Narrative Reports

SHIPBOARD TRAINING The objective of the shipboard training program is to develop individual skills. It   should   prepare   each person   to   fill   his   billet   aboard   ship,   to   accept   more responsibility,   and   to   advance   in   rating. Individual training is the basis for team training, which is the basis for training an entire ship. The shipboard training program must consider the ship’s organizational framework   Ã‚  and   Ã‚  operating schedules if it is to meet training needs. Personnel must be trained within their shipboard roles so that analysis of training can include the following: 1.Observation of team or group and individual performance 2. Comparison   Ã‚  of   Ã‚  performance   Ã‚  with   Ã‚  standard criteria 3. Recognition   of   methods   for   improvement 4. Attention   Ã‚  to   Ã‚  training   Ã‚  potential   Ã‚  and   Ã‚  the elimination of training paper work In fast changing ship board environment the need of a properly competent seafarer has never been more prominent, there is a growing demand for onboard training services to refresh crew knowledge and verify the safe through training, drills and exercises. On our board training services are design to review familiarization of equipment and assess the emergency preparedness of the crew.Where necessary on board training will consider: 1. Proper use and maintenance of relevant equipment and training material 2. Allocation of duties and responsibilities 3. Procedures and methods of communication. 4. Actions to be taken On the job training or OJT is one method by which students is given a chance to apply the knowledge and skills that they have learned from the school. It also helps the students to acquire relevant knowledge and skills by performing in actual work setting. Colleges and universities require their students to undergo such training within a specific number of hours as part of the curriculum.For the students, an OJT or internship program provides opportunities to go  through  the  actual  methodologies  of  a  specific  job  using  the  real  tools, equipments and documents. In effect, the workplace becomes a development venue for a student trainee to learn more about his chosen field and practice what he has learn from academy. On the  other hand, an effective OJT program also benefits the companies who accept trainees. OJT or intern provides additional manpower for lesser labor cost than a regular employee. OJT’s can bring fresh ideas  into the organization.Given the opportunity to speak  their  minds  freely  and  without  fear,  they  maybe  able  to  contribute significantly in brainstorming sessions or research and eventually help improve the organizations productivity. While training the interns, employers are in fact also teaching their employees to process of guiding the trainees stretches their  patience, dev elops teaching skills and makes them more sensitive to the needs and mind set of the younger generation. The course of supervision also teaches them how to share what they know and be receptive to questions.Hence, the internship also becomes an avenue in training for future managers of the company. Accommodating on-the-job trainees can truly be beneficial not only to the trainees but also to the companies that provide opportunities for this type of  learning. There is wisdom in the front lines. Such training can be an investment that will be valuable to the company later on. This is also why trainees should take their internship seriously as it can become a powerful tool and possibly even a source of recommendation when they take that big lift from being students to career professionals.SuperFerry, founded as  Aboitiz SuperFerry, is a shipping company based in  Manila,Philippines. It is the country’s largest shipping company,with its main hub located in Pier 15 in  Ma nila South Harbor. It has one of the more modern shipping fleets in the Philippines and operates the largest fleet of inter-island vessels in the country. [1] The shipping company was formerly known as  William, Gothong & Aboitiz  (WG&A). Aboitiz bought out the William Lines and Gothong Lines Group. The Gothong Group restarted its own shipping company called Carlos A.Gothong Lines (CAGLI), while the William Group opted to concentrate on its logistics, warehousing, and courier business, called Fast Logistics. Currently, SuperFerry and its sister companies  SuperCat  and  Cebu Ferries  are subsidiaries of the  Aboitiz Group. The Aboitiz group is one of the largest and most diversified corporations in the country with business interests spanning various industries in the Philippines such as power, banking, food production, property development, construction, shipbuilding, and leisure/resort.The Aboitiz name has been synonymous with transport since it purchased its first v essel, the Picket, in 1907. Today, it is the largest inter-island movers of p***engers and cargo in the Philippines. In 2004, we refreshed the SuperFerry brand that would reflect our renewed promise of P***ion for Service. Now, you can enjoy visiting the different island destinations all over the Philippines through a unique sea travel experience that only SuperFerry can deliver with the comforts and convenience of well appointed accommodations and first of its cl*** amenities and facilities onboard.We have 10 vessels: SuperFerry 1, SuperFerry 2, SuperFerry 5, SuperFerry 9, SuperFerry 12, SuperFerry 15, SuperFerry 16, SuperFerry 19, Our Lady of Medjugorje, and Our Lady of Good Voyage. We sail to 18 ports of call all over the Philippines, including Bacolod, Butuan, Ca***an de Oro, Cebu, Coron, Cotabato, Davao, Dipolog, Dumaguete, General Santos, Iligan, Iloilo, Manila, Ozamis, Puerto Princesa, Surigao, Tagbilaran, and Zamboanga.

EC Law Essay

Part A Sonja is a temporary farm labourer of 16 years old. In the summer of 2005 she was hospitalized with sunburn got from working in the field without adequate UV protection according to the â€Å"Ultraviolet Radiation (UV) Protection at Work† Directive adopted by the EC. The Directive provides that the Member States should ensure â€Å"Sunblock and Sunglasses† to â€Å"workers in outdoor activities† within the meaning of the Directive. According to the independent arbitration scheme with employers set up with the approval of the Government by the Finnish Farm Labourers Union, Sonja, has brought her claim before the Arbitrator. Her claim requires that the Arbitrator interpret the â€Å"Ultraviolet Radiation (UV) Protection at Work† Directive. The Arbitrator considers that Sonja’s claim should be dismissed because she is not a â€Å"worker† according to his interpretation of the Directive, but merely an â€Å"apprentice† who does not qualify for legal protection. As provided in the independent arbitration scheme the decisions of the Arbitrator are legally binding and there is no right to appeal. According to the rules of procedure established by the instituting treaties of the European Communities for the Court of Justice of the European Communities, the Court’s jurisdiction is automatically mandatory in the areas expressly provided by the Treaties. There is no need for the Member States to accept this competence which means that the Court can be authorized by only one party, even against Member States. This also means that in the attributed domains by the treaties its competence is exclusive compared to any other jurisdiction. Article 234[1] (ex Article 177) from the consolidated Treaty establishing the European Community provides that: „The Court of Justice shall have jurisdiction to give preliminary rulings concerning: (a)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  the interpretation of this Treaty; (b)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  the validity and interpretation of acts of the institutions of the Community and of the ECB; (c)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  the interpretation of the statutes of bodies established by an act of the Council, where those statutes so provide. Where such a question is raised before any court or tribunal of a Member State, that court or tribunal may, if it considers that a decision on the question is necessary to enable it to give judgment, request the Court of Justice to give a ruling thereon. Where any such question is raised in a case pending before a court or tribunal of a Member State, against whose decisions there is no judicial remedy under national law, that court or tribunal shall bring the matter before the Court of Justice.† In the case of Sonja, because the independent arbitration scheme set up between the Finnish Farm Labourers Union and the employers is conducted with the approval of the Government, to settle disputes regarding pay and conditions of work we can assimilate the Arbitrator with a court of law. The Arbitrator has an exclusive competence in this field. Moreover, he meets the requirements set up in the last provision of the Article 234, as set forth, because his decisions are legally binding and there is no right to appeal. This institutes an obligation upon the Arbitrator that whenever he has to interpret any act of one of the institutions of the Community he should raise a case before the Court of Justice of the European Communities. Therefore, before interpreting the provisions of the â€Å"Ultraviolet Radiation (UV) Protection at Work† Directive on the meaning of â€Å"worker† within the said act, the Arbitrator should have brought recourse in interpretation before the Court of Justice of the European Communities. The conditions for such recourse, as provided in the Article 234, are that: there has to be an open case brought before a national form of jurisdiction that has to request the Court, asking for the interpretation of an act of one of the institutions of the Communities. Because the Arbitrator did not open such recourse before the Court of Justice of the European Communities, Sonja has grounds for dismissal of his decision in front of a higher Finnish court of law through an extraordinary procedure. The dismissal can be decided only on procedural issues and not on the merits of the case because the decisions of the Arbitrator are not subject to appeal. In general, international jurisdictions are only competent to try states. They can not be used as a legal remedy by natural persons. However, the Court of Justice of the European Communities is accessible not only to the member states of the European Communities, but also, in very strict conditions to individuals, natural and legal persons. This provides Sonja with, yet, another alternative for her case. She can bring an annulment recourse before the Court. The annulment recourse is the possibility of the states, institutions of the Communities and natural and legal persons to challenge in front of the Court   a mandatory act issued either by the Council or by the Commission, and to be granted in certain conditions the annulment of the act. This is a way to control EU acts and their conformity with the instituting treaties. The provisions of the Rome Treaties show that there can be subjected to this form of recourse acts that are mandatory like directives and regulations, and in certain situations even decisions.   Article 230[2] (ex Article 173) of the consolidated Treaty establishing the European Community provides that: â€Å"The Court of Justice shall review the legality of acts adopted jointly by the European Parliament and the Council, of acts of the Council, of the Commission and of the ECB, other than recommendations and opinions, and of acts of the European Parliament intended to produce legal effects vis-à  -vis third parties. It shall for this purpose have jurisdiction in actions brought by a Member State, the European Parliament, the Council or the Commission on grounds of lack of competence, infringement of an essential procedural requirement, infringement of this Treaty or of any rule of law relating to its application, or misuse of powers. The Court of Justice shall have jurisdiction under the same conditions in actions brought by the European Parliament, by the Court of Auditors and by the ECB for the purpose of protecting their prerogatives. Any natural or legal person may, under the same conditions, institute proceedings against a decision addressed to that person or against a decision which, although in the form of a regulation or a decision addressed to another person, is of direct and individual concern to the former. [†¦]† Usually, individuals are allowed to bring actions before the Court only in reference to regulations which directly apply to them and directly breach their rights. However, proceedings can be brought regarding a directive in situations in which it has the same effects on the individual.   The â€Å"Ultraviolet Radiation (UV) Protection at Work† Directive directly infringes Sonja’s right to adequate protection for the type of labour she is doing and for the conditions in which she works by limiting the notion of â€Å"worker† to which it applies. With this limitation the Directive breaches the substantial provisions of the Treaty establishing the European Community. Regarding work, Article 13 of the Treaty provides that: â€Å"1.     Without prejudice to the other provisions of this Treaty and within the limits of the powers conferred by it upon the Community, the Council, acting unanimously on a proposal from the Commission and after consulting the European Parliament, may take appropriate action to combat discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation.†[3] Therefore the principle of the prohibition of discrimination on grounds of age is laid down by an instituting treaty. It bears no difference that Sonja is only sixteen. She should not be discriminated against for this reason and not be considered as a â€Å"worker† under the Directive. The term â€Å"worker† is also described in many EU acts, including in the jurisprudence of the Court of Justice of the European Communities. The notion is wide and non-discriminatory, especially when considering a persons rights or the breach of these rights. â€Å"26. In accordance with the Court’s case-law, the concept of worker, within the meaning of Article 48 of the Treaty and of Regulation No 1612/68, has a specific Community meaning and must not be interpreted narrowly. Any person who pursues activities which are real and genuine, to the exclusion of activities on such a small scale as to be regarded as purely marginal and ancillary, must be regarded as a worker. The essential feature of an employment relationship is, according to that case-law, that for a certain period of time a person performs services for and under the direction of another person in return for which he receives remuneration[4]† Moreover, the restriction on the term â€Å"worker† is in direct violation with the Directive No. 33 of 22 June 1994 on the protection of young people at work which applies to persons under 18 and provides that they should have suitable work conditions, â€Å"measures necessary to protect the safety and health of young people[5]†. In conclusion, the limitation of the notion of â€Å"worker† from the â€Å"Ultraviolet Radiation (UV) Protection at Work† Directive that prevents Sonja, because of her age and because she is a temporary worker to benefit from the proper work protection, is in direct violation of the instituting treaties, the principles on which the EU is based, the jurisprudence of the Court of Justice of the European Communities and basic human rights. This provides Sonja, although she is a natural person, with the active legal quality to bring recourse in annulment before the Court due to what she has suffered from the effects of this act. Part B The joined cases of Bernard Keck and Daniel Mithouard were brought before the Court of Justice of the European Communities as a reference under Article 177 of the EEC Treaty[6] by the Tribunal de Grande Instance (Regional Court) from Strasbourg (France), for a preliminary ruling in the criminal proceedings pending before the tribunal against the two. The Tribunal de Grande Instance has asked the Court of Justice of the European Communities to give an interpretation of the rules of the EEC Treaty relating to competition and freedom of movement within the Community. The Court has found that â€Å"Article 30 of the EEC Treaty is to be interpreted as not applying to legislation of a Member State imposing a general prohibition on resale at a loss†[7]. In the decisions of Keck and Mithouard the Court institutes certain principles regarding the measures that can be taken by states. Such a principle is the one stating that: â€Å"national measures which limit or prohibit ‘certain sales practices’ do not fall within the scope of Article 30[8], so long as they are applied to all those operating within the national territory and that they affect in exactly the same way, both in law and in practice, the marketing of national products and those originating from other Member States†[9]. The Court of Justice of the European Communities has subsequently interpreted the decisions in the cases of Keck and Mithouard on the matter of advertising, especially the vague formulation: â€Å"selling arrangements†. The decisions were applied and interpreted in connection to the way producers are able to market their goods and to the marketing strategies used by them. However, the two cases were exceptional interpretations of the Article 28, due to the circumstances and should have been regarded as such. On the contrary, this interpretation was widely extended by the Court. The extension has brought about the possibility of member states to impose certain restrictions in advertising. These restrictions were thought by the Court to be outside the scope of Article 28. Such measures cover fields like: â€Å"TV advertising and sponsorship of programmes aimed at children below the age of 12 being prohibited[10]† in Sweden, the advertising of toys in Greece which is time restricted, banns referring to certain kinds of toys in Germany and Denmark and so on. Goods that are considered â€Å"sensitive† are also subjected to banns even at an EU level. As an example there is the ‘Television Without Frontiers’ (TVWF) Directive in which there is stated that children should not have easy access to advertising for goods such as cigarettes and alcohol. Cases were brought before the Court with regards to such measures. Some decisions given by the Court find basis on its previous Keck and Mithouard decisions: â€Å"With respect to the free movement of goods (Article 30) the Court recognised that the ban on advertising could affect the free movement of the products advertised. It then referred to the Keck-Mithouard jurisprudence and ruled that a Member State could apply such restrictions if they were shown to affect in the same way, ‘in law and in fact’, the marketing of domestic products and of those from other Member States; were necessary for meeting overriding requirements of general public importance or one of the aims laid down in Article 36 of the EC Treaty; were proportionate for that purpose and that those aims could not be met by less restrictive measures†[11].   In conclusion, bans of advertising are considered to be in accordance with the Article 28 when they affect in the same way the marketing of the domestic products and that of the products from other Member States, they are necessary for requirements of general public importance and when less restrictive measures could not have been applied. Thus, the Court institutes the principle of proportionality that applies even if the ban has more serious effects on goods coming from other states than on national ones. Any state restrictions of the â€Å"selling arrangements†Ã‚   automatically affect access to the market contrary to what the Court has considered in the cases of Keck and Mithouard.   It is of course true that such restrictions provided in a non-discriminatory way do not infringe of the free movement of goods, but they do affect trade. Measures taken by states have to be â€Å"uncertain† and â€Å"indirect†, for them to fall outside the scope of the Article 28 and be regarded as breaches of the free movement of goods. The Keck case institutes a kind of presumption that certain measures taken by states, that fall under a certain category should be regarded as â€Å"uncertain† and â€Å"indirect† and therefore outside the scope of Article 28. This presumption is damaging in some cases. The measures should be analyzed according to the merits of each individual case and the effects they have in that particular case. Therefore, I believe that the cases of Keck and Mithouard affect the balance between state responsibilities and the free movement of goods. Bibliography: Consolidated Version of the Treaty Establishing the European Community (2002), Official Journal C325, Retrieved of the 10th on January 2005, Available at:   http://www.europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex/en/treaties/dat/12002E/htm/12002E.html Brian Francis Collins v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (23 March 2004); Judgment of the Court (Full Court);Case C-138/02; European Court reports 2004 Page I-02703, Retrieved of the 10th on January 2005, Available at: http://www.europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex/Notice.do?val=287581:cs&lang=en&list=391912:cs,287581:cs,341893:cs,287498:cs,278038:cs,277710:cs,269338:cs,264078:cs,250808:cs,247148:cs,&pos=2&page=1&nbl=18&pgs=10&hwords=work~worker~&checktexte=checkbox&visu=#texte Criminal proceedings against Bernard Keck and Daniel Mithouard (24 November 1993); Judgment of the Court;   Joined cases C-267/91 and C-268/91, European Court reports 1993 Page I-06097, Retrieved of the 10th on January 2005, Available at:   http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:61991J0267:EN:HTML#DI    Council Directive 94/33/EC of 22 June 1994 on the protection of young people at work, Official Journal L 216 , 20/08/1994 P. 0012 – 0020,   Retrieved of the 10th on January 2005, Available at: http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:31994L0033:EN:HTML Lolivier, Marc (January 1998), The De Agostini ruling and advertising regulation, Commercial Comunications Newsletter, Edition 10,   Retrieved of the 10th on January 2005, Available at: http://europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/comcom/newsletter/edition10/page04_en.htm Stanbrook, Lionel ( October 1997), Children’s advertising, consumer protection and the country of origin principle, Commercial Comunications Newsletter, Edition 09, Retrieved of the 10th on January 2005, Available at: http://europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/comcom/newsletter/edition09/page18_en.htm Statute of the Court of Justice (November 2005), Retrieved of the 10th on January 2005, Available at:   http://curia.eu.int/en/instit/txtdocfr/txtsenvigueur/statut.pdf Þorvaldsson,   Bjà ¶rn (2002), Keck and Mithouard,   Master Thesis, Master of European Affairs Programe, Law, Retrieved of the 10th on January 2005, Available at: http://www.jur.lu.se/Internet/english/essay/Masterth.nsf/0/585A26471860B6F6C1256BCD00730AAF/$File/xsmall.pdf?OpenElement Mollers, Thomas M.J. (February 2005), EuGH, Rs. C-405/98 v. 8.3.2001 – Gourmet International Products, Faculty of Law, Augsburg University, Retrieved of the 10th on January 2005, Available at: http://www.jura.uni-augsburg.de/prof/moellers/materialien/materialdateien/050_eugh_entscheidungen/eugh_1998_405_gourmet_international_products_en/ Competitive Federalism and Market Access in the EU, Jean Monet Center, NYU School of Law, Retrieved of the 10th on January 2005, Available at:   http://www.jeanmonnetprogram.org/papers/01/012701-04.html [1]   Treaty establishing the European Community, Art. 234 [2] idem, Art 230 [3] idem, Art. 13 [4] Brian Francis Collins v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (23 March 2004) [5] Council Directive 94/33/EC of 22 June 1994 on the protection of young people at work. [6] Treaty establishing the European Community, ex Article 177 [7]Criminal proceedings against Bernard Keck and Daniel Mithouard (24 November 1993) [8] in the consolidated Treaty the number of the article has become 28 and it will be referred to accordingly [9] Lolivier, Marc (January 1998), op. cit. [10] Stanbrook, Lionel (October 1997), op. cit. [11] idem

Edward Albee’s “The Sandbox” Essay

The inability of people to communicate and loss of personal values can lead to dramatic effects. Edward Albee’s play â€Å"The Sandbox† is an example of modern American drama in which he demonstrates cruel relations in a middle class family, criticizing modern society’s decay. Within the story we see the dialogue between family members, a husband and his wife, who are awaiting the death of her mother. As the names of characters suggest (Mommy, Daddy, Grandma), the action takes place within the family unit. Notice that the names of characters are generic. In doing this, the author is trying to show that it can be any family members. The story shows their cold relations with and disrespect for their old grandmother. We see the money over the family values, so much in common with American society today. The story reflects the reality of the contemporary American family. This is often a common situation today: the children bring their old mother from her country farm to their big beautiful house in the city. They do it not for her pleasure, but for their own convenience. They care neither for what she thinks, nor her interests or values. Money is the most important thing to them. They think she does not understand things very well anymore because she is old, and old-fashioned. In reality she understands more than anyone can imagine. Finally, when the children tire of her, they take her to a nursing home, where she can wait for the end alone. In the story â€Å"The Sandbox†, the author makes a judgment about the younger generation’s attitude towards the older generation. The main theme of the story is the inability of people to communicate with each other, the emptiness of contemporary family life, and the meaninglessness of modern existence. The main characters play an important role in supporting the theme. As we see throughout the story, Mommy and Daddy are ignorant people. Mommy is domineering and cruel, while Daddy is passive and emasculated. He does what she says, followed by â€Å"Whatever you say, Mommy.† She shows no respect towards anyone, including her mother and husband. We notice when Mommy and Daddy speak to one another, that there is no warm and sincere relationship between them; she only married him for the money. They treat Grandma with politeness, yet at the same time with merciless detachment. They talk about her, but hardly to her. Mommy reveals no emotional  attachment to her own mother. Daddy at least worries that Grandma is uncomfortable, but Mommy shuts him up. The emotion of concern they display is more hypocritical than sincere. On the other hand, Grandma is sincere and even child-like, making her character admirable. All the same she is sharp-tongued and shrewd. This only adds to the complexity of her personality. From the beginning of the play, we see that the plot of the story is evident, due to the way Mommy and Daddy talk about Grandma, and how they treat her. However there is no clear climax or resolution to the story. Mommy, Daddy, and Grandma are symbols of poor relationships in the contemporary family unit. Mommy, Daddy and symbolize the future generation, while Grandma is an icon of the past. She tries to fit into and relate to the fashion of the new generation but at her age, she no longer commands the social weight. The new generation (Mommy and Daddy) do not want to accept her values and do not want her to be involved in their lives. The Young Man is presented in the story as the Angel of Death. He symbolizes today’s personal values, emptiness and lack of culture of the new generation. When he kisses Grandma, it symbolizes that the end is near. When she dies, she is going to take her values and traditions to the grave. The bareness of the stage suggests the society in which we live today. When Grandma buries herself using the pail and shovel, she represent one of the millions of people with values and traditions, who is tired of living in a society that is so empty of emotions. When she dies, it represents the passing of an age, one in which value and hard work were important. Mommy and Daddy represent the decadent way of life that replaces it. In this play, Albee tries to show the reality of today’s society, with its lack of compassion for individuals, regardless of age and the decline of culture and traditions that support it.

Development and Towns and Cities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Development and Towns and Cities - Essay Example In cases where the growth factor ceases, there is likelihood of the city gradually dying because of lack of activity. This may explain the reason why some known cities in history such as the walled market towns of the 9th century in north UK died. These were replaced by the medieval towns that were motivated by the agricultural productivity during their time and need for produce storage and marketing such as the Newton city, Newport and Newmarket. As we consider the growth and development of cities from the ancient through the medieval to the present age and project the growth into the future, it is important to note that a city, like a liviing thing is born, can grow, can be sustained and has potential to die. What may be important in this case is to note that the growth of towns and cities is a transformational process based on differnent influences. Past influences over the growth of towns and cities Growth of towns and cities traced to the 1st century BC was a culmination of mult iple factors but most pronounced was the economic factor. Most of the towns in the UK grew as trade hubs to facilitate trade of goods. Most of the growth is traced to the medieval age when there was a boom in agricultural production where most lords and barons wanted channels to distribute or market their produce. This saw the development of walled cities like Oxford and Hereford which were basically trade cities. Because of the need to move the products, most of these cities grew along major trade routes where transportation was easiest. Therefore transport network in the UK became an important factor that influenced growth and development of towns and cities. These developed as hubs and interconnections where commodities would be collected in readiness for transportion to the market. For this reason most of the ancient cities were harbor cities because of the formidable water transport system by then using steamships and rafts. Because of human sociology as a result of economic gr owth, social needs of residents and internal migrants promoted development of other cities in the UK. These included â€Å"cathedral cities† like in Wales (where magnificence of churches is evident), administrative cities like Canterbury, Silchester, Wroxeter, and Winchester which were used as Roman capitals while others like Caerleon, Gloucester and Chester were fortresses and defence cities. Although the administrative factor became important later, yet it was routed in the need to watch over the economics. It is therefore imperative to say that the two most important factors that influenced growth of towns and cities in teh UK are need to control markets and the issues of human sociology that demanded social structures and formal city and town formation (Smith, 2006 p 5). Present day influences on growth These can be traced back to the industrial revolution time in the 18th century where growth was mainly transformed by the textile industry which is said to lead to the gro wth of Dublin (British second largest city after London) (Fraser, 1980 p 465). Growth of towns and cities in this time was fuelled by the need to source raw materials, manufature goods and distributing them to the market as was seen in Birmingham and Manchester which doubled up as admistrative towns as well. Because of the increased wealth the present day growth shifted its focus slightly from economics to social factors. This led to growth of towns for recreation such as the Brighton

Economic Consequences of Ageism on the Elderly and the American Research Paper

Economic Consequences of Ageism on the Elderly and the American Healthcare System - Research Paper Example From this paper it is clear that old persons have less employment opportunities and have a lower pay scale as compared to younger employees. The 1967 Equal Employment opportunity Commission provides protection to job applicants and employees from discrimination on the basis of mature age. Aged Americas are an important part of society and can still contribute towards nation building.This report highlights that  the word â€Å"ageism† was coined in 1968 by Robert Butler. The media accepted the term and later it found its way into The Oxford English Dictionary. Ageism has been reported by many old persons and is widely present in the country’s establishment resulting in bigotry in the media, workplace, healthcare and language. For instance, presence of discrimination in case of appointing older persons,   absence of health care in health care institutions, the use of abusive language and the negative portrayal of old persons in cartoons showing them as ugly, cantanker ous and dirty. Negative feelings about a certain group can be called as the negative attitudes. Sickness, impotency, health decline, mental illness, poverty, gloominess, isolation, unattractiveness and futility are the major nine stereotypes depicting bias against elders.A major discrimination against elders is made on the basis of illness faced by majority of their population.  About half of the American population believes that poor health is a grave trouble faced by majority of people over 65.... Negative feelings about a certain group can be called as the negative attitudes. Sickness, impotency, health decline, mental illness, poverty, gloominess, isolation, unattractiveness and futility are the major nine stereotypes depicting bias against elders. A major discrimination against elders is made on the basis of illness faced by majority of their population. About half of the American population believes that poor health is a grave trouble faced by majority of people over 65. However, the fact is that most of the elderly people which constitute more than 85 percent of the elderly population take on strong activities of daily life like ingestion, bathing, etc. Only about 5 percent of these elderly persons are hospitalized. Another stereotype is that older persons have no desire for sexual activity and those who spend ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF AGEISM ON THE ELDERLY AND THE AMERICAN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM time in such action can be called as ethically nasty or at the slightest peculiar . The truth is that persons crossing the age of 65 have concern and capability for sexual relationships. They have freedom from alarm of pregnancy, job stress and childbearing errands, free time and more grown-up relations. Ugliness of old people is another common stereotype. Beauty is associated with youth and women particularly fear the loss of their beauty as a result of aging. In contrast to our culture, some cultures like those of the Japanese tend to associate wrinkles and gray hair with insight, development and long term service. Palmore (1999) states that it is thought that age increase from middle age is associated with a decline in ability to learn and remember. But most aged adults tend to keep hold of learning abilities. Illness, lack of education, style of learning,

Domain Name Dispute Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Domain Name Dispute - Essay Example Pursuant to Para. 4(a) of the .au Dispute Resolution Policy 2010 (hereinafter the Policy), the Complainant contends that the use of the domain name quickileaks-sucks.org is confusingly similar to its domain name quickileaks.org and that the addition of sucks.org to quick leaks does nothing to distinguish the two domain names. The Complainant further argues that over the last five years its use of quick leaks has earned a common law trademark. The common law trademark was acquired by increasing traffic to its site quickileaks.org and publicity in the media over the five year period. The Complainant also maintains that the Respondent does not have a legitimate interest or right in the domain name and is acting in bad faith. These contentions are supported by the assertion that the Respondent does not have a commercial purpose for the use of the domain name and has no connection to the Complainant’s common law trademark and was not authorized to use the trademark. According to Para. 4(a) of the Policy, the Complainant was required to prove that the domain names and trade name were identical or confusingly similar. The Complainant was also required to prove that the Respondent did not have a right or legitimate interest in the domain names. The Complainant was also required to prove that the Respondent acted in bad faith. Thus the Complainant’s allegations do not mean that the Complainant’s allegations are automatically accepted as true. In addition, the Complainant is required to prove that it has a common law trademark. Each of these issues is considered below. What distinguishes the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UNDRP) from the au. Policy, it is not necessary for the complainant to have a registered trademark. All that the complainant is required to prove under the au. A policy is that he or she have acquired a common law trademark through ‘sufficient evidence of use or reputation in the trademark to justify reliance on a common law trademark’.  

Recommendation report for Airbus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Recommendation report for Airbus - Essay Example As the essay stresses one of the important aspects that Airbus has to consider in framing its policy over the next five years is contract management, because thus far, it has not been able to effectively manage them. A part of the problems Airbus is facing now have to do with a botched French deal that went wrong. EADS, the parent company of Airbus came into being through the disposition of 37.9% of Airbus shares that were owned by a French public sector enterprise, Aerospatiale, to a private investor, Noel Forgeard. While the deal was originally intended to provide Airbus with a long term, French private sector shareholder to aid the process of privatisation, it has proved to be a botched up job that has aided the downfall of Airbus. From this research it is clear the problems arose when Forgeard sold his shares to Daimler in Germany, thereby disturbing the equity stake and ownership percentages of the French Government, acquired through disposition of its ownership in Aerospatiale. Furthermore, the original intent behind the formulation of EDAS was to provide strong European competition for the American giant Boeing, but fluctuations in exchange rates have not proved favourable to the Company’s sales in the market. It appears likely that some of these problems could have been addressed if the contracts had included certain provisions; for example stipulating that ownership of Forgeard’s shares were to remain within France.

Last Day at School Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Last Day at School - Essay Example The researcher states that it is impossible to believe that he needs to leave the high school where he met so many wonderful people and friends. The researcher knows he has become close with my fellow students and this bond is not easy to forget. It is really difficult to assume what life would have been without these happy high school years. These days the author was sometimes joyful and sometimes nervous and also there were days of sorrow. All these emotions took a ride through his years in high school. And the day when the author had to bid goodbye to his friends, tears rolled out of his eyes. The researcher never realized that he loves his school so much. It has given him valuable experience and knowledge and number of friends that he can never forget. It was a memorable day when the author was busy compiling his graduation book with his friends and fellow students. All of them with a mixed feeling of sorrow and anxiety in their mind spend the last days of school in unity. The re searcher remembers the times when he was busy compiling the graduation book, the one with all the memories, fun photos and writing jotted down in it. The graduation book is a treasure for the author when he looks into the book he finds his friends face glaring at him which give him utter happiness. The day when the author was compiling it, he requested his best friend to put his picture on the front page and he stuck a photo in which both of them were holding hands in a sportive manner. He wrote words which displayed his feeling and love for the author. The researcher could not look into his eyes as he could see the tears ready to fall out of his eyes.

CRJ 520 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

CRJ 520 - Research Paper Example of all these challenges has been the lack of enough resources to support the program, and this has compounded the same problems that the program was supposed to address. The Substance Abuse Felony Punishment (SAFP) program is an intensive and an inexpensive substance abuse program that the Texas State offers for offenders undergoing probation. Under this program, the offenders spend 6-12 months in a correctional facility that is run by officers from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ). After leaving the Substance Abuse Felony Punishment facility, clients are placed within a residential establishment that is situated within the community, followed by a minimum of three and a maximum of nine months of outpatient counseling. The treatment offered by the Substance Abuse Felony Punishment program is usually offered on contractual by private treatment bodies contracted by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. In the years that the program has been in operation, there has been ongoing criticism regarding the program especially on the lack of regulation by the state government (Singh & Chalï ¬ , 2008). At the present, the Substance Abuse Felony Punishment program offers nearly 4,500 treatment beds that are strictly dedicated to individuals who have been charged for crimes related to substance abuse. Ideally, a person can only be placed under an SAFP program if a judge establishes that drug or alcohol abuse was responsible for the offense and that the offender is ideal for treatment. Under this program, an approximate 500 SAFP beds are preserved for parolees. In most cases, offenders are placed under the SAFP program either as an original condition or as an alternative of a supervision requirement while under management (Singh & Chalï ¬ , 2008). Over the last three decades, Texas has come up with legislations and policies that are mean to bolster public safety. This has in turn led to overcrowding in prisons and jails and a corrections budget that has

Communication plan for childhood obesity Term Paper

Communication plan for childhood obesity - Term Paper Example This essay "Communication plan for childhood obesity" outlines the draft how to reduce the growing rate of obese children in consequence of communication strategy. Parents have the greatest responsibility in bringing change to the current level of obesity among the young children in US. Parents have a duty to determine the kind of food their children eat and the involvement of children in physical activities (Williams, et.al, 2013). The mothers should be encouraged to breastfeed their babies adequately and avoid feeding them babies with foods containing high calories, sugar and fat. Parents should encourage their children to take part in physical activities regularly and limit the time which those children spend watching television, videos and playing computer games Teachers determine the kind of physical activities that children engage in which in school. In most cases, teachers are focused on academic performance of their schools and limit the time in which their students engage in physical activities (Williams, et.al, 2013). All training institutions should have a well structured program that specifies the time for students’ involvement in physical activities and time for class work. Therefore, teachers should give adequate time for physical activities to their students every day in order to improve their wellbeing. In addition, students take their meals at school during the day. Therefore, teachers have a duty to ensure that health foods are available for the students while in school.

Business Studies Case Study on a Music Industry (With Diagrams) Essay Example for Free

Business Studies Case Study on a Music Industry (With Diagrams) Essay Benny, a class 9 boy who excelled in the art of singing wanted to make use of his rare talent and raise money for his future education. He set up a small time business with 2 of his friends to raise money, as he was very poor. One of his friends Sam decided to handle accounts as he was skilled at Maths and had a good understanding of what price to set. Another of his friends Josh was in charge of building personal relations with some consumers to enhance sales as he had excellent persuasions and people skills. All three of them thought about different marketing strategies. They conducted research and found: * This was a gap in the market as there are few talented child singers going public * Most of the people in their class were willing to buy the CD at a reasonable price, his juniors and seniors were also willing to buy, * There would be an excitement about the album only for he first few weeks as the three of them had built considerable hype for the launch of the event, * Knowing Benny personally helped as people knew that they could associate and comment on his album, selling the album anywhere else would not earn enough. * They would need to add a lot more value to the album like adding a live video of Benny singing and dancing and a virtually DJ mixed song. They calculated the cost of making one CD: * They had to pay a monthly rent of Rs 10,000 for the recording studio for one month but due to lack of funds the owner of studio allowed them to pay 50% after 4 months * Printing the cover page of the CD- 5 Rupees * Cost of empty CD 15 Rupees * Cover of the CD 10 Rupees * Other Rs. 5000 per month They did not think that they could do all the work themselves and hence employed 20 members of their class and promised to pay them 100 Rupees if they managed to sell 20 CDs each per month. They worked under the sales department. The album was launched in January and Sam decided to sell each CD for a cost of 99 Rupees. The first month the 3 of them sold only in their school and to their close friends and were able to sell 500 CDs in cash while another 250 were sold in credit. The next month the 3 of them decide to go outside school after taking customer feedback through questionnaires, interviews and observations and improving the mistakes they made in the album. Then they decided to market the CD throughout Mumbai and were promoted and sponsored by Planet M, as Planet M is a well known music shop; which charged 10000 per month for advertising. Every week on a Saturday, which is statistically Planet Ms day with the most footfalls, a special promotion took place where Benny sang live in the store. Planet M also advertised this in the Rolling Stones Magazine and newspaper. Benny became an instant hit and at the end of the year they sold 1000 CDs per month in cash and 500 CDs in credit that was to be paid by the next month. Now Benny and his friends have decided to sell the rights of the album to Tips Industry limited for 500,000 so that they could sell whole over India. They took this step as there board exams were approaching but as per the contract Benny has to perform about 1 stage show per month all over India and gets 10,000 Rupees for doing so.

Quiz 2 answers Essay Example for Free

Quiz 2 answers Essay CHAPTER 11 In the current year, Rich has a $40,000 loss from a business he owns. His at-risk amount at the end of the year, prior to considering the current year loss, is $24,000. He will be allowed to deduct the $40,000 loss this year if he is a material participant in the businessCorrect Answer: False Judy owns a 20% interest in a partnership in which her at-risk amount was $35,000 at the beginning of the year. The partnership borrowed $50,000 on a recourse note and made a $40,000 profit during the year. Her at-risk amount at the end of the year is $53,000 Correct Answer: True Kelly, who earns a yearly salary of $120,000, sold an activity with a suspended passive loss of $44,000. The activity was sold at a loss and Kelly has no other passive activities. The suspended loss is not deductibleCorrect Answer: False During the year, Bear Company incurs a $25,000 loss on a passive activity, has active income of $17,000, and portfolio income of $12,000. If Bear is a personal service corporation, it may deduct all of the $25,000 passive loss.Correct Answer: False Nathan owns Activity A, which produces income each year. He also owns Activity B, which produces passive losses each year. From a tax planning perspective, Nathan will be better off if Activity A is passive.Correct Answer: True Joe participates 95 hours in an activity, while an employee participates 5 hours. Joe has materially participated in the activity.Correct Answer: True Joyce owns an activity (not real estate) in which she participates for 100 hours a year; her husband participates for 450 hours. Joyce qualifies as a material participant. Correct Answer: True In the current year, Abby has AGI of $95,000 and a $40,000 loss from a real estate rental activity in which she is a 15% owner. If she is an active participant, she can deduct $25,000 of the loss Correct Answer: True CHAPTER 13 Realized gain or loss is measured by the difference between the amount realized from the sale or other disposition of property and the property’s adjusted basis at the date of disposition. Correct Answer: True If the buyer assumes the seller’s liability on the property acquired, the seller’s amount realized is decreased by the amount of the liability assumed. Correct Answer: False Expenditures made for ordinary repairs and maintenance of property are not added to the original basis in the determination of the property’s adjusted basis whereas capital expenditures are added to the original basis. Correct Answer: True A realized gain on the sale or exchange of a personal use asset is recognized, but a realized loss on the sale or exchange of a personal use asset is not recognized. Correct answer true When a taxpayer has purchased several lots of stock on different dates at different purchase prices and cannot identify the lot of stock that is being sold, he may choose which lot of stock is deemed to be sold. Correct Answer: False Property received as a gift can be sold by a donee and result in neither recognized gain nor loss. Correct Answer: True The basis for depreciation on gift property that is depreciable by the donee, is the donor’s adjusted basis of the property at the date of the gift. Correct Answer: True Property that has been converted from personal use to business use will be dual basis property (a different basis for determining gain vs. loss) if the adjusted basis exceeds the fair market value at the date of conversion. Correct Answer: True A class of depreciable tangible personal property can be exchanged for another class of depreciable tangible personal property and qualify as like-kind propertyCorrect Answer: False CHAPTER 14 A university professor writes a mystery novel and publishes it at his own expense. Several years later, a national publishing company buys the copyright to the book for $345,000. The professor has no tax basis for the copyright. The professor has a long-term capital gain of $345,000. Correct Answer: False Real property subdivided for resale into lots, even if no substantial physical improvements have been made to the property, always causes the gain from sale of the lots to be treated as ordinary income. Correct Answer: False Original issue discount is amortized over the life of the bond. Correct Answer: True As a general rule, the sale or exchange of an option to buy or sell property results in capital gain or loss if the property subject to the option is a capital asset in the hands of the option holder. Correct True The only things that the grantee of an option may do with the option are exercise it or let it expire. Correct Answer: False To compute the holding period, start counting on the day the property was acquired and include the day of sale or exchange.Correct Answer: False A  §1231 asset is usually also a capital asset. Correct Answer: False Section 1231 property includes certain purchased intangible assets (such as patents and goodwill) that are eligible for amortization and held for more than one year. Correct Answer: True Nonrecaptured  § 1231 losses from the seven prior tax years may cause current year net  § 1231 gain to be treated as ordinary income.Correct Answer: False The Code contains two major depreciation recapture provisions— §Ã‚ § 1245 and 1250. Correct: True For  § 1245 recapture to apply, accelerated depreciation must have been taken on the property = False Section 1231 lookback losses may convert some or all of potential unrecaptured  § 1245 or  § 1250 gain into ordinary income. Correct Answer: True

2D Guidance in Minimally Invasive Procedures

2D Guidance in Minimally Invasive Procedures Research Strategy (a) SIGNIFICANCE: The use of two-dimensional (2D) Ultrasound (US) guidance in minimally invasive procedures such as percutaneous biopsies,1,2 pain management,3,4 abscess drainages,5 and radiofrequency ablation6 has gained popularity. These procedures all involve insertion of a needle towards a desired anatomical target. Image-guidance facilitates localization of the needle throughout the procedure, increasing accuracy, reliability and safety.7 US offers several advantages over other imaging modalities traditionally used in interventional radiology such as fluoroscopy, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT): It provides real-time visualization of the patients anatomy (including soft tissue and blood vessels) vis-à  -vis the needle, without exposure to ionizing radiation.8 Additionally, being portable and low cost (compared to other imaging modalities) are the added advantages of US imaging. Despite these advantages, the effectiveness of 2D US in needle guidance is highly operator dependent. In the in-plane approach, where needle shaft is parallel to the imaging plane, the needle shaft and tip should ideally be continually visible.9 However, aligning the needle shaft with the scan plane is difficult. Even when the needle is properly aligned, steep orientation (required in most procedures) of the needle with respect to the US beam causes nonaxial specular reflection of the US signal off the needle surface due to a large angle of incidence.10 In this imaging condition, the needle shaft will appear discontinuous and/or the tip will be invisible. This scenario is common with deep targets, for example during liver biopsies and epidural blocks. The challenge of needle visibility at increasing depths is compounded by attenuation of the US signal. Further, high intensity soft tissue artifacts, acoustic shadowing from dense structures such as bone and speckle noise obstruct needl e visibility. To recover needle visibility, clinicians conduct transducer manipulation by translation or rotation, movement of the needle to and fro (pump maneuver),11 stylet movement, needle rotation, and hydrolocation.12 These techniques are variable and subjective. An invisible needle can have detrimental effects on procedures, for example, reduced procedure efficacy, increase in procedure duration, neural, visceral or vascular injury, and infection. Diagnostic accuracy of 90-95% has been reported for US guided breast biopsies,13-15 and 83-95% for US guided liver biopsies.16 It is known that targeting errors due to insufficient needle tip visualization contribute to false negative results.17 In pain management, accidental intraneural injections have been reported in 17% of ultrasound-guided upper- and lower-extremity blocks, even when the procedures were conducted by expert anesthesiologists.18,19 Most of these arise because of poor needle tip localization, which makes it difficu lt to distinguish between subfascial, subepineural, or intrafascicular injections.20 In our ongoing work, we have developed an algorithm for needle enhancement and tip localization in 2D US. This, we achieved by modelling transmission of the US signal.21 We incorporated US signal modeling into an optimization problem to estimate an unknown signal transmission map, which was then used to enhance the needle shaft and tip while considering US specific signal propagation constraints.22 Automatic tip localization was achieved using spatially distributed image statistics limited to the trajectory region. However, incorrect tip localization occurred when high intensity soft tissue interfaces were present along the needle trajectory. The algorithm also required a visible portion of the shaft close to the transducer surface, necessitating proper alignment of the needle with the scan plane. We have also conducted preliminary work on needle detection and enhancement in three-dimensional (3D) US, a modality with potential to obviate the limitations of 2D US in needle guidance. Instead of the latters planar view (one slice at a time), 3D US displays volume data, allowing better visualization of anatomy and needle trajectory at all needle axis orientations. This alleviates the challenge of needle alignment in the scan plane.23 Nevertheless, needle obliquity at steep insertion angles, depth dependent attenuation, as well as acoustic shadowing, imaging artifacts and speckle remain.24,25 Needle visibility is also affected by low dimension of the needle with respect to the US volume. In fact, reported false-negative results for breast biopsies under 3D US show no improvement over those with 2D US.26,27. Consequently, 3D US has not replaced 2D US as the standard of care. To overcome the limitations, researchers have proposed computational methods for needle enhancement and local ization in 3D US. These include: Principal component analysis based on eigen-decomposition,28 the 3D Hough transform,29 the 3D Radon transform,30 parallel integration projection,31 and iterative model-fitting methods such as random sample consensus (RANSAC)32. The accuracy of these methods is affected by attenuation and high intensity artifacts. Besides, computational complexity arises from processing the large amount of volume data.33 Projection based methods fail when a good portion of the shaft is not visible and the tip intensity is low. A more robust needle localization framework based on oscillation of a stylus was recently proposed, although it fails in a single operator scenario, especially for shallow angles.34 All the mentioned methods are based on modeling B-mode image data. The current need, in interventional radiology for needle guidance, is a cost-effective, easy to use, non-radiation based real-time imaging platform with an ability of providing continuous guidance with high accuracy during needle insertion without intercepting the clinical workflow. Our long-term goal of developing a computational 3D US based imaging platform for enhancement and localization of needles is informed by this need. To address this pressing need, we hypothesize that automatic, real-time, accurate, and continuous target identification using 3D radiofrequency (RF) US data is feasible and potentially could be used to provide guidance during interventional radiology for needle insertion.Our preliminary work on modeling US signal transmission in 2D US, as well as needle detection and enhancement in 3D US, are strongly supportive that modeling the RF US signal coupled with advanced reconstruction methods will improve needle visualization and localization in 3D US. The envisaged 3D US reconstruction techniques will incorporate emerging work from machine learning and advanced beamforming to achieve needle enhancement and localization. We envision new pathways of processing and presenting US data, which should make this rich modality ubiquitous to all end-users for needle guidance in interventional radiology. The impact of the proposal will be multiplied since the developed algorithms, using open-source software platform, can also be incorporated as a stand-alone component into existing US imaging platforms. (b) INNOVATION: Previous work on needle enhancement has mostly been focused on enhancement of B-mode images. B-mode images are derived from RF data (the raw signal backscattered onto the US transducer) after several proprietary processing steps. The raw signal is known to contain more statistical information35 which is lost along the processing pipeline. Parallel integral projection in order improve needle visibility in soft tissues using 2D and 3D RF data has previously been investigated although no image visualization, needle enhancement or localization was demonstrated.36 It has been shown that the post-beamformed 2D RF signal allows for a more improved enhancement of local features in US images. 37,38 Image enhancement methods applied to RF signal have also shown to produce improved display of orientation of a biopsy needle.37,38 This study is innovative in three respects: 1) To the best of our knowledge, it is the first to investigate needle enhancement and localization from 3D pre-beamformed RF data (previous approaches were using post-beamformed RF information). 2) The utilization of machine learning approaches, such as deep learning for needle enhancement in 3D US will be a first. 3) Although this pilot will focus on validating the developed framework on pain management and liver biopsy procedures as a case study, the new mathematical and computational approaches proposed in this work will lead to developments that can easily be adopted for enhancement and localization of needles in other interventional radiology procedures. We expect that the achieved results will lead in gradual adoption of 3D US as the standard of care in problematic minimally invasive procedures where 2D US is challenged, thus improving therapeutic and diagnostic value, reducing morbidity and optimizing patient safety. (c) APPROACH: We propose to test the hypothesis that needle detection, enhancement and localization based on the raw 3D RF signal will provide a more accurate and robust platform for needle guidance than current state of the art. The basis for this hypothesis is found by precedent in the use of the RF signal for bone localization,39 and our published21,22 and unpublished work on needle enhancement and localization based on 2D/3D B-mode image data. This preliminary data is presented below. Preliminary work 1 Modeling 2D US signal transmission for Needle Shaft and Tip Enhancement When the US signal pulses are sent by the transducer into tissue, they undergo reflection, scattering, absorption and refraction. These phenomena all contribute to attenuation; the loss in intensity of the US pulses as they travel deeper into tissue. Attenuation is responsible for non-conspicuity of the needle tip and shaft at increasing depths. Previously, we have shown that modeling signal transmission in 2D US based on 2D image data, while considering depth-dependent attenuation leads to enhancement of the needle and more accurate tip localization.21 The modelling framework yields signal transmission maps, which are then used in an image-based contextual regularization process to achieve tip and shaft enhancement (Fig.1). A tip localization accuracy of mm was achieved in ex vivo tissue. However, the localization accuracy is lower when soft tissue interfaces are present along the needle trajectory, and when the needle is not properly aligned in the scan plane. In the context of th is proposal, our objective is to apply similar US signal modeling and contextual regularization, this time based on RF data. Preliminary work 2 Machine learning approaches for needle detection and enhancement in 3D US Since 3D US is multiplanar, the challenge associated with needle alignment in the scan plane is partially eliminated when it is used in needle guidance.   Nevertheless, 3D US is also affected by US signal attenuation. Previous methods proposed for needle enhancement and localization in 3D US did not address this need. In addition, most were computationally demanding because of the requirement to process the entire US volume. In this work (results submitted to 20th MICCAI conference, 2017), we have developed a learning-based method for automatic needle detection in 3D US volumes. The pixel-wise classifier generates a sub-volume containing only slices with needle information. In so doing, computational complexity on the subsequent enhancement and localization algorithms is reduced (Fig.2). The tip is automatically localized in 3D. We achieved 88% detection precision, 98% recall rate, a slice classification time of 0.06 seconds, a localization accuracy of mm, and a training time of 1 5 seconds. Figure 2. Learning based needle detection, enhancement and localization in 3D US. Top row: an example of needle detection. Here, the original volume contained 41 slices, and the classifier identified only 7 containing needle data. Bottom row: The enhancement process on the sub-volume. Left, enhanced intensity projection image. Middle, automatically localized tip (red) displayed on the relevant axial slice. The blue cross is the manually localized tip. Right, trajectory estimation indicated by the green line. Specific Aim 1. To develop RF-signal modeling algorithms for improved 3D US image reconstruction For this aim, we hypothesize that adaptive beamforming methods applied to pre-beamformed 3D RF data will enhance needle visibility and improve quality of US volumes. During the formation of an US image, the reflected US signals are received by the transducer elements at different time points due to varying signal travel distances. Beamforming on each scan line is meant to establish signal synchronism before aggregation. The conventional method of beamforming in both 2D and 3D US is delay and sum (DAS). Here, received signals are electronically delayed, followed by application of a beamformer whose weights are reliant on echo signals, leading to undesirable wide main-lobe and high side-lobe levels resulting in imaging artifacts, thus decreasing the image resolution and contrast. 40 In this architecture, the angular resolution is dependent on the length of the scan aperture and the fixed operating frequency.41 In a fixed hardware configuration, these parameters cannot be increased, hen ce resolution cannot be improved. To overcome this challenge, adaptive beamforming methods based on minimum variance42-45 and multi-beam covariance matrices46 have been proposed. Using adaptive beamformers signal detection can be maximized while minimizing the beam-width and side lobe artifacts.47,48 Recently, phase factor beamforming, where phase variations are tracked across the receive aperture domain, has been shown to improve the appearance of bone surfaces from 2D US data49. Bone features, similar to needle features, are hyper-echoic when imaged with US. Therefore, during this aim we will develop an adaptive phase-factor beamforming method in order to enhance the hyper-echoic targets such as the needle from 3D pre-beamformed RF data. Specifically, adaptive beamformer that combines ideas from Minimum Variance (MV) adaptive beamforming,50 signal regularization based on statistical information in RF data,51 and Toeplitz structure covariance matrices52 to minimize computational co mplexity will be investigated. It is expected that this reconstruction technique will adapt the data to the clinical application of needle enhancement through improving image resolution, contrast, and speckle suppression. The algorithms will be incorporated into an open source imaging platform for real-time data collection and processing.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Overall, we expect that the algorithms developed in Aim 1 will allow enhanced representation of US needle data with increased diagnostic value. The images obtained from this aim will be used as an input to the algorithms proposed in Aim2. Specific Aim 2. To develop methods for needle enhancement and tip localization in 3D US images Our working hypothesis for this aim is that learning based approaches for needle detection coupled with image reconstruction methods in 3D US will achieve improved needle enhancement and tip localization. In our previous work, we have shown that a linear learning based pixel classifier for needle data in 3D US, based on local phase based image projections, improves needle enhancement and reduces computational load.   The detector utilizes Histogram of Oriented Gradients (HOG)53 descriptors extracted from local phase projections and a linear support vector machine (SVM) baseline classifier. Recently, deep learning (convolutional neural network (CNN)) based image processing approaches have shown to produce very accurate results for segmentation of medical image data54. However, enhancement or segmentation of needles from US data using convolutional neural networks has not been investigated yet.   Therefore, for during this aim we will develop a needle enhancement and segmentation m ethod using convolutional neural networks. Needle images with various insertions angles and depths will be labeled by an expert radiologist. Our clinical collaborator Dr. Nosher and several radiologists from RWJMH will be involved during this labeling process. We will use two different datasets during the labeling process. The first data set will be retrospective US images downloaded from the Robert Wood Johnson Medical Hospital (RWJMH) database. Specific focus will be given to liver biopsy and epidural management procedures where US has been used to guide the needle insertion and biopsy procedure. The second data set will involve collecting needle US scans using ex vivo tissue samples as the imaging medium. These scans will be collected at the PIs laboratory using an open source platform US machine with 3D imaging capabilities. The collected ex vivo data will be enhanced using the beamforming methods developed in Aim 1.   Labeling process will involve manual identification of the needle tip and shaft from the two datasets. A fully convolutional neural network54 will be trained using the labeled data. The architecture of this network does not require extensive data sets in order to train the network and yields high segmentation results. Previously this approach was used for segmenting cell structures54. The output of this operation, which will be a fuzzy 3D probability map (high probability regions corresponding to needle interface), will be used as an input to our previously developed needle tip localization method. The automatically identified needle tips will be compared against the manually identified needle tips. More details about the specific clinical data collection and validation are provided in Specific Aim 3 and Protection of Human Subjects. Overall, at the end of Aim 2 we expect to have a system providing continuous real-time monitoring of needle insertion using 3D US for improved guidance in interventional radiology procedures. Specific Aim 3. To validate the developed imaging platform on clinical data To validate the algorithms developed in Aims 1-2, we plan to perform extensive validation on ex vivo and clinical data. No clinical trial will be conducted during this proposal. Our initial validation will be limited to epidural administration and liver biopsy procedures. Ex vivo data: This study will be conducted for validating Aims 1-2. US scans will be collected from two different needles: 1-) A general 17-gauge Tuohy epidural needle (Arrow International,Reading, PA, USA),   and 2-) 18-gauge biopince full core liver biopsy needle (Argon Medical devices, Athens, Texas, USA). The needles will be inserted at varying insertion angles (300−700) and depths (up to 12 cm). Ex vivo porcine, bovine, liver, kidney and chicken tissue samples will be used as the imaging medium. 3Dpre-beamformed RF data will be collected using a SonixTouch US system (Analogic Corporation, Peabody, MA, USA) equipped with the 3D phased array transducer. The US machine, provides an open-source research interface allowing for custom-made applications directly run on the machine, and the 3D transducers. The image resolution for different depth settings will vary from 0.1mm to 0.3mm. In total, we will collect 300 different 3D US scans for each tissue sample (making the total n umber equal to 1500 3D US scans). The collected scans will be enhanced using algorithms developed in Aim1. From the enhanced data, our clinical collaborators will manually identify the needle tips. Three different radiologist, with varying expertise, will be involved during the validation process in order to calculate the inter-user variability error. We will also ask the same users to repeat the needle tip identification process after two weeks to assess the intra-user variability error. The labeled data will be used in order to train the CNN proposed in Aim2. For testing the CNN algorithm, we will collect additional new 500 US scans. The manually identified needle tip locations, from the new dataset, will be compared to the automatically extracted needle tip locations obtained from the algorithms developed in Aims1-2. Euclidean distance error between the two tip locations (manual vs automated) will be calculated for quantitative validation. Clinical data: This study will involve collection of retrospective US data from patients who are enrolled for a liver biopsy or epidural administration as part of their standard of care. Women and minorities will be appropriately represented in the recruited patients. Sex or race will not play a role as an inclusion or exclusion criteria. Specific focus will be given to patients who are 21 years and older and require a liver biopsy or epidural administration. All the US data and the patient information (age, sex, height, weight, and laboratory data) will be assigned a non-identifying alpha-numeric code that will ensure that the risk of re-identification of participants from the acquired data is not possible. Additional information is included in the Protection of Human Subjects. In total, we will collect 1600 different US scans, from 400 patients. For labeling (manual tip and needle shaft localization) in order to train the CNN method developed in Aim2 we will use 1200 scans. During testing, 400 US scans, not part of the training dataset, will be used. Again expert radiologist will be involved during labeling and testing procedures for tip and shaft identification. Error calculations will involve calculating Euclidean distance between the two tip locations (manual vs automated).

The Circularity of Life in Tess of the DUrbervilles :: Tess of the DUrbervilles

The Circularity of Life in Tess of the D'Urbervilles  Ã‚   Thesis: Hardy is concerned with the natural cycles of the world, and the disruption caused by convention, which usurps nature's role. He combats convention with the voice of the individual and the continuing circularity of nature. Phase the First: The Circles of Life The circularity of life is a major theme of the novel. Hardy treats it as the natural order of things. The structure of the novel reflects this reigning image of the circle at several levels. First, the use of seasons to denote the passage of time implies circularity rather than a linear world-view. Years are shown as repetitions with variations rather than as new creations. Tess herself views time in this way, as she reflects on the various recurring dates which mark events in her life. "She philosophically noted dates as they came past in the revolution of the year; the disastrous night of her undoing at Trantidge with its dark background of the Chase; also the dates of the baby's birth and death; also her own birthday; and every other day individualized by incidents in which she had taken some share. She suddenly thought one afternoon... that there was yet another date, of greater importance to her than those; that of her own death" (149). In the novel, the past and the future are merely points on the cycle which nature designs. Reveals the destructive aspect of this realization to Angel when she declares her disinclination to study history which will only tell that she is "one of a long row only... just like thousands' and thousands'" (182). Secondly, the plot itself is not only circular, but contains a myriad of smaller circles within it. The main circle of the plot is from the discovery of the D'Urberville Tombs to Tess's death. Within this circle revolve others. The life and death of Sorrow is a small circle within the larger one. Alec D'Urberville's repentance and recantation form another. Clare's and Tess's physical journeys towards and away from and back again to each other represent more circles. Hardy's consistent use of these circles in the plot reinforces their importance to the theme. The diction of the novel seems designed to forcefully remind the reader of this theme. At the start of the novel Tess and her companions dance in a circle on the gr een; at it's end, she stops to rest at Stonehenge.

The Effect of Slavery on the Identity of Cuba Essay examples -- Slaver

The Effect of Slavery on the Identity of Cuba The Caribbean is a diverse region with a unique history. The progress and advancement of each island complied with the European country in control of it at the time. The Caribbean was conquered and colonized soon after Columbus’ discovery in 1492. A similar aspect of the heterogeneous region has been its plantations. The plantations were an important aspect of the cultural history of the Caribbean. Mintz believed that the plantations tied the colonies in the Caribbean to the European country that was colonizing it. He states: "the plantation system was an agricultural design for the production of export commodities for foreign markets- a means for introducing agricultural capitalism to subtropical colonial areas, and for integrating those areas with the expanding European economy"(Mintz 26). The plantations of the Caribbean are also useful tools in learning more about the history of the island who once inhabited the island, as Benitez-Rojo states in his essay, From Plantation to Plantation, "the plantations serve as a telescope for observing the changes and the continuities of the Caribbean galaxy through the lenses of multifold disciplines, namely economics, history, sociology, political science, anthropology, ethnology, demography, as well as through innumerable practices, which range from the commercial to the military, from the religious literary"(Benitez-Rojo 38). The plantations in the Caribbean played a significant role in shaping each colony in the development from colonialism to the modern society. In the other readings in class, we learned that Michelle Cliff (Abeng) despised the plantation systems because the Europeans profited from the sugar plantations, whic... ...combination. The blending of the Spanish guitar and the African drum gives Cuban music its distinctive form, the rumba and son are good examples. Today Cubans are peoples of all different colors. The islands complicated history is evident in its inhabitants. WORKS CITED Beckles, Hilary& Shepard, Verene. Caribbean Slave Society & Economy, New York, 1991. Cliff, Michelle. Abeng. Penguin Group, 1984. Knight, Franklin. The Caribbean: The Genesis of a Fragmented Nationalism. New York, 1990. Paquette, Robert. Sugar is Made with Blood. Middletown, CT, 1988. Perez, Louis. Slaves, Sugar & Colonial Society, Wilmington, Delaware, 1992. Benitez-Rojo, Antonio. The Repeating Island, Duke University, Durham & London, 1992. Mintz, Sidney W. The Caribbean as a Socio-Cultural Area, Peoples and Cultures of the Caribbean, Garden City, New Jersey, 1971.

Child Abuse Can be Reduced by Educating Parents Essay -- Violence Agai

Parenting is not instinctive. If it were, everyone who had a child would be a good parent. Consequently, child abuse is a rising phenomenon in our society. Though no single factor has been identified as the cause of child maltreatment, it appears to be influenced by parents' histories, psychological resources, and economic status. Parenting must be learned. While this is often done through experience, education courses for individuals prior to their becoming parents, and close evaluation of questionable homes could enhance parents' knowledge and the childrens' well being. A large number of abusive parents have histories of physical and emotional abuse inflicted upon them during their childhood. Thus, they were deprived of parents who taught them how to be good parents. In describing how she felt when she realized her children were being abused, Jean states: "All of a sudden I could feel all the {old} anger back and {I was} wishing that someone would have protected me when I was little"(Janko 18). Child abuse scenarios that seem tragic to others are ordinary to parents from abusive backgrounds, and often overlooked. The absence of "good" parents is detrimental to a child's learning how to fulfill parental roles. The children think their environment is normal, correct, and acceptable, and grow to emulate that lifestyle. Sometimes abuse does not stem from a lack of knowledge, but rather from a psychological disorder. The majority of abusive parents "represent a range of personality and emotional disorders"(Justice 77). An authoritarian personality is characteristic of abusive parents, as well as "drug or alcohol dependency, neurosis, mental deficiency, and/or emotional immaturity"(Justice 77). Mothers make up ... ...e discredible, teachers and other childcare workers should be trained to recognize symptoms of abuse immediately, and be required to report them. I think that we need to take our role as citizens so seriously that we value the lives of other citizens. Our Judicial system should be such that endangered children are promptly removed from their environment, as they are presently left in the situation until abuse can be proven. As a nation, children are our most valuable resource. Therefore, in attempts to better our future, we must protect the children. The problem seems to stem from a lack of child rearing skills on behalf of the parents, and a lack in the desire to be parents. Though it cannot be completely subsided, I feel that the situation can be deferred through child education courses, and close evaluation of parents bordering the "unfit" category.

The merchant of venice: Tragedy or Comedy

William Shakespeare, widely regarded as the world's greatest playwright, has revolutionized the world of English literature with his plays. Some of these plays are clear-cut comedies and tragedies, while others are more ambiguous. The Merchant of Venice is a play that falls under the latter type, and it has been hotly contested whether this literary work should be classified a comedy or a tragedy. However, since the majority of the characters received a happy ending, the abundance of comic relief scenes and characters, and lightheartedness of the plot relative to otherShakespearean works leads me to conclude that The Merchant of Venice is indeed a comedy. One of the characteristics of a comedy is that it usually contains a happy resolution of conflict, and this was definitely reflected in the conclusion of The Merchant of Venice. â€Å"Happy endings† usually pertain to the protagonists or the main characters surviving or outlasting misfortune. Antonio being spared and cleared of any debt he owed Shylock by the Venetian courts (Act ‘V, scene i) is a prime example of the protagonist receiving satisfactory closure.In the drama building up to the court scene, Antonio's best friend, Bassanio, had cut a deal with the devil as he borrowed money from the shrewd Shylock, with the stipulation that repayment would either be in ducats or a pound of Antonio's flesh (Act l, scene When Antonio's business enterprise came crashing down abruptly, he had no means by which to repay Shylock, thus setting up the major conflict of The Merchant of Venice. Antonio's ending is undoubtedly a happy one for his character, since his life was spared and he was cleared of any charges.Another example of a character with a favorable conclusion is Portia. Recently, her father had been pushing her toward marriage, and because of her many biases, she found it near impossible to find a suitable suitor (Act II, scene i). At the end of the play, she does, in fact, end up with the only ma n that's ever caught her eye, Bassanio. These happy endings for primary characters are typical of Shakespearean comedies. The Merchant of Venice is abounding with other typical Shakespearean comedy techniques like comic relief; humor that manifests itself in both situations nd characters.The overall hilarity of the play is an ample reason to classify it as a comedy rather than a tragedy. Shakespeare inserts comic relief scenes at opportune times in this play to relieve tension, and Jessica and Launcelot's banter in Act Ill, scene v is an excellent example of this. In the preceding scenes, Shylock has Just hauled Antonio off to Jail while Portia and Nerissa attempted to devise a scheme to rescue their future husbands' friend – two very action-packed and intense developments in the story. However, immediately following these two scenes,Launcelot and Jessica are seen having a playful discussion about the correlation of Jewish refusal to consume pork and the rising prices of baco n, a conversation so wacky and out of place that it manages to diffuse much of the thickening tension. Comic relief is a literary device that extends to characters as well. The interactions moments of the play (Act II, scene it), where Old Gobbo fails to recognize Launcelot as his son because of his ailing senses. Shakespeare utilized plenty of Jokes that would have appealed to the audiences of his time here to rouse laughter.At its very root, a comedy is a drama with a humorous or satirical tone, and The Merchant of Venice's comic relief scenes and characters provide the audience with this humorous air. When compared to many of Shakespeare's other dramatic works, The Merchant of Venice's storyline is much more lighthearted and tame. This play turned out more like an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210 than something as grave and solemn as Macbeth or Othello. There are many attributes which corroborate this theory. For starters, cross dressing is used as a motif in The Merchant of Venic e.When placed longside a different play like Macbeth, where the motifs are critical matters like bad omens, borrowed robes, and fapdes, The Merchant of Venice does seem less serious. Also, the magnitude of its plot is definitely much less significant than a lot of Shakespeare's other plays. The Merchant of Venice is primarily concerned with the interactions of Italian suitors and heiresses – much like the angsty teen dramas of today. On the other hand, plays like Julius Caesar revolve around recanting the epic downfalls of tyrannical politicians.Though not to undermine its literary significance, I m convinced that The Merchant of Venice is a less serious, more whimsical play than some of Shakespeare's other works – a feel that comedies are supposed to have. Plays can be like characters in that their real nature can be very ambiguous. The Merchant of Venice is heralded as a fine example of a comedy by some, while asserted to be a tragedy by others. This play can be clea rly categorized as a comedy, because the majority of the characters received favorable conclusions, comic relief is in abundance, and the lighthearted, quirky nature of the plot.

Important Quotes About Science Essay

A. Cause and Effect: a. means/end: Is science means to what? b. assumptions and antecedents: what does precede scientific research? c. Implications and Consequences: what will follow from ethically unhealthy scientific research? B. Contrast: a. Tension/opposition: what is the tension existing between ethics and scientific research? b. contradictions: What is the contradiction between preserving ethics and developing scientific research? c. paradox: What is paradox inherent in preserving ethics and developing scientific research? C. Change: a. evolutionary: What kinds of changes can evolve through science? b. revolutionary: are revolutionary changes involved with science? c. growth/decay: Is the scientific research growing nowadays? D. values: a. ethical/moral: Is reckless scientific research ethically right? b. practical: does the scientific research have practical values? c. social: How do social opinions vary between ethics and science? d. political: what does the politics support between these two? e. spiritual/metaphysical: what is the spiritual value of science? E. Form/structure: a. superficial vs. deep: what is the relationship between superficial appearance and deep significance in scientific research? b. form vs. function: Why people are constantly calling for more scientific development? Thesis: People should pursue scientific research until the point at which individual rights are not severely violated and objects—being animals or humans or whatever they might be—are not physically and mentally injured. The advancement of science, which is the pursuit of knowledge, is the primary value by itself. Important quotes: 1. Verhoog: a. If one wanted to attribute intrinsic value to animals, one should try to argue by analogy that vertebrate animals had conscious experiences as well. b. ‘yes-but’ policy goes together with a consequentialist approach in ethics. c. The change from yes-but to no-unless is change from a consequentialist to a deontologist approach. d. With this new interpretation of intrinsic value it can be argued that the production of transgenic animals by crossing species-barriers violates the nature or integrity of the animals involved, even if there is no indication of suffering by the modified animal. e. The experience described here shows that it is very difficult to integrate science and ethics†¦but the natural scientists themselves seem to have great reservations in actually doing it. f. Between the responsibility of the ‘scientist as scientist’ and the responsibility of the ‘scientist as citizen.’ g. Ethical discourse, on the other hand, is said to be subjective, to consensus. There is no objective foundation upon which consensus in ethics should be grounded. h. Two things stand in the way of further integration, the scientist’s self-image of science as objective, and the complementary view of ethics as totally subjective. i. Good reasons approach-it is based upon the idea that in normative decision-making a specific kind of rationality is involved, in which, beside factual elements, normative premises play a role. j. An important consequence of this view of ethical reasoning is that both facts and values are treated as rationally comprehensible, having inter-subjective meaning. k. The argument that, in actual social practice, contextual values interfere with constitutive values in many parts of science is not enough. l. Wanting to separate science from ethics, as two totally independent spheres of life, is to deny that the scientist is first of all a moral agent, with a moral responsibility for what she/he is doing in a social context. m. Another reason is that human attitudes toward nature and towards animals are changing rather rapidly from the attitude of ruler and steward to that of partner of nature. n. Splitting up the world into facts and values, into science and ethics, is not a logical necessity. 2. Allen a. There can be no higher, better, more trustworthy authority about the direction of knowledge than knowledge. b. The same modernization that destroyed the idea of forbidden knowledge also destroyed that idea of responsibility for knowledge. c. What continues to make us adaptable is our capacity to change, and what guides that change so far as it is guided and not left up to change, is knowledge. d. The low value of operational how-to-knowledge in contrast to contemplative knowledge of the truth. e. Knowledge is already as good as it gets. f. Knowledge which it is forbidden to seek is already known by those who ought to know. g. It must therefore be sinful to seek knowledge you do not have, and it is forbidden to do so. h. This futile curiosity masquerades under the name of science and learning†¦for the same reason men are lead to investigate the secrets of nature, which are irrelevant to our lives, although such knowledge is of no value to them and they wish to gain it merely for the sake of knowing. i. For the adept, the vest knowledge is not contemplative knowledge of truth, but effective, operational knowledge tested by trials and perfected through experiences. j. The operational knowledge they esteem is powerful, excellent, rare, and should not be mistreated by allowing it to become common or usual. k. The regime of forbidden knowledge has reappeared among our secular, scientific, orthodox, lacking only the candor to call itself what it is. Knowledge today is not cloacked in hermetic secrecy, though its circulation is jealously guarded by institutional, administrative, disciplinary, and professional restrictions. Out academic-technoscientific complex is an unfortunately obvious example of the new amoral regime of forbidden knowledge. l. Codification corporate monopoly, bureaucratic administration have in this way destroyed knowledge, laid it to waste for the sake of tighter control. m. What modern science lost in the way of an ethics of knowledge was compensated by the gain in objectivity, credibility, reliability, and rigor. n. Double injustice: to the adept, whose knowledge it unjustly discredits, and to our knowledge, which it endows with a methodological certitude it does not have. o. Rather than an extra-scientific prohibition we should think about how scientific training undermines any nascent moral sense students may have of their responsibility for the knowledge entrusted to them. p. No prohibition, no forbidding of knowledge can begin to address a problem that can only be solved through changes in practice, especially in education, especially in the universities and polytechnic institutions. q. If authority wins, knowledge will not merely be forbidden but corrupted, wasted, and lost. 3. Mckee a. The current American policy is dangerous for many reasons. Most obviously, it will lead to policies being implemented that are simply wrong, with potential adverse consequences for human health. b. The history of twentieth century provides many examples. But equally worrying is its impact on public trust. While the situation in the United Kingdom is nothing like that in the United States, politicians tainted by the distortion of evidence on subjects such as BSE and the war in Iraq face difficulties persuading a skeptical population of the safety of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.

Certificate and Diploma in Child Care and Education

?What do the qualifications cover? These qualifications prepare you to work unsupervised or in a supervisory capacity with children and their families in a variety of settings. These could include nurseries, children’s centres, home-based child care pre-schools or schools. Who are they suitable for? Anyone wanting to work with Children and Young People. What are the entry requirements? You will need to be least 16 years old. CACHE does not set any other entry requirements but colleges or training providers may have their own guidelines.How are they assessed? They will be assessed by your tutor and CACHE. You will need to complete written assignments for the Award and a short answer test and written assignments for the Certificate. For the Diploma, assessment is the same as for the Award and Certificate plus additional written assignments, assessment of your performance in the workplace and a research task. ?Do you need to be working to take the qualifications? No, but you will be required to spend some time in different practical placements to complete the Diploma.How long do they take to complete? You can usually complete the Diploma in 2 years. The Award and Certificate can be completed in less time. What related qualifications can you progress to? The Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People’s Services (England) (QCF) or a degree. UCAS Information The following points are available for this qualification Award – 10 to 30 points Certificate – 35 to 110 points Diploma – 120 to 360 points To work out your UCAS grades, we have a handy calculator to help you.

Analyzing “Frankenstein” †Formalist Perspective Essay

The formalist method of literary criticism is primarily focused on the text itself, rather than external topics such as history and background, the author’s biographical information, or the social contexts which surround a piece of work. In the formalist perspective, we ask ourselves, why did the author choose to write his or her work in this specific style? Why did he or she choose to include certain literary elements? â€Å"What matters most to the formalist critic is how the work comes to mean what it does–how its resources of language are deployed by the writer to convey meaning† (DiYanni 2076). A reader can employ the formalist method to decipher many meanings in Mary Shelley’s classic text Frankenstein. Shelley uses setting, foreshadowing, point of view, and characterization so that the reader can gain a sense of suspense and anticipation, which are all essential to the book’s distinctive gothic mood and tone. A fundamental factor of the formalist outlook is the setting of the text. Mary Shelley’s â€Å"Frankenstein† has a very dark, gloomy setting that reflects the hideousness of the monster and society’s reaction to him, as well as our own. A very important factor of the setting is the weather: â€Å"Our situation was somewhat dangerous, especially as we were compassed round by a very thick fog.†Ã¢â‚¬â€œ (page 8). The description gives the reader a feeling of interaction with the characters in the novel and with the environment also. The narrative generates a sense of suspense that entrances the reader. The text itself relies on the setting because the reader needs to feel the emotions arising from the novel and that’s why Mary Shelley integrated this into the story using the creature’s monstrosity and nature as an element of anticipation. As a result, these components are crucial to the book’s triumph. In chapter ten, we see how Victor reacts to his surroundings. While at Chamounix Valley, he feels consolation at the nature that surrounds him. At the same time, he notes that the landscape is characterized by disorder and destruction: the valley is plagued by constant avalanches, and it often seems that the mountains themselves will crash down on Victor’s head. â€Å"The ascent is precipitous†¦It is a scene terrifically desolate†¦where trees lie broken and strewed on the ground†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬â€œ (page 93). As though he wanted to  conquer the mountains that are so dangerously overwhelming, he climbed to the top of Montanvert, one of the region’s most forbidding glaciers. While at the top, Victor begins to feel the massive power nature has over man. While Victor is undergoing a major change in his perspective, we see what effect the setting has on him. Victor being at the top of such a dangerous glacier also foreshadows the coming of danger. When the monster shows up, the reader begins to speculate as to what kind of confrontation Victor is going to have with the monster. If this same meeting between Victor and the Monster were set in a field of flowers, we would definitely have a completely different idea of the text, and it would change the story incredibly. The immense snow coverage, high altitude, and the dangers of the glacier give the reader a better understanding of the text. Mary Shelley’s novel left an impression on its readers because of its dark tone. She used deliberately used foreshadowing as a method of enticing the reader and drawing them into her suspenseful story. The story of â€Å"Frankenstein† starts off with Robert Walton’s string of letters to his sister, Margaret Saville. Walton’s letters utilize a literary device called framing, which sets up the major premise of the novel. The use of multiple narratives calls the reader’s attention to the telling of the story, adding layers of complexity to the intricate relationship between author and reader. As Walton listens to Victor’s story, so does his sister. As his sister reads Victor’s story, so does the reader. By using the framing method, Shelley may have been trying to link her novel to the oral tradition of telling ghost stories which inspired her to write her own novel. In addition to setting the scene for the telling of Victor’s narrative, Walton’s letters introduce an important character: Walton himself. Walton’s second letter introduces the idea of loss and loneliness, as Walton complains that he has no friends with whom to share his triumphs and failures, no sensitive ear to listen to his dreams and ambitions. Walton turns to Victor as the friend he has always wanted. His search for companionship parallels the monster’s desire for a mate later in the novel. â€Å"But I have one want which I have never been yet to satisfy†¦I have no friend, Margaret: when I am glowing with the enthusiasm of success, there will be none to participate my joy; if I am assailed by disappointment, no  one will endeavour to sustain me in dejection†¦I desire the company of a man who could sympathize with me, whose eyes would reply to mine.†Ã¢â‚¬â€œ (page 18). This similarity between man and monster becomes clearer as the novel progresses. It suggests that the two may not be as different as they seem. Framing helps the reader find the interrelation among the characters and come up with observations that would be concealed in other circumstances. The framing technique also makes the story more compelling because Walton will eventually see the monster at the end of the novel. The story about the creature would just be a story, if not for Walton’s personal encounter with Frankenstein and his creation. Shelley uses Walton and the framing perspective to add validity to the novel. Another important part of analyzing using the formalist perspective is looking at characters’ relationships and roles in the novel. Most obviously, in Frankenstein, there is the creator, Victor Frankenstein, and the creation, the monster. But what do these roles mean? A creator is one who brings something into existence; Victor literally creates the monster’s body piece by piece and it becomes his sole obsession in his scientific career, but Victor stops there. Once the monster’s body is created, it is abandoned, physically and mentally. This is where Victor fails his role as a creator; he fails to see through the full development and process of his creation. If Victor had taken the role of a mentor or father and helped his creation develop mentally, he and the monster would have been united in the book instead of becoming bitter enemies. Instead Victor repeatedly turns away, rejects, and loathes the monster: â€Å"My abhorrence of this fiend could not be concei ved!†Ã¢â‚¬â€œ (page 81). The monster however tries to fulfill his role as creation as much as possible. He is trusting in his creator, until he realizes that he has been abandoned and what he is to society â€Å"Was I, then, a monster, a blot upon the earth, from which all men fled and whom all men disowned?† Still yet, the monster realizes that as his creator, Victor is obligated to endow some happiness upon his creation: â€Å"Do you duty towards me, and I will do mine towards you and the rest of mankind.†Ã¢â‚¬â€œ (page 89). The monster now recognizes himself as a monster, but still knows it is Victor’s duty to aid him, and sadly concedes that society will never accept him for anything because of his appearance. One of the other roles portrayed  in Frankenstein is that of Master and Slave. Unlike the creator and creation roles, this relationship changes during the course of the novel. In the beginning of the novel, Frankenstein was working for himself and created the monster for the advancement of science. The monster had no power because he was dumped and abandoned in an unknown world; he barely knows what to eat at this point. Victor still lived in his society with his friends and allies. Later in the book, the balance of power begins to shift as the monster recognizes the great physical power he has, because Victor created it to be better that himself. Also Victor begins to find his power slipping when he cannot begin to turn to his friends and family because of what he has created and done. However, when the two meet, the power switches. The monster proceeds to tell his tale and uses his power of persuasion to use Victor. When Victor quits the female creation, the monster becomes supreme. During this period, Victor has almost no control because he created the monster to be better than himself, as the monster realizes early on. The monster knows that Victor cannot escape or keep up with him, thus is very open with his attacks against Victor. He knows that there is no retribution worse then the misery and hatred he has already experienced (and that was just for being created). Thus, he has nothing to lose; he shows Victor his supremacy by killing Elizabeth while Victor is in the house, and then escaping completely unscathed. During the scene in the graveyard, though, the power shifts once more between the two. The entire scene is filled with irony as the creation scoffs at the creator. The man of science invokes â€Å"spirits of the dead† and â€Å"wandering ministers of vengeance,† and the creator vows to destroy his creation. From this point on, the monster and Frankenstein are locked in a race towards oblivion. Neither have anything to lose, while both have all they have left in life to gain. The final satisfaction of the annihilation of the other and the peace of death is all that lay ahead of them. Victor becomes the haunting and trailing harasser to the monster. Neither have anyone to help them on their journey. The monster has destroyed all of Victor’s support, and in doing so, assured that he shall never be accepted by anyone. They have nothing left in their lives accept hatred for one another and thus, follow this hatred blindly into nothingness. Another trend in reading the story is Frankenstein’s lack of recognizing the creature as his own–in essence, not giving the monster his name–. This is the creature’s root problem. The monster is called plenty of names by his creator, from at best, â€Å"the accomplishment of my toils† to â€Å"wretch,† â€Å"miserable monster,† and â€Å"filthy demon.† The monster possesses familiar impulses to seek knowledge and companionship, but he has no name, and therefore, no identity. So, he cannot obtain these basic things he so longs for, which leads to his problems. â€Å"Monster† is extremely harsh, but is the first thing introduced into our frame of mind. The monster does not even give himself a name other than what has been previously stated. Sympathy for the anonymous being and our confusion of creator and created, as well as our interest in depicting the creature’s human side indicate an unconscious acknowledgement of Frankenstein. Walton notes the possibility of living a â€Å"double existence† representing as a self-divided mind in conflict with itself. The monster and his creator are two halves of the same being. Shelley doesn’t give the monster a name to clearly point out the contradictions but also, the connections between Frankenstein and his creation. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is an innovative work that weaves a tale of passion, misery, dread, and remorse that personifies the gothic novel. The mood for Frankenstein is set from the very first pages of the story. In a gothic novel, the setting is usually dark and brooding. The setting can bring about feelings of short-lived happiness, loneliness, isolation, and despair. Shelley’s writing shows how the varied and dramatic settings of Frankenstein can create this gloomy atmosphere and tone. The â€Å"dreary night of November,† where the monster first comes to life is a defining moment in the dramatic tale. Shelley can sustain the mood and create a distinct picture and it is admirable the way she begins to foreshadow coming danger. Shelley writes so that the reader sees and feels these scenes taking permanent hold on the memory. She also uses the framing perspective to add realism to the story. We, as the reader, are actually transported into the story through this method of point of view. We are seeing Frankenstein’s amazing tale through the words of Robert Walton and through the eyes of Margaret Saville. The connection between the two main characters,  Frankenstein and the monster, is crucial to the story’s success as well. The dynamic shifts, bonds, rifts that grow between these two set the pace and conflict throughout the story. We are able to notice how Victor’s own actions, as well as the monster’s choices, greatly determine the flow and direction of the novel. Had, for example, Frankenstein followed through and nurtured the monster (maybe giving it a name, at the least), they both would have become a great asset to society, instead of a menace. The uses of foreshadowing, point of view, and characterization help the reader to experience the life in which Frankenstein is accustomed to. The author depicts the time period, mood, and tone with the use of setting and plot structure, which is necessary to the understanding of the novel.