Chivalry Needing Comeback Essay

It was very important that someone would follow these laws because many people were strong believers in religion. Christianity was the largest religion during that time and the belief of Christianity is that following god and obeying God would give that person the gift of eternal life in Heaven. Heaven is described by Christianity to be a holy, pure, and a free from sin kingdom that was made by God. In the middle ages it was to win the favors of worthy women that men adhered to a higher standard of social behavior. Courtesy, honor, generosity and   faithfulness became as important as a superior warrior. This code of chivalry made a man a knight and worthy of love to a woman, otherwise he was considered a brute with a sword. A knight would be in comparison to a police officer or soldier that would fight for the right justice and to protect innocent civilians from harm. If someone was found to be dishonest or untruthful they would be executed or be in death machines like the guillotine that would chop a person’s head off in front of a large crowd. According to Authorsolen. om the number of cheating scandals has been rising in the past decade. Tiger Woods a professional golfer that has won 14 major golf championships and the highest paid professional athlete in the world was caught cheating on his wife on 27, November 2009. Tiger Woods was sponsored by Accenture, Tag Heuer, AT&T, Gillette, Gatorade, Electronic Arts, Upper Deck and Nike all dropped sponsorship with Tiger Woods after news broke out about his sex scandal. Tiger Wood’s actions caused him to have negative publicity as his approval ratings started dropping. Millions of children look up to Tiger Woods as a role model and wanting to accomplish their goals like Tiger Woods has and performing their best in athletics. Accenture made a statement about dropping sponsorship with Tiger Woods saying â€Å"At this time Tiger is not the proper representative for our product. † The dropping of sponsorships by companies don’t want a person representing their product or business if the media is writing negative reports about their representative being dishonest, unfaithful and controversial. During sex addiction therapy Tiger Woods claimed an astonishing 120 women have had a sexual affair with him according to the National Enquirer. Elin Nordegen officially decided to end the marriage of 5 years by signing divorce papers after learning about the 120th woman to have sex with Tiger Woods, which caused a $500 million settlement. On 20 February 2010 Tiger Woods made his first public appearance since when the scandal broke out apologizing for his actions and saying he was the only person to blame. Tiger Woods wasn’t loyal to his marriage and has been trying to regain his popularity in the past year, but that still doesn’t make up for promise his vows he said at his marriage ceremony that he broke. In today’s modern society everyone has cell phones, internet, and cable television to get their news and entertainment. Television programs on TV have became more vulgar over the years especially reality shows. MTV’s number one rated program is â€Å"Jersey Shore,† in the show it depicts the life of 8 â€Å"guidoes†

Billy Joel Business Ethics and Law Case Study

Billy Joel decided he wanted to learn to play the violin for his next set of concerts. He called a violin salesman in New York and asked if he had any for sale. The salesman stated he had a Stradivarius and a Guarnerius (two famous brands of violins) and offered to sell them to Billy for $80,000 and $24,000, respectively. Billy agreed, over the phone, to purchase the violins from the salesman and told him he would be in town the next week to pick them up. Billy didn't show up for two months, and when he entered the store, the salesman wasn't there. His wife, Margaret, was there in the store, however, and she had full knowledge of the deal cut between her husband and Billy. (She'd heard her husband whining, complaining, and wailing about Billy not showing up for the last 2 months – and she was really sick of hearing about it.) Billy asked to see the violins, and Margaret showed him both of them. Billy stated he would agree to pay $65,000 for both of them, and Margaret, knowing that they were counterfeits and only worth $2,000 AND realizing that their house was about to go into foreclosure, agreed to the reduction in price and sold Billy the two violins for $65,000. She gave him a bill of sale that she wrote out on a note pad on the counter, which said, â€Å"Paid in full. Strativarus and Granruius violans. $65,000. Chk # 4301 Billy Joel. Salesperson: Margaret Madoff.† The notepad was one she had brought home from their last vacation to Las Vegas and was from The Flamingo hotel there. Billy took home the violins and proceeded to learn to play, albeit very poorly. Meanwhile, the salesman discovers that Margaret sold the violins for less than he had bargained for. He sues Billy Joel for the $39,000 difference, stating that Margaret was not an employee of the store and had no authority to change the deal he and Billy had made. During the pendency of the suit, and after his next concert, the newspapers stated, â€Å"Billy Joel should give up playing the violin! He stinks!† Billy takes his violins to a music store to sell them and discovers they are only worth $2,000 and that they are not Stradivarius and Guarnerius violins but are instead counterfeits. He wants to countersue the salesman and asks you on what basis can he do so. Using contract, agency, and any other legal concepts you have learned this session, on what bases can Billy sue the salesman and his wife? What defenses will they have? Do you think Billy can recover? Further, will Margaret's husband (his name is Bernard) be able to collect against Billy for the difference in price from the original deal? Explain your answer fully as to the why's, wherefore's, and why not's for both parties. Use bullet points and â€Å"issue spotting† to assist you in your answer. Case Solution In the above case scenario, the oral contract that was made between the seller and the buyer are not binding in the court of law in accordance to the contract law. As in the case the seller has been be met with the loss of settling for less that the agreed verbal contract holds. The offer that was made by the seller and accepted by the buyer was a partial fulfilment of the contract. The absent of proof that in deed an agreement was made between the two parties will made the court to rule in favour of Billy. This should hence be the basis of argument that Billy can use. The sell of counterfeit commodities to a buyer in high prices is considered to be a crime. The use of this basis by Billy holds a chance of guaranteeing him victory. This will also help in the reclaiming of his image as a performer indicating that it was the counterfeit pianos that lead to the earlier poor performance. It is hence imperative to state that through these bases Bill will have a strong argument in the court against the business persons. Defence to be used by the Business Persons: It is paramount to note that the Bernard and Margaret as the business persons do not hold a strong case against Billy due to the lack proof of the contract that was made in this business transaction. The fact that Margaret facilitated the completion of the verbal business relations with the sale of the piano at a rate that was lower than the initially accepted prices can be used to state that she was not a business individual. The recommended $ 39,000 difference that Bernard is seeking from Billy Joel with regards to the agreed price would be based on the fact that the individual who facilitated the initial processes of the contract was not an authority. The Collection of the Extra Money: The initial prices that had been verbally quoted by the salesman where: $ 80,000 for Stradivarius piano and $ 24,000 for the Guarnerius piano. The total price that was paid for during the selling traction was only $65,000 which was less by $ 39,000. The fact that the two pianos where deemed to be counterfeit with the total worth of only $ 2,000, the chances of the business personnel having a refund will be unfruitful. It would not be in order for the court to rule in favour of the Bernard to attain the extra funds by virtue that they had sold a product to their customer that was functioning properly that ended up denting his image as a performer. The original deal made between the two parties was based on lies and hence should not be cemented with the pay of the extra unpaid funds. A refund for the already paid funds in terms of $ 65,000 should be made to the customer. In the analysis of this case, it has been ascertained that the holding of physical proof for the contracts has to be met in any business relations. This will help in the smooth transition of the business activities (Larson, 2010). Contract: In this case, the business contract was made between two parties with an oral offer and acceptance of the buyer. Based on the agreement, the two pianos were to be purchased at the stated price of $104,000. The reasonable period to enforce the purchase was the agreed one week where Billy was to collect the items. This can be used against him by the seller stating that they did not stick to the original oral business contract. The act of the seller misinterpreting the worth of the two pianos was not lawful since it is prohibited by the federal government. The presence of the third party in the business relation (wife) led to the reformation of the contract a new price generated. This led to the promise made to be broken by the buyer in the presence of the third party. Agency: The ostensible authority that is held by the wife of the seller to give the buyer a new business deal with the information she held about the fake nature of the pianos would be termed in order in the court if the two jointly owned the business. The fact that she was not gives the seller an upper hand in stating that the purchase was made on unfair terms without his knowledge. This gives a somewhat strong basis for argument in the quest to attain the $ 39,000 difference in payment that was not made.

Chapter 28 The Madness of Mr Crouch

Harry, Ron, and Hermione went up to the Owlery after breakfast on Sunday to send a letter to Percy, asking, as Sirius had suggested, whether he had seen Mr. Crouch lately. They used Hedwig, because it had been so long since she'd had a job. When they had watched her fly out of sight through the Owlery window, they proceeded down to the kitchen to give Dobby his new socks. The house-elves gave them a very cheery welcome, bowing and curtsying and bustling around making tea again. Dobby was ecstatic about his present. â€Å"Harry Potter is too good to Dobby!† he squeaked, wiping large tears out of his enormous eyes. â€Å"You saved my life with that gillyweed, Dobby, you really did,† said Harry. â€Å"No chance of more of those eclairs, is there?† said Ron, who was looking around at the beaming and bowing house-elves. â€Å"You've just had breakfast!† said Hermione irritably, but a great silver platter of eclairs was already zooming toward them, supported by four elves. â€Å"We should get some stuff to send up to Snuffles,† Harry muttered. â€Å"Good idea,† said Ron. â€Å"Give Pig something to do. You couldn't give us a bit of extra food, could you?† he said to the surrounding elves, and they bowed delightedly and hurried off to get some more. â€Å"Dobby, where's Winky?† said Hermione, who was looking around. â€Å"Winky is over there by the fire, miss,† said Dobby quietly, his ears drooping slightly. â€Å"Oh dear,† said Hermione as she spotted Winky. Harry looked over at the fireplace too. Winky was sitting on the same stool as last time, but she had allowed herself to become so filthy that she was not immediately distinguishable from the smoke-blackened brick behind her. Her clothes were ragged and unwashed. She was clutching a bottle of butterbeer and swaying slightly on her stool, staring into the fire. As they watched her, she gave an enormous hiccup. â€Å"Winky is getting through six bottles a day now,† Dobby whispered to Harry. â€Å"Well, it's not strong, that stuff,† Harry said. But Dobby shook his head. â€Å"‘Tis strong for a house-elf, sir,† he said. Winky hiccuped again. The elves who had brought the eclairs gave her disapproving looks as they returned to work. â€Å"Winky is pining, Harry Potter,† Dobby whispered sadly. â€Å"Winky wants to go home. Winky still thinks Mr. Crouch is her master, sir, and nothing Dobby says will persuade her that Professor Dumbledore is her master now.† â€Å"Hey, Winky,† said Harry, struck by a sudden inspiration, walking over to her, and bending down, â€Å"you don't know what Mr. Crouch might be up to, do you? Because he's stopped turning up to judge the Triwizard Tournament.† Winky's eyes flickered. Her enormous pupils focused on Harry. She swayed slightly again and then said, â€Å"M – Master is stopped – hic – coming?† â€Å"Yeah,† said Harry, â€Å"we haven't seen him since the first task. The Daily Prophet's saying he's ill.† Winky swayed some more, staring blurrily at Harry. â€Å"Master – hic – ill?† Her bottom lip began to tremble. â€Å"But we're not sure if that's true,† said Hermione quickly. â€Å"Master is needing his – hic – Winky!† whimpered the elf. â€Å"Master cannot – hic – manage – hic – all by himself†¦.† â€Å"Other people manage to do their own housework, you know, Winky,† Hermione said severely. â€Å"Winky – hic – is not only – hic – doing housework for Mr. Crouch!† Winky squeaked indignantly, swaying worse than ever and slopping butterbeer down her already heavily stained blouse. â€Å"Master is – hic – trusting Winky with – hic – the most important – hic – the most secret†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"What?† said Harry. But Winky shook her head very hard, spilling more butterbeer down herself. â€Å"Winky keeps – hic – her master's secrets,† she said mutinously, swaying very heavily now, frowning up at Harry with her eyes crossed. â€Å"You is – hic – nosing, you is.† â€Å"Winky must not talk like that to Harry Potter!† said Dobby angrily. â€Å"Harry Potter is brave and noble and Harry Potter is not nosy!† â€Å"He is nosing – hic – into my master's – hic – private and secret – hic – Winky is a good house-elf – hic – Winky keeps her silence – hic – people trying to – hic – pry and poke – hic -â€Å" Winky's eyelids drooped and suddenly, without warning, she slid off her stool into the hearth, snoring loudly. The empty bottle of butterbeer rolled away across the stone-flagged floor. Half a dozen house-elves came hurrying forward, looking disgusted. One of them picked up the bottle; the others covered Winky with a large checked tablecloth and tucked the ends in neatly, hiding her from view. â€Å"We is sorry you had to see that, sirs and miss!† squeaked a nearby elf, shaking his head and looking very ashamed. â€Å"We is hoping you will not judge us all by Winky, sirs and miss!† â€Å"She's unhappy!† said Hermione, exasperated. â€Å"Why don't you try and cheer her up instead of covering her up?† â€Å"Begging your pardon, miss,† said the house-elf, bowing deeply again, â€Å"but house-elves has no right to be unhappy when there is work to be done and masters to be served.† â€Å"Oh for heavens sake!† Hermione cried. â€Å"Listen to me, all of you! You've got just as much right as wizards to be unhappy! You've got the right to wages and holidays and proper clothes, you don't have to do everything you're told – look at Dobby!† â€Å"Miss will please keep Dobby out of this,† Dobby mumbled, looking scared. The cheery smiles had vanished from the faces of the house-elves around the kitchen. They were suddenly looking at Hermione as though she were mad and dangerous. â€Å"We has your extra food!† squeaked an elf at Harry's elbow, and he shoved a large ham, a dozen cakes, and some fruit into Harry's arms. â€Å"Good-bye!† The house-elves crowded around Harry, Ron, and Hermione and began shunting them out of the kitchen, many little hands pushing in the smalls of their backs. â€Å"Thank you for the socks, Harry Potter!† Dobby called miserably from the hearth, where he was standing next to the lumpy tablecloth that was Winky. â€Å"You couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you, Hermione?† said Ron angrily as the kitchen door slammed shut behind them. â€Å"They won't want us visiting them now! We could've tried to get more stuff out of Winky about Crouch!† â€Å"Oh as if you care about that!† scoffed Hermione. â€Å"You only like coming down here for the food!† It was an irritable sort of day after that. Harry got so tired of Ron and Hermione sniping at each other over their homework in the common room that he took Sirius's food up to the Owlery that evening on his own. Pigwidgeon was much too small to carry an entire ham up to the mountain by himself, so Harry enlisted the help of two school screech owls as well. When they had set off into the dusk, looking extremely odd carrying the large package between them. Harry leaned on the windowsill, looking out at the grounds, at the dark, rustling treetops of the Forbidden Forest, and the rippling sails of the Durmstrang ship. An eagle owl flew through the coil of smoke rising from Hagrid's chimney; it soared toward the castle, around the Owlery, and out of sight. Looking down, Harry saw Hagrid digging energetically in front of his cabin. Harry wondered what he was doing; it looked as though he were making a new vegetable patch. As he watched, Madame Maxime emerged from the Beauxbatons carriage and walked over to Hagrid. She appeared to be trying to engage him in conversation. Hagrid leaned upon his spade, but did not seem keen to prolong their talk, because Madame Maxime returned to the carriage shortly afterward. Unwilling to go back to Gryffindor Tower and listen to Ron and Hermione snarling at each other, Harry watched Hagrid digging until the darkness swallowed him and the owls around Harry began to awake, swooshing past him into the night. By breakfast the next day Ron's and Hermione's bad moods had burnt out, and to Harry's relief, Ron's dark predictions that the house-elves would send substandard food up to the Gryffindor table because Hermione had insulted them proved false; the bacon, eggs, and kippers were quite as good as usual. When the post owls arrived, Hermione looked up eagerly; she seemed to be expecting something. â€Å"Percy won't've had time to answer yet,† said Ron. â€Å"We only sent Hedwig yesterday.† â€Å"No, it's not that,† said Hermione. â€Å"I've taken out a subscription to the Daily Prophet. I'm getting sick of finding everything out from the Slytherins.† â€Å"Good thinking!† said Harry, also looking up at the owls. â€Å"Hey, Hermione, I think you're in luck -â€Å" A gray owl was soaring down toward Hermione. â€Å"It hasn't got a newspaper, though,† she said, looking disappointed. â€Å"It's -â€Å" But to her bewilderment, the gray owl landed in front of her plate, closely followed by four barn owls, a brown owl, and a tawny. â€Å"How many subscriptions did you take out?† said Harry, seizing Hermione's goblet before it was knocked over by the cluster of owls, all of whom were jostling close to her, trying to deliver their own letter first. â€Å"What on earth – ?† Hermione said, taking the letter from the gray owl, opening it, and starting to read. â€Å"Oh really!† she sputtered, going rather red. â€Å"What's up?† said Ron. â€Å"It's – oh how ridiculous -â€Å" She thrust the letter at Harry, who saw that it was not handwritten, but composed from pasted letters that seemed to have been cut out of the Daily Prophet. YOU ARE A WICKED GIRL. HARRY POTTER DESERVES BETTER. GO BACK WHERE YOU CAME FROM MUGGLE. â€Å"They're all like it!† said Hermione desperately, opening one letter after another. â€Å"‘Harry Potter can do much better than the likes of you†¦.' ‘You deserve to be boiled in frog spawn†¦.' Ouch!† She had opened the last envelope, and yellowish-green liquid smelling strongly of petrol gushed over her hands, which began to erupt in large yellow boils. â€Å"Undiluted bubotuber pus!† said Ron, picking up the envelope gingerly and sniffing it. â€Å"Ow!† said Hermione, tears starting in her eyes as she tried to rub the pus off her hands with a napkin, but her fingers were now so thickly covered in painful sores that it looked as though she were wearing a pair of thick, knobbly gloves. â€Å"You'd better get up to the hospital wing,† said Harry as the owls around Hermione took flight. â€Å"We'll tell Professor Sprout where you've gone†¦.† â€Å"I warned her!† said Ron as Hermione hurried out of the Great Hall, cradling her hands. â€Å"I warned her not to annoy Rita Skeeter! Look at this one†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He read out one of the letters Hermione had left behind: â€Å"I read In Witch Weekly about how you are playing Harry Potter false and that boy has had enough hardship and I will be sending you a curse by next post as soon as I can find a big enough envelope.' Blimey, she'd better watch out for herself.† Hermione didn't turn up for Herbology. As Harry and Ron left the greenhouse for their Care of Magical Creatures class, they saw Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle descending the stone steps of the castle. Pansy Parkinson was whispering and giggling behind them with her gang of Slytherin girls. Catching sight of Harry, Pansy called, â€Å"Potter, have you split up with your girlfriend? Why was she so upset at breakfast?† Harry ignored her; he didn't want to give her the satisfaction of knowing how much trouble the Witch Weekly article had caused. Hagrid, who had told them last lesson that they had finished with unicorns, was waiting for them outside his cabin with a fresh supply of open crates at his feet. Harry's heart sank at the sight of the crates – surely not another skrewt hatching? – but when he got near enough to see inside, he found himself looking at a number of flurry black creatures with long snouts. Their front paws were curiously flat, like spades, and they were blinking up at the class, looking politely puzzled at all the attention. â€Å"These're nifflers,† said Hagrid, when the class had gathered around. â€Å"Yeh find 'em down mines mostly. They like sparkly stuff†¦.There yeh go, look.† One of the nifflers had suddenly leapt up and attempted to bite Pansy Parkinson's watch off her wrist. She shrieked and jumped backward. â€Å"Useful little treasure detectors,† said Hagrid happily. â€Å"Thought we'd have some fun with 'em today. See over there?† He pointed at the large patch of freshly turned earth Harry had watched him digging from the Owlery window. â€Å"I've buried some gold coins. I've got a prize fer whoever picks the niffler that digs up most. Jus' take off all yer valuables, an' choose a niffler, an get ready ter set 'em loose.† Harry took off his watch, which he was only wearing out of habit, as it didn't work anymore, and stuffed it into his pocket. Then he picked up a niffler. It put its long snout in Harry's ear and sniffed enthusiastically. It was really quite cuddly. â€Å"Hang on,† said Hagrid, looking down into the crate, â€Å"there's a spare niffler here†¦who's missin? Where's Hermione?† â€Å"She had to go to the hospital wing,† said Ron. â€Å"We'll explain later,† Harry muttered; Pansy Parkinson was listening. It was easily the most fun they had ever had in Care of Magical Creatures. The nifflers dived in and out of the patch of earth as though it were water, each scurrying back to the student who had released it and spitting gold into their hands. Ron's was particularly efficient; it had soon filled his lap with coins. â€Å"Can you buy these as pets, Hagrid?† he asked excitedly as his niffler dived back into the soil, splattering his robes. â€Å"Yer mum wouldn' be happy, Ron,† said Hagrid, grinning. â€Å"They wreck houses, nifflers. I reckon they've nearly got the lot, now,† he added, pacing around the patch of earth while the nifflers continued to dive. â€Å"I on'y buried a hundred coins. Oh there y'are, Hermione!† Hermione was walking toward them across the lawn. Her hands were very heavily bandaged and she looked miserable. Pansy Parkinson was watching her beadily. â€Å"Well, let's check how yeh've done!† said Hagrid. â€Å"Count yer coins! An' there's no point tryin' ter steal any, Goyle,† he added, his beetle-black eyes narrowed. â€Å"It's leprechaun gold. Vanishes after a few hours.† Goyle emptied his pockets, looking extremely sulky. It turned out that Ron's niffler had been most successful, so Hagrid gave him an enormous slab of Honeyduke's chocolate for a prize. The bell rang across the grounds for lunch; the rest of the class set off back to the castle, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione stayed behind to help Hagrid put the nifflers back in their boxes. Harry noticed Madame Maxime watching them out other carriage window. â€Å"What yeh done ter your hands, Hermione?† said Hagrid, looking concerned. Hermione told him about the hate mail she had received that morning, and the envelope full of bubotuber pus. â€Å"Aaah, don' worry,† said Hagrid gently, looking down at her. â€Å"I got some o' those letters an all, after Rita Skeeter wrote abou me mum. ‘Yeh're a monster an yeh should be put down.' ‘Yer mother killed innocent people an if you had any decency you d jump in a lake.'† â€Å"No!† said Hermione, looking shocked. â€Å"Yeah,† said Hagrid, heaving the niffler crates over by his cabin wall. â€Å"They're jus' nutters, Hermione. Don' open 'em if yeh get any more. Chuck 'em straigh' in the fire.† â€Å"You missed a really good lesson,† Harry told Hermione as they headed back toward the castle. â€Å"They're good, nifflers, aren't they, Ron?† Ron, however, was frowning at the chocolate Hagrid had given him. He looked thoroughly put out about something. â€Å"What's the matter?† said Harry. â€Å"Wrong flavor?† â€Å"No,† said Ron shortly. â€Å"Why didn't you tell me about the gold?† â€Å"What gold?† said Harry. â€Å"The gold I gave you at the Quidditch World Cup,† said Ron. â€Å"The leprechaun gold I gave you for my Omnioculars. In the Top Box. Why didn't you tell me it disappeared?† Harry had to think for a moment before he realized what Ron was talking about. â€Å"Oh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he said, the memory coming back to him at last. â€Å"I dunno†¦I never noticed it had gone. I was more worried about my wand, wasn't I?† They climbed the steps into the entrance hall and went into the Great Hall for lunch. â€Å"Must be nice,† Ron said abruptly, when they had sat down and started serving themselves roast beef and Yorkshire puddings. â€Å"To have so much money you don't notice if a pocketful of Galleons goes missing.† â€Å"Listen, I had other stuff on my mind that night!† said Harry impatiently. â€Å"We all did, remember?† â€Å"I didn't know leprechaun gold vanishes,† Ron muttered. â€Å"I thought I was paying you back. You shouldn't've given me that Chudley Cannon hat for Christmas.† â€Å"Forget it, all right?† said Harry. Ron speared a roast potato on the end of his fork, glaring at it. Then he said, â€Å"I hate being poor.† Harry and Hermione looked at each other. Neither of them really knew what to say. â€Å"It's rubbish,† said Ron, still glaring down at his potato. â€Å"I don't blame Fred and George for trying to make some extra money. Wish I could. Wish I had a niffler.† â€Å"Well, we know what to get you next Christmas,† said Hermione brightly. Then, when Ron continued to look gloomy, she said, â€Å"Come on, Ron, it could be worse. At least your fingers aren't full of pus.† Hermione was having a lot of difficulty managing her knife and fork, her fingers were so stiff and swollen. â€Å"I hate that Skeeter woman!† she burst out savagely. â€Å"I'll get her back for this if it's the last thing I do!† Hate mail continued to arrive for Hermione over the following week, and although she followed Hagrid's advice and stopped opening it, several of her ill-wishers sent Howlers, which exploded at the Gryffindor table and shrieked insults at her for the whole Hall to hear. Even those people who didn't read Witch Weekly knew all about the supposed Harry-Krum-Hermione triangle now. Harry was getting sick of telling people that Hermione wasn't his girlfriend. â€Å"It'll die down, though,† he told Hermione, â€Å"if we just ignore it†¦.People got bored with that stuff she wrote about me last time. â€Å"I want to know how she's listening into private conversations when she's supposed to be banned from the grounds!† said Hermione angrily. Hermione hung back in their next Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson to ask Professor Moody something. The rest of the class was very eager to leave; Moody had given them such a rigorous test of hex-deflection that many of them were nursing small injuries. Harry had such a bad case of Twitchy Ears, he had to hold his hands clamped over them as he walked away from the class. â€Å"Well, Rita's definitely not using an Invisibility Cloak!† Hermione panted five minutes later, catching up with Harry and Ron in the entrance hall and pulling Harry's hand away from one of his wiggling ears so that he could hear her. â€Å"Moody says he didn't see her anywhere near the judges' table at the second task, or anywhere near the lake!† â€Å"Hermione, is there any point in telling you to drop this?† said Ron. â€Å"No!† said Hermione stubbornly. â€Å"I want to know how she heard me talking to Viktor! And how she found out about Hagrid's mum!† â€Å"Maybe she had you bugged,† said Harry. â€Å"Bugged?† said Ron blankly. â€Å"What†¦put fleas on her or something?† Harry started explaining about hidden microphones and recording equipment. Ron was fascinated, but Hermione interrupted them. â€Å"Aren't you two ever going to read Hogwarts, A History† â€Å"What's the point?† said Ron. â€Å"You know it by heart, we can just ask you.† â€Å"All those substitutes for magic Muggles use – electricity, computers, and radar, and all those things – they all go haywire around Hogwarts, there's too much magic in the air. No, Rita's using magic to eavesdrop, she must be†¦.If I could just find out what it is†¦ooh, if it's illegal, I'll have her†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Haven't we got enough to worry about?† Ron asked her. â€Å"Do we have to start a vendetta against Rita Skeeter as well?† â€Å"I'm not asking you to help!† Hermione snapped. â€Å"I'll do it on my own!† She marched back up the marble staircase without a backward glance. Harry was quite sure she was going to the library. â€Å"What's the betting she comes back with a box of / Hate Rita Skeeter badges?† said Ron. Hermione, however, did not ask Harry and Ron to help her pursue vengeance against Rita Skeeter, for which they were both grateful, because their workload was mounting ever higher in the days before the Easter holidays. Harry frankly marveled at the fact that Hermione could research magical methods of eavesdropping as well as everything else they had to do. He was working flat-out just to get through all their homework, though he made a point of sending regular food packages up to the cave in the mountain for Sirius; after last summer, Harry had not forgotten what it felt like to be continually hungry. He enclosed notes to Sirius, telling him that nothing out of the ordinary had happened, and that they were still waiting for an answer from Percy. Hedwig didn't return until the end of the Easter holidays. Percy's letter was enclosed in a package of Easter eggs that Mrs. Weasley had sent. Both Harry's and Ron's were the size of dragon eggs and full of homemade toffee. Hermione's, however, was smaller than a chicken egg. Her face fell when she saw it. â€Å"Your mum doesn't read Witch Weekly, by any chance, does she, Ron?† she asked quietly. â€Å"Yeah,† said Ron, whose mouth was full of toffee. â€Å"Gets it for the recipes.† Hermione looked sadly at her tiny egg. â€Å"Don't you want to see what Percy's written?† Harry asked her hastily. Percy's letter was short and irritated. As I am constantly telling the Daily Prophet, Mr. Crouch is taking a well-deserved break. He is sending in regular owls with instructions. No, I haven't actually seen him, but I think I can be trusted to know my own superior's handwriting. I have quite enough to do at the moment without trying to quash these ridiculous rumors. Please don't bother me again unless it's something important. Happy Easter. The start of the summer term would normally have meant that Harry was training hard for the last Quidditch match of the season. This year, however, it was the third and final task in the Triwizard Tournament for which he needed to prepare, but he still didn't know what he would have to do. Finally, in the last week of May, Professor McGonagall held him back in Transfiguration. â€Å"You are to go down to the Quidditch field tonight at nine o'clock. Potter,† she told him. â€Å"Mr. Bagman will be there to tell the champions about the third task.† So at half past eight that night. Harry left Ron and Hermione in Gryffindor Tower and went downstairs. As he crossed the entrance hall, Cedric came up from the Hufflepuff common room. â€Å"What d'you reckon it's going to be?† he asked Harry as they went together down the stone steps, out into the cloudy night. â€Å"Fleur keeps going on about underground tunnels; she reckons we've got to find treasure.† â€Å"That wouldn't be too bad,† said Harry, thinking that he would simply ask Hagrid for a niffler to do the job for him. They walked down the dark lawn to the Quidditch stadium, turned through a gap in the stands, and walked out onto the field. â€Å"What've they done to it?† Cedric said indignantly, stopping dead. The Quidditch field was no longer smooth and flat. It looked as though somebody had been building long, low walls all over it that twisted and crisscrossed in every direction. â€Å"They're hedges!† said Harry, bending to examine the nearest one. â€Å"Hello there!† called a cheery voice. Ludo Bagman was standing in the middle of the field with Krum and Fleur. Harry and Cedric made their way toward them, climbing over the hedges. Fleur beamed at Harry as he came nearer. Her attitude toward him had changed completely since he had saved her sister from the lake. â€Å"Well, what d'you think?† said Bagman happily as Harry and Cedric climbed over the last hedge. â€Å"Growing nicely, aren't they? Give them a month and Hagrid'll have them twenty feet high. Don't worry,† he added, grinning, spotting the less-than-happy expressions on Harry's and Cedric's faces, â€Å"you'll have your Quidditch field back to normal once the task is over! Now, I imagine you can guess what we're making here?† No one spoke for a moment. Then – â€Å"Maze,† grunted Krum. â€Å"That's right!† said Bagman. â€Å"A maze. The third task's really very straightforward. The Triwizard Cup will be placed in the center of the maze. The first champion to touch it will receive full marks.† â€Å"We seemply ‘ave to get through the maze?† said Fleur. â€Å"There will be obstacles,† said Bagman happily, bouncing on the balls of his feet. â€Å"Hagrid is providing a number of creatures†¦then there will be spells that must be broken†¦all that sort of thing, you know. Now, the champions who are leading on points will get a head start into the maze.† Bagman grinned at Harry and Cedric. â€Å"Then Mr. Krum will enter†¦then Miss Delacour. But you'll all be in with a fighting chance, depending how well you get past the obstacles. Should be fun, eh?† Harry, who knew only too well the kind of creatures that Hagrid was likely to provide for an event like this, thought it was unlikely to be any fun at all. However, he nodded politely like the other champions. â€Å"Very well†¦if you haven't got any questions, we'll go back up to the castle, shall we, it's a bit chilly†¦.† Bagman hurried alongside Harry as they began to wend their way out of the growing maze. Harry had the feeling that Bagman was going to start offering to help him again, but just then, Krum tapped Harry on the shoulder. â€Å"Could I haff a vord?† â€Å"Yeah, all right,† said Harry, slightly surprised. â€Å"Vill you valk vith me?† â€Å"Okay,† said Harry curiously. Bagman looked slightly perturbed. â€Å"I'll wait for you. Harry, shall I?† â€Å"No, it's okay, Mr. Bagman,† said Harry, suppressing a smile, â€Å"I think I can find the castle on my own, thanks.† Harry and Krum left the stadium together, but Krum did not set a course for the Durmstrang ship. Instead, he walked toward the forest. â€Å"What're we going this way for?† said Harry as they passed Hagrid's cabin and the illuminated Beauxbatons carriage. â€Å"Don't vont to be overheard,† said Krum shortly. When at last they had reached a quiet stretch of ground a short way from the Beauxbatons horses' paddock, Krum stopped in the shade of the trees and turned to face Harry. â€Å"I vant to know,† he said, glowering, â€Å"vot there is between you and Hermy-own-ninny.† Harry, who from Krum's secretive manner had expected something much more serious than this, stared up at Krum in amazement. â€Å"Nothing,† he said. But Krum glowered at him, and Harry, somehow struck anew by how tall Krum was, elaborated. â€Å"We're friends. She's not my girlfriend and she never has been. It's just that Skeeter woman making things up.† â€Å"Hermy-own-ninny talks about you very often,† said Krum, looking suspiciously at Harry. â€Å"Yeah,† said Harry, â€Å"because were friends.† He couldn't quite believe he was having this conversation with Viktor Krum, the famous International Quidditch player. It was as though the eighteen-year-old Krum thought he. Harry, was an equal – a real rival – â€Å"You haff never†¦you haff not†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No,† said Harry very firmly. Krum looked slightly happier. He stared at Harry for a few seconds, then said, â€Å"You fly very veil. I vos votching at the first task.† â€Å"Thanks,† said Harry, grinning broadly and suddenly feeling much taller himself. â€Å"I saw you at the Quidditch World Cup. The Wronski Feint, you really -â€Å" But something moved behind Krum in the trees, and Harry, who had some experience of the sort of thing that lurked in the forest, instinctively grabbed Krum's arm and pulled him around. â€Å"Vot is it?† Harry shook his head, staring at the place where he'd seen movement. He slipped his hand inside his robes, reaching for his wand. Suddenly a man staggered out from behind a tall oak. For a moment, Harry didn't recognize him†¦then he realized it was Mr. Crouch. He looked as though he had been traveling for days. The knees of his robes were ripped and bloody, his face scratched; he was unshaven and gray with exhaustion. His neat hair and mustache were both in need of a wash and a trim. His strange appearance, however, was nothing to the way he was behaving. Muttering and gesticulating, Mr. Crouch appeared to be talking to someone that he alone could see. He reminded Harry vividly of an old tramp he had seen once when out shopping with the Dursleys. That man too had been conversing wildly with thin air; Aunt Petunia had seized Dudley's hand and pulled him across the road to avoid him; Uncle Vernon had then treated the family to a long rant about what he would like to do with beggars and vagrants. â€Å"Vosn't he a judge?† said Krum, staring at Mr. Crouch. â€Å"Isn't he vith your Ministry?† Harry nodded, hesitated for a moment, then walked slowly toward Mr. Crouch, who did not look at him, but continued to talk to a nearby tree. â€Å"†¦and when you've done that, Weatherby, send an owl to Dumbledore confirming the number of Durmstrang students who will be attending the tournament, Karkaroff has just sent word there will be twelve†¦.† â€Å"Mr. Crouch?† said Harry cautiously. â€Å"†¦and then send another owl to Madame Maxime, because she might want to up the number of students she's bringing, now Karkaroff's made it a round dozen†¦do that, Weatherby, will you? Will you? Will†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Mr. Crouch's eyes were bulging. He stood staring at the tree, muttering soundlessly at it. Then he staggered sideways and fell to his knees. â€Å"Mr. Crouch?† Harry said loudly. â€Å"Are you all right?† Crouch's eyes were rolling in his head. Harry looked around at Krum, who had followed him into the trees, and was looking down at Crouch in alarm. â€Å"Vot is wrong with him?† â€Å"No idea,† Harry muttered. â€Å"Listen, you'd better go and get someone -â€Å" â€Å"Dumbledore!† gasped Mr. Crouch. He reached out and seized a handful of Harry's robes, dragging him closer, though his eyes were staring over Harry's head. â€Å"I need†¦see†¦Dumbledore†¦.† â€Å"Okay,† said Harry, â€Å"if you get up, Mr. Crouch, we can go up to the-â€Å" â€Å"I've done†¦stupid†¦thing†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Mr. Crouch breathed. He looked utterly mad. His eyes were rolling and bulging, and a trickle of spittle was sliding down his chin. Every word he spoke seemed to cost him a terrible effort. â€Å"Must†¦tell†¦Dumbledore†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Get up, Mr. Crouch,† said Harry loudly and clearly. â€Å"Get up, I'll take you to Dumbledore!† Mr., Crouch's eyes rolled forward onto Harry. â€Å"Who†¦you?† he whispered. â€Å"I'm a student at the school,† said Harry, looking around at Krum for some help, but Krum was hanging back, looking extremely nervous. â€Å"You're not†¦his?† whispered Crouch, his mouth sagging. â€Å"No,† said Harry, without the faintest idea what Crouch was talking about. â€Å"Dumbledore's?† â€Å"That's right,† said Harry. Crouch was pulling him closer; Harry tried to loosen Crouch's grip on his robes, but it was too powerful. â€Å"Warn†¦Dumbledore†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I'll get Dumbledore if you let go of me,† said Harry. â€Å"Just let go, Mr. Crouch, and I'll get him†¦.† â€Å"Thank you, Weatherby, and when you have done that, I would like a cup of tea. My wife and son will be arriving shortly, we are attending a concert tonight with Mr. and Mrs. Fudge.† Crouch was now talking fluently to a tree again, and seemed completely unaware that Harry was there, which surprised Harry so much he didn't notice that Crouch had released him. â€Å"Yes, my son has recently gained twelve O.W.L.s, most satisfactory, yes, thank you, yes, very proud indeed. Now, if you could bring me that memo from the Andorran Minister of Magic, I think I will have time to draft a response†¦.† â€Å"You stay here with him!† Harry said to Krum. â€Å"I'll get Dumbledore, I'll be quicker, I know where his office is -â€Å" â€Å"He is mad,† said Krum doubtfully, staring down at Crouch, who was still gabbling to the tree, apparently convinced it was Percy. â€Å"Just stay with him,† said Harry, starting to get up, but his movement seemed to trigger another abrupt change in Mr. Crouch, who seized him hard around the knees and pulled Harry back to the ground. â€Å"Don't†¦leave†¦me!† he whispered, his eyes bulging again. â€Å"I†¦escaped†¦must warn†¦must tell†¦see Dumbledore†¦my fault†¦all my fault†¦Bertha†¦dead†¦all my fault†¦my son†¦my fault†¦tell Dumbledore †¦Harry Potter†¦the Dark Lord†¦stronger†¦Harry Potter†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I'll get Dumbledore if you let me go, Mr. Crouch!† said Harry. He looked furiously around at Krum. â€Å"Help me, will you?† Looking extremely apprehensive, Krum moved forward and squatted down next to Mr. Crouch. â€Å"Just keep him here,† said Harry, pulling himself free of Mr. Crouch. â€Å"I'll be back with Dumbledore.† â€Å"Hurry, von't you?† Krum called after him as Harry sprinted away from the forest and up through the dark grounds. They were deserted; Bagman, Cedric, and Fleur had disappeared. Harry tore up the stone steps, through the oak front doors, and off up the marble staircase, toward the second floor. Five minutes later he was hurtling toward a stone gargoyle standing halfway along an empty corridor. â€Å"Sher – sherbet lemon!† he panted at it. This was the password to the hidden staircase to Dumbledore's office – or at least, it had been two years ago. The password had evidently changed, however, for the stone gargoyle did not spring to life and jump aside, but stood frozen, glaring at Harry malevolently. â€Å"Move!† Harry shouted at it. â€Å"C'mon!† But nothing at Hogwarts had ever moved just because he shouted at it; he knew it was no good. He looked up and down the dark corridor. Perhaps Dumbledore was in the staffroom? He started running as fast as he could toward the staircase – â€Å"POTTER!† Harry skidded to a halt and looked around. Snape had just emerged from the hidden staircase behind the stone gargoyle. The wall was sliding shut behind him even as he beckoned Harry back toward him. â€Å"What are you doing here, Potter?† â€Å"I need to see Professor Dumbledore!† said Harry, running back up the corridor and skidding to a standstill in front of Snape instead. â€Å"It's Mr. Crouch†¦he's just turned up†¦he's in the forest†¦he's asking -â€Å" â€Å"What is this rubbish?† said Snape, his black eyes glittering. â€Å"What are you talking about?† â€Å"Mr. Crouch!† Harry shouted. â€Å"From the Ministry! He's ill or something – he's in the forest, he wants to see Dumbledore! Just give me the password up to -â€Å" â€Å"The headmaster is busy. Potter,† said Snape, his thin mouth curling into an unpleasant smile. â€Å"I've got to tell Dumbledore!† Harry yelled. â€Å"Didn't you hear me. Potter?† Harry could tell Snape was thoroughly enjoying himself, denying Harry the thing he wanted when he was so panicky. â€Å"Look,† said Harry angrily, â€Å"Crouch isn't right – he's – he's out of his mind – he says he wants to warn -â€Å" The stone wall behind Snape slid open. Dumbledore was standing there, wearing long green robes and a mildly curious expression. â€Å"Is there a problem?† he said, looking between Harry and Snape. â€Å"Professor!† Harry said, sidestepping Snape before Snape could speak, â€Å"Mr. Crouch is here – he's down in the forest, he wants to speak to you!† Harry expected Dumbledore to ask questions, but to his relief, Dumbledore did nothing of the sort. â€Å"Lead the way,† he said promptly, and he swept off along the corridor behind Harry, leaving Snape standing next to the gargoyle and looking twice as ugly. â€Å"What did Mr. Crouch say. Harry?† said Dumbledore as they walked swiftly down the marble staircase. â€Å"Said he wants to warn you†¦said he's done something terrible†¦he mentioned his son†¦and Bertha Jorkins†¦and – and Voldemort†¦something about Voldemort getting stronger†¦.† â€Å"Indeed,† said Dumbledore, and he quickened his pace as they hurried out into the pitch-darkness. â€Å"He's not acting normally,† Harry said, hurrying along beside Dumbledore. â€Å"He doesn't seem to know where he is. He keeps talking like he thinks Percy Weasley's there, and then he changes, and says he needs to see you†¦.I left him with Viktor Krum.† â€Å"You did?† said Dumbledore sharply, and he began to take longer strides still, so that Harry was running to keep up. â€Å"Do you know if anybody else saw Mr. Crouch?† â€Å"No,† said Harry. â€Å"Krum and I were talking, Mr. Bagman had just finished telling us about the third task, we stayed behind, and then we saw Mr. Crouch coming out of the forest -â€Å" â€Å"Where are they?† said Dumbledore as the Beauxbatons carriage emerged from the darkness. â€Å"Over here,† said Harry, moving in front of Dumbledore, leading the way through the trees. He couldn't hear Crouch's voice anymore, but he knew where he was going; it hadn't been much past the Beauxbatons carriage†¦somewhere around here†¦. â€Å"Viktor?† Harry shouted. No one answered. â€Å"They were here,† Harry said to Dumbledore. â€Å"They were definitely somewhere around here†¦.† â€Å"Lumos,† Dumbledore said, lighting his wand and holding it up. Its narrow beam traveled from black trunk to black trunk, illuminating the ground. And then it fell upon a pair of feet. Harry and Dumbledore hurried forward. Krum was sprawled on the forest floor. He seemed to be unconscious. There was no sign at all of Mr. Crouch. Dumbledore bent over Krum and gently lifted one of his eyelids. â€Å"Stunned,† he said softly. His half-moon glasses glittered in the wandlight as he peered around at the surrounding trees. â€Å"Should I go and get someone?† said Harry. â€Å"Madam Pomfrey?† â€Å"No,† said Dumbledore swiftly. â€Å"Stay here.† He raised his wand into the air and pointed it in the direction of Hagrid's cabin. Harry saw something silvery dart out of it and streak away through the trees like a ghostly bird. Then Dumbledore bent over Krum again, pointed his wand at him, and muttered, â€Å"Ennervate.† Krum opened his eyes. He looked dazed. When he saw Dumbledore, he tried to sit up, but Dumbledore put a hand on his shoulder and made him lie still. â€Å"He attacked me!† Krum muttered, putting a hand up to his head. â€Å"The old madman attacked me! I vos looking around to see vare Potter had gone and he attacked from behind!† â€Å"Lie still for a moment,† Dumbledore said. The sound of thunderous footfalls reached them, and Hagrid came panting into sight with Fang at his heels. He was carrying his crossbow. â€Å"Professor Dumbledore!† he said, his eyes widening. â€Å"Harry – what the -?† â€Å"Hagrid, I need you to fetch Professor Karkaroff,† said Dumbledore. â€Å"His student has been attacked. When you've done that, kindly alert Professor Moody -â€Å" â€Å"No need, Dumbledore,† said a wheezy growl. â€Å"I'm here.† Moody was limping toward them, leaning on his staff, his wand lit. â€Å"Damn leg,† he said furiously. â€Å"Would've been here quicker†¦what's happened? Snape said something about Crouch -â€Å" â€Å"Crouch?† said Hagrid blankly. â€Å"Karkaroff, please, Hagrid!† said Dumbledore sharply. â€Å"Oh yeah†¦right y'are, Professor†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Hagrid, and he turned and disappeared into the dark trees, Fang trotting after him. â€Å"I don't know where Barty Crouch is,† Dumbledore told Moody, â€Å"but it is essential that we find him.† â€Å"I'm onto it,† growled Moody, and he pulled out his wand and limped off into the forest. Neither Dumbledore nor Harry spoke again until they heard the unmistakable sounds of Hagrid and Fang returning. Karkaroff was hurrying along behind them. He was wearing his sleek silver furs, and he looked pale and agitated. â€Å"What is this?† he cried when he saw Krum on the ground and Dumbledore and Harry beside him. â€Å"What's going on?† â€Å"I vos attacked!† said Krum, sitting up now and rubbing his head. â€Å"Mr. Crouch or votever his name -â€Å" â€Å"Crouch attacked you? Crouch attacked you? The Triwizard judge?† â€Å"Igor,† Dumbledore began, but Karkaroff had drawn himself up, clutching his furs around him, looking livid. â€Å"Treachery!† he bellowed, pointing at Dumbledore. â€Å"It is a plot! You and your Ministry of Magic have lured me here under false pretenses, Dumbledore! This is not an equal competition! First you sneak Potter into the tournament, though he is underage! Now one of your Ministry friends attempts to put my champion out of action! I smell double-dealing and corruption in this whole affair, and you, Dumbledore, you, with your talk of closer international wizarding links, of rebuilding old ties, of forgetting old differences – here's what I think of you!† Karkaroff spat onto the ground at Dumbledore's feet. In one swift movement, Hagrid seized the front of Karkaroff's furs, lifted him into the air, and slammed him against a nearby tree. â€Å"Apologize!† Hagrid snarled as Karkaroff gasped for breath, Hagrid's massive fist at his throat, his feet dangling in midair. â€Å"Hagrid, no!† Dumbledore shouted, his eyes flashing. Hagrid removed the hand pinning Karkaroff to the tree, and Karkaroff slid all the way down the trunk and slumped in a huddle at its roots; a few twigs and leaves showered down upon his head. â€Å"Kindly escort Harry back up to the castle, Hagrid,† said Dumbledore sharply. Breathing heavily, Hagrid gave Karkaroff a glowering look. â€Å"Maybe I'd better stay here. Headmaster†¦.† â€Å"You will take Harry back to school, Hagrid,† Dumbledore repeated firmly. â€Å"Take him right up to Gryffindor Tower. And Harry – I want you to stay there. Anything you might want to do – any owls you might want to send – they can wait until morning, do you understand me?† â€Å"Er – yes,† said Harry, staring at him. How had Dumbledore known that, at that very moment, he had been thinking about sending Pigwidgeon straight to Sirius, to tell him what had happened? â€Å"I'll leave Fang with yeh. Headmaster,† Hagrid said, staring menacingly at Karkaroff, who was still sprawled at the foot of the tree, tangled in furs and tree roots. â€Å"Stay, Fang. C'mon, Harry.† They marched in silence past the Beauxbatons carriage and up toward the castle. â€Å"How dare he,† Hagrid growled as they strode past the lake. â€Å"How dare he accuse Dumbledore. Like Dumbledore'd do anythin' like that. Like Dumbledore wanted you in the tournament in the firs' place. Worried! I dunno when I seen Dumbledore more worried than he's bin lately. An' you!† Hagrid suddenly said angrily to Harry, who looked up at him, taken aback. â€Å"What were yeh doin', wanderin' off with ruddy Krum? He's from Durmstrang, Harry! Coulda jinxed yeh right there, couldn he? Hasn' Moody taught yeh nothin'? ‘Magine lettin him lure yeh off on yer own -â€Å" â€Å"Krum's all right!† said Harry as they climbed the steps into the entrance hall. â€Å"He wasn't trying to jinx me, he just wanted to talk about Hermione -â€Å" â€Å"I'll be havin' a few words with her, an' all,† said Hagrid grimly, stomping up the stairs. â€Å"The less you lot ‘ave ter do with these foreigners, the happier yeh'll be. Yeh can trust any of 'em.† â€Å"You were getting on all right with Madame Maxime,† Harry said, annoyed. â€Å"Don' you talk ter me abou' her!† said Hagrid, and he looked quite frightening for a moment. â€Å"I've got her number now! Tryin' ter get back in me good books, tryin' ter get me ter tell her what's comin in the third task. Ha! You can' trust any of'em!† Hagrid was in such a bad mood, Harry was quite glad to say good-bye to him in front of the Fat Lady. He clambered through the portrait hole into the common room and hurried straight for the corner where Ron and Hermione were sitting, to tell them what had happened.

Improving Business Processes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Improving Business Processes - Essay Example The resultant is the re-designing of business processes into much more concise and comprehensive steps that are simpler and require very little or almost none manual inclusion. The current scenario discusses the business processes relative to the purchase arena of a Hypermarket. A Hypermarket is a complex unification of a number of business processes. A series of business processes come together to achieve a single goal of running the hypermarket and selling goods to its consumers. BUSINESS PROCESSES The current task at hand is to focus on the business processes that make up the purchasing tasks relative to the Hypermarket. There are a number of business processes that are concerned with the purchasing arena. Three of them are narrated mentioned as follows: 1. Order New Stock Process 2. Up-to-date Stock Items and Monitoring 3. Reporting. The above mentioned business processes would be illustrated and explained in both parts 1 and 2 with respect to conventional and online methods resp ectively as follows: PART 1 BUSINESS PROCESS 1: Order New Stock Process. CONVENTIONAL MANUAL METHOD (With reference to Figure 1) DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS PROCESS In the conventional business processes, the requests for stocks update is made by the stock control department. Once the stock generation request has been put forth, a list of potential stocks that need to be updated shortly is generated. The subsequent step is to mark out the potential suppliers that can be contacted for providing the required goods. Once the suppliers have been chalked out the need for the availability of the stuff is assessed by the time of its requirement. A decision is supposed to be made here. It the supply of goods is required by the purchase department urgently then the purchase order is sent manually to each supplier. However if there is no urgency in the requirements of the proposed goods then they are further assessed for the best deals available for purchase. It also assesses the availability of the most cost-effective and quality conscious suppliers. Once the choice of the preferred supplier has been made, the purchase order is now made by sending purchase order to each supplier. The order is now received at the purchase department. If the received order contains the goods then preparations are being made to deliver them. On the other hand if the processed order does not contain the required goods then arrangements need to be made to obtain the requested supplies of goods from elsewhere. Once the supplies have been achieved, their delivery is aimed at. A last check is performed before the supplier supplies the goods. This is to check if there are any outstanding payments to be made by the purchase department. If there response is a yes then those outstanding payments are added to the current bill otherwise the bill for the current transaction only is made and dispatched with the required goods to the purchase department. LIST OF BUSINESS RULES 1. Multiple suppliers may sup ply similar products. Therefore, it is necessary to figure out the best deals in order to minimize the cost. 2. The supplier data and related details must be updated continuously in order to keep up with the updated purchase deals and discount they offer. 3. In case of urgently needed products the order can be placed to the supplier who can provide the product at earliest.  

The advantages and disadvantages of federal government Essay

The advantages and disadvantages of federal government - Essay Example hout waiting for the endorsement of the central government however, several other matters are decided by the states and the regional governments have to follow the same rules and regulations1. Federal governance system has evolved as one of the common and popular form of government across the world. At present, there are several countries of different region of the world that are following the federal government structure including USA, Canada, Australia, India, Brazil, Mexico and Pakistan2. For many other countries like Sri Lanka and Philippines where federalism is not in practice, the advantages and disadvantages of federal government is an important area of concern because any potential changes in the national governing set of these countries heavily depends upon the fact that how these countries views the pros and cons of federalism3. Some important advantages and disadvantages of federal government are discussed below It has been widely accepted that the federal governance system has several important advantages as compared with other system of governance like unitary and confederate government. Some of these are described below In the federal governance system all the provinces use to have the political, social and economic problems peculiar to their own region. The provincial governments are thus enabled to specifically concentrate towards the resolution of the issues and problems evolved within their area of authority. The representatives of the provincial government also line is close proximity to the people of their province and most of the times the representatives also belong to the same communities that constitute that province. In this way, they tend to have better and in depth understanding of the matters and problems of the people of their province that allows them offering unique and targeted solutions for the problems of their province4. The provincial governments usually encounter several matters at local basis like traffic management. There

Macroeconomics of Argentina Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Macroeconomics of Argentina - Research Paper Example This research paper is one of the best examples of analysis of the macroeconomics of Argentina, which involves review of the monetary and fiscal policy, growth rates, unemployment rates, inflation, and currency exchanges in the country. Traditionally, Argentina was one of the countries in Latin America that had better social indicators. Compared to the other nations in this region, Argentina’s inequality and poverty levels were very low. The country had widespread labor protection policies and the unemployment rate was low . Academic studies show that the socioeconomic status of Argentina has been deteriorating since 1970s with the sharp increase in poverty levels. When the crisis of 2001/02 ended, the economy started showing signs of recovery as the major social indicators continued improving significantly. The economic context described by many financial analysts depicts the inflation rate of Argentina as being unsustainable. Years before 2002 portray inflation in Argentina as fluctuating and high. However, the rate of inflation in this nation recorded at its lowest before the Tequila effect at 4 percent a year and almost at zero a year after this effect. The government applied generally an ambitious strategy. Sometimes ad-hoc and vague, it encourages growth, manages it with reference to the macroeconomic prudence, re-industrialization, and moderate state intervention . To some extent, this strategy represents a new approach of social inclusion that bases economically on the revival of domestic markets led by the state.

Invitro Fertilization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Invitro Fertilization - Essay Example There is no other life experience matching the birth of a baby in importance and significance. It is usually a devastating experience when couples wishing to start a family realize that they have to contend with fertility problems. For many such couples, in vitro fertilization has been a preferred solution as it gives them hopes of having their own child (Anderson, Haimovici, Ginsburg, Schust &Wayne, 2007). The first in vitro procedure that was successful was carried out in 1977 and thousands of happy and healthy children have been born each year since then. Infertility is a couples’ inability to have a kid or become pregnant with regardless of the cause after the duration of one year of having unprotected sex using no birth control methods. Infertility affects about six million people in the United States of America which accumulates to about ten percent of men and women of reproductive age. New and advanced technologies that help women become pregnant are in vitro fertilization (IVF), gamete intrafallopian transfer, zygote intrafallopian transfer, subzonal sperm injection, partial zona dissection, embryo cryopreservation and intracytoplasmic sperm injection among others. Assisted reproductive technology is generally accepted treatment for infertile women suffering from endometriosis. Presence of an ovarian endometrial cyst works towards the reduction of the quality of oocytes. The surgical resection of endometrioma reduces the ovarian reserve for ovarian stimulation by exogenous gonadotropins. In vitro fertilization is a process whereby the ova is removed from a woman’s body, fertilized in the laboratory with her partner’s sperm and returned to her uterus with hopes of fostering pregnancy. Some practitioners use in vitro fertility combined with pre implantation genetic diagnosis as a treatment for recurring

The role of Automatic Exposure Control in reduction MDCT radiation Research Proposal

The role of Automatic Exposure Control in reduction MDCT radiation dose of chest and abdomen procedures - Research Proposal Example Research plan: A retrospective, co-relational, non-experimental phase II clinical trial will investigate paediatric patients who undergone MDCT on the chest and abdominal area and analyze their exposure to radiation dose using CTDI and DLP in relation with the use of AEC. Data will undergo t-test, Pearson’s r and ANOVA. Role of AEC will be identified based from the obtained data analysis. The overall aim of this project is to identify the role of Automatic Exposure Control (AEC) in reduction of Multiple Detectors Computerized Tomography scan (MDCT) radiation dose regarding its use, benefits and appropriateness in chest and abdomen procedures for paediatric patients. 3. To identify the best protocol and Automatic Exposure Control techniques for all manufacturers of Multiple Detectors Computerized Tomography apparatuses in minimizing the radiation dose for paediatric patients. This study hopes to provide further understanding to this newly-innovated MDCT technology, particularly about public concerns on the increasing medical radiation exposure mainly from CT scans, more specifically about its use in children who are more vulnerable than adults in radiation exposure. Should AEC be proven to be a safe and effective way in reducing radiation dose, this would give assurance to patients that the benefits of this procedure heavily outweigh the risks involved If AEC does not, this study will further warrant other researchers to either enhance the available AEC, or look for another safe and effective approach in reducing radiation dose by MDCT scanning. Multiple-Detectors Computerized Tomography (MDCT) is a diagnostic procedure as an improvisation of the standard single-slice computerized tomography. It is considered to be the greatest advancement of diagnostic imaging (Rubin, 2003). Known to be useful in vascular and cardiac

Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

Strategy - Essay Example strategic decisions which an organization has to make relating to factors such as the direction of an organization in the long run, the scope of its activities, stakeholders’ values and expectations, responding to the ever changing business environment, building on its capability as a business entity, and acquiring a higher market share relative to its competitors. These decisions tend to be complex as they have to be made in an uncertain situation. The discussion section of this essay focuses on strategic management with respect to merger between two companies such as Cranberry and GreenHealth. The organization Cranberry is considered to begin its operations in the year 1980. The organization is the process of manufacturing beauty products. It experienced significant growth on a year on year basis. The organization is considered to be cash rich as compared to its numerous competitors. The company is on the lookout for opportunities to expand on a global scale and also to grow its core business and broaden its horizon. It seeks to identify such opportunities which complemented its existing business. GreenHealth is considered to be an organization which focuses on manufacturing of herbal supplements, minerals, and vitamins. The organization used to be bureaucratic in nature in a sense that it consists of a lot of processes. The average age of employees in the organization is considered to be over 45 years and many of its employees have worked for the company for their whole careers. GreenHealth is considered to develop its employees and promote them from within the organizat ion. The products that are manufactured by the organization are considered to be modern but the ethos is traditional and crafted. Employees of GreenHealth do not like change and are considered to do things the same way for about 100 years. It is considered as a source of pride for the organization and is not seen as a source of criticism. Both the organizations such as Cranberry and

Baby Dumping Essay Example for Free

Baby Dumping Essay Child is a priceless give from Allah. However, baby dumping is a social crisis and has a chronic discarding or leaving alone, for an extended period time, a child younger than 12 months of age in a public or private setting with the intent to dispose of the child. Based on Bukit Aman Police Headquarters statistic found a total of 580 babies were found dumped between year 2011-2012 and found the number was increased day by up until now. This number of cases every year where as much as 65 baby dumping cases has increased to 83 cases in the earlier year of 2013. In the first 5 months, almost every day there are reports on dumped baby cases. This scenario had been more serious from day to day although there are a lot about this in a mass media and teenagers always seen to be involved in this situation. YOUR OPINION ABOUT THE ISSUE: In my opinion, we can avoid the baby dumping through several activities; Through campaign: To raise awareness of this issue to the public. One of the campaigns focuses is Kami Prihatin. It was launched on 23rd March 2010 and activities were organized to promote child protection policy, producing the documentary and publishing community awareness advertisements in Utusan Malaysia. Other ways: Prevention programs towards the regions and categories of population with increased risks of dumping and setting up a coherent reporting and monitoring system as regards the dumping and the risk of abandonment. Standardizing the written forms and the procedures of registering women which get admitted in maternities in order to give birth and elaborating procedures for keeping records of mothers and children without identity papers and creating a database on this matter. Religion knowledge: every religion emphasizes their believer to not to do the wrong things. Long-term solutions to the problem of baby dumping require efforts at prevention. Steps must be taken to prevent unwanted pregnancies, provide assistance to parents in crisis, and increase communication within families and communities. HOW THE ISSUE CAN INFLUENCE YOU IN YOUR LIFE For me, this kind of action should be avoid totally by every single soul because the baby is an innocent and don’t know anything and even animal loves their babies. This kind of action gives me such a lesson that it will ruin our society ‘totally’. We should take a responsibilities to our action and do not let others take it. I can’t stand still if I heart this kind of case because I have the humanity sense and I think other people are agreed to my statement. Only people that have no humanity sense will dump their baby away. I will not do this action and I hope others too. I am the saddest person if I heard and look the baby being dumped by their ‘animal’ mother.

Frank Lloyd Wrights Architecture Style: A History

Frank Lloyd Wrights Architecture Style: A History How organic is Frank Lloyd Wright’s Architecture? Although Frank Lloyd Wright would be considered a practitioner that embraced much of what came to be known as modernism and the international style, itself a spare and functional movement, most of his work contains elements of the organic[1], tantalisingly original and un-definable which softens the edges and adds richness to what would be considered pure form and clean edge. This is in addition to a reasonably early self-declared ‘organic architecture’, the general principles of which he followed for the rest of his professional life. Lind notes that (for instance) the Prairie Style buildings are epitomes of Wrights ‘organic’ declarations of fundamental principles, which were practised between the years from 1900 to the beginning of World War One. She reiterates that his definitions changed through his life, commenting that a definition of organic architecture that he gave in 1952 was more appropriate to the Usonian houses than the earlier Prairie Style one s. She does also state that his fundamental principles were interpreted in a variety of ways, but that he never deviated from them. (Lind; 1992: 29-31). Nevertheless, the evolutionary journey that Frank Lloyd Wright pursued in his design and production of what stand as some of the western world’s most recognised and notable buildings covers a foray into organic, from both an incorporation of his organic philosophy, from a motif point of view, as well as the deliberate inclusion of both elements of the environment such as stone and timber, to the manipulation of environment and building to create an organic mass that is essentially, ultimately building in the international or modernist style. His early work was positioned at a point where the international discourses in architecture were battling between the mass produced and the hand made, reactionary to the production lines of the late nineteenth century Industrial Revolution. Throughout his life, Wright certainly saw himsel f as practising architecture using an organic basis, as he declared in a 1958 television interview: ‘But â€Å"organic architecture†, which is the architecture of nature, the architecture based upon principle and not upon precedent. Precedent is all very well so long as precedent is very well but who knows when it is very bad? Now that’s something to guard against in architecture- know when to leave your precedent and establish one.’(Meehan;1984: 83-4). This was a declaration made in the late 1950’s that today sits in the context of a variety of many other architectural definitions of the philosophy. Indeed, the mere definition of the architectural applications of organic appears problematic[2]. Whether his declared philosophy had meaning in his buildings, and how his definition of ‘organic’ relates to the buildings he completed is the comparative exercise. In approaching this, how this central philosophy, developed over the years, affected his approach to the buildings that he created, forms the core of my discussion when I consider s pecific examples. In addition, one cannot look at a central theme such as the quality of the organic in his architecture, without being able to appreciate the context in terms of materials available, the influence of the Boston Orientalists[3], Japanese arts and architecture, and his attitude towards nature and its incorporation on a number of levels. The philosophy This stance that Wright held, where architectural precedent is mostly meaningless, and that the reality of the site determines the particulars of the building to be constructed is mostly articulated in the series of interviews televised in 1958. Here, in a series on a Chicago network, two half hour programmes of ‘Heritage’ hosted by William MacDonald discussed the ‘Philosophy of an architect’ and ‘Organic Architecture’.(Meehan; 1984:75) Wright is voluble about the manner in which ‘modernism’ and organic interface. Modern architecture, he declares, began as a striving to break down the box, a form characteristic of the ancient and traditional architectural paradigm. It is documented that originally his ideas regarding the modernist movement were derived from enthusiasm that later waned when he realised that the initial ideas of extension of the box did not necessarily have any greater impact on the environment. (Meehan; 1984: 59) ‘Whereas the new idea was to eliminate the box and let everything that was in go outward and associate with its environment. So environment and interior and life itself become as one. Glass and steel and architecture became what we call â€Å"modern†. Isn’t it? So, to get the real idea of the thing we’ve got to use some word like â€Å"organic† –means integral, of the thing, now and preceding from the interior of it outward. And, so there is something exterior chosen and used for effect. Therein lies the essential difference between what we call â€Å"organic architecture† and what is carelessly called, for the lack of a better term, â€Å"modern architecture†. (Meehan; 1984:90) With regard to his production of buildings where glass predominated, the material was regarded as a manner of connecting with the landscape, rather than a barrier or symbol of an ugly modernity. Elements that define contemporary architectures purporting to be modernist, such as simplicity were still very much part of Wright’s ideal, with the paring down of the complicated to provide surfaces that had a life of their own and could be embellished or otherwise. He saw that an intrinsic connection with material and landscape was fundamental to the production of specific buildings and part of the responsibility of the architect. Giedion sees his work is being the sole definer of his philosophy, and that words cannot begin to express where he came from or what his intentions were (Giedion; 1959: 412) His comment to MacDonald, the interviewer on this occasion, regarding site was ‘Well, it would seem from this that with this â€Å"organic†(architecture) choice of site would not only be extremely important but would, in part, in part at least, determine the form or forms of the building.’ (Ibid; 90). Indeed, the value of the site was deemed so important that not only did clients require his input, but also the contribution of the building to the natural landscape would be such that were the building to disappear, the landscape would be poorer for it. (Ibid: 91) Throughout his life, Wrights attitude towards his ‘organicâ €™ architecture was to evolve and mature, thus one finds definitions, which he was fond of publicly declaring, often slightly contradictory. The Japanese influence The organic nature of the Japanese architectural form, siting and decoration was, contentiously, an integral part of the shaping of Wrights ideas and designs. Tallmadge, (in Nute; 2000: 3)[4] commented in 1927 that Wright had derived ‘that intimate liaison between art and nature which makes his work sink into and be lost in the embrace of rock and shrub and tree.’ This was supported by Behrendt who declares the connection between the Japanese houses that are ‘fitted into the landscape that the building almost imperceptibly blends with nature, the same tendency towards an organic structure’ (Ibid; 4) Early on in his long career, connections with the Japanese culture were made, and these possibly had one of the most enduring philosophical contributions to his outlook. Initially, the prevalent culture of ‘Japonaiserie’[5] that developed out of the Exposition of 1851, and supported by the Arts and Crafts and Ruskin in Europe, trickled through to America[6]. Manson sees initial introduction to the Japanese being at the point of preparations for the Chicago Fair of 1893, where Wright was busy with the Transportation Building for Adler and Sullivan. Part of the exposition, a Japanese Imperial Government display of a Fujiwara Period Temple and its associated decoration and furnishings, ‘constituted the first wholesale introduction to the Middle West of Japanese Art and architecture. For Wright, the Japanese exhibit was the confirmation of a dawning curiosity.’ (Manson; 1984: 34) Lind describes this building as ‘Known as the Ho-Ho-Den, its fluid spaces wer e covered by a broad, sheltering roof with generous overhanging eaves. Light poured in from all sides. The walls moved. Opening up spaces, releasing the box.’ (Lind; 1992: 27) Manson goes on further to note that ‘It must be conceded that there is an affinity between Wright’s concept of architecture, as it was to develop, and the art of old Japan. Whether this affinity amounts to actual indebtedness is a moot point and one which Wright has always hotly debated.’ (Manson; 1984: 35) [7] ‘Whilst working on the Unity Temple (1905) in Oak Park, Illinois, connections with the Japanese Ambassador resulted in his being sent ‘The Book of Tea’ by Lao-Tse, which articulated concepts that he had been considering for a while, particularly on this project. The principle of his statement derived from Lao-Tse’s ‘the reality of a building is neither the walls nor the roof but the space within’ assisted him in defining the planning of the Unity Temple in such a manner that this could be achieved. Frustrations where he suggested that this relationship between the interiors and the life that was led in them had not existed for the last five centuries was partly solved. (Meehan; 1984: 77). Further connections were established when a decade later he visited Japan on commission to build what was to become the Imperial Hotel, (Tokyo) constructed by the Mikado for his visitors. This had the secret ingredient of steel that could be used in tensile sit uations, and responding to the high earthquake environment, became lauded as it stood throughout the great earthquake in 1923. (Meehan; 1984: 15) The incorporation of the organic The impact of Owen Jones’ book, a seminal Victorian work in the collection and typical compartmentalisation of exotic detail, ‘The Grammar of Ornament’ [8]is seen by Manson to have possibly been an early influence, as whilst he was working with Silsbee, he is known to have made a hundred tracings of ornament from Jones’ book. (Manson; 1984: 21). However, gaining inspiration from the direct forces of nature as an influence in his work was instilled at an early stage, whilst still working for Sullivan. His need to have a direct involvement with the tactile and textural natural environment is mentioned by his son in the following passage; ‘One Sunday morning he had on the table beside him a group of shells, conchs, turbans, clams, pectens, cowries, murexes and volutes. He pointed to the shells and told us to observe how this one germ of an idea for housing a creature in the ocean could take so many shapes. He noted the intricate fluting and sculptured patterns on different shells, the wide range of colours and designs, and how no two shells of even the same substance were identical.’ (Eric Lloyd Wright in Dunham; 1994) This analogy was continued by Wright into the discussion of an oak tree and its manifest units. ‘Nature will show you the way to build.’ (Dunham; 1994: 8-9) Dunham notes himself that ‘Nature played a major role in the designs of Wright’s buildings: the nature of the client, the society, the geographical location, the materials and the ability of the workmen.’ (Ibid: 16). McCarter reinforces this need for experimentation with form and material by saying that ‘He would stop work each day in the studio, sending his draughtsmen out into the nearby fields to collect wildflowers, which he would then arrange..’ (McCarter; 1997:66). Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging was usually the result and was situated for comment or criticism in his studio. His continual flirtation with the elements of Japanese architecture, in definition much connected with the landscape, natural materials and a spiritual philosophy again reinforces this incorporation of the organic elements of nature. Materials A short discussion of materials is important at this point as not only were the indigenous materials of a region intrinsic to the aesthetics and feeling of a building, but the possibility of new material stretched boundaries which made much of his work possible, and further enabled the possibilities of the organic materials that were used. Importantly, as in the Imperial Hotel (Tokyo, 1905), the use of structural steel that had strength in tension meant that the structure could be reinforced, and yet match the landscape that it inhabited. Another example is the development of pre-cast concrete products, which made elaboration and decoration of internal and external surfaces more possible, thus intensifying the levels of detail and organic expression of, particularly, his houses built in the 1920’s. (Fleming et al; 1980:351) Also, the raking organic form of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York, 1960) could not have easily been achieved without the use of modern materials in particular, structural steel and concrete. (Ibid: 352) More importantly, it was Wright’s attitude towards the material that was to prove so important in his philosophy. His insistence that the tactile qualities of the material have to be ascertained through handling and use is often quoted. ‘..a man can’t do much in architecture unless he gets his hands into the mud of which the bricks are made.’ (Meehan; 1984: 105) But, the intrinsic life of the materials is what makes them and determines their positioning in the building and the landscape. ‘We are learning now that materials themselves all live- that stone has character, that brick has character, wood character; that they all have characteristics that may become alive in the hands of the imaginative artist through sympathetic interpretation in design,’ (Wright in Meehan; 1984: 60) The early years Manson suggests that much of what happened in Frank Lloyd Wright’s early life and the upbringing that he had influenced the singularly independent character that he became both as a person, and as an architect. (Manson;1984:1-2) A strongly defined Welsh ancestry, together with a father that initially was forceful and ‘With a certain ferocity he had taught young Frank, by the age of seven, to play Bach upon the piano.’ (Ibid; 2) His father later deserted the family, leaving his mother, a ‘very integrated and resolute person whose character is intimately bound up with the development of her son’ (Ibid: 3) in care of Frank and his siblings. His early professional years are seen as being up until 1910 (Manson; 1984) just after he left to work in Germany for a short period in what Larkin called his ‘Exodus and New Era’(Larkin; 1993: 105). These included an initial apprenticeship under Silsbee, then a significant and influential period with Louis Sullivan, who was to guide his early ideas to a large degree. Frank Lloyd Wright’s association with Sullivan from 1888[9] situated him in an office environment that fed much off the contemporary architectural environment, and in the words of Wright, were considered radical and ‘the only ‘moderns’ of the time.’ (Meehan; 1984 :12) Sullivan took the idea of the high rise building to unprecedented limits and could only have encouraged the idea as to the limitlessness of boundaries in his student. Not only was he responsible for this physical and material influence, as Sullivan was emphatic about the connections between mankind and the cosmos, and the need for a building to be intimately connected with its natural environment. (Menocal; 1981: 3) Frank Lloyd Wrights home and studio (Oak Park, Illinois, 1899-1909) can be considered the epitome of this early period[10], Wright moved his office into his home in Oak Park in 1897 and was to be his operating base until 1909. This house was purpose built for him and his family, and itself existed as an organic structure, being continually altered and added to throughout the course of the family living in it. A geometric basis provided the form of the building, which, contrary to his later work, was roofed with a steep pitch. McCarter asserts that much of the interior spaces are reminiscent of the Japanese approach and that its is highly probable that the influence was available at this period through publications and that Wright used the constant remodelling of his house as a basis for experimentation of idea which would be later implemented or not, if that was the case. The important elements of this building are the use of light and space, and the use of materials such as brick an d dark timber shingles. The house as a space for experimentation during the development of his ideas and philosophies is notable, and its own organic nature and evolution can be considered a justifiable example of the level of abstractness to which the term ‘organic’ can be interpreted. The Prairie House (1899 1910) The Prairie house, a basically cruciform or windmill plan shape, was initially seen as being a building that was specifically appropriate for the ‘American suburban home, a type of house characterised by a degree of both spatial freedom and formal order previously unknown in either the Old or New World.’ (McCarter; 1997:43) The connection with the early American house has reference in the centralised position of the hearth or fireplace, whether it forms the junction of the cross or the centre of the pinwheel/ windmill. This was recognised by Wright as being able to access natural light from three sources (Giedeon; 1959:399) The initial publicity for the Prairie house as a style came in the form of publication not in an architectural magazine, but in the Ladies Home Journal in 1901. His recognition that the design needed to appeal directly to the functional user was paramount in its success as a plan and suburban housing type. The contact between landscape and building is epitomised in the quotation from Mumford, who writes that ‘Mr Wright’s designs are the very products of the prairie, in their low-lying, horizontal lines, in their flat roofs, while at the same time they defy the neutral gray or black or red of the engineering structures by their colour and ornament.’ (Mumford; 1955:182). Frank Lloyd Wright, as a son of the prairies, was driven by his response to the landscapes, the long low and flat and the simplicity of the space. This reduced the rooflines, where the building was seen ‘primarily not as a cave but as broad shelter in the open, related to vista; vista without and vista within.’ (Wright in Larkin;1993: 36) his destruction of the box meant that rooms were interlinked and flows between then were largely uninterrupted. In the Dana-Thomas House, (Springfield, Illinois; 1902) the directly organic is particularly evident in this house, where not only is a rich and abstracted display of the sumac plant embossing glazed plaster panels that cover the house, (Lind; 1992:27) but the interior displays include butterflies, ferns, leaves and stalks.(Larkin; 1993: 46) the flows between the majestic spaces are largely uninterrupted, both horizontally and vertically- it was the first of Wright’s buildings to have a double volume living room, yet the massiveness of this structure is broken down by the manipulation of the external walls. The treatment of surface also owed much to the impostion of an organic ideal, where walls were scumbled to create a dappled effect, the timberwork was rich and prolific, and in this case, the surfaces were embossed with ornament. The decorative influence is from the outside prairie environment; Scrub bush , cacti, and the yellow coloured stone (Knight; 2001:42). In addition , it is important to note that the Dana house has elements of the Japanese influence in its upturned eaves, reminiscent of pagoda type temples (McCarter; 1997: 47) The Robie House (Chicago, 1908) is considered by Lind to be an excellent example of Wright’s ‘Organic’ architecture ideal, (Lind; 1992: 28) This is largely in its response to the environment is perfected to the extent that the cantilevered overhangs are placed to restrict light in summer and to maximise sunlight in the colder months. (Knight; 2001:74) but also in its manipulation of material with glass and steel and concrete, creating the soaring cantilevered overhangs and at the same time bands of floating light, contracting with the warmth of the brickwork that characterises most of the exterior of the house. His use of material here is notable- the bricks used were long and thin, and the pointing used to create effect. The perpends were pointed in a brick coloured mortar that was flush pointed, whereas the horizontal coursing was expressed by deeply raked pointing in a white mortar bed (McCarter; 1997: 95) Flowing spaces abound, but, at the same time, elements are used to separate function such as the fireplace between the living and the dining room. The unexpected placing of the walls and the fragmentation of expected mass, together with the long low walls and punched out openings brought about much debate at the time of its construction (Giedion; 1959: 408). Yet again, material, space and environment combine to create a building disregarding its precedent and standing alone in its own landscape. The Usonian Period (1932 1942) This period, a term coined by Wright from the author Samuel Butler[11], embraces the notions that define America as a country, such as unity, freedom, and unity of all. (Meehan: 1984: 96-7) The term eventually gained connotations of freedom and unity, particularly in the means of uniting the inside and outside spaces in buildings; integrations of interior and exterior landscapes. The changed architectural environment that existed as a result of many different socio- economic factors meant that the approach towards planning, forms and materials had to reflect the new order. In addition, pressure on the cities as suburbs rapidly spread as a result of the ever more affordable motor car meant that a total rethink in social housing became applicable, thus projects such as Broadacre City (1934), a proposed series of isolated tower blocks connected by roads where the Organic principle brought the functioning elements of the city into a defined space in a country setting. One of the most enigmatic of the houses from this period is Falling Water, the Edgar Kaufmann House, (Mill Run, Pennsylvania) built in 1935. Not only is the building in complete and active harmony with its landscape, but its form incorporates those materials from which is arises, stone, timber, glass. The site especially spoke to Wright, and rather than having the waterfall as something that should be looked at, the situation of the house directly over the waterfall means that it becomes an active part of its site[12]. The form of the house is not monolithic, but moves both vertically and horizontally on the site, creating its own set of ledges and alcoves. The vertical planes of stone and glass and the horizontal planes of concrete create juxtaposition as well as a dynamic that is in keeping with the continuity of the stream below it. Open planes that lead straight out into the environment Larkin sees as a participative exercise; one cannot appreciate directly the cascades below the house unless one moves out onto the horizontal and planar terraces to explore further. Also, he notes of the synergy between the horizontal and planar surfaces, reflecting the huge slabs of rock that lay in the river below, that ‘ Although this is pure conjecture, it was not unlike Wright to read quickly the conditions of a building site and to let its most salient features, even accidental ones, inspire his design.’ (Larkin; 1993: 155) Rock from the landscape was directly incorporated, down to the hearthstone that was previously a bathing rock for the Kaufmann family. The manner in which the fieldstone was laid was carefully detailed, and a variation introducing a softer edge in the rounding of the parapet walls acted as the progenitor to other buildings, both domestic and industrial in the future (Ibid: 157) Wrights embracing of the new materials of steel and concrete, much loved by the Modernists in their boxlike applications, had an early application in the cantile vered slabs that are described as ‘nothing short of daring’ (Ibid: 161). However daring the structural applications of this house, its setting and synergy with its landscape are the elements that endure, creating an organic mass which would leave the landscape poorer were it to be removed. More problematic displays of the organic in buildings are naturally going to be found in the industrial and public applications. An industrial building from this period that highlights the Usonian notion as well as a need to incorporate the outside without diminishing the practicality of the box is the S.C Johnson and Sons Administration building (Racine, Wisconsin; 1936) . First impressions of the interior are of ‘mushroom-shaped dendriform columns’ floating in a sea of light. (Larkin; 1993:179) Like Falling Water, it pushed the boundaries of materials, in this case, cold drawn steel mesh columns that were designed in an unusual manner and continually given organic metaphorical comparisons, and extruded glass. Wright commented on the socio- architectural applications of this building by saying that ‘Organic architecture designed this building to be as inspiring a place to work in as any cathedral ever was in which to worship.’ (Larkin; 1993: 181) A later, a nd more immediately recognisable laboratory extension to the factory had as its design rationale a central core with the various levels cantilevering from a central core, embedding the notions of space and boundless freedom in line with the Usonian tradition. Wright saw this as a successful example of his organic principles in that it responded to the nature of the materials, and its relationship with the landscape and its extension into the landscape between inside and outside using the mechanism of glass. (Meehan; 1984: 86) The later years (1943 1959) This period is important as the buildings here reflect, in many cases, a culmination of his life works, ideals, and approaches. In addition, it marks the period in which his output was most prolific, and the maturity of his ideas could be expressed without fear of lifelong ridicule, although projects such as the Solomon R Guggenheim Museum were not without acerbic criticism and opposition. Taliesin West (Scottsdale, Arizona, 1937-1959) is in many senses a seminal example, as not only was it built over the last decades of his life, but it was a house that he inhabited and a space from which he taught. Frank Lloyd Wright described his approach as being derived from the site- space, colour, texture, which were extant landscape forms. Ogilvanna, his third wife, remarks that the buildings look excavated from rather than constructed on the landscape (Wright; 1970: 104) Local materials[13] were incorporated in a variety of ways, desert rock was combined with cement in a rough off shutter re miniscent of the unplanned landscape. Redwood and canvas provided the bulk of the other materials, harmonising with the colours and the textures of the landscape. Ogilvanna comments on the harmony with landscape, supporting the deconstruction of the box in terms of Wright’s Organic Philosophy, that ‘The sense of space permeates Taliesin West so breathtakingly that the buildings, the desert and mountains become fused, the walls vanish and at times the camp looks like a mirage in the desert appearing and disappearing in a shimmering, ethereal light. (Wright; 1970: 106). Also, the means that Wright demanded for appropriate engagement with the natural environment was emphasised here in the manner in which the students in his programme were made to physically react with the desert, climate and materials. In addition to the means by which the apprentices were trained, they were also a large part of the building force that constructed Taliesin West. (Larkin; 1993: 302). Thus t he levels to which this building reflects any definition of the organic exist strongly in its visual and structural relationship to and with the landscape, the materials that it incorporates in the structure, the means by which its apprentices are drilled in the art of organic construction, the incorporation of water and pools and sound and light and texture. From a non- domestic point of view, it is important to look at a public building in order to see how the elements of the organic were incorporated. Perhaps one of Wrights best known buildings, the highly contentious Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York City; 1943-1959), is a good example, as not only is its mere form derived from, perhaps, some of his conch drawings, but the manner in which it opens horizons for the continual display of art works fits in with his approach towards his organic philosophy. Indeed, Larkin notes that this building represents a culmination of all his ideals regarding his ‘organic architecture’ and was the fore-runner in the means in which steel and concrete would be used in the balance of the twentieth century. (Larkin; 1993: 202) It is also testimony to his pushing the boundaries with regards to the innate abilities of the new materials. Wright himself stated that ‘The whole building, cast in concrete, is more like an eggshell- in for m a great simplicity- rather than like a criss- cross structure. The light concrete flesh is rendered strong enough everywhere to do its work by embedded filaments of steel either separate or in mesh. The structural calculations are thus those of the cantilever and continuity rather than the post and beam.’ (Wright; 1970: 167) Descriptions by Wright’s wife upon the initial visit are permeated with organic references, such as ‘mother- of- pearl’ ‘a cloud of delicate blue-grey light’ the ramp being likened to a ‘swan’s curved neck’ (Wright; 1970: 164) the spiral culminating in a delicate ribbed oculus window that casts a suffused light below sufficient to view the art works on display. This example as a culmination of his life’s work, and one that continued to uphold all his precepts of organic architecture also proves the permeability of the boundary that would appear to exist between the organic architecture of today and the modernist paradigm in which he was often forced to work. Conclusion That the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright cannot exist in an environment devoid of connections with the organic is impossible. Not only did he have a strong idea as to what he considered organic himself, based on a few simple but strong guiding principles, largely where the building is accountable to itself and its site and its integrity is a large part of this combination, but also the incorporation of the directly organic at multiple levels from material to ornamentation displays this. His early tracings of Owens book on ornament, his lifelong flirtation with the elements of Japanese art and architecture, his collection of Japanese prints and woodcuts, all contributed in a manner in the production of such building and landscape related projects as Taliesin West and Falling Water. The relationship between the building and the site, the building and the landscape, the spare yet engaging spaces, the enrichm