Overlapping talk and turns Essay Example for Free

Overlapping talk and turns Essay In face-to-face interactions within one language, when Ð ° speaker decides to talk, she can do so at almost any moment in the talk of another speaker. Thus, the potential exists for any one speaker to talk when Ð ° current speaker is already talking. Although many linguists have called this interruption, Bennett (1981) pointed out that when two people talk at the same time, the description of what is happening is overlap, whereas interruption is Ð ° judgment regarding individuals rights and obligations when speaking. Overlapping talk is not always nor consistently viewed by speakers as interruption ( Edelsky 1981 ; Murray 1985 ; Tannen 1989 ). Many American speakers, women for example, tolerate overlapping speech without labeling it interruption (James and Drakich 199o). The term overlap or overlapping talk, includes both brief spurts of talk and talk which could continue for longer. Instances of overlap include everything from brief listening responses, to indications of understanding or the lack of it, words of agreement or disagreement, and when two speakers begin talking at the same time. In simultaneous interpreting, one kind of overlapping talk is constantinterpreters talk as primary speakers are talking. This kind of simultaneous talk of speaker and interpreter, which, in face-to-face interpreting, can be seen or heard by all participants, is Ð ° marker of the unusual nature of an interpreting event. This Interlingua overlap becomes an accepted norm of these face-to-face encounters and is not the kind of overlapping talk discussed here. However, another kind of overlap occurs in interpreted encounters which require the interpreter to intervene. This is the overlapping talk that occurs between the two primary speakers. 6 This overlap can easily be understood because two participants can begin simultaneously, respond to anothers talk briefly or at length, ask Ð ° question, exclaim, and so on. This is not to say that overlapping talk by primary speakers is customary. In fact, it appears that, for the most part, participants in an interpreting situation are aware that something unusual is going on and adjust their usual habits of talkingthat is, they are more cautious about taking Ð ° turn, and, many times, are never sure when it is their turn. In any language there can be overlapping talk by speakers without noticeable disruption of interaction. But overlapping talk between two speakers in an interpreted meeting forces an interpreter to act. An interpreter cannot interpret two speakers at the same time; thus overlapping talk during interpreting has an impact different from when it occurs in ordinary conversation. When it occurs, two things are immediately apparent: (1) the possibility exist for three people to be talking; and (2) the interpreter must make Ð ° decision. Then the question is, what does the interpreter do, or rather what choices are available to the interpreter? 1. An interpreter can stop one (or both) speakers and allow the other speaker to continue. If an interpreter stops both speakers, then either the interpreter indicates who speaks next or one of the primary speakers decides who talks next. 2. An interpreter can momentarily ignore one speakers overlapping talk, hold the segment of talk in memory, continue interpreting the other speaker, and then produce the held talk immediately following the end of Ð ° speakers turn. Decisions about holding talk in ones memory lie within the interpreters ability to do so and the interpreters judgment regarding the importance or impact of the talk to be held in memory. 3. An interpreter can ignore overlapping talk completely. 4. An interpreter can momentarily ignore overlapping talk and upon finishing the interpretation of one speaker, offer the next turn to the other speaker, or indicate in some way that Ð ° turn was attempted. To stop Ð ° speaker, an interpreter has to do something, verbally and/or nonverbally, within microseconds of the overlapping talk. Although there may be several strategies in any language for stopping Ð ° speaker, interpreter’s also have to consider other factors, such as message importance, speaker relationships, and relative status or authority. Inevitably, interpreters have to choose strategies that work in specific situations with specific speakers. Because of the nature of interpreting employment, it is not unusual for interpreters to work in situations where they do not know the speakers or know them only slightly. This forces interpreter’s to learn the factors of Ð ° situation quickly. Thus, interpreters must know Ð ° wide range of communicative strategies and, as they learn about interlocutorsjust as interlocutors learn about participating in an interpreted eventthey make decisions about which strategies to use. This example is particularly rich with three instances of overlapping talk between the primary speakers. Two instances of overlap are within the first seven seconds of this segment, brief, and practically imperceptible. The third instance, however, is more dramatic. As three people begin to talk, the Interpreter has to do something. The first overlap occurs as the Professor begins Ð ° new topic. She has been discussing why the Students work is good but needs some corrections. Then, with almost no hesitation, the Professor switches to Ð ° new topic, chunking. At the beginning of this segment, YES is the Students response to the Professors previous utterance. As the Student says YES, the Professor simultaneously starts her new topic with Ch- but doesnt complete the word. This is the first instance of overlapping talk as the Professor and Student both utter together. Both contributions are brief; the Professor doesnt even finish her word so there is no need to stop them. The Professor appears to hear and understand the Yes, І agree rendered by the Interpreter. The second overlap occurs one line later when the Professor and the Student say chunking together. The Interpreter has let the Student know that the Professor is talking about chunking, and as the Professor says, І have no idea how, she sees the Student shrug; look puzzled, and shake his head. Although she pauses briefly, as she says, chunking again, so does the Student. As they say chunking together, they both see each other speak, and they laugh together briefly. Again, it seems Ð ° spontaneous occurrence, brief and ending quickly.

Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Strategies

Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Strategies INTRODUCTION Live birth with healthy child is the ultimate goal of ART cycles. There is a complexity of interlinked events that decides the final outcome of ART. This event can be categorised as, Clinical (stimulation protocol, opu, embryo transfer, pregnancy rate etc), Patient related (age, diseases) and Laboratory (ART Lab- oocyte, sperm, embryo, media, etc). There cannot be any single thumb rule for success in any ART cycle due to numerous variations in each categories. However by setting up Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and interpreting the data statistically we can have a better understanding of our success combinations as well as flaws. In this topic we will restrict our discussion upto laboratory category. ART lab and equipments are designed to mimic intra-uterine/ intra- fallopian tube environment. Thus by giving minimum stress to gametes a better embryo or blastocyst can be achieved which may result in healthy pregnancy. In order to have significant pregnancy rate various studies have been performed keeping in mind variables like, co2, pH, temperature, media etc. To have an insight of entire process majority of KPI are directed towards maintaining the above controls and also the clinical aspect of patient. This KPI gives us entire picture from patient age, stimulation protocols, drugs, opu, gametes, zygotes, embryos as well as record of temperature of work stations, room temperature, humidity, incubators conditions, ph, air quality , infection control policy. Thus KPI makes us more vigilant and observes the pattern of success or failure of our lab. By using our KPI we can have customised settings of our monitors and set protocol for a cycle. This Gametes and embryos are in artificial environment mimicking natural environment a stricter control on ph, temperature, air are perhaps most crucial. It is believed and observed that a compromise in any of this parameters does cause detrimental effect on embryos. Usually laboratories have protocols of checking the incubator settings, media, temperature daily. We do observe success rate to vary routinely. Where a drop in preganacy rate is to be considered more seriously , this makes us ponder over our KPI which should reflect the cause. We have observed many instances but we discuss about three such scenarios which caused damage to our pregnancy rates and KPI helped us. First Scenario- opening incubator door frequently On one occasion we observed more number of patients than usual in a batch of ART, while other KPI parameters were within accepted range. This observation lead to the fact that increased number of patient resulted in increase in number of oocytes.. This means that the load on incubator was much higher than usual. This load can be described by frequent opening of door to make fresh plates , transfer embryos, change media, observe growth, and embryo transfer. We used a conventional front load door incubator. Our KPI did not have a count or time period of incubator door openings, though it was handled to be bare necessity. To establish this assumption few studies observed that, there is a difference in temperature throughout the incubator where front and upper shelf had temperature nearer to 37 c as compared to other locations. Temperature displayed on screen of incubator was just an average. Temperature probe recorded average temperature of inside the incubator and hence KPI recordings were quite stable . However an important study observed that incubator door opened for 5 seconds takes a temperature recovery time of around 20 minutes whereas dishes took 30 minutes to come back to 37c. This can be explained due to cooler air from room entering the incubator and also cold co2 gas being pumped in due to decrease in co2 concentrations. IVF work station also has heating mechanism adjusted to 37 c but even that is average temp. And we do see different tempertaure in different parts of table. Further work station is also cooled by laminar air flow . Studies have proven that prolonged temperature variations impacts fertilisation especially high temperature affects cytokinesis of embryos. However we did not record absolutely mass failed fertilisation or mass embryo arrest .Though the number was less but the embryos progressed to blastocyst formation and also gave pregnancies. This leads to debate of optimal temperature required for embryo culture. Researchers have proved that core body temperature of reproductive axis to be 1c less than 37c. Interestingly a study observed difference in blastocyst formation from culturing the embryos at 36c .however fertilisation rate and implantation rate at both 36 c and 37 c were similar. With the concept of mimicking natural environment it was observed that preovulatory follicle had 2.3c less temperature than 36c. This could explain why even after temperature fluctuation we could still get good blastocyst as well as implantation. Another possible theory is a temperature regulating mechanism in embryo which remains an interesting research. Temperature fluctuations have an impact on pH also . Considering the importance of temperature and as most study design are carried out at 37c and better success rate at this temperature makes us accept cell culture to be at 37c. In order to set things right measures were initiated to reduce the number of patients or oocyte in one incubator. On an average not more than 2/3 patient with 6-8 dishes were kept in an incubator. Open culture system was changed to closed culture. Procedures like Dish equilibration, sperm swim up where carried out in mini incubator rather than routine incubators. Another way of controlling this could be use of embryo scope or using single step media or bench top incubators. But we preferred the older method to be cost effective. Second scenario- pH of media, calibration of instruments. Our KPI includes routine CO2 check by CO2 analyser and they were fairly within accepted range and settings were adjusted depending upon observed value to maintain co2 at 5 % or 6% . this percentage varied according to media manufacturing company like, SAGE needs equilibration at 5 % while vitrolife needs it at 6% . As co2 is used to maintain Ph . Despite being vigilant there was drop in overall blastocyst formation and implantation rate. A study of KPI statistics revealed more or less steady co2 and temperature with no changes in protocols . A detailed study questioned co2 analyser observation and it was found that co2 analyser was not serviced or calibrated over 6 months. Investigations confirmed Co2 analyser reading to be faulty. This scenario explains a lot about calibration of our instrument which are meant to check and control our functioning instruments like incubator.Routinely a calibration tolerance of 0.1 was accepted by us. We were using colourless media( vitrolife) rather than â€Å"pink† media ( phenol) hence changes in ph of media were unnoticed. literature supports ph to be most crucial for gamates. Routinely a ph of media scaling of 7.2-7.4 is accepted for cell culture. ph of media is also very dynamic and influenced by temperature,co2, volume of media. This leads to debate of optimal ph of media. Studies have revealed variable ph,that is alkaline in oviduct and acidic in uterus. Oocytes also showed varied ph from Germinal vesical stage ( 7.04 +/- 0.07) to MII stage ( 6.98 +/- 0.010). while amphibian oocytes shows rise in pH during fertilisation but unseen in humans. This opens a theory of intracellular ph regulatory system to mai ntain optimal Ph as required . This balance of CO2 and HCO3 in media sets the extracellular ph(phe) while intracelluarly (pHi) HCO3/Cl ad Na+/H+ regulatory systems maintain stability in cell. This self regulatory system of embryos seems to maintain the balance inspite of fluctuations and hence we see blastocyst formation and even implantation rates. Oocytes maintain their pHi through combination of follicular fluid, granulose cells. Hence denuded oocyte are more vulnearble and depends only up on pHe of media. Studies observed that raising ph to 7.4 or lowering to 6.8 affected the embryo metabolism where alkalinine media caused more damage. Thus ph around 7.2 seems to be more stabilising. Studies have observed ph irregularities to affect actin, cytoskeletal elements, meiotic spindle, cell apoptosis, mitochondria position in embryo. This problem was addressed by calibrating our co2 analyser every 3 months. Media tubes should be capped off immediately after opening to prevent evaporation which can cause ph fluctuation.KPI included servicing dates of each instruments with due date notifications.† Pink media† was not used considering toxicity of phenol and above all in subsequent cycles pregnancy rates were up with above correction.

The Tourism Industry Is A Complex System

The Tourism Industry Is A Complex System The tourism industry is a complex system where its necessary to look at all different sectors which are influencing each other, to get a clear understanding how this system works. A helpful tool to use already models and theories, apply them on different example and evaluate them. The individual as a potential customer has to be analysed and categorised, which is ensuing a better understanding of tourist behaviour. Furthermore it helps to recognize their decision making progress for a destination, as well as getting knowledge about their needs and expectation. This essay will show the usage of these models and theories on example of the Dominican Republic. Tourism can be defined as a combination of services and activities for people who travel to places outside of their familiar surroundings. The definition of a tourist is wide-ranging, because the purpose of travel ranges from holidays, business trips, and visits to friends and relatives to various other reasons such as study, religion, shopping and so on. More than an industry, it is rather like a system that sells packaged holidays, activities, attractions, accommodations, and entertainment. It is offering the opportunity to break away from normal life and enjoy leisure time in different locations. Tourism normally does not provide just one single product; mostly it is a bundling of various products to satisfy the demand of the tourist. For example, someone going on holiday to London would not merely consume one product from one supplier. It is more likely that he is utilizing a package of services. He might arrive by plane, go by bus/train to his hotel, dine in a restaurant, and ta ke a sightseeing tour. Due to the fact that nearly every tourism product is interlinked, there is no owner or manager with complete control of his own destiny (Gunn A.C. 2002, p.243). Additionally, other industries, such as the oil industry, are linked to the tourism industry. In recent years tourism become a part of daily life because people have more leisure time than they used to have 50 years ago and the view of the work-life balance has changed. Another important point to mention is that the tourism industry is one of the largest in the world and is creating millions of temporary and permanent jobs. In 2006 the travel and tourism industrys percentage of the world gross domestic product was 10,3%, with a turnover of US$6,477.2 billion. The industry supported 234 million jobs, 8.7% of total world employment (Cooper, et al 2006: 3). This data represents the global importance and significance to the world economy. Tourism does not include just the supply of hotels, beaches and travel agencies but also economical, environmental and socio-cultural impacts. These three areas are always commingling and conflicting. There are people whom are simply interested in making a profit, other people wanting to protect the environment, and yet another group of people concerned with the social and cultural impacts of a tourist region. All three groups must achieve a balance to enable sustainable tourism. This idea is shown on the following graphic: 3. Tourist typology and their implementation to tourism models Stanley C. Plog One approach to understand tourist behaviour is to identify different types of people, whereupon they can be categorised into a series of organised psychographic types. In 1973 Stanley C. Plog created a model for the American population showing how personal motivation influences the decision for a vacation destination. He divided tourists into four types: allocentric, near-allocentric, mid-centric, and near-psychocentric/psychocentric. The allocentric type views travelling as an opportunity to discover foreign cultures and prefers exotic destinations. They are self confident and open for new experiences. The near-allocentric type is sporty, seeks challenges and views the journey as a chance to test a new lifestyle. The mid-centric type looks for relaxation and pleasure in a well-known environment. They want to escape from the daily routine and enjoy comfortable accommodation. The near-psychocentric and psychocentric types are focused on themselves and are scared to discover something new. These people tend to look for a safe place to holiday. Their choice of destination will be a place they know and where they are not that far away from their home city (Johnson Thomas, 1992: 19). Plog considered that there are just a few psychocentric or allocentric types because the majority of tourists are mid-centric. However, Plogs model is hard to apply in reality. For example the Dominion Republic has a lot of organised mass tourism and it is possible to organize a journey by yourself as well. Every tourist is an individual, so they cannot be generalized. One trip can have a completely different occasion and characteristic than the other one (Cooper, 2008: 48). Cohens tourist typology Another model which classifies tourists is Cohens tourist typology. He divides tourists into the organised mass tourist, the individual mass tourist, the explorer and the drifter. Cohen explains that organised mass tourists are typically purchasing a ready-made package tour where they have no or just a little contact with the local people and stay most of the time inside a resort. This is similar to Plogs psychocentrics` type. In Cohens theory most of the tourists are individual mass tourists. They are similar to the organised mass tourists, but they have more flexibility and scope for personal choice. They want to have contact to the local people. This category is comparable to Plogs midcentric tourists and most tourists fall into this category. The third tourist type is the explorer, who organises the trip by himself and looks for something special, something away from the typical interests of a mass tourist. However, he is still interested in comfortable accommodations. The last t ype, the drifter, is completely independent, wants to live with local people and wants to take part in the native culture. Cohens last two tourists theories, the explorer and the drifter, which are also the minority in this industry, are similar to Plogs allocentric tourists. (Cooper et al, p.51). 5. Demand for the creation of tourist typologies and their practice on the example of the Dominican Republic The reason why we need these typologies for different tourists is to help and to be able to develop tourism destinations. Expectations and needs from tourists on a perfect holiday can be identified, so the desired service can be supplied. As soon as we know the different motivations for individuals travelling to a particular destination, a specific tourist type is going to be targeted. This means that in example of the Dom. Rep. the organised mass tourists in the majority, which are looking for a safe holiday, we know their behaviour and know how to plan for them. Most of the resorts in Dom.Rep. are designed for this clientele and have been developed very fast during the last 20 years to satisfy the demand from tourists. At the first stage resorts were build for explorer or drifter, and since the creation of package tourism, a lot of individual mass tourists came to this area. With the creation of all-inclusive, there is no need for tourists to leave the hotel. Because of investigati ng the different desire of tourists and define them, it was possible to develop this area (National and regional tourism planning 1994, p.147). 6. Doxeys Index: The socio-cultural impact of tourism The Doxeys Index describes the relationship between visitors and the visited. He developed a five stage model which describes the first step as the upcoming  ´euphoria ´ when a small number of tourists arrive thus stimulating the economy and a large number of new jobs are created. The next steps are apathy and annoyance. At this stage local people get first used to tourists in their familiar surroundings, and afterwards annoyed, because too many people are visiting the destination. Antagonism and acceptance are the last steps in this theory. Native people start to avoid tourists and at the last step they accept them. Acceptance means, that they accept tourists in their usual life and forget how the area was before tourists arrived (Cooper et al, p.47). Top priority should be always building better relationships between residents and visitors, which improves social life for both sides. In Punta Cana, where the proportion of tourists is high to the number of residents, cultural problems occur because of different society expectations (National and regional tourism planning 1994, p.147). While Punta Cana has grown within twenty years, the local community did not have enough time to adjust to the high number of tourists. The three models of Plog, Cohen and Doxey are coextensive whith each other because when the first visitors (drifter) arrive at a destination, local people are euphoric. These tourists (allocentric) are not scared to discover new areas. In the midcentric are the explorer and the individual mass tourists. At this stage the community becomes apathetic and annoyed. The last step is the organized mass tourist who belongs to the psychocentric and native people start to accept them. The relationship between the models is linear (Cooper et al, p.47). 7. Butlers Tourism Area Lifecycle (TALC) The Tourism Area Lifecycle(TALC) is a well-known model Butler created to illustrate the dynamic of a tourist -destination or -product through different stages. The graph describes a characteristic function due to the natural interrelation between the exposure and intensity of tourism. It shows the evolutional process where every tourism product is going through, which can help manager to find a way out in case of a crisis or new developed destinations to establish themselves. Butler first stage is exploration, where small number of visitors arrive in an undeveloped area. These people been identified as Plogs allocentric or Cohens explorer type. After their trip they are responsible for Involvement, because they tell others about place they been to (Ryan 2003, p.269). A following rise of the curve during the development stage is logical, because more tourists can be carried. Butler says that the number of tourists decrease until the carrying capacity is reached, this is the consolidation stage. New development has to happen again to rejuvenate, otherwise it would come to a decline of visitors (Butler 2006). While developing new strategies is important to investigate the existing facts and concentrate on the potentials the destination is already providing. At this point it is necessary to make a decision. To develop this place, to leave the place how it is and increase the price or let it decline. Decline is the next stage of Butlers TALC. This happens if t oo many tourists are arriving at a destination at the same time and the capacity is too low. Visitor are disappointed and the number of tourists will therefore start to fall. An option to avoid decline is Rejuvenation. That means that the area has to be developed for example with new hotels and beaches. 8. The 5As model The 5As model was helpful to rejuvenate the Dominican Republic when it had been reached the stagnation point. A new development of Attractions, Accessibility, Activities, Amenities and Accommodation were necessary to bring facilities up to the level demanded by international tourists. When the carrying capacity was reached, an essential element in the tourism take-off was government investment in the infrastructure of tourism zones. Over $76 million went into the Puerto Plata region between 1974 and 1982. New hotels and transportation networks were built, to get electric power and satisfy water supply. Infrastructure was one of the main important things which had to be developed and when the airport in Punta Cana was built, a lot of new different tourists begun to visit this area. (http://kiskeya-alternative.org/publica/afuller/rd-tourism.html#ecsoc) Today the Dominion Republic is one of the most visited countries and popular for family holidays. This destination fits perfect in Butlers TALC because at first it was an undeveloped place and started to grow, decisions by the policy had to be done for example to rejuvenate the place, to let the area how it is or to let it decline. The Dominican government decided for rejuvenation because of the high potential of this area. With new roads, attractions, airports and hotels the resort development strategy was successful (National and regional tourism planning, 1994, p.147). 9. Multiplier effect In tourism the multiplier effect is used to illustrate how many times money spent by a tourist circulates through a countrys economy. In other words when a new tourist destination is created, the local economy benefits as new jobs are being created and tourist bring additional trade to local businesses. The most common example is when a new hotel is being built it does not only create jobs directly in the hotel, but also indirectly in other sectors of the economy. The hotel has to buy food from local farmers, who then spend some of this money, for example, on domestic expenses. When tourists spend money for local products the demand for those products increases, which also increases secondary employment. However the multiplier effect continues until there is a leakage out of the economy through imports, which is the purchase of goods from other countries. The most common example would be a Third World country, such as Dominican Republic, much of the money spent by tourist end up leaving the countrys economy via foreign-owned airlines, hotels, imported drinks and food, etc. A typical luxurious four star hotel would be more likely to import most of its goods and services; if that means that better quality would be provided which would ensure better customer satisfaction. (http://geographyfieldwork.com/TouristMultiplier.htm 10. Conclusion Models could be helpful to develop a successful tourism destination and understand the different motivations of tourists. When the policy changes the supply for example to develop an area for package tourism, the demand will also change. That means that the supply has to meet the demand side when at the descriptive side the object and services changing. Plogs, Cohens and Doxeys models are descriptive because they just describe a situation but Butlers model is descriptive and prescriptive. TALC explains what is happening in an area and makes diagnose. After this diagnose the problem becomes clear and it is easier to make a decision for solving this problem. It is always necessary to find out how much potential a place has to make substantial development it in the right way. For this fact tourism models are helpful. 11. References Cooper, C, Fletcher, J, Fyall, A, Gilbert, D and Wanhill, S (2008) Tourism Principles and Practice (4thedn), Prentice Hall, Essex Gunn, C.A (2002) Tourism Planning (4th edn), Routledge, London Howie, F. (2003 a,b), Managing the Tourist Destination: A Practical Guide (1st edn), Cengage Learning EMEA Johnson Thomas (1992), Choice and Demand in Tourism, Mansell Publishing Limited National and regional tourism planning (1994) Methodologies and Case Studies (World Tourism Organization) (1st edn), Routledge, London Ryan, C (2003), Recreational Tourism and Impacts (1st edn), Channel View Publications, Clevedon Dominican Republic tourism, Tourism Development in the Dominican Republic: Growth, Costs, Benefits and Choices, avaible from http://kiskeya-alternative.org/publica/afuller/rd-tourism.html#ecsoc (accessed on 11.12.2009)

Dream Therapy Essay -- Psychology Essays

Dream Therapy Dreams have been considered and debated since people have existed. Research on dreams began in the 19th and 20th centuries. However, nothing has proven why dreams happen or what they do. Freud suggested that dreams are an expression of subconscious desires, from which all sorts of strange animal impulses come. He believed that he would be able to find out what bothered people by analyzing their dreams. While dreams reveal troubles much older than Freud, he was the first to try and rationalize dream therapy (Dreaming of a better life). According to American Health (April 1997) about three-quarters of people who use dream therapy are women. They speculate this is due to hormonal differences. Other reasons to speculate that women are more inclined to use dream therapy are because they seem more connected to the dreaming world than men, women dream more often than other times during their menstrual cycle (which helps them recall their dreams more clearly at those times) and women tend to dream more during pregnancy (Waking). People who suffer from frequent nightmares also use dream therapy. Dream therapy may help those who suffer from frequent nightmares find underlying signs of other illnesses or perhaps drug reactions (Dream Therapy: Nightmare). Danya C. MacKean, student at Augustana University College, stated in a paper for a psychology paper that dream therapy is used by patients who are treated for post traumatic stress syndrome These patients use dream therapy to make his or herself aware that they are dreaming to lessen the resistance of confrontation with the figures or situation in which they are dreaming (MacKean). Dream therapy can b... ...oing on in my life. I had fun doing this paper and will more than likely start my journal again. SOURCES Colors in Dreams & Their Meanings. From journal: Dreams Obscure. Common Dream Symbols. Infotrac at Concord Library. http://www.dooyoo.com 7 February 2001. Dreaming of a better life. Pearson, Bryn. http://www.dooyoo.com 10 August 2001. Dreams are the language of the soul†¦ Whitehorse. http://www.garynull.com/Documents/spectrum/waking_up_to_dream_therapy.htm Waking Up To Dream Therapy. http://www.iris-publishing.com/sleep/sleep_help/nightmare_reduc.html 12 November 2003. Dream Therapy: Nightmare Reduction Training. http://ma.essortments.com/dreamstherapya_rfrf.htm 12 November 2003. Dream therapy & alternative psychology. http://www.sawka.com/spiritwatch/mackean/htm. April 1997. MacKean, Danya C. Symbols. Infotrac at Concord Library.

terrorism Essay -- essays research papers fc

Terrorism Imagine a clear blue, sunlit morning; the most beautiful day you can recall. Imagine waking up from an amazing dream of a clear horizon. Imagine putting on your new fresh suit, to start your new job. Imagine having that extra hop in your step as you leave your front door, your mind anxiously awaiting the adventure of a new beginning to an amazing day. Then, imagine not getting to where you needed to be. Not because you fell victim to a traffic jam or missed the bus, but because you were a victim of a terrorist act - an innocent victim, whose life was cut short by terrorism. Shattered dreams and lives are just some of the many effects that terrorism can bring about. Just how different is each human than another? Anatomically there are slight variations, but we are all part of the same world. To lash out on other innocent people due to the fact of different beliefs, is almost inhuman. Lack of composure and intelligence is one of the many flaws’ terrorists have built within thems elves. Throughout history, there have been many unprecedented terrorist attacks. Each attack is worse than the next. These attacks have been thought about since 431 B.C. when a Greek historian wrote the effectiveness on psychological warfare (â€Å"Terrorism†). Most terrorists share the belief that killing, kidnapping, extorting, robbing, and wreaking havoc to terrorize people are legitimate forms of political action. Terrorists are never one-person, a single political regime, nor a particular religion but terrorist attacks can be targeted to such groups (â€Å"Terrorism†). The most common attack in the act of terrorism is the suicide attack. The outcome of the war now under way between the Israelis and Palestinians is very important to the security of every American. Palestinians are testing out a whole new form of warfare, using suicide bombers to achieve their political aims. Israelis are terrified. And Palestinians feel a rising sense of empowerment. Palestinians have long had a tactical alternative to suicide: nonviolent resistance (Friedman A6). Palestinians have adopted suicide bombing as a strategic choice, not out of desperation. Two influential U.S. senators expressed their fear that the kind of suicide bombings we've seen in Israel might indeed spread to the United States. They both agree that if these suicide bombings in Israel don't stop soon,... ...rorism and its affects on a nation. Each person seems to have there own idea on how to stop such things from ever happening again. There are those who are anti-war, who think if we just talk about things peace can be achieved. Then, there are those who think if we as a nation scare everyone with our military power the problem will be resolved. Both groups are far from the truth in my opinion. Terrorist acts are derived and acted upon by pure hatred and brainwashing. The only time terrorism will ever truly disappear is when we as a human race disappear. Works Cited Blitzer, Wolf. "Suicide bombings in the United States?" CNN. 9 Apr. 2002. Friedman, Thomas L. "Suicidal Lies – On Suicide Bombers." New York Times 31 March 2002: A6. â€Å"Info War†. 2002. The Terrorism Research Center, Inc. 5 Oct. 2003. 18 Apr. 2004 . Parkinson, John. â€Å"The Consequences of Terrorism.† CIO Insight Jan. 2003: 43-46. Sowell, Thomas. "The Median and Purpose of Terror." New York Times 19 Nov. 2001: A10. â€Å"Terrorism.† The Encyclopedia Britannica. 2003 ed. The War on Terrorism. 2003. Central Intelligence Agency. 25 March 2004

How Is Conflict Presented in Bayonet Charg Essay

Conflict often has harmful effects, including causing death and destruction, so it is usually viewed negatively. However, conflict can also bring out positive traits in people, and the people involved in it may be respected. â€Å"Bayonet Charge† imagines a soldier’s experience in battle. â€Å"The Charge of The Light Brigade† recounts the story of the charge made by the Light Brigade in the Battle of Balaclava. Language One way conflicted is presented in â€Å"Bayonet Charge† is through the use of language. The language used, portrays the soldier and his actions/movements. Ted Hughes uses sibilance to portray the soldier’s actions as well as feelings. For example, â€Å"raw-seamed hot khaki, his sweat heavy Stumbling†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The use of sibilance here mimics the squelching mud. The repetitive‘s’ sounds recreates an image of the soldier walking through mud. The word ‘khaki’ suggests that the person being described is a soldier as it is normally associated with the military uniforms. The word ‘heavy’ suggests that the soldier is uncomfortable and his movements are unnatural. The word ‘stumbling’ suggests that the soldier is disoriented and could also suggest that his movements are clumsy. Another way language is used to present conflict is through the use of similes. For example, â€Å"Sweating like molten iron from the centre of his chest†. The phrase ‘molten iron’ suggests a burning, abject terror at the heart of his being. On the other hand, â€Å"The Charge of the Light Brigade† uses metaphors such as â€Å"Valley of Death† to present conflict. This phrase forebodes the charge as it makes it sound certain that the soldiers are going to die. It also suggests the commander has made a mistake as he has sent them into the ‘valley of death’. This makes the soldiers more courageous as they are marching into their own deaths. It also creates the allusion to psalm, where faith instils courage in the face of death. Another way language is used to present conflict is through the use of rhetorical questions. For example, â€Å"was there a man dismay’d?† The rhetorical question implies unequivocal bravery and shows the gallant nature of the men. It shows that they were used to obeying orders and leaving the thinking to their generals. Structure/Form The form and the structure of the poems also plays a part in getting the message across to the reader. â€Å"The Charge of the Light Brigade† has a clear and powerful rhythm and rhyme scheme that suggest the energy of the battle. The Light Brigade’s determined gallop towards its destruction is emphasised, by repetition, from the first two lines of the first stanza of the poem: â€Å"Half a league, half a league,/ Half a league onward†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Once the order has been given, the fate of the men was sealed – they had no choice but to follow their terrible destiny to its conclusion. The weapons they faced are also repeated, sometimes with slight variations, for example, â€Å"Cannon to the right of them, / Cannon to the left of them,† to emphasise the danger faced by the cavalry and their great bravery. Repetition creates a sense of impatience to enter battle and bravery in the face of danger. Alfred Tennyson uses dactylic trimester to mimicking the stea dy galloping of their horses. The stresses also create a â€Å"falling rhythm† which symbolises the soldiers who will fall. The poet has written the poem in 6 irregular lined stanzas. This could be to show the unpredictability of war. The word â€Å"Cannons† has been used as an anaphora for three lines which emphasises the fact soldiers are surrounded and can’t escape. The sheer amount of cannons blocks their vision therefore suggesting they couldn’t anticipate the attack. The form of the poem is a narrative story. This is because the poet is describing the attack to his audience. â€Å"Bayonet Charge† uses onomatopoeia, alliteration and assonance and the senses to bring the images described to life. â€Å"Stumbling across†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is an awkward line to read, which evokes the sensation of running across a muddy field. The use of enjambment throughout the poem quickens the pace and emphasises urgency and unpredictability of war. The use of medial caesuras achieves a variety of effects, from reflecting the soldier’s tiredness to deliberately making the action feel like slow motion. The use of iambic pentameter in some lines helps the poems flow and recreates a heartbeat

Night World : Soulmate Chapter 13

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