Monday, September 30, 2019

How Texting Affects Our Life Essay

There is no denying that instant text messaging is very important in our live. Most of us could not even imagine our daily life without texting. This is the quickest and easiest method of communication, most popular among young people. Several years ago to suddenly organize with friends was quite difficult, especially when our friends lived in different part of the city. Currently we need only a few minutes to send them all messages in the blink of an eye to determine where and what we will do. Text massages helps us a lot, but seems to me that in some sense also limit our ability to conduct interviews in private. Some people use short messages to break out the relationship or even layoff someone from work. Texting is also changing the importance of grammar and correct spelling and the most importantly it easily distract us very quickly. People who use text messages often are more likely to lose the habit of conversation in private. When we talking with someone through text messages, our ability to decipher what they mean, the emotion in their words is curtailed. For example, when a teenage girl is receiving a text message from her boyfriend, which Includes words like: â€Å"I love you, I missed you†, etc., she might be exited, but she won’t be sure if that is sincere. But if the same words are spoken face to face, they will be able to decipher their body language and right or wrong intentions. Texting has also negative consequences when it comes to grammar and spelling, because people simply do not know how to write formally and accurately. Grammar, spelling, syntax, abbreviation, they do not matter anymore, which is why texting is more popular in the younger generation. For example, a teenager who is used to write informally is more likely to fail grade in formal writing exam. When a word from a text messages is used in an inappropriate situation, like business email, it may seem unprofessional or simply be interpreted as a lack of intelligence. The most important reason why I believe texting affect our lives is because it easily distracts us. When you are always trying to be in two places at  once, you are really not in neither. For example, if we are sitting in class, the teacher is talking, and someone’s phone goes off. Everyone looks around wildly and the person does all he or she can to try to silence the phone. Some may wonder who could text student during school hours, but most likely was another student texting to each other. That student tried to pay attention in class and at the same time text someone else. As a result he has learned nothing and scattered the attention of other students. Texting seems to be not harmful at first glance. However, after careful consideration of the topic is worth considering frequent use of texting. Subconsciously may be the cause of many unwanted and unnecessary problems.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Nanotechnology Use in Fire Protection †Need for Environmental Friendliness Essay

There is a serious need to develop a more effective fire protection technology as the morbidities and the mortalities from the current seem to be rather insufficient. However, the nanotechnology fire protection industry is still in the infancy stage, developing solutions that are out of reach of the common man today. Nanotechnology is not only found to increase the durability, strength and efficiency of the material, but also increase it fire resistance along with self-cleansing action. A great number of fire-retarders have nanotechnology incorporated. A checklist needs to be prepared that would be required by the end user to ensure adequate protection of human life and the environment. Nanotechnology can also help in the detection and prevention of fires. The technology seems to be promising with various applications. However, only if the stakeholders become more interested would this technology become cheaper and permit more extensive use. Introduction Due to the serious impact of fire on the mortality, morbidity (burns, etc) and the losses to property, there is an urgent need for fire protection considering the overcrowding in cities and the serious impact of fires on the environment. In the year 2003, about 70 billion Euros were lost over fire damages, and hence, people are trying to build fire resistant buildings with both active and passive features (Innovations Report, 2004). Nanotechnology currently has a very small market segment as more and more fire-resistant materials and electronics are being used to tackle fire problems. In the Beijing Olympics concluded in the year 2008, fire protection was adequately provided in various sports construction sites by the use of Nanotechnology. There are more than 48 different applications in fire protection with nanotechnology. Some of the common applications required in fire protection include smoke detectors, alarm systems, resistant building material, etc, and nanotechnology has held strong promises in curbing some of the problems of the future (Innovations Report, 2004). In the year 2004, the nanotechnology market in the fire segment was 30 billion dollars, and is expected to almost double within a decade of introduction. As molecules can appropriately be modified to make them more fire-resistant, companies around the world are increasingly creating these modifications. Each year the nanotechnology market grows by about 25%. Nanotechnology is also said to be environmentally-friendly. China is said to be the current leader in the use of nanotechnology in fire protection (Innovations Report, 2004). The EPA is also supporting research in the use of nanotechnology for fire protection and safety. In February 2007, the EPA published a White paper on Nanotechnology and considered the same to help in preventing pollution to the environment. The White paper also focused on responsible use of nanotechnology by using recycling of the same and also ensures that the same was not toxic to the populations (EPA, 2007). Using nanotechnology has several advantages in reducing pollution & ill-effects on the environment:- 1. Reducing any waste substances that are released into the environment, 2. Using substances that are not so toxic, 3. Using conservative methods that could effectively reduce pollution and also recycling and reusing material, thus effectively preventing wastes 4. Increase in the general surface area of the article 5. Improvement in the strength of the material without considerable increase in the weight 6. Materials that use less raw materials and lesser electricity during manufacture 7. Changes to the electrical conductivity, color and opaqucity of the materials 8. Products that are used become less self-cleansing can be used 9. there would be a reduced need to have chemicals that would retard flames and fires 10. Components that are used in construction of automobiles can become more resistant to wear and tear, erosion and fatigue 11. Nanoscale catalysts can effectively help to reduce pollution 12. using the nanoscale catalysts, raw materials would be utilized more efficiently and reduced amounts of wastes would be generated (EPA, 2007) Advantages of Nanotechnology with reference to fire protection Body Nanotechnology involves the use small particles of materials or manipulating them in such a way that their properties would be enhanced, with potential application on a larger scale especially for construction purposes. Nanotechnology involves creating these modifications at ten to the power of -9 of a meter or the nanometer level. It is a new science with more recent applications and can be considered to be an extension of work that has been occurring on a microscopic level (micrometer). Processes and products with concrete, steel, glass, and composites are using nanotechnology. The concrete that would be used can be manipulated easily and is more durable, stronger and environmentally-friendly. Steel and glass can become tougher. Once, these materials are stronger, durable, and tougher, and their manipulation is improved, the impact on the environment would also be positive as the materials are more efficient. Not only is the process of manufacture improved by using nanotechnology, but also during actual fabrication or manipulation at the construction site (Mann, 2006). Most of the nanotechnology applications have been held back due to the limitations in costs. Nanotechnology is quite expensive for the modern world to incorporate due to the infancy of technology. With costs of using the same very high and rather very limited applications, many people prefer ignoring nanotechnology, resulting in isolation. Researchers feel that within the next five years, there could be significant use of nanotechnology in the field of constructions and others, such that application of the same would not be so exorbitant. Nanotechnology at the moment requires strong funding for research and motivation. The government needs to take an active role in the same with interest in improving the current environmental degradation. Besides, researchers and the industry need to collaborate more strongly. There should be a strong thirst for innovation such that nanotechnology should be applied with greater force (Mann, 2006). With the introduction of any kind of new technology, importance should be given to the life-cycle of the products, toxicity of the product and exposure that could be occurring to both humans and others in the environment. With relation to the life-cycle several factors need to be taken into consideration including design, level of production, application of the product, disposal, disintegration in the environment, etc. At the users end, a checklist need to be utilized that would ensure that enough of prevention is taking place in protecting the environment and human life. Some of the queries that can form a part of this checklist include:- ? Steps need to be taken to reduce the unintended consequences of the life-cycle of the product ? Real-time application of the products that can prevent pollution ? Barriers that are present for adopting nanotechnology in the modern world ? Methods of overcoming these barriers ? Areas of nanotechnology in which further research needs to be performed ? Manner in which the beneficial properties of nanotechnology can be used to create innovative products that can reduce pollution ? Role the regulatory bodies, courts and the government can perform (EPA, 2007) Today, the walls of homes and offices have huge amounts of lead in the paints and often this can be toxic during use or disposal. Nanotechnology and nanoengineering can help improve the composition of these materials such that they are less toxic to human health and the environment. Today, the impact of floods and erosion beaches are very critical considering the ill-effects of global warming. By changing the way natural materials function at the nanoscale, their environmental-friendliness can be improved (EPA, 2007). Not only would nanotechnology help in reducing the carbon dioxide levels by changing how the material works at the nanoscale, but also help the way in which a building is using energy (EPA, 2007). The same modification to cement can effectively help in fire protection as spray-on coats. The present cements that are being used are very brittle and need polymers to make them more adhesive. With modifications at the nanoscale to cement, they are stronger, more durable and can tolerate high temperatures when present in coats. Effectively carbon nanotubes (CNT’s) are mixed with cement material to mimic something similar to composites with high strength. Another option instead of using CNT’s is polypropylene which is a cheaper option and can improve fire protection (Mann, 2006). Using nanotechnology, better solar cells can be manufactured that are more efficient and cheaper. Besides, nanotechnology can help in heat recovery and also in treatment of water and air at the building. However, these technologies are not current and scientists are suggesting that they can be used, although we have already woken up to the dawn of the future (EPA, 2007). The self-assembly of buildings can be improved using nanotechnology. Molecules can be designed into complementary shapes such that they produce only minimum energy, which effectively helps in fire prevetion (Mann, 2006). Nanotechnology also plays an important role in fire hazard management and prevention. Today having a nanocomposite as one of the materials present in the flame retardant has been considered an advantage. Cross linked systems that provide polyureas and polyurethane foams seem effective in controlling fires. Another new tool that has been developed to combat flames is confocal microscopy (used in chemical analysis and material testing by collecting the light that is in focus and excluding light out of focus) (Leica, 2010). Previously, all the flame retardant systems had certain toxic components that could harm human life and have a negative effect on the environment. However, flexible and rigid polyurethane structures have been used in a number of applications such as furniture, mattresses, carpets, cars, aircrafts, etc. By altering them at the nanoscale, their resistance to fire can be improved. Previously, the open cell structures of the foams prevented stability during fire fighting. Even additives that increase the foam stability would have a negative effect on the environment. These additives include halogens and phosphorus based compounds that have a negative effect over human health. As most of these substances are volatile, during fire fighting, the high temperature would cause evaporation of these materials causing more damage to the environment (EPA, 2007). Nanotechnology can also be used to develop nano-electromechanical systems and circuitry that would connect detectors at various places in the buildings. The nano-devices would be effectively embedded into surfaces and would be able to detect fire easily (Mann, 2006). Another application of nanotechnology for fire protection is in nanoclays that can help to lower the rate at which plastics burn as it can increase the char forming abilities and prevents plastics from melting and dripping. When used along with other flame retardants, there is more effective fire retardation (EPA, 2007). With regards to fire protection specifically certain queries need to be answered in the checklist:- ? Extracting of raw materials during processing should not be damaging to the environment ? Emission of nanomaterial to the environment ? Reaction or additives to polymers ? Nanomaterials properties during use ? Exposure of nanomaterials to the industrial workers during manufacture ? Reaction of nanomaterials to light, heat, dust, etc ? Ability to recycle the nanomaterials ? Protection of workers during manufacture ? Nanomaterials during combustion and burning ? Ability to transport the nanomaterial ? Effects of exposing the user to nanomaterial A company by name GreenShield FR has developed a nanomaterial treatment for several groups of materials including polyester so that the material can become fire resistant as well as provide protection from water and staining. There are three sets of coat which are applied of the nanomaterial onto the surface. The first layer helps the nanomaterial to adhere to the parent material. The second layer offers repellency and self-cleansing action, and the third layer offers fire-resistance. At the end, the entire material is non-flammable. When these materials degrade they do not release any kind of toxic material into the environment. Nanoclays on the other hand help to lower the amount of energy that is liberated during fire. The nanoclays prevent the materials from bursting and disintegrating and further adding to the fire that has been activated. Nanoclays ensures that the materials burn slowly and at a lower temperature and can work along with several fire retardants (Betts, 2008). Conclusion Nanotechnology is offering strong promises to the field of fire protection, although very little is being utilized today due to the exorbitant costs of nanomaterials. However, these materials are not only more effective and safer, but also more environmentally-friendly. Within the next five years, with greater innovations and understanding of nanotechnology it would be easier to use this technology. Using nanotechnology, materials not only become fire-resistant but also stronger, durable and better self-cleansing. Using nanotechnology, fire cannot only be prevented and retarded, but also monitored and detected using nano-electromechanical detectors. The future for nanotechnology looks good, but researchers and academic organizations should continue with their search to make this technology more affordable and effective. References Betts K. S. (2008). â€Å"New Thinking on Flame Retardants. † Environ Health Perspect. 2008 May; 116(5): A210–A213. http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pmc/articles/PMC2367656/ EMBL (2010). Leica Manual, Retrieved on July 10, 2010, from Web site: http://www. embl. de/ExternalInfo/almf/htdocs/almf_website/pdf/TCS_SP2_09052000. pdf EPA (2007). Pollution Prevention through Nanotechnology Conference, Retrieved on July 10, 2010, from Web site: http://www. epa. gov/oppt/nano/p2docs/final_nano-conf-brochure. pdf Innovations Report (2004). Nanotechnology in Fire Protection can save Life and secure Health, Retrieved on July 10, 2010, from Web site: http://www. innovations-report. com/html/reports/studies/report-29292. html Mann, S. (2006). Nanotechnology and Construction, Retrieved on July 10, 2010, from Web site: http://nanotech. law. asu. edu/Documents/2009/10/Nanotech%20and%20Construction%20Nanoforum%20report_259_9089. pdf Occupational Health & Safety (2010). Microtechnology vs. Nanotechnology, Retrieved on July 10, 2010, from Web site: http://ohsonline. com/articles/2010/01/01/microtechnology-vs-nanotechnology. aspx PHYSORG (2010). Chemist monitors nanotechnology’s environmental impact, Retrieved on July 10, 2010, from Web site: http://www. physorg. com/news188736302. html

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Negligence in medical malpractice based in medical law Research Paper

Negligence in medical malpractice based in medical law - Research Paper Example In the worst instance, a hospital error causes death of a patient, bringing about grief and financial strain on the deceased’s relatives (Andrew Grubb 445). A wrongful-death lawsuit can be filed to demand damages for lost wages and suffering or pain. Examples of hospital errors that could result in medical malpractice include: - Birth injuries: Improper labor services resulting injury to a baby, at times leading to complications such as Erb’s palsy or cerebral palsy. - Prescription errors: This may be over or under medication, or administration of the wrong drug. - Improper diagnoses: A patient may be treated for an illness he or she is not suffering from or a disease remains untreated because of the doctor’s failure to recognize a intimidating condition. - Surgical errors: Negligence may lead to infections or surgery on the incorrect body part or even the wrong patient. Medical malpractice law lies under personal injury law subset and its practice frequently overlaps with litigation law. This area of practice deals with legal claims on medical care specialists when the care they offer or the lack thereof, cause injury, damage, harm and/or death of the patient. The laws guiding medical malpractice varies from one state to another. These highly regulated procedures explain many aspects of the practice process, including the following: - If notice of the malpractice assertion have to be given to the medical professional before filing; - If the claim must be handed to a malpractice review board before being filed in court; How speedily a medical malpractice claim should be filed; Determining the essential qualifications for a professional medical witness, for the reasons of testifying; and Establishing statutory caps on compensations that may be awarded to the plaintiff. Although medical negligence is normally attributed to the medical professionals responsible for patients’ diagnosis, medical care / medical treatment, medical corporations, managed care organizations, clinics and hospitals may as well be sued for their employees’ actions (Stauch 66). As with every personal injury claim, proof of negligence is vital. The tort of negligence comprises of 4 elements which must be all proven to attain this verdict. The 4 elements include: (i) There was a duty of medical care owed; (ii) The medical care professional desecrated the standard of care obliged, which demonstrated negligence; (iii) This negligenc e by the medical professional caused the injury /harm; and (iv) There were compensable damages directly resulted from the injury/harm suffered . Since there is a patient - doctor relationship, the first element is usually already established in these kinds of claims. For the 2nd element, if there is no an obvious and glaring blunder, expert witness testimony is commonly implemented to prove the negligent behavior or actions. The complainants are the party passing the action and they bear the burden of attesting these elements in their claims against the medical care giver, the defendant (Smith). Medical malpractice claims are the subject of extreme controversy. Healthcare professionals and medical care businesses have encouraged legal reforms meant to eradicate big money awards for health damages, claiming that defending a case against the various lawsuits and the exorbitant compensations have resulted in a costly healthcare costs. In some states, this aggressive advocacy for these measures has resulted to

Friday, September 27, 2019

Wk5(22) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Wk5(22) - Essay Example 168) until he can come to terms with what happened. One indication for this weakness is that he is more involved with alcoholism and feeling hopeless. A therapist would need to practice unconditional positive regard with him and set the intention that they would be able to relate to Patrick in a positive way. I would think it might be difficult for him to get into his deepest feelings and explore them--these feelings may be difficult for this approach which would also make this situation a weakness. One strength of using this approach may be that Patrick would need a counselor who was empathetic and not directive in their approach. This may be the way for him to start talking about his grief. Patrick would be allowed to discover what he needed as he progressed which could be both a strength and a weakness. As a strength, it may help him gain confidence in himself again. As a weakness, this could have him trying to figure things out a lot longer because he may feel so undirected. It is my opinion that Gestalt Therapy would be the best choice to use with Patrick. He is so far down in his feelings that he may need a redirection to something more pleasant. Patrick seems to be presenting a host of problems that are happening because of his experience in 9/11. He is not functioning at a place where he can self-regulate himself just yet and this would be an important goal of therapy for him. Patrick is currently living in the past. He may be drinking to stay in his bad memories or to try and forget; this would be something that needs to be explored. He could be experiencing PTSD and he has pulled away from other friends or potential friends because he does not want to get close again just to lose them. It is time for him to move into the present and put the past behind. I would begin by listening to him and asking questions. I would want to know why he is drinking and what it is doing for him. I would

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Literary Analysis Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Literary Analysis Paper - Assignment Example lped each other and made life bearable, the aspect of race is brought out in the story however the social class which a person belongs to have a bigger role. The two characters have the ability to be victimizers since they have one another. They share the same fact of being left by their parents in St. Bonny’s. The reason for Twyla to be there was because â€Å"she danced for the whole night† and Roberta’s was because she was ill. Both girls felt the pain of being abandoned by their parents and it was the main reason that the girls remained together irrespective of their different races. The later meeting they had at the dinner was however described as not worm by Twyla. The aspect of their racial difference seemed to be an issue of the feeling. However, when the two ladies talk about their meeting they mention of how they lived together in Newburgh, a society that was segregated racially and also had different social and economic classes (Yurdasever 36). Roberta got married to a rich person, and Twyla married a fireman. The hierarchies of power are involved with powerlessness and also intimidation; however, in the scene of business they are comprised with race. In the story Twyla described Maggie as being â€Å"sandy-colored,† and when Roberta referred to Maggie as a black person Twyla immediately rejected the idea. The memory of Twyla can get the question at this time; also to be questioned is the completeness of Twyla in terms of storytelling. She states â€Å"I could not be certain." She questioned her memory and could not tell the race in which Maggie belonged. She only remembered that Maggie had semicircle legs and a kiddie hat. It indicates that the race was not a major issue in St. Bonny’s. However, in the community the two women are living the aspect of race has taken a new meaning (Yurdasever 39). Elizabeth Abel indicates â€Å"Roberta is skeptical concerning racial harmony.† The issue of her mother being overbearing is supposed to be the cause for

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Method of Implementing QoS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Method of Implementing QoS - Essay Example Data loss, delays are few of the events that could take place as a result of absence of quality of service mechanism. The categorization is as a result of number of considerations that are taken into account namely the Mac address, the ports both Ethernet and T.C.P. Various methods are available for implementing Q.O.S. All have their own advantages and drawbacks and most of them do serve up the purpose of improving overall performance of the network through specific means. The good point about Q.O.S is the fact that they can prioritize both the voice and data communication. However it is often noted that the real need for bandwidth adjustment arises in case of data traffic. Q.O.S in simple words is a protecting shield and an assurance of its kind which provides smooth and constant flow no matter how heavy the resources are. Integrated Services model, best effort model are few of the mechanisms used for this purpose. All these mechanisms are devised for accommodating data traffic prim arily. The entire T.C.P traffic is at disposal of the quality of service and since nearly all of the traffic is passed through T.C.P layer, therefore need of an effective quality of service tool is unavoidable. Best effort mechanism: There are number of Q.O.S approaches that provide one particular line choosing decision. The best effort mechanism is comparatively better in this regard since it enables the users and servers with multiple paths option. This bunch of paths is well planned out, equally calculated and with all the constraints in mind is screened out to ensure best possible transmission over even a densely populated linkage (Smith & Aceves, 2000). The default nature of Best effort scheme: Default mechanism is followed in the scheme which can be termed as its strength as well as weakness at the same time. In some cases it is even referred to as no Q.O.S due to its first in first out and no separation behavior. This default scheme is followed across both the switches and ro uters. Sensitivity consideration is partially compromised in this form of quality service provision. Strength: The strength enjoyed by this scheme is the manner in which the entire route and its model are designed. With nearly all the traffic being packet enabled, best effort serves well fulfilling the requirements of the network especially the bandwidth hungry resources. Weakness: Weaknesses can be identified in case of only one link to a respective linage. With modern times putting up the challenges of further high bandwidth interfaces, multiple paths to a single source are the order of the day. The possible draw back in this form of servicing is the possibility of loss of data elements (usually packets) on the way. Scalability can be an issue in all kinds of Q.O.S. Since increasing number of users and channels demand more bandwidth hence the performance is directly influenced by the scalable capacity. The constraint that would be needed to be taken into account would be the avail ability of heavy bandwidth in the background so as to provide smooth flow to the dedicated paths set up. To some experts mainly Cisco, a dedicated over 20 percent bandwidth must be kept in store for the best effort scheme. Any less percentage of capacity could seriously drain out the entire network and hence this mechanism would not live up to its desired purpose. Another problem that could arise in this form of s

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 37

Reflection paper - Essay Example It is important for me to know who I am and to acknowledge my identity. It also helps me to determine my strengths and weaknesses. This was the most interesting yet most difficult lesson to let sink in. Though I know that self-concept is an essential part of life, it is hard to look at your own strengths and weaknesses. I know now what some of those are and the areas that are my weaknesses are those that I can work on and learn from. It is not as simple as looking at yourself in the mirror but more like looking at yourself under a microscope and sometimes what you see is difficult. That is also where I had several â€Å"aha† moments. It sounds narcissistic to only acknowledge what I learned about myself but it is difficult to build on anything else in communication without acknowledging my own strengths and weaknesses in life. The HURIER method was also a great thing to learn because it helped me learn more about listening. Sometimes I find myself busy and thinking about other things that I have to do that I sometimes may drift off and think about other things when I am in the middle of a conversation or even in class. I may be hearing someone else but I am not listening. This lesson helped me to realize I need to stop what I am doing and listen or the translation of what I hear can be completely different than the message I was supposed to be hearing. I know that I need to go through the steps of hearing, understanding, remembering, interpreting, evaluating and responding, hence the acronym. In any conversation or giving an answer in class, I have to actually hear and process the message in order to give an appropriate response to what it is I have heard. I think it is a tool that I use without thinking about it but actually seeing it in a logical organizational form makes it easier to remind myself that I need to really think things through before responding. The elements that make me a bad

Monday, September 23, 2019

Detailed anaylsis of the main texts of these three thought systems Essay

Detailed anaylsis of the main texts of these three thought systems based on personal experience and knowing - Essay Example They are common in terms of theoretical deliberation and practical needs for communication, thereby paving a way for philosophical syncretism. This paper explores the greatest minds in traditional China through a close study of their most seminal teachings and texts specifically paying attention to Confucianism, Daoism, and Chinese Buddhism (Chan). The paper will discuss the main understanding of each thought based on texts and personal understanding. Confucianism was introduced in China by one of the most important thinkers called Confucius. Confucius was born in 551 B.C.E when China was experiencing a difficult political turmoil1. In his twenties, he started tutoring in different disciplines but wished to hold public office at a certain point in his lifetime. Confucius began a thirteen-year journey at the age of fifty travelling from one province to another offering the rulers of those provinces his services. However, he never got offers other than the one that he was offered in his home province of Shantung, but was too old to take it. Therefore, he decided to spend his remaining years teaching and editing the great Chinese classics. He died at 73 years of age. Although he never realized his political aspirations, he is considered as one the world’s greatest teachers and thinkers because of the ideas he developed and taught during his lifetime. Confucianism is a Chinese philosophical and ethical system that began with Confucius, who explored deeply on the basic principles that were to become the most important teachings of Confucianism. Confucianism is a complex system of social, political, moral, quasi-religious and philosophical thought that influenced the history and culture of East Asia, particularly China and still does today. Confucianism holds the belief that human beings are trainable, perfectible and improvable though communal and personal effort especially through self-creation and cultivation. The main idea that Confucianism brings

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Financing Health Care in the US Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Financing Health Care in the US - Term Paper Example prior to delving into the intricate issues and concerns that the government is trying to address to improve its present stance. Thereby, from among the scholarly articles reviewed on the subject, the suggestions and recommendations of various authors would be revealed in conjunction with one’s personal assessment on the subject of this discourse. There are two types of access to the delivery of health care services in any nation: through the public or private sectors. Generally, the private sector in any health care system of a nation consists of divergent nongovernmental institutions of an array of levels and dimensions. Public health is predominantly financed with funds from the government that is solicited from public sources such as tax revenues. The health care in the United States is dominantly serviced and administered by private health institutions where no public hospitals are deemed owned and operated by the federal government. As revealed by Holstein and Litzinger (2008, 15), â€Å"in the U.S., the rapid rise in health care cost and low access are widely recognized as twin problems. Health care reform in this country first focused on cost containment through managed care to make health insurance affordable, and then shifted to expanding access to coverage at the state level without doing away with the private health insurance market†. This fact was likewise validated by Siegel, Mead and Burke (2008) who noted the parallel contentions in the rising costs of health care services coupled with the increasing number of Americans who are uninsured. Health insurance can actually be availed through an employed individual’s employer or through the employers of either the spouse or parents’, as applicable. Health insurance can also be purchased individually depending on one’s capacity or financial status, and the required scope and contents of health insurance coverage. The problem is

Saturday, September 21, 2019

The structure of the play Essay Example for Free

The structure of the play Essay In the Requiem we see Willys funeral, but alas, the friends and customers he claimed to have has not shown up. Linda and Happy are confused as to why this is, but Charley, Biff and Bernard know and have come to terms with the fact that Willy was not well liked and that his business ventures were ill-fated and old-fashioned. Biff finally opens up and says that Willy had the wrong dreams and Willy never knew who he was. Happy is distressed by what Biff says and is almost ready to fight. Happy obviously still believe in Willys ideals and in capitalism and states that he is gonna win it for him (Willy) much to the distress of Biff who knows that it is a vain attempt at getting rich quick. Linda is comforted by Charley, who says that being a salesman is a good profession and that a salesman has got to dream. Charley goes on to say he was a happy man with a batch of cement, this could be interpreted as the author saying that most people are happy to work for a purpose, e.  g. Socialism. Throughout much of the play we see Willy symbolising old capitalism, the belief that if you work hard and are well liked then you gain lots of financial wealth. In the Requiem we see the death of this old capitalism due to the unscrupulous nature of new capitalism which unfortunately, is not dead yet. Ben, Willys brother, symbolises new capitalism, the belief that if you are merciless and cut-throat in business then you will gain financial success. Much of the play is spent showing how new capitalism is getting rid of old capitalism. The structure of the play Throughout the play we have frequent flashbacks to the past, as Willys life falls apart and he dreams about the past to preserve his happiness. As the play progresses, the flashbacks become more frequent and crossover more into the present. The flashbacks are essential to the rest of the play and provide vital points that are key to the story. As the flashbacks become more frequent and frenzied, Willy starts acting out the flashbacks in the present. This makes him appear crazy and even leads Biff and Happy to openly claim Willy is not their father. Miller uses these flashbacks to adequately convey the emotion and structure of Willys breakdown to the audience. Conclusion Death of a salesman could easily be interpreted as an attack on the unscrupulous nature of all capitalism, but this is only a small part of the play. It is an emotive story of the last few days of a failed salesmans life, as he seeks happiness in the past and can not face the reality of his life. It is about a man who has been robbed by time and takes refuge in the past when he was well liked, yet in the present no-one in the business world likes him. Miller has written Death of a salesman in a powerful way and is successful in his purpose of touching the reader and making the read thinking about the world and the life they lead.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Apples Ethics And Supplier Code Of Conduct

Apples Ethics And Supplier Code Of Conduct Apple, Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. Apple surpassed the software giant Microsoft, in May 2010 and secured the reputation of the largest and one of the most valuable companies of the era. The company operates 301 retail stores scattered across ten different countries as per August 2010. Its traditionally well known for its Mackintosh line of personal computers. As years passed by, Apple has gained a significance amount of reputation in the global market by the introductions of products such as iPad, iPhone and the latest introduced iPad. The following throws light on Apples supplier responsibility program, its code of ethics and also the controversy it was recently involved with electronic leader, Foxconn. Company Perspectives Apple Inc. is devoted to creating the finest music and personal computing experience for every single one of its users, from students to educators, business professionals to government officials and other consumers by means of ground-breaking hardware, software, internet offerings, peripherals, and services. Apples business approach powers its distinctive ability, through the design and progression of its personal operating system, hardware, and countless technologies and software applications, to provide its customers with the latest creations and simple solutions through outstanding innovative industrial design. Company History Before being able to produce some of the finest computer products we have nowadays, Apple went through countless processes and hurdles. Apple was established in 1976 by two college dropouts, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. Also part of the team was Ronald Wayne, who was older and had personal assets of his own. Waynes uncertainty of the company worried him about the risk of investing his assets, and resulted with him selling his share back to Wozniak and Jobs for $800. That same share of the company would be worth over 3 billion dollars today (Linzmayer, 2011). The main objective of starting the company was to sell their first invention, The Apple I, which took place on January 3rd, 1977. It was successful for use at the time as it only included the most important parts: a straightforward motherboard plus CPU, RAM and very simple textual-video chips. Only a few months later, The Apple II was released during April, 1977. By the end of 1978, the United States saw Apple to be one of the fastest-emerging companies having its products available through 100 dealers. Apples development continued to grow with more and more developments and by December 1980, the company went public. Within only minutes, 4.6 million shares were sold at $22 each (Linzmayer, 2011). The company was formerly recognized as Apple Computer Inc., for the first 30 years, but later removed computer from its name to reflect its expansion into consumer electronics and wanted a better portrayal as a lifestyle powerhouse rather than just personal computers. It continued to produce some of its popular products today including the Macintosh line of computers, iPod, iPhone and the iPad. Apples attitude towards comprehensive artistic design as well as its unique advertising operations is just a few of many reasons why the company has created a distinctive reputation in todays computer industry (Linzmayer, 2011) Products Apples super stylish and exclusive product line has allowed it to create a distinct name for itself. Some of the popular Apple products include: iMac It is the vibrant and stylish all-in-one Macintosh desktop computer that offers a variety of features including a very rich desktop experience. The first model of the iMac that was released was the G3, and the latest iMac released towards the end of 2009. The new iMac comes with a smooth, professional look that redefined Apples known all in one model. iPod Touch The main turning point for Apples iPod line was the iPod Touch. It has been a massive success and customers are loyal to this brand as the company continues to update the device with the latest features. iPod Touch 3G is the latest of the model. iPhone The entire smart phone industry was revolutionized on June 29, 2007 when the iPhone was released. It was labeled by many to be the years best invention. Since the launch of the iPhone 4, 3 million units have been sold. Within the first weekend, 1.7 million were sold. iPad The product causing a lot of todays buzz is the iPad. 300000 units for sold on day one. It would be classified somewhat between a phone and a laptop. Users no longer have to choose between toys or tool as the iPad has all the technologies and features for both work and fun. Apples ethics: Controversies exist whenever a firm becomes big. We cannot really judge the actions of a firm as its just not one person who is in control. A firm consists of ethical and unethical employees. One of the most famous ethical dilemmas faced by apple was the Foxconn case. We would be looking at what apple has done to fix it in the next segment while right now we would be looking at some of the ethical and unethical practices at apple. Apple has raised its ethical standards due to a lot of pressures by outside parties. Apple was not considered ethical due to the issues that arose in china. However there were ethical standards that applied to people working at apple as it didnt flourish and become a billion dollar company just like that (Hyatt, 2010) Ethical codes of conduct are the basis of a company a company cannot exist without it as there would be no direction, motivation or discipline. Apple has separate ethical standards for employees at different rankings due to the fact that every position requires something different and each has specific criteria. Apple targets reasons that lead to unethical behavior and works on them so that they dont arise in the company. The code focuses on: Conflicts of interest, confidentiality, proper use and protection of the companys records and assets, insider trading, fair dealing, and reporting of illegal and unethical behavior .All the points are self explanatory. One of the main things that are encouraged at apple is feedback. Supervisors are expected to help workers understand and require them to provide feedback as it not only helps the supervisor understand the areas at which the workers lacks comprehending but also encourages and in turn motivates them (ILO, 2008). While the responsibi lity of officials like the president, chief executive officer and senior financial officers is to make sure that the company runs in accordance to the legal requirements and also to make sure that each violation is dealt with in an appropriate manner so as to make sure that the mistake is not made again (ILO, 2008). Apple is constantly changing so its policies get updated. It applied a policy called ranking and rating in which the sales metrics of the employees were hung up so that everyone could see. Even though the salary of the employees was not commission based it helped senior officials, as they could now see which workers werent selling much (Spence, 2010). The officials then tried looking for the root cause of the problem and provided training to those workers. This was one approach by apple to motivate but obviously some critics did think that it is not very effective. But the idea of trying and coming up with ways to make this better should be admirable (Hyatt, 2011)Â   Apples supplier code of conduct: Apple is holding suppliers accountable The reputation of apple has been drastically bruised due to its suppliers. Foxconn is one of the major supplier of apples products and the management practice there was put into the spotlight when workers started committing suicide. Steve Jobs was put a lot of pressure due to this as the public demanded an answer. He responded to this by the formation of a detailed supplier code of conduct. It covered expectations in these areas: management systems, labour and human rights, impact on the environment, ethics, health and safety (Hyatt, 2011). Management systems: Workers are required to be trained and well informed. It should be made sure that they provide feedback. Third party audits to eliminate chances of fraud and also to implement new and improved policies. A corrective action process in which mistakes are corrected and the process is then again followed up (Hyatt, 2011). Documentation and records are required to be checked by the management regularly and company policies are to be applied to the suppliers (Spence, 2010). Labor and human rights: Suppliers should make sure that they do not discriminate labor on the basis of things like sexual orientation or race. They should not hire underage workers, provide benefits and incentives, protect juvenile workers, be fair in treatment and do not require them to work for long periods as this is the main cause of strain and demotivation. Works should also not be required to pay large sums of money to employment agencies and wages should be sufficient. Impact on the environment: Suppliers are required to take permits when dealing with something that requires permission from the government. They should also dispose of their air, water and solid waste in such a manner that it doesnt harm the environment. And make sure that they do not dispose of toxic or hazardous substances (Hyatt, 2011). Health and safety: Workers should not be required to do things would be looked at as a health or safety risk for them. They should be given proper food as well as living space. There should also be worker health and safety committees on the premises (ILO, 2011) Ethics: Important documentation should be protected and there should be a degree of conditionality between the company and the supplier so they can easily disclose information to one another. Complaints should be taken into account and action should be taken immediately. Foxconn International Holdings Ltd. Foxconn International Holdings Ltd. is a multinational subsidiary of Hon Hai Precision Co Ltd., a Taiwanese company that is the worlds largest maker of electronic components (The Circuit Assembly Top 50 EMS Companies, 2009). According to the 2010 Fortune Global 500 Companies, Foxconn secured the 112th rank overall earning a profit of 2,291.7 and revenue of 59323.9 million dollars (Fortune Global 500, 2010). The companys primary focus was on providing vertically integrated manufacturing services for the handset industry. Foxconns employee count reaches more than half a million in China alone (Eyck, 2010). The founder of the company is Terry Gou, a billionaire, and has made Foxconn the worlds largest manufacturer of printed circuit boards spreading all over Asia, Europe and America. The majority of the companys sales to Asian customers is attributed to the Peoples Republic of China. The operational activities of the company are primarily located in China, then the United States, Mexico and other countries (Buetow, 2010). Foxconn Controversies Foxconn in the recent past has been involved in manufacturing in large quantities products for Apple viz., the iPod, iPad and the iPhone. Being one of the most renowned companies in the world, Foxconn has been involved in controversies mainly on how to manage employees (Jones, 2010). These initiated with the set-up of the Apple factory in Shenzhen, China. Apple was all over the news around the first week of Feb 10 not only for its sensational launch of the iPad, but also because of the high number of worker suicide in its Foxconn factory. Amidst all this, 12 Foxconn workers have already ended their lives this year, by jumping of the multi-story dormitories they live in or from the building during the very short duration of rest which they were given (Eyck, 2010). This crisis has urged the company to install safety nets in between the buildings as 20 more were stopped from killing themselves by the company authorities. At Longhua, there was a highly charged. This is because approximately 350,000 workers eat and otherwise live there, and during their protests, they had started chanting an insulting chant at Foxconn. The president of Foxconn, after heavy negotiations, said that the company would plan to move a significant portion of its workforce to a Western part of China, where they will be closer to their families. The case had become so out of control that the people who lived on the company premises had started calling the factory a Death Express. Management also had taken some steps toward controlling this phenomen on, such as creating a suicide hotline, and bringing monks to counter forces of evil. The Foxconn Empire employs about a million people, in the city of Shenzhen, across the city of Hong Kong. The premises of the industry contain 15 manufacturing buildings and they have dedicated one building to each customer. It was in these buildings where the suicides took place. The company made public a statement where it said that they have avoided a further 20 suicides. Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple upon hearing about the tragedy said that he found this incident very troubling and also mentioned that Apple always strives to provide the best jobs in a company with regard to understanding the working condition under the companys supply chain. There has been an alarming increase in the number of suicides, whose reasons are still not apparent. The culture of the workforce at Foxconn has been described as being run similar to a military. (Moore, 2010). Foxconns Unethical Management Working conditions The main reason for Foxconn being under the spotlight was because of its unethical management and working conditions which has been considered as the root cause of the deaths and suicides in the past one year. A report recently explains the toiling and the exhaustion caused by 12-hour shifts, workers prohibited from talking or interacting with co-workers and the pressure of just-in-time production in order to meet the high demand (Eyck, 2010). SACOM held a protest on the 8th of June which was the same day Apple launched its iPhone4. The demand of the protests initiated by the activists was to boycott all the Foxconn products (Eyck, 2010). Furthermore, a Chinese undercover team, filtered through the Longhua plant and gave the reporters they entire scenario of the industry. They reported by stating that the facilities were adequate but highly criticized their management. Hundreds of people work in the workshops and did not have the permission to even talk to their colleagues.. If so found, they would get a black mark on their record, be shouted at by their manager or even be fined. The report was followed adding Foxconns laying off of more than ten thousand workers due to the financial downturn and had been pressured to meet up with the demand for the Apple iPad due to its monumental success (Moore, 2010). The iPad appears to have placed immense strain on Foxconn workers which resulted in them in quitting jobs at the rate of 15,000 a month (Robins, 2010). The workers in the factory need practice to become really efficient and the new staff has to keep up. The workers that were asked about the working conditions stated that their hands would still keep on twitching when they are not working and mimic the motion as they were not able to relax their minds (Chang, 2010). The workers worked for an average of 120 hours per month, exceeding the limit set by Apply by 70 hours (Moore, 2010). Foxconn management style was regarded as severe and obstructed the code of ethics for managing employees. Apple therefore was urged upon to take appropriate steps if they were concerned about the health and safety of the workers (Crothall, 2010). Nevertheless, Apple has taken this issue into strict consideration and has urged Foxconn to do the same. These tragedies threw a very undesirable spotlight on the labor practices of Foxconn. After a few months of this incident, Foxconn has pledged to enhance work conditions, increase the pay, take into consideration of allowing workers to live closer to their homes aswell as reduce overtime hours. Conclusion Apple Inc. regardless of the recent controversies with Foxconn has reacted well and taken action in this regard under the guidance of Steve Jobs. After tremendous pressure from the labor organization in China, Steve Jobs has given this matter of utmost importance and high priority. Nevertheless, the situation in the province of Longhua has shown to improve. The Labor Department has agreed upon increasing the wages and to provide better facilities to the workers all around. Apple has lived up to its reputation of living up to its strong supplier responsibility program and its supplier code of conduct.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Dyslexia :: essays research papers

The discovery of Dyslexia which is a difficulty in reading and visual centers in the brain comes from the Greek word meaning â€Å"poor with words,† â€Å"poor reading,† or â€Å"a disturbance of the ability to read.† Dyslexia can easily be treated with many programs that are out there today. A study was done at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington says that people with dyslexia have a lower level of activity in the brains left inferior parietal. This area is important but in reading and in processing visual images. They have found that the right inferior parietal can be taught to compensate for the weakness in the left side of the brain. But this includes doing intense program of reading training.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most children are diagnosed after they have started reading. They struggle to hear, analyze and separate the individual phonemes in words. If two or more of these symptoms are in the family tree then you should have your child assessed for around the age of 5-5  ½ :  · Delayed speech  · Mixing up sounds in multi-syllabic words  ·Inability to rhyme at age 4  ·Lots of allergies stronger and more severe reactions to childhood illnesses than most other kids.  · Can’t master tying shoes  · Confusion over versus right, over versus, before versus, after, and other directionally words and concepts  · Lack of dominant handedness  · Inability to correctly complete phonemic awareness tasks  · Difficulty learning the names of the letters or sounds in the alphabet; difficulty writing the alphabet in order   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although people with Dyslexia have a unique brain structure and â€Å"unusual writing† make reading, writing, and spelling difficult, most people with dyslexia have gifts that are controlled by the right side of the brain. These kinds of people are also often gifted in the area of math. Because of their three-dimensional visualization skills it helps them to see math concepts more quickly and clearly than people that are non-dyslexic. They are also gifted in:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Artistic Skill  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Athletic ability  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Musical ability  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3-D visual spatial skills  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  mechanical skill  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  vivid imagination  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  athletic ability  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  math conception skills  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  creative, global thinking  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  curiosity tenacity So overall people that have Dyslexia lead very normal lives. There is no real cause for dyslexia. It is hard to say if it was inherited or not inherited. Even if your child has dyslexia she or he may never show any signs of it. Researchers believe that reading disabilities are about half due to heredity and half due to other factors (environment, individual experiences, education, upbringing, etc.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Shakespere- Man Or Myth? :: essays research papers

SHAKESPEARE: MAN OR MYTH? Who was the real Shakespeare? The son of a Stratford glovemaker? Or was he a forgotten nobleman, the 17th Earl of Oxford? It is the greatest detective story there ever was. As more clues are being found, more and more people are doubting the fact that he ever wrote all his plays or even existed. The big question people are asking is why the man who told so much about who we are tell us so little about himself? That is one of the many reasons why I think he never existed or even wrote all those plays. How could a ‘nobody’ have thought a man who could barely sign his name was the greatest writer in the English language? In this essay I will tell you about why I don’t think he wrote the plays, why Edward de Vere was the real Shakepeare, and other things like why it’s impotrant to see who the real Skaespeare is. In my opinion I do not believe that Shakespeare wrote all those plays because the man couldn’t even sign his own and I don’t think he ever existed. There are many facts that back up my opinion. One is where Mark Twain once said that only a riverboat captain can handle riverboat slang, and there were some things that you have to just experience. â€Å"Where would Shakespeare, have learned the lawyer slang, court slang, soldier slang, and all the terminology that fills the plays?†1 1Some other facts that make me believe that Shakespeare never wrote these plays is that no plays, no poems, and not a single letter Shakespeare’s own handwriting has ever been found. The only examples of his handwriting yet discovered are six signatures, each one spelled differently. Another thing is that one by one, art experts doubt that he posed for any of the portraits of himself. It is believed by Oxfordians that Edward De Vere was the real Shakespeare. What makes me believe this is that Lord Burghley provided De Vere with the same environment and education the author of the plays mist of had. De Vere received degrees from both Oxford and Cambridge and then studied law. He was also saluted at the court with the toast: â€Å"Thy countenance shakes a spear.† It is very sad that De Vere did not receive any credit for his work, but instead a man who didn’t even exist get it.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Human Qualities that Truly Endure Essay examples -- Personal Narrative

Human Qualities that Truly Endure Puberty first sneered its cynical smirk at me early in seventh grade. That always-tortuous awakening came even more cruelly to me than to most. The boundaries of my coming-of-age world were defined by "cool" and "un-cool." I for one was hopelessly beleaguered by the yoke of un-coolness, but had not yet given in to it. I desperately fumbled and stumbled in my attempts to be numbered among the cool, oblivious that it had already been deemed unattainable to me by the social conventions of adolescence in middle-class Jewish Chicago. In truth, I was every mother's dream. But I knew deep inside that I was, in fact, little more than a victim of my own ambivalence: My desperate yearning to be cool, and my even more compelling desire to please parents who expected their son to be obedient, neatly groomed, respectful of elders, academically superior, in a word, the very antithesis of cool. The path to cool could not be paved with science fair victories, prize-winning essays on Americanism, sharing a bedroom with one's grandmother, a wardrobe determined by a mother's definition of good taste, a father's insistence tha... ...d dirty bucks. The only part of the fantasy to come true was the Rambler. There had been no call, no picking up, no dropping off, no Robin, no dance. I returned to my place not angry, but humiliated. The humiliation lingered like most pubescent dreams until it dissipated into deeper, more circumspect wisdom that I would never admit sounded conspicuously like the advice my mother would prudently dispense: The virtues of inner charm, the deceit of superficial beauty, the fleetingness of popularity, the preciousness of a good companion, the human qualities that truly endure. Human Qualities that Truly Endure Essay examples -- Personal Narrative Human Qualities that Truly Endure Puberty first sneered its cynical smirk at me early in seventh grade. That always-tortuous awakening came even more cruelly to me than to most. The boundaries of my coming-of-age world were defined by "cool" and "un-cool." I for one was hopelessly beleaguered by the yoke of un-coolness, but had not yet given in to it. I desperately fumbled and stumbled in my attempts to be numbered among the cool, oblivious that it had already been deemed unattainable to me by the social conventions of adolescence in middle-class Jewish Chicago. In truth, I was every mother's dream. But I knew deep inside that I was, in fact, little more than a victim of my own ambivalence: My desperate yearning to be cool, and my even more compelling desire to please parents who expected their son to be obedient, neatly groomed, respectful of elders, academically superior, in a word, the very antithesis of cool. The path to cool could not be paved with science fair victories, prize-winning essays on Americanism, sharing a bedroom with one's grandmother, a wardrobe determined by a mother's definition of good taste, a father's insistence tha... ...d dirty bucks. The only part of the fantasy to come true was the Rambler. There had been no call, no picking up, no dropping off, no Robin, no dance. I returned to my place not angry, but humiliated. The humiliation lingered like most pubescent dreams until it dissipated into deeper, more circumspect wisdom that I would never admit sounded conspicuously like the advice my mother would prudently dispense: The virtues of inner charm, the deceit of superficial beauty, the fleetingness of popularity, the preciousness of a good companion, the human qualities that truly endure.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Life Cycle of a Frog

True Love? When Frogs mate, the male frog tends to clasp the female underneath in an embrace called amplexus. He literally climbs on her back, reaches his arms around her â€Å"waist†, either just in front of the hind legs, just behind the front legs, or even around the head. Amplexus can last several days! Usually, it occurs in the water, though some species, like the bufos on the right mate on land or even in trees! (photo courtesy of Emile Vandecasteele) While in some cases, complicated courting behavior occurs before mating, many species of frogs are known for attempting to mate with anything that moves which isn't small enough to eat! Spawn (egg-mass) While in the amplexus position, the male frog fertilizes the eggs as they get are laid. Frogs tend to lay eggs single eggs in masses, whereas toads usually lay eggs in long chains. Some frogs leave after this point, but others stick around to watch over the little ones. Some have very unusual ways of caring for their young. You'll learn about some of those later in this tour!. Egg Frogs and Toads tend to lay many many eggs because there are many hazards between fertalization and full grown frogness! Those eggs that die tend to turn white or opaque. The lucky ones that actually manage to hatch still start out on a journey of many perils. Life starts right as the central yolk splits in two. It then divides into four, then eight, etc. – until it looks a bit like a rasberry inside a jello cup. Soon, the embryo starts to look more and more like a tadpole, getting longer and moving about in it's egg. Usually, about 6-21 days (average! ) after being fertilized, the egg will hatch. Most eggs are found in calm or static waters, to prevent getting too rumbled about in infancy! Some frogs, like the Coast foam-nest treefrog, actually mate in treebranches overlooking static bonds and streams. Their egg masses form large cocoon-like foamy masses. The foam sometimes cakes dry in the sun, protecting the inside moisture. When the rain comes along, after developement of 7 to 9 days, the foam drips down, dropping tiny tadpoles into the river or pond below. Tadpole Shortly after hatching, the tadpole still feeds on the remaining yolk, which is actually in its gut! The tadpole at this point consists of poorly developed gills, a mouth, and a tail. It's really fragile at this point. They usually will stick themselves to floating weeds or grasses in the water using little sticky organs between its' mouth and belly area. Then, 7 to 10 days after the tadpole has hatched, it will begin to swim around and feed on algae. After about 4 weeks, the gills start getting grown over by skin, until they eventually disappear. The tadpoles get teeny tiny teeth which help them grate food turning it into soupy oxygenated particles. They have long coiled guts that help them digest as much nutrients from their meadger diets as possible. By the fourth week, tadpoles can actually be fairly social creatures. Some even interact and school like fish! Tadpole with legs After about 6 to 9 weeks, little tiny legs start to sprout. The head becomes more distinct and the body elongates. By now the diet may grow to include larger items like dead insects and even plants. The arms will begin to bulge where they will eventually pop out, elbow first. After about 9 weeks, the tadpole looks more like a teeny frog with a really long tail. It is now well on it's way to being almost fullgrown! Young Frog, or Froglet By 12 weeks, the tadpole has only a teeny tail stub and looks like a miniature version of the adult frog. Soon, it will leave the water, only to return again to laymore eggs and start the process all over again! Frog By between 12 to 16 weeks, depending on water and food supply, the frog has completed the full growth cycle. Some frogs that live in higher altitudes or in colder places might take a whole winter to go through the tadpole stage†¦ others may have unique development stages that vary from your â€Å"traditional† tadpole-in-the-water type life cycle: some of these are described later in this tour. Now these frogs will start the whole process again†¦ finding mates and creating new froggies.

Nutritional Value

Associate Level Material Nutrition Worksheet In order to obtain optimal health, it is critical to eat a healthy and balanced diet. Becoming knowledgeable about how to evaluate the nutritional value of what you eat may greatly increase your ability to improve your health and wellness. In this two-part worksheet, you critique a recipe for nutritional value and respond to two short answer questions about nutrition. Completing this assignment is a step towards gaining the knowledge needed to better manage your nutrition. Part 1: Critique a Meal For this part of the assignment, you critique the nutritional value of a meal.You will select this meal from the USDA website. Follow the instructions below: Access the USDA Recipe Finder search tool at http://recipefinder. nal. usda. gov/ (either click on or paste the above link in your internet’s address bar) Search for a recipe using one of the available criteria: Type in ingredients; Type in a recipe name, or; Choose options from the av ailable categories Select a recipe to critique from the generated results. Review the nutritional information provided for the recipe you selected or added and answer the questions below. What is the name of the recipe you are evaluating?Arroz Con Pollo Chicken and Rice Which essential nutrients—carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals—are included in the recipe? 31G of Carbs, 4G Total Fats, 11G of Protein, Vitamin A 20%, Vitamin C 45%, Iron 10%, and Calcium 4% Which ingredients are providing each nutrient? Chicken, Green Peppers, Onions, Garlic Cloves, Tomatoes, Chicken Broth, Bay Leaf, Rice, Peas, Does this recipe include a good balance of essential nutrients? Explain your answer. I feel it does because it gives you a decent amount of vitamins, protein, carbs, fats, and iron.How could the recipe be altered to include more essential nutrients? I think it could be altered to include more grams of proteins, but it provides already a variety of different ing redients that are good for you. Do you consider this a healthy meal? If not, what is a healthy alternative? I feel it is a healthy meal and it is an easy meal to cook for the family. You could always make changes to the ingredients or portion what you put into it. Part 2: Nutrition Questions Respond to the following questions in 75 to 125 words each: Do you find it easy or difficult to determine the nutritional value of food?What are some methods to help you more easily determine the nutritional values of food? Right now I still find it a little hard to determine the nutritional value of foods because I am still trying to remember what food nutrients that I should be intaking on a regular basis to keep me eating healthy. I think once I get that down and start reading the nutrion facts on products I will be able to easily pick out nutritional products for me and my family and I wont be so frustrated standing in the store trying to read and figure out what to buy. What environmental, economic, and psychosocial factors influenced your food and drink choices today?Environmental, Economic, and psychosocial factors that influence my food and drink choices today are by word of mouth, family and friends choices, what im in the mood or for, and is it affordable to eat or drink on a daily basis. Theres many factors that effect my choices based on what I like, who im with and if they agree with my choices or not, and commercials and ads take effect on my decisions too. I find I see a lot of stuff on tv thats new and I have to try it, but dont really pay attention to what is in it to decide if its a healthy choice for me or not.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Thorn Queen Chapter Five

I fully intended to make good on my promises, and in Tucson the next day, I began acquiring an odd assortment of goods that I hoped might improve the Thorn Land's situation. Admittedly, they were kind of lame, but I figured I had to start somewhere and was rather proud of my attempts when I finished. I was sitting down in front of the TV with an early dinner that night when Kiyo walked in, clad in his white vet's coat. Naturally, all the animals lifted their heads or actually walked over to him in greeting. If I hadn't been balancing a plate of ravioli on my lap, I would have leapt up and run into his arms. Instead, I gave him a dazzling smile, one that grew larger when I saw he carried a bouquet of flowers. â€Å"I would have been here sooner,† he said, tossing the coat onto a chair. â€Å"But I had an afternoon shift.† â€Å"Hey, I'm just happy to see you at all. I figured you'd still be busy with baby stuff.† â€Å"Nope.† He sat down in a chair opposite me and laid the bouquet down on the coffee table. â€Å"You were amazing there, you know.† â€Å"If by amazing, you mean shoddily dressed and leading on gentry princes-then, yes. Yes, I was. What are those for?† I gestured with my fork to the flowers-an arrangement of brightly colored gerbera daisies. â€Å"Do I need a reason? Aside from you being awesome?† I swallowed the piece of ravioli I'd just chewed. â€Å"Of course there's a reason. There's always a reason. We've talked about this before.† He gave me a lazy, dangerous smile, propping his head up on his elbow as his dark eyes assessed me. â€Å"Right. Standard practices in courtship and mating. Gifts given as subtle suggestions. ‘Here, take these plant sex organs.' Hint, hint.† It was an old joke between us. â€Å"Fortunately, in your case, you don't need to be that subtle. I already know you want sex.† â€Å"True, but I wanted to clear up any doubts. Besides, you've been so great lately†¦I don't know. I just wanted to do something nice. Figured we could have a fun night-although, you're dashing my dreams of taking you out to dinner with the way you're inhaling that ravioli.† â€Å"Sorry,† I said through a mouthful of food. â€Å"I've got a job tonight, so I had to eat early.† His eyebrows rose. â€Å"What kind of raw deal is this? I get off work so I can take you out on the town, and you've got to go into work now? Why can't you have Lara schedule you day jobs?† â€Å"Because I was busy today with Thorn Land business.† Kiyo gave me a wary look. â€Å"Hey, don't judge me,† I warned. â€Å"I wasn't actually over there. But I kind of found out recently that people are starving and going without water.† â€Å"Yeah. I've heard that.† Now I was the one with the incredulous look. â€Å"You knew and didn't tell me?† â€Å"Don't jump all over me! I figured you had people to deal with it. And probably those people had people.† â€Å"Yeah, well, all of those people are having a little trouble. In fact, I've got to go back tomorrow to help round up some brigands.† â€Å"Did you just say ‘brigands'? That's very†¦I don't know. Very 1683.† â€Å"Well, whatever they are, they're a pain in the ass and possibly abducting girls.† I gave him a quick recap. â€Å"You want to go with me and help?† He shook his head ruefully. â€Å"You know, I came here hoping to spend time with you. Instead, I find out you've got a job tonight and are playing sheriff tomorrow.† â€Å"Would it help if I wore a cowgirl outfit?† â€Å"It might.† He came over to sit beside me and kissed my cheek. â€Å"And yes, I'll go tomorrow. I'll even go tonight, if you want the company.† â€Å"You see? We are spending quality time together.† â€Å"I just hope there's some quality time in bed later to help make up for it all.† â€Å"Well,† I said haughtily, setting my plate on the table, â€Å"that depends on you, huh? I have no doubts about my quality.† He put a hand on my thigh and brushed his lips against my neck. â€Å"Oh, Eugenie. Don't push your luck here,† he growled, â€Å"or you might be late for work.† I grinned and answered by way of a long, deep kiss that probably would have turned into more if my appointment hadn't been so close. That, and we also heard Tim coming in the back door. He never took it very well when he found Kiyo and me in a compromising position. The two of us drove over near the university, to a quiet residential neighborhood that was split evenly between single-family residences and crowded houses shared by students. As we pulled up in front of a narrow two-story home in need of a new paint job, Kiyo frowned. â€Å"That microbus looks really familiar,† he said, eyeing the driveway. â€Å"Really?† I asked innocently. We got out of the car and approached the house. When we'd cleared the microbus, Kiyo paused to look at its slew of bumper stickers. Question Authority and Roswell or Bust! were only a few. He gave me a sharp, accusing look. â€Å"Eugenie, did Wil Delaney move?† â€Å"Nooo,† I said slowly. â€Å"But this is a friend of his.† Kiyo groaned. â€Å"If I'd known this, I would have stayed home. That guy is insane. And wait-did you just say he actually has a friend?† â€Å"A friend with a legitimate problem. And you can always go wait in the car.† Kiyo said nothing, merely steeling himself as we approached the door. Wil Delaney was a former client of mine. He was a conspiracy theorist who almost never left his home and whose sole income depended on a blog he ran that furthered his ideas on the government, aliens, mind control, genetic manipulation, and a whole host of other wacky premises. He was quite possibly the most paranoid person I'd ever met. He was also Jasmine's half-brother. It was how we'd met. He'd been the one to hire me to go find her in the Otherworld, long before I'd known anything about Storm King and the prophecy. Apparently, Wil and Jasmine's mother hadn't been so virtuous and had cheated on Mr. Delaney a lot-even with gentry warlords. About a dozen locks unclicked before we were allowed into the house, which was almost as many as Wil had at his own home. The person who greeted us was a woman, a very young one. She was short with plump cheeks, cropped brown hair, and pink cat-eye glasses. â€Å"Is this her?† she asked. A moment later, Wil's head peered around the doorway's side. He looked the same as last time: pale blond hair in need of cutting, glasses, and skin that never saw the sun. â€Å"Yup.† â€Å"Who's the guy?† asked the woman suspiciously. â€Å"Her boyfriend. He's cool. Cairo.† â€Å"Kiyo,† I corrected. I held out my hand to her. â€Å"You must be Trisha.† â€Å"I prefer to be called Ladyxmara72,† she said. â€Å"Because really, we're all just anonymous faces in this society, as far as the government is concerned. Plus, Ladyxmara72 is one of my World of Warcraft character names. Ironic that a virtual society like that can be more honest and egalitarian than our own. Or maybe†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She paused dramatically. â€Å"It's not so ironic.† Wil stared at her adoringly. Beside me, Kiyo made some sort of strangled noise. They led us inside a home nearly as dark as Wil kept his. I guessed Trisha-I refused to call her Lady-whatever-worried about the same issues with radiation that he did. Her home was neater, however, and bore slightly more feminine touches, like furniture that matched and a few scented candles. The candles appeared to be homemade, undoubtedly so they wouldn't poison the air with artificial scents or be laced with trackers that the government could use to listen in on Trisha's conversation. â€Å"So,† said Trisha as we entered the living room. An episode of The X-Files was paused on the TV. â€Å"You're here to take care of the alien problem.† â€Å"I'm here to-what did you say?† I looked back and forth between Wil and her. â€Å"Aliens,† she said. â€Å"My house is infested with them.† I peered around, half-expecting to see E.T. hanging out on the loveseat. All was empty and still. â€Å"I don't really understand. Didn't Wil tell you what I do?† â€Å"We don't know for sure that they're aliens,† he said hastily. â€Å"But there is something here.† â€Å"Of course they are!† she exclaimed. He cowered a little under her glare. â€Å"I've seen them looking in the windows-just like on that documentary.† Immediately, his chagrin turned to outrage. â€Å"Oh, come on! You know that's a hoax. The evidence is overwhelming.† â€Å"The hell it is! There's no way anyone could fake that kind of-â€Å" â€Å"Um, hey, you guys?† I said. â€Å"Can we just get this taken care of? Tell me more about the ali-whatever. Have you both seen them?† They nodded. â€Å"They're short with big eyes,† Trisha said triumphantly. â€Å"But they wear paisley suit coats,† added Wil. â€Å"And they do chores at night.† â€Å"Doesn't sound so bad to me,† murmured Kiyo. â€Å"Why get rid of them?† â€Å"Kobolds,† I said after a moment's thought. â€Å"You've got kobolds.† â€Å"There is no known planet by that name,† argued Trisha. I sighed. â€Å"Just take me to your basement.† Trisha led us through the house, and Wil drifted over beside me. â€Å"Isn't she amazing?† I swear he was on the verge of swooning. â€Å"Your first girlfriend?† I asked. â€Å"How'd you know?† â€Å"Instinct.† Engaging Wil in conversation was always dangerous, but seeing as he never left the house or had much social interaction, I just had to ask the next question. â€Å"How'd you guys meet?† â€Å"On a forum. We were both in this thread and kept arguing about whether there was a government connection between the overdoses of Marilyn Monroe and Heath Ledger, and then we-â€Å" â€Å"Okay,† I said, grimacing. â€Å"That's enough. Really.† We reached the basement door, and Trisha started to go down. â€Å"Don't,† I warned. â€Å"You guys need to stay up here.† I gave Wil a stern look. â€Å"Don't let her down there until we're done. You of all people know I'm not fucking around.† Wil blanched further-if that was possible-and gave a hasty nod. Wil had traveled with me to the Otherworld and fully understood the perils of my job. I could hear Trisha arguing with him as Kiyo and I descended the stairs, yet somehow, Wil managed to do his job and keep her away. â€Å"I never thought it was possible,† said Kiyo, once we were out of earshot. â€Å"He's found and fallen in love with someone exactly like him. I guess there really is someone for everyone.† â€Å"She's a little more assertive than he is, I think.† â€Å"Good. He needs it.† â€Å"On the bright side, this'll be cake. Kobolds aren't an issue.† Kiyo nodded his agreement but wrinkled his nose when we reached the bottom of the steps. â€Å"They're bad-smelling ones, though.† The basement wasn't finished and bore the usual clutter one found in such places. Lots of hiding spots for kobolds. I pulled on a hanging chain, and a bare bulb offered meager illumination. Taking out my wand, I extended my arm and swept the whole basement. â€Å"By the earth and fire you serve, I command you to reveal yourselves.† Shamanic magic tingled from me, through the wand and its gems, and into the room. A moment later, three forms materialized. They were about three-feet high, male, and hardly resembled the big-eyed aliens popular in modern culture. These guys were wizened, with patchy yellow hair. Wil's comment about the paisley coats wasn't entirely accurate either. One wore plaid. â€Å"Why did you call us out?† the one in plaid demanded in a high-pitched voice. â€Å"We haven't done anything to you. We haven't done anything to anyone.† â€Å"You guys, you can't stay here,† I said. â€Å"Not in this house. It's not yours. This world isn't yours.† I was a stickler for world ownership. â€Å"We're helping,† argued one of the paisley ones. â€Å"Do you know how messy these people are? Books and paper everywhere.† If Trisha's house had resembled Wil's before the kobolds arrived, I could well imagine it. Kobolds were kind of like benign goblins, originating in northern Europe and rarely given to maliciousness unless provoked. My hope was that they could simply be talked into leaving. â€Å"That's really nice and all, but I mean it: you can't stay here. I've got to send you back to the Otherworld. Give me a hard time about it, and I'll make it the Underworld.† The plaid one scowled. â€Å"You're as cruel as they say, Eugenie Thorn Queen. We've done nothing to deserve this.† I tried not to scowl right back. Before learning about my gentry blood, I'd often conducted shamanic business under the pseudonym Odile Dark Swan. It was what Otherworld denizens had known and feared me as. I wasn't thrilled to know that no part of my identity was a secret anymore. â€Å"You guys, I am not screwing around. You know who I am. You know what I can do, so stop wasting time.† Wand still in hand, I began to channel an opening to the Otherworld. â€Å"You can't take on both of us, let alone one.† â€Å"No,† agreed the other paisley one. â€Å"But he can.† â€Å"He-ahh!† Furry hands reached around from behind me just seconds after Kiyo exclaimed, â€Å"Eugenie!† Kiyo was normally on high alert but had been as cocky as me about dealing with the kobolds. His attention had been on them, and he hadn't sensed the other threat lurking in the basement. Well, that wasn't entirely true. Kiyo had scented this creature, if the odor emanating from its hands and arms was any indication. He just hadn't made the connection. I still didn't have a good look at my furry-armed captor, seeing as I was still struggling to break free of its grasp. Kiyo was on it in a flash, needing no weapons save his own brute strength. His hands closed around the creature's arms, and he managed to pull them loose enough for me to slip out of its grip. Once free, I was able to get a good look. It was a†¦ Huh. I wasn't really sure. It was furry, brown, and tall, with rounded ears like a mouse or bear and hooves like a deer and a whole other assortment of random animal parts. It gave a strangled roar of displeasure, and I braced for it to turn back on me. Usually, that was how it worked. Creatures who came after me usually had one of two goals: either rape me on the spot or kill me to prevent me from fulfilling the prophecy. But Smokey the Bear, or whatever it was, was going after Kiyo, ignoring me while the kobolds watched gleefully. Kiyo socked the creature hard in the chest, and I noticed a faint ripple of light spread through it that faded quickly. Smokey then returned with a punch that took Kiyo hard in the face and sent him toward the wall. It was hard, too-that punch had been meant to kill. Kiyo's reflexes were too fast, though, and he caught himself before his skull could smash against the solid concrete. I leapt into the fight then, pulling out my Glock. I'd loaded it with silver bullets earlier and was glad I'd done so. I got off a couple of shots into the monster. Each time, I saw its form ripple, but it still didn't come after me. It was too intent on killing Kiyo. The two grappled further, and I continued firing, knowing I had to be weakening it. Nonetheless, one lucky blow knocked Kiyo off his feet and onto his back. The kobolds cheered when he remained still. Me, I screamed in rage, taking my wand in my other hand and facing the furry monstrosity head-on. It attempted no killing blows on me and merely kept trying to get a hold of me as I fired and began the banishing words. Suddenly, Kiyo was on his feet again, thrusting himself between us. â€Å"Stay the hell away from her!† he snarled. I saw all the muscles in his body tense and had a feeling he was on the verge of shape-shifting. Smokey looked angry and turned into full assault mode again. â€Å"Get out of the way,† I said. â€Å"I've got him.† â€Å"I'm not letting him lay a hand on you,† retorted Kiyo, eyes fixed on his foe. A flash of gold glimmered in Kiyo's eyes. Gold like a fox's. â€Å"He's not trying to kill or rape me,† I argued, as Kiyo dodged another crushing blow. â€Å"He wants to subdue me-you he wants to kill.† But Kiyo was dead set on protecting me, and I finally decided he'd be safest if I hurried up and just finished the banishing rather than attempt to protect him. Firmly channeling my power into the wand, I again began opening a gate to the Otherworld. As I did, though, I kept thinking about those ripples I saw when I'd attacked the beast, like it couldn't quite stay together. An idea struck me, and rather than direct the banishing magic into ripping open the fabric of this world, I directed it toward Smokey-or, rather, toward the Otherworldly magic holding Smokey together. Kiyo sprang away from the fight, realizing what I was going to do. Sure enough. A spiderweb of light suddenly covered the monster, fragmenting his form. With the wand, I destroyed the magical bonds, and suddenly-he exploded. But not like Aeson had exploded. It was more like he fell apart. Gone was the large, hulking, furry form. Instead, scuttling on the ground was a swarm of woodland creatures: mice, rabbits, a deer, and a couple of ducks. The mice and rabbits immediately scurried into whatever nooks and crannies they could find. The ducks looked confused. The deer ran up the stairs. With the banishing magic already started, it was easy to complete the actual opening to the Otherworld and send the kobolds through. Just before they vanished, Kiyo leaned toward them-keeping out of the magic's way-and fixed them with a dark, angry expression. The blood on his face from the fight only added to his fearsome appearance. â€Å"Tell whoever sent you here to leave her the hell alone, or I will come after him myself and rip him apart limb by limb. And I'll do the same to you guys while I'm at it. None of you are ever going to lay a hand on her again,† he growled. The kobolds' faces reflected true fear as they disappeared from this world. Silence fell, aside from the quiet and confused quacking of the ducks who still didn't know what to do with themselves. â€Å"Well,† I gasped. â€Å"That was one of the more convoluted schemes I've seen yet.† Would-be rapists often did attempt to distract me with a seemingly ordinary banishing and then would swoop in unexpectedly. This person had sent the kobolds to lure me out and then that woodland conglomeration to actually subdue me and bring me back as a war prize. Kiyo, as an obstacle to that plan, had had to be eliminated first. I took in his ripped shirt and blood. â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"Fine, fine,† he said, wiping his face. â€Å"It's superficial. What the hell was that?† â€Å"Some monster that a gentry put together with magic. Bound all those animals into one stronger form and ordered it after me.† â€Å"Will it come back together?† â€Å"No. I broke the bonds, and they're all spreading apart anyway.† â€Å"Um, Eugenie?† Wil's voice suddenly rang down the stairs. â€Å"Is everything okay down there? A deer just ran through the living room†¦.† Kiyo and I both decided later that it was a good thing Smokey had disbanded like he had. Otherwise, if they'd seen his full form, Trisha and Wil would have had enough Bigfoot material for their forums to last until the next century. Goodness only knew what kind of threads and rumors this event alone would start. Trisha paid me in cash once we frisked the deer out of the house, and I told her she was on her own for the other animals in the basement. As we were leaving, Wil briefly caught me alone, his goofy, paranoid expression replaced by a much grimmer one. â€Å"Have you found Jasmine yet?† he asked in a very soft voice. I bit my lip. No matter how absurd I thought Wil was, whenever I saw how much Jasmine's disappearance grieved him, it broke my heart. I'd never told him the truth of her heritage. The only information I'd given him was that she was on the run and hadn't been kidnapped. I thought he'd take comfort in knowing she wasn't being held against her will, but it hurt him to think she didn't want to be with him. He truly loved his sister, no matter how much she despised the human world. It was really quite sad. â€Å"No, I'm sorry. I really am.† His face fell further, and he gave a weak nod. â€Å"Yeah. I figured. I know you'll keep looking, though. And you'll let me know if you find her?† I tried to give him a reassuring smile. â€Å"Sure.† The truth was, I didn't know if I would tell him. It all depended on what state I found her in. If I found her pregnant and bent on conquering the worlds†¦well, I wasn't entirely sure what I'd do then, but one thing I felt certain of was that there was no way I was ever going to let her return to this world.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Objections Arising from Evil in the World Essay

The word evil is a word which can be used very loosely, usually used to describe something we think to be morally wrong, something that when in inflicted on a person causes pain and suffering. However, if an ‘evil’ act is committed by someone who has been in all other aspects good, does this act make this person ‘evil’? There are many different situations where evil acts could be done all with different circumstances and consequences. For example; at Auschwitz, so many guards were involved in the slaughter of massive amounts of Jews but it seems unlikely that all of them were evil. The actions may be considered evil but they were normalised by the sense of responsibility felt by the guards. In their eyes, they were carrying out a duty so the question of whether they are to be labelled evil is indefinite. There are two recognised categories which evil can fall under: Moral evil and Natural evil. Richard Swimburne, a modern day philosopher describes moral evil as ‘including all evil caused deliberately by humans doing what they ought not to do, and also the evil constituted by such deliberate acts or negligent failure’. It is the result of a human action which is morally wrong, such as murder or war. Natural evil is the result of apparent malfunctioning in the natural world, it is according to John Hick ‘the evil that originates independently of human actions. It is in disease, in bacilli, in earthquakes, in storms, and in droughts.’ The fact that evil, or suffering is an undeniable factor in our lives presents an array of problems in today’s world where there is a strong belief by many of a higher power which should in theory, be able to eradicate it from the world or in fact never have let it come to exist in the first place. For believers in the God of Classical Theism, this ‘problem of evil’ as it is often referred to, creates a serious dilemma. Moral evil is an easier problem to tackle for a theist than that of Natural evil, as it can be said that it occurs from the misuse of freewill, but they are still faced with justifying the existence of Natural evil. If God created the world from nothing, then there is nothing beyond His control so for whatever reason, God must be the creator of evil and suffering. A theist can sometimes be faced with justifying both types of evil as natural evils like tsunamis and hurricanes are often the cause of people committing moral evils like looting. The problem is not easily justifiable and is illustrated in ‘The Inconsistent Triad’, which states the points: God is omnipotent and omniscient (A), God is all-loving (B), and evil exists (C). These three statements cannot all be true so it would seem that one of them is false, but since we know evil and suffering exist the inconsistency must lie in one of the other 2 points. The conclusions drawn from this are that either God is not omnipotent and cannot stop evil from existing, or that God is not all-loving and chooses not to stop evil existing, or that in fact God does not exist. This can be used as an argument for the non-existence of God. A quote from Swimburne on the Problem of Evil, ‘There is a problem about why God allows evil, and if the theist doesn’t have (in a cool moment) a satisfactory answer to it, then his belief in God is less than rational and there is no reason why the atheist should share it.’ An example of the problem being used in this way is in Hume’s combat of Thomas Aquinas’ Design Argument (Summa Thelogica) where he labels the Problem of Evil as ‘The Rock of Atheism’. However, whilst being a problem for theists in that it challenges the nature of God, it also poses problems in other ways. It presents itself as a philosophical problem as it compels the believer to accept conflicting claims that are logically impossible to reconcile. It is also a diverse problem; evil manifests itself in many different ways, demanding separate explanations. The problem of evil has proved itself to be a challenging problem, as it is not just going to disappear, evil and suffering are objective realities which are almost impossible to deny. B) Unpack two theodicies and analyse which how successful these are As I said, the justification of God’s allowance for the existence of evil is not easy, but there are many theodicies which have developed that provide strong arguments. A theodicy is a theory that justifies why God allows evil without qualifying the attributes of the God of Classical Theism. Two of which are those of Augustine and Irenaeus. Augustine’s theodicy has had considerable influence over many scholars since it was developed and attempts to provide justification for both moral and natural evil. According to Augustine, the perfect God created a flawless world where evil and suffering did not exist, and that God is not responsible for the existence of evil as it is not a substance, but in fact a deprivation of good. He uses an analogy of blindness to illustrate his meaning, as blindness itself is not an entity but an absence of sight. Augustine claims that evil comes from angels and humans who have deliberately turned against God and abused his gift of freewill. He states that evil is necessary in a created world as only the uncreated creator can be perfect, his creations are susceptible to change. Augustine’s idea on the existence of Natural evil is that it exists as a punishment for the Original Sin, which we are all guilty of as we were all seminally present in Adam at the time it was committed. Natural evil punishes us for the destruction of the natural order by human action. For these reasons God is right not to intervene and the fact that he does save some through Christ emphasises His mercy. God would be justified in sending everyone to hell for being guilty of the Original Sin, the fact that some go to heaven shows God’s goodness. Augustine’s theodicy has some substantial strengths, as is proved by its popularity. Brian Davies is an example of a scholar who supports his claim that evil is only a deprivation of good rather than having a proper existence, he said it is ‘a gap between what there is and what there ought to be’. To criticise would be to say that God should have created more than he did which doesn’t make sense; how is anyone to know how much more should have been created. Augustine’s views on evil being a product of freewill have also been upheld. Despite it’s strengths, Augustine’s theodicy has many holes in it to be addressed, it contains logical, scientific, and moral difficulties. Augustine’s concept of Hell comes under scrutiny; Hell is part of God’s design of the universe, so it was created before the world’s flaws began to appear, which means that God must have anticipated and accepted that the world would go wrong. F.D.E Schleiermacher expresses his logical contradiction to Augustine’s views on the origin of evil and a perfect world going wrong, Schleiermacher informs us that whether evil is a deprivation or not it is still real and it is therefore logically impossible for it to just come out of nothing. This means that evil must be connected to God and he either never created the world perfect or he made it so it was able to falter. Another logical difficulty of this theodicy comes of the capacity to do evil in a ‘perfect’ world and disobey God, as in a perfect world no knowledge of good and evil should exist. The knowledge of them could only come from God. Scientific difficulties stem from the modern world’s concept of evolution; the idea of a perfect world being damaged by humans does not allow for evolution. Moreover, Augustine refers to the Garden of Eden in his theodicy, and this paradise is hard to accept on the basis of evolution. A final difficulty lies with the concept of us all being seminally present in Adam’s loins, this is biologically impossible so we cannot all be responsible for the Original Sin. From comparing the strengths with the criticisms we can see that Augustine’s theodicy ultimately fails. The theodicy of Irenaeus is another which provides a formidable answer to the question of why God allows evil’s existence. As said by Irenaeus, Gods aim when creating the world was to make humans in his likeness, but to do this, humans could not be made perfect but had to develop through free will. It was therefore necessary for God to give us free will and therefore necessary to give us the potential to turn against him. If he didn’t enable this, we could never attain God’s likeness as according to Ireneaus it requires willing co-operation. The natural order had to be designed in a way where humans could cause harm, which they did resulting in suffering, but God still cannot compromise our freedom by removing evil. Ireneaus claims that the evil and suffering will eventually be overcome and everyone will attain God’s likeness and reside in Heaven. This justifies temporary evil, which if complying with Ireneaus’ thought enables the understanding of good. Many philosophers have added to Ireneaus’ theodicy including John Hick (who claims that good developed from free will is better than ready-made goodness), and Peter Vardy who used an analogy of a king to illustrate this – where a king falls in love with a peasant girl but rather than imposing his power on her and forcing him to marry her, he wins her over. They both believe that without development our goodness would be without value, we would be automatons. According to this theodicy, humans had to be created imperfect to be able to go against God, and they had to be created at a distance from God so they could decide for themselves to believe in him. If we were sure he was there, there would be no free will, John Hick called this the ‘epistemic distance’. If God wasn’t separated from humans we would know he was real and would live a good, moral life because we would know that it is in our best interests, it wouldn’t be real goodness. Humans also couldn’t be created in a paradise or else qualities such as courage would not be attainable and there would be no development as good and evil would be indistinguishable. The theodicy justifies natural evil as it makes the world well adapted to ‘soul making’ (John Hick). The Modern Additions to this theodicy claim that heaven is the eventual goal for everyone for three reasons; a future in heaven is the only justification for the suffering of the world. Secondly, if life were to end in death God’s purpose would be unfulfilled since we would not be reaching our goal of becoming God’s likeness. Lastly, nobody can be overlooked as evil acts are carried out in different circumstances for different people. For example, someone who was abused while being raised is much more likely to be abusive as an adult, it is something they are used to and have become desensitised to. There are solid criticisms of Irenaeus’ theodicy as well as Augustine’s: For example, everyone going to heaven defies religious texts as well as making it pointless to live a moral life, why bother if you are going to heaven anyway? It also takes away the incentive to develop into God’s likeness which Irenaeus regarded of utmost importance. Another critique is of the level of suffering needed to make the world adapted for ‘soul making, e.g. Was the Holocaust really necessary? Finally, it can be said that love can never be expressed through suffering, supported by D.Z Philips who said it is not justifiable to hurt someone to help them. To conclude, neither of these theodicies can be considered perfect by any means, but Ireneaus is the stronger of the two. Where Augustine fails to provide room for belief in evolution, Ireneaus manages it and while Augustine cannot provide a logical explanation for the origin of evil, Irenaeus provides a stable reason for it. It is also popular, like Augustine’s for its views on free will.