How Human Disease Has Impacted Our Evolution - 1332 Words

How Human Disease Has Impacted Our Evolution Human Disease is an issue that is still constantly trying to be solved and cured in our society. Health care is a critical issue in politics because so many people are still seeking and needing treatment for a variety of illnesses. This is kind of surprising to consider since it is the best time in human history to be alive in terms of healthcare. In the past, humans easily died of many diseases that have been completely cured and unheard of today, such as polio. The Black Plague that happened hundreds of years ago is still widely discussed, and could be argued to still be affecting civilization today, as the event caused severe damage on a vast portion of the population. Events such as these†¦show more content†¦Interestingly, the adaptation of humans to disease may date all the way back to the bottleneck that would eventually change our ancestors into behaviorally modern humans. A theory has been proposed that the activation of two genes that affect the human immune system created the modern human around 100,000 years ago. According to the study’s theory, humans have been adapting to disease for thousands of years. Clearly, disease and the adaptations of humans are correlated to their environment (LaFee, S., 2012). Historical events, such as the agricultural revolution and the bottleneck of genes, has forever altered humans’ resistance and as time continued, the significance of medicine only intensifies. The emphasis on medicine and disease prevention caused the second epidemiological transition. The first epidemiological transition occurred during the agricultural revolution and contrary to before, the second transition only occurred in certain global populations. Many infectious diseases were eliminated; however, many chronic diseases became the main area of focus. Chronic diseases led to humans shifting their priorities in terms of lifestyle and adaptations, especially in first world countries. Foods high in fat and sugars became the norm. This caused people with certain genetic codes and personality traits to gain weight at an alarming rate, leading to an obesity epidemic. The combinations of earlier deaths were related toShow MoreRelatedHuman Enhancement And Its Impact On Us Essa y1057 Words   |  5 PagesWe, as humans, have been constantly attempting to improve ourselves through technology and medicine. Whether these improvements increase physical attractiveness through cosmetic and plastic surgeries, or decrease likelihood of hereditary diseases and disorders in embryos, they have recently become a very controversial topic in all societies around the world. In general, human enhancement is defined as the use and application of technology to humans to overcome physical and mental limitations of theRead MoreDiseases And Viruses Are Preventable Harmful, Dr. Sharon Moalem1280 Words   |  6 PagesWhile many believe that diseases and viruses are only harmful, Dr. Sharon Moalem explained how many different diseases actually helped humans survive through many hardships. Moalem writes, â€Å"Why would you take a pill that was guaranteed to kill you in forty years? Because it will save you tomorrow. Why would we select for a gene that will kill us through iron loading by the time we reach what is now Middle Ages? Because it will protect us from a disease that is killing everyone long before that.†Read MoreThe Definition of DNA916 Words   |  4 PagesDNA: DNA is a double-stranded nucleic acid that contains the genetic information for cell growth, division, and function. DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms. Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria .The information in DNA is stored as a code made up of four nitrogen bases which are adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T). these nitrogen bases are bind withRead MoreThe Definition of DNA904 Words   |  4 PagesDNA: DNA is a double-stranded nucleic acid that contains the genetic information for cell growth, division, and function. DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms. Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria .The information in DNA is stored as a code made up of four nitrogen bases which are adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T). these nitrogen bases are bind withRead MoreThe Department Of Human Health Services1318 Words   |  6 PagesThe HHS (U.S Department of Human Health Services) was established to enhance as well as protection for all citizens of America. They provide useful Human services and developed advances in medicine, public health, and social services. These facilities and agency are government based with mission to provide the public with health insurance and services. Overtime there have been a great deal of historical highlights that sh ape what Human Health Services is today. Today we have Medicare, Medicaid,Read MoreWhat Is The Human Genome Project?1619 Words   |  6 PagesWhat Is The Human Genome Project? Imagine a world where most diseases and cancers have either been cured or have treatments to help people with them. Where there is no longer a regular doctors check up and now they would now take a look at what’s inside you. Where doctors will now look at the genes in your genome and find the problem in there. After they find the spot where there is something wrong, they would easily know what it is and give you a diagnosis and a treatment. Due to the Human Genome ProjectRead MoreCharles Darwin : Father Of Evolution1582 Words   |  7 PagesCharles Darwin:Father of Evolution Charles Robert Darwin was born February 12, 1809. He is best known for his theory on evolution and and for his phenomenal book On the Origin of Species, which laid the foundation for evolutionary studies and is considered a landmark work in human history. Charles Darwin was a med school dropout but his real passion was for the great outdoors. Charles Darwin served as an unpaid naturalist on a science expedition on board HMS Beagle. The rich variety of animal andRead MoreBoth Galileo And Darwin Are Legendary Figures Within Science1425 Words   |  6 Pagespublic at the time, the theories they introduced have had long lasting impacts on our government and society today. Galileo and Darwin’s finding have a significant impact upon modern societal views on essential topics such as, science and ethics in everyday life. Controversial and philosophical discussions today ranging from climate change, vaccination, factory farming and the creation of the universe are all impacted by Gal ileo and Darwin’s discoveries. Despite the extreme and erratic weather patternsRead MoreHippocrates : The Father Of Medicine1454 Words   |  6 PagesScience undoubtedly has been a great service to mankind towards our knowledge and everyday lives. Every day we wake up and utilize things that would not be possible without science. Our transportation methods, the computers we use, the clothes on our backs, the cellular devices we use to communicate with each other, and most importantly medicine are due to the improvements of science. However, this revolution of life and its standards are due human curiosity. Without the curiosity of mankind, allRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Red Apple 1703 Words   |  7 Pagesone of the most recognizable around the world. Theoretically, is it really true that an apple so little, contains ingredients that can prevent one from seeing a physician? If this apple is genetically modified with ingredients that can help fight diseases and virus, then assumably there would be no need to see the doctor. The issue of genetically engineered apples may lead to a new set of issues in the supermarket. Andrew Pollack wrote the article, That Fresh Look, Genetically Buffed, in the New

South Africa Land Reform Essay - 1368 Words

Land reform is generally defined as relating to the modification of laws, regulations or customs, on the subject of land ownership. It usually encompasses allocations of land ownerships or rights. These transfers could be from a small land owner to government owned cooperative allotments or vice versa. Land reform is an extreme political progression that could cause tensions and conflicts between the individuals involved in the rearrangements, usually originating from dissatisfaction from the losing side. The political aspect of reform is very difficult to elude given the outcome of changes in land tenure arrangements on the social and class structure they represent. There are both advantages and disadvantages to land reform. One of the†¦show more content†¦Most of the time people don’t care who doesn’t have as long as they have enough and able to accumulate more. so in this process there might be a need for protest and violence which might end up claiming a lot of lives. For example the land reform of Zimbabwe took three decades before it was finalized and resolved. A child born when it was started/ initiated was thirty years old by the time it ended. In the Philippines, indigenous people are subjected to major financial hindrances and complications to obtaining their lands under the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act, as the expenses of carrying out land surveys have to be taken care of by the communities. Some communities are even fractionally repossessing their lands, to reduce the survey expenses to what they can have the funds for. And in the case of south Africa, Land reform has fallen far short of expectations an d objectives in every respect: in the quantity of land reallocated, in the mitigation of poverty and unemployment, in the reformation of the agrarian budget to generate opportunities for previously underprivileged individuals and in protecting small farmers and farm workers from eviction. Less than 7% of land has been redistributed to date, and there is no probability that the objective of 1/3 will be accomplished even by the year 2025. Land queries haveShow MoreRelatedGender Roles And Gender Inequality1576 Words   |  7 Pagesalready earn less than men in economic spheres (â€Å"Fact Sheet†, 2010). The underlying gender roles and gender inequality that persists in South Africa help not only to explain their unbelievably difficult daily burdens but it also aids in the understanding of the lack of economic and political representation of women in the region (Bentley, 2004). Within South Africa there is a significant gap in the lack of opportunity and representation of women within the economic and political sphere, which directlyRead MoreThe Multifaceted State Of South Africa Underwent Vast Reconstruction1518 Words   |  7 PagesThe multifaceted state of South Africa underwent vast reconstruction after the end of the apartheid in 1994 and experienced transformative changes in the racial, economic and societal relations of the region. Aside from the divisions and devastations the country faced as a result of apartheid the country also opened its economy to international business, deregulating major sectors of its economy and engaging in trade liberalization policies in an attempt to spur economic growth and internationalRead MoreEssay about South Africa and the Native ´s Land Act540 Words   |  3 PagesSouth Africa has been plagued with issues concerning land, poverty and inequality for decades. The connections between these issues throughout hist ory have not only had an affect on the contemporary state of the country itself but also on South Africa in a global context. 100 years since the implementation of the Natives’ Land Act and 20 years since the end of Apartheid, land redistribution, according to the land reform program of 1994, has largely failed. The Natives’ Land Act was passed on JuneRead MoreInternational Responses Of The Apartheid1195 Words   |  5 PagesTHE APARTHEID’S REFORMS FROM THE 1960S TO THE 1980S The National Party (NP) won the national election in 1948 on a platform of segregation and racism under the slogan ‘Apartheid’. To a greater a extent, during the 1980s, the apartheid government came under increasing international pressure to end apartheid. There was no difference between apartheid and the policy of segregation of South Africa which existed before the National Party came into power in 1948. 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Racial and religious conflicts; conflicts between dictatorial governments and their citizens; the battle between the sexes; conflicts between management and labor; and conflicts between heterosexuals and homosexuals all stem, in whole or in part, to oppression. It’s similar to an article in south africa that people have with racial segregationRead MoreAnalysis Of Kaffir Boy : The True Story Of A Black Youth Essay1534 Words   |  7 Pagesauthority. Historically, the apartheid of South Africa is a poignant example of racial division and discrimination. Evidence of racial division is still visible throughout the fairly new democratic nation. European settlements during the 20th century were a direct result of white supremacy and deep racial division, in an attempt to build up a capitalist economy that benefited the white South African elite and lowered the social status of many black S outh Africans in the community. Various peopleRead More Comparative Analysis of Economic and Political Cleavages in South Africa and Zimbabwe2326 Words   |  10 PagesComparative Analysis of Economic and Political Cleavages in South Africa and Zimbabwe Introduction Comparative politics is concerned with examining the characteristics or qualities of two different political entities to discover resemblances or differences. These entities can be general in nature, for example, the comparison of two countries, or more specific in nature, comparing two different systems of government. But, whether general or specific in nature, comparative politics tries toRead MoreCelie Rourks . English 1 - 7Th Period. 05-01-17. Research1606 Words   |  7 PagesCelie Rourks English 1 - 7th Period 05-01-17 RESEARCH PAPER Who was Nelson Mandela and how did he have an impact on racial problems in South Africa? Nelson Mandela INFORMATION: Nelson Rohihlahia (stirring up trouble) Mandela was born on 18 July 1918, near Umtata, in the Transkei region of South Africa. His father was Chief Henry Mandela of the Tembu Tribe. Mandela was trained to become the next chief to rule his tribe, but he was also a determined student and eventually joined an all blackRead MoreApartheid in South Africa711 Words   |  3 PagesRacial discrimination dominated South Africa in 1948, and this was further witnessed when the ruling party made the discriminatory apartheid policy into law, in the same year (Pfister, 2005). The Afrikaans word, which literally translates to racial discrimination ‘apartheid’, was legislated and it started with the Dutch and the British rulers. The initiators of apartheid applied it to all social nature of the South African people. For instance, the majority of the population who were Africans was

Chapter 9 The Dark Mark Free Essays

â€Å"Don’t tell your mother you’ve been gambling,† Mr. Weasley implored Fred and George as they all made their way slowly down the purple-carpeted stairs. â€Å"Don’t worry, Dad,† said Fred gleefully, â€Å"we’ve got big plans for this money. We will write a custom essay sample on Chapter 9 The Dark Mark or any similar topic only for you Order Now We don’t want it confiscated.† Mr. Weasley looked for a moment as though he was going to ask what these big plans were, but seemed to decide, upon reflection, that he didn’t want to know. They were soon caught up in the crowds now flooding out of the stadium and back to their campsites. Raucous singing was borne toward them on the night air as they retraced their steps along the lantern-lit path, and leprechauns kept shooting over their heads, cackling and waving their lanterns. When they finally reached the tents, nobody felt like sleeping at all, and given the level of noise around them, Mr. Weasley agreed that they could all have one last cup of cocoa together before turning in. They were soon arguing enjoyably about the match; Mr. Weasley got drawn into a disagreement about cobbing with Charlie, and it was only when Ginny fell asleep right at the tiny table and spilled hot chocolate all over the floor that Mr. Weasley called a halt to the verbal replays and insisted that everyone go to bed. Hermione and Ginny went into the next tent, and Harry and the rest of the Weasleys changed into pajamas and clambered into their bunks. From the other side of the campsite they could still hear much singing and the odd echoing bang. â€Å"Oh I am glad I’m not on duty,† muttered Mr. Weasley sleepily. â€Å"I wouldn’t fancy having to go and tell the Irish they’ve got to stop celebrating.† Harry, who was on a top bunk above Ron, lay staring up at the canvas ceiling of the tent, watching the glow of an occasional leprechaun lantern flying overhead, and picturing again some of Krum’s more spectacular moves. He was itching to get back on his own Firebolt and try out the Wronski Feint†¦.Somehow Oliver Wood had never managed to convey with all his wriggling diagrams what that move was supposed to look like†¦.Harry saw himself in robes that had his name on the back, and imagined the sensation of hearing a hundred-thousand-strong crowd roar, as Ludo Bagman’s voice echoed throughout the stadium, â€Å"I give you†¦.Potter!† Harry never knew whether or not he had actually dropped off to sleep – his fantasies of flying like Krum might well have slipped into actual dreams – all he knew was that, quite suddenly, Mr. Weasley was shouting. â€Å"Get up! Ron – Harry – come on now, get up, this is urgent!† Harry sat up quickly and the top of his head hit canvas. â€Å"‘S’ matter?† he said. Dimly, he could tell that something was wrong. The noises in the campsite had changed. The singing had stopped. He could hear screams, and the sound of people running. He slipped down from the bunk and reached for his clothes, but Mr. Weasley, who had pulled on his jeans over his own pajamas, said, â€Å"No time, Harry – just grab a jacket and get outside – quickly!† Harry did as he was told and hurried out of the tent, Ron at his heels. By the light of the few fires that were still burning, he could see people running away into the woods, fleeing something that was moving across the field toward them, something that was emitting odd flashes of light and noises like gunfire. Loud jeering, roars of laughter, and drunken yells were drifting toward them; then came a burst of strong green light, which illuminated the scene. A crowd of wizards, tightly packed and moving together with wands pointing straight upward, was marching slowly across the field. Harry squinted at them†¦.They didn’t seem to have faces†¦.Then he realized that their heads were hooded and their faces masked. High above them, floating along in midair, four struggling figures were being contorted into grotesque shapes. It was as though the masked wizards on the ground were puppeteers, and the people above them were marionettes operated by invisible strings that rose from the wands into the air. Two of the figures were very small. More wizards were joining the marching group, laughing and pointing up at the floating bodies. Tents crumpled and fell as the marching crowd swelled. Once or twice Harry saw one of the marchers blast a tent out of his way with his wand. Several caught fire. The screaming grew louder. The floating people were suddenly illuminated as they passed over a burning tent and Harry recognized one of them: Mr. Roberts, the campsite manager. The other three looked as though they might be his wife and children. One of the marchers below flipped Mrs. Roberts upside down with his wand; her nightdress fell down to reveal voluminous drawers and she struggled to cover herself up as the crowd below her screeched and hooted with glee. â€Å"That’s sick,† Ron muttered, watching the smallest Muggle child, who had begun to spin like a top, sixty feet above the ground, his head flopping limply from side to side. â€Å"That is really sick†¦.† Hermione and Ginny came hurrying toward them, pulling coats over their nightdresses, with Mr. Weasley right behind them. At the same moment, Bill, Charlie, and Percy emerged from the boys’ tent, fully dressed, with their sleeves rolled up and their wands out. â€Å"We’re going to help the Ministry!† Mr. Weasley shouted over all the noise, rolling up his own sleeves. â€Å"You lot – get into the woods, and stick together. I’ll come and fetch you when we’ve sorted this out!† Bill, Charlie, and Percy were already sprinting away toward the oncoming marchers; Mr. Weasley tore after them. Ministry wizards were dashing from every direction toward the source of the trouble. The crowd beneath the Roberts family was coming ever closer. â€Å"C’mon,† said Fred, grabbing Ginny’s hand and starting to pull her toward the wood. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and George followed. They all looked back as they reached the trees. The crowd beneath the Roberts family was larger than ever; they could see the Ministry wizards trying to get through it to the hooded wizards in the center, but they were having great difficulty. It looked as though they were scared to perform any spell that might make the Roberts family fall. The colored lanterns that had lit the path to the stadium had been extinguished. Dark figures were blundering through the trees; children were crying; anxious shouts and panicked voices were reverberating around them in the cold night air. Harry felt himself being pushed hither and thither by people whose faces he could not see. Then he heard Ron yell with pain. â€Å"What happened?† said Hermione anxiously, stopping so abruptly that Harry walked into her. â€Å"Ron, where are you? Oh this is stupid – lumos!† She illuminated her wand and directed its narrow beam across the path. Ron was lying sprawled on the ground. â€Å"Tripped over a tree root,† he said angrily, getting to his feet again. â€Å"Well, with feet that size, hard not to,† said a drawling voice from behind them. Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned sharply. Draco Malfoy was standing alone nearby, leaning against a tree, looking utterly relaxed. His arms folded, he seemed to have been watching the scene at the campsite through a gap in the trees. Ron told Malfoy to do something that Harry knew he would never have dared say in front of Mrs. Weasley. â€Å"Language, Weasley,† said Malfoy, his pale eyes glittering. â€Å"Hadn’t you better be hurrying along, now? You wouldn’t like her spotted, would you?† He nodded at Hermione, and at the same moment, a blast like a bomb sounded from the campsite, and a flash of green light momentarily lit the trees around them. â€Å"What’s that supposed to mean?† said Hermione defiantly. â€Å"Granger, they’re after Muggles, â€Å"said Malfoy. â€Å"D’you want to be showing off your knickers in midair? Because if you do, hang around†¦.they’re moving this way, and it would give us all a laugh.† â€Å"Hermione’s a witch,† Harry snarled. â€Å"Have it your own way, Potter,† said Malfoy, grinning maliciously. â€Å"If you think they can’t spot a Mudblood, stay where you are.† â€Å"You watch your mouth!† shouted Ron. Everybody present knew that â€Å"Mudblood† was a very offensive term for a witch or wizard of Muggle parentage. â€Å"Never mind, Ron,† said Hermione quickly, seizing Ron’s arm to restrain him as he took a step toward Malfoy. There came a bang from the other side of the trees that was louder than anything they had heard. Several people nearby screamed. Malfoy chuckled softly. â€Å"Scare easily, don’t they?† he said lazily. â€Å"I suppose your daddy told you all to hide? What’s he up to – trying to rescue the Muggles?† â€Å"Where’re your parents?† said Harry, his temper rising. â€Å"Out there wearing masks, are they?† Malfoy turned his face to Harry, still smiling. â€Å"Well†¦if they were, I wouldn’t be likely to tell you, would I, Potter?† â€Å"Oh come on,† said Hermione, with a disgusted look at Malfoy, â€Å"let’s go and find the others.† â€Å"Keep that big bushy head down, Granger,† sneered Malfoy. â€Å"Come on,† Hermione repeated, and she pulled Harry and Ron up the path again. â€Å"I’ll bet you anything his dad is one of that masked lot!† said Ron hotly. â€Å"Well, with any luck, the Ministry will catch him!† said Hermione fervently. â€Å"Oh I can’t believe this. Where have the others got to?† Fred, George, and Ginny were nowhere to be seen, though the path was packed with plenty of other people, all looking nervously over their shoulders toward the commotion back at the campsite. A huddle of teenagers in pajamas was arguing vociferously a little way along the path. When they saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione, a girl with thick curly hair turned and said quickly, â€Å"O est Madame Maxime? Nous l’avons perdue -â€Å" â€Å"Er – what?† said Ron. â€Å"Oh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The girl who had spoken turned her back on him, and as they walked on they distinctly heard her say, â€Å"‘Ogwarts.† â€Å"Beauxbatons,† muttered Hermione. â€Å"Sorry?† said Harry. â€Å"They must go to Beauxbatons,† said Hermione. â€Å"You know†¦Beauxbatons Academy of Magic†¦.I read about it in An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe.† â€Å"Oh†¦yeah†¦right,† said Harry. â€Å"Fred and George can’t have gone that far,† said Ron, pulling out his wand, lighting it like Hermione’s, and squinting up the path. Harry dug in the pockets of his jacket for his own wand – but it wasn’t there. The only thing he could find was his Omnioculars. â€Å"Ah, no, I don’t believe it†¦I’ve lost my wand!† â€Å"You’re kidding!† Ron and Hermione raised their wands high enough to spread the narrow beams of light farther on the ground; Harry looked all around him, but his wand was nowhere to be seen. â€Å"Maybe it’s back in the tent,† said Ron. â€Å"Maybe it fell out of your pocket when we were running?† Hermione suggested anxiously. â€Å"Yeah,† said Harry, â€Å"maybe†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He usually kept his wand with him at all times in the wizarding world, and finding himself without it in the midst of a scene like this made him feel very vulnerable. A rustling noise nearby made all three of them jump. Winky the house-elf was fighting her way out of a clump of bushes nearby. She was moving in a most peculiar fashion, apparently with great difficulty; it was as though someone invisible were trying to hold her back. â€Å"There is bad wizards about!† she squeaked distractedly as she leaned forward and labored to keep running. â€Å"People high – high in the air! Winky is getting out of the way!† And she disappeared into the trees on the other side of the path, panting and squeaking as she fought the force that was restraining her. â€Å"What’s up with her?† said Ron, looking curiously after Winky. â€Å"Why can’t she run properly?† â€Å"Bet she didn’t ask permission to hide,† said Harry. He was thinking of Dobby: Every time he had tried to do something the Malfoys wouldn’t like, the house-elf had been forced to start beating himself up. â€Å"You know, house-elves get a very raw deal!† said Hermione indignantly. â€Å"It’s slavery, that’s what it is! That Mr. Crouch made her go up to the top of the stadium, and she was terrified, and he’s got her bewitched so she can’t even run when they start trampling tents! Why doesn’t anyone do something about it?† â€Å"Well, the elves are happy, aren’t they?† Ron said. â€Å"You heard old Winky back at the match†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢House-elves is not supposed to have fun’†¦that’s what she likes, being bossed around†¦.† â€Å"It’s people like you, Ron,† Hermione began hotly, â€Å"who prop up rotten and unjust systems, just because they’re too lazy to -â€Å" Another loud bang echoed from the edge of the wood. â€Å"Let’s just keep moving, shall we?† said Ron, and Harry saw him glance edgily at Hermione. Perhaps there was truth in what Malfoy had said; perhaps Hermione was in more danger than they were. They set off again, Harry still searching his pockets, even though he knew his wand wasn’t there. They followed the dark path deeper into the wood, still keeping an eye out for Fred, George, and Ginny. They passed a group of goblins who were cackling over a sack of gold that they had undoubtedly won betting on the match, and who seemed quite unperturbed by the trouble at the campsite. Farther still along the path, they walked into a patch of silvery light, and when they looked through the trees, they saw three tall and beautiful veela standing in a clearing, surrounded by a gaggle of young wizards, all of whom were talking very loudly. â€Å"I pull down about a hundred sacks of Galleons a year!† one of them shouted. â€Å"I’m a dragon killer for the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures.† â€Å"No, you’re not!† yelled his friend. â€Å"You’re a dishwasher at the Leaky Cauldron†¦but I’m a vampire hunter, I’ve killed about ninety so far -â€Å" A third young wizard, whose pimples were visible even by the dim, silvery light of the veela, now cut in, â€Å"I’m about to become the youngest ever Minister of Magic, I am.† Harry snorted with laughter. He recognized the pimply wizard: His name was Stan Shunpike, and he was in fact a conductor on the triple-decker Knight Bus. He turned to tell Ron this, but Ron’s face had gone oddly slack, and next second Ron was yelling, â€Å"Did I tell you I’ve invented a broomstick that’ll reach Jupiter?† â€Å"Honestly!† said Hermione, and she and Harry grabbed Ron firmly by the arms, wheeled him around, and marched him away. By the time the sounds of the veela and their admirers had faded completely, they were in the very heart of the wood. They seemed to be alone now; everything was much quieter. Harry looked around. â€Å"I reckon we can just wait here, you know. We’ll hear anyone coming a mile off.† The words were hardly out of his mouth, when Ludo Bagman emerged from behind a tree right ahead of them. Even by the feeble light of the two wands, Harry could see that a great change had come over Bagman. He no longer looked buoyant and rosy-faced; there was no more spring in his step. He looked very white and strained. â€Å"Who’s that?† he said, blinking down at them, trying to make out their faces. â€Å"What are you doing in here, all alone?† They looked at one another, surprised. â€Å"Well – there’s a sort of riot going on,† said Ron. Bagman stared at him. â€Å"What?† â€Å"At the campsite†¦some people have got hold of a family of Muggles†¦.† Bagman swore loudly. â€Å"Damn them!† he said, looking quite distracted, and without another word, he Disapparated with a small pop! â€Å"Not exactly on top of things, Mr. Bagman, is he?† said Hermione, frowning. â€Å"He was a great Beater, though,† said Ron, leading the way off the path into a small clearing, and sitting down on a patch of dry grass at the foot of a tree. â€Å"The Wimbourne Wasps won the league three times in a row while he was with them.† He took his small figure of Krum out of his pocket, set it down on the ground, and watched it walk around. Like the real Krum, the model was slightly duck-footed and round-shouldered, much less impressive on his splayed feet than on his broomstick. Harry was listening for noise from the campsite. Everything seemed much quieter; perhaps the riot was over. â€Å"I hope the others are okay,† said Hermione after a while. â€Å"They’ll be fine,† said Ron. â€Å"Imagine if your dad catches Lucius Malfoy,† said Harry, sitting down next to Ron and watching the small figure of Krum slouching over the fallen leaves. â€Å"He’s always said he’d like to get something on him.† â€Å"That’d wipe the smirk off old Draco’s face, all right,† said Ron. â€Å"Those poor Muggles, though,† said Hermione nervously. â€Å"What if they can’t get them down?† â€Å"They will,† said Ron reassuringly. â€Å"They’ll find a way.† â€Å"Mad, though, to do something like that when the whole Ministry of Magic’s out here tonight!† said Hermione. â€Å"I mean, how do they expect to get away with it? Do you think they’ve been drinking, or are they just -â€Å" But she broke off abruptly and looked over her shoulder. Harry and Ron looked quickly around too. It sounded as though someone was staggering toward their clearing. They waited, listening to the sounds of the uneven steps behind the dark trees. But the footsteps came to a sudden halt. â€Å"Hello?† called Harry. There was silence. Harry got to his feet and peered around the tree. It was too dark to see very far, but he could sense somebody standing just beyond the range of his vision. â€Å"Who’s there?† he said. And then, without warning, the silence was rent by a voice unlike any they had heard in the wood; and it uttered, not a panicked shout, but what sounded like a spell. â€Å"MORSMORDRE!† And something vast, green, and glittering erupted from the patch of darkness Harry’s eyes had been struggling to penetrate; it flew up over the treetops and into the sky. â€Å"What the -?† gasped Ron as he sprang to his feet again, staring up at the thing that had appeared. For a split second, Harry thought it was another leprechaun formation. Then he realized that it was a colossal skull, comprised of what looked like emerald stars, with a serpent protruding from its mouth like a tongue. As they watched, it rose higher and higher, blazing in a haze of greenish smoke, etched against the black sky like a new constellation. Suddenly, the wood all around them erupted with screams. Harry didn’t understand why, but the only possible cause was the sudden appearance of the skull, which had now risen high enough to illuminate the entire wood like some grisly neon sign. He scanned the darkness for the person who had conjured the skull, but he couldn’t see anyone. â€Å"Who’s there?† he called again. â€Å"Harry, come on, move!† Hermione had seized the collar of his jacket and was tugging him backward. â€Å"What’s the matter?† Harry said, startled to see her face so white and terrified. â€Å"It’s the Dark Mark, Harry!† Hermione moaned, pulling him as hard as she could. â€Å"You-Know-Who’s sign!† â€Å"Voldemort’s – ?† â€Å"Harry, come on!† Harry turned – Ron was hurriedly scooping up his miniature Krum – the three of them started across the clearing – but before they had taken a few hurried steps, a series of popping noises announced the arrival of twenty wizards, appearing from thin air, surrounding them. Harry whirled around, and in an instant, he registered one fact: Each of these wizards had his wand out, and every wand was pointing right at himself, Ron, and Hermione. Without pausing to think, he yelled, â€Å"DUCK!† He seized the other two and pulled them down onto the ground. â€Å"STUPEFY!† roared twenty voices – there was a blinding series of flashes and Harry felt the hair on his head ripple as though a powerful wind had swept the clearing. Raising his head a fraction of an inch he saw jets of fiery red light flying over them from the wizards’ wands, crossing one another, bouncing off tree trunks, rebounding into the darkness – â€Å"Stop!† yelled a voice he recognized. â€Å"STOP! That’s my son!† Harry’s hair stopped blowing about. He raised his head a little higher. The wizard in front of him had lowered his wand. He rolled over and saw Mr. Weasley striding toward them, looking terrified. â€Å"Ron – Harry† – his voice sounded shaky – â€Å"Hermione – are you all right?† â€Å"Out of the way, Arthur,† said a cold, curt voice. It was Mr. Crouch. He and the other Ministry wizards were closing in on them. Harry got to his feet to face them. Mr. Crouch’s face was taut with rage. â€Å"Which of you did it?† he snapped, his sharp eyes darting between them. â€Å"Which of you conjured the Dark Mark?† â€Å"We didn’t do that!† said Harry, gesturing up at the skull. â€Å"We didn’t do anything!† said Ron, who was rubbing his elbow and looking indignantly at his father. â€Å"What did you want to attack us for?† â€Å"Do not lie, sir!† shouted Mr. Crouch. His wand was still pointing directly at Ron, and his eyes were popping – he looked slightly mad. â€Å"You have been discovered at the scene of the crime!† â€Å"Barty,† whispered a witch in a long woolen dressing gown, â€Å"they’re kids, Barty, they’d never have been able to -â€Å" â€Å"Where did the Mark come from, you three?† said Mr. Weasley quickly. â€Å"Over there,† said Hermione shakily, pointing at the place where they had heard the voice. â€Å"There was someone behind the trees†¦they shouted words – an incantation -â€Å" â€Å"Oh, stood over there, did they?† said Mr. Crouch, turning his popping eyes on Hermione now, disbelief etched all over his face. â€Å"Said an incantation, did they? You seem very well informed about how that Mark is summoned, missy -â€Å" But none of the Ministry wizards apart from Mr. Crouch seemed to think it remotely likely that Harry, Ron, or Hermione had conjured the skull; on the contrary, at Hermione’s words, they had all raised their wands again and were pointing in the direction she had indicated, squinting through the dark trees. â€Å"We’re too late,† said the witch in the woolen dressing gown, shaking her head. â€Å"They’ll have Disapparated.† â€Å"I don’t think so,† said a wizard with a scrubby brown beard. It was Amos Diggory, Cedric’s father. â€Å"Our Stunners went right through those trees†¦.There’s a good chance we got them†¦.† â€Å"Amos, be careful!† said a few of the wizards warningly as Mr. Diggory squared his shoulders, raised his wand, marched across the clearing, and disappeared into the darkness. Hermione watched him vanish with her hands over her mouth. A few seconds later, they heard Mr. Diggory shout. â€Å"Yes! We got them! There’s someone here! Unconscious! It’s – but – blimey†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You’ve got someone?† shouted Mr. Crouch, sounding highly disbelieving. â€Å"Who? Who is it?† They heard snapping twigs, the rustling of leaves, and then crunching footsteps as Mr. Diggory reemerged from behind the trees. He was carrying a tiny, limp figure in his arms. Harry recognized the tea towel at once. It was Winky. Mr. Crouch did not move or speak as Mr. Diggory deposited his elf on the ground at his feet. The other Ministry wizards were all staring at Mr. Crouch. For a few seconds Crouch remained transfixed, his eyes blazing in his white face as he stared down at Winky. Then he appeared to come to life again. â€Å"This – cannot – be,† he said jerkily. â€Å"No -â€Å" He moved quickly around Mr. Diggory and strode off toward the place where he had found Winky. â€Å"No point, Mr. Crouch,† Mr. Diggory called after him. â€Å"There’s no one else there.† But Mr. Crouch did not seem prepared to take his word for it. They could hear him moving around and the rustling of leaves as he pushed the bushes aside, searching. â€Å"Bit embarrassing,† Mr. Diggory said grimly, looking down at Winky’s unconscious form. â€Å"Barty Crouch’s house-elf†¦.I mean to say†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Come off it, Amos,† said Mr. Weasley quietly, â€Å"you don’t seriously think it was the elf? The Dark Mark’s a wizard’s sign. It requires a wand.† â€Å"Yeah,† said Mr. Diggory, â€Å"and she had a wand.† â€Å"What?† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"Here, look.† Mr. Diggory held up a wand and showed it to Mr. Weasley. â€Å"Had it in her hand. So that’s clause three of the Code of Wand Use broken, for a start. No non-human creature is permitted to carry or use a wand.† Just then there was another pop, and Ludo Bagman Apparated right next to Mr. Weasley. Looking breathless and disorientated, he spun on the spot, goggling upward at the emerald-green skull. â€Å"The Dark Mark!† he panted, almost trampling Winky as he turned inquiringly to his colleagues. â€Å"Who did it? Did you get them? Barry! What’s going on?† Mr. Crouch had returned empty-handed. His face was still ghostly white, and his hands and his toothbrush mustache were both twitching. â€Å"Where have you been, Barty?† said Bagman. â€Å"Why weren’t you at the match? Your elf was saving you a seat too – gulping gargoyles!† Bagman had just noticed Winky lying at his feet. â€Å"What happened to her?† â€Å"I have been busy, Ludo,† said Mr. Crouch, still talking in the same jerky fashion, barely moving his lips. â€Å"And my elf has been stunned.† â€Å"Stunned? By you lot, you mean? But why -?† Comprehension dawned suddenly on Bagman’s round, shiny face; he looked up at the skull, down at Winky, and then at Mr. Crouch. â€Å"No!† he said. â€Å"Winky? Conjure the Dark Mark? She wouldn’t know how! She’d need a wand, for a start!† â€Å"And she had one,† said Mr. Diggory. â€Å"I found her holding one, Ludo. If it’s all right with you, Mr. Crouch, I think we should hear what she’s got to say for herself.† Crouch gave no sign that he had heard Mr. Diggory, but Mr. Diggory seemed to take his silence for assent. He raised his own wand, pointed it at Winky, and said, â€Å"Ennervate!† Winky stirred feebly. Her great brown eyes opened and she blinked several times in a bemused sort of way. Watched by the silent wizards, she raised herself shakily into a sitting position. She caught sight of Mr. Diggory’s feet, and slowly, tremulously, raised her eyes to stare up into his face; then, more slowly still, she looked up into the sky. Harry could see the floating skull reflected twice in her enormous, glassy eyes. She gave a gasp, looked wildly around the crowded clearing, and burst into terrified sobs. â€Å"Elf!† said Mr. Diggory sternly. â€Å"Do you know who I am? I’m a member of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures!† Winky began to rock backward and forward on the ground, her breath coming in sharp bursts. Harry was reminded forcibly of Dobby in his moments of terrified disobedience. â€Å"As you see, elf, the Dark Mark was conjured here a short while ago,† said Mr. Diggory. â€Å"And you were discovered moments later, right beneath it! An explanation, if you please!† â€Å"I – I – I is not doing it, sir!† Winky gasped. â€Å"I is not knowing how, sir!† â€Å"You were found with a wand in your hand!† barked Mr. Diggory, brandishing it in front of her. And as the wand caught the green light that was filling the clearing from the skull above, Harry recognized it â€Å"Hey – that’s mine!† he said Everyone in the clearing looked at him. â€Å"Excuse me?† said Mr. Diggory, incredulously. â€Å"That’s my wand!† said Harry. â€Å"I dropped it!† â€Å"You dropped it?† repeated Mr. Diggory in disbelief. â€Å"Is this a confession? You threw it aside after you conjured the Mark?† â€Å"Amos, think who you’re talking to!† said Mr. Weasley, very angrily. â€Å"Is Harry Potter likely to conjure the Dark Mark?† â€Å"Er – of course not,† mumbled Mr. Diggory. â€Å"Sorry†¦carried away†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I didn’t drop it there, anyway,† said Harry, jerking his thumb toward the trees beneath the skull. â€Å"I missed it right after we got into the wood.† â€Å"So,† said Mr. Diggory, his eyes hardening as he turned to look at Winky again, cowering at his feet. â€Å"You found this wand, eh, elf? And you picked it up and thought you’d have some fun with it, did you?† â€Å"I is not doing magic with it, sir!† squealed Winky, tears streaming down the sides of her squashed and bulbous nose. â€Å"I is†¦I is†¦I is just picking it up, sir! I is not making the Dark Mark, sir, I is not knowing how!† â€Å"It wasn’t her!† said Hermione. She looked very nervous, speaking up in front of all these Ministry wizards, yet determined all the same. â€Å"Winky’s got a squeaky little voice, and the voice we heard doing the incantation was much deeper!† She looked around at Harry and Ron, appealing for their support. â€Å"It didn’t sound anything like Winky, did it?† â€Å"No,† said Harry, shaking his head. â€Å"It definitely didn’t sound like an elf.† â€Å"Yeah, it was a human voice,† said Ron. â€Å"Well, we’ll soon see,† growled Mr. Diggory, looking unimpressed. â€Å"There’s a simple way of discovering the last spell a wand performed, elf, did you know that?† Winky trembled and shook her head frantically, her ears flapping, as Mr. Diggory raised his own wand again and placed it tip to tip with Harry’s. â€Å"Prior Incantato!† roared Mr. Diggory. Harry heard Hermione gasp, horrified, as a gigantic serpent-tongued skull erupted from the point where the two wands met, but it was a mere shadow of the green skull high above them; it looked as though it were made of thick gray smoke: the ghost of a spell. â€Å"Deletrius!† Mr. Diggory shouted, and the smoky skull vanished in a wisp of smoke. â€Å"So,† said Mr. Diggory with a kind of savage triumph, looking down upon Winky, who was still shaking convulsively. â€Å"I is not doing it!† she squealed, her eyes rolling in terror. â€Å"I is not, I is not, I is not knowing how! I is a good elf, I isn’t using wands, I isn’t knowing how!† â€Å"You’ve been caught red-handed, elf!† Mr. Diggory roared. â€Å"Caught with the guilty wand in your hand!† â€Å"Amos,† said Mr. Weasley loudly, â€Å"think about it†¦precious few wizards know how to do that spell†¦.Where would she have learned it?† â€Å"Perhaps Amos is suggesting,† said Mr. Crouch, cold anger in every syllable, â€Å"that I routinely teach my servants to conjure the Dark Mark?† There was a deeply unpleasant silence. Amos Diggory looked horrified. â€Å"Mr. Crouch†¦not†¦not at all. â€Å"You have now come very close to accusing the two people in this clearing who are least likely to conjure that Mark!† barked Mr. Crouch. â€Å"Harry Potter – and myself. I suppose you are familiar with the boy’s story, Amos?† â€Å"Of course – everyone knows -† muttered Mr. Diggory, looking highly discomforted. â€Å"And I trust you remember the many proofs I have given, over a long career, that I despise and detest the Dark Arts and those who practice them?† Mr. Crouch shouted, his eyes bulging again. â€Å"Mr. Crouch, I – I never suggested you had anything to do with it!† Amos Diggory muttered again, now reddening behind his scrubby brown beard. â€Å"If you accuse my elf, you accuse me, Diggory!† shouted Mr. Crouch. â€Å"Where else would she have learned to conjure it?† â€Å"She – she might’ve picked it up anywhere -â€Å" â€Å"Precisely, Amos,† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"She might have picked it up anywhere†¦.Winky?† he said kindly, turning to the elf, but she flinched as though he too was shouting at her. â€Å"Where exactly did you find Harry’s wand?† Winky was twisting the hem of her tea towel so violently that it was fraying beneath her fingers. â€Å"I – I is finding it†¦finding it there, sir†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she whispered, â€Å"there†¦in the trees, sir. â€Å"You see, Amos?† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"Whoever conjured the Mark could have Disapparated right after they’d done it, leaving Harry’s wand behind. A clever thing to do, not using their own wand, which could have betrayed them. And Winky here had the misfortune to come across the wand moments later and pick it up.† â€Å"But then, she’d have been only a few feet away from the real culprit!† said Mr. Diggory impatiently. â€Å"Elf? Did you see anyone?† Winky began to tremble worse than ever. Her giant eyes flickered from Mr. Diggory, to Ludo Bagman, and onto Mr. Crouch. Then she gulped and said, â€Å"I is seeing no one, sir†¦no one†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Amos,† said Mr. Crouch curtly, â€Å"I am fully aware that, in the ordinary course of events, you would want to take Winky into your department for questioning. I ask you, however, to allow me to deal with her.† Mr. Diggory looked as though he didn’t think much of this suggestion at all, but it was clear to Harry that Mr. Crouch was such an important member of the Ministry that he did not dare refuse him. â€Å"You may rest assured that she will be punished,† Mr. Crouch added coldly. â€Å"M-m-master†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Winky stammered, looking up at Mr. Crouch, her eyes brimming with tears. â€Å"M-m-master, p-p-please†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Mr. Crouch stared back, his face somehow sharpened, each line upon it more deeply etched. There was no pity in his gaze. â€Å"Winky has behaved tonight in a manner I would not have believed possible,† he said slowly. â€Å"I told her to remain in the tent. I told her to stay there while I went to sort out the trouble. And I find that she disobeyed me. This means clothes.† â€Å"No!† shrieked Winky, prostrating herself at Mr. Crouch’s feet. â€Å"No, master! Not clothes, not clothes!† Harry knew that the only way to turn a house-elf free was to present it with proper garments. It was pitiful to see the way Winky clutched at her tea towel as she sobbed over Mr. Crouch’s feet. â€Å"But she was frightened!† Hermione burst out angrily, glaring at Mr. Crouch. â€Å"Your elf’s scared of heights, and those wizards in masks were levitating people! You can’t blame her for wanting to get out of their way!† Mr. Crouch took a step backward, freeing himself from contact with the elf, whom he was surveying as though she were something filthy and rotten that was contaminating his over-shined shoes. â€Å"I have no use for a house-elf who disobeys me,† he said coldly, looking over at Hermione. â€Å"I have no use for a servant who forgets what is due to her master, and to her master’s reputation.† Winky was crying so hard that her sobs echoed around the clearing. There was a very nasty silence, which was ended by Mr. Weasley, who said quietly, â€Å"Well, I think I’ll take my lot back to the tent, if nobody’s got any objections. Amos, that wand’s told us all it can – if Harry could have it back, please -â€Å" Mr. Diggory handed Harry his wand and Harry pocketed it. â€Å"Come on, you three,† Mr. Weasley said quietly. But Hermione didn’t seem to want to move; her eyes were still upon the sobbing elf. â€Å"Hermione!† Mr. Weasley said, more urgently. She turned and followed Harry and Ron out of the clearing and off through the trees. â€Å"What’s going to happen to Winky?† said Hermione, the moment they had left the clearing. â€Å"I don’t know,† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"The way they were treating her!† said Hermione furiously. â€Å"Mr. Diggory, calling her ‘elf’ all the time†¦and Mr. Crouch! He knows she didn’t do it and he’s still going to sack her! He didn’t care how frightened she’d been, or how upset she was – it was like she wasn’t even human!† â€Å"Well, she’s not,† said Ron. Hermione rounded on him. â€Å"That doesn’t mean she hasn’t got feelings, Ron. It’s disgusting the way -â€Å" â€Å"Hermione, I agree with you,† said Mr. Weasley quickly, beckoning her on, â€Å"but now is not the time to discuss elf rights. I want to get back to the tent as fast as we can. What happened to the others?† â€Å"We lost them in the dark,† said Ron. â€Å"Dad, why was everyone so uptight about that skull thing?† â€Å"I’ll explain everything back at the tent,† said Mr. Weasley tensely. But when they reached the edge of the wood, their progress was impeded. A large crowd of frightened-looking witches and wizards was congregated there, and when they saw Mr. Weasley coming toward them, many of them surged forward. â€Å"What’s going on in there?† â€Å"Who conjured it?† â€Å"Arthur – it’s not – Him?† â€Å"Of course it’s not Him,† said Mr. Weasley impatiently. â€Å"We don’t know who it was; it looks like they Disapparated. Now excuse me, please, I want to get to bed.† He led Harry, Ron, and Hermione through the crowd and back into the campsite. All was quiet now; there was no sign of the masked wizards, though several ruined tents were still smoking. Charlie’s head was poking out of the boys’ tent. â€Å"Dad, what’s going on?† he called through the dark. â€Å"Fred, George, and Ginny got back okay, but the others -â€Å" â€Å"I’ve got them here,† said Mr. Weasley, bending down and entering the tent. Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered after him. Bill was sitting at the small kitchen table, holding a bedsheet to his arm, which was bleeding profusely. Charlie had a large rip in his shirt, and Percy was sporting a bloody nose. Fred, George, and Ginny looked unhurt, though shaken. â€Å"Did you get them, Dad?† said Bill sharply. â€Å"The person who conjured the Mark?† â€Å"No,† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"We found Barry Crouch’s elf holding Harry’s wand, but we’re none the wiser about who actually conured the Mark.† â€Å"What?† said Bill, Charlie, and Percy together. â€Å"Harry’s wand?† said Fred. â€Å"Mr. Crouch’s elf?† said Percy, sounding thunderstruck. With some assistance from Harry, Ron, and Hermione, Mr. Weasley explained what had happened in the woods. When they had finished their story, Percy swelled indignantly. â€Å"Well, Mr. Crouch is quite right to get rid of an elf like that!† he said. â€Å"Running away when he’d expressly told her not to†¦embarrassing him in front of the whole Ministry†¦how would that have looked, if she’d been brought up in front of the Department for the Regulation and Control -â€Å" â€Å"She didn’t do anything – she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time!† Hermione snapped at Percy, who looked very taken aback. Hermione had always got on fairly well with Percy – better, indeed, than any of the others. â€Å"Hermione, a wizard in Mr. Crouch’s position can’t afford a house-elf who’s going to run amok with a wand!† said Percy pompously, recovering himself. â€Å"She didn’t run amok!† shouted Hermione. â€Å"She just picked it up off the ground!† â€Å"Look, can someone just explain what that skull thing was?† said Ron impatiently. â€Å"It wasn’t hurting anyone†¦.Why’s it such a big deal?† â€Å"I told you, it’s You-Know-Who’s symbol, Ron,† said Hermione, before anyone else could answer. â€Å"I read about it in The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts.† â€Å"And it hasn’t been seen for thirteen years,† said Mr. Weasley quietly. â€Å"Of course people panicked†¦it was almost like seeing You-Know-Who back again.† â€Å"I don’t get it,† said Ron, frowning. â€Å"I mean†¦it’s still only a shape in the sky†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Ron, You-Know-Who and his followers sent the Dark Mark into the air whenever they killed,† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"The terror it inspired†¦you have no idea, you’re too young. Just picture coming home and finding the Dark Mark hovering over your house, and knowing what you’re about to find inside†¦.† Mr. Weasley winced. â€Å"Everyone’s worst fear†¦the very worst†¦Ã¢â‚¬  There was silence for a moment. Then Bill, removing the sheet from his arm to check on his cut, said, â€Å"Well, it didn’t help us tonight, whoever conjured it. It scared the Death Eaters away the moment they saw it. They all Disapparated before we’d got near enough to unmask any of them. We caught the Robertses before they hit the ground, though. They’re having their memories modified right now.† â€Å"Death Eaters?† said Harry. â€Å"What are Death Eaters?† â€Å"It’s what You-Know-Who’s supporters called themselves,† said Bill. â€Å"I think we saw what’s left of them tonight – the ones who managed to keep themselves out of Azkaban, anyway.† â€Å"We can’t prove it was them, Bill,† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"Though it probably was,† he added hopelessly. â€Å"Yeah, I bet it was!† said Ron suddenly . â€Å"Dad, we met Draco Malfoy in the woods, and he as good as told us his dad was one of those nutters in masks! And we all know the Malfoys were right in with You-Know-Who!† â€Å"But what were Voldemort’s supporters -† Harry began. Everybody flinched – like most of the wizarding world, the Weasleys always avoided saying Voldemort’s name. â€Å"Sorry,† said Harry quickly. â€Å"What were You-Know-Who’s supporters up to, levitating Muggles? I mean, what was the point?† â€Å"The point?† said Mr. Weasley with a hollow laugh. â€Å"Harry, that’s their idea of fun. Half the Muggle killings back when You-Know-Who was in power were done for fun. I suppose they had a few drinks tonight and couldn’t resist reminding us all that lots of them are still at large. A nice little reunion for them,† he finished disgustedly. â€Å"But if they were the Death Eaters, why did they Disapparate when they saw the Dark Mark?† said Ron. â€Å"They’d have been pleased to see it, wouldn’t they?† â€Å"Use your brains, Ron,† said Bill. â€Å"If they really were Death Eaters, they worked very hard to keep out of Azkaban when You-Know-Who lost power, and told all sorts of lies about him forcing them to kill and torture people. I bet they’d be even more frightened than the rest of us to see him come back. They denied they’d ever been involved with him when he lost his powers, and went back to their daily lives†¦.I don’t reckon he’d be over-pleased with them, do you?† â€Å"So†¦whoever conjured the Dark Mark†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Hermione slowly, â€Å"were they doing it to show support for the Death Eaters, or to scare them away?† â€Å"Your guess is as good as ours, Hermione,† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"But I’ll tell you this†¦it was only the Death Eaters who ever knew how to conjure it. I’d be very surprised if the person who did it hadn’t been a Death Eater once, even if they’re not now†¦.Listen, it’s very late, and if your mother hears what’s happened she’ll be worried sick. We’ll get a few more hours sleep and then try and get an early Portkey out of here.† Harry got back into his bunk with his head buzzing. He knew he ought to feel exhausted: It was nearly three in the morning, but he felt wide-awake – wide-awake, and worried. Three days ago – it felt like much longer, but it had only been three days – he had awoken with his scar burning. And tonight, for the first time in thirteen years, Lord Voldemort’s mark had appeared in the sky. What did these things mean? He thought of the letter he had written to Sirius before leaving Privet Drive. Would Sirius have gotten it yet? When would he reply? Harry lay looking up at the canvas, but no flying fantasies came to him now to ease him to sleep, and it was a long time after Charlie’s snores filled the tent that Harry finally dozed off. How to cite Chapter 9 The Dark Mark, Essay examples

Scouts Development in To Kill a Mockingbird free essay sample

In this book, Scouts maturity follows the concept of Blooms Taxonomy, a multi-tiered model of conceptual thinking according to six levels of complexity (Forehand). Scout starts out using only the two bottom layers of this method, knowledge and observation, and comprehension, both which she has had since a very young age. Scout moves up a level in this system when she applies pre-known knowledge and analyzes situations. For instance, when Walter Cunningham would not take Miss Carolines money, Scout realizes that Walter wouldnt take the money because he didnt want it, but instead, he wouldnt take it because he could never pay it back. Scout reaches the last two levels, synthesis and evaluation, much later in the book when she attends the trial and puts together the ideas of racism and evil in her community. By using this formula of maturation, we can see that Scout has developed new understandings of the things and people around her and that she is using old concepts to create new ideas. In the beginning of the book, Scout is very ignorant and she certainly does not think before she acts. She says things that she may not truly mean like when she says that Walter aint company, hes just a Cunningham (Lee 33). Scout also thinks that Boo Radley is a monster and she is extremely frightened of him. As discussed before, when Scout was telling Miss Caroline about Walter, she shows that she is an immature child who is very impulsive. In the start of **To Kill A Mockingbird, Scout shows that she is most certainly not an adult, but she shows signs of growth. Atticus is one of the main factors of Scouts growth and maturity because of him being a strong and wise man, even in tough situations, therefore helping Scout to overcome many obstacles. Thanks to Atticus, Scout learned to be more considerate and never judge a person until you have walked in their shoes (Austin). An example of this is when Scout stands in front of the window on Boo Radleys porch and imagines the world through his eyes and she gets a different perspective and understanding of what Boo was thinking. Another time when Atticus helps Scout on her journey into maturity is when Atticus tells Scout that she shouldnt fight, she takes his advice seriously and does not fight Cecil. Even though this task of walking away from a fight is very hard for Scout, she feels that Atticus has gained respect for her and she does not want to let him down. Even though Atticus isnt always present in Scouts life, he still makes prominent influences that help Scout grow. In beginning of this novel, Scout is a tomboy and is most certainly not interested in most typical likes and interests of girls her age, like dresses and dolls. Many women of Maycomb, especially Mrs. Dubose and Alexandra, point out to Scout that she is not acting like a lady should. All of these women blame Atticus and his parenting skills for Scouts unladylike manners. Atticus has Alexandra move in with the family to give Scout a strong female influence, which pays of in the end when Scout says, If Aunt Alexandra could be a lady at a time like this, so could I (Lee 318). Scouts tomboyish ways relate to her developing sense of her female self with little female influence (Shackelford). When Scout experiences the trial of Tom Robinson and other unfair events, she learns that the world is not perfect, but instead is filled with many evils. Jem and Scout were sure that Tom was going to win the trial, but they soon learned that racism overpowered justice and that there was no way that Tom could receive the fair result he deserved. Scout observes more racism when she attends Calpurnias church and Lulu criticizes Calpurnia by telling her, You aint got no business bringin white chillun here (Lee 158). Scout also connects the ideas of the relationship between Hitler and the Jews and how the whites treat the blacks, and she realizes how similar these two things are. Scout has obtained the skill to render her own ideas, instead of just accepting others ideas, a major milestone in her growing maturity. Along with the racial prejudice in Maycomb, Scout also observes the differences between the classes of people. Scout sees and hears about the Ewells and their low class during the first day of school, but does not think much of it except that they just have less than her family. When Walter Cunningham comes to eat with the Finch family, Scout calls him out for putting maple syrup on his food. Scout does not realize that Walter is doing this because he does not have this luxury at home, and that many others in Maycomb are lesser than her. Scout learns that even though all people should be equal, society still refuses to accept that fact. A sign of Scouts growing of maturity was shown when she learned to tolerate the horrible behavior of the people of Maycomb (Solomon). When the kids in her school were calling Atticus names and trashing him, Scout realized that she couldnt do anything about it, and fighting was obviously not the answer. Instead she just walked away and acted like nothing happened, ultimately paying off. It was a struggle for Scout to overcome Mrs. Duboses rude comments about her and her family, but after realizing that everyone is entitled to their opinions, Scout didnt let anything get to her much. When Scout experiences the superficial comments of her community, she controls herself and her emotions showing great achievement in her maturity. When Scout first learned about Boo Radley, she was very afraid because of the stories she had heard, but by the end of the book, she had learned much about the truth of Boo and she gained respect for him, showing a leap in her growth. When Boo puts the blanket around Scout, she was extremely frightened realizing that Boo came out of his house, but soon becomes grateful. The major point where Scout realized that Boo was nothing put pure good was when he saved her and Jem from Bob Ewell. Scout quickly realized that without Boos help, she would have been dead. She shows her appreciation by escorting Boo back to his house. Throughout the book, Scout quickly gains respect** for Boo and therefore does not fear him anymore. By the end of the book, Scout shows that she has learned one of lifes key rules that Atticus had taught her earlier; you cant use preconceived knowledge to judge someone, you have to climb into his skin and walk around in it.

How Fossil Fuels Affect The Environment Research Paper Example

How Fossil Fuels Affect The Environment Paper Describe and explain how the use of Fossil fuels may affect the environment and discuss measures, which could be taken to reduce the harmful consequences Fossil fuels include gasoline, oil, coal, or natural gas. Whenever we burn them, more pollutant gases are emitted into the atmosphere. They are burned to run cars and trucks, heat homes and business and power factories and are responsible for about 98% of U. S carbon dioxide emissions, 24% of methane emissions and 18% of nitrous oxide emissions. Because of the harmful effects of these pollutant gases, produced when fossil fuels are burnt, they pose a major threat to the environment. Almost all air pollutants are the result Of fossil fuel combustion, either in the home, by industries or the internal combustion engine. Smoke is tiny particles of carbon suspended in the air, produced as a result of burning coal and oil. While smoke remains in the air, it can reduce the light intensity at ground level; hence reduce the overall rate of photosynthesis. Deposits of smoke, or more particularly, soot and ash, may coat plant leaves directly reducing photosynthesis by preventing light penetration or even by clogging stomata openings. The pollutants involved in acid rain are sulfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, zone and various volatile organic vapors given off from gasoline stations. Fossil fuels contain between 1% and 4% sulfur and consequently around 30 million tones of sulfur dioxide is emitted from the chimneys of Europe each year. Its effect in high concentrations, are harmful to plants in that it reduces growth, especially in barley, wheat and lettuce and others such as lichens may be killed. Sulfur dioxide (ASS) dissolves in water forming sulfurous acid (HASPS). We will write a custom essay sample on How Fossil Fuels Affect The Environment specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on How Fossil Fuels Affect The Environment specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on How Fossil Fuels Affect The Environment specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This is then converted to sulfur trioxide (ASS) then to sulfuric acid (HASPS). Acid rain is harmful since it causes acidification of the soil. Changes in soil pH change the solubility of the ions present, in acid soil; essential minerals like potassium, calcium, magnesium and trace elements start to be lost by leaching. In very acid soil (pH below 4. 5) aluminum ions may appear in the soil at very poisonous concentrations. Aluminum ions may also be leached into lakes and rivers and kill fish and other marine life. Since the industrial revolution, CO gases emitted into the atmosphere have increased by 27%. The pre- industrial concentration was in 1 860 was pump where as the present concentration is estimated at 368 pump. Methane, another greenhouse gas has more than doubled. The main cause Of the increased CO level is due to the combustion of coal and oil. For every tone of carbon burnt, 4 tones of CO are liberated Scientist argue that this extra CO in the air, trap heat and produce a greenhouse effect, causing expansion of the ocean, melting of the polar icecaps with a consequent rise in sea levels. This would in turn cause flooding of low- lying land. The greenhouse effect is not entirely bad, since it maintains the average of the earths surface at 1 5?SQ rather than 18?CO, in the absence of greenhouse gases. CO is transparent o short wave radiation from the sun, but strongly absorbs the long wave radiation that the earth irradiates into space. Global warming is responsible for an increase in 0. 5 1. 0 ?CO of average world temperature, since the late 19th century. If emissions of CO gases are not reduced significantly, the average global temperature is expected to rise by 1. 58 ?CO in the next century. Not only will this increase directly damage plant life, but evaporation will increase as the climate warms, which will increase average global precipitation. Soil moisture is likely to decline in many regions and intense mainstream are likely to be more frequent. These are all serious repercussions of global warming. The relatively inert oxide Of nitrogen, denigrating oxide, is formed during fossil fuel combustion. In the stratos phere, in the presence of u. V. Radiation, denigrating oxide is no longer inert. It reacts with atomic oxygen to form two molecules of nitrogen monoxide radicals (NO?s). These then react with ozone molecules, converting them to molecular oxygen and reforming nitrogen monoxide radicals. Radicals speed up the destruction of ozone because they constantly re-emerge to trigger another reaction. The destruction of the ozone layer results in a significant increase in u. V. Radiation reaching the earths surface. Ultra violet radiation is absorbed by the Purina and pyridine bases in DNA and modifies tem, with consequences affecting the expression of genetic information. In humans this results in a higher incidence of skin cancer. In higher plants grown as crops the effect of increased exposure to u. V radiation is to reduce yields. Aquatic organisms including fish larvae and plankton are very sensitive to u. V light. Disruption in the ecological balance in the ocean may not only affect marine food chains, UT the contribution of the ocean to the absorption of carbon dioxide. In order to reduce the effects of fossil fuel combustion, the primary measure that should be employed is to find alternative energy sources. Renewable energy comes from the exploitation of wave power, wind power, tidal power, solar energy, hydroelectric power and biological sources including biomass (wood charcoal, crop residues, dung and other organic materials). Many of these forms of renewable energy have a low environmental impact hence may be relatively environmentally friendly. Biological fuels, for instance can e used to supply humans growing energy needs. The Gasohol programmer in Brazil, where sugar cane wastes are used to produce a motor vehicle fuel, is such an example. This will reduce the effects of fossil fuel combustion emissions. International efforts can be established to control carbon dioxide emissions as well as implement usage of alternative sources of energy, instead of depleting the worlds fossil fuel reserves, which is expected only to last another 500 years. Governments can also educate the public on the dangers of energy inefficiency. They might choose to promote more efficient use of energy in moms and businesses, including electrical energy since burning fossil fuels generates most of the electricity. They can set energy efficient standards for domestic appliances. They could also change building regulations to ensure that new houses, offices and public buildings are more energy efficient, for instance in cold climates, measures can be taken to reduce heat loss to surroundings like double glazing windows. They may also increase duties on petrol and diesel fuel, to try to reduce their consumption. Schemes may be considered to convert the industries CO emissions into liquids or solids. One present concept for capturing CO from Waste gases involves MEA (Indetermination). Other techniques include physical absorption, chemical reactions to methanol, polymers and co-polymers aromatic carboxylic acids or urea. Individuals can also conserve energy within the home. Re- using materials, like plastic bags are one such way. Recycling newspapers, glass bottles and plastic bottles can also be done in the homes and business. Other simple measures can be employed within the home like buying energy efficient compact fluorescent bulbs for the most used lights in the home. Whenever Seibel individuals should bike, walk, carpool, or use public transport to get to their destination. They can also buy minimally packaged goods, choose re- useable products instead of disposable ones. If they live in hot climates, the house should be painted a light color. Fossil fuels provide 90% of the energy we use now, but at a price of urban air pollution, acid rain, potential global warming and ozone layer depletion. As we burn fossil fuels and continue to use gasoline dependent transport, we increase the level of CO in the earths atmosphere and continue to harm the environment.

Critical thinking

Critical thinking The concept of utility takes an important place in the economic theory. In context of marketing, the theory of utility is used in practice in order to facilitate the sales of the company and to adjust the business plan with the market demand and customers preferences. The concept of utility plays a vital role in the small firms functioning as well.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Critical thinking specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More â€Å"Utility is the use or satisfaction a person gets from a product† (What is marketing?, n.d., p.14). Taking into account that the search and satisfaction of customers needs are the fundaments in the profitability and overall effectiveness of the business, the efforts should be made by the firm to find the market segment in which it can provide utility to the customers. In this respect, it would be logical to quote John Mackey, co-founder and CEO of Whole Foods Market, who says â⠂¬Å"For us, our most important stakeholder is not our stockholders, it is our customers. We’re in the business to serve the needs and desires of our core customer base† (Boone, 2012, p. 39). The theory usually defines the four types of utility: form, time, place, and possession. However, the task utility is sometimes marked out by marketers. It assumes providing some service to the customer. In order to define which types of utility are relevant to the small firms, we need to consider the market structure in which they mostly operate. Boone (2012) states that the â€Å"traditional economic analysis views competition as a battle among companies in the same industry (direct competition) or among substitutable goods (indirect competition)† (p.65-66). The majority of small businesses function under the conditions of monopolistic competition defined as the market structure with the numerous competitors selling differentiated products (Monopolistic competition, n.d.). In order to survive, the firms must differentiate their product to make it stands out on the market by emphasizing the benefits it can provide to customers. There are four types of utility relevant to small businesses: form, time, possession, and task. The place utility may also add value to the small firms’ products but its role is substantially lesser in comparison with the other four and it rarely contributes to the good or service differentiation of the small businesses.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Form Utility assumes that â€Å"a product must be processed into a form that the customer wants or needs† (What is marketing?, n.d., p.14). For example, bakeries, delicatessens, or cafes benefit consumers by selling them products ready for use; they turn the separate ingredients into the integral product. The customization of good is one of the feat ures of the form utility (Winsor et al., 2004). That is why the form utility prevails in the monopolistic competition. Possession utility establishes legal ownership of a product which is supported by the receipt (What is marketing?, n.d., p.15). For instance, a lot of small businesses operating in e-commerce provide the customers with the opportunity to use the debit electronic payment systems such as PayPal. The use of the system simplifies the process of payment, thus creating benefit to the customer. â€Å"Time Utility could be described as being in the right place at the right time when a customer is ready to purchase a product† (What is marketing?, n.d., p.16). Undoubtedly, the debit electronic payment systems also represent the bright examples of the method of saving time while making a transaction. Besides, a lot of small businesses place their retail outlets nearby the potential customers’ residence. In such a way, they save the free time of customers who do n ot have to spend hours to get to the bakery, for instance. Finally, the task utility adds value by providing customers with special services. For example, the customers go to hairdressing or the beauty salon because they do not possess certain skills. In summary, the understanding of the customers needs plays an important role in the survival of the small firms. It is the factor that motivates them to add value to their products by using form, possession, task, and time utilities. References Boone, L. E. (2012). Contemporary marketing, 16th edition. Stamford, USA: Cengage Learning. Monopolistic competition. (n.d.). Retrieved from economicsonline.co.uk/Business_economics/Monopolistic_competition.htmlAdvertising We will write a custom essay sample on Critical thinking specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Winsor, R. D., Sheth, J. N. Manolis, Ch. (2004). Differentiating goods and services retailing using form and possession utilities. Journ al of Business Research, 57, 249-255. What is marketing? (n.d.). Web.

Impact of trade on Inequality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Impact of trade on Inequality - Essay Example Mostly, this takes place because the usage and the application of various useful technologies in trade is only available to the highly skilled and trained people but not to the unskilled and the poor. During several previous centuries, inequality in world trade has been on the rise. Income within most countries has been rising and declining drastically. Specifically, it has been increasing in the developing countries and falling in the highly industrialized and developed nations. However, this trend is becoming reversed in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. This implies that there is no global inequality trend for the previous two centuries. Therefore, almost all the rise in world income inequality has taken place due to the increasing gaps between countries rather than increase of gaps within countries. Meanwhile, integration in world economy has advanced. If this relationship meant causation, it would be that the increase in inequality among nations has been caused by globalization but inequality within nations has not been elevated. The effects of globalization and its result have gone both ways with respect to disparity within nations. This is accordin g to simple correlation between the perceived trends. The following conclusions can be deducted from the economic record of inequality: a) The disparity between incomes among countries has reduced. This has been the result of the globalization factor as well as commodity markets for the nations that have been integrated into the global economy. b) Inequality has also been lowered by opening up to the international business as well as the international factor movements within labor-filled countries. This has taken place within the past few decades. e) Global incomes would continue to be persistent especially under a complete global integration. This is similar to inequality in large integrated economies from a domestic perspective. This situation is lower in a completely integrated

Review on the film - Cradle Will Rock Movie Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

On the film - Cradle Will Rock - Movie Review Example the movie primarily revolves around the abortive production of a leftist musical, â€Å"The Cradle Will Rock† which was subsequently banned by the House Committee on Un-American Activities, after the WPA cut the musical’s budget. Through a â€Å"mirror in mirror† technique and dramatic turns, the movie continues to focus on the labor unrest, role of arts in reflecting it and the capitalist repression on the leftist labor unrest accusing it as â€Å"un-American activities†. In the movie, when the musical serves as the symbol of the role and reflection of arts during the labor unrest, the HCUA’s ban on the musical is one of the many symbols of the bourgeois repressive reaction to the labor union and unrest. The surprising turn of the movie is that it does not simply recount the Great Depression stories; rather it itself holds a socialist message that workers should be unite themselves against any exploitation. In this message establishes the movie as a link between the past and the present. Again the movie’s most memorable moments such as the character-playwright Marc Blitzstein’s decision to perform on the stage in the face of prohibition and being joined by other casts of the union, the destruction of Diego Rivera’s mural because of the artist’s refusal to remove Lenin’s head earnestly plead a moviegoer to rethink of the boundaries among art, politics and

Gender, Media and Consumer Societies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Gender, Media and Consumer Societies - Essay Example These effects are especially pronounced in the young who learn by emulation. Continuous exposure to particular forms of media models the child`s perception of life as a whole and even influences the profession that he or she ends up pursuing in future. There is a disparity in Australia in the type and form of media consumption. People of different ages are being exposed to diverse types of media and this is creating a generational drift between the young and the elderly (Carter & McLaughlin, 2013). The young predominantly prefer movies that are either bought, from the internet via downloading or streamed. They are also active in consuming online television which composes of streaming and others such as catch up TV. The younger generation is also more active in social media such as Facebook and Twitter more than the older generation. The elderly prefer older forms of media such as newspapers and free television. This has led to diverse impacts in terms of gender in different age groups. Conflict hence arises between the expectations of the elderly of what society should be and what the young consider as acceptable ideals. Media directly and indirectly affect the career paths that children ultimately follow in future. Young girls and boys tend to develop particular preferences at an early age. In this age and time these preferences are either enhanced or modified over time by external influences. At a time when parents focus more on their careers than on family, the children are left without role models ad people to look up to except the ones they see in the television or from the internet (Carter & McLaughlin, 2013).Research shows that children watching cartoons that depict princesses and fairy tales in the long run prefer to be stay home at wives. Cartoons such as the magic Riddle in which the main character undergoes a lot of suffering in her

Strategies for Sustainable Rice Farming

Strategies for Sustainable Rice Farming LOW CARBON INITIATIVES: A RURAL APPRAISAL OF VARIOUS MITIGATIVE STRATEGIES USED BY RICE FARMERS AS A SCHEME FOR SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT IN NIGERIA SAVANNA. INTRODUCTION Most of the warming that has occurred since mid-20th century is due to anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, human activities including modern agriculture contribute to the production GHGs and on the overall, about 14% of GHG emissions comes from the agricultural sector (IPCC, 1996). Several naturally produced and human produced GHGs trap heat. CO2, CH4, and N2O are long-lived in the atmosphere and are the major contributors to positive increases in radiative forces (IPCC, 1996). Agricultural activities are significant producers of CH4 and N2O, of the three main gases that are influenced by land management and that are responsible for the potential greenhouse effect, CH4 has the 2nd greatest climate forcing potential of 27% CAST, (1992) arising from enteric fermentation of farm animals and rice cultivation. BACKGROUND In Nigeria, rice is one of the major cereals grown for food, the cultivable land to rice lies under five major ecologies namely: rain fed upland, rain fed lowland, irrigated rice, deep water and tidal mangrove swamp (Olayemi, 1997). Although Nigeria is the largest rice producer in West Africa and 85% of the total production comes from the north FAO (2012), rice production still seeks an increase in yield to meet the budding population and reduce importation. According to Bello (2004), Nigeria has the potential to produce enough rice for its needs and even export but this is not achieved now because the technology, management practices and the efficiency with which farmers use resources influence productivity. JUSTIFICATION Self-sufficiency in rice production is the goal of the Nigerian government, this has prompted the government to find ways of boosting local rice production (Bello, 2004). Rice paddies have been identified as major CH4 source induced by human activities and Nigerian paddies are not left out. This poses a challenge as researchers are faced daily with the challenges of how to mitigate or adapt to climate change, increase adoption of low carbon practices in all sectors and ways to implement their findings in local and global context of sustainable resource management. Consequently, estimating CH4 emissions from rice paddies and evaluating the low carbon practices used by farmers has become a pressing issue for assessing GHG impacts from agroecosystems and development of mitigation options at local scales for sustainable resource management. Objectives: Spatio-temporal mapping of lands cultivated to rice from 1983 to 2013 in the study area. To compare the CH4 emissions from upland and lowland rice fields. Assess the understanding of climate change and various low carbon practices among rice farmers for environmental protection. Understand the challenges associated with the adoption of low carbon options for rice cultivation. METHODOLOGY To achieve the stated objectives, the study will involve Geo-spatial analysis, field measurements and socioeconomic survey. The study area: The study will be carried out in the savannah belt of Nigeria, Bida zone in Niger state will be selected for the study because of its long history of rice cultivation and its proximity to National Cereal Research Institute, where technologies for cereal cultivation emanate and are disseminated. The zone consists of three Local Government Areas (Lavun, Bida and Gbako) and has a total land area of 6, 181 km2. Geo-spatial analysis Data: Cloud free-Ortho-rectified Landsat images of the area for the years 1983, 1993, 2003 and 2013 will be acquired from image vendors. Analysis: ArcGIS and IDIRSI geo-spatial tools will be used for the analysis of the Images. The images will be overlaid and an area of interest will be created from the overlay. Ground truthing will be done to aid supervised classification of the false and true composites of the area. The map of the dominant land use change of the area will be generated for each year. Accuracy assessment of the classification will be done, image differencing of the land cover maps will quantify the changes in land sizes cultivated to rice. Methane measurement: CH4 emission will be measured by using a portable methane gas meter (Gastech, Australia). Surface CH4 measurements from uplands and lowlands will be taken by inverting a 70mm diameter plastic funnel on the soil surface, the inlet tube of the CH4 meter will be connected to the funnel to read CH4 concentrations (Kartik and Nanjappa). Sampling procedure and Data collection A multistage sampling will be adopted for the study. First, two administrative wards will be randomly selected from each Local Government Area, for the second stage, two villages will be selected randomly from each selected ward and at the third stage, 20 rice farmers from each selected village will be randomly selected to give 80 farmers per Local Government Area and a total of 240 farmers from the zone. To allow for pre-testing and errors, 300 questionnaires will be printed. The sampling frame will focus on adult rice farmers who live in the communities and have been farming for over 25 years based on the assumption that these respondents will have adequate experiential knowledge about the subject matter. Primary data on the understanding of farmers about climate change, its effect on paddy farming, low carbon practices used and the challenges associated with the use of these practices will be collected by administering structured questionnaires to respondents in the study area. Statistical Analysis All data collected will be analyzed, using computer based Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) and STATA. A multiple linear regression will be used to link socioeconomic factors with factors that influence land use. REFERENCES CAST, 1992. Preparing U.S. Agriculture for Global Climate Change. Task Force Report No. 119. Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, Ames, IA. Facts and Figures about Niger State, Assessed from http://www.nigerstate.gov.ng/epubl/Facts%20and%20Figures%20about%20Niger%20State1.pdf Kartik V. and Nanjappa A. Phytocapping: An Innovative Technique to Reduce Methane Emission from Landfills. Assessed from methaneflux paper (Environmental Research Journal).pdf Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 1996. Climate Change 1995. The Science of Climate Change. The Contribution of Working Group I to the Second Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, New York. Impact of Trade on Domestic Rice Production and the challenge of Self-sufficiency in Nigeria Assessed from www.warda.cgiar.org//RicePolicy/Chuma.E/Chuma.E.Nigeria.Pres.ppt. Olayemi, J.K 1997. The Nigerian Rice Industry: Performance, Problems and Prospects. A research report prepared for Food and Agricuktural Organisation, FAO; December 1997. UNCCS (United Nations Climate Change Secretariat), Emissions Summary for Nigeria, http://unfccc.int/files/ghg_data/ghg_data_unfccc/ghg_profiles/application/pdf/nga_ghg_profile.pdf WEBSITES USED www.ricenigeria.com EXPECTED RESULTS AND THE RELEVANCE OF MY PROJECT TO CLIMATE CHANGE The distinctiveness of this study is that it seeks to incorporate the experiences of rural farmers in understanding the challenges associated with adopting Low carbon initiatives at local scales. This project aims at: Describing the local perception of climatic vagaries in their environment Characterizing the prevalent land use patterns in recent times. Characterizing the various local conservation practices used by rice farmers for resource conservation. Describing the effects and constraints of adopting resource protection practices. The study would reveal the changes in land cover as mediated by increase in productivity over the past thirty years in the study area and the associated methane emissions. This would be helpful in the design sustainable resource conservation measures for climate protection. As well, the study will reveal the awareness level of the respondents’ on some facts about climate change and variability, its toll on rice farming and various measures used to adapt to these changes. Since considerable attention has not been given to measuring results from adaptation and mitigation activities, results from this study hopes to be a working tool for the Nigerian government in the development of a simple Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) plan that is more readily useable by farmers through capacity building and technology development or transfer. This study will also provide insight into local resource conservation strategies that can be improved upon for sustainable resource management. The dataset will therefore become a working tool for the government, legislators, private sector, civil society and other stakeholders for appropriate understanding on the trends of greenhouse gas emission from paddies in Bida zone for necessary policy formulation on strategies to reduce the emissions in order to improve ecological system conservation and mitigate global warming. Please explain how you intend to communicate the project results during and after the sponsorship period and which target groups you particularly want to address. (2,000 characters max. The ultimate foci of this study is to raise public awareness on the amount of greenhouse gases released from paddies, it also intends to assess the low carbon strategies used by farmers and the challenges associated with using them. The major target groups are the locals and government officials. Although, the communities have limited expertise at some stages of the study, I intend to work in partnership with them for their ability to suggest strategies that would facilitate data collection and ensure that the data collected are representative of the community during the study. This will be done by clearly explaining the purpose of the study to the community head, since he has a very good knowledge of the community and can help ensure that all factors required for the study is provided. The proximity of the National Cereal Research Institute (NCRI) will be of great assistance during the study and dissemination of results. They will be helpful in providing previous research results and some experimental techniques that will be invaluable in the design of the survey. Usually, conveying research results requires wisdom to avoid rejection. Before communicating the research results to the entire community, results will discussed with the study team from NCRI and the community representatives. Also, since the FADAMA intervention programmes that serve as an intermediary between the government and the communities are common around the study area, assistance will be sought from the FADAMA facilitators during the study and when communicating the research results to the government to enhance acceptance for policy formulation. Timeline of the project, including milestones TIME FRAME (MONTHS) ACTIVITY 1-2 Arrival in Germany, Intensive German language course 3 Reconnaissance survey, acquisition of project materials and pretesting of questionnaire 4-6 Questionnaire administration and analysis. 7-10 Image acquisition, geospatial analysis and ground truthing 11-12 Preliminary write-up and corrections 13-14 Presentations and submission This study is expected to cover a one calendar year period, although this proposed duration is subject to modifications from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.