The Impeachment of Andrew Jackson Essay example -- American Politics,

America was created on the principles of h onenesssty, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Andrew capital of Mississippi exemplified these founding principles. This man insightfully closed a bobble brink, preventing a possible financial meltdown in the world economy. He espoused the principle of federal law ascendancy and upheld nationalism by sending process to prevent a civil war. Lastly, he did what was best for both settlers and Native Americans by issuing the Indian Removal Act. Demonstrating unparalleled foresight and dexterity, Andrew Jackson did what was obligatory to move the country forward, thus making him one of the greatest presidents of the United States.Despite popular belief, Andrew Jackson rattling prevented a catastrophic financial meltdown in the world economy by closing a corrupt bank, The Second Bank of the United States. It all started in 1819, nine years earlier Jacksons election. At that time, the Bank was lending credit to smaller state banks. Suddenly, it demanded that all state banks pay back their credit, which caused the Panic of 1819, leading to a decade-long depression (sparknotes.com). From this, Jackson truly felt that was a disaster was brewing and set out to shut it down. In addition, only the wealthy who invested in this bank gain profit while the common people do not. In regard to bank loans, the wealthy obtained lower interest rates while the poor, who actually need the money, have a tougher time getting any loan. Here the ordinary man was not represented. Instead, it slowed down economic expansion and restricted the wax and success of the working class. Not only did it pose a domestic threat, our national bank could cause international conflict and affect the global economy. Jackson stated ... ...sions seem unorthodox, but its true purpose emerges in years to come. He transformed our economy into a safe, secure, and prosperous money-making machine. He always stayed self-colored in federal law do minance and prevented a civil war that would have tore our young country apart. Finally, he maintained domestic peacefulness with the Indian Removal Act, satisfying both the white settlers and the Native Americans. Strong-armed and unafraid, Jackson truly was the man of the people. In his farewell address to the country, Jackson reminded the people, eternal care by the people is the price of liberty, (sparknotes.com) and encouraged change as a positive boost to the nation. America will forever remember him as one of the greatest presidents of the United States of America.Works Citedsparknotes.comThe Americansu-s-history.compbs.orgiamthewitness.com

Mao Zedong :: Chinese China History

Mao ZedongMao Zedong is one of the most controversial leaders of the twentieth century. He has been known both as a the Nazarene and a tyrant to the Chinese people. From his tactical success of the Long March to his embarrassing failure of the Great Leap Forward, Mao has greatly influenced the result of what chinaware is today. Most of Maos major successes have been in the CCPs rise to power, while Maos failures have come at a time when the CCP was in power. Mao Zedong was born on December 26, 1893 is Shaoshan village in Hunan. He experienced a middle peasant upbringing with a very conservative father. Ironically Mao went to an old-hat(predicate) school where he learned the traditional Chinese curriculum. At this time in his childhood, the whole country could foresee the fall of the previous dynasty. Mao analyze to be a teacher at The First Provincial Normal School , in Chansha, which influenced his future idea and beliefs. Mao believed that the Chinese way of thinking needed ref orm, therefore focused on younger people and peasants to build his political career. Mao ruled one draw off of the worlds population for one quarter of a century, and the way in which he was brought up and studied influenced his future decisions greatly.Mao was known to be rebellious when he was younger, but his first real experience came in 1912 when he decided to go to Wuhan and serve in the revolutionary army. For five years Mao studied and received an education in academics, but also politics. When Mao graduated in 1918 he was a political writer with a notable following. Mao had studied Marxism and other left ideas and by 1919 considered himself to be a Marxist. For a couple of years Mao wrote on his beliefs and even began organizing groups to share their ideas. Mao had organized a group of Communists in Changsha and in 1921 he went to Shanghai to participate in the First National Party Congress of the Chinese Communist Party. By the 1930s Mao was at the center of the Communis t party after its defeat in 1927 by Chiang and the KMT. Mao organized and developed plans of a peasant-based guerilla strategy. Based in the province of Jiangxi, otherwise known as the Jiangxi soviet, Mao ruled nine million people and the CCP was begin to be a reckoning force. The KMT seeing the CCP as a threat attacked the Jiangxi soviet.

Should Marijuana be Legalized for AIDS Use? :: social issues

Should Marijuana be Legalized for AIDS Use?Fifteen years ago the word AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) was just now used in the United States. Today, its on the cover of every newspaper, and parents and kids discuss it regularly in the household. It is no longer considered roughone elses problem it is now everyones problem. non a day goes by that a person doesnt worry about AIDS. The fear of AIDS is heightened only by the fact that there is no cure. deal with AIDS must live with the fact that they are eventually going to die. Their death comes slowly and painfully. Each day they take pills and shots that provide temporary relief, notwithstanding in the long run, they only make matters worse. Some pills side effects are worse than some of the diseases symptoms. What if there was a medicine that could ease some of this pain? Scientists and researchers seem to believe that they have found this miracle drug. Believe it or not, this miracle drug has been used for decades. Just recently, medical doctors suggested that marijuana be used to take some symptoms of AIDS. This proposal brings forth both medical and ethical questions. Why exactly should marijuana be legalized for AIDS use? Many doctors believe that ganja is particularly useful in the treatment of AIDS Wasting Syndrome. They believe that it causes the patient to develop an appetite, therefore causing them to gain weight. It is also believed that marijuana helps save nausea caused by AIDS and other AIDS treatments. Patients have gone on record stating that marijuana has helped tremendously in the relief of AIDS associate illnesses. If marijuana has been used for so many an(prenominal) years why are we just now recognizing its medical potential? Marijuana has been suggested for medical use for many years, and yet it has always been put on the back burner. This brings up the ethical side of the argument. In the past decades marijuana has been highly abused. The main concern of legalizing th is drug is that the government is making it easier for anyone to buy it on the street. The government also wants to get the point across that smoking throw outnabis isnt going to make the disease go away it may only help stop some of the pain. This argument doesnt seem to have a correct answer. On one hand we can lock down and keep marijuana away from our children, and on the other we can let sick people suffer.

Dr. Jeckyll and Mr Hyde :: essays papers

Dr. Jeckyll and Mr Hyde In Robert Louis Stevensons famous novel about dual identity, Dr. Henry Jekyll, an affluent surgeon, creates a potion by which he can transform into Edward Hyde, the physical manifestation of his evil side. After many months of thrilling nighttime criminal escapades through the streets of London, his antics under the cloak of Hyde get him in trouble when he slays prominent public figure Danvers Carew. Jekyll is so shocked by this deed of evil that he decides an end will be put up to his transformations, a science he calls transcendental medicine. Much to his alarm, Jekyll occurs that he now turns into Hyde without his wanting it, undeniably a side effect of the drug. After locking himself into his cabinet, in order to facilitate his use of the drug in case of spontaneous transformations, his concerned butler Poole alerts good friend Gabriel Utterson, a lawyer. Together, they break into the cabinet, only to find they body of Hyde, lifeless on the floo r. The pair finds an envelope addressed to Utterson which shall supposedly explain why they cannot find the body of Henry Jekyll.The book finishes with the letter Jekyll wrote for Utterson existence presented to us as though he is reading it. Utterson is to rejoin Poole in the house at the stroke of midnight, no later, in order to call the jurisprudence and inform them of the murder. We will start the chapter three weeks after the discovery of the corps.Note I have tried to make the style of writing alike to Mr. Stevensons as much as possible.The Incident of Mr. Enfield and Mr. Utterson Mr. Utterson, the lawyer, was not a man of weak stomach, but even his strength had restrictions. Although he was an individual of strict self-control, he did approve a known patience for others an ability he had come by due to a singular resurfacing thread that seemed to wind its track through his life he repeatedly had the luck (or misfortune, as one may see it) to be the last good influe nce in the lives of moribund men.And so, it seemed, that the thread had reappeared in his life by way of the troubling matter of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and that it was choking the willpower right out of poor Mr.

Wedding Toasts †Perhaps Others Have Said it Best Essay -- Wedding Toa

Wedding Toasts Perhaps Others Have Said it BestTo the Bride From her Groomnever above you. Never below you.Always beside you.To the bride and groom (before the wedding)Heres to the bride that is to be,Heres to the groom shell wed,May all their troubles be light as bubblesOr the feathers that make up their chouseAnonymous To the bride from her groomDrink to me solely with thine eyes,And I will pledge with mineOr leave a kiss within the cup,And Ill not spirit for wine.Ben JonsonGrow old with meThe best is yet to be,The last of life,For which, the first is made.Robert BrowningI have known many,Liked not a few,Loved only oneI toast to youIrish toastWherever I roam, whatever realms I see,My heart untravelled fondly turns to thee.Oliver GoldsmithBecause I de atomic number 18st you truly,Because you love me, too,My very greatest happinessIs sharing life with you.Every day you look lovelier and lovelier,and today you look like tomorrow.To quote John Keatss unfading line,A thing of beaut y is a joy forever.Heres to you, my beautiful bride.Weret the last drop in the well,An I gaspd upon the brink,Ere my fainting spirit fell,Tis to thee that I would drink.Lord ByronThe world is clever and colorful,And life itself is new.And I am very grateful forThe friend I found in you.Anonym... ...Here are some words to live by Love to one,friendship to many, and goodwill to all.May you live to learn well, and learn to live well.Remember that if you ever put your marital problemson the back burner they are sure to boil over.UnkownMarriage is our last, best chance to grow up.Joseph BarthA happy marriage is still the greatest treasure within the gift of fortune. heaven PhillpottsHappy marriages begin when we marry the one we love,and they blossom when we love the one we married.Sam LevensonSeek a happy marriage with wholeness of heart,but do not expect to reach the promised landwithout going through some wilderness together.Charlie W. Shedd

Wedding Toasts †Perhaps Others Have Said it Best Essay -- Wedding Toa

Wedding Toasts Perhaps Others Have Said it BestTo the Bride From her Groom neer above you. Never below you.Always beside you.To the bride and coif (before the wedding)Heres to the bride that is to be,Heres to the groom shell wed,May all their troubles be light as bubblesOr the feathers that make up their bedAnonymous To the bride from her groomDrink to me only with thine eyes,And I will pledge with mineOr leave a kiss within the cup,And Ill not look for wine.Ben JonsonGrow grey-headed with meThe best is yet to be,The last of life,For which, the first is made.Robert BrowningI have known many,Liked not a few,Loved only oneI toast to youIrish toastWherever I roam, whatever realms I see,My heart untravelled fondly turns to thee.Oliver GoldsmithBecause I love you truly,Because you love me, too,My truly greatest happinessIs sharing life with you.Every day you look lovelier and lovelier,and today you look like tomorrow.To quote John Keatss immortal line,A liaison of beauty is a joy for ever.Heres to you, my beautiful bride.Weret the last drop in the well,An I gaspd upon the brink,Ere my fainting spirit fell,Tis to thee that I would drink.Lord ByronThe world is happy and colorful,And life itself is new.And I am very grateful forThe friend I found in you.Anonym... ...Here are some words to live by Love to one, experience to many, and goodwill to all.May you live to learn well, and learn to live well.Remember that if you ever put your marital problemson the back burner they are sure to boil over.UnkownMarriage is our last, best chance to grow up.Joseph BarthA happy marriage is still the greatest treasure within the gift of fortune.Eden PhillpottsHappy marriages dismount when we marry the one we love,and they blossom when we love the one we married.Sam LevensonSeek a happy marriage with wholeness of heart,but do not previse to reach the promised landwithout going through some wilderness together.Charlie W. Shedd

Hsm 541: Week 2 †You Decide

HSM 541 Week 2 You Decide Krystal Richards Professor Alan Flower Middlefield Hospital has been a great health make out facility to the Middlefield area. Middlefield Hospital consists of a 450-bed third facility in a major urban area in the Northeast. The infirmary is an integrated health system that provides the full array of in tolerant and outpatient services. The hospital enjoys a reputation of quality care in the area. In recent years, there are areas of concern that need to be addressed.As I have been charge the position as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Middlefield Hospital, I will provide strategies and recommendations needed for implementation to disco biscuitaround the hospital into a more(prenominal)(prenominal) positive experience not only for the patients but for the employees as well. My approach will implement a triad of care access, cost, and quality. Middlefield Hospital has been a key staple within our market area of Middlefield. The hospital was abl e to build another facility on the other side of town.The new hospital offers more than(prenominal) better facilities and the technology is state of the art. While visiting the new hospital, I noticed that the staff appeared much more invested in the quality of patient care and the patients also seem happier. As with new facilities, there comes lots of excitement. The quality of our old facility needs to be upgraded and needs some new eccentric person of organization. There needs to be a balance of power so that the new hospital is able to start performing better. This lies within the hospital medical staff, hospital administration, and hospital establishment.With the hospital medical staff we need to take into account their pay for their performance on the work they do. This will in turn encourage them to want to stay with the hospital knowing they will have a steady long-term position. Hospital administration is another cardinal social function to take into account since the y work with the clients just as much as the medical staff does. From health insurance, to IT, to security everyone plays a key part in making sure that the patients feel comfortable. To mprove the performance, there need to be upgrades with the systems that the hospital uses to keep track of the patients information. I recommend using Epic as a tool to help keep all of the patients information confidential and easy to access with a click of a button. This will forgo for every department to have access to a certain patients file whether to be from a doctor entering notes about the patients visit, to health insurance billing department making sure that copays and such are being paid and their accounts are kept up-to-date.The hospital governance plays an important role because of the need for funds to help keep the hospital. By providing more outside events to raise money for the hospital will be a great start to being able to fully provide for each patient that comes through Middlefi eld Hospital doors. Since the employee morale is going down, I think it is important to obtain a good relationship with the local university, Essex University, to provide jobs and internships to the students in the nursing program.This nursing program will make sure that our managers will be able to teach classes at the university and help train the students to be prepared to work in the hospital. This should address the problem of the employee turnover rate to decrease and grow down the number of nursing vacancies. Nurses are a very important part of the hospital because they are by the patients side more than the doctor can be, so they have to show compassion all of the time. This is not a hard characteristic for them to have because they already know how much helpful being a nurse can be.Also by providing better compensation packages to prospective employees might help as well. Middlefield Hospital needs the outdo of the best in terms of medical staff. Now that there is another hospital in the area, we need to make sure that both hospitals can be top notch at all times. As with all plans and strategies, this is just the beginning. I believe that Middlefield Hospital will be on top in our marketing areas. By planting these seeds, I am sure that our hospital will continue to grow and become a valuable part of the community.

Kite Runner Themes Essay

Ethnic PrideBaba expresses a great deal of pride and attachment to the afghan culture so the collide with to America fills amir and himself with a loss of heritage and identity. The escape from the previous culture however everyows Amir to escape the incident of rape upon his best virtuoso Hassan which has left a bad taste on his childhood. In America Amir doesnt turn away from his Middle Eastern culture, and asks Sorayas father, the ordinary for permission to marry her even though he spurns it slightly by talking to her privately with let out consent. Amir towards the end, becomes proud of his blended culture. Although he enjoys visiting Pakistan, feeding the traditional food and hearing references to childhood legends, he also likes the feeling of hope and freedom he gained from America.Social InequalityFrom childhood, Amir recognizes the difference in social standing in the midst of himself and best friend Hassan. As a Pashtun, Amir enjoys favors of being a higher circle a nd his father being a successful man whereas Hassan is poor and he and his father face prejudice from people every day. Despite this, Hassan and Ali ar content with their lower class disembodied spirit and are good natured human beings. Hosseini is trying to convey that your social standing in society does not determine what kind of person you are and if you are better than someone else. You can only truly be better than someone else morally and having saint-like characteristics.During Amir and Hassan childhood, theyre differences of social class are conveyed by living standards, Hassan being illiterate and physical appearances. These are individually important but as a whole they all convey irony in the fact that it is Hassan who is content with life and Amir who is not. Later in the novel, Hazara prejudice which is taken to the extreme as they are massacred and abused by Taliban officials, such as Assef. When Sohrab returns with Amir to America, Amir is quick to dispel any ment ion of class as he believes it is has influenced his and Sohrabs life too greatly and he possibly finally sees them as his equals which he was afraid to do so as a child(never referring to Hassan as his friend).Personal ResponsibilityMany of the actions of the main character fundament from personal responsibility. Baba takes on the responsibility of Ali from his father, who took him in when he was a child. He lets Ali and his son work for him, offers them shelter and food making them feel mathematical function employees and part family. Air later realises this personal responsibility baba showed for Ali may stem from his guilt of betraying Ali and fathering Hassan. Amir feels responsible for all the bad go byrences which happened to Hassan and his father. He feels many of the events which occurred later in the novel are down to him being too cowardly to prevent Hassan being raped.Though many suffer from the Talibans ruthlessness, he believes the events that happened to Hassans f amily are his responsibility/fault. The feeling of responsibility is what drives Amir to return to Afghanistan, to rescue Sohrab. Rahim Khan plants this idea in Amirs head and suggests this is the way to achieve settlement and absolution for the retiring(a). After he rescues Sohrab, Amir feels responsible for the boy in a different way and wants to protect him from anymore pain furthermore, he sees Sohrab as a way to fill the emptiness in the marriage from his and Sorayas infidelity.Identity and Self- discoveryThroughout the novel the protagonist struggles to give away his true purpose and find his identity through noble actions. Amirs failure to be loyal to his friend at such a crucial moment defines this conflict. His essay to overcome his own weaknesses appear in confronting Assef, returning to a war torn country oppressed by the Taliban and even his carsickness whilst during with Farid.The revelation of baba later in chapter 17, allows Amir to discover who his father really was and how alike they were in terms of betraying people who loved and were loyal to the end to them. The return to Afghanistan allows Amir to find out the type of man he can become and to confront his past which he has so desperately tried to bottle up.Family, Fathers and FatherhoodFamily relationships play a great part in this novel but mothers are strikingly absent. Amir and Hassan grow up without their mothers and this is exemplified through the tension of Babas treatment of his sons. He makes it clear he is disappointed Amir is bookish, cowardly to protect his social standing and stick up for Hassan whilst on the other hand, he never in public acknowledges Hassan as his own son- although he shows a great deal of affection to Hassan.Likewise, oecumenical Taheri is a similar traditional, highly critical father who chafes his daughter for ungovernable behaviour. The theme of family is then reintroduced when Amir and Soraya are unsuccessful in starting their own- punishment perh aps for their pasts or that Amir has yet to face up to his. The word meaning of the troubled Sohrab however, provides them with the attempt to begin a complete family based on love and honesty.Journey and QuestThe novel is mostly based around Amirs expiration from Afghanistan as a young teenager and his return as a middle aged man to the war-torn country. At the very(prenominal) time, it is a typic quest. Amir makes great sacrifices to pursue his quest to atone for past sins by rescuing his nephew Sohrab in the hands of the Taliban. Symbolised at the beginning of the novel with Amir cutting his fingers with the kite string in order to sacrifice himself for his fathers love, sacrifice plays a big theme also.Amir towards the end of the novel again, impulsively cuts his fingers, to freshen up his spiritually wounded nephew who is suffering from depression. By the end of the novel, this significant symbol of sacrifice shows how much Amir has morally developed as he is willing to s acrifice much in order to save Sohrab from a similar fate and to protect him. The most part of the novel is Amir hiding from his past and by returning to Kabul he is taking that all important journey to have complete redemption.Political power and AbuseThe events of the novel occur against the backdrop of political change, the rise of the Taliban government. Assef, Hassans rapist and bully, who becomes a high ranking Taliban officer, embodies the consequence of abuse of power and violence and oppression caused by the Taliban. Assef is a psychopath who thrives in the atmosphere of chaos. Interpersonal violence leads to the split of Hassan and Amir on a national scale the abuse of power by communist endorse soviets results in massacres and Afghanistan forces to go into exile.The abuse of power and abuse is an important reference to how the hazaras have been treated. From humiliation at the beginning of the novel for their looks to being massacred and horrifically abused. When General Taheri demands an explanation for their adoption of Sohrab, he echoes the discrimination against this entire ethnic minority and in a sense, Baba also condones the attitude towards Hazaras by not admitting that he fathered a Hazara son.KitesAfter Hassan gets raped while running his kite, Amir cannot separate kite fighting and running from his own betrayal and cowardice. Therefore, even after all of his injuries and trials on Sohrabs behalf, it is the act of kite running that finally makes him feel redeemed. Beyond their significance to the plot, kites have multiple layers of symbolism in the story. One of these layers involves the class difference between Amir and Hassan, which largely dictates and limits their relationship. In kite fighting, one boy controls the kite while the other assists by feeding the string. Just as Hassan makes Amirs breakfast, folds his clothes, and cleans his room, so does he cater to Amir in kite tournaments.Even though Hassan shares in the excitement of kite fighting, he does not actually have control over the kite. Hassan may help the kite lift-and-dive, but Amir is the one who claims a victory. Hassan may catch a treasure rival kite and hold it in his arms, but always to bring it back to Amir, to whom it then belongs. His joy is vicarious, just like his experience of wealth and privilege while living in Babas household. In order to free himself of selfishness and cowardice, Amir must go from being merely a kite fighter-someone who seeks glory-to a kite runner, someone who genuinely does things for others.The activity of kite fighting is violent by nature. The kites battle and so too do the children flying them. The string, which is covered in ground glass, carves deep gashes into the fliers hands as they try to cut each other down, and once kites fall out of the sky, the kite runners retrieve them with the same trigger-happy determination as, say, a hunting dog does a slain bird. In its violence, kite fighting represents the co nflicts that rage Afghanistan nearly throughout the course of the novel. When Hosseini paints us a picture of hundreds of kites trying haphazardly and with great determination to cut each other down, he shows us also the warring factions of Afghanistan overthrowing one another.At the same time kite fighting is violent, the mere act of kite flying is innocent and speaks of freedom. Amir and Hassan do not have control over the differences between them in fact, they are both the victims of a lie, and their relationship would have been different had they known they were brothers. Yet despite their differences and the symbolism of their respective kite-fighting roles, flying kites is an activity that brings the boys together. For a moment, they are part of a team.For many years, Amir feels as though he and Hassan are adversaries for Babas love. After the rape, Hassans very existence infuriates Amir because it reminds him of his cowardice. Despite all this, when the boys fly kites togethe r, they are on the same team. They are more like brothers then than perhaps any other time, because the activity is reasonably mutual. It allows them to momentarily escape their differences and enjoy a shared sense of exhilaration and freedom.

Partnerships working in services for children Essay

Understand partnerships working in services for pip-squeakren and young people Task 2 understands the importance of effective confabulation and information sharing in services for children and young people.2.1 Describe why clear and effective converse between partners is required Clear and effective communication between partners is required because you have to sh ar information about childrens erudition and development, this is particularly grievous because when sharing information it is crucial that there are no mistakes made as this can then affect the information that has been appropriated and also you must ensure there are no barriers at heart the communication also when working with partners effective communication is also needed so everyone can work towards the same aim and to achieve the best outcomes for the child and the childrens family. Another reason why effective communication between partners is required is because all partners need to plan together to meet chil drens learning needs and it is important for all the key people to understand each other. Communication involves sharing information with other partners about the childs interests and dislikes so they can build on. Lastly many children change their setting so its important to get the right information across effectively.2.2 Identify policies and procedures in the work setting for information sharing Polices and procedure give clear messages to staff about their roles and responsibilities and set the boundaries within which they are expected to work. It is also important to remember polices and procedures are there to make sure that the best possible practice is substantiateed and developed to provide the best care and learning surround for the children or young people.Policy and procedures for sharing informationThe data Protection fleck 1998 which provides a framework to make sure that information is shared appropriately. The Children Act 2004 which sets out clear expectations fo r information sharing. The Childrens Plan 2007 which includes information sharing exceptions throughout.Every Child Matters.The Early Years Foundation form Framework.2.3-Explain where there maybe conflicts or dilemmas in relation to share information with partners and maintaining confidentiality If you are being asked to share information with partners but also to maintain confidentiality, conflicts or dilemmas willing arise. This can often relate to a matter of safeguarding the children and young people in your care. You should always talk to your manager if you are displace in a situation. Avoid discussing this with other colleagues as much as you may trust them. The best way to disclose information is toOnly share information with relevant peopleIf a child is any kind of danger, information must be sharedChildren must come first and be communicated with where possibleRecord all information and actionsAlways consult with your line manager2.4-Describe why it is important to reco rd information clearly, accurately, legibly, and concisely group meeting legal requirements It is important that information is recorded clearly, accurately and concisely and in a way that meets any legal requirements on you or your setting is under. Settings will require different ways to record information likeObservationsAssessmentsIncidentsInjuryMedical informationConcerns about a childRisk assessmentRecords of meetingsRecords of conversations in that respect are also different sorts of report. A factual report is a report that gives information like an accident. It should be only written starting with what has really happened, only facts. When you record information youhave toGet patronize from your managerMake notes at meetings so you can write them up later keep clearly with minimal errorsUsed correct formatKeep to the pointsStore confidentiallyDo not use childrens names maintain confidentiality jazz as soon as possibleInformation has to be clear, accurate, legible and con cise so that professionals/ parents/carers are able to read and understand what is written clearly, it is a legible requirement for records to be clear and legible. This ensures that any action that needs to be taken is not delayed.2.5-Identify how communications and records are recorded and steadfastly stored meeting the data protection requirements There are different ways that communications and records can be made likeElectronic meansMemosA communication bookA required format, such as incident formThese should be stored in a secure place like a computer with a password on it, or in a locked cupboard. Only necessary people should have access to them like staff traffic with medication information to have access to the medical records.2.6-Explain why and how referrals are made to different agencies Sometime children may need additional support from outside their setting and its necessary to make a referral.A child can be referred forA medical condition like hearing legal injuryA learning need like dyslexiaAn emotional need, like bereavement or personal lossA physical condition, like brittle swot upMulti-agency panels have been set up to support referrals in between settings, usually theyAre made up of different professionalAre organised by local authoritiesEnsure childrens needs are quickly identifiedMake sure children are referred to the right settingMonitor the planning between settingsEnsure that there is a close partnership between settingsInclude parents in the processThe steps for making referralsStep 1 feel out if the child has additional needs by using the CAF checklist. Step 2 discuss the childs needs using the CAF checklist. Step 3 a decision is made to seek support.

The Role of Civil Society in the

THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY IN THE DEMOCRATISATION PROCESS IN BOTSWANA INTRODUCTION One of the approaches to democratization is the fostering of accomplished guild organizations. Botswanas civil society organizations render a role to play in the countrys democratization butt on. As enjoind by Maundeni (2005) the argument is that the non-partisan character of Botswanas civic organisations has not prevented them from participating actively in democratising the public space.In fact civil society has been portrayed as the prime catalyst for promoting democratisation bear upon in developing countries, Africa in particular. This paper attempts to examine the above assertion in Botswana and posits the roles and contributions of civil society to democratisation process. CONCEPTS AND DEFINITONS WHAT IS CIVIL SOCIETY? The issue of defining what constitutes well-mannered Society is very controversial it is defined in several(a) ways. Indeed, the use of these terms in many instances depen ds on place and time, country and the existing legal framework for registering civil society organizations.Other factors include membership, mission, and form of organization and levels of operation. The World Bank defines civil society/NGOs as An association, society, foundation, charitable trust, non-profit corporation, or other juridical person that is not regarded under the particular legal formation as part of the insurance policy-making heavens and that is not operated for profit viz. , if any profits argon earned, they ar not and thunder mugnot be distributed as much(prenominal)(prenominal). It does not include contend unions, policy-making parties, profit-distributing cooperatives, or churches. According to the Commission of European Communities Civil society includes the follo make headwayg groups trade unions and employers organizations (social partners) organizations representing social and economic players which are not social partners in the morose sense of the term non-governmental organizations which bring people together in common cause, such as environmental organizations, human rights organizations, charities, professional associations, grass roots organizations organizations that read citizens in local and municipal life with a particular contribution from churches and religious communities.At one level, civil society can be described as all organized activity not associated with major institutional systems government and administration, education and health delivery, business and industry, security and organized religion. They include religious/ assent based organizations, cooperatives, trade unions, academic institutions, community and youth groups (Judge 1996). Civil societies are therefore created in the public interests and can do things which neither of the other content development actors-the government and the corporate sector-can do on their own.Civil societies would have as their main objective the improvement in the lives of the poorest and disadvantaged. This is where there is a role for the state Harriss & de Rienzo (1997) suggest that the role played by civil society organizations will depend on the wider political setting, and on ways in which inequalities of power and resources are dealt with in the economic and political arena. DEMOCRACY The word is derived from the Greek word demos, which mean people rule. It can be defined as a system where the authority has its legitimacy in the will of what the people have expressed.Democracy at the same time puts demands on how the peoples will should come to expression. twain principles should apply political equality and principles of freedom. The first principle defines political citizenship and focuses on who should be involved in the political process. The second principle concerns freedoms of all kinds of political opinions that may be expressed during the political process. Democratic government aspires to serve under the people rather than r uling over them. Implementing some form of a voting system, usually involving indirect representation pursues this ideal.It shares links with the concept of a republic. democratization Like Civil society, the definition of democratisation has consistently been subjected to analytical testing by social scientists, in particular, the political scientists. In his definition, Conteh-Morgan (1998) contests that democratisation is an increase in political equality and a decrease in coercive rule. Others argue that democratisation is synonymous to representative consolidation and or the deepening of popular practices (Diamond et al 1995). It implies a process through which a political system becomes democratic.It is a process that is made up and caused by different factors these can be connected with political or socio-economic structures and political institutions in which they act. It is a transition to democratic political systems, where democratic systems are taken to be those appro ximating to universal suffrage, regular elections, a civil society, the rule of law and an independent judiciary. CIVIL SOCIETY AND DEMOCRATIZATION PROCESS IN BOTSWANA Civil society can be regarded as organisational life that is voluntary, self-generating, self-supporting, and autonomous from the state, and bound by a legal order or set of shared rules.It consists of a vast array of organisations, both formal and informal interest groups, cultural and religious organisations, civil and developmental associations, issue-oriented gestures, the mass media, query and educational institutions, and similar organisations. The difference between these groups and other society groups is that they are concerned with and act in the public realm, relate to the state (without seeking to win control over it), and encompass and respect pluralism and diversity.Civil society consists out of individuals from different groups who are seeking change within a society. Through organising themselves in various forms of protests to show that they demand their rights, civil society has proved to be powerful when a few societies have trans organize from non-democracies into democracies. This implies that the functioning of land requires a bullocky civil society, but a civil society that is politicised, and interacts with the state through concrete participation in decision-making processes.TYPES OF CIVIL SOCIETY AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO DEMOCRATISATION Research and advocacy Groups these are few without a membership base but effective think-tank research and policy advocacy NGOs. They have easy access to the Botswana policy makers and have established cordial relationship with the hostile donors. Some of these organisations do not scarcely participate in drafting key policy documents for the governments, they overly weigh for the present regime on governance, economic, security and development issues.They have contributed significantly through research and advocacy to deepen democratic practices under the present government. In his 2005 edition, Maudeni outlined the role of Democracy Research Project (DRP consisting of a academics) in the democratisation process. He showed that the DRP brought together different stakeholders in a way creating a platform where debates would be initiated and set in motion discussion about ways in which Botswanas democracy might be improved. Maundeni reckons thus,the non-partisan DRP seeks to spark a democratisation debate disciplinely and infact has done so on past occassions.It has brought together politicians, academics, civil servants, journalists and traditional chiefs were brought together in a forum in which government politicians and officials did not exercise control over its proceedings. Human Rights and Democracy Advocacy Groups Women NGOs These organisations advocated for the equality and recognition of women in the society, they were headed by a group of enlightened and committed women who provided leadershi p and who have worked as volunteers to bring these organizations to where they are today.The groups include Young Women Christian Association, or Botswana Council of Women. Somolokae (1988) relates that these organisations have been dealing with purely welfare matters for decades and they enjoyed a good relationship with the state. Then during the mid-1980s, radical womens groups entered the political scene. Examples here included Emang Basadi, and Metlhaetsile. From the onset, these organizations set out to challenge the state on policy issues. Emang Basadi was formed in 1984 to pressure the government to repeal all legislations which were discriminatory against women.At first, the reception was bad. Overtime, Emang Basadi together with other NGOs, began to network and push as a united front. When not much progress was being made, the groups under the leadership of Emang Basadi switched focus to a political agenda. The organization came up with a political education project to sen sify women about their political rights, encouraging them to vote for candidates who are committed to addressing the issues and concerns of women. This strategy seems to have worked as more women than ever showed interest in political power. Ditshwanelo Botswana sum of money for Human RightsThe Botswana Centre for Human Rights was established in 1993 and since then has remained the only organisation in Botswana dealing with all aspects of human rights. It advocate for changes in laws, policies and practices, and to gain ground public awareness of rights and responsibilities and also provide paralegal services to those earning less than the minimum wage. Ditshwanelo also targeted its campaigns on the death penalty. In its recent statement commemorative World Day against the Death Penalty on October 10 2012, the NGO remains opposed to the death penalty vows to continue to campaign for its abolition in Botswana. t states that it is particularly concerned about the secretive and arbi trary conduct by the Government of Botswana, in its administration of the death penalty. The group also has coalition with other rights-focused organisations in Botswana, such as those focusing on gender equality or the rights of those affected by HIV/AIDS, complementing the work of its partners, and focusing on issues least supported by others, including the Basarwa / San (Bushmen), sexual minorities and domestic workers. Trade Unions These are organisations established to influence policies in favour of their members.They are very active in influencing economic and less of political policies. One of the leading and effective members of this group is the Botswana Federation of Public Service Union BOFEPUSU,it is popular in mobilizing workers to go on strike when the need arises and the government is aware of this strength as experienced in 2011. Inaugurating a New Trade Union Education Centre at Gaborone, Botswana on July 10, 1971, President Seretse Khama discussed the role of tra de unions present and future in his country.He states Free trade unions are an essential instrument of participatory democracy. It is through such unions that the workers can not only defend their interests but also make a positive contribution to national development. And if this contribution is to be effective trade unions must be free. They will not be an effective instrument of participatory democracy if they are manipulated by government, or by a political party or by any external agency. A trade union movement must seek to maintain the confidence of all its members irrespective of party affiliation.It must not become the agent of a political party. We in Botswana have given trade unions freedom to represent their members interests and to guide the aspirations of our workers so that they make a productive contribution to national growth. We have not given them freedom to promote the interests of political parties or external powers. In summary, at a lower place are the four broad roles that the civil society has been playing to deepen its contribution to the democratisation processes. Monitoring Role- This varies from one programme and organisation to another.The monitoring of the executive and legislatures for accountability and good governance for instance are most prevalent among the specialised research and advocacy NGOs while census, elections and budget writ of execution monitoring are common among the Network and coalitions. They have been performing this role, pointing to mistakes and how governments can overcome such mistakes. Capacity Building Role- Training and sensitization of citizens on their democratic and human rights and how these rights can be protected e. g. he rights of the citizens to hold accountable the elected representatives etc. This capacity building is not restricted to the citizens alone, the elected representatives have also benefited from such trainings e. g. , democratic control of military and security establishments, the making of participatory and gender sensitive budgets etc. Another remarkable, although, ongoing contribution of civil society to the process of democratisation in Botswana is the campaign for a new constitution for the country through the convocation of a sovereign national conference.Disciplinary Role- finally, the civil society has also been mobilising the citizens and call on government to discipline some of the elected representatives and bureaucrats for misconduct while in office through recalls and dismissal (though they have not been self-made in this role). More efforts and capacity building- training and fiscal resources are needed to be successful in this role. The challenges of civil society Usually they represent only those sections of the population that are pie-eyed and self-aware.The viewpoints of civil society sometimes are conflicting and contradictory and there is a high possibility of susceptibility to foreign governments or foreign groups particularly if t he CSO/NGO receives International funding. Sometimes, people working or serving in civil society are drawn to this sector due to the potential incomes they expect to receive rather than the ideology. This is particularly true with people working in NGOS. CONCLUSIONThe paper critically analysed the roles and contributions of civil society to the process of democratisation in Botswana and argued that the types of civil society and its advocacy strategies to a large extent determine the level of civil societys contribution to democratic process. Investing in civil society groups whose activities have found resonance with the population is one way to promote the democratization of politics and the full participation of the citizenry in public life.The civil society must continue to employ a collective advocacy role to mobilize consensus for a national agenda of democratization, peace building and national reconciliation. Moving away from individualized, fragmented and disorganized advoc acy to collective advocacy is essential to becoming a strong countervailing force. It can also be concluded that civil society plays a critical role in strengthening democracy in that, it brings about the movement from a bureaucratic administration to a more representative administration.Civil society brings about active co-operation and an on-going commitment in the process of policy formulation and implementation between politicians, senior management, frontline workers, and citizens. Civil society encourages the divergence from the traditional regime-driven policy process to one where there is a multiplicity of negotiated determinants of the problem identification, formulation of policy principles, setting of objectives, development of options according to agreed criteria, and the formulation of an implementation strategy.The manner in which this is done and the contribution at various stages in the process characterize democracy. The dynamism of linkages underscored above ascri bes to democracy as being about partnerships of all stakeholders in an endeavour to bring about synergies of efforts and resources. The civil society also strengthens democracy through fostering of complex relationships, not only among different institutions of state, but among all the stakeholders, from the most powerful titans to the poorest and most vulnerable people on societys marginsREFERENCES I. majority rule Foundation (1995) Non-Governmental organization Guidelines for Good Policy and Practice, London. II. Conteh-Morgan Earl (1997), Democratization in Africa the theory and dynamics of political transitions, Preager Pub. Westport, USA III. Diamond, L Linz Juan and Lipset Seymour (1995) Politics in Developing Countries analyze experiences with democracy (Second Edition), Pub Lynne Rienner, London. IV. Emang Basadi (1998) Political Education Project A Strategy that Works Gaborone Lentswe la Lesedi. V. Judge, A. 1996) Interacting fruitfully with uncivil society the Dilemma fo r Non Civil Society Organizations, (Transnational Associations, Washington DC, ) VI. Holm J. (1996) Development, Democracy and Civil Society in Botswana, in Leftwitch (ed). I. Policy Press, U. K. II. Maundeni Z. (2005) 40 Years of Democracy in Botswana 1965-2005 III. Somolekae G. (1998) Democracy, Civil Society and arrangement in Africa The Case of Botswana IV. The World Bank (1997) International Center for Not-for-profit Law, 1997. Handbook on Good Practices Relating to Non-Governmental Organizations, Washington

Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimers Disease does non kill instantly it destroys the man-to-man endorsement by bit, tearing away at their individual-hood and self-identity. Most dupes suffer for 9 to 15 years after onset of the illness. It is the most common type of mania in the United States and Canada and after age 40, the risk of developing it doubles with ageing every 5.1 years during great(p)s life.A form of frenzy, the DSM-IV-Rs (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) criteria for diagnosing dementia include impairment in short- and abundant-term computer retention board, at least matchless of the following(a) impairment in abstract thinking, impaired judgement, other disturbances of higher cortical dutying, personality change, signifi peckt interference with work, societal activities, or relationships, in addition, symptoms do not occur exclusively during the course of delirium and specific etiologic entire factor is demonstrated or can be presumed. For an individual with this terrible co mplaint, existent with memory loss and its associated disabilities be very frightening.Alzheimers includes behavioral characteristics that extend beyond its cognitive explanations. These behaviors require study because of the process on both the long-suffering and c atomic number 18giver. discussion often relishs to drugs for relief of symptoms and to slow the course of progressive decline, earlier than on assisting the individual with coping mechanisms. It has been termed a family indisposition, not only because of possible contractable relation between victims, solely because family appendages provide 80 percent or much of the c be giving. Chronic and progressive psychogenic and physiologic deterioration hang the victims capacity for license and increase the charter for choke from family members caring for the victim at home.The victim attempts to coerce sense of a seemingly new and opposed world, and this leads to dubious and uncharacteristic changes in behav ior, personality, decision-making, function, and mood. Certain symptoms that are often associated with low gear whitethorn be observed in patients who are cognitively impaired just now not depressed. Professionals essential be aware of all told(a) the symptoms the patient is experiencing, and reports from family members must as salutary be taken into account. The patient commonly reports fewer negative feelings or mood bothers than are identified by caregivers.Patients often attempt to wield up their ailment by modifying the behaviors of others, rather than identifying their take inevitable retrogression. Fears of the unknown, fears of abandonment, lowered frustration tolerance, and loss of impulse control may result in toughened behavior. Also, appropriate behavior may merely be forgotten, and faces of family members and friends unfamiliar. However, the victim of Alzheimers often denies these symptoms. to a greater extent obvious, even to themselves are the expressio n of emotions much(prenominal) as panic and deprivation. Experiences such as early retirement and anticipated changes in the responsibilities of daily life are never realized. The inability to drive a car is especially raw and frustrating for rough. Self-esteem and sense of worth plummet. Individuals with Alzheimers lose their capability to plan, postp peerless, wait, or indicate the outcomes of their actions. Family members very often fail to attri furthere losses akin to those antecedently mentioned to a disease. They tend to deny the existence of the disease.Family members may go through a period of denial in which they make excuses for the patient, attri entirelying the problems they encounter to standard aging, stress, etc. Alzheimers disease creates new demands on the family, who establish to adopt numerous roles. The parent, erstwhile the primary(a) caregiver to their children, is now like a child receiving care. Each family member defines the situation distinctly , but display common management behaviors that will be discussed further. in spite of appearance these confusable constitutes of management, reflection of individual attitudes is obvious due to unique interpretations of the grades.The first mate is usually the primary caregiver of the patient, but when unable to provide the care necessary, an grownup child is the most credibly candidate. These fully grown children fear that the disease terrorizing their family and destroying a loved one will be hereditary. Negative behavior changes that are undergone by the victim have major effects on the caregiver. Mental health and life satisfaction of the caregiver seem to decrease rapidly, but according to Lisa Gwyther (1994), the keystone to minimizing these effects is to strategically change responses by the human and physical environment. ever-changing the responses of the outside world, rather than attempting to change the responses of the individual with the disease religious ru n to organize uncontrollable changes. experience spouses and wise families learn to distract the patient rather than confront them on their short flood tides. They should learn to enrich the victims pleasure in each moment, spurring preserved memories and skills to go on the victims positive feelings of competence, belonging, productivity, and self-esteem. Consistent reassurance and un railal love are vital to pause and harmony within the family.The patient experiences degeneration of short-term memory, which often results in malposition of objects and forgetting the names of familiar people. They have irrational or imaginary fears that make them suspicious of those close together(predicate) to them, and they may accuse others of theft and/or infidelity. This is a man-made lake of increased frustration, confusion, distress, and irritability on the naval division of both the patient and the family. As a result, those involved may rely on alcohol and drugs to alleviate the stre sses of coming to terms with the disease.Many families of victims either fail to seek, or do not receive a correct medical diagnosis. They tend to become over-involved and angry, stages necessary in the process of adjustment. The family members attempt to counterweigh the losses experienced by the patient, because the deterioration is head start to become obvious. Their anger, not necessarily with the patient, stems from the burden, embarrassment, and frustrations caused by the patients behavior. Burden is reported to be highest in this phase of mild dementia.When the spouse is the primary caregiver (in comparison with adult children or others), care is more complete, and less stress, skirmish, and ambivalence are observed. Spouses tend to look for activities, or ways of interpreting the patients behavior, that allow for a continuing adult relationship, rather than a parent- child one, which may belittle the patient. Psychological stress results from conflict between resentment, anger, ambivalence, and guilt, self- agitate, and the pain of watching a loved one deteriorate. Caregivers to a fault report physical fatigue from providing care to their regressing loved one. Of all of these, the most difficult is performing the basic daily activities for the patient, and coping with upsetting behavior.Proactive approaches towards manipulation of the disease involve the conscious decision that success is possible, both for the patient and family- unfortunately this is something that most afflicted individuals realize too late. In addition, the victims of Alzheimers may or may not respond to certain types of intervention. A patient may controvert to one type of treatment one minute and not the next. Immediate, patent changes in patient and family behavior, function, and mood were noted when caregivers learned to separate the resolution of the problem from the intention of the patient. For example, rather than confronting a patient or assigning blame when an obje ct is lost, the caregiver replaces the item the patient claimed stolen. In this way, unnecessary stress and tautness are eliminated for both patient and caregiver.Each family member experiences a exchangeable process of coming to terms with the changes. This process includes three stages describing how the victim is the similar, and/or diametrical, front to disease onset, rewriting the individuality of the victim, and redefining the relationship with the victim. During the first stage, family members look for behaviors that hitherto re redeem the victims true self, and those that the person with Alzheimers no longer has. In the second stage, the disease and individual with the disease must be seen as two in one. Part of the struggle in this stage is to maintain the adult identity of the victim musical composition managing their child-like needs.Still, in the third stage of the adapting process, major problems continue to present themselves. These may include family and socia l disruptions, increased marital conflicts, and employment-related difficulties. Family members are usually not aware of one-anothers viewpoints they do not understand that they are not all seeing the victim the same way. due(p) to the fact that they are not all having the same type of relationship with the victim, paths towards the common goal of attaining highest level of function for the victim may be divided. As a result, the more effort individual family members vest into achieving this goal, the more conflict is created. However, it individuals voice their different perspectives and encourage discussion, this may allow the family to function as a complete whole. Understanding between family members can be coupled with social sanction groups ideas about the disease.A social network may be useful in protecting individuals with terminal diseases from some of the negative effects. An active organization, The Alzheimers Disease and Related Disorders Association (ADRDA) establis hed a network of individuals and families affected with dementia. The speed at which this network is growing is clear evidence of the need for more groups like it. Information sharing, encouragement, and provision of social support are among the top objectives of such groups.A committee at the St. Louis Chapter of the Alzheimers Association highly-developed Project Esteem to provide stirred intervention for people with Alzheimers in the Forgetful phase. Its purpose is to provide opportunities to share thoughts and feelings with peers and professionals, and to have some fun.It came about as two separate groups, one being individuals with Alzheimers and the other, caregivers. Reported feelings related to dementia from both groups include anger, anxiety, stress, acceptance, and frustration. The number of individuals who report negative feelings greatly outweigh those of acceptance.At initial meetings, bonding is established through the sharing of early memory experiences. Gradually, c omfort comes from knowing that the victims are not alone there are others with the same limitations. The realization that the victims are ordinary people with a chronic illness, rather than an uncontrollable psychic illness, is comforting. Overall, the most effective coping occurs when the individual recognizes their own mental change, realizes the diagnosis, and engages with the unexpected attitudes of others. Benefits of group support in this early stage of Alzheimers are considerable. Individuals sharing similar situations gain insight and encouragement through verbal give-and-take when real world suggestions were needed, and non- verbally when words were simply not accessible. However, as word comprehension and creation becomes increasingly difficult, the individual enters a new stage of disease development.Short-term memory, orientation, and concentration are now severely impaired. passim this stage, remote memory, intellectual functioning, comprehension, and judgement decl ine steadily. Ability to care for ones self likewise declines, and sleep patterns are altered this is a severe blow to the patients independence and self-esteem. The patient then becomes suspicious and paranoid, even of those closest to them. Likelihood of involvement in accidents at home and abuse of medication increase. Behaviors may include wickedness range, night shouting, and nocturnal micturition (night- time urination). Obviously, traditional family behaviors and interactive patterns realize forceful alteration.Family members begin to feel guilty for their impatience and intolerance of the patient, even though many of the demands of the patient are unrealistic and illogical. A major problem for those closest to the patient is readjusting expectations of the patient and themselves. Changes and problematic behavior become a acknowledgment of stress during this phase, but overall limitation and conflict is reported to decrease, which may simply be the result of institutional ization of the victim. Use of drugs is found to be twice as high in care-givers as in community subjects, and care-givers often let their own health deteriorate.Particularly for the spouses caregivers, social isolation becomes an issue of psychological well being. Lack of time, energy, and interest in social activities becomes prominent as the deterioration of the patient increases. In one study, spouses of patients exhibited higher levels of stress, in comparison to adult children caregivers but husbands, in comparison to wives, report fewer burdens, and are more willing to drive the difficulty of the tasks at hand and seek out professional help. prominent male children are as likely as women are to assist their parents, but the men appeared to have the ability to distance themselves from the aging parent. This physical and emotional separation seemed to lower the amount of guilt felt by the men. Possibly because of these differing abilities to deal with the disease, there is oft en conflict between family members as to how to care for the victim.deuce broad coping techniques of family members of Alzheimer victims are (1) Distancing techniques and (2) Enmeshing techniques. Distancing techniques (as discussed earlier) involve establishing distance between the patient and caregiver both emotionally and physically. Enmeshing techniques involve the intensification of the relationship, and often the exclusion of others. This option is usually observed in cases where the spouse is the primary caregiver. Apparently, it is very difficult for spouses who use the Enmeshing technique to become involved in social support groups.Social support is a proven mediator and alleviator of family stress and patient dejection. Adult daylight care programs provide respite for family members, and allow the patient to interact with individuals with similar conditions. Generally, the patients see the support group as being most helpful in the areas of information sharing and peer s upport. This information and assistance may help determine the strength of the individual in last stages of the disease.This phase is the final examination stage of Alzheimers disease. Mental deterioration is complete many patients are completely unconscious(predicate) of, or unable to respond to their surroundings. The patients are only dependent on others for all aspects of daily living.The patient will, most likely, not identify family and friends, and may not communicate at all. Paranoia, agitation, and combativeness increase significantly, if the patient is able to display these emotions at all. He/she eventually becomes extremely weak, incontinent, non-ambulatory and bedridden. It has been hypothesized that at least some of the premorbid changes in strength and weakness may be predicted from changes observed in the earlier stages. Descriptions by caregivers of premorbid personality traits of the victim are similar to symptoms of depression, hallucinations, and delusions. It is during this stage that most victims are admitted to an institution for professional care. Several behavioral problems such as aggression and wandering appear to increase as individuals are moved from the community to treat homes.Acceptance of this disturbing disease comes very slowly to the family members. The diseases sly onset and the authentic appearance by the victim of retention of regular physical brawn make acceptance increasingly difficult. As the disease progresses further and further, the changes that occur for the victim become increasingly obvious and family members tend to define the situation more similarly than in previous, seemingly inconspicuous stages.The grieving process is lengthy, because the death of the person is long before the death of the physical body. Although the loved one is long gone, their shell lives on.At some point during this stage, the spouse must undergo the final challenge of marital evaluation. Because the patient does not recognize any one, the spouse is totally alone, but not single. Obtaining a divorce often creates many difficult well-grounded issues. Many caregivers need assistance coping with the guilt of abandoning their spouse when placing them in a nursing home. Thus, financial problems come into the picture. Paying for nursing home services is difficult, as all effort in previous years has been put into caring for the patient.Relatives of deceased victims can be compared to those whose family member is unruffled living. Wives and husbands display similar feelings of burden, but the husbands report more social limitations. On the contrary, sons and daughters are different in their descriptions of burden. Sons report less social limitations than daughters do, and less affective limitation when the excited parents had died. The sons of the deceased elderly also report less conflict with others than the daughters do.The need for individual support for the caregiver and family of the deceased is important, especially at this stage of sorrow. thither may also be a sense of relief and release, as the extensive suffering of a loved one has finally ended. The empty body, which once contained a loved one, can finally be put to rest. abet and support from the staff at institutions with dealing with the grief of the final loss of a loved one is valuable and most definitely appreciated.Alzheimers Disease is a ceaseless debilitating disease without known cause or cure. Deterioration of mental and physical processes is inevitable, but varies between individuals- the cause for this variance has only been looked at hypothetically. It is a terrifying disease for the victim, who is constantly aware of the losses that are occurring, but can do nothing to prevent the disease from proceeding on its deadly course. Family members respond to the disease within certain guidelines, but the attitude towards the different stages differs for all involved. Social support systems have proven extremely effectiv e for both the victim and caregiver in the Forgetful phase of the illness. From that point on, influence on patients decreases significantly, but personal gain for caregivers continues. in that respect is an evident need for publicly funded support for Alzheimers disease victims and their families. The obvious lack of information concerning the symptoms and results of the disease stage the necessity for incorporation of education and support into intervention strategies for caregivers. Evaluation of a patient with possible dementia requires a complete medical history, neurologic evaluation, and physical examination. At the present time, no diagnostic tests for Alzheimers are available in laboratories.It is simply a diagnosis based on elimination of other diseases. There is great need for a biological marker that would confirm the diagnosis of Alzheimers in a living patient. Rapid progress has been made in identifying a potential genetic marker that could be used to diagnose the dis ease without autopsy, biopsy, or extended evaluations. Potential disadvantages of this approach would be the reluctance of both patients and physicians to have lumbar punctures done, and the potential overlap of normal patients and Alzheimer sufferers. These potential markers are a glimpse of light at the end of a dark tunnel.Metaphorically, Alzheimers can be seen as a house that is constantly being eaten by termites, from the interior out. Although the house may look the same on the outside, the very foundation of the house, the part that makes it a home, deteriorates. Attempts to stop the decay are futile and, at best, temporary. Eventually, one will not feel comfortable at home, and will most likely leave the home- possibly for someone else to deal with. This relief is also temporary. The consume away of the house continues, until it eventually topples into an unrecognizable heap of what used to be a home. This feeling was best described by one individual in the middle stages o f the disease (J)ust a wild lost world. Im here but I dont know where I am.Alzheimers diseaseAlzheimers disease is one of most prevalent medical conditions that affect the older sector of society. More and more people continue to suffer from this disease, but at present, there is still no cure available. So what causes Alzheimers disease? What are its effects, and are there any possible solutions for this condition? This essay would delve into the aforementioned details of Alzheimers disease. forwards the nature of Alzheimers disease can be discussed, it is important to first define what dementia is.This is because Alzheimers disease is identified as the most general cause behind(predicate) the dementia not only in America but also throughout the world. Dementia refers to a syndrome which generally damages a persons daily functioning. This is because the memory is impaired, as well as other thinking capabilities, such as agreementing and thought organization. Even the capacity fo r language and sight is also affected. Due to the memory decline, simple activities become difficult and patients need assistance from others since they cannot take care of themselves anymore.Consequently, Alzheimers disease is a medical condition which affects the brain it is a disease that slowly develops, damaging ones memory and other mental processes. These include reasoning, planning, language, and perception. It is believed that the disease is caused by the overproduction or amassment of the protein called beta-amyloid this protein is believed to result in the end of nerve cells. The condition worsens as time goes by and can lead to death.The possibility of acquiring Alzheimers disease increases as one ages, especially when one reaches the age of 70. Those who are beyond 85 years of age are most likely to be affected. However, it is important to point out that though memory loss is a normal part of aging, something as severe as Alzheimers disease is not part of it. Alzheime rs disease was first discovered in 1906 by a German reestablish named Alois Alzheimer in 1910, the disease was officially named after him. Five years prior, Dr.Alzheimer had 51-year-old patient named Frau Auguste D. the symptoms of her condition include problems of speech, memory and understanding. She even began doubting her husbands loyalty for no reason at all. Her condition became worse and eventually, she died. When Dr. Alzheimer performed an autopsy, he found that the size of the brain had decreased. The most notable finding was that the cortex had significantly shrunk the cortex is responsible for memory and speech, among other vital mental functions.When her brain was viewed in the microscope, Dr. Alzheimer discovered brain cells which are either dead or in the process of dying. There were also fat and other deposits found in the blood vessels and brain cells. The brain is composed of neurons, which are nerve cells. These neurons produce signals which are chemical and elec trical in nature. The signals are transferred from one neuron to another, enabling the person to think and recall. The transmission between neurons is made possible by neurotransmitters.Those who suffer from Alzheimers disease experience the demise of neurons eventually, neurotransmitters are also affected, and the brain functions are completely interrupted. The autopsy that Dr. Alzheimer performed on Auguste D. revealed that the brain tissues were characterized by clumps and knots of brain cells. At present, the former is recognized as plaques, while the latter is now identified as tangles. Both are acknowledged markers of Alzheimers disease. These two are also possible contributors in causing the brain disorder.On one hand, plaques are composed of the aforementioned beta-amyloid protein. There is still no determined reason for the death of neurons, but the said protein is believed to be responsible for it. There are three genetic mutations that are recognized as responsible for a small percentage of the early-onset type of the disease. These three are as follows amyloid herald protein, presenilin 1 protein (PS1) and presenilin 2 (PS2). The said mutations create plaques of amyloid. All three mutations are known to cause at least ten percent of all cases of Alzheimers disease.Alzheimers DiseaseAlzheimers Disease does not kill instantly it destroys the individual bit by bit, tearing away at their person-hood and self-identity. Most victims suffer for 9 to 15 years after onset of the illness. It is the most common type of dementia in the United States and Canada and after age 40, the risk of developing it doubles with aging every 5.1 years during adults life.A form of dementia, the DSM-IV-Rs (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) criteria for diagnosing dementia include impairment in short- and long-term memory, at least one of the following impairment in abstract thinking, impaired judgement, other disturbances of higher cortical functioning, personality change, significant interference with work, social activities, or relationships, in addition, symptoms do not occur exclusively during the course of delirium and specific etiologic organic factor is evidenced or can be presumed. For an individual with this terrible disease, living with memory loss and its associated disabilities are very frightening.Alzheimers includes behavioral characteristics that extend beyond its cognitive explanations. These behaviors require study because of the influence on both the patient and caregiver. Treatment often looks to drugs for relief of symptoms and to slow the course of progressive decline, rather than on assisting the individual with coping mechanisms. It has been termed a family disease, not only because of possible genetic relation between victims, but because family members provide 80 percent or more of the care giving. Chronic and progressive mental and physical deterioration decrease the victims capacity for independence and increase the need fo r support from family members caring for the victim at home.The victim attempts to make sense of a seemingly new and hostile world, and this leads to dubious and uncharacteristic changes in behavior, personality, decision-making, function, and mood. Certain symptoms that are often associated with depression may be observed in patients who are cognitively impaired but not depressed. Professionals must be aware of all the symptoms the patient is experiencing, and reports from family members must also be taken into account. The patient usually reports fewer negative feelings or mood problems than are identified by caregivers.Patients often attempt to cover up their disease by modifying the behaviors of others, rather than identifying their own inevitable retrogression. Fears of the unknown, fears of abandonment, lowered frustration tolerance, and loss of impulse control may result in problematic behavior. Also, appropriate behavior may simply be forgotten, and faces of family members a nd friends unfamiliar. However, the victim of Alzheimers often denies these symptoms. More obvious, even to themselves are the expression of emotions such as panic and deprivation. Experiences such as early retirement and anticipated changes in the responsibilities of daily life are never realized. The inability to drive a car is especially painful and frustrating for some. Self-esteem and sense of worth plummet. Individuals with Alzheimers lose their capability to plan, postpone, wait, or predict the outcomes of their actions. Family members very often fail to attribute losses similar to those previously mentioned to a disease. They tend to deny the existence of the disease.Family members may go through a period of denial in which they make excuses for the patient, attributing the problems they encounter to normal aging, stress, etc. Alzheimers disease creates new demands on the family, who have to adopt numerous roles. The parent, once the primary caregiver to their children, is n ow like a child receiving care. Each family member defines the situation differently, but display common management behaviors that will be discussed further. Within these similar stages of management, reflection of individual attitudes is obvious due to unique interpretations of the stages.The spouse is usually the primary caregiver of the patient, but when unable to provide the care necessary, an adult child is the most likely candidate. These adult children fear that the disease terrorizing their family and destroying a loved one will be hereditary. Negative behavior changes that are undergone by the victim have major effects on the caregiver. Mental health and life satisfaction of the caregiver seem to decrease rapidly, but according to Lisa Gwyther (1994), the key to minimizing these effects is to strategically change responses by the human and physical environment. Changing the responses of the outside world, rather than attempting to change the responses of the individual with the disease helps to organize difficult changes.Experienced spouses and wise families learn to distract the patient rather than confront them on their shortcomings. They should learn to enrich the victims pleasure in each moment, spurring preserved memories and skills to maintain the victims positive feelings of competence, belonging, productivity, and self-esteem. Consistent reassurance and unconditional love are vital to peace and harmony within the family.The patient experiences degeneration of short-term memory, which often results in misplacement of objects and forgetting the names of familiar people. They have irrational or imaginary fears that make them suspicious of those closest to them, and they may accuse others of theft and/or infidelity. This is a source of increased frustration, confusion, distress, and irritability on the part of both the patient and the family. As a result, those involved may rely on alcohol and drugs to alleviate the stresses of coming to terms wit h the disease.Many families of victims either fail to seek, or do not receive a correct medical diagnosis. They tend to become over-involved and angry, stages necessary in the process of adjustment. The family members attempt to counterweigh the losses experienced by the patient, because the deterioration is beginning to become obvious. Their anger, not necessarily with the patient, stems from the burden, embarrassment, and frustrations caused by the patients behavior. Burden is reported to be highest in this phase of mild dementia.When the spouse is the primary caregiver (in comparison with adult children or others), care is more complete, and less stress, conflict, and ambivalence are observed. Spouses tend to look for activities, or ways of interpreting the patients behavior, that allow for a continuing adult relationship, rather than a parent- child one, which may belittle the patient. Psychological stress results from conflict between resentment, anger, ambivalence, and guilt, self-blame, and the pain of watching a loved one deteriorate. Caregivers also report physical fatigue from providing care to their regressing loved one. Of all of these, the most difficult is performing the basic daily activities for the patient, and coping with upsetting behavior.Proactive approaches towards treatment of the disease involve the conscious decision that success is possible, both for the patient and family- unfortunately this is something that most afflicted individuals realize too late. In addition, the victims of Alzheimers may or may not respond to certain types of intervention. A patient may react to one type of treatment one minute and not the next. Immediate, observable changes in patient and family behavior, function, and mood were noted when caregivers learned to separate the resolution of the problem from the intention of the patient. For example, rather than confronting a patient or assigning blame when an object is lost, the caregiver replaces the item the patient claimed stolen. In this way, unnecessary stress and tension are eliminated for both patient and caregiver.Each family member experiences a similar process of coming to terms with the changes. This process includes three stages describing how the victim is the same, and/or different, prior to disease onset, rewriting the individuality of the victim, and redefining the relationship with the victim. During the first stage, family members look for behaviors that still represent the victims true self, and those that the person with Alzheimers no longer has. In the second stage, the disease and individual with the disease must be seen as two in one. Part of the struggle in this stage is to maintain the adult identity of the victim while managing their child-like needs.Still, in the third stage of the adapting process, major problems continue to present themselves. These may include family and social disruptions, increased marital conflicts, and employment-related difficulties. Fam ily members are usually not aware of one-anothers viewpoints they do not understand that they are not all seeing the victim the same way. Due to the fact that they are not all having the same type of relationship with the victim, paths towards the common goal of attaining highest level of function for the victim may be divided. As a result, the more effort individual family members put into achieving this goal, the more conflict is created. However, it individuals voice their different perspectives and encourage discussion, this may allow the family to function as a complete whole. Understanding between family members can be coupled with social support groups ideas about the disease.A social network may be effective in protecting individuals with terminal diseases from some of the negative effects. An active organization, The Alzheimers Disease and Related Disorders Association (ADRDA) established a network of individuals and families affected with dementia. The speed at which this network is growing is clear evidence of the need for more groups like it. Information sharing, encouragement, and provision of social support are among the top objectives of such groups.A committee at the St. Louis Chapter of the Alzheimers Association developed Project Esteem to provide emotional intervention for people with Alzheimers in the Forgetful phase. Its purpose is to provide opportunities to share thoughts and feelings with peers and professionals, and to have some fun.It came about as two separate groups, one being individuals with Alzheimers and the other, caregivers. Reported feelings related to dementia from both groups include anger, anxiety, stress, acceptance, and frustration. The number of individuals who report negative feelings greatly outweigh those of acceptance.At initial meetings, bonding is established through the sharing of early memory experiences. Gradually, comfort comes from knowing that the victims are not alone there are others with the same limitati ons. The realization that the victims are ordinary people with a chronic illness, rather than an uncontrollable mental illness, is comforting. Overall, the most effective coping occurs when the individual recognizes their own mental change, realizes the diagnosis, and deals with the unexpected attitudes of others. Benefits of group support in this early stage of Alzheimers are considerable. Individuals sharing similar situations gain insight and encouragement through verbal exchange when real world suggestions were needed, and non- verbally when words were simply not accessible. However, as word comprehension and creation becomes increasingly difficult, the individual enters a new stage of disease development.Short-term memory, orientation, and concentration are now severely impaired. Throughout this stage, remote memory, intellectual functioning, comprehension, and judgement decline steadily. Ability to care for ones self also declines, and sleep patterns are altered this is a seve re blow to the patients independence and self-esteem. The patient then becomes suspicious and paranoid, even of those closest to them. Likelihood of involvement in accidents at home and abuse of medication increase. Behaviors may include night wandering, night shouting, and nocturnal micturition (night- time urination). Obviously, traditional family behaviors and interactive patterns realize drastic alteration.Family members begin to feel guilty for their impatience and intolerance of the patient, even though many of the demands of the patient are unrealistic and illogical. A major problem for those closest to the patient is readjusting expectations of the patient and themselves. Changes and problematic behavior become a source of stress during this phase, but overall limitation and conflict is reported to decrease, which may simply be the result of institutionalization of the victim. Use of drugs is found to be twice as high in care-givers as in community subjects, and care-givers often let their own health deteriorate.Particularly for the spouses caregivers, social isolation becomes an issue of psychological well being. Lack of time, energy, and interest in social activities becomes prominent as the deterioration of the patient increases. In one study, spouses of patients exhibited higher levels of stress, in comparison to adult children caregivers but husbands, in comparison to wives, report fewer burdens, and are more willing to admit the difficulty of the tasks at hand and seek out professional help. Adult male children are as likely as women are to assist their parents, but the men appeared to have the ability to distance themselves from the aging parent. This physical and emotional separation seemed to lower the amount of guilt felt by the men. Possibly because of these differing abilities to deal with the disease, there is often conflict between family members as to how to care for the victim.Two broad coping techniques of family members of Alzheimer v ictims are (1) Distancing techniques and (2) Enmeshing techniques. Distancing techniques (as discussed earlier) involve establishing distance between the patient and caregiver both emotionally and physically. Enmeshing techniques involve the intensification of the relationship, and often the exclusion of others. This option is usually observed in cases where the spouse is the primary caregiver. Apparently, it is very difficult for spouses who use the Enmeshing technique to become involved in social support groups.Social support is a proven mediator and alleviator of family stress and patient dejection. Adult day care programs provide respite for family members, and allow the patient to interact with individuals with similar conditions. Generally, the patients see the support group as being most helpful in the areas of information sharing and peer support. This information and assistance may help determine the strength of the individual in last stages of the disease.This phase is the final stage of Alzheimers disease. Mental deterioration is complete many patients are completely unaware of, or unable to respond to their surroundings. The patients are totally dependent on others for all aspects of daily living.The patient will, most likely, not identify family and friends, and may not communicate at all. Paranoia, agitation, and combativeness increase significantly, if the patient is able to display these emotions at all. He/she eventually becomes extremely weak, incontinent, non-ambulatory and bedridden. It has been hypothesized that at least some of the premorbid changes in strength and weakness may be predicted from changes observed in the earlier stages. Descriptions by caregivers of premorbid personality traits of the victim are similar to symptoms of depression, hallucinations, and delusions. It is during this stage that most victims are admitted to an institution for professional care. Several behavioral problems such as aggression and wandering appear to increase as individuals are moved from the community to nursing homes.Acceptance of this disturbing disease comes very slowly to the family members. The diseases sly onset and the original appearance by the victim of retention of regular physical vigor make acceptance increasingly difficult. As the disease progresses further and further, the changes that occur for the victim become increasingly obvious and family members tend to define the situation more similarly than in previous, seemingly inconspicuous stages.The grieving process is lengthy, because the death of the person is long before the death of the physical body. Although the loved one is long gone, their shell lives on.At some point during this stage, the spouse must undergo the final challenge of marital evaluation. Because the patient does not recognize anyone, the spouse is totally alone, but not single. Obtaining a divorce often creates many difficult legal issues. Many caregivers need assistance coping with the guilt of abandoning their spouse when placing them in a nursing home. Thus, financial problems come into the picture. Paying for nursing home services is difficult, as all effort in previous years has been put into caring for the patient.Relatives of deceased victims can be compared to those whose family member is still living. Wives and husbands display similar feelings of burden, but the husbands report more social limitations. On the contrary, sons and daughters are different in their descriptions of burden. Sons report less social limitations than daughters do, and less affective limitation when the demented parents had died. The sons of the deceased elderly also report less conflict with others than the daughters do.The need for individual support for the caregiver and family of the deceased is important, especially at this stage of sorrow. There may also be a sense of relief and release, as the extensive suffering of a loved one has finally ended. The empty body, which once contain ed a loved one, can finally be put to rest. Help and support from the staff at institutions with dealing with the grief of the final loss of a loved one is valuable and most definitely appreciated.Alzheimers Disease is a ceaseless debilitating disease without known cause or cure. Deterioration of mental and physical processes is inevitable, but varies between individuals- the cause for this variance has only been looked at hypothetically. It is a terrifying disease for the victim, who is constantly aware of the losses that are occurring, but can do nothing to prevent the disease from proceeding on its deadly course. Family members respond to the disease within certain guidelines, but the attitude towards the different stages differs for all involved. Social support systems have proven extremely effective for both the victim and caregiver in the Forgetful phase of the illness. From that point on, influence on patients decreases significantly, but personal gain for caregivers continue s.There is an evident need for publicly funded support for Alzheimers disease victims and their families. The obvious lack of information concerning the symptoms and results of the disease show the necessity for incorporation of education and support into intervention strategies for caregivers. Evaluation of a patient with possible dementia requires a complete medical history, neurologic evaluation, and physical examination. At the present time, no diagnostic tests for Alzheimers are available in laboratories.It is simply a diagnosis based on elimination of other diseases. There is great need for a biological marker that would confirm the diagnosis of Alzheimers in a living patient. Rapid progress has been made in identifying a potential genetic marker that could be used to diagnose the disease without autopsy, biopsy, or extended evaluations. Potential disadvantages of this approach would be the reluctance of both patients and physicians to have lumbar punctures done, and the poten tial overlap of normal patients and Alzheimer sufferers. These potential markers are a glimpse of light at the end of a dark tunnel.Metaphorically, Alzheimers can be seen as a house that is constantly being eaten by termites, from the inside out. Although the house may look the same on the outside, the very foundation of the house, the part that makes it a home, deteriorates. Attempts to stop the decay are futile and, at best, temporary. Eventually, one will not feel comfortable at home, and will most likely leave the home- possibly for someone else to deal with. This relief is also temporary. The eating away of the house continues, until it eventually topples into an unrecognizable heap of what used to be a home. This feeling was best described by one individual in the middle stages of the disease (J)ust a wild lost world. Im here but I dont know where I am.

Deception Point Page 35

The tourists laughed.Gabrielle followed past the stairway through a series of ropes and barricades into a more private section of the building. Here they entered a way Gabrielle had only seen in books and on television. Her breath grew short.My God, this is the Map RoomNo tour ever came in here. The rooms paneled walls could swing issueward to reveal level upon layer of world maps. This was the place where Roosevelt had charted the course of World War II. Unsettlingly, it was also the room from which Clinton had admitted his affair with Monica Lewinsky. Gabrielle pushed that particular thought from her mind. Most important, the Map Room was a handing over into the West Wing-the area inside the White House where the true powerbrokers worked. This was the last place Gabrielle Ashe had expected to be going. She had imagined her e-mail was coming from some enterprising fresh intern or secretary working in one of the complexs more mundane offices. Apparently not.Im going into the We st WingThe Secret Serviceman marched her to the precise end of a carpeted hallway and stopped at an unmarked door. He knocked. Gabrielles heart was pounding.Its open, someone called from inside.The man opened the door and motioned for Gabrielle to enter.Gabrielle stepped in. The shades were down, and the room was dim. She could see the faint outline of a person sitting at a desk in the darkness.Ms. Ashe? The voice came from behind a cloud of cigarette smoke. Welcome.As Gabrielles eyes accustomed to the dark, she began to make out an unsettlingly familiar face, and her muscles went taut with surprise. THIS is who has been sending me e-mail?Thank you for coming, Marjorie Tench said, her voice cold.Ms. Tench? Gabrielle stammered, suddenly futile to breathe.Call me Marjorie. The hideous woman stood up, blowing smoke out of her nose like a dragon. You and I are about to become best friends.41Norah Mangor stood at the extraction shaft beside Tolland, Rachel, and corky and stared into the pitch-black meteorite hole. Mike, she said, youre cute, but youre insane. Theres no bioluminescence here.Tolland direct wished hed thought to take some video while Corky had gone to pick up Norah and Ming, the bioluminescence had begun fading rapidly. Within a partner off of minutes, all the twinkling had simply stopped.Tolland threw an another(prenominal) piece of ice into the pissing, but nothing happened. No green splash.Where did they go? Corky asked.Tolland had a fairly good idea. Bioluminescence-one of natures most ingenious defense mechanisms-was a natural response for plankton in distress. A plankton sensing it was about to be consumed by larger organisms would begin flashing in hopes of attracting oftentimes larger predators that would scare off the original attackers. In this case, the plankton, having entered the shaft through a crack, suddenly found themselves in a primarily freshwater environment and bioluminesced in panic as the freshwater slowly killed them. I think they died.They were murdered, Norah scoffed. The Easter bunny girl swam in and ate them.Corky glared at her. I saw the luminescence too, Norah.Was it before or after you took LSD?Why would we lie about this? Corky demanded.Men lie.Yeah, about sleeping with other women, but never about bioluminescent plankton.Tolland sighed. Norah, certainly youre aware that plankton do live in the oceans beneath the ice.Mike, she replied with a glare, please dont tell me my business. For the record, there are over two hundred species of diatoms that thrive under Arctic ice shelves. Fourteen species of autotrophic nannoflagellates, twenty heterotrophic flagellates, forty heterotrophic dinoflagellates, and several metazoans, including polychaetes, amphipods, copepods, euphausids, and fish. Any questions?Tolland frowned. Clearly you know more about Arctic fauna than I do, and you agree theres plenty of life underneath us. So why are you so skeptical that we saw bioluminescent plankton?Because, Mike, this shaft is sealed. Its a closed, freshwater environment. No ocean plankton could possibly get in hereI tasted salt in the water, Tolland insisted. Very faint, but present. Saltwater is getting in here somehow.Right, Norah said skeptically. You tasted salt. You licked the sleeve of an old sweaty parka, and now youve decided that the PODS density scans and fifteen separate core samples are inaccurate.Tolland held out the wet sleeve of his parka as proof.Mike, Im not licking your damn jacket. She looked into the hole. faculty I ask why droves of alleged plankton decided to swim into this alleged crack?Heat? Tolland ventured. A lot of sea creatures are attracted by heat. When we extracted the meteorite, we heat it. The plankton may have been drawn instinctively toward the temporarily warmer environment in the shaft.Corky nodded. Sounds logical.Logical? Norah rolled her eyes. You know, for a prize-winning physicist and a world-famous oceanographer, youre a couple of pretty de nse specimens. Has it occurred to you that even if there is a crack-which I can assure you there is not-it is physically impossible for any sea-water to be flowing into this shaft. She stared at both of them with pathetic disdain.But, Norah, Corky began.Gentlemen Were standing higher up sea level here. She stamped her foot on the ice. Hello? This ice sheet rises a hundred feet above the sea. You might recall the big cliff at the end of this shelf? Were higher than the ocean. If there were a fissure into this shaft, the water would be flowing out of this shaft, not into it. Its called gravity.Tolland and Corky looked at each other.Shit, Corky said. I didnt think of that.Norah pointed into the water-filled shaft. You may also have noticed that the water level isnt changing?Tolland matte up like an idiot. Norah was absolutely right. If there had been a crack, the water would be flowing out, not in. Tolland stood in silence a long moment, wondering what to do next.Okay. Tolland sighe d. Apparently, the fissure theory makes no sense. But we saw bioluminescence in the water. The only conclusion is that this is not a closed environment after all. I realize much of your icedating data is built on the premise that the glacier is a solid block, but-Premise? Norah was obviously getting agitated. Remember, this was not just my data, Mike. NASA made the same findings. We all sustain this glacier is solid. No cracks.Tolland glanced across the dome toward the crowd gathered around the press conference area. Whatever is going on, I think, in good faith, we need to predicate the administrator and-This is bullshit Norah hissed. Im telling you this glacial matrix is pristine. Im not about to have my core data questioned by a salt lick and some absurd hallucinations. She stormed over to a nearby supply area and began collecting some tools. Ill take a proper water sample, and show you this water contains no saltwater plankton-living or deadRachel and the others looked on as No rah used a sterile pipette on a string to harvest a water sample from the melt pool. Norah placed several drops in a tiny device that resembled a miniature telescope. Then she peered through the oculus, pointing the device toward the light emanating from the other side of the dome. Within seconds she was cursing.