Case: 7-Eleven Japan Co. Essay

Question 1: A convenience store chain attempts to be responsive and provide customers what they need, when they need it, where they need it. What are some different ways that a convenience store supply chain can be responsive? What are some risks in each case? A convenience store can be more responsive by doing exactly what Seven-Eleven Japan is doing; many locations, rapid replenishment, appropriate technology deployment, and an equally responsive supplier (vertical integration for many of their SKUs). The risks associated with this system are the costs coupled with demand uncertainty. If demand patterns change dramatically, or the customer base changes, then Seven-Eleven is left with an operation that is not needed. Offering variety of services in the case of this case study Seven Eleven offered attractive services to customers such as ski lift voucher pass, payment of mail order purchases, internet shopping, a meal service delivery, automatic teller machines installation in each store, pick up online services, electronic money service that allow customers to prepay and use a card or cell phone to make payments etc. on the other hand, a short coming might result due to the failure of one or more information system due to failure or break down. Question 2: Seven-Eleven’s supply chain strategy in Japan can be described as attempting to micro-match supply and demand using rapid replenishment. What are some risks associated with this choice? Question 3: What has 7-Eleven done in its choice of facility location, inventory management, transportation, and information infrastructure to develop capabilities that support its supply chain strategy in Japan? Information infrastructure: 7-Eleven implemented a Total Information System through which the company could efficiently share its information thus making its supply chain responsive. The system was installed within each store, headquarters, suppliers and vendors. And also the system linked all the stores with each other. The Total Information System comprises of POS registers, Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), Graphic order terminal, scanner terminal and store computers. The data related to the sales as well as the purchaser is collected through the POS register for analysis. For efficient management of the inventory, the graphic order terminal, scanner terminal and store computers are used thus assists in improving both the efficiency and responsiveness. Inventory management: The store owner or the manager makes use of the graphic order terminal to place orders so as to replenish inventory in order of their arrangement on the store shelf. The owner had access to analysis of waste, 10 day and 10 week sales trends SKU, sales trends of new products, sales analysis by day and time etc that help him in forecasting demand. On the other hand, the Scanner terminal receives products from a distribution center and therefore monitors inventory by checking whether the order received matches with the original order placed. The store computer helps in tracking store inventory. Transportation: Trucks are used to transport goods to the stores. 7-Eleven makes use of a flexible distribution system which means that it can alter the delivery schedules according to the varying customer demand. Also, the suppliers send orders via trucks to the distribution centers. The latter cross docks inventory from supplier truck to distribution trucks. Moreover, to maintain the quality of the products, the distribution trucks are temperature controlled of four categories for different types of products such as frozen/ chilled foods, processed foods etc. Facility location: The facility location of 7-Eleven comprises of two types namely, the distribution centers and retail stores. 7-Eleven follows a market or area dominance strategy through which it forms clusters of stores in the area where already a 7- eleven store exists rather than having a handful of stores dispersed over a wide geographical area. Among the clusters there’s a distribution center which is surrounded by 7-Eleven stores. Approximately, there are 50-60 stores in each cluster. Question 4: 7-Eleven does not allow direct store delivery in Japan but has all products flow through its distribution center. What benefit does 7-Eleven derive from this policy? When is direct store delivery more appropriate? 7-Eleven has the policy of delivering its products to the retail stores via the distribution centers. Through these distribution centers, the replenishment cycles are reduced and a proper sales record can be maintained and monitored. Through the Point of Sale registers, signals can be transmitted to both the distribution centre and the supplier hence orders can be organized accordingly. Also, orders are sent directly to the distribution centre so that they can be allotted to the appropriate vehicle. A combined delivery system is used by 7- Eleven, in which four groups of temperature-controlled trucks are used to send fresh products. The trucks are sent several times a day during peak hours in order to avoid delays. Also, confidence is maintained between the supply chain partners and an additional person is not needed while the load is being received and checked. The process reduces delivery time. However this system might require a number of daily deliveries, but the number of trucks needed is much lesser therefore it reduces the delivery cost and facilitates a more prompt fresh food delivery. And hence the stock is continuously replenished. This network process ensures flexibility in the sense that it can alter the delivery schedules due to any demand fluctuations. There is a twelve-hour limit upon the restocking of food items. The disadvantages however include that the retail stores will have little control when the restocking takes place. Also, a number of stores rely on just one combined distribution centre. Also, if the system goes down while the delivery is at CDC, then all the stores can be affected and timely deliveries might not be possible. Hence accurate forecasts are needed. Direct delivery system might be a useful technique as the stores follow variant patterns. If the demand increases and a store require a greater number of deliveries then the demand can be met more efficiently as the deliveries can be made directly to the stores. Question 5: What do you think about the 7dream concept for 7-Eleven Japan? From a supply chain perspective, is it likely to be more successful in Japan or the United States? Why? In February 2000, 7-Eleven established 7dream.com, an ecommerce company, the goal of which was to exploit the existing distribution system and the fact that stores were easily accessible to most Japanese Stores served as drop-off and collection points for the customers and proved successful as 92% of their customers preferred to just pick up their goods from the local convenience store which they ordered online rather than have them delivered to their homes. This was understandable given the frequency with which Japanese customers visit their local convenience store. 7dream hoped to build on this preference along with the synergies from the existing distribution system as the company required an effective and efficient supply chain to cater to the demand of the customers who ordered online and provide the company with a time frame for delivery. From a supply chain perspective, it is believed that the 7dream concept is likely to be more successful in Japan than in the United States. The reason for saying so is that, the Japanese market is much smaller as compared to that of United State. In 2008, there were 12,071 stores in Japan where as the stores were nearly half the number in U.S that is 6,262. The density of stores in Japan was hence greater as the area of Japan is much smaller as compared to that of the U.S. and therefore, in Japan the company had a greater customer reach as 7–Eleven stores are easily accessible throughout Japan. The ecommerce company itself could probably be a greater success in U.S. however; it would be a better idea if the orders are directly sent home rather than have them delivered to the nearest 7-Eleven store. In this way, the company can tap in to a bigger market that is the U.S. market but get the goods delivered to the customer’s doorstep would be a better idea. Also, the stores in the U.S. were replenished using direct store delivery (DSD) by some manufacturers, with the remaining products delivered by wholesalers. DSD accounted for about half the total volume, with the rest coming from the wholesalers. This meant that direct delivery is a more popular concept in the U.S. Keeping into consideration the current strategy of the 7dream concept, it is more likely to be successful in Japan than in the United States. However, if the strategy is molded according to the U.S. market, it can become a greater success. Question 6: 7-Eleven is attempting to duplicate the supply chain structure that has succeeded in Japan in the United States with the introduction of CDC’s. What are the pros and cons of this approach? Keep in mind that stores are also replenished by wholesalers and DSD by manufacturers. After 7 Eleven acquired Southland Corporation they tried to improve their operations in America. The main improvement was an introduction of a new component in the supply chain completely novel to the US market. This component, the Combined Distribution Centers (CDCs), was however used in Japan at that time. Initially the stores in US used the Direct Store Delivery (DSD) in which stores were replenished by manufacturers accounting for half of the goods volume and the rest half was done by whole sellers. CDC delivered perishable products like bread, sandwiches and the rest of the bakery products. Pros Using CDC all perishable -food items would be delivered by a single distributor which would increase overall efficiency. Having fresh-food items at 7-Eleven convenience stores helped in users getting variety of fresh food from convenient locations. Uncertainty of delivery times was minimized by systematic delivery system. The inventory costs were low as fresh food items cannot be inventoried. With daily replenishment of fresh-food items, the stock would be fresh and it reduced consumer concerns of stale items to a large extent. Centralization gave a greater control to the management and more processes were now under the supervision of the company hence improving efficiency. Cons There could have been a difference in quality delivered through CDC and DSD. DSD was a tested system so company might be unwilling to shift to the new system as there is always a reluctance to change. In US stores fresh products may not sell very well. Training would be required for all the supply chain members as the new system tends to be more time sensitive. Manufacturers might not be willing to go with the idea of CDC’s as they might lose on their relative dollar revenues and with the loss in revenues they might also reduce control. As the new system would be very time specific, the supply chain might not be very responsive and if updates are required the company might lose on its sales. Question 7: The United States has food service distributors that also replenish convenience stores. What are the pros and cons to having a distributor replenish convenience stores versus a company like 7-Eleven managing its own distribution function? With the outsourcing decision in mind an organization always tries to outsource activities that lie beyond their core competencies and their scarce resources are wasted in performing tasks that they are not specialized at. With outsourcing the organization tries to focus on activities that they can do best. The advantage is that managing the distribution is the sole headache of the distributor and with his specialized expertise it might be more cost effective. However outsourcing does have its repercussions as well. The control over the quality of items and the replenishment time might not be as effective as doing the distribution yourself. With the outsourcing of distribution the communication gap can affect the replenishment distribution. However taking the advancements in communication and technology this statement may be rendered void. Convenience stores are successfully communicating with their distributors and make uninterrupted storage of data and information transmission from 3PL WMS to internal systems for real-time visibility of stock in hand and customer service. Moreover outsourcing decisions affect both the efficiency and responsiveness of the supply chain. A retail store can achieve improved efficiency by having a distributor replenish its stock, but he does not put his heart and effect they can have on their long term aims.

Puritans Views On Sex And Morality Essay

What were the Puritans views on sex and morality? How do they compare to American values of today? Puritan is described as one who lives in accordance with Protestant precepts, especially one who regards pleasure or luxury as sinful. It is said that a widely known Puritan by the name of John Calvin (1509-1564) was cheerless and had a viciously malevolent theology based on total human depravity and the implacable wrath of God. An unhappy and unhealthy ascetic, he had ulcers, tuberculosis, and migraine headaches and considered life of little value and God as a harsh tyrant. Calvin set up a brutal political theocracy. No dancing, fancy clothes, and jewelry were allowed. He was in favor of death penalty for adultery. Even legitimate love was stringently regulated. Solemn weddings with no revelry were the beliefs that he preached to others. The Calvin marriage had two functions: (1) to produce offspring (2) to eliminate incontinence. Another Puritan believer who was famous during his times was John Knox . He had Blue Laws of the 1650s, and was against Sunday amusements, smoking, drinking, gambling, fancy clothing. He also promoted public whippings, scarlet letters, execution for adulterers, and the Salem â€Å"witch† executions. Stern puritan traits were often only expressions that masked moods of mischief and romance. Sex outside of marriage was attacked. Puritans greatly enjoyed sex inside marriage and propagated the concept of the virtue of virginity. 16th Century Puritans tried to combine the ideals of love with the normality of sex into marriage. They also valued money more than leisure, and success more than culture. After the 17th century. the Puritans as a political entity largely disappeared, but Puritan attitudes and ethics continued to exert an influence on American society. They made a virtue of qualities that made for economic success—self-reliance, frugality, industry, and energy—and through them influenced modern social and economic life. For the Puritans, a person by nature was wholly sinful and could achieve good only by severe and unremitting discipline. Hard work was considered a religious duty and emphasis was laid on constant self-examination and self-discipline. Profanation of the Sabbath day, blasphemy, fornication, drunkenness, playing games of chance, and participation in theatrical performances were penal offenses. It was the notion that Puritans were strict, formal, quick to judge and always on the lookout for anything mischievous. Anything too ostentatious, pretentious or blatant was immediately a source of discipline for the Puritans. On this note, before making a comparison between the two, we must first ask, what is morality? Morality is concerned with the distinction between good and evil or right and wrong. It is the perceived guidelines of a standard of how we live our life, how we act, how we think about things and the protocol of how things work around us.   This first example of immorality may be considered by many as one that does not have anything to do with morality, but if you give it more then cursory thought, you would most likely consider it a morality issue. Luxury things are one of the most prevalent consumer items nowadays. In fact, many major industries stem from this market/ business. If you think deeply about it, WHY do consumers buy luxury items when there are existing items that could as well be the same quality and kind? Luxury items promote the notion that those who belong to a certain class or earning bracket are those who can afford such goods. They promote a certain image of the luxury item purchaser, that they are a â€Å"higher-class† or that they belong to a higher level of social status. This in itself could be seen as condescending. In comparison to the Puritans, indulgence in wordly things are considered â€Å"evil† and unright. Today’s times propagate consumerism, luxury, indulgence, opulence. Whereas, for the Puritans, all these were wrong values as they believed in simplicity. Albert Einstein once said † The value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving.† But with the morality and values of America today, it seems, that people are more concerned about what they can receive or benefit over that which they can give. And this is contrary to what Puritans believe in. With regards to sex, Puritans strongly believed in the sanctity of marriage. They believed that sex was only to be enjoyed if it was inside marriage. They valued virginity and upheld rigid values concerning physical intimateness outside of marriage. As compared to a majority of Americans, it seems that in today’s world, they are more open to sexual relations outside of marriage. Many Americans do not believe in preserving their virginity for marriage. This is stark contrast to what Puritans believed in. Perhaps even in relationships, Puritans only believed in relationships with a purpose-one that was heading towards marriage. Where as young people, Generation X,Y,Z and baby boomers do not seem to always have marriage in mind when dating a prospect. This only skims the surface of a myriad of values on sex and morality that separates modern-day Americans from Puritans but this shows the positives and negatives about two very different perspectives and what positive points we can pick up from each aspect. Works Cited McMahon, Dr. C. Matthew. â€Å"Puritan Roots: A Brief Sketch of the Values of Puritanism†. E. C. Hill. Society and Puritanism in Pre-Revolutionary England (2d ed. 1967).

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 35

Summary - Essay Example In addition, IT is considered as the revolutionary series of technologies, which have revolutionized the industry significantly. This paper will discuss whether IT is relevant in the present economic society, which is characterized by intense competitiveness and innovativeness. After the introduction of a way in which circuits could be incorporated into a small silicon piece to facilitate in computer processing, the microprocessor has paved way for a number of technological breakthroughs, targeting enterprise software, the internet. Wide and local area networks and desktop computers. In this case, it is not possible for an individual to deny that technology serves as commerce’s backbone. It improves the activities of individual companies, improves their supply chains, and links firms to the clients they serve more effectively (Carr, 2007). The power and presence of IT has grown considerably, forcing companies to consider it as a resource that is vital to their growth and success. This is evident based on the spending habits that firms portray. Since the revolution realized on the microprocessor and introduction of personal computers, companies have continued to increasingly invest on IT infrastructure to help them boost their operations and competitiveness in the marketplace considerably (Carr, 2007). As IT penetrates deeper into the operations of firms, the attitudes of executives are shifting. For instance, more than twenty years ago, a large number of executives looked down upon computers as popular tools, but glorified calculators and typewriters. Computers were associated with low-level employees, such as analysts, secretaries, and technicians. Rare executives allowed their fingers to touch a keyboard. Nonetheless, they would not let information technology influence their strategic thinking. Presently, this has changed as executives as relying on information

Beethoven Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Beethoven - Essay Example On Beethoven, Neefee asserted that "If he continues like this he will be, without doubt, the new Mozart"(Davies, 108). At the age of 14, he was appointed by the Court of Maximilian Franz, which allowed him to meet several individuals, who continued to love and support him throughout his life. His friends included â€Å"The Ries family, the von Breuning family and the charming Eleonore, Karl Amenda, the violinist, Franz Gerhard Wegeler, a doctor, and a dear friend who also went to Vienna, etc† (Davies, 129). In the year 1787, Beethoven went to Vienna, where he met Mozart. He went to Vienna to enhance his music skills. However, he had to return because of his dying mother; his best friend. In 1792, Beethoven went to Vienna for the second time to learn music. In 1800, he had â€Å"organized a new concert at Vienna including, notably, the presentation of his first symphony† (Davies, 211). From then onwards, he was successful in composing several symphonies including Coriolan Overture and Pastoral. â€Å"May 7th 1824 was the date of the first playing of the ninth symphony and despite musical difficulties, and problems in the sung parts, it was a success† (Davies, 255). In the year 1827, he passed away. Beethoven is considered to be one of the most influential composers and musicians of his times. He had been successful in changing the structure of Western music and his works, continue to influence young musicians and composers of our

GREECE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

GREECE - Essay Example Beautiful nature, geographical position and warm climate make Greece attractive for immigrants. â€Å"Greece's geography, which became especially important after the formation of Europe's borderless Schengen Area, has also contributed to the country's transition to an immigrant-receiving nation. Positioned at the southeastern "gate" of the European Union, and with extensive coastlines and easily crossable borders, Greece has become a common transit country for those seeking entry into Europe† (Kasimis 86). Actually, with the development of globalization, migration became very active. Now it plays a very important role and is defined as â€Å"function of changes in the international division of labor and reconstructing of the global economy, which entails rapid and massive movements of productive factors, including capital and labor† (Icduygu 294). The number of immigrants in Greece is very high. Immigrants from Albania amount to around 60% according to the data of the y ear 2012. 1990s were the period of active immigration from Asian states that now is mostly illegal: illegal immigrants usually come from Iraq, Turkey, Afghanistan, etc. There are a number of factors that influence migration. Poverty is considered to be the most important factor that makes people look for better life in a foreign country. The second important factor is armed conflicts in the countries that made people leave motherland and many of them came to Greece that always has been attractive by its geographic location and financial stability. Active immigration from Asian countries has grown into a serious problem for Greece. Moreover, only small part of immigrants is registered, the rest are illegal. The government of Greece is very concerned about the issue as the number of immigrants is becoming so high that it is very difficult to control the immigration. Some actions have already been done in this direction, but the government still can’t establish the appropriate c ontrol over the issue. The absence of legal protection, racial intolerance that inevitably occurs in the society with very high number of immigrants, and bad working conditions turns the foreign labor into exploitation. In general, immigration in Greece is treated negatively and considered to be undesirable and troublesome for the society and economy of Greece. Speaking about natural resources, it is essential to admit, that Greece does not have plenty of them, so import is needed. The main are marble and petroleum. Last time Greece is concerned about the reduction of petroleum reserves. Aluminum, nickel and magnetite can be also found in Greece. In the 1970th Greece was going through the economic development, this period is characterized by active industrialization. Simultaneously, country started facing serious problems connected with environmental pollution. The situation is especially serious in Athens that faces heavy air pollution. Pollution leads to spread of respiratory illn esses and in addition spoils the monuments Greece is so proud of. In order to overcome this problem, the government has to build a number of stations to monitor pollution. These steps helped reduce the pollution. â€Å"Greece should soon begin to see further environmental progress as a result of management and financial efforts made since the mid-1990s. Its environmental policy has been modernized and driven by EU environmental legislation, a search for improved quality of life in the larger cities (Athens, Thessaloniki) and, to some extent, the

Comparing Criminal Justice Systems Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Comparing Criminal Justice Systems - Assignment Example As much as criminal justice systems of all countries seem to follow some universal devising justice and punishment, there are wide variations between countries in the ways that these approaches work. This is because of the differences in power of law enforcement, style of policing, limits of search and seizure, the doctrine of presumption innocence and the doctrine of reasonable doubt. Other factors that create differences among criminal justice systems across countries include protection of self-incrimination rights, exclusion rules and other intra-systematic processes in criminal justice, which are not valued and practiced in the same way in every country. In this report, a comparison of criminal justice systems, based on the cases of Amanda Knox and Michael Fay, two young U.S. citizens accused of crimes in other countries, illustrates the differences between the U.S. criminal justice system and those of Italy and Singapore. The Knox case is a murder case, which is about the murder of a British student, Meredith Kercher in Perugia, Italy. During the time of the crime, all the occupants of the cottage had left to spend their night elsewhere apart from Meredith Kercher, who was to spend the night alone in the cottage. On the following day, Knox and her boyfriend, Rafaelle Sollecito, discovered that one of the windows of the cottage, where Meredith, Knox and others lived, had been broken. They called the police. The police forced the door to Kercher’s bedroom open and it was discovered that Kercher had been murdered. Knox and Rafaelle were accused of murdering Kercher because the deceased had refused to participate in a sex game. Knox’s boss was also accused on the same account, but he was released upon lack of evidence linking him to the crime. Forensic evidence led to the arrest, prosecution and conviction of Rudy Guede for murdering Meredith. On the other hand, Michael Fay was sentenced to four months imprisonment and six strokes of cane because

Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Final - Essay Example 1. Describe the paths of water through the hydrologic cycle. Explain the processes and the energy gains and losses involved in the changes of water between its 3 states. Operationally, we often most concerned with water does when it reaches the solid earth, both on the surface and in the sub-surface. Explain the relationship between the saturated zone, the water table, a ground water well and the cone of depression, all within the sub-surface. The paths of water in the hydrologic cycle can be categorized and examined to assist the comprehension of the key processes in hydrology. According to Waite (2010) the determination of the quantity of water that makes way through these identified paths is dependent upon the conditions of the area under assessment and the seasonal variations. O’Callaghan (1996) defines the phenomenon in a series of stages and states that the initial path of water that is associated with the hydrologic cycle occurs upon the entrance of water into a river b asin as a consequence of precipitation which could take the form of rain, hail or snow (1) once, the water transitions from this path the point of interception is determined through the surface of land which could be vegetation or the soil surface (2) this phase of the hydrological cycle is followed by the movement of the water towards the plants or within the soil in addition to the possibility of evaporation which is succeeded by recondensation and precipitation (3). O’Callaghan (2006) comments that in a scenario where the movement of the water is directed towards the soil surface, the water essentially penetrates through the pores of the soil and once the infiltration capacity reaches its maximum, the remaining water covers its path by taking the form of small channels, accordingly, another scenario reflects the possibility of water amassing within the soil system (4) additionally, in case of the saturation of soil horizons water movement occurs as interflow and ultimately goes into rivers and streams. The aforementioned analysis primarily highlights the inflow of water through the hydrologic cycle however, it is important to understand the significance of key pathways which allow water outflow. These pathways include; the process of evaporation, the river network and the groundwater pathways (O’Callaghan, 1996). Any change in the 3 states of water is marked by distinct processes during which energy is either lost or gained. When ice acquires sufficient heat, the solid matter transforms into liquid through the release of heat energy. During this process, the bonds of heated atoms and molecules are broken. The phase change which transforms solid matter into liquid is called melting in which thermal energy is gained. Consequentially, the phase change of freezing is characterized by a loss of energy while, the process of vaporization is marked by the absorption of heat or gain in energy from the surrounding to allow the bonds between molecules an d atoms to break. The water zones within the subsurface in humid regions are categorized on the basis of their depth and contents of water and the lowest constituent of these three stratums is known as the zone of saturation (Petersen, Sack and

Macbeth - Monologue script as Fleance Assignment

Macbeth - Monologue script as Fleance - Assignment Example sh that your beloved husband, my father has passed away.Sorrow weighs upon my heart like an anchor, and it drowns me to the depths of this ocean of hopeless hopes. The events that led to this horrendous moment in my life are still hard for my tongue to speak of them because Im still shocked by the death of my father. As dad and I dismounted from our horses, we lit a torch due to the night being pitch black with an atmosphere of tragedy looming above our heads.Almost like a premonition, my father said:†It will rain tonight† (3:3:16).These three men murdered Father, and I could do nothing to save him.By the abundance of grace from the heavens, I escaped by a whisker. However, the image of father’s life was slowly leaving his body was painted on the walls of my head.I then remembered what he told me concerning the prediction the witches portended on father’s descendants.It became as clear as the blue in the sky that Macbeth played a significant role in the demise of my beloved father.It was further enhanced after I saw the identity of one of the murderers as father held them off while I escaped.Anguish and rage descended upon me and his last words, etched in my memory would become my spear of vengeance that would destroy Macbeth and his infernal reign over the land. It might be highly possible that while father was being killed, Macbeth would make an appearance in front of people, and this would be his perfect alibi.While he did this, he could have his minions kill father, and if this did not succeed, he might have resolved to frame father for the murder of Duncan, which would justify his execution. Oh mother I have heard the â€Å"Foul whisperings† of â€Å" unnatural deeds†(5:1:61) for the gossips are abroad in the eating halls of the Thanes, the market places, and the kitchens, with rumours that Macbeth and his Lady are â€Å"in blood stepped in so far â€Å" (3:4:136-137). The rumor was that Lady Macbeth was the principal orchestrator to King Duncan’s death

Ethical Health Care Issues Essay Example for Free

Ethical Health Care Issues Essay Breast Cancer is a serious issue that affects almost every woman worldwide, either directly as someone diagnosed with cancer, or indirectly through the illness of a loved one (Women’s Health Resource, 2014). Breast Cancer is found in women, in their twenties and thirties, and those with a family history of the disease. In 2006, approximately 212,920 new cases of invasive breast cancer were diagnosed in the United States alone (Women’s Health Resource, 2014). The case scenario will discuss the ethical and legal issues regarding a 25 year old female patient stricken with breast cancer, who refuses treatment for the disease, in addition to the four (4) ethical principles, (a) autonomy (respect for persons), (b) justice, (c) beneficence, and (d) non-maleficence. Case Scenario A 25 year old female patient made an appointment with her primary care physician because she discovered a lump in her breast after a routine check. On the day of the appointment, the physician examined her breast, and made a referral for her to visit and oncologist, who specializes in the diagnoses and treatment of cancer. There are three types of oncologists. They are (a) medical oncologist (uses medicine (chemotherapy) to treat cancer), (b) radiation oncologist (uses radiation to treat cancer), and (c) surgical oncologist (treats cancer with surgery) (The Denise Roberts Breast Cancer Foundation, 2009). The patient schedules an appointment with the oncologist, who then will inform her of the diagnoses and treatments if needed as per the result of the biopsy. The result of the biopsy will confirm if the patient has breast cancer or not. Autonomy (respect for persons) acknowledges a person’s right to make choices, to hold views, and to take actions based on personal values and beliefs (Chowning et al., 2007). To refuse treatment, the patient must be legally and mentally capable, and 18 years or older. Parents with children under the age of 18, have the right to consent or refuse treatment for his or her child. Physicians also have a  moral and legal obligation to comply with a patient’s voluntary, informed refusal of life sustaining treatment, regardless of a physician’s judgment concerning the medical or moral appropriateness of this (Miller et al., 2000). A 25 year old patient with breast cancer refused medical treatment as suggested by the oncologist. Conflicts may arise with the patient as she made a decision to not receive care, which can ultimately lead to death. Death may be seen as a failure, rather than an important part of life (Smith, 2000). Upon receiving the patient choice to deny treatment, the oncologist is then obligated to inform, and educate the patient about the benefits of treatment, and risks associated with not receiving treatment. The patient has the right to deny treatment, even when the physician suggests the benefits of treatment. The following treatment options are available to the patient such as, lumpectomy, mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and eventually, surgical reconstruction (Woman’s Health Resource, 2014). Autonomy When a patient refuses treatment to care for the disease, autonomy then becomes a bit challenging. While there may be opposing views in regard to treatment or non-treatment, medical professionals must respect the patient decision, and support the patient during this process, while delivering quality care (Stringer, 2009). The rules of law are based on ethical beliefs that are commonly held in our society. These basic ethical principles include respect for individual autonomy, beneficence (helping others), non-maleficence (not harming others), and justice or fairness. Regardless of whether these ethical duties are derived from religious faith, natural law, or a social contract, these principles form the basis for the legal rules of our society (Harris, 2007). Beneficence The principle of beneficence means that the health care provider must promote the wellbeing of patients and avoid harming them (Rosenthal, 2006). When a patient refuses treatment(s), the health care professional must communicate the risks of not receiving treatment. The job of the health care professional is to provide quality of care to the patient, even when a patient refuses treatment. The health care professional must remain compassionate, as the patient expects the medical professional to still  treat him or her with dignity and respect. Non Maleficence Non Maleficence means to do no harm. Health care professionals must always strive to do their work without malice or the intention thereof to the patient (Ask.com, 2014). The health care provider is obligated to aid the patient to the best of his or her ability by providing benefits, protecting the patients’ interest, and improve wellbeing. To ensure that the patient is not harmed while refusing treatment, the health care professional can conduct a risk benefit analysis where research on the disease and various medications can be found. Upon his or her findings, the health care professional should explain the effects of treatment or non-treatment. Under non maleficence, there is a legal â€Å"duty to warn† third parties, which is a critical and legal concept (Rosenthal, 2006). Justice The principle of justice means to treat others equitably, distribute benefits or burdens fairly (Chowning et al., 2007). Health care professionals must provide patients with treatment alternatives, and not misinform the patient about any of the medical processes involved. The major issue with this principle is that economic barriers can interfere with access to appropriate therapies and medications (Rosenthal, 2006). The health care organization is required to provide services or care to a patient regardless of health care coverage. Patients should also be treated equally regardless of age, race, or ethnicity. Patients must be treated with dignity and respect, even though he or she may refuse care or treatment for their medical condition. Conclusion One of the most common place ethical dilemmas in the health care industry is a patient refusing treatment to care, as this action may threaten his or her wellbeing or health. The health care professional must determine what aspects of autonomy, beneficence, justice, and non-maleficence need to be used before providing care. A physician has the legal right to ensure and provide the patient with sufficient information about treatment plans, and care. Health care administrators must examine underlying issues such as competence of the patient, the distinction apparent, and refusal of care (Michels, 1981). In the case of the 25 year old patient, ethical issues were  present because her right to refuse treatment conflicted with the oncologist’s obligations to provide quality care to her. References Ask.com (2014). What Is Non Maleficence? Retrieved from http://www.ask.com/question/what-is-non-maleficence Chowning et al. (2007). An Ethics Primer. Seattle WA: Northwest Association of Biomedical Research. Retrieved from https://www.nwabr.org/sites/default/files/NWABR_EthicsPrimer7.13.pdf Harris (2007). Contemporary Issues in Healthcare Law and Ethics, 3e. Retrieved from University of Phoenix Michels, R. (1981). The Right to Refuse Treatment: Ethical Issues. American Psychiatric Association, 32(1), 251-255. Miller, F., Fins, J., Snyder, L. (2000). Assisted suicide compared with refusal of treatment: a valid distinction? Annals of Internal Medicine, 132(6), 470-475. Rosenthal, M. S. (2006). Patient misconceptions and ethical challenges in radioactive iodine scanning and therapy*. Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology, 34(3), 143-50; quiz 151-2. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/218613783?accountid=458 Smith, R. (2000). A good death: an important aim for health serv ices and for us all. British Medical Journal, 320(7228), 129-130. Stringer, S. (2009). Ethical issues involved in patient refusal of life-saving treatment. Cancer Nursing Practice, 8(3), 30-33. The Denise Roberts Breast Cancer Foundation (2009). Breast Health. Retrieved from http://www.tdrbcf.org/oncologist/index.html Women’s Health Resource (2014). Breast Cancer. Retrieved from http://www.wdxcyber.com/breast_home.html

An Analysis of William Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream Essay Example for Free

An Analysis of William Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream Essay Renaissance humanists believed that if you want to build a moral society, you must begin with the facts of human nature. Basically, this means that their beliefs are rooted on what can be seen, touched, and heard. Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream crossed the boundaries of humanism and Shakespeare actually put in the play elements which humanists believe did not exist. For humanists, â€Å"Nature itself constitutes the sum total of reality, that matter and not mind is the foundation-stuff of the universe, and that supernatural entities simply do not exist. † (Lamont 145). This follows naturally that people then were with little, if at all, imaginative, and creative tendency. They were not keen to elements in literature such as fairies, or other supernatural beings; elements which are present in Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In the century preceding Shakespeare, â€Å"humanist† plays were often considered dull and moralistic, as they were often in didactic form. Also, another attitude of Humanism towards the universe â€Å"like its judgment as to the nature and destiny of man, is grounded on solid scientific fact.† (Lamont 145). They believed that man was the cream of the crop of God’s creation, and that the earth and everything that revolves around it are the center of the universe. Again, it’s not difficult to imagine that consequently, this philosophy not only affects the scientific aspect of the era, but also the culture, including literature and other arts. People also took a belief in the interconnectedness of things, for example a physician administering a medicine according to the position of the planets. But A Midsummer Night’s Dream, written sometime in the late 1500s seemed to have crossed boundaries. First of all, there are supernatural elements in the play which sort of went against the Humanist philosophy about supernatural entities not existing. Actually, the play is nothing short of magical. Not only do the mortals in the play associated with fairies, but the plot is manipulated by Puck, a hobgoblin. Bottom, on the other hand symbolizes a culture that survived from the Middle Ages until the Elizabethan times wherein â€Å"reign donkeys dressed up as bishops or dogs with Hosts in their teeth would appear in court masques.† (Bloom 73).   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Spirits and fairies cannot be represented, they cannot even be painted,   Ã¢â‚¬â€they can only be believed.† (Bloom 87). Apparently, this is not in line with Humanist philosophy, and this is what Shakespeare’s play brought people to believe also after the play’s publication. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is â€Å"Shakespeares first period of experiment with comic form.† (Bloom 7). Compared to his tragedies, this comedy not only was a trailblazer for rediscovery of classical literature, it also â€Å"knits together a number of different historical times and places, literary traditions, character types, and modes of thought.† (Bloom 7). Humanists also believed that â€Å"whatever he does man is a living unity of body and personality, an inter-functioning oneness of mental, emotional and physical qualities.† (Lamont 274). Apparently, in the play, when Puck put the magical love juice in the eyes of Demetrius, Lysander, and Titania, this premise is not evident anymore, as they were not in their â€Å"right minds† when pursuing different love interests. However, while Shakespeare challenged Humanism through his play, he also showed his influences through the characters, the plot and the sub-plot. Italian Renaissance was an event which influenced Shakespeare in a lot of his works, but Italian Renaissance differs slightly from the English Renaissance, aside from the fact that it preceded the English Renaissance. Italian Renaissance was centered more on visual arts but sonnets also bloomed through Petrarch and Boccaccio. By the time Italian Renaissance was coming to an end and English Renaissance was blooming, writers were then rediscovering the classical literatures from the Italian Renaissance and picked up the sonnets. Shakespeare apparently was one of those writers. Shakespeare’s influences with regard to some elements in the play come from Italian artists like the poet Ovid and the author Apulieus, which show Shakespeare’s rediscovery of the classical literature coming from the Italian Renaissance. For example, the story of Pyramus and Thisbe is told in Ovids Metamorphoses and the transformation of Bottom into an ass is descended from Apuleius The Golden Ass. Elements such as these show how vast Shakespeare’s influences are, and how experimental the play has become compared to his previous tragedies in terms of the characters and the plot.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I can say that through Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream, people looked at themselves differently, and appreciated more the beauty of the arts. Before Shakespeare, people seemed stuck-up and were conformed to being moralized by their literature. While it was necessary at that time, change is really inevitable. And through Shakespeare’s experimentation in the said comedy, different discoveries and rediscoveries enabled people to try out new things. Throughout the Renaissance, there was a significant change in the way people looked at the interconnectedness of things. Writers and thinkers questioned the connections, while retaining a sense of their beauty as symbols. A major change which this era experienced is that people interpreted the correspondences of things from literal to symbolic, and appreciated more the beauty of the symbols. Works Cited: Bloom, Harold, ed. William Shakespeares a Midsummer Nights Dream. New York: Chelsea House, 1987 Lamont, Corliss. Humanism as a Philosophy. New York: Philosophical Library, 1949. A Midsummer Nights Dream. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.

Personal SWOT Analysis

Personal SWOT Analysis Introduction The process of creating my personal development plan (PDP) is a way to gain insight into where I am now and how to position myself to get to where I want to be. Having a PDP is more than having an ideal about a future job or career, it is about goal setting and creating a specific, measurable, realistic and time bound (SMART) road map about how to get there. Understanding the creation and use of PDPs is also, in itself, a useful skill to offer employers as personal development planning and objective setting are mainstays of human resource management in both the public and private sectors in the UK. At this time, my PDP is about getting me on the right track; while in the future achieving the identified objectives may well be necessary to achieve performance related pay and career progression. Commitment to the process of creating a workable PDP is therefore an important task. Where am I now? In terms of my performance on the degree so far, I have realised that I measure performance in a much broader sense than the grades that I have received in my coursework and examinations. Much of what I have learned at university so far has been about learning to manage time and commitments and ensure that I maximize the opportunities available to me. These opportunities include those afforded by my course, the university’s facilities, and also the opportunities that new friendships have brought. I have been pleased with my grades and consider myself to be on-track for a marketable 2:1; I have also received positive and helpful feedback from tutors. More pleasing has been the feeling of increased confidence in group situations with my peers that I have something to contribute and that I have the ability to influence and inspire others. This is particularly important to me as I do not simply aspire to a career in business but to achieve managerial and leadership responsibilitie s early in my career. From my SWOT analysis, the two things that I would identify as being critical to stop doing are spreading myself too thinly across too many interests and rushing onto the next project. The issue of spreading myself too thinly across a diverse range of extra curricular interests is important because, as stated, I have managerial and leadership ambitions. Membership of a wide array of groups and societies shows diversity of interests but it does not show depth and it is also hard to succeed in positions of responsibility within a group if you do not have the time to make a real commitment. The second issue, that of stopping rushing onto the next project is important for two key reasons. The first is that in rushing forward I have realized that I lose time to reflect, and reflection is critical in measuring project success or failure; secondly, in rushing forward, I can give a negative impression to peers that what I am doing now is less important than what I am going on to do[1]. In terms of what I plan to continue to do to maintain my performance, I have identified a good record of attendance at lectures and seminars and managing to keep up with the required reading. The primary reasons why I have identified these as critical factors would appear self-evident: I want to get value for money from my studies and to do this I need to attend lectures and seminars and ensure that I am sufficiently well prepared that I can follow lectures and contribute to seminars and tutorials. There is an additional factor too in that research has shown that attendance and success in coursework and examinations is positively correlated.[2] Brainstorming what I want to start doing brought up several items in my SWOT analysis. From this I have drawn out increasing employability by seeking internship and / or summer placement opportunities and also broadening my reading to develop a greater awareness of current affairs. I have identified the internship or placement as being critical as a successful placement would enable me to further fine tune my career plans in terms of sector sought and which aspects of business to focus on; it will also enhance my CV to future employers by showing that I was focused on my career before my final year. I have also identified broadening my reading as being critical as while I am passionate about business, research indicates that employers are seeking well-rounded candidates who are open minded and have an interest in the world around them[3]. Where am I going? My primary plan for what I hope to be doing within six months of graduating is to have successfully joined an established management training scheme. Having investigated the schemes available, I consider myself well-placed for those aimed at generalists, business specialists (operations / strategy), and also potentially schemes to develop future human resources managers. Given my broad interests in business, I would prefer a scheme that would give me exposure to a range of roles. I am particularly drawn to the MS Scheme, John Lewis Partnership Scheme, HMRC Talent Management Scheme, and also the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme for these reasons. Given the prevailing economic climate and uncertainty about the health of the job market that I will be graduating into, I propose to a contingency plan of obtaining a place on an MSc Business programme. How do I get there? Action plan outlining three personal objectives for the next 12 months that will help me in my career. References Flannes, SW and G Levin (2005) Essential People Skills for Project Managers. Management Concepts. Stewart, J and V Knowles (2001) Graduate recruitment: implications for business and management courses in higher education. Journal of European Industrial Training, 25, 2-4, 98-108. Appendices Personal SWOT Analysis First Name last Name Contact address: House name, Any town, Postcode E-mail: [emailprotected] Â ¨ Mobile telephone: 00000 00000 Anytown High School Highlights of A/AS and GCSE results WORK Experience Dates Organisation and location Your Role Your Responsibilities and any special projects you were involved in or areas of the business that you found particularly interesting Skills developed during employment: time management skills, giving effective feedback, etc. How this job influenced your application for the type of work you are seeking with this CV. 1 Footnotes [1] Flannes and Levin (2005) highlight the need to show consistent commitment to projects throughout the project cycle rather than focusing on the next stage or next project. [2] See Colby (2004) [3] Stewart and Knowles (2001)

corse of nature :: essays research papers

From the heart of Enterprise, Alabama comes the first great rock n' roll album of 2002 - Course of Nature's electrifying Lava/Atlantic debut, "SUPERKALA." Highlighted by the extraordinary hit single "Caught In The Sun," the 10-track collection - produced by Course of Nature and Matt Martone (3 Doors Down, Breaking Point), and mixed by Randy Staub (P.O.D., Nickelback) - is an enthralling blend of passionate melodies, hard-edged riffs, and emotionally potent lyricism. Tracks such as the yearning "Someone Else To You" and the cathartic "Difference of Opinion" reveal Course of Nature to be a compelling and focused unit that will undoubtedly stake a substantial claim on the musical landscape. Packed with dynamic songs and exciting sonics, "SUPERKALA" is modern hard rock at its best and brightest. Singer Mark Wilkerson and guitarist John Mildrum first hit the spotlight back in 2000 as part of their band, Cog. Inspired by a diverse spectrum of music - from Motown to metal - the group made their bones playing Alabama's cover band circuit, honing their musical chops with marathon sets that included songs by faves ranging from Duran Duran to Warrant to Metallica. "We played covers five hours a night," Fish recalls, "sometimes three or four nights a week, all over Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida. We started to throw originals into the set, we just put our foot down and said, "We're not doing this anymore.' So we started advertising ourselves as an original band, and we'd go to these cover places and bring a cover band with us and have them open for us. And the shows just got better and better." The group soon built a loyal local following, playing the region both as headliners and as support to such artists as Marvelous 3, Everything, and Starship. In March 2001, Cog self-released their debut album, "NO TIME AT ALL," but by July, Wilkerson and Mildrum had made the decision to set out on their own. "We started writing," Mark says, " and it was coming along better and more professional. So we got on the Internet and looked for a studio to record in. We found Ardent Studios in Memphis. 3 Doors Down did their record there, and we were definitely into that, so we called up there, and we hooked up with Matt Martone, who engineered 3 Doors Down. He dug us, so we decided to do a four song demo together.

Columbia Space Shuttle- Final Mission :: American History, NASA

Columbia Final Mission Wayne Hale, Deputy Shuttle Manager Wrote: "Last year we dropped the torch through our complacency, our arrogance, self assurance, sheer stupidity and through our continuing attempt to please everyone". "Seven of our friends and colleagues paid the ultimate price for our failure. Yet the nation is giving us another chanceÂ…..We must not Fail" More then three years ago the Space Shuttle Columbia went down in flames, due to the damage caused but not limited to, a piece of insulating foam that broke off the external tank and struck the wing's leading edge. The foam struck with enough force to create an opening in the wing which allowed hot plasma to enter during reentry. No one thought that foam could cause this much damage since nothing like this had resulted from previous instances where the foam had come off. In the beginning NASA was faced with a tight budget given to them by the government. This budget was large enough to build a state of the art air craft but wasn't enough to develop an escape system that might of proving to be useful in this case. The culture of NASA was a factor that created this mistake, "The mantra "Prove to me that there's something wrong". The chain of command was not equal; the small guys couldn't voice their opinions and concerns because of the position they held in the organization. Another concern was that they miscalculated the risk of the foam creating any damage just because it never destroyed another shuttle. The facts were clear that the foam had the ability to create some damage, and this was apparent in many other space shuttle launches. Foam debris was classified as an "in-family" event- a problem within NASA experience base that was not considered a safety of flight issue. NASA even knew that foam debris tended to fall off the left bipod ramp and t hat ten percent of the fights recorded loss foam from this area. Over the years NASA decided to put their concerns of foam damage to the side and called it an acceptable thing to happen during common flight procedures instead of finding a way to prevent it. On its first day in orbit NASA engineers came to the conclusion that the foam debris that hit the left wing might have caused severe damage to the shuttle and could prevent it from a safe reentry.

Alina Humanities Essay

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES Upon completion of the course, students should be able to accomplish the following. 1. Understand and appreciate outstanding cultural expressions of the humanistic tradition. 2. Interpret and analyze selected artistic and ideological expressions. 3. Compare and contrast selected artistic and ideological expressions. 4. Identify causal influences in the chronological development of arts and ideas. 5. Applywhattheyhavelearnedaboutonecultureorculturalexpressionwhenexamining another. 6. Demonstrate how selected artistic and ideological expressions do or do not illustrate a cultural period or a stylistic concept. 7. Defend personal opinions regarding the interpretations of selected artistic and ideological expressions. 8. Demonstrate rhetorically effective writing appropriate for the study of humanities and meeting all requirements for college level writing. ***Please advise instructor if you will be taking exams at DSS. *** CLASS PROCEDURE & OBLIGATIONS Class sessions will consist primarily of PowerPoint presentations that include representative images, texts, and audio from the humanist tradition. Students will be responsible for viewing/reading the powerpoints and/or other material prescribed for each presentation. When 1  engaging literary texts, the students must read the assigned pages before classes, be ready to pass written quizzes on the readings and be ready to discuss each respective day’s assignment. *** Using laptop computers or other electronic devices is not allowed in class. For each incident, violators will be docked ten points on the following exam. Classroom Etiquette: 1. No talking during class. Private conversation cannot and will not be tolerated. 2. No reading the newspaper, or other outside material, or doing other homework during class. 3. Due to the abuse of using computers in class in the past, I ask that you do not use a laptop for  taking notes. 4. Arriving late and leaving early are disruptive. Please be considerate of your instructor and fellow students by arriving on time. If you should need to arrive late or leave early, please notify the instructor. 5. Turn off cell phones before entering the classroom. Attendance Policy Classroom attendance supplements and enriches text materials through films, slides, lectures, and discussions. In addition, class discussions suffer without each student present, since all viewpoints in discussion are important. Class attendance and punctuality are important. TCC’s  Catalog states, â€Å"All students enrolled in the College are expected to attend all classes, since regular attendance and regular application constitute the two most significant factors that promote success in college work. Until midterm during fall, spring and summer C terms, any student absent from any class for more time than that class meets in any one week (i. e. , two classes) may be withdrawn by administrative action (AW grade). † Tardiness and/or leaving class early both disrupts the continuity of the class and reduces other students’ engagement with the material. Both, therefore, will be counted as absences.  Since late arrivals and early departures constitute class disturbances, each instance of tardiness to and early departure from this class will be counted as an absence from an entire class session. Consequently, STUDENTS WHO ARE TARDY OR WHO LEAVE EARLY — FOR ANY REASON, INCLUSIVE OF BATHROOM USAGE — ON MORE THAN A TOTAL OF FIVE OCCASIONS PRIOR TO THE WITHDRAWAL DEADLINE WILL BE SUBJECT TO ADMINISTRATIVE WITHDRAWAL. STUDENTS SHOULD ARRIVE ON TIME AND POWER OFF THEIR CELL PHONES BEFORE CLASS BEGINS. Eight absences will lower your final grade in this course one full letter grade. A student with nine absences will automatically fail the  course. There will be no distinction made between excused and unexcused absences, so plan your absences wisely. 2 STUDENTS SHOULD ARRIVE ON TIME AND POWER OFF THEIR CELL PHONES BEFORE CLASS BEGINS. OBLIGATIONS I. Exams Students will be responsible for performing well on three exams. The course will be divided into three units, and a non-cumulative examination will be administered at the conclusion of each unit. All three exams will be comprised of slide identification, multiple choice, matching, short answer, and true/false questions. Students should bring a #2 pencil on the dates of the exams. IF FOR ANY LEGITIMATE REASON A STUDENT IS UNABLE TO TAKE AN EXAM ON THE ASSIGNED DATE, HE/SHE MUST NOTIFY THE INSTRUCTOR BEFOREHAND. Otherwise, no make-up exam will be administered, and failing to take an exam will result in an â€Å"F† for the course. The key to doing well on the exams: attending class, taking notes, and studying diligently. Each exam will include 20% extra credit. II. Writing Assignments Students will be responsible for submitting a total of three essays (600-650 words each). Each one of the three essays corresponds with each one of the 3 exams, and each of the three essays  will be a response to prompts aligned with each unit/exam — that is, each of the three essay assignments must be related to the readings for each exam. Further instructions and the essays’ prompts will be posted on BlackBoard. The due dates are specified on the calendar at the conclusion of this syllabus. Note: Students must complete successfully a short grammar quiz before submitting each of the three essays. Essays may include MLA prescribed in-text citations. That is, if you quote or paraphrase from a source, you must parenthetically cite that source after the quote or paraphrase. Also, you will  need to include a Works Cited page. ***If you plagiarize, your essay will receive a zero, and your overall grade will drop to an F. Grading Each of the student’s three exams and the writing assignments will receive a letter grade: 100-90 = A; 89-80 = B; 79-70 = C; 69-54 = D; 53-0 = F. >The three exam grades will each count 30%, totaling 90 percent of the student’s final course grade; and the three essay grades total 10 percent of the final course grade. *Failure to submit an exam or essay will result in an F for the course. * 3 A student’s excellent attendance, punctuality, Discussion Board participation, and attitude  (citizenship) can count up to 10%++ â€Å"extra credit† toward the final exam grade. Conversely, a student’s poor attendance, poor punctuality, and poor citizenship/attitude (which includes talking, texting, & â€Å"acting out† in class) can affect negatively the final exam grade. Tardiness or leaving early will be counted as an absence and will therefore negate a student’s extra credit for that particular class. Academic Honesty Policy Plagiarism: Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary states: to plagiarize is â€Å"to steal or pass off ideas or words of another as one’s own†¦to use created productions without crediting  the source†¦to commit literary theft†¦to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source† (p. 1371). Academic dishonesty is not accepted at Tallahassee Community College, and I will pursue and prosecute any instances of such dishonesty. ***Do not plagiarize—that is, do not use the research, ideas, or words of others as your own without giving proper credit to your source. This policy especially includes copying or paraphrasing written materials from gallery brochures, play programs, books, periodicals, encyclopedias, CD-ROMs, the Internet, or someone else’s paper. ***Do not cheat. Students who cheat or plagiarize will receive an automatic zero on the assignment and will be referred to the academic dean for expulsion from TCC. By the act of submitting written work or an exam, the student acknowledges that she/he understands the definition of academic dishonesty and is willing to accept the consequences for any violation. COURSE WEB SITE: This course has been designated â€Å"WA† (â€Å"Web Assisted†) in the schedule of classes, and the â€Å"WA† designation means: â€Å"Some use of computer online technology required. † In this regard a course web site has been established for students in this class. The purpose of the web site is to allow students access to important course materials (syllabus, writing assignment, study guides, presentation assistants, images, et cetera). The materials are intended as supplemental to the classroom experience; they should not, in other words, be viewed as substitutes for in-class presentations. Students may also use the course web site to communicate with one another by means of the â€Å"Discussion Board,† which can be found by clicking on the tab labeled â€Å"Communication. † Via the Discussion Board, students can introduce themselves to one another,  ask questions about the material covered in class, and ask questions about the course writing assignments (be careful, though, not to copy the answers of another student). Activating Your TCC E-mail Account If you have not already done so, you will need to activate your TCC e-mail account. To activate your TCC e-mail account, go to the TCC homepage at http://www. tcc. fl. edu/, click on â€Å"Online Access,† click on Student NetMail Guide†; click on â€Å"Activate your eAccount,† and follow the directions. You will be given â€Å"Student eAccount ID (or Name) and a Password (or PIN) that you need to record and store in a secure location. You will need your eAccount ID and Password to access both the course web site and your TCC e-mail account. If you have any problems, call 850-201-8535. Finding the Course Web Site 4 You may find the course web site by going to the TCC homepage at http://www. tcc. fl. edu/, clicking on â€Å"Online Access,† clicking on â€Å"Blackboard. † After logging in with your username and password, the next screen should display the name of the course in which you are enrolled. LIST OF CLAST SKILLS TAUGHT OR REINFORCED: The State of Florida requires each student to demonstrate proficiency in certain College Level Academic Skills (CLAST). The students of HUM 2210 will have the opportunity to practice and develop their reading and writing skills. As for their reading, students will engage their Literal and Critical Comprehension Skills; and, as for their writing, students will engage their English Language Skills: Content, Organization, and Grammar/Mechanics (i. e. , appropriate word usage, syntax, spelling, punctuation). Advising The Associate of Arts degree offered through TCC requires the completion of six credit hours in humanities with a grade of â€Å"C† or better. There are three different tracks through which those six hours may be obtained. The common track runs through both HUM 2210 and HUM 2230, Humanities of the World I and II. If students pass HUM 2210, then, to fulfill the humanities requirement, they must also pass HUM 2230 (and vice versa). Another track runs through HUM 2740 and 2741, Humanities Abroad I and II. If students pass HUM 2740, then, to fulfill the humanities requirement, they must also pass HUM 2741. The third track offers two humanities courses from four different categories. Those categories include courses relating to (1) Art History, (2) Literature, (3) Music, and (4) Philosophy and Religion. For the third track students  must pass two courses, and the two courses must fall into two different categories. Students cannot fulfill the humanities requirement by completing courses in different tracks. If, for example, students pass HUM 2210 and then pass REL 2300 (World Religions), they have not fulfilled the humanities requirement. ACADEMIC ALERT! Students enrolled in the same college-prep or college-level course for the third time shall pay one-hundred percent of the full cost of instruction (which is the equivalent of fees paid by out-of-state residents) except in approved cases of documented extenuating circumstances. Students may not withdraw on the third attempt and will receive a grade in courses taken the third time. An appeal to take a college-level course for the fourth time may be allowed based on academic goals. The appeal process is executed through the Counseling Department. If a fourth attempt is granted, a student will not be permitted to withdraw and will receive a grade for the course. The counting of attempts began in the fall of 1997 and includes only those attempts at the Florida college where one is currently enrolled. Take your course work seriously. Consult with your academic advisor, make an educational  plan, attend class, and take advantage of the skills’ labs available to you. * * * PRESENTATION TOPICS AND RECOMMENDED READING 5 Unit I: The Earliest Traces of Culture Ancient African Egyptian Culture Ancient Mesopotamian and Hebrew Culture Ancient Hindu and Buddhist Cultures Unit II: Ancient Greek Culture Ancient Roman Culture Early Christian and Byzantine Culture Unit III: Islamic Culture Japanese Culture: chs. 16, 23 (if time permits) Medieval European Culture Renaissance European Culture IMPORTANT DATES Classes Begin Holidays: Labor Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Break Monday, August 25 Monday, September 01  Tuesday, November 11 Wednesday-Friday, November 26-28 Last day to cancel registration/drop courses and receive a refund; last day to change from credit to audit or audit to credit Last day to withdraw from a course(s); last day instructors may assign AW Friday, August 29 Monday, November 03 1st Exam 1st Essay due Sept. 18 (Slide ID) Sept. 23 (Multiple Choice, etc. ) Sept. 16 2nd Exam 2nd Essay Due Oct. 21 (Slide ID) Oct. 23 (Multiple Choice, etc. ) Oct 28 Last Day of Classes Friday, December 05 Final Exam 3rd Essay Due TBA Day of the Final Exam TBA Final Exam: TBA Twelve Ways to make sure You Pass Your College Classes  6 1. Study the text, lecture material, or additional assigned recommended reading. Superficially scanning the reading the night before the exam â€Å"doesn’t cut it. † 2. Observe due dates. Late work, no matter what the excuse, will be downgraded or not accepted. 3. Do not urge the instructor to â€Å"cut you some slack† or â€Å"give you a break. † If he or she did that for someone else and not you, what would your reaction be? 4. Attend class. While you may think class is boring, the teacher might just provide some insights that will help you better understand the content of the course. 5. Come to class on time. If you really want to get on the wrong side of the instructor, just make tardiness a habit. 6. Do not play with your cell phone, iPod, or other electronic device in class. Unless you have childcare problems or are a first-responder, these actions tell the instructor that something else is more important than what is being taught. 7. Do not copy from Wikipedia, a Google search, or someone else’s work without proper citations. Teachers usually can identify plagiarism and material that is not yours. 8. Do not sleep in class. We know that school interferes with your social life, but do not make it so obvious! 9. Do not try to con the teacher. Telling an instructor that this is the last course you need to graduate or transfer will not earn you any leniency. 10. Do not tell the teacher that this class is the only one with which you are struggling and you have â€Å"A’s and B’s† in all other classes. Don’t give the impression that your other teachers are too easy. 11. Do not tell the teacher that you must have a good grade or you will lose your eligibility for sports, scholarship, or grant; lose your G. I. Bill; or be on academic probation. 12. Take your course work seriously. Try your best to learn.

Chapter 24 Rita Skeeter’s Scoop

Everybody got up late on Boxing Day. The Gryffindor common room was much quieter than it had been lately, many yawns punctuating the lazy conversations. Hermione's hair was bushy again; she confessed to Harry that she had used liberal amounts of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion on it for the ball, â€Å"but it's way too much bother to do every day,† she said matter-of-factly, scratching a purring Crookshanks behind the ears. Ron and Hermione seemed to have reached an unspoken agreement not to discuss their argument. They were being quite friendly to each other, though oddly formal. Ron and Harry wasted no time in telling Hermione about the conversation they had overheard between Madame Maxime and Hagrid, but Hermione didn't seem to find the news that Hagrid was a half-giant nearly as shocking as Ron did. â€Å"Well, I thought he must be,† she said, shrugging. â€Å"I knew he couldn't be pure giant because they're about twenty feet tall. But honestly, all this hysteria about giants. They can't all be horrible†¦.It's the same sort of prejudice that people have toward werewolves†¦.It's just bigotry, isn't it?† Ron looked as though he would have liked to reply scathingly, but perhaps he didn't want another row, because he contented himself with shaking his head disbelievingly while Hermione wasn't looking. It was time now to think of the homework they had neglected during the first week of the holidays. Everybody seemed to be feeling rather flat now that Christmas was over – everybody except Harry, that is, who was starting (once again) to feel slightly nervous. The trouble was that February the twenty-fourth looked a lot closer from this side of Christmas, and he still hadn't done anything about working out the clue inside the golden egg. He therefore started taking the egg out of his trunk every time he went up to the dormitory, opening it, and listening intently, hoping that this time it would make some sense. He strained to think what the sound reminded him of, apart from thirty musical saws, but he had never heard anything else like it. He closed the egg, shook it vigorously, and opened it again to see if the sound had changed, but it hadn't. He tried asking the egg questions, shouting over all the wailing, but nothing happened. He even threw the egg across the room – though he hadn't really expected that to help. Harry had not forgotten the hint that Cedric had given him, but his less-than-friendly feelings toward Cedric just now meant that he was keen not to take his help if he could avoid it. In any case, it seemed to him that if Cedric had really wanted to give Harry a hand, he would have been a lot more explicit. He, Harry, had told Cedric exactly what was coming in the first task – and Cedric's idea of a fair exchange had been to tell Harry to take a bath. Well, he didn't need that sort of rubbishy help – not from someone who kept walking down corridors hand in hand with Cho, anyway. And so the first day of the new term arrived, and Harry set off to lessons, weighed down with books, parchment, and quills as usual, but also with the lurking worry of the egg heavy in his stomach, as though he were carrying that around with him too. Snow was still thick upon the grounds, and the greenhouse windows were covered in condensation so thick that they couldn't see out of them in Herbology. Nobody was looking forward to Care of Magical Creatures much in this weather, though as Ron said, the skrewts would probably warm them up nicely, either by chasing them, or blasting off so forcefully that Hagrid's cabin would catch fire. When they arrived at Hagrid ‘s cabin, however, they found an elderly witch with closely cropped gray hair and a very prominent chin standing before his front door. â€Å"Hurry up, now, the bell rang five minutes ago,† she barked at them as they struggled toward her through the snow. â€Å"Who're you?† said Ron, staring at her. â€Å"Where's Hagrid?† â€Å"My name is Professor Grubbly-Plank,† she said briskly. â€Å"I am your temporary Care of Magical Creatures teacher.† â€Å"Where's Hagrid?† Harry repeated loudly. â€Å"He is indisposed,† said Professor Grubbly-Plank shortly. Soft and unpleasant laughter reached Harry's ears. He turned; Draco Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherins were joining the class. All of them looked gleeful, and none of them looked surprised to see Professor Grubbly-Plank. â€Å"This way, please,† said Professor Grubbly-Plank, and she strode off around the paddock where the Beauxbatons horses were shivering. Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed her, looking back over their shoulders at Hagrid's cabin. All the curtains were closed. Was Hagrid in there, alone and ill? â€Å"What's wrong with Hagrid?† Harry said, hurrying to catch up with Professor Grubbly-Plank. â€Å"Never you mind,† she said as though she thought he was being nosy. â€Å"I do mind, though,† said Harry hotly. â€Å"What's up with him?† Professor Grubbly-Plank acted as though she couldn't hear him. She led them past the paddock where the huge Beauxbatons horses were standing, huddled against the cold, and toward a tree on the edge of the forest, where a large and beautiful unicorn was tethered. Many of the girls â€Å"ooooohed!† at the sight of the unicorn. â€Å"Oh it's so beautiful!† whispered Lavender Brown. â€Å"How did she get it? They're supposed to be really hard to catch!† The unicorn was so brightly white it made the snow all around look gray. It was pawing the ground nervously with its golden hooves and throwing back its horned head. â€Å"Boys keep back!† barked Professor Grubbly-Plank, throwing out an arm and catching Harry hard in the chest. â€Å"They prefer the woman's touch, unicorns. Girls to the front, and approach with care, come on, easy does it†¦.† She and the girls walked slowly forward toward the unicorn, leaving the boys standing near the paddock fence, watching. The moment Professor Grubbly-Plank was out of earshot. Harry turned to Ron. â€Å"What d'you reckons wrong with him? You don't think a skrewt -?† â€Å"Oh he hasn't been attacked, Potter, if that's what you're thinking,† said Malfoy softly. â€Å"No, he's just too ashamed to show his big, ugly face.† â€Å"What d'you mean?† said Harry sharply. Malfoy put his hand inside the pocket of his robes and pulled out a folded page of newsprint. â€Å"There you go,† he said. â€Å"Hate to break it to you. Potter†¦.† He smirked as Harry snatched the page, unfolded it, and read it, with Ron, Seamus, Dean, and Neville looking over his shoulder. It was an article topped with a picture of Hagrid looking extremely shifty. DUMBLEDORE'S GIANT MISTAKE Albus Dumbledore, eccentric Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, has never been afraid to make controversial staff appointments, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. In September of this year, he hired Alastor â€Å"Mad-Eye† Moody, the notoriously jinx-happy ex-Auror, to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, a decision that caused many raised eyebrows at the Ministry of Magic, given Moody's well-known habit of attacking anybody who makes a sudden movement in his presence. Mad-Eye Moody, however, looks responsible and kindly when set beside the part-human Dumbledore employs to teach Care of Magical Creatures. Rubeus Hagrid, who admits to being expelled from Hogwarts in his third year, has enjoyed the position of gamekeeper at the school ever since, a job secured for him by Dumbledore. Last year, however, Hagrid used his mysterious influence over the headmaster to secure the additional post of Care of Magical Creatures teache r, over the heads of many better-qualified candidates. An alarmingly large and ferocious-looking man, Hagrid has been using his newfound authority to terrify the students in his care with a succession of horrific creatures. While Dumbledore turns a blind eye, Hagrid has maimed several pupils during a series of lessons that many admit to being â€Å"very frightening.† ‘I was attacked by a hippogriff, and my friend Vincent Crabbe got a bad bite off a flobberworm,† says Draco Malfoy, a fourth-year student. â€Å"We all hate Hagrid, but we're just too scared to say anything.† Hagrid has no intention of ceasing his campaign of intimidation, however. In conversation with a Daily Prophet reporter last month, he admitted breeding creatures he has dubbed â€Å"Blast-Ended Skrewts,† highly dangerous crosses between manti-cores and fire-crabs. The creation of new breeds of magical creature is, of course, an activity usually closely observed by the Department fo r the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Hagrid, however, considers himself to be above such petty restrictions. â€Å"I was just having some fun,† he says, before hastily changing the subject. As if this were not enough, the Daily Prophet has now unearthed evidence that Hagrid is not – as he has always pretended – a pure-blood wizard. He is not, in fact, even pure human. His mother, we can exclusively reveal, is none other than the giantess Fridwulfa, whose whereabouts are currently unknown. Bloodthirsty and brutal, the giants brought themselves to the point of extinction by warring amongst themselves during the last century. The handful that remained joined the ranks of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and were responsible for some of the worst mass Muggle killings of his reign of terror. While many of the giants who served He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named were killed by Aurors working against the Dark Side, Fridwulfa was not among them. It is possible she escaped to one of the giant communities still existing in foreign mountain ranges. If his antics during Care of Magical Creatures lessons are any guide, however, Frid-wulfa's son appears to have inherited her brutal nature. In a bizarre twist, Hagrid is reputed to have developed a close friendship with the boy who brought around You-Know-Who's fall from power – thereby driving Hagrid's own mother, like the rest of You-Know-Who's supporters, into hiding. Perhaps Harry Potter is unaware of the unpleasant truth about his large friend – but Albus Dumbledore surely has a duty to ensure that Harry Potter, along with his fellow students, is warned about the dangers of associating with part-giants. Harry finished reading and looked up at Ron, whose mouth was hanging open. â€Å"How did she find out?† he whispered. But that wasn't what was bothering Harry. â€Å"What d'you mean, ‘we all hate Hagrid'?† Harry spat at Malfoy. â€Å"What's this rubbish about him† – he pointed at Crabbe – â€Å"getting a bad bite off a flobberworm? They haven't even got teeth!† Crabbe was sniggering, apparently very pleased with himself. â€Å"Well, I think this should put an end to the oaf's teaching career,† said Malfoy, his eyes glinting. â€Å"Half-giant†¦and there was me thinking he'd just swallowed a bottle of Skele-Gro when he was young†¦.None of the mummies and daddies are going to like this at all†¦.They'll be worried he'll eat their kids, ha, ha†¦.† â€Å"You -â€Å" â€Å"Are you paying attention over there?† Professor Grubbly-Planks voice carried over to the boys; the girls were all clustered around the unicorn now, stroking it. Harry was so angry that the Daily Prophet article shook in his hands as he turned to stare unseeingly at the unicorn, whose many magical properties Professor Grubbly-Plank was now enumerating in a loud voice, so that the boys could hear too. â€Å"I hope she stays, that woman!† said Parvati Patil when the lesson had ended and they were all heading back to the castle for lunch. â€Å"That's more what I thought Care of Magical Creatures would be like†¦proper creatures like unicorns, not monsters†¦.† â€Å"What about Hagrid?† Harry said angrily as they went up the steps. â€Å"What about him?† said Parvati in a hard voice. â€Å"He can still be gamekeeper, can't he?† Parvati had been very cool toward Harry since the ball. He supposed that he ought to have paid her a bit more attention, but she seemed to have had a good time all the same. She was certainly telling anybody who would listen that she had made arrangements to meet the boy from Beauxbatons in Hogsmeade on the next weekend trip. â€Å"That was a really good lesson,† said Hermione as they entered the Great Hall. â€Å"I didn't know half the things Professor Grubbly-Plank told us about uni -â€Å" â€Å"Look at this!† Harry snarled, and he shoved the Daily Prophet article under Hermione's nose. Hermione's mouth fell open as she read. Her reaction was exactly the same as Ron's. â€Å"How did that horrible Skeeter woman find out? You don't think Hagrid told her?† â€Å"No,† said Harry, leading the way over to the Gryffindor table and throwing himself into a chair, furious. â€Å"He never even told us, did he? I reckon she was so mad he wouldn't give her loads of horrible stuff about me, she went ferreting around to get him back.† â€Å"Maybe she heard him telling Madame Maxime at the ball,† said Hermione quietly. â€Å"We'd have seen her in the garden!† said Ron. â€Å"Anyway, she's not supposed to come into school anymore, Hagrid said Dumbledore banned her†¦.† â€Å"Maybe she's got an Invisibility Cloak,† said Harry, ladling chicken casserole onto his plate and splashing it everywhere in his anger. â€Å"Sort of thing she'd do, isn't it, hide in bushes listening to people.† â€Å"Like you and Ron did, you mean,† said Hermione. â€Å"We weren't trying to hear him!† said Ron indignantly. â€Å"We didn't have any choice! The stupid prat, talking about his giantess mother where anyone could have heard him!† â€Å"We've got to go and see him,† said Harry. â€Å"This evening, after Divination. Tell him we want him back†¦you do want him back?† he shot at Hermione. â€Å"I – well, I'm not going to pretend it didn't make a nice change, having a proper Care of Magical Creatures lesson for once – but I do want Hagrid back, of course I do!† Hermione added hastily, quailing under Harry's furious stare. So that evening after dinner, the three of them left the castle once more and went down through the frozen grounds to Hagrid's cabin. They knocked, and Fang's booming barks answered. â€Å"Hagrid, it's us!† Harry shouted, pounding on the door. â€Å"Open up!† Hagrid didn't answer. They could hear Fang scratching at the door, whining, but it didn't open. They hammered on it for ten more minutes; Ron even went and banged on one of the windows, but there was no response. â€Å"What's he avoiding us for?† Hermione said when they had finally given up and were walking back to the school. â€Å"He surely doesn't think we'd care about him being half-giant?† But it seemed that Hagrid did care. They didn't see a sign of him all week. He didn't appear at the staff table at mealtimes, they didn't see him going about his gamekeeper duties on the grounds, and Professor Grubbly-Plank continued to take the Care of Magical Creatures classes. Malfoy was gloating at every possible opportunity. â€Å"Missing your half-breed pal?† he kept whispering to Harry whenever there was a teacher around, so that he was safe from Harry's retaliation. â€Å"Missing the elephant-man?† There was a Hogsmeade visit halfway through January. Hermione was very surprised that Harry was going to go. â€Å"I just thought you'd want to take advantage of the common room being quiet,† she said. â€Å"Really get to work on that egg.† â€Å"Oh I – I reckon I've got a pretty good idea what it's about now,† Harry lied. â€Å"Have you really?† said Hermione, looking impressed. â€Å"Well done!† Harry's insides gave a guilty squirm, but he ignored them. He still had five weeks to work out that egg clue, after all, and that was ages†¦whereas if he went into Hogsmeade, he might run into Hagrid, and get a chance to persuade him to come back. He, Ron, and Hermione left the castle together on Saturday and set off through the cold, wet grounds toward the gates. As they passed the Durmstrang ship moored in the lake, they saw Viktor Krum emerge onto the deck, dressed in nothing but swimming trunks. He was very skinny indeed, but apparently a lot tougher than he looked, because he climbed up onto the side of the ship, stretched out his arms, and dived, right into the lake. â€Å"He's mad!† said Harry, staring at Krum's dark head as it bobbed out into the middle of the lake. â€Å"It must be freezing, it's January!† â€Å"It's a lot colder where he comes from,† said Hermione. â€Å"I suppose it feels quite warm to him.† â€Å"Yeah, but there's still the giant squid,† said Ron. He didn't sound anxious – if anything, he sounded hopeful. Hermione noticed his tone of voice and frowned. â€Å"He's really nice, you know,† she said. â€Å"He's not at all like you'd think, coming from Durmstrang. He likes it much better here, he told me.† Ron said nothing. He hadn't mentioned Viktor Krum since the ball, but Harry had found a miniature arm under his bed on Boxing Day, which had looked very much as though it had been snapped off a small model figure wearing Bulgarian Quidditch robes. Harry kept his eyes skinned for a sign of Hagrid all the way down the slushy High Street, and suggested a visit to the Three Broomsticks once he had ascertained that Hagrid was not in any of the shops. The pub was as crowded as ever, but one quick look around at all the tables told Harry that Hagrid wasn't there. Heart sinking, he went up to the bar with Ron and Hermione, ordered three butterbeers from Madam Rosmerta, and thought gloomily that he might just as well have stayed behind and listened to the egg wailing after all. â€Å"Doesn't he ever go into the office?† Hermione whispered suddenly. â€Å"Look!† She pointed into the mirror behind the bar, and Harry saw Ludo Bagman reflected there, sitting in a shadowy corner with a bunch of goblins. Bagman was talking very fast in a low voice to the goblins, all of whom had their arms crossed and were looking rather menacing. It was indeed odd. Harry thought, that Bagman was here at the Three Broomsticks on a weekend when there was no Triwizard event, and therefore no judging to be done. He watched Bagman in the mirror. He was looking strained again, quite as strained as he had that night in the forest before the Dark Mark had appeared. But just then Bagman glanced over at the bar, saw Harry, and stood up. â€Å"In a moment, in a moment!† Harry heard him say brusquely to the goblins, and Bagman hurried through the pub toward Harry, his boyish grin back in place. â€Å"Harry!† he said. â€Å"How are you? Been hoping to run into you! Everything going all right?† â€Å"Fine, thanks,† said Harry. â€Å"Wonder if I could have a quick, private word, Harry?† said Bagman eagerly. â€Å"You couldn't give us a moment, you two, could you?† â€Å"Er – okay,† said Ron, and he and Hermione went off to find a table. Bagman led Harry along the bar to the end furthest from Madam Rosmerta. â€Å"Well, I just thought I'd congratulate you again on your splendid performance against that Horntail, Harry,† said Bagman. â€Å"Really superb.† â€Å"Thanks,† said Harry, but he knew this couldn't be all that Bagman wanted to say, because he could have congratulated Harry in front of Ron and Hermione. Bagman didn't seem in any particular rush to spill the beans, though. Harry saw him glance into the mirror over the bar at the goblins, who were all watching him and Harry in silence through their dark, slanting eyes. â€Å"Absolute nightmare,† said Bagman to Harry in an undertone, noticing Harry watching the goblins too. â€Å"Their English isn't too good†¦it's like being back with all the Bulgarians at the Quidditch World Cup†¦but at least they used sign language another human could recognize. This lot keep gabbling in Gobblede-gook†¦and I only know one word of Gobbledegook. Bladvak. It means ‘pickax.' I don't like to use it in case they think I'm threatening them.† He gave a short, booming laugh. â€Å"What do they want?† Harry said, noticing how the goblins were still watching Bagman very closely. â€Å"Er – well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Bagman, looking suddenly nervous. â€Å"They†¦er†¦they're looking for Barty Crouch.† â€Å"Why are they looking for him here?† said Harry. â€Å"He's at the Ministry in London, isn't he?† â€Å"Er†¦as a matter of fact, I've no idea where he is,† said Bagman. â€Å"He's sort of†¦stopped coming to work. Been absent for a couple of weeks now. Young Percy, his assistant, says he's ill. Apparently he's just been sending instructions in by owl. But would you mind not mentioning that to anyone. Harry? Because Rita Skeeter's still poking around everywhere she can, and I'm willing to bet she'd work up Bartys illness into something sinister. Probably say he's gone missing like Bertha Jorkins.† â€Å"Have you heard anything about Bertha Jorkins?† Harry asked. â€Å"No,† said Bagman, looking strained again. â€Å"I've got people looking, of course†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (About time, thought Harry) â€Å"and it's all very strange. She definitely arrived in Albania, because she met her second cousin there. And then she left the cousin's house to go south and see an aunt†¦and she seems to have vanished without trace en route. Blowed if I can see where she's got to†¦she doesn't seem the type to elope, for instance†¦but still†¦.What are we doing, talking about goblins and Bertha Jorkins? I really wanted to ask you† – he lowered his voice – â€Å"how are you getting on with your golden egg?† â€Å"Er†¦not bad,† Harry said untruthfully. Bagman seemed to know he wasn't being honest. â€Å"Listen, Harry,† he said (still in a very low voice), â€Å"I feel very bad about all this†¦you were thrown into this tournament, you didn't volunteer for it†¦and if†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (his voice was so quiet now, Harry had to lean closer to listen) â€Å"if I can help at all†¦a prod in the right direction†¦I've taken a liking to you†¦the way you got past that dragon!†¦well, just say the word.† Harry stared up into Bagman's round, rosy face and his wide, baby-blue eyes. â€Å"We're supposed to work out the clues alone, aren't we?† he said, careful to keep his voice casual and not sound as though he was accusing the head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports of breaking the rules. â€Å"Well†¦well, yes,† said Bagman impatiently, â€Å"but – come on. Harry – we all want a Hogwarts victory, don't we?† â€Å"Have you offered Cedric help?† Harry said. The smallest of frowns creased Bagman's smooth face. â€Å"No, I haven't,† he said. â€Å"I – well, like I say, I've taken a liking to you. Just thought I'd offer†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Well, thanks,† said Harry, â€Å"but I think I'm nearly there with the egg†¦couple more days should crack it.† He wasn't entirely sure why he was refusing Bagman's help, except that Bagman was almost a stranger to him, and accepting his assistance would feel somehow much more like cheating than asking advice from Ron, Hermione, or Sirius. Bagman looked almost affronted, but couldn't say much more as Fred and George turned up at that point. â€Å"Hello, Mr. Bagman,† said Fred brightly. â€Å"Can we buy you a drink?† â€Å"Er†¦no,† said Bagman, with a last disappointed glance at Harry, â€Å"no, thank you, boys†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Fred and George looked quite as disappointed as Bagman, who was surveying Harry as though he had let him down badly. â€Å"Well, I must dash,† he said. â€Å"Nice seeing you all. Good luck, Harry.† He hurried out of the pub. The goblins all slid off their chairs and exited after him. Harry went to rejoin Ron and Hermione. â€Å"What did he want?† Ron said, the moment Harry had sat down. â€Å"He offered to help me with the golden egg,† said Harry. â€Å"He shouldn't be doing that!† said Hermione, looking very shocked. â€Å"He's one of the judges! And anyway, you've already worked it out – haven't you?† â€Å"Er†¦nearly,† said Harry. â€Å"Well, I don't think Dumbledore would like it if he knew Bagman was trying to persuade you to cheat!† said Hermione, still looking deeply disapproving. â€Å"I hope he's trying to help Cedric as much!† â€Å"He's not, I asked,† said Harry. â€Å"Who cares if Diggory's getting help?† said Ron. Harry privately agreed. â€Å"Those goblins didn't look very friendly,† said Hermione, sipping her butterbeer. â€Å"What were they doing here?† â€Å"Looking for Crouch, according to Bagman,† said Harry. â€Å"He's still ill. Hasn't been into work.† â€Å"Maybe Percy's poisoning him,† said Ron. â€Å"Probably thinks if Crouch snuffs it he'll be made head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation.† Hermione gave Ron a don't-joke-about-things-like-that look, and said, â€Å"Funny, goblins looking for Mr. Crouch†¦.They'd normally deal with the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.† â€Å"Crouch can speak loads of different languages, though,† said Harry. â€Å"Maybe they need an interpreter.† â€Å"Worrying about poor ‘ickle goblins, now, are you?† Ron asked Hermione. â€Å"Thinking of starting up S.P.U.G. or something? Society for the Protection of Ugly Goblins?† â€Å"Ha, ha, ha,† said Hermione sarcastically. â€Å"Goblins don't need protection. Haven't you been listening to what Professor Binns has been telling us about goblin rebellions?† â€Å"No,† said Harry and Ron together. â€Å"Well, the're quite capable of dealing with wizards,† said Hermione, taking another sip of butterbeer. â€Å"They're very clever. They're not like house-elves, who never stick up for themselves.† â€Å"Uh-oh,† said Ron, staring at the door. Rita Skeeter had just entered. She was wearing banana-yellow robes today; her long nails were painted shocking pink, and she was accompanied by her paunchy photographer. She bought drinks, and she and the photographer made their way through the crowds to a table nearby. Harry, Ron, and Hermione glaring at her as she approached. She was talking fast and looking very satisfied about something. â€Å"†¦didn't seem very keen to talk to us, did he, Bozo? Now, why would that be, do you think? And what's he doing with a pack of goblins in tow anyway? Showing them the sights†¦what nonsense†¦he was always a bad liar. Reckon something's up? Think we should do a bit of digging? ‘Disgraced Ex-Head of Magical Games and Sports, Ludo Bagman†¦' Snappy start to a sentence, Bozo – we just need to find a story to fit it -â€Å" â€Å"Trying to ruin someone else's life?† said Harry loudly. A few people looked around. Rita Skeeter's eyes widened behind her jeweled spectacles as she saw who had spoken. â€Å"Harry!† she said, beaming. â€Å"How lovely! Why don't you come and join-?† â€Å"I wouldn't come near you with a ten-foot broomstick,† said Harry furiously. â€Å"What did you do that to Hagrid for, eh?† Rita Skeeter raised her heavily penciled eyebrows. â€Å"Our readers have a right to the truth, Harry. I am merely doing my-â€Å" â€Å"Who cares if he's half-giant?† Harry shouted. â€Å"There's nothing wrong with him!† The whole pub had gone very quiet. Madam Rosmerta was staring over from behind the bar, apparently oblivious to the fact that the flagon she was filling with mead was overflowing. Rita Skeeter's smile flickered very slightly, but she hitched it back almost at once; she snapped open her crocodile-skin handbag, pulled out her Quick-Quotes Quill, and said, â€Å"How about giving me an interview about the Hagrid you know. Harry? The man behind the muscles? Your unlikely friendship and the reasons behind it. Would you call him a father substitute?† Hermione stood up very abruptly, her butterbeer clutched in her hand as though it were a grenade. â€Å"You horrible woman,† she said, through gritted teeth, â€Å"you don't care, do you, anything for a story, and anyone will do, wont they? Even Ludo Bagman -â€Å" â€Å"Sit down, you silly little girl, and don't talk about things you don't understand,† said Rita Skeeter coldly, her eyes hardening as they fell on Hermione. â€Å"I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair curl†¦not that it needs it -† she added, eyeing Hermione's bushy hair. â€Å"Let's go,† said Hermione, â€Å"c'mon. Harry – Ron†¦Ã¢â‚¬  They left; many people were staring at them as they went. Harry glanced back as they reached the door. Rita Skeeter's Quick-Quotes Quill was out; it was zooming backward and forward over a piece of parchment on the table. â€Å"She'll be after you next, Hermione,† said Ron in a low and worried voice as they walked quickly back up the street. â€Å"Let her try!† said Hermione defiantly; she was shaking with rage. â€Å"I'll show her! Silly little girl, am I? Oh, I'll get her back for this. First Harry, then Hagrid†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You don't want to go upsetting Rita Skeeter,† said Ron nervously. â€Å"I'm serious, Hermione, she'll dig up something on you -â€Å" â€Å"My parents don't read the Daily Prophet. She can't scare me into hiding!† said Hermione, now striding along so fast that it was all Harry and Ron could do to keep up with her. The last time Harry had seen Hermione in a rage like this, she had hit Draco Malfoy around the face. â€Å"And Hagrid isn't hiding anymore! He should never have let that excuse for a human being upset him! Come on!† Breaking into a run, she led them all the way back up the road, through the gates flanked by winged boars, and up through the grounds to Hagrid's cabin. The curtains were still drawn, and they could hear Fang barking as they approached. â€Å"Hagrid!† Hermione shouted, pounding on his front door. â€Å"Hagrid, that's enough! We know you're in there! Nobody cares if your mum was a giantess, Hagrid! You can't let that foul Skeeter woman do this to you! Hagrid, get out here, you're just being -â€Å" The door opened. Hermione said, â€Å"About it-!† and then stopped, very suddenly, because she had found herself face-to-face, not with Hagrid, but with Albus Dumbledore. â€Å"Good afternoon,† he said pleasantly, smiling down at them. â€Å"We er we wanted to see Hagrid,† said Hermione in a rather small voice. â€Å"Yes, I surmised as much,† said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. â€Å"Why don't you come in?† â€Å"Oh†¦um†¦okay,† said Hermione. She, Ron, and Harry went into the cabin; Fang launched himself upon Harry the moment he entered, barking madly and trying to lick his ears. Harry fended off Fang and looked around. Hagrid was sitting at his table, where there were two large mugs of tea. He looked a real mess. His face was blotchy, his eyes swollen, and he had gone to the other extreme where his hair was concerned; far from trying to make it behave, it now looked like a wig of tangled wire. â€Å"Hi, Hagrid,† said Harry. Hagrid looked up. â€Å"‘Lo,† he said in a very hoarse voice. â€Å"More tea, I think,† said Dumbledore, closing the door behind Harry, Ron, and Hermione, drawing out his wand, and twiddling it; a revolving tea tray appeared in midair along with a plate of cakes. Dumbledore magicked the tray onto the table, and everybody sat down. There was a slight pause, and then Dumbledore said, â€Å"Did you by any chance hear what Miss Granger was shouting, Hagrid?† Hermione went slightly pink, but Dumbledore smiled at her and continued, â€Å"Hermione, Harry, and Ron still seem to want to know you, judging by the way they were attempting to break down the door.† â€Å"Of course we still want to know you!† Harry said, staring at Hagrid. â€Å"You don't think anything that Skeeter cow – sorry, Professor,† he added quickly, looking at Dumbledore. â€Å"I have gone temporarily deaf and haven't any idea what you said. Harry,† said Dumbledore, twiddling his thumbs and staring at the ceiling. â€Å"Er-right,† said Harry sheepishly. â€Å"I just meant-Hagrid, how could you think we'd care what that-woman-wrote about you?† Two fat tears leaked out of Hagrid's beetle-black eyes and fell slowly into his tangled beard. â€Å"Living proof of what I've been telling you, Hagrid,† said Dumbledore, still looking carefully up at the ceiling. â€Å"I have shown you the letters from the countless parents who remember you from their own days here, telling me in no uncertain terms that if I sacked you, they would have something to say about it -â€Å" â€Å"Not all of 'em,† said Hagrid hoarsely. â€Å"Not all of 'em wan me ter stay.† â€Å"Really, Hagrid, if you are holding out for universal popularity, I'm afraid you will be in this cabin for a very long time,† said Dumbledore, now peering sternly over his half-moon spectacles. â€Å"Not a week has passed since I became headmaster of this school when I haven't had at least one owl complaining about the way I run it. But what should I do? Barricade myself in my study and refuse to talk to anybody?† â€Å"Yeh – yeh're not half-giant!† said Hagrid croakily. â€Å"Hagrid, look what I've got for relatives!† Harry said furiously. â€Å"Look at the Dursleys!† â€Å"An excellent point,† said Professor Dumbledore. â€Å"My own brother, Aberforth, was prosecuted for practicing inappropriate charms on a goat. It was all over the papers, but did Aberforth hide? No, he did not! He held his head high and went about his business as usual! Of course, I'm not entirely sure he can read, so that may not have been bravery†¦.† â€Å"Come back and teach, Hagrid,† said Hermione quietly, â€Å"please come back, we really miss you.† Hagrid gulped. More tears leaked out down his cheeks and into his tangled beard. Dumbledore stood up. â€Å"I refuse to accept your resignation, Hagrid, and I expect you back at work on Monday,† he said. â€Å"You will join me for breakfast at eight-thirty in the Great Hall. No excuses. Good afternoon to you all.† Dumbledore left the cabin, pausing only to scratch Fangs ears. When the door had shut behind him, Hagrid began to sob into his dustbin-lid-sized hands. Hermione kept patting his arm, and at last, Hagrid looked up, his eyes very red indeed, and said, â€Å"Great man, Dumbledore†¦great man†¦.† â€Å"Yeah, he is,† said Ron. â€Å"Can I have one of these cakes, Hagrid?† â€Å"Help yerself,† said Hagrid, wiping his eyes on the back of his hand. â€Å"Ar, he's righ', o' course – yeh're all righ'†¦I bin stupid†¦my ol' dad woulda bin ashamed o' the way I've bin behavin'†¦.† More tears leaked out, but he wiped them away more forcefully, and said, â€Å"Never shown you a picture of my old dad, have I? Here†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Hagrid got up, went over to his dresser, opened a drawer, and pulled out a picture of a short wizard with Hagrid's crinkled black eyes, beaming as he sat on top of Hagrid's shoulder. Hagrid was a good seven or eight feet tall, judging by the apple tree beside him, but his face was beardless, young, round, and smooth – he looked hardly older than eleven. â€Å"Tha was taken jus' after I got inter Hogwarts,† Hagrid croaked. â€Å"Dad was dead chuffed†¦thought I migh' not be a wizard, see, ‘cos me mum†¦well, anyway. ‘Course, I never was great shakes at magic, really†¦but at least he never saw me expelled. Died, see, in me second year†¦.† â€Å"Dumbledore was the one who stuck up for me after Dad went. Got me the gamekeeper job†¦trusts people, he does. Gives 'em second chances†¦tha's what sets him apar' from other heads, see. He'll accept anyone at Hogwarts, s'long as they've got the talent. Knows people can turn out okay even if their families weren'†¦well†¦all tha' respectable. But some don understand that. There's some who'd always hold it against yeh†¦there's some who'd even pretend they just had big bones rather than stand up an' say – I am what I am, an' I'm not ashamed. ‘Never be ashamed,' my ol' dad used ter say, ‘there's some who'll hold it against you, but they're not worth botherin' with.' An' he was right. I've bin an idiot. I'm not botherin' with her no more, I promise yeh that. Big bones†¦I'll give her big bones.† Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at one another nervously; Harry would rather have taken fifty Blast-Ended Skrewts for a walk than admit to Hagrid that he had overheard him talking to Madame Maxime, but Hagrid was still talking, apparently unaware that he had said anything odd. â€Å"Yeh know wha, Harry?† he said, looking up from the photograph of his father, his eyes very bright, â€Å"when I firs' met you, you reminded me o' me a bit. Mum an' Dad gone, an' you was feelin' like yeh wouldn' fit in at Hogwarts, remember? Not sure yeh were really up to it†¦an' now look at yeh, Harry! School champion!† He looked at Harry for a moment and then said, very seriously, â€Å"Yeh know what I'd love. Harry? I'd love yeh ter win, I really would. It'd show 'em all†¦yeh don' have ter be pureblood ter do it. Yeh don have ter be ashamed of what yeh are. It'd show 'em Dumbledore's the one who's got it righ', lettin' anyone in as long as they can do magic. How you doin' with that egg, Harry?† â€Å"Great,† said Harry. â€Å"Really great.† Hagrid's miserable face broke into a wide, watery smile. â€Å"Tha's my boy†¦you show 'em, Harry, you show 'em. Beat 'em all.† Lying to Hagrid wasn't quite like lying to anyone else. Harry went back to the castle later that afternoon with Ron and Hermione, unable to banish the image of the happy expression on Hagrid's whiskery face as he had imagined Harry winning the tournament. The incomprehensible egg weighed more heavily than ever on Harry's conscience that evening, and by the time he had got into bed, he had made up his mind – it was time to shelve his pride and see if Cedric's hint was worth anything.