The North American Free Trade Agreement - 1018 Words

The North American Free Trade Agreement, known as NAFTA, is a trilateral trade agreement between Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Signed January 1, 1994, NAFTA’s main purpose was to reduce trading costs, increase business investments, and help the United States be more competitive in the global marketplace. The agreement would eliminate all tariffs on half of all U.S. goods shipping to Mexico and introduce new regulations to encourage cross-border investments. According to President Bush, trade deals give birth to jobs, more jobs mean higher incomes for the American people, which in turn means a boom for the American economy. However, in 1993 negotiations created union-backed protests across the nation against the creation of a free-trade zone, while at the same time prominent economists and government officials still predicted NAFTA would lead to hundreds of thousands of jobs and more sales of U.S. products abroad. Since the inception of NAFTA in 1994 those jobs did not materialize because simply put trade can both create jobs and destroys jobs. Of course, increases in U.S. exports can potentially create jobs. However, increases in imports can reduce jobs because imports displace goods otherwise made in the United States. Ultimately, some of the results that followed as a result of NAFTA ended up eroding labor conditions for two nations with some of the worst impacts felt south of the border. Detroit was once the 4th largest city in the United States with aShow MoreRelatedNorth American Free Trade Agreement Essay1398 Words   |  6 Pages North American Free Trade Agreement During the most recent race for the White House we heard very little of substance from both parties, but one thing both parties seem to agree on is that free trade has been bad for the U.S. worker. One candidate proclaimed that the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has cost the United States hundreds of thousands of jobs and another distanced herself from free trade agreements all together. It has been over twenty years since the implementation ofRead MoreThe North American Free Trade Agreement1711 Words   |  7 PagesThis paper will discuss four components of the North American Free Trade Agreement: Background, events, pros and cons. Upon the research, you will discover four online articles to provide more detail and examples. This research will indicate how it was developed and the reasoning on why it would benefit the nation. Also, it will provide events that occur after the agreement was signed by congress and the recession the countries experience during the e arly 2000s. There will be a chart locatedRead MoreThe North American Free Trade Agreement Essay1420 Words   |  6 Pagessubstance from both parties, but one thing both parties seem to agree on is that free trade has been bad for the U.S. worker. One candidate proclaimed that the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has cost the United States hundreds of thousands of jobs and another distanced herself from free trade agreements all together. It has been over twenty years since the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement and many have criticized it as a bad deal for the U.S. It can be shown thatRead MoreThe North American Free Trade Agreement1036 Words   |  5 PagesThe North American Free Trade Agreement also referred to as NAFTA produced results on January 1, 1994. A trade agreement was made between each of the three of nations of North America. The United States, Canada, and Mexico. The Canadian Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney, the Mexican Presiden t, Carlos Salinas de Gortari, and previous U.S. President George H. Shrub initiated the agreement. Connections between the nations were at that point on great terms, particularly between The United States and CanadaRead MoreThe North American Free Trade Agreement Essay1863 Words   |  8 PagesThe North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, is an accordance between the United States, Mexico, and Canada that was put into effect in January 1994. This agreement was unprecedented because it integrated three countries that were at extremely different levels of economic development. It changed the economic relationship between North American countries and encouraged trade and investment among the three countries to grow considerably. The purpose of the creation of the North American FreeRead MoreThe North American Free Trade Agreement Essay1356 Words   |  6 PagesThe North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is an agreement negotiated by three countries; Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The main purpose of NAFTA is essentially to reduce trade barriers in order to promote international commerce, and open up different industries to trade, in particular textiles, agriculture, and automobile sectors. The introduction of NAFTA completely transformed North American economic relations and led to unparalleled cooperation between the U.S. Canada and MexicoRead MoreThe North American Free Trade Agreement1486 Words   |  6 PagesThe North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), an agreement signed by three countries in creating rules in trade in North America. NAFTA, when being presented, was described as genuine for helping Mexico and Canada. But was NAFTA really helpings those counties or really just helping N orth America? Initially North America was being genuine about NAFTA when talking to Mexico and Canada but in reality the NAFTA caused some uneven development as the years went by. I have two stories thatRead MoreThe North American Free Trade Agreement1804 Words   |  8 Pagesunderstanding the elements of trade blocs that enable open markets between member nations while also decreasing the cost of conducting business within a country is essential in making strategic logistical decisions. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has provided one such trade bloc that encompasses the countries of the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Since the inception of NAFTA in 1994, significant financial results have been achieved regarding increases in trade revenue and increases inRead MoreThe North American Free Trade Agreement920 Words   |  4 PagesThe North American Free Trade Agreement (NATFA) shoved the American worker down a flight of stairs in the name of Globalization NAFTA or a bill similar had been floating around Washington since 1979 a year before Reagan took office. NAFTA truly went no where for over a decade. The â€Å"North American Accord† was first proposed by the Reagan and the GOP were always in favor of passage but, it was the Progressive wing, along with many other pro-union members in the Democratic party who held NAFTA atRead MoreThe North American Free Trade Agreement2468 Words   |  10 Pages1.1 Introduction The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was is the biggest free trade region in the globe, creating economic development and helping to raise the living standard for the citizens of all three member states. By strengthening the policies and procedures governing trade and investment, the NAFTA has indicated to be a solid foundation for developing Canada’s prosperity and has set an important example of the advantages of trade liberalization for the rest of the globe. Two decades

The Holocaust Genocide - 1325 Words

The Holocaust is one of the most gruesome and inhumane events to ever happen in the history of the world. The Holocaust took place during World War II. WWII was one event that was categorized as strictly good vs evil. At the beginning of the war America wanted to remain neutral because we had just come out of WWI and were working on rebuilding our economy. The United States was successful in remaining neutral until Japan bombed Pearl Harbor early on the morning of December 7. 1941. The United States officially entered the WWII when we declared war on Japan on December 8, 1941. Just a few short days later on December 11, 1941, Hitler declared war on the united states, as Germany was an ally to Japan (Guerra.) On august 15.1945 Japan surrender to the U.S (Guerra) WWII had seven major countries involved including Germany, Italy, and Japan as the axis powers and the united states, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union as the allies. (Guerra) Hitler and his Nazis were a race of â₠¬Å"Aryan people† who believed their people were far more superior to any other race in the world. In their minds they believed they were more worthy of respect than even God himself. Hitler regarded the German’s as the Aryan â€Å"master race† (Nazi Racism) Hitler wanted a â€Å"pure race† so they could one day eventually conquer the world by themselves. Hitler’s perfect Aryan race was characterized by blonde haired, blue eyed and tall Aryans. For some unspecific reason, Hitler and his leaders did not viewShow MoreRelatedGenocides And Genocides Of The Holocaust1455 Words   |  6 PagesGenocides Occurring After the Holocaust The Holocaust was a mass murder of millions of individuals’ primary to and during World War II. â€Å"Only 54 percent of the people surveyed by the Anti- Defamation League (ADL) in a massive, global poll has ever heard of the Holocaust† (Wiener-Bronner). The Holocaust was from 1933-1945 and was run by German leader named Adolf Hitler. Hitler was a man who wanted to create his own race of people. Therefore to create this race, he wiped out anyone who did not haveRead MoreThe Genocide Of The Holocaust885 Words   |  4 Pages The Holocaust genocide lasted for approximately 4,482 days. There were nearly twelve years of planning and organizing the extermination of Jews in Europe. For most of those years, nearly all surrounding countries did not partake in assisting the survival of these Jews. Why? Why was there such insufficient help from countries around the world while the Holocaust had been occurring? Had other countries stepped in sooner to provide safety and rescue for the Jews, how different would history be? Read MoreThe Genocide Of The Holocaust1541 Words   |  7 Pageshuman history has existed, genocide as existed along with it. Even though the term itself was not coined until the 1940s by Raphael Lemkin in response to the Holocaust, the act of genocide has been occurring for millennia. In 146 BCE the first recorded act of genocide occurred with the Roman destruction of Carthage According to the Genocide Convention, genocide is defined as â€Å"the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a nat ional, ethnical, racial or religious group†. Genocide happens for a multitudeRead MoreThe Genocide Of The Holocaust1313 Words   |  6 PagesGenocide is the destruction of an ethnic, racial, or religious group. The most famous genocide, conducted by the Germans, is the extermination of the Jewish population known as the Holocaust. There are other genocides such as the Armenian or Darfur genocide, but the Holocaust is the one talked about and studied the most around the world today. Museums exist in Washington D.C, Los Angeles, and parts of Europe that focus primarily on this dark time in history. Vast amounts of books, movies, and documentsRead MoreThe Genocide Of The Holocaust1881 Words   |  8 Pagesreligions for cultural differences. This horrible action is known as genocide and it has killed millions and millions of innocent people in our world. Genocide has happened many times throughout our history and one of the most well known is the Holocaust the deliberate killing of six million Jews. Sadly many people have witnessed genocide with their own eyes and wished they could have unseen it, such as Elie Wiesel, a Holocaust survivor. A few years ago was another event called Darfur occurred whichRead MoreThe Genocide And The Holocaust1198 Words   |  5 PagesThere have been several genocides in the past century. The Cambodian Genocide and the Holocaust are two of the great tragedies of the twentieth century. The Holocaust occurred in Germany and Eastern Europe. The Cambodian genocide took place in Cambodia. The Khmer Rouge was an overwhelming communist force that took Phnom Penh by surprise. In Cambodia, â€Å"21% of the population was killed. That is about 1.7 million people that lost their lives† (â€Å"Past Genocides†). There was little commotion or outcryRead MoreGenocide And The Holocaust772 Words   |  4 Pages Genocide is one of the most tragic events that can happen around the world. Identifying the stages is the most crucial part of stopping these horrible acts. The Bosnian Genocide and the Holocaust could have been prevented or stopped if the 8 stages were properly identified . There are 8 stages of genocide and the first stage is Classification. Classification is putting people into groups based on race, ethnicity, and religion. These groups usually are separated into the superior people and the inferiorRead MoreThe Genocide Of The Holocaust1372 Words   |  6 PagesYailene Gaona 7th Period Genocide Have you ever wondered how would it be like to experience being killed because of your hair , skin, eye, color? If you had to be killed for any of that it would be called genocide? By genocide they mean destruction of a nation, race, religion, or ethnic group. For example, in 1933 The Holocaust was occurring. Adolf Hitler was the one who began an army of Nazi s and they were the ones that would target Jews. They placed all of the Jews in concentration campsRead MoreThe Genocide Of The Holocaust1823 Words   |  8 Pages Genocide Genocide a word that brings forth the morbid image of barbed wire fences, trenches overflowing with bodies, malnourished men, women, and children, a depressing black sky. Genocides definition is â€Å"the deliberate killing of people who belong to a particular racial, political, or cultural group† (Merriam-Webster.com) True to its name genocide is a word that has the ability to cause war and leaves a hellish vision in its victims. Despite all of this the seeminglyRead MoreThe Holocaust And The Rwanda Genocide1629 Words   |  7 PagesThe mind of a survivor of genocide can be various, violent, confused, or blank, it can scar the mind indefinitely or not. Not only are the conductors of the kill-spree are scary, but even the victims can be just as terrifying. Two examples of genocide are the Holocaust and the Rwanda Genocide, both of which gives off long ranges of psychological effects on the mind of those who survive. Survivors struggle through the tragic events with the ho pe they would soon find and be with their loved ones. So

Breast Implants Info Essay Research Paper Breast free essay sample

Breast Implants Info Essay, Research Paper Breast Plants: Good or Bad? For decennaries consumer # 8220 ; advocates # 8221 ; claimed that legal reform to do it harder for persons to action companies would unleash a downpour of insecure merchandises on the market. Alternatively, an out-of-control legal system is doing it about impossible for companies to develop merchandises for adult females without put on the lining bankruptcy. See silicone chest implants: Bags filled with silicone gel have been used for over three decennaries to retrace or enlarge adult females # 8217 ; s chests. Anywhere from 500,000 to 2 million adult females have received breast implants. Thankss to a category action case, nevertheless, chest implant shapers are being forced to abandon the implant market even though there is no grounds implants cause injury. In the 1980s, some adult females began claiming their silicone chest implants leaked, doing a assortment of symptoms common to connective tissue diseases such as arthritic arthritis, lupus and dermatosclerosis. We will write a custom essay sample on Breast Implants Info Essay Research Paper Breast or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page By the summer of 1992, 1000s of instances were filed, including at least nine province and federal category actions cases. It is now clear silicone chest implants pose no wellness hazard to adult females. A survey, conducted by the Mayo Clinic, compared adult females who had chest implants and those who did non over a 27 twelvemonth period and found there was no difference in the hazard for connective tissue disease. Similar consequences were found for rates of malignant neoplastic disease other than breast malignant neoplastic disease. In add-on, non a individual survey supports the claim made by some adult females that silicone chest implants do higher rates of multiple s clerosis and auto-immune disease. If there is no scientific connexion between silicone chest implants and connective tissue disease, why have adult females won instances against implant makers? Courts in the United States have broad discretion on who can be considered an expert for intents of medical testimony. Lawyers are highly successful in acquiring research workers who engage in cheapjack research on the base to attest that chest implants do so do diseases. In the current legal environment a individual triumph by implant complainant # 8217 ; s can be a company 1000000s. Lawyers are acquiring rich off this, but adult females will happen their medical picks limited in the future thanks to these cases. Fearing liability issues, companies are reacting by merely non developing engineerings that might expose them to merchandise liability suits. Silicone, for illustration, potentially has 100s of utilizations, but companies will believe long and difficult before marketing any kind of merchandise that incorporates it f or fright that they excessively will go the victim of cases. Already test attorneies are seting out antennas to take on the shapers of Norplant. Norplant is a birth control device implanted in the arm and delivers preventives for up to five old ages. Norplant is besides made out of silicone, and it is merely a affair of clip before cases claiming it causes connective tissue perturb start looking in America # 8217 ; s tribunals. Most pharmaceutical companies have already stopped researching new preventives due to liability concerns, and this could spell decease for future preventive options.

Learn How to Write a Synthesis Essay

A similar approach to a synthesis essay would be a compare and contrast piece where the subjects are laid out clearly and dissected into similarities and differences. A synthesis essay takes a different avenue - solidifying a position and defending it by providing, interpreting and incorporating legitimate sources. The whole point of this type of writing is to practice the ability to retain a confident grip on a set of ideals based on researched or provided facts. What is a Synthesis Essay: Definition, Approach First things first, what does synthesis mean? Synthesis revolves around working with a mix of elements or ideas and implementing them into one whole. Within this context, you probably got an assignment that involves several texts, and the aim is to dissect them. Synthesis usually requires a thesis, an idea that the essay bases on to get the point across. Playing with this idea is instrumental to college success. How to Start Writing: Topics List and Thesis Choosing a Topic Picking a good topic is essential to write a reasoned paper. Like a research paper, a topic cannot be too vague or too specific. There must be enough room for discussion. If it is too broad, forming a compelling argument could prove challenging. If it is too specific, there would not be sufficient breathing room. Topics that incite a disagreement are usually quite compelling because there is no right or wrong answer. Synthesis essay topic examples include, but are not limited to: Good Topic Suggestions Abortion There are quite a few approaches to this issue. You could discuss its ethical approach, its juridical viewpoint (Its legality and parallel to murder) among others. Get creative with it. War War is a sensitive topic, thus its effectiveness. The economic approach of armed conflict could be an argument for, but its disregard for innocent lives could be a con. Globalization What is globalization? Businesses try to develop international influence and thus infiltrate international markets. You could discuss its macro and microeconomic impact from the perspective of the international firm or a small domestic company that tries to compete on that level. Alcoholism (Addiction) / Depression The reason these two are tied is that it is perceived that one is a cause for the other. Further research about the issue may lead to a compelling argument and plenty of information to cite. Literature / Art Any creative output is bound to force multiple perspectives. Different interpretations are a great way of comparing, contrasting and perhaps settling on a conclusion. Eugenics Apart from being a cool word, it is also a fascinating concept. While it could be a tool to eradicate disease, meddling with the natural progression is a valid counterargument. Minimum Wage The debate over minimum wage is a huge issue within many governments. The right offers its abolishment, while the left calls for its increase. Exploring this concept provides much economic insight into the problem. Bad Topic Samples Global Warming This could have been a good topic a few years ago, but nowadays it is overused and has way too much evidence from one side; this limits the scope of research and the formulation of a strong argument. Death Penalty Also a commonly used topic, its application in a mostly democratic world is questionable. That could have been a good approach to writing that type of paper a while ago, but the worldwide consensus on such a matter shows its ineffectiveness to spark a conversation. Video Games Upon further research, video games in modern culture do not correlate with violence. It could be interesting to delve into it, but it would not be extensive. Volunteering Self-explanatory. Volunteering is mostly positive, apart from a few exceptions. How to Write a Thesis The thesis is the most important building block of your essay. It structures a claim and shows the most important points. A thesis is written after a thorough examination of sources and is supposed to establish a position that you are taking. An example of a thesis statement would look something like this: Minimum wage should be abolished because a perfect capitalist system allows the market to decide how much a good or a service is worth and employers need to compete for employees as much as they need to compete for profit. How to Write an Outline Before you scurry off to write your bombastic, controversial point of view, you need to plan. Make sure you have a particular approach to an outline. An outline will help maintain the synthesis essay structure. Suppose you came up with your thesis statement already, and you have done enough research to solidify your claim. If the thesis statement has three parts, for example, divide the outline into three sections. Make sure that every part of the thesis proves the central claim. This type of generalization must be underlined in your essay as much as possible to make your case stronger. Be familiar with all of your sources and make sure you can analyze them, rather than summarize. Synthesis Essay Outline Example Introduction Provide Context within the field of study Personal Anecdote (optional, but welcome) Thesis (Minimum wage should be abolished because†¦) Point 1 (functions of a capitalist economy and its market) Point 2 (perfect competition) Point 3 (Employee performance = Their revenue) Body Point 1 expanded Evidence (Best if accompanied by a source or quote, the more sources you use, the more credible your writing will seem) In-depth evidence analysis Point 2 expanded Evidence Analysis Point 3 Evidence Analysis Counterargument (if applicable) Conclusion Restate main points and their significance; integrate them into a final statement. How to Start a Synthesis Essay Establish the way you want to argue and integrate it into your thesis. Familiarize yourself with the sources. Be it in a prompt or an assignment, a lot of the analysis comes from the sources you use through the supporting arguments and the thesis. An organizational plan accounts for reliable resource implementation. That means you should try to arrange more than just one source per point. Some may agree and disagree on the same topic. Your evaluation will decide which one has better logic and credibility. After evaluation, fuse it with your interpretation and establish the relationship between each one. The writer drives the argument, not the sources. Document every source as you go because you will need that for your citation page (refer to essay formatting). Arrange the most critical evidence last (preferably). Include a general progression where a problem is established and then solutions are offered. How to Format a Synthesis Essay (MLA / APA) For a thorough explanation of proper formatting, click here. Here are the most important things you need to know about formatting your essay. MLA Font Times New Roman, 12pt Spacing Double spaced everywhere. No extra spaces between paragraphs Margins 1-inch margins on all sides Title/Header Titles are centered The top left includes your full name, instructor’s name, course number and the date (dd/mm/yyyy) The header must include last name and page number Works Cited Easybib is an excellent citation tool for the proper formatting of external sources. Read our guidelines on How to Reference your Essay. Tense Use the present tense APA Font Times New Roman, 12pt Spacing Double spaced everywhere No extra spaces Margins 1-inch margins Title / Header Titles should be centered The header includes shortened title of your essay (under 50 characters) to the top left and a page number in the top right References The equivalent of MLA’s works cited but structured differently. Tense Use past tense. AP Synthesis Essay This type of assignment is frequently used in the AP English Language and Composition class, which as you have probably noticed, is quite scrupulous. It requires a student to showcase a deeper understanding of the subject matter through analytical reading and writing. Being able to mold language into one’s favor is a critical skill within college application and everything after it. When writing, try to focus on the main branches of the course: argument, synthesis and rhetorical analysis. (The following is based on the course rubric) Argument – Create a claim and find concrete supporting evidence. Attempt to convince the reader that you are right. Synthesis – This is something we have been over. To synthesize means to collide multiple perspectives and then identify an agreement and a disagreement between sources. When multiple perspectives collide, your own begins to form. Rhetorical Analysis – This is based mostly on the author and his intentions. To apply this method means to ask questions that investigate the author’s motive: Purpose, intended audience, audience appeal, and structure. Synthesis Essay Rubric The rubric will apply to the example of minimum wage mentioned prior. 9. Exceptional A 9 is tough to achieve because it fits all of the criteria that an eight would, but advances in the level of sophistication of presenting a compelling argument or exceptionally good language usage. 8. Effective Essays earning a score of 8 effectively take a position that defends, challenges, or qualifies the claim, for example, that of minimum wage decreasing the competitiveness of the job market. They support their position by effectively synthesizing and by employing all of their sources (at least three). The writer’s argument is convincing, and the cited sources effectively support the writer’s position. The written piece showcases an ability to control a wide range of the elements of effective writing. 7. Essays earning a score of 7 fit the description of essays that are scored a six but are distinguished by more complete or more purposeful argumentation and synthesis of cited sources, or a more mature approach to the style of the prose. 6. Sufficient Essays earning a score of 6 adequately take a position that defends, challenges, or qualifies the claim that minimum wage decreases the competitiveness of the job market. They adequately synthesize and cite at least three of the sources. The writer’s argument is convincing, and the cited sources support the writer’s position, but the argument is less developed or just does not hold up to the level of the arguments of essays earning higher scores. The style of writing is clear but may lack in its diction or syntax. 5. Essays earning a score of 5 take a position that defends, challenges, or qualifies the claim that minimum wage decreases the competitiveness of the job market. They support their position by synthesizing and citing at least three sources, but the downside is that the use of cited sources is limited, inconsistent, or represented in an unclear manner. The writer’s argument is clear, and the sources support the writer’s position, but the established relationship between the sources and the argument is not somewhat fragile. The writing may lack on the front of diction or syntax, but it adequately conveys their idea and stance. 4. Weak Essays earning a score of 4 do not tolerably take a position that defends, challenges, or qualifies the claim that minimum wage decreases the competitiveness of the job market. They attempt to present an argument and support their position by synthesizing and citing at least two sources but in the process may misunderstand, misrepresent, or oversimplify either their argument or the cited sources that they include. The connection between the case and the used (and cited) sources is weak. 3. Essays earning a score of 3 meet the criteria for that of a four but show a lower level of understanding of the cited sources, less success in developing and expanding their position, or less control of writing. 2. Unsuccessful Essays earning a score of 2 demonstrate a limited ability in taking a position that defends, challenges, or qualifies the claim that minimum wage decreases the competitiveness of the job market. They may simply allude to the knowledge that was extracted from the sources rather than citing the sources themselves. The work shows that the writer misreads the sources, fails to present an argument, or substitutes a rooted formulation of an argument for a very obvious or straightforward answer and summary of the sources. The prose of essays scored a two often demonstrates consistent weaknesses in writing, such as a lack of development or organization, significant grammatical issues, or a lack of control over the applied elements. 1. Those earning a score of 1 meet the criteria for the score of two but are notably simplistic or weak in their control of writing or do not use or cite a single source. Source: AP English Language and Composition Sample Scoring Guidelines for the Synthesis Essay Need Help Writing Your Synthesis Essay? Struggling with your Synthesis paper? 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Chemical and biological agents Essay Example

Chemical and biological agents Essay Example Chemical and biological agents Paper Chemical and biological agents Paper Chemical weapons known as Nerve Agents were discovered accidentally by German Scientist Gerhard Schrader in 1936. Shcrader was working on developing a chemical to fight insects (insecticides), on his success he sprayed a dilute solution of what is now known as the Tabun Nerve Agent on a group of insects. However, a short time later he developed side effects related to vision and breathing that lasted three weeks. And so the discovery, although Chemical Agents such as chlorine and phosgene gas were first used during the First World War in trench warfare their lethality did not compare to that of nerve agents. Nerve Agents work by unbalancing the Nervous system and thus paralyzing the subjects muscles and arresting the respiratory (Breathing) system causing death. Chemical weapons use the toxic properties of chemical substances rather than their explosive properties to produce physical or physiological effects on an enemy. Chemical weapons are illegal, immoral and handy. Right? Got a gas mask? Lets sniff out the grisly story of chemical weaponry. The first big user of chemical weapons was Germany, which released chlorine gas at Ypres, Belgium in 1915. Chlorine killed or maimed its victims by burning the lungs; it also caused panic among soldiers who were totally unprepared for gas war. Before the so-called Great War ended in 1918, France and Great Britain had retaliated, and the industrial powers were also using phosgene gas and mustard gas: Mustard gas (actually a liquid) was introduced by the Germans in 1917. It burns and destroys the skin, eyes and lungs. Biological Weapons are a lot more difficult to trace in history. During the ancient siege of a city a disease infected carcas would be thrown into the city to cause the infection to spread throughout the population. Due to the cold war research into BWs was intensified leading to the further development of toxins generated by bacteria (such as the botulin toxin). Biological Agents work by several ways, either by infecting the human body with disease or unbalancing the bodys system as with toxins. A biological agent is an infectious disease, or toxin that can be used in bioterrorism or biological warfare. There are more than 1200 different kinds of biological agents. Biological agents include prions, microorganisms (viruses, bacteria and fungi) and some unicellular and multicellular eukaryotes (for example parasites) and their associated toxins. They have the ability to adversely affect human health in a variety of ways, ranging from allergic reactions that are usually relatively mild, to serious medical conditions, even death. These organisms are ubiquitous in the natural environment; they are found in water, soil, plants, and animals. Because many biological agents reproduce rapidly and require minimal resources for preservation, they are a potential danger in a wide variety of occupational settings. Examples of biological agents are anthrax, avian influenza, botulism, foodborne illness, hantavirus, Legionnaires disease, molds and fungi, pneumonic plague, smallpox, tularemia, and viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs). Ways to protect against these agents Chemical weapons can gain entry to the body through contact, inhalation or ingestion. Similarly Biological Weapons designed for effective dispersion. To protect against such weaponry the body will have to be totally isolated from the substance and a filter established for breathing. This is what an NBC suit does (Nuclear Biological Chemical). These suits can be reused repeatedly or come in the disposable form. In addition there is always the chance of exposure even with a suit so protective medication is required; For CW an injection of Atropine along with an inhibitor related to the nervous system is required (such as Contrathion), in combination these two chemicals work against the loss of balance in the nervous system caused by the CW. BWs are more complicated as a vaccine is required to protect against the effect of the BW disease or the use of a powerful antibiotic to help fight the infection (such as DoxyCycline). Coupled together the NBC suits, medication and early warning devices help protect against the threat of CW and BW. Examples of CWs : Sarin Sarin, chemical name Isopropyl Methyl Phosphonoflouridate can be synthesized in a good chemical laboratory, it is a thin oily liquid clear to amber in color and odourless. The fatal inhalation dosage is 10 milligrams. Death can occur to the target in 1 to 10 minutes with indications of dim vision, runny nose, tightness in the chest, nausea, diarrhea, coma and respiratory failure. Sarin used to be the standard nerve agent used by the United States. It was invented by Gerhard Schrader during World War 2. The main trouble with using Sarin is that it is very volatile so tends to evaporate from the target area before its full effect can take place. Examples of CWs : VX Gas. VX, chemical name S-(2-DiisopropylAminoEthyl)-0-EthylMethylphonothiolate can be synthesized in a good chemical laboratory, it is a heavy oily liquid like motor oil clear in color and odourless. The fatal inhalation dosage is 10 milligrams, Death occurs to the target in 10 minutes with indications of dim vision, runny nose, tightness of chest, sweating, muscular twitching, nausea, vomiting, weakness and coma. VX was discovered out of insecticide research done in Britain. VX has a high vapor pressure in contrast with Sarin therefore it is very persistent on the target (it will not evaporate easily). This factor gives VX a very lethal skin contact dosage of 2 milligrams as compared to Sarins 10 milligrams. Examples of BWs : Anthrax Anthrax (Bacillus Anthracis) was discovered in the mid 19th century. It is thought to be behind the death of many people in medieval europe and ancient Egypt. The Japanese first looked into the use of anthrax as a military weapon in 1930. It is considered as the perfect biological weapon because of the fact that it is extremely persistent. It will contaminate the area of a natural target for years before it can be cleaned up. Once exposed it is fatal to 100% of all exposures and will lead to death in 3 to 7 days. Although it is not contageous several different types exist; Anthrax can be lethal when inhaled but other types exist that are activated on contact with the skin. Anthrax has received a lot of coverage in the news recently due to the Anthrax Letters which were posted to the U. S. after the September 11 incident. Examples of BWs : Botulin Toxin Botulin is an exception to the rule of Biological Weapons. The Bacteria Clostridia Botulinum produces the Botulin Toxin as a by product. The fatal dose of the Botulin Toxin is 1 microgram, thats one millionth of a gram in weight. Theoretically speaking, 1 gram of this toxin is enough to kill 1 million people making it the second best poison in the world. A lot of coverage of this weapon has been attributed to food poisoning, therefore it is not expected to be used as a weapon. Small quantities of Botulin Toxin can be created rather easily with basic Biological principles Careful advance planning is essential if a Member State or other country is adequately to manage the threat or the consequences of deliberate releases of biological or chemical agents. A central consideration in such preparedness planning is that it is neither possible nor necessary to prepare specifically for attack by all possible biological and chemical agents. If a country is seeking to increase its preparedness to counter the effects of biological and chemical attacks, the targeting of its preparation and training on a limited but well chosen group of agents will provide the necessary capability to deal with a far wider range of possibilities. Knowledge of the general properties of this representative group of agents will enable certain measures to be taken against virtually any other agent. In addition to being impractical from a preparedness perspective, long and exhaustive lists of agents also give a misleading impression of the extent of possible threats. The representative group of agents Biological and chemical weapons have been described as the â€Å"poor man’s atom bomb†, but this conveys a misleading impression of their ease of production and their utility. It is not enough for biological and chemical agents to be highly infective or highly toxic. In order to be selected for weaponization, a candidate agent should have characteristics that is capable of countervailing the technical limitations that would otherwise render the weapon carrying the agent unattractive to users, such as the technical limitations. So the agent will need to be stable enough to resist degradation during handling and storage, and during the energy-transfer processes that will, in most scenarios, be involved in disseminating it on its target. Once disseminated, the agent must be capable of establishing field dosages that are infective or toxic over a predictable area. It must also be relatively easy to produce from readily available precursor compounds or from naturally occurring or genetically modified microorganisms. Once produced and, depending on the agent, further processed and formulated, it must be filled into munitions or dissemination devices, or held ready for such filling, and be storable without undue risk to its possessor. If an agent is insufficiently stable in storage, certain expedients are available, such as, in the case of some chemicals, the use of â€Å"binary† munitions that are uploaded, not with toxic agent, but with separate containers of precursors, these being adapted to mix and generate the agent either just before or during weapon launch. For biological agents, a â€Å"warm† production base rather than a large stockpile has been relied upon in past offensive military programmed. While many thousands of toxic chemicals and hundreds of pathogenic microorganisms have been investigated for their potential utility as military weapons, relatively few have been found capable of meeting military requirements of the kind just specified, and fewer still have found their way into weapons and actually been used. The task facing public health authorities of identifying a representative group of agents against which to prepare might therefore be thought relatively straightforward. However, the deliberate agent releases against which public health authorities would need to prepare might include attacks by non-state entities whose agent-selection principles could differ from the military ones. For example, accessibility, not overall aggressiveness and stability in storage, might be the dominant criterion in their choice of agent. Also, the types of impact sought could differ from those that direct military operations. In other words, the rank order in which public health authorities assess the different agent threats, e. g. reference (1), may not be the same as that of military authorities. In the present study, the representative group has been compiled by applying a progressively sharper focus to possible agents of concern: firstly, the broad treaty definitions of biological and chemical weapons; secondly, the lists of agents that have been negotiated to facilitate treaty implementation, or, in the case of the BWC, proposed therefore; thirdly, such authoritative information as is publicly available about which agents have been weaponized or stockpiled in recent times; fourthly, agents known to have been used as weapons; and finally, considerations regarding non-state entities. Effects of Biological and Chemical weapons to an individual Remote though the possibility of a terrorist-authored chemical or biological incident in an American community may be, we must prepare for one. The agents are too easy to acquire or manufacture and too easy to disperse for us to ignore that possibility. Even the relatively more likely hoax or attack with an agent of low concentration that is ineffectively delivered will still generate mass casualties that will threaten civil order and inundate community medical facilities. The creation of this chaos is as much within the grasp of a lone, skilled, and determined person with his or her own warped agenda as it is of state-sponsored terrorists. Many, perhaps most, persons involved in such an incident will exhibit fear, anxiety, or more serious disorders of mood, behavior, or cognition, especially if the perceived threat is a biological weapon that can spread silently from person to person. Local psychiatrists have a multifaceted role in their communities disaster response plans. That role includes immediate treatment of individual patients and groups of patients who are experiencing the psychological impact of a mass disaster, organizing and managing the delivery of mental health care by others to the community, and assisting local medical facilities and community leaders in the control of widespread anxiety, fear, and perhaps even panic. Should the weapon agent produce mental status changes that overlap those of psychiatric disorders, the psychiatrists carefully done mental status examination may be crucial to triage and the prompt delivery of medical treatment to those who need it. Beyond the immediate crisis, any chemical or biological incident will likely produce delayed and chronic psychiatric disorders, as psychological effects of the disaster or as sequelae of the pharmacology of the agent itself. In the absence of experience, confidence in handling this crisis will come from training and solid planning. World Medical Association Declaration on Chemical and Biological Weapons The World Medical Association draws the attention of the medical profession throughout the world to the dangers presented by chemical and biological weapons. Among other, more obvious, dangers, it should be noted: a. The use of such weapons would have a devastating effect on civilian populations in addition to military personnel, and not only in the target area but also in distant places, perhaps beyond the national boundaries of the combatants. b. The effects of exposure to chemical and biological weapons present a continuing threat to the health of human beings on a long term basis, possibly causing illness, injury, disease and defects in the population over a long period of time. c. The effects of exposure to chemical and biological weapons may also result in permanent, complex and unpredictable changes in the natural environment, including animals, plant life and water supply, thus destroying the food source of human beings and resulting in extensive morbidity. d. Existing health care services, technology and manpower may be helpless to relieve the suffering caused by exposure to chemical and biological weapons. The World Medical Association Declaration of Geneva asks physicians to consecrate their lives to the service of humanity, to pledge that the health of the patient will be the physicians first consideration, and that the physician will not used medical knowledge contrary to the laws of humanity. The World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki states that it is the mission of the physician to safeguard the health of the people. The physicians knowledge and conscience are dedicated to the fulfillment of this mission. The World Medical Association Declaration of Tokyo begins with the following statement: It is the privilege of the medical doctor to practice medicine in the service of humanity, to preserve and restore bodily and mental health without distinction as to persons, to comfort and ease the suffering of his or her patients. The utmost respect for human life is to be maintained even under threat, and no use made of any medical knowledge contrary to the laws of humanity. Therefore, the World Medical Association considers that it would be unethical for the physician, whose mission is to provide health care, to participate in the research and development of chemical and biological weapons, and to use his or her personal and scientific knowledge in the conception and manufacture of such weapons. Furthermore, the World Medical Association: 1. Condemns the development and use of chemical and biological weapons. 2. Asks all governments to refrain from the development and use of chemical and biological weapons. 3. Asks all National Medical Associations to join WMA in actively supporting this Declaration. REFERENCES: wma. net/e/policy/b2. htm www. who. int/csr/delibepidemics/en/chapter3. pdf http://whyfiles. org/025chem_weap/index. html http://ajp. psychiatryonline. org/cgi/content/full/156/10/1500#SEC6

Erosion, weathering, mass wasting. Earth's Interior Geologic Time Assignment

Erosion, weathering, mass wasting. Earth's Interior Geologic Time Scale - Assignment Example Soil erosion can be prevented by planting windbreaks. Windbreaks are lines of planted bushes and plants that hold soil firmly with their roots and prevent it from being washed away. Other methods include terracing, in which level plains are cut on hillsides and crops are grown on these plains. (wikipedia.org).Weathering is the process of decomposition or breakdown of soils and rocks when they come in direct contact with natural forces such as wind, rain and heat. Weathering is of two types, mechanical and chemical. Mechanical weathering involves the breakdown of rocks due to wind, heat, rain and ice. Sand that is carried by wind grinds down the surfaces of rocks, causing wind erosion/weathering. Higher temperatures cause cracks in rocks. This mostly occurs when sun rays heat up the surface of the rocks while the inside of the rock remains cool. When the surface of such rocks cools down at night, it contracts. Repeated contraction and expansion causes cracks in the rock, leading to it s breakdown and weathering. Raindrops too cause weathering, either by wearing down the rocks or by causing chemical changes by mixing with minerals in the rocks. Ice glaciers running over rocks also lead to their breakdown. Chemical weathering occurs when environmental agents, such as CO2, react with rock minerals. (wikipedia.org) Mass wasting is the process by which soil and rocks move down a slope due the action of gravity. This occurs when the gravitational forces acting on a soil layer on a slope exceeds the frictional force that is keeping the soil layer in place. The maximum angle of the slope at which the soil continues to stay in place without being pulled by gravity is called angle of repose. Mass wasting occurs when the slope’s angle exceeds the angle of repose. Landslides, mudflows and creeps are examples of mass wasting. It usually occurs due to change in slope angle, weathering of rocks, intensive increase or decrease in water content of the soil, and lack of veg etation to hold the soil together. (wikipedia.org) 2. Earth's lithosphere and plate tectonics The earth’s lithosphere is the solid outermost region of the earth, comprising of the crust and the upper mantle. Lithosphere is of two types, oceanic and continental. The oceanic lithosphere is the crust that exists beneath the oceans, and whose thickness is about 50-100 Km. Continental lithosphere is about 40-200 Km thick and is associated with the continental crust. The thickness of the oceanic lithosphere increases as it ages. Moreover, it always sinks beneath the continental lithosphere. The lithosphere is divided into plates called tectonic plates that are constantly in gradual motion. The theory of plate tectonics explains the large-scale motion of the earth’s tectonic plates. This theory builds up on other theories such as those of continental drift. The energy for motion of tectonic plates is derived from the dissipated heat from the earth’s mantle. While the m echanism underlying the motion of tectonic plate is still under debate, several reasonable explanations do exist. Apart from several minor plates, there are eight major tectonic plates – namely, Antarctic Plate, African Plate, Indian Plate, Australian Plate, Eurasian Plate, Pacific Plate, South American Plate, and the North American Plate. Below these plates, which comprise the lithosphere, the asthenosphere (hot, viscous fluid that is a part of the upper mantle) flows gradually. Convection currents generated in the asthenosphere transfer heat to the tectonic plates in the lithosphere, which are then separated by the action of magma. Movement of these tectonic plates gives rise to

Library research assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Library research - Assignment Example (check this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w5nMXB828Q&feature=plcp). After watching several powerpoint presentation and videos I now have a better idea how to do a research using the website despite the unavailability of the instruction video on how to begin a research. It is just unclear to me if there are soft copies of the book where I can access through my computer and download it because the instructional video just tells how to locate the book. I believe this is important because it makes research more efficient that would enable us to dig more reading materials at a lesser amount of time. My top three videos viewed are â€Å"Overview of Mason Libraries† because it provides me an idea how the online and physical library interacts,   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Find a Book video† because it instructs me how to locate the book that I need in the maze of our library and â€Å"Find the Full-text of Google Scholar Articles† because it makes easier how to understand a book.   In general, the website had been helpful in orienting me how to do a research and I believe that I am now more prepared to do