New Financial And Statistical Measures To Monitor The Success Of Ge :: essays research papers

New Financial and Statistical Measures to Monitor The Success of GE To : The Board of Directors, GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY Subject : NEW FINANCIAL AND STATISTICAL MEASURES TO MONITOR THE SUCCESS OF GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY After Mr. Weltch announced my new assignment, I pondered how I could go about guaranteeing the best possible result: a creditable and well organized work that is going to help you, the Board of Directors, plan for the future of the company in a better way. Before starting my analysis, I must specify that my target is not to abolish the traditionally used financial and statistical measures but to develop new ones to be used as guidance for the corporation's future development. Our Chairman recently wrote that "the hottest trend in business in 1995 -- and the one that hit closest to home -- is the rush toward breaking up multi- business companies and spinning off their components, under the theory that their size and diversity inhibited their competitiveness ... breaking up is the right answer for some big companies ... for us it is the wrong answer. ²1 For us the new trend is the entrance into the service industry. The question must then be: is this the right answer? GE is expecting to increase its revenue by the year 2000 to $120 billion compared with $58 billion in 1990. In other words, if the forecast proves to be correct, it will obtain an average annual rate of growth of 7.5%. This high rate is mainly attributed to the expansion of the services sector of the company, which is estimated to increase by an average annual rate of 13% compared with a corresponding one of 2.1% for manufacturing. Today nearly 60% of GE's profits comes from services -- up from 16.4% in 1980.2 This is our new direction and therefore my target is to find these measures that are going to help us understand how the business is going to perform in that particular field. I also consider that our attempt to expand internationally is extremely important and in a way is something new for us. International operating profit was $3.0 billion for 1995 compared with $2.3 billion in 1993.3 This extremely rapid expansion hides a lot of dangers, and at the same time shows another new "trend" of our corporation. In my analysis I will include the international sector. I will also narrow in on employees, stockholders, goodwill and on potential investors. 1) MIEC (Manufacturing Industry Expenses Comparison) As we know, the basic organization of the company Å’s continuing operations consists of 12 key businesses, which contain management units of New Financial And Statistical Measures To Monitor The Success Of Ge :: essays research papers New Financial and Statistical Measures to Monitor The Success of GE To : The Board of Directors, GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY Subject : NEW FINANCIAL AND STATISTICAL MEASURES TO MONITOR THE SUCCESS OF GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY After Mr. Weltch announced my new assignment, I pondered how I could go about guaranteeing the best possible result: a creditable and well organized work that is going to help you, the Board of Directors, plan for the future of the company in a better way. Before starting my analysis, I must specify that my target is not to abolish the traditionally used financial and statistical measures but to develop new ones to be used as guidance for the corporation's future development. Our Chairman recently wrote that "the hottest trend in business in 1995 -- and the one that hit closest to home -- is the rush toward breaking up multi- business companies and spinning off their components, under the theory that their size and diversity inhibited their competitiveness ... breaking up is the right answer for some big companies ... for us it is the wrong answer. ²1 For us the new trend is the entrance into the service industry. The question must then be: is this the right answer? GE is expecting to increase its revenue by the year 2000 to $120 billion compared with $58 billion in 1990. In other words, if the forecast proves to be correct, it will obtain an average annual rate of growth of 7.5%. This high rate is mainly attributed to the expansion of the services sector of the company, which is estimated to increase by an average annual rate of 13% compared with a corresponding one of 2.1% for manufacturing. Today nearly 60% of GE's profits comes from services -- up from 16.4% in 1980.2 This is our new direction and therefore my target is to find these measures that are going to help us understand how the business is going to perform in that particular field. I also consider that our attempt to expand internationally is extremely important and in a way is something new for us. International operating profit was $3.0 billion for 1995 compared with $2.3 billion in 1993.3 This extremely rapid expansion hides a lot of dangers, and at the same time shows another new "trend" of our corporation. In my analysis I will include the international sector. I will also narrow in on employees, stockholders, goodwill and on potential investors. 1) MIEC (Manufacturing Industry Expenses Comparison) As we know, the basic organization of the company Å’s continuing operations consists of 12 key businesses, which contain management units of

Legal and Ethical Aspects of Electronic Monitoring and Surveillance of Employees”

mANAGEMENT 350: hUMAN RESOURCE mANAGEMENT| â€Å"Legal and Ethical Aspects of Electronic Monitoring and Surveillance of Employees†| | By: Chakana Moore, Patricia Davis, Eric Luken, Michelle Dailey, Jeffrey Webb| | 11/21/2011 Electronic Monitoring and Surveillance Human Resource Management Research Project November 21, 2011 Legal and Ethical Aspects of Electronic Monitoring and Surveillance of Employees Introduction Workplace monitoring has been a point of discussion within businesses as Human Resource Management feels that there is a need to watch their employees and how they conduct themselves at all times during the work day. Unless a government employee, employees are subject to any monitoring the employer deems necessary. Monitoring of e-mail and voicemail, as well as personal searches is within the rights of employers. Conducting video surveillance and tracking internet use are also rights of employers. There are legal as well as ethical aspects of employee monitoring which will be discussed in this paper. Specifically, we’ll expound on two specific organization examples that illustrate the growth of workplace monitoring. Next, issues and challenges of employee monitoring will be discussed. Lastly, sound recommendations based on our research will be given because it affects the people within the organization. It’s vital for workers to understand why monitoring is important and managers to respect and understand that employees have rights as well. Company/Organizational Examples Many companies utilize monitoring and surveillance. They have to learn to balance employer and employee rights. Businesses have the right to ensure that the employees are performing their jobs properly in a secure environment. On the other side, employees feel they should be protected at work and away from work. Since technology allows for employees to take large sums of valuable company secrets or data with them, workplace monitoring has increased. Common workplace monitoring includes e-mail and voice mail, internet use, and surveillance at work. Workplace monitoring has grown because of several forces. First force was the expansion in available technology, ranging from the internet to global tracking devices, which enhanced video capabilities and improved information systems software. Another force mentioned in our textbook is the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, which led to the passing of USA Patriot Act. Robert L. Mathis, John H. Jackson 502) This Act allowed government investigators to engage in broader monitoring of individuals, including workplace, in order to protect national security. One concern raised in the workplace is the privacy rights of employees. Employees can feel they are being threatened because of the monitoring. â€Å"Right to privacy† is an individualà ¢â‚¬â„¢s freedom from unauthorized and unreasonable intrusion into personal affairs. However, constitutional rights to privacy are generally inferred through the U. S. Constitution’s Fourth Amendment’s rights which usually apply only to state actions. (Kopp) In an employment context, state actions are fairly narrowed to protecting federal, state, and municipal employees; private-sector employees must look elsewhere for protection. A possible source for such protection from employer snooping includes federal legislation and state common law tort actions such as invasion of privacy. The primary piece of federal legislation suggesting employee privacy interest is Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA). McCubbins) There are three exceptions under the ECPA. The first one is the â€Å"provider exception† which says if the employer is providing the telephone, e-mail, or internet services to the employee being monitored, there is little doubt that the employer is protected from employee privacy claims. A second exception is the â€Å"ordinary course of business. † Under this exception, the employee can monitor employee com munications to ensure legitimate business objectives as assuring quality control, preventing sexual harassment, and preventing use of excessive telephone or email usage. Last exception is the â€Å"consent†. â€Å"Consent† exception applies to even when the sender of the intercepted communication has been assured that all email communications would remain confidential and privileged. In Smyth v The Pillsbury Company, Smyth sent emails to his supervisor that contained unprofessional comments from his home computer. Because his supervisor gave consent to the company to intercept the emails and the emails were later retrieved by the courts, Smyth was terminated and was not able to be protected under the consent exception. A second commonplace monitoring method used by employers is internet tracking. Internet tracking can be used to visit non-work websites like Facebook and Yahoo accounts. Statistics show over 90% of employees admits to visiting other websites doing work hours. About 76% of firms monitor internet use. This can help companies prevent employees from going to inappropriate sites which could possibly create legal issues. For instance, a New Jersey case contained a log that showed one employee accessing porn websites. This activity caused an employee to be arrested due to repeatedly logging on that site when told by his supervisor to stop. Also, this type of activity draws attention to companies and causes law enforcement to get involved and companies can be charged with aiding and abetting legal behavior if found with evidence. A third form of employee monitoring is the use of video surveillance at work. Video surveillance can create a lot of issues in the workplace. Businesses use them on retail floors and in production areas, parts and inventory rooms, and lobbies. According to the annual survey, Workplace Monitoring and Surveillance Survey 2001 conducted by the American Management Association, more than three-quarters of all major U. S. firms are recording and/or reviewing the e-mail messages and telephone calls. Also, surveillance can be used to monitor software in the workplace. One surveillance capability of software monitoring can include workplace software that runs on monitored computers is hidden and difficult for an employee to find or the software could be present and monitoring their every keystrokes. Monitoring software cannot be terminated without the network administrator’s permission. Major issues/challenges Video surveillance is a great way for managers to ensure that their employees are behaving ethically. All managers want to make sure that their company’s time and money are being spent in the right way. Video surveillance will show what is going on within the company, but with the installation of video cameras some problems are likely to arise. Some of the top problems we found will be discussed over the next three paragraphs. The first problem that may arise is deception. This occurs when the company installs video camera for the first time and they don’t inform the employees. If the employer lies about the locations of the camera, this can be considered a form of deception and can open up the possibility for a lawsuit to take place. The employer must be completely honest with their workers in order for the camera to be of good use. With the evolution of technology there are different ways to ensure the company’s time is being used the right way and with doing that, employers must tell the employees that they will be videotaped while at work. There have been lawsuits surrounding uninformed employees and the courts have ruled in favor of the employee. Violation of confidentiality occurs when the company distributes information of an employee. This can happen in different ways such as the company giving out information to someone who doesn’t have the right to have it; for example, distributing video tapes of employees in a theft apprehend interview or job interview. With the installation of video surveillance there will be varying reactions. Only authorized management staff should watch the tapes and not distribute the tapes to unauthorized users. The biggest problem that companies can face from installation of video surveillance is invasion of privacy. This can happen when businesses install video surveillance in employee bathrooms or any other inappropriate place an employee will dwell. It’s reasonable that companies want to do what they can to prevent employees from stealing from the company whether that is merchandise or time. It’s also reasonable that companies want to prevent any conflict that can arise during work. Through the installation of video surveillance, problems can be prevented due to the video surveillance serving as evidence of any unethical behavior. Recommendation/Implementation Based on our research, it is highly recommended that organizations have a structured surveillance and electronic monitoring system within the workplace. Having an accurate system in place will most likely have a positive impact on the people that work within the organization. Also, it will protect the company from unmerited/unwanted lawsuits. Surveillance systems within the workplace show that employers are taking the initiative to make their employees feel safe. Employers utilize surveillance systems to ensure employee security by placing them externally within the outside parameter of the business including parking lots, street corners, garages, and poorly lit areas. Internal cameras can help decrease workplace violence and theft within the company. If employees know they are being watched, they are less likely to cause confrontations or to steal because of the threat of being caught on tape. One negative impact that internal cameras can have on employees is it may affect employee morale because it can make employees feel like they are not trusted and that they are always being watched. However, organizations have to be careful not to violate employee privacy laws by placing video surveillance within restrooms, changing rooms, or private areas. From a legal standpoint, advances in electronic technology and telecommunication have created additional problems for human resource managers through the use of emails, internet, voice mail, and instant messaging. Monitoring all employees’ electronic usage is critical in order for the company to protect itself from lawsuits and from potentially damaging the company’s image. Having a structured system in place will significantly help a company be proactive instead of reactive in their disciplinary steps to correct or eliminate the abuse of their internal electronic systems. The employer should have scanners that are equipped with scanners that will screen for inappropriate pictures or wording and a firewall that will block inappropriate internet websites that the company does not approve of. If an employee is flagged by this scanning system, hey should be disciplined immediately according to company policy and human resource professionals should thoroughly document the incident to prevent lawsuits or in the event a lawsuit is filed they are well prepared to prove that the company was justified in their disciplinary actions they took. The correct strategic approach to electronic mo nitoring and surveillance is to have an in depth employee handbook which is an essential tool for communicating information regarding the workplace policies and disciplinary actions. The handbook should be a downward communication that flows from the top management to the rest of the organization. However, the organization should create a company culture were employees also feel comfortable with upward communication that enable managers to learn about employee concerns because several of the employee handbook violations are reported by lower level employees. Within the employee handbook, employers should have a video surveillance policy informing employees about their surveillance system, informing them that the surveillance system is only performed for legitimate business purposes, and that they strictly limit those who view the surveillance videos. Also, there should be an electronic communications policy that employees are required to sign a permission form that states, they will comply with the policy. This policy should clearly outline that electronic use is provided by the employer for business use only; the use of media for personal use is restricted and is subject to employer review; all passwords must be available to the employer; and the employer reserves the right to monitor or search any media without notice. Organizations must ensure that they are balancing employer and employee rights by using electronic monitor and surveillance systems for business purposes only. Conclusion Surveillance of employees in the work place comes down to investments and the right to be involved in almost all aspects of that investment. Involvement in one’s interest is a good thing but if used excessively, any good things can be harmful. 90 percent of works admit to the use of their computer for non-work related issues, this is an impressive stat that any intelligent business owner would not ignore. Ignoring this stat turns your back on the quality and quantity of work you are paying your employees for, not including legal issues that can be devastating to your company. Internet surveillance seems to be a much need necessity for large companies were as video surveillance is needed for almost every company. Video surveillance is only the epitome of technology and ethical monitoring. Now business has the means of protecting tangible, non-tangible, and human investments at all times. This act starts by insuring employees that they are protected and procedures are in place to keep them working along an ethical passage. This is why it is important to inform those in the work of surveillance, it discourages unwanted behavior, this does not only protean to employees but to outsiders as well. How many times have you see signs of surveillance? Some says â€Å"Smile, you are being watched,† this very smart thing to do in this day in age. Everyone would love to watch every moment of their child’s development but no one has the time and resources to do so. What if you could? What if this was your job? Sure you would try to do so with the best of your abilities, but at the same time, you would have to give them private time. So, there is a clear line between protection and Violation of Confidentiality and Invasion of Privacy Working for any company is a privilege not a right, but it is a right for privileged peopled to be protected ethically. Works Cited Kopp, k. Electronic Communications in the Workplace: E-mail Monitoring and the Right of Privacy, 8 Seaton Hall Const. L. J. 861. 1998. McCubbins, G. Daryl and Jeretta Nord/Tipton F. â€Å"E-Monitoring in the Wokplace: Prviacy, legislation, and surveillance software. † COMMUNICATIONS OF THE ACM. Vols. 49, No 8. August 2006. Robert L. Mathis, John H. Jackson. Human Resource Managemnet, Twelfth Edtion. Mason: South-Western Cengage Learning, 2008, 2006.

The Role of Disease in European Exploration and Colonization

The Role of Disease in European Exploration and Colonization Human mobility, in terms of European transcontinental exploration and colonization, began to truly flourish after the 1400s. This travel, inspired by financial motives and justified by religious goals, resulted in the European dominance and decimation of countless cultures in both the Americas and Eurasia. While at first glance it seems as though this dominance was achieved through mainly military means - European militias, like Spanish conquistadors, rolling over native tribes with their technologically advanced weapons - the reality is significantly more complex. The Europeans, most likely unknowingly, employed another, equally deadly weapon during their exploits.†¦show more content†¦However, disease on the epidemic scale did not appear till certain conditions existed, conditions created namely by the Agricultural Revolution. As communities became more sedentary and developed a more stable means of food production through the domestication of animals and irrigation proces ses, populations were able to increase at exponential rates, one of the fundamental prerequisites for an epidemic outbreak. An increased population translated into closer living conditions, less sanitary means of waste disposal due to sheer volume, and typically, poorer nutrition, making people more susceptible to a breakdown of the immune system. A higher population, in comparison to that of their hunting and gathering predecessors, meant a greater chance for contracting an illness. Equally important, the Agricultural Revolution demanded the domestication of animals. In living in close proximity to cattle, hogs, and other useful livestock, a phenomenon known as species cross-over took place. This species cross-over refers to the mutation of diseases typically found in livestock to a new form that seeks out a human host. The most classic and devastating example is small pox, a highly fatal disease that causes sores to form on the body and known in cattle as cowpox (Ponting, 225-226) . This, coupled with irrigation, providing a host for water-born diseases like malaria and schistosomiasis, sheds a bit of light on the magnitude of the influence of the AgriculturalShow MoreRelatedChristopher Columbus : A Hero Or Hero?1445 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"New World† of the Americas in 1492 as the result of an expedition sponsored by the Spanish monarchy Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon, in hopes of finding an alternate trade route to Asia, the source of luxury and wealth in the eyes of Europeans. Altogether Columbus commanded four expeditions under the Spanish monarchy between 1492 and 1504. Although Columbus never found an alternate lucrative trade route to Asia, Columbus’s encounter with America in 1492 forever changed world history, symbolizingRead MoreAmerican History Essay938 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ Question 1 Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the Iroquois developed a confederation to: control violence that may have occurred over territory conflicts. Question 2 The religious dissatisfaction, that ultimately played a factor in the colonization of the New World by Separatists, began in 1517 when which of the following men publically protested the Catholic Church? Martin Luther Question 3 Refer to the map entitled Indian Groups in the Areas of First ContactRead MoreEuropean Colonization Of Europeans And Native Americans1503 Words   |  7 Pagescatastrophic epidemics from the European conquest. The spread of diseases between Europeans and Native Americans led to a demographic calamity. The earliest explorations from European countries introduced a plethora of diseases; these diseases hindered the Native’s population and way of life. Not only early explorations of European countries impacted the indigenous people, but the settlement and encounters with Europeans in the twentieth century did as well. Before Europeans voyaged to the New World,Read MoreEuropean Exploration And Trade During The Age Of Discovery975 Words   |  4 Pagesfor some of history’s darkest ages. European exploration and trade during the age of discovery is what indirectly created what we today call America. The world that we see today can be attributed back to Portugal as it pioneered a niche in expedition for European culture. European exploration and trade began in the 15th century with Portugal as they played a very significant role to the age of discovery, a period of time that designated Europe as an exploration powerhouse. Portugal paved the pathRead MoreEssay on The Columbian Exchange1075 Words   |  5 Pagesexplorers created contact between Europe and the Americas. The interaction with Native Americans began the exchange of animals, plants, disease, and weapons. The most significant effects that the Colombian Exchange had on the Old World and New World were its changes in agriculture, disease, culture, and its effects on ecology. The immediate cause of the European voyages of discovery was the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks in 1453. While Egypt and Italian city-state of Venice wasRead MoreThe Age Of Exploration And Its Effects On Economic And Political Power1611 Words   |  7 PagesSummative As European economy grew, and became more reliant on a cash system, replacing the land-based system of feudalism. The power shift is prominent, shifting from the lords and nobles to the merchants of the middle class. The Age of Exploration has provided a framework for economic life around the world for several centuries while also shaping politics, social relations, cultures, and natural environments, changing the very nature of society. Of course the most important aspect of this modernisticRead MoreThe Control of England in North America and Demise of the Spanish Power in the Atlantic1490 Words   |  6 Pagescreation of European colonies across the Western region (Cohen and Rosenzwei 124). This paper is focused on establishing the main events that made England to gain control over the Atlantic and establishing settlements in North America. The paper also explores the major events that led to the demise of Spanish power in the Atlantic. This will be done through looking at a num ber of factors including commerce, the rise of competing nations that presented an encouragement for the exploration and colonizationRead MoreChristopher Columbus s Discovery Of The America1132 Words   |  5 PagesChristopher Columbus’s discovery of the America’s was monumental. His exploration of the New World impacted the culture, and development of America. One of these effects was the expansion of goods and products in the decades after Columbus’s first contact with Americans. Other effects included how these goods and products affected Amerindians and Europeans which also influenced the Columbian Exchange. Christopher Columbus’s influence on the Americas and Europe is the main reason why he is stillRead MoreImpact Of Globalization On The Middle Of The Twentieth Century1480 Words   |  6 Pagestwentieth century. Each of these new eras marked developments in advancements in communication, human rights, woman’s rights, religiosity and phil osophy, technology and lastly in economics. Europeans in the late fifteenth century were driven to explore. Shipping by sea was becoming popular. In the 1400s many European monarchs faced a problem, as they tried to import spices and silks from China and India, they were threatened by the Ottoman Empire who controlled Eastern Europe as well as the VenetianRead MoreCulture Is A Common Way Of Life Essay1190 Words   |  5 PagesFamily background and individual experiences also contribute to these differences. These lead to differences in practices, beliefs and expectations from each other. The purpose of this essay is to establish how the differences in Native Americans, Europeans and Africans leave each both prepared and unprepared for contact with each other. It will explore the challenges they face as well as the positive and negative outcomes of this contact. Native americans Their cultures were matrilineal and their

How to Use Italian Adjectives

The big piazza, the clear sky, and the  handsome Italian man are all examples with an adjective, or something that gives more information about a noun. Oftentimes this is a description. In Italian an adjective agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies, and there are two groups of adjectives: those ending in -o and those ending in -e. Adjectives ending in -o in the masculine have four forms: Maschile Femminile Singolare -o -a Plurale -i -e Singolare il libro italiano la signora italiana Plurale i libri italiani le signore italiane Singolare il primo giorno la mesa universitaria Plurale i primi giorni le mense universitarie COMMON ITALIAN ADJECTIVES ENDING IN -O allegro cheerful, happy buono good, kind cattivo bad, wicked freddo cold grasso fat leggero light nuovo new pieno full stretto narrow timido timid, shy Adjectives ending in -o have four forms: masculine singular, masculine plural, feminine singular, and feminine plural. Observe how the adjectives nero and cattivo change to agree with nouns they modify. Note that when an adjective modifies  two nouns of different gender, it keeps its masculine ending. For example: i padri e le madre italiani (Italian fathers and mothers). If an adjectives ends in -io, like vecchio - old, the  o is dropped to form the plural. labito vecchio - the old suitgli abiti vecchi - the old suitsil ragazzo serio - the serious boyi ragazzi seri - the serious boysUli à ¨ tedesco. - Uli is German.Adriana à ¨ italiana. - Adriana is Italian.Roberto e Daniele sono americani. - Robert and Daniel are American.Svetlana e Natalia sono russe. - Svetlana and Natalia are Russian. Adjectives ending in -e are the same for the masculine and the feminine singular. In the plural, the -e changes to an -i, whether the noun is masculine or feminine. il ragazzo inglese - the English boyla ragazza inglese - the English girli ragazzi inglesi - the English boysle ragazze inglesi - the English girls ENDINGS OF -E  ADJECTIVES SINGULAR PLURAL il ragazzo triste - the sad boy i ragazzi tristi - the sad boys la ragazza triste - the sad girl le ragazze tristi - the sad girls ITALIAN ADJECTIVES ENDING IN  -E abile able difficile difficult felice happy forte strong grande big, large, great importante important intelligente intelligent interessante interesting triste sad veloce fast, speedy There are quite a few other exceptions for forming plural adjectives. For instance, adjectives that end in -io (with the stress falling on that ) form the plural with the ending -ii: addio/addii; leggio/leggii; zio/zii. The table below contains a chart of other irregular adjective endings you should know. FORMING PLURAL ADJECTIVES SINGULAR ENDING PLURAL ENDING -ca -che -cia -ce -cio -ci -co -chi -ga -ghe -gia -ge -gio -gi -glia -glie -glio -gli -go -ghi -scia -sce -scio -sci Where do the adjectives go? Unlike in English, descriptive adjectives in Italian are usually placed after the noun they modify, and with which they agree in gender and number. 1. Adjectives generally follow the noun. È una lingua difficile. - It is a difficult language.Marina à ¨ una ragazza generosa. - Marina is a generous girl.Non trovo il maglione rosa. - I cant find the pink sweater. TIP: Note that adjectives of colors that derive from nouns, like â€Å"rosa†, â€Å"viola†, or â€Å"blu† are invariable. 2. Certain common adjectives, however, generally come before the noun. Here are the most common: bello - beautifulbravo - good, ablebrutto - uglybuono - goodcaro - dearcattivo - badgiovane - younggrande - large; great TIP: When you place â€Å"grande† before a noun, it means â€Å"great†, like â€Å"una grande piazza†, but if you place it after, it means â€Å"big†, like â€Å"una piazza grande†. lungo - longnuovo - newpiccolo - small, littlestesso - samevecchio - oldvero - true Here are some examples: Anna à ¨ una cara amica. - Anna is a dear friend.Gino à ¨ un bravissimo dottore. - Gino is a really good doctor.È un brutto affare. - Its a bad situation. But even these adjectives must follow the noun to emphasize or contrast something, and when modified by an adverb. Oggi non porta labito vecchio, porta un abito nuovo. - Today he is not wearing the old suit, he is wearing a new suit.Abitano in una casa molto piccola. - They live in a very small house. Click here, here and here  to get practice with adjectives.

Should the Minimum Drinking Age Be Lowered - 1128 Words

Tayrin O’Rand 14 March 2012 Should the Minimum Drinking Age be Lowered? The minimum drinking age became a hot topic ever since it was set to twenty one years old. It is a law not everyone welcomes with open arms, one that has the most impact in the lives of adolescents and if violated, one that can put a state at risk of forfeiting ten percent of its annual federal highway appropriation. John M. McCardell Jr., president of Middlebury College; founder and president of Choose Responsibility, a non-profit organization, clearly states his desire for the National Minimum Drinking Age Act to be lowered to avoid binge drinking. On the other hand, Melanie Fonder and Misty Moise, among others, clearly express the benefits of this law and the†¦show more content†¦University of Miami President and former U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala, believes maintaining the legal drinking age at 21 is a sound policy as it protects underage students from easily accessing alcoholic beverages and losing them due to its effect (2). Ronald M. Davis, Immediate Past President of the AMA points out the important development that takes place in the brain during the â€Å"teen years† and how unreasonable those requesting to lower the minimum drinking age are by putting such high expectations on those who cannot humanly possibly think as a mature adult at an early age. â€Å"Habits are often created at an early age† and allowing access to alcohol while maturity is often absent is an irresponsible decision. Changes are taking place to prevent and minimize binge drinking. Colleges, Mothers Against Drunk Driving program, community and even parents are now realizing how crucial their involvement is in order to improve the situation. Law enforcement has also stepped up their game by ensuring local establishments, especially those around college campuses and high schools, abide by the rules, and punishing those adults who are willing to break them. They constantly patrol areas known to be used for â€Å"breaking the law† to create a safer environment for those around (4). Dean-MooneyShow MoreRelatedShould The Minimum Drinking Age Be Lowered?1138 Words   |  5 Pagesquestion whether drinking should be lowered to eighteen or not? Citizens have gave details regarding the affirmative and negative views of the minimum drinking age be lowered to eighteen. Do you think that it is wise to lower the minimum age? Would you look at the negative and positive impacts? Is it more important to give our citizens these full rights? Currently, in the United States the legal drinking age is twenty-one. But as we all know many teenages are involved in underage drinking. But the mainRead MoreMinimum Legal Drinking Age Should Be Lowered733 Words   |  3 PagesMinimum Legal Drinking Age Should be Lowered â€Å"Adults under 21 are deemed capable of voting, signing contracts, serving on juries and enlisting in the military, but are told they are not mature enough to have a beer.† (Amethyst Initiative: Rethink the Drinking Age). The causes behind the minimum legal drinking age standardization nationally has not been alleviated in the past couple decades and should be repealed. The minimum legal drinking age should be lowered to the age of eighteen whichRead MoreMinimum Legal Drinking Age Should Be Lowered1253 Words   |  6 Pages Minimum Legal Drinking Age Should the drinking age be lowered from 21 to a younger age? Ever since the end of prohibition in 1933 the United States government has placed the issue of minimum legal drinking age sensitively in the hands of the states, letting each decide for itself what the minimum age should be. At that time all agreed that the minimum legal drinking age should be 21, where it remained for all statesRead MoreControversial Analysis: Drinking Age1278 Words   |  6 PagesCarolina Quiroga April 02, 2012 Leslie Jones English 102 The Drinking Age and Young Adults. Because underage drinking is a major problem for young adults, the drinking age has become a very controversial issue. In the 1990s, the drinking age was 18, but it was changed to 21 in 1984. The Federal Government informed states to choose between raising the drinking age to 21 or foregoing highway funding. This decision obviously affected 18 to 20 year olds who could no longer buy alcoholic beveragesRead MoreMinimum Legal Drinking Age ( Tietjen )1700 Words   |  7 PagesMinimum Legal Drinking Age On July 17 of 1984 President Ronald Reagan signed to make the National Minimum Drinking Age Act a law. This law required all states to have a minimum drinking age of 21, if a state did not comply with this law they could face up to a 10% cut in funding for their federal highways (Tietjen). Since this act became a law there has been two distinct sides arguing whether they agree with the minimum drinking age, or whether they disagree. One side believes having a minimum drinkingRead MoreThe Minimum Drinking Age Act1700 Words   |  7 Pagesthe National Minimum Drinking Age Act made all 50 states raise the legal drinking age to 21(Dejong). The debate is on whether the age should be lowered or not. Statistically, having the age at 21 has been very helpful in keeping the nation safe. If there is not an issue with age now, would it make sense to lower the age and create unnecessary problems? In this case, the negative effects outweigh the positive. Simply because there is no good in lower ing the age. The legal drinking age has been setRead MoreLowering The Minimum Drinking Age1380 Words   |  6 PagesOnce a person reaches the age of 18, they are allowed to tattoo their bodies, smoke tobacco, gamble and even enlist if they wanted to! As an adult, they want to be treated as one but how can they feel like an adult if hanging around with their friends and drinking beer while watching TV is illegal? Of course, that does not stop them, though. The United States is one of the few countries in which still have such a high minimum drinking age. Although most people think young adults (18-year olds) areRead MoreThe Problems of Underage Drinking Essay526 Words   |  3 Pagescontroversy of underage drinking has been a serious and difficult issue for many colleges, communities, and parents over the past several years. Fifty states in the U.S have already set their minimum alcohol drinking and purchasing age to twenty one. Yet many people, especially teenagers, oppose this le gal drinking age and want it to be lowered. Nevertheless, the legal drinking age should not be lowered from twenty one to eighteen because of three main reasons. The higher minimum drinking age can help reduceRead More The Drinking Age Should NOT Be Lowered Essay1006 Words   |  5 Pagesto lowering the minimum legal drinking age. Choose Responsibility, a group founded by John McCardell, proposes that upon completion of a 40 hour course to educate young people about alcohol, 18, 19, and 20 year old people should be licensed to drink. The Amethyst Initiative, part of Choose Responsibility, is a petition to Congress to rethink the minimum legal drinking age. Several college leaders have signed this petition in the belief that lowering the minimum legal drinking age will reduce bingeRead MoreAccording To â€Å"College Drinking,† Almost Two Out Of Three1388 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to â€Å"College Drinking,† almost two out of three college students engage in bing e drinking. Binge drinking is a pattern of drinking that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels to 0.08 g/dL or higher (â€Å"College Drinking†). Many parents, guardians, and psychologists believe that college students binge drink because they think drinking is an integral part of their higher education. Similar to peer pressure, college students drink because the rest of the student body drinks. Furthermore

Voluntary Active Euthanasia Free Essays

Voluntary Active Euthanasia Carlene Lawrence Hodges University PHI 3601 OL3 November 19, 2012 Abstract This paper will discuss the benefits of the legalization of Voluntary Active Euthanasia (VAE). It will define the differences between Active Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide, as well as the difference between active and passive. We will look at VAE from a legal perspective, with discussion about specific court cases that have set precedence in this matter. We will write a custom essay sample on Voluntary Active Euthanasia or any similar topic only for you Order Now We will also look at it from a moral point of view; from a perspective of Utilitarian and Subjectivist principles, to show that VAE should be considered morally correct. Voluntary Active Euthanasia This paper will discuss the benefits of Active Voluntary Euthanasia (VAE). Although it is sometimes referred to as mercy killings, it is one of the most controversial topics in our world today. Many believe the right to live is one of the most important human rights. The right to die should be equally as important. First, we must discuss the difference between active and passive euthanasia. Active is the process by which a person is given something, such as a prescribed medication, to end their life, while passive is allowing a person to die naturally, not being given anything to help sustain their life. Second, we must not confuse VAE with Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS), as the two are quite different. With VAE, it is the doctor who administers life ending medications, with the patient’s permission, while with PAS, the patient is the one who ultimately ends their own life. It can be argued that there is no moral difference between active and passive, since the consequences, intentions, and actions are primarily the same. If medical treatment is withheld, allowing them to die naturally, this will prolong their pain and suffering, as well as that of their loved ones left to bear witness. It will also lead to large medical bills, which the families will be left to deal with. In an era where the culture is to provide rescue medicine, it is hard to decide what to do when facing end of life decisions for your loved ones. According to the Hippocratic Oath, physicians must â€Å"use treatment to help the sick according to my ability and judgment, but will not use it to injure or wrong them† (Friend, 2011). While the actual Oath has been rewritten many times over the years, to reflect cultural changes, it has the same essence. But, who decides what is considered as injuring or wronging them? One person may consider aiding in the death of another to be wrong, but the person dying may not. U. S. District Judge Barbara Rothstein (1194) wrote, â€Å"There is no more profoundly personal decision, no one which is closer to the heart of personal liberty, than the choice which a terminally ill person makes to end his or her suffering†. Assisted suicide and euthanasia have been worldly controversial for centuries. However, the first organizations created to support the legalization of such were in 1935 and 1938, in Great Britain and the United States, respectively. Great strides have been made in the right direction though. Consider the case of Karen Ann Quinlan. In 1975, after mixing alcohol and drugs at a party, Karen become unconscious and slipped into a coma (Quinlan Radimer, 2005). After months of watching their daughter suffer, being kept alive by machines, the family decided they knew their daughter would not want to live this way and requested she be taken off of the respirator. However, they quickly found out that their wish could not be carried out without a court order. They lost their first court battle in New Jersey Superior Court. They appealed this decision and ended up in New Jersey State Supreme Court, where by a unanimous decision, they won. Karen’s father, Joseph Quinlan, was names as Karen’s guardian, and was permitted to make all healthcare choices for her. Julia Quinlan, Karen’s mother, writes: The ruling gave patients and families the right to live each stage of life, including the last stage, with dignity and respect, and for medical institutions such as hospitals, hospices and nursing homes that would now be required to establish and maintain ethics committees. In addition, the Quinlan case led to the creation of the â€Å"living will,† sometimes called an â€Å"advanced directive,† which outlines the personal wishes of the individual in regard to â€Å"extraordinary means† to maintain life. (Quinlan 2005) In 1990, 40 states collectively passed laws allowing competent citizens the right to make living wills. These documents put the power back into the hands of the ill, by allowing their wishes and voices to be heard when they themselves are unable to speak. They instruct doctors to withhold life-supporting treatment and systems in the event a person becomes terminally ill. They can also instruct emergency doctors not to perform life resuscitating devices when a person has become injured or ill. It is the opinion of this writer and other proponents, like Compassion Choices (http://www. compassionandchoices. org) that it become legal to include right to die choices like voluntary euthanasia. In ancient Rome and Greece, putting someone to death, or assisting in dying was acceptable in certain situations. For example, it was acceptable to put to death newborns with severe birth defects. It wasn’t until Christianity started developing in the West, that euthanasia was determined to be morally and ethically wrong. It was, and still is, seen as a â€Å"violation of God’s gift of life†. (Abdulkadir, Ansari, Sambo, 2012, p 673). This is where the ethical debate inevitably ensues. Opponents mostly come from the medical profession as well as religious groups. They believe that medical providers should be more concerned with caring and healing then curing and the ultimate outcome. Legalizing active euthanasia could put too much power in the hands of the medical professionals, allowing the ill to be easily swayed and opening up the option for many lawsuits from surviving family members who do not agree with the practice. Proponents reason that keeping someone alive with medications and medical instruments, when they would otherwise die is not sustaining a true life. Also, they believe that this is not a question of if someone is to die, but how much they suffer in the interim. The main concern of health providers should be to ease or eliminate pain and suffering. If we can accept that passive euthanasia (rejecting the use of life sustaining treatment) is ethically and morally correct, than we should also accept active euthanasia as well. Utilitarianism says that actions should be judges as morally acceptable or unacceptable based on increases and decreases in total happiness and/or misery (total meaning everyone involved, not just one individual (Barcalow, 2007). Using this as a guide, it can be determined that VAE would essentially be reducing misery by allowing terminally ill, and sick to die nstead of suffering. Therefore, it would be morally acceptable. Let us look at VAE from a Subjectivism standpoint. Subjectivism claims that â€Å"whatever an individual believes to be right or wrong is right or wrong for that individual† (Barclow, 2007). Therefore, what may be morally correct for one person may not be for another. Under this principle, we should consider that if you believe VAE to be morally incorrect, that does not stand to rea son all of society believes this as well. Let’s look at euthanasia another way. Merriam-Webster (2012) defines euthanasia as: â€Å"the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals (as persons or domestic animals) in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy†. In most states, where VAE is not legal, doctors are permitted to withhold medical treatment from a dying person, if that is their wish. While this is not considered actively administering life ending medication, it can still be considered actively allowing the person to die, if the treatment they are withholding would keep the person alive, even if only temporarily. When defending the case for active euthanasia, often the subject of our pets inevitably comes up. It is common practice when our pets become ill or injured, to put them out of their misery, we have them, as we say, ‘put to sleep’, or ‘put down’. You never hear of someone keeping their pet alive on life sustaining machines and medications. When asked why they chose to put down their pet, almost everyone answers with they couldn’t bear to see the animal suffer. So then why do feel the need to keep our humans alive? Currently there are four states in the U. S. hat have legalized active euthanasia; Oregon in 1994 by the Oregon Death and Dignity Act, , Texas in 1999 by the Texas Futile Care Law, Washington in 2008 by the Washington Death and Dignity Act and Montana in 2008 through a trial court ruling, Baxter vs. Montana. It is also legal in several European and eastern countries, such as Belgium, Columbia, and the Netherlands. It is legal in certain situa tions in Switzerland. In conclusion, using the Utilitarian and Subjectivism Moral Principles, should consider voluntary active euthanasia morally acceptable. References Abdulkadir, A. B. , Ansari, A. H. , Sambo, A. O. (2012). The right to die via euthanasia: an expository study of the shari’ah and laws in selected jurisdictions. Advances in Natural and Applied Sciences, 673+ Barcalow, E. (2007). Moral philosophy: Theories and issues. (4th Ed. ed. ). Belmont: The Thomson Corporation. Daniel, P. S. (2011). Speaking of the value of life. Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal,  21(2), 181-199,6. Euthanasia (a) in Merriam-webster online dictionary. (2012, March 09). Retrieved from http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/euthanasia Friend, Mary Louanne,M. N. , R. N. (2011). Physician-assisted suicide: Death with dignity? Journal of Nursing Law,  14(3), 110-116. Doi Rothstein, B. R. (1994). Assisted suicide: Helping terminally ill. Knight-Ridder Newspapers, 12(10), 615. Mary, L. F. (2011). Physician-assisted suicide: Death with dignity? Journal of Nursing Law,  14(3), 110-116. doi/913146489 Quinlan, J. , ; Radimer, F. (2005). My joy, my sorrow. Cincinnati, OH: St. Anthony Messenger Press. Rachels, J. (1975) Active and passive euthanasia . The New England Journal of Medicine 292 78-80 Rachels, J. (2001) Killing and letting die. Encyclopedia of Ethics 2nd ed. 2 947-50 Steinbock, B. , ; Norcross, A. (1994). Killing and letting die. Fordham Univ Pr. How to cite Voluntary Active Euthanasia, Papers

Lost Lenore Essay Example For Students

Lost Lenore Essay A raven is a dark and mysterious bird, and in this poem a raven visits a man with a message. Edgar Allan Poes The Raven is about a man who is having a mental breakdown because of the death of a dear friend. The narrator presents a frightening and sad setting, while throughout the poem, talking about his dear friend Lenore, who has passed away. Later, the mysterious figure of the Raven is introduced as he appears in the narrators chamber. Puzzled and terrified by the appearance of this dark vision, the narrator questions his guest in various ways to find out the meaning of his visit. No matter what the narrator asks, the Raven has only one eerie reply. The narrator describes his frightening and sad surroundings, which reflect his state of mind caused by the death of his dear friend. The narrator opens his sad tale with Once upon a midnight dreary and later offers, it was in the bleak December. He describes his chamber as containing many quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore and his fireplace as each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. With such images as the old musty books and the dying fire, a mood is set that represents the lonely and frightened state of mind of the narrator. Later, he sees curtains moving without a window open, and hears someone tapping on his chamber door. We begin to see that the narrator is losing touch with reality because he is deeply depressed by of the death of his dear Lenore. The narrators emotional breakdown over the death of Lenore continues after hearing the tapping at his chamber door. His deep feelings for Lenore are apparent in the way he describes her as, the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore. When he opens the door, something spoke of Lenores name through the darkness. He was struck with more sadness which he describes as, all my soul within me burning. He opened the chamber door to find nothing there, but a moment later the Raven enters. To the narrators dismay, the only answer he can get from the Raven to explain his mysterious appearance from the darkness is the one word Nevermore. The Raven came into the chamber and perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door. What is important about this perch is that the bust represents the goddess of wisdom, and it is wisdom that the Raven is trying to communicate with his one word reply. Slowly the narrator realized exactly what the wise Raven was trying to tell him, which increases his terror. What the Raven was trying to tell him was that his death was near. With each reply to his desperate questions, it became clearer to our narrator that he was never again to see Lenore, find paradise, or find any relief for his pain. In his words, leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken he tried to resist the truth by saying that the Raven was not telling the truth, but admits defeat when he says, take thy beak from out my heart. The Raven was a sign for the narrator that he was next to die after Lenore because each time the Raven answered the narrators questions, Nevermore had meaning. The Raven helped the narrator realize what was going to happen. Although the narrator did not completely understand the Raven at first, he knew the Raven had something important to tell him. The death of his beloved Lenore caused the narrator to miss her so much that his sadness ultimately led to his own death. Throughout the story, the setting reflected the narrators state of mind in that it was very sad, dreary, and frightening. The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe is about a man who is having a breakdown because of the death of someone dear to him. Poe managed to skillfully describe a man dying of a broken heart by his use of surroundings and the character of the Raven that reflected the state of mind of the narrator.