Harriet Martineau Essay -- Essays Papers

Harriet Martineau Although we think of sexism as a situation that has been dealt with, we still have much to learn. A key turning point in discrimination against women was the courageous actions of Harriet Martineau. Harriet was born in 1802, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Martineau. She grew up in a home without any encouragement for her education. Instead she was trained, as all other women in her life, to be a homemaker. However this did not stop her efforts to pursue her dream. Even though she risked exile from her family, friends, and society at whole, Harriet continued her studies of women’s lesser role in the social aspects of life. Harriet described her childhood as a â€Å"burdensome experience† (Household Education, 1849). Her mother held a strong sense of tyranny in their home due to her upbringing, believing in a more traditional way of child rearing. Men went to college and women stayed at home, her mother believed. Harriet felt she was trapped in this matriarchal way of life, until her father Thomas died sometime during the 1820’s. For her this was a chance to escape from her mother and an unfulfilling life. Because of the financial difficulties in their family now, she could finally be free from that middle class prison and was able to move out on her own. Now with the burden of her family difficulties lifted from her shoulders she was able to learn more about herself and follow her dream of being a writer. â€Å"I have determined that my chief subordinate object in life shall henceforth be the cultivation of my intellectual powers, with a view to the instruction of others by my writings (http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/martineau.html),† she said. With an aspiring attitude she started writing. Initially, her writings were more religious in nature because of her belief in Unitarianism. Later however, she adapted Necessarianism, which allowed her to use a more social scientific viewpoint. This lead to even greater success in her writing. Her first work was published anonymously in 1823 in the Unitarian Journal called Monthly Repository. This had a huge impact among readers and was a profound start to her career. Later when her brother James Martineau found out that she was the author he said, â€Å"now dear, leave it to the other women to make skirts and darn stockings, and you devote yoursel... ...lete invalid worsening her health even more. By 1870s she had to slow down her activity in her studies of sociology. And finally in 1876 Harriet died of bronchitis. Twenty years before that she had already written her obituary. People said it was in her usual fashion to be so prepared. She saw the human race, as she believed, advancing under the law of progress; she enjoyed her share of the experience, and had no ambition for a larger endowment, or reluctance or anxiety about leaving the enjoyment of such as she had (Pichanick, 239). Works Cited Hill, Michael R. Women In Sociology "Harriet Martineau" p. 289-297 Chapman, Maria Westman ed. Harriet Martineau's Autobiography Boston, James Osgood, 1877. Pichanick, Valerie K. Harriet Martineau, The Woman and Her Work, 1802-76: University of Michigan Press, 1980. Kellor, Frances. â€Å"Harriet Martineau.† Women’s Intellectual Contributions to the Study Of Mind and Society. http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/martineau.html http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/martineau.html Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Inc.15th edition. Chicago/ Auckland/Geneva/London/Madrid/Manila/Paris/Rome/Seoul/Sydney/Tokyo/Tor-onto, 1974-89.

Criminal Justice System :: essays research papers

I do feel that they will be effecitve and in the next few pages I will explain why I feel this way and why I have taken this stand. First of all I read through the whole charter and as boring as it was I made it through unscaved. Just like anything in order to have something you need a purpose. A reason for doing something. The reason why this charter was brought forward was because that they realized that during that century millions of children, mean and women have been victims of unimaginable atrocities that deeply shock the conscience of humanity. That sounds like enough for me. When I read that, I was think â€Å"Oh my God†, I mean come on unimaginable atrocities. It is obvious that something that to be done and even the littlest change would make a difference. The first thing they did was establish a â€Å"Court†. This court was permanent and had the power to exercise its jurisdiction over people for the most serious crimes. What I like about this and a reason why I feel it will work also is that in the beginning of the charter is that they have a relationship with the United Nations. This relationship only makes this court stronger. Part III of the charter looks a lot like a military code of justice. It set’s principles to be followed by the court or in the military a Commander if you will. It appears to me that this charters strength is in Part III, because here is where all the rules or articles are that explain what can be done by the court and what can not be done. It breaks it down to the core, including what to do with someone under 18 years of age. I feel that this is where the strength of the court lies. It defines who is a criminal and who is not, it tells us when the court can pursue a criminal or when a crime is not comitted. The further I got into the parts, the more I strongly I feel about saying they will be effective. It seems as if this court is no different then another court we have in the USA. Part four set’s up the membership. It states who is in charge of what and what their responsibilites should be. When you have people who know what they are supposed to do and that they are held accountable to their jobs then failure is not an option.

Chapter 17 The Four Champions

Harry sat there, aware that every head in the Great Hall had turned to look at him. He was stunned. He felt numb. He was surely dreaming. He had not heard correctly. There was no applause. A buzzing, as though of angry bees, was starting to fill the Hall; some students were standing up to get a better look at Harry as he sat, frozen, in his seat. Up at the top table, Professor McGonagall had got to her feet and swept past Ludo Bagman and Professor Karkaroff to whisper urgently to Professor Dumbledore, who bent his ear toward her, frowning slightly. Harry turned to Ron and Hermione; beyond them, he saw the long Gryffindor table all watching him, openmouthed. â€Å"I didn't put my name in,† Harry said blankly. â€Å"You know I didn't.† Both of them stared just as blankly back. At the top table, Professor Dumbledore had straightened up, nodding to Professor McGonagall. â€Å"Harry Potter!† he called again. â€Å"Harry! Up here, if you please!† â€Å"Go on,† Hermione whispered, giving Harry a slight push. Harry got to his feet, trod on the hem of his robes, and stumbled slightly. He set off up the gap between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. It felt like an immensely long walk; the top table didn't seem to be getting any nearer at all, and he could feel hundreds and hundreds of eyes upon him, as though each were a searchlight. The buzzing grew louder and louder. After what seemed like an hour, he was right in front of Dumbledore, feeling the stares of all the teachers upon him. â€Å"Well†¦through the door, Harry,† said Dumbledore. He wasn't smiling. Harry moved off along the teachers' table. Hagrid was seated right at the end. He did not wink at Harry, or wave, or give any of his usual signs of greeting. He looked completely astonished and stared at Harry as he passed like everyone else. Harry went through the door out of the Great Hall and found himself in a smaller room, lined with paintings of witches and wizards. A handsome fire was roaring in the fireplace opposite him. The faces in the portraits turned to look at him as he entered. He saw a wizened witch flit out of the frame of her picture and into the one next to it, which contained a wizard with a walrus mustache. The wizened witch started whispering in his ear. Viktor Krum, Cedric Diggory, and Fleur Delacour were grouped around the fire. They looked strangely impressive, silhouetted against the flames. Krum, hunched-up and brooding, was leaning against the mantelpiece, slightly apart from the other two. Cedric was standing with his hands behind his back, staring into the fire. Fleur Delacour looked around when Harry walked in and threw back her sheet of long, silvery hair. â€Å"What is it?† she said. â€Å"Do zey want us back in ze Hall?† She thought he had come to deliver a message. Harry didn't know how to explain what had just happened. He just stood there, looking at the three champions. It struck him how very tall all of them were. There was a sound of scurrying feet behind him, and Ludo Bagman entered the room. He took Harry by the arm and led him forward. â€Å"Extraordinary!† he muttered, squeezing Harry's arm. â€Å"Absolutely extraordinary! Gentlemen†¦lady,† he added, approaching the fireside and addressing the other three. â€Å"May I introduce – incredible though it may seem – the fourth Triwizard champion?† Viktor Krum straightened up. His surly face darkened as he surveyed Harry. Cedric looked nonplussed. He looked from Bagman to Harry and back again as though sure he must have misheard what Bagman had said. Fleur Delacour, however, tossed her hair, smiling, and said, â€Å"Oh, vairy funny joke, Meester Bagman.† â€Å"Joke?† Bagman repeated, bewildered. â€Å"No, no, not at all! Harry's name just came out of the Goblet of Fire!† Krum's thick eyebrows contracted slightly. Cedric was still looking politely bewildered. Fleur frowned. â€Å"But evidently zair ‘as been a mistake,† she said contemptuously to Bagman. â€Å"‘E cannot compete. ‘E is too young.† â€Å"Well†¦it is amazing,† said Bagman, rubbing his smooth chin and smiling down at Harry. â€Å"But, as you know, the age restriction was only imposed this year as an extra safety measure. And as his name's come out of the goblet†¦I mean, I don't think there can be any ducking out at this stage†¦.It's down in the rules, you're obliged†¦Harry will just have to do the best he -â€Å" The door behind them opened again, and a large group of people came in: Professor Dumbledore, followed closely by Mr. Crouch, Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Snape. Harry heard the buzzing of the hundreds of students on the other side of the wall, before Professor McGonagall closed the door. â€Å"Madame Maxime!† said Fleur at once, striding over to her headmistress. â€Å"Zey are saying zat zis little boy is to compete also!† Somewhere under Harry's numb disbelief he felt a ripple of anger. Little boy? Madame Maxime had drawn herself up to her full, and considerable, height. The top of her handsome head brushed the candle-filled chandelier, and her gigantic black-satin bosom swelled. â€Å"What is ze meaning of zis, Dumbly-dorr?† she said imperiously. â€Å"I'd rather like to know that myself, Dumbledore,† said Professor Karkaroff. He was wearing a steely smile, and his blue eyes were like chips of ice. â€Å"Two Hogwarts champions? I don't remember anyone telling me the host school is allowed two champions – or have I not read the rules carefully enough?† He gave a short and nasty laugh. â€Å"C'est impossible,† said Madame Maxime, whose enormous hand with its many superb opals was resting upon Fleur's shoulder. â€Å"‘Ogwarts cannot ‘ave two champions. It is most injust.† â€Å"We were under the impression that your Age Line would keep out younger contestants, Dumbledore,† said Karkaroff, his steely smile still in place, though his eyes were colder than ever. â€Å"Otherwise, we would, of course, have brought along a wider selection of candidates from our own schools.† â€Å"It's no one's fault but Potter's, Karkaroff,† said Snape softly. His black eyes were alight with malice. â€Å"Don't go blaming Dumbledore for Potter's determination to break rules. He has been crossing lines ever since he arrived here -â€Å" â€Å"Thank you, Severus,† said Dumbledore firmly, and Snape went quiet, though his eyes still glinted malevolently through his curtain of greasy black hair. Professor Dumbledore was now looking down at Harry, who looked right back at him, trying to discern the expression of the eyes behind the half-moon spectacles. â€Å"Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire, Harry?† he asked calmly. â€Å"No,† said Harry. He was very aware of everybody watching him closely. Snape made a soft noise of impatient disbelief in the shadows. â€Å"Did you ask an older student to put it into the Goblet of Fire for you?† said Professor Dumbledore, ignoring Snape. â€Å"No,† said Harry vehemently. â€Å"Ah, but of course ‘e is lying!† cried Madame Maxime. Snape was now shaking his head, his lip curling. â€Å"He could not have crossed the Age Line,† said Professor McGonagall sharply. â€Å"I am sure we are all agreed on that -â€Å" â€Å"Dumbly-dorr must ‘ave made a mistake wiz ze line,† said Madame Maxime, shrugging. â€Å"It is possible, of course,† said Dumbledore politely. â€Å"Dumbledore, you know perfectly well you did not make a mistake!† said Professor McGonagall angrily. â€Å"Really, what nonsense! Harry could not have crossed the line himself, and as Professor Dumbledore believes that he did not persuade an older student to do it for him, I'm sure that should be good enough for everybody else!† She shot a very angry look at Professor Snape. â€Å"Mr. Crouch†¦Mr. Bagman,† said Karkaroff, his voice unctuous once more, â€Å"you are our – er – objective judges. Surely you will agree that this is most irregular?† Bagman wiped his round, boyish face with his handkerchief and looked at Mr. Crouch, who was standing outside the circle of the firelight, his face half hidden in shadow. He looked slightly eerie, the half darkness making him look much older, giving him an almost skull-like appearance. When he spoke, however, it was in his usual curt voice. â€Å"We must follow the rules, and the rules state clearly that those people whose names come out of the Goblet of Fire are bound to compete in the tournament.† â€Å"Well, Barty knows the rule book back to front,† said Bagman, beaming and turning back to Karkaroff and Madame Maxime, as though the matter was now closed. â€Å"I insist upon resubmitting the names of the rest of my students,† said Karkaroff. He had dropped his unctuous tone and his smile now. His face wore a very ugly look indeed. â€Å"You will set up the Goblet of Fire once more, and we will continue adding names until each school has two champions. It's only fair, Dumbledore.† â€Å"But Karkaroff, it doesn't work like that,† said Bagman. â€Å"The Goblet of Fire's just gone out – it won't reignite until the start of the next tournament -â€Å" â€Å"- in which Durmstrang will most certainly not be competing!† exploded Karkaroff. â€Å"After all our meetings and negotiations and compromises, I little expected something of this nature to occur! I have half a mind to leave now!† â€Å"Empty threat, Karkaroff,† growled a voice from near the door. â€Å"You can't leave your champion now. He's got to compete. They've all got to compete. Binding magical contract, like Dumbledore said. Convenient, eh?† Moody had just entered the room. He limped toward the fire, and with every right step he took, there was a loud clunk. â€Å"Convenient?† said Karkaroff. â€Å"I'm afraid I don't understand you, Moody.† Harry could tell he was trying to sound disdainful, as though what Moody was saying was barely worth his notice, but his hands gave him away; they had balled themselves into fists. â€Å"Don't you?† said Moody quietly. â€Å"It's very simple, Karkaroff. Someone put Potter's name in that goblet knowing he'd have to compete if it came out.† â€Å"Evidently, someone ‘oo wished to give ‘Ogwarts two bites at ze apple!† said Madame Maxime. â€Å"I quite agree, Madame Maxime,† said Karkaroff, bowing to her. â€Å"I shall be lodging complaints with the Ministry of Magic and the International Confederation of Wizards -â€Å" â€Å"If anyone's got reason to complain, it's Potter,† growled Moody, â€Å"but†¦funny thing†¦I don't hear him saying a word†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Why should ‘e complain?† burst out Fleur Delacour, stamping her foot. â€Å"‘E ‘as ze chance to compete, ‘asn't ‘e? We ‘ave all been ‘oping to be chosen for weeks and weeks! Ze honor for our schools! A thousand Galleons in prize money – zis is a chance many would die for!† â€Å"Maybe someone's hoping Potter is going to die for it,† said Moody, with the merest trace of a growl. An extremely tense silence followed these words. Ludo Bagman, who was looking very anxious indeed, bounced nervously up and down on his feet and said, â€Å"Moody, old man†¦what a thing to say!† â€Å"We all know Professor Moody considers the morning wasted if he hasn't discovered six plots to murder him before lunchtime,† said Karkaroff loudly. â€Å"Apparently he is now teaching his students to fear assassination too. An odd quality in a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Dumbledore, but no doubt you had your reasons. â€Å"Imagining things, am I?† growled Moody. â€Å"Seeing things, eh? It was a skilled witch or wizard who put the boy's name in that goblet†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Ah, what evidence is zere of zat?† said Madame Maxime, throwing up her huge hands. â€Å"Because they hoodwinked a very powerful magical object!† said Moody. â€Å"It would have needed an exceptionally strong Confundus Charm to bamboozle that goblet into forgetting that only three schools compete in the tournament†¦.I'm guessing they submitted Potter's name under a fourth school, to make sure he was the only one in his category†¦.† â€Å"You seem to have given this a great deal of thought, Moody,† said Karkaroff coldly, â€Å"and a very ingenious theory it is – though of course, I heard you recently got it into your head that one of your birthday presents contained a cunningly disguised basilisk egg, and smashed it to pieces before realizing it was a carriage clock. So you'll understand if we don't take you entirely seriously†¦.† â€Å"There are those who'll turn innocent occasions to their advantage,† Moody retorted in a menacing voice. â€Å"It's my job to think the way Dark wizards do, Karkaroff – as you ought to remember†¦ â€Å"Alastor!† said Dumbledore warningly. Harry wondered for a moment whom he was speaking to, but then realized â€Å"Mad-Eye† could hardly be Moody's real first name. Moody fell silent, though still surveying Karkaroff with satisfaction – Karkaroff's face was burning. â€Å"How this situation arose, we do not know,† said Dumbledore, speaking to everyone gathered in the room. â€Å"It seems to me, however, that we have no choice but to accept it. Both Cedric and Harry have been chosen to compete in the Tournament. This, therefore, they will do†¦.† â€Å"Ah, but Dumbly-dorr -â€Å" â€Å"My dear Madame Maxime, if you have an alternative, I would be delighted to hear it.† Dumbledore waited, but Madame Maxime did not speak, she merely glared. She wasn't the only one either. Snape looked furious; Karkaroff livid; Bagman, however, looked rather excited. â€Å"Well, shall we crack on, then?† he said, rubbing his hands together and smiling around the room. â€Å"Got to give our champions their instructions, haven't we? Barty, want to do the honors?† Mr. Crouch seemed to come out of a deep reverie. â€Å"Yes,† he said, â€Å"instructions. Yes†¦the first task†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He moved forward into the firelight. Close up, Harry thought he looked ill. There were dark shadows beneath his eyes and a thin, papery look about his wrinkled skin that had not been there at the Quidditch World Cup. â€Å"The first task is designed to test your daring,† he told Harry, Cedric, Fleur, and Viktor, â€Å"so we are not going to be telling you what it is. Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in a wizard†¦very important†¦. â€Å"The first task will take place on November the twenty-fourth, in front of the other students and the panel of judges. â€Å"The champions are not permitted to ask for or accept help of any kind from their teachers to complete the tasks in the tournament. The champions will face the first challenge armed only with their wands. They will receive information about the second task when the first is over. Owing to the demanding and time-consuming nature of the tournament, the champions are exempted from end-of-year tests.† Mr. Crouch turned to look at Dumbledore. â€Å"I think that's all, is it, Albus?† â€Å"I think so,† said Dumbledore, who was looking at Mr. Crouch with mild concern. â€Å"Are you sure you wouldn't like to stay at Hogwarts tonight, Barty?† â€Å"No, Dumbledore, I must get back to the Ministry,† said Mr. Crouch. â€Å"It is a very busy, very difficult time at the moment†¦.I've left young Weatherby in charge†¦.Very enthusiastic†¦a little overenthusiastic, if truth be told†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You'll come and have a drink before you go, at least?† said Dumbledore. â€Å"Come on, Barry, I'm staying!† said Bagman brightly. â€Å"It's all happening at Hogwarts now, you know, much more exciting here than at the office!† â€Å"I think not, Ludo,† said Crouch with a touch of his old impatience. â€Å"Professor Karkaroff – Madame Maxime – a nightcap?† said Dumbledore. But Madame Maxime had already put her arm around Fleur's shoulders and was leading her swiftly out of the room. Harry could hear them both talking very fast in French as they went off into the Great Hall. Karkaroff beckoned to Krum, and they, too, exited, though in silence. â€Å"Harry, Cedric, I suggest you go up to bed,† said Dumbledore, smiling at both of them. â€Å"I am sure Gryffindor and Hufflepuff are waiting to celebrate with you, and it would be a shame to deprive them of this excellent excuse to make a great deal of mess and noise.† Harry glanced at Cedric, who nodded, and they left together. The Great Hall was deserted now; the candles had burned low, giving the jagged smiles of the pumpkins an eerie, flickering quality. â€Å"So,† said Cedric, with a slight smile. â€Å"We're playing against each other again!† â€Å"I s'pose,† said Harry. He really couldn't think of anything to say. The inside of his head seemed to be in complete disarray, as though his brain had been ransacked. â€Å"So†¦tell me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Cedric as they reached the entrance hall, which was now lit only by torches in the absence of the Goblet of Fire. â€Å"How did you get your name in?† â€Å"I didn't,† said Harry, staring up at him. â€Å"I didn't put it in. I was telling the truth.† â€Å"Ah†¦okay,† said Cedric. Harry could tell Cedric didn't believe him. â€Å"Well†¦see you, then.† Instead of going up the marble staircase, Cedric headed for a door to its right. Harry stood listening to him going down the stone steps beyond it, then, slowly, he started to climb the marble ones. Was anyone except Ron and Hermione going to believe him, or would they all think he'd put himself in for the tournament? Yet how could anyone think that, when he was facing competitors who'd had three years' more magical education than he had – when he was now facing tasks that not only sounded very dangerous, but which were to be performed in front of hundreds of people? Yes, he'd thought about it†¦he'd fantasized about it†¦but it had been a joke, really, an idle sort of dream†¦he'd never really, seriously considered entering†¦. But someone else had considered it†¦someone else had wanted him in the tournament, and had made sure he was entered. Why? To give him a treat? He didn't think so, somehow†¦ To see him make a fool of himself? Well, they were likely to get their wish†¦. But to get him killed? Was Moody just being his usual paranoid self? Couldn't someone have put Harry's name in the goblet as a trick, a practical joke? Did anyone really want him dead? Harry was able to answer that at once. Yes, someone wanted him dead, someone had wanted him dead ever since he had been a year old†¦Lord Voldemort. But how could Voldemort have ensured that Harry's name got into the Goblet of Fire? Voldemort was supposed to be far away, in some distant country, in hiding, alone†¦feeble and powerless†¦. Yet in that dream he had had, just before he had awoken with his scar hurting, Voldemort had not been alone†¦he had been talking to Wormtail†¦plotting Harry's murder†¦. Harry got a shock to find himself facing the Fat Lady already. He had barely noticed where his feet were carrying him. It was also a surprise to see that she was not alone in her frame. The wizened witch who had flitted into her neighbor's painting when he had joined the champions downstairs was now sitting smugly beside the Fat Lady. She must have dashed through every picture lining seven staircases to reach here before him. Both she and the Fat Lady were looking down at him with the keenest interest. â€Å"Well, well, well,† said the Fat Lady, â€Å"Violet's just told me everything. Who's just been chosen as school champion, then?† â€Å"Balderdash,† said Harry dully. â€Å"It most certainly isn't!† said the pale witch indignantly. â€Å"No, no, Vi, it's the password,† said the Fat Lady soothingly, and she swung forward on her hinges to let Harry into the common room. The blast of noise that met Harry's ears when the portrait opened almost knocked him backward. Next thing he knew, he was being wrenched inside the common room by about a dozen pairs of hands, and was facing the whole of Gryffindor House, all of whom were screaming, applauding, and whistling. â€Å"You should've told us you'd entered!† bellowed Fred; he looked half annoyed, half deeply impressed. â€Å"How did you do it without getting a beard? Brilliant!† roared George. â€Å"I didn't,† Harry said. â€Å"I don't know how -â€Å" But Angelina had now swooped down upon him; â€Å"Oh if it couldn't be me, at least it's a Gryffindor -â€Å" â€Å"You'll be able to pay back Diggory for that last Quidditch match, Harry!† shrieked Katie Bell, another of the Gryffindor Chasers. â€Å"We've got food, Harry, come and have some -â€Å" â€Å"I'm not hungry, I had enough at the feast -â€Å" But nobody wanted to hear that he wasn't hungry; nobody wanted to hear that he hadn't put his name in the goblet; not one single person seemed to have noticed that he wasn't at all in the mood to celebrate†¦.Lee Jordan had unearthed a Gryffindor banner from somewhere, and he insisted on draping it around Harry like a cloak. Harry couldn't get away; whenever he tried to sidle over to the staircase up to the dormitories, the crowd around him closed ranks, forcing another butterbeer on him, stuffing crisps and peanuts into his hands†¦.Everyone wanted to know how he had done it, how he had tricked Dumbledore's Age Line and managed to get his name into the goblet†¦. â€Å"I didn't,† he said, over and over again, â€Å"I don't know how it happened.† But for all the notice anyone took, he might just as well not have answered at all. â€Å"I'm tired!† he bellowed finally, after nearly half an hour. â€Å"No, seriously, George – I'm going to bed -â€Å" He wanted more than anything to find Ron and Hermione, to find a bit of sanity, but neither of them seemed to be in the common room. Insisting that he needed to sleep, and almost flattening the little Creevey brothers as they attempted to waylay him at the foot of the stairs, Harry managed to shake everyone off and climb up to the dormitory as fast as he could. To his great relief, he found Ron was lying on his bed in the otherwise empty dormitory, still fully dressed. He looked up when Harry slammed the door behind him. â€Å"Where've you been?† Harry said. â€Å"Oh hello,† said Ron. He was grinning, but it was a very odd, strained sort of grin. Harry suddenly became aware that he was still wearing the scarlet Gryffindor banner that Lee had tied around him. He hastened to take it off, but it was knotted very tightly. Ron lay on the bed without moving, watching Harry struggle to remove it. â€Å"So,† he said, when Harry had finally removed the banner and thrown it into a corner. â€Å"Congratulations.† â€Å"What d'you mean, congratulations?† said Harry, staring at Ron. There was definitely something wrong with the way Ron was smiling: It was more like a grimace. â€Å"Well†¦no one else got across the Age Line,† said Ron. â€Å"Not even Fred and George. What did you use – the Invisibility Cloak?† â€Å"The Invisibility Cloak wouldn't have got me over that line,† said Harry slowly. â€Å"Oh right,† said Ron. â€Å"I thought you might've told me if it was the cloak†¦because it would've covered both of us, wouldn't it? But you found another way, did you?† â€Å"Listen,† said Harry, â€Å"I didn't put my name in that goblet. Someone else must've done it.† Ron raised his eyebrows. â€Å"What would they do that for?† â€Å"I dunno,† said Harry. He felt it would sound very melodramatic to say, â€Å"To kill me.† Ron's eyebrows rose so high that they were in danger of disappearing into his hair. â€Å"It's okay, you know, you can tell me the truth,† he said. â€Å"If you don't want everyone else to know, fine, but I don't know why you're bothering to lie, you didn't get into trouble for it, did you? That friend of the Fat Lady's, that Violet, she's already told us all Dumbledore's letting you enter. A thousand Galleons prize money, eh? And you don't have to do end-of-year tests either†¦.† â€Å"I didn't put my name in that goblet!† said Harry, starting to feel angry. â€Å"Yeah, okay,† said Ron, in exactly the same sceptical tone as Cedric. â€Å"Only you said this morning you'd have done it last night, and no one would've seen you†¦.I'm not stupid, you know.† â€Å"You're doing a really good impression of it,† Harry snapped. â€Å"Yeah?† said Ron, and there was no trace of a grin, forced or otherwise, on his face now. â€Å"You want to get to bed, Harry. I expect you'll need to be up early tomorrow for a photo-call or something.† He wrenched the hangings shut around his four-poster, leaving Harry standing there by the door, staring at the dark red velvet curtains, now hiding one of the few people he had been sure would believe him.

Persuasive Essay on why cancer is preventable Essay

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. This year, over 1.2 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer and about 560,000 will die from it. The rates have doubled in less than forty years. In my opinion, cancer is totally preventable. This may be a drastic statement but I believe the facts will prove it is true. In 1952, Dr. Ernest Krebs proposed a theory that cancer was a deficiency disease, similar to scurvy. His theory was that the cause of the disease was the lack of an essential vitamin in a person’s diet. He identified it as vitamin B17, a part of the nitriloside family which is found in over 1200 edible plants. It is found in the seeds of apricot, cherry, nectarine, peach, apples and others. To prove a theory it must be tested scientifically. The best way for Dr. Krebs to prove his theory would be for thousands of people to eat a diet very high in vitamin B17 and then check the results. This would have been very expensive but, fortunately, the experiment wasn’t necessary because it had already been done naturally. Between West Pakistan, India and China is the remote valley of Hunza. The people of Hunza have 200 times more B17 in their diet than the average American. In fact, in a place where there is no money, wealth is measured by how many apricot trees a man has. Medical teams who have traveled to Hunza discovered that there has never been a case of cancer. The average age of the Hunza people is about 85, but many live to be 100 years or older. Eskimos are another group of cancer-free people that have been observed for several decades. The traditional Eskimo diet is very rich in nitrilosides, or B17, that come from the meat of caribou and other grazing animals and also from salmonberries. There are many other groups of people throughout the world — from all races and all regions. The one thing that they have in common is that the degree to which they are free from cancer is in proportion to the amount of nitrilosides found in their native diets. While it is available in most countries, vitamin B17 cannot be sold in the United States. The reason is because it has not been approved by the FDA. That process takes years of research and costs millions of dollars. The only firms that can afford that are the large pharmaceutical companies. Since you cannot get a patent for a substance found in nature, it is not likely that this vitamin will ever be approved. In fact, since cancer treatment in the United States is a billion dollar industry, pharmaceutical companies have an interest in discrediting the vitamin deficiency theory. The FDA started a false campaign which claimed that nitriloside was toxic and dangerous because it contains cyanide. It does, in minute quantities. If you eat the seeds from a hundred apples in a day you would risk serious side effects, possibly death. If you eat enormous amounts of anything you run serious health risks. Aspirin is twenty times more toxic than the same amount of B17. In the 1970s Memorial Sloan-Kettering, a cancer center in New York, tested vitamin B17. While they publicly came out with a report that said the results were â€Å"inconclusive† and that it did no good, research doctors knew the truth. Years later Dr. Ralph Moss, one of the researchers, confessed that he had been told to give statements exactly opposite of what they were finding scientifically. Scurvy (vitamin C deficiency) was able to be controlled centuries ago. I believe the evidence for vitamin B17 has been scientifically proven to do the same for cancer prevention. Since the American diet is lower than ever in nitrilocides, it is up to each person to try to eat foods that will help us live healthy lives.

Basic Marketing Plan- Cell Phones Essay

We are the #1 maker of cell phones in the world and we are also aiming for the top of the nascent mobile Internet market. Our products are divided primarily between three divisions: devices (handheld device manufacturing); services and software (consumer Internet services and products); and markets (supply chains, sales channels, and marketing). Our wireless network products business is operated in partnership with Siemens as Nokia Siemens Networks; the joint venture is the #3 player in the wireless networking equipment market behind Ericsson and Alcatel-Lucent. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES THREATS AND OPPORTUNITIES MARKET STRATEGY Our goal is to re-emerge into the US Market by re-inventing our marketing mix and strategy. The first step will be to revamp our image in the US by altering the current perception of our phones. We need to reposition ourselves in the marketplace as the leader in high quality, contemporary phone devices. When deciding how we would re-invent ourselves we looked at several options. The first option we explored were licensing agreements with other phone manufacturers. We decided not to choose this option because of the strong manufacturing channels we already have in place all across the globe. We also did not want to risk having our name associated with phones that were not of an extremely high quality for fear that this could lower our reputation in the US even more. Another option we evaluated was to enter into a partnership with a DSL phone service provider such as Vonage. We were exploring the option of developing a new break through Voice of IP service but after discussion we deciding this would not allow us to focus on our core products, which are handheld devices. POSITIONING STATEMENT In the US we are currently perceived as a cheap, outdated phone that is only suitable for the very young or the very old. To the Savvy and Technologically inclined consumer we are seem as an overly simplified phone that doesn’t have all of the latest features. Most often the US consumer is not willing to pay top dollar for a Nokia phone so they only get one if it’s given away free with a contract. This perception of us needs to change. We need to reposition ourselves as the world’s leader in handheld cellular devices. We need to expose consumers to our new phones with break through features. We need to bring back consumer confidence so that they believe our phones are stylish, durable, reliable and top quality. We also want consumers to feel as if Nokia is a strong brand name with longevity in the market. We don’t want our phones to be seen as outdated and obsolete so we need to show the US how strong and advanced we are in the R&D department. TARGET AUDIENCE In order to reposition our brand in the US Marketplace we will focus on three specific target audiences. The first being Young Adults aged 17 to 24 and the next being business professionals aged 25 to 40.We will attract men and women alike with various elements that should appeal to both sexes. Our goal will be to launch 2 different campaigns that will gain attention from people in these age groups but from a diverse range of racial backgrounds. The campaigns will be launched nationwide and will focus on showing Nokia in more of an American light with and American attitude. We will go after high school and college students who are interested in having the newest and coolest phone on the market. They will be from an upper class background and influenced by the hot new trends in the fashion, music and technology industries. They will be very image conscious and they want to show that their phone has the newest features. They will be fun loving and exciting individuals with eager and fast paced attitudes. Next we will focus on attracting young and mature professionals aged 25 to 40. This group will be more conservative and business oriented. They will be driven by work and are hoping to move up the corporate ladder. They will typically be from the middle to upper class and highly status conscious. They will not be sensitive to prices, as they will view the phone more as a business tool rather then an accessory. PROMOTION Given the Business objective of re-emerging in the US market and of boosting Nokia’s overall awareness and image as an inspirational brand we will drive the overall brand image through several mediums. Our primary media will be television commercials and our secondary media will consist of magazine ads and sponsorships. We hope to attract the new target audience of 17 to 24 years though the arena of music and television. We will sponsor music concerts and run commercials on cable networks such as MTV and VH1. We will promote sweepstakes were concert tickets and CD’s are given away free To attract our second target audience we will advertise in magazines such as Newsweek and Business Weekly in order to introduce our new phone to in a mature light. We want to appeal to business professionals who are looking to establish themselves and we want them to believe that our phone can help them achieve their goals. PRODUCT STRATEGY Our new product strategy will be to introduce the new Wimax technology to the US through our new phones. In order to take advantage of the Wimax techonology we will need to team up with Sprint who has developed the new faster wireless network. Our new phones will be the only ones available that can access the network at speeds 3 times as fast as 3G. Nokia will receive subscription fees from Sprint while selling the phones to them as a profit. The new technology will allow people to receive internet connection speeds on their phones that are as fast as their cable modems at home. NEW SLOGAN, NEW LOGO With our new phones and our new technology there will also be a new slogan. For the new campaigns we will emphasize that our two new phones are both $200 so the phrase we’ll use will be Two for Two. We will also use the slogan â€Å" Replace your laptop with your Nokia†

Accounting Materiality Case Essay

After the release of the SFAC No. 8, your definition of materiality has been brought into question. In the past, your rule for determining materiality was based solely on quantitative data, where an event was only material if its impact was more than a given percentage of the income statement amounts. Using a quantitative measure is effective because it keeps the process objective; however there are also times when the quantitative difference doesn’t adequately demonstrate the true effect of an action. For this reason, â€Å"materiality is an entity-specific aspect of relevance based on the nature [quality] or magnitude [quantity] or both items,† as stated in Q:11 of the SFAC No. 8. For The Framework Company each of the following closing entries must be judged on a case-by-case level on the parameters of whether it could influence decisions that our users make. See more: Ethnic groups and racism essay 1)In this entry, the company is paying a fine of a foreign subsidiary. The amount is less than 3% of net income, making it quantitatively immaterial. The description of the case lists that after the fine is paid, business will go back to normal with only slight changes. However, this is qualitatively material because it shows that the company did something unlawful which makes users question the company’s integrity and ethical standards. 2)This entry shows an investment in an expansion of the company. The impact on the company amounts to only 4.3% of its total assets (it was predetermined that the bar for materiality is 5%) so it is not quantitatively material. However, in terms of this action affecting a user’s decision about the company, this entry is definitely material. It represents an expansion of the company which users can either see as promising for future growth or frightening because it’s a risky investment. 3)Generally a loss, no matter the size isn’t seen as material due to the fact that it tends to be a one-time thing, compared to an expense that occurs regularly. However, in this case the amount of the loss proves to be material both quantitatively and qualitatively. Its impact on net income is above the 3% predetermined materiality threshold, making it quantitatively material. Also, it was determined that more of these losses may be coming in the near future for this line and that it’s becoming more delinquent. These two qualitative aspects are very impactful for a user’s decision regarding the company because they show serious problems with one of the company’s most profitable line and puts huge question marks on the quality of the product. 4)In this entry, the management made the decision to self regulate based on a court case of a similar company. The amount of additional expense accounts for 4% of the net income, making it a quantitatively material. The main reason this decision is also qualitative is due to the fact that the additional $200,000 in expenses needs to be explained to the user to show that The Framework Company is being responsible and cautious by policing themselves. 5)The ruling in a litigation case is that The Framework Company owes credit customers 325,000 in damages, which is 6.5% of net income. The company plans to appeal the case and believes they have a good defense in that appeal. A large portion of their customer base was involved in this case, meaning if the ruling is overturned some of their customers could take their business elsewhere. That makes this entry both quantitative and qualitatively material. 6)This 200,000 dollar loan that didn’t show up in the financial statements would only increase the assets by 0.08%, making it quantitatively immaterial. This event is a one-time occurrence for the company, because the chance of a payment being â€Å"mishandled† should be small. Since it is a small portion of the balance sheet and is something that won’t frequently happen, this entry is quantitatively and qualitatively immaterial. Based on The Framework Company’s current accounting standards, this set of post-closing entries is quantitatively material because the sum of all the changes is greater than 3% of their net income and equal to 5% of assets. Even if the sum of the changes didn’t surpass the preset threshold, it would still be smart to report these entries based on the idea of conservatism. The accountants are responsible for the information released, so if they leave something out that a user would deem important, they are liable. So, when in doubt, it’s best to release the information. The SFAC No. 8 mentions a number of times that cases of materiality, such as this one, cannot be decided by a general set of standards. The concept of materiality is too difficult to restrain. Under our current system, the expansion branch (entry 2) would be considered immaterial due to is size relative to our total assets. However, this entry really is material because it means so much to the future of the company and that’s what financial report users are looking for. The only standard that can be set when dealing with materiality is does this entry â€Å"influence decisions that users make on the basis of the financial information† (SFAC No. 8, Q:11).

American Persona

A persona as commonly known to many people is a social role played by a character. With all the kind of immigration that continuously takes place in America it is not easy to clearly distinguish who is an American. An American persona in a general perspective refers to someone whose origin is America. In history an American refers to the Red Indians; now they are refered to according to the political nomenclature Native Americans. Ironically, they have been reduced to almost an extinct community in their own country. Is it possible for one to clearly define an Italian, a British or a German? The America we live in has a Paris in Texas, a Moscow in Idaho and a Birmingham in Alabama. Even bigger cities and states in the world have changed their old cities names to others like New York, and New Jersey. Several Asian and American countries have changed the names adopted during the colonial era to others which match their customs and traditions. This is not the case to American personalities. After a whole 200 year period of being a free Nation, America is really content to remain residing to the areas where their parents, grandparents and other relatives had left behind. They are not destined to come up with other names that are not American. When someone talks about an American it is almost obvious that an ethnic prefix will be added before the word American for instance: Italian American, Russian American and Polish American. The single ethnic group who do not use these prefixes include the one whose ancestors were originally from British. That is why it is rare to here that one is an English American. The United States of America is a land that is known for its richness in diversity and cultures. In American history the natives, settlers and immigrants have learned a lot and passed through several challenges here and there. Generalising the nation for specific characteristics may not be very simple. The reason as to why this is so is because this society has several other communities in it with which have their own distinct characteristics. Whereas the Native American society has a tendency of being hardy, the settlers introduced versatility in the utilization of America’s rich resources and the colonists are uniquely associated with the introduction of scope for restraint and amalgamation of the diverse nature of America. The other source of uniqueness of Americans include the size of the nation and its climatic changes; ranging from winter, autumn and summer. The variation of the geography of the region has a great impact on the ethnic communities in the region. If variety is the secret answer to spicy life then America has it. The range in diversity goes all the way from the Atlantic region up to the Pacific area. Americans are known to the whole world for the value and respect of their individuality. The kind of spirit they poses that can never be doubted in the eye of the storm of the worldwide contradiction. People of America embrace resilience and equality among themselves and even other people with whom they live. Even though they did not adopt these aspects as a result of suffering and forcefulness, but they learned them very fast in a quick and thorough way. Like they battled with American civil war and colonisation, they also fought to bring down racial differences with strength and vigour of character. Their decisions always relied on the fact that they respect the underlying unity of thought, deeds and actions. In regard to fearlessness, they believe that as a nation they establish their own destiny. They have never acted in fear when they want to speak up. They have in various circumstances voiced their values and opinions freely. The attribute of not fearing anyone makes them able to express their opinions regarding politics without fear and abide by the liberties bestowed upon them as a society by the US constitution without fear or favour. The fact that they are fearless makes them able to refrain from collecting class distinctions or conscience (Burnett et al. ) According to their concern attribute, they are friendly to everyone in nature and can take their friendship to the next level genuinely. That is why they take part as forerunners in the United Nations. On the attribute of being informal and realistic, Americans are most comfortable when they are informal; this is not only confined to dress code and manners, but to all aspects of their lives. They are known for being able to break the fetters and find their way to the rooftop. In terms of being realistic they may or may not assume that their acquaintances are also their close friends. It is obvious that their variation in English language is strange all over but this does not hinder people from accepting them the way they are. The differences in spelling and pronunciation make more sense. It is not easy for a person who is not born in America to develop a system that is distinctly American. America’s foreign policy affects each and every person in the world in terms of prices, taxes, supply of gasoline, and the lives of our soldiers also depends on how we associate with US. This country can bring hope to the lives of the poorest people in the world. It is because of their persona that they are able to respect the lives of others who are not even their own. Most American citizens believe in embracing their values, justice, fairness, democracy, a helping hand when there is need and hard work. Their values are applied from their households, to community and to the rest of the world. The middle path of foreign policy requires that people work together with their allies, reward individuals who share American values and join arms against hatred (Alan and Steve). It would not be right to say that the American persona needs to be changed and not adopted, yet it is embraced by all Americans and is composed of very good attributes that should apply to every other nation in the rest of the world. Americans may be guided by the fact that ‘time is money’, though when they decide to unwind, it is difficult to compare to any other. To them being punctual is a virtue and a form of professionalism and life is as easy as a personal one. They accept that they are materialistic, but accept it and do not shy away from that. Works Cited Rebbecca, Burnett. , Elizabeth, Foster. , and Judith, Stanford. American Persona: A creative approach to writing. Littleton, MA: Sundance Press. 1998. Print. Alan, Dobson and Steve, Mash. US Foreign policy since 1945. New York: Routledge Press. 2002. Print.