Comparative Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Comparative Law - Essay Example Political arguments about gun rights fall into two basic categories, first, does the government have the authority to regulate guns, and second, if it does, is it effective public policy to regulate guns? (Spitzer, 1995). Gun debate refers to a continuing political and social debate concerning both the constraint and accessibility of firearms within the United States. It has been among the most controversial and intractable issues in  American politics. The debate has been distinguished by an impasse between an individual right to bear arms based on the  second amendment  and the accountability of government to avert crime, preserve order and protect the welfare of its residents. The right to own a gun and defend oneself is considered by some as a central tenet of the  American identity (Spitzer, 1995). The two early state court cases,  Bliss  and  Buzzard, set the debate in interpreting the Second Amendment, i.e. whether it protected an Individual Right or a Collective Right and occupied the American legal experts thinking for years to come .A debate about how to interpret the Second Amendment evolved through the decades and remained unresolved until the 2008  District of Columbia v. Heller  U.S. Supreme Court decision (Cornell , 2006). ... Gun rights groups maintain that bans on the sale of certain types of weapons have not proved effective in reducing violent crime, and that proposals for stricter background checks at gun shows are designed to eliminate gun shows themselves. Some gun manufacturers have volunteered support for safety locks, but the NRA has criticized safety locks for placing an undue burden on gun manufacturers without a proven benefit to the public (Crothers, 2003). The first category, collectively known as rights-based arguments, consist of Second Amendment arguments, state constitution arguments, right of self-defense arguments, and security against tyranny and invasion arguments. Public policy arguments, the second category of arguments, revolve around the importance of a militia, the reduction of gun violence and firearm deaths, and also can include arguments regarding security against foreign invasions. On June 26, 2008, in  District of Columbia v. Heller,  the United States Supreme Court aff irmed, by a 5-4 vote, the decision of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. This decision struck down the D.C. gun law. It also clarifies the scope of the  Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, stating that it stipulates an individual  right  irrespective of membership in a militia. However, the court made it clear that like other rights, the right to bear arms is not without limitations, leaving open the prospect of governmental regulation. The decision declined to rule on the  incorporation  of the Second Amendment, leaving its applicability to the states unsettled "While the status of the Second Amendment within the twentieth-century incorporation debate is a matter of importance for the many challenges to state gun control laws, it is an issue that we need not

Arguments for and Against Genetically Modified Food Essay Example for Free

Arguments for and Against Genetically Modified Food Essay Biotechnology involves any technique that uses living organisms or parts there of to make or modify products, to improve plants or animals or to develop micro organisms for specific uses (Dr Sriwatanapongse, www. afic. org) In the past century weve have been lucky enough to stumble upon one of the basic building blocks of organisms, DNA. In recent years scientists have been able to develop ways in which they can manipulate, alter, and transfer DNA in forms that can help improve our lives. One way in which DNA research has been used to improve our lifestyle, is by engineering the deoxyribonucleic acid into ways which can alter food supplies to make them bigger, taste better, resistant to pests and even make them have a greater concentration of nutrients. Of course this is great news to the human population, in terms of economic and life-saving values for third world countries, yet there are still disadvantages. With all the good news that comes from these altered crops, concerns are still among people. These concerns include; whether or not these alterations will affect humans in a negative way, or how they will impact the environment. Genetically engineering crops might play a significant role in increasing crop yield therefore allowing the world to feed more people while using less land. A recent study on bioengineered crops concluded that these crops are safe and can improve production dramatically. To date, total acres of biotech crops harvested exceed more than 1 billion with a proven 10-year history of safe use. Over the next decade, expanded adoption combined with current research on 57 crops in 63 countries will broaden the advantages of genetically modified foods for growers, consumers and the environment. (www. monsanto. com) Those opposing the genetically altered crops state that One major detriment to genetically engineered food is that there has been no adequate testing to ensure that extracting genes from useful functions will yield the same results in different applications and species (www. govhs. org). Predictions of future are that, consumers are able to get foods that last longer, taste better and are more nutritious than the current foods. There will also an even greater variety of foods all year round. These products will be made possible through genetic engineering, and some of them are already available. For centuries, farmers grew plants to produce special foods with unique characteristics: better taste, higher yield or greater resistance to drought or frosts. History shows, that five thousand years ago in Peru, potatoes were grown selectively. Plants, which produced potatoes with attractive characteristics, such as higher yields, were used to produce future plants. More than two thousand years ago, tree grafting was used by the Greeks to Gain a more fruit in orchards. Now, we have genetically engineered food that has been discovered and now offers a faster and more reliable method of establishing new traits in plants to provide foods that are better tasting, more nutritious or more in amount. Although all of this may seem futuristic, such crops do already exist. Not only have these crops been in laboratories for decades, but they have been in the market for years. Humans have only just begun to realize the benefits of these genetically altered foods. Genetically altered foods allow a wide selection of things to improve upon. Some altered abilities already exists in our fruits and vegetables, these include: pest, disease and herbicide. By using genetic engineering, plants that resist disease, pests or insects can be developed. This means that less chemicals, such as pesticides, are required. In the near future scientists hopefully will be able to improve the drought resistance of most crop species and could have major implications for crops grown in dry areas (www.abc. net. au/news). Weather resistance Plants could and can be developed to better withstand extreme weather conditions such as drought or frosts. Genetically engineering foods make crops easier to maintain and lower the cost in maintenance. One benefit of altered foods which is often overlooked is the Improved processing characteristics of these foods, leading to reduced waste and lower food costs to the consumer. Foods are being developed to contain more vitamins, minerals, protein and less saturated fat. For example, fruits and vegetables with higher levels of antioxidant vitamins may reduce cardiovascular disease risk and help reduce the risk of certain cancers (www. americanheart. org). The world population is expected to double to more than 10 billion people by the year 2050. Food biotechnology can help meet the increasing demand for food. By increasing a crops ability to withstand environmental factors, growers will be able to farm in parts of the world currently unsuitable for crop production. Along with additional food, this could also provide economies of developing nations with much-needed jobs and greater productivity. Genetically engineered foods seem to have solved all the problems farmers and growers have had for years. Unfortunately all the positive effects of altered foods seem to mask the reality behind these perfect crops. Some of the disadvantages of altered crops include the possibility of mutations. Plant breeders have induced mutations in selected plants by treating them with chemicals or radiation; however this is costly and unpredictable (Microorganisms, biotechnology and Disease). Genetic engineering changes the nature of the food eaten. It can cause unexpected mutations in an organism, which can create new and higher levels of toxins in foods. Genetic engineering can produce unknown allergens in foods. Some foods may be implanted with the ability to produce antibiotics. This may help the plant, but if these plants that are infected with bacteria emerge new strands of bacteria that may become resistant to the most advanced antibiotics, there will be a problem. With herbicide-resistant crops, weeds may evolve to also become herbicide resistant. The spread of diseases across specific species may also become a factor because of a loss of ? bio-diversity in crops. When crops are altered for specific abilities, they are then mass produced. They are the only type of species grown in field of thousands. Because of this, the species will only be able to pass on to all generations the same DNA. Once started, they may not be easily controlled or contained. It makes the crops hard to calculate. Unfortunately the biggest problem raised from new modified foods is the fact that the public is unaware of how it works and the results behind the genetically modified food. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the genetic code in living organisms. About twenty five years ago, scientists began to understand how DNA worked. From this ways for speeding up breeding processes were understood to a degree. Agricultural scientists today can identify the genes that carry specific traits they want, such as ? disease resistance or ? nutrient content and transfer those genes to a plant, therefore creating a transgenic organism. Genetic engineering is the process of artificially modifying these ? blueprints. By cutting and splicing DNA, engineers can transfer genes specific to one type of organism into any other organism. Some organisms have been enhanced through biotechnology such as; tomatoes, that go ? soft more slowly and so remain on the vine for longer. This gives them more colour and flavour. Also, virus resistant papyrus and squash, that make the crop more dependable. Genetically modified food seems to have already changed the world today. Many countries are already considering making more of their crops with genetically engineered properties. Scientists have gained a vast knowledge of genetic engineering and are now able to make many possibilities. Genetically engineered food has brought a lot of commercial benefits; increased crops quality, harvesting quantity, pest resistance, herbicide resistance, nutrient supplementation and more. Not only have the crops improved, but more crops are produced in less space. Although the benefits of bioengineering seem fantastic, there are still many mysteries left to understand in such a vast field of understanding. Genetic engineering might cause serious consequences to our future life as well next generations to come. Deeper insight into genetic engineering may be all that is needed for us to gain truly unlimited advantage from such a vast scientific field.

Internship Essay -- essays research papers

The senior that I chose to interview was Devon Smith also known â€Å"Mouse†. Devon is a graduate of Laurel High School and is currently attending Bowie State University. He is a student athlete and a member of the Pedology program. In this interview I will ask questions in regards to his field placement to better understand how and why things work when entering the field. I feel as though I am prepared for my internship, but hopefully after interviewing Devon I won’t be as nervous about my field placement. I realize that the information he presents is imperative to me starting my internship. Q: What was the hardest part of the field practicum? A: The hardest part of my field practicum was basically learning all the procedures of your field studies and learning all the policies and procedures once you get there. Q: How did you feel entering the agency? A: I felt cool because there wasn’t any stress put on my back because they knew my situation me being an athlete and dealing with academia as well. The school was flexible with my hours as long as I completed whatever they asked me to do. Q: What was the hardest task you had to perform at your site? A: The hardest task was getting accustomed to the children to make sure that I follow the procedures when faced with certain situations, like counseling a student, or restraining a student who is out of hand, learning how to encourage a student about academics and how to deal with a student who has behavioral problems. Q: What weakness did you have that has now become strength since working in the field? A: The weakness that I had was being sort of like closed off, I mean not totally but it takes me awhile to open up to people but I think that I am more efficient at talking to the kids. They are kind of shy when they first meet you so in order for them to open up I had to let myself go and let them know that it was ok for them to open up. With some one my age it is easier to you know break the ice, but with kids if they don’t come to know or trust you than they hold things back and wont tell you certain things. Q: What would you like to see different from a policy standpoint? A: as far as the student suspensions I would rather see them find an alternative to suspending students. If they are suspended then nine times out of ten they miss out on school work and end up falling behind. Q: What was the most important thing... ...ew candidates. Most importantly, it is critical that you get involved in a professional association related to your career interests. Attending events that various organizations offer, maximizes your exposure to the firm that you potentially may intern for, ever-increasing your chances exponentially of receiving an internship.  Ã‚   Lastly, keep in mind that not having an internship program in place does not mean that an organization is unwilling or apathetic in having an intern.   While larger firms are more likely to have recognized internship programs, it is possible and probable that firms smaller in size are more than willing and able to hire an intern or build some type of internship program.   If you are truly interested in working for an organization, do not hesitate to take the initiative.  Ã‚  Ã‚   After the interview, I thanked Devon for his time and felt more confident in the selection of my field. I knew that this is what I wanted to do but I would have sporadic uncertainties about my abilities and how my transition into the workplace would be. The information that he had provided combined with what I had already knew made me feel more comfortable with pursuing an internship.

Thesis Statement Renting vs Buying

Renting now can make things become a bit easier later. Saving money is what every American wants to do. Buying a home can not only hurt someone financially but it can put them in a bind that can have them paying a bill for the rest of their life. The economy is on a rollercoaster right now so making the decision to buy a home can be a tad bit tricky. Buying a home is not a one time transaction because once you have the home you continue to pay bills such as mortgage fees and cosmetics. Thinking about the money that you may have to come out of is a good enough reason on why you would want to save up money to take care of some of the fees that will occur when making the decision to buy a home. If you own your home, you can claim your property taxes on your tax return. You can also get a tax credit if you make certain renovations to your home to make it more energy efficient – like energy efficient appliances and windows. This one is pretty minor, but assuming you have a fixed rate mortgage, your payment should stay the same. This provides a nice protection against inflation. Renters on the other hand, will watch their monthly payments rise as inflation rises. One of the things my boyfriend and I are most excited about is the ability to customize our house. Apartment living is full of rules and restrictions of what you can and can’t do. I am excited to have the freedom to paint the walls, landscape, and install a new faucet – if I would like. Renting can put some of these things in someone else’s hands to where you can save the money that is extra from your monthly payment. Renters don't have to pay for anything that breaks down in their apt. Homeowners have to pay for repairs themselves. When renting an apartment you will never have to worry about fixing the toilet, sink, or plumbing because all of those things are paid by the landlord. Skipping these fees leaves more money in your piggy bank expanding your options for your home when you come to that decision. Making the decision to rent now and buy later can also give you enough time to wait on the economy to get stronger which can make buying a home a much smoother process. Rent now and buy later is the best technique right now. If you are still on the fence about whether to buy or rent, use the rent ratio. The rent ratio is when you take the purchase price of a house and divide it by the yearly cost of renting a home. According to the New York Times article, â€Å"the number 20 provides a useful rule of thumb. When you do the math, you discover that a ratio above 20 means you should at least consider renting, especially if you may move again in the next five years or so. When the ratio is well below 20, the case for buying becomes a lot stronger. Also, make sure to factor in other costs associated with owning a home such as homeowner association fees, property taxes, homeowners insurance, and maintenance costs. Also, know your personal situation. If you’ve got debt up to your eyeballs or you’ve just gone through a big life change such as marriage, a newborn, divorce, or a death in the family, taking on the responsibility of owning a home might not be in your best interest. Which one do you think is the better financial decision? Do you think that there are cases when renting is a better decision than home ownership?

Well Schooled in Murder

Describe the traditions of Bredgar Chambers as outlined in the text: Well-schooled in Murder. Bredgar Chambers is a school where discipline is on high priority. It is a boarding school where the students live. They have something like a dress code; they have to be dressed like rich people as the text says: â€Å"they were nice-looking boys, nearly dressed in grey trousers, crisp white shirts, and a yellow pullovers and yellow stripped ties. † That means that all students have to wear the same clothes, so they look no different from each other. The boys at Bredgar Chambers have their own traditions. They often go out into the woods to hunt for magic mushrooms. They just pick them up, but never eat them. They also go to the bell tower, which is supposed to be locked, and carve their names on the wall inside. Some of the boys also have a smoke there. These are some of the traditions that the boys at Bredgar Chambers have together. How do we know that the text is a crime story? The text is a crime story because there is a mystery, a murder and a clear up. The mystery is where Matthew went. No one knows where he was going and that was a huge mystery. There is also a murder. The story tells that Matthew is maybe dead, but no one knows it. The investigation in the story is where Lynley investigate the missing of Matthew. What do you think has happened to Matthew Whateley? Matthew Whateley was not happy to stay at Bredgar Chambers, and his parents were not listening to him, they just said to him;†You have to stay at this school if you want an education. † This was not Matthew? s plan; he did not want to stay at the boarding school no more, so he decided to escape. After his escape from the boarding school, he went into the woods and hid. He wanted to send a signal to his parents, that he was seriously about not staying at the boarding school any longer. His plan was to stay in the woods a few days until the teachers, his parents or the police would find him. After the first day it seemed that no one was looking for him. Matthew was upset; he was thinking that maybe no one could like him anymore. Why were his parents not looking for him? He was frustrated, but also stubborn. He would not give up. He wanted to send a signal to them in order to make them understand that he didn? t like the school. But that night it was very cold, and Matthew did not have anything to keep him warm. He tried to sleep, but it was so cold. He would not go back. He decided to stay. After some time he fell asleep. The next day the police found him laying under a tree frozen to death. Matthew? s parents were very upset and they should have listened to their son. They were not aware of the situation. He hated the school and the way things were there. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of getting one’s education at a public boarding school. Getting an education at a public boarding school has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are that the students live together and they can always help each other. A boarder school is almost the same as continuation school. You live with your teachers and you are getting to know them better than if you fx. went to a normal state school. You do not just get to know the teachers for teaching you, but you also get to know them outside the classrooms and you often become friends with them. An education at a boarding school is also good for many people because they often become more mature and grown-up during the stay. The disadvantages are that many students have trouble being around many people all the time. You can also have a problem with relaxing while studying, because there are almost always people around you. If you get problems while being at a boarding school you do not have your parents around you to talk with, only friends and teachers, and it is not the same as if you were talking with your parents. I myself like the idea of a boarding school where you are not so dependent on your parents, but more on your own, but still have a lot of friends around you almost all the time. Discuss why Denmark doesn’t have the same number of public boarding schools as Great Britain. What are the pros and cons? The reason why we do not have the same number of public boarding schools in Denmark is because in Denmark we have many continuation schools. A continuation school is almost the same as a boarding school. If you go to a boarding school you have a lot of rules, you have to wear special clothes so all students are exactly alike. When I think of a boarding school I think it is a school where all the boys are dressed with suits and the girls with skirts, and they call their teachers sir and madam. At a continuation school there are also many rules, but not as many and as strict as at a Boarding school. That fits more to the Danish way of living. A little more freedom and participation in decision-making, that’s what most Danish people like, but also rules to follow. At a continuation school you have a room with your roommates and you go to school like you normally do, and when your school day is finished, you can almost do whatever you like to do. You are more free to do what you want to do.

Charles Dickens Essays - Charles Dickens, David Copperfield

Charles Dickens Essays - Charles Dickens, David Copperfield Charles Dickens Something about Charles Dickens and his ability to take his reader to unbelievable places with his imaginative powers allows him the honor of being the most popular English novelist of the 19th century. Dickens has thrilled his readers for many years with his down-to-earth stories about real people forced into real situations. Charles Dickens has the ability to tell his stories from personal experiences. He fine-tuned his ability to tell his own story through the life of another character or cast of characters. Born on the evening of February 7, 1812, Charles Dickens was the second child of his parents, John and Elizabeth Dickens.. Although he was a solitary child, Dickens was observant and good natured . Looking back on this period of his life, Dickens thought of it as the golden age (Carey 6). In the first novel that he wrote, The Pickwick Papers, Dickens tries to bring back the good old times as he remembers them with their picturesque nature. Gary Carey believes that this novel displays the happiness of innocence and the playful spirit of the youth during the time of Dickens's youthful days (7). Overtaken by financial difficulties, the Dickens family was forced to move into a shabby suburb of Camden Town. This move must have shown the family how good they had it back in Chatham. There Dickens was removed from school and forced to work degrading menial jobs in an effort to help his struggling father put food on the table. Dickens was put to work in a blackening factory among many rough and cruel employees, probably the worst job in town. Shortly after Dickens started working in the factory his father was thrown into jail for failure to pay his debts, only to be released three months later. This period of time affected Dickens greatly as he went into a period of depression. He felt abandoned and destroyed by this evil roller-coaster ride of life he was on. From this time period come many of the major themes of his more popular novels. Perhaps the most popular of these novels is David Copperfield. In this novel Dickens depicts a young man who grows up in a very similar way to that of his own (Allen 28). Dickens' sympathy for the victimized, his fascination with prisons and money, the desire to vindicate his heroes' status as gentlemen, and the idea of London as an awesome, lively, and rather threatening environment all reflect the experiences he had during his time on his own. On his own at the age of twelve, Dickens learned many necessary life skills which also developed in him a driving ambition and a boundless energy that transferred into every thing that he did (28). It would be a mistake to think of Charles Dickens as an uneducated man just because he had little formal schooling. Dickens did what everyone should do, learn from life. His entire writing career was a continuing process of development and experimentation. Many of his themes keep repeating themselves throughout his pieces and those themes most certainly stem from his early life. From his early Pickwick Papers to his one of his last pieces The Mystery of Edwin Drood Dickens never ceased to develop his writing abilities and skill, establishing himself as the major and primary Victorian novelist (Bloom 189). The journey from boyhood into manhood is a momentous one, and definitely something that has a lasting effect on one's person. Charles Dickens in his novel David Copperfield describes the journey into manhood by telling a story similar to his own life through the life of David Copperfield. There isn't one underlining theme in this novel there are many. The journey is one that along with David's is longing for what is lost in the past and the humiliation he feels from being an orphan. Dickens has written an excellent novel describing the troubles of growing up and the benefits of having a rough childhood. Through the rough experiences that he had, Dickens was able to look back on his early life and write world-famous stories about them. Calvin Brown feel that these experiences also helped shape the man the Dickens became, as do all experiences in

To Curry Favor

To Curry Favor To Curry Favor To Curry Favor By Maeve Maddox A reader asks, Does the expression Curry Favour have anything to do with curry? Short answer: â€Å"No.† But the long answer is pretty cool. The gastronomical word curry derives from a Tamil word for sauce, whereas, the curry in the expression â€Å"to curry favour/favor† is a verb meaning â€Å"to comb a horse.† curry (noun): A preparation of meat, fish, fruit, or vegetables, cooked with a quantity of bruised spices and turmeric, and used as a relish or flavoring, especially for dishes composed of or served with rice. Hence, a curry = a dish or stew (of rice, meat, etc.) flavored with this preparation (or with curry-powder). curry (verb): to rub down a horse with a comb. The word favor in â€Å"to curry favor† is the product of folk etymology. The original expression was â€Å"to curry Favel,† in which Favel is the name of a fictional horse. Satirical allegories featuring anthropomorphized animals were popular in the Middle Ages. The name Favel came into English from the French tale Le Roman de Fauvel, in which a horse named Fauvel parodied the hypocritical behavior of the courtiers and ecclesiastical lords of the French royal court. The horse’s name derives from his color: he’s a â€Å"fallow horse.† As an adjective, fallow refers to a pale brownish or reddish yellow color. It’s probably cognate with Latin pallere, â€Å"to be pale.† Both English and German had an idiom that may have preceded the French tale: â€Å"to ride the fallow horse.† The expression meant, â€Å"to practice duplicity.† One academic theory as to why riding a fallow horse was associated with hypocrisy is that the expression may have originated with â€Å"the pale horse† in the Apocalypse (Book of Revelation). The rider of the pale horse, â€Å"one whose name is Death,† was thought by some commentators to represent the duplicitous Antichrist. When the word Favel became meaningless to English speakers, they substituted it with the familiar word favor. In sum, to curry chicken is to cook it with curry. To curry favor is to seek to gain an advantage by means of flattery and hypocrisy. Here are some recent examples of the use of curry in the nonfood sense: Leadership PACs generally attempt to curry favor with other lawmakers, hoping to win support for legislation or other political aspirations. If we change [the law], Mr. Lynn said, were going to see politicians running around seeking support of churches and hoping that they can curry favor with those churches by promising them money and favors. Not only did he flout those laws in order to curry favor with a prospective employer, but he also illegally disclosed the identity of a whistleblower, as the Complaint alleges. The lobbying campaign, reconstructed by  Newsweek  and The Daily Beast through interviews and documents, speaks volumes about the efforts of big business to curry favor, even among perceived enemies.   Curry may also be followed by approval and good will: Jorge is explaining to his men that Nikita Khrushchev has permitted a few chosen writers to travel abroad,  hoping to curry approval  from the worlds cultural elite. Kuwait used its resources to  curry good will  among Arab countries, especially Egypt. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Punctuating â€Å"So† at the Beginning of a SentenceAcronym vs. Initialism50 Plain-Language Substitutions for Wordy Phrases