Descriptive Essay About Christmas - 1716 Words

I sent my brother to the hospital and ruined his Christmas break one year when I lived in Canada during the holiday season which started in December not in November like here in the US because our Thanksgiving falls on the first Monday in October. So, we usually start to decorate for the holidays the first week of December. In my house, every year we would pull all the decorations up from the basement to me it was a big deal for the boxes were huge that this funny musty smell to them because basement wasn t finished I would pull out each bulb or each decoration and remember from last year or the year before or maybe the year that I actually made that ornament like the one that had gold glitter on a pine cone and a red yarn and it on the†¦show more content†¦We would put lights multicolored lights in the perimeters of all the windows on the bottom every year our front window large window pane had the spacing decoration multicolored lights around the perimeter of the window an d in the center, was a three-tier candle decoration that had bulbs for the flame in the base of the candles of the red candles had fake Holly s and the berries that went with it. We would decorate the tree either the next day or the week later on the weekend because the tree would be set for a day to let the branches fall I didn t understand what that meant at the time but now I do when I used to get trees and I used to get a Christmas tree it was usually wrapped up tight and the branches were pointing up after you put the bulbs on it wouldn t look right after it settled and so you would have to redecorate all over again. When it was time to decorate the tree my mother oversaw putting the lights in the tree. The lights on the Christmas tree was always multicolored the ornaments that we put on a mixture throughout the years old and sometimes new as well one of the cool thing I remember is the lights were always connected to this box the Box played music in the lights would blink 2 th e beat of the song. There was always a red skirt around the base of the tree, and we always had to feed the tree with sugar andShow MoreRelatedDescriptive Essay About Christmas730 Words   |  3 PagesChristmas is a time of joy, love, and laughter, and it’s such a splendid and special time! The sights, smells, and tastes are so delightful, and they all fill my heart with glee and delight! I love the sweet smell of sugar cookies baking, twinkling Christmas lights, and shiny wrapping paper! In the 13 years that I have been alive, it’s always been just me and my mom, and sometimes a pet. My mom is really special. She has a caring and loving heart, even though she’s grouchy a lot. She likes ChristmasRead MoreDescriptive Essay About Christmas842 Words   |  4 PagesTopsy Turvy Christmas Morning Feelings of joy when giving gifts to loved ones; sweet, rich scents of delicious warm Swiss Miss hot chocolate; harmonious tunes of beautiful snowflakes, and bright red carriages pulled by reindeer. And of course, the glimmering white snow that brings an ecstatic feeling of happiness every year on first snowfall, as if the world has never seen it before. There truly is nothing not to love about Christmas. That is, of course, until that beautiful white snow I have alwaysRead MoreDescriptive Essay About Christmas736 Words   |  3 Pagesr 2017 â€Å"My favorite holiday† Christmas is my favorite holiday of the year. I love seeing the shinny Christmas lights that decorates my street and the sound of fresh fallen snow on the ground. Christmas reminds me of family, the laughter and loved we shared, and the gifts we gave to each other. My house on Christmas became the center of my joy. I remember waking up on Christmas day with a huge smile on my face, heart full of joy, and my stomach barking. I can smellRead MoreDescriptive Essay About A Christmas Tree735 Words   |  3 Pagesone? Nope.† â€Å"What about this one?† Here I go getting chosen to be taken home to a family, a house, and a new life! â€Å"I really like that one,†said a small girl. â€Å"Me too,† added an older sister. I have been waiting to be the perfect size, perfect height, and perfect color. I have heard so many great things about the holiday! The food, the presents, the love towards others, but most importantly the birth of our savior, Jesus. I hope this family chooses me to be there new Christmas tree! â€Å"How much willRead MoreDescriptive Essay About Christmas Gift1796 Words   |  8 PagesIt was Christmas morning of 2006, and I woke up in glee excited to see the Christmas gifts under our Christmas tree. I was especially excited to open one very special gift because the week before I had spotted an iPod box in my parent’s room. In my mind, I was so sure that the shiny new iPod was for me. See a couple months before I had printed out pictures of iPods and casually displayed them around the house. I was hinting to my mom how badly I wanted an iPod. Therefore, when Christmas morning cameRead MoreNarrative vs. Descriptive Writing977 Words   |  4 Pages A narrative essay uses a point of view to tell a story. It is an engaging way for an author to tell his reader about an experience they have had or a personal story. Descriptive writing is a description of something. It could be a person, place, thing, emotion or experience. The author is allowed more artistic free dom when writing in descriptive form. While both descriptive and narrative essays are similar in many ways, the descriptive essays use of language fully immerses the reader intoRead MoreCompare And Contrast The Opening Scenes Of Tim Burtons Corpse Bride And The Nightmare Before Christmas1010 Words   |  5 PagesCompare and Contrast Essay of the Opening Scenes of Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride and The Nightmare Before Christmas This essay compares and contrasts the similarities and the different parts of the opening scenes of two movies of Tim Burton which are Corpse Bride and The Nightmare Before Christmas. The scenes will be explained in details through the gothic elements and his unique style. Here is an outline of the essay’s main sections; 1. Introduction †¢ Information about Tim Burton and his unique styleRead MoreCompare and Contrast Essay866 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ Compare and Contrast: â€Å"Fish Cheeks† and â€Å"Caged Bird† Rachael Becker Assignment 5 Nicole  Yurchak 1/30/2014 The differences between a narrative and a descriptive essay determine the way in which the reader receives the story. The purpose of each is still very clear, to connect to the reader using story telling. In order for the reader to receive the story as intended, the author must create a clear picture of;Read MoreList Of Books War Of The Worlds 1490 Words   |  6 PagesList of books War of the Worlds The Haunting of Hill House Bird Box Pen Pal The Other Side of the Sky A Christmas Carol Touching Spirit Bear The Gunslinger The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Haunting of Hill House Eleanor and Theodora (Theo) are invited by Dr. Montageau to Hill House, and Luke is there to supervise them. Shortly after they get there Eleanor starts hearing noises in the hallways, and paranormal phenomena start to occur. Days later, Eleanor starts to hear noises in the hallwaysRead MoreEssay on The Personality of Scrooge1338 Words   |  6 Pages A Christmas Carol written by Charles Dickens. A Christmas Carol is about how a â€Å"cold-hearted, tight fisted, selfish† money grabbing man is offered an opportunity of a life time, to change his behaviour, attitude... to have a second chance in life. The theme of this novella is to look at the good you do in life and how it carries over after your death. The moral of the book is; People can make changes in their lives whenever they really want to, even right up to the end. In this essay I am

Health City Cayman Islands Essay - 739 Words

Session #3: Health City Cayman Islands MATERIALS 1. Health City Cayman Islands (9†714†510) 2. Narayana Hrudayalaya Heart Hospital Video 3. Expansion at Narayana Hrudayalaya Video DESCRIPTION Narayana emerged initially as the world’s largest focused†factory, lowest†cost, and high quality cardiac care facility, initiated in Bangalore. It then subsequently morphed into a large Health City, and then spread geographically across India, and via diagnosis†by†telemedicine all over the world. Now, it has opened a state†of†the†art facility in the Cayman Islands, to serve the Caribbean, and within striking distance of large numbers of US under†insured, but just outside US regulatory waters. ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS 1. The Coronary Graft Bypass Graft†¦show more content†¦The case gives an overview of NH operations in Bangalore, India. Why is the original NH model relevant and successful in India? The NH Model is relevant and successful in India because it meets a number of important criteria. It uses inexpensive premises (minimalistic) but maintains high standards of outcomes. It specializes in high volume low cost procedures and as the model matures greater efficiencies are drawn from the learning. Medical Efficiencies are comparable to the west using the best equipment. People are employed at better rates then others hospitals in India however they tend to work longer hours and can do multiple tasks. Junior staff performs routine task and those under training resulting is better quality of care. People are poor and not all can afford the fees for care or have insurance. The model can be replicated in other cities. Insurance claims for negligence are very limited India Governmental hospitals have a poor reputation for quality of care and post operation infections. 3. HCCI expects patients from the Caribbean Islands, the US and South America. To what extent, if at all, should HCCI consider adapting the NH model developed in India? How does the adaptation decision relate to the CABG pricing and the targetShow MoreRelatedThe Cost Of Healthcare : An Unsettling Factor For Much Of The World1883 Words   |  8 Pagesinteresting to view; how a drive to create a sustainable system with one goal of saving human lives at the lowest cost possible has been able to thrive in India and now the Cayman Islands. Summary The Have a Heart video, explained the creating of Narayana Healthcare system from India to the Cayman Islands. India has no public health system. Main points brought up within the first few minutes of the video were that eighty percent of the world can not afford heart surgery (From the Heart, 2015). PatientsRead MoreThe Ford Motor Company : A Long Term Rating1032 Words   |  5 Pagesmaking this trade it will require my managers approval. Duration is always shorter than the time to maturity. JPMorgan Chase Co. is the largest bank in the United States and the world’s third largest public company. It is headquartered in New York City, New York. JPMorgan Chase Co. was given a credit outlook of stable by Moody’s as well as a long-term rating of A3 and a short-term rating of P-2. Both of the credit ratings fall into the upper medium investment grade. The duration and also matchesRead MoreLehman Brothers : The Third Largest Global Investment Bank Essay1694 Words   |  7 PagesLehman Brothers, based in New York City, was the fourth largest global investment bank until 2008. They provided financial investment services, banking, and management around the globe. Prior to its defunct, its management consisted of: Chief Executive Officer, Richard (Dick) S. Fuld; Chief Financial Officer, Erin Callan; with accounting auditor, Ernst Young. The collapse of this 158 year old firm sent the US economic market into turmoil. Their demise left 25,000 people unemployed and millionsRead MoreCub Domino s Pizza Essay1983 Words   |  8 Pagescountry, they are; â€Å"Located 90 miles off the coast of Key West, Florida, Cuba is the largest Caribbean island nation. Its neighbors are the Cayman Islands, Jamaica and Haiti. Cuba spans 44,200 miles, making it a bit smaller than the state of Pennsylvania. Its varied geography includes rolling farmland, rugged mountains, urban metropolises, quaint Colonial villages and white-sand beaches. The island is divided into 15 provinces and one special municipality, Isla de la Juventud. Notable Cuba areas includeRead MoreThe Modern Port Of Miami Essay1831 Words   |  8 Pagesfour-month trial and on December 18, 1966, she arrived in Miami. There was a lot of excitement along the waterfront as the new ship came alongside, only briefly dampened by the hour it took the dockworkers to find a gangplank at the still incomplete Dodge Island terminal. The following day, December 19th, the Sunward commenced her first cruise to Nassau in the Bahamas. â€Å"It was a good match,† recalls Heller. â€Å"Knut was the idealist young guy and Ted was the sharp, shrewd businessman. Together they hadRead MoreEvolution Of The Cruise Industry Essay2010 Words   |  9 Pageslength with accommodations for 560 cruise passengers. The Starward arrived in Miami on December 14, 1968, just two years after the Sunward, and introduced year-round 7-day cruises to three ports on the island of Jamaica. The Miami cruise market was starting to grow. The cruise terminals on Dodge Island were finally ready to open and at the same time as the Starward Commodore Cruise Lines introduced the mv Boheme, Bahama Cruise Lines launched the mv Freeport and Costa Line added the ts Flavia. RespondingRead MoreHard Rock Cafe Case Study5950 Words   |  24 PagesRocks products, many kinds of designs make it gain more local and traveling customers. Hard Rock utilizes healthiest raw materials in each area to carry on meticulous processing. This sufficient considers about quality of the food and the customers health. In addition, the raw materials come from local area, this can reduce transported cost of the materials and the loss in transportation way. The reducing of the cost impels the products price to be more appropriate, this meets customers demands furtherRead MoreHard Rock Cafe Case Study5960 Words   |  24 PagesRocks products, many kinds of designs make it gain more local and traveling cu stomers. Hard Rock utilizes healthiest raw materials in each area to carry on meticulous processing. This sufficient considers about quality of the food and the customers health. In addition, the raw materials come from local area, this can reduce transported cost of the materials and the loss in transportation way. The reducing of the cost impels the products price to be more appropriate, this meets customers demands furtherRead MoreChina Economy7357 Words   |  30 Pagesgenerally allowed to operate and compete on free market principles, rather than under the direction and guidance of state planning. In addition, citizens were encouraged to start their own businesses. Additional coastal regions and cities were designated as open cities and development zones, which allowed them to experiment with free market reforms and to offer tax and trade incentives to attract foreign investment. In addition, state price controls on a wide range of products were gradually eliminatedRead MoreUnited Arab of Emirates Country Notebook18844 Words   |  76 PagesBahrain, Qatar, Iran. The UAE covers 32,278 square miles (83,600 square kilometers). The Seven Emirates vary greatly in size. Abu Dhabi represents 85% of the land, and the smallest Emirate is Ajman. Each Emirate is named after its capital city, and Abu Dhabi city is the permanent capital of the nation. B- Climate The UAE generally has a dry climate with very high temperature and humidity in the summer. The hottest months are July and August when average maximum temperatures reach above 40  Ã‚ °C on

Night World Soulmate Chapter 13 Free Essays

string(29) " find a safe place to sleep\." Don’t fight,† he panted into her face. â€Å"It’ll be easier if you just relax.† Hannah was frightened-and furious. We will write a custom essay sample on Night World : Soulmate Chapter 13 or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"In your dreams!† she gasped and slammed a knee into his groin. She hadn’t survived Maya and come thousands of miles to be killed by some weasel of a vampire. She could feel him trying to do something to her mind-it reminded her of the way Maya had captured Ha-nahkt’s eyes. Some kind of hypnosis, she supposed. But she’d had enough of hypnosis in the last week. She fought it. And she fought with her body, unskillfully maybe, but with utter conviction. She head-butted him on the nose when he tried to get close to her neck. â€Å"Ow!† The Artful Dodger jerked back. Then he got a better grip on her arm. He pulled the wrist toward him and Hannah suddenly realized what he was doing. There were nice accessible veins there. He was going to draw blood from her wrist. â€Å"No, you don’t,† she gasped. She had no idea what would happen if she lost any more blood to a vampire. Thierry had said she wasn’t in danger as long as she kept away from them for the next week, so she presumed that if she didn’t stay away, she was in danger. And she was already noticing little changes in herself: her ability to see better in the dark, for instance. She tried to wrench her arm out of the boy’s grip- and then she heard a gasp. Suddenly she realized that he wasn’t holding her as tightly, and he wasn’t trying to pull her wrist to him. Instead he was just staring at her hand. At her ring. The expression on his face might have been funny if Hannah hadn’t been shaking with adrenaline. He looked shocked, dismayed, scared, disbelieving, and embarrassed all at once. â€Å"Who-who-who are you?† he spluttered. Hannah looked at the ring, and then at him. Of course. How could she have been so stupid? She should have mentioned Thierry right away. If he was a Lord of the Night World, maybe everybody knew him. Maybe she could skip the witches altogether. â€Å"I told you I was looking for somebody. His name is Thierry Descouedres. He gave me this ring.† The Artful Dodger gave a kind of moan. Then he looked up at her from under his spiky bangs. â€Å"I didn’t hurt you, did I?† he said. It wasn’t a question, it was a demand for agreement. â€Å"I didn’t do anything to you.† â€Å"You didn’t get the chance,† Hannah said. But she was afraid the boy might just take off running, so she added, â€Å"I don’t want to get you in trouble. I just want to find Thierry. Can you help me?† â€Å"I †¦ help you. Yeah, yeah. I can be a big help.-† He hesitated, then said, â€Å"It’s kind of a long walk.† A walk? Thierry was here? Hannah’s heart leaped so high that her whole body felt light. â€Å"I’m not tired,† she said, and it was true. â€Å"I can walk anywhere.† The house was enormous. Magnificent. Palatial, even. Awe-inspiring. The Artful Dodger abandoned Hannah at the beginning of the long palm-tree-lined drive, blurting, â€Å"That’s it,† and then scampering off into the darkness. Hannah looked after him for a moment, then grimly started up the drive, sincerely hoping that it was it. She was so tired that she was weaving and her feet felt as if they’d been pounded with stones. As she walked up to the front door, though, her doubts disappeared. There were black roses everywhere. There was an arch-shaped stained-glass window above the double doors, showing a black rose that had the same intricately knotted stem as the one on Hannah’s ring. The same design had been worked into the crowns over the windows. It was used like a family crest or seal. Just seeing all those roses made Hannah’s heart beat faster. Okay, then. Ring the doorbell, she told herself. And stop feeling like some Cinderella who’s come to see what’s keeping the prince. She pushed the doorbell button, then held her breath as chimes echoed distantly. Please. Please answer†¦. She heard footsteps approaching and her heart really started to pound. I can’t believe it’s all been this easy†¦. But when the door opened, it wasn’t Thierry. It was a college-age guy with a suit, brown hair pulled back into a short ponytail, and dark glasses. He looked vaguely like a young CIA agent, Hannah thought wildly. He and Hannah stared at each other. â€Å"Uh, I’m here to †¦ I’m looking for Thierry Des-couedres,† Hannah said finally, trying to sound confident. The CIA guy didn’t change expression. When he spoke, it wasn’t unkindly, but Hannah’s heart plummeted. â€Å"He’s not here. Try again in a few days. And it’s better to call one of his secretaries before showing up.† He started to shut the door. A wave of desperation broke over Hannah. â€Å"Wait!† she said, and she actually stuck her foot in the doorway. She was amazed at herself. The CIA guy looked down at her foot, then up at her face. â€Å"Yes?† Oh, God, he thinks I’m a nuisance visitor. Hannah suddenly had a vision of swarms of petitioners lined up at Thierry’s house, all wanting him to do something for them. Like supplicants waiting for an audience with the king. And I must look like riffraff, she thought. She was wearing Levis and a shirt that was sweaty and wrinkled after tramping around the Strip all day. Her boots were dusty. Her hair was limp and disheveled, straggling over her face. â€Å"Yes?† the CIA guy said again, politely urgent. . â€Å"I †¦ nothing.† Hannah felt tears spring to her eyes and was furious with herself. She hid them by bending down to pick up her duffel bag, which by now felt as if it were loaded with rocks. She had never been so tired. Her mouth was dry and cottony and her muscles were starting to cramp. She had no idea where to find a safe place to sleep. You read "Night World : Soulmate Chapter 13" in category "Essay examples" But it wasn’t the CIA guy’s problem. â€Å"Thank you,† Hannah said. She took a deep breath and started to turn away. It was the deep breath that did it. Someone was crossing the grand entrance hall behind the CIA guy and the breath delayed Hannah long enough that they saw each other. â€Å"Nilsson, wait!† the someone yelled and came bounding over to the door. It was a girl, thin and tanned, with odd silvery-brown hair and dark amber eyes. She had several yellowing bruises on her face. But it was her expression that startled Hannah. Her amber eyes were wide and sparkling in what looked like recognition, her mouth was open in astonishment and excitement. She was waving her arms. â€Å"That’s her!† she yelled at the CIA guy, pointing to Hannah. â€Å"It’s her! It’s her.† When he stared at her, she hit him in the shoulder. â€Å"Her!† They both turned to stare at Hannah. The CIA guy had an expression now. He looked stunned. Hannah stared back at them, bewildered. Then, seeming dazed, the CIA guy very slowly opened the door. â€Å"My name is Nilsson, miss,† he said. â€Å"Please come inside.† Stupid me, Hannah thought. Almost as an afterthought, she pushed straggling hair off her left cheek, away from her birthmark. I should have told them who I was. But how could I know they would understand? Nilsson was talking again as he gently took her bag. â€Å"I’m very sorry, miss-I didn’t realize †¦ I hope you won’t hold this-â€Å" â€Å"Nobody knew you were coming,† the girl broke in with refreshing bluntness. â€Å"And the worst thing is that Thierry’s gone off somewhere. I don’t think anybody knows where or when he’ll be back. But meanwhile you’d better stay put. I don’t want to think about what he’d do to us if we lost you.† She smiled at Hannah and added, â€Å"I’m Lupe Acevedo.† â€Å"Hannah Snow.† â€Å"I know.† The girl winked. â€Å"We met before, but I couldn’t exactly introduce myself. Don’t you remember?† Hannah started to shake her head-and then she blinked. Blinked again. That silvery-brown coloring†¦ those amber eyes†¦ â€Å"Yeah,† Lupe said, looking hugely delighted. â€Å"That was me. That’s how I got these bruises. The other wolf got it worse, though. I ripped him a new-â€Å" â€Å"Would you like something to drink?† Nilsson interrupted hastily. â€Å"Or to eat? Why don’t you come in and sit down?† Hannah’s mind was reeling. That girl is a werewolf, she thought. A werewolf. The last time I saw her she had big ears and a bushy tail. Werewolves are real. And this one protected me. She said dizzily, â€Å"I †¦ thank you. I mean, you saved my life, didn’t you?† Lupe shrugged. â€Å"Part of the job. Want a Coke?† Hannah blinked, then laughed. â€Å"I’d kill for one.† â€Å"I’ll take care of it,† Nilsson said. â€Å"I’ll take care of everything. Lupe, why don’t you show her upstairs?† He hurried off and opened a cellular phone. A moment later several other guys dressed like him came running. The strange thing was that they were all very young-all in their late teens. Hannah caught snatches of frantic-sounding conversation. â€Å"Well, try that number-â€Å" â€Å"What about leaving a message with-â€Å" â€Å"Come on,† Lupe said, interrupting Hannah’s eavesdropping. With that same cheerful bluntness she added, â€Å"You look like you could use a bath.† She led Hannah past a giant white sculpture toward a wide curving staircase. Hannah glimpsed other rooms opening off the hallway. A living room that looked as big as a football field, decorated with white couches, geometric furniture, and abstract paintings. A dining room with a mile-long table. An alcove with a grand piano. Hannah felt more like Cinderella than ever. Nobody in Medicine Rock had a grand piano. I didn’t know he was so rich. I don’t know if I can deal with this. But when she was installed in a sort of Moorish fantasy bathroom, surrounded by jungly green plants and exotic tiles and brass globe lights with cut-out star shapes, she decided that she could probably adjust to living this way. If forced. It was heaven just to relax in the Jacuzzi tub, drinking a Coke and breathing in the delicious scent of bath salts. And it was even better to sit up in bed afterward, eating finger sandwiches sent up by â€Å"Chef† and telling Lupe how she came to be in Las Vegas. When she was done, Lupe said, â€Å"Nilsson and everybody are trying to find Thierry. It may take a little while, though. See, he just stopped off for a few minutes on Saturday, and then he disappeared again. But meanwhile, this house is pretty well protected. And all of us will fight for you-I mean, fight to the death, if we have to. So it’s safer than most other places.† Hannah felt a roiling in her stomach. She didn’t understand. Lupe made it sound as if they were in some castle getting ready for a siege. â€Å"Safe from†¦ ?† Lupe looked surprised. â€Å"From her-Maya,† she said, as if it should be obvious. Hannah had a sinking feeling. I should have known, she thought. But all she said was, â€Å"So you think I’m still in danger from her.† Lupe’s eyebrows shot up. She said mildly, â€Å"Well, sure. She’s going to try to kill you. And she’s awfully good at killing.† Especially me, Hannah thought. But she was too tired to be much afraid. Trusting to Lupe and Nilsson and the rest of Thierry’s household, she fell asleep â€Å"that night as soon as her head touched the pillow. She woke up to see sunshine. It was reflecting off the bedroom walls, which were painted a softly burnished gold. Weird but beautiful, Hannah thought, looking dreamily around at ebony furniture and decorative tribal masks. Then she remembered where she was and jumped out of bed. She found clean clothes-her size-lying on an elaborately carved chest. She had just finished pulling them on when Lupe knocked on the door. â€Å"Lupe, have they-â€Å" Lupe shook her silvery-brown head. â€Å"They haven’t found him yet.† Hannah sighed, then smiled, trying not to look too disappointed. Lupe made a sympathetic face. â€Å"I know. While you wait, though, you might like to meet some people.† She grinned. â€Å"They’re sort of special people, and it’s a secret that they’re even here. But I talked to them last night, and they all decided that it would be okay. They all want to meet you.† Hannah was curious. â€Å"Special people? Are they humans or†¦ uh†¦ ?† Lupe grinned even more widely. â€Å"They’re both. That’s why they’re special.† As she talked, she was leading Hannah downstairs and through miles of hallway. â€Å"They did something for me,† she said, not smiling now, but serious. â€Å"They saved my life and my mom’s life. See, I’m not a purebred werewolf. My dad was human.† Hannah looked at her, startled. â€Å"Yeah. And that’s against the laws of the Night World. You can’t fall in love with a human, much less marry them. The other werewolves came one night and killed my dad. They would have killed my mom and me, too, but Thierry got us out of the city and hid us. That’s why I’d do anything for him. I wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for him†¦ and Circle Daybreak.† She had paused by the door of a room located toward the back of the house. Now, she opened the door, gave Hannah a funny little nod and a wink, and said, â€Å"You go meet them. I think you’ll like each other. You’re their type.† Hannah wasn’t sure what this meant. She felt shy as she stepped over the threshold and looked around the room. It was a den, smaller than the front living room, and more cozy, with furniture in warm ochers and burnt siennas. A breakfast buffet was set out on a long sideboard made of golden pine. It smelled good, but Hannah didn’t have time to look at it. As soon as she came in the room, every head turned and she found a dozen people staring at her. Young people. All around her age. Normal-type teenagers, except that a surprising number of them were extremely good-looking. Behind her, the door closed firmly. Hannah felt more and more as if she’d just walked out on stage and forgotten her lines. Then one of the girls sitting on an ottoman jumped up and ran to her. â€Å"You’re Hana, aren’t you?† she said warmly. â€Å"Hannah. Yes.† â€Å"I can’t believe I’m really meeting you! This is so exciting. Thierry’s told us all about you.† She put a gentle hand on Hannah’s arm. â€Å"Hannah, this is Circle Daybreak. And my name is Thea Harman.† She was almost as tall as Hannah was, and the yellow hair spilling over her shoulders was a few shades darker than Hannah’s. Her eyes were brown and soft and somehow wise. â€Å"Hi, Thea.† Somehow Hannah felt instinctively at ease with this girl. â€Å"Lupe was telling me about Circle Daybreak, but I didn’t exactly understand.† â€Å"It started as a sort of witch organization,† Thea said. â€Å"A witch circle. But it’s not just for witches. It’s for humans and vampires and werewolves and shapeshifters†¦ and, well, anybody who wants to help Night People and humans get along. Come and meet the others and we’ll try to explain.† A few minutes later, Hannah was sitting on a couch with a plate of eggs Benedict, being introduced. â€Å"This is James and Poppy,† Thea said. â€Å"James is a Redfern on his mother’s side-which makes him a descendant of Maya’s.† She glanced at James with gentle mischief. â€Å"I didn’t pick my parents. Believe me, I didn’t,† James said to Hannah. He had light brown hair and thoughtful gray eyes. When he smiled it was impossible not to smile back. â€Å"Nobody would have picked your parents, Jamie,† Poppy said, elbowing him. She was very small, but there was a kind of impish wisdom in her face. Her head was a tangle of copper curls and her eyes were as green as emeralds. Hannah found her elfin beauty just a little scary†¦ just a little inhuman. â€Å"They’re both vampires,† Thea said, answering Hannah’s unspoken question. â€Å"I didn’t used to be,† Poppy said. â€Å"James changed me because I was dying.† â€Å"What’s a soulmate for?† James said, and Poppy poked him again and then grinned at him. They were obviously in love. â€Å"You’re-soulmates?† Hannah spoke softly, wistfully. It was Thea who answered. â€Å"That’s the thing, you see-something is causing Night People to find human soulmates. We witches think that it’s some Power that’s waking up again, making it happen. Some Power that’s been asleep for a long time- maybe since the time when Thierry was born.† Now Hannah understood why Lupe had said she was Circle Daybreak’s type of people. She was part of this. â€Å"But-that’s wonderful,† she said, speaking slowly and trying to gather her thoughts. â€Å"I mean†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She couldn’t exactly explain why it was so wonderful, but she had a sense of some immense turning point being reached in the world, of some cycle that was about to end. Thea was smiling at her. â€Å"I know what you mean. We think so, too.† She turned and held out a hand to a very tall boy with a sweet face, sandy hair, and hazel eyes. â€Å"And this is my soulmate, Eric. He’s human.† â€Å"Just barely,† a boy from the other side of the room said. Eric ignored him and smiled at Hannah. â€Å"And this is Gillian and David,† Thea said, moving around the circle. â€Å"Gillian’s a distant cousin of mine, a witch, and David’s human. Soulmates, again.† Gillian was tiny, with white-blond hair that fit her head like a silky cap and deep violet eyes. David had dark hair, brown eyes, and a lean tanned face. They both smiled at Hannah. Thea was moving on. â€Å"And next comes Rashel and Quinn. Rashel is human-she used to be a vampire hunter.† â€Å"I still am. But now I just hunt bad vampires,† Rashel said coolly. Hannah had an instinctive feeling of respect for her. She was tall and seemed to have perfect control of her body. Her hair was black and her eyes were a fierce and blazing green. â€Å"And Quinn’s a vampire,† Thea said. Quinn was the boy who’d made the barely-human remark. He was very good-looking, with clean features that were strongly chiseled but almost delicate. His hair was as black as Rashel’s, and his eyes were black, too. He flashed Hannah a smile that, while beautiful, was slightly unnerving. â€Å"Quinn’s the only one here who can compete with you as far as the past goes,† Thea added. â€Å"He was made into a vampire back in the sixteen hundreds, by Hunter Redfern.† Quinn flashed another smile. â€Å"Did you have a life in colonial America? Maybe we’ve met.† Hannah smiled in return, but she was also studying him with interest. He didn’t look older than eighteen. â€Å"Is that why everybody here looks so young?† she asked. â€Å"All the staff, I mean-Nilsson and the other guys in suits. Are they all vampires?† Thea nodded. â€Å"All made vampires. Lamia, like James, can grow up if they want. But once you make a human into a vampire they stop aging-and you can’t make somebody over nineteen into a vampire. Their bodies can’t make the change. They just burn out.† Hannah felt an odd chill, almost of premonition. But before she could say anything, a new voice interrupted. â€Å"Speaking of the lamia, isn’t anybody going to introduce me?† Thea turned toward the window. â€Å"Sorry, Ash-but if you’re going to sleep over there, you can’t blame us for forgetting you.† She looked at Hannah. â€Å"This is another Redfern, a cousin of James’s. His name is Ash.† Ash was gorgeous, lanky and elegant, with ash-blond hair. But what startled Hannah as he got up and unhurriedly walked to meet her was his eyes. They were like Maya’s eyes, shifting color from moment to moment. The resemblance was so striking that it was a moment before Hannah could take his hand. He’s got Maya’s genes, Hannah thought. He smiled at her, then sprawled on the loveseat. â€Å"We’re not all of Circle Daybreak, of course,† Thea said. â€Å"In fact, we’re some of the newest members. And we’re from all over the country-North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, everywhere. But Thierry called us together specially, to talk about the soulmate principle and the old Powers awakening.† â€Å"That was last week, before he found out about you,† copper-haired Poppy said. â€Å"And before he ran off. But we’ve been talking without him, trying to figure out what to do next.† Hannah said, â€Å"Whatever it is, I’d like to help you.† They all looked pleased. But Thea said, â€Å"You should think about it first. We’re dangerous people to know.† â€Å"We’re on everybody’s hit list,† Rashel, the black-haired vampire hunter, said dryly. â€Å"We’ve got the whole Night World against us,† Ash said, rolling his ever-changing eyes. â€Å"Against us. You just said ‘us.’ † James turned on his cousin triumphantly, as if he’d just won a point in an argument. â€Å"You admit you’re a part of us.† â€Å"I don’t have any Ash looked at the ceiling, choice.† â€Å"But you do, Hannah,† Thea interrupted. She smiled at Hannah, but her soft brown eyes were serious. â€Å"You don’t have to be in any more danger than you are now.† â€Å"I think-† Hannah began. But before she could finish, there was an explosion of noise from somewhere outside. How to cite Night World : Soulmate Chapter 13, Essay examples

Nasikabatrachus Sahyadrensis A Frog Species free essay sample

Endangered (IUCN 3. 1) Scientific classification Kingdom:Animalia Phylum:Chordata Class:Amphibia Order:Anura Family:Sooglossidae Genus:Nasikabatrachus Biju Bossuyt, 2003 Species:N. sahyadrensis Binomial name Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis Biju Bossuyt, 2003 Distribution of Nasikabatrachus (in black) Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis is a frog species belonging to the family Sooglossidae. It can be found in the Western Ghats in India. Common names for this species are Purple Frog or Pignose Frog. It was discovered in October 2003 and was found to be unique for the geographic region. Contents [hide] Description 2 Distribution 3 Ecology 4 Taxonomy and systematics 5 References 6 External links [edit] Description The body of Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis is shaped similarly to that of most frogs, but is somewhat rounded compared to other more dorsoventrally-flattened frogs. Its arms and legs splay out in the standard anuran body form. Compared to other frogs, N. sahyadrensis has a small head and an unusual pointed snout. Adults are typically dark purple in color. The specimen with which the species was originally described was seven centimeters long from the tip of the snout to the tip of the urostyle. Also, its cry sounds more like one from a chicken. [edit] Distribution The species was discovered in the Idukki district of Kerala by S. D. Biju from the Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute in Palode, India and Franky Bossuyt from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Free University of Brussels). However it was well known to the local people before and several earlier specimens had been ignored. Earlier thought to be restricted to the Western Ghats south of the Palghat gap, new records have extended its known range further north of the gap. 1] [edit] Ecology The frog spends most of the year underground, surfacing only for about two weeks, during the monsoon, for purposes of mating. The frogs reclusive lifestyle is what caused the species to escape earlier notice by biologists. Unlike many other burrowing species of frogs that emerge and feed above the ground, this species has been found to forage underground feeding mainly on termites using their tongue and a special bu ccal groove. They show inguinal amplexus when mating afloat in temporary rainwater pools. [2] [edit] Taxonomy and systematics The scientific name derives from the Sanskrit word nasika (nose) referring to the pointed snout, batrachus Greek for frog, and Sahyadri as the local name of the mountain range where it was found the Western Ghats. The frog is a living fossil and was initially assigned to a new family of its own, Nasikabatrachidae, but has been more recently assigned to the family Sooglossidae[3] which is found on the Seychelles islands. Being a member of the family Sooglossidae, the species origins lie in close consort with the Seychelles islands where the family was previously solely known from. The origin of the disjunct distribution goes back to about 100 million years ago, during which time India, the Seychelles and Madagascar formed a single landmass which split due to continental drift. [edit] References ^ Das, K. S. Anoop 2006 Record of Nasikabatrachus from the Northern Western Ghats. Zoos Print Journal 21(9):2410 PDF ^ C. Radhakrishnan, K. C. Gopi and Muhamed Jafer Palot (2007) Extension of range of distribution of Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis Biju Bossuyt (Amphibia: Anura: Nasikabatrachidae) along Western Ghats, with some insights into its bionomics. Current Science, 92(2):213-216 PDF ^ Frost, Darrel R. 2006. Amphibian Species of the World: an online reference. Version 4. 0 (17 August 2006). Electronic Database accessible at http://research. amnh. org/herpetology/amphibia/index. php. American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. 4. C. Radhakrishnan, K. C. Gopi and K. P. Dinesh. 2007. Zoogeography of Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis Biju and Bossuyt (Amphibia: Anura; Nasikabatrachidae) in the Western Ghats, India. Records of the Zoological Survey of India. 107(Part 4): 115-121. (pdf available on request) edit] External links Continental drift and the Sooglossidae National Geographic Nature 425, 711 714 (16 October 2003) Abstract BBC News article Pictures Purple frog delights scientists (in English). BBC News (BBC). 2003-10-17. http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/science/nature/3200214. stm. Retrieved 2007-08-13. [hide]v †¢ d †¢ eExtant anuran families by suborder Kingdom Animalia  · Phylum Chordata  · Subphylum Craniata  · Superclass Tetrapoda  · Class Amphibia ArchaeobatrachiaAscaphidae  · Bombinatoridae  · Discoglossidae  · Leiopelmatidae MesobatrachiaMegophryidae  · Pelobatidae  · Pelodytidae  · Pipidae  · Scaphiopodidae  · Rhinophrynidae NeobatrachiaAmphignathodontidae  · Aromobatidae  · Arthroleptidae  · Brachycephalidae  · Bufonidae  · Centrolenidae  · Craugastoridae  · Dendrobatidae  · Heleophrynidae  · Hemisotidae  · Hylidae  · Hyperoliidae  · Leptodactylidae  · Mantellidae  · Microhylidae  · Myobatrachidae  · Petropedetidae  · Ranidae  · Rhacophoridae  · Rhinodermatidae  · Sooglossidae Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Purple_frog Categories: IUCN Red List endangered species | Frogs by classification | Frogs of India | Amphibians of Asia | Animals described in 2003 | Monotypic amphibian genera Hidden categories: Articles with species microformats Personal tools New features Log in / create account Namespaces Article Discussion VariantsViews Read Edit View history ActionsSearch SearchNavigation Main page Contents Featured content Current events Random article Interaction About Wikipedia Community portal Recent changes Contact Wikipedia Donate to Wikipedia Help Toolbox What links here Related changes Upload file Special pages Permanent link Cite this page Print/export Create a book Download as PDF Printable version Languages Cesky Deutsch Dine bizaad Espanol Francais Magyar Nederlands Polski Portugues This page was last modified on 7 July 2010 at 08:42. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. See Terms of Use for details. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. , a non-profit organization. Contact us Privacy policy About Wikipedia Disclaimers

Anarchy Essays (1658 words) - Political Philosophy, Politics

Anarchy Anarchy Anarchism seems to be defined many ways by many different sources. Most dictionary definitions define anarchism as the absence of government. A leading modern dictionary, Webster's Third International Dictionary, defines anarchism briefly but accurately as, a political theory opposed to all forms of government and governmental restraint and advocating voluntary cooperation and free association of individuals and groups in order to satisfy their needs. Other dictionaries describe anarchism with similar definitions. The Britannica-Webster dictionary defines the word anarchism as, a political theory that holds all government authority to be unnecessary and undesirable and advocates a society based on voluntary cooperation of individuals and groups. William Godwin was the first proclaimed anarchist in history and the first to write about anarchism. Godwin published a book called Political Justice in 1793 which first introduced his ideas about anarchism, Godwin was forgotten about , however, and after his death Pierre Joseph Proudhon became a leading anarchist figure in the world. His book What is Property? incorporated greater meaning to the word anarchism; anarchism became not only a rejection of established authority but a theory opposing ownership of land and property as well. Anarchism fully blossomed as a defined theory when Russian anarchists Mikhail Bakunin (1814-1876) and Peter Kropotkin (1842-1921) started to write and speak. Bakunin had a major influence in the world and introduced anarchism to many people. Kropotkin was one of the many people inspired by Bakunin. Kropotkin wrote many books on anarchism, including Muitual Aid, Fields Factories and Workshops, and The Conquest of Bread, and greatly aided in the evolution of the theory of anarchism. As the 20th century emerged anarchism began to peak and the definition of anarchism became concrete with the growth of new anarchist writers and movements. The execution and imprisonment of eight anarchist s in Chicago in 1886 sparked anarchism's growth in the United States. The Haymarket Eight flourished anarchists such as Voltairine de Cleyre and Lucy Parsons. Parsons was born into slavery and later became an anarchist and an ardent speaker and working class rebel; the Chicago police labeled Parsons, ...more dangerous than a thousand rioters. Although the word anarchism is understood by many in its classic sense (that defined by dictionaries and by anarchists of history), the word often seems to be misused or misunderstood. Anarchism, because of the threat it imposes upon established authority, has been historically, and is still, misused by power holders as violence and chaos. The claim that anarchism is chaos was refuted long ago by Alexander Berkman when he wrote: "I must tell you, first of all, what anarchism is not. It is not bombs, disorder, or chaos. It is not robbery or murder. It is not a war of each against all. It is not a return to barbarianism or to the wild state of ma n. Anarchism is the very opposite of all that." So, what is anarchism? All of the pro-anarchy sources I found say that, basically, anarchism is a political philosophy that embraces democracy and freedom, and seeks to destroy all forms of coercion and oppression. The root of human oppression is seen as authority and inequality. This is why they think it is the perfect ideological guide for destroying poverty, racism, and sexism. All these oppressions are systems of power based on hierarchy. Hierarchy means top-down, like a pyramid. Hierarchical constructions of power create positions of relative privilege and relative oppression. Capitalism, white supremacy, and patriarchy (male supremacy) are also top-down constructions of power. Anarchism conceptualizes power differently. Instead of power over, anarchism proposes power with, cooperation. This means that social systems and institutions should be based on cooperation and compromising. Power would rest in individuals and the collectiv es they freely associate into. Anarchism revolves around five basic principles: 1) equality; 2) democracy; 3) free association; 4) mutual aid; 5) diversity. Equality can have many different meanings. In regards to the anarchist political philosophy, they speak of equality in reference to power. This doesn't mean they want a new society based on a totalitarian vision of everyone looking and acting the same, in fact they see strength in diversity. Instead they mean that everyone should have equal access to power, to determine how he or she wants to

Free Essays on The Heroic Code In Beowulf

The Heroic Code In the epic poem â€Å"Beowulf†, written by an unknown author, there are many examples of the heroic code. At the beginning of the story, Grendel is wreaking havoc on King Hrothgar’s mead-hall in Herot. Beowulf and his men are called over from the land of the Geats to help defend the mead-hall against Grendel. After he defeats Grendel and Grendel’s mother he returns to his untimely death. Beowulf exemplifies several characteristics of the heroic code such as fair fighting, equal weapons, and showing loyalty to the ones he is in debt to and to his people. Understanding the ideas of the heroic code found in this epic poem will help to further understand the societies of the Anglo-Saxon time period that this story was written in. Two of the three topics of the hero code are generally combined into one and that is the idea of always making it a fair fight. Beowulf says, â€Å"I have heard, / too, that the monster’s scorn of men / is so great that he needs no weapons and fears none. / Nor will I†¦. if I let my sword / go where my feet were afraid to,†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (25). His bravery and courage is shown through the passage and his promise that he will not take his sword where his feet are afraid to go shows his dedication to fighting fair. Beowulf gives up his weapons to fate and God to decide if he shall be the victor over Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon. Some might say that he is not upholding his standard when he fights the dragon, but he explains that â€Å"I’d use no sword, no weapon, if this beast / could be killed without it†¦ When he comes to me / I mean to stand, not run from his shooting / flames, stand till fate decides / which of us wins† (42). In the end his goal for upholding the heroic code proves to be the end as his last battle with the dragon fatally wounds him, but not before he and Wiglaf slay the dragon. Another point, showing loyalty to his people and the people that he is in debt to, is ex... Free Essays on The Heroic Code In Beowulf Free Essays on The Heroic Code In Beowulf The Heroic Code In the epic poem â€Å"Beowulf†, written by an unknown author, there are many examples of the heroic code. At the beginning of the story, Grendel is wreaking havoc on King Hrothgar’s mead-hall in Herot. Beowulf and his men are called over from the land of the Geats to help defend the mead-hall against Grendel. After he defeats Grendel and Grendel’s mother he returns to his untimely death. Beowulf exemplifies several characteristics of the heroic code such as fair fighting, equal weapons, and showing loyalty to the ones he is in debt to and to his people. Understanding the ideas of the heroic code found in this epic poem will help to further understand the societies of the Anglo-Saxon time period that this story was written in. Two of the three topics of the hero code are generally combined into one and that is the idea of always making it a fair fight. Beowulf says, â€Å"I have heard, / too, that the monster’s scorn of men / is so great that he needs no weapons and fears none. / Nor will I†¦. if I let my sword / go where my feet were afraid to,†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (25). His bravery and courage is shown through the passage and his promise that he will not take his sword where his feet are afraid to go shows his dedication to fighting fair. Beowulf gives up his weapons to fate and God to decide if he shall be the victor over Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon. Some might say that he is not upholding his standard when he fights the dragon, but he explains that â€Å"I’d use no sword, no weapon, if this beast / could be killed without it†¦ When he comes to me / I mean to stand, not run from his shooting / flames, stand till fate decides / which of us wins† (42). In the end his goal for upholding the heroic code proves to be the end as his last battle with the dragon fatally wounds him, but not before he and Wiglaf slay the dragon. Another point, showing loyalty to his people and the people that he is in debt to, is ex...

Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Research Paper - Essay Example The laws that govern the sentences made towards the felons who commit drug related offenses include Three Strikes law and the Rockefeller Drug Laws. The Rockefeller laws were passed during a time that the government had declared war against drugs. Under this law, possession or sale of heroin, cannabis, and cocaine would call for a minimum of 15 years imprisonment (Barton-Bellessa et al. 50-51). Following the adoption of the Rockefeller laws, the prison population has been on the rise leading to constraints on available resources. The other law that has been criticized for being unnecessarily strict is the Three Strikes Law, which is directed towards individuals with previous counts of felony. Under this law, an individual convicted of a new felony having gone through a previous conviction of a serious crime is to be sentenced twice the term for the new crime (Judicial Council of California). Moreover, if a person was convicted of a crime having been through two prior sentences, this law requires that such an individual be imprisoned for at least 25 years or life imprisonment. Both laws have been criticized in the past and continue to receive criticism since they are unfairly harsh. Bearing in mind that prison space is finite, enacting such laws calls for additional resources, which come from the Amcferican taxpayers making their standards of living even harder. Therefore, I believe that this space should be filled with the most appropriate individuals and find alternative corrections for other criminals such as those who are drug related. For instance, drug related felons should be handled in community settings especially those that were involved in crimes while under the influence of drugs. Due to these laws, street addicts are being held in the prisons with insufficient resources for dealing with the mental health problems they might be going through as a result of the addiction (Gray). To me, from a logical perspective of view, it would not be of importance to imprison a mentally disturbed individual while there is a better option. If the American government takes this into serious consideration, it would reduce the prison population since individuals would be tested to determine whether they were in the right state of mind while committing a crime. Moreover, this would make more sense both from the perspectives of economic and logical aspects to provide an initial diversion from prison systems to community based health providers for the street addict. From my point of view, prison space should only be reserved for violent predators who committed the crimes in the right state of mind and repeat offenders without application of the three strikes law. This space should not be reserved for an individual who was arrested with cannabis worth a few dollars. However, if the individual must be jailed, 15 years is unreasonably long for such a crime. In fact, these laws have not improved the issue of drug sale and abuse in the U.S. This is becau se drugs still flock the American streets and new drugs such as methamphetamine have been introduced. With respect to non-violent street addicts, treatment and rehabilitation should be the first option in the line of defense for such individuals (McLemore 10-11). The unfair punitive effect brought by the Rockefeller Law in addition to the rigidity of the Three

Agency Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Agency Analysis - Research Paper Example On production of a guideline concluding that back pain operation was potentially harmful and unnecessary, a lobbying campaign backed by Congressmen with back surgeries had the name of the policy changed and would later pull down the program’s guidelines. The mission of AHRQ is conducting and supporting studies of effectiveness and outcomes of therapeutic, preventive and diagnostic health care procedures and services (Shi & Singh,2012). For over 4 decades, the federal government has been funding research in health services so as to recognize how to enhance the value and quality of health care together with delivery of public health. The AHRQ was established by Congress so as the singular research agency having the sole objective of coming up with evidence of making health care more equitable, accessible, safer, affordable, is of high quality and ensuring that the evidence is well understood and utilized well. This means that AHRQ is tasked with funding health care enhancement and health services research programs particularly in medical centers, universities, research institutions as well as medical practices aimed at transforming people’s health care and health in various communities in each state. For the past 15 years AHRQ has a long and rich history of offering critical evidence of enhancing health care and health. One of the key achievements of AHRQ is the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) which b asically is the singular source of domestic information on costs and utilization of medical care services. Nevertheless, MEPS has been utilized in counting and measuring the uninsured and insured, their service costs, characteristics and use. Basically, no other dataset exists like it. Indeed, if every key health policy is examined from 1977, MEPS has been effectively employed to predict and model effects. Research from AHRQ has, for instance, been used in Virginia by Health and Human Resources in 1992-2002 particularly for its Medicaid program

Summaries of two articles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Summaries of two articles - Essay Example The major influence on student learning and academic achievement are the children’s exposure to the quality of schools and teachers. A test based on the production function models was carried out on the quality of teachers and schools to explain their variance to a large extent on academic achievement rather than characteristics such as age, socioeconomic status and sex over which schools have little or no control over. As a result of the tests, governments have a responsibility to invest in quality learning levels by identifying the goods and services such as library resources, audiovisual equipment, different contacts and homework required and investing in them. Government resources on quality learning are weak and schools have control, but characters that the schools have little control such as preschool measures and out-of-school measures are the major effects on quality learning by schools(Little & Andy 168). Students from high income countries such as US practice preschool measures not influenced by the government or school control compared to low income countries which spend a lot of money on similar academic learning. Academic learning is of quality when it influences social achievement and students are not controlled by schools given their characteristics. The second article is on the importance of teaching as a career to first time tutors. It is necessary for any individual with an inspiration to become a teacher or enhance his or her teaching career to make an informed decision base. First time teaching requires proper understanding of the subject matter and the ability to recognize the learning needs of the students and, therefore, be able to engage them mutually according to their different learning capabilities in order to provide solutions for their success attainment and education progression. However, teaching poses numerous challenges for the first time teachers and, therefore, first time tutors should possess critical

Consumer Behaviour within LOreal

Consumer Behaviour within LOreal In the latter half of the 20th century a rapid growth of the global market resulted in a significant increase in the amount of brands and products present in most, if not all, industries with a focus on the end consumers. Companies are obliged to identify the underlying aesthetic reasons for the consumption as consumers have access to numerous choices. This alteration causes a need for differentiation in order to beat the competition by offering products that not only fulfil basic needs but also add value to the lifestyle customers desire to be a part of. Such brand intangible features of the brands that do not include any explicit qualities, are vital for providing exclusive aesthetic experiences for their customers. The objective of a company is to create an image, a sign of recognition and quality (Schmitt Simonson, 1997). Positive memories created in consumers minds can provide loyalty and premium price setting in the future as people are keen to return to the brands that previously delivered trustworthy satisfaction. The expansion of benefits of a strong brand is crucial (Keller Lehmann, 2006). The company behind the strong brand may, for example, gain easier access to new markets by utilising a brand extension- the process where novel products are released under the existing brand. This strategy effectively stimulates a feeling of recognition and approval the consumer might have towards the original brand line. The professional hair care industry serve as a good example where creating an aesthetic experience plays a big part in influencing consumer behaviour. For instance, we have experienced that many styling products often serve little utilitarian purpose and are not necessarily useful from a practical point of view; nevertheless these products seem to create intangible value and significance for the user. Professional styling products are being sold exclusively in hair salons and departmental stores where a symbolic atmosphere is created. The whole buying process is shaped around generating a social interaction, impulse and feeling. As a result hair product customer is not only influenced by the companies visual output but also by becoming emotionally connected with organisational values and beliefs. People often purchase products spontaneously without any clear consideration whether a certain product is actually needed or worth the price paid. Mick DeMoss (1990), suggest that this self -gifting phenomenon is provoked by the endeavour to motivate and indulge, relieve stress or just do something nice for oneself. Paula Begoun, author of the book Dont Go Shopping for Hair-Care Products without Me (1999), explains in an interview to CBS news (2005), that wasting money is not beautiful at all and asks the question: What is sexy and attractive about rinsing money down the drain? She finishes with the statement that, There is absolutely no difference between expensive products and inexpensive products, and I say that unequivocally. Why do people buy expensive styling products although there are cheaper, easily accessible hair care alternatives? Does the answer rest in getting cleaner, shinier hair or to obtain a confirmation that individuals by using these products will feel beautiful and indeed fit in the picture organisations create? Lastly, are there winning strategies for organisations to pursue in order to beat the competition in this multi-billion industry? This essay discusses the consumer buying behaviour for hair care products. This paper also discusses how marketers address these consumer behaviours using LOreal as an example. Consumer buying behaviour Society, individuals and organisations create a never-ending cycle in which the three largely affect each other. In order to be a part of the society, people have to fulfil certain unwritten norms and communicate in a way that is widely accepted and understood by other members of that same culture (Bowditch Buono, 2005). Consequentially, individuals often base their purchases on these premises to fit in within the group. According to McCracken (1986) this is a cause for organisations to constantly redevelop their product lines in order to match the expectations in society. When this occurs, cultural norms are passed on in products. When these later are purchased the meaning is once more shifted, this time to the customer, and the continuous cultural circle of society, individuals and organisations transform once more (please refer to the figure below). Figure: Transfer of cultural meaning, McCracken (1986). Beauty is a subject which is difficult to grasp especially since it is perceived differently and related to various cultural or social norms. Beauty might be seen as a powerful tool that can help one to achieve higher ambitions which might be significant for future growth and development (Hamermesh Biddle, 1994). According to Eco (2004), the word beautiful expresses something that we are fond of, enjoy looking at. For that reason a sense of personal fulfilment as well as indulgence is created (Prettejohn, 2005). Hair styling has emerged as one of the key fashion points in recent years as individuals, particularly young consumers realise that styling hairs in a trendy manner has an impact on peoples perception of their fashion sense. Hair styling is particularly interesting for consumers because hairstyle is one aspect of appearance which can be set in different styles as compared to rest of the face which the individuals can do little about except for wearing makeup. Aesthetics is defined by Berthon, et al., (2009) as a science of perception that relies on our ability to distinguish value or significance in the object of interest and thereby develop taste. In advertising beauty is produced by aesthetic images and symbols which are interpreted by consumers (Vacker, 1993). For that reason, as Schmitt Simonson (1997) state, aesthetics can be used as an influential tool for organisations to differentiate their products with. However, emotions can be easily abused by organisations and hence produce a false view of the scientific truth (Jensen, 1999). For instance, illusions can be formed by companies, that state that certain products are better than others and that customers gain more for the money they pay. As a result the companies will neglect the truth as long as consumers are convinced that the information is correct. Jensen discusses the problem further by claiming that a false rationality is eventually created in order to justify the purchases made. There is extensive scientific documentation that aesthetic experience undoubtedly affects consumer behaviour in several ways (Berthon, et al., 2009; Hirschman, 1983). Further, by using experiential and sensory marketing strategies (Schmitt, 1999), closely studying consumer attitudes and preferences (Gupta, et al., 2008), creating symbolic (Levy, 1959) and emotional (Bauman, 2001) values organisations can produce a luxurious and overpowering feeling of desire (Belk, et al., 2003) that hopefully end in both increased profits and improved consumer value. Thus, it is essential for organisations to identify what consumers desire, often before they actually know that themselves, and use the marketing strategies to enhance that desire. LOreals marketing strategy involves using attractive models with different hairstyles; Using these models LOreal creates a false perception among consumers that using LOreals products will make them look like the models. LOreals models use extensive makeup which highlight the fact that LOreals consumers are very sensitive about their appearance and may use lot of make up as well. Another key aspect of LOreals marketing strategy for hair care products is using models with different skin colours. This could be a strategy to improve the aesthetic appeal of LOreals hair care products. One key aspect of LOreals marketing strategy is to advertise a single shade of a hair colour. For example; when it advertises red hair colour, all the models in the advertisement will be wearing different shades of red hair colour only. 2.1 Emotional experiences Franzen Bouwman (2001) state that individual perceptions and memories are linked to emotional reactions. The cognitive part of the human brain reflects, analyses and makes decisions, the emotional part of the brain, on the other hand, reacts spontaneously on the perceived external stimulation. When a person is exposed to new information the brain has to make a choice whether or not, or to what extent he has to pay attention. Emotional experiences are actual impulses that cause human behaviour and it is possible to identify two types of recollections of emotional experiences; implicit and explicit emotional experience (Franzen Bouwman, 2001). People perceive most marketing unconsciously and superficially but they are still influenced by it in the future purchasing behaviour. As a result a perception of the brand can be seen as unconscious and implicit unless it has already been connected to concrete experiences which have led to explicit cognitive recollections (Franzen Bouwman, 20 01). LOreals marketing strategy is to market LOreal as a wholesome brand rather than as individual product lines which means that when consumers actually decide to purchase any product they are likely to remember LOreal brand. Through a multi-sensory experience, created by sensory perceptions, people respond to external stimulations as well as they react to emotional images which are either consciously or unconsciously. This creates possibilities for hedonic consumption which is, as explained by Hirschman Holbrook (1982, p. 92), a phenomenon that: designates those facets of consumer behaviour that relate to the multi-sensory, fantasy and emotive aspects of ones experience with products. It is essential for companies to identify the symbolic meaning of consumer goods which are increasingly becoming a part of our consumer identity and image. Symbolic meaning of hair care products such as hair colour is to give the hairs a colour which matches the personality, mood, occasion and the rest of the attire. This is often witnessed in case of air colour advertising by LOreal as often the products are advertised using models who are wearing the clothing and makeup which matches the hair colour. Thus, LOreal tries t o symbolise hairs as one part of the body which needs to be dressed like rest of the body to make the look complete. For hair care products, LOreals marketing strategy is to highlight the hairs as the most important part of the looks. This is often done by highlighting the hairs so that everything else looks meaningless (as is evident from some of the advertisements shown below): All these advertisements highlight hairs as the main part of the look. By highlighting the hairs as the most important part and noticing that it is possible to alter the appearance of hairs (by styling and colouring), LOreal tries to convey the message that it is possible to achieve the model looks. In other words, the highlight are the hairs which have been treated with LOreal products which means that the looks of the model in the advertisement are a result of LOreals product and hence the consumers can get the same looks if they use LOreal products. 2.2 Consumer behaviour and human needs When clarifying the consumer behaviour several authors describe purchases from a need-goal perspective (Schiffman Kanuk, 2000). With some difference in terminology they explain how a need is created for a human being, for example, a feeling of hunger or the aspiration to become an esteemed member of society. Maslow (1943) presents a hierarchy of needs and argues that the level below is always more important than the one above. The lowest level consists of what could be called innate or primary needs and higher up in the pyramid are the acquired or secondary needs. The above example of being an esteemed member of society fits into the second highest of these levels labelled esteem). Figure: Maslows pyramid. The levels represent different parts of the hierarchy. Needs work as motivation to reach a goal that can be generic or product-specific (Schiffman Kanuk, 2000). A generic goal to cleaner hair would be shampoo; a product specific goal would in turn be shampoo from one of the various brands in the market. LOreals marketing strategy targets both. For example, for hair colouring products, the generic strategy can be good and trendy looks while the product specific strategy can be to market LOreal hair colour products. LOreal extensively uses its brand name in marketing LOreal products 2.3 Marketing Gagliard (1996) explains that when the object is being experienced in a physical, tangible reality it is acknowledged through sensory experiences. Organisations can, in this context, be seen not only as physical settings that produce products but also as a brand with the capacity to nourish and promote peoples senses. Artefacts can be defined as a form of message, existing either independently of its creator, or being perceived by the senses. Through these, organisations can contribute to promoting their goals. According to Franzen Bouwman (2001) a brand can be defined as a sign or a symbol of recognition in form of logos, labels, names and colours which evokes associations in people and is commercially linked to saleable goods and services. It is a source of value to both consumers well as the companies. By maintaining a strong brand firms achieve loyalty and steady future sales. LOreal invests significantly in advertising LOreal brand. In fact, the brand LOreal is highlight of almost all marketing communications that the firm undertakes irrespective of the product. By highlighting the name LOreal experts the firm aims to send a signal that it is expert and hence trustworthy at producing the particular product. LOreal also uses the word Paris in its branding; this is to associate LOreal with Paris, the Meccah of fashion. Associating a brand with Paris automatically symbolises a high end fashion product and this strategy is wisely used by LOreal to influence its customers who may exhibit d esire for French fashion. Around the very core of the product there are a more or less equally valued attributes. Not only is a shampoo a hair-cleansing device but there are several other aspects that are taken into consideration during the creation process. Such attributes include quality, design, package, colour, smell and much more. LOreal packs its products in high quality packing with glossy covers. There is also product specific packing; for hair colours the packing will contain the face of a model with the same colour as the one in the pack. This is informative packing as LOreal aims to educate the consumer about how the hair will look after colouring using that particular colour. This is often done to reduce customers disappointment; for example, if detailed picture is not given, consumers may use the colour only to find that it does not look the way they hoped it to and this may lead to divorcing the brand altogether. To avoid this, LOreal, or in fact most of hair colour manufacturers provide an imag e of a model with the same hair colour. Gardner Levy (1955) define the brand as more than a label, established to distinguish the company from its competitors. Instead they view it as a symbol which makes up a complicated net of various attributes which are sent out by the company. Later these are interpreted and re-valued by the customers and results in an overall public image. For the company, the feelings and attitudes the customers have towards the brands are essential not only to promote and sell any current products but also to attempt to launch new products under the same brand umbrella. This view of the brand as a symbol that creates awareness, loyalty and associations has later become known under the summarising definition brand equity (Kotler, et. al., 2005). As Franzen Bouwman (2001) puts it, brands that succeed in strategically linking emotions to them are generally connected to products that have something to do with these emotions. In other words, when the emotional response reflects the brand and also the very product itself, the brand-owner has succeeded in what all companies seek to do today, to create a unified message to the consumer. 2.3.3 Sensory marketing Consumers respond to the overall product or service characteristics, both tangible and intangible, produced by a total product offering. Through sensory marketing, appealing to the consumers through smell, music, design and taste, companies not only differentiate their image and create a strong identity but also construct an overall satisfactory personal experience. The figure below shows how the bodily senses; either separately or in a combined way, creates an experience and reaction from the consumer. Figure: Senses attributing to a combined customer experience, Hultà ©n et al. (2008). For example, the sight sense comes through the visual images such as product design, packaging or particular style. It is essential for people who consume the final product to make sure that they can see the product of interest. LOreal achieves this by providing the customers wit the image of a model wearing the same hair colour as the one in the pack. Kotler (1973) suggests that the key factor is actually the place, or in other words the sensory quality of the space in which the product or service is purchased. In some cases it is more influential than the offering itself and can overrule the primary product.. The right atmosphere does not only draw potential customers but also send a message about its position or status and therefore increase the probability for future purchases. The importance of the possibility for a purchase and the atmosphere is presented by Kotler (1973) below: Figure: The Casual Chain Connection Atmosphere and Purchase Probability, Kotler (1973). The place aspect of advertisement is addressed by LOreal by selling its products through departmental stores and hair salons. 2.3.4 Experiential Marketing This theory states that consumers are viewed not only as rational decision makers, concerned with functionality and personal benefits, but as emotional human beings, willing to achieve something extraordinary, for instance a memorable and enjoyable experience (Schmitt, 1999). This is a strategy often used by LOreal who aims to market the message that by using its products it is possible to achieve model looks. As mentioned earlier, this is done by highlighting the hairs in the marketing images to suggest that hairs the most critical aspects of particular models looks and that the looks of these hairs is because of the marketed LOreal product. In other words, use this particular product and you can look the same. By generating the uniqueness effect and selecting certain attributes that purchasers value, organisation are awarded with premium price which exceeds the extra costs required for the differentiation (Porter, 2004). Figure: Difference in price consumers are willing to pay for professional and retail products. The figure above shows the price difference in products which consumers are willing to pay. The question mark represents the unknown factors that enable consumers to buy professional hair care products at such a high price compared to retail alternatives. LOreal hair colour products are in mid to expensive range and cost more than many of its rivals. These products may be strategically priced a bit high to increase their symbolic value. For example, if hair care products are priced to low, consumers may perceive the product as low standard. Raising the prices Too much would have an impact on the consumption level; consumers will either not buy or will not use the product that frequently. The problem with the latter is that if the consumers tend to become satisfied with their looks without using these products, they might stop the consumption of these product altogether. It is important for these firms to maintain the desire for these products and hence products are priced to stimulat e consumption. Conclusion In conclusion LOreal uses it marketing strategy according to desire aspect more than anything else. It selects the targeted consumer segments and addresses the desires of this consumer segment by using appropriate marketing signals. LOreals marketing strategy involves proving to the customers that it is possible for them to achieve the same looks as the models in its advertisements by using LOreal products. 2,968 Words

Essay --

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek After the winter, people look forward to having all the flowers begin to bloom again and birds begin to fly, announcing the start of spring. The grass turns green and people begin to be outside without five layers of clothing on and snow falling from the sky. Spring is when everything comes alive after the winter hibernation. My favorite time of the year is spring, when you wake up to the birds chirping outside of your windows. It is the time of year when you walk outside and smell the fresh cut grass and the scent of new flowers. On the first day of spring you are even happy to see the little bugs flying around you because you know you are finally done with winter. It is the best time of year, with so many different things happening outside in nature. Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard is a novel that explores the thought of the different times of year in nature. Each chapter talks about a different time of year at a creek called Tinker Creek. Dillard goes into detail about what she experienced while writing the book and sitting at this creek observing the different things. Some consider the book to be a bunch of monologues and reflections about different topics in nature. Dillard splits the book up into four different sections. There is one for each of the four seasons. Chapter 7 of the book is entitled "Spring." The chapter starts off with a reflection from when she was young. She says she believed foreign languages were simply code words for English. Dillard spends time explaining that every language is just code words for the English word it represents. She quickly finds this to be a false statement when she sat in her first French class and she realized she was going to have ... ...r, this is when you plant your crops and start to grow them allowing you to harvest and make money at the end of the year. If you are still in school, this is when you end your year and end up going on to the next grade or have to stay back. If you are a college student, this is the time when you have to worry about your GPA and if it is good enough to renew your scholarships or stay in school. While all this is going on, nature is taking over in its way and making the trees come back to life. It grows flowers from the frozen ground. The birth of all of the new life around us is truly amazing if we just stop and give it some thought. Seeds sprout with the gentle spring rains and the warm air melts the hard ground to become fertile for everything. The life cycles that all interact during this time are many and forge ahead weather we pay attention to it or not.

Organizational Case Study: British Broadcasting Corporation Essay

Quality broadcasting does not constantly keep pace with traditional broadcasting and this duty, to make available to the masses with what is conceivably necessary rather than miscellaneous, stays at the core of public service broadcasting. As a result, funding is more often than not gained from taxation, contributions, state subventions, consenting to the importance to be on the esteem to society rather than audience ratings. But in an era of digitization and media junction, the radio and television audience is hastily turning into more broadly detached within a new-fangled multi-media, multi-channel setting. Cable television, for instance, which is designed to target consumers not only by age and gender demographics, but by lifestyle, as well, also paved a broader global reach for the British Broadcasting Corporation (Bae, 2000). According to its website, â€Å"The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC, also informally known as the Beeb or Auntie), founded in 1922, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world. It produces programs and information services, broadcasting on television, radio, and the Internet. The stated mission of the BBC is ‘to inform, educate and entertain,’ and the motto of the BBC is ‘Nation Shall Speak Peace Unto Nation’† (â€Å"British Broadcasting Corporation†). This way, the British Broadcasting Corporation also reflects the British touch of culture and heritage with entertainment, music, events, and news that are relevant to identifiable chunks of the larger Western marketplace. Entertainment is indigenous to specific European migrants across the globe, and that resonates in the programming of this format also. The local shows are an integral part of the station’s defined lifestyle and are perceived by viewers as communicating directly to them. When the programs and documentaries broadcasted on BBC are delivered in a style that reflects the station’s format, and the message is relevant to the English viewers’ culture and heritage, there is a strong, personal connection. The cultural affinity is felt; Western identity coagulates (Ewing and Meissner, 2004). The body of research in this paper identifies the theories, concepts, and studies that were used in the study. It points to the need to gain a greater understanding of the productivity variables, modern-day trends, and operations management carried out by a non-profit, public service-oriented media organization as the British Broadcasting Corporation (Shockley-Zalabak, (2008). Leading in program production worldwide, the BBC presents entertainment and media services to a wide-reaching audience through television, radio, and Web-based machineries. As a component of its allegiance to expend a large chunk of its returns on services and programs, the BBC required to find means of condensing its administrative overheads and financial dispensation (Bae, 2000). Some people say that television news stations seem more interested in capturing viewer interest and ratings than reporting the most significant events of the day. It is easy for viewers to forget that networks are in the business of making money first then attempting to keep the public well informed with quality news broadcasting (Bae, 2000). But BBC is a Public Service Broadcasting Company. Disengagement from the British government and vested interests implies that the British Broadcasting Corporation can tender a dispassionate and evenhanded standpoint, principally in the sphere of journalism. Whether the organization is strictly unbiased is challenging to gauge. Some critics claim that there is a middle-class partiality given that the BBC’s founding ideals are anchored in the purportedly middle-class philosophy of cultivating the unschooled masses (Ewing and Meissner, 2004). What sets the British Broadcasting Corporation apart from other multimedia networks is its non-commercial business approach. In any case, there is the danger of having violence bulletins being found incredible at times with the flood of commercials punctuating the program. This is because of the capitalist theory of molding the news as per price of the news. Professor Justin Lewis of Cardiff University cites an instance when commercial pressures have influenced news output. Local news broadcasting in the US is commercially successful, and research studies show that crime stories consistently draw the largest audiences. â€Å"Suddenly there seemed to be a crime wave across the US,† says Lewis. â€Å"But crime figures were actually decreasing. Of course if you ask the public, they would tell you crime is increasing. It was a product of news being a product† (Kimball, 1994). But as far as BBC is concerned, the excitement is not as easily drawn from the viewers themselves, because of their clear-cut delivery of the news, not necessarily the subject. After all, recent surveys speak of the majority of the U. S. adult population as skeptical about the news and information programming on public broadcasting being biased. The plurality of Americans indicate that there is no apparent bias one way or the other, while approximately one-in-five detect a liberal bias and approximately one-in-ten detect a conservative bias (Newhagen and Reeves, 1992). And with the absence of war and administration news in BBC, it can be a one-headache-less day of an assiduous week. Making devolution of media services work begin with the British Broadcasting Corporation officials assuming a more assertive role as institution managers for â€Å"morale, welfare and recreation† delivery (â€Å"British Broadcasting Corporation†). There is no doubt that the British Broadcasting Corporation does face a large set of variables as it takes place over different countries and it does act in different environments. One of the most determinant environments to the success of the British Broadcasting Corporation is culture, which holds the reason for many human acts and behavior. Reaching to that point the British Broadcasting Corporation management should study deeply culture treaties of a country the media company is planning to act in so that special amendments in the organization overall plans and actions is made to act in accordance with the new market variables (Shockley-Zalabak, (2008). Like any organization, the British Broadcasting Corporation has its own history of success, which reinforces and strengthens the organization’s way of doing things. The older and more successful the organization, the stronger its culture, its nature, its identity becomes. They are communities of people with a mission, not machines. The basic nature of a living social organism is naturally more fundamental, deeper in the hierarchy, and therefore much more powerful than business work processes, financial systems, business strategy, vision, supply chains, information technology, marketing plans, team behavior, or corporate governance (â€Å"British Broadcasting Corporation†). In recent years, the British Broadcasting Corporation board has reviewed its interest in analyzing the operations’ accomplishments. The success experienced by the British Broadcasting Corporation is to a great extent attributed to a prospect of redesigning its operations to establish more Public Broadcasting Service stations throughout the world emanating from its local offices in Glasgow, Southampton, Newcastle, Birmingham, Cardiff, Belfast, Bristol, and Manchester (â€Å"British Broadcasting Corporation†). The literature evokes that the development of global culture rapid changes in technology in the last several decades has changed the nature of culture and cultural exchange. People around the world can make economic transactions and transmit information to each other almost instantaneously through the use of computers, satellite communications, and the mass media like the British Broadcasting Corporation (Shockley-Zalabak, 2008). Governments and corporations have gained vast amounts of political power through military might and economic influence (Ewing and Meissner, 2004). Corporations such as the British Broadcasting Corporation have also created a form of global culture based on worldwide commercial markets. Local culture and social structure are now shaped by large and powerful commercial interests in ways that earlier anthropologists could not have imagined.

Strength in Numbers

Brandee English 111 October 8, 2012 Strength in Numbers â€Å"Hi. I’m Jordan and I’m an addict slash abuser, I guess. † I watch my son shrug his shoulders and hunch over, clasping his hands in his lap after uttering these words. He speaks the words quietly, but his apathetic tone and body language read loud and clear. He doesn’t believe the words he’s saying and is merely being cooperative. After a loud and cheerful â€Å"Hello Jordan! † the group turns their attention to me. â€Å"Hi. I’m Brandee, and I’m Jordan’s mom. † We continue like this around the circle until every patient, parent, sibling and friend has been introduced and welcomed.Despite the warm, welcoming nature of everyone here, there is nothing pleasant about this. My 15 year old son is in rehab and this is family group therapy. We sit in a large circle in cold, hard plastic chairs with shiny metal legs. The room is large and cold with white painted concrete block walls and a stage at the front end. It feels less like a hospital and more like my sons elementary school auditorium. The large banners above the stage boldly spell out the â€Å"12 Steps to Recovery† and â€Å"The Serenity Prayer† and are a harsh reminder to me that this is no place a school play would be performed.There are about 20 of us altogether: 8 or 9 teenage patients and their loved ones, as well as Matt, the head counselor for this group. Most of the kids, the patients, are wearing sweatpants and socks or slippers. There is no need for shoes since they won’t be leaving tonight with their family members. Some of them won’t be leaving for a very long time. I sit in the circle for 30 minutes or so listening to the stories. Every patient has their own story, as it’s referred to by the staff. It’s their own personal truth about their journey into drug or alcohol use and subsequent abuse.They are encouraged to own up to th ese truths and reveal them to their loved ones and the group. One boy, just slightly older than my son, is leaving the hospital tomorrow. He sits with his mom and we all listen as he reveals his fears about returning to his old environment. Matt gives him some suggestions and advice and we move on to another patient. There’s a girl without any family present for this evenings group. She’s been in and out of programs several times already at the age of 16. This time it was a court order that placed her here for treatment and it will most likely keep her here for a long time.Another boy, Keldon, is around 17 years old and sits between his dad and his older sister, with his step-mom on the other side of his dad. He looks terrified and pale. He had overdosed the night before and almost died. Fortunately his family was able to have him transferred to this facility after the immediate medical need was attended to. The stories continue with horrific and elaborate tales of ove rdoses and multiple arrests for various reasons. Some were arrested for vandalism while under the influence. Some had stolen from their parents or even from stores.All had difficulties in school. Initially, I felt a bit of relief as I began to realize that my son’s story was so much less colorful than what I was hearing. After all, he’d only been arrested once, by my own doing, for sneaking out a window when he was grounded. I almost felt out of place and began to think maybe I had gone too far by bringing him here. What were either of us supposed to gain from sitting here listening to these kids sharing horror stories? I had brought him to this place searching for answers and I was only getting more fearful for his future with every person that spoke.When my son began to speak, to tell his story, all the frustration I had felt over the past several months began to rise to the surface. There was something about the way in which he told it that actually angered me. He s poke as nonchalantly as if he were reporting the weather on the local six o’clock news. He gave his truth, but with no emotion or expression whatsoever. I desperately wanted him to acknowledge the seriousness of the situation. His choice to use and distribute drugs had been the cause of so much stress in our home and in this moment I found myself feeling almost entitled to see him express a little bit of remorse!I was already familiar with Jordan’s story. I had lived through it all first-hand. My discovery of his drug use had come via text messages and they had revealed to me far more than I had ever wanted to know. He had never thought to erase his messages, and the previous summer I had reason to confiscate his phone. Because it was unexpected, there had been a very incriminating text left on the screen when I grabbed his phone from his hands. I was compelled to read others stored on that phone and over the course of two days I read things that I don’t know to this day how to process completely.My sweet, quiet son had been living a secret double life for several months and I didn’t have a clue. How could this have been going on behind my back? Where were all the usual signs every parent reads about in parenting magazines, the ones I had always kept a watch for? I never considered myself naive and had such an open way of conversing with all three of my boys, and their friends. Ours was the house that all the kids gathered at. The core group of them had been friends since the second grade and I knew them all so well. If drugs could be brought into an equation like that, they could be brought in anywhere.Right under my nose, under my roof, on my watch, these kids began to experiment with various prescription drugs and marijuana. At the time of my discovery he was not only using drugs but was also playing the role of middle man, acquiring marijuana for his friends from some adults who were dealing in his father’s neighborhood. In this new, expanded group he was no longer the witty but quiet kid in the background. Here he was the â€Å"go to† guy and that power was something I feared would be as addicting and dangerous to him as the drugs he was involved with.A few months after the discovery, he was rushed to Riley Hospital with a spontaneous lung collapse. Thankfully, he healed quickly but we were told that he was prone to another collapse due to a condition on both of his lungs. The doctors warned him that any type of inhalation on his part would most definitely bring on another collapse and possibly even cause death. He had ignored the warning! He chose drugs and his new lifestyle over his health. He felt he had done well by cutting back on his almost daily marijuana use, but he was using alcohol as a substitute.He began binge drinking and it was a close call with alcohol poisoning that had led me to find this place. And now he sat in this circle and despite his cooperation with the program by te lling his story, he was behaving as if none of it mattered and I had overreacted. As all of this came back to me, I knew for the first time for certain that I had been right in bringing him here. My son was in denial and I no longer would doubt the certainty that I now felt about that. When he finished talking, I found myself unable to control my emotions or my words any longer.I started yelling at him and crying. â€Å"How can you sit there and behave as if this is all no big deal? †Another shoulder shrug. One thing I had noticed since we had first arrived the day before is that he would not look up at me. He would not even attempt to look me in the eye. Perhaps it was a sense of guilt he was feeling that caused this reaction, but to me it appeared he felt nothing at all. To me and everyone in the group he appeared quite apathetic. He simply could not see how any of this program applied to him.I sat there speechless, feeling completely helpless until suddenly Keldon’s step mom broke the silence and addressed Jordan directly. â€Å"What do you dream about doing, Jordan? † she asked him very gently. I wish I could say that this question tapped into something in him that made him aware of other interests and hopes and dreams that were being wasted on drugs. It didn’t. What I can say, however, is that one question, posed by a stranger, at that moment, had a profound effect on me. This woman’s son had almost died less than 12 hours prior and she was focused on reaching out to my son!The amount of genuine concern that she expressed with that one question is indescribable. The support and empathy continued to flow in our direction from other members of the group. These peoples’ stories may have advanced to a more extreme place than ours but they had all begun from almost identical places. They had all been there, done that, and completely understood the helpless feelings I had been experiencing I’ve never felt like sh aring my personal problems in a group setting would be beneficial for my own growth or healing.It seemed like an unnatural concept for complete strangers to open up to each other about their problems and feelings so readily. I, like my son, had come and participated because the program required me to do so. This place, this group, changed that perspective for me. I now know how empowering it can be to be surrounded by a group of people who understand because their stories have similar chapters as yours. I suddenly realized that the answers I had desperately hoped to find here would not come.There would be no answers given for how to get him to recognize and learn how to cope with his attachment to things that could harm him. Those were answers he would have to choose to search for when he was ready to accept them. The purpose of this group, and so many others like it that are held all over the country at any given time of day is to help people recognize they are not alone in their s earch for answers. A topic like drug and alcohol dependency is not something anyone feels comfortable discussing with even their closest friends and family.It is a subject that is dark and depressing and filled with far too many emotions to allow you to feel comfortable with openly talking about it. Unless you have been personally touched by addiction in some way there is not complete understanding of the fear and guilt combined with frustration and anger. It takes a group of strangers, brought together and sharing their stories, to bring comfort and support when there really are no answers. It took this group of strangers to show me how to accept a situation I can not change or fix and how to survive it.