Fast Food Drive

The Drive-Through Process As a rule, the time spent by customers on making reservations and orders takes a lot of time, especially in peak hours when all customers are willing to receive what they want in the shortest possible time.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Fast Food Drive-Throughs specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More When this concerns fast food restaurants and other quick services, there is such a concept that occurred in the USA in 1930s and spread all over the world named drive-through. In this respect, the drive-through services are aimed at reducing the throughput time and serving a maximum number of clients in the minimum time compared to other similar services. s such, it is necessary to compare the throughput time in a conventional quick service restaurant and a drive-through restaurant of fast food because they both are aimed at serving the customers in a timely manner on the highest possible level a ppropriate for the service. When a drive-through process is arranged in an appropriate manner, its operation decreases the throughput time compared to the conventional quick service restaurants. As reported by Baraban and Durocher (2010), â€Å"Separate ordering, payment, and pickup stations have been shown to speed the drive-through queue in many operations† (p. 46). At the same time, the conventional fast food restaurant operates on a queue basis when every customer is served by one staff member which takes some time to receive the order, perform the order, give the order to customer, and receive the payment. In this respect, electronic drive-through payment is one of the methods that make the drive-through process faster compared with the conventional fast food stores where the speed of serving orders depends on the skills of the staff members and the number of staff members in one shift with regard to the busy or not busy hours. Customers’ Role in Speed and Efficie ncy The drive-through concept can be considered one of the most effective in terms of the time needed for serving one customer. In other words, the order can be placed remotely to speed up its fulfilment and decrease the throughput time required to fulfil every order and increasing the throughput capacity of the fast food restaurant with drive-through services.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, some conventional quick service restaurants can speed up their operation by adapting the system of electronic payment. As reported by Emmelmann, Bochow and Kellum (2010), â€Å"Electronic drive-through payment systems may be able to substantially increase vehicle throughput†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 7) while the same electronic payment system can make the operation of conventional fast food restaurants more time-efficient compared with their rivals. For instance, Schneiderman (2002) c laims that system of electronic payment can be established through free Wi-Fi or simply through mobile internet when a customer who is in the fast food restaurant can submit payment through electronic payment system using a mobile phone. This process is claimed to increase the speed of serving in conventional fast food restaurants. To increase the efficiency of drive-through restaurants, customers can place their orders by contacting the call centre and submitting payment through electronic payment system. As a result, the order would be ready as soon as the customer decides on the order and provides payment. In this respect, the speed of fulfilling the order would depend on the speed of the call centre and electronic payment system only. If a customer wants the order to be prepared on time, he/she should use the benefits of innovative drive-through process. Reference List Baraban, S.R. and Durocher, F.J., 2010. Successful restaurant design. 3rd ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons. Emmelmann, M., Bochow, B., and Kellum, C., 2010. Vehicular networking: automotive applications and beyond. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons. Schneiderman, Ron, 2002. The mobile technology question and answer book: a survival guide for business managers. New York: AMACOM. This essay on Fast Food Drive-Throughs was written and submitted by user Lu1s to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Action Planning Template Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers

Action Planning Template Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers Action Planning Template Project title Vegetable Farm Project leader Headmaster/Principal Participants Four Uniform Units ( 125 pupils ) 8 Uniform Units Coordinators Project goal The goal of this project is to introduce to pupils the usage of recycleade thing for Planting vgetables Focus The core skills this project focuses on are all skills in in conducting the project. Rationale Tthis project will familiarise the teachers and pupils with the score skills and will Enhance the pupils knowledge the imporetance Outcomes What will the outcome of the project be? How will you know the outcome has been achieved? Outcome 1 All coordinators and partcipnts invle in the project.get to know about this project Briefing conducted for all coordinators and pupils Outcome 2 Participants know the to plant the vegetable with the coordinators help Vegetables are planted in the chosen recyclable items Outcome 3 Outcome 4 Working group formed identifying and collecting recyclealde items to be used in the project Planting and taking care of the vegetable farn 8 coodinators are appointed form 4 uniform units.8 groups with 15 participants are formed Work scheduler are formed for the coordinators and the groups Overview of steps of process Step 1 Design school vision for the project Step 2 Identify and appoint coordinators,who will be the leaders of their groups for the project. Step 3 Dividing the members of the 4 uniform units into 8 group for the project Step 4 The coordinators and the participants write and dessiminate a plan to carry at the project' Detailed breakdown of steps to achieve the project goal Step Brief description (from previous page) Who is involved? When? Deadlines? What resources are required? Notes Step achieved? Yes/No 1 Meeting, discussion and briefing the project to the teachers and staffs All teachers and staffs 19 Sept 2017 Principal's knowledge Meeting room 2 Meet and discuss on ideas for the pupils to present All Level 2 students 21 Sept 2017 Access to computer and internet Computer labs can be used for the discussion and sourcing for information 3 Practising cleanliness in school All Level 2 students 25 - 29 Sept 2017 Resources can be obtained from school 4 Prepare materials for exhibition corner and 3R Bin (3 bins) All Level 2 students 26 - 29 Sept 2017 Exhibition: Materials for setting up exhibition 3R Bins: Boxes and labels Exhibition set up in classrooms; manned by the group of selected students Students provide boxes for the bins 5 Setting up the exhibition All Level 2 students 2 Oct - end of school term 2017 Periodical 6 Students' Journal All Level 2 students 6 - 9 Oct 2017 Journal Share the journal in the school FrogVle site for the community to access.

Characteristics of abusers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Characteristics of abusers - Essay Example For example, domestic abuse or violence is associated with substance abuse. Reports from even civilized countries showed that the relationships have lost its meaning even in families. There are many cases in which the children were abused by their parents under influence of alcohol or drugs. This paper briefly analyses the role of substance abuse in domestic violence Domestic abuse is a term used to describe abuse by family members or intimate partners such as a spouse, ex-spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend, ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend. It can take many forms, like intimidation, threats, violent behaviors etc to gain power and control over another person (Welcome to Chapter 1 of the Verbal Abuse Tutorial!, 2005). There are lots of reasons attached with the substance abuser’s behavior. These reasons can be physical as well as psychological. Sometimes these reasons can have deep roots in the childhood experiences. For example, some children might have witnessed their parents engaged in substance abuse which may motivate them when they grow up. They may develop their personality and attitude based on such experiences. They will think that such substance abuses are normal in the society and no need to refrain from it. â€Å"There must be 100 studies showing a genetic basis for abusive personalities and for many of the disorders† (MedicineNet, 2010). Heredity plays an important role in the making of a substance abuser. Parents with substance abusive character can have children of the same caliber. Most of the traits or behavioral characteristics of the parents will be transferred to the offspring through genes and hence the children unknowingly develop such abusive behaviors even when they brought up in a healthy environment. Some people often confess that they were engaged in substance abuse unknowingly. â€Å"Brothers and sisters will sometimes experiment, exploring sexuality. In alcoholic families, where boundaries and roles aren’t

Constructing Deductive Arguments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Constructing Deductive Arguments - Essay Example (3)Abortion is deliberate killing of the unborn human fetus. (4)My neighbors Rosa and Michal aborted their child like many other people in this country. Therefore, (5) they are all murderers and should be punished. Fetus is human because it has complete set of DNA and deliberately removing it equates that a human is killed who would have developed into a complete form if the killers were stopped. No doubt, killing is unlawful and those who abort their child should be punished according to law. The above argument develops around deductive reasoning. The premises (1, 2, 3, and 4) are accurate, therefore they lead to the conclusion (5).Conclusion (5) that they are all murderers and should be punished flow from the premises (1) Deliberate killing of human is a crime (2) murders should be punished (3) abortion is deliberate killing of the unborn human fetus (4) my neighbors Rosa and Michal aborted their child like many other people in this country. The conclusion (5) is valid and sound because it flows from the premises which are

American Perspective Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

American Perspective - Essay Example It was relevant to take health-protection policies and strategies at the governmental level and the health of the members of the American society was in danger. In the process of industrial development and progressive changes in the country rapid processes of urbanization and industrialization triggered the socialization and shift agricultural concerns of the government to industrial context. Moreover, post-war period imposed challenges on labor market in America. Thousands of lives of American soldiers were lost and there was a need to search for new employees. Environmental and health issues were of the main concern for the American government and similar to the modern policies, the government realized the necessity to contribute much to development of health safety policies in different fields and industries. Question 1 Describe the effects of the horse on urban pollution. What solution was developed to deal with this and how successful was it? In the article â€Å"Atlanta Exposi tion Address† (1895) by Booker Washington the issues of environmental pollution in the 19th and 20th centuries are discussed. The relation between environmental issues and industrial progress of the American society go hand in hand from the beginning of the industrial development of the country. ... It was more natural of them to work in the factory than going to the theatre or to the opera, for example. In the article â€Å"W.E.B. Du Bois Denounces Washington’s Accomodationist policies† (1903) we can read between the lines that when the country stood on the edge of industrial development, it had to make different challenging choices, such as convenience or animal health; industrial development or agrarian advancement. A horse was a golden mean of mediation between these challenging questions. The following article â€Å"Urban Pollution-Many Long Years Ago† by Joel L. Tarr is more detailed in its descriptions about a complicated process of assimilation of horse in the industrial activities of people. It was necessary to efforce a horse from the agrarian nature and force it in the industrial urban nature. The contemporaries draw parallels with environmental hazards imposed by the horse and automobile: we are suffering from exhaust gases and earlier a horse wa s accused of air contaminants harmful for health. I doubt that the scope of harm is equal between these two means of transport†¦ At the beginning of the twentieth century there was a clear intention to eradicate this harmful animal means of transportation vigorously and create a sounder and more health friendly means of transportation. The â€Å"horseless cvarriages† were the embodiment of dreamy ideas of the industrial developers at that time. There was an intention to choose the least of two evils, which was not a horse, but a potential automobile. The streets were full of mud because of the usage of horses as transportation means, and the American cities spent huge amounts of money for cleaning their streets from the horse mud. The epidemic expansion of cholera, smallpox, yellow fever

Decline of the United Auto Workers Union (UAW)

Decline of the United Auto Workers Union (UAW) Introduction What does labor want? It wants the earth and the fullness thereof. There is nothing too beautiful, too lofty, and too ennobling unless it is within the scope and aspiration of labors aspirations and wants. We want more schoolhouses and less jails more books and less arsenals more learning and less vice more constant work and less crime more leisure and less greed more justice and less revenge in fact, more of the opportunities to make childhood more joyful womanhood more beautiful and manhood more noble. (Samuel Gompers, 1893) Organizations that deal with corporations, firms and other organization for the benefits of the workers on the behalf of members of union are generally termed as union. There are present different types of unions for example trade union, represent workers who do a specific type of job e.g. the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). Then there is industrial union that indicates workers in a specific industry. United Auto Workers (UAW) is a good example of industrial union (Brent Radcliffe, 2011). A large number of economists consider union as monopolies in the labor market. They believe that the rise in the wages of members, at the expense of unorganized labor is the main impact of union. These researchers analyzed the negative impact of unions on the productivity, employment, and the subsequent crowding of the nonunion zone. In addition there are present another group of economist who believe that unions have positive affecting both politically and economically. These skilled analysts noted that unions could increase retention of skills and developments. When a market is national or international, with output produced in one plant competing with that produced in other plants, independent bargaining by individual locals would lose unions their monopoly power, as locals would compete for jobs through lower wages. . . . The result would be a reduction in wages to more or less competitive levels. Unions can help in the achieving higher productivity and better management by increasing morale of workers, reducing labor turnover, and cooperation. Unions also help in providing well-organized workplace for better results. This is very much true that unions reduce profit (Richard B. Freeman and James L. Medoff, 1984). In todays globalized world, there is great need of union for number of reasons e.g. there is great increase in compensation, workers are hired according to their ranks, the gap between labor and management decreases both in terms of wages and in representation. There are present different viewpoints on the necessity and efficiency of unions. The problems faced by UAW at General Motors had raised the issue on the importance of unions in the future and in the modern society. In 1998, a harsh fight raged between the company and union. To remain competitive in the market the companies needed to change their strategies and increase their competence. Lower-cost outsourcing is very usual in the companies. Outsourcing involves the selling off business divisions in order to have a more focused and profitable company. United Auto Workers struggled for the union jobs.UAW were against the outsourcing (Korey Harlyn Coon, 1999). In the United States, the workers who have a stab to make unions are usually fired. If the management saw workers engaged in any collective activities, they are consistently harassed and stressed. The workers are permanently replaced if found in such activities like struggling for their rights (Bronfenbrenner, 1994). Stipend earners or salary earners has started an organization for the protection of their combined interests while dealing with their company and this organization is known as labor union. Generally, in the industrialized countries the unions are widespread. In the last 30-40 years, in most countries, there is large decline in the unions (representing workers). In 1950s, the unions of the United States represented about one-third of all workers but today less than 15 percent of the workforce represents the unions. In the private zone the labor force is less than 10 percent (in the late 90s the unions represented 30-40 percent of public sector workers). In the past decade s the workers union was considered as very strong force in the United States but these days the situations are opposite (Comstock, 1994). The industrial unions of the United States have large number of unionized workers. The workers of the industrial unions have large variety of occupation (within one or more industries). United Automobile Workers (UAW) is an excellent example of industrial union. The most important American automobile companies have both skilled and unskilled workers and in these companies, UAW has separate contract for workers. However, the industrial unions started by arranging workers in the single industry or set of allied industries. In the tractor and earthmoving equipment industry (Caterpillar and John Deere), UAW also represents workers. At the end of 1990s UAW across the country added different groups such as Graphics Artists Guild (3,000 members), the National Writers Union (5,000 members), and various service, technical, and graduate student employees at more than 20 colleges and universities. Decline of Union The history of union membership in the United States has noticeably changed. In US for almost 200 years, the unions (in some forms) have been in existence. Until 1930s, the unions membership did not gained significant position. In 1953, the union membership rose from 3 percent to 26 percent of the labor force in United States and in 1962 declined to 21 percent. The most ingenious and flourishing auto industry, the United Auto Workers (UAW) had faced tremendous decline by losing thousands of members in the 70s and 80s. At that time there were hardly six percent union workers who were engaged in product manufacturing (subtracting non-manufactures like nurses, civil servants, police, teachers, etc) because without base membership is not retained (David Macaray, 2008). In United States (1953), the union membership increased from 3 percent to 26 percent and declined to 21 percent in 1962. The quick expansion in employment in the nonunion organizations (governmental, finance, trade etc) is one of the factors responsible for decline of union. During the great depression, 1929-1933, another half million union members were dropped. The new deal era (1933- 1939) brought new legislation which helped in increasing members. The Auto Workers and the Machinists unions were top ranked that showed largest increase in the members of union during wartime but after the war (Leo Troy, 1965). In shaping the union, the legislation plays a key role. The workers can perform their work without any fear of wages any other problem. UAW played a significant role after World War II, in increasing labor movement, job security, and health care. Many researchers think that cause of decline is both external and internal. In the American economy, there is elementary shift from industrialized to service-based jobs. Globalization has made capital more mobile. Through this, employees got the opportunity to shift from lower to higher wages job. In addition, the political environment favored the economy. Labor law premeditated to protect the rights of labors. Some workers have the thought that by negotiation with the employers they can get better chance of work place. The workers have the feeling that negotiation is better than bargaining. This is because the workers have lost confidence in the ability of unions (Yates, 1998). The internal causes of labors decline are believed to be the willingness of workers to enter into a cooperative relationship with capital in the years following World War II. During the war period, t he unions did their best to establish peace between labor and corporate leaders. The labor also agreed that they would not interfere in the decisions of management. UAW president Bob king said that The UAW was able to win tremendous contracts with employers in the auto, aerospace and agricultural and construction equipment sectors because all three sectors were almost completely unionized, The United Auto Workers Union (UAW) was established in 1935. At this time it had 600,000 members representing the three main auto industries (General motors, Ford and Chrysler). In 1970s, there was great decline in the membership of UAW for some time. The decline indicates that there is great downfall in employment in the automobile and related industries. The UAW was struggling for the jobs of the future generation and not for their own jobs. To achieve their goals they did many strikes. These strikes showed the great decline in the power of the union. UAW chart.png graph1: Decline in UAW membership (source Dale Buss, 2011) The above graph shows the decline in UAW membership from 1979 to 2009. It is very clear that in 1979, the membership was at its peak that is 1.5 million and in 2009; UAW membership fell by 18 percent. According to the annual report submitted by US department of labor the main cause of decline was cut down in jobs (Jerry White, 2010). Union Busting The worlds leading automakers, the General Motors and Delphi (biggest auto parts suppliers of the world) had started union busting attack against the United Auto Workers (UAW). In the past decades, the US workers saw the biggest decline in the actual wages. The Delphi, auto parts supplier to GM, went bankruptcy. The company decided to cut the pays of workers from $27.00 to $10.00 per hour. At the same time, the bosses of GM claimed huge givebacks from UAW. Globalization Globalization is very important in several aspects. Over the past few years, the international competition has been enormously increased due to globalization especially in the economy sector. The higher prices on the imports have been cut down. Also due to increased competition, the domestic competitors were forced to give great benefits to their unionized workers. In unionized sector, the employment declines while in nonunion industries employment expanded. Moreover, the companies shut down or seal their plant, if union attempts to raise the profit of the workers and start new production in other country where costs are less. Globally the auto industry had become very competitive. In the 1980s, UAW responded to Asian and European growing challenges by abandoning any assault on jobs and on the living standards. Job Banks UAW in 1984 started a program called Jobs Banks,. The autoworkers get $31 per hour. Each year $70,000 to $85,000 are paid (for not to work) to UAW members. These workers are getting their full pay and all the benefits without working. They do not care about the loss of the company. This practice of allotting funds to the workers cost billions of dollars (approximately $4.5 billion) to the companies. Health Insurance The Negotiation of the union with the companies for the health benefits of members of union resulted in the decline of UAW, the auto industry. According to the survey of 2002, UAW wasted money as the big three (General Motors, Chrysler LLC, and Ford Motor) spent nearly $10 billion on health insurance. Roughly, each car pays the cost of $1,500 for health insurance. In this way, the money spent on health insurance is greater than the money spent on the steel for the construction of the car. In contrast to UAW, Toyota has less health insurance. Assault of Fund To fill the incursion funds The United Auto Workers (UAW) used nearly $ 1 billion dues of its workers. No other union performs such a pact to fill the strike funds. It was estimated that 30 percent from the pay of UAW member was given to fulfill the assault of fund. Other unions by negotiation with its member full fill this gap (without using the workers dues). Luxurious Resort UAW constructed luxurious resort, The Black Lake Resort and Golf club. The finance for construction was drawn from union dues. The UAW union members are allowed to visit the resort. The labor agreement between UAW and three big automakers In 2007, a historic negotiation took place between the Big Three automakers (General Motors, Chrysler LLC, and Ford Motor) and the United Autoworkers (UAW). Both the parties were aware of the significant of the agreement. They knew that to survive in this technical era and to compete with of global economy this agreement help them a lot. After the decline in membership, the main aim of the agreement was to protect the jobs and healthcare for the members of union. In addition, the big Three automakers (General Motors, Chrysler LLC, and Ford Motor) committed to lower the wages for some workers. To achieve the dynamic auto sales and to boom their market shares the agreement plays an important role. (John J. Lucas, and Jonathan M. Furdek, 2009) The recent economic slump had left bad impact on the US auto industry. The majority of Detroit autoworkers are represented by, United Auto Workers (UAW) union. They give allowances on its pay and benefits package. The UAW negotiates with the company to protect this package (Tony Escobar). The growth of non-union workers in the plant is also a cause of decline in UAW membership. Moreover the cars made by foreign companies (whether in the US or elsewhere) are account for more than half the cars sold in this country. It was analyzed that if UAW and other large unions did not get financial and regulatory support from government they will soon be vanished (Gary Becker and Richard Posner, 2008). A survey showed that only one third of UAW members are autoworkers and large percentage of work force is employed by state (includes colleges, universities and health care organizations (Dale Buss, 2011) Conclusion Union plays a very vital role in both political and business environment. They exit in many forms in industries. Unions help workers in obtaining better wages and working conditions. There are present two types of unions, federal and industrial. A large number of economists consider union as monopolies in the labor market. Unions can help in the achieving higher productivity. In industrialized countries, the unions are widespread. In the last 30-40 years, in most countries, there is large decline in the unions. In the past there was tremendous growth in the union membership but today its growth is not to that extend. The United Auto Workers (UAW) had faced tremendous decline by losing thousands of members in the 70s and 80s. In the beginning, there were 1.5 million members of UAW, which declined to 600,000 in 2009. In the past decades, the US workers saw the biggest decline in the actual wages. In 2007, a historic negotiation took place between the Big Three automakers (General Motors, Chrysler LLC, and Ford Motor) and the United Autoworkers (UAW). The recent economic slump had left bad impact on the US auto industry through the collective bargaining process the unions have reinvented themselves.

State vs state :: essays research papers fc

Introduction State of origin is one of the toughest rivalry’s in Australian sport. In this report I run through the selection process and the success of the game. What is the importance of state of origin? State of origin is an important event on the sporting calendar. It has massive value to the fans but mostly, to the players selected. Any player would tell you the greatest thrill in their career would be pulling on that N.S.W or Qld jersey for the first time. It was as good as football got according to Chris walker the maroons winger 2001-2002 and he was right. It was all about the blood, sweat and tears and a bit more blood. It’s all about passion. It is a big event for the fans as well. There is always a huge vibe when state of origin time comes around and at the venues the atmosphere is amazing, even hours before the game. It’s a passionate game from the players and from the fans. It’s the game that the boo’s are louder and so are the cheers. How are the state of origin players selected? A part of the selection process in N.S.W is the city v country match. It is held every year so the players selected in these sides can try and fight there way into the origin squad. Many people believe that this actually isn’t part of the process as last years man of the match, Scott Hill, was not selected for any of the three games played but some of the selectors regard it as a trial. The Queensland rugby league do not hold a match like this to help with selection. The selectors for each state select an origin squad. The final origin team can include people not selected in the squad. The selectors are a panel of ex-players and rugby league experts who watch the performance of every player and analyse this to choose there final side about one week before the game. Why did they start state of origin? They have wanted to start state of origin since 1900. The suggestion actually came about because a New South Wales star moved to Queensland. In the 1900 a quality N.S.W player moved to Queensland. A journalist from a newspaper wrote, â€Å" even though he is residing in Rockhampton I am of the opinion he should play for NSW. The time has arrived, I think, for the observance of [such] a qualification for players in inter-colonial matches.

Moral Panic Definition Essay

Deborah Cameron is a linguist whose focus research is on what people’s attitudes are towards language. She writes a long definition on moral panic in Verbal Hygiene explaining how the media and general public exaggerate concerns beyond reason. Cameron reports that Jock Young describes moral panic as the public’s reaction that is â€Å"completely disproportionate to the actual problem.† Cameron explains that the causes of moral panic are analyzed in a simplistic manner, but the concern to the problem escalates to intolerable levels. She uses the term â€Å"folk devil† as an example of how they are identified in gang related violence and is a scape goat to the exaggerated issues reported by the media. Cameron also states from what scholars have suggested â€Å"that moral panic†¦is a product of modern mass media†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , if there is media attention the event will turn into an issue. However, if the media does not give attention, then the event wil l go unnoticed. In â€Å"American Werewolf in Kabul†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Sean Brayton, a Ph.D student researching the specifics of critical race theory and media studies, analyzes the concept of moral panic as being an important cause of the potential threat of national security to the United States of America. He illustrates the three main elements of moral panic: folk devils, ambiguous terms, and moral entrepreneurs using the reality of John Walker Lindh’s journey through multiple identities. Comparing Cameron’s definition of moral panic to Brayton’s discussion of moral panic, which originated from Cohen’s developed description of the context in 1972, there is agreement that media overemphasize concerns beyond practicality. Both Cameron and Brayton use the term â€Å"folk devils† to represent a subgroup of individuals that is a leading cause of moral panic, yet with different purposes. Cameron suggests that the term â€Å"folk devil† is usually branded to social minorities that bear the burden enmity and blame by the socially ideal majority, whereas Brayton expands Cohen’s understanding of the term as a threat to the moral constitution of society on the whole. Although their research areas are not of a similar context, they both relate their writing to a â€Å"cultural history† in an era of media induced politics. As the previous paragraphs mentioned, the term â€Å"moral panic† is applied in both Cameron and Brayton’s writing, which Cameron realizes the crucial influence to expanded reports, while Brayton blames that those reports magnify the guilty to the individuals who commit. According to Brayton, three essential elements can be found in the concept moral panic: folk devils, moral entrepreneur, and ambiguous terms. Those elements are perfectly applied to a real life example during WWII, most of the innocent Japanese-Americans (devil folks) were forced to move into the internment camp by the U.S.A. Government (moral entrepreneur) after American military base in Pearl Harbour was destroyed by Japanese army. The U.S.A. Government treated the Japanese-Americans unfairly, as national enemies, traitors, or spies for the ir homeland (defined terms). Cameron is a linguist and uses moral panic theory to explain why negative attitudes arose toward youth literacy in 1980 – 1990’s England. Brayton looks at moral panic theory from the perspective of cultural politics and how moral panic was used post – 9/11 to preserve American ideals and create separation from conflicting cultural values. In both cases, Cameron and Brayton use moral panic theory to understand a culture’s reaction to some social problem exaggerated by the media. Moral panic theory provides researchers with a method of analyzing a situation resulting from a moral panic. Moral panic is, as Cameron describes, a problem â€Å"†¦discussed in an obsessive, moralistic and alarmist manner†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . The theory may also be a useful model for researchers dealing with the study of human behavior or culture, such as cultural history, social theory, criminology, and anthropology. In particular, it could be useful in studying the effects of med ia on culture.

Role of Ministry of Health in Malaysia Essays

Role of Ministry of Health in Malaysia Essays Role of Ministry of Health in Malaysia Essay Role of Ministry of Health in Malaysia Essay The Ministry of Health’s role is basically to lay the policy and the direction of health services in the country and to show the commitment of the Government, and the powers-to-be, that health is of utmost importance in nation building. And the role of the ministry is to enforce regulations and be the regulator. Imagine if there is no Ministry of Health, anybody can make the claim that their product is the best for health; anybody can set up a hospital. Nobody to regulate the quality of the workforce involved the quality of healthcare, and the quality of equipment. So the Ministry of Health has a big role as a regulator and policy maker. The Ministry of Health, being the lead agency in health provides leadership on matters relating to health and also sets the direction for health care development in the country. During the Ninth Malaysia Plan period (2006 – 2010), efforts will be undertaken to consolidate health care services, enhance human resource development and optimize resource utilization. The Strategic Plan for Health is a summary of the Country Health Plan, which was developed for the Ninth Malaysia Plan (NMP). It is intended to be a quick reference for all programs, institutions and state departments under the Ministry of Health to ensure that all activities and resources are directed towards similar goals. Achieving the Ministry’s mission and goals will require sustained commitment. The plan will not only serve as a guide within the Ministry of Health, but will also provide a framework for other stakeholders to work together towards improving our health care system. Without doubt, Malaysia has one of the best health systems in the region. The recently released Country Health Plan: 9th Malaysia Plan 2006-2010 has detailed out the health plan for Malaysia. Much effort had been put into its development. It involved months of deliberations and serious thoughts. Multiple parties, both from within and outside the Ministry of Health, had come aboard to contribute to its contents. Many a supporting document had been scrutinized. The Strategic Plan presents the Country Health Plan at a glance. It is intended to be a guiding light, for all programs, institutions and state departments under the Ministry of Health, to ensure that no activity and resources go astray; that they are aligned along the same intended path. The health status of Malaysians has improved significantly since the nation achieved its independence in 1957. Despite such success, there remain issues and challenges that need to be addressed. These matters in question range from the evolvement of disease patterns to the administration of health services. As the custodian for health in the country, it is imperative that the Ministry of Health addresses these concerns in the interest of boosting the system which in turn will ensure the health of the people. The Ministry of Health shall give emphasis to the changing patterns of communicable as well as non-communicable diseases, including mental health. At the same time, it will persevere to provide universal coverage of healthcare services at affordable costs. Provision of quality of services and optimization of health resources, in the forms of human, financial, infrastructure and technological will be given priority, both in the public and private sectors. The Ministry of Health will also not overlook the marginalized population such as the underprivileged and elderly as well as those living in the remote parts of the country. At present, the Ministry of Health’s initiatives at reforming healthcare are in progress to support these efforts. Its feat at enriching the health status of Malaysia depends greatly on the promotion of wellbeing to individuals and communities. It shall rely on the awareness, conduct and use of research evidence to continually improve its performance to meet local and global demands. The areas of health care quality, tourism and informatics shall be strengthened to provide the Ministry of Health with the competitive edge on the international platform. The Ministry of Health’s vision for health is to make Malaysia as a nation of healthy individuals, families and communities, through a health system that is equitable, affordable, efficient, technologically appropriate, environmentally adaptable and consumer-friendly, with emphasis on quality, innovation, health promotion and respect for human dignity and which promotes individuals responsibility and community participation towards an enhanced quality of life. The Ministry of Health has a mission to build partnerships for health, to motivate and facilitate the people to fully attain their health potential, appreciate health as a valuable asset, and to take positive actions to further improve and sustain their health status. The Ministry of Health’s vision for the future and the strategic objectives are based on its corporate values that incorporate professionalism, teamwork and caring. The Ministry of Health has some strategic goals which are to prevent and reduce the burden of disease, enhance the healthcare delivery system, optimize resources, improve research and development, manage crisis and disasters effectively, and to strengthen the health information management system. Ministry of Health has some strategies. First, they want improve governance, and adoption of appropriate technology and service practices to empower individuals, families and communities towards attaining lifelong wellness. Second, they will develop skills and competencies to further reduce mortality and morbidity rates in furtherance of strengthening the quality of healthcare delivery. Third, they aim to establish effective business strategies to enhance organizational performance and the consumption of resources. Then, they will increase the use of evidence through research to support all levels of decision making. Other than that, Ministry of Health will elevate the level of preparedness in managing disasters and health-related crises effectively. And lastly, they will upgrade the standards of information and communication technology as well as health informatics to maintain sound health information management. The Ministry of Health is a vast organization comprising of different Programs and Divisions, with varying functions and responsibilities. These components have in turn formulated strategies to uphold the above strategies of the Ministry of Health. Reproductive medicine is a branch of medicine that deals with prevention, diagnosis and management of reproductive problems; goals include improving or maintaining reproductive health and allowing people to have children at a time of their choosing. It is founded on knowledge of reproductive anatomy, physiology, and endocrinology, and incorporates relevant aspects of molecular biology, biochemistry and pathology. In the assessment of patients imaging techniques, laboratory methods and surgery may be needed. Treatment methods include counseling, pharmacology, surgery, and other methods. Reproductive medicine addresses issues of sexual education, puberty, family planning, birth control, infertility, reproductive system disease (including sexually transmitted diseases) and sexual dysfunction. In women, reproductive medicine also covers menstruation, ovulation, pregnancy and menopause, as well as gynecologic disorders that affect fertility. The field cooperates with and overlaps to some degree with gynecology, obstetrics, urology, genitourinary medicine, medical endocrinology, pediatric endocrinology, genetics, and psychiatry. Reproductive rights are rights relating to reproduction and reproductive health. The World Health Organisation defines reproductive rights as follows: Reproductive rights rest on the recognition of the basic right of all couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the information and means to do so, and the right to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health. They also include the right of all to make decisions concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence. Reproductive rights is an umbrella terms that may include some or all of the following rights: the right to legal or safe abortion, the right to control ones reproductive functions, the right to access quality reproductive healthcare, and the right to education and access in order to make reproductive choices free from coercion, discrimination, and violence. Reproductive rights may also be understood to include education about contraception and sexually transmitted infections, and freedom from coerced sterilization and contraception, protection from gender-based practices such as female genital cutting, or FGC, and male genital mutilation, or MGM. Reproductive rights were first discussed as a subset of human rights at the United Nations 1968 International Conference on Human Rights. The sixteenth article of the Proclamation of Teheran states, Parents have a basic human right to determine freely and responsibly the number and the spacing of their children. In 1945, the UN Charter included the obligation to promote universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without discrimination as to race, sex, language, or religion. However, the Charter did not define these rights. Three years later, the UN adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the first international legal document to delineate human rights. The UDHR does not mention reproductive rights, which were first recognised as a subset of human rights in the 1968 Proclamation of Teheran which review the progress made in the twenty years since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to formulate a programme for the future. The Proclamation of Teheran states: Parents have a basic right to decide freely and responsibly on the number and spacing of their children and a right to adequate education and information in this respect. This right was adopted by the UN General Assembly in the 1974 Declaration on Social Progress and Development which states The family as a basic unit of society and the natural environment for the growth and well-being of all its members, particularly children and youth, should be assisted and protected so that it may fully assume its responsibilities within the community. Parents have the exclusive right to determine freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children. The 1975 UN International Womens Year Conference echoed the Proclamation of Teheran. The United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) advocate for reproductive rights with a primary emphasis on womens rights. In this respect the UN and WHO focus on a range of issues, including access to family planning services, sex education, menopause, and the reduction of obstetric fistula, to the relationship between reproductive health and economic status. The reproductive rights of women are advanced in the context of the right to freedom from discrimination and the social and economic status of women. The group Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN) explained the link in the following statement: â€Å"Control over reproduction is a basic need and a basic right for all women. Linked as it is to womens health and social status, as well as the powerful social structures of religion, state control and administrative inertia, and private profit, it is from the perspective of poor women that this right can best be understood and affirmed. Women know that childbearing is a social, not a purely personal, henomenon; nor do we deny that world population trends are likely to exert considerable pressure on resources and institutions by the end of this century. But our bodies have become a pawn in the struggles among states, religions, male heads of households, and private corporations. Programs that do not take the interests of women into account are unlikely to succeed † Attempts have been made to analyse the socioeconomic conditions that affect the realisation of a womans reproductive rights. The term reproductive justice has been used to describe these broader social and economic issues. Proponents of reproductive justice argue that while the right to legalized abortion and contraception applies to everyone, these choices are only meaningful to those with resources, and that there is a growing gap between access and affordability. Mens reproductive rights have been claimed by various organizations, both for issues of reproductive health, and other rights related to sexual reproduction. Three international issues in mens reproductive health are sexually transmitted disease STDs, cancer and exposure to toxins. Recently mens reproductive right with regards to paternity have become subject of debate in the U. S. The term Male abortion was coined by Melanie McCulley, a South Carolina attorney, in a 1998 article. The theory begins with the premise that when a woman becomes pregnant she has the option of abortion, adoption, or parenthood; it argues, in the context of legally recognized gender equality, that in the earliest stages of pregnancy the putative (alleged) father should have the right to relinquish all future parental rights and financial responsibility, leaving the informed mother with the same three options. In 2006, the National Center for Men brought a case in the US, Dubay v. Wells (dubbed by some Roe v. Wade for men), that argued that in the event of an unplanned pregnancy, when an unmarried woman informs a man that she is pregnant by him, he should have an opportunity to give up all paternity rights and responsibilities. Masculists argue that this would allow the woman time to make an informed decision and give men the same reproductive rights as women. In its dismissal of the case, the U. S. Court of Appeals (Sixth Circuit) stated that the Fourteenth Amendment does not deny to [the] State the power to treat different classes of persons in different ways. Reproductive rights are understood to include the right of all to make decisions concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence. In this respect compulsory or forced sterilization and abortion is understood as a violation of reproductive rights, particularly when they occur in the context of eugenics programs. The Eugenics movement in North America and Europe at the beginning of the 20th Century led to the widespread forced sterilization of vulnerable populations, including the mentally or physically disabled. In the case of mentally or physically disabled women proponents of compulsory sterilisation may argue that it is in the womens best interest. Forced sterilization and forced abortion has been recognise as crime against humanity if the action is part of a widespread or systematic practice by the Rome Statute Explanatory Memorandum, which defines the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. In recent years, reproductive issues constitute a major part of bioethical studies and discussions in most study centers of the world. No other ethical subject matter may elicit more heated controversy at all levels of society. This is not surprising, as reproduction constitutes the most private and intimate aspect of the life of individuals and consequently the most sensitive and fundamental concern of our society. In the past, abortion and sterilization were the foremost reproductive ethical issues which generated controversy and debate throughout the world. At present, topics of Assisted Reproduction and Prenatal Diagnosis have emerged as important reproductive ethical issues in the developed world. The philosophy of Assisted Reproduction or Assisted Procreation is often erroneously referred to as Artificial Reproduction. From a scientific viewpoint, there is nothing Artificial about this technology. Assisted Reproduction technology relies completely on the principles of normal anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, endocrinology and genetics of human reproduction. Since the birth of the worlds first test-tube baby, Louise Browne, in Manchester, United Kingdom in March 1978, there have been considerable developments in new technologies relating to the theme of Assisted Reproduction. We have In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF), Gamete Intra-Fallopian Transfer (GIFT), Pronuclear Sperm Transfer (PROST), Zygote Intra-Fallopian Transfer (ZIFT) and Direct Intra-Peritonial Insemination (DIPI), all denoted by appropriate acronyms. The rapid development of these Assisted Reproduction procedures within the short span of a decade, has been made possible by numerous technological advances relating to sperm collection and preservation, ova maturation, collection and preservation, in-vitro fertilization procedures, embryo storage, embryo transfer, embryo donation, surrogate motherhood, and more important, to the reproductive endocrinological advances related to all these procedures. It must also be appreciated that for successful implementation of the research and clinical service aspects of the various facets of the new Assisted Reproduction technologies, there must be high quality ethical surveillance to safeguard the legal, religious and social norms prevailing within our society. Pioneer programmes especially those in developed countries already face the issues and problems created by rapid technological advancements outpacing existing medical laws. Doctors and scientists are now urgently seeking professional guidelines or new laws to ensure that rapid advances in research on human embryos do not progress into areas that may be considered repugnant by the community. Legal answers have yet to be formulated for many pertinent ethical questions. The controversial question of what should become of the remaining fertilized eggs (embryos) was debated in Vienna, Austria by the First International Congress of In-Vitro Fertilization in 1983. In view of the need for legal guidelines to regulate the development of in-vitro fertilization programmes, the United States Congress held several hearings on the various implications of artificial human reproduction. In Australia, France and the Netherlands, special committees have been set up to study all aspects of invitro fertilization. In the United Kingdom, the British Government acknowledged the report of the 16-member Warnock Commission of doctors, scientists, lawyers and lay persons which studied and made specific recommendations on this issue. To-date, there are no specific laws or regulations governing artificial insemination and in-vitro fertilization in Malaysia, except for the Medical Act of 1971 on the rules and regulations of medical practice. However, the Indecent Advertisements Act 1953 (revised 1981) could have legal bearings on the publicity and activities of these procedures. Even though a Human Tissues Act of 1974 exists in Malaysia, there is no provision under this Act to effectively control the handling of embryos or human tissues under the invitro fertilization programme. The issues of in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (ET) involve more a question of medical and religious ethics. And these matters are usually dealt with by national medical and religious councils. In Malaysia, the various medical and religious councils and the Ministry of Health have to-date, not laid out any standard code of ethics, guidelines or legislation relating to such matters. Considering the benefits that Assisted Human Reproduction can confer on a significant proportion of subfertile couples, estimated at between 10 to 15 percent of married couples in Malaysia, the National Population and Family Development Board (NPFDB) of the Prime Ministers Department has taken the lead to undertake research into this new area of family development. And to formulate guidelines on such procedures and propose subsequently, to monitor the development and expansion of such centres and services in Malaysia. Various religious councils have given their full support in the preparation of Guidelines for the Assisted Human Reproduction Programme. Such modern technologies are welcomed in enabling married couples to fulfill their procreative responsibilities. The support is specifically given for procedures that involve legally married couples in stable union. That is, the biological and social parents of the child would also be the natural parents and that the child would be given all loving care. Reproduction as for the treatment of subfertility, which can enable some subfertile women to conceive and have their children within marriage. A publically assisted programme would carry this philosophy further by bringing down the cost of treatment and ensuring deserving but otherwise nonprivileged couples to have access to such medical innovations (optional). An IVF procedure costs between RM4000 RM6000 in a private centre in Malaysia whereas a public sector sponsored programme for example that at the NPFDB costs only half as much. Capital outlay for clinical and laboratory personnel, operation theatre and reproductive endocrinology set-ups are already available at Government institutions. Medical practitioners, scientists and other allied personnel are urged to cooperate and help formulate the national guide in order to promote family health and welfare in our country. Mental health is a term used to describe either a level of cognitive or emotional wellbeing or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individuals ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and efforts to achieve psychological resilience. The World Health Organization states that there is no one official definition of mental health. Cultural differences, subjective assessments, and competing professional theories all affect how mental health is defined. Mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern that occurs in an individual and is thought to cause distress or disability that is not expected as part of normal development or culture. The recognition and understanding of mental disorders has changed over time and across cultures. Definitions, assessments, and classifications of mental disorders can vary, but guideline criterion listed in the ICD, DSM and other manuals are widely accepted by mental health professionals. Categories of diagnoses in these schemes may include dissociative disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, eating disorders, developmental disorders, personality disorders, and many other categories. In many cases there is no single accepted or consistent cause of mental disorders, although they are often explained in terms of a diathesis-stress model and biopsychosocial model. Mental disorders have been found to be common, with over a third of people in most countries reporting sufficient criteria at some point in their life. Mental health services may be based in hospitals or in the community. Mental health professionals diagnose individuals using different methodologies, often relying on case history and interview. Psychotherapy and psychiatric medication are two major treatment options, as well as supportive interventions. Treatment may be involuntary where legislation allows. Several movements campaign for changes to mental health services and attitudes, including the Consumer/Survivor Movement. There are widespread problems with stigma and discrimination. Three quarters of countries around the world have mental health legislation. Compulsory admission to mental health facilities (also known as Involuntary commitment or sectioning), is a controversial topic. From some points of view it can impinge on personal liberty and the right to choose, and carry the risk of abuse for political, social and other reasons; from other points of view, it can potentially prevent harm to self and others, and assist some people in attaining their right to healthcare when unable to decide in their own interests. All human-rights oriented mental health laws require proof of the presence of a mental disorder as defined by internationally accepted standards, but the type and severity of disorder that counts can vary in different jurisdictions. The two most often utilized grounds for involuntary admission are said to be serious likelihood of immediate or imminent danger to self or others, and the need for treatment. Applications for someone to be involuntarily admitted may usually come from a mental health practitioner, a family member, a close relative, or a guardian. Human-rights-oriented laws usually stipulate that independent medical practitioners or other accredited mental health practitioners must examine the patient separately and that there should be regular, time-bound review by an independent review body. An individual must be shown to lack the capacity to give or withhold informed consent (i. e. to understand treatment information and its implications). Proxy consent (also known as substituted decision-making) may be given to a personal representative, a family member or a legally appointed guardian, or patients may have been able to enact an advance directive as to how they wish to be treated. The right to supported decision-making may also be included in legislation. Involuntary treatment laws are increasingly extended to those living in the community, for example outpatient commitment laws (known by different names) are used in New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom and most of the United States. The World Health Organization reports that in many instances national mental health legislation takes away the rights of persons with mental disorders rather than protecting rights, and is often outdated. In 1991, the United Nations adopted the Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care, which established minimum human rights standards of practice in the mental health field. In 2006 the UN formally agreed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to protect and enhance the rights and opportunities of disabled people, including those with psychosocial disabilities. The term insanity, sometimes used colloquially as a synonym for mental illness, is often used technically as a legal term. In Malaysia, the Malaysian Medical Council has produced a guideline on Assisted Reproduction. The Malaysian Medical Council, with the objective of ensuring that registered medical practitioners are fully aware of the codes of professional medical practice, issues directives and guidelines from time to time. The purpose of these codes, guidelines and directives is to safeguard the patient and members of the public, to ensure propriety in professional practice and to prevent abuse of professional privileges. The Guidelines are designed to complement, and should be read in conjunction with, the Medical Act and Regulations, Code of Professional Conduct of the Malaysian Medical Council and other Guidelines issued by the Council or any related organisation, as well as any statute or statutory provisions in force and all related statutory instruments or orders made. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) includes a range of methods used to treat human sub-fertility, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), embryo transfer (ET), gamete intra-fallopian transfer (GIFT), and all manipulative procedures involving gametes and embryos as well as treatment modalities to induce ovulation or spermatogenesis when used in conjunction with the above methods. The technology has been developed out of concern for individuals and couples who are unable to have children when they desire them. The very broad range of such desires inevitably raises numerous ethical dilemmas. Reproductive cloning is not allowed and commercial trading in gametes, semen or embryos is prohibited under this Guideline. Explanations of the various treatment modalities used in ART and the ethical viewpoints regarding each modality are also addressed in this Guideline. Assisted reproductive technology (ART): includes a range of methods used to circumvent human sub-fertility, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), embryo transfer (ET), gamete intra-fallopian transfer (GIFT), all manipulative procedures involving gametes and embryos and treatment modalities to induce ovulation or spermatogenesis when used in conjunction with the above methods. The reproductive rights rest on the recognition of the basic right of all couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the information and means to do so, and the right to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health†. These concepts include concern for individuals and couples who are unable to have children when they desire them. However, the above statement has also led to some controversial issue. For examples, a 60 year old woman may request to have assisted reproduction in order to achieve a pregnancy. A lesbia n couple may want to have a child. Although these rights may be viewed differently in different societies and communities, it is important for the medical community to consider these issues in the context of individual rights, societal concerns, the norms of the community and the legal framework of the country. Impaired fertility or sub-fertility may be due to a relative or absolute inability to conceive, or to repeated pregnancy wastage. It affects both men and women in approximately equal proportions, causing considerable personal suffering and disruption of family life. The best strategy of dealing with sub-fertility is its prevention. Although some cases of impaired fertility can be corrected by simple measures, others require complicated diagnostic procedures and treatment. An empathetic approach to individuals and couples who have subfertility problems is required. This includes an appreciation of cultural and social customs, the individual’s perception of sexuality, an understanding of the reproductive function and awareness of the aetiology and prevalence of sub-fertility in the community. Indeed sub-fertility is now accepted as a condition of poor health and there are tremendous social and mental effects on a couple that suffer from sub-fertility. The development of medically assisted conception to help couples with sub-fertility has brought new social, legal and ethical issues related to the management of sub-fertility. Medical practitioners should be fully cognizant of these issues whenever they are in a position to refer patients for treatment or whenever they themselves establish a centre for such activities. These issues involve respect for the dignity and integrity of the human being, protection of human genetic material so that it is not misused or used inappropriately without the donors consent and the need for quality of care. In drawing these recommendations, the following principles have been used as a guide which include first; the respect that is due to human life at all stages in its developments, second; the rights of people who are or may be sub-fertile and the proper consideration of their request for treatment, third; concern for the welfare of children, which cannot always be adequately protected by concern for the interests of adults involved, fourth; recognition of the benefits, both to individuals and to society which can from the responsible pursuit of medical and scientific knowledge, fifth; the sanctity of marriage and the importance of marriage prior to having children is a widely held belief by society in Malaysia, and lastly; the difficulty of forcing potential patients to prove their marital status and maintaining constant checks on the same must be realized as a practical difficulty for medical practitioners. Be that as it may, in this country, assisted reproduction techniques must onl y be offered to married couples. For the principles for quality of care, the practitioner should have an effective system for monitoring and assessing laboratory and clinical practice to ensure that both the procedures and outcomes are analysed and can be shown to be satisfactory on independent assessment. All persons undergoing ART should be adequately tested for transmittable diseases before procedures are performed on them. Detailed records must be maintained and be easily retrievable. The practitioner must maintain accurate record keeping and labeling in respect of gametes and embryos, and he should ensure that proper standards are maintained in storage and handling of gametes and embryos. There should be an effective monitoring system to ensure high standards of security wherever gametes and embryos are handled and stored. Records should enable authorized staff to trace what happens to an individual embryo, oocyte or sperm sample from the date of collection. Centres are responsible for ensuring that standards of quality and security of genetic material are maintained, wherever the material happens to be on the premises. This includes material being transferred from the laboratory for treatment or preparation for treatment. If gametes or embryos are transferred from one site to another, adequate arrangements should also be made to protect their quality and security. Controversies on the use of stored embryos have raised legal disputes, particularly when the couple involved have since separated, divorced or one member has deceased or with disagreement by the next of kin. It is therefore important that information on such matters should be included when taking informed documented consent at the time of initial in-vitro fertilization. The patients generally have the right to give or withhold consent to examination and treatment. No ART treatment should be given to any couple without their written consent to that particular treatment which must be clearly explained to them, including success rates and complications. In the course of the discussion, the following aspects must also be brought up, considered and, where appropriate, consent obtained. Consent must be obtained from couples for the use of genetic material for treatment as well as possibly for research; the latter, however, is still not permitted in Malaysia. The decision and consent whether couples who have had successful assisted reproduction would like either disposal or further storage of genetic material should also be obtained. While couples have the right to determine the period of storage of the genetic material, they must be made aware of the period of maximum statutory period of . ve (5) years, which may be extended to ten (10) years if approved by the relevant authority, at the present this being the Ministry of Health. The couple must also agree that in the event of them getting separated, divorced or one of them becoming deceased, one or the other (next of kin in the case of the deceased) cannot use the stored gametes. The gametes will then be destroyed. Gametes or embryos which have been exposed to a material risk of contamination, which might cause harm to recipients or to any resulting children, should not be used for treatment. The practitioner and the treated couple should agree upon the number of embryos transferred, informed consent documents completed and the information recorded in the clinical record. Multiple gestation is an unintended result of assisted reproduction techniques. Multiple gestation leads to an increased risk of complications in both the fetuses and mother. It would be unethical for the individual practitioner not to generate his or her own data regarding patient characteristics, outcomes and number of embryos transferred in order to minimize these complications. In blastocyst transfer procedure, the embryos are allowed to grow beyond the typical 2-3 days of culture and are allowed to develop to the blastocyst stage before they are transferred to the womb. A higher pregnancy rate is thought to result. There are no ethical objections to this practice as it uses the natural progression of embryo growth. Assisted hatching is a procedure to help in zona pellucida thinning and thus in implantation. This procedure does not alter the progression of embryo growth and therefore there are no ethical objections to this procedure. Eggs, embryos and sperms are donated to treat human sub-fertility in others with the help of assisted reproductive procedures, provided the unethical and prohibited factors, as listed in Section 15, are adhered to. The religious and cultural sensitivities of the patient and the medical practitioner involved in ART procedures should be taken into consideration before embarking on these procedures. There should be no selection of the sex of embryos for social or personal reasons. Sex selection is, however, allowed if a particular sex predisposes to a serious genetic condition e. g. haemophilia, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, fragile X syndrome, etc. Excessive multi-fetal gestation should be minimized by careful induction of ovulation and restriction of numbers of embryo transferred. If despite these measures, more than 3 fetuses are gestated, fetal reduction may be considered if the prospect of fetal viability is compromised or if the health or life of the mother is threatened. Patients should be counselled extensively and informed consent obtained if the procedure is to be performed. A couple undergoing ART should be asked for instruction concerning the storage and disposal of embryos, as discussed under Consent. The termination of the development of a human embryo and the disposal of the remaining materials are sensitive and delicate issues. The practitioner should take full account of this. Specific instruction concerning storage and disposal of embryos must be asked of the couple and informed consent duly obtained. When an embryo is no longer to be kept for treatment, the practitioner should decide how it is to be allowed to perish, and what is to happen to the perished material. The procedure should be sensitively devised and described, and should be communicated to the people for whom the embryo was being stored. Controversies on the use of stored gametes have raised legal disputes, particularly when the couple involved have since separated, divorced or one member has deceased (with disagreement by the next of kin). In such instances, the stored gametes cannot be used independently by either one of the parties involved. It is therefore important that information on such matters should be included when taking consent at the time of initial invitro fertilization, as indicated above. In a surrogate arrangement a women agrees to becomes pregnant and bear a child for another person/persons and to surrender it at birth. The above practice is not acceptable to most of the major religions in this country. Such a surrogate pregnancy can also potentially lead to many legal dilemmas for the persons involved. Cryo-preservation can be used to store sperm. The sperm can be thawed and used for arti. cial insemination or in-vitro fertilisation. The sperm can be stored for future use especially in patients about to undergo chemotherapy. Sperm can also be retrieved from the epididymis or testes in those with blockage of the vas deferens. Proper procedures must be in place for the identfication of sperm specimens. The use of donor semen should be guided primarily by medical needs and the religious sensitivities of the couple and the medical practitioner involved. Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (pgd) is a procedure involves genetic testing and selection of embryos produced by in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Once an embryo is created using IVF techniques, a cell is removed from the embryo after about three days and tested for specfic genetic abnormalities. Usually healthy embryos will be transferred to the mother’s womb and embryos with the abnormality will be destroyed. At present PGD is used mainly for the diagnosis of many diseases and to determine the sex of the embryo to avoid the transmission of severe sex-linked disease. Some have attempted to select embryos free of genetic disease but of the same tissue type as an existing ill child in order to harvest their umbilical cord blood for transplantation to the affected sibling. As there is no worldwide agreement as to when human life begins or when it acquires moral signi. cance, there is no agreement on the moral status of an embryo2. Nor is there any agreement as to whether discarding an embryo with a genetic disorder, prior to implantation, is the equivalent of an abortion. At present, it is best that PGD be used for only severe and life threatening genetic diseases. It would be unethical to analyse and select the inherited characteristics of embryos (e. g. intelligence, height, hair and eye colour); any social or psychological characteristics or any other condition which is not associated with disability or a serious medical condition. There are some prohibited and unacceptable practices which includes no research or experimentation shall be performed using any human oocyte and/or sperms without the explicit consent of the donors and approval of the appropriate authority. At the present time, such research or experimentation is not permitted in Malaysia. The following practices are ethically unacceptable and are prohibited under this Guideline which are first; developing embryos for purpose others than for their use in an approved ART programme. Second, culturing of an embryo in vitro for more than 14 (fourteen) days. Human oocyte fertilized with human sperms should not be cultured in-vitro for more than 14 days (excluding any period of storage at low temperature). Under no circumstances shall research be carried out on or using human embryos which are more than 14 days old from the date of conception or the appearance of the primitive streak, whichever is the earlier, except with the explicit approval of the authorizing authority, which is at present the Ministry of Health. Third, experimentation with the intent to produce two or more genetically identical individuals, including development of human embryonal stem cell lines with the aim of producing clones of individuals. Fourth, under no circumstances should embryo splitting with the intention of increasing the number of embryos for transfer be allowed. Fifth, using fetal gametes for fertilisation. Sixth, mixing of human and animal gametes to produce hybrid embryos. There shall be no attempt at trans-species fertilization. Seventh, mixing of gametes or embryos of difference parental origin so as to confuse the biological parentage of the conceptus. Eighth, placing an embryo in a body cavity other than the human female reproductive tract. Under no circumstances should a human embryo be placed in the uterus of another species for gestation. Ninth, under no circumstances should the nucleus of a cell of an embryo be replaced with a nucleus of a cell of another person, another embryo or a subsequent development of an embryo. Tenth, under no circumstances should the genetic structure of any cell be altered while it forms part of an embryo. Other than that, embryo flushing, commercial trading in gametes, semen or embryos, pre-implantation diagnosis to create â€Å"designer babies† (those with specfic physical, social or specfic gender characteristics and not for the reason of avoiding serious medical illnesses), the use in ART treatment programmes of gametes or embryos harvested from cadavers and the use of ART in unmarried couples are also prohibited. There is no mention regarding the policies of reproductive medicine among mental health patient. We believe that the application of policy is similar regardless of mental patient or normal patient.

Biography of Simon Bolivar, Liberator of South America

Biography of Simon Bolivar, 'Liberator of South America' Simon Bolivar (July 24, 1783–December 17, 1830) was the greatest leader of Latin Americas independence movement from Spain. A superb general and a charismatic politician, he not only drove the Spanish from northern South America but also was instrumental in the early formative years of the republics that sprang up once the Spanish had gone. His later years are marked by the collapse of his grand dream of a united South America. He is remembered as The Liberator, the man who liberated his home from Spanish rule. Fast Facts: Simon Bolivar Known For: Liberating South America from Spanish rule during the Independence movementAlso Known As: Simà ³n Josà © Antonio de la Santà ­sima Trinidad Bolà ­var y Palacios, The LiberatorBorn: July 24, 1783 in Caracas, VenezuelaParents: Marà ­a de la Concepcià ³n Palacios y Blanco, Colonel  Don Juan Vicente Bolà ­var y PonteDied: December 17, 1830 in Santa Marta,  Gran Colombia  Education: Private tutoring; the military academy of the Milicias de Aragua in Venezuela; military academy in MadridAwards and Honors:  The nation of Bolivia is named for Bolivar, as are numerous cities, streets, and buildings. His birthday is a  public holiday in Venezuela  and Bolivia.Spouse:  Marà ­a Teresa Rodrà ­guez del Toro y AlaizaNotable Quote:  Fellow citizens! I blush to say this: Independence is the only benefit we have acquired, to the detriment of all the rest. Early Life Bolivar was born in Caracas (present-day Venezuela) in 1783 to an extremely wealthy creole family (Latin Americans descended almost entirely from European Spaniards). At that time, a handful of families owned most of the land in Venezuela, and the Bolivar family was among the wealthiest in the colony. Both of his parents died while Simon was still young: he had no memory of his father, Juan Vicente, and his mother Concepcion Palacios died when he was 9 years old. Orphaned, Simon went to live with his grandfather and was raised by his uncles and his nurse Hipà ³lita, for whom he had great affection. Young Simon was an arrogant, hyperactive lad who often had disagreements with his tutors. He was schooled at the finest schools that Caracas had to offer. From 1804 to 1807 he went to Europe, where he toured around in the manner of a wealthy New World Creole. Personal Life Bolà ­var was a natural leader and a man of great energy. He was very competitive, often challenging his officers to contests of swimming or horsemanship (and usually winning). He could stay up all night playing cards or drinking and  singing  with his men, who were fanatically loyal to him. Bolivar married once early in life, but his wife died shortly thereafter. From that point forward, he was a notorious womanizer who had dozens, if not hundreds, of lovers over the years. He cared greatly for appearances and loved nothing more than making grand entrances into cities he had liberated and could spend hours grooming himself; in fact, some claim he could use a whole bottle of cologne in one day. Venezuela: Ripe for Independence When Bolà ­var returned to Venezuela in 1807, he found a population divided between loyalty to Spain and a desire for independence. Venezuelan general Francisco de Miranda had attempted to kick-start independence in 1806 with an aborted invasion of Venezuelas northern coast. When Napoleon invaded Spain in 1808 and imprisoned King Ferdinand VII, many Venezuelans felt that they no longer owed allegiance to Spain, giving the independence movement  undeniable momentum. The First Venezuelan Republic On April 19, 1810, the people of Caracas declared provisional independence from Spain: they were still nominally loyal to King Ferdinand, but would rule Venezuela by themselves until such a time as Spain was back on its feet and Ferdinand restored. Young Simà ³n Bolà ­var was an important voice during this time, advocating for full independence. Along with a small delegation, Bolà ­var was dispatched to England to seek the support of the British government. There he met Miranda and invited him back to Venezuela to participate in the government of the young republic. When Bolivar returned, he found civil strife between patriots and royalists. On July 5, 1811, the First Venezuelan Republic voted for full independence, dropping the farce that they were still loyal to Ferdinand VII. On March 26, 1812, a tremendous earthquake rocked Venezuela. It hit mostly rebellious cities, and Spanish priests were able to convince a superstitious population that the earthquake was divine retribution. Royalist Captain Domingo Monteverde rallied the Spanish and royalist forces and captured important ports and the city of Valencia. Miranda sued for peace. Disgusted, Bolà ­var arrested Miranda and turned him over to the Spanish, but the First Republic had fallen and the Spanish regained control of Venezuela. The Admirable Campaign Bolivar was defeated and went into exile. In late 1812, he went to New Granada (now Colombia) to look for a commission as an officer in the growing Independence movement there. He was given 200 men and control of a remote outpost. He aggressively attacked all Spanish forces in the area, and his prestige and army grew. By the beginning of 1813, he was ready to lead a sizeable army into Venezuela. The royalists in Venezuela could not beat him head-on but rather tried to surround him with a number of smaller armies. Bolà ­var did what everyone least expected and made a mad dash for Caracas. The gamble paid off, and on August 7, 1813, Bolivar rode victoriously into Caracas at the head of his army. This dazzling march became known as the Admirable Campaign. The Second Venezuelan Republic Bolà ­var quickly established the Second Venezuelan Republic. The grateful people named him Liberator and made him dictator of the new nation.  Although Bolivar  had outfoxed the Spanish, he had not beaten their armies. He did not have time to govern, as he was constantly battling royalist forces. At the beginning of 1814, the infernal Legion, an army of savage Plainsmen led by a cruel but charismatic Spaniard named Tomas Boves, began assaulting the young republic. Defeated by Boves at the second Battle of La Puerta in June of 1814, Bolà ­var was forced to abandon first Valencia and then Caracas, thus ending the Second Republic. Bolà ­var went into exile once again. 1814 to 1819 The years of 1814 to 1819 were tough ones for Bolà ­var and South America. In 1815, he penned his famous Letter from Jamaica, which outlined the struggles of Independence to date. Widely disseminated, the letter reinforced his position as the most important leader of the Independence movement. When he returned to the mainland, he found Venezuela in the grip of chaos. Pro-independence leaders and royalist forces fought up and down the land, devastating the countryside. This period was marked by much strife among the different generals fighting for independence. It wasnt until Bolivar made an example of General  Manuel Piar  by executing him in October of 1817 that he was able to bring other Patriot warlords such as Santiago Marià ±o and Josà © Antonio Pez into line. 1819: Bolivar Crosses the Andes In early 1819, Venezuela was devastated, its cities in ruins, as royalists and patriots fought vicious battles wherever they met. Bolà ­var found himself pinned against the Andes in western Venezuela. He then realized that he was less than 300 miles away from the Viceregal capital of Bogota, which was practically undefended. If he could capture it, he could destroy the Spanish base of power in northern South America. The only problem: between him and Bogota were not only flooded plains, fetid swamps and raging rivers but the mighty, snow-capped peaks of the Andes Mountains. In May of 1819, he began the crossing with some 2,400 men. They  crossed the Andes  at the frigid Pramo de Pisba pass and on July 6, 1819, they finally reached the New Granadan village of Socha. His army was in tatters: some estimate that 2,000 may have perished en route. The Battle of Boyaca Despite his losses, in the summer of 1819 Bolivar had his army where he needed it. He also had the element of surprise. His enemies assumed he would never be so insane as to cross the Andes where he did. He quickly recruited new soldiers from a population eager for liberty and set out for Bogota. There was only one army between him and his objective, and on August 7, 1819, Bolivar surprised Spanish General Josà © Marà ­a Barreiro  on the banks of the Boyaca River. The battle was a triumph for Bolivar, shocking in its results: Bolà ­var lost 13 killed and some 50 were wounded, whereas 200 royalists were killed and some 1,600 were captured. On August 10, Bolivar marched into Bogota unopposed. Mopping up in Venezuela and New Granada With the defeat of Barreiros army, Bolà ­var held New Granada. With captured funds and weapons and recruits flocking to his banner, it was only a matter of time before the remaining Spanish forces in New Granada and Venezuela were run down and defeated. On June 24, 1821, Bolà ­var crushed the last major royalist force in Venezuela at the decisive Battle of Carabobo. Bolà ­var brashly declared the birth of a New Republic: Gran Colombia, which would include the lands of Venezuela, New  Granada,  and Ecuador. He was named president and  Francisco de Paula Santander  was named vice president. Northern South America was liberated, so Bolivar turned his gaze to the south. The Liberation of Ecuador Bolà ­var was bogged down by political duties, so he sent an army south under the command of his best general, Antonio Josà © de Sucre. Sucres army moved into present-day Ecuador, liberating towns and cities as it went. On May 24, 1822, Sucre squared off against the largest royalist force in Ecuador. They fought on the muddy slopes of Pichincha Volcano, within sight of Quito.  The Battle of Pichincha  was a great victory for Sucre and the Patriots, who forever drove the Spanish from Ecuador. The Liberation of Peru and the Creation of Bolivia Bolà ­var left Santander in charge of Gran Colombia and headed south to meet up with Sucre. On July 26-27, Bolivar met with  Josà © de San Martà ­n, liberator of Argentina, in Guayaquil. It was decided there that Bolà ­var would lead the charge into Peru, the last royalist stronghold on the continent. On August 6, 1824, Bolivar and Sucre defeated the Spanish at  the Battle of Junin. On December 9, Sucre dealt the royalists another harsh blow at the Battle of Ayacucho, basically destroying the last royalist army in Peru. The next year, also on August 6, the Congress of Upper Peru created the nation of Bolivia, naming it after Bolivar and confirming him as president. Bolà ­var had driven the Spanish out of northern and western South America and now ruled over the present-day nations of Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, and Panama. It was his dream to unite them all, creating one unified nation. It was not to be. Dissolution of Gran Colombia Santander had angered Bolivar by refusing to send troops and supplies during the liberation of Ecuador and Peru, and Bolivar dismissed him when he returned to Gran Colombia. By then, however, the republic was beginning to fall apart. Regional leaders had been consolidating their power in Bolivars absence. In Venezuela, Josà © Antonio Pez, a hero of Independence, constantly threatened secession. In Colombia, Santander still had his followers who felt that he was the best man to lead the nation. In Ecuador, Juan Josà © Flores was trying to pry the nation away from Gran Colombia. Bolà ­var was forced to seize power and accept dictatorship to control the unwieldy republic. The nations were divided among his supporters and his detractors: in the streets, people burned him in effigy as a tyrant. A civil war was a constant threat. His enemies tried to assassinate him on September 25, 1828, and nearly managed to do so: only the intervention of his lover,  Manuela Saenz, saved him. Death of Simon Bolivar As the Republic of Gran Colombia fell around him, his health deteriorated as his tuberculosis worsened. In April of 1830, Bolà ­var was disillusioned, ill, and bitter, and he resigned the presidency and set off to go into exile in Europe. Even as he left, his successors fought over the pieces of his empire and his allies fought to get him reinstated. As he and his entourage slowly made their way to the coast, he still dreamed of unifying South America into one great nation. It was not to be: he finally succumbed to tuberculosis on December 17, 1830. The Legacy of Simon Bolivar It is impossible to overstate Bolà ­vars importance in northern and western South America. Although the eventual independence of Spains New World colonies was inevitable, it took a man with Bolà ­vars skills to make it happen. Bolà ­var was probably the best general South America has ever produced, as well as the most influential politician. The combination of these skills on one man is extraordinary, and Bolà ­var is rightly considered by many as the most important figure in Latin American history. His name made the famous 1978 list of the 100 most famous people in history, compiled by Michael H. Hart. Other names on the list include Jesus Christ, Confucius, and  Alexander the Great. Some nations had their own liberators, such as Bernardo OHiggins in Chile or  Miguel Hidalgo  in Mexico. These men may be little known outside of the nations they helped free, but Simà ³n Bolà ­var is known all over Latin America with the sort of reverence that citizens of the United States associated with  George Washington. If anything, Bolà ­vars status now is greater than ever. His dreams and words have proved prescient time and again. He knew that the future of Latin America lay in freedom and he knew how to attain it. He predicted that if Gran Colombia fell apart and that if smaller, weaker republics were allowed to form from the ashes of the Spanish colonial system, the region would always be at an international disadvantage. This has certainly proven to be the case, and many a Latin American over the years has wondered how things would be different today if Bolà ­var had managed to unite all of northern and western South America into one large, powerful nation instead of the bickering republics that we have now. Bolà ­var still serves as a source of inspiration for many. Former Venezuelan dictator  Hugo Chavez  initiated what he called a Bolivarian Revolution in his country in 1999, comparing himself to the legendary general as he tried to veer Venezuela into socialism. Countless books and movies have been made about him: one outstanding example is Gabriel Garcà ­a Marquezs The General in His Labyrinth, which chronicles Bolà ­vars final journey. Sources Harvey, Robert.  Liberators: Latin Americas Struggle for Independence  Woodstock: The Overlook Press, 2000.Lynch, John.  The Spanish American Revolutions 1808-1826  New York: W. W. Norton Company, 1986.Lynch, John.  Simon Bolivar: A Life. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2006.Scheina, Robert L.  Latin Americas Wars, Volume 1: The Age of the Caudillo 1791-1899  Washington, D.C.: Brasseys Inc., 2003.

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