Thursday, November 28, 2019

Should Euthanasia Be Legalized in the Uk free essay sample

Active euthanasia involves the use of direct action in order to end the patient’s life whilst passive euthanasia is the withholding of medical aid in order to allow the patient to die naturally such as not performing life-extending surgery or turning off a life support system. The next distinction is between Voluntary and Involuntary euthanasia. Voluntary euthanasia involves the patient’s termination at their own request whilst involuntary euthanasia occurs when the patient is unable to ably make a decision and therefore a suitable person makes the decision for them. Indirect euthanasia involves treating the patients pain but with the side effect of death, the primary intention is often used to justify the outcome. This is often referred to as the doctrine of double effect and in reality is not considered euthanasia given that the real purpose of the treatment is pain relief and death is merely seen as the side-affect. We will write a custom essay sample on Should Euthanasia Be Legalized in the Uk? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Finally there is assisted suicide which involves a patient incapable of committing suicide themselves asks for assistance in doing so. Euthanasia is a controversial topic that contradicts the age old moral injunction â€Å"thou shalt not kill†[2]. But similarly denying patient’s of this choice is defying medical practice cornerstones such as the patient’s autonomy and promoting their best interests. Different countries hold varying stances on Euthanasia but it is currently illegal in the UK. Most recently the case of Tony Nicklinson, a man totally paralysed by locked-in syndrome requesting euthanasia, has come to the forefront of the debate. Given the right to take his case to the high court, a win would mark a significant step towards the legalisation of euthanasia in the UK. Tony Nicklinson commented on topic via his wife stating that â€Å"it’s no longer acceptable for 21st century medicine to be governed by 20th century attitudes to death†. Both sides of the debate are strongly supported with organisations such as pro-life group â€Å"Care Not Killing† and pro-choice group â€Å"Dignity in Dying†. Advocates for Euthanasia include Lady Warnock and Margo Macdonald MSP. In 2008 Warnock controversially suggested that those living with dementia should consider uthanasia because of the strain they put on their families and medical resources. Whilst this seems extreme experts predict by 2026 there will be one million dementia sufferers in the UK costing the NHS approximately ? 35 billion annually. Margo Macdonald is an independent MSP who suffers from Parkinsons and campaigns for the legalisation of assisted suicide. She first brought her â€Å"End of Life Assistance Bill† to government in December 2010 when it was defeated but she is now again trying to have the revised version of her bill brought into effect. So far in the UK there has been no one charged for aiding suicide but cases such as that of Debbie Purdy and Dianne Pretty have brought this fact into question. In Scotland the organization Dignity in Dying continues to campaign for the changing of British Laws arguing that â€Å"The question for politicians in Britain today is why do you force your citizens, people in the most terrible circumstances who are determined to end their suffering in a way of their own choosing, to leave their country and travel to Switzerland to exercise their free will. Surveys carried out conclude that 80% of UK Citizens and 64% of General Practitioners support the legalization of Euthanasia and yet in 1997 the seventh attempt to have Euthanasia legalized in the UK was rejected by parliament. The Suicide Act 1961, updated by the Coroners and Justice act 2009, makes encouraging or assisting in a suicide a crime with a 14 year sentence. This has led to what is commonly referred to as â€Å"suicide touri sm† in which those restricted by the laws of their own country travel abroad to places where they can legally seek Euthanasia. This has become very common practice in Switzerland where the organisation â€Å"Dignitas† provide Euthanasia using trained doctors and nurses. As of 2008 a reported 100 British citizens have used Dignetas’ services. It has been argued that citizens of the UK should not have to make this final journey to Switzerland to end their lives away from the comfort of home and many feel that given it’s ongoing it may as well be legalised in the UK. Similarly opponents fear that given the legalisation of euthanasia the UK could become the new â€Å"graveyard of Europe† as is the phrase used to describe Switzerland. In England, the director of public prosecutions has indicated he is unlikely to take legal action against those who assist the suicide of friends or relatives who have a settled and informed wish to die. However, Scotland was given no similar lenience. Arguments for the legalisation of Euthanasia A clear indicator that the UK needs Euthanasia legislation is the vast support that exists for it. An impressive 88% people would support the legalisation of euthanasia in some form. [3] Many see it as what should be a choice at the end of one’s life or when faced with a futile future. If we put down animals to end their suffering it is difficult to understand why we cannot offer the same grace to our fellow human beings. It is extremely important that we give those who feel like their dignity has been taken away the ending that they want. It is also important that this choice can be offered to patients at home. The decision is difficult enough to make regardless of being forced to travel abroad to have euthanasia. Being at home would also allow the patient to die peacefully surrounded by loved ones. Loved ones are often put in very difficult situations by the illegality of euthanasia. Cases such as that of Debbie Purdy and Dianne Pretty highlight the issue of family members being prosecuted should they assist their partners in dying. Dianne, who appealed to many courts including the European Court of Human Rights to request her husband assisting her death, lost her case dying from the degenerative condition Motor Neurone disease in 2002. Debbie was more successful and gained immunity for her husband as he helped her travel to Dignitas to be given euthanasia. The UK has a duty to desperate patients to offer well-monitered euthanasia, rather than forcing them to go abroad or live in agony. A pragmatic however slightly insensitive argument for legalising Euthanasia would be the amount of medical resources it would free up. In many countries health services are limited and those with illnesses cannot be treated due to massive demand. Meanwhile treatment is being provided for those who do not want it and cannot be cured. Allowing these people euthanasia will not only satisfy their needs but also with the positive effect of increased medical care for those who need and want it. This argument is unconvincing to those morally opposed to the act of euthanasia itself regardless of how many people can be helped because of the increased medical resources. Another rejection of this argument is that euthanasia would be abused and involuntary euthanasia would take place as a quick solution for lack of medical resources. It would put pressure on the weak and vulnerable in our society into euthanasia as soon as they are terminally ill. Another argument in favour of legalizing euthanasia is since it happens anyway, it is better to make it legal so that it can be regulated appropriately. This argument is similar to that used to justify the legalisation of abortions in that it is justified by arguing that without proper facilities people will die in backstreet abortions. If passive Euthanasia is in wide use anyway surely it is better to at least regulate this process even if it is not preferable. For example DNR (Do not resuscitate) order in which a patient has requested not to be resuscitated if they stop breathing or their heart stops beating. This is in essence passive euthanasia, it is not such an extreme step to legalize euthanasia. Similarly palliative sedation often used to reduce pain but with the risk of shortening a patients life is again essentially active euthanasia. The Tony Bland case gives example of a public case of euthanasia that was not prosecuted. Tony Bland was a 17-year old seriously injured in the Hillsborough disaster in April 1989. Left in PVS until 1993 it was thought that his brain was too severely damaged for a recovery. The family and NHS trust requested to withdraw the equipment keeping him alive and the high courts agreed. Another issue that legalising euthanasia would solve would be that of the disparity between active and passive euthanasia. Whilst in medical practice passive euthanasia is widely used and active euthanasia is seen as the greater evil. However this distinction is nonsensical. Often cited is the metaphorical case of Smith and Jones in which Smith drowns his cousin disguising it as an accident in order to gain inheritance. Jones on the other hand has the same intention but discovers that his cousin has slipped and drowned himself and whilst he could easily save him he decides not to in order to gain his inheritance. The case highlights even when the outcome is the same the act is very much the same as the omission. As passive euthanasia already exists can active euthanasia not be legalised on the basis that it is morally exactly the same? From a purely pragmatic perspective it is easy to see that Euthanasia already exists in the United Kingdom, it is irresponsible to ignore something that must be regulated much like similarly controversial issues such as abortion. Furthermore it is difficult to see why there is killing is acceptable in certain situations such as self defense, but is however banned in this case. Palliative care is limited at best. There are situations and conditions that cannot be controlled. Furthermore often when people decide that they want to die, they tend to be of rational thought and will follow through their request. Even if they die comfortably in a hospice this is not what they want, their only wish was for death. Euthanasia will only be considered by those whom modern medical treatments cannot help and therefore it must be legalised regardless of any medical advancements and improved hospice conditions. For the last 10 years Oregon, USA has had legal assisted suicide. Notably Oregon has the best palliative care in the entire USA and yet 90% still seek assisted suicide from within this system. [4] This is conclusive proof that whilst palliative care may be a great option for some it is not the be all and end all and in some cases it is essential to have the option to have euthanasia legally. Another concern of anti-euthanasia activists is that euthanasia legislation will stifle investment in palliative care, but again there is evidence from Oregon that these concerns are totally unfounded. The percentage of people dying in palliative care has risen from 37% in 2002 to 52% in 2009, one of the highest rates in the USA[5]. Secular stances on euthanasia offer interesting moral arguments both in favour of and against legalising euthanasia. For Kantians euthanasia is not entirely clear issue. For Kantians it is important when creating moral guidelines that for an action to be moral it must be universalisable. Kantianism is the theory that we should stick to a set of compulsory rules and avoid letting emotions or inclinations to cloud our judgement and avoid trying to predict the outcomes of our actions. Kant argued that acting on ones emotional inclinations is to act irrationally and that consequences could only be considered if they were constantly predictable, which they aren’t. Kantianism being a deontological theory proposes that the most moral actions are those that are done out of the duty to do the right thing, and supports that an action is moral if the intention is good not the consequence. Kant believed that there are categorical imperatives i. e. actions that are either right or wrong and to do a wrong act to achieve a positive result is immoral. When it comes to Euthanasia Kantians would look for the moral action as apposed to the loving action. Kantians utilise both the universability test and the ends in them selves test in order to gauge categorical imperatives to follow. The statement â€Å"everyone should be helped to die† would not be an action that could be universally accepted and therefore fails this first essential component of a categorical imperative. However if the statement was â€Å"everyone who is terminally ill and wishes to die should be helped to die† this may be more viable. In this, there is potential confusion over this part of the categorical imperative. Similarly the ends in themselves test is equally incoherent as it could be argued that killing someone to end there pain was using them as a means to an end. On the other hand other Kantians could argue that a persons ends were best served by ending their life. Immanuel Kant himself was implicitly against any form of suicide so this would suggest Kantians must be of a similar stance but modern Kantian thinkers often disagree. Contrastingly to Kantian ethics Utilitarianism does not need a moral act to be universally acceptable. Utilitarianism is the theory generally credited to English philosopher Jeremy Bentham. Utilitarianism states that an action is right if it creates the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people. Utilitarians believe that an action is not intrinsically either right or wrong. Depending on the situation the answer as to what to do varies, but in all situations the fundamental goal is happiness. The morality of the action depends solely on the consequences, and utilitarians will try to predict the outcome and base their decision on this. Laws and general rules are disregarded by this theory. The most important factor here is that the action that creates the greatest amount of happiness and least amount of pain. This being the case Utilitarians would be in favour of voluntary euthanasia. Utilitarians use the process of Hedonic Calculus in order to determine morality. The Hedonic calculus takes into account various factors such as intensity duration, propinquity, fecundity, purity and xtent of the pleasure Clearly it is very common for the continuation of a patient’s existence is more likely to bring them and all those around them more pain than pleasure. Furthermore the resources being used to keep them alive could be better used in bringing pleasure to others. Utilitarianism combats the common criticism of Euthanasia, that no one given expert medical treatment need di e in pain, with the valid point that having autonomy and the right to choose is itself a pleasure. However there are flaws in the Utilitarian system of ethics when addressing the issue of Euthanasia. It would seem that involuntary euthanasia too could be justified by the hedonic calculus if enough people stood to gain pleasure from the termination of a patient. This is the age old issue that has faced Utilitarianism with the â€Å"tyranny of the majority† meaning that given enough people with a contrary view, an individuals happiness can become completely irrelevant. The second issue is the idea if Utilitarians were to have their way and the law was indeed altered to allow Euthanasia, there would be pressure on the vulnerable to choose the option of Euthanasia to relieve the burden that they are. This however would lead to great unhappiness. In this way there could be a contradiction as the issue of whether or not changing the law would bring about the greatest amount of happiness or not. The Libertarian view would support euthanasia on the grounds that it can be in the best interests of everyone involved without violating anyone else’s rights and is therefore morally acceptable. Those opposed that Euthanasia does not qualify as an act that is in the best interests of people involved and has no detrimental effect on society. They argue that things that are in our best interests are not always morally sound. What may appear to be in one’s best interests may be unclear and could end up having terrible consequences. It is impossible to claim that euthanasia is in any way a private act it’s repurcussions on society would be gargantuan. Arguments against the legalisation of euthanasia An argument often employed by those against euthanasia legislation is the â€Å"slippery slope† argument that says if voluntary euthanasia is permitted, involuntary euthanasia will inevitably follow. The comparison to Nazis is often drawn as they used â€Å"humane† excuses to exterminate mentally and physically disabled patients during the holocaust. This highlights to arguments against the legalisation of euthanasia. Firstly the idea that one cannot discriminate between lawful and unlawful cases of euthanasia. Secondly the idea that mercy killing will become an accepted action and will lead to unjustified killings. Another example used is that of the legalisation of abortion in 1967 which was intended only to permit in exceptional cases but spiraled into a very common occurrence. The worry is that euthanasia will follow suit and become an on demand service. The slippery slope argument is riddled with faults. Humanists would argue that the comparison with Nazism is nonsensical as it never began as voluntary euthanasia, it was always an evil act rather than an escalation. Furthermore they argue that the line between voluntary and involuntary euthanasia is clear cut and therefore easily monitored. Cases such as that of Dianne Pretty serve as evidence that in the majority of cases it is very clear that the patient is making the choice for themselves. In Peter Singer’s A Companion to Ethics Helga Kushe states that â€Å"in the Netherlands a social experiment with active voluntary euthanasia is currently in progress. As yet there is no evidence this has sent Dutch society down a slippery slope†[6]. The comparison opponents draw between euthanasia and abortion is a weak one. The former in this case is the choice of sane and sensible people about their own life whilst the latter concerns an unconscious foetus with no one to protect it. Finally humanists argue that they do not recognise the danger that legalising euthanasia would belittle other laws surrounding death, such as murder. There is a great disparity between helping someone to die at their request and killing an innocent victim. As ethicist John Harris put it â€Å"if there is a slippery slope, legislation would apply crampons rather than skis†[7]. The case of Jack Kevorkian could be used as evidence of how it would be difficult to monitor the legalisation of euthanasia and how it could descend into a darker area. Between 1990 and 1998 Dr Jack Kevorkian a doctor in Michigan USA, assisted 130 terminally ill people. In this time he was tried 4 times, the first 3 aquitted and the last one ending in mistrial. In 1999 Kevorkian was charged with second-degree murder and the delivery of a controlled substance. The case highlights certain issues that may arise if UK law was changed concerning euthanasia. Whilst each individual allegedly took the final step of suicide in all the cases there were many questionable circumstances. At least 19 of the patients died within 24 hours of first meeting Dr Kevorkian. At lease 5 had a history of depression. 17 were not referred to a pain specialist after complaining of chronic pain. He failed to get the medical records of many of his patients and it is thought that many of them did not have terminal illnesses. However proponents of Euthanasia would point to Dr Kevorkian as an exampled of why Euthanasia must be legalised so that it can be properly regulated by authorities. An ethical argument used against euthanasia is the sanctity of life argument that suggests life has an intrinsic value and euthanasia tarnishes this. Human life has an intrinsic value regardless of its quality and religious people see it as a gift from God. This argument follows Kant’s belief that humans should be treated as ends in themselves and the fact that we are humans has value in itself. This also applies to ourselves, we must treat ourselves with this same respect and should not seek the easy way to alleviate suffering. However this argument loses credibility as the sanctity of life argument is generally associated with religion and only about 15% of the population of Britain worship on a regular basis. Religious people often use the argument that euthanasia is like playing God and that it is only God’s right to decide when and how we die. This is difficult to comprehend though as by this definition all medical interventions such as surgery are â€Å"playing God† but most religious people consider this normal and are often party to it. Humanists would argue that we do not have to look to a deity to answer when and how we must die. They argue that such important issues should not invoke God and laws should never be based on claims which rely on religious faith. Some religious people see the moral distinction between active and passive euthanasia and that the latter is the only morally permissible option. However humanists believe that it is in fact the former that has a stronger case as it is quicker and therefore less painful. The general consensus amongst Christians is that life is given and taken by God as it is mentioned in Job 1:21 â€Å"God gives and God takes away† and interfering with this process goes against natural law. Christians believe that each human was made in the image of God and therefore is extremely special. This life should be preserved and protected and to propose Euthanasia for an individual is to judge that their life is not worthwhile. Making this judgement goes against Christian beliefs as they believe that only God can judge. It is widely believed in the church that the moment preceding death is one of profound spirituality and importance and to interrupt with this process would be terrible. The ten commandments in Exodus implicitly reject killing â€Å"thou shall not kill†, Euthanasia is exactly this. Objectors would point to Jesus’ use of healing, he helped the sick rather than killing them. This example that Jesus showed suggests that palliative care is a far more Christian approach to the issue of death. One fundamental belief in Christianity is that humans are made in God’s image. Because of this human life has great value as it is sharing in God’s own life. To judge a human life as not worthwhile is failing to recognise God’s creation. Specifically the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) is entirely against Euthanasia arguing any intentional act that brings about death is the same as murder. This said extreme measures do not need to be taken to keep one alive, nature and God will decide when someones time has come. Pope John Paul II said that â€Å"Euthanasia is a grave violation of the law of God†[8]. However the church does recognise that drugs administered to a patient in order to relieve them of pain may hasten their death and this is morally acceptable as the primary intention is to alleviate the patient’s suffering. This is appealing to the doctrine of double effect which stipulates that if the primary intention is moral then the consequences of that action are irrelevant. This doctrine is widely criticised, described by Elizabeth Anscombe as â€Å"a sin in disguise†. It has been compared to claiming to not be responsible for the death of a friend if one shoots a bullet to kill a mosquito perched on his throat. Similarly the church recognises that extraordinary means in order to prevent death should not always be taken. If a young person has a long life ahead of them then they may have serious surgery but a very old person with little time left may reject such treatments. However many liberal Christians would have an alternative view. At Jesus’ sermon on the mount IN Matthew Christians are taught to be loving and allowing someone to live in pain and suffering does not reflect this teaching. In Genesis 1:28 it says that humans were given dominion over all living things by God, therefore our own lives. Furthermore free will was given to humans and surely then Christians should be allowed to exercise this free will in whichever way they please. Contrastingly to the teachings of Christian leaders 80% of Anglicans and 73% of Roman Catholics are in favour of the legalisation of euthanasia[9]. The Golden Rule of Jesus is â€Å"always treat others as you would like them to treat you†(Matthew 7:12) Doctors as a result of being aware of the implications of having a terminal illness have highest suicide rate of any group. Furthermore as Dr. Michael Irwin, former Medical Director of the united nations stated publicly â€Å"Many Physicians and nurses have private arrangements that they will hasten each other’s deaths should they ever be unfortunate enough to resemble the condition of some of their patients†[10]. Legalising Euthanasia will enable doctors to follow the Golden Rule and treat others how they would like to be treated themselves. The church actually regards refusal of extreme treatment in the face of death as morally acceptable and whilst this is not strictly euthanasia it does show an understanding of the human condition in the face of death. It is feared that euthanasia as a whole devalues disabled people’s lives and suggests that their lives are not worth living. By downgrading their lives while they’re alive we risk encouraging euthanasia. This is a very dangerous mentality to foster as many disabled people enjoy their lives regardless of any difficulties they may have. Those opposed to euthanasia often argue that misguided people could be led into euthanasia when in reality it is against their best interests. If the diagnosis of the illness is wrong and it is either not terminal or not as aggressive as claimed a patient could have priceless time taken away from them. In reality euthanasia does not devalue human life or the life of the particular patient, it is in reality having immense respect for their final wish of not wanting to endure their remaining time on earth. One medical issue that UK doctors would encounter should euthanasia be legalised would be the fact that it violates the very basis of medical ethics, which in the words of the International Code of Medical Ethics is â€Å"A doctor must always bear in mind the obligation of preserving human life from conception†[11]. It is thought that requesting doctors to compromise this promise would irreversibly fracture doctor patient relations. Doctors could become disillusioned by the increase in deaths and lack compassion dealing with elderly, disabled and terminally ill patients. Furthermore patients would become distrustful of health professionals believing that their doctors would rather have them terminated than have to look after them. Evidence counts against this concern as when 9 European countries were surveyed to discover which peoples invested most trust in their doctors it was the Netherlands that came out on top. Discussion of euthanasia in countries where euthanasia is legal is open, transparent, honest and mature. Palliative care is seen as the most obvious route for those opposed to euthanasia to seek painless deaths for patients with a terminal diagnosis. It is argued that the UK government should achive top level palliative care for the entire country before assisted suicide is even considered. Sometimes calls for euthanasia are in reality a veiled plea for help and should be addressed by palliative care specialists rather than assistance in this request. However must palliative care and assisted suicide be in conflict? There is a small group for whom palliative care is ineffective and should be given the final choice of euthanasia. Funding and improvement would continue in palliative care regardless of the certain choice some may take to die. Both options are driven predominantly by the respect for a patients autonomy and having compassion. Opponents to Euthanasia argue that it puts those most vulnerable in our society, the elderly, disabled and terminally ill in a terrible position where they would be made to feel like a burden. As population grows in the coming years inevitably there will be a greater demand on the health services and it will be these people who are targeted and pressured to have themselves terminated for the greater good. There is also the fear that family members of a patient with selfish intentions may coerce them into euthanasia in order to gain inheritance. Now disability groups such as â€Å"Not Dead Yet UK† (NDYUK) has fought back calls for legalised euthanasia calling upon MPs to sign the â€Å"Resistance Charter 2010† declaring that they are in support of palliative care and independent living services and maintain legal protecting for the terminally ill and disabled. However all these concerns have been considered thoroughly and comprehensively by the many bodies attempting to legalise voluntary euthanasia in the UK including Dignity in Dying, EXIT and various other organisations. There would be extensive guidelines and checks ensuring that the patient in question is fully sure of their decision and is of sound mind. In reality the legalisation of euthanasia would lead to far less assisted suicide as it becomes an open and easily discussible subject. In Holland where assisted suicide is legal, rates of non-voluntary euthanasia fell from 0. 8% (1000) of all deaths to 0. 4% (550) of all deaths in 2005. Conclusion As it stands the law in the UK is ambiguous when it comes to Euthanasia and there is a glaring lack of clarity. The Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer, recently stated that intentions will be taken into consideration when euthanasia takes place. If the motivation for the act is compassion and it is not in the public’s interest to prosecute those who commit voluntary euthanasia may go unpunished. In any case, the laws should be updated and clarified in order to eradicate any confusion over the matter. I believe that voluntary euthanasia should be legalised in the UK. Having volunteered in a top hospice for 2 years I witnessed first hand those with terminal illnesses. The level of care in such places is outstanding and very few people are unhappy there. However there is no substitute for death when that is what a patient wishes for. No drug or expert care can diminish the feelings of one who knows that they want to die. I feel that if laws were to be passed on euthanasia then they would be aptly scrutinised in order to ensure that no injustice was done. Whilst opponents to legislation believe that legalising euthanasia is legalising murder, this point holds little water as those who break the guidelines of voluntary euthanasia will be dealt with just as any other criminal would. The vast support for euthanasia cannot be ignored but neither can the concerns of those against it. There are objections for a variety of reasons religious, moral and pragmatic. However I feel evidence from other states whom have legalised voluntary euthanasia or assisted suicide is sufficient in showing that in reality palliative care would continue to improve, disabled people will still be cared for, the doctor patient relationship would only strengthen, and much of religious teachings fit with the caring nature of voluntary euthanasia.

Monday, November 25, 2019

The Economics of Money, Banking, and Financial Markets Essay Example

The Economics of Money, Banking, and Financial Markets Essay Example The Economics of Money, Banking, and Financial Markets Essay The Economics of Money, Banking, and Financial Markets Essay 1. What is the typical relationship between involvement rates on three-month Treasury measures. long-run exchequer bonds. and Baa corporate bonds? The involvement rate on three-month Treasury measures fluctuates more than the other involvement rates and is lower on norm. The involvement rate on Baa corporate bonds is higher on norm than the other involvement rates. 2. What consequence might a autumn in stock monetary values have on concern investing? The lower monetary value for a firm’s portions means that it can raise a smaller sum of financess. and so investing in works and equipment will fall. 3. What consequence might a rise in stock monetary values have on consumers’ determinations to pass? Higher stock monetary values mean that consumers’ wealth is higher and so they will be more likely to increase their disbursement. 4. Why are fiscal markets of import to the wellness of the economic system? Because they channel financess from those who do non hold a productive usage for them to those who do. thereby ensuing in higher economic efficiency. 5. What was the chief cause of the recession that began in 2007? The chief cause of the recession that began in 2007 was the defaults in subprime residential mortgages led to major losingss. 6. What is the basic activity of Bankss? Banks accept sedimentations and so utilize the ensuing financess to do loans. 7. What are other of import fiscal mediators in the economic system besides Bankss? Savingss and loan associations. common savings Bankss. recognition brotherhoods. insurance companies. common financess. pension financess. and finance companies 8. Can you believe of any fiscal invention in the past 10 old ages that has affected you personally? Has it made you better or worse off? In what manner? 9. Have the rising prices rate in the U. S. increased or decreased in the past few old ages? What about the involvement rates? The rising prices rate in the U. S. increased in the past few old ages and the involvement rates decreased. 10. If the history repeats itself and we see a diminution in the rate of money growing. what might you anticipate to go on to a. existent end product? will increase b. the rising prices rate? will diminish c. involvement rates? will diminish 11. When involvement rates decrease. how might concerns and consumers change their economic behaviour? Businesss would increase investing disbursement because the cost of funding this disbursement is now lower. and consumers would be more likely to buy a house or a auto because the cost of financing their purchase is lower. 12. Is everybody worse off when involvement rates rise? No. Peoples who borrow to buy a house or a auto are worse off because it costs them more to finance their purchase ; nevertheless. rescuers benefit because they can gain higher involvement rates on their nest eggs. 13. Why do directors of fiscal establishments care so much about the activities of the Federal Reserve System? Because the actions of the Federal Reserve affects involvement rates. rising prices. and concern rhythms. all of which have an of import impact on the profitableness of fiscal establishments. 15. How does a diminution in the value of lb sterling affect British consumers? It makes foreign goods more expensive and so British consumers will purchase less foreign goods and more domestic goods. 16. How does an addition in the value of the lb sterling affect American concerns? It makes British goods more expensive relation to American goods. American concerns will happen it easier to sell their goods in the United States and abroad. and the demand for their merchandises will lift. If. nevertheless. an American concern depends on supplies/parts from British companies these merchandises will increase their costs. 17. How can alter in foreign exchange rates affect the profitableness of fiscal establishments? Changes in foreign exchange rates change the value of assets held by fiscal establishments and therefore take to additions and losingss on these assets. Besides changes in foreign exchange rates affect the net incomes made by bargainers in foreign exchange who work for fiscal establishments. 18. Harmonizing to Figure 8. in which old ages would you hold chosen to see the Grand Canyon in Arizona instead than the Tower of London? Where the dollar was weak 1991. 1993. 1995 etc. the Grand Canyon 19. When the dollar is worth more in relation to currencies of other states. are you more likely to purchase American-made or foreign-made denims? When the dollar additions in value. foreign goods become less expensive relation to American goods ; therefore you are more likely to purchase French-made denims than American-made denims. The ensuing bead in demand for American-made denims because of the strong dollar injuries American denims makers. On the other manus. the American company that imports denims into the United States now finds that the demand for its merchandise has risen. so it is better off when the dollar is strong. 20. Much of the U. S. authorities debt is held as exchequer bonds and measures by foreign investors. How do fluctuations in the dollar exchange rate affect the value of that debt held by aliens? Foreign holders of this debt are concerned that the U. S. will allow the dollar value diminution so the comparative value of its debt is less. As the dollar loses value. investors are less likely to keep assets in dollars as they wait for the diminution to halt.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

DISCUSSION QUESTION RESPONSE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

DISCUSSION QUESTION RESPONSE - Essay Example ed that through using skills in notes taking and in making careful plans, I could actually pursue careers that delve into the use of knowledge, skills and abilities pertaining to these characteristics and learning strategies. I also share your beliefs that IQ has nothing to do with success. Exemplifying a high or low IQ does not necessary mean success or failure in life. It is actually what one does with the result that is most crucial and relevant. Just like your example with the doctor who was previously been diagnosed with a learning disability, the information did not preclude him from achieving his dream. The efforts and determination that one puts in whatever endeavor that genuinely interests a person with the aim of sharing the knowledge, skills and abilities learned with others is the most important gauge for success. In this regard, whatever the results of the Discovery Wheel and Develop Your Multiple Intelligences exercises, we must recognize that these are just information that would assist and guide us towards the path we plan to pursue, with the aim of improving the lives of those we touch through our

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Employee Relations Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Employee Relations - Case Study Example On May 15, he assured Monica that everything would be taken care of as planned. Carl pulled out the paperwork needed for the orientation plans after Memorial Day, which would place this time frame around the beginning of June. His goal at this point in time was to get everything finalized for the orientation that would be coming up in approximately two weeks. What he found was a big mess. Some of the applications were incomplete. Some of the new hires did not have the required transcripts on file. Not a single one of them had gone to have a drug screen, and those were mandatory. Furthermore, he could only find three orientation manuals and all of them had pages missing. The frustration did not end there. When he went to check on the room that would be used to train the new hires during the actual orientation, he found out that it was not even going to be available for use on that day. In fact, it had already been booked for the entire month of June for other company business. All of this turmoil left Carl very frustrated and having no idea where to turn next. Although each of these individual problems is significant, the real issue boils down to a couple of deeper problems: miscommunication and poor preparation. Most of this falls on the shoulders of Carl since he agreed to take responsibility for the orientation, but it could have possibly been prevented had other individuals in the company, such as Monica or Carl's supervisor, checked in on his progress and found that he was putting off some vital actions until it was virtually too late to correct them, at least in a quick and efficient manner. According to Anonymous Employee (2008, pg. 1), "Poor communication leads to inadequate workplaces. As in any relationship, communication is key to a strong business relationship. This can be the relationship between business and customer, or, equally as important, the internal relationships among different employees within the company. Communication can be improved in virtually every workplace, no matter the industry or size. After all, it is the only way for information to effectively spread throughout the business so that everybody can be informed to the degree that they required to properly achieve their goals." In addition, Anonymous Employee (2008, pg. 1) claims that, "Among the most trying elements of poor communication in today's workplace is a lack of information for the proper accomplishment of the tasks necessary within the business. Even in today's information overload society, employees often lack the information they need to do their jobs. They may have the data that they require

Monday, November 18, 2019

Assignment 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 10

Assignment 3 - Essay Example Matters or issues concerning dark energy are normally speculative in nature. The evidence for the existence of the dark energy arises from three major independent sources. Therefore, these sources lead us to our three major hypotheses on dark energy: distance measurements through the red shift, explains the universe has expanded during its last half life; the theoretical requirements for extra energy type that is not matter and dark matter, to form the observationally flat universe; and it can be identified through the large scale measurement of wave patterns with mass density. Dark energy is believed to be homogeneous and not very dense; it interacts with other universal forces; apart for gravitational force. These theories hypothesize formation of galaxies or cluster of galaxies; Cold Dark Matter aspect of cosmology describes that clustering and also merging processes enables galaxies to gain mass and determine shape and structure. One theory explains the ‘top down’ galaxies formation aspect. The disk galaxies are created through monolithic collapse of the large gas cloud. In the process of cloud collapse; gas settles in a highly rotating disk. This explanation is very simple; but no longer accepted (Schechner 297). The bottom up galaxy formation theory demonstrates that galaxies are formed through coalescing involving smaller progenitors; smaller particles merge and form larger or big particles. The dark matter halos cluster during the bottom up process. The age of the Earth is estimated to be 4.5 billion years. This age was approximated using radiometric system of dating; using meteorite materials. There is a hypothesis that accretion of the Earth soon started after formation of calcium-aluminum rich materials and meteorites. However; simpler explanations can indicate that the age of the Earth is millions

Friday, November 15, 2019

A Fitness Center Where Every Body Benefits Marketing Essay

A Fitness Center Where Every Body Benefits Marketing Essay Entrepreneurship project that was assigned to us was to make a business plan of a new business venture. The report covers the core concepts that are involved in the making of and implementation of a new companys business plan. Identifying the opportunity and taking the initiative towards something novel and different, a new venture concept that I have decided is a fitness center. This report contains about the company, identification of the target market, strategies to penetrate in the target market segmenting it to different locations, the industry analysis, marketing plan and positioning of the company, effective pricing strategy, how to promote it to clients through different strategies of advertising and promotion, the operational plan for the early stages of the company and the financial factors that are major challenges for the company THE BUSINESS Our vision: To make BODYFIT a place where every body benefits. Mission statement: Your fitness is our priority. We strive to provide you a safe, healthy and secure fitness environment. where customers can achieve their fitness goals. Our professional, expert and qualified staff is committed to the highest level dedication that ensures the satisfaction of customers fitness with motivation and quality Opportunity (potential business): We are going to launch new company in Islamabad, Pakistan which is basically a fitness center/club. In Islamabad, there are already few companies that are providing such services like FIT n FLEX, METAFITNOSIS, and FITNESS FIRST, ULTIMATE GYM etc. so there is a room for a new fitness center to establish and capture the market and response. As we have recently seen this trend that people are becoming conscious day by day about their health and fitness and they want such a place where they can get fitness under proper guidance from professionals. So by setting up our fitness center we can cater the needs of our customers by providing unique services under one roof, and get our market share in health industry. MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE Board of Directors: initially the board of directors will be the inside investors who providing with the necessary funding and investment to the company. Law firm: Accounting firm:KPMG Consulting firm: The management team is very crucial for any business success. Our team consists of dedicated members who strive to achieve the maximum benefit for the organization and its customers. Of them MD will play vital role in management by using his expertise and knowledge in the smooth and efficient running of the organization. He would have to oversee and control all the major departments of the company. COMPANY STRUCTURE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY The company would be established under the legal structure of: Private LTD Company. And the brand name would be protected through registering the company name so that it cannot be copied. As per requirement patents and copyrights would also be applied for. The company will consist of the following departments and their duties would be as follows:- Management department As our vision and mission statement, management departments aim is to translate vision and mission in strategic manner to achieve the targets and goals. As this department is the backbone of any organization. The managing Director (MD) will control the structure of the organization. Finance department To make the required statements and analysis such as Budgeting, Cash flow Profit and loss statement, Expense sheet, Project plan sheet, Financial analysis, Balance sheet etc HR department   Making necessary adjustments in terms of human resource such as training, hiring, recruiting, appraising, evaluating and compensation packages. Accounts department Updating accounts on the daily basis and giving reports to the management. Security department Providing safe environment to the customers and management. Maintenance department Making sure that every machinery and equipment is in place and up and running. Rules and regulations: Necessary rules and regulations will be laid down to for adherence to company policies to provide members a safe, enjoyable, healthy and comfortable experience. The members and guest would have to sign the required documents before using the fitness center facilities. And if some changes are made to the policies our members will be informed beforehand. INDUSTRY ANALYSIS As also mentioned above that recent trend of people becoming conscious day by day about their health and fitness concerns. So this is a very good opportunity for us to enter into and start a fitness center. As this market is still in its growing stage there is a high chance of earning profit by providing these services to our customers. for this we also conducted a SWOT analysis of our project which is as follows. SWOT analysis: Strengths: Friendly, safe and healthy environment. International standard equipments from USA. Professionally qualified and expert trainers. Diversified and flexible training program tailored for each customer. Separate timings for males and females, and Co facility for specific timings for couples only Weaknesses: Less space for future project extension. Limited number of members can be given membership due to less space. Lack of Experience in this industry. Threats: Established Competitor (FIT n FLEX, METAFITNOSIS) Higher than expected Cost. Contingencies. Legal and Security Issues. Opportunities: Market is still not saturated which provides incentives to expansion. Collaborate with well renowned fitness centers nationally and internationally. Market segmentation and Target market Marketing segmentation will be done on the basis of Geographical region City = Islamabad Area = E, F and G sectors In future we plan to open our branch in Bahria town. Demographic factors Age = from 12-45 and above Gender = male and female Occupation= no restriction in terms of occupation we would be targeting everyone who can afford. Psychographic Values and Life Style Achievers   Health conscious Sporty Party goers Stylish Identifying possible competitive advantages. As the Company is new in the market, with different features and attributes, so the management have identified that competitive advantage are its unique services, and good team. MARKETING PLAN Actually marketing plan consists of all those items that create and increase the demand of its product. PRODUCTS SERVICES GYM WORKOUT BODYBUILDING: COMBINED GYM. We would be providing our members with top notch international standard, the very latest and advanced equipment, that will guarantee a comfortable and effective exercise experience. A personal training program will also be offered to customers who require full attention from our expert trainers. State of the art Gym that will have around 90 plus machines. Consisting of:- 1-Light weight area.   2-Heavy Weight area for professional and extensive body building program. LADIES: A separate area for ladies consisting of the equipment specially for their purpose. exclusive state of the art Gym.   1-Light weight area Equipped with Biomechanical Machines. 2-Heavy Weight area (specifically for women) Equipped with Heavy Machines for professionals SWIM SCHOOL: Private classes would be available at any level for adults as well as children. Children must be at least 8 years old to participate in private lessons Our pool would be a rectangle shaped pool with sun beds, a mini island, rockeries, waterfall etc Temperature controlled water with standard filtering system. MASSAGE SERVICES:   we would also be providing massage services to our market. Our dedicated staff is eager to graciously pamper you from the moment you arrive, stressed, until you depart, refreshed and re-energized. PRICING The pricing strategy portion of the marketing plan involves determining how we will price our product or service; the price we charge has to be competitive but still allow us to make a reasonable profit. We would be charging different price depending on the package that the customer has opted for and the time period for which he/she wishes to join our fitness center. We set our prices by examining how much it costs us to produce the product or service and adding a fair price for the benefits that the client will enjoy. Place:- We have bought a land in F-9 park which is an ideal location for our business. The place and the surrounding and the atmosphere provided in our club is perfect for our customers as it will be away from the noisy and busy area of the city. PROMOTION:- Different mediums will be used to communicate to our market. The tools which we would be focusing on for launching our business would be advertising and public relation. Which will include. RADIO: The reason for choosing radio is because of its large mass appeal and secondly it is less costly compared to television advertisement. Newspaper and magazine Press relations:-Creating and placing news worthy information in the news media to attract attention to a person, product or service. Public affairs:-Building and maintaining national or local community relations is called public affairs. Public relations are used to promote products. We would be having our own website and company pages on social networking sites. To keep on informing our customers. OPERATIONS PLAN Operational plan includes the day to day activities of our business and how we would be working towards providing the services to the customers. as already mentioned before we are providing fitness services to our customers in terms of gym, swimming and massage facilities. We would be providing services ourselves and it wont be outsourced or contracted out to some other firm. The location of our business is in sector F-9 of Islamabad. As such we wont be requiring or needing a place to keep inventories as we primarily are providing services to our customers. However, we would be requiring some space for machinery that is out of order and for maintenance purposes. We at BODYFIT will ensure that our members get high quality satisfied services. We will be regularly asking our members for feedback and ways to improve our services. We will make sure that our equipment is in the best possible condition while maintenance will be done frequently. Rules and policies regarding the operations will be mentioned in the rules and regulations section which will be signed by each and every member before becoming a part of BODYFIT. FINANCIAL PLANS In order to start the business we would be requiring fairly large amount of investment. For that purpose we have decided to split the investment in terms of loans and equity. 60% of the funding required will be attained through bank loan and the rest 40% will be financed by equity that is through shareholders. Our main source of revenue will come in two ways. 60-70% of revenue will come through the monthly fees and membership fees from the customers. and remaining revenue will come from the consulting services that we will be giving in terms of personal training. Salaries of staff and trainers and rent are the two major expenses while depreciation is another significant cost that will increase as the company develops.   Purchasing of fitness medical and office equipment is expensive constant replacement will be needed to minimize depreciation costs and maintain a competitive edge.   In order to maintain steady gross margins salaries and advertising expenses are not likely to increase within the first two years of operation. The company would be frequently evaluating and assessing its financial postion interms of profit and loss statement, balance sheet and cash flow statements. And keep an eye on working capital so that the business is able to meet its short term financial obligations and smooth running of the business. The most important financial indicators are net increase in cash and net income. Net increase from cash will represent the relationship between net income and net cash from operating activities. The greater the increase is the better it is for the companys level of financial strength at that point in time.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Diary Of Anne Frank :: essays research papers

1.The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank2.The setting of this book is an attic of a building in Amsterdam during the time period of 1942 to 1944.3.The historical period of this book is World War II.4.Anne Frank was a young girl who is the author of this popular diary. She was thought of by others as conceited but didn't think so herself. She was in love with Peter Van Daan in the attic.Margot Frank was the older sister of Anne who was considered smarter and more adultlike than younger sister. Margot was also jealous of Anne because of Anne's relationship with Peter.Mr.Frank was Anne's father who was kind, forgiving and a very good father.He cared for every Jew in the world for they were all opppressed victims.Mrs.Frank was a caring mother who was always fare. She loved her husband and favored Margot over Anne most of the time.Peter Van Daan was Anne's boyfriend who was picked on by Mr.Dussel. He loved his father but thought his mother was a pain.Mr.Van Daan was a loving father that a lways stood up for his son. He often argued with his wife and Mr.Dussel.Mrs.Van Daan loved her son, Peter, and her husband, although they argued most of the time. She clinged to one material possession, her fur coat given to her by her father.Mr.Dussel was a Jewish dentist that picked on Peter van Daan for every little thing. He wasn't a very religious Jew, but he still wore the blue star.Mr.Kraler was one of the people that helped them survive in the lonely attic. He with Koophuis was sent to the camps with the Jews for housing them. They both miraculously survived the camps.Mr.Koophuis was the manager of the building occupying the group of Jews. As I already mentioned, he went to the camps with the Jews. He was sick a lot and was always on the edge of death.Miep and Eli also helped the families by getting them food and supplies.They were very helpful and sometimes helped them stay alive.5.The characters in the book are in hiding because they are Jewish and during WWII Jews were killed in concentration camps by the Nazi's.6.The Jews in concentration camps were being beaten and gassed. The Nazi's used Nerve gas and Mustard gas on the Jews. Jews were also being shot and killed for no reason.7.This book made me feel sorry for all the Jewish people in camps and hiding during WWII.