Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front †An Accurate Des

Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front – An Accurate Description of the Honors and Horrors of War Ellen Glasgow said, "Violence commands both literature and life.† Violence commands Erich Maria Remarque’s literature in his novel All Quiet on the Western Front. Remarque accurately depicts both the physical and mental repercussions of war. All Quiet on the Western Front should be read by all members of the Armed Forces for several reasons. First, the novel describes in detail the worst case scenarios associated with war. By being exposed to such a portrayal of war, unprepared citizens would be able to make better decisions regarding enlisting. Second, those citizens who do decide to enlist would be better prepared mentally for the mental horrors that occur after war. Finally, All Quiet on the Western Front sets a standard for the patriotism needed to serve one’s country and the consequential honor that comes with that patriotism. Perhaps the biggest argument for not mandating the reading of All Quiet on the Western Front is the possible decline in enlisting in the Armed Forces. Such an argument is moot, though. All Quiet merely depicts war as it actually is. In All Quiet, Remarque describes a moment of war by writing, â€Å"Everywhere wire-cutters are snapping, planks are thrown across the entanglements. . . the earth shudders, it crashes, smokes, and groans, we stumble over slippery lumps of flesh, over yielding bodies† (Remarque 117). The possibility of war is manifest in the duties of the military. Gulf War Veteran Alan Parks asserts, â€Å"If a man is going to be deterred from the military by the occurrences of war, he is not the type of man [one] would want defending [one’s country]† (Parks). By reading All Quiet ... ... feels after a war by saying, â€Å"While in the ‘spotlight,’ it is the single greatest feeling anyone could ever imagine† (Parks). Erich Maria Remarque’s novel All Quiet on the Western Front accurately describes both the horrors and honors of war. If the Armed Forces would require this novel to be read, more men would be better prepared for the feelings that await them in the military. By telling of the negative aspects of war, Remarque’s novel could successfully weed out those whom the army does not suit. By telling of the positive aspects of war, Remarque’s novel could encourage more men to join the military. Whether a man decides to join or not to join, Remarque’s novel can provide guidance in making the choice. Works Cited Parks, Alan. Personal interview. 3 April. 2001. Remarque, Erich Maria. All Quiet on the Western Front. New York: Ballantine, 1956.

Kiss of the Spider Woman

In Manuel Puig’s novel Kiss of the Spider Woman, Molina and Valentin use fantasy as a way of escapism. Firstly, Molina uses the films he tells in the cell to escape his unfavorable and lonely life by creating a preferred reality through the fantasy he creates in them. Secondly, the setting of the cell itself provides Molina with a sanctuary from the outside world, allowing him to escape from the gender roles in which he is confined in and fantasize about taking on the feminine role with Valentin through the isolation of jail.Lastly, in Valentin’s morphine-induced fantasy at the end of the novel, he can escape from the socially accepted stereotypical male gender roles and express his true feelings about Molina. Firstly, Molina uses the fantasy presented in the films he reiterates as a way to escape from the harsh reality of the real world, creating his own, more favourable one. This perspective can be seen throughout the novel, particularly in association with the strong romantic and feminine aspects displayed in the films.A film that allows Molina to escape the real world is told through his stream of consciousness in chapter five, which tells the love story between an unattractive maid and a young soldier, face scarred by the war. This film is very personal to Molina in two aspects. Firstly, it is told not aloud to Valentin, but inside his own head, and secondly, it features a protagonist who is an outcast to society who nonetheless finds love. It is told through the first person perspective of the maid, and the use of personal pronouns draw a connection between the characters of Molina and the maid.This parallel characterization is heightened through the maid’s casual and repeated reference to herself as an â€Å"ugly girl† (100), mimicking Molina’s expressions of self-deprecation through belittling diction. He is constantly using words like â€Å"revulsion† (260) and â€Å"disgust† (262) to describe himself wi th, and he even interjects the film to recount the judge’s description of him as â€Å"the worst, a revolting fag† (106). It is clear that Molina, a gay man living in a homophobic country of machismo men feels like an outsider with a lack of self worth.In the chapter three, Molina relates the story of his unrequited love for the waiter Gabriel: a heterosexual man who does not return Molina’s feelings. Molina is escaping from the bitter truth of his own love-less life and living through the fantasies he presents in the form of films: an outlet that allows him to experience a preferred and utopian reality. Puig’s purpose in drawing a parallel between the maid and Molina is to express Molina’s intense desire to find love and acceptance and suggest the eventuality this lies in Molina’s future, as it did for the maid.Through film, Molina can escape the bitter actuality of his own life into his own highly romantic and idealistic fantasies. Not onl y does Molina use fantasy in his stories as a way of escapism, through the isolation of their cell, Molina can escape from confining traditional gender roles and assume the feminine role with Valentin, a form of fantasy for him. Throughout the novel, it has been made clear that Molina identifies with women; even claiming â€Å"I want to be one† (19). Inside the cell Molina is able to escape from the prejudice experienced in his primarily homophobic country and don the feminine traits he associates himself with.Molina cares for Valentin when the latter becomes ill, indulging in a fantasy in which he is sympathetic, caring and maternal. For example: â€Å"But you have to wait for that, until you feel okay, and you can be sure that you only get half of that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (156). It is obvious that Molina enjoys being subservient to Valentin. In a sense, Molina is not so much homosexual as he merely believes himself a woman. Indeed, he firmly believes in the stereotypical and tra ditional roles of men and women: â€Å"But if a man is†¦my husband, he has to give the orders, so he will feel right. That’s the natural thing, because that makes him†¦ the man of the house† (244).Molina’s identification of himself as female is what makes him subject to prejudice, such as the kind he experienced with the judge. Towards the end of the novel, Molina comes to the realization that his situation outside the jail cell will never change, and that the fantasy he is experiencing with Valentin will not last: â€Å"No, they’ll never change†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (215). Puig creates the irony that it is within the confines of prison that Molina feels the most free, and it is outside where he feels imprisoned. Inside the jail cell, Molina is able to escape the bleak future in which he foresees himself never fully being able to embrace his gender identity.The fantasy he is living with Valentin is an opportunity to live his life like a woman, free fro m prejudice and discrimination. Although it is mainly Molina who utilizes fantasy throughout the novel, in his stream of consciousness at the end of the novel, it is Valentin who escapes from the pain of real life and the confinement of the cell into a morphine-induced fantasy. In this dream-like state, Valentin, free from socially accepted gender roles, is able to express his true feelings and thoughts.At the beginning of the novel, Valentin’s only addition to the films appeared in blunt interruptions, often times closer to criticism of the films than positive contribution: â€Å"I don’t really get it, it’s very confusing the way you tell it† (12). As the novel progressed, and Valentin and Molina grew closer together, the dialogue between them became of greater significance, as Valentin let down his emotional guard. This emotional development culminated in Valentin’s expressive and out of character dream, full of vivid imagery, in which he can esc ape from the expectations of his gender, and express his true feelings, specifically towards Molina.The metaphor of Molina as the Spider Woman is epitomized in this chapter and through this image, Valentin can express his true feelings about him: â€Å"†¦so many threads that look like hairy like ropes and disgust me, even though if I were to touch them they might feel as smooth as who knows what, but it makes me queasy to touch them† (280). This represents Valentin’s initial unease about being intimate with Molina, but at the same time knowing that allowing someone into his personal life could potentially be gratifying.Being part of a revolutionary group, Valentin has been accustomed to severing personal relations that interfere with the cause. At the same time, he has been associated with having very masculine traits, even proclaiming: â€Å"I’m no woman† (38). By Valentin admitting both that he had sex with Molina, and that he â€Å"enjoyed itâ₠¬  (280) shows an immense diversion from his characterization at the beginning of the novel. In this fantastical state, he can escape from the traditional gender roles in which is perceived with and admit to his true sentiments.In conclusion, fantasy plays a very important role in terms of escapism for Molina and Valentin in the novel, both in terms of physical and physiological situations. Molina and Valentin experience three key escapist fantasies throughout the novel: Molina uses the fantasies in the films to escape his own disparaging life, Molina uses the setting of the cell itself as an escape for the gender roles he sees himself confined in in the outside world, and Valentin’s dream like fantasy allows him to express his true feelings and escape confining male gender roles.The purpose of these fantasies in Kiss of the Spider Woman is to provide the characters with an environment in which they can escape from the confines of their life and express their true feelings. Indeed, it is these fantasies that provide illuminating characterization and allow the reader to truly discern the nature of the characters of Molina and Valentin.Work Cited Puig, Manuel. Kiss of the Spider Woman. New York: Knopf, 1979. Print.

Social Changes Outside Philippines During 19th Century in the Light of Rizal’s Life

The World in Rizal’s Time Political Changes Alferez, Alain Jared Aquino, Angelica Atienza, Aldrin Baluyot, Rencie Bernabe, Venzerie Rose Lomibao, Justine 2CA1 1801 The Act of Union, a legislative agreement which united Ireland and Great Britain (England and Scotland) was enacted on January 1, 1801. On 1798, the Irish Rebellion brought the Irish question to the attention of the British Cabinet, and British Prime Minister, William Pitt, was convinced that the best solution was a union. The 1799 proposal met strong opposition from a number of members and was rejected by majority of the Irish parliament. However, the government pursued in changing the opposition’s view. During the 1800 session of the parliament, the Act of Union was finally passed. In relation to Rizal Rizal crafted a large number of writings that changed many lives of people not only in the Philippines but also in many parts of the world. And one of Rizal’s greatest works, published on the early time of Spanish colonization of the Philippines, is his annotation of Antonio Morga’s â€Å"Successo de las Islas Filipinas†. Dr. Jose Rizal reprinted in Paris Morga’s â€Å"Successo de las Islas Filipinas† with his annotation. It described the history of the Philippines before the Spanish period. Rizal had shown through this work of his that the Filipinos had a civilization worthy to be proud of even long before the Spaniards came the country. 1816 The American Colonization Society was created in an effort to resettle blacks and newly freed slaves. What is ACS? What does it do? Why is it created? What was the issue with the blacks and slaves? Where? When? Who? How? The  American Colonization Society  (in full, The Society for the Colonization of Free People of Color of America), founded in 1816, was the primary vehicle to support the â€Å"return† of free  African Americans  to what was considered greater freedom in  Africa. It helped to found the  colony  of  Liberia  in 1821–22 as a place for freedmen. Its founders were  Henry Clay,  John Randolph, and  Richard Bland Lee. The colonization effort resulted from a mixture of motives. Free blacks,  freedmen  and their descendants, encountered widespread discrimination in the United States of the early 19th century. In relation to Rizal Rizal evidently disliked the discrimination of rights between black and white. What event? When? Where? How did he show his opposition to discrimination? Any writings? What did he do for the blacks and the slaves? 1837 Queen Victoria becomes Queen at the age of 18. Britain managed to build a huge empire during the Victorian period. It was also a time of tremendous change in the lives of British people. In 1837, most people lived in villages and worked on the land, by 1901, most lived in towns and worked in officers, shops, and factories. In relation to Rizal Rizal arrived in London and in Liverpool on May 24, 1888. For a short time, he stayed as a guest of Dr. Antonio Regidor, an exile and a practising lawyer. By the end of May, he transferred to a new boarding house ran by the Breckett Family. It was here that Rizal met Gertrude Breckett, a true-blooded English woman. Her case with Rizal was quite different from others because it was one-way. She showed sign of being very much in love with our hero. 1861 Criminal Law Coordination Act reduced the number of capital crimes to four: Murder, High Treason, Arson and Piracy. After 1861 capital punishment was only retained for 4 crimes, murder, piracy, arson in the Royal Dockyards and high treason In which country? England, Britain Why was CLCA reduced into four capital crimes? Why were they chosen? More details. In relation to Rizal Rizal was accused of Treason. (Accused as leader of Katipunan/ rebellion) Meaning of Treason betrayal of one's own country by waging war against it or by consciously or purposely acting to aid its enemies. Why was Rizal guilty with treason? What did he do? When? Where? His writings had helped inspire the Philippine Revolution  against colonial rule. For 4 years Rizal remained in exile in Dapitan, where he practiced ophthalmology, built a school and waterworks, planned town improvements, wrote, and carried out scientific experiments. Then he successfully petitioned the Spanish government to join the Spanish army in Cuba as a surgeon; but on his way to Spain to enlist, the Philippine revolution broke out, and Rizal was returned from Spain, imprisoned, and tried for false charges of treason and complicity with the revolution. Connect to Rizal’s martyrdom. His enemies in the government and Church were operating behind the scenes, and he was convicted. The day before he was executed he wrote to a friend: â€Å"I am innocent of the crime of rebellion. So I am going to die with a tranquil conscience. † 1868 Queen Isabella was dethroned and replaced by Miguel Carlos dela Torre In relation to Rizal This happened in Spain (Conservatives wanted a queen as monarch) Why would the queen be dethroned by the general? In relation to Rizal Miguel Carlos dela Torre gave way to Liberalism and freedom of speech. Element in Spanish society— liberals, reformists (dela Torre) created a Republic Separated state from church. Elected, not appointed. 1869 Suez Canal was opened to the world after 10 years of construction. With collaboration with the French How much time does Suez Canal save? (saved time and effort, goods are transported) (Pwede ata ito sa relation) Everything was transported including IDEAS wherever people go. Ideas from Europe will enter Philippines because of Suez Canal In relation to Rizal Rizal passed through the Suez Canal when he was on his way to the City of Naples. 1874 Former Spanish General Manuel Pavia y Rodriguez dies at Madrid, January 4 at age 67, having ended Spain’s first republic by his coup d’etat of January 1874. More details In relation to Rizal From Barcelona, Rizal moved to Madrid, the capital city of Spain. On November 3, 1882, he enrolled in Medicine and Philosophy and Letters in the Universidad Central de Madrid. He also studies painting and sculpture in the Academy of Arts and took lessons in French, German and English. http://www. capitalpunishmentuk. org/hanging1. html http://legal-dictionary. thefreedictionary. com/treason http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/American_Colonization_Society

The Post-War World Has Been Shaped Primarily

1. The post-war world has been shaped primarily by a clash between Communism and Capitalism OR The post-war world has been shaped primarily by a clash between Nationalism and Imperialism Choose one of these assertions and develop an argument for it. With regards to the assignment question, I will certainly be in agreement with the argument the clash between imperialism and nationalism had shaped the post-war world more prominently as compared to the idea of communism and capitalism constituted to the molding of the past decades.Very simply, studies showed that even till this age of globalization, the notion of imperialism and nationalism are still floating among us, with a modern twist, that is (Tomlinson, 1991). We first have to ask the question, what sparked off nationalism? The answer by most scholars would most probably be the oppression of great powers during the time of imperialism. What then, defines imperialism and how did it came about? According to O’ Brian (2007), i mperialism is the practice of any one state to influence or conquer another with the intention to expand its wealth, power and control over dominions or self-governing colonies.After the end of World War Two, with the declination of powers among the former colonizers across the globe, the industrializing countries like Britain and France were increasingly gaining possession of many colonies (Best, et al. , 20008). It is through colonialism that the imperial powers executed what we call as imperialism where in its best sense, is the ‘natural overflow of nationality’; its test is the power of the colonist to transplant the civilization they represent to the new natural and social environment in which the colonists find themselves.And in which of course, lying beneath is a negative connotation that is often associated with a loss of identity and belonging (Hobson, 2007). The post-war world as according to Rajan and Sauer (2004) was significantly changed by the settling of foreign authority onto lands that previously had not been under any control. The intrusion of political and economic rights and cultural imperialism to mention a few had taken place and in fact, had subsequently prompted radical, socialist and even nationalist movement.To be able to gain control over a country, military force is not necessary at times (Hobsbawn, 1990). The British had illustrated a perfect scenario where apart from military control; they had also planted seeds of ‘the British way of life’ indirectly by Anglicizing basically anything from street names to the lingua franca of a local community (Moore & Johnson, 2004), like what happened in Ireland and the Malayan Peninsula where English was once to be used as the spoken and official language for all formal documents in the bureaucracy (Othman, 1990). This formed the basis for cultural imperialism.Tomlinson (1991) mentioned that cultural factors are instrumental in maintaining political-economic dominance. Hence, he defined cultural imperialism as â€Å"the process of imperialist is aided and abetted by importing supportive forms of culture† (p. 3). This issue has been so central that even Irish poet Seamus Heaney, a renowned Irish Nobel Prize winner and nationalist emphasized a great deal on cultural identities in his works, in relation to the colonization of Ireland and the intrusion of the British that seemed to wipe out the local culture by Anglicizing the names of placed in Ireland, killing those who disobeyed. I am the tall kingdom over your shoulder That you could not cajole not ignore. Conquest is a lie. ’ (Act of Union 1. 9, 74) Similarly, Brian Friel, who is another famous Irish playwright in his play Translations also highlights the loss of cultural identity after the Irish language has been literally translated into English and what is left with the locals were fragments of memories and left as victims of imperialism (Friel, 2002). What has been a quest for most colonized countries was an ‘oppression-free’ nation.Repression of minority rights is often the first restriction on emerging ethnic national groups which includes outlawing native language, discouraging trade, and even relocating minority groups like the how the British imposed a ‘divide and conquer’ strategy that eventually separated three different ethnic groups to their ‘specialty’ in labor to yield the best outcome of profit for the British (Goodwin, 2001). With the increase awareness that these powers were slowly taking over bits and pieces of what originally belonged to them and the need to come together as one, the idea of nationalism seeped in.During this time, the struggle towards nationalism, or establishment of political union on the basis of nationality ‘has been a dominant factor alike in dynastic movement and as an inner motive in the life of masses population’ so said Hobson (p. 1). To define nationalism is no e asy task either. What becomes a great matter of dispute is how these national borders should be drawn, i. e. what constitutes a nation. What Joseph Stalin described a nation as depicted by Whitaker (1960) is the ‘historically evolved, stable community of language, territory, economic life and psychological make-up manifested in a community of culture’ (p. ). The idea of nationalism is often connected to the French Revolution back in 1789. It has then emerged as a powerful force in the post-Cold War world. Perhaps the most dynamic changes have taken place in areas once dominated by the Soviet Union and maybe the British (Price). It is critical to know that nationalism has reemerged as a vital factor in restructuring the international political scene in the post-war world especially during the post-Cold War period after British has transformed itself into a Commonwealth.The dynamics of a bipolar nature of the dominance by the United States and the Soviet Union was not app reciated. Lesser powers cooperated in varying degrees with the ‘superpowers’ and a multi-polar and this restored a multi-polar world increasingly driven by contentious nationalist rivalries. This is supported by Milward (1992) that the world has witnessed the collapse of empire and the resurfacing of national components from within. The fragmentation of the Soviet Union into fifteen nations is one example.The nature of nationalism itself is neither good nor bad as compared to extreme capitalism, socialism and imperialism. The events behind the scenes are what give meaning to these notions. Hence, some authors did classified nationalism into ‘good’ and ‘bad’ nationalism. The ‘good’ type talks about how the nations strived to create and maintain their own nations to create a territorial boundary and something in common to be called as ‘one’ nation. It is similar to patriotism, but nationalism goes beyond the affection to wards a country which sometimes lead to the ‘bad’ side of nationalism.The â€Å"bad† kind of nationalism pitted one own’s â€Å"superior† nation or race against all others in a struggle for survival of the fittest, in other words, the hatred and despise towards other nations started to manifest in the process of acquiring strength and unity. It is this kind of nationalism that gave nationalism its bad name in Europe through the actions of men like Adolf Hitler and Slobodan Milosevic in the 20th century (Moliss, 2002). One important element of the Holocaust was that the Nazi genocidal machine was aimed not only at the destruction of the European Jewish Community, but also at the Jewish seed itself.The mass murder of the European Jews was a watershed event in human history (Gilbert, 1985). In the aftermath of World War II, the world — from individual nations to the United Nations; from religious leaders to professionals in fields as diverse as law, medicine, and science; from presidents and prime ministers to private citizens confronted its legacy (Signer, 2000). Many of the issues raised by this cataclysmic event continue to have an impact on our lives and the world in which we live.The Vietnam War of 1955 which took twenty years to end was considered to be one of the most brutal nationalist movements in world history with the victory of Vietnamese over the Americans (Willbanks, 2007). Yet this distorted view of the Vietnam veterans as victims as much as victimizers, if not as brave heroes, was not accompanied by new public policies. Although most veterans did succeed in making the transition to ordinary civilian life, many did not. More Vietnam veterans committed suicide after the war than had died in it.Even more perhaps three-quarters of a million became part of the lost army of the homeless. And the nearly 700,000 draftees, many of them poor, badly educated, and nonwhite, who had received less than honorable discharg es, depriving them of educational and medical benefits, found it especially difficult to get and keep jobs, to maintain family relationships, and to stay out of jail (Chambers, 1999). If these do not prove enough that the clash of imperialism and nationalism had altered the magnitude of the post war world, what would be the other causes then?The society of the post-war era was not concerned of what kind of social system that are benefitting to them in general. Rather, the primary issue was to fight for something in common the nation could relate to. The clash of communism and capitalism was not sufficient to demonstrate that the period had revolved around it as compared to the bloodshed and never-ending quest to fight for the independence of a nation. Try naming a successful communist country. Unfortunately, there are none.The disintegration of the Soviet Union is a solid proof that communism just does not work in the modern society and as for capitalism, the economic success of the States was at a price of other nations which have a large struggling population (Schalit, 2002). It is only within a state with well-to-do economics, capitalism shall prevail. Hence, this clash has certainly not changed the post-war world as much as imperialism and nationalism. Bibliograpghy Best, A. , Hanhimaki, J. M. , Maiolo, J. A. , & Schulze, K. E. (2008). International History of the Twentieth Century and Beyond. Oxon: Routledge.Friel, B. (2002). Translations. Kent: Faber and Faber. Gilbert, M. (1985). The Holocaust: A History of the Jews of Europe During the Second World War. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. Goodwin, J. (2001). No other way out: states and revolutionary movements, 1945-1991. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Heaney, S. (1990). New Selected Poems. Cornwell: Faber and Faber. Hobsbawn, E. J. (1990). Industries and Empires. London: Helicon Press. Hobson, J. A. (2005). Imperialism: A Study. New York: George Allen & Unwin LTD. Moliis, J. (2002). Nationa lism. Retrieved April 29, 2010, from http://moliis. rg/jani/nationalism. pdf Moore, B. L. , & Johnson, M. A. (2004). Neither led nor driven: contesting British cultural imperialism in Jamaica, 1865-1920. Kingston: University of West Indies Press. O'Brian, P. (2007). World History: An Illustrated Guide. London: Star Fire. Othman, W. (2004). The Monitoring and Management of Ethnic Relations in Malaysia. In R. F. Farnen, Nationalism, Ethnicity, and Identity: Cross National and Comparative Perspectives (pp. 35-36). New Jersey: Transaction Publishers. Price, G. W. (1995/1996). The Impact of Nationalism on Joint Force Planning. Joint Force Quarterly , 20-24.Rajan, B. , & Sauer, E. (2004). Imperialisms: Historical and Literary Investigations, 1500-1900. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Schalit, J. (2002). The anti-capitalism reader: imagining a geography of opposition. New York: Akashic Books. Sim, S. (1998). Spectres of Nostalgia: Post-Marxism. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. Tomlinso n, J. (1991). Cultural Imperialism. London: Continuum. Whitaker, U. (1960). Nationalism and International Progress. San Francisco: Howard Chandler. Willbanks, J. H. (2007). The Tet Offensive: A Concise History. New York: Columbia University Press.

Concept Paper on Medical Aid Schemes

MIDLANDS STATE UNIVERSITY Concept paper on the proposed State Universities Medical Fund Distribution List Mrs. V. Chirasha / Deputy Registrar (Human Resources) Author Mr. S. Masiyiwa / Lecturer, Department of Insurance & Risk Management 1. Introduction Healthcare finance and services providers in Zimbabwe were not spared by the economic downturn of the past decade. Most medical aid societies, practically collapsed when co-payments demanded by service providers exceeded their global limits on benefit payaments. For example, patients were being asked to pay Z$10 billion cash as o-payment and the medical aid society would only pay Z$1 million according to their tariffs. This mismatch, saw many clients, the state universities included, canceling their membership to such schemes and retaining the risk themselves, either funded or unfunded. The introduction of the multicurrency system in February 2009 brought the much needed stability to various sectors of the economy. However, the system was not backed by significant foreign currency inflows and as a result economic activity has remained subdued. Many organizations are currently operating below capacity and are downsizing to remain afloat. This development has significantly reduced inflow of contributions to medical aid societies, who although operating, are still to fully recover and offer full scale benefits. 2. Recent developments Contributions made to medical aid societies are made on the understanding that â€Å"if you do not use it you lose it†. This is understandable as medical aid schemes are basically risk pooling and sharing solutions and premised on the concept that the misfortunes of a few should be met by fortunes of many. However, the tight liquidity situation is forcing many entities to adopt innovative risk management strategies intended to retain as much cash as possible and only outsource those risks that exceed their risk appetite. The economic challenges of the past decade, we faced as a nation exposed the limitations of insurance as a risk financing mechanism. We have all learnt that insurance is not â€Å"THE† solution but part of the solution and that there are also equally good alternatives to insurance. Some medium to large scale organizations have since created self administered insurance schemes to cater for a variety of risks they face in their operations, e. g. material damage, health, funeral, superannuation, etc. Cell Insurance Company has spearheaded the adoption of the concept in Zimbabwe through its â€Å"rent-a-cell† captive arrangement and today it administers a lot of these schemes. However, a worrisome development in Zimbabwe is the transfer of the superannuation and morbidity risk to the employees by cash strapped or unscrupulous employers. Recently most if not all of the state university staff had no membership to any medical aid or health insurance scheme. They were paying for their health and related expenses from personal resources. The extent to which this approach could be used was obviously limited due to the low salaries and allowances staff is currently receiving. The state universities have started receiving funding from the fiscus and renewed their membership to medical aid societies. However, the concept is still the same: if you do not use it, you lose it! How many times have been to the doctor lately, once, twice or none? Literally, medical aid societies are getting richer at the expense of the members, university staff included. Retaining in-house the contributions state universities currently pay to various medical aid societies and health insurance schemes could make a difference to the underfunded institutions. 3. Suggestions for the state universities It is against the above background that I propose that the state universities should consider setting up a unified independent medical benefit fund to finance health and related risks the state university staff are exposed to on a daily basis. It is also proposed that both the employer (state universities) and the employees should make periodic contributions to the fund, the employer paying 80% and the employees meeting the balance of 20%. 4. Costing basis According to latest personnel records, the state universities employ about 3100 in total. Costing of commercial health and self insurance schemes is based on the â€Å"law of large numbers†. The larger the statistical base, the more accurate the loss ratio becomes. Many schemes operating in Zimbabwe today actually started as in-house schemes with even fewer numbers, e. g. FLIMAS and First Mutual. The 3100 university employees constitute a sizeable number, to allow for costing of the proposed medical benefit fund. In addition to the level of benefits required, existing university clinic utilization figures should be analysed and included in the costing model. 5. Advantages of the proposed scheme The proposed scheme has the following advantages: – Contributions to the fund should be lower as members will not pay for medical aid society or insurer’s administration and profit margins. – Interest from the investment of funds will accrue to the benefit fund – Any profits will accrue to the benefit fund Benefits can be tailor made, improved and enhanced with time as the fund grows – There will be no disputes with medical aid society or insurers over claims settlement – There would be a strong incentive by members to reduce claims and control losses – Global limits can be increased easily with minimum or no increase in contributions fr om the employer and employers – Improvement in staff morale can be achieved thereby increasing productivity and the restoration of financial independence and dignity. 6. Disadvantages of the proposed scheme The proposed scheme has the following disadvantages: – The claims statistics, which are used to decide on contributions will come from a narrow base – A catastrophic loss (although remote) could occur in the formative years and wipe out the fund. However, catastrophe cover can be separately arranged with leading reinsurers for a very low premium to cover the fund against an accumulation of claims above the expected budget in any given accounting period. – Individual small claims may not affect the fund too much but their aggregate effect may have catastrophic effects. Catastrophe cover, described above can also mitigate this risk – There will be need to employ additional staff to handle the fund’s administrative matters. True, but use of existing clinics and facilities at state universities should reduce the number of additional staff required. – There may be a temptation to dip into the fund and pay for unrelated activities. This must be resisted by the board of management/trustees. In any case the business of the fund should be separate from that of sponsoring universities. If the †dip† is to be allowed it should be a loan based on prevailing commercial bank loan terms and conditions. – Benefits from the basic insurance principle of spreading risk will be lost. From the foregoing, it can be concluded that the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. The disadvantages, although real, are highly theoretical and remote. 7. Establishment of a technical working committee To expedite the process a technical committee consisting of representatives from the state universities should be set up. The committee should consist of both management representatives (50%) and employee representatives (50%). This intended to ensure buy in at the early stages and also incorporated the various stakeholders’ interests and ideas in the scheme. 8. The mandate The technical committee must be mandated to carry out the following tasks: 10. 1 Drafting of the constitution The proposed benefit fund will be run according to its Rules and Regulations as enshrined in its Constitution. The technical committee will be responsible for drafting the Rules and Regulations, which will include, inter alia: ) The name and objects of the proposed benefit fund b) Board of management/trustees, appointment and composition, meetings, its powers and functions c) Membership issues e. g. eligibility, application, termination, deprivation of membership, etc d) Subscriptions e. g. level, frequency and mode of payment of subscriptions. e) Beneficiaryship e. g. eligibility, application and termination of benefi ciaryship. f) Schedule of benefits e. g. nature and amounts of benefits, eligibility for benefits, waiting periods, claims for benefits, rejection of claims, ex-gratia payments. ) Assets, liabilities, rights and obligations of the medical fund h) Actuarial valuation i) Dissolution/wing-up of medical benefit fund j) Amendment of rules e. g. power, requirements for amending the rules k) General information for members e. g. benefit exclusions, lodging of members’ complaints and requests, payments of awards not supported by receipts, payment of service providers, list of approved providers, letters of guarantees for services provided outside Zimbabwe, shortfalls, travel cover on holiday, business or study. ) Promotion of the medical fund for acceptance by target service providers and establishing working relationships with them 2. Benefit design The technical committee must develop a number of benefit options which members can choose from. I propose the following plans, that I h ave christened, for want of better names, the university premier plan, university medium plan and the university standard plan. a) University Premier Plan This would be similar to the CIMAS Medexec Plan/PSMAS Pinnacle Plan and is meant to provide executive benefits for the principal officers and senior management. ) University Medium Plan This would be similar to the CIMAS Private Hospital Plan/ PSMAS Select Plan and is meant to provide members who want global limits higher than those provided under the University Standard Plan described below: c) University Standard Plan This should be the entry point and would be similar Excel Plan from PSMAS which currently covers most staff. The plan will pay for consultation and treatment received from Government, Mission, Municipal & Private Hospitals, general practitioners and specialists up to a limit, per person per annum 3. Registration of the fund with the authorities The technical committee should be mandated to register the proposed medical benefit fund in terms of the Medical Services Act, Chapter 15: 13 and any other applicable and relevant legislation. 9. Administration The technical committee should consider the following issues that affect the efficient running of the business of the proposed medical benefit fund. 9. 1. Location of registered office and other offices. This could be either in Harare or Bulawayo with satellite offices at all state universities. Any other center could be considered for the location of the head office. My suggestion is based on the density of service providers in Harare and Bulawayo. Most members would be referred to these big centers for specialist medical tests and treatment. Existing facilities could be used as satellite offices e. g. the existing clinics could be expanded and resourced to offer a variety of services normally available from general practitioners. This will save on costs. 2. Staffing issues Additional staff will be required especially for the head office. This will include the principal officer, finance manager, membership and claims administrators. However, they should be very few, because most of the work will be done from satellite offices. Initially there may be a lot of work when the office is set up but that should stabilize with the effluxion of time. 3. Finance and claims administration This could be centralized at head office and payments to service providers and refunds to members made once every fortnight i. e. only on two occasions per month. 4. Dispensary It is advisable to buy the essential drugs from source and keep them in stock for use by members. It will also save on costs. Railmed currently operates such a facility countrywide for the benefit of railway employees scattered across the country. The state universities should use the existing clinics for a similar purpose. Alternatively, mutually beneficial arrangements (drug schemes) can be made with leading private pharmacies to allow members’ access to drugs without paying for them upfront. 5. Approved provider network For the members to benefit, the scheme should be promoted for broader acceptance by as many service providers as possible so that members are not inconvenienced in the time of need. The management of the medical fund should promote the scheme and establish working relationships with all health service providers. This can also save on cost as it is possible to negotiate preferential rates. 6. Access to technical advice The state universities have a large pool of experts on their payroll. The technical committee should tap on that expertise. This will not only serve on cost but show the world that we can use knowledge to the benefit of mankind and practice what we preach! 10. Conclusion Emerging trends in risk management indicate that more and more organizations are electing funded risk retention strategies in an effort to contain cost and get more value for their money. State universities should embrace the philosophy and design and implement robust enterprise wide risk management strategies that mitigate the risks they are exposed to. For a start, establishing a unified independent medical benefit fund to finance the morbidity risk university staff are exposed to will be a good step in that direction. Proposed State Universities Medical Benefit Fund Benefit Limits Schedule General Practitioners, Specialists, Public & Private Hospitals) | |Services |Benefit Limits (US$) | | |General Practitioner |Paid in full | | |Physician specialist |Paid in full | | |Hospitalisation | | | |Prescription drugs | | | |Rehabilitative services | | | |Haemodialysis |Paid in full | | |Chemotherapy |Paid in full | | |Chronic disease drugs |Paid in full | | |Dental services | | | |R efraction |Paid in full | | |Optical |Paid in full | |Maternity |Paid in full | | |Family planning | | | |Hearing aids | | | |Pathology |Paid in full | | |Radiology |Paid in full | | |Blood transfusion |Paid in full | | |Psychiatric care |Paid in full | | |Prosthetic appliances | | | |Ambulance |Paid in full | | |Air Evacuation |Paid in full for life threatening situations| | | |only subject to prior authorization by board| | | |of management/trustees | | |Foreign treatment |Local benefit limit apply subject to prior | | | |authorization by board of | | | |management/trustees | ———————– [pic]

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Shortfalls and Benefits of Vegetarian Diet - Essay Example A healthy vegetarian diet requires sufficient considerations of all nutritional requirements and a commitment to provide the body with sufficient of what it requires. Scientists and nutritionists emphasize on the value of adopting a vegetarian diet as a preventive measure in combating diseases whose susceptibility increases on diet basis. In addition, vegetarians have an easy time maintaining a healthy body mass index. This paper will discuss how vegetarian can ensure that they get an adequate supply of all required nutrients (Joshi 140). In addition, the paper will elaborate on the benefits of vegetarian diet in combating some diseases. Classes of vegetarians There are different types of vegetarians depending on the animal products that they avoid. Vegans rely on solely plant foods for all their nutritional needs. The second group only consumes plant foods and diary products and they are lacto-vegetarians. The third group comprises of the people who eat eggs, diary products, and pla nt foods. These are the lacto-ovo-vegetarians. Those who eat eggs and diary products are the ovo-vegetarians. A different class consists of people who depend on plant foods, diary products, eggs and animal products with the exclusion of red meat. Nutritionists describe these people as semi-vegetarians (141). All types of vegetarians may develop a deficiency of several nutritional requirements if they are not aware of the body’s nutritional needs. Each individual requires a certain amount of protein, carbohydrate, fats, vitamins, and minerals.i6t is worth mentioning that some of the nutrients that the body requires are solely from animal products or occur in low concentrations in plant foods. Therefore, this necessitates a clear understanding of the required level of daily intake, how much is available in plant foods and potential supplements. Many vegetarians rely on whole cereals, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and other plant products. Animal products offer a high level of proteins compared to plant products (145). It is easy for a vegetarian to rely on a low supply of proteins from plants compromising with the body’s ability to rebuild tissues. Plant foods supply low levels of proteins compared to animal products. Since vegetarians only remain with legumes such as beans peas, nuts, and whole cereals as sources of proteins, it becomes important for vegetarians to ensure that their daily intake of protein is sufficient. Knowledge on the calorie levels of each type of food will help vegetarians in assessing how much protein they take each day. Vegetarians should opt for soybean extracts and nuts that are hubs of high levels of proteins (151). Alternatively, an individual should develop a plan that incorporates different plant proteins so that at the end of each day, an individual’s total protein intake is sufficient. In addition, vegetarians stand a risk of having a deficiency of iron. Iron-rich foods are mainly animal products such as liver and eggs. Plant foods do not provide the vegetarian with enough iron to bind hemoglobin in the body. According to nutritionists, the body is usually reluctant to absorb proteins from plant sources. The high fiber content in plant foods makes the iron inaccessible to the body. This is because fibers often bind the minerals from a meal. The body does not absorb fiber. Women have a greater iron need to satisfy than men do because of biological differences. Vegetarians may opt for dark green leafy vegetables and dried fruits as sources of iron. It worth noting that consumption of iron rich foods should be alongside vitamin c-rich foods. Nutritional experts advise that vitamin plays a role in increasing iron’