Rationing Healthcare Essay Example

Rationing Healthcare Essay Rationing Healthcare: Americas Best Bet John Curry Keller Graduate School Health Rights/Responsibilities HSM 542 Prof. Michelle Gomillion February 24, 2013 Abstract Rationing Healthcare: Americas Best Bet Introduction. Within the last decade private insurance premiums have doubled, rising four times faster than wages. Insolvency of the current government assisted healthcare programs, Medicare and Medicaid, are on track to occur within the next eight years (Singer, 2009, para. 3). Facts such as these lead most experts and scholars such as Peter Singer, bioethics professor at Princeton University, to believe rationing of healthcare is not only necessary but highly desired for all stakeholders involved. The fact of the matter is that healthcare is a scarce resource, and like all scarce resources, it requires close management and rationing to ensure its best use. At present, healthcare in a sense, is rationed through price. In the realm of public opinion however, rationing healthcare is often times connected to the highly politicized word, ‘socialism’ and is highly undesired. In its truest form however, rationing simply put, is a way of distributing limited resources to garner the best overall â€Å"bang for the buck. † In healthcare, rationing is a manner of which providing the best quality of care to the largest number of patients. Investopedia defines rationing as: The artificial restriction of raw materials, goods or services. Rationing commonly occurs when governments fear a shortage and want to make sure people have access to necessities, such as after a natural disaster or during a war. We will write a custom essay sample on Rationing Healthcare specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Rationing Healthcare specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Rationing Healthcare specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Governments can also impose rationing in the face of failed policies such as central planning, or may be forced to use rationing as a result of shortages (Definition of ’Rationing’, 2013, p. 1). This paper’s purpose is to examine the rationale behind the rationing of healthcare. It will examine the affect it has on healthcare delivery, impact on healthcare providers and consumers, possible solutions, and the role healthcare administrators/managers play in the process. The paper will reference institutions such as the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and other national healthcare systems like Great Britain, Australia, and Canada. In addition, a definition of quality-adjusted life-year will be presented and debated as a possible option to ration care fair and proportionately. Affect Rationing Has on Healthcare Delivery. Challenger’s arguement. Sally C. Pipes, Chief Executive officer of Pacific Research Institute and adversary to the rationing of healthcare, wrote an article titled â€Å"Obama Will Ration Your Healthcare. Within the article, many subjects are discussed, including the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), a rationing system that controls government costs. It is Pipes’ belief that rationing healthcare will result in the elderly population being discriminated against due to cost benefit analysis. Her article goes on further to state, â€Å"the process of determining whi ch drugs and which treatments would be approved for use would be quickly politicized† (Pipes, 2008, para. 9). There is strong argument that rationing healthcare would ultimately fail in the hands of public opinion. To make this point, Pipes references lessons learned in managed care during the 1990’s. The goal of cost containment was successful however rejected by US citizens resulting in Congress passing a patient’s Bill of Rights (Pipes, 2008, para. 8). Other advocates against healthcare rationing state similar responses to Sally Pipes. Claire Andre and Manuel Velasquez, members of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, go as far as quoting Euripedes, 500 B. C. I hate the men who would prolong their lives by foods and drinks and charms of magic art perverting natures course to keep off death. They ought, when they no longer serve the land to quit this life, and clear the way for youth. It is their firm belief that through rationing, healthcare would result in the elderly and disabled populations being limited in their care because of a measure called a quality-adjusted life- year (QALY). QALY is a unit designed to enable a comparison of the benefits achieved by different forms of health care (Singer, 2009, para. 22). Andre and Velasquez state the morals of such rationing would be unjust and take away constitutional rights to receive equal care. Proponent’s arguement. Many proponents for rationing healthcare resources feel it is only a matter of time before it becomes necessary. Healthcare analysts and providers predict a health care crisis because of: * Costs of Healthcare * Increased number of uninsured individuals * Unknown status of current healthcare system Factors that are affecting these conclusions consist of: * Expenses are rising faster than the cost of living. Medicare and Medicaid spending (which comprises 26 percent of the federal budget) is expanding faster than the economic growth rate * Individuals and their families continue to pay a significant amount out of pocket (Ukleja Center for Ethical Leadership, 2012, Slide 3) While these factors are compelling, the numbers representing US spending costs ultimately lend credence to the argument for healthcare rationing. In June of 2011, the National Coalition on Health Care reported healthcare spending reached 18. 2% of US Gross Domestic Product (GDP), up by 5. % from the prior year (The National Coalition on Health Care, 2011, p. 1). With a continued climb in spending, insolvency of the current healthcare system could occur as early as eight years. President Obama has plainly stated â€Å"that America’s health care system is broken† (Singer, 2009, para. 5). Proponents for the rationing of healthcare are in agreement with the President and see little to no alternative. While some feel rationing is the way to avoid bankrupting the healthcare system others believe the wrong form of rationing is already occurring in the form of ability to pay. Examples of such rationing comes in the form of pharmaceutical deductibles for life saving medication. If the individual is unable to afford the medication they go without. Professionals like Simon Rottenberg, Professor of Economics at the University of Massachusetts, and David J. Theroux, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Independent Institute and Publisher of The Independent Review, warn against this form of rationing and instead, believe it should be based on a measurement of life quality. They state: There is a strong emotional attraction for price controls as a way for the government to â€Å"do something. † However, well-intentioned motives are not enough—the results also count and whether the consequences from government action are beneficial to the public, especially the disadvantaged, or not (Rottenberg ; Theroux, 1994, p. 1). Examples of where well-intentioned government motives failed in their attempts to ration health care based on price can be found in Germany and Japan. Due to the belt tightening based price rationing both countries experienced shortages of medications, reduced funding for research, and black market criminal activity, along with dissatisfied patients (Rottenberg ; Theroux, 1994, p. 2). Although there is a valid argument for rationed care, determination of what factor should be used to determine who gets what care is still up for debate. Under the solutions category of this paper quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) will be further defined and labeled as the best way to ration care. A method for calculating QALY will be explained and its validity defended. Current Impact on Healthcare Consumers and Institutions. Health care organizations around the world all rely on some form of rationing of care due to limited resources. Ultimately rationing limits access to healthcare. In the case of the United States, this is done through health coverage both government and private. Creating a universal coverage system will require a rationing system that is both ethical and cost effective. Its impacts can only be examined in theory based on review and comparing of the US to that of other countries’ such as Canada and Great Britain. Review of healthcare rationing in the United States. When comparing the United States’ current healthcare coverage system to those of other countries, the country does not measure up. Under the current system, health care costs in the US result in absorption of approximately one in six dollars of national spending (Singer, 2009). A poor economy along with increased healthcare costs have reduced the number of those with healthcare coverage. In 2012 the estimates indicate approximately 44. 6% of US citizens have health care coverage, a decline of 1. % from the prior year (Young, 2013). At present, the US spends 1. 5 times more than other countries around the world (Kane, 2012, para. 8) with 90% percent of Americans who believe the US healthcare system needs fundamental changes or a complete overhaul (Center for American Progress, 2007, p. 3). Great Britain. In Britain, all citizens have healthcare coverage, a sharp contrast to the United States. 76% of citizens in Great Britain approve of the current system (Singer, 2009) and 9. 6% of GDP is spent on their healthcare needs (Kane, 2012, table 2). The country uses the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) as a resource for determining the rationing of health care services. NICE is an independent organization that provides national guidance and standards on the promotion of good health and the prevention and treatment of ill health (NHS Choices, 2011, para. 3). The organization focuses on: * Public health * Health technologies * Clinical practice * Quality standards * Quality and outcomes framework Canada. Possible Solution. QALY is an opportunity as a measurement for a unbiased approach to organizing healthcare under an umbrella of unified understanding. As a proponent to rationing of healthcare, QALY offers an approach that focuses on the best quality of life compared to that of life extensions. For example, an individual who is 3o years of age has a life expectancy of 70 years compared to that of someone who is 85 years of age who has exceeded their life expectancy. It is cost beneficial to provide life -saving medicine to the individual who is at 30 opposed to the one who are 85 because there is a greater bang for the buck. In essence QALY is a measurement that can help determine the best way to use resources and allocate funds toward the best overall outcome. Unfortunately this decision can result in death for those of less dire circumstances or for those that are less likely to result in successful outcomes. Until American citizens decide on the emphasis of cost vs. life the matter will remain unresolved. Until then, healthcare remains in a grey area where they attempt to balance the value of life with the costs that are associate with maintaining life. References Andre, C. ; Velasquez, M. (2010). Aged-Based Health Care Rationing. Retrieved from http://www. scu. edu/ethics/publications/iie/v3n3/age. html Center for American Progress. (2007). Health Care by the Numbers: Ensure Affordable Coverage for All. Retrieved from http://www. americanprogress. org/issues/healthcare/news/2007/05/03/2962/health-care-by-the-numbers/ Definition of ’Rationing’. (2013). Retrieved from http://www. investop edia. com/terms/r/rationing. asp#axzz2Lp5M2H7u Kane, J. (2012). Health Costs: How the U. S. Compares With Other Countries. Retrieved from http://www. pbs. rg/newshour/rundown/2012/10/health-costs-how-the-us-compares-with-other-countries. html NHS Choices. (2011). Health watchdogs and authorities . Retrieved from http://www. nhs. uk/NHSEngland/thenhs/healthregulators/Pages/nice. aspx Pipes, S. C. (2008). Obama Will Ration Your Health Care. Retrieved from http://online. wsj. com/article/SB123060332638041525. html Rottenberg, S. , ; Theroux, D. J. (1994). Rationing Health Care: Price Controls Are Hazardous to Our Health . Retrieved from http://www. independent. org/publications/article. asp? id=1201 Singer, P. (2009). Why We Must Ration Health Care. Retrieved from http://www. nytimes. com/2009/07/19/magazine/19healthcare-t. html? pagewanted=all;_r=0 The National Coalition on Health Care. (2011). Health Care Spending as Percentage of GDP Reaches All-Time High. Retrieved from http://nchc. org/node/1171 Ukleja Center for Ethical Leadership. (2012). Rationing Health Care. Retrieved from www. csulb. edu/colleges/cba/ucel/modules/documents/rationing-health Young, J. (2013). Number of Uninsured in U. S. Rises as Workers Lose Jobs and Health Insurance. Retrieved from http://www. huffingtonpost. com/2012/02/14/number-of-uninsured-in-us_n_1276189. html

Two Lives Reflected essays

Two Lives Reflected essays Gluckel von Hameln or Glikl and Marie de LIncarnation lived mirror like lives in Women on the Margins: Three Seventeenth Century Lives by Natalie Zemon Davis. The two women were very devout in their religion. They were both well-educated women. They were both motivated women. They both broke the boundaries that women faced in the 17th Century. Glikl was a devout Jew. She married at the age of twelve as most of the Jews did unlike Christian women of the times that wed at 18. The two lived with each of their parents for a year after marriage. This was a typical custom of Jewish marriages in the 17th Century. They then moved out into a rented house and two servants. This was all that they were allowed to have. She married off her children in several different cities. This was a Jewish strategy of marrying children in cities that were far off and some that were close to home. The reasoning behind this was that there were insufficient Ashkenazim of the proper status to go around. They also took advantage of the Jewish law permitting first cousins to marry with one of their daughters. Marie de L'Incarnation was an Ursuline sister in Quebec. She was of the two women who founded the first Ursuline convent and school for girls in North America. Marie spent years insisting on Christian truth to people that her countrymen intruded upon. She would take on a pastoral role to the Buisson wagoners and stablemen. She would get them to admit their faults and failings while she presided over the dinner table, lecturing them on God and his commandments, rousing them if they had gone to bed without saying their prayers. Marie went to Canada to spread the word. She taught at a school in both Algonquian and Iroquoian languages. She would also go on flying missions to spread the word farther from the Quebec center of Catholicism. She wrote catechisms, prayers, dictionaries, and a big book of sacred h ...

Week 5 Project #2 Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Week 5 Project #2 - Research Proposal Example Malicious damage could be prevented through the utilisation of different security checks aimed at authenticating identities of individuals utilising the system. Passwords remain a common method utilised in identification of authorised individuals accessing an information system The system shall consist of a self assessment strategy aimed at ensuring multi-level security of the entire system. The approach adopted for the system shall occur at different layers of the system stack. The various layers shall include the following These applications are implemented to monitor malicious activities within an information system platform (Whitman & Mattord, 2009). Network behaviour analysis shall be utilised in the prevention of intrusion. This kind of prevention analyses network behaviour and identifies threats through monitoring unusual activities. Statistical anomaly based detection shall be employed in detecting threats occurring within the network. Information system audit is aimed at analysing the development strategy for the information system. The auditing process shall be undertaken by a professional IT organisation to ensure all aspects of the system are effectively checked. The working processes and practices must also be analysed as a way of improving the functioning of the system. Information assurance could be defined as the application of numerous methods of providing protection for information systems, like computer networks. In providing protection of computer systems there are five fundamental qualities which as system must sufficiently satisfy to ensure successful protection. The five qualities are as listed below Non-repudiation – this ensures that the system maintains a record of all activities undertaken. This works in ensuring that individuals remain responsible as their actions can be retraced within the system. This refers to the process of encoding information to ensure only

Discuss the strategic roles of middle managers Assignment

Discuss the strategic roles of middle managers - Assignment Example The paper will also discuss participation in strategy making from a middle level management perspective. Main body In their study, Currie and Proctor (2005) concur with the literature that argues that organizational performance is mainly influenced by what takes place in the middle of the organization than what happens at the top. Based on the work of Floyd and Wooldridge (1992, 1994, 1997, 2000), Currie and Proctor (2005) argue that middle managers have a significant role to play in the ‘thinking’ as well as ‘doing’ of strategy in the organization. The middle managers can actually influence the direction of strategy from top to bottom or bottom to top. According to Currie and Proctor (2005), middle managers play four significant roles in strategic decisions in the organization. First, they synthesise information about the operations of the organisation which can be channelled upwards to the executives and can be used in strategy formulation. Second, the mid dle managers can reshape the strategies formulated by the executives since they are closer to all activities that occur in the organization. Thirdly, the middle managers can also exert downward influence especially in areas that are outside the reach of the executives. The fourth point is that middle managers are responsible for implementing deliberate strategy where they translate corporate strategy into action plans. Thus, it can be noted that from the middle management perspective, the middle managers have important strategic roles to make in an organization. Without middle managers, it may be difficult to achieve consistency in the performance of the organization. Raes et al (2011, p. 102) also suggest that â€Å"the interaction of the top management team (TMT) and middle managers (MMs) is central to effective strategy formulation and implementation.† It can be argued that the middle managers are at the center of all activities in the organization. For instance, they dire ctly link with the top executives and the supervisors and other subordinates below them. This makes then significant in strategy formulation. They provide useful ideas to the executives which can be incorporated in the organization’s strategies and they also interpret these strategies to their subordinates. This makes them a bridging stone in the formulation and implementation of various strategies in the organization. The other important element is that the middle managers are directly responsible for the operations of the organization hence the reason why they are so important in strategic decision making and implementation in a particular organization. Wooldridge, Schmid & Floyd (2008) also concur with the notion that the middle managers are central to explaining key organizational outcomes from what they call a â€Å"middle management perspective.† There are several motivations have been described in the literature as the basis for a middle management perspective ( Floyd & Wooldridge, 2000, as cited in Wooldridge, Schmid & Floyd, 2008). The middle managers for instance play an intermediary role and they serve as important interfaces disconnected parties in the organizations. For instance, there is no direct interaction between the subordinates in the organization and the senior executives. However, the middle managers bridge this gap through top and down communication to these disconnected actors in the organization. Therefore, to a larger extent, it can be observed that the middle

Motivators For Tourist Trips To Different Destinations Essay

Motivators For Tourist Trips To Different Destinations - Essay Example Both outbound and inbound tourism have had a stable growth in tourists. The type and state of weather and climate are a major influence of tourist destinations. The state of the atmosphere in a given place at a particular time describes weather while climate is the prevailing condition of the atmosphere determined after a long period of surveillance(Avraham&Ketter, 2008).The travel and tourism industry has been a major contributor to the economy for a long period. Both outbound and inbound tourism have had a stable growth in tourists. The type and state of weather and climate are a major influence of tourist destinations. The state of the atmosphere in a given place at a particular time describes weather while climate is the prevailing condition of the atmosphere determined after a long period of surveillance(Avraham&Ketter, 2008).Climate is one of the elements of geography that constitute geographical space, contributing to the environmental conditions that encourage or hinder touri sm. People seek to settle in areas that offer the highest comfort and chances of existence in terms of climate. Following this fact, the climate is considered to delimit optimal zones for tourism both at a regional and global scale. For instance, the warm temperate zones are considered optimal for beach and sun tourism.Where tourism uses geographical space, it is because there is specific components which depending on how they are appreciated socially, can be exploited and subsequently assimilated into tourism as a good or service.

Health Problems in Pakistan

Health Problems in Pakistan At the time of the independence, Pakistan inherited a health care delivery system that was a heritage of grand British period. This system was in the shape of public health services and some curative services In Pakistan the planning and formulation of health policies is dealt by federal government and the provincial government has the responsibility to ensure the proper implementation of those policies. Government is investing its limited resources in the development of medical colleges and universities rather than investing in improving the quality of health care by training medical professional by introducing public health schools and technicians training institutions. In Pakistan there is shortage of nurses, skilled midwives and birth attendants, dentists and pharmacists. The impact of government negligence towards health care on people of Pakistan can be seen from latest incident of Punjab.In Punjab many people have died after consuming harmful cough syrup and life threatening medicines. There is poor health care status of women which is a major reason of the problem of maternal mortality. A vast majority of women in the country suffer from anaemia and malnutrition which is quite dangerous during pregnancy. In the context of general neglect for health in Pakistan, the mental health represents an area of even greater neglect. The effect of poor public health system can be seen from the ever increasing cases of diarrhea especially in children. Therefore as a child may be dying of diarrhea there is high probability that childs father may be suffering from cardio-vascular disorders. Rich section of society has the better access to health facilities as they have more many and can afford private hospitals but poor on the other hand has no access to basic health facilities. The Government should ensure quality in delivering health services. It should provide better incentives to health professionals and should focus on designing training institutes to ensure the proper health care system in Pakistan as a healthy nation can ensure better productivity and healthy economy. Introduction: Access to health facilities is the basic responsibility of every citizen but unfortunately the Government of Pakistan has failed to fulfill its commitment with health sector. Hypothesis: Poor Public health care has negative effects on the people of Pakistan Brief History of the Health Care System At the time of the independence, Pakistan inherited a health care delivery system that was a heritage of grand British period. This system was in the shape of public health services and some curative services. It was basically designed to prevent large scale epidemic and provide medicinal services for the population in large and medium sized towns, many of which were along the lines of communication or political or strategic consequences. (1947-1955) during initial phase, most important foremost problem was the replacement of staff. With the support of UNICEF, BCG vaccination campaign was launched and to add more, medical schools were opened in the West Pakistan. Phase known as Five Year Plan from 1955 onwards, developmental activities were affected in phases of five year. Throughout (1955-1960) 1st Five Year Plan six new medical colleges were made, one for women were opened in both wings, a nursing school was attached to each of these medical schools. Postgraduate institution was also established at the same time. Throughout (1960-1965), 2nd Five Year Plan over the recommendation of a Medical Reform Commission, to cover 50000 populations by Rural Health Center scheme, two Health Technicians Training institutes were open, a malaria eradication program and family planning program were launched. Throughout 3rd Five Year Plan (1965-1970) in addition to extension of the abovementioned initiatives, l Tuberculosis Control Program and Small Pox eradication programs were launched and the major infrastructure of the public health care system was set up in the 1970. Launched by the World Health Organization Pakistan endorsed the health for all by 2000 initiative. Throughout 4th Five Year Plan (1970-1975), share of medicines was largely increased for major hospitals, generic name drug system was introduced to cut down the prices of medicines, eight publicly owned fair price drug shops were opened, three new nursing schools ,six new medical colleges , and one public health school were opened. (1978-1983) The 5th Five Year Plan was planned for 1975-1980, but to cover the deficiencies and to make a more practical plan, the slight shift was made. Under Country Health Program (CHP), that aimed at improving planning and management of health services was done. Throughout 6th Five Year Plan (1983-1988), government launched rural development program that provided base for Health for all by the year 2000. Throughout 7th Five Year Plan (1988-1993), new facilities like (Basic Health Units and Rural Health Centers) were established, female medical technician school was made, and laboratory facilities with health facilities were provided. Health facilities were linked with trained paramedics and semi-skilled termed as community health workers. (1993-1998) In 8th Five Year Plan (1993-1998), HMIS (Health management information system), SAP (Social action program), and Prime Minister Program for Family Planning and Primary Health Care were launched. Throughout 9th Five Year Plan (1998-2003) , public private partnership and privatization of health facilities were the areas of programming, Decentralized Planning, Levying user charges for financing were made. In latest initiatives taken by government it has planned to create Programmatic and Organizational and Management Reforms. These are to promote elimination of poverty agenda of government, under health sector reforms, devolution has acquired immediate importance and major impetus is on district health system. The Health care Policy of Pakistan considers health sector investment as a part of governments Poverty Reduction Plan. It gives more importance to primary and secondary health services in comparison to tertiary level health services in the past. To achieve quality in health sector government is making little efforts to improve governance in health sector. Organizational structure of public health care system According to the constitution of Pakistan health care is mainly the responsibility of provincial governments, except in the territories administered by federal government. The planning and formulation of health policies is dealt by federal government and the provincial government has the responsibility to ensure the proper implementation of those policies. The responsibility of the implementation of some vertical programs on AIDS and malaria, and extended program of immunization rests largely with the federal Ministry of Health. Health care sector in Pakistan consist of private and public sector. The private sector serves nearly 70% of the population, is primarily a fee for service system and covers the range of health care provision from trained allopathic physicians to faith healers operating in the informal private sector. Neither private, nor non government sectors work within a regulatory framework and very little information is available regarding the extent of human, physical, and financial resources involved. The public sector consists of more than 10,000 health facilities ranging from Basic Health Units (BHUs) to tertiary referral canters. Currently Basic Health Unit covers around 10,000 people on the other hand the larger Rural Health Centers (RHCs) cover around 30000-450000 people. In Pakistan, Primary Health Care (PHC) units consist of both BHUs and RHCs. At sub district level the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital covers the population while the District Headquarters Hospital serves a district as its name suggests. At present there are 22 Health Systems Profile- Pakistan Regional Health Systems Observatory- EMRO 28 tertiary care facilities in Pakistan, which are mostly teaching institutions located in the major cities. According to a study less than 30 % of the population has the access to the facilities of the PHC units and on average every person visits a PHC facility less than once a year. The reasons for their underutilization, as recognized by both the managers and consumers, are the lack of health care professionals and specially women, high rates of absenteeism, poor quality of services and inconvenient location of PHC Units. There are many organizations like the Pakistan Army, railways, departments of local government and many other independent organizations that are providing healthcare facilities to their employees and those employees form a major portion of the population. In Pakistan the planning for health care system has three main parts which includes a formal planning which resolves around the production of 5-15 year long term plans, short-term plans (ADP) and annual recurrent budgets. The Federal Ministry of Planning and Development which is commonly known as the Planning Commission in Pakistan is mainly responsible for long term and strategic planning of health care system and the Provincial Health Departments and the Ministry Of Health design their plans in line with the overall policies of the Planning Commission. Development of appropriate plans requires the clear knowledge and understanding of heath related issues and the needs of the society and the knowledge of indicators of social development. Evaluation of needs for health care programmes in Pakistan is usually based on the size of the population in a particular area. Unfortunately the government does not take seriously the detailed needs of those areas. There are many flaws in the implementation of healthcare programs and there is discrimination as well on the basis of locality. In posh areas people have better health care facilities. Villages At present the public health sector generates insignificant amount of resources through token user charges. The key source of financing of the public sector in Pakistan is the government. Through Annual Development Plans (ADPs) capital investment in the public sector is financed. The Annual Development Plans (ADPs) include external funding derived from foreign aid (overseas funding) from both bilateral and multilateral organizations. It is the responsibility of federal government to finances the development budgets of provincial governments. The provinces are independent when it comes to the allocation of funds over different sectors. As far as the non development budgets of provincial governments are concerned then those budgets are funded by provincial government revenues though the Federal Government covers existing deficits through non essential grants. Even though public sector expenditure on health has remained less than 1% of GNP for a long time, per capita health expenditures have improved a great deal in last decades. The sum total of percentage of GNP that government spends on the healthcare in Pakistan ranges between 3 and 4 percent with 2-3 percent of GNP directed towards private healthcare. Human Resource condition in Pakistans health sector: There is a shortage of clear sustainable vision for human resource development and the federal MOH or provincial DOH does not have a unit, responsible for such an important health system function. There is gender discrimination in health sector. Females are given priority when it comes to nursing. We hardly see male nurses. Government is investing its limited resources in the development of medical colleges and universities rather than investing in improving the quality of health care by training medical professional by introducing public health schools and technicians training institutions. Even though there is a increasing interest to address the problems in human resource in medicine in Pakistan including shortage of nurses, skilled midwives and birth attendants, dentists and pharmacists the future planning for tackling these issues of medical health concerning health professionals and their abilities in the countries is still unclear and the government is still unable to pinpoint the major areas of problem. Recently the Government of Pakistan has started a new national program for the training of community midwives by actually investing on it. The program has been launched to address the issue of incompetent and untrained midwives which are pretty dangerous to health sector. The government has announced that the first batch of trained community midwives will be ready soon. . Many new nursing and midwifery schools have also been launched by government in some districts and provinces. There are some academic institutes that are providing post graduate training in nursing in order to relieve the disaster in nursing which is generated by limited production and external brain drain. In the framework of health system development, there is an alarming shortage of skilled and qualified healthcare experts like human resource planners in health sector, health information experts, heath care system managers and healthcare economists. The governments ability to train the staff members is pretty limited to non-existent in the country. Unfortunately government is unable to fully train the medical staff and is still playing with the life of people. As far as the pre-service training of health experts is concerned conventional methods are being followed and there is a difference between educational objectives which are highlighted on hospital based care instead of addressing the needs of the communities for primitive, defensive curative and rehabilitative services. Due to many institutional ad professional reasons like lack of interest from the PMDC the attempts to establish strong rules and approaches including COME (community oriented medical education) have not been successful in medical schools . Another reason of its failure is the weak department of public health in medical schools and lack of commitment of government and heads of medical institutes. The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has the responsibility of registration, licensing and assessment of the medical and dental practitioners, curriculum review, evaluation and approval of educational institutions. It is also responsible for many other regulatory activities. It has proved to be inefficient in its working by issuing license to the incompetent dental and medical practitioners which are practicing in the health sector. The role and responsibility of PMDC is questioned by the Ministry of health as it is unable to perform its functions well. It is not fulfilling its commitment to the health sector. The ministry of health has so far not taken any corrective measures in this regard. It is just asking questions and not finding answers which should be its priority. There is no system of structured continuous professional development and there is no way by which a medical professional is held responsible for its incompetence. Although the PMDC has made some attempts but they have not been materialized yet. The attempts made by PMDC have not materialized yet. There is a shortage of public health and community direction in the programs of medical and nursing schools. Graduates of these schools are not well prepared to practice in a public health care atmosphere while these needs are most important. Some organizations and medical schools have recently started course in nursing like Aga Khan University Hospital has recently started a degree program in nursing but we all know that it operates in private sector not in public sector. In 1990 under the Family Health Projects to develop programs a network of 4 provincial and 60 district health development centers was established for in service training of staff. These centers have not been properly institutionalized beyond their project life and seem to fade out gradually. Homeopathic doctors and Yunani Hakims became almost non-existent under the regulation of private practitioners and different traditional categories of medical practices. Data on various categories of professionals are limited and fragmented. This situation is affected by the fact that registration is not up to date and in some cases professionals are practicing their work without being getting registered. However Pakistan is gifted with important training and research institutions and highly qualified professionals who can add in the design and implementation of a well expressed policy and strategies for human resource development. Young doctors Association- Punjab: The young doctors association in Punjab has been laying great pressure over government since last year to accept their demands. On 8th November 2012 the representatives of the Punjab government, including Adviser of the CM Salman Rafiq, chief secretary and health secretary they give surety to the YDA office-bearers that the CM would issue a notification about acceptance of demands within 48 hours, said YDA General Council Punjab Chairman Dr. Muhammad Haroon. He further said that the demands have been accepted by the government of the YDA regarding termination of an FIR drawn against four young doctors in the first week of July this year in Lahore during the young doctors strike that remained intact for 21 days. But the doctors are again showing their stubborn and non-professional attitude towards ailing humanity, as they are not continuing their duties by staying away from the government hospitals across the province of Punjab including Lahore. On Friday, the third day of protest they continued to press the government to immediately release all the arrested doctors and also pull out cases registered against them regarding Gujranwala incident (ÂÂ  Young doctors got beaten and injured the DHQ Hospital medical superintendent, senior doctors and journalists during their protestÂÂ  ). The young doctors have boycotted the out-patient departments, indoor departments and operation theatres as well as the OPDs. However emergencies are still functional, due to these patients are suffering. This time, not only patients but senior doctors, civil society and people from other walks of life are criticizing the young doctors for their wrong approach. They blamed the bureaucracy for playing politics with them and have asked the provincial government to stop harassing young doctors through registration of cases against them. Punjab Government decided to suspend and transfer young doctors: The Punjab government recently has released notifications regarding the suspension and transfer of many leaders of the Young Doctors Association (YDA). Healthcare facilities were restored in all government hospitals and the young doctors resumed their duties all over Punjab after the association gave a deadline of six days to the provincial government to accept their demands.ÂÂ  YDA doctors have warned the provincial government that they would go on strike again if their service structure is restored. Gujrawala incident has no justification where annoyed doctors over the arrest of the young doctors YDA leaders slammed into the office of Gujranwala District Headquarters Hospital medical superintendent and beat him up along with some journalists trying to cover the incident after that the YDA went on strike.ÂÂ   The Pakistan Medical Association and the Punjab government planned some strict measures against these young doctors and they had to give up for the doctors responsible for the manhandling of the MS and the strike was brought to an end. National Health Policy: Health policyÂÂ  can be defined as the decisions, plans, and actions that are undertaken to achieve specificÂÂ  health careÂÂ  goals within a society.According to theÂÂ  World Health Organization, an explicit health policy can achieve several things: it defines a vision for the future; it outlines priorities and the expected roles of different groups; and it builds consensus and informs people. National Health Policy Gillanis views: On 22nd April 2012 the former Prime Minister of Pakistan Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said that the effective and sustained implementation of the National Health Policy 2010 would go a long way in meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MGDs).The National Health Policy incorporates key priorities such as family planning, maternal and child health, workforce development and meeting the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, he said while speaking at the inauguration of the newly expanded and renovated Accident andÂÂ   Emergency Department of Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre (JPMC). The Governor Dr. Ishrat-ul- Ebad Khan, Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Parliamentarians, CMs Special Assistant Waqar Mehdi, Sindh Chief Secretary Abdus Subhan Memon were also present on that occasion. Yousuf Raza Gilani said that the National Health PolicyÂÂ  has been formulated on the basis ofÂÂ  recommendations by the Health Policy Task Force in consultation with all key stakeholders.ÂÂ  He further added that the health sector has traditionally beenÂÂ  a neglected area and it did not receive theÂÂ  attention it rightfully deserved. The vast vacuumÂÂ  existing between policy decision-making and operational levels impacted adversely upon the delivery of health related services.ÂÂ   The systematic flaws of our mixed health infrastructureÂÂ  resulted in wastage of resources, duplication of work and inability of health institutions responsible for spearheading the reform agenda.ÂÂ   The broader structural dimensions such as decentralization, efficiency, economical use of resources and mechanisms of social protection were also ignored, he remarked.ÂÂ  He said thatÂÂ  in 2008, he had ordered the establishment of a Health Policy Task Force to design institutional response to the problems of the health sector.ÂÂ   He announced an additional grant of Rs 55 million for the remaining work ofÂÂ   the on- going renovation and expansion project of JPMC for taking this immense project to a logical conclusion.ÂÂ   He said the abolition of the Concurrent List from the Constitution after the unanimous passage of the 18th Amendment and historic adoption of the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award has empowered the provinces politically, administratively and financially. Health and Education are now purely provincial subjects and it isÂÂ  for the provinces to rise to the occasion and make the differenceÂÂ  through innovative methods of implementation of policies.ÂÂ   I would like to urge the provinces to focus on building their capacity for effective delivery of health services at the grassroots level, Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said.ÂÂ   Stating the Quaid-e-Azams message at Eid-ul-Azha on October 24, 1947 the Gillani read Let us mobilize all our resources in a systematic and organized way and tackle the grave issues that confront us with grim determination and discipline worthy of a great nation.ÂÂ   Talking about the demand of JPMC staff for maintaining the status of the hospital as an independent body under the federal government, he said that he will ask the Chairman Implementation Commission Senator Raza Rabbani to visit the federal hospitals and discuss the issues with the Chief Minister, Governor and the administration. He appreciated the efforts and services of Executive Director JPMC Tasneem Ahsan and incharge of Emergency Department Dr. Seemi Jamali for achieving the goal of making the best and biggest A E department in a public sector institution in this country.ÂÂ   He said the Hospital has lived up to the expectations of people by responding to the health-related challenges, which should be encouraging for the management and staff of the JPMC.ÂÂ   Of late, Karachi, the financial hub of Pakistan, has witnessed the recurring incidents of terrorism and terrible bomb blasts.ÂÂ   The Hospital and its staff have commendably responded to the challenge of tending to the injured and thus added a glowing chapter of dedicated service, he said. His final remarks were: The people of Karachi are rightfully proud of you. Health Service Delivery in Pakistan: The infrastructure of public health service delivery of Pakistan consist of 5000 basic health units, 600 rural health centres, 7500 other first-level care facilities and over 100 000 lady health workers which are providingÂÂ  basic health careÂÂ  services across the country. As far as secondary care hospitals are concerned then there are 989 hospitals, atÂÂ  tehsilÂÂ  and districtÂÂ  levels which are responsible for the referrals. The responsibility of provincial department of health has increases after the devolution plan in health. Extensive WHO support for capacity-building is required to ensure that the provincial health authorities canÂÂ  deliver at the expected level to improve health conditions,ÂÂ  especiallyÂÂ  for population groups with the least access to health. The role of lady health workers: Through the deployment of 110 000 lady health workers covering almost 60% to 65% of the target population the community involvement has become a major feature of the extension of health care services to rural areas and urban slums Government has established the lady health worker programme. The main goals of the program are enhancement of maternal, newbornÂÂ  and child health, provision of family planning services and the integration of other vertical health programmes. For independent Expanded Programme on Immunization vaccinations lady health workers have been trained in selected districts Without recognizing the importance of family planning component, increasing competencies and skills of lady health workers, increasing their knowledge about health issues, sustained logistics and more robust management oversight and support we cannot guarantee the proper performance and quality of such programs. In the context of devolution the long term commitment and honesty for better service deliveryÂÂ  and capacity building of theÂÂ  lady health workersÂÂ  is required. Basic health services package: The WHO has undertaken the responsibility of development and costing of the basic health services package in Pakistan. The goal of which was to implement consistent integratedÂÂ  chief health care in first-level care facilities. This goalÂÂ  was associated to the draft of national health policy (2010)ÂÂ  for national implementation connected to overall approval of the policy. The concept of basic health services package has been implemented in Punjab as minimum service delivery standards. Nevertheless, Government needs to determine theÂÂ  requirements for the implementation of the basic health services package, including a costing examination.ÂÂ  This may also be a supporter for development of the total funding distribution of health in Pakistan. Private health care: Through a network of private providers the private health care sector accounts for 70%-80% of health care delivery.ÂÂ  On the other hand deficiency of standards and quality of care at all levels of service delivery andÂÂ  the lack of regulation compromise health care delivery outcomes in this sector. Effects of poor public health system on the people of Pakistan: The lack of information is one factor that hinders the Poor peoples use of health services. Poor access to social networks, inadequate services, and inability to pay are some of the other factors. Due to poverty and lack of awareness the lower income group of the society is compelled adopt inappropriate health seeking behaviors such as selecting a low standard hospital, untrained health care provider, self medication or even the discontinuation of treatment because of their low salaries and shortage of money. These actions worsen the financial and health status of the patient, thus creating a vicious cycle.ÂÂ   To afford the treatment such as major surgeries patients are forced to take loans. They adopt ex-post strategies. These are strategies to deal with the financial consequences of ill health including the costs of healthcare and loss of wage and production due to illness. Some people sell productive assets. These strategies reduce the saving capacity of individuals. People are usually compelled to sell their properties, cars and other furniture to save the lives of their loved ones as the quality treatment is pretty expensive. If you want a good doctor then you will have to pay a fortune for it. Some effects of poor health care system in Pakistan on its nation are stated below: Life threatening Drugs: The impact of government negligence towards health care on people of Pakistan can be seen from latest incident of Punjab. In Punjab 36 people have died so far, 25 of these in Gujranwala, whereas many are apparently in a very sensitive condition due to the consumption of harmful cough syrup during the last few weeks in the most populous province Punjab. ÂÂ   According to Medical Superintendent of District Head Quarter Hospital Dr Anwar Amanullah, 21 persons were brought from different areas who had consumed the alleged toxic cough syrup and drugs excessively. Seventeen out of 21 died including the former Councilor of Nadi Pur Town, Chaudhry Irfan. ÂÂ   It was the second wave of deaths from apparent cough syrup abuse since just over a month ago when up to 19 people died in Lahore. ÂÂ   In spite of the deaths in Lahore being highlighted by the media, the syrup was being sold without prescription at medical stores across Punjab. After drinking the syrup, the men fell unconscious and were brought to hospital. Doctors referred some of them to Mayo Hospital in Lahore. ÂÂ   Relatives of some of those who died alleged that many medical store owners were selling the killer syrup without asking for prescriptions. Effect on women: Another effect of poor condition of health sector in Pakistan is on women. It is difficult to measure the number of women who die while giving birth in Pakistan. The maternal mortality in Pakistan is expected to be anywhere in the range of 190 to 1,700 deaths per 100,000 live births whereas a 1990 estimate gives the national maternal mortality rate as 340. The continuing tragedy of maternal deaths in Pakistan is brought home in the analysis by Prof. S. Jafarey and Kotejos study of the women who were brought dead to one of the premier health institutions in the country. The major reasons cited by the study were delay in seeking care due to socio-cultural factors and inadequate medical services at the first-care level. These women did not come from some hard to reach corner of Balochistan, but these women lost their lives right in Karachi, literally within a stones throw from some of the most sophisticated tertiary care hospitals in the country.ÂÂ   In Pakistan we can see that there is poor heath care status of women which is a major reason of the problem of maternal mortality. A vast majority of women in the country suffer from anaemia and malnutrition which is quite dangerous during pregnancy. Supplements are very expensive and the women of low income group are unable to afford it. Many women are unable to recognize never their full growth potential which puts them at high risk of obstetrics difficulties. Higher fertility rates, child birth at early ages and high parity and negligent care of high risk pregnancies multiply their risks of sickness and death. (S. Mahmud and A. Aslam, Maternal Mortality in Pakistan: Policy Strategy). In most of the cases these kind of women die while giving birth which sometimes results in the death of new born as well. Some of the women in developing countries like Pakistan are affected by injuries and disabilities during pregnancy and childbirth. Most of these injuries go unspoken and untreated. It becomes unbearable for the women to live with such injuries as they are painful, humiliating and permanent. This results in the long t

Pre-literacy and Modern Vestiges Essays -- Literature Epic Poetry Poem

Pre-literacy and Modern Vestiges For many years, the conventions and existence of epic poetry from the pre-literate age were explained as repositories for information. A well-known story, usually involving a hero that embodied the virtues of the society who told the story, engages in battles, quests, etc. As the epic is spoken to an audience, the hero’s actions and the way they are described impart the audience with information and teachings. The information the listeners received is thought by some to be analogous to a modern day textbook lesson, in which students learn mathematics, grammar, and law, all by the written word. So is the contention of Homeric scholar Eric A. Havelock. As Hobart and Schiffman state in Orality and the Problem of Memory, Everywhere he looked in Homer, Havelock saw a wealth of instruction. For instance, the quarrel between Achilles and Agamemnon at the beginning of the Iliad embodies for him a wide range of subliminal â€Å"teachings.† It lays out the rules for disposition of captives, the etiquette of making and receiving ransom requests, the reverence due to priests, the respect accorded to kings by powerful warriors, and the symbols of public authority†¦(19). Havelock believed the nature of the epic was to verbally hand down a type of classical social contract, so that society could remain stable based upon the information that the speaker’s gave audiences of the Iliad. Integral to the audience’s reception of these teachings was a willingness to become participatory in the communication of the epic. According to Havelock, this is not a choice, but a necessity for a pre-literate listener. Havelock contends that a pre-literate soci... ...ring a list of words and definitions. What is important in Hobart and Schiffman’s essay is the idea that the purpose of oral epics is radically different than what has been traditionally thought. Our modern concept of memory is a very personal experience, as is for the most part our learning styles. Books are intimate and stress the individual interpreter of them; their pages are filled with information that in the reader’s hands might be hundreds of years removed from the time they were written. Yet with spoken epics, the only way to experience them was in the flesh, listening in a group to the speaker. It was a nominally individual process, but did include information as a print culture knows it. In the present day, perhaps the immediacy of the performance nature of pre-literate work is overlooked when so many written words flash before our eyes on pages. Pre-literacy and Modern Vestiges Essays -- Literature Epic Poetry Poem Pre-literacy and Modern Vestiges For many years, the conventions and existence of epic poetry from the pre-literate age were explained as repositories for information. A well-known story, usually involving a hero that embodied the virtues of the society who told the story, engages in battles, quests, etc. As the epic is spoken to an audience, the hero’s actions and the way they are described impart the audience with information and teachings. The information the listeners received is thought by some to be analogous to a modern day textbook lesson, in which students learn mathematics, grammar, and law, all by the written word. So is the contention of Homeric scholar Eric A. Havelock. As Hobart and Schiffman state in Orality and the Problem of Memory, Everywhere he looked in Homer, Havelock saw a wealth of instruction. For instance, the quarrel between Achilles and Agamemnon at the beginning of the Iliad embodies for him a wide range of subliminal â€Å"teachings.† It lays out the rules for disposition of captives, the etiquette of making and receiving ransom requests, the reverence due to priests, the respect accorded to kings by powerful warriors, and the symbols of public authority†¦(19). Havelock believed the nature of the epic was to verbally hand down a type of classical social contract, so that society could remain stable based upon the information that the speaker’s gave audiences of the Iliad. Integral to the audience’s reception of these teachings was a willingness to become participatory in the communication of the epic. According to Havelock, this is not a choice, but a necessity for a pre-literate listener. Havelock contends that a pre-literate soci... ...ring a list of words and definitions. What is important in Hobart and Schiffman’s essay is the idea that the purpose of oral epics is radically different than what has been traditionally thought. Our modern concept of memory is a very personal experience, as is for the most part our learning styles. Books are intimate and stress the individual interpreter of them; their pages are filled with information that in the reader’s hands might be hundreds of years removed from the time they were written. Yet with spoken epics, the only way to experience them was in the flesh, listening in a group to the speaker. It was a nominally individual process, but did include information as a print culture knows it. In the present day, perhaps the immediacy of the performance nature of pre-literate work is overlooked when so many written words flash before our eyes on pages.

Merit for motivation Essay

JOHN: John has always wanted to be a professional footballer and loves playing the game. This is the main reason why he keeps himself motivated and participating in sport. He has a high achievement motivation as he really wants to succeed in football. If it wasn’t for these reasons he would probably stop playing football or play for a team where there is lower pressure to win. One of the reasons why he may only participate in sport for a short time is that he internally attributes failure. He thinks of himself as being a bad defender and is not quick enough. This will mean that he has low confidence in himself so he may want to stop participating in football. As the coach is not telling him otherwise he really believes it is true. This is the next reason why he might not participate in sport for very long as he receives no verbal persuasion. His coach does not tell him that he values John and it makes him feel like he is not wanted in the team. As he has no self confidence this will make him feel like he is not good at football. Instead of giving praise the coach also shouts things like â€Å"that’s not good enough† which makes him feel even worse. The final reason that he may not participate long in sport is that his coach always blames the results on unstable factors instead of addressing the problems. He tells John and his team mates they only lost because of bad refereeing or bad pitches. This will give them a false sense of confidence as they will think hey can continue playing like they are until luck goes on their side. JULIA: Julia has a high achievement motivation as she loves her sport and loves winning races. She has been winning lots of races recently so is very confident. This will help her to carry on participating as she is pleased with the achievements that she is getting like winning races. Her coach is always giving her verbal persuasion and telling her she is good at running. He praises her before and after each session so that she will always be confident. This will help her to continue participating in running as her confidence is high. Julia has plenty of opportunities of success as not only does she enter lots of races she also reaches goals when she is training which success is. While she is gaining success she will want to continue running. The coach does this on purpose so she will no that she is capable of gaining good times as she will have done so in training. Julia has plenty of vicarious opportunities. This is where she gets to see other people and how they run. As she runs on her own she needs someone else to watch. Her coach is still an active runner and wins races some of which are televised. Julia will be able to watch her coach and see how he performs and trains and then try and follow his example. If he is putting in the training and winning big races then she will be able to see the benefits of her training. Her only downfall is that she sometimes exhibits internal failure. She gets nervous before a race so her coach tells her to relax before a race but she finds this very difficult. This could be something she needs to conquer to gain more success. JOHN: The first way in which John could be motivated so that he will continue participation is by getting verbal persuasion. John is a player who does not believe he is good enough so it is essential that someone tells him that he is. This person should be the coach who needs to let john no what he is good is. As john does not think that he is quick enough the coach could tell john the things that he is good at so he can use the attributes he has got. If john is playing badly then the coach needs to explain what he is doing wrong and not just shout at john for playing badly as this will make his confidence even lower. If johns coach is not telling him this then other team mates or a parent could help him to start playing better. The coach will also need to find out how to motivate John. To do this the coach will need to work out why John is laying for the team like weather it is to be a professional or because he really likes to win. After the coach has found this out he will be able to motivate john better. The coach could do this by arranging an interview with john and asking him about his problems at the club. After he has found out about Johns problems he could set goals at training for him to aim for. Another method that could be used to motivate john would be to give him some vicarious experience. This is experience from watching another player. From this he would be able to pick up lots of pointers and it could help to improve johns game which would in turn would improve his confidence and make him want keep participating. The coach could arrange for John to watch an older boy playing at right back and let him take notes on how he plays. Or the coach could get John to watch a professional full back on the television and gain take notes on the player. This method is very good for people of a younger age like John as it can help them to develop there game in later life. JULIA: Julia’s coach uses goal setting in training for some things. In order to keeps Julia staying motivating he could introduce lots of goals. Goal setting is good for Julia for two reasons. The first is that she will realize her potential so if she is getting her goals in training then she will know that she will be able to get the goals in the real race. This will help her confidence as she will believe in herself. The second reason is that it gives her success which will make her confidence high. Julia loves success so her gaining her goals in training will make her very confident and happy. When she is confident and happy she will want to keep participating in her sort. The second motivation strategy that can be used to keep Julia participating in her sport would be to offer her extrinsic rewards. This could be of her coach or off her parents. Extrinsic rewards are things such as money or items that can be offered to Julia if she wins a race. For example her parents could say if you break our personal best of one and a half hours we will buy you the running shoes that you wanted. This will make Julia want to train very hard so that she can get the new running shoes. It will also make her keep participating as she knows that if she stops participating she will not get the shoes that she wants. The coach can offer different types of rewards. For example he could say if you win the county race I will get you a trial for England running team. He can do this as he is head of the England Juniors. This will make Julia want to carry on participating as this reward would be a dream come true. The main reason that Julia keeps training hard for eight hours a day is because her coach gives her lots of verbal persuasion. This is the main reason for Julia participating as it makes her feel good about herself. This means that for Julia to continue to participate in running her coach needs to continue to praise Julia when she does something good.

Jfk Life And Death Essays - Kennedy Family, John F. Kennedy

Jfk Life And Death Essays - Kennedy Family, John F. Kennedy Jfk Life And Death His Life and Legacy On November 22, 1963, while being driven through the streets of Dallas, Texas, in his open car, President John F. Kennedy was shot dead, allegedly by the lone gunman, Lee Harvey Oswald. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States, the youngest person ever to be elected President, the first Roman Catholic and the first to be born in the 20th century. Kennedy was assassinated before he completed his third year as President therefore his achievements were limited. Nevertheless, his influence was worldwide, and his handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis may have prevented the United States from entering into another world war. The world had not only lost a common man, but a great leader of men. From his heroic actions in World War II to his presidency, making the decisions to avert possible nuclear conflict with world superpowers, greatness can be seen. Kennedy also found the time to author several best-selling novels from his experiences. His symbolic figure repres ented all the charm, vigor and optimism of youth as he led a nation into a new era of prosperity. From his birth into the powerful and influential Kennedy clan, much was to be expected of him. Kennedy was born on May 29,1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts. His father, Joe, Sr., was a successful businessman with many political connections. Appointed by President Roosevelt, Joe, Sr., was given the chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission and later the prestigious position of United States ambassador to Great Britain (Anderson 98). His mother, Rose, was a loving housewife and took young John on frequent trips around historic Boston learning about American Revolutionary history. Both parents impressed on their children that their country had been good to the Kennedys. Performing some service for the country must return whatever benefits the family received from the country they were told. (Anderson 12). The Kennedy clan included Joe, Jr., Bobby, Ted and their sisters, Eunice, Jean, Patricia, Rosemary, and Kathleen. Joe, Jr., was a significant figure in young John's life as he was the figure for most of John's admiration. His older brother was much bigger and stronger than John and took it upon himself to be John's coach and protector. John's childhood was full of sports, fun and activity. This all ended when John grew old enough to leave for school. At the age of thirteen, John left home to attend an away school for the first time. Canterbury School, a boarding school in New Milford, Connecticut and Choate Preparatory in Wallingford, Connecticut completed his elementary education (JFK 98). John graduated in 1934 and was promised a trip to London as a graduation gift. Soon after, John became ill with jaundice and would have to go to the hospital. He spent the rest of the summer trying to recover. He was not entirely well when he started Princeton, several weeks later in the fall of 1 935. Around Christmas the jaundice returned and John had to drop out of school. Before the next school year began, he told his father he wanted to go to Harvard (JFK 98). On campus, young people took interest in politics, social changes, and events in Europe. The United States was pulling out of the Great Depression. Hitler's Nazi Germany followed aggressive territorial expansion in Europe. It was at this time that John first became aware of the vast social and economic differences in the United States. In June 1940, John graduated cum laude (with praise or distinction) from Harvard. His thesis earned a magna cum laude (great praise) ( JFK 98). After graduation, John began to send his paper to publishers, and it was accepted on his second try. Wilfrid Funk published it under the title Why England Slept. It became a bestseller. John, at twenty-five, became a literary sensation. In the spring of 1941, both John and Joe, Jr., decided to enroll in the armed services. Joe was accepted as a naval air cadet but John was turned down by both the army and navy because of his back trouble and history of illness (JFK 98). After months of training and conditioning, John reapplied and on September 19, John was accepted into the

Functions and Roles of Law essays

Functions and Roles of Law essays Ideally, a legal system should be a direct reflection of the society at any given time. What does one consider to be the main functions of the law in his/her society? To answer this question, one has to define precisely what law really is. The definition I like the most is very simple. Law is a set of rules to live by. There are descriptions of many different social functions of the law that can be found in various law books: promoting social freedom, keeping the peace and protecting the environment, promoting economic growth and many others. However, I think that the two main functions of the law are to maintain social cohesion and to keep up with social progress. Social cohesion is the bonding of people into a group extensive shared benefits and consequent actions. The law functions to maintain and establish social cohesion by reinforcing values; establishing patterns of acceptable conduct; providing dispute settling mechanisms and processes; providing law-making and law reform bodies and processes (Green, 1994). Social cohesion preserves the principle value of a given society by: implementing laws that outline standards of acceptable conduct; by providing institutions and processes that cater for the making of laws and resolution of disputes in a peaceful fashion; and by providing agencies that promote law reforms and changes. In todays society, the current legal system permits people great freedom, and regulates this freedom by setting limits. If these limits are breached, it means that one has just broken the law. Seems very easy. Unfortunately, it is not that cut and dry in a real world. The limits that define what is against the law and what is not are being tested in courts every day. There are many loopholes and ways around these precious limits. The good news is that people become used to acting within limits behaving in acceptable patterns. Todays legal system and law provide courts, tribunals,...

Remarkable Artist. Marina Abramovic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Remarkable Artist. Marina Abramovic - Essay Example Few performers of art elicit mixed reactions on stage such as those promoted by Marina Abramovic. Few artists can eclipse her daring artistic expression while still maintaining the sanity if the world. As such, this makes Marina Abramovic a unique performer deserving of accolades across the board. She is, in fact, one of the most publicly recognizable artists in the contemporary world. Her approach to art and her use of her own body, in expression of artistic gestures is somewhat of a marvel that is distinctively rare in contemporary society. This is the rationale for its having a significant impact on art lovers. Throughout the decades, Abramovic has tested the relationship between artist and audience. In addition, she has taken her mind and body to the limits of performance and emerged unhurt. Such daring feats continue to characterize her performances across the globe. She has cut herself, dragged herself, and made her naked body the subject of abuse of a vicious crowd. All in the name of creating pieces of art. These are but an example of the experiences she goes through in her endeavor of producing pieces of art. Unlike theater performance, where almost everything is forged, studio performances are characterized by a sense of reality hinged on the fact that everything in the art and subsequent performance are real. In theater performances, the blood in performance is phony. However, in studio performance best exemplified by the works by Abramovic, are characterized by real blood. ... In theater performances, the blood in performance is phony. However, in studio performance best exemplified by the works by Abramovic, are characterized by real blood. This shows the level of realism that studio performances give to the audience. In such a setting, the likes of Marina fit perfectly (Stiles, Abramovic?, Biesenbach and Iles 2008, p. 25). It is the fact that this self-expression, being of incomprehensible means, which is somewhat beyond the capabilities of the audience, which makes her performances unique (Abramovic, 1997, p. 76). The performances of this artist are distinctively characterized by feelings of both pleasure and disappointment. This is especially so when her background in brought into context. The war torn Yugoslavia where Marina Abramovic grew up is expected to shape her beliefs and thinking. However, this could not be further from the truth. Through her performances, a different Yugoslavia is depicted. It is this separation of beliefs and intrinsic quali ties of her performances, which propels her fame. Yugoslavia is characterized by civil war, genocide, and extreme nationalism. However, contrary to the expectations sourced from knowledge of her native country, her works of art exude elements of innovation and experimentation. It is only via the understanding of her childhood background would the true remarkable essence of her work become known. Abramovic was born in a war torn nation, with the national army allied parents, and a somewhat underprivileged background. As such, her motivation and inspiration of her works of art are not immediately clear to the audience; the aura seems to be self-made. She

Banking system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Banking system - Essay Example These activities include selling various insurance products, forming societies, and investment platforms for their customers. This is called ‘buy and sell’ in banking. Banks are literally buying and selling products to consumers as a vender would do. Profit maximization is one of the major core objectives of shareholders for establishing businesses. Therefore, as businesses, banks are out to make profits. Leverage refers to a process by which banks acquire assets using borrowed money and uses these assets to make more money hence enabling them to buy more assets than they previously had. This money is a profit to the bank and shareholders who have invested their funds in form capital in the bank. However, this process involves many risks and in some cases the assets acquired fail to generate more money than the initially anticipated hence resulting into the bank making losses. Either shareholders invest in banks expecting to get returns on their on their investment. However, banks also need this money to keep growing in order to increase their profits margins. Because of this, they are force to acquire more assets from other sources to enable them maximize shareholder profits. This process of leverage is therefore only effective if profits are made. Banks request for securities when they are making loan advancements to their borrowers. The bank then holds this asset during the period covered by the loan for the purpose of security in case the borrower defaults in payment. If a customer defaults in paying back the loan and the accumulated interest, then it can dispose the security to recover the loan and interest. Therefore, securitization is the mechanism through which banks and other financial institutions pool together different types of debts owed to them, then repackage them, and finally sell them as securities like bonds and CMOs to different investors maximize their gains These institutions engage in these