Advertising and Beauty Product Advertisements Essay

This study examined beauty advertisements in local English magazines from a Critical Discourse Analysis perspective. This study mainly focused on the use of language in beauty advertisements and strategies employed by advertisers to manipulate and influence their customers. The analysis is based on Fairclough’s three-dimensional framework. It demonstrates how the ideology of ‘beauty’ is produced and reproduced through advertisements in popular local women’s magazines. A qualitative research was conducted on beauty product advertisements in two popular local women’s magazines, Cleo and Women’s Weekly. The findings indicated that advertisers used various strategies to manipulate women. The advertisements promote an idealised lifestyle and manipulate readers to a certain extent into believing whatever that is advertised is indeed true. This study revealed how the ideology of beauty is constructed and reconstructed through magazines by stereotyping how beauty products are synonymous with a better life. Advertising language is used to control people’s minds. Thus people in power (advertisers) use language as a means to exercise control over others. Keywords: CDA, advertisements, power, manipulate 1. Introduction The stiff competition in attracting potential customers has forced advertisers to employ vigorous advertising strategies techniques such as, construct a problem that can only be solved by using their products. Similarly, beauty product companies advertise their products to convince women. Magazines are a good example of a powerful media which regularly reach a vast number of women. The local English Language magazines are constantly flooded with beauty product advertisements. Some of them provide quite a lot of information such as, the background of the product, its effectiveness, feedback or testimonies by celebrity’s or women who have used the product, price, and so on whereas some are rather short and condensed. These advertisements tend to manipulate readers to a certain extent into believing whatever that is advertised is indeed true. The major stakeholders in advertising are the manufacturers, consumers and advertising agencies. Advertisements reach out to consumers through various media such as internet, radio, television, magazines and newspapers. In order to ensure that advertisements are able to reach the target group, advertisers need to select the right medium. For instance, if the target group is the generation Y group, then internet would be the best source as many young people today go online when purchasing products be it clothes, gadgets, books and so on. As print media such as magazines can reach both young and old alike, advertisers or manufacturers of products take opportunity to promote their product through this media. Visuals and language in the advertisements play a pertinent role to attract women. The next section will discuss on the role of language in advertising. Cook (2001) points out that advertisements inform, persuade, remind, influence and perhaps change opinions, emotions and attitudes. In other words, his contention is that advertisements do not only sell products but change society and make people buy things they do not want or need. He also feels that advertisements do give warnings or information to people. Hence, advertisements can help create awareness, construct identities and attitude. There are many advertisements in women’s magazines that advertise beauty products influencing women and 61 www. ccsenet. org/ass Asian Social Science Vol. 9, No.3; 2013 beauty has become an absolute religious imperative for women, thus pressuring them to do their best to hold their beauty (Baudrillard, 2005). The â€Å"ideal† women is stereotyped through visual and textual aspects of the advertisements. Advertisers use visual and linguistic means to persuade their audience. It is argued that â€Å"advertising is the most influential institution of socialisation in modern society† (Jhally, 1995). This scenario has brought into perspective on how people who are in control of advertisements manage to exercise their power and at the same time manipulate women’s beliefs. Lau and Zuraidah (2010) perceived that advertising has been subtly distorting reality and manipulating consumers to make them buy a way of life as well as goods. Thus studies on advertisements in women’s magazines would be of great relevance to advertisers. In order to know how advertisers influence women, it is necessary first to understand what advertising is all about. Advertisements are important but not many studies have been conducted in the local context from a CDA perspective. Thus there is indeed a need for studies to investigate the use of language and other semiotic modalities in beauty product advertisements. The findings of such research efforts can contribute further to the field of advertising as well as language and society. This study will address the following research questions: 1) What are the linguistic features used in beauty product advertisements? 2) What are the discursive techniques employed in beauty product advertisements to manipulate women? 2. Methodology & Theoretical Framework The theoretical framework employed in this study is Critical Discourse Analysis framework (2001). Advertisements are seen as media discourse as they involve language and social processes. Hence this framework is used to show the link between the nature of social practice and the properties of language â€Å"texts†. A qualitative design was adopted for this study. A qualitative study was appropriate in this study which seeks to investigate how discourse in advertisements involves people’s construction of meanings. Beauty product advertisements in English Language local magazines were analysed. Hence for a descriptive analysis, a qualitative analysis is more appropriate rather than a quantitative analysis. Purposive sampling was done as the study was to investigate only on beauty product advertisements where not many studies have been conducted namely lipstick, mascara and eye cream. Data was collected from two local women’s magazine, Cleo and Women’s Weekly from six issues consecutively from January to June 2012. Every advertisement on eye cream, lipstick and mascara from these magazines was retrieved and analysed. The data analysis is based on Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis framework (2001). Hence this framework is used to show the link between the nature of social practice and the properties of language â€Å"texts†. His three-dimensional framework includes a conception of discourse as text (micro level), discourse practice (meso level) and sociocultural practice (macro level). Its aim is to explore the relationships among language, ideology and power and to find out how advertisers persuade the women to buy their products. Thus, this study focused on analysing the linguistic features of beauty product advertisements in women’s magazines in Malaysia and highlights how the use of language tends to manipulate women beliefs based on the content of the advertisements. Figure 1. Fairclough’s three-dimensional model, 2001 62 www. ccsenet. org/ass Asian Social Science Vol. 9, No. 3; 2013 3. Results and Discussions The analysis is presented at the textual (micro), discursive practice (meso) and social practice (macro) level based on Fairclough’s (2001) CDA framework. 3. 1 Textual Analysis The textual analysis relates to research question 1 on the linguistic features in the advertisements analysed. At this level of analysis the linguistic features such as vocabulary, syntax and rhetorical devices employed in advertisements are discussed. In the study there was a great use of direct address in the advertisements for both ideological and practical reasons. The use of the second-person personal and possessive pronouns such as ‘you’ and ‘yours’ seek to address the readers directly and personally. When people are addresses individually rather than as part of mass audience it is considered highly valued. This handling of people on an individual basis is referred as ‘synthetic personalization’ (Fairclough, 1989:62). Based on the total fifty eight beauty products advertisements analysed, twenty had used direct address. Examples are as shown below: ?

Blackberry Eating

The poem â€Å"Blackberry Eating† by Galway Kinnell is a short but effective example of how the use of the elements of poetry can evoke emotional reaction and the corresponding emotional experience in people. The poem starts out with a matter-of-factly account or story telling of a late September trip or errand to pick up â€Å"fat, overripe, icy, black blackberries to ear blackberries for breakfast†. While the first three lines directly expresses, herein, the author still makes use of stressed imagery.The color â€Å"black†, an apparent redundancy, is used to precede â€Å"blackberry† to produce or connote the image of the darkness or deepness of the fruit color, on top of the other qualities of fatness or big size and possible coldness and juicy stage of ripeness. â€Å"The stalks very prickly, a penalty they earn for knowing the black art of blackberry-making;† These next two and a half lines jumps into or introduces the level of figurative langu age. What initially seems a either an implied mystery or a misguided use of the pronoun â€Å"they† in referring to that entity knowledgeable on â€Å"the black art† is in fact metaphorical language.The prickly stalks obviously are not persons who practice the supposedly dark or secret art of blackberry-making. What the â€Å"penalty† element in the metaphor perhaps suggests is that the practitioner of the art earns a disadvantage, or a price to pay, when he or she holds the stalks to pick up the blackberries. These next words prompt the reader to think what the author is trying to tell: â€Å"and as I stand among them lifting the stalks to my mouth, the ripest berries fall almost unbidden to my tongue†¦. â€Å"But the next line provides the unequivocal clue: â€Å"as words sometimes do†¦. â€Å". Herein, it is revealed that the berries are compared to words, implying that blackberry-making is likened to making a craft or something with words. At t his point, the poem becomes clear, as metaphor is clearly replaced with the simile tool of the conjunction â€Å"as†. What makes this apparently simple, down-to-earth poem particularly appealing to read and listen to is the equally effective use of sound devices. A sort of metaphorical onomatopoeia is made use of in the next lines:â€Å"Certain peculiar words like strengths or squinched, many-lettered, one-syllabled lumps, which I squeeze, squinch open, and splurge well in the silent, startled, icy, black language†. As one reads or listens to these words of simile between creating prose and poetry or oration, it is as if one can almost hear the process of chewing and eating blackberries. In Blackberry Eating, rhythm, consonance or the repeated consonant sounds anywhere and alliteration or repeated initial consonants are obviously present, what with the multiple use of black by itself or as prefix: black blackberries, blackberries, blackberry-making.â€Å"S† is a lso alliterated several times with the words strengths, squeeze, splurge, silent, startled and the present and past forms of squinch. â€Å"I love to go out in late September among the fat, overripe, icy, black blackberries to eat blackberries for breakfast, the stalks very prickly, a penalty they earn for knowing the black art of blackberry-making†. As later revealed, the â€Å"tenor† in this part of poem, or what Galway Kinnell means, is the process involved in poetry composition.The author's use of the brambles and bramble fruit plant parts and the act of preparing and eating them suggest the creation or the composition of poetry. The words or lines actually used to that effect, technically called â€Å"vehicle†, constitute the metaphor or analogy. That the subject needs to go out (of his abode) to be able to procure the raw blackberry refers to the what the poet has to do in order to carry out the preliminary phase of composing his poem. As the time period o f â€Å"late September† is repeated at the end of the poem, the significance of this author's choice of the month becomes evident.The line â€Å"of blackberry-eating in late September† makes another use of sound device: the ber is repeated to create a rhythmic finale to the poem. A fusion of the style devices of literal and figurative language and sound devices, Kinnell's Blackberry Eating is an excellent piece of poetic genius. As Kinnell brings to the reader the pleasure, along with the efforts, of preparing and eating blackberries, the poem communicates how literature is akin to it. The total product is poetically narrative, metaphorically educational and a pleasure to read and hear.

Basking Sharks Essay Research Paper The Basking

Enjoying Sharks: Essay, Research Paper The Basking Shark: Hope for the Future? Introduction # 8211 ; What are the biological features, home ground, and value of enjoying sharks? I. Interrelated life signifiers populate the oceans. A. Photoplankton synthesize nutrient. 1. Using C dioxide 2. Dissolving minerals 3. Roll uping sunlight energy B. Small fish consume photoplankton. C. Zooplankton eats infinitesimal workss. 1. Sea worms 2. Jellyfish 3. Crustaceans D. Food concatenation ends with big animals. 1. Giants 2. Sharks E. Some of the largest animals feed on the smallest. II. Ocean creatures feed at assorted deepnesss of the sea. A. Most big animals gather at the top bed of the ocean. 1. Food is plentiful. 2. Water is warm. B. Small animals feed on organic dust deep in the ocean. 1. Fish 2. Crustaceans III. Fish species include 340 members. A. Skates B. Rays C. Chimeras D. Sharks 1. Not a bony fish 2. Skeleton made of gristle IV. Location of sharks A. Devil dog Waterss B. Tropical seas C. Subtropical Waterss V. Length of the shark varies. A. Whale shark every bit great as 49 pess B. Cookie-cutter shark every bit little as 19 inches VI. Agressiveness varies. A. Most appear to be aggressive carnivores. B. Some of the largest are plankton-eaters. VII. Sharks have non changed from the Cretaceous Period. A. Caused by great diverseness in behaviour B. Assortment of sizes C. Excellent version accomplishments VIII. Sharks belong to category Chondrichthyes. A. Scientific names of sharks 1. Whale sharks # 8211 ; rhincodon typus 2. Cookie-cutter sharks # 8211 ; Squaliolus laticaudus 3. Bull tiger shark # 8211 ; Galeocerdo Cuvier 4. Spiny dogfish # 8211 ; Squalus ancanthias 5. Great White Shark # 8211 ; Carcharodon Carcharias 6. Hammerhead shark # 8211 ; Sphymidae 7. Blue Shark # 8211 ; Prionace glauca 8. Basking Shark # 8211 ; Cetorhinus maximus B. Skeletons of Chondrichthyans are made of gristle. 1. Can be strenghened by sedimentations of minerals in countries of emphasis a. jaws b. vertebrae 2. Lighter than bone since sharks have no swim vesica 3. Material that is flexible for swimming and turning 4. Grows throughout life of shark IX. Specific features of the basking shark. A. Found in temperate oceans B. Length up to 43 pess C. Swims near surface 1. Seen sunning near top of H2O 2. May be in assortment of places a. back b. side c. high in H2O D. Feeds on plankton E. Enormous fish F. Mouth is big 1. Wide 2. Small-toothed G. Gill slits 1. Lined with long, bristle-like rakers 2. Five sets 3. Trap nutrient of plankton H. Originally hunted for its liver oil I. Not known to be unsafe J. Color blends with environment 1. Upper, dorsal surface is gray brown 2. Lower, ventricle surface is white 3. Seen less by enemies K. Fusiform organic structure 1. Rounded and tapered at both terminals 2. Reduces H2O clash 3. Requires minimal energy to swim L. Placoid Scales 1. Regular form 2. Reduce clash 3. Different from centoid graduated tables of bony fish M. Characteristics of the caput 1. Fives formed in lunula form 2. Mouth on bottom of caput 3. Wide separation of anterior nariss N. Characteristics of the dentitions 1. Small 2. Great in figure 3. Formed in parallel rows 4. Not meant for carniverous intents 5. Rows of dentitions develop continuously as replacings for functional dentitions 6. Not used for onslaught intents Ten. Scientists have recorded measurings of the basking shark. A. Babies are five to six pess at birth. B. Pacific Ocean basking sharks 1. 23 pess long 2. 6,600 pound. C. Atlantic Ocean basking sharks 1. 30 pess long 2. 8,600 pound. D. Others have observed lengths from 35 # 8211 ; 50 pess. Eleven. Sharks have been observed in many topographic points. A. Gulf of Maine swimming entirely B. Northeastern United States in big Numberss C. In winter, they move to warm clime D. Known boundaries 1. North # 8211 ; Nova Scotia and Newfoundland 2. South # 8211 ; Mediterranean Sea 3. West # 8211 ; North Carolina Twelve. Breeding forms are mostly unknown. A. Produce unrecorded immature B. Ovaries contain six million immature eggs. Thirteen. Sharks have been studied as a remedy for malignant neoplastic disease. A. Ability to defy disease B. Few tumours have been discovered by Smithsonian Institution C. Do non organize tumours when exposed to cancer-causing stuff D. Studies may take to assist for malignant neoplastic disease patients. 1. Immunoglobin ( IgM ) in shark? s blood onslaughts occupying substances. 2. Shark gristle may defy incursion by capillaries, shriveling tumours. 3. Drugs of gristle may command spread of blood vass that feed tumours. E. Several scientific discipline labs have studied the usage of shark gristle for malignant neoplastic disease remedies. 1. Dr. I. William Lane # 8211 ; Sharks Still Don? T Get Cancer a. Studied in clinical tests at U.S. Food and Drug Administration B. Stops formation of new blood vass c. Prevents cancerous tumours through procedure of antiangiogenesis 2. Jing Chen in 1989 a. Oil emulsion from the Cetorhinus maximus is trade name new medical specialty. B. Improvement of patient? s status ( 1 ) Weight addition ( 2 ) Tumor shrinking ( 3 ) Life extension 3. Cancer Treatment Research Foundation survey is let downing. a. Cartilade trade name shark gristle was uneffective against advanced malignant neoplastic disease instances. ( 1 ) Breast ( 2 ) Colon ( 3 ) Lung ( 4 ) Prostate gland B. None of the 47 patients showed even partial tumour decrease. 4. Current surveies indicate inconclusive consequences. Decision: Current probes and modern cognition of the basking shark have opened new countries of survey with deductions for the wellness of adult male. The Basking Shark: Hope for Cancer Cure? The Basking Shark: Hope for a Cancer Cure? The oceans of the universe are populated with distinguishable but interconnected signifiers of life. The nutriment for all ocean life originates in the sunstruck surface beds, where microscopic workss called phytoplankton usage C dioxide, dissolved minerals, and the energy of sunshine to synthesise nutrient. Small fish and zooplankton floating animals such as sea worms, Portuguese man-of-war and crustaceans # 8211 ; browse on these minute workss, and the nutrient value therefore provided moves through consecutive stairss of predation, up the Marine nutrient web to the largest sea inhabitants ( Whipple 132 ) . Most of the giants, fish, and calamaris gather at the top beds of the ocean where the nutrient is plentiful and Waterss are warm. The fish and crustaceans of the deepnesss are fed by organic dust body waste and corpses # 8211 ; that drifts down from the surface Waterss. The ocean nutrient concatenation Begins with the little plankton and ends with the largest of the giants and sharks. Interestingly plenty, some of these largest species feed on the smallest of ocean animals ( Whipple 132 ) . The shark is a member of the three hundred 40 species of fish that along with skates, beams, and Chimeras are aggressively distinguished from the huge figure of cadaverous fish species by their skeletons made of gristle. Sharks are chiefly marine fish found in all seas and are particularly abundant in tropical and semitropical Waterss. They vary in size from the largest, the giant shark, which is 49 pess in length to the cookie-cutter shark which is less than 19 inches long. Sharks are best known as agressive carnivores that even attack their ain species. They eat about all big Marine animate beings in both shallow and deep seas. Two of the largest of the species, nevertheless, eat merely plankton ( 98 Encyclopedia ) . The sharks that exist today have non changed much from those in the Cretaceous Time period which occured more than one hundred million old ages ago. This ability to populate without much alteration over many centuries is caused by their great diverseness in behaviour and in size, demoing first-class version accomplishments ( 98 Encyclopedia ) . Sharks belong to the category Chondrichthyes along with the beams, skates, and other cartilaginous fish. The whale shark is classified as Rhincodon typus, the cookie-cutter shark as Squaliolus laticaudus, and the bull tiger shark as Galeocerdo Cuvier, the spinous bowfin as Squalus ancanthias, and the great white shark as Carcharodon Carcharias. Hammerhead sharks make up the household Sphymidae. The bluish shark is named Prionace glauca. The basking shark is classified as Cetorhinus maximus. It is this last shark species on which this paper concentrates ( 98 Encyclopedia ) . Chondrichthyans differ from osteichthyans, or bony fishes, whose skeletons are to a great extent calcified. A shark? s skeleton is made largely of gristle that can be strengthened by sedimentations of minerals in countries subjected to particular emphasis such as the jaws and vertebrae. Cartilage is an ideal tissue for sharks for several grounds. First, gristle is lighter than bone, of import for sharks which have no swim vesica # 8230 ; Second, gristle is a comparatively flexible stuff, giving tensile force to swimming and turning motions # 8230 ; Lastly, gristle can turn throughout the life of a shark ( Sharks and Stats 1 ) . The basking shark is the common name for the tremendous fish belonging to the shark household. It is found in all temperate oceans and can make a length of 43 pess. The basking shark normally swims near the surface of the H2O and provenders on plankton that is strained through its broad, small-toothed oral cavity and five braces of tremendous gill slits. Each gill is lined with long, bristlelike rakers that trap the plankton. The basking shark was one time hunted for the big measures of oil contained in its liver, but this pattern has been stopped. This shark is non known to be unsafe, but its size demands respect ( 98 Encyclopedia ) . The basking shark is a immense, gray fish that is merely 2nd in size to the giant shark. Like most sharks, it is characterized by a fusiform organic structure which is rounded and tapered at both ends. This streamlined, cylindrical form reduces the clash of the H2O and requires a lower limit of energy to swim. In add-on, the placoid graduated tables which are arranged in a regular form cut down the clash of the H2O by imparting the H2O flow over the organic structure. These are really different from the comb-like graduated tables of bony fish which overlap to supply both protection and lissomeness ( Sharks and Stats 2 ) . The colour of the upper surface of the basking shark is a gray brown, slate Grey, or even black. The lower surface is normally white ( Bigelow and Shroeder ) . This countershading, a type of colour in which the dorsal side is darker than the ventral side, enables the shark to intermix with the environment and be seen less easy by marauders and quarry ( Sharks and Stats 1 ) . Observations from scientists have recorded a assortment of measurings from 35 to 50 pess in length. The babes are normally five to six pess when they are born. Estimated weights for smaller 23 pes enjoying sharks from the Pacific Ocean are 6,600 lbs where the larger 30 pes enjoying sharks from the Atlantic weigh every bit much as 8,600 lbs ( Bigelow and Schroeder 147 ) . The fives of the basking shark are shaped in a half Moon form, the oral cavity is positioned on the bottom of the caput, and there is a broad separation of anterior nariss from the oral cavity. The gills are so big that they surround the cervix of the basking shark with the first brace about meeting below the pharynx. On the interior border of each gill are found a great figure of thorny, bristle-like rakers directed inward and forward. The oral cavity is really big and can open at the corners with easiness. On big specimens, the olfactory organ is short and conic with a rounded tip ( Bigalow and Schroeder 147 ) . The dentition of the basking shark are formed in parallel rows like those of other shark species. These dentitions are really little and great in figure to fit their map. These sharks have no demand to turn big, serrated dentition of the more carnivorous assortments. ? Several rows of replacing dentitions develop continuously throughout life behind the outer row of functional dentitions? ( Sharks and Stats 2 ) . The basking shark is a big non-threatening fish that is frequently seen sunning itself on the surface of the H2O and that is why it is named? basking. ? Because of its minute dentition, it is helpless to assail. Often the shark suns itself with its dorsum and dorsal fin high out of the H2O, on its side, or even on its dorsum ( Bigelow and Schroeder ) . Sometimes it loafs along with the neb out of the H2O, its oral cavity unfastened, while garnering its repast of plankton. The shark spends so small clip paying attending to boats that it can easy come within harpoon scope of shark huntsmans. These sharks besides have been seen leaping out of the H2O ( Bigelow and Schroeder 62 ) . Enjoying sharks are normally seen in the Gulf of Maine going entirely. Sometimes, nevertheless, they are seen in the northeasterly United States and in the northern portion of their scope in the Atlantic in loose schools that include every bit many as 60 to a 100 members. During the warm portion of the twelvemonth, enjoying sharks are often seen in the northeasterly United States. In the winter, they frequently move to deeper H2O where the temperature of the H2O does non fall so low ( Bigelow and Shroeder ) . The most interesting distinctive feature of the basking shark is its funny diet. This big animal chows entirely on bantam oceanic animate beings. It sifts these out of the H2O with its greatly developed gill rakers, precisely like other plankton-feeders. Their tummies have been found packed with minute Crustacea ; digestion is so rapid that the nutrient swallowed is shortly reduced to a soupy mass ( Bigelow and Schroeder ) . Enjoying sharks produce unrecorded immature like other sharks in their species although really small is known about the construction of the genteelness forms. The female is known to hold ovaries incorporating six million immature eggs alternatively of the few that are prevailing in other sharks ( Bigelow and Schroeder ) . The basking shark was originally thought to be an Artic species. Now, nevertheless, it is known that it is an dweller of the North Atlantic and the thermic belts of the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. The Northern boundary of the normal scope of the enjoying shark of the North Atlantic appears to be Nova Scotia and Newfoundland ; the Southern boundary is every bit far as the Mediterranean Sea. North Carolina appears to organize the western boundary ( Bigelow and Schroeder ) . At one clip, enjoying sharks every bit good as sperm giants were normally caught off the seashore of Massachusetts. Their cherished oil was treasured as a beginning for lamp oil by the settlers. However, their Numberss were shortly depleted by overfishing ( Bigelow and Schroeder ) . During the last 20 old ages, sharks and their relations have been the object of serious survey peculiarly in the hunt for a remedy for malignant neoplastic disease: Sharks and their relations, the skates and beams, have enjoyed enormous success during their about 400 million old ages of being on Earth. One ground for this surely is their eldritch ability to defy disease # 8230 ; tumour incidence in these animate beings is carefully monitored by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. ( Luer 1 ) . In surveies at the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida, scientists are experimenting to find whether tumours can be produced in sharks and skates by exposing them to potent cancer-causing chemicals. No alterations in the tissues of the sharks or their familial stuff of all time resulted in cancerous tumours to be formed. After 10 old ages of research, the scientists have concluded that the resistence to disease can be explained by the immunoglobin ( IgM ) which ? circulates in the shark blood at really high degrees and appears to be ready to assail invading substances at all times # 8230 ; This information may someday take to improved methods of immune cell ordinance in worlds, particularly malignant neoplastic disease patients? ( Luer 1-2 ) . In the 1980? s, surveies conducted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ( MIT ) and at Mote Marine Laboratory tried to verify the value of utilizing shark gristle for both malignant neoplastic disease and arthritis: These surveies of cow and shark gristle were designed to understand how gristle is of course able to defy incursion by blood capillaries. If the footing for this suppression could be identified, it was reasoned, so it might take to the development of a new drug therapy. Such a drug could command the spread of blood vass feeding a cancerous tumour, or the redness associated with arthritis ( Luer 2 ) . The primary advocate of the benefits of shark gristle has been Dr. I. William Lane. In his book, Sharks Still Don? T Get Cancer, Lane claims that? usage of whole shark gristle has proven so effectual as an alternate malignant neoplastic disease therapy that it is now being studied in human clinical tests conducted under the protections of the United States Food and Drug Administration? ( 6 ) . The benefit of shark gristle is touted as a therapy which stops the formation of new blood vass and, hence, prevents the growing of cancerous tumours. This procedure was named antiangiogenesis ( anti = against, angio = blood, generation = formation of ) ( 8 ) . Research continues with the enjoying shark as a topic. In 1989, it was reported by Jing Chen that an oil emulsion from the? Cetorhinus maximus is a bran-new anti-carcinoma medical specialty made from marine beings. Marked betterment of the patient? s status such as weight addition, partial shrinking of the conceited ball and life extension constitute the distinctive characteristics of oil emulsion of Cetorhinus maximus? ( 41-45 ) . Consequences of the largest current survey announced in May, 1997, by the non-profit Cancer Treatment Research Foundation in Arlington Heights, Illinois, were dissatisfactory. The research found that Cartilade trade name shark gristle was uneffective against advanced instances of chest, colon, lung, and prostate malignant neoplastic disease. None of the 47 patients showed even partial tumour decrease after 12 hebdomads ( Environmental Nutrition 7 ) . Although Lane? s work continues to be followed, research efforts to verify his work has non been satisfactory. It was during a feature narrative on 60 Minutess when Mike Wallace interviewed Lane in Cuba that the narrative became well-known in America. The consequences of the study were inconclusive but the involvement of the American people had been whetted ( Braun 5 ) . The value of the shark has yet to be to the full determined as a medical intervention for homo disease. However, the current probes surely have opened new countries of survey for these monolithic animals of the warm oceans who have existed for 1000000s of old ages. The shark may be the key to adult male? s hereafter. The Basking Shark: Hope for the Future? Introduction # 8211 ; What are the biological features, home ground, and value of enjoying sharks? I. Interrelated life signifiers populate the oceans. A. Photoplankton synthesize nutrient. B. Small fish consume photoplankton. C. Zooplankton eats infinitesimal workss. D. Food concatenation ends with big animals. E. Some of the largest animals feed on the smallest. II. Ocean creatures feed at assorted deepnesss of the sea. A. Most big animals gather at the top bed of the ocean. B. Small animals feed on organic dust deep in the ocean. III. Fish species include 340 members. A. Skates B. Rays C. Chimeras D. Sharks IV. Location of sharks A. Devil dog Waterss B. Tropical seas C. Subtropical Waterss V. Length of the shark varies. A. Whale shark every bit great as 49 pess B. Cookie-cutter shark every bit little as 19 inches VI. Agressiveness varies. A. Most appear to be aggressive carnivores. B. Some of the largest are plankton-eaters. VII. Sharks have non changed from the Cretaceous Period. A. Caused by great diverseness in behaviour B. Assortment of sizes C. Excellent version accomplishments VIII. Sharks belong to category Chondrichthyes. A. Scientific names of sharks B. Skeletons of Chondrichthyans are made of gristle. IX. Specific features of the basking shark. A. Found in temperate oceans B. Length up to 43 pess C. Swims near surface D. Feeds on plankton E. Enormous fish F. Mouth is big G. Gill slits H. Originally hunted for its liver oil I. Not known to be unsafe J. Color blends with environment K. Fusiform organic structure L. Placoid Scales M. Characteristics of the caput N. Characteristics of the dentitions Ten. Scientists have recorded measurings of the basking shark. A. Babies are five to six pess at birth. B. Pacific Ocean basking sharks C. Atlantic Ocean basking sharks D. Others have observed lengths from 35 # 8211 ; 50 pess. Eleven. Sharks have been observed in many topographic points. A. Gulf of Maine swimming entirely B. Northeastern United States in big Numberss C. In winter, they move to warm clime D. Known boundaries Twelve. Breeding forms are mostly unknown. A. Produce unrecorded immature B. Ovaries contain six million immature eggs. Thirteen. Sharks have been studied as a remedy for malignant neoplastic disease. A. Ability to defy disease B. Few tumours have been discovered by Smithsonian Institution C. Do non organize tumours when exposed to cancer-causing stuff D. Studies may take to assist for malignant neoplastic disease patients. E. Several scientific discipline labs have studied the usage of shark gristle for malignant neoplastic disease remedies. 1. Dr. I. William Lane # 8211 ; Sharks Still Don? T Get Cancer 2. Jing Chen in 1989 3. Cancer Treatment Research Foundation survey is let downing. 4. Current surveies indicate inconclusive consequences. Decision: Current probes and modern cognition of the basking shark have opened new countries of survey with deductions for the wellness of adult male. Plants Cited ? Basking Shark, ? 98 Encyclopedia. Computer Software. California: Microsoft Encarta, 1998. CD-ROM. Bigelow and Schroeder. ? Fishs of the Gulf of Maine. ? United States Government Printing Office, 1953. Online. Internet. 25 Apr. 1998. Available: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.bigelowand shroeder.com. Braun, Wendy R. ? A Different Kind of Shark Attack ( Shark Cartilage for Cancer Prevention ) . ? Medical Update. Abstract. Health Reference Center. Las Vegas-Clark County Library District. 26 Apr. 1998. Sept. 1996: 5. Chen, Jing, Weiguo Wang, Huozhong Zhang, et. Al. ? Oil Emulsion of Cetorhinus Maximus in Treating Malignant Tumors: A Clinical Observation of 45 Cases. ? Online. Internet. 25 Apr. 1998. 41-45. Available: J.-MAR.-DRUGS-HAIYANG-YAOWU. Lane, Dr. I William and Linda Comac. Sharks Still Don? T Get Cancer. Garden City Park, New York: Avery Publishing Group, 1996. Luer, Dr. Carl A. ? Sharks and Cancer. ? Online. Internet. 25 Apr. 1998. Available: hypertext transfer protocol: //marinelab. sarasota.fl.us/~rhueter/sharks/cancer.phtml. ? Shark, ? 98 Encyclopedia. Computer Software. California: Microsoft Encarta, 1998. CD-ROM. ? Shark Facts and Stats: General Characteristics. ? Online. Internet. 25 Apr. 1998. Available: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.marinelab.sarasota.fl.us/~rhueter/sharks/char.phtml. ? So Far, Shark Cartilage Is a Fishy Treatment For Cancer. ? Environmental Nutrition. Abstract. Health Reference Center. Las Vegas-Clark County Library District. 26 Apr. 1998. Sept. 1997: 7. Whipple, A.B.C. Restless Oceans. Planet Earth Ser. Alexandria, Virginia: Time-Life Books, 1983.

Position Paper Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Position Paper - Movie Review Example In other words, there are substantial issues and various points linked to autism. What is most important is to come up with relevant point of view about it. The work at hand points out some relevant views about autism based on the point of view of the film. At certain point, the film simply showcases the thought that autism could be due to environmental toxins. This has remarkable basis, which particularly includes the prevailing lifestyle of the people in the modern world. With the advancement of technology and the innovative approach of creating something new in the market place, people are bound to experience relevant health, psychological and emotional variations. At some point, one remarkable change that may be brought by this is relevant to the level of learning of an individual. Autism based on the film is considered as a problem associated with learning. A person having difficulty in learning might be highly influence by the presence of autism or any symptoms associated with it. However, the thought that this might be due to environmental toxins remains debatable. For this reason, there is another point of view that surfaces. The issue about neurodiversity is so strong that it encourages everybody to support a person under the condition of autism. For the reason that there are only few cases of autism and average people do not act the way an autistic person does, many experts believe that it is quite substantial point to consider that autism is not a normal mental condition after all, but something that requires moral support from all concerned. This view is humanistic in its approach, and in fact, this is how the film presents the point of looking at autism as something that may require substantial public consciousness. Based on these thoughts, there are vital topics or concerns that may be good items for teachers to consider. Taking into account the concept of learning and the prevalence of autism are phenomenal ideas. Banking on the point of

Target Corporation Supply Chain Managment Research Paper

Target Corporation Supply Chain Managment - Research Paper Example This merchandise is transferred to the regional offices through rail or trucks. The regional offices are responsible for providing merchandise to more than 1700 stores of the company located in different states of US. The effective of Target supply chain is responsible to meet the customers demand, and the company has complete control of its merchandise immediate after the arrival of its shipment (Tirschwell, 2008). Product and Service Specification Product Specification Target being a highest discount retailer is spread in a wide range of products in the utility section. From house hold goods to dry items, from food items to cosmetics there is a big variety of products which Target offers (Target, 2012). Service Specifications Target Corporation being a merger with Associated Merchandising Corporation (AMC) has globalized its service network in discount retail section. In the retail section, Target is divided in three categories of services Target Greatland (shoes and clothing), Tar get stores (utility services) and Super Target (marts). With conventional product line and with advanced value adding methods, Target has retrieved maximum sales potential by such efficient service administration (Target Corporation , 2012). The company has spread in branches where each branch is working as a separate service unit for effective and substantial service management (Target Corporation , 2012). Order Processing and Management Target’s corporation has advanced order processing methods. CMMS (computerized maintenance management system) is applied in distribution and order processing sections. Maximo is the system which identifies orders on CMMS to send them to different vendors. This is how Target connects from one supply chain function (distribution center) to another (vendors) in a cost effective manner. Maximo carries general order information and order notifications to distribution centers to provide real time service to the customer (Target Corporation , 2012) . Value Delivery Options Target being the highest discount retailer is famous on discounts price offers. With valuable discount offerings, Target is able to win customer’s perception in quite extensive manner, as customers get both things quality and service in high discount rates from Target stores. All such open value delivery options for Target Corporation and make its products and services a top priority in the customer’s perception (Target Corporation , 2012). Procurement Procurement is the starting function of a supply chain process. The larger the company is like Target, the broad is its circle of procurement and vendors (Blanchard, 2010). With the application of EDI software on procurement, Target connects with other merchandisers in a cost effective manner. This is to control and management procurement function and to bring right vendors at the right time of reception. Associations like National Minority Supplier Development Council, National Veteran Owned Bus iness Association or US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce supports target to achieve its diversified supplier and procurement goals. This is how Target settles in vendors system of procurement (Target Corporation, 2012). Inventory Management Inventory management comes at the fifth position of

Entry Strategies of Starbucks in China and UK Case Study

Entry Strategies of Starbucks in China and UK - Case Study Example This research will begin with the statement that when a firm seeks to enter a foreign market, the company must choose the most appropriate entry mode for that specific market. The decision of entry mode strategy has an important implication in company’s international expansion. The choice of international strategy has long-term implication for MNCs. There are six international entry mode strategies: exporting, licensing, a turnkey project, franchising, joint ventures and wholly-owned subsidiaries. There are different influential factors that determine a company’s international strategy in each situation. The effect of these factors may differ considerably with respect to different countries. Starbucks uses three different entry modes to internationally establish their business such as joint ventures, licensing and wholly owned subsidiaries. Each day nearly 2.5 billion cups of coffee are consumed. It is the 5th most widely traded commodity in the world and millions of pe ople depend directly or indirectly on the production and sale of coffee for their income. The US coffee shop industry includes about 20,000 stores with combined annual revenue of about $11 billion. The industry is highly concentrated: the top 50 companies generate more than 70 percent of industry sales. The profitability of companies in the industry depends on the ability to obtain prime locations, create innovative promotion methods to increase customers, and deliver high-quality products. Big sized firms have advantages beginning from sourcing the beans to marketing their specialty coffee products owing to their easy availability of capital. Small companies can offer competition only by bringing in the local flavor to their restaurants based on their familiarity about the surroundings and also adding that personal touch to customer service. Coffee shops compete with businesses such as convenience stores, fast food restaurants, gourmet restaurants, and donut shops. Target Segment:- When specialty coffee was first being produced, its target consumer segment was the upper income class. This specific customer segment has been nearly fully penetrated. Any additional growth will come from those consumers with middle or lower incomes. These two segments are generally more motivated by discount products over branded products. Buyers are more aware and knowledgeable about specialty coffee and they are also demanding superior quality in the recent times. This results in further consumption of the product based on better information. PEST analysis: Political/Legal:- Rise in tensions between U.S. and rest of the world often results in negative impact on business activities of American brands like Starbucks in Middle East. Starbucks CEO Schultz was assumed to be close to Jewish society and was alleged to be funding their activities. Due to threats following this accusation Starbucks was forced to close down six stores in Israel. Starbucks imports all their coffee beans. So changes in import laws could affect production which can result in price variations of the product and in turn consumption too. Economic:- Starbucks has faced problems due to economic recession in countries such as Switzerland, Germany, and Japan in the early 2000s, where it caused declining sales and revenues for the company. Moreover, huge recession due to the global financial crisis also impacts the company’s results badly. Social:- Starbucks is committed to a role of positive impact on environment in all of their business activities. They understand the environmental issues and share information with their partners and encourage them to participate in this mission. This only adds on to the positive image of the company. Technological:-

Auditor scepticism is an increasing concern for the profession and Essay

Auditor scepticism is an increasing concern for the profession and stakeholders of UK Companies - Essay Example Despite of that, some companies still comes up with unreal data and manages to evade tax. According to reports, the major reason behind this phenomenon is the reduced scepticism level among the auditors. In UK, due to reduced scepticism among the auditors, stakeholders are finding it difficult to make proper decision pertaining to investment. As before investing, it is essential for the stakeholders to have confidence in the companies where they are investing. Therefore to get deep insights about the issue, the report will emphasize on how auditor scepticism is becoming a cause of concern for the stakeholders of the companies based on UK. In addition the report will also cover the areas associated with auditor scepticism. Finally based on the findings of the study, a conclusion will be drawn and recommendations regarding how auditor’s scepticism can be improved will be made. Auditor scepticism can be defined as the level of cynicism that an auditor needs to employ while conducting an audit. The notion became prominent in recent times when issues such as banking crisis came in the limelight. The regulatory authorities have raised question on the auditing firms on whether they demonstrated the level of scepticism needed to carry out an audit (Kan, 2007). Similarly in UK, the stakeholders of the companies are getting increasingly concerned about the low level of scepticism among the auditors. In addition to this, the auditing profession is also getting negatively impacted. According to auditing standards (ISA 200) professional scepticism is defined as an attitude that includes a questioning mind, being alert to conditions which may indicate possible misstatement due to error or fraud, and a critical assessment of audit evidence (PCAOB, 2010). Based on this definition, it can be identified that scepticism has high influence on the scope of the work. In addit ion, it also help the auditor’s to analyse the findings of audit thereby concluding whether appropriate evidences has been acquired for proving whether accounts are depicting true and fair view. There is a belief about the fact that a sceptical mind set and attitude is essential for an audit to be rigorous and carried out with a professional care. Scepticism is also important as it plays a crucial role in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of an audit. On the other hand too much scepticism negatively impacts the audit process. Hence a right balance of scepticism is necessary for an audit. However there is no predefined or standard degree of scepticism required to put into practice (Financial Reporting Council, 2010). The principal objective an audit is to enable that the auditors provide an outlook on the financial statements. The purpose is also to provide reasonable declaration that the

Prison Overcrowding in the United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Prison Overcrowding in the United States - Essay Example This has led into inmates being forced into open dormitories and double-bunking in a single cell. Many critics have termed such overcrowding as dehumanizing and degrading for inmates. It is also contradictory to the present correctional reforms that emphasize on maximizing the opportunities that are available to inmates (Farrington 222). The United States reports the highest number of incarceration rate in the world. At the end of the year 2009, the incarceration rate was 743 adults per 100,000 people. U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics quotes that 2,266,800 people were incarcerated in the US state, federal and county jails by the end of 2010. This is approximately 0.7% of the US adult resident population. In addition, there were 4,933,667 adults by the end of 2009, who were on parole or probation. Therefore, the total number of adults under correctional supervision totals to 7,225,800. This is approximately 3% of the total population of US adults (U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics). The number of juvenile detentions was 86, 927 in 2007. Despite this increased numbers, the crime rates have been shown to be on the decrease. 70% of prisoners in the US are non-white. The states with the highest ratio of incarceration include Louisiana, Oklahoma and Mississippi. Approximately 90% of the inmates comprise males. The total number of foreign prisoners is estimated at 6% (U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics). There are several causes of this pertinent issue. There has been an increase on the number of offenders that are sent to prison. This can be attributed to high rates of recidivism, which have been on the rise. There has been an increased rate of offenders that return to prison for unsuccessfully completing or violating community supervision. The increased number of offenders can also be attributed to new criminal offences that have been added to the penal code. Certain types of offenses have harsher penalties resulting in

Responses to two memo discussion Module 3 Article

Responses to two memo discussion Module 3 - Article Example Because of this, organizations will be able to respond to various needs of the stakeholders without taking much time. Additionally, networking will save the company from frequent travelling since it will be able to share information as well as files with minimal time wastage. Therefore, the memo is on point on the benefits of networking an organization. This is in response to memo 2 titled, â€Å"Computer Networking Standards Recommendation† dated on June 26th, 2014. I agree with the memo that the increasing and the advancement of technologies are making it difficult for companies’ technicians to cope with emerging softwares. Therefore, the developments of companies that help organizations to integrate the softwares in managements is brilliant. Organizations don’t have to hire computer networking staffs every time they acquire a new system, but can use the automated systems from companies such as Cobit, Sam IT among others in understanding an organization and driving the values of the shareholders. They will offer support and on site and remote diagnostics which is essential for organizational

Final Organization plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Final Organization plan - Research Paper Example Through public reporting and clinical informatics, this goal of educating those who are directly and indirectly involved with the system would be realized. The hospital believes that according to the design and goals of the plan, public reporting would be the best way to jump start education for those who are concerned and the patients in the VA medical center. The hospital is well aware that their primary clients are veterans who were in the national service for many years and sensitive to many aspects, and thus, educating both the medical team and the patients concerned would be the mildest yet most effective way of administering the quality improvement plan. Clinical informatics would help the hospital with a more thorough and organized distribution of information with the help of information technology. This way, the target of educating the hospital team about patient falls would be strategic and sound. The combination of information technology and clinical experiences broadens t he opportunities for healthcare education. The institution believes that in order to reduce the patient fall rates, it is necessary to start with awareness of the said situation, and only then can there be action towards it. Summary The G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center is a hospital honoring the American veterans. The institution’s respect towards them is insurmountable, and thus, they are faithful to their mission of providing the best quality of health care to them, as willingly as they fought for the nation in younger years. As part of the nationwide Veteran’s Administration hospitals, the center ensures that quality healthcare is within reach for every American veteran. In carrying out their vision-mission statements, the hospital has quality services offered whether it is not in-patient care or out-patient care. Major medical services would include â€Å"primary, second and tertiary medical, neurological and mental health inpatient care† (â€Å"U. S. Department,† 2010). As observed, the hospital sees the necessity of caring for their patients holistically. This VA hospital is currently having 163 active hospitals affiliated with various medical colleges and universities, with facilities including â€Å"a 120-bed nursing home care unit, Community-Based Outpatient Clinics, nursing homes and four 150-bed state veterans’ nursing homes† (â€Å"U.S. Department,† 2010). In line with the core values of compassion, commitment, excellence, professionalism, integrity, accountability, and stewardship, this plan would follow a goal and an objective of patient-centered service, making the health care more accessible to all American Veterans. The pride of caring for the nation’s heroes is the inspiration of the hospital to do the best it could in providing efficient health care service. This plan targets seven issues surrounding patient fall rates; these are quality services, assurance of safety, accurate m edical delivery, knowledgeable line of staff, decrease of infection rate, increase of patient recovery, and continuous medical service for outpatients. As observed, the plan’s primary objective is to ensure that patients are far from a possible patient fall. The secondary objective is more concerned about facility and care accessibility. Although the two objectives are of different areas, its collaboration would mean the success of the plan.

Violence in the Kite Runner Essay Example for Free

Violence in the Kite Runner Essay In The Kite Runner violence is one of the main themes; it shapes Amir’s life. The main type of violence is rape along with murder and abuse. When the Taliban arrived in Afghanistan violence became more relevant to all of the society. Some may think there was to much violence in the story, but without it I feel it would lack purpose. The first time Amir encounters a violent act is after the one of the biggest kite competitions. Hassan runs the last kite Amir catches up with him to retrieve the price. Assef is the town bully he arrives at the kite with two of his friends and rapes Hassan. Amirs saw what was happening to Hassan but choose not to help Hassan. Amir didn’t know that his choice was going to lead him to a life full of guilt. When Amir and his fathers are in a truck leaving Pakistan a guard attempts to rape one of the women. Baba stops the guard which makes Amir regret his choice even more. After many violence free but guilt filled years in America Amir receives a call that he must come back. When he does he finds a way to redeem himself. Rahim tells him that Hassan and his wife Farzana had been murdered by the Taliban, and he must go n a journey to find their son Sohrab. When Amir is told the Taliban took Sohrab he is furious. He is told to go to the Ghazi Stadium where he could find the Taliban leader. His taxi driver helps him set up a meeting with the leader. While they where at the soccer game two people; a women and a man where stoned to death on the filed by the Taliban. This event was very violent and made Amir relies how bad his â€Å"home† actually was. When Amir goes to meet the leader it turns out to be Assef from his childhood. Assef makes a deal with Amir to fight and see who gets Sohrab. When Amir is loosing he brutal fight Sohrab helps him by shooting Assef in the eyes with his slingshot. Later in the story you find out that Assef had been raping Sohrab like he had to Hassan. Amir also experiences a violent event on his trip home to America with Sohrab. Amir found him lying in the bath tub full of blood, because Sohrab had cut his wrist trying to commit suicide. Amir teaches Sohrab to fly the kite like his father did. The kite strings are made of glass. They both enjoy flying the kites even though it bloodies your hands. In this book violence is used to improve the characters or to bring joy into your life.

Gender Discrimination in Media Essay Example for Free

Gender Discrimination in Media Essay Abstract This study examines women’s participation and representation in media. This study is based on the statistics of media units in Solapur city. Women constitute nearly 50% of population in every Indian city, but the participation of women in media is very low. Discussions of womens representation in the media tend to revolve around the focus on physical beauty to the near-exclusion of other values. It is observed that media content about women issues is biased and gender discrimination is clearly visible . This study also suggests the ways to increase the women participation in media and the ways to rational representation of women in media. Introduction: Women constitute nearly 50% of population in India. Our social system boasts that it has given mother goddess status to women since the ancient period. But in reality society builds psychological barriers around women. This male dominated society imposed so many bindings against women. Therefore role of women was confined only to the kitchen and kids for many years. Social movement started by Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Mahatma Phule, Savitribai Phule, Maharshi Karve and other social activists opened doors for women’s education. Women have benefited greatly as education provided information to them about their rights and their equal status in the society. In spite of these efforts and the 65 year long journey since India’s independence , our nation is lagging behind in many basic things. World Economic Forum conducted a study to measure gender gap. The Global Gender Gap Index examines the gap between men and women in four fundamental categories: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival and political empowerment. According to this Gender Gap Report-2011, India is included among the 20 countries, where the gender gap is widest. It holds 113th position among 134 countries in the world. This report explains that â€Å"India and Pakistan perform above average on the political empowerment of women, particularly India, but they lag behind in the other three categories. In particular, the persistent health, education and economic participation gaps will be detrimental to India’s growth. India is the lowest ranked of the BRICK economies† (http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GenderGap_Report_2011.pdf) After India’s independence Womens role in society has undergone seismic changes, which has been reflected in every walk of life. Women stepped out of four walls and succeeded in each and every field. Now women are working as pilots, soldiers, doctors, engineers, lawyers, politicians and proving their mettle in all fields. But it is ground reality that basic structure of male dominated society and roles and presumptions about womens worlds remain the same. Still the life of majority of women in India remains unchanged. . The women who got benefited through education and succeeded to grab a job have to destine to face male supremacy. Gender discrimination is visible at every moment. Decision- making positions are not accessible for women. Many times working women have to face humiliation. Scenario in the field of media Scenario in the field of media also does not differ from it. Media Still remains as men’s world and this is global phenomena. According to the research conducted by International Women’s Media Foundation( IWMF ) 73% of the top management jobs are occupied by men compared to 27% occupied by women,Among the rank of reports , men hold nearl y two thirds of the jobs, compared to 36% held by women. These findings were collected by more than 150 researchers who interviewed executives at more than 500 companies in 59 nations. (http://iwmf.org/pioneering-change/global-research-on-women-in-the-news-media/global-report-online-version.aspx) According to this report statistics of women’s participation in Indian media is 13. 8 % ( e.g. Chief Executive Officer ) at top management , 23.3 % ( e.g. News Directors) in senior management ,18.3% ( Chief Correspondent ) in middle management and 25.5 % ( Reportes, Sub-editors ) at junior professional level . This report reveals that women’s participation in Indian media is very low and gender discrimination is the only reason behind this. Media sector in India is very strong and particularly India ranks second in circulation of newspaper copies in the world. â€Å"The new figures show that the four largest markets for newspapers are: China with 107 million copies daily; India, with 99 million copies daily; Japan with 69 million copies daily; and the United States, with nearly 51 million.† 1 Marathi newspapers in Maharashtra are also enjoying better position. Two Marathi newspapers Lokmat and Sakal are placed among India’s top 10 largest circulated regional dailies in the IRS first quarterly report 2012 . Lokmat is at second position and Sakal is at tenth position in this list. (http://mruc.net/irs2012q1-topline-findings.pdf) â€Å" Women participation in Indian media is negligible. Though a few women were appointed by the media many were not given big responsibilities. The media should be more responsible when it comes to reporting of womens issues.† 2 This picture is same in Mahashtra state. Solapur city is 7 th populated city in Maharastra .Population of Solapur is more than 12 lacks. There are seven dailies having circulation of more than 25000 copies per day. But participation of women in newspapers editorial staff is negligible. It is observed that young women taking admissions to the media courses is increasing during last few years. But job opportunities are not easily accessible for them. Situation in electronic media seems better than newspapers. Table no 1: Ratio of Women’s Participation in Editorial staff of Daily Newspapers in Solapur This statistics clearly reveals that women’s participation in these newspapers as reporters, sub-editors, editors is less than 3%. Women journalists are confined generally to the table duties to edit women’s page or to cover cultural events arranged for women. Important beats such as political beat, crime beat does not allotted to the female journalists. They work on junior levels .In decision making process women’s participation almost neglected in all newspapers. Table no 2 : Womens participation in electronic media in Solapur Sr no| Media Unit | Male Journalists | Female Journalists| total| 1| AIR Solapur| 05 (71..42%)| 02 (18.58%)| 06| 2| Big 92.7 FM| 03 (100.00%)| 0(00.00%)| 04| 3| IN Solapur TV channel| 08 (80.0%)| 02 (20.0%)| 10| 4| Reporters of TV channels| 09 (90.0%) | 01 (10.0%)| 10| | Total| 23 (83.34%)| 05 (16.66%)| 30| Women participation in electronic media is 16.66% as compared to mere 1.97 % in newspapers. Solapur Working Journalist Union is organization of all journalist belonging to print and electronic media in Solapur .( Table no.3 ) Not a single female journalist included among total 125 members of Solapur Working Journalist’s Union Table no 3: Members of Solapur Working Journalist Union Male Journalists | Female Journalists| 125 ( 100%)| 00 ( 00 % )| Male dominated media managements are not allowing access to the woman journalists. According to the executives of the media, woman journalists cannot work in the night shifts and they are reluctant to cover every beat assigned to them .That’s why we prefers male journalists for the job. This gender biased assumption of the media managements is contrary to the real facts. Women are actively participating in every walk of life such as armed forces, space science, entrepreneurship, education, engineering etc.They work hard without any concessions and proved their mettle. These examples prove that women are going hand-in-hand with men in every field. Therefore women can do their best in the field of media. Barkha Dutt, Nalini Singh, Mrinal Pandey, Sucheta Dalal are some prominent examples of women journalists doing brilliant job than male journalists. It reveals that only reason for the less participation of women in media is the gender bias of the management. Women’s Representation in Media Media plays an important role in the dissemination of information and knowledge to the masses. It is the role of the media to educate people and to guide them for the development of society and nation. But media content about women issues is alwayes biased and gender discrimination is clearly visible in it. Most of the woman’s organizations blame on media that it is responsible for biased and stereotype portrayal of women. Any society cannot progress without upliftment and empowerment of women .But Indian media is engaged in portraying women as housewives.† Feminists objected to the stereotypical portrayal of women as happy home- makers who were less competent than men.† 3 Now women are active participants in every walk of life. Therefore it is important to to properly project the image of women as role model. For these purpose women participation in media should be increased. But mere participation does not change the situation. .â€Å"A large proportion of women thought that there would be a change in program content with as increase in proportion of female employees program quality would improve and more balanced perspective would be emerge. .† 4 Mrs. Suhas Kumar rightly suggested that â€Å"Women must become active participants in the field of journalism and other fields of media to fulfill the all-round development of women directly and indirectly.only through their involvement in journalism women will be able to speak for themselvesand the issues relevant to them†. 8 Therefore it is necessary to appoint women as decision makers in the newspapers. Special training must be given to all editorial staff about the equality principle and the rights of women as human being. Conclusion: Male dominated newspaper industry is reluctant to give access to women journalists. Women journalists are not assigned to cover important issues. News related to women issues covered by male journalists cannot give justification to the issue. There are no guidelines for reservations for women in media jobs.Mere increases in number of women journalists cannot change the gender bias in media. Suggestions: At the end, this study concludes with some suggestions (a) There is need to recruit women journalists in proportion, giving them equal opportunity and access to work in media. (b) The important women’s issues must be rported by women journalist. (c) Special guidelines should be given to all the journalists about projecting positive and real image of woman, without any bias. (d) There should be a provision to punish guilty persons for portraying women as commodity in any advertisement, news, article etc. References 1. The Hindu online edition ,New Delhi, Jan,10, 2011.8 2. The Hindu online edition ,New Delhi, June,4 ,2008 3.Thakurta Paranjoy,Media Ethics : Truth, Fairness and Objectivity,Oxford

Health Disparities Between Maoris and Non-Maoris

Health Disparities Between Maoris and Non-Maoris Introduction The first inhabitants of New Zealand came from the islands nearby. The locals or what they call themselves, Maoris, travelled across the pacific some thousand years ago. It was also thought that the Maoris arrived in the island by groups. The initial meetings between the pakehas (the whites) and the Maori’s was recorded to have been in the 1700’s headed by James Cook, an expedition coming from Britain. In the middle of the 1800’s, an agreement was written between the British colony and the local settlers in the form of the Treaty of Waitangi. Agreed and signed by Maori chiefs and individuals that stood in behalf of the British crown. This agreement came about as the mediating factor between the foreigners and in particular the protection of the interests of Maori’s. The treaty gave way to more migrants from Britain up to a point where pakeha’s already outnumber the locals. With new methods of living introduced by the whites, the locals were not able to adapt easily constituting the increase in Maori death rates. It was believed firearms and new contagious illnesses were among the top cause of mortality for the locals. Moreover, history is telling us that after New Zealand was colonized, locals were losing their lands which contributed much of the Maori’s health issues. It was noted that incidence of death was not as high as compared to those indigenous groups who were able to get hold and not surrender their lands as in the case of the Tongans and Samoans. (Kunitz, 1994) The various challenges the Maori people faced were not limited to confiscation of their lands. This included putting restrictions with their rights and discouraging the use of Maori language in the area of study which paved way to adding more insult to the health of the Maori’s. The signed Treaty of Waitangi has its main purpose which is to protect the rights of the locals of New Zealand particularly the Maori’s. However, realization of the main purpose of the treaty remained only in writing which resulted in disparities in health access between the whites and the Maori’s. In this paper, I will be discussing the disparity and how it has put the Maori’s in the disadvantage which was clearly the opposite intention of the Treaty of Waitangi. The aim here is to better understand the Maori’s and where they are coming from so we, the future health care providers in this country, would be able to perform our duties properly. Health Disparities Various studies have been done and scholars cited numerous reasons why there are inequalities particularly in health between the pakeha’s and the Maori’s. Genetic factors and environmental influences are among the suspects for the disparity but really does not play as the key variables when it comes to public health concerns. For the purpose of this study, we try to dissect the â€Å"nongenetic† factors for the disparities in health between the pakeha’s and the Maoris. These include socioeconomic variables, lifestyle, discrimination, and accessibility to health care. Noting that, although, these may be four areas to consider, they are all somewhat correlated with each other. Socioeconomic Factor The loss of land by most of the Maori’s constituted to their poor status. The locals have lost their ability to care for their lands which led to low production of fruit crops. Inability to rear animals such as pigs, sheep and cows due to lack of space also contributed to their lessening power to trade. Without much power in trade resulted to low income which forced them to live in the outskirts where there is limited supply of the basic needs. As a result, the Maori’s, being unable to acquire the necessities in life, were subjected to poor health conditions. Lifestyle Tobacco use and alcohol consumption were introduced to the locals by the colonizers to help pass time or to keep them pre-occupied. However, with their poor state of life, Maori’s resorted more to these vices to combat depression. Unknowingly, it had grown in them and fell slave to these addictive elements. Excessive intake of these products created more problems for the Maori’s. They became more depressed and elicited unruly behaviours which certainly did not help in promoting good health practices. The lack of knowledge with proper food preparations also added to the Maori health issues. Maori’s also believed that when an individual has gained weight that it is a sign of being healthy. Unfortunately, with the wrong perception, high rate of obesity and cardiovascular related diseases are not uncommon to them. Discrimination The locals or the Maoris have been long a subject to racism and have experienced discrimination at all levels for most of their lives. The incidence happening within the health care areas, may it be conscious and unintentional attitudes of people providing health care, have caused the Maoris to be doubtful when seeking medical assistance until it is already in its worst stage. Maoris also have encountered disempowerment coming from health care professionals. GP’s were reported to not likely support when it comes to measures to prevent health conditions to Maoris as compared to the non-Maoris. Access to Health Care Living in far flung areas not only inhibits the Maori’s accessibility to health care but it also limits them in getting proper assistance from any health care provider. Still in connection with the socioeconomic factor, some, if not most, of the Maori’s are still illiterate when it comes to using the internet due to either lack of service in the area or the lack of capability to get the service. Transportation also plays an important role when it comes to accessing health care. Most Maoris do not have the means for them to bring themselves to the nearest health care institution. Mostly happening, if a person coming from a specific cultural minority will seek medical assistance, one would want to find out if there is a medical staff of the same cultural background so it would be easy to convey their real condition. Being able to talk to an individual of the same culture will help ease the patient in opening his or her issues. Combating Disparities In recent time, a health disparity model has been formulated by the government under the Ministry of Health. This is to address the issues pertaining to inequalities in health for Maori’s. This model recognises the root of the disparities in a community and outlines procedures than can be performed to combat situations that cause the disparities. Areas that the model wants to achieve include finding ways on how to improve an individual/family income, the importance of employment, providing education and health access for the locals. In this model, it is also addresses Maori’s to have more control in the land/communities they are currently living in. It is also supported that health services including disability assistance be given when necessary. An example of this is when a local is disadvantaged due to sickness or disability will be provided sufficient income assistance and support against social, ethnic and racial discrimination. (Ministry of Health, 2002) Case 1 A case study was done about a Maori banker who sought medical attention as he was not feeling well. During consultation, the GP was not able to get the whole picture about the status of his patient. The GP tried to explain his thoughts about the situation and asked for further details. The patient started to get frustrated. The patient mentioned that she went to a urupa (graveyard) and smoked and thought it could be the reason of his condition. The GP, having no idea of the significance asked for its relevance. The banker revealed that graveyards are considered sacred and that by smoking in it is against their culture. The GP elicited if the patient had any idea on how to fix it. After a sigh, the patient replied that he needed a priest. For the GP, although he knew the act had nothing to do about his condition, out of respect of the individuals’ belief, he acknowledged about the violation of their culture and that he would be able to give medicine to take care of his breathle ssness. In this case, the Maori patient really believed that the cause of his being unwell is rooted from him violating the Maori culture. Although the GP could have easily corrected the wrong notion, it would have been really difficult to have an argument especially if it contradicts ones cultural beliefs as it would mean for them as a sign of disrespect. The GP in this case was able to show signs that he respected their cultural system while presenting complementary solution from modern medicine which in turn helped hastens the intervention. The GP being comfortable with the disease attribution of the patient and by following the culture protocols while offering supportive assistance to deal with the patient’s breathlessness gave way for the Maori patient to be also comfortable in accepting treatment for both Maori and modern method of treating the condition. Case 2 Another case involving a 47 year old man of Maori descent who have encountered an injury from a crash at his work place as a driver. The health provider handling the patient had difficulty because the man is rude and unfriendly when they initially spoke on the phone. The issue was then brought up in a team meeting. Fortunately, one member is also a Maori who then suggested that a personal meeting is necessary between the health provider, his employer, client and his family. The meeting was then set and everyone was present including the clients’ employer and whanau. During the meeting, the patient spoke that it was his first time to meet most who were in attendance. The patient also expressed his dismay about the different treatment plan suggested by different providers and that there was no clear information on when he is able to return to work. The patient is also concerned about the rehabilitation process as it might interfere with his duties in their cultural group. In this case, since all the variables that can be affected during the procedure were all present, it made easy to formulate a care plan. By doing this, a fast and significant recovery was experienced sooner than expected since everyone was motivated and at the same time very cooperative performing the planned care. Conclusion As a future health care provider in New Zealand, understanding the Maori’s is very critical in providing health service and somehow will help fulfil what the Treaty of Waitangi is really for. Our aim as health care practitioners is not to change an individuals’ beliefs or customs. We should be advocates particularly to the disadvantaged for them to have control of their lives and be able to improve their ways of living most specially with their health. We should then encourage Maori’s to look after their health and be able to support their own well-being. Caring for them is not limited to those who are sick only but also to their whanau where making right choices about maintaining good health practices should be inculcated fully. In order to be successful with such model, the Maori’s and health care providers should be able to access the necessary resources. It should also be readily available, accepted and is in line with the maori culture. As most of us do, it is a must that we trust our own health care provider to let them handle any of our health conditions. Same with the Maori’s, if they are satisfied and accept the treatment given then it gives them confidence that the health care provider understands where they are coming from and what they really need. For this, it is a must for all health care providers to increase their knowledge about the history of the Maori culture and better understand what the real intentions of the Treaty of Waitangi. This move will definitely make the health care provider be culturally competent and be able to effectively communicate with Maori individuals and their whanau. In addition, this will also encourage patients to seek help early and be able to provide pertinent clinical details. Bibliography Kunitz, S. J. (1994). Disease and Social Diversity: The European Impact on the Health of Non-Europeans. New York: Oxford University Press Inc. Mà ¤uri Ora Associates. (2006, October). Best health outcomes for Maori: Practice Implications. Retrieved April 2, 2015, from Medical Council of New Zealand: https://www.mcnz.org.nz/assets/News-and-Publications/Statements/Best-health-outcomes-for-Maori.pdf Ministry of Health. (2002). Reducing Inequalities in Health. Wellington: Ministry of Health.

The War in Vietnam Essay -- Papers USA Cold War Essays

The War in Vietnam America became increasingly involved in the war in Vietnam, mainly because of the domino theory, the fear of the spread of communism. If South Vietnam fell to the communist the US feared that communism would spread throughout Asia and to neighbouring countries. The influence of the previous presidents also caused another main reason for the US to become more involved in Vietnam. But there is one underlining fact; if the ‘French had not left, America would not have become involved in Vietnam at all. There are many more reasons for America to increase involvement in Vietnam, and all of these can be listed in long and short-term reasons, such as Domino theory being long term and Gulf of Tonkin being short term. Some of the reasons have higher influence in the increase in involvement in Vietnam, while others being less important (for example the Gulf of Tonkin incident). The most important factor for America’s involvement was the Domino Theory, conceived by President Eisenhower, which was originally President Truman’s Theory of Containment (Theory evolving into Domino Theory).The theory of containment was the idea of not actually stopping communism but containing it within a country to stop communism from spreading. This theory was used in the Korean War( 1950-53) and had succeeded in containing communism in North Korea. Eisenhower’s theory, the Domino Theory, initially evolved from Truman’s Theory of Containment. Domino Theory was the idea of the spread of communism, which was compared with the falling of dominos, â€Å"you have a row of dominos set up you knock over the first and what happens to the last is a cer... ...o the failings of the corrupt Diem, leading to the cancelling of the elections, which angered the North, who retaliated by attacking the south, and in response the Americans increased it’s troops to try meet the threats of the Vietcong and Communism. But some factors can be linked to other factors, domino theory and influence of the presidents. Also some of the Factors are more important than others, the most important being the Domino Theory, and the French Exit, but the UN not being as important in the reasons why America got more involved. The Domino theory was the justification for the war. The Gulf of Tonkin was only an excuse , French exit was the void that America filled, and Diem’s failings, all of which linked to the Domino Theory, which is basically the reason why America got increasingly involved in Vietnam.

Sikh Religion Essay -- essays research papers

The movie that I chose to do this report on is titled, ‘Bend it Like Beckham.’ It is about a Sikh girl who is being raised in England. This girl is confronted with a lot of issues pertaining to her culture and religion and how these both clash with the culture of England. She wants to do things that her fellow colleagues are doing, but is not allowed due to her parent’s strict respect of their religion. In the following pages, I will first explain the significance of the man on the wall in the picture. Then I will move on to cultural issues and their significance with the marriage scenes. The last section will discuss the overall reason for Jess not being able to play soccer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sikhism is a religion that was started by a man named Guru Nanak Dev around 500 years ago. He wanted to spread a simple message; â€Å"we are all one, created by the one creator of all creation.† During this time India was being split up by differing religions. He simply took no sides, yet respected them all. This is who is in the picture that resides above the mantle. He is considered the first and most important of the ten Gurus. In researching the culture of the Sikhs, I found that they treat these Gurus as Christians would treat saints. (sikhs.org) As Catholics pray to certain saints for certain things, the Sikhs do the same with their Gurus. Whenever they feel they need the help or guidance of one of the Gurus, they simply pray to them. As well as praying to these Gurus, th...

Paintball :: essays research papers

Paintball! A fast-paced, adrenaline pumping, game...paintball is a world renowned sport and is growing popularity faster than several other top sports. Paintball is non-contact, making it very safe when played right. According to the Sports Data Inc. surveys, paintball has the lowest injury rate of ANY sport, at only .31 injuries per 1000 participants. Paintball is viewed several different ways by people that have not experienced it for themselves. A lot of people think paintball is only for "gun crazy" maniacs. Well that is an incorrect statement, mainly because paintball "guns" are not guns at all. The definition of "gun" is, "Any weapon that discharges shot, shells, or other bullet by the explosion of gun powder or some other explosive from a strait tube." Paintball markers operate in a VERY different way. Paintballs are propelled out of the barrel by air, not any type of explosive, and paintball markers are NOT weapons. No one has ever got killed by a paintball marker from getting shot. Even without a mask on. Although eye injuries have been reported, this is due to the fact that an unsafe game was played. Most likely someone decided that they were superman and took off their goggles in the middle of a game and no ref was there to stop him. All goggles worn during paintball should and are approved by the government and you are not supposed to shoot above a speed of 300 feet per second. Yes, paintball leaves welts, but most people can stand them. The pain of a paintball welt is surely not any worse than getting tackled by a 200 lbs football player. If safety is what people are worrying about, why do we have football, wrestling, or basketball? They are all in the top ten for highest injury rates. Paintball is also growing in popularity, games for paintball are getting released and selling way better than the majority of other games. The most popular of any paintball game is called "Greg Hastings Tournament Paintball" and is exactly the type of paintball that we would like to play at the school, speedball. Speedball is a game of paintball played on a paintball field that is exactly symmetrical to through the middle, a speedball field is usually about 100 feet long and 40 feet wide and the bunkers are usually made of a durable and flexible plastic that holds air, most commonly called â€Å"air bunkers†.

Chapter 8 Flight of the Fat Lady

In no time at all, Defense Against the Dark Arts had become most people's favorite class. Only Draco Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins had anything bad to say about Professor Lupin. â€Å"Look at the state of his robes,† Malfoy would say in a loud whisper as Professor Lupin passed. â€Å"He dresses like our old house elf.† But no one else cared that Professor Lupin's robes were patched and frayed. His next few lessons were just as interesting as the first. After Boggarts, they studied Red Caps, nasty little goblin-like creatures that lurked wherever there had been bloodshed: in the dungeons of castles and the potholes of deserted battlefields, waiting to bludgeon those who had gotten lost. From Red Caps they moved on to Kappas, creepy. water-dwellers that looked like scaly monkeys, with webbed hands itching to strangle unwitting waders in their ponds. Harry only wished he was as happy with some of his other classes. Worst of all was Potions. Snape was in a particularly vindictive mood these days, and no one was in any doubt why. The story of the Boggart assuming Snape's shape, and the way that Neville had dressed it in his grandmother's clothes, had traveled through the school like wildfire. Snape didn't seem to find it funny. His eyes flashed menacingly at the very mention of Professor Lupin's name, and he was bullying Neville worse than ever. Harry was also growing to dread the hours he spent in Professor Trelawney's stifling tower room, deciphering lopsided shapes and symbols, trying to ignore the way Professor Trelawney's enormous eyes filled with tears every time she looked at him. He couldn't like Professor Trelawney, even though she was treated with respect bordering on reverence by many of the class. Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown had taken to haunting Professor Trelawney's tower room at lunch times, and always returned with annoyingly superior looks on their faces, as though they knew things the others didn't. They had also started using hushed voices whenever they spoke to Harry, as though he were on his deathbed. Nobody really liked Care of Magical Creatures, which, after the action-packed first class, had become extremely dull. Hagrid seemed to have lost his confidence. They were now spending lesson after lesson learning how to look after flobberworms, which had to be some of the most boring creatures in existence. â€Å"Why would anyone bother looking after them?† said Ron, after yet another hour of poking shredded lettuce down the flobberworms' throats. At the start of October, however, Harry had something else to occupy him, something so enjoyable it more than made up for his unsatisfactory classes. The Quidditch season was approaching, and O1iver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor team, called a meeting on Thursday evening to discuss tactics for the new season. There were seven people on a Quidditch team: three Chasers, whose job it was to score goals by putting the Quaffle (a red, soccer-sized ball) through one of the fifty-foot-high hoops at each end of the field; two Beaters, who were equipped with heavy bats to repel the Bludgers (two heavy black balls that zoomed around trying to attack the players); a Keeper, who defended the goal posts, and the Seeker, who had the hardest job of all, that of catching the Golden Snitch, a tiny, winged, walnut-sized ball, whose capture ended the game and earned the Seeker's team an extra one hundred and fifty points. Oliver Wood was a burly seventeen-year-old, now in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts. There was a quiet sort of desperation in his voice as he addressed his six fellow team members in the chilly locker rooms on the edge of the darkening Quidditch field. â€Å"This is our last chance — my last chance — to win the Quidditch Cup,† he told them, striding up and down in front of them. â€Å"I'll be leaving at the end of this year. I'll never get another shot at it.† â€Å"Gryffindor hasn't won for seven years now. Okay, so we've had the worst luck in the world — injuries — then the tournament getting called off last year.† Wood swallowed, as though the memory still brought a lump to his throat. â€Å"But we also know we've got the best — ruddy — team — in — the — school,† he said, punching a fist into his other hand, the old manic glint back in his eye. â€Å"We've got three superb Chasers.† Wood pointed at Alicia Spinner, Angelina Johnson, and Katie Bell. â€Å"We've got two unbeatable Beaters.† â€Å"Stop it, Oliver, you're embarrassing us,† said Fred and George Weasley together, pretending to blush. â€Å"And we've got a Seeker who has never failed to win us a match!† Wood rumbled, glaring at Harry with a kind of furious pride. â€Å"And me,† he added as an afterthought. â€Å"We think you're very good too, Oliver,† said George. â€Å"Spanking good Keeper,† said Fred. â€Å"The point is,† Wood went on, resuming his pacing, â€Å"the Quidditch Cup should have had our name on it these last two years. Ever since Harry joined the team, I've thought the thing was in the bag. But we haven't got it, and this year's the last chance we'll get to finally see our name on the thing†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Wood spoke so dejectedly that even Fred and George looked sympathetic. â€Å"Oliver, this year's our year,† said Fred. â€Å"We'll do it, Oliver!† said Angelina. â€Å"Definitely,† said Harry. Full of determination, the team started training sessions, three evenings a week. The weather was getting colder and wetter, the nights darker, but no amount of mud, wind, or rain could tarnish Harry's wonderful vision of finally winning the huge, silver Quidditch Cup. Harry returned to the Gryffindor common room one evening after training, cold and stiff but pleased with the way practice had gone, to find the room buzzing excitedly. â€Å"What's happened?†, he asked Ron and Hermione, who were sitting in two of the best chairs by the fireside and completing some star charts for Astronomy. â€Å"First Hogsmeade weekend,† said Ron, pointing at a notice that had appeared on the battered old bulletin board. â€Å"End of October. Halloween.† â€Å"Excellent,† said Fred, who had followed Harry through the portrait hole. â€Å"I need to visit Zonko's. I'm nearly out of Stink Pellets.† Harry threw himself into a chair beside Ron, his high spirits ebbing away. Hermione seemed to read his mind. â€Å"Harry, I'm sure you'll be able to go next time,† she said. â€Å"They're bound to catch Black soon. He's been sighted once already.† â€Å"Black's not fool enough to try anything in Hogsmeade,† said Ron. â€Å"Ask McGonagall if you can go this time, Harry. The next one might not be for ages –â€Å" â€Å"Ron!† said Hermione. â€Å"Harry's supposed to stay in school –â€Å" â€Å"He can't be the only third year left behind,† said Ron. â€Å"Ask McGonagall, go on, Harry –â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, I think I will,† said Harry, making up his mind. Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but at that moment Crookshanks leapt lightly onto her lap. A large, dead spider was dangling from his mouth. â€Å"Does he have to eat that in front of us?† said Ron, scowling. â€Å"Clever Crookshanks, did you catch that all by yourself?† said Hermione. Crookshanks; slowly chewed up the spider, his yellow eyes fixed insolently on Ron. â€Å"Just keep him over there, that's all,† said Ron irritably, turning back to his star chart. â€Å"I've got Scabbers asleep in my bag.† Harry yawned. He really wanted to go to bed, but he still had his own star chart to complete. He pulled his bag toward him, took out parchment, ink, and quill, and started work. â€Å"You can copy mine, if you like,† said Ron, labeling his last star with a flourish and shoving the chart toward Harry. Hermione, who disapproved of copying, pursed her lips but didn't say anything. Crookshanks was still staring unblinkingly at Ron, flicking the end of his bushy tail. Then, without warning, he pounced. â€Å"OY!† Ron roared, seizing his bag as Crookshanks sank four sets of claws deep inside it and began tearing ferociously. â€Å"GET OFF, YOU STUPID ANIMAL!† Ron tried to pull the bag away from Crookshanks, but Crookshanks clung on, spitting and slashing. â€Å"Ron, don't hurt him!† squealed Hermione; the whole common room was watching; Ron whirled the bag around, Crookshanks still clinging to it, and Scabbers came flying out of the top — â€Å"CATCH THAT CAT!† Ron yelled as Crookshanks freed himself from the remnants of the bag, sprang over the table, and chased after the terrified Scabbers. George Weasley made a lunge for Crookshanks but missed; Scabbers streaked through twenty pairs of legs and shot beneath an old chest of drawers. Crookshanks skidded to a halt, crouched low on his bandy legs, and started making furious swipes beneath it with his front paw. Ron and Hermione hurried over; Hermione grabbed Crookshanks around the middle and heaved him away; Ron threw himself onto his stomach and, with great difficulty, pulled Scabbers out by the tail. â€Å"Look at him!† he said furiously to Hermione, dangling Scabbers in front of her. â€Å"He's skin and bone! You keep that cat away from him!† â€Å"Crookshanks doesn't understand it's wrong!† said Hermione, her voice shaking. â€Å"All cats chase rats, Ron!† â€Å"There's something funny about that animal!† said Ron, who was trying to persuade a frantically wiggling Scabbers back into his pocket. â€Å"It heard me say that Scabbers was in my bag!† â€Å"Oh, what rubbish,† said Hermione impatiently. â€Å"Crookshanks could smell him, Ron, how else d'you think –â€Å" â€Å"That cat's got it in for Scabbers!† said Ron, ignoring the people around him, who were starting to giggle. â€Å"And Scabbers was here first, and he's ill!† Ron marched through the common room and out of sight up the stairs to the boys' dormitories. * ****** Ron was still in a bad mood with Hermione next day. He barely talked to her all through Herbology, even though he, Harry, and Hermione were working together on the same Puffapod. â€Å"How's Scabbers?† Hermione asked timidly as they stripped fat pink pods from the plants and emptied the shining beans into a wooden pail. â€Å"He's hiding at the bottom of my bed, shaking,† said Ron angrily, missing the pail and scattering beans over the greenhouse floor. â€Å"Careful, Weasley, careful!† cried Professor Sprout as the beans burst into bloom before their very eyes. They had Transfiguration next. Harry, who had resolved to ask Professor McGonagall after the lesson whether he could go into Hogsmeade with the rest, joined the line outside the class trying to decide how he was going to argue his case. He was distracted, however, by a disturbance at the front of the line. Lavender Brown seemed to be crying. Parvati had her arm around her and was explaining something to Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were looking very serious. â€Å"What's the matter, Lavender?† said Hermione anxiously as she, Harry, and Ron went to join the group. â€Å"She got a letter from home this morning,† Parvati whispered. â€Å"It's her rabbit, Binky. He's been killed by a fox.† â€Å"Oh,† said Hermione, â€Å"I'm sorry, Lavender.† â€Å"I should have known!† said Lavender tragically. â€Å"You know what day it is?† â€Å"Er –â€Å" â€Å"The sixteenth of October! ‘That thing you're dreading, it will happen on the sixteenth of October!' Remember? She was right, she was right!† The whole class was gathered around Lavender now. Seamus shook his head seriously. Hermione hesitated; then she said, â€Å"You — you were dreading Binky being killed by a fox?† â€Å"Well, not necessarily by a fox,† said Lavender, looking up at Hermione with streaming eyes, â€Å"but I was obviously dreading him dying, wasn't I?† â€Å"Oh,† said Hermione. She paused again. Then — â€Å"Was Binky an old rabbit?† â€Å"N — no!† sobbed Lavender. â€Å"H — he was only a baby!† Parvati tightened her arm around Lavender's shoulders. â€Å"But then, why would you dread him dying?† said Hermione. Parvati glared at her. â€Å"Well, look at it logically,† said Hermione, turning to the rest of the group. â€Å"I mean, Binky didn't even die today, did he? Lavender just got the news today –† Lavender wailed loudly. â€Å"?C and she can't have been dreading it, because it's come as a real shock –â€Å" â€Å"Don't mind Hermione, Lavender,† said Ron loudly, â€Å"she doesn't think other people's pets matter very much.† Professor McGonagall opened the classroom door at that moment, which was perhaps lucky; Hermione and Ron were looking daggers at each other, and when they got into class, they seated themselves on either side of Harry and didn't talk to each other for the whole class. Harry still hadn't decided what he was going to say to Professor McGonagall when the bell rang at the end of the lesson, but it was she who brought up the subject of Hogsmeade first. â€Å"One moment, please!† she called as the class made to leave. â€Å"As you're all in my House, you should hand Hogsmeade permission forms to me before Halloween. No form, no visiting the village, so don't forget!† Neville put up his hand. â€Å"Please, Professor, I — I think I've lost –â€Å" â€Å"Your grandmother sent yours to me directly, Longbottom,† said Professor McGonagall. â€Å"She seemed to think it was safer. Well, that's all, you may leave.† â€Å"Ask her now,† Ron hissed at Harry. â€Å"Oh. but –† Hermione began. â€Å"Go for it, Harry,† said Ron stubbornly. Harry waited for the rest of the class to disappear, then headed nervously for Professor McGonagall's desk. â€Å"Yes, Potter?† Harry took a deep breath. â€Å"Professor, my aunt and uncle — er — forgot to sign my form,† he said. Professor McGonagall looked over her square spectacles at him but didn't say anything. â€Å"So — er — d'you think it would be all right mean, will It be okay if I — if I go to Hogsmeade?† Professor McGonagall looked down and began shuffling papers on her desk. â€Å"I'm afraid not, Potter,† she said. â€Å"You heard what I said. No form, no visiting the village. That's the rule.† â€Å"But — Professor, my aunt and uncle — you know, they're Muggles, they don't really understand about — about Hogwarts forms and stuff,† Harry said, while Ron egged him on with vigorous nods. â€Å"If you said I could go –â€Å" â€Å"But I don't say so,† said Professor McGonagall, standing up and piling her papers neatly into a drawer. â€Å"The form clearly states that the parent or guardian must give permission.† She turned to look at him, with an odd expression on her face. Was it pity? â€Å"I'm sorry, Potter, but that's my final word. You had better hurry, or you'll be late for your next lesson.† ****** There was nothing to be done. Ron called Professor McGonagall a lot of names that greatly annoyed Hermione; Hermione assumed an ‘all-for-the-best' expression that made Ron even angrier, and Harry had to endure everyone in the class talking loudly and happily about what they were going to do first, once they got into Hogsmeade. â€Å"There's always the feast,† said Ron, in an effort to cheer Harry up. â€Å"You know, the Halloween feast, in the evening.† â€Å"Yeah,† said Harry gloomily, â€Å"great.† The Halloween feast was always good, but it would taste a lot better if he was coming to it after a day in Hogsmeade with everyone else. Nothing anyone said made him feel any better about being left behind. Dean Thomas, who was good with a quill, had offered to forge Uncle Vernon's signature on the form, but as Harry had already told Professor McGonagall he hadn't had it signed, that was no good. Ron halfheartedly suggested the Invisibility Cloak, but Hermione stamped on that one, reminding Ron what Dumbledore had told them about the Dementors being able to see through them. Percy had what were possibly the least helpful words of comfort. â€Å"They make a fuss about Hogsmeade, but I assure you, Harry, it's not all it's cracked up to be,† he said seriously. â€Å"All right, the sweetshop's rather good, and Zonko's Joke Shop's frankly dangerous, and yes, the Shrieking Shack's always worth a visit, but really, Harry, apart from that, you're not missing anything.† ****** On Halloween morning, Harry awoke with the rest and went down to breakfast, feeling thoroughly depressed, though doing his best to act normally. â€Å"We'll bring you lots of sweets back from Honeydukes,† said Hermione, looking desperately sorry for him. â€Å"Yeah, loads,† said Ron. He and Hermione had finally forgotten their squabble about Crookshanks in the face of Harry's difficulties. â€Å"Don't worry about me,† said Harry, in what he hoped was at, offhand voice, â€Å"I'll see you at the feast. Have a good time.† He accompanied them to the entrance hall, where Filch, the caretaker, was standing inside the front doors, checking off names against a long list, peering suspiciously into every face, and making sure that no one was sneaking out who shouldn't be going. â€Å"Staying here, Potter?† shouted Malfoy, who was standing in line with Crabbe and Goyle. â€Å"Scared of passing the Dementors?† Harry ignored him and made his solitary way up the marble staircase, through the deserted corridors, and back to Gryffindor Tower. â€Å"Password?† said the Fat Lady, jerking out of a doze. â€Å"Fortuna Major,† said Harry listlessly. The portrait swung open and he climbed through the hole into the common room. It was full of chattering first-and second-years, and a few older students, who had obviously visited Hogsmeade so often the novelty had worn off. â€Å"Harry! Harry! Hi, Harry!† It was Colin Creevey, a second year who was deeply in awe of Harry and never missed an opportunity to speak to him. â€Å"Aren't you going to Hogsmeade, Harry? Why not? Hey –† Colin looked eagerly around at his friends — â€Å"you can come and sit with us, if you like, Harry!† â€Å"Er — no, thanks, Colin,† said Harry, who wasn't in the mood to have a lot of people staring avidly at the scar on his forehead. â€Å"I — I've got to go to the library, got to get some work done.† After that, he had no choice but to turn right around and head back out of the portrait hole again. â€Å"What was the point of waking me up?† the Fat Lady called grumpily after him as he walked away. Harry wandered dispiritedly toward the library, but halfway there he changed his mind; he didn't feel like working. He turned around and came face-to-face with Filch, who had obviously just seen off the last of the Hogsmeade visitors. â€Å"What are you doing?† Filch snarled suspiciously. â€Å"Nothing,† said Harry truthfully. â€Å"Nothing!† spat Filch, his jowls quivering unpleasantly. â€Å"A likely story! Sneaking around on your own — why aren't you in Hogsmeade buying Stink Pellets and Belch Powder and Whizzing Worms like the rest of your nasty little friends?† Harry shrugged. â€Å"Well, get back to your common room where you belong!† snapped Filch, and he stood glaring until Harry had passed out of sight. But Harry didn't go back to the common room; he climbed a staircase, thinking vaguely of visiting the Owlery to see Hedwig, and was walking along another corridor when a voice from inside one of the rooms said, â€Å"Harry?† Harry doubled back to see who had spoken and met Professor Lupin, looking around his office door. â€Å"What are you doing?† said Lupin, though in a very different voice from Filch. â€Å"Where are Ron and Hermione?† â€Å"Hogsmeade,† said Harry, in a would-be casual voice. â€Å"Ah,† said Lupin. He considered Harry for a moment. â€Å"Why don't you come in? I've just taken delivery of a Grindylow for our next lesson.† â€Å"A what?† said Harry. He followed Lupin into his office. In the corner stood a very large tank of water. A sickly green creature with sharp little horns had its face pressed against the glass, pulling faces and flexing its long, spindly fingers. â€Å"Water demon,† said Lupin, surveying the Grindylow thoughtfully. â€Å"We shouldn't have much difficulty with him, not after the Kappas. The trick is to break his grip. You notice the abnormally long fingers? Strong, but very brittle.† The Grindylow bared its green teeth and then buried itself in a tangle of weeds in a corner. â€Å"Cup of tea?† Lupin said, looking around for his kettle. â€Å"I was just thinking of making one.† â€Å"All right,† said Harry awkwardly. Lupin tapped the kettle with his wand and a blast of steam issued suddenly from the spout. â€Å"Sit down,† said Lupin, taking the lid off a dusty tin. â€Å"I've only got teabags, I'm afraid — but I daresay you've had enough of tea leaves?† Harry looked at him. Lupin's eyes were twinkling. â€Å"How did you know about that?† Harry asked. â€Å"Professor McGonagall told me,† said Lupin, passing Harry a chipped mug of tea. â€Å"You're not worried, are you?† â€Å"No,† said Harry. He thought for a moment of telling Lupin about the dog he'd seen in Magnolia Crescent but decided not to. He didn't want Lupin to think he was a coward, especially since Lupin already seemed to think he couldn't cope with a Boggart. Something of Harry's thoughts seemed to have shown on his face, because Lupin said, â€Å"Anything worrying you, Harry?† â€Å"No,† Harry lied. He drank a bit of tea and watched the Grindylow brandishing a fist at him. â€Å"Yes,† he said suddenly, putting his tea down on Lupin's desk. â€Å"You know that day we fought the Boggart?† â€Å"Yes,† said Lupin slowly. â€Å"Why didn't you let me fight it?† said Harry abruptly. Lupin raised his eyebrows. â€Å"I would have thought that was obvious, Harry,† he said, sounding surprised. Harry, who had expected Lupin to deny that he'd done any such thing, was taken aback. â€Å"Why?† he said again. â€Å"Well,† said Lupin, frowning slightly, â€Å"I assumed that if the Boggart faced you, it would assume the shape of Lord Voldemort.† Harry stared. Not only was this the last answer he'd expected, but Lupin had said Voldemort's name. The only person Harry had ever heard say the name aloud (apart from himself) was Professor Dumbledore. â€Å"Clearly, I was wrong,† said Lupin, still frowning at Harry. â€Å"But I didn't think it a good idea for Lord Voldemort to materialize in the staffroom. I imagined that people would panic.† â€Å"I didn't think of Voldemort,† said Harry honestly. â€Å"I — I remembered those Dementors.† â€Å"I see,† said Lupin thoughtfully. â€Å"Well, well†¦I'm impressed.† He smiled slightly at the look of surprise on Harry's face. â€Å"That suggests that what you fear most of all is — fear. Very wise, Harry.† Harry didn't know what to say to that, so he drank some more tea. â€Å"So you've been thinking that I didn't believe you capable of fighting the Boggart?† said Lupin shrewdly. â€Å"Well†¦yeah,† said Harry. He was suddenly feeling a lot happier. â€Å"Professor Lupin, you know the Dementors –â€Å" He was interrupted by a knock on the door. â€Å"Come in,† called Lupin. The door opened, and in came Snape. He was carrying a goblet, which was smoking faintly, and stopped at the sight of Harry, his black eyes narrowing. â€Å"Ah, Severus,† said Lupin, smiling. â€Å"Thanks very much. Could you leave it here on the desk for me?† Snape set down the smoking goblet, his eyes wandering between Harry and Lupin. â€Å"I was just showing Harry my Grindylow,† said Lupin pleasantly, pointing at the tank. â€Å"Fascinating,† said Snape, without looking at it. â€Å"You should drink that directly, Lupin.† â€Å"Yes, Yes, I will,† said Lupin. â€Å"I made an entire cauldronful,† Snape continued. â€Å"If you need more.† â€Å"I should probably have some again tomorrow. Thanks very much, Severus.† â€Å"Not at all,† said Snape, but there was a look in his eye Harry didn't like. He backed out of the room, unsmiling and watchful. Harry looked curiously at the goblet. Lupin smiled. â€Å"Professor Snape has very kindly concocted a potion for me,† he said. â€Å"I have never been much of a potion-brewer and this one is particularly complex.† He picked up the goblet and sniffed it. â€Å"Pity sugar makes it useless,† he added, taking a sip and shuddering. â€Å"Why –?† Harry began. Lupin looked at him and answered the unfinished question. â€Å"I've been feeling a bit off-color,† he said. â€Å"This potion is the only thing that helps. I am very lucky to be working alongside Professor Snape; there aren't many wizards who are up to making it.† Professor Lupin took another sip and Harry had a crazy urge to knock the goblet out of his hands. â€Å"Professor Snape's very interested in the Dark Arts,† he blurted out. â€Å"Really?† said Lupin, looking only mildly interested as he took another gulp of potion. â€Å"Some people reckon –† Harry hesitated, then plunged recklessly on, â€Å"some people reckon he'd do anything to get the Defense Against the Dark Arts job.† Lupin drained the goblet and pulled a face. â€Å"Disgusting,† he said. â€Å"Well, Harry, I'd better get back to work. See you at the feast later.† â€Å"Right,† said Harry, putting down his empty teacup. The empty goblet was still smoking. ******** â€Å"There you go,† said Ron. â€Å"We got as much as we could carry.† A shower of brilliantly colored sweets fell into Harry's lap. It was dusk, and Ron and Hermione had just turned up in the common room, pink-faced from the cold wind and looking as though they'd had the time of their lives. â€Å"Thanks,† said Harry, picking up a packet of tiny black Pepper Imps. â€Å"What's Hogsmeade like? Where did you go?† By the sound of it — everywhere. Dervish and Banges, the wizarding equipment shop, Zonko's Joke Shop, into the Three Broomsticks for foaming mugs of hot butterbeer, and many places besides. â€Å"The post office, Harry! About two hundred owls, all sitting on shelves, all color-coded depending on how fast you want your letter to get there!† â€Å"Honeydukes has got a new kind of fudge; they were giving out free samples, there's a bit, look –â€Å" â€Å"We think we saw an ogre, honestly, they get all sorts at the Three Broomsticks –â€Å" â€Å"Wish we could have brought you some butterbeer, really warms you up –â€Å" â€Å"What did you do?† said Hermione, looking anxious. â€Å"Did you get any work done?† â€Å"No,† said Harry. â€Å"Lupin made me a cup of tea in his office. And then Snape came in†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He told them all about the goblet. Ron's mouth fell open. â€Å"Lupin drank it?† he gasped. â€Å"Is he mad?† Hermione checked her watch. â€Å"We'd better go down, you know, the feast'll be starting in five minutes They hurried through the portrait hole and into the crowd, still discussing Snape. â€Å"But if he — you know –† Hermione dropped her voice, glancing nervously around, â€Å"if he was trying to — to poison Lupin — he wouldn't have done it in front of Harry.† â€Å"Yeah, maybe,† said Harry as they reached the entrance hall and crossed into the Great Hall. It had been decorated with hundreds and hundreds of candle-filled pumpkins, a cloud of fluttering live bats, and many flaming orange streamers, which were swimming lazily across the stormy ceiling like brilliant watersnakes. The food was delicious; even Hermione and Ron, who were full to bursting with Honeydukes sweets, managed second helpings of everything. Harry kept glancing at the staff table. Professor Lupin looked cheerful and as well as he ever did; he was talking animatedly to tiny little Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher. Harry moved his eyes along the table, to the place where Snape sat. Was he imagining it, or were Snape's eyes flickering toward Lupin more often than was natural? The feast finished with an entertainment provided by the Hogwarts ghosts. They popped out of the walls and tables to do a bit of formation gliding; Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost, had a great success with a reenactment of his own botched beheading. It had been such a pleasant evening that Harry's good mood couldn't even be spoiled by Malfoy, who shouted through the crowd as they all left the hall, â€Å"The Dementors send their love, Potter!† Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the Gryffindors along the usual path to Gryffindor Tower, but when they reached the corridor that ended with the portrait of the Fat Lady, they found it jammed with students. â€Å"Why isn't anyone going in?† said Ron curiously. Harry peered over the heads in front of him. The portrait seemed to be closed. â€Å"Let me through, please,† came Percy's voice, and he came bustling importantly through the crowd. â€Å"What's the holdup here? You can't all have forgotten the password — excuse me, I'm Head Boy –â€Å" And then a silence fell over the crowd, from the front first, so that a chill seemed to spread down the corridor. They heard Percy say, in a suddenly sharp voice, â€Å"Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick.† People's heads turned; those at the back were standing on tiptoe. â€Å"What's going on?† said Ginny, who had just arrived. A moment later, Professor Dumbledore was there, sweeping toward the portrait; the Gryffindors squeezed together to let him through, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione moved closer to see what the trouble was. â€Å"Oh, my –† Hermione grabbed Harry's arm. The Fat Lady had vanished from her portrait, which had been slashed so viciously that strips of canvas littered the floor; great chunks of it had been torn away completely. Dumbledore took one quick look at the ruined painting and turned, his eyes somber, to see Professors McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape hurrying toward him. â€Å"We need to find her,† said Dumbledore. â€Å"Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady.† â€Å"You'll be lucky!† said a cackling voice. It was Peeves the Poltergeist, bobbing over the crowd and looking delighted, as he always did, at the sight of wreckage or worry. â€Å"What do you mean, Peeves?† said Dumbledore calmly, and Peeves's grin faded a little. He didn't dare taunt Dumbledore. Instead he adopted an oily voice that was no better than his cackle. â€Å"Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful,† he said happily. â€Å"Poor thing.† he added unconvincingly. â€Å"Did she say who did it?† said Dumbledore quietly. â€Å"Oh yes, Professorhead,† said Peeves, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms. â€Å"He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see.† Peeves flipped over and grinned at Dumbledore from between his own legs. â€Å"Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black.†