The Placement Of Fibre Post Health And Social Care Essay

The arrangement of fiber station is a good pick for root treated teeth non merely because it strengthens the tooth but because it helps us to construct a probationary or unequivocal Restoration. The fibre stations can be a stuff of pick where aesthetic is the demand. They have high tensile strength and a modulus of snap similar to that of dentine. The fiber station is a inactive station which does non actively prosecute with dentine, hence adhesives and rosin cements are required to repair fibre stations in topographic point. However, adhesion of fibre stations depends on assorted factors including the features of root dentine, type of rosin cement, type of visible radiation, strength of visible radiation and the continuance of visible radiation. In an effort to get the better of these jobs, dual-cure rosin cements and adhesives are the stuffs of pick for adhering fibre stations with root dentine. However, few of the double remedy rosin cements still depend on visible radiation for t heir activation. To let the visible radiation to perforate in the internal facet of the root, glass fiber stations and quartz fiber stations are used as they allow the transmittal of visible radiation to the deepness of the root canal therefore leting the rosin cements to polymerise deep in the canal. Several surveies have been performed to measure the grade of polymerisation or transition values of rosin cements but most of these surveies used the microhardness trial instead than the more dependable Fourier transform infrared trial ( FTIR ) . Furthermore, most of these surveies were non performed in the root canals. The success of endodontic intervention non merely depends on the quality of intervention but besides on the quality of prosthetic device being placed to reconstruct the losing tooth construction. The structural loss of the tooth due to trauma, carries or both makes the tooth more prone to break. Therefore, station is placed in a prepared root canal infinite of a tooth with heavy structural loss to counterbalance for the loss of tooth construction. Some writers and clinicians suggest that the station provides strength to the tooth, while others suggest that the station makes the tooth weak due to the readying of the station infinite. However, many surveies support that the station should be placed in a tooth with heavy loss so that it can supply keeping for meantime or concluding coronal Restoration. Ideally, the station should hold the undermentioned belongingss: By and large, a station is placed into a tooth to retain a nucleus. A tooth which is to a great extent broken down frequently requires a station as the bing tooth construction is deficient and weak to retain the coronal Restoration. However, the readying of station infinite causes unneeded tooth devastation which may take to tooth break. Therefore, the arrangement of station should be considered where other options are non convenient.The determination to utilize a station depends on the staying tooth construction, place of the tooth in the dental arch and the functional demand of the tooth. A categorization described by Peroz in 2005 was formulated to measure the sum of staying tooth construction. Tooth with 1 axial wall missing is referred as category II normally known as Mesio-Occlusal or Disto-Occlusal pit, while tooth with 2 losing axial walls is described as category III normally known as Mesio-Ocluso-Distal ( MOD ) . If the staying axial walls in category II and III are greater than 1 millimeters so a station is non normally indicated as there is sufficient coronal construction nowadays to back up the Restoration. A survey performed by Steele and Johnson in 1999 showed addition in fracture opposition of category II and category III when they were restored with composite and amalgam merely. Class IV is described as a tooth holding merely 1 axial wall left. There is no addition in break opposition when a Restoration is placed. Therefore, arrangement of station is normally suggested in such scenarios. However, esthetically, non-metallic stations are preferred for anterior dentitions while for posterior dentitions either metallic or non-metallic station can be inserted. A tooth which has no staying axial wall or a tooth which is wholly decoronated is described as Class V. The interpolation of station becomes necessary in such instances as there is non adequate tooth construction which can back up the coronal Restoration. Furthermore, the collet plays an of import function in defying break in such type of instances. Ferrule is defined as a set of metal that wholly encircles 1-2 millimeter of sound tooth construction which resist longitudinal break. In 2001, Bolhuis stated that the crown collet is more of import than the station and nucleus. Metallic stations are stong and stiff, normally made of unstained steel, nickel Cr metals, Ti, Ti metals or gold plated brass.Stainless steel has a long history of use but it can do nickel sensitiveness in females due to the presence of Ni. Furthermore, Stainless steel can eat over clip. Therefore, Ti stations were introduced to get the better of corrosion. However, Ti and Ti metals have hapless compressive and flexural strength as compared to stainless steel, therefore they can non be used in thin roots. In add-on, Ti station may be hard to observe on radiogram due to similar denseness as that of gutta-percha and sealant.6.1.2. Non-Metallic PostsHistorically, during the old ages 1603 – 1867, Nipponese restored dentitions with wooden station and nucleus. However, due to hapless strength and break of wooden station, cast metal stations were introduce. In 1988, Duret came with the thought of non-metallic station and was deployed in Europe in the 1990s. Fibre stations can be smoo th or serrated depending on their surface features.6.1.2.1. Carbon fibre stationCarbon fiber stations are besides called C fiber-reinforced epoxy rosin stations. They consist of epoxy rosin which is reinforced with unidirectional C fibers parallel to the perpendicular axis of the station. The C fibers are made by the remotion of H, N and O from polyacrylonitrile by heating at 250C in air, followed by heating at 1200C in inert ambiance. The diameter of each fiber is 7-10Â µm, while harmonizing to weight, the fibers constitute upto 64 % of the entire weight of the station. Originally, C fiber stations were black in colour, but due to esthetic consciousness they are available in white colour besides. Furthermore, these stations were originally radiolucent but now they are available as radiopaque besides. Main advantage of C fiber station is the ability to successfully bond to dentine and modulus of snap similar to dentine i.e between 1- 4-106 pounds per square inch. Many Studies have shown increased strength of C fiber stations, while other surveies suggest their strength is less when compared with metal stations. Furthermore, few surveies have shown that C fiber station increase the fracture opposition of tooth, while other surveies report the opposite. In 2007, Ferrari reported 7.2 % of clinical failure rate of C fiber stations after 7-11 old ages. Failures were largely due to root break, crown debonding, periapical infection and periodontal disease. However, different surveies show different failure rates.6.1.2.2. Glass Fibre PostDue to dark colour of C fiber station, glass fiber stations were introduced. These stations are besides called fiber-reinforced epoxy rosin stations and are made up of glass or silicon oxide. Different types of glass can be use to do glass fiber station including vitreous silica fiber, electrical glass or high strength glass. However, the strength of the station depends on higher content of glass fibers. In a clinical survey, Ferrari ( 2000 ) placed 249 glass fiber station and observed 4.4 % failure rate over a period of 6 old ages. Another survey performed by Cagidiaco in 2007 showed 7.4 % failure after 2 old ages. Furthermore, Naumann ( 2007 ) placed 41 glass fiber station and found no failure during 3 old ages. Most common failure were relaxation of the stations, periapical infection, tooth break, debonding of Crown and break of stations.6.1.2.3. Zirconia stationIn 1995, mayenberg introduced zirconia station with a flexural strength of 900-1200 MPa. Zirconia stations have high break stamina, high strength and corrosion opposition and are made up of tetragonal polycrystalline zirconium oxide with 3 % mol Y oxide ( Y2O3 ) called Yttrium-stabilized tetragonal polycrystalline zirconium oxide ( Y-TPZ ) . Y-TPZ is 0.5Â µm in diameter, supplying smoothness and stamina to the joggle. However, due to smooth surface, the station does non organize a good bond with composite rosin and all ceramic Crowns. Furthermore, t here was no addition in bond strength even after the station was acid etched or salanized. Matinlinna ( 2004 ) stated that bond strength between station and composite rosin can be increased by tribochemical silicon oxide coating. The chief drawback of zirconium oxide station is that it can non be retrieved as it can non be grinded and supersonic remotion consequences in temperature rise. In 2004, Paul evaluated 145 zirconium oxide stations over a period of 9 old ages and reported no clinical failure when a direct composite Restoration with zirconium oxide station was placed, while there was 9 % failure in joggles with glass-ceramic nucleus Restorations. All failures were due to post debonding.6.2. Custom Cast PostThe most normally used stuff for usage station is cast gilded metal holding a comparable thermic enlargement and modulus of snap ( 14.5-106 ) to enamel. Furthermore, it is strong plenty to bear occlusal forces. However, arrangement of usage dramatis personae station require multiple visits and due to metal demoing from ceramic Restoration, the esthetics are compromised. Silver-palladium metals and high Pd content metals are besides used for usage dramatis personae station but they have inferior mechanical belongingss when compared with gold metals. Custom cast stations may be indicated when misaligned teeth require stations, inability to present antirotational characteristics in dentitions with less coronal construction or multiple dentitions necessitating stations.In 1989, Bergman reported 91 % success rate of usage dramatis personae station after 6 old ages.

Old town white coffee research Essay

This is where Nanxiang Cafà ©, the previous name of Old Town White Coffee, started its business. Mr. Ng, who found the cafà © in 1948. Old town White Coffee 3in1 classic together with the original recipe from 1958 spearheaded a breakthrough in the coffee industry. The company single-handedly captured the original authentic taste of an otherwise localized white coffee, turning into a mobile commodity a fast moving consumer good (FMCG), capturing the South East Asia market. Old Town White Coffee (OTWC) company was began in 1999, started as a classic coffee shop of White Cafà © in Ipoh, Malaysia. With the inspiration of vision and passion to make and serve fine coffee to Malaysian household and food service industry, the founder and executive director, Mr. Goh Ching Mun and Mr. Tan Say Yup created a secret of Old Town 3-in-1 instant white coffee. After launching OLD TOWN Brand, the company strives to be Malaysia Leading White Coffee producer with profitable growth through a combination of organic growth coupled and strong aftermarket business. HISTORY In year 1999 old town successful commercialized 3 in 1 coffee mix under the ‘OLDTOWN’ brand name for the retail sector . In year 2000 old town commenced 1st export of the old town brand 3 in 1 instant coffee mix to Singapore. In year 2001 old town expanded instant coffee mix’s product line to include different variation expanded their export market to H.K In year 2002 old town expanded their nationwide retail distribution to cover east and west Malaysia via hypermarkets and supermarkets. In year 2003 OLDTOWN commercialized their own formulated blend of 3 in 1 instant milk tea In year 2004 OLDTOWN successfully manufactured roasted coffee powder for the food services sector and marketed to the retail sector under ‘NAN YANG’ brand penetrated the exort markets for our instant coffee mix to cover the United State and U.K. In year 2005 OLDTOWN started exporting instant coffee mix to Taiwan and Indonesia expanded vertically into the foodservices sector by opening a chain of cafà © outlets based on the traditional Ipoh coffee shop setting and ambience under the ‘OLDTOWN WHITE COFEE’ brand name. In year 2006 OLDTOWN expanded their export market for their instant coffee mix to include Canada and china. In year 2007 OLDTOWN started exporting instant coffee mix to Thailand and Philippines . In year 2008 OLDTOWN launch their 1st partially owned ‘OLDTOWN WHITE COFFEE’ cafà © outlet in Singapore In year 2009 OLDTOWN expanded into the ready to drink RTD market segment under the ‘OLDTOWN’ brand name. In year 2010 OLDTOWN commenced operation of fully owned cafà © outlets in Singapore started exporting instant coffee mix to Australia. In year 2011 they commenced cafà © operations under PT OLDTOWN Indonesia opened the first cafà © outlet in China. CEO OF OLD TOWN WHITE COFFEE Lee Siew Heng, a Malaysian, aged 46, is the Group Managing Director of Oldtown Berhad and also one (1) of the two (2) first Directors of Oldtown Berhad, since its incorporation on 30 November 2007. He is also a member of the Remuneration Committee. He brings with him invaluable industry experience, having accumulated more than 20 years of experience in the manufacturing and retailing industries, of which more than 10 years is in the coffee beverage industry. He has been instrumental in the growth and development of the Oldtown Group of companies and has been a key driving force in the expansion of the Group’s beverage manufacturing and cafà © chain operation businesses. As the Group Managing Director, he is currently responsible for the overall strategic direction and overall management of the Oldtown Group of companies. Upon completion of his secondary education in 1986, he started his career as Production Manager of Chong Ngai Knitting Factory Sdn Bhd, a company involved in the manufacturing of garments. In 1991, as General Manager, he was responsible for the overall operations of the said company. He left the company in 1997 to join CN Supplies Sdn Bhd, a company which was then involved in the trading of hotel supplies, where he was appointed as a Director, a position which he still holds todate.

Aspen Industries Financial Ratios - Liquidity Ratio, Current Ratio, L Research Paper

Aspen Industries' Financial Ratios - Liquidity Ratio, Current Ratio, Leverage Ratios, Total Debt Ratio IT project al Affiliation) Financial ratios Aspen Industries Financial ratiosFor the Year ended Dec. 31, 2013 and 2014 Financial ratios 2013 2014 Liquidity ratio Current ratio 0.90 1.84 Leverage ratios Total Debt ratio 0.61 0.50 Decisions Debt ratio analysis Debt ratio analysis is considered a solvency ratio that brings out the total liabilities of a firm as a percentage of the total assets that the firm has. In using this to make loan decision, it is used to show the assets that the company has that they are to sell in order to pay off the debts that they have (Bull, 2008). Debt ratio enables investors and also creditors to analyses the overall debt burden on the company that they operate as well as the ability of the firm to pay the debts that they have in future when the economic times are uncertain. In the calculations, the formula used is debt ratio is given by = The company that was choses has a debt ratio of 0.61 in 2013 and the ratio reduced to 0.50 in 2014. In loan consideration, companies that have high level of liabilities in their operation compared to assets are considered highly leveraged and these are more risky tom lenders. I recommend the company for a loan as it is observed that their debt ratio has reduced over the period and this makes them be legible and are thought to be able to pay their debts. Current ratio Current ratio is an efficiency and liquidity ratio which, measures the ability of a firm to pay off its short-term liabilities with the assets that the firm has at the current. The current ratio is important in determining giving out loan to a company as it determines the liability that is due in the next year (Bull, 2008). Through this it will indicate that the firm has a limited time that they are needed to raise the funds in order to raise funds so that they pay off for their liabilities. Current assets which the company has such as cash and marketable securities can be easily converted to cash. In this analysis, it shows that companies that have large amounts of current assets will more easily be able to pay off the current liabilities when they become due without the need to selloff the long term assets. The formula used in calculating the current asset is current ratio is given by = In the company, the current ratio was found to increase from 0.90 to 1.84. This implies that there is an increase in current assets and a reduction in current liabilities. The firm hence becomes legible to be given a loan as there is increase in current assets that they are able to sell off in order to pay the loan that they are given after a given period of time. Conclusion In analysis that was carried out in the company, it was determined that the ratios that the firm has; debt ratio and current ratio makes the firm qualify to be given a loan as they will be able to pay the loan at the required time through the assets that they have. Reference Bull, R. (2008). Financial ratios. Oxford: CIMA.

Paper review and research on the article The Nature of Love by Harry

Review and on the article The Nature of Love by Harry Harlow - Research Paper Example Through the rigorous study of the effects of separation and maternal care on infant monkeys, Harlow challenged many of the then established truths in psychology. a) Hypothesis Harlow’s (1958) hypothesis in this article is that "primary object-clinging," a need for intimate physical contact, which is initially associated with the mother† (p. 674) could be primary as opposite to the needs such as hunger and thirst. Further, the article attempts to examine the â€Å"relative importance of the stimulus variables determining the affectional or love responses in the neonatal and infant primate’ (Harlow, 1958, p. 674). b) Methods Harlow made the baby rhesus monkeys isolated from their mothers and they were given the choices of a two surrogate mothers, one made exclusively from terrycloth and the other from wire. Neonatal infant macaque monkey was used as the subject of Harlow’s research. Harlow’s team had three years of experience in working with rhesus mo nkeys. He used them for experiments as they mature more speedily than human infants but do not have much difference from the human infants in terms of â€Å"basic responses relating to affection, including nursing, contact, clinging, and even visual and auditory exploration† and more importantly, â€Å"the development of perception, fear, frustration, and learning capability follows very similar sequences in rhesus monkeys and human children† (ibid). The method of Harlow’s team involved the separation of infant monkeys from their mothers for definite times at definite intervals. For instance, they â€Å"had separated more than 60 of these animals from their mothers 6 to 12 hours after birth and suckled them on tiny Bottles† (Harlow, 1958, p. 674). The body of the surrogate mothers did not differ much â€Å"other than in the quality of the contact comfort which she can supply† (Harlow, 1958, p. 676). c) Results The result of the experiments was that the â€Å"bottle fed babies were healthier and heavier than monkey-mother-reared infants’ (Harlow, 1958, p. 675). It was mainly because of human scientists were more capable of feeding the infant monkey with better nutritious food and providing them with better care. More importantly, it was found that the â€Å"laboratory-raised babies showed strong attachment to the cloth pads (folded gauze diapers) which were used to cover the hardware-cloth floors of their cages. The infants clung to these pads and engaged in violent temper tantrums when the pads were removed and replaced for sanitary reasons† (ibid). It has also been discovered that â€Å"a baby monkey raised on a bare wire-mesh cage floor survives with difficulty, if at all, during the first five days of life† (ibid). d) Conclusions Therefore, the conclusion is that â€Å"the baby, human or monkey, if it is to survive, must clutch at more than a straw† (ibid). It has proved that â€Å"contact com fort might be a very important variable in the development of the infant's affection for the mother† (ibid). The experiments results lead us to the conclusion that â€Å"With age and opportunity to learn, subjects with the lactating wire mother showed decreasing responsiveness to her and increasing responsiveness to the nonlactating cloth mother, a finding completely contrary to any interpretation of derived drive in which the mother form becomes conditioned to hunger-thirst reduction† (ibid, p. 676). The nursing variable, Harlow’

Judy's Marketing plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Judy's Marketing plan - Essay Example Aside from this, the major airport nearby is also a good opportunity for an additional client base. 2. There are two things that Judy has to consider in entering the pet grooming and boarding business within her area. The first one is the addition of in-house pet sitting in her service. Since Judy has an experience in this kind of job, she is qualified to attend to the needs of her prospective clients' pets at the comfort of their homes. According to Rod Scofield and Russ Mclean, pet sitting has many benefits that are fitted for Judy's market. Aside from minimizing the risk of exposing their pets to traumas and possible illnesses, the presence of pet sitters within the homes of their clients even contributes to crime deterrence in the community. Pets are given personalized and comprehensive care that is missing if they are to be groomed outside of their familiar territories. It would also give peace of mind to the clients, knowing that their pet and even their homes are safer because of the pet sitter present in their homes. Another targeting strategy that she should do is to promote her services via the web. Since her market are web literate and experts, she has to offer her service to them through the most familiar marketing venue they know-the Internet.

Mycenaean Civilization Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Mycenaean Civilization - Term Paper Example This work talks about the Mycenaeans, who were known as a â€Å"warrior culture†. Although the Mycenaean civilization began in 1550 BC, the occupation of Achaeans or Mycenaeans of many areas of the Greek peninsula, especially the coastal areas, started in 2000 BC. The Mycenaean civilization was the Late Helladic civilization in 1550 BC, but after the volcanic eruption at Thera in 1500 BC, the Mycenaean civilization at Knossos began in 1450 BC. This was followed by the destruction of Knossos in 1380 BC but a revival, development and perfection of Mycenaean architecture in 1350 until 1250 BC. During the revival of architecture, the Mycenaeans became â€Å"wealthy and powerful† and became â€Å"the most powerful group in the Aegean world† . It was also around this time that the Mycenaeans invaded the Minoan civilization and conquered Troy. However, the fall of Mycenaean civilization occurred in 1200 BC and was marked by the destruction of several Mycenaean sites and was finally concluded in 1184 BC by the destruction of Troy. The paper also talks about the decline of the Mycenaean civilization. There were several theories as to the cause of its fall. The most probable explanation, however, was the invasion of another nation known as the â€Å"Dorians,† and such invasion caused the Mycenaean civilization to fall into the â€Å"dark age†. This was, however, opposed by other historians who said that the destruction of the Mycenaean civilization did not happen until 100 years after the Dorian invasion.

Business process management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business process management - Essay Example If the book is available the book is handed over to the borrower and the exact time is recorded. After recording the time, in the local system the status of the book will be upgraded to â€Å"checked out†. Now the borrower can enjoy full access of the book. In case the book has already been lent and offers to hold the book has been made to the borrower, it is up to the borrower to wait for the period normally a week until the book is returned or to decline it. When the offer is made it is the borrower’s decision to decline immediately or to decline after one week. In both cases the final decision that reaches the system is the cancelation of the order. The cancellation of request is processed and the decision is communicated to the customer. On the other hand after the offer of holding book has been sent the book is put on hold. This is the case due to the fulfillment certain predetermined factors. The hold on the book will be placed for a specific time period mostly tw o weeks. During this time period the customer needs to take custody of the book. However if variable feedbacks are communicated to the customer by the librarian, the decision made will be based on concrete evidence. Once the book is available the borrower will cooperate with the librarian and the regular formalities will the completed successfully. An appropriate Business Modeling Notion example is a Flow Chart.

Does God Exist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Does God Exist - Essay Example However, many philosophers came up with their own proofs for the existence of God, some of which are outlined in this paper. Rene Descartes holds a special place in the history of philosophy since he is known as the father of modern philosophy. His own proof for the existence of God is given when he starts doubting everything including his own existence. However, since he is aware of his existence, he knows he actually exists which gives us the axiom â€Å"I think therefore I am†. He then gives further proofs for the existence of his senses and uses that to show that a benevolent God must be present which allows him to have faith in the reality around him (Wikipedia, 2006). In effect, the proof given by Descartes stems from the fact that his ability of reasoning means that a God must exist (Jones, 2003). In relation to Descartes, Immanuel Kant took a slightly different approach to come to his own rationale for the existence of God. Since his philosophy was focused on the moral principles of life, he uses that to show the necessity of God. His argument is that morality is a rational system which can only exist with a moral order within the world. This moral order can only be created and conceived if there is a God present to guide us therefore, the presence of God is necessary for us (Byrne, 2004). Kant also gave an additional proof for the existence of God based on his philosophy of morality by saying that it is rational as well as morally important for us to attain happiness which comes from being virtuous and whatever we ought to attain should be possible. However, attaining this happiness would only be possible if a natural order was maintained and that can only be maintained if God is responsible for it (Byrne, 2004). It is clear that both the arguments presented form their basis on a person agreeing with Kant’s own philosophy of ethics

Should Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) be considered in the Research Paper

Should Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) be considered in the rating of Wall Street companies - Research Paper Example This poses the question whether CSR should be considered in rating of Wall Street companies. In this paper, CSR is discussed in cases for and against inclusion in Wall Street company ratings. Approaches to CSR, research and trends are also examined. The author argues that CSR is important and should be considered side by side the companies’ ratings so that stakeholders get a clearer picture about the companies’ operations in the society they work with. The author proposes a simple, qualitative rating scale as a starting point for something as universal as CSR for inclusion in rating Wall Street Companies. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an ethical belief and practice that companies, just like individuals, are responsibilities as good stewards of the society in which they do business with (Wood, 1991). Corporations have an obligation to act in ways that will benefit or sustain society and that their responsibility is not lim ited to their profit. In the last decade, we have seen movements gather momentum requesting for more corporate social responsibilities in ethical practices, for the environment, the working conditions of employees, for the local communities, and towards all stakeholders from suppliers to post-consumption of products. CSR is soon to be integrated with the human resources, business development, operations, and relations (Barnea and Rubin, 2010). This paper will examine the two companies rated by Wall Street: Goldman Sachs and British Petroleum (BP), which very recently have been involved in practices that did not do well to the society in which they do business with. An attempt will be made to see if CSR should be considered in their ratings. In the year 2010, each of the three major credit rating agencies - Moody’s Investor Services, Standard & Poor's and Fitch Ratings - rated both of these companies mainly on their credit worthiness. In the same year, Fortune Magazine also na med them as two of the world’s most admired companies. The question then is whether these companies should be rated solely on scales that show their credit-worthiness or should these ratings also include a dimension that will show how well a company performing in the society in general. British Petroleum (BP) In April 2010, an explosion occurred on BP's oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. The Coast Guard reported that 11 people were killed, 17 other others injured and about 4.9 million barrels of oil released to the Gulf of Mexico affecting Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida. The oil spill caused extensive environmental damage to the sea and wildlife creatures in the Gulf of Mexico. It also damaged the fishing and tourism industries. The US Government held BP accountable for the damages. BP officials committed to shoulder all cleanup costs and other damages. In addition, the company is also being investigated for alleged unsafe practices which caused the occurrence on the rig leading to the explosion. An internal probe made BP admit to mistakes that led to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. In 2010, Moody’s rated BP’s senior unsecured ratings as an Aa2 from Aa1. Fitch Ratings rated BP’s long-term issuer default rating and senior unsecured rating as an AA from AA+. Reuters also reported in June 2010 that Standard and

Vector Graphics Essay Example for Free

Vector Graphics Essay Vector graphics is the use of geometrical primitives such as points, lines, curves, and shapes or polygon(s), which are all based on mathematical expressions, to represent images in computer graphics. Vector, in this context, implies more than a straight line. Vector graphics are based on images made up of vectors (also called paths, or strokes) which lead through locations called control points. Each of these points has a definite position on the x and y axes of the work plan. Each point, as well, is a variety of database, including the location of the point in the work space and the direction of the vector (which is what defines the direction of the track). Each track can be assigned a color, a shape, a thickness and also a fill. This does not affect the size of the files in a substantial way because all information resides in the structure; it describes how to draw the vector. Same as object-oriented graphics, refers to software and hardware that use geometrical formulas to represent images. The other method for representing graphical images is through bit maps, in which the image is composed of a pattern of dots. This is sometimes called raster graphics. Programs that enable you to create and manipulate vector graphics are called draw programs, whereas programs that manipulated bit-mapped images are called paint programs. Vector-oriented images are more flexible than bit maps because they can be resized and stretched. In addition, images stored as vectors look better ondevices (monitors and printers) with higher resolution, whereas bit-mapped images always appear the same regardless of a devices resolution. Another advantage of vector graphics is that representations of images often require less memory than bit-mapped images do. Almost all sophisticated graphics systems, including CADD systems andanimation software, use vector graphics. In addition, many printers (PostScriptprinters, for example) use vector graphics. Fonts represented as vectors are called vector fonts, scalable fonts, object-oriented fonts, and outline fonts. Note that most output devices, including dot-matrix printers, laser printers, and display monitors, are raster devices (plotters are the notable exception). This means that all objects, even vector objects, must be translated into bit maps before being output. The difference between vector graphics and raster graphics, therefore, is that vector graphics are not translated into bit maps until the last possible moment, after all sizes and resolutions have been specified. PostScript printers, for example, have a raster image processor (RIP) that performs the translation within the printer. In their vector form, therefore, graphics representations can potentially be output on any device, with any resolution, and at any size. Raster Graphics In computer graphics, a raster graphics image, or bitmap, is a dot matrix data structure representing a generallyrectangular grid of pixels, or points of color, viewable via a monitor, paper, or other display medium. Raster images are stored in image files with varying formats A bitmap corresponds bit-for-bit with an image displayed on a screen, generally in the same format used for storage in the displays video memory, or maybe as a device-independent bitmap. A bitmap is technically characterized by the width and height of the image in pixels and by the number of bits per pixel (a color depth, which determines the number of colors it can represent). The printing and prepress industries know raster graphics as contones (from continuous tones). The opposite to contones is line work, usually implemented as vector graphics in digital systems. What is the difference between vector and raster graphics? Answer: The difference between vector and raster graphics is that raster graphics are composed of pixels, while vector graphics are composed of paths. A raster graphic, such as a gif or jpeg, is an array of pixels of various colors, which together form an image. A vector graphic, such as an . eps file or Adobe Illustrator? file, is composed of paths, or lines, that are either straight or curved. The data file for a vector image contains the points where the paths start and end, how much the paths curve, and the colors that either border or fill the paths. Because vector graphics are not made of pixels, the images can be scaled to be very large without losing quality. Raster graphics, on the other hand, become blocky, since each pixel increases in size as the image is made larger. This is why logos and other designs are typically created in vector format the quality will look the same on a business card as it will on a billboard. Vector Graphics typically are generated using drawing or illustration programs (e. g. , Adobe Illustrator) and are composed of mathematically-defined geometric shapes—lines, objects and fills. Since vectors entail both magnitude and direction, vector elements thus are comprised of line segments whose length represents magnitude and whose orientation in space represents direction. Vector graphics usually are easily modified within the creating application and generally are not affected detrimentally by scaling (enlarging or reducing their size). Because vector elements are mathematically-defined, scaling simply requires modification of their mathematical locations. However, vector files do not support photographic imagery well and often can be problematic for cross-platform exchange. Vector graphics typically are saved as EPS format. This makes vector graphics ideal for logo design. Creating a vector logo is more difficult but the effort pays for itself when the vector logo file is sent to printers or sign makers etc. The vector logo can be scaled up or down with out losing quality and would enable smooth transition between various media. Raster Graphic Images are produced by digital image capture devices: digital scanners or digital cameras, or by pixel editing programs (e. g. , Adobe Photoshop). Raster images are composed of a matrix (grid) or bitmap of digital picture elements (pixels). Pixels are squares or rectangles described as black, white, gray or color. Raster images typically are saved as TIFF format, but can be saved as EPS as well. Whereas conversion from vector to raster is easily accomplished, raster conversion to vector is much more difficult (and often is not possible). Raster images typically are easily shared across various platforms, but can be more difficult than vector graphics to modify. As well, raster graphics are impacted by scaling. Creating a raster logo design using Adobe Photoshop might be ideal for web only usage but if you are serious about branding, then the resulting raster PSD logo file will be of limited use. When sent to a printer or sign maker and when they try to scale the raster logo, the quality deteriorates and pixellation occurs. Yes, agreed, creating the raster logo design in Photoshop would enable a designer to pile on stunning effects (such as drop shadows, beveling, blurring etc). But the final deliverable will have limited uses.

Microorganisms in Waste Water Treatment Process

Microorganisms in Waste Water Treatment Process When people think of microorganisms, they tend to think of unsafe pathogens. While this may be of concern there are beneficial microorganisms living ubiquitously around us as well. Microorganisms that live in air, soil, and groundwater live in a symbiotic cycle, consuming harmful chemicals and masses of organic materials. Therefore, it is only natural that scientists would harness the natural biodegradation of these in the field of Wastewater Management. Biotechnologists prefer to call this process bioremediation. They have been using bioremediation on wastewater for many years and have discovered a plethora of usable microorganisms. Due to the vast amounts of microorganisms capable of bioremediation, this paper is focusing on bacterium capable of breaking down organic material useful in treating wastewater. Wastewater treatment is performed on a variety of waste sources such as agricultural, residential, and industrial waste. Many bacteria such as Nitrsomonas, nitrobacter and paracoccus are important players in the treatment of industrial and sewage waste. The use of microbes in wastewater treatment plants is an integral piece of the wastewater treatment process due to the fact that microbial population in a facility can become depleted resulting in system back-ups, organic material build-up and overall reduction in system efficiency. It is at this point when supplementation of a microbial product becomes necessary. There are three stages of wastewater treatment: primary, secondary, and tertiary where microorganisms can be added or encouraged to grow in wastewater . The first two stages are concerned with large debris and organic matter removal by the use of a variety of filtration and sedimentation processes. Microbial organisms are stimulated in the second and third stages and the goa l is to degrade excessive amounts of contaminants such as nitrogen, phosphates, oils, chemicals and heavy metals by the third stage. One common practice used in residential wastewater in the second stage, is using activated sludge techniques, which aerates the waste to stimulate denitrifying and nitrifying microorganisms to biodegrade the waste. Most large sewage treatment plants use a two-phase digestion system in which organics are metabolized by  bacteria,  anaerobically. In the first stage, the sludge is heated and mixed in a closed tank for about 15 days, while digestion takes place. The sludge then flows into a second tank, which serves primarily for storage and settling. Sludge digestion is a biological process in which organic solids are decomposed into stable substances. Nitrifying and denitrifying organisms, both aerobic and anaerobic are added to convert about half of the organic sludge solids to liquids and gases (Siezen Galardini, 2008). Nitrosomonas europae was isolated in 1892 by Russian microbiologist Sergio Winogradsky. It has been a useful bacterium in wastewater treatment, usually added in the secondary treatment process due to its ability to breakdown organic material. If given an aerobic environment, ammonia is oxidized first to nitrite by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, then nitrite is oxidized to nitrate by nitrite-oxidizing bacteria which makes N. europaea primarily important in the nitrification cycle (Arp and Bottomley, 2006). Nitrosomonas. europaea  is a bacillus shaped, gram-negative obligate chemolithoautotroph; which is an autotroph that gets its energy from oxidation of inorganic substances in the absence of light. It is a mobile bacteria with flagella located in its polar region. It commonly inhabits places rich in ammonia and inorganic salt, such as in soils, freshwaters, stone monuments, and sewage. It obtains most of its energy from its ammonia-oxidizing capabilites, an unusual process for most ba cteria.  Cell division may take several days due to its need for large amounts of ammonia consuming about 25 moles of ammonia per mole of carbon dioxide assimilated into cellular biomass (Arp and Bottomley, 2006).   Due to its long delay in cell division, scientists tend to avoid studying Nitrosomona. N. eurpoaea gains carbon from the atmosphere by converting carbon in a gaseous form into carbon bound up in organic molecules. Its genome consists of a single circular chromosome with 2,812,094 bases. Its gene structure denotes that it must take in Fe and suggests it can take in other metals such as Cu, Cd, Zn, and Co as well (Chain, Lamerdin, Larimer, Ragala, Lao, 2003). N. europea functions best at a basic ph but can tolerate a ph between 6.0-9.0 and it prefers temperatures between 20-30 degrees Celsius. Nitrobacter hamburgensis got its name because it was isolated in soil of the Old Botanic Garden in Hamburg. It is a gram-negative bacteria that lives mainly in soil, building sandstone, and sewage sludge. It is pear-shaped and has one sub-polar flagellum. There is one circular DNA chromosome and three circular DNA plasmids with 4,406,967 base pairs on the chromosome. (Kaipa, et al, 2010). N. hamburgensis  gains energy from oxidation of nitrite to nitrate and has the ability of metabolizing nitrogen in nitrite from its environment. It is found mainly in soil and freshwater. (Arp Bottomley, 2006). The bacteria has provided a solution to removing high levels of nitrogen from municipal effluents of wastewater treatment plants. Biofilms with different nitrifying bacteria including  N. hamburgensis  have been constructed. Before the invention of these biofilms very large and expensive reactors were used for this purpose. Paracoccus denitrificans, an organism that removes high levels of nitrogen in wastewater when paired with Nitrosomonas europaea, a nitrifying organism which reduces ammonia to nitrate. P. denitrifican  is a spherical coccus shaped gram-negative bacteria having a double membrane cell wall. It inhabit soils in either aerobic or anaerobic environments. First isolated in 1910 by Martinus Beijerinck, a Dutch microbiologist gave the organism the name  Micrococcus denitrificans, only later to be changed by Diana.H. Davis in 1969 to the current name Paracoccus denitrificans after the discovery that the bacteria contained many features known to be in mitochondria, possibly an ancestor to the eukaryotic mitochondria. (Davis, et al, 1969). The genome of  P. denitrificans  consists of two circular chromosomes and one plasmid. The first chromosome has 2,852,282 base pairs and the second chromosome has 1,730,097 base pairs. The plasmid has 653,815 base pairs (Swiss Inst., 2007). Many of th e proteins transcribed and translated from the plasmid is what gives  P. denitrificans  its unique features of the ability to metabolize ammonium to nitrogen gas. Due to P. denitrificans  ability to produce more than 5000 proteins it is useful in biotechnological applications (Uemoto Saiki, 2007). Another process commonly used in wastewater treatment is the use of biofilms, various trickling rock filters that encourage biofilms. (Sillankorva, Neubauer, Azeredo, 2008) These biofilms build microorganism communites enclosed in a matrix of extracellular polymeric substances separated by water channels. Within these colonies are a variety of bacteria, fungi and algae which biodegrade waste. Psuedomonas fluorescens, P. syringae and P. putida are a few of the bacterias found in biofilms. As well as fungus like Mycelium and algaes. The biofilm community is an optimal environment for cell-cell interactions, including the cellular exchange of genetic material, and nutrient exchange within the community. The matrix protects the microorganisms from UV exposure, metal toxicity, acid exposure, dehydration and salinity, phagocytosis, antibiotics, and antimicrobial agents (Hall-Stoodley, et al 2004). Pseudomonas fluorescens makes a great contribution to the turnover of organic matter and while present in soil, is abundant on the surfaces of plant roots and leaves. P. fluorescens grows at an optimum temperature of 25 ° Celsius but can also survive in temperatures as low as 0 ° degrees Celsius make it a rare pathogenic in humans. The bacterias degrading ability has been applied to pollutants such as styrene, TNT and, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Sillankorva, Neubauer, Azeredo, 2008). Notable is P. putida possessing a high biodegrading metabolism. It can breakdown styrene which is a highly polluting synthetic chemical, used to make plastics (Park, et al, 2005)). Pseudomonas putida is a gram-negative shaped bacteria, similar to  Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an known pathogen to humans, however it is missing key gene segments that P. aeruginosa possess making it nonpathogenic. The biochemistry of P. putida makes it an aerobic, gram negative, flourescent colored, rod-shaped bacteria. It a motile organism with one or more polar flagella. They are usually found in moist soil and water environments and grow optimally at room temperature. Certain strains have the ability to grow on and break down many dangerous pollutants and aromatic  hydrocarbons  such as toluene,  benzene, and ethylbenzene.  P. putida  can also be used in petroleum plants to purify fuel. P. putida  is also closely related to  Pseudomonas syringae, an abundant plant pathogen, but again it la cks the gene that causes such disease (DOE, 1998). The first isolation of Psuedomonas syringae occurred in 1902 by van Hall from a diseased lilac. Psuedomonas syringae are aerobic rod-shaped gram negative bacteria that are motile with the use of several polar flagella. Psuedomonas syringae secretes a plant toxin making it a known plant pathogen. Therefore, it is easy to see its use in the biodegradation of organic waste. Each strain of this bacteria has a specific plant it targets and is often found on plant leaves. Any interesting quality is its ability to form ice crystals, P. syringae  is responsible for causing frost injury to frost-sensitive plants. (Feil, et al, 2005) This discovery led to its production of artificial snow.

The Allegory of the Cave Essay -- Papers the republic socrates plato

The Allegory of the Cave Plato’s Allegory of the Cave is the most comprehensive and far-reaching analogy in his book, The Republic. This blanket analogy covers many of the other images Plato uses as tools through out The Republic to show why justice is good. The Allegory of the Cave, however, is not the easiest image that Plato uses. First, one must understand this analogy and all of it’s hidden intricacies, then one will be able to apply it to the other images Plato uses such as the Divided Line, or Plato’s Forms. As Plato begins his story, he describes a dark cave. Contained inside of this cave are many people who are tied up into seats, unable to move. For their entire life, these people have been tied up without even being able to rotate their heads. They have chains that bind their hands to their seats. They have never seen anything apart from the wall directly in front of them. Their entire lives have been spent watching the wall and communicating with each other about the things they see on the wall. Behind these chained people is a large fire. This fire burns bright and allows shadows to be cast onto the wall. Below this fire is a small trench where the others of the cave lie. Here they hold up puppets and objects, casting shadows onto the wall. They essentially create the reality that the chained down live in, however, those chained down do not know this. They know only of the shadows on the wall and these shadows interactions with each other. If they see the shadow of a book, they will say to one another, in their own language, â€Å"look at the book on the wall.† They will not know that it is only a shadow, an image of the real object that is held up behind them to cast the appearance of a book onto the wall. The... ... the mind. The man, as he is walking back in the cave, understands now that what he has seen is the truth. He has seen the forms of the objects he only saw shadows to before. When he is back in the cave he tries to explain to the others that there are forms of the shadows they see on the wall. These forms are what truly is, but they reject him. The journey of this man is likened to that of all philosophers educated in the forms, Plato says. The Allegory of the Cave has many applications to both Plato’s writing and life in general. It describes the education of a philosopher, as well as how others look on the philosopher after he has gained the knowledge of the Forms. It also describes what it is like to see the forms. After understanding the forms, what once were objects, real things, become merely shadows. One sees everything as it truly exists, as it’s form.

Income Inequality in Iran Essay -- Iran Poverty and Inequality

There are many problems that face Third World nations. Income inequality affects all nations in the world. It affects some countries more than others though. Income inequality is a major problem in the Third World. In the Third World, the top 1% of people earns 15 % of the income, and the top 5% earn 40% of the income. However the poorest 20% earn only 1% of the global income. This creates a world of haves and have nots. This affects many aspects of society in a county. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, income inequity is a serious issue. One social service that is affected greatly is education. Areas that are poorer do not get the same level of education as areas that are richer receive. This inequality in education is caused by the unequal distribution of wealth that is in Iran because of the unequal distribution of oil revenues throughout Iran. In order to understand income inequality in Iran, one must first look at the basic economic facts of Iran. Iran has a population 77,176,930 people. 70% of its citizens live in urban areas such as Tehran, Mashhad, and Tibriz while 30% live in the rural areas. Urban and rural populations will come up later in the analysis of inequality in Iran. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for Iran in2012 was $548.590 billion. That ranked Iran 21st in the world. The per capita income for each head of household in Iran in 2012 was $7,207, which was 76th in the world. The Human Development Index (HDI) for Iran for in 2013 is 0.742, which is 76th in the world. That is in the middle range of countries for the HDI; below most developed nations but high for Third World nation. Iran is a semi-industrialized nation with some manufacturing industries and a heavy reliance on oil revenues f... ...r, â€Å"The Roots of Iran’s Inflation† Susman, â€Å"Income Inequality and Poverty in Iran.† United States Government Accountability Office,â€Å"US and International Sanctions Have Adversely Affected the Iranian Economy† http://www.gao.gov/assets/660/652314.pdf (Viewed December 1, 2013, 8:45 EST) Raghfar, â€Å"The Roots of Iran’s Inflation† Susman, â€Å"Income Inequality and Poverty in Iran.† Children of Heaven, (Tehran, Iran. 1997). Susman, â€Å"Income Inequality and Poverty in Iran.† Raghfar, â€Å"The Roots of Iran’s Inflation† Susman, â€Å"Income Inequality and Poverty in Iran.† The Jar, (Hormozgan, Iran. 1995). Children of Heaven, (Tehran, Iran. 1997). Raghfar, â€Å"The Roots of Iran’s Inflation† Raghfar, â€Å"The Roots of Iran’s Inflation† United States Government Accountability Office, â€Å"US and International Sanctions Have Adversely Affected the Iranian Economy†

Marketing Strategy for Marks and Spencer Food Essay -- AVCE Business S

This assignment is about marketing, where I will produce a marketing strategy for a new or existing product. This unit introduces the major principle and functions of marketing; I will look on customer needs, and creating a suitable strategy or marketing mix, which will satisfy customer needs. In this unit I will experience the marketing process from carrying out initial research about a market, investigating the principles of functions of marketing and the way in which it contributes generating income/profit in a business. Marketing is the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion, and distribution of ideas, goods, and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational goals. Marketing also involves analyzing customer needs, securing information needed to design and produce goods or services that match buyer expectations, and creating and maintaining relationships with customers and suppliers. Marketing is essential to the success of any business. Its primary aim is to enable businesses to meet the needs of their customers and potential customers, whether then it’s for profit or not. To make my strategy successful for business it must: Ø Understand customer needs Ø Understand and keep ahead of competition Ø Communicate effectively with its customers to satisfy customer expectations. Ø Coordinate its functions to achieve marketing aims Ø Be aware of constraints on marketing activities I will also be considering the importance of developing and maintaining a relationship with its customers, potential customers and other stakeholders. I will look upon on establishing customer needs, methods of analysing marketing opportunities, and the m... ...ons can exert a major influence upon the stores’ accessibility and attractiveness to consumers. Planning the selection process as carefully as possible and using methods described should maximise the success. Marks and Spencer pays particular attention to social and geodemographics, along with consumer spend, before deciding on a location. Own brands are desirable products to offer, as they offer profitable margins and a high level of control over the marketing aspects of management. Efficient use of these products can increase store loyalty. As I did a oral presentation I used few pictures and such to show the packaging design, as I talked about the other product and the company, and mainly on one of the marketing mix ‘the product’. My presentation could have been bit longer with more details and also posters to show big images then small ones.

A Life of Her Own

The first thing that is noticeable in the way Emilie Carles wrote â€Å"A Life of Her Own†, her autobiography, is the almost straightforward narration that she used in depicting what her life as a little girl living in a rural mountain valley of Alpine, France.As a married woman, a mother, a schoolteacher and later an activist, had been during the pre-World War and the postwar development phase that took place in France and the world’s history. Straightforward, in the sense that no time was given to dwelling in sentimentalities.Every word written and every image that were portrayed were significant and true in her eyes as a child and as an adult. The purpose of this paper is to show the difference of Emilie Carles from other women because what she wanted to impose in her book is not as easy as making a fictional biography of a woman in the twentieth-century.Emilie Carles narrated how the people in her village, including her family, confront life’s challenges in a day-to-day basis. She depicted a life that is led by poverty, hard grueling work and an almost passive acceptance of the fate and destiny of the people. In her village, she highlighted the importance of the bull or cows and its ability to produce calves, milk and other products to enable a family of four (or more) carry on with their lives.Her opening statement in her book showed the seeming â€Å"unconcerned† attitude of her father to her, even when she fell down the 2-storey house where they live. The bull that he had to buy is far more important than the situation of his daughter. French peasants in Carles’ village would usually cry due to a cow’s death than family members. As she have stated, â€Å"the torment of poverty outweigh the ruling of the heart†.[1]Through her stories, she helped the readers envisioned a pre-war life in France that is full patriarchal in nature; and almost all marriages are arranged, like her parents’. She wrote that women’s lives are usually broken due to its inability to choose whom to marry. Marriages, during her early childhood, are business contracts between two families that are usually decided by the male members. It is usually considered as marriage of convenience, a business contract where land and products will be combined to enable the peasants to live a little more easily.Her mother tried to fight this culture by running to a benefactor, her revered godmother, to ask for her blessing and advice in not marrying Joseph Carles and instead, marry the one she loves. She was thwarted by her godmother and was informed that to follow the course of her fate is the best advice she could to her. Otherwise, she will become an outcast in their Alpine village. Though her mother did not love Joseph Carles, she gave herself into taking care of her family, becoming the â€Å"sap† to her father’s â€Å"tree†; the â€Å"branch† to his â€Å"tree† and life and s trength of the family.Her mother was unable to defy the system in the village but she was strong-willed and spoke her own mind when she thinks it is needed. She is generous and knows how to please people such that after her death, people will come to Emilie to tell her that her mother is a remarkable woman. Perhaps, this characteristic of her mother is one of those that Emilie inherited, giving her the willpower and the strength of mind and soul to pursue her career as a schoolteacher and as a mother, as well as being an activist later in life.Due to the inability of his father to take care of the four siblings left behind by his wife, the youngest, a four-month old, had to be alternately nursed by mothers in the village. Emilie herself was sent to her uncle’s place to be taken cared of, as promised by their relative. She will become a schoolteacher later on with the help of her uncle, although life with her uncle had been full of tribulations as her aunt somehow maltreated h er by always finding little faults in her.[1] Carles, Emilie and Destanque, Robert. A Life of Her Own: The Transformation of a Countrywoman in 20th-Century France. 1992. Reed Business Information, Inc.

Mandated Minimum Staff Ratios Essay

In the past several years, there has been a growing need for more registered nurses in hospitals due to rising acuity of patients. The safety and quality of patient care is directly related to the size and experience of the nursing workforce. Nursing working conditions have deteriorated in some facilities because hospitals have not kept up with the rising demand for nurses. Legislatures, health care providers, and the public are demanding adequate staffing ratios for nurses, particularly RN’s to patients in an acute care setting (Huston, 2010, p.165). These measures assign some minimum level of staffing that all hospitals must meet regardless of the types and severity of patients. A study was done that included over 10,000 nurses and over 230,000 patients in 168 hospitals; the study showed hospitals with a higher patient to nurse ratio had a higher percentage of surgical patients dying in the 30 days of admission (Huston, 2010, p.167). This study suggest that having an inadequate number of RN’s in the acute care setting places the public at risk for complications and even death. I am writing this topic because I believe that patient to nurse ratio should represent the acuity level and not the number. As a nurse, I have worked in facilities that designate patient care according to the number of patients and not the acuity. The nurses are overwhelmed because some are assigned 6 high acuity patients. When the acuity level is not considered, the patients are put at a higher rate for complications. Greenberg argued that the implementation of staffing ratios improves nurse satisfaction and eventually retention (Huston, 2010, p.169). Who wouldn’t want to go to work to a full nursing staff? The mandated minimum staff ratio would prevent nurses from working short by pulling resources from somewhere else or use contracted nurses. The end result will be patient satisfaction and happy nurses. There are several states and some countries that has adopted this legislation. Some legislatures have even established a law that goes a little further by establishing a hospital wide nursing care committee. This committee will recommend a nursing service staffing plan according to the facility’s assessment of patient care needs (Huston, 2010, p. 173). Other states call for at least an annual evaluation of the staffing plan. These are just some of the alternatives. All states should consider the effect of how this will impact the nurses and the patients. If the patients and nurses are satisfied, the health care system will benefit. References Huston, C.J., (2010). Professional issues in nursing: Challenges and opportunities (2nd ed.). Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

“Only the Lover Sings” by Josef Pieper Essay

â€Å"Thoughts about Music†Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦music prompts the philosopher’s continued interest because it is by nature so close to the fundamentals of human existence† (Pieper 39). In the section, â€Å"Thoughts about Music,† from Josef Pieper’s Only the Lover Sings: Art and Contemplation, discusses music and the intriguing question, â€Å"What do we perceive when we listen to music?† (40). Pieper answers this question by quoting Schopenhauer, who claimed music, â€Å"does not speak of things but tells of weal and woe† (42). This makes sense because it relates to â€Å"man’s good,† and our yearning for perfect happiness. When listening to music certain emotions surface, as Plato stated, â€Å"Music imitates the impulses of the soul† (Pieper 45). Thus, to truly understand what we perceive when we listen to music, one must understand what is being expressed, and not simply â€Å"listen.† For many, music can be an â€Å"out of body experience,† something that truly reveal’s man and his meaning in life. Some may argue that music is simply â€Å"†¦a means of personal enchantment, of escapism†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Pieper 50). How one views and interprets music truly reveals one’s character, because, â€Å"music lays bare man’s inner existential condition,† (Pieper 50). In addition, Pieper continues to answer the question of what we perceive when we listen to music, by quoting other philosophers and the ideas of Western philosophical traditions. â€Å"To repeat: thus has the nature of music variously been understood in the Western philosophical tradition- as nonverbal articulation of weal and woe; as wordless expression of man’s intrinsic dynamism of self-realization, a process understood as man’s journey toward ethical personhood, as the manifestation of man’s will in all aspects, as love. This, for instance, is the meaning of Plato’s statement that ‘music imitates the impulses of the soul’, or as Aristotle puts it: music is similar to ethics and related to it. The same tradition continues in remarks by Kierkegaard, Schopenhauer and Nietzsche when they say that music ‘invariably is the expression of an immediacy as no interfering medium is involved’; or (Schopenhauer) that of all the arts it is music that represents the will itself; or (Nietzsche in his interpretation of Wagner) that music lets us hear â€Å"nature transformed into love†Ã¢â‚¬  (Pieper 44-45). The philosophy of music is something that can be interpreted differently by all. Pieper uses sufficient evidence to support the claim that music does in fact play an important role in man’s true character and how he views his life, and ultimately his existence. Reference: Only the Lover Sings: Art and Contemplation by Josef Pieper

Pros and Cons of Kyoto Protocol Essay

Kyoto Protocol is an attempt of global community to encourage industrialized countries to lower on emissions of GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions was signed in 1997 and till date there are multiple debates going on whether or not it was a step to foster a global cooperation to address current environmental issues or just a governmental endeavor to take under control a free market spot. First, the protocol is seen as a starting point for effective collaboration aiming to achieve global good and face climate change (Hamish McRae). The journalist is sure that the deal has shown the commitment of countries to sacrifice their short-term needs at micro level in order to follow the â€Å"long-term global environmental aims†. In contrast, Kyoto Protocol is poorly designed and does not have any clear influences in perspective â€Å"unlike the Montreal Protocol, which had a clear objective and clear benefits†, notes the author. All things considered can help to draw a conclusion that the Protocol is rather controversial in its future perspectives but is a significant leap of â€Å"a wider global process of conservation† (Hamish McRae). Second, carbon is traded like any other commodity: the treaty expects the countries that do not exceed their carbon emissions limits to sell the surplus to the countries which due to their industrial needs are beyond the allocated quotas. On the other hand, â€Å"carbon market† has plenty of opponents ready to state that even though the carbon trading is being constantly advertized as a key solution to coping with climate change, it is just a small part of the dilemma. Tamra Gilbertson and Oscar Reyes are sure that â€Å"today’s climate challenges require a paradigm shift in our thinking and approaches† (3). The Carbon Trade Watch researchers state that the adoption of proposed schema was a way to â€Å"make climate problems fit market solutions† (9). In any case, despite its bright perspectives in reality Kyoto Protocol leaves very less room for adequate decisions in environment pollution control and gives a way to corporations and governments to speculate on their emissions targets. Third, it is worthy to take a look at nowadays situation and whether or not â€Å"Son of Kyoto† can be considered a success reaching its initial targets and objectives. The recent United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP18/CMP8) prolonged the lifeline of â€Å"of the Kyoto Protocol beyond 2012 keeps it alive as the sole legally binding plan for combating global warming† for eight more years (Alister Doyle and Barbara Lewis). This can be seen as a constant struggle of humanity to overcome or at least control the situation with growing GHG emissions in spite of all the imperfection and criticism of the Kyoto initiative. Some of Doha decisions were questioned by Russia as well as neighboring Ukraine and Belarus asking to â€Å"be allowed extra credit for the emissions cuts they made when their industries collapsed† (Roger Harrabin). However, the query was not given a credit which left Russia no room for objection. This fact claims that there is still no unity in common decisions and universal outlook on the problem of climate change preventive measures. On the whole, Kyoto Protocol is rather controversial instrument in global climate change arena. The deal should be taken as a serious step toward improving the future generations living conditions as well as preventing possible natural disasters. At the same time its coherence should be periodically reviewed and corrective actions taken based on the comprehensive scientific and environmental research not only on pure calculation and monetary estimates. Works Cited Doyle, Alyster and Barbara Lewis. UN climate conference throws Kyoto Protocol a lifeline. http://www.theglobeandmail.com. 08 Dec 2012. Web. 20 Jan 2013 Gilbertson, Tamra and Oscar Reyes. â€Å"Carbon Trading – How it works and why it fails†. Critical Currents no.7 (2009): 3-9. http://www.tni.org/. Web. Jan 20 2013 Harrabin, Roger. UN climate talks extend Kyoto Protocol, promise compensation. http://www.bbc.co.uk. 08 Dec 2012. Web. 20 Jan 2013 McRae, Hamish. Can Kyoto really save the world? http://www.independent.co.uk. 16 Feb 2005. Web. 20 Jan 2013

Volver, A Separation, The White Ribbon, Tsotsi, Departures, Animal Essay

Volver, A Separation, The White Ribbon, Tsotsi, Departures, Animal Kingdom and The Secret in their Eyes - Essay Example This study highlights that although South Africa’s Johannesburg is more urbane than any other city in Africa, yet the featuring of the neighboring sprawling and (in)famous Soweto slum makes the plot of the movie more plausible. Another instance which reinstates this sense of authenticity is the presentation of large construction pipes which serve as Tsotsi and his gang’s domicile. Otherwise, it would be out of order to speak of Tsotsi’s crime as taking place within Johannesburg. This paper declares that the author also uses special effect filmmaking strategies to make the setting very plausible and congruent with the plot. Specifically, lightning techniques have been used to this effect. In instances where Tsotsi and his gang carry night raids, weak light is used, thereby making the audience believe that such criminal undertakings are nocturnal. Through the use of silhouettes, Tsotsi and his protà ©gà ©s are also densely shadowed, so that they are easily identified as malefactors. The failure to use proper lighting could have portrayed Tsotsi’s criminal exploits as taking place during daytime, and thereby painting Johannesburg as an insecure, crime-riddled city where crimes happen even during broad daylight. Lance Gewer and Gavin Hood as the director and cinematographer respectively showcase their dexterity and ingenuity in filmmaking by making the movie polyglot. The movie consists of languages such as English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa and isiZulu, and thereby rightly painting Johannesburg not only as a polyglot but also a cultural melting pot.

Strategic Mangment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Strategic Mangment - Essay Example Every member had performed their tasks carefully and honestly. Meeting had been organised whenever required and all members had attended those meetings. The team development procedures had been accomplished by three phases. At the initial phase, every member had met with the other members and learnt about the challenges of the project work. Every member had agreed on shared objectives and embarked upon the designated responsibilities. Members had acted quite individually at the initial phase and were very attentive. In the second stage, there was certain disagreement among the members regarding different ideas and approaches that would be taken in completion of the project. In order to deal with the conflict issue, I had taken the part of leader in the team and judged the opinion of majority of team members. In the third phase, the team had been harmonised with the overall objective of the project and become a successful operative group. During the meeting there was certain confusion about the role that will be played by the members throughout the project. I had allocated the tasks to the members and specified the time for completion. Finally, the presentation was completed appropriately with commendable contribution of every member. As a leader, I had the task to observe the writing of each member and check if they are moving on the right path or not. Other members had parts to analyze, write, and edit the papers appropriately. I used to merge the tasks of others into single entity. One of the main challenges faced by the team was related to finding appropriate materials from valid sources. Every team member including me worked hard to search for appropriate materials which can be used to analyse the subject. Nevertheless, there was lack of understanding between team members and if there was enhanced communication between them the working process would have been improved significantly. Presentation Strengths and Weaknesses An excellent strategic management pre sentation requires five aspects. Firstly, understanding about the topic is vital. If the research is inadequate and the fundamental knowledge cannot be gained, then the presentation will also be imperfect. Therefore, in our project we had done vast research on the topic so that every member understands all aspects regarding the subject. A good presentation comprises of using vital phrases which is important for describing the topic. The significant points of the project need to be carefully identified and presented with bullet points but the number should not exceed a certain limit. Meanwhile, in our project we had incorporated adequate bullet points to describe vital factors of the subject. In order to develop an excellent presentation a team must avoid unnecessary writing on the slides. We had used very limited writing in our presentation and used modest words to describe every point and image. The slide show is intended for conveying verbal performance. The number of slides is vi tal for making an admirable strategic management presentation. Using huge number of slides can develop hastening situation to jump into other slide quickly. During our observation in presentation rehearsal, we had understood the disadvantage of using large number of slides and thus we had limited our presentation slides to thirteen only. For an effective strategic management presentation the design is very important. Thus, in our presentatio

Civil Aerospace Market Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Civil Aerospace Market - Case Study Example In the following discussion we'll analyze the industry structure of the civil aerospace market in general and the two main companies in particular. vi. World's second-largest defense company. Boeing Integrated Defense Systems provides end-to-end services for large-scale systems that combine sophisticated communication networks with air-, land-, sea- and space-based platforms for global military, government and commercial customers i. FAA (US) Aerospace forecast for the period 2006-2017 states that, 'By 2017, U.S. commercial air carriers are projected to fly 1.6 trillion ASMs and transport 1.07 billion enplaned passengers a total of 1.256 trillion passenger miles. Passenger trip length is also forecast to increase by more than 120 miles over the forecast to 1,171.9 miles (up 10.2 miles annually). iv. New entrants in the business particularly from India, China and Japan. These countries are trying very hard to tap the market with state owned companies getting full support from respective governments Headquartered in France and employing about 60,000 people worldwide Airbus has made a commitment to itself that it will remain in the 40-60 percent range as far as market share is concerned1. During 2006 also Airbus was able to capture 44 percent market share with 824 new firm orders worth US$75.1 billion. Buyers'/Consu... v. Highly investment intensive and labor intensive business. Opportunities i. FAA (US) Aerospace forecast for the period 2006-2017 states that, 'By 2017, U.S. commercial air carriers are projected to fly 1.6 trillion ASMs and transport 1.07 billion enplaned passengers a total of 1.256 trillion passenger miles. Passenger trip length is also forecast to increase by more than 120 miles over the forecast to 1,171.9 miles (up 10.2 miles annually). ii. New technological breakthroughs in IT, computers and electronics industries, providing opportunity to serve the customer in a better way. iii. New product development efforts are focused on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a super-efficient airplane that is expected to be in service in 2008. Threats i. Global slowdown (decelerating growth) in airlines business, particularly after the 9/11 incident ii. Shrinking profit margins for airlines industry, resulting in closing down of many airlines iii. Fluctuating oil prices and turbulent political scene in the middle-east region iv. New entrants in the business particularly from India, China and Japan. These countries are trying very hard to tap the market with state owned companies getting full support from respective governments v. Widespread opposition of the outsourcing moves by the unions at Boeing as well as from other unions in the country, fearing widespread retrenchments. SWOT analysis for Airbus Headquartered in France and employing about 60,000 people worldwide Airbus has made a commitment to itself that it will remain in the 40-60 percent range as far as market share is concerned1. During 2006 also Airbus was able to capture 44 percent market share with 824 new firm orders worth US$75.1 billion. Strengths: Leading position in the

Consumer Behavior Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Consumer Behavior Paper - Essay Example On other hand, study of consumer behavior focuses on the motivation of the consumers to making various decisions strategies among different products differing in levels of significance and interest (Hawkins, Best & Coney, 2004). Study of consumer behaviors enables the customers to improve on their marketing campaigns and strategies in a way that is effective in reaching the consumers. The paper will focus on defining the term consumer behaviors and discussing the way 4Ps, product, price, promotion, and place, affect purchasing decision. Consumer behaviors can be defined as the study of individual groups, organization and the procedures used in selection, using and disposing products, services, familiarity and ideas that can satisfy their needs and influence of procedures to consumers and society (Schiffman & Kanuk, 2007). Moreover, study of consumer behavior makes a substantial contribution to in application of techniques by marketers in the process of marketing their commodities. Re lationship between consumer behavior and the subject of marketing relates to consumer behavior application in marketing strategies in order to enhance the marketing campaigns. ... In this case, this gives the significance of creating a good impression to the initial customers, since they take the role of influencing the other customers. The marketing mix, which includes the product, price, place and promotion, has a substantial impact on the decision making of a customer (Bearden, Ingram & LaForge, 2004). Price Price as one of the element relates to amount of money that a customer has to part with in order to acquire a certain good or service in the market, in fact, the price attached to commodities entails the returns to the firm due to their effort and the cost incurred in manufacturing and marketing activities. On the other hand, the consumers’ decisions are influenced by the pricing strategies of these firms since the cost of the products is passed to the consumer through these prices. In this case, despite the pricing objective of the firms, which are derived from organizational goals, the consumer makes the decision based on his or her income. The refore, a consumer focuses on maximizing their utility on the commodities purchased; thus, there is a certain price, which they are willing to pay for particular commodities based on their income. Moreover, the consumer has to make a choice among different alternative in order to identify the products that suites their purchasing power despite the quality of the product. Promotion Promotion is applied by marketers as a component of the marketing mix with a purpose of creating awareness, persuading and reminding customer in a certain market about products in order to influence their feelings, convictions and behaviors. In this case, promotion offers consumer

Case study of Cherie Cosmestics Ltd Elegante Division

Of Cherie Cosmestics Ltd Elegante Division - Case Study Example or a company’s top level management to put into place reliable systems that can effective coordinate communication process and other important aspects of management. The communication function of effective management is responsible for creating reliable communication channels as well as structures that can be followed by all company workers. It is important to understand that all branch managers in a large company work towards a similar goal, that of success and increase of market share, for this reason, there is a need for collaboration and consultations among the managers. However, it is important that all these consultations and collaborations have to follow certain laid down procedures to avoid conflict of interest and the need to outdo each other at the expense of company goals and objectives and the spirit of good governance. Communication is an important function of any business activity, it ensures that directives are set effectively and implemented by company workers (Kuhn 2005). Effective communication has been the chief cornerstone of any development in any organisation; in fact, it is what enables company and organizational managers to carry out their basic functions and duties in the organisation. Communication skills, whether formal or informal have always been cited as the basis for the success of any business activity (Cheney 2007). Systems that do not have poor communication mechanisms often end up having misplaced priorities with people doing what they feel is pleasant to them and not what is stipulated in the company’s effective practice. The problems affecting the management function at Cherie Cosmetics Limited can be traced down to a breakdown in the communication process. In the first place, the company’s vice president has not taken steps to address the challenges and bring about sound management systems and communication in the company. There appears that some managers like Heather have the passion of working in this company and

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 - Essay Example Some scholars have argued that this legislative framework is too intrusive, that corporate fraud ought to be managed through market mechanisms rather than intrusive governmental agencies, and that the Act is more political than helpful (Ribstein, 2005). Other scholars concede the intrusive effects of the Act, but argue instead that the main policy objectives, such as curtailing corporate fraud and improving transparency, are enhanced by the Act (Cunningham, 2003). This essay will argue that, given the nature and the scale of the scandals that have occurred in the absence of such legislation, corporations ought to be compelled to comply with the Act; in order to more fully develop this thesis, this essay will present the type of abuse which led to the legislation, an overview of the main provisions of the Act, and an analysis of the conflicting opinions regarding the efficacy of the Act. In the Enron case, a major employer that was deemed financially stable and a model of sound business practices collapsed suddenly and dramatically. This was a company with billions in annual revenues, well-respected by a broad spectrum of the public, and politically well-connected. Its collapse was subsequently described as the result of deliberate and conscious decisions, by both Enron's management and by its outside accounting firm, to engage in accounting fraud (Fox, 2003). In short, corporate liabilities were understated or hidden and corporate assets were inflated or misrepresented. The public had been lied to, the investors had been lied to, and a great many people were injured when the company was finally forced into bankruptcy. A similar case involved WorldCom, at one time the second most significant long-distance telephone service provider in the United States, which engaged in fraudulent accounting practices in order to misrepresent its true financial condition to banks, c reditors, and other investors (Jeter, 2003). This didn't merely involve creative accounting; quite the contrary, WorldCom entered fictional transactions into its accounting records. When the weakened financial structure could no longer be hidden, the company filed for one of the largest bankruptcy cases in America history. In the final analysis, both of these cases illustrate the types of problems that the Act was designed to minimize. 1.2 An Overview of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 As a preliminary matter, the most significant feature of the Act was its creation of a governmental agency to oversee corporate accounting and financial practices. This agency is now known as the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. The focus is on publicly traded companies, rather than privately held forms of business organization, and the scope of the agency's power is broad. It is vested with rulemaking authority, with disciplinary powers, and with enforcement authority. In short, this agency is possessed of the same powers as the United States government-legislative, judicial, and executive-with respect to the accounting practices of public companies. Thus, it can be argued that the legislation has created a private government for public companies. An examination of the particular provisions of the Act further demonstrates the

Anthropological analysis and conceptual synthesis Article

Anthropological analysis and conceptual synthesis - Article Example The society is herein described as one filled with male chauvinism, not ready to tolerate the women’s faith related stands. The saints were very firm on their maintenance of chastity and could even pray to God to make them ugly so that they could protect their chastity. For instance, St. Wilgefortis prayed for ugliness, and she was granted a man’s beard (Winston, Para 4). The male chauvinism however saw her murdered by her father. Others were like St. Lucia whose eyes were torn out for disappointing her family. These examples show that the women believed in their course and bravely stepped out of the societal norms (Winston, Para 6). From the article, it can be seen certain themes can be drawn. One of the themes is religion in which the saints are firmly rooted. The religion brings about the other theme of power whereby the males are seen to possess in plenty. They, however, misuse their power by killing the faithful females. The theme of male dominance is further shown by the linearity of mobility and recreation in which are based on social hierarchies. This is described in the Ghanam who describes the lives of brother and a sister from a low-income neighborhood in Egypt. The brother is drawn as the one dictating the mobility, suggesting male dominance (Ghannam 790-800). Summarizing Ghanam’s article, various methods supporting the solving of reconfiguration of inequalities can be explained. Farha Ghannam explains this by using the example of a brother and a sister who come from a low-income neighborhood in Egypt. Throughout the article, Ghanam describes the methods of liminality of mobility which illustrate social hierarchies. The methods include inequalities referring to mobility, class, gender and embodiment. Eyebrows." Were Some Catholic Saints Transgender? Berkeley Show Raises Eyebrows. 6 Nov. 2014. Web. 23 Feb. 2015.

Wonders of Nature and the Operations of Creatures Essay Example for Free

Wonders of Nature and the Operations of Creatures Essay This essay will attempt to differentiate natural wonders that occur in the world, from what is described as miracles. It will also explore events classified as miracles, and examine whether miracles must have an immediate benefit, or if natural disasters can in some way, be defined as miracles as their consequences can fulfill the criteria for the purposes of miracles. This essay will not be questioning the existence of miracles as, for the purpose of this essay, they do. First one must seek to define what the different terms in the title are, by looking at how different philosophers and theologians have described them. David Hume, on miracles, seems to argue that there are indeed extraordinary events that occur, but they cannot justifiably be called miracles. The next term needing examination is â€Å"wonders of nature†. Science has shown us that nature is not a series of random events, and that it is governed by laws which make it in some way predictable; the law of gravity for example, which keeps the world revolving around the sun. The last term to be defined is, â€Å"operations of creatures†. This is not just the operation of living things. It can be applied to beings as small as atoms, or intangible concepts such as time. It is the operations of creatures that are often confused with miracles when they are coincidence. After clarifying what the question is looking for, this essay will look at examples of miraculous events and analyse them with focus on God’s being, particularly their role in revealing God’s being to creatures. Mary Hesse’ article, Miracles and the Laws of Nature, begins with a discussion of how the term miracle is applied in today’s society; â€Å"Someone may say ‘his recovery was a miracle’, or, ‘It was a miracle that a serious accident was avoided’†.[1] Whilst Hesse disregards this as likely not to be a divinely inspired, she goes onto talk about how, the conventional definition of a miracle, something that is a violation or turn against the natural order, is not so surprising, as we live in such a complicated world. Miracles are seen to be violations of the natural order, and examples can be found all over the world, in ancient and modern history. The most common examples in the Western world can be found in the Bible, in both the Old and New Testament, which reveal God’s being, whether it is God’s direct action or God working through another being to create a miraculous event. This is what natural theology argues is the miracle’s being: to in some way reveal God, or to impart knowledge of some kind to someone. This can be seen in examples found in the Bible; the story of the burning bush, found in Exodus, where God imparted knowledge if himself to Moses, with both the great â€Å"I Am†, and in his plans to free the Israelites from Egypt. However, it is here that Hume draws his first criticism, questioning the validity of those that witness or experience the miracle: â€Å"We cannot trust that those who testify to miraculous events occurring are not being deceived, deluded or even lying. Also Humans are naturally drawn towards the miraculous, and love being dazzled by the mysterious, and they can often form unreasonable beliefs on the basis of these experiences, which should not trusted.†[2] Hume was traditionally an empiricist, and believed that for the claims of a miracle to be true it must reflect the experiences we already have learnt from. Because of this Hume would doubt the miraculous event of Jesus Christ, when he rose from the dead, as there is no experience on earth, other than this, that one can look to for a confirmation that such a thing is possible. Hume then assumes that such events are born from either delusion, or from people lying, for whatever motive. However scholars are often split in their opinion of Hume’s position on miracles, as it is possible to take his work as an argument against the possibility of miracles. Yet it is also possible to argue that Hume did believe that miraculous events could occur, however, as the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy writes: â€Å"only that justified belief in a miracle on the basis of testimony (may be) impossible.†[3] Hume was not alone in writing against the testimonies of people through history, as Wittgenstein writes: â€Å" A miracle is, as it were, a gesture which God makes. As a man sits quietly then makes an impressive gesture, God lets the world run on smoothly then accompanies the words of a saint by a symbolic occurrence, a gesture of nature, it would be an instance if, when a saint has spoken, the trees around him bowed, as if in reverence. – Now do I believe this happens? I don’t.†[4] Here Wittgenstein, whilst he says that he does not believe that miracles, as he believes they are defined, actually occur, he adds to the definition of what a miraculous event is with natural theology. Wittgenstein does not deny the possibility for them to be real, only that he is yet to be â€Å"impressed† by an event, as he does not find reports of such events enough to believe in them. The operations of creatures are often called miraculous, particularly when the scale of the event is massive, for example, the smallest of atoms have been seen to produce the hugest explosions. However, whether these are miracles or not is something to be debated. Certainly, when such events occur that goes against what is considered the normal flow of life, it is curious enough for one to refer to it as a miraculous event. However, this alone does not make such an event a miracle within natural theology. This is something that theologians, when writing about miracles, often draw their attention to first. Hesse writes that such events, which violate the laws of the natural order, but do not contain the same meaningfulness as what theists might define as miracles, are â€Å"the pointless demonstrations of a wonder-worker or magician†[5]. However, Hesse does not go any further with this classification, stating that such miracles contain qualities which also put them in the category of coincidence, or of divine purpose. The role of a miracle is to draw people to God, or to reveal his being in one form or another to mankind, and if that is so then something seemingly miraculous may be just coincidence. C.S. Lewis describes miracles as â€Å"an interference with nature by supernatural power†[6]. By this Lewis means that it could be nature itself performing these events, or it could be a divine being, â€Å"interfering† with the natural order. When Lewis talks about nature being the interfering party, he does not mean nature as an intelligent being, but he means from the naturalist’s belief, there is nothing else but nature. From this one could then argue that miracles are just coincidence. Miracles have been used by Jesus and by his apostles after his ascension to spread Christ’s message, an example of this is the miraculous event at Pentecost: â€Å"On the day of Pentecost all the Lord’s followers were together in one place. Suddenly there was a noise from heaven like the sound of a mighty wind. It filled the house where they were meeting. Then they saw what looked like fiery tongues moving in all directions, and a tongue came and settled on each person there. The Holy Spirit took control of everyone, and they began speaking whatever languages the Spirit let them speak.†[7] This event can be called a miracle because it a purposeful act by The Holy Spirit, which enabled the apostles to talk in the different languages that they required to go out and spread their beliefs, something that is a demonstration of God’s being, as it is a revelation of his will. This event is also a demonstration of knowledge. In the event of Pentecost, we see the knowledge of language to the apostles, and as said above, an imparting of God’s intention. Michal Goodich supports this belief of the role of miracles in his book, Miracles and Wonders, in which he says: â€Å"The ultimate aim is to console and bring the faithful closer to God or to confound the nonbeliever or heretic.†[8] Goodich talks about one of the purposes of miracles here is to â€Å"bring the faithful closer to God†, which is very much a role that miracles fulfill, and this can be seen in examples from biblical passages such as the conversion of Saul, who became Paul, when God appeared to him, and he temporarily lost his sight. Paul, who was famous for his persecution of the early Christians went on to become one of the founding members of the church, and the New Testament contains some of his letters and his book â€Å"Acts of the Apostles†. This is an example of a miraculous event bringing people closer to God. It is clear that in the world, events occur that seem to be violations of the natural order. For many of these events, science has been able to explain why they happened, and for the majority of the oddities in the world they do not appear to serve any real purpose. However, there are examples in both ancient and modern times of events that, whilst they are violations of the nature order of the world, it is clear that they are not just random events, and that they were caused by a supernatural being, and they are for a purpose. The miracles worked by our Lord Jesus Christ, St. Augustine writes, are divine works which raise the human mind above visible things to understand what is divine[9]. This writing by Augustine also highlights another unique property that miracles possess, which can be difficult to find in other events, that is that miracles have a tendency to inspire change, and a renewed sense of God, even centuries after the actual event, as examples from the very earliest writing of the Bible still have said effects today. However, in today’s society with such a vast mix of belief systems and scientific explanations, it is incredibly difficult to distinguish between the wonders of nature and supernaturally inspired events. Even a brief study of any natural disaster in recent history will reveal mixes of opinions by both those directly affected by it and those who saw it through the media. For example, the recent earthquake in Haiti, where an already poverty stricken county is further devastated. Interviews shown on the media of those who suffered directly show that they believe this to be an act of God, and that it has only increased their faith and brought their families closer together. Yet there are opinions of those who have not suffered because of the event and yet question where is God in such a time, finding it hard to believe such an event of massive devastation can have positive outcomes. The grandfather of a 15 day old baby surviving 7 days buried in the rubble of her house was quoted by The Times saying, This wasnt the way Jesus wanted the baby to die. Everybody knew the baby was dead, except the Lord.[10] Overall, distinctions can be drawn between wonders of nature and operations of creatures, and miraculous events. It is said that miracles, in the traditional sense are literally violations of the laws of nature. That is, they defy what science believes is our understanding of the world. This is an a posteriori argument; our experience reveals what miracles are, as they are not something that can happen according to our knowledge of the mechanisms of the world. Richard Swinburne, in his article Violation of a Law of Nature, questions if such a term is applicable to events that seem less than ordinary: â€Å"I think that those who, like Hume, have used this or a similar expression have intended to mean by it an occurrence of a non-repeatable counter-instance to a law of nature†¦ But if we have good reason to believe that they have occurred and good reason to believe similar events would occur in similar circumstances, then undoubtedly we have good reason to believe that the formulae which we previously believed to be the laws of nature were not in fact such laws.†[11] Swinburne argues that events that are sometimes, possibly because of their outcomes or because of the number of those affected, deemed miraculous by people who have reason to believe it has religious significance, so therefore he concludes â€Å"miracles are events with a point in the overall scheme of things, and in a sense are very much regular† as Swinburne comments.[12] This points to the original issue that miracles, in comparison to the wonders of nature, depend upon personal opinions. It is clear if one believes a miracle to be a seemingly impossible event based on our experience of the laws of nature, then yes they can be distinguished from the wonders of nature, however, if one believes it to be any event, which holds religious significance, then it would be nigh impossible to distinguish miracles.