Research Paper Example

Research Paper Example Research Paper Example Research Paper Example Research paper composing is one of the troublesome sorts of the scholastic exposition composing. Scholastic exposition should introduce the aftereffects of your examination on a chose point. Research article composing ought not be founded on your own musings just, focus on the realities and create fascinating examination paper thoughts. Prior to beginning English, you should discover, read, and break down a major measure of logical writing. We offer you to peruse the accompanying exploration paper model The Effects of Technology on Business and improve your own composition: Research Paper Introduction We need innovation, but every new innovation puts new requests upon us and makes new types of pressure. We can't live with it, however we can't survive without it. There is no turning around to some pre-innovative Eden. Aristotle properly depicted man as a creature that lives by innovation... Research Paper Body Paragraph One From a wide perspective, at that point, innovation frames our condition. This condition stays unperceived except if we are isolated from it, as a fish doesn't have the foggiest idea what water is until it is stranded. The specific mechanical condition wherein we are supported is fused into our being. It structures what our identity is. We don't have to put forth any extraordinary attempt to learn it. Or maybe, it is found out by retention... Research Paper Body Paragraph Two We presumably all have individual experience identifying with how individuals identify with PC innovation. A few people, youngsters more than grown-ups, bounce directly in to utilizing the machine. Others see the machine with trepidation, hitting the signal for an emergency response each time they can't cause it to perform. The individuals who adjust to it treat it with a similar nature as one treats a pet creature, and they adapt rapidly by attempting various things. The worried give up all hope of learning the hypothetical complexities of records and registries. The PC, at that point, is for the principal bunch some portion of nature. For the subsequent gathering, it is an outer aggravation in nature to which they have become acclimated... Research Paper Conclusion Data innovation of any kind is an important augmentation of our characteristic forces of discernment and thinking, however when we depend on it solely, it has a crippling impact. In the main stage when we are stood up to with new innovation, it ingests every one of our assets of adjustment, and we will in general push it as far as possible. It ingests all our consideration. In the event that this remaining parts the lasting disposition, the outcome is that we overextend our own characteristic forces, which the innovation was intended to serve, and become the workers of the innovation... Research Paper Proposal An examination paper proposition is the introduction of a thought that you wish to seek after. It implies that you have just idea about your exploration paper theme, that you've discovered fundamental data, read it and organized your considerations. The examination proposition isn't a work of one night. It requires a profound investigation of your means, thoughts and contemplations. Research paper is a making of work that is extraordinarily yours. A decent research paper requires your capacity to accumulate, decipher, and record data, create and compose thoughts and ends. Propelled examine paper ought to be clear and justifiable. Custom Research Paper Writing Custom research paper composing administration offered at is of premium quality.â We are centered around quality and your needs, we adhere to the entirety of your guidelines and meet deadlines.â We put your inclinations on the primary spot and convey custom research paper which surpass desires for your coach. Try not to botch a chance to turn into a decent understudy with our assistance!

Berger Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Berger - Assignment Example How individuals see expressions can be brought inside their range. In this way, the believability of a craftsmanship can be improved by examining a workmanship from a critical number of individuals. As indicated by Berger, ladies and men have various sorts of social nearness. Customarily, men have been assessed by the level of intensity they might be having. Additionally, the force might be in various different structures including financial, good or monetary status. Then again, a lady shows the different exercises that can be or is impossible to her. Thusly, portrayal of ladies in workmanship is firmly identified with what ladies are found, all things considered (Berger 18). Furthermore, Berger calls attention to those ladies are the fundamental subject of the European artistic creation of the bare. As indicated by Berger, the bare representation of a lady speaks to the scriptural story of Adam and Eve. Now and again the portrayal of ladies in expressions is blamed for vanity, when in actuality they may fulfill the wants of men. He additionally makes an understood qualification of ladies portrayal of expressions. He says that â€Å"To be bare is to act naturally. To be naked is to be seen exposed by other but then not he perceived for oneself. An exposed body must be viewed as an article so as to become nude.† (Berger

2 More MIT Students Become Rhodes Scholars

2 More MIT Students Become Rhodes Scholars On Saturday evening, the Rhodes Trust announced the 32 Americans who have won the 2008 Rhodes Scholarships. The Rhodes Scholarship, described as the oldest and best known award for international study, includes among its winners political figures like Bill Clinton, George Stephanopoulos and David Souter; scientists like Edwin Hubble, Robert J. van de Graaff and Brian Greene; and journalists like Nicholas Kristof, Michael Kinsley and Walter Isaacson. Long time readers may remember the excitement last year when one of our then-senior bloggers, Melis, was named a Rhodes Scholar. This years list of winners includes not one but two awesome MIT students: Matt Gethers 09 and Alia Whitney-Johnson 08. Here are the biographies of Alia and Matt from RhodesScholar.org (links mine), followed by the MIT News Office story: Alia Whitney-Johnson, Leicester [North Carolina], will graduate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in December, majoring in civil and environmental engineering. A Truman Scholar, she was also named as one of Glamour Magazine’s top ten college women in 2007. In 2005, Alia founded a nonprofit business, Emerge Global, which seeks to empower young Sri Lankan mothers made pregnant through rape and incest. She has remained its executive director as it has won worldwide recognition. Alia has also led many other programs relating to poverty, women’s rights, and race relations. She plans to do the M.Phil. in development studies at Oxford. Matthew L. Gethers III, Waterbury [Connecticut], is a senior at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where is majors in biological engineering and also has a concentration in political science. He has for three years worked in a lab analyzing the effects of recombinant protein expression on host cell growth rate. He is a varsity fencer, an active volunteer emergency medical technician, and a tutor for underprivileged students. He eventually plans to pursue a doctorate in biological engineering, but first will read for the B.A. in philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford. Two from MIT win Rhodes Scholarships November 22, 2008 Two MIT students, Matt Gethers and Alia Whitney-Johnson, have won prestigious Rhodes Scholarships to study next year at Oxford University in Britain. Gethers, a biological engineering major and political science concentration, has been involved in multiple research opportunities during his time at MIT. Soon after arriving at the Institute, Gethers joined the laboratory of Drew Endy, now an assistant professor of bioengineering at Stanford. While in Endys lab, he conducted research aimed at enabling engineers to encode memory systems genetically to assist in the study and treatment of diseases. This past summer, Gethers sought a way to continue research after his mentor left for California, so he approached John Essigmann, the William R. (1956) and Betsy P. Leitch Professor in Residence of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and a professor of toxicology in the Department of Biological Engineering, to lead an IROP in Thailand. Matt was so enthusiastic to gain international research experience that he raised enough money to bring not only himself and both Drs. Essigmann [Prof. Essigmann and his research scientist wife], but also six other MIT students to conduct research at the Chulabhorn Research Institute in Bangkok, said Linn Hobbs, chair of the Presidential Committee on Distinguished Fellowships and professor of Materials Science Engineering and Nuclear Science Engineering. It is a role that becomes Matt, because he is not only a brilliant young scientist, but also an articulate young man so clearly dedicated to public service. Gethers has engaged in a variety of public service work throughout his undergraduate career. After successful training by the MIT Emergency Medical Service, Gethers became a third rider for the MIT ambulance, logging more than 50 hours per semester. For four years, he has weekly visited local Cambridge schools to tutor students in a variety of subjects. Simultaneously, he has served as the vice president for the MIT chapter of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, a group that honors academic success while encouraging students to participate in community service. In NCAA Division I competition, Gethers has led his team to two New England championships. Gethers will now travel to Oxford University to read for a degree in the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Programme. Kimberly Benard, program advisor for Distinguished Fellowships said, It seems to us an unexpected but inspired choice for an articulate young scientist who values engagement with his communities. After earning a degree from Oxford, Matt plans to return to the United States to pursue a PhD in biological engineering. The second Rhodes winner, Whitney-Johnson, is a senior in civil environmental engineering, former Truman Scholar and one of Glamour Magazines Top Ten College Women. In 2005, she founded Emerge Global, a non-profit organization that seeks to empower young Sri Lankan mothers many of them children themselves made pregnant through rape and incest. Whitney-Johnson first saw the need for such a program after receiving an MIT public service grant to provide volunteer relief in Sri Lanka following the devastating tsunami. She ended up spending time in a shelter established to provide a minimal refuge for these girls while their assailants many of whom are their own relatives are prosecuted. Whitney-Johnson realized that these girls, ostracized and shunned, needed a vehicle to regain their self-esteem. Since she was already an accomplished jewelry maker, having designed under her own label since 2000, she decided to teach these young mothers how to create beaded jewelry. Alia then has assisted them in selling their jewelry both in Colombo and in the United States. We are delighted that Alia was granted a Rhodes Scholarship, what we most wished for her was that she be provided further opportunities to continue her own development and even wider stages on which to practice her commitment to helping others like she has already done through Emerge Global, said Hobbs. Her irrepressible energy has inspired countless MIT students (and administrators, it might be added) to engage in more service work, said Benard. Whitney-Johnsons ultimate goal, however, is not solely to enlarge Emerge Global, but to extend its key concept: empowerment. She plans to continue her education in international development, so that she can expand Emerge Global and found similar organizations elsewhere and has therefore decided to undertake the MSc course in development studies at Oxfords Queen Elizabeth House. Way to go, Alia and Matt! See the full list of MITs 40 Rhodes Scholars here.

The Start of Restricted Gun Rights in the US

When Virginia was drafting its state constitution in 1776, American founding father Thomas Jefferson wrote that â€Å"no freeman shall ever be debarred the use of arms.† Yet Jefferson had been dead just 11 years before the first attempt was made to severely restrict gun ownership. It happened in Georgia in 1837, nearly 100 years before the first federal gun control laws would be passed. The Nation’s First Gun Ban Georgia’s state legislature passed a law in 1837 that banned the sale of knives â€Å"used for offensive or defensive purposes† and all pistols except flintlock  Ã¢â‚¬Å"horseman’s pistols.† Possession of those weapons was also prohibited unless the weapons were worn in plain sight. History did not well record the reasoning behind the legislature’s vote. What is known  is that the legislation stood as the law of the land in Georgia for eight years before the state’s supreme court declared it unconstitutional and voided it from the books. Applying Federal Rights to State Law America’s founding fathers made sure to include a right to keep and bear arms in the Bill of Rights. But the right to keep and bear arms wasn’t limited to the Second Amendment; many states incorporated a right to bear arms into their constitutions as well. Georgia was a rare exception. The state’s constitution included no right to bear arms. So when Georgia’s ban on small handguns was finally challenged in the state’s supreme court, in the 1845 case of Nunn v. the State of Georgia, the court found it had no precedent and no state constitutional mandate to apply. So, they looked to the U.S. Constitution and cited the Second Amendment heavily in their decision to strike down the gun ban as unconstitutional. In its decision, the Nunn court held that while the Georgia legislature could ban citizens from carrying concealed weapons, it could not ban openly carried weapons. To do so, stated the court, would violate the Second Amendment right to carry weapons for purposes of self-defense. Specifically the Nunn court wrote, â€Å"We are of the opinion, then, that so far as the act of 1837 seeks to suppress the practice of carrying certain weapons secretly, that it is valid, inasmuch as it does not deprive the citizen of his natural right of self-defence, or of his constitutional right to keep and bear arms. But that so much of it, as contains a prohibition against bearing arms openly, is in conflict with the Constitution, and void; and that, as the defendant has been indicted and convicted for carrying a pistol, without charging that it was done in a concealed manner, under that portion of the statute which entirely forbids its use, the judgment of the court below must be reversed, and the proceeding quashed.† Perhaps even more significant to the current gun control debate, the Nunn court ruled that the Second Amendment guaranteed all people — not just members of the militia — the right to keep and bear arms, and that the type of arms carried was not restricted only to those borne by the militia but arms of any type and description. The court wrote, â€Å"the right of the whole people, old and young, women and boys, and not militia only, to keep and bear arms of every description, and not merely such as are used by the militia, shall not be infringed, curtailed, or broken in on, in the slightest degree; and all this for the important end to be attained: the rearing up and qualifying of a well regulated militia, so vitally necessary to the security of a free state.† The court went on to ask, since when does â€Å"any legislative body in the Union have the right to deny to its citizens the privilege of keeping and bearing arms in defense of themselves and their country.† The Aftermath Georgia finally did amend its constitution to include a right to bear arms in 1877, adopting a version very similar to the Second Amendment. Except for a handful of relatively minor and overturned state laws attempting to ban freed slaves from owning guns, efforts to restrict gun rights were largely over after the Georgia Supreme Court’s 1845 ruling. Not until 1911, when New York City enacted a law requiring gun owners to be licensed, would major laws restricting gun rights resurface in America. Updated by Robert Longley

The Is The Right Of Freedom Of Expression - 1760 Words

Throughout this I will be providing advice on what kind of story/pictures, that Evan Evans can publish about Brad Pitt being on holiday, in Barry island with his children, how this may breach Brad Pitts human rights especially Article 8 of the European convention of the Human rights (ECHR), which is the right to a private and family life and how it conflicts with article 10 of the ECHR, which is the right of freedom of expression. I will then be providing advice on what Evan Evans can publish about Dylan Davies attending a meeting of Gamblers Anonymous, how Dylan Davies being outspoken in his public criticism of the gambling culture in professional football may affect the liberties that Evan Evans could have speaking about Article 10†¦show more content†¦In the case of van Hoover 2 the photographs that were taken of the princess of Monaco and her husband on holiday and she was denied an injunction and the court considered that; ‘the applicant, who was undeniably a cont emporary â€Å"public figure†, had to tolerate the publication of photographs of herself in a public place, even if they showed her in scenes from her daily life rather than engaged in her official duties. The Court referred in that connection to the freedom of the press and to the public’s legitimate interest in knowing how such a person generally behaved in public.’ Therefore it may be the case that Evans may be able to publish this event, as Brad Pitt is a ‘Public figure’ as he may have to tolerate the publications of himself, even if it is of his daily life out of his career, as there is a freedom of the press and to the public’s interest of actually knowing how they behave in normal life ‘off camera’, this could mean that Evan Evans could publish about this event, without including Brads children. Would the publication of photos/stories interfere with their right of privacy? But by any attempt to enforce their right to privacy would they interfere with Evans right to the freedom of expression which is a conflict with Article 8 and 10 , he could object to the stories but stories like thisShow MoreRelatedFreedom Of Expression And Human Rights2007 Words   |  9 Pages19 of the United Nations International Bill of Rights, â€Å"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers,† but what does this mean for the 193 UN member countries of the 196 countries in the world today? In a world where statements such as freedom of expression and human rights have such broad definitions, it is often hardRead MoreHuman Rights And The Freedom Of Expression And Education813 Words   |  4 PagesHuman rights pred ominantly reflect basic moralities of self respect of all individuals. Thus, all persons should be entitled to equal rights no matter their, nationality, gender, race, ethnicity, religious affiliations, political standings, language nor their class status. Furthermore, all governing countries have an obligation to uphold these universal rights. Therefore; each law that is construed on a national or international level should guarantee no discrimination towards any individuals orRead More Freedom Of Expression - Our First Amendment Rights Are Threatened1156 Words   |  5 Pagesconsideration to the purpose of their artwork? Censorship happens. Thats right, every day in America, quot;Land of the Freequot;, another artist falls victim to The Censor. Everyday, despite rights guaranteed by the constitution, people are being oppressed-by school officials, librarians, committee chairpersons, and even by those in government positions. Its time everyone, everywhere, stood up for Freedom of Expression, and put and end to censorship. In September of this year, the Brooklyn MuseumRead MoreFreedom of Expression: Students in Schools Lacking Some of their Fundamental Rights1441 Words   |  6 PagesUnited States have the right to practice their rights and freedom of expression in their schools. Throughout American history, schools have always limited students from expressing themselves. That was until the twentieth century when people started to question the ambiguity of limitations of scholars. Monumental court cases such as West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette proved that saluting the American Flag conflicted with some students’ religion. Rights and freedoms are the foundationRead MoreFreedom Of Expression Contained Within The European Convention Of Human Rights2147 Words   |  9 Pagesis to act as a ‘public watchdog’ and the media enjoys freedoms and protection in pursuit of this objective. Court reporting is fundamental to the principle of open justice that ‘not only must justice be done; it must also be seen to be done.’ This common aim of media and the courts is met with some restrictions, of which contempt of court is most serious. For journalists, contempt can generally arise where an article prejudices a personâ⠂¬â„¢s right to a fair trial. It is mostly covered by the ContemptRead MoreFreedom Of Expression Is Protected By Article 10 Of The European Convention On Human Rights1447 Words   |  6 Pages1 INTRODUCTION ‘Any restraint on press freedom is a risk to freedom and democracy itself.’ Despite this there are many restraints the press face; when defaming a person, reporting from the Youth Court, reporting previous convictions if in contempt of court, inter alias. This paper will focus on the Leveson Inquiry and the controversy which led to the inquiry itself. In particular, it will evaluate the consequences to a democratic society by implementing the restrictions recommended by the LevesonRead MoreDefinition Of Media Freedom Of Expression Under Article 10 Of The Human Rights Act And The European Convention On1676 Words   |  7 PagesChapter 3 - Explanation of Media Freedom of Expression under Article 10 of the Human Rights Act and the European Convention on Human Rights On the 2nd October 2000, the Human Rights Act 1998 came into force as the most important privacy statute to further strengthen the UK domestic law by affording the rights introduced by the European Convention on Human Rights. The HRA 1998 have been introduced with a wide and comprehensive scope as it applies to most domestic public authorities and bodies including:Read MoreSpeech On Freedom Of Expression1552 Words   |  7 PagesIs freedom of expression really a right of American citizens, and if so, are there any limits? To start off, freedom of expression is the right to express ones ideas and opinions freely through speech, writing, and other forms of communication, but without deliberately causing harm to others character and/or reputation by false or misleading statements. There is no such thing as full freedom of expression. There are many articles and laws stating that a person has complete and utter freedom ofRead MoreFreedom Of Speech And Expression1198 Words   |  5 PagesIII. Freedom of speech and expression The freedom of speech and expression is a cherished human right which has worldwide acceptance. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights through Article19, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights through Article 19, the European Convention on Human Rights through Article 19 etc. recognize this right as a human right. But it is not clear whether the right to use loudspeaker forms part of this right. Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian ConstitutionRead MoreNgos And Freedom Of Expression1719 Words   |  7 Pages NGOs and Freedom of Expression NGOs are significant actors in defending the human right to freedom of expression worldwide. The right to freedom of expression is entrenched in international law through the following: Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR): â€Å"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of

Statement of Cash Flows Free Essays

Statement of Cash Flows Larry D. Abernathy ACC 421/Intermediate Financial Accounting I Richard Burden Statement of Cash Flows The facts contained in the balance sheet and the profit and loss statement is connected by the bridge that is the statement of cash flows. By recording the flow of cash and cash equivalents into and out of the company the statement of cash flow is a good indicator of a company’s health. We will write a custom essay sample on Statement of Cash Flows or any similar topic only for you Order Now Thus, the purpose of the statement of cash flow is to reflect in record form the cash balances reflected in the balance sheet. The statement of cash flow has three main sections and each section tells us a unique thing about the company. The operating section tells us how the company is generating and using cash to support its day to day activities. Specifically, it gives information about the payments for the sales of loans, debt or equity instruments in a trading portfolio, the interest payment, tax payment, payments to suppliers for goods and services, dividends on equity securities, interest received on loans, receipts received on loans and receipts from sale of goods and services. Also the cash flow statement helps assess the ability of the entity to pay its bills and meet its obligations. The investing section tells us how a company is using its cash to grow long-term. If you see a lot of investments outflow, that means that the company is investing in capital projects that will sustain its earnings in the long-term. It gives information about the investing activities that are used with operating activities. The cash that goes into the investing activity of the firm is disclose by the cash flow statement. This includes loans made to suppliers, assets like and, purchase. Financing sections tells us the equity and debt situation of the company or how a firm is raising money to support its short-term and long-term goals. In detail the cash in financing activities provides information about the proceeds from issuing shares, from issuing short term or long term debt, from capital leases, repayment of debt principal, payments made for repurchase of shares and payments of dividends. Fundamentally, the purpose of the cash flow statement is to inform about the past sources of cash to forecast the bility of the entity’s ability to generate a positive cash flow in the future. The cash flow statement provides information from where the entity’s cash is coming from. Is it coming from operations mainly or it is coming from other sources. The cash flow statement also provides information about the effect of investment and financing on the operations of the business. There are three par ts of the cash statement namely cash from operating activities, investing activities and financing activities. The cash flow statement gives us the opening balance of cash, the amount of cash received during the operating period, the amounts paid during the period, the net increase or decrease in cash for the period and the final cash flow balance. When assessing the financial strength of a business it is important to know the cash flow statement because it gives an idea if the firm will be able to pay salaries and other immediate expenses. The cash flow statement also gives information if the firm will be able to repay its creditor. The cash flow statement also informs the lender or potential lenders if the company is financially sound. The contractors and future employees can assess if the cash flows of the company will be able to pay them salaries. While assessing the financial strength of a business it is necessary to know the time, amount and chances of future cash flows, the cash flow statement provides this information. For assessing the financial strength of a firm it is important to compare the operating performance of different companies, the cash flow statement allows this comparison. Further, it is important to ass the changes in assets, liabilities and equity. The cash flow statement provides such an opportunity. Most importantly, it is necessary to know the liquidity and cash in hand of a firm. Essentially the cash flow statement helps assess the financial position of the company by indicating to an investor how much cash flowed into and out of the company over a period of time and in addition it helps reconcile the income statement with the balance sheet. The accounting assumptions that are used for preparing the income statement and the balance sheet are compared with the hard cash earned. No assumptions are made in the preparation of the cash flow statement, and there are not estimations in the cash flow statement. Finally, by closing observing the statement of cash flow, one can determine the solvency of a company and how liquid it is. Having excess cash is an indicator that a company is very liquid and will likely return money to the stakeholders and is likely to be in sound financial condition. If a company is struggling then it will have very little cash. It will struggle to meet its debt obligations and may go into bankruptcy as well. References The accounting process. (2010). Retrieved on December 12, 2012 from http://www. netmba. com/accounting/fin/process How to cite Statement of Cash Flows, Papers

Second Amendment Essays - Behavior, Crime, Gun Politics, Politics

Second Amendment The Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America asserts, "A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." At the time when this amendment was passed, the country was still primarily an agrarian and hunting society, guns were a household item, and necessary for daily life. The armed farmer was the principal soldier in the revolution to establish an independent country. The framers of the Constitution understood that these gun-wielding countrymen were essential to the revolution, and wanted to insure the people would never be defenseless. In recent decades, with the waning practical application of guns in an industrialized nation, the Second Amendment has come under much fire. Living in a technologically advanced country, United States citizens no longer have a need for guns in their everyday lives and, therefore, many Americans have grown up in gun-less homes. The recent rash of violence across the country has shown that the ideals of modern American society have gone awry. Many are quick to blame guns as the reason for this violence. Actually, the problem is not the possession of guns; Americans have had them for over 200 years. Instead, the demise of the morals of society and the lack of restraint of the American public have caused the recent violent trend. Guns are merely a tool. In the hands of immoral and undisciplined people, they are put to evil purposes. The problem lies in the fact that the amendment was created to deal with the muzzle-loaders of the time, and now guns have evolved into killing machines, not just hunting rifles. These new guns however, are no more capable of killing without a man controlling them; guns have been prevalent for literally hundreds of years without being used as weapons for humans against humans, except in times of war. Guns have been in American homes since 1776, and they were not associated with violence until recently. The current trend of school and workplace violence is due to the desensitization of the American people through television, movies and even music. Movie and television producers are businessmen, and they produce what sells, that usually being violence. With the American public watching such films, and loving them, the influence on everyday life cannot be ignored. Statistical facts from other countries show the USA to be much more violent than most other industrialized countries. Last year, Paris suffered less than 25% of the violence that occurred in Washington DC, and Paris is four times as large. The classic society that is present in Europe does not have the same fetish with violence as is present in America. "Progressive" generations in the American society are in essence regressing; the terms Generation X and the Me Generation have been coined and convey the selfishness that is evident in modern society. The Columbine High School violence spree is simply one of the recent acts of violence, but it illustrates how the country's "troubled" youth are reacting to their surroundings. People are taking a more violent approach to try to solve problems than ever before, and that is certainly not solving anything. The recent increase in job related violence can be blamed on the increased stress and desensitization of the average worker. This new approach to workplace problems is very evident, recently in Hawaii and is so common that the term "going postal" has been created to describe workplace shootings. In the early years of our country, and in most places around the world at a boss or a layoff might have been expressed through yelling or at worst, throwing a chair. The desensitization of the American worker has caused him to take a different approach in very recent times, the approach of violence expressed with the abuse of guns. The issue of gun control is historically split between the two major political parties in the US The Democrats have always pushed for stricter gun laws, and the Republicans have always been for lenient laws. Heavy campaign contributions are made to both parties in hope to push certain group's views with The National Rifle Association leading the way with large contributions to the Republican Party. Regardless of party, most politicians agree that something must be altered in the present equilibrium, because violence is almost becoming routine. The Second Amendment was intended for the purpose of reminding these politicians that they are there to serve the people, and no other reason. Although elections are usually enough incentive for

Igor Stravinsky Essay Example

Igor Stravinsky Essay Example Igor Stravinsky Paper Igor Stravinsky Paper Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky was born on June 17th. 1882 in Oranienbaum. Russia. He was one of four to his Polish parents. Anna nee Kholodovsky and Fyodor Stravinsky. Igor Stravinsky’s foremost exposer to music was from his male parent. who was a bass vocalist at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. His male parent helped him larn the love of music. His first musical instruction began at the age of nine with piano lessons. analyzing music theory. and trying composing. By 15. he had mastered Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto in G Minor and finished a piano decrease of a twine four by Glazunov. That same twelvemonth. Stravinsky rebelled against the Russian Orthodox Church and abandoned it. Even though he excelled in music. his parents still wanted him to go a attorney. In 1901. Stravinsky enrolls at the University of Saint Petersburg ; nevertheless he neer attends many of his categories during the four old ages of school. When it came clip to take concluding scrutinies in 1 905. the school was closed for two months because of Bloody Sunday. He so subsequently received a half class sheepskin in April 1906. In 1902. Stravinsky began having private lessons from Nikolai Rimsky- Korsakov. the taking Russian composer at that clip. That really same twelvemonth Stravinsky’s male parent dies from malignant neoplastic disease. In 1905 Igor Stravinsky proposes to his first cousin Catherin Nossenko. Even though the Orthodox Church opposes matrimony of first cousins. they got married on January 23rd. 1906. The same of his matrimony. Stravinsky’s creates foremost of import composing Symphony in E Flat. The undermentioned twelvemonth they have their first kid Theodore and so the following twelvemonth they have their 2nd kid Ludmila. The same twelvemonth as Ludmila’s birth. Rimsky. Stravinsky’s male parent like figure. dies. In 1909. Stravinsky’s composings. Scherzo fatastique and Feu d’artifice ( Fireworks ) where performed at a concert in St. Petersburg. In that really audience Serge Diaghilev. laminitis of the Ballets Russes. was highly impressed. He was so impressed that he chooses Stravinsky to transport out orchestrations and to compose a full length concert dance. The Firebird. In 1910 Stravinsky travels Paris for the Prime Minister of The Firebird. At this public presentation he meets Claude Debussy. Maurice Ravel. and many other of import instrumentalists. Towards the terminal of the concert dance season. his household moves to Switzerland with him and. Catherine anticipating her 3rd kid. In Lausanne. Switzerland in September 1910. Sviatoslav Soulima their 3rd boy was born. In 1911. Stravinsky completes another successful concert dance. Petrushka. Three old ages subsequently. Stravinsky composes the two portion concert dance Le Sacre du Primtemps ( The Rite of Spring ) . This concert dance marked the coming of modernism in music and was met with amazement and ill will. The public violence that followed was the most ill-famed event in music history. Right after the public presentation. he developed typhoid febrility. which took six hebdomads to retrieve from. Around the same clip. Catherina and Ludmila were found to hold TB. A twelvemonth subsequently Ludmila did and after giving birth to their 4th kid Maria Milena. Catherina besides died. Three months after that his female parent died besides. After all these deceases in his life. Stravinsky besides diagnosed with TB. He spent five months retrieving with his newest girl Milena ; she took six old ages to retrieve. Stravinsky met Vera de Bosset in Paris in February 1921. his new married woman to be. At the clip when they foremost met Vera was still married to the painter and phase interior decorator Serge Sudeikin. They began an matter which led Vera to go forth her hubby. During his last old ages in Paris. Stravinsky made professional connexions with people in the U. S.

Was There Cheating on the August 2018 SAT

Was There Cheating on the August 2018 SAT SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Shortly after the conclusion of the August 2018 SAT, rumors started to circulate that there was a problem with the test that gave some students an unfair advantage. The basic gist of the complaint is that the test given on August 25 in the United States was actually the same exact exam that had been given internationally in October 2017. This accusation raised the concern that some students would have had a leg up on others, since they may have seen the questions before, either because they took the exam when it was offered internationally or because they used the previous exam’s questions to study for the August 2018 test. Let’s take a look at what really happened with the August 2018 SAT and what that means for you as a test-taker. Was There Actually Cheating on the August SAT? Students in the United States took the SAT on August 25. Almost immediately after that test was over, messages started to circulate across social media. These posts basically said that the questions given on the August 25 SAT were the same as those questions that were on the international SAT delivered in October 2017. Since then, angry students and parents have taken to Reddit and started a petition asking for College Board to invalidate the scores from the August 2018 test. People are worried that certain students had an unfair advantage for the most recent SAT, since there’s a chance that they either took the given test once before or accessed a leaked test for practice. For its part, College Board hasn’t come out and acknowledged whether or not the tests were duplicates, but did state that it is taking â€Å"quality control steps† to make sure cheating hasn’t occurred. Has Cheating on the August SAT Happened Before? If this situation is your first experience with potential SAT scoring drama, it may seem really shocking and scary. You might be wondering how big of a deal this score discrepancy actually is. There’s actually a lot of precedent for SAT scoring controversy. Sections (or entire tests) of the SAT have been reused before. Oftentimes, international SATs are recycled versions of tests that were previously given in the United States. While there are lots of security measures in place to make sure that no students have an unfair advantage, there have been times when students and teachers have tried to learn about the questions on the US SATs to get a leg up on their test prep. When College Board discovers this cheating, the scores are invalidated. There’s also been talk about College Board reusing whole sections on different US tests. One poster on Reddit suggested that College Board reused June 2017 questions on the November 2017 test. These scores weren’t invalidated, however. According to College Board, it’s really expensive to produce a validated SAT. Before each exam is released to the public, it goes through rigorous quality control tests, which take a lot of time and effort. Reusing a test that has already passed these markers saves College Board time and money. Similarly, reusing tests helps to calibrate scores. The more students that are able to take a specific SAT, the more College Board is able to tell the true difficulty level of questions, as well as what below-average, average, and above-average scores are. It’s fairly common that SAT questions get reused and repurposed. This incident is, however, the first time that international tests were used in the US, rather than the other way around. What’s Going to Happen With the August 2018 SAT Scores? Now that we know that test question controversy has happened before, you might be wondering what happens next. While College Board hasn’t yet acknowledged that there was an issue with the tests or indicated what its actions will be, we have a pretty good idea of what will occur. If we had to guess, though, here’s what we think will happen: We doubt that College Board will cancel any US test taker scores. The August SAT is a hugely important part of the admissions process. Canceling those scores will cause a big disruption for tens of thousands of students. Not to mention, canceling that many scores would also be pretty embarrassing for College Board. College Board may take steps to crack down on international student cheating, particularly if it sees scores that don’t make sense because they’re too high. We just have to wait and see what College Board decides as it tries to determine unfair advantages. What Should I Do If I Took the August 2018 SAT? If you took the August SAT, don’t panic! The best thing to do right now is just to wait and pretend like this whole thing didn’t happen. College Board knows that it needs to make a decision soon to give students the time to prepare for the October test, so you can expect to hear something in the next few weeks. In the meantime, work on the other parts of your college application, like your college essay, while you wait to hear. What's Next? Interested in learning more about cheating on the SAT? We've broken down the past SAT cheating controversies several times on our blog. You can read about the time SAT scores of students in South Korea were invalidated or about an SAT cheating scandal that swept across the US in 2015. If you're worried about your August 2018 SAT scores being invalidated, don't panic. College Board will announce its decision soon. In the meantime, we recommend focusing on other parts of your application, like your college essay. Click here to learn how to write a strong college essay. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We have the industry's leading SAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today:

Women Work and Family Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Women Work and Family - Essay Example There are a number of women in reformatory who willingly stop considering their toddlers telling them they are in sanatorium or in public holiday (Marchbank and Letherby, 2007: 297). It has been viewed that the mothers of young toddlers can be condemned for going out mingling with more so than the fathers of these toddlers (Marchbank and Letherby, 2007: 249). The majority women must settle on whether to work for compensation even as mothering or construct mothering their only communal role. Often this choice is depicted in terms of whether they will be "stay-at-home" and most probably "full-time" mothers, or "working mothers" and consequently ones who plan out salaried work above care-giving. Contingent within this edifice is womens bodily site too—either lady is at residence or job, not both. Dillaway and Pare (2008) discover frequent conceptualizations of stay-at-home against functioning motherhood, as confirmed by feminist family erudition and latest media substances (Dillaway and Pare, 2008: 437). The designation of ‘Father’ may be average, but the elements of being a nice father are no matter which but incomparable. Fathering, like mothering, is one strong, never-let-positive, high-strain job. It’s worthwhile, but just as frequently it can be intimidating, mystifying, and maddening! Luckily, there are a lot of fathers out there doing a grand work of living up to the consecrated faith they’ve obtained by rearing toddlers. Good fathers set out far away from just fetching home the bread. They offer poignant support and societal assistance. They have to stay back at home because the mothers are working mothers. Moreover, money may be a cause as working mothers need to keep caretakers for their children, thus, as a parent, a father can take more care of his child rather than a caretaker. Thus, fathers prefer to stay back at home. They dedicate endless time and vigor to children’s wellbeing. When parenting, nice

Term Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Term - Research Paper Example The country, according to the annual report released by the Department of Health, shows that while there is progress in fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic, there is still a long way to go in terms of the overall improvement of health services. The country still faces serious challenges for pregnant women, maternal mortality, poverty-related diseases and gender-based violence (2006). South Africa attracts a lot of attention from medical researchers due to the unbalanced health care among its citizens. In addition, the issue of racial apartheid was a problem prior to 1994 and this had a profound impact on the dissemination of health services among its citizens. Therefore, South Africa’s history of apartheid, unbalanced health care/ HIV-AIDS epidemic makes it an ideal place to examine. Location Geographically, the country is located on the Southern tip of the African continent. The Atlantic Ocean borders it on the west while the Indian Ocean borders it on both the South and East. Nam ibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe lie on its Northern border while Mozambique and Swaziland are located on its Northeast borders. South Africa uniquely encloses an independent kingdom called Lesotho (Inter Knowledge Corp, 2010). Population The country is about 472,000 square miles wide (equivalent to 1.2 million sq. km.) and lies beneath the Tropic of Capricorn. It is comprised of three geographical primary regions: an extensive central plateau – and a nearly unceasing cliff of mountain ranges that circle the plateau from the Western, Eastern and Southern side, with a strip of land along the coast (Inter Knowledge Corp, 2010). According to WHO statistics, South Africa has a population of approximately 50,133,000 with a gross national income per capita (PPP international $) of 10,360. In the year 2009, the life expectancy at birth m/f (years) was 54/55 but the probability of dying under five (per 1,000 live births) is currently unavailable. The total expenditure on health per capit a is approximated at 935 with a total expenditure on health % of GDP (2010) estimated at 8.9 (WHO, 2012). Government In pre-apartheid times, the South African government had a highly bureaucratic health care system. The administration of health care was divided into 14 separate departments, which were responsible for looking after the health of the different racial groups, the homelands, and six self-governing territories. The health care services were divided into preventive and curative among government departments, the provinces and the local authorities. The expenditure on tertiary health services was prioritized above primary health care services. This led to the development of a private health sector that is unregulated by the government. In addition, a lack of commitment by the government in terms of training, staffing and ways to eradicate poverty have contributed to the country’s high infant mortality, maternal mortality, life expectancy at birth and incidences of in fectious diseases (such as tuberculosis and measles) among many citizens, especially black people (Department of health, 2010). However, in 1994, South Africa was among the few African countries that had started transforming the health care system. Legislature passed bills that ensured equal distribution of resources, restructuring

Traditional And Modern Music Of Malta Film Studies Essay

Traditional And Modern Music Of Malta Film Studies Essay Maltese folk music is intrinsic to the culture of the country and is valued worldwide since it is sung in English (Zahra Borg, 2006). Over the years, interest In Maltese Music has spread significantly. In 17 century, Malta was an influential place where musicians and publishers recorded music. The 18th century was certainly the Golden Age of Maltese music. Moreover, music life of the island was divided and focused on the Manoel Theatre in Valletta, St. Paul`s cathedral in Mdina and Conventual Church of the Order, St. Johns in Valletta (Bruni, 1998). It is undeniable that Malta and Italy made a great influence to each other. The first study to deal with Maltese music and its relations with Italy was in 1929. In spite of its drawback due to absence of historical proof Rolandi`s research Is the only extensive survey of Maltese music and culture among the few works on this topic (Sansone, 2001). Also, during the last decade Professor O Aquilina and then in 1942, Capt. Busuttil in his Gabra ta` Qwiel Maltin, made a beneficial contribution to the research of Maltese songs (Pullicino Aquilina, 1947). Ghana The primary traditional Maltese music is Ghana. Ghana verses are represented by a mixture of Sicilian ballad and Arabic tune (Cassar, 2010). With the time the way people sing Ghana has been modernised. Some published song texts and written notes about Ghana are more than 100 years old. It is believed that todays Ghana is very similar to the one that has been formerly written and performed, however, it can be noticed that some developments over an ancient form took place, music has adapted to the changes within a society. In 1909 Bertha Ilg and Hans Stumme have published the largest collection of lyrics that has ever been gathered (Zahra Borg, 2006). The villagers enjoyed singing the Ghana versions from Stumme and Ilg, both at work and their own spare times. And a lot of people, who grew up before the 1960s in Malta, still remember that they enjoyed singing these versions as a child (Casha, 1994). Depending on peoples moods, they could improvise the way they sang the songs. But usually they sang textbook quatrains which they selected according to ones mood. Rather than improvising the words, the voice was far more important and also many different instruments were involved in the music (Zahra Borg, 2006). Up until the 1960s, Ghana changed considerably towards a version about modern times. This change was reflected in the way Ghana was sung. Another change was that Ghana became more popular throughout Malta even with the middle class. This was largely due to a folklore festival, first organised by Guze Cassar Pullicino in 1953. Middle class people started realising that Ghana was more folklore and not just singing songs by the lower class (Zahra Borg, 2006). Since then Ghana became music for the popular events of the middle class. The change was bigger among the working classes. The influence of the radio made Ghana more widespread. New listeners to Ghana heard ballads, laments and satire, all about a changing society, where old lifestyles and values were disappearing. A militant Labour Party invited people to Ghana sessions to win them over. Also, it was the time of Maltese people emigrating to Australia, Canada and they listened to Ghana recordings. Famous Ghana events were recorded on tape and later also on video (Zahra Borg, 2006). All of the above changed the role of the Ghannej, as they now performed in bars, where men judged their skilful art in silence. Types of Ghana Nowadays there are three types of Ghana distinguished among others: Spirtu Pront Tal-Fatt Fil-Gholi Ghana Spirtu Pront Today the most popular form of Ghana is Spirtu Pront. This is a song battle between two singers known as Ghannejja. The singers try to make their point in the argument and it is important to rhyme perfectly. The arguments are interrupted by guitar parts, thus, giving the singers an opportunity to create new rhymes (Cassar, 2010). Moreover, there is a prize for exceptional vocabulary, repartee or metaphor. Though the spectators should follow the rules and show their gratitude only when the duel is over. Today, Spirtu Pront is the most popular type of Ghana and such duels usually are organized in bars and are not advertised in the media (Zahra Borg, 2006). Ghana Fatt Ghana Fatt is usually melancholic. In this form of Ghana, the Ghannej recounts a tale of a tragic event (Cassar, 2010). In this type of Ghana only one singer is involved. In the olden days, between 50-100 years ago, songs were composed and published by more educated people and only then Ghannejja sung them, though, in our days lyrics are often written and then performed by the same person. Moreover, today it is popular to transform the local poetry, legends and ballads into Ghana-Fatt. The Ghannejja of today write their own lyrics, and some are influenced by Maltese poetry. Because there is a resemblance between the poetry and Ghana Tal-Fatt, especially the way it rhymes and the way the metre goes (Zahra Borg, 2006). Fattijiet always are about morals, so the singer uses simple values to share them with the audience. As opposed to before, when Fattijiet was sang on holidays, feasts and picnics, today people listen Ghana Fatt not only on festivals, but also via cds, radio and mp3 players (Zahra Borg, 2006). Ghana Fil-Gholi This type of Ghana is also called La Bormliza. The meaning of the word Fil-Gholi is: high-pitched; while the town of Bormla gives its name to La Bormliza. Fil-Gholi used to be sung by groups of women who were doing chores together. Some men have sung it, trying to reach high enough notes. You do not really hear it much these days (Zahra Borg, 2006), and unfotunately, today there is a small number of places in Malta where Fil-Gholi is sang (Cassar, 2010). La Bormliza really brings out the melodious use of the voice, accompanied by a guitar. It feels like the audience is drawn into this melodiously sung songs. Unlike in Spirtu Pront, in Fil-Gholi people are enchanted with the music and the lyrics do not matter that much (Zahra Borg, 2006). Modern Ghana The last decade was crucial in history of Ghana. During the first part of twentieth century no one could imagine that Ghannejja would be estimated at ones true worth, moreover, it was inaugurated by the Head of the State (Zahra Borg, 2006). It is important to remember that ghana is considered as a true music of Malta and highly conserved as an inalienable part of culture. Some composers and musicians have arranged fame Ghana melodies in various stages and recorded them, as well. Above all, it enables to save precious history of Ghana development, makes it eternal and keeps it for younger generation and fans. It goes without saying that the more ghana gain popularity and general recognition the merrier it attracts young Ghannejja and bring into line (Casha, 1994). Earlier music was linked to the frame of the Roman Catholic Mass, wedding songs and once was movingly performed at the funeral of Fredu Abela Il-Bamboccu, one of the greatest Ghana singers. GÄana Festival was organised in 1998 by the Ministry of Culture. Nowadays, Gorg Mifsud-Chircop, famous folklorist, manages to organize this annual event. The festival has made a great contribution to the modern music, assisted novice talanted singers, revealed female ghannejjas and also acquired vogue. Some ghannejja musicians still trying to experiment with music style, rhetoric musical instruments and subjects. It is vital to note that twentieth century progress has made a great influence on gÄana melodies, that is why since 1998 when the first website was designed for Maltese folk music by John J. Cassar, gÄana has covered the internet (Zahra Borg, 2006). Many musicians took part in development of ghana, such as Charles Camilleri, who has revealed the essence of classical music on his works; Vince Pulo who has promoted ghana in his recorded works on television and radio, Evarist Azzopardi, Laurie Bugeja and others. The main issue that may bother people is fate of this music stream in the future; For all that the skill should be pass on to the future generation to avoid a terrible loss. Moreover, Frans Baldaccino was first ghannejja singer who has introduced theatre the novel side, side of gÄana music. By dint of his works he create a new life of gÄana culture. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾Budaj became a new trend that had influenced even oversea cultures. The popularity was growing and he has managed to record his first Ghana CD. That time he had his own band of Karmenu Bonnici (II-Bahri), second Ghannej singer, and guitarists: Jon Saliba and Manwel Panis (Casha, 1994). Music between yesterday and today Between the XIX and the XX century the whole World started its evolution with the new technology. As results the music followed its steps. In fact, without forgetting the importance of folk and popular music, new musicians find their way to express their self in the new type of music called Modern. In addition the instrumental traditions of the people, such as farmers and fishermen, allow European instruments to take their place. As Charles Baudelaire said The music, other language dear to the lazy and deep souls who seek recreation in the diversity of employment, will talk about you, tells you about the poem of your life. Maltese Local cultural history represents an enigma to artists today who look for their own creativeness in the Maltese folk heritage and some Maltese musicians interpret their Poem of your life as a link with their culture. One example of that is Etnika, a group of Maltese artists would like to popularize the traditional Maltese music. Since 2004 Ruben Zahra, Steve Borg, Guzi Gatt and Andrew Alamango built old instruments and searched melodies, rhythms and musical text forgotten in the old archives. Three songs also include Arabian melody with Maltese folk music on a basis of West European harmony. These songs join different type of instrument: from clarinet, violin piano to electric guitar and drum kit. These variations bring a dynamic and explosive quality of these three tunes because they include parts of rock with parts of folk music. They found their inspiration in the Maltese folk music and they became famous in the last year because Etnika participated at Etnikafe, held annually and other Mediterranean festivals. This is just an example of a music mix between the past and the present. This shows how Folk music is an inspiration for modern artist because they sustain to be link with the past and from there they build the present with new contemporary music. (http://www.rootsworld.com/reviews/etnika.shtml) Maltese artists around the world In general, artists are pushed to travel away from their country by making known their talent and their music internationally. During the last century, the majority of the artists follow this way and they travel all around the world improving their skills and expanding their knowledge of music. This happen especially in small country as Malta because popular singer want to let the world know about their history and their country traditions. Charles Camilleri is one of these types of artists. He was born in Malta in 1931 and his father was valid musician in his small country. The young Charles began his way along the paths of art from an early age learning the styles of popular music and began performing improvising on various instruments. At 15, he composed his first melody about Maltese traditions which was played in the orchestra. After he left his studies, he dedicated his life to the music and born his global vision of the music where he defined as metaphysical entity without space and time osmotically flows through the Earth, Man, Space and the Universe. Charles begins to travel around the world, introducing in his compositions the folklore of all the places he visited. After studying at the Conservatory in Canada, his fate offers him a beautiful musical scene where he and his huge corpus created almost 300 compositions. After his experience abroad he decided to return to his homeland, Malta, and he became a music lecturer at the university. In addition, in 2006 he also became a member of the Malta council for culture. The 9th January 2009 Charles Camilleri died in Malta aged 77, four days before his last composition, New Idea Symphony, is premiered in Brussels. Of this great Maltese author, his fans surely remember his magnificent organ concert (favorite instrument of the author) in 1983 with other songs like Wine of Peace, Lamour de Dieu and Invocation to the Creator. In addition, Charles Camilleri is in the recent news: in fact as the Sunday Times of 23th December 2012 write, Mrs Camilleri decided to donate her late husbands music scores to Maltas National Archivesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Camilleris reputation helped put Malta on the international music map and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ his music belongs to Malta as much as it belongs to the world mainstream  [1]  . (http://xoomer.virgilio.it/fborsari/arretra/personaggi/comp21.html) Much more modern than Charles Camilleri and completely different from him is Fabrizio Faniello, another Maltese artist who looked for fortune reached Italy and becoming famous there. Fabrizio has Italian parents and before he discovered his talent for music, he dedicated himself to the sport, specifically in football. During his career he also participated in the Maltese selections for the Eurovision Song Contest but he only reached the fourth place. Fabrizio Faniello is a pop artist who has a very strong feeling with the Italian peninsula: in fact one of his famous songs, cosà ¬ semplice is written in Italian also if he is Maltese. In 2010, his fame became important enough to participate in the selection of Sanremo Giovani, a very important Italian festival that present all the song from the best Italian artists (Dove ce musica, 2011). From the small Maltese island, many artists decide to travel around the world bringing with them their culture, their traditions and introducing new music to other countries. The Travelling, however, is not becomes a way to forget their homeland but it is an alternative for introducing a bit of Malta anywhere. Maltese music festival As many tourism web sites shows, Malta has a continue holiday mood during the hole year. This is determined by a huge number of national and international festivals and important concert which take place in Malta. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Maltese_musical_festivals) One of the most important international events is the Jazz festival. This event is organized by the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts and it is held annually since 1990 during the third weekend of July .These are three Mediterranean nights where Latin and classic International jazz is played by the most famous musicians in a truly unique setting. In fact, it take place in the picturesque backdrop of Ta Liesse in Vallettas Grand under the ramparts of the sixteenth century close to the Grand Harbor. In the story of this special event, there was a transformation in 2006. The event was subtracted from its tradition and from the management of Charles Gatt City, director and founder of the festival. Therefore it was assigned into the hands of the private NGN company who tried to change the conventional style of the festival, transforming it into a Rock and Jazz Festival. But, conversely to their expectative, the event had less success. Consequently, in 2009 the traditional Internation al Jazz festival was returned to its roots and was an incredible success. To conclude, as MCCA said: Malta International Jazz Festival is known as a hub for the exchange of musical experience. (http://www.maltaculture.com/content.aspx?id=185294). This implies that the host population, the Maltese people, enjoy this festival and they cooperate each year to improve their music culture more and more. http://www.maltaculture.com/content.aspx?id=185294 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malta_Jazz_Festival Another important European music event was the Malta song for Europe where the contests organizer is the PBS Malta (Public Broadcasting Services). The music event nationally selects who will represent Malta in the Eurovision Song contest. This contest is an annual competition founded in 1956 and organized by the European Broadcasting Union. Malta participated for the first time in 1971. During the seventies, however, it participates only twice, in 1972 and 1975 but it returned in 1991. Since then it has taken part in all editions achieving good results. These songs were all sung in English except for the first two, which were sung in Maltese. Malta song for Europe is important for Maltese because they choose who will represent them at the European level by competing with 26 other nations. Moreover, through this festival Malta makes known its own characteristics and skills in whole world. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malta_Song_for_Europe In addition to these international events there are others nationals such as Malta folk music festival. This is held in 3 days during the first week of June and, as the jazz festival and it is organized by Malta Council for Culture and the Arts. The Malta Mediterranean Folk Music Festival is a wonderful festival of Mediterranean folk music which different types of Ghana songs are played by Maltese folk groups and folk musicians from neighboring Mediterranean countries such as Morocco, Spain and Greece. Furthermore the festival also offers special activities for children and a big number of traditional instruments seminars. In fact, the Maltese are very attached to their culture and traditions and live in a constant state of feast imitating the origins of their folk songs (Arts, 2012). These are just a small part of the musical events that the Maltese island offers. There are many festivals organized by local television broadcast, such as the Isle of MTV, MTV music Award and all the popular festivals which take place in each city in Malta. In general music festivals and events promote tourism in Malta and offer the chance for young people to meet and continue their culture and tradition participating in the Maltese cultural festivals. Contemporary Maltese music Many people were concerned with a question what Maltese music is? One of the ways to present it is to get to know albums that were written by Maltese bands in their native language. There are three of them which can be identified as underground music that you won`t hear on the radio (DEmanuele, 2009). The Brikkuni`s album which called Kuntrabanda is an example of Maltese music and contemporary Mediterranean culture. The band is considered as superb and if you are into music, you won`t pass over the performance to enjoy the authentic voice of local dwellers of the island. Music of the band Xtruppaw sounds punk but it is ranged from continuous rock to country. Their single Diska Cool GÄar-Radio (A Cool Song for Radio) was still quite successful, which is ironically written about the politically lyrics just to be heard on the radio, although their streetwise lyrics are offensive. 3. Album from the annul L-Ghana tal-Poplu (The Song of the People) contains songs from different singers. This festival is different from the others because all singers are singing live which feels acoustic and real. (DEmanuele, 2009) Conclusion

Mri Notes

Bringing MRI to Your Community Hospital A Community Hospital White Paper 04-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR5. qxd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 1 Bringing MRI to Your Community Hospital CONTENTS Introduction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 1 Making the Business Case †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2 The Business Plan †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 2 Reasons for Bringing MRI to your Hospital†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â ‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Financial Considerations †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 Selecting the Equipment †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 8 Comparing Te chnologies †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 8 Equipment Features †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 10 Search Process †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 11 Managing the MRI Program †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 12 Operations †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 12 Staffing†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 12 Siting †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 13 Marketing the Program †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 14 Conclusion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 15 04-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR5. qxd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 3 Bringing MRI to Your Community Hospital 1 INTRODUCTION MRI is one of today’s fastest growing imaging modalities, spurred in part by rapid advances in technology and important new applications in patient care. Recent statistics also suggest that expanding Medicare reimbursements and the growing demands of an informed and aging population for healthcare services are elevating MRI utilization to new levels.Is your community hospital considering adding this exp anding and often lucrative modality? This paper will help you answer that question. It looks at the business and financial aspects of an MRI program, reviews MRI technologies and features, and discusses management of an MRI program. Overall, it shows how implementing an MRI program will enhance existing medical services and better meet community needs. 04-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR5. qxd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 1 Bringing MRI to Your Community Hospital 5 ProfitabilityPerforming a number of standard financial analyses will help determine the potential profitability of your proposed MRI program. Generally, the financial analyses should cover the first five years of your program. The standard financial analyses are: Breakeven analysis. A breakeven analysis will show how many examinations must be performed to cover MRI program costs. The specific breakeven point is calculated by dividing the fixed costs (such as equipment, space, personnel, maintenance, and utilities) by the payment per exam minus the variable costs (such as supplies, fees, and billing costs) per exam.It may turn out that your breakeven point is 1,000 exams, but your market analysis indicates demand for only 700 exams. In this case, you may want to analyze growth trends to determine when or whether your MRI program could break even in the future. You may also want to look at restructuring your proposed program to make it financially feasible. Return on investment (ROI). ROI is one of the most common measures of profitability and can indicate whether spending money on an MRI program is a good use of your hospital’s resources. It is calculated by dividing net income by the cost of the investment.Net income can be approximated by looking at the demand, payer mix, and utilization rate for various MRI procedures in your market and estimating your revenues. The investment number includes not only the cost of the equipment under each financing option, but also the costs of running the program (includin g the costs of staffing, marketing, any needed construction, and administration). Given the number of variables contributing to the ROI calculation, changing the structure of your proposed MRI program can increase your return on your MRI investment.Internal rate of return (IRR) and net present value (NPV). IRR and NPV are commonly used to analyze whether a capital expenditure (such as the purchase of MRI equipment) will yield the revenue wanted in the future; they can also be used to choose among various investment proposals (such as different types of MRI equipment or different financing options). Net present value is calculated by a mathematical process involving the estimated revenues and expenses of an investment. The calculation can help determine whether the anticipated cash flows 04-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR5. xd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 5 6 A Community Hospital White Paper will cover the cost of capital and recover the costs of the investment. IRR (defined as the rate of interest at which the incremental NPV of a proposal is zero) is another way to look at the value of a capital expenditure – by looking at the rate of return on the investment. If a calculation shows that the IRR is above the cost of capital, the proposed investment should be profitable. These two calculations help determine whether the investment is economically feasible for the hospital.Again, the information needed for these analyses can be obtained from equipment vendors, commercial databases, and outside suppliers. Financing Options Hospitals can use a number of methods or creative hybrids from these methods to acquire both fixed and mobile MRI. Deciding how you will pay for your MRI system requires achieving the right balance between using available cash and accessing debt. Using available cash may make sense if there are few other capital projects on the horizon and cash flow from operations is strong.Using debt instruments, such as bonds, bank loans, or leases, however, may pr eserve available cash for other capital projects, provide a better financial return on the capital project, or simply make the project affordable by reducing the capital outlay to a monthly operating expense. Consider the following options: Cash Purchase. The main advantage of a cash purchase is that your hospital would own the equipment outright; the equipment becomes an asset on your balance sheet and no debt or liability is created.Making the purchase, however, would involve the use of a significant amount of available cash, which would then no longer be available to support other projects or for future financial needs. Leasing. Leasing moves much of the funding to your operational budget and minimizes credit requirements. In addition, it provides better matching of revenues and expenses on a monthly basis. Some types of leases allow you to build equity into the lease and purchase the MRI equipment for a small capital outlay at the end of your agreement. 04-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR 5. qxd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 6 Bringing MRI to Your Community Hospital Bonds. Using bonds allows your hospital to raise significant capital to fund long-term and short-term projects through one debt issue. The bond offering can be made on a tax-exempt basis, so the interest due on the principal is typically calculated at a very attractive rate. A bond offering may take six to nine months to execute, however, and may involve significant costs. More importantly, including assets that have economic and useful lives shorter than the term of the bond in a bond issue produces debt without any continuing benefit to your hospital; there would be a mismatch between revenues and expenses.Bank Loans. If your hospital has an existing relationship with a bank, it may be quickest and easiest to fund your technology acquisitions through a bank line of credit. Given banks’ size and access to capital, they typically offer attractive finance rates for full payout loans. Your hospital may be r equired to keep a compensating balance at your bank, however, and one technology purchase may consume available credit lines that your hospital may need for other capital projects or working capital needs.Another drawback to using a bank loan is that banks will only finance the technology acquisition itself; they will not pay for the installation or the costs of professional services associated with the equipment. Your hospital may want to purchase MRI equipment independently to meet your own imaging needs. You could then lease access to the equipment part time to other facilities at fees that could help pay for the purchase. Your hospital may also consider a shared purchase of MRI equipment.Partnering with other local hospitals or independent imaging centers offers the advantages of sharing financial burdens and risks, while acquiring the ability to provide MRI services. Frequently, the participating facilities form a partnership or limited liability corporation to serve as the umb rella for the purchase, and the financial arrangements and responsibilities would be specified in the formal agreement. This arrangement reduces the costs and financial risk for each partner, while allowing each partner to provide MRI services. Co-funded MRI acquisitions may be either direct purchases or leases. 04-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR5. xd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 7 8 A Community Hospital White Paper SELECTING THE EQUIPMENT Rapid developments in MRI technology mean that your hospital will be faced with an array of equipment and features. Your selection will depend on your business objectives and clinical requirements. Your goal is to select the equipment most appropriate and cost-effective for delivering the high-quality images you need today, while allowing for new applications and upgrades in the future. Equipment vendors can help you sort through your options to acquire the capabilities you need without paying for features you will not use.The sections below discuss some of the basic technologies and features available to you. Comparing Technologies Magnet Given the growth in the number of MRI applications and rapid advances in MRI technology, MRI may become your radiology department’s workhorse. Therefore, your hospital should start with a solid, proven platform. While some applications still use a sub-1T magnet, a 1. 5T magnet is now the standard, because it can both handle current applications and accommodate future applications and upgrades. A 3T magnet is available, but it represents truly innovative technology and might be more powerful than most hospitals need.Mobile vs. Fixed MRI As noted above, mobile MRI is housed in a specialized van and can readily be shared among hospitals and healthcare facilities. Mobile MRI is frequently acquired when a hospital expects a small volume of exams, when the hospital wants to test an MRI program before leasing or purchasing, or when the hospital does not have the financial resources to purchase fixed equi pment. Some hospitals use mobile MRI to supplement overburdened fixed MRI equipment, provide capacity while waiting to purchase additional fixed equipment, extend radiology services into other geographic areas, or maintain service during building projects.A main drawback of mobile MRI is its accessibility – the equipment may not be available when it is needed. Patients and referring physicians may have to wait for several days or even weeks for procedures. 04-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR5. qxd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 8 Bringing MRI to Your Community Hospital 9 Fixed MRI may be located inside the hospital or in a nearby building. Because it is right at the hospital, it is very convenient to use. Patients may be able to get their exams within a day, emergency room doctors can get studies the same day, and diagnoses can be made or confirmed very quickly.Physicians can use in-house equipment to confirm results and to make sure that proper care is given and they can draw on the medical s ervices provided by other departments in the hospital, if needed. Fixed MRI facilitates patient care. It is easier to move seriously ill, elderly, or emergency room patients to an in-house MRI than to transport them to mobile or distant equipment. In-house and fixed facilities also tend to be more comfortable and attractive than mobile ones and patients can use other hospital services and facilities at the same time. Open vs. Closed MRIApproximately 28% of MRI installations are of open MRI (according to the IMV 2002/03 MRI Census Market Summary Report ). Open MRI is considered more comfortable for patients, particularly children, the elderly, the obese, and the claustrophobic, and may thus reduce the need for patient sedation and the number of incomplete exams. Until now, the strength of the magnet in most open MRI systems has been comparatively weak (no more than 0. 7T), which has limited the quality of the images and has not supported a full range of applications. A new class of M RI systems was introduced in the summer of 2004, called Open Bore MRI, with stronger 1. T magnets and the ability to offer 60% of exams with the patient’s head outside the magnet. These new systems have the same image quality as closed MRI systems and are able to support as many applications. Closed MRI has traditionally used a stronger magnet, which has led to clearer images and has allowed closed MRI systems to support a broader range of applications and many new technological advances and upgrades. Some newer closed MRI equipment has been designed to be more comfortable for patients and to reduce the acoustic noise level by up to 97%. The technological advances in open MRI may reduce the differences in technological capabilities between open and closed MRI systems. *Results may vary. Data on file. 04-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR5. qxd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 9 10 A Community Hospital White Paper Equipment Features Image Quality Image quality is one of the primary MRI consideratio ns. Factors affecting quality include strength of the magnet, high field computer performance, sequence selections, and 3D postprocessing. Differences in image quality can be seen by comparing sample images produced by all the equipment being considered.Workflow and Productivity MRI benefits from a broad range of new productivity-enhancing tools that may allow you to serve more patients and make the best use of your equipment and staff. Advanced scanners have the ability to do seamless whole-body imaging with a single coil, eliminating the need to reconfigure coils and reposition patients. These can cut scanning time by as much as 50% to 75%. * Others allow simultaneous scanning of more limited anatomical areas with up to four integrated coils, delivering similar benefits.Both allow the user to select exams, not coils, and provide the highest acquisition speed without image artifacts, while promoting patient comfort. This enhanced workflow enables more patients to be seen during a d ay and often paves the way for handling of a greater patient volume and increased profits. Additionally, recent advances in MRI technologies allow the processing of MRI images during, rather than following, the ex amination, which produces results faster. Others automatically position slices for reproducible, consistent results.New developments also promote clinical efficiency by improving workflow and eliminating duplicate tasks. This includes reducing examination set-up time through single-mouse-click coil positioning. Another new technology eliminates the need to reenter patient exam parameters by allowing existing images to be dragged and dropped onto the patient list and even to be transferred from images on email or CDs. Some manufacturers provide a common interface across all modalities and applications, including MRI, to reduce learning curves and facilitate practice management. *Results may vary. Data on file. 4-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR5. qxd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 10 Bringin g MRI to Your Community Hospital 11 Patient Comfort Some new technologies make MRI procedures more comfortable for patients, which in turn makes clinical time more productive. These technologies may reduce noise level, eliminating the need for ear protection; reduce scan time, which makes the procedure less stressful for patients; allow for more comfortable horizontal loading; or allow patients to keep their heads outside the bore, minimizing claustrophobia. Open MRI technology accommodates anxious, obese, or claustrophobic patients, particularly children.Search Process A multifunctional search team, including radiologists, technologists, administrators, and IT professionals, should be appointed to analyze the equipment options and make recommendations. The search should be driven by the goals of your program in terms of improved patient care and financial feasibility, the technological features specified by radiologists, and the procedure needs of referring physicians. The search p rocess should include detailed comparisons of the features and image quality of the equipment made by different vendors.Members of the team should visit sites where the equipment is used, interview radiologists and technologists working with the equipment, and request and review a range of images made by the equipment. Some equipment vendors may allow a short-term trial of the equipment or special features before purchase. Many hospitals consider it important to purchase as much equipment as possible from the same vendor. For smaller hospitals, where technologists may perform many different types of procedures, having one vendor makes cross-training on different modalities easier.The relationship with a single vendor may also contribute to the efficient running of the radiology department and may expedite repairs and other needed services. At the end of the search process, the team should make recommendations on which specific equipment and features to purchase. The team may also se t out a schedule for making regular upgrades to the equipment or for purchasing additional features or applications. 04-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR5. qxd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 11 12 A Community Hospital White Paper MANAGING THE MRI PROGRAMWhen bringing MRI to your community hospital, you will have to make decisions about overall management of the program. Planning should cover four areas – operations, staffing, siting, and marketing. Operations Patients and physicians both want the MRI program to run smoothly, efficiently, and in a timely manner. When implementing the program, the hospital will have to keep an eye on the scheduling of patients for efficient utilization of equipment, patient throughput, patient comfort and education, efficient handling of paperwork and archiving of images, and timely communication.A Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) has become a necessity in managing an MRI program. The hospital should plan on monitoring the operations of the progr am and should expect to make changes to increase operating effectiveness. For example, the hospital may find that it wants to extend hours of service or hire additional personnel to handle paperwork and scheduling. Staffing For a community hospital, an MRI program requires one or more radiologists, technologists, administrators, and possibly also technologist aides.There is currently a shortfall in the number of available radiology professionals, so it may be necessary to develop a recruiting program that sets out how the hospital supports and meets the needs of its employees. Radiology professionals will look for a competitive salary and benefits, good working conditions, flexible and reasonable schedules and workloads, and opportunities for growth and development within the profession. They are particularly interested in keeping up with technological advances and in having opportunities to learn new modalities.During recruiting visits and interviews, most radiology professionals c heck whether a hospital has the latest technologies and equipment. Many radiologists look for the use of a nighthawk service at night or over weekends to make their workloads manageable. Nighthawks, who can be located anywhere in the world, are sent images digitally over the Internet for remote reading. A PACS system facilitates the sharing of images betw een the hospital and the nighthawks. 04-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR5. qxd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 12Bringing MRI to Your Community Hospital 13 The hospital may also need to consider whether it will be able to pursue a number of the standard options for making sure that it has sufficient staff: Using temporary or short-term workers, provided by a healthcare staffing company or recruited from locum tenens services Sharing radiology professionals among joint venture partners or local radiology practices Using creative scheduling, such as job-sharing or part-time arrangements Cross-training technologists on different modalitiesGiven the shor tfall in available radiology professionals, a hospital will want to pay attention to retaining its staff. An effective retention program must be built into the staffing plan for the MRI program. Retention strategies may include giving staff opportunities for career growth through learning new technologies and modalities, creating a supportive work environment, and following through on all the commitments made during the recruiting process. Siting Given the physical requirements of fixed MRI equipment, administrators will have to decide where they want to site the program.Existing vs. New Space An MRI’s powerful magnetic field limits the possible locations for the equipment. The magnet room must be built with specific construction materials and can contain only certain fixtures and additional equipment. An existing site within the hospital will need significant structural renovation to eliminate all ferrous metals to ensure patient safety and protect your equipment. It is nece ssary to compare the costs of renovating and of building new space to help contain expenses associated with the program.Equipment vendors are a good source of information on the requirements of a magnet room and the work needed to create a safe and comfortable site for your MRI program. 04-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR5. qxd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 13 14 A Community Hospital White Paper Inside-the-Hospital vs. Freestanding Outpatient Facility MRI exams are frequently outpatient procedures. Locating your MRI program in an outpatient facility has the obvious advantages of reducing hospital crowding, enhancing throughput, and reducing the complications of hospital visits for ambulatory patients.Other outpatient facility siting benefits include flexibility in financing, through joint ventures and shared equipment, and larger physical space with the possibility of expansion. However, if your primary goal is to meet in-patient imaging needs, an inside-the-hospital location is safer and easier, pa rticularly for critically ill patients. Other advantages are the availability of the full range of on-site medical services and the proximity to in-house physicians and referring physicians with offices near the hospital.Marketing the Program A community hospital can best market its new MRI program by involving the community during the development of the program and by using specific marketing techniques. Community Involvement Many community hospitals have found that creating strong community involvement in the program leads to high patient volume. It may be effective to: Draw local businesses and business associations, such as a Chamber of Commerce, into the planning process and any necessary fundraisingCreate a hospital website that keeps the community informed about progress, educates potential future patients about your new services and the benefits of MRI, shows pictures of the new equipment, and links to the equipment vendor’s website for additional information Speak ab out the program and MRI to local community groups and at school programs Hold an open house and give tours of your new facilities Media Relations Given the strong popular interest in healthcare issues, it may be possible to interest local newspapers, magazines, television, and radio stations into reporting on your new MRI program and its benefits.Distributing a press release describing your program, making hospital administrations and radiology professionals available for interviews, and hosting media events may be effective in publicizing your program. 04-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR5. qxd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 14 Bringing MRI to Your Community Hospital 15 Marketing Communications Some hospitals have found it effective to develop written materials that explain and publicize their program and the new MRI technology.These materials can include brochures that educate patients and answer questions about MRI technology and benefits, brochures for referring physicians that describe the new im aging services, handouts with contact and procedural information, and print advertisements for local media. Equipment manufacturers are a good source of cost-effective assistance in developing marketing communications. CONCLUSION MRI technology can provide numerous benefits to your hospital by enhancing the speed and accuracy of diagnoses, facilitating earlier and more accurate treatment of medical conditions, and generating additional revenue.Making the decision to implement an MRI program involves analyzing the marketplace and the financial aspects of the program and planning for managing and marketing the program. A critical decision is which MRI equipment and applications will meet the needs of the hospital and the community. Many of the newest technologies provide significant benefits in terms of quality, efficiency, and patient comfort. Given the cost of the equipment, the hospital should compare various financing options, including direct purchase, leasing, and joint ventures .

Ten Most Common Trees in the United States

A United States Forest Service report called the Checklist of Native and Naturalized Trees suggests that there may be more than 865 different species of trees in the United States. Here are the 10 most commonplace native trees in the United States, based on several Federal surveys of tree species stem count, and are listed here in order of estimated numbers of trees by species: Red Maple or  (Acer rubrum)   Red maple is the most common tree in North America and lives in diverse climates and habitats, mainly in the eastern United States.  Acer rubrum  is a prolific seeder and readily sprouts from the stump which makes it ubiquitous  in both the  forest and in the urban landscape. Loblolly Pine or  (Pinus taeda)   Also called bull pine and old-field pine, Pinus taeda is the most widely planted pine tree in the eastern coastal states. Its natural range stretches  from east Texas to the pine barrens of New Jersey and is the dominant pine tree harvested for paper and solid wood produces. Sweetgum or  (Liquidambar styraciflua)   Sweetgum is one of the most aggressive pioneer  tree species and quickly takes over abandoned fields and unmanaged cut-over forests. Like red maple, it will comfortably grow on many sites including wetlands, dry uplands and hill country up to 2,600. It is sometimes planted as an ornamental but out of favor because of the spiky fruit that collects underfoot in the landscape. Douglas Fir or  (Pseudotsuga menziesii)   This tall fir of the North American west is only surpassed in height by the redwood. It can grow on both moist and dry sites and covers coastal and mountain slopes from 0 to 11,000. Several varieties of  Pseudotsuga menziesii, including the coastal Douglas fir of the Cascade Mountains and the Rocky Mountain Douglas fir of the Rockies. Quaking Aspen or  (Populus tremuloides)   Although not as numerous in stem count as red maple,  Populus tremuloides is the most widely distributed tree in North America spanning the entire northern portion of the continent. It is also called a keystone tree species because of its importance in diverse forest ecosystems within its large range. Sugar Maple  or (Acer saccharum)   Acer saccharum  is often called the star of eastern North Americas autumn foliage show and very common in the region. Its leaf shape is the emblem of the  Dominion of  Canada and the tree is the staple of  the Northeast maple syrup industry.   Balsam Fir  (Abies balsamea)   Like quaking aspen and with a similar range, balsam fir is the most widely distributed fir  in North America and the primary component of the Canadian boreal forest.  Abies balsamea  thrives on moist, acid and organic soils in swamps and on mountains to 5,600. Flowering Dogwood  (Cornus florida)   Flowering dogwood is one of the most common understory  hardwoods you will see in both hardwood and coniferous forests in eastern North America. It is also one of the most common of small trees in the urban landscape. It will grow from sea level to nearly 5,000. Lodgepole Pine  (Pinus contorta)   This pine is in abundance, particularly in western Canada and the Pacific Northwestern portion of the United States. Pinus contorta is prolific throughout the Cascades, Sierra Nevada and extends to southern California. It is a pine tree of the mountains and grows to an elevation of 11,000 feet. White Oak  (Quercus alba)   Quercus alba can grow on the most fertile of bottomlands to the most sterile of mountain slopes. White oak is a survivor and grows in a wide range of habitats. It is an oak that inhabits coastal forests to the woodlands along the mid-western prairie region.