Collaborative Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Collaborative Strategies - Essay Example This also makes both the regions to have something to associate each other with, like a company having a head office in another place and operations in another place, makes people of the other country feel about the company more special, and thus it increases market share. It also gives an extra control to an origin or parent company over the collaborated company and its origin, also it plays some role in having better relations between not only two companies but also two countries and thus governments are involved in a positive manner. The collaborative arrangements abroad are to reduce overheads and costs, as initiating the operations on the personal expenses can bring a heavy investment and capital into action, which is also not secured, as no body knows what might be the preferences of the origin where the initiation would take place. The real problem that arises when the collaboration takes places between a local and international arrangement is that at times, the international arrangement becomes more prominent and beneficial where as the local starts suffering as there might be a possibility that due to high cultural values the firm makes fair reputation abroad while having similar or even poorer reputation in the origin, this can really affect the operations and can increase the worries of the decision makers. One of the widely most methods used for collaboration between two different companies or even parties is licensing, which after having more specialized form, known as franchising, however there are few differences between the two but they have more similarities as they both are used as a major form of collaboration. In licensing, the problem that occurs is on the side of the origin company, as if it would issue license to some other party than the party can start providing the service or products under the parent company's name, with having no concerns on following the instructions of parent company, they can also set the entire fixture and related things according to their own will, this can cause the parent company to have a poor image at times if the licenser has not taken any care of the original standards followed by the parent company. In franchising, the problem gets opposite, as now the franchisee has to follow the instructions of the parent company in a strict manner, even t he fixtures and the materials used in the product are same all around the globe in accordance to the parent company's will, in this case the franchisee gets worried as failure to maintain the real standards can lead to the cancellation of the franchise agreement. As long as we talk about business, than it automatically takes us to talk about individual objectives, which lead to problems. There are numerous problems occurring in the collaborative arrangements such as having more concerns on the partnership rather than private operations, controlling problem as both of the parties have merely some control on each others work which can result in change views, also the personal objectives come first which can make both the parties apart and also cultural differences can occur, which are a major issue as there have been various firms

A social model analysis of disability

A social model analysis of disability In recent times, social model of disability has gained academic attention through the works of acclaimed activists like Vic Finklestein, Paul Hunt and Mike Oliver (Barnes, 2000; Oliver, 1990a). The social model of disability holds a divergent view to that of the medical model. The social model tends to make a clear distinction between impairment and disability. That is to say the impaired person is disabled as a result of social barriers and structures. This social model of disability view is esteemed highly in the developed nations as America, Germany, Britain and Austria. In the UK the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) was enacted based on the medical model however service providers adjusting to accommodate the law reasonably follow the social model (Lewis, 2005). Could the social model of disability be translated into the economies of the majority world where lack basic infrastructure to meet the needs of persons with impairment are far reaching? This essay will attempt to answer that question by firstly defining what social model and developing nations are. It will, secondly, develop further by giving a brief historical background of the social model of disability. Thirdly it will discuss other modules of disability such as the medical model, the WHOs International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities and Handicaps (ICIDH) and International Classification Functioning (ICF). It will make reference to situations in a few minority countries for broader comparison. Disability in the majority world will be examined in conjunction with social model of disabilities ideology. Then finally critically analyse the social model under the microscope of the majority world perspective. Definitions and Models of Disability Llewellyn and Hogan (2000) state that usually a model signifies a kind hypothesis that is specifically structural and which looks to make clear an idea by linking it to a theoretical method and device. A model is basically a structure for assessing information. Models of disability therefore offer structures through which the experience of disability is understood. This enables disabled people to provide for themselves and the society they live in a framework through which laws, regulations and structures can be developed. It also provides knowledge about the attitudes, ideas and prejudice of people and the impact they can have on people with impairments. Furthermore, they highlight ways in which society relates to disabled people in daily life. The models of disability are characterised by two primary viewpoints, medical and social. Williams (1996), a proponent of the medical model, asserts that impairment is a natural part of disability. Given the position that impairment is a natural part of disability, then the individual becomes responsible for his/her disability. Oliver (1990b) highlights this issue by saying that there are two main problems with the individual or medical model. Firstly, it places the problem of disability with the impaired person and secondly the cause of the problem and the practical restrictions involved are imagined to arise from the impairment. The medical model was obviously born before the social model and is often held in contrasting opinion with the social model. Mercer, Shakespeare and Barnes (1999) posit that disabled individuals are considered to be reliant on others to be looked after, and to overcome disability they have to rely on healing medicine. Practically, normality through rehabilitation is then sought if the impairment cannot be healed. Overcoming disability can then b e considered to be parallel with prevailing over physiological restrictions of impairment. Disability rights groups often compare this model to the price of intrusive medical procedures like genetic screening. Often big investment in these procedures and technologies is underpinned by the medical model. Oliver (1990b) asserts that where impairment cannot be treated or cured, a lot of people with disabilities will receive unnecessary medical attention, which is oppressive and unacceptable. This is often thought of as a waste of money as adaptation of the disabled persons surroundings could be less expensive and achievable than medical intervention. The medical model of disability is also seen by some disability rights groups as a civil rights issue and they often disapprove of benevolent initiatives such as awareness raising campaigns which are used to portray disabled people. It is felt that this often encourages negativity and undermines the image of people with impairments and does nothing to promote disability as a political, social and environmental dilemma. The International Classification of Disease (ICD) was the first definitional schema developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO). It had been in existence since 1893 and evidenced that the health care systems previously focussed on disease. The theorisation of disease was purely straight forward. If a disease manifests it is able to be cured or it can develop until the organism dies. The progress in medical technology drastically changed the potential outcomes of pathologic conditions beyond weighing morbidity and mortality. Impairments and disabilities figure prominently in these conditions and as the ICD model could not assess health problems that were chronic or disabling a new model that would make assessment significant was required. The new definitional schema took an individual model approach in the name of International Classification of Impairments, Disability and Handicaps (ICIDH). Bury (2000) confirms this when he comments on ICIDH2. He writes of his excitement as WHO shied away from its constricted medical model view point. ICIDH was developed in the mid 1970s and is part of a family of classifications. It was purposely designed to constrict the gap between what health care will be able to do and what it is expected to do (WHO, 1980b). The International Classification of Impairments, Disability and Handicaps (ICIDH) basically examined the cost of non-fatal disease to an individual and also the interaction between that individual and society. There are three parts of the ICIDH which are related to the state of health. They are namely impairment, disability and handicap which has been defined as follows: Impairment In the context of health experience, an impairment is any loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological, or anatomical structure or function. Disability In the context of health experience, a disability is any restriction or lack (resulting from an impairment) of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being. Handicap In the context of health experience, a handicap is a disadvantage for a given individual, resulting from an impairment or a disability, that limits or prevents the fulfilment of a role that is normal (depending on the age, sex, social and cultural factors) for that individual. (WHO 1980a:27-9) This classification was recognised world wide and underpinned many medical assessments but it was not long before it came under criticism. Oliver (1990) for instance disapproves of the ICIDH because for an individual to carry out their role as an ordinary member of society the person would be expected to change instead of his/her environment. He feels the medical viewpoint on disability is propagated through the definitions given and that individuals are expected to be healed through some form of interference. Pope and Talov (1991) also criticised the usage of the term handicap. The word had negative connotations which inferred limitations in performance. They also assert that ICIDH fails to make a clear distinction between disability and handicap planes. WHO, in the light of criticisms, brought about the development of the ICIDH-2 which soon after became International Classification of Functioning (ICF) (WHO, 2001). The social and medical models of disability have been integrated in the ICIDH-2 (Finkelstein 1998, Barnes and Mercer, 2004; World Health Organisation, 2002). The aim of the ICF was to create a classification that would be simple enough to be considered by practitioners as a significant description of the consequences of health conditionsAmong other things it was to be functional and enable identification of health care needs, shape intervention programs like prevention or rehabilitation. De Kleijn-De Vrankrijker (2003) affirms that the ICF is a better revision of the ICIDH. The language is impartial and the fundamental values very contrasting. The social model, however, was developed in the 1970s by disabled people. It was a response to basically how society treated disabled people plus their experience of the welfare and health systems which drove them to being segregated and oppressed. Scholars like Vic Finkelstein, Colin Barnes and Mike Oliver gave it a backing (Shakespeare and Watson 2002). The social model could be said to have been initiated from an essay entitled A Critical Condition written by Paul Hunt in 1966. (Hunt, 1966) In the essay Paul Hunt argued that society held non-disabled people in high esteem making disabled people feel unlucky and good for nothing. Fallow (2007) however, argued that this might not be an exact view of disabled people but one that had been imposed on them. Almost a decade after Paul Hunts essay, the Union of Physically Impaired Against Segregation (UPIAS) developed the social model in their definition of impairment and disability. They asserted that disability was: the disadvantage or restriction of activity caused by a contemporary social organisation which takes little or no account of people who have physical impairments and thus excludes them from participation in the mainstream of social activities (UPIAS 1976:14). Mike Oliver, teaching a group of social work students, later coined the term social model in an attempt to introduce the ideas of the UPIAS Fundamental Principles. He said focusing on the individual model concept against that of the social model he derived the difference made between impairment and disability by UPIAS. (Oliver 1990b) Making a clear distinction between impairment and the disabling effect of society in relation to impairment is what the social model is about. It implies that when a person cannot walk it is not his/her inability to walk that disables them but the lack of stairs that are not wheelchair accessible that disables them. If a person is visually impaired, it is not their impairment that disables them but the lack of information in Braille or large print that disables them. Disability can be said in other words to be socially constructed. The social model recognises people with physical, mental or learning difficulties may not be able to function and therefore seeks to remove any barriers that limit their functioning. It advocates for disabled people to enjoy equal rights and responsibility. Swain et al (2004) assert that impairment should be considered as a positive benefit not something pitiful. It has been documented from disabled peoples perspective that being impaired can have benefits . Definitions of Developing and Majority World Developing nations is an economical term used to describe medium income economies for the purpose of this essay. It is a term that has many variations for example third world, and the south (Stone 1999). These terms are sometimes frowned upon because they give an impression that western industrialisation or so called developed nations provide the yard stick for judging advancement. Stone (1999) alleges that the idea of the west occupying the highest sit in development and the rest world hanging to the sit is inherent. Developing nations also refers to a nation or country that does not have a well developed economy and political structure compared to industrialised nations. World Bank Group (2004) defines developing nations as countries with average levels of GNP per capita plus 5 high-income developing economies like Hong Kong, Israel, Kuwait, Singapore and United Emirates. Pearson Education (2005) states that they are nations that have been defined by the World Bank as having low or middle incomes with low living conditions compared to high income nations. Katsui (2006) uses the South to refer to developing countries and beneficiaries of growth collaboration and North for developed countries. Majority world refers to non-westernised countries where often policies and structures are lacking to support the nations. These are countries that fall outside of the minority world and are considered to have low income per capita, levels of economic growth and low indices of life expectancy and education. Minority world also stands for developed world, western world, the North and industrialised nations. Countries like America, Australia, Germany France, Britain, Netherlands etc that have high level of economic growth according to their income per capita and high gross domestic product per capita. Industrialisation is another economic criteria used to measure growth in these countries. In recent times more outstanding issues like human development index matched with economic weight, national income, other measures, indicators like life expectancy and education have become part of the criteria for measuring which type of world a country is from. Disability in the Minority World Priestley (2005) puts forward that there has been a remarkable change in the way disability is viewed in European social policy. The minority world has over the years seen the application of social model of disabilities in various laws, policies and strategies. The European Commission (EC) (2010b) maintains that disabled people should have dignity, basic rights, and protection against intolerance, equality, justice and social cohesion. It sees disability as a social construct which fronts intolerance and stigmatisation. Consequently, it is the disabled persons environment that has to change and not the person. The EC has a disability strategy plan (DAP) which guides disabled policies. The EC wants to see disabled people get involved in disabled affairs and also have more accessibility, job opportunities and self-sufficient living. EC (2010a) further asserts that about 80 million Europeans have a disability and cannot enjoy the everyday comforts like riding on a bus, shopping, using the internet and watching television because of barriers put in place by society. A new strategy to remove these obstacles has been implemented. These EC statements are certainly underpinned by the social model of disability. They all advocate for a disabled persons environment to be altered to enable them participate fully in society. National Disability Authority (2005) adds its voice to the debate by saying the social model has added to the shift from disability based agendas to a more conventional and inclusive approach. All of the above makes it relatively easy to live with impairment in the minority world. The provision of the welfare system is a fundamental part of western society and those who benefit from it most are those who are unable to work because of ailment (Overland 2007). If a person lost a limb, for example, they would be registered disabled as they would be limited in what they could do. Their needs would be taken care of by some sort of income benefit. Fit-for-purpose cars are built for people who have difficulty moving about. Special parking spaces for disabled people are provided making life relatively easy for many disabled people. Architecture supports building design and factors in access ramps. The Disability Equality Duty (DED) which was introduced by the new Disability Discrimination Act of 2005 in the UK for instance makes public bodies obligated to take into consideration the needs of disabled people when they are planning services. An affirmative attitude is recommended to be shown towards disabled people. Out-Law (2006) affirm Disability Rights Commission UKs view that the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 would bring a great change to disabled people and will change how public authorities offer their services. Walking aids are provided for those with balancing difficulties to help support and maintain their balance. Visually impaired are given guide dogs to move around with. They have various assistance technologies to help them study and participate in full economic and social activities. Most organisations provide accessible information for the hearing and visually impaired. There are electronic resources that support disabled life. Enabled People website is one of them. It gives information about disabled support, rights and systems (Bristow 2005). Developed nations and their respective governments make sure that disabled people live normal lives or reduce restrictions placed by disability. They have organisations and networks and people or organisations with political clout lobbying on disabled peoples behalf. Disability in Britain was transformed by disabled peoples movement in the 1980s (Hasler,1993). The European non-governmental organisation, European Disability Forum (EDF) stands for the concerns of 65 million disabled people in Europe. In America effective laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 regulates disability law and prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in housing, employment and access to public services. The purpose of ADA is to assist disabled people in any way practicable and to ensure that their human rights and civil liberties have not been abused. It ensures that disabled people have all the comforts non disabled people have like disabled parking space and permits, ramp laws to showers and bathroom installations designed for physically disabled people. ADA was also established to improve quality of life by training both disabled and non disabled. Social model disability ideology The developing world cannot boast of such a life for its disabled people. The social model of disability has become known and thrived within minority or western society but critics have said it cannot be translated into the majority world (Stone, 1997; Miles 1996). In Britain the social model has become a fundamental indicator of disability politics which is used by disabled activist to differentiate among establishments, strategies, regulations and ideas (Shakespeare 2002). The needs and opportunities for people with impairments in majority world are sometimes entirely divergent from those in minority world and may require various solutions, systems of enquiry and explanations. The inequality is not a stand alone issue, but has roots in the various ideologies that surround disability in the majority world. The social model of disability has two main schools of thought. Those who believe that capitalism has contributed to the oppression of disabled people and those who believe that disability is as a result of an inherent believe in culture, attitude and prejudice (Sheldon et al., 2007; Barnes and Mercer 2005).The former, materialist, believes that the economic and political structures put in place in society have largely contributed to disabilism. Therefore political effort is desired to effect fundamental changes of an unequal system designed by capitalism. The latter, Idealist believes that disabled people are excluded from society purely because of lack of thought than anything else and in that sense a redress can be sought with education and addressing peoples attitudes without changing legislation that excludes people from everyday activities and inaccessible infrastructure (Priestly, 1998). This line of argument supports the improving of existing social systems. Capitalism which controls most of the world economy today is believed by the materialist to be the undercurrent of poverty in the majority world. Norberg (2003) raises issue with the fact that per capita GDP is more than 30 times higher in 20 wealthiest nations than in 20 deprived nations. Oliver (1999) asserts that the oppression of disabled people is ingrained in the economic and social formation of capitalism. Free markets have allowed various international organisations and individuals to set up home in the majority world taking away land and property from original settlers. Eskine (2009) asserts that numerous rich nations are purchasing land from the majority world for future investments. Since 1960 a new global industrialisation has arisen with international corporations operating in offshore outsourcing (Nash J and Fernandez-Kelly 1983). This has caused people who use to rely on agriculture; fishing and petty trading to lose their livelihood pushing them into poverty. Poverty is a major cause of disability in the majority world as simple diseases like diabetes cannot be managed making people blind. Thomas (2005) posits that poverty and disabling impairments are expressly connected and most disabilities can be avoided because they are poverty orientated. Meanwhile, other social commentators also argue that the free market is a good thing and that developing countries will benefit from this freedom (Urbach, 2004; Murkherjee, 2004) People will be able to travel freely and immigrate to other countries. They would also be able to trade with who ever they wish to trade with. It is further argued that consumers will have a wider choice and businesses will be able to lower their cost by hiring workers from other countries. Organisations setting up home in the majority world will bring more work to the society and people will be able to learn new skills, have social links and mix with other cultures but are these arguments not entrenched in colonialism or neo colonialism? Nkrumah (1965) asserts that neo-colonialism is the most damaging form of imperialism because those who engage in it have power but not accountability leaving those at the brunt of it exploited with no way of putting things right. Examples are, in the mid 20th century in places like Africa where nations obtained independence from their European masters but found that they were not totally free from their influence. Governments were undermined using destruction tools like propaganda, coup dà ©tats and the nomination of specific people into positions of influence (Hanlon, 1991). This caused many nations to remain dependant on their colonised masters even though they were free. Another form of capitalism which has influenced the majority world is Imperialism. It has been described as the ultimate form of capitalism and an extension of the basic parts of capitalism (Lenin 1916). Imperialism creates socio-political systems which make the world an unfair place and this inequality is constantly represented in global relationships where the rich and poor nations fight for the same resources and the improvement of their citizens. That is, if a nation is able to get in the lead by maximising its resources, technology and power then it becomes a super power and rules the others who could not. This gap then becomes a divide which has been termed the North-South gap. This ruler and ruled is an old concept. Wallerstein (n.d) posits that difference is a basic truth about todays world systems as is of past world systems. Even though Imperialist rule has long gone, distribution of resources and power is still uneven. Global south is still being exploited and continues to trail behind the super powers with all types of international insecurities like starvation, disease, civil war and the digital divide (Fong 2009; Compaine 2001). This inequality produces continuous discrimination making majority nations more impoverished. The gap means the rich minority world has been able to create powers that in effect control the poor majority world. Organisations like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) have over the years designed policies and strategies which are difficult for the majority world to follow (Barnes and Mercer 2005). Disability in the majority world According to the World Health Organisation 650 million people are disabled in the world. Of this total, 80% live in developing countries, 20% of them are the poorest in the world. Out of these figures only 2 3% of disabled children have access to education (Youthink, 2010). These figures are significant and make uncomfortable reading. Katsui (2006) gives further insight by stating that according to the United Nations (2000) and San (1999) Out of 80% disabled people living in the developing world only 2% receive some type of help. He further asserts that disabled people who live in the south are mainly uncared for by the governments and the global society. Godrej (2005) posits that in the majority world people with impairments are not at the top of the priority list. Disabled people in the majority world face multiple challenges, the overarching being poverty and social discrimination. WaterAid (2010) indicates that disabled people in the developing world do not only deal with social barriers but poverty and isolation. Yeo (2001); Coleridge (1993) states that suffering high levels of poverty is not the only problem for people, but the likelihood of acquiring an impairment. Furthermore, people with ailments normally have little rights to property, medical care, healthy food, accommodation, education and work. Lack of thorough diagnosis of ailment and on going medical care is another challenge for the disabled in the developing world. Impairments like Down syndrome can be detected in the womb but the fairly sophisticated equipment for doing this is often lacking. In child birth, routine conditions which are taken for granted in the minority world cause complications which often lead to brain damage and other physical disabilities for babies and their mothers. Baylies (2002) states that, pregnant mothers who for instance, abuse alcohol are often not aware of the harm they are causing their unborn children. A large number of mental impairments are acquired because of Iodine deficiency or poor nutrition. Disabled people are normally very deprived and frequently reside in places where health care and other facilities are hard to come by or does not exist leaving some impairments undiscovered and others not discovered on time (United Nations Enable, 2006). In the developing world many disabled people are less likely to be employed. Many resort to begging on the streets to support themselves and their families as most of the time there are no structures in place to support them in employment. Income is scant, dwindling and unequally allocated among the disabled. Transportation is another challenge as cars, lorries, buses and trains are not accessible for disabled people. Savill et al (2003) argues it is challenging for disabled people to travel therefore difficult to find a job or socialise. In many parts of the majority world culture affects the way disability is perceived. Often times, ignorance, superstition and fear cause people to see disability as a curse from God. In some parts of the majority world disabled people are seen as sub-human and unhealthy to join in community activities. Some are ashamed of their disabled relatives and hide them depriving them of any prospects whiles others view them as supreme beings and worship them (Turmusani, 2003; Edgerton, 1970). Disabled people hardly form part of the political process in the majority world often missing in the process of making decisions in communities and governments. Some even dont have the basic right to vote in elections because of difficulties in getting access and information. Most of the time, they are not consulted on subjects and decisions concerning them. Relevance of Social Model in majority world Advocators of the social model emphasizes that discrimination against disabled people is socially constructed and has little to do with their impairments. Meaning that disabled people in the majority world can live more like their non disabled peers if social barriers like inaccessible roads, transport, schools, hospitals and churches were adapted to accommodate them. Barnes (2009) states that disability is a social problem which has been worsened by globalisation and that the answer to the difficulties disabled people face in the developing world will probably remain the same if fundamental changes do not occur at local and global stages. Albert and Hurst (1997) affirms that the social model has given rise to awareness among the disabled people to forge a common front to fight for their basic rights. However, the relevance of the Social model of disability has been questioned by a number of academicians. Grech (2009) criticises the social model saying it is challenging for cultures because it for a certain period and speaks for certain class of disabled people in the minority world. She further argues that applying the social model in communities where the source of revenue is based on household economies is debatable. Edgerton (1970) describes in his East African research on how different communities across East Africa view people with mental impairments. Some show prejudice, others welcome them whiles others revere them. It has been argued that these cultural differences would make the adaptation of the social model of disability difficult. Albert and Hurst (1997) refute this argument asserting that many local customs like genital mutilations and killing of infants are acceptable in certain cultures but are they acceptable world-wide? This is affirmed by Baird and Hernà ¡ndez (2005) Tomà ¡s Hernà ¡ndez a disabled activist from Nicaragua highlighted on the changes that took place in Managua after wheel chair users demonstrated, realising they could not go to work without help. This demonstration had a positive effect where the sitting government took measures to lower kerbs and build ramps to accommodate wheel chair users. The Social model of disability is also accused of not taking into account the impairments of disabled people. Albert and Hurst (1997) asserts that this a major problem for the minority world how much more the majority world but they immediately defuse this statement by arguing that the statement is made by able bodied people who have no idea of what it means to live with impairments. Thomas, Gradwell and Markham (1997), and Oliver (1996) state that the social model of disability does not overlook impairment but refuses to give it attention. Opponents of the social model of disability like Crow (1996) and French (1993) question the reason: the word impairment is being overlooked and calls for it to be brought to the fore as it is a fundamental part of being disabled. Albert and Hurst (1997) further argue that the social model of disability does not overlook the source of disability rather it advocates for the removal of social constructs like poverty and wars that easily beset people. Another argument is that the social model of disability is a western phenomena and that disabled people in the minority world have basic needs and therefore are able to fight for social rights whereas their compatriots in majority world lack even the basic needs (Werner 1998 cited in Albert and Hurst 1997 p27). Charowa (2005) posits that disabled people in Zimbabwe are frequently not able to acquire personal aids so they make use of makeshift wheel chairs. Albert and Hurst (1997) however, counter argue that the social model of disability is not a western phenomena as a large percentage of its out spoken proponents come from the majority world. Schmidt (2010) indicates that specialist equipment that will require the use of energy will not be helpful to the 1.5 billion people who are poor. International Energy Agency forecast that 1.3 out of the 1.5 poor people will not have access to energy until 20 years time. Another point raised against the relevance of the social model of disability in the developing world is the matter of difference. Where for example, the physical impaired are treated better than people with mental impa

The Future of the Internet Essay -- Internet Technology Computers Cybe

The Future of the Internet In Today's world of computers, the internet has become part of ones regular vocabulary. The internet is everywhere, in the news, the newspaper, magazines, and entire books are written on it regularly. Its growth rate is incredible, increasing by about 10% every month (Dunkin 180). This rapid growth rate could either help the system or destroy it. The possibilities are endless on what can be done on the internet. People can tap into libraries, tap into weather satellites, download computer programs, talk to other people with related interests, and send electronic mail all across the world (Elmer-Dewitt 62). It is used by thousands of different kinds of people and organizations, like the military, businesses, colleges and universities, and common people with no specific purpose to even use it (Dunkin 180). Phillip Elmer-Dewitt stated it perfectly, â€Å"It is a place for everyone.† The rapid growth of the internet has many positive aspects to it. The new technology that is developing with this rapid growth will help keep computers up to date with what is being developed on the internet. With these technological advances, systems will be faster, more powerful, and capable of doing more complicated tasks. As more people with different interests, thoughts, and ideas get involved with the internet, there will be more information available (Elmer-Dewitt 64). As the number of internet users increases, the prices will gradua...

Health Psychology Essay

Health psychology concerns itself with understanding behavior, biology and social context and their influences on illness and health. Health psychologists work with professionals in clinical areas and also conduct research as well as teach in universities. Health psychology aims at changing the health behavior of individuals to help them maintain optimum health and assist patients in adhering to treatment regimens. Adherence to medical regimens and shorter hospitalizations are indicators of effective health services. Health psychologists use cognitive behavior therapy and analysis of applied behavior to achieve this. Discussion The duty list is composed of activities that are aimed at improving the access of services to patients and also to improve the overall healthcare of patients. In assignment of duties to the various health professionals some health psychologists will receive more than one duty on the list. This is because of some of the duties which are closely related making it more reasonable for these duties to be carried out by one person. The list however has very many activities which if work load is considered makes it necessary to have a fifth job title. The fifth job title would be a communication skills counselor. The duties will then be allocated as follows, the substance abuse counselor will be responsible for coordinating the use of recovery programs and structured programs for substance. He/she will be working in conjunction with the social worker. The rationale behind this assignment is that the substance abuse counsellor is the person most appropriate for dealing with substance abusers in assisting them to get rehabilitated. The nature of substance abuse is such that it has social and psychological components to it so the collaboration between the substance abuse counsellor and the social worker is necessary. The patient load in substance abuse programs is high because of the intensive nature of behavioural change programs that are used, hence the substance abuse counsellor will only have this duty assigned to them. The inpatient-only psychologist will be assigned to the duty of providing treatment for chronic pain. The psychologist will be performing this duty only. This will be because of the large number of patients who have chronic pain. Managing these patients adequately means that the psychologist may not have enough time to attend to other duties. The child psychologist has two duties assigned to them. These are providing psychological preparation methods for children prior to medical procedures and collaboration with local schools. These are two duties which are closely related. By being involved with local schools the psychologist will already be familiar to the children making it easier for them to get children to cooperate when in the hospital. The adult psychologist will have the duty of providing psychological preparation methods for the adults prior to medical procedures and surgery. The workload for this psychologist is expected to be high since most of the patients are adults, hence the adult psychologist will only have this duty. The fifth job is that of communications counsellor, who will be carrying out duties of utilizing various methods to facilitate adjustment and coping skills amongst the patients. This psychologist will also have the role of diagnosing stress disorders and providing aid in stress relief interventions. The rationale behind this assignment is that the two duties are also closely related. The effect of poor adjustment to a condition and inability is often stress (Broome, Llewelyn and Llewelyn, 1994). Sometimes the relationship is vice versa, with high stress levels causing poor adjustment to one’s condition (Lyons and Chamberlain, 2006 ). The substance abuse counsellor will contribute to improved patient healthcare by provision of services geared towards behavior change that will enable the patient to be completely rehabilitated. The HBM (Health Behaviour Model) proposes that behavior change occurs when an individual perceives that the benefits of behavior change outweigh the costs or barriers that are associated with the behavior. (Friedman and Silver, ). The substance abuse counsellor will use such a model to predict the possibility of behavior change for the substance abuser. The usefulness of the HBM has been seen in its predictive value of whether individuals will adopt behavior such as safe-sex practices, breast self-examination and exercise (Friedman and Silver, ). The substance abuse counsellor will use cognitive behavioral therapy to educate substance abusers about the need to steer clear of drugs. Those with alcohol and other drug addiction problems will be helped to identify problems and behaviors that are related to their substance abuse. This will often be done in a group setting and occasionally on an individual basis (Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008). Group settings are used mainly because many people feel encouraged by the fact that they are not alone in the addiction problem. Other activities that the substance counsellor will be involved in include assisting family members to cope with the addictions of their spouses, children or siblings. Since health psychology places emphasis on prevention of illness,the substance counsellor will have the responsibility of initiating, planning and conducting programs which are aimed at the prevention of addictions. This will help in the achievement of overall better health since it is often easier to prevent a condition rather than to cure it. The rehabilitation process for drug addicts has been known to be a difficult with many of them falling off the wagon. Thus a lot of time and patience is required, making prevention the better option. The emphasis on prevention is aimed at reducing the number of patients who will need to use substance abuse programs and also at reducing the rate of relapse. This contributes to decreased stay at the hospital. The child psychologist has a role of helping children to respond to the physician in a positive and cooperative manner at the time when a procedure is being done. This will involves the use of methods that allay the fears and anxieties of the child, such as providing distractions. The counsellor will also explain to a child who is old enough to understand the nature of the procedure they will undergo and what to expect in language that they can understand. The child counsellor will also have the responsibility of identifying cases of child abuse and other problems in the family that may hinder proper child development (Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006). In addition, it is the role of the child psychologist to educate the parent(s) or the guardian of the child on the developmental milestones of the child and to encourage parents to bring their children to hospital if any of these milestones are missed. At the local school, the child psychologist will continue to observe children for any behavioral, social and personal problems. This will contribute to improvement in child health as it will result in early detection of problems and therefore early management and possibly shorter stays in hospital. The adult psychologist will be preparing adults psychologically for medication by telling the adult patient what to expect. Before surgery, the adult psychologist will visit the adult patient and discover what fears they may have. The adult psychologist can allay this by explaining the changes that the patient may expect following surgery or after a medical procedure. The adult psychologist can also communicate the patient’s worries and fears to the physician, surgeon and other health professionals directly involved in patient care. This will ensure that the medical professionals allay these fears and are conscious of them as they take care of the patient. This contributes to better healthcare because a less anxious patient is more cooperative and the patient is more likely to have greater adherence to their medication regimen. Management of chronic pain is a role which will include activities like administration of the McGill Pain Questionnaire to patients. This tool assists in description and measurement of pain (Marks, Murray, Evans et al, 2005). It provides a set of words describing pain from which the patient can choose from. These will assist the doctor to determine the intensity and depth of the pain that the patient feels. The McGill Pain Questionnaire makes diagnosis of pain easier and depending on the type diagnosed the appropriate medication can be prescribed, reducing the patient’s hospital stay. Another activity that the inpatient only psychologist will be involved in is confirming that a patient is safely using patient administered analgesia. This information can be elicited through conversations with the patient which will reveal their use of the analgesics that they have. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)and biofeedback are other techniques of treating pain amongst inpatients. CBT involves the use of distraction and relaxation techniques (Scott and Briere, 2006). The use of CBT where the patient is advised to note pain relieving and pain aggravating factors also help in the management of pain. These are useful in managing pain and when the inpatient psychologist has taught these successfully to the patient then it becomes easier for the patient to handle the pain and stick to their medication. The overall effect of these is a shortened hospital stay. The communications counsellor will have a role in educating physicians on the importance of maintaining patient-centered consultations. These consultations as opposed to doctor-centered consultations make the patient to feel as though they are part of the treatment process. The doctor- centered consultation is perhaps preferred by the elderly but is disliked by most people due to the sense of ignorance that it seems to inspire. A patient-centered consultation focusses on the needs of the patients and allows the doctor to listen to the patient, involve the patient and finally make a diagnosis and choose treatment. Health psychologists believe that treatment that is arrived at like this has a higher chance of being adhered to (Marks et al, 2005). The communications counsellor will therefore make this known to the medical professionals to enhance adherence to medication regimens. This is important as often the way a patient is handled by the medical professionals influences their adjustment to a condition they have especially when the condition is chronic. Adherence to medication is an indication that the patient is well adjusted and is coping well. Most patients who have suffered traumatic conditions or who have chronic conditions are predisposed to management of stress disorders. Development of a stress disorder in addition to their chronic condition makes their health even worse and increases their period of stay in hospital. The communications psychologist will identify these patients and plan for and implement interventions that will help to relieve their stress. Some of these interventions include CBT, which can be done individually or in a group. The communications psychologist may also introduce biofeedback. Biofeedback involves the measurement of the functions of a subject such as heart rate, blood pressure, skin temperature and muscle tension as well as sweat gland activity (Scott and Briere, 2006 ). Often when a patient stress levels are increased these parameters tend to increase. When measured and an increase is found, the patient’s awareness is raised and the patient then can consciously begin to control the unconscious physiological activities. Adherence to this practice can help patients avoid thoughts and feelings which increase their stress. The communication psychologist will also encourage the patients to verbalize their feelings of anxiety and stress and what they think are the sources of the stress. She/he will then explore with them the things that they can engage in to help take away their stress. These include physical activities, board games, conversations with other patients. Some stress issues may be related to the family especially where a mother is sick. She may worry about the care of her household and children. To assist this mother, the communications psychologist may need to help the mother work out a plan for care of her household with other family members. Once the stressors have been identified and done away with the patient is more likely to heal faster and be more committed to their treatment regime. The role of the communications psychologist is very important in detecting patients who may go into depression as a result of stress associated with their conditions. Conclusion Some of the jobs of the health psychologists may seem to overlap. These include the jobs of the inpatient psychologist and the communications psychologist since both seem to be dealing with chronically ill patients. They also seem to have a similar objective in that they want to ensure that the patient adheres to their treatment regimen. There are similarities between both jobs, but the focus of the inpatient psychologist is the patient who requires pain management. Overlap is reduced by the fact that should the patient develop stress as a result of poor pain management then they can be referred to the communication psychologist. The communication psychologist will then go on to identify the stressor and put in place appropriate interventions. The overlap is not an entirely bad thing as it will result in some of the workload being shared among the psychologists since there is likelihood of patients being more in one psychologist’s speciality. The health psychologists described above will all be working towards improving the care of their patients. Most of the interventions that they will put in place will lead to either decreased hospital stay or greater adherence to medication. This effectively results in improved health among the patients.

The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 39

Elena waded into the crowd feeling like a soldier. She didn't know why. Maybe because she had thought of a quest and had managed to complete it and stay alive and bring back loot. Maybe because she bore honorable wounds. Maybe because above her there was an enemy who was still out for her blood. Come to think of it, she thought, I'd better get all these noncombatants out of here. We can keep them in a safe house – well, a few dozen safe houses and – What was she thinking? Safe house was a phrase from a book. She wasn't responsible for these people – idiots, mostly, who had stood, slavering, and watched her being whipped. But – despite that, maybe she should get them out of here. â€Å"Bloddeuwedd!† she cried dramatically and pointed to a wheeling silhouette above. â€Å"Bloddeuwedd is free! She gave me these!† – pointing to the three lacerations on her back. â€Å"She'll go after you, too!† At first most of the angry exclamation seemed to be about the fact that Elena now had a marked back. Elena was in no mood to argue. There was only one person here she wanted to talk to now. Keeping Bonnie and Meredith close behind her, she called. Damon! Damon it's me! Where are you? There was so much telepathic traffic that she doubted he would hear her. But finally, she caught a faint, Elena?†¦Yes†¦ Elena, hold on to me. Think of holding me physically, and I'll take us to a different frequency. Hold on to a voice? But Elena imagined holding on to Damon tightly, tightly, while she physically held Bonnie's and Meredith's hands. Now can you hear me? This time the voice was much clearer, much louder. Yes. But I can't see you. But I see you. I'm coming to – WATCH OUT! Too late, Elena's senses warned her of a huge shadow plummeting from above. She couldn't move quickly enough to get out of the way of a snapping, alligator-sized beak. But Damon could. Leaping from somewhere, he gathered her and Bonnie and Meredith all in one great armful and leaped again, hitting grass and rolling. Oh, God! Damon! â€Å"Is anybody hurt?† he asked aloud. â€Å"I'm fine,† Meredith said quietly, calmly. â€Å"But I suspect I owe you my life. Thank you.† â€Å"Bonnie?† Elena asked. I'm okay. I mean, â€Å"I'm okay. But Elena, your back – â€Å" For the first time, Damon was able to turn Elena and see the wounds on her back. â€Å"I†¦did that? But†¦I thought†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Bloddeuwedd did that,† Elena said sharply, looking upward for a circling shape in the deep red sky. â€Å"She just barely touched me. She has talons like knives, like steel. We have to go, now!† Damon put both hands on her shoulders. â€Å"And come back when things have calmed down, you mean.† â€Å"And never come back! Oh, God, here she comes!† Something out of the corner of her eye became baseball-sized in an instant, volleyball-sized in a second, human-sized in a moment. And then they were all scattering, leaping, rolling, trying to get away, except Damon, who seized Elena and shouted, â€Å"This is my slave! If you have any argument with her, you first argue with me!† â€Å"And I am Bloddeuwedd, created by the gods, condemned to be a murderer every night. I'll kill you first, then eat her, the thief!† Bloddeuwedd called back in her raucous new voice. â€Å"Two bites is all it will take.† Damon, I need to tell you something! â€Å"I'll fight you, but my slave is out of it!† â€Å"First bite; here I come!† Damon, we have to go! A scream of primal pain and fury. Damon was standing slightly crouched with a huge piece of glass held in his hand like a sword and great black drops of blood were dripping from where he had – oh, God! Elena thought – he'd put out one of Bloddeuwedd's eyes! â€Å"YOU WILL ALL DIE! ALL!† Bloddeuwedd made a charge at a random vampire directly below her and Elena screamed as the vampire screamed. The black beak had caught him by one leg and was lifting him. But Damon was running forward, jumping, slashing. With a scream of fury, Bloddeuwedd took to the sky again. Now everyone understood the danger. Two other vampires rushed to take their comrade from Damon, and Elena was glad that her friends were not responsible for another life. She had too much on her hands already. Damon, I'm leaving now. You can come with me or not. I've got the key. Elena sent the words on the frequency that they were more or less alone on, and she sent it without dramatics. She had no room for drama left. She'd been stripped of everything except the need to get to Stefan. This time, she knew Damon heard her. At first, she thought Damon was dying. That Bloddeuwedd had somehow come back and pierced him through his entire body, as with a spear made of light. Then she realized that the feeling was rapture, and two tiny child hands reached out of the light and clung to hers, allowing her to pull a thin, ragged, but laughing child away free. No chains, she thought dizzily. He's not even wearing slave bracelets. â€Å"My brother!† he told her. â€Å"My little brother's going to live!† â€Å"Well, that's a fine thing,† Elena said shakily. â€Å"He's going to live!† A tiny frown line appeared. â€Å"If you hurry! And take good care of him! And – â€Å" Elena put two fingers over his lips, very gently. â€Å"You don't need to worry about anything like that. You just be happy.† The little boy laughed. â€Å"I will! I am!† â€Å"Elena!† Elena came out of – well, she supposed it was a daze, although it had been more real than many other things she'd experienced recently. â€Å"Elena!† Damon was trying desperately to restrain himself. â€Å"Show me the key!† Slowly, majestically, Elena lifted her hand. Damon's shoulders tensed, for – something – went down. â€Å"It's a ring,† he said dully. The slow and majestic bit hadn't worked on him at all. â€Å"That's what I thought at first. It's a key. I'm not asking you, or seeing if you agree with me; I'm telling you. It's a key. The light from its eyes points to Stefan.† â€Å"What light?† â€Å"I'll show you later. Bonnie! Meredith! We're leaving.† â€Å"YOU'RE NOT IF I SAY YOU'RE NOT!† â€Å"Watch out!† screamed Bonnie. The owl was diving again. And again, at the last second, Damon gathered the three girls and leaped. The owl's beak struck not grass nor shards of glass but the marble steps. They cracked. There was a scream of pain and another, as Damon, nimble as a dancer, slashed at the giant bird's one good eye. He got in a cut right above it. Blood began to fill the eye. Elena couldn't stand any more. Ever since starting out on this journey with Damon and Matt, she had been a vial filling with anger. Drop by drop, with each new outrage, that anger had filled and filled the vial. Now her rage was about to fill it to overflowing. But then†¦what would happen? She didn't want to know. She was afraid she wouldn't survive it. What she did know was that she couldn't watch any more pain and blood and anguish right now. Damon genuinely enjoyed fighting. Good. Let him. She was going to Stefan if she had to walk the whole way. Meredith and Bonnie were silent. They knew Elena in this mood. She wasn't fooling around. And neither of them wanted to be left behind. It was exactly at that moment that the carriage came rumbling up to the base of the marble stairs. Sage, who obviously knew something about human nature, demonic nature, vampiric nature, and various kinds of bestial nature, jumped out of the carriage with two swords drawn. He also whistled. In a moment a shadow – a small one – came streaking to him out of the sky. Last, slowly, stretching each leg like a tiger, came Saber, who immediately pulled back his lips to show an amazing number of teeth. Elena leaped toward the carriage, her eyes meeting Sage's. Help me, she thought desperately. And his eyes said just as plainly, Have no fear. Blindly, she reached behind her with both hands. One small, fine-boned, lightly trembling hand was thrust into hers. One slim, cool hand, hard as a boy's but with long tapering fingers grabbed her other one. There was no one here to trust. No one to say good-bye to, or leave messages of good-bye with. Elena scrambled into the carriage. She got into the backseat, the farthest from the front, to accommodate incoming humans and animals. And in they did come, like an avalanche. She had dragged Bonnie with her, and Meredith had followed, so that when Saber leaped into his accustomed place he landed on three soft laps. Sage hadn't wasted a moment. With Talon clamped on his left wrist, he left just enough room for Damon's final spring – and a spring it was. Cracked and broken, oozing black fluid, Bloddeuwedd's beak hit the end of the marble stairs where Damon had been standing. â€Å"Directions!† shouted Sage, but only after the horses were heading at a gallop – somewhere, anywhere, away. â€Å"Oh, please don't let her hurt the horses,† Bonnie gasped. â€Å"Oh, please don't let her split this roof like cardboard,† said Meredith, somehow able to be wry even when her life was in danger. â€Å"Directions, s'il vous plaà ®t!† roared Sage. â€Å"The prison, of course,† panted Elena. She felt that it had been a long time since she had been able to get enough air. â€Å"The prison?† Damon seemed distracted. â€Å"Yes! The prison!† But then, he added, pulling up something like a pillowcase filled with billiard balls, â€Å"Sage, what are these?† â€Å"Loot. Booty. Spoils! Plunder!† As the horses swung in a new direction, Sage's voice seemed to get more and more cheerful. â€Å"And look around your feet!† â€Å"More pillowcases†¦?† â€Å"I wasn't prepared for a big haul tonight. But things worked out well anyway!† By now, Elena was feeling one of the pillowcases for herself. The case was, indeed, full of clear, sparkling hoshi no tama. Star balls. Memories. Worth†¦ Worthless? â€Å"Priceless†¦although of course we don't know what's on them.† Sage's voice changed subtly. Elena remembered the warning about â€Å"forbidden spheres.† What, in the name of the yellow sun, could they possibly forbid down here? Bonnie was the first to pick up a disk and put it to her temple. She did it so quickly, with such flashing, birdlike movements, that Elena couldn't stop her. â€Å"What is it?† Elena gasped, trying to pull the star ball away. â€Å"It's†¦poetry. Poetry I can't understand,† said Bonnie crossly. Meredith had also picked up a sparkling orb. Elena reached for her but once again she was too late. Meredith sat as if in a trance for a moment, then grimaced and put the sphere down. â€Å"What?† demanded Elena. Meredith shook her head. She wore a delicate expression of distaste. â€Å"What?† Elena almost yelled. Then as Meredith put the star ball by her feet, Elena lunged at it. She clapped it to her own temple and immediately was dressed in black leather from head to toe. There were two broad, square men in front of her, without a lot of muscle tone. And she could see all of their musculature because they were stark naked except for rags such as beggars wore. But they weren't beggars – they looked well-fed and oily and it was clearly an act when one of them groveled, â€Å"We have trespassed. We beg your forgiveness, O master!† Elena was reaching to take the sphere off her temple (they stuck gently, if you put a little pressure there) and saying, â€Å"Why don't they use the space for something else?† Something else was immediately all around her. A girl, in poor clothing, but not sacking. She looked terrified. Elena wondered if she were being controlled. And Elena was the girl. Pleasedon'tletitgetmepleasedon'tletitgetme – Let what get you? Elena asked, but it was like watching a movie or book character while they were going into a lonely house in a howling storm and the music had turned eerie. The Elena who was walking in fear could not hear the Elena who was asking practical questions. I don't think I want to see how this one comes out, she decided. She put the star ball back at Meredith's feet. â€Å"Do we have three sacks?† â€Å"Yes, ma'am, yes, ma'am; three sacks full.† Oh. That didn't work out very well. Elena was opening her mouth again, when Damon added quietly: â€Å"And one sack empty.† â€Å"Really? We do? Then let's all try to divide these. Anything – forbidden – goes in one sack. Weird stuff like Bonnie's poetry reading goes into another. Any news of Stefan – or of us – goes in the third. And nice things, like summer days, go in the fourth,† Elena said. â€Å"I think you are being optimistic, me,† Sage said. â€Å"To expect to find an orb with Stefan on it so quickly – â€Å" â€Å"Everybody, hush!† Bonnie said frantically. â€Å"This is Shinichi and Damon talking him into it.† Sage stiffened, as if taking a lightning bolt from the stormy sky, then he smiled. â€Å"Speak of the devil,† he murmured. Elena smiled at him and squeezed his hand before taking another ball. â€Å"This one seems to be some kind of legal stuff. I don't understand it. A slave must be taking it because I can see all of them.† Elena felt her facial muscles tighten with hatred at the sight – even in a sort of dream – of Shinichi, the kitsune who had done so much harm. His hair was black, except for an irregular fringe around the edges, which made it look as if it had been dipped in red-hot lava. And then, of course, Misao. Shinichi's sister – allegedly. This star ball must have been made by a slave, because she could see both of the twins and a lawyerly-looking man. Misao, Elena thought. Delicate, deferential, demure†¦demonic. Her hair was the same as Shinichi's, but it was held up and back in a ponytail. You could see the demonic part if she raised her eyes. They were effervescent, golden, laughing eyes, just like her brother's; eyes that had never had a regret – except perhaps for not exacting enough revenge. They took no responsibility. They found anguish funny. And then something odd happened. All three of the figures in the room suddenly turned around and looked straight at her. Straight at whoever had made the sphere, Elena corrected herself, but it still was disconcerting. It was even more disconcerting when they continued to advance. Who am I? Elena thought, feeling half-frantic with anxiety. Then she tried something she had never done before, or seen or heard of being done. She carefully extended her Power into the Self around the orb. She was Werty, a sort of lawyer's secretary. She/he took notes when important deals were done. And Werty definitely didn't like the way things were going right now. The two clients and his boss closing in on him like this, in a way they never had before. Elena pulled herself out of the clerk and put the ball down to one side. She shivered, feeling as if she'd been plunged into ice-cold water. And then the roof crashed in. Bloddeuwedd. Even with her crippled beak, the huge owl tore off quite a bit of the roof of the carriage. Everyone was screaming and no one was giving much good advice. Saber and Damon had both damaged her: Saber by raising right off the three soft laps he was sitting on and lunging straight up for Bloddeuwedd's feet. He had torn and shaken one before letting go to fall back into the carriage, where he almost slid off the back. Elena, Bonnie, and Meredith grabbed at whatever portions of canine anatomy they could reach, and hauled the huge animal into the backseat again. â€Å"Scoot over! Give him his own seat,† wailed Bonnie, looking at the shreds of her pearl-colored dress where Saber had taken off and ripped right through the gauzy material. He'd left red welts in his path. â€Å"Well,† Meredith said, â€Å"next time we'll request steel petticoats. But I really hope there isn't going to be a next time, anyway!† Elena prayed fervently that she was right. Bloddeuwedd was skimming in from a lower angle now, undoubtedly hoping to snap off a few heads. â€Å"Everybody grab wood. And spheres! Throw the spheres at her as she comes close to us.† Elena was hoping that the sight of star globes – Bloddeuwedd's obsession – might slow her down. At the same time Sage shouted, â€Å"Don't waste the star balls! Throw anything else! Besides, we're almost there. Hard left, then straightaway!† The words gave Elena new hope. I have the key, she thought. The ring is the key. All I have to do now is get Stefan – and get all of us to the door with the keyhole. All in one building. I'm practically home. The next sweep came in even lower. Bloddeuwedd, blind in one eye, with blood filling the other one, and her olfactory senses blocked by her own dried blood, was trying to ram the carriage and knock it over. If she manages it, we'll be dead, Elena thought. And any who're still writhing like worms on the ground, she can pick off. â€Å"DUCK!† She screamed the word both vocally and telepathically. And then something like an airplane flew so close to her that she felt tufts of hair being pulled out, caught in its claws. Elena heard a cry of pain from the front seat but didn't raise her head to see what it was. And that was good, for while the carriage suddenly slammed to a halt, the next instant a whirling, screaming, bird of death came searing out on the same course. Now Elena needed all of her attention, all her faculties, to avoid this monster that was buzzing them even lower. â€Å"The carriage, she is finished! Get out! Run!† Sage's voice came rumbling to her. â€Å"The horses,† screamed Elena. â€Å"Finished! Get out, damn you!† Elena had never heard Sage swear before. She dropped the subject. Elena never knew how she and Meredith did get out, tumbling over each other, trying to help and only getting in each other's way. Bonnie was already out, by virtue of the coach having hit a pole and sending her flying. Fortunately, it had sent her into a square of ugly but springy red clover, and she wasn't seriously injured. â€Å"Ahhh, my bracelet – no, there it is,† she cried, grabbing something glittering out of the clover. She cast a cautious look upward into the crimson night. â€Å"Now what do we do?† â€Å"We run!† came Damon's voice. He came around the wreckage of the corner where they had fallen in a heap. There was blood on his mouth, on the previously immaculate white at his throat. It reminded Elena of those people who drank cow's blood as well as milk for nutrition. But Damon only drank from humans. He would never stoop to equine blood†¦ The horses will still be here and so will Bloddeuwedd, a harsh voice explained in her head. She would play with them; there would be pain. This way was quick. It was†¦a whim. Elena reached for his hands, gasping. â€Å"Damon! I'm sorry!† â€Å"GET OUT OF HERE,† Sage was roaring. â€Å"We have to get to Stefan,† Elena said, and grabbed Bonnie with her other hand. â€Å"Help guide me, please. I can't see the ring very well.† Meredith, she trusted, would get to the Shi no Shi building on her own resources. And then there was a nightmare of running and flinching and false alarms by a shaken Bonnie. Twice the horror from above came skimming straight toward them only to crash just in front of them, or a little to the side, breaking wood and tile road alike, throwing up clouds of dust. Elena didn't know about all owls, but Bloddeuwedd swooped down at an angle on her prey, then opened her wings and dropped at the last moment. Part of the worst thing about the giant owl was her silence. There was no rustling to warn them of where she might be. Something in her own feathers muffled the sound, so that they never knew when she was going to drop next. In the end they had to crawl through all sorts of rubbish, going as fast as they could, holding wood, glass, anything sharp over their heads, as Bloddeuwedd made another pass. And all the time Elena was trying to use her Power. It was not a Power she had used before, but she could feel its name shaping her lips. What she could not feel, could not force, was a connection between the words and the Power. I'm useless as a heroine, she thought. I'm pathetic. They should have given these Powers to someone who already knew how to control such things. Or, no, they should have given them to someone and then given the someone a course on how to use them. Or – no – â€Å"Elena!† Rubbish was flying in front of her, but then she was cutting left and somehow getting around it. And then she was on the ground and looking up at Damon, who had protected her with his body. â€Å"Thank you,† she whispered. â€Å"Come on!† â€Å"I'm sorry,† she whispered and held out her right hand, with the ring on it, for him to take. And then she doubled up, heaving with sobs. She could hear the flapping of Bloddeuwedd right above her.