Viewer Response - The Graduate Essay -- essays research papers

In The Graduate, the director, Mike Nichols’, emphasizes the mysterious tone of the film with his overuse of lighting, camera angles, and shadows. The uncertainty Benjamin Braddock feels can be seen right from the start as he stands on the moving sidewalk at the airport. He is positioned at the right hand side of the screen moving forward. You can see a large area to the left where the credits appear. I think the director chose this technique for the opening credits to symbolize how this graduate is arriving at a new destination & has much uncertainty in front of him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dark rooms with shadows are used heavily in this film. The director shows Benjamin’s room as dark and shadowy to parallel his personality. This is also seen in the Robinson house. Shad...

StockTrak

If we compare our Bear and Bull spreads to short and long stock positions respectively we can actually show how options are highly levered financial instruments, increasing profits, but also losses tremendously. If we had shorted a Cataracts stock our profit from the price decline would have been 6. 50% per share, while with our Bear Spread we made a profit of ten times the cost of building the spread. On the other hand, If we had held a Nikkei stock we would have had a loss of 6. 27% per share from the price cline, whereas our loss with the bull spread was 74. 8% if we compare it to the cost of building the spread. This figures show how option trading is cheaper relative to stock trading, but profits or losses are much higher in percentage terms. For our Butterfly, Strangle and Straddle strategies we chose Pfizer, which based on our analysis, presented Itself as a very stable stock, with a 6-months average price of $30. 66 and a current price of $31. 12 (March 13th). We wanted to be t on very low volatility and make a profit from very low fluctuations from Pfizer stock.Our Butterfly parade consisted on shorting two 32-strike calls and taking a long position on 31- strike and 33-strike calls. The center strike price of our butterfly was the exercise price of the Straddle and also lied exactly in the middle of the $31. 5-strike put and $32. 5-strike call for our Strangle. In the end, our Butterfly spread turned out to be for our spread (see Graph 3). 2. ) The article posted referrers to â€Å"covered call writing† as taking a long position on stock and writing a call that is significantly out-of-the money.With his strategy, if the call option is exercised and the investor has to sell his hares, he is covered by holding the underlying. If we compared the covered call strategy to a short naked call we can clearly see that the risk for the naked position is unlimited if the price of the stock increases. With the covered call, by going long on the underlying, we cap our profit but we also limit our loss, whereas with the naked short call we are completely exposed. The analog position using puts, I. E â€Å"covered put writing† would mean writing a put and shorting the underlying.To execute such a strategy is possible, but the risk embedded in it is very high, because the potential asses from a price increase in the stock are unlimited. The premium gained from the put writing might not be large enough to cover the losses from the short position if the price increase is high. 3. ) For our collar strategy we selected Apple stock. To execute such a trade we bought 1,000 shares at $527. 49, went long one thousand 535-strike puts and shorted the same number of 540-strike calls; both option contracts expired on April 25.Our collar was as close to zero as possible, where the put options had a price of $16. 5 and the call options were priced at $17. 25. If the rice of Apple had stayed between the two designated strikes, our profit would ha ve been the value of the stock plus the $0. 75-differential between the option prices. At maturity Apple closed at $571. 94, meaning that the call option was exercised and we lost $41. 94, but we also gained $44. 45 on the price appreciation of the shares, leaving us with a net profit of (44. 45 – 41. 94 + 0. 75) $3. 26 per share. 4. To execute the stop- loss and delta-hedge strategies we wrote 100 at-the-money call option contracts on Backbone and Google. Our initial position to hedge both strategies was long the hares of both companies. For Backbone we used the stop-loss strategy and set arbitrary times to check our positions and hedge it. The initial cash inflow of shorting these options was $35,500 and the cost of hedging this position went up to $174,312. 51. On the other hand, with the Google options we used the delta-hedge strategy and checked the stock price 3 times a day.The initial cash inflow from shorting the calls was $54,000 and the costs related to hedging reac hed a total of $1 The amount spent for hedging the FEB.. Shares was 5 times larger than he value of the options we sold, while for Google the ratio was 20 to 1 . After seeing these figures we can observe that hedging strategies are extremely costly, but are essential to protect short positions against risk and prevent higher losses. 5. ) To create the â€Å"synthetic† rep we bought Gold at spot price of $1,296 on March 27 and shorted Gold futures expiring in April; the average of the ask and bid prices for this contract was $1 ,302.Executing this transaction, we locked in our prices for a return of 0. 463%. The I-month treasury bills from the U. S. Federal Reserve website is quoted at 0. 0167%, which is essentially 0%. Comparing the return rate from our futures contract with the I-month T-bill rate, there is an arbitrage opportunity. To exploit this opportunity we would borrow money at the T-bill rate of and use it to buy gold at the spot price, in addition to these transacti ons, we would short Gold futures to make a final profit of 0. 613%. 6. ) current pence of BIBB: $ 290. 54 price of put @ 290: 10. 30 price of call @ 290: 13. 00 Deep in the money calls: price of call 0280: 9. 40 pence of put 0280: 5. 42 Deep in the money puts: price of call @300: 7. 72 pence of put 0300: 16. 8 If we look at at-the-money options and, considering that the risk free rate is essentially zero, the stock price and the present value of the strike price are practically equal, so in order for UT Call Parity to obey, the put and call price should be identical.As we can see in the quoted prices above, parity doesn't hold; the call price is higher than the put. We could exploit this opportunity by going long on the put and the share, shorting the call and borrowing the present value of K. When it comes to deep in-the-money calls the share price is higher than the present value of K, so the call price should be higher than the put price by the same amount as the price differenti al between S and IV (K). We can see from the prices above that the call is undervalued in relation to the put.To exploit this arbitrage opportunity we would buy a call, invest IV (K) and short the put and the share. Finally, for deep in-the- money puts, the share price is lower than the present value of K, so the put price should be higher than the call price by the same amount as the price differential between S and IV (K). We can see that the put is undervalued in relation to the call. To exploit this arbitrage opportunity we would buy the put and the share, borrow IV (K) and short the call. 7. When looking at the overall performance of our portfolio and its relative risk we can conclude that it was much riskier relative to the S and also had a lower return. If we look at the summary figures of our portfolio we can see that it had an overall return of 0. 63%, whereas the SPY IETF had a percentage return of 1 . 19% (see Graph 4). We believe that the reason for the lower return and higher risk of our portfolio comes from several trades involving silver and platinum futures entrants that we performed to experiment with the platform and observe how these contracts behaved.In general we think that such a project is a very useful and enjoyable way to get to know the trading world. Performing actual trades allowed us to â€Å"get our hands dirty' and truly understand how to build spreads and implement investment strategies. This project gave us the opportunity to go beyond the theory and realize that trading can sometimes be more complicated that it seems on paper, but can also become much clearer once the theory is implemented in a â€Å"real world† setting. We very much enjoyed working on this project.

How Service Learning Can Be Utilized Throughout Your...

Service Learning is defined as a type of teaching and learning strategy that combines community service with reflection and instruction to help enhance the learning experience and as well as strengthen communities. Some examples of service learning are; working with political organizations, neighborhood associations and a tutor elementary or secondary students are a variety of subjects. Service Learning can be implemented into many majors, such as psychology majors, nursing majors, and health and food science majors -- just to name a few. The benefits of service learning can be utilized throughout your lifetime time; some benefits include 21st century skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, communication, decision making, as well as leadership skills. Not only will you gain these helpful benefits, but also some real life experience in any internship or community service practices. An added benefit to your social being is also having a greater sense in learning. It can help improve one’s academic outcome. You will gain a better attention to learning and how service learning also helps the community and the students you interact with. Just like the intern, the students will also gain some helpful benefits as well as life experiences. Most importantly, service learning also helps students gain knowledgeable practices in real world scenarios. Service learning is important and beneficial for students because it provides them with opportunities to develop civicShow MoreRelatedThe Learning Approach For Lea rning1184 Words   |  5 Pagesi. At one time or another, in an individuals’ working life, they will be expected to learn about at least one aspect of operations the of the company in which they are employed with. Burns (1995, p 99) ‘conceives of learning as a relatively permanent change in behaviour with behaviour including both observable activity and internal processes such as thinking, attitudes and emotions.’ Learning is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as ‘the acquisition of knowledge or skills through study, experienceRead MoreAn Following For Three Specific Periods During Colonization Of The First Two Years After Chartering State University1649 Words   |  7 PagesCAAMMPUPUS S+ +C OCOMMMMUUNNITIYT YA TA TA GUESOTIRNG PEE MAYA SSTOANT EU UNNIVIEVRESRISTIYTY 3. Chapter Development Please provide the following for three specific time periods: during colonization, for the first two years after chartering and in five to ten years: †¢ Membership goals (recruitment numbers, GPA) †¢ Community interaction and service projects †¢ Campus involvement goals †¢ Programming initiatives (educational/cultural/faculty) †¢ Chapter and alumni board finances †¢ Fundraising efforts †¢ ImpactRead MoreSelf Reflection Analysis : Everybody Has One A Personality 1425 Words   |  6 Pages Self-Reflection Analysis Kellae Gyening Troy University Dr. Barbara Toner February 18, 2016 Self-Reflection Analysis â€Å"Everybody has one—a personality, that is—and yours will help determine the boundaries of your success and life fulfillment† ( (Schultz Schultz, 2012, p. 2). Correspondingly, the authors emphasize that personality is the most significant attribute of all individuals. Gordon Allport introduced the world to the original theoretical view of personality traits in 1937Read MoreWhy Students Should Required Military Service1334 Words   |  6 PagesStudents participating in the required military service will find a consecrated strong work ethic and will fashion a new set of skills that will be required to be industrious in life. The prime focus of remedial training is to produce quality students that will be ready for college. To be ready for the future, all remedial training students will learn basic computer coding skills. Financial classes will be taken by the students, and will cover topics such as credit scores, credit cards, studentRead MoreMy Interview Of A Social Worker1587 Words   |  7 PagesMy Interview of a Social Worker According to the National Alliance on Mental Health , â€Å"1 in 5 children ages 13-18 have, or will have a serious mental illness† and â€Å"50% of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14 and 75% by age 24. Children are entering counseling and psychotherapeutic services at earlier ages than ever seen before. The role of social work has progressed from one of counseling to one that encompasses case management, discharge planning, psychotherapy, crisis interventionRead MoreMarketing Strategies in Fmcg Industry5586 Words   |  23 Pagesestimation and locations how FMCG companies can maximize effectiveness of marketing. 2.1 Dimensions and definition of FMCG marketing strategies Marketing is utilized to conceive demand of consumers, capture the decision power of the consumers and keep their loyalty. Marketing focused on the customer is founded on the four Ps: placement, price, promotion and product. Product connection to the buyer is mostly part of the advancement instrument. The effectiveness of strategies utilized for marketing generallyRead MoreAthlete compensation1936 Words   |  8 Pageswhether or not college athletes should be paid to play. Many argue that they do not have the time to get real jobs because the requirements for the sports that they participate in are far too demanding. But, these athletes are provided with full scholarships to attend the school at which they’re playing their desired sport. College athletes are not forced into playing the sport that they have devoted their time to prior to reaching the college level. They continue to play for their love of the gameRead MoreLeadership Traits And Skills Used While Shaping Their Career2008 Words   |  9 PagesThe interview was conducted with the health service manager to gain insights about the leadership traits and skills used while shaping their career. Leadership is a heterogeneous process that involves the precise skills and competencies. It is defined as the ability to influence and motivate other people or the groups towards the shared goals (Ames, K, 2015). Understanding the differences between leadership and management is very crucial the leadership can be defined as the ability to influence andRead MorePlay Therapy4696 Words   |  19 Pagesof play, as well as the willingness to interact with the therapist, can be used to understand the underlying rationale for behavior both inside and outside the session. According to the psychodynamic view, people (especially children) will engage in play behavior in order to work through their interior obfuscations and anxieties. In this way, play therapy can be used as a self-help mechanism, as long as children are allowed time for free play or unstructured play. From a developmental point ofRead MoreHuman Resource Challenges and Practices in IT Industry2763 Words   |  12 Pagespractices in software Industries. KEYWORDS HRM, IT,HR Strategy, Services 1. INTRODUCTION The economy has transitioned to what some call „The Age of Information‟- an economy in which gross domestic product is increasingly dominated by services. Services permeate every aspect of our lives. We use transportation services; restaurant services; hotels; electricity and telephones; postal, courier and maintenance services; services of hairdressers; services of public relations and advertising firms; lawyers; physicians;

Article Review on Air Quality

Brief Overview The Environmental Health Perspectives is an article by Marshall, Brauer, and Frank that was published in 2009. The main focus of the paper was on the interrelations that exist between air pollution, and physical activity, and the relation of these two factors to the design of a neighborhood or community. According to the article, the modified environment poses numerous impacts on public health, depending on the relationships among such fundamental factors as design of the neighborhood, physical activity, patterns of design, water and air pollution, in addition to safety, in transportation. The authors, therefore, conducted a study to investigate the interplay of two of the most critical factors of the above; air pollution exposure and walkability. The authors defined walkability as the measure of the conduciveness of an environment to walking. According to the study, outdoor air pollution and physical inactivity were the leading causes of impairments in health (Marshall, Brauer Fran k, 2009). Introduction The quality of air in the environment, inside homes, schools, and other essential areas is essential not only to ensure the comfort of individuals but also the health of its inhalants. Despite great advances in technology, air quality controls, and consumer awareness, the issue of air quality and pollution has remained to be a particular area of concern. Air pollution from internal combustion engines, acid depositions and indoor air pollution have, for example, furthered the decrease in air quality in numerous communities. Such increase has numerous crucial implications to the professionals in the environment, with the bottom line being to try harder in their bid to reduce air pollutants in order to ensure air that is of high quality (Davis, 2003). This paper will, therefore, review an article related to the issue of air quality and commend on its implication on environmental professionals. The article in this case is Environmental Health Perspectives. The article makes several key points on the issue. For example, the authors argued that the ozone, vehicle exhaust, and other air pollutants found within many cities were the key causes of many health outcomes in individuals living in such environments. Such health outcomes included cardiopulmonary mortality, impaired development in lungs, atherosclerosis, and asthma, reduced lung activity, several cancers, diabetes, and reduced weight in babies. The article also argues that air pollution can be blamed for obesity and overweight because it reduces the motivation of individuals to participate in outdoor physical activities. The authors also indicate that air pollution and poor air quality reduces walkability, or the rate at which individuals walk around their neighborhoods. To stress their point, and come up with some evidence for their claims, the authors carried out a study to estimate of air pollution and come up a walkability score for a neighborhood in Vancouver. As it follows, t he claims the study makes can be believed as the researchers provide enough information and evidence as to why they make certain claims (Marshall, Brauer Frank, 2009). The studies concluded that all the three attributes measured in the study that is the ozone concentrations, NO concentrations, and walkability rates exhibited a gradient of urban to rural with low- ozone concentrations, high walkability levels, and NO concentrations. The study indicated that the richer neighborhoods exhibited lower concentrations of ozone, and NO, and the poorer neighborhoods exhibited higher concentrations of NO, and walkability, but, with low- ozone concentrations. The study also studied another area in the population, the ‘sweet- spot area’ which was indicated to have low- air pollution with high levels of walkability (Marshall, Brauer Frank, 2009). The conclusions of the study indicate that air pollution affects negatively the ability of individuals to participate in physical activity. Conclusion It is essential to realize that high levels of air pollution have detrimental effects on the health outcomes of individuals. As it follows, environmental professionals must come up with ways and methods of controlling air pollution and increasing air quality so as to safeguard the health of individuals. One of the ways they can accomplish this is by establishing policies that can control the rate at which the air is polluted. This would ensure that cities and urban areas are safer places to walk and live. References Davis, D. (2003). When smoke ran like water: tales of environmental deception and the battle   Ã‚  Ã‚   against pollution. New York: Basic Books. Marshall, J. D., Brauer, M. Frank, L. D. (2009). Healthy neighborhoods: walkability and air    pollution. Environmental Health Perspectives, 117(11):   1752-1759.

Is Human Sexuality The Result Of Nature Or Nurture

Introduction To Human Behaviour: †¨18435577†¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨ To what extent is human sexuality the result of nature or nurture?†¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨ The nature and nurture of the human sexuality has been a debate argued among researchers and scientists. With regards to human sexuality, both nature and nurture become an integral factor in making the sexual beings that we eventually get to be. From our hereditary inclinations to how our associates influence our advancement, our childhoods have a tendency to be one long trek into adulthood that is neither pre-customised or totally formed by outside components, this trek incorporates the blooming of our sexual nature. his debate is concerned with the extent to which particular aspects of behaviour reflects the influence of genetically arranged maturity or whether it comes from learning and experience.This essay will disclose to what degree human sexuality is the consequence of nature or nurture; it will likewise relate sexuality to the Biopsychosocial. †¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨ The nature of the human sexuality is the outflow of sexual sensation and related closeness between individuals; it is a characteristic of what makes us human. It is likewise an approach to express the totality of adoration between a man and a lady The title sexuality becomes simpler to comprehend when it is isolated into three segments: sexual introduction, sexual conduct, and sexual character.†¨The primary part calls attention to the way of a person’s fundamental sexual appreciation for otherShow MoreRelatedThe Nature And Nurture Of The Human Sexuality932 Words   |  4 PagesThe nature and nurture of the human Sexuality has been a debate argued among scientists and philosophers. It is believed that human sexuality is the key to reproduction and survival. This debate is concerned with the extent to which particular aspects of behaviour reflects the influence of genetically arranged maturity or wether it comes from learning and experience. This essay will explain to w hat extent human sexuality is the result of nature or nurture, it will also relate sexuality to the BiopsychosocialRead MoreDevelopment Across the Life Span: Nature Versus Nurture Essay examples1666 Words   |  7 PagesDevelopment Across the Life Span: Nature versus Nurture Barry University What is Nature versus Nurture? Development across the lifespan is one of the most interesting areas of psychology. The word development refers to human development which can be defined as â€Å"the scientific study of changes that occur in people as they age from conception until death.† (Ciccarelli, amp; White, 2009)Psychologists study this developmental change over time through several different methods. The book highlightsRead MoreNature Vs Nurture : Nature And Nurture928 Words   |  4 PagesAs mentioned briefly in my self-introduction post, the nature-nurture portion of our textbook is the one part of this course I stated I looked forward to the most. I have always found myself engaged in a constant internal battle regarding nature versus nurture. Adding to this internal battle is the fact that I am married to an identical twin†¦a twin who drastically differs from his brother in several ways. These differences between my husband and his twin have resulted in my questioning if theRead MoreThe Importance Of Nature Vs. Nurture, Culture And Gender, And Finally Family Involvement1378 Words   |  6 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚   Influence paper Patricia Dominguez Professor: Jeannine Lombardi Class: ECE 102-003 Date: September 13, 2016   Ã‚  Ã‚   On this task I will be addressing the importance of Nature Vs. Nurture, Culture and Gender, and finally family involvement throughout the developing years of an infant. The developmental years in a child s life is classified under NAEYC 1b. The first standard has helped me understand the importance of making the student feel safe. It has made me understand that making bonds withRead MoreNurture Plays a More Dominant Role in Humans Development than Nature986 Words   |  4 Pages Humans are unique and intricate creatures and their development is a complex process. It is this process that leads people to question, is a child’s development influenced by genetics or their environment? This long debate has been at the forefront of psychology for countless decades now and is better known as â€Å"Nature versus Nurture†. The continuous controversy on whether or not children develop their psychological attributes based on genetics (nature) or the way in which they have been raisedRead MoreHomosexuality: Nature vs. Nurture Essay1208 Words   |  5 PagesSexual orientation is something that people hear about daily in the news, media, and daily lives of others, especially when it comes to the field of psychology and the nature versus nurture debate. For being as commonly debated and discussed as it is, there are many questions that come along with it: what is sexual orientation, how do people know their sexual orientation, what causes homosexuality, is it normal, is it possible to change, and can wanting LGBT, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenderRead MoreWhy Are People Gay?967 Words   |  4 Pages Not just a century ago, there was an act that was considered heresy; homosexuality, a different side of sexuality found in all recesses of history. Humans are not the only ones with evidence of homosexuality in their species, it has long been debated whether it was formed from being genetically born that way or nurtured. The long found history has been only puzzling as the two sides of the spectrum in views, and only being publicly accepted in the 1940s. In Natasha Tracy’s article â€Å"Why AreRead MoreNature Vs Nurture Debate1343 Words   |  6 Pages One topic that has been controversial to psychologist since the phrase was created in 1869 is â€Å"Nature vs Nurture†. Although the debate was started well before then, 1869 was the first time it was tied to the debate. The nature vs nurture debate is over whether you get your behavior from genetics, what you inherited from your biological parents, or if they are learned characteristics, what you learn from the environment and what you get taught. The debate can be traced back to early western philosophyRead MoreEssay on The Cause of Homosexual Behaviors1255 Words   |  6 Pagesdone in 1991 by neuroscientist Simon LeVay, the area of the brain that controls sexual activity called the hypothalamus, was less than half the size in homosexual males compared to heterosexual males. This result tells us that homosexuals might not have gotten a chance to choose their sexuality because they were simply born into it. But there are loopholes in this research because Levays subjects were all cadavers, therefore he could not dispute nor verify Kenneth Klivingtons argument that, theRead MoreThe Effects of Hormones and Behavior on Gender Identity1598 Words   |  7 Pagesbiological processes form gender identity. John Money a well-known behavioral psychologist first proposed the idea of â€Å"connection between biological and environmental factors in determining sexuality, arguing that social expectations interacted with an individual’s genes to affect hormone expression and thus sexuality† (John Money, 2011). The first biological factor affecting gender identity is the chromosomes that are in every cell of the body. Both parents contribute one half of the genotype;

The Brass Button free essay sample

Arvada, with its commonly mispronouncedsecond a, is a fairly unremarkable suburban city with unmistakablecow-town roots and a general, somewhat depressing, conservative aura. Ishould, however, give it credit for its rather cozy, safe environmentwhich caused my family to settle in its ranch-style housing. Not tomention that the school system is incredible and community involvementis the norm, but the lack of diversity is sickening (its 93.2%Caucasian). Dont get me wrong, I love this town, but some things aboutit depress me. This is why I am semi-relieved to declare that the personwho has most influenced the way I view life is an old Chinese womanwhose name I never even knew. My childhood was spent in a crampedduplex with a chain-link fence separating it from a graffiti-plasteredplayground with park benches cemented to empty sidewalks. Often, I wouldcarry my bike on my shoulder as I jumped the fence and then ride themakeshift bike trails. We will write a custom essay sample on The Brass Button or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I would see her sitting on one of thosepark benches watching me. Little did she know I was watching her too.She had a tight face and, to be honest, it took me months to decidewhether she was a woman or a man. Yet once I looked into her eyes, Iknew. On her seemingly hairless head, she always wore a faded turquoisecap, but her most noticeable garment was a heavy, ratty purple coat withmany clasps and ridiculously long pockets. Whether it was a hundreddegrees or a blinding blizzard, she wore that coat. At first Ionly saw her in the park, but not long after our first meeting, I beganto notice her everywhere. I spotted her walking around town. To beperfectly honest, I grew a bit nervous and slightly troubled by hercontinuous presence wherever I turned. Yet, after observing her day-inand day-out, I developed an affinity for seeing her as we drove aroundthe neighborhood. I realized that I needed to know this old lady. Iwanted to know more about her, hear her stories and discover why she wasalways so eager to take a walk around our boring neighborhoods ofArvada. I began to notice her unusual habits while on theplayground with my sister. Strangely, she would toddle about picking upjunk and shoving it into her bottomless pockets, be it squashed aluminumcans, pieces of glass or even cracked lighters, she would keep them. Icould not understand why anyone would want such trash. But, then Iremembered that this old lady was far from ordinary, and, after a longtime, I gathered the courage to meet this spectacularindividual. She was huddled on that same ancient park benchwatching the children push each other down the slide when I took a seatnext to her. Hello, I mumbled. She seemed torecognize the word as she turned her wrinkled face toward me. She smiledand so did I. She breathed deeply, as if to start a monologue, and thenbegan speaking in Mandarin. I was devastated that I could not understandher. My dreams of hearing her tales were shattered, yet I continued tolisten to her speak out of courtesy. Suddenly, she grasped my hand,reached into her pocket and pulled out a beautiful brass button. Sheplaced it in my palm and closed my hand. Smiling and keeping eyecontact, she pointing to the emerald leaves of the surrounding trees,closed her eyes, and listened to the birds. Then she stood, bowed andwalked away from the bench, stopping to pick a purple daisy. Finally,she looked back at me, smiled, and walked away. I sat for amoment, examining the brass button, so simple with its round shape, yetso complex with its intertwining patterns. And then it hit me, themessage she was trying to convey. The reason she walked around town wasbecause she knew how to appreciate life, and the reason she picked upher treasures on the streets was that she loved the simple things. Myheart suddenly acknowledged the true meaning of life. This amazing oldwoman taught me what we are here for: to live life to its fullest and tolove it while we can. I now appreciate the small things in life and liveeach day as if it were my last. I am one with nature and treasuresimplicity. I wish I could have thanked her for opening my eyes, but Inever got the chance. Although my old friend has long since passed on,her legacy lives with me, purple coat and all.

The Case Against Capital Punishment Essays - Human Rights

The Case Against Capital Punishment John H. Whitehead Professor Roth Whitehead 1 A Moratorium on The Death Penalty Should Be Enacted In Illinois Due to the recent releases of newly exonerated Death Row inmates, individuals and organizations are calling for a moratorium- a cooling off period for state executions. The cases of just a few inmates makes it apparent that this would be a necessary step to save innocent lives. After 17 years in prison, Illinois Death Row inmate Anthony Porter was released from jail after a judge threw out his murder conviction following the introduction of new evidence. This reversal of fortune came just two days before Porter was to be executed. As reported in USA Today, Porter's release was the result of investigative research as conducted by a Northwestern University professor and students. The evidence gathered suggested that Porter had been wrongly convicted. Were these new revelations and the subsequent release of Porter a lucky break or a freak occurrence? Not likely, reports DeWayne Wickham, also of USA Today. He points out that since the reinstatement of the death penalty in the United States in 1976, of those sentenced to death, 490 people have been executed while 76 have been freed from Death Row. This calculates into one innocent person being released from Death Row for every six individuals that were executed. This figure correlates with the 1996 U.S. Department of Justice report that indicates that over a 7-year period, beginning in 1989, when DNA evidence in various cases was tested, 26% of primary suspects were exonerated. This has led some to conclude that a similar percentage of inmates presently serving time behind bars may have been wrongly convicted prior to the advent of forensic DNA typing. Whitehead 2 Amnesty International, in its 1998 report Fatal Flaws: Innocence and the Death Penalty, supports the American Bar Association's call for a death penalty moratorium. Michelle Stevens, a columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, reported that in 1998 Illinois State Representative Coy Pugh (D-Chicago) introduced a resolution calling for a bi-partisan panel to study the death penalty in Illinois. During the study all executions would be postponed. This proposal was initially killed but revived following the recent releases. Yet, this call for a moratorium on the death penalty is not the first time that state executions have been opposed. Throughout its history capital punishment has been opposed on many premises. In discussion forums across the world many individuals often cite deterrence of crime as a viable defense of capital punishment. However, comprehensive studies, including the 1994 FBI Uniform crime Report, indicate that capital punishment does not serve as a deterrent to crime. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, the death penalty not only does not deter crime- among states that have either abolished or instituted the death penalty crime and murder rates have remained unchanged. Additionally, Eric Pooley of Time magazine, in his research, reports that no proof exists to substantiate claims that capital punishment discourages crime by anyone other than the criminals whom are executed. Glenn Lammi, of the Washington Legal Foundation is quoted as saying that there are no convincing studies [connecting] the death penalty and the crime rate. Whitehead 3 In the absence of persuasive studies linking capital punishment and crime rates, who better to turn to than the individuals who walk the thin blue line- law enforcement officials may be better equipped to address this subject. Time magazine reports that 67% of polled police chiefs also did not believe that the death penalty deters [crime such as] homicide. According to a 1994 Government Accounting Office report (GAO) substantial evidence indicates that courts have been unfair in death sentencing. The 1990 GAO report, summarizing numerous capital punishment studies, confirmed a consistent pattern of evidence indicating racial disparities in the charging, sentencing, and imposition of the death penalty. The GAO also revealed that those who murdered whites were more likely to be sentenced to Death Row than those who murdered blacks. According to the Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC) nearly 40% of those executed since 1976 have been black although blacks only comprise 12% of the U.S. population. And in just about every death penalty case, the race of the victim was white. The DPIC goes on to report that in the