Southwest Airlines: Culture and Structure

Southwest Airlines: Culture and Structure This report gives a brief summary of the strategic control systems within south-west airlines. The report reveals that the company has been able to uphold their culture and structure through the use of mission, vision and objectives. It is these that have helped it in their strategic planes, competitive advantage, corporate strategic and operational strategies. The same goals have also guided how the company is able to uphold and motivate their employees in order to realize productivity and give quality service to their customers. Strategic management entails the management of resources through the use of tools like mission, vision, goals, values, roles, objectives, based on a timeline and responsibilities. Strategy in an organization is achieved through organization structure, culture, people and control systems Buller Schuler. (2006). Therefore, in looking at the strategic management design of Southwest airlines, this paper shall detail its organization structure, culture, people and control systems. The airline has managed to keep its head above waters despite the crisis like terrorism, recession and high fuel prices that have locked the airline industry. This has been associated to several advantages and strengths the company has been able to enjoy over the years as compared to their competitors Southwest airlines (2010). This airlines culture revolves around the welfare of their employees base on their principle employees are first and customers are second. This reflects the managements belief in the delivery of excellent service to the employees and the provision of job security. It is this culture that led them to cut back on flights rather than lay off employees during the recession and global economic crisis. This is the management principle that has been upheld by the company for many years, so that the company and the employees are able to prosper in bad times. The airline has been trying to uphold the principle of low operational cost, low borrowing, and a high cash flows Southwest airlines (2010). The company is able to value the employees such that they offer them compensation and benefits from profits and surpluses. This is seen as a means to encourage employees to perform and increase their production. The corporate culture of employee motivation, compensation and assurance of job security is the guiding principle that ha enabled the employees of southwest airlines to have high job performance. At the same time, these employees are encouraged to value their work and the airline as a whole. This aspect has been associated to the contribution of stability and security in the work in the company. therefore, the implementation of a no lay off policy in this company has been the main reason the airline has been able to maintain high rates of employee retention. Buller Schuler (2006) postulate that another corporate culture that guides the company, is their ability to encourage union members and negotiator to conduct employees surveys, before they commence any contract negotiation. This aspect has helped the company to focus on the issues that concern the company and the employees. It is this concern that is associated with the promotion and encouragement of employees and the creation of an employee friendly environment. The airline has been able to effectively use team work and tam building actitivities to motivate and guide the performance of their teams and workplace. The creation of teams and the provision of skills in team resolution, team work and team harmony is another corporate culture that guides the workplace of southwest airlines (Southwest airlines, 2010). This is seen as the airlines most important function used in the management of their teams. The management of such teams involves conflict resolution awareness where they have an overview of the resolutions. The teams are also stimulated scenarios, coaching, training, learning and human resources development programs which they use in the workplace. When discussing strategic management, it is vital that strategy formulation is also incorporated (Buller Schuler, 2006). This is because through strategy formulation one is ale to realize how effective an organization is able to effectively meet their missions, visions, goals and objects as well as manage their resources. Strategic formulation entails three processes, these are diagnosis; is the formulation of a situational analysis of the internal condition of the organization. Looking at the corporate structure of southwest airlines, we find that they are able to make use of their situational analysis where management is involved in the identification of the organizations objectives, the current projects, any current strategies, plus the strengths and weaknesses of the organization. The airline has been able to identify projects, plan and lay down strategies that will help their teams to achieve the project goals. The management of the airline has the sole responsibility of guiding and training staff and employees on strategy formulation. This is also seen as very vital in the creation of a competitive advantage within their industry. The company has been able to critically identify their organizational environment and identify their opportunities in the market that give them an advantage over their competition. Strategy formulation should also help guide the company towards the creation and achievement of their mission, vision, goals and objectives. The mission of Southwest airlines focuses on their employees and customers (Southwest airlines, 2010). The airline has gained and kept their customers by giving exceptional customer service which has provided for by the employees who are seen as the cornerstone of the company. This mission therefore, sets southwest airlines apart from other airlines since they are able to treat their customers like they are all in first class. These first class services can only be seen as being provided for to first class customers in other airlines. Therefore by having mission statement that directs their strategies and goals towards the provision of first class service to its customers makes southwest airlines have a unique relationship with the customers. This is the same mission that also guides the employees, and the workplace performance. Looking at the case of Southwest airlines their mission has enabled them to develop their corporate level strategies. This is due to their strategic portion which is at all levels of Southwests business, and which starts with its workforce, this implies that they carefully select and train their employees to show and depict the image of the company. in addition, those who apply to work in Southwest are put through a selection process, which is strenuous since the company is aimed on getting people who have the right attitudes to the company. Additionally, the company invests heavily in treating its employees well. For example, southwest airlines are able to practice profit sharing with the employees. This is very vital since they encourage employees to personally have a vested interest in the company. This has created a room for salary negotiations. They also give their employees good medical and dental benefits that are important in this age of rising healthcare costs. Moreover, the y have good salaries, profit sharing, health care programs which are tools southwest airlines uses to retain the valuable employees. A view at their missions and objectives reveals that have influenced their operational strategies and competitive strategies. This is seen where they assign their staff roles through informal job descriptions which are concerned with customer service. Their mission, vision and objectives have also affected their corporate governance that is both the mechanistic model and organic model. This is because, at the flight crew level and corporate level, the mechanistic model is used, whilst at the lower structural levels, where there is no use for safety and time, the organic model is used. The airline also fore went the functional structure which was common with its competitors, they decided to have a positive equalitarian culture that created the positive equity based culture seen today. It is this cultural approach that contributed significantly to Southwest airline having the lowest employee turnover, and the highest level of consumer satisfaction. In conclusion we have seen that the airline has been able to effectively make use of their corporate mission, vision, objectives and goals to direct their management, culture, structure and the resources.

Prior (2004) Sydney Gay Saunas 1967-2000 Book Analysis

Prior (2004) Sydney Gay Saunas 1967-2000 Book Analysis Farzan Babaei S5030791 Article name: Sydney Gay Saunas 1967-2000: Fight for Civic Acceptance and Experiences Beyond the Threshold Article Source: PhD thesis, School of Sociology and Anthropology, The University of New South Wales Article Author and Year: Jason Hugh Prior (2004) Citation: Prior, J. H. (2004). Sydney gay saunas 1967-2000: Fight for civic acceptance and experiences beyond the threshold (Doctoral thesis). School of Sociology and Anthropology, The University of New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia. Introduction and Research Questions Jason Prior is an established researcher particularly in the field of spatial governance and its relation to sexuality, religion, and health and wellbeing. In his PhD thesis titled Sydney Gay Saunas 1967-2000: Fight for Civic Acceptance and Experiences Beyond the Threshold (year), he attempts to shed light on Sydneys gay saunas through two key questions. The first relates to how the gay sauna transitioned from a clandestine operation to a legally recognized and accepted institution considered important within particular environs of the city. The second concerns how the dynamic public domain of the gay sauna contributed to the development of gay culture in the city by fostering the opportunity of collective and individual homosexual expression. Part 1 of Study Methodology and Results In the first part of the study, utilizing his background in urban sociology, planning, and legal geography, Prior draws heavily upon the works of Knopp (1995,1998) and Castells (1983) as a conceptual framework. He uses empirical examination and analysis of documents (including development applications, archival documents, legal records, civic authority records, government gazettes, law reports, records of police raids, government acts, newspaper and magazine articles, and twenty-nine in-depth interviews) as a research methodology, to understand the process of acceptance of gay saunas in Sydneys civic society. Using these data, he traces the history of these establishments from 1967 to 2000. The first gay saunas existed through subterfuge and public charades by disguising themselves from the largely homophobic society as gyms and fitness centres. Through the years that followed, change in legislation which led to the decriminalisation of homosexuality set the stage for the emergence o f the gay sauna into public view and their partial acceptance by civic authorities. Although the emergence of AIDS added a layer of complexity to the process, it led to new alliances between the gay community, medicine and the state government. These alliances played a major role in the eventual acceptance of the gay sauna by civic authorities, judiciary, and citizens as not just social but also sexual institutions. Prior argues that this transformation was possible through the conjunction of greater understanding and acceptance of homosexuality by the general community, the mobilisation of gay activists and the broader radicalism of the 1960s and 70s, and the emergence of enlightened processes by council bureaucracies and the judiciary. Part 2 of Study Methodology and Results Priors background in architecture comes into use in the second part of the study where he examines through an empirical analysis (analysis of the material features of the built form, and twenty-nine in-depth interviews), how the evolving social spaces of Sydneys gay saunas allowed men to develop and experience individual and collective sexual identities and practices. In describing the dynamic nature of these spaces Prior identifies three stages of evolution. The first and most basic/rudimentary stage started with the establishment of the the Bondi Junction Steam Bath, Sydneys first gay sauna. Here the aim was to providing a safe space where men could temporarily escape from the city outside, with a focus on the threshold to protect patrons from the largely homophobic world outside. The second involved the shift of focus from the threshold to the development of the domain, into the creation of a space that was more socially, sexually, and psychology enabling for the expression of hom osexuality. This golden age of the saunas aligned with the gay liberation movement. The last stage focuses on the redesign of the domain into a safe sex venue to cope with the new experience of sexuality that AIDS awareness evoked. These stages involved changes to the physical realm of the saunas, which in turn affected the type of sexual activity that took place. Critical Review/ Contextualization within other works Priors well-structured and comprehensive study fills a gap in the existing literature by adding to the largely unexplored realm of gay bathhouses in the Australian context. In describing the history of these establishments, he continually draws parallels between the United States and Australia which provides readers with a broader perspective, and highlights the uniqueness of this particular context. The first part of the study which deals with the sexualisation of urban space is contextualized within the body of works of Foucault (1990), Castells, and Knopp, while the second part of the study which concerns how designed sexual environments affect sexual practises fits within the works of Brodsky (1993), Rubin (1991), and Tattelman (1999). Priors work also contributes to the broader topic of studies specifically on gay saunas. The latter includes ethnographies particularly in the american context (Weinberg Williams, 1975; Styles, 1979; Chauncey, 1994), the study of saunas from a more architectural perspective where alternate design possibilities and concepts of queer space are explored (Tattelman, 2000; Betsky, 1997), and more recently, studies on AIDS prevention research (Bolton, Vincke, Mak, 1994; Binson Woods, 2003; Lyons, Smith, Grierson, Doussa, 2010). Link to my Research The inter-relation between sexual culture, the built-form, and the social/sexual relations that forms the core of Priors work, is a theme that I want to carry forward and build onto in my research. Specifically, I am interested in looking at how social and sexual relations have changed in the bathhouse due to technologies in the 21st century such as PrEP, internet, and dating apps and how this in turn has affected the physical and social environs of the baths. The main aim of the authors research was to examine the social and political forces which contributed to the acceptance of gay saunas by Sydneys civic society. To answer this research question, he provides an in-depth description of the material (and immaterial) aspects of gay saunas in Sydney from the first gay sauna in 1967 to the year 2000, outlining distinct stages of evolution in the form/use of these structure. This data will form an important benchmark for my research which will explore the possible formation of a new architectural typology in the 21st century. The fact that this study, along with the work of Richters (2007), is one of the few literary works offering a detailed description of Sydneys baths, including floor plans and advertisements in the gay press, makes it the single most important source for my research. References Betsky, A. (1997). Queer Space: Architecture and Same-Sex Desire (1st edition). New York: William Morrow. Binson, D., Woods, W. J. (2003). A Theoretical Approach to Bathhouse Environments. Journal of Homosexuality, 44(3-4), 23-31. Bolton, R., Vincke, J., Mak, R. (1994). Gay Baths Revisited: An Empirical Analysis. GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies, 1(3), 255-273. Brodsky, J. I. (1993). The Mineshaft: A Retrospective Ethnography. Journal of Homosexuality, 24(3-4), 233-252. Castells, M. (1983). The City and the Grassroots: A Cross-cultural Theory of Urban Social Movements. London: Edward Arnold. Chauncey, G. (1995). Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the Making of the Gay Male World, 1890-1940 (unknown edition). New York: Basic Books. Foucault, M. (1990). The History of Sexuality, Vol. 1: An Introduction. (R. Hurley, Trans.) (Reissue edition). New York: Vintage. Knopp, L. (1995). Sexuality and Urban Space: A Framework for Analysis. In David Bell and Gill Valentine (Eds.), Mapping Desire: Geographies of Sexualities (pp. 149-161). London and New York: Routledge. Knopp, L. (1998). Sexuality and Urban Space: Gay Male Identity Politics in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. In Ruth Fincher and Jane M. Jacobs (Eds.), Cities of Difference (pp. 149-176). New York: The Guilford Press. Lyons, A., Smith, A. M. A., Grierson, J. W., Doussa, H. von. (2010). Australian mens sexual practices in saunas, sex clubs and other male sex on premises venues. Sexual Health, 7(2), 186-192. Prior, J. H. (2004). Sydney gay saunas 1967-2000: Fight for civic acceptance and experiences beyond the threshold (Doctoral thesis). School of Sociology and Anthropology, The University of New South Wales. Richters, J. (2001). The Social Construction of Sexual Practice: Setting Sexual Culture and the Body in Casual Sex Between Men. University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Rubin, G. (1991). The Catacombs: A Temple of the Butthole. In Mark Thomson (Ed.), Leatherfolk: Radical Sex, People, Politics, and Practice (pp. 119-141). Boston: Alyson Publications. Styles, J. (1979). Outsider/Insider: Researching Gay Baths. Urban Life, 8(2), 135-152. Tattelman, I. (1999). Speaking to the Gay Bathhouse: Communicating in Sexually Charged Spaces. In W. L. Leap (Ed.), Public Sex/ Gay Space (pp. 71-94). New York: Columbia University Press. Tattelman, I. (2000). Presenting a Queer (Bath) House. In J. A. Boone, M. Dupuis, M. Meeker, K. Quimby, C. Sarver, D. Silverman, R. Weatherston, Queer Frontiers: Millennial Geographies, Genders, and Generations (pp. 222-258). Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. Weinberg, M. S., Williams, C. J. (1975). Gay Baths and the Social Organization of Impersonal Sex. Social Problems, 23(2), 124-136.

mother theresa :: essays research papers fc

Mother Theresa of Calcutta Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu was born in 1910 to Albanian parents in Skopje, which at the time was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. (The city is now the capital of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.) When she was 18, she entered the Order of the Sisters of Our Lady of Loreto in Ireland. She trained in Dublin and in Darjeeling, India, before taking her religious vows in 1937. She took the name Teresa from Saint Teresa of Lisieux, the patron saint of foreign missionaries. In September 1946, while riding in a train from Calcutta to Darjeeling to engage in 8 days of spiritual exercises, she received a divine calling from God "to serve Him amongst the poorest of the poor". She served as principal of a Roman Catholic high school in Calcutta, and was moved by the presence of the sick and dying on the city's streets. In 1948 she was granted permission to leave her post at the convent and begin a ministry among the sick. That same year she became an Indian citizen. In 1950 Mother Teresa and her associates were approved within the archdiocese of Calcutta as the Missionaries of Charity. The order was later recognized as a pontifical congregation under the jurisdiction of Rome. Members of the congregation take four vows on acceptance by the religious community. In addition to the three basic vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, a fourth vow is required pledging service to the poor, whom Mother Teresa described as the embodiment of Christ. In 1952 Mother Teresa opened the Nirmal Hriday (Pure Heart) Home for Dying Destitutes in Calcutta. She and her fellow nuns took in dying Indians off the streets of Calcutta and brought them to this home to care for them during the days before they died, so that they might be able to die in peace and with dignity. In serving the people abandoned by society, Mother Teresa put love into action. Her spirit of giving inspired many to follow her, and her work eventually expanded to many other parts of the world. Today over 5000 sisters, brothers, and volunteers run approximately 500 centers worldwide, feeding 500,000 families and helping 90,000 lepers every year. In recognition of her efforts, Mother Teresa was bestowed many awards, including the Padma Shri award for distinguished service in 1962, The Pope John XXIII Peace Prize in 1971, the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1985, and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1997.

Holocaust at Auschwitz :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"It is hope that compels man to hold on for one more day of life, because that day maybe the day of liberation. Ah, and not even the hope for a different, better world, but simply for life, a life of peace and rest. Never before in the history of mankind had hope been stronger than man, but never also has it done so much harm as it has in this war, in this concentration camp. We were never taught how to give up hope, and this is why today we parish in gas chambers.† – Borowski We often wonder what the reasons for the concentration camps were? We sit back in our nice warm home with our families at our side, and watch on the History Channel all of the documentaries on the holocaust, and we ask ourselves many questions one of the most important is ‘Why?’. One question I always ask myself is, ‘Could it happen again, but not just to Jews but to Americans?’. Many people shun the thought of it, but sooner or later we will hav e to face reality that it could happen, despite our brute military force, there is no telling what will happen from day to day. The one question I am going to answer is, ‘How much do you actually know about Auschwitz?’.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most of my research was done by reading interviews that have been done with survivors. It was very awful what happened to many of the people and their families, along with the experiments that they did with the camp prisoners. Could you imagine seeing your family one minute, being told they were going to the showers, then never see them again? Then one day told to go through the laundry and finding your loved ones clothing, but, no body to go with it? That was everyday life at Auschwitz. The most medical of all the killing methods was the phenol injection, which was institutionalized during the relatively early phases of Auschwitz. Many other camps used gas, then burned the bodies, because they had no room nor time to dig graves for the thousands of people they killed everyday. Mass grave yards were not unpopular though. The definition for the word holocaust is â€Å"Great destruction resulting in the extensive loss of life, especially by fire.† And what ha ppened during the second world war was very much a holocaust.

How the Recession Effects Used Car Prices Essay

There are several factors which are affecting the price of new and used vehicles since the current recession began. Because people have been forced to hang on to their cars longer it has driven up the price of used cars because the pool of used cars has gotten smaller. New car sales have were down as well further pushing up the price of used vehicles since fewer people bought new cars during the recession. Fewer new car purchases equals less used cars. The production of new cars has also been cut meaning that there are less new cars in circulation which in turn means fewer used cars from sources like car rental places. The higher price of used cars has pushed some people to look for deals on new cars but dealer incentives have been reduced making the purchase of a new car less enticing then it would have been in the past. Because there are less new cars being produced, the price of new cars has also gone up. The high cost of gasoline has also affected the demand of new and used cars. As gas prices go up the demand for new cars goes down as people do not wish to spend as much money on their cars. So rather than make a high monthly car payment on a new vehicle they choose a lower payment on a used car or may chose to purchase the car outright. References: Why used-car prices are going to stay high for years: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2012/05/why-used-car-prices-will-stay-high-for-years/1#.UGdhRJjA-kY Used-Car Prices Climb http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204136404577205383041923996.html As Gas Prices Go, So Go Prices for Used Cars http://moneyland.time.com/2012/05/31/as-gas-prices-go-so-go-prices-for-used-cars/

The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion Chapter Eleven

The car skidded in behind one of the police cars that was parked crookedly in the street. There were lights everywhere, lights flashing blue and red and amber, lights blazing from the Bennett house. â€Å"Stay here,† Matt snapped, and he plunged outside, following Stefan. â€Å"No!† Bonnie's head jerked up; she wanted to grab him and drag him back. The dizzy nausea she'd felt ever since Tyler had mentioned Vickie was overwhelming her. It was too late; she'd known in the first instant that it was too late. Matt was only going to get himself killed too. â€Å"You stay, Bonnie-keep the doors locked. I'll go after them.† That was Meredith. â€Å"No! I'm sick of having everybody tell me to stay!† Bonnie cried, struggling with the seat belt, finally getting it unlocked. She was still crying, but she could see well enough to get out of the car and start toward Vickie's house. She heard Meredith right behind her. The activity all seemed concentrated at the front: people shouting, a woman screaming, the crackling voices of police radios. Bonnie and Meredith headed straight for the back, for Vickie's window. What is wrong with this picture? Bonnie thought wildly as they approached. The wrongness of what she was looking at was undeniable, yet hard to put a finger on. Vickie's window was open-but it couldn't be open; the middle pane of a bay window never opens, Bonnie thought. But then how could the curtains be fluttering out like shirttails? Not open, broken. Glass was all over the gravel pathway, grinding underfoot. There were shards like grinning teeth left in the bare frame. Vickie's house had been broken into. â€Å"She asked him in,† Bonnie cried in agonized fury. â€Å"Why did she do that? Why?† â€Å"Stay here,† Meredith said, trying to moisten dry lips. â€Å"Stop telling me that. I can take it, Meredith. I'm mad, that's all. I hate him.† She gripped Meredith's arm and went forward. The gaping hole got closer and closer. The curtains rippled. There was enough space between them to see inside. At the last moment, Meredith pushed Bonnie away and looked through first herself. It didn't matter. Bonnie's psychic senses were awake and already telling her about this place. It was like the crater left in the ground after a meteor has hit and exploded, or like the charred skeleton of a forest after a wildfire. Power and violence were still thrumming in the air, but the main event was over. This place had been violated. Meredith spun away from the window, doubling over, retching. Clenching her fists so that the nails bit into her palms, Bonnie leaned forward and looked in. The smell was what struck her first. A wet smell, meaty and coppery. She could almost taste it, and it tasted like an accidentally bitten tongue. The stereo was playing something she couldn't hear over the screaming out front and the drumming-surf sound in her own ears. Her eyes, adjusting from the darkness outside, could see only red. Just red. The record player clicked and the stylus swung back to the beginning. With a shock, Bonnie recognized the song as it started over. It was â€Å"Goodnight Sweetheart.† â€Å"You monster,† Bonnie gasped. Pain shot through her stomach. Her hand gripped the window frame, tighter, tighter. â€Å"You monster, I hate you! I hate you!† Meredith heard and straightened up, turning. She shakily pushed back her hair and managed a few deep breaths, trying to look as if she could cope. â€Å"You're cutting your hand,† she said. â€Å"Here, let me see it.† Bonnie hadn't even realized she was gripping broken glass. She let Meredith take the hand, but instead of letting her examine it, she turned it over and clasped Meredith's own cold hand tightly. Meredith looked terrible: dark eyes glazed, lips blue-white and shaking. But Meredith was still trying to take care of her, still trying to keep it together. â€Å"Go on,† she said, looking at her friend intently. â€Å"Cry, Meredith. Scream if you want to. But get it out somehow. You don't have to be cool now and keep it all inside. You have every right to lose it today.† For a moment Meredith just stood there, trembling, but then she shook her head with a ghastly attempt at a smile. â€Å"I can't. I'm just not made that way. Come on, let me look at the hand.† Bonnie might have argued, but just then Matt came around the corner. He started violently to see the girls standing there. â€Å"What are you doing-?† he began. Then he saw the window. â€Å"She's dead,† Meredith said flatly. â€Å"I know.† Matt looked like a bad photograph of himself, an overexposed one. â€Å"They told me up front. They're bringing out†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He stopped. â€Å"We blew it. Even after we promised her†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Meredith stopped too. There was nothing more to say. â€Å"But the police will have to believe us now,† Bonnie said, looking at Matt, then Meredith, finding one thing to be grateful for. â€Å"They'll have to.† â€Å"No,† Matt said, â€Å"they won't, Bonnie. Because they're saying it's a suicide.† â€Å"A suicide?. Have they seen that room? They call that a suicide?† Bonnie cried, her voice rising. â€Å"Oh, my God,† Meredith said, turning away. â€Å"They think maybe she was feeling guilty for having killed Sue.† â€Å"Somebody broke into this house,† Bonnie said fiercely. â€Å"They've got to admit that!† â€Å"No.† Meredith's voice was soft, as if she were very tired. â€Å"Look at the window here. The glass is all outside. Somebody from the inside broke it.† And that's the rest of what's wrong with the picture, Bonnie thought. â€Å"He probably did, getting out,† Matt said. They looked at each other silently, in defeat. â€Å"Where's Stefan?† Meredith asked Matt quietly. â€Å"Is he out front where everyone can see him?† â€Å"No, once we found out she was dead he headed back this way. I was coming to look for him. He must be around somewhere†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Sh!† said Bonnie. The shouting from the front had stopped. So had the woman's screaming. In the relative stillness they could hear a faint voice from beyond the black walnut trees in the back of the yard. â€Å"-while you were supposed to be watching her!† The tone made Bonnie's skin break out in gooseflesh. â€Å"That's him!† Matt said. â€Å"And he's with Damon. Come on!† Once they were among the trees Bonnie could hear Stefan's voice clearly. The two brothers were facing each other in the moonlight. â€Å"I trusted you, Damon. I trusted you!† Stefan was saying. Bonnie had never seen him so angry, not even with Tyler in the graveyard. But it was more than anger. â€Å"And you just let it happen,† Stefan went on, without glancing at Bonnie and the others as they appeared, without giving Damon a chance to reply. â€Å"Why didn't you do something? If you were too much of a coward to fight him, you could at least have called for me. But you just stood there!† Damon's face was hard, closed. His black eyes glittered, and there was nothing lazy or casual about his posture now. He looked as unbending and brittle as a pane of glass. He opened his mouth, but Stefan interrupted. â€Å"It's my own fault. I should have known better. I did know better. They all knew, they warned me, but I wouldn't listen.† â€Å"Oh, did they?† Damon snapped a glance toward Bonnie on the sidelines. A chill went through her. â€Å"Stefan, wait,† Matt said. â€Å"I think-â€Å" â€Å"I should have listened!† Stefan was raging on. He didn't even seem to hear Matt. â€Å"I should have stayed with her myself. I promised her she would be safe-and I lied! She died thinking I betrayed her.† Bonnie could see it in his face now, the guilt eating into him like acid. â€Å"If I had stayed here-â€Å" â€Å"And that would have been better!† Stefan cried. His chest was heaving. â€Å"I would rather have died with her than stood by and watched it! What happened, Damon?† He had gotten hold of himself now, and he was calm, too calm; his green eyes were burning feverishly in his pale face, his voice vicious, poisonous, as he spoke. â€Å"Were you too busy chasing some other girl through the bushes? Or just too uninterested to interfere?† Damon said nothing. He was just as pale as his brother, every muscle tense and rigid. Waves of black fury were rising from him as he watched Stefan. â€Å"Or maybe you enjoyed it,† Stefan was continuing, moving another half step forward so that he was right in Damon's face. â€Å"Yes, that was probably it; you liked it, being with another killer. Was it good, Damon? Did he let you watch?† Damon's fist jerked back and he hit Stefan. It happened too fast for Bonnie's eye to follow. Stefan fell backward onto the soft ground, long legs sprawling. Meredith cried out something, and Matt jumped in front of Damon. Brave, Bonnie thought dazedly, but stupid. The air was crackling with electricity. Stefan raised a hand to his mouth and found blood, black in the moonlight. Bonnie lurched over to his side and grabbed his arm. Damon was coming after him again. Matt fell back before him, but not all the way. He dropped to his knees beside Stefan, sitting on his heels, one hand upraised. â€Å"Enough, you guys! Enough, all right?† he shouted. Stefan was trying to get up. Bonnie held on to his arm more firmly. â€Å"No! Stefan, don't! Don't!† she begged. Meredith grabbed his other arm. â€Å"Damon, leave it alone! Just leave it!† Matt was saying sharply. We're all crazy, getting in the middle of this, Bonnie thought. Trying to break up a fight between two angry vampires. They're going to kill us just to shut us up. Damon's going to swat Matt like a fly. But Damon had stopped, with Matt blocking his way. For a long moment the scene remained frozen, nobody moving, everybody rigid with strain. Then, slowly, Damon's stance relaxed. His hands lowered and unclenched. He drew a slow breath. Bonnie realized she'd been holding her own breath, and she let it out. Damon's face was cold as a statue carved in ice. â€Å"All right, have it your way,† he said, and his voice was cold too. â€Å"But I'm through here. I'm leaving. And this time, brother, if you follow me, I'll kill you. Promise or no promise.† Damon hitched up his jacket, straightening it. With a glance at Bonnie that scarcely seemed to see her, he turned to go. Then he turned back and spoke clearly and precisely, each word an arrow aimed at Stefan. â€Å"I warned you,† he said. â€Å"About what I am, and about which side would win. You should have listened to me, little brother. Maybe you'll learn something from tonight.† â€Å"I've learned what trusting you is worth,† Stefan said. â€Å"Get out of here, Damon. I never want to see you again.† Without another word, Damon turned and walked away into the darkness. Bonnie let go of Stefan's arm and put her head in her hands. Stefan got up, shaking himself like a cat that had been held against its will. He walked a little distance from the others, his face averted from them. Then he simply stood there. The rage seemed to have left him as quickly as it had come. What do we say now? Bonnie wondered, looking up. What can we say? Stefan was right about one thing: they had warned him about Damon and he hadn't listened. He'd truly seemed to believe that his brother could be trusted. And then they'd all gotten careless, relying on Damon because it was easy and because they needed the help. No one had argued against letting Damon watch Vickie tonight. They were all to blame. But it was Stefan who would tear himself apart with guilt over this. She knew that was behind his out-of-control fury at Damon: his own shame and remorse. She wondered if Damon knew that, or cared. And she wondered what had really happened tonight. Now that Damon had left, they would probably never know. No matter what, she thought, it was better he was gone. Outside noises were reasserting themselves: cars being started in the street, the short burst of a siren, doors slamming. They were safe in the little grove of trees for the moment, but they couldn't stay here. Meredith had one hand pressed to her forehead, her eyes shut. Bonnie looked from her to Stefan, to the lights of Vickie's silent home beyond the trees. A wave of sheer exhaustion passed through her body. All the adrenaline that had been supporting her throughout this evening seemed to have drained away. She didn't even feel angry anymore at Vickie's death; only depressed and sick and very, very tired. She wished she could crawl into her bed at home and. pull the blankets over her head. â€Å"Tyler,† she said aloud. And when they all turned to look at her, she said, â€Å"We left him in the ruined church. And he's our last hope now. We've got to make him help us.† That roused everyone. Stefan turned around silently, not speaking and not meeting anyone's eyes as he followed them back to the street. The police cars and ambulance were gone, and they drove to the cemetery without incident. â€Å"We left his feet untied,† Matt said heavily, with a grimace of self-disgust. â€Å"He must have walked away since his car's still down there.† Or he could have been taken, Bonnie thought. There was no mark on the stone floor to show which. Meredith went to the knee-high wall and sat down, one hand pinching the bridge of her nose. Bonnie sagged against the belfry. They'd failed completely. That was the long and short of it tonight. They'd lost and he had won. Everything they'd done today had ended in defeat. And Stefan, she could tell, was taking the whole responsibility on his own shoulders. She glanced at the dark, bowed head in the front seat as they drove back to the boarding house. Another thought occurred to her, one that sent thrills of alarm down her nerves. Stefan was all they had to protect them now that Damon was gone. And if Stefan himself was weak and exhausted†¦ Bonnie bit her lip as Meredith pulled up to the barn. An idea was forming in her mind. It made her uneasy, even frightened, but another look at Stefan put steel in her resolve. The Ferrari was still parked behind the barn-apparently Damon had abandoned it. Bonnie wondered how he planned to get about the countryside, and then thought of wings. Velvety soft, strong black crow's wings that reflected rainbows in their feathers. Damon didn't need a car. They went into the boarding house just long enough for Bonnie to call her parents and say she was spending the night at Meredith's. This was her idea. But after Stefan had climbed the stairs to his attic room, Bonnie stopped Matt on the front porch. â€Å"Matt? Can I ask you a favor?† He swung around, blue eyes widening. â€Å"That's a loaded phrase. Every time Elena said those particular words†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No, no, this is nothing terrible. I just want you to take care of Meredith, see she's okay once she gets home and all.† She gestured toward the other girl, who was already walking toward the car. â€Å"But you're coming with us.† Bonnie glanced at the stairs through the open door. â€Å"No. I think I'll stay a few minutes. Stefan can drive me home. I just want to talk to him about something.† Matt looked bewildered. â€Å"Talk to him about what?† â€Å"Just something. I can't explain now. Will you, Matt?† â€Å"But†¦ oh, all right. I'm too tired to care. Do what you want. I'll see you tomorrow.† He walked off, seeming baffled and a little angry. The bulb in the attic ceiling lamp was missing, and Stefan had lighted a candle. He was lying haphazardly on the bed, one leg off and one leg on, his eyes shut. Maybe asleep. Bonnie tiptoed up and fortified herself with a deep breath. â€Å"Stefan?† His eyes opened. â€Å"I thought you'd left.† â€Å"They did. I didn't.† God, he's pale, thought Bonnie. Impulsively, she plunged right in. â€Å"Stefan, I've been thinking. With Damon gone, you're the only thing between us and the killer. That means you've got to be strong, as strong as you can be. And, well, it occurred to me that maybe†¦ you know†¦ you might need†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her voice faltered. Unconsciously she'd begun fiddling with the wad of tissues forming a makeshift bandage on her palm. It was still bleeding sluggishly from where she'd cut it on the glass. His gaze followed hers down to it. Then his eyes lifted quickly to her face, reading the confirmation there. There was a long moment of silence. Then he shook his head. â€Å"But why? Stefan, I don't want to get personal, but frankly you don't look so good. You're not going to be much help to anybody if you collapse on us. And†¦ I don't mind, if you only take a little. I mean, I'm never going to miss it, right? And it can't hurt all that much. And†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Once again her voice trailed off. He was just looking at her, which was very disconcerting. â€Å"Well, why not?† she demanded, feeling slightly let down. â€Å"Because,† he said softly, â€Å"I made a promise. Maybe not in so many words, but -a promise just the same. I won't take human blood as food, because that means using a person, like livestock. And I won't exchange it with anyone, because that means love, and-† This time he was the one who couldn't finish. But Bonnie understood. â€Å"There won't ever be anyone else, will there?† she said. â€Å"No. Not for me.† Stefan was so tired that his control was slipping and Bonnie could see behind the mask. And again she saw that pain and need, so great that she had to look away from him. A strange little chill of premonition and dismay trickled through her heart. Before, she had wondered if Matt would ever get over Elena, and he had, it seemed. But Stefan- Stefan, she realized, the chill deepening, was different. No matter how much time passed, no matter what he did, he would never truly heal. Without Elena he would always be half himself, only half alive. She'd come up here to give Stefan a gift that he didn't want. But there was something else he did want, she realized, and only she had the power to give it to him. Without looking at him, her voice husky, she said, â€Å"Would you like to see Elena?† Dead silence from the bed. Bonnie sat, watching the shadows in the room sway and flicker. At last, she chanced a look at him out of the corner of her eye. He was breathing hard, eyes shut, body taut as a bowstring. Trying, Bonnie diagnosed, to work up the strength to resist temptation. And losing. Bonnie saw that. Elena always had been too much for him. When his eyes met hers again, they were grim, and his mouth was a tight line. His skin wasn't pale anymore but flushed with color. His body was still trembling-taut and keyed up with anticipation. â€Å"You might get hurt, Bonnie.† â€Å"I know.† â€Å"You'd be opening yourself up to forces beyond your control. I can't guarantee that I can protect you from them.† â€Å"I know. How do you want to do it?† Fiercely, he took her hand. â€Å"Thank you, Bonnie,† he whispered. She felt the blood rise to her face. â€Å"That's all right,† she said. Good grief, he was gorgeous. Those eyes†¦ in a minute she was either going to jump him or melt into a puddle on his bed. With a pleasurably agonizing feeling of virtue she removed her hand from his and turned to the candle. â€Å"How about if I go into a trance and try to reach her, and then, once I make contact, try to find you and draw you in? Do you think that would work?† â€Å"It might, if I'm reaching for you too,† he said, withdrawing that intensity from her and focusing it on the candle. â€Å"I can touch your mind†¦ when you're ready, I'll feel it.† â€Å"Right.† The candle was white, its wax sides smooth and shining. The flame drew itself up and then fell back. Bonnie stared until she became lost in it, until the rest of the room blacked out around her. There was only the flame, herself and the flame. She was going into the flame. Unbearable brightness surrounded her. Then she passed through it into the dark. The funeral home was cold. Bonnie glanced around uneasily, wondering how she had gotten here, trying to gather her thoughts. She was all alone, and for some reason that bothered her. Wasn't somebody else supposed to be here too? She was looking for someone. Step by step, as if something were pulling her, Bonnie approached the casket. She didn't want to look in. She had to. There was something in that coffin waiting for her. The whole room was suffused with the soft white light of the candles. It was like floating in an island of radiance. But she didn't want to look†¦ Moving as if in slow motion, she reached the coffin, stared at the white satin lining inside. It was empty. Bonnie closed it and leaned against it, sighing. Then she caught motion in her peripheral vision and whirled. It was Elena. â€Å"Oh, God, you scared me,† Bonnie said. â€Å"I thought I told you not to come here,† Elena answered. This time her hair was loose, flowing over her shoulders and down her back, the pale golden white of a flame. She was wearing a thin white dress that glowed softly in the candlelight. She looked like a candle herself, luminous, radiant. Her feet were bare. â€Å"I came here to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bonnie floundered, some concept teasing around the edges of her mind. This was her dream, her trance. She had to remember. â€Å"I came here to let you see Stefan,† she said. Elena's eyes widened, her lips parting. Bonnie recognized the look of yearning, of almost irresistible longing. Not fifteen minutes ago she'd seen it on Stefan's face. â€Å"Oh,† Elena whispered. She swallowed, her eyes clouding. â€Å"Oh, Bonnie†¦ but I can't.† â€Å"Why not?† Tears were shining in Elena's eyes now, and her lips were trembling. â€Å"What if things start to change? What if he comes, and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She put a hand to her mouth and Bonnie remembered the last dream, with teeth falling like rain. Bonnie met Elena's eyes with understanding horror. â€Å"Don't you see? I couldn't stand it if something like that happened,† Elena whispered. â€Å"If he saw me like that†¦ And I can't control things here; I'm not strong enough. Bonnie, please don't let him through. Tell him how sorry I am. Tell him-† She shut her eyes, tears spilling. â€Å"Stefan, no! Elena says-† It didn't matter. His mind was stronger than hers, and the instant she'd made contact he had taken over. He'd sensed the gist of her conversation with Elena, but he wasn't going to take no for an answer. Helplessly, Bonnie felt herself being overridden, felt his mind come closer, closer to the circle of light formed by the candelabras. She felt his presence there, felt it taking shape. She turned and saw him, dark hair, tense face, green eyes fierce as a falcon's. And then, knowing there was nothing more she could do, she stepped back to allow them to be alone.

Disorders of Thyroid Gland

Hyperthyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland (a butterfly-shaped structure present in the base of the neck just, below the Adam's apple) is overactive and produces too much of the thyroid hormone (Hurd 2006). In this condition, the body's metabolism rate is significantly increased due to the rise in the T3 and the T4 levels in the blood (forms of the thyroid hormone) that control several vital functions in the body (Mayo 2006). The disease can occur in acute and chronic forms.Several functions such as fat and carbohydrate metabolism, heart rate, protein production, etc are controlled by the thyroid hormones. The pituitary gland also known as ‘master gland’ controls the release of the T3 and T4 by the thyroid gland. It is present in the hypothalamus region of the skull (Mayo 2006). The pituitary gland produces the hormone Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) which controls the thyroid levels in the body through a negative feedback mechanism. If the thyroid hormo ne levels are low, the TSH level raises leading to increased production of thyroid hormones.In situations in which the T3 and T4 levels are higher, the TSH levels rises in the blood (Mayo 2006). In certain tumors that affect the pituitary gland, excessive levels of TSH may be released resulting in hyperthyroidism. In Grave's disease (an autoimmune disorder in which hyperthyroidism is present), the thyroid levels may rise due to certain antibodies prsent in the blood that encourage the thyroid gland to produce higher amounts of T3 and T4. Sometimes, the thyroid gland may get inflamed (known as ‘thyroiditis’) resulting in increased production of the thyroid hormone (Mayo 2006).An individual who develops hyperthyroidism may develop a range of symptoms which include sudden loss of weight, increased appetite, rise in the heart rate, palpitations, arrhythmia, nervousness, anxiety attacks, tremors, irritability, menstrual problems, sweating, confusion, swelling present in the base of the neck (goiter), tiredness, sleeplessness, muscle weakness, problems in bowel movements, clammy skin, skin flushes, hair loss, gynecomastia, etc (Hurd 2006). Besides, the eyes are also affected resulting in protrusion of the eyes, hypertension, dryness of the eyeballs, sensitivity to light, osteoporosis, etc (Mayo 2006).Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough of the thyroid hormone to make up the needs of the body (Mayo 2006). The condition more frequently occur in women than men, over that age of 50 years (Hurd 2007). Hypothyroidism can develop from a range of condition. In Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, the body’s defense mechanism produces antibodies that tend to destroy the thyroid gland tissues resulting in hypo-secretion (Mayo 2006). It may develop in association with a bacterial or a fungal infection.Some individuals who are treated for hyperthyroidism through radio-isotope therapy, ant-thyroid agents or surgery, may develop hypothyroidism due to reduced activity of the gland (Mayo 2006). Several other treatment and diagnostic interventions such as radiotherapy involving the head and neck region, certain medications such as lithium, etc, may bring about hypothyroidism (Mayo 2006). In some cases, babies are born with a small or a missing thyroid gland and develop hypothyroidism.The pituitary gland may produce lower amounts of TSH due to a tumor involving the gland (Mayo 2006). In general, the metabolism and activities of the body are slowed down in hypothyroidism. Some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism include sensitivity to cold, pale, hoarseness of the voice, weight gain, moon-like face, higher cholesterol levels, joint and muscle problems (pain, tenderness and swelling), depression, constipation, fatigue, weakness, abnormal menstrual cycle, drowsiness, short stature, delayed formation of the teeth, etc (Hurd 2007).The skin appears dry, flaky and pale, and the individual may have nail abnormali ties and hair loss (Hurd 2007). The teeth may take longer time to form or may not form at all (Hurd 2007). The individual may develop a goiter (swelling present in the lower part of the neck due to the enlargement of the thyroid gland). As the cholesterol levels (especially LDL or bad cholesterol) are elevated, the individual is at the risk of developing heart problems (Mayo 2006).