Quiz Do You Know When To Use the French Subjunctive

Foreshadowing in Three Dirges Essay - 1098 Words

Foreshadowing In Three Dirges A sense of ominous foreboding permeates the woeful passage from Three Dirges. The conflict is immediately apparent : Don Lazaro, youve got five boys in Comitan teaching the campesinos how to read. Thats subversive. Thats communist. So tonight, you have to kill them. Don Lazaro, the mayor of the war torn village, San Martin Comitan, seems to have no choice but to carry out this heartless command. His response is indicative of a desperate man searching for answers, yet already resigned to carrying out the task at hand. What can I say? --you tell me! cries an anguished Don Lazaro to the villagers. Is he pleading for their understanding, or asking for a miraculous solution that would alter the path†¦show more content†¦The feeling of fear and sadness is further portrayed by the crying of the village women, . . . a womans anguish pierced the still, early morning, followed by yet a duet of wails, and then a full chorus of cries. Clearly, these women intuitively or otherwise , know of wrenching torment awaiting the village. The somber mood continues with the procession of religious officials ma king their way to the same destination as the wailing women. In contrast, however, the religious principales have assumed a formation of some sort; marching in six files, two abreast, ceremoniously fulfilling their obligation as if all hope had already eroded. That hope further dissipated when the young men, now being led each by an older man, made their way to the cemetery. The cemetery was an eery prediction of what was surely now about to happen. Don Lazaro has protested so much that there is nothing he can do, it now borders on the pathetic. Does he know of some additional harm that would befall him if he doesnt carry out this sinister plan? The young men, now willing to sacrifice their lives, and resigned to doing so, bravely meet their fate. The five young men, each escorted now by an older man, followed the cofrades over the ridge of the hill and dropped down on the other side just out of sight. Certainly the reader can see that, with the movement of the young men out of sight, the terrible command is surely about to be carried out. Still there may be time toShow MoreRelatedForeshadowing In Three Dirges Essays1100 Words   |  5 Pages Foreshadowing In quot;Three Dirgesquot; A sense of ominous foreboding permeates the woeful passage from quot;Three Dirges.quot; The conflict is immediately apparant: quot;Don Lazaro, youve got five boys in Comitan teaching the campesinos how to read. Thats subversive. Thats communist. So tonight, you have to kill them.quot; Don Lazaro, the mayor of the war torn village, San Martin Comitan, seems to have no choice but to carry out this heartless command. His response is indicative of a desperateRead MoreExamples Of Tragedy In Antigone713 Words   |  3 Pagestraitor to his family. There was a rule made from the king of Thebes stated that no one can mourn for or bury him. But Antigone did not care she still loved Polyneices and thought that he deserved to have a proper burial like his brother Eteocles. Foreshadowing, mood, and situational irony are used in the drama to explain peripeteia the reversal of fortune, nemesis fate that you cant avoid, and catharsis when the audience is feeling pity for the hero. Antigone was the tragic hero of this play becauseRead MoreEssay about Herman Melvilles Moby Dick685 Words   |  3 Pagescoffin, for almost one whole day and night, I floated on a soft dirge-like main.† (Melville, 552) In both situations, a coffin rescues Ishmael.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ishmael studies an oil portrait in The Sprouter-Inn that foreshadows and symbolizes many things that are seen later in the story. Melville describes the picture,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The picture represents a Cape-Horner in a great hurricane; the half-foundered ship   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  weltering there with its three dismantled masts alone visible; and an exasperated   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  whaleRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Hamlet Essay3604 Words   |  15 Pagesancient Rome (and which Shakespeare had recently represented in Julius Caesar). Since Horatio proves to be right, and the appearance of the ghost does presage the later tragedies of the play, the ghost functions as a kind of internal foreshadowing, implying tragedy not only to the audience but to the characters as well. The scene also introduces the character of Horatio, who, with the exception of the ghost, is the only major character in the scene. Without sacrificingRead MoreSimilarities and Dissimilarities Between Shelley and Keats6975 Words   |  28 Pagesthe poems as well. Keats and Shelley express different emotions about the fallseason. Shelley looks at autumn as being wild and fierce while Keats has a more gentle view of the season. Shelley perceives autumn as an annual death, calling it Thou  dirge/Of the dying year, and he uses words such as corpse and  sepulchre in the poem. He also employs words such as hectic and tameless, and looks upon the autumn horizon as being the locks of the approaching  storm. Also, he claims the autumn windsRead MoreThe Ballad of the Sad Cafe46714 Words   |  187 PagesThe Ballad of the Sad Cafà © and Other Stories by Carson McCullers Back Cover: When she was only twenty-three her first novel, The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter, created a literary sensation. She is very special, one of America s superlative writers who conjures up a vision of existence as terrible as it is real, who takes us on shattering voyages into the depths of the spiritual isolation that underlies the human condition. A grotesque human triangle in a primitive Southern town. . . A young

Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois and the Struggle Free Essays

The book Booker T. Washington, W. E. We will write a custom essay sample on Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois and the Struggle or any similar topic only for you Order Now B. Du Bois and the Struggle for Racial Uplift was affectively written by Jacqueline M. Moore and published in 2003. This book review will look at the following themes, Washington being a gradualist while Du Bois wanting confrontational immediacy, and the idiom, â€Å"if you can’t beat them join them. † What is also great about the book is that it starts with telling us about both philanthropist’s childhood to effectively reveal where each got their philosophies and unique characteristics and traits. The injustice of racism and its evident role in some of Americas most prominent political and social aspects have perpetuated rigorous and squalor lifestyles for those of non-Caucasian ancestry. Jacqueline Moore clearly states evidence how white people have such a long history of being the dominant group and why it is so hard for blacks to assimilate. In the book the writer simply told us a story of 2 men’s journeys for racial uplift and wanted us to decide the theme for ourselves, telling both sides of the story in order to let us choose which of them we might agree with more. The author did a good job letting us know Washington and Du Bois’s goals. The style of the novel is interconnected with its themes. In the novel, not only does Moore convey the ideas and concepts of Booker T. Washington and W. E. B Dubois, but Moore also illustrates the theories of which consists of gradualism and immediacy. â€Å"Washington was a gradualist, and Du Bois favored immediacy. Washington advocated economic advancement and self-help; Du Bois favored political advancement. †(p. 7) Washington tries to possess the concept that, if you can’t beat them join them. This is one of the examples in the novel that Jacqueline Moore clearly and affectively states as evidence to one of the themes. The tone of Moore’s Novel is optimistic and assertive, which is evident when she says that â€Å"†¦ although it was true that blacks had to make efforts to help themselves, without the support and encouragement of the white community and the elimination of di scriminatory barriers, progress was not possible. (p. 72) Moore’s writing proves its effectiveness for it essentially explains Dubois’s theory of what blacks need to do too pursue a better life and achieve self-actualization that promotes higher possibilities and is free from lowering standards as he addresses his purpose, indicates his broad audience, and infuses a unique writing style that employs an in-depth point of view and an optimistic tone from Du Bois. â€Å"The difference was in the emphasis each man placed on his preferred method. Washington argued that industrial education should come first so that southern blacks could gain basic schooling and useful skills with which to make something of themselves. Du Bois argued that without higher education for blacks there would be no black teachers for the industrial schools and therefor no chance for blacks to improve. † (p. 61) Again, the writer states the goals of the 2 men to make sure the readers are able to convey the information to their own understanding. Moore fills the readers with the knowledge that the white society of the past was philosophically corrupted and degraded the worth of black individuals due to white supremacy and the lack of cooperation from the whites, which depressed black’s motivation to instill within them their goals and expectations. The key to eliminating discrimination was to get the government to take initiative to end discrimination of the black race, but as time progressed, rebellious natured individuals presented their disapproval for this racial uplift and started clans like the KKK in order to discourage blacks from earning political rights. As their situation grew increasingly desperate, many poor blacks lost faith in the possibility of integration that both Washington and Du Bois held out as the ultimate goal. †(p. 94). Supporting my thesis, many blacks have lost faith for racial uplift and started to think they couldn’t beat the white supremacist. â€Å"Eventually, after many str uggles, the International Migration Society did send a group of 200 emigrants to Liberia in 1895 and another 321 in 1896. (p. 100) The book also did a good job stating statistical facts. One of the class discussions that we had was â€Å"Was it too early to migrate back to Africa? † We asked ourselves this and had a big debate over it, but the novel states that only about 1,000 black people took the ship back to Africa while the population of blacks at the time was somewhere around 8,000,000, that is not even 1 percent and most couldn’t even afford it. It was important that the book stated facts showing that although blacks tried very hard to become part of the dominant group, they did not have the tools and money to do so as the whites were very powerful when it came to black rights. They did not understand how hard the standard of living was for blacks, so the people of color continued to be ridiculed by the army of brainwashed drones, who stood tall at the pinnacle of ignorance. Overall the book did a good job adding to my understanding of the subject. A lot of what I read in the book was learned in our in class lectures giving me a head start. Moore wishes to guide her readers out of their blind state of mind and use the perspective of the two philanthropists in order find their way through the often dark and bleak aspects of racial uplift. Before reading the book I knew little to nothing about Washington and Du Bois, but affectively it has managed to reveal all I need to know about the two and all that they have done in their efforts to achieve justice. How to cite Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois and the Struggle, Essay examples

La Cancion de mi Corazon Essay Example For Students

La Cancion de mi Corazon Essay Memories to me are songs that play over and over again in my head. My heart keeps the beat and notes fall from my breath. After awhile not even the physical self exists. My soul is squashed between bars and lines. Sometimes Im running, other times Im resting. I see images flash by in four-four time then three-four time then six-eight timethere is no pattern. Erratic sharps lift me up and make me smile only to become flat again and drop me back into confusion. Confusion is the endless melody that carries on in my blood. The music stops only when I think of him, my lost harmony, my CheMy father would hold me on his lap and tell me that the wind whispered of change. He said the sun was beginning to light the way to a new path for Cuba. Hed tell me the water was stirring in anticipation of underground action. These things bounced off me and rolled into unswept corners of my mind. When my father spoke to me each day I was too preoccupied chasing chickens (add more detail bit about chasing chickens). Now that I think back to those times I realise my father spoke more to reassure him self than me that the country would find its glory. We will write a custom essay on La Cancion de mi Corazon specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now My mother was less optimistic about the future improvement of Cuba. Perhaps this was due to the realities of our current standard of living. My mothers bitterness splashed down upon us as she complained of the lack of a morsel of meat in the house. She complained of our scrawny chickens and how my father sold their eggs. Many times as a child I would hear her say to my father How can I raise our children to be strong when you sell our eggs and bring home no meat? My father would sigh and in a tired voice would reply Tomorrow will be better. But it never seemed to be. I suppose though that no matter how destitute a childs life is ones imagination can serve as a comfort. I would stave off hunger by flipping through my recollections of life beyond the rural land of Mantanzas. The city of Havana, despite the crime and corruption, held me firmly fixed in fascination. The last time the city came into my sight my mother was buying a new dress. She seldom bought machine made, market quality clothes. On this occasion however, she was to attend a wedding. Id imagined how beautiful mama would look in her new dress. White lilies teased me from vendor stalls, begging me to buy them for mamas hair. I envisioned the delicate petals fastened firmly throughout her long locks, tucked slightly behind tight round curls. My reverie carried me so far away from the market place that I thought for sure Id never come back to it againbut I was wrong. A smooth, coffee-rich voice seeped into my ears, past my nose and then finally down my throat. My feet pulled me along through the crowd past pungent-smelling sweet meats, eye-catching rhinestones, silk fans and a multitude of coloured ballpoint pens. I landed in front of a stage. Well, in actuality it was a long, overturned rectangular vegetable crate. A bit of mud-dampened lettuce clung desperately to a black travel-worn boot in front of me. I bent down and in one even motion peeled off the bit and flicked it to the ground. When I raised my eyes I found them drawn like magnets to the mesmerising speaker. I saw an old man in those eyes even though the frame and features pieced together a striking young man. He smiled at me once before I felt fingers individually wrap themselves around my skinny arms, tearing me from comfort. What I did not realise that warm day in Havana was that I would see him again in many different ways. .ud23db6799ecfb52313727cd09042734e , .ud23db6799ecfb52313727cd09042734e .postImageUrl , .ud23db6799ecfb52313727cd09042734e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud23db6799ecfb52313727cd09042734e , .ud23db6799ecfb52313727cd09042734e:hover , .ud23db6799ecfb52313727cd09042734e:visited , .ud23db6799ecfb52313727cd09042734e:active { border:0!important; } .ud23db6799ecfb52313727cd09042734e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud23db6799ecfb52313727cd09042734e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud23db6799ecfb52313727cd09042734e:active , .ud23db6799ecfb52313727cd09042734e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud23db6799ecfb52313727cd09042734e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud23db6799ecfb52313727cd09042734e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud23db6799ecfb52313727cd09042734e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud23db6799ecfb52313727cd09042734e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud23db6799ecfb52313727cd09042734e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud23db6799ecfb52313727cd09042734e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud23db6799ecfb52313727cd09042734e .ud23db6799ecfb52313727cd09042734e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud23db6799ecfb52313727cd09042734e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: How High-Stakes Tests Are Hurting Our Children?s F EssayAt fifteen I found my voice. Not just the voice that would eventually come streaming out of radio speakers into kitchens and bedrooms but the voice that argued with my mother and rose to stimulate debate amongst my fellow students. The household name singer and the fired up student didnt emerge until I was 18 though. At 15, my rebellious spirit gave me quite a number of slaps to the face and pinches on my skin so tight that blood oozed out. My mother would follow these punishments by telling me Silvia, you keep this up and you will be a whore in Havana! My father would occasionally say to my mother Su hija es solo una nina which was his way of saying that he felt she was too hard on me. As my body began to change its dimensions with new curves and unfamiliar fluids, so new understandings flooded my mind. I suddenly realised how Batistas dictatorship ravaged the land of Cuba of its richness. My ancestors had once built up the city from successful sugar fields, but now Bastista tore it down with racism, unchecked police brutality, political corruption in the governments, and foreign control of key sectors of the Cuban economy. On cold nights when rain leaked through our roof my father would tell my brother Guillermo and I of easier, more prosperous times. As I listened to his pained voice, my fingers would run through the dirt that our floor was composed of. The rush of grains would slide over the various nerve endings in my hand. One night, for no reason in particular, my mind drifted back to the night I wrote my first song. I hadnt thought much about the song but it struck me as extremely crucial to my life on this ordinary cold night. The song spoke of all that I d esired for myself and for Cuba. It was the night of July 8th, 1955 I would later learn that this was the day Che Guevara met Fidel Castro. My songs would take me many places in life and I would meet many people. What matters most is that I sang because I understood. I understood that the winds of change that my father spoke of were young adults such as myself. We were not only embarking upon important movements in our lives, but for the life of Cuba herself.

A Brief History of the Black Panther Party Essays - Free Essays

A Brief History of the Black Panther Party Essays - Free Essays A Brief History of the Black Panther Party A Brief History of the Black Panther Party The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense was founded in October, 1966, in Oakland, California by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale. The name was shortened to the Black Panther Party (BPP) and it began spreading eastward through the Black urban ghetto-colonies across country. In the summer of '68, David Brothers established a BPP branch in Brooklyn, New York, and a few months later Lumumba Shakur set up a branch in Harlem, New York. i joined the Harlem BPP in the fall of '68 and served as its Finance Officer until arrested on April 2, 1969 in the Panther 21 Conspiracy case which was the opening shot in the government's nationwide attack on the BPP. Moving westward, Police Departments in each city made military raids on BPP offices or homes in Philadelphia, Chicago, Newark, Omaha, Denver, New Haven, San Diego, Los Angeles, and other cities, murdering some Panthers and arresting others. After i and most other Panther 21 members were held in jail and on trial for two years, We were all acquitted of all charges and released. Most of us returned to the community and to the BPP but by then COINTELPRO had taken its toll. The BPP was rife with dissension, both internal and external. The internal strife, division, intrigue, and paranoia had become so ingrained that eventually most members drifted or were driven, away. Some continued the struggle on other fronts and some basically cooled out altogether. The BPP limped on for several more years, then died what seemed a natural death. History will be the ultimate judge of the BPP's place in the Black Liberation Movement (BLM). But in these troubled times Afrikan people in the U.S. need to investigate both the positive and negative aspects of the BPP's history in order to learn from those hard lessons already paid for in blood. In particular We need to learn the reasons for the BPP's rapid rise to prominence, the reason for its ability to move so many Afrikans and other nationalities, and the reason for its demise during its brief sojourn across the American scene. It's not possible in this short paper, on short notice, to provide much of what is necessary, so this paper will confine itself to pointing out some of the broader aspects of the BPP's positive and negative contributions to the BLM. The Positive Aspects of the BPP's Contributions Self-Defense: This is one of the fundamental areas in which the BPP contributed to the BLM. It's also one of the fundamental things that set the BPP apart from most previous Black organizations and which attracted members (particularly the youth), mass support, and a mass following. The concept is not only sound, it's also common sense. But it must be implemented correctly, otherwise it can prove more detrimental than beneficial. The self-defense policies of the BPP need to be analyzed in this light by present day Afrikan organizations. All history has shown that this government will bring its police and military powers to bear on any group which truly seeks to free Afikan people. Any Black "freedom" organization which ignores self-defense does so at its own peril. Revolutionary Nationalist Ideology: The BPP was a nationalist organization. Its main goal was the national liberation of Afrikan people in the U.S., and it restricted its membership to Blacks only. It was also revolutionary. The BPP theories and practices were based on socialist principles. It was anti-capitalist and struggled for a socialist revolution of U.S. society. On the national level, the BPP widely disseminated socialist base programs to the Afrikan masses. Internationally, it provided Afrikans in the U.S. with a broader understanding of our relationship to the Afrikan continent, the emerging independent Afrikan nations, Third World nations, Socialist nations, and all the Liberation Movements associated with these nations. Overall the ideology provided Afrikans here with a more concrete way of looking at and analyzing the world. Heretofore much of Black analysis of the world, and the society in which We live, was based on making ourselves acceptable to White society, proving to Whites that We were human, proving to Whites that We were ready for

Drink Tap Water instead of Bottled Water Essay Example

Drink Tap Water instead of Bottled Water Essay Example Drink Tap Water instead of Bottled Water Paper Drink Tap Water instead of Bottled Water Paper Water is one of the most important natural resources in the world and it’s the major constituents of living matter where it serves different functions. This unique natural resources is very important to mankind in the sense that our existence depend largely on it availability. As important as this compound of hydrogen and oxygen may seem to us, its quality also matters to our existence. Water comes in different forms so as its usage. There are several means by which water can be supplied to various homes and industry for various purposes. One major way by which this supply is being achieved is via pumping of water to the consumer through a faucet known as tap, hence the term â€Å"tap water†. Other means by which water for consumption are supplied to the consumers is via bottled water, sachet waters, and water in large containers. TAP AND BOTTLED WATER Several benefits can be derived from each means of supply but tap water still remains the best sources of water supply for safe consumption and other domestic use even though there are several beliefs in regards to the use of bottled water as the best source of water for consumption (Wald et al, 2008). Researches has shown that dangers of using bottled water as major sources of water consumption outweighs its benefits, hence there is a need to enlighten the populace on why we ought to choose tap water over bottled water as a major sources of water for our consumption. Several environmental issues must also be considered in regards to our choice between tap and bottled water. WHY CHOOSE TAP WATER There are several benefits that are associated with the use of tap water compare to bottled water, this will be discuss under the following subheadings; health, economic and environmental aspects Health aspects A question we ought to ask ourselves before purchasing some bottled water is that â€Å"why should I pay more for a product whose quality is worse than water that flows from the faucet of my house†. Although the answer to the question might not be pointed to us immediately probably because we’ve not fall victim or experience the menace of health problems associated with bottled water, there is a need for us to know that this is no more a fiction but a reality. There is a lot of health issues accompanying the use of bottled and tap water 1. Tap water contains chlorine which is antimicrobial in nature; hence helps eliminate bacteria that may be in the water. Tap water is always tested for presence of microorganism which can cause gastrointestinal problems before being diseminated. Bottled water doesn’t contain chlorine hence a higher load of bacteria and the manufacturer don’t usually test for the presence of microorganism that cause gastrointestinal diseases. 2. There are guidelines that monitor the presence of Escherichia coli bacteria while there are no such guidelines in the FDA standards that check this in bottled water, hence a higher probability of developing the disease whenever it’s present in the bottled water. Purity and safety standards in regards to bottled water production and distribution is less stringent compare to that of the tap water simply because standard check is not always done on the products before it being distributed but this is not so in the case of tap water where it must be check against the standard before any distribution 3. Tap water must meet some health standards such as the absence of important toxic or carcinogenic chemicals or substance such as phthalate but this is not so in bottled water. This chemical has been found to have potential to leak from the plastics container used in bottled hence a higher risk of developing cancer later in life due to the accumulation of the chemical in the body. 4. Fluoridation of tap water can easily be done to provide people especially children with regulated amount of fluoride which helps in bone and teeth development. This also prevent against some dental disease such as dental caries because of the effect of the fluoride in teeth mineralisation. Bottled water is not fluoridated hence people that consume it are more prone to development of dental caries 5. Tap water contains other minerals which have been found to be very important for our growth. These minerals are also absorb from the gastrointestinal tract easily compare those from the food. The most important minerals found in Tap water are iodine, magnesium, chlorides and bicarbonates, iron and sulphates. Magnesium is best known to be an important element that helps maintain our immune system, ease tension within the muscles and helps lowered blood pressure. Chlorides and bicarbonates apart from being antibacterial in nature also aids digestive processes and helps keep our pH level within the normal range. Iron is very important to us, simply because it helps in the transportation of oxygen from the lungs to the other parts of the body while sulphate helps us to detoxify all ingested toxic substances. Iodine is one of the most important of all the elements simply because it helps prevent goitre and also aid thyroid function in the elderly. Environmental aspects There are several environmental issues surrounding the use of bottled water compare to tap water in recent times. One of the most important environmental issues in this regards is the issues of waste. Bottled water has been found to create unnecessary waste in form of empty plastic bottles, though these bottles can be recycled majority of them don’t eventually get recycled. Bottles used in bottled water are made from petroleum by-products, the inability to recycle most of them eventually lead to extreme or higher production rate from the petroleum resources ultimately leading to excessive rate of depletion of these non renewable natural resources. Bottled water also does not degrade easily creating a lot of space and landfill. Burning of these plastic used in bottled water will results in the release of petrochemicals substances which are dangerous to our health and are also responsible for the rapid depletion of the protective ozone layer, hence an increase greenhouse effect and global warming. The use of tap water will help reduce all these hazards associated with the disposal of bottled water and also help balance the ecosystem. Tap water can also help protect against the effect of fire outbreak when we make use of it in our community. The use of Tap water as a form of protection from fire outbreak has been considered to be one of the primary aims of water supply systems (CDC, 2007). This is because the system in which the water is being supplied through the faucet provides sufficient volume of water at high pressure which is one of the properties that gives it the ability to quench fire. Overall effect of environmental influence of bottled water is that it affects our planet negatively and do us harm. Economic aspect The increase use of Tap water will provide support for our economy simply because business or housing developments usually do not succeed without a safe and sustainable source of water supply. Considering the enormous potential benefits associated with the use of Tap water, it is critical to businesses’ day to day operations and activities. Most entrepreneur and employers usually consider the availability and the quality of water supply in a particular region before construction of their business construction of the company or facilities. It is also the main supply of water during the period of drought and even to those communities in the arid areas. Bottled water is always expensive and can even be considered to be for individuals in the middle and the upper strata in the society. The use of Tap water helps saves cost purchasing bottled water. Considering the economic cost associated with the use of bottled water, it can never be used for other purposes in which we use Tap water for such as washing of clothes, watering our lawns, and some other purposes in which we use water for. Tap water can also be consider one of the most important basic social amenity must have to be considered as a developed or developing community in the sense that it help reduce mortality rates, provide economic diversity, and increase productivity in the areas of industrialization and agriculture Conclusion Considering the health benefits, the economical and the environmental aspect of Tap water, it is very important that the use of Tap water is very important to our public health protection and quality of life. Bottled water offers no special benefits than tap water, then why should we pay more for something that put us at higher risk than the water flowing out of the faucets in our various homes. References Belew, B. (2009). â€Å"The truth-tap water is better than bottled water and better for the environment†. Greenpacks. Retrieved August 3, 2009 from greenpacks. org/2009/07/22/the-truth-tap-water-is-better-than-bottled-water-and-better-for-the-environment/ CDC, (2007). â€Å"Health on Tap: the value of Tap water†. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved August 2, 2009 from www. cdc. gov Petersen, B. (2003). â€Å"Iodine containing macromolecules in tap water and their importance for iodine intake and thyroid dysfunctions†. Projekt. Retrieved August 3, 2009 from http://vbn. aau. dk/research/iodine_containing_macromolecules_in_tap_water_and_their_importance_for_iodine_intake_and_thyroid_dysfunctions(15671)/ Owen, J. (2006). â€Å"Bottled Water Isnt Healthier Than Tap, Report Reveals†. National geographic news. Retrieved August 3, 2009 from http://news. nationalgeographic. com/news/2006/02/0224_060224_bottled_water. html Wald et al, (2008). â€Å"Health belief about bottled water: a qualitative study†. BMC Public health. Retrieved August 2, 2009 from biomedcentral. com/1471-2458/9/196 Water Quality Association (2009). â€Å"The bottled water dilemma†. Aqua Purity Plus Retrieved August 3, 2009 from aquapurityplus. com/water_dilemma. pdf

How does the use of Multimedia and virtual learning environments Essay

How does the use of Multimedia and virtual learning environments increase adult learners ability to learn chemistry - Essay Example The purpose of the study is to evaluate the suitability of a series of IMM pre-laboratory lessons at a secondary school, to support laboratory practical and training of chemistry students. The IMM tutorials incorporate text, graphics and video images to demonstrate technique and procedures and explain relevant concepts subsequently encountered in the laboratory. The lessons also contain pre-laboratory quizzes and the program that is used to record the results obtained by the students. Laboratory experience has always been an essential part of learning chemistry as it is a practical science. Longstanding arguments in favour of practical include the acquisition of cognitive and manipulative skills, acquisition of an academic attitude to working, and gaining of practical experience of phenomena. Theory and experiment have an interdependent relationship. It is theory and not experimentation that opens up the way to new knowledge. The curriculum and instructional strategies used in the laboratory have, however, changed during the years as instructional approaches changed from pragmatic to constructivist. There was a strong move away from the ‘cook-book’ approach, and from the teaching of laboratory skills. More emphasis was placed on problem solving, hypothesis formulation, interpretation of data, experimental design and reporting. According to a survey of 39 secondary schools in the UK, the majority of schools still offer traditional laboratory courses and in addition learners are often expected to learn skills aid techniques by ‘doing’, without being exposed to a course on techniques. Since practical are expensive and time intensive, and as alternative ways of achieving instructional goals have become available, educators are again questioning the effectiveness and efficiency of traditional laboratory work. (G.P.

Film Review Tootsie compared to course readingsconcepts Essay

Film Review Tootsie compared to course readingsconcepts - Essay Example During his work in the soap drama, he is attracted to his co-actress, Julie Nichols (Jessica Lange). Julie is in a complicated relationship with chauvinistic director, Ron Carlisle (Dabney Coleman) with whom she has a baby girl, borned out of the wedlock. Julie has told him once that she is receptive to men who approach her with a drink. Thus, when Micheal meets Julie at a party, he approaches her with a drink. To his surprise, she pours the drink on him. On an occasion after Julie decides to end the relationship with Ron, Micheal (as Dorothy) makes advances to console her by kissing her. Julie is shocked and misunderstands Dorothy to be a lesbian. She explains to "her" that she likes "her", but not the romantic way. To make things complicated, Dorothy has her admirers. They are John Van Horn (George Gaynes), Dorothy's co-actor in the soap drama and Julie's father Leslie 'Les' Nichols (Charles Durning). After Micheal knows about the existence of these admirers, he talks to his best friend who is also his roommate, Jeff and George Fields (Sydney Pollack) about his problems of being misunderstood. Soon, Micheal decides to resolve this situation by finding solutions to leave the cast. However, George is against her to leave the cast since there is an increase in her salary for her popularity. When the cast has to perform live one day, he reveals that he is the character's twin brother who replaces her to avenge her. This is kind of the best way for him to reveal himself in a graceful and responsible way. However, Julie is so shocked and angry that she punches him. After weeks of cooling period, Micheal looks for Julie outside the studio and confesses to Julie "I was a better man with you as a woman than I ever was with a woman as a man". She then forgives him. The reason why I want to analyze this film is that Tootsie reveals how the same person can actually display different personality and identity as a man and a woman. This person can therefore, be able to understand the different expectations set by the society for different genders at a work place and gives critical thoughts regarding gender identities. Specifically is Dustin Huffman's role, Michael Dorsey who is also acting as Dorothy Michaels. In the film, he also described that he became a better man after some experience as a woman. As a result, "Tootsie" is a strong film, which can help to understand the gendered identities from the same person, be it a man or a woman. Therefore, in this paper, we look at how women are frequently defined by appearance or by relationships with others, but men are more typically defined by activities, accomplishments, or positions. In addition is how communication plays a primary role in shaping our gendered identities, and how society defines masc ulinity and femininity. 2. How women are frequently defined by appearance or by relationships with others, but men are more typically defined by activities, accomplishments, or positions 2.1 Women are frequently defined by appearance or by relationships with others Women are frequently defined by appearance. This line can be evidenced from two scenes of the film. This first scene is when Micheal was trying clothes for

SELF REFLECTION ON INDUCTION ASSIGNMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

SELF REFLECTION ON INDUCTION ASSIGNMENT - Essay Example This made it easy to understand the relationship among the various industries such as education and business among many others all of which sought to benefit on the booming tourism industry. The research therefore covered the topic of the assignment effectively. The introductory paragraph provides an overview to the economy of the resort town. Successive paragraphs analyze the growth of the industry throughout the history of the town. Tourism dates back to 1810. The trade has remained the main economic activity in the city. The history of tourism in the city provides a perfect platform to compare the state of tourism to day and back then. This portrays the growth of the sector and the numerous strategies both the government of the United Kingdom and the local authorizes continue to employ in order to enhance the growth of a sector that sustains the economy of the entire city. After the history, the other chapters discuss the state of infrastructure that sustains the trade. Such basic features as means of transport, security and state of infrastructure in the city are some of the basic features that continue to enhance the growth of the industry. I researched and present ed the findings chronologically thereby developing a sequential flow of ideas in the paper. The rapid development of the tourism industry in Bournemouth is a portrayal of the strategies used by the government of the United Kingdom to grow the industry. As discussed earlier, the government uses various strategies including the creation of various annual and bi annual ceremonies all of which continue to attract thousands of tourists into the city. Additionally, the government has facilitated the development of infrastructure in the city. Such basic infrastructure as roads, railway lines and road networks among many others are factors that continue to present the city as a conducive society for tourists. The long sandy beaches and the hospitable and luxury hotels are among the key attractions

Private Health Insurance In Kenya Economics Essay

Private Health Insurance In Kenya Economics Essay Insurance is an arrangement by which one party The insurer promises to pay another party the insured or policy holder a sum of money if something happens which causes the insured to suffer financial loss (Diacon.S.R and Carter R.L, 1998) In the past few years, private health insurance sector in Kenya has been recorded as the highest loss-making insurance class with loss ratios of 74.0 per cent, 80.4 per cent , 81.5 per cent and 83.5 per cent in 2008, 2009 2010 and 2011 respectively (AKI report, 2011). Private health insurance has continued to perform poorly in the year 2011, posting a loss of 650 Million compared to a loss of Kshs. 530 Million in the previous year. According to the Association of Kenya Insurers (2011), only four out of the 20 Private health insurance providers in Kenya made an underwriting profit in 2011, the four include General Accident Insurance Company, Jubilee Insurance Company, Mercantile Insurance Company and Real Insurance Company. The sector has the highest loss ratio in the industry of 83.5% with net earned premiums reaching KES 8.9bn (US$74.5mn) and net incurred claims reached KES 5.4 bn (US$60.6mn). This trend has been consistent for the last 4 years 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011, with all indications that 2012 will also be a loss, a situation has prompted the Private health insurance premiums to be increased from time to time but the situation has not been improved much, it is therefore imperative to examine the challenges facing Private health insurance companies and their effect on business performance with a view of informing future insurance policy formulation. This study will seek to investigate the cchallenges facing insurance companies in the provision of Private Health insurance and their effect on business performance because this sector is an important one for the economic development of the Nation hence the need to guard it. This chapter presents the background of the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, research objectives, research questions, justification of the study, significance of the study, assumptions limitations and delimitations, definition of terms and chapter summary. 1.1 Background of the Study Health insurance is a form of collectivism by means of which people collectively pool their risk, in this case the risk of incurring medical expenses. It is a contract between an insurance company and an individual or a sponsor in the form of an employer. The contract can be renewable annually or monthly depending on the agreement between the parties in that contract. The type and amount of health care costs that will be covered by the health insurance company are specified in advance, in the member policy contract. The importance of health insurance cannot be underestimated in any economy. As observed by Wasow and Hill (1986) who argued that health insurance is an important channel for financial capital accumulation. Health insurance companies policies offer policies, which are purchased exclusively to protect the customer against risk. They often involve substantial savings. This is because Insurance companies must accumulate reserves against anticipated future claims which provide for large sums of money, which can be lend to individuals, the government, commerce and industry. According to the World health Organization (World Health Report, 2008), access to healthcare is the right of every individual. Governments all over the world have therefore undertaken various programs in order to realize this objective. The Government of Kenya has also not been left behind on this as Kenya is a signatory to the Abuja Declaration (Institute of Policy and Research, 2005) which requires its signatory member states to spend at least 15% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on healthcare. As of the year 2009, Kenya spent 9% of her GDP on healthcare which was far below the recommended proportion (IPAR, 2005). Health insurance schemes are an increasingly recognized factor as a tool to finance health care provision in low and middle income countries. Given the high latent demand from people for health care services of a good quality and the extreme under-utilization of health services in several countries, it has been argued that social health insurance may improve the access to health care of acceptable quality. Whereas alternative forms of health care financing and cost recovery strategies like user fees have been heavily criticized, the option of insurance seems to be a promising alternative as it is a possibility to pool risk transferring, unforeseeable health care costs to fixed premiums. Private health insurance is considered private when the third party (insurer) is a profit seeking organization such as the private insurance companies. In Private Health insurance, people pay premiums related to the expected cost of health services to be provided to them. Therefore, people who are in high health risk groups pay more, and those at low risk pay less. Membership to a private insurance scheme is usually voluntary and is solely based on the decision of the insured. Private Health insurance has been offered by general insurance firms as one of their portfolio of products. One of the overall goals of the Government of Kenya is to promote and improve the health status of all Kenyans by making health services more efficient, available and affordable. The importance of Private health insurance in the provision and utilization of health care cannot be overemphasized. Funding for health care has become a cooperative responsibility shared among the government, employers, and insurance companies because of the importance of the service and the rising costs of medical services. This makes Private health insurance one of the most significant instruments to maintain a healthy workforce to drive the economy. Private health insurance coverage is provided by public and private sources. Public sources include National Hospital Insurance Fund while private sources include private insurance companies such as APA insurance company Kenya limited, UAP Insurance Company limited, Jubilee Insurance Company and Madison Insurance among others 1.1.1 Private health Insurance Health insurance is an institutional and financial mechanism that helps households and private individuals to set aside financial resources to meet costs of medical care in event of illness. It is based on the principle of pooling funds and entrusting management of such funds to a third party that pays for healthcare costs of members who contribute to the pool. The third party can be government, employer, insurance company or a provider (Kraushaar, 1994). Wangombe et al., (1994) identify two categories of private health insurance in Kenya: direct private health insurance and, employment based insurance. Direct private health insurance is very expensive and only the middle and high-income groups afford it (Nderitu, 2002). In the employment-based plans, the employer provides care directly through employer-owned on site health facility, or through employer contracts with health facilities or healthcare organisations. These are both voluntary health schemes and are not legislated by the government. 1.1.2 Private Health Insurance in Kenya According to the AKI report (2011) there was 47 licenses insurance Companies with 20 companies licensed to practice and sale health insurance products. There are additional 23 medical Insurance providers (MIPs) which are more of managed care organization. The total premiums for private medical insurance in 2011 were over 8.3 billion with claims ratio at 83.5 percent. Private health insurance accounts for 15 percent of the gross total premium for all insurance products in 2011. According to the World Bank working paper number 193 (2010), the health insurance penetration stands at 2 percent with about 600,000 people insured with public insurance and over 2 million insured under the public insurance NHIF In the past few years, private health insurance sector in Kenya has been recorded as the highest loss-making insurance class with loss ratios of 74.0 per cent, 80.4 per cent , 81.5 per cent and 83.5 per cent in 2008, 2009 2010 and 2011 respectively (AKI report, 2011). Private health insurance has continued to perform poorly in the year 2011, posting a loss of 650 Million compared to a loss of Kshs. 530 Million in the previous year. According to the Association of Kenya Insurers (2011), only four out of the 20 Private Health Insurance providers in Kenya made an underwriting profit in 2011, the four include General Accident Insurance Company, Jubilee Insurance Company, Mercantile Insurance Company and Real Insurance Company. The sector has the highest loss ratio in the industry of 83.5% with net earned premiums reaching KES 8.9bn (US$74.5mn) and net incurred claims reached KES 5.4 bn (US$60.6mn). 1.2 Statement of the Problem Despite numerous efforts and strategies by insurance companies to maximize profitability, private health insurance has been performing poorly The insurance industry in Kenya is experiencing diverse challenges, key among them being the poor public perception of insurance (AKI Report, 2011 despite being the highest loss making class among the other classes of insurance. In the past few years, private health insurance sector in Kenya has been the highest loss-making class with loss ratios of 74.0 per cent, 80.4 per cent, 81.5 and 83.5per cent in 2008, 2009 2010 and 2011 respectively (AKI report, 2011). Private health insurance has continued to perform poorly in the year 2011, posting a loss of 650 Million compared to a loss of Kshs. 530 Million in the previous year. According to the Association of Kenya Insurers (2011), only four out of the 20 Private health insurance providers in Kenya made an underwriting profit in 2011. The sector has the highest loss ratio in the industry of 83.5% w ith net earned premiums reaching KES 8.9bn (US$74.5mn) and net incurred claims reached KES 5.4 bn (US$60.6mn). The trend has been consistent for the last 4 years 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011, with all indications that 2012 will also be a loss, this has prompted the Private health insurance premiums to be increased from time to time but the situation has not been improved much A big proportion of health insurance companies covering Private health insurance have continued to suffer losses and face the risk of collapse unless urgent measures are taken to understand and mitigate against the current the trend of losses where the total premiums collected cannot fund the number of claims incurred thereby forcing insurance companies to finance the claims with other premiums, thereby compromising profitability. The sale of private health insurance products in the Kenyan industry is proving to be a high risk investment for insurance companies. Several companies have collapsed with billions of policyholders funds, causing uncertainty and turmoil in the insurance industry. Examples of some of the insurance providers doing Private health insurance that have collapsed in Kenya include Discovery health, Mediplus and Smart Guard. Discovery Health, Health Plan services, Medex and Mesco consultants There is little empirical data and information available on the challenges and constraints facing private health insurance in Kenya. The study will therefore seek to address this knowledge gap. An explication of the challenges facing Private health insurance will facilitate insurance companies in positioning their products better in the market, and enable them undertake mitigation measures to ensure profitability. The study will seek to investigate the real challenges facing Private health insurance in Kenya, and the effects on business performance with a view of informing the formulation of effective mitigation strategies. 1.3 Purpose of the study The purpose of this study is to examine the the challenges facing insurance companies in the provision of private health insurance and the effect on business performance 1.4 Research Objectives To identify the challenges facing the Private health insurance companies in Kenya. To determine the effects of these challenges on the business performance of Private Health insurance companies in Kenya. To recommend strategic interventions measures to address the challenges facing the Private health insurance sub sector in Kenya. 1.5 Research Questions What are the challenges affecting provision of Private health insurance companies in Kenya? How do these challenges affect the performance of the Private health insurance companies in Kenya? What interventions measures can be employed to address the challenges in the Private health insurance Companies in Kenya? 1.6 Justification Previous research studies on insurance have concentrated on documenting the coverage and impact of insurance products, with little empirical evidence on factors affecting the sustainability of different insurance categories in the long term. It is envisaged that this research study will serve to fill this knowledge gap by identifying and elucidating the challenges that influence the implementation of private Health insurance, and contribute to the existing body of knowledge on insurance. It is hoped that this study will yield data and information that will be useful in formulating sound insurance policies and form the basis for further research and review on the insurance sector in Kenya. As such this study is important as it will identify the challenges facing the private health Insurance sector and how the challenges can be mitigated to ensure the industry grows and does not make losses. 1.7 Significance of the study This study will be important to various stakeholders including Private health insurance providers, future researchers and academicians, Association of Kenya Insurers, Insurance Regulatory Authorities and the General public. 1.7.1 Private Health Insurance Providers The findings and recommendations of this study will be useful to new Private health insurance providers intending to introduce new Private health insurance products by enabling them to formulate and target their products effectively. The study will benefit the existing Private Health insurers in understanding underwriting challenges facing medical insurance and how to address with the problems. Managers of insurance companies will find the findings of this study useful in designing strategic plans to help their businesses gain competitive advantage. 1.7.2 Academia Knowledge seekers in the fields of economics, research methods, management, and development studies will find this research study useful. In particular, this research study will be beneficial to the researchers with research interests in insurance, by serving as a point of reference. In addition, future researchers will be able to formulate further studies based on the recommendations of this study. The author, who is also a knowledge seeker, will be awarded a Master of Business Administration degree by successfully completing this research study. 1.7.3 Government and Regulatory agencies Government and regulatory agencies will find the findings and recommendations of this study useful in formulating future insurance regulations and laws that will aid in regulating and operationalization of the private health insurance industry. 1.7.4 Employers and Members of the Public The study will benefit the members of the public by helping demystify the operation of the insurance business and thereby appreciate the role of private Health insurance as well as challenges facing the Private health insurance sector in Kenya. Employers will find the findings and recommendations useful in understanding underwriting conditions proposed by insurance companies in Private Health insurance covers. 1.8 Scope of the Study The target population of this study will be all the Private health insurance providers currently operating in Nairobi, Kenya. The study will cover all the insurance companies licensed to offer Private Health insurance. Data will be collected by administering a questionnaire to managerial staff in the insurance companies. 1.9 Limitations and Delimitations This research study may encounter a number of limitations. First, the data collection will be subjected to insurance managers who may have their own formed opinions on the challenges of Private health insurance, which they may fail to articulate or tend to overemphasize for fear of the information being used for other reasons other than academic. To overcome this limitation, the researcher will carry along an introduction letter from Daystar University to confirm that the data requested will only be used for academic reasons. Data collection procedure will be restricted to the use of questionnaires thereby locking out other vital data collection tools like document analysis as they may not be availed by the companies for scrutiny. To overcome this, the study will visit the Companies websites and the information filed with the Insurance Regulatory Authority and the Association of Insurance to add on the information collected. The study will also look into other studies that have been done by other scholars on this subject. 1.10 Definition of terms Principle: A principle denotes a general guiding rule, which does not include specific directions, which vary according to the subject matter (Holzheu, 2006). Insure: To make sure or secure, to guarantee, as to insure safety to anyone. It also means to indemnify a person against pecuniary loss from specified perils or possible liability (Chen and Wong, 2004) Insured: The insured is the policy-holder who is entitled to indemnity or monetary compensation on the happening of an event insured against. The insured is also the person who obtains or is otherwise covered by insurance on his health, life or property (Holzheu, 2006). Insurer: He is the party who undertakes in consideration of an amount paid to him by the insured (premium) to pay money to the insured or assured on the happening of a stated (Holzheu, 2006). Underwriting: The process of assessing and classifying the degree of risk presented by a proposed insured or group with respect to a specific insurance product and making a decision concerning the acceptance of that risk. ( Bickley.M,C,Jones H. E, Brown.B.F and Brown J.L 2007) Adverse selection: People with a higher than average risks of needing health care are more likely than people to seek health insurance. Adverse selection results when these less healthy people disproportionately enroll into a risk pool.People with a higher than average risks of needing health care are more likely than people to seek health insurance (De Weerdt and Dercon, 2006). Co-insurance: A form of medical cost sharing in a health insurance plan that requires an insured person to pay a stated percentage of medical expenses after the deductible amount, if any, was paid (Gertler and Gruber, 2002). Co-payment: A form of medical cost sharing in a health insurance plan that requires an insured person to pay a fixed amount when a medical service is received (Leive and Xu, 2008). Deductible: A fixed dollar amount during the benefit period usually a year that an insured person pays before the insurer starts to make payments for covered medical services. Plans may have both per individual and family deductibles (Leive and Xu, 2008). Fully insured plan : A plan where the employer contracts with another organization to assume financial responsibility for the enrollees medical claims and for all incurred administrative costs (Russel, 1996). Premium: Agreed upon fees paid for coverage of medical benefits for a defined benefit period. Premiums can be paid by employers, unions, employees, or shared by both the insured individual and the plan sponsor (Leive and Xu, 2008). Self-insured plan: A plan offered by employers who directly assume the major cost of health insurance for their employees (De Weerdt and Dercon, 2006). CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 2.0 Introduction This chapter summarized the information from other researchers who had carried out their research in the same study challenges facing health insurance and their effects on busines performance. The study specifically covers the theoretical discussions, conceptual framework and research gap. 2.1 Insurance 2.1.1 Concept of Risk The existence of risk is the fundamental rationale for insurance (Criel 1997). If there is one thing about which we can be certain in this world, it is that uncertainty surrounds all that we do. This uncertainty is at the heart of risk and risk is at the very core of insurance. Risk would be defined as the probability of a cause of an event with negative outcome occurring. The cost of risk can be looked at in at least three different perspective i.e. frequency of risk, monetary cost or financial severity and human cost in terms of pain and suffering (Dickson 2002). In view of the adverse effects of risks there is a need for risks to be managed. Insurance companies are able to provide protection against the financial consequences of loss because the concept of risk pooling 2.1.2 Insurance Device Insurance contract involves two parties including the insurer and the insured. The primary function of insurance is to act as a risk transfer mechanism. Insurance involves transferring or shifting risk from one individual to a group and sharing losses, on some equitable basis by all member of the group (Vaughan, 1989). Insurance has two fundamental characteristics namely transferring or shifting risks from an individual to a group and sharing losses on some equitable basis by all member of the group (Dickson 2002). Insurance rests upon the principal of risk-sharing between many people. It relies on the law of large numbers whereby what is unpredictable for an individual is highly predictable for a large number of individuals (Criel, 1997). The law of large numbers state that typically the more times we observe a particular event the more likely that it is that our observed result will approximate be true probability that the event will occur (Bickley, Jones, Brown. Brown, 2007: 7) Insurance primarily concerns itself with risks which have financially measurable outcomes and whose outcome can only be unfavourable or leave enterprises in the same position as they were before occurrence of an event (Chen Wong, 2004). Insurance deals with fortuitous or accidental losses which must not be catastrophic for example wide spread in nature. To counter the tendency of the persons whose exposure to loss is higher than average to purchase or continue insuring to a greater extent than those whose exposure is less than average, which is referred to as avoidance of adverse selection, there must be randomness in the risks covered (Holzheu, 2006). That is there must be a proportion of good and bad risks in the insured group equal to the proportion of good and bad risk of the group on which the prediction is made. Finally the cost of insuring the risk must not be high in relation to the possible loss i.e. insurance must be economically feasible. The major activities of all insurers include rate-making, production, underwriting, loss adjustment and investment. Rate making is the process of determining the price per unit of insurance which like any other price is a function of the cost of production. The rates must be adequate, not excessive and not unfairly discriminatory (Holzheu, 2006). The premium income of the insurer must be sufficient to cover losses and expenses. Production involves supervision of the sales efforts which is carried by the agents or salaried representatives of the Insurer while underwriting on the other hand is the process of selecting and classifying exposures. If an insurer does not select from among her applicants, the result will be adverse to them (Bickley et al, 2007). The main responsibility of the underwriter is to guard against adverse selection. While attempting to avoid adverse selection through rejection of undesirable risks, the underwriter must secure an adequate volume of exposures in each class. In addition they must guard against congestion or concentration of exposure that might result in a catastrophe (Marwa, 2007). Finally loss adjusting is the loss settlement process which provides for the indemnification of those members of the group who suffer losses. It is obviously important that the insurer pay claims fairly and promptly but it is equally important that insurers resist unjust claims and avoid overpayment of them (Vaughan, 1989). As a result of their operations, insurers accumulate large amounts of money for the payment of claims in the future which are added to the funds of the insurers themselves. It would be a costly waste to permit these funds to remain idle and it is the responsibility of the insurers finance department to s ee that they are properly invested. 2.1.3 Basic principles of Insurance Insurance practice is reputed for its general principles, and the principle of indemnity is one of them, others are insurable interest, utmost good faith, subrogation, contribution and proximate cause (Marwa, 2007). Insurance is an intricate economic and social device for the handling of risks to life and property. It is social in nature because it represents the various co-operations of various individuals for mutual benefits by combining together funds to reduce the consequence of similar risk. Insurance is the placing back of a person who has suffered a loss in the same position he was before loss occurred. It aims to eradicate the consequence of a loss by not allowing the insured to suffer the consequential loss. However, unless one meets the requirements of all the basic principles of insurance, he will be estopped from claiming under an insurance contract (Holzheu, 2006). Risk is the uncertainty about an outcome in a given situation. An event might occur, and if it does, it leaves us in unfavourable position. Insurance therefore is one of the most established techniques of risk transfer. Insurance is a risk transfer mechanism by which one exchanges uncertainty for certainty. It is a risk reducing investment in which the buyer pays a small fixed amount (premium) to be protected from a potentially large loss. An entity seeking to transfer risk becomes the insured party once risk is assumed by the insurer, the insuring party, by means of a contract, called an insurance policy (Shavell, 1979). The fee paid by the insured to the insurer for assuming the risk is called the premium (Dionne and Doherty, 1994). Insurance principles are the basic doctrines that guide the practice of insurance. They include insurable interest, utmost good faith, proximate cause, indemnity, subrogation and contribution (Marwa, 2007). While life assurance is guided only by the fir st three, non-life insurance (including motor) is guided by all the six principles. 2.1.4 Social Insurance Insurance is not always practised in this ideal commercial situation as described above as there are some people in society who face risks that they cannot afford to deal with themselves and require a social approach to insurance. Social insurance (SI) is defined as a device for pooling of risks and their transfer to an organisation usually governmental that is required by law to provide pecuniary or service benefits to or on behalf of covered persons upon the occurrence of certain pre-designated losses (Vaughan, 1989). In SI individual equity is secondary in importance to the social adequacy of the benefits (Carin, 2004). Benefits are weighed in favour of certain groups so that all persons will be provided a minimum flow of protection. SI does not exclude anyone who belongs to a group that qualifies for coverage nor does it charge risk related premiums. SI includes Social Health Insurance (SHI), which deals with the risk of ill health. Health Insurance as a source of financing for health care is a system in which potential customers of health care make an advance payment to an insurance scheme, which in the event of future health service utilization will pay the provider of care some or all the direct expenses incurred (Criel, 1997). The International Labour Organisation (ILO) provides a guideline for an initial minimum package for social health insurance (SHI) which includes general practitioners care such as home visits, hospitalization where necessary, specialists care in hospitals, essential pharmaceutical supplies and prenatal, maternity and postnatal care by medical practitioners or qualified midwives. (ILO, 1952). SHI is guided by the basic assumption that health is a basic human right and insurance is a tool to advance its implementation whereas Private Health Insurance (PHI) on the other hand views health as a cluster of risks, insurance of which is a profitable economic activity. (UN, 1948 1997, WHO 1978). This brings forth the argument that society should provide at least basic health care to all citizens. However, attainment of this status is usually gradual and has to be within a set legal frame work as is illustrated in the examples provided below. For instance in Belgium during 1851 a special law officially acknowledging the sickness funds (referred to as mutual health funds) was enacted. Sickness funds were based on occupational groups and were rather small-scale. During 1894 registration provided the legal foundation of these funds with a broader scope of activities, while they could henceforth benefit from government subsidies. Subsequently mutual health funds from the same political or ideological background combined into national alliances or unions. Until early 1940s membership to mutual health funds had been voluntary. In 1944 a decree was adopted to make health insurance compulsory for all salaried workers. In Israel the first health insurance fund, the KUPAT HOLIM CLALIT (General Sickness Fund), was founded in 1911 by agricultural workers in collective settlements (Kibbutz) which during 1920 was taken over by the HISTANDRUT (General Federation of Labour) and became one of its political power bases (Carin, 2004). In 1920 three other health insurance funds were established and by 1948 when Israel gained statehood, 53% of the population was covered 80% being members of general sickness funds. By 1995 when National Health Insurance Law was voted 96% of the population was covered. Now it is the duty of every resident to register as a member in one of the existing funds (Holzheu, 2006). Meanwhile the origin of SHI in Japan is the development of voluntary community health insurance scheme in the nineteenth century. In 1935 a community health insurance scheme (having rice as a pre-paid contribution and basic care as the main benefit) was established in the Fukuoka Prefecture. In the 1930s government encouraged the replication of community health insurance on a National Citizens Health Insurance law based on community financing principle but with cash-based contribution was proclaimed and implemented. The law was designed to meet the needs of poor in underserved rural villages, the farmers and self-employed workers in rural communities and small companies. It was initially run on voluntary basis (Carin, 2004). In 1922 a law was voted establishing compulsory insurance for selected groups of workers and by 1945 employee health insurance together with National Citizens Health Insurance covered 60% of the population. Legislation establishing compulsory insurance for all wa s finally adopted during 1958 and was implemented in 1961 (Carin, 2004).

Cloning: Opening a Pandoras Box :: Genetic Engineering Essays

Cloning: Opening a Pandora's Box What Dolly is to biology can be likened to what nuclear bomb is to physics. And just like the latter, Dolly brings with it a host of controversies. Dolly redefined nature the same way Fat Man and Little Boy redefined warfare in 1945. The impact to the human civilisation is what makes both Dolly and nuclear physics so great, and controversial. It needs not take long for everyone to realise the Pandora's box that Dolly has pried open, even for someone who knows nothing about biology like myself. Suddenly, terms like clones, DNA, biotech, life sciences and genes amongst many other similar, once alien, terminologies seemed to appear everywhere; in books, magazines, newspapers and television programmes. Soon thereafter, there were protests, debates and even legislations passed to restrict scientists/biologists/geneticists in their researches. Just what are the reasons behind the world's infatuation over a sheep? Dolly would not be conceived in nature-it is man-made, it is artificial and yet, it is real. Man had just promoted himself to be Dolly's God. And being a mammal, Dolly opens up questions faster than anyone could possibly answer. The ability to create genetically identical mammals, including humans, is the crux of the controversy revolving Dolly. Like nuclear physics, Dolly is a double-edged sword. We have heard often enough the pros and cons of genetic-engineering techniques that are improved over time. But really, what are all these talks about ethics, rights and law going to amount to? The fact is that man is an inquisitive animal, an intelligent one at that. We have come to understand the change from day to night, we have sent man onto the moon, we have created enough nuclear bombs to blow up the very planet we live in 20 times over and we are inching towards unravelling and deciphering God's instructions manual in the very near future. In my humble opinion, nothing is going to stop the force of man's curious mind, not laws and definitely not ethical considerations. Already, one Italian scientist, Dr. Severino Antinori, had openly claimed that he had successfully implanted a cloned human embryo into a human surrogate mother(1) . The implications of Dolly's success are way beyond the medical realm. Commercially, Dolly sparked an explosion of new frontiers for those with an entrepreneurial mind. You want to slim down? We can take out your "fatty genes." You want to have blond hair?