Special Divine Action and Natural Science

A number of modern theologians have concluded that the rise of natural science makes it necessary to give up the idea that God acts in particular ways to affect the course of events in the world. I reply to this claim, taking up the challenge to explain what might be meant by a ”special’ act of God. There are several ways to conceive of such acts, including the possibility that God might determine what is left determinable in the structures of nature, e.g., at the quantum level. I address objections to this view, and consider metaphysical puzzles that it presents

Non-Noetherian Cohen-Macaulay rings

In this paper we investigate a property for commutative rings with identity which is possessed by every coherent regular ring and is equivalent to Cohen-Macaulay for Noetherian rings. We study the behavior of this property in the context of ring extensions (of various types) and rings of invariants.Comment: 16 page

Using Soft Systems Methodology to Improve the Colour Forecasting Process

Colour forecasting is a process where attempts are made to accurately forecast colour for fashion-related products that consumers will purchase in the near future, usually two years ahead. Seasonal colours are recognised as a powerful driver of sales. Currently trend forecasts are marketed and sold globally. The information is broad and generalised and does not take into account colour preferences. In the study the anticipation of consumer acceptance was identified as the weakness of the process and an improved system model was developed replacing the anticipation stage with consumer colour acceptance data. The improved model is considered highly beneficial for fashion-related industries to adopt in order to increase their competitiveness in the global market and to assist waste reduction (unwanted products) that impact on the environment. In this paper the development of the two models is presented and discussed in an attempt to purposely promote the usefulness of soft systems methodology for design research

Gender effects in orientation on primary students' performance on items rich in graphics.

This study investigated the longitudinal performance of 378 students who completed mathematics items rich in graphics. Specifically, this study explored student performance across axis (e.g., numbers lines), opposed-position (e.g., line and column graphs) and circular (e.g., pie charts) items over a three-year period (ages 9-11 years). The results of the study revealed significant performance differences in the favour of boys on graphics items that were represented in horizontal and vertical displays. There were no gender differences on items that were represented in a circular manner

The Transformation of a Charity Shop into a Specialist Fashion Store

More than ten years ago, a Guardian columnist observed a growth in the charity shop sector due to an increase in the number of such outlets on the high streets of towns and cities in the UK. The Guardian more recently reported on a new charity store image evidenced by brand-new charity fashion boutiques being launched by Oxfam in London. This new mode of charity store sold selected re-styled and re-designed items created by young designers from the London College of Fashion. The article stated that ‘the charity was taking its first step towards a more fashion-conscious image: away from the slightly battered shoes and oversize floral skirts it's known for and into the world of designer one-offs and couture accessories’ (Freeman, 2008). It is unquestionable that charity shops have the potential to offer good value fashion to people on a budget as well as attracting fashion-conscious customers. However, if the charity shop is to make the most of this opportunity then certain retail practices are in need of change. The aim of this research was to explore the current trend of UK charity retailers upgrading towards a new target market through the launching of specialist fashion stores and to examine effective strategies for charity shops to achieve up-market fashion retailing. Three retail models from the literature review were used and the research makes use of illustrated visual evidences to demonstrate the performance of charity shops compared to up-market fashion stores. Structured observations, photography and semi-structured interviews were used to develop a new ‘Mannequin Model’ to provide a strategy for charity shops wanting to move into the mid-upper levels of the fashion market. A synthesis representation of localisation and specialisation was found to have potential for launching a specialist fashion outlet in the charity retail sector

Historical Costume Simulation

The aim of this study is to produce accurate reproductions of digital clothing from historical sources and to investigate the implications of developing it for online museum exhibits. In order to achieve this, the study is going through several stages. Firstly, the theoretical background of the main issues will be established through the review of various published papers on 3D apparel CAD, drape and digital curation. Next, using a 3D apparel CAD system, this study attempts the realistic visualization of the costumes based on the establishment of a valid simulation reference. This paper reports the pilot exercise carried out to scope the requirements for going forward

Application Research of 3D Printing Technology on Dress Forms

Abstract— Dress form is an essential tool in the clothing-making process for pattern block development, draping and quality inspection. However, it is noted that a single dress form is not applicable for a large variety body shapes. There are adjustable dress forms and custom-made dress forms to attempt to make up for the insufficiency of conventional dress forms. However, such types of dress forms are rather costly and their effectiveness is debatable. With this is mind, a customised adjustable kit for the dress form was developed, with the aim to cover different sizes and shapes more precisely. The kit adopts 3D printing technology which enables generating and changing the shape of components efficiently

The Jurisprudence of the First Woman Judge, Florence Allen: Challenging the Myth of Women Judging Differently

A key question for legal scholars and political scientists is whether women jurists judge differently than men. Some studies have suggested that women judges are more likely to support plaintiffs in sexual harassment, employment, and immigration cases. Other studies conclude that women are more likely to vote liberally in death penalty and obscenity cases, and more likely to convince their male colleagues to join a liberal opinion. Yet other studies have found little evidence that women judge differently from men.This article explores the jurisprudence of the first woman judge, Judge Florence Allen, to test these claims of gender difference in judging. Judge Allen was the first woman judge many times over: the first woman elected to a general trial court (Cuyahoga County Common Pleas in 1920), the first woman elected to a state supreme court (Ohio 1922), the first woman appointed to a federal appellate court (U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in 1932), and the first woman shortlisted for the U.S. Supreme Court. Her forty years on the bench included cases of constitutional law, administrative power, criminal process, labor rights, and patent cases. Using original archival research, this Article shows that Allen\u27s judicial record supports the conclusion that women judge no differently from men. However, Allen worked hard to cultivate this conclusion, seeking to distance herself from claims of women’s difference and inferiority, and instead seeking to establish that women could “think like a man.” Her deliberate effort was to judge in a moderate, neutral, and objective manner, distancing the work from her feminist activism. Overall the historical record reveals the jurisprudence of the first woman judge as one of moderation, fitted to the male-centric norms of the profession and rejecting any promise of women’s advocacy on the bench