Health Benefits of Seaweed Essay

Food is an important component of health because the body can receive more nutrients from it such as vegetables, fruits or seafood. In regards to seafood, we cannot forget to mention seaweed. The issue of health benefits of seaweed has grown in importance. In addition, scientist has proven that seaweed has the widest range of minerals. It is not only a good source of nutrients can prevent some diseases but also giving individual and natural beauty. Seaweed has many different types and colors and each type of seaweed has a unique nutrient composition. A study has confirmed that seaweed inherently benefits for health; it has many minerals which are available in the food people eat such as iron, calcium, B-vitamin or magnesium†¦ that can against lots of diseases. For example, seaweed is very high in lignans, which help the body prevent the chemical oestrogens that can cause breast cancer in woman. Additionally, magnesium has been shown that can reduce heart attack for people who has a high blood pressure. Moreover, seaweed is a rich source of fiber molecule align that can prevent constipation from our body. About B-vitamin folic acid, it reduces colon cancer. Or the folic acid, it has a role in protecting others important like prevent certain birth defects; including spina bifida and the chemical Homocysteine – cardiovascular disease and stroke†¦ Not only that, seaweed can cure stressful in humans with magnesium, pantothenic acid and riboflavin. Three of them are necessary for energy production. Seaweed is also a woman’s friend because it’s high in nutrients, low in calories that help them manage their weight in diet. Like McAdams said that seaweed is a food free weight because it’s virtually fat free, it just provide only 5 to 20 calories in a meal (Health benefits), so they don’t have to worry about weight gain and control body fat. In other hand to food supply, seaweed has vitamin which benefits for natural beauty. It improves the viscosity and elasticity of your skin. Besides that, it reacts with protein to form a gel that moisturizes skin and precludes wrinkles. Wrinkles are the enemy of women so they try to find the best solution to have smoother, more youthful skin in just 30 days. For your hair, seaweed has the effect of making your hair smoother, softer and lighter. The black-brown seaweed is called Arame, nourishes the scalp and hair follicles and makes your hair look healthier. So lots of companies have been producing many new products that made from seaweed. Basically, seaweed health benefits are undeniable. Seaweed is easy to make with food and it’s very popular for Asian, specially Japan and Korean. Overall, seaweeds are highly nutritious, like a book â€Å"Seaweed Beauty Guide† said: â€Å"It is a nature’s secret to balancing your metabolism, fighting disease, revitalizing body and mind. † (Cooksley 83) The findings of this research have shown that the benefits of seaweed are countless, that’s a reason why everyone should eat. The numbers of people in Europe, who discover and use seaweed, are recently increasing. Seaweed would be a â€Å"secret key† for a long and healthy life and your family.

Is Childhood Behavior Better or Worse Than It Was Years Ago? Essay

Family life compared to a hundred years ago is on the decline. Everyone moves at a fast pace these days. My Father and Mother are working to maintain the home, while my sisters and my brother are left to their own devices and there isn’t a coming together to sit down and communicate on some level. There just doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day. Technology has advanced so much compared to a hundred years ago, that we are well on our way to fuel less cars and robotic companions. Yet, with advanced technology comes the added responsibilities to maintain and seek out other avenues for even far move advanced technologies to help support the life styles we have come accustomed to. Is this then better than before when we were thankful just to have light and running water in the house? Education is by far better today than a hundred years ago! The fields of learning have been opened up to boys and girls equally to seek out far greater possibilities than were even imaginable a hundred years ago. Yet, with this privilege of learning has came a decline in our education system. The lack of adequate teachers, the high rise in disrespect for authority, just the lack of caring whether you learn or not has affected our education system. A hundred years ago the thought of a higher education was just a dream for most. If you acquired a fifth grade reading level you were doing good. Learning was a privilege, and yet today we cast an education around as if it were an article of clothing. While there has been such great strides in our would today compared to a hundred years ago, we have missed out on the carefree, thankfulness, and appreciation of the things and others around us. We take for granted what we hoped to have or even imagined we could have years ago. But now in this generation child behavior is much worse than it was years ago. Disrespect for authority figures. The fault lies with the parents to be sure. We are told to cater to our childrens emotional â€Å"needs† and that coperal puminshment is bad for them. Children require constant training, patience and love – most of todays parents are too busy or selfish to make this kind of investment. If children are allowed to control and manipulate their parents as in the description above, the parent will be helpless to teach that child anything.

Comparison of Setting in Hamlet and Trifles

William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet written in 1600 is about the protagonist Hamlet, prince of Denmark who is grieving after the loss of his father, King Hamlet. The ghost of his father visits young Hamlet and orders him to seek revenge on his uncle Claudius, the man who seized his throne and married his widowed wife. Trifles, a play by Susan Glaspell written in 1916, is a play about the search for evidence of the murder of Mr. Wright. The entire play takes place in the Wright’s kitchen in which two women, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters discover that the murderer was none other than his wife Minnie Wright. Both of these plays consist of similar themes such as grief, memory of loved ones, death and murder. This paper will argue that how the setting of the graveyard in Hamlet and the setting of the kitchen in Trifles contribute to the characters and themes in each play. Specifically, it will look at examples from Hamlet and Trifles and show how memory and grief pertain to both Hamlet and Mrs. Wright with contribution from each of the settings. Although Mrs. Wright may be the protagonist of the play, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters are almost as significant. All three women had dominating husbands who expected their women to carry out house chores, take care of the farm and raise their children; what was expected of a woman in that era. Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters accepted their roles as women, and carried out their duties as expected. Mrs. Wright on the other hand was unhappy in her home and with her life, and from Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters comments about her dreariness we learn that it is more likely she murdered her husband. For example, Mrs. Hale talks about how she was 30 years ago, â€Å"She used to wear pretty clothes and be lively, when she was Minnie Foster, one of the town girls singing in the choir† (791). However, once she became Minnie Wright and was expected to be a wife, keep her house clean and do chores, she did not enjoy it and hence did not make an effort in it. This is all evident in the state her kitchen is in, as at that time a woman’s main pride was in the way she kept her kitchen. From the setting of the kitchen, we notice how grief is significantly present in the surroundings, which cause memories from Mrs. Wright’s past to be brought up. Due to the fact that the entire play takes place in this specific setting shows that even though Mrs. Wright is not present, she is s till the protagonist. The kitchen is cold, dirty, and very still which shows that a death has just occurred in this house. It adds to the tense atmosphere of the play. Evidence to support the fact that she murdered her husband is discovered by the two women, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters in this very kitchen. This shows that Mrs. Wright spent most of her time in the kitchen, as she was expected to as a housewife, and evidently did not enjoy it. Likewise, from the play we discover that the kitchen was dirty, messy and not taken care of. For example, the county attorney points this out by exclaiming â€Å"Dirty towels! Not much of a housekeeper, would you say, ladies? † (790). As the play goes on the women then discover Mrs. Wright’s most recent disheveled knitting. Both these examples from the setting of the kitchen show us that Mrs. Wright was in a nervous state of mind, and significantly distracted in the days leading up to the murder of her husband. Finally, the most prominent event in the play is the discovery of the dead bird amongst her sewing things, which is the main evidence that Mrs. Wright did murder her husband. Upon discovering this evidence however, both the women choose to keep it to themselves, in order to protect one of their own. The narration of the memory of Minnie Foster creates a sense of grief for the women towards Mrs. Wright and what she was going through. It is tragic because Mrs. Wright transformed from a happy, choir singing, jolly independent woman, to a quiet housewife who knits and keeps to herself most of the time. For example, Mrs. Hale compares her to a bird to describe her character thirty years ago when she says â€Å"- come to think of it, she was kind of like a bird herself – real sweet and pretty, but kind of timid and – fluttery. How – she – did – change† (795). All this talk of who Mrs. Wright used to before she got married shows the audience what kind of woman she used to be, to what she had become. They also discuss how Mr. Wright was a hard man, and the thought of spending the day with him was horrifying. These memories of the Wright couple as individuals result in the women grieving for Mrs. Wright. This is a possible reason why they kept the evidence a secret from the sheriff and county attorney. They understand Mrs. Wright’s state of mind, and what she was going through and hence wanted to protect her as she had enough courage to act upon her misery. Although there has been a death, their grieving is for a different reason: one tha t only a woman can understand. Similarly, the setting of the graveyard in Hamlet represents the idea of death, sorrow, and grief. It is a cold place, dark at night and very quiet and one is surrounded by death. It is a prominent setting in Hamlet as it is the place in which Hamlet discovers through the ghost that it was his uncle who murdered his father. In addition it is where he finds out that his one true love Ophelia has committed suicide. He has discovered that he has lost two of the most loved people in his life. For example, in Act 1 Scene 5 the ghost says, â€Å"The serpent that did sting thy father’s life, Now wears his crown† (968). Also, when Hamlet discovers that it is Ophelia who has died, he comes forward and confesses how much he had loved her â€Å"I lov’d Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers Could not with all their quantity love make up my sum† (1043). All this contributes to Hamlet’s distressed, suicidal character. He suffered significantly after the loss of important people in his life and became depressed due to this. Shakespeare’s plays main themes are revenge, grief, depression and death. The setting of the graveyard incorporates all these themes, more specifically memory and grief, hence the reason why it is a significant setting. As mentioned earlier, throughout the play Hamlet is grieving for numerous reasons. From the beginning of the play, it was for the loss of his father, and then in his first soliloquy he talks of how fast time is moving and how his mother has wedded so fast. As the play progresses, Hamlet learns from the ghost that his very own uncle murdered his father, and that the love of his life, Ophelia has committed suicide. Due to the fact that unfortunate events are recurring so close together, Hamlet’s state of mind is evident through his words, that he is suicidal. For example, in his first soliloquy in Act one scene two, he expresses â€Å"O that this too too sallied flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve itself in a dew! Or that the Everlasting had not fix’d His canon ‘gainst [self-]slaughter! † (956). In this line, he wishes for his flesh to melt and that God had not made suicide a sin. His thoughts recur in his â€Å"To be or not to be† soliloquy. Hamlet discovers the skull of the Yorick, the old court jester from Hamlet’s childhoo d. Upon discovery of this skull, he is reminded of a fond memory from his childhood that is from so long ago, that he has forgotten how it feels. However, the discovery of this skull also makes Hamlet realize that no matter who you are, we will all die one day and return to dust. This memory makes Hamlet realize that he needs to come to terms with losses in his life, and take revenge for his father’s death. We have seen throughout this paper how the setting of the graveyard in Hamlet and the setting of the kitchen in Trifles have contributed to the characters and themes of each play. It specifically looked at how memory and grief pertain to the characters and themes. Examples from Hamlet have shown the theme of grief, and depression of the play due to the loss of loved ones. The graveyard emphasizes these themes, as well as Hamlet’s character and his actions due to his unsettled state of mind. The memory of his father causes him to grieve to a further extent, however with the memory of Yorick he realizes that even Alexander the Great, and Julius Caesar all returned to dust eventually. The kitchen in cold, dirty kitchen of Trifles represents Mrs. Wright’s state of mind leading up to the murder of her husband. Also, the memory of Minnie Foster narrated by Mrs. Hale shows how drastically her character transitioned. The women grieve for the fact that she had to take such drastic measures to claim her freedom, and hence hide their discovery of the bird.

Science policy studies - Was there a BSE crisis Essay

Science policy studies - Was there a BSE crisis - Essay Example This disease is characterized by a 4 – 5 years incubation period and its effects are adverse; after a few weeks of its onset, it often leads to the death of cattle. Researchers have indicated that as BSE gets into the brain of cattle; the spinal cord and the brain itself get affected, resulting to lesions that have alterations that are sponge-like. These lesions can be seen under the normal microscope. Some researchers have also indicated that the BSE agent is very stable, with the capability of resisting heat, drying and freezing, and more critically, resisting heat applicable in the processes of sterilization and pasteurization. This property has raised a controversy over BSE agent’s nature, as several theories have sought to explain such nature. It has been generally assumed that the BSE was derived from the disease scrapie, which occurs in sheep (Millstone and van Zwanenberg, 32), though there is no any evidence from experiments to show that this assumption is true. Further, there lacks a proof to show that BSE agent would behave like scrapie agent, which does not find its way into the human beings, when they consume the meat products that are from infected animals. Generally, the roots of the BSE crisis dates back to the traditional food policy-making and UK Agriculture. The scientists in the UK first unravelled the disease in 1986 and by the year 2002, cases preceding 181, 376 had been confirmed. After the initial discovery, the disease had also been confirmed out of the UK from 1989. This led to an alarming call that initiated the introduction of programmes for monitoring the spread of the BSE in cattle that were slaughtered or found dead. 12 countries unveiled the presence of the disease in their territories including Spain, Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland, Japan, Italy, Israel, Greece, Germany, Finland, Czech Republic and Austria (Bovine spongiform encephalopathy, 4). Measures for preventing

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 60

Assignment Example Markus & Moya implied that race is not genetically determined through the conversation, â€Å"Race Is in Our DNA†. The authors found the inaccuracy in genetic-based argument about race by arguing that biology or unchanged cultural characteristics cannot determine the race of a person (Stanford Humanities). In addition, they described race as a product of society and history because people would interact among themselves in different settings to make up the world they are living presently. Research findings then conflicted with the authors by finding out that human genome determines race, and it has been approved by many Americans. The conversation held that race is a much more complex subject that the inherent qualities of an individual or groups of people. The argument holds true for African-Americans commonly referred to as black Americans. Blacks arose because of the slave trade in South America and its neighborhood. Markus & Moya found another troubling misconception about race and ethnicity under the conversation they called â€Å"That’s just identity politics.† The two scholars found out that people turn to such interjections when the political movement of the day does not favor their race or ethnic community (Stanford Humanities). The authors identified people who treat race and ethnicity as irrelevant and use such comments as a scapegoat from critical universal concerns. The professors underline that race or ethnicity does not define or result in consequences that people face in history or political contexts. The authors argued that the people who draw attention through the lens of race or ethnicity are weak and fight for a lost course. The proponents of identity politics in the 1990s used connotation PC police to sustain or end conversations that were directed towards a disadvantaged group of people. The right wing politicians in search of academic and

Leadership Blogs Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership Blogs - Assignment Example The progress of a leader is clear when the leader which an individual influences the group of individuals to attain a common goal/ One of the best attitudes that are seen in leadership is in the movie Remember the Titans. In one of the most exemplified films, leadership is depicted by both. Both men depict leadership development as they put aside their differences for the well-being of the team. It is clear to understand that this relationship extended beyond just football, it was a testament to the development of a collaborative effort. Leadership development is a process and not a sprint, it takes time to cultivate this experience as depicted by Julius and his teammate. Putting aside differences teaches a valuable lesson that collaboratively nothing is impossible. Leadership styles in different culture vary in midst of cultures because it is based on values that are different. For instance, eastern cultures often portray leadership via fear. Dictatorship for often is stemmed for embedding fear in people. Most people have leadership in other cultures have given a promise to people that have allowed them to be leaders. For instance, Hitler was a great leader because he promised people with incentives and glory. Leaders in other cultures have always tried to promote glory and nationalism which brought them power, prestige and wealth. In most cases, the people do not approve the leadership of these leaders and are forced to follow them. Dictatorship and autocracy in the Middle East and communism has been evident throughout history. Another great example can be depicted in leaders in Great Britain. Most British leaders are diplomatic, willing to compromise, and honest. However, at times they can also inflict they supremacy when necessary. From a modern perspective, leadership styles are more of followers pushing a leader to spearhead and take a proactive role. Leaders in the modern country are more prone to criticism and hence are more democratic.

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

Immigration - Essay Example While some argue that the migrants are adversely affecting the economy as the inequality between the rich and poor has widened, it is strongly believed that any reforms to drive these migrants would disrupt the economy as the wages would rise and both the employers and the migrants would suffer. Immigrants and low-skilled immigrant workers are concentrated in a few states and in those states, in a few metropolitan areas (Chiswick, 2006). Immigrants are usually drawn to expanding cities particularly to cities with historical enclaves of earlier immigrants (Card, 2007). There is an unbalanced skill distribution and it has been observed that high-immigration cities have more low-skilled people in their local population. America is not being overrun by immigrants. The immigrants residing in the US make up for only one percent of the American population. Besides, the migrants do not enter the country illegally. Most enter legally but overstay on student or visitor visa (Cole, 1994). This only demonstrates the flaws in the US administration. Moreover, immigrants do not fill jobs but create jobs. They do not take the jobs from the Americans and there is no evidence to support this view. In fact the immigrants start their own businesses and employ both immigrants and natives. Chiswick argues that immigrants are localized and concentrated in certain areas but the jobs that migrants perform are still being done in other areas or states and a large number of these low-skilled workers are native to the United States (Chiswick, 2006). The census of 2000 shows that males between 25 and 64 years employed that year, of those with less than a high school diploma, 64% were born in the US and 36% were foreign born. Even those that have graduated from high school have not acquired any other skills essential for higher earnings and there are no low-skill jobs that American workers would or would not do. This only

Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 5

Coursework Example Therefore, the best way to use means is with large sample size because when the samples are small and has some scores that are higher than the rest, it will be skewed higher as opposed to other scores. In general, the median refers to the middle score from a list of values. It is the point at which one half of the values are above while the other half is below. The advantage of media is their less sensitivity to extremes. Therefore, they are a better measure of central tendency for use in determining the middle score or salary especially when the sample size is not big. The mode provides the salary or wage that is common, or the amount of salary that appears the most number of times in the set of salaries. The advantage is that is provides a common figure that can be used as the measure of salary payable by the institution. The disadvantage is that it may not reflect any significant statistical value for decision making The mean salary provides the average salary that is payable within a set of salaries. We are able to know the average amount of salary payable. The mean is most appropriate statistical value when making decisions regarding management of salaries. The disadvantage is that the distribution of salaries may not be normal owing to the great differences between the maximum and minimum salaries hence may not provide appropriate decision making model The median is the amount of salary that appears at the middle when the whole set of salaries are arranged from the lowest to the highest. The median only shows the salary that appears at the middle and cannot be used in decision making. Standard deviation measures the deviation of values from the mean, unlike rage that only shows the difference between the maximum and the minimum salary. Therefore, standard deviation is the most appropriate measure to assess how the salaries are distributed because it shows whether the distribution is normal or not. The standard deviation is measure variability

Strategic Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Strategic Management - Research Paper Example The mission of the company needs to be different and very clear. The important areas of mission statement include who we are, what is our business, what products do we offer, and why we chose the particular business. The important issues that will be addressed by the company in the global business environment include equal employment opportunities, child labor, and environmental factors. INTRODUCTION Tolapp Corporation is a successful US manufacturing company located in Tennessee that builds power tools, lawn mowers, lawn furniture, microwaves, and ranges. All products are manufactured locally and sold through large retailers like Sears, Best Buy, and Wal-Mart. They have sale papers inserted in every Wednesday and Sunday paper. Although they have a thriving business in the US and Canada, Tolapp is trying to break into the global marketplace. DISCUSSION Part 1 A). How would you go about defining the identity of Tolapp Corporation and creating its mission statement? The identity of Tol app Corporation can be defined by understanding the industry in which it operates i.e. power tools and lawn equipment industry. An important factor in defining the identity of Tolapp Corporation is competitors’ profile. In order to establish an identity, it is critical to focus on specific market segments and products. For instance, the company can focus on appliances or power lawn equipment. There are different ways through which the mission statement of the company can be developed. The most important factor that should be considered when creating a mission statement is the overall objective or scope of the industry. After this, it is important to identify and evaluate mission statements of other companies operating in the industry (Abrahams, 2004). The mission of the company needs to be different and very clear. The important areas of mission statement include who we are, what is our business, what products do we offer, and why we chose the particular business. The mission statement of Tolapp will be communicated to all employees in order to ensure that they share common goals. The purpose of communicating mission statement to all employees and stakeholders is to ensure that it remains real. B). Where would you look for the information? The places that would be accessed for information include websites of companies operating in the power tool industry, industry reports, industry publications, and scholarly journals. In addition, industry reports of lawn equipment and appliance industry will also be accessed. C). What do you already know about Able that can help? Following are the things that we already know about Tolapp Corporation: The first thing about Tolapp Corporation that we know is its origin. Tolapp Corporation is a company that is located in the United States. The company is present in Tennessee, a U.S. state. The second point about Tolapp Corporation is its business. The main business of the company is manufacturing. The products of the com pany include lawn furniture, lawn mowers, microwaves, and other products. The third point about the corporation is its production and distribution. The company manufactures its products locally. The products are distributed and sold with distributors such as Sears, Wal-Mart, and Best Buy. All these are famous retailers. The company is operating successfully in the United States and Canada. The company is also striving to expand its operations to other parts of the world. The company launches sales

Gender Roles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Gender Roles - Essay Example This paper describes the observations of male and female actions, relationships and behaviours under the experiment held by the author. To conduct the experiment, the author puts together a small shopping list for a local convenience store that has multiple chains across the country and frequently attracts the same overall clientele. The shopping list was to provide a basic reason for his being there as well as an excuse to wander all around the store and make observations without arousing suspicion on the part of the store employees. The ‘shopping list’ also assisted with data collection in that it provided him with an easy checklist for data collection. It was necessary to visit the store two separate times in order to observe a male employee on the floor and a female employee on the floor (i.e. assisting customers). It was as important to observe both a male and a female employee at work in order to determine the role gender played in whether or not a customer would r eceive service as it was to observe the service received by male and female customers. However, because these visits were made during comparable times of the weekday, the number of customers was approximately equal and the demands on the employees’ time were also approximately equal (both had ample time to personally assist each customer that entered the store). In addition, the two employees observed were of similar age range, each appearing to be in their early 20s and both talking with customers and other employees of college issues.

Security Essentials 1.5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Security Essentials 1.5 - Essay Example Contemporary society confronts security experts with distinct and frequently unprecedented security-associated concerns. The security sector was known as a growth sector even before 9/11 (Clifford, 2003). Affairs between civic law implementation agencies and private security experts in more recent years have been limited, even though it is purportedly transforming. History is full of cases where security purposes have been accomplished through the application of innovative minds, resourceful plans, and easily accessible solutions. Sectors evolve to meet these new social demands as society itself evolves. Exploration of artifacts offers evidence that shows attempts by the earliest communities to secure themselves from internal and external dangers. Particular communities discovered methods that were more dignified in an effort to assure security protection by building tools, starting agriculture, and settling in the long-term. These communities resided in regions with certain climates that presented particular security dangers as well as defenses (Clifford). Kangaroo justice was still a preferred option even after the establishment of formalized legislation in educated nations such as the United States. Historians commonly agree that tribal leaders or household members who represented the rest of the family determined security aims during eras that preceded recorded history and areas where legislations could not be implemented freely like the American Frontier. Archeological proof imply that civilizations dating as far back as five millennia BC designed and implemented laws to identify proper behavior. Ancient recorded attempts to build a series of criteria has been credited to the Sumerians as far back as five millennia BC. The Code of Hammurabi, 1750 BCE, is the later legal cannon that adopted Sumerian cannons, set up by King Hammurabi, and discovered in 1901. Draco’s Law applied to Athens in 621 BC and included punishments for numerous crimes that

Environmental Impacts & Consumption Essay Example for Free

Environmental Impacts Consumption Essay In an article examining resource consumption in the Welsh capital of Cardiff, Collins, et al. (2006) provide a critique of the tool known as the Ecological Footprint that has, in recent years, gained increasing currency in the assessment of anthropogenic environmental impact, as well as a brief history of its development and its implementation. By thoroughly scrutinizing the limitations and implications of Footprint methodology, Collins, et al. concluded which critical areas of consumption need to be addressed in Cardiff. Ultimately, the researchers’ goal is to provide a comprehensive value assessment of the Ecological Footprint methodology in relation to its utility in the development of sustainability policies. The article in question is entitled, â€Å"The Environmental Impacts of Consumption at a Subnational Level: The Ecological Footprint of Cardiff,† by John Barrett, Andrea Collins, Andrew Flynn, and Thomas Wiedmann. It was published in the Journal of Industrial Ecology in 2006. In it, Collins, et al, discussed the history of the Ecological Footprinting methodology, noting that it is premised on the idea that the planet has a limited ability to provide for all human resource demands. Therefore, any policy decisions regarding resource use must take this into account by balancing planetary limits against economic growth. Collins, et al, posited that humanity is currently in a state of overshoot, in which natural capital is being used faster than the planet can replenish it. Despite the strong interest which governments have taken to the use of Ecological Footprint as a sustainability indicator, it faces some criticism: Some have argued that it does not accurately reflect the impact of human consumption. Others maintain that it does not apportion the responsibility for impact in any useful manner. Regardless, Collins et al asserted that the Ecological Footprint is at the very least, useful to policy makers due to its power to communicate the link between consumption and impact. One of the key themes of the article was the need for measurements of sustainability and resource use to be fair and legitimate ones. In effect, the concern was that for any meaningful changes to be made regarding improving matters of sustainability in the city of Cardiff (or any other city for that matter) it would be necessary that data obtained is actually useful to the formulation of sustainability policy any resource use. To do otherwise, would only stymie progress in these areas or result in what other pundits have called, â€Å"greenwashing† which is the illusory notion of sustainability. As such, footprinting is designed to use standardized official and annual statistics and expenditure data to establish substantial links between personal consumption and environmental impacts, with resource use being the chain between them. As a city that has become driven primarily by finance, retail and tourism as its chief economic sectors, Cardiff’s participation in manufacturing has declined significantly over the years and developed a moderately prosperous lifestyle. However, its residents live an unsustainable lifestyle, using three times the average â€Å"earthshare,† and placing them well into overshoot. Furthermore, a majority of the resource consumption residents engage in is derived from food, travel, energy and consumables. The result is that dramatic changes will be necessary to address this. Ultimately, it is personal consumption rather than local industry that puts Cardiff residents in the position of being unequitable in their use of resources, and requires reframing social practices and institutional structures to undo these habits. These consumption domains include food and drink, with the primary area of concern being energy-intense preparation methods; transport, with concern directed towards private transportation; and tourism, with their intense reliance on catered food being of concern. In conclusion, Collins, et al, argued that Footprinting is of great utility in measuring impacts, but it must also be balanced against recognition of contexts which consumption should be set against: In the case of Cardiff, it should not be used to flatten the individual experiences of consumption, nor should its organizational nuances be neglected in assessing impacts. Simply put, the Footprint methodology is only as useful as the context it is set against, and the extent to which it is refined for socio-economic groups or geographic/subnational ones.

Implications For Maximising Pupil Learning Education Essay

Implications For Maximising Pupil Learning Education Essay Adults play an important role in extending and enhancing childrens learning. Research has shown that adult involvement, from both parents and teachers, is a key factor in improving childrens academic attainment as well as their behaviour towards learning (Desforges Abouchaar, 2003). The parents are the prime educators for a child until they reach the early years setting where teachers then begin to take on the main role of teaching. It is clear from research that both teachers and parents have important roles to play in the education of a child (Desforges Abouchaar, 2003 and Department for Children, Schools and Families, 2008). Although research has shown that teachers and parents have an impact on childrens education what is less clear is the impact that other classroom based staff and in particular teaching assistants have on their learning. Since 1997 the number of teaching assistants present in classrooms in the UK has trebled (Blatchford et al, 2012) and the number of teaching assistants has been steadily rising since the introduction of the SEN Code of Practice in 1994 which required additional support staff to assist with SEN children accessing mainstream schools (Blatchford et al, 2011). In 1998 the National Literacy Strategy (NLS) was introduced and a year later the National Numeracy Strategy (NNS) was launched. These drives involved significant input from teaching assistants and led to an increase in their responsibilities. Reports from Ofsted indicate that teaching assistants continue to play an important and effective role in the daily mathematics lessons and the literacy hour (Ofsted, 2003, pg. 4). This, therefore, highlights their value and effectiveness in delivering learning in schools. The introduction of the National Workforce Agreement (NWA), raising standards and tackling teacher workload, (Department for Education and Skills, 2003a) also aimed to raise standards and tackle the workload of teachers by increasing the number of teaching assistants in schools. This rapid increase in teaching assistant numbers in schools has been a cause of concern and research into the impact of teaching assistants on childrens learning has begun to become more evident. Most recently, the findings of the Deployment and Impact of Support Staff (DISS) project has raised concerns about the deployment of teaching assistants, their impact on childrens learning and has highlighted the need for further research (Blatchford et al, 2009a). The main assumption was that the increase in teaching assistant numbers would be beneficial to maximising pupil learning (Brown Harris, 2010 Blatchford et al, 2007). However, there is currently little systematic evidence available to confirm whether teaching assistants have a positive impact on pupil outcomes (Blatchford et al, 2011 and Alborz et al, 2009 and Rubie-Davies et al, 2010). The increasing and changing role of teaching assistants in classrooms is of importance as they have both a direct and indirect impact on childrens learning. This essay will focus on the role of teaching assistants and their impact on pupil learning. Firstly, this essay will define and review the role of the teaching assistant and what is meant by effective learning. It will then go on to critically review the current research on the impact of teaching assistants on individuals, the class as a whole and whether they are maximising or holding back pupil learning and progress. The Role of the Teaching Assistant It is apparent that there is confusion as to what the role of the teaching assistant is and there is still a lack of clarity and consensus as to how they should be utilised in schools (Blatchford et al, 2012 and Butt Lance, 2009). Teaching assistants have been prompted to take on more teaching roles in recent years and the publication of the Excellence and Enjoyment document in 2003 has encouraged the use of teaching assistants in teaching whole classes, which has added to the confusion of the role (Department for Education and Skills, 2003b). The Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) guide suggests that teaching assistants have four areas of work in supporting the school, the curriculum, the teacher and the pupil (DfEE, 2000). In 2001 the Secretary of State also suggested that the work of teaching assistants should include supervising classes, and working with small groups (HMI, 2002). In school X the definition of the role of the teaching assistant was defined as being to work alongside teachers in the classroom and help pupils with their learning on an individual or group basis (School X Role of the Teaching Assistant). The role of the teaching assistant has clearly moved from acting as a classroom helper to a direct role in supporting teaching and learning in the classroom (Vincett et al, 2005 Groom, 2006). The lack of coordination and training for teaching assistants was transformed in the DfES (2004) document which announced plans for vocational qualifications and introduced training for the higher level teaching assistant (HLTA)(Vincett et al, 2005). The HLTA responsibilities in school X were to plan and deliver learning activities under the direction of a teacher and assess, record and report on pupils progress (School X Role of the Higher Level Teaching Assistant). The range of responsibilities and the lack of clarity of what is involved in these different roles can create confusion. Teaching assistants work in a variety of roles in the clas sroom working directly with small groups, individuals and in some cases taking intervention programmes. The role of the teaching assistant and how they impact on the pupil ranges from school to school and although much of the research available suggests that teaching assistants are in fact hindering pupil progress there is some evidence that they are assisting and maximising pupil learning (Brown Harris, 2010). This essay will focus solely on the role of the teaching assistant and whether their presence maximises pupil learning. There are a variety of different terms used to describe staff that are in paid employment and assist in supporting the teacher; these include learning support assistant, paraprofessional, teaching assistant, and classroom support assistant. The DfEE states that teaching assistant is the preferred generic term (DfEE, 2000, p.3) and this essay will use the term teaching assistant to refer to all staff that support the class teacher. Effective Learning Learning is a complex and dynamic term as there are a number of different learning styles and theories about how we learn (Arthur Cremin, 2010). Learning is individual to every person and the consensus seems to be that it occurs when we assimilate knowledge through our experiences in life (Arthur Cremin, 2010 and Pritchard, 2009). The learning process does not necessarily take place in the classroom environment and it is a continuous process throughout our lives (Pritchard, 2009). Research suggests that everyone has a preferred learning style and this is the way in which we are able to learn most effectively (Pritchard, 2009). Therefore, for learning to be effective it needs to be presented in a number of different learning styles so that each individual has the opportunity to learn using their own preferred learning style. Provision also needs to be made for the sharing of ideas and concepts by the use of talk which is vital if effective learning is to take place (Arthur Cremin, 2010). In terms of learning, the three main things which were found to influence pupil progress were teaching skills, professional characteristics and the classroom climate (Haymcber, 2000). For learning to be effective in the classroom children need the opportunity in all of these areas to learn using their preferred learning style so teachers must be aware of the children in their class and use a range of strategies to promote effective learning. Essentially, effective learning can be defined in the context of this essay as being the most efficient way of concepts and knowledge being assimilated by the child. Reducing Teacher Workloads The primary expectation of the NWA was that the increase in teaching assistant numbers would release teachers from their clerical tasks so that they could focus on teaching and increasing standards (Blatchford et al, 2012). Butt Lance (2009) found that teachers agreed that their workloads had been reduced by 79% in 2009 due to the increase of teaching assistants who took over many of the clerical day to day tasks. Teachers were also found to consistently describe teaching assistants as having a positive effect on their job satisfaction (Webster et al, 2010). In school X the class teacher in Year 5 routinely commented on the benefits of having a teaching assistant in the classroom. She also described the teaching assistant as being worth her weight in gold. This was due to the amount of clerical work that the teaching assistant took away from the teachers role allowing her to do more teaching. This indicates that teachers are, therefore, able to concentrate more time on effective tea ching and planning for different learning styles which in turn maximises pupil learning. However, other research has not found this to be the case (HMI, 2002). HMI (2002) found that teachers workloads had actually increased as a result of having the responsibility for planning for the teaching assistant and managing them. In school X the teaching assistant in Year 6 was responsible for noting evidence of childrens talk for assessing pupil progress (APP) during the lesson. Although this allowed the teacher more freedom to focus his energies on teaching and planning for the lesson he also had to plan in extra time to meet with the teaching assistant so that they could discuss the progress and next steps for specific children. In this instance although the teaching assistant was meant to be freeing up time for the teacher by taking away some of the clerical tasks the teacher was, in fact, having to create extra time to review and reflect with the teaching assistant. Therefore, this see ms to go against the NWAs aim to reduce teachers workloads. The Presence of Teaching Assistants in the Classroom There is also research available that indicates that the presence of a teaching assistant in the classroom has a positive impact on pupil learning as they become more focused and there is a general reduction in the amount of teacher talk dealing with negative behaviour (Brown Harris, 2010 and Blatchford et al, 2009a and Bassett et al, 2011 and Webster et al, 2010). Blatchford et al (2007) found that more attention was paid to the teacher when a teaching assistant was present in the classroom. This in turn led to more individualised attention from the teacher when the teaching assistant was present and more on task behaviour. Although not directly related to maximising pupil learning it does suggest that when a teaching assistant is present in the classroom there is more on task behaviour which in turn leads to a better learning environment (Blatchford et al, 2007). In school X the class teacher felt that the role of the teaching assistant was primarily to deal with the behaviour of the most challenging pupils so that she could teach the rest of the class. In this scenario the teaching assistant was maximising learning for the rest of the class by allowing the teacher to continue teaching without any disruptions to the lesson. However, this is only one example of how teaching assistants are utilised in class and not all schools would necessarily use their teaching assistant in this way. Brown Harris (2010) also support the idea that teaching assistants increase attainment levels as they found a positive correlation between the increase in teaching assistants in schools and rising attainment levels. However, the study primarily looked at the relationship between expenditure on staff and changes in attainment without considering other external factors which may have influenced the results (Brown Harris, 2010). In contrast, Finn et al (2000) and Reynolds Muijs (2003) both reported that there was no effect on pupil learning when a teaching assistant was present in the classroom. It could be argued that although the presence of the teaching assistance has an impact on the learning environment how they are deployed and utilised in the lesson is what really impacts on maximising pupil learning. The Individual Child Although not always the case, teaching assistants are generally allocated to a particular individual on a one to one basis if they have SEN or behavioural issues (Webster et al, 2010). An overview of the literature by Farrell et al, (2010) suggests that teaching assistants can have a positive impact in raising academic achievement of groups of pupils with learning difficulties provided that they are deployed and trained effectively. Alborz et al, (2009) and Blatchford et al, (2009a) both support the suggestion that teaching assistants are essential for the integration of SEN pupils within mainstream schools. Alborz et al, (2009) found that out of the 14 studies four showed that teaching assistants have a positive impact on SEN in maintaining their engagement and supporting them with communicating with peers. This links into Maslows hierarchy of needs as the teaching assistant may be providing the child with the emotional support such as raising the childs confidence and self esteem. The teaching assistant therefore plays a vital role in the childs development as the child can only move onto the next stage of higher order learning once the other stages have been met (Maslow, 1943). In addition, Woolfson Truswell (2005) assessed the changes in attitudes of pupils rather than solely looking at attainment levels in a small scale sample and found that the teaching assistants enhanced the quality of learning experiences and had a positive impact on the personal and social development of the children. This can be explained partly by Maslows hierarchy of needs as the child is receiving the emotional support that they require to move on to higher order levels. Some children may find working in larger groups or speaking out in front of others difficult and the teaching assistant can help to support and encourage them to engage in the lesson. This, therefore, allows the child to access the lessons and in turn encourage their learning by becoming more confident in their o wn ideas. Teaching assistants also provide increased attention and promote a more active role in the interaction of questioning by the teacher. The teaching assistant can also increase whole class engagement during lessons and maximise the learning outcome of the lesson. In this way the teaching assistant is assisting in the scaffolding of the learning by providing a more knowledgeable other that the child can interact with (Bruner, 1986). This extended interaction between an adult and the pupil also provides an enhanced opportunity for learning. As Vygotsky says, what the child is able to do in collaboration today he will be able to do independently tomorrow (Vygotsky, 1978, p.  211). This supports the notion that by being supported by the teaching assistant and having the extended interaction they will be able to develop their learning so that eventually they will be able to carry out the task unaided. In contrast to this, Alborz et al, (2009) suggest that in some cases there was too much reliance on the teaching assistant and this undermined the opportunity for self determination. Much of the research available indicates a negative trend for those children that receive extra support compared to similar children who had less support (Blatchford et al, 2011 Giangreco Broer 2007 Giangreco et al, 2005). In this case it is difficult to determine what similar means especially as research has shown that everyone has a different learning style. Therefore, the research may have been comparing children who actually had different learning styles which may explain the trend. In other studies children who had one to one support were found to be over reliant on their teaching assistant for support and assistance with their work (Giangreco Broer, 2007 Giangreco et al, 2005). Vincett et al, (2005) went on to describe the relationship between the teaching assistant and the child as Velcro syn drome (Vincett et al, 2005, pg.5). The presence of the teaching assistant on a one to one basis may, lead to less effective learning as the presence of the teaching assistant reinforces to the child that they are different and are in need of additional support. Instead of maximising pupil learning it appears that working on a one to one basis reinforces to the child that they are only able to work at this one level. The lack of pupil progress can be explained by Bruners theory of scaffolding which is based on Vygotskys premise that learning is socially constructed (Vygotsky, 1978). The scaffolding process refers to the assistance of support that enables a child to complete a task which they are unable to manage by themselves (Bruner, 1986). It is important that the teaching assistant who is assisting the child in carrying out the task removes the support so that the child can function independently. It could be argued that although teaching assistants are providing the necessary sca ffolding for the child to complete the work they are unlikely to remove the support and allow the child to become independent as they are more concerned with the quantity of work that is produced rather than the process of learning. In some cases and particularly in school X the teaching assistants were more focused on the quantity of work that was completed rather than the learning and thinking skills that were taking place. During a maths lesson on mental subtraction strategies the teaching assistant advised a group of children to use the written method so that they could get through the work quicker. In this case the teaching assistant, although trying to be helpful, undermined the learning that the teacher was trying to promote. In this example the teaching assistant did not effectively maximise pupil learning but instead created a barrier to their learning by providing them with a quicker solution rather than scaffolding their learning. When children are working on a one to one basis with the teaching assistant there is also less contact time between the teacher and the child. The child working on a one to one basis is therefore missing out on important interactions with the teacher. Blatchford et al, (2009b) found that the amount of contact time with the teacher declined when teaching assistants were present. This may hinder academic progress as they are not getting the teacher talk which is very important in learning. However, those children that are assigned a teaching assistant are generally more in need of assistance than those who are not assigned one and this may explain why even with support they are not progressing as well. In addition, Fraser Meadows (2008) found that children view the role of a teaching assistant as useful and important to their learning because they help them with their work and are able to explain things more clearly to them. Fraser Meadows (2008) also found that those children who di d not work directly with the teaching assistant found that the teaching assistant improved the teaching in the classroom as it freed up the teacher to do more teaching with other groups. In a sense teaching assistants are maximising the learning for the other children in the class by allowing the teacher to focus more attention on the rest of the class. Webster et al, (2011) put forward the wider pedagogical role model to interpret results of teaching assistants and their impact on pupil progress. Teaching assistants can unintentionally separate the pupil from the teacher and although they receive interactions from the teaching assistant they are not always of the same quality as that of the teacher (Webster et al, 2011). In the study by Webster et al, (2011) teachers were found to open up talking situations and to provide an environment which allowed questioning whereas teaching assistants more commonly closed down talk. This is of great concern as Wilkinson Silliman (2000) point out To a great extent the language used by teachers and pupils in the classrooms determines what is learned and how learning takes place. (Wilkinson Silliman, 2000, pg.37) Teaching assistants are not as highly trained as teachers in the pedagogy of talk and these interactions and the quality of talk that children receive is very important in maximising l earning. Although there are clear benefits of assigning children to a teaching assistant so that they are able to access the curriculum, the support can sometimes be restrictive. It is clear that teaching assistants should be carefully considered when working on a one to one basis with a child and be well trained and deployed so that they can maximise the childs learning effectively and not unintentionally restrict their learning. Pedagogical Role Research has shown that teaching assistants are spending an increased amount of time in a direct pedagogical role with children in the classroom (Blatchford et al, 2011 and Blatchford et al, 2009a and Blatchford et al, 2009b and Butt Lance, 2009). Rubie-Davies et al, (2010) reviewed the nature of talk between teaching assistants and children and compared it with the nature of talk between teachers and children. The analysis was general and only included a small sample but it did show that there were some similarities in the type of talk experienced by children. However, it also showed there were some major differences in the type of talk. While teachers spent time explaining concepts and questioning children, teaching assistants tended to provide the pupils with the answers and in some cases completed the work for them (Rubie-Davies et al, 2010). In this case teaching assistants are not allowing the child to maximise their learning by building up their own thinking. The research als o indicates that that the dialogue between the teaching assistant and the pupil is more concerned with the communication of knowledge rather than allowing pupils to come up with their own thinking (Rubie-Davies et al, 2010). This dialogue does not allow the sharing and development of ideas which children require so that they can build their own personally constructed ideas. Teachers on the other hand tended to engage in more dialogic teaching which allows the pupil to engage in thinking (Rubie-Davies et al, 2010). Alexander (2008) has clearly stated that talk is arguably the true foundation of learning. (Alexander, 2008, pg.9) If this is the case then it is clear that teaching assistants need to be better trained in effective talk so that they are promoting learning through discussion of new ideas rather than closing down talk. During a science lesson in school X the teacher used higher order questioning to engage the children in dialogic talk. The teacher also scaffolded the talk b ut as the children began to come up with their own concepts and ideas he took on a more passive role in the talk. This links in with Bruners concept of scaffolding as understanding and learning can only be attained with the guidance of a more knowledgeable other, which in this case was the teacher (Bruner, 1986). On the other hand, the teaching assistant was more concerned with correcting the childrens misconceptions and gave them the answer to the question rather than letting them talk to each other and to eventually construct their own thinking. Group Work Teaching assistants that work with small groups allow the teacher to provide differentiated and targeted learning support in the classroom. This therefore allows all the children to maximise their learning as every group is being encouraged to achieve their potential. In many cases teaching assistants are generally found to be placed with the lower ability groups and these children spend less time being taught by a qualified teacher (Ofsted, 2010). A report by HMI (2002) stated its concern over the very common problem that the least qualified people are often working with the most demanding pupils and that teaching assistants are rarely used to support and challenge the higher attaining pupils. At school X the higher ability and middle ability groups worked periodically with a teaching assistant who had excellent subject knowledge in maths to extend their learning. The teaching assistant was therefore, maximising pupil learning by extending their knowledge further than the teacher wa s able to provide. When teaching assistants are well trained and are effectively deployed they seem to be effective in raising standards. Intervention Strategies Intervention strategies are frequently used in schools to assist children in attaining better attainment levels in the core subjects of English and Maths. These intervention strategies are most commonly run by teaching assistants. The Ofsted (2010) report indicates that teaching assistants who were well deployed and trained properly made a difference to pupil learning when they provided intervention programmes. Alborz et al, (2009) also agrees that teaching assistants make a positive contribution to maximising pupil learning in learning literacy and language. However, these surveys were of a small scale and are therefore not a fair representation of all teaching assistants. Intervention programmes are generally run during other foundation subjects and the children are therefore missing out on other areas of the curriculum so although the intervention programme may maximise their learning in that particular subject it actually prevents them from accessing other areas of the curriculum . At school X the children were removed from science to do their intervention programme for literacy. Despite the children getting better APP levels in literacy as a result of the intervention programme their APP levels in science dropped and this was most likely due to the fact that they were missing the majority of the science lessons for the literacy intervention programme. However, although their APP levels increased in literacy it could be argued that this was down to the teacher making sure that what was learnt during the intervention was then consolidated in the lesson to maximise the learning rather than solely the intervention run by the teaching assistant. The conceptual framework model (Todd Powell, 2004) can also be used to expand on this idea as the child does not have access to the whole curriculum and therefore does not have all the elements available to enhance their behaviour to learn. Without these in place the chid is therefore not able to maximise their learning . Intervention programmes are clearly important for those children who require additional support in English and Maths, as without them the children would not reach expected levels. Removing the children from the class for the intervention programme also means that the teaching in the class can focus on the ability range and deliver effective learning. In turn this maximises learning for the children in the class as the intervention programme reduces the class size, therefore creating an alternative to reducing class size (Reynolds Muijs, 2003). The smaller class allows the teacher to focus the teaching at the ability level in the class and therefore gives the children more direct and focused learning. It is clear that the most effective intervention strategies do not see intervention in isolation from the lesson but look to consolidate and develop what has been learnt in the intervention into the classroom (Ofsted, 2010). When teaching assistants are effectively prepared and deployed they are able to offer effective learning opportunities in intervention programmes. Conclusions Current research on the role of teaching assistants and pupil learning suggests that the presence of teaching assistants does not improve pupil learning. (Blatchford et al, 2007) However, Blatchford et al, (2007) warn that we should be careful not to suppose that teaching assistants do not have a role to play in pupil learning as it is not always easy to assess the subtle impacts on learning and the attitudes to learning that result from the teaching assistant being present. When teachers and teaching assistants work in partnership they are able to create an effective learning environment for children. It is important that with the changing role of teaching assistants to a direct pedagogical role that they are trained and deployed effectively so that they can successfully contribute to maximising pupil learning. It is evident that more research is needed in this field especially due to the increased number of teaching assistants present in classrooms. There also needs to be a more clearly defined boundaries between the role of the teaching assistant and the teacher as these boundaries are becoming more blurred (Butt Lance, 2009). In addition, teaching assistants and teachers need more non contact time to plan and reflect on lessons together so that they are able to clearly define and clarify the roles and responsibilities during the lesson (Butt Lance, 2009). It is also important to have the reflection as to what strategies are working in providing max imum learning and whether there are other strategies which may be more efficient. Finally, research and reviews have shown that the increase in teaching assistants needs to be carefully managed so that they can successfully fulfil their role and provide excellent learning opportunities for children. When teaching assistants are prepared and deployed effectively they are able to extend and develop childrens learning. However, whether they effectively maximise pupil learning is an ongoing debate. What is clear from the research is that teaching assistants are taking on a more pedagogical role and if they are to be effective in maximising pupil learning they need to be well trained in the pedagogy of teaching. Word count: 4692

TV Addiction Children

TV Addiction Children Overcoming TV Addiction â€Å"We may think there is willpower involved, but more likely change is due to want power. Wanting the new addiction more than the old one. Wanting the new me, in preference to the person I am now† (thinkexist, 2006). This quote by George Seehan tells us that in order to overcome an addiction we must want to change ourselves first. It is hard for many people to admit that they have an addiction and need help. Overcoming any addiction can be a difficult process, but if one puts their mind to it, anything is possible. Defining addictions in general can be difficult. When we think of addiction we usually think of drug or alcohol addictions but there are many types of addictions. Nearly any craving or excess fixation can be categorized as an addiction. â€Å"Addiction is a term used to describe a recurring compulsion by an individual to engage is some specific activity, despite harmful consequences to the individuals health, mental state, or social life† (World Book Encyclopedia, 1966). Many types of addictions have been described such as alcohol, drugs, gambling, food, sex, computers, and work. Adding television to the list should not make a difference considering all the time a person spends watching one. The viewing of TV is ok, but be careful to not overdo it. â€Å"Television Addiction becomes a problem when a subject does not want to watch TV, but experiences an uncontrollable compulsion to start or continue watching† (GNU free documentation, 2008). A person should be in control of the TV, not the other way around. â€Å"Television addicts are a relatively new breed, especially since television itself has only been around for about 50 years, nowhere near as long as alcohol, tobacco, and drugs† (Russell, 2008). Even though this may be, television addiction is a big obsession and most people do not even know they are addicted. When a person takes a look at them self and sees how much time and amount of frequency, that they spend on one individual item compared to all activities in a day that is the main focus when figuring out when some type of activity or hobby has become an addiction. It is hard for people to convince themselves that they have a problem and that they should seek guidance. The first and hardest step in recovering from an addiction is recognizing that one needs help. With the generation that we live in now, it is especially easy to become a TV addict. The new invention of the TiVo, that became public in 1999, is a major contributor to â€Å"couch potatoes†. The TiVo stores television programs onto non-removable hard-disks. It also allows the viewer to pause live television, rewind and also replay up to a half hour of recently viewed television. Along with TiVo, where one can record their favorite shows, one can also watch their favorite programs online. On the internet one can find all the local listings to their favorite shows and even watch the re-runs if they may have missed an episode. According to data from the Convergence Consulting Group (1999), nearly a tenth of all broadcast and cable TV shows were viewed online. Convergence (1999) also estimates that 9% of all full-episode TV viewing was done online. Watching too much television can have negative effects. Reading, school work, playing, exercise, family interaction, and social growth are very important in a persons life and the time spent watching television takes away from those activities. By spending more time in front of the â€Å"tube†, the less time a person will have to spend with friends and loved ones. Too much TV can put a strain on many relationships. A TV addict will find themselves canceling regular get-togethers, just to watch their favorite show. Many will also schedule their lives around a certain TV program. The viewer may not accomplish tasks or goals that he or she feels are important. With some people, a lack of motivation, feelings of depression, and anger comes with the factors of making it a habit of watching television over long periods of time. Many viewers rely on the television because of its comforting effects. Trying to go for an extended amount of time without watching can lead to withdrawal sy mptoms as a person tries to cope with not having the security of the television. Another negative effect is that excessive TV watching inhibits physical activity causing obesity in the Unites States. With the large amount of TV that people watch, there leaves minimal time to do other activities such as work out and stay fit. Too much television does have its negative effects, but if the right TV shows are watched some benefits may appear. TV can be a great educational tool. According to the National Institute on Media and Family (1996), several studies have indicated that quality programming can be educational for young children. A 2001 study shows that â€Å"children who watch carefully constructed educational programs that are aimed at their age level do better on pre-reading skills than children who watch occasionally or not at all† (Walsh, 2001). Along with being an educational tool, TV can also bring the family together. Taking time out of the day to spend time with the whole family will help them grow stronger together. It is easy for children to fall into the category of being a TV addict because their parents do not limit how much they can watch. Children have become lazier than in the past and instead of spending time outdoors with friends playing and exercising, children would rather opt to watch TV shows. According to a recent study done by the Yale Family Television Research and Consultation Center, over the course of the year, children spend more time watching TV than they spend in school or participating in any other activity except sleep (Sather, 2007). Children would be at an advantage if they flipped those roles and watched less television and did more school work and other beneficial activities. Children would rather choose entertainment shows over educational, but in reality children who watch educational shows will do better in their school work. For parents, TV is a simple way to get their kids out of their hair. It is less stressful for parents to have the television entertain their kids rather than for them to have to all day. TV violence triggers many bad behaviors among young children. Not monitoring what kids watch can bring out these bad behaviors. According to a study backed by the cable television industry (2000) â€Å"fifty-seven percent of television programs contain ‘psychologically harmful violence. TV violence influences children to act in ways they usually would not. Viewing large amounts of TV violence does not necessary cause a child to act more violently, but it can contribute to promoting a view that violence is routine in everyday life† (Peele, 2007). TV violence not only affects the minds of children, but it encourages them to think that violent behavior is ok. To overcome any addiction, one must first realize that they have a problem. Correcting an addiction can take a matter or weeks, months, or years. â€Å"Overcoming addictions depends on your ability to persevere through difficulties and mistakes, your faith in yourself, your faith in the process, and how much youre willing to put into the process† (Television Addiction, 2008). If a person does not make an effort then there will be no results. Much like any addiction, it is important to have support from family and friends. The saying, â€Å"slow and steady wins the race† is a way of looking at overcoming TV addiction. Start slow by limiting your hours of TV watched. Continue to move forward by taking small steps to achieve your goal. The recovery process differs from person to person depending on how drastically one is addicted to the television. Overcoming addiction is going to be as difficult as one thinks it is going to be. If a person has the mindset that things are going to be hard then chances are they will be. With more extreme TV watchers, it may be best to get rid of the television set in general. For less severe watchers, it may be as easy as making a TV watching plan for each week. Monitoring how many hours of TV is watched per day is a great step towards minimizing the amount of TV being watched. Other tips to overcome a TV addiction include, only watching when a certain show is on, setting a timer to limit oneself to how long they watch, or throwing out the remote control (Sri, 2008). It is amazing how much less television will be watched when one has to get up every time they want to change the channel. If a timer is used, it is best to place it in another room so the viewer is forced to get up and turn it off. This means that they leave the room where the TV set is, making it a less likely that the viewer will return to watch more television. It is also important to not eat and watch TV at the same time. Doing both can lead to overeating and eventually obesity. Television viewing for those who are more susceptible to addiction is more like drinking or taking drugs, once you start it is hard to stop. Being aware of the negative effects of too much television will help one not become an addict. Limiting the television intake can increase family time and decrease violence within viewers. Once one decides to turn off the â€Å"tube†, the hours that were dedicated to watching TV can now be used for more productive activities throughout the day. By making the step to give up TV, one will be on their way to living a healthier and more fulfilled life.

The National Market for Cellular Phone Service Essay -- Business Econo

Figures Unreadable The National Market for Cellular Phone Service The national cellular market is undoubtedly one of the nation’s most expansive markets. In 2003, wireless revenues totaled to over $100 Billion; nearly one percent of the United States GDP. Since wireless has emerged, the typical buyer has expanded from the average middle/upper-class adult to teenagers, elderly, and business consumers. 20% of American teenagers own cell phones, explaining why Virgin Mobile was founded to specifically target young consumers1. There is certainly a large market for business consumers, as many carriers advertise business solutions even in retail outlets. Altogether, it’s estimated that 50% of Americans own cell phones, yielding a consumer base of approximately 147 Million customers2. Although there are over 300 registered national wireless firms, there are only a select few that compete in the entire national market3. The industry’s largest corporation is Verizon Wireless with a 2003 annual revenue of $22.5 Billion and a base of 40.4 Million customers. Sprint PCS, T-Mobile, and Nextel also have growing nationwide networks. Many competitors, although well known, only have coverage areas in sections of the United States. Alltel, for example, only offers service in the south and midwest. Until recently, Cingular had coverage areas in only the southeast and western parts of the United States. Its recent merge with AT&T wireless, though, will expanded its network to what some speculate will become the largest nationwide network. Since we are considering the market for national cellular service, we will consider only the ones with complete nationwide service: Verizon Wireless, Sprint PCS, T- 1 Brome 2 Brian and Tyson .. ...escoop.com/>. Burden, Eric. Personal interview. 6 Dec. 2004. Cingular. . Leslie Cauley, and Paul Davidson. â€Å"Cingular, AT&T deal gets an OK from Justice.† USA Today Oct. 2004: Money, Pg. 03b. Marshall Brian and Jeff Tyson. â€Å"How Cell Phones Work.† Article. . Nextel. . T-Mobile. . Taylor, John B. Economics. Boston: Houghton, 2004 RadioShack. . Sprint PCS. . Verizon Wireless. . â€Å"What is the difference between analog and digital cell phones?† Article. . Wireless Advisor. . Yahoo Finance. .

Dance with the Music :: essays research papers

When we think of gifts, we picture little boxes covered with shiny wrapping paper and a cute little ribbon on top. For my fifth birthday, my present didn’t exactly fit these â€Å"requirements†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sitting down in front of the piano every night, I can remember the time when one little girl’s dream came true. Immediately after I woke up on the day of my fifth birthday, my parents blind-folded me and led me to the dining room. Taking off the handkerchief, I stood in front of the most beautiful piano I had ever seen. In front of me was a brown, upright Wurlitzer, my very own piano. I immediately pulled out the chair from under the piano and opened the lid. I took a deep breath and played Jingle Bells, the only song I could memorize at the time. Gliding my fingers over the smooth piano keys, I couldn’t believe that this was actually happening.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Turning five, I was only interested in music. While other children would sit in front of their televisions and bug their eyes out watching Barney and Sesame Street, I became engrossed in watching tapes of ballets, concerts, and musicals. It was evident that I was a child who would grow to love music and its art; however no one could ever imagine that this interest would evolve into a significance that would change my childhood forever.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At around the same time, I realized that my cousin Caroline was my role model. She was a tall girl that would blow people away as soon as she stepped into a room; you could sense her magnificence from a mile away. Caroline was attracted to just about everything that I was, and excelled at all the things that she attempted, which included the art of piano. Once I learned that she was such a brilliant musician, I started to beg to learn how to play the piano. Most of my family members thought that this was just some childhood stage that I would quickly get over and drop.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My mother brought me to my first keyboard teacher, Scott. He taught me about all the essentials including the notes, their values, and some simple songs. Although I learned nothing more then the basics, I was overjoyed, treating the uncomplicated steps as gold. Every week after lessons, I would rush to my parents, skipping with delight, eager to show them what I had learned.

Chapter 22 Owl Post Again

â€Å"Harry!† Hermione was tugging at his sleeve, staring at her watch. â€Å"We've got exactly ten minutes to get back down to the hospital wing without anybody seeing us — before Dumbledore locks the door –â€Å" â€Å"Okay,† said Harry, wrenching his gaze from the sky, â€Å"let's go†¦.† They slipped through the doorway behind them and down a tightly spiraling stone staircase. As they reached the bottom of it, they heard voices. They flattened themselves against the wall and listened. It sounded like Fudge and Snape. They were walking quickly along the corridor at the foot of the staircase. â€Å"†¦ only hope Dumbledore's not going to make difficulties,† Snape was saying. â€Å"The Kiss will be performed immediately?† â€Å"As soon as Macnair returns with the Dementors. This whole Black affair has been highly embarrassing. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to informing the Daily Prophet that we've got him at last†¦. I daresay they'll want to interview you, Snape†¦ and once young Harry's back in his right mind, I expect he'll want to tell the Prophet exactly how you saved him†¦.† Harry clenched his teeth. He caught a glimpse of Snape's smirk as he and Fudge passed Harry and Hermione's hiding place. Their footsteps died away. Harry and Hermione waited a few moments to make sure they'd really gone, then started to run in the opposite direction. Down one staircase, then another, along a new corridor — then they heard a cackling ahead. â€Å"Peeves!† Harry muttered, grabbing Hermione's wrist. â€Å"In here!† They tore into a deserted classroom to their left just in time. Peeves seemed to be bouncing along the corridor in boisterous good spirits, laughing his head off. â€Å"Oh, he's horrible,† whispered Hermione, her ear to the door. â€Å"I bet he's all excited because the Dementors are going to finish off Sirius†¦.† She checked her watch. â€Å"Three minutes, Harry!† They waited until Peeves's gloating voice had faded into the distance, then slid back out of the room and broke into a run again. â€Å"Hermione — what'll happen — if we don't get back inside before Dumbledore locks the door?† Harry panted. â€Å"I don't want to think about it!† Hermione moaned, checking her watch again. â€Å"One minute!† They had reached the end of the corridor with the hospital wing entrance. â€Å"Okay — I can hear Dumbledore,† said Hermione tensely. â€Å"Come on, Harry!† They crept along the corridor. The door opened. Dumbledore's back appeared. â€Å"I am going to lock you in,† they heard him saying. â€Å"it is five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck.† Dumbledore backed out of the room, closed the door, and took out his wand to magically lock it. Panicking, Harry and Hermione ran forward. Dumbledore looked up, and a wide smile appeared under the long silver mustache. â€Å"Well?† he said quietly. â€Å"We did it!† said Harry breathlessly. â€Å"Sirius has gone, on Buckbeak†¦.† Dumbledore beamed at them. â€Å"Well done. I think –† He listened intently for any sound within the hospital wing. â€Å"Yes, I think you've gone too — get inside — I'll lock you in –â€Å" Harry and Hermione slipped back inside the dormitory. It was empty except for Ron, who was still lying motionless in the end bed. As the lock clicked behind them, Harry and Hermione crept back to their own beds, Hermione tucking the Time-Turner back under her robes. A moment later, Madam Pomfrey came striding back out of her office. â€Å"Did I hear the headmaster leaving? Am I allowed to look after my patients now?† She was in a very bad mood. Harry and Hermione thought it best to accept their chocolate quietly. Madam Pomfrey stood over them, making sure they ate it. But Harry could hardly swallow. He and Hermione were waiting, listening, their nerves jangling†¦. And then, as they both took a fourth piece of chocolate from Madam Pomfrey, they heard a distant roar of fury echoing from somewhere above them†¦. â€Å"What was that?† said Madam Pomfrey in alarm. Now they could hear angry voices, growing louder and louder. Madam Pomfrey was staring at the door. â€Å"Really — they'll wake everybody up! What do they think they're doing?† Harry was trying to hear what the voices were saying. They were drawing nearer — â€Å"He must have Disapparated, Severus. We should have left somebody in the room with him. When this gets out –â€Å" â€Å"HE DIDN'T DISAPPARATE!† Snape roared, now very close at hand. â€Å"YOU CAN'T APPARATE OR DISAPPARATE INSIDE THIS CASTLE! THIS — HAS — SOMETHING — TO — DO — WITH — POTTER!† â€Å"Severus — be reasonable — Harry has been locked up –â€Å" BAM. The door of the hospital wing burst open. Fudge, Snape, and Dumbledore came striding into the ward. Dumbledore alone looked calm. Indeed, he looked as though he was quite enjoying himself. Fudge appeared angry. But Snape was beside himself. â€Å"OUT WITH IT, POTTER!† he bellowed. â€Å"WHAT DID YOU DO?† â€Å"Professor Snape!† shrieked Madam Pomfrey. â€Å"Control yourself!† â€Å"See here, Snape, be reasonable,† said Fudge. â€Å"This door's been locked, we just saw –â€Å" â€Å"THEY HELPED HIM ESCAPE, I KNOW IT!† Snape howled, pointing at Harry and Hermione. His face was twisted; spit was flying from his mouth. â€Å"Calm down, man!† Fudge barked. â€Å"You're talking nonsense!† â€Å"YOU DON'T KNOW POTTER!† shrieked Snape. â€Å"HE DID IT, I KNOW HE DID IT –â€Å" â€Å"That will do, Severus,† said Dumbledore quietly. â€Å"Think about what you are saying. This door has been locked since I left the ward ten minutes ago. Madam Pomfrey, have these students left their beds?† â€Å"Of course not!† said Madam Pomfrey, bristling. â€Å"I would have heard them!† â€Å"Well, there you have it, Severus,† said Dumbledore calmly. â€Å"Unless you are suggesting that Harry and Hermione are able to be in two places at once, I'm afraid I don't see any point in troubling them further.† Snape stood there, seething, staring from Fudge, who looked thoroughly shocked at his behavior, to Dumbledore, whose eyes were twinkling behind his glasses. Snape whirled about, robes swishing behind him, and stormed out of the ward. â€Å"Fellow seems quite unbalanced,† said Fudge, staring after him. â€Å"I'd watch out for him if I were you, Dumbledore.† â€Å"Oh, he's not unbalanced,† said Dumbledore quietly. â€Å"He's just suffered a severe disappointment.† â€Å"He's not the only one!† puffed Fudge. â€Å"The Daily Prophet's going to have a field day! We had Black cornered and he slipped through our fingers yet again! All it needs now is for the story of that Hippogriff's escape to get out, and I'll be a laughingstock! Well†¦ I'd better go and notify the Ministry†¦..† â€Å"And the Dementors?† said Dumbledore. â€Å"They'll be removed from the school, I trust?† â€Å"Oh yes, they'll have to go,† said Fudge, running his fingers distractedly through his hair. â€Å"Never dreamed they'd attempt to administer the Kiss on an innocent boy†¦ Completely out of control†¦ no, I'll have them packed off back to Azkaban tonight †¦ Perhaps we should think about dragons at the school entrance†¦.† â€Å"Hagrid would like that,† said Dumbledore, smiling at Harry and Hermione. As he and Fudge left the dormitory, Madam Pomfrey hurried to the door and locked it again. Muttering angrily to herself, she headed back to her office. There was a low moan from the other end of the ward. Ron had woken up. They could see him sitting up, rubbing his head, looking around. â€Å"What — what happened?† he groaned. â€Å"Harry? Why are we in here? Where's Sirius? Where's Lupin? What's going on?† Harry and Hermione looked at each other. â€Å"You explain,† said Harry, helping himself to some more chocolate. When Harry, Ron, and Hermione left the hospital wing at noon the next day, it was to find an almost deserted castle. The sweltering, heat and the end of the exams meant that everyone was taking full advantage of another Hogsmeade visit. Neither Ron nor Hermione felt like going, however, so they and Harry wandered onto the grounds, still talking about the extraordinary events of the previous night and wondering where Sirius and Buckbeak were now. Sitting near the lake, watching the giant squid waving its tentacles lazily above the water, Harry lost the thread of the conversation as he looked across to the opposite bank. The stag had galloped toward him from there just last night†¦. A shadow fell across them and they looked up to see a very bleary-eyed Hagrid, mopping his sweaty face with one of his tablecloth-sized handkerchiefs and beaming down at them. â€Å"Know I shouldn' feel happy, after wha' happened las' night,† he said. â€Å"I mean, Black escapin' again, an, everythin' — but guess what?† â€Å"What?† they said, pretending to look curious. â€Å"Beaky! He escaped! He's free! Bin celebratin' all night!† â€Å"That's wonderful!† said Hermione, giving Ron a reproving look because he looked as though he was close to laughing. â€Å"Yeah†¦ can't've tied him up properly,† said Hagrid, gazing happily out over the grounds. â€Å"I was worried this mornin', mind†¦ thought he mighta met Professor Lupin on the grounds, but Lupin says he never ate anythin' las' night†¦.† â€Å"What?† said Harry quickly. â€Å"Blimey, haven' yeh heard?† said Hagrid, his smile fading a little. He lowered his voice, even though there was nobody in sight. â€Å"Er — Snape told all the Slytherins this mornin'†¦. Thought everyone'd know by now†¦ Professor Lupin's a werewolf, see. An' he was loose on the grounds las' night†¦. He's packin' now, o' course.† â€Å"He's packing?† said Harry, alarmed. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Leavin', isn' he?† said Hagrid, looking surprised that Harry had to ask. â€Å"Resigned firs' thing this mornin'. Says he can't risk it happenin again.† Harry scrambled to his feet. â€Å"I'm going to see him,† he said to Ron and Hermione. â€Å"But if he's resigned –â€Å" â€Å"?C doesn't sound like there's anything we can do –â€Å" â€Å"I don't care. I still want to see him. I'll meet you back here.† Lupin's office door was open. He had already packed most of his things. The Grindylow's empty tank stood next to his battered old suitcase, which was open and nearly full. Lupin was bending over something on his desk and looked up only when Harry knocked on the door. â€Å"I saw you coming,† said Lupin, smiling. He pointed to the parchment he had been poring over. It was the Marauder's Map. â€Å"I just saw Hagrid,† said Harry. â€Å"And he said you'd resigned. It's not true, is it?† â€Å"I'm afraid it is,† said Lupin. He started opening his desk drawers and taking out the contents. â€Å"Why?† said Harry. â€Å"The Ministry of Magic don't think you were helping Sirius, do they?† Lupin crossed to the door and closed it behind Harry. â€Å"No. Professor Dumbledore managed to convince Fudge that I was trying to save your lives.† He sighed. â€Å"That was the final straw for Severus. I think the loss of the Order of Merlin hit him hard. So he — er — accidentally let slip that I am a werewolf this morning at breakfast.† â€Å"You're not leaving just because of that!† said Harry. Lupin smiled wryly. â€Å"This time tomorrow, the owls will start arriving from parents†¦. They will not want a werewolf teaching their children, Harry. And after last night, I see their point. I could have bitten any of you†¦. That must never happen again.† â€Å"You're the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had!† said Harry. â€Å"Don't go!† Lupin shook his head and didn't speak. He carried on emptying his drawers. Then, while Harry was trying to think of a good argument to make him stay, Lupin said, â€Å"From what the headmaster told me this morning, you saved a lot of lives last night, Harry. If I'm proud of anything I've done this year, it's how much you've learned†¦. Tell me about your Patronus.† â€Å"How d'you know about that?† said Harry, distracted. â€Å"What else could have driven the Dementors back?† Harry told Lupin what had happened. When he'd finished, Lupin was smiling again. â€Å"Yes, your father was always a stag when he transformed,† he said. â€Å"You guessed right†¦ that's why we called him Prongs.† Lupin threw his last few books into his case, closed the desk drawers, and turned to look at Harry. â€Å"Here — I brought this from the Shrieking Shack last night,† he said, handing Harry back the Invisibility Cloak. â€Å"And†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He hesitated, then held out the Marauder's Map too. â€Å"I am no longer your teacher, so I don't feel guilty about giving you back this as well. It's no use to me, and I daresay you, Ron, and Hermione will find uses for it.† Harry took the map and grinned. â€Å"You told me Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs would've wanted to lure me out of school†¦ you said they'd have thought it was funny.† â€Å"And so we would have,† said Lupin, now reaching down to close his case. â€Å"I have no hesitation in saying that James would have been highly disappointed if his son had never found any of the secret passages out of the castle.† There was a knock on the door. Harry hastily stuffed the Marauder's Map and the Invisibility Cloak into his pocket. It was Professor Dumbledore. He didn't look surprised to see Harry there. â€Å"Your carriage is at the gates, Remus,† he said. â€Å"Thank You, Headmaster.† Lupin picked up his old suitcase and the empty Grindylow tank. â€Å"Well — good-bye, Harry,† he said, smiling. â€Å"It has been a real pleasure teaching you. I feel sure we'll meet again sometime. Headmaster, there is no need to see me to the gates, I can manage†¦.† Harry had the impression that Lupin wanted to leave as quickly as possible. â€Å"Good-bye, then, Remus,† said Dumbledore soberly. Lupin shifted the Grindylow tank slightly so that he and Dumbledore could shake hands. Then, with a final nod to Harry and a swift smile, Lupin left the office. Harry sat down in his vacated chair, staring glumly at the floor. He heard the door close and looked up. Dumbledore was still there. â€Å"Why so miserable, Harry?† he said quietly. â€Å"You should be very proud of yourself after last night.† â€Å"It didn't make any difference,† said Harry bitterly. â€Å"Pettigrew got away.† â€Å"Didn't make any difference?† said Dumbledore quietly, â€Å"It made all the difference in the world, Harry. You helped uncover the truth. You saved an innocent man from a terrible fate.† Terrible. Something stirred in Harry's memory. Greater and more terrible than ever before†¦ Professor Trelawney's prediction! â€Å"Professor Dumbledore — yesterday, when I was having my Divination exam, Professor Trelawney went very — very strange.† â€Å"Indeed?† said Dumbledore. â€Å"Er — stranger than usual, you mean?† â€Å"Yes†¦ her voice went all deep and her eyes rolled and she said †¦ she said Voldemort's servant was going to set out to return to him before midnight†¦. She said the servant would help him come back to power.† Harry stared up at Dumbledore. â€Å"And then she sort of became normal again, and she couldn't remember anything she'd said. Was it — was she making a real prediction?† Dumbledore looked mildly impressed. â€Å"Do you know, Harry, I think she might have been.† he said thoughtfully. â€Å"Who'd have thought it? That brings her total of real predictions up to two. I should offer her a pay raise†¦.† â€Å"But –† Harry looked at him, aghast. How could Dumbledore take this so calmly? â€Å"But — I stopped Sirius and Professor Lupin from killing Pettigrew! That makes it my fault if Voldemort comes back!† â€Å"It does not,† said Dumbledore quietly. â€Å"Hasn't your experience with the Time-Turner taught you anything, Harry? The consequences of our actions are always so complicated, so diverse, that predicting the future is a very difficult business indeed†¦. Professor Trelawney, bless her, is living proof of that†¦. You did a very noble thing, in saving Pettigrew's life.† â€Å"But if he helps Voldemort back to power†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Pettigrew owes his life to you. You have sent Voldemort a deputy who is in your debt†¦. When one wizard saves another wizard's life, it creates a certain bond between them†¦ and I'm much mistaken if Voldemort wants his servant in the debt of Harry Potter.† â€Å"I don't want a connection with Pettigrew!† said Harry. â€Å"He betrayed my parents!† â€Å"This is magic at its deepest, its most impenetrable, Harry. But trust me†¦ the time may come when you will be very glad you saved Pettigrew's life.† Harry couldn't imagine when that would be. Dumbledore looked as though he knew what Harry was thinking. â€Å"I knew your father very well, both at Hogwarts and later, Harry,† he said gently. â€Å"He would have saved Pettigrew too, I am sure of it.† Harry looked up at him. Dumbledore wouldn't laugh — he could tell Dumbledore†¦ â€Å"I thought it was my dad who'd conjured my Patronus. I mean, when I saw myself across the lake †¦ I thought I was seeing him.† â€Å"An easy mistake to make,† said Dumbledore softly. â€Å"I expect you'll tire of hearing it, but you do look extraordinarily like James. Except for the eyes†¦ you have your mother's eyes.† Harry shook his head. â€Å"It was stupid, thinking it was him,† he muttered. â€Å"I mean, I knew he was dead.† â€Å"You think the dead we loved ever truly leave us? You think that we don't recall them more clearly than ever in times of great trouble? Your father is alive in you, Harry, and shows himself most plainly when you have need of him. How else could you produce that particular Patronus? Prongs rode again last night.† It took a moment for Harry to realize what Dumblefore had said. â€Å"Last night Sirius told me all about how they became Animagi,† said Dumbledore, smiling. â€Å"An extraordinary achievement — not least, keeping it quiet from me. And then I remembered the most unusual form your Patronus took, when it charged Mr. Malfoy down at your Quidditch match against Ravenclaw. You know, Harry, in a way, you did see your father last night†¦. You found him inside yourself.† And Dumbledore left the office, leaving Harry to his very confused thoughts. Nobody at Hogwarts now knew the truth of what had happened the night that Sirius, Buckbeak, and Pettigrew had vanished except Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Professor Dumbledore. As the end of term approached, Harry heard many different theories about what had really happened, but none of them came close to the truth. Malfoy was furious about Buckbeak. He was convinced that Hagrid had found a way of smuggling the Hippogriff to safety, and seemed outraged that he and his father had been outwitted by a gamekeeper. Percy Weasley, meanwhile, had much to say on the subject of Sirius's escape. â€Å"If I manage to get into the Ministry, I'll have a lot of proposals to make about Magical Law Enforcement!† he told the only person who would listen — his girlfriend, Penelope. Though the weather was perfect, though the atmosphere was so cheerful, though he knew they had achieved the near impossible in helping Sirius to freedom, Harry had never approached the end of a school year in worse spirits. He certainly wasn't the only one who was sorry to see Professor Lupin go. The whole of Harry's Defense Against the Dark Arts class was miserable about his resignation. â€Å"Wonder what they'll give us next year?† said Seamus Finnigan gloomily. â€Å"Maybe a vampire,† suggested Dean Thomas hopefully. It wasn't only Professor Lupin's departure that was weighing on Harry's mind. He couldn't help thinking a lot about Professor Trelawney's prediction. He kept wondering where Pettigrew was now, whether he had sought sanctuary with Voldemort yet. But the thing that was lowering Harry's spirits most of all was the prospect of returning to the Dursleys. For maybe half an hour, a glorious half hour, he had believed he would be living with Sirius from now on†¦his parents' best friend†¦It would have been the next best thing to having his own father back. And while no news of Sirius was definitely good news, because it meant he had successfully gone into hiding, Harry couldn't help feeling miserable when he thought of the home he might have had, and the fact that it was now impossible. The exam results came out on the last day of term. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had passed every subject. Harry was amazed that he had got through Potions. He had a shrewd suspicion that Dumbledore might have stepped in to stop Snape failing him on purpose. Snape's behavior toward Harry over the past week had been quite alarming. Harry wouldn't have thought it possible that Snape's dislike for him could increase, but it certainly had. A muscle twitched unpleasantly at the corner of Snape's thin mouth every time he looked at Harry, and he was constantly flexing his fingers, as though itching to place them around Harry's throat. Percy had got his top-grade N.E.W.T.s; Fred and George had scraped a handful of O.W.L.s each. Gryffindor House, meanwhile, largely thanks to their spectacular performance in the Quidditch Cup, had won the House championship for the third year running. This meant that the end of term feast took place amid decorations of scarlet and gold, and that the Gryffindor table was the noisiest of the lot, as everybody celebrated. Even Harry managed to forget about the journey back to the Dursleys the next day as he ate, drank, talked, and laughed with the rest. As the Hogwarts Express pulled out of the station the next morning, Hermione gave Harry and Ron some surprising news. â€Å"I went to see Professor McGonagall this morning, just before breakfast. I've decided to drop Muggle Studies.† â€Å"But you passed your exam with three hundred and twenty percent!† said Ron. â€Å"I know,† sighed Hermione, â€Å"but I can't stand another year like this one. That Time-Turner, it was driving me mad. I've handed it in. Without Muggle Studies and Divination, I'll be able to have a normal schedule again.† â€Å"I still can't believe you didn't tell us about it,† said Ron grumpily. â€Å"We're supposed to be your friends.† â€Å"I promised I wouldn't tell anyone,† said Hermione severely. She looked around at Harry, who was watching Hogwarts disappear from view behind a mountain. Two whole months before he'd see it again†¦. â€Å"Oh, cheer up, Harry!† said Hermione sadly. â€Å"I'm okay,† said Harry quickly. â€Å"Just thinking about the holidays.† â€Å"Yeah, I've been thinking about them too,† said Ron. â€Å"Harry, you've got to come and stay with us. I'll fix it up with Mum and Dad, then I'll call you. I know how to use a fellytone now –â€Å" â€Å"A telephone, Ron,† said Hermione. â€Å"Honestly, you should take Muggle Studies next year†¦.† Ron ignored her. â€Å"It's the Quidditch World Cup this summer! How about it, Harry? Come and stay, and we'll go and see it! Dad can usually get tickets from work.† This proposal had the effect of cheering Harry up a great deal. â€Å"Yeah†¦ I bet the Dursleys'd be pleased to let me come†¦ especially after what I did to Aunt Marge†¦.† Feeling considerably more cheerful, Harry joined Ron and Hermione in several games of Exploding Snap, and when the witch with the tea cart arrived, he bought himself a very large lunch, though nothing with chocolate in it. But it was late in the afternoon before the thing that made him truly happy turned up†¦. â€Å"Harry,† said Hermione suddenly, peering over his shoulder. â€Å"What's that thing outside your window?† Harry turned to look outside. Something very small and gray was bobbing in and out of sight beyond the glass. He stood up for a better look and saw that it was a tiny owl, carrying a letter that was much too big for it. The owl was so small, in fact, that it kept tumbling over in the air, buffeted this way and that in the train's slipstream. Harry quickly pulled down the window, stretched out his arm, and caught it. It felt like a very fluffy Snitch. He brought it carefully inside. The owl dropped its letter onto Harry's seat and began zooming around their compartment, apparently very pleased with itself for accomplishing its task. Hedwig clicked her beak with a sort of dignified disapproval. Crookshanks sat up in his seat, following the owl with his great yellow eyes. Ron, noticing this, snatched the owl safely out of harm's way. Harry picked up the letter. It was addressed to him. He ripped open the letter, and shouted, â€Å"It's from Sirius!† â€Å"What?† said Ron and Hermione excitedly. â€Å"Read it aloud!† Dear Harry, I hope this finds you before you reach your aunt and uncle. I don't know whether they're used to owl post. Buckbeak and I are in hiding. I won't tell you where, in case this owl falls into the wrong hands. I have some doubt about his reliability, but he is the best I could find, and he did seem eager for the job. I believe the Dementors are still searching for me, but they haven't a hope of finding me here. I am planning to allow some Muggles to glimpse me soon, a long way from Hogwarts, so that the security on the castle will be lifted. There is something I never got around to telling you during our brief meeting. It was I who sent you the Firebolt — â€Å"Ha!† said Hermione triumphantly. â€Å"See! I told you it was from him!† â€Å"Yes, but he hadn't jinxed it, had he?† said Ron. â€Å"Ouch!† The tiny owl now hooting happily in his hand, had nibbled one of his fingers in what it seemed to think was an affectionate way. ?C Crookshanks took the order to the Owl Office for me. I used your name but told them to take the gold from my own Gringotts vault. Please consider it as thirteen birthdays' worth of presents from your godfather. I would also like to apologize for the fright I think I gave you that night last year when you left your uncle's house. I had only hoped to get a glimpse of you before starting my journey north, but I think the sight of me alarmed you. I am enclosing something else for you, which I think will make your next year at Hogwarts more enjoyable. If ever you need me, send word. Your owl will find me. I'll write again soon. Sirius Harry looked eagerly inside the envelope. There was another piece of parchment in there. He read it through quickly and felt suddenly as warm and contented as though he'd swallowed a bottle of hot butterbeer in one gulp. I, Sirius Black, Harry Potter's godfather, hereby give him permission to visit Hogsmeade on weekends. â€Å"That'll be good enough for Dumbledore!† said Harry happily. He looked back at Sirius's letter. â€Å"Hang on, there's a PS†¦.† I thought your friend Ron might like to keep this owl, as it's my fault he no longer has a rat. Ron's eyes widened. The minute owl was still hooting excitedly. â€Å"Keep him?† he said uncertainly. He looked closely at the owl for a moment; then, to Harry's and Hermione's great surprise, he held him out for Crookshanks to sniff. â€Å"What do you reckon?† Ron asked the cat. â€Å"Definitely an owl?† Crookshanks purred. â€Å"That's good enough for me,† said Ron happily. â€Å"He's mine.† Harry read and reread the letter from Sirius all the way back into King's Cross station. It was still clutched tightly in his hand as he, Ron, and Hermione stepped back through the barrier of platform nine and three-quarters. Harry spotted Uncle Vernon at once. He was standing a good distance from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, eyeing them suspiciously, and when Mrs. Weasley hugged Harry in greeting, his worst suspicions about them seemed confirmed. â€Å"I'll call about the World Cup!† Ron yelled after Harry as Harry bid him and Hermione good-bye, then wheeled the trolley bearing his trunk and Hedwig's cage toward Uncle Vernon, who greeted him in his usual fashion. â€Å"What's that?† he snarled, staring at the envelope Harry was still clutching in his hand. â€Å"If it's another form for me to sign, you've got another –â€Å" â€Å"It's not,† said Harry cheerfully. â€Å"It's a letter from my godfather.† â€Å"Godfather?† sputtered Uncle Vernon. â€Å"You haven't got a godfather!† â€Å"Yes, I have,† said Harry brightly. â€Å"He was my mum and dad's best friend. He's a convicted murderer, but he's broken out of wizard prison and he's on the run. He likes to keep in touch with me, though †¦ keep up with my news †¦ check if I'm happy †¦Ã¢â‚¬  And, grinning broadly at the look of horror on Uncle Vernon's face, Harry set off toward the station exit, Hedwig rattling along in front of him, for what looked like a much better summer than the last.