Legalization of Marijuana Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Legalization of Marijuana - Research Paper Example I suffered a closed head trauma that left me shaken by up to five grand mal seizures per day. I became addicted to pharmaceutical medication that did not relieve the seizures that plagued my life. About 25% of epileptics do not respond to medicines. I am one of many who do not. While the prescription drugs left me debilitated, I discovered that with marijuana I could completely control the onset of a seizure. For me this knowledge was freedom. By using it I am able to abandon pharmaceutical medication and its side effects. Arrest and acquittal In August of 1992 my husband, Mike and I were arrested for felony cultivation of five marijuana plants that I grow openly in our front yard. This crime is punishable by three years in state prison. After our arrest we realized the importance of challenging the existing laws governing the medical use of marijuana. We hoped that in presenting a necessity defense we might clarify the medicinal use of marijuana, freeing myself from further prosecut ion and establishing a precedent for patients relief. After 7 1/2 months the district attorney of Santa Cruz County, California dropped charges against me for marijuana cultivation. He stated, "No reasonable jury would find her guilty." Having won what I thought to be the right to use the only medicine that controls my seizure activity, I again planted five marijuana plants in my front garden. ... Or are we shuffled between departments? The fact is, even though there is no alternative that will provide relief for my condition, and despite my having adequately established necessity through the judiciary system, it is still illegal to use or cultivate marijuana. California State Senator Henry Mello has presented a non-binding resolution, SJR 8 in a bipartisan effort to allow the use of marijuana medicinally. There is at present no provision by the federal government to meet the needs of patients, only the remnants of the antiquated Compassionate IND (Investigational New Drug) serving nine government-approved patients exists to this day. This defunct program supplied patients with government marijuana, but the project was axed by the Bush administration in March of 1992. Research There exist three phases of study that are necessary in ascertaining the acceptability of a new drug for medical use in treatment. The FDA requires: Phase I; safety, Phase II; pilot studies on efficacy, and Phase III; controlled studies on efficacy and safety. According to Judge Francis L. Young, presiding Administrative Law Judge to the United States Department of Justice in the DEA hearings on the Marijuana Rescheduling Petition in 1988, it has been established that marijuana satisfies both Phase I, II and Phase III studies on safety and efficacy. Having demonstrated sufficient evidence to substantiate these findings it then seems redundant to continue further studies on the safety or efficacy of marijuana. By succumbing to the FDAs present acceptance of only Phase II; safety studies, we surrender ground already gained. In fact, as patients' needs are ever growing it is essential to focus on the third phase, i.e., controlled trials, if any aspect of further

Explain Christian views on suicide Essay Example for Free

Explain Christian views on suicide Essay In a broad sense suicide can be defined as, â€Å"the act of intentionally ending your life.† However, there are many different types of suicide. Durkheim identified four kinds: egoistic suicide, which is the result of feeling one’s life is meaningless; altruistic suicide, the act of giving one’s life for the greater good; anomic suicide, the result of a major social change that disrupts a person’s sense of order; and fatalistic suicide, the results of excessive regulation, when one’s future is pitilessly blocked by oppressive discipline, such as in a prison or dictatorship. Christians believe that all life is sacred, and therefore the vast majority of denominations are against all forms of suicide. In examining the reasons behind this, a good place to start is the Christian teaching on the sacredness of human life. Christians believe in the sanctity of life, meaning that all human life is created in God’s image and has intrinsic worth. The Decalogue teaches, â€Å"Do not kill.† This includes killing oneself. Elsewhere in the Old Testament, Ecclesiastes 7:17 states, â€Å"Be not over much wicked, neither be you foolish: why should you die before your time?† Prematurely ending your life prevents the believer from serving God to his full potential. This idea is backed up in the New Testament, where the Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3:16, â€Å"Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?† Christians reject the idea of total bodily autonomy, meaning that they do not believe we have the right to do whatever we want with our bodies. The Bible suggests that our bodies are not our own, but God’s, and therefore we do not have the right to destroy them. Historical church fathers have held consistently negative views on suicide. Augustine was one of the first to publically speak out against it. He opposed it because we have a duty of selfà ¢care arising from natural inclination and we have a debt of love that we owe to others. In The City of God he wrote, â€Å"certainly he who kills himself is a homicide, and so much guiltier of his own death, as he was more innocent of that offence for which he doomed himself to die.† To take one’s own life into one’s hands and act precipitously by committing suicide is to look away from God (a final and definitive refusal of trust in God and a denial of trust in his providence, by the very nature of the act itself excluding any subsequent repentance/penance). Furthermore, Aquinas was also against suicide. In Summa Theologica he set forth three reasons why suicide is immoral. Firstly, it is contrary to natural law. Secondly, suicide does injury to the common good because the person’s community will suffer. Thirdly, it is a sin against God because life is God’s gift to man. For it belongs to God alone to pronounce sentence of death and life, according to Deuteronomy 32:39, â€Å"I will kill and I will make to live.† However, there is one form of suicide that some Christians would accept, and that is altruistic suicide in the form of martyrdom or self-sacrifice. Jesus taught that, â€Å"Greater love has no-one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.† For example, in Judges Samson brings down a temple killing both himself and the Philistines. Augustine said that suicide was rooted in pride and lack of charity, whereas martyrdom is commendable and for the good of others. The different Christian denominations are generally unified when it comes to views on suicide. In the Roman Catholic Church it is regarded as a mortal sin, and the Catechism asserts, Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him. It is God who remains the sovereign Master of life.† The Presbyterian Church would hold a similar view, as the Westminster Confession reads, â€Å"The sins forbidden in the sixth commandment are, all taking away the life of ourselves, or of others, except in the case of public justice, lawful war, or necessary defence.† Even though they clearly teach that suicide is a sin, it is not an unpardonable sin. Salvation is by grace alone and if one is truly saved, nothing (not even suicide) can separate them from Jesus. The United Methodist Church believes that suicide is not the way life should end, but would be hesitant to label it a sin. Therefore, they denounce the condemnation of people who commit suicide, and do not believe surviving family should be stigmatised. Modern psychology has impacted the Christian view of suicide. In the past Christians were guilty of separating physical and mental illness and although they were in support of treatment for physical ailments, they were wary of psychiatric treatment. Even today some fundamentalist churches would see illnesses such as depression as purely spiritual afflictions. In the wake of high profile suicides such as Rick Warren’s son Matthew, most leaders are encouraging the Church to acknowledge that matters of depression and suicide are medical in nature and should be addressed no differently than other physical illnesses. They imply that to do otherwise promotes stigma, shame and restricts the believer’s access to appropriate care. Another reason why Christians are against suicide is the profound negative effect it can have on other people. Suicide does not just harm the person who dies, it is a form of bereavement even more devastating than usual because the family will forever agonise over what led the person to take their life, and if they could have prevented it. This is especially so if the family discover the body or witness the suicide. Suicide can damage close communities such as schools and churches. Wyatt said that, â€Å"suicide can have devastating effects on others. In fact, it can be one of the most selfish and destructive acts anyone can perform.†

Life And Health Insurance In Malaysia Economics Essay

Life And Health Insurance In Malaysia Economics Essay INTRODUCTION Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) took over the supervision of the insurance industry in 1988. The primary reason for the move was to enable an integrated approach in the regulation and supervision of major financial institutions, in view of the growing convergence of crossholdings and integration of interests between banks and insurance companies. The economic environment may have a profound effect on the growth of the insurance industry. In Malaysia, the performance of the insurance industry in 1998 was affected by an economic downturn. The total and non-life premium income declined by 2.1% and 9.7% respectively whereas the life premium income experienced a lower positive growth rate of 4.6% in 1998 (1997: 13.5%) (BNM, 1999-2000). In line with the sustained economic recovery, the life insurance industry rebounded strongly to register an impressive double-digit premium growth in 1999, soaring well above pre-crisis levels. The performance of the insurance industry showed an improvement in 1999 following the recovery of the Malaysian economy. The combined premium income of the insurance industry recorded a growth of 8.5% (1998: -2.1%) to reach RM11,829.9 million (1998: RM10,902.9 million). The life sector has been the major contributor accounting for RM7,152.7 million (1998: RM6,217.2 million) or 60.5% of the premium income, while the remaining balance of RM4,677.2 million (1998: RM4,685.7 million) represented premium income generated from the general sector. Premium income of the industry as a proportion of nominal gross national product (GNP) increased to 4.2% in 1999, compared with 4.1% in 1998. BACKGROUND OF RESEARCH In Malaysia, BNM Annual Report that been issued yearly regularly indicate policies and development of insurance market in Malaysia. to implement policies and measures to prepare the industry for the challenges posed by the new requirements of the new economy and the increasingly more liberalised market environment. Several measures were initiated directed at improving market penetration through the promotion of new life insurance products and in order to do that the process of formulating and identifying strategies need to be done to enhance the marketing channel for life insurance business so that it can achieve the desired penetration level and raking in all the advantages given by positive economic environment. In order to do that, first step that need to be taken is to identify which macroeconomic variables that really positively significant to the demand of life and health insurance market and from there on best formulation and strategies can be initiated to create accurate resu lt on the demand of life and health insurance market. Efforts were also made by Bank Negara Malaysia to enhance the discipline and standards of conduct amongst life insurer in Malaysia. Problem Statement Statistical data from BNM has shown that due to economic downturn in 1998, the performance of insurance industry in Malaysia reportedly experienced negative growth of -2.1%. Generally, it shows that economic environment may possibly have direct influence on the performance of insurance industry in Malaysia as a whole. The combined premium income of the insurance industry recorded a growth of 8.5% in 1999 following the economic recovery situation. The life and health sector has been the major contributor accounting for RM7,152.7 million or 60.5% of the premium income, while the remaining balance of RM4,677.2 million represented premium income generated from the general sector. However, despite the vast potential for growth given the relatively low market penetration in Malaysia, domestic premium income to GNP was comparatively lower than that observed in more saturated markets. This research need to done so that it can specifically identified which macroeconomic variables that really effect the growth of life and health sector in Malaysia in order to ensure that it can contribute clearly to developing pricing strategies to achieve a specific sales target for life and health business. Macroeconomics is the study of the behavior of the overall economy and economic models normally consist of variables such as real GDP, inflation, price and population density. This study attempts to examine the relationship between macroeconomic variable to performance and demand of life and health insurance industry in Malaysia by using the LS analysis to prove that certain key macroeconomic environment may have a profound and significant effect on the growth of the life and health insurance market. As in the context of Malaysia, few studies has been carried out to seek evidence of the relationship between macroeconomic variables and performance of life insurance industry from Malaysia perspective but various studies comes out with various results as they are using different period of data and did not include health insurance data like this research and also holds different and various macroeconomic variable. Study by Lim and Haberman (2002) indicate major findings of this study that the savings deposits rate and price change in insurance are two important macroeconomic variables associated with the demand for life insurance in Malaysia. Study conducted by Rubayah and Zaidi (2000) indicate that income has a positive relationship with life insurance demand. Life insurance becomes more affordable when income increases. They examine two types of income variable in their study, namely GDP and income per capita. Income per capita is defined as the GDP divided by the size of the popul ation but on the other hand, their finding also show an insignificant positive relationship between inflation rates and the performance of life insurance. Economists use these type of data and variables to measure the performance of an economy and the focus on macroeconomic variables in this paper are, price of the life and health insurance product, inflation rates, income per capita and population density. This study is to further examined the direct linkage between these economic environments and whether each one of key variables (price of the life and health insurance product, inflation rates, income per capita and population density) has direct influence on the performance of life and health insurance in Malaysia. Research objective The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of various macroeconomic variables towards performance of life and health insurance market in Malaysia.. The specific aims of this study are: To determine which various macroeconomic variables that might have influence on the performance of life and health insurance market in Malaysia To examine the relationship of each macroeconomic variables ie price of the product, income per capita, inflation rates and population density with the performance of life and health insurance market in Malaysia To identify which macroeconomic variables that influence the performance of life and health insurance in Malaysia the most. To suggest the most suitable and appropriate strategies that can be used to improve the performance of life and health insurance market in Malaysia by using all the advantages given by positive economic environment Research Question How to determine which macroeconomic variables that influence the performance of life and health insurance in Malaysia? Is there any relationship between each macroeconomic variables ie price of the product, income per capita, inflation rates and population density with the performance of life and health insurance market in Malaysia Which macroeconomic variables that influence the performance of life and health insurance in Malaysia the most? What are the most suitable strategies that can be suggested to improve the performance of life and health insurance market in Malaysia by using all the advantages given by positive economic environment? Significance of Research/ Contribution to the body of knowledge There is no unique and integrated theory for life insurance demand. Research on the impact of macroeconomic variables towards performance of life and health insurance industry in Malaysia very scanty at best. Very little (if at all) is understood about the. urgent need for research focusing on the Malaysian industry and the Malaysian economic environment, which is unfamiliar to most readers. Hence, important impetuses for this research are established. 1. The Government This research is important for the government to formulate policies, acts and regulations for the improvement on the best strategies available in a suitable economic environment in order to develop and guide healthy demand on the insurance industry as a whole. 2. The University/ Academician This study will be used for reference and information for the students and academician who learn on insurance area, risk management or other related fields. Students and lecturers can have an extra knowledge on information provided by the researcher. 3. Management team of Life insurer in Malaysia This research is important for the management team Life Office especially if changes or corrective actions are required due to the changes in various economic environments occur in Malaysia or globally. Hopefully, this research can help the management team of Life insurer in Malaysia able to implement and generate new strategies with regard to the suitable current economic environment. 4. General Public Public must know the factors that influence their purchase decision of life and health policy offered in the market. Besides, they also need to be alert and aware on the coverage offered by Life insurer in Malaysia. This research will help them to really identify the needs to buy life and health product and there is also a growing awareness among Malaysians of individual responsibility in financial planning hence it directly will affect the demand of the said industry. 5. The Researcher By completing this research, the researcher has experienced and being exposed to view the economics side on the insurance industry as a whole and specifically on life and health sector which the researcher have never attempt before. It is a researcher attempt to view as a macroeconomists attempt in order to explain the economic side of this sector and to devise policies to improve its performance as economists use different models to examine different issues. Thus, other researcher might need the information to make their research in the future. CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW The performance for insurance is influenced by many factors and economic factors might be one of them. For example, inflation rate, income per capita and price of the product may affect the performance for insurance in a country. A number of studies have examined the effects of macroeconomic factors on the performance for life and health insurance. Among them are the studies conducted by Cargill and Troxel (1979), Babbel (1985), Browne and Kim (1993), Outreville (1996) and Rubayah and Zaidi (2000). The macroeconomic factors investigated in these studies are highlighted and discussed in brief below. Financial Development. The findings of Outreville (1996) indicate that the level of financial development directly affects the development of life insurance sector. However, the findings are not statistically significant. Two different proxies have been used as a measurement for financial development. The first one is the ratio of quasi-money (M2-M1) to broad money (M2). This is an indicator for the complexity of financial structure. The second one is the broad definition of money (M2). It is an average value over four years. M2 is regarded as an adequate measure for the financial development in developing countries because banking is the predominant sector in the financial market of developing countries. Income. Lewis (1989), Hakansson (1969), Fischer (1973), Fortune (1973), and Campbell (1980) have shown that the demand for life insurance is positively correlated with income. As income increases, life insurance becomes more affordable. In addition, the need for life insurance increases with income as it protects dependents against the loss of expected future income due to premature death of the wage earner. According to prior research (Beenstock, Dickinson, and Khajuria (1986), Browne and Kim (1993), Outreville (1996) the ability to pay insurance premium has been argued to be related to the level of income. This is because, when there is an increase of income levels, there follows a need for a financial instrument to absorb the individualà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s surplus funds and to enable them to accumulate wealth. This shows the income level significantly affects the demand for life insurance. Two different measures have been used for disposable personal income in the study of Babbel (1985). The single-year income is used as a proxy for human capital and the three-year moving average income is used as a proxy for permanent income. The income variables are the real amounts of aggregate disposable personal income. The nominal income values are deflated by the yearly average indices of personal consumption expenditure deflator to render the nominal values in constant dollar terms. . The conclusion from Cargill and Troxel (1979), Babbel (1985), Browne and Kim (1993), Outreville (1996) and Rubayah and Zaidi (2000) verified that life insurance demand has a positive relationship with income. It shows when income increase, it can create more opportunity the life insurance becomes more affordable for people. In the study of Browne and Kim (1993), disposable personal income refers to the national income. It is defined as when the depreciation (capital consumption) and indirect business taxes have been taken away from GNP. National income is a more accurate measurement of disposable personal income for a country than GNP or GDP because national income is the income earned by the various production factors; it is refer to Browne and Kim (1993). Meanwhile, Outreville (1996) relates the income variable in his study as the real disposable income per capita. GDP is used as the basis for the disposable personal income. The income variable is expressed in linear form and in logarithmic form. On the other hand, Rubayah and Zaidi (2000) identified GDP and income per capita have been the two types of income variable in their study. Income per capita is defined as the GDP divided by the size of the population. In the initial stage, both the GDP and income per capita are found to have a positive relationship with the demand for life insurance but are not significant. It is only when stepwise regression analysis is applied in the later stage that GDP appears to have a significant positive relationship with the demand for life insurance but income per capita has been aborted. This is because income per capita contains the element of GDP and therefore multicollinearity exists because the two income variables are highly correlated. Inflation. If income has a positive relationship with demand for life insurance, it is different when Browne and Kim (1993) and Outreville (1996) did their research to find relationship for inflation. From their research, it shows that inflation has a significant negative relationship with life insurance demand. Inflation gives a diminishing effect on the amount of insurance purchased in a country. Consequently, it makes the value of life insurance eroded. As the result, it leads to the situation where insurance become less desirable good. High inflation tends to cause the purchasing of life insurance to be less attractive because of the rising cost of living. Meanwhile, Cargill and Troxel (1979) and Rubayah and Zaidi (2000) have revealed different result. Their findings are not in line with the findings of Browne and Kim (1993) and Outreville (1996). Measured up to between these two research, it has found Cargill and Troxel (1979) comparatively defined savings model (i.e. the model that takes into account the changes in policy loans besides the changes in life insurance reserves/savings and dividend accumulations) produce a significant result with the expected negative sign for this variable. It shows a week relationship between life insurance savings and price expectation. Meanwhile different with the findings of Rubayah and Zaidi (2000) it shows between inflation rates and the demand for life insurance has a significant positive relationship An average inflation rate for the last eight years, Browne and Kim (1993) has used an average inflation to represent the expected inflation rate. Meanwhile, Outreville (1996) uses a weighted average of realised price changes over the last five years as a measure of anticipated price change. Therefore, in Cargill and Troxel (1979) the price expectation in the study refers to the percentage changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) over a period of 14 months. Moreover, Rubayah and Zaidi (2000) used in the same way apply the CPI as a basis for the anticipated rate of inflation in their study. A part from the research, in Cargill and Troxel (1979) the price expectation in the study refers to the percentage changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) over a period of 14 months based on the data contained in the Livingston Survey that have been revised by Carlson. Similarly, Rubayah and Zaidi (2000) use the CPI as a basis for the anticipated rate of inflation in their study. Interest Rate. The findings on the relationship between interest rates and the demand for life insurance are questionable. Cargill and Troxel (1979) examine two kinds of interest rates in their study: the competing yield on other savings products and the return earned by life insurers. The findings on the competing yield are inconsistent. However, the competing yield tends to be negatively related to life insurance savings. A higher interest rate on alternative savings products tends to cause insurance products to become less attractive as a savings instrument. The yield on newly issued AAA utility bonds is used to represent all the competing rates of return on alternative savings products. Cargill and Troxel (1979) include the current and twelve-quarter distributed lag variables of competing yields in their study. The lag variables are included to reflect the delayed reactions of savers towards new information regarding interest rates on savings because changes in interest rates are assumed to produce a lagged response. Likewise, the findings on the return earned by life insurers are mixed. However, the return earned by life insurers is frequently positively related to life insurance savings. Life insurers earning a higher rate of return tend to attract individuals to purchase insurance from them. The yield on industrial bonds placed privately with a representative group of life insurance companies is used as a proxy for the return earned by life insurers. It is the new money rate of return earned by the life insurers, not the average rate of return on the invested funds. Similar to the competing yield, the current and twelve-quarter distributed lags of the return earned by life insurers are included in the models to investigate the immediate and lagged responses of changes in interest rates on life insurance demand. Outreville (1996) has shown that the demand for life insurance has not determined by the interest rate such as the real interest rate and the lending rate. The real interest rate is obtained by subtracting the anticipated inflation from the current bank discount rate. For the meantime, there are three types of interest rated, which are the personal savings rate, short-term interest and current interest rate has been identified by Rubayah and Zaidi (2000) The personal savings rate and short-term interest rate are found to influence significantly and negatively the demand for life insurance, despite the fact that the current interest rate is found to have no significant effect on life insurance demand. The personal savings rate refers to the interest rate offered by banks on normal savings, the short-term interest rate refers to the interest rate on three-month Treasury Bills, and the current interest rate refers to the base lending rate on bank borrowings. Price of Insurance. From Babble (1985) and Browne and Kim (1993), the findings reported with respect to the effect of price on the demand for life insurance are consistent in the both studies. The price of insurance is significantly and inversely related to the demand for life insurance. A high insurance cost tends to discourage the purchasing of life insurance. The various insurance price indices in the study of Babbel (1985) are the net present cost per 1000 present-valued unit of insurance expected to be in force over any arbitrary time horizon selected based on the published policy values for a male of age 35. Specifically, the price index refers to the ratio of the present value of expected premium cost, net of dividends and accumulations of cash values, per 1000 present-valued unit of indemnification benefits expected to be received, in excess of the actuarially fair cost. Two different discount rates, namely the yields of 10-year prime grade municipal bonds and double-A-rated corporate bonds, are used to discount the expected future cash flows from the policies. Browne and Kim (1993) use the policy loading charge as the price measure. It is the ratio of the life insurance premiums to the amount of insurance in force. In fact, it is the cost per dollar of life insurance coverage. Theoretical Framework INDEPENDENT VIARABLES (IV) Income per Capita Performance of Life and Health Insurance in Malaysia Price of the Product DEPENDENT VARIABLE (DV) Inflation Rates Population Density Figure 1.6.1: Theoretical Framework Sources: Adapted from Shimp, T.A (2003); Pitta, et. Al. (2006); Rowley, (1998); Ndubisi, N.O., and Chew, (2006) Hypotheses Ho : Income per Capita is not significantly related with the performance of life and health insurance in Malaysia. H1 : Income per Capita is significantly related with the performance of life and health insurance in Malaysia. Ho : Price of the Product is not significantly related with the performance of life and health insurance in Malaysia. H1 : Price of the Product is significantly related with the performance of life and health insurance in Malaysia. Ho : Inflation rates is not significantly related with the performance of life and health insurance in Malaysia. H1 : Inflation rates is significantly related with the performance of life and health insurance in Malaysia. Ho : Population density is not significantly related with the performance of life and health insurance in Malaysia. H1 : Population density is significantly related with the performance of life and health insurance in Malaysia. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY All data in this study are secondary in nature. Secondary data is used in finding the resources for this study. Secondary data are statistic not gathered for the immediate study at hand, but for some other purpose. The data related to the demand for life insurance are obtained from the following annual reports: the Annual Report of the Insurance Commissioner and the Annual Report of the Director General of Insurance. The researcher has gathered the external information from various types of annual reports: Monthly Statistical Bulletin, Economic Report, Annual Insurance Report of the Bank Negara Malaysia. Materials obtained online are gathered from the official websites of BNM and Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE). Besides, the sources like books, newspapers, journals and internet that were relevant to the research topic were used. All the sources have been referred throughout the findings and analysis of the research. Researcher will analyze the data gathered to proof the evidence that various macroeconomic factors influenced the growth and performance of life and health insurance in Malaysia. Scope of the study Basically the scope of this study focuses on the macroeconomic variables ie income per capita, inflation rates, price of the product and population density that effect the performance of life and health insurance in Malaysia. There are lots of other macroeconomic variables that can be contributed to the economic growth of Malaysia but this research shall only involved four key factor as for the remaining balance of variables can be included in the future studies as an extension from this research.The research area for this study is from Malaysia perspective only and the time frame shall be from 1998 to 2008 only. Data Analysis E Views version 6.0 applications were used by the researcher to analyze the data that have been gathered throughout the research process. The data need to be analyzed in order to obtain accurate answer for the question. The Multiple Regression Model will be used to predict the relationships in the construct. The Regression assumptions with respect to autocorrelation (independent of residual), normality (residual is normally distributed), homoscedasticity of error terms, multicollinearity of independent variables will be verified before making any interpretation of the statistical results.

Abortion :: essays research papers

Abortion. Is there any other word that creates such hatred and charged emotion? The word abortion means â€Å"the loss or removal of an embryo or fetus before it can survive outside the mother’s body† (Day 7). The meaning of abortion, however, is completely different. To people who are pro-life, abortion is a vicious and murderous word dripping in blood and disgust. To people who are pro-choice the word is just as emotional. It represents women being able to control their own thoughts, feelings, bodies, and futures. The question facing Americans today is, "Should abortions be illegal for women to obtain?" The government cannot have control over a woman’s body. It is her body and her rights. The freedom to make choices and decisions for ourselves is part of the foundation of our nation. To deny the basic freedom rights that our forefathers fought to obtain for America is a step backward, not forwards. Once the government can control the individual lives of people, where would it stop? Ending abortions is not the answer; abortions should remain a legal choice in the United States. Many pro-life advocates feel that abortion is murder. While they may have arguments to support this fact, the truth is, a fetus is not a living person. It cannot feel pain or live outside of the mother’s body. Pain in a human starts as an electrical signal in the body’s pain receptors. In a fetus, the pain receptors develop around seven weeks after conception, long after an abortion would occur. Many pro-life advocates claim the fetus can feel pain while these systems are partly formed and forming. Pro-choice advocates feel that it is necessary for the synaptic connections within the fetus’ brain to develop in order to feel pain (Planned Parenthood). The issue is so heavily biased by a pro-life/pro-choice stance that even the debaters are incapable of making objective observations. A panel of experts appointed by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists addressed the issue of fetal pain. The panel consisted of experts in fetal development, law an d bioethics. They obtained experts with both views on abortion so as to eliminate the bias that had occurred with the issue thus far. The group determined that a fetus could only feel pain after the nerve connections become established between two parts of the brain: the cortex and the thalamus. This happens about twenty-six weeks after conception.

Native Son by Richard Wright Essay

Richard Wright was determined to make a profound statement. In his novel, Native Son, he endeavors to present the â€Å"horror of Negro life in the United States† (Wright xxxiii). By addressing such a significant topic, he sought to write a book that â€Å"no one would weep over; that would be so hard and deep that they would have to face it without the consolation of tears† (xxvii). Native Son is a commentary on the poverty and helplessness experienced by blacks in America, and it illustrates the abhorrent ways that blacks were treated, describes their awful living conditions and calls attention to the half-hearted efforts offered by white sympathizers. Told from the perspective of his character Bigger Thomas, Wright crafts a story depicting the oppressive lives endured by Negroes and makes it so despicable that it grabs the attention of the reader and forces him to reevaluate the state of society. There is much in this novel that would cause a reader to cry, but, to W right’s point, the topic is so significant that it resonates more deeply and elicits a deeper response. Bigger Thomas is the protagonist of the novel, but, to Wright, Bigger also exemplifies African Americans of the time. He is barely educated, struggling to find meaningful work and living in an overcrowded slum with his family; just like many others around him. Bigger is frustrated with his place in life and finds it difficult to understand why the opportunities that are available to whites are not available to him. During an exchange with his friend Gus, Bigger exclaims, â€Å"Goddammit, look! We live here and they live there. We black and they white. They got things and we ain’t. They do things and we can’t. It’s like living in jail† (23). Bigger and Gus have no outlet to express their individuality or emotions. Their feelings towards whites are ingrained in them. Bigger states, â€Å"[Whites live] right down here in my stomach†¦Every time I think of ‘em, I feel ‘em†¦It’s like fire†¦That’s when I feel like something awful’s going to happen to me†¦Naw; it ain’t like something going to happen to me. It’s†¦It’s like I was going to do something I can’t help† (24). This statement summarizes how the everyday black man feels about his station in life and the opportunities available to him. Additionally, it foreshadows the heinous events that will unfold later in the novel. A turning point in Wright’s story comes when Bigger is offered a job as a chauffeur for the Dalton family. Mr. Dalton is a white real estate mogul that prides himself for being a member of the NAACP. He employs young black men in an attempt to rehabilitate them. On the surface, this is an ideal opportunity for Bigger because it provides room and board and pays well enough to allow him to take care of his mother and siblings, but Wright is looking to emphasize how the trivial the actions taken by the white sympathizers do not actually address the challenges faced by the African American population. Bigger is not overwhelmed by this opportunity or impressed that the last chauffeur had gone to night school. Moreover, this job ultimately places Bigger in a situation that he cannot control, and he accidentally smothers Dalton’s daughter, Mary. Bigger realizes, â€Å"Though he had killed by accident, not once did he feel the need to tell himself that it had been an accident. He was black and he had been alone in a room where a white girl had been killed; therefore he had killed her† (101). This is the â€Å"awful† event that Bigger alluded to earlier in the story. Killing Mary elicits feelings in Bigger that he had never experienced before. Bigger acknowledges, â€Å"He was more alive than he could ever remember having been; his mind and attention were pointed, focused toward a goal† (141). Bigger embraced these feelings and continued with a scheme to make everyone believe that Mary had been kidnapped. With the assistance of his girlfriend Bessie, he plans to escape with $10,000 in ransom money. Wright uses Bigger’s emotions and his heightened sense of awareness at this point in the novel to comment on society at the time. Wright is stating that the act of murder is one of the only ways for young African American men to express themselves, to exert any independence and to get out from under the oppression of their daily life. When the authorities realize that Bigger is the killer he flees to avoid being captured, but he realizes that â€Å"all his life he had been knowing that sooner or later something like this would come to him† (207). Survival becomes paramount to Bigger, escaping the law is his only priority, and Bessie becomes a liability. While attempting to hide from the police, Bigger realizes that it will be easier to escape without traveling with Bessie. In a tense scene, Bigger first rapes Bessie, lets her fall to sleep and finally bludgeons her. His actions are methodical as  Ã¢â‚¬Å"he lifted the brick again and again, until in falling it struck a sodden mass that gave softly but stoutly to each landing blow. Soon he seemed to be striking a wet wad of cotton, of some damp substance whose only life was the jarring of the brick’s impact† (222). Ultimately this second murder is unnecessary, as Bigger is soon apprehended. Bigger is arrested and indicted for the murder of Mary Dalton, and the character that Wright chooses to defend him is a white, Jewish attorney, named Boris Max. In the novel, Max takes the time to talk to Bigger and understand the actions in his life that have influenced him. For the first time in his life, Bigger has someone interested in his thoughts and feelings, which result in Bigger beginning finding hope. Max does his best to motivate Bigger to fight to save his own life. Max pleads, â€Å"Listen Bigger, you’re facing a sea of hate now that’s no different than what you’ve faced all your life. And, because it’s that way, you’ve got to fight. If they can wipe you out, then they can wipe others out too† (320). Throughout this section of the book Bigger undergoes a transformation. By explaining his actions and feelings to Max, he finally emerges from the shell he has created around himself. Max works hard to understand the issues in Bigger’s life that culminated in his actions and the violence he exerted against Mary and Bessie, and he uses this information to form his defense. Although the crimes that Bigger committed were horrific, the reader begins to sympathize with him as he describes more about himself and his feelings to Max as the story comes to a conclusion. Wright’s goal with this novel was to evoke empathy for Bigger and to make a statement regarding the treatment of blacks at the time. Wright uses Max’s closing statement to the judge to summarize all of the points he wants the reader to contemplate. Max combines everything that he learns about Bigger and weaves it together with the plight of the blacks during the time and eloquently argues that Bigger should be sentenced to life in prison, rather than to execution. Max argues, â€Å"This man is different, even though his crime differs from similar crimes only in degree. The complex forces of society have isolated here for us a symbol, a test symbol† (354). Through Max’s monologue, the reader more clearly understands all of the factors that  have contributed to the creation of Bigger and others like him, and he pleads with the judge to understand that there are larger forces in play, other than the specific crime that Bigger committed. Unfortunately, despite Max’s valiant attempts, the â€Å"sentence of the Court is that you, Bigger Thomas, shall die on or before midnight of Friday, March third, in a manner prescribed by the laws of this state† (381). Initially, it would appear that with Bigger’s execution, Wright fails in his attempt to move people to reevaluate the racial injustice of the times, but the conclusion is actually Wright’s acknowledgement that society was not quite ready to change.

The Most Beautiful University Libraries In The USA

The Most Beautiful University Libraries In The USA If you are looking for a fantastic library to study in, youre in the right place. There is no need to look further because we explored and evaluated hundreds of libraries around the US and after a careful study have come up with our list of top 7 Amazing College Libraries. These libraries offer great on-campus experiences, house remarkable and unique book collections, as well as please the eye with monumental architecture. 1. Cook Legal Research Library (University of Michigan) The Cook Legal Research Library is impressive and grandiose, having spires, stained glass windows, and metal works. Being the best of his time, Samuel Yellin did the metalwork. This magnificent library was originally built in 1931 to hold around 350,000 books and then in the 1950s there were 4 floors. You can also find the Reading Room and Study Group Rooms here, which can place hundreds of students. This awesome library not only has the worlds best collections of research materials but also houses the Cooks Library from his Manhattan townhouse. 2. William Oxley Thompson Memorial Library (The Ohio State University) This library is the central one at the Ohio State University, built in 1912. A significant long-term renovation started in July 2006 and the library reopened in August 2009. The buildings architectural style is Neo-Classical. This impressive building provides a variety of study and research places, a large collection of various book editions. The friendly and professional staff is always ready to help you. In William Oxley Thompson Memorial Library you can find books on social sciences and humanities including university archives, special collections, rare books, manuscripts, journals, general interest periodicals. Besides, there are sections related to literature, linguistics, regional foreign language, theater, philosophy, religion, history, anthropology, sociology, and political science. 3. Linderman Library (Lehigh University) The Victorian rotunda of 1878 and the grand reading room of 1929 were held in all their beauty. Linderman Library offers 4 seminar rooms, 5 group studies, computer classrooms, a quiet study space, a cafà ©, and wireless network throughout. The Library possesses volumes and journals in the humanities and Lehighs remarkable collection (over 40,000 books) of rare and limited editions. It has Darwins Origin of Species and 4 volume edition of Birds of America by James John Audubon. This awesome library can boast of a collection of over 15,000 photo images. 4. Nicholas Murray Butler Library (Columbia University) The construction of the building was finished in 1934 but the library opened its doors in 1935. Architect James Gamble Rogers built this library in Neoclassic style. Previously the library was called the South Hall and then renamed into Nicholas Murray Butler Library in order to commemorate the memory of the prior president of the institution in 1946. The main peculiarity of the library is an arcade of columns where names of great philosophers, writers, and thinkers are inscribed. 5. Doheny Library (University of Southern California) Doheny Library is a historic building opened in 1932. This first freestanding library was built in honor of Edward L. Doheny Jr. – the University of Southern California Trustee and Alumnus. Its still one of the university’s most famous and oldest academic buildings on campus. It incorporates numerous collections, including the Asian Library (there are materials in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean languages), Music Library, and Cinematic Arts Library. 6. William R. Perkins Library (Duke University) Opened in 1839, William R. Perkins Library is one of the 9 buildings that belong to the Library System of Duke University. This library can boast of a vast amount of Confederate Imprints (more than 200,000 photos) that include information on urban communities, rural conditions of the Civil War. The library contains documents and books from other libraries like the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library. This collection of documents is often proclaimed as the most unique part of the on-campus list. 7. Thompson Memorial Library (Vassar College) This Library was opened in 1865 and represents the main building of 7 libraries on the premises of the Vassar College. The architecture of this marvelous library catches the eye of observers. Not every library can boast of the Perpendicular Gothic style, which is very special for on-campus libraries. It has a valuable collection of historical videos, newspapers and periodicals. The Rare Books Collection shows the influence on the womens history. The oldest historic books can be also found here.