Nicotine Myths, Effects, Risks, and How to Get Help

Nicotine Myths, Effects, Risks, and How to Get Help Addiction Nicotine Use Nicotine Withdrawal Print What to Know About Nicotine Use By Terry Martin facebook twitter Terry Martin quit smoking after 26 years and is now an advocate for those seeking freedom from nicotine addiction. Learn about our editorial policy Terry Martin Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on September 01, 2019 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD on September 01, 2019 Joegend/ Getty Images More in Addiction Nicotine Use Nicotine Withdrawal After You Quit How to Quit Smoking Smoking-Related Diseases The Inside of Cigarettes Alcohol Use Addictive Behaviors Drug Use Coping and Recovery In This Article Table of Contents Expand What Does Nicotine Do? Common Side Effects Signs of Use Myths & Common Questions Addiction & Withdrawal How to Get Help View All Back To Top Nicotine, a stimulant found in tobacco plants, is one of the most heavily used drugs in the United Statesâ€"and its just as addictive as cocaine or heroin, according to the surgeon general. Nicotine products are regulated by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA). While nicotine is legal, it is illegal to sell or distribute nicotine-containing products to people under 18. Cigarette smoking is the primary source of nicotine, with one pack of cigarettes providing some 250 hits of the extremely addictive substance. Fewer people over the age of 18 are smoking today than ever before, but it still remains the most preventable cause of death in the United States accounting for 480,000 deaths annually. Estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for 2017 indicate that 14% of the U.S. adult population smoke cigarettes.?? Also Known As: Nicotine products include cigarettes (also known as smokes), pipes, cigars (sometimes referred to as stogies), chewing tobacco (also known as dip or chew), snuff, hookahs, and e-cigarettes (also known as e-cigs and vapes). Drug Class: Nicotine is classified as a stimulant. Common Side Effects: Nicotine is known to cause decreased appetite, heightened mood, increased heart rate and blood pressure, nausea, diarrhea, better memory, and increased alertness. How to Recognize Nicotine Nicotine is rarely sold as a singular product, rather its most often found as an ingredient in tobacco products like cigarettes and some smoking cessation products like nicotine gum and patches. Nicotine is sold as a liquid for use in e-cigarettes.The FDA requires warning statement labels on tobacco products: “WARNING: This product contains  nicotine.  Nicotine  is an addictive chemical.” What Does Nicotine Do? When a person inhales cigarette smoke, the nicotine in the smoke is rapidly absorbed into the blood and starts affecting the brain within 10 seconds. Once there, nicotine triggers a number of chemical reactions that create temporary feelings of pleasure and concentration. But these sensations are short-lived, subsiding within minutes. These chemical reactions include the release of catecholamines such as adrenaline, the fight or flight hormone. Physically, adrenaline increases heart rate and blood pressure. When this occurs, smokers may experience rapid, shallow breathing and the feeling of a racing heartbeat. Adrenaline also tells the body to dump excess glucose into the bloodstream. Nicotine also curbs appetite and may contribute to weight loss in complex ways. What the Experts Say Many researchers are beginning to question whether nicotine is any more harmful than a daily dose of caffeine. To date, there have been studies showing positive effects of nicotine, including decreased tension and increased thinking, as well as the stimulants potential in warding off cognitive decline into Alzheimers, delaying the progression of Parkinsons disease, and as a therapeutic approach for ADHD and schizophrenia. Still, health professionals continue to warn about the dangers of nicotine, especially when used by adolescents whose brains are still developing (until age 25). Nicotine impacts the parts of the brain that play a role in attention, memory, learning, and brain plasticity. While cigarette smoking is on the decline, vaping and e-cigarettes are on the rise. The American Academy of Pediatrics warns that “e-cigarettes are threatening to addict a new generation to nicotine” and recommends increasing the minimum age to purchase e-cigarettes to 21 nationwide.  ?? Off-Label and Approved Uses Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) was  the first pharmacological treatment approved by the FDA for smoking cessation. In fact, studies show that using the nicotine patch can double the rate of a persons smoking cessation success, especially when combined with support. There are a variety of available NRT products, including: Nicotine patchNicotine gumNicotine nasal sprayNicotine inhalerNicotine lozenges Pros and Cons of Nicotine Replacement Therapy Common Side Effects Nicotine causes a range of effects on both the body and mind, including: Decreased appetiteHeightened moodIncreased activity in the intestinesIncreased production of saliva and phlegmIncreased heart rateIncreased blood pressureSweatingNauseaDiarrheaBetter memoryIncreased alertness Signs of Use If your loved one is smoking cigarettes, you’ll likely be able to smell it on them. Detecting vaping can be a bit more difficultâ€"but there are still some signs of use: Devices: E-cigarettes or vape pens can look like a thumb drive, pen, or stylus, with holes on each end.Irritability: This is a classic sign of withdrawal.Sweet smells: Vapor juice is often flavored, so if you suddenly catch a whiff of fruit punch or bubble gum (and there’s no candy around) it could be a red flag.Nosebleeds: Vaping can dry out the nasal passages and cause nose bleeds.Drinking more liquids: The vaporized liquid in e-cigs contains propylene glycol, which attracts and holds water molecules from the mouth, causing constant dry mouth. Can You Overdose on Nicotine? Nicotine is poisonous and overdose is possible, though not common. Most often, nicotine poisoning occurs when children mistake nicotine gum or lozenges for candy.If you or someone you care about experiences the following signs of nicotine overdose, call 911 or poison control (800-222-1222) immediately:Difficulty breathingVomitingFaintingHeadacheWeaknessIncreased or decreased heart rate Myths Common Questions Many people think that nicotine causes cancerâ€"but the jury is still out. Nicotine is certainly a harmful, addictive substance but it is mainly the tar and the other toxic chemicals in cigarette smoke that cause cancer. Research does suggest that nicotine can increase the risk of cancer due to its damaging effects on DNA, although the risk is much lower than those from smoking cigarettes.  A study by the National Cancer Institute found that those who were most addicted to nicotineâ€"smoking a cigarette within five minutes of waking upâ€"had the greatest risk of developing lung cancer. Another myth is that you can get hooked on the nicotine in smoking cessation products like the patch or nicotine gum or lozenges. While possible, most people find it easy to get off nicotine medicine after several months. In general, these products deliver nicotine to your body more slowly.   Many teens think that using e-cigarettes is safer, however, they still contain high levels of nicotine. The brand JUUL packs perhaps the most potent dose: one pod contains roughly 20 cigarettes worth of nicotine and the product claims to deliver the addictive substance 2.7 times faster than other e-cigarettes.?? Tolerance, Dependence, and Withdrawal Nicotine is extremely addictive and, when used regularly, your body and mind learn to expect a certain amount of nicotine each dayâ€"and if it doesnt get it, withdrawal can be intense. You can quickly build a tolerance to nicotine, needing more to reach the desired effect. This is one reason why its so hard (but not impossible) to quit smoking. How Long Does Nicotine Stay in Your System? Nicotine (in the form of a cigarette, pipe, or e-cigarette smoke) is mostly absorbed into the body through the lungs as well as the membranes in the mouth and throat. It can also be absorbed in your gastrointestinal tract (via chewing tobacco, nicotine gum, and lozenges) or your skin if you use a nicotine patch. Nicotine is mainly metabolized in the liver and is excreted via urine through the kidneys as well as in feces. How long it stays in your system depends on many factors, including age, weight, type, frequency of use, and hydration and physical activity levels. That said, the estimated timeframe is as follows: Urine test: Two to four daysBlood test: Two to four daysSaliva test: One to four daysHair follicle test: Up to 90 days Many routine drug tests screen for nicotine. How Long Nicotine Stays in Your System Addiction Nicotine is a highly addictive substance thats found in all tobacco products, including cigarettes, pipes, cigars, chewing tobacco, snuff, hookahs, e-cigarettes, and other vaping devices. Nicotine activates the same reward pathways in the brain that other drugs such as cocaine or amphetamines do, although to a lesser degree. Research has shown that nicotine increases the level of dopamine in the brain, a neurotransmitter that is responsible for feelings of pleasure and well-being.?? The Truth About Smoking Pleasure and Nicotine Addiction Withdrawal As the nicotine level drops in the blood, people may feel edgy and agitatedâ€"the start of nicotine withdrawal. The acute effects of nicotine wear off within minutes, so people who smoke must continue dosing themselves frequently throughout the day to maintain the pleasurable effects of nicotine and to prevent nicotine withdrawal, which causes a host of physical and psychological symptoms: Cravings to smokeIrritability, crankinessInsomniaFatigueInability to concentrateHeadacheCoughSore throatConstipation, gas, stomach painDry mouthSore tongue and/or gumsPostnasal dripTightness in the chest 7 Tips for Surviving Nicotine Withdrawal How to Get Help Statistics show that only a small percentage (approximately 7%) of people who try to quit smoking without support are still smoke-free a year later. However, those with a quit program in place that includes education about nicotine addiction and a solid support group, do much better. Whether you prefer to quit cold turkey or choose to use a quit aid to help you stop smoking, its important to recognize that recovery from nicotine addiction is a process of gradual release over time. Quitting nicotine doesnt happen overnight, but with perseverance, freedom from nicotine addiction is doable and will pay you back with benefits that go well beyond what you can probably imagine. Quit Smoking and Make It Stick!

Impact of Us Aid on Pakistan Economy - 9402 Words

â€Å"Impact of United States Aid on Pakistan Economy† A thesis Presented to The faculty of Management Sciences Bahria Institute of Management amp;Computer Sciences, Karachi In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master in Business Administration Abstract This research paper analyzes the effects of United States aid on the economic growth of Pakistan. The study uses annual data of last ten year for the period 2002-2012. The research study is conduct to check weather united state aid has any impact of positive or negative on Pakistan economy. This hypothesis was tested using panel data series through finance/Statics software SPSS. The role of US aid in promoting economic growth is a debatable issue and remains unsettled at†¦show more content†¦Major internal problem are poverty and crime, andShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Textile Industry And Company Analysis1175 Words   |  5 Pages ECONOMY, INDUSTRY AND COMPANY ANALYSIS MUZZAMAL IRFAN MC130202491 VIRTUAL UNIVERSITY OF PAKISTAN 20 November 2014 â€Æ' SCANNED COPY OF JCLâ€Æ' SECTION Iâ€Æ' CHAPTER 1: 1.1. Introduction of the project Mark Andrew Skousen an American Economist states that, â€Å"The reality is that business and investment spending are the true leading indicators of the economy and the stock market. 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Is American Patriotism Also Blind Patriotism Essay

It seems that patriotism is one of the most common terms used during times of war. Governments often use propaganda about nationalism to advocate their political views of the hostilities. Sometimes they even force patriotism on their constituents with fear-mongering techniques, which can have dangerous implications. That’s not to say that patriotism is inherently bad—many wars have been won for just causes because of it. However, it is a mistake to only think of war at a national level. There are devastating effects on the soldiers, families, and victims of war hostilities. The stories read this week discuss the struggle between concern for macro-society (patriotism) and micro-society (family/personal interests) during war. While no†¦show more content†¦Their wives have different opinions, though. The first wife doesn’t believe there is a war; she even suspects that her husband is using it as an excuse to cheat on her. However, the second wife is truly w orried about her husband, calling him and checking on his safety quite frequently. Both women are concerned more with micro-society, yet in very different ways. The second wife is simply concerned about the well-being of her family, much like the mother from â€Å"Loyalties†. Her worries—although considered ridiculous by her husband—are certainly understandable and justified. The flaw of the perspective lies in the viewpoint of the first wife. She doesn’t understand the war and underestimates its potential for serious consequences. Even her husband acknowledges this, stating that â€Å"She didn’t believe we were at war† (147). This speaks to an issue that is quite prevalent in the United States. Like many Americans, the second wife can’t relate or understand the dangers of war because she hasn’t seen any of it firsthand; it has never been fought around her home. 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The Crystal Shard 19. Grim Tidings Free Essays

Drizzt padded through the tunnels and past the bodies of the dead giants, slowing only to grab another hunk of mutton from the large table. He crossed through the support beams and started down the dim hallway, tempering his eagerness with common sense. If the giants had hidden their treasure down here, the chamber holding it might be behind a concealed door, or there might even be some beast, though not likely another giant, since it would have joined in the fighting. We will write a custom essay sample on The Crystal Shard 19. Grim Tidings or any similar topic only for you Order Now The tunnel was quite long, running straight northward, and Drizzt figured that he was now moving underneath the mass of Kelvin’s Cairn. He had passed the last torch, but he was glad for the darkness. He had lived the majority of his life traveling tunnels in the lightless subterranean world of his people, and his large eyes guided him in absolute darkness more accurately than in areas of light. The hallway ended abruptly at a barred, iron-bound door, its metal holding bar locked into place by a large chain and padlock. Drizzt felt a pang of guilt for leaving Wulfgar behind. The drow had two weaknesses; foremost was the thrill of battle, but a close second the tingle of uncovering the booty of his vanquished foes. It wasn’t the gold or gems that lured Drizzt; he didn’t care for wealth and rarely even kept any of the treasures he had won. It was simply the thrill of viewing them for the first time, the excitement of sifting through them and, perhaps, discovering some incredible artifact that had been lost to knowledge in ages past, or maybe the spellbook of an ancient and powerful mage. His guilt feelings flew away as he pulled a small lockpick from his beltpouch. He had never been formally trained in the thieving arts, but he was as agile and coordinated as any master burglar. With his sensitive fingers and acute hearing, he wasn’t particularly challenged by the clumsy lock; in a matter of seconds, it fell open. Drizzt listened carefully for any sounds behind the door. Hearing none, he gently lifted the large bar and set it aside. Listening one last time, he drew one of his scimitars, held his breath in anticipation, and pushed in the door. His breath came back out with a disappointed sigh. The room beyond glowed with the waning light of two torches. It was small and empty, except for a large, metal-rimmed mirror standing in its center. Drizzt dodged out of the mirror’s path, well aware of some of the strange magical properties these items had been known to exhibit, and moved in to examine it more closely. It was about half the height of a man but propped up to eye level by an intricately worked iron stand. That it was lined in silver and in such an out-of-the-way chamber led Drizzt to believe that there was something more here than an ordinary mirror. Yet his scrutinizing inspection revealed no arcane runes or markings of any kind that hinted at its properties. Able to discover nothing unusual about the piece, Drizzt carelessly stepped in front of the glass. Suddenly a pinkish mist began to swirl within the mirror, giving the appearance of a three-dimensional space trapped within the flatness of the glass. Drizzt jumped to the side, more curious than afraid, and watched the growing spectacle. The mist thickened and puffed as though fed by some hidden fire. Then its center mushroomed out and opened into a clear image of a man’s face, a gaunt, hollowed visage painted in the tradition of some of the southern cities. â€Å"Why do you bother me?† the face asked at the empty room before the mirror. Drizzt took another step to the side, further away from the apparition’s line of sight. He considered confronting the mysterious mage, but figured that his friends had too much at stake for him to take such a reckless chance. â€Å"Stand before me, Biggrin!† commanded the image. It waited for several seconds, sneering impatiently, and growing increasingly tense. â€Å"When I discover which of you idiots inadvertently summoned me, I shall turn you into a coney and put you in a pit of wolves!† the image screamed wildly. The mirror flashed suddenly and returned to normal. Drizzt scratched his chin and wondered if there was anything more he could do or discover here. He decided that the risks were simply too great at this time. * * * When Drizzt returned through the lair, he found Wulfgar sitting with Guenhwyvar in the main passage just a few yards from the closed and barred front doors. The barbarian stroked the cat’s muscled shoulders and neck. â€Å"I see that Guenhwyvar has won your friendship,† Drizzt said as he approached. Wulfgar smiled. â€Å"A fine ally,† he said, giving the animal a playful shake. â€Å"And a true warrior!† He started to rise but was thrown violently back to the floor. An explosion rocked the lair as a ballista bolt slammed into the heavy doors, splintering their wooden bar and blasting them in. One of the doors broke cleanly in half and the other’s top hinge tore away, leaving the door hanging awkwardly by its twisted bottom hinge. Drizzt drew his scimitar and stood protectively over Wulfgar as the barbarian tried to regain his balance. Abruptly a bearded fighter leaped onto the hanging door, a circular shield, its standard a mug of foaming ale, slung over one arm and a notched and bloodstained battle-ax poised in the other. â€Å"Come out and play, giants!† Bruenor called, banging his shield with his axe – as if his clan hadn’t already made enough noise to rouse the lair! â€Å"Rest easy, wild dwarf,† Drizzt laughed. â€Å"The verbeeg are all dead.† Bruenor spotted his friends and hopped down into the tunnel, soon followed by the rest of the rowdy clan. â€Å"All dead!† the dwarf cried. â€Å"Damn ye, elf, I knew ye’d keep all the play to yerself!† â€Å"What about the reinforcements?† Wulfgar asked. Bruenor chuckled wickedly. â€Å"Some faith, will ye, boy? They’re lumped in a common hole, though buryin’s too good for ’em, I say! Only one’s alive, a miserable orc who’ll breath only as long as ‘e wags ‘is stinkin’ tongue!† After the episode with the mirror, Drizzt was more than a little interested in interrogating the orc. â€Å"Have you questioned him?† he asked Bruenor. â€Å"Ah, he’s mum to now,† the dwarf replied. â€Å"But I’ve a few things should make ‘im squeal!† Drizzt knew better. Orcs were not loyal creatures, but under the enchantment of a mage, torturing techniques weren’t usually much good. They needed something to counteract the magic, and Drizzt had a notion of what might work. â€Å"Go for Regis,† he instructed Bruenor. â€Å"The halfling can make the orc tell us everything we want to know.† â€Å"Torturin’d be more fun,† lamented Bruenor, but he, too, understood the wisdom of the drow’s suggestion. He was more than a bit curious – and worried – about so many giants working together. And now with orcs beside them†¦ * * * Drizzt and Wulfgar sat in the far corner of the small chamber, as far from Bruenor and the other two dwarves as they could get. One of Bruenor’s troops had returned from Lonelywood with Regis that same night, and though they were all exhausted from marching and fighting, they were too anxious about the impending information to sleep. Regis and the captive orc had moved into the adjoining room for a private conversation as soon as the halfling had gotten the prisoner firmly under his control with his ruby pendant. Bruenor busied himself preparing a new recipe – giant-brain stew – boiling the wretched, foul-smelling ingredients right in a hollowed-out verbeeg skull. â€Å"Use yer heads!† he had argued in response to Drizzt and Wulfgar’s expressions of horror and disgust. â€Å"A barnyard goose tastes better ‘an a wild one cause it don’t use its muscles. The same oughta hold true for a giant’s brains!† Drizzt and Wulfgar hadn’t seen things quite the same way. They didn’t want to leave the area and miss anything that Regis might have to say, though, so they huddled in the farthest corner of the room, carrying on a private conversation. Bruenor strained to hear them, for they were talking of something that he had more than a passing interest in. â€Å"Half for the last one in the kitchen,† Wulfgar insisted, â€Å"and half for the cat.† â€Å"And you only get half for the one at the chasm,† Drizzt retorted. â€Å"Agreed,† said Wulfgar. â€Å"And we split the one in the hall and Biggrin down the middle?† Drizzt nodded. â€Å"Then with all halves and shared kills added up, it’s ten and one-half for me and ten and one-half for you.† â€Å"And four for the cat,† added Wulfgar. â€Å"Four for the cat,† Drizzt echoed. â€Å"Well fought, friend. You’ve held your own up to now, but I’ve a feeling that we have a lot more fighting before us, and my greater experience will win out in the end!† â€Å"You grow old, good elf,† Wulfgar teased, leaning back against the wall, the whiteness of a confident grin showing through his blond beard. â€Å"We shall see. We shall see.† Bruenor, too, was smiling, both at the good-natured competition between his friends and at his continued pride in the young barbarian. Wulfgar was doing well to keep pace with a skilled veteran like Drizzt Do’Urden. Regis emerged from the room, and the gray pall upon his usually jovial face deadened the lighthearted atmosphere. â€Å"We are in trouble,† the halfling said grimly. â€Å"Where’s the orc?† Bruenor demanded as he pulled his axe from his belt, misunderstanding the halfling’s meaning. â€Å"In there. He’s all right,† Regis replied. The orc had been happy to tell its new-found friend everything about Akar Kessell’s plans to invade Ten-Towns and the size of the gathering forces. Regis visibly trembled as he told his friends the news. â€Å"All of the orc and goblin tribes and verbeeg clans of this region of the Spine of the World are banding together under a sorcerer named Akar Kessell,† the halfling began. Drizzt and Wulfgar looked at each other, recognizing Kessell’s name. The barbarian had thought Akar Kessell to be a huge frost giant when the verbeeg had spoken of him, but Drizzt had suspected differently, especially after the incident at the mirror. â€Å"They plan to attack Ten-Towns,† Regis continued. â€Å"And even the barbarians, led by some mighty, one-eyed leader, have joined their ranks!† Wulfgar’s face reddened in anger and embarrassment. His people fighting beside orcs! He knew the leader that Regis spoke of, for Wulfgar was of the Tribe of the Elk and had even once carried the tribe’s standard as Heafstaag’s herald. Drizzt painfully recalled the one-eyed king, too. He put a comforting hand on Wulfgar’s shoulder. â€Å"Go to Bryn Shander,† the drow told Bruenor and Regis. â€Å"The people must prepare.† Regis winced at the futility. If the orc’s estimation of the assembling army had been correct, all of Ten-Towns joined together could not withstand the assault. The halfling dropped his head and mouthed silently, not wanting to alarm his friends any more than was necessary, â€Å"We have to leave!† * * * Though Bruenor and Regis were able to convince Cassius of the urgency and importance of their news, it took several days to round up the other spokesmen for council. It was the height of knucklehead season, late summer, and the last push was on to land a big catch for the final trading caravan to Luskan. The spokesmen of the nine fishing villages understood their responsibilities to their community, but they were reluctant to leave the lakes even for a single day. And so, with the exceptions of Cassius of Bryn Shander, Muldoon, the new spokesman from Lonelywood, who looked up to Regis as the hero of his town, Glensather of Easthaven, the community ever-willing to join in for the good of Ten-Towns, and Agorwal of Termalaine who held fierce loyalty to Bruenor, the mood of the council was not very receptive. Kemp, still bearing a grudge against Bruenor for the incident over Drizzt after the Battle of Bryn Shander, was especially disruptive. Before Cassius even had the opportunity to present the Formalities of Order, the gruff spokesman from Targos leaped up from his seat and slammed his fists down on the table. â€Å"Damn the formal readings and be on with it!† Kemp growled. â€Å"By what right do you order us in from the lakes, Cassius? Even as we sit around this table, the merchants in Luskan are preparing for their journey!† â€Å"We have news of an invasion, Spokesman Kemp,† Cassius answered calmly, understanding the fisherman’s anger. â€Å"I would not have summoned you, any of you, at this time of the season if it were not urgent.† â€Å"Then the rumors are true,† Kemp sneered. â€Å"An invasion, you say? Bah! I see beyond this sham of a council!† He turned on Agorwal. The fighting between Targos and Termalaine had escalated in the past few weeks, despite Cassius’s efforts to diffuse it and bring the principles of the warring towns to the bargaining table. Agorwal had agreed to a meeting, but Kemp was steadfastly against it. And so, with suspicions running high, the timing of this urgent council could not have been worse. â€Å"This is a pitiful attempt indeed!† Kemp roared. He looked around at his fellow spokesmen. â€Å"A pitiful effort by Agorwal and his scheming supporters to bring about a favorable settlement for Termalaine in their dispute with Targos!† Incited by the aura of suspicion that Kemp had infused, Schermont, the new spokesman from Caer-Konig, pointed an accusing finger at Jensin Brent of Caer-Dineval. â€Å"What part have you played in this treachery?† he spat at his bitter rival. Schermont had come into his position after the first spokesman from Caer-Konig had been killed on the waters of Lac Dinneshere in a battle with a Dineval boat. Dorim Lugar had been Schermont’s friend and leader, and the new spokesman’s policies toward hated Caer-Dineval were even more iron-handed than those of his predecessor. Regis and Bruenor sat back quietly in helpless dismay through all of the initial bickering. Finally Cassius slammed his gavel down, snapping its handle in two, and quieting the others long enough to make a point. â€Å"A few moments of silence!† he commanded. â€Å"Hold your venomous words and listen to the messenger of grim tidings!† The others fell back to their seats and remained silent, but Cassius feared that the damage had already been done. He turned the floor over to Regis. Honestly terrified by what he had learned from the captive orc, Regis passionately told of the battle his friends had won over the verbeeg lair and on the grass of Daledrop. â€Å"And Bruenor has captured one of the orcs that was escorting the giants,† he said emphatically. Some of the spokesmen sucked in their breath at the notion of such creatures banding together, but Kemp and some of the others, ever suspicious of the more immediate threats of their rivals, and already decided on the true purpose of the meeting, remained unconvinced. â€Å"The orc told us,† Regis continued grimly, â€Å"of the coming of a powerful wizard, Akar Kessell, and his vast host of goblins and giants! They mean to conquer Ten-Towns!† He thought that his dramatics would prove effective. But Kemp was outraged. â€Å"On the word of an orc, Cassius? You summoned us in from the lakes at this critical time on the threat of a stinking orc?† â€Å"The halfling’s tale is not an uncommon one,† Schermont added. â€Å"All of us have heard a captured goblin wag its tongue in any direction it could think of to save its worthless head.† â€Å"Or perhaps you had other motives,† Kemp hissed, again eyeing Agorwal. Cassius, though he truly believed the grim tidings, sat back in his chair and said nothing. With tensions on the lakes as high as they were, and the final trading fair of a particularly fruitless fishing season fast approaching, he had suspected that this would occur. He looked resignedly at Bruenor and Regis and shrugged as once again the council degenerated into a shouting match. Amidst the ensuing commotion, Regis slipped the ruby pendant out from under his waistcoat and nudged Bruenor. They looked at it and each other in disappointment; they had hoped that the magical gem wouldn’t be needed. Regis pounded his gavel in a call for the floor and was granted it by Cassius. Then, as he had done five years previous, he hopped up on the table and walked toward his chief antagonist. But this time the result wasn’t what Regis had expected. Kemp had spent many hours over the last five years reflecting on that council before the barbarian invasion. The spokesman was glad of the final outcome of that whole situation, and, in truth, realized that he and all of Ten-Towns were indebted to the halfling for making them heed his warning. Yet it bothered Kemp more than a little that his initial stance had been so easily swayed. He was a brawling type whose first love, even above fishing, was battle, but his mind was keen and always-alert to danger. He had observed Regis several times over the last few years and had listened intently to tales of the halfling’s prowess in the art of persuasion. As Regis approached, the burly spokesman averted his eyes. â€Å"Be gone trickster!† he growled, shoving his chair defensively back from the table. â€Å"You seem to have a strange way of convincing people of your point of view, but I’ll not fall under your spell this time!† He addressed the other spokesmen. â€Å"Ware the halfling! He has some magic about him, be sure!† Kemp understood that he would have no way of proving his claims, but he also realized that he wouldn’t have to. Regis looked about, flustered and unable to even answer the spokesman’s accusations. Even Agorwal, though the spokesman from Termalaine tactfully tried to hide the fact, would no longer look Regis straight in the eye. â€Å"Sit down, trickster!† Kemp taunted. â€Å"Your magic’s no good once we’re on to you!† Bruenor, silent up to now, suddenly leaped up, his face contorted with rage. â€Å"Is this, too, a trick, dog of Targos?† the dwarf challenged. He pulled a sack from his belt and rolled its contents, a severed verbeeg head, down the table toward Kemp. Several of the spokesmen jumped back in horror, but Kemp remained unshaken. â€Å"We have dealt with rogue giants many times before,† the spokesman replied coolly. â€Å"Rogues?† Bruenor echoed incredulously. â€Å"Two score o’ the beasts we cut down, orcs and ogres besides!† â€Å"A passing band,† Kemp explained evenly, stubbornly. â€Å"And all dead, so you have said. Why, then, does this become a matter for the council? If it is accolades you desire, mighty dwarf, then you shall have them!† His voice dripped with venom, and he watched Bruenor’s reddening face with deep pleasure. â€Å"Perhaps Cassius could make a speech in your honor before all of the people of Ten-Towns.† Bruenor slammed his fists onto the table, eyeing all of the men about him in an open threat to anyone who would continue Kemp’s insults. â€Å"We have come before ye to help ye save yer homes an’ yer kin!† he roared. â€Å"Might be that ye believe us and ye’ll do something to survive. Or might be that ye’ll hear the words o’ the dog o’ Targos and ye’ll do nothin’. Either way, I’ve had enough o’ ye! Do as ye will, and may yer gods show ye favor!† He turned and stalked out of the room. Bruenor’s grim tone brought many of the spokesmen to realize that the threat was simply too grave to be passed off as the deception of a desperate captive, or even as a more insidious plan by Cassius and some conspirators. Yet Kemp, proud and arrogant, and certain that Agorwal and his non-human friends, the halfling and the dwarf, were using the facade of an invasion to gain some advantage over the superior city of Targos, would not budge. Second only to Cassius in all of Ten-Towns, Kemp’s opinion carried great weight, especially to the people of Caer-Konig and Caer-Dineval, who, in light of Bryn Shander’s unshakable neutrality in their struggle, sought the favor of Targos. Enough spokesmen remained suspicious of their rivals and were willing to accept Kemp’s explanation to prevent Cassius from bringing the council to decisive action. The lines were soon clearly drawn. Regis watched the spectacle as the opposing sides volleyed back and forth, but the halfling’s own credibility had been destroyed, and he had no impact on the rest of the meeting. In the end, little was decided. The most that Agorwal, Glensather, and Muldoon could squeeze out of public declaration that, â€Å"A general warning should go out to every household in Ten-Towns. Let the people know of our grim tidings, and let them be assured that I shall make room within the walls of Bryn Shander for every person who so desires our protection.† Regis eyed the divided spokesmen. Without unity, the halfling wondered how much protection even the high walls of Bryn Shander could offer. How to cite The Crystal Shard 19. Grim Tidings, Essay examples

Cat in the rain analyses free essay sample

Cat in the rain analisis The story, which has been chosen for linguistic analysis, belongs to Ernest Hemingway, one of the most famous American novelists. The story tells us about a young american married couple,who came to Italy for vacation. As it was rainyoutside the couple had to stay in the hotel room for the whole day. The story is told in the 3rd person narrative. The text of the story is not homogenues. The description is interlaced with descriptive passages and dialogues of the personages. The author uses simple short narrative sentences to show the abrupt relations of the yong ouple. Hemingway doenst mention the vacation country where the couple stays, the reader realises it due to the dialogue of the american girl with service team of the hotel. Ha perduto qualque cosa, Signora? There was a cat, said the American girl. There is also no preface to the story,the reader doesnt know anything of the past life of the american couple. We will write a custom essay sample on Cat in the rain analyses or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The story starts with the description of the hotel. And it seems to be quite cosy but the picture of the rainy day hels the reader to realise that the conflict is growing step by step. The author also mentions the war monument hat ca nbe seen out of the hotel room window to show the after war time. The author makes extensive use of repetitions to render the story more vivid, convincing, more real and emotional. For example the use of the word rain with a number of phrases associating it, such as puddles, deserted square, glistening war monument. The author also applies repetition to reveal the relationship of the girl to the old hotel owner (she liked , she liked ). As the verb to like is not used to characterize relations of the wife to her husband, this contrast is full of the concealed but easily ead meaning. And also parallel constructions It was made of bronze and glistened in the rain. It was raining. The rain dripped from the palm trees. Water stood in pools on the gravel paths. The sea broke in a long line in the rain and slipped back down the beach to come up and break again in a long line in the rain. The motor cars were gone from the square by the war monument The use of the word empty,when the author shortly describes a street,makes feel even more lonely and unsetteling. The climax of the story begins when the american girl sees a cat in the rain. A small cat tries to hide from the rain under the table. The girl feels such a pity to the poor creature that she wants to take it to the room. The cat in the rain symbolizes the girl itself she is definetely unhappy with her marriage and her husband doesnt love her. She wants a different life to the one she has. And she is keeping repeating it to her husband l want to pull my hair back tight and smooth and make a big knot at the back that I can feel, she said. l want to have a kitty to sit on my lap and purr when I stroke her. And I want to eat at a table with my own silver and I ant candles. And I want it to be spring and I want to brush my hair out in front of a mirror and I want a kitty and I want some new clothes. But he is only irretated with her words and tells her to shut up,that shows how deeply indifferent he is to her feelings. The wife needs this comfort,home feeling and she gets desperate when she says that if she cannt have long hair and silver and candles but she st ill can have a window. Exactly like it is in her life she got married but got only a substitution of the real married couple life.

Winterbourne free essay sample

The local authorities such as South Gloucestershire council can only acknowledge the findings. The patients were put at risk by breaching their safety for not having properly trained staff. Not all of the alerts were passed onto the NHS which shows a lack of communication and vital information not being cascaded via the right route. This is clearly a total lack of respect for the patients and their relatives or friends. The place was unsafe and professionals failed to demonstrate their duty of care by promoting an unworkable management structure with poorly paid and untrained staff. Despite receiving public concerns and complaints from visitors or patients themselves, nothing was brought forward so that a disaster could be avoided. The report resulted after a parent secretly filmed images which proved how distressing the place was with all sorts of abuse being common practice. The effective and human delivery of assessment, treatment and rehabilitation had been completely undermined. We will write a custom essay sample on Winterbourne or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This was clearly a total breakdown of communication including for the Police and C. Q. C. http://www. bc. co. uk/news/uk-18581253 In the wake of the Winterbourne View Hospital near Bristol, the Care Quality Commission found that 48% of inspected premises (hospitals amp; homes) did not meet the required general care and welfare standards. The report highlighted the fact that there is a failure to treat the residents as individuals and that people were staying for years in centres intended for short-term care. The use of restraint was also pointed at and an â€Å"urgent need† to reduce its use was requested. There is a case of a man called James who had severe learning disabilities and autism who had spent years in different homes. He suffered sexual and physical abuse which made him a â€Å"different human being† said his Mum. Therefore, as a result of those findings, the new commissioning bodies, the clinical commissioning groups, are asked to pay special attention to people with a learning disability. Also and to conclude, the private sector seems to be more at risks than the NHS.

or the supernatural in the medieval lay Essay Example

The role of fairies and/or the supernatural in the medieval lay Essay Example The role of fairies and/or the supernatural in the medieval lay Paper The role of fairies and/or the supernatural in the medieval lay Paper Essay Topic: Literature Medieval lays are essentially tales of romance, often of Celtic origin. Similar patterns of events, or certain features are common in many lays, for example the theme of deeply felt love or a complex love situation where two lovers are separated, go through a period of grief and are eventually reunited. This pattern of events can been compared to rites of passage, as will be discussed later. The mixture between reality and the otherworld is a key aspect of the medieval lays. The supernatural is not over-emphasised, instead it works alongside the reality of the lay, making it much more believable to the audience. Fairies and the supernatural play a particularly important role in Sir Orfeo, based on the classical Orpheus myth. Sir Orfeo enters the fairy-kingdom to rescue his wife Heurodis who has been snatched by the fairy king. Sir Orfeo is able to charm the fairy king with his harp-playing ability, and the fairy king agrees to let Heurodis go. Other lays containing elements of the supernatural include Lanval taken from the Lais of Marie De France, and the Franklins Tale from Chaucers Canterbury Tales. Lanval is lead into the otherworld by two beautiful maids to see their fairy-mistress. She gives him everything he desires, but makes him promise that he will never speak a word of their love to anyone, otherwise he will never see her again. On returning to his own world, Queen Guinevere makes a pass at him but he refuses, insults her in his anger, and talks of his love for the fairy-mistress. Despite this, she forgives him and rescues him from his trial before King Arthur and they return to Avalon. In the Franklins Tale, Dorigen marries Arveragus (a Knight), but then he has to leave to go to England. Dorigen is heart-broken and inconsolable. She attends a May dance, where Aurelius falls in love with her. She makes a rash promise that, should he be able to remove all the rocks from the coast (so that her husband can return safely), she would love him. The supernatural in this lay is when Aurelius meets an Astrologer, whom he pays to make an illusion that the rocks have disappeared. Aurelius goes back to Dorigen to claim his reward. However, her husband returns and Aurelius takes pity on Dorigen, releasing her from the oath she swore. Motifs and Celtic tradition relating to fairies and the supernatural Many of the medieval lays contain motifs relating to the supernatural. It is common, for example, for mortals to be snatched away by the fairies when lying in a meadow or under a tree particularly the ympe-tree described in Sir Orfeo. In Celtic tradition is it believed that those who lie or fall asleep under a tree or in a meadow place themselves in the power of the fairies. In Sir Orfeo, Heurodis first encounter with the fairy king occurs whilst she is asleep under an ympe-tree. The use of the orchard/meadow in the lays creates the impression of a walled-garden used so often in medieval romance, which should signify safety and serenity. The fairies, however, often appear in this environment sometimes through dreams (as is the case in Sir Orfeo where Heurodis is first visited by the fairy king in her dreams). This motif is also used in Lanval, where the fairy mistresss two maids approach him while he is laying by a stream in a meadow. Unlike Heurodis encounter, Lanval is approached whilst he is awake, which to some extent makes is less fantastical and more realistic to the audience. The maids appear to be much more like mortals. Other motifs relate to the idea of rite of passage, as discussed earlier. The transition stage is the most important in the lays, as it is the point in which the supernatural usually plays the most important role. It is apparent that the transition stage is often a period of immense grief and sorrow, and involves some kind of complication for the lovers involved. In Sir Orfeo, he comes across the fairy king on a hunt after being separated from Heurodis, and his quest to reclaim her from the fairy kingdom begins. Also, Lanval meets the fairy mistress when he has been separated from King Arthurs court. The three stages in the Franklins Tale are not as obvious because there are two possible elements of separation one of Dorigen from her husband, and one of Aurelius from Dorigen. The encounters with Aurelius and the supernatural could, however, be interpreted as an obstacle to Dorigens marriage an obstacle that they are able to overcome. The fact that the supernatural encounters generally occur during the most important stage shows a heavy reliance on the supernatural for the progression of events in the lays. This is characteristic of medieval lays and, to some extent, the way in which it is used distinguishes the lays from other medieval romance. Sir Orfeo is based entirely around Heurodis being snatched away by the fairy king. Similarly, Aurelius being able to fulfil his promise to Dorigen in the Franklins Tale is totally reliant upon supernatural intervention in the form of the astrologer. Portrayal of fairies, the otherworld and the supernatural in medieval lays It is common in Celtic tradition for mortals to be snatched away by fairies and taken into their kingdom. The image that Sir Orfeo sees when he enters the fairy kingdom is that of all those who have been snatched away, frozen in their last state as they were on Earth. Heurodis is shown to him asleep under a similar tree in the fairy kingdom to that she was snatched from in the mortal world. This not only stresses the significance of the orchard motif, but it also suggests that these surroundings provide some kind of gateway between the two worlds. It is no coincidence that the writer describes Heurodis sitting under similar trees in both worlds. If this environment does act as a gateway, it may be seen as a ray of hope for Sir Orfeo as there is a possibility of transporting Heurodis back. The similarity between the mortal world and the fairy world in Sir Orfeo is a striking feature of the lay. When Heurodis is snatched away an taken into the fairy kingdom, she is shown castels and tours, rivers, forestes, frith with flours (Johnson 1987:6) This same line is repeated to describe what Sir Orfeo has left behind in his kingdom when he goes to live alone in the woods. Again, it is not a coincidence that exactly the same line is repeated for both worlds. This makes the two worlds much more alike, reducing the strangeness of the fairy world. Here the poet is trying to create a world that is familiar to the audience. It is easier to accept the supernatural, as it is closer to reality. Similarly, in Lanval there is a strong sense of reality despite his love being immortal. Here, the supernatural elements of his fairy-mistress and being taken into the otherworld are balanced with the very real issue of Lanval facing a legal system and ultimately death because of his encounter. The supernatural is not for fun, it creates some element of danger for the mortals involved. Lanval and the Franklins tale are not supernatural in the same way as Sir Orfeo. The supernatural elements in the two are played-down, and much more believable to the medieval audience. In Lanval the fairy-mistress appears mortal until the very end of the lay where we are told she returns to Avalon the fairy kingdom. In the Franklins Tale, the supernatural is in the form of an astrologer/sorcerer. The fact that he is more closely related to natural magic is more believable, and shows that the supernatural plays a structural role rather than just making the lays more interesting. Other similarities can be seen in Sir Orfeo, where the hunt with the fairy king and his thousand Knights is reflected in the mortal world by Sir Orfeo and his ten hundred Knightes (Johnson 1987:7) when they try to protect Heurodis from being snatched away. The fact that one world seems to be a reflection of the other means that the presence of the supernatural within the lays does not detract from the main theme usually love. The similarities between the two worlds emphasise the theme of what a good ruler should be. The fairy king displays chivalrous behaviour similar to that of Sir Orfeo by keeping his word and letting Heurodis go back to the mortal world, despite the fact that he is under no obligation to do so. If the fairy king did not conform to these rules, Sir Orfeos method of rescuing Heurodis would not have been successful. The immortal also appear more humanly as they can, to some extent, be controlled or subtly manipulated by mortals. Sir Orfeo, for example, is able to charm the fairy king with his harp-playing ability into making him promise to let Heurodis go. This is also true in Lanval, where despite her promise that Lanval would never see her again if he spoke of their love, the fairy mistress remained loyal to him by rescuing him from King Arthurs court. Conclusion It is apparent from the three lays discussed that the structure of the lays relies heavily upon the supernatural, it is essential to the development of events rather than being added for decoration. In each of the lays it is presented in a way that makes it reflect the mortal world in values as well as appearance, particularly in Sir Orfeo. It also acts to highlight the rites of passage motif, as the supernatural encounters occur in the transitional stage. Finally, it acts to emphasise the values and lessons to be learned from the lays, such as the values needed to be a good leader as with the fairy king and Sir Orfeo; also the importance of being true and forgiving like Aurelius in the Franklins Tale and the fairy mistress in Lanval. Overall, the supernatural plays an essential structural role, but does not undermine the main themes of the lays instead it makes them clearer and for the audience to see.