How does changing the ways in which we connect to others offer us new, Essay - 1

How does changing the ways in which we connect to others offer us new, positive possibilities How does it affect us negatively - Essay Example The development of new technologies has been providing all the more new ways of communication and connection between people. The distances are becoming faster and easier to overcome; contacts are easier to establish; new acquaintances and connections surround us everywhere, 24/7. Nowadays, technologies offer the mankind a thousand options and opportunities – for work, shopping, entertainment and communication. One doesn’t need travel to another part of the country or even the world to see and talk to his/her relatives as it is now possible to call them on the phone, e-mail them or write on Facebook. Keeping in touch with friends is also much easier via social networking technologies, and prompt professional communications are guaranteed as cellphones, faxes and computers are always at your fingertips. In general, technology has been playing a significant role in our lives recently, and its importance continues to increase. Growing popularity of the World Wide Web make u s more and more addicted to the new ways of communication and connecting to people. In fact, our entire social life is now dominated by technological means of communication, which produces a complex and dubious effect on us. However, the contour of things used to be different even a century or two ago: Adam Gopnik states that the key to the changes in our overall lifestyle and social behavior lies in invention of telegrams and trains (Gopnik). Yearning to reduce distances and draw closer together, people have invented technologies that have taken roots in the world’s developed communities so firmly that they might have a devastating effect. So what are those multifaceted impacts the new ways of connection between people have? Talking of the positive effects of globalization and growth of technological means’ of communication role, one should focus foremost on professional and personal relationships that

Skills and Characteristics of Mental Health Human Service Workers Essay Example for Free

Skills and Characteristics of Mental Health Human Service Workers Essay Skills and Characteristics of Mental Health Human Service Workers Human service workers are people who are chosen to work with people. Human service workers help clients become more self-sufficient. The workers are there to help what issues the client is currently experiencing to be handled with some ease. Human services workers evaluate and plan, put the plan into action, and provide emotional support (Moffat, 2011). These workers help in the mental health care because they allow the person to become a part of their treatment and believe that someone is on his or her side. Human service workers work in many capacities in the mental health care system and other agencies. They have to meet clients at the level in which they understand and operate. They not only help the client, but also help bridge family input to help the client adjust. Human service workers become vital in the recovery process. Human Service Workers in the Mental Health Service are social workers who strive to make better options for their clients. They help the client obtain the treatment they require and in some instances if family connections are needed they help restore him or her. Human service workers become a part of a client’s life until he or she can enter mainstream America and survive on his or her own. Surviving on their own may not always be an option and the assistance of other agencies, families, and workers are vital to the clients survival. The human services worker is like a life coach to the client. Each session has to provide them with a life skill and an assignment for them to complete. This is part of the recovery process because there is an ending to this process. It is done in stages, and it is a lesson learned every time. The human services worker becomes a part of the client’s life but must recognize that once the session ends he or she progresses on to the next client and assist them with their concerns. The client has to know that in that moment that he or she matter. Personal characteristics of people differ for those of a career in human services. Human service workers have to understand that a career in this field is a calling and not a choice. To work with people and make them feel as if they matter is a calling and not something they choose to be good at. Human service workers have to be personal, friendly, willing to go the extra mile, and fight on behalf of the client. The person has to relate to people and understand his or her level to understand. The characteristics that I feel are most important are able to meet people on their level and know that sometimes you have to change your manner of speech. Empathy is a characteristic is useful in being a human services and one that I do not show very often. I have sympathy, but empathy is something that I personally have to work on. In addition to the empathy leadership is a characteristic and the most important is communication. You must be able to communicate with the client, your peers, and other agencies to complete your task of helping your client. Empowerment would be a huge characteristic as well. This will give you a feeling of being able to do what needs to be done within your scope of available resources. This makes human service workers effective in the jobs they do and meeting the needs of the clients they assist. I know you must separate your personal feelings from your professional feelings. An effective worker knows how to separate them and make sure that the lines do not cross. Human service workers are needed to help with facilitating the assistance that some clients need and without their help agencies would not be able to be effective. Human service workers have a definite position and the must also exhibit certain characteristics that make them worthy of the position they hold as well as the work they do. The thought process for human services can occur in different manners. Most agencies that provide human services are nonprofit. One of the largest nonprofit organizations that help in human services is the church. They may not provide mental services but the do provide assistance and are also able to direct individuals as well as families to other agencies that may also offer assistance. The church in its capacity may provide living arrangements, food vouchers, or even some travel expenses. The church will help those in the community it is in or the members who attend. The church I am most familiar with is my church. The church has a benevolent committee that assists members as well as others in the community. If there is a need the church tries to fulfill that need. Our benevolent committee will meet with the person who has a need, such as paying their electrical bill. The person needs to provide a copy of his or her electrical bill for review. They also have rules and guidelines as well and one rule is that you cannot request the assistance of the committee but one-time within a 90 day time frame. Special circumstances occur in agencies whether private or public services and will be dealt with on a case by case basis. Example of how services are provided. A family had come to the area, and they were struggling. The husband was the only one working at a minimum wage job, the wife was pregnant, and he and she were about to be evicted from his and her apartment. The attended church but no one knew his and her struggle. Upon learning in their struggle it was learned that they did not have a fully furnished apartment. Our benevolent committee was notified of this and went into effect. They assisted in getting the apartment rent current, paid the electrical bill, and other necessities bills that were not current. The family was then taken to the grocery store and other cleaning supplies. The church family, which was not a part of the benevolent committee but saw the need went into effect and donated furnishings to the family, which included living room furniture, dining room furniture, and bedroom furniture. These items were much needed and the family truly appreciated them and as things occur when you believe in a higher power the husband was offered employment that allowed him to leave his minimum wage job. The services of the church as a nonprofit human services advocate shows that help is available. Mental Health Services are most commonly linked to human service workers. Mental Health Services can be a good option to some, and it can also follow under corrupt actions by family members who abuse the assistance offered. The good is offered by mental health services and the human service workers who work on their behalf is funded by the states. Human service workers who work for the state and help families apply for services and funds that are available for their way of living. The state funded agencies will allow clients to have housing at a reduced amount as well as qualify for Medicaid, food stamps, and a government checks. These checks give the client a level of freedom and a normalcy to living. Social Security Disability (SSI or SSDI) is offered to families whether they are children or adults. Not everyone qualifies for these benefits, but it is the job of the human services worker to help with filing for these services and the individual to supply the worker with the information needed to ensure services are provided. I know of a child who was born prematurely, and she was able to obtain SSI benefits due to her being born before the mothers estimated due date. This provided the mother the option to purchase items needed for the child. The above is the good that comes from receiving SSI. There are some corrupt individuals who receive disability checks. I say corrupt because the person who helps oversee the individuals that receive the checks does not use them in the manner in which who are supposed to. The human service worker does not have any control over the individuals and who they designate as his or her caretaker. I know of a family in which they receive five SSI checks in their household. However, the person designated as the caretaker does not take care of the individuals who receive the checks. Their household bills are never current and they never have enough to make ends meet until the end of the month. However the caretaker does just enough to keep the family a float and uses the majority to take care of her family. For example the family in which the five checks are disbursed to have had to move from a three bedroom home to a two bedroom home because they were evicted. The eviction did not come due to the monies not being available, but because the monies were not used to pay rent. The family runs the risk of their utilities disconnected every month as well as the cable television services. The family also receives food stamps, but whenever you visit the family they are always hungry. The amazing thing in this is that the caretaker was recently able to have two new cars added to her household that require a monthly payment yet the caretaker is not willing to provide any transportation services for the individuals who receive the disability checks. This issue is a common known issue among the family yet when the other family members approach her she rejects this information. Adult protective services have been contacted and visits have been made to the house. The caretaker however is always able to pull off a well taken care home. The case manager assigned to the family cannot make any changes to the way the house is run because the person whose name appears on the check is within her sound mind. The effects this type of behavior has on the human services worker is that they work so hard to obtain services for the individuals, and the services are not being disbursed properly. The human services must make sure that in their evaluation they take into consideration the needs of the client and that the needs are being met. Human services workers can be seen as saints in the eyes of some clients and the devil in eyes of others. Human service workers must have the insight to determine legitimate cases yet it is not totally up to their discernments. Human services workers require some type of documentation to support their finding. The findings can be related to mental health services, medical services, and household services. The services have to be justified because many of these services are provided by nonprofit agencies. Everyone wants to feel as if they matter. I believe the goal and the priority of the human service worker. The client has issues or he or she would not have been looking for the help. The skills that the human service worker passes on to the client are useful and become useful to the client. The client begins to gain some self-respect and self-esteem about themselves. They start approaching life differently.

Procedures For Drill String Design Engineering Essay

Procedures For Drill String Design Engineering Essay This chapter presents general procedures for drill string design. The design aspects of critical importance and factors controlling drill pipe selection are highlighted. The term Drill Stem is used to refer to the combination of tubulars and accessories that serve as a connection between the rig and the drill bit (RGU lecture slides). It consists mainly of Drill Pipe, Drill Collars (DC) and Heavy Weight Drill Pipes (HWDP) and accessories including bit subs, top drive subs, stabilisers, jars, reamers etc. Drill stem is often used interchangeably with the term Drill String which actually refers to the joints of drill pipe in the drill stem. For the purpose of this report, Drill String will be used to refer to the string of drill pipes that together with drill collars and heavy weight drill pipe make up the drill stem see fig 3.1. 3.1 DRILL STEM COMPONENT DESCRIPTION 3.1.1 Drill Pipe The drill pipes are seamless pipes usually made from different steel grades to different diameters, weights and lengths. They are used to transfer rotary torque and drilling fluid from the rig to the bottom hole assembly (drill collars plus accessories) and drill bit. Each drill pipe is referred to as a joint, with each joint consisting of a pipe body and two connections (see fig 3.2). Drill pipe lengths vary, and these different lengths are classified as ranges, the available or more common ranges include: Range 1: 18 22 ft Range 2: 27 30ft Range 3: 38 40ft. Drill Stem. Fig 3.1: Drill Stem with components. (Heriott Watt University lecture Notes: Drilling Engineering) Drill pipes are also manufactured in different sizes and weights which reflects the wall thickness of the drill pipe. Some common sizes and their corresponding weights include 31/2 in. 13.30 lb/ft and 4 1/2in. 16.60 lb/ft. The indicated weight is the nominal weight in air (pipe body weight excluding tool joints) of the drill pipe. A complete listing of API recognised drill pipe sizes, weight and grades are published in the API RP 7G. The drill pipe grade is an indication of the minimum yield strength of the drill pipe which controls the burst, collapse and tensile load capacity of the drill pipe. The common drill pipe grades are presented in the table below Grade Yield Strength, psi Letter Designation Alternate Designation D D-55 55,000 E E-75 75,000 X X-95 95,000 G G-105 105,000 S S-135 135,000 Table 3.1: Drill Pipe Grades. Drill pipes are often used to drill more than one well, therefore in most cases the drill pipe would be in a worn condition resulting in its wall thickness being less than it was when the drill pipe was brand new. In order to identify and differentiate drill pipes, they are grouped into classes. The different classes are an indication of the degree of wear on the wall thickness of the drill pipe. The classes can be summarised as follows according to API standards: New: Never been used, with wall thickness when to 12.5% below nominal. Premium: Uniform wear with minimum wall thickness of 80%. Class 2: Allows drill pipe with a minimum wall thickness of 70%. It is essential that the drill pipe class be identified in drill pipe use or design, since the extent of wear affects the drill pipe properties and strength. When specifying a particular joint of drill pipe, the class, grade, size, weight and range have to be identified, the specification could therefore appear thus: 5 19.5 lb/ft Grade S Range 2 Fig 3.2: Parts of Drill pipe. (Handbook for Petroleum and Natural gas) 3.1.2 Tool Joints Tools joints are screw type connections welded at the ends of each joint of a drillpipe. The tool joints have coarse tapered threads and sealing shoulders designed to withstand the weight of the drill string when it is suspended in the slips. Tool joints are of two kinds; the pin (male section) and the box (female section). Each drill pipe has a pin attached to one end and a box attached at the other end. This makes it possible for the pin of one joint of drill pipe to be stabbed into box of a previous drill pipe. There are several kinds of tool joints widely used: Joint Type Diagram Description Internal Upset (IU) Tool joint is less than the pipe. Tool joint OD is approximately the same as the pipe. Internal Flush (IF) Tool joints ID is approximately the same as the pipe. The OD is upset. Internal / External Upset (IEU) Tool joint is larger than the pipe such that the tool joint ID is less than the drill pipe. The tool joint OD is larger than the drill pipe. Table 3.2 Types of tool joints. (The Robert Gordon University Lecture Notes: Drill String Design) 3.1.3 Drill Collars Drill collars are thick walled tubes made from steel. They are normally the predominant part of the bottom hole assembly (BHA) which provides Weight on Bit (WOB). Due to the large wall thickness of the drill collars, the connection threads could be machined directly to the body of the tube, thereby eliminating the need for tool joints (see fig 3.3). Drill collars are manufactured in different sizes and shapes including round, square, triangular and spiral grooved. The slick and spiral grooved drill collars are the most common shapes used currently in the industry. There are drill collars made from non-magnetic steel used to isolate directional survey instruments from magnetic interference arising from other drill stem components. The steel grade used in the manufacture of drill collars can be much lower than those used in drill pipes since they are thick walled. Functions Provide weight on bit Provide stiffness for BHA to maintain directional control and minimise bit stability problems. Provide strength to function in compression and prevent buckling of drill pipes. Fig 3.3: Carbon Steel Drill Pipes. 3.1.4 Heavy Weight Drill Pipe Heavy weight drill pipes (HWDP) are often manufactured by machining down drill collars See fig 3.4. They usually have greater wall thickness than regular drill pipe. HWDP are used to provide a gradual cross over when making transition between drill collars and drill pipes to minimise stress concentration at the base of the drill pipe. These stress concentrations often result from: Difference in stiffness due to the difference in cross-sectional area between the drill collar and drill pipe. Bit bouncing arising from rotation and cutting action of the bit. HWDP can be used in either compressive or tensile service. In vertical wellbores it is used for transition and in highly deviated wells, it used in compression to provide weight on bit. Fig 3.4: Heavy Weight Drill Pipe. (Heriott Watt University lecture Notes: Drilling Engineering) 3.1.5 Accessories Drill Stem accessories include: Stabilisers: these are made of a length of pipe with blades on the external surface. The blades are spiral or straight, fixed or mounted on rubber sleeves to allow the drill string rotate inside. Functions of the stabiliser include: Stabilise the drill collars to reduce buckling and bending Ensure uniform loading of tricone bits to reduce wobbling and increase bit life. To provide necessary wall contact and stiffness behind the bit to induce positive side force to build angle when drilling deviated wells. Reamers: used in the BHA to enlarge the well bore diameter and ream out doglegs, key seats, ledges. Drilling Jars: incorporated in the BHA to deliver a sharp blow and assist in freeing the drill string should it become stuck. 3.2 DRILL STRING DESIGN The drill string design is carried out in order to establish the most efficient combination of drill pipe size, weight, and grades to fulfil the drilling objectives of any particular hole section at the lowest cost within acceptable safety standards. In order to design a drill string to be used in a particular hole section, the following parameters need to be established: Hole section depth Hole section size Expected mud weight Desired safety factors in tension and overpull. Desired safety factor in collapse Length of drill collars required to provide desired WOB including OD, ID and weight per foot. Drill pipe sizes and inspection class The drill string design has to meet the following requirement: The working loads (tension, collapse, burst) on the drill string must not exceed the rated load capacity of each of the drill pipes. The drill collars should be of sufficient length to provide all required WOB to prevent buckling loads on the drill pipe. The drill pipes used have to ensure the availability of sufficient fluid flow rate at the drill bit for hole cleaning and good rate of penetration. 3.2.1 Design Safety Factors Design safety factors are applied to calculated working loads to account for any unexpected service load on the drill string. They are used to represent any features that are not considered in the load calculations e.g. temperature and corrosion, thus ensuring that service loads do not exceed the load capacity of the drill pipe. Design safety factor values are often selected based on experience from operating within a particular area, the extent of uncertainty in the operating conditions e.g. when operating in HPHT conditions, a larger safety factor is applied than when operating in less harsh conditions. Some commonly used design safety values are illustrated in the table below Load Design Safety Factor Value Tension 1.1 1.3 Margin of overpull (MOP) 50,000 100,000. MOP of 400,000 have been used in ultra deep wells Weight on Bit 1.15 or 85% of available Weight on bit to ensure neutral point is 85% of drill collar string length measures from the bottom (API RP 7G) Torsion 1.0 (based on the lesser of the pipe body or tool joint strength) Collapse 1.1 1.15 Burst 1.2 3.2.2 Drill Collar Selection The drill collars are selected with the aim of ensuring that they provide sufficient WOB without buckling or putting the lower section of the drill string in compression. 3.2.2.1 Size selection Lateral movement of the drill bit is controlled by the diameter of the drill collar directly behind it. Therefore the size/diameter of the drill collar closest to the bit will be dependent on the required effective minimum hole diameter and the relationship can be given as When two BHA components of different cross-sectional areas are to be made up, it is essential that the bending resistance ratio (BRR) be evaluated. This is important because BHA components have tensile and compressive forces acting on them when they are bent in the well bore. These forces cause stress at connections and any location where there is a change in cross-sectional area. Therefore it is important to ensure that these stresses are within acceptable ranges. The bending resistance (BR) of a drill string component is dependent on its section modulus which is given as Z = section modulus, in3 I = second moment of area, in4 OD = outside diameter, in ID = inside diameter, in The BRR is used to express any change in BR and can be calculated using BRR should generally be below 5.5 and in severe drilling conditions, below 3.5. 3.2.2.2 Connections When selecting connections to be used with drill collars, it is essential to check that the BRR of the pin and box indicates a balanced connection. The BRR for drill collar connection is calculated as the section modulus of the box divided by the section modulus of the pin. The API RP 7G contains tables that can be used to determine BRR for any box and pin OD. BRRs of 2.5 have given balanced connections (RGU Lecture notes, 2005). 3.2.2.3 Weight on Bit The maximum weight on bit required is normally a function of the bit size and type. The rule of thumb is: Maximum WOB of 2000lbf per inch of bit diameter when using Polycrsyalline Diamond Compact bits (PDC) and mud motors. Maximum WOB of 5000lbf per inch of bit diameter when using tricone bits. Other factors controlling WOB include inclination, hole size and buckling. In vertical wellbores the length of drill collars required to provide a specified weight on bit is given by LDC = Length of Drill Collars, ft WOB = Weight of Bit, lb DFBHA = Safety factor to keep neutral point in drill collars. WDC = Weight per foot of Drill Collars, lb/ft Kb = Buoyancy Factor. The neutral point as described by (Mian, 1991) referring to Lubinksi, is the point that divides the drill stem into two portions, with the section above the neutral point in tension and that below in compression. Therefore in order to ensure that the entire length of drill pipes remain in tension, the neutral point of the drill stem has to be maintained within the drill collars. According to the API RP 7G, the height of the neutral point measured from the bottom of the drill collars will be 85% of the total length of drill collars used, with 85% being the safety factor. In inclined wellbores, the angle of inclination has to be taken into consideration when calculating the maximum WOB that can be applied without buckling the drill pipe. This is because although the WOB is applied at the inclination of the wellbore, this weight acts vertically, thus reducing the available weight at the bit. Therefore to allow for this reduction, the buoyed weight of the BHA would be reduced by the cosine of the well inclination, thus WOB in inclined holes is calculated with the formula All parameters remain as defined in equation 5; ÃŽÂ ¸ is the angle of inclination of the well. As a result of the vertically acting weight of the BHA, the drill string tends to lie on the low side of the hole and is supported to some extent by the wall of the well bore. Therefore the pipes above the neutral point could only buckle if the compressive forces in the drill string exceed a critical amount. This critical buckling force is calculated as follows Fcrit = critical buckling force, lb ODHWDP = outside diameter of HWDP, in. ODtj = maximum outside diameter of pipe, in. IDHWDP = inside diameter of HWDP, in. Kb = buoyancy factor. Dhole = diameter of hole, in. ÃŽËÅ" = hole inclination, degrees. Since HWDP are sometimes used to apply WOB in inclined wells, and drill pipes are sometimes used in compression, the critical buckling force is calculated for both HWDP and drill pipes. 3.2.3 Drill Pipe Selection Factors to be considered for drill pipe selection include: Maximum allowable working loads in tension, collapse, burst, and torsion. Maximum allowable dogleg severity at any depth in order to avoid fatigue damage in the drill pipe. Combined loads on the drill pipe. The loads considered when selecting drill pipes to be used in the drill string is dependent on the well depth, well bore geometry and hole section objectives. In shallower vertical wells, collapse and tension are of more importance than burst or torsion. Burst is normally not considered in most designs since the worst case for a burst load on the drill pipe would occur when pressuring the drillstring with a blocked bit nozzle, even with this condition, the burst resistance of the drill pipe is likely to be exceeded. Torsion is of less importance in vertical well bores because drag forces are at minimal amounts unlike in highly deviated wells. The dogleg severity of the well for both vertical and deviated wells is important because of increased fatigue in the drill pipe when it is rotated in the curved sections of the wellbore. A graphical method is recommended for drill pipe selection, with the loads plotted on a load versus depth graph. This makes it possible for loads at particular points on the drill string to be easily visualised, and any sections of the drill pipe that do not meet the load requirements are easily identified and redesigned. 3.2.3.1 Collapse Drill pipes are sometimes exposed to external pressures which exceed its internal pressures, thereby inducing a collapse load on the drill pipe. The worst scenario for collapse in a drill pipe is during drill stem tests when they are run completely empty into the wellbore. The collapse loads are highest at the bottom joint of the drill pipes, as a result, the collapse load would normally control the drill pipe grade to be used at the bottom of the drill string. The API specified collapse resistance for different sizes and grades of drill pipe assuming either elastic, plastic or transition collapse depending on their diameter to wall thickness ratio have been calculated and are published in the API RP 7G with the relevant formulae. The maximum collapse pressure on the drill pipe when it is completely empty can be calculated as follows: Pc = collapse pressure, psi MW = mud weight, ppg TVD = true vertical depth at which Pc acts, ft. On some occasions, the mud weight outside the pipe varies from that inside the pipe, also the fluid levels inside and outside the pipe may also vary. This situation could also induce collapse loads. The collapse loads induced by this scenario can be calculated thus L = Fluid depth outside the drill pipe, ft MW = Mud weight outside the drill pipe, ppg Y = fluid depth inside drill pipe, ft MW = Mud weight inside drill pipe, ppg. The value for Pc is then plotted on the collapse load graph as the collapse load line see fig 3.5. It is recommended practice to apply a design safety factor to the collapse load calculated from equations 8 or 9 (depending on expected scenarios) in order to account for unexpected additional loads as wells as unknown variables. The value of the design factor is often between 1.1 1.5 for class 2 drill pipes. According to (Adams, 1985) the design factor should be 1.3 to account for the fact that new drill pipes are often not used for drill stem tests. The value of the collapse load multiplied by the collapse design factor is plotted on the collapse load graph as the design line, this is then used to select an appropriate grade and weight of drill pipe to fulfil these load conditions. Fig 3.5: Sample Collapse load graph. 3.2.3.2 Tension Load The tensile load capacity of the drill string should be evaluated to ensure there is enough tensile strength in the topmost joint of each size, weight, grade and class of to support the weight of the drill string submerged in the wellbore, hence the need to include buoyancy in the calculations. There has to also be enough reserve tensile strength to pull the drill string out of the well if the pipe gets stuck. The stabiliser and bit weight can be neglected when calculating the drillstring weight. In a vertical wellbore, the forces acting on the drill string are tension from its self weight and the hydrostatic pressure from the fluid in the wellbore. The hydrostatic pressure in the wellbore exerts an upward force on the cross sectional area of the drill string, which is commonly referred to as buoyancy. Therefore the resulting tensile load on the drill string attached to drill collars, taking account of buoyancy is calculated as: FTEN = resultant tensile load on drill string, lb LDP = length of drill pipe, ft LDC = length of drill collars, ft WTDP = air weight of drill pipe, lb/ft WTDC = air weight of drill collars, lb/ft MW = Mud weight, ppg. ADC = Cross sectional area of drill collars, in2 FTEN is plotted on the tension load graph as the tensile load line. The tensile strength values for different sizes, grades and inspection classes of drill pipes are contained in the API RP 7G, and can be calculated from the equation: Fyield = minimum tensile strength, lb Ym = specified minimum yield stress, psi A = cross section area, in2 Fyield is plotted as the minimum tensile strength line on the tension load graph. However, these values (Fyield) are theoretical values based on minimum areas, wall thickness and yield strength of the drill pipes. Therefore, these values only give an indication of the stress at which a certain total deformation would occur and not the specific point at which permanent deformation of the material begins. If a pipe is loaded to the minimum tensile strength calculated from equation 11, there is the possibility that some permanent stretch may occur, thereby making it difficult to keep the pipe straight in the wellbore. In order to eliminate the possibility of this occurrence, 90% of the minimum tensile strength as recommended by the API (American Petroleum Institute), should be used as the maximum allowable tensile load on the drill pipe, i.e Fdesign = maximum allowable tensile load 0.9 = a constant relating proportional limit to yield strength. Fdesign is plotted on the tension load graph as the maximum allowable tensile load line. As with the collapse load, a design factor would be applied to the tensile loads to account for dynamic loads in the drill pipe which occur when the slips are set, as well as prevent the occurrence of pipe parting close to the surface. The product of FTEN and the design factor is plotted as the tension design load line in the tension load graph see fig 3.6. Margin Of Overpull A margin for overpull is added to the tension load to ensure there is sufficient tensile strength in the drill pipe when it is pulled in the event of a stuck pipe. This margin is normally 50,000 100,000lb, but in deeper wells margins of overpull have reached 300,000lb. The value obtained after adding the margin of overpull is also plotted on the tension load graph see fig 3.6. The difference between the calculated tensile load at any point in the drillstring (FTEN) and the maximum allowable tension load would also represent the available overpull. This value represents available tensile strength of the drill pipe to withstand any extra forces applied to the drill string when trying to release it from a stuck pipe situation. FTEN and Fa can also be expressed as a safety factor This safety factor is an indication of how much the selected drill pipe will be able to withstand expected service loads. Due to uncertainty with actual service loads and conditions, a safety factor greater than 1 is always required. Slip Crush Slip crushing is generally not a problem if the slips are properly maintained. However, it is necessary to apply a safety factor for slip crushing when designing the drill string. This helps account for the hoop stress (SH) caused by the slips and the tensile stress (ST) caused by the weight of the drill string suspended in the slips. This relationship between SH and ST can be represented by the following equation SH = hoop stress, psi ST = tensile stress, psi D = outside diameter of the pipe, in. K = lateral load factor on slips, Ls = length of slips, in. = slip taper usually 9 ° 27 45 z = arctan ÃŽÂ ¼ ÃŽÂ ¼ = coefficient of friction, (approximately 0.08) The calculated tensile load is multiplied by the slip crush factor () to obtain the equivalent tensile load from slip crushing: Ts = tension from slip crushing, lb TL = tension load in drill string, lb SH / ST = slip crush factor. Ts is also plotted on the tension load graph as the slip crush design line. Fig 3.6: Sample Tension load graph The general step-by-step procedure for drill pipe selection using the graphical method is given as 1. Calculate the expected collapse load on drill pipe and apply the collapse design safety factor to derive the design load. Use the result to select weight and grade of drill pipe that satisfy collapse conditions. Plot expected collapse load and design load on a pressure vs. depth graph. 2. Calculate maximum allowable tensile load for the drill pipe selected in (1) above. Also calculate tension load on the drill string including buoyancy effects. Plot the tension load, specified minimum yield strength, and maximum allowable tensile load values on axial load vs. depth graph. 3. Apply tension design factor, margin of overpull, and slip crush factor to the calculated tension load and plot the individual results on the axial load vs. depth graph. Of the three factors applied to the tension load, the one resulting in the highest value is selected as the worst case for tensile loads. 4. Inspect graph and re-design any sections not meeting the load requirements. When designing a tapered drill string, the maximum length of a particular size, weight, grade and class of drill pipes that can be used to drill the selected hole section with specified WOB can be calculated as: All parameters remain as defined in equation 10 and 11. Note that equation 16 is only used when the MOP design line is the worst case scenario for tensile loads. When slip crushing is the worst case, the formula below is used SF = safety factor for slip crushing. The lightest available drill pipe grade should be used first in order to ensure that that the heavier grades are used upper section of the drill string where tensile loads are the highest. 3.2.4 Dog Leg Severity Fatigue damage is the most common type of drill pipe failure. It is known to be caused by cyclic bending loads induced in a drill pipe when it is rotated in the curved sections of the wellbore. The rotation of the drill pipe in the curved hole sections induce stresses in the outer wall of the drill pipe by stretching it and increasing its tensile loads. Fatigue damage from doglegs tends to occur when the angle exceeds a critical value. This critical value can be calculated as: C = maximum permissible dog leg severity, deg/100ft E = Youngs modulus, psi (30 x 106 for steel, 10.5 X 106 for aluminium) D = Drill pipe outer diameter, in. L = half the distance between tool joints, (180 in, for range 2 pipe) T = tension below the dogleg, lb à Ã†â€™b = maximum permissible bending stress, psi. I = drill pipe second moment of area, = à Ã†â€™b, is calculated from the buoyant tensile stress (à Ã†â€™t) and is dependent on the grade of the pipe. à Ã†â€™t = T/A, where T is defined in equation 19, and A is the cross sectional area of the pipe body in in2. For grade E pipe, The results from equation 20 are valid for à Ã†â€™t values up to 67,000psi. For grade S pipe, The results from equation 21 are valid for à Ã†â€™t values up to 133,400psi. It is recommended that an allowable dogleg severity (DLS) versus depth chart be plotted for every hole section with a particular drill string design since DLS changes with depth. The chart is plotted with the DLS on the x-axis and depth on the y-axis (see fig 3.7). When DLS lies to the left of the line or below the curve, the drill pipe is in safe operating conditions, and when it falls above or to the right of the curve, it is in unsafe conditions. Fig 3.7: Allowable Dogleg Severity Chart. (Mian, 1991) 3.2.5 Torsion Drill pipe torsional yield strength is important when planning deviated wells and ultra deep wells. In deviated wells, increased drag forces acting on the drill string from its interaction with the wellbore increase torsional loads on the drill pipe. In deeper wells, it is important in stuck pipe situations, in order to know the maximum torque that can be applied to the drill string. The pipe body torsional yield strength when subjected to torque alone can be calculated from the equation: Q = minimum torsional yield strength, ft lb J = polar second moment of area, à Ã¢â€š ¬/32 (D4 d4) D = pipe OD in, d = pipe ID in. Ym = minimum yield strength, psi. 3.2.6 Combined Loads On The Drill String Collapse and Tension The collapse resistance of the drill pipe is often reduced when the drill pipe is exposed to both tension and collapse loads. This happens because tensile loads stretch the drill pipe thereby affecting its D/t (diameter -wall thickness ratio) which controls the collapse resistance of the drill pipe. In ultra deep wells, the effect of combined collapse and tension is experienced when function testing the Blow out Preventers (BOP). It is becoming common practice in ultradeep drilling to equip BOPs with test rams in order to enable the BOP be tested without setting plugs in the well head. This is done to save tripping time due to extreme well depths. An example given by (Chatar, 2010), using 65/8in 27.70lb/ft drill pipe showed that with 65/8in drill pipe having 860kips of maximum allowable tensile loads, at half of this load, the drill string is only capable of withstanding 4,500psi collapse loads, which is often not sufficient for ultradeep drilling BOPs. The corrected collapse resistance of drill pipes under tension can be calculated using the formula Where R represents the percentage of the collapse resistance left when the drill pipe is under tension, therefore in equation 25, the value for R is used to multiply the normal plastic collapse resistance of the pipe to give the collapse resistance under tension. R can also be determined graphically with the following steps 1. Calculate Z using equation 24 2. Enter the ellipse for biaxial stress (fig 3.8) on the horizontal axis with the value for Z and draw a vertical line to the ellipse curve. 3. Draw a horizontal line from the vertical line drawn in (2) above to the vertical axis and read off the value. 4. Use the value from (5) above to multiply the collapse resistance to get the corrected collapse resistance with tension. Fig 3.8: Ellipse of Biaxial yield Strength: Effect of tensile loading om collapse resistance. (RGU Lecture notes: Casing design) Combined tension and torsion The torsional yield strength of a drill pipe is significantly reduced when the pipe is under tension loads. The torsional yield strength of the drill pipe under tension can be calculated with the equation Q = minimum torsional yield strength under tension, ft lb J = polar second moment of area. D = pipe OD in, d= pipe ID in. Ym = minimum yield strength, psi P = total load in tension, lb A = cross sectional area, in2 3.2.7 Tool Joint Performance The makeup torque to be applied to the tool joints when connecting drill pipes is calculated as follows ID = inside diameter, in. OD = outside diameter, in. Values for X, M, B and Q for standard connections are presented in the table below Type of Connection X

A Feminist Perspective of Othello Essay -- Othello essays

A Feminist Perspective of Othello  Ã‚  Ã‚      Shakespeare’s tragic drama Othello closes the final scene of the last act with the spiritual superiority of the heroine firmly established over that of the hero. This is one of many aspects regarding the feminine perspective on the drama, the subject of this essay. A.C. Bradley, in his book of literary criticism, Shakespearean Tragedy, describes the violence against the heroine as a â€Å"sin against the canons of art†: To some readers, again, parts of Othello appear shocking or even horrible. They think – if I may formulate their objection – that in these parts Shakespeare has sinned against the canons of art, by representing on the stage a violence or brutality the effect of which is unnecessarily painful and rather sensational than tragic. The passages which thus give offence are probably those already referred to – that where Othello strikes Desdemona (IV.i.251), that where he affects to treat her as an inmate of a house of ill-fame (IV.ii), and finally the scene of her death. (174) At the outset of the play only the male perspective is given: Iago persuades the rejected suitor of Desdemona, Roderigo, to accompany him to the home of Brabantio, Desdemona’s father, in the middle of the night. Once there the two awaken the senator with loud shouts about his daughter’s elopement with Othello. In response to the noise and Iago’s vulgar descriptions of Desdemona’s involvement with the general, Brabantio arises from bed. With Roderigo’s help, he gathers a search party to go and find Desdemona and bring her home. The father’s attitude is that life without his Desdemona will be much worse than before: It is too true an evil: gone she is;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   And what's to come of my despised... ...espearean Tragedy. New York: Penguin, 1991. Di Yanni, Robert. â€Å"Character Revealed Through Dialogue.† Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Literature. N. p.: Random House, 1986. Gardner, Helen. â€Å"Othello: A Tragedy of Beauty and Fortune.† Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from â€Å"The Noble Moor.† British Academy Lectures, no. 9, 1955. Heilman, Robert B. â€Å"Wit and Witchcraft: an Approach to Othello.† Shakespeare: Modern Essays in Criticism. Ed. Leonard F. Dean. Rev. Ed. Rpt. from The Sewanee Review, LXIV, 1 (Winter 1956), 1-4, 8-10; and Arizona Quarterly (Spring 1956), pp.5-16. Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.

Fulltec – Business Profile

PROFILE FULLTEC AG A Executive Summary Fulltec AG, Zug, Switzerland, was established in 1973 at Neuhausen am Rheinfall in Switzerland as a private limited company. The company has been taken over by Mr. Frank W. Bencsits in 2000 as the General Manager. He has been forming a fully new innovative R&D company for research and development of active natural substances for pest controlling (repellents as insecticides) since that time. Consequently the company’s activities mainly comprise R&D, but bio-insecticides and repellents are also produced and sold. Fulltec doesn’t sell its products under its own trademarks so far. The products are sold through thoroughly chosen international sales partners who resell under their own brand policies. As the results of intensive research, fully natural based active ingredients with highest activity and lowest toxicity were found in 2001. Fulltec is the patent holding company for these substances. Until 2005 most of the filed patents were granted in the EC and several overseas countries like USA, China, Hong Kong and Australia. In 2002 moved the company to its new modern site in Zug, Switzerland to expand and improve R&D and manufacturing. As these new natural based Active Substances don't have the broadly well-known negative characteristics shown by the common competitive synthetic products available on the market – above all regarding toxic effects – they will possibly completely change the way of pest control business in the near future. The inventions comprise different natural substances of two groups: Ingredients of the first group only repel and those of the second group kill and repel insects and acarides of all kinds. The main objective of Fulltec AG is to be a totally ecologically oriented company, developing and selling insecticide and repellent products containing exclusively natural based and lowtoxic active substances and ingredients. The Fulltec products are based on active ingredients obtained from natural sources by patented pure physical ways of extraction which the one group can effectively be used as Insect Repellent and the other group Insecticide. The production procedure of the active repelling ingredient consists of hydrating firstly under high pressure, followed by a vacuum and water steam treatment from natural oils and fruit acids; The insecticide actives are obtained by saturating of natural oils under comparable conditions. The range of possible applications is very wide, including but not limited to application on human, in the household, use for pets and other animals, as well as for plants. As a result, the available range of products is large and currently includes all possible methods of applications on pets, animals and human, e. g. Spray, Cream, Oil and Lotion as Insect Repellent, Lice Shampoo, Gel, Lotion and Cream, different variations for use against Dust Mites (prophylaxis and cure of Allergies! ) as well as Insecticides in all conceivable forms of application. In this regard Fulltec offers concentrates also, which have to be post processed by the customers as well as â€Å"ready for use formulations† of all products. The worldwide markets for Insect Repellents and Insecticides are enormous, in the size of Billions of Dollars. The Fulltec products have been and still are extensively tested, both inhouse and in-field as well as by independent laboratories, for both efficacy and tolerance. Existing patents and registrations are representing a barrier of entry to potential competitors. With the current trend very clearly pointing towards substitution of toxic products, the market potential for Fulltec must be considered excellent. Sales are and will be effected trough thoroughly selected business and sales partners with their own significant market presence in the respective fields and markets, which sell the products under their own brands and labels. Fulltec intends to continue with this strategy, as it allows a broader and faster international market penetration. Production currently is executed by selected and certified contractors. The production processes are explicitly specified and include st rict quality control. Current infrastructure allows significant production increases without additional costs/investment. Raw materials are available on the market at more than one manufacturer, with no significant dependence on a single source or market. Research & Development will concentrate on the further refining of existing products, on testing further possible applications for the existing products and research for new active ingredients and products. Fulltec AG is already a nicely profitable organization, but has not nearly reached its potential market appearance yet. All figures show that Fulltec only just started to penetrate some major markets, and will be able to show growth rates between 30 % and 60 % revenues each year for the whole planning period. Earnings are likely to grow even faster by a higher use of existing capacity. The further development of already served markets (with additional products and into additional retail channels) as well as the development of new geographical markets will be the main target of Fulltec AG business activities in the years to come. B – The Company Small Growth Company Profitable and financially sound Strong Growth Potential Discovered new natural Active Substances A Family of Products ready for the Markets Many Patents granted and pending Ready for substantial Market Penetration B. 1 History During the period of 2000 to 2002 extensive research was done by the R teams of Fulltec AG which led to the development of different new active ingredients with insecticide and repellent properties. Early in 2000 Fulltec AG changed its business focus from a purely trading agency to a patent holding company for products, applications and systems which cover insecticide and repellent properties – this means active ingredients and formulations including specific fields of applications. Repellents are used to repel insects, whereas insecticides have a lethal effect on such insects. Market introduction started in late 1999 with the launch of a former formulation of Repellent and a Household-Insecticide tested on the market by partially using new actives. Immediate success on the market has been achieved already with these temporary products due to the fact that a) the major shareholder and current Managing Director has great experience in the marketing of such products and therefore has extensive and valuable contacts in the industry, and b) the astonishing effectiveness of this natural product line. 2 B. 2 Current Situation The Present Board of Directors of the Fulltec Company consists of the following members: Urs O. Kraft (Chairman of the Board) Frank W. Bencsits Trustee and Tax Expert Managing Director Presently Fulltec AG has no permanent employees. So there are no liabilities in dispatches or payrolls. The business location of Fulltec is Zug, Switzerland (45-km outside Zurich). Research & Development is done in the specialized chemical and entomological laboratories in Austria. Production is carried out by beholden contractors under full control of Fulltec. B. 3 Strengths and Weaknesses The following mentioned strengths and weaknesses give an overview on the current situation of Fulltec. They will be elaborated on in more detail though in the following chapters. Strengths: Fulltec owns the one and only registration of Anti-Lice products as a Medical Device according Directive 93/42/EEC in the world. High Products Efficacy of the Repellents even under Hard Circumstances (Sweating, Swimming) All Products on Natural Basis Nigligible Toxicity to Humans, Animals and Plants Repellent has Passed the OECD Skin Absorption Test Repellent Capable of Avoiding Severe Diseases like Malaria, the West Nile Virus and the Tick-born diseases Encephalitis, Tularemie (Francisella tularensis), RockyMountains-Fever (Rickettsia richettsii), Theileriose (Tehileria spec. ) and LymeBorreliosis. Products provide high Added Value in Terms of Profit and Prestige to the Distributor High Market Share in Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Hungary French Partner with Best Connections to all French Influenced Countries Rocketed in 2005 in these Well Known Difficult Accessible Markets Attractive Industry Availability of Raw Materials from Various Sources Production at Low Costs, Little Manpower and in Production Units of Small Sizes High Flexibility in Organization, Production and Sales – no Long Term Treaties Competent Management and R Teams High Liquidity High Profitability Strong Financial Base – – Challenges: Still small Market Presence in USA, NAFTA, Asia and Southern Europe 3 – Market Penetration in far countries, like China, Japan, Australia and Hong Kong just started B. 4 Goals / Future Developments Fulltec, with its development of new technologies has an important impact in the industry. The company already gained recognition and a considerable world m arket share of 10 % for Household Insecticides and Repellents. A concentration on the most attractive markets with the best relative competitive situations will allow Fulltec to achieve strong further internal growth. Prime products will be the Repellent line and the Medical Device series of Anti-Lice products for human use, a line of Household-Insecticides and Pet Care products, and a newly developed product for use against Dust Mites. Annual growth rates in the range of 30 % to 60 % for revenues will be attainable under the current economical circumstances. Fulltec AG with its innovative technologies therefore appears as an attractive future partner for potential co-operations, joint ventures, etc. Strategically using such co-operations already allowed Fulltec to achieve market leadership in individual market segments, as the market leadership in sales of repellents in European Community Pharmacies. C Products / Technology Insect Repellents / Insecticides Broad Range of Use (Humans, Household, Indoor Plants, Gardens, Several Branches of Industry, Pets, Animals, Plants) Active Ingredients of Natural and Non-Toxic Base Significant Added Value for the Customer – C. 1 Product Description C. 1. 1 Active Ingredients / Substances Repellents The active repelling ingredients are produced under physical conditions only, e. g. by hydrating under high pressure, followed by several vacuum and water steam purifying processes of different natural oils and / or their natural grown main ingredients. They also could be obtained from semi-synthetically substitutes and fruit acids in the way of patented manufacturing procedures. The active substances used in all repellent products possess the same chemical characteristics independently of their target application on the human or animal skin. Only different concentrations and varying contents of actives and their special synergists are dependent on special requirements of various targets, regardless whether used in the form of sprays, creams, oils or lotions. C. 1. 2 Repelling Effect Pests are in a position to recognize suitable quarry as a result of the presence of so called â€Å"bio receptors†. These are for example (body-) temperature, humidity, CO2-content and certain chemical substances produced in small quantities by mammal skin metabolism processes, such as ammonia, butyric acid and urea. Conventional repellents cover up such bio receptors with a more or less effective aura. Therefore they are extremely limited in 4 their efficacy, as this aura of gas becomes rapidly perforated by friction from clothing, sweat and other external influences, which then leaves an open target for attack by pests. Patented Active of Fulltec products on the other hand finely covers the whole treated skin surface and influences and eliminates the bio-receptors by various mechanisms. These continuous reactions between Receptors and Active make the quarry invisible for the attacker (camouflage effect). This process continues until the Active is entirely exhausted (around 8-hours). As the active ingredient is water resistant, it keeps the full efficacy even during periods of sweating and short periods of swimming. In contrast to most competing products, especially to natural based products, efficacy remains at a very high level for well over eight hours. In contrast to DEET, the most widely used substance in traditional repellents, the skin tolerance of Fulltec's substance is excellent. Fulltec repellent has passed as only substance of its class the very rigorous measures of the well known OECD skin absorption test! The Fulltec products are negligible toxic for human beings and animals. C. 1. 2. 1 Active Ingredients / Substances Insecticides The active insecticide ingredients are obtained by saturation under high pressure, vacuum procedures and partially water steam amidizing from natural oils and plant extracts by a patented manufacturing procedure. Concentrations in different formulations are varying according to the use. C. 1. 2. 2 Insecticide Effect Fulltec Insecticide Actives coat the target insects and acarinas with a fine, oily film. The active substances penetrate through the respiratory openings and block them so that the insect dies within a very short time. In addition, a pronounced water displacement results in the quick and complete desiccation of the pest. Fulltec Insecticides are the one and only products in the sector of insecticide Actives with exclusively physical efficacy. Fulltec Insecticide Actives do not enable resistance build-up because of this natural and physical and completely new system of efficacy. Especially efficacy is not achieved by a nerve poisonous effect how it is the case for most traditional insecticides such as carbamates, phosphoorganics and pyrethrines, which always have more or less severe effects on humans and animals. The effects of Fulltec insecticides only occur in cold-blooded species, such as insects, spiders and mites (ticks). The substances have no negative toxicological effects on the warm-blooded humans and pets. Moreover the solely physical mechanism makes the buildup of resistances of any kind impossible. C. 1. 3. Toxicological Summary Acute oral toxicity : LD50 – > 10g/kg rat Acute dermal toxicity : LD50 – > 10g/kg rabbit Inhalational toxicity : no results, inhalation non poisonous Primary skin irritation : none irritating in patch test on rabbits and humans Mucous membranes tolerance: only slightly irritating in pure concentration Biological degradability : >90% BSB28/CSB according to the modified OECD screening test Fish toxicity : LC50 – > 100mg product/liter Bacterial toxicity : EC50 – > 100mg product/liter C. 2 Products 5 The product lines, due to the substance's unspecific effect on all kinds of insects, cover a very broad range of applications for the benefit of humans, animals, and plants. All products are based on Fulltec? s Active Substances, though in varying concentrations and with different additives to achieve specific requirements of different applications. Moreover further future applications are possible, as tests continue to reveal good results in previously uncovered areas. In addition, the formulas allow various ombinations, so that the products range can include gels, creams, oils, lotions, sprays, additives to cleaning and impregnation products, shampoos, spot-on-products, collars, bracelets and aerosols. The following tables list examples of available products. C. 2. 1 Products for human and environmental use Range of Use – Men – Women – Children Product Mosquito Protector Tick Protector Wasp Protector Horsefly Protector Repellent Bracelets Anti-L ice Shampoo Anti-Lice Lotion Anti-Lice Gel Anti-Lice Spray Lice-Repellent Spray Lice Repellent Gel Insect Killer Insect – Mosquitoes – Ticks – Wasps, Hornets – Horseflies Type Repellent – Men – Women – Children – Mosqitoes, Ticks – Headlice – Crablice Medical device – Clothlice acc. Directive – Nits 93/42/EEC – House Mite Stop – Washing Machine Anti-Lice Detergent – Business premises Roach Killer – Kitchen – Basement – Gels Insect Stop Spider Stop – Flies, Mosquitoes Insecticide – Wasps, Ants – Mites – Cloth Moths – Food Moths – Fleas, Lice – Dust Mites – Lice and Nits – Cockroaches – Cockroaches – Ants – House Crickets – Spiders – Woodlice – Ants – Cockroaches – Silverfish Insecticide Repellent & Insecticide C. 2. 2 Products for Pets and Animals 6 Range of Use Pets – Domestic animals Product Insect – Fleas – Biting flies – Lice and Nits – Mosquitoes – Ticks – Mites – Fleas, Ticks â €“ Mites, Lice – Horse Flies – Lice – Flies – Flees – Ticks – Other pests and nuisances Type Repellent & Insecticide Horsefly, Sandfly, Mosquito and Tick Protector Collars X-Line and Protect Line Spot on products – Dogs, Cats Liquid Sprays – Small farm animals Spot On – Horses Liquid Sprays – Cattle – Sheep – Other Domestic Animals Repellent & Insecticides C. 2. 3 Products for Plants & Garden Range of Use General Use Product Ant Stop Termite Stop Bug Stop Flowerspray Insect Ants – Termites – Beetles – Nematopodes – Mites – Aphids – White Flies – Red Spider Mites – Caterpillars – Ants – Fruit Flies – Caterpillars – Other Insects Type Insecticide Flowers Insecticide Trees Tree Protection Repellent & Insecticide C. 3 Independent Tests and Studies General: Various independent Institutes (1) conducted numerous extensiv e studies and tests on the individual Fulltec Products. Subjects of those were first of all the efficacy under test conditions and in practical use, secondly the tolerance (Toxicology) for humans as well as animals, and thirdly the ecological behavior (biological decomposition). As the insecticide effect is solely physical and not based on a nerve poison, there can't be any buildup of resistance. Regarding the Insecticide Products, the broad range of efficacy on various kinds of insects was demonstrated in the lab as well as in practical use. Furthermore the biological decomposition was demonstrated to be excellent. On the product Roach Killer efficacy against cockroaches was demonstrated. Regarding the Repellent Products – besides efficacy and toxicology – skin tolerance were main subjects of the extensive tests conducted. All tests showed excellent results. In addition, separate studies compared the efficacy in practical use (field tests). All tests revealed superior efficacy of Fulltec's Repellents compared to competitive products 7 including the market leaders Autan (Active: Bayrepel) and OFF (Active: DEET; both products by SC Johnson). On comparable conditions, the repelling effect of Fulltec's Repellents was shown to last longer. Worth to mention explicitly is the fact that Fulltec's Repellents are the only products available on the market yet to pass the rigorous requirements of the well known OECD Skin Absorption Test. 1) LHS Institut fur Hygieneforschung und Schadlingsbekampfung in Labor und Praxis, Miesenbachgasse 7, 2700 Wiener Neustadt, Austria PRAEVMEDIC, Carmenstrasse 8a, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland Swiss Tropical Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4002 Basel, Switzerland BioGents GmbH, Universitatsstra? e 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany IS Insect Services GmbH, Dr. Hans Dautel, Haderslebener Str. 9, 12163 Berlin, Germany T. E. C. Insec ticides testing, 7 bis rue pont de l'aveugle, 64600 Anglet, France Hopital Avicennes, Professeur Azreki Izri, Laboratoire de Parasitologie, 125 rue de Stalingrad, 93009 Bobigny, France Complete detailed List of Test Reports see Annex I C. 4 Customer Benefits In the following graph, the characteristics of the Fulltec's substances are compared to those of DEET, Bayrepel and essential oils in Repellents. C. 4. 1 Comparison: Customer Benefit Repellents Active Ingredients Insect Repellents Fulltec DEET Bayrepel ++ + ++ + + + + ++ -+ ++ -0 0 0 + ++ ++ ++ + Essential Oils —+* + 0 ++*1 – 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 * = in low concentration, higher concentrations are irritant *1= banned after 01. 09. 2006 acc Directive 98/8/EEC Explanations: Comparing Fulltec's repellent against DEET, BAYREPEL containing products and essential oil: ++ = very good + = good 0 = reasonable -= could be better = unacceptable Comments: 8 1 – Long Term Effect: Contrary to the essential oils, Repellents from Fulltec show a high repelling effect for over 8 hours. DEET and Bayrepel also have proven to be effective under laboratory conditions whereas the effectiveness depended highly on the amount of active ingredient (high doses of > 30 %+ are effective like Fulltec’s Actives. Lower concentrations have poorer efficacy). 2 – Broadband Efficacy: Fulltec’s Repellents show the best broadband repelling efficacy against a wide range of nuisances, including multiple species of mosquitoes, ticks, wasps, horseflies, biting flies, black flies and mites. Products containing DEET at higher concentrations (> 30 %) are also effective widely. Bayrepel is only available in concentrations 10 and 20 % and exhibits just short protection times so that reapplications every 2 to 3 hours are necessary to get a safe level of protection. Essential oils are unsuitable because of practically non-existing protection time and broadband efficacy. 3 – Water/Sweating Resistance: Compared to the other substances, Fulltec’s products are more water resistant. As they are deactivated neither by sweating nor under water contact (e. g. short swimming) they keep their effectiveness also during sports. 4 – Skin Care: The substances used by Fulltec show significantly more skin care qualities than the competition. They only contain highly skin tolerant and even skin caring base- and active ingredients. Therefore the products are not only highly effective repellents, but also high quality cosmetic products. The plant oils and their skin caring derivates give the skin energy and vitality, whereas natural Vitamin E fights potential inflammations. Evenly applied, the product maintains the skin's natural moisture, and makes it soft and elastic. 4 – Skin Tolerance: Traditional, effective Repellents all contain high levels of skin irritating and partially highly toxic substances. Contrary, Fulltec products have never caused eczema or allergic reactions so far. Essential oils in higher concentrations cause skin and mucous membrane irritations. Furthermore they can solve plastics and synthetic textiles, which is a problem of DEET products, too. Bayrepel seems to have second best Skin Tolerance but examinations of its toxicological properties are not finalized yet. 5 – Ecological Tolerance: Fulltec products are natural non-poisonous products with a high ecological tolerance. Essential oils, above all technical qualities of Rosemary and Citronella exhibit toxic effects on soil bacterias and show only poor ecological tolerance. DEET on the other hand is an ecotoxic substance. Bayrepel seams to have only slightly ecotoxic potential. 6 – Price: The Fulltec product’s prices are usually conforming competitors and markets policies. Fulltec’s low standing expenses allows following all prerequisites of different markets and competitors pricing. 7- Availability: Bayrepel (Autan) definitely has the best availability in all retail channels today. Being the No. 1 in Central European pharmacies Fulltec? s Repellents reached a high level of availability. Furthermore they are able to substitute all Natural Actives based competitive products which will be banned after 01. 09. 2006 (deadline of Directive 98/8/EEC). These other Natural products mainly are sold through drug stores, but constantly decreasing customer acceptance and demand will lead to only a narrower availability in the future in countries outside of the EC as well in NAFTA under further restrictions by the EPA and the Canadian PESTICIDE REGISTRATION and EVALUATION COMMITTEE. 8 – User friendliness: All products are user friendly in the sense of easy application. However DEET is aggressive against several materials like plastics, is toxic and causes skin and mucous membrane irritations. This is also valid for several essential oils. Bayrepel seems to be more safe and gentle but is restricted for application on children below an age of 2 years. Only Fulltec Repellents fulfilled requirements of the OECD skin absorption test and can be used safe under observance of the recommended directions for use. In summary, the Fulltec products clearly offer the highest customer. The Fulltec products are highly effective against insects comparable to high concentrated DEET. In contrast to DEET, Fulltec products are based on natural ingredients and show excellent skin tolerance 9 and skin care qualities. In comparison essential oils repellents are of natural base, too but they show a low efficacy in terms of repelling insects over a longer period of time. Moreover a lot of them cause skin and mucous membrane irritations and possess photosensitizing potential. C. 4. 1 Protection against Competition The products are adequately protected by granted or pending patents). Fulltec AG owns the patents protecting the repelling as well as the lethal features of the active substances. In addition, the isolated declaration of ingredients according UPAC or INCI usually does not allow gaining knowledge on the exact composition and special nature of the Actives. Fulltec’s exclusive knowledge of the patented manufacturing process of Actives guarantees imitation protection of Fulltec Repellants and Insecticides by competitors. D Markets Very attractive market (extremely high market volume, high growth) Fulltec shows all pre-requisites to be successful Market is already accepting the Fulltec Products Consumer Trend clearly going towards Natural Products Barriers of entry already overcome D. 1 Market Overview D. 1. 1 Description / Characteristics If only for its enormous size, the market for Insect Repellents and Insecticides should be considered extremely attractive. Despite the big established competitors dominating the market, there are various attractive niche markets available to innovative companies. Fulltec, with its range of nature products falls into such a niche. The currently most widely used ingredients in competitive products are DEET (in repellents) and Pyrethroids (in insecticides). All those substances are being increasingly questioned and therefore avoided by many consumers and more and more even by governments and appropriate authorities. It can be expected that those products with questionable active ingredients will have to be substituted more and more by natural products. This opens up an extremely high potential for Fulltec to firmly establish itself in this market. As the products meet a high consumer acceptance already today, a bigger market penetration can be safely foreseen. D. 1. 2 Market Segments The segmentation of the market shows the following criteria: †¢ †¢ Range of use: Humans and Environment / Pets / Animals / Plants Type of use: Repellent (to repel insects) / Insecticide (to kill insects) Region: Switzerland / European Community / USA / Canada /Australia †¢ To identify the estimated total market volume, the various market segments were analyzed at first (Supplements: Estimated Market Volume). Starting points were market studies of IHA GfM for Switzerland and GFK for Germany. In addition, the relevant market segments for Fulltec in terms of distribution channels, competition, prices and margins were analyzed. On the basis of market data of the specialized trade (pharmacies, etc. ), the total market volume for Switzerland and Germany was estimated. In order to calculate total 10 world market volume, Switzerland's and Germany? s per capita consumption was taken as a base. However adaptations to in some instances different distribution channels, price levels, usages, etc. were made. D. 1. 3 Client Structure To distribute its products, Fulltec currently uses the following channels: †¢ †¢ Specialized Trade (Pharmacies, Drug Stores), and more sparely in Retail Chains and Stores However it is a set goal to penetrate all segments of distribution. In Switzerland for example, the specialized trade segment could be covered by big players in pharmaceuticals and special chemicals (for Repellents), and the retail chains and stores by international players (for Insecticides). Moreover, Fulltec currently is in negotiation with various Multinational Companies. D. 1. 4 Factors for Success In the Insect Repellent and Insecticides markets, the most important factors for success are definitely the efficacy of the products and the presence at the â€Å"point of sale†, i. . the easy availability for the consumer. Moreover the tolerance of the products for human and environment is of increasing importance. In addition, an increasing sensibility against synthetic, toxic substances is recognized, as more health consciousness of people leads to preference of natural products. The Fulltec products are both, highly efficient and ecologically well tolerated. In order to imp rove easy availability for the consumers, Fulltec decided to collaborate exclusively with established distribution partners. It is possible to achieve a high market presence in short time with this strategy. Fulltec products perfectly meet the factors of success, which allows the continuation of the quick market penetration by Fulltec products. D. 2 Market Position Current Situation Currently, the strongest market position held by the Fulltec products is repellents, a highly attractive market segment. The second position in terms of market penetration as well as attractiveness of the market segment is held by the natural insecticides, especially the market segment Pet Protection. All remaining product groups (Repellents and Insecticides in all their broadness) are positioned in relatively highly attractive market segments, but have not reached significant market penetration so far. Future Situation Longer term, Fulltec expects to achieve fairly dominant market positions in the following segments: Insect Repellents, Anti-Lice product line, Household Insecticides, Pet Protection and Mite Stop, which at the same time are the most attractive product groups and market segments. Less dominant, but nevertheless sizeable market positions are expected to be attainable in the egments Agricultural Insecticides and Garden Products. Repellent 11 At least for the next one or two years, Repellent products are expected to continue contributing the largest share to total revenues among all product groups, as the total world market for such products is huge and extremely attractive. Furthermore, Fulltec? s natural and non-toxic products today are already well accepted in Europ e and USA. It is assumed that over time, natural products will increasingly challenge the established toxic products, gaining in market share also due to legislation changing towards more restrictive forms. Anti-Lice Products Market penetration of these products is on the best way to get No. 2 in Europe and No. 1 in Medicine Devices in EC. It is expected to significantly increase its share, as being of natural base and pure physical efficacy often is the decisive factor for being chosen by consumers. Efficacy of the product is excellent, and it is being very well tolerated. Pharmaceutical trading (Drug stores and Pharmacies) will be the preferred sales channel, thereby guaranteeing high margins and profits. Pet Products By nature, the market for pet products is very attractive and competition is very high. As Fulltec will concentrate its efforts on those markets, which offer the best relative competitive position, pet products will not be at the forefront of marketing efforts at the moment. A potential cooperation with one or more established companies in this field however could change this assessment rapidly. Natural Insecticides Due to ever increasing requirements in terms of ecological tolerance and to the extensive restrictions of Directive 98/8/EEC according Biocides, natural insecticides should gain significant market share over the coming years. This product group therefore is expected to contribute markedly to total revenue growth. Mite Stop Taking into account the steady increase of Dust Mite Allergies, this segment is clearly a market of the future. Dust mite allergies come from a saturation of the air with dust and excrement particles. A Fulltec product to exterminate dust mites is already fully developed and successfully introduced into Central European markets. It is applied by spraying into air and on mite-infested surfaces. The dust particles become saturated with Mite Stop and drop to the floor, which already brings about a cleaning of the air. The fallen down particles start to act as insecticide against the dust mites population. The circle of the extermination of dust mites therefore is closed. A relatively quick market introduction is possible, as a registration as Anti-Allergicum can be avoided if the product is advertised and sold as primarily an Air Cleaner. All other currently available products on the market are still based on toxic Pyrethroids, which puts the Fulltec product into an advantageous position. Alternative methods used are various medications, which however combat the symptoms rather than the cause of the problem. Furthermore, as such drugs are high margin products, the Fulltec alternative can also be expected to sell at premium prices with high margins. D. 3 Market Assessment The following points peak in further increasing market penetration by the products of Fulltec: 1. Acceptance of the Fulltec Products 12 On the markets already served, the Fulltec products generally achieve a high market acceptance. 2. Barriers of Entry The barriers of entry to new contenders are quite high. Fulltec has already overcome them as the products lready have been tested in terms of efficacy and tolerance, and as patents and registrations processes have already been initiated. 3. Trends A major trend within today's society points towards substitution of toxic substances by natural ones. Accordingly, the market potential for Fulltec's natural and non toxic products can safely be considered very excellent. E Competition Competition in Repellents mostly DEET and Bayrepel based Competition in Insecticides mostly Pyr ethroid, Carbamates and Organophosphonics based Significant competitive advantage for Fulltec Fulltec is ready for competitive strategies E. 1 Competitive Products E. 1. 1 Repellents In competing repellents worldwide, almost universally the substance DEET (N,N-Diethyl-mtoluamide) is used. This specifically effective Insect Repellent is toxic and has a strong irritating effect on eyes and mucous membranes. Some children have shown a harming of nerves and, due to inhaling DEET, cases of death have been reported (Tenenbein, M. JAMA, J. Am. Medical Assoc, 1987, 258). In competing repellents in Europe, almost the substances Icaridin (Bayrepel) and IR3535 are used. Alternative repellents such as essential oils show a rather low efficacy and can cause allergic reactions. E. 1. 2 Insecticides A multitude of active ingredients is used by competing insecticides products. Most of them are nerve poisons. A lot of the formerly highly praised substances (DDT, Dieldrin, Lindan) are banned today in many industrialized countries because of their toxicity. Alternatively, Pyrethroids are used very widely today (about 50-75% market share). Pyrethroids are synthetic insecticides. Although the toxicity of this insect specific biocide is markedly lower for mammals, it is still a factor of up to 100-times higher compared to the Fulltec Insecticides. In addition, Pyrethroids show a considerably higher fish toxicity. Other natural insecticides currently show a clearly lower efficacy compared to both, the synthetic insecticides and the Fulltec products. E. 1. 3 Most Important Competitors The following table gives an overview on Fulltec's most important competitors and their products. In the Supplements section, there is a table listing the most important companies within the various market segments in Switzerland with their market shares. 13 Competitors and Competing Products Company Bayer SC Johnson 3M Corp. Reckitt & Coleman Shell Vogt AVON Description Multinational Chemical Co. Multinational Chemical Co. Multinational Chemical Co. Multinational Chemical Co. Multinational Chemical Co. Small Specialty Co. Intl. Cosmetics Co. Geographic al Presence International International International International International Switzerland USA and Intl. Market Position Market Leader worldwide Marked Leader USA No. 2 USA No. 3 worldwide No. 1 in Market Segments Leader Repellents CH No. 1 Mail-order USA Company Bayer SC Johnson Insecticide Baygon Raid Substance pyrethroids pyrethroids Repellent OFF, Autan Ultrathon KIK Anti-Brumm Skin So Soft Substance DEET/DMP Bayrepel DEET/DEP DEET/DMP DEET Natural Base 3M Corp. Reckitt & Coleman Heropic, Neocid pyrethroids Shell Shelltox pyrethroids Vogt AVON E. 1. 4 Competitive Advantages / Disadvantages Advantages: The products of Fulltec have enormous advantages of being based on substances well tolerated by human and environment. They do contain neither the toxic DEET nor any other harmful substances. Moreover the products show high efficacy – comparable or higher to the synthetic products and significantly higher than essential oils. Initial success, especially due to above factors, is clearly visible on already covered markets. Disadvantages: The products themselves do not have any apparent disadvantages. As the market position of the competitors is fairly dominant so far, a successful market entry of small companies like Fulltec is not easy. However, the massive advantages of Fulltec products cited above as well as an experienced management will help Fulltec to overcome such hurdles. E. 1. 5 Competitive Strategies The constantly increasing demand for natural products may tempt competitors into imitating Fulltec's substances. However the patents as well as the product know-how speak against such strategies. A substitution of the Fulltec formula by another, equally effective natural substance, is not discernible so far. After all, some competitor might be tempted into trying a takeover of Fulltec AG. The current shareholder structure though represents an insurmountable barrier at least for unfriendly and unwelcome takeover attempts. In any case the interests of the shareholders will be of major importance. F F. 1 Marketing Market Coverage 14 F. 1. 1 Distribution / Sales Distribution is effected through sales partners with a high market presence in the respective market segments. This strategy will be continued, as it allows a relatively rapid penetration of the markets. In addition, it allows using more than one distributor in a single market with the different Actives and slightly modified formulas in different structured market segments. This strategy also allows opening up the various distribution channels in a given market (Specialized Trade, Retail Trade, Mail-order Business Partners, etc. . However it is possible that some distributors are in direct competition with others selling a different form and Active Ingredient of the same basic product. For products or product groups which are not part of first priority marketing plans, strategic alliances with companies firmly entrenched in those market segments are planned. F. 1. 2 Communication Communication will be expanded to new partners to develop new markets and activities of business. Further it will be necessary to perfect and extend information. The end users will be more clearly informed about both, the negative effects of the competitive products, and of course about the advantages of the Fulltec products. This strategy will lead to accelerated substitution of the traditional synthetic products by natural Fulltec products. For this purpose, various media, like Internet TV and radio advertisement appear predestined. F. 2 Product and Marketing Design Currently Fulltec does not sell any products under its own name. The distributor or sales agent can individually choose a brand name of his own. F. 2. 1 Product Line The product line of Fulltec is described in detail earlier in this report. All products are available either as bulk ready to use, as concentrate (container, barrel) or already packaged as lotion, spray, etc. Future Years In the following years Fulltec expects continuous gain of overall market share. This should lead to a sustainable growth in revenues of at least 40 -60% per year. It will be looked for further sales partners in Europe as well as in the USA, Asia, Africa and South America, mainly for the Repellent, the Insecticide and the Anti-Lice Product line. G Production / Procurement/ Ecology / Location / R & D Patented Production Processes – Ample unused Production Capacity – No specific Dependence on Suppliers of Raw Materials – Environment-friendly Production – Good Location – R & D Emphasis – Refine existing Products – Develop further Applications G. 1 Production All sold products are produced under control of Fulltec by indep endent contractors. The production processes mainly consist of the manufacturing of Active Substances by physical 15 conversion of natural substances into efficient derivates and mixing various substances according to proprietary and secret processes and formulas. Consequently only a relatively small number of equipment and technical installations are needed. To get to the finished products, automatic filling and packing machines are used. The production process itself is high technology, although just common lab equipment (including gas chromatography and thin layer chromatography) is necessary. As the production process is highly automated, labor costs are kept low, too. Fulltec has the option to build up its own production facility or seek external contractors for tasks like mixing, filling and packaging. However at the moment such a construction step is not planned. G. 2 Procurement All ingredients and raw materials needed for the production are easily available. Suppliers are mainly big companies, competing against each other price-wise as some of the raw materials used are also traded on the commodity markets. The prices for the raw materials used do not fluctuate widely. Therefore no problems regarding the supply side are foreseeable, which should guarantee an ongoing smooth production process. G. 3 Ecology G. 3. 1 Legal Compliance All relevant laws and orders of Switzerland and the EC are strictly followed by Fulltec. However it is important to note that Fulltec does not fall under the order on ecological tolerance (Umweltvertraglichkeitsprufung) or the Storfallverordnung). For all products, safety data sheets are available, as requested by the regarding directives, e. g. Stoffverordnung (order on materials used). G. 3. 2 Raw Materials The main components of the products consist of natural raw materials. Apart from water, mainly non-toxic and well biodegradable substances are used. Some other ingredients of very low toxicity (all within Swiss poison class 4 or 5 or not classified) are just used as additives in very low quantities. All raw materials are well biodegradable. G. 4 Location Fulltec AG is located in Zug, Switzerland. Infrastructure: Currently production is done by contractors which are capable of increasing volumes significantly without causing any problems. The (rented) offices are fairly new, and adequate for Fulltec's sales activities. As most of the clients are located in different foreign countries and transport costs are low at current sales volumes, this point is of no major importance at the moment. At a later stage though, when sales continue increasing at estimated rates, other (outsourced) production facilities within major client regions or countries will be installed. The generally very high level of education of employees in Switzerland and countries of contractors (Austria, Germany) represents a competitive advantage. Locations are very attractive for employees. 16 Distance to clients: Education: Labor Costs: Corresponding to the high level of education, salary levels are quite high as well, at least compared to other countries. However, as the operation of Fulltec is not very labor intensive, this does not represent a major disadvantage. G. 5 Research & Development Research & Development is being conducted in laboratories in Austria. As this division caused no problems in the past, there is no plan to combine these efforts in one single place. In R, emphasis is being put on refining existing products. In addition, further potential applications for the same basic formula inherent in all Fulltec products are also developed as new Actives on natural basis. H Organization / Management Direct major efforts to the goal of achieving competitive advantages Lean Organization Management with proven capabilities Profit Sharing by Management H. 1 Organization H. 1. 1 Core Functions In the following, we comment on the core functions within Fulltec today, in the order of current importance or weighing (number of people involved, financial resources). Marketing / Sales: This part definitely requires the most attention in the current phase of development. New distribution and sales partners have to be located, new markets have to be developed, new products introduced, etc. Strong partners offer the best prospects in terms of the variety of products represented and of potential market penetration. Production: The production processes are very well matured. Therefore it can be outsourced to thoroughly selected partners. However Fulltec controls the whole process at any stage. Of course there will be efforts to optimize production, to use free capacities, etc. Even though good patent protection is given, the producers have to prove reliability in keeping the exact formulations secret. R: The major phase of R, the development of the formulations and the final products, is basically done. Therefore main R emphasis will be put into the refinement of existing products and the identification and development of additional applications. However this does not mean that no new products or product lines will be developed in the future. Procurement: As already mentioned in other sections of this business plan, the procurement of the raw materials does not pose any problems, neither in terms of availability nor in terms of price. Increased sales volume in future will even lead to better purchase conditions. Service: Sales advice and support is of major importance for every production company. However, regarding the specific construction of the company, service does not play a major role in the case of Fulltec, as the products do not require any kind of maintenance, repairs, or other frequent advice. Speed and accuracy of delivery on the other hand is of paramount importance. 17

Plato’s Theory of Forms Essay

Qu.1. A] Explain Plato’s concept of the Forms. B] Evaluate carefully Forms as a way of understanding the world. Plato, Socrates’ famous pupil, created the Theory of Forms. This essay will explore the ideas of Plato’s theory, the strengths and weaknesses of his thoughts, and how they affect our understanding of the world. The Theory of Forms states that everything has a Form- whether it is a chair, a bed, an animal etc; absolutely everything has a Form. Plato also states that ‘Forms are perfection’. Plato says there are four Forms for ethical values; these are Truth, Justice, Beauty, and Goodness. Plato believes there is a hierarchy of Forms, with the Form of Goodness being at the top. Plato believes that True Knowledge comes from knowing the four values, and using them to achieve Ultimate Reality. The way to achieve True Knowledge is ‘Only through the mind’ according to Plato. You have to separate body and soul, and concentrate on mind, to accomplish Ultimate Reality. Plato says we are born with the knowledge of Form, and through education, we recollect this knowledge. For example, we say ‘that is a beautiful flower’, but what is beauty? As we grow up, we are told what objects are beautiful; Plato states that we learn of Forms through experience and learning. Plato uses the ‘Analogy of the Cave’ to explain his Theory. The sun in the analogy represents the Form of Goodness; it gives life to everything, and is the source of all. In Christianity, the Form of Goodness is God, as He is the creator and leader. Plato believes to become a true philosopher you must attain knowledge of Forms, and to accomplish true enlightenment you must have true awareness of the Form of Goodness. Plato’s ‘Analogy of the Cave’ also shows that Forms are in a world beyond shadows and beyond appearance, they are the truth within our souls. Saint- Exupery agrees with this by saying ‘What is essential is invisible to the eye’. Plato suggests there is another reality, a reality that is invisible and beyond our senses. Plato says that facts (sight, touch, smell etc) assist in Forms, for example, we look at things to see if they are good. However, Plato says senses are unreliable and relative, and do not give an absolute view on anything. Plato’s ‘Analogy of the Cave’ also explains that although everyone knows the Forms, many refuse to accept them as it can take away the security of illusions, and the world as you know it. Plato believes Forms cannot be taught, only valued, and utilized. Plato’s Theory of Forms has had many criticisms, one being that it is not really a theory. It relies on the ‘Analogy of the Cave’ to support and explain its’ details. This suggests that Plato is unsure of Forms himself, or at least how to explain them. It is suggested that the Theory is unsure of the extent of the Forms, for example, is there a Form for humanity or each individual? This is important as the answer could change the concept of Form, and alter how the concept is used to understand the world. Another criticism is that Plato states that each Form is unique, but does not explain why this is. Plato also tells us about the Forms but does not say what they actually are. This suggests he has little evidence behind his assumptions, and perhaps does not fully understand Forms himself. Plato’s Theory also has many strong points. It is true that we know Forms- such as beauty etc, and learn about them throughout our lives. This suggests that we are born with knowledge of Forms within our minds, and understand the world using these Forms. It is also true that our senses are unreliable and ever-changing, for example we say something is ‘big’ but compared to something else it may be ‘small’. The way we believe things are true, is by using our senses. This suggests that the way we understand the world is untrustworthy and false, as it is based on unreliable sources. Another strong point is how many of us are secure in our world, and do not want to believe another world exists. We are comfortable in believing what surrounds us is true, and do not want our reality to be shattered. Overall, Plato’s theory is complicated and based on the fact that everything has a Form, and we all have an innate knowledge of Forms. Plato’s theory is criticised because it is unclear and imprecise, with little evidence to back it up. Nevertheless, it offers us a different way of thinking and a new light to see things. We have no idea whether it is true- how can we really know anything? Plato’s Theory of Forms is comprehendible and definitely possible and allows us to broaden our mind and consider another reality.