Low and management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Low and management - Essay Example A binding precedent adheres closely to the precept of stare decisis. It is â€Å"based on the premise that the function of judges is not to create law, but to find law in conformity with existing legal rules.† Under this doctrine, the judge is legally obliged to base his own rulings on previously decided cases, applying the principles of law determined therein. â€Å"This coercive character of the doctrine of precedent is a feature peculiar to the English legal tradition.† (Antoine 2008) On the other hand, persuasive precedents are those legal principles which, while controlling in previous cases, are merely referred to for guidance in the pending case. The judge may refer to these earlier decisions, but will not consider himself bound to abide strictly by them. Examples of such persuasive precedents are decisions of a court of another jurisdiction, and decisions of a lower-level court. Another consideration would be the date the precedent case was decided, since generally, cases which are more recent would be more authoritative as a basis for new decisions. Also, if the case were promulgated by a judge with more prominent reputation, the greater the degree of persuasiveness of that decision. (Gall, 1983) An important basis as to whether a precedent is binding or persuasive is that portion of the judgment from which the legal principle is drawn. Judgments are comprised of the ratio decidendi and the obiter dicta. The ratio decidendi is that part of the judgment where the judge states the material facts of the case and sets down his legal reasons for arriving at his or her decision. If the court which ruled on the precedent case is higher than the court hearing the pending case, then such precedent is binding upon the lower court. On the other hand, the principle may be embodied in the obiter dictum, which comprises the opinions and observations of the judge. The obiter dicta are persuasive in nature; the judge in the

Respond to the question from a theistic world view .evaluate both Essay

Respond to the question from a theistic world view .evaluate both their naturalisic and theistic vew - Essay Example The paper explores â€Å"big† questions raised by laypersons and experts, explained better through Christian Theism than Philosophical Naturalism. How did this world come into existence? Scientist, theologians, and philosophers have spent their lives finding the answer. Various theories and propositions have been presented, and the scientists now agree with the fact that the existence of world came into being from nothing and that it is continually expanding towards a fierce end. The â€Å"Big Bang Theory† is the only possible explanation the Naturalists’ can give for the existence of the universe, which itself is contested in cosmological terms among scientists, providing insufficient answers regarding who was that being that made the Big Bang. The Christians believed all of this, long before scientists, through scriptures in the Bible referring to an â€Å"uncaused, first cause† (God) that caused the universe. The Theists’ answer is the only possible explanation providing coherency and stability to the cosmology of the Big Bang Theory. This is done by explaining an ever-loving God that existed bef ore anything else existed who made this world to show His supremacy, and for people to understand His nature and offer the glad tidings of an immortal life in the hereafter. Naturalists have pondered and presented various vague theories explaining the complex structures and systems involved in the make-up of this universe. Unfortunately, they do not recognize a creator and that is why they are unable to present any plausible explanation. The biological explanations of origin of life are stated through Darwin’s â€Å"Theory of Evolution,† yet it is unable to provide sufficient evidence regarding the physical aspect of its origins. However, the Christian theism explains the harmony in which this universe has existed to be the cause of a creator. The (Genesis 2:7) explains that God has the power to create life from non-living

Ethical Dimension In Strategic Hrm Commerce Essay

Ethical Dimension In Strategic Hrm Commerce Essay Ethical management can be defined as process of setting managerial goals of an organization through planning, organizing, leading and controlling the performance of the resource and members in an organization, and realizing the organization achievement and moral objectives effectively and efficiently through the should concept of enterprise management. The goals are to achieve the moral extent in organizational institutionalization by a certain managerial measures. Ethical management has been the trend of advanced human resource management. One of the essential themes of modern management is carrying forward and returning of humanistic spirit. The management mode of human resource under traditional economic man hypothesis does not fit in the reality in modern strategic human resource management. The human capital, based on the knowledge and skills, turns to be the base stones constitutes the core competence for the enterprise facing fiercely changing market environment in the knowled ge economic times. In the thesis, development history of ethical dimensions in strategic human resource management would be presented firstly, then why ethical management plays an important role in the strategic human resources management would be discussed. Meanwhile, the realistic significance of the ethical considerations in the strategic human resource management is explained by examples in organization. The examples focus on two activities of strategic human resource management, which are gender stereotype in recruitment and performance evaluation. Their relationships with the strategic human resource management are discussed in the following part. Seen from the quantity perspective, it is easily concluded that there are large number of theses or books illustrating strategic human resource management. Meanwhile, commercial ethical has also been discussed in many books and theses, focusing on the enterprise ethical institunalization. However, only a few of the books and theses will concentrate its main content on the ethical dimension in strategic human resource management, which is the overlapping part of the two issues. It can be concluded that ethical problems usually arise almost continually in human resource management. Human resources can be seen as people, and when people suffer a certain harm or loss for which they are not themselves responsible or they should not bear, as in a plant closing or corporate re-structuring, then ethical issues is needed to be taken into consideration in addition to the more common financial, legal, and behavioral forms of reasoning. Ethical considerations involves an evaluation of the impacts of the proposed managerial action upon the members of the organization and the members of the society, usually employees and workers as we discuss, and then justification of those impacts according to some defined principles or essential values of normative philosophy. None of these defined principles or essential values are adequate by themselves to justify a decision in an ethical dilemma, but taken together they do help in arriving at a decision that can be considered to be right and proper and ju st. The connection between the strategic human resource management and ethical considerations is close, which needs our discussion. Ethical considerations in strategic HRM Companied by the time going on and change in concept of enterprise, the cognition of people has ranged from economic man, social man, complex man, self-realization man, a series of new concepts in human resource management has been proposed. The concept has been penetrating to the managerial field accompanied by the management moralizing (Gary, 2002). More and more enterprise ethics are concerned and it has turned to be a popular trend. Among many resources constitute an organization, human resource has showed its importance in the development of an enterprise (Ceawley and Sinclair, 1994).To welcome the challenge occurred in the fierce competition and promote the development in long time, people first and human-based management should be the top concern in strategic planning. It has stirred great academic concern that strategic human resource management has an ethical dimension in which moral principles concerning acceptable and unacceptable behavior. Executives are supposed to maintain a high sense of values and conduct honest and fair practices with the employees. How to promote the value realization of human capital becomes an issue needs problem solving in modern human resource management. The ethic management meets the moral needs of human resource and satisfies their emotional demand.  ¼Ã‹â€ Teo and Warters, 2002) Meanwhile, the improvement in related laws and regulations has promoted the public prospect in the enterprise performance, which has exerted great influence on the management mode of human resource in a certain enterprise. Entrepreneurs morality can have a philosophical dimension. The enterprise is managed and controlled by human resource while human resource is the soul of an enterprise. The one who established the enterprise and the successors tend to reconsider and investigate the existing value of enterprise, which leads to the demand for ethic management in the strategic planning, especially in human resource management. As an entity for service or production in the whole society, the enterprise pursues profit and plays a role as platform for mutual development of both the employers and the employees. Working, from the advanced view, is not only a way for existence, but also a shortcut for healthy development and self-value realizing for individuals. Most employees desire for respectful, equally-treated and humane management mode. Once satisfied, it can promote the human capital into great play. The fiercer the human resource competition becomes, the fewer differences lies in ways for enterprise to attract human capital. So high salary and welfare benefits, high position and rights, ethical management in strategic human resource management, unusual enterprise culture atmosphere will lead to a bright prospect and image of an enterprise in the mind of a potential human resource. Among the factors influence the employer-employee relationships, working environment plays an essential role in attracting, maintaining and promoting the employees professional dedication. The enterprise should put human resource management as top priority to cultivate the culture atmosphere, so the ethical management in strategic human resource management can be a source for enterprise to gain competitive advantage (Wilson, 2005). The ethics has its special management functions for it offers a code to distinguish the good from the bad. The ethical code arises from the accumulation in daily life and roots in the mind of human resource. It defines the conduct boundary of the employees, then the rational anticipation forms between the enterprise and the employees (Starkey and McKinley, 1993). The conflict in profit and violation of laws and regulations, hitchhiking, opportunisms can be refrained to a certain extent. While cutting the operation cost, the managerial efficiency is promoted. Meanwhile, ethical managerial environment can inspire the employee to work more enthusiastically. More and more managers realize that most human capital will perform better in a enterprise full of trust, responsibility and ambition. The environment will be based on the value concept of trust, honesty, air and respect (Wen-Rong and Ben, 1996) A large area of human relations management is concerned with various ethical issues, both on the part of upper-level management in its business decisions and lower-level management in the treatment of individual employees. Philosophic decisions on the relocation of areas of production or entire plants can have a major impact on the company but also can be devastating to individual employees and the communities in which they live. Management decisions must be made honestly taking all factors into consideration, including social responsibility as well as stockholder concerns. On a lower level, supervisors must treat those they supervise fairly in matters of promotion and compensation (Kaufman, 2008). Relations between Strategic HRM and Gender Stereotype in Recruitment For many women, negative gender stereotypes can a huge barrier in their path for career development, especially in recruitment process. Companied by the further and detailed research in gender, it is a common conclusion that the gender stereotype is not only a psychological issue, but also an issue with ethical considerations (Boudreau, 2008). The discriminative gender stereotype, develops from the level of psychology to the level of ethics, it can penetrate to all the social activities by taking a role as peoples behavior codes. With all the development, the cognitive model can not be easily erased. The gender stereotype in recruitment is effects of the combined action of both strategic human resource management and ethical issues. It can be seen from the following perspectives. Firstly, the gender stereotype has a distinctive ethical trend. From the ethical development of the society, it can be easily seen that the mainstream moral outlook has internal connections with the gender stereotype (Warner, 2009). Slave owner class owns all the capital goods and slaves. When the enslavement comes into gender, women always are the accessories of men. Things go the same story in other societies; even now we can see the gender stereotype in strategic human resource management, especially in the process of recruitment. Secondly, the mindset of gender stereotype can be protective for the Patriarchal hierarchy. The stereotype has strong psychological hint and ethical bondage. Finally, the gender stereotype will hinder the gender ethics constructions (Taplin, 2008). Conflicts and disharmonies arise due to the deep-rooted gender disparity in ethical level. The issue of the gender stereotype in recruitment has received considerable attention in the field of management. A current study focuses on the female National Health Service nurses in the United Kingdom. Examining the recruitment experience of qualified female National Health Service nurses, the study finds that the gender stereotype is a important factor in womens career development. The nursing career in many countries such as United Kingdom, are usually been concluded as a chronic problem in employment and recruitment. For most people, they believe that nursing is field dominated by women. It is true, but unfortunately, it is easily to be overlooked or forgotten that female career development disadvantage even in the female dominated occupations. That is the reason why this thesis will adopt the nurses as representative of womens career and discuss the disadvantage in their career development, such as the recruitment process. The opportunities are usually given to those who are male while there are options between a male and female nurses who are same in other professional perspectives. Woman accounts for 92% of the nurse staff, but in higher nurse grade, the percent of male nurse is much larger while compared to their staff percentage, which is 8%. The explanation is quite easy. For most women, they will experience a special period of pregnancy, which is protected by the laws and regulations. The companies has to pay her in due time while she makes no contributions to the company. It is a lost for the companies. Meanwhile, physical agility is also taken into consideration in recruitment. Seen from perspective of ethics, how to protect the interest of women has become an important issue in the strategic human resource management. Relations between Strategic HRM and Performance Evaluation Performance evaluation is an important part in strategic human resource management. In strategic human resource management, generally ethics is treated as being relative, whether an action is moral or immoral, or right or wrong depends on the prevailing view of the particular individual human resource manager. Such view is certainly molded by the culture (Boudreau, 2008). A human resource manager may consider decisions to be ethical if all consequences are considered in the light of business needs balanced with consequences to all concerned, including the employees. In making decisions, the human resource manager should consider alternative solutions to the needs of the business as well as the effects the decisions will have on the living and well-being of the employees. Frequently a human resource manager will be given instructions from higher level management to take action which will be oppressive and unkind to the employees and the manager must either present argument to higher m anagement for alternate solutions which will have less impact on the employee morale or determine the best method for implementing the instructions from upper level. Business ought to conform to the best ethical practices, not just for principles of human dignity, but also to keep from violating federal laws. Though the laws may not be known, they would not be violated if the business were operated by ethical principles. Experience has shown that in the long term business profits will be greater for businesses that practice good ethical behavior than those which do not. One of the most challenging aspects of strategic human resource management is to maintain objectivity in the process of hiring, promotion, and compensation (Warner, 2009).For example, a male supervisor must refrain from promoting or increasing the compensation of an attractive woman who pays undue attention to him, but who consistently is late in arriving for her job and whose work is second rate. It is both reasonable and logical to assume that compensation should track performance and that ethical considerations would not be a factor in performance analysis (Carolyn, 2000). Sometimes it is difficult for a supervisor to follow it, and sometimes it is difficult to persuade an employee of its rationality. The supervisor who either recommends or has the authority to adjust compensation may be persuaded by other factors to downplay the performance of an employees production. Likewise, an employee who will be negatively impacted by measuring employee output may have a hard time understanding why lower production should produce lower income when the hours spent on the job are the same as others with higher production and higher income (Taplin, 2008). Employees evaluation generally will consist of multiple factors including such items as punctuality, attitude, appropriate apparel, personal grooming, language, neatness, congeniality, and performance output, among other things. The ev aluation process will be considerably different between service and production personnel and between general employees and professional employees. The ethical challenge arises when, after all the factors have been considered, the decision is made on a factor or factors other than those by which all the employees have been evaluated. Conclusion The human resource turns to be the base stone constitutes the core competence for the enterprise facing fiercely changing market environment in the knowledge economic times. The ethical issues are crucial in activities in strategic human resource management. Ethical management has been the trend of advanced human resource management. Ethical dimension in strategic human resource management has stirred great academic concern. The relations between the activities of strategic human resource management and ethical consideration can be concluded from the examples discussed in the thesis. The recruitment and evaluation process can be fair, open and just by taking the ethical issues into consideration. It can be seen that the communication should put ethical issues into considerations to raise the morale and cultivate a better working environment. Ethical issues have close connection with the strategic human resource management. Strategic human resource management can be improved through e thical considerations.

Urban Legend of Glenn Dale Hospital :: Ghost Stories Urban Legends

Glenn Dale Hospital Background Over the recent break, I mentioned to a friend that I needed to write about a ghost-related urban legend. He offered to tell me about Glenn Dale Hospital, which is supposedly a famous ghost legend in Maryland. Since I am a lifelong Maryland resident and did not know about the hospital, I was eager to hear the story. The story was told in the living room of a house by a 19 year old white male native to southern Maryland. He is from a middle class family and his father and mother are a construction worker and a homemaker, respectively. He heard the story from another friend who claims to have visited Glenn Dale Hospital. The Story So, in the 30s and 40s they used to send tuberculosis patients to the [Glenn Dale] hospital for treatment. [normal relaxed tone] Eventually it was converted into an insane asylum and it became notorious for its treatment of patients. The staff experimented on the patients and locked them up all day. One day, all the patients revolted and the doctors ran out of the hospital and boarded up all the doors and windows. [talking faster] The patients were left inside to die and the hospital was abandoned. The insane still wander the halls. Today, if you sneak in the hospital you will be chased by the ghosts of the patients and catch tuberculosis. My friend went there and swears he saw a ghost watching him from the shadows, and he won’t go near that place anymore [gestures with hand in horizontal motion]. The cops arrest anyone they catch trespassing, but they say the cops won’t go in the hospital after you if you need help.† Context There is evidence to support some of this story. According to a Washington Post article from December 10, 2006, Glenn Dale Hospital does exist on over 200 acres in Prince George’s County, Maryland. In fact, it did house tuberculosis patients starting in the mid-thirties. However, that is essentially all the truth in the story. The article states, â€Å"It [Glen Dale Hospital] was never an insane asylum, as urban explorers and paranormal researchers suggest on the internet.† Since it was never an asylum, the idea of a revolt and the insane wandering the halls must not be true. Since tuberculosis does not last for decades without human hosts, it is impossible to catch the disease just by exploring the hospital.

Net-Zero Energy Homes

Definition of a Net-zero Energy Home A Net-zero Energy Home (NZEH) is â€Å"capable of producing, at minimum, an annual output of renewable energy that is equal to the total amount of its annual consumed/ purchased energy from energy utilities† and emits zero net carbon (1). This concept is becoming increasingly popular as people are becoming more aware of the effects of buildings on the environment. However, to build a net-zero home, in-depth design considerations to minimize â€Å"the energy requirements for space heating, cooling and water heating† are required (2).This will result in the least amount of artificial ighting, heating, and air conditioning to be used to achieve human comfort level (2). Designing for Building Orientation The best building orientation for making efficient use of solar energy is south. Thus, running the buildings long axis from east to west and facing within 30 degrees of due south is strongly recommended (Figure 1). This allows the house to receive at least 90 percent of the optimal winter solar heat gain. The buildings south orientation should also be clear from obstacles to allow unblocked sunlight to enter the house (3).Use and Placement of Windows Windows let in sunlight but trap long-wave radiation, making the indoor temperature rise; however, in the absence of sunlight, windows let out considerable amount of heated air due to their high conductivity. To minimize this effect, selecting windows with special coatings are recommended. Window sizes have to be determined carefully because of these unique properties, to balance heat loss and heat gain: Net window area should be at least five percent of net floor area with each room or space having one or more windows.Glare can often become problematic especially through south-facing windows but this can be prevented by using low-emissivity oated windows. Sloped or horizontal windows such as skylights must be used with caution because they can become major areas of un controllable heat loss, overheating, and condensation (3). Controlling Airtightness Holes, cracks, floors, walls, ceilings, roofs, and outlets are all susceptible locations of air leakage. Air leakage equals energy leakage because as heated air leaks out of the building, the cooler air outside tends to get sucked into the building.Therefore, tight sealants around all Joints and openings are required. Proper Insulating Techniques An NZEH should also be well insulated around the building envelope to minimize eat transfer. This is achieved by using proper installation of insulation that meets the required R-value (Figure 2). This will not only minimize the energy loss but also reduce the need for supplementary heating (3). Providing Ventilation by Mechanical or Natural Systems Ventilation can either be mechanically or naturally provided.Before energy conservation became an issue to building occupants and the construction industry, buildings were not as airtight as they are today and na tural ventilation was sufficient. Building occupants could open and close windows for fresh air and continuous entilation was always present through the building's cracks and openings. In airtight buildings, natural ventilation is unreliable because buildings have fewer openings and cracks for natural air flow and the weather is often too cold or rainy for occupants to leave windows open for maintaining adequate relative humidity and fresh air circulation (4).One of the mechanical ventilation systems is the exhaust-only system, which exhausts air out of the building through an exhaust fan (Figure 3). This can be cost effective and functional provided that the building is airtight enough to run this system. If the building has cracks that act as an air path, the air that gets exhausted out can get sucked back into the building, essentially defeating the purpose of the system. Also, in humid climates, the exhaust-only system tends to cause condensation problems in wall cavities (4).Su pply-only ventilation provides fresh air through vents and is extremely effective in providing high indoor air quality when the system is designed and installed according to the building size and specifications. This system can also be combined with a heating system or a humidifying system to suit the occupants' needs. This system makes the indoor air pressure higher than the outdoor air pressure, which can work to the occupants' advantage if the building is located in hot and humid climates because the positive air pressure will resist the hot and humid pressure from getting sucked into the building.However, this is problematic in cold climates because hot and moist indoor air will push against the warm side of the wall cavities, which leads to condensation problems (5). An exhaust and supply balanced system is the most ideal system as it can serve all climates. Increasing the Efficiency of Furnace and Air Conditioner Systems Two of the major sources of energy consumption in todays households are the furnace in the winter and the air conditioner (A/C) in the summer. Increasing the quality and efficiency of the furnace and A/C will make some of the greatest returns in cost.Three main factors contribute to healthy and efficient furnace and A/C systems: Correct installation by qualified trades. Properly sealed supply and return duct system with approved tapes or mastics to minimize air loss. Continued maintenance throughout the lifetime of the furnace and A/C. Where space and cost conditions permit, consider ground-source heat pump echnology as opposed to ENERGY [email  protected] furnaces: â€Å"A ground-source heat pump uses the earth or ground water or both as the sources of heat in the winter, and as the â€Å"sink† for heat removed from the home in the summer.For this reason, ground- source heat pump systems have come to be known as earth-energy systems (EESs). Heat is removed from the earth through a liquid, such as ground water or an antifreeze solution, upgraded by the heat pump, and transferred to indoor air. During summer months, the process is reversed: heat is extracted from indoor air and transferred to the earth through the ground water or antifreeze solution. A direct-expansion (DX) earth-energy system uses refrigerant in the ground-heat exchanger instead of an antifreeze solution† (6). Figure : Schematic Diagram of a Ground-source Heat Pump Source: http://www. ge04va. vt. edu/A3/A3. tm Water Conservation Techniques through Efficient Water Distribution Systems After heating and cooling, water heating is typically the next largest energy user ot the home because it is necessary for so many domestic activities. Heating water is a large cost especially if a home has out-dated appliances. These next tips can substantially reduce energy consumption simply from water conservation based eating systems. Firstly, a tank less on-demand water heater is advantageous for residences already conserving water, for hot water users relatively close together, and for communities living where natural gas is readily available (Figure 5).Secondly, consider a solar hot water pre-heat system with a parallel piping system for the hot water outlets. Solar energy is the most economical and available energy source and should be utilized to its full potential. The key is to have a knowledgeable solar hot water instillation company perform the installation so proper instillation is achieved. Finally, another cost-effective method to conserve water usage is to install low-flow fixtures. Thousands of gallons of water are wasted everyday because of unnecessary use from high-flow fixtures. Figure : The Process of a tank less water heater Source: http://kerrygoldplumbing. om/tankless-gas-water-heaters Energy Efficient Lighting Fixtures and Lighting Energy efficient lighting fixtures, lighting, and energy efficient appliances meet a standard of reduced energy use rated by ENERGY STARL Such appliances consume significantly less energy and water than the standard products. Energy efficient ighting fixtures use about 25% the amount of energy of a regular incandescent light fixture (7). Such fixtures are specifically made to work with fluorescent or LED lights and therefore use less energy. Fluorescent light bulbs consist of a gas-filled tube and magnetic or electronic ballast (8).These bulbs last about 10 times longer (9 years at 3 hours/day) and run cooler than a standard incandescent light bulb (8). Light-emitting diode (LED) lighting consists of a semiconductor diode that converts applied voltage to light (9). LED lighting is available in many different colors and izes, has a lifetime of more than 22 years but still very expensive. Energy Efficient Appliances Energy efficient appliances are rated by ENERGY [email  protected] and use 10 to 50 percent less energy and water than standard models because these products use advanced technology in their systems (10).These appliances are readily available and can be found at all appliance retailers such as Future Shop, Best Buy and Sears. Photovoltaic (PV) systems Photovoltaic (PV) systems are comprised of solar cells which convert sunlight directly into electricity (11). These cells or semiconductor wafers, installed on the sun-facing ide of buildings, are protected from rain, hail and other inclement weather elements by a glass sheet (11). As photons from the sunlight knock electrons into an excited higher energy state, electricity is created and captured by the solar cells (11).These solar cells are connected in either series or parallel or both to form PV modules, and in applications the PV modules are arranged in arrays. PV systems produce D power and electricity fed into the electricity grid is converted by inverters to AC power. Current PVsystems in use have a 12 to 18 percent average efficiency in converting sunlight to electricity (11). Current developments have achieved an efficiency of 42 percent (11). Residential Applica tions for PV Systems In residential building, PVsystems are typically installed on roofs or on walls.Roof tiles with integrated PV cells can also be purchased. The use of the residential PV system allows the home to be connected to the electricity grid and surplus power deposited into the grid. To acquire a net-zero energy balance, the goal is to produce as much power from PV systems as you consume from the power grid, so that at the end of the year the homeowner pays absolutely nothing for power. The upfront cost f current PV systems is still relatively high typically costing installed (12).Working Towards a Canadian NZEH Building Standard Although there is currently no Canadian net-zero energy home building code, work is progressing to lead Canada towards such a building approach. Leading the way is the Net Zero Energy Home Coalition, formed in 2004, whose mandate is to promote existing and available energy efficient and renewable energy technologies to supply residential energy i n a sustainable manner in order to minimize the production of greenhouse gases and create healthier, greener communities (1).Comprised of ome builders and developers keen in applying renewable energy resources to residential building, the Coalition in partnership with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Natural Resources Canada, Industry Canada, and Environment Canada, aims to establish a new Canadian NZEH building standard by 2030. To showcase the viability of NZEHs, the CMHC, supported by the Net-zero Energy Home Coalition, is currently leading a demonstration building project called the Initiative.Fifteen teams across Canada were selected to build demonstration homes using the various techniques discussed in the previous ections. To date, six of the fifteen homes have been completed in Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec (13). Initiative NZEH Examples – New and Old The Alstonvale Net Zero House is an example of new NZEH construction while the Now House Project dem onstrates how NZEH principles can be economically applied in home renovations. The Alstonvale Net Zero House The Alstonvale Net Zero House (shown on the cover) is a single-family detached house in Hudson, Qu ©bec currently under construction.It features an air-tight, well- insulated building envelope, extensive passive heating and cooling techniques hrough large south facing windows, sunscreens, and natural sources of shade (14). An air-to-water pump heating system connected to a PV system provides heated water for the in-floor radiant system and other domestic uses (Figure 9). Instead of standard landscaping, a large portion of the site will remain undisturbed and act as a natural habitat tor the local wildlite (14). The Now House Demonstration The Now House Project is a retrofit of a 60-year old home in Toronto, Ontario.The project goal was â€Å"to demonstrate how home owners and contractors can dramatically mprove the energy efficiency of existing homes with a few relatively simple modifications† (15). Energy requirements were reduced by upgrading the insulation, installing low-e, argon-filled windows and energy efficient ENERGY [email  protected] appliances, and replacing incandescent lighting with LED lighting (16). Increased energy efficiency and renewable energy production were accomplished through installation of solar hot water panels, a photovoltaic array, and a waste water heat recovery system (16).Figure : A Comparison of Energy Consumption between the Now House and Average Canadian Homes Source: http://www. mhc-schl. gc. ca/en/inpr/su/eqho/noho/ upload/Now-House_E-Oct30. pdf Figure 10 on page 8 compares energy consumption rates between the average Canadian home and the Now House w. Taking into account space heating, water heating, major appliances, interior lighting and space cooling, the Now House will consume only 38 percent as much energy as an average Canadian home (16). From this demonstration, the project shows that NZEH principl es are economically viable for renovating similarly older homes across the country. https://happyhealthyhome.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/hhh_report_final.pdfhttps://www.pinterest.com/aimej_r/maison-bioclimatique/http://www.whitebear.k12.mn.us/https://www.energystar.gov/ia/new_homes/features/Appliances_062906.pdfhttps://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/sites/oee.nrcan.gc.ca/files/pdf/publications/infosource/pub/cipec/Managementguide_E.pdfhttps://www.energystar.gov/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_fluorescent_lamphttp://thefreedictionary.com/https://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=appliances.pr_energy_guidehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photovoltaicshttp://www.energy.ca.gov/reports/2003-11-13_500-03-083F.PDFhttps://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/inpr/su/eqho/ecte/ecte_005.cfmhttps://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_Mortgage_and_Housing_Corporationhttps://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/inpr/su/eqho/noho/

Ethical Issues with Sweatshops

Ethical issues regarding Sweatshops Michelle Rice Business Ethics Jacqueline Newkirk Remember when you were at the mall the last time and saw a pair of Nike shoes that you just couldn’t live without? You had to buy them, for a pricey cost, and just loved them, right? We all have owned a pair or two of Nike shoes in our life. They were the â€Å"cool† shoes to have back when I was in school. The thing that we may not have known is that Nike has been using â€Å"children as young as fifteen years old† (Jennings, 2012) as employees to make these shoes.In the following report I am going to go over some major ethical issues regarding using underage children and women in foreign countries for labor. I will tell about what the conditions that these people have to work in to get paid barely enough to survive from one day to the next. The first topic that I would like to talk about is a quote coming from Nike when questioned about the conditions of their facilities and th e employees that they had working in them. The quote was â€Å"We’re damned if we do because we exploit.We’re damned if we don’t because these foreign economies don’t develop. Who’s to know what’s right? † (Jennings, 2012) Well, let’s answer that question. First of all you are not damned if you make your product out of the country. Sure, as Americans we would like the opportunity to have the business be here where we could benefit from the jobs that it would create, but we also understand the need to help these other countries build and grow. Second, how is it helping these other countries if you are taking their children out of school at the age that they are able to work in a factory? Jennings, 2012) Wouldn’t the better way to help these countries be to pay them a fair wage and help their children get a good education so that they can grow up to help build their country the way that we are wanting them to? And finally, I don’t know who to say is right in this case, but I do know that Nike was found to â€Å"make women run laps around the factory for wearing no regulation shoes to work; payment of subminimum wages; physical beatings, including with shoes, by factory supervisors; and most employees were women between the ages of fifteen and twenty eight years old. (Jennings, 2012) After having that information, I think I can safely say that Nike cannot possibly think that they should be the ones that people think are right in this situation. Now, let’s go over child labor in general and if it should be allowed. I personally could never employ a child that was under the age of 15 whether it was legal or not. By making these children work in the conditions that they make them work in, for the pay that they give them for this work is not an ethical decision that I could ever live with.In a story about child labor that I found it stated that â€Å"In the 1990s, child labour has found a new niche in the rapidly expanding export industries of some developing countries. In one small carpet factory in Asia, children as young as five were found to work from 6 in the morning until 7 at night for less than 20 cents a day. † (Child Rights, 1995) Can you imagine you five year old child going to work and working for 13 hours? These children have absolutely no childhood and are giving up their education to work so that their families can survive.I think that it is important to have a limit to the hours that a person is allowed to work in one week and that there should be a required minimum wage. Even if it were not a law, if I owned my own company I would have these standards in place for every employee that I hired. While it is important for a company to make a profit, I believe that it is also important for their employees to be healthy and safe in their working environment. When it comes to the wages that are being paid, if you are not up to a standard of income tha t is expected or needed from employees, they are going to go and try to find work somewhere else.If this happens the turnover rate at the company would be incredibly high, therefore causing the company to lose money in the long run. If you are constantly having to hire and train more people you are taking time away from the product that should be being made. So, if you want to keep happy employees that are devoted to the company that they are working for and making a product that is up to standards that are wanted by the company then they should pay them a respectable wage and keep the hours at the amount that you would expect to work yourself.One of the things that I have stated a few times in this report already is that children are not getting the education that they should be getting because they are being taken out of school to work in these factories or they are just not being sent to a school to begin with. I would make it a top priority to make educational opportunities for these children in these countries if I had a business there. I think that it is important that these countries continue to grow and prosper to get as close to the conditions that we live in here in the United States.There is no way that this can happen if we are not sending their children to school. They will have no way to know what to do to run a successful business, only to work nonstop in them. How are they ever going to learn the necessities this way? In today’s businesses they are not thinking about this. They are thinking that they can continue to send the employees here from the United States over there to run the businesses. In which case they will never be an independent society able to function on their own.I think that the reason that society focused so much on the Kathi Lee Gifford and Nike issues are because of the fame that they already have and the popularity of the products that they are selling. We see Kathy Lee Gifford as a wholesome all American Actress th at we all love. We all loved the fact that she made a clothing line, and then sold it in an affordable place such as Wal-Mart. Then we realize that the clothes that we love and are finding affordable are being made in sweatshops in Guatemala. Of course this is going to upset people because it is something that no one would have suspected.When it comes to Nike, it is the company that every athlete endorsed and wears most of the time. It is probably one of the most recognizable shoe companies in the United Stated today. I think that the thing that upsets people the most is that it is such an â€Å"American† known shoe, that people feel that it should being produced in America. So as we have learned in this report is that if you want happy, healthy employees, you need to treat them right and pay them the wages that they are actually earning.Also, children are our future and if we want our future to be prosperous and continue that way we need to make sure that they are getting th e education that they need to run things when we are no longer here. Bibliography Child Rights. (1995). Retrieved 4 1, 2012, from Children pay high price for cheap labour: http://www. unicef. org/pon95/chil0016. html Jennings, M. M. (2012). Business Ethics. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.

Free Essays on Operating An Airport

There is no doubt that it's hard to overestimate all the importance of proper functioning of a contemporary airport, no matter whether it is a local airport or an international one. Any person who has ever used the services of aircraft companies and had an opportunity to observe common procedures and processes that usually occur inside and outside the terminals while waiting for the flight will agree with this fact without hesitation. Taking into account the fact that every international airport usually has several hundred departure and arrival flights per day, it's possible to imagine what a high level of accuracy is needed in order to make this system function properly, without delays and mistakes, for a mistake in this situation can be a risk of human lives. Recent tragic events caused by terrorist attacks show that there is still a lot to be done to improve the system in order to make it perfect. An airport can be viewed as a complex multi-level mechanism, proper functioning of which depends on correct work of its sub-mechanisms, which in their turn divide in their own mechanisms. As in any mechanism, malfunction of one detail can halt the work of the whole system, that’s why it is significantly important to dispatch and monitor all the processes that take place in an airport, keeping them under severe control. This is where an airport operator's skills and knowledge comes into concern. To be able to handle such a large aircraft flow day and night, it would be impossible to work without reliable computer software and huge databases which will ensure strict and precise delivery of information. Even more important is to have a perfectly functioning plane tracking system. It is clear that in order to be able to operate such complicated equipment special training with personnel must be conducted on a continuous basis. It is natural that in order to maintain the needed level of safety and accuracy in operating an airport, it ne... Free Essays on Operating An Airport Free Essays on Operating An Airport There is no doubt that it's hard to overestimate all the importance of proper functioning of a contemporary airport, no matter whether it is a local airport or an international one. Any person who has ever used the services of aircraft companies and had an opportunity to observe common procedures and processes that usually occur inside and outside the terminals while waiting for the flight will agree with this fact without hesitation. Taking into account the fact that every international airport usually has several hundred departure and arrival flights per day, it's possible to imagine what a high level of accuracy is needed in order to make this system function properly, without delays and mistakes, for a mistake in this situation can be a risk of human lives. Recent tragic events caused by terrorist attacks show that there is still a lot to be done to improve the system in order to make it perfect. An airport can be viewed as a complex multi-level mechanism, proper functioning of which depends on correct work of its sub-mechanisms, which in their turn divide in their own mechanisms. As in any mechanism, malfunction of one detail can halt the work of the whole system, that’s why it is significantly important to dispatch and monitor all the processes that take place in an airport, keeping them under severe control. This is where an airport operator's skills and knowledge comes into concern. To be able to handle such a large aircraft flow day and night, it would be impossible to work without reliable computer software and huge databases which will ensure strict and precise delivery of information. Even more important is to have a perfectly functioning plane tracking system. It is clear that in order to be able to operate such complicated equipment special training with personnel must be conducted on a continuous basis. It is natural that in order to maintain the needed level of safety and accuracy in operating an airport, it ne...

Prayer in Public Schools and the Resulting Changes

Prayer in Public Schools and the Resulting Changes Free Online Research Papers The date was June 25, 1962. On that date it was decided that prayer should not be allowed in the public schools in the United States. Since that time and even before then, morals and values that this country once had have plumaged further and further down hill. As a result of this act by the citizens and government in the United States at that time, morals that were once upheld by families and young people in this country have declined tremendously. Prayer being taken out of our schools, is this the reason our schools have become so violent? An article written in 2003 stated these facts. The top ten discipline problems in schools in the United States in 1940 were talking out of turn, chewing gum, making noise, running in the halls and cutting in line. By 1990, the top ten discipline problems were drug abuse, alcohol abuse, pregnancy, suicide, and rape. Between 1962, when prayer was taken out of schools, and 1963, the Bible was removed from public schools. Pregnancy of girls 15 to 19 years of age began a landmark rise from 15,000 to 30,000 over a 20 year period. STD’s among students 15-19 years of age began a rise of 400 to 1,200 per 100,000 persons. SAT scores began to plummet from 970 to 890 in a 20 year period. Violent crimes began a landmark increase of 544%, from 200,000 to 1.4 million. Also in 1963, the United States led in violent crimes, teen pregnancy, voluntary abortion, illegal drugs, and illiteracy. All this happened within the first 2 years after prayer was taken out of schools. A recent poll showed that the people surveyed thought that there was too little religious influence in the United States. America was founded as a Christian nation and prospered under God’s blessing. Having recently abandoned its commitment to God’s unchanging truth and morality, however, America is now suffering a social breakdown. It is important for Christians in this nation to understand that our own rights are being rapidly stripped away, often in the name of â€Å"tolerance†. What will be next for America? Will children soon not be able to say the pledge of America in their schools? Will they not be able to say â€Å"One Nation under God† either? What is next for our schools? What is next for our country? On the date that it was decided that prayer in schools was unconstitutional, not only was prayer kicked out of the public schools in the United States, God was kicked out too. Once one big act is taken, slowly but surely everything that went along with that one act will disappear as well. Unless America repents and returns to â€Å"traditional† values and morals, America will suffer God’s judgment. Research Papers on Prayer in Public Schools and the Resulting ChangesThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyStandardized TestingNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XQuebec and CanadaEffects of Television Violence on Children19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraCapital PunishmentRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and

Chapter 4 Back to the Burrow

The imminent arrival at their house of an assortment of wizards was making the Dursleys uptight and irritable. Uncle Vernon had looked downright alarmed when Harry informed him that the Weasleys would be arriving at five o’clock the very next day. â€Å"I hope you told them to dress properly, these people,† he snarled at once. â€Å"I’ve seen the sort of stuff your lot wear. They’d better have the decency to put on normal clothes, that’s all.† Harry felt a slight sense of foreboding. He had rarely seen Mr. or Mrs. Weasley wearing anything that the Dursleys would call â€Å"normal.† Their children might don Muggle clothing during the holidays, but Mr. and Mrs. Weasley usually wore long robes in varying states of shabbiness. Harry wasn’t bothered about what the neighbors would think, but he was anxious about how rude the Dursleys might be to the Weasleys if they turned up looking like their worst idea of wizards. Uncle Vernon had put on his best suit. To some people, this might have looked like a gesture of welcome, but Harry knew it was because Uncle Vernon wanted to look impressive and intimidating. Dudley, on the other hand, looked somehow diminished. This was not because the diet was at last taking effect, but due to fright. Dudley had emerged from his last encounter with a fully grown wizard with a curly pig’s tail poking out of the seat of his trousers, and Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had had to pay for its removal at a private hospital in London. It wasn’t altogether surprising, therefore, that Dudley kept running his hand nervously over his backside, and walking sideways from room to room, so as not to present the same target to the enemy. Lunch was an almost silent meal. Dudley didn’t even protest at the food (cottage cheese and grated celery). Aunt Petunia wasn’t, eating anything at all. Her arms were folded, her lips were pursed, and she seemed to be chewing her tongue, as though biting back the furious diatribe she longed to throw at Harry. â€Å"They’ll be driving, of course?† Uncle Vernon barked across the table. â€Å"Er,† said Harry. He hadn’t thought of that. How were the Weasleys going to pick him up? They didn’t have a car anymore; the old Ford Anglia they had once owned was currently running wild in the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts. But Mr. Weasley had borrowed a Ministry of Magic car last year; possibly he would do the same today? â€Å"I think so,† said Harry. Uncle Vernon snorted into his mustache. Normally, Uncle Vernon would have asked what car Mr. Weasley drove; he tended to judge other men by how big and expensive their cars were. But Harry doubted whether Uncle Vernon would have taken to Mr. Weasley even if he drove a Ferrari. Harry spent most of the afternoon in his bedroom; he couldn’t stand watching Aunt Petunia peer out through the net curtains every few seconds, as though there had been a warning about an escaped rhinoceros. Finally, at a quarter to five, Harry went back downstairs and into the living room. Aunt Petunia was compulsively straightening cushions. Uncle Vernon was pretending to read the paper, but his tiny eyes were not moving, and Harry was sure he was really listening with all his might for the sound of an approaching car. Dudley was crammed into an armchair, his porky hands beneath him, clamped firmly around his bottom. Harry couldn’t take the tension; he left the room and went and sat on the stairs in the hall, his eyes on his watch and his heart pumping fast from excitement and nerves. But five o’clock came and then went. Uncle Vernon, perspiring slightly in his suit, opened the front door, peered up and down the street, then withdrew his head quickly. â€Å"They’re late!† he snarled at Harry. â€Å"I know,† said Harry. â€Å"Maybe – er – the traffic’s bad, or something.† Ten past five†¦then a quarter past five†¦Harry was starting to feel anxious himself now. At half past, he heard Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia conversing in terse mutters in the living room. â€Å"No consideration at all.† â€Å"We might’ve had an engagement.† â€Å"Maybe they think they’ll get invited to dinner if they’re late.† â€Å"Well, they most certainly won’t be,† said Uncle Vernon, and Harry heard him stand up and start pacing the living room. â€Å"They’ll take the boy and go, there’ll be no hanging around. That’s if they’re coming at all. Probably mistaken the day. I daresay their kind don’t set much store by punctuality. Either that or they drive some tin-pot car that’s broken d -AAAAAAAARRRRRGH!† Harry jumped up. From the other side of the living room door came the sounds of the three Dursleys scrambling, panic-stricken, across the room. Next moment Dudley came flying into the hall, looking terrified. â€Å"What happened?† said Harry. â€Å"What’s the matter?† But Dudley didn’t seem able to speak. Hands still clamped over his buttocks, he waddled as fast as he could into the kitchen. Harry hurried into the living room. Loud bangings and scrapings were coming from behind the Dursleys’ boarded-up fireplace, which had a fake coal fire plugged in front of it. â€Å"What is it?† gasped Aunt Petunia, who had backed into the wall and was staring, terrified, toward the fire. â€Å"What is it, Vernon?† But they were left in doubt barely a second longer. Voices could be heard from inside the blocked fireplace. â€Å"Ouch! Fred, no – go back, go back, there’s been some kind of mistake – tell George not to – OUCH! George, no, there’s no room, go back quickly and tell Ron -â€Å" â€Å"Maybe Harry can hear us, Dad – maybe he’ll be able to let us out -â€Å" There was a loud hammering of fists on the boards behind the electric fire. â€Å"Harry? Harry, can you hear us?† The Dursleys rounded on Harry like a pair of angry wolverines. â€Å"What is this?† growled Uncle Vernon. â€Å"What’s going on?† â€Å"They – they’ve tried to get here by Floo powder,† said Harry, fighting a mad desire to laugh. â€Å"They can travel by fire – only you’ve blocked the fireplace – hang on -â€Å" He approached the fireplace and called through the boards. â€Å"Mr. Weasley? Can you hear me?† The hammering stopped. Somebody inside the chimney piece said, â€Å"Shh!† â€Å"Mr. Weasley, it’s Harry†¦the fireplace has been blocked up. You won’t be able to get through there.† â€Å"Damn!† said Mr. Weasley’s voice. â€Å"What on earth did they want to block up the fireplace for?† â€Å"They’ve got an electric fire,† Harry explained. â€Å"Really?† said Mr. Weasley’s voice excitedly. â€Å"Eclectic, you say? With a plug? Gracious, I must see that†¦.Let’s think†¦Ouch, Ron!† Ron’s voice now joined the others’. â€Å"What are we doing here? Has something gone wrong?† â€Å"Oh no, Ron,† came Fred’s voice, very sarcastically. â€Å"No, this is exactly where we wanted to end up.† â€Å"Yeah, we’re having the time of our lives here,† said George, whose voice sounded muffled, as though he was squashed against the wall. â€Å"Boys, boys†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Mr. Weasley vaguely. â€Å"I’m trying to think what to do†¦.Yes†¦only way†¦Stand back, Harry.† Harry retreated to the sofa. Uncle Vernon, however, moved forward. â€Å"Wait a moment!† he bellowed at the fire. â€Å"What exactly are you going to -â€Å" BANG. The electric fire shot across the room as the boarded-up fireplace burst outward, expelling Mr. Weasley, Fred, George, and Ron in a cloud of rubble and loose chippings. Aunt Petunia shrieked and fell backward over the coffee table; Uncle Vernon caught her before she hit the floor, and gaped, speechless, at the Weasleys, all of whom had bright red hair, including Fred and George, who were identical to the last freckle. â€Å"That’s better,† panted Mr. Weasley, brushing dust from his long green robes and straightening his glasses. â€Å"Ah – you must be Harry’s aunt and uncle!† Tall, thin, and balding, he moved toward Uncle Vernon, his hand outstretched, but Uncle Vernon backed away several paces, dragging Aunt Petunia. Words utterly failed Uncle Vernon. His best suit was covered in white dust, which had settled in his hair and mustache and made him look as though he had just aged thirty years. â€Å"Er – yes – sorry about that,† said Mr. Weasley, lowering his hand and looking over his shoulder at the blasted fireplace. â€Å"It’s all my fault. It just didn’t occur to me that we wouldn’t be able to get out at the other end. I had your fireplace connected to the Floo Network, you see – just for an afternoon, you know, so we could get Harry. Muggle fireplaces aren’t supposed to be connected, strictly speaking – but I’ve got a useful contact at the Floo Regulation Panel and he fixed it for me. I can put it right in a jiffy, though, don’t worry. I’ll light a fire to send the boys back, and then I can repair your fireplace before I Disapparate.† Harry was ready to bet that the Dursleys hadn’t understood a single word of this. They were still gaping at Mr. Weasley, thunderstruck. Aunt Petunia staggered upright again and hid behind Uncle Vernon. â€Å"Hello, Harry!† said Mr. Weasley brightly. â€Å"Got your trunk ready?† â€Å"It’s upstairs,† said Harry, grinning back. â€Å"We’ll get it,† said Fred at once. Winking at Harry, he and George left the room. They knew where Harry’s bedroom was, having once rescued him from it in the dead of night. Harry suspected that Fred and George were hoping for a glimpse of Dudley; they had heard a lot about him from Harry. â€Å"Well,† said Mr. Weasley, swinging his arms slightly, while he tried to find words to break the very nasty silence. â€Å"Very – erm – very nice place you’ve got here.† As the usually spotless living room was now covered in dust and bits of brick, this remark didn’t go down too well with the Dursleys. Uncle Vernon’s face purpled once more, and Aunt Petunia started chewing her tongue again. However, they seemed too scared to actually say anything. Mr. Weasley was looking around. He loved everything to do with Muggles. Harry could see him itching to go and examine the television and the video recorder. â€Å"They run off eckeltricity, do they?† he said knowledgeably. â€Å"Ah yes, I can see the plugs. I collect plugs,† he added to Uncle Vernon. â€Å"And batteries. Got a very large collection of batteries. My wife thinks I’m mad, but there you are.† Uncle Vernon clearly thought Mr. Weasley was mad too. He moved ever so slightly to the right, screening Aunt Petunia from view, as though he thought Mr. Weasley might suddenly run at them and attack. Dudley suddenly reappeared in the room. Harry could hear the clunk of his trunk on the stairs, and knew that the sounds had scared Dudley out of the kitchen. Dudley edged along the wall, gazing at Mr. Weasley with terrified eyes, and attempted to conceal himself behind his mother and father. Unfortunately, Uncle Vernon’s bulk, while sufficient to hide bony Aunt Petunia, was nowhere near enough to conceal Dudley. â€Å"Ah, this is your cousin, is it, Harry?† said Mr. Weasley, taking another brave stab at making conversation. â€Å"Yep,† said Harry, â€Å"that’s Dudley.† He and Ron exchanged glances and then quickly looked away from each other; the temptation to burst out laughing was almost overwhelming. Dudley was still clutching his bottom as though afraid it might fall off. Mr. Weasley, however, seemed genuinely concerned at Dudley’s peculiar behavior. Indeed, from the tone of his voice when he next spoke, Harry was quite sure that Mr. Weasley thought Dudley was quite as mad as the Dursleys thought he was, except that Mr. Weasley felt sympathy rather than fear. â€Å"Having a good holiday, Dudley?† he said kindly. Dudley whimpered. Harry saw his hands tighten still harder over his massive backside. Fred and George came back into the room carrying Harry’s school trunk. They glanced around as they entered and spotted Dudley. Their faces cracked into identical evil grins. â€Å"Ah, right,† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"Better get cracking then.† He pushed up the sleeves of his robes and took out his wand. Harry saw the Dursleys draw back against the wall as one. â€Å"Incendio!† said Mr. Weasley, pointing his wand at the hole in the wall behind him. Flames rose at once in the fireplace, crackling merrily as though they had been burning for hours. Mr. Weasley took a small drawstring bag from his pocket, untied it, took a pinch of the powder inside, and threw it onto the flames, which turned emerald green and roared higher than ever. â€Å"Off you go then, Fred,† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"Coming,† said Fred. â€Å"Oh no – hang on -â€Å" A bag of sweets had spilled out of Fred’s pocket and the contents were now rolling in every direction – big, fat toffees in brightly colored wrappers. Fred scrambled around, cramming them back into his pocket, then gave the Dursleys a cheery wave, stepped forward, and walked right into the fire, saying â€Å"the Burrow!† Aunt Petunia gave a little shuddering gasp. There was a whooshing sound, and Fred vanished. â€Å"Right then, George,† said Mr. Weasley, â€Å"you and the trunk.† Harry helped George carry the trunk forward into the flames and turn it onto its end so that he could hold it better. Then, with a second whoosh, George had cried â€Å"the Burrow!† and vanished too. â€Å"Ron, you next,† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"See you,† said Ron brightly to the Dursleys. He grinned broadly at Harry, then stepped into the fire, shouted â€Å"the Burrow!† and disappeared. Now Harry and Mr. Weasley alone remained. â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢bye then,† Harry said to the Dursleys. They didn’t say anything at all. Harry moved toward the fire, but just as he reached the edge of the hearth, Mr. Weasley put out a hand and held him back. He was looking at the Dursleys in amazement. â€Å"Harry said good-bye to you,† he said. â€Å"Didn’t you hear him?† â€Å"It doesn’t matter,† Harry muttered to Mr. Weasley. â€Å"Honestly, I don’t care.† Mr. Weasley did not remove his hand from Harry’s shoulder. â€Å"You aren’t going to see your nephew till next summer,† he said to Uncle Vernon in mild indignation. â€Å"Surely you’re going to say good-bye?† Uncle Vernon’s face worked furiously. The idea of being taught consideration by a man who had just blasted away half his living room wall seemed to be causing him intense suffering. But Mr. Weasley’s wand was still in his hand, and Uncle Vernon’s tiny eyes darted to it once, before he said, very resentfully, â€Å"Good-bye, then.† â€Å"See you,† said Harry, putting one foot forward into the green flames, which felt pleasantly like warm breath. At that moment, however, a horrible gagging sound erupted behind him, and Aunt Petunia started to scream. Harry wheeled around. Dudley was no longer standing behind his parents. He was kneeling beside the coffee table, and he was gagging and sputtering on a foot-long, purple, slimy thing that was protruding from his mouth. One bewildered second later, Harry realized that the foot-long thing was Dudley’s tongue – and that a brightly colored toffee wrapper lay on the floor before him. Aunt Petunia hurled herself onto the ground beside Dudley, seized the end of his swollen tongue, and attempted to wrench it out of his mouth; unsurprisingly, Dudley yelled and sputtered worse than ever, trying to fight her off. Uncle Vernon was bellowing and waving his arms around, and Mr. Weasley had to shout to make himself heard. â€Å"Not to worry, I can sort him out!† he yelled, advancing on Dudley with his wand outstretched, but Aunt Petunia screamed worse than ever and threw herself on top of Dudley, shielding him from Mr. Weasley. â€Å"No, really!† said Mr. Weasley desperately. â€Å"It’s a simple process it was the toffee – my son Fred – real practical joker – but it’s only an Engorgement Charm – at least, I think it is – please, I can correct it -â€Å" But far from being reassured, the Dursleys became more panic- stricken; Aunt Petunia was sobbing hysterically, tugging Dudley’s tongue as though determined to rip it out; Dudley appeared to be suffocating under the combined pressure of his mother and his tongue; and Uncle Vernon, who had lost control completely, seized a china figure from on top of the sideboard and threw it very hard at Mr. Weasley, who ducked, causing the ornament to shatter in the blasted fireplace. â€Å"Now really!† said Mr. Weasley angrily, brandishing his wand. â€Å"I’m trying to help!† Bellowing like a wounded hippo, Uncle Vernon snatched up another ornament. â€Å"Harry, go! Just go!† Mr. Weasley shouted, his wand on Uncle Vernon. â€Å"I’ll sort this out!† Harry didn’t want to miss the fun, but Uncle Vernon’s second ornament narrowly missed his left ear, and on balance he thought it best to leave the situation to Mr. Weasley. He stepped into the fire, looking over his shoulder as he said â€Å"the Burrow!† His last fleeting glimpse of the living room was of Mr. Weasley blasting a third ornament out of Uncle Vernon’s hand with his wand, Aunt Petunia screaming and lying on top of Dudley, and Dudley’s tongue lolling around like a great slimy python. But next moment Harry had begun to spin very fast, and the Dursleys’ living room was whipped out of sight in a rush of emerald-green flames. Chapter 4 Back to the Burrow The imminent arrival at their house of an assortment of wizards was making the Dursleys uptight and irritable. Uncle Vernon had looked downright alarmed when Harry informed him that the Weasleys would be arriving at five o’clock the very next day. â€Å"I hope you told them to dress properly, these people,† he snarled at once. â€Å"I’ve seen the sort of stuff your lot wear. They’d better have the decency to put on normal clothes, that’s all.† Harry felt a slight sense of foreboding. He had rarely seen Mr. or Mrs. Weasley wearing anything that the Dursleys would call â€Å"normal.† Their children might don Muggle clothing during the holidays, but Mr. and Mrs. Weasley usually wore long robes in varying states of shabbiness. Harry wasn’t bothered about what the neighbors would think, but he was anxious about how rude the Dursleys might be to the Weasleys if they turned up looking like their worst idea of wizards. Uncle Vernon had put on his best suit. To some people, this might have looked like a gesture of welcome, but Harry knew it was because Uncle Vernon wanted to look impressive and intimidating. Dudley, on the other hand, looked somehow diminished. This was not because the diet was at last taking effect, but due to fright. Dudley had emerged from his last encounter with a fully grown wizard with a curly pig’s tail poking out of the seat of his trousers, and Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had had to pay for its removal at a private hospital in London. It wasn’t altogether surprising, therefore, that Dudley kept running his hand nervously over his backside, and walking sideways from room to room, so as not to present the same target to the enemy. Lunch was an almost silent meal. Dudley didn’t even protest at the food (cottage cheese and grated celery). Aunt Petunia wasn’t, eating anything at all. Her arms were folded, her lips were pursed, and she seemed to be chewing her tongue, as though biting back the furious diatribe she longed to throw at Harry. â€Å"They’ll be driving, of course?† Uncle Vernon barked across the table. â€Å"Er,† said Harry. He hadn’t thought of that. How were the Weasleys going to pick him up? They didn’t have a car anymore; the old Ford Anglia they had once owned was currently running wild in the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts. But Mr. Weasley had borrowed a Ministry of Magic car last year; possibly he would do the same today? â€Å"I think so,† said Harry. Uncle Vernon snorted into his mustache. Normally, Uncle Vernon would have asked what car Mr. Weasley drove; he tended to judge other men by how big and expensive their cars were. But Harry doubted whether Uncle Vernon would have taken to Mr. Weasley even if he drove a Ferrari. Harry spent most of the afternoon in his bedroom; he couldn’t stand watching Aunt Petunia peer out through the net curtains every few seconds, as though there had been a warning about an escaped rhinoceros. Finally, at a quarter to five, Harry went back downstairs and into the living room. Aunt Petunia was compulsively straightening cushions. Uncle Vernon was pretending to read the paper, but his tiny eyes were not moving, and Harry was sure he was really listening with all his might for the sound of an approaching car. Dudley was crammed into an armchair, his porky hands beneath him, clamped firmly around his bottom. Harry couldn’t take the tension; he left the room and went and sat on the stairs in the hall, his eyes on his watch and his heart pumping fast from excitement and nerves. But five o’clock came and then went. Uncle Vernon, perspiring slightly in his suit, opened the front door, peered up and down the street, then withdrew his head quickly. â€Å"They’re late!† he snarled at Harry. â€Å"I know,† said Harry. â€Å"Maybe – er – the traffic’s bad, or something.† Ten past five†¦then a quarter past five†¦Harry was starting to feel anxious himself now. At half past, he heard Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia conversing in terse mutters in the living room. â€Å"No consideration at all.† â€Å"We might’ve had an engagement.† â€Å"Maybe they think they’ll get invited to dinner if they’re late.† â€Å"Well, they most certainly won’t be,† said Uncle Vernon, and Harry heard him stand up and start pacing the living room. â€Å"They’ll take the boy and go, there’ll be no hanging around. That’s if they’re coming at all. Probably mistaken the day. I daresay their kind don’t set much store by punctuality. Either that or they drive some tin-pot car that’s broken d -AAAAAAAARRRRRGH!† Harry jumped up. From the other side of the living room door came the sounds of the three Dursleys scrambling, panic-stricken, across the room. Next moment Dudley came flying into the hall, looking terrified. â€Å"What happened?† said Harry. â€Å"What’s the matter?† But Dudley didn’t seem able to speak. Hands still clamped over his buttocks, he waddled as fast as he could into the kitchen. Harry hurried into the living room. Loud bangings and scrapings were coming from behind the Dursleys’ boarded-up fireplace, which had a fake coal fire plugged in front of it. â€Å"What is it?† gasped Aunt Petunia, who had backed into the wall and was staring, terrified, toward the fire. â€Å"What is it, Vernon?† But they were left in doubt barely a second longer. Voices could be heard from inside the blocked fireplace. â€Å"Ouch! Fred, no – go back, go back, there’s been some kind of mistake – tell George not to – OUCH! George, no, there’s no room, go back quickly and tell Ron -â€Å" â€Å"Maybe Harry can hear us, Dad – maybe he’ll be able to let us out -â€Å" There was a loud hammering of fists on the boards behind the electric fire. â€Å"Harry? Harry, can you hear us?† The Dursleys rounded on Harry like a pair of angry wolverines. â€Å"What is this?† growled Uncle Vernon. â€Å"What’s going on?† â€Å"They – they’ve tried to get here by Floo powder,† said Harry, fighting a mad desire to laugh. â€Å"They can travel by fire – only you’ve blocked the fireplace – hang on -â€Å" He approached the fireplace and called through the boards. â€Å"Mr. Weasley? Can you hear me?† The hammering stopped. Somebody inside the chimney piece said, â€Å"Shh!† â€Å"Mr. Weasley, it’s Harry†¦the fireplace has been blocked up. You won’t be able to get through there.† â€Å"Damn!† said Mr. Weasley’s voice. â€Å"What on earth did they want to block up the fireplace for?† â€Å"They’ve got an electric fire,† Harry explained. â€Å"Really?† said Mr. Weasley’s voice excitedly. â€Å"Eclectic, you say? With a plug? Gracious, I must see that†¦.Let’s think†¦Ouch, Ron!† Ron’s voice now joined the others’. â€Å"What are we doing here? Has something gone wrong?† â€Å"Oh no, Ron,† came Fred’s voice, very sarcastically. â€Å"No, this is exactly where we wanted to end up.† â€Å"Yeah, we’re having the time of our lives here,† said George, whose voice sounded muffled, as though he was squashed against the wall. â€Å"Boys, boys†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Mr. Weasley vaguely. â€Å"I’m trying to think what to do†¦.Yes†¦only way†¦Stand back, Harry.† Harry retreated to the sofa. Uncle Vernon, however, moved forward. â€Å"Wait a moment!† he bellowed at the fire. â€Å"What exactly are you going to -â€Å" BANG. The electric fire shot across the room as the boarded-up fireplace burst outward, expelling Mr. Weasley, Fred, George, and Ron in a cloud of rubble and loose chippings. Aunt Petunia shrieked and fell backward over the coffee table; Uncle Vernon caught her before she hit the floor, and gaped, speechless, at the Weasleys, all of whom had bright red hair, including Fred and George, who were identical to the last freckle. â€Å"That’s better,† panted Mr. Weasley, brushing dust from his long green robes and straightening his glasses. â€Å"Ah – you must be Harry’s aunt and uncle!† Tall, thin, and balding, he moved toward Uncle Vernon, his hand outstretched, but Uncle Vernon backed away several paces, dragging Aunt Petunia. Words utterly failed Uncle Vernon. His best suit was covered in white dust, which had settled in his hair and mustache and made him look as though he had just aged thirty years. â€Å"Er – yes – sorry about that,† said Mr. Weasley, lowering his hand and looking over his shoulder at the blasted fireplace. â€Å"It’s all my fault. It just didn’t occur to me that we wouldn’t be able to get out at the other end. I had your fireplace connected to the Floo Network, you see – just for an afternoon, you know, so we could get Harry. Muggle fireplaces aren’t supposed to be connected, strictly speaking – but I’ve got a useful contact at the Floo Regulation Panel and he fixed it for me. I can put it right in a jiffy, though, don’t worry. I’ll light a fire to send the boys back, and then I can repair your fireplace before I Disapparate.† Harry was ready to bet that the Dursleys hadn’t understood a single word of this. They were still gaping at Mr. Weasley, thunderstruck. Aunt Petunia staggered upright again and hid behind Uncle Vernon. â€Å"Hello, Harry!† said Mr. Weasley brightly. â€Å"Got your trunk ready?† â€Å"It’s upstairs,† said Harry, grinning back. â€Å"We’ll get it,† said Fred at once. Winking at Harry, he and George left the room. They knew where Harry’s bedroom was, having once rescued him from it in the dead of night. Harry suspected that Fred and George were hoping for a glimpse of Dudley; they had heard a lot about him from Harry. â€Å"Well,† said Mr. Weasley, swinging his arms slightly, while he tried to find words to break the very nasty silence. â€Å"Very – erm – very nice place you’ve got here.† As the usually spotless living room was now covered in dust and bits of brick, this remark didn’t go down too well with the Dursleys. Uncle Vernon’s face purpled once more, and Aunt Petunia started chewing her tongue again. However, they seemed too scared to actually say anything. Mr. Weasley was looking around. He loved everything to do with Muggles. Harry could see him itching to go and examine the television and the video recorder. â€Å"They run off eckeltricity, do they?† he said knowledgeably. â€Å"Ah yes, I can see the plugs. I collect plugs,† he added to Uncle Vernon. â€Å"And batteries. Got a very large collection of batteries. My wife thinks I’m mad, but there you are.† Uncle Vernon clearly thought Mr. Weasley was mad too. He moved ever so slightly to the right, screening Aunt Petunia from view, as though he thought Mr. Weasley might suddenly run at them and attack. Dudley suddenly reappeared in the room. Harry could hear the clunk of his trunk on the stairs, and knew that the sounds had scared Dudley out of the kitchen. Dudley edged along the wall, gazing at Mr. Weasley with terrified eyes, and attempted to conceal himself behind his mother and father. Unfortunately, Uncle Vernon’s bulk, while sufficient to hide bony Aunt Petunia, was nowhere near enough to conceal Dudley. â€Å"Ah, this is your cousin, is it, Harry?† said Mr. Weasley, taking another brave stab at making conversation. â€Å"Yep,† said Harry, â€Å"that’s Dudley.† He and Ron exchanged glances and then quickly looked away from each other; the temptation to burst out laughing was almost overwhelming. Dudley was still clutching his bottom as though afraid it might fall off. Mr. Weasley, however, seemed genuinely concerned at Dudley’s peculiar behavior. Indeed, from the tone of his voice when he next spoke, Harry was quite sure that Mr. Weasley thought Dudley was quite as mad as the Dursleys thought he was, except that Mr. Weasley felt sympathy rather than fear. â€Å"Having a good holiday, Dudley?† he said kindly. Dudley whimpered. Harry saw his hands tighten still harder over his massive backside. Fred and George came back into the room carrying Harry’s school trunk. They glanced around as they entered and spotted Dudley. Their faces cracked into identical evil grins. â€Å"Ah, right,† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"Better get cracking then.† He pushed up the sleeves of his robes and took out his wand. Harry saw the Dursleys draw back against the wall as one. â€Å"Incendio!† said Mr. Weasley, pointing his wand at the hole in the wall behind him. Flames rose at once in the fireplace, crackling merrily as though they had been burning for hours. Mr. Weasley took a small drawstring bag from his pocket, untied it, took a pinch of the powder inside, and threw it onto the flames, which turned emerald green and roared higher than ever. â€Å"Off you go then, Fred,† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"Coming,† said Fred. â€Å"Oh no – hang on -â€Å" A bag of sweets had spilled out of Fred’s pocket and the contents were now rolling in every direction – big, fat toffees in brightly colored wrappers. Fred scrambled around, cramming them back into his pocket, then gave the Dursleys a cheery wave, stepped forward, and walked right into the fire, saying â€Å"the Burrow!† Aunt Petunia gave a little shuddering gasp. There was a whooshing sound, and Fred vanished. â€Å"Right then, George,† said Mr. Weasley, â€Å"you and the trunk.† Harry helped George carry the trunk forward into the flames and turn it onto its end so that he could hold it better. Then, with a second whoosh, George had cried â€Å"the Burrow!† and vanished too. â€Å"Ron, you next,† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"See you,† said Ron brightly to the Dursleys. He grinned broadly at Harry, then stepped into the fire, shouted â€Å"the Burrow!† and disappeared. Now Harry and Mr. Weasley alone remained. â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢bye then,† Harry said to the Dursleys. They didn’t say anything at all. Harry moved toward the fire, but just as he reached the edge of the hearth, Mr. Weasley put out a hand and held him back. He was looking at the Dursleys in amazement. â€Å"Harry said good-bye to you,† he said. â€Å"Didn’t you hear him?† â€Å"It doesn’t matter,† Harry muttered to Mr. Weasley. â€Å"Honestly, I don’t care.† Mr. Weasley did not remove his hand from Harry’s shoulder. â€Å"You aren’t going to see your nephew till next summer,† he said to Uncle Vernon in mild indignation. â€Å"Surely you’re going to say good-bye?† Uncle Vernon’s face worked furiously. The idea of being taught consideration by a man who had just blasted away half his living room wall seemed to be causing him intense suffering. But Mr. Weasley’s wand was still in his hand, and Uncle Vernon’s tiny eyes darted to it once, before he said, very resentfully, â€Å"Good-bye, then.† â€Å"See you,† said Harry, putting one foot forward into the green flames, which felt pleasantly like warm breath. At that moment, however, a horrible gagging sound erupted behind him, and Aunt Petunia started to scream. Harry wheeled around. Dudley was no longer standing behind his parents. He was kneeling beside the coffee table, and he was gagging and sputtering on a foot-long, purple, slimy thing that was protruding from his mouth. One bewildered second later, Harry realized that the foot-long thing was Dudley’s tongue – and that a brightly colored toffee wrapper lay on the floor before him. Aunt Petunia hurled herself onto the ground beside Dudley, seized the end of his swollen tongue, and attempted to wrench it out of his mouth; unsurprisingly, Dudley yelled and sputtered worse than ever, trying to fight her off. Uncle Vernon was bellowing and waving his arms around, and Mr. Weasley had to shout to make himself heard. â€Å"Not to worry, I can sort him out!† he yelled, advancing on Dudley with his wand outstretched, but Aunt Petunia screamed worse than ever and threw herself on top of Dudley, shielding him from Mr. Weasley. â€Å"No, really!† said Mr. Weasley desperately. â€Å"It’s a simple process it was the toffee – my son Fred – real practical joker – but it’s only an Engorgement Charm – at least, I think it is – please, I can correct it -â€Å" But far from being reassured, the Dursleys became more panic- stricken; Aunt Petunia was sobbing hysterically, tugging Dudley’s tongue as though determined to rip it out; Dudley appeared to be suffocating under the combined pressure of his mother and his tongue; and Uncle Vernon, who had lost control completely, seized a china figure from on top of the sideboard and threw it very hard at Mr. Weasley, who ducked, causing the ornament to shatter in the blasted fireplace. â€Å"Now really!† said Mr. Weasley angrily, brandishing his wand. â€Å"I’m trying to help!† Bellowing like a wounded hippo, Uncle Vernon snatched up another ornament. â€Å"Harry, go! Just go!† Mr. Weasley shouted, his wand on Uncle Vernon. â€Å"I’ll sort this out!† Harry didn’t want to miss the fun, but Uncle Vernon’s second ornament narrowly missed his left ear, and on balance he thought it best to leave the situation to Mr. Weasley. He stepped into the fire, looking over his shoulder as he said â€Å"the Burrow!† His last fleeting glimpse of the living room was of Mr. Weasley blasting a third ornament out of Uncle Vernon’s hand with his wand, Aunt Petunia screaming and lying on top of Dudley, and Dudley’s tongue lolling around like a great slimy python. But next moment Harry had begun to spin very fast, and the Dursleys’ living room was whipped out of sight in a rush of emerald-green flames.

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