Learning Journal Summary Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Learning Journal Summary - Assignment Example The main concepts learnt pertains the process of making goals achievable and measurable. Goals keep on pushing us to achieve something, failure to which we lack the direction that we should be taking. I learnt that when setting goals they have to be specific; this helps in narrowing down to a particular goal that one wants to achieve. To make this to be clearly appreciated in the classroom setup we clearly defined our learning objectives. After going through the teachings on setting goals, it became absolutely clear that writing down the goals is not enough in helping us achieve our goals. The specificity of the goal has to be defined based on the specific interventions that can be done in order to ensure that the goal is achieved. In addition, the measure of the goal has to be there in order to monitor progress. I also learnt that the goals set should be evaluated from time to time; the individual or system of evaluation has to be defined. For the successful implementation of the la id down goals, a strategy is necessary in order to achieve them. The strategy acts as the road map that directs the actions of the goal. In order to gain hand-on skills, I participated in the group work deliverable, in which case, I engaged in developing strategies and actions that facilitated an understanding of the topic addressed in the group work. Through the processing of setting up goals in real-life, I was able to meet the challenges that come with establishing and implementing goals. In addition, the learning goal setting provided an opportunity for me to develop self-awareness especially on how I ought to approach goals and the most appropriate strategy of implementing them. The table below shows some of the goals that I set and will use the lessons learnt in this module to successfully implement them. They are achievable, specific, measurable, realistic, and fall within set periods: The second class provided an opportunity to learn more on presentation skills. I have

Critical Perspectives on Accounting Essay Example for Free

Critical Perspectives on Accounting Essay In this article Marcus Milne provides critical overview and analysis of literature devoted to establishing evidence for positive accounting theory in regards of corporate social disclosure. The central argument of the paper is that positive accounting theorists are trying to colonize social and environmental accounting research. The present article is empirical research and the author employs qualitative and quantitative data to support the claim that positive accounting theory of social disclosure has failed in its endeavor. The author’s purpose is to challenge the perceptions of positive accounting theory and to illustrate why efforts of theorists to social and environmental accounting has failed. The author focuses on the original work of Watts and Zimmerman and tends to present their concern and ideas with the lobbying behavior observed in US oil companies. The companies were claimed to be monopolists and self-interested politicians that had pursued mainly wealth transfers in the form of taxes and other political costs. For them, social responsibility is passing remark. The article is useful to my research topic as Milne suggests that modern businesses and companies should be more concerned with social and environmental responsibility as our world’s resources are not unlimited. The main limitation of the article is that only one original work is incorporated – the article presents one viewpoint without presenting multiple views on the problem. The author indicates that literature on positive accounting theory has failed to provide arguments for self-interested managers’ wealth maximizes. The article will be useful supplementary information for my research on social and environmental responsibility.

Adolf Hitler Essay -- Biography Biographies Bio

Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889 in Braunau-am-Inn, Austria to Alois and Klara. When he was three years old, his family moved to Passau. Then in 1895 they moved to Hafeld. When he was thirteen, his father passed away leaving his mother, Klara, to raise Adolf and his sister Paula on her own. As a youngster, Hitler went to church regularly. He also spent a lot of time playing cowboys and Indians. His best childhood friend, August Kubizek claimed that Adolf was shy but often busted out in anger. The two became inseparable during their early years. In school, however, Hitler's record wasn't very good, he eventually dropped out before his tuition was over. He dropped out with dreams of becoming an artist. On December 21, 1908, Klara dies from breast cancer. In 1909, Hitler moves into flophouses and hostels in Vienna and stays for four years. Finally in 1913, Hitler leaves Vienna to move to Munich, Germany. In an attempt to fulfill his dreams of bring an artist, he moved to Vienna. He wanted to go to the Academy of Fine Arts, but was surprised when he wasn't accepted. About a year later, he found himself living in homeless shelters and eating at soup kitchens. Despite this, he refused to take a regular job; instead he would sell a painting or poster for money. Then he moved back to Munich, Germany around the start of World War I. Hitler then volunteered for service in the German army. He was often labeled as brave by fellow soldiers, but only reached the rank corporal. When World War I was coming to an end, Hitler was put in the hospital for temporary blindness, most likely caused by a poison gas attack. In 1920 Hitler joined the National Socialist German Workers Party or the Nazi party. With his excellent speakin... ...er 3:30 p.m. Hitler and his new wife chose to end their lives by biting into thin glass vials of cyanide, and Hitler also added a gunshot to the head by a 7.65 mm Walther pistol. When the Soviet's Third Army found them, they took the bodies along with them. When they had to stop somewhere, they would bury the bodies, then when it was time to move on, they would dig up the bodies and be on their way. They finally buried Hitler and Braun behind Smersh's East German headquarters in Magdeburg, where they stayed for 25 years where later a garbage disposal firm bought land. Then in 1970, the bodies were dug up and destroyed, which was Hitler's original wish. In conclusion, Hitler was a very driven man. His morals were unjust, but he worked hard for what he wanted, whether it is the annihilation of the Jews or something else, and more times than not he got what he wanted.

Individual Rights Essay

When I am at my placement which is a day care centre for the elderly, I treat patients with respect; I do this by talking politely to the patients, knocking on the door before I entered patient’s room and asking them how they wish to be named (e. g. Mr, Mrs) To be treated as an individual: While I was at placement I treat everyone as an individual, I did this by talking to the patients and finding out about their interests and watching how they act. I did not treat all the patients the same. Just because 2 were diabetic I didn’t stop all patients having sweets. To be treated in a dignified way: I tried to maintain the patient’s dignity by taking them aside if they wanted to tell me something or closing the door behind them if they were going to the toilet. When the patients said or did something laughable, I didn’t laugh at them. To be treated equally and not to be discriminated against: Everyone at placement is different based on their religion, race, sexuality, disabilities or age. But I didn’t not discriminate them against this or treat them unfairly. To be allowed privacy: If the patients wanted privacy when I was with them during my time on placement I would have closed the door which would have blocked other people out from seeing into the room or would have gone outside the room with the patient where they could have privacy to do what they wanted. To be cared for in a way that meets out needs and takes account of preferences and choice: I take it into account what patients say to me and about their choices. If they wish to do a certain activity, I would have gone out of my way to do as they wanted. To be able to communicate using a preferred method: At placement I communicate in which method the patient wanted, if a patient wants to write on a piece of paper and have a conversation this way that is what we would have done. To be allowed access to information about themselves: When at placement patient information is confidential but if the patient asks something about themselves, they were give the information as this may have help them through something. To be safeguarded from danger or harm: Patients should always be in an environment which they feel safe in; they should feel like they are safe in the building and safe with the people caring for them. During my time at placement I have reassured patients when they are feeling unsafe and calmed patients when they are worried about their safety. An example of this; when patients see people entering the centre they worry about who they are and what they are doing here, I then reassure them.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Ecotourism Essay

If done right, there are many more advantages of ecotourism than disadvantages. Unfortunately, ecotourism is still a new field of study and a new sub sector of the tourism industry. And, with most new found industries, many organizations, companies, and countries are taking advantage of it. With so many disadvantages of ecotourism, it is hard to see the advantages and benefits of ecotourism. However, if done right, the goals of ecotourism are to help the environment, preserve natural resources as well as help the local communities and economies. Ecotourism is an industry that stands to make a lot of money from tourists that are seeking environmentally friendly vacations or ecologically friendly activities. The money from ecotourism could be used to preserve nature, wildlife, species and earths natural resources as well as help local people with access to civilization and education. For example, if a country is prime for ecotourism, the money could be used to preserve the environment in that country so that the natural resources would last longer. Local residents could also benefit from the growth in their economy and no longer have to live poorly. This, however, usually does not happen in reality because the locals rarely benefit from the growth of their economy. The investors and foreign corporations do. And the environment and natural resources rarely get preserved because they are worth more in a theme park attracting ecotourists. Ecotourism is increasing in popularity across the world, but has significant practical value in developing countries. The needs of impoverished communities may conflict directly with the need to capitalize on the growing tourism industry. In cases developers move in and designate certain areas as tourism hotspots without giving much thought to the impact will have on local communities. These communities may depend on the area for food and shelter,but their concerns beneath the potential for financial revenue.

Plea Bargaining is Unfair to the Victim

Plea Bargaining is Unfair to the Victim Free Online Research Papers An act is not automatically a crime because it is hurtful or sinful. A crime in my opinion is when a person or persons intentionally violates the safety of an individual by breaking the law. I believe that plea bargaining can be an unfair process to the victims family and others because the offender can have the opportunity to take suspended sentence instead of a considerably harsher punishment. To answer the question the nature of the crime should affect the persons opportunity to plea bargain; Yes. Pleas bargaining is said to be the most critical process in the criminal justice system. Plea bargaining is necessity for the judicial process, without it the courts may become overwhelmed with other criminals and delegating trials for every crime committed.Plea-bargaining is when the defendant agrees to settle a case with certain guidelines and conditions. The prosecution will ask the defendant for a guilty plea in exchange for a reduced or even suspended sentence. The prosecution may agree to reduce the amount of charges as well. The United States have been implementing pleas bargaining in the country for several hundreds years. Over time issues have resolved in term of defendants rights and specifically that the defendant has the right to have a trial by a jury Those against the process of plea bargaining believe that criminals get away with breaking the law by allowing for lighter sentencing in exchange for a guilty plea. I think those who commit violent crimes against another person should not have the opportunity for a plea bargaining because if they had a jury trial of their peers the evidence could be shown and essentially sentenced according to the nature of the crime and generally have a longer or harsher sentence. Eric Robert Rudolph is an American domestic terrorist who committed a series of bombings across the southern United States, which killed three people and injured at least 150 others. In 2005, Rudolph plead guilty to numerous federal and state homicide charges and accepted five consecutive life sentences in exchange for his plea, avoiding a trial and possibly facing the death penalty.( Schuster H.2005) I think when a violent crime is committed and the defendant is offered a plea bargain the victim or victims family should be a part of the process and have a say. Prompted by victims advocates, many jurisdictions have adopted consultation requirements, mandating that prosecutors seek input from victims before consummating deals with defendants. (Scott Henson 2010) The Trial process when convicting a criminal could be a long drawn out process for the victim and their families. Some believe that it could go two ways for a victim; either it will help them heal or cause new wounds. For the criminal a plea bargain in my opinion is a way for the criminal to take responsibility for his actions and be held accountable with the maximum punishment. Although plea bargaining is often criticized, more than 90 percent of criminal convictions come from negotiated pleas. Thus, less than ten percent of criminal cases go to trial. For judges, the key incentive for accepting a plea bargain is to alleviate the need to schedule and hold a trial but the defendant still receives punishment for their actions. The process of a plea bargain is a cop out in my opinion for the criminal to get off easy and the prosecutor to still get a conviction. References Schuster H. (2005) Hunting Eric Rudolph Berkley Hardcover; 1St Edition edition(March1,2005) Rudolph agrees to plea agreement (2005) retrieved from http://articles.cnn.com/2005-04-08/justice/rudolph.plea_1_emily-lyons-eric-robert-rudolph-atlanta-attacks?_s=PM:LAW Scott Henson (2010)What role should crime victims play in plea bargains? Retrieved from http://gritsforbreakfast.blogspot.com/2010/02/what-role-should-crime-victimsplayin.html Research Papers on Plea Bargaining is Unfair to the VictimCapital PunishmentArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)Unreasonable Searches and SeizuresThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenPETSTEL analysis of India19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This Nice

Reasons for a Revolution essays

Reasons for a Revolution essays With the famous rallying cry, No taxation without representation, many believe the American Revolutionary War was fought for strictly political reasons. However, the incentive for independence might have been the avoidance of the British regulation of colonial trade. The colonies were protected against foreign invasion by the British military. They received this protection with very little taxation compared to taxes in Great Britain. They engaged in homeland economic activities with very little interference from England. Basically, the only point they were asked to adhere to were the regulations concerning foreign trade. Now, Im not saying that the colonists werent justified in the revolt, only that their reasons differed from their rallying cries. The first change in taxation came with the Sugar Act of 1764. The act lowered tariff rates on non-British products from the West Indies, and the hope was to reduce smuggling in order to increase their tariff revenue. The problem the colonists had was not with the lowered tariffs, because that actually made it cheaper, but that it was taking their business away from them. The colonists were the smugglers. The British werent allowing them to conduct business the way they wanted, which was free from government meddling. They saw this interference as a form of theft. Simple boycotts of all English imports proved enough for the repeal of the Sugar, Stamp, and Townshend Acts, along with the non-renewal of the Quartering Act. Three year later, the British East India Company fell on hard times. In order to lift the financial burden, the English Parliament passed the Tea Act of 1773. Many believe this was a hefty tax placed on a much loved beverage, but this is a common misconception. This act allowed the East India Company to ship tea directly to the Americas, where they once were required to go through Great Britain and typically a Colonial middle...

How to Write White Papers People Actually Want to Read (Free Template)

How to Write White Papers People Actually Want to Read (Free Template) What’s the first thing that enters your mind when you hear â€Å"white paper†? If you’ve never written one before (or work at Dunder Mifflin), you might think plain printer paper.   And that’s †¦ well, technically, that’s accurate. The white papers we’ll be talking about today are different. These research-based reports (typically longer than a blog post but shorter than an ebook) are a staple content format for marketers. When they’re well-written, they’re powerful tools for solving problems, establishing authority, and generating leads. However, they’ve developed a poor reputation in some marketing circles. That’s because too many white papers are thoughtlessly churned out with an assembly-line mentality. Ever download something called a â€Å"white paper† that was actually a thin and poorly-disguised sales brochure? A lot of us have. In this post, youll learn how to write white papers that don’t suck. Instead of cranking out crap to meet ill-conceived content quotas, it will walk through how to plan, write, format, and promote quality white papers. Ones that actually get read, smash your business objectives, and make you a star for your organization. Plus, its based 100% on first-hand experience. How to Write White Papers People Actually Want to Read Table of Contents So, What Are White Papers, Exactly? Examples of Real-Life White Papers The White Paper Template Getting Started Writing Your White Paper Outline Research How to Write Your White Paper How to Format White Papers the Best Way Edit. Edit. Edit. Handing Off For Design Promotion So, What Are White Papers, Exactly? A white paper is a document that argues a specific position or solves a problem for its audience. They first originated as a type of official government document. According to Purdue Owl: Typically, the purpose of a white paper is to advocate that a certain position is the best way to go or that a certain solution is best for a particular problem. When it is used for commercial purposes, it could influence the decision-making processes of current and prospective customers. 7 Examples of Actual White Papers That explains that much. But, what does a white paper usually look like? Generally, they’re formatted as PDFs and look somewhat similar to an ebook or typical research report. Here are some samples: How to Win at Local SEO (Sundog Interactive you might recognize the author) LinkedIn Marketing Resources (a library of white papers) Citation Cleanup: Assessing the Damage, Estimating Your Project Timeline (Moz) Microsoft AI Platform: Build Intelligent Software (Microsoft) Google Security White Paper (Google) Coffee in America (Experian) Apple ProRes (Apple) Straight-forward stuff so far. DID YOU KNOW: You can manage marketing projects (including white paper development), plan deadlines, and schedule social promotion all on one marketing calendar with ? See how it works. This White Paper Template + Blog Post = Your Success In this post, well dig into the nuts and bolts of writing effective white papers. But first, be sure to grab your free white paper template (Word format). Then, use it to put all the advice in this post into practice.So, You’re Going to Write a White Paper. How Do You Get Started? Before you jump into writing, you have some planning to do. Sure, this takes time off from actually producing the work. It’s necessary though to ensure what you write is purposeful and effective. First Things First: White Paper Ideation Let’s figure out what you’re going to write about. This involves several steps. Figure Out Who You’re Writing For Who’s going to read your white paper? Ideally, your organization or agency should have an idea who your target audiences and customers are. If not, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide that might help. Identify Problems You Can Solve For Them Once you’ve identified your audience, think about what kinds of information they need from you. Secondarily, you might also tie that back into your own products or services. That sets you up at the solution to that problem. Generate Ideas When you know what problems to solve, you’ve got a purpose for your white paper. The next challenge, then, is to decide which ones to write about, and from which angle. A simple brainstorming session can help with this. Or, start by asking a few questions: Which problems are top priority?  Consider starting with ones that are most pressing or timely. Which problems can I tie back into my business?  Say your organization wants to be known as an authority on an area you’re new to. Or, maybe you have a new product or service offering coming out, and want to position yourself as the best option. Find ideas that align your goals with your audience’s. What are we experts on? If you have deep knowledge or expertise on an area you’re known for, a white paper can help reinforce that perception. Recommended Reading: The Best 30-Minute Content Marketing Brainstorming Process Determine If A White Paper Is Really the Best Content Format Before you get too far along, you might decide a different format would work better to reach your audience and achieve your goals. Follow this graphic to help decide if writing a white paper is the best approach: Next, Write Your Outline White papers are usually fairly long. The same outlining process you’d use for a shorter piece, like a blog post, will work here. You might need to make it a bit longer or more detailed, though, to avoid getting lost in your thoughts partway through. An effective white paper outline should include: Headline or working title: You don’t have to settle on a headline or title right away, but start with a working version that describes your topic. Our Headline Analyzer  can help. An executive summary: This is essentially a brief (200 words or so) description of what your white paper will be about. Think of it like a short pitch for why someone should write what you’re about to write. Your introduction: Which points will you touch on in your intro? These are what you’ll expand on in the body of your white paper. Section sub-headings: Like your headline, these don’t need to be final yet. But, you should have a clear idea of what you’ll discuss in each section. If your headline is the core problem you’ll solve, consider each sub-heading a sub-point or step toward resolving it. Beneath each sub-heading, include further bullet points clarifying exactly what you’ll write about. This is all about knowing what you want to say before you try to say it. Sidebars: White papers often include sidebars or breakout boxes with additional information or data tables, like what you’d find in a magazine. In each section, list any possible sidebar ideas you might have. This could include any research or data you’ll need to find (more on this in a bit). Conclusion: Summarize your key takeaways. If it’s appropriate, you might consider adding a call-to-action here, too. Recommended Reading: How to Write a Call to Action In a Template With 6 Examples Here’s what a hypothetical outline might look like: Do Your Research Good white papers are fact-based and research-driven. You’re not here to throw your opinions out to the world without data to back them up. Depending on what you’re covering, you might get by with nothing more than Google and your company’s own insights. If you want to take things to the next level, though, you’ll need to do deeper research. Let’s take a dive. Dig Into Research Reports Industry research reports can provide an excellent data-backed foundation for your content. Seek out research groups (such as Forrester) or professional organizations that produce original research. Then, cite relevant stats and findings where appropriate. Check Out Wolfram Alpha Wolfram Alpha  calls itself a â€Å"computational knowledge engine.† What does that mean? It’s a search engine for facts and data with calculation functionality built in. It’s an extremely robust and powerful tool for research. Check out some of these top-level categories for things it can do: While we can’t go too far in-depth on how to use Wolfram Alpha here, they have plenty of help guides and resources  to get you on your way. Make Use of Government Websites Depending on your industry, there are several government websites that might be helpful. Here’s a handful to consider: U.S. Small Business Administration American Fact Finder Bureau of Labor Statistics Do Your Own Original Research This is the most difficult option, but it can provide the most valuable results. If you have access to publically-available information, so does your competition. Original research you produced yourself, however, is uniquely powerful. Here are just a few benefits to original research: It establishes you and your organization as an authoritative source. Wouldn’t it be awesome if your white paper became a highly-linked source of information for others? It gives you something no one else has. And that would make your white paper much more valuable than something anyone could have slapped together spending an afternoon with Google. You’ll learn more about your audience and industry. Last year, we did a survey of our blog audience. We were then able to turn our findings into a 5,000+ word blog post. That’s long enough that it could have been a white paper, had we decided to publish it as one. It taught us a lot about our audience, too, including things we wouldn’t have learned otherwise. If you have the time and resources to do your own research study, Andy Crestodina of Orbit Media Studios has a fantastic guide to get you started. Recommended Listening: How to Boost Your Results With Original Research As A Marketing Tactic With Andy Crestodina From Orbit Media Studios [015] Now You're Ready to Format and Write This White Paper We’ve done a lot of things so far. Some of it even involved a little bit of writing. Mostly, though, we’ve spent our time getting ready to write. Writing a white paper isn’t easy. You’re now staring down an intense and involved project. If you’re writing in an industry where you’re not a subject matter expert, then your preparation (outlining, researching, and working with internal or client SMEs) is going to be even more important. You’ve got this, though. Flex those fingers, tap into your inner Hemingway, and let’s knock this thing out. Tap into your inner Hemingway and knock out an awesome white paper.How Do White Papers Differ From Writing Other Types of Content? We’ve touched on this a little earlier, but it’s worth repeating here. While there are some similarities, writing a white paper isn’t quite like writing a blog post, case study, research report, grocery list, or †¦ well, you get the point. It’s decidedly it’s own animal and should be treated as such. White papers should be: Professional in tone: This is formal, almost academic-style writing. Narrowly-focused: Pick one topic and explore it thoroughly. Fact-based:  Unverified claims don’t belong here. Data-backed: You don’t have to like math, but you have to love what numbers can do to make your writing stronger. Writing Your Title Or Headline Your headline is the first thing that will sell your white paper to your audience. You want to write something that conveys clear value up front and gets them to click. However, you also want to avoid anything that could be perceived as click bait, or overly casual. So, your headline should hit each of the following checkboxes: Establish a clear benefit to your reader: Why should they care? What’s in it for them to read past your title page? Including interesting stats or a strong action verb can help. Sound professional: Even if your blog or social media content is fun and light-hearted, a white paper should strike a professional tone. It doesn’t need to be sterile and lifeless, per se, but use your best judgment here. Set realistic expectations for your reader: If your headline reads, â€Å"Ten Ways Shipping Companies Can Deliver Faster Shipments,† you better go into detail on all ten tactics. You’d be surprised how many â€Å"white papers† throw a paragraph of text surrounded by images onto a page and call it good. If you’re going to create crap, just say up front you’re creating crap. Or better yet, don’t write your white paper at all. Commit to quality or stay home. Commit to quality or stay home.Let’s take a look at five hypothetical headline examples you can follow: How SaaS Companies Can Onboard 53% More Customers In 2017 Why Are Content Calendars Important For Marketing Teams 7 Ways Small Businesses Can Compete With Enterprise Corporations Why Companies Should Use Agile Project Management How Nonprofits Can Do Better Fundraising These examples aren’t wildly creative, but they all include at least one of the following: A clear benefit A stat or action verb A professional tone Writing Your Introduction Your intro should quickly hook your audience while covering the main points the rest of your document will cover. Here’s everything it should cover: State the problem your white paper intends to solve. To create added urgency, it should also touch on the consequences for not taking action.   Summarize the key areas your white paper will cover. Give a high-level overview of what readers can expect from start to finish.   Explain the benefits of reading your white paper. What will your reader be equipped to do after reading what you have to say? Writing Each Subsection Once you’ve hooked a reader’s attention with your intro, you’ll want to keep it. So, make sure each section delivers on the promises you made in your introduction. When you’re writing an (extremely) long-form piece, it can be easy to get lost. That’s why sticking to an outline is so important (and we do hope you spent some time putting one together). With thorough research and a strong outline in hand, you can make the actual writing exponentially easier. Let’s look at a hypothetical outline: How to Select a Veterinarian Find options in your area Research each one Make a call If we were to write this section, we’d start with a paragraph about the importance of selecting a good veterinarian. We’d then dedicate a paragraph or two (or more) to each sub-point. Following this order will ensure your writing flows well from one point to the next in a logical order. When writing each section, consider using bulleted lists to make text easy to skim. For example: This is an insightful point about your topic. Here’s another interesting piece of data. Finally, here is a third important takeaway. Continue until you’ve worked through each portion of your outline. How to Write White Papers People Actually Want to Read (Free Template) What’s the first thing that enters your mind when you hear â€Å"white paper†? If you’ve never written one before (or work at Dunder Mifflin), you might think plain printer paper.   And that’s †¦ well, technically, that’s accurate. The white papers we’ll be talking about today are different. These research-based reports (typically longer than a blog post but shorter than an ebook) are a staple content format for marketers. When they’re well-written, they’re powerful tools for solving problems, establishing authority, and generating leads. However, they’ve developed a poor reputation in some marketing circles. That’s because too many white papers are thoughtlessly churned out with an assembly-line mentality. Ever download something called a â€Å"white paper† that was actually a thin and poorly-disguised sales brochure? A lot of us have. In this post, youll learn how to write white papers that don’t suck. Instead of cranking out crap to meet ill-conceived content quotas, it will walk through how to plan, write, format, and promote quality white papers. Ones that actually get read, smash your business objectives, and make you a star for your organization. Plus, its based 100% on first-hand experience. How to Write White Papers People Actually Want to Read Table of Contents So, What Are White Papers, Exactly? Examples of Real-Life White Papers The White Paper Template Getting Started Writing Your White Paper Outline Research How to Write Your White Paper How to Format White Papers the Best Way Edit. Edit. Edit. Handing Off For Design Promotion So, What Are White Papers, Exactly? A white paper is a document that argues a specific position or solves a problem for its audience. They first originated as a type of official government document. According to Purdue Owl: Typically, the purpose of a white paper is to advocate that a certain position is the best way to go or that a certain solution is best for a particular problem. When it is used for commercial purposes, it could influence the decision-making processes of current and prospective customers. 7 Examples of Actual White Papers That explains that much. But, what does a white paper usually look like? Generally, they’re formatted as PDFs and look somewhat similar to an ebook or typical research report. Here are some samples: How to Win at Local SEO (Sundog Interactive you might recognize the author) LinkedIn Marketing Resources (a library of white papers) Citation Cleanup: Assessing the Damage, Estimating Your Project Timeline (Moz) Microsoft AI Platform: Build Intelligent Software (Microsoft) Google Security White Paper (Google) Coffee in America (Experian) Apple ProRes (Apple) Straight-forward stuff so far. DID YOU KNOW: You can manage marketing projects (including white paper development), plan deadlines, and schedule social promotion all on one marketing calendar with ? See how it works. This White Paper Template + Blog Post = Your Success In this post, well dig into the nuts and bolts of writing effective white papers. But first, be sure to grab your free white paper template (Word format). Then, use it to put all the advice in this post into practice.So, You’re Going to Write a White Paper. How Do You Get Started? Before you jump into writing, you have some planning to do. Sure, this takes time off from actually producing the work. It’s necessary though to ensure what you write is purposeful and effective. First Things First: White Paper Ideation Let’s figure out what you’re going to write about. This involves several steps. Figure Out Who You’re Writing For Who’s going to read your white paper? Ideally, your organization or agency should have an idea who your target audiences and customers are. If not, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide that might help. Identify Problems You Can Solve For Them Once you’ve identified your audience, think about what kinds of information they need from you. Secondarily, you might also tie that back into your own products or services. That sets you up at the solution to that problem. Generate Ideas When you know what problems to solve, you’ve got a purpose for your white paper. The next challenge, then, is to decide which ones to write about, and from which angle. A simple brainstorming session can help with this. Or, start by asking a few questions: Which problems are top priority?  Consider starting with ones that are most pressing or timely. Which problems can I tie back into my business?  Say your organization wants to be known as an authority on an area you’re new to. Or, maybe you have a new product or service offering coming out, and want to position yourself as the best option. Find ideas that align your goals with your audience’s. What are we experts on? If you have deep knowledge or expertise on an area you’re known for, a white paper can help reinforce that perception. Recommended Reading: The Best 30-Minute Content Marketing Brainstorming Process Determine If A White Paper Is Really the Best Content Format Before you get too far along, you might decide a different format would work better to reach your audience and achieve your goals. Follow this graphic to help decide if writing a white paper is the best approach: Next, Write Your Outline White papers are usually fairly long. The same outlining process you’d use for a shorter piece, like a blog post, will work here. You might need to make it a bit longer or more detailed, though, to avoid getting lost in your thoughts partway through. An effective white paper outline should include: Headline or working title: You don’t have to settle on a headline or title right away, but start with a working version that describes your topic. Our Headline Analyzer  can help. An executive summary: This is essentially a brief (200 words or so) description of what your white paper will be about. Think of it like a short pitch for why someone should write what you’re about to write. Your introduction: Which points will you touch on in your intro? These are what you’ll expand on in the body of your white paper. Section sub-headings: Like your headline, these don’t need to be final yet. But, you should have a clear idea of what you’ll discuss in each section. If your headline is the core problem you’ll solve, consider each sub-heading a sub-point or step toward resolving it. Beneath each sub-heading, include further bullet points clarifying exactly what you’ll write about. This is all about knowing what you want to say before you try to say it. Sidebars: White papers often include sidebars or breakout boxes with additional information or data tables, like what you’d find in a magazine. In each section, list any possible sidebar ideas you might have. This could include any research or data you’ll need to find (more on this in a bit). Conclusion: Summarize your key takeaways. If it’s appropriate, you might consider adding a call-to-action here, too. Recommended Reading: How to Write a Call to Action In a Template With 6 Examples Here’s what a hypothetical outline might look like: Do Your Research Good white papers are fact-based and research-driven. You’re not here to throw your opinions out to the world without data to back them up. Depending on what you’re covering, you might get by with nothing more than Google and your company’s own insights. If you want to take things to the next level, though, you’ll need to do deeper research. Let’s take a dive. Dig Into Research Reports Industry research reports can provide an excellent data-backed foundation for your content. Seek out research groups (such as Forrester) or professional organizations that produce original research. Then, cite relevant stats and findings where appropriate. Check Out Wolfram Alpha Wolfram Alpha  calls itself a â€Å"computational knowledge engine.† What does that mean? It’s a search engine for facts and data with calculation functionality built in. It’s an extremely robust and powerful tool for research. Check out some of these top-level categories for things it can do: While we can’t go too far in-depth on how to use Wolfram Alpha here, they have plenty of help guides and resources  to get you on your way. Make Use of Government Websites Depending on your industry, there are several government websites that might be helpful. Here’s a handful to consider: U.S. Small Business Administration American Fact Finder Bureau of Labor Statistics Do Your Own Original Research This is the most difficult option, but it can provide the most valuable results. If you have access to publically-available information, so does your competition. Original research you produced yourself, however, is uniquely powerful. Here are just a few benefits to original research: It establishes you and your organization as an authoritative source. Wouldn’t it be awesome if your white paper became a highly-linked source of information for others? It gives you something no one else has. And that would make your white paper much more valuable than something anyone could have slapped together spending an afternoon with Google. You’ll learn more about your audience and industry. Last year, we did a survey of our blog audience. We were then able to turn our findings into a 5,000+ word blog post. That’s long enough that it could have been a white paper, had we decided to publish it as one. It taught us a lot about our audience, too, including things we wouldn’t have learned otherwise. If you have the time and resources to do your own research study, Andy Crestodina of Orbit Media Studios has a fantastic guide to get you started. Recommended Listening: How to Boost Your Results With Original Research As A Marketing Tactic With Andy Crestodina From Orbit Media Studios [015] Now You're Ready to Format and Write This White Paper We’ve done a lot of things so far. Some of it even involved a little bit of writing. Mostly, though, we’ve spent our time getting ready to write. Writing a white paper isn’t easy. You’re now staring down an intense and involved project. If you’re writing in an industry where you’re not a subject matter expert, then your preparation (outlining, researching, and working with internal or client SMEs) is going to be even more important. You’ve got this, though. Flex those fingers, tap into your inner Hemingway, and let’s knock this thing out. Tap into your inner Hemingway and knock out an awesome white paper.How Do White Papers Differ From Writing Other Types of Content? We’ve touched on this a little earlier, but it’s worth repeating here. While there are some similarities, writing a white paper isn’t quite like writing a blog post, case study, research report, grocery list, or †¦ well, you get the point. It’s decidedly it’s own animal and should be treated as such. White papers should be: Professional in tone: This is formal, almost academic-style writing. Narrowly-focused: Pick one topic and explore it thoroughly. Fact-based:  Unverified claims don’t belong here. Data-backed: You don’t have to like math, but you have to love what numbers can do to make your writing stronger. Writing Your Title Or Headline Your headline is the first thing that will sell your white paper to your audience. You want to write something that conveys clear value up front and gets them to click. However, you also want to avoid anything that could be perceived as click bait, or overly casual. So, your headline should hit each of the following checkboxes: Establish a clear benefit to your reader: Why should they care? What’s in it for them to read past your title page? Including interesting stats or a strong action verb can help. Sound professional: Even if your blog or social media content is fun and light-hearted, a white paper should strike a professional tone. It doesn’t need to be sterile and lifeless, per se, but use your best judgment here. Set realistic expectations for your reader: If your headline reads, â€Å"Ten Ways Shipping Companies Can Deliver Faster Shipments,† you better go into detail on all ten tactics. You’d be surprised how many â€Å"white papers† throw a paragraph of text surrounded by images onto a page and call it good. If you’re going to create crap, just say up front you’re creating crap. Or better yet, don’t write your white paper at all. Commit to quality or stay home. Commit to quality or stay home.Let’s take a look at five hypothetical headline examples you can follow: How SaaS Companies Can Onboard 53% More Customers In 2017 Why Are Content Calendars Important For Marketing Teams 7 Ways Small Businesses Can Compete With Enterprise Corporations Why Companies Should Use Agile Project Management How Nonprofits Can Do Better Fundraising These examples aren’t wildly creative, but they all include at least one of the following: A clear benefit A stat or action verb A professional tone Writing Your Introduction Your intro should quickly hook your audience while covering the main points the rest of your document will cover. Here’s everything it should cover: State the problem your white paper intends to solve. To create added urgency, it should also touch on the consequences for not taking action.   Summarize the key areas your white paper will cover. Give a high-level overview of what readers can expect from start to finish.   Explain the benefits of reading your white paper. What will your reader be equipped to do after reading what you have to say? Writing Each Subsection Once you’ve hooked a reader’s attention with your intro, you’ll want to keep it. So, make sure each section delivers on the promises you made in your introduction. When you’re writing an (extremely) long-form piece, it can be easy to get lost. That’s why sticking to an outline is so important (and we do hope you spent some time putting one together). With thorough research and a strong outline in hand, you can make the actual writing exponentially easier. Let’s look at a hypothetical outline: How to Select a Veterinarian Find options in your area Research each one Make a call If we were to write this section, we’d start with a paragraph about the importance of selecting a good veterinarian. We’d then dedicate a paragraph or two (or more) to each sub-point. Following this order will ensure your writing flows well from one point to the next in a logical order. When writing each section, consider using bulleted lists to make text easy to skim. For example: This is an insightful point about your topic. Here’s another interesting piece of data. Finally, here is a third important takeaway. Continue until you’ve worked through each portion of your outline.

Nanook of the North (YouTube) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Nanook of the North (YouTube) - Essay Example Modern weapons were also absent due to the use of traditional homemade weapons like the harpoon and knives. The images of the movie also illustrate the pre-industrial period. The movie uses white and black image visualizations to indicate the colonial period before the industrialization took place. The movie is shot in a remote place where there is barely any modern development but only the presence of natural environment (All Classic Video 1922). The movie portrays empathy in the way the Inuits used live for example through the building of Igloos’ during the harsh winter period. Some problems can be noted from the movie. There is some lack of realism in the movie like during the killing and pulling of  a seal from a 10 to 12 feet hole. We cannot see how the seal was killed and how it was pulled from underwater which clearly indicates that it was killed by a gun and pulled using a modernized tool which was hidden during the cast (All Classic Video 1922). In the social context, it can be noted that almost everything the Inuit’s used came from animals: the food, clothing, tools and

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

History - Essay Example The workers are exploited on only on physical basis but also on mental level (Schweickart 9-11). This paper explores the attributes of colonization, and implications as it is practiced in modern times. The effectiveness of colonization, with respect to capitalism is the chiefly dealt with in this paper. Colonization and capitalism Under certain contexts, colonization and capitalism have become synonymous. A colonized world is always divided or compartmentalized in the sense that it is divided between the natives and the new comers. For instance the racial problem occurred during South Africa apartheid is an instance of this. During the first half of twentieth century, the whites practiced racial prejudice against the native blacks (Allen 95- 102). Division of class goes in line with the Aristotelian logic where there is no possibility of conciliation. The sector for colonists is strongly built with all pleasures and fineries. It is a protected space, clean and pleasant. The native qu arters are poles apart. None ever notices when a niggers takes birth or dies. Both the people and the place remain dingy and dirty. They lust for material possessions. As a matter of fact, wealth too was concentrated in the hands of the oppressor class. The reason why they accumulate wealth is that simply because they belong to the colonist’s sector. ... Similarly the sense of exploitation also passed from one generation to another and the horrors of submission and inhibition seem to be familiar. It makes maintenance of rules and regulations easier for the capitalist class. A characteristic feature noticed in colonized countries is that there always exist certain groups, sermonizers, and councilors who butt in between the capitalist class and the exploited. (Fanon 1-15) Decolonization is a situation where the aspects and practices of colonization are challenged. The colonized world possesses little values and ethics. The colonized state experience destruction and corruption. These in turn negate their values and make them exposed to instruments of blind forces. The colonizer, as Manichaean states often inflict violence. As was found out by Chungara, the labor class she described went through similar experiences. The capitalist class had exploited them to their very last means. The struggle which they had to do on a daily basis is has become a familiar thing. (Fanon 1-32) Struggle and protest is another characteristic feature of colonized states. There are several aspects that oppressed people learn from their maters or from the ruling class as a whole. The most important aspect is individualism. Contestation is an important aspect of colonization. Whenever there is any case of violence, the oppressor tries to exercise full control over the oppressed classes. This period is generally marked with violence and suppression. However the colonized people continue to rebel and these results in sporadic occurrence of violence. (Fanon 1-32). Global capitalism is one of the rising concerns in present times. Ibrahim’s book deals with Egypt. The adverse effects of capitalism on Arabic society,

Bribery and Corruption in relation to International Business Research Paper

Bribery and Corruption in relation to International Business - Research Paper Example This is because bribery and corruption imposes large costs on conducting business, misallocates a nation’s resource, undermines the efficiency of a market and it also distorts competition. Bribery encourages unethical practices, erodes the public trust on their leaders, undermines significant development projects and slows down the economic growth of developing nations (Tanzi 20). Bribery becomes defined as the practice of giving something, usually money, to influence an individual in the execution of his/ her duties. Bribes are not only in the form of money, but also other advantages such as offering to pay for someone his/ her travel costs. Bribery also involves a business firm from one country giving financial or non financial benefits to officials or executives of other countries to gain a commercial benefit. Corruption, on the other hand it gets defined as the use of the public office for personal gain (Montagnon 13). The ever increasing growth in investment and the inter national trade in a number of the past decades have become accompanied by an increase in corruption and bribery. According to the World Bank, it has become estimated that nearly 5 percent of exports to the developing nations goes to the corrupt officials. It gets shown that nearly over a trillion dollars get paid as bribes each year (Cohen 24). Bribery is costly to the nations where it is prevalent. According to surveys done, money lost to bribery and corruption is the biggest potential source of funding available to a number of new democratic governments aside from direct foreign investment. Tackling the issue of bribery can lead to an increase in the national income and stimulate the economic growth, which in turn will lead to improvements in the quality of life. A reason for the rapid growth in corruption in the global market is due to the privatization of public enterprises globally. This has become accelerated by governments and the western creditors, and executed in a way that allows the multinational companies operate with impunity. These multinationals get supported by their governments and their respective agencies that give them room to participate in the practices at a vast scale. Most governments and the donor agencies like the International Monetary Fund create anti poverty and proper governance agendas, but what they do send different messages about where their priorities lay. Stern action against corruption and bribery has to include sanctions by developing countries against these multinationals that engage in these mal practices. Effective political transparency to disengage the room under which corruption exists (Montagnon 33). To these multinationals, bribery and corruption ensures they get contracts which they could not have succeeded in getting, or to do so in clear terms. Annually, these multinationals pay large sums of money in bribes to get a friend and to influence contracts. These bribes become estimated to be 80 billion US dollars (Co ok 26). This is the same amount UN estimates to be able to eradicate poverty in developing countries. The US Commerce Department provided the report that in the 5years preceding 1999 bribery was a serious issue in commercial contracts that were worth US $145 billion. In the 1996 issue of the magazine World Business, it got reported that bribes amounting to $ 3 billion got paid by the German companies. The French secret service report showed that nearly $2

Reflection on the Development and Application of a Fundamental Nursing Essay - 1

Reflection on the Development and Application of a Fundamental Nursing Skill in Nursing Practice - Essay Example While Scoliosis is the curving of the spine away from the midline, hence goes sideways (Burtner, et al., 1999, pp.748-57). Spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy patients and the feeding process I realized that patients with health conditions such as James have difficulties when it comes to feeding since he has problems with personal control and swallowing of food and drinks. For that purpose, keen nursing care needed to be given to ensure that the patient feeds and drinks well and is not suffocated in the process as fluid or food particles are likely to accidently sucked into the lungs. The swallowing process is governed by the swallowing centre in the medulla, and in the mid-oesophagus and distal oesophagus by largely autonomous peristaltic reflex that are coordinated by the enteric nervous system. If in the process of swallowing respiration does not stop, fluids and other food particles may enter the lungs causing suffocation (WGO, 2007). During the entire period and specifically dur ing the above mentioned event, other experienced care assistants were available to guide me through the process besides the mentor whom I had been assigned to. The purpose of being at this care home was to learn and improve on my skills of handling people with mental disability and James proved to be the best person to observe and learn from and thus fit a case study description. In the process of fluid feeding, it was important that I have a personal beaker that was dedicated to this activity and for this patient. His beaker was blue with small holes and a spout. Dysphagia may occur in two primary forms and these include Oropharyngeal Dysphagia where patients have a problem initiating a swallow as... The researcher talks about his five week program at a learning disability care home situated on the northwest of England. It was quite an experience and worked as an eye opener in my nursing career. At the time of his placement and throughout the period, the author of the paper happened to observe and took part in a program aimed at feeding the residents within the learning disability care home. In this program, the researcher focused mainly on a resident called James (real name withheld for confidentiality reasons) the NMC Code of conduct require nurses to respect patient confidentiality at all times. In this work the researcher will be using the Gibbs reflective cycle 1998 to guide him in writing and reflecting his thoughts and feelings about his experience. The Gibbs reflective cycle consists of six stages of and helps leaners reflect on what they have learnt or experiences they have gone through. This patient has a medical history of spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy; he suffer s from epilepsy and also scoliosis. As a result of his health condition, James has developed dysphagia- the difficulty someone may have in initiating a wallow or the sensation that foods or liquids are somehow hindered in their passage from mouth to stomach- and for that reason he has to eat and drink in a way that does not harm him and relies on nursing assistance. The author of this article tells that his experience while working at the disability care home exposed him to various issues that are considered in the management of patients with cerebral palsy.

The Concept of Risk in Diffirent Project Management Approaches Essay

The Concept of Risk in Diffirent Project Management Approaches - Essay Example If we talk about the risk management in agile (Scum) software project management, it basically allows us to deal with risks on the daily basis. For instance, till the end of a day we identify and record the project risks. On the other hand, PRINCE2 goes beyond the definition of risk as it divides the risk into two categories on the basis of their positive or negative consequences. These two categories can be threat and opportunity. In this scenario, a threat could be an uncertain activity or action which if it occurs can cause negative effect on the project’s likelihood of achieving its objectives. On the other hand, an opportunity is an event if it takes place can cause a favorable and advantageous effect on the project likelihood of achieving its objectives (Brady, 2009; Rehman et al., 2010; TutorialsPoint, 2012). However, in this paper we will consider the risk as a threat. In addition, risk management is an essential element of both the Agile (scrum) and Prince2 project ma nagement approaches. This paper will discuss the concept of risk from the perspective of Prince2 and Scrum project management approaches. ... According to this attribute, risk may or may not take place; in other words, we are not 100% sure about the occurrence of possible risks. On the other hand, another attribute is acknowledged as â€Å"loss†. According to this attribute, the risk turns into a certainty, unnecessary outcome or losses can take place. Hence, while evaluating project risks, it is necessary to assess the degree of loss and the level of improbability associated with each risk (Pressman, 2001, p.146; Kerzner, 2006, p.743). In addition, risk management is the process of identifying, measuring, and managing what might go in the wrong way into a project before it turns out to be a danger to the successful completion of the project or the implementation of a software application. Moreover, risk management is a very important skill to manage a project successfully (Turban et al., 2005, p.712; Whitten et al., 2000, p.83). According to (Murthi, 2002), large software systems cannot be developed without facing a wide variety of risks. In this scenario, a report published by â€Å"The Standish Group† with the name of "CHAOS: A Recipe for Success," shows that only less than 30% of all software development projects are within budget and on time as well as fulfil all their indented requirements. On the other hand, more than 70% either fail or do not fulfil software development goals. Additionally, these facts are frightening in a cost-cutting measure where software systems play a significant role in fact they can make or break the organization (Murthi, 2002). In this paper, we will use the approach of identifying, measuring, and managing what might go in the wrong way into a project before it becomes problem for the successful completion of a project. Concept of Risk in Prince2 Project Management

Were the Puritans Puritanical (Carl Degler) Essay

Were the Puritans Puritanical (Carl Degler) - Essay Example believed it would anger God if one dressed differently to their station in life; it would be like lying to God to dress extravagantly when one was a member of a lower class. Many of the people who were in the upper-class of Puritans could and would wear gold, silver, and lace. Whilst this is true, most of the other restrictions on dress were to preserve the modesty of the wearer, although it was not as dull, plain and conservative as the stereotype. Women were expected to cover their head and most of their body. As previously mentioned, the Puritans placed a great value on the pure things in life, and part of this belief was an understanding of the Bible as more-or-less literal. In this case, they believed that man should not have too much fun, enjoyment or laughter in this life in case it hinder his ability to experience these things in the next, and sex was part of this. Sex was part of this, but it did not mean that sex was banned in society. The Puritans knew that people of both genders have sexual desires, and they also knew that these needed to be fulfilled. All the Puritans asked was that sexual intercourse be undertaken prayerfully with recognition that it is God that has bestowed these pleasures on them. However, it is worth noting that they did believe in having sex with respect and not enjoying it to excess. The central view of human nature in the Puritan faith is that it is prone to sin and this is an inescapable factor of life. Everything that comes from the body is sinful or disgusting. They believed that because of this tendency to sin, they must be controlled by a strong hand that helped them to curtail these sinful lusts and become more like God and live a purer life. The reason that they broke off from the English church is that they believed that this was corrupt, and they needed to escape this to try and counterbalance some of the things that human nature provoked. In life, the Puritans were expected to avoid sin as much as possible and

The Concept of Risk in Diffirent Project Management Approaches Essay

The Concept of Risk in Diffirent Project Management Approaches - Essay Example If we talk about the risk management in agile (Scum) software project management, it basically allows us to deal with risks on the daily basis. For instance, till the end of a day we identify and record the project risks. On the other hand, PRINCE2 goes beyond the definition of risk as it divides the risk into two categories on the basis of their positive or negative consequences. These two categories can be threat and opportunity. In this scenario, a threat could be an uncertain activity or action which if it occurs can cause negative effect on the project’s likelihood of achieving its objectives. On the other hand, an opportunity is an event if it takes place can cause a favorable and advantageous effect on the project likelihood of achieving its objectives (Brady, 2009; Rehman et al., 2010; TutorialsPoint, 2012). However, in this paper we will consider the risk as a threat. In addition, risk management is an essential element of both the Agile (scrum) and Prince2 project ma nagement approaches. This paper will discuss the concept of risk from the perspective of Prince2 and Scrum project management approaches. ... According to this attribute, risk may or may not take place; in other words, we are not 100% sure about the occurrence of possible risks. On the other hand, another attribute is acknowledged as â€Å"loss†. According to this attribute, the risk turns into a certainty, unnecessary outcome or losses can take place. Hence, while evaluating project risks, it is necessary to assess the degree of loss and the level of improbability associated with each risk (Pressman, 2001, p.146; Kerzner, 2006, p.743). In addition, risk management is the process of identifying, measuring, and managing what might go in the wrong way into a project before it turns out to be a danger to the successful completion of the project or the implementation of a software application. Moreover, risk management is a very important skill to manage a project successfully (Turban et al., 2005, p.712; Whitten et al., 2000, p.83). According to (Murthi, 2002), large software systems cannot be developed without facing a wide variety of risks. In this scenario, a report published by â€Å"The Standish Group† with the name of "CHAOS: A Recipe for Success," shows that only less than 30% of all software development projects are within budget and on time as well as fulfil all their indented requirements. On the other hand, more than 70% either fail or do not fulfil software development goals. Additionally, these facts are frightening in a cost-cutting measure where software systems play a significant role in fact they can make or break the organization (Murthi, 2002). In this paper, we will use the approach of identifying, measuring, and managing what might go in the wrong way into a project before it becomes problem for the successful completion of a project. Concept of Risk in Prince2 Project Management

Research Topics with Explanation Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Topics with Explanation - Research Paper Example overnment is in a dilemma of either eliminating farm subsidies on the basis that the farmers have the capacity to fund their activities, or increasing this funding for the better of the country. The debate about nuclear energy has been ongoing for a long time. Thus, there are many resource materials about this topic. Additionally, many people have interest on issues concerning nuclear power. Information gathered would be highly invaluable to me and other people as well. The world faces a mounting task of preserving energy sources as the needs for energy keeps on rising. Scientists have proved that nuclear energy is one of the most clean and efficient sources of energy available to humankind. The same scientists are quick to add that the use of this source of energy pose the greatest threat to the same people it is supposed to be benefiting. Crime rates in America is said to be one of the highest in the World. The fact that it is affecting the minor is even more worrying. A lot of research has been done on the issues facilitating this kind of behavior. Communities living in the U.S are very much aware of this situation. Although the government is doing a lot to help the situation, they seem to be failing in the mission. This topic has the potential to provide an understanding of the problems young people are facing and how to respond to them. It is with no doubt that, there has been an upward trend of minor getting involved in violent criminal activities. However, the debate has been whether these kids should be held responsible for their action or simply put the blame on some other

Chemicals Together in an Effort to be Greener Essay Example for Free

Chemicals Together in an Effort to be Greener Essay Alhamdulillah, first of all, I would like to thank Allah as I could finish my chemistry assignment with the title of Chemistry in your daily life. I would like to express my deepest appreciation to all those that help me, contribute their suggestion and opinion in doing this assignment from the beginning until finish because, without their help, I might have little problem in this research. Even though a few problems occurred when doing the assignment but luckily it can be settled down. With a lot of effort, finally, this task can be sent to our lecturer before the submission date as well. Furthermore, a special thanks to my lecturer chemistry, Dr. Musfiroh bt Jani that deliver this assignment and explain clearly how to do this assignment with the concept of chemistry and how to applied it in daily life to make sure we can score chemistry and understand the true meaning of chemistry. We can do this without her as she guides and fix our mistakes from starting of this assignment and want to improve the new one so this assignment can be completely finished and get a better result. Next, big thanks go to other Chemistry lecturers that teach me and guide me as long as I was a student and will make sure I can understand properly what is chemistry, why we need to learn chemistry and the important thing is we learn this to understand the knowledge to apply in real life, not because the exam. They also teach me how to produce a good assignment and report. Moreover, many thanks to my parents that support me from for with their contribution especially by providing money to me as I need to find references and they also help me in give an idea to make sure I can finish my assignment. Last but not least, thanks to my friends that always support and stick with me when hard and happy in this life and for those who are directly and indirectly support and help me with the assignment. Have you ever wondered why ice melts a water evaporates? Why do leaves turn colors in the fall, and how does a battery generate electricity? Why does keeping foods cold slow their spoilage, and how do our bodies use food to maintain life? There are a lot of nature and phenomena life that happens around us that involved chemistry. Have you wondered what is chemistry? And what chemistry can do in our life? How chemistry can be important and relates to our life? All the question can be answered in Chemistry as chemistry provides really important understanding and how it can be applying in our daily life as a human. That is the reason why we need to study chemistry. By studying chemistry, we can learn to use powerful language and ideas to describe what happened because chemistry is universal science that covered all the process around us include matter and also the process of humans. Chemistry? What crossed in your mine about chemistry? Either about chemistry with friends, chemistry in doing the same things, chemistry in a relationship for couples or anything else. Yes, that’s all true but in science actually, chemistry is a study of matter, properties, and its behavior. Chemistry also provides an understanding background of matter which it can be divided by atoms, molecules, gas. Atoms are smallest particles of elements that exist surrounding us. It is made of three tiny particles that called subatomic particles which is protons, neutrons, and electrons. The center of the atom, called nucleus is made up of protons and neutrons. Every single thing in this world is made up of matter include our bodies. Chemistry is relating to everything in life and it is a large branch that needed by everyone. Not only doctor, but the dentist, pharmacist, nurse, geologist, and others need chemistry too. Chemistry can be divided into five main branches which are very wide in the application of life. The first is analytical chemistry which discusses uses qualitative and quantitative observation to identify and measure the physical and chemical properties of substances. In fact, all chemistry is analytical chemistry. Secondly is physical chemistry. As we know, physical chemistry is discussed physics combine with chemistry. Its about how matter can interact with energy. The important things in this topics are thermodynamics and quantum mechanics. The third branch of chemistry is organic chemistry which studies in compounds that contains carbon element. Carbon has many unique properties that allow it to form complex chemical bonds and very large molecules. Inorganic chemistry studies a materials such gases and metals that do not contain carbon as part of their make up. Last but not least is biochemistry is study of chemical processes that occur between organisms. Try to imagine the world without chemistry.

Financial Performance Benchmarking in the Electricity Distribution Indu

A Review of Research Literature Results on Financial Performance Benchmarking in the Electricity Distribution Industry Introduction Since the late 1980s, there has been significant regulatory reform in the electricity transmission and distribution industries in many countries. Under traditional cost-of-service rate regulation, companies recover their costs under a regulated rate of return, which may provide little incentive to minimize costs. Alternatively, incentive or performance based regimes are designed to incent productive efficiency by compensating the company for achieving costs savings. Joskow [1] and Joskow and Schlalensee [2] discuss a number of economic regulatory models have been proposed in the literature. According to Jamasb and Pollitt [3], incentive regulation usually involves some form of benchmarking or comparison of actual versus some reference level of performance. We will review the literature results on benchmarking methods for electricity distributors. Jamasb and Pollitt [3] published the results of an international survey on the use of benchmarking in incentive regulation of electricity transmission and distribution utilities. Farsi et al. [4] provide a summary of benchmarking methods used in regulation in several countries. Both of these survey papers cite Corrected Ordinary Least Squares (COLS), Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) as methods commonly employed in electricity distribution benchmarking. After briefly describing several models of incentive regulation, we compare the literature results presented in each survey paper ( [3], [4] ) with respect to the techniques mentioned above (COLS, DEA, and SFA). We then present addition results from the literature on th... ...-specific efficiency levels in parametric, semi-parametric and non-parametric settings. Sickles, R. 2005, Journal of Econometrics, Vol. 126, pp. 305-334. 30. Estimation of technical inefficiiency in panel data models with firm and time specific effects. Kumbhakar, S.C. 1991, Economics Letters, Vol. 36, pp. 43-48. 31. Panel estimates of a two tiered earnings frontier. Polachek, S. and Yoon, B. 1996, Journal of Applied Econometrics, Vol. 11, pp. 169-178. 32. Reconsidering heterogeneity in panel data estimators of the stochastic frontier model. Greene, W.H. 2005, Journal of Econometrics, Vol. 126, pp. 269-303. 33. Kuosmanen, T. Stochastic semi-nonparametric efficiency analysis of electricity distribution networks: application of the StoNED method in the Finnish regulatory model. Aalto University School of Economics. s.l. : Social Science Research Network, 2011.

Individuation in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Essay -- Sir Gawain G

Individuation in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Sir Gawain is, undoubtably, the most varied of the Arthurian characters: from his first minor appearance as Gwalchmei in the Welsh tales to his usually side-line participation in the modern retelling of the tales, no other character has gone from such exalted heights (being regarded as a paragon of virtue) to such dismal depths (being reduced to a borderline rapist, murderer, and uncouth bore), as he. This degree of metamorphosis in character, however, has allowed for a staggering number of different approaches and studies in Gawain. The greatest part of these studies have involved the middle-English text Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Extensive work has been done on this alliterative four-part poem written by an anonymous contemporary of Chaucer: feminists have attacked his diatribe against women at the end, or analyzed the interaction between Gawain and the women of Bercilak’s court; those of the D. W. Robertson school seek the inevitable biblical allusions and allegory concealed within the medieval text; Formalists and philologists find endless enjoyment in discovering the exact meaning of certain ambiguous and archaic words within the story. Another approach that yields interesting, if somewhat dated, results, is a Psychological or Archetypal analysis of the poem. By casting the Green Knight in the role of the Jungian Shadow, Sir Gawain’s adventure to the Green Chapel becomes a journey of self-discovery and a quest - a not entirely successful one - for personal individuation. The Jungian process of individuation involves â€Å". . . a psychological growing up, the process of discovering those aspects of one’s self that make one an individual differe... ... until he does complete his quest of individuation, he shall never be nor feel whole. Works Cited and Consulted Anonymous, â€Å"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight† in The Norton Anthology of English Literature, eds. Abrams, et al. (New York: Norton, 1993), 200. Carl Gustav Jung, â€Å"The Principle Archetypes† in The Critical Tradition: Classic Texts and Contemporary Trends, ed. David H. Richter (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1989), 666. Guerin, Wilfred L., et al., eds. A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature. Toronto: Oxford UP, 1992. Lacy, Norris J. and Geoffrey Ashe. The Arthurian Handbook. New York: Garland Publishing, 1988. Stephen Manning, â€Å"A Psychological Interpretation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight† in Critical Studies of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, eds. Donald R. Howard and Christian Zacher (Notre Dame: Notre Dame UP, 1968), 279. Individuation in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Essay -- Sir Gawain G Individuation in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Sir Gawain is, undoubtably, the most varied of the Arthurian characters: from his first minor appearance as Gwalchmei in the Welsh tales to his usually side-line participation in the modern retelling of the tales, no other character has gone from such exalted heights (being regarded as a paragon of virtue) to such dismal depths (being reduced to a borderline rapist, murderer, and uncouth bore), as he. This degree of metamorphosis in character, however, has allowed for a staggering number of different approaches and studies in Gawain. The greatest part of these studies have involved the middle-English text Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Extensive work has been done on this alliterative four-part poem written by an anonymous contemporary of Chaucer: feminists have attacked his diatribe against women at the end, or analyzed the interaction between Gawain and the women of Bercilak’s court; those of the D. W. Robertson school seek the inevitable biblical allusions and allegory concealed within the medieval text; Formalists and philologists find endless enjoyment in discovering the exact meaning of certain ambiguous and archaic words within the story. Another approach that yields interesting, if somewhat dated, results, is a Psychological or Archetypal analysis of the poem. By casting the Green Knight in the role of the Jungian Shadow, Sir Gawain’s adventure to the Green Chapel becomes a journey of self-discovery and a quest - a not entirely successful one - for personal individuation. The Jungian process of individuation involves â€Å". . . a psychological growing up, the process of discovering those aspects of one’s self that make one an individual differe... ... until he does complete his quest of individuation, he shall never be nor feel whole. Works Cited and Consulted Anonymous, â€Å"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight† in The Norton Anthology of English Literature, eds. Abrams, et al. (New York: Norton, 1993), 200. Carl Gustav Jung, â€Å"The Principle Archetypes† in The Critical Tradition: Classic Texts and Contemporary Trends, ed. David H. Richter (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1989), 666. Guerin, Wilfred L., et al., eds. A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature. Toronto: Oxford UP, 1992. Lacy, Norris J. and Geoffrey Ashe. The Arthurian Handbook. New York: Garland Publishing, 1988. Stephen Manning, â€Å"A Psychological Interpretation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight† in Critical Studies of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, eds. Donald R. Howard and Christian Zacher (Notre Dame: Notre Dame UP, 1968), 279.

Chapter 10 The Marauder’s Map

Madam Pomfrey insisted on keeping Harry in the hospital wing for the rest of the weekend. He didn't argue or complain, but he wouldn't let her throw away the shattered remnants of his Nimbus Two Thousand. He knew he was being stupid, knew that the Nimbus was beyond repair, but Harry couldn't help it; he felt as though he'd lost one of his best friends. He had a stream of visitors, all intent on cheering him up. Hagrid sent him a bunch of earwiggy flowers that looked like yellow cabbages, and Ginny Weasley, blushing furiously, turned up with a get-well card she had made herself, which sang shrilly unless Harry kept it shut under his bowl of fruit. The Gryffindor team visited again on Sunday morning, this time accompanied by Wood, who told Harry (in a hollow, dead sort of voice) that he didn't blame him in the slightest. Ron and Hermione left Harry's bedside only at night. But nothing anyone said or did could make Harry feel any better, because they knew only half of what was troubling him. He hadn't told anyone about the Grim, not even Ron and Hermione, because he knew Ron would panic and Hermione would scoff. The fact remained, however, that it had now appeared twice, and both appearances had been followed by near-fatal accidents; the first time, he had nearly been run over by the Knight Bus; the second, fallen fifty feet from his broomstick. Was the Grim going to haunt him until he actually died? Was he going to spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder for the beast? And then there were the Dementors. Harry felt sick and humiliated every time he thought of them. Everyone said the Dementors were horrible, but no one else collapsed every time they went near one. No one else heard echoes in their head of their dying parents. Because Harry knew who that screaming voice belonged to now. He had heard her words, heard them over and over again during the night hours in the hospital wing while he lay awake, staring at the strips of moonlight on the ceiling. When the Dementors approached him, he heard the last moments of his mother's life, her attempts to protect him, Harry, from Lord Voldemort, and Voldemort's laughter before he murdered her†¦Harry dozed fitfully, sinking into dreams full of clammy, rotted hands and petrified pleading, jerking awake to dwell again on his mother's voice. It was a relief to return to the noise and bustle of the main school on Monday, where he was forced to think about other things, even if he had to endure Draco Malfoy's taunting. Malfoy was almost beside himself with glee at Gryffindor's defeat. He had finally taken off his bandages, and celebrated having the full use of both arms again by doing spirited imitations of Harry falling off his broom. Malfoy spent much of their next Potions class doing Dementor imitations across the dungeon; Ron finally cracked and flung a large, slippery crocodile heart at Malfoy, which hit him in the face and caused Snape to take fifty points from Gryffindor. â€Å"If Snape's teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts again, I'm skiving off,† said Ron as they headed toward Lupin's classroom after lunch. â€Å"Check who's in there, Hermione.† Hermione peered around the classroom door. â€Å"It's okay!† Professor Lupin was back at work. It certainly looked as though he had been ill. His old robes were hanging more loosely on him and there were dark shadows beneath his eyes; nevertheless, he smiled at the class as they took their seats, and they burst at once into an explosion of complaints about Snape's behavior while Lupin had been ill. â€Å"It's not fair, he was only filling in, why should he give us homework?† â€Å"We don't know anything about werewolves –â€Å" â€Å"– two rolls of parchment!† â€Å"Did you tell Professor Snape we haven't covered them yet?† Lupin asked, frowning slightly. The babble broke out again. â€Å"Yes, but he said we were really behind –â€Å" â€Å"– he wouldn't listen –â€Å" â€Å"– two rolls of parchment!† Professor Lupin smiled at the look of indignation on every face. â€Å"Don't worry. I'll speak to Professor Snape. You don't have to do the essay.† â€Å"Oh no,† said Hermione, looking very disappointed. â€Å"I've already finished it!† They had a very enjoyable lesson. Professor Lupin had brought along a glass box containing a Hinkypunk, a little one-legged creature who looked as though he were made of wisps of smoke, rather frail and harmless looking. â€Å"Lures travelers into bogs,† said Professor Lupin as they took notes. â€Å"You notice the lantern dangling from his hand? Hops ahead — people follow the light — then –â€Å" The Hinkypunk made a horrible squelching noise against the glass. When the bell rang, everyone gathered up their things and headed for the door, Harry among them, but — â€Å"Wait a moment, Harry,† Lupin called. â€Å"I'd like a word.† Harry doubled back and watched Professor Lupin covering the Hinkypunk's box with a cloth. â€Å"I heard about the match,† said Lupin, turning back to his desk and starting to pile books into his briefcase, â€Å"and I'm sorry about your broomstick. Is there any chance of fixing it?† â€Å"No,† said Harry. â€Å"The tree smashed it to bits.† Lupin sighed. â€Å"They planted the Whomping Willow the same year that I arrived at Hogwarts. People used to play a game, trying to get near enough to touch the trunk. In the end, a boy called Davey Gudgeon nearly lost an eye, and we were forbidden to go near it. No broomstick would have a chance.† â€Å"Did you hear about the Dementors too?† said Harry with difficulty. Lupin looked at him quickly. â€Å"Yes, I did. I don't think any of us have seen Professor Dumbledore that angry. They have been growing restless for some time†¦furious at his refusal to let them inside the grounds†¦I suppose they were the reason you fell?† â€Å"Yes,† said Harry. He hesitated, and then the question he had to ask burst from him before he could stop himself. â€Å"Why? Why do they affect me like that? Am I just –?† â€Å"It has nothing to do with weakness,† said Professor Lupin sharply, as though he had read Harry's mind. â€Å"The Dementors affect you worse than the others because there are horrors in your past that the others don't have.† A ray of wintry sunlight fell across the classroom, illuminating Lupin's gray hairs and the lines on his young face. â€Å"Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest places, they glory in decay and despair, they drain peace, hope, and happiness out of the air around them. Even Muggles feel their presence, though they can't see them. Get too near a Dementor and every good feeling, every happy memory will be sucked out of you. If it can, the Dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself — soul-less and evil. You'll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life. And the worst that happened to you, Harry, is enough to make anyone fall off their broom. You have nothing to feel ashamed of.† â€Å"When they get near me –† Harry stared at Lupin's desk, his throat tight. â€Å"I can hear Voldemort murdering my mum.† Lupin made a sudden motion with his arm as though to grip Harry's shoulder, but thought better of it. There was a moment's silence, then — â€Å"Why did they have to come to the match?† said Harry bitterly. â€Å"They're getting hungry,† said Lupin coolly, shutting his briefcase with a snap. â€Å"Dumbledore won't let them into the school, so their supply of human prey has dried up†¦I don't think they could resist the large crowd around the Quidditch field. All that excitement†¦emotions running high†¦it was their idea of a feast.† â€Å"Azkaban must be terrible,† Harry muttered. Lupin nodded grimly. â€Å"The fortress is set on a tiny island, way out to sea, but they don't need walls and water to keep the prisoners in, not when they're all trapped inside their own heads, incapable of a single cheery thought. Most of them go mad within weeks.† â€Å"But Sirius Black escaped from them,† Harry said slowly. â€Å"He got away†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Lupin's briefcase slipped from the desk; he had to stoop quickly to catch it. â€Å"Yes,† he said, straightening up, â€Å"Black must have found a way to fight them. I wouldn't have believed it possible†¦Dementors are supposed to drain a wizard of his powers if he is left with them too long†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You made that Dementor on the train back off,† said Harry suddenly. â€Å"There are — certain defenses one can use,† said Lupin. â€Å"But there was only one Dementor on the train. The more there are, the more difficult it becomes to resist.† â€Å"What defenses?† said Harry at once. â€Å"Can you teach me?† â€Å"I don't pretend to be an expert at fighting Dementors, Harry — quite the contrary†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"But if the Dementors come to another Quidditch match, I need to be able to fight them –â€Å" Lupin looked into Harry's determined face, hesitated, then said, â€Å"Well†¦all right. I'll try and help. But it'll have to wait until next term, I'm afraid. I have a lot to do before the holidays. I chose a very inconvenient time to fall ill.† ****** What with the promise of anti-Dementor lessons from Lupin, the thought that he might never have to hear his mother's death again, and the fact that Ravenclaw flattened Hufflepuff in their Quidditch match at the end of November, Harry's mood took a definite upturn. Gryffindor were not out of the running after all, although they could not afford to lose another match. Wood became repossessed of his manic energy, and worked his team as hard as ever in the chilly haze of rain that persisted into December. Harry saw no hint of a Dementor within the grounds. Dumbledore's anger seemed to be keeping them at their stations at the entrances. Two weeks before the end of the term, the sky lightened suddenly to a dazzling, opaline white and the muddy grounds were revealed one morning covered in glittering frost. Inside the castle, there was a buzz of Christmas in the air. Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, had already decorated his classroom with shimmering lights that turned out to be real, fluttering fairies. The students were all happily discussing their plans for the holidays. Both Ron and Hermione had decided to remain at Hogwarts, and though Ron said it was because he couldn't stand two weeks with Percy, and Hermione insisted she needed to use the library, Harry wasn't fooled; they were doing it to keep him company, and he was very grateful. To everyone's delight except Harry's, there was to be another Hogsmeade trip on the very last weekend of the term. â€Å"We can do all our Christmas shopping there!† said Hermione. â€Å"Mum and Dad would really love those Toothflossing Stringmints from Honeydukes!† Resigned to the fact that he would be the only third year staying behind again, Harry borrowed a copy of Which Broomstick from Wood, and decided to spend the day reading up on the different makes. He had been riding one of the school brooms at team practice, an ancient Shooting Star, which was very slow and jerky; he definitely needed a new broom of his own. On the Saturday morning of the Hogsmeade trip, Harry bid good-bye to Ron and Hermione, who were wrapped in cloaks and scarves, then turned up the marble staircase alone, and headed back toward Gryffindor Tower. Snow had started to fall outside the windows, and the castle was very still and quiet. â€Å"Psst — Harry!† He turned, halfway along the third-floor corridor, to see Fred and George peering out at him from behind a statue of a humpbacked, one-eyed witch. â€Å"What are you doing?† said Harry curiously. â€Å"How come you're not going to Hogsmeade?† â€Å"We've come to give you a bit of festive cheer before we go,† said Fred, with a mysterious wink. â€Å"Come in here†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He nodded toward an empty classroom to the left of the one-eyed statue. Harry followed Fred and George inside. George closed the door quietly and then turned, beaming, to look at Harry. â€Å"Early Christmas present for you, Harry,† he said. Fred pulled something from inside his cloak with a flourish and laid it on one of the desks. It was a large, square, very worn piece of parchment with nothing written on it. Harry, suspecting one of Fred and George's jokes, stared at it. â€Å"What's that supposed to be?† â€Å"This, Harry, is the secret of our success,† said George, patting the parchment fondly. â€Å"It's a wrench, giving it to you,† said Fred, â€Å"but we decided last night, your need's greater than ours.† â€Å"Anyway, we know it by heart,† said George. â€Å"We bequeath it to you. We don't really need it anymore.† â€Å"And what do I need with a bit of old parchment?† said Harry. â€Å"A bit of old parchment!† said Fred, closing his eyes with a grimace as though Harry had mortally offended him. â€Å"Explain, George.† â€Å"Well†¦when we were in our first year, Harry — young, carefree, and innocent –â€Å" Harry snorted. He doubted whether Fred and George had ever been innocent. â€Å"?C well, more innocent than we are now — we got into a spot of bother with Filch.† â€Å"We let off a Dungbomb in the corridor and it upset him for some reason –â€Å" â€Å"So he hauled us off to his office and started threatening us with the usual –â€Å" â€Å"– detention –â€Å" â€Å"– disembowelment –â€Å" â€Å"– and we couldn't help noticing a drawer in one of his filing cabinets marked Confiscated and Highly Dangerous.† â€Å"Don't tell me –† said Harry, starting to grin. â€Å"Well, what would you've done?† said Fred. â€Å"George caused a diversion by dropping another Dungbomb, I whipped the drawer open, and grabbed — this.† â€Å"It's not as bad as it sounds, you know,† said George. â€Å"We don't reckon Filch ever found out how to work it. He probably suspected what it was, though, or he wouldn't have confiscated it.† â€Å"And you know how to work it?† â€Å"Oh yes,† said Fred, smirking. â€Å"This little beauty's taught us more than all the teachers in this school.† â€Å"You're winding me up,† said Harry, looking at the ragged old bit of parchment. â€Å"Oh, are we?† said George. He took out his wand, touched the parchment lightly, and said, â€Å"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.† And at once, thin ink lines began to spread like a spider's web from the point that George's wand had touched. They joined each other, they crisscrossed, they fanned into every corner of the parchment; then words began to blossom across the top, great, curly green words, that proclaimed: Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present THE MARAUDER'S MAP It was a map showing every detail of the Hogwarts castle and grounds. But the truly remarkable thing were the tiny ink dots moving around it, each labeled with a name in minuscule writing. Astounded, Harry bent over it. A labeled dot in the top left corner showed that Professor Dumbledore was pacing his study; the caretaker's cat, Mrs. Norris, was prowling the second floor; and Peeves the Poltergeist was currently bouncing around the trophy room. And as Harry's eyes traveled up and down the familiar corridors, he noticed something else. This map showed a set of passages he had never entered. And many of them seemed to lead — â€Å"Right into Hogsmeade,† said Fred, tracing one of them with his finger. â€Å"There are seven in all. Now, Filch knows about these four† — he pointed them out — â€Å"but we're sure we're the only ones who know about these. Don't bother with the one behind the mirror on the fourth floor. We used it until last winter, but it's caved in — completely blocked. And we don't reckon anyone's ever used this one, because the Whomping Willow's planted right over the entrance. But this one here, this one leads right into the cellar of Honeydukes. We've used it loads of times. And as you might've noticed, the entrance is right outside this room, through that one-eyed old crone's hump.† â€Å"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs,† sighed George, patting the heading of the map. â€Å"We owe them so much.† â€Å"Noble men, working tirelessly to help a new generation of lawbreakers,† said Fred solemnly. â€Å"Right,† said George briskly. â€Å"Don't forget to wipe it after you've used it –â€Å" â€Å"– or anyone can read it,† Fred said warningly. â€Å"Just tap it again and say, â€Å"Mischief managed!† And it'll go blank.† â€Å"So, young Harry,† said Fred, in an uncanny impersonation of Percy, â€Å"mind you behave yourself.† â€Å"See you in Honeydukes,† said George, winking. They left the room, both smirking in a satisfied sort of way. Harry stood there, gazing at the miraculous map. He watched the tiny ink Mrs. Norris turn left and pause to sniff at something on the floor. If Filch really didn't know†¦he wouldn't have to pass the Dementors at all†¦. But even as he stood there, flooded with excitement, something Harry had once heard Mr. Weasley say came floating out of his memory. Never trust anything that can think for itself, if you can't see where it keeps its brain. This map was one of those dangerous magical objects Mr. Weasley had been warning against†¦Aids for Magical Mischief Makers†¦but then, Harry reasoned, he only wanted to use it to get into Hogsmeade, it wasn't as though he wanted to steal anything or attack anyone†¦and Fred and George had been using it for years without anything horrible happening†¦ Harry traced the secret passage to Honeydukes with his finger. Then, quite suddenly, as though following orders, he rolled up the map, stuffed it inside his robes, and hurried to the door of the classroom. He opened it a couple of inches. There was no one outside. Very carefully, he edged out of the room and behind the statue of the one-eyed witch. What did he have to do? He pulled out the map again and saw to his astonishment, that a new ink figure had appeared upon it, labeled ‘Harry Potter'. This figure was standing exactly where the real Harry was standing, about halfway down the third-floor corridor. Harry watched carefully. His little Ink self appeared to be tapping the witch with his minute wand. Harry quickly took out his real wand and tapped the statue. Nothing happened. He looked back at the map. The tiniest speech bubble had appeared next to his figure. The word inside said, ‘Dissendium.' â€Å"Dissendium!† Harry whispered, tapping the stone witch again. At once, the statue's hump opened wide enough to admit a fairly thin person. Harry glanced quickly up and down the corridor, then tucked the map away again, hoisted himself into the hole headfirst, and pushed himself forward. He slid a considerable way down what felt like a stone slide, then landed on cold, damp earth. He stood up, looking around. It was pitch dark. He held up his wand, muttered, â€Å"Lumos!† and saw that he was in a very narrow, low, earthy passageway. He raised the map, tapped it with the tip of his wand, and muttered, â€Å"Mischief managed!† The map went blank at once. He folded it carefully, tucked it inside his robes, then, heart beating fast, both excited and apprehensive, he set off. The passage twisted and turned, more like the burrow of a giant rabbit than anything else. Harry hurried along it, stumbling now and then on the uneven floor, holding his wand out in front of him. It took ages, but Harry had the thought of Honeydukes to sustain him. After what felt like an hour, the passage began to rise. Panting, Harry sped up, his face hot, his feet very cold. Ten minutes later, he came to the foot of some worn stone steps, which rose out of sight above him. Careful not to make any noise, Harry began to climb. A hundred steps, two hundred steps, he lost count as he climbed, watching his feet†¦then, without warning, his head hit something hard. It seemed to be a trapdoor. Harry stood there, massaging the top of his head, listening. He couldn't hear any sounds above him. Very slowly, he pushed the trapdoor open and peered over the edge. He was in a cellar, which was full of wooden crates and boxes. Harry climbed out of the trapdoor and replaced it — it blended so perfectly with the dusty floor that it was impossible to tell it was there. Harry crept slowly toward the wooden staircase that led upstairs. Now he could definitely hear voices, not to mention the tinkle of a bell and the opening and shutting of a door. Wondering what he ought to do, he suddenly heard a door open much closer at hand; somebody was about to come downstairs. â€Å"And get another box of Jelly Slugs, dear, they've nearly cleaned us out –† said a woman's voice. A pair of feet was coming down the staircase. Harry leapt behind an enormous crate and waited for the footsteps to pass. He heard the man shifting boxes against the opposite wall. He might not get another chance — Quickly and silently, Harry dodged out from his hiding place and climbed the stairs; looking back, he saw an enormous backside and shiny bald head, buried in a box. Harry reached the door at the top of the stairs, slipped through it, and found himself behind the counter of Honeydukes — he ducked, crept sideways, and then straightened up. Honeydukes was so crowded with Hogwarts students that no one looked twice at Harry. He edged among them, looking around, and suppressed a laugh as he imagined the look that would spread over Dudley's piggy face if he could see where Harry was now. There were shelves upon shelves of the most succulent-looking sweets imaginable. Creamy chunks of nougat, shimmering pink squares of coconut ice, fat, honey-colored toffees; hundreds of different kinds of chocolate in neat rows; there was a large barrel of Every Flavor Beans, and another of Fizzing Whizbees, the levitating sherbet balls that Ron had mentioned; along yet another wall were ‘Special Effects' — sweets: Droobles Best Blowing Gum (which filled a room with bluebell-colored bubbles that refused to pop for days), the strange, splintery Toothflossing Stringmints, tiny black Pepper Imps (‘breathe fire for your friends!'), Ice Mice (‘hear your teeth chatter and squeak!'), peppermint creams shaped like toads (‘hop realistically in the stomach!'), fragile sugar-spun quills, and exploding bonbons. Harry squeezed himself through a crowd of sixth years and saw a sign hanging in the farthest corner of the shop (UNUSUAL TASTES). Ron and Hermione were standing underneath it, examining a tray of blood-flavored lollipops. Harry sneaked up behind them. â€Å"Ugh, no, Harry won't want one of those, they're for vampires, I expect,† Hermione was saying. â€Å"How about these?† said Ron, shoving a jar of Cockroach Clusters under Hermione's nose. â€Å"Definitely not,† said Harry. Ron nearly dropped the jar. â€Å"Harry!† squealed Hermione. â€Å"What are you doing here? How — how did you –?† â€Å"Wow!† said Ron, looking very impressed, â€Å"you've learned to Apparate!† â€Å"‘Course I haven't,† said Harry. He dropped his voice so that none of the sixth years could hear him and told them all about the Marauder's Map. â€Å"How come Fred and George never gave it to me!† said Ron, outraged. â€Å"I'm their brother!† â€Å"But Harry isn't going to keep it!† said Hermione, as though the idea were ludicrous. â€Å"He's going to hand it in to Professor McGonagall, aren't you, Harry?† â€Å"No, I'm not!† said Harry. â€Å"Are you mad?† said Ron, goggling at Hermione. â€Å"Hand in something that good?† â€Å"If I hand it in, I'll have to say where I got it! Filch would know Fred and George had nicked it!† â€Å"But what about Sirius Black?† Hermione hissed. â€Å"He could be using one of the passages on that map to get into the castle! The teachers have got to know!† â€Å"He can't be getting in through a passage,† said Harry quickly. â€Å"There are seven secret tunnels on the map, right? Fred and George reckon Filch already knows about four of them. And of the other three — one of them's caved in, so no one can get through it. One of them's got the Whomping Willow planted over the entrance, so you can't get out of it. And the one I just came through — well — it's really hard to see the entrance to it down in the cellar — so unless he knew it was there –â€Å" Harry hesitated. What if Black did know the passage was there? Ron, however, cleared his throat significantly, and pointed to a notice pasted on the inside of the sweetshop door. BY ORDER OF THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC Customers are reminded that until further notice, Dementors will be patrolling the streets of Hogsmeade every night after sundown. This measure has been put in place for the safety of Hogsmeade residents and will be lifted upon the recapture of Sirius Black. It is therefore advisable that you complete your shopping well before nightfall. Merry Christmas! â€Å"See?† said Ron quietly. â€Å"I'd like to see Black try and break into Honeydukes with Dementors swarming all over the village. Anyway, Hermione, the Honeydukes owners would hear a break-in, wouldn't they? They live over the shop!† â€Å"Yes, but — but –† Heroine seemed to be struggling to find another problem. â€Å"Look, Harry still shouldn't be coming into Hogsmeade. He hasn't got a signed form! If anyone finds out, he'll be in so much trouble! And it's not nightfall yet — what if Sirius Black turns up today? Now?† â€Å"He'd have a job spotting Harry in this,† said Ron, nodding through the mullioned windows at the thick, swirling snow. â€Å"Come on, Hermione, it's Christmas. Harry deserves a break.† Hermione bit her lip, looking extremely worried. â€Å"Are you going to report me?† Harry asked her, grinning. â€Å"Oh — of course not — but honestly, Harry –â€Å" â€Å"Seen the Fizzing Whizbees, Harry?† said Ron, grabbing him and leading him over to their barrel. â€Å"And the Jelly Slugs? And the Acid Pops? Fred gave me one of those when I was seven — it burnt a hole right through my tongue. I remember Mum walloping him with her broomstick.† Ron stared broodingly into the Acid Pop box. â€Å"Reckon Fred'd take a bite of Cockroach Cluster if I told him they were peanuts?† When Ron and Hermione had paid for all their sweets, the three of them left Honeydukes for the blizzard outside. Hogsmeade looked like a Christmas card; the little thatched cottages and shops were all covered in a layer of crisp snow; there were holly wreaths on the doors and strings of enchanted candles hanging in the trees. Harry shivered; unlike the other two, he didn't have his cloak. They headed up the street, heads bowed against the wind, Ron and Hermione shouting through their scarves. â€Å"That's the post office –â€Å" â€Å"Zonko's is up there –â€Å" â€Å"We could go up to the Shrieking Shack –â€Å" â€Å"Tell you what,† said Ron, his teeth chattering, â€Å"shall we go for a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks?† Harry was more than willing; the wind was fierce and his hands were freezing, so they crossed the road, and in a few minutes were entering the tiny inn. It was extremely crowded, noisy, warm, and smoky. A curvy sort of woman with a pretty face was serving a bunch of rowdy warlocks up at the bar. â€Å"That's Madam Rosmerta,† said Ron. â€Å"I'll get the drinks, shall I?† he added, going slightly red. Harry and Hermione made their way to the back of the room, where there was a small, vacant table between the window and a handsome Christmas tree, which stood next to the fireplace. Ron came back five minutes later, carrying three foaming tankards of hot butterbeer. â€Å"Merry Christmas!† he said happily, raising his tankard. Harry drank deeply. It was the most delicious thing he'd ever tasted and seemed to heat every bit of him from the inside. A sudden breeze ruffled his hair. The door of the Three Broomsticks had opened again. Harry looked over the rim of his tankard and choked. Professors McGonagall and Flitwick had just entered the pub with a flurry of snowflakes, shortly followed by Hagrid, who was deep in conversation with a portly man in a lime-green bowler hat and a pinstriped cloak — Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic. In an instant, Ron and Hermione had both placed hands on the top of Harry's head and forced him off his stool and under the table. Dripping with butterbeer and crouching out of sight, Harry clutched his empty tankard and watched the teachers' and Fudge's feet move toward the bar, pause, then turn and walk right toward him. Somewhere above him, Hermione whispered, â€Å"Mobiliarbus!† The Christmas tree beside their table rose a few inches off the ground, drifted sideways, and landed with a soft thump right in front of their table, hiding them from view. Staring through the dense lower branches, Harry saw four sets of chair legs move back from the table right beside theirs, then heard the grunts and sighs of the teachers and minister as they sat down. Next he saw another pair of feet, wearing sparkly turquoise high heels, and heard a woman's voice. â€Å"A small gillywater –â€Å" â€Å"Mine,† said Professor McGonagall's voice. â€Å"Four pints of mulled mead –â€Å" â€Å"Ta, Rosmerta,† said Hagrid. â€Å"A cherry syrup and soda with ice and umbrella –â€Å" â€Å"Mmm!† said Professor Flitwick, smacking his lips. â€Å"So you'll be the red currant rum, Minister.† â€Å"Thank you, Rosmerta, m'dear,† said Fudge's voice. â€Å"Lovely to see you again, I must say. Have one yourself, won't you? Come and join us†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Well, thank you very much, Minister.† Harry watched the glittering heels march away and back again. His heart was pounding uncomfortably in his throat. Why hadn't it occurred to him that this was the last weekend of term for the teachers too? And how long were they going to sit there? He needed time to sneak back into Honeydukes if he wanted to return to school tonight †¦ Hermione's leg gave a nervous twitch next to him. â€Å"So, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?† came Madam Rosmerta's voice. Harry saw the lower part of Fudge's thick body twist in his chair as though he were checking for eavesdroppers. Then he said in a quiet voice, â€Å"What else, m'dear, but Sirius Black? I daresay you heard what happened up at the school at Halloween?† â€Å"I did hear a rumor,† admitted Madam Rosmerta. â€Å"Did you tell the whole pub, Hagrid?† said Professor McGonagall exasperatedly. â€Å"Do you think Black's still in the area, Minister?† whispered Madam Rosmerta. â€Å"I'm sure of it,† said Fudge shortly. â€Å"You know that the Dementors have searched the whole village twice?† said Madam Rosmerta, a slight edge to her voice. â€Å"Scared all my customers away†¦It's very bad for business, Minister.† â€Å"Rosmerta, dear, I don't like them any more than you do,† said Fudge uncomfortably. â€Å"Necessary precaution†¦ unfortunate, but there you are†¦I've just met some of them. They're in a fury against Dumbledore — he won't let them inside the castle grounds.† â€Å"I should think not,† said Professor McGonagall sharply. â€Å"How are we supposed to teach with those horrors floating around?† â€Å"Hear, hear!† squeaked tiny Professor Flitwick, whose feet were dangling a foot from the ground. â€Å"All the same,† demurred Fudge, â€Å"they are here to protect you all from something much worse†¦We all know what Black's capable of†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Do you know, I still have trouble believing it,† said Madam Rosmerta thoughtfully. â€Å"Of all the people to go over to the Dark Side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought†¦I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me then what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead.† â€Å"You don't know the half of it, Rosmerta,† said Fudge gruffly. â€Å"The worst he did isn't widely known.† â€Å"The worst?† said Madam Rosmerta, her voice alive with curiosity. â€Å"Worse than murdering all those poor people, you mean?† â€Å"I certainly do,† said Fudge. â€Å"I can't believe that. What could possibly be worse?† â€Å"You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta,† murmured Professor McGonagall. â€Å"Do you remember who his best friend was?† â€Å"Naturally,† said Madam Rosmerta, with a small laugh. â€Å"Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here — ooh, they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!† Harry dropped his tankard with a loud clunk. Ron kicked him. â€Å"Precisely,† said Professor McGonagall. â€Å"Black and Potter. Ringleaders of their little gang. Both very bright, of course — exceptionally bright, in fact — but I don't think we've ever had such a pair of troublemakers –â€Å" â€Å"I dunno,† chuckled Hagrid. â€Å"Fred and George Weasley could give 'em a run fer their money.† â€Å"You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers!† chimed in Professor Flitwick. â€Å"Inseparable!† â€Å"Of course they were,† said Fudge. â€Å"Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends. Nothing changed when they left school. Black was best man when James married Lily. Then they named him godfather to Harry. Harry has no idea, of course. You can imagine how the idea would torment him.† â€Å"Because Black turned out to be in league with You-Know-Who?† whispered Madam Rosmerta. â€Å"Worse even than that, m'dear†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Fudge dropped his voice and proceeded in a sort of low rumble. â€Å"Not many people are aware that the Potters knew You-Know-Who was after them. Dumbledore, who was of course working tirelessly against You-Know-Who, had a number of useful spies. One of them tipped him off, and he alerted James and Lily at once. He advised them to go into hiding. Well, of course, You-Know-Who wasn't an easy person to hide from. Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the Fidelius Charm.† â€Å"How does that work?† said Madam Rosmerta, breathless with interest. Professor Flitwick cleared his throat. â€Å"An immensely complex spell,† he said squeakily, â€Å"involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living soul. The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or Secret-Keeper, and is henceforth impossible to find — unless, of course, the Secret-Keeper chooses to divulge it. As long as the Secret-Keeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed against their sitting room window!† â€Å"So Black was the Potters' Secret-Keeper?† whispered Madam Rosmerta. â€Å"Naturally,† said Professor McGonagall. â€Å"James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would die rather than tell where they were, that Black was planning to go into hiding himself†¦and yet, Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the Potters' Secret-Keeper himself.† â€Å"He suspected Black?† gasped Madam Rosmerta. â€Å"He was sure that somebody close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements,† said Professor McGonagall darkly. â€Å"Indeed, he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing a lot of information to You-Know-Who.† â€Å"But James Potter insisted on using Black?† â€Å"He did,† said Fudge heavily. â€Å"And then, barely a week after the Fidelius Charm had been performed –â€Å" â€Å"Black betrayed them?† breathed Madam Rosmerta. â€Å"He did indeed. Black was tired of his double-agent role, he was ready to declare his support openly for You-Know-Who, and he seems to have planned this for the moment of the Potters' death. But, as we all know, You-Know-Who met his downfall in little Harry Potter. Powers gone, horribly weakened, he fled. And this left Black in a very nasty position indeed. His master had fallen at the very moment when he, Black, had shown his true colors as a traitor. He had no choice but to run for it –â€Å" â€Å"Filthy, stinkin' turncoat!† Hagrid said, so loudly that half the bar went quiet. â€Å"Shh!† said Professor McGonagall. â€Å"I met him!† growled Hagrid. â€Å"I musta bin the last ter see him before he killed all them people! It was me what rescued Harry from Lily an' James's house after they was killed! Jus' got him outta the ruins, poor little thing, with a great slash across his forehead, an' his parents dead†¦an' Sirius Black turns up, on that flyin' motorbike he used ter ride. Never occurred ter me what he was doin' there. I didn' know he'd bin Lily an' James's Secret-Keeper. Thought he'd jus' heard the news o' You-Know-Who's attack an' come ter see what he could do. White an' shakin', he was. An' yeh know what I did? I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!† Hagrid roared. â€Å"Hagrid, please!† said Professor McGonagall. â€Å"Keep your voice down!† â€Å"How was I ter know he wasn' upset abou' Lily an' James? It was You-Know-Who he cared abou'! An' then he says, â€Å"Give Harry ter me, Hagrid, I'm his godfather, I'll look after him –† Ha! But I'd had me orders from Dumbledore, an' I told Black no, Dumbledore said Harry was ter go ter his aunt an' uncle's. Black argued, but in the end he gave in. Told me ter take his motorbike ter get Harry there. â€Å"I won't need it anymore,† he says. â€Å"I shoulda known there was somethin' fishy goin' on then. He loved that motorbike, what was he givin' it ter me for? Why wouldn' he need it anymore? Fact was, it was too easy ter trace. Dumbledore knew he'd bin the Potters' Secret-Keeper. Black knew he was goin' ter have ter run fer it that night, knew it was a matter o' hours before the Ministry was after him. â€Å"But what if I'd given Harry to him, eh? I bet he'd've pitched him off the bike halfway out ter sea. His bes' friends' son! But when a wizard goes over ter the Dark Side, there's nothin' and no one that matters to em anymore†¦Ã¢â‚¬  A long silence followed Hagrid's story. Then Madam Rosmerta said with some satisfaction, â€Å"But he didn't manage to disappear, did he? The Ministry of Magic caught up with him next day!† â€Å"Alas, if only we had,† said Fudge bitterly. â€Å"It was not we who found him. It was little Peter Pettigrew — another of the Potters' friends. Maddened by grief, no doubt, and knowing that Black had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper, he went after Black himself.† â€Å"Pettigrew†¦that fat little boy who was always tagging around after them at Hogwarts?† said Madam Rosmerta. â€Å"Hero-worshipped Black and Potter,† said Professor McGonagall. â€Å"Never quite in their league, talent-wise. I was often rather sharp with him. You can imagine how I — how I regret that now†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She sounded as though she had a sudden head cold. â€Å"There, now, Minerva,† said Fudge kindly, â€Å"Pettigrew died a hero's death. Eyewitnesses — Muggles, of course, we wiped their memories later — told us how Pettigrew cornered Black. They say he was sobbing, ‘Lily and James, Sirius! How could you?' And then he went for his wand. Well, of course, Black was quicker. Blew Pettigrew to smithereens†¦.† Professor McGonagall blew her nose and said thickly, â€Å"Stupid boy†¦foolish boy†¦he was always hopeless at dueling†¦should have left it to the Ministry †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I tell yeh, if I'd got ter Black before little Pettigrew did, I wouldn't've messed around with wands — I'd ‘ve ripped him limb — from — limb,† Hagrid growled. â€Å"You don't know what you're talking about, Hagrid,† said Fudge sharply. â€Å"Nobody but trained Hit Wizards from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad would have stood a chance against Black once he was cornered. I was Junior Minister in the Department of Magical Catastrophes at the time, and I was one of the first on the scene after Black murdered all those people. I — I will never forget it. I still dream about it sometimes. A crater in the middle of the street, so deep it had cracked the sewer below. Bodies everywhere. Muggles screaming. And Black standing there laughing, with what was left of Pettigrew in front of him†¦a heap of bloodstained robes and a few — a few fragments –â€Å" Fudge's voice stopped abruptly. There was the sound of five noses being blown. â€Å"Well, there you have it, Rosmerta,† said Fudge thickly. â€Å"Black was taken away by twenty members of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad and Pettigrew received the Order of Merlin, First Class, which I think was some comfort to his poor mother. Black's been in Azkaban ever since.† Madam Rosmerta let out a long sigh. â€Å"Is it true he's mad, Minister?† â€Å"I wish I could say that he was,† said Fudge slowly. â€Å"I certainly believe his master's defeat unhinged him for a while. The murder of Pettigrew and all those Muggles was the action of a cornered and desperate man — cruel†¦ pointless. Yet I met Black on my last inspection of Azkaban. You know, most of the prisoners in there sit muttering to themselves in the dark; there's no sense in them†¦but I was shocked at how normal Black seemed. He spoke quite rationally to me. It was unnerving. You'd have thought he was merely bored — asked if I'd finished with my newspaper, cool as you please, said he missed doing the crossword. Yes, I was astounded at how little effect the Dementors seemed to be having on him — and he was one of the most heavily guarded in the place, you know. Dementors outside his door day and night.† â€Å"But what do you think he's broken out to do?† said Madam Rosmerta. â€Å"Good gracious, Minister, he isn't trying to rejoin You-Know-Who, is he?† â€Å"I daresay that is his — er — eventual plan,† said Fudge evasively. â€Å"But we hope to catch Black long before that. I must say, You-Know-Who alone and friendless is one thing†¦but give him back his most devoted servant, and I shudder to think how quickly he'll rise again†¦Ã¢â‚¬  There was a small chink of glass on wood. Someone had set down their glass. â€Å"You know, Cornelius, if you're dining with the headmaster, we'd better head back up to the castle,† said Professor McGonagall. One by one, the pairs of feet in front of Harry took the weight of their owners once more; hems of cloaks swung into sight, and Madam Rosmerta's glittering heels disappeared behind the bar. The door of the Three Broomsticks opened again, there was another flurry of snow, and the teachers had disappeared. â€Å"Harry?† Ron's and Hermione's faces appeared under the table. They were both staring at him, lost for words.