Death penalty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Death penalty - Essay Example penalty. Their contention is that justice, which is the basic tenet of the legal system, mandates that the punishment is appropriate to the seriousness of the crime. Here, the death penalty is the only punishment which is in proportion to the crime of depriving the victim of life. As murder violates the sanctity of life, justice is served only by the award of the death penalty. 1 Deterrence is another argument advanced by advocates of the death penalty. While the deterrent effect may not operate in sudden crimes of passion, â€Å"There are carefully calculated murders, such as murder for hire, where the possible penalty of death may well enter the cold calculus that precedes the decision to act.†2 The fear of the finality of death is definitely more of a deterrent than any alternative, such as life imprisonment. Even when the deterrent effects of the death penalty cannot be conclusively proved, its’ adherents assert that, if deterrence holds good, the innocent lives of future victims have been saved and if deterrence fails, the only consequence is the execution of a convicted murderer. Abolitionists hold the arbitrariness of the death penalty to be a major reason for it to be repudiated. This includes disparities in (1) region – the execution of the death penalty is concentrated in the Southern states; (2) race – blacks receive the death penalty at a 38% higher rate than other defendants; (3) legal representation – indigent defendants are often assigned incompetent defense attorneys; (4) jury misperception and bias.3 The advent of modern DNA testing has led to several exonerations of Death Row inmates, calling the execution of the death penalty into question by its’ opponents. Erroneous convictions are attributed to pressure on police and prosecutors to solve homicides, often resulting from the politicization of a crime, lack of eyewitness testimony, heightened publicity, juror bias, limited resources of

Diffusion of innovation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Diffusion of innovation - Essay Example Further, the change in the mobile phones from simple wireless communication tools to smartphones can also be attributed to the communication through certain channels. The growth of mobile phones and how it has changed over time has been mostly associated with the internal as well as external influences. Mobile phones initially were considered as status symbol therefore the relative degree of prestige associated with that helped it to diffuse over various social channels. The spread of the technology and the ability of the firms to make innovation and bring out cheaper and expensive versions of mobile phones have actually created different niches within the markets catering to different social and economic needs of the consumers. Much of the innovation in mobile phones has also to do with the globalization and the break-up of one market monopoly as technology was diffused across different regions with different economic status and incremental improvements at the local level.( M.k Uddi n, 2006) As discussed above, the market trends specifically globalization and interaction of individuals across different countries actually help diffuse the gap between the countries. For example, mobile phones were launched in Scandinavian countries in same year and through individual interaction as well as globalization of market trends, they soon were adapted in other cultures also. (R.Peres et al, 2010) Innovation across countries and the spread of word of mouth can also be associated with what is called Fad theories. According to Fad theories, greater number of adaption of the technology actually creates a bandwagon effect. Institutional pressures make the use of and adaption of technology a social norm thus creating strong word of mouth for the technology to spread across the countries. Network externalities also allow products to actually move ahead from one stage of

Should democracies be forbidden to possess chemical weapons Essay

Should democracies be forbidden to possess chemical weapons - Essay Example This paper tends to assert that democracies should be forbidden to possess chemical weapons. Possessing chemical weapons threatens the integrity of a country. Let’s take the example of Iran to figure out how much tension possessing chemical weapons can create for the country itself and for the rest of the world. Iran has already been seeing tense relationship with U.S. and its allies, since the Iranian Revolution that came about in the late 1970s. The threat to Iran’s solidarity increased when President Bush declared it as part of â€Å"Axis of Evil† (WBGH educational foundation 2013, par.2). This threat did not decrease with the election bringing Barrack Obama in presidency. The notion that has further triggered the decision of U.S. war with Iran is Iran’s quest in nuclear technology. Iran’s acquiring chemical weapons, according to U.S., will be a threat to world’s peace. Even the allies of U.S. - England, Germany, and France- are worried ab out this nuclear state of Iran. ... Iran is not becoming a nuclear power (Henderson 2013); and therefore, it will not bear any threats from the external world, still threats prevail because Iran has been making military purchases from Washington and Gulf Arab, and has been making military maneuvers. This shows how being involved in and possessing chemical weapons threatens the stability and integrity of a country. Moreover, possessing chemical weapons creates a sense of hostility among countries of the world. USA has already entered into wars with a number of countries due to this reason, and this has destabilized those countries and has also put damaging effects upon the American economy. Entering into conflict disrupts the peace, not only of Iran but also of U.S., who has already lost the lives of many of its soldiers in military actions against Iraq and Afghanistan. Americans will never tolerate if the correct number of casualties of American soldiers in the war on terror is revealed to them (Nouraee 2010). The envi ronment of hostility brought about by chemical weapons only increases hatred, and encourages the residents of the attacked country to develop rebellious feelings. This does not help decrease terrorism, but increases violence and radical hostility. It only turns into a global hate combat. Also, U.S. has already been suffering from financial burden because of heavy budgets being assigned to war on terror. The sense of confrontation has been prevailing throughout the world because of the possession of chemical weapons by some countries, and this unhealthy environment poses risk to economies and social statuses of countries. Possession of chemical weapons should also be forbidden because it increases the chances of warfare. Let’s understand what the ultimate objective behind the possession of

Time Value of Money Essay Example for Free

Time Value of Money Essay Time value of money is useful in making informed business decisions. For example the net present value method can be used to help decide the best alternative among multiple alternative uses of a firm or personal financial resources. By discounting various alternatives to their present value one can compare the alternatives. Time value of money can also answer such questions as what ones investment will be worth at a certain point of time in the future, assuming a certain interest rate. Time value of money can also be used to compute such useful information as car, mortgage and other loan payments. Another use of time value of money in accounting is reporting of certain long-term assets and liabilities. Time value of money is based on the principle of compound interest. Each time there is a compounding period the new principal is increased by the interest from the previous period. Converting Before Using the Tables When using the tables, you may need to convert if, for example, in a lump sum situation there are more than one compounding periods in a year. Or you may need to convert (to monthly compounding) if, for example, you are working with an annuity situation involving a car loan that involves monthly rather than annual periodic payments. You often need to convert whether it is a lump sum or an annuity situation. Do the following conversions before using the tables. See some of the examples which follow these notes. For semi-annual compounding [or for deposits every six months in an annuity], take the annual interest rate and divide it by 2. Take the number of years and multiply by 2. For quarterly compounding [or for quarterly deposits in an annuity] take the annual interest rate and divide it by 4. Take the number of years and multiply by 4. For monthly compounding [or for monthly deposits in an annuity] take the annual interest rate and divide it by 12. Take the number of years and multiply by 12. Lump Sum Amounts Future Value of $1 = Present Value X Future Value of $1 Table Factor Present Value of $1= Future Value X Present Value of $1 Table Factor Use the $1 table when you are dealing only with a lump sum amount. (However when you have an annuity in the problem, do not use the lump sum table; instead use the annuity table. Use the annuity table even if you are looking for a lump sum, as shown in No. 4 which follows these notes.) Notice that there are four variables with lump sum situations: Present Value, Future Value, Interest Rate, and Period. You need to know three out of the four to figure out an unknown. You saw above how to compute Present Value and Future Value. Now suppose you want to find the interest rate. Present Value Approach: PV / FV = computed PV Table factor Go to the PV table. Where the table factor and periods intersect is the interest rate. Use this same approach to figure the number of periods when you know the interest rate and PV and FV. Annuities An annuity means a series of equal periodic deposits, or rents which can be either payments or receipts; they are made at equal periodic intervals. Use the annuity tables when you are dealing with equal periodic payments or receipts at equal periodic intervals. Use Ordinary Annuity table for payments made at the end of the period. Use Annuity Due table for payments made at the beginning of the period. Future Value of an Annuity = Annuity Deposit X Future Amount of an Annuity Table factor. Present Value of an Annuity = Annuity Deposit X PV of Annuity Table Factor Note the Annuity Deposit may be either a payment or receipt. Now say you wish to find the amount of the deposit, which could be either a periodic payment like a car or mortgage payment, or a periodic receipt such winnings from the lottery or more realistically monthly withdrawls of cash during retirement. Rent or Payment/Receipt = PV / PV of annuity table factor or Rent or Payment/Receipt = FV / FV of annuity table factor You cannot just use either of the PV or FV approaches. Use the PV approach if PV is the given information. You would have to use the FV approach if FV is the given information. Often you use the present value approach though. For example if you are buying a car and want to figure out the car payments, the current price of the car is Present Value. It is assumed to be the cash-equivalent price. A Few Practice Problems 1. You want to know how much you should deposit in the bank each month in order to have $10,000 in four years. What type of problem is this? A. present value of an annuity B. present value of an amount C. future value of an annuity D. future value of an amount The correct answer is C. First you know this is an annuity because it involves equal periodic payments to the bank at equal intervals. You know it is future value because you are asked to find what future amount your annuity will grow to. Even though it is growing to a single amount, be sure to note that you are looking for the future value of an ANNUITY. 2. You want to know how much you should deposit in the bank now in order to have $10,000 in four years. What type of problem is this? A. present value of an annuity B. present value of an amount C. future value of an annuity D. future value of an amount The correct answer is B. 3. Someone will pay you $10,000 in four years. You want to know how much it is worth to you now, assuming a certain interest rate. What kind of problem is this? A. present value of an annuity B. present value of an amount C. future value of an annuity D. future value of an amount The correct answer is B. 4. What single amount do you have to deposit in the bank now in order to be able to withraw $200 a month for the next five years? What kind of a problem is this? A. present value of an annuity B. present value of an amount C. future value of an annuity D. future value of an amount The answer is A. Even though a single amount will be deposited, it is still an annuity problem. Hint: any time a problem involves equal periodic payments, use an annuity table. 5. When you were born your parents set up a trust fund designed to accumulate $88,000 by the time you are 50 years old. You are 34 years old today. If you negotiate getting the money today, what will you get? Assume an 8% interest rate and annual compounding. First realize you are looking for present value. Today and now are hints you want present value. Next realize you need to subtract your current age for 50 years to get the number of years, which would be 16 years in this problem. So PV = FV X PV table factor for 8% and 16 years 25,687 = 88,000 X .2919 6. You are very rich and will be retired soon. You want to take out $416,000 every six months for 6 years. You can get a 6% interest rate. How much do you need to deposit in the bank today to make this happen? You are looking for the Present Value of an annuity , since you want the amount to deposit TODAY, and you will be withdrawing equal periodic payments. So use the annuity table even though you are putting a lump sum in the bank. PV annuity = Deposit X PV annuity factor ( 3%, 12 semi-annual periods) = 416,000 X 9.9540 = 4,140,864, the amount you need to deposit today. 7. Trego County wants to raise $4,000,000 to finance the construction of a new high school. The school board wants to make semiannual payments to repay the loan over the next 15 years. What will be the amount of the payments assuming the interest rate of 10%?

The Ignored Lessons of Anne Frank :: Free Essays Online

The Message in The Ignored Lessons of Anne Frank   In Bettelheim's essay, The Ignored Lessons of Anne Frank, he criticizes Anne Frank's father because of the way he had his whole family hiding out in the attic of one family. Bettelheim claims he is not criticizing Mr. Frank, he just wants his readers to reexamine the way we read history. In his essay, Bettelheim concinced me that we, as readers should look again at the text and realize all the possibilities that the Franks had. In the essay, the author points out that most of the other Jewish families who did decide to go into hiding did so separately, so if one family member were to get caught, the others still might have a chance. As Bettelheim points out that the chief desire of the Franks was to continue to live together as if they were free, in the same manner that they had been living in. At the time when I was reading The Diary of Anne Frank, I had never thought that there was any other way that they could have lived. I never once considered that they should split up. Another important issue that the author brings up is the fact that the Franks were better informed than other Jews about the extirmination camps. The other Jews had no knowledge about these camps, making it a little bit more reasonable for the others to want to stick together as a family. The Franks, however, knew this and they still did nothing to prepare for the Nazis. The author also had some ideas for the Franks to prepare for the invasion when the Nazis came, even though they stayed together. He suggested that Mr. Frank could have had some form of protection, such as a gun; Mr. Frank could have tried to detain the police when they came, while his family could try to run to safety. Sure, Mr. Frank would have been killed of beaten, but he could have done a better job of protecting his family. The most important point that Bettelheim makes is why he thinks that the movie and play are such enormous successes. He declares that the ending in which Anne says, "In spite of everything, I still believe that the people are really good at heart," is ficticious. He says that this sentence is improbable when one considers that she was starved to death, had watched her sister meet the same fate before she did, knew that her mother had been murdered, and had watched untold thousands of adults and children being killed.

The Philosophy of Man

The Philosophy of Man â€Å"What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? † (NASB1995) This verse is taken from Psalm 8:4, I cited this verse on the account of my wonder and curiosity on what really is man? I guess this question has already been brought up years ago by scribes, teachers, politicians, scientist and even philosophers. Even David, the man after God’s own heart has also asked on what is on this man that even the God of universe is so fond of him. With all reasons, judgments, questions has been clashed, I have no better answer than other great philosophers.But let me try to expound my idea on this notion truthfully. There are many definitions of man. Some says that man is a rational animal. Others would say that man is a being and has a special place in the universe on the account of their abilities and level of reasoning. While others argued that one thing to observe that humans are but a tiny aspect of the universe and even of life on our own planet. Whatever their justifications may be, I hold unto this one truth that I believe in, Man is created in the image and likeness of God.I’m not saying this because I am a Christian but because I have learned not to depend solely on the knowledge of this world but on the wisdom from God. By simply understanding that man is created in the image and likeness of God, then surely man has a great value. Therefore, every human being is bestowed with dignity and his sense of being. I believe that we are all equal here; sinners or saints, rich or poor are all given by dignity. Thus, one cannot say that I am better off with the others. Man is a spiritual being because of the spiritual acts that he does.This includes intellection and reasoning. Indeed, man is a rational animal. Man is formed as the highest creation since being rational, he can think more, he is free to choose and decide, he can explore, and he can do all things according to his goal that wil l lead him to happiness as well  as to see the good. Moreover, by its uniqueness, soul is  the source of the  things of man  can do what other cannot do. Each one is  unique and thus each one can be distinguished by each soul that describe who you are. Taking up Philosophy of Man subject has been subject to my queries before.Why do we have to take up this when our field is on medical and nursing. It was later then that I realized that this course subject is vital because it gives us a thorough understanding on our patients especially the dignity of humans. Astounding as it was, I found this subject to be a challenging one because it harnessed the way we think and reason out. It taught us to examine ourselves, to look beyond one perspective and to dug deeper. Another essential attribute of man is his freewill. Freewill is the capacity to choose.If by the word â€Å"free† one means that people have the ability to make certain choices on their own free from compulsion, force, or coercion then the answer is â€Å"yes. † For example, people have the ability to choose to go to the store or stay home, to buy a newspaper or not, to eat beef or to eat fish, etc. such choices are within the natural capacity of human beings. People are free to act according to their nature. We humans are moved not by instinct but ideas. I think that this is one of the greatest attribute in man.We are not robots controlled by any manual operations or animals driven by instinct. Yes, we are creations but our creator never imposed on us but give us freewill. I have also pondered out that man is a seeker of happiness. We are all different but we also have something in common and that is our pursuit of happiness. We study hard, get a decent job, find a partner, start our own family, these are all means to gain happiness. Happiness, we all know, comes with the possession of some good; but where, or, in the possession of what good is perfect happiness to be found.However , there’s one thing that I’ve realized, no matter how happy we could be in this world, we would not be content because we are made for something eternal. To be loved is to be known and to be known is to be loved. Man is called to love and communion. I guess this is the basis of our morality everything which is governed by love. Man is not made to be alone. That is why Eve was created for Adam. I truly believed that there is no greater joy to love and be loved in return. Love enables a person to be good and self-giving which creates the good of persons and of communities.

Money Matters

Money Matters Money is desired by everyone, but the majority of wealth is held by only a small percentage of people in society. Is this minority of the rich as happy as we think they should be with all that money? Two songs regarding currency will help answer this; Pink Floyd’s song, â€Å"Money†, from the album The Dark Side of the Moon (1973) and AC/DC’s song, â€Å"Money Talks†, from the album The Razors Edge (1990). â€Å"Money† presents the idea that money allows the individual to get what they want. Money Talks† presents the idea that money allows the individual to get whomever they want. At the heart of both of these songs it is evident that the song writers wanted the listener to know the cycle of money and obtaining materialistic things which suggest that the key point being conveyed by these songs is that money enables greed which can lead to negative behavior. People often want money to make them feel happier; this is accomplished b y buying materialistic things or by trying to buy an individual’s affection or approval.But do these things really make us happy, or do they just give us more problems like greed and physical conflicts? According to Sonja Lyubomirsky , from The Scientific American, â€Å"The single biggest culprit, I argue, is that having money raises our aspirations about the happiness that we expect in our daily lives, and these raised aspirations can be toxic. † (Lyumbomirsky). The more one achieves, the more one wants, is the definition of greed.This is a viscous cycle that, if fueled by enough money, can end in bad decisions or negative behavior. For example, if you are conditioned to eating at nice restaurants, and then you go to a fast food chain, you wouldn’t be as satisfied in comparison to always going to fast food restaurants and not knowing the luxurious pleasure of dining at a fancy establishment. (Lyumbomirsky) Money can buy nice things and services, but it will no t always eliminate stress and bad moods.A Princeton University Study published in 2010 concluded that income is directly proportional to emotional experiences up to about $75,000 a year where it plateaus. (Staff) This study analyzed over 450,000 responses from over 1,000 test subjects on a daily basis asking questions about the previous day’s emotional experiences. These results are quite interesting but throughout the whole study it was evident that there were still daily stresses and depressing times regardless of your social and economical status. Staff) Instead of contentment and happiness, too much money can just lead to greed. Both songs, â€Å"Money† and â€Å"Money Talks† have the same social issue at their core, money. According to both songs if money allows you to get everything you desire, then ultimately it will cause greed and result in immoral decisions. The key difference in the songs is that in â€Å"Money† they want to get materialistic t hings and in â€Å"Money Talks† they money to buy materialistic things to attract the individuals they want.This is shown when Pink Floyd says â€Å"Money, it’s a gas Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash New car, caviar, four star daydream Think I’ll buy me a football team† in â€Å"Money,† and when AC/DC says â€Å"Hey little girl, you want it all The furs, the diamonds, the painting on the wall come on come on lovin’ for the money† in â€Å"Money Talks. † Both songs describe individuals using money to reach their aspirations, possessions or people. After using money to obtain their wants, each song describes the resulting negative consequences.By using money to attract a female mate, â€Å"Money Talks† describes the kind of immoral tendencies of a woman who is attracted by money. This effect is shown in the lyric â€Å"Hey little girl, you broke the laws You hustle, you deal, you steal from us all. † In â€Å"Money†, Pink Floyd plainly states â€Å"Money, so they say Is the root of all evil today. † Then the song describes a dispute over wanting more money, beginning with the lyric â€Å"But if you ask for a raise its no surprise that they’re giving none away. † Both songs depict the negative results created from too much money by describing greedy and immoral behavior based around wanting more. Money† is a story of the natural progression of money and greed. The song starts with a man who gets a good job, then buys expensive things, and then the greed of the money causes him to make a physical dispute started by asking for more money. The grooving beat starts with the sounds of a cash register, coins, and money to let the audience conform to the subject. When the instruments join the materialistic set groove, the piano, bass, and drums create a walking feeling to simulate someone on the move spending money.When the singer starts the first verse , he immediately talks about making money and spending money, which perfectly matches the sound effects and walking groove set up by the instrumental intro. The second verse describes the next stage of money and greed, which is using money for the rush like a drug. This connection is shown in the lyric â€Å"money, it’s a hit,† so spending money is like taking a hit of a mind altering substance. Just like drug use, money use can lead to bad judgment and skewed values.After the last line of the second verse, â€Å"And I think I need a Lear jet,† the guitarists and piano take turns to create a three minute psychedelic solo. The solo is very relaxing and enjoyable, simulating the early stages of drug use, or in this case, money use. The last sung verse describes the obsession of money leading to negative things such as crime and fights. The verse ends with the line â€Å"But if you ask for a raise it’s no surprise that they’re giving none away. † This line shows the subject needing more money to fuel his expensive spending addiction.The verse shows greed on both ends of the interaction, because the subject wants more money and the employer does not want to share any money. After this verse, the background tells a story of an argument which ended in a fist fight. Though not specifically stated, the listener can conclude from the reoccurrence of the music from the intro that the dispute started from spending too much money. â€Å"Money Talks† starts out with a twenty second instrumental introduction that has an upbeat tempo and really makes the listener want to tap their feet and nod their head .The fast happy mood directly contradicts the subject matter, which is closely related to prostitution. This kind of contradiction is known as musical irony. After ACDC sets the foundation for a happy and energetic song, the singer dives right into what money can do for you, â€Å"Tailored suits, chauffeured cars, Fine hotels and big cigars†. The singer has a natural energetic growl sound, but he will slightly change the volume or intensity of his tone depending on what the lyrics are saying. Every line that deals with negative behavior due to spending, the singer will mark it by adding slight emphasis to his voice.The first verse is sung with a pretty consistent tone until he introduces his female target by stating â€Å"Hey little girl, you want it all,† then he adds slightly more growl to his voice. After the first chorus, the subject takes a turn almost into a business proposition as the man asks what services she offers and how much she would like to be paid evidenced by these lyrics â€Å"So what do you do that’s guaranteed †¦ love me for the money Come on, come on, listen to the money talk†. During this line, the singer raises his volume, as well as his energy to show the decline of moral behavior with the increase of spending.The last line of this verse, â€Å"Yo u hustle, you deal, you steal from us all† is sung with more edge and energy than any other line of the song. This lyric directly shows how someone could be stuck in the cycle of compromising morals for money. Even though the music has little to do with the subject, the singer makes the lyric music connection by adding slightly more energy to the lines depicting negative behavior in relation to spending and making money. Money or wealth is an attribute of daily life for everyone. Unfortunately, having too much money can cause problems for the user and recipient in the form of greed.Pink Floyd’s song â€Å"Money† goes through the cycle of wealth by starting with making the money and then ends by describing a dispute driven by greed. ACDC depicts their view of the corruption of money by telling the story of a man who uses money to get women, also known as prostitution. Both songs accurately portray the negative connotations attached to wealth in today’s soci ety by ending their songs on greedy behavior started by obtaining and spending too much money. ? Bibliography Lyumbomirsky, Sonja. Scientific American. 10 August 2010. 15 April 2012. . Staff, PNAS and World Science. World Science. 8 September 2010. 14 April 2012. .