Critically Asses the Views of Paul Tillich on Religious Language

Critically Asses The Views Of Paul Tillich On Religious Language Paul Tillich was a renowned American Protestant theologian born in Prussia 1886. As a self-proclaimed philosophical theologian, Tillich saw the very nature of Christian faith expressed in religious symbols that demanded constant reinterpretation. He was famous for believing that it is possible to speak meaningfully about metaphysical concepts and therefore came up with the theory that religious language, because it is symbolic in nature, has an overwhelming effect upon humans.Tillich argued that religious language is symbolic. This means that religious symbols communicate the most significant values and beliefs of human beings. In his theory, Tillich firstly establishes the difference between signs and symbols and he does this by saying signs are something that point towards a statement and have no other effect as this therefore means that without understanding that sign, it is meaningless to you. An example would be a road sign indicating that you can now travel at the national speed limit and has no other effect of meaning.On the other hand, symbols possess much more meaning and power according to Tillich as they are actually involved and take part in what they are symbolising thus having an impact on it. For example the Cross that represents Christianity, Not only does it stand as a marker for that religion, but it also makes a powerful statement. It immediately reminds Christians of the sacrifice they believe Jesus to have made on the cross for them; it also reminds them of their beliefs about God and his plan for the salvation of human beings.After the distinction between the two had been made, Tillich claimed that religious language worked as a symbol for those who use it as it has meaning and impact on what it represents. He maintained that religious faith is best expressed through symbolism because a symbol points to a meaning beyond itself and best expresses transcendent religious beliefs . He believed that any statement about God is symbolic and participates in the meaning of a concept.Tillich famously used the example of a national flag to illustrate his point: a flag points to something beyond itself, the country it represents, but also participates in the meaning of the country. He believed that symbols could unite a religious believer with a deeper dimension of himself as well as with a greater reality. He also believed that symbols must emerge out of an individual collective unconsciousness, and can only function when they are accepted by the unconscious.For Tillich symbols cannot be just invented, but instead live and die at the appropriate times. Also Tillich suggests that religious faith, can express itself only in symbolic language, because â€Å"whatever we say about that which concerns us ultimately†¦ has a symbolic meaning† presumably because it is of greater concern and import than the mere language, which can only point towards it. â€Å"T he language of faith is the language of symbols†Tillich then went onto develop his idea of a symbol further by outlining the functions in which a symbol carries out which are Point to something beyond themselves, Participate in that to which they point, Open up reality that otherwise are closed to us and finally They also open up the levels and dimensions of the soul that correspond to those levels of reality. Tillich furthermore argued that symbolic language operates in a similar way that a piece of music, art work or poetry might.This is because they can heave a deep overwhelming effect upon us that we can’t explain or can only explain in a limited way and therefore, the person listening will not understand the effect unless they have felt the same effect of the same piece of art. Also, symbols, like artwork can open up new levels of reality for us and offer a new outlook on life that we would not previously of had, without looking at the symbol/art. Tillich Finally t alked about how religious language acts as a symbolic way of pointing towards the ultimate reality, the vision of God which he called ‘Being-Itself. Being-Itself is that upon which everything else depends for its being and Tillich believed that we came to knowledge of this through symbols which direct us to it. One critique of Tillich is the English philosopher of religion and theologian John Hick who argued that Tillich does not make clear how the symbol participates in that to which it points and claims in failing to do so produces a simplistic theory. Also he claims that there are religious statements which do not appear to â€Å"unlock dimensions and elements of our soul†, which is part of Tillich’s definition of a symbol.

How to Change Your Oil

Michael Marcel Informative Speech Outline Topic: Changing engine oil Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the three steps to changing their engine oil. Central Idea: The three steps in changing engine oil are gathering the necessary supplies, draining and filling the oil, and safely disposing of the oil. Introduction l. Have you ever been stranded on the side of the road? It's never a good thing. Keeping up with your vehicle maintenance is a very important element. According to the car research website Edmunds. Com states the majority of automakers call for oil hangers at either 7,500 or 10,000 miles.II. Vehicle repairs are getting more expensive by the year. Preventative maintenance will definitely cut back on those costs for you. Ill. I personally have been changing the oil in my truck at every 3,000 to 4,000 miles since I was sixteen years old. IV. Today I would like to inform you of the three major steps in changing your engine oil, which are gathering the necessary supp lies, draining and filling the oil, and safely disposing of the oil. Transition: Let's start with gathering the supplies for your oil change. Body l. Before actually beginning the oil change there are a few things to take care of.A. Find out and purchase the right amount of oil for your vehicle. B. Buy a new oil filter for the make and model of your vehicle. C. You will need a drain pan, a wrench for the oil drain plug, and possibly an oil filter wrench depending on how tight your filter is. Transition: Now that we know the necessary supplies to change your oil, let's talk about removing and replacing the old oil. II. There are four steps to follow for taking the used oil out of your car and replacing it. A. Place the drain pan under your car and remove the old oil filter. B.Loosen the oil drain plug with the normal wrench and let the oil drain into your pan. C. Replace the drain plug and install the new filter. D. You can now fill the oil back to your cars specifications from under the hood. Transition: Now that your oil is changed there are still a few steps left. Ill. In the U. S. , the California recycling website states less than 60 percent of used oil is recycled. Now it is time to dispose of your used oil. A. You should avoid prolonged contact with the used oil. Used oil can contain toxic substances such as benzene, lead, zinc, and cadmium. B.Always be aware of the temperature of the oil you're handling. C. Most local auto shops have an oil-recycling center. It is also important to recycle the filter. Recycle-steel. Org states that if all the filters sold across the U. S. Annually were recycled we would recover roughly 160,000 tons of steel. That's enough steel to build sixteen new stadiums the size of Atlanta's Turner Field. Conclusion l. In conclusion today I have told you the three steps to changing your oil, which are adhering the necessary supplies, draining and filling the oil, and safely disposing of the oil.II. I hope this has inspired you to st art saving a little time and money by changing your own oil.

American Civic Values Essay Example for Free

American Civic Values Essay In America our society has always been a morals run country, from our domestic everyday lives. Our society, groups with different civic values with who have a lot of power on our lives that we live everyday which includes schools and religious groups. There are some individuals who hold our civic values to a higher standard than those who have no regard for other members in their community. When it comes to undermining American civic values our media has a lot to be blame for as they promote and glamorize violence and illegal activities and does not show how communities can help each other adhere to civic policies. It is important for large groups to have set behaviors to adhere to, and civic values are important in keeping America a peaceful place that is safe for us as well as children. America has become a haven for special interest groups. If people don’t like something you say or do, plan on your freedom turning inwards and being used against you. Our society is no longer based off a country and its people as a whole, but by individual groups. The American civic values have dropped as special interest groups are in favor of political ground. There are several penalties that fail to adhere to the civic value such as â€Å"blue laws† these laws regulate behavior and restrict activities or the sale of goods on a Sunday to accommodate religious means. For an example in parts of one county here in North-East Florida we are not allowed to purchase alcohol on Sunday this day is constituted for religious matters. Another example of a blue law is the law in Pennsylvania where hunting is prohibited on Sunday’s as this day is recognized for a day of rest according to the religious groups. American Civic Values. (2017, Feb 21).

Religion and Law in U.S Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Religion and Law in U.S - Essay Example Though the government cannot interfere with religion itself, they may step in when and if they feel the need; especially if a certain ritual is putting a person at risk . An example of the conflict that is seen with the oxymoronic clauses which supposedly go hand in hand is in the religious cult refered to as the Jehova’s Witnesses. The government or authorities will not restrict the religion itself but the behavior and affects of the rituals can be brought to their attention. They therefore are obliged to restrict religious-related activities that interfere with the wellbeing of a person. Its’ all done in the name of â€Å"the law† Another example of the two clauses being inforced but yet scrutinized is in the prosecution of polygamy. The idea of polygamy states that as many can have more than one wife and father as many children as possible. The court upheld Mr. Reynold’s, in Reynold’s Vs. the United States, convition and they believed that if they did not stand up against such behavior, they were indirectly allowing other practices to take place such as human sacrifice. Combining both clauses together, the US has documented its existence in the 1st amendment and has named it the â€Å"religion clauses† because they both thereby state their involvement in protecting the human race while at the same time, giving freedom of religion itself and expression in a country and a land that is free. Without theses clauses, people would get away with murder claiming it was done in the â€Å"name of God or Allah.† Both clauses is an issue of preference allowing people to choose the religion they want to be involved in. Without their freedom, people are bound by regulations they perceived to have vanished before touching down on U.S. soil. The clauses also state that they cannot force anyone to worship a certain way nor can they create establishments favoring one form of religion or the other. With this

Qualitative Research Designs Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Qualitative Designs - Research Paper Example As a way of seeking to provide an example of just such a piece, this brief analysis will consider the given article, analyze it for its utilization of quantitative techniques, and seek to detail the type and manner of the content which was portrayed therein. The research question itself clearly has to do with the level of linkages that may be illustrated between the use of antidepression medication and an increased likelihood of suicide; something that has gained widespread media attention in the past several years. With reference to the way that the research itself was actually set up and carried out, the authors of the piece sought to set up a series of test which sought to measure the epidemiological affect that antidepressants had on the patient; up to and including what the researchers deemed as â€Å"suicidabiliy†. Controls and test groups were established, antidepressant medication administered and trials concentric upon interviews and close monitoring in the form of diary and journal approaches to the frames of mind that the patients expressed during the period were employed. In terms of what was hypothesized, the researchers believed that there would be a small, perhaps unrecognizable increase, of suicidal thoughts withi n the adult patients and a larger, but still statistically small increase in suicidal thoughts within the adolescent test subjects. The study ran a series of 26 different trials of no less than 15 individuals participating in each trial. For further purposes of the study, adults were identified as over the age of 18 with children being represented from the age of 9-18. As the researchers expected, the rise in suicidal thoughts and motivations within the patients that fell into the category of â€Å"adult† were no different than that of the control group. In other words, no noticeable rise in suicidal thoughts or intentions was determined from those patients that were over the age of 18 that participated within

DID STEREOTYPING OF YOUNG MALE MUSLIMS INCREASE AFTER THE LONDON Research Paper

DID STEREOTYPING OF YOUNG MALE MUSLIMS INCREASE AFTER THE LONDON TRANSIT BOMBING ON 2005 - Research Paper Example Media played the major role to increase stereotyping in UK. The median focused on the radicalization of Islamic youths residing in UK by linking them to inadequate integration processes. The police departments were given direct orders to overcome the impacts from the incidents and punish the anti-social activists swiftly. Most of the Muslim male youths were harassed in UK after the incidents and the civil society of UK turned against the entire Muslim community. The number of reported incidents against the Muslim community and their worship places increased immediately after the bombing incidents of London. This research paper focuses on the impact of London bombings on racial profiling. On the 7th of July, a series of suicide bomb attacks were conducted in Central London. The attacks were majorly conducted to create massacre among the civilians using the public transport system. According to reports, it has been observed that four British Islamist men had detonated four bombs. Among the four bombs, three of them were detonated in the underground trains across the city. The fourth bomb was detonated on a double-decker bus. Almost one hour after the underground train attacks the fourth bomb was detonated on the number 30 bus (Goldstein 21). The attack occurred in Tavistock square, resulting in multiple injuries and death of innocent civilians. The incident occurred on a Tuesday, leaving 52 civilians dead and more than 700 injured. This incident has been regarded as the worst attacks, since 1988, i.e. the Lockerbie bombing. Before the London bombing incident, several other attacks took place in UK resulting in loss of many lives and properties. One of the most disastrous attacks occurred on 30 October, 1883. Two bombs exploded in the London underground railways in Paddington and Westminster Bridge station. In the year 1884, three

Moral Development and Domestic Violence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Moral Development and Domestic Violence - Essay Example Thus, the violence is done not only to one's physical body, but it affects one's emotional state. Here a few elements of domestic violence will be addressed. First, it will be examined what exactly is moral development, domestic violence, and types of abuse. Secondly, the personalities of the victim and the abuser will be analyzed, including the consequences of domestic violence. Third, and finally, studies, testimonies, developmental attributes, and domestic violence prevention will be discussed. There will also be a section devoted to concluding thoughts and other commentary. Moral development involves the evolution of a person's conscience over time. With regards to the person being abused, her moral values definitely can shape the relationship. For example, if a victim continues to exhibit lax moral behavior around the abuser, this can subsequently erode her case against her abuser if her case is taken to court. The plaintiff (the victim) will most likely be attacked by the abuser's lawyer in court, who will make accusations about the victim's moral laxity. The moral development of the victim over time will surely bear itself out, and once certain actions have been taken, the victim cannot reclaim these actions. Rather, the actions of the victim may come back to haunt her. Therefore, it is important for victims of domestic violence to try to live lives that are above reproach. This is a very important principle because, in court, the abuser's lawyer will no doubt try to discredit the victim. Thusly, it is a premier advantage to the victim to have compl ete and total control of her life, therefore not giving the abuser any leverage. If the victim is morally lax, it makes it easier for the abuser's defense team to destroy the victim again once more-only this time in a courtroom. Obviously, reliving moments of abuse once all the dirty laundry of a bad relationship is being aired is not a pleasant experience, but the victim must sometimes have instances like these in which she must confront her abuser in a blameless fashion. This is the point at which the woman finally has power and can rely on herself to be the stalwart in an uncertain world. The moral development of the abuser must at this point be taken into question. Without a doubt, the morals of the abuser are definitely going to be in question. What constitutes the moral development of an abuser The abuser may be knowingly or unknowingly abusing another person, and that is not beyond his or her control. However, one must frankly ask oneself what the state of mind of an abuser i s in order to harm another human being. It is simply unconscionable what one person can do to another. The moral development of someone who is an abuser is obviously retarded in some sense. Someone who abuses another person does not have a good grasp on moral values which dictate that humans should be treated decently and with at least cordiality if not kindness. However, the abuser is really not a person who has the best morals in the first place to begin anyway. An abuser is someone who is conniving, devious, and exacting in their intent to harm another person-usually, but not always, a woman and sometimes a child. The abuser may be

China and Taiwan in american foreign policy Essay

China and Taiwan in american foreign policy - Essay Example This was not to be, as the confrontation across the Straits of Taiwan has demonstrated. Since political ideology of communism and democracy are no longer a major constraint in the development of amicable relations between America and China, analysis of events in the relations between America and China point to Taiwan as being the stumbling block. Overview of Taiwan in American Foreign Policy: Taiwan has been the major irritant between China and the United States of America for decades. American foreign policy in the far-east is the reason for the continued existence of Taiwan as a separate entity to this day. Taiwan became a separate entity from mainland China in 1949, when the Kuomintang under Chiang Kai-shek was defeated by the communist forces and retreated to Taiwan, which was then called Formosa, to set up the government of the Republic of China, independent of mainland China. The communist forces under Mao Zedong attempted to take back Taiwan but were unsuccessful. In the mean time America decided to throw its weight behind the independent existence of Taiwan. This decision was based on the need to contain the growth of communism, and Taiwan provided the means to demonstrate America’s will in this direction. Taiwan was also strategically important, as it provided America with a platform for resisting the growth of communism in the Far East. For China, Taiwan and its independent existence has always been an emotional reminder of the past humiliations China has undergone from the West, which it would like to forget. Besides emotional reasons there are two valid concerns for China. Taiwan is a hindrance for it assuming the role of a major world power it has the potential to be and wants to be, is the first. The second is the security threat that Taiwan poses. The hostile attitude of Taiwan coupled with an American foreign policy unfavorable to China makes Taiwan a security threat due to its proximity to the mainland, as it can be used as a platform for many kinds of attacks. China would like to take control of Taiwan outright, but is gradually veering around to the reality that this would not be possible, and so China would be willing for a reunification with Taiwan, on the lines of its successful reunification with Hong Kong in. Taiwan is not keen on it, and would like to maintain its independence, which it stresses from time to time through its actions. America supports this view of Taiwan, and aims to prevent China pressurizing Taiwan into union with the mainland. From this stems the difficul ties witnessed in the relationship between America and China. (Jakobson, 2005). Post Cold War American Foreign Policy in East Asia: The American foreign policy with regard to Taiwan and China has seen periods of wide swings. From the 1970s onwards American foreign policy was tilted towards a sobering influence between China and Taiwan, which went to the extent of reassuring China that America would reduce its military assistance to Taiwan in 1982. A decade later this pacifist trend was to reverse. The Bush administration in 1992 sold 150 F-16 war planes to Taiwan in spite of protests from China. The Clinton administration in 1994 upgraded the protocol rules for Taiwanese diplomats, and the following year provided a visa for senior Taiwanese leader Lee Teng-hui to visit America, disregarding diplomatic precedents. These were acts that were read

Feminism in Family Life Education 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Feminism in Family Life Education 2 - Essay Example A program about feminism is fundamentally based upon the context information and research, theoretical content, and practice. The content is translated to reveal instructions. Ways to implement the instructions are determined. These processes are compulsory to make the teaching effective. The last stage of the process of development of the feminism program is evaluation. This is a very critical stage in that all aspects of the program are reviewed and thoroughly analyzed in it. Important considerations: The program should essentially be research based. It is important for the developers of the program to document all research about its content. However, there may occasionally be cases when it might not be possible for the developers to devise research based programs owing to the lack of sufficient research about a relatively unexplored area. In such cases, the educators of family life should base the program on their personal clinical and teaching experiences. The developers should c learly state the basis of formulation of the program so that the audience may understand its foundation accordingly. Considering the subject under consideration here, i.e. the development of program about feminism, there is sufficient literature to make room for a thorough research.

Employee relations(Royal Mail) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Employee relations(Royal Mail) - Essay Example It is at this time that the people started forming groups and placing their demands together. That is when the concept of union took birth and the people started getting unionized. The union started placing demand in the form of collective bargaining. There were other methods of negotiations too that were developed. It is in the following pages that this method of negotiation of conflict is discussed. the process of discussion follows the critical analysis of the success and effectiveness of the collective bargaining method from the view point of different researchers and then going on to study the other methods of negotiation. According to Aidt and Tzannatos, who studied the effect of collective bargaining on the macroeconomic environment, found that ceteris paribus the countries that have high levels of coordinated collective bargaining are accompanied by low levels of unemployment. It is found that in the countries where there is more coordinated bargaining the quality and the quantity of the job increase (Aidt and Tzannatos, 2002). In another paper the researchers argue that countries where there is high levels of bargaining there is poor performance on the economic front. However the adverse effects of the bargaining coverage can be covered by more coordinated effort towards bargaining. The researchers argue that the process of bargaining efforts is most important in times of economic growth rather than in stable economic conditions (Aidt, and Tzannatos, 2008). According to the researcher individual representation is fast becoming a fact to place ones demands in the private sector for a wide variety o f reasons. Thus the author argues that in case of modern private organization the significance of collective bargaining is on the decline (Troy, 2000).according to card the effectiveness of the collective bargaining mechanism or the fact about whether the collective

Conflict Resolution worksheet Essay Example for Free

Conflict Resolution worksheet Essay Complete the Resolving Conflicts in Teams simulation located on the SOC 110 student Web page for Week Four. Reflect on the experiences with different conflict management styles at K24, in Ch. 12 of Small Group and Team Communication, and on your own experiences. Answer the following questions. 1. What are your strengths in resolving conflict? My greatest strength in resolving conflict is the ability to bring a team together to focus on the issues rather than the personalities involved. I also come from a neutral standpoint when addressing conflict, and have been successful getting members in the team to remove all assumptions and stereotypes and meet me at the same neutral starting point. 2. What skills do you want to improve? I would like to improve my focus on maintenance behaviors. Although I have strong conflict resolution skills as it pertains to tasks, I want to make sure the team interpersonal relationships don’t take a hit as a result of the resolution. 3. Which of the following conflict management styles did you select in managing conflict at K24? Check all that apply. Briefly describe why you selected each, or why you chose not to try a particular method. XAccommodation Didn’t attempt accommodation as there were two strongly opposing points of view and someone would have been unhappy XAvoidance Didn’t attempt to avoid or nothing would have gotten resolved and there was a deadline XCompromise Compromise was not an option due to the fact that the result had to be choosing or not choosing to go with Emily’s idea XCompetition I selected Competition first, as there were two competing ideas, and I needed to get all the information on the table about each and why the points of view were supported or not. XCollaboration After hearing all of the information from both sides, I got the group to agree on the goal, then we analyzed each viewpoint to see why we should or shouldn’t support them as a team. 4. What was your dominant conflict management style? collaboration Was this style effective? Why or why not? This style was effective because it allowed the team to focus on the important issues at hand and analyze the facts after we agreed what the goal was. 5. Provide an example of how you have used the following conflict management styles in your personal or professional life. Accommodation I’ve accommodated team members when a project had requirements in each individual had their own tasks, but may have felt better suited to perform a task that was assigned to me. Being that I was able to complete several tasks, I switched with team members to accommodate them. Avoidance I have worked with team members who have always wanted to complain about projects after team meetings. I’ve picked up my cell phone right after the meetings and walked off to avoid the negativity Compromise I have wanted to meet with my study group on Fridays because it give me more time to work on our team assignments, but the team didn’t want to work on weekends, so we compromised and chose Monday, therefore it still gives us 2 days to work individually before class on Wednesday. Competition I’ve had a problem that was to be resolved by the team a few members had a different suggestion on how to complete the task. We’ve each went away and wrote down our solutions and then met as a team and let the team decided a whole which idea was best in moving forward Collaboration In working on our week 4 assignment, we all met as a team, discussed our strengths and weaknesses, deciding what we wanted our paper to look like and the time in which we wanted to have it submitted. This allowed us to divide up the work so that everyone would be pleased with his or her portion and the time in which it should be done. 6. What conflict management styles do you plan to use in future team or group situations? Explain your answer. I plan to use competition using the nominal group technique and collaboration. I like the idea of putting competing issues out on the table for discussion. I think it’s important to make sure that, in doing so; each member has the chance to voice his concerns and point of view without interruption. I find it equally important that each opposing member have a chance to address why they oppose. This allows everyone’s point of view to be expressed. Then we can focus on what we expect to achieve then collaborate to get that accomplished.

Quality and Risk Scenario Essay Example for Free

Quality and Risk Scenario Essay The HIM professional can have a direct impact on the quality or compliance of specific operations or employees within a healthcare institution. Healthcare institutions, such as hospitals, can be huge institutions made up of hundreds or even thousands of treatment or operation specific areas operation. This can include anything from the surgeon who performs coronary artery bypass to the neonatal intensive care nurse who directly cares for struggling newborns to the physical plant worker who makes sure all the lights in the building stay on and the operating room is maintained at a certain temperature. As an overall institution the thought of identifying risk and liability within the organization can be quite overwhelming and daunting. The best way to approach this is to break things down into specific issues or areas and focus on one thing at a time, with the overall goal to be improving quality and reducing risk to the institution. This paper will focus on three specific scenarios that represent an area of risk and liability for the institution. These three scenarios will include the safety of blood transfusions within a hospital, dealing with power failure risks within a hospital and using operational checklists to improve employee efficiency, consistency and reducing the human factor of making mistakes. Scenario one is to be specific to a scenario involving patient care and safety. The specific discussion here will be the use of blood transfusions within the hospital setting. This is a procedure that has been done for dozens of years even as medical science has made tremendous progress. The reality is that science just hasn’t found a synthetic way to carry oxygen through the blood stream and blood infusions still remain today the best way to do just that. While the best procedure out there for this, blood infusions don’t come without their risks and financial impacts. A study by the University Healthcare Consortium analyzed over 29,000 blood transfusions over a 7 year period from 2003-2009 (Williams, 2011). These transfusions ranged anywhere from scheduled routine outpatient surgeries to unexpected traumatic injuries brought in through the emergency room. The analysis identified many risks associated with blood transfusions, including poorly trained staff, lack of trained staff, minor hemolytic allergic reactions all the way up to severe anaphylactic reactions. The study was even able to identify that the time of day that the transfusion was performed could positively or negatively affect the patient outcome. So, while this can be a lifesaving procedure a blood transfusion should not be taken lightly. Another study published in the April, 2012 issue of the professional journal Anesthesiology was conducted by Johns Hopkins Hospital analyzing the outcomes of over 3000 patients who received blood transfusions. This study reveals that measuring the hemoglobin level in patients can be an accurate indicator of when a patient should receive a blood transfusion. This is a significant study because it could have a positive effect on both patient outcome and the financial costs involved in giving a blood transfusion. The Johns Hopkins study revealed that patients were being given blood transfusions when they really didn’t need it. A normal hemoglobin level ranges between 12-14 and the study reveals that a level as low as 7 or 8 is safe. Prior to this study the leading specialty societies, including the FOCUS research group (Functional Outcomes in Cardivascular patients Undergoing Surgury), set parameters that transfusions were definitely needed if the hemoglobin was below 7 and probably did not need a transfusion if the hemoglobin was 10 or above. But nobody ever set any parameters on what to do if the hemoglobin ranged between 7 and 10. This left the physician to decide when to start a blood transfusion. The Johns Hopkins study revealed that because of this most physicians always erred in the side of â€Å"safety† by ordering a transfusion any time the hemoglobin was at or below 10. But the Hopkins study has now determined that a hemoglobin of 7 or 8 can be considered safe. Giving blood to patients who have a hemoglobin above 7 shows no real benefit and truth is that the risk due to side effects may actually be increased. Remember that this procedure has been in place for decades and this new research was a game changer. The benefits to a hospital from the Hopkins study are tremendous. The study revealed that the costs to the hospital for one unit (300ml) of blood can cost as much as $1,100. While the donor gives the blood for free it must be analyzed for toxic diseases including Hepatitis and HIV (IMVS 2012). The blood is then separated into red blood cells, platelets and plasma, to be distributed specifically where needed. Include the storage and transportation costs and you can start to understand why blood is so expensive. Only giving blood when truly indicated has been shown to reduce the use of blood by up to 66% per institution with no change in outcomes to the patient including â€Å"length of stay, heart attack, stroke, death, and even the ability to walk† (Clark, 2012). This is where the HIM professional can come into play. The HIM can take research articles like this or even acquire their own research and then do training to educate the hospital staff. The Hopkins tudy indicated that when the HIM spoke directly with the surgeons and showed them the research there was a tendency to accept the new mindset and start delaying blood transfusions until the patient hemoglobin dropped below 7. This resulted in extra blood supply for those patients who truly need it and a significant reduced operating cost to the institution. It’s the HIM’s job to establish or change procedures that reflect changing and beneficial modalities and to get the information out to the hospital physicians and staff so they can help reduce institutional costs and ultimately benefit their own livelihood. This process can be done for hundreds or even thousands of processes currently in place within a hospital institution. Now we move on from our blood transfusion scenario to one involving the infrastructure of the hospital. The specific example to be used here is the hospital power supply. Hurricane Sandy revealed for many healthcare institutions in the north eastern United States that they were not as prepared as they thought. Some of these hospitals did have emergency generators in place, but they did no good for providing electricity when they were located in the basement of the building submerged in water from the flood. Sometimes it takes a real catastrophe for us to truly see how prepared we really are and how to improve. It’s crucial that a hospital be able to maintain electricity at all times. Almost every part of the building depends on electricity for staff to function and take care of their patients. Without electricity the lights won’t work, the furnace and air conditioners won’t work, the pumps won’t pump water through the pipes, ventilators will stop working and elevators won’t even be able to transfer sick patients between floors. These are some examples, but surely you can find many more failures if you look hard enough. For this reason, it is important that a hospital evaluate and have a plan in place to reduce the possibility of losing electricity and also have a plan in place if all safe guards fail. The concerns can truly be specific to a geographic area. For example, a hospital in the Midwest may not have to worry much about being hit by a hurricane, but it could be hit by a tornado. I spoke with hospital administrator Robyn Mazzolini at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois regarding how their hospital has addressed the issue of maintaining electricity to the facility. Robyn indicated that there were three specific issues of highest concern. They included the loss of power from the local utility company, flooding of the existing generators in the basement of the main hospital and damage from tornados. Robyn indicated that about ten years ago the hospital installed a generator in the basement of the main building that is capable of providing power to the entire ten story hospital, including all lights and HVAC. The problem was that the unit was very large and heavy and, as a result, had to be installed in the basement. A second generator was installed right next to the first to act as a backup generator should they lose power from the power company. These generators are also designed to operate on both natural gas or stored gasoline in the event the gas lines become compromised. This seemed to solve 90% of the scenarios that could come up. Then the neighboring community experienced a flood that shut down utilities for days and a few weeks in some areas. The hospital was concerned that they would be shut down in the event of a flood in their generator rooms in the basement. So, they added a third generator inside a remote area on the south perimeter of the hospital. This generator is located inside a concrete structure three floors above ground level. This is a smaller generator that will run specific areas in order for the hospital to stay functional. For example, this generator only supplies certain lights so that there is always enough visibility to operate. It also is designed to operate all electronics in the operating rooms, emergency room and critical care areas so there is no compromise to patient care. On the remaining medical floors there is one or two red colored electric outlets that operate off this third generator. In addition, this generator is not connected in any way to the basement level so that it can power the upper floors of the hospital even if the ground level is buried under 20 feet of water. The third generator is also enclosed in walls of reinforced concrete with the thought that it could withstand a tornado. It was the HIM and the HIT who were involved in the process to help determine the essential power needs of the hospital. The HIM evaluated the staff and the various facilities to determine that they could function treating most patients as long as there was one dedicated outlet within each patient room. The HIT also identified that the operating rooms, critical care areas and emergency room pretty much needed full power capabilities no matter what. The HIM and facilities managers both have a critical role in communicating the needs of the patients, staff and hospital to the engineers, administrators and building designers. And while Lutheran General Hospital was able to spend millions to prepare for a power disruption and pretty much covered every scenario, they still need to be ready to operate should all power to the facility cease. It is the HIM who can evaluate the various areas of the hospital based on resources, staffing and needs to determine the most critical issues to address first in the event of a total power failure. This takes a lot of time and energy and is probably an evolving process as conditions and resources change. But, in the end, it is the HIM professional who is able to connect all the dots to help bring the best solution for the organization. The third and final scenario presented here is related to staffing and how the HIM can help reduce risk and liability when it comes to the behavior of hospital staff. Hospital employees by their human nature are susceptible to making mistakes or forgetting to do certain things in the course of their patient care. Every health care institution, and any other business for that matter, strives to find ways to provide the best service possible to its customers. The challenge in improving service and reducing liability is finding a process that actually works. Ohio State University Medical Center found a way to improve the quality and consistency of patient care from its medical professionals. Ohio State did created a system of check lists to be used by hospital staff in their particular department and area of responsibility. So, there were many different checklists, but each employee only had one checklist that they were specifically responsible for. The University compared the outcome of over 3000 patients both before the check lists were used and then an additional 3000 plus patients after the checklists were used. The results were staggering. The study showed, for example, that the surgical death rate of patients decreased 47% when check lists were used compared to none used. Surgical infection rates were found to have decreased by 45%. These are dramatic results that clearly show a huge improvement in patient care and reduction of risk and liability. A possible cause for such improvement is that using checklists prevented medical staff from skipping a stop that could have caused a serious complication or infection. The aviation industry has proven that checklists work. When a pilot has a sudden engine failure there is plenty of room for panic and impulsive missed steps. This is why pilots are trained to immediately pull out their check lists, even if they have them memorized, and go systematically down the list to make sure that all steps are completed as indicated. This following of check lists has proven to significantly improve survivability of the aircraft during an emergency. The use of check lists seems to hold true for the health care industry, too, as the data clearly shows. The HIM plays a critical role in the development and rollout of these check lists to the various departments. The HIM must involve the hospital staff, managers and physicians in the process of developing a check list that easily and safely covers the needs of both the patient and the hospital. Once developed the HIM must develop and take the time to train the staff so that they understand the intent of the check lists as well as the individual steps and why they are to be completed. This training will ensure that the employees buy into the use of the check lists and choose to use them consistently with every patient. Theoretically, this should provide the same process and the same desired outcomes each time. Besides implementing the checklist program through training the HIM also plays an important role in developing a policy that says how the plan is to be implemented. Employees appreciate it when everything is clearly spelled out of what is expected of them. The HIM is in a position to deal with both the hospital administrator and the front line nurse who is physically caring for patients. This allows the HIM to obtain feedback and recommendations from all involved in the process and create or modify the plan as it is determined that changes need to take place. The HIM is possibly also in the best position to analyze the data to present the findings of the continued analysis to administrators to determine if the check list process is working or not. An example of a checklist that Ohio State University Medical Center used was the Pre-Op holding RN checklist that ends with transfer to the operating room RN checklist. Each nurse has specific duties to complete with their patient as they prepare them for their surgical procedure. The Pre-Op nurse can follow the check list to ensure that all required actions have indeed taken place. When transferring care to the operating room nurse the pre-op nurse passes on her check list to verify to the next nurse that everything has been completed properly. Each nurse is also required to ask the next receiving nurse if they have any questions. As you can see, this process really does maintain a high quality of continuity of care for the patients as they move throughout the various areas in the hospital during their stay. Cutting corners and skipping steps in the patient care process is significantly reduced if not completely eliminated and the HIM or HIT professional is involved all along in helping to create and improve the process within that hospital. This paper only discussed three scenarios in the process of seeking to maintain quality while reducing financial liability within a hospital environment. These processes can be used and applied towards the thousands of specific areas of responsibility that exist within a large health care facility like a hospital. The HIM professional really does play a crucial role in connecting the various departments and providers within a small or large healthcare institution. The HIM is in a position to know the pulse of the front line operations as well as the upper office administration’s intended direction going forward. The HIM professional can pull everyone together to compile data and make recommendations or changes that benefit the patient, the physicians and nurses, the facilities operators and even the top level administrators. There are few other individuals who are in such a good position to create such positive change. Quality HIM professionals will be in demand for many years to come.

Public Perceptions About the Concept of Medication Reuse

Public Perceptions About the Concept of Medication Reuse Medication wastes: The public perceptions about the concept of medication reuse Chapter one 1. Introduction 1.1 Background, definitions, and classification of medical wastes There is a growing environmental realisation in the last few years, it is recognisable that the worlds environmental carbon emissions, and global warming problems are increasing. Many organisations work to apply green principles of health care programs in their way for going green (Xie, 2012). In the UK, the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare (CSH) the institution which was developed in 2008 to help NHS reduce carbon liberations and emissions by 80% by 2050 by involving health care professionals, patients, and the community clarifying the connections between environment and health care system (Stancliffe, 2014). Waste is defined by European Union Waste Framework Directive (2008), as any substance or object which the holder discards or intends or is required to discard. All wastes created by medical activities falls under health care wastes. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) report and the World Health Organisation (WHO) described health care wastes as all wastes produced by research facilities, laboratories, and organisations providing health and social care. Moreover, it involves the waste originating from small or sprinkled sources such as that generated in the health course and social care started at home such as dialysis, insulin injections, bandages, swabs, sharps, blood, medicines and incontinence pads (RCN, 2014 and WHO, 2011). Between (80) % of the waste produced by health-care providers is considered non-risk or general health-care waste, while the remaining (20) % of healthcare waste is considered as hazardous that maybe may be infectious, toxic or radioactive and may create a diversity of health risks. Health-care waste consists of possibly dangerous microorganisms with potential infectious risks such as development of microorganisms resistant to medication from health-care institution into the environment, and can infect patients, healthcare suppliers and the public. WHO classified the hazardous health care waste into (Appendix 1): infectious waste, pathological waste, sharps waste, pharmaceutical waste, genotoxic waste, chemical waste, heavy metals wastes and the radioactive waste. Pharmaceutical waste is waste containing pharmaceutical that are expired, or no longer used; items polluted by or including pharmaceuticals (WHO, 2011). Usually not all the medications dispensed to the patients will be used, this is mainly due to many factors such as adverse drug reaction intolerance, relief of symptoms, changing the dose/dosage forms, medicine non-compliance and/or non-adherence issues and medicine being expired (Dharmender, 2013). Pharmaceutical waste is defined by UK Department of health (2013), as expired, unused, spilt, and contaminated medicinal products, drugs, vaccines and sera that are no longer required and need to be disposed of appropriately; and/ or discarded items contaminated with medicinal, such as bottles or boxes with residues, gloves, masks, connecting tubing, syringe bodies and drug vials. Abou-auda HS (2003), defined medication wastage as any medication or drug product that had been dispensed by a prescription or buy over the counter (OTC) which is not fully consumed. Chapter two 2. Literature review 2.1 causes of medication wastage Drugs are wasted when dispensed to patients who are not taken them. In order to minimise the wastage of medications, it is important to investigate the causes behind medicines being returned, unused, and wasted by the patients. A review of the possible factors evidenced to potentially cause medication waste was conducted to summarise the most important causes of medicine returned unused. 2.1.1 Patient death Medications being returned unused by the patients resulting from patient death was reported in six studies. Mackridge et al. (2007), a cross sectional study of returned medicines to fifty one community pharmacies and forty two general practitioner surgeries in Eastern Birmingham (UK) over eight weeks, Cameron (1996), a self-reporting questionnaire study in 58 community pharmacies in Alberta (Canada) over eight weeks, and Ekedahl (2006), a cross sectional study included fifty nine community pharmacies in Sweden reported that patient death was the most common cause of medication waste. In the study by Langley et al. (2005), a small cross sectional observational study in eight community pharmacies and five general practitioner surgeries in East Birmingham/UK over four weeks, patient death was the second most common cause of returned unused medicines by the patients. Data from Cook A (1996), a cross sectional study of returned medicines to seventeen community pharmacies over one month in UK, Hawksworth et al. (1996), a cross sectional study of returned medicines included thirty community pharmacies in UK, Coma et al. (2008), a cross sectional study of returned medicines to 38 community pharmacies over three months showed that patient death was reported but accounted only for about quarter of all returned unused medicines. 2.1.2 Medication changed or discontinued There is a proof in the literature that changing medications is a considerable cause of medication returned unused by the patients, it is reported as a common cause of medication waste (Cameron 1996, Cook 1996, Hawksworth et al. 1996, Morgan 2001, Daniszewsi et al.2002, Langley et al. 2005, Abahussain et al. 2006, Ekedahl 2006, Mackridge et al. 2007, Braund et al. 2008, Coma et al. 2008, Braund and Gn et al. 2009, Braund and Peake et al. 2009, James et al. 2009). Data from (Hawksworth et al. 1996, Daniszewsi et al.2002, Langley et al. 2005, Abahussain et al. 2006, Braund et al. 2008), found that changing medications was the most common reported cause of medication being wasted. 2.1.3 Medication Expired 2.2 The environmental impact of unused wasted returned medications The toxic ecological effects of the pharmaceutical presence in the environment was studied and evaluated in the last few years. Data from Heberer (2002) and Woodhouse (2003), confirm the presence of pharmaceuticals in water and considered it serious, as it is not totally removed and even if it is present in trace levels is still considered pollutant to water receivers. The improper household disposal practices of unused medicines, via the local waste, the sewers, and the toilet was identified, as a source of water contamination (Bound, 2006). The effect of pharmaceutical wastes in the environment was linked to possible development of endocrine deactivating compounds, reducing fertility, and antibiotic resistance bacteria. Data from Schwartz et al. (2003), confirmed the development of bacterial resistance as vancomycin resistant enterococci and beta-lactam-hydrolysing Enterobacteriaceae were cultivated from all wastewater biofilms. In the study by Lange et al. (2001), the ‘’feminising effects’’ of endocrine-disrupting compounds, such as ethinyl estradiol, the synthetic hormone used in the contraceptive pill, on fish near wastewater treatment works outfalls was measured. 2.3 The economic impact of unused wasted returned medicine Studies from inside (five) and outside (six) UK, estimated the value of the cost of medication waste are reviewed below. Results from Hawksworth et al. (1996), a cross sectional study included thirty community pharmacies in Kirklees/West Yorkshire (UK) over a period of one month showed an estimated cost of  £37 million of unused medicine were from patients home. Langley et al. (2005), a small cross sectional observational study in eight community pharmacies and five general practitioner surgeries in East Birmingham/UK over four weeks, showed that the total cost of returned medicines was  £3986 and  £3751 respectively. In the study by Mackridge et al. (2007), a cross sectional study reported an estimate of  £75 million value of returned medicines to fifty one community pharmacies and forty two general practitioner surgeries in Eastern Birmingham over eight weeks. In the same year, the UK National Audit Office report, proposed that each year an estimate of  £100 million value of unused returned medicine. As the  £100 million estimate was based on unused medicine that actually returned, this was considered as an underrated figure of the full cost of wasted medicines, as a result the department of health estimated that as much as 10% of all drugs prescribed were wasted (10% of the NHS prescribing budget) which is estimated to be  £800 million-worth of drugs are wasted annually in primary care. Data from Trueman et al. (2010), a research undertaken by the York Health Economics Consortium and London School of Pharmacy in 2009, estimated that the annual cost of the primary and community care medicines wastage in UK NHS was around  £300 million per year ( £ 250-300 million per year), with estimated  £90 million of unused medicines stored in individuals homes,  £110 million returned to community pharmacies over the course of a year, and up to  £50 million of NHS supplied medicines that are disposed of annually by care homes. The authors of this report also estimated that less than 50% of this total figure is cost effectively preventable. International studies from outside UK was also included and reviewed. A Canadian study by Cameron S (1996), in fifty eight pharmacies over eight weeks estimated the cost of unused medicines returned was $60350, the extrapolated cost which included the whole 750 community pharmacies in Alberta during the same eight weeks period was $716400. Coma et al. (2008), a cross sectional study included thirty eight community pharmacies in Barcelona/Spain over a period of three months, showed that the estimated cost of returned medicines was â‚ ¬8,539.9, the extrapolated cost for the 20,461 community pharmacies in whole Spain was a round â‚ ¬129 million. Although the reuse concept of patient’s unused returned medicines is considered unethical in the United Kingdome (UK), the unused medicines are returned in large quantities and have important financial value, with the preponderance considered acceptable to be used again by another patient (Mackridge, 2007). Table 1. Summary of research studies evaluating the economic impact of wasted medicine Study Study setting and duration Study method Country Main Findings Hawksworth et al. (1996) 30 CPs over duration of 1 month Cross sectional questionnaire UK A total of 1,091 items were returned by 366 patients with estimated value of  £37 million Langley et al. (2005) 8 CP and 5 GPs over duration of 4 weeks Cross sectional observational study UK A total of 340 items were returned (42 to GPs and 298 to CPs). The total cost of returned items was  £3986 to GPs and  £3751 CPs. Mackridge et al. (2007) 51 CPs and 42 GPs over duration of 8 weeks Cross sectional study UK A total of 3765 items were returned by 910 patients with estimated value of  £75 million UK National Audit Office report (2007) Based on previous analysis conducted by department of health Based on previous analysis conducted by department of health UK Proposed that each year an estimate of  £100 million value of unused returned medicine. Trueman et al. (2010) 403 of the 466 items identified in the public survey were able to be priced. Costs were identified /item using British National Formulary (BNF). Public survey UK Estimated that the annual cost of the primary and community care medicines wastage in UK NHS was around  £300 million per year ( £ 250-300 million per year). Cameron S (1996) 58 CPs in Alberta (8% of provincial total) over duration of 8 weeks Self-reporting questionnaire Canada The estimated cost of the unused medicines returned was $60350. The extrapolated cost for 750 CPs is in Alberta during the same 8 week period was $716400. Morgan (2001) Sample of 73 of Hampshire retirement community citizens aged 65 years or older. over duration of 7 months cross-sectional pilot survey/ Questionnaire US The total cost of 2078 wasted pills was US $ 2,011.00 with mean annual cost of wasted medication was $30.47/person (range = $0-$131.56). Individual costs were modest, but if $30/individual demonstrate a low estimate of average annual cost of waste, the US extrapolated cost was estimated to be not less than $1 billion per year. Abou-auda (2003) A total of 1641 households participated (1554 from Saudi Arabia, 87 from other countries) Questionnaire / Pilot study Saudi Arabia, and capital cities of Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates U.A.E The estimated cost of unused medicines by families in Saudi Arabia capital cities of Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates (U.A.E) was $150 million. Coma et al. (2008) 38 CPs over duration of 3 months Cross sectional questionnaire Spain The estimated cost of returned medicines was â‚ ¬8,539.9. The extrapolated cost for the 20,461 CPs in whole Spain was â‚ ¬129.6 million El-Hamamsy (2011) 20 CPs over duration of 1 month Questionnaire (Closed-ended questions used only) Cairo/Egypt The total wholesale price of returned drugs calculated at 10988.84 Egyptian pounds (around $1962.32 US) Hassali et al. (2012) Two parts: 1) Medicine wastage in the patients’ home. 2) Medicine wastage by the benefactor at the pharmacy desk. over duration of 6 months A descriptive study of two parts: 1) Prospective randomised community based trial. 2) Wasted medicines were collected from the patients who pass back the unwanted medicines to the pharmacy desk in the Hospital. Malaysia The total cost of the returned medications within 6 months was MYR 59,566.50 (Malaysian ringgit) with a monthly average of about MYR 9,927.75. the extrapolated cost for one year of the medications returned was MYR 119,133.00 Information from medication waste campaign website illustrated that the estimated cost of unused medication ( £300 million/year) could pay (by the average cost) for 11,778 more community nurses, 19,799 more drug treatment courses for breast cancer, 101,351 more knee replacements, 80,906 more hip replacements, and 300,000 more drug treatment courses for Alzheimers. In 2012 the NHS of Berkshire started major actions to reduce medicine waste, data from the NHS south central press release, showed that an estimate cost of wasted medicine across the Berkshire NHS and south central was  £20 million per year. The full cost of wasted medicine is not only the cost of returned medicines as estimated by the studies reviewed above (Table 1), in addition the cost of the destroying processes of the returned medicines, and the hidden costs of non-compliance/non-adherence effects which was not studied should be added to the full cost of wasted medicines in future research (UK National Audit Office Report, 2007). 2.4 Disposal practices for unused medications 2.5 Public perceptions about unused/wasted pharmaceuticals 2.6 Medication reuse and recycling A medicine reuse concept involves the return of unused and/or sealed medicines to a pharmacy, healthcare facility or charitable organisation for subsequent redistribution to recipients locally or internationally. This was implemented on a charitable basis in the United States of America (USA) and in developing countries which experienced poor medicine supply (Bero, 2010). Although such practice is considered unethical and not approved in UK, it may have environmental and economic advantages as many of these considered acceptable to be used again (Mackridge, 2007). Ipsos MORI conducted 1,101 face to face interviews for Sustainable Development Unit of the UK NHS (SDU) with respondents aged fifteen and more using around one hundred and fifty sample points. The research was carried out in two periods between the eleven of November and the fifth of December 2011. All data was weighed to reverberate the population profile of British people aged fifteen and more. Data from this recent survey reported that around half of the British people (52%) agreed to accept reissued medicines returned (that are unused and the safety was checked) by other patients while 32% said that they would not. According to Dr David Pencheon the director of sustainability unit, medicine reuse concept had been unaccepted in the past based on the assumption that patients are not willing to take the medicine returned by others. In healthcare system, the health care provider is always deviate strongly on the side of safety caution and discard medicines. For the time beings, the economics of this behaviour need to be reconsidered (Cooper, 2012). Chapter Three Research plan Ecological Impact Is medicine being wasted No Yes No Imagine that Mr. Smith who is ill with diabetes is prescribed four medications each month. He doesn’t pay for his medicines. He use all medicines as prescribed. Imagine that Mr. Smith who is ill with diabetes is prescribed four medications each month. He doesn’t pay for his medicines. He sometimes fails to take his medicines as prescribed. Yes Appendices Appendix 1 (WHO and RCN Definitions and classifications of health care wastes Infectious waste Waste contaminated by blood and its secondary products, cultures and supplies of infectious agents, waste come from isolated patients, any infected thrown away diagnostic samples with blood and body fluids, infected animals from laboratories, and contaminated swabs, bandages, and equipment such as disposable medical devices. Pathological waste Recognizable parts of the body and contaminated animal dead bodies. Genotoxic waste Very dangerous, mutagenic, teratogenic, and carcinogenic, such as cytotoxic drugs and their metabolites. Pharmaceutical waste Expired, unused, and contaminated drugs; vaccines and sera Radioactive waste Such as contaminated glass materials with radioactive diagnostic or therapeutic materials. Heavy metals waste Such as broken mercury thermometers. Chemicals Such as broken mercury thermometers Sharps Such as syringes, needles, disposable scalpels and blades Hazardous or Non Hazardous waste Clinical waste if it contains or is contaminated with a medicine containing either: A pharmaceutically-active substance (a substance able to affect biological systems); or A dangerous substance such as chemicals at sufficient concentration to produce a hazardous property. Clinical or Non Clinical waste Hazardous if it contains or is contaminated with a cytotoxic or cytostatic medicine. Other medicines are not hazardous waste. Offensive waste or sometimes called hygiene waste) Is waste that is non-infectious and not clinical, but may cause offence due to the presence of recognisable health care waste materials, body fluids or odour, and secretions or excretions or that collection and disposal is not subject to special requirements in order to prevent infection. *Adapted from WHO fact sheet (2011), and RCN guidance (2014)

Howard Hughes Essay -- Biographies Biography Hughes Essays

Howard Hughes Howard Robard Hughes was a very inventive, attention getting man. He was an out-spoken entrepreneur who was best known for his hard work and dedication in motion pictures and the aviation industry. His inherited fortune gave him the opportunity to start building on his dreams at an early age. Although Howard remained in the news his entire life he was not always looked on favorably in the public’s eye. In later years his paranoia left him a recluse and in twenty years he had not been seen or photographed by the public. Howard was born on Christmas Eve 1904, in Houston, Texas. He was the only child of Howard Robard Hughes Senior and Alene Gano Hughes. His mother died when he was sixteen and his father died when he was 18. Howard’s childhood wasn’t the greatest but in the end it turned out all right. He was orphaned and inherited $2,000,000 and Hughes Tool Company. His uncle was Hollywood writer Rupert Hughes. Howard took his first airplane ride when he was fourteen years old. Howard Hughes attended private elementary and high school in California and Massachusetts. He attended the Rice Institute in Houston, Texas. He also attended the California Institute of Technology. Howard had a fine education because he attended highly educational schools. His father’s great fortune left Howard very wealthy. After his father’s death he was left an estate worth $871,000, and a patent for a drill. The drill was for oil drilling which made much money. In 19...

Nazism :: essays research papers

I have a hard time thinking that anyone could believe the Nazi’s were a moral people. The Nazi people are unparalleled in the level of criminal unjust committed against a group of persons. Nazi’s however did believe they were moral and were justified in their actions. The idea of Nazism was a way of life and one must think, feel, and act as in the best interest of Nazi beliefs. The moral code of the Nazi people was one that followed the idea that Nazi’s were superior, competent, and pure. The moral code included the idea that those under persecution of the Nazi’s were inferior, less morally sound, and must use their tribulations to correct themselves to become a more loyal citizen of the community. One could classify their actions as racism and Social Darwinism. The Nazi people believed in filth and in accordance with the history of what happened in concentration camps, cleansing. Harold Ofstad is quoted of saying, â€Å"†¦The Nazi faith must permea te one’s entire being, penetrate the very core of one’s soul†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The moral code of the Nazi’s can be fairly labeled as a mistake of disastrous proportions, a group of people brainwashed from the strong sense of duty to a dictator’s beliefs, and a stain in history that will never be forgotten. Nazi’s believed that they were superior, they were morally sound in any action they may choose to take, they were justified to correct and or exterminate anyone being that was different from themselves, and that the Nazi belief and code of ethics was a way of life to carry one for eternity and to pass on for future generations. The moral code was one of imperfection, and many flaws that entitled the Nazi people to kill millions of Jews. The thought that the Nazi people were morally sound, or competent for that matter, is one that I hope every sane being can tell is false.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Nazi moral code is a very controversial matter and is a topic that I am sure has been examined and studied for countless years. Every living human has a moral identity and has developed responses to social interaction with others. These moral identities define who we all are and what we think of ourselves. The way we think of ourselves and the level of response we act upon others dictates our physical actions. One will act out in accordance with the level of response they believe in towards events such as cruelty, disrespect, and generosity.

Virginia Woolfs To The Lighthouse - Portrait of a Real Woman :: To The Lighthouse Essays

To The Lighthouse - Portrait of a Real Woman Until To The Lighthouse, I had never read anything that so perfectly described women: wives, mothers, daughters and artists. I felt like shouting "Eureka!" on every page. These were my thoughts, beautifully written. Virginia Woolf writes of the essential loneliness and aloneness of human beings. In the first passage I am examining Mrs. Ramsay is the heart of the group gathered around the dinner table. It is because of her that they are assembled. She is the wife, the mother. "And the whole of the effort of merging and flowing and creating rested on her." But she feels disconnected, "outside that eddy" that held the others, alone. She views her husband almost as an inanimate object. "She could not understand how she had ever felt any emotion or affection for him." The room has become shabby. Beauty has dissolved. The gathering for which she is responsible is merely a group of strangers sitting at the same table. "Nothing seemed to have merged. They all sat separate." Mrs. Ramsay understands that she must bring these people together. "Again she felt, as a fact without hostility, the sterility of men, for if she did not do it nobody would do it." So she drifts into the eddy to do her duty -- albeit reluctantly. "...she began all this business, as a sailor not without weariness sees the wind fill his sail and yet hardly wants to be off again and thinks how, had the ship sunk he would have whirled round and round and found rest on the floor of the sea." This passage is so true! In a traditional family (my family) there is a man (husband and father), a woman (wife and mother), and children. The woman is claimed by all. She is held responsible, both in the eyes of her family and in her own eyes, for the happiness and well-being of all. She is the glue, the anchor, the spark, the damper. She is lonely but never alone. The idea of drifting to the bottom of the sea can seem inviting Ð to be free and alone! This short passage aptly illustrates a real woman's very complicated feelings about the demands of family and society upon her. I think it is no less valid now then it was in the 1920s when the book was written.

The Factors Affecting The Working Capital Requirements Accounting Essay

Why does budgeting so of import for an organisation. It is a planning and commanding agencies for an administration. This tool works successfully merely when it is implemented with due concern. The budget is non merely a cost supervising method but besides an built-in portion in footings of planning and control parts of an administration. It ever aims to accomplish organisational ends and besides motivates the human resources concerned. The manner of assemblage required information and so choosing an appropriate budgetary system is indispensable for the success of budgetary system. The effectual budgetary attack is one that a state of affairs where the single aims & A ; ends match the organisational aims & A ; ends. It is called end congruity. To guarantee end congruity it is a requirement to guarantee monolithic engagement of supervisory degree in the direction procedure. There are different types of budgets to get by with different patterns. An organisation may utilize a conventional budgetary system and may sometime demand to exchange over to another budgetary system to run into its demands. It is non a simple undertaking to ask for alteration in a budget system. An organisation has to confront certain complexnesss in the signifier of hindrances to alter by the employee of the organisation, alterations necessary in the current support system due to alter in its budgetary system. The degree of truth in gauging the grosss & A ; costs in the budget period is vastly of import for a successful budget. There are a figure of statistical techniques which may be suited in calculating the hereafter figures to be accommodated in budgets. The rule of budgeting is to give direction an thought of how a company is run intoing their ends, whether or non the disbursals are in line with budgeted degrees, and how good controls are working. Appropriately used, budgeting can and should increase incomes, cut down unneeded outgo, and obviously defines how instant stairss can be taken to do bigger markets ( Thomsett, 1988, p. 5 ) . In order to achieve this, direction demands to build a budgeting system, the major aims of which are to ( Viscione, 1984, p. 42 ) : Set acceptable marks for grosss and disbursals. Increase the chance that marks will be reached. Provide clip and chance to explicate and measure options should obstacles arise. As budgeting procedure is really intricate, it comes as no amazement that budgets are seeking to carry through several maps such as ( Harper, 1995, p. 321, and Churchill, 1984, p. 162 ) : Planning, Controlling, Co-ordinating, Instructing, Authorizing, Motivating, Performance measurement, Decision Making, Delegating, Educating, Better Management of Subordinates etc. In the horizon of this study I would wish to discourse two different attacks of budgeting i.e. ( I ) Traditional Budgeting & A ; ( two ) Rolling Budgets & A ; prognosissTraditional Budgeting:In the traditional attack to budgeting and budgeting controls the system of developing a program against the factors which may act upon the budget of the following twelvemonth. There are so many organisations that use traditional budgeting, which give them an thought to calculate for the coming twelvemonth and do non necessitate altering durinthe budget cyclele. Companies treat traditional budgeting suited with simpler coordination of budget premises for different divisions. However with the transition of clip and alterations go oning in the concern, companies raise complain that the traditional budgeting is non accommodating with their demands. The major unfavorable judgment on traditional budgeting is due to: Unsuitable step they are either really simple or really complex Not flexible with altering concern state of affairss The budget is falsely timed either excessively short or excessively long It is considered really political Rolling Budgets and prognosiss: A rolling/continuous budget is such a program that is continually updated & A ; the clip frame remains changeless while the existent period covered by the budget adjusted. Practically, as each month base on ballss, the one twelvemonth uninterrupted budget is expanded by one month, so there is ever a annual budget in topographic point. In the peal budget, directors have to re-think the procedure and do alterations each month. The result of this is normally a more right, up-to-date budget suiting the most recent information ( Horngren, Foster, Datar, 2000, p. 182 ) . This approach- Encourages directors to believe & amp ; re-think sing planning as an on-going procedure, it is non a inactive event. An chance to give more â€Å" existent clip † response to rapidly altering concern state of affairs. In theory, the annually planning procedure is eradicated ; the projection for following twelvemonth is the first peal anticipation. Planing is non stated by the calendar, but can be generated by important events and alterations. As rolled budgets are equipped with the close experience by taking into consideration the current period, they are rationalized with the recent alterations. Rolling budgets are continually updated with the current events, this facilitates in minimising the running discrepancies. Rolling budgets are the most appropriate signifier of budget for organisations which are working in a tentative ambiance, where future events can non be predicted faithfully. Based on the treatment stated above it would be easy to urge the most suited budgetary attack under the undermentioned two scenarios. Scenario-1: One of the concerns operates in a really stable and inactive market topographic point, where there is small alteration in either merchandises or demand twelvemonth on twelvemonth. In this scenario we can easy foretell about future concern state of affairs. Upon historical record we can integrate necessary alterations in the budgetary procedure. As the market scenario does non alter often there is no necessity to integrate rapid alterations in the budgetary system. As per above premise we can rede the organisation to follow the traditional attack to budgeting & A ; budgetary control. Scenario-2: One of the concerns operates in a really dynamic, quickly altering, advanced environment, where there is rapid alteration in either merchandises or demand twelvemonth on twelvemonth. In this scenario we can non easy predict about future concern state of affairs. Upon historical record we can non integrate necessary alterations in the budgetary procedure. As the market scenario changes often there is a necessity to integrate rapid alterations in the budgetary system. To make so, the directors of the organisation need to believe & amp ; re-think sing planning as an on-going procedure & A ; besides need to react rapidly as alterations concern state of affairs. So, the annually planning procedure is eradicated. The projection for the following twelvemonth is the first peal anticipation. Rolling budgets and prognosiss need to be furnished every month or every one-fourth, alternatively of annually as before, which amplified work and costs linked to budgeting. As per above premise we can rede the organisation to follow the peal budget & A ; prognosiss approach to budgeting & A ; budgetary control. Through the planning procedure under this attack is clip devouring, turn overing budget must be suited for such type of concerns.Decision:There are many unfavorable judgments have come from experts. Budgeting theory has been really effectual in analytical jobs and supplying equal solutions linked to budgeting systems. Sometimes, the results of budgeting analysis have been conflicting and ill-defined, but in general upper limit recommendations have been incorporated & amp ; verified in existent scenarios. What I personally have observed really few companies even today use a flexible budgetary system and do a clear difference between governable & amp ; non-controllable disbursal when measuring their executives or directors. It can be freely mentioned that traditional budgeting is still non dead or wholly disused as it is still has been used in the bulk companies all over the universe. Nevertheless, most of them are likely to recognize that precisely the same budgeting theoretical account can non be used in the twenty-first century. Business environment scenarios are no longer sane and budgeting systems must go more antiphonal to the exact demand of consumers & A ; demands arise from the competition. Answer to the Question no. 02 Here XYZ Limited is a medium sized fabrication company which industry & A ; sells its merchandises to different industrial clients who use its merchandises in their ain production line. The typical on the job capital of a fabrication company includes its hard currency, history receivables, three degree stocks as natural stuff, work-in-progress & A ; finished goods and history payables. Now I am advised to describe on how each portion of the on the job capital rhythm could be improved and how it will critically measure the deductions of the developments on XYZ and other dependant clients. To make so, I would wish to discourse all the specifics of working capital rhythms of a fabrication company. The on the job capital rhythm means how efficient a company is at change overing hard currency into merchandises and back into hard currency once more. We can state a company with a really efficient capital rhythm confirms the competitory advantage over a company with an abysmal on the job capital rhythm. To give a better image of working capital rhythm let us say a company has a immense hard currency capital and it spends the hard currency to buy natural stuffs. Then the finished nutrient has been sold. As we are populating in a recognition universe so we have non received hard currency immediately. So, monies can be delinquent to purchasers & A ; Sellerss as trade receivables & A ; trade payables severally. So the on the job capital rhythm requires uniting the period of the stock list or gross revenues degree every bit good as hard currency recovery from clients.Critical tools of working capital rhythm:Working Capital Cycle = INVDOH+ ARDOH – APDOH Here, INVDOH= Inventory Days on Hand= ( Inventory/COGS ) *365 ; This ratio measures how many yearss stock list of a company remains on manus. The lower figure of yearss stock list shows a company possesses strong gross revenues or the demand to increase stock list degrees. In contrary to this the higher figure of yearss stock list shows the company possesses a low gross revenues place. ARDOH= Account Receivables Days on Hand = ( Account Receivables/Credit Gross saless ) *365 ; This ratio measures the figure of yearss it takes to have payments from clients. The lower figure yearss receivables show a company is pull offing its receivables expeditiously. APDOH= Account Payables Days on Hand = ( Account Payables/COGS ) *365 ; This ratio measures the figure of yearss it takes to pay its providers or sellers. The figure of yearss to pay varies by organisation and by industry. Each and every company wants to hold suited payment footings to guarantee liquidness at an optimal degree but does non desire to incur delinquent measures and fees.The Factors Affecting the Working Capital Requirements of an Organization:1 ) Fictional character or nature of Business: The working capital demand is related to the nature and size of the concern. In organisations where the cost of natural stuffs will be used in the fabrication of a merchandise is immense in per centum of its entire cost of industry. In this context the working capital demands will be big. Contrary to this organisation holding immense investings in fixed plus need lesser sum of working capital. 2 ) Volume or Size of Business & A ; scope of Operationss: The demands of working capital of an organisation are straight influenced by the volume of its concern which may be shown in footings of a scope of operations. The greater the size of a concern concern, by and large higher will be the demands of working capital. 3 ) Policy of Production: A concern marked by articulating cyclicality in its sale may prosecute a production policy that may cut down the fluctuations in demands of working capital. For illustration an Air conditioner maker may keep stable production throughout the twelvemonth instead than beef uping the production activity at the clip of the extremum concern season. Such determination may cut down the fluctuations in the demands of working capital. 4 ) Manufacturing Procedure: In a fabrication concern, the working capital demands addition in proportion to the length of the fabrication procedure. The longer the procedure clip of fabrication, the larger is the demand of working capital. 5 ) Variations in Supply: In the seasonal industries the natural stuffs are non available throughout the twelvemonth. Those industries had to purchase natural stuffs in majority at the clip of choice season to do certain an uninterrupted flow and production procedure than during the full twelvemonth. 6 ) Credit Availability: If any house awarded recognition on flexible footings it will necessitate less working capital as it can ever pay to creditors subsequently and vice-versa 7 ) Inventory: In the concern like sugar industry, one requires to hive away a immense sum of natural stuffs and finished merchandises because of its sensualness. The concerns are non able to sell whole finished goods, and so more on the job capital to be required. 8 ) Working Capital Cycle: In a fabrication company, the working capital rhythm begins with the purchase of natural stuff and stops with the realisation of hard currency from the gross revenues returns. The working capital demands find how rapidly the on the job capital rhythm completes one rhythm i.e. , longer the period of the on the job capital rhythm greater is the demands of working capital. 9 ) Stock Turnover rate: The sum of working capital and the velocity with which gross revenues are performed is reciprocally related. A house holding a higher rate of stock list turnover will necessitate lower sums of working capital comparing to a house holding a lower rate of turnover. 10 ) Business growing rate: The demands of working capital of a company addition with the growing and development of its concern activities.How on the job capital rhythm affects an organisation:Now I will seek to do understand how on the job capital demand varies with alterations of different specifics of balance sheet & A ; income statements. Let us see the undermentioned information collected from three Old ages fiscal statements of XYZ Limited.Particulars2010 ( $ )%2011 ( $ )%2012 ( $ )%Current AssetAAAAAACash 795 3.1 585 2.6 427 2.0 A/R 7873 30.4 6693 30.0 7298 34.7 Inventory 10025 38.7 7982 35.7 6695 31.8Entire CA1869372.11526068.31442068.5Fixed AssetAAAAAALand & A ; Building 2660 10.3 2660 11.9 2660 12.6 Machinery & A ; Eqp. 3463 13.4 4135 18.5 4519 21.5 Gross FA 6123 23.6 6795 30.4 7179 34.1 Acc. Dep. 1508 5.8 2187 9.8 2786 13.2Net Fa461517.8460820.6439320.9Due from Military officers 37 0.1 0 0.0 0 0.0 Intangible Assetss 2583 10.0 2470 11.1 2245 10.7Entire Assetss25928100.022338100.021058100.0AAAAAAACurrent LiabilitiessAAAAAASTL 9113 35.1 7142 32.0 4813 22.9 Current Part of LTD 690 2.7 1255 5.6 1137 5.4 A/P 4572 17.6 3784 16.9 4124 19.6 Accrued Expenses 465 1.8 421 1.9 481 2.3Entire CL1484057.21260256.41055550.1Long Term LiabilitiesAAAAAALong Term Debt 3258 12.6 3483 15.6 2840 13.5 Deferred Income Tax 305 1.2 0 0.0 283 1.3Entire Long Term Liabilities356313.7348315.6312314.8Stockholders ‘ EquityAAAAAACommon Stock 1890 7.3 1890 8.5 1890 9.0 Retained Net incomes 5635 21.7 4363 19.5 5490 26.1Entire Stockholders ‘ Equity752529.0625328.0738035.0AAAAAAAEntire liabilities & A ; Net Worth25928100.022338100.021058100.0AAAAAAAGross saless32388100.036993100.040960100.0Cog 23913 73.8 25565 69.1 25885 63.2 Depreciation 515 1.6 573 1.5 733 1.8Gross Net income796024.61085529.31434235.0Operating ExpensesAAAAAASG & A ; A 6830 21.1 9493 25.7 11360 27.7 Amortization 260 0.8 252 0.7 225 0.5 Traveling & A ; Other Expenses 425 1.3 0 0.0 0 0.0Entire Operating Expenses751523.2974526.31158528.3Net Operation Net income4451.411103.027576.7AAAAAAAInterest Expense 617 1.9 747 2.0 1002 2.4EBT-172-0.53631.017554.3Income Tax Expenses ( Credit ) -230 -0.7 -305 -0.8 322 0.8Net Income580.26681.814333.5AAAAAAADividend PaidAA1940A306AFrom the information mentioned above we can cipher the undermentioned ratios:Ratios2010 ( $ )2011 ( $ )2012 ( $ )Working Capital 3853.0 2658.0 3865.0EfficiencyAAAINVDOH 153.0 114.0 94.00 ARDOH 89.00 66.0 65.0 APDOH 70.00 87.00 54.00 Working Capital Cycle 172 yearss 93 yearss 105 yearssProfitablenessAAAGross Profit Margin 24.6 29.3 35.0 Operating Net income Margin 1.4 3.0 6.7 Net Net income Margin 0.2 1.8 3.5 Remarks: If we analyze the above result we will see that the on the job capital demand in 2010 was US $ 3853 and working capital rhythm was 172 yearss. But in 2011 the concern made immense development in working capital rhythm i.e. it reduced ARDOH for 23 yearss, INVDOH for 39 yearss and increased APDOH for 17 yearss and as such it reduced its on the job capital rhythm for 79 yearss and this development straight reduced its working capital demands i.e US $ 2658 in 2011. Again it fails to keep on the job capital rhythm that degree in 2012 and so its working capital demands besides increased up to US $ 3865.

North Coast Town Essay

Robert greys North Coast Town is a poem that shows how Australia is becoming more influenced by the States and how the world is filled with coloredity. He presents us with a detailed comment of the township which reflects his views on the changing reputation of Australia. The poem takes on the persona of a hitchhiker without any money. The first stanza talks active how the persona gets up in the morning after sleeping on the beach.The purpose of descriptive language creates a opthalmic image for the reader, a Shell ship (with their Mens locked), The symbol of that gasoline station is of a shell to that degree its devoid of any authenticity towards a natural shell signifying an artificial world. The craze of rock n be sick in the States made its way to Australia and having the same greasy fifties pompadour hairstyle like Elvis Presleys was considered popular. The procedure of imagery in the one-fourth stanza creates a optic image of the regular(prenominal) 50s hairsty le for the reader. This represents the outwardity and Americas strong influence on Australias identity.The ingestion of alliteration in the fifth stanza, stucco sea shells evokes a stronger sense of the towns wishing of depth through its exaggerated decorations. Gray suggests that the town has lost its individuality, everything is borrowed from foreign cultures. The use of metaphor, Theyre reservation California, highlights the event that Australia idolizes America and are therefore powerfully influenced by them. As the persona hitches a ride, he comes to see various superficial sides of the place. The idea of Americanisation is incorporated through the visual image of the pink Tropicana motel.It reveals the towns pathetic attempt at imitating America. This represents the town peoples desperation to overhear money off of tourists. The image pother in shop fronts also symbolizes the forlorn replicas everywhere. The towns imitation of America is further enforced through use o f verbs. We pass bulldozed acres. This signifies the increase of urbanization within the settlement as their way of making California. In this poem, Gray utilizes various poetic techniques to show perspective on the artificiality and the influences of America corrupting the town.

The Relationship between amount of sleep and reaction time

In adjunct, there wipe out been many catastrophic events in the world caused by lack of catch more or less Zs or fatigue in certain situations. These include the disaster of Coherency, the Ch every(prenominal)enger salvo In 1986 and the Exxon Valued oil spill, many claim, were caused by lack of nap and fatigue. The employees at Coherency were over workplaceed, working(a) 13 hours or more. The pilots of the Challenger had a operative lack of cat eternal forty winks and the oil spill caused by the workers working over 22 hours per day. Furthermore, these catastrophic events atomic number 18 all that could be affected or prevented with a quick response measure.Therefore, could the fatigue and lack of sleep have led to slower reaction time causing these events to occur or was it a nonher variable star that the fatigue caused? I wonder if there is a relationship betwixt amount of sleep and reaction time. Plan To find out the relationship between amount of sleep and reactio n time, if there is one, I leave behind be using two contrary type of investigation. Firstly, I depart be doing whatsoever of the investigation myself by taking a prototype from my year group and having them complete a test.In addition to that, I pass on also be getting results from other studies, Investigations and reports on the same experiment as the results would be more reliable and varied. For my own Investigation, since I am comparing, It Is difficult to have certain individual or dependent variables. However, since I am visual perception how amount of sleep affects reaction time, as my self-supporting variable, I testament use the amount of sleep measured in hours and I will be using the reaction time measured in siemenss. I will obtain the amount of sleep by asking the battalion within the ideal and I will get the reaction time by having the sample take a rationalise online test.For this investigation, I will be using toilet facility sampling since the invest igation has a very smallish time limit and I will not have any re springs available to investigate on a big(a)r sample or to do sample which is outside of this sample. Therefore these results are sort of unreliable since It Is only done on a very small group and It Is only doojigger sampling so It only takes Into account a very small group of people in a certain location. This Is why I will also be using other Investigations, written document and studies to get more reliable and accurate information.I will have a sample of 15 people from etc. To find more reliable, accurate and more varied selective information. Once I have gathered the results, I will firstly attain a table out of the tippy information to evidently take down the results. Then, I will create a processed data able to get ahead it easier to create graphs. Then I will work out averages for the reaction times and amount of sleep making them into box and whisker plots. Then, I will create a scatter graph to stu dy both my variables. I believe that the results will be that the amount of sleep has a very large influence over ones reaction time.This selection was purely reliability and credibility of the source as the 2 most credible and reliable sources were chosen for the data and information. The first source was the paper Effect of check balance Deprivation on Reaction magazine and Waking EGG Activity in populace by the American pause Disorders Association and Sleep Research Society, written by l. Lorenz, J. Ramose, C. Race, M. A. Guava and M. Coors-Caber. The second paper was by Mitch Leslie for the Stanford report with the name Sleep impacts reaction time as much as alcohol. Both of these sources gave information such as averages, graphs and conclusions with some analysis but did not give the raw data. Therefore, some of this processed data could be lead astray and could be biased. In addition, the data that these sources give are quite different compared to the data given from my investigations. This would hateful that my results are probably unreliable as it was conducted on a very small group, none of the variables were changed so there was not much variety and the results were mostly inaccurate.In addition, there are some missing value especially for the time some people went to the estimated hours of sleep they had gotten. I will treat this as all the other values although if they seem like outliers on a graph, it would be because they are inaccurate. To analyses, I will group the data and information by source treating them differently. Overall, I believe that I have plenteous data to analyses and to create a inclusion since I have the data I have compile and the information from the other studies.