Legalization of Marijuana :: Weed Drugs Argumentative Essays

For many years the use of marijuana for medical purposes has been an issue of controversial discussion. Many claim that marijuana is a drug that has proven itself to be of no medical value in the treatment of terminal illnesses. Those who feel this way, usually ignore the long history of marijuana’s medical uses; a history that goes back thousands of years ago. The drug has aided many people with the coping of terminal diseases. The use of marijuana as a medicinal herb has allowed many with no hope, to enjoy life more fully and lead rather decent life-styles. Marijuana has been erroneously classified as an addictive drug that causes unrepairable psychological side effects. This may be true if marijuana is taken in heavy doses and for recreational purposes. The real fact however, is that this condition could occur with the abuse of any drug, whether it is legalized by the Medical Board or not. If marijuana is abused, it is being used in an abnormal manner, therefore possibly le ading to severe emotional reactions and personality changes. Marijuana should be classified as a non-addictive drug thereby being legalized for medical purposes. The use of marijuana, under medical observation and through proper doses, in fact will not create a drug-addict, but rather it will enhance and increase the chances of a better life style.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All throughout the different epochs of this world’s history, cannibis sativa and cannibis indica, more commonly known as marijuana, has verified to its users its medicinal powers. Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the most active ingredient out of the already known 460 compounds found in cannibis. It is present in large amounts and is extremely psychoactive (Grinspoon and Bakalar). The first known record of marijuana use for medical purposes was in 2737 B.C. by a Chinese emperor by the name of Chen-nung. He recommended it for the treatment of malaria, constipation, rheumatic pains, absent-mindedness, and female disorders. After Chen-nung discoveries, many cultures acquired the emperor’s knowledge and accepted the therapeutic benefits of the medicinal plant. For example, in India, â€Å"Cannabis has been recommended to quicken the mind, lower fevers, induce sleep, cure dysentery, stimulate appetite, improve digestion, relive headaches, and cure v eneral diseases† (Grinspoon and Bakalar). Other places where marijuana began to make a big impact were Persia, Assayria, Greece, Africa, South America, Turkey, and Egypt. Within the realms of Western medicine, cannibis began to demonstrate its abilities from 1840 to 1900.

I-function and AI :: Biology Essays Research Papers

I-function and AI The idea of creative and intelligent nonhumans is at once exciting and extremely useful. Wouldn't it be great to have a computer assistant that could anticipate your needs, or come up with novel solutions on its own? Scientists have often compared the function of the nervous system to computer programming, but does this comparison translate to an actual causal relationship? The way physics describes communication between computer parts in a binary system remarkably resembles the communications between neurons in the body. When considering the brain, science only looks at the physical components. If this physicality is sufficient to explain behavior then we can recreate this mechanism artificially in a computer. Thus, on the surface creating a computer that also shares the human behavior of intelligence and functions of the mind seems possible. To explore the possibilities of artificial intelligence, AI, this paper will consist of four sections. First, we will examine how computer programs and AI systems work. Then, the possibility of comparing these to the mind will be explored. A criterion for intelligence and consciousness will be derived with which to evaluate AI. Finally, the standards will be applied to current AI programs and tests. In conclusion, future for AI will be explored. Computers and Programming Computer programming breaks down to a simple code of on and off circuits, 1's and 0's-- binary code. AI addresses the cognitive skills of solving problems, learning and understanding language (4). Researchers use weak AI as a tool for merely modeling mind systems, whereas strong AI is a mind itself and presents its own set of cognitive explanations (6). AI systems of artificial neural fields compose response rules for themselves based on notions of the present situation. Expert systems, another branch of AI, consist of a knowledge base and a reasoning engine. Systems perform specific tasks by applying the built in knowledge to the task with an interference engine, a reasoning structure (4). Processing relies on rule-based system of if-then statements to form a line of reasoning. The programming of chess programs such as Deep Blue uses this type of limited intellectual mechanisms (5). Other AI programs try to mimic human understanding in language. Weizenbaum's ELIZA program models human communication by engaging in conversation, through asking questions based on responses of a user (6). Another program by Schank simulates human understanding of a story and answers implicit questions about it given a representation of the information presented in the story. I-function and AI :: Biology Essays Research Papers I-function and AI The idea of creative and intelligent nonhumans is at once exciting and extremely useful. Wouldn't it be great to have a computer assistant that could anticipate your needs, or come up with novel solutions on its own? Scientists have often compared the function of the nervous system to computer programming, but does this comparison translate to an actual causal relationship? The way physics describes communication between computer parts in a binary system remarkably resembles the communications between neurons in the body. When considering the brain, science only looks at the physical components. If this physicality is sufficient to explain behavior then we can recreate this mechanism artificially in a computer. Thus, on the surface creating a computer that also shares the human behavior of intelligence and functions of the mind seems possible. To explore the possibilities of artificial intelligence, AI, this paper will consist of four sections. First, we will examine how computer programs and AI systems work. Then, the possibility of comparing these to the mind will be explored. A criterion for intelligence and consciousness will be derived with which to evaluate AI. Finally, the standards will be applied to current AI programs and tests. In conclusion, future for AI will be explored. Computers and Programming Computer programming breaks down to a simple code of on and off circuits, 1's and 0's-- binary code. AI addresses the cognitive skills of solving problems, learning and understanding language (4). Researchers use weak AI as a tool for merely modeling mind systems, whereas strong AI is a mind itself and presents its own set of cognitive explanations (6). AI systems of artificial neural fields compose response rules for themselves based on notions of the present situation. Expert systems, another branch of AI, consist of a knowledge base and a reasoning engine. Systems perform specific tasks by applying the built in knowledge to the task with an interference engine, a reasoning structure (4). Processing relies on rule-based system of if-then statements to form a line of reasoning. The programming of chess programs such as Deep Blue uses this type of limited intellectual mechanisms (5). Other AI programs try to mimic human understanding in language. Weizenbaum's ELIZA program models human communication by engaging in conversation, through asking questions based on responses of a user (6). Another program by Schank simulates human understanding of a story and answers implicit questions about it given a representation of the information presented in the story.

Business Statistical Analysis Scenario Essay

A GMC manager recently noticed that there is a production difference between the early shift and the late shift. The manager would like to determine why there is a difference in production between the shifts and asked for research on the issue. The research team came up with the following research question: Is there a reason for the different production levels between the day and evening shifts. Our team has come up with the following two null hypotheses: H0 – There is a significant difference in employee productivity between shifts due to worker age. Ha – There is no significant difference in employee productivity between shifts due to worker age. In order to accomplish this, we need to find the average number of errors along with the standard deviation. By doing so, we can set up a confidence interval to see if the late shift is truly doing better when it comes to quality. If they are, we can make the nomination that the manager has the late shift supervisors provide guidance to the early shift supervisors. There are various statistical reports that outsource the relationship between the independent variable(s) and the dependent variable. Here we will realize how GMC will translate the organization problem into a statistical problem, provide a solution to the problem statistically, and then translate the statistical solution into an actionable solution for the company. Literature Review General Motors realized that to stay competitive a number of changes would have to be made starting with production efforts. Based on economic  uncertainty and gas price volatility, adjustments were made to accommodate the needs of the population interested in purchasing vehicles during times of uncertainty. After the fall of the three leading automotive giants, coming back would have to be well thought-out and cost beneficial to the consumer. GM got to work. Production in most plants was one shift, Monday – Friday, 8 hours per-day. At one facility adding a third shift let the plant produce more than 26,000 vehicles within three months, more than it had previously done when it produce 20,000 vehicles. Before incorporating a third shift the plant had approximately 3,300 workers who averaged fewer than 14,000 vehicles per month (Funk, 2011). In another plant that focused on the production of only one vehicle, this plant employed eight hundred production workers who were a one- shift, eight hour Monday-Friday production facility. Another GM plant that makes the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade add a third shift and 800 new jobs was created, the assembly plant employed approximately 2,500 hourly and salaried employees and operates two production shifts. In 2011, the plant produced nearly 270,000 vehicles. â€Å"Demand for full-size SUVs remains stable.† The third shift enable the Assembly plant to meet market demand for the current generation of full-size SUVs and provide relief for employees who have worked extensive overtime since the fourth quarter of 2009. The installation of new tooling and equipment required to build GM’s new line of SUVs limited vehicle production in 2013. A third shift will provide the plant needed production capacity during this transition time (Funk, 2012). There was a time when working a straight day-shift was enough to meet the production demands for General Motors products, however with the versatility and the types of vehicle’s being produced third shift help to meet and exceed demand and provide relief for employees working extensive overtime. Many years, companies have pursued to advance worker output and labor settings. One approach is substitute toil schedules, which comprise flextime, work division, and a compacted workweek. Sleep-related aids are mainly supportive for the salaried period; insufficient sums of nap reduce work output and general well-being. Statistics shows consistent amounts of sleep Improved performance and alertness in the workplace. Therefore, we propose creating work-sleep equilibrium, comparable to work-life stability, as a standard for planning and refining work plans. Prolonging operational times outside nine periods per day did not effect in equal growths in GMC manufacturing. Production increased as working hours increased. According to the survey 1977 Quality of Employment, the impact of unusual toil plans on workers’ personal time has resulted with: Fewer periods in household parts.  Advanced plans of particular forms of struggle among family life besides work. One of the amendments is the decision by GMC to implement twelve-hour work days for all Union employees. This decision did not do well with the Union because most were used to working 8-hour days with weekends off. GMC decision is based on new lines and the demand to cope up with production forecasts. This forecast demands the organization to switch to a 24/7 hour operation. Union employees disagree, as they have a feeling that working 12-hour days will lower their morale. They view the alternative schedule as time that they will be missing from their family. While there has been deep research on the subject of scheduled overtime on the productivity of construction labor, there is little research available that looks at the efficiency, or lack of efficiency that is associated with work accomplished on the second shift. In 2008, Hanna, Chang, Sullivan and Lackey in the Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, looked at why and how shift work impacts worker productivity, and they attempted to find a relationship between the length of shift work and resulting efficiency. Their objective was to quantify the effects of shift work on labor productivity. Their results showed the potential of shift work can be both beneficial and detrimental to productivity. Small amounts of well-organized shift work can perform very effectively in response to schedule compression (p.203), but the study also showed that prolonged use of a second shift can lead to a negative impact on efficiency and productivity. The author addresses the attitudes of workers as it relates to the question of productivity of the employee’s in the U.S. automobile industry. Norsworthy and Zabala (1985), attempt to explain the effect on direct labor efficiency (a measure of labor productivity) and product quality of industrial relations performance, as measured by grievances, disciplinary actions, absenteeism, contract demands, negotiations length, and the climate of industrial relations. Their finding state grievance rates are associated with low productivity of production workers which results in high unit costs of production. The study also â€Å"offers strong exhibit that the benefit of improving workers behavior can be enormous† (p.557). The line between labors policies and workers can lead to improved worker attitudes and a rise of productivity. Shift work is the way of life for those who work within the manufacturing industry. Depending on what type of schedule workers on required to be on can have an effect on employee risk or costs to the company. In a report done by Circadian, who specialize in workforce solutions, having those that will be doing the labor work for that manufacturer involved in the decision making with respect to what type shift schedule they are on can go a long ways in having happier, more productive workforce. A resounding message throughout the reports was that one of mostly commonly seen things that affect such things as errors during particular shifts was fatigue. Research methodology Efficiency is an integral requirement in the workplace as it encompasses proper input, output, and high returns for the company (Anderson, 2013). An analysis conducted at GMC, a manufacturing firm, has revealed some inconsistency in the levels of productivity resulting from the activities of its workforce. The early shift workers or employees have posted better output and results more than the late shifts. Two main hypotheses have been supplemented to explain this anomaly. First, the disparity has been linked to machine failure but this has been ruled out due to the routine upgrades and checks, which are usually done on the machines. Secondly, employees in the late night shift may be under-performing as they are making a higher quality product, which takes more time. Management believes there are discrepancies in the quality and quantity of work being produced. Our team was brought in to conduct data analysis to solve and/or assist with the decisions to be made. After listening to their concern the following two variables were developed: Population and Size Collectively, the early and late night shift is composed of 385 employees with twenty in each shift. The population selected for this research activity will be the members of the workforce involved in the early and late night shifts of the company. Target Population and Justification The target populations are the employees who are involved in both the late and early shifts. Their involvement in the research process is based on the fact that they are involved in the activity or area where a problem has been identified in GMC. The equal representation of the employees in the research’s sample size is meant to ensure uniformity in the findings and the recommendations channeled or communicated to the company’s management (Anderson, 2013). Sampling Method The sampling will be conducted through observation and a survey actualized through the administration of a 5-question questionnaire. One research officer will be expected to carefully observe the activities of workers who are part of the early shift while another one will observe the same number of employees in the late night shift. The observation process will be conducted randomly over a 2-week period, with emphasis on the motivation levels of the employees, their input and subsequent output. To supplement the observation process, questionnaires will then be given to employees involved in the analysis process. The questionnaire will contain 5 questions which are listed below: 1. Age: 20-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 >55 2. Sex: F M 3. How many years have you worked nights? 0-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 >20 4. Do you feel management is available to assist with your needs? Yes No 5. Are all the tools and supplies necessary for your jobs accessible? Yes No The two sampling techniques will be pivotal in establishing the problems, which are leading or contributing to the company’s low levels of productivity. Random Sampling Technique used and Justification The research will use the simple random sampling technique to obtain people who are supposed to be involved in the study. The rationale behind using the random sampling method is the fact that it gives all the members of the population an equal opportunity to be involved in the research process. The use of this random sampling technique leads to the elimination of bias in the research process thus enhancing the credibility and integrity of the study’s findings and subsequent recommendations (Oliver, 2010). Protection of Human Subjects The 384 employees involved in the research or study process will be protected by ensuring the anonymity of their responses, comments, and conduct on the company’s premises. Where necessary, alphabetical numbers will be assigned to the various subjects involved in the research process. This will prevent any cases of victimization or witch-hunt, which may result from the remarks communicated by the employees. Data Collection As mentioned earlier, the data will be collected through the observation and survey methods. The survey will be conducted using a 5-question questionnaire as shown above. Data or information collected from the analysis process will be recorded into the soft copy format and then stored in the researchers’ Drop Box account. This is an online information storage service, which is preferred for its top-notch security measures (May, 2011). The secure storage of the data will make certain that it cannot be tampered with to influence the recommendations that are meant to be obtained from the findings. According to Anderson (2013), password protection where cloud or online storage is involved is integral, Drop Box provides this option to all its users. Only authorized individuals will be allowed or able to access the data stored in this online service. Challenges Faced It was difficult and time consuming to reach all the selected employees as some ware available only during night shift. The researchers had to work at night. Descriptive Statistics Interpretation Employees Early and Late Shift 384 employees from the early and late shift were randomly selected. The sample size was 192 employees being selected from each shift. Random sampling was conducted to afford all of the 384 employees an opportunity of being selected and to eliminate bias. Their ages ranged between 20 and 55 years, with variations of plus or minus 19 years. One half or more of the employees were 37.5 years of age or older. The middle half of those selected fell between 28 and 47 years. The most frequent age was 37 years. Their ages were considered to help gage motivation, maturity, and productivity of the employees on both shifts. Interpretation of the results Employees with the least experience (0-5 years) work night shift with those with much experience work (over 20 years) day shift. From the results it’s clear that experience is not affecting productivity. Notably, employees with working experience of 11-15 years’ work day shift. This implies that most night shift workers are youth while those for day shift are aged. This is supported by the number of years night shift employees have spent in the company (Less than 5). Results and Findings Age Almost seventy-eight percent of the workers were between the ages of 26-45. 15.8% were between 20-25, 36.4% were from 26-35, 31.2% were from 36-45, 14% were from 46-55 and only 2.6% were over 55 years of age. Sex Just over twenty-five percent (25.2%) of workers sampled were women and the remaining 74.8% were men. We did not tie worker gender to which shift the worker was employed. Years of Experience The majority of workers selected had either less than 5 years of experience (36.4%) or between 11-15 years of experience (28.6%). Of the 140 workers with less than 5 years of experience, 30% worked day shift and 70% worked night shift. Of the 110 with 11-15 years of experience, 70% worked day shift and 30% worked night shift. See Appendix B for further details. Management Availability and Resources Almost ninety percent (89.9) of workers sampled felt that management was available to assist with any problems and 80% felt they had the required tools to perform their job successfully. Conclusion Team B’s research was not able to show a specific correlation to productivity based on age. There is however, a difference in productivity between the two shifts. Our research appears to show that the day shift, with a larger percentage (65.1%) is more productive and that the decrease in production at night could be related to less experience. Recommendations The management should mix the young employees with the aging ones in both the day and night shift. This does not necessarily need to be a permanent change in shifts but by moving some of the more experienced workers around they can aid in the mentorship of the lesser experienced workers. Doing this can speed the development of those with less experience in order to strengthen the respective shift if management decides alter the shifting in the future when significant ground has been made with evening out the productivity of both shifts. Area for further study Further study should be done to tie and evaluate the impact of age on productivity. Management could also look at better working conditions as an indicator of productivity. Lastly, look age and experience of the employees across the two shifts and how to better mix the levels of both. References Anderson, N. G. (2013). Practical Process Research & Development (Revised ed.). San Diego: Academic Press. Basu, C. (n.d.). Examples of independent variables in business. . Retrieved August 1, 2014, from http://www.scribd.com/doc/141597585/Scienc Boudreau, N. S., & McClave, J. T. (2011). Student’s Solutions Manual, Statistics for Business, 11th edition, Boston, MA: Prentice Hall. Davis, W., & Aguirre, A. (2009). Shift Scheduling and Employee Involvement: The Key to Successful Schedules. Retrieved August 7, 2014. Lankford, W. M. (1998, June 21). Changing Schedules: A Case for Alternative Schedules of Work. Career Development international, 3.4, 161-163. Retrieved October 8, 2013, from Miller Library. May, T. (2011). Social Research Issues, Methods and Process (4th ed.). Maidenhead, Berkshire, England: McGraw Hill, Open University Press. Oliver, P. (2010). Understanding the Research Process. Los Angeles: SAGE. Staines, G. L., & Pleck, J. H. (1984). Nonstandard Work Schedules and Family Life. Journal of Applied Psychology, 69(3), 515-523. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.69.3.515. Takahashi, M. (2012, March 13). Prioritizing Sleep for Healthy Work Schedules. Physiological Anthropology. Retrieved October 8, 2013, from Miller Library. Taylor, E. (n.d.). Dependent and independent variables Retrieved August 1, 2014, from http://de.cyclopaedia.net/wiki/Dependent_and_independent_variables. Hanna, A.S., Chang, C., Sullivan, K.T. and Lackney, J. A. (2008, March). Impact of Shift Work on Labor Productivity Contractor. Journal of Construction Management, 134(3), 197-204. Norsworthy, J. and Zabala, C. (1985). Worker Attitudes, Worker Behavior, and Productivity in The U.S. Automobile Industry, 1959-1976. Industrial & La bor Relations Review, 38(4), 544-557. Robert Schoenenberger, 2011, General Motors Sets Overtime Shift for Lordstown to Meet Growing Chevrolet Cruze demand. Retrieved from http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2011/08/general_motors_sets_overtime_s.html GM News. 2012, GM to Add Third Shift, 800 Jobs at Arlington Assembly, http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2012/Jun/0622_arlington.html

Briefing Memo on Globalization

The discussed chapter of the book is not confined to one specific field of business, but rather seeks to analyze General Electric impact by globalization trends and GE management’s response. In this way, the article provides interdisciplinary knowledge, which ties political economy of globalization, strategic management, corporate culture and marketing. 2. The author makes the argument that General Electric activities were positively affected by globalization, as this company had all necessary resources for extensive export and investment activities abroad.Its massive scale of production, renowned and recognizable brand, and support of American government and multinational financial institutions were the basic prerequisites for GE’s successful export and investment activities abroad. These changes resulted in significant reorganization of company’s structure (initiated by Welch). 3. Author gives examples of new GE policies, directed at financial investment abroad , internal reorganization of management practices, corporate culture and leadership.The spread of GE headquarters in Europe and other continents and acquisition of new productive capacities abroad (Central and Eastern Europe) are discussed. Important evidence provided by the author refers to extensive use of international labor force and management specialists. 4. The author’s evidence corresponds with existing trends and facts. Globalization process within GE is obvious: GE management globalized ‘the intellect of the company’, that is qualified labor force, which significantly de-Americanized it.Besides this, GE relies on local cadres in managing its headquarters overseas. Other facts, such as Welch cutting American labor force in GE by 50% since 1986 and doubling the number of abroad labor force signify true nature of author’s argument. 5. Managers should be aware of these arguments due to several reasons. First of all, globalization trends are inevitabl e and each company is affected by the same economic laws and processes.Without knowing the experience of such influential companies as General Electric, it would be difficult to organize the process of change in a given company. Secondly, author’s argument provides not only interesting descriptions and facts, but practically probed strategies of positive and effective globalization of activities. Article discusses the subject of technological development within General Electric and focuses on application of its technologies in medical sphere. It’s confined to GE technological innovations in medical sphere.2. The author’s main argument may be summarized as follows: technical innovations in GE are no less important, than technical breakthroughs in computer industry, represented by such companies as Microsoft, Apple and IBM, and General Electric continues to spend its resources on R &D. In proving his argument the author focuses on GE Medical Systems Information Te chnologies department activities, directed at creating a digital system of patients’ records in hospital, implementing new techniques of medical data analysis, etc.3. The author gives much evidence in support of his argument through his analysis of past and present technological development in General Electric. Koprowski lists such important innovations as building a superconducting magnet, which resulted in creation of magnetic resonance imaging. General Electric also created the first computer system, which was used for electrocardiograms’ analysis. Nowadays GE continues to implement his technical innovations in medical sphere.Author claims that Picture Archiving Communication System (PACS), which stores medical content, is a good demonstration of GE innovative investment. Besides this, PACS created Excite (magnetic resonance technique), which provides perfect resolution, used in imaging patients’ body. Other major innovations of GE in this sphere are connecte d with scans, radiograms, lighting ergonomics, 3D tomography etc. 4. Author’s evidence and arguments are well-grounded, however, he fails to present a general picture of technological and research process within company.The article is confined to medical sphere, and innovations discussed do not bear revolutionary character, but merely rationalize existing techniques. The digitalization discussed in the article could be realized by other companies and is not specific to GE. Moreover, the article lacks proper analysis of fundamental research in GE. 5. Managers should be aware of this argument, because it provides examples of practical application of company’s technical innovations, which helps connect the process of R&D with commercial goals.Without such connection, R&D in the company is not effective and management is not optimistic about its necessity. Works Cited Lowe, Janet. Welch: An American Icon. â€Å"Chapter 6: The Globalization of General Electric†. New York: Wiley, 2001. Koprowski, Gene J. â€Å"General Electric's Tech: Past, Present, Future†. TechNewsWorld. August, 2003. 13 October 2008.

The Gallipoli campaign Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Gallipoli campaign - Article Example It is estimated that more than 130,000 Allied soldiers died. Surprisingly, the Turks fiercely put up a resistance that proved impossible for the Allied forces to crack. Throughout the Wars in Europe, the Ottoman Empire had remained neutral for it was still recouping from internal civil strives and political instabilities (Broadbent 12). However, by 1914, the Turks had fully recovered and entered the World War 1 on the side of the Central Powers- Germany and Austria-Hungary (Hart 8-13). Turkey as a country lies between the Europe and Russia. In this case, it was impossible for Europe to link up with Russia with Turkey at the center as a Central Power (Hart 8-13). The Allied Forces therefore wanted to capture the straits so as to be able to establish links with the Russians through the Black Sea (Hart 8-13). Capture of the Dardanelles Straits would have also made it easy for the Allied forces to kick the Turks out of the war (Hart 8-13). Nevertheless, even though the Gallipoli Campaign was only seen as a great loss on the side of the Allied forces, the war brought equal losses to both sides. The Allied forces lost a huge number of soldiers and warships while Turkey’s national resources were largely damaged and not forgetting the high number of Turk soldiers who lost their lives in this War (Hart 8-13). Further, Broadbent (57-61) argue that the Allied forces wasted a lot of resources in the Gallipoli Campaign that would have been vital to them on the major war front. It was unrealistic how the Allied forces lost this particular battle but critics argue that the loss was as a result of poor execution of warring strategies (Hart 8-13). The British and her allies were steered by ill-fitted goals, insufficient artillery, overconfidence, inaccurate intelligence and maps, poor plans, tactical deficiency, in experienced troops as well as the inadequate logistics and equipment (Broadbent, 19-20). The

Research Paper On Stem Cell Research Legislation And The Related Legal

On Stem Cell Legislation And The Related Legal Issues - Research Paper Example The issue of stem cell research legislation came to the scene in late 1998 when researchers realized the isolation of human embryonic stem cells. This discovery was done by Dr. James Thomson and it gave an immense promise for new means of disease treatment. Today scientists are finding news ways of using these stem cells in repairing worn out tissues. The history of stem cells research involves human stem cells as well as animal stem cells. The stem cells are usually found in the embryos like in adult creatures. In November, 1998, James Thomson who discovered the stem cells isolated cells from the internal cell mass of early embryos and went on to build up the initial stem cell lines. At the same time, germ cells were derived from cells in fetal gonadal tissue by John Hopkins. They were referred to as primordial germ cells. It is from both stem cells and the primordial germ cells that pluripotent cells were developed. In human cell research, a blastocyst which came from in vitro fert ilization was used. In 2000 funding of such research was allowed by President Clinton but only from cells of aborted human fetus. However later president Bush allowed it on existing human embryonic stem cell lines as noted by Furcht, Hoffman and Reeve (2011). How It Compare To Comparable Statutes in the Rest of the World The argument of using the embryo for stem cell research is becoming a worldwide concern, varying from country to country. However, some parts of the world seem to be on board in relation to stem cell research and its great role appears to be making a difference. The research is also getting backed up with government financing and grants. In China, there is the StemCells China which connects people all around the Globe with active stem cell treatment centers in country. The stem cell therapy and umbilical cord stem cells are relatively unestablished in the west and have experienced a long history. Doctors treating patients in these centers have come across hundreds o f cerebral palsy. Most of the genetic disorders react well to umbilical cord cells as well as cord blood cells. In Australia there is the Australia Stem centre and the embryonic stem cells are acquired from embryos from eggs fertilized through the in vitro fertilization procedures in the clinics. From this the spare embryos not needed during implantation are used and donated for purpose of research only with consent from donors. However in Australia it is illegal to conduct research from naturally conceived embryos thus these cells are not derived from fertilized eggs within the woman’s body. This is because of the fact that embryos are not particularly created for research functions. There has been a wide range of views on human embryonic stem cell research in world. The increasing case of those against embryonic stem cell research is based on the idea that it is destructive to human embryo according to Lanza (2004). For instance, for those who perceive a fertilized egg as a live consider the research pure misery. Other countries consider it as group of cells with the possibility of becoming a human but not an actual human and in this case stem cell research is encouraged. However there seems to be global agreement to the issue of stem cell research particularly its significant contribution to the society thus making many countries support it according to Kelly (2007). As a result there is

Assignment 2 - Individual Assignment 25 % (Management Practice) Essay

Assignment 2 - Individual Assignment 25 % (Management Practice) - Essay Example Businesses like BHP Billiton are required to comply with Australian laws relating to environmental responsibility, formulate and implement a strategy for environmental reporting and sustainable operations. This should be monitored and controlled on a regular basis. The board of directors has a primary obligation of ensuring that this is done. The report identifies that BHP Billiton has an active strategy for ensuring environmental responsibility. This is done through the Global Reporting Initiative (G3). This is monitored by the board of the company and given external assurance by KPMG. Additionally, the government environmental reporting guidelines are followed appropriately by the company. It shows promise of a commitment by the management of BHP Billiton to improve their environmental responsibility on an incremental basis. In order to improve environmental responsibility from the current position, BHP Billiton can consider segregating environmental matters and handling them with more focus. In addition, they can include significant elements of their operations in their reports. They can also use a futuristic approach in their reporting. Additionally, they will need to harmonise their environmental reporting standards around the world. ... As such, it is imperative on our generation to preserve the natural environment by using sustainable methods to exploit the available resources. The natural environment reflects humanity's impact on the environment and gives rise to an environmental footprint (Henriques, 2006: 121). As such, it is the obligation of corporate entities like BHP Billiton to address the issue of environmental degradation and ensure sustainable exploitation of natural resources (Boeger et al, 2008: 202). This can be done by identifying the relationship between the operation of BHP Billiton and the natural environment as well as the impact of our activities on the natural environment (Boeger et al, 2008: 202). Once this is known precisely, we can identify potential methods of reducing our impacts and find ways of ensuring sustainable operations. May et al (2007: 332) identify that there are five main elements that must be employed to ensure that we attain corporate environmental responsibility as a mining company. 1. Compliance: Mining companies like ours need to comply with relevant laws in the Australian Corporation Act, 2001 and the Australian Stock Exchange Listing Rules relating to environmental responsibility. 2. Openness: Need to be transparent in its operation by undertaking environmental reporting. This will show how much the company's operations are affecting the natural environment. This will give the impetus for environmental cuts. 3. Integration: Once the level of degradation from the mining company is identified, a strategy for cutting down on environmental degradation is formulated. Steps should be taken to ensure that all units of the organisation contribute to the strategy (Simpson, 2009: 85). 4. Collaboration: The management of the organisation will