Essay on The Real Lincoln - 615 Words

Rosenthal 1 Ben Rosenthal Professor Harling History 132 22 October 2008 Critique on The Real Lincoln â€Å"The Real Lincoln contains undeniable evidence that a more appropriate title for Abraham Lincoln is not the Great Emancipator, but the Great Centralizer.† - Walter E. Williams. This is the book that made it happen: the nationwide revision concerning the man who they tried to tell us was a great liberator. Dictator and slayer of liberty is more like it. Lincoln was not the godlike figure of myth and legend but an unusually cruel political operator who exploited the moment for personal gain, just as weve come to expect of modern politicians. The Real Lincoln, argues that, throughout his decades-long political career, Lincolns†¦show more content†¦Lincolns great genius in his own time was using the Civil War as bloody vehicle for solidifying the American System as the United States dominant economic model. Lincoln and Congressional Republicans made all three planks: tariff, national bank, and â€Å"internal improvements† an integral part of national economic life by 1863 with half the nation in rebellion. The rest of Lincolns brilliance came with his powerful ways of persuasion, which ultimately backed up by the entire Union army. Lincolns 1863 Emancipation Proclamation to free the slaves, was admitted by he himself to be little more than a ploy designed to stop European aid to the South with radical abolitionists. DiLorenzo also looks closely at Lincolns dictatorial political and military policies during war time, and considers what might have happened to southern slaves over time if the Civil War and subsequent bitterness of the â€Å"Reconstruction† period had never happened. There is nothing I could think of that I would change in this book, which is a very hard thing for me to say because usually I dislike most of the books that I read. DiLorenzo was actually able to keep my interest througho ut the whole novel. This book teaches you a lot about Lincoln, it definitely changed my view on him and I believe that anyone that reads this book will feel the same. Lincoln was definitely not theShow MoreRelatedThe Real Lincoln Essay1247 Words   |  5 PagesThomas DiLorenzo author of, The Real Lincoln discusses Lincoln’s actions regarding racism, his refusal to emancipate the slaves, his continual tendency to act independently of Congress, and his radical reconstruction after the Civil War. DiLorenzo attacks each of these topics in his book and proves that Lincoln had his own agenda, and was not the picture perfect president everybody thought that he was. The overall theme of chapter two is the opposition that Abraham Lincoln and most Northerners had aboutRead MoreThe Real Lincoln : A New Look At Abraham Lincoln1756 Words   |  8 PagesIn Thomas DiLorenzo’s controversial book, The Real Lincoln: A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War, a new light is shed upon the historic President Lincoln. It challenges ideas and beliefs that students are taught in grade school, and incorporates a new way of thinking. Above all, this book provides insight into the real life of Lincoln, and remains controversial due to its impeding and harsh criticisms. DiLorenzo, an economic historian, is often questioned about his ethicsRead MoreThe Real Lincoln : A New Look At Abraham Lincoln1757 Words   |  8 PagesIn Thomas Dilorenzo’s controversial book, The Real Lincoln: A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War, a new light is shed upon the historic President Lincoln. It challenges ideas and beliefs that students are taught in grade school, and incorporates a new way of thinking. Above all, this book provides insight into the real life of Lincoln, and remains controversial due to its impeding and harsh criticisms. Dilorenzo, an economic historian, is often questioned about his ethicsRead MoreThe Real Lincoln : A New Look At Abraham Lincoln1366 Words   |  6 PagesThe Real Lincoln: A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War, he reveals the truth about Abraham Lincoln and attempts to get rid of the myths that many have told. He reveals the agenda of Lincoln and the real purpose behind the Civil War. One question that some have is why did it take a war to end slavery? In the book it is stated that, â€Å"dozens of countries†¦ ended slavery peacefully during the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries†(x). Many argue the fact that Lincoln wasRead MoreThe Real Lincoln : A New Look At Abraham Lincoln1868 Words   |  8 PagesThe Real Lincoln: A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War is written by Thomas J. DiLorenzo. He is the professor of economics at Loyola University Maryland and a member of the senior faculty of the Mises Institute . He has received the George F. Koether Free Market Writing Award and his works have been published in the Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics. He has written another book titled Hamilton s Curse: How Jefferson’s Archenemy Betrayed the American Revolution —Read MoreThe Real Lincoln By Thomas Dilorenzo1966 Words   |  8 PagesIn Thomas DiLorenzo’s book The Real Lincoln, is about giving the people who want to know the real story about the â€Å"greatest† American President. When in fact he was not all that great of a president. People know him as the great emancipator. This is ironic because â€Å"Lincoln barely ever mentioned the issue of slavery before 1854, and, even then, he did not seem sincere† (3). This is what everybody knows Lincoln for is freeing the slaves, but it proves that he is given credit for something he did notRead MoreThe Real Lincoln By Thomas J. A Brief1724 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"The Real Lincoln written by Thomas J. Dilorenzo published in 2002 gives us details into the Lincoln presidency It shows how Lincoln wanted a more central government he was not a man for all people but for the north. It shows that Lincoln was not the reason for the split in the country but a sense of pride was to blame. He did not support equal rights in slave and white americans. He was for the â€Å" American system† and the expansion of America. Lorenzo is a member of the faculty at Loyola UniversityRead More A Critique of DiLorenzos The Real Lincoln Essay1913 Words   |  8 PagesA Critique of the Real Lincoln The Real Lincoln: A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War, by Thomas J. DiLorenzo completely shatters the illusion of the 16th President as the liberator of the slaves. DiLorenzo provides convincing evidence for Lincoln’s overt racism as expressed in his documented views on racial supremacy as stated in his desire to colonize all American blacks outside the United States (p. 4); Lincoln’s views were matched by the majority in the North whoRead MoreThe Real Lincoln : A New Look At Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, And An Unnecessary War New1379 Words   |  6 PagesDilorenzo, Thomas J. The Real Lincoln: A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War New York: Three Rivers Press. Thomas J. Dilorenzo is the author of the book The Real Lincoln: A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War. Dr. Dilorenzo is an economics professor at the Sellinge School of Business and management, where he published over eleven books. His focus is mostly on economic history and political economics. It became evident to Thomas that the teachingsRead MoreAbraham Lincoln s Political Legacy856 Words   |  4 Pagesthis point was to become an empire under Abraham Lincoln and his business supporters. â€Å"Lincoln’s own Reconstruction ideas made a mockery of democracy (227). â€Å"He believed that at least 10 percent of the southern population probably had Unionist sympathies, and he wanted representatives of that group to be put into place by the Republican Party as the governors, mayors, and local public officials of the Southern states after the war† (227). Abraham Lincoln seems like he is trying to get all the power he

The Indian Removal Act of 1830 - 1123 Words

THE INDIAN REMOVAL ACT OF 1830 Migdalia Tuero HIST101: American History to 1877 Professor Kathleen Davis February 13, 2014 There are several historical events and issues that have impacted the contemporary political development among American history. In the history of America one of these groups are the Native Americans. The white man throughout the South called for a removal of the Indian peoples. They wanted the Native Indians to be resettled to the west because their presence created a problem for the white man who needed additional land for settlement. â€Å"The status of Native American peoples posed an equally complex political problem† (Henretta, Edwards, Self 2012, 302). Therefore, Andrew Jackson posed the Indian Removal†¦show more content†¦However, President Andrew Jackson wanted to take the land and move the Indians out West therefore, the government ignored their efforts and the federal treaties previously signed. â€Å"The Supreme Court declared that Congress had complete constitutional authority over Indian affairs and could abrogate or break its own treaties† (Call oway, 2012, p. 436). So instead of protecting the Native American Indians and their land according to the treaties signed by both parties, the United States government decided to take it from them. Jackson then sent troops to expel the Indians from their lands. One tribal Chief Black Hawk offered to surrender to Jackson however; Jackson rejected this offer and continued to send in American troops to pursue â€Å"him [and his tribe] into the Wisconsin Territory and, in the brutal eight-hour Bad Axe Massacre, killed 850 of Black Hawk’s 1,000 warriors† (Henretta et al. 2012, 303). This was not the end of it however, the bloodshed continued when Jackson maintained the Indian removal process. The Federal government drove thousands of Indians to walk over 1,200 miles to the new Indian Territory. During the walk to their new territory the American Indians suffered through devastating times. They suffered sickness such as the whooping cough, typhus, dysentery, cholera and, starvation, these were all epidemics along the way. In this removal nearly 125,000 Native American Indians were forced to leave their ancestral lands that they had cultivatedShow MoreRelatedThe Removal Of The Indian Removal Act Of 18301820 Words   |  8 Pagespolicy of the Government, steadily pursued for nearly thirty years, in relation to the removal of the Indians beyond the white settlements is approaching to a happy consummation. Two important tribes have accepted the provision made for their removal at the last session of Congress, and it is believed that their example will induce the remaining tribes also to seek the same obvious advantages.† (Jackson, 1830) This quote from President Andrew Jackson showed the happiness of the â€Å"white settlers† ofRead MoreIndian Removal Act Of 183011 55 Words   |  5 Pages2015 Indian Removal Act of 1830 The Indian Removal Act of 1830 was an act that helped aid the expansion of the United States population into the southernmost states, occupied mainly by Native Americans. The act was a long time coming, especially with President Andrew Jackson, a long-time proponent of Native American removal, at the helm. This paper explores the history leading up to the law, the introduction and passage, as well as the sometimes-tragic implementation of the Indian Removal Act of 1830Read MoreIndian Removal Act Of 1830868 Words   |  4 PagesIndian Removal Act of 1830 The Indian Removal Act was signed into law on May 28th 1930 during the presidency of Andrew Jackson. Perhaps best known as the black eye of the administration and overshadowing his presidency’s accomplishments, the Indian Removal Act was passed into law to allow the president to negotiate with Indians to purchase land they occupied and offer them lands west of the Mississippi. The Indian Removal Act of 1830 could also amount to pure greed and racism, the beginning of theRead MoreThe Indian Removal Act Of 1830940 Words   |  4 PagesThe American’s desire for expansion of their nation and economic growth has always been their main interest and goal. The Indian Removal in the 1830’s was a great example of America’s efforts to expand through North America and their motivation to economically improve through profitable opportunities. When comparing the Indian Removal and the events that followed the Treaty of Paris, a similarity in the expansion of America i s discovered. Labor, politics, and economics of America during the two erasRead MoreThe Indian Removal Act Of 18301083 Words   |  5 Pages The Indian Removal Act of 1830 was a law passed by President Andrew Jackson that provided the funds for the removal of the Indian tribes found in South. These tribes were the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole. Slave states, following the lead of Missouri who in the 1820s forced its Indian population to leave, saw the opportunity to expand their industry in the fielding of cotton by â€Å"converting Indian soil into slave soil.† That along with the finding of gold and simply the desireRead MoreThe Indian Removal Act Of 1830892 Words   |  4 Pagesstudents are analyzing is; what are the major effects of the Indian Removal Act of 1830? The students will be given several data sets of events that occurred after the act was initiated and draw conclusions and revise their thesis statement as they go. The big idea of this lesson to have students understand the importance of the Indian Removal Act and it is essentially only the beginning of the journey that Indian tribes had to face after the act was initiated. It led to many heartbreaking events thatRead MoreIndian Removal Act Of 1830923 Words   |  4 PagesIt gives me pleasure to announce to Congress . . . the removal of the Indians beyond the white settlements is approaching to a happy consummation† (Jackson, 1830, para.1). With promises of new lands, protection, and monies, President Andrew Jackson portrays the Indian Removal Act of 1830 as beneficial to Indians, wherein governmental financial gain is incidental. However, when considering land transactions and gold discoveries, the true beneficiaries are revealed. While strengthening the States’Read MoreThe Indian Removal Act Of 18301299 Words   |  6 Pageswere many diverse, and complex views when approaching this subject matter; however, in 1830 President Andrew Jackson passed the Indian Removal Act, which forced Indians to relocate from their homelands in south east to land west of the Mississippi river. This granted the U.S. a large portion of new rich land, unfortunately it was at the expense of the Native Americans. When passing the Indian Removal Act of 1830, President Jackson relied on teleological utilitarianism ethnic views, in that he focusedRead MoreIndian Removal Act Of 1830923 Words   |  4 Pagesbut the Cherokee removal was the cruelest work I ever knew†, remarked a Georgia soldier who had participated in the removal of Indian Natives during the mid-1800’s. As a result of the Indian Removal Act, Indian natives have been perceived as mistreated and cheated throughout history. The Indian Removal Act was passed during the presidency of Andrew Jackson on May 28, 1830. This act granted authorization to the president to exchange unsettled lands west of Mississippi for Indian lands residing inRead MoreThe India n Removal Act Of 1830865 Words   |  4 PagesWhen the Indian Removal act of 1830 was enacted, the Cherokee Nation panicked. The Cherokee, specifically the romanticized Tsali, did their best to preserve their culture in the mountains of North Carolina, but what really saved them from their harsh fate that so many other Cherokee faced, was there white chief, William Holland Thomas. The Cherokee were â€Å"disagreeable and dangerous neighbors,† but they had a powerful ally in Raleigh, who saved the Eastern Band from a much harsher fate. The Eastern

Oil Production in Newfoundland and Labrador Free Essays

Newfoundland and Labrador is the eastern most province of Canada. The majority of the province’s population can be found on the island of Newfoundland, as most of the province’s source of economy. As the island is located next to the Atlantic ocean, fisheries and fish products have been of the main exports for the province, yet within the last 30-40 years or so, oil has increasingly become an export that contributes to a growing provincial economy. We will write a custom essay sample on Oil Production in Newfoundland and Labrador or any similar topic only for you Order Now Exploration in Newfoundland waters first began in the 1960s although, there was no rush in finding oil in Newfoundland because at the time, it was much less expensive for oil companies to drill elsewhere in the world. Things changed in 1973 when oil prices increased dramatically and the interest in the possibility of finding oil in Newfoundland also increased. Before any oil was found, but exploration was ongoing, the provincial government of Newfoundland set up a series of regulations on how oil resources were to be developed in the event of discovery, to ensure the maximization of local benefits. In 1979, the Hibernia oil field was discovered, proving that Newfoundland and Labrador had economic potential in the oil industry (Fusco, n. d. ). This discovery meant that the regulations that the provincial government created would have to be implemented. The Hibernia oil field discovery ignited a series of disagreements between the federal government of Canada and the provincial government of Newfoundland. The federal government had their own goals for development and believed that Newfoundland should not have the administrative or decision making authorities for offshore mineral resources, stating that â€Å"oil was too important of a commodity to have under provincial control† (Crosbie, 2003). This dispute resulted in years of legal battles over jurisdiction of offshore projects. In 1985 the Atlantic Accord was signed, this accord initiated a joint management system for the province’s offshore resources. The accord also included the creation of the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (CNLOPB), a board of six members in charge of managing offshore resources on behalf of both the federal and provincial levels of government (Fusco, n. d. , Fraser, 2009) (See Appendix A for more information on the CNLOPB). Hibernia finally began its oil production in 1997 followed by three more oil field productions; Terra Nova in 2002, White Rose in 2005 and Hebron, which is expected to begin production in 2017 (See Appendix B for a map of the locations of oil fields off the coast of Newfoundland). This case study relates to Lesson 9 of the course, which looks at Energy resources that could be found in Canada. Challenges and Opportunities Nearly twenty years passed after the Hibernia oil field was discovered before any official production was made. This demonstrates the magnitude of difficulty the province of Newfoundland experienced just to begin to have oil as one of their main exports. The regulations that Newfoundland and Labrador had implemented after the discovery of Hibernia clearly conflicted with the plans of the federal government, which were to increase profits that would benefit the government of Canada as opposed to the people of Newfoundland. The government of Canada wanted to gain an equity stake in the project with increased royalties during times of high oil prices. Newfoundland’s regulations also limited benefits for the oil companies that would be drilling in Hibernia stating that the province was asking for too much and that the companies wanted a fair share of the benefits. Another large obstacle and devastating event surrounding Hibernia, was the sinking of the Ocean Ranger drilling unit, which not only sank completely, undoing all the work that had been done but also resulted in the death of all 84 crew members (Collier, 2010). Investigations later revealed that there were construction flaws and that the crew lacked appropriate training and equipment in the event of an emergency. After this disaster, it was decided that Hibernia would be a Gravity Base Structure (GBS), which is an oil platform that is held in place by gravity. Even more challenges were faced with this decision because many of the engineers that worked on the GBS had little experience in this type of structure. Additionally, due to the complicated nature of this project, most of the workforce came from other countries who had more experience which ultimately resulted in less jobs for locals (Fusco, n. d. ). In regards to the environment, oil production in Newfoundland waters, although it may serve as economic gold, also brings the possibility of environmental destruction for the ocean. Since fisheries and fish products are some of Newfoundland’s main exports, the fear that exploration and drilling in important areas of fisheries may interfere or damage the overall marine ecosystem is an important challenge. Furthermore, oil spills continue to be one of the oil industry’s largest environmental hazards. Not only would the marine ecosystem be affected but any life surrounding the ocean would be permanently damaged (Higgins, 2011). Despite the overwhelming challenges, the overall opportunities that offshore oil production would bring to the province of Newfoundland and Labrador would be worth all of the difficulties. This venture would serve as a boost in the province’s general economy which was particularly helpful during the 1990s after the cod fishing industry took a dive for the worst (n. a. , 1998 Fisheries). Not only would the economy be benefitting but the local people would also have new opportunities for employment. All of the challenges that the government of Newfoundland faced in the development stages of this venture ultimately gave the government the experience it needed in order to maintain, control, and manage all future oil field developments. This can be seen in the quick and effective development of the Terra Nova and White Rose oil fields. There are other issues surrounding the Hebron field, for example, the type of oil that is found in that location is particularly difficult to extract. These issues are part of the reason as to why oil production at Hebron is scheduled to only begin in 2017 (Fusco, n. d. ). Case Lesson Connection In Lesson 9 of the course, it is discussed that crude oil and petroleum contributes to about 31. 3% of the country’s energy resources (Mulrennan, Lesson 9, slide 7). Although Alberta has about 39% of Canada’s remaining conventional oil reserves, Newfoundland and Labrador offshore developments come second with 28%, not including the oil sands in Alberta, which in that case would account for over 95% of oil in Canada (National Energy Board, 2007). The case study which was examined in Lesson 9 looked implicitly at oil sands in Alberta, in particular, how the extraction of this type of oil is devastating for the environment. Development in Newfoundland is also not environmentally friendly, since drilling in the ocean results in the destruction of certain marine habitats. The threat of possible oil spillage that also continues to be an issue. However, both Alberta and Newfoundland and Labrador have been working to tighten regulations surrounding the environmental hazards in oil sands and offshore oil production respectively. The Alberta government has demonstrated through the implementation of regulations and outlined plans for measures in protecting the environment, as well as the CNLOPB in Newfoundland who have also instilled regulations in regards to environment protection. The benefit of having a joint management system, such as the CNLOPB is that the federal government is as involved in all issues surrounding offshore oil, including the environment (Fraser, 2009). Similarly, as per the reading for Lesson 9, the responsibility of the federal government in pollution control and environmental protection is crucial in attaining results on a national level. References 1. Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board. http://www. cnlopb. nl. ca/ 2. Collier, K. (2010). The loss of the Ocean Ranger, 15 February 1982. Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage Web site. http://www. heritage. nf. ca/society/ocean_ranger. html 3. Environmental Defence (2010). Duty calls: Federal responsibility in Canada’s oil sands. Pembina Institute and Equiterre. http://www. econcordia. com/courses/environmental_issues/lesson9/PDF/ed-fedpolicy-report-oct2010-web-redo. pdf 4. Crosbie, J. C. (2003). Overview paper on the 1985 Canada-Newfoundland Atlantic Accord. Royal Commission on Renewing and Strengthening our Position in Canada. 206. Retrieved from http://www. exec. gov. l. ca/royalcomm/research/pdf/Crosbie. pdf 5. Fusco, L. (n. d. ). Offshore oil: an overview of development in Newfoundland and Labrador. Memorial University of Newfoundland. Retrieved from http://www. ucs. mun. ca/~oilpower/documents/NL%20oil%207-25-1. pdf 6. Fraser, G. S. (2009). The Canada-Newfoundland Atlantic Accord implementation act: transparency of the environmental management of offshore oil and gas industry. Marine Policy. 33(2), 312-316. http://0-dx. doi. org. mercury. concordia. ca/10. 1016/j. marpol. 2008. 07. 012 7. Higgins, J. (2011). Oil and the environment. Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage Web site. http://www. heritage. nf. ca/society/oil_environment. html 8. House, J. D. (2003). Myths and realities about petroleum-related development: Lessons for British-Columbia from Atlantic Canada and the North Sea. Journal of Canadian Studies. 37(4), 9-34. http://0-search. proquest. com. mercury. concordia. ca/docview/203556887? accountid=10246 9. National Energy Board. (2007). Canadian Energy Review 2007 – Energy Market Assessment. http://www. neb. gc. a/clf-nsi/rnrgynfmtn/nrgyrprt/nrgyvrvw/cndnnrgyvrvw2007/cndnnrgyvrvw2007-eng. html#s4_4 10. n. a. (1998) Fisheries. Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage Website. http://www. heritage. nf. ca/society/fishery. html 11. Mulrennan, M. E. (2013). Canadian Environmental Issues (GEOG 203) Lesson 9. Concordia University. Appendix A CNLOPB Organization Chart – http://www. cnlopb. nl. ca/pdfs/orgchart. pdf Appendix B Location of Newfoundland oil fiel ds – http://www. cbc. ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2012/05/31/nl-hebron-development-approval-531. html How to cite Oil Production in Newfoundland and Labrador, Essay examples

Critique of Research Findings

Question: Discuss about theCritique of Research Findings. Answer: Introduction: Research critique is the evaluation of the content of the research reports both objectively and critically. It is performed for various purposes such as to assess if a research paper is ready to be published, comment on a research work before its publication, or in some cases, it is an experience for emerging scholars to learn and develop their research skills. In the process of the analysis, a research critique focuses on the elements of the investigation and evaluates the same if it has been carried by the researcher (Clarke Collier, 2015). The aim of this essay is to read critically and analyze the two literature articles, a quantitative and qualitative study. The author will perform a critical analysis of each study. The essay will include the definition and explanation of the term research critique. The essay provides a brief summary and analysis of the research design and content of each article. Further, it provides a critical analysis of each research article by the general credibility of the research conclusions, introduction, literature review, and discussion provided in the article. The purpose of the author in performing critical analysis of the two literature article is to learn and develop research skills. Firstly, let us discuss what a research critique is. It is the evaluation of the content of the research reports both objectively and critically (Creswell, 2014). It includes identification of a problem, looking for specific questions, studying the theoretical and analytical approaches, and review of the research findings and its significance. The summary of the research critique is the authors personal analysis and evaluation of the research articles. It may not always be the scenario that a research critique includes only flaws or faults in a report; rather it may be predominately positive (Howarth et al, 2016). It is the process of analyzing the weakness and strength of the particular research paper. It looks for specific elements in the study and if it has been carried well by the researcher. It analyses if the research question, examination of the literature review, the hypothesis and variables are taken in the study are clear and if the expectations were successfully met by con ducting the study. A critique also identifies any irrelevant information, grammatical errors, presence of redundancy and overall writing style (Sturm Antonakis, 2015). The summary of the two research articles will be discussed in the subsequent sections. The first article critique which will be summarized is Barriers to nurses adherence to central venous catheter guidelines by Jeffery Pickler (2014). The aim of this research study is to identify the barriers to the nursing practice in adhering to the standard of care practices for central venous catheters (CVCs)." The researcher has used qualitative, descriptive research method, and a phenomenological approach to understanding the respondent's perception of the identified issue. The respondents for this pilot study were nurses of Midwest hospital who care for patients with CVCs. A sample size of 10 registered nurses was selected which included eight female, and two male nurses and all had a two years experience in this field. Audio recorded interview was conducted for nurses with each lasting for 2 hours. Colaizzis method was applied for data analysis. The research findings revealed that barrier to adhere to the care practices for CVCs includes nurses' limitation that produces error s. It was found in the research paper Barriers to nurses adherence to central venous catheter guidelines of Jeffery Pickler (2014), that the research aim was clearly stated and investigated. In this study, the researcher has identified that nurses were found unable to adhere to the CVCs guidelines. The study has produced a credible understanding of the research aim by the results obtained from the qualitative study which showed that that nurses' limitation caused noncompliance to CVCs guidelines. The author of this study has provided a consistent link between the research aim, background, discussion and the conclusions. There are no other alternate explanations that can be interpreted from the study results. The introduction provided in this pilot study clearly outlines the increased rate of errors in nursing practice in the management of CVC. This led to rising in death rate in hospitals. Therefore, the researcher aims to understand the factors causing the nurses to deviate from stand ards of practice in caring for CVCs. The researcher has presented a clear rationale for undertaking this study. This topic is significant for the health care providers in understanding and minimizing the medical errors to improve the clinical outcomes. This qualitative study implies that more research is needed to identify the factors affecting the errors. In this paper the background information provided by the author in regards to the identified issue is sufficient. The study has reviewed the existence knowledge gap in nursing practice in regards to the nonadherence of CVC guidelines and cognitive pressure experienced by the nurses. As a qualitative research study the attempt to identify and explain this issue as hospital climate, expectations of physicians, and the instructional methods do appears researchable. The literature review directly relates to the identified problem. The researcher has not only summarized the relevant research findings of the past publications but has also analyzed its strengths and weaknesses. Also, the gaps in the current knowledge and understanding were also highlighted. The researcher has established a clear link between this study and the previous research comes. The author of this study has provided an explicit discussion while examining the results adequately. This study has contributed towards the b etter understanding of nurse's personal limitation as a factor preventing quality care. These findings have successfully fulfilled the aim of this study and have been found to be consistent with findings of other similar studies. This constitutes the strength of the study. These are also found complementing the existing literature and also have added extra information from the nurses. It has highlighted that the weakness of this study was limited sample size and site. It suggests that guidelines adherence can be stimulated by the organization by adopting electronic health record system and with professionals engaging with informatics team. The study implies for additional research on the experienced nurses to identify barriers and facilitators of the "adherence to safe practice guidelines." These findings provide a rationale for future development of a system to measure the significance of each of these barriers in an organization, for example, understanding the easiest way to adher e to the guidelines. The second article critique which will be summarized here is "A comparative evaluation of antimicrobial-coated versus nonantimicrobial coated peripherally inserted central catheters on associated outcomes: A randomized controlled trial" by Storey et al., (2016). This study is a result of increased rate of infections caused by CVCs such as Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs)" The aim of this study is to compare the impact of "chlorhexidine (CHG)-impregnated versus non-CHG peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) on the risk of CLABSI". The research was conducted in the Midwest hospital, and the patients were selected as sample population who were placed with PICC line (with or without CHG-impregnated) in the body. A sample size of 167 was considered for the study in a randomized way. The collected data was analyzed by the statistical method (IBM SPSS Statistics, Shapiro-Wilk test, the Mann-Whitney U test and Fisher exact tests). The research findings reveal ed that there was a nonsignificant difference between CHG or non-CHG PICC line inserted patients in respected to CLABSI or VTE noted. In the subsequent sections, the critique of both articles will be presented in details. It was found in the research paper "A comparative evaluation of antimicrobial-coated versus nonantimicrobial coated peripherally inserted central catheters on associated outcomes: A randomized controlled trial" of Storey et al., (2016), the researcher clearly presents and investigates the research aim. The results were linked to the objectives which reveal that there is no difference in CLABSI, and VTE development in patients with PICC line (with or without CHF impregnated) and these findings provide a clear understanding of the research aim. The author of this study has provided a consistent link between the research aim, background, discussion and the conclusions. The researcher has adequately discussed all the elements of the investigation in a coherent and a consistent manner. It is reflected in the stratified sampling method, inclusion and exclusion strategy applied in the study. There are no other alternate explanations that can be interpreted from the study results. The introduction provided in this quantitative study clearly outlines the increased rate of complications associated with CVCs resulting in CLABSI and VTE. Therefore, the researcher aims to understand the effect on these infections with the use of PPC lines with or without CHG. This topic is significant for the health care providers in understanding and minimizing the catheter associated infections and improves the patient outcomes. As there is a literature gap in this area, this study implies for more intense research in future and clearly rationalizes the undertaking of the study. The research findings promote the researchers to explore the other causative factors of the catheter associated infections and develop instruments to minimize the same. The background of the study has insufficient information on the problem. The author has not examined the relevant literature related to the subject of the investigation which represents the weakness of the study. It also lacks the objectiv e and critical analysis of the research publications. It fails to provide the integrated review of the strength and weaknesses of the reviewed literature. However, the discussion is directly related to the problem being investigated in the study. The author has highlighted that how this first RCT study is the latest and best investigation. The study has poorly presented the gaps in current knowledge and understanding. The explicit discussion of the research findings contributes to the development of the understanding in the problem area. The results of the study have fulfilled the research aims. Being the first RCT examining the effect of CHG-impregnated antimicrobial PICC lines versus non-CHG PICC lines on the development of CLABSI or VTE constitutes the strength of the study. The strength of the study lies in its first RCT study design including diverse patient population and three high-risk units "cardiovascular thoracic, MICU, and oncology". The researcher has also highlighted t he weakness of the study in an integrated manner. In the discussion, the author has not suggested anything as a possibility for the future research. This study has provided a rationale for more research with varying issues in this problem area (Storey et al., 2016). Based on the research critique it can be concluded that these studies by Storey et al., (2016) and Jeffery Pickler (2014), are valuable in enhancing the nursing profession in New Zealand. Healthcare organizations can utilize the research findings of these qualitative and quantitative studies to improve the quality of the care provided to the patients. Nurses can work more hard to adhere to the guidelines of CVCs management as it was observed from the first article that nurses are aware of the barriers to implementation of an evidence-based protocol. These studies are promising in minimizing the medical errors. It was observed from the research paper of Taylor et al., (2014) and Worth et al., (2015) that the current practices substantially vary from the "CDC guideline." These results were obtained through a comparative study of "medical and nursing management of CVC between New Zealand and Australia. Similar data was observed in the paper of Vasudevan et al., (2016), which highlighte d an existence in the care provided to the newborn infants associated with CLABSI. In conclusion, the assignment has enhanced my skills of critically analyzing research papers. The critical analysis of the above-presented research article highlights the current problem in CVCs management. It enhanced with the knowledge of nonadherence to the guidelines by the nurses as well as increased infections due to PPC lines coated with the antimicrobial agent. This provides a rationale for future research in this area with variation overcoming the limitations of these studies. Both the research studies have successfully fulfilled their research aims and objectives helping the health care organizations in implementing a positive change for better care facilities. Reference Clarke, S., Collier, S. (2015). Research essentials: How to critique quantitative research.Nursing children and young people,27(9), 12-12. Creswell, J. W. (2014).A concise introduction to mixed methods research. Sage Publications. Howarth, D., Glynos, J., Griggs, S. (2016). Discourse, explanation and critique.Critical Policy Studies, 1-6. Jeffery, A. D., Pickler, R. H. (2014). Barriers to nurses adherence to central venous catheter guidelines.Journal of Nursing Administration,44(7/8), 429-435. Storey, S., Brown, J., Foley, A., Newkirk, E., Powers, J., Barger, J., Paige, K. (2016). A comparative evaluation of antimicrobial coated versus nonantimicrobial coated peripherally inserted central catheters on associated outcomes: A randomized controlled trial.American journal of infection control,44(6), 636-641. Sturm, R. E., Antonakis, J. (2015). Interpersonal Power A Review, Critique, and Research Agenda.Journal of Management,41(1), 136-163. Taylor, J. E., McDonald, S. J., Tan, K. (2014). A survey of central venous catheter practices in Australian and New Zealand tertiary neonatal units.Australian Critical Care,27(1), 36-42. Vasudevan, C., Oddie, S. J., McGuire, W. (2016). Early removal versus expectant management of central venous catheters in neonates with bloodstream infection.The Cochrane Library. Worth, L. J., Spelman, T., Bull, A. L., Brett, J. A., Richards, M. J. (2015). Central line-associated bloodstream infections in Australian intensive care units: Time-trends in infection rates, etiology, and antimicrobial resistance using a comprehensive Victorian surveillance program, 2009-2013.American journal of infection control,43(8), 848-852.

Sistine Chapel Essay Example

Sistine Chapel Essay The Frescos in the Sistine Chapel Michelangelo was an amazing painter and sculptor, who made an impact on the Renaissance Era. The Renaissance focused immense passion towards the arts, religion, and individual experience and development. The Renaissance Era came after the Middle Ages, which possessed a completely opposite lifestyle and different art techniques and characteristics. The Middle Ages was a dark, depressing time where art had very little importance outside the art in the church. As Italy evolved from the Middle Ages into the Renaissance, specific attention was placed on humanism, realism, a transformation in art, and a different focus on biblical aspects that would forever characterize this time period as seen in Michelangelo’s work, The Sistine Chapel. With Michelangelo living during the Renaissance, humanism and realism had an effect on how he painted, and what profession he chose. Michelangelo’s father, Ludovico Buonarrotiwith, was a Florentine official with strong connections to the Medici family. In his childhood, Michelangelo was constantly around the Medici household, and surrounded himself with humanists like Marsilio Ficino and Angelo Poliziano, which influenced his way of thinking. Humanism is a philosophy or practice that focuses on how great humans can be. Man should gain the most knowledge possible, and become the finest they can be physically and mentally. Humanism is all about studying, learning, thinking, and becoming better as a man. Clearly embracing the idea of humanism, Michelangelo painted every character as strong and flawless. We will write a custom essay sample on Sistine Chapel specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sistine Chapel specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sistine Chapel specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Every human painted on the walls of the Sistine Chapel has chiseled muscles, with clear six-pack chests and abs. Michelangelo illustrates how humans are the best thing God has created, and portrays them as great. The human body is considered the â€Å"noblest living form† by humanist, and humans have full potential physically and mentally. Humanism creates a universal man who is intellectually and physically excellent and who is always honorable and virtuous. On the walls of the Sistine Chapel, the realism of humans is depicted with scenes full of human emotion and expression. Embracing the â€Å"Enlightenment† by exploring his world around him, Michelangelo moved away from a static, lifeless art style to one that highlighted human feelings and movement. Realism at this time led to the later Realism of the 19th century, where the greatness of the ordinary man became the focus of artwork. During the Renaissance, the idea of expression and emotion infiltrated the culture changing the people’s way of thinking and also the art. Michelangelo’s Sistine chapel illustrations relate to Biblical stories, and show more of a natural and authentic human perspective. The new style of art in Michelangelo’s life gave him the opportunity to paint the Sistine Chapel in a very natural and real way with all the focus on man. In the medieval times, art was abstract, dark, and heavy. Art was viewed with a completely different perspective. The medieval time was not focused on artwork, and members of the upper class were not willing to pay for artists to paint. Most artists worked for the church because the church was the only one who would pay. The church wanted art dealing with Christian aspects, so most art was religious. Medieval art typically didn’t use shading as a tool to enhance paintings. The art was normally not too colorful, and was often very dull. Unlike Michelangelo’s work on the Sistine Chapel, Medieval art was not focused on human qualities. During the Renaissance, many upper class citizens had a sudden interest for art, and many of them would hire artists to paint for them. With the new interest in art, new styles were formed, creating more unique styles and new ways of thinking. With the change to the Renaissance art style, Michelangelo’s showed the body in movement, and illustrated the nature of humans. Michelangelo used new techniques like perspective and more detail in humans to make his frescos more emotional to the viewer. He illustrated characters with little to no clothing, which was not a style in medieval art. His paintings on the walls are a great example of the Renaissance art, and show the evolution, and how far art came in such a quick time. The Sistine Chapel is home to one of the most famous pictorial artworks ever made. The walls are breathtaking, and create such an astounding Biblical presence. Pope Julius II called Michelangelo into Rome in hopes to paint the Sistine chapel. He was trying to rebuild after destruction in the city, and also worked on repairing St. Peter’s Basilica. Michelangelo was hesitant to accept the offer because he was more into sculptures, but he was left with no other choice but to accept. The walls in the Chapel hold 9 scenes from Genesis, the first book in the Bible. The frescos show God separating light and darkness, creating Adam and Eve, and more Biblical stories. Each human painted on the wall shows emotion and truly represents the stories properly. Michelangelo used new Renaissance tools and a new Renaissance way of hinking to paint a new style that has attracted people from all over the world. An average of 10,000 people travel to see the Sistine Chapel a day. Michelangelo spent years preparing for this task, and drew out each scene before it was painted. Each part of the Sistine Chapel is natural in reality, and shows more of a realistic side to Bible scenes and people than previous art. Michelangelo was considered to be the best High Renaissance artist, along with Leonardo Da Vinci. With the fame he had, many citizens would travel to see his work. With the immense amount of viewers each day, it allowed for more to see Christianity in a visual way, and helped convert countless people. People would have a strong connection to his art, and grow closer to God with seeing such beauty. Michelangelo’s work created a new way of viewing Christian art, and it allowed some to put more faith in God. Pope Julius II brought Michelangelo in to paint the Sistine Chapel in hopes that it would help restore Rome to its former glory. Michelangelo’s hard work paid off with its gigantic popularity when he first painted it, and that is still as strong today. Michelangelo is considered to be the â€Å"Renaissance Man,† and used his new styles and techniques to illustrate such beautiful scenes onto the walls and ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. He used a very real and natural body to portray realism. He showed every character with clear and strong muscles with very little clothing to show how strong and valiant humans are. His style is very unique and different from artists who had come before him. Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel is still today a very beautiful and breath-taking scene that helped separate modern artwork from the medieval art.

Immigration Rules for Cuban Nationals

Immigration Rules for Cuban Nationals For years, the United States was chided for giving migrants from Cuba special treatment that no other group of refugees or immigrants had received with the former wet foot/dry foot policy. As of January 2017, the special parole policy for Cuban migrants was discontinued. The discontinuation of the policy reflects the reestablishment of full diplomatic relations with Cuba and other concrete steps toward the normalization of U.S.-Cuba relations that President Barack Obama initiated in 2015. Storied Past of the "Wet Foot/Dry Foot" Policy The former â€Å"wet foot/dry foot policy† put Cubans who reached U.S. soil on a fast track to permanent residency. The policy expired on January 12, 2017. The U.S. government had initiated the policy in 1995 as an amendment to the 1966 Cuban Adjustment Act that Congress passed when  Cold War tensions ran high between the U.S. and the island nation of Cuba. The policy stated that if a Cuban migrant was apprehended in the water between the two countries, the migrant was considered to have â€Å"wet feet† and was sent back home. However, a Cuban who made it to the U.S. shore can claim â€Å"dry feet† and qualify for legal permanent resident status and U.S. citizenship. The policy had made exceptions for Cubans who were caught at sea and could prove they were vulnerable to persecution if sent back. The idea behind the â€Å"wet foot/dry foot policy† was to prevent a mass exodus of refugees such as the Mariel boatlift in 1980 when some 125,000 Cuban refugees sailed to South Florida. Over the decades, untold numbers of Cuban migrants lost their lives at sea making the perilous 90-mile crossing, often in homemade rafts or boats. In 1994, the Cuban economy was in dire straits after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Cuban President Fidel Castro threatened to encourage another exodus of refugees, a second Mariel lift, in protest of the U.S. economic embargo against the island. In response, the U.S. initiated the â€Å"wet foot/dry foot† policy to discourage Cubans from leaving. The U.S. Coast Guard and Border Patrol agents intercepted roughly 35,000 Cubans in the year leading up to the policy’s implementation. The policy was wrought with extreme criticism for its preferential treatment. For example, there were migrants from Haiti and the Dominican Republic who had arrived on U.S. land, even on the same boat with Cuban migrants, but were returned to their homelands while Cubans were allowed to stay. The Cuban exception had originated in Cold War politics from the 1960s. After the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Bay of Pigs, the U.S. government viewed migrants from Cuba through a prism of political oppression. On the other hand, officials view migrants from Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and other nations in the region as economic refugees who almost always would not qualify for political asylum. Over the years, the â€Å"wet foot/dry foot† policy had created some bizarre theater along Florida’s coasts. At times, the Coast Guard had used water cannons and aggressive interception techniques to force boats of migrants away from land and prevent them from touching U.S. soil. A television news crew shot video of a Cuban migrant running through the surf like a football halfback trying to fake out a member of law enforcement by touching down on dry land and sanctuary in the United States. In 2006, the Coast Guard found 15 Cubans clinging to the defunct Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys but since the bridge was no longer used and cut off from land, the Cubans found themselves in legal limbo over whether they were considered dry foot or wet foot. The government ultimately ruled the Cubans were not on dry land and sent them back to Cuba. A court decision later criticized the move. Despite the expiration of the former policy, Cuban nationals have several options to apply for green card or permanent resident status. These options include the general immigration laws afforded all non-Americans seeking immigration to the U.S. through the Immigration and Nationality Act as well as the Cuban Adjustment Act, the Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program, and the Diversity Green Card lottery held every year. The Cuban Adjustment Act The Cuban Adjustment Act (CAA) of 1996 provides for a special procedure under which Cuban natives or citizens and their accompanying spouses and children may get a green card. The CAA gives the American Attorney General the discretion to grant permanent residence to Cuban natives or citizens applying for a green card if they have been present in the United States for at least 1 year, they have been admitted or paroled, and they are admissible as immigrants. According to U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS), Cuban applications for a green card or permanent residence may be approved even if they do not meet the ordinary requirements of Section 245 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Since the caps on immigration do not apply to adjustments under the CAA, it is not necessary for the individual to be the beneficiary of an immigrant visa petition. Additionally, a Cuban native or citizen who arrives at a place other than an open port-of-entry may still be eligible for a green card if USCIS has paroled the individual into the United States. The Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program Created in 2007, the Cuban Family Reunification Parole (CFRP) Program allows certain eligible U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to apply for parole for their family members in Cuba. If granted parole, these family members may come to the United States without waiting for their immigrant visas to become available. Once in the United States, CFRP Program beneficiaries may apply for work authorization while they wait to apply for lawful permanent resident status. Diversity Lottery Program The U.S. government also admits about 20,000 Cubans each year through a visa lottery program. To qualify for the Diversity Via Program lottery, an applicant must be a foreign citizen or national not born in the United States, from a country with a low immigration rate to the U.S. People born in countries with high U.S. immigration are excluded from this immigration program. Eligibility is determined only by the country of your birth, it is not based on country of citizenship or current residence which is a common misperception that applicants make when applying for this immigration program.

Greek Parthenon, the Roman Pantheon, and Chartres Cathedral Essay

Greek Parthenon, the Roman Pantheon, and Chartres Cathedral - Essay Example The opening of the report consists of the background information about the Pantheon that is designated to all of the roman gods which is a remarkable depiction of roman architecture. It is located in the 14 regions of Augustan in the contemporary Rome. The Parthenon, on the other hand, was primarily designated to the Greek goddess Athena who is also considered as the goddess of wisdom. This temple is located in Athens which is the capital of Greece and its name is extracted from the Greek goddess Athena and the famous Greek Doric. The French Chartres Cathedral is medieval architecture designated to the Catholics. The location of this cathedral is in Chartres which is the capital of Eure-et-Loir department of France. The characteristics of Pantheon is contained with ancient Roman ideals and religious aspects in which the great dome was utilized as the presidency for official decisions for the Roman empire. The architectural invention of concrete assisted the Romans to build this histo rical dome. Whereas, Parthenon was considered was a holy temple due to its association with the deity, i.e. Athena, by the ancient Greeks. Greeks invented the possibility of stone arches by which the practical existence of Parthenon came to existence. Chartres Cathedral describes its significance of being a holy place by its name. The innovation of flying buttresses played an essential role in the successful deliverance of this gothic architectural design.

Toyota Motor Company Marketing Plan Research Paper

Toyota Motor Company Marketing Plan - Research Paper Example January 2013: After the budget has been identified and team research tasks have been allocated, the teams will conduct their research and compile reports for top management and for marketing decisions and product management and decisions. At this point the planning stage begins. As Moorman and Miner (1998) inform, a marketing strategy beings with a â€Å"careful review of environmental and firm information† which is then followed by planning (p. 1). At this point all of the necessary research would have been completed and the budget identified for execution of the launch of the product. The month of January 2013 will therefore be set aside for planning marketing, production/manufacturing, promotion and distribution strategies and time tables will be established for each process. Teams will be formed for managing and putting these strategies into action. February 2013: At this stage, Toyota will have to appoint a design and mechanic team who will design and plan the mechanics o f the super car respectively. The design team will plan and design the physical architecture of the car. The mechanic team will plan the engine and other mechanical functions of the car. At this point the design and engineering/mechanic teams will also have information from technological experts informed by research and development as to the desired specifications for the super car. Technological, mechanical knowledge and knowledge of all the specifications that appeal to super car enthusiast will go into the design and mechanics of the new Toyota super car. After all when Ferrari Maserati Group launched its new Maserati MC in 2004, it was Ferrari’s knowledge in the construction of super cars and its knowledge of Formula 1 technology that drove the design and mechanics of the Maserati MC (Arema, 2010). March 2013: The finished vehicle will have to be tested for durability, safety, efficiency, speed and generally whether or not the super car is fit for purpose (Weitz & Wensley , 2002). Obviously, if there are any defects in the product design, those defects will have to be rectified. Thus the month of March is set aside for identifying any defects and rectifying defects and otherwise ascertain whether or not the design, style and performance of the super car can be improved before putting the car on the market. April 2013: Once a model is satisfactorily built, the marketing team will likely decide that they would like to test the market. This is usually the case with the launching of a new automobile (Weitz & Wensley, 2002). Thus the marketing team will be required to know, what needs to be done in order to sell the new super car. Thus an estimation of the funds and other resources needed for advertising, creating incentives for dealers, and promotions generally. Although, a research was conducted in the initial stages, this research was done in advance of an actual car. Now that a car has been designed and it is ready to be launched the promotional and m arketing aspects can be planned more specifically. It will be necessary to know how many cars will be produced with specific features such as mapping, colors, sound systems, etc. Toyota might want to conduct a search of global markets to determine compatibility of features to specific markets (Wietz & Wensley, 2002

Administering the questionnaire survey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Administering the questionnaire survey - Essay Example phical limitations they may put into effect on the surveys and the vast resources needed if such surveys need to be done nationally or internationally. The cost of training interviewers in questioning methods, traveling cost, and interpretation of response is also high. In addition, respondents might feel apprehensive about the ambiguity of their responses when they interact face-to-face interviews. In long interviews, either tiredness or edginess can affect the quality of responses as the interview progresses. Interviewers must be willing to face potentially unlikable and risky situations alone, be able to come up to strangers and need to have the personal skills to conduct an interview. Face-to-face interview can be negatively affected by the noticeable characteristics (gender, race, class) of an interviewer. For example, there might be different responses on questions such as abortion and attitudes to sexual mores if there is gender difference. However, the advantage of face-to-face interview is that the interviewer has got the flexibility of adjusting questions as per the situation, clarify doubts, if any, and ensure that the responses are properly understood by repeating the questions. Moreover, the interviewer can also use non-verbal cues from the respondent. Any embarrassment or stress experienced by the respondent can be felt through frowns, and other body language, unconsciously exhibited by any person. Telephone interviews are interviews that are held over the phone. Telephone interviews involve making telephone contact with selected sample members and asking the questions over the phone. Telephone interview methods allow skilled interviewers to build rapport yet maintain considerable respondent anonymity. The main disadvantage of telephone interview is that the respondent could unilaterally terminate the interview without warning or explanation by hanging up the phone. It requires skilled professionals who could interact with the respondent in a

Stationary Phase In Gas Chromatography Engineering Essay

Stationary Phase In Gas Chromatography Engineering Essay Stationary phase in Gas Chromatography (GC) is the part of the chromatographic system where the mobile phase will flow and distribute the solutes between the phases. Stationary phase plays a vital role in determining the selectivity and retention of solutes in a mixture. There are two major types of GC which are gas-solid chromatography and gas-liquid chromatography. In gas-solid chromatography, same material is used as both the stationary phase and support material. The common adsorbents used include alumina, molecular sieve such as zeolite and clay, silica and active carbon. In gas-liquid chromatography, the stationary phase is a liquid which is immobilized or adsorbed on a solid support material such as silica particles. The material of stationary phase ranges from polymers such as polysiloxanes, polyesters, polyethylene glycols to fluorocarbons, and liquid crystals. In addition, the stationary phase may consist of either porous particles, solid particles or a fibrous material such as paper. There are various types of stationary phases available because the choice of stationary phase being the most suitable one depends on the polarity of components. The primary rule of separation is like dissolved like where non-polar analytes will partition strongly into non-polar stationary phases and polar analytes partition into polar phases. Polysiloxanes, for instance are the most common stationary phases. They possess the greatest variety and are stable, robust and versatile. Besides that, they can resist oxidation and offer high solute diffusivitites into the polymer coupled with excellent chemical and thermal stability. 100% methyl substituted is the most basic polysiloxane being used and is non polar. The diagram below shows the basic structure of 100% dimethyl substituted polysiloxane. Because a variety of groups can be incorporated into the structure, polysiloxane exhibit a wide range of polarities ranging from non polar to polar. This can be done by replacing the methyl groups with other functional groups in the polymer structure. The structure below is a general representation of substituted polysiloxane. The R groups can be methyl(-CH3), phenyl(-C6H5), trifluoropropyl(-CH2CH2CF3) or cyanopropyl(-CH2CH2CH2CN). X and Y indicate the percentage of an aggregate in the overall polymeric stationary phase composition. The increase in the percentage of substitution of these polar groups increases the polarity of the liquid phase to various degree. For instance, 5% diphenyl-95% dimethyl polysiloxane. In this structure, R1 and R2 are phenyl groups and R3 and R4 are methyl groups. M and N have the value of 5% and 95% respectively. Table below shows some of the common stationary phases used in gas-liquid chromatography. Stationary Phase Common Trade Name Temperature ÃÅ'Ã…  C Applications Polydimethyl siloxane OV-1, SE-30 350 hydrocarbons, drugs, steroids Poly(phenylmethyldimethyl) siloxane (10% phenyl) OV-3, SE-52 350 Fatty acid methyl esters, alkaloids, drugs Poly(phenylmethyl) siloxane (50% phenyl) OV-17 250 Drugs, steroids, pesticides, glycols Poly(trifluoropropyldimethyl) siloxane OV-210 200 Chlorinated aromatics, nitroaromatics,alkyl substituted benzene Methyl-5% phenyl polysiloxane SE-54, OV-23, DB-5, SPB-5, BP-5, HP-5, ULTRA 2, RTx-5, CPSil-8 50-325 Similar to methyl polysiloxane. Slightly more selective due to phenyl content. Excellent thermal stability. Methyl 50% Phenyl Polysiloxane OV-17, DB-17, SPB-7, BP-10, HP-17, RTx-17, AT-50, 40-325 Added selectivity-higher phenyl content.Retains similar compounds longer than methyl silicone.Efficient separations of drugs, sugars and steroids. Good thermal stability. 6% Cyanopropylphenyl 94% Methylpolysiloxane DB-1301, RTx-1301, HP-1301 30-320 Selectivity for polarizable and polar compounds. Exhibits less retention of polyaromatic compounds.Good thermal stability. Methyl 7% Cyanopropyl 7% Phenyl Polysiloxane DB-1701, CPSil-19, RTx-1701, AT-1701 280 Unique selectivity of cyanopropyl and phenyl groups.Not truly a polar phase.Good thermal stability Methyl 25% Cyanopropyl 25% Phenyl Polyciloxane DB-255, HP-255, CPSil-43, RTx-225, AT-255 40-240 Polar phase.Efficient separations of fatty acids and alditol acetate derivatives of sugars.Fair thermal stability Silicone Oil DC-550 180-200 Moderately polar substrate,used for alkylbenzenes and naphthalene homologs Silicone Gum Rubber SE-30 400 Non polar,for highest temperature work. Used for steroids and polycyclic aromatics For polydimethyl siloxane, the -R groups are all hydrophobic giving liquid the least polarity and has the following general structure. Poly(cyanopropylphenyldimethyl) siloxanes are another polar stationary phases. They are used in separating compounds which contain several hydroxyl groups such as steroids. Another type of stationary phase is polyethylene glycols (PEGs) which is shown below. This stationary phase is non-silicon-containing stationary phase and is most widely used after siloxanes in the analysis of polar solutes. They are moderately polar and was considered the most polar stationary phase available due to the difficulty in coating and cross-linking of polar siloxane on the stationary phase. Besides, they are well known for their unique selectivity and high polarity as a liquid phase. The polyethylene backbone of these columns is different than polysiloxane phases. Strong polar dispersive interaction in the phase is imparted by the oxygen group in the polymer backbone. It also provides a very strong dipole interaction as the phase itself is capable of hydrogen bonding which is the bonding between a strong polar group (OH, NH) and a compound with strong electronegativity (F, O, N)]. Stationary phases with wax or FFAP in their names also belong to polyethylene glycol. Polyethylene glycols stationary phases have 100% of the stated material because they are not substituted. They have several disadvantages such as less stable, less robust and limited maximum temperature compared to most siloxanes. In addition, they exhibit shorter lifetimes and have high susceptibility to damage upon over-heating or exposure to oxygen. However, the unique separation properties of polyethylene glycol have made these liabilities tolerable. Also, cross-linked PEG phase is able to overcome these deficiencies. Under GC temperature condition, PEG stationary phases must be liquids. For example, alcohols, ethers, aldehydes and other compounds with low boiling points can be separated by a suitable sorbent called PEG 400. Carbowax 20M can be used for the separation of polar compounds with higher boiling points. Other polar compounds such as amino alcohols, hydroxyl acids, dibasic acids, amines, nitrile, fatty acids, fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), aromatic volatile compounds, and nitrosamines can also be separated using PEG columns. Arylene-modified polysiloxanes are also known as aryl-poly or arylene stationary phase. They are similar to standard polysiloxane except having phenyl groups in the polymer backbone. This stationary phase has several advantages including lower column bleed and higher temperature limits than their polysiloxane counterparts. Diagram 1 : Structure of arylene-modified polysiloxane In order to prevent column bleed during GC analysis, most of the stationary phases used today are of arylene-modified polysiloxane. These stationary phases have been designed to be equivalent to a familiar stationary phase such as 5% phenylmethyl polysiloxane (BD-5ms and DB-5). They have slight differences although both the stationary phases have similar separation characteristics. Chiral stationary phases are also used in Gas Chromatography analysis. These stationary phases are typically used to separate individual enantiomers, stereoisomers which only differ in the spatial arrangement of their atoms and in their ability to rotate the plane of polarized light. Separation of two substances can only occur when their standard energy of distribution differ, which means that their standard enthalpies and/or their standard entropies of distribution also differ. In general, the standard enthalpy indicates the difference in the interactive forces such as polar, dispersive and ionic interactive on the molecule in the two phases whereas the standard entropy indicates their spatial disposition. Hence, to separate chiral solutes, the stationary phase chosen must differ significantly in the spatial arrangement of its composite atoms results in the probability or proximity of interaction between the two enantiomers to be separated. Many chiral compounds are used in the prep aration of chiral stationary phase (CSP). Cyclodextrin (CD) and their derivatives are the most commonly used chiral compounds. Cyclodextrin is a cyclic oligomer substituted into a conventional siloxane stationary phase. A strong interaction with the cavity in the CD is achieved when organic molecules of correct size and shape are present. Hence, these organic molecules will be more strongly retained on the capillary column. Furthermore, modified CDs are used since they are capable of resolving chiral solutes over a high range of GC temperatures. Chiral stationary phase plays a vital role in separation especially in pharmaceutical industry because pharmaceutical compounds usually exist as enantiomers. Some rough estimations about the target compounds that are generally well dissolved into their enantiomers by using specific chiral stationary phase are illustrated below. Product Name Stationary Phase Analytes Cyclodextrin E 2,6-Pentyl-3-Butyryl-gamma-Cyclodextrin oxygenated terpenes, alcohols, epoxides Cyslodextrin G 6-Methyl-2,3-Pentyl-gamma-Cyclodextrin monoterpene hydrocarbons, volatile/low temperature Cyclodextrin H 2,6-Methyl-3-Pentyl-gamma-Cyclodextrin terpenes, alcohols, alkenes Cyclodextrin 3P 2,6-Methyl-3-Pentyl-beta-Cyclodextrin terpenes, alcohols, alkenes Cyclodextrin TM 6-TBDMS-2,3-Methyl-beta-Cyclodextrin PCB, polycyclic or chlorinated aromatics, pesticides Cyclodextrin TE 6-TBDMS-2,3-Ethyl-beta-Cyclodextrin pharmacopeia separations of essential oils Cyclodextrin TA 6-TBDMS-2,3-Acetyl-beta-Cyclodextrin oxygenated terpenes, aromatics, low volatile Cyclodextrin PM 2,3,6-Methyl-beta-Cyclodextrin legacy phase for many analytes . In Gas Chromatography, there are generally two different types of column used which are packed columns and capillary columns. Packed columns contain finely divided inert solid support material that is densely packed in the inside of the column in which the material is coated with a liquid stationary phase. This stationary phase is 3-10% by weight of the solid support and will form a thin liquid film on the surface of the material where the mobile phase will flow over and around the coated material as it travels down the column. The solid support material used is usually diatomaceous earth. To improve resolution and speed, the particles size should be small enough, ranging from less than 100-300mm and are uniform in size. Small size of particles is necessary as it increases the surface area for easier partition and separation of solutes. Besides that, the material should be inert to avoid any chemical reaction between the solutes and solid support material. However, packed columns have limited resolution where N Diagram 2 : Cross section of packed column Solid support material Packed columns are 1.5 10 m in length and have an internal diameter of 2 4Â  mm. They are normally constructed from stainless steel but can be glass such as Pyrex glass if a less reactive surface is desired. Pyrex glass is chosen when thermally labile solutes are being separated. Unfortunately, glass has pressure limitations and for long packed columns, stainless steel columns are chosen since they possess high pressure tolerance. The nature of the coating material which is the liquid stationary phase determines what type of solutes will be most strongly adsorbed onto it. Hence, various columns are available that are designed to separate specific types of compounds. Open tubular columns or rather known as capillary columns are characterized by a small narrow opening in the centre of the column through which the mobile phase will travel as it moves past the stationary phase. There is no packing of solid support material unlike packed columns. Capillary column is constructed by fused silica which is a highly purified and inert material. There is a protective coating on the outside of the column, called polyamide that affords strength and flexibility in order to wind into small coil. Diagram 3 : Cross-section of capillary column Capillary columns have a very small internal diameter, on the order of a few tenths of millimeters, are between 25-60 meters in length. Capillary columns can be divided into three classes which are wall-coated open tubular (WCOT) columns, support-coated open tubular (SCOT) columns and porous layer open tubular (PLOT) columns. For WCOT columns, the inner column walls are coated with a thin layer of liquid stationary phase. The thickness of liquid coating is 0.25 0.5 Â µm thick leading to very fast and efficient separations (up to 300,000 plates). Other types of capillary columns exist with the stationary phase contained in different formats. These columns are typically efficient but they have a small sample capacity due to their low surface area. For SCOT columns, the inner wall of capillary columns are lined with approximately 30ÃŽÂ ¼m of a porous support material in order to allow a higher loading of stationary phase, resulting higher column capacity. Then, a thin film of liqui d stationary phase is then coated on this layer of support material, providing SCOT columns a larger surface area. For PLOT columns, they are similar to SCOT columns except solid support materials are attached to the inner column wall where the particles themselves are the stationary phase. There support materials can be glass powder or microcrystalline materials rather than particulate support. Diagram 4 : cross section of WCOT, SCOT and PLOT columns Generally, capillary columns are favored over packed columns and WCOT columns are more efficient than SCOT columns in Gas Chromatography. The table below shows further comparison of capillary (WCOT) and packed columns. Parameter Capillary Column Packed column Efficiency (plates/m) >100000 Sample size (ng) 10-75 10-1000000 Realtive pressure Low High Relative speed Fast Slow Chemical inertness Best Poorest Column flexibility Yes No Resolution Good Poor

Free Euthanasia Essays: Oregon, Assisted Suicide and Right to Life :: Free Euthanasia Essay

Oregon, Assisted Suicide and Right to Life The reader of this paper will learn how the Right to Life movement is getting involved in a dramatic way in the assisted suicide battle in the state of Oregon. The NRLC(National Right to Life Committee), as well as the state RTL group, is participating in the court battle resulting from Oregon's November, 2001 judicial challenge to Ashcroft's decision -- initiated to keep assisted suicide practices functioning smoothly in Oregon. The National Right to Life Committee and Oregon Right to Life filed a friend of the court brief in the case challenging the recent decision of U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft that the Controlled Substances Act does not permit the use of federally controlled drugs for assisted suicide. Under the Ashcroft decision, physicians who prescribe controlled drugs for assisted suicide could lose their licenses to prescribe any federally controlled drugs, which would effectively end the medical practice of many doctors. The brief supports the position of the United States, arguing that the Ashcroft decision should be upheld. (Oregon) In November of 2001, the State of Oregon brought suit against the Ashcroft ruling charging that it effectively nullifies Oregon's law permitting physician-assisted suicide for the terminally ill. Oregon is the only state to have legalized physician-assisted suicide. Oregon was joined in the suit, Oregon v. Ashcroft, by a number of persons seeking assisted suicide, a physician, a pharmacist, and an assisted suicide advocacy organization. Federal district court judge Robert E. Jones in Portland, Oregon, enjoined enforcement of the Ashcroft ruling pending prompt resolution of the case in his court. The National and Oregon Right to Life brief argues that Ashcroft's decision was fully justified because the federal government can choose to protect all human life through its laws even if the State of Oregon has chosen not to do so. "Just because Oregon allows its doctors to prescribe lethal drug overdoses to patients doesn't mean that the federal government has to agree that this is a legit imate medical use of the drugs," said James Bopp, Jr., General Counsel of the National Right to Life Committee. "The Oregon tail doesn't wag the federal dog. The U.S. government can protect all human lives even if Oregon turns its back on some of them." The brief also argues that the Ashcroft decision avoids constitutional problems by refusing to discriminate against terminally ill persons in enforcement of federal drug laws.

Chapter 5 The Dementor

Tom woke Harry the next morning with his usual toothless grin and a cup of tea. Harry got dressed and was just persuading a disgruntled Hedwig to get back into her cage when Ron banged his way into the room, pulling a sweatshirt over his head and looking irritable. â€Å"The sooner we get on the train, the better,† he said. â€Å"At least I can get away from Percy at Hogwarts. Now he's accusing me of dripping tea on his photo of Penelope Clearwater. You know,† Ron grimaced, â€Å"his girlfriend. She's hidden her face under the frame because her nose has gone all blotchy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I've got something to tell you,† Harry began, but they were interrupted by Fred and George, who had looked in to congratulate Ron on infuriating Percy again. They headed down to breakfast, where Mr. Weasley was reading the front page of the Daily Prophet with a furrowed brow and Mrs. Weasley was telling Hermione and Ginny about a love potion she'd made as a young girl. All three of them were rather giggly. â€Å"What were you saying?† Ron asked Harry as they sat down. â€Å"Later,† Harry muttered as Percy stormed in. Harry had no chance to speak to Ron or Hermione in the chaos of leaving; they were too busy heaving all their trunks down the Leaky Cauldron's narrow staircase and piling them up near the door, with Hedwig and Hermes, Percy's screech owl, perched on top in their cages. A small wickerwork basket stood beside the heap of trunks, spitting loudly. â€Å"It's all right, Crookshanks,† Hermione cooed through the wickerwork. â€Å"I'll let you out on the train.† â€Å"You won't,† snapped Ron. â€Å"What about poor Scabbers, eh?† He pointed at his chest, where a large lump indicated that Scabbers was curled up in his pocket. Mr. Weasley, who had been outside waiting for the Ministry cars, stuck his head inside. â€Å"They're here, he said. â€Å"Harry, come on.† Mr. Weasley marched Harry across the short stretch of pavement toward the first of two old-fashioned dark green cars, each of which was driven by a furtive-looking wizard wearing a suit of emerald velvet. â€Å"In you get, Harry,† said Mr. Weasley, glancing up and down the crowded street. Harry got into the back of the car and was shortly joined by Hermione, Ron, and, to Ron's disgust, Percy. The journey to King's Cross was very uneventful compared with Harry's trip on the Knight Bus. The Ministry of Magic cars seemed almost ordinary. though Harry noticed that they could slide through gaps that Uncle Vernon's new company car certainly couldn't have managed. They reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare; the Ministry drivers found them trolleys, unloaded their trunks, touched their hats in salute to Mr. Weasley, and drove away, somehow managing to jump to the head of an unmoving line at the traffic lights. Mr. Weasley kept close to Harry's elbow all the way into the station. â€Å"Right then,† he said, glancing around them. â€Å"Let's do this in pairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Harry.† Mr. Weasley strolled toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten, pushing Harry's trolley and apparently very interested in the InterCity 125 that had just arrived at platform nine. With a meaningful look at Harry, he leaned casually against the barrier. Harry imitated him. In a moment, they had fallen sideways through the solid metal onto platform nine and three-quarters and looked up to see the Hogwarts Express, a scarlet steam engine, puffing smoke over a platform packed with witches and wizards seeing their children onto the train. Percy and Ginny suddenly appeared behind Harry. They were panting and had apparently taken the barrier at a run. â€Å"Ah, there's Penelope!† said Percy, smoothing his hair and going pink again. Ginny caught Harry's eye, and they both turned away to hide their laughter as Percy strode over to a girl with long, curly hair, walking with his chest thrown out so that she couldn't miss his shiny badge. Once the remaining Weasleys and Hermione had joined them, Harry and Mr. Weasley led the way to the end of the train, past packed compartments, to a carriage that looked quite empty. They loaded the trunks onto it, stowed Hedwig and Crookshanks in the luggage rack, then went back outside to say goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley kissed all her children, then Hermione, and finally Harry. He was embarrassed, but really quite pleased, when she gave him an extra hug. â€Å"Do take care, won't you Harry?† she said as she straightened up, her eyes oddly bright. Then she opened her enormous handbag and said, â€Å"I've made you all sandwiches. Here you are, Ron†¦no, they're not corned beef†¦ Fred? Where's Fred? Here you are dear†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Harry,† said Mr. Weasley quietly, â€Å"come over here for a moment.† He jerked his head towards a pillar, and Harry followed him behind it, leaving the others crowded around Mrs. Weasley. â€Å"There's something I've got to tell you before you leave –† said Mr. Weasley in a tense voice. â€Å"It's all right, Mr. Weasley,† said Harry, â€Å"I already know.† â€Å"You know? How could you know?† â€Å"I — er — I heard you and Mrs. Wesley talking last night. I couldn't help hearing,† Harry added quickly. â€Å"Sorry –â€Å" â€Å"That's not the way I'd have chosen for you to find out,† said Mr. Weasley looking anxious.. â€Å"No — honestly it's OK. This way, you haven't broken your word to Fudge and I know what's going on.† â€Å"Harry, you must be scared — â€Å" â€Å"I'm not,† said Harry sincerely. â€Å"Really,† he added, because Mr. Weasley was looking disbelieving. â€Å"I'm not trying to be a hero, but seriously, Sirius Black can't be worse than Lord Voldemort, can he?† Mr. Weasley flinched at the sound of the name, but overlooked it. â€Å"Harry, I knew you were, well, made of stronger stuff than Fudge seems to think, and I'm obviously pleased that you're not scared, but –â€Å" â€Å"Arthur!† called Mrs. Weasley, who was now shepherding the rest onto the train. â€Å"Arthur, what are you doing? It's about to go!† â€Å"He's coming Molly!† said Mr. Weasley, but he turned back to Harry and kept talking in a lower and more hurried voice, â€Å"Listen, I want you to give me your word –â€Å" † — that I'll be a good boy and stay in the castle?† said Harry gloomily. â€Å"Not entirely,† said Mr. Weasley, who looked more serious than Harry had ever seen him. â€Å"Harry, swear to me you won't go looking for Black.† Harry stared, â€Å"What!† There was a loud whistle. Guards were walking along the train, slamming all the doors shut. â€Å"Promise me, Harry,† said Mr. Weasley, talking more quickly still, â€Å"that whatever happens –â€Å" â€Å"Why would I go looking for someone I know wants to kill me?† said Harry blankly. â€Å"Swear to me that whatever you might hear –â€Å" â€Å"Arthur, quickly!† cried Mrs. Weasley. Steam was billowing from the train it had started to move. Harry ran to the compartment door and Ron threw it open and stood back to let him on. They leaned out of the window and waved at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley until the train turned a corner and blocked them from view. â€Å"I need to talk to you in private,† Harry muttered to Ron and Hermione as the train picked up speed. â€Å"Go away, Ginny,† said Ron. â€Å"Oh, that's nice,† said Ginny huffily, and she stalked off. Harry, Ron, and Hermione set off down the corridor, looking for an empty compartment, but all were full except for the one at the very end of the train. This had only one occupant, a man sitting fast asleep next to the window. Harry, Ron, and Hermione checked on the threshold. The Hogwarts Express was usually reserved for students and they had never seen an adult there before, except for the witch who pushed the food cart. The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes that had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Though quite young, his light brown hair was flecked with gray. â€Å"Who d'you reckon he is?† Ron hissed as they sat down and slid the door shut, taking the seats farthest away from the window. â€Å"Professor R. J. Lupin.† whispered Hermione at once. â€Å"How'd you know that?† â€Å"It's on his case,† she replied, pointing at the luggage rack over the man's head, where there was a small, battered case held together with a large quantity of neatly knotted string. The name Professor R. J. Lupin was stamped across one corner in peeling letters. â€Å"Wonder what he teaches?† said Ron, frowning at Professor Lupin's pallid profile. â€Å"That's obvious,† whispered Hermione. â€Å"There's only one vacancy, isn't there? Defense Against the Dark Arts.† Harry, Ron, and Hermione had already had two Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, both of whom had lasted only one year. There were rumors that the job was jinxed. â€Å"Well, I hope he's up to it,† said Ron doubtfully. â€Å"He looks like on, good hex would finish him off, doesn't he? Anyway†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he turned to Harry, â€Å"what were you going to tell us?† Harry explained all about Mr. and Mrs. Wesley's argument and the warning Mr. Weasley had just given him. When he'd finished, Ron looked thunderstruck, and Hermione had her hands over her mouth. She finally lowered them to say, â€Å"Sirius Black escaped to come after you? Oh, Harry†¦you'll have to be really, really careful. don't go looking for trouble, Harry†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I don't go looking for trouble,† said Harry, nettled. â€Å"Trouble usually finds me.† â€Å"How thick would Harry have to be, to go looking for a nutter who wants to kill him?† said Ron shakily. They were taking the news worse than Harry had expected. Both Ron and Hermione seemed to be much more frightened of Black than he was. â€Å"No one knows how he got out of Azkaban,† said Ron uncomfortably. â€Å"No one's ever done it before. And he was a top-security prisoner too.† â€Å"But they'll catch him, won't they?† said Hermione earnestly. â€Å"I mean, they've got all the Muggles looking out for him too†¦.† â€Å"What's that noise?† said Ron suddenly. A faint, tinny sort of whistle was coming from somewhere. They looked all around the compartment. â€Å"It's coming from your trunk, Harry,† said Ron, standing up and reaching into the luggage rack. A moment later he had pulled the Pocket Sneakoscope out from between Harry's robes. It was spinning very fast in the palm of Ron's hand and glowing brilliantly. â€Å"Is that a Sneakoscope?† said Hermione interestedly, standing up for a better look. â€Å"Yeah†¦mind you, it's a very cheap one,† Ron said. â€Å"It went haywire just as I was tying it to Errol's leg to send it to Harry.† â€Å"Were you doing anything untrustworthy at the time?† said Hermione shrewdly. â€Å"No! Well†¦I wasn't supposed to be using Errol. You know he's not really up to long journeys†¦but how else was I supposed to get Harry's present to him?† â€Å"Stick it back in the trunk,† Harry advised as the Sneakoscope whistled piercingly, â€Å"or it'll wake him up.† He nodded toward Professor Lupin. Ron stuffed the Sneakoscope into a particularly horrible pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks, which deadened the sound, then closed the lid of the trunk on it. â€Å"We could get it checked in Hogsmeade,† said Ron, sitting back down. â€Å"They sell that sort of thing in Dervish and Banges, magical instruments and stuff. Fred and George told me.† â€Å"Do you know much about Hogsmeade?† asked Hermione keenly. â€Å"I've read it's the only entirely non-Muggle settlement in Britain –â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, I think it is,† said Ron in an offhand sort of way. â€Å"but that's not why I want to go. I just want to get inside Honeydukes!† â€Å"What's that?† said Hermione. â€Å"It's this sweetshop,† said Ron, a dreamy look coming over his face, â€Å"where they've got everything†¦Pepper Imps — they make you smoke at the mouth — and great fat Chocoballs full of strawberry mousse and clotted cream, and really excellent sugar quills, which you can suck in class and just look like you're thinking what to write next?C† â€Å"But Hogsmeade's a very interesting place, isn't it?† Hermione pressed on eagerly. â€Å"In Sites of Historical Sorcery it says the inn was the headquarters for the 1612 goblin rebellion, and the Shrieking Shack's supposed to be the most severely haunted building in Britain –â€Å" â€Å"?C and massive sherbet balls that make you levitate a few inches off the ground while you're sucking them,† said Ron, who was plainly not listening to a word Hermione was saying. Hermione looked around at Harry. â€Å"Won't it be nice to get out of school for a bit and explore Hogsmeade?† â€Å"‘Spect it will,† said Harry heavily. â€Å"You'll have to tell me when you've found out.† â€Å"What d'you mean?† said Ron. â€Å"I can't go. The Dursleys didn't sign my permission form, and Fudge wouldn't either.† Ron looked horrified. â€Å"You're not allowed to come? But — no way — McGonagall or someone will give you permission –â€Å" Harry gave a hollow laugh. Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor house, was very strict. â€Å"?C or we can ask Fred and George, they know every secret passage out of the castle –â€Å" â€Å"Ron!† said Hermione sharply. â€Å"I don't think Harry should be sneaking out of the school with Black on the loose –â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, I expect that's what McGonagall will say when I ask of permission,† said Harry bitterly. â€Å"But if we're with him,† said Ron spiritedly to Hermione. â€Å"Black wouldn't dare –â€Å" â€Å"Oh, Ron, don't talk rubbish,† snapped Hermione. â€Å"Black's already murdered a whole bunch of people in the middle of a crowded street, do you really think he's going to worry about attacking Harry just because we're there?† She was fumbling with the straps of Crookshanks's basket as she spoke. â€Å"Don't let that thing out!† Ron said, but too late; Crookshanks leapt lightly from the basket, stretched, yawned, and sprang onto Ron's knees; the lump in Ron's pocket trembled and he shoved Crookshanks angrily away. â€Å"Get out of it!† â€Å"Ron, don't!† said Hermione angrily. Ron was about to answer back when Professor Lupin stirred. They watched him apprehensively, but he simply turned his head the other way, mouth slightly open, and slept on. The Hogwarts Express moved steadily north and the scenery outside the window became wilder and darker while the clouds overhead thickened overhead. People were chasing backwards and forwards past the door of their compartment. Crookshanks had now settled in an empty seat, his squashed face turned towards Ron, his yellow eyes on Ron's top pocket. At one o'clock the plump witch with the food cart arrived at the compartment door. D'you think we should wake him up?† Ron asked awkwardly, nodding towards Professor Lupin. â€Å"He looks like he could do with some food.† Hermione approached Professor Lupin cautiously. â€Å"Er — Professor?† she said. â€Å"Excuse me — Professor?† He didn't move. â€Å"Don't worry, dear,† said the witch, as she handed a large stack of cauldron cakes. â€Å"If he's hungry when he wakes, I'll be up front with the driver.† â€Å"I suppose he is asleep?† said Ron quietly, as the witch slid the compartment door closed. â€Å"I mean — he hasn't died, has he?† â€Å"No, no, he's breathing,† whispered Hermione, taking the cauldron cake Harry passed her. He might not be very good company, but Professor Lupin's presence in their compartment had its uses. Mid-afternoon, just as it had started to rain, blurring the rolling hills outside the window, they heard footsteps outside in the corridor again, and their three least favorite people appeared at the door: Draco Malfoy, flanked by his cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. Draco Malfoy and Harry had been enemies ever since they had met on their very first journey to Hogwarts. Malfoy, who had a pale, pointed, sneering face, was in Slytherin house; he played Seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch team, the same position that Harry played on the Gryffindor team. Crabbe and Goyle seemed to exist to do Malfoy's bidding. They were both wide and muscly; Crabbe was taller, with a pudding-bowl haircut and a very thick neck; Goyle had short, bristly hair and long, gorilla arms. â€Å"Well, look who it is,† said Malfoy in his usual lazy drawl, pulling open the compartment door. â€Å"Potty and the Weasel.† Crabbe and Goyle chuckled trollishly. â€Å"I heard your father finally got his hands on some gold this summer, Weasley,† said Malfoy. â€Å"Did your mother die of shock?† Ron stood up so quickly he knocked Crookshanks's basket to the floor. Professor Lupin gave a snort. â€Å"Who's that?† said Malfoy, taking an automatic step backward as he spotted Lupin. â€Å"New teacher,† said Harry, who got to his feet, too, in case he needed to hold Ron back. â€Å"What were you saying, Malfoy?† Malfoy's pale eyes narrowed; he wasn't fool enough to pick a fight right under a teacher's nose. â€Å"C'mon,† he muttered resentfully to Crabbe and Goyle, and they disappeared. Harry and Ron sat down again, Ron massaging his knuckles. â€Å"I'm not going to take any crap from Malfoy this year,† he said angrily. â€Å"I mean it. If he makes one more crack about my family, I'm going to get hold of his head and –â€Å" Ron made a violent gesture in midair. â€Å"Ron,† hissed Hermione, pointing at Professor Lupin, â€Å"be careful†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But Professor Lupin was still fast asleep. The rain thickened as the train sped yet farther north; the windows were now a solid, shimmering gray, which gradually darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridors and over the luggage racks. The train rattled, the rain hammered, the wind roared, but still, Professor Lupin slept. â€Å"We must be nearly there,† said Ron, leaning forward to look past Professor Lupin at the now completely black window. The words had hardly left him when the train started to slow down. â€Å"Great,† said Ron, getting up and walking carefully past Professor Lupin to try and see outside. â€Å"I'm starving. I want to get to the feast†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"We can't be there yet,† said Hermione, checking her watch. â€Å"So why're we stopping?† The train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain sounded louder than ever against the windows. Harry, who was nearest the door, got up to look into the corridor. All along the carriage, heads were sticking curiously out of their compartments. The train came to a stop with a jolt, and distant thuds and bangs told them that luggage had fallen out of the racks. Then, without warning, all the lamps went out and they were plunged into total darkness. â€Å"What's going on?† said Ron's voice from behind Harry. â€Å"Ouch!† gasped Hermione. â€Å"Ron, that was my foot!† Harry felt his way back to his seat. â€Å"D'you think we've broken down?† â€Å"Dunno†¦Ã¢â‚¬  There was a squeaking sound, and Harry saw the dim black outline of Ron, wiping a patch clean on the window and peering out. â€Å"There's something moving out there,† Ron said. â€Å"I think people are coming aboard†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The compartment door suddenly opened and someone fell painfully over Harry's legs. â€Å"Sorry! D'you know what's going on? Ouch! Sorry –â€Å" â€Å"Hullo, Neville,† said Harry, feeling around in the dark and pulling Neville up by his cloak. â€Å"Harry? Is that you? What's happening?† â€Å"No idea! Sit down –â€Å" There was a loud hissing and a yelp of pain; Neville had tried to sit on Crookshanks. â€Å"I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on,† came Hermione's voice. Harry felt her pass him, heard the door slide open again, and then a thud and two loud squeals of pain. â€Å"Who's that?† â€Å"Who's that?† â€Å"Ginny?† â€Å"Hermione?† â€Å"What are you doing?† â€Å"I was looking for Ron –â€Å" â€Å"Come in and sit down –â€Å" â€Å"Not here!† said Harry hurriedly. â€Å"I'm here!† â€Å"Ouch!† said Neville. â€Å"Quiet!† said a hoarse voice suddenly. Professor Lupin appeared to have woken up at last. Harry could hear movements in his corner. None of them spoke. There was a soft, crackling noise, and a shivering light filled the compartment. Professor Lupin appeared to be holding a handful of flames. They illuminated his tired, gray face, but his eyes looked alert and wary. â€Å"Stay where you are.† he said in the same hoarse voice, and he got slowly to his feet with his handful of fire held out in front of him. But the door slid slowly open before Lupin could reach it. Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the shivering flames in Lupin's hand, was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. Harry's eyes darted downward, and what he saw made his stomach contract. There was a hand protruding from the cloak and it was glistening, grayish, slimy-looking, and scabbed, like something dead that had decayed in water†¦. But it was visible only for a split second. As though the creature beneath the cloak sensed Harry's gaze, the hand was suddenly withdrawn into the folds of its black cloak. And then the thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew a long, slow, rattling breath, as though it were trying to suck something more than air from its surroundings. An intense cold swept over them all. Harry felt his own breath catch in his chest. The cold went deeper than his skin. It was inside his chest, it was inside his very heart†¦ Harry's eyes rolled up into his head. He couldn't see. He was drowning in cold. There was a rushing in his ears as though of water. He was being dragged downward, the roaring growing louder†¦ And then, from far away, he heard screaming, terrible, terrified, pleading screams. He wanted to help whoever it was, he tried to move his arms, but couldn't†¦a thick white fog was swirling around him, inside him — â€Å"Harry! Harry! Are you all right?† Someone was slapping his face. â€Å"W-what?† Harry opened his eyes; there were lanterns above him, and the floor was shaking — the Hogwarts Express was moving again and the lights had come back on. He seemed to have slid out of his seat onto the floor. Ron and Hermione were kneeling next to him, and above them he could see Neville and Professor Lupin watching. Harry felt very sick; when he put up his hand to push his glasses back on, he felt cold sweat on his face. Ron and Hermione heaved him back onto his seat. â€Å"Are you okay?† Ron asked nervously. â€Å"Yeah,† said Harry, looking quickly toward the door. The hooded creature had vanished. â€Å"What happened? Where's that — that thing? Who screamed?† â€Å"No one screamed,† said Ron, more nervously still. Harry looked around the bright compartment. Ginny and Neville looked back at him, both very pale. â€Å"But I heard screaming –â€Å" A loud snap made them all jump. Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces. â€Å"Here,† he said to Harry, handing him a particularly large piece. â€Å"Eat it. It'll help.† Harry took the chocolate but didn't eat it. â€Å"What was that thing?† he asked Lupin. â€Å"A Dementor,† said Lupin, who was now giving chocolate to everyone else. â€Å"One of the Dementors of Azkaban.† Everyone stared at him. Professor Lupin crumpled up the empty chocolate wrapper and put it in his pocket. â€Å"Eat,† he repeated. â€Å"It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He strolled past Harry and disappeared into the corridor. â€Å"Are you sure you're okay, Harry?† said Hermione, watching Harry anxiously. â€Å"I don't get it †¦ what happened?† said Harry, wiping more sweat off his face. â€Å"Well — that thing — the Dementor — stood there and looked around (I mean, I think it did, I couldn't see its face) — and you — you –â€Å" â€Å"I thought you were having a fit or something,† said Ron, who still looked scared. â€Å"You went sort of rigid and fell out of your seat and started twitching –â€Å" â€Å"And Professor Lupin stepped over you, and walked toward the Dementor, and pulled out his wand,† said Hermione, â€Å"and he said, ‘None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go.' But the Dementor didn't move, so Lupin muttered something, and a silvery thing shot out of his wand at it, and it turned around and sort of glided away†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It was horrible,† said Neville, in a higher voice than usual. â€Å"Did you feel how cold it got when it came in?† â€Å"I felt weird,† said Ron, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably. â€Å"Like I'd never be cheerful again†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Ginny, who was huddled in her corner looking nearly as bad as Harry felt, gave a small sob; Hermione went over and put a comforting arm around her. â€Å"But didn't any of you — fall off your seats?† said Harry awkwardly. â€Å"No,† said Ron, looking anxiously at Harry again. â€Å"Ginny was shaking like mad, though†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry didn't understand. He felt weak and shivery, as though he were recovering from a bad bout of flu; he also felt the beginnings of shame. Why had he gone to pieces like that, when no one else had? Professor Lupin had come back. He paused as he entered, looked around, and said, with a small smile, â€Å"I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry took a bite and to his great surprise felt warmth spread suddenly to the tips of his fingers and toes. â€Å"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes,† said Professor Lupin. â€Å"Are you all right, Harry?† Harry didn't ask how Professor Lupin knew his name. â€Å"Fine,† he muttered, embarrassed. They didn't talk much during the remainder of the journey. At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and there was a great scramble to get outside; owls hooted, cats meowed, and Neville's pet toad croaked loudly from under his hat. It was freezing on the tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets. â€Å"Firs' years this way!† called a familiar voice. Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned and saw the gigantic outline of Hagrid at the other end of the platform, beckoning the terrified-looking new students forward for their traditional journey across the lake. â€Å"All right, you three?† Hagrid yelled over the heads of the crowd. They waved at him, but had no chance to speak to him because the mass of people around them was shunting them away along the platform. Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the school along the platform and out onto a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students, each pulled, Harry could only assume, by an invisible horse, because when they climbed inside and shut the door, the coach set off all by itself, bumping and swaying in procession. The coach smelled faintly of mold and straw. Harry felt better since the chocolate, but still weak. Ron and Hermione kept looking at him sideways, as though frightened he might collapse again. As the carriage trundled toward a pair of magnificent wrought iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, Harry saw two more towering, hooded Dementors, standing guard on either side. A wave of cold sickness threatened to engulf him again; he leaned back into the lumpy seat and closed his eyes until they had passed the gates. The carriage picked up speed on the long, sloping drive up to the castle; Hermione was leaning out of the tiny window, watching the many turrets and towers draw nearer. At last, the carriage swayed to a halt, and Hermione and Ron got out. As Harry stepped down, a drawling, delighted voice sounded in his ear. â€Å"You fainted, Potter? Is Longbottorn telling the truth? You actually fainted?† Malfoy elbowed past Hermione to block Harry's way up the stone steps to the castle, his face gleeful and his pale eyes glinting maliciously. â€Å"Shove off, Malfoy,† said Ron, whose jaw was clenched. â€Å"Did you faint as well, Weasley?† said Malfoy loudly. â€Å"Did the scary old Dementor frighten you too, Weasley?† â€Å"Is there a problem?† said a mild voice. Professor Lupin had just gotten out of the next carriage. Malfoy gave Professor Lupin an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes and the dilapidated suitcase. With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, â€Å"Oh, no — er — Professor,† then he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle and led them up the steps into the castle. Hermione prodded Ron in the back to make him hurry, and the three of them joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, into the cavernous Entrance Hall, which was lit with flaming torches, and housed a magnificent marble staircase that led to the upper floors. The door into the Great Hall stood open at the right; Harry followed the crowd toward it, but had barely glimpsed the enchanted ceiling, which was black and cloudy tonight, when a voice called, â€Å"Potter! Granger! I want to see you both!† Harry and Hermione turned around, surprised. Professor McGonagall, Transfiguration teacher and head of Gryffindor House, was calling over the heads of the crowd. She was a stern looking witch who wore her hair in a tight bun; her sharp eyes were framed with square spectacles. Harry fought his way over to her with a feeling of foreboding: Professor McGonagall had a way of making him feel he must have done something wrong. â€Å"There's no need to look so worried — I just want a word in my office,† she told them. â€Å"Move along there, Weasley.† Ron stared as Professor McGonagall ushered Harry and Hermione away from the chattering crowd; they accompanied her across the entrance hall, up the marble staircase, and along a corridor. Once they were in her office, a small room with a large, welcoming fire, Professor McGonagall motioned Harry and Hermione to sit down. She settled herself behind her desk and said abruptly, â€Å"Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you were taken ill on the train, Potter.† Before Harry could reply, there was a soft knock on the door and Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, came bustling in. Harry felt himself going red in the face. It was bad enough that he'd passed out, or whatever he had done, without everyone making all this fuss. â€Å"I'm fine,† he said, â€Å"I don't need anything –â€Å" â€Å"Oh, it's you, is it?† said Madam Pomfrey, ignoring this and bending down to stare closely at him. â€Å"I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again?† â€Å"It was a Dementor, Poppy,† said Professor McGonagall. They exchanged a dark look, and Madam Pomfrey clucked disapprovingly. â€Å"Setting Dementors around a school, she muttered, pushing back Harry's hair and feeling his forehead. â€Å"He won't be the last one who collapses. Yes, he's all clammy. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate –â€Å" â€Å"I'm not delicate!† said Harry crossly. â€Å"Of course you're not,† said Madam Pomfrey absentmindedly, now taking his pulse. â€Å"What does he need?† said Professor McGonagall crisply. â€Å"Bed rest? Should he perhaps spend tonight in the hospital wing?† â€Å"I'm fine!† said Harry, jumping up. The thought of what Draco Malfoy would say if he had to go to the hospital wing was torture. â€Å"Well, he should have some chocolate, at the very least,† said Madam Pomfrey, who was now trying to peer into Harry's eyes. â€Å"I've already had some,† said Harry. â€Å"Professor Lupin gave me some. He gave it to all of us.† â€Å"Did he, now?† said Madam Pomfrey approvingly. â€Å"So we've finally got a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies?† â€Å"Are you sure you feel all right, Potter?† Professor McGonagall said sharply. â€Å"Yes,† said Harry. â€Å"Very well. Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss Granger about her course schedule, then we can go down to the feast together.† Harry went back into the corridor with Madam Pomfrey, who left for the hospital wing, muttering to herself. He had to wait only a few minutes; then Hermione emerged looking very happy about something, followed by Professor McGonagall, and the three of them made their way back down the marble staircase to the Great Hall. It was a sea of pointed black hats; each of the long House tables was lined with students, their faces glimmering by the light of thousands of candles, which were floating over the tables in midair. Professor Flitwick, who was a tiny little wizard with a shock of white hair, was carrying an ancient hat and a three-legged stool out of the hall. â€Å"Oh,† said Hermione softly, â€Å"we've missed the Sorting!† New students at Hogwarts were sorted into Houses by trying on the Sorting Hat, which shouted out the House they were best suited to (Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin). Professor McGonagall strode off toward her empty seat at the staff table, and Harry and Hermione set off in the other direction, as quietly as possible, toward the Gryffindor table. People looked around at them as they passed along the back of the hall, and a few of them pointed at Harry. Had the story of his collapsing in front of the Dementor traveled that fast? He and Hermione sat down on either side of Ron, who had saved them seats. â€Å"What was all that about?† he muttered to Harry. Harry started to explain in a whisper, but at that moment the headmaster stood up to speak, and he broke off. Professor Dumbledore, though very old, always gave an impression of great energy. He had several feet of long silver hair and beard, half-moon spectacles, and an extremely crooked nose. He was often described as the greatest wizard of the age, but that wasn't why Harry respected him. You couldn't help trusting Albus Dumbledore, and as Harry watched him beaming around at the students, he felt really calm for the first time since the Dementor had entered the train compartment. â€Å"Welcome!† said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. â€Å"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, â€Å"As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business.† He paused, and Harry remembered what Mr. Weasley had said about Dumbledore not being happy with the Dementors guarding the school. â€Å"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds,† Dumbledore continued, â€Å"and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises — or even Invisibility Cloaks,† he added blandly, and Harry and Ron glanced at each other. â€Å"It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the Dementors,† he said. Percy, who was sitting a few seats down from Harry, puffed out his chest again and stared around impressively. Dumbledore paused again; he looked very seriously around the hall, and nobody moved or made a sound. â€Å"On a happier note,† he continued, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. â€Å"First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.† There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic applause. Only those who had been in the compartment on the train with Professor Lupin clapped hard, Harry among them. Professor Lupin looked particularly shabby next to all the other teachers in their best robes. â€Å"Look at Snape!† Ron hissed in Harry's ear. Professor Snape, the Potions master, was staring along the staff table at Professor Lupin. It was common knowledge that Snape wanted the Defense Against the Dark Arts job, but even Harry, who hated Snape, was startled at the expression twisting his thin, sallow face. it was beyond anger: it was loathing. Harry knew that expression only too well; it was the look Snape wore every time he set eyes on Harry. â€Å"As to our second new appointment,† Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away. â€Å"Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties.† Harry, Ron, and Hermione stared at one another, stunned. Then they joined in with the applause, which was tumultuous at the Gryffindor table in particular. Harry leaned forward to see Hagrid, who was ruby red in the face and staring down at his enormous hands, his wide grin hidden in the tangle of his black beard. â€Å"We should've known!† Ron roared, pounding the table. â€Å"Who else would have assigned us a biting book?† Harry, Ron, and Hermione were the last to stop clapping, and as Professor Dumbledore started speaking again, they saw that Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth. â€Å"Well, I think that's everything of importance,† said Dumbledore. â€Å"Let the feast begin!† The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink. Harry, suddenly ravenous, helped himself to everything he could reach and began to eat. It was a delicious feast; the hall echoed with talk, laughter, and the clatter of knives and forks. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, however, were eager for it to finish so that they could talk to Hagrid. They knew how much being made a teacher would mean to him. Hagrid wasn't a fully qualified wizard; he had been expelled from Hogwarts in his third year for a crime he had not committed. It had been Harry, Ron, and Hermione who had cleared Hagrid's name last year. At long last, when the last morsels of pumpkin tart had melted from the golden platters, Dumbledore gave the word that it was time for them all to go to bed, and they got their chance. â€Å"Congratulations, Hagrid!† Hermione squealed as they reached the teachers' table. â€Å"All down ter you three,† said Hagrid, wiping his shining face on his napkin as he looked up at them. â€Å"Can' believe it†¦great man, Dumbledore†¦came straight down to me hut after Professor Kettleburn said he'd had enough†¦It's what I always wanted†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Overcome with emotion, he buried his face in his napkin, and Professor McGonagall shooed them away. Harry, Ron, and Hermione joined the Gryffindors streaming up the marble staircase and, very tired now, along more corridors, up more and more stairs, to the hidden entrance to Gryffindor Tower, where a large portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress asked them, â€Å"Password?† â€Å"Coming through, coming through!† Percy called from behind the crowd. â€Å"The new password's Fortuna Major!† â€Å"Oh no,† said Neville Longbottom sadly. He always had trouble remembering the passwords. Through the portrait hole and across the common room, the girls and boys divided toward their separate staircases. Harry climbed the spiral stair with no thought in his head except how glad he was to be back. They reached their familiar, circular dormitory with its five four-poster beds, and Harry, looking around, felt he was home at last.