12/26/2019 0 Comments The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 12“It's going to be a lovely day – perfect for a picnic,†Meredith observed calmly. Bonnie had tactful y but firmly steered Celia into Matt's car instead of Meredith's, and so Meredith was alone with Alaric – at last! – for the first time since he'd arrived. Half of her just wanted to pul off the road, grab Alaric, and kiss him and kiss him, she was so glad that he was final y here. Al through the insanity of the last few months, she'd wished that he were there to fight by her side, to depend on. But the other half of her wanted to pul off the road, grab Alaric, and demand that he explain to her exactly what his relationship was with Dr. Celia Connor. Instead, here she was, driving placidly, hands at ten and two on the steering wheel, making smal talk about the weather. She felt like a coward, and Meredith Suarez was no coward. But what could she say? What if she was just paranoid, and making a ridiculous fuss about a strictly professional relationship? She glanced at Alaric out of the corner of her eye. “So…†she said. “Tel me more about your research in Japan.†Alaric ran his hands through his already tousled hair and grinned at her. “The trip was fascinating,†he said. “Celia's so intel igent and experienced. She just puts together al these clues about a civilization. It was a real eye-opener for me to watch her decipher so much from the evidence in the graves there. I never knew much about forensic anthropology before, but she was able to reconstruct an amazing amount about the culture of Unmei no Shima.†“Sounds like she's simply amazing,†Meredith said, hearing the acid in her tone. Apparently Alaric didn't notice it. He smiled a little. “It took quite a while for her to take my paranormal research seriously,†he said rueful y. “Parapsychology isn't particularly wel regarded by the experts in other scientific disciplines. They think people like me who choose to spend their lives studying the supernatural are charlatans, or naive. Or a little crazy.†Meredith made herself speak pleasantly. “You were able to convince her at last, though? That's good.†“Sort of,†Alaric answered. “We got to be friends, anyway, so she stopped thinking I was a complete fraud. I think she's found it al a lot more believable after the one day she's spent here, though.†He gave a wry smile. “She tried to hide it, but she was blown away yesterday when Stefan saved her. The existence of a vampire makes it clear that there's a lot conventional science knows nothing about. I'm sure she'l want to examine Stefan if he'l let her.†“I would imagine so,†said Meredith dryly, resisting the urge to ask Alaric why he thought Stefan would cooperate when he had seemed so displeased that Alaric had told Celia about him. Alaric slid a hand across the car seat until he was close enough to run a finger gently along Meredith's arm. “I learned a lot while I was gone,†he said earnestly, “but I'm real y more concerned about what's going on right now in Fel ‘s Church.†“You mean this dark magic that is supposedly rising here?†Meredith asked. “I mean the dark magic that seems to be targeting you and Celia,†Alaric said forceful y. “I'm not sure either of you is taking it seriously enough.†Me and Celia, thought Meredith. He's just as worried about her as he is about me. Maybe more. “I know we've faced danger in the past, but I feel responsible for Celia,†Alaric went on. “I brought her here, and I'd never be able to forgive myself if something happened to her.†Definitely more, Meredith thought bitterly, and shrugged off Alaric's hand. She instantly regretted the motion. What was the matter with her? This wasn't who she was. She'd always been the calm, rational one. Now here she was feeling like, wel , like a jealous girlfriend. “And now it's threatening you, too,†Alaric went on. He tentatively touched her knee, and this time Meredith let his hand stay. “Meredith, I know how strong you are. But it's terrifying to me that this doesn't seem to be the kind of enemy we're used to. How can we fight what we can't even see?†“Al we can do is be vigilant,†Meredith said. Her training had been comprehensive, but even she didn't understand this new evil. Yet she knew how to protect herself much better than Alaric realized. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. His window was open a crack, and the breeze ruffled his sandy hair. They knew each other so wel , yet he stil didn't know her biggest secret. For a moment she considered tel ing him, but then he turned to her and said, “Celia's putting on a brave face, but I can tel she's scared. She's not as tough as you are.†Meredith stiffened. No, this wasn't the right time to tel Alaric that she was a hunter-slayer. Not when she was driving. Not when she was this angry. Suddenly his hand felt heavy and clammy on her knee, but she knew she couldn't push it off again without betraying her feelings. Inside, though, she was raging at how the conversation kept coming back to Celia. Alaric had thought of her first. And even when he was talking about the danger to Meredith, he couched it in terms of what had happened to Celia. Alaric's voice became a buzz in the background as Meredith clutched the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles whitened. Real y, why was she surprised that Alaric had feelings for Celia? Meredith wasn't blind. She could be objective. Celia was smart, accomplished, beautiful. Celia and Alaric were in the same place in their lives. Meredith hadn't even started col ege yet. She was attractive – she knew that – and certainly intel igent. But Celia was al that and more: She was Alaric's equal in a way Meredith couldn't be just yet. Sure, Meredith was a vampire hunter. But Alaric didn't know that. And when he did know, would he admire her strength? Or would he turn away from her, scared of her abilities, and toward someone more academic, like Celia? A black bubble of misery fil ed Meredith's chest. “I'm beginning to think I should take Celia away from here if I can get her to leave.†Alaric sounded reluctant, but Meredith could hardly hear him. She felt as cold as if she were being enveloped in a fog. “Maybe I should get her back to Boston. I think you should leave Fel ‘s Church, too, Meredith, if you can convince your family to let you go away for the rest of the summer. You could come with us, or maybe there's a relative you could stay with if your family wouldn't like that. I'm worried that you aren't safe here.†“Nothing's happened to me yet,†said Meredith, surprised by the calm of her own voice, when such dark emotions were boiling inside her. “And I have a responsibility to be here and protect the town. If you think Celia wil be safer away from here, do what you and she think is best. But you know there's no guarantee that whatever's threatening us won't fol ow her somewhere else. And at least here there are people who believe in the danger. “Besides,†she added thoughtful y, “the threat to Celia may be over. Maybe once the attack is averted, it moves on to someone else. My name didn't appear until after Stefan saved Celia. If so, then the danger is only to me.†Not that you care, she thought viciously, and was surprised at herself. Of course Alaric cared. It was just that he seemed to care about what happened to Celia more. Her fingernails cut into her palms around the steering wheel as she careful y fol owed Stefan's car off the road and toward the parking lot for Hot Springs. “Stop!†Alaric shouted, panic in his voice, and Meredith automatical y slammed on the brakes. The car squealed to a halt. “What?†Meredith gasped. “What is it?†And then she saw her. Dr. Celia Connor had gotten out of Matt's car to cross to the path up to the springs. Meredith had come speeding right toward her. Only inches from Meredith's front bumper, Celia was frozen, her pretty face gray with fear, her mouth a perfect O. One more second, and Meredith would have kil ed her.
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12/23/2019 0 Comments Diplomatic ImmunityThe importance of developing friendly intercourse between members of international community which is one of the avowed aims of the United Nations, necessitate the establishment of diplomatic relations between nations. As the complexity of international affairs increased and the interdependence of nations grew, countries recognized both the convenience and necessity of maintaining resident envoys abroad. A code of diplomatic procedure was developed and has become part of the law of nations.On 18 April l961, the United Nations Conference on Diplomatic Intercourse and Immunities adopted the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, hereafter called the “Vienna Conventionâ€, which codified the law on the subject (Salonga, J. & Yap, P. l966 p. 252). Diplomatic persons have been accorded since ancient times special privileges and immunities on the necessity of permitting free and unhampered exercise of diplomatic functions and of maintaining the dignity of the diplomatic representative and the nation he represents.However, the Vienna Convention clearly expressed that those who enjoy the privileges and immunities have the duty to respect the laws of the host country. Although inadequate, diplomatic immunity provides a means to forestall active hostilities that might arise between nations. Discussions/Analysis The person of a diplomatic envoy is inviolable. A diplomatic agent, official family members and his administrative and technical staff may not be subpoenaed as a witness, arrested or detained, prosecuted and residence may not be entered subject to ordinary procedure.The United Nations Organizations and other international bodies also enjoy the right of legation and are accorded diplomatic immunity by receiving nations. Nonetheless, without prejudice to the privileges and immunities, diplomatic personnel are not exempt from legal responsibility for infractions committed under the local laws of the receiving country. For death and injury committed, the receiving country may request the sending nation to waive the immunity of a diplomatic agent. Gueorgui Makharadze, a deputy ambassador of the Republic of Goergia to the United States was convicted by the U. S. for causing the death of a sixteen-year-old girl and wounding four others in a car accident.As a diplomat, he was released from custody, but the Georgian government waived his immunity when the U. S. government asked for it (Frieden, T. & the Associated Press 2000). Less grave offenses, however, are being dealt with administratively by the sending State as in the case of theft. Mexican embassy asked a Mexican press attaché Rafael Quintero Curiel to tender his resignation upon arrival in Mexico City when he was caught through a surveillance video stealing blackberry PDA units from a White House press meeting room.He was caught up at the airport by the United States Secret Service and was about to leave. He claimed diplomatic immunity and left (. Rosen, James, Max Emanuel & the Associated Press). Exemption from taxation by the receiving State is held to be part of the “non-essential†prerogatives of diplomats, granted to them only as a matter of comity or courtesy. A diplomatic envoy however is not exempt from charges levied for specific services rendered. An example of this is the charge on cars entering central London. There are reports that diplomatic immunity has been used to avoid payment of traffic fines reaching to several million pounds.There are embassies who agreed to settle their accounts. Londoners welcome the move of the United Arab Emirates to settle £99,950 of traffic fines and hope that the U. S. government will follow the move made by UAE (“Embassy to payâ€). The premises occupied by a diplomatic mission are also inviolable. The agents of the receiving State may not enter such premises without the consent of the envoy, except in extreme cases of necessity such as when the premises are on fire or where there is imminent danger that a crime of violence is about to be perpetrated on the premises.Such premises cannot be entered or searched and neither can the records and archives be detained by local authorities even under process of law. Premises of global organizations are also inviolable. Recently, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) become the center of controversy when Geneva police entered the Geneva headquarters of the international patents agency to collect evidences in the alleged smear campaign against WIPO’s deputy head, Francis Gurry, following his complaint filed.The police authorities get rid of diplomatic immunity when they entered the premises of an international body to greet DNA samples from ten employees of the said organization as reported by the Tribune de Genève. To allow the investigation to proceed, the Swiss government assented earlier to lift the diplomatic immunity from the 10 WIPO diplomats (Curtis, M. 2008). Diplomatic privileges and immunities may be waived, but as a rule, the waiver cannot be made by the individual concerned since such privileges and immunities are not personal to him.The waiver may be made only by the government of the sending State, in the case of UN International agencies; it is the member nations that could waive the immunity. Summary/Conclusion Diplomatic agents are entitled to privileges and immunities, such as: personal inviolability, inviolability of premises and archives, exemption from taxes and customs duties, exemption from local jurisdiction, etc. Privileges and immunities however, are not without limitations; envoys are not immune from legal liability.The host country may request the sending State expressed waiver of immunity or can declare persona non grata a diplomat or any member of his family who commit serious crime. Though immune from local laws, he can be recalled and prosecuted under his own country’s justice system. An envoy is immune from the criminal and saves in certain cases, the civil jurisdiction of the receiving State for all acts, whether official or private. Thus he cannot be arrested, prosecuted and punished for any offense he may commit, unless his diplomatic immunity is waived.The procedure in cases where an envoy is guilty of a serious infraction of laws is to ask for his recall. Immunity from jurisdiction, however, does not mean exemption from the local law. It does not presuppose a right to violate any of the laws of the receiving State. They are not liable to be sued unless they submit to the jurisdiction. Diplomatic immunity does not signify immunity from legal liability but only exemption from local jurisdiction.
12/5/2019 0 Comments Understanding The ADD and ADHDAttention Deficit Disorder Kam Bisel Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a problem that affects 5% to 10% of all children. ADD affect more children than any other childhood problems except asthma. It is estimated to be the largest single cause for first referrals to child guidance clinics throughout the country, making up as many as 40% of those cases. Many ADD cases are not diagnosed because the problem most often does not show in the doctors office. Current estimates suggest that approximately 50 to 65% of the children with ADD will have symptoms of the disorder as adolescents and adults.
Although ADD has just recently been discovered and there is still relatively little known about it. In 1902, George Frederick Still believed the dilemma of the problem child was linked to a biological defect inherited from an injury at birth and not the result of the environment. Through 1930-40's stimulant drugs were first used to successfully treat many behavior problems due in part by Still's hypothesis. In 1960, Stella Chess researched in the field by writing about the “hyperactive child syndrome. She took Still's hypothesis further stating that the resulting behavior problems stem from a biological cause, although it is linked to a genetic inheritance rather then a birth defect from an injury. Finally, in 1980, the syndrome was named Attention Deficit Disorder, due in large part to Virginia Douglas's work to find accurate ways to diagnose it (Hallowell 2). This is currently how it stands in the axis two of the DSM-IV today, with the addition of a new category Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and there sub types. Most scientist now believe that an abnormality in brain chemistry could be to blame for the symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder. The frontal lobes of the brain are believed to be responsible for the regulation of behavior and attention. They receive information from the lower brain, which regulates arousal and screens incoming messages from within and outside of the body. The limbic system which is a group of related nervous system structures located in the midbrain and linked to emotions and feelings then sends the messages to the frontal lobes. Finally, the frontal lobes are suspected to be the site of working memory, the place where information about the immediate environment is considered for memory storage, planning, and future-directed behavior. Scientist believe the activity in the frontal lobes is depressed in people with ADD. Studies also show, a decrease in the ability of the Attention Deficit Disorder brain to use glucose, the body's main source of energy, leading to slower and less efficient activity. Neurotransmitter provide the connection between one nerve cell and another. It is also now suspected that people with Attention Deficit Disorder have a chemical imbalance of a class of neurotransmitter called catecholamine. Dopamine, helps to form a pathway between the motor center of the midbrain and the frontal lobes, as well as a pathway between the limbic system and the frontal lobes. Without enough dopamine and related catecholamine, such as serotonin and norepinephrine, the frontal lobes are under stimulated and thus unable to perform their complex functions efficiently. Attention Deficit Disorder is primarily considered a genetic disorder. Which is why it is labeled a axis two in the DSM-IV. Studies show that 20-30% of all hyperactive children have at least one parent with ADD. However, not all cases of ADD are genetically linked. Some studies show that a small percentage of ADD cases were influenced by smoking, drinking alcohol, and using drugs during pregnancy. Exposure to toxins, such as lead, may also alter the brain chemistry and function. Both of these issues are cause for concern for the at-risk population. ADD generally affects males more often than females, in a 3:1 ratio. Because this disorder effects the brain detection of this condition is difficult. The accepted test, although today there has been an increase in research into ADD and subsequently now other tests. The test requires a nine month observation of the person, as well as EEGs, MRIs, or a PET scan. During the nine months, the person has to show a certain number of the classic traits associated with the disorder. The EEG are used to record the amount of electrical activity that is happening in the brain. An MRI is an x-ray that shows the brain's anatomy however it is not a routine assessment. More recently, the way to diagnose ADD is the use of a PET scan, which measure the amount activity in the brain. There are two general categories for those diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder. One is ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), this is the more prevalent of the two. A person with ADHD will show certain characteristics. Characteristics like, fidgeting, squirming, difficulty remaining seated, easily distracted, difficulty awaiting turn, interrupting, difficulty following directions, sustaining attention, shifting from one uncompleted task to another, not listening, following multiple directions, and frequently engaging in dangerous actions. The general diagnosis of ADD, as opposed to ADHD, has some, but not all of the above characteristics. There are people who have been diagnosed with ADD whose characteristics are not hyperactive but the complete opposite, they are underactive. This goes against the general notion that only kids who are hyperactive have ADD. These children often daydream and are never mentally present anywhere. They constantly drift off into their own world during classes or conversations. This type is more prevalent in females with ADD then in males. The underlining issues with these children are the inability to focus, they are too easily distracted. This form of ADD is the hardest to diagnose since it seems that these people simply need to “apply themselves more†or “get their act together. †Attention Deficit Disorder not only effects those afflicted in the classroom but at home as well. The rest of the families daily routine may become a distraction to those afflicted with ADD. Sometimes a television or radio that is turned on in another room may become distraction. What the ADD person needs is a sound screen. A sound screen is some form of constant noise that plays in the background, commonly a television or a radio. At first it may seem like a distraction, but in reality, if the TV or music forms a kind of “white noise†with an even level of intensity, which actually covers up discrepant noises that can be a distraction. “The hum of a ceiling fan or motor can do wonders to soothe and focus you†(Weiss. 7). Getting a family household to function smoothly is challenging for any family, with or without the presence of ADD. Adults and children suffering from Attention Deficit Disorder have trouble establishing and maintaining physical order, coordinating schedules and activities, and accepting and meeting responsibilities. Parents with children suffering with ADD have to learn how to deal with the obstacles that they will have while raising their child. Since ADD is genetically passed through to children the tendency is to have more then just the child with ADD but the parents too. Not only does the child have a problem with rules and schedules but so does the parent. Adults dealing with ADD often have chronic employment problems, impulsive spending, and erratic bookkeeping and bill paying. Raising healthy, well-adjusted children requires patience, sound judgment, good humor, and, discipline which is difficult for a parent with ADD to do. The presence of ADD often hinders the development of intimate relationships for a variety of reasons. Although many adults with ADD enjoy successful, satisfying marriages, the disorder almost always adds a certain amount of extra tension and pressure to the union. The non-ADD spouse bears an additional burden of responsibility for keeping the household running smoothly and meeting the needs of the children, the spouse with ADD, and, if he or she has time, his or her own priorities. Raising a child who has ADD can be an exhausting and, at times, frustrating experience. Parents play a key role in managing the disability. They usually need specialized training in behavior management and benefit greatly from parent support groups. Parents often find that approaches to raising that work well with children who do not have ADD, do not work as well with children who have ADD. Parents often feel helpless, frustrated and exhausted. Especially if the child's condition is unknown at the time. It could seem to the parent that the child is just bad. Too often, family members become angry and withdraw from each other. If untreated, the situation only worsens. Parent training can be one of the most important and effective interventions for a child with ADD. Effective training will teach parents how to apply strategies to manage their child's behavior and improve their relationship with their child. Without consistent structure and clearly defined expectations and limits, children with ADD can become quite confused about the behaviors that are expected of them. Making and keeping friends is a difficult task for children with ADD. A variety of behavioral excesses and deficits common to these children get in the way of friendships. They may talk too much, dominate activities, intrude in others' games, or quit a game before its done. They may be unable to pay attention to what another child is saying, not respond when someone else tries to initiate and activity, or exhibit inappropriate behavior. There is no cure for Attention Deficit Disorder. “Along with increasing awareness of the problem, a better understanding of its causes and treatment has developed†( Wender 3). There is medication for ADD which will only alleviate the symptoms. The medication will not permanently restore the chemical imbalance. Approximately 70% of adults with ADD find that their symptoms significantly improve after they take medication prescribed by their doctors. The patient is able to concentrate on difficult and time-consuming tasks, stop impulsive behavior , and time the restless twitches that have been experienced in the past. Some ADD patient's psychological and behavioral problems are not solved by medication alone, and are required more therapy or training. Adult patients have the burden of the past that often hinders their progress. The patient then needs help with the relief of disappointment, frustration, and nagging sense of self-doubt that often weighs upon the ADD patient. Some ADD patients suffer from low-grade depression or anxiety, others with a dependence on alcohol or drugs, and most with low self-esteem and feelings of helplessness. There are two types of drugs that work to balance the neurotransmitter and have been found to be most effective in treating ADD, stimulants and antidepressants. Stimulants work by increasing the amount of dopamine either produced in the brain or used by the frontal lobes of the brain. Antidepressants also stimulate brain activity in the frontal lobes, but they affect the production and use of other chemicals, usually norepinephrine and serotonin. All the drugs used to treat ADD have the same goal, to provide the brain with the raw materials it needs to concentrate over a sustained period of time, control impulses, and regulate motor activity. The drug or combination of drugs that work best for the patient depends on the individuals brain chemistry and constellation of symptoms. The process of finding the right drug can be tricky for each individual. The psychologists are not able to accurately predict how any one individual will respond to various doses or types of Attention Deficit Disorder medication. However, the drug of choice for Attention Deficit Disorder is Ritilan. Ritilan (Methylphenidate) is a mild CNS stimulant. In medicine, Ritilan's primary use is treatment of Attention DeficitHyperactive Disorder (ADHD). The reason why this drug works so well is not completely understood, but Ritilan presumably activates the arousal system of the brain stem and the cortex to produce its stimulant effect. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), prescriptions for Ritilan have increased more than 600% in the past five years. Ritilan (Methylphenidate) is manufactured by CIBA-Geigy Corporation. It is supplied in 5 mg. , 10 mg. , and 20 mg. ablets, and in a sustained release form, Ritilan SR, in 20 mg. tablets. It is readily water soluble and is intended for oral use. It is a Schedule II Controlled Substance under both the Federal and Vermont Controlled Substance Acts (Bailey 5). As stated before, ADHD is a condition most likely based in an inefficiency and inadequacy of Dopamine and Norepinephrine hormone availability, typically occurring when a person with ADHD tries to concentrate. Ritilan improves the efficiency of the hormones Dopamine and Norepinephrine, increasing the resources for memory, focus, concentration and attention (Clark 6). Ritilan exhibits pharmacological activity similar to that of amphetamines. Ritilan's exact mechanism of action in the CNS is not fully understood, but the primary sites of activity appear to be in the cerebral cortex and the subcortical structures including the thalamus. Ritilan blocks the re-uptake mechanism present in dopaminergic neurons. As a result, sympathomimetic activity in the central nervous system and in the peripheral nervous system increases. Ritilan-induced CNS stimulation produces a decreased sense of fatigue, an increase in motor activity and mental alertness, mild euphoria, and brighter spirits. In the PNS, the actions of Ritilan are minimal at therapeutic doses (Clark 2 ). Ritilan is the quickest of all oral ADHD stimulant medications in onset of action: it starts to achieve benefit in 20 – 30 minutes after administration, and is most effective during the upward ‘slope' and peak serum levels. Ritilan's effect is brief: Most people experience 2-3 hours of benefit, but after 3 hours, benefits drop off rapidly. Some individuals, especially children, may obtain 4 or even 5 hours of positive effect (Clark 1). Attention Deficit Disorder is very prevalent throughout this country and the world. There is no cure. Those afflicted with the disorder must learn to compensate for it and live regardless of it's affects. There are drugs and therapy available for those with this disorder to help them maintain there life. It is very frustrating to live with ADD or ADHD and even harder to live with it and not know it. Since ADD's detection is difficult, often the symptoms are likened to some other cause in an effort to explain the behaviors. This has lead to many misdiagnoses. However, new studies on ADD and ADHD are in the works and with the Human Genome Project's completion in 2003 there is hope more light will be shed on this disorder. |