Argumentative Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Argumentative - Term Paper Example This paper is an attempt to understand the vexed issue of gun control and the governmental interventions in this regard as they pertain to the ownership of guns. The paper starts off by framing the issue by explaining the deeply divisive nature of the issue and how it is corroding the political process with the acerbic stand taken by both sides. Then I examine the arguments for and against gun control and then I debate the issue further by stating my stand on the same. Finally, I conclude the paper with some remarks about the whole issue and an appeal for sanity and commonsense to prevail in these troubled times. The debate over Gun Control is primarily between those who cite the inalienable rights enshrined in the constitution with regards to individual liberty and the right of the individual to own whatever he or she desires if the transaction is in accordance with the law. This is the side of those who claim that they have a right to own guns and hence any attempts to snatch away these rights is tantamount to denying them the rights that are guaranteed by law. One the other side is those who call for elimination of guns and point to the increasing rates of crime and homicide as instances of ownerships of guns running amok. Since the issue is so divisive, it is pertinent to examine the literature surrounding it to establish the arguments put forward by each side. First, to start off, one needs to understand the issue and its centrality to American politics To quote from a book by a well known expert on the issue, â€Å"Few schisms in American life run as deep or as wide as the divide between gun rights and gun control advocates. Awash in sound and symbol, the gun regulation debate has largely been defined by forceful rhetoric rather than substantive action. Politicians shroud themselves in talk of individual rights or public safety while lobbyists on both sides make doom-and-gloom pronouncements on the consequences of

Electrical Engineering specialization on Circuit Design Research Paper

Electrical Engineering specialization on Circuit Design - Research Paper Example However, some choose not to be involved in engineering works as they are involved in such areas as purchasing and sales, human resource management and even law (Baker, 16). Often engineers specialize in different fields within the electrical engineering. Good examples of such discipline include control system and communications and more so the appliance parts such as aerospace, computer and medical and electric power supply and distribution (IIeee Transactions on Aerospace and Navigational Electronics, 62) In this paper I will critically examine the current improvement position of art of for computer-aided design, equipment meant for analog and mixed signal integrated circuits (Huijsing, Johan, Rudy & Willy, 77). Due to increased technology and raise in the need for communication with outside world, there has been a lot of advances in design productivity and advance the superiority of analog integrated circuit through the introduction of a new digital system. In this paper I will look into various advances and progress in this field, the innovation and motivational factors and problems encountered The current market microelectronics are featured by increasing complexities in the levels of integration, the coming up of ICs which are multi-million transistors. Such markets, markets for application-specific ICs denoted as (ASICs), application specific standard parts denoted as (ASSPs) and lastly the high-volume commodity ICs. Currently, a whole system which there before was in use one or more floorboard, through the advancement in technology, there has been a lot of integration of these devices into only some chips or even one chip (Baker, 77). Good examples of systems on a chip are such device as a one-chip TV or Camera or even the current integrated telecommunication system. Examples of this current telecommunication system

Political science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 7

Political science - Essay Example ilarly, this paper will also explain the similarities and differences in their own justification for disobedience, and in the manner in which each perceives disobedience to be necessary or beneficial in the circumstances. Sophocles’ Antigone argues that the unwritten and natural law supersedes any form of human law (â€Å"Sophocles Antigone 442 BC†, 2005), which means that the only source or basis of legitimate law is the unwritten and natural law; Antigone believes that duties to the gods are more essential than obedience of the state and law. She argues that she does not fear condemnation from men, but punishment from the gods by failing to honour her obligations to them, which oblige her to bury the dead and not to insult the gods by denying the dead a proper burial. Like Sophocles’ Antigone, Plato’s Socrates believes in a higher standard as the ultimate source of legitimate law, which is the gods. After he had been found guilty of poisoning the minds of young ones, Socrates declared without modesty that his teachings were the gods’ bidding, and that the city of Athens had thrived because of his service to the gods (DAmato, 1976). However, unlike Sophoclesâ€℠¢ Antigone who exclusively believes in one base of legitimate law, Plato’s Socrates also believes that the Athenian judicial system, a tribunal that dispensed justice according to the laws, was also a legitimate basis of law that should be respected; however, Socrates argues that his teachings had made Athens a better state. Sophocles’ Antigone argues that human laws undermine the unwritten and natural law especially because they do not honour the gods and family morals. Antigone gives honour and a principled responsibility to the gods and family equal weight in her defence since she does not want to offend the gods and to attract severe penalties from them (â€Å"Sophocles Antigone 442 BC†, 2005). Like Sophocles’ Antigone, Plato’s Socrates believes that in as much as the Athenian judicial

Coursework 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Coursework 6 - Essay Example For instance, the physicist Hans Bethe was briefed on SDI in 1983 and his reaction was doubtful that it would work to defend the U.S. (â€Å"Strategic...†). Apparently Soviet scientists had the same reaction. Compared to the U.S., which still spends 4 billion dollars a year on Star Wars, the Soviet Union spent very little on it. The largest cause of the end of the Cold War was Gorbachev, and his dedication to reform. Gorbachev was not afraid to make economic reforms such as glasnost (liberalization), perestroika (reconstruction) and uskoreniye (acceleration of economic reform), even though these reforms were considered radical by apparatchiks (bureaucrats of the Communist Party) in the Soviet government(â€Å"Mikhail...†). Gorbachev democratized much of the Soviet Union and went so far with reforms and freedoms that an unintended wave of nationalism and call for independence was created within the Soviet republics. Eventually Gorbachev was put under house arrest by hard-line apparatchiks and the Soviet Union collapsed, effectively ending the Cold War. The Colombian government has been involved in a civil conflict for four decades with the left-wing rebel group Farc, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. Farc rebels recently killed several police with a roadside bomb (â€Å"Colombian Rebels...†). The police were attempting to destroy coca bushes, which are the source of cocaine that finances Farc. Another left-wing rebel group active in Colombia is the ELN, or National Liberation Army. The left-wing groups are blamed for kidnappings, assassinations and extortion. The rebel groups are fought by right-wing paramilitaries such as the AUC, or United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia. Paramilitaries were supported by rich landowners who descend from the Spanish settlers. These right-wing groups are involved in drug-trafficking as well. They are blamed for massacres and torture. The Colombian conflict

Commentaries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Commentaries - Essay Example Having intelligence definitely â€Å"impedes the effectiveness of fulfilling [the UN’s] goals† (â€Å"Intelligence Collection at the United Nations for Peace Keeping Operations,† 2011, pp. 4). It is beneficial that member states do share information, to some degree. Of course, it’s important that such information is shared to the benefit of the United Nations. This paper accurately points out, however, that US Secretary of State Colin Powell introduced WMD as being valid intelligence, which led the United States to engage in a war that lasted eight (8) years and cost $700 billion dollars. Breakdown in communication between ONUC forces and the civilian leadership in the Congo due to interference of UN intelligence-gathering is even yet another piece of evidence that intelligence-gathering by the UN may not be a smart idea, because, in this case, the UN member countries were not willing to supply intelligence to the military. In another situation in Haiti, t here was incorrect information being disseminated from informants, and the paper uses this piece of information to support the fact that the UN should not be involved in collecting intelligence for peacekeeping operations. One of the greatest difficulties the UN has, however, is to strike a delicate balance between spying and open secrets. â€Å"For the UN, a great dilemma arises when the information is gathered and kept secretly, since the world body is dedicated to transparency, impartiality and the rule of law† (Dorn, 2011, pp. 4).† Knowing this, it is important to realize how difficult it can be, and is, for the United Nations to continue such operations—not only when such an unreliable piece of information was announced in front of the UN by Colin Powell—but because of the fact that the UN must remain transparent while conducting covert operations. It doesn’t make much sense. III. The Weaknesses of the Seminar Paper First off, in terms of techn ical aspects, there are some minor grammatical errors on the title page and in the introduction. To begin with, â€Å"peacekeeping† is one word, not two separate words. The references or bibliography page also needs to be overhauled, as there is much incorrect referencing structure. Also, the in-text citations for Harvard require more work. Details will be discussed in the Suggestions for Improvement section. Secondly, one has to be realistic about what intelligence is, which is deception. Nations that are not part of the United Nations are game to be spied on. The UN cannot simply rely on informal information from member states. Secretary of State Colin Powell’s information which he introduced before members of the world community in the UN was not good intelligence. This is one of the greatest pieces of evidence why the UN should not get involved in the intelligence community, if there are any. Colin Powell declared, â€Å"Numerous human sources tell us that the Ira qis are moving not just documents and hard drives, but weapons of mass destruction, to keep them from being found by inspectors† (Rockefeller, 2009, pp. 40). Later this information was refuted. â€Å"The question of to what extent Iraq could rebuild and reconstitute its WMD program in four years (1998-2002) is the real issue† (Mauroni, 2006, pp. 116). At the time, however, everyone believed Powell’

“The Life You Save May Be Your Own” by Flannery O’Connor Essay Example for Free

â€Å"The Life You Save May Be Your Own† by Flannery O’Connor Essay 1.Explain the significance of the name Shiftlet. The name Crater. Shiftlet suggests he is a sketchy character or that he will change. Crater is an empty space or hole, indicating that she is in want/need of something 2.Underline any positive references to nature. Explain the significance of these references. At what point in the story does nature change/darken? Why? Nature begins as a beautiful sunset that represents Shiftlet as a possible good person. As the car becomes a possible item for him to obtain, nature darkens until he leaves Lucynell in the diner and the storm comes to indicate his lost redemption. 3.Identify and explain any allusions to Jesus Christ. The carpenter occupation, the crooked cross in the sun, raising the car from the dead; all of these references suggest Shiftlet is a good character who is capable of redemption 4.Why does O’Connor include Shiftlet’s explanation about the doctor in Atlanta? This is an indication of comparing formal education to natural instincts. Nature vs Nurture. The story addresses the theme of a man in search of the meaning of life and the open heart is a metaphor for this theme. He cannot know the meaning of life. 5.Why does Shiftlet compare the car to the spirit? He makes several references to the car and the potential it holds The car is a temptation to the spirit and a spirit at ease/peace does not need to keep moving or wandering. He is telling Mrs. Crater that he is NOT the man she thinks he is. 6.Why does Shiftlet feel â€Å"the rottenness of the world about to engulf him†? Shiftlet makes an anguished plea to God to take him away. He is what is rotten in the world and the impending thunder is a symbol of his missed opportunity for redemption. 7.Explain the significance of the title of the story. Where is it referenced in the story? Why? A sign warning about driving. Significant because he is driving his temptation away from his redemption. Title is a motif of salvation/redemption. It applies to both Shiftlet and Crater to warn them to seek change before being left morally bankrupt. Additional Notes: Shiftlet begins as a man in search of something in life and believes he can find it in the car/wedding gift. But he chooses to continue wandering and abandons Lucynell who represents atonement. Mrs. Crater lures Shiftlet into her home to gain his services as a carpenter and potential suitor for her daughter and in turn loses

National Flood Insurance Plan: Efforts in Reducing Flood Los

National Flood Insurance Plan: Efforts in Reducing Flood Los In this report, the City of St. Petersburg has several contingency plans set to reduce the risk of flooding. First and foremost, they advise through a statement of warning. According to the St. Petersburg Florida Code of Ordinance Municode Library (section 16.40.050.1.6, 2017) states that although the Florida Building Code is considered the minimum. The city informs that larger floods are bound to happen and will. The citys ordinance code discusses that flood levels may depend on the intervention and or support of natural -vs- man-made causes. The city places emphasis on flooding outside of the zone areas is not impossible and that it could happen and not to assume that it will not. The designated flood zones are based on Global Information Systems (GIS) maps called Flood Insurance Rate Maps or (FIRM). Their requirements can be found on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) website. (FEMA), reserves the right to require city regulations to be revised as necessary as discussed in Title 44 Code of Federal Regulations, Sections 59 and 60 (St. Petersburg Florida Code of Ordinance Municode Library, 2017). According to (Adamides et al., 2016) the city code statutes of the City of St. Pete uses what is referred to as a Community Rating System or (CRS). Prior to; July 1st, 2010 NFIP CRS Section 553.73(5) of Florida Statutes are the following a) limitations on use of enclosures below buildings b) limitations on use of nonstructural and no compacted earthen fill c) limitation on installation of manufactured homes in certain flood hazard areas d) requirement to locate buildings at least 10 feet landward of the reach of mean high tide e) submission of operations and maintenance plans for dry flood proofed buildings A broad overview of the scope of the St. Petersburg Florida Code of Ordinance Municode Library states in section 16.40.050.1.2. That provisions of the section including but not limited to subdivision of land; filling, grading, and other site improvements and utility installations; construction, alteration, remodeling, enlargement, improvement, replacement, repair, relocation or demolition of buildings, structures, and facilities that are exempt from the Florida Building Code (St. Petersburg Florida Code of Ordinance Municode Library, 2017). Other methods the City of St. Petersburg educates the populous to help reduce the risk of flooding is by passing out brochures, education of students of all ages and by amending if necessary any city ordinance codes or reform bills. Further education for the citizens of the city is on a detailed web page for the City of St. Petersburg. There is an in-depth overview of flood information including educational videos found on their website. The website resources also allow the community to access maps, contacts, and educational information on Biggert-Waters act and what it is. The City of St. Petersburg also allows access to mitigation strategy plans, the National Flood Insurance Plan or (NFIP) for the city; along with a Community Rating System or (CRS). Other relevant programs in Pinellas County on flood information, Floodplain Management for the city of St. Petersburg and its ordinance can be found on their main website as well as www.fema.gov. As a last measure of prevention, the city also alerts its citizens by the use of a public warning system. (Adamides et al., 2016). In order to enforce the minimum floodplain management regulations, the City of St. Petersburg employs building codes. Section 16.40.050.1.3 of the St. Petersburg Florida Code of Ordinance Municode Library references this. The code states that its purpose is to establish minimum requirements to safeguard the public health, safety, and general welfare of its citizens. It also minimizes public and private losses due to flooding through regulation of development in flood hazard areas (St. Petersburg Florida Code of Ordinance Municode Library, 2017). The St. Petersburg Florida Code of Ordinance Municode Library, states the following: Minimize unnecessary or prolonged disruption of commerce, access, and public service during times of flooding; Require the use of appropriate practices, at the time of initial construction, in order to prevent or minimize future flood damage; Manage filling, grading, dredging, mining, paving, excavation, drilling operations, storage of equipment or materials, and other development which may increase flood damage or erosion potential; Manage the alteration of flood hazard areas, watercourses, and shorelines to minimize the impact of development on the natural and beneficial functions of the floodplain; Minimize damage to public and private facilities and utilities such as water and gas mains, electric, telephone and sewer lines, streets and bridges located in floodplains; Help maintain a stable tax base by providing for the sound use and development of flood hazard areas in such a manner as to minimize future flood blight areas; Minimize the need for future expenditure of public funds for flood control projects and response to and recovery from flood events; Meet the requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program for community participation as set forth in the Title 44 Code of Federal Regulations, section 59.22; Protect human life and health; Minimize the need for rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding and generally undertaken at the expense of the general public; Ensure that property owners are notified yearly the property is in a flood-prone area; Restrict or prohibit uses which are dangerous to health, safety, and property due to water or erosion hazards or which result in damaging increases in erosion or in flood heights or velocities; and Prevent or regulate the construction of flood barriers which will unnaturally divert floodwaters or which may increase flood hazards to other lands. So what is flood insurance the Biggert-Waters act? According to Harrington a journalist with the Tampa bay Times, it is a Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012, which removed the subsidies on about 20 percent of policies nationwide for homes that were built prior to 1975 (Harrington, 2016). Harrington writes that Congress after considering the damages that accrued after Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy they needed to make the NFIP meet yearly criteria. Congress found that after the storms the program was more than $23 billion in debt due to claims in those years. Another drawback of the Flood Insurance Reform was that some of its recipients were grandfathered in at low flood insurance rates (Harrington, 2016). Harrington writes that Florida of all the other states was the most affected by the new reforms. In 2014 in hopes of improving the Flood Insurance Reform Act, Congress decided due to the losses to revise the cost of insurance. This act created a 20% hike in insurance rates. In consideration to the homeowners, the new rates would not be in play until 2016 and the homeowners were allowed extra time to prepare for the rates to go up. This ended with renewals beginning April 1st, 2016. Previously mentioned, GIS maps or FIRMS were drawn up to show Floodplain Zones. They were designated with letters such as A, B, C, V, and X. Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) or high-risk areas are designated with A and V; whereas low-risk zones are everything else. They are known as Non-Special Flood Hazard Areas (NSFHAs) (Harrington, 2016). Harrington notes that more than 50% of Floridas 2 million insurance policies are zones designated in the X area. Collected data over the past decades reflects a great deal on the City of St. Petersburg. The NFIP was able to project a 100-year plan. This plan shows coastal flooding inland as far as 10 miles in some areas where others are only a few (Boland, 2017). According to the significant flood events data on FEMA.gov Superstorm Sandy, on the other hand in October of 2012 paid 131,031 losses in policies with an estimated $8,494,205,096 in damages with an average loss payment of $65,00 Granted Superstorm Sandy minutely affected Florida and the City of St. Petersburg it still did its fair share of damages. Tropical Storm Debbie who sat on the coast of Florida in June of 2012, did do a great deal of damage. One thousand seven hundred and ninety-two policies were affected, with $42,694,074 in total damages paid out. Each with an average amount of payment at $24,000 (Significant Flood Events | FEMA.gov, 2017). It is with this type of data that the City of St. Petersburg is able to compile projections of future disasters. According to the Repetitive Loss Area Analysis, Shore Acres represents a repetitive loss area within St. Petersburg which attribute to over 200 affected flood policies. Shore Acres alone attributed to $13.7 million in losses that were paid out. Before development in 1923 Shore Acres was designated as costal marshlands. It was later developed in the mid-1950s with land varying from 5 to 6 feet above sea-level (Shore Acres Repetitive Loss Area Analysis, 2016). The Repetitive Loss Area Analysis states that Shore Acres along with Belleair Shores and Clearwater Beach attribute to 21.95% of the State of Floridas pay out. The three totaled $67,976,750.33 in damages alone. These high loss areas in Pinellas County are considered Hot Spots for the county and are targeted areas for future mitigation programs (Shore Acres Repetitive Loss Area Analysis, 2016). Bibliography References Cited Adamides, D., Dunn CBO CFM, R., Frey PE, C., Holehouse CPCU, J., Kinsey, L., Seeks, A. et al. (2016). CITY OF ST PETERSBURG NFIP PROGRAM FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION REPORT (1st ed.). Saint Petersburg: St. Petersburg City Council. https://www.stpete.org/emergency/flooding/docs/NFIP-CRS%20PPI%202016%20Report.pdf Taylor CFM, N. (2017). Flooding St. Petersburg. Stpete.org. http://www.stpete.org/emergency/flooding/ Significant Flood Events | FEMA.gov. (2017). Fema.gov. https://www.fema.gov/significant-flood-events NFIP Policy Growth Percentage Change. (2017) (1st ed., pp. 1-3). Retrieved from Significant Flood Events | FEMA.gov. (2017). Fema.gov. https://www.fema.gov/significant-flood-events http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/realestate/even-with-shore-acres-st-petersburg-paid-8-times-more-into-flood-insurance/2150628 Shore Acres Repetitive Loss Area Analysis. (2016) (1st ed.). City of St. Petersburg. https://www.stpete.org/emergency/flooding/docs/Shore%20Acres%20RLAA%20-%202016.pdf Boland, C. (2017). FEMA NFIP 100 Year Flood Zones in St. Petersburg. Arcgis.com. https://www.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html?webmap=489ebde40c834cf8b90a197b5cdc4d56 Harrington, J. (2016). Remember the flood insurance scare of 2013? Its creeping back into Tampa Bay and Florida. Tampa Bay Times. http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/banking/remember-the-flood-insurance-scare-of-2013-its-creeping-back-into-tampa/2288308 Federal Emergency Management Agency, (2013). Analysis of Floridas NFIP Repetitive Loss Properties using geospatial tools and field verification data (pp. 19, 25, and 26). Pinellas County: FEMA. https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1711-25045- 7431/analysis_of_florida_s_nfip_repetitive_loss_properties_using_geospatial_tools_and_field_verrification_data.txt St. Petersburg Florida Code of Ordinance Municode Library. (2017). Municode.com. https://www.municode.com/library/fl/st._petersburg/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIISTPECO_CH16LADERE_S16.40.050FLMA_16.40.050.1.3INPU