Latest Technologies in Industries

Latest Technologies in Industries 1. Paint Color Mixing Mixing additive secondary colors which is used to create a variety of colors when painting. Several years before, the mixing of paints to get desired colors is achieved only by hands which was very difficult in getting absolute color combinations when there was a deficiency of quantity of paints during painting. But with the expansion of computer technologies the painting industry is perhaps one that not many would associate straight away with such development but nonetheless one that has been able to adapt with the changes and utilize technology at various stages starting from the factories until the place of purchase. The benefits of technologies do not just benefit the producers but also the business partners, dealers and ultimately the end users. Especially because the computer technology helps in mixing of colors accurately by measuring as percentages which leads to achieve the exact color coding needed at any time with the help of paint assortment process using the Dealer Tinting System (DTS). Instead of stocking numerous shades of various paints, the dealer needs only to stock the base paints and colorants, and by using the machine can match any tone from the shade card on demand by the customer, can mix and produce any color tone from the shade card instantly. It is a convenient asset for the dealer as it ensures they avoid the stock piling of unnecessary products. And the use of computerized technology at the place of purchasing paints has revolutionized the way individuals purchase goods, a slow and labor intensive process today is finalized within a matter of minutes. Latest technologies: Carbon black nanotube pigment, Ice-repellent coatings, Robust super hydrophobic coatings and use of paint which could generate power. 2. Wheel Alignment Alignment refers to an adjustment of a vehicles suspension. The system that connects a vehicle to its wheels. It is not an adjustment of the tires or wheels themselves but adjusting the angles of the tires which affects how they make contact with the road. In contrast to aligning wheels with the help of robes in past, nowadays the new Wheel Alignment System provides unsurpassed features such as fast, accurate and built-to-last, and benefits that make the alignment system unique in the market today. The accuracy, repeatability and quality of new alignment system with precise alignment readings in only two minutes using sensors, an array of software productivity enhancers and a comprehensive vehicle data base with frequent updates, and is specifically designed to make shops more successful and profitable, quick and efficient. The new wheel alignment system has advantages such as fast, accurate readings and less waiting for measurements, fully featured hardware refers features like drive through design, wireless communication, automatic camera tracking and high mobility, Software Productivity Enhancers means features like automated caster sweep, 3D animations, rolling radius and cross diagonal measurement and optional features include clamps that only engage the tire, eliminating the possibility for damage to the rim provides more functionality, superior service and an extensive shop solutions and more alignments. Latest technologies: Computerized vehicle assembling, controlling vehicles using mobile applications, Diagnosis of vehicle repairs using computer systems, Smart key Voice recognization systems and Vehicle position tracking GPS enabled drive. 3. Astronomy Industry Astronomy is the branch of science deals with celestial objects, space, and the physical universe as a whole. Computer technologies have been central to advances in astronomy and will play more important role in analyzing complex phenomena in the next decade. Earlier, roughly half the cycles of maniac computer were devoted to first stellar evolution codes. Then, advanced computers allowed the first detailed models of supernova explosions. In 1970s, the Observatory x-ray telescope and large array of radio telescopes created images using computers as intermediaries between the telescope and the observer. Then, microcomputers came into use for the control of data acquisition at telescopes, theoretical simulations were extended to a wide variety of complex astrophysical phenomena. Now, astronomers apply powerful computer technologies to obtain, process, and interpret the data from ground-and space-based observatories. Astronomy of its dependence on large quantities of data and its past experience and future goals, will be the leader in important aspects of a national program in high-performance computing. Exciting developments in astronomy can occur as a result of enhancements in computing strategies, techniques, or power. Workstations are included in grants program, supercomputing support is provided directly to the supercomputing centers, and computers to perform the first stage of data reduction. Latest technologies: Data acquisition and processing, Data reduction and analysis, Archiving and Theoretical astrophysics. 4. News Media Industry News media is defined as an umbrella term for all the sources and presentation of news and information, including: TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, web pages and blogs. An example of the news media is any outlet where a reporters story could be printed or spoken. In very early stage, newspapers are the only media between journalists the society which consisted of heavy paper work acted as a challenge especially in daily newspapers that needed to print the latest news in the overnight to publish on next day. Then the invention of radio TV achieves audio video transition of news. Even though these are somewhat advanced, people can get the news on the specific time frame. All those deficits have been overcome by the web based news and media portals. By using this we can access 24 x 7 independently. Also. people can go through updated news and subscribe free e-newspapers at any time anywhere. E- newspapers are ecofriendly helps to green evolution. Latest technologies: Live video streaming, Online news portals, Social media interactions, Readers forum sections

Actus Reus In Recklessness And Common Assault Law Essay

Actus Reus In Recklessness And Common Assault Law Essay Maxim actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea means that the guilty act on its own will not make a person criminally liable unless it was done with a guilty state of mind. The majority of crimes are brought about by a mixture of actions and are referred to as the guilty acts these represent the physical elements of a crime (actus reus).The mental elements are the thoughts or guilty state of mind (mens rea). If actus reus and mens rea are known and there is no valid defence, the defendant will be found guilty. It is the task of the prosecution to demonstrate together the actus reus and the mens rea of the offence beyond a reasonable doubt to the agreement of the judge and jury. If the proof is not found then the defendant will be acquitted. The actus reus covers all the exterior elements of an offence and consists of conduct, circumstances, and consequences. These are divided into two categories: Conduct crimes and Result crimes Conduct crimes consist of conduct and circumstance and are those in which the actus reus is concerned with prohibited behaviour in spite of its consequences, an example of this would be to drive when you have been disqualified. Result crimes are those where the guilty act requires proof that the conduct caused the outlawed consequence, for example, the actus reus of criminal damage is that the property owned by another person is damaged, and another example is the act of killing someone or committing murder. As result crimes are concerned with causing the consequences the prosecution must show that it was the defendants behaviour that caused the result or circumstances to occur, they have to provide a clear, unbroken causal link. Causation requires a two stage test: Factual causation, the defendants act must be a sine qua non of the prohibited consequence. This simply means that the consequence would not have occurred without the defendants actions. R v.White (1910) 2 KB 124(CA) this case deals with but for test. The test establishes multiple factual causes of death. Legal causation can be established by showing that defendants act was an operating and substantial cause of death. It may not be the sole or main cause but it must make a significant contribution. R v. Cheshire (1991) 1WLR 844 (CA), R v. Pagett (1983) 76 Cr App R 279 (CA). R v. Smith (1959) Legal causation also deals with fault, assigning blame, and responsibility. The defendant will be liable for the all foreseeable consequences or results of their actions. R v. Roberts (1972) 56 Cr App R 95 (CA), R v. Marjoram (1999) (CA). There is no liability in criminal law for omissions unless that failure to act was whilst you are under a duty to act. The duty to act can arise in several ways: Duty arising from statute for example s.170 (4) of the Road Traffic Act 1998 places a duty on the driver involved in an accident to report it to the police or provide details to of the other people involved. Contractual duty, if someone fails to so something under a legally binding contract that they are contracted to do they may be criminally liable if any harm or injury occurs as a result of their failure to act. R v. Pittwood (1902) 19 TLR 37 (Assizes) concerned a duty to act, contract Parental duty to act and a duty towards family members, this is a common law duty that members of a family owe to each other to care for each others welfare. R v. Gibbins and Proctor (1918) 13 Cr App Rep 134 concerning duty to care, R v. Harris and Harris (1993) Reliance or voluntary assumption of care, R v. Stone and Dobson (1977) CA Supervening fault or dangerous situation, this is where the defendant does nothing to avert a dangerous situation resulting from their conduct. R v. Miller (1983) 1 All ER 978 in relation to situation created by the defendant. The mens rea deals with the guilty state of mind. There are two states of mind which either together or separately can form the necessary mens rea for a criminal offence. These are Intention and Recklessness. Direct intention is where the defendants purpose is to cause death, mens rea of murder is the intention to kill or cause grievous bodily harm. Indirect intent which is also known as oblique or foresight intent is where the unlawful consequence as a result of the defendants conduct is foreseen by the defendant as virtually certain although its not the defendants purpose. R v. Woollin (1999) 1 AC 82 (HL) oblique intention, virtual certainty. Recklessness is where the defendant takes an unjustified and unreasonable risk. There are two known types of recklessness, subjective and objective. The law tends to concentrate on subjective tests. R v. G (2004) 1 AC 1034 (HL) subjective recklessness, criminal damage R v.Cunningham (1957) 2 QB 396 (CA) subjective recklessness and interpretation of malicious. The Cunningham test applies to all offences other than criminal damage. Coincidence of actus reus and mens rea When the defendant commits the actus reus of an offence, for liability to occur it must be shown that they also had the correct mens rea at the time the actus reus was committed. The guilty act and guilty state of mind must coincide. Problems have cropped up where the actus reus has been performed, then the mens rea comes into play, and also where the mens rea is present first and then the actus reus follows In order to overcome these problems the courts have used several approaches in order to secure a conviction where the actus reus is complete prior to the mens rea being present, and with the mens rea occurring before the actus reus. The approaches that they have used are called continuing acts and a chain of events. Continuing act is where the actus reus is committed over a period of time and the mens rea is present at some point during it commission. Continuing acts Fagan v. Metropolitan Police Commissioner (1969)1 QB 439 (DC) The defendant accidentally stopped his car on a policemans foot, (actus reus) when he realised this he didnt take it off (mens rea).It was a continuous act as he had actus reus when he ran over his foot and this only stopped when the car was moved and then the mens rea when he refused to move it. The defendant was subsequently found guilty of assault. R v. Kaitamaki (1985) AC 147 He penetrated the victim (actus reus) and when he realised she objected to the penetration he did not withdraw at which point mens rea was present. It was held that the actus reus of rape was a continuing act, and when he realised she objected he formed the mens rea the actus reus was still continuing and so there was coincidence. The defendant was found guilty of rape. R v. Miller (1983) 2 AC 161 (HL) The defendant fell asleep on a mattress in a house whilst smoking a cigarette. When he woke up he noticed that the mattress was smouldering he left it and decided to go to another part of the house. He made no attempt whatsoever to stop the damage and due to this the house caught on fire. The act which caused the (actus reus) dropping of the cigarette happened when the defendant was asleep and the (mens rea) recklessness, damage to property occurred when he awoke. It was held that the defendants failure to do anything about putting the fire out was the actus reus and this coincided with the appropriate mens rea. Chain of events This is the second approach that deals with the mens rea occurring before the actus reus. The defendant will be found to be criminally liable if the guilty act and guilty state of mind are present even if they do not coincide during the series of events. R. v Church (1966) 1 QB 59 (CA) The defendant took the victim to a van in order to have sex with her. The victim made fun of him so the defendant knocked her unconscious (mens rea). The defendant believed she was dead so he threw her into a river in order to get rid of the victim. The victim then died (actus rea). The defendants conduct was viewed as a series of acts designed to cause GBH or death. The actus reus and mens rea were present during the chain of events. The defendant was found guilty of manslaughter R v. Thabo Mali (1954) PC (South Africa) The defendants took the victim to a hut and beat him over the head intending to kill him. They believed they had killed him so they rolled him over a cliff. The victim did not die from the beating or being rolled of the cliff but died of exposure. It was held that the actus reus and mens rea was present throughout. The actus reus consisted of a series of acts and the mens rea was present at some time during the chain of events. They were found guilty of murder. R v. Le Brun (1991) CA The defendant knocked the victim (his wife) unconscious. Whilst he was moving her she knocked her head on the kerb and this fractured her skull. She later died of the injury. It was held that the original unlawful act and the act causing death (actus reus) and the (mens rea) were all part of the same chain of events. The defendant was found guilty of manslaughter. My own example Im employed as a female plasterer on a building site. After finishing work one evening and on my way home I realised that I had left something behind, so I head back too the site. The site has never been secured properly and the workforces have been complaining about this for some time. Whilst back on site a stranger approaches me and threatens to cause me some harm. As he is coming towards me I deliver a powerful kick into his stomach which causes him to fall back and trip over an item on the floor. He bangs his head on the ground and I also use my hawk to batter him over the head several times to ensure he does not get up again in a hurry. There is a great deal of blood on the floor and he does not appear to be breathing. I feel that he may be dead. I drag his body too the back of the worksite and hide it amongst some very tall weeds. I go back to the area where the blood is, clean up, and then leave the site. This example illustrates how the actus reus and mens rea are all part of the same chain of events and were present throughout Task 1(b) Common assault does not involve physical contact. It is an offence under s39 of The Criminal Justice Act 1998. The actus reus of common assault is when the defendant causes the victim to apprehend (expect) immediate unlawful violence. This can be carried out by conduct, deeds, menacing silence, words, or a failure to act. R v. Ireland (1998) AC 147 (HL) The defendant made several silent calls to the victims, these occurred during the evening. They eventually suffered from psychiatric illnesses (depression, stress, anxiety). The House of Lords decided that words can amount to an assault and that silence calls could be seen as communicating a threat. The defendant was found guilty of assault. R v. Constanza (1997) 2 Cr App R 492(CA) The defendant stalked the victim by following her home, turning up to her home address uninvited, writing offensive words on her front door, making several silent phone calls and sending her over 800 letters. The last letter was hand-delivered and this led to the defendant being found guilty of assault. The victim suffered psychiatric illness as a result of the defendants actions. The mens rea of common assault is the intention to cause apprehension of immediate violence or subjective recklessness as to the assault. Battery involves the use of physical force. The actus reus of battery is the infliction of force or violence, this includes slight touching. The actus reus is made up of three elements which consist of direct and indirect physical contact, non-consensual and physical contact. R. v Haystead (2000) 3 All ER 890 (DC) This case concerns indirect contact. The defendant punched a mother holding her baby. The baby dropped and the defendant was convicted of battery on the baby. Battery requires non-consensual touching, the victim can consent to contact (express) or contact is implied, day to day contact. Battery deals with minor physical contact resulting in minor injuries for example grazes, minor bruising, slight cuts, and black eyes. Collins v Wilcox (1984) 1 WLR 1172 (DC) this case gave examples of implied consent, agreed back slapping, seizing a hand in friendship and jostling on the underground. The mens rea of battery is exactly the same as assault, intention to make physical contact or subjective recklessness as to such contact. Unlawful malicious wounding or causing grievous bodily harm with intent is the most serious of all the non-fatal offences and is found in s18 OAPA 1861. Section 18 covers GBH by omission. The actus reus is that the defendant must have unlawfully wounded a person or caused grievous bodily harm. It involves deep repeated cuts, minor cuts, bones penetrating the skin. Serious injury includes mental injury and most recently the transmission of diseases. R v. Ireland, Burstow (1998) AC 147 (HL) As in Ireland above. Both defendants stalked the victims with unwanted attention for over 3 years. The victims suffered from psychiatric injuries as a result of the ongoing acts. The house of lords in both cases concluded that harm to a persons mind that amounted to a recognised medical condition would fall under the category of bodily harm. R v Dica (2004) QB 1257 (CA) The defendant who was HIV positive had unprotected sex with several women. The defendant was fully aware that he was infected but he did not inform the victims of his condition. The court of appeal accepted that a person could be liable for recklessly infecting another person with HIV. The mens rea of GBH with intent is that the defendant must have intention to wound or cause GBH. Recklessness as to causing GBH or wounding (malice) and intention to resist or prevent arrest. Strict Liability offences are those in which the defendant may not have intended or known about the consequences of their actions or the circumstances. The defendant does not need to have a guilty state of mind in relation to all parts of the actus reus (guilty act). Strict liability cases make up half the cases appearing before the courts. Defences for strict liability are those that are applicable to actus reus.   Defences that are probably relevant to actus reus include automatism and duress and also foreseeability is quite important as well. Strict liability offences are mainly created by statute and regarded as regulatory offences and public safety/public interest offences. The offences that are covered are quite extensive and include parking offences, road traffic offences, health and safety, dangerous drugs, dangerous weapons, sexual offences, environmental pollution, possession and the control of dangerous and non-dangerous animals. Sweet v Parsley (1970) HL This case is an important case on strict liability where the need for mens rea in most criminal cases was spelt out and where it was suitable for the presumption for mens rea to be dispensed with. Harrow LBC v. Shah (2000) 1 WLR 83 (DC) The defendant was found guilty of selling a lottery ticket to a young person under the age of 16. The defendant was unaware of the persons age when selling the ticket. R v Marriot (1971) the defendant was found guilty after police searched his home and found a tiny amount of cannabis on a knife. His defence told the court that he had not been aware of what the substance on the blade was, he appealed against the decision and was still convicted. It was held that the accused was guilty if he knew that there was a substance on his knife even if he did not know what the substance was. R v Deyemi (2007) CA the defendants were caught with a stun gun, which they believed to be a torch. It was held that the prosecution only had to prove that they possessed the stun gun, and the stun gun was forbidden by the act. The prosecution did not have to prove that the defendants knew that it was an illegal weapon Alphacell v Woodward (1972) HL the defendants were charged with causing pollution to a river. The pollution occurred as a result of a pipe becoming blocked from their factory and the waste product entered a nearby river. FJH Wrothwell v Yorkshire Water Co. (1984), the defendant who was the director of the company  carelessly poured 12 gallons of herbicide into drains. These drains led into a river. Smedleys v Breed (1974) AC 839 A big manufacturer of tinned peas was convicted under the Food and Drugs Act (1955) (now Food and Safety Act 1990) when some tins were found to contain a caterpillars The arguments in favour of strict liability are: They help to prevent environmental pollution People may be prevented from owning unlawful weapons and drugs The public is protected against unsafe structures Helps to encourage people to really improve standards so they will not be prosecuted for committing a criminal offence

guitar :: essays research papers

An acoustic guitar strums softly in the back alley of a rock concert.Thousands of people stampede by. They flood the streets like hungry animals.It starts to rain; slowly the guitar raises and smashes into the concrete-ridden ground over and over until it is screaming,raging-a guitar madness! It breaks and cracks into millions of tiny pieces. Another dream is broken. The people don't notice. They crowd the street, standing on someone else's misery. They kick the pieces aside and enter a world where self -involved entertainers sell their misery to a world where misery is fashionable. Music today is being controlled by pop culture. They use it as a weapon to over power and trick young listeners into buying their products.Pop culture today is seeming to be full of "faceless bands". They all look the same, and they all sound almost exactly the same. If someone even tries to enter the world of music, pop culture immediately takes control. They've turned it into a "music business". You'll get chewed up and spit out, if you don't look the part. It isn't about sounding the part anymore. It's all about looking the part for their self-proclaimed "music business". What ever happened to the musicians who performed just for the love of it? It's all about money now. They've all realized the power music has over people. They tried to take it away, and are now using it against us, for their advertisements, t.v. shows, radios, and various products. Music is more powerful than you think it is. Music creates the way you feel, and think. It is a huge social interest. If you go out with your friends, usually there will be music. It is a big impact on a teenage life. Think about dances, parties, and other social gatherings. It's turned into a new fashion. If your friends listen to a certain type of music, there is a high percentage that you will too. People treat music like a clothing brand; a product to brainwash large quantities of people . What happened to the real musicians? Where are they? Well I'll tell you. They are the ones sitting in the back alley of a rock concert, going unnoticed, until their dream is smashed and they give up the dream of being "company property", and they wake up. Why bother trying to grasp the media's attention? You will just become one of them: a money craving beast. guitar :: essays research papers An acoustic guitar strums softly in the back alley of a rock concert.Thousands of people stampede by. They flood the streets like hungry animals.It starts to rain; slowly the guitar raises and smashes into the concrete-ridden ground over and over until it is screaming,raging-a guitar madness! It breaks and cracks into millions of tiny pieces. Another dream is broken. The people don't notice. They crowd the street, standing on someone else's misery. They kick the pieces aside and enter a world where self -involved entertainers sell their misery to a world where misery is fashionable. Music today is being controlled by pop culture. They use it as a weapon to over power and trick young listeners into buying their products.Pop culture today is seeming to be full of "faceless bands". They all look the same, and they all sound almost exactly the same. If someone even tries to enter the world of music, pop culture immediately takes control. They've turned it into a "music business". You'll get chewed up and spit out, if you don't look the part. It isn't about sounding the part anymore. It's all about looking the part for their self-proclaimed "music business". What ever happened to the musicians who performed just for the love of it? It's all about money now. They've all realized the power music has over people. They tried to take it away, and are now using it against us, for their advertisements, t.v. shows, radios, and various products. Music is more powerful than you think it is. Music creates the way you feel, and think. It is a huge social interest. If you go out with your friends, usually there will be music. It is a big impact on a teenage life. Think about dances, parties, and other social gatherings. It's turned into a new fashion. If your friends listen to a certain type of music, there is a high percentage that you will too. People treat music like a clothing brand; a product to brainwash large quantities of people . What happened to the real musicians? Where are they? Well I'll tell you. They are the ones sitting in the back alley of a rock concert, going unnoticed, until their dream is smashed and they give up the dream of being "company property", and they wake up. Why bother trying to grasp the media's attention? You will just become one of them: a money craving beast.

Comparing the Narrative Voice in The Storm and Hands Essays -- compari

The Narrative Voice in The Storm and Hands      Ã‚  Ã‚   The application of narrative voice as a devise by which the author influences or manipulates the reader’s response is an ancient method of inducement that is still employed today. Kate Chopin tactfully utilizes narrative voice in the short story, The Storm, to create an empathic reader’s response for a socially unacceptable behavior. Sherwood Anderson, the author of Hands, appropriates a similar technique to manipulate the reader’s response to accept or sympathize with a serious controversial issue that long has plagued humankind from early Biblical times until this present generation. Narrative voice is still employed today and has not lost its persuasive, influential, and manipulative effect over the centuries. Kate Chopin cleverly employs an omniscient narrative approach in relating The Storm, so the facts presented impact and shape the reader’s response to the couples’ adulterous affair. The narrator focuses on the romantic relationship that existed between Alcee and Calixta before her five-year marriage to her husband. The narrator recalls that "in Assumption Alcee had kissed Calixta and kissed her until his senses would well nigh fail, and to save her he would resort to a desperate flight" (Chopin 363). The narrator consciously constructs in the mind of the reader the idea that Alcee and Calixta were not immoral fornicators during their youthful romantic connection, but on the contrary, their moral value and practice more than parallel that of society’s and had been far above reproach. The narrator further validates that "Calixta was an immaculate dove in those days, and she was still inviolate; a passionate creature whose very defenselessness had made her defense, ... ...pathy for Mr. Bibblebaum’s atypical tendency by focusing on his hands, his nervous emotional state, and the abuse he receives from society. Both authors successfully employ narrative voice in generating empathy and some possible modification in the reader’s response for two issues that cut across popular opinion and moral value. The tactics utilized by both narrators will continue to influence and manipulate reader’s response for centuries to come and has the potential to break down well constructed social barriers.    Work cited Anderson, Sherwood. "Hands." Literature Across Culture. Eds. Sheena Gillepsi, Terzinha Fonseca, Carol A Sanger 3rd ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2001: 885-889. Chopin, Kate. "The Storm." Literature Across Cultures. Eds. Sheena Gillepie, Terzinha Fonseca, Carol A. Sanger 3rd ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2001: 885-889.   

Ethnicity and the Police Newspaper Article Essay

Ethnicity and the Police Newspaper Article Assignment Part II: Final This newspaper article will begin from week two individual public opinion of police by different ethnic groups outline. Public opinion of police by different ethnic groups there are different types of ethnic groups African American, Hispanic’s and Latino’s American. Ranging from the White House to all over this nation sometime or another there can arise many problems with different ethnic groups all the way through the criminal justice system, in our communities, and as well as in the public figure. Each group has formed their own public opinion of police African American have more encounters with police because of their skin color than any other race. The percentage rate for arrest is much higher than any other ethnic group. Have more abuse, brutality, and harassment in African American communities than other communities. Back in slavery time the brutal abuse even lead to Blacks being hung by a tree until death. Hispanic’s and Latino’s have more traffic stops than other ethnic groups, because of drug smuggling. Some cannot understand English, and have language barrier issues. Immigration and deportation poses threats in Arizona. Some groups in the past as well as today effects the opinion of the police International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD). International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) has worked consistently with community groups, television, friends, family, social media, newspaper, magazines, and many others to help stop police abuse and brutality. One of the greatest men of all time who fought hard for Black’s (Negro American, African American) rights and freedom in America, however, this race carries many names, when others are recognized as one ethnic group to another. Below are photos of many great leaders, actresses, and singers, all have and some to this present day are still fighting for Black’s rights in this nation. Although Black’s have come a long way from slavery, but remains in a struggle today simply for being born the wrong skin color. While forming an opinion of one the most recent top stories in the nation, the Washington, D.C., Navy Yard as they study more about the actions of gunman Aaron Alexis that day. Federal experts are mending together a new timeline of Monday’s mass shooting, and the reason for Alexi’s actions. In one Black woman opinion was this action of hate, revenge, mental issues, at the time of this catastrophic shooting rampage. Concerns of many are trying to figure out what was Alex’s thinking about, and why take this chance of killing 12 people, before his own life was taken. Below are some photos of the shooting. ‘One person felt him breathe’: Escape from the Navy Yard’ I Felt Him Breathe’: Escape From the Navy Yard. They say the first call for help came at 8:21 a.m. that morning, and it took officers another 30 minutes to find Alexis. Investigators believe that Alexis was concealing a shotgun with a sawed-off barrel and stock when he entered the building, though they still don’t know if that gun was in the bag he was carrying or concealed in his clothing. And they know that the people he shot and killed were mostly on the third and fourth floors. In a tragic twist, one of Alexis’ victims was standing outside Building 197, in an alley, when he was shot by a bullet that passed through a door, the FBI told NBC News’ Pete Williams Thursday. The gunman was shot by a team comprising U.S. Park Police and D.C.’s Metropolitan Police who found him in an area filled with cubicles, U.S. Park Police said. The team had to clear each cubicle, one by one, until Alexis engaged them and they shot him. In all, 12 victims were killed, eight were injured and Alexis was shot and killed in the shooting Monday morning, the deadliest single event in Washington in decades.

Library Management System Essay

Our Library Management System is the application software that is developed to make a record of Book purchasing, book searching, book issuing and rent, book returned, catalogs, stock creation, all other fine books, popular and bestsellers and other Library related works. The scope of this software application is to generate the automatic process of manual handling of Library records and to handle the stock as well as book issues related information. The aim of the project is to make the manual handling of Library system into computerized system. The user can get the information regarding the important reviews and immediate search of records. Our Library Management System is a data processing system used to perform routine Library activities. In this system, the library management becomes more efficient and easier to handle with its reliable system components. Library system was developed in order to make computerized the borrowing and returning of books, return books, and add books, search books and special tools. With Library Management System, it can trace desired items  electronically without going through shelves. Library Management System supports other administrative tasks such as inventory and data processing. Our Library management system needs a flash drive that will be used as access of the student to borrow books. Every registered student who wants to borrow book is required to plug-in a flash drive during the registration. The file â€Å"Account.txt† will be created after the registration containing the registered borrower’s code and full name. The Administrator/Librarian has full access which is level 1 with this system while the staff cannot edit accounts and settings which is level 2; they are only in assign with the transaction. Library management system records every transaction in computerized system so that problem such as record file missing won’t happen. This system has records of the list of the users with access level; the users must have their User ID, Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial, Username, Password and Access Level. It has also records of a list of available books with the book number, description, Category and Stock Available. It keeps also the record of the borrowed books with the borrowed code, type of transaction, list of books, quantity and date and time in it. It has also the records of the borrowers with their borrower code, last name, first name, middle initial, and course in it. It has also the borrowers log history with the borrower code, type of transaction, and date and time. The information to be printed on the printer are the Registered Users, Book Record, Borrower per day, Penalty Slip and Borrowed and Returned Books. It also records the User Log History which contains the User ID, Full Name, Remark, and date and time. Our Library Management System has only three trials for log in. Our system also validates all inputs. Penalty for late in returning of books is 5 pesos per day and 50 pesos after 5 days. This system has a user-friendly interface to create an easy to understand environment and it uses consistent background and foreground color. All the forms in our system appear at the center of the screen. It can detect a flash drive automatically once it is connected and indicate a status. It performs adding, editing, deleting and searching of records. Our system is also reliable in computing penalty. It performs text to speech and SMS notification. It can also update the number of books and back-up files and  records.

Chapter 16 The Goblet of Fire

I don't believe it!† Ron said, in a stunned voice, as the Hogwarts students filed back up the steps behind the party from Durmstrang. â€Å"Krum, Harry! Viktor Krum!† â€Å"For heaven's sake, Ron, he's only a Quidditch player,† said Hermione. â€Å"Only a Quidditch player?† Ron said, looking at her as though he couldn't believe his ears. â€Å"Hermione – he's one of the best Seekers in the world! I had no idea he was still at school!† As they recrossed the entrance hall with the rest of the Hogwarts students heading for the Great Hall, Harry saw Lee Jordan jumping up and down on the soles of his feet to get a better look at the back of Krum's head. Several sixth-year girls were frantically searching their pockets as they walked – â€Å"Oh I don't believe it, I haven't got a single quill on me -â€Å" â€Å"D'you think he'd sign my hat in lipstick?† â€Å"Really,† Hermione said loftily as they passed the girls, now squabbling over the lipstick. â€Å"I'm getting his autograph if I can,† said Ron. â€Å"You haven't got a quill, have you, Harry?† â€Å"Nope, they're upstairs in my bag,† said Harry. They walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down. Ron took care to sit on the side facing the doorway, because Krum and his fellow Durmstrang students were still gathered around it, apparently unsure about where they should sit. The students from Beauxbatons had chosen seats at the Ravenclaw table. They were looking around the Great Hall with glum expressions on their faces. Three of them were still clutching scarves and shawls around their heads. â€Å"It's not that cold,† said Hermione defensively. â€Å"Why didn't they bring cloaks?† â€Å"Over here! Come and sit over here!† Ron hissed. â€Å"Over here! Hermione, budge up, make a space -â€Å" â€Å"What?† â€Å"Too late,† said Ron bitterly. Viktor Krum and his fellow Durmstrang students had settled themselves at the Slytherin table. Harry could see Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle looking very smug about this. As he watched, Malfoy bent forward to speak to Krum. â€Å"Yeah, that's right, smarm up to him, Malfoy,† said Ron scathingly. â€Å"I bet Krum can see right through him, though†¦bet he gets people fawning over him all the time†¦.Where d'you reckon they're going to sleep? We could offer him a space in our dormitory, Harry†¦I wouldn't mind giving him my bed, I could kip on a camp bed.† Hermione snorted. â€Å"They look a lot happier than the Beauxbatons lot,† said Harry. The Durmstrang students were pulling off their heavy furs and looking up at the starry black ceiling with expressions of interest; a couple of them were picking up the golden plates and goblets and examining them, apparently impressed. Up at the staff table, Filch, the caretaker, was adding chairs. He was wearing his moldy old tailcoat in honor of the occasion. Harry was surprised to see that he added four chairs, two on either side of Dumbledore's. â€Å"But there are only two extra people,† Harry said. â€Å"Why's Filch putting out four chairs, who else is coming?† â€Å"Eh?† said Ron vaguely. He was still staring avidly at Krum. When all the students had entered the Hall and settled down at their House tables, the staff entered, filing up to the top table and taking their seats. Last in line were Professor Dumbledore, Professor Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime. When their headmistress appeared, the pupils from Beauxbatons leapt to their feet. A few of the Hogwarts students laughed. The Beauxbatons party appeared quite unembarrassed, however, and did not resume their seats until Madame Maxime had sat down on Dumbledore's left-hand side. Dumbledore remained standing, and a silence fell over the Great Hall. â€Å"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghosts and – most particularly – guests,† said Dumbledore, beaming around at the foreign students. â€Å"I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and trust that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable.† One of the Beauxbatons girls still clutching a muffler around her head gave what was unmistakably a derisive laugh. â€Å"No one's making you stay!† Hermione whispered, bristling at her. â€Å"The tournament will be officially opened at the end of the feast,† said Dumbledore. â€Å"I now invite you all to eat, drink, and make yourselves at home!† He sat down, and Harry saw Karkaroff lean forward at once and engage him in conversation. The plates in front of them filled with food as usual. The house-elves in the kitchen seemed to have pulled out all the stops; there was a greater variety of dishes in front of them than Harry had ever seen, including several that were definitely foreign. â€Å"What's that?† said Ron, pointing at a large dish of some sort of shellfish stew that stood beside a large steak-and-kidney pudding. â€Å"Bouillabaisse,† said Hermione. â€Å"Bless you,† said Ron. â€Å"It's French,† said Hermione, â€Å"I had it on holiday summer before last. It's very nice.† â€Å"I'll take your word for it,† said Ron, helping himself to black pudding. The Great Hall seemed somehow much more crowded than usual, even though there were barely twenty additional students there; perhaps it was because their differently colored uniforms stood out so clearly against the black of the Hogwarts' robes. Now that they had removed their furs, the Durmstrang students were revealed to be wearing robes of a deep bloodred. Hagrid sidled into the Hall through a door behind the staff table twenty minutes after the start of the feast. He slid into his seat at the end and waved at Harry, Ron, and Hermione with a very heavily bandaged hand. â€Å"Skrewts doing all right, Hagrid?† Harry called. â€Å"Thrivin',† Hagrid called back happily. â€Å"Yeah, I'll just bet they are,† said Ron quietly. â€Å"Looks like they've finally found a food they like, doesn't it? Hagrid's fingers.† At that moment, a voice said, â€Å"Excuse me, are you wanting ze bouillabaisse?† It was the girl from Beauxbatons who had laughed during Dumbledore's speech. She had finally removed her muffler. A long sheet of silvery-blonde hair fell almost to her waist. She had large, deep blue eyes, and very white, even teeth. Ron went purple. He stared up at her, opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out except a faint gurgling noise. â€Å"Yeah, have it,† said Harry, pushing the dish toward the girl. â€Å"You ‘ave finished wiz it?† â€Å"Yeah,† Ron said breathlessly. â€Å"Yeah, it was excellent.† The girl picked up the dish and carried it carefully off to the Ravenclaw table. Ron was still goggling at the girl as though he had never seen one before. Harry started to laugh. The sound seemed to jog Ron back to his senses. â€Å"She's a veela!† he said hoarsely to Harry. â€Å"Of course she isn't!† said Hermione tartly. â€Å"I don't see anyone else gaping at her like an idiot!† But she wasn't entirely right about that. As the girl crossed the Hall, many boys' heads turned, and some of them seemed to have become temporarily speechless, just like Ron. â€Å"I'm telling you, that's not a normal girl!† said Ron, leaning sideways so he could keep a clear view of her. â€Å"They don't make them like that at Hogwarts!† â€Å"They make them okay at Hogwarts,† said Harry without thinking. Cho happened to be sitting only a few places away from the girl with the silvery hair. â€Å"When you've both put your eyes back in,† said Hermione briskly, â€Å"you'll be able to see who's just arrived.† She was pointing up at the staff table. The two remaining empty seats had just been filled. Ludo Bagman was now sitting on Professor Karkaroff's other side, while Mr. Crouch, Percy's boss, was next to Madame Maxime. â€Å"What are they doing here?† said Harry in surprise. â€Å"They organized the Triwizard Tournament, didn't they?† said Hermione. â€Å"I suppose they wanted to be here to see it start.† When the second course arrived they noticed a number of unfamiliar desserts too. Ron examined an odd sort of pale blancmange closely, then moved it carefully a few inches to his right, so that it would be clearly visible from the Ravenclaw table. The girl who looked like a veela appeared to have eaten enough, however, and did not come over to get it. Once the golden plates had been wiped clean, Dumbledore stood up again. A pleasant sort of tension seemed to fill the Hall now. Harry felt a slight thrill of excitement, wondering what was coming. Several seats down from them, Fred and George were leaning forward, staring at Dumbledore with great concentration. â€Å"The moment has come,† said Dumbledore, smiling around at the sea of upturned faces. â€Å"The Triwizard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket -â€Å" â€Å"The what?† Harry muttered. Ron shrugged. â€Å"- just to clarify the procedure that we will be following this year. But first, let me introduce, for those who do not know them, Mr. Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation† – there was a smattering of polite applause – â€Å"and Mr. Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports.† There was a much louder round of applause for Bagman than for Crouch, perhaps because of his fame as a Beater, or simply because he looked so much more likable. He acknowledged it with a jovial wave of his hand. Bartemius Crouch did not smile or wave when his name was announced. Remembering him in his neat suit at the Quidditch World Cup, Harry thought he looked strange in wizard's robes. His toothbrush mustache and severe parting looked very odd next to Dumbledore's long white hair and beard. â€Å"Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch have worked tirelessly over the last few months on the arrangements for the Triwizard Tournament,† Dumbledore continued, â€Å"and they will be joining myself, Professor Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime on the panel that will judge the champions' efforts.† At the mention of the word â€Å"champions,† the attentiveness of the listening students seemed to sharpen. Perhaps Dumbledore had noticed their sudden stillness, for he smiled as he said, â€Å"The casket, then, if you please, Mr. Filch.† Filch, who had been lurking unnoticed in a far corner of the Hall, now approached Dumbledore carrying a great wooden chest encrusted with jewels. It looked extremely old. A murmur of excited interest rose from the watching students; Dennis Creevey actually stood on his chair to see it properly, but, being so tiny, his head hardly rose above anyone else's. â€Å"The instructions for the tasks the champions will face this year have already been examined by Mr. Crouch and Mr. Bagman,† said Dumbledore as Filch placed the chest carefully on the table before him, â€Å"and they have made the necessary arrangements for each challenge. There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will test the champions in many different ways.. their magical prowess – their daring – their powers of deduction – and, of course, their ability to cope with danger.† At this last word, the Hall was filled with a silence so absolute that nobody seemed to be breathing. â€Å"As you know, three champions compete in the tournament,† Dumbledore went on calmly, â€Å"one from each of the participating schools. They will be marked on how well they perform each of the Tournament tasks and the champion with the highest total after task three will win the Triwizard Cup. The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector: the Goblet of Fire.† Dumbledore now took out his wand and tapped three times upon the top of the casket. The lid creaked slowly open. Dumbledore reached inside it and pulled out a large, roughly hewn wooden cup. It would have been entirely unremarkable had it not been full to the brim with dancing blue-white flames. Dumbledore closed the casket and placed the goblet carefully on top of it, where it would be clearly visible to everyone in the Hall. â€Å"Anybody wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment and drop it into the goblet,† said Dumbledore. â€Å"Aspiring champions have twenty-four hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Halloween, the goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The goblet will be placed in the entrance hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete. â€Å"To ensure that no underage student yields to temptation,† said Dumbledore, â€Å"I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire once it has been placed in the entrance hall. Nobody under the age of seventeen will be able to cross this line. â€Å"Finally, I wish to impress upon any of you wishing to compete that this tournament is not to be entered into lightly. Once a champion has been selected by the Goblet of Fire, he or she is obliged to see the tournament through to the end. The placing of your name in the goblet constitutes a binding, magical contract. There can be no change of heart once you have become a champion. Please be very sure, therefore, that you are wholeheartedly prepared to play before you drop your name into the goblet. Now, I think it is time for bed. Good night to you all.† â€Å"An Age Line!† Fred Weasley said, his eyes glinting, as they all made their way across the Hall to the doors into the entrance hall. â€Å"Well, that should be fooled by an Aging Potion, shouldn't it? And once your name's in that goblet, you're laughing – it can't tell whether you're seventeen or not!† â€Å"But I don't think anyone under seventeen will stand a chance,† said Hermione, â€Å"we just haven't learned enough†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Speak for yourself,† said George shortly. â€Å"You'll try and get in, won't you, Harry?† Harry thought briefly of Dumbledore's insistence that nobody under seventeen should submit their name, but then the wonderful picture of himself winning the Triwizard Tournament filled his mind again†¦.He wondered how angry Dumbledore would be if someone younger than seventeen did find a way to get over the Age Line. â€Å"Where is he?† said Ron, who wasn't listening to a word of this conversation, but looking through the crowd to see what had become of Krum. â€Å"Dumbledore didn't say where the Durmstrang people are sleeping, did he?† But this query was answered almost instantly; they were level with the Slytherin table now, and Karkaroff had just bustled up to his students. â€Å"Back to the ship, then,† he was saying. â€Å"Viktor, how are you feeling? Did you eat enough? Should I send for some mulled wine from the kitchens?† Harry saw Krum shake his head as he pulled his furs back on. â€Å"Professor, Ivood like some vine,† said one of the other Durmstrang boys hopefully. â€Å"I wasn't offering it to you, Poliakoff,† snapped Karkaroff, his warmly paternal air vanishing in an instant. â€Å"I notice you have dribbled food all down the front of your robes again, disgusting boy -â€Å" Karkaroff turned and led his students toward the doors, reaching them at exactly the same moment as Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Harry stopped to let him walk through first. â€Å"Thank you,† said Karkaroff carelessly, glancing at him. And then Karkaroff froze. He turned his head back to Harry and stared at him as though he couldn't believe his eyes. Behind their headmaster, the students from Durmstrang came to a halt too. Karkaroff's eyes moved slowly up Harry's face and fixed upon his scar. The Durmstrang students were staring curiously at Harry too. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw comprehension dawn on a few of their faces. The boy with food all down his front nudged the girl next to him and pointed openly at Harry's forehead. â€Å"Yeah, that's Harry Potter,† said a growling voice from behind them. Professor Karkaroff spun around. Mad-Eye Moody was standing there, leaning heavily on his staff, his magical eye glaring unblinkingly at the Durmstrang headmaster. The color drained from Karkaroff's face as Harry watched. A terrible look of mingled fury and fear came over him. â€Å"You!† he said, staring at Moody as though unsure he was really seeing him. â€Å"Me,† said Moody grimly. â€Å"And unless you've got anything to say to Potter, Karkaroff, you might want to move. You're blocking the doorway.† It was true; half the students in the Hall were now waiting behind them, looking over one another's shoulders to see what was causing the holdup. Without another word, Professor Karkaroff swept his students away with him. Moody watched him until he was out of sight, his magical eye fixed upon his back, a look of intense dislike upon his mutilated face. As the next day was Saturday, most students would normally have breakfasted late. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, however, were not alone in rising much earlier than they usually did on weekends. When they went down into the entrance hall, they saw about twenty people milling around it, some of them eating toast, all examining the Goblet of Fire. It had been placed in the center of the hall on the stool that normally bore the Sorting Hat. A thin golden line had been traced on the floor, forming a circle ten feet around it in every direction. â€Å"Anyone put their name in yet?† Ron asked a third-year girl eagerly. â€Å"All the Durmstrang lot,† she replied. â€Å"But I haven't seen anyone from Hogwarts yet.† â€Å"Bet some of them put it in last night after we'd all gone to bed,† said Harry. â€Å"I would've if it had been me†¦wouldn't have wanted everyone watching. What if the goblet just gobbed you right back out again?† Someone laughed behind Harry. Turning, he saw Fred, George, and Lee Jordan hurrying down the staircase, all three of them looking extremely excited. â€Å"Done it,† Fred said in a triumphant whisper to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. â€Å"Just taken it.† â€Å"What?† said Ron. â€Å"The Aging Potion, dung brains,† said Fred. â€Å"One drop each,† said George, rubbing his hands together with glee. â€Å"We only need to be a few months older.† â€Å"We're going to split the thousand Galleons between the three of us if one of us wins,† said Lee, grinning broadly. â€Å"I'm not sure this is going to work, you know,† said Hermione warningly. â€Å"I'm sure Dumbledore will have thought of this.† Fred, George, and Lee ignored her. â€Å"Ready?† Fred said to the other two, quivering with excitement. â€Å"C'mon, then – I'll go first -â€Å" Harry watched, fascinated, as Fred pulled a slip of parchment out of his pocket bearing the words Fred Weasley – Hogwarts. Fred walked right up to the edge of the line and stood there, rocking on his toes like a diver preparing for a fifty-foot drop. Then, with the eyes of every person in the entrance hall upon him, he took a great breath and stepped over the line. For a split second Harry thought it had worked – George certainly thought so, for he let out a yell of triumph and leapt after Fred – but next moment, there was a loud sizzling sound, and both twins were hurled out of the golden circle as though they had been thrown by an invisible shot-putter. They landed painfully, ten feet away on the cold stone floor, and to add insult to injury, there was a loud popping noise, and both of them sprouted identical long white beards. The entrance hall rang with laughter. Even Fred and George joined in, once they had gotten to their feet and taken a good look at each other's beards. â€Å"I did warn you,† said a deep, amused voice, and everyone turned to see Professor Dumbledore coming out of the Great Hall. He surveyed Fred and George, his eyes twinkling. â€Å"I suggest you both go up to Madam Pomfrey. She is already tending to Miss Fawcett, of Ravenclaw, and Mr. Summers, of Hufflepuff, both of whom decided to age themselves up a little too. Though I must say, neither of their beards is anything like as fine as yours.† Fred and George set off for the hospital wing, accompanied by Lee, who was howling with laughter, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione, also chortling, went in to breakfast. The decorations in the Great Hall had changed this morning. As it was Halloween, a cloud of live bats was fluttering around the enchanted ceiling, while hundreds of carved pumpkins leered from every corner. Harry led the way over to Dean and Seamus, who were discussing those Hogwarts students of seventeen or over who might be entering. â€Å"There's a rumor going around that Warrington got up early and put his name in,† Dean told Harry. â€Å"That big bloke from Slytherin who looks like a sloth.† Harry, who had played Quidditch against Warrington, shook his head in disgust. â€Å"We can't have a Slytherin champion!† â€Å"And all the Hufflepuffs are talking about Diggory,† said Seamus contemptuously. â€Å"But I wouldn't have thought he'd have wanted to risk his good looks.† â€Å"Listen!† said Hermione suddenly. People were cheering out in the entrance hall. They all swiveled around in their seats and saw Angelina Johnson coming into the Hall, grinning in an embarrassed sort of way. A tall black girl who played Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Angelina came over to them, sat down, and said, â€Å"Well, I've done it! Just put my name in!† â€Å"You're kidding!† said Ron, looking impressed. â€Å"Are you seventeen, then?† asked Harry. â€Å"Course she is, can't see a beard, can you?† said Ron. â€Å"I had my birthday last week,† said Angelina. â€Å"Well, I'm glad someone from Gryffindor's entering,† said Hermione. â€Å"I really hope you get it, Angelina!† â€Å"Thanks, Hermione,† said Angelina, smiling at her. Yeah, better you than Pretty-Boy Diggory, said Seamus, causing several Hufflepuffs passing their table to scowl heavily at him. â€Å"What're we going to do today, then?† Ron asked Harry and Hermione when they had finished breakfast and were leaving the Great Hall. â€Å"We haven't been down to visit Hagrid yet,† said Harry. â€Å"Okay,† said Ron, â€Å"just as long as he doesn't ask us to donate a few fingers to the skrewts.† A look of great excitement suddenly dawned on Hermione's face. â€Å"I've just realized – I haven't asked Hagrid to join S.P.E.W. yet!† she said brightly. â€Å"Wait for me, will you, while I nip upstairs and get the badges?† â€Å"What is it with her?† said Ron, exasperated, as Hermione ran away up the marble staircase. â€Å"Hey, Ron,† said Harry suddenly. â€Å"It's your friend†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The students from Beauxbatons were coming through the front doors from the grounds, among them, the veela-girl. Those gathered around the Goblet of Fire stood back to let them pass, watching eagerly. Madame Maxime entered the hall behind her students and organized them into a line. One by one, the Beauxbatons students stepped across the Age Line and dropped their slips of parchment into the blue-white flames. As each name entered the fire, it turned briefly red and emitted sparks. â€Å"What d'you reckon'll happen to the ones who aren't chosen?† Ron muttered to Harry as the veela-girl dropped her parchment into the Goblet of Fire. â€Å"Reckon they'll go back to school, or hang around to watch the tournament?† â€Å"Dunno,† said Harry. â€Å"Hang around, I suppose†¦.Madame Maxime's staying to judge, isn't she?† When all the Beauxbatons students had submitted their names, Madame Maxime led them back out of the hall and out onto the grounds again. â€Å"Where are they sleeping, then?† said Ron, moving toward the front doors and staring after them. A loud rattling noise behind them announced Hermione's reappearance with the box of S. P. E.W. badges. â€Å"Oh good, hurry up,† said Ron, and he jumped down the stone steps, keeping his eyes on the back of the veela-girl, who was now halfway across the lawn with Madame Maxime. As they neared Hagrid's cabin on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, the mystery of the Beauxbatons' sleeping quarters was solved. The gigantic powder-blue carriage in which they had arrived had been parked two hundred yards from Hagrid's front door, and the students were climbing back inside it. The elephantine flying horses that had pulled the carriage were now grazing in a makeshift paddock alongside it. Harry knocked on Hagrid's door, and Fang's booming barks answered instantly. â€Å"‘Bout time!† said Hagrid, when he'd flung open the door. â€Å"Thought you lot'd forgotten where I live!† â€Å"We've been really busy, Hag -† Hermione started to say, but then she stopped dead, looking up at Hagrid, apparently lost for words. Hagrid was wearing his best (and very horrible) hairy brown suit, plus a checked yellow-and-orange tie. This wasn't the worst of it, though; he had evidently tried to tame his hair, using large quantities of what appeared to be axle grease. It was now slicked down into two bunches – perhaps he had tried a ponytail like Bill's, but found he had too much hair. The look didn't really suit Hagrid at all. For a moment, Hermione goggled at him, then, obviously deciding not to comment, she said, â€Å"Erm – where are the skrewts.† â€Å"Out by the pumpkin patch,† said Hagrid happily. â€Å"They're gettin' massive, mus' be nearly three foot long now. On'y trouble is, they've started killin' each other.† â€Å"Oh no, really?† said Hermione, shooting a repressive look at Ron, who, staring at Hagrid's odd hairstyle, had just opened his mouth to say something about it. â€Å"Yeah,† said Hagrid sadly. â€Å"S' okay, though, I've got 'em in separate boxes now. Still got abou' twenty.† â€Å"Well, that's lucky,† said Ron. Hagrid missed the sarcasm. Hagrid's cabin comprised a single room, in one corner of which was a gigantic bed covered in a patchwork quilt. A similarly enormous wooden table and chairs stood in front of the fire beneath the quantity of cured hams and dead birds hanging from the ceiling. They sat down at the table while Hagrid started to make tea, and were soon immersed in yet more discussion of the Triwizard Tournament. Hagrid seemed quite as excited about it as they were. â€Å"You wait,† he said, grinning. â€Å"You jus' wait. Yer going ter see some stuff yeh've never seen before. Firs' task†¦ah, but I'm not supposed ter say.† â€Å"Go on, Hagrid!† Harry, Ron, and Hermione urged him, but he just shook his head, grinning. â€Å"I don' want ter spoil it fer yeh,† said Hagrid. â€Å"But it's gonna be spectacular, I'll tell yeh that. Them champions're going ter have their work cut out. Never thought I'd live ter see the Triwizard Tournament played again!† They ended up having lunch with Hagrid, though they didn't eat much – Hagrid had made what he said was a beef casserole, but after Hermione unearthed a large talon in hers, she, Harry, and Ron rather lost their appetites. However, they enjoyed themselves trying to make Hagrid tell them what the tasks in the tournament were going to be, speculating which of the entrants were likely to be selected as champions, and wondering whether Fred and George were beardless yet. A light rain had started to fall by midafternoon; it was very cozy sitting by the fire, listening to the gentle patter of the drops on the window, watching Hagrid darning his socks and arguing with Hermione about house-elves – for he flatly refused to join S.P.E.W. when she showed him her badges. â€Å"It'd be doin' 'em an unkindness, Hermione,† he said gravely, threading a massive bone needle with thick yellow yarn. â€Å"It's in their nature ter look after humans, that's what they like, see? Yeh'd be makin' 'em unhappy ter take away their work, an' insutin' 'em if yeh tried ter pay 'em.† â€Å"But Harry set Dobby free, and he was over the moon about it!† said Hermione. â€Å"And we heard he's asking for wages now!† â€Å"Yeah, well, yeh get weirdos in every breed. I'm not sayin' there isn't the odd elf who'd take freedom, but yeh'll never persuade most of 'em ter do it – no, nothin' doin', Hermione.† Hermione looked very cross indeed and stuffed her box of badges back into her cloak pocket. By half past five it was growing dark, and Ron, Harry, and Hermione decided it was time to get back up to the castle for the Halloween feast – and, more important, the announcement of the school champions. â€Å"I'll come with yeh,† said Hagrid, putting away his darning. â€Å"Jus' give us a sec.† Hagrid got up, went across to the chest of drawers beside his bed, and began searching for something inside it. They didn't pay too much attention until a truly horrible smell reached their nostrils. Coughing, Ron said, â€Å"Hagrid, what's that?† â€Å"Eh?† said Hagrid, turning around with a large bottle in his hand. â€Å"Don' yeh like it?† â€Å"Is that aftershave?† said Hermione in a slightly choked voice. â€Å"Er – eau de cologne,† Hagrid muttered. He was blushing. â€Å"Maybe it's a bit much,† he said gruffly. â€Å"I'll go take it off, hang on†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He stumped out of the cabin, and they saw him washing himself vigorously in the water barrel outside the window. â€Å"Eau de cologne?† said Hermione in amazement. â€Å"Hagrid?† â€Å"And what's with the hair and the suit?† said Harry in an undertone. â€Å"Look!† said Ron suddenly, pointing out of the window. Hagrid had just straightened up and turned 'round. If he had been blushing before, it was nothing to what he was doing now. Getting to their feet very cautiously, so that Hagrid wouldn't spot them, Harry, Ron, and Hermione peered through the window and saw that Madame Maxime and the Beauxbatons students had just emerged from their carriage, clearly about to set off for the feast too. They couldn't hear what Hagrid was saying, but he was talking to Madame Maxime with a rapt, misty-eyed expression Harry had only ever seen him wear once before – when he had been looking at the baby dragon, Norbert. â€Å"He's going up to the castle with her!† said Hermione indignantly. â€Å"I thought he was waiting for us!† Without so much as a backward glance at his cabin, Hagrid was trudging off up the grounds with Madame Maxime, the Beauxbatons students following in their wake, jogging to keep up with their enormous strides. â€Å"He fancies her!† said Ron incredulously. â€Å"Well, if they end up having children, they'll be setting a world record – bet any baby of theirs would weigh about a ton.† They let themselves out of the cabin and shut the door behind them. It was surprisingly dark outside. Drawing their cloaks more closely around themselves, they set off up the sloping lawns. â€Å"Ooh it's them, look!† Hermione whispered. The Durmstrang party was walking up toward the castle from the lake. Viktor Krum was walking side by side with Karkaroff, and the other Durmstrang students were straggling along behind them. Ron watched Krum excitedly, but Krum did not look around as he reached the front doors a little ahead of Hermione, Ron, and Harry and proceeded through them. When they entered the candlelit Great Hall it was almost full. The Goblet of Fire had been moved; it was now standing in front of Dumbledore's empty chair at the teachers' table. Fred and George – clean-shaven again – seemed to have taken their disappointment fairly well. â€Å"Hope it's Angelina,† said Fred as Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat down. â€Å"So do I!† said Hermione breathlessly. â€Å"Well, we'll soon know!† The Halloween feast seemed to take much longer than usual. Perhaps because it was their second feast in two days, Harry didn't seem to fancy the extravagantly prepared food as much as he would have normally. Like everyone else in the Hall, judging by the constantly craning necks, the impatient expressions on every face, the fidgeting, and the standing up to see whether Dumbledore had finished eating yet, Harry simply wanted the plates to clear, and to hear who had been selected as champions. At long last, the golden plates returned to their original spotless state; there was a sharp upswing in the level of noise within the Hall, which died away almost instantly as Dumbledore got to his feet. On either side of him, Professor Karkaroff and Madame Maxime looked as tense and expectant as anyone. Ludo Bagman was beaming and winking at various students. Mr. Crouch, however, looked quite uninterested, almost bored. â€Å"Well, the goblet is almost ready to make its decision,† said Dumbledore. â€Å"I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, when the champions' names are called, I would ask them please to come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber† – he indicated the door behind the staff table – â€Å"where they will be receiving their first instructions.† He took out his wand and gave a great sweeping wave with it; at once, all the candles except those inside the carved pumpkins were extinguished, plunging them into a state of semidarkness. The Goblet of Fire now shone more brightly than anything in the whole Hall, the sparkling bright, bluey-whiteness of the flames almost painful on the eyes. Everyone watched, waiting†¦.A few people kept checking their watches†¦ â€Å"Any second,† Lee Jordan whispered, two seats away from Harry. The flames inside the goblet turned suddenly red again. Sparks began to fly from it. Next moment, a tongue of flame shot into the air, a charred piece of parchment fluttered out of it – the whole room gasped. Dumbledore caught the piece of parchment and held it at arm's length, so that he could read it by the light of the flames, which had turned back to blue-white. â€Å"The champion for Durmstrang,† he read, in a strong, clear voice, â€Å"will be Viktor Krum.† â€Å"No surprises there!† yelled Ron as a storm of applause and cheering swept the Hall. Harry saw Viktor Krum rise from the Slytherin table and slouch up toward Dumbledore; he turned right, walked along the staff table, and disappeared through the door into the next chamber. â€Å"Bravo, Viktor!† boomed Karkaroff, so loudly that everyone could hear him, even over all the applause. â€Å"Knew you had it in you!† The clapping and chatting died down. Now everyone's attention was focused again on the goblet, which, seconds later, turned red once more. A second piece of parchment shot out of it, propelled by the flames. â€Å"The champion for Beauxbatons,† said Dumbledore, â€Å"is Fleur Delacour!† â€Å"It's her, Ron!† Harry shouted as the girl who so resembled a veela got gracefully to her feet, shook back her sheet of silvery blonde hair, and swept up between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables. â€Å"Oh look, they're all disappointed,† Hermione said over the noise, nodding toward the remainder of the Beauxbatons party. â€Å"Disappointed† was a bit of an understatement, Harry thought. Two of the girls who had not been selected had dissolved into tears and were sobbing with their heads on their arms. When Fleur Delacour too had vanished into the side chamber, silence fell again, but this time it was a silence so stiff with excitement you could almost taste it. The Hogwarts champion next†¦ And the Goblet of Fire turned red once more; sparks showered out of it; the tongue of flame shot high into the air, and from its tip Dumbledore pulled the third piece of parchment. â€Å"The Hogwarts champion,† he called, â€Å"is Cedric Diggory!† â€Å"No! † said Ron loudly, but nobody heard him except Harry; the uproar from the next table was too great. Every single Hufflepuff had jumped to his or her feet, screaming and stamping, as Cedric made his way past them, grinning broadly, and headed off toward the chamber behind the teachers' table. Indeed, the applause for Cedric went on so long that it was some time before Dumbledore could make himself heard again. â€Å"Excellent!† Dumbledore called happily as at last the tumult died down. â€Å"Well, we now have our three champions. I am sure I can count upon all of you, including the remaining students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, to give your champions every ounce of support you can muster. By cheering your champion on, you will contribute in a very real -â€Å" But Dumbledore suddenly stopped speaking, and it was apparent to everybody what had distracted him. The fire in the goblet had just turned red again. Sparks were flying out of it. A long flame shot suddenly into the air, and borne upon it was another piece of parchment. Automatically, it seemed, Dumbledore reached out a long hand and seized the parchment. He held it out and stared at the name written upon it. There was a long pause, during which Dumbledore stared at the slip in his hands, and everyone in the room stared at Dumbledore. And then Dumbledore cleared his throat and read out – â€Å"Harry Potter.†