Natural Hazards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Natural Hazards - Essay Example The natural hazards highlight how man has been able to study the different technological inventions which have been done and how it has fallen short of the remaining expectations which are needed to correct things within the discussion of natural hazards. This means that natural hazards are something that has to be properly forecasted before they could be studied and hence research basis is being drafted all over the world. The role of the meteorological department is of importance here because it points out how these natural hazards are going to be tackled and what efforts need to be made in order to make sure that the people living in close proximity of a natural hazard are dealt with, the sooner the better. This paper discusses natural hazards and the solutions to these problems. It is important to define what a natural hazard is. This is one event or activity which has a very negative effect on the people or the environment under which these people live. Research has proven that many natural hazards are related with one another, and occur on a frequent basis, one after the other. Earthquakes can lead to tsunamis and drought can produce famines. The difference between a natural hazard and a disaster is that a natural hazard is a calamity that is caused due to nature while a disaster is because of the changes that man has brought about on the face of the earth upon which natural hazard has been struck, and which has led to a lot of destruction. What is most important to know is the fact that natural hazards usually produce deaths, loss of property, migration of the people from the place where the natural hazard has struck, and a number of other consequences. Before moving ahead further, it is significant to understand what natural hazards really are (Wisner 2003). The avalanches are natural hazards which come under the geophysical hazards. These avalanches consist of a slide of a large snow rock down from a mountainside which is caused due to a buildup of sno w when it released from a slope. This usually happens within winters when mountains become very dangerous for the inhabitants living on them as well as the climbers who are trekking on them. On the other hand, an earthquake is a natural hazard which is a phenomenon that comes about due to quick release of stored energy and which radiates seismic waves. Earthquakes shake and thus displace grounds which lead into tsunamis. Most of these earthquakes happen every day, where only few of them are big enough to cause serious damage. Lahars are natural hazards which are very closely tied in with volcanic eruptions and result in the emission of mud, rock, ash and other materials to slide down the volcano at a swift speed. These lahars can destroy entire cities and kill thousands of people within a matter of seconds. The sinkholes are localized depressions within the surface topography which happen due to the collapse of a subterranean structure which might include a cave (Smith 2004). Sinkho les are rare though the large sinkholes can develop at a fast pace in areas where there is a lot of population and can result in the collapse of buildings as well as structures which are strongly built. Volcanic eruptions do arise when a volcano is active and is able to release its power. This is apparent through the different forms of eruptions which can come about in the form of lava

Police and Evidence-based Policing Essay Example for Free

Police and Evidence-based Policing Essay Evidence-Based-Policing Written by Desiree Rosch Instructor Atthur Moghalu Introduction to Criminal Justice Evidence-based policing is a style of policing that uses research to create or change policies to increase effectiveness. Lawrence W Sherman, an academic criminologist, is credited with making the term Evidence-based Policing (EBP) popular. During a lecture Sherman stated, Police practices should be based on scientific evidence about what works best. Starting in the 1960s several organizations were formed to conduct studies on how to better prevent crime and increase the publics confidence in law enforcement. The first of which was the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration created by Congress in 1969. There are many benefits to using an evidence-based policing stance, such as being able to see the actual results of your policies. This enables an agency to make necessary changes to the way they operate inorder to accomplish their missions more effectively, such as changing where and when units patrol certain areas. It also allows them to come up with completely new programs and procedures they may not have developed on their own. The disadvantage of using research to change the way a law enforcement agency operates is that those changes may be expensive to implement. The agency may even find that the way they approach a situation could be completely wrong according to the research. Another problem with an evidence-based policing system is that the results may be accurate for where the study took place, but may not reflect the samedata you would obtain in another area. Things like income, education levels, backgrounds, cultures, etc can influence the effectiveness of procedures based on studies in another location. The Kansas City Experiment in 1974 is the most well known example of studies done on law enforcement. The results of this study were not what researchers were expecting. The agency found that increased patrol units had no effect on either crimes committed or the publics perception of how safe they were. These findings changed the way many agencies allot their patrol units. Another study conducted in Redlands, California was on the procedure of sending a follow up unit to make contact with a domestic violence victim after the initial call.

Changes in For Whom The Bell Tolls Essay -- For Whom the Bell Tolls Es

Changes in For Whom The Bell Tolls The novel For Whom The Bell Tolls was primarily about Hemingway's changes through wartime. Hemingway reveals these ideas about war through the narrator's thoughts and through the interaction between the major characters. Hemingway shows that war brings about a personal change, that reveals much about man's individuality and that time is limited. Hemingway reveals much about the individuality of men and the singularity of the code through the relationship of Robert Jordan and Maria. When Jordan is dying at the end of the novel he says to Maria "Thou wilt go now, rabbit. But I go for thee. As long as there is one of us there is both of us. Do you understand?"(p460) We begin to understand how we as people are never truly alone but instead are always surrounded by the memories and thoughts of those we love. When two people truly fall in love they become as one. Where one goes, both go. Robert finally says to her " The me in thee. Now you go for us both. Truly. We both go in thee now. This I have promised thee. Stand up. Thou art me now. Thou art all there will be of me. Stand up." (Pg.462) By saying this Jordan reveals how man is never an individual but instead is made up of all the influences, experiences, and memories that we have shared with others. Furthermore this change came upon Jordan as a consequence of joining the war. Before the war had started he had no idea what it meant to be an individual, or to truly fall in love. Jordan says to Maria "I have never loved someone as thee. Before our cause I never new what it was like to truly live. Or to love, as I do thee" (P160). This shows how being in the war allowed him to understand what it really meant to be... ...sp; Furthermore it is the war that has caused this change in Robert Jordan. Near the end of the novel Jordan states that "The war has taught me one thing. That time is what is important. More so than I thought before. If I die it will be OK, because I have lived the life I wanted in these last three days" (P434). Jordan has come to realize that time is a very limited thing, and that opportunities only come once. To waste them is foolish, you must take what you can, when you can, because of the very fact that time is limited. There is only a finite amount of time to do the things we want, and when Jordan comes to this realization he has already done what he wanted to do. The essence of war is what taught him this. The fact that one minute "Your friend is beside you, the next he is laying on the forest floor. Begging for you to kill him."(P 207). Changes in For Whom The Bell Tolls Essay -- For Whom the Bell Tolls Es Changes in For Whom The Bell Tolls The novel For Whom The Bell Tolls was primarily about Hemingway's changes through wartime. Hemingway reveals these ideas about war through the narrator's thoughts and through the interaction between the major characters. Hemingway shows that war brings about a personal change, that reveals much about man's individuality and that time is limited. Hemingway reveals much about the individuality of men and the singularity of the code through the relationship of Robert Jordan and Maria. When Jordan is dying at the end of the novel he says to Maria "Thou wilt go now, rabbit. But I go for thee. As long as there is one of us there is both of us. Do you understand?"(p460) We begin to understand how we as people are never truly alone but instead are always surrounded by the memories and thoughts of those we love. When two people truly fall in love they become as one. Where one goes, both go. Robert finally says to her " The me in thee. Now you go for us both. Truly. We both go in thee now. This I have promised thee. Stand up. Thou art me now. Thou art all there will be of me. Stand up." (Pg.462) By saying this Jordan reveals how man is never an individual but instead is made up of all the influences, experiences, and memories that we have shared with others. Furthermore this change came upon Jordan as a consequence of joining the war. Before the war had started he had no idea what it meant to be an individual, or to truly fall in love. Jordan says to Maria "I have never loved someone as thee. Before our cause I never new what it was like to truly live. Or to love, as I do thee" (P160). This shows how being in the war allowed him to understand what it really meant to be... ...sp; Furthermore it is the war that has caused this change in Robert Jordan. Near the end of the novel Jordan states that "The war has taught me one thing. That time is what is important. More so than I thought before. If I die it will be OK, because I have lived the life I wanted in these last three days" (P434). Jordan has come to realize that time is a very limited thing, and that opportunities only come once. To waste them is foolish, you must take what you can, when you can, because of the very fact that time is limited. There is only a finite amount of time to do the things we want, and when Jordan comes to this realization he has already done what he wanted to do. The essence of war is what taught him this. The fact that one minute "Your friend is beside you, the next he is laying on the forest floor. Begging for you to kill him."(P 207).

A Critique on What Lips My Lips Have Kissed

Edna St. Vincent Millay’s What Lips My Lips Have Kissed, is an imagistic regression into the mind of a desensitized woman.   It grazes the mystic ideals held within intimacy and sexual intercourse, while also maintaining an underlying awareness of the author’s bisexuality.Though, the relationship stigmas she touches on still apply to human love affairs today, this poem can only be seen as revolutionary for its time period and the feminist movement.   In this essay I intend to show how this poem, among many of Millay’s other works, have attained cult status, due to their close correlation with her life.When Millay states What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why, I have forgotten, she is obviously referring to her past lovers (MIllay).   The ideal that gives more value to this statement is knowing that these lovers include men, women and highly acclaimed laureates.   She goes on to use very symbolic imagery to signify the presence of these lost lov ers.Terms like, ghosts, birds, and of course lips, are used to identify their presence throughout the poem.   Millay likens herself to a tree, whose birds have vanished one by one (Millay).   This human connection to nature adds to the poems intrigue and its mysticism.   The entire purpose of her sullen regression is summed up at the end of the poem when she says,These last three stanzas sum up the main premise of the poem and also resemble the feelings of a woman who has been desensitized to intimacy.   This is a very revolutionary position for a woman to be in during the 1930’s to 50’s considering that the cultural expectations of the American women were very strict.Men feared that women would become unruly and sex crazed if they experienced sexual intercourse with more than one partner.   Millay’s promiscuous nature and her edgy perspective definitely go against the grain of what society expected.   This rebellious nature in the poem can be direct ly correlated to experiences in Millay’s real life as a bisexual.

Chemical Warfare During World War 1 Essay

The first World War has been reported to be one of the most brutal wars in the history of time for many reasons. One of those reasons was strategic usage of chemical warfare. Chemical gas was used on both sides of the line, which turned out to be fatal for many. World War I was mostly fought in the trenches, where soldiers lived in deep, v-shaped holes or underground bunkers. Both sides would occupy these trenches in order to escape from the constant stream of bullets. These battles often ended in a standoff, or tie, which helped the introduction of a different, brand new style of fighting that included the use of chemicals. These chemicals had a range of effects. These effects ranged from a simple tearing agent, to causing a slow, painful dead by asphyxiation or heart failure. Some believe it was the Germans who started chemical warfare but it was the French who really started it. It was the first month of the war, August 1914 and the Germans were rapidly advancing through Belgium, and were approaching the French border at an incredible velocity. As defense, the French fired tear gas grenades (these contained bromide vapor) on their own troops to scare the Germans and have them hesitate until the gas had dispersed. Nevertheless, the Germans were the first to seriously study chemical weapons, create and use fatal chemicals, and the first to use gas in a large scale. The second chemical warfare incident was the Germans who fired shells at the French that contained a chemical irritant that resulted in a sneezing fit in October 1914. Before World War I, when chemicals were first being introduced, many countries, including France and Germany, signed the Hague Convention in 1899. By signing this convention, nations banned the use of projectiles whose sole purpose was to asphyxiate or eliminate soldiers. The Hague II reinforced these rules and added more specifics like banning the use of poison gas and to not use projectiles, weapons, and materials that would cause unnecessary suffering. The French were the first to break the convention, but the public did not hear very much of it. The Germans were actually the ones to get burned by the press and newspapers for their perpetration of the convention. German officials immediately responded, saying that the French broke the convention first, and that they did not use a projectile to disperse the gas, so technically, their attack didn’t count. The first instance of poisonous chemical gas was chlorine gas on April 22, 1915 at the start of the second battle of Ypres. This happened by a man against the Germans who ran for almost ten miles and into German territory for another five miles to shoot the chlorine gas into their territory. The effects of chlorine gas were severe and horrible. Within seconds of inhaling its vapor it destroyed the victim’s respiratory organs, bringing on choking attacks and asphyxiation, which eventually led to death. After the Germans used their first chemical attack, the world publicized their opinion, saying that Germany broke the Hague Convention first. That is how they have been blamed for breaking the treaty. One the first German attacks, allied troops held cotton pads soaked in their own urine to give some sort of protection against the chlorine gas. It was found that the ammonia in the pad neutralized the chlorine. These pads were held to the soldiers’ faces until they were able to escape the area infected with the poisonous fumes. Because this idea disgusted many soldiers, they preferred to use handkerchiefs, a sock, or flannel material. These materials would be dampened with a solution of bicarbonate, and tied across the mouth and nose until the gas passed over. The soldiers found that it was very difficult to fight with fabric on one’s face, so attempts were made to develop better means of protecting their men against these fatal gas attacks. By July 1915, soldiers were given efficient gas masks and anti-asphyxiation respirators as a standard issue. Lachrymator or tearing agent was much like today’s tear gas or mace in World War I. This gas may cause temporary blindness and inflammation of the nose and throat of the victim. A gas mask would easily offer good protection against this gas. This chemical and any chemical with bromide were quite popular during World War I since it was easily brewed. Asphyxiates are the poisonous gases which include chlorine, phosgene, and diphosgene. Chlorine inflicts damage by forming hydrochloric acid when it comes in contact with moisture such as what is found in the lungs and eyes. It is lethal at a ratio of 1:5000 (gas/air), whereas phosgene is deadly at 1:10,000 (gas/air) – twice as toxic! Diphosgene, first used by the Germans at Verdun on 22 June, 1916, was deadlier still and could not be effectively filtered by standard issue gas masks. Blistering Agents, like mustard gas, were seen as the most dreadful of all chemical weapons in World War I. Unlike the other gases which attacked the respiratory system, this gas acts on any exposed, moist skin, which makes it extremely dangerous. This includes, but is not limited to, the eyes, lungs, armpits and groin. Obviously, a gas mask that covered one’s face could offer very little to no protection whatsoever. The oily reacting agent would produce large burn-like blisters wherever it came in contact with skin. It also had a way of hanging around in low areas for hours, even days, after being dispersed, which could make an area completely unusable to the soldiers on either side. A soldier jumping into a shell crater to seek cover could find himself blinded instantaneously, with skin his blistering and his lungs bleeding before he even had time to react. Mustard gas was used in chemical warfare and was made in large amounts during World War I and II. It was also used in the Iran-Iraq was in 1984-88. It is presently use in the U. S. for research purposes. The U. S. secretary of Defense was instructed to destroy all remaining stocks of lethal military chemical agents, including mustard gas, by 1997. Mustard gas has been a favorite chemical weapon in wars because it can be fairly delivered via conventional bombs, rockets, and artillery shells and because mustard gas contamination can render an area unusable by enemy forces. Mustard agents, as known as blistering agents, produce wounds that look like burns or blisters when they come into contact with the skin. These agents may also cause severe damage to the other organs on the body such as the eyes, the respiratory system and other internal organs. This gas received its name from an early production method that yielded a mustard-smelling agent in 1822, where it was invented. Symptoms don’t actually occur until 2 -24 hours later from the first contact point, resulting in severe cell damage before the patient may even know they have been exposed. Mild symptoms consist of: eye pain, lacrimation, irritation of the mucous membranes, inflammation of the skin, hoarseness, and coughing and sneezing. Severe symptoms consist of: blistering, blindness, nausea, vomiting, and respiratory complications. The leading cause of dead is lung injury. Lung injuries start off mild and gradually increase until they result in chemical pneumonia and pulmonary edema, and the bone marrow and lymphatic tissue look similar to radiation exposure and also a drastic reduction in the number of the body’s white blood cells within 5-10 days after exposure. Decontamination is the most important treatment that can be done for a mustard exposed patient. Removal of clothing, bathing, flushing of the eyes, and washing of the hair are key initial management steps. Some people go as far as to say you should shave hair completely of as if exposed to lice. Treatment beyond this is primarily includes antibiotics and pain medication. Phosgene is an odorless gas that is now used to make plastics and pesticides, but at room temperature can be fatal. Often the effects of phosgene gas tend to not show up for almost 2 days and by that time it would be too late for treatment. To ship this agent, it must be cooled, pressured, and put into a liquid form, before it can ever be safely distributed. Unfortunately, if released from said pressure, it quickly turns back into a gas that stays frighteningly close to the ground like fog because in gas form, it is heavier than air and spreads quickly. Depending on the type, phosgene gas may appear as a pale yellow, white, or even colorless cloud. With low concentrations, it has an aroma of fresh cut grass or green corn or has no sent at all, but at high concentrations, its odor may be very unpleasant and pungent. This was used mostly as a choking agent that was responsible for a large majority of the chemical deaths in World War I. Phosgene is used today to form a base for other chemicals such as pesticides. The risk of exposure all depends on how close in proximity one is to an area with phosgene. If in its gas form, people may be exposed through skin and eye contact and/or through inhaling air that is polluted with phosgene. If in its liquid form, people may be exposed by touching, drinking, or eating things that are contaminated with this intense poison. Phosgene poisoning can cause damage through irritation to the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. Immediately after exposure to dangerous concentrations of phosgene, the following symptoms may develop: coughing, burning sensation to throat and eyes, watery eyes, blurred vision, difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, lesions to skin similar to frostbite or burns, coughing pink tinted mucus, low blood pressure, and heart failure. One way to protect ones self from exposure is to run to higher ground. If one believes they are exposed, remove all clothing and wash entire body with soap and water. After one is away from infected area, seek medical attention immediately. As a result of all the different types of chemicals being produced and used against the enemy, countries like Britain began testing and creating defenses for chemical gases like the gas mask. One of the first gas masks looked like a crude sack with a rectangular cutout for the eyes, which was covered with an eye-piece. Its only real protection was that it was dipped in anti-gas chemicals such as: sodium hyposulphite, glycerin, and water. This proved to be quite weak and the eye piece was easily broken, which made the whole mask moot. Later, the British box respirator was first introduced in April 1916, and by January of the next year, it become standard issue for all soldiers, especially ones in the trenches. The gas mask has made many reforms to get to the standard of what it is today, but in the early 20th century, the gas mask was at the peak of the new technology, especially because it was saving soldiers. In conclusion, many of the chemical gas used in World War I was invented as a terror weapon to cause panic and confusion towards the enemy. It was also a psychological weapon, with the use of non-lethal tearing agents sent first to have the enemy remove their gas masks thereby making them more vulnerable to a later attack with one of the more deadly types. This fact and many of the other facts written above are some reasons why many believe that the first World War was one of the most vile and brutal wars.