We worked on a sociology experiment, largley involving deviant behavior and what the public would do in response. I had a small group that held up free signs during the day at about 11:30 and dressed in out of the dorm outfits, dressed in "goth" or eclectic outfits to get attention and walked into a Subway that we filmed with people's responses to the girls outfits, their behavior and reactions over two days of filming. I have three other videos currently in my camera, but the first video had trouble loading.
Government/Sociology
Social Experiments
Purpose: How do members of our community respond to deviant behavior?
Research Problem/Question: The basic question my group addressed was: If you held up a sign with the words ‘Free Hugs’ on it would people respond and take you up on it? In addition, we made it more complicated by dressing Heidi in a punk fashion, boots, and purple netting arm cuffs with a black shirt and purple pants, making her entire outfit purple and black and Taylor dressed as a preppy person in a collared shirt and jeans. The question thus became more detailed and complicated when we added those elements and it became not only; would people respond to a free hugs sign? But if they do, who would get more hugs? Taylor dressed as a prep or Heidi dressed as punk?
There would be no downside to leaving this question unresolved, just an upside to people’s day and an increase of positive time instead of that lack of time that was wasted by bothering both the unsuspecting few people who had the misfortune of passing by my group and I as we made their day stranger.
The purpose of our research was exploratory, to find out how the public would respond and even if they would notice. It was an exploration into the fact that if you stand on the side of peoples world’s with something that wasn’t quite normal, Would they notice? Would they respond?
Operation: The variables to consider are the ones written above, the difference in a person’s dress and the oddness of the out of the norm ‘Free Hugs’ sign. My group and I, which as a spur of the moment decision became Sam, Taylor, Heidi and I, a collaboration of an unlikely group due to different circumstances. I believe this affected the experiment because we could have collaborated more and been friendlier attracting more people instead of awkwardly trying to perform this experiment instead of ignoring each other or pairing into pairs.
We walked from High Tech High International to the nearest shopping center which consisted of Subway, a Mexican restaurant, Starbucks, a wine bar, Oggi’s, a massage parlor and TCBY Berrio, a frozen yogurt shop. Taylor and Heidi stood side by side holding the free hugs sign as Sam recorded observations on paper and I filmed what we saw on my digital camera. We also had Taylor and Heidi walk into Subway and order sandwiches as I recorded the people’s reactions to seeing them. Heidi danced around while waiting in line for her sandwich, which yielded little if any results or reactions from people other then the Subway employees with whom had to look at Heidi and Taylor because it was their job to get orders for sandwiches, and add items to sandwiches while communicating with people without judgment. In other words, no one looked except one person that Taylor claims. We intended results but instead ended up in a fairly controversial conclusion over results which some of us believed that there were people that looked, and others believed that there were few if any that even noticed or bothered to look at them.
Hypothesis: (Before you tested) Our hypothesis was that people would respond to the Free Hugs sign and choose either Taylor or Heidi by hugging one of them more then the other.
Independent vs. dependent variables?
A main component and variable involved in this experiment was that we chose a shopping center in the afternoon, (a prime spot to disrupt the normal environment that occurred there and crossed people’s days) that we were sure would be busy with businessmen and women. My self developed guess was that people would look at the girls strangely but choose Taylor for hugs as opposed to Heidi because to me, it seemed as though Heidi’s style of dress would have intimidated the public because she wore dark colors in full daylight and the way she appeared it seemed to the average passerby that she wasn’t very nice or that she was a very independent person. So my self developed guess was that Taylor would be the one to get more hugs because she was in simple colors and a ‘nicer’ mode of dress.
Research Methods – Mode of Observation: We used a digital camera and a notebook to record our observations. We also used participant observation by recording what people’s reaction’s were to Taylor and Heidi’s dress and strange sign, which ended up recording no noticeable results by anyone. Our sociology experiment was also experimental, although thought of at the last minute we wanted to see how people would react. Our experiment ended up being a dud, however, because we should have chosen more of a crowded environment in order to get more results. The type of people we chose was not selective, we were willing to have anyone in the public come up to us, in otherwise, and we chose the entire population as our main objective to observe. We ended up focusing on a smaller amount of people or small sample in the local Subway in that little shopping center and mainly chose to focus on the subway employees reactions and the people in the restaurant, which as I have stated previously ended up becoming controversial amongst our small, but seemingly divided group later on as we discussed our observations and results.
Findings (Analysis and Interpretation): Instead of people coming up to hug either of the girls, they were both ignored. It is well known that people shy away from what intimidates them and what they don’t know. That is why I think, besides bothering and interrupting their day, no one wanted to hug either of them (the girls) as a hug is a physical touch and something personal to the majority of people. It doesn’t matter if they are “free”, no one wanted to get that close strangers, especially on their lunch hour. That is my logical analysis and interpretation basically that by observing the quietness and the fact that they were alone without any attention from passersby backs up my theory and that probably having someone with a pink camera standing near them recording, but appearing to be taking an everlasting picture didn’t help the hypothesis by attracting people but rather drove them away.
Summary and Conclusions: In all fairness I believe an important variable to consider is by choosing people’s lunch hour or rather the hour following, was not the right time to go for the experiment. We were given class time on a Thursday afternoon for one hour to complete this sociology experiment. While I am not complaining, I believe that we should probably have gone downtown to test our hypothesis as the lunch hour at which businessmen and women have more of an ambiguous lunch hour and passersby frequently walk around town. Whereas unbeknownst to our group the area we chose had people quickly leaving back to their offices and scarcely noticing us or looking our way.
As I have stated previously in my interpretations and observations during our experiment, I believe that it did not turn out the way it was supposed to because we chose the wrong time of day, we were in the wrong type of environment, with the wrong type of people, in a shopping center with just a few fast food restaurants and a massage parlor where not many people leave or enter during the day except their lunch hour and both teenagers and kids were at school. We had a limited amount of people to have members of the community respond to our deviant behavior that really wasn’t all that bad. I believe that the results relate to social policy and the greater world beyond academia because it teaches us, or rather should teach those who believe in humility and respect that just because you choose to wake up in the morning or become deviant and bother civilians that the majority of public does not respond well to people who try to bother them or interfere in their day and daily routines. It does nothing but bother people to try and be “deviant”. What is the purpose in that? Why bother people? In the name of sociology and experiments, scientists and sociologists should have enough respect for people not to bother the public by forcing them to become part of an experiment that exploits their daily lives when they are least expecting it and only telling them that they were in an experiment after the results and observations are obtained.
I feel personally, that if you are a sociologist and someone that wants to get the attention of the people in your town that it should be for something big and important that affects more then one person with the amounts of people participating. Recording the amount of people who show up to support a cause by running in a marathon and recording their reactions of the cause they are so dedicated for, recording the reactions of patients in a hospital when volunteer groups come in or the emotions of volunteers helping out would be a great test and experiment of who they people are that choose to help out, what do they get out of this, what do the patients receive when they smile at visitors, what are the emotions in a crowd at a protest for and against their passions and something they stand for, what are the reactions of people who witness protests and speeches like the one that Martin Luther King Jr. spoke which according to many documentaries affected many people.
In conclusion, I felt that this experiment was absolutely pointless, further proving my original thoughts that you shouldn’t bother someone’s day, no one wins, no one is happy, it just bothers people. I believe that it was a ridiculous assignment. While I enjoy writing, this should have been more of an ambiguous social experiment with more then 2 hours. I believe that if you are studying the people and reactions of the public, it should be historical and affect those who watch the results. An example of that is the reaction that was given by the classmates of mine who watched a documentary about the violence against blacks that occurred in the 60’s by police. Watching the reactions of people that were being beaten and hurt, but, seeing the victims smile as they got arrested really was a true test of their character and it was on filmed on camera. No one told the mass of people to remain resilient and determined, they just were, but, the documentation on film, underscored the message that future generations were able to see that no matter what hardships they face, even when they think that no one cares or no one is watching, that a person’s, anyone’s reaction matter a great deal in sociology, just in the right context.
If I was the head of a federal agency, I feel that partaking in sociology experiments by disrupting society would be a waste of my time, talents, federal money and an absurdly misdirected exercise. Unfortunately, while personally I feel that filming can elicit positive results and feedback in the right context, the U.S government would not know what to do with these results if they had commissioned this type of study.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
Resource Management Project
The resource project we worked on was about a government issue and how it was being mismanaged. The whole ideal of the project was to choose a mismanaged govt issue and then research and write a large research paper on how it could be fixed, then after that, write a letter to our congressman/congresswoman. I chose to do myne on FEMA'S overall mismanagement based upon the emergency responce it generated AFTER THE Devastation of Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Lousiana. It was poorly managed and left many people without help for days and even had help turned away as a direct result of a clash between Red Cross and FEMA. In addition to the mismangement of vital communication that could have easily been fixed, had the right steps been taken. In response to the same devastion when Hurricane Ike hit and destroyed most of Galvestan, Texas, the governor of texas after sending many mesgs and cries of a state of emergency to FEMA and expecting help but finding a delayed response started his own Hurricane relief system and that notifies citezins and works with the national Hurricane center.
Resource Management -Fema
FEMA Editorial - How FEMA Needs To Learn From Their Mistakes
By Colleen Hughes
FEMA stands for Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA's emergency management are supposed to prepare for emergencies and disasters, respond to them when they occur, help people and institutions recover from them, mitigate their effects, and reduce the risk of loss. In theory FEMA sounds like a great management agency, one that is supposed to sooth the victims of viscous natural disasters and they’re effects like property devastation, insurance issues, provide supplies like food, water, shelter and basic necessities until they can lift themselves off their feet, if they can, in the wake of devastation.
However, it has been proven that FEMA is not qualified to manage their resources efficiently or quickly. An article on CNN.com addresses the same point that I make, which states that FEMA is simply unable to do their job. For example in the effects of Hurricane Katrina, victims were left to evacuate to the Superdome and left without food or water for over five days, in filthy environments where people began dying, left unattended and alone all around the superdome for lack of supplies and assistance.
This was a cumulation of Red Cross and FEMA. But, FEMA turned away supplies to the dying victims in vast amounts. "It is indeed possible that there was additional suffering and maybe even loss of life that might not have occurred if these assets had been deployed," said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, chairwoman of a Senate committee with jurisdiction over the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA, "Now, you might be able to understand if it came from outside government," she said. "But this is another federal agency, an agency that was offering trained personnel and exactly the assets that the federal government needed to assist in the search-and-rescue operations."
According to government officials, 1,322 people died from Katrina, all but 15 of the deaths occurring in Louisiana and Mississippi. A FEMA document provided to the Senate committee indicates that many of the Interior Department's resources, which included transportation, communications and engineering, were never integrated into FEMA's planning for a catastrophic hurricane. If supplies and proper communication had been implemented and FEMA had actually had organization they would have been able to save lives instead of losing them by restricting supplies and medical assistance. The Red Cross even covered it up by stating that those people trapped in the Super Dome for five or more days were receiving at least two meals per day, when in reality, they were suffering in agony.
If FEMA is better regulated and less restrictive, they would be able to solve their own problems. In working in conjunction with Red Cross, instead of having both organizations battling for control, best interest would be to put into helping the victims first instead of so much political red tape. By not turning away fireman, and aid offered to them they could actually assist and actually manage their emergencies. They should also coordinate their communication and plans in different disasters instead of running around unable to decide on a plan of action. This I feel would be the best course of improvement for managing FEMA.
Meserve, Jeanne. "FEMA failed to accept Katrina help, documents say." CNN.com. 30 Jan. 2006. 8 Feb. 2009.
By Jeanne Meserve
CNN Washington Bureau
RESOURCE ESSAY - Colleen Hughes
12/12/08
Government
Research paper
FEMA
As long as the United States has been in existence there have always been disasters and problems that have affected human lives and their lifestyles, such as fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, dust storms, tsunamis and nuclear disasters. Since the United States has been through so much life threatening weather conditions, one would assume that by now systems would be put in place to effectively ensure the safety, well being and regulate the amount of assistance given to victims quickly, clearly, and in an organized fashion.
Unfortunately, although there is a specialized government department created through the Department of Homeland Security called the Federal Emergency Management Agency or (FEMA) the clarity of its assistance and speed at which it dispatches its relief in the wake of natural disaster is slim. FEMA is supposed to prepare the supposed to prepare the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. In addition its supposed to initiate mitigation activities, train first responders, work with state and local emergency managers, and manage the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S Fire Administration. The organization at which victims and their families deserve in order to receive funding, aid, or being rescued is almost completely non- existent or has failed them in a variety of ways. Staff in FEMA has changed in the last few years from Michael D. Brown who was secretary for the Emergency preparedness and response as well as the head of FEMA to the previous director of FEMA during President Clinton’s administration James Lee Witt. However, Brown made an excellent point when he said “The response to Hurricane Katrina must be well coordinated between federal, state, and local officials to most effectively protect life and property. We appreciate the willingness and generosity of our Nation’s first responders to deploy during disasters. But such efforts must be coordinated so that fire rescue efforts are the most effective possible.” That is exactly what should be done, and it’s not getting accomplished.
Repeat hurricanes have not only left our countries citizens homeless, and in need of relief, but have displaced natural resources such as the 1.3 million acres of forest land that was destroyed in Mississippi with a total loss through the forest industry of $5 billion from Hurricane Katrina, it wrecked homes, lives, jobs, families and had an unfortunate impact on the economy. There was a loss of 75 billion dollars in physical damage with the total economic impact in Louisiana and Mississippi exceeding $158 billion dollars in damages. Such notable hurricanes which occurred recently include not only Hurricane Katrina which was the largest hurricane of it’s strength in U.S history and the third costliest which attacked the Gulf coast of Louisiana, Florida, and Mississippi in 2005 that started at a level 3 and quickly escalated to a level 5. But, three years later Hurricane Ike with which it’s devastating, horrifically strong wind and rain flooded and destroyed Galveston, Texas in 2008. To date, 2008 has been the worst hurricane season in history with six hurricanes that have nearly destroyed entire cities, killed injured, displaced thousands and cost the United States government billions of dollars in damages. Not including the fiscal and social impact these displacements have had on the cities and states these hurricane victims have evacuated to.
A large demonstration of the severity of the government mismanagement in regards to their emergency response and aide to those severely affected by natural disasters is shown in Hurricane Katrina and the years following. FEMA over regulated where, when and how many people were needed to effectively assist and aid those in need. One might say it was a mismanagement of regulation in power through panic and force. Aaron Broussard, president of Jefferson Parish, South of New Orleans was quoted as saying
Far from deferring to state or local officials, FEMA asserted its authority and made things worse. When Wal-Mart sent three trailers trucks loaded with water, FEMA officials turned them away. Agency workers prevented the Coast Guard from delivering 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel, and on Saturday they cut the parish’s emergency communication line, leading the sheriff to restore it and post armed guards to protect it from FEMA.
In addition, further sources have concluded several other problems attributed to FEMA’s overall failure; Ms. Bottcher, the governor’s press secretary believed that FEMA had interfered with the delivery of aid including offers from the Mayor of Chicago, Richard M. Daley, and the Governor Democrat of Louisiana, said “The problem was not who was in command. FEMA repeatedly held up assistance that could have been critical.” Nearly every emergency worker told agonizing stories of communications failures, some of them most likely fatal to victims. Much of the blame is circulated around; however Mayor Nagin said it best when he said “The root of the breakdown was the failure of the federal government to deliver relief supplies and personnel quickly. They kept making promises and saying things would happen.
Therefore a proposed solution to this problem includes restructuring the Emergency response system in the government by organizing how they respond and thoroughly conducting the distribution of help, aid, volunteers, supplies, experienced personnel, efficiently by meticulously and strictly monitoring the usage of the fiscal donations, thereby avoiding confusion. This revised structure should come with a capacity for leniency in the event of emergency that would grant outside help permission to assist, participate and utilize their skills and expertise without hassle. Whereas with the FEMA system coroners, doctors, paramedics, firemen, out of state policeman, civilians and caring individuals were all prevented from helping because of rigid government bureaucracy and miscommunication. Ironically, in the disaster that affected her own state, the Governor of Louisiana and the mayor of New Orleans were both overridden in almost every manner in their efforts to assist and comfort their disaster and grief stricken state. In a structural overhaul of the system as it currently stands the revised solution would be respect and authority given to those politicians in charge of the disaster affected areas as it is their job such as the Governor and mayor. Not to be controlled by a third party when they are the authority over their own jurisdictions.
While no one can ever be fully prepared for all natural disasters or life threatening situations, it is the responsibility of the United States government to ensure that its citizens are well protected to avoid the potential of injury or death and the severity of the aftermath in the event that they lose their homes, possessions and jobs. Alone, as one student there are not many things that can be done to influence the government into changing Homeland Security regulated systems, therefore as a United Community we should do all we can to assist and make the necessary precautions available and at the ready.
Works Cited
Associated, Press, comp. "FEMA under fire for Ike snafus Texas state government also gets some blame for distribution problems." MSNBC.com. 17 Sept. 2008. The Associated Press. 09 Dec. 2008
"First Responders Urged Not To Respond To Hurricane Impact Areas Unless Dispatched By State, Local Authorities." FEMA Site. 29 Aug. 2005. FEMA. 09 Dec. 2008.
"Katrina's Toll." Make It Right Foundation New Orleans. 2008. 09 Dec. 2008.
New York, FT Reporters, comp. "Federal agency 'slow' to accept business help." FT.com. 05 Sept. 2005. Financial Times. 09 Dec. 2008.
Shane, Scott. "After Failure Government Officials Play Blame Game." 05 Sept. 2005. New York Times. 09 Dec. 2008.
Zarend-Kubatko, Jill, ed. "Disaster touches area residents." Zwire.com. 02 Sept. 2005. Casa Grande Valley Newspaper Inc. 09 Dec. 2008.
FEMA Outline-
What is the Resource?
The resource is FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)
What is the issue or problem?
The issue is that FEMA is mismanaged, it’s response to natural disasters quite frankly has been unable to do anyone justice and it’s not satisfactory. FEMA cannot manage its resources. Its response is slow, they do not communicate correctly and in the past they have failed to manage the emergencies in which it is their job.
-What is the history of how the resource has been managed?
The straw that broke the camels back was really Hurricane Katrina and FEMAs response in the wake of it. Supplies were turned away, people were left in overcrowded stadiums, on roof tops, without aid, dying of dehydration and without food, medicine or able to take care of themselves. Needing help from FEMA but destitute. The issue is that they were short communication, aid, assistance and unable to help themselves in the aftermath of a disaster many residents of the gulf coast and specifically New Orleans, Louisiana where the level 5 hurricane hit and the additional catastrophe of the combined levees breaking over the lower ninth ward. The Red Cross and FEMA fought against each other with paperwork and bureaucracy behind them before helping the people that needed it and the overall way they went about helping the victims was difficult, lengthy and did not accomplish what needed to be done.
-What is the significance of this issue?
The significance is that without fixing FEMA, we cannot ensure that the victims of the effects of natural disaster can get help. If they don’t get help, most of them may die or resort to lives of crime or other dire consequences which are not pleasant and will most likely affect the United States in a domino effect.
-What would happen if we did nothing to address it?
People would live in poverty, die, or become criminals to ensure their means of survival.
As demonstrated in many victims from Hurricane Katrina and former residents of New Orleans before the Hurricane hit.
How is the resource being mismanaged? When FEMA is so bad that their slow response time and poor management requires not two but nearly three separate requests from the Governors of both Louisiana and Texas. As well as sparking the Governor of Texas to set up his own system of disaster management that works in conjunction with the Hurricane Weather channel. That in itself should be an alarm that our Federal emergency management failed so inadequately to respond to the needs of victims that it caused a Governor to take matters into his own hands and in effect, replacing the ill system set up by the government.
Are there any laws that are currently in place to protect or manage the resource?
There is legislation in the making that would have the victims stay at “camps” on military bases. That in itself is an issue that would strike controversy.
What is the solution you are proposing?
I propose that to solve the endless problem of communication and no service etc that FEMA members should be properly trained in HAM radio and have portable ones because they don’t rely on satellite and always have service.
That there should be a new agency per region that is specifically tailored to help the region and its specified natural disaster that affects those regions.
What should the government do to bring about your solution?
Easily put, they should work on there communication of FEMA, work on time management, amount of assistance given, how they locate the victims and anything that could possibly be filed under the order of Federal Emergency Management Agency. The government should re evaluate the entire system and find solutions based upon each problem.
The letter I sent to the official will be on today.
Resource Management -Fema
FEMA Editorial - How FEMA Needs To Learn From Their Mistakes
By Colleen Hughes
FEMA stands for Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA's emergency management are supposed to prepare for emergencies and disasters, respond to them when they occur, help people and institutions recover from them, mitigate their effects, and reduce the risk of loss. In theory FEMA sounds like a great management agency, one that is supposed to sooth the victims of viscous natural disasters and they’re effects like property devastation, insurance issues, provide supplies like food, water, shelter and basic necessities until they can lift themselves off their feet, if they can, in the wake of devastation.
However, it has been proven that FEMA is not qualified to manage their resources efficiently or quickly. An article on CNN.com addresses the same point that I make, which states that FEMA is simply unable to do their job. For example in the effects of Hurricane Katrina, victims were left to evacuate to the Superdome and left without food or water for over five days, in filthy environments where people began dying, left unattended and alone all around the superdome for lack of supplies and assistance.
This was a cumulation of Red Cross and FEMA. But, FEMA turned away supplies to the dying victims in vast amounts. "It is indeed possible that there was additional suffering and maybe even loss of life that might not have occurred if these assets had been deployed," said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, chairwoman of a Senate committee with jurisdiction over the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA, "Now, you might be able to understand if it came from outside government," she said. "But this is another federal agency, an agency that was offering trained personnel and exactly the assets that the federal government needed to assist in the search-and-rescue operations."
According to government officials, 1,322 people died from Katrina, all but 15 of the deaths occurring in Louisiana and Mississippi. A FEMA document provided to the Senate committee indicates that many of the Interior Department's resources, which included transportation, communications and engineering, were never integrated into FEMA's planning for a catastrophic hurricane. If supplies and proper communication had been implemented and FEMA had actually had organization they would have been able to save lives instead of losing them by restricting supplies and medical assistance. The Red Cross even covered it up by stating that those people trapped in the Super Dome for five or more days were receiving at least two meals per day, when in reality, they were suffering in agony.
If FEMA is better regulated and less restrictive, they would be able to solve their own problems. In working in conjunction with Red Cross, instead of having both organizations battling for control, best interest would be to put into helping the victims first instead of so much political red tape. By not turning away fireman, and aid offered to them they could actually assist and actually manage their emergencies. They should also coordinate their communication and plans in different disasters instead of running around unable to decide on a plan of action. This I feel would be the best course of improvement for managing FEMA.
Meserve, Jeanne. "FEMA failed to accept Katrina help, documents say." CNN.com. 30 Jan. 2006. 8 Feb. 2009.
By Jeanne Meserve
CNN Washington Bureau
RESOURCE ESSAY - Colleen Hughes
12/12/08
Government
Research paper
FEMA
As long as the United States has been in existence there have always been disasters and problems that have affected human lives and their lifestyles, such as fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, dust storms, tsunamis and nuclear disasters. Since the United States has been through so much life threatening weather conditions, one would assume that by now systems would be put in place to effectively ensure the safety, well being and regulate the amount of assistance given to victims quickly, clearly, and in an organized fashion.
Unfortunately, although there is a specialized government department created through the Department of Homeland Security called the Federal Emergency Management Agency or (FEMA) the clarity of its assistance and speed at which it dispatches its relief in the wake of natural disaster is slim. FEMA is supposed to prepare the supposed to prepare the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. In addition its supposed to initiate mitigation activities, train first responders, work with state and local emergency managers, and manage the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S Fire Administration. The organization at which victims and their families deserve in order to receive funding, aid, or being rescued is almost completely non- existent or has failed them in a variety of ways. Staff in FEMA has changed in the last few years from Michael D. Brown who was secretary for the Emergency preparedness and response as well as the head of FEMA to the previous director of FEMA during President Clinton’s administration James Lee Witt. However, Brown made an excellent point when he said “The response to Hurricane Katrina must be well coordinated between federal, state, and local officials to most effectively protect life and property. We appreciate the willingness and generosity of our Nation’s first responders to deploy during disasters. But such efforts must be coordinated so that fire rescue efforts are the most effective possible.” That is exactly what should be done, and it’s not getting accomplished.
Repeat hurricanes have not only left our countries citizens homeless, and in need of relief, but have displaced natural resources such as the 1.3 million acres of forest land that was destroyed in Mississippi with a total loss through the forest industry of $5 billion from Hurricane Katrina, it wrecked homes, lives, jobs, families and had an unfortunate impact on the economy. There was a loss of 75 billion dollars in physical damage with the total economic impact in Louisiana and Mississippi exceeding $158 billion dollars in damages. Such notable hurricanes which occurred recently include not only Hurricane Katrina which was the largest hurricane of it’s strength in U.S history and the third costliest which attacked the Gulf coast of Louisiana, Florida, and Mississippi in 2005 that started at a level 3 and quickly escalated to a level 5. But, three years later Hurricane Ike with which it’s devastating, horrifically strong wind and rain flooded and destroyed Galveston, Texas in 2008. To date, 2008 has been the worst hurricane season in history with six hurricanes that have nearly destroyed entire cities, killed injured, displaced thousands and cost the United States government billions of dollars in damages. Not including the fiscal and social impact these displacements have had on the cities and states these hurricane victims have evacuated to.
A large demonstration of the severity of the government mismanagement in regards to their emergency response and aide to those severely affected by natural disasters is shown in Hurricane Katrina and the years following. FEMA over regulated where, when and how many people were needed to effectively assist and aid those in need. One might say it was a mismanagement of regulation in power through panic and force. Aaron Broussard, president of Jefferson Parish, South of New Orleans was quoted as saying
Far from deferring to state or local officials, FEMA asserted its authority and made things worse. When Wal-Mart sent three trailers trucks loaded with water, FEMA officials turned them away. Agency workers prevented the Coast Guard from delivering 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel, and on Saturday they cut the parish’s emergency communication line, leading the sheriff to restore it and post armed guards to protect it from FEMA.
In addition, further sources have concluded several other problems attributed to FEMA’s overall failure; Ms. Bottcher, the governor’s press secretary believed that FEMA had interfered with the delivery of aid including offers from the Mayor of Chicago, Richard M. Daley, and the Governor Democrat of Louisiana, said “The problem was not who was in command. FEMA repeatedly held up assistance that could have been critical.” Nearly every emergency worker told agonizing stories of communications failures, some of them most likely fatal to victims. Much of the blame is circulated around; however Mayor Nagin said it best when he said “The root of the breakdown was the failure of the federal government to deliver relief supplies and personnel quickly. They kept making promises and saying things would happen.
Therefore a proposed solution to this problem includes restructuring the Emergency response system in the government by organizing how they respond and thoroughly conducting the distribution of help, aid, volunteers, supplies, experienced personnel, efficiently by meticulously and strictly monitoring the usage of the fiscal donations, thereby avoiding confusion. This revised structure should come with a capacity for leniency in the event of emergency that would grant outside help permission to assist, participate and utilize their skills and expertise without hassle. Whereas with the FEMA system coroners, doctors, paramedics, firemen, out of state policeman, civilians and caring individuals were all prevented from helping because of rigid government bureaucracy and miscommunication. Ironically, in the disaster that affected her own state, the Governor of Louisiana and the mayor of New Orleans were both overridden in almost every manner in their efforts to assist and comfort their disaster and grief stricken state. In a structural overhaul of the system as it currently stands the revised solution would be respect and authority given to those politicians in charge of the disaster affected areas as it is their job such as the Governor and mayor. Not to be controlled by a third party when they are the authority over their own jurisdictions.
While no one can ever be fully prepared for all natural disasters or life threatening situations, it is the responsibility of the United States government to ensure that its citizens are well protected to avoid the potential of injury or death and the severity of the aftermath in the event that they lose their homes, possessions and jobs. Alone, as one student there are not many things that can be done to influence the government into changing Homeland Security regulated systems, therefore as a United Community we should do all we can to assist and make the necessary precautions available and at the ready.
Works Cited
Associated, Press, comp. "FEMA under fire for Ike snafus Texas state government also gets some blame for distribution problems." MSNBC.com. 17 Sept. 2008. The Associated Press. 09 Dec. 2008
"First Responders Urged Not To Respond To Hurricane Impact Areas Unless Dispatched By State, Local Authorities." FEMA Site. 29 Aug. 2005. FEMA. 09 Dec. 2008
"Katrina's Toll." Make It Right Foundation New Orleans. 2008. 09 Dec. 2008
New York, FT Reporters, comp. "Federal agency 'slow' to accept business help." FT.com. 05 Sept. 2005. Financial Times. 09 Dec. 2008
Shane, Scott. "After Failure Government Officials Play Blame Game." 05 Sept. 2005. New York Times. 09 Dec. 2008.
Zarend-Kubatko, Jill, ed. "Disaster touches area residents." Zwire.com. 02 Sept. 2005. Casa Grande Valley Newspaper Inc. 09 Dec. 2008
FEMA Outline-
What is the Resource?
The resource is FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)
What is the issue or problem?
The issue is that FEMA is mismanaged, it’s response to natural disasters quite frankly has been unable to do anyone justice and it’s not satisfactory. FEMA cannot manage its resources. Its response is slow, they do not communicate correctly and in the past they have failed to manage the emergencies in which it is their job.
-What is the history of how the resource has been managed?
The straw that broke the camels back was really Hurricane Katrina and FEMAs response in the wake of it. Supplies were turned away, people were left in overcrowded stadiums, on roof tops, without aid, dying of dehydration and without food, medicine or able to take care of themselves. Needing help from FEMA but destitute. The issue is that they were short communication, aid, assistance and unable to help themselves in the aftermath of a disaster many residents of the gulf coast and specifically New Orleans, Louisiana where the level 5 hurricane hit and the additional catastrophe of the combined levees breaking over the lower ninth ward. The Red Cross and FEMA fought against each other with paperwork and bureaucracy behind them before helping the people that needed it and the overall way they went about helping the victims was difficult, lengthy and did not accomplish what needed to be done.
-What is the significance of this issue?
The significance is that without fixing FEMA, we cannot ensure that the victims of the effects of natural disaster can get help. If they don’t get help, most of them may die or resort to lives of crime or other dire consequences which are not pleasant and will most likely affect the United States in a domino effect.
-What would happen if we did nothing to address it?
People would live in poverty, die, or become criminals to ensure their means of survival.
As demonstrated in many victims from Hurricane Katrina and former residents of New Orleans before the Hurricane hit.
How is the resource being mismanaged? When FEMA is so bad that their slow response time and poor management requires not two but nearly three separate requests from the Governors of both Louisiana and Texas. As well as sparking the Governor of Texas to set up his own system of disaster management that works in conjunction with the Hurricane Weather channel. That in itself should be an alarm that our Federal emergency management failed so inadequately to respond to the needs of victims that it caused a Governor to take matters into his own hands and in effect, replacing the ill system set up by the government.
Are there any laws that are currently in place to protect or manage the resource?
There is legislation in the making that would have the victims stay at “camps” on military bases. That in itself is an issue that would strike controversy.
What is the solution you are proposing?
I propose that to solve the endless problem of communication and no service etc that FEMA members should be properly trained in HAM radio and have portable ones because they don’t rely on satellite and always have service.
That there should be a new agency per region that is specifically tailored to help the region and its specified natural disaster that affects those regions.
What should the government do to bring about your solution?
Easily put, they should work on there communication of FEMA, work on time management, amount of assistance given, how they locate the victims and anything that could possibly be filed under the order of Federal Emergency Management Agency. The government should re evaluate the entire system and find solutions based upon each problem.
The letter I sent to the official will be on today.
NyQuil Story
Colleen Hughes
4/23/09
Elika-Sociology
Entertwingle
Life is like a bowl of chocolate, it’s messy; At the risk of sounding like an Alice in Wonderland tale of a mischievous, nonsensical, blabbering drug trip, I start on my own tale of nonsense. Instead I’ll tell you about how it all started, how I got to where I am, my life story… I’m on a street at night; it’s dark except for the eerie, but comforting glow of an autumn moon and four streetlights, evenly spaced apart. I’d prefer it be five because then I’d feel better, after all five is my lucky number. But, life is uneven and I’m often told to get over it.
I’m an anxious person, and I needed to get over it, fast. You see, I am a college student and life is hectic and demanding. Oftentimes I think that I’ll be able to get over anything, but other moments I feel as though I don’t have the drive to accomplish those very goals and molehills I not too long ago vowed I would crush and rise over. I think that’s why I did it. I mean, I don’t drink, and as much as I would like, there are no ‘street dealers’, gangs or rampant drug sales happening anywhere near or on my campus, in fact, there aren’t any at all.
I had intended to commit suicide, but with the unfortunate circumstances of life, I didn’t have any money so I couldn’t buy anything that would end my life, like a rope, knife or gun. Pills, I thought, would be too risky. I may end up with more grievances in my body and failure of my organs rather then escaping life’s severity. I couldn’t buy a rope without money, besides, where would I hang myself? And eventually I came to the conclusion that you can’t just choke yourself with your own hands. I also entertained the thought that jumping in water and submerging my body to allow a collapse of air in my lungs and fluid filled body might accomplish my goal, but that had a higher chance of giving me hypothermia.
So really, I’d like to tell you that I did it because I was sick with feverish symptoms, however, it was out of a desperate need to escape reality that I ran away, I ran as far as I could without going anywhere, I wanted to stop feeling the pain of heartbreak, the stress that followed me daily, the people I wanted to get away from but couldn’t, not even mentally, as my thoughts would always drift towards them.
I got up in my green cargo pants, and black shirt, looked in the mirror and figured I appeared decent enough, then walked to my neighborhood drug store, PD Symps. My mind could only fathom the irony that only I could come up with. I think PD Symps stood for (Prescription drug symptoms) I laughed to myself, as I walked in. Without realizing it, I suddenly walked into a shelf of tampons. This was even funnier to me in my disconnected state. I accidently knocked a bunch of them off as I tried to back away in my complete disbelief. Suddenly, in response to the loud commotion, a stern looking pharmacist in a long white lab coat and shiny gold name badge walked towards me. “Uh, Ugh, I’m sick.” I stammered, he looked me up and down then said, “You do look pale, what are your symptoms?” “Um, my head hurts and body aches.” I said “ok well, Can I recommend some cough syrup? Nyquil is good at treating numerous symptoms and helps for a number of reasons; it treats head congestion, runny nose, coughing, sneezing, sore throat, chest congestion, aches and pains as well as fever.” I was a little suspicious so I asked questions. “What is it made of?” “Its made up of 500 mgs of Acetaminophen, that’s what makes it a pain and fever reducer, Dextromethorphan, Doxylamine succinate, a powerful antihistamine and some alcohol.” He laughed and said with a wink, “In your current state you look like you could benefit from the ingredients. Doxylamine causes drowsiness, dizziness, lightheadness, and interferes with cognitive and decision making abilities.” Well… I did want to feel better, and impaired cognitive function sounded like just what I needed. So I paid for two bottles of green Nyquil and went home. Instead of the quote reality is better than your dreams, I felt sleep was much better than reality, I wanted to be out like a light, I didn’t even want to remember my name as I drifted into a blissful slumber, if only for a while to distract and prohibit me of thinking of my problems. That’s why I treated Nyquil as a drug and did what I did. The reality of it was about how I escaped my problems with a simple, yet effective and peaceful drug of choice, Nyquil.
My only escape was semi consciousness as I tried to sleep as long as I could. Even my dreams held me in a prison I was mentally unable to escape from. Which created not only a physical hell during the hours I was awake but during my time asleep my mind betrayed me. Yes, I said it. That three flavored, multi symptom cold and flu reliever. That nighttime, sniffling, sneezing, aching, coughing, best sleep you ever got with a cold medicine. Except, I used it to sleep better and then some. Oh yes, it was the best sleep one could ever get with a cold. Heck, that bottle of liquid magic could solve anyone’s problems; at least I began to think. School wasn’t going the best for me, I was in a funk with all the emotions piling up over my head, my boyfriend had broken up with me on an allegation that I’d cheated, and to some degree, it was true. My lonely friend and I took advantage of our unstable scenario and kissed at an inconvenient time. From then on, despite my friend’s and my own self anguish or our ‘we could give a damn about who we hurt from there on’ attitudes, we always remained attached to each other despite our cold, self enforced distance. So in essence, my stress drove my need to abuse the least likely of all drugs. Cough medicine.
To numb my pain, I took a few more cup full’s then the small instructions told me to take. I did it willingly and desperately. It provided an all over calming and warming sensation that provided me with an all over sedation that I felt was just what I needed.
We used each other continually until finally we realized that we were each other’s drug of choice, realizing that, we began to date. Distance has begun to settle in again, with busy schedules, other errands to get done, time is taking it’s toll, we’ve seen each other once in the last two months, and from what I have seen, our time together is not just fleeting but seemingly non existent. I reminisce about how our time as friends with benefits seemed as though we made time to use each other at least once a week or every two weeks, and now, a relationship seems to be dooming my outlook.
Meanwhile the Nyquil started giving me a tingling feeling in my arms and legs, then a heavy feeling as my limbs settled into comfortable positions by my side and I rapidly started to lose touch of what was going on around me as everything slowly became blurry and I began to loose touch with reality. As a bonus, I was numb, but could still see. I would equate it to a hypnotist putting you under; you don’t quite realize what is going on or where you are, but that you are safe and don’t feel pain. That, in essence is how calming the combination of Acetaminophen and Dextromethophan in Nyquil also found in Robtussin as well other cold and flu medications can be.
Right now I’m standing in this dark street on this cold night, it’s chilly, but I have a black jacket that my nana bought me, with a furry hood. You know, the same one you see popular girls wearing at the mall. Yea, I’m pretty proud as I look down. I wonder if this is really my jacket or another sedation induced dream I’m having. I know I’ve wanted this type of jacket for a while. I start questioning; did Nana really give this to me? I don’t really know. This is a possible side effect I found the hard way. Reality vs. half consciousness. My current boyfriend, the one I’m supposed to be so close to hasn’t talked to me in a few days and continues to distance himself by barely acting as though we’re going out, although maintaining the façade I think that is our relationship upon my probing questions. He makes it appear as though it’s all in my head when all I hear from him are a cumulative amount of five words in a day and none allude to affection.
I felt my body release its tension, as my eyes began to close, my body became heavy, like a steamroller, sank down into the bead, as his face is erased from my mind. Strange images began to appear, strange scenarios, places and temperature changes. It seemed like I’ve been in a comfortable feeling without anxiety for a while now, I’ve seen so much, I don’t know what is real anymore. I think I’ve dissociated from reality. In the last hour I’ve experienced snapping turtles, bloated penguins, trundled Griffiths, the whole 64 Zoo Lane and Clifford. Haha I like the red dog, he was entertaining but, very strange. He sat on the edge of a Ferris wheel next to the stuffed panda with his marble eye hanging out by a stitch. Poor panda. There was an iguana that was emerald green and navy blue whose name was Emeril like the chef and a red ant named Peter. He was mean and surprisingly grumpy. Then there was the camel that smoked Marlboro cigarettes. He was very adamant that he would never smoke Camel cigarettes for he claimed they were wrong and hurtful. His name was Jake. There was Babar, Paddington Bear, Franklin the Turtle and Little Bear. The weird thing is that they were all on a Ferris wheel with me. I should have struck up a conversation with Hanging by a string panda, but I believe he was making deals with some of the other creatures on the Ferris wheel. I had reason to believe this because he was badgering the Koala from 64 Zoo Lane and hitting him up for money. When the Koala peacefully offered up some of his drug like Eucalyptus, the panda suddenly became increasingly aggressive. He ran up to the innocent giraffe kicked him and then ran to Babar and stole his crown. The mean ant named Peter was his right hand man and he threatened to bite anyone who came near, every animal here had always been known to be quite peaceful as reflected in their shows I had watched. How the Panda and the red ant came to be I have no idea. I realized that although I was deeply submerged in my own consciousness, this was a direct result of my depression and guilt I’d felt in real life, but mostly I’d attribute all this to the Doxylamine which made me space out.
I was kicked off for Paddington bear’s allegation’s that I’d stolen his marmalade, but really, Franklin the Turtle had stolen it and threw it off the Ferris wheel. After I was kicked off, I walked down the street and saw a hand gesturing out a limo for me to come closer. My inhibitions were lowered so I figured what the hell? And got in the front.
Smoky the bear was the driver… He said in a deep voice ‘Avoid the fire” Don’t Play with fire! As he flicked a lighter on and off, on and off as he drove. “Don’t play with fire!” As smoky started screaming! Do you smell that? And yelled “Fire!!!” But clearly. There was no fire. Smoky the bear, after all these years of being the mascot and spokesperson for anti piros and fire safety, started having a flashback. “Ahhhhh! No, no! I will not, fire!!! My forest! Ahhh!!!” he screamed to no one in particular. One must question after all these years what set smoky off. “Are those birthday candles?! Fire! I smell smoke! Where’s my shovel!! My cake!!” He screamed further. He told me that apparently at one time, the little forest animals had thrown him a birthday party and he was blindfolded. When he smelt the candles burning he thought it was a fire and started whacking the cake with his shovel. In his awareness and paranoia he had destroyed his own cake. The little forest animals became mad at him and turned their back on him. He was shunned. His only alternative was to advocate for fire safety and throw himself into his work. For over 60 years he has been doing just that and he still remembers that day. He looked at me and in a grough voice said “Ooh you smell like Nyquil! I love the green flavor the best, and I smell it on you.” “Really?” I said, shocked, he was clearly out of his mind. “Yes” said Smoky “I take it because no other cough suppressant tastes anything like it and it numbs my body and stops the aches and pains, did you know that there used to be an ingredient in Nyquil that was also in Methamphedamine? The FDA pulled it mandating that that ingredient be pulled out of it right away and any other cold and flu medicine such as Sudaphed, Robotussin and other well known cough medicines. The ironic thing is it was used to relieve sinus congestion and allergies and was never replaced after it was removed in Nyquil, but was in Sudaphed with a safer ingredient called Phenylephrine. That ingredient advertised on the side of the bottles and packages as an antihistamine was called pseudoephedrine was known to be highly addicting as meth addicts started to call Nyquil the “poor man’s crack”. It was known as an upper that would pump someone up, but was proved to be too dangerous and addictive to include in everyday over the counter medicine. Laughing manically, he said “Mmm Poor man’s crack ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!” Even in my delusional, wacked out mind, I knew that this bear was crazy. He should get some serious help.
Smoky started to drive faster, speeding around street corners at over 100 miles per hour as the back of his limo swung around wildly, nearly avoiding hitting people, knocking into buildings, swinging over sidewalks. I looked for passengers in the back to see their states, if they were ok or needed some help. I pressed the button in the front of the limo that lowered the tinted divider which separates the passengers from the driver, and to my horror, I heard a rousing chorus of “A-A-a-a-a-a-a-a Very Merry un-birthday to me? To you! A very merry unbirthday, for me? For you! So blow the candles out my dear, and make a wish come truuuuuuuuue! A V-E-R-Y MERRY UN-BIRTHDAY TO Y-OOOOOOO-UUU!! With a few beer mugs in mid air swinging side to side. I couldn’t see anyone, but I heard drunken voices singing and mugs clanking against each other as if by invisible hands. At the sight of that, My mouth dropped open aghast as the limo suddenly lurched forward and accelerated up 120 mph which crashed horrifically into a red fire hydrant on the curb of a busy street. The back door swung open as mumblings came out one by one of at least five invisible voices and the click of their shoes on the cobblestone as the hopped out of the limo. “Oy vey!” said one voice, ‘I’m gonna puke!” said another in a slurred voice, “I’m not paying him a dime” said another, as the voices trailed off. I looked at Smokey and all he said was “Only you can prevent Forest Fires…or light em up.” As he walked out of the cab, and then said “Like Billy Collins said ‘I’m going to show them how a professional does it.”
I put a hand to me head because it started throbbing and opened my eyes. I was in my own bed. Never again, I thought, would I put myself in such a comatose state that I put myself in such a long state of a semi conscious awareness. That was one wild ride that hurt.
I think people do what they do and experiment with drugs because they are trying to escape from something and they don’t realize what they have gotten into until it’s too late. Some people sell drugs, but I believe that they only do it to maintain a living such as Columbia, many people in Columbia rely on the drug trade to feed themselves. Overall, just because it is deadly, and some drugs are illegal, never judge a person’s reasoning or rational for participating in drugs or illegal behavior until you’ve walked in their shoes. I feel that sociology never takes that type of stance on why society does what they do. Sometimes, there isn’t even a definable reasoning, nor a clear experience of what someone is going through during their time with drugs or experimentation, and even why or criminal behavior. I am not someone who allocates drug use and am against it, but the overall ability to be open to emotional rationale within a drug abusers mind was what I wanted to illustrate in my story.
4/23/09
Elika-Sociology
Entertwingle
Life is like a bowl of chocolate, it’s messy; At the risk of sounding like an Alice in Wonderland tale of a mischievous, nonsensical, blabbering drug trip, I start on my own tale of nonsense. Instead I’ll tell you about how it all started, how I got to where I am, my life story… I’m on a street at night; it’s dark except for the eerie, but comforting glow of an autumn moon and four streetlights, evenly spaced apart. I’d prefer it be five because then I’d feel better, after all five is my lucky number. But, life is uneven and I’m often told to get over it.
I’m an anxious person, and I needed to get over it, fast. You see, I am a college student and life is hectic and demanding. Oftentimes I think that I’ll be able to get over anything, but other moments I feel as though I don’t have the drive to accomplish those very goals and molehills I not too long ago vowed I would crush and rise over. I think that’s why I did it. I mean, I don’t drink, and as much as I would like, there are no ‘street dealers’, gangs or rampant drug sales happening anywhere near or on my campus, in fact, there aren’t any at all.
I had intended to commit suicide, but with the unfortunate circumstances of life, I didn’t have any money so I couldn’t buy anything that would end my life, like a rope, knife or gun. Pills, I thought, would be too risky. I may end up with more grievances in my body and failure of my organs rather then escaping life’s severity. I couldn’t buy a rope without money, besides, where would I hang myself? And eventually I came to the conclusion that you can’t just choke yourself with your own hands. I also entertained the thought that jumping in water and submerging my body to allow a collapse of air in my lungs and fluid filled body might accomplish my goal, but that had a higher chance of giving me hypothermia.
So really, I’d like to tell you that I did it because I was sick with feverish symptoms, however, it was out of a desperate need to escape reality that I ran away, I ran as far as I could without going anywhere, I wanted to stop feeling the pain of heartbreak, the stress that followed me daily, the people I wanted to get away from but couldn’t, not even mentally, as my thoughts would always drift towards them.
I got up in my green cargo pants, and black shirt, looked in the mirror and figured I appeared decent enough, then walked to my neighborhood drug store, PD Symps. My mind could only fathom the irony that only I could come up with. I think PD Symps stood for (Prescription drug symptoms) I laughed to myself, as I walked in. Without realizing it, I suddenly walked into a shelf of tampons. This was even funnier to me in my disconnected state. I accidently knocked a bunch of them off as I tried to back away in my complete disbelief. Suddenly, in response to the loud commotion, a stern looking pharmacist in a long white lab coat and shiny gold name badge walked towards me. “Uh, Ugh, I’m sick.” I stammered, he looked me up and down then said, “You do look pale, what are your symptoms?” “Um, my head hurts and body aches.” I said “ok well, Can I recommend some cough syrup? Nyquil is good at treating numerous symptoms and helps for a number of reasons; it treats head congestion, runny nose, coughing, sneezing, sore throat, chest congestion, aches and pains as well as fever.” I was a little suspicious so I asked questions. “What is it made of?” “Its made up of 500 mgs of Acetaminophen, that’s what makes it a pain and fever reducer, Dextromethorphan, Doxylamine succinate, a powerful antihistamine and some alcohol.” He laughed and said with a wink, “In your current state you look like you could benefit from the ingredients. Doxylamine causes drowsiness, dizziness, lightheadness, and interferes with cognitive and decision making abilities.” Well… I did want to feel better, and impaired cognitive function sounded like just what I needed. So I paid for two bottles of green Nyquil and went home. Instead of the quote reality is better than your dreams, I felt sleep was much better than reality, I wanted to be out like a light, I didn’t even want to remember my name as I drifted into a blissful slumber, if only for a while to distract and prohibit me of thinking of my problems. That’s why I treated Nyquil as a drug and did what I did. The reality of it was about how I escaped my problems with a simple, yet effective and peaceful drug of choice, Nyquil.
My only escape was semi consciousness as I tried to sleep as long as I could. Even my dreams held me in a prison I was mentally unable to escape from. Which created not only a physical hell during the hours I was awake but during my time asleep my mind betrayed me. Yes, I said it. That three flavored, multi symptom cold and flu reliever. That nighttime, sniffling, sneezing, aching, coughing, best sleep you ever got with a cold medicine. Except, I used it to sleep better and then some. Oh yes, it was the best sleep one could ever get with a cold. Heck, that bottle of liquid magic could solve anyone’s problems; at least I began to think. School wasn’t going the best for me, I was in a funk with all the emotions piling up over my head, my boyfriend had broken up with me on an allegation that I’d cheated, and to some degree, it was true. My lonely friend and I took advantage of our unstable scenario and kissed at an inconvenient time. From then on, despite my friend’s and my own self anguish or our ‘we could give a damn about who we hurt from there on’ attitudes, we always remained attached to each other despite our cold, self enforced distance. So in essence, my stress drove my need to abuse the least likely of all drugs. Cough medicine.
To numb my pain, I took a few more cup full’s then the small instructions told me to take. I did it willingly and desperately. It provided an all over calming and warming sensation that provided me with an all over sedation that I felt was just what I needed.
We used each other continually until finally we realized that we were each other’s drug of choice, realizing that, we began to date. Distance has begun to settle in again, with busy schedules, other errands to get done, time is taking it’s toll, we’ve seen each other once in the last two months, and from what I have seen, our time together is not just fleeting but seemingly non existent. I reminisce about how our time as friends with benefits seemed as though we made time to use each other at least once a week or every two weeks, and now, a relationship seems to be dooming my outlook.
Meanwhile the Nyquil started giving me a tingling feeling in my arms and legs, then a heavy feeling as my limbs settled into comfortable positions by my side and I rapidly started to lose touch of what was going on around me as everything slowly became blurry and I began to loose touch with reality. As a bonus, I was numb, but could still see. I would equate it to a hypnotist putting you under; you don’t quite realize what is going on or where you are, but that you are safe and don’t feel pain. That, in essence is how calming the combination of Acetaminophen and Dextromethophan in Nyquil also found in Robtussin as well other cold and flu medications can be.
Right now I’m standing in this dark street on this cold night, it’s chilly, but I have a black jacket that my nana bought me, with a furry hood. You know, the same one you see popular girls wearing at the mall. Yea, I’m pretty proud as I look down. I wonder if this is really my jacket or another sedation induced dream I’m having. I know I’ve wanted this type of jacket for a while. I start questioning; did Nana really give this to me? I don’t really know. This is a possible side effect I found the hard way. Reality vs. half consciousness. My current boyfriend, the one I’m supposed to be so close to hasn’t talked to me in a few days and continues to distance himself by barely acting as though we’re going out, although maintaining the façade I think that is our relationship upon my probing questions. He makes it appear as though it’s all in my head when all I hear from him are a cumulative amount of five words in a day and none allude to affection.
I felt my body release its tension, as my eyes began to close, my body became heavy, like a steamroller, sank down into the bead, as his face is erased from my mind. Strange images began to appear, strange scenarios, places and temperature changes. It seemed like I’ve been in a comfortable feeling without anxiety for a while now, I’ve seen so much, I don’t know what is real anymore. I think I’ve dissociated from reality. In the last hour I’ve experienced snapping turtles, bloated penguins, trundled Griffiths, the whole 64 Zoo Lane and Clifford. Haha I like the red dog, he was entertaining but, very strange. He sat on the edge of a Ferris wheel next to the stuffed panda with his marble eye hanging out by a stitch. Poor panda. There was an iguana that was emerald green and navy blue whose name was Emeril like the chef and a red ant named Peter. He was mean and surprisingly grumpy. Then there was the camel that smoked Marlboro cigarettes. He was very adamant that he would never smoke Camel cigarettes for he claimed they were wrong and hurtful. His name was Jake. There was Babar, Paddington Bear, Franklin the Turtle and Little Bear. The weird thing is that they were all on a Ferris wheel with me. I should have struck up a conversation with Hanging by a string panda, but I believe he was making deals with some of the other creatures on the Ferris wheel. I had reason to believe this because he was badgering the Koala from 64 Zoo Lane and hitting him up for money. When the Koala peacefully offered up some of his drug like Eucalyptus, the panda suddenly became increasingly aggressive. He ran up to the innocent giraffe kicked him and then ran to Babar and stole his crown. The mean ant named Peter was his right hand man and he threatened to bite anyone who came near, every animal here had always been known to be quite peaceful as reflected in their shows I had watched. How the Panda and the red ant came to be I have no idea. I realized that although I was deeply submerged in my own consciousness, this was a direct result of my depression and guilt I’d felt in real life, but mostly I’d attribute all this to the Doxylamine which made me space out.
I was kicked off for Paddington bear’s allegation’s that I’d stolen his marmalade, but really, Franklin the Turtle had stolen it and threw it off the Ferris wheel. After I was kicked off, I walked down the street and saw a hand gesturing out a limo for me to come closer. My inhibitions were lowered so I figured what the hell? And got in the front.
Smoky the bear was the driver… He said in a deep voice ‘Avoid the fire” Don’t Play with fire! As he flicked a lighter on and off, on and off as he drove. “Don’t play with fire!” As smoky started screaming! Do you smell that? And yelled “Fire!!!” But clearly. There was no fire. Smoky the bear, after all these years of being the mascot and spokesperson for anti piros and fire safety, started having a flashback. “Ahhhhh! No, no! I will not, fire!!! My forest! Ahhh!!!” he screamed to no one in particular. One must question after all these years what set smoky off. “Are those birthday candles?! Fire! I smell smoke! Where’s my shovel!! My cake!!” He screamed further. He told me that apparently at one time, the little forest animals had thrown him a birthday party and he was blindfolded. When he smelt the candles burning he thought it was a fire and started whacking the cake with his shovel. In his awareness and paranoia he had destroyed his own cake. The little forest animals became mad at him and turned their back on him. He was shunned. His only alternative was to advocate for fire safety and throw himself into his work. For over 60 years he has been doing just that and he still remembers that day. He looked at me and in a grough voice said “Ooh you smell like Nyquil! I love the green flavor the best, and I smell it on you.” “Really?” I said, shocked, he was clearly out of his mind. “Yes” said Smoky “I take it because no other cough suppressant tastes anything like it and it numbs my body and stops the aches and pains, did you know that there used to be an ingredient in Nyquil that was also in Methamphedamine? The FDA pulled it mandating that that ingredient be pulled out of it right away and any other cold and flu medicine such as Sudaphed, Robotussin and other well known cough medicines. The ironic thing is it was used to relieve sinus congestion and allergies and was never replaced after it was removed in Nyquil, but was in Sudaphed with a safer ingredient called Phenylephrine. That ingredient advertised on the side of the bottles and packages as an antihistamine was called pseudoephedrine was known to be highly addicting as meth addicts started to call Nyquil the “poor man’s crack”. It was known as an upper that would pump someone up, but was proved to be too dangerous and addictive to include in everyday over the counter medicine. Laughing manically, he said “Mmm Poor man’s crack ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!” Even in my delusional, wacked out mind, I knew that this bear was crazy. He should get some serious help.
Smoky started to drive faster, speeding around street corners at over 100 miles per hour as the back of his limo swung around wildly, nearly avoiding hitting people, knocking into buildings, swinging over sidewalks. I looked for passengers in the back to see their states, if they were ok or needed some help. I pressed the button in the front of the limo that lowered the tinted divider which separates the passengers from the driver, and to my horror, I heard a rousing chorus of “A-A-a-a-a-a-a-a Very Merry un-birthday to me? To you! A very merry unbirthday, for me? For you! So blow the candles out my dear, and make a wish come truuuuuuuuue! A V-E-R-Y MERRY UN-BIRTHDAY TO Y-OOOOOOO-UUU!! With a few beer mugs in mid air swinging side to side. I couldn’t see anyone, but I heard drunken voices singing and mugs clanking against each other as if by invisible hands. At the sight of that, My mouth dropped open aghast as the limo suddenly lurched forward and accelerated up 120 mph which crashed horrifically into a red fire hydrant on the curb of a busy street. The back door swung open as mumblings came out one by one of at least five invisible voices and the click of their shoes on the cobblestone as the hopped out of the limo. “Oy vey!” said one voice, ‘I’m gonna puke!” said another in a slurred voice, “I’m not paying him a dime” said another, as the voices trailed off. I looked at Smokey and all he said was “Only you can prevent Forest Fires…or light em up.” As he walked out of the cab, and then said “Like Billy Collins said ‘I’m going to show them how a professional does it.”
I put a hand to me head because it started throbbing and opened my eyes. I was in my own bed. Never again, I thought, would I put myself in such a comatose state that I put myself in such a long state of a semi conscious awareness. That was one wild ride that hurt.
I think people do what they do and experiment with drugs because they are trying to escape from something and they don’t realize what they have gotten into until it’s too late. Some people sell drugs, but I believe that they only do it to maintain a living such as Columbia, many people in Columbia rely on the drug trade to feed themselves. Overall, just because it is deadly, and some drugs are illegal, never judge a person’s reasoning or rational for participating in drugs or illegal behavior until you’ve walked in their shoes. I feel that sociology never takes that type of stance on why society does what they do. Sometimes, there isn’t even a definable reasoning, nor a clear experience of what someone is going through during their time with drugs or experimentation, and even why or criminal behavior. I am not someone who allocates drug use and am against it, but the overall ability to be open to emotional rationale within a drug abusers mind was what I wanted to illustrate in my story.
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