Raymond Carvers poem Photograph of My Father In His 22nd...

The Theme of Raymond Carvers poem Photograph of My Father In His 22nd Year Growing up we all had expectations of who we should be imposed upon us by our parents. Whether or not we achieved those expectations upon reaching adulthood isnt really the final outcome. There is a greater lesson learned regardless of how we benefited from the imposition. And that realization is what truly shapes our final character. Raymond Carver entertains this topic in his poem, Photograph of My Father in His Twenty-second Year. In this poem Carver provides us with a beautifully touching slice of life that is not only flawless in writing and technique, but that connects and emotionally evokes feelings that are universal in all†¦show more content†¦The young man continues in the description saying, In jeans and denim shirt, he leans against the front fender of a 1934 Ford (6-7). These details help to set-up the false image the young mans father is trying to convey. Upon growing up and then looking back on his father, the young man is able to provide the retrospect ive comment, He would like to pose bluff and hearty for his posterity, wear his old hat cocked over his ear (8-9). This statement illustrates the fact that the young man, upon looking back, has realized that his father desperately tried to project a self image uncharacteristic to his actual self. He is fully aware of whom he is looking at, but just like the kitchen, it feels completely alien to him. The young man states that he can tell his father is attempting to falsify his look and attitude for the sake of his son. The last line of the stanza reinforces this idea when the son proclaims, All his life my father wanted to be bold (10). This comment comes from a young man who has obviously lived his entire life in the shadow of a man constantly trying to be something he wasnt. The reader gets the idea that the son was constantly subjected to his fathers influence upon him to be tough and masculine just like his dad. The last line of the stanza relays to the reader the notion t hat the young man only realized his fathers masked character upon looking back over the course

Controversy in the Use of Embryonic Stem Cells Essay

â€Å"How can the use of stem cells be so controversial?†, one may ask. If the stem cells are donated out of free will or were going to be destroyed anyway, how can putting them to better use be controversial? Sure, a potential life must be destroyed to save a life, but only before one can tell that it is a human. Should the use of stem cells for medical research and use be regulated? These questions and more will be discussed and pondered throughout this paper. A stem cell is defined as a cell that can change into a different type of cell. Stem cells are different from other cells because from the start they do not have specialized functions. Embryonic stem cells are found within the blastocyst (embryo), which is just a tiny package of†¦show more content†¦These organs would then be transplanted into someone whose had previously failed or is in the process of shutting down. In humans adult stem cells, not embryonic stem cells, have been used in therapies for more tha n forty years. People with blood disorders have used stem cell therapy to take the opportunity to improve upon their life. On the other hand, embryonic stem cells have a very high potential to treat or even cure numerous diseases like diabetes and heart disease. They are much more versatile in their usage compared to adult stem cells. Another practical use for embryonic stem cells is to treat damaged nerves (Testing The Use†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). These nerves could have been impaired in a spinal cord injury. As of today, scientists have already performed stem cell transplants in people whose cells were damaged through chemotherapy of disease. To make the use of stem cells helpful to the patient they must come from that person. If not, there is a possibility of the stem cells being rejected. Currently, only adult stem cells have been transplanted into humans, with embryonic stem cells missing out. If a person stores their stem cells earlier in life, the usefulness of them would be extremel y high later in life (Preserving Stem Cells). A stem cell is more advantageous at a younger age, thus why embryonic stem cells extraordinarily useful. If a person was against the use of stem cells as regenerative medicine or just the use of embryonic stem cells in general,Show MoreRelatedThe Debate Over Embryonic Stem Cell Research1543 Words   |  7 PagesWhile embryonic stem cell research has been ongoing for more than 30 years, it has only become a controversial topic over the past decade. The embryonic stem cell was first isolated in 1981 by two scientists at the University of Cambridge. However, it wasn’t until 1998 at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where the first batch of embryonic stem cells were created in a test tube. In 2001, President George W. 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According toRead MoreStem Research On Stem Cell Research1212 Words   |  5 PagesStem Cell Research Jason Bernard BIOL-10000 July 26, 2015 Introduction In this essay, I hope to analyze both sides of the debate, and also learn more about the topic and share that information. Prior to researching this topic, I feel that any research that can help prevent or cure diseases, than the research should receive full funding and support. What Are Stem Cells? Stem cells were first discovered in the 1960s by Dr. James Till and Dr. Ernest McCulloch, professors at the University of TorontoRead MoreStem Cells And Adult Stem Cell Research882 Words   |  4 PagesStem cell are cells with the ability to divide for indefinite periods in culture and to give rise to specialized cells( Introduction [Stem Cell Information]., 2015). 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Evaluating Loch Of Skene Incineration Plant Environmental Sciences Essay Free Essays

string(37) " entire land return of 4 hour angle\." The aim of this papers is to measure the environmental impact and execute a hazard appraisal of a MSW incineration works edifice undertaking for a metropolis with 100,000 population near the Loch of Skene, Aberdeenshire. Assuming that mean MSW arising in UK is 509 kilogram per person per twelvemonth, a 50,000 metric tons per annum incineration installation is required, with a 60 m tallness stack, and a edifice country of approx. 3,500 M2 and a entire land return of 4 hour angle. You read "Evaluating Loch Of Skene Incineration Plant Environmental Sciences Essay" in category "Essay examples" We will write a custom essay sample on Evaluating Loch Of Skene Incineration Plant Environmental Sciences Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now The lower calorific value of MSW should be at least 7MJ/kg, mass firing engineering will be applied with a movable grating, the one-year sum of waste for incineration should be no less than 50,000 metric tons. Loch of Skene is an unreal lake located 15 kilometer West of Aberdeen in Scotland. It is designated as a Particular Protection Area for wildlife preservation intents. The proposed MSW incineration works will be surrounded by several small towns and the Westhill metropolis 2.5 kilometer off. The proposed incineration works may hold an inauspicious consequence on the air quality within a big country, contaminate dirt, harvests and exercise a noxious to wellness impact on a great figure of people. It can besides upset or even destruct really sensitive ecosystems of the Loch of Skene. Based on the above mentioned statements, it is recommended that the proposed incineration works should be moved to the bing landfill, ( Crows Nest Landfill Site, Banchory, an one-year capacity of 74,000 metric tons ) , where the evidences already exist far from communities and would non upset them because it would hold the same impact as the landfill operation before ; it would besides cut down the cost. It is besides recommended that the incineration procedure should be applied in waste-to-energy engineerings. The pollutant control engineering should be applied to command sums of emanations based on the Pollution Prevention and Control ( Scotland ) Regulations 2000. Number of words used – 3316. Excluding Submission sheet, Table of Contents, List of Figures, List of Tables and References. Table OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUTION 5 1.1 Loch of Skene location 5 1.2 Loch of Skene Environment 5 1.3 Incineration Plant Location 7 1.4 MSW arising and incineration in Scotland 7 2 INCINERATION LEGISLATION 9 2.1 Environmental Licensing 9 2.2 Techniques A ; Technology applied 9 2.3 Public engagement 9 2.4 Waste Incineration Regulations 9 3 INCINERATION PLANT 10 3.1 Incineration engineerings 10 3.2 Energy recovery from waste 11 3.3 Pollution lessening engineerings 11 3.4 Main residuary stuffs managing 11 3.5 Incineration works cost 12 3.6 Incineration workss with energy recovery in Scotland 12 4 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT 13 4.1 Air and Land 13 4.2 Water 13 5 SWOT/PEST Analysis 14 6 RISK ASSESSMENT 15 7 CONCLUSION AND RECOMENDATIONS 17 7.1 Decision 17 7.2 Recommendations 17 8 Mentions 19 List OF FIGURES Figure 1.1 – Loch of Skene location 5 Figure 2.1 – Loch of Skene 6 Figure 3.1- Waste Management Facilities. Incinerators ( Scotland ) 10 Figure 4.1 – Hazard appraisal matrix 15 Figure 5.1 – Waste Management Facilities: Landfill ( Scotland ) 18 List OF TABLES Table 1.1 – MSW originating in Scotland 7 Table 2.1 – Waste inputs to incinerators A ; co-incinerators 8 Table 3.1 – Waste incinerated in Scotland 8 Table 4.1 – Energy efficiency for incineration 11 Table 5.1 -Outputs from incineration processes 12 Table 6.1 -SWOT/PEST analysis 14 INTRODUTION Loch of Skene location The Loch of Skene is located about 15 km West of Aberdeen in Scotland. It is a shoal ( 2 m deep ) , and little ( an country of 1.2 km2 ) lowland loch. Figure 1.1 – Loch of Skene location Administratively, the Loch of Skene is located in the Garioch commission country in Aberdeenshire. The country is largely agricultural and strongly affected by Aberdeen economic system. Several small towns ( Dunecht, Echt, Lyne of Skene, Kirkton of Skene ) and Westhill town ( 10392 dad ) ( 1 ) are located near the Loch. Now, the loch is used for sailing by the Aberdeen and Stonehaven Yacht Club, from April boulder clay June. Loch of Skene Environment The loch of Skene has inland H2O organic structures with standing H2O and waterlogged lakeshores. The loch is surrounded with deciduous and cone-bearing forest. During fall and winter the loch supports an internationally of import roost of Iceland Graylag Goose and Icelandic Whooper Swan. This site qualifies under Article 4.1 of the Directive ( 79/409/EEC ) as back uping populations of the undermentioned European of import migratory species ( Whooper Swan and Graylag Goose ) listed in Annex 1 of the Directive ( 2 ) . A recent JNCC ( 3 ) study states that: ‘Whooper Swan – 203 persons stand foring up to 3.7 % of the wintering population in GB and Graylag Goose, 10840 persons stand foring up to 10.8 % of the wintering Iceland/UK/Ireland population. ‘ The Loch of Skene is indicated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest ( SSSI ) , Special Protected Area ( SPA ) and Ramsar Site. Figure 2.1 – Loch of Skene The loch is alimentary rich, which consequences from sewerage installations and agricultural beginnings. The natural ecology has been disturbed by inputs of foods, chiefly from the four Burnss that drain their catchments. Water quality in the Loch of Skene is Class 2, which means it has been significantly altered by human activities ( 16 ) . Incineration Plant Location The Company has proposed installing of an incineration works for the metropolis with a population of 100,000 near the Loch of Skene. In Scotland, in 2008/09, Municipal Solid Waste ( MSW ) coevals was 3,288.069 metric tons ( 4 ) . Local governments collected 29.1 MM metric tons of MSW in England and 1.8 MM metric tons in Wales during 2006/07. This included 25.9 MM metric tons of waste from families ( 1.6 MM metric tons in Wales ) – that is approx. half of metric ton or 509 kilograms per individual every twelvemonth, so 100,000 population will bring forth in mean 50,900 ton/year of MSW. And this requires a 50,000 metric tons per annum incineration installation with a 60 m stack tallness, a edifice country of approx. 3,500 M2 and a entire land return of 4 hour angle ( 5 ) . MSW arising and incineration in Scotland Municipal solid waste originating in Scotland in 2008/09 was 3.29 MMton. This is the lowest value in a period of 2004-2009. In 2003, the Scots Executive set a mark that any growing in municipal waste should discontinue by 2010 ( 4 ) . Data in the tabular array below show the general tendency of MSW originating and bespeak a decrease of MSW achieved in 2004/5 and 2008/9 by 3.5 % . Table 1.1 – MSW originating in Scotland Incineration and co-incineration workss received about 336,000 metric tons of waste in 2008, Table 2.1. Municipal waste makes up 26.2 % of the entire waste. It should be noted that 14,000 metric tons of refuse-derived fuels were sent to England for incineration in 2008. In 2008, there were two municipal waste incinerators with energy recovery in Scotland ( Dundee and Shetland Islands ) . Table 2.1 – Waste inputs to incinerators A ; co-incinerators A SEPA ( 4 ) study provinces that, ‘In 2008, 119,000 metric tons ( 35 % ) were recovered and 217,000 metric tons ( 65 % ) were disposed. This was an addition of 82,000 metric tons over 2007. Between 2004 and 2008, there was an addition of 82,000 metric tons ( 220 % ) in the sum of waste recovered. ‘ ( p.28 ) Table 3.1 – Waste incinerated in Scotland INCINERATION LEGISLATION Environmental Licensing Incineration installations are a topic of environmental licensing demands as Part A installings under the Pollution Prevention and Control ( Scotland ) Regulations 2000. The Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive ( IPPC ) requires portion A installings to run in such a manner that all preventive steps are taken against pollution, in peculiar through the application of the best available techniques, and to guarantee that no important pollution is caused ( 8 ) In conformity with the SEPA policy, an applicant must confer with with SEPA at a every early phase on the nature of the environmental licence required. Techniques A ; Technology applied The chief footing for finding the appropriate criterions that should be applied in a PPC license is known as the best available techniques ( BAT ) The PPC ( 11 ) ordinances define this as, ‘the most effectual and advanced phase in the development of activities and their methods of operation, which indicates practical suitableness of peculiar techniques for supplying in chief the footing for emanation bound values designed to forestall and, where that is non operable, by and large to cut down emanations and the impact on the environment as a whole. ‘ ( p.2 ) Public engagement Harmonizing to the Public Participation Directive ( 10 ) , a waste thermic intervention works application shall be capable to heighten public engagement. This involves public audience on the application when it is received by SEPA and farther public audience when SEPA has come to any determination on a bill of exchange PPC license. Waste Incineration Regulations The Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive ( 96/61/EC ) was established to forestall or understate emanations into the air, H2O, and dirt, every bit good as waste ( 8 ) . The Waste Incineration ( Scotland ) Regulations ( SSI2003/170 ) introduce rigorous regulative controls, whereby all emanations are invariably monitored, and minimal proficient demands for waste incinerator have been established ( 9 ) . The Public Participation Directive ( 2003/35/EC ) requires that the application and determination papers for a waste intervention installing license must be made available to the populace for their remark ( 10 ) . Incineration PLANT Incineration engineerings At present, approximately 96 % of MSW generated in Scotland are disposed of in landfills, and staying MSW is incinerated with energy recovery. Harmonizing to the Landfill Directive ( 12 ) , it a pre-treatment operation is required prior to a disposal of waste. The recreation of these stuffs is one of the most important challenges confronting the direction of MSW in Scotland. Figure 3.1- Waste Management Facilities. Incinerators ( Scotland ) Presently there are three chief engineerings available for MSW incineration. Grate Technologies Traveling Grate ( The Roller Grate, the stepped Inclined Grate, Inclined Counter-Rotating Grate ) Fixed Grates – these are a series of stairss with waste being moved by a series of random-access memories Fluidised Bed Bubbling Fluidised Bed – the air flow is sufficient to call up the bed and supply good contact with the waste Go arounding Fluidised Bed – the air flow for this type of unit is higher and therefore atoms are carried out of the burning chamber by the fluke gas. Rotary Kiln – incineration in a rotary kiln is usually a two phase procedure dwelling of a kiln and separate secondary burning chamber. Energy recovery from waste Incineration procedures are designed to retrieve energy from waste processed by bring forthing electricity and/or heat to be used on site and exported offsite. Useful energy that can be generated from an incineration works utilizing a boiler to bring forth steam is presented in the tabular array below ( 13 ) . End products Efficiency Use Heat merely Up to 80-90 % thermic efficiency Local territory warming for edifices ( residential, commercial ) and or for industrial procedures Electricity 14-27 % Can be supplied to the national grid for sale and distribution Heat and power Dependant on specific demand for heat and power Combination of the above Table 4.1 – Energy efficiency for incineration Pollution lessening engineerings A common attack to command emanations is as follows: Ammonia injection into hot flue gases to command NOx emanations Lime or Na hydrogen carbonate injection to command SO2 and HCL Carbon injection to capture heavy metals A filter system to take fly ash and other solids ( calcium hydroxide or hydrogen carbonate and C ) Electrostatic precipitators and scrubbers The control of CO, VOCs and dioxins in footings of their concentration is chiefly though right burning conditions being maintained. Typically the weight of Air Pollution Control Residues ( APCR ) produced will be around 2-6 % of the weight of the waste come ining the incinerator ( 13 ) . Main residuary stuffs managing The tabular array below shows the cardinal end products from incineration procedures ( 13 ) . End products State Measure by weight of original waste Remark Incinerator underside ash ( IBA ) Solid residue 20-30 % Potential usage as aggregative replacing or non biodegradable, not risky waste for disposal Metallic elements Requires separation from MSW or IBA 2-5 % Sold for re-smelting APC residues ( including fly ash, agents and waste H2O ) Solid residue/liquid 2-6 % Hazardous waste for disposal Emissions to atmosphere Gaseous 70-75 % Cleaned burning merchandises Table 5.1 -Outputs from incineration procedures Incineration works cost Capital costs of an incinerator are extremely dependent on the quality of waste to be processed, engineering employed and its location. The costs will consist those associated with the purchase of the incinerator works, and besides costs for land procurance and readying prior to edifice and besides indirect costs, such as planning, allowing, contractual support and proficient and fiscal services over the development rhythm. Examples of incineration works capital costs are provided below: 50,000 tpa ?25m 136,000 tpa ?35m 265,000 tpa ?51m Incineration workss with energy recovery in Scotland Presently the UK has 19 incinerators in operation processing MSW. In 2005-2006, they processed approx 2.8 MM tones of MSW per annum produced in England. As illustrations of incinerators with energy recovery in Scotland there are Dundee ( 14 ) and Shetland ( 15 ) Waste to Energy Plants. DERL Waste to Energy Plant, Dundee ( 120,000tpa ) . Value: ?35 MM Construction period: 140 hebdomads Year completed: 1999 The works consumes 2.2 MW for in-house burden and exports 8.2 MW to the grid. 10.5 MW are produced by a individual steam turbine generator. Shetland Waste to Energy Plant, Shetland Islands ( 26,000tpa ) Project period: 1994-200 Client: Shetland Island Council Investing: Turnkey contract approx 100 MM DKK Heating consequence: 7 MW The works consists of a fire tubing boiler with a supply temperature of 1150C. Further, 100 % chilling capacity is installed ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Air and Land MSW incinerators are normally fed with a assorted waste flow and combustion of such waste leads to risky substances ab initio present within the waste being mobilised into releases from the incineration works. Whatever control engineering is applied, all types of incineration consequence in releases of toxic substances as ashes and in gases to air. These substances comprise heavy metals, assorted organic compounds, such as dioxins, furans, H fluoride, and C dioxide. Therefore, for the continuance of incineration, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins ( dioxins ) and dibenzofurans ( furans ) , hexachlorobenzene ( HCB ) , and polychlorinated biphenyls ( PCB ) may be by chance generated and released. Pollutants that are emitted into the ambiance from incinerator stack, every bit good as ephemeral emanations, may be deposited on the dirt near to the incinerator and pollute the local environment. Since the country environing the Loch of Skene is largely agricultural, it may impact the productiveness and quality of agricultural merchandises ( dirt and harvests taint ) . These pollutants including dioxins and PCBs may besides be transported to great distances by air currents. Live stock may besides take in pollutants, mostly through feeding of contaminated flora. The Loch of Skene is indicated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest ( SSSI ) , Special Protected Area ( SPA ) and Ramsar Site with an of import roost of Iceland Graylag Goose and Icelandic Whooper Swan. An incineration works during the building and operating stages may destruct these comparatively little and sensitive ecosystems. All types of incinerators produce dioxin. Dioxin causes wellness jobs including malignant neoplastic disease, altered sexual development, generative jobs, and suppression of the immune system, diabetes and hormonal effects. Water Water pollution may originate during the building and operation stages of the proposed incinerator. The major subscriber of H2O pollution for the continuance of development comes from deposits transported to streams ensuing from dirt eroding and disposal of sewerage from the building cantonment and site office. After completion and commissioning of the works, sewerage from the works countries and waste H2O watercourse from chilling H2O blow down, rinsing and seepage storage cavity may be the major beginnings of H2O pollution. Since there are godforsaken H2O intervention workss build in Dunecht and Lyne of Skene and these discharge foods to the Kinnernie and Kirktonbridge Burnss, which later drain into the loch, the Loch of Skene is considered to be at high hazard of neglecting to accomplish good ecological position. Water quality in the Loch of Skene is Class 2, which means it has been significantly altered by human activities ( 16 ) . SWOT/PEST Analysis SWOT/PESTEL analysis Strength Failings Opportunities Menaces Political UK authorities support on development new incineration installations Local councils may object Develop local assets Economic Long-run contract to bringing of waste to incineration works High investing cost Monetary values of energy from waste incinerators have to fixed by gov. Inability to pay the full intervention fee Social Introduce new occupations to country Impact on local agreeableness Build visitant Centre to enable local groups to see works and larn dallier about incineration procedure Expostulation and protest from concerned citizens Technical Significantly cut down the sum of waste to be landfilled Measure and quality of waste Use waste-to-energy engineering Poor working waste direction system Environmental High degree of emanations criterions Air emanations, noise, dust, smell Introduce environmental systems and control to assist bolster image Poor works direction Table 6.1 -SWOT/PEST analysis RISK ASSESSMENT The rule of hazard appraisal is to measure the possible hazard to human wellness, safety and the environment finding the chance of jobs to happen, and researching alternate solutions. This involves seting extenuations in topographic point by finding countries, where initial hazard diminution should be considered. Figure 4.1 – Hazard appraisal matrix Legend: 1 = Very High Hazard ; Additional Considerations Required 2 = High Risk ; Additional Considerations Required 3 = Moderate Risk ; Additional Considerations Recommended. 4 = Possible Risk ; Additional Considerations at Discretion of the Team 5 = Negligible Risk ; Additional Considerations Not Required S = Severity, L = Likelihood, RR = Risk Ranking. Hazard Cause Consequence Hazard Matrix Extenuation Second Liter RR Construction stage Noise and dust building activities and truck traffic Impact on local roads and the agreeableness of local occupants 3 3 3 On-site operation activities, care and fix of equipment, control and timing of noise emanations, informing local community Construction waste Land renewal and building activities 3 3 3 Waste conveyance and disposal in preies for reuse or in landfills Health and safety Accidents to workers and members of the local community Lack of safety ordinances and uncontrolled entree to the building site 2 3 3 Provide protective shutting, follow safety ordinances, prevent unauthorized entree to the building site by fencing and dark security guard Biodiversity Land renewal and building activities devastation of the natural ecosystem at the installation site 2 3 3 Paving of storage and operation countries, drainage and effluent direction Operating stage Dust production From waste trucks during waste transit and handling Impact on local roads and the agreeableness of local occupants 3 3 3 Pull offing of offloading processs during bringings, good housework Noise pollution Truck traffic and operation of the incinerator Impact on local roads and the agreeableness of local occupants 3 3 3 On-site operation activities, care and fix of equipment, control of timing of noise emanations, Min 500 m off from residential countries Odour production Waste bringings and storage Impact on human wellness 3 3 3 Covered waste trucks, response hall with an automatically closed door, little negative force per unit area to forestall odour get awaying Spillage of ash Leached by surface H2O into the environing drainage system Loss of risky waste to open H2O 1 3 3 Regular site cleansing, control of all processs Fleeting emanations Dust, calcium hydroxide and ash, release to the air from the installing Impact on human wellness 1 3 3 Delivery and storage direction of fuels, natural stuffs, byproducts and waste Health and safety jeopardies Emission of dioxins and other toxic pollutants from the stack Impact on human wellness, perchance carcinogenic and to be a tumour booster 1 3 3 Using activated C, dry calcium hydroxide and fabric filters to command dioxin emanations Continuous monitoring and describing emanations of NOx, CO, SO2, PM10, HCL, TOC from the stack, CONCLUSION AND RECOMENDATIONS Decision The proposed undertaking of an Incineration works installing near the Loch of Skene could ensue in inauspicious environmental impacts on really sensitive loch ecosystems. The local community is besides at hazard of possible impacts of pollutants released from the stack of the waste incinerator. There is a high hazard with allowing issues because the Loch of Skene is a Site of Special Scientific Interest ( SSSI ) , Special Protected Area ( SPA ) and Ramsar Site. Recommendations The site of incinerator should be moved to the bing landfill ( for illustration, the Crows Nest Landfill Site, Banchory, an one-year capacity of 74,000 metric tons ) , where the location is already far from the communities and will non upset them because its operation is the same as that of the landfill operation ; it would besides cut down the cost. It is suggested that the apply incineration procedure should be designed to retrieve energy from the waste processed by bring forthing electricity and/or heat to be used on site and exported off site. It is suggested impersonal nomenclature, the â€Å" MSW Processing Plant † should be applied alternatively of the â€Å" MSW Incineration Plant † . The Design and Architecture of the Plant should non resemble a typical incineration works. The sum of incinerated waste should non transcend the landfill capacity. Hazardous waste should be separated before waste is burned in the incinerator. The pollutant control engineering should be applied to command the sum of emanations and their contents based on the Pollution Prevention and Control ( Scotland ) Regulations 2000. Figure 5.1 – Waste Management Facilities: Landfill ( Scotland ) – Crows Nest Landfill location, Banchory How to cite Evaluating Loch Of Skene Incineration Plant Environmental Sciences Essay, Essay examples

Advanced Artificial Intelligence Essay Example For Students

Advanced Artificial Intelligence Essay Artificial Intelligence: Cognitive Ability or Information Processing Computers have become an integral part of our everyday lives. We rely upon these machines to perform innumerable tasks that we often take for granted. Most people realize that computers are able to perform the multitude of functions as a consequence of the programming they receive. These programs give computers a set of instructions that governs their transition from one information processing state to another. Thus, computational machines are able to respond to a certain set of inputs with a certain range of outputs. In order to comprehend programs one needs only to describe these instructions in functional terms. In this regard, computer programs are extremely similar to functional accounts of the human mind, which contend that in order to understand the mind, one must simply examine the relationship between stimulus and behavior. Consequently, the question has naturally arisen as to whether a computer which consisted of a sufficiently sophisticated program would be capable of thought. This question has resulted in lively debate, with one camp of people including John R. Searle emphatically denying the plausibility of Artificial Intelligence. On the other side of the debate, individuals such as Paul and Patricia Churchland have declared that although a serial machine with a program might not be able to think, Artificial Intelligence might be feasible in parallel processing computers. In Is the Brains Mind a Computer Program, John R. Searle presents an interesting argument against strong artificial intelligence proponents. Believers of strong artificial intelligence contend that a computer that can pass the Turing test is displaying cognitive ability. The Turing test basically states that if a computer can function in such a way that an expert can not distinguish its performance from that of a human who has a certain cognitive ability, such as the ability to understand a language, then the computer also has that ability. Proponents of weak artificial intelligence have a much less forceful view which states that if a computer can pass the Turing test it is merely a successful model of the mind. In his essay, it is the strong AI proponents whom Searle is critiquing. Searles argument against artificial intelligence can essentially be summed up in three simple statements: (1) Computer programs are formal/syntactic (2) Human minds have mental contents or semantics (3) Syntax by itself is neither constitutive of nor sufficient for semantics. From these three statements Searle concludes that, Programs are neither constitutive of nor sufficient for minds. In order to illustrate his argument, Searle then utilizes the so called Chinese room argument. The Chinese room simulation commences with a person who has no knowledge of the Chinese language. This person is then placed into a room containing baskets full of Chinese symbols. In addition, this individual is provided with a rule book (in a language which he or she presumably understands) for matching Chinese symbols with other Chinese symbols. The rules identify these characters solely in terms of their shapes and do not require any comprehension of them. The argument then asks that you imagine that there are people outside the room who understand Chinese and who hand this person symbols which pose certain questions. In response, this person manipulates these symbols according to the provided rule book, and hands back certain symbols. The symbols that this individual returns, unknown to the person inside the room, are answers to the questions which these native Chinese speakers are posing. Furthermore, this rule book makes this persons answers indistinguishable from a native Chinese speakers. Hence, this individual would be able to satisfy the Turing test for comprehension of the Chinese language, although he does not actually have any understanding of the language. .ud047480c6294d7b189542046c467001c , .ud047480c6294d7b189542046c467001c .postImageUrl , .ud047480c6294d7b189542046c467001c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud047480c6294d7b189542046c467001c , .ud047480c6294d7b189542046c467001c:hover , .ud047480c6294d7b189542046c467001c:visited , .ud047480c6294d7b189542046c467001c:active { border:0!important; } .ud047480c6294d7b189542046c467001c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud047480c6294d7b189542046c467001c { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud047480c6294d7b189542046c467001c:active , .ud047480c6294d7b189542046c467001c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud047480c6294d7b189542046c467001c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud047480c6294d7b189542046c467001c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud047480c6294d7b189542046c467001c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud047480c6294d7b189542046c467001c .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud047480c6294d7b189542046c467001c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud047480c6294d7b189542046c467001c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud047480c6294d7b189542046c467001c .ud047480c6294d7b189542046c467001c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud047480c6294d7b189542046c467001c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: In Twilight of the Idols Nietzsche discusses his views on Christianity, other philosophers, and authors of his time Essay Searle then makes the analogy between the rule book and a computer program, the person and the computer, and the symbols and a computers data base to decisively demonstrate that symbol manipulating devices are not enough for cognition. In Searles opinion, computers can never be minds because they are inherently different from brains. He argues that brains do not merely instantiate a program but also cause mental events by virtue of specific neuro biological processes. Searle is essentially making the contention that brains, .

Talent Management Strategies and Measures

Introduction The modern business environment is facing enormous changes and constant challenges that result from human resource errors and production failures. Given the increasing demand for exemplary services by consumers, managers are continuously looking for new talents in the labour market to replace incompetent workforce and fill vacant positions (Kehinde, 2012).Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Talent Management Strategies and Measures specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More While the increasing need for human resources is obviously pervasive, poor realisation of the impact of retaining talented workforce has placed organisations on high wage bills and low performances. Wing (2004) postulates that the technique of talent management has become one of the most incredible strategic plans of human resource management that has provided companies with the means of retaining talented workforce. Talent management has re cently proven to be effective means of empowering workforce, creating workplace motivation, and retaining workers (Kehinde, 2012). To expound on the talent management concept, this essay explores the talent management strategies and measures implemented by the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI). Overview of Talent Management and INTOSAI Traditionally, organisations mostly believed in constant retrenchments and replacements as a way of managing inefficient workforce and eliminating the incompetent workers in workplaces (Gubman, 2004). Due to the increasing complexities in the labour market with workers frequently seeking for more paying professions, the need for capacity building to maintain talented workforce has heightened (Wing, 2004). Opposed to the traditional disorderly retrenchment programs, modern talent management has received an advanced technical approach and a new meaning altogether. Lewis and Heckman, define talent management as a systemat ic human resource practice of managing the supply, the demand, and the stream of talented workforce through the human capital parameters (2006). The practice of talent management comprises of a set of practices initiated through the human capital management processes, to manage efficient human resource in organisations. According to Lewis and Heckman (2006), talent management ensures that the workforce aligns with business goals and is capable of driving corporate goals to a meaningful success. Human Capital Management (HCM), as a human resource strategic plan ranges from a few motivational supports to a series of corporate strategies tailored towards ensuring effective capacity building and talent management (Romans Lardner, 2005).Advertising Looking for article on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Being a succession planning technique where new and motivated workforce replaces retirees to retrenched worke rs, organisations have embraced the concept of talent management and have designed varied techniques of managing talent (Wing, 2004). The International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions is among the modern organisations that have acknowledged the growing impetus of human resource management and talent retention. The company launched a capacity building committee predominantly to ensure that Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI) make the most out of the talents available in their workforces (INTOSAI, 2013). INTOSAI community as the custodian of the SAI advocates for capacity building as part of talent management techniques (INTOSAI, 2013). The organisation uses varied talent management strategies and measures to achieve capacity building through a mutual work plan. Talent Management Strategies and Measures of INTOSAI Companies have initiated various talent management strategies to nurture talents of workers and make them more useful to the corporate and individual development (Ca ppelli, 2008). The main objective of the INTOSAI organisation as a custodian of SAIs is to offer developmental support and advice on human capacity building through different measures of enhancing talent management in their human resource sectors. INTOSAI has a Capacity Building Committee (CBC) that has placed a range of practices and measures for talent management to ensure that SAI workers and their institutions benefit from the capacity building initiatives (INTOSAI, 2013). The CBC has four main committees, namely, the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI), the Professional Standards Committee (PSC), the Model International Organization (MIO), and the Knowledge Sharing Committee. INTOSAI committees engage in talent management techniques, which include holding mutual workshops towards innovative strategies, employee training and development, employee certification, working on the knowledge sharing initiatives, and development of professional working standards.Advertising We wi ll write a custom article sample on Talent Management Strategies and Measures specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI) Nurturing human talents through capacity building and talent management techniques requires a series of approaches to exhaust the abilities of individuals in a workplace (Lewis Heckman, 2006). INTOSAI has a development initiative that works closely with the capacity building committee towards talent management of employees of the SAI communities across the world. â€Å"The INTOSAI Development Initiative is an INTOSAI agency, which supports Supreme Audit Institutions in developing countries, in their efforts to sustainably enhance performance, independence and professionalism† (INTOSAI, 2013, par. 2). The development initiative has a series of activities and processes aimed towards harmonizing and facilitating efficient SAI capacity development agendas. The agenda of the develop ment initiative is to disseminate global public goods, empower regional bodies, develop supportive communities and networks, and assist in formulating effective support to the SAI groups (INTOSAI, 2013). Such initiatives intend to enhance talent management and capacity development among the workers of Supreme Audit Institutions and related agencies in developing countries. As a human resource strategic plan that helps people improve their competencies, talent management and capacity development involve efforts towards enhancing the individual performance of workers (Wing, 2004). INTOSAI enhances the performance of SAI through the IDI platform, with numerous talent management initiatives and professional development agendas. In practical professional development, the IDI is responsible for training, couching, and improving the skills of SAI professionals in issues related to the use of information technology in auditing (INTOSAI, 2013). The IDI prepares the IDI Global Programme with a purpose of enhancing professionalism of workers through making them competent in the e-courses related to auditing. The IDI Global Programme conducts training on the e-courses, undertakes online course support, and assesses the growth of SAI workers in e-courses through examinations and certification (INTOSAI, 2013). To enhance work proficiency, SAI workers undertake e-courses, engage in IT programmes supported by the IDI Global Programme, and receive results and certificates when successful in the courses offered.Advertising Looking for article on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The IDI platform acts as an employment network for assisting qualified employees to seek working opportunities within the Supreme Auditing Institutions. Since several accountants across developing countries are seeking opportunities to enhance their professional experience in established accounting firms, IDI platform acts as a professional breakthrough for aspiring workers (INTOSAI, 2013). The IDI has an open website for the SAI workers who have interest in understanding networks and communities of professional accounting. The website supports SAI employees to have access to capacity development programmes that are essential in the development of employee careers in the accounting and auditing fields. Proper governance is an important aspect in INTOSAI, as leadership is important in management of SAIs (INTOSAI, 2013). The IDI enhances governance in SAIs through providing professional training to SAI managers strategically to improve accountability and transparency. Public accountin g requires professional and effective leadership, and through enhancing corporate governance, IDI makes SAI managers competent to lead public accounting firms. The Professional Standards Committee (PSC) The modern workplace environment requires proper understanding of the regulations and the practice standards that govern a professional field (Cappelli, 2008). The INTOSAI organisation understands that SAI workers in developing counties need professional standards that guide their practices in the field of financial auditing. As part of their capacity building initiative, INTOSAI has an effective professional standards committee that oversees the practices of SAI agencies to ensure that professional auditing standards are efficient (INTOSAI, 2013). The main objective of the Professional Standards Committee is to initiate and maintain international auditing standards that Supreme Audit institutions should utilize. Professional standards in auditing are essential, since they improve th e credibility and competence of employees working in public accounting firms (INTOSAI, 2013). Additionally, the PSC assists members of the INTOSAI community to ensure that their audit teams develop effective communication strategies and policies. The PSC also advices and promotes efficient leadership behaviours through providing support on formulating policies towards good governance. In enhancing standards of public sector auditing, the professional standards formulated by the PSC normally assist INTOSAI members to create policies and regulations of ensuring standard performance in the audit activities and report making. INTOSAI (2013) believes that such approaches act as basis for establishing professional auditing skills to workers, which subsequently help in enhancing individual proficiency in public auditing. PSC further assists INTOSAI members to understand the need for undertaking public auditing in accordance with the ethical principles of auditing (INTOSAI, 2013). The profe ssional competence of finance auditors lies in their ability to practice auditing while observing the required business ethics governing the auditing practice. Through ensuring that SAIs work in accordance with the professional auditing standards, the PSC helps workers and managers to become efficient, competent, and independent in their public auditing practices (INTOSAI, 2013). Therefore, INTOSAI achieves talent management aims through ensuring that auditing standards support SAI workers to work professionally in the sector auditing. Talent management through capacity development in INTOSAI also entails formulation of various committees and groups to support SAI members to perform duties in accordance with the established auditing standards. The PSC has a financial audit subcommittee, a performance audit subcommittee, a compliance audit subcommittee, and an accounting and reporting subcommittee (INTOSAI, 2013). The financial audit subcommittee is very essential to the performance of SAI workers in the public sector auditing. According to INTOSAI (2013), the subcommittee helps SAI workers to develop standard financial statements that are essential in the public sector auditing and documentation of public audit concerns. The financial audit subcommittee formulates high-quality guidelines that ensure that the SAI members undertake the above audit mandates in the globally accepted audit standards (INTOSAI, 2013). As a capacity-building strategy, the performance audit subcommittee is responsible for formulating guidelines for effective performance auditing, public sector audit reforms and developments, and the relevant evaluation or auditing methods. In helping SAI workers to comply with the international auditing standards, PSC has a compliance audit subcommittee that elaborates and clarifies the terms of compliance audit (INTOSAI, 2013). The compliance audit subcommittee helps SAI audit members to understand the different mandates governing compliance audit and provides them with a practical guidance on planning, execution, and reporting of compliance audit (INTOSAI, 2013). Such efforts have been crucial in supporting SAI members to perform their public auditing duties in a standardised and professional manner. The work of auditors is never complete if the financial assessment does not end with an audit report. The accounting and reporting subcommittee is an efficient agency of PSC that helps workers to unveil audit reports in a standardised and professional manner (INTOSAI, 2013). The subcommittee helps SAI workers to prepare auditing periodic reports in the desired accounting and reporting standards. All these practices help SAI workers to grow professionally in their auditing practices. The Knowledge Sharing Committee Modern talent management involves a number of strategies that entail empowering individuals professionally through knowledge acquisition and sharing on basic issues surrounding the professional practice of a certain field of work. Likierman (2007) argues that having a high knowledge base is one of the critical aspects that contemporary human resources should have to cope with the changing dynamics of workplaces. INTOSAI organisation has understood the need to embrace knowledge sharing, cooperation, and mutual workplace growth. The capacity building initiative of INTOSAI tailored towards knowledge sharing has several practices and activities that help SAI workers to share knowledge with great openness and cooperation (INTOSAI, 2013). The strategies of knowledge sharing agenda include establishment of new working groups and maintenance of existing-working teams. Knowledge sharing also enables SAI workers to share ideas on best auditing practices, workplace diversity, and global communication strategies and policies. Such practices enable workers to share experiences and challenges in the field of public accounting. With the increased innovation and growth in technology, workers possess different level s of abilities, knowledge, ideas, proficiency, and exposure in certain professional fields (Likierman, 2007). The contemporary knowledge base on professional practices and auditing is broad and dispersed among workers in organisations. As a strategy towards capacity development among workers, the knowledge-sharing programme of INTOSAI promotes employee partnerships in undertaking academic activities and research on auditing practices (INTOSAI, 2013). The partnerships allow SAI members to share ideas and opinions on the auditing research, and the requirements necessary in compiling INTOSAI audit reports to enhance consistency in accounting research. The knowledge accumulated and shared among workers of SAI is very essential in improving the service provision in the public sector audit (INTOSAI, 2013). The knowledge-sharing initiative allows managers and workers to participate in holding mutual workshops towards innovative strategies. INTOSAI Workshops are centres of professional deve lopment and training, where audit consultants provide consultations on auditing issues. Professional consultations help SAI workers to increase knowledge base on the present and emerging accounting issues. â€Å"A consulting perspective, often influential in the design and operation of capacity-building programs, tends to focus on the practical use of information to improve current and future performance† (Wing, 2004, p.154). The knowledge-sharing initiative falls into various divisions, namely the public debt group, the IT audit group, the financial modernisation and reform group, the anti-corruption and money laundering group, and the task force that regulates and discusses issues of audit on procurement contracts (INTOSAI, 2013). These knowledge-sharing groups have different mandates and objectives tailored towards assisting members of the SAI community to undertake auditing in a professional manner. Workers engage in competency-building discussions, engage in research and discussions on IT audit practices, anti-corruption audit, the public debt audit, and in financial modernisation and reforms audit (INTOSAI, 2013). These practices are essential platforms of capacity development as they enhance employee competency in auditing. Model International Organization (MIO) Talent management is effective, when leadership, efficiency in practice, and decision-making are core values in a professional field (Romans Lardner, 2005). Talent management strategies are also successful when firms consider supporting the development programmes with appropriate finance and resources. A significant capacity-building component of the INTOSAI community is the Model International Organisation (MIO), which ensures effective governance and coordination of SAI public auditing activities (INTOSAI, 2013). The MIO initiative promotes efficient, valuable, and economical working practices of SAI in the field of the public audit sector. Such efforts are appropriate as they enable S AI workers to engage resourcefully in the INTOSAI audit training and capacity development. Talent management is part of empowering workforce, and financial stability in talent management programs is essential to encourage workers to participate in the initiatives (Frank Taylor, 2004). The MIO initiative has a Finance and Administration Committee (FAC) that supports SAI members financially, to relieve them from the training and development expenses. The most imperative contribution of the MIO initiative is its duty in enhancing effective decision-making on issues regarding empowerment, motivation, employee development, training, and other capacity-building agendas (INTOSAI, 2013). The MIO board of leaders supports individual SAI agencies in making decisions that are essential in supporting the activities of capacity development of INTOSAI. Such approaches strengthen the bond between regional SAI agencies and the international INTOSAI system towards capacity development and talent ma nagement (INTOSAI, 2013). The MIO system promotes effective auditing practices and ensures that decisions and activities of regional SAI agencies reflect actions that are essential for capacity development. As part of knowledge empowerment, the MIO system carries out assessment on professional growth of individual workers in the public audit sector and provides certification to auditors on relevant public audit management courses offered through the global INTOSAI (INTOSAI, 2013). Such initiatives make auditors competent in the public auditing field and create professional confidence to SAI workers. An efficient means of ensuring that capacity building is triumphant is through proper planning and designing of programmes that support the initiatives of capacity development (Gubman, 2004). The MIO system provides INTOSAI agency with means of enhancing their approaches through providing guidelines in strategic planning and coordination of activities and duties of the capacity building initiatives (INTOSAI, 2013). The MIO system has a strategic FAC taskforce responsible for strategic planning on the effective development, monitoring, and implementation of the designed capacity building plans (INTOSAI, 2013). The team ensures that all activities, arrangements, methods, and targets of the capacity development initiatives are running in an orderly arrangement. The INTOSAI governing body, the committee members, the director of INTOSAI strategic planning, and the regional working groups, merge together to formulate policies and strategies that ensure that preparation and implementation of the plans reflect the desired goals of capacity development (INTOSAI, 2013). Such efforts ensure that members achieve talent management efficiently. Conclusion Talent management is undoubtedly the most effective approach of attracting and retaining workforce in modern organisations where innovation seems to change in accordance with the rising business challenges. Companies have devel oped different strategies and measures of undertaking talent management in their organisations. INTOSAI is a global auditing organisation that oversees professional growth and monitors the adherence of SAIs to the global professional auditing standards. Categorised in four main groups of capacity building, the four committees and task forces on different areas of organisation initiatives are generally responsible for capacity development. The four task forces assist INTOSAI in developing professional standards of auditing that SAI workers use as guidelines in the public sector auditing. The committees also formulate policies, regulations, strategic plans, and norms that govern capacity development within the INTOSAI initiatives. The INTOSAI agency also ensures professional training and growth of the SAI workers through relevant professional assessment and appropriate audit certification. References Cappelli, P. (2008). Talent management for the twenty-first century. Harvard Business Review, 86(3), 74-81. Frank, F., Taylor, C. (2004). Talent management: Trends that will shape the future. Human Resource Planning, 27(1), 33−41. Gubman, E. (2004). HR strategy and planning: From birth to business results.  Human Resource Planning, 27(1), 113−123. INTOSAI (2013). The International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI). Web. Kehinde, J. (2012). Talent Management: Effect on Organizational Performance. Journal of Management Research, 4(2), 178-186. Lewis, R., Heckman, R. (2006). Talent management: A critical review. Human Resource Management Review, 16(1), 139-154. Likierman, A. (2007). How to measure the success of talent management. People Management, 13(4), 46-47. Romans, J., Lardner, L. (2005). Integrated talent management at BD Japan. Strategic HR Review, 4(5), 16-19. Wing, K. (2004). Assessing the Effectiveness of Capacity-Building Initiatives: Seven Issues for the Field. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 33(1), 153-160. This article on Talent Management Strategies and Measures was written and submitted by user Marcus U. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Laughter as Therapy Essay Example

Laughter as Therapy Essay Example Laughter as Therapy Paper Laughter as Therapy Paper Laughter As Therapy Naturally, we as a people dislike feeling bad and like feeling good. Two examples of common things that make us feel bad are sickness and sadness. Common remedies for those things are medicine and humor. Though medicine and humor seem different at first glance, they share very important commonalities; they make us feel good and are key influences on a culture. This connection between health and humor has intrigued scientists for years. Recently, scientists have begun seriously investigating the relationship between the two. More specifically, if laughter is capable of contributing to the field of medicine. Many scientists have reason to believe that laughter could have a significant effect as a therapeutic medicine, whether it be through the physical act of laughing, or through the effects of changing hormone levels. Therefore, the goal of this essay is to educate the readers on the development and experimentation of laughter used as therapeutic medicine in the past, present, and fut ure. Laughter is an age-old, natural human reaction to humor that elicits a feeling comparable with euphoria. For 2,000 years, people have been baffled by why laughter causes humans to feel so good. (Gorman, 2011) In fact, the benefits of humor and laughter are even recognized in Proverbs 17:22 of the Bible, â€Å"A cheerful heart does good like a medicine: but a broken spirit makes one sick.† (The Nurse’s Handbook of Complementary Therapies, 2001) Some cultures, such as the Mayans, have practiced humor in medicine for thousands of years. Specifically, the Mayan healer, Don Elijio Panti, whom lived until he was 103, was described as much of a clown as a doctor. Panti believed that a happy patient was a healthy patient. Without a positive attitude, the patient was less likely to recover from their sickness. He utilized humor techniques, such as making jokes, teasing, and telling stories with dancing and other body movements, to lighten the mood of his patients. Panti once sai d, â€Å"A persons spirit needs to be uplifted as much as the body needs to be healed. And without an uplifted spirit I dont think there is enough energy within the body or enough vital force for a person to properly and completely experience healing.† (Balick Lee, 2003) Many considerable strides have been made since the time of the Mayans. Today, scientists have reason to believe that laughter could be therapeutically beneficial in ways such as a relief from pain and stress, an improvement in immunity, and a useful tool for nurses in treating patients. (Nurse’s Handbook of Complementary Therapies, 2001) I will analyze these claims in the following three paragraphs. On September 13th, 2011, the New York Times published an article entitled â€Å"Scientists Hint at Why Laughter Feels So Good† by James Gorman that contained results of a pivotal experiment in the field of laughter studies conducted by Robin Dunbar, an evolutionary psychologist at Oxford University, and his colleagues. Dunbar and Co. conducted five studies in the laboratory by testing subjects’ pain tolerance after fits of laughter. Dunbar had his subjects watch â€Å"excerpts of comedy videos and neutral videos, or videos meant to promote good feeling but not laughter.† The comedy videos included excerpts from the popular television shows, â€Å"The Simpsons,† â€Å"Friends† and â€Å"South Park†. Neutral videos included a documentary on pet training and a program on golf. The videos meant to elicit good feelings, but not laughter, included excerpts from television shows about nature such as â€Å"Planet Earth† and â€Å"Jungles.â₠¬  They inflicted pain in their subjects via a blood pressure cuff, a freezing wine sleeve across the fore arm, or a demanding ski exercise. Participants were tested before and after watching a series of the aforementioned videos. When suffering the various inflicted pains subjects were instructed to indicate when the pain became unbearable. All events that occurred during these experiments were recorded. The results of the experiments by Dunbar and his colleagues showed that laughter increased pain tolerance, while ‘good feeling’ videos did not. These results confirm that laughter is a relief from pain. Though much more conclusive evidence is needed, one can speculate that laughter may be a door way into a new realm of pain medication. Lee Berk, a PhD and scientist of the 1980s, was interested physiological effects caused by fits of laughter. In his most famous study, Berk simply instructed ten healthy individuals to watch a 60-minute humorous video while he tracked their hormone levels. The control group did not watch a video of humorous nature. Surprisingly, he found that laughter significantly reduced the levels of three critical stress hormones. Cortisol (steroid hormone produce by the adrenal gland), epinephrine (also known as adrenaline), and dopac (metabolite of the neurotransmitter dopamine) decreased by 30, 70, and 38%, respectively. (Balick Lee, 2003) There was not a reduction in levels of stress hormones in the control group. Knowing that stress levels usually have an influence in an individuals immunity, Berk furthered his studies in psychoneuroimmunology by replicating his experiment and focusing on change in hormone levels associated with immunity. He and his associates found that laughter caused a significant increase in two hormones; beta-endorphins (chemicals which improve mood) by 27% and human growth hormone (chemical that helps optimize immunity) by 87%. (Balick Lee, 2003) There was not an increase observed in th e control group. His findings support the claim that laughter can reverse the negative effects of stress and cause an improvement in ones immune system. Though it may not be considered â€Å"therapeutic† by exact definition, humor is a technique constantly used by many nurses today for many purposes. Typically, nurses will use humor to ease the strange, anxious feeling patients sometimes experience in hospitals, to develop a therapeutic relationship between nurse and patient, and to positively influence hopefulness. (The Nurse’s Handbook of Complementary Therapies) For example, I have an aunt named Joan who is a nurse at Children’s Hospital in Chicago and, much like the Mayan healer Don Elijio Panti, uses humor as a tool when meeting her young patients for the first time. â€Å"Usually, they (patients) are very shy to start but once I introduce myself in a positive, humorous manner, I begin to gain their trust. A patient’s trust is imperative to a successful treatment by a nurse. By displaying a positive attitude, I instill the same positive, hopeful attitude in my patients†, says Joan. Some nurses have even gone so far as to allow clowns to aid them in their treatment of patients. Patients at the Babies and Childrens Hospital at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center (CPMC) in New York were lucky enough to be subjects of three studies that were funded by The Richard and Ilinda Rosenthal Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at The Columbia  College of Physicians and Surgeons to learn about the effects of ‘clowning around’ with pediatric cancer and heart patients. Specially trained clowns, deemed the Clown Care Unit (CCU), were hired to aid researchers in their investigation of â€Å"the effect of clowns on decreasing physiological and psychological indicators of distress in children and adolescents undergoing cardiac catheterization†. (Balick Lee, 2003) Results showed decreases in observed child distress, child self-reported distress, and parent-rated distress when the clowns were present for the cardiac catheterization. As for the doctors performing the cardiac catheterization, they found the procedure significantly easier to perform when the clowns were present. In summary, nurses and doctors alike use humor on a daily basis to instill a feeling of hopefulness and to improve relations with their patients. The future of laughter therapy seems promising based on the history of the development of the science. After the connection between humor and health was realized thousands of years ago society has been making significant strides in the forward direction which will hopefully lead to a proven and regulated therapy for individuals who are ill, undergoing treatment, or recovering from a treatment. In order to accomplish an effective laughter therapy, doctors would need to administer a form of medication that contained the same chemicals released during laughter or recommend their patients to therapist that specialized in laughter therapy. In other words, laughter therapy could come in the natural form of humor via another human or artificially via a medication. The possibilities are endless. In conclusion, in the present scientific community there has been studies that yielded concrete results that support that laughter can improve health in the short term. Robert Dunbar and his colleagues proved that laughter can reduce sensitivity to pain in their tests using various techniques of inflicting pain in their subjects while they were instructed to watch comedic television shows. By relieving that stress, individuals will feel healthier in general. Finally, there has been record of doctors practicing laughter therapy as treatment for long-term ailments, specifically Mayan healer Don Elijio Panti. (describe article in more detail) In conclusion,  there is scientific evidence to support laughter improving short-term health by relieving stress in the individual. However, despite the fact that many ancient cultures practice laughter therapy for long term ailments, there is very little concrete scientific evidence that laughter could heal an individual that has been diagnosed with serious disease or condition. At most, laughter therapy can act as an aid to the individual to cope with a difficult healing and/or treatment processes [There is no word to explain the feeling after a gut-busting laugh. It is a natural high to say the least. Some scientists, like Robin Dunbar an evolutionary psychologist at Oxford University, believe that it is the physical act of laughing that produces the pleasurable feeling. Others, like Lee Berk, PhD and a pioneer in laughter studies, believe the answer lies our hormones. (add information on book source)] The article, written by Micheal J. Balick and Roberta Lee and published in the scholarly journal entitled Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, discusses the role of laughter in traditional practice and its pertinence in the current medical field. Balick and Lee incorporate and analyze a series of essays regarding lessons and observations of humor in the medical community. an aid in recovery from surgery, a cure for melancholy, physical exercise, to restore equilibrium, to use in treatment of the sick, to help digestion, and to stimulate the internal organs. News Article:nytimes.com/2011/09/14/science/14laughter.html?_r=1src=meref=science Scholarly Journal: Healing with HA! http://search.proquest.com.proxy2.cl.msu.edu/docview/204826776/131EA152F382DD5362B/2?accountid=12598 Book:The Nurse’s Handbook of Complementary Therapies

Global warming Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Global warming - Research Paper Example By definition, global warming refers to the average increase in air temperature of the globes surface and ocean. This increase has been estimated to have started in 1950. A term used as a synonym for global warming is climate change. According to facts it is a clear and unmistakable fact that the earths temperature is rising. Global warming is not just about two different summer seasons, but it involves changes occurring on the environment, weather and atmosphere. It is thought interms of decades and not seasons. The term global warming can be misleading as it can be wrongly thought to mean that thing are going to be hotter, yet in some cases situations are stormier, drier, or colder. Due to the fact that all things are linked such as temperature, wind and rain, global warming affects the earth in regards to both biology and hydrology. Each year in the past 37 year has experienced warmth that is higher than that of the 20th century on average. The earth has experienced the 12 warmest years ever in history with 2012 being the hottest year ever recorded in the United States. The average surface temperature increase has been over one degree Fahrenheit from 1800s with the last three decades being the worst (Union of Concerned Scientists, 2014). As observed by scientists, the earth’s history on variability is vast with instances such as the cold temperatures compared to ice age, to being as hot as easy bake oven. As projected by scientists, temperatures are expected to increase by an average of 2-11.5 degrees Fahrenheit’s by the end o f 21st century (Trimarchi 2014). As stated by Environmental protection Agency, the earth’s temperature is a balance between the suns heat that leaves and the amountstays on the planet. The earth becomes warm when it absorbs heat from the sun and it is made cooler when the suns heat is reflected back. A lot of factors are responsible for earth’s energy balance, some of which include variation in the green house