Reaction Paper on Vampires Essay Example for Free

Reaction Paper on Vampires Essay Vampire movies always have lots of fans, and of course, I’m a vampire film fan, too. In the past, vampires looked so scary: they were old, extremely ugly, knows nothing but killing†¦ Nowadays, however, people start to make vampires more â€Å"human†(and sometimes they are made even better than human beings): They are so good-looking they have breath-taking faces, they have sexy figures; they are immortal  they won’t die because they are too â€Å"old†, in other words, they are undead. They still looked young even thought they are hundreds years old; they have so many superpowers they read minds, they move as fast as wind, they are unbelievably strong. Now people even made vampires know more than just hunting like animals they know romance as well, they will fall in love with like human do†¦ I think this might be one of the reasons why people love vampire movies that much: because we find that our dreams (which can never come true in real life) come true in these movies. Reverse Psychology† is often used on children, through which parents let their children to do something by telling them †don’t do this. † This is because children are more likely to respond orders with reactance. In the movie â€Å"let the right one in†, when Eli and Oskar first met, Eli told Oskar â€Å"I can’t be your friend†. But obviously, Oskar didn’t have a clear desire to make friends with Eli. Eli started stating a negative in order to achieve her positive goal. And this is the use of reverse psychology. Based on the film notes, Eli’s intentions regard the function of Oskar is a replacement of Hakan. But even after reading the film notes, I still feel that Eli’s ultimate goal with Oskar is not just for finding someone to kill people and get blood for her. For me, Eli is just trying to have a friend who can keep her company. It’s easy to tell that Eli’s attitude towards Oskar is totally different from that to Hakan, she cares about Oskar (at least for me it is). At the beginning I thought Hakan is the father of Eli, but later on I found he’s more likely to be someone who helps Eli finding â€Å"food†. He might used to be Eli’s lover, but that’s just a guess, because there might be other reasons why he chose to take care of Eli. For example, he might be the one who cause Eli’s changing into a vampire, he feel guilty so that he chose to stay with her. According to the notes, at first Eli tried to sense Oskar as a potential serial killer, then she took control of Oskar’s self-image†¦Assume that Eli is a pedophile, she might keep Oskar, a young boy with her and replace Hakan, who’s no longer useful to her. In this film, the uncanny ability is shown to audiences over and over again, and it presents that love is just an excuse, which is used to disguise the subliminal reality of objectification and exploitation. By looking at the way Oskar dresses and behavior, we can tell that Oskar is an effeminate personality in this movie. I think that’s why the boys enjoy making fun of him. I thought that the reason why Oskar didn’t ever fight back is because he is so cowardice that he’s afraid that they might hit him harder if he fights back. But the note assumes that Oskar is actually sublimating his unconscious sexual attraction by allowing himself to be victimized. I think that because the group of bad boys always attacked Oskar and he couldn’t get any help from someone else, so he was mentally ill already. He had a strong desire of revenging but he didn’t have the â€Å"courage† to do so. He wants to kill people if it is allowed. Just because he knows that he cannot do it, he transferred his inner desire of killing to collecting the newspaper clippings on murder. I think his too cowardice. When I first watched this movie and saw Eli asked Oskar to teach her how to play the Rubrik’s cube, I didn’t think too much about this. But after reading the notes, it shows me that Rubrik’s cube might be one of the tools Eli use to achieve her subterfuge (which is to get close to Oskar). I think because Eli is a vampire who cannot live without drinking human’s blood, so it’s better for her to live in a lower class apartment so that she won’t catch people’s attention, otherwise she will get into trouble so easily. In a telling scene, we saw Eli’s naked groin with a horizontal suture, which means Eli was a boy but castrated by someone.

Reaction Paper on Vampires Essay Example for Free

Reaction Paper on Vampires Essay Vampire movies always have lots of fans, and of course, I’m a vampire film fan, too. In the past, vampires looked so scary: they were old, extremely ugly, knows nothing but killing†¦ Nowadays, however, people start to make vampires more â€Å"human†(and sometimes they are made even better than human beings): They are so good-looking they have breath-taking faces, they have sexy figures; they are immortal  they won’t die because they are too â€Å"old†, in other words, they are undead. They still looked young even thought they are hundreds years old; they have so many superpowers they read minds, they move as fast as wind, they are unbelievably strong. Now people even made vampires know more than just hunting like animals they know romance as well, they will fall in love with like human do†¦ I think this might be one of the reasons why people love vampire movies that much: because we find that our dreams (which can never come true in real life) come true in these movies. Reverse Psychology† is often used on children, through which parents let their children to do something by telling them †don’t do this. † This is because children are more likely to respond orders with reactance. In the movie â€Å"let the right one in†, when Eli and Oskar first met, Eli told Oskar â€Å"I can’t be your friend†. But obviously, Oskar didn’t have a clear desire to make friends with Eli. Eli started stating a negative in order to achieve her positive goal. And this is the use of reverse psychology. Based on the film notes, Eli’s intentions regard the function of Oskar is a replacement of Hakan. But even after reading the film notes, I still feel that Eli’s ultimate goal with Oskar is not just for finding someone to kill people and get blood for her. For me, Eli is just trying to have a friend who can keep her company. It’s easy to tell that Eli’s attitude towards Oskar is totally different from that to Hakan, she cares about Oskar (at least for me it is). At the beginning I thought Hakan is the father of Eli, but later on I found he’s more likely to be someone who helps Eli finding â€Å"food†. He might used to be Eli’s lover, but that’s just a guess, because there might be other reasons why he chose to take care of Eli. For example, he might be the one who cause Eli’s changing into a vampire, he feel guilty so that he chose to stay with her. According to the notes, at first Eli tried to sense Oskar as a potential serial killer, then she took control of Oskar’s self-image†¦Assume that Eli is a pedophile, she might keep Oskar, a young boy with her and replace Hakan, who’s no longer useful to her. In this film, the uncanny ability is shown to audiences over and over again, and it presents that love is just an excuse, which is used to disguise the subliminal reality of objectification and exploitation. By looking at the way Oskar dresses and behavior, we can tell that Oskar is an effeminate personality in this movie. I think that’s why the boys enjoy making fun of him. I thought that the reason why Oskar didn’t ever fight back is because he is so cowardice that he’s afraid that they might hit him harder if he fights back. But the note assumes that Oskar is actually sublimating his unconscious sexual attraction by allowing himself to be victimized. I think that because the group of bad boys always attacked Oskar and he couldn’t get any help from someone else, so he was mentally ill already. He had a strong desire of revenging but he didn’t have the â€Å"courage† to do so. He wants to kill people if it is allowed. Just because he knows that he cannot do it, he transferred his inner desire of killing to collecting the newspaper clippings on murder. I think his too cowardice. When I first watched this movie and saw Eli asked Oskar to teach her how to play the Rubrik’s cube, I didn’t think too much about this. But after reading the notes, it shows me that Rubrik’s cube might be one of the tools Eli use to achieve her subterfuge (which is to get close to Oskar). I think because Eli is a vampire who cannot live without drinking human’s blood, so it’s better for her to live in a lower class apartment so that she won’t catch people’s attention, otherwise she will get into trouble so easily. In a telling scene, we saw Eli’s naked groin with a horizontal suture, which means Eli was a boy but castrated by someone.

History Of Mental Illness Health And Social Care Essay

History Of Mental Illness Health And Social Care Essay Mental illness is a general term for a group of illnesses. Mental disorders result from biological, developmental and/or psychosocial factors. A mental illness can be mild or severe, temporary or prolonged. Mental illness can come and go throughout a persons life. Some people experience their illness only once and fully recover. For others, it is prolonged and recurs over time. Mental illness can make it difficult for someone to cope with work, relationships and other aspects of their life. Definition of mental illness Mental illnesses are medical conditions that disrupt a persons thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illnesses are medical conditions that often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life. Serious mental illnesses include major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and borderline personality disorder. The good news about mental illness is that recovery is possible. Mental illnesses can affect persons of any age, race, religion, or income. Mental illnesses are not the result of personal weakness, lack of character or poor upbringing. Mental illnesses are treatable. Most people diagnosed with a serious mental illness can experience relief from their symptoms by actively participating in an individual treatment plan. In addition to medication treatment, psychosocial treatment such as cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, peer support groups and other community services can also be components of a treatment plan and that assist with recovery. The availability of transportation, diet, exercise, sleep, friends and meaningful paid or volunteer activities contribute to overall health and wellness, including mental illness recovery. History of Mental illness Timeline 1247: Bethlehem Hospital (more frequently known as Bedlam) opens in London to house distraught and lunatik people. 1566: The New Worlds first mental hospital is established in Mexico City. 1774: The Act for Regulating Madhouses, Licensing, and Inspection is passed in England. The law forbade a persons commitment to a madhouse without a physicians certification of that individuals insanity. 1790s: A Quaker called William Turke opens the York Retreat near York, England, an asylum for the mentally ill. The Retreat favored humane treatment; physical restraints were not used and patients were comfortably housed. 1790s: French physician Phillipe Pinel begins working at the Bicentre and Salpetriere asylums where he develops traitement morale, a form of treatment that focused on the mental origins of madness. His kind treatment of his patients brought about recovery for many 1817: Quakers in Philadelphia open the first asylum in America based on the principles of moral treatment. 1841: Dorothea Dix, a schoolteacher from Cambridge Massachusetts, becomes inspired to take up the cause of the mentally ill. She travels to several states where she lobbies state legislatures to better their treatment of the mentally ill. Over thirty state mental hospitals were opened as a result of her efforts. 1867: The Packard Law passes in Illinois. Named for Eliza Packard, a woman committed against her will by her husband after a property dispute, the law required that a patients insanity be determined by a jury before he or she could be sent to an institution. 1927: The US Supreme Court rules in Buck v. Bell that the forced sterilization of defectives, including the mentally ill, is constitutional. 1954: The Durham Rule is established by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. It states that a person accused of a crime is not responsible if the criminal act was the product of a mental disease or a mental defect. It was later rejected due to problems defining mental disease and product. 1963: Congress passes the Community Mental Health Centers Act. This leads to the closure of many large state psychiatric hospitals. 1966: Lake v. Cameron, a case of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit , declares that patients in psychiatric hospitals have the right to receive treatment in the setting that is least restrictive. 1975: US Senate holds hearings about the use of neuroleptics (antipsychotic drugs such as Thorazine) in juvenile jails and homes for the developmentally disabled. 1979: NAMI is founded. 1988: The Fair Housing Amendments Act prohibits housing discrimination against people with disabilities, including mental disabilities. 1990: The Americans with Disabilities Act is passed. It prohibits discrimination against people with physical or mental disabilities. 2004: DuPage County begins the Mental Illness Court Alternative Program (MICAP.) 2008: Congress passes the Mental Health Parity and Addictions Equity Act. It requires that any limits to insurance coverage for mental illness be no more restrictive than those for physical health issues. 2010: Williams v. Quinn, a case heard by U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, rules that Illinois residents with mental illnesses living in nursing homes and other institutions for mental diseases (IMDs) have the right to live in integrated settings in the community Types of Mental Illness There are many different conditions that are recognized as mental illnesses. The more common types include: Anxiety disorders: People with anxiety disorders respond to certain objects or situations with fear and dread, as well as with physical signs of anxiety or nervousness, such as a rapid heartbeat and sweating. An anxiety disorder is diagnosed if the persons response is not appropriate for the situation, if the person cannot control the response, or if the anxiety interferes with normal functioning. Anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and specific phobias. Mood disorders: These disorders, also called affective disorders, involve persistent feelings of sadness or periods of feeling overly happy, or fluctuations from extreme happiness to extreme sadness. The most common mood disorders are depression, mania, and bipolar disorder. Psychotic disorders: Psychotic disorders involve distorted awareness and thinking. Two of the most common symptoms of psychotic disorders are hallucinations the experience of images or sounds that are not real, such as hearing voices and delusions, which are false beliefs that the ill person accepts as true, despite evidence to the contrary. Schizophrenia is an example of a psychotic disorder. Eating disorders: Eating disorders involve extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors involving weight and food. Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder are the most common eating disorders. Impulse control and addiction disorders: People with impulse control disorders are unable to resist urges, or impulses, to perform acts that could be harmful to themselves or others. Pyromania (starting fires), kleptomania (stealing), and compulsive gambling are examples of impulse control disorders. Alcohol and drugs are common objects of addictions. Often, people with these disorders become so involved with the objects of their addiction that they begin to ignore responsibilities and relationships. Personality disorders: People with personality disorders have extreme and inflexible personality traits that are distressing to the person and/or cause problems in work, school, or social relationships. In addition, the persons patterns of thinking and behavior significantly differ from the expectations of society and are so rigid that they interfere with the persons normal functioning. Examples include antisocial personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, and paranoid personality disorder. Other, less common types of mental illnesses include: Recommended Related to Mental Health Adjustment disorder: Adjustment disorder occurs when a person develops emotional or behavioral symptoms in response to a stressful event or situation. The stressors may include natural disasters, such as an earthquake or tornado; events or crises, such as a car accident or the diagnosis of a major illness; or interpersonal problems, such as a divorce, death of a loved one, loss of a job, or a problem with substance abuse. Adjustment disorder usually begins within three months of the event or situation and ends within six months after the stressor stops or is eliminated. Dissociative disorders: People with these disorders suffer severe disturbances or changes in memory, consciousness, identity, and general awareness of themselves and their surroundings. These disorders usually are associated with overwhelming stress, which may be the result of traumatic events, accidents, or disasters that may be experienced or witnessed by the individual. Dissociative identity disorder, formerly called multiple personality disorder, or split personality, and depersonalization disorder are examples of dissociative disorders. Factitious disorders: Factitious disorders are conditions in which physical and/or emotional symptoms are created in order to place the individual in the role of a patient or a person in need of help. Sexual and gender disorders: These include disorders that affect sexual desire, performance, and behavior. Sexual dysfunction, gender identity disorder, and the paraphilias are examples of sexual and gender disorders. Somatoform disorders: A person with a somatoform disorder, formerly known as psychosomatic disorder, experiences physical symptoms of an illness, even though a doctor can find no medical cause for the symptoms. Tic disorders: People with tic disorders make sounds or display body movements that are repeated, quick, sudden, and/or uncontrollable. (Sounds that are made involuntarily are called vocal tics.) Tourettes syndrome is an example of a tic disorder. Other diseases or conditions, including various sleep-related problems and many forms of dementia, including Alzheimers disease, are sometimes classified as mental illnesses, because they involve the brain. Causes of Mental Illness Were aware of several different forms of mental illnesses, right from bipolar disorder to schizophrenia to compulsive disorders. How often we come across murders carried out by mentally unstable people! In fact, there are scores of famous people with bipolar disorders. Mental illnesses are especially common in the United States. Approximately 26.2 % Americans above 18 years of age are believed to suffer from mental disorders every year, thereby conducing to one of the leading causes of disabilities in the US and Canada. But what causes mental illness? Mental illness is a condition affecting the brain, that influences the way a person thinks, feels, behaves and relates to others around him or her. The symptoms of mental illness may range from mild depressive symptoms to severe behavioral problems. Genetic Factors Depression and mental illnesses are often passed on from one generation to another through the genes. This means, a person with a family history of mental illness is more vulnerable to develop a mental illness. It is believed that mental illness is associated to various abnormalities in not just one, but several genes. This is the reason why the person inherits the vulnerability to develop this illness, but does not inherit the illness itself. When such people go through horrendous situations the balance of their mind tips and they get engulfed by mental illnesses. . Physical Factors People who have landed up injuring their head several times in accidents, are seen to damage certain areas of their brain and central nervous system, that lead to mental illnesses. Trauma occurring at the time of birth can also cause damage to the brain. Moreover, disruption of early fetal brain development can also lead to conditions like autism, etc. Some biological factors such as chemical imbalance in the brain, are also associated to mental illnesses. The chemicals called neurotransmitters help nerve cells in the brain to transfer impulses, thereby facilitating communication. However, when this balance tips, messages are not transferred correctly, leading to mental illness. Diseases affecting the brain such as Huntingtons chorea, multiple sclerosis and infections like Tuberculous meningitis, Encephalitis lethargica, etc. also result in mental illnesses. Psychological Factors People who have gone through harrowing experiences in their lives like emotional, physical, sexual abuse, domestic violence or bullying are often unable to cope with their traumatic past. Sometimes, the death of a loved one, betrayal or neglect during childhood years, also mars the persons emotional state of mind. This sometimes can be the reason of mental illness of a person. Social and Environmental Factors Poverty, living in a difficult and unsafe environment like in war zones, residing in earthquake prone and other natural disaster-prone areas, living in neighborhoods plagued by gangsters, etc. can lead to mental illnesses. These people develop a constant fear that conduces to mental illness. Moreover, unhealthy environment factors at home, such as growing up in a dysfunctional family, with narcissistic parents or neglecting parents can cause the balance of the childs brain to tip. The persons appearance regarding height and weight also causes depression in certain people. Mental illnesses should be not confused with mental retardation. People with mental illnesses do not exhibit limitations in mental, cognitive and social functions. Thus, causes of mental retardation and causes of mental illnesses are obviously different. The above mentioned causes cannot be viewed in isolation. Its when two or three different factors come together, such as past abuse and present horrendous situation come together, that it often causes the mental illness. It is important to not look upon people with mental illnesses with disdain and ostracize them. What they need is unconditional love. Espouse them and help them out of their pits of depression. The symptoms of mental illness A person with a mental illness can experience problems with their thinking, emotions and/or behaviour. These changes may happen quickly, or they may be gradual and subtle. It may take time to understand and identify what is happening. Psychotic symptoms These symptoms can include: Thoughts and feelings that are out of the ordinary or difficult to understand, such as thought of being persecuted or under surveillance for which there is no proof Experiencing sensations (seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting something when there is nothing there that others can identify) Odd behaviour. Schizophrenia is a psychotic illness. Mood symptoms Some of the symptoms of a changed mood may include: Persistent and pervasive feelings of sadness, elation, anxiety, fear or irritability Changes in sleep patterns Changes in appetite Loss of interest in things that were previously enjoyable Periods of increased or decreased activity, where things may be started and not finished Difficulty thinking and concentrating Excessive worries Changes in use of alcohol and other drugs. Exact causes are unknown Many mental illnesses are thought to have a biological cause. What are the exact causes , its unknown. The relationship between stress and mental illness is complex, but it is known that stress can worsen an episode of mental illness. Treatment: Extraordinary advances have been made in the treatment of mental illness. Understanding what causes some mental health disorders helps doctors tailor treatment to those disorders. As a result, many mental health disorders can now be treated nearly as successfully as physical disorders. Psychological treatment Psychological treatments are based on the idea that some problems relating to mental illness occur because of the way people react to, think about and perceive things. They are particularly relevant to many people with anxiety disorders and depression. Psychological treatments can reduce the distress associated with symptoms and can even help reduce the symptoms themselves. These therapies may take several weeks or months to show benefits. Different psychological therapies used in the treatment of mental illness include: Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) examines how a persons thoughts, feelings and behaviour can get stuck in unhelpful patterns. The person and therapist work together to develop new ways of thinking and acting. Therapy usually includes tasks to perform outside the therapy sessions. CBT may be useful in the treatment of depression, anxiety disorders and psychotic disorders such as bipolar and schizophrenia. Interpersonal psychotherapy examines how a persons relationships and interactions with others affect their own thoughts and behaviours. Difficult relationships may cause stress for a person with a mental illness and improving these relationships may improve a persons quality of life. This therapy may be useful in the treatment of depression. Dialectical behaviour therapy is a treatment for people with borderline personality disorder (BPD). A key problem for people with BPD is handling emotions. This therapy helps people to better manage their emotions and responses. Treatment with medication Medications are mainly helpful for people who are more seriously affected by mental illness. Different types of medication treat different types of mental illness: Antidepressant medications about 60 to 70 per cent of people with depression respond to initial antidepressant treatment. These medications are now also used (in combination with psychological therapies) to treat phobias, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and eating disorders. Antipsychotic medications are used to treat psychotic illnesses, for example schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Newer antipsychotic medications may have some side effects, but tend to have fewer of the effects that were associated with the older medications, for example stiffening and weakening of the muscles and muscle spasms. Mood stabilising medications are helpful for people who have bipolar disorder (previously known as manic depression). These medications, such as lithium carbonate, can help reduce the recurrence of major depression and can help reduce the manic or high episodes. Other forms of treatment Effective treatment involves more than medications. Treatment may also involve: Community support including information, accommodation, help with finding suitable work, training and education, psychosocial rehabilitation and mutual support groups. Understanding and acceptance by the community is very important. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) this treatment can be a highly effective treatment for severe depression and, sometimes, for other diagnoses when other treatments have not been effective. After the person is given a general anaesthetic and muscle relaxant, an electrical current is passed through their brain. Hospitalisation this only occurs when a person is acutely ill and needs intensive treatment for a short time. It is considered better for a persons mental health to treat them in the community, in their familiar surroundings. Involuntary treatment this can occur when the psychiatrist recommends someone needs treatment but the person doesnt agree. In general, people receive involuntary treatment to ensure their own safety or that of others. Mental illness in Pakistan: Mental health in Pakistan has remained a subject of debate since the last few years. The incidence and prevalence have both increased tremendously in the background of growing insecurity, terrorism, economical problems, political uncertainty, unemployment and disruption of the social fabric. 1 Sinking below poverty line by almost 39% of the individuals is an alarming factor worth noting. Many people are now presenting to psychiatrists probably because of the growing awareness through the good work of media. Though there are many things which can be done to improve the mental health of the people in the areas of social environment, economic improvement and political harmony etc. but the important subject for debate is that, how far we are in the areas of education, service and research related to mental health having direct impact on the patient population. From 1947 to 2005, almost 58 years have passed since the independence of the country and many countries with this age have done w onders in overall upkeep of health care and specially the mental health. The scenario though is improving, but is it at the required pace? If we first take the area of education by virtue of which we train our future doctors who in turn can become navigators helping us in sailing smoothly through the heavy storm of up surging mental illnesses, we find lacunas which are evident when it comes to ultimate care of patients. With the exception of very few institutions, the subject of behavioral sciences which has been introduced by the PMDC in the early years of medical teaching is not being taken serious enough, low number of behavioral scientists cannot alone be blamed for this, there are no structured rotation programmes for senior medical students which means a calendar indicating topics, patient sessions, log book and evaluation strategy with weightage in the final year marking system. Low interest by students in the subject of psychiatry despite few institutions model teaching/trai ning programme is understandable in view of no separate paper in psychiatry and very low representation in the paper and clinico-orals of the subject of General Medicine. Regarding the departments, are we fulfilling the international requirements of a good department of psychiatry with full-fledged faculty in all hierarchies? The answer is simply no. Regarding the postgraduate education, how many recognized centers follow structured programmes emphasizing adequate patient exposure, ongoing continuing medical education programmes, research, exposure to subspecialties like, child, geriatric, forensic and rehabilitation psychiatry etc., is there a rural exposure, is there training in cultural issues, is there emphasis on liaison service and multidisciplinary team approach, is there a standard methodology for continuous monitoring and evaluation with resultant weightage in postgraduate exit examinations, is there training in audit and psychiatric administration, the answers to most of t hese questions will remain unanswered nationally. It is precautionary not to say a word about the selection criteria of evaluators and examiners lest it is not politically biased and motivated. It is also worth noting that during postgraduate training how many of the prospective specialists are monitored and assessed for culturally relevant mental state examination, adequate case note management, observation of prescribing practices and its justification, communication skills etc. Once certified, there is no provision of higher specialist training for a period of at least three years on the pattern of UK with evaluation of practice-based efficiency, infact, the UK model is worth adopting. 2 There is no trend for CME credit maintenance and hence no programme specifically designed for psychiatrists though there are many such programmes for the general practitioners of course with no condition of maintaining credit certification, this is mostly prompted by the pharmaceutical companies with a view of improving sale as evidence has shown that the knowledge of even most common disorder depression was not adequate among general practitioners. When we come to service, though the major teaching hospitals have established separate departments of psychiatry but in most of the cases they are not well equipped specially in terms of psychiatric manpower both skill and number wise. Still Pakistan has very low number of psychiatrists and these too are continuously being drained by the developed countries especially by the western world where they are being offered an attractive package and lifestyle that the question remains as to who comes back and serves the nation. 4 It is not surprising that there are a large number of Pakistani psychiatrists in United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand apart from those in Middle East, Africa and South East Asia. It seems that soon we shall become a psychiatrists exporting region like our neighbour India thus causing further deepening of the problem related to the already existing scarcity of psychiatrists. 5 Also, at the same time it is vitally important to abolish the feudal psychiatry which fortunately is being eroded by young generation of psychiatrists. There is also acute shortage of allied mental health professionals. In view of poverty, low health budget, high cost of medicines there is huge economic burden on the patients. 6 The hospitals also dont follow the intake/admission criteria, no separate unit for subspecialties, no appropriate long stay units, no exit/discharge criteria, no rehabilitation services, no exchange of information between psychiatrists and family practitioners, no proper advertisement of available services, no concept of day centers, day hospitals, ill developed community services, no central registry of patients and set policy for management systems in the psychiatric set ups and finally no internal referral system. As far as research is conc erned, there is still low representation in local accredited journals and very low in international journals. 7 Though there has been an increase in lay and scientific write-ups recently but it is still far from satisfactory state. Papers are produced for promotions and that too are for the sake of papers, matter of keeping up standards are ignored. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry published regularly from Lahore once upon a time disappeared eventually. The first journal of Pakistan Psychiatric Society called JPPS was published in the year 2003, which was blocked politically and was not reproduced again. . It appears that still we are far behind in achieving the standards and in order to improve the existing scenario some steps are essential. In order to bring improvement in psychiatric education, it is important to pay emphasis on the subject of behavioral sciences, design an appropriate undergraduate training program in line with one of the international modules, inculcation of research interest among medical students, either introduction of a separate paper of psychiatry or at least 25% of weightage in the paper of medicine, at postgraduate level more structured training program with exposure to subspecialties, designing a postgraduate curriculum and module, introduction of audit of training and performance, provision of higher specialist training at the level of specialist registrar, private-public partnership in provision of services, mobilization of more resources for mental health and maintaining of records. There is a need for development of research culture especially in the a reas of need assessment is also necessary. Along with these efforts the medical fraternity can force the government to allocate a higher budget, reduce poverty, bring social justice and harmony, improving political scenario. It is also advisable to create better incentives for the mental health professionals in order to avert brain drain. Efforts for providing a conducive environment to the public to help in promoting sound mental as well as physical health are imperative. Literature Review Anxiety and depressive disorders are common in all regions of the world. 1 They constitute a substantial proportion of the global burden of disease, and are projected to form the second most common cause of disability by 2020.2 This increased importance of non-communicable diseases such as anxiety and depressive disorders presents a particular challenge for low income countries, where infectious diseases and malnutrition are still rife and where only a low percentage of gross domestic product is allocated to health services.3 These disorders are also important because of their economic consequences. 4 With an estimated population of 152 million, Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world. It is projected that, by 2050, the population will have increased to make it the fourth most populous country.5 There is a need to develop an evidence base to aid policy development on tackling anxiety and depressive disorders. We therefore conducted a systematic review as no such work existed to our knowledge. Our main questions were (a) what the estimated prevalence of anxiety and depressive disorders is in Pakistan and how this compares with estimates from other low income countries; (b) what the associated social, psychological, and biological factors are; and (c) what evidence exists for effectiveness of treatment or prevention in this population. Prevalence of anxiety and depressive disorders the prevalence of anxiety and depressive disorders estimated in the studies. The overall mean prevalence in men and women in the six studies of random community samples (n = 2658) was 33.62%, with the point prevalence varying from 28.8% to 66% for women (overall mean 45.5%) and from 10% to 33% for men (overall mean 21.7%). Women aged 15-49 were studied in a paper with 28.8% prevalence, while young men with a mean age of 18 participated in a study reporting 33% prevalence. Only one study reported adjusted prevalence with 95% confidence intervals. For those presenting to traditional or faith healers (n = 511), the prevalence of anxiety and depressive disorders among men varied from 2.65% to 27%, and among women from 11.5 % to 52%. Three studies looked at total psychiatric morbidity in primary care (n = 774). One described women in a rural area, with a prevalence of 50%, while another described 18% prevalence for men and 42.2% for women in an urban area. The third study, with a prevalence of 38.4%, did not specify participants sex. Of those presenting to psychiatric outpatients (n = 2430), the prevalence varied between 32% and 66.3%. There were two studies on psychiatric inpatients, one reported a prevalence of depressive illness of 37% (n = 2620), while the other reported 19.1% (n = 177). Comparison with other low income countries Using stringent criteria, Harding et al reported an overall frequency of anxiety and depression of 13.9% in four developing countries.9 Community studies from Africa have reported prevalences of 24% in rural Uganda and 20%-24% in rural South Africa. Among patients attending primary care, the prevalence varied from 8% to 29%. Patients attending primary care in India showed prevalences between 21% and 57%. In relation to risk factors, Abas and Broadhead found a significant association with formal employment, below average income, overcrowding, and certificate of secondary education in urban Zimbabwe.In the same study, they also found a significant association with humiliation or entrapment and with death or other l

Cosmic Teleology and the Crisis of the Sciences Essay example -- Philo

Cosmic Teleology and the Crisis of the Sciences ABSTRACT: This paper analyzes recent work from within the physical sciences which argue for the emergence of a new paradigm capable of unifying the sciences and demonstrating the ultimate meaningfulness of the universe. I argue that while there is powerful evidence for cosmic teleology, the works in question do not represent a new paradigm and neither unify science nor adequately accommodate the evidence in question, but rather attempt to "put new wine in old skins." As Aristotle demonstrated, only teleological argumentation offers a complete scientific explanation, and authentic teleology is effectively ruled out by the hegemonic scientific paradigm which gives first place to mathematical formalism-something which makes possible rigorous description but not authentic explanation. This does not mean returning to Aristotelian science, but rather exploring the "road not taken" when Aristotelian science entered a crisis at the end of the medieval period: generalizing the concept of tele ology so that it can accommodate both the physical (especially astronomical) evidence which created problems for Aristotelian science long before Galileo and Kepler, and account teleologically for such phenomena as chaos and disintegration. The work of scientists like Gal-Or, Bohm, and Prigogine provides important resources for moving in this direction, but a more explicit option for teleology is necessary if the evidence is to be accommodated and the internal contradictions of the existing paradigm to be resolved. There has been considerable discussion in recent years regarding the emergence of a new scientific paradigm centered on holism and self-organization. This discussion has been motivated... ...ohn and Sylla, Edith. 1978 "The Science of Motion," in David Lindberg, editor, Science in the Middle Ages. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Pedersen, Olaf. 1978. "Astronomy," in David Lindberg, editor, Science in the Middle Ages. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Pines, David (ed.). 1987. Emerging Syntheses in Science, New York: Addison Wesley. Prigogine, Ilya. 1977. Self-Organization in Non-Equilibrium Systems, with Nicolis, G. New York: Wiley. ________. 1979. From Being to Becoming: Time and Complexity in the Physical Sciences. New York: Freeman. ________. 1984. Order Out of Chaos, with Stengers, I. New York: Basic. ________. 1988. "An Alternative to Quantum Theory," with Tomio Petrosky, in Physica 147A: 461-486. Spinoza, Baruch. 1677/1955. Ethics. New York: Dover Tipler, Frank. 1994. The Physics of Immortality, New York: Doubleday

John Steinbecks Novel, In Dubious Battle Essay -- John Steinbeck In D

John Steinbeck's Novel, In Dubious Battle We are lucky to have many talented writers who have successfully taught US history through their outstanding pieces of literature. One writer of this kind is John Steinbeck in the novel In Dubious Battle. It takes place in the 1930’s when Franklin Deleanor Roosevelt was President. The story is set in a small, rural, part of California, which is known as the Torgas Valley. The novel occurred before World War II at the late part of the Great Depression. The US was still recovering from the downfall from most of the American Industries that fell during the Great Depression. Due to the Industrial Revolution, there were no longer any large industries to support the overflowing amount of workers. The farms were the only place that needed a large work force. Therefore many of the workers had to move to the rural areas to support their needs and to survive. The farm owners were now able to cut the wages significantly, knowing that the workers would not quit and they would get all the work done.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The main character in In Dubious Battle is Jim Nolan. Throughout the novel his life constantly changes. No day is typical in his life. At first he was a normal working man in the urban parts of California. However, he was not satisfied with his job and wanted to have a completely different life. He then decided to join the Reds, or Radicals, which was a Party that wanted to start strikes and protest against the low wages given to all the w...

Unemployment :: Working Jobs Careers Labor Essays

Unemployment In compiling unemployment statistics for the United States and other developed countries an unemployed person is defined as anyone who is capable of working and is actively seeking work but is unable to find a job.1Before a person can be unemployed in this sense he must be an active member of the labor force in search of a job. Students and Homemakers perform work, but they are not considered employed unless they are paid; however, they are not considered unemployed unless they are actively seeking gainful jobs. In societies in which a majority of the citizens are able to earn a living by working for others, being unable to locate and obtain a job is a very serious problem. Unemployment is widely used as a measure of workers' welfare because of the human costs and feelings of rejection and personal failure. The proportion of workers unemployed also shows how well a nations human resources are used and serves as an index of economic activity. The civilian labor force comprises the total of all civilians classified as employed or unemployed. The total labor force also includes members of the Armed Forces stationed either in the US Or abroad. The unemployment rate represents the number unemployed as a percent of the civilian labor force.2 Unemployment can be divided percent of the civilian labor into three types known as frictional, structural, and cyclical. The first form of unemployment is frictional unemployment. Frictional unemployment arises because workers seeking jobs do not find them immediately. While looking for work they are counted as unemployed.3 This could happen if suppose a person loses a job, perhaps because the work is finished. For example a construction craftsman when the job is finished; or it could happen to an actor or actress when the show closes. It will ordinarily take some time before that person finds another job. But while construction workers and entertainers can ordinarily expect to face this problem from time to time, it is something that can happen to anyone employed. People who are simply between jobs, in this sense, are said to be frictionally unemployed. The amount of frictional unemployment depends on the frequency with which workers change jobs and the time it takes to find new on es.4 This is a particularly important category, since this category of unemployment can never be eliminated or reduced to zero. Even in the best functioning market economy, there will be some people who are between jobs.

Night World : Secret Vampire Chapter 10

Things have to be right,† Poppy said. â€Å"Things have to be just right for this. Get some candles, Phil.† Phil was looking ashen and haggard. â€Å"Candles?† â€Å"As many as you can find. And some pillows. I need lots of pillows.† She knelt by the stereo to examine a haphazard pile of CDs. Phil stared at herbriefly, then went out. † Structures from Silence . . .no. Too repetitious,†Poppy said, rummaging through the pile.† Deep Forest-no.Too hyper. I need somethingambient.† â€Å"How about this?† James picked a CD up. Poppylooked at the label. Music to Disappear In. Of course. It was perfect. Poppy took the CD andmet James's gaze. Usually he referred to the hauntingsoft strains of ambient music as ‘New Age mush.' â€Å"You understand,† she said quietly. â€Å"Yes. But you're not dying, Poppy. This isn't adeath scene you're setting up.† â€Å"But I'm going away. I'm changing.† Poppy couldn't explain exactly, but something in her saidshe was doing the right thing. She was dying to her old life. It was a solemn occasion, a Passage. And of course, although neither of them mentioned it, they both knew shemightdie for good.James had been very frank about that-some peopledidn't make it through the transition. Phil came back with candles, Christmas candles,emergency candles, scented votive candles. Poppy directed him to place them around the room and lightthem. She herself went to the bathroom to change into her best nightgown. It was flannel, with a pattern of little strawberries. Just imagine, she thought as she left the bathroom.This is the last time I'll ever walk down this hall, thelast time I'll push open my bedroom door. The bedroom was beautiful. The soft glow of candlelight gave it an aura of sanctity, of mystery. Themusic was unearthly and sweet, and Poppy felt shecould fall into it forever, the way she fe!l in herdreams. Poppy opened the closet and used a hanger to bata tawny stuffed lion and a floppy gray Eeyore down from the top shelf. She took them to her bed and put them beside the mounded pillows. Maybe it wasstupid, maybe it was childish, but she wanted themwith her. She sat on the bed and looked at James and Phillip. They were both looking at her. Phil was dearly upset,touching his mouth to stop its trembling. James wasupset, too, although only someone who knew him aswell as Poppy did would have been able to tell. â€Å"It's all right,† Poppy told them. â€Å"Don't you see?I'mall right, so there's no excuse for you not to be.† And the strange thing was, it was the truth. Shewas all right. She felt calm and clear now, as if everything had become very simple. She saw the road ahead of her, and all she had to do was follow it, step by step. Phil came over to squeeze her hand. â€Å"How does this how does this work?† he asked James huskily. â€Å"First we'll exchange blood,† James said-speaking to Poppy. Looking only at her. â€Å"It doesn't haveto be a lot; you're right on the border ofchangingalready. Then the two kinds of blood fight it outsort of the last battle, if you see what I mean.† He smiled faintly and painfully, and Poppy nodded. â€Å"While that's happening you'll feel weaker andweaker. And then you'll just go to sleep. Thechange happens while you're asleep.† â€Å"And when do I wake up?† Poppy asked. â€Å"I'll give you a kind of posthypnotic suggestion about that. Tell you to wake up whenI come to getyou. Don't worry about it; I've got all the detailsfigured out. All you need to do is rest.† Phil was running nervous hands through his hair,as if he was just now thinking about what kind ofdetails he and James were going to have to deal with. â€Å"Wait a minute,† he said in almost a croak. â€Å"When—— whenyou say ‘sleep'-she's going to look†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Dead,† Poppy supplied, when his voice ran out. James gave Phil a cold look. â€Å"Yes. We've beenover this.† â€Å"And then-we're really going to-what's going tohappento her?† James glared. â€Å"It's okay,† Poppy said softly. â€Å"Tell him.† â€Å"You know what's going to happen,† James saidthrough clenched teeth to Phillip. â€Å"She can't just dis appear. We'd have the policeandthe Night peo pleafter us, looking for her. No, it's got to seem that shedied from the cancer, and that means everything's got to happen exactly the way it would if she haddied. Phil's sick expression said he wasn't at his mostrational. â€Å"You're sure there isn't any other way?† â€Å"No,†James said. Phil wet his lips. â€Å"Oh, God.† Poppy herself didn't want to dwell on it too much.She said fiercely,†Dealwith it, Phil. You've got to. And remember, if it doesn't happen now it's goingto happen in a few weeks-for real.† Phil was holding on to one of the brass bedpostsso hard that his knuckles were pale. But he'd gottenthe point, and there was no one better than Phil atbracing himself. â€Å"You're right,† he saidthinly, with the ghost of his old efficient manner. â€Å"Okay, I'm dealing with it.† ‘Then let's get started,† Poppy said, making hervoice calm and steady. As if she were dealing witheverything effortlessly herself. James said to Phil, â€Å"You don't want to see thispart. Go out and watch TV for a few minutes.† Phil hesitated, then nodded and left. â€Å"One thing,† Poppy said to James as she scootedto the middle_ of the bed. She was still trying desperately to sound casual. â€Å"After the funeral-well, I'll be asleep, won't I? I won't wake up †¦ you know.In my nice little coffin.† She looked up at him. â€Å"It's just that I'm claustrophobic, a little.† â€Å"You won't wake up there,† James said. â€Å"Poppy,I wouldn't let that happen to you. Trust me; I've thought of everything.† Poppy nodded. I do trust you, she thought. Then she held her arms out to him. He touched her neck, so she tilted her chin back.As the blood was drawn from her, she felt her mind drawn into his. Don't worry, Poppy. Don't be afraid. Allhis thoughtswere ferociously protective. And even though it onlyconfirmed that there was something to be afraidof,that this could go wrong, Poppy felt peaceful. Thedirect sense of his love made her calm, flooded her with light. She suddenly felt distance and height and depthspaciousness. As if her horizons had expanded almostto infinity in an instant. As if she'd discovered a new dimension.Asif there were no limits or obstacles to what she and James could do together. She felt †¦ free. I'm getting light-headed, she realized. She couldfeel herself going limp in James's arms. Swooninglike a wilting flower. I'vetaken enough,James said in her mind.Thewarmanimalmouth on her throat pulled back.†Now it's your turn.† This time, though, he didn't make the cut at hiswrist. He took off his T-shirt and, with a quick, impulsive gesture, ran a fingernail along the base of his throat. Oh, Poppy thought. Slowly, almost reverently, she leaned forward. James's hand supported the back ofher head. Poppy put her arms around him, feelinghis bare skin under the flannel of her nightgown. It was better this way. But if James was right, itwas another last time. She and James could neverexchange blood again. I can't accept that, Poppythought, but she couldn'tconcentrate on anything for very long. This time, instead of clearing her brain, the wild, intoxicatingvampire blood was making her more confused. Moreheavy and sleepy. James? It's all right. It's the beginning of the change. Heavy†¦sleepy†¦warm. Lapped in salty oceanwaves. She could almost picture the vampire bloodtrickling through her veins, conquering everything inits path. It was ancient blood, primeval. It was changing her into something old, something that had been around since the dawn of time. Something primitive and basic. Every molecule in her body, changing†¦ Poppy, can you hear me?James was shaking herslightly. Poppy had been so engrossed in the sensations that she hadn't even realized she wasn't drinking any longer. James was cradling her. â€Å"Poppy.† It was an effort to open her eyes. â€Å"I'm all right. Just†¦ sleepy.† His arms tightened around her, then he laid hergently on the mounded pillows. â€Å"You can rest now. I'll get Phil.† But before he went, he kissed her on the forehead. My first kiss, Poppy thought, her eyes drifting shutagain. And I'm comatose. Great. She felt the bed give under weight and looked upto see Phil. Phil looked very nervous, sitting gingerly,staring at Poppy. â€Å"So what's happening now?† heasked. â€Å"The vampire blood's taking over,† James said. Poppy said, â€Å"I'm really sleepy.† There was no pain. Just a feeling of wanting toglide away. Her body now felt warm and numb, asif she were insulated by a soft, thick aura. â€Å"Phil? I forgot to say-thank you. For helping out.And everything. You're a good brother, Phil.† â€Å"You don't have to say that now,† Phil said tersely. â€Å"You can say it later. I'm still going to be here later,you know.† But I might not be, Poppy thought. This is all a gamble. And I'd never take it, except that the only alternative was to give up without even trying to fight. I fought, didn't I? At least I fought. â€Å"Yes, you did,† Phil said, his voice trembling.Poppy hadn't been aware she was speaking aloud.†You've always been a fighter,† Phil said. â€Å"I'velearned so much from you.† Which was funny, because she'd learned so muchfrom him,even if most of it was in the last twenty four hours. She wanted to tell him that, but therewas so much to say, and she was so tired. Her tongue felt thick; her whole body weak and languorous. â€Å"Just†¦hold my hand,† she said, and she couldhear that her voice was no louder than a breath.Phillip took one of her hands and James the other. That was good. This was the way to do it, withEeyore and her lion on the pillows beside her andPhil and James holding her hands, keeping her safe and anchored. One of the candles was scented with vanilla, awarm and homey smell. A smell that reminded herof being a kid. Nilla wafers and naptime. That waswhat this was like. Just a nap in Miss Spurgeon's kindergarten, with the sun slanting across the floorand James on a mat beside her. So safe, so serene†¦ â€Å"Oh, Poppy,† Phil whispered. James said, â€Å"You're doing great, kiddo. Everything's just right.† That was what Poppy needed to hear. She let herself fall backward into the music, and it waslike falling in a dream, without fear. It was like being a raindrop falling into the ocean that had started you. At the last moment she thought, I'm not ready. But she already knew the answer to that. Nobodywas ever ready. But she'd been stupid-she'd forgotten the mostimportant thing. She'd never told James she lovedhim. Not even when he'd said he loved her. She tried to get enough air, enough strength to sayit. But it was too late. The outside world was goneand she couldn't feel her body any longer. She was floating in the darkness and the music, and all she could do now was sleep. â€Å"Sleep,† James said, leaning dose to Poppy. â€Å"Don'twake up until I call you. Just sleep.† Every muscle in Phil's body was rigid. Poppylooked so peaceful-pale, with her hair spread out incoppery curls on the pillow, and her eyelashes blackon her cheeks and her lips parted as she breathedgently. She looked like a porcelain baby doll. But the more peaceful she got, the more terrified Phil felt. I can deal with this, he told himself.I haveto. Poppy gave a soft exhalation, and then suddenlyshe was moving. Her chest heaved once, twice. Herhand tightened on Phil's and her eyes flew openbut she didn't seem to be seeing anything. She simply looked astonished. â€Å"Poppyl† Phil grabbed at her, getting a handful offlannel nightgown. She was so small and fragile in side it. â€Å"Poppyl† The heaving gasps stopped. For one moment Poppywas suspended in air, then her eyes closed and shefell back on the pillows. Her hand was limp in Phil's. Phil lost all rationality. â€Å"Poppy,† he said, hearing the dangerous, unbalanced tone in his own voice. â€Å"Poppy, come on.Poppy, wake up!†-on a rising note. His hands were shaking violently, scrabbling at Poppy's shoulders. Other hands pushed his away. â€Å"What the hell areyou doing?† James said quietly. â€Å"Poppy? Poppy?† Phil kept staring at her. Herchest wasn't moving. Her face had a look of-innocent release. The kind of newness you only see inbabies. And it was-changing. Taking on a white, transparent look. It was uncanny, ghostlike, and even though Phil had never seen a corpse, he knew instinctively that this was the death pallor. Poppy's essence had left her. Her body was flat andtoneless, no longer inflated by the vital spirit. Herhand in Phil's was slack, not like the hand of a sleeping person. Her skin had lost its shine, as if somebodyhad breathed on it softly. Phil threw back his head and let out an animalsound. It wasn't human. It was a howl. â€Å"You killed her!† He tumbled off the bed andlurched toward James. â€Å"You said she was just goingto sleep, but you killed herl She's dead!† James didn't back away from the attack. Instead,he grabbed Phil and dragged him out intothe hallway. â€Å"Hearing is the last sense to go,† he snarled inPhillip's ear. â€Å"She may be able tohear you.† Phil wrenched free and ran toward the living room. He didn't know what he was doing, he only knew that he needed to destroy things. Poppy wasdead. She was gone. He grabbed the couch andflipped it over, then kicked the coffee table over, too. He snatched up a lamp, yanked its cord out of thesocket, and threw it toward the fireplace. â€Å"Stop it!† James shouted over the crash. Phil sawhim and ran at him. The sheer force of his charge knocked James backward into the wall. They fell tothe floor together in a heap. â€Å"You-killed her!† Phil gasped, trying to get hishands around James's throat. Silver.James's eyes blazed like the molten metal.He grabbed Phil's wrists in a painful grip. â€Å"Stop itnow,Phillip,† he hissed. Something about the way he said it made Phil stop.Almost sobbing, he struggled to get air into his lungs. â€Å"I'll killyouif I have to, to keep Poppy safe,† James said, his voice still savage and menacing. â€Å"And she'sonly safe if you stop this and do exactly what I tell youto.Exactlywhat I tell you. Understand?† He shook Philhard, nearly banging Phil's head into the wall. Strangely enough, it was the right thing to say.James was saying he cared about Poppy. And weird as it might sound, Phil had come to trust James to tell the truth. The raging red insanity in Phil's brain died away. He took a long breath. â€Å"Okay. I understand,† he said hoarsely. He was used to being in charge-both of himself and of otherpeople. He didn't like James giving him orders. Butin this case there was no help for it. â€Å"But-she isdead, isn't she?† â€Å"It depends on your definition,† James said, lettinggo and slowly pushing himself off the floor. Hescanned the living room, his mouth grim. â€Å"Nothingwent wrong, Phil. Everything went just the way itwas supposed to-except for this. I was going to letyour parents come back and find her, but we don'thave that option now. There isn't any way to explain this mess, except the.truth.† â€Å"The truth being?† â€Å"That you went in there and found her dead andwent berserk. And then I called your parents-you know what restaurant they're at, don't you?† â€Å"It's Valentino's. My mom said they were lucky toget in.† â€Å"Okay. That'll work. But first we have to clean upthe bedroom. Get all the candles and stuff out. It'sgot to look as if she just went to sleep, like anyother night.† Phil glanced at the sliding glass door. It was justgetting dark. But then Poppy had been sleeping a lotthese last few days. â€Å"We'll say she got tired and toldus to go watch TV,† he said slowly, trying to conquer his dazed feeling and be clearheaded. â€Å"And then Iwent in after a while and checked on her.† â€Å"Right,† James said, with a faint smile that didn'treach his eyes. It didn't take long to clear out the bedroom. Thehardest thing was that Phil had to keep looking atPoppy, and every time he looked, his heart lurched.She looked so tiny, so delicate-limbed. A Christmas angel in June. He hated to take the stuffed animals away fromher. â€Å"She is going to wake up, isn't she?† he said, without looking at James. â€Å"God, I hope so,† James said, and his voice wasvery tired. It sounded more like a prayer than a wish.†If she doesn't you won't have to come after me witha stake, Phil. I'll take care of it myself.† Phil was shocked-and angry. â€Å"Don't be stupid,†he said brutally. â€Å"If Poppy stood for anything-if she standsfor anything-it's for life. Throwing your life away would be like a slap in her face. Besides, evenif it goes wrong now, you did your best. Blaming yourself is just stupid.† James looked at him blankly, and Phil realizedthey'd managed to surprise each other. Then Jamesnodded slowly. â€Å"Thanks.† It was a milestone, the first time they'd ever beenon precisely the same wavelength. Phillip felt an oddconnection between them. He looked away and said briskly, â€Å"Is it time to callthe restaurant?† James glanced at his watch. â€Å"In just a fewminutes.† â€Å"If we wait too long they're going to have left bythe time we call.† â€Å"That doesn'tmatter.What matters is that we don't have any paramedics trying to resuscitate her, or taking her to the hospital. Which means she's gotto be cold by the time anybody gets here.† Phil felt a wave of dizzy horror. â€Å"You're a coldblooded snake after all.† â€Å"I'm just practical,† James said wearily, as if speaking to a child. He touched one of Poppy's marblewhite hands where it lay on the bedspread. â€Å"Allright. It's time. I'm going to call. You can go berserkagain if you want to.† Phil shook his head. He didn't have the energyanymore. But he did feel like crying, which was al most as good. Crying and crying like a kid who was lost and hurt. â€Å"Get my mom,† he said thickly. He knelt on the floor beside Poppy's bed andwaited. Poppy's music was off and he could hear theTV in the family room. He had no sense of time passing until he also heard a car in the driveway. Then he leaned his forehead against Poppy's mattress. His tears were absolutely genuine. At that moment he was sure he'd lost her forever. â€Å"Brace yourself,† James said from behind him.†They're here.†