Monday, September 30, 2019

Separation of Powers – Importance of Judicial Independence

The Jamaican Constitution (hereinafter â€Å"the Constitution†) came into effect with the Jamaica Independence Act of 1962. The Act was tabled to ‘make provision for and in connection with, the attainment by Jamaica of fully responsible status within the Commonwealth. ’ This document formed the framework for Jamaica’s political independence and created the premise on which this fledgling nation could carve out its own legal system based on its own moral, cultural and political experience.The Constitution though largely reflective of the previous colonial relationship, has within it an innate balance of power between the arms of government that is theoretically and fundamentally positioned to support the country’s self-governance. This balance is so designed, to facilitate the critical functions of government while ensuring that no single body so fully controls the reins of power that it’s will can be imposed without the acquiescence of the oth er parties, and the greater society.This balance is grounded in the principle of the Separation of Powers, implied by the Constitution. With the complex interplay of relationships, and the significance of power within the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary, the latter emerges as the keepers of the gate in maintaining this equilibrium through its function as the arbiters of justice. The Doctrine of the Separation of Powers was first proposed by the Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322BC), and made popular in the 17th century by French writer Charles Louis de Montesquieu.Montesquieu argued that for an independent judiciary to exist, the three arms of government must have separate and independent powers within their areas of responsibility, otherwise we run the risk of there being no liberty, arbitrary control, violence and oppression. This principle may be applied to varying degrees in any legal system and may or may not be a legal restriction; however it is a very effective tool used to protect the rights and liberties of citizens from tyranny.The Constitution by virtue of Section 34, establishes Parliament (the Legislature) as the first arm of government and comprises the Queen (represented by the Governor General) and two Houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. Under Sections 48 –50, it is given power to make laws for the peace, order and good governance of Jamaica, decide special rights, immunities and powers of the Senate, the House of Representatives and its members; and the conditional power to alter the Constitution.By virtue of Section 68, the Governor General is given Executive power to be used on the Queen’s behalf either directly or through officers under him. Section 69 establishes the Cabinet as the main body to direct policy. The Cabinet, consisting of the Prime Minister and other Ministers chosen by him, manages the general administrative functions of the Government and is accountable to Parliament. The Govern or General together with the Cabinet comprises the Executive arm of Government, the second arm of government.The Judiciary is the third arm of Government. It comprises judges and magistrates from the network of courts that form the legal system. Sections 97 and 103 of the Constitution establish the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, respectively. The Chief Justice and the President of the Court of Appeal are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister in consultation with the Leader of the Opposition.The other Puisne Judges are appointed by the Governor General on the advice the Judicial Services Commission. It is important to note that there is some degree of inter-connectivity between the Executive and the Legislature, as members of the Cabinet are also members of Parliament. The sharing of personnel between these two bodies compromises the strict application of the doctrine of the separation of powers. It is therefore imperative that the Judiciary ex ecutes its functions in an independent manner.The Constitution supports the assertion that the Judiciary has not only the right, but the responsibility to review the affairs and policies of the Executive and Legislature to ensure that their powers are being exercised within the limits of the Constitution. In exercising this duty, a court can declare a law unconstitutional and therefore null and void as in the case of Adrian Nation, Kereen Wright v DPP and the Attorney General of Jamaica. In Moses Hinds v. The Queen it was underscored that the fair and effective dministration of justice constitutionally rests only within the powers of the Judiciary and in Independent Jamaica Council for Human Rights Ltd. and Others v. Marshall-Burnett and the Attorney General of Jamaica, the Privy Council overruled the judgment of the Jamaican Appellate Court in finding that the three Bills attempting to remove the Privy Council as the final appellate court were unconstitutional. This decision was ba sed on their previous ruling in Hinds.As demonstrated in other Commonwealth jurisdictions, the Judiciary may indirectly place pressure on the Legislature to ensure that laws are drafted intra vires, in the first instance. In attempting to avoid ultra vires rulings, the Legislative often times â€Å"†¦tests its own legislation in the courts. This occurred in Suratt et al v Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago wherein the Trinidad and Tobago Government defended an action on the grounds that a Bill seeking to promote equality was unconstitutional by virtue of its being discriminatory. This challenge to legislation is another example of the check and balance of the Separation of Powers. The Judiciary is thus required to rule on complex issues that have direct implications for the members and institutions within society, including the other arms of government; with impartiality and in accordance with the Rule of Law. The rule of law as proposed by A. V. Dicey asserts that no man should be punished except for conduct in clear breach of the law. This assertion supports the fact that the legal system rests on the objectivity of the Judiciary.Where we are governed under a system which rests upon the impartial application of laws, and under which citizens’ rights and obligations are regulated by those laws, there must be an established and accepted system for making law. The law must be publicly known. Interference with rights and obligations must be justified within the law as the perception of rights, freedoms and equality in society is influenced by the quality of Judicial rulings. In the spirit of Judicial Independence, the Judiciary must be impartial and may not be influenced by any source except the law.Within the Constitution, security of tenure and security of salary are entrenched provisions designed to insulate the Judiciary from pressure intended to influence their rulings. Judicial Impartiality is defined as ‘the freedom of each individ ual judge to reach a decision within the law without undue interference or pressure from government, other judges, the media or any other source. ’ While attempts to directly interfere with the fair and effective administration of justice may be limited, it can be argued that several factors undoubtedly affect the court’s ability to properly execute its role.Particularly within the Jamaican context, financial constraints arising out of cost-cutting measures of Parliament and limitations in Ministerial budgets have severely affected the resources and physical infrastructure required for the efficient operations of the machinery of the Judiciary. In recent times, influential voices in the Jamaican legal fraternity have highlighted the need to address the issue of limited resources. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Paula Llewellyn have stated that â€Å"the country is struggling with a low capacity court situation and that is affecting how the wheels of justice turnà ¢â‚¬ ¦.. ou should have been building more courtrooms and making sure you have more personnel, court reporters, prosecutors, resident magistrates†¦. and that was not being done. † The Judiciary also provides guidance to the citizens and other branches of government on matters relating to the Constitution, through statutory interpretation and application of general principles of law while settling disputes brought before them. Their ability to be fair and impartial is particularly challenged when called upon to interpret and rule on legal documents that are poorly drafted or ambiguous.Although the law lends itself to flexibility and expediency, the question arises in some instances whether the ruling accurately represents the will of the Legislative as some appeals have been advanced on the grounds of statutory misinterpretation as in the case of R v East Berkshire Help Authority ex parte Walsh. Judges may find themselves inadvertently assuming the role of creating legal r ights when required to make plain issues not explicitly addressed by legislation.It has been debated that these so-called ‘created laws’ are not in fact created but are legal principles which lay dormant until judges’ interpretations unearth them. This was the position taken by Brett, M. R, in Munster v Lamb. However, the perception is that this ‘power’ does indeed exist as, in plural societies right and wrong are just as plural and judges must ensure that conclusions sufficiently represent a   fair carriage of justice. If the Judiciary were acting solely as the mouth piece of the Legislature and the Executive with no independent thought or justice-driven compass, this arm of government would hardly be relevant.In Earl Pratt and Ivan Morgan v The Attorney General and The Superintendent of Prisons, Saint Catherine, the Privy Council interpreted inhumane treatment under section 17(1) of the Constitution of Jamaica to include delay between conviction and the carrying out of the death penalty though the constitution was silent on this matter. This interpretation created a legal right which had the effect of automatically commuting death penalty convictions for convicts on death row in excess of five years to life imprisonment.The Judiciary also exercises its constitutional mandate through a process of Judicial Review which is the means by which â€Å"Government departments, local authorities or others with law-making and administrative powers are confined by the courts within powers granted by the [Constitution]. .   Although Jamaica does not have a specific Judicial Review Act, provisions for judicial and constitutional claims fall under Administrative Law Claims in section 56 of the Supreme Court of Civil Procedure Rules, 2002. Judicial Review is an important tool of the Judicial Branch.It is considered a grave and ominous â€Å"responsibility which the courts must not shirk from or attempt to shift to Parliament† â⠂¬Å"as this responsibility in and of itself is a system of checks and balances thus seen as the: last bulwark of citizenry. †   The grounds for Judicial Review includes error of law, failure to observe the principles of equity, abdication of functions, improper delegation of authority, and unreasonableness of a decision. All are supporting grounds for the argument that the maintenance of fair justice is eally what is at the heart of the function of the Judiciary. â€Å"Remedies for judicial review include: Certiorari, for quashing unlawful acts, Prohibition, for prohibiting unlawful acts and Mandarmus, (now mandatory order), for requiring performance of a public duty, including a duty to make a decision or determination, or to hear and determine any case†6. The fair administration of justice by Jamaica’s courts is influenced by the fact that its final court of appeal rests outside its jurisdiction.According to the principle of stare decisis or Judicial Preceden ce, courts are bound follow the ruling of higher or equal courts. With the Privy Counsel being retained by the Constitution as Jamaica’s final appellate court, the discussion arises whether the rulings of that external body are sympathetic to the Caribbean experience and thus a fair and effective administration of Justice. According to Sharma JA of the Trinidadian Court of Appeal in Boodram v.AG and Another, â€Å"even after our independence, our courts have continued to develop our law very much in accordance with English jurisprudence. The inherent danger and pitfall in this approach is that, since Independence our society has developed differently from the English and now requires a robust examination in order to render our Constitution and common law meaningful. † The Jamaican Constitution was so designed to support and to be supported by the Doctrine of Separation of Powers between the Legislative, the Executive and the Judiciary.Though not free of limitations, th e Doctrine effectively balances power among the three bodies, ensuring that encroachments that are not in the interest of justice are held somewhat in check. The sharing of personnel between the Executive and the Legislative bodies in the Jamaican Parliament, however, can lead to cynicism and has the potential for corruption. It is therefore imperative that the Judiciary be allowed to function independently and be protected from interference from those who would seek to influence its decisions.Despite the intent of the Constitution’s authors, the justice system can only be determined to be fair or faulty based on human factors, the judges. The Constitution is a function as well as a reflection of the society it serves and as such our moral, cultural and economic experience will determine how our justice system evolves and whether the tenets on which it is founded are sufficiently strong and rooted to support Jamaica’s political and legal independence.

The Nonverbal Decoding Ability

1. Bonnet, C. (1993). Adoption at birth: prevention against abandonment or neonaticide. Child Abuse Negl, 17(4), 501-13. This study aims to clarify some of the anomalies that exist between abandoning a child at a public place and the choices made by the parents at the time of the birth of a child. 2. Bowen, E. , & Nowicki, S. (2007). The Nonverbal Decoding Ability of Children Exposed to Family Violence or Maltreatment: Prospective Evidence from a British Cohort. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 31(3), 169-184.This study outlined as to how the exposure of children to family violence and maltreatment in first four years of age can influence a child’s expression of fear and other related psychological issues. 3. Buller, David. (2005). adapting minds: evolutionary psychology and the persistent quest for human nature. MIT Press: New York. This book presents a philosophical analysis of evolutionary psychology and discusses some of the most important works in this field. 4. Castellucci & Plum. (1999). Ethics and Adoption Indeed. Retrieved 24 April 2009 from http://www. bastards. org/bq/bq11/ebdrep. htmThese are some of the notes from Evan B Donaldson Symposium on Ethics and Adoption and basically discuss some of the work presented by the participants in that symposium. 5. Conte, J. R. , & Schuerman, J. R. (1987). Factors associated with an increased impact of child sexual abuse. Child Abuse & Neglect, 11(2), 201. This study dealt with the factors in assessing the impact of sexual abuse on children. Results indicated that there are variable results indicating different degree of variability of the results. 6. Daro, D. , & McCurdy, K. (n. d. ). Preventing child abuse and neglect: programmatic interventions.Child Welfare, 73(5), 405. This study provides an insight into how the prevention efforts at altering such behaviors can contribute towards the overall risk to the children and the families. This study further discusses as to what we know about the efficacy and e fficiency of such efforts and what some of the problems being faced are. 7. Finkelhor, D. , Williams, L. M. , & Burns, N. (1988). Nursery crimes: Sexual abuse in day care. No. : ISBN 0-8039-3400-9, 272. This study provides an empirical evidence of the child abuse taking place within the daycare facilities with children under the age of 7 years.This article therefore defines the nature of the problem, the effectiveness of the different investigation methods as well as the impact of such incidences on the community as a whole. 8. Gauthier et al. (1996). Recall of Childhood Neglect and Physical Abuse as Differential predictors of Current Psychologically Functioning. Retrieved 24 April, 2009 from http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pubmed/8832112 This study attempts to bridge the gaps between the neglect and physical abuse on the psychological functioning of the children.By examining the sample of 236 male and 276 female undergraduate students, this study therefore empirically concluded tha t there is an strong relationship between the physical abuse and psychological functioning. 9. Gelles, R. J. , & Harrop, J. W. (1991). The risk of abusive violence among children with nongenetic caretakers. Family Relations, 78-83. By using a sample of more than 6000 participants, this study attempted to understand whether the non-genetic caretakers use more violence than the genetic caretakers. 10. Golden, O. (2000). The federal response to child abuse and neglect. The American psychologist, 55(9), 1050.This study outlines some of the efforts of the administration on children and family in improving the lives of the maltreated children. 11. Groza, V. , & Ryan, S. D. (2002). Pre-adoption stress and its association with child behavior in domestic special needs and international adoptions. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 27(1-2), 181-197. This study focused on the cross sectional data analysis of the adopted children from US and Romania. The major findings of this study include the recommen dations for families to understand how negative experiences in early childhood can affect child behavior. 12.Hill, R. B. (1977). Informal Adoption among Black Families. This is the study on the informal adaptation patterns of children in Black American families and outlined how different factors contribute to such patterns. 13. McNamara, Carter. (2008) Analyzing, Interpreting and Reporting Basic Research results. Free Management Library. Retrieved 24 April 2009 from http://managementhelp. org/research/analyze. htm This article, published on internet describes as to how to approach the research professionally and from an academic point of view. 14. Nalavany, B. A. , Ryan, S. D. , Howard, J. A., & Smith, S. L. (2008). Preadoptive child sexual abuse as a predictor of moves in care, adoption disruptions, and inconsistent adoptive parent commitment. Child Abuse & Neglect, 32(12), 1084-1088. This study actually attempts to reinforce a small body of research that the CSA complicates furthe r the child adaptation process. 15. Spinetta, J. J. , & ER, D. (n. d. ). The child-abusing parent: A psychological review. Child Abuse: A Multidisciplinary Survey, 14. 16. Tan, T. X. (2006). History of Early Neglect and Middle Childhood Social Competence: An Adoption Study. Adoption Quarterly, 9(4), 59.This study examines whether the earlier history of neglect and maltreatment in infancy has any influence over the competence of the children when they reach the adolescence. This study further assesses the impact of such on the social interaction of children as well as their performance in the extracurricular activities. 17. Tongue, A. C. (1991). The ophthalmologist's role in diagnosing child abuse. Ophthalmology, 98(7), 1009. This study discusses the role of Ophthalmologist in diagnosing the early child abuse and as such provides certain recommendations as to how such violations can be decreased. 18. Watson et al. (1994).Substitute Care Providers: Helping Abused and Neglected Childre n. DIANE publishing Chicago This study provides insight into the development of abuse and drug exposure into the children and how to recognize different physical indicators to diagnose such state of children. 19. Wilson, M. I. , Daly, M. , & Weghorst, S. J. (2008). Household composition and the risk of child abuse and neglect. Journal of Biosocial Science, 12(03), 333-340 This study attempted to assess how the different factors such as family composition, income, age of the victim as well as household consumption can result into child abuse. 20. Harter, Susan.(2001). the Construction of the Self: A Developmental Perspective. Guilford Press: New Jersey This book attempts to explain as to how the children and their self perception about themselves define their relationship with others. This book therefore also provides the information about the self development of children which take place over the period of time. 21. Grotevant, Harold. (2005). Minnesota/ Texas Adoption research Proje ct. Retrieved 24 April 2009 from http://cehd. umn. edu/FSoS/assets/pdf/ResearchDiscovery/Procedures_Measures2. pdf This study basically attempt to measure the validity of different hypothesis

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Effect of extracurricular activities on the gpa

An example of this would be a varsity player who has training in the afternoon till evening, then goes home with the notion that he still has to do an immense amount of paper work due the following morning. Furthermore, Roland, a professional writer, graduate of B. S. En may also pull his grades down if he becomes too engrossed [Emphasis mine] with other activities. This all boils down to the fact that poor time management will be the main downfall of an individual's academic performance. At this point, the question to ask is what's in it for one's character formation? Well, the experts have some points on this matter. First, McNealy summarizes that these activities actually are conducive to facilitate effective communication [Emphasis mine] (Francisco) because an individual is put in a situation wherein interaction is a just.To illustrate this point, there is no such thing as a theatre actor who cannot communicate with his fellow actors, much more to the audience. He cannot be calle d one if he does not exemplify this trait. Second, confidence [Emphasis mine] is also attained through the process of the venture (Francisco) Nominal 3 for the same reason that one is put in this situation wherein bravery must be exercised with the help of this so called confidence. Again to compare it with an actor, one must be able to deliver his lines with absolutely no evidence of fear while he is carrying the weight of a performance.These two points presented are further strengthened by † [a] 2001 survey of more than 50,000 high school students in Minnesota published in March 2003 issue of the Journal of School Health found that those who participated in extracurricular activities had higher [Emphasis mine] levels of social, emotional, and healthy behavior than students who did not participate (Francisco). † Altogether these findings indicate that confidence and communication skills, two of the many, are integral to building one's character through extracurricular a ctivities as backed up by the prior evidence that are found inFranciscans research. On the other hand, there are also a few drawbacks or cons when it comes to character formation when one considers other miscellaneous influences. One would be the parents' influence wherein they'd force an individual to learn this certain activity but that task isn't to his liking, thus, all the more he is stressed [Emphasis mine] out (Roland). According to Frederick's, another drawback would be the unavoidable internal influences that one may encounter such as malicious authorities and peers who will force him to do harmful vices and delinquent actions (Francisco).What's more is that the people who are participating in the extracurricular activity may actually be the one bringing themselves down for neglect of their other obligations like family, friends, etc. Without a doubt it would be disastrous if they were to treat their extra undertakings as their own vices. Finally, these findings would certa inly be mainly dependent in the kind of educational context one is in. In conclusion, after all the facts have been presented, it all depends on an individual's choice whether or not he chooses to Join and bestow upon himself the benefits and pay a price or stay free with little or no improvement.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Management Diversity and equal opportunity Article

Management Diversity and equal opportunity - Article Example Valueing and managing diversity requires policies, procedures, relationships and practices that will ensure fairness and equality. (Rice K,2007) However on the other side the scope these diversities in the business environments can be made use to effectively improvise the organisation's performance. In totality, the success of an organization in adapting to the diversity would directly depend upon the equal distribution of opportunities in terms of responsibilities, benefits, career opportunities and personal respect among the team. Advancement in technology, travel options, communications and liberalization of international business regulations has incorporated numerous possibilities of conditions with diverse natures within the work environment. This trend was found to increase in the early nineties. The transference of a command driven economy to a market driven one, sheltered markets to competitive ones, domestic trade to international trade and the trend of monopoly to the trend of competition has extensively made possible the chances and demand of diversity in the business setup and processes involved. However these chances and demand are expected to have an upward trend in the coming years as well. In the modern business scenarios, diversity has been observed in the following areas. Cultural Diversity A modern definition of culture is "the shared ways in which groups of people understand and interpret the world (Fons & Charles 1997,p.3-4). A diversity in the interpretation and understanding as defined by Fons & Charles is being experienced in the human resources of business entities mainly due to the resultants of globalisation namely in- sourcing and out-sourcing. Moreover the policies on exchange of manpower among different nationalities promoted by the shortage of skilled manpower in many countries have led many companies to hire people belonging to different countries with diverse cultures. International educational opportunities are also increasing the availability of multi-cultural man power. The diverse understanding of business procedures and varied interpretation of management scenarios by this multi-cultural workforce adds complex cultural diversity to the work environment. Inter personal relationship The modern work groups hold much diversity in their inter-personal relationship attitudes. Although this may vary from person to person, the range of the diversity is much high with reference to the modern work groups which includes staff from different countries and cultures. Christopher & Diana (1996, p75) have mentioned seven factors concerning to the human relationships including time, space, odors, frankness, intimacy of relationships, values and expression of emotions. When an employee or a group from a particular part would insist on punctuality, others from different part of the globe would not pay much importance for time. Space is also viewed differently by different people. When some need to be close to their colleagues some others would prefer to keep a distance. Frankness is another factor which can bring in diversity in inter-personal relationships among the staff. High-context cultures are more frank than low-context cultures. (Lesikar R & Flatley M 2002,p.442). Intim acy among the

Modern Finance Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Modern Finance - Coursework Example The management style and organisation culture are the main factors in determining the ways of growth. The organic growth involves internal improvement of organisation. Internal improvement includes the achievement of core competency that leads to develop competitive advantage in the industry. Organic growth is a long term process where the growth rate is comparatively low. In case of inorganic growth, company aims to achieve higher success within a short period of time. Inorganic growth can be achieved by merging or acquiring other companies, strategic alliances etc (Indian Council for International Amity, n.d.). Inorganic growth is the latest trend of the business world. Increasing competitiveness raises demand for inorganic growth. Merger and acquisition (M&A) is the most desirable approach in inorganic growth strategy for a company seeking rapid growth. Mergers and acquisitions are different concepts. According to Zeng, â€Å"merger is term used for companies and similar bodies rather than assets and liabilities† and these two companies joins together and becomes â€Å"a single indistinguishable whole† (Zeng, 1999, p.19). In case of acquisition, â€Å"ownership passes from one person to another† as an acquirer company completely takeovers an acquired company. (Zeng, 1999, p.19) This paper will attempt to deal with the merger and acquisitions and its various aspect. In this process, the reasons behind the M&A and its influencing factors will be analysed. The process and issues in M&A will figured out with proper example. The impact of M&A on the business environment will be discussed pointing out its positive and negative effects. Before focusing on the motives of mergers and acquisitions, it is necessary to analyse the growth oriented corporate strategies of organisations. An organisation must decide its ways of growth. In order to achieve higher market share and profit, and to become the market leader, an organisation tries to growth in an inorganic

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Function of the Scholastic Activities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Function of the Scholastic Activities - Essay Example The following analysis will briefly recount one such story. For years one of my closest friends had been traveling to Peru to volunteer in a clinic that his mother ran deep within the Amazonian rainforest. I eyed their yearly trips to Peru with marked curiosity as I was unsure whether they were simply doing this in order to fulfill some type of religious requirement or take an exotic vacation. Finally, through the course of our friendship, I began to ask details of what this trip involved, what the purpose of it was, and why the family saw it necessary to do this. The response I received was entirely unexpected. The family invited me to come and see. By virtue of obtaining a US passport and assuring myself that I was up to date with all of my shots, I agreed and undertook to accompany them as they traveled to Peru. My expectations were low as I assumed that the family would live the life of Americans while administering to the needs of the Peruvians by day. What I saw helped to chang e my worldview. Rather than enjoying a life of relative ease, which could readily be been afforded, the family opted instead to live and work with the locals. This included eating the same foods, living in the same types of accommodations, sharing the same experience and customs with the locals. More than just a summer getaway with the added bonus of performing a modicum of â€Å"feel good humanitarian work†, what I saw was the selfless sacrifice on the part of this family as well as the other unpaid volunteers that had given freely of themselves to work with this community. With regards to what this did and what this taught me, it opened my eyes to the fact that there remains great need within this world.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

St. Sernin Toulouse Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

St. Sernin Toulouse - Research Paper Example Being a wonderful historical monument, the Basilica maintains worthwhile significance as a splendid religious structural design. Its vast chapel, outstanding ventilation system and exterior and interior art distinguishes it from its contemporary religious edifices and churches. It is therefore not only this that its spiritual importance attracts the pilgrims, but also the magnificence of its architecture fascinates them in such a way that they feel rejoiced to visit this historical place attributed to the exemplary life sacrifice made by St. Toulouse during the early years of Christianity. Its exterior and octagonal crossing tower can be viewed from SE. In addition, the tower added ca. 1250; spire completed 1478. (arthist.umn.edu) Since monasteries enjoyed the status of the relics of saints particularly during the Romanesque period, the cult of relics became a major cultural factor influencing architecture. (cartage.org.lb) It is therefore the Christians used to pay much heed to the design and structure so that the monuments could display the valuable services and sacrifices of the early saints during the teaching and preaching of their religious beliefs. By visiting the chapel of St. Toulouse, one is astounded by the art and skills proficiency applied by the expert contractors and builders while making the dream of a magnificent Basilica into reality. Romanesque Architecture 1000 – 1140

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Chauncy and Gay Male Culture, 1890-1940 (responses) Assignment

Chauncy and Gay Male Culture, 1890-1940 (responses) - Assignment Example I feel the response is correct in its assessment of gay male culture through the questions answered. The second response correctly identifies the three myths that Chauncey aims at dismantling. The response is however not very well detailed when it comes to assessing the questions raised. The author identifies the reasons for gay closure on a narrower perspective. The author should provide a wider perspective of the reasons gays remained closeted at certain points in history. The author provides his answers to the question as to why gay men got forced underground by simply quoting Chauncey. The author should elaborate on Chauncey’s reason a bit further. The response also has a few grammar mistakes in regards to the use of tenses and sentence structure which require ironing out. I feel the author in the second response has valid answers to the questions posed but needs to structure his sentences for his or her answers to come out more

Monday, September 23, 2019

Circuit Soldering Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Circuit Soldering Assignment - Essay Example They can also be covered (Linsley 46). Methods through which circuit soldering is achieved include manual soldering whereby, a skilled person uses his hand to solder joints that have flaws and to solder connections. In this method, it is vital to limit the time of contact of the soldering iron. Another method is reflow soldering where, solder is put at the joints before actual soldering. It is put at the joints as a paste or a preform. The solder is then melted through heating with gas, or through resistance (Linsley 48). There are various tools used in circuit soldering. They include an electric soldering iron, and a soldering gun. A soldering gun is a trigger- controlled soldering iron. On being triggered, it takes just 10 seconds for the bit to attain 3150C. The soldering gun bits can be changed and are supposed to be tinned. Hence, it can be said that a soldering gun is a type of a soldering iron. Soldering irons themselves are made up of a handle that is insulated from heat. The handle holds a heating component of 15 to 25 Watts. It is in this component that the bit is slotted in. The bits come in various kinds like the copper ones that are easy to clean using a file. There also are the ironclad bits. These bits are not supposed to be cleaned as the copper bits. They are cleaned by rubbing under high temperature using a damp sponge (Linsley 47). Tinning has been mentioned, the question is, how is it done? Tinning is done through cleaning the bit, the soldering iron is then inserted and heated, cored solder is then applied with the excess been wiped off using a wet sponge (Linsley

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Environmental Pressures Essay Example for Free

Environmental Pressures Essay All companies have moments of growth and decline. As companies age, change in the form of growth is brought about (Palmer, 2009, p.65). Companies look for the increases in revenue and ways to create more revenue. When money is being made growth happens, new jobs are created, expansions begin and technology is heightened. Last week Time Warner Cable announced that there will be a new CEO, as the current CEO, Glenn Britt will be retiring. The new CEO, Rob Marcus talked about the growth pressures concerning Time Warner Cable. Mr. Marcus emphasized the growth potential of selling data services to businesses, which is the fastest-growing sector of the cable industry. He also said Time Warner Cable is working to improve pricing and packaging and is hoping to retain customers by improving products like outdoor Wi-Fi. Identity Pressures Identity Pressures basically deals with the way a company brands themselves. Time Warner Cable brands themselves as a reputable and customer based oriented company. Time Warner Cable is dedicated to making their brand number one in the fields of cable, high speed data and telephony services. A commitment is given to customers to provide them with the best products and services they have to offer. Dish, satellite and ATT U-Verse attempt to compete, but when it comes to quality service, products and the commitment given to the consumers there is no better way to for the company’s identity to be missed. New Broom Pressures Time Warner Cable’s adds new members to the team that attempt to make changes bit it is not necessarily for the better. In the HR Department this past year a new VP was hired and due Environmental PressuresPage 3 to some of her background being shared before she arrived, people began looking for other jobs, all the supervisors that were in place when I was promoted a year and a half ago, have left the company in order not to work under her. There are many people that are not ready for change. Under the new VP, a lot of changes have taken place when the department all for the better of the department. Everything is a work in progress however, the  necessary changes that were needed have been implemented and work has become a great deal easier. Market Decline Pressures Time Warner and AOL were once partnered to together, it appeared that AOL was in a trend of continuous growth, however AOL began to suffer a decline in 2002 due to the pricing of broadband services being charged at $50.00 per month and consumers not wanting to pay that much for broadband services. A need for strategic changes by AOL, including partnering with cable companies and other options that move it away from overreliance on dial-up services, (Palmer, 2009). AOL eventually began providing free services there are still some customers that pay for AOL services plus the benefits they receive for using the technical department of AOL if needed. Hyper-competition Pressures Within my company, hyper-competition forced them to move quickly and audaciously to test their policies and theories. Time Warner Cable decided to change the way they did business when they branched out on their own from Time Warner Cable, Inc. Hyper-competitive can have dynamic and unpredictable environments which requires flexibility, innovation and a creative organization, which can easily adapt quickly to the changing rules of competition. Therefore, Time Warner Cable needed to change and management was pertinent to that change. What was Environmental PressuresPage 4 Challenging to management was how they would combine the need for long-term sustainability with continuous flexibility in terms of how the organization technology would change if at all. Time Warner Cable needed to develop a high degree of dynamic capabilities, which was the center of meeting the tensions of the capability and structural challenge. The organizational aspects and capabilities goes hand in hand as enabler and at the same time facilitate a successful emergent change process in hypercompetitive industries. Flexibility Flexibility can be a reason for changes in the competitive environment in an appropriate and timely way. Flexibility comes from managerial capabilities  (management challenge) and the responsiveness of the organization (organization design challenge).Flexibility requires a constructive discord between change and preservation. Strategic flexibility is an increasingly sought-after competitive element in today’s fast-paced and changing world. (Englehardt, 2002) Reputation and Credibility Pressures Time Warner Cable has pride in their reputation. A company’s reputation can be damaged at the drop of a dime. All it takes is an unsatisfied customer to speak negatively about a company or bring up a potential law suit against a company. Time Warner Cable has a team legal team staffed in house at Corporate however, all attempts are made on the lower levels to diffuse the situation before it gets that far. It a company’s reputation is ruined, there is serious backlash from it, the company loses customers, hence revenue, potential job loss can occur and worst of all the company doors can close. Reputation can be in formation of customer loyalty (Nguyen, 2001). Credibility is major, if consumer cannot count on a company to do what it is Environmental PressuresPage 5 they say they are going to do, consumers will go else and not mind paying a higher rate to get what they want. Customers want to know that the companies / organizations are trustworthy and they can count on them to be there and provide them with the services and products they want. Environmental and Organizational Pressures that exist Time Warner Cable has and does face environmental pressures on a daily basis. There is constant pressure to change strategies. Time Warner Cable is continuing to engage in new markets, corrections of internal issues are made. Basically everything is controllable it may take a little while but things are normally resolved in a 24-48 time period at the latest a 5 day period. One thing that Time Warner Cable has learned as a company is that with organizational change, there may or may not be an innovational change. Financial Perspective From a financial perspective concerning environmental and organizational pressures, things could go either way, we try to predict the way things will work out from a financial view point but the economy plays a major role. Consumers are becoming very careful with their spending. If thing begin to look bleak the finances go down. When the market is going well and profits are in the upswing then finance is great. Environmental and Organizational Pressures Impact The environmental and organizational pressures have impacted me personally as it affected my bonus this past year. I have received bonuses a great deal higher than what I received this year. I was slightly disappointed but still happy to receive a bonus all the same. Part of the bonus is based upon 80% what the company does and 20% is based upon performance. My performance was great, the company did well be not as well as in previous years. Environmental Pressures Page 6 Assessing how the organization has reacted to the organizational and environmental pressures Time Warner Cable’s reaction to organizational and environmental pressures are to regroup, see what we can change and do it better and how can we as an organization best serve our customers. By going back to the drawing board, great emphasis is placed on training, management strategizes on how to best retain current customer and how to gain new customers and customers and providing customers with the latest and greatest products, services and technology available. Time Warner is focusing on customer satisfaction. Reducing Environmental and Organizational Pressures One way Time Warner Cable can reduce their risk is by nurturing their responses when it becomes a little chaotic the pressure may appear to be small but it is all in the way the company decides to handle things. Reduction can be made concerning with organizational pressures by paying close attention to growth pressures. The potential growth of a company can helpful but it is necessary to hire smart. Strategies One strategy I would propose is for Time Warner Cable would be to listen to their customers and their employees. By listening to their customers better  offers and campaigns can be built in order to give them customers what they are asking for. Listening to the employees will help to bring about better services for their employees health and welfare. Environmental PressuresPage 7 Reference Charles S. Englehardt, Peter R. Simmons, (2002) Organizational flexibility for a changing world, Leadership Organization Development Journal, Vol. 23 Iss: 3, pp.113 121 Nha Nguyen, Gaston LeBlanc, (2001) Image and reputation of higher education institutions in students’ retention decisions, International Journal of Educational Management, Vol. 15 Iss: 6, pp.303 – 311 Palmer, I., Dunford, R., Akin, G. (2009). Managing organizational change: A multiple perspectives approach (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

The concepts of clinical governance

The concepts of clinical governance Clinical governance is defined as a system through which the health organisations are accountable for quality improvements of their services to meet the high standards of care by creating a suitable environment. The clinical governance is based on these fundamentals: Risk management. Confidentiality Staff Public involvement. Complaints investigation. Health promotion. Practice manual. Dissemination of good ideas. Quality improvement. Accountability. Clinical effectiveness, audit, evidence based practice, and policy. Risk management: Risk management is quality control related discipline and insurance comprising activities designed the adverse effects of loss upon a healthcare organisations, physical, financial assets, and human through: Claims control Loss prevention and reduction Identification of loss potential Loss funding and risk financing We have to try to establish what is actually likely to go wrong. We have to analyse and control the risk establish what can be done to reduce, minimise or eliminate it. We have to calculate the cost of getting it right as opposed to the cost of getting it wrong. Implementation of a risk management system: there are eight steps: Identify key risk areas. review past incidents. Identify key trigger events. Implement an incident reporting system. Investigate high risk events Monitor and analyse reports for trends. Implement changes if necessary. Educate and feedback. Consider a help from outside company with expertise in risk management. Other sources of help may include: The health authority The local dental committee The primary care group. Confidentiality: The principle of confidentiality is the basic to the practice in any healthcare setting. Patients attend for examination and treatment in the belief that the information that they give, will be kept secret. Health professionals are responsible to their patients with whom they are in a professional relationship, for the confidentiality of any information obtained. The fundamental principle of confidentiality is that the health professionals must not use or disclose any confidential information obtained in the course of their work other than for the clinical care of the patient to whom that information relates. Exceptions to the above are: If the patient consents. If it is in the patients own interest that information should be disclosed. If the health professional has an overriding duty to society to disclose the information If the disclosure is necessary to safeguard national security If the disclosure is necessary to prevent a serious risk to public health. Generally the consent is assumed for the necessary sharing of information with other professionals involved with the care of the patient for that episode of care and, where essential, for continuing care. Beyond this, informed consent must be obtained. The development of modern information technology and increased amount of multi-disciplinary teamwork in patient care, such as in undertaking clinical audit, make confidentiality difficult to uphold. You should tell patients whom you invite to participate in a survey in relation to audit about the standards of confidentiality. You should inform them about the extent to which their identity, contact details and information they give you is confidential to you, your work team or organisation. Be aware of your responsibilities under the Data Protection Act as to when you need to seek patient consent, (Department of Health 1998). A written confidentiality policy document should be in place for the attention of all staff in the practice. A named person should be responsible for the confidentiality policy document, this will include to monitor adherence to it and to deal with any potential or actual breaches of confidentiality. Temporary, voluntary or work experience students should all be informed of their obligations to maintain confidentiality. Managers must ensure that paper and computer security is maintained. The responsibilities of management, clerical, and administrative staff for confidentiality include: Confidentiality training for all staff. A clause about confidentiality in contracts of employment. There should be a named person with whom any member of staff can discuss difficulties with confidentiality. Physical difficulties such as lack of privacy at reception desks or being overheard answering the telephone should be reported and dealt with. Clear rules about the handling of post marked private, confidential, or personal are in place. The reasons for requests for information from patients should be explained. Only seeking the minimum of information required for the task. Shredding confidential paper records must be in place. Clear procedures for recording and storing information on paper or on computer must be in a policy document of the confidentiality in the practice. Safeguards against unauthorised access to either must be active. Levels of access to data should be clearly stated. Passwords to computer records kept confidential. Terminal security must be arranged so that an unauthorised person is unable to use an unattended terminal to access data. firewall security against unauthorised access to confidential data must be in place and active. Consent: Consent may be implied, oral, or written. Example of Implied consent is when the patient opens his mouth to allow a dentist to do an examination may be assumed to have consented to that examination. A note should be added to the patients records confirming the provision and nature of the consent when the patient consents orally. Written consents are not normally essential or a guarantee but it gives a useful document if evidence is required months or years later. Consent based on clear explanations is essential, especially in some situations such as implant placement, sedation and general anaesthesia. Patients have the right to decide whether to undergo any dental intervention, even when refusal may result in harm to them. The General Dental Council requires written consent for general anaesthesia and sedation procedures. The patient must be given sufficient information to enable them to make an informed consent. The amount of information should be given to the patient depends on a range of factors including the nature of the condition, risks and the patients wishes. Patients may need more information about procedures with high risks or with serious personal, social, or professional implications. Explanations should be given and the consent should be obtained by a knowledgeable practitioner and ideally by the practitioner carrying out the procedure. It may be appropriate for the patient to bring a friend, relative, interpreter, etc. So, we have to ensure that there is a consent form for any intrusive procedure or any other procedure where a documented record is essential or advisable. Information provided must or may include the following: Details of diagnosis and prognosis if the medical or dental condition is left untreated. The options for further investigation prior to treatment. Options for management and treatment should be explained fully to the patient including the option not to treat. Other treatment options such as pain relief should also be explained and documented. Common and serious side effects must be fully documented and explained to the patient in a way that the patient can understand and digest. All the questions raised by the patient should be answered and explained to the patient in a way that he/she can understand. Benefits The patient must be informed and documented in the consent form if the process is untested or for research purposes. Ensure a system to allow the patient to be provided with time and a copy of the consent form. Ideally the patient should discuss the matter with family, friends, etc. The consent form must be explained and interpreted to allow for understanding that serious harm does not mean that the patient would become upset or decide to refuse treatment. A referral to the patients GP for a psychiatric or psycho geriatric review to assess competence if he or she is unsure whether the patient is competent. Explanations may be enhanced by using other material such as brochures, diagnosis, photographs, etc. A patient should be given time to consider the issue before finally consenting. Consent must not be given under duress, either from family or the dentist. The patient must be made aware of any hazard which might cause his concern or to which significance would be attached. Any relevant information withheld from the patient should be recorded together with the reason for doing so. No one can provide consent on behalf of an adult, even if the person lacks the capacity to make a decision for him or herself. Just because a patient is the subject of a compulsory treatment order under a section of the Mental Health Act (1983) (or the Mental Health Act (Scotland) 1984), this does not remove the need to obtain consent for procedures which are unrelated to the mental illness. If a patient is not competent to make a decision, the practitioner may provide any investigation or treatment that he or she judges to be in the patients best interests. Children under 16 may be able to consent to investigations or treatment if they understand the nature, purpose and possible consequences of the proposed treatment and the consequences of non-treatment. They must not duffer duress from family or friend. Staff Public involvement. Staff Involvement Clinical Staff Requirements and Development General Dental Council registration. Clinical staff supervision. Continuing Professional Development requirements. Complaints Handling. Poor performance policy. (including whistle blow policy) Patient information and involvement Setting priorities for developing clinical governance: We can use SMART acronym to help us: S specific M measurable A Achievable R relevant T time based. Collect information from all members of the team and from the patients before you make any decisions on how to progress. Complaints investigation. Complaints Methods of dealing with complaints are: Inform your medical indemnity insurer and they will advise you on the best way to deal with it. Managing complaints system within the practice is in place. Member of staff to manage the complaints process is nominated and has this responsibility. Complaints procedure timescale is known to the staff and the dentist. Dentists or the complaints manager should try to meet any patient who complains to attempt to resolve the problem. Details of the complaints procedure should be published in the practice leaflet. Details of the complaints procedure should be displayed on a suitable notice in the waiting area. Complaints manager should seek advice about complaints from medical indemnity provider. Dentist should offer an apology if the situation warrants it. Practice should have a policy for refunding payments if the situation warrants it. Claims The principle of law is: A doctor is not negligent if he has acted in accordance with a practice accepted as proper by a responsible body of medical men skilled in that particular artà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.a doctor is not negligentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦merely because there is a body of opinion that takes a contrary. If we receive a solicitor letter the principle steps are: Dont panic Do not respond to a solicitors letter directly, send it to your dental defence company and let them reply. Collect together all relevant notes, correspondence, and investigations. Do not deface, alter or destroy any of the notes or other records. Practice manual Infection Control Recording of hepatitis B immunisation status. Audit of policy compliance. Child Protection: Identification and CRB (Criminal Record Bauru) checks for all staff. Child protection policy. Evidence-Based Practice and Research Principles of research governance should be applied where appropriate. The definition of Evidence based practice is an approach to decision making in which the clinician uses the best evidence available, in consultation with the patient, to decide upon the option which suits that patient best. Evidence based practice EBP is helping the clinician to maximize the use of best available evidence. Practice review: Arrangements should be in place for the practice team to develop their own checklist for reviewing the practice. A system should be in place for reviewing the practice risk. A system should be in place for patients to pass suggestions to the practice e.g through a suggestion box. A system should be in place for staff to report near misses. A nominated staff member should be available to identify, implement and co-ordinate any risk reduction procedures in the practice. The environment: The surgery should be thoroughly inspected by a team of staff including one or more of the dentists, the practice manager, a dental nurse and one or more senior receptionists. Record Keeping Quality of records is more important than quantity. The patient record keeping provides all privileged parties with the history and details of patient assessment and communication between dentist and patient, as well as specific treatment recommendations, alternatives, risks, and care provided. The patient record keeping is an important legal document in third party relationships. Poor or inadequate documentation of patient care consistently is reported as a major contributing factor in unfavourable legal judgments against dentists (American Academy of Paediatric Dentistry 2006). An electronic patient record is becoming more commonplace (Atkinson et al 2002, Heid et al 2002). General Charting: Initial patient record: Components of a patient record: Components Medical history This should include systems review which includes cardiac, respiratory, haematological, diabetes, hepatitis, epilepsy, gastrointestinal, and mental impairment. Medications which they are include regular medications, recent medication, and allergies. Medical history should include any history of hospitalization. This includes age and cause of admission, operations, and general anaesthesia. Dental history Past history: e.g. regular or irregular attendee, previous experiences, experience of local anaesthesia, and previous co-operation levels Home care: e.g. oral hygiene habits and dietary habits. Reason for attendance. Clinical assessment Diagnosis Treatment recommendations Progress notes When applicable the patient record should include Radiographic assessment Caries risk assessment Informal consent documentation Orthodontic records Laboratory orders Test results Sedation / general anaesthesia records Referrals record Additional ancillary records. Medical history update: The history should be consulted and updated at each recall visit. Dental history Chief complaint Previous dental experience Date of last dental visit/radiographs Oral hygiene practices Fluoride use/exposure history Dietary habits oral habits Previous orofacial trauma Temporomandibular joint history Social development Family history Comprehensive Clinical Examination: General health assessment Pain assessment Temporomandibular joint assessment Extra oral examination Intra oral examination: this includes soft tissues, periodontal tissues, oral hygiene assessment, occlusion assessment, and caries risk assessment. Radiographic assessment is important to aid the diagnosis of dental caries, to detect bony and dental pathology, and to detect abnormalities in dental development. Examination of a limited nature: Treatment recommendations and informed consent: Progress notes Orthodontic treatment Correspondence, consultations, and ancillary documents Principles of treatment planning: includes management of pain, and long term treatment planning. Caries risk assessment: from this assessment appropriate decisions regarding prevention, restorative care, extractions, and long-term recall protocols can be made. Preventive care: the provision of preventive dental care is possibly the most important aspect of treatment planning for the patient. Restorative care: having established the co-operation of the patient it is important to make realistic decisions concerning restorative care. This involves carefull consideration of the advisability of restoring an individual tooth. Aesthetic consideration: Recall visits: completion of the initial course of treatment is merely the start of a long-term relationship with the patient. Reassessment and recall are essential to the treatment planning process. Ongoing prevention, such as the use of fissure sealants or fluoride supplements, requires monitoring as does general and orofacial growth consideration must be given to the existing caries risk factors and awareness that these may change. Clinical audit It is the method used by health professionals to assess, evaluate, and improve the care of patients in a systematic way, to enhance their health and quality of life, (Irven, 1991). The steps of the audit cycle represented in figure 1 are: Select topic objectives Re-audit Audit Cycle Review standards review literature for criteria Make action plan Set standards Feed back findings Design Audit Analyse data Collect Data Fig. 1: Steps in audit cycle. Select the Topic: Set criteria: Set Standards: Data collection: What information we wish to collect. Define Sample: this can be limited by time, funds, staff skills etc. Data analysis: Feed back the findings Draw up the collection plan: Implementation Re-audit: AUDIT TOPIC Quality of Clinical Record-Keeping Background: Why is this audit worth doing? A permanent, faithful and accurate contemporaneous record is required for the appropriate management of patients by clinical dental teams and may be required for medico-legal and clinical governance reasons. CRITERIA AND STANDARDS All patients records must: A Have clear identifying details. B Be legible. C Be dated and filed chronologically. D Have clinicians signature with his/her printed name and designation. E Have clear history, diagnosis and treatment plan for the patient. F Only use approved abbreviations. G Have cancellation and failure to attend recorded. H Retain the original record if any alterations are made. 100% Compliance with criteria was set as the gold standard for the audit. Assess local practice (DATA COLLECTED) Clear identifying details. (1, 2, 3) 1 means clinical record does not have clear identifying details. 2 means clinical record have moderately (fairly) clear identifying details. 3 means clinical records have very clear identifying details. Be legible means records are not legible means records are fairly legible means records are very legible Be dated and filed chronologically. Means records are not dated and not filed chronologically Means records are not always dated and filed chronologically Means records are always dated and filed chronologically. Have clinicians signature with his/her printed name and designation. Means records do not have clinicians signature or names. Means records some times have clinicians signature and names Means records always have clinicians signature and printed names. Have clear history, diagnosis and treatment plan for the patient. Means clinical records do not have clear history, diagnosis and treatment plan for the patient Means clinical records sometimes have clear history, diagnosis and treatment plan for the patient. Means clinical records always have clear history, diagnosis and treatment plan for the patient. Only use approved abbreviations. Means clinical records do not have approved abbreviations. Means clinical records sometimes have approved abbreviations Means clinical records always have approved abbreviations. Have cancellation and failure to attend recorded. Means clinical records do not have cancellation and failure to attend recorded. Means clinical records sometimes have cancellation and failure to attend recorded. Means clinical records always have cancellation and failure to attend recorded. Retain the original record if any alterations are made. Means clinical records do not retain the original records if any alterations are made. Means clinical records only occasionally retain the original records if any alterations are made. Means clinical records always retain the original records if any alterations are made. Table A B C D E F G H Total 1 3 3 3 3 2 2 3 3 6 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 5 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 6 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 7 7 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 7 8 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 7 9 3 3 3 3 3 1 3 3 7 10 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 11 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 8 12 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 8 13 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 7 14 3 3 3 3 1 2 3 3 6 15 3 3 3 3 2 2 3 3 6 16 3 3 3 3 1 2 3 3 6 17 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 18 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 19 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 20 3 3 3 3 2 2 3 3 6 21 3 3 3 3 2 2 3 3 6 22 3 3 3 3 2 2 3 3 6 23 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 24 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 25 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 26 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 27 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 28 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 29 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 30 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 31 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 32 3 3 3 3 2 1 3 3 6 33 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 34 3 3 3 3 2 1 3 3 6 35 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 36 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 37 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 38 3 3 3 3 2 2 3 3 6 39 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 40 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 41 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 42 3 3 3 3 2 2 3 3 6 43 3 3 3 3 1 2 3 3 6 44 3 3 3 3 1 2 3 3 6 45 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 46 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 47 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 48 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 49 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 50 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 8 Total 50 50 50 50 34 33 50 50 32 Data are collected and analysed: 25 clinical records per clinician assessed. Clinician A records was given the numbers from 1 to 25. Clinician B records was given the numbers from 26 to 50. RESULTS (FINDINGS) Compare findings with standards Only 32 out of 50 records met the gold standard 64% of records are meeting the above gold standards. Clinician A has 15 records out of 25 records met the gold standards (60%) Clinician B has 17 records out of 25 records met the gold standards (68%) Change Improvement will be considered and implemented that all records must have clear history, diagnosis and treatment plan for the patients, and only approved abbreviations to be used. Digital input to be considered for all dental records have clear legible printed records. Re-audit annually.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Maya Angelou and Richard Wright: The Dream of Freedom

Maya Angelou and Richard Wright: The Dream of Freedom Graduation is the best day of ever young kids life, its almost as important as learning to read and write. But in reference to both being very important, racism and segregation has played the biggest factor of them all in both â€Å"Graduation† and â€Å"The Library Card.† â€Å"Graduation,† by Maya Angelou describes the anger from racism and pride of graduation day at her segregated school. Similarily, in his article, â€Å"The Library Card,† Richard Wright describes his struggle and frustration that he faces in the process for borrowing books due to the Jim Crow laws and his reaction towards the unfair treatment of Negros in the South. I believe that most students in the world have experienced some from of racism during their school years, either from teachers, from their peers, or through an overt or covert curriculum. But in contrast to racism and segregation in these two essays, they both show that, in order for African Americans to survive they have to overcome far more situations than just whites., they had to show pride, self-respect, and courage to keep fighting through hard times. Both Maya Angelou and Richard Wright utilized various similar and distinct ideas. They both did not have accessibly to good education; they both saw light down the road to further education; Due to education both started hating white Southerners; both become discouraged/dissatisfied and then later look forward to being free for once in their segregated lives. Imagine how it would feel to have someone of another race speak at your graduation and put your race down. This is the story of Graduation written by my Angelou. In this story we see how a young black girl awaits with great pride and anticipation her graduation day. When the day finally arrives, her dreams and expectations or shadowed by the speech that Mr. Donleavy, a whit man, gave to the graduating class of 1940. At the and of the story we see how the class valedictorian, Henry Reed comes back with encouraging word that help the entire audience become live and feel like they war on top gin. My Angelou used a very important literary element in this story called ton. Ton is the attitude the speaker has toward themselves, their subjects, and their audience. In this case the speaker in this story is the young black girl. In the beginning of the story the black girl speaks with pride and self-confidence. He think very highly of herself when he states, I was going to be lovely. A walking modal of all the various styles of fin hand sewing and it didnt worry me that I was only twelve years old and merely graduating from the eighth grade (Angelou, pp.56-80). In the middle of the story we see that the girl is angry and disappointed at the outcome of Angelous graduation. As explained earlier, Mr. Donleavy addressed her graduating class with continuous remarks about the white class. He went on to say that the white kids were going to have a chance to become the Galileos and Madame Curies and Edisons and Gauguins (Angelou, p.23). The young girl couldnt believe what she was hearing: Graduation, hush-hush magic time of frills and gifts and congratulations and diploma, was finished for me before my name was called. The accomplishments was nothing. Donleavy had exposed us.† (Angelou pg. 110) In this sentence we can actually feel the frustration and anger she felt. At the end of the story we see how her mood changed from being angry to feeling proud of herself and her race once again. This was the outcome of a poem read by her class valedictorian, Henry Reed: The word of Patrick Henry had made such an impression on me that I had been able to stretch myself tall and trembling and, I know not what course others may take but as for me, give me liberty or give me death (Angelou, pp.120-125). In this sentence the young girl feels proud to be black and a part of the graduating class of 1940. She put aside all the awful remarks made by Mr. Donleavy and rejoiced with the encouraging words given by Henry Reed. She was proud of her race and proud to be graduating due to her full academic accomplishments. â€Å"The Library Card,† by Richard Wright had contrasted various similar ideas as to Maya Angelou. Though Wright was prohibited by the Jim Crow laws to borrow books from the library, he imbibed knowledge of learning to read and write from the help of Mr. Falk. Mr. Falk was an Irish Catholic and was hated by the white Southeners. To show the high degree of security Wright felt in asking Mr. Falk for his library card and for breaking the Southern White Law. Wright, a nigger boy, prefers to ask Mr. Falk to borrow his library card for H.L. Menchkens book because all of them—Negros, Mr. Falk, and H.L. Mencken—have the similarity of the little girl in Maya Angelous essay; they all were hated by the white Southeners. Since both, Mr. Falk nad Wright, are hated by Southern whites, Mr. Falk would not snitch on him for having an intention to break a Southern Whites law of not allowing Negros to borrow books from the library. Like Maya Angelou, Richard Wrights only accessibility to education came from the books he borrowed from the library. As â€Å"reading grew into a passion† (Wright pg 431) to Wright and his capability of looking at world began to differ, he unknowingly begins to desire freedom. Wright terms desire of freedom into â€Å"vague, unformed yearning† (Wright 433) because he had never before been enlightened to the freedom of such a degree as he had been from reading. This enlightenment makes him desire freedom further. However, Jim Crow laws prevented Wright from fulfilling his desire. Thus, he feels dissatisfied for being a Negro and not being able to pursue his desire. Since southern whites developed Jim Crow laws, he hates them. Wright clearly points out his hatred for southern whites when he writes â€Å"I could fight the southern whites† (Wright 434). He also hates his fellow-Negros who empowers whites over their Negro self. To show his disapproval with his fellow- Negros Wright refers to them as being â€Å"cold† (Wright 434). As a result, to put an end to his dissatisfaction and hate, Wright begins to plan for the â€Å"trip [to] North† (Wright 434). By the enlightenment, Richard Wright empowers himself by elevating his pride, self-respect, and courage to rebel against the southern whites. After being enlightened about how others rebelled against southern whites, Wright denies living a life of a slave and writes â€Å"I would hate myself as much as †¦ those who submitted† (Wright 434) to show the increment in self-respect .Wright desires to rebel against southern whites. By reading H. L. Mencken books, Wright realized how Mencken was rebelling against southern whites through his writing (Wright 428-429). Thus, by admitting that he wants to be a good writer, Wright hints of his desire to rebel against southern whites through writing. Even though Wright knows southern whites hate people who speak against them, his decision to rebel against southern whites shows his high degree of courage. Maya Angelou and Richard Wright gave a new meaning to education for all African Americans. As learning to read and write grew among slaves, it gave birth to the desire of freedom through writing rebellion, in which Richard Wright masters his own â€Å"raging demon, slashing with his pen† (Wright pg. 433-434) imagination. The rebellion then shapes into a revolution for equal rights and then with the little aid of Rosa Parks by not seating and the great contribution of Dr. Martin Luther King JR. by never backing down, the revolution succeeds and gives a birth to the America of equal opportunity as known today. Today, Barrack Obama, an African-American, is the president of America. There is no doubt that Barrack Obamas success is the fruit of the some tree whose roots correspond to Maya Angelou and Richard Wrights struggle. They were heros to the African Americans not only for standing up and showing pride, self-respect and courage, but by enlightening the hearts with a passion t o succeed forward.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Good, Evil and Ethics in J.R.R. Tolkiens The Lord of the Rings Essay

Good, Evil and Ethics in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings Professor’s Comment: This student was very wise not to summarize Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. The student’s primary intention was to describe the ethical themes that can be found in the book. The first part of this essay describes Tolkien's view on the nature of good and evil, while the second part deals with his ethics of individuals. Excellent work! Introduction The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien, has been called by some one of the greatest books of all time and has recently earned the claim of "greatest book of the 20th century" in a poll by Britain's Channel 4 (O'hehir). Yet at the same time scholars have often dismissed The Lord of the Rings as a fanciful children's story. While the validity of either claim can be equally well disputed, the The Lord of the Rings and related works by Tolkien nevertheless embody a very clear and consistent set of ethical themes. These themes define good and evil in terms of nature and provide a framework on which the ethical decisions of individual characters in Tolkien's stories are based. Good and Evil Good and evil in Tolkien's work are, to put it simply, that which is natural and that which is unnatural, respectively. That is, what is left alone to follow the cycles of nature is good. Any time that the cycles of nature are disrupted (such as the felling of a forest or the enslavement of a free people), there is evil. There are constant references to this in Tolkien's stories, as when Bilbo Baggins' neighbors remark on his mysterious vigor and extreme old age, "It isn't natural, and trouble will come of it" (21). Or when Sam Gamgee says of the Gandalf the wizard, "Don't let him turn me into anything unnat... ...ase one's decisions, it is nevertheless interesting to see how they play out in Tolkien's novel. If there is anything that can be said of The Lord of the Rings in general, it is that it displays an amazing amount of consistency in every aspect of the tale. This consistency extends even to its ethics, a rare phenomenon in a book of "fantasy/sci-fi." One may not agree with Tolkien's view of technology or fellowship, but the ideas are well thought-out and well developed in the story. They make the book worth reading whether you consider it a fanciful children's tale as some do, or a masterpiece of its genre, as do I and many others. Works Cited O'Hehir, Andrew. "The Book of the Century." Salon.com 4 June 2001. 29 May 2002. . Tolkien, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings. 3 vols. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. 1994.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

An Analysis of Solipsism in Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason Essay

An Analysis of Solipsism in Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason My goal is to examine solipsism and discover how Immanuel Kant's Transcendental Idealism could be subject to a charge of being solipsistic. Following this, I will briefly review the destructive impact this charge would have on certain of Kant’s positions. After the case for solipsism is made, I intend to describe a possible line of rebuttal from Kant’s perspective that could be made to the charge. The issue of solipsism is intriguing in that it seems to be universally rejected as a basis of metaphysics. Yet, the modern tradition has had difficulty supporting this rejection. Antony Flew defines solipsism as, "The theory that I am the sole existent. To be a solipsist I must hold that I alone exist independently, and that what I ordinarily call the outside world exists only as an object or content of my consciousness" (330). According to solipsism, I see the world through my eyes. The world is only as I see it. Reality is only that which seems real to me. Knowledge is what I know. Egoism is the ethic. Politics and social conditions do not concern me. My pain is the only pain. My welfare is the only concern. As Rene Descartes stated in the second meditation, the contents of his mind seemed to be directly available to him. I am, however, a real thing, and really existent; but what thing? The answer was, a thinking thing...since it is now manifest to me that bodies themselves are not properly perceived by the senses nor by the faculty of imagination, but by the intellect alone; and since they are not perceived because they are seen and touched, but only because they are understood [or rightly comprehended by thought], I readily discover that there is ... ...he realm of appearances is sufficient to imply the necessity for rational beings to assume the existence of one’s own mind and other minds. Further, I believe from this basis one can refuse to accept the possibility that Kant’s Transcendental Idealism could be reduced to solipsism. Works Cited Descartes, Rene. "Meditations on the First Philosophy". The Rationalists. New York: Doubleday, 1960. 121-127. Flew, Antony. A Dictionary of Philosophy. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1979. 330. Kant, Immanuel. Critique of Practical Reason. Trans. Lewis White Beck. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1993. 141-149. Kant, Immanuel. Critique of Pure Reason. Trans. Norman Kemp Smith. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1929. Kant, Immanuel. Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals. Trans. T. K. Abbott. Buffalo, NY: Prometheus Books, 1988.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Game Development Essay

Once upon a time, the peaceful Kingdom of Greenland was invaded by the unexplained monster ruled by a tyrannous Garviod who was famous for his black magic. The beautiful Kingdom fell into ruin and despair. The inhabitants become an unexplainable creature. Some are became plants, trees, animals and those who are unkind to the nature became stones, garbage and monsters. Unfortunately, one of the inhabitants that have been transformed by a black magic was the old Prophet living in a cage and he became an old Tree. According to his prophecy, there will be a simple gardener who will have the power to fight the monsters in the Kingdom. The old prophet Tree traveled to find the man on his prophecy. As he traveled, he found Seedy. Humble and loving nature gardener who was transform to a seed. The old Tree gives him a map to find the treasure of X-lost. Then he said, â€Å"That the only way to break the evil spell and return the inhabitants of Greenland into normal was the magical light hidden in the treasure of X-lost.† But the ruling monsters Garviod heard about the magical treasure of X-lost and he keeps the treasure in one if his castle. Seedy humbly vowed to rescue the Kingdom and he started his journey to find the treasure of X-lost in the Castle of Garviod. Could Seedy overcome the many obstacles facing him and became a true hero? Let’s find it in the â€Å"Adventure of Seedy†. 1.2 Statement of the Problem The following problems were identified: 1. In many computer games, others kids are rewarded for being more violent. The child practicing violence in his own like killing, stabbing and shooting. 2. Some computer games are teaching kids a wrong values. 3. Some of games are simply for entertainment. 1.3Objectives The aims of the study are: 1. To development a game that would not portray violence. Rather than using a objects that represents violence, the proponent will design an object that are simple yet related to the environment. 2. To design a game that will teach the kids/user the value of environment. 3. To develop a game that makes learning fun not only to entertain. The items, weapons and object in the game are design next to the concept of environment.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Current Pharma Scenario in India Essay

The Indian Pharmaceutical industry has been witnessing phenomenal growth in recent years, driven by rising consumption levels in the country and strong demand from export markets. The pharmaceutical industry in India is estimated to be worth about US$ 8 bn, growing at an annual rate of 12-15%. In world rankings, the domestic industry stands 3rd in terms of volume and 12th in value growth terms. The ranking in value terms may also be a reflection of the low prices at which medicines are sold in the country. The industry has seen tremendous progress in terms of infrastructure development, technology base and the wide range of products manufactured. Demand from the exports market has been growing rapidly due to the capability of Indian players to produce cost-effective drugs with world class manufacturing facilities. Bulk drugs of all major therapeutic groups, requiring complicated manufacturing processes are now being produced in India. Pharma companies have developed Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) compliant facilities for the production of different dosage forms. In addition, India’s long-established position as a preferred manufacturing location for multinational drug manufacturers is quickly spreading into other areas of outsourcing activities. Soaring costs of R&D and administration are persuading drug manufacturers to move more and more of their discovery research and clinical trials activities to the subcontinent or to establish administrative centres there, capitalizing on India’s high levels of scientific expertise as well as low wages A highly fragmented industry, the Indian pharmaceutical industry is estimated to have over 30,000 manufacturing and marketing units. Indian pharmaceutical industry will be the 4th largest industry of the country in 2013 turnover wise. The organized sector accounts for just 5% of the industry, while a huge 95% is in the unorganized sector. A large number of players in the unorganized segment are small and medium enterprises and this segment contributes 35% of the industry’s turnover. Why medicines are essential? * Increased health consciousness * Increased life span * Changed lifestyle, increased stress * Junk food consumption * Recurring problems of senior citizens (Kidney problems, cardiovascular problems etc.) * Increasing frequency of accidents. (Above figures are taken from –MAT07 July 2012 IMS ORG data) (ORG IMS Research Pvt. Ltd. is the one global source for leading-edge, customized business intelligence about the pharmaceutical market, providing clients with critical information, analyses and answers that drive superior business decisions and strategies.) Along with the manufacturing of the dosage forms raw material manufacturers, diagnostic products, surgical product manufacturers and packaging element manufacturer forms an integral part of the industry. OPPURTUNITIES: a) Generic Market: India has a significant share in the global generics market and is ranked third. In recent years, this segment has been facing stiff competition which makes the scale of production important to improve profitability. India has pre-dominantly been a generic player and has the potential to gain a global presence for the following key developments: * Multiple branded drug patent expirations in the short term of span. According to IMS Health, after 2006-2007 many top selling product patents expired .E.g. In Nov 2011 patent of brand Lipitor expired. Such expiration carries tremendous impact on the generic market. * Increasing confidence of consumers in generics in the developed markets * A pro-generic sentiment from healthcare authorities driven by the pressure of containing rising healthcare costs * An aging population across the world, leading to increasing demand for low cost therapies * Global healthcare crisis like AIDS in the developing world, necessitating affordable medication for the masses Generic companies in India are recognizing the importance of patent expiries and are making significant incremental investments in research and drug development. b) Outsourcing: India’s status as an information technology superpower, with access to specialist skills and 24/7 work hours, is a huge advantage as it strengthens its position as the destination of choice for contract research, including drug discovery. Eighty-two percent of U.S companies overall rank India as their first-choice IT outsourcing destination, says leading international clinical research organization Chiltern International, adding that IT and ITenabled services (ITES) companies have been expanding their activities in India to new business segments such as bioinformatics and life sciences; those doing so or planning to include Accenture, Intel, Satyam, Cognizant, IBM, Oracle and TCS. Wipro Spectramind, India’s largest third-party offshore business process outsourcing provider, is conducting bioinformatics work for global pharmaceutical companies MNCs that have already entered into off shoring contracts include Pfizer India, which has signed a preferred provider contract for its biometrics division with Cognizant Technologies India and is also working with SIRO Clinpharm; Wyeth, working with Accenture in clinical trial data management; GSK, whose biomedical data sciences and clinical data management centre in Bangalore supports studies for the group worldwide; and Novartis, which has a software development centre for specialized drug development programs India’s Other Advantages for Off shoring * Low-cost skill base * Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) and U.S. FDA compliance levels * High visibility in generics * High-quality, compliant manufacturing * Strong financial position with ability to scale up * Manufacturing capacity * Access to new technologies * Cost efficiency and track record * Industry position * Recognition of product patents c) Contract Manufacturing: Manufacturing outsourcing-supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and intermediates * Development outsourcing-conducting preclinical and clinical trials * Customized chemistry services-contract research services for compounds pre-launch. CHALLENGES: Even after the increased investment, market leaders such as Ranbaxy and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories spent only 5-10% of their revenues on R&D, lagging behind Western pharmaceuticals like Pfizer, whose research budget last year was greater than the combined revenues of the entire Indian pharmaceutical industry. This disparity is too great to be explained by cost differentials, and it comes when advances in genomics have made research equipment more expensive than ever. The drug discovery process is further hindered by a dearth of qualified molecular biologists. Due to the disconnect between curriculum and industry, pharmas in India also lack the academic collaboration that is crucial to drug development in the West and so far. It can be defined as planning and executing various concepts of price, promotion, distribution and services offered to potential buyers. 1. Challenges Shift from acute to chronic With the disease burden shifting from acute to chronic and lifestyle changing, product portfolios of companies are also changing rapidly to include long-term therapies. That brings in greater challenges of ‘adherence’ to therapy for better patient outcomes. In the case of infectious diseases, the problem of drug resistance is looming large too. Consumer mind-set towards health Proactively attending to health seems to be the last thing on the Indian consumer’s mind. Unless one falls sick, he does not seek medical attention. And even after he falls sick, the inclination is towards a quick recovery so that he can get back to work. Only recently, this is beginning to change amongst a certain section who have begun to take preventive health check up seriously, and pay attention to nutrition and lifestyle for better health. Doctor mind-set With the ratio of doctor: people being very low, doctors are extremely busy treating patients. With less time on hand, they cannot pay attention to patient education or counselling. Nor are they able to give enough time to update their knowledge, even if they wish to. Thus with newer therapies being made available, continuing medical education programs for doctors are becoming increasingly important. Such seminars, conferences and the internet meet this need. Multiple brands, reduced differentiation With hundreds of companies marketing the same molecules with different brand names, no differentiation between brands, doctors giving just a minute or so to detail, the challenges for today’s pharma marketer are immense. 2. Opportunities Improving healthcare infrastructure With more and more private hospitals being constructed, government spending on healthcare increasing and more number of people accessing health insurance; the domestic market does provide greater opportunities. However, the mind-set and skill-set needs to be tuned for this. Access to information on health People are increasingly accessing information on health, some of which is correct, but most other being confusing and inaccurate. Doctors are facing questions from patients too. This offers a great opportunity for the pharma marketers to provide cutting edge tools to the doctor to help him stay updated, and to reach patients with educational and accurate information. This also opens doors to marketers of OTC and nutraceutical products to reach consumers. Penetrating rural markets Some companies have already taken steps to reach rural markets. More innovative strategies to reach these markets are needed for growth. Here again, using technology could be the key. Penetration of the mobile being large in India, this medium offers great opportunity. Institutes offering pharmaceutical marketing courses: 1. NIPER 2. Narsee Monjee Institute of Mgt Studies, Mumbai 3. Indian Institute of Pharmaceutical Marketing,Lucknow 4. SIES, Navi Mumbai CONCLUSION There has never been a more important time for India’s government and its drug producers, both multinational and domestic, to work together in partnership for the good of the industry and the nation. With its enormous advantages, including a large, well-educated, skilled and English-speaking workforce, low operational costs and improving regulatory infrastructure, India has the potential to become the region’s hub for pharmaceutical and biotechnology discovery research, manufacturing, exporting and health care services within the next decade. For foreign investors, collaborations with India present a huge opportunity both in terms of joint production for the global market and supply of the growing domestic market. There is a need for regulatory reform in India to encourage leading global players to continue and accelerate the outsourcing of their R&D activities-beginning with discovery research-to the subcontinent.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Picture & musical instrument Essay

In this picture, it showcases a man playing a musical instrument called bagpipes which are prominent and widely used in Scotland and Ireland. Based on the composition of the image, the man is probably a musician from an average social class because his choice clothing is typically worn by commoners probably during the Renaissance period. Generally, this illustration depicts an ordinary event in a musician’s life in the early periods. There are many components in this image that can tell the story of this single picture. Lines, shapes, color, shading and proportions are the elements that give life to a portrait. For the hat, it is a simple head ornament made from a plain fabric. The color gray with touches of brown suggest that it must had been used numerous times. The color combination gives it an aged look making it in a way look stylish. More so, the flower with a hint of light purple and baby pink colored petals that is surrounded by a couple of olive green leaves provided a natural component in the musician’s head cover. At first, it may seem that the beautiful flower is wilting probably because of its downward position but if viewers would look closely, the loveliness of the flower resides on its perfect color combination which exudes harmony. Additionally, a two-toned colored feather is also present on the hat. It is seamlessly intertwined with the flower. The feather added life on this very minimal hat through the blending of the colors gold and cream. Furthermore, the soft brushstrokes on the strands of the feathers give a sense of movement. It contrasted the stiff but delicate position of the flower. Moreover, the feather and the flower can be considered as accents of the hat that showcases the creativity of the musician and his love for things that possess simple yet striking beauty. On another note, hats are usually are worn outdoors during sunny days to protect the face from the rays of the sun. But on this picture, the black background suggests that the time was around in the evening or he was probably indoors which justifies the dark backdrop. Meanwhile, the relatively large brim of the hat had cast a shadow on the musician’s face. In a way, his wrinkles were partly concealed from the viewers’ line of sight. But if it will be examined closely, the series of lines on the forehead and on the mouth area can be considered as the focal points of the facial features. These lines indicate that the musician is probably in his late 40s or early 50s. On the other hand, the eyes tell a different story. It is hard to tell whether the arch of the left eyebrow and the roundness of the eyes signify an emotion. He can either be feeling tired or impassive during his performance. The semi-closed mouth with ripples of lines along the cheek area also adds up to the anonymity of the musician’s emotions. No outstanding feature can really be distinguished making it hard to determine the prominent mood of the painting. Overall, the musician’s face was painted in details. The realistic skin-toned color of the face accented by a small blush of red on the cheeks, the protruding nose, big black eyes, arched eyebrows, nude lips and the fine facial lines made an accurate representation of a male’s physical appearance. Furthermore, the layers of wardrobe added more personality into the painting. The musician is wearing three layers of garments. In the first layer is a white collared long sleeve shirt which is covered by a red V-shaped long sleeve with a wide collar. The bottom of the red shirt is tightened by a garter producing sections of scrunched up fabrics. Also, it seems that there is a set of embroidery at the bottom of the red shirt which serves as the accents to this plain piece of clothing. It is evident from the collar line to the sleeves that the musician is wearing layered clothes. Also, the combination of red and white complements very well. The simplicity of the white is balanced off by the intensity of the red. The third layer is a coat which has the same color as the hat with a dominant grayish tone but with touches of light brown and white. Also, the utilization of dark colors gave a slimming effect on the musician which made him look less stocky. The lining of the coat has a similar shade with the red shirt but more on the orange side. Probably this was intended to give continuity and proper blending of the colors used in the outfit. The whole look of the clothes did not seem stiff because of the folds seen all over the layers of clothing. The folds were intricately added to add movement in order for the clothes to look like as if they were moving with the musician. More so, these folds or lines contrasted the heaviness of the coat which gave a fluid quality to the whole picture. An unusual element was present on the left sleeve of the coat. This object has a circular shape with three layers of different sizes ranging from small to large. At one end is a hole where a red ribbon was tied which was pinned into the coat. Most likely this object is a type of medal that represents the musician’s profession or his achievements or this could just be an ornament used for fashion purposes. Regardless of its function, the circular object adds a touch of splendor to the whole garment. Moreover, the layers of clothing suggest that the weather was cold and that the musician needed the three levels of shirts to provide heat in order for him to properly play his bagpipes. Meanwhile, the bagpipe was illustrated in a neutral mocha brown color. Four pipes of varying heights and appearance were strategically strewn all over the irregularly shaped leather bagpipe. Because of the different sizes of pipes, it gave an illusion of elevation giving some dimension to a flat medium. Also, the creases on the bagpipe added some movement and tension to the image. Furthermore, the hands of the musician holding the main pipe were precisely demonstrated. The veins, the nails and even the lines on the knuckles were accurately portrayed. The viewers can really notice these details which suggest that these hands have been through a lot of experience in playing musical instruments. Despite the rigidity of the details on the hands, the way the hands were positioned displayed softness and finesse which is a true mark of a talented musician.