discussing The Federal Reserve System, it is important to present a discussion on the role of central bank within the economy and how it supports it. There are three important tasks or functions of a central bank within an economy i.e. to issue currency notes, regulate monetary policy as well as control the inflation. Based on these broader objectives, a central bank therefore also serves as the banker of the government and serves as lender of lost resort for the banking system in the country. Its role is therefore not just limited to the management of monetary policy within the economy but also to ensure that the whole financial system remains stable and intact. (Blinder) The overall primary function of a central bank is to regulate the monetary policy of a country however, there are also other functions also including managing interest rates within the economy , ensuring that inflation remains within the acceptable level and issuance of currency notes as legal tenders. Managing the level of unemployment at a certain level is also one of the key tasks of a central bank. The recent economic downturn could have resulted into the overall collapse of world financial system however, timely intervention from the central banks of different countries ensured that the financial system remains intact. During the current phase, different central banks therefore took steps which were not traditionally related with the central banks. Steps such as quantitative easing, injecting liquidity into the financial institutions resulted into the complete aversion of the collapse of whole financial system. The Federal Reserve System The Federal Reserve System or Fed is the central banking system in United States of America and was formulated during 1907. Over the period of time, the roles and responsibilities of the Fed as a central bank of the country have also evolved and Fed is now considered as one of the most advanced central banking systems in the world. (Greider) It is to be noted that the Fed as a system evolved as a resulted of the enactment of different laws which gave different powers to Fed. Over the period of time, the overall independence of Fed as a monetary policy authority within the country has increased and Fed is now completely independent in taking its own decisions without significant intervention from the Government or any other body of the State. Fed was initially formulated in order to tackle the initial issues faced by the US economy due to wider fluctuations. However, its role was further broadened and expanded in the wake of the

Denver Art museum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Denver Art museum - Essay Example Martin Plaza serves as an interesting hub to the Civic Center Cultural Complex. The four featured staples in this area are ‘Denver Monoliths’ by Beverly Pepper, ‘Scottish angus Cow and Calf’ by Dan Ostermiller ‘Big Sweep’ by Coosje Van Bruggen and Claes Oldenburg all ranging between 13-40 feet and inside the Hamilton Building is ‘ENGI’ by Tatsuo Miyajima right by the El Pomar Grand Atrium (Denver Art Museum, pars. 1-4). The most fascinating among these paintings for me is the 35-foot sculpture the ‘Big Sweep’ created by Coosje Van Bruggen and Claes Oldenburg. The sculpture is a gigantic installation of a broom and dustpan in color. The strands of the broom is actually in a sweeping motion where there are pieces of what appears to be crumpled white paper projected right into the oblique position of the dustpan. This gives the impression of movement and that the pieces of trash are actually being brushed into the receptacle and the final act would entail having to dispose of the same. It is a very colourful and attractive piece of art with the vibrancy of the paint colors used to complete it. The dustpan is large solid blue shaped in a handheld sort complete with a whole on the upper side of the grip where such item is hooked onto the wall for storage. The broom has the feel of flexibility with its threads on relatively different angles in varied colors such as blue, black and red. The band which holds the strand of the broom clenches it to the handle of the broom in solid yellow. The most prominent smaller parts of the sculpture are the two crumpled white pieces that looks like paper. On the flooring are dusts of white which completes the whole idea of a dirty surrounding in need of cleaning. The sculpture, with its bright colors and mundane appeal, can be easily mistaken for somewhat like a comedic piece by any other person. To a small child it is not far fetch to view it as the kind of things one sees in a playground. The fact of its

Poverty in England Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Poverty in England - Essay Example The class-bound society did not permit infiltration and this social structure was largely responsible for an impoverished condition of the working classes. One could not work one’s way to the top and things began to stagnate for the working class. This led to workers unions and other activities that recognized the poverty that existed in the lower strata of the British society. It also led to an increase in violence in the society. â€Å"The ‘cultural grammar’ of any society provides numerous opportunities to breach social rules† (Violence and Crime in the  Nineteenth Century England: The Shadow of our Refinement, J. Carter Wood, Routledge; 1 edition (June 17, 2004) The distribution of resources was largely unequal and the inequality of income made the situation all the worse. While countries like Germany and the United States possessed fast-paced developing industries and an abundance of natural resources yet to be exploited, Britain had none of these an d had to look overseas for these resources. This worsened the situation. The threat of an upcoming war that engulfed numerous countries of the world, meant that Britain had to get her war-strategies and preparation right. This, in turn, meant a huge amount of expenditure, which is another reason that led to the neglect of a portion of the society, that remain impoverished.It is later that the Government recognized these facts and in order to appease the dissatisfied working class, introduced welfare reforms and wage hikes.

Do you agree with the view that new communication technologies Essay

Do you agree with the view that new communication technologies accentuate gender inequalities in transnational family care-giving arrangements - Essay Example In simple words, transnational families are defined as those families, where the members of the family stay in distinct nations for a long period of the time. The concept of transnational families have emerged on the basis of the notion that migration is a never-ending process and that migration can help obtaining better well-being opportunities. Due to these principle reasons, it is very commonly observed that an increasing number of people are attempting to migrate from one country to the other. However, economic challenges presented due to migration on these individuals often restrict them from taking their entire family to their host country, and thus have to leave behind their family in the country of their origin. In this situation, the families try to keep in touch with their family members through the various forms of digital media communication channels such as Skype, social networking sites, and using the mobile networks. The system of leaving few of the members of the fami ly behind and migrating to some other country or places is determined as a temporary solution of the problem, which may range from personal reasons to the economic reasons, such as need for better job opportunities (Coface, 2012). In the earlier days, it was very commonly observed that the male members of the family used to leave their family behind in the hometown and move on to the other places in search of a better job. However, now with the modern age, it has been observed that the female members are also relocating to the other places, reflecting a distinct trend from that observed in the earlier days. Arguably, it can be affirmed that it is due to the modernisation of the world and the introduction of the new communication technologies, which has brought about changes in the social environment. This popularity of the female members can be asserted as the significant blessing of the transnational families. In order words, the transnational families have introduced a

Development of Chinese economic Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 9500 words

Development of Chinese economic - Dissertation Example Phenomenal growth of Chinese economy over years significantly affects the world economy due to its sheer size and wider domestic market. The stability in domestic economy is very important for the Chinese companies to embark on programs to promote its products internationally. Any slowdown in domestic economy will severely affect the companies’ ability to carry forward its mission in development of international brands. The negative image created by counterfeiting consumer products by Chinese companies in the international markets is just one of the main obstacles in developing international brands. â€Å"Whenever you hear about counterfeit merchandise, you almost always think about China (Strusiewicz, 2012). The top international brands of EU, Japan and US have been assiduously developed over years and founded on quality and corporate social responsibility with concerns for all the stakeholders including consumers. â€Å"As a member of the World Trade Organization, China be nefits from access to foreign markets. But relations with trading partners have been strained over China's huge trade surplus and the piracy of goods† (BBC, 2013). ... Chinese Companies and Development of Global Brands Contents 1.0 Introduction 3 1.1 Background 3 1.2 Objectives of the study 4 1.3 Research questions 4 2.0 Literature Review 5 2.1 Chinese exports, development of global brands and economy 5 2.2 Motivations for internationalization strategies 12 2.3 Internationalization strategies adopted by Chinese firms 17 2.4 Lack of Chinese global brands 22 2.5 Chinese economy and factors influencing competition and global markets 26 2.6 How Chinese can develop global brands 31 3.0 Methodology 35 4.0 Analysis and findings 37 5.0 Conclusion 41 6.0 References 43 7.0 Appendices 48 Internationalization of Chinese Companies and Development of Global Brands 1. Introduction 1.1 Introduction In the past 30 years, Chinese economic growth has become the world's third largest economy. Now China holds more than two trillion U.S. dollars of foreign exchange reserves, and has become the largest trading country and foreign direct investment destination. This proje ct analyzes the economic situation in China, its relationship to the development of global brands by Chinese companies and its impact on world markets. China is the world's third largest economy, currently accounting for about 5% of the world's GDP. However, the country consumes one-third of the world's coal, steel and cotton, as well as nearly half of the cement. Chinese coal consumption is more than sum total of the United States, India and Russia. Ten years ago, China was an oil exporting country, but now has become the world's third largest oil importer and the second largest oil consuming country. The growth of Chinese economy is very important from the global perspective due to its impact on world economy. Therefore, the main objectives of the proposed research are to study the status

Business in China Essay Example for Free

Business in China Essay There are many cross cultural differences that would need to be taken into consideration if a US company were to expand into China. Language is an important cultural difference that has to be taken into consideration. It would be wise to consult a native speaker. Due to various dialects and local slang a translation of something would have to be understood by all and to not offend a particular market. An American advertisement in English would be understood by all of the US but a Chinese advertisement in one of the seven Chinese dialects would not be understood by everyone in China. An American advertisement or product info that is mistranslated could make it off putting to consumers or investors. The legal system in China is vastly different than in the US. Corruption is rampant in China when doing business and often times bribes are necessary in order to ensure that your operation runs according to plan. The legal system in China is more difficult to navigate and lacks neutrality as the China Communist Party is in complete control of it. The US legal system has more neutrality, transparency and it is easier to file court cases. Bribes in the US would be completely illegal and never permissible. Gender is another cultural difference between the US and China. Gender inequality in China has existed throughout history and just recently laws are being passed in order to ensure equality but discrimination is still experienced. Women are still expected to do all housework even if they have a job and they normally make less than their male counterparts. Although the situation is improving, males are more favored in business dealings. A US company would need to be hesitant in sending a female executive to China to do any new dealings as Chinese companies might not be as comfortable compared to if they were dealing with a male. B The safety of products in the US is very different as compared to China. China is known for their cheap goods but they come at a health cost as low quality standards often lead to toxic or unsafe products. Many US companies outsource their production in order to lower costs and US products are often  recalled due to lead or other chemicals being found in the products after they have been purchased by the consumer. In the US this would not happen due to high industry quality standards and regulations. In China companies must strictly implement their own safety standards and monitor that they are being followed in order to ensure quality products up to standards. In the US, food and medical related products would need to follow the strict guidelines of the FDA in order to be able to sell the product on the market. In China, a food or medical product by the same company would not have as strict guildelines as compared to the US, but the FDA has been training Chinese companies on how to produce safer products. Products are often cheaper in price in China due to cheaper labor and production. China is able to produce products on such a large scale that it further decreases the price of each individual product. Workers are paid significantly lower wages as compared to the US. Chinese companies often receive the taxes they paid on products back if it is exported and this also keeps prices low. In the US products are not commonly advertised with a price ending in zero such as $10 or $20. Instead the product would be advertised one cent less at $9.99 or $19.99 because having the product price at the lower dollar amount makes the product seem more att ractive. In China there is much emphasis on the luck of certain numbers and 8 is one of the luckiest number in Chinese culture and many companies use this to their advantage by advertising products with prices ending in 8. Products are often promoted very differently between the US and China. Advertisements in the US often make it seem as though a particular product such as vodka will give you the adventurous life of the model in the advertisement. In China, advertisements for luxury products are banned as it doesn’t fit with the China Communist Party’s want to promote thrifty values and not promote extravagance. In China, a company new to the market must advertise its product with an emphasis on affirming its products safety due to the rampant counterfeiting and low product safety in China. In the US, a new company to the market would advertise its product with an emphasis on its distinguishing features or cheaper price as product safety is not an issue in the US. There is a large portion of China’s population that lives in rural areas and products have not normally marketed towards them due to the lack of infrastructure to effectively reach them. Recently, companies are marketing outside of major cities as  infrastructure is improving. This is compared to the US where the USPS can send a package to any address in the country in a few days. In the US businesses utilize large semi trailers to effectively distribute large batches products across the country as all city streets are able to accommodate the large trucks and the US highway system reaches to every part of the country. In China, businesses send out smaller batches to each store as space is often more limited but most major cities limit the use of trucks. Shipments must then be sent by vans or cars which is less efficient. Although the situation is improving, bribes are very common when doing business in China. Bribes are expected in order to cut through bureaucratic red tape. Not giving bribes would put a company at a disadvantage to their competitors. Any sort of bribery or corruption is highly illegal in the US and illegal for all US companies. In the US, workers must normally be at least 16 with permission or 18 to hold a job in order to not exploit children in the workforce. Child labor is a huge problem in China due to lack of enforcement of policies. Due to poverty, families are letting their children which can be as young as 5 years old be exploited by working in extreme conditions and long hours. If a US company was caught hiring child workers not only would it be ethically wrong but it would be a major hit to the companies reputation.

History of Light Gauge Steel

History of Light Gauge Steel History and Development of Light Gauge Steel Within the Construction Industry At the end of World War Two, many countries, including the United Kingdom, Japan, France and Germany were suffering from an acute housing shortage. It was at this time that the use of light gauge steel was introduced into the construction industry by using it as a cladding system within the building of steel framed pre-fab houses. These pre-fabs were poorly designed with little insulation causing cold bridging and ultimately condensation and dampness within the interior of the buildings. This has led to many of these buildings being demolished and traditional brick homes constructed in their place. Despite this, with improved insulation, light gauge steel has continued to be used as an infill structure on multi storey buildings built from hot rolled steel or concrete frames. Commercial and retail buildings in particular continued to benefit from its diverse capabilities, using it as a cladding system which can be formed into many different shapes. In the USA, since 1990 over 20% of a ll affordable homes are now built using this method and it is still growing year on year (Koones, 2006). However, in the UK, we are not using advances in technology as we should be, meaning the buildings that we construct are responsible for almost half of our carbon emissions, half of our water consumption, around a third of our landfill waste and a quarter of all raw materials used in the UK (Smith R A, et al. 2003). This means that the UKs sustainable development targets cannot be met without a fundamental change to the way in which buildings are constructed. The national targets for greenhouse gas emission reductions and the drive for buildings that generate zero carbon in operation present a huge challenge to the building industry (Corus. Sustainable Steel Construction). These drivers have forced the industry to radically change the way in which it constructs its buildings developing other forms of construction to comply with new building regulations and sustainability issues. Advances in technology have led to improved building designs enabling many of the problems that were associated with light gauge steel in previous buildings to be overcome. Other forms of construction have also evolved, most of which are now capable of being manufactured in a factory and shipped to the site ready for assembly. These are known as Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and their use has been encouraged by Government and the Building Research Establishment (BRE) due to their impact on the environment and benefits to the end user. In 2006, the MMC market split was: Â £414 million for volumetric (based on manufacturers selling price), 52,797 timber frame units (houses and commercial), Â £61 million for light gauge steel frame (which equates to around 6,100 units), 750 SIPS units (estimate) (BRE 2nd March 09). Today the properties of light gauge steel are being utilised, not only as a cladding system but as a complete building product, replacing bricks and blocks with thin studs of steel fixed together to form non-load bearing or load bearing walls. The studs that are used are formed by folding the strips of galvanised, light gauge steel into the required shape, of which there are many. The most common shape being C sections which are usually formed for use within walls. These vary in size from 40 225 mm and between 0.56 3.2mm in diameter depending on whether or not they are to be used in exterior, interior, load bearing or non-load bearing elements of the building. The steel used is galvanized, providing it with a protective coating for internal applications and has a standard coating of G275 (275 grams/m2). As it is only suitable for interior applications then the entire light gauge steel structure has to be enclosed within a protective covering. This is referred to as the envelope or a warm frame structure and is formed using insulation and a protective vapour barrier. The warm frame structure enables the building to have excellent thermal properties, surpassing the minimum U-Value levels of the Building Regulations 2000. Within the UK the design code for light gauge steel is BS9590 part 5; European design code is Eurocode 3 part 1.3 these are intended to be set of technical rules for the design of buildings using this method of construction. Light gauge steel has the best strength to weight ratio over any other building material and these high strength to weight ratios equate to six tonnes of steel achieving the same performance as 120 tonnes of concrete (SCI, 2007) and as a consequence of its light weight, dependant on ground conditions, less substantial foundations, even the use of prefabricated ground beams assembled to form the foundations may be suitable. Its light weight also inevitably means fewer deliveries to site, in turn causing less disruption to the local community. There are a number of ways in which the elements of a light gauge steel building can be constructed, one of which has taken its name from timber framed buildings where each element of the building is cut to length and fixed together on site. This is referred to as stick building and is a very labour intensive method which, along with a carpenter for timber frames, requires several years of training. This is similar to traditional construction but instead replacing the bricks and mortar with light gauge steel, a good method for one off buildings but it also prevents the benefits gained by off site manufacture to be achieved. The opposite to stick building is the volumetric system. This is the most factory based form of construction and involves the delivery on site of, usually, a complete room fully fitted out with all fixtures and fittings. This minimises on site installation work and only requires the individual pods to be fixed together increasing the rate of construction of the bu ilding. This form of construction is very good for buildings where a repeated style of room is required such as student accommodation blocks or a hospital. When the design of a building is more complex then the cost of producing individual pods significantly rises. The factory based fabrication of the pods ensures a high standard of workmanship with a precision of +0 to -2mm tolerance being achievable and also minimises the traffic, waste, labour, and time spent constructing the buildings resulting in savings for the developer whilst minimising the impact on the environment. The open panel method is another design used with light gauge steel structures. It involves the assembly of the walls, floor or roof within a factory based environment and delivered to the site when needed. All insulation, services, cladding and internal finishes are then fitted on site. The direct factory based savings for the open panel method is reduced due to the fact that the superstructure of a building only amounts to about 15% of the total construction costs. Any savings made using the system would be modest but the reduced time spent on site related to the use of this method would be where the savings would be made. The closed panel method also involves the production of the elements of the building within a factory but will also have the insulation and vapour barrier fixed to it. The services, internal finishes, doors, windows etc may also be in place and the different elements of the building would only require fixing together on site which is usually achieved, as in other methods, by welding, riveting, screwing or crimping. Costs of MMC have been muted as a barrier to the progression of their use and the Barker Review of Housing Supplies (2004) stated that At the present time, traditional brick and block methods of construction remain cheaper, in many cases, than modern methods of construction, including off-site manufacture (OSM). Only four years later a 2008 BRE report (SmartLIFE Lessons Learned), published its findings on a pilot project in the Fenland district of Cambridgeshire. It found that light gauge steel construction was in fact, cheaper than the traditional method of brick and block and also that of other MMC used, including timber framed and insulated concrete formwork. According to the SmartLIFE report the advantage of an ongoing partnership and understanding between the light gauge steel manufacturer and the main contractor was a factor in the methods cost effectiveness. The SmartLIFE project was undertaken to find the best ways the UK can deliver a greater volume of sustainable, affordab le and high quality homes in less time, using both traditional and innovative methods of construction. In comparison to other MMC, light gauge steels long roof and floor span capabilities also add to its diversity. Rooms can be changed around within the building by simply moving interior walls which do not require demolition as opposed to other methods. They can also be disassembled and reused or recycled unlike, for example, insulated concrete formwork walls. Whilst there are benefits to using light gauge steel there are also disadvantages including the metals thermal conductivity. Unlike a timber framed building, heat can quickly conduct across a metal stud and with many studs in a wall this can reduce the temperature within a room ensuring the u value of the wall is reduced. To rectify this additional exterior insulation is required at extra cost to the developer. There are also fears about corrosion problems. If the building is not kept within its warm envelope then deterioration of the metal could be a problem. A counter argument is that timber rots far easier and quicker than me tal and timber can also be a food source for a variety of animals. The electric conduciveness of the frame also means that extra work is needed to ensure the wiring does not come into contact with the frame. In modular and closed panel construction this would be undertaken in factory conditions and would be easily overcome but with on site installation it inevitably means further responsibility falls on to the sub-contractor electrician. Perhaps the most serious of its disadvantages is the thermal conductivity of the metal frame and its ability to cause the structure to collapse. To tackle this problem the fixing of two layers of gypsum plasterboard at staggered joints gives the metal frame a fire resistant time suitable to exceed the minimum fire safety requirements of Part B (Fire Safety) of the Building Regulations 2000. The acoustic performance of light gauge steel has also been questioned but the necessary double layer of plasterboard also takes the level of acoustic performance past the necessary requirements outlined in Part E (Resistance to the passage of sound) of the Building Regulations 2000. The high embodied energy of light gauge steel is also a disadvantage to people who have no knowledge of its reusability and recyclability. To calculate the embodied energy within construction components the World Steel Association uses the system expansion method of lifecycle assessment, which is the preferred approach of the International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) 14040 series of environmental standards. Although it is high in proportion to other MMC it is its ability of indefinite re-use and recycling without its qualities ever decreasing which differentiates it from all other methods of construction. Unlike traditional forms of construction light gauge steel benefits from low waste, adaptability, off site manufacture, re-usability, recyclability and resource efficiency making it one of the most sustainable building methods available within the UK. The buildings that can be produced by this method are light, open and very adaptable meaning old buildings would not have to be demolished when they are deemed unsuitable. The interiors would be simply rearranged to meet the end users requirements thus prolonging the life span of the building. Light gauge steel can and does exceed the requirements of todays low level building requirements and in conjunction with other methods of construction its benefits are also widened to medium and high rise buildings. However, a number of barriers will have to be overcome if light gauge steel is to become a prominent method of construction. Consumer confidence and the stigma of pre-fab buildings will have to be improved upon which can only be achieved by educating the consumer on the benefits of light gauge steel, including its whole life cycle properties. Finally financial aspects will have to be challenged including mortgage lenders and insurers who will essentially become a part of the education system. Their own education in the use of light gauge steel will enable them to encourage the use of and be involved in the progression of Modern Methods of Construction. Bibliography AMA Research Ltd, Current Practices and Future Potential in Modern Methods of Construction, waste and resources action programme. (2007) Barker K, Review of Housing Supply, Delivering Stability: Securing Our Future Housing Needs. Final Report and Recommendations, (2004), HM Treasury. BRE, Assessing the Sustainability of Prefabricated Construction Techniques: Building Research Establishment, (2003) BRE, Designing Quality Buildings, HIS BRE Press, (2007) CABE. Design and Modern Methods of Construction: Commission for the Built Environment, (2004) Communities and Local Government, Code for Sustainable Homes, Technical Guide, Department for Communities and Local Government, (2009) Corus BCSA. Sustainable Steel Construction, Building a sustainable future, (date unknown) Corus. Start Building With Fnished Rooms, Modular Building System, (2006). Currie D M, The use of Light- Gauge Cold Formed Steelwork in Construction, developments in research and design, Bre report, IHS BRE Press, (1989) Davison B Owens G, Steel Designers Manual, Blackwell publishing, Sixth Edition, The Steel Construction Institute, (2003) Dye A et al, Environmental Construction Handbook, RIBA, (2008) GRUBB P J et al, Light Steel Framing in Residential Construction, SCI Publication P301, (date unknown) GVA Grimley, Cities, Commerce Carbon: The Role of Property, (2009) Koones, S. (2006), Steel Frames Enter the Mainstream, Free Press, Smart Home Owner, May/June 2006. ODPM, Sustainable Communities: Building for the Future, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, (2003) Perkins M Z, The Utilization of Light Gauge Steel In Residetial Construction In The State Of Utah, Thesis, (2009) Ross Keith et al, A Guide to Modern Methods of Construction, NHBC Foundation, HIS BRE Press, (2006) ROSS Keith, Modern Methods of House Construction. Building Research Establishment, (2005) Sir John Egan. Rethinking Construction, Report of the Construction Task Force, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. (1998) Sir John Egan, Egan Review of Skills for Sustainable Communities: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, (2004) SmartLIFE Lessons Learned, (2008), HIS BRE Press. BRE Report BR500 Smith R A, et al, The Construction Industry Mass Balance: resource use, wastes and emissions, Viridis Report VR4 (Revised), 2003, ISSN 1478-0143 Steel Construction Sector Sustainability Committee. Sustainable Steel Construction Building a Better Future. (2001) The Steel Construction Institute, Handbook of Structural Steelwork, 4th Edition, The British Constructional Steelwork Association Limited, (2007) TRADA, Manual for the Design of Timber Building Structures to EuroCode 5, (2007) Modern Methods of Construction, Evolution or Revolution? BURA, (2005) Unknown author, http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/ (2009), Her Majestys Treasury, accessed 9th December 2009. Unknown author, http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/public/ (2009), HMSO, accessed 9th December 2009 Unknown author, http://www.communities.gov.uk/corporate/, (2009), accessed 3rd December 2009 Unknown Author, http://www.hexaport.com/ (2009), Hexaport International, accessed 7th December 2009 Unknown author, http://www.bre.co.uk/ (2000 2009), The Building Research Establishment Trust, accessed 9th December 2009 Unknown author, http://www.azobuild.com/ (2009), AZoM.com Pty Ltd, accessed 8th December 2009

Forecasting Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition

Forecasting Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition Introduction This chapter introduces the background of time series and the importance of forecasting. The  motivation behind the project is elaborated and finally the aims and objectives are given. 1.1 Background Time series can be defined as a sequence of observations or measurements that are taken  at equally spaced timed interval (Xu, 2012). Hence, it is a stochastic process and can be  expressed as (Xu, 2012): x(t) = xi; i = 1; 2; :::;N: (1.1) Some examples of time series data include yearly profit, monthly recorded temperature,  hourly electrical consumption. Time series are classified into two categories mainly the stationary time series and  non stationary time series. Stationary time series consist of data which remain fixed irrespective  of the whereabouts. A stationary process is one where the mean, variance  and autocorrelation do not vary with time (Nau, 2014). For example, the financial stock  change of Mauritius remains constant in Mauritius as well as in any other place in the  world. Non stationary time series on the contrary involve data that keeps changing over  time. For instance, if we consider meteorological data of Mauritius, the data collected are  varied considerably from region to region as well as accordingly throughout the year. For  example, we have more rainfall over regions on the Central Plateau compared with the  coastal regions as demonstrated by Figure (1.1) which illustrates the variation of rainfall  collected for Mauritius over distinct regions from 1960 1990.while figure 1.2 shows theà ‚  difference in signal data between the two classes of time series. All meteorological data  including temperature, wind speed, solar irradiance irradiance, sea pressure and many  more weather parameters similar to rainfall have variations both in time and location. Hence, we can conclude that meteorological data are non stationary in nature. Figure 1.1: Distribution of rainfall for Mauritius for the year 1961-1990 Source:http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/natc/maunc1/chap1/chapter1.htm Figure 1.2: Difference between stationary and non stationary series , Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stationaryprocess Time series modeling is a vast field of research. The analysis of time series signals can  be extrapolated to meet demands of analytical results and predicting results in various  fields, such as : Economical Climatological Biological   Financial and others Due to its implementation in various fields, continuous research are been done in order to  design model for forecasting with better accuracy and efficiency. The behaviour of time  series is governed by four main aspects namely trend, seasonal variation, cyclic variation  and random variation (Xu, 2012). Trend of time series can be pictured as the evolution of  the series over time and hence gives the forthcoming pathway of the data. Hence, trend  analysis is very efficient in predicting extensive behaviour of data. Phonetically, a general  assumption in most time series techniques is that the data are stationary. Transformation  of non stationary to stationary is often done to manipulate the data for analysis. Forecasting is of high precedence in application of time series as it can predict future  events based on past events, specially when using in the field of limited resources. Forecasting  may be classified as a prediction, a projection or estimate of a future activity. In  fact, we have two types of forecasting methods namely qualitatively and quantitatively. Qualitative methods are non mathematical computations whereas quantitative methods  are rather objective methods based on mathematical computations. 1.2 Motivation We belong to a world of success in which one of the leading factor to success is our ability  to predict the result of our choices making all of us in a way or another forecasters. Climate consists of one of the major applications of forecasting. Over years, newer and  better models are been investigated so as to improve forecasting accuracy as much as  possible. Investigating weather parameters is highly necessary so as to be able to predict  weather situations which are required in various fields such as aviation, shipping,  oceanography and agriculture. Moreover, it is helps to evade weather hazards. Mauritius  has being confronted to drastic changes in weather conditions recently. We have  already a weather station which is deploying its best methods for weather forecasting  but is unable to predict accurately unexpected changes in weather, for example the recent  flash flood in March 2013 or one of the most worst drought that stroke Mauritius  in 2002. Therefore, in order to prevent further incidents or life taking calamities, it is of  high importance to have accurate and early predictive models in order to take preventive  measures to make sure that the population is safe well before such events occur. This  project comprises of investigating a different method for forecasting meteorological data. Throughout this project we will be dealing with time series models based of data which  has been collected over years and try to foresee future events based on the fundamentals  patterns confined within those data. The most commonly used forecasting model for time series was the Box Jenkins  models (ARIMA and ARMA models) (Peel et al., 2014). They are non-static models that  are beneficial in forecasting changes in a process. Many models have further been developed  among which is listed the Hilbert Huang Transform (Huang and Shen, 2005). Since climate data are of nonlinear and non-stationary nature, Hilbert Huang Transform  is capable of improving accuracy of forecast since most previous traditional methods  are designed for stationary data while this method is efficient in both cases. On the other  hand, recognizing all the advantages of Artificial Neural Network, it is of no surprise that  this methodology has gained so much interest in the this field of application. ANN have  proven to be more effective, compared to other traditional methods such as Box-Jenkins,  regression models or any other models (Khashei and Bijari, 2009) as a tool for forecasting. Both successful models mentioned however carries their own associated percentage  error. As a means to minimize error, both models can be combined to give rise to a new  hybrid model with better performance capabilities. 1.3 Aims And Objectives 1. In this project, the aim is to develop a combined model from two completely different  computational models for forecasting namely Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition  and Artificial Neural Network so as to improve accuracy of future  predictions of time series data. 2. EEMD will be adopted as the decomposition technique to obtain a set of Intrinsic  Mode Functions (IMF) and residual for meteorological time series data for Mauritius  signal while ANN will be the forecasting tool which will take as input parameters  the non obsolete IMFs. The results obtained will be compared with real data in  order evaluate the performance of the model. The idea is to reduce error associated  with each model when employed separately as both models possess their own skill  in determining trend in complex data. 3. Eventually, the model will be applied to forecast meteorological data mainly rainfall  from MMS and wind speed from studies conducted by fellow colleagues. 1.4 Structure of Report   1. Chapter 2 consists of a literature review on the models and their applications 2. Chapter 3 introduces Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition and validate the  EMD model. 3. Chapter 4 introduces the Artificial Neural Network and validate the network. 4. Chapter 5 present the results from application of EEMD to meteorological data. The  EEMD-ANN hybrid model is also introduced and validate. Finally the following is  applied to rainfall and wind speed data. 5. Chapter 6 presents the conclusion and the future work.

Romeo And Juliet - Vendetta In Verona :: essays research papers

	The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare clearly demonstrates how tragedy can be caused when the rage of past generations is carried over to a younger generation. The key factor that demonstrates this theme is the constant feud between the Capulets and the Montagues. The rage between the two households directly relates to the tragic death of Romeo and Juliet. 	A major dispute is going on between the Capulets and the Montagues. These two households, "both alike in dignity," (1.Prologue.1) have been feuding for so long that they even forget the reason they are feuding. Romeo and Juliet, "a pair of star-crossed lovers who take their life," (1.Prologue.6) are results of how tragedy can be caused when the rage of past generations carries over to a younger generation. Tybalt is also an example of the theme. At Capulet's party, he walks up to Lord Capulet and says "Tis he, that villain Romeo" (1.5.67). Tybalt learns this rage toward Romeo and all the other Montagues through past generations. 	Putting the objections and differences of Romeo and Juliet's parents aside, however, Romeo and Juliet fall in love as soon as they meet, and decide to risk being wed in secret. The reason for the secret marriage is because both Romeo and Juliet know their parents would be angered by their marriage. The only people to know about Romeo and Juliet's secret marriage other than themselves is the Friar and the nurse. 	Due to the secret marriage, Romeo and Juliet tragically die. Had Romeo and Juliet announced their wedding, they could still be alive. Juliet would not have had to fake her death to get out of the arranged marriage with Paris if she had told her parents about her and Romeo. Romeo does not receive the information of the Friar and Juliet's plan in time, and he kills himself in anguish over her death. As Juliet awakes from her slumber, she sees Romeo dead. Juliet then kills herself in bereavement over Romeo's death. Had Romeo and Juliet announced their wedding, then none of these tragic events ever would have happened as a result of their parents dispute. 	As well as the lives of Romeo and Juliet being affected, so were the lives of people around them that they loved and cared for. Not knowing of the secret marriage, Tybalt and Mercutio engage in a duel. Romeo tries to stop the duel when he says "Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier down" (3.

The Get All Intelligence System :: essays research papers

The Get All Intelligence System The Get All Intelligence System is a unique multi-dimensional online database. It is an analytical tool for gathering, managing, distributing and analyzing data to improve strategic and tactical decision making. With this system each cell within a branch office can work fully autonomous or executing multiple simultaneous courses of action. Your company will now be able to benefit from corporate data by transforming it into information crucial to your executives decision-making process. The Get all database has numerous advantages over other systems; it has a quick, efficient, cost-effective, rapid response due to the direct down link connectivity. This 3-D system is used to support over 15,000 users worldwide. The Get All Intelligence System will be a NT based program and able to be crossed to Unix based systems if needed. The Get All Intelligence System is dynamic and easy enough to handle the end user requests by allowing the transformation and reconfiguration of intelligence to fit everyone's unique needs. This program is so flexible that it includes the ability to add as many columns that is needed. Information from The Get All Intelligence System is supplied to employees based on their own research requests. Depending the results of your request, it might offer a proposition to alternate the courses of action to its operators. This will reduce unnecessary information and wasted time especially when time constraints are critical. With a click of a button, your managers and sales cell can look at their own gathered information by product, by product line, or by customer. Managers can use The Get All database to look at statistics in their region and compare them with invoiced statistics from that day, including year-to-date and month-to-date analysis. Regional managers will have access to their regi on's data only. The headquarters office will be able to access any information that is collected by any branch office. Business intelligence is only a coffee cup away. The installation process will be simple containing a self-running, 25-minute tutorial installation CD and a complete software documentation package. The design will be simple with only one data set created. It will perform as if it has been configured with thousands of data sets. Only one IT computer programmer will be required. A few codes will be needed to ensure secure connections can be incorporated on unsecured machines. The security features ensure appropriate access to all sales analysis data at any and every level within the business.

Drug Legalization Essay -- Papers

Drug Legalization Drug abuse has progressively, over the last thirty years, become a tool for crime organizations and bureaucracies, independent and under the control of the federal government, used to transform drug addiction into a profit through the passage of countless laws against drug abuse. Gore Vidal's assertive essay communicated his belief that drug addiction should be legalized in order to ensure the eventual well-being and individual freedom guaranteed to Americans by the constitution. When drugs were made illegal, freedom of choice for Americans was chiseled away by the hard-hammering central government. Many agree with Vidal in that drugs that are now illegal would be just as dangerous and addictive if they were legalized while abusers would get what they deserved given that they are aware of the often deadly aftereffects of drug use. Among Vidal's several points stated was the universal entity of "the big picture" ,so to speak, which provided the idea that drug abuse would be impossible to stop within a short time. In his first paragraph, Vidal stated this and gave the suggestion that drugs be labeled, with warnings, and sold at cost which would require "heroic honesty" among potential users as well as the labelers. This idea progressed into his third paragraph in which the subordinate concept of the natural rights guaranteed under "the pursuit of happiness" clause present the preamble of the constitution was introduced. He stated that each man should have the right to do as he wishes as long as it does not interfere with his neighbor's pursuit of happiness. When drug abuse interferes with the happiness of others, the interference, not the drug abuse, should be what is assessed under the power of the law... ...our forefathers and for which so many million courageous souls have sacrificed their lives to protect and to preserve. In order for drug legalization to gain public support, it must first be put into a grand perspective by people who are intelligent and in power which further adds to my belief and Gore Vidal's belief that drugs will never be legalized because the most intelligent people are obviously not in power at the moment. Perhaps, if drugs were legalized, the inept abusers of drugs would slowly over time be weeded out through natural selection and the remaining persons would learn from the mistakes of their predecessors and a sound foundation would be laid for our descendants. This situation is, of course, idealistic and will never become a reality unless the human race survives long enough to live out the condemnation to repeat forgotten pasts.

Enki Bilal’s Perspective on Art in Hatzfeld

Marshal Josip Broz Tito was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman, serving in various roles until his death in 1980. Eventhough his presidency has been critisized as authoritarian, Tito had successful economic and diplomatic policies which helped him to be considered as a benevolent dictator by many people including citizens of his own country and those of others. He was a relatively popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad. Tito had internal policies which successfully deal with coexistence of the nations of the Yugoslav federation.The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (otherwise known as SFRY) was the Yugoslav state founded during World War II until it was dissolved in 1992, following the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia. Initially siding with the Eastern bloc under the leadership of Josip Broz Tito at the beginning of the Cold War, Yugoslavia pursued a policy of neutrality after the Tito–Stalin split of 1948, and became one of the founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement.After the death of Tito in 1980, rising ethnic nationalism in the late 1980's led to dissidence among the multiple ethnicities within the constituent republics, followed by collapse of inter-republic talks on transformation of the country and recognition of their independence by some European states in 1991. This led to the country collapsing on ethnic lines, followed by the final downfall and break of the country in 1992, and the start of the Yugoslav Wars.Often described as Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II, the conflicts have become famous for the war crimes, including mass murder, genocide and war rape. These were the first conflicts since World War II to be formally judged genocidal in character. According to the International Center for Transitional Justice, the Yugoslav Wars resulted in the deaths of 140,000 people. The Humanitarian Law Center writes that in the conflicts in former Yugoslav republics at least 130,000 people lost their lives.War rape occurred as a matter of official orders as part of ethnic cleansing, to displace the targeted ethnic group. One of the common misconceptions about the Yugoslav Wars is that they were the result of centuries of ethnic conflict. In fact, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the ethnically mixed region of Dalmatia held close and amicable relations between the Croats and Serbs who lived there, and many early proponents of a united Yugoslavia came from this region, such as Dalmatian Croat Ante Trumbic.However by the time of the outbreak of the Yugoslav Wars the historical hospitable relations between Croats and Serbs in Dalmatia had broken down, with Dalmatian Serbs fighting on the side of the Republic of Serbian Krajina. Clear ethnic conflict between the Yugoslav peoples only became prominent in the 20th century, beginning with tensions o ver the constitution of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes in the early 1920s and escalating into violence between Serbs and Croats in the late 1920s after the assassination of Croatian nationalist Stjepan Radic.Severe ethnic conflict occurred during World War II during which the Croatian Ustase movement committed genocide against Serbs, while the Serbian Chetnik movement responded with reprisals against Croats as well as murdering Bosniaks. However the Yugoslav Partisan movement was able to appeal to all national groups, including Serbs, Croats and Bosniaks. Josip Broz Tito was half-Croat half-Slovene. Born Enes Bilalovic in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, to a Slovakian mother and a Bosniak father who had been Josip Broz Tito's tailor, Enki Bilal moved to Paris at the age of 9.Given all these historical informations, what can be said on Enki Bilal's perspective on art? Hatzfeld, a tetralogy deeling with the difficult past and the break up of Yugoslavia from a future point of view ca n help the reader to find an answer to that question. But first of all, what is art? Art is a diverse range of human activities and the products of those activities; the visual arts includes the creation of images or objects in fields including painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, and other visual media.Until the 17th century, art referred to any skill or mastery and was not differentiated from crafts or sciences, but in modern usage the fine arts, where aesthetic considerations are paramount, are distinguished from acquired skills in general, and the decorative or applied arts. (Wikipedia) According to Levi-Strauss, art has had a great number of different functions throughout its history, making its purpose difficult to abstract or quantify to any single concept. This does not mean that the purpose of art is â€Å"vague†, but that it has had many different reasons for being created.The different purposes of art may be grouped according to those that are non-motivat ed, and those that are motivated. Motivated purposes of art refer to intentional, conscious actions on the part of the artist. Some of these functions may be as following: The Avante-Garde: Art for political change. One of the defining functions of early twentieth century art has been to use visual images to bring about political change. Art movements that had this goal—Dadaism, Surrealism, Russian Constructivism, and Abstract Expressionism, among others—are collectively referred to as the avante-garde arts.Art for social inquiry, subversion and/or anarchy: While similar to art for political change, subversive or deconstructivist art may seek to question aspects of society without any specific political goal. In this case, the function of art may be simply to criticize some aspect of society. (Wikipedia) Bilal seem to question what art is and its practice at the end of 20th century. In the second book of the tetralogy, 32 Decembre, on page 9, Nike and his so-called gir l friend receieve an invitation to a party in the form of nuclear light.The invitation appears as a small nuclear explosion, this is a fascinating visual little show but the amount of effort made is certainly unnecessary. It is absurd and pointless. This is an all white party. People who are participating are literally coloured in white. Again a detail Nike thinks that it is absurd. On page 18, Nike finds out that him and the other people who are at the party are actually walking on a white canvas. This puts them in a situation where they are nothing but the art work, they are objects but not subjects.He finds this absurd as well and he does not like it. After a while, it becomes obvious that whatever he or other people at this party are doing there, it is to create and to be part of an art work. This fact is hard to deal with. Warhole, evil and powerful scientist of the first book gets some artistic spirit in the second book of the tetralogy. His starts to consider his new evil pro jects as art works. He also reancarnates himself as the v. g. a. (very great artist) Halrowe. Art is depicted as dangerous in the second book.The story itself becomes more postmedern in that second part. Surreal events and images start to appear more and more, one of them being the head of the Warhole ehich has fishes all around. Warhole is saying things like â€Å"search for power and the joy of creating†. He is pictured as a crazy dangerous artist-scientist. He is calling what he does â€Å"absolute evil art†. Bilal is questioning what does art mean when it is separated from its social context. At the beginning of the first book, he is making a referral to Abdullah Sidran, a Bosnian playwriter†¦

Boldwood’s Christmas party Essay

Bathsheba Everdene is the main character in a Thomas Hardy novel called â€Å"Far From the Madding Crowd†. Which is set in Wessex. Bathsheba’s character is along with many other things decisive, brisk, vain, businesslike, and independent. However you see her evolve throughout the book, mainly as a result of her marriage to Frank Troy. At the beginning of the story Hardy seems to focus on her bad qualities, though you still see people wishing to be married to her. Some good qualities are shown as well like her thoughtful response to save Gabriel’s life. Her first fault is vanity. This trait is mentioned in chapter one, almost everything else follows on from this. Vanity affects the way she behaves in a powerful way. Her vanity makes her annoyed and angry at not attracting Boldwood’s attention. When she meets Frank Troy he plays up to her vanity by paying her compliments and showing her flirtatious affection. By the end of the story she shows that she has grown out of or overcome her vanity. Instead of wanting to stand out and have everyone looking at her, at Boldwood’s Christmas party, she dresses down and wants to merge into the background. You can also see she is not vain because when Boldwood praises her beauty the comments have no effect. Her life experiences have caused this change in her. The main life experience is her marriage to Frank Troy which affected her the most. She transforms from a confident character to a submissive and introverted figure she becomes less and less like her usual self. The first sign you see of independence is fairly near the beginning in chapter three, when we see her riding the horse. Instead of doing it the conventional ladylike way we see her lie flat on her back on top of the horse’s back. This could be showing her independence and unconventional behaviour, this would tie in with an independent spirit â€Å"too wild†. She likes to have independence so later on in the story when this is taken away from her we see her rely on Gabriel Oak. She always had her own independence, but when she got married she lost that independence and we see her seek advice and help from Gabriel Oak. At one point in the story she rejects Gabriel’s advice, but later on in chapter fifty four she asks for it. This shows a big change in her personality. She once would have done her own thing and maybe even sacked Gabriel for his ‘advice’ whereas she now values both him and his opinion. Her independence continues to be shown throughout the rest if the story, even after her marriage to Frank Troy. Independence along with confidence is showed when she goes to the corn market and is the only woman there. Another characteristic shown is confidence with businesslike skills. An example of this would be when she takes it upon herself to sack her bailiff. â€Å"I have formed a resolution to have no bailiff at all†. Bathsheba’s confidence continues to be shown with her decision to pay the workers herself in chapter ten. Bathsheba has a lot of confidence in herself. â€Å"In short I shall astonish you all†. This is said shortly after her decision to have no bailiff when she is convincing the staff that she can manage. The speech shows her self-confidence shining and her belief in her own ability. Towards the end of the novel we see her find an even balance between the overconfidence which she showed through the beginning of the novel which made her appear full of herself, compared with when she had little or no confidence and relied on Frank Troy, to finally become a person who can cope on her own but realises she cannot do everything to the best of her ability without assistance. Before we see her lose her self confidence she shows she believes in herself by going to the Corn Market, making her the only woman present. One thing bothers Bathsheba; the fact that Boldwood is the only person who does not take notice of her. This lack of attention shows us how she craves to be the centre of attention; you could even go as far as calling her an attention seeker. She will do silly antics in an attempt to attract people’s attention. For example the Valentine’s Day card. Bathsheba tries to make herself popular with everyone especially men; this seems to be her biggest desire. In chapter thirteen she mischievously sends a Valentine card to Boldwood to attract his attention. This starts Bathsheba’s change. She wants people to notice her and does not sit around waiting she takes action for herself. The sending of the Valentines card shows her vain characteristic. A big characteristic she shows throughout is impulsiveness, she does things without thinking. The Valentine’s Day card is an example of this; another example of this earlier in the book is when she chases Gabriel Oak after he had been wrongly informed that many men wanted her hand in marriage; though she did not want to accept his proposal. She did not think that her actions would show this until after the conversation her and Gabriel had. Many of her actions are on impulse she doesn’t think things through first. Later on however she takes time to think about Fanny’s grave and she decides to clean it up and replant the bulbs on it. This also shows she can be selfless. When Gabriel gives her advice early in the novel she decides she doesn’t like what he has to say. She sacks him whilst she was angry and acting highly impulsively. This demonstrates how she doesn’t want to face the truth even though she values his opinion; later in the novel after the â€Å"drowning† of Frank Troy she relents asking him for his thoughts.

Chapter 9 The Dark Mark

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