States vary in laws related to passive or assisted suicide. What are the laws on this issue in your state essay

States vary in laws related to passive or assisted suicide. What are the laws on this issue in your state essay States vary in laws related to passive or assisted suicide. What are the laws on this issue in your state? essay States vary in laws related to passive or assisted suicide. What are the laws on this issue in your state? essayAssisted suicide is known as euthanasia. Euthanasia can be classified as active and passive. Active type of assisted suicide is based on taking the affirmative steps aimed at the end of life, while passive type is based on failing to take the proper steps which leads to the end of life. Today states vary in laws related to passive or assisted suicide because there are different views on this issue.   In some states, the established laws and regulations prohibit healthcare providers to provide assistance in the act of committing a suicide, while in other states, there is a belief that assisted suicide should be â€Å"available at least for certain categories of patients† (Margolis 8-25). Today assisted suicide is legal in the states Oregon, Washington, Montana, Vermont, and New Mexico. In other states, assisted suicide in considered to be illegal (Assisted Suicide L aws in the United States). The state of Georgia has developed fair laws regarding assisted suicide based on the end of life decisions.In 1994, the Georgia legislature passed the law that discouraged practicing passive or assisted suicide. That law was associated with the case of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, a well-known Michigan pathologist, who began to speak openly about the so-called assistance he provided to more than 100 patients. As a result, many states decided to make assisted suicide illegal or involve the permission of those who want to commit a suicide. In 2012, the Georgia Supreme Court ruled that a â€Å"law aimed at controlling assisted suicide was unconstitutional, a decision that is likely to help shape the national debate over the practice† (Severson). The Georgia law explains the act of promoting assisted suicide as a real criminal action. In other words, in Georgia, the legislation does not prohibit all types of assisted suicides, but only those cases in which †Å"assistance had been promoted and in which steps were taken to help carry out the suicide† (Severson). According to the new law, any person who assists another person in committing a suicide shall be considered guilty of a crime and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year and not more than ten years.   If a healthcare provider is convicted of taking steps in assisting a suicide, his/her license or registration shall be revoked. According to researchers, â€Å"Georgia is now in the position of being the wild, wild West for those who are promoting doctor-assisted suicide† (qtd. in Severson 1). Besides, in Georgia, the laws permit the natural process of dying, which stands for removing artificial life support, including such practices as â€Å"artificial respiration, intravenous nutrients when a person cannot eat, or keeping the heart beating through small electrical shocks† (Georgia Euthanasia Laws). This fact means that the patient must giv e his consent to remove artificial life support.Thus, it is necessary to conclude that in the state of Georgia, assisted suicide laws are aimed at forbidding this type of practice. Georgia’s law regarding assisted suicide states that mercy killing is not legal because it cannot be approved in any way. However, the state permits the natural process of dying through removing of the artificial life support, if this act is pursuant to the living will of a patient.

Compressed Natural Gas Conversion Companies

Compressed Natural Gas Conversion Companies Continued high gas prices have increased interest in compressed natural gas conversion kits and installation. There are a number of considerations before making the decision to convert your vehicle. However, if you plan to make the switch, the following is a list of companies providing kits and/or installation for CNG conversion. The following information (presented alphabetically) is an update to an earlier version of this list. These are the companies weve found that currently sell and/or install CNG conversion kits. CNG Conversion Companies A-1 Alternative Fuel Systems claims to have all thats necessary to convert your vehicle to CNG. They are based in Fresno, Calif. For more information, visit A-1 Alternative Fuel Systems. Agility Fuel Systems provides engines and conversion kits that are both EPA- and CARB-certified. They have products available for most GM and Ford vehicles. Visit Agility Fuel Systems to learn more. Alternative Fuel Systems of St. Louis specializes in CNG and LP vehicle conversions and compression systems. Learn more at Alternative Fuel Systems of St. Louis. BAF Technologies Inc. is a subsidiary of Clean Energy Company. Its alternative fuel vehicle upfitting capabilities include aftermarket CNG conversions of Ford-manufactured vans, cutaway shuttles, taxis, pick-ups, and light-duty trucks. Learn more at BAF Technologies. Baker Equipment is based in Richmond, Va., and converts OEM gasoline engines to run on CNG, offering sales, installation, and services throughout the eastern US. Learn more at Baker Equipment. Clean Fuel converts fleet and personal vehicles to run on CNG, specializing in EPA-certified conversions for sedans and light-duty pick-up trucks and vans. It operates conversion facilities in Texas and Oklahoma. Learn more at Clean Fuel. CNG Interstate notes that its compressed natural gas systems are aftermarket performance parts and do not change your vehicle’s current fuel injection system nor do they tamper with the Federal Emission Standards. CNG Interstate must equip your vehicle with your new kit. For more information, visit them at CNG Interstate. Energy and Water Solutions offers two types of conversion kits for gasoline engines and a low-cost kit for diesel engines. Find out more at Energy and Water Solutions. Environmental Vehicle Outfitters designs and installs alternative fuel systems for fleet and consumer cars, SUVs and trucks. Based in Marina del Rey, Calif., you can find more information at Environmental Vehicle Outfitters. FuelTek Conversion Corporations core business is the conversion of on- and off-road vehicles to CNG or LPG vehicles. Although located in the Denver metro area, they work with a network of providers in a number of states. Learn more at FuelTek Conversion Corp. Hendrix Industrial Gastrux provides EPA-certified conversion kits for a number of vehicles. They do not offer do-it-yourself kits; conversions must be done at their facility. Learn more at Hendrix. IMPCO Technologies is a business unit of Fuel System Solutions, Inc. and designs, manufactures, and supplies alternative fuel components and systems. For a full line of products and services available, visit IMPCO Automotive. Landi Renzo USA has acquired Baytech Corporation and now offers a dedicated CNG kit for GM 6.0L and 8.1L engines, as well as the Ford 5.4L engine. The company installs, calibrates, and provides extended service for its EPA and CARB certified systems. Learn more at Landi Renzo. NatGasCar Company has introduced a Dodge Ram 4.7L Conversion System, beginning with the 2010 model. To learn more, visit NatGasCar Company. NaturalDrive operates in Arizona and offers OEM-style retrofits with no underhood wiring modifications. They partner with a number of automotive facilities to offer CNG retrofits and warranty service in several states. Learn more at NaturalDrive. Omnitek Advanced Technologies offers proprietary technology for converting diesel engines to natural gas. The company says it has 5,000 systems installed worldwide. Visit Omnitek Engineering, Corp. for more information. Productive Concepts International is based in Union City, Ind., and claims to be the only high-volume production line in the US capable of almost any alternative fuels conversion, including CNG. For more information, go to PCIs website. Phoenix Energy Corporation offers CNG conversion, installation, and refueling equipment in Alabama and surrounding states. They are a registered contractor for the federal government. For more information, visit Phoenix Energy Corp. RGR Alternative Fuels is a Nevada-based certified dealer and installer of EPA-certified bi-fuel CNG conversion systems. For more, visit RGR Alternative Fuels. Thigpen Energy Services, LLC provides CNG conversion services. Learn more about this Texas-based company at Thigpen Energy Services.

Corporate environmental management (Business Subject) Assignment - 1

Corporate environmental management (Business Subject) - Assignment Example Xerox was fortunate to have many of these business ethics in place in the European operations already, and leadership with the vision to capture the competitive advantage that good environmental stewardship might provide. Besides, it was the right thing to do. Because Xerox had earned a large share of the copier market, the Federal Trade Commission required Xerox to abandon its patent to allow more competition. Xerox lost market share and was forced to reorganize to liven the company. Nine divisions were created which largely acted as separate companies. But each specialized company became closer to their customers and could respond to the market more quickly. Through the years, Xerox became more involved in local environmental issues and supportive of environmental health for their communities. From the total quality management (TQM) program established in the early 1980s, Xerox moved to a TQM for environmental issues. Now, the employees would be involved in stewardship of the syste m. Five programs were initiated: cartridge recycling; supplies; asset management; waste reduction and recycling; and employee involvement. The big idea involved minimizing the environmental impacts of the supply chain through the life cycle of the products. This implementation required each machine, part or shipping material to have a secondary purpose or a recycling design use. The company adapted the Environmental Protection Administration program to reuse, repair/reprocess recycle or dispose of properly, in that order. Asset Recycle Management (ARM) policies were adopted to organize the effort to reuse and recycle. Machines were handled in house while cartridges and parts were remanufactured by suppliers. The next evolution of the process was Design-For-Environment (DFE) which involved engineering each component with the lifecycle in mind. Each component’s raw materials and design would involve the choice of recyclable materials or reusable parts. The stated goal was 0% wa ste in the manufacturing processes for any new product by 1997. Obviously, a very lofty goal even today. The measurement of this goal involved a minimum 90% reduction in waste. The evolution of this business ethic required only 30 years. Xerox accepted a leadership role in environmental stewardship. Is this an appropriate goal? Xerox followed proper management techniques to reduce regulatory impacts and market its leadership of environmental citizenship. Considering the increased demand for government intervention in environmental stewardship regulations and the personal tragedy of contaminating their neighbor’s groundwater, Xerox acted responsibly to take a leadership role and mitigate any potential damages. Then, one step further, tried to eliminate future risks. Looking at environmental stewardship as a risk management tool, simple compliance, due diligence and integrated risk management are the options offered to corporate management. Simple compliance implies a change in process each time a new level of compliance is mandated. Due diligence implies staying one step ahead of new compliance levels. Risk management suggests retooling operations to eliminate as much environmental risk as possible to reduce the regulatory risk. Risk management is a sound business strategy; environmental stewardship is a sound ethic which can be exploited in marketing. Where on the matrix of strategies does Xerox belong?

Attila the Hun Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Attila the Hun - Term Paper Example Very little is known about Attila’s childhood except that, at the young age of twelve, he was sent to the Roman Court as a child hostage (Matyszak 14). A child of the Romans was sent to the Huns in Attila’s place. When he was twenty-seven years old, Attila’s uncle, Rugila, died and left Attila and Attila’s brother, Breda, the Empire of the Huns. Prior to Rugila’s death, to prevent the Huns from invading, Rugila made it a requirement of the Romans to annually pay the Huns money. When Attila and Breda took over the empire after Rugila’s death, the Romans ceased paying the money, prompting Attila to invade the Eastern Roman Empire. Attila’s fierceness motivated the Romans to never miss a payment again, though they had to start paying double the original amount. After Attila’s success in making it clear to the Romans that he was the man in charge, he then decided that the same should also apply to his brother. Tired of sharing his rule, Attila and his allies murder Breda. With nobody standing in his way of being the emperor, Attila had no problem taking complete charge of his empire and the surrounding areas. To make his strength known among others, Attila raided the Eastern Roman Empire once again, in 447 AD and conquered the Thermopylae. After his success, Theodosius II, the ruler of the Roman Empire, resigned the peace treaty, though now Attila was expecting him to pay four times the original amount to prevent being invaded again. Attila had a winning streak, one that was successful more out of evilness and threat than actual luck, but it was not meant to last. Though he instilled his terror throughout the hearts of everyone who knew him, he still met his downfall in 450 AD during a war against the Western Roman Empire. Earlier that year, Attila had received a letter from Princess Honoria of the Western Roman Empire asking for his hand in marriage so that she could escape an unwanted impending marriage. Attila declared war against

Product â€Amazon Kindle Fire Essay Example for Free

Product –Amazon Kindle Fire Essay Products are not only the physical goods that we typically think of them; they also include services – sometimes as a different product and many a times as an extension of the product itself. At the heart of every product (or service) is providing value to consumers and getting value in return from them in the form of profits. With virtually every attractive market flooded with numerous competitors, service as an extension of the product offered sometimes becomes the point of differentiation (Zappos. com) and some other times becomes the USP of a product (Dell computers and Southwest Airlines). This extension of the concept of a product which strives to add value to the core product benefit encompasses what we can call as an ‘augmented product’. The concept of the augmented product can be better illustrated with the diagram shown in Appendix 1. Even while competing with hordes of similar products, the Kindle Fire is much more than just another ‘Me too’ tablet. It is a media device, not a substitute for the ipad or the PC. It is simply a device you can use to read books, watch videos, listen to music, play simple games and connect to the web. It is a platform to make Amazon products and services easily accessible. Amazon is a global online retail behemoth which I feel it can leverage very well to spur the growth of a host of its product offerings placed on its Kindle Fire platform. Thus, it really is a bundle of a variety of products and this combination makes it an interesting concept. However, will this strategic move really have any effect on Amazon’s bottom line is still to be seen. Interestingly, the sales numbers of the device don’t say anything about the success of the strategy, the effect of these sales on the bottom line (if people spend on the website services) will hold the key for the company. There are mainly 2 types of Kindle Fire devices available – advertising subsidized and the one without advertising on it. Amazon is, like many other tech players, interested in controlling the underlying system – end-to-end customer interaction. Reports say that the advertising subsidized versions are doing much better sales than the premium version. Pricing The real beauty of the product is its pricing when compared to similar products by Apple, Samsung and Google. The pricier tablets out in the market do offer sometimes larger memories, better picture quality, better screen resolutions, cellular capabilities; the Kindle fire still provides the biggest bang for the buck. The additional features like profile sharing capabilities with innovative content filtering capabilities coupled with Amazon’s huge collection of books, music, movies, games and other such applications make this product well worth its cost. Amazon is trying a revolutionary new strategy on its kindle products – it is selling the hardware at cost to drive its sales of online media products (which enjoy higher profit margins) through their hardware platforms. This is notably different from Apple and Google who make money on every product they sell (Apple even boasts of such a value added services based eco-system). Amazon’s strategy has historically been customer-centric and the Kindle Fire fits perfectly into their strategy going forward. With cheap hardware, it retains present customers and attracts thousands of new ones every day. Place Place is one of the factors that can work both in favor and against Amazon. Amazon wants to sell the Kindle Fire in the countries it can and already does sell its online services. It makes absolutely no money on the devices sold unless people respond to their ads and spend on their website. Currently, the device will be up-for-sale in the US, a few European countries, The major location for sale of the devices is the website itself which saves overhead costs but limits customer reach to a certain extent. Many customers like to see, compare and play with their products to convince themselves of its value. This makes it tougher for the Kindle Fire to compete with other tablet products that have wide physical presence in the market. This can be turned to say that Amazon controls its product strategy and the message it wants to reach the public. Promotion Kindle Fire is being portrayed as a device the whole family can share and use. The new Kindle FreeTime feature enables a parent to filter content available to kids and kids can enjoy an interface and appearance more appealing to them. Amazon, like many other tech companies, does not really appreciate the use of ‘Marketing’ terminologies internally but acknowledges the importance of the marketing tools of consumer-centric approach and a unified strategic approach to all of its products. Amazon thinks of itself as an innovative technology company and does not like to allocate too many resources to the traditional mediums of marketing – like the print or TV ads. Word of mouth is a big positive factor for Amazon’s products. Mr. Jeff bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon has himself said that they make no money on the hardware but expect to make money on the services (Razor and blades strategy). This is a very bold new approach and is yet to be proven successful or otherwise. This created a media buzz which reached the public (which is the end goal – to reach the mass). Mr. Bezos has appeared on some other shows and has been present at press conferences to address questions, to derive as much promotion from every public event as possible. Kindle has also been placed in visual and spoken product placements multiple times in popular TV series like ‘The Big Bang Theory’ and even featured on the Oprah Winfrey show (with Jeff Bezos himself) and her website (a short tutorial video featuring Jeff Bezos again). Present status Customers began receiving their Kindle Fires on November 15, 2011, and in the following December, customers purchased over 1 million Kindle devices per week. International Data Corporation (IDC) estimated that the Kindle Fire sold about 4.7 million units during the fourth quarter of 2011. Recently, the Amazon Kindle Fire helped the company beat their 2012 first quarter estimates. As of October 2012, the Kindle Fire is the second-best-selling tablet after Apples iPad, with about 7 million units sold according to estimates by Forrester Research.

How Priestly Uses the Characters to Represent His Own Views on Society :: An Inspector Calls Edwardian Society Essays

How Priestly Uses the Characters to Represent His Own Views on Society The play "An Inspector Calls" is set in 1912 but was written in 1945. Edwardian society at that time (1912) was strictly divided into social classes and over two-thirds of the nation's wealth was in the hands of less than 1% of the population. Below the very rich were the middle classes (doctors and merchants, shop workers and clerks), after that came the craftsmen and skilled workers. At the very bottom of the social ladder was the largest class of all - the ordinary workers and the poor, many of whom lived below the poverty level. The men of industry treated the workers very badly and they were paid pittance. This caused workers to become better organised and strikes were becoming more frequent as they demanded better conditions and higher pay. J.B. Priestley was writing the play for a middle class audience and was trying to speak up for the working class by showing how the Birlings and Gerald Croft were all involved in making a young working class girl's life a misery. Priestley wants to show us that we have a responsibility to others to act fairly and without prejudice and that we do not live in isolation. Our actions affect others. This is the concept of collective responsibility. Priestley says, 'things could really improve if only people were to become more socially responsible for the welfare of others'. We have to confront our mistakes and learn from them. The play starts off with the Birling family celebrating their daughter's engagement to Gerald Croft. The family included Mr Birling, Mrs Birling, Eric Birling, Sheila Birling and Gerald Croft. Arthur Birling is glad because Gerald is the son of his business competitor and it will be a merger of businesses. Through the middle of the dinner there is a knock at the door. This is where we meet inspector Goole. He tells the family that a girl has committed suicide and that in one way or another they are responsible. Mr Birling was responsible for sacking the girl from his factory. Sheila Birling was responsible because she got the girl sacked from a shop where she works. Eric Birling was seeing her but the broke it off, and Gerald Croft was having an affair with her but he also broke it off. All of their morals are tested and they are all put to the test because none of them really know the truth about what they have done until the inspector brings it out of them. After the inspector goes the family finds out that he was a fake and that no girl had died.

Ethical Behavior and Machiavellianism Essay

The term ethical behavior is considered to be that behavior which is morally accepted. It is laid on the foundations of doing the right thing which is morally accepted. Machiavellianism is considered to be the behavior which is adopted to mislead and swindle others for personal benefits and profit. This paper seeks to analyze and evaluate the relationship between ethical behavior and Machiavellianism. Machiavellianism Machiavellianism is considered to be a widespread stereotype of ethical behavior. It is expected to be a supplementary construct that influences ethical behavior and ethical reasoning procedures. The concept was introduced by Niccolo Machiavelli who wrote ‘The Prince’ which is a guide for acquiring power and using it. The main method for attaining power which he suggested was using manipulation. Hence, Machiavellianism is tendency and inclination of an individual to do whatever he or she wants in order to get his or her way. Machiavellian Principles and Ethical Conduct According to Machiavellian principles, there is clear and well-defined difference between reality and ideas. For example, equality and equity are idealistic values but partiality and bias is found every where. Ethics can direct and manage the private sector but expediency governs the public life. Consequently, an individual can be good at home but has to survive in professional life (Nelson & Gilbertson, 2002). Furthermore, Machiavellian principles dictate individuals to understand that there are no absolutes in workplace but only restrictive constraints which are applied based on the situation. It also states that success is the factor which can determine right and wrong. Virtue which is a type of ethical behavior is equal to power and competence in reaching goals. It also states that a virtuous man should think about himself when it is essential. Literature Review Experiential work also indicates that Machiavellianism influences ethical behavior. Cable and Dangello have recognized and acknowledged Machiavellianism as a qualities and characteristics which were found in graduate business student’s ethics research. They also conducted a second research in Lebanon which indicated that Lebanese consumers who are residing in political turmoil and war are more Machiavellian and less humanistic (Cable and Dangello, 2000). Another research which was conducted by Christie and Geis demonstrated the relation between Machiavellianism and ethical behavior which suggested that individuals who are skeptical and doubting towards others are prone to behave unprofessionally. Machiavellianism is often associated with unconstructive and unhelpful behavior (Christie & Geis, 2002). According to Christie and Geis, Machiavellianism is considered to an unconstructive appellation which promotes an unprincipled and unethical method of influencing and controlling others in order to achieve one’s goals. Gable and Topol demonstrated in their studies that Machiavellian individuals exhibit calm and unruffled lack of involvement and indifference which makes them less emotionally concerned and occupied with others. Machiavellianism and ethical behavior were investigated in ethic studies which were conducted by Nelson and Gilbertson. It was found out that Machiavellianism and ethical behavior of an individual is the key towards ethical decision making(Gable & Topol, 2004). Similar studies conducted by Christie and Geis examined that ethical behavior and Machiavellianism are important and significant factors for determining ethical conduct (Christie & Geis, 2002). Machiavellianism and ethical behavior studies by Nelson and Gilbertson suggested that Machiavellian individuals take no notice of ethics and enhance their own individual self. In simple words, the pressure to win and achieve specific targeted goals can cause unethical behavior to manifest itself (Nelson & Gilbertson, 2002) Relationship between Ethical Behavior and Machiavellianism Machiavellianism is a factor which plays an essential and significant role in influencing ethical behavior and decision making because it is associated with proclivity to influence others for the sake of personal benefits and achievements. For example, most researchers associate entrepreneurship with Machiavellian propensities which can lead to straightforward manipulation of others and ethical compromise (Cable and Dangello, 2000). In other words, entrepreneurs can follow Machiavellianism properties by acting master manipulators who can take immediate advantage of others. Studies indicate that individuals who follow the principles of Machiavellianism are often to be deceptive and indifferent towards ethical needs. Machiavellianism is believed to be a widespread and frequent behavior and it is found in ethical decision making scenarios. It is often associated with sex, age, ethnic origin and birth order. Conclusion Ethical behavior is defined as the action taken in accordance to what is morally accepted. On the other hand, Machiavellianism is defined as the action which an individual takes in order to gain his or her own benefit with the help of manipulative behavior. Studies have shown that Machiavellian principles promote negative behavior in individuals. It plays a vital role in influencing perceptions because it has a relationship with the tendency to influence others. Machiavellian individuals are known to show calm and indifferent attitudes and are not affected by emotions.It can be concluded that Machiavellianism is a negative concept which does not go with ethical conduct. References Cable, M. & Dangello, F. (2000). Job Involvement, Machiavellianism and Job Performance, Journal of Business and Psychology (9:2). Christie, R. & Geis,F. L. (2002). Studies in Machiavellianism. New York: Academic Press. Gable, M. & Topol, M. (2004). Machiavellianism and Job Satisfaction of Retailing Executive in a Specialty Store Chain, Psychological Reports Nelson, G. & Gilbertson, D. (2002). Machiavellianism Revisited, Journal of Business Ethics.