Cloning :: essays research papers fc

Cloning is a major issue now. Numerous contentions are going on about cloning people being unethical. In any case, what is cloning? Cloning is at least one posterity from a solitary predecessor; the hereditary structure from the precursor is indistinguishable from the posterity. No sex is engaged with the creation of clones, and since sex is the typical methods by which new hereditary material is presented during multiplication, clones must choose between limited options having indistinguishable qualities from their solitary parent. A clone of cells alludes to the relatives of a solitary parent cell. Tumors are really clones as well. They are gotten from one cell that no longer complies with the typical principles of development control. Corals are another case of clones. Indistinguishable twins are even clones that are created by parting of a solitary undeveloped organism. So to keep it straightforward, individuals from a clone are hereditarily indistinguishable. Here is a graph of how cloning is experimentally done.      The advantages of cloning may incorporate, building a mass armed force of carbon copies or reproducing Einstein or Elvis. You could clone domesticated animals for consistent supplies of food. There is no assurance that the principal cloned human will be ordinary. The embryo may get some issue or handicap that can’t be perceivable by ultrasound. They may be brought into the world incapacitated. Disarranges may appear later in their life. Such issues have been seen in other cloned warm blooded animals, for example, conceptive issues. There is no motivation to that this won’t occur in a humans’ case. Enormous scope cloning could dispense with hereditary innovation. It is assorted variety that causes advancement and adjustment. It keeps a whole species from vanishing due to a malady. The individuals out there who are childless in light of an uncommon innate illness would have the option to create posterity that were hereditarily theirs. In any case, on the off chance that the cloned sheep â€Å"Dolly† were anything to pass by, at that point short of what one out of many achievement rate would cause numerous issues. All the more critically, it is very conceivable that cloned people will end up being in danger. We don't yet realize the drawn out impacts of making an old grown-up cell core to start another life again in an egg. Cloning :: expositions research papers fc Cloning is a major issue now. Numerous contentions are going on about cloning people being shameless. In any case, what is cloning? Cloning is at least one posterity from a solitary progenitor; the hereditary structure from the predecessor is indistinguishable from the posterity. No sex is engaged with the creation of clones, and since sex is the ordinary methods by which new hereditary material is presented during reproduction, clones must choose between limited options having indistinguishable qualities from their lone parent. A clone of cells alludes to the relatives of a solitary parent cell. Tumors are really clones as well. They are gotten from one cell that no longer complies with the typical guidelines of development control. Corals are another case of clones. Indistinguishable twins are even clones that are delivered by parting of a solitary incipient organism. So to keep it basic, individuals from a clone are hereditarily indistinguishable. Here is a graph of how cloning is experimentally done.      The advantages of cloning may incorporate, building a mass armed force of carbon copies or reproducing Einstein or Elvis. You could clone domesticated animals for consistent supplies of food. There is no assurance that the main cloned human will be ordinary. The baby may get some issue or incapacity that can’t be discernible by ultrasound. They may be brought into the world crippled. Scatters may appear later in their life. Such issues have been seen in other cloned warm blooded creatures, for example, regenerative issues. There is no motivation to that this won’t occur in a humans’ case. Enormous scope cloning could dispense with hereditary creativity. It is decent variety that causes advancement and adjustment. It keeps a whole species from vanishing in view of a malady. The individuals out there who are childless in light of an uncommon inherited ailment would have the option to deliver posterity that were hereditarily theirs. Be that as it may, in the event that the cloned sheep â€Å"Dolly† were anything to pass by, at that point short of what one out of many achievement rate would cause numerous issues. All the more significantly, it is very conceivable that cloned people will end up being in danger. We don't yet realize the drawn out impacts of making an old grown-up cell core to start another life again in an egg.

Recitations free essay sample

Once upon a late morning dim, while I considered curious and merry, Over a new andwitful paper to add to Yale legend Still I contemplated, about yapping, whensuddenly there came a tapping As of somebody tenderly rapping, rapping at myclassroom entryway. Tis the advisor, I mumbled, tapping atmy study hall entryway. Just her and nobody more. Ok, particularly Iconjecture, it was an individual come to address, Also, her subjects insignificant texturewrought a stun into my center. Energetically I wished induction vainly I hadsought liberation For her books I saw a deterrent with grades and scores,I required more. For the individuals who need, with grades and scores, I required more. Gracious, how I yearned for a piece of Yale legend. Furthermore, the delicate lavish intrepidmanner in her educating strategy Willed me talented me in innovative essayshoping that Id overflow. With the goal that currently, to even now the reproducing of my work, Iheard her paying attention to, Presently dont go overweening or youll make thosereading sore; They dont need seeping from an edgy understudy at theirdoor. We will compose a custom article test on Recitations or on the other hand any comparative theme explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page One idea hit me at that point like none had hit previously. Quicklymy plan became more grounded; delaying then no more, Reason me, saidI, yet what of verse by the score? Without a doubt I will go forengineering, yet it is by my raising That the confirmations individuals are hearing,hearing of abilities past science center. In the event that that is your wish,she stated, moved now a study hall down an entryway. Thus started my work of poeticlore. Profound into my life at that point peering, long I remained there wondering,fearing Questioning, however dreaming longs for joy exiting thatdoor. My optimal was solid, and in my brain there was a token, Of the wordsmy mother had spoken, of my work, what an errand. This I murmured andmy mind rehashed, what an errand As was the means by which I started and now, somemore. Once more into my home returning, two kin toward the back my folks scorning After four years in preschool, all life restored at that learnings entryway. In those long periods of learning first, I was with school totally submerged; Yet at the same time I felt about reviled when break got and I not out that entryway. On this I reflect and still wish out that break entryway. Tis then as nowforevermore. On spent the years so rapidly I could rare keep track thedays passed by, Of sports and dramatization to math school, acknowledgment at that point based onscore. Too early my inclinations conveyed me, onto side interests what wedded me, To one whose interests despite the fact that faltered be, anticipates substantially more Who elsesculpts Legos like one with dirt, blending decision pieces from the store? Wantonto make, yet continually requiring more. I investigate my future grinning, myembrace is presently overwhelming Achievement accomplished by difficult work and ethicalness is what Iadore. At the point when one by extraordinary thought communicates and by its kindness closes saidduresses By Poes rhyme conspire, this tends to my motivation as I nowoutpour To pass on a feeling of who I am and add this idea to Yale legend. Presently said this, I will compose no more.

Extended Essay Topics - Chemicals

Extended Essay Topics - ChemicalsChemicals - often one of the most difficult topics to write about in an extended essay. Many students will skip this topic altogether, especially if it is not their strong suit. However, if the topic does not appeal to you, then it is worthwhile writing about it. And there are several ways that you can approach this topic.One thing that can be done is to write a chemistry essay on the human anatomy section. This is a good starting point for someone who is writing about chemistry for a first time. It allows them to get a feel for how chemistry works in the real world. They will also be introduced to some topics that are of interest to people and include topics such as the chemistry of the brain and the chemistry of the skin.The next thing that can be done is to write a chemistry essay on what is needed to make a good subject. This is a great way to prepare for the chemistry course that you may be taking at school. Instead of making a whole essay about the chemistry behind oranges, you can use this introduction to gain information about the different types of oranges and how they work. By doing this, you will be introducing yourself to some of the chemistry that is found in oranges. And by learning a little bit about this type of chemistry, you will also be prepared for the end of the course when you need to be familiar with the basics of chemistry.Another way to begin writing a chemistry essay that will appeal to many students is to use common sense as well as logical reasoning. You will need to learn how the things in life work and that can be done by taking a few classes or reading up on them. You will be able to learn how to think logically and follow directions.When you have a greater understanding of how things work, you will be able to write an essay that has a broader appeal and has more relevance to other different chemical reactions. This is why learning how to do this is so important and should be part of your studies.W riting a good chemistry essay requires a good grasp of the whole course of study and how the subject relates to the course of study. This is not something that can be learned by taking a class. It will be learned by understanding the subject as a whole.In order to do this, you will need to spend some time researching chemistry in order to learn the concepts and principles of chemistry. You will also need to get a good grasp of how chemistry works, and you will have to learn the rules and regulations that surround it and the different types of chemicals that will be used to create various types of materials.The science of chemistry requires that you understand the basics of the subject. This will allow you to know when to include background information and when to leave it out. The easiest way to get through the chemistry course you are taking is to be familiar with the facts and the principles of chemistry and to be able to make connections between the different types of chemicals t hat you will be working with and between the different chemical reactions that you will be required to research.

Crude Oil Last 10 Years - 4918 Words

INTRODUCTION The role of petroleum products in our lives is unquestionable. It is safe to say that oil is the cornerstone of our civilization. A pessimist might argue that without oil our industrial society will collapse and there will be rapid decline in the world population. But again that is a pessimist’s view, personally we would like to think that we will in near future find other energy sources on which we can depend and build our civilization to reach the next milestone. In this report we have tried to highlight the fluctuations of crude oil during the period of 2001-10. The scope of this report is limited only to this period as we believe that events that took place during this decade had the potential to change the oil game so†¦show more content†¦Thus the oil market participants – producers, refiners, marketers, and traders – would not have one of their bases for setting prices in their contracts and other transactions. It does not appear that the oil industry was materially affected by the closing of the Nymex, which, in any event, resumed all operations in about one week. While the immediate effect of the attacks on petroleum markets was to drive prices up, market forces – reflecting little change in supply and demand – acted quickly, and crude oil prices eased within little more than a week. Average crude oil prices paid by U.S. refiners actually declined for the month of September 2001 – falling to $ 20.82 per barrel from $24.08 in the previous month. 2002: After moving lower in 2001, crude oil prices moved higher in 2002 reaching over $30 per barrel in September 2002. Higher prices were supported by a number of factors. One was the ongoing U.S. war on terrorism and rising tensions with Iraq. There was the likely potential that military action would be taken against Iraq that would disrupt the supply of crude oil to the market. With that issue still not settled as 2002 drew to a close, crude oil prices continued to find support. While there were factors supporting higher prices, there were also factors working against them. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) after a meeting in 2001 agreed that production of oil would be cut. TheShow MoreRelatedOil Prices And Rise And Fall Of Chinese Economy Essay1125 Words   |  5 PagesFalling crude oil prices and rise and fall of Chinese economy Who’s afraid of falling crude oil prices? Isn’t it something to celebrate from the consumers’ point of view, especially in the Asian region! The answer is perhaps â€Å"no†. Though the debate over the impact of plunge in crude oil price and its implications will continue for long, nothing can be said with fair amount of certainty as long as its link with the slowdown of Chinese economy. A substantial amount of work is being carried out by theRead MoreOil Gas Price Evolution1625 Words   |  7 PagesMoves the Oil and Gas Price? Why are oil prices and gas prices so dramatically increased in the last view years? Oil and gas price will maintain the current level or rise in the next years because of the world economy, an increased demand on oil and its production costs, the gas demand, and the investment in developing alternative energy sources. How long will the oil reserves last? It is currently estimated that the oil reserves in the United States will last for 20 to 30 years, butRead MoreOil And Demand For Oil1174 Words   |  5 PagesCrude oil is one of the most economically mature commodity markets in the world. Even though most crude oil is produced by a relatively small number of companies, and often in remote locations that are very far from the point of consumption but it is shipped all over the world. The global supply and demand determines prices for oil. Events around the world can affect the prices at our home for oil-based energy. OPEC, the large oil-producing cartel, does have the ability to influence world pricesRead MoreManaging Crude Oil Using Derivatives1604 Words   |  7 PagesMANAGING CRUDE OIL USING DERIVATIVES The present price markers for crude oil are WTI, Brent and Dubai/Oman. The crude oil derivatives contracts are traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX). The exchange acts as a regulatory body and as a financial trading forum for all the parties interested in buying the options. Members of the exchange carry out the trades themselves, or they act on behalf of the firms they represent through an open outcry auction held in the trading room or the floorRead MoreThe Economy Of The Oil Industry952 Words   |  4 Pagesthe last years, the oil industry practiced its deepest recession since 1990s. That being said, the recovery for this industry finally starts getting better. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries approved to change the production last year, 2016. This arrangement has been holding over to this year, with oil prices increasing for the past several months. But in recent weeks, United States records have been found greater oil prices have been faded. Ex perts think it will be years beforeRead MoreEconomic Issues Independent Research Assignment965 Words   |  4 Pages Year 10 Commerce Economic Issues Independent Research Assignment Cover sheet Submitted by: Alex Dicembre Word Count: 938 Contents page Executive summary This report will consist of the causes and consequences of the changing price of WTI crude oil and recent trends in the global price of oil. It will also include the effects of the ever-changing price of oil on individuals, business firms, governments and the economy. Data PriceRead MoreOil Drilling and Gas Extraction Industry in the US Analysis1242 Words   |  5 PagesConnor Sims, Associate SUBJECT: Oil Drilling amp; Gas Extraction Industry in the US Analysis (21111) This report presents information regarding the industry, the primary operator of oil and gas field properties. The industry fuels its key buyers, the Natural Gas Distribution (22121) and the Petroleum Refining (32411) industries, with crude oil and natural gas. The industry continuously battles a shortage of available oil. In addition, many major oil fields have been in use for decades, slowlyRead MoreThe Price Of Gasoline Prices1662 Words   |  7 PagesIn the last ten years, gasoline prices have been increasing in Canada. Consumer spending on gasoline holds a large amount of total household expenditures. In 2009, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) calculated on average that Canadians spent about six percent of their total household budget on gasoline (Statistics Canada, 2013). Therefore, gasoline prices changes on consumer price inflation. In order to make gasoline, crude oil and refineries are required. When examined, gasoline and crude oil are twoRead MoreBusa 3000 Country Paper1518 Words   |  7 Pagesis in need of policies to modernize the economy and create banking reform (U.S. Department of State). The current GNI – PPP is $283 billion USD, with the per capita around $8,110 (Google Public Data). The major natural resources in Algeria are crude oil and natural gas, produced since the 1950s (World Desk Reference). These are also the country’s major exports, totaling $57.19 billion USD in 2010. Algeria’s top export partners are the United States, Italy, Spain, France, Netherlands, Canada, andRead MoreThe Oil And Its Effects On The Economy1390 Words   |  6 PagesWe go to know on the ecuadorian oil situation, his commercialisation to national and international level, analyse the diverse systems of exploitation that at present are treated of unsuitable form and with big deficiencies in the state field Know on the functions that operate at present in Petroecuador, and his result in the Ecuadorian economy. Know those who find mayorme nte benefited with the resource of the oil in the Ecuador, and as they find structured said advantages as they were the one of

Internet Censorship and Government Regulation Essay

These days the internet has become an essential part to living for almost everyone but one of the controversial topics that people bring up is that whether or not the government should regulate information on the internet. Both sides have valid points which form a reasonable argument. Some people would say that they need to because of the dangers lurking around in the cyber world but the reasons for why the government shouldn’t regulate the Internet outnumber the reasons for why they should. The federal government should not regulate or censor information on the internet because doing so violates the first amendment and citizen’s right to privacy, degrades the educational value of the web, prevents the promotion and facilitation of†¦show more content†¦In 2011, several people started a â€Å"Don’t Filter Me project.† They wanted to remove the web filters on the school computers that blocked several educational sites. They filed lawsuits and demand ed that they unblock these sites and take away the web filters. Also another group of people petitioned the Supreme Court to strike down the Communications Decency Act in Reno v. ACLU in 1997. As a result, the court granted the â€Å"highest level of First Amendment protection to the internet.† Also in 2004, the Supreme Court â€Å"announced that it will not hear government’s appeal of a ban on the Child Online Protection Act.† They thought of this as a violation of the First Amendment (Internet Censorship 1). Once again, it would be common sense to allow someone their first amendment and privacy rights. Without these rights, the people would never be able to truly express their ideas to the public. If the government censored the internet, people would not be able to publish what they wanted to because of the internet regulation. Instead of thinking creatively and coming up with new ideas, people would have to follow regulations. This could be a danger to society because it would hinder the people from succeeding, evolving, and gaining more information. This is why people should be allowed to think freely without the federal government censoring and regulating the internet (Redwin 3). This country started on the foundation and basis of freedom so it should be kept thatShow MoreRelatedInternet Censorship in China Essay937 Words   |  4 Pagesamong numerous other sites, regularly. The internet is open and uncensored for the most part, other than parental controls. In China, most, if not all of those types of sites are or have been blocked. As in, you could not go to them, unless you found some way around the web filters and firewalls the Chinese government runs in their country. While China defends their practice of internet censorship, based on â€Å"protecting† the people, heavy internet censorship is a block to free speech and impedes economicRead MoreThe Censorship Of The Government In The Chinese Government1070 Words   |  5 Pagesbeliefs and be closed off to democratic societies. The Chinese government has successfully blocked out information such as the Taiwanese Independence and information of about the 1989 killings in Tiananmen Square (Rauhala 2016). They believe that this creates a â€Å"healthy internet† however this policy only impedes free speech. They believe that this creates a â€Å"healthy internet† however this policy only impedes free speech. The censorship of people was the ultimate goal of the legislation and while they Read MoreCensorship And Censorship Of The Internet985 Words   |  4 Pagesissue of Censorship of the Internet in America has become a trending topic. The internet has been commonly censored to comply with the Digital Millennium Rights Act, but in recent times our government has been requesting more aggressive censorship in order to provide a safer cyberspace. If the American government began to censor the internet, the restriction will result in suppression of freedom of the press, hindering freedom of speech, and reduce the plethora of information on the internet. If AmericaRead MoreA Famous Phrase Attributed To Deng Xiaoping Is The Following:1336 Words   |  6 Pagesreforms have softened the sharpest edges of these past regimes but the governments still retain enormous power over the people. Russia and China limit popular sovereignty in a variety of ways. Both see political freedom and liberty as threats to government sovereignty. Internet regulation, or mainly censorship, is a method both countries employ to limit the influx of foreign, â€Å"western† ideas that could threaten the government and the political culture. While there is little doubt that Russia’s systemRead MoreCensorship Of The World Wide Web1326 Words   |  6 Pagesconcerns for government authorities. Sharing information is a powerful tool, and too much of it will make any government nervous. Censorship of information has had a long history throughout the world. In ancient China for example, censorship was considered a legitimate instrument for regulating the moral and political life of the population (Newth). Even today, the Chinese government has full authority to censor anything on the web. Western societies also have a long history of censorship. The originRead MoreThe Dark Web : The Deep Web Essay1696 Words   |  7 Pagesusage. The dark web essentially creates a difficult to track, anonymous internet browsing session by using proxies and other methods. The dark web allows information and data to be gathered and utilized without the user having knowledge as to where the data had come from. Using a proxy makes the user s IP address constantly change so that they cannot be tracked easily. The main argument involving the dark web is if the government should attempt to regulate and monitor the dark web in the effort toRead MoreCensorship on the Internet Essay908 Words à ‚  |  4 PagesCensorship on the Internet Five years after the first world wide web was launched at the end of 1991, The Internet has become very popular in the United States. Although President Clinton already signed the 1996 Telecommunication ActI on Thursday Feb 8, 1996, the censorship issue on the net still remains unresolved. In fact, censorship in cyberspace is unconscionable and impossible. Trying to censor the Internet its problematic because the net is an international issue, there is no standard forRead More Government Intervention On The Internet Essay1398 Words   |  6 Pages Government Intervention on the Internet nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;During the last decade, our society has become based on the sole ability to move large amounts of information across great distances quickly. Computerization has influenced everyones life in numerous ways. The natural evolution of computer technology and this need for ultra-fast communications has caused a global network of interconnected computers to develop. This global network allows a person to send E-mail acrossRead More Should the Internet be censored? Essay861 Words   |  4 Pages Should the Internet be censored? From colonial times to the present, the media in America has been subject to censorship challenges and regulations. The Internet has become a vast sea of opportunity. Everyone is seizing the moment. The good and the bad of society have reduced the meaning of the Internet. Menace threatens each onlooker, as people browse the many pages of Cyberspace. As the new technological advances help to shape our society, one cannot help but think of the dangers waiting to preyRead MoreGovernment Internet Censorship of China1195 Words   |  5 PagesGovernment Internet Censorship of China The Internet is also called â€Å"Information superhighway† because of the limitless amount of data that one person can access from it. The fact is not all of us can access the Internet like what it is. There are many roadblocks on the superhighway in form of â€Å"Internet Censorship†. There are several kinds of motivations for censorship. It ranges from keeping children away from undesirable content to a government control of nation’s access of information. In

Wolfgang Keller at Konigsbrau-Tak Essay example - 1048 Words

Wolfgang Keller graduated from Harvard Business School at the age of 34 and soon after experienced instantaneous business success in the food manufacturing industry. Keller, drawn to turn around opportunities departed the food manufacturing industry for Konigsbrau brewing. Keller accepted the role of managing director of Konigsbrau subsidiary in the Ukraine. Keller applied his hands on style of management, which brought earning success to the suffering subsidiary. Keller seemed to be on the successful pathway only to realize he had not yet developed leadership skills that would facilitate his relationship with Dmitri Brodsky. Brodsky, the commercial director presented a management style polar opposite to that of Keller. Keller,†¦show more content†¦Jack Welch stated, Leaders relentlessly upgrade their team, using every encounter as an opportunity to evaluate, coach, and build self-confidence (2005, p. 63). Keller obviously missed opportunities to apply this leadership rule in working with Brodsky. Missed opportunities evidenced by the explosive exchanges during Brodsky’s evaluations. These explosive exchanges happened not one year but two years running. In Winning, Jack Welch states, â€Å"Too often managers think that people development occurs once a year in the performance reviews† (2005, p. 66). Had Keller taken occasion to evaluate Brodsky’s performance on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis the evaluation presentation would not have been a surprise to Brodsky. Brodsky’s attempt to discuss a pending lawsuit against Konigsbrau presented by a distributer with no success represents the last opportunity lost we will discuss. Keller, leaving Brodsky in the dark took it upon himself to discuss the lawsuit with the disgruntled distributer. Keller was successful in his discussion but failed again as a leader. Welch states, Self-confidence energizes, and it gives your people the courage to stretch, take risks, and ac hieve beyond their dreams. It is the fuel of winning teams (2005, p. 66). Had Keller taken the time to apply the first rule of leadership, Keller’s success as a leaderShow MoreRelatedWolfgang Keller at Kà ¶nigsbrà ¤u-Tak (a)1462 Words   |  6 PagesI. Introduction Problem Definition Kà ¶nigsbrà ¤u A.G., which was a Munich-based brewer company, has subsidiary in Ukrainian. Wolfgang Keller who is the managing director of Ukrainian subsidiary with having succeeded as a hands-on manager, worked for food manufacturing companies in the past. He generally took his success with effective solutions such as changing marketing strategy, reconfiguring the sales force, hiring a new top-management and many others. As a result of this effort, he set one’sRead MoreWolfgang Keller at Konigsbrau-Tak (a)1224 Words   |  5 PagesNathan Johnson Case Analysis MGT 400 – 10/13/09 Wolfgang Keller at Konigsbrau-TAK (A) 1) What is your assessment of Brodsky’s performance? Please be specific. The first point of concern regarding Brodsky’s performance that I saw was Keller’s description of how long it took Brodsky to complete a project or task. As Keller highlighted Brodsky’s great analytical skills with regards to how he redesigned the sales force organization and the development of a comprehensive set of information and controlRead MoreWolf Case7243 Words   |  29 PagesOCTOBER 17, 2008 JOHN J. GABARRO Wolfgang Keller at Kà ¶nigsbrà ¤u-TAK (A) After a two-month temporary assignment in Brazil, Wolfgang (Wolf) Keller was returning to Europe, where he would meet his family in Switzerland for a 10-day ski vacation. His boss, Dr. Hans Hà ¤ussler, had insisted that he take the time off before returning to Ukraine, where Keller was managing director1 of Kà ¶nigsbrà ¤u’s Ukrainian subsidiary, Kà ¶nigsbrà ¤u-TAK A.E. The parent corporation, Kà ¶nigsbrà ¤u A.G., was a Munich-based brewer ofRead MoreWolfgang Keller Case Analysis Essay1428 Words   |  6 PagesWolfgang Keller Case Analysis MBA-6120 Abstract Wolfgang Keller is a 34 year old graduate of the Harvard Business School. After a fast moving career building a reputation for turning around failing businesses, Wolfgang Keller once again found himself facing the challenge of turning around a losing business. This time it was as managing director of the Ukrainian subsidy of the Konigsbrau Brewery. The company was experiencing â‚ ¬2.9 million per year with annual sales of â‚ ¬116 millionRead MoreEssay on Management and Wolfgang Keller1212 Words   |  5 PagesQuestions for Wolfgang Keller Case 1) Who is Wolfgang Keller? What are his key strengths and weaknesses? Wolfgang Keller is the Managing Director of Konigsbrau-TAK, which is the Ukranian subsidiary of a major premium beer brewer. Keller has previous experience in financially turning around a German food product manufacturer’s two subsidiaries (relatively smaller in scale than his current organization). Keller’s foremost strength is his ability to turn around an apparently difficultRead MoreMy Assessment of Brodsky’s Performance Essay896 Words   |  4 PagesWolfgang Keller at Konigsbrau-TAK (A) 1) What is your assessment of Brodsky’s performance? Please be specific. One of the main problems regarding Brodsky’s performance that I saw was the amount of time that Keller said it took Brodsky to complete tasks. While Keller did explain Brodsky’s adeptness in his ability to redesign the sales force organization and the development of a comprehensive set of information and control systems, proving he is capable of good work. The problem comes when weRead MoreEssay Chattanooga Ice Cream Company Case Analysis1577 Words   |  7 Pages Chesapeake, VA: Darden Publishing. Daniel Goleman, (2000, March-April). Leadership that gets results. HBR, 78-90.. Daniel Goleman, (1998, November-December). â€Å"What Makes a Leader?†. HBR, 93-102. John J. Gabarro. (2008, October). Wolfgang Keller at Konigsbrau-TAK (A). HBR, 1-18 John S. Hammond, Ralph L Keeney, and Howard Raiffa, (1998, September-October). â€Å"The Hidden Traps in Decision Making†. HBR, 47-48,50,52,54,56-58. John P. Kotter, (2001, December). â€Å" What Leaders Do†. HBR, 85-96. Patrick

Financing Pattern And Utilization Of Assets -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Financing Pattern And Utilization Of Assets? Answer: Introducation In the given assignment, the annual report of the company named JB Hi-Fi Limited needs to be accessed. The annual report chosen for the same pertains to the year 2017. The company is one of the pioneer companies in the field of management retail goods and deals in Australia and New Zealand. The company is also listed on Australian Stock exchanges and has 112 stores in operation. It is one of the fasting growing business in Australia and deals in electronic games, video games, CDs, DVDs, electronic and electrical home appliance. The total depreciation expense being recorded by the company in its profit and loss statement for the year ended 30th June, 2017 is $ 53.9 Mn vs $ 40.9 Mn in 2016(Das, 2017). The split of the depreciation expense can be seen in the screenshot below where out of $ 53.9 Mn, $35.6 Mn pertains to the Plant and equipment and the other $ 18.3 Mn pertains to leasehold improvement. The company recognises depreciation on the straight line basis and does the valuation of the assets as per the Australian GAAP and IFRS standards(Gooley, 2016). The company has also shown the detailed reconciliation of the balances of property, plant and equipment by the way of showing the balances at the beginning which is being arrived by deducting the accumulated depreciation from the Gross Block. Furthermore, the additions and disposals during the year, the impairment charge for the year, the effect of foreign exchange reserves, etc has also been shown in the reconciliation statement of the PPE. The depreciati on expenses has been arrived based on the management judgement and estimation of the useful lives of assets to be 1-15 years for Leasehold improvements and 1.5 15 years for Plant and equipment(Alexander, 2016). The depreciation method and the estimated useful lives of the assets is being assessed annually towards the end of the financial year and in case any changes are found, the effect of the same is reported on a prospective basis. Besides depreciation, the plant and equipment is also being assessed for impairment, if any, in acse the internal or external factors of impairment do exist. The impairment loss is tehn recognised in the profit and loss account as the difference between the carrying value of the asset and the recoverable value of the asset. The revoverable value is the higher of value in use or the fair value less cost of disposal. Gain or loss on the retirement of the assets is also recognised in the profit and loss accounting. It is generally the difference between the carrying value of the asset and the sale proceeds(Dichev, 2017). With regards to the accounting standards being followed here, the company has followed AASB 2014 4, which deals with the clarification on the acceptable methods of depreciation and amortisation. References Alexander, F. (2016). The Changing Face of Accountability. The Journal of Higher Education, 71(4), 411-431. Das, P. (2017). Financing Pattern and Utilization of Fixed Assets - A Study. Asian Journal of Social Science Studies, 2(2), 10-17. Dichev, I. (2017). On the conceptual foundations of financial reporting. Accounting and Business Research, 47(6), 617-632. Gooley, J. (2016). Principles of Australian Contract Law. Australia: Lexis Nexis.

Cloning Essays (538 words) - Cloning, Molecular Biology,

Cloning Matchmaker.com: Sign up now for a free trial. Date Smarter! Cloning ALL CONSTRAINTS UPON CLONING SHOULD BE LIFED Cloning has been a very controversial topic since it affects moral values of human beings and other living things alike. In February 1997 scientists in Scotland announced the birth of the first cloned sheep named Dolly, this heralded the future of cloning possibilities and scientists began extensive experiments on cloning and have since then cloned both plants and animals successfully. The next step was to clone actual human beings but before experiments could have been carried out pressure started build on the scientists because people started to doubt if cloning was ethical and morally correct. Governments began to introduce bans and constraints on cloning, as they felt cloning was not correct and because they represented the people of its country, it had to act on it. Cloning has its cons but its pros seem to overcome them greatly. If cloning were allowed to be experimented scientists would come up of a way to clone body organs which are an exact replica of an individual body organ. This would prove very to be very beneficial to a person who may have lost a body organ such as a kidney, scientists could clone that particular organ for the individual, which, in the long run, would work better than a transplant organ. Cloning will certainly expand the scope of medicine greatly, thus enhance the possibilities of conquering diseases such as the Parkinson's disease, cancer and other diseases that were earlier considered incurable Cloning could be used to increase the population of endangered species of animals and thus save them from total extinction. This would help maintain a natural balance on the earth and have a continuos natural life cycle. Cloning could certainly benefit couples who are infertile and want to have a child of their own, thus they could use cloning to produce a baby with their similar characteristics. In fact they may be able to even choose the characteristics of their child. Equally important women who are single could have child, using cloning instead of artificial insemination. Cloning could also provide a copy of a child for a couple whose child had died. Another goal of cloning is to produce livestock with ideal characters for the agricultural industry and to be able to manufacture biological products such as proteins for humans. Some people would suggest that cloning is unnatural and not ethically correct but so would be talking medicine when you fall sick. The whole of the modern medicine world in based on unnaturalness, so it seems cloning would be part of that modern medicine world. Some people also suggest that clones of human beings would behave in different ways than a normal human being would however this is also wrong as the clones will behave like any other human being would behave as it will have all the characteristics of a normal human being, as long as the individual who was cloned had human characteristics, it wont really matter. In conclusion I would like to say that, as you've seen above, cloning could be used in various ways to benefit the lives of humans .It is inevitable that cloning, at some stage, will play an important, if not vital, part in our lives therefore it is about time that society accepts this fact and lifts all constraints upon cloning so that more research can be carried out and help eliminate any risks associated with cloning.

Foster this Advanced Business Writing Skill

Foster this Advanced Business Writing Skill There is one business writing skill that separates advanced business writers from those who are merely functionally proficient. It is the ability to synthesize complex ideas and extract the significant nuggets of information that are relevant to a particular reader and situation. In essence, these are mini-executive summaries, used widely in many communications at work. We often think an executive summary is the first part of a formal report. In fact, functional executive summaries are deployed frequently and widely by those with advanced business writing skills: When your boss asks you, "Why should we fund this project?" When you summarize a vendor performance. When you recommend a solution to a work problem. When you are asked, "Why should I hire you?" When you analyze data for trends. When you verbally summarize project pitfalls at a meeting. When you summarize the insights discussed at a meeting, relevant to the overall goals. The ability to see the big picture, to quickly understand what is significant to the situation, and extract and convey the relevant essence will greatly help your career, your department, and your company. It will also greatly improve the efficiency and accuracy of the information flowing across your company. Synthesizing and extracting executive summaries is fully contextual. It will always depend on your readers' needs. Let's apply this concept to the situation of a college student working at a summer internship, who is an economics major working for a start up specializing in sustainable agriculture shipping. This student's mother, college advisor, and internship company owner all ask him, "What did you do during your internship?" Certainly, much information will be similar, but each person has specific interest and focus. Appropriate executive summary or synthesis responses for each of these audiences might be: Internship Company Owner, who will care about the value the intern brought to the company: "I developed a web portal that provides cost of living information for this area, to help with recruiting top talent. My data analysis of comparable companies in other locations indicated our location is a competitive hiring advantage." College Advisor, who will care about the student's learning and application of course skills: "I developed a web portal using HTML and CSS, which we covered in Computer Science 410. Also, using an extensive data set and regression analysis, we were able to estimate and compare costs of living in the company area." Mother, who will care about a permanent job after graduation (My son is a college junior, so I am certain a job after graduation is a primary interest of all mothers!): "I developed a web portal and analyzed cost of living data. Website development and data analysis are two skills listed on all of the business analyst positions I hope for after graduation." Therefore, the first step in synthesizing complex information is defining your audience thoroughly. Distill what really matters. The second step is presenting information that is significant and meaningful to that particular audience. Notice the summary statement made to the Internship Company Owner above has no mention of functional tasks, what team the intern worked on, or dates he worked. That is all simple functional information that led to the significant information. The company owner wouldn't care about this. The owner wants to know the value the intern brought to the business. Noise vs. substance There is, sadly, far too much fluff and task information bantered about in business writing. Mere action tasks never belong in an executive summary. Don't fall into this trap. Instead, synthesize meaningfully, and extract what is truly most significant to your reader. This ability think critically and present relevant, synthesized information to various audiences is an advanced business writing skill you want to foster in your department and in your own writing. If this is a skill you wish to hone in your organization, please contact us.

Risk Analysis and Hazard Mitigation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Risk Analysis and Hazard Mitigation - Essay Example In this case, my organization’s building complex is the project for which risk mitigation actions are required. First, the project is to be subjected to a thorough risk assessment individually by the project management personnel. The risks assessed are to be compiled into one entity. Risk handling is determined by the nature of the risks identified and the personnel assigned particular risks to monitor, especially those that are not transferred in nature. The personnel’s duty is to monitor the identified risk and report to the risk management team and initiate response actions in respect to that particular risk. A detailed description of the risk is provided to enhance teamwork since precise information is key to the success of risk management through effective communication among the team members. In fact, at this stage the main objective is to identify risks and provide a detailed description to be used to determine potential and most appropriate solutions (riskinstit ute.org). I would employ the five methods of risk identification for the building complex project. First, documentation reviews would be quite essential in order to determine the complications caused by the apparent risks and other related requirements as well. For instance, a review of the project design and the planned implementation would be best tackled by the use of this method. Consequently, identifying inconsistencies between the proposed activities and alternative practices with projects’s internal operations would be easily handled. In addition, this would facilitate an effective means to identify and solve any conflict in the process of risk management activities. The success of this activity is absolutely dependent on effective information gathering. Information gathering method entails thorough brainstorming, interviewing the persons involved and analyzing the cause of every particular risk identified. To obtain the most possible volume of ideas, I would employ br ainstorming and interviewing since external and internal parties involved in the project would make an equal contribution. This would enable a team work spirit since the project owners, shareholders and the end users or rather clients are given an opportunity to provide their insights, which could not be identified without involving them in the process. Overall, the concept is a SWOT analytical approach to potential challenges to the project. This enhances project management since a breakdown of the information gathered through interviews and brainstorming activities is applied in the most appropriate way to tackle the risks identified. Additionally check list analysis is another method I would use to solve the multiple tasks, which are similar in nature fro this project. For instance, one on one interview with customers on their concerns in regards to the project would gather information on every aspect that affects them directly on completion of the project. Therefore, it would be appropriate to conduct interviews on all issues either correctly or sub-divide them for respective issues. In either way, the activity seeks to gather the customers' point of view on the project and interview correspondence would provide first hand information thus appropriate for other related aspects of the project that require customers input. Finally, I would employ

Apple Inc. Total quality managemnt Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Apple Inc. Total quality managemnt - Term Paper Example Quality is can be defined as anything that is in accordance with the need of the time and up to the desired satisfaction level of customers and clients (Bose). Since the customers hold the position of pivot towards the success or failure of any organization, therefore definition of quality and its subsequent implementation is very vital for the survival of any organization. The total Quality management is a separate discipline in the field of management which if implemented in the appropriate manner ensures productivity and desired results. The scope of T.Q.M is very broad and it takes into account all the necessary components of the organizational structure and thereby highlights the areas of improvement and areas of strength. The concept of T.Q.M has introduced new dimensions in the field of management and industry businesses and it has ended the old culture of dependencies on each other. T.Q.M allows adoption of a framework which ensures independence of various components of the system. The prime goal behind the T.Q.M is increased productivity and customer satisfaction (Grigoroudis and Siskos). It provides a detailed descriptive method of adopting and implementing it. This concept is equally implacable to the services as well as product manufacturing industries. In recent times many industries have benefited from its implementation. Apple Inc being an international brand is no exception to this rule and the definition of quality and its implication equally applies to this organization. Apple enjoys the name of a market leader amongst its competitors. Whatever has been achieved by Apple Inc is the result of adherence to the total quality management. It has ensured that each of the three necessary components of the T.Q.M are present in the organization and its products (Blocher). Apple is confronted with continuous challenge in form of the block of competitors both in the domain of mobile phones and operating systems and computers. According to Wall

Level 3 Diploma Perioperative Support Essay Example for Free

Level 3 Diploma Perioperative Support Essay Explain how and why person centred values must influence all aspects of health and social care work Some of the person centred values that influence aspects of health and social care are; Good communication How By using good communication you can give a person centred approach to care. Giving a patient/individual as information as possible is a way of good communication, inform them what you are doing before you do it and while you are doing it, explain why you will be doing what you are doing or about to do and let them know what to expect i. . if you are about to canulate them let them know that they may feel a sharp scratch Why Giving a patient/individual constant information helps make the patient feel at ease as they feel more involved in what is going on and have a clear understanding of what is going on , this also gives the individual the knowledge of what will be happening and why. Communication is a key element in giving person centred care Choice How By asking a patient/individual if they would like to keep there hearing aid in while I take the patient down to theatre I am giving them a choice whether they would like to remove there hearing aid or choose to keep it on. Why By giving patients/individuals choices you are giving them a bit of control in an environment where patients can feel they have no control over what is happening and by giving them small options it can make them feel a bit more in control and give them some dignity and respect. Making time How In main theatres it can be hard to make time for patients as time is usually of the essence and the need for keeping the theatre list moving quickly and efficiently is paramount, but by simply talking to your patient while you are transporting them down to theatre can make all the difference, it helps calm the patient down, taking there mind off the operation they are about to have. By talking to them while you are transporting them you are still keeping to the time limits set out before you. Why Making time for a patient/individual is probably the most important thing you can do in a system where the patient may feel like there being dragged from pillar to post in a busy department where no one has time for them and feel that it’s a case of â€Å"get them in get them out† attitude. Taking just two minutes out of your schedule can make a massive difference to a patient as it helps reassure them that they are not forgotten which makes the patient feel important and not a burden on the system.

Shakespeares Macbeth - Why does Macbeth Murder Duncan? :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

Why does Macbeth Murder Duncan? In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, the lead character of the same name is not sufficiently happy with the high social position he occupies and the honored status he has acquired. Viewing the play simplistically, one may conclude that Duncan is murdered due to the ambition of Macbeth. Ambition is a sin, of course, and therefore Macbeth is punished for his sins. If one does not care to probe more deeply, this evaluation of the play is almost entirely satisfactory, because it is very simple and neat. Yet, this approach converts the work from an extraordinarily complex study of evil into a straightforward morality play and closes off discussion of the most interesting aspects of the play.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Now, there is some evidence for the charge of ambition. Macbeth does want to become king, and he refers to that desire as ambition ("I have no spur/ To prick the sides of my intent, but only/ Vaulting ambition which o'erleaps itself/ And falls on th'other" (1.7.25-28). But we need to be careful here not automatically to take a character's own estimate of his motivation for the truth, or at least for a completely adequate summary statement of all that needs to be said. We need to "unpack" just what that concept of ambition contains in the character to whom we apply it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For a fascinating aspect of Macbeth's motivation is that he is in the grip of something which he does not fully understand and which a part of him certainly does not approve of. This makes him very unlike Richard Gloucester, who announces his plans with glee and shows no scruples about what he has to do (quite the reverse: he looks forward to doing away with his next victim and invites us to share his delight). Clearly a part of Macbeth is fascinated with the possibility of being king. It's not entirely clear where this desire comes from. The witches (whom we will discuss later) put the suggestion into the play, but there is a strong hint from Lady Macbeth that she and her husband have already talked about the matter well before the play begins ("What beast was't then/ That made you break this enterprise to me?" (1.7.48-49). In that case, the appearance of the witches may be, in part, a response to some desire in Macbeth.

Chapter 31 The Third Task

â€Å"Dumbledore reckons You-Know-Who's getting stronger again as well?† Ron whispered. Everything Harry had seen in the Pensieve, nearly everything Dumbledore had told and shown him afterward, he had now shared with Ron and Hermione – and, of course, with Sirius, to whom Harry had sent an owl the moment he had left Dumbledore's office. Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat up late in the common room once again that night, talking it all over until Harry's mind was reeling, until he understood what Dumbledore had meant about a head becoming so full of thoughts that it would have been a relief to siphon them off. Ron stared into the common room fire. Harry thought he saw Ron shiver slightly, even though the evening was warm. â€Å"And he trusts Snape?† Ron said. â€Å"He really trusts Snape, even though he knows he was a Death Eater?† â€Å"Yes,† said Harry. Hermione had not spoken for ten minutes. She was sitting with her forehead in her hands, staring at her knees. Harry thought she too looked as though she could have done with a Pensieve. â€Å"Rita Skeeter,† she muttered finally. â€Å"How can you be worrying about her now?† said Ron, in utter disbelief. â€Å"I'm not worrying about her,† Hermione said to her knees. â€Å"I'm just thinking†¦remember what she said to me in the Three Broomsticks? ‘I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair curl. ‘ This is what she meant, isn't it? She reported his trial, she knew he'd passed information to the Death Eaters. And Winky too, remember†¦'Ludo Bagman's a bad wizard.' Mr. Crouch would have been furious he got off, he would have talked about it at home.† â€Å"Yeah, but Bagman didn't pass information on purpose, did he?† Hermione shrugged. â€Å"And Fudge reckons Madame Maxime attacked Crouch?† Ron said, turning back to Harry. â€Å"Yeah,† said Harry, â€Å"but he's only saying that because Crouch disappeared near the Beauxbatons carriage.† â€Å"We never thought of her, did we?† said Ron slowly. â€Å"Mind you, she's definitely got giant blood, and she doesn't want to admit it-â€Å" â€Å"Of course she doesn't,† said Hermione sharply, looking up. â€Å"Look what happened to Hagrid when Rita found out about his mother. Look at Fudge, jumping to conclusions about her, just because she's part giant. Who needs that sort of prejudice? I'd probably say I had big bones if I knew that's what I'd get for telling the truth.† Hermione looked at her watch. â€Å"We haven't done any practicing!† she said, looking shocked. â€Å"We were going to do the Impediment Curse! We'll have to really get down to it tomorrow! Come on. Harry, you need to get some sleep.† Harry and Ron went slowly upstairs to their dormitory. As Harry pulled on his pajamas, he looked over at Neville's bed. True to his word to Dumbledore, he had not told Ron and Hermione about Neville's parents. As Harry took off his glasses and climbed into his four-poster, he imagined how it must feel to have parents still living but unable to recognize you. He often got sympathy from strangers for being an orphan, but as he listened to Neville's snores, he thought that Neville deserved it more than he did. Lying in the darkness, Harry felt a rush of anger and hate toward the people who had tortured Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom†¦.He remembered the jeers of the crowd as Crouch's son and his companions had been dragged from the court by the dementors†¦.He understood how they had felt†¦.Then he remembered the milk-white face of the screaming boy and realized with a jolt that he had died a year later†¦. It was Voldemort, Harry thought, staring up at the canopy of his bed in the darkness, it all came back to Voldemort†¦.He was the one who had torn these families apart, who had ruined all these lives†¦. Ron and Hermione were supposed to be studying for their exams, which would finish on the day of the third task, but they were putting most of their efforts into helping Harry prepare. â€Å"Don't worry about it,† Hermione said shortly when Harry pointed this out to them and said he didn't mind practicing on his own for a while, â€Å"at least we'll get top marks in Defense Against the Dark Arts. We'd never have found out about all these hexes in class.† â€Å"Good training for when we're all Aurors,† said Ron excitedly, attempting the Impediment Curse on a wasp that had buzzed into the room and making it stop dead in midair. The mood in the castle as they entered June became excited and tense again. Everyone was looking forward to the third task, which would take place a week before the end of term. Harry was practicing hexes at every available moment. He felt more confident about this task than either of the others. Difficult and dangerous though it would undoubtedly be, Moody was right: Harry had managed to find his way past monstrous creatures and enchanted barriers before now, and this time he had some notice, some chance to prepare himself for what lay ahead. Tired of walking in on Harry, Hermione, and Ron all over the school. Professor McGonagall had given them permission to use the empty Transfiguration classroom at lunchtimes. Harry had soon mastered the Impediment Curse, a spell to slow down and obstruct attackers; the Reductor Curse, which would enable him to blast solid objects out of his way; and the Four-Point Spell, a useful discovery of Hermione's that would make his wand point due north, therefore enabling him to check whether he was going in the right direction within the maze. He was still having trouble with the Shield Charm, though. This was supposed to cast a temporary, invisible wall around himself that deflected minor curses; Hermione managed to shatter it with a well-placed Jelly-Legs Jinx, and Harry wobbled around the room for ten minutes afterward before she had looked up the counter-jinx. â€Å"You're still doing really well, though,† Hermione said encouragingly, looking down her list and crossing off those spells they had already learned. â€Å"Some of these are bound to come in handy.† â€Å"Come and look at this,† said Ron, who was standing by the window. He was staring down onto the grounds. â€Å"What's Malfoy doing?† Harry and Hermione went to see. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were standing in the shadow of a tree below. Crabbe and Goyle seemed to be keeping a lookout; both were smirking. Malfoy was holding his hand up to his mouth and speaking into it. â€Å"He looks like he's using a walkie-talkie,† said Harry curiously. â€Å"He can't be,† said Hermione, â€Å"I've told you, those sorts of things don't work around Hogwarts. Come on, Harry,† she added briskly, turning away from the window and moving back into the middle of the room, â€Å"let's try that Shield Charm again.† Sirius was sending daily owls now. Like Hermione, he seemed to want to concentrate on getting Harry through the last task before they concerned themselves with anything else. He reminded Harry in every letter that whatever might be going on outside the walls of Hogwarts was not Harry's responsibility, nor was it within his power to influence it. If Voldemort is really getting stronger again, he wrote, my priority is to ensure your safety. He cannot hope to lay hands on you while you are under Dumbledore's protection, but all the same, take no risks: Concentrate on getting through that maze safely, and then we can turn our attention to other matters. Harry's nerves mounted as June the twenty-fourth drew closer, but they were not as bad as those he had felt before the first and second tasks. For one thing, he was confident that, this time, he had done everything in his power to prepare for the task. For another, this was the final hurdle, and however well or badly he did, the tournament would at last be over, which would be an enormous relief. Breakfast was a very noisy affair at the Gryffindor table on the morning of the third task. The post owls appeared, bringing Harry a good-luck card from Sirius. It was only a piece of parchment, folded over and bearing a muddy paw print on its front, but Harry appreciated it all the same. A screech owl arrived for Hermione, carrying her morning copy of the Daily Prophet as usual. She unfolded the paper, glanced at the front page, and spat out a mouthful of pumpkin juice all over it. â€Å"What?† said Harry and Ron together, staring at her. â€Å"Nothing,† said Hermione quickly, trying to shove the paper out of sight, but Ron grabbed it. He stared at the headline and said, â€Å"No way. Not today. That old cow.† â€Å"What?† said Harry. â€Å"Rita Skeeter again?† â€Å"No,† said Ron, and just like Hermione, he attempted to push the paper out of sight. â€Å"It's about me, isn't it?† said Harry. â€Å"No,† said Ron, in an entirely unconvincing tone. But before Harry could demand to see the paper. Draco Malfoy shouted across the Great Hall from the Slytherin table. â€Å"Hey, Potter! Potter! How's your head? You feeling all right? Sure you're not going to go berserk on us?† Malfoy was holding a copy of the Daily Prophet too. Slytherins up and down the table were sniggering, twisting in their seats to see Harry's reaction. â€Å"Let me see it,† Harry said to Ron. â€Å"Give it here.† Very reluctantly, Ron handed over the newspaper. Harry turned it over and found himself staring at his own picture, beneath the banner headline: â€Å"HARRY POTTER† â€Å"DISTURBED AND DANGEROUS† The boy who defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is unstable and possibly dangerous, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. Alarming evidence has recently come to light about Harry Potter's strange behavior, which casts doubts upon his suitability to compete in a demanding competition like the Triwizard Tournament, or even to attend Hogwarts School. Potter, the Daily Prophet can exclusively reveal, regularly collapses at school, and is often heard to complain of pain in the scar on his forehead (relic of the curse with which You-Know-Who attempted to kill him). On Monday last, midway through a Divination lesson, your Daily Prophet reporter witnessed Potter storming from the class, claiming that his scar was hurting too badly to continue studying. It is possible, say top experts at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, that Potters brain was affected by the attack inflicted upon him by You-Know-Who, a nd that his insistence that the scar is still hurting is an expression of his deep-seated confusion. â€Å"He might even be pretending,† said one specialist. â€Å"This could be a plea for attention.† The Daily Prophet, however, has unearthed worrying facts about Harry Potter that Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, has carefully concealed from the wizarding public. â€Å"Potter can speak Parseltongue,† reveals Draco Malfoy, a Hogwarts fourth year. â€Å"There were a lot of attacks on students a couple of years ago, and most people thought Potter was behind them after they saw him lose his temper at a dueling club and set a snake on another boy. It was all hushed up, though. But he's made friends with werewolves and giants too. We think he'd do anything for a bit of power.† Parseltongue, the ability to converse with snakes, has long been considered a Dark Art. Indeed, the most famous Parselmouth of our times is none other than You-Know-Who himself. A member of the Dark Force Defense League, who wished to remain unnamed, stated that he would regard any wizard who could speak Parseltongue â€Å"as worthy of investigation. Personally, I would be highly suspicious of anybody who could converse with snakes, as serpents are often used in the worst kinds of Dark Magic, and are historically associated with evildoers.† Similarly, â€Å"anyone who seeks out the company of such vicious creatures as werewolves and giants would appear to have a fondness for violence.† Albus Dumbledore should surely consider whether a boy such as this should be allowed to compete in the Triwizard Tournament. Some fear that Potter might resort to the Dark Arts in his desperation to win the tournament, the third task of which takes place this evening. â€Å"Gone off me a bit, hasn't she?† said Harry lightly, folding up the paper. Over at the Slytherin table, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were laughing at him, tapping their heads with their fingers, pulling grotesquely mad faces, and waggling their tongues like snakes. â€Å"How did she know your scar hurt in Divination?† Ron said. â€Å"There's no way she was there, there's no way she could've heard -â€Å" â€Å"The window was open,† said Harry. â€Å"I opened it to breathe.† â€Å"You were at the top of North Tower!† Hermione said. â€Å"Your voice couldn't have carried all the way down to the grounds!† â€Å"Well, you're the one who's supposed to be researching magical methods of bugging!† said Harry. â€Å"You tell me how she did it!† â€Å"I've been trying!† said Hermione. â€Å"But I†¦but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  An odd, dreamy expression suddenly came over Hermione's face. She slowly raised a hand and ran her fingers through her hair. â€Å"Are you all right?† said Ron, frowning at her. â€Å"Yes,† said Hermione breathlessly. She ran her fingers through her hair again, and then held her hand up to her mouth, as though speaking into an invisible walkie-talkie. Harry and Ron stared at each other. â€Å"I've had an idea,† Hermione said, gazing into space. â€Å"I think I know†¦because then no one would be able to see†¦even Moody†¦and she'd have been able to get onto the window ledge†¦but she's not allowed†¦she's definitely not allowed†¦I think we've got her! Just give me two seconds in the library – just to make sure!† With that, Hermione seized her school bag and dashed out of the Great Hall. â€Å"Oi!† Ron called after her. â€Å"We've got our History of Magic exam in ten minutes! Blimey,† he said, turning back to Harry, â€Å"she must really hate that Skeeter woman to risk missing the start of an exam. What're you going to do in Binns's class – read again?† Exempt from the end-of-term tests as a Triwizard champion, Harry had been sitting in the back of every exam class so far, looking up fresh hexes for the third task. â€Å"S'pose so,† Harry said to Ron; but just then. Professor McGonagall came walking alongside the Gryffindor table toward him. â€Å"Potter, the champions are congregating in the chamber off the Hall after breakfast,† she said. â€Å"But the task's not till tonight!† said Harry, accidentally spilling scrambled eggs down his front, afraid he had mistaken the time. â€Å"I'm aware of that, Potter,† she said. â€Å"The champions' families are invited to watch the final task, you know. This is simply a chance for you to greet them.† She moved away. Harry gaped after her. â€Å"She doesn't expect the Dursleys to turn up, does she?† he asked Ron blankly. â€Å"Dunno,† said Ron. â€Å"Harry, I'd better hurry, I'm going to be late for Binns. See you later.† Harry finished his breakfast in the emptying Great Hall. He saw Fleur Delacour get up from the Ravenclaw table and join Cedric as he crossed to the side chamber and entered. Krum slouched off to join them shortly afterward. Harry stayed where he was. He really didn't want to go into the chamber. He had no family – no family who would turn up to see him risk his life, anyway. But just as he was getting up, thinking that he might as well go up to the library and do a spot more hex research, the door of the side chamber opened, and Cedric stuck his head out. â€Å"Harry, come on, they're waiting for you!† Utterly perplexed. Harry got up. The Dursleys couldn't possibly be here, could they? He walked across the Hall and opened the door into the chamber. Cedric and his parents were just inside the door. Viktor Krum was over in a corner, conversing with his dark-haired mother and father in rapid Bulgarian. He had inherited his fathers hooked nose. On the other side of the room, Fleur was jabbering away in French to her mother. Fleur's little sister, Gabrielle, was holding her mother's hand. She waved at Harry, who waved back, grinning. Then he saw Mrs. Weasley and Bill standing in front of the fireplace, beaming at him. â€Å"Surprise!† Mrs. Weasley said excitedly as he smiled broadly and walked over to them. â€Å"Thought we'd come and watch you. Harry!† She bent down and kissed him on the cheek. â€Å"You all right?† said Bill, grinning at Harry and shaking his hand. â€Å"Charlie wanted to come, but he couldn't get time off. He said you were incredible against the Horntail.† Fleur Delacour, Harry noticed, was eyeing Bill with great interest over her mother's shoulder. Harry could tell she had no objection whatsoever to long hair or earrings with fangs on them. â€Å"This is really nice of you,† Harry muttered to Mrs. Weasley. â€Å"I thought for a moment – the Dursleys -â€Å" â€Å"Hmm,† said Mrs. Weasley, pursing her lips. She had always refrained from criticizing the Dursleys in front of Harry, but her eyes flashed every time they were mentioned. â€Å"It's great being back here,† said Bill, looking around the chamber (Violet, the Fat Lady's friend, winked at him from her frame). â€Å"Haven't seen this place for five years. Is that picture of the mad knight still around? Sir Cadogan?† â€Å"Oh yeah,† said Harry, who had met Sir Cadogan the previous year. â€Å"And the Fat Lady?† said Bill. â€Å"She was here in my time,† said Mrs. Weasley. â€Å"She gave me such a telling off one night when I got back to the dormitory at four in the morning -â€Å" â€Å"What were you doing out of your dormitory at four in the morning?† said Bill, surveying his mother with amazement. Mrs. Weasley grinned, her eyes twinkling. â€Å"Your father and I had been for a nighttime stroll,† she said. â€Å"He got caught by Apollyon Pringle – he was the caretaker in those days – your father's still got the marks.† â€Å"Fancy giving us a tour, Harry?† said Bill. â€Å"Yeah, okay,† said Harry, and they made their way back toward the door into the Great Hall. As they passed Amos Diggory, he looked around. â€Å"There you are, are you?† he said, looking Harry up and down. â€Å"Bet you're not feeling quite as full of yourself now Cedric's caught you up on points, are you?† â€Å"What?† said Harry. â€Å"Ignore him,† said Cedric in a low voice to Harry, frowning after his father. â€Å"He's been angry ever since Rita Skeeter's article about the Triwizard Tournament – you know, when she made out you were the only Hogwarts champion.† â€Å"Didn't bother to correct her, though, did he?† said Amos Diggory, loudly enough for Harry to hear as he started to walk out of the door with Mrs. Weasley and Bill. â€Å"Still,†¦you'll show him, Ced. Beaten him once before, haven't you?† â€Å"Rita Skeeter goes out of her way to cause trouble, Amos!† Mrs. Weasley said angrily. â€Å"I would have thought you'd know that, working at the Ministry!† Mr. Diggory looked as though he was going to say something angry, but his wife laid a hand on his arm, and he merely shrugged and turned away. Harry had a very enjoyable morning walking over the sunny grounds with Bill and Mrs. Weasley, showing them the Beauxbatons carriage and the Durmstrang ship. Mrs. Weasley was intrigued by the Whomping Willow, which had been planted after she had left school, and reminisced at length about the gamekeeper before Hagrid, a man called Ogg. â€Å"How's Percy?† Harry asked as they walked around the greenhouses. â€Å"Not good,† said Bill. â€Å"He's very upset,† said Mrs. Weasley, lowering her voice and glancing around. â€Å"The Ministry wants to keep Mr. Crouch's disappearance quiet, but Percy's been hauled in for questioning about the instructions Mr. Crouch has been sending in. They seem to think there's a chance they weren't genuinely written by him. Percy's been under a lot of strain. They're not letting him fill in for Mr. Crouch as the fifth judge tonight. Cornelius Fudge is going to be doing it.† They returned to the castle for lunch. â€Å"Mum – Bill!† said Ron, looking stunned, as he joined the Gryffindor table. â€Å"What're you doing here?† â€Å"Come to watch Harry in the last task!† said Mrs. Weasley brightly. â€Å"I must say, it makes a lovely change, not having to cook. How was your exam?† â€Å"Oh†¦okay,† said Ron. â€Å"Couldn't remember all the goblin rebels' names, so I invented a few. It's all right,† he said, helping himself to a Cornish pasty, while Mrs. Weasley looked stern, â€Å"they're all called stuff like Bodrod the Bearded and Urg the Unclean; it wasn't hard.† Fred, George, and Ginny came to sit next to them too, and Harry was having such a good time he felt almost as though he were back at the Burrow; he had forgotten to worry about that evening's task, and not until Hermione turned up, halfway through lunch, did he remember that she had had a brainwave about Rita Skeeter. â€Å"Are you going to tell us -?† Hermione shook her head warningly and glanced at Mrs. Weasley. â€Å"Hello, Hermione,† said Mrs. Weasley, much more stiffly than usual. â€Å"Hello,† said Hermione, her smile faltering at the cold expression on Mrs. Weasley's face. Harry looked between them, then said, â€Å"Mrs. Weasley, you didn't believe that rubbish Rita Skeeter wrote in Witch Weekly, did you? Because Hermione's not my girlfriend.† â€Å"Oh!† said Mrs. Weasley â€Å"No – of course I didn't!† But she became considerably warmer toward Hermione after that. Harry, Bill, and Mrs. Weasley whiled away the afternoon with a long walk around the castle, and then returned to the Great Hall for the evening feast. Ludo Bagman and Cornelius Fudge had joined the staff table now. Bagman looked quite cheerful, but Cornelius Fudge, who was sitting next to Madame Maxime, looked stern and was not talking. Madame Maxime was concentrating on her plate, and Harry thought her eyes looked red. Hagrid kept glancing along the table at her, There were more courses than usual, but Harry, who was starting to feel really nervous now, didn't eat much. As the enchanted ceiling overhead began to fade from blue to a dusky purple, Dumbledore rose to his feet at the staff table, and silence fell. â€Å"Ladies and gentlemen, in five minutes' time, I will be asking you to make your way down to the Quidditch field for the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament. Will the champions please follow Mr. Bagman down to the stadium now.† Harry got up. The Gryffindors all along the table were applauding him; the Weasleys and Hermione all wished him good luck, and he headed off out of the Great Hall with Cedric, Fleur, and Viktor. â€Å"Feeling all right. Harry?† Bagman asked as they went down the stone steps onto the grounds. â€Å"Confident?† â€Å"I'm okay,† said Harry. It was sort of true; he was nervous, but he kept running over all the hexes and spells he had been practicing in his mind as they walked, and the knowledge that he could remember them all made him feel better. They walked onto the Quidditch field, which was now completely unrecognizable. A twenty-foot-high hedge ran all the way around the edge of it. There was a gap right in front of them: the entrance to the vast maze. The passage beyond it looked dark and creepy. Five minutes later, the stands had begun to fill; the air was full of excited voices and the rumbling of feet as the hundreds of students filed into their seats. The sky was a deep, clear blue now, and the first stars were starting to appear. Hagrid, Professor Moody, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick came walking into the stadium and approached Bagman and the champions. They were wearing large, red, luminous stars on their hats, all except Hagrid, who had his on the back of his moleskin vest. â€Å"We are going to be patrolling the outside of the maze,† said Professor McGonagall to the champions. â€Å"If you get into difficulty, and wish to be rescued, send red sparks into the air, and one of us will come and get you, do you understand?† The champions nodded. â€Å"Off you go, then!† said Bagman brightly to the four patrollers. â€Å"Good luck. Harry,† Hagrid whispered, and the four of them walked away in different directions, to station themselves around the maze. Bagman now pointed his wand at his throat, muttered, â€Å"Sonorus,† and his magically magnified voice echoed into the stands. â€Å"Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand! Tied in first place, with eighty-five points each – Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter, both of Hogwarts School!† The cheers and applause sent birds from the Forbidden Forest fluttering into the darkening sky. â€Å"In second place, with eighty points – Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute!† More applause. â€Å"And in third place – Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!† Harry could just make out Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Ron, and Hermione applauding Fleur politely, halfway up the stands. He waved up at them, and they waved back, beaming at him. â€Å"So†¦on my whistle, Harry and Cedric!† said Bagman. â€Å"Three – two – one -â€Å" He gave a short blast on his whistle, and Harry and Cedric hurried forward into the maze. The towering hedges cast black shadows across the path, and, whether because they were so tall and thick or because they had been enchanted, the sound of the surrounding crowd was silenced the moment they entered the maze. Harry felt almost as though he were underwater again. He pulled out his wand, muttered, â€Å"Lumos,† and heard Cedric do the same just behind him. After about fifty yards, they reached a fork. They looked at each other. â€Å"See you,† Harry said, and he took the left one, while Cedric took the right. Harry heard Bagman's whistle for the second time. Krum had entered the maze. Harry sped up. His chosen path seemed completely deserted. He turned right, and hurried on, holding his wand high over his head, trying to see as far ahead as possible. Still, there was nothing in sight. Bagman's whistle blew in the distance for the third time. All of the champions were now inside. Harry kept looking behind him. The old feeling that he was being watched was upon him. The maze was growing darker with every passing minute as the sky overhead deepened to navy. He reached a second fork. â€Å"Point Me,† he whispered to his wand, holding it flat in his palm. The wand spun around once and pointed toward his right, into solid hedge. That way was north, and he knew that he needed to go northwest for the center of the maze. The best he could do was to take the left fork and go right again as soon as possible. The path ahead was empty too, and when Harry reached a right turn and took it, he again found his way unblocked. Harry didn't know why, but the lack of obstacles was unnerving him. Surely he should have met something by now? It felt as though the maze were luring him into a false sense of security. Then he heard movement right behind him. He held out his wand, ready to attack, but its beam fell only upon Cedric, who had just hurried out of a path on the right-hand side. Cedric looked severely shaken. The sleeve of his robe was smoking. â€Å"Hagrid's Blast-Ended Skrewts!† he hissed. â€Å"They're enormous – I only just got away!† He shook his head and dived out of sight, along another path. Keen to put plenty of distance between himself and the skrewts, Harry hurried off again. Then, as he turned a corner, he saw†¦a dementor gliding toward him. Twelve feet tall, its face hidden by its hood, its rotting, scabbed hands outstretched, it advanced, sensing its way blindly toward him. Harry could hear its rattling breath; he felt clammy coldness stealing over him, but knew what he had to do†¦. He summoned the happiest thought he could, concentrated with all his might on the thought of getting out of the maze and celebrating with Ron and Hermione, raised his wand, and cried, â€Å"Expecto Patronum!† A silver stag erupted from the end of Harry's wand and galloped toward the dementor, which fell back and tripped over the hem of its robes†¦.Harry had never seen a dementor stumble. â€Å"Hang on!† he shouted, advancing in the wake of his silver Patronus, â€Å"You're a boggart! Riddikulus!† There was a loud crack, and the shape-shifter exploded in a wisp of smoke. The silver stag faded from sight. Harry wished it could have stayed, he could have used some company†¦but he moved on, quickly and quietly as possible, listening hard, his wand held high once more. Left†¦right†¦left again†¦Twice he found himself facing dead ends. He did the Four-Point Spell again and found that he was going too far east. He turned back, took a right turn, and saw an odd golden mist floating ahead of him. Harry approached it cautiously, pointing the wand's beam at it. This looked like some kind of enchantment. He wondered whether he might be able to blast it out of the way. â€Å"Reducio!† he said. The spell shot straight through the mist, leaving it intact. He supposed he should have known better; the Reductor Curse was for solid objects. What would happen if he walked through the mist? Was it worth chancing it, or should he double back? He was still hesitating when a scream shattered the silence. â€Å"Fleur?† Harry yelled. There was silence. He stared all around him. What had happened to her? Her scream seemed to have come from somewhere ahead. He took a deep breath and ran through the enchanted mist. The world turned upside down. Harry was hanging from the ground, with his hair on end, his glasses dangling off his nose, threatening to fall into the bottomless sky. He clutched them to the end of his nose and hung there, terrified. It felt as though his feet were glued to the grass, which had now become the ceiling. Below him the dark, star-spangled heavens stretched endlessly. He felt as though if he tried to move one of his feet, he would fall away from the earth completely. Think, he told himself, as all the blood rushed to his head, think†¦ But not one of the spells he had practiced had been designed to combat a sudden reversal of ground and sky. Did he dare move his foot? He could hear the blood pounding in his ears. He had two choices – try and move, or send up red sparks, and get rescued and disqualified from the task. He shut his eyes, so he wouldn't be able to see the view of endless space below him, and pulled his right foot as hard as he could away from the grassy ceiling. Immediately, the world righted itself. Harry fell forward onto his knees onto the wonderfully solid ground. He felt temporarily limp with shock. He took a deep, steadying breath, then got up again and hurried forward, looking back over his shoulder as he ran away from the golden mist, which twinkled innocently at him in the moonlight. He paused at a junction of two paths and looked around for some sign of Fleur. He was sure it had been she who had screamed. What had she met? Was she all right? There was no sign of red sparks – did that mean she had got herself out of trouble, or was she in such trouble that she couldn't reach her wand? Harry took the right fork with a feeling of increasing unease†¦but at the same time, he couldn't help thinking. One champion down†¦ The cup was somewhere close by, and it sounded as though Fleur was no longer in the running. He'd got this far, hadn't he? What if he actually managed to win? Fleetingly, and for the first time since he'd found himself champion, he saw again that image of himself, raising the Triwizard Cup in front of the rest of the school†¦. He met nothing for ten minutes, but kept running into dead ends. Twice he took the same wrong turning. Finally, he found a new route and started to jog along it, his wandlight waving, making his shadow flicker and distort on the hedge walls. Then he rounded another corner and found himself facing a Blast-Ended Skrewt. Cedric was right – it was enormous. Ten feet long, it looked more like a giant scorpion than anything. Its long sting was curled over its back. Its thick armor glinted in the light from Harry's wand, which he pointed at it. â€Å"Stupefy!† The spell hit the skrewt's armor and rebounded; Harry ducked just in time, but could smell burning hair; it had singed the top of his head. The skrewt issued a blast of fire from its end and flew forward toward him. â€Å"Impedimenta!† Harry yelled. The spell hit the skrewt's armor again and ricocheted off; Harry staggered back a few paces and fell over. â€Å"IMPEDIMENTA!† The skrewt was inches from him when it froze – he had managed to hit it on its fleshy, shell-less underside. Panting, Harry pushed himself away from it and ran, hard, in the opposite direction – the Impediment Curse was not permanent; the skrewt would be regaining the use of its legs at any moment. He took a left path and hit a dead end, a right, and hit another; forcing himself to stop, heart hammering, he performed the Four-Point Spell again, backtracked, and chose a path that would take him northwest. He had been hurrying along the new path for a few minutes, when he heard something in the path running parallel to his own that made him stop dead. â€Å"What are you doing?† yelled Cedric's voice. â€Å"What the hell d'you think you're doing?† And then Harry heard Krum's voice. â€Å"Crucio!† The air was suddenly full of Cedric's yells. Horrified, Harry began sprinting up his path, trying to find a way into Cedric's. When none appeared, he tried the Reductor Curse again. It wasn't very effective, but it burned a small hole in the hedge through which Harry forced his leg, kicking at the thick brambles and branches until they broke and made an opening; he struggled through it, tearing his robes, and looking to his right, saw Cedric jerking and twitching on the ground, Krum standing over him. Harry pulled himself up and pointed his wand at Krum just as Krum looked up. Krum turned and began to run. â€Å"Stupefy!† Harry yelled. The spell hit Krum in the back; he stopped dead in his tracks, fell forward, and lay motionless, facedown in the grass. Harry-dashed over to Cedric, who had stopped twitching and was lying there panting, his hands over his face. â€Å"Are you all right?† Harry said roughly, grabbing Cedric's arm. â€Å"Yeah,† panted Cedric. â€Å"Yeah†¦I don't believe it†¦he crept up behind me†¦.I heard him, I turned around, and he had his wand on me†¦.† Cedric got up. He was still shaking. He and Harry looked down at Krum. â€Å"I can't believe this†¦I thought he was all right,† Harry said, staring at Krum. â€Å"So did I,† said Cedric. â€Å"Did you hear Fleur scream earlier?† said Harry. â€Å"Yeah,† said Cedric. â€Å"You don't think Krum got her too?† â€Å"I don't know,† said Harry slowly. â€Å"Should we leave him here?† Cedric muttered. â€Å"No,† said Harry. â€Å"I reckon we should send up red sparks. Someone'll come and collect him†¦otherwise he'll probably be eaten by a skrewt.† â€Å"He'd deserve it,† Cedric muttered, but all the same, he raised his wand and shot a shower of red sparks into the air, which hovered high above Krum, marking the spot where he lay. Harry and Cedric stood there in the darkness for a moment, looking around them. Then Cedric said, â€Å"Well†¦I s'pose we'd better go on†¦.† â€Å"What?† said Harry. â€Å"Oh†¦yeah†¦right†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It was an odd moment. He and Cedric had been briefly united against Krum – now the fact that they were opponents came back to Harry. The two of them proceeded up the dark path without speaking, then Harry turned left, and Cedric right. Cedric's footsteps soon died away. Harry moved on, continuing to use the Four-Point Spell, making sure he was moving in the right direction. It was between him and Cedric now. His desire to reach the cup first was now burning stronger than ever, but he could hardly believe what he'd just seen Krum do. The use of an Unforgivable Curse on a fellow human being meant a life term in Azkaban, that was what Moody had told them. Krum surely couldn't have wanted the Triwizard Cup that badly†¦.Harry sped up. Every so often he hit more dead ends, but the increasing darkness made him feel sure he was getting near the heart of the maze. Then, as he strode down a long, straight path, he saw movement once again, and his beam of wandlight hit an extraordinary creature, one which he had only seen in picture form, in his Monster Book of Monsters. It was a sphinx. It had the body of an over-large lion: great clawed paws and a long yellowish tail ending in a brown tuft. Its head, however, was that of a woman. She turned her long, almond-shaped eyes upon Harry as he approached. He raised his wand, hesitating. She was not crouching as if to spring, but pacing from side to side of the path, blocking his progress. Then she spoke, in a deep, hoarse voice. â€Å"You are very near your goal. The quickest way is past me.† â€Å"So†¦so will you move, please?† said Harry, knowing what the answer was going to be. â€Å"No,† she said, continuing to pace. â€Å"Not unless you can answer my riddle. Answer on your first guess – I let you pass. Answer wrongly – I attack. Remain silent – I will let you walk away from me unscathed.† Harry's stomach slipped several notches. It was Hermione who was good at this sort of thing, not him. He weighed his chances. If the riddle was too hard, he could keep silent, get away from the sphinx unharmed, and try and find an alternative route to the center. â€Å"Okay,† he said. â€Å"Can I hear the riddle?† The sphinx sat down upon her hind legs, in the very middle of the path, and recited: â€Å"First think of the person who lives in disguise, Who deals in secrets and tells naught but lies. Next, tell me what's always the last thing to mend, The middle of middle and end of the end? And finally give me the sound often heard During the search for a hard-to-find word. Now string them together, and answer me this, Which creature would you be unwilling to kiss?† Harry gaped at her. â€Å"Could I have it again†¦more slowly?† he asked tentatively. She blinked at him, smiled, and repeated the poem. â€Å"All the clues add up to a creature I wouldn't want to kiss?† Harry asked. She merely smiled her mysterious smile. Harry took that for a â€Å"yes.† Harry cast his mind around. There were plenty of animals he wouldn't want to kiss; his immediate thought was a Blast-Ended Skrewt, but something told him that wasn't the answer. He'd have to try and work out the clues†¦. â€Å"A person in disguise,† Harry muttered, staring at her, â€Å"who lies†¦er†¦that'd be a – an impostor. No, that's not my guess! A – a spy? I'll come back to that†¦could you give me the next clue again, please?† She repeated the next lines of the poem. â€Å"‘The last thing to mend,'† Harry repeated. â€Å"Er†¦no idea†¦'middle of middle'†¦could I have the last bit again?† She gave him the last four lines. â€Å"‘The sound often heard during the search for a hard-to-find word,'† said Harry. â€Å"Er†¦that'd be†¦er†¦hang on – ‘er'! Er's a sound!† The sphinx smiled at him. â€Å"Spy†¦er†¦spy†¦er†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Harry, pacing up and down. â€Å"A creature I wouldn't want to kiss†¦a spider!† The sphinx smiled more broadly. She got up, stretched her front legs, and then moved aside for him to pass. â€Å"Thanks!† said Harry, and, amazed at his own brilliance, he dashed forward. He had to be close now, he had to be†¦.His wand was telling him he was bang on course; as long as he didn't meet anything too horrible, he might have a chance†¦. Harry broke into a run. He had a choice of paths up ahead. â€Å"Point Me!† he whispered again to his wand, and it spun around and pointed him to the right-hand one. He dashed up this one and saw light ahead. The Triwizard Cup was gleaming on a plinth a hundred yards away. Suddenly a dark figure hurtled out onto the path in front of him. Cedric was going to get there first. Cedric was sprinting as fast as he could toward the cup, and Harry knew he would never catch up, Cedric was much taller, had much longer legs – Then Harry saw something immense over a hedge to his left, moving quickly along a path that intersected with his own; it was moving so fast Cedric was about to run into it, and Cedric, his eyes on the cup, had not seen it – â€Å"Cedric!† Harry bellowed. â€Å"On your left!† Cedric looked around just in time to hurl himself past the thing and avoid colliding with it, but in his haste, he tripped. Harry saw Cedric's wand fly out of his hand as a gigantic spider stepped into the path and began to bear down upon Cedric. â€Å"Stupefy!† Harry yelled; the spell hit the spider's gigantic, hairy black body, but for all the good it did, he might as well have thrown a stone at it; the spider jerked, scuttled around, and ran at Harry instead. â€Å"Stupefy! Impedimenta! Stupefy!† But it was no use – the spider was either so large, or so magical, that the spells were doing no more than aggravating it. Harry had one horrifying glimpse of eight shining black eyes and razor-sharp pincers before it was upon him. He was lifted into the air in its front legs; struggling madly, he tried to kick it; his leg connected with the pincers and next moment he was in excruciating pain. He could hear Cedric yelling â€Å"Stupefy!† too, but his spell had no more effect than Harry's – Harry raised his wand as the spider opened its pincers once more and shouted â€Å"Expelliarmus!† It worked – the Disarming Spell made the spider drop him, but that meant that Harry fell twelve feet onto his already injured leg, which crumpled beneath him. Without pausing to think, he aimed high at the spider's underbelly, as he had done with the skrewt, and shouted â€Å"Stupefy!†just as Cedric yelled the same thing. The two spells combined did what one alone had not: The spider keeled over sideways, flattening a nearby hedge, and strewing the path with a tangle of hairy legs. â€Å"Harry!† he heard Cedric shouting. â€Å"You all right? Did it fall on you?† â€Å"No,† Harry called back, panting. He looked down at his leg. It was bleeding freely. He could see some sort of thick, gluey secretion from the spider's pincers on his torn robes. He tried to get up, but his leg was shaking badly and did not want to support his weight. He leaned against the hedge, gasping for breath, and looked around. Cedric was standing feet from the Triwizard Cup, which was gleaming behind him. â€Å"Take it, then,† Harry panted to Cedric. â€Å"Go on, take it. You're there.† But Cedric didn't move. He merely stood there, looking at Harry. Then he turned to stare at the cup. Harry saw the longing expression on his face in its golden light. Cedric looked around at Harry again, who was now holding onto the hedge to support himself. Cedric took a deep breath. â€Å"You take it. You should win. That's twice you've saved my neck in here.† â€Å"That's not how it's supposed to work,† Harry said. He felt angry; his leg was very painful, he was aching all over from trying to throw off the spider, and after all his efforts, Cedric had beaten him to it, just as he'd beaten Harry to ask Cho to the ball. â€Å"The one who reaches the cup first gets the points. That's you. I'm telling you, I'm not going to win any races on this leg.† Cedric took a few paces nearer to the Stunned spider, away from the cup, shaking his head. â€Å"No,† he said. â€Å"Stop being noble,† said Harry irritably. â€Å"Just take it, then we can get out of here.† Cedric watched Harry steadying himself, holding tight to the hedge. â€Å"You told me about the dragons,† Cedric said. â€Å"I would've gone down in the first task if you hadn't told me what was coming.† â€Å"I had help on that too,† Harry snapped, trying to mop up his bloody leg with his robes. â€Å"You helped me with the egg – we're square.† â€Å"I had help on the egg in the first place,† said Cedric. â€Å"We're still square,† said Harry, testing his leg gingerly; it shook violently as he put weight on it; he had sprained his ankle when the spider had dropped him. â€Å"You should've got more points on the second task,† said Cedric mulishly. â€Å"You stayed behind to get all the hostages. I should've done that.† â€Å"I was the only one who was thick enough to take that song seriously!† said Harry bitterly. â€Å"Just take the cup!† â€Å"No,† said Cedric. He stepped over the spider's tangled legs to join Harry, who stared at him. Cedric was serious. He was walking away from the sort of glory Hufflepuff House hadn't had in centuries. â€Å"Go on,† Cedric said. He looked as though this was costing him every ounce of resolution he had, but his face was set, his arms were folded, he seemed decided. Harry looked from Cedric to the cup. For one shining moment, he saw himself emerging from the maze, holding it. He saw himself holding the Triwizard Cup aloft, heard the roar of the crowd, saw Cho's face shining with admiration, more clearly than he had ever seen it before†¦and then the picture faded, and he found himself staring at Cedric's shadowy, stubborn face. â€Å"Both of us,† Harry said. â€Å"What?† â€Å"We'll take it at the same time. It's still a Hogwarts victory. We'll tie for it.† Cedric stared at Harry. He unfolded his arms. â€Å"You – you sure?† â€Å"Yeah,† said Harry. â€Å"Yeah†¦we've helped each other out, haven't we? We both got here. Let's just take it together.† For a moment, Cedric looked as though he couldn't believe his ears; then his face split in a grin. â€Å"You're on,† he said. â€Å"Come here.† He grabbed Harry's arm below the shoulder and helped Harry limp toward the plinth where the cup stood. When they had reached it, they both held a hand out over one of the cup's gleaming handles. â€Å"On three, right?† said Harry. â€Å"One – two – three -â€Å" He and Cedric both grasped a handle. Instantly, Harry felt a jerk somewhere behind his navel. His feet had left the ground. He could not unclench the hand holding the Triwizard Cup; it was pulling him onward in a howl of wind and swirling color, Cedric at his side.