Ethno Nationalist Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Ethno Nationalist Terrorism - Essay Example The main Palestine groups employing terrorism as a means of achieving their goals and strategic objectives in the region currently include Hamas, most notably its military wing – Al-Qassam Brigades – and Fatah’s Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades. The Israeli Government counter-terrorist organizational framework includes the Israeli Police, ISA, Mossad and IDF (Ganor 2005). International human rights organizations, like Amnesty International for instance, blame IDF for a number of war crimes and violations of human rights during their offensives in the Gaza Strip (Amnesty International, 2015). Inasmuch as the primary method of attacks employed by Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups is rocket-firing mainly into Israel, the range of targets is vast, including civilians, army and police personnel as well as infrastructure and build environment. According to IDF, civilian and public buildings, including schools and hospitals are used by Hamas as command centers and/or weapons depots (Amnesty International, 2015). Being aimed at the achievement of the main political goals, these attacks are commonly associated with the Palestinian grievances and discontent (see Oberschall, 2004). A significant attempt at conflict resolution, besides the peace treaties between Israel and Egypt in 1979, and Israel and Jordan in1994, was the so-called Oslo Accord (Gelvin, 2014). Despite the transfer of control over the Gaza Strip and West Bank to autonomous Palestinian rule, thus being considered an unprecedented breakthrough, the Oslo Accord failed to achieve both the fundamental goal of permanently appeasing the region and creating an independent Palestinian state (Selby, 2003). As Oberschall (2004) points out, denying political opportunity, safe bases for terrorist operations, and alleviation of poverty and socio-economic inequities would

Jean Baudrillards concept of the orders of simulacra Essay Example for Free

Jean Baudrillards concept of the orders of simulacra Essay A commodity appears at first sight, a very trivial thing, and easily understood. Its analysis shows that it is in reality, a very queer thing, abounding in metaphysical subtleties and theological niceties (Marx). It has long been a condition of western culture to act for the accumulation of material objects. This is in part due to the capitalist nature of the world within which we live. Marx identifies in The Critique of Capitalism the emergence of two new classes of people, namely capitalists and labourers. The term capitalist describes any person who has personal ownership of capital, which consists of raw materials, instruments of labour and means of subsistence (Marx). In contrast a labourer has only the value of his labour (life activity), which he exchanges with the capitalist for a wage and as such the worker sinks to the level of commodity (Marx). Because the labourer produces for the capitalist a commodity of greater value than that of his wages and in addition those wages are paid back to the capitalist in return for subsistence, therefore social control in exerted over the working class, whilst providing the capitalist with excess commodity. The labourer consentingly becomes a slave to the system on which he depends. In addition Marx states that as the relation between capitalist and labourer (manufacturer and consumer) develops, so competition between rival capitalists becomes apparent. In effect the capitalist is forced to capture more of the market by selling goods more cheaply by the consolidation and exploitation of labour power e.g. by machinery. Such a strategy ultimately limits the demand for labour and so new industries must be developed for exploitation. These new industries are necessary because capital exists only in relation to its ability to command labour and social control and as such they reciprocally condition the existence of each other (Marx). These forced increases in demand and therefore production are evident in the contemporary world market. Important to the development of Capitalism is the use of money which abstracts labour and commodity values to a common unit for the purpose of trade. In effect the labourer discovers that the product of his activity is not the object of his activity (Marx) thus a level of abstraction occurs, which was consistent with the modernist values of the time. Karl Marx and early capitalism were mainly concerned with production which remains important but it was Situationist, Guy Debord, who gave the first insights into late capitalism and the theories that best apply to todays world economics and culture of commodities. Debord, in his book The Society of the Spectacle, bases his examination of commodities around consumption, media, information and technology. As such Debord suggests that in societies where modern conditions of production prevail, all of life presents itself as an immense accumulation of spectacles. Everything that was directly lived has moved away into a representation. By this he means to describe the world and its products as mere appearances, where the real meanings and values of commodities are translated into signs. Essentially it is a world vision that has been objectified (Debord). Debord explains the phenomenon of the spectacle as resulting from the ever increasing production of capitalism. Because competition between capitalists inevitably leads to an excess of produce, so consumer demand must be increased. Such an increase is controllable by the spectacle as the real consumer becomes a consumer of illusions, (Debord) so he can be manipulated to believe he must consume beyond the basic necessity for survival e.g. leisure products. Therefore the spectacles form and content are identically the total justification of the existing systems conditions and goals (Debord). The spectacle is mediated in society as information or propaganda, as advertisement or direct entertainment consumption, (Debord). The effects of the mediated spectacle tend to lead the consumer to an experience of alienation as the consumers want for commodities is dictated to serve and maintain capitalism. In addition the spectacle constantly reinforces itself, for example the television, which is in itself a product of the spectacle that is then used by the capitalist to implement the advertisement of other spectacles. Essentially the spectacle is the nightmare of imprisoned modern society (Debord) and explains the transition from the degradation of being into having to having into appearing (Debord). Jean Baudrillard took Marxs Critique of Capitalism and Debords The Society of the Spectacle to their conclusions with his own theory of simulation and simulacra. Similar to the idea of the spectacle, Baudrillard describes a world where the subject of everything has been replaced by a semiological value that has become more important than the original, real meaning of the object. This object he calls a simulacra. In Simulacra and Simulation Baudrillard adds extra complexity to these ideas by establishing a hierarchy of simulation, which he gives four orders. In the first order the object is a copy of an original and so can be linked to a basic reality, for example a photograph of an actual event. The second order of simulation misrepresents the original subject; in the example the photography has been digitally manipulated in Photoshop to present a non-occurrence. In the third order a reality is recreated from a simulation of an original reality, when in fact, through the process of simulacra, the original has been lost, e.g. a scene is recreated from the digitally manipulated photograph of the original event. Finally, the forth order of simulation is the combined process of the first, second and third order to such an extent that the object bears no relation to reality or the original, for example the photograph has become a virtual reality. In this instance the link between reality and the signifying systems is almost impossible to ascertain, thus creating a hyper-reality. It is the use of one simulacra as a basis for the formation of another simulacra that shows the first signs of relevance to post modernity. Consequently, in post modernism, everything is understood in relation to everything that has come before, which in design manifests itself in referencing. Post modernism is also concerned with the fact that there is no right or wrong and essentially that no real truth exists. It is of course possible for a sign to make a transition through all four of the orders of simulation, constantly abstracting meaning and widening the gap between simulation and reality. However due to the complexity of repeated abstraction and signification it becomes necessary for an amount of speculation and simplification to occur when examining transitional examples. If we take, for example, the now famous emblem of automotive company Rolls Royce, it becomes apparent the extent to which a symbolic object can be re-simulated, each time loosing a part of its original meaning. Spirit of Ecstasy, designed by sculptor Charles Sykes and mass produced in 1911, is a cast metal emblem representing the figurine of a girl with arms outstretched to hold the folds of her gown blowing in the breeze. To the present day this emblem has been displayed on the bonnets of Rolls Royce cars and is the first order of simulation in terms of it being a representation of a real person from which the sculpture has been modelled. The object also references the figure heads of classic sailing ships in an attempt to convey the automotive product as an elegant, quite and reliable vehicle, which were the mediated associations with the brand during the early development of the company. In this instance the object enters the third order of simulation as a real event (model posing for sculptor) is created from an existing symbolic object (sailing boat figure heads) in order to be recreated as a new symbolic object (Spirit of Ecstasy emblem). At this point it is important to note that this example as an investigation could examine many more stages of referencing prior to the signs use as figure heads, though this could prove too difficult and inaccurate, again reinforcing the existence of a hyper-reality. The tea pot, designed by Michael Graves in 1985 for Alessi, brings the symbol to its conclusion. The tea pot employs a plastic emblem of a bird that is attached to the spout of the kettle and creates a whistling noise when the water is boiled. This creates a pun between the whistling of a kettle and the singing of bird but more importantly, its similar visual appearance (i.e. the wings of the bird and the outstretched arms and gown of the girl) makes a reference of Rolls Royce cars. Because during the late 20th century the values associated with Rolls Royce have matured to convey the brand as one of top class and status, so it are these value that are associated with Graves tea pot, supposed to the original associations that Rolls Royce was referencing from classic sailing ships. Therefore the product has clearly entered the forth order of simulation is it holds no relation to the original meaning that the original object as sign attempted to represent. Also, by referencing past signs, it can be described as a post modern object. Like Debord, Baudrillard agreed that simulation was important to the survival of capitalism as it, through mediation, can control the level of consumption within society. Baudrillard used the term valorisation to describe the process through which symbolic objects attain value. An excellent example of valorisation is Pokemon cards, which are essentially printed illustrations on card and so their use value is very low. However, via mediation, Pokemon cards have been given a simulated symbolic value that has made them desirable and powerful as a commodity. As well as design, Baudrillards theory of simulation and simulacra has also proved influential in film making, for example in The Matrix, directed by the Wachowski brothers. The Matrix is set in the future at a time when the real world has been reduced to a desert waste land by a war between humanity and machines; after the invention of artificial intelligence. Because the machines are dependant on solar power, the humans have caused the equivalent of a nuclear winter by blocking out sunlight. This has caused the machines to retaliate by imprisoning humans in gel filled pods so that energy can be extracted from them in the form of heat. In order to control the humans in this procedure a computer simulated world called the matrix exists, that all of the imprisoned humans are connected to, living their lives in what they believe is the late 20th century, oblivious to the fact that their real bodies are in stasis in the real world. The film therefore acts as a metaphor for contemporary western cultures. Firstly the matrix is an existence of the fourth order of simulation in that it is a system of mere signs that are completely detached from reality, i.e. hyper-reality. Just as in contemporary cultures, the people who live in the matrix are unaware that they are controlled by a system through simulation. You are a slave, neo, like everyone else you were born into bondage, born into a prison that you cannot smell or taste or touch, a prison for your mind What is the matrix? Control. The matrix is a computer generated dream world built to keep us under control in order to change a human being into this (he holds up a copper battery) (Morpheus talking to Neo, The Matrix). In addition the film suggests that the prisoners of the Matrix are also dependant upon it, to the extent that they will fight to protect it. Baudrillards idea of mediasation appears in the film when it is suggested that there was a machine spawning a whole race of machines (Morpheus talking to Neo, The Matrix), thus the social control of the machines (mediation of signs) increasingly exert themselves with every new generation. Interestingly The Matrix seems to offer a solution to simulation and social control by the system, which is one of enlightenment. Once Neo understands the systems and can see the signs (computer code) of the matrix for what they really are, then he can choose to follow a different set of rules thus gaining control of his environment. As well as a theological basis on Baudrillard, The Matrix tends to convey the story via symbolic references and thus is post modern by nature. For example the follow the white rabbit scene employs a tattoo of a white rabbit, which is referenced from Alice in Wonderland in order to convey the uncertainty in discovering the truth of an alternate reality. In the same scene Neo also opens a copy Baudrillards Simulacra and Simulation in effect reinforcing links to that element of the film. In conclusion, I have identified the main themes surrounding Baudrillards orders of simulacra and simulation, shown how they relate to modern and post modern design and have given contemporary examples of their use in product design and film making. I believe that such an understanding of simulation has served well to better understanding referencing in post modernity. References Debord, G., (1977) The Society of the Spectacle, Black Red Poster, M., (1998) Jean Baudrillard: Selected Writings, Polity Press Tucker, R. C., (1978) The Marx Engels Reader Second Edition, Norton Company Bibliography Hebdige, D., (1994) Hiding in the Light, Routledge http://www.geneseo.edu/~bicket/panop/baudrillard.ht http://www.artisanitorium.thehydden.com/nonfiction/film/matrix.htm http://www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/master_frame.html

Twisted :: essays research papers

Twisted Audience: General Audience / Instructor Purpose: Literary work To explain how a tornado can affect a family. Thesis Sentence: Although an event may be traumatic it is not necessarily life changing. Outline: I. Describe the setting A. Where / When B. What was heard 1. What did the tornado sound like 2. How did parents direct us C. What was seen 1. How did the storm look 2. What did the tornado look like II. What was on the farm A. House B. Storm Cellar C. Animals D. Trees E. Newly plowed and planted fields III. Where did we go A. Root cellar B. Neighbor III. What did the tornado do A. To the farm B. To the family I guess everyone experiences at least one terrifying event in his or her lifetime. How we assimilate the event shapes our attitudes, or maybe vice-versa. It can become the catalyst that lead, to phobias; sometimes it even earns itself a fancy title with â€Å"syndrome† attached to the end of it. I just call it a memory, but one I shared with eight other people. In a north central Indiana cornfield, not far from Indianapolis, my father returned to his chores in the field after a brief rain shower had passed. The edge of an enormous thunderstorm, laced with brilliant lightning, had passed overhead and it seemed as if the worst of the storm was over. Life was not easy on the fertile soil of Wabash County, Indiana, on May 25, 1966. For my family, life was about to become even harder. A muffled roar in the distance grew louder and sharper. As dad began to move toward the house, he realized that the low, indistinct form in the distance was not rain or a patch of fog. It was a rotating transparent funnel, beneath a dark mass of cloud. It extended from under the southwest corner of the thunderstorm. An occasional snake-like form would briefly appear within the cloud, and then suddenly vanish. It was coming directly toward our farm. The next time he looked, three or four contorted and transparent columns would briefly circle the center of what looked like a patch of swirling mist. The cloud looked nothing like the thin funnels and ropes that we had seen in the distance every few years. Dad now ran at full speed for the house, trying with each breath to shout "Twister!" Within the next few seconds, nine people would make life or death decisions about self-preservation, about prized possessions, and about family members. The rotating cloud had changed from transparent mist to a solid brown mass, at the edge of the newly

Chinese Communist Party Essay

Throughout the countries early history, a series of dynasties ruled larger and larger territories to what has now become known as the People’s Republic of China. All through the 19th century China faced European powers that were militarily stronger than they were. The humiliation brought on by the imperialist powers during the previous century sparked an early revolution in the 20th century against the dynastic regime that had ruled for so long. By 1911 the revolutionist won the battle and the first elected president (Yuan Shikai) of the Republic of China was named thereby putting an end to the monarchies that had ruled for so long. Although officially titled the Republic of China, it wasn’t truly a republic until 1949. In 1948 the prevailing Chinese Communist Party (CCP) defeated the then ruling Nationalist Party. The current government was established in October 1949 after CCP chairman Mao Zedong declared the formation of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). This effectively brought an end to Western imperialist involvement in China because the communist government set up a one-party state that was to be ruled by the CCP. Under Zedong’s leadership, China began down the long road of economic recovery. In 1953, with the assistance of the Soviet model of central planning, the Communist set forth a series of Five-Year Plans to dramatically reorganize essentially all aspects of Chinese life. This involved a focus on the development of basic heavy industry, a progressive socialization of Chinese agriculture and the suppression of non-communist ideals within the country’s religion, press and schools. Although the plan reduced inflation, restored communications and reestablished domestic order, the Chinese began to back off from their original dedication to heavy industry, which was a mainstay of the Soviet model. By the end of the 1950’s China began to focus on the agricultural sector again and eventually broke their ties with the Soviets in 1960. In 1966 Zedong launched the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, which was a back-to-the-basics movement. The intentions with the Cultural Revolution were to stamp out the heavy industrialization and the â€Å"bourgeois† ideas and customs presented with the Soviet’s central planning model. The movement lasted for a decade and severely set back China’s economy. China’s foreign relations were strained early on in the Cultural Revolution; although, in 1970 things began to take a turn for the better. By 1971 the United Nation’s China seat that had been held by the nationalist government of Taiwan, was given to the People’s Republic of China. In 1976 after Zedong’s death, a group of old-guard radicals known as the Gang of Four were arrested and charged with the crimes of the Cultural Revolution thereby signifying the formal conclusion of the crusade and a new beginning for China’s economy. By 1978 moderate reformer Deng Xiaoping obtained control of the Chinese government after being removed from the vice premier public office by the Gang of Four in 1976. This marked a significant turnaround for China because Xiaoping believed in the idea of alleviating poverty via economic development. He led the economic reform with a simple slogan that promoted the â€Å"Four Modernizations† of agriculture, industry, technology and national defense. Xiaoping backed up his ideals by initiating a reform of the old communal agricultural system. The reform promoted land privatization and gave an incentive for people to work efficiently and sell their surplus. In addition he rejuvenated the military academies that had been neglected during the Cultural Revolution and he sanctioned an Open Door policy with foreign nations. The policy reversed the long lasting self-sufficiency and isolationist viewpoints held in previous decades, thus fostering the foreign relationships necessary to adopt new technology, which has assisted with the modernization of China’s industry. The reforms set in motion by Deng Xiaoping significantly improved the standard of living for many of the Chinese people. His modernization movement was so successful that by the early 1990’s, figures that indicated the people’s average incomes had tripled since he took control of the country. The modernization didn’t come easily though. For example, after people began have a better understanding of the individual freedoms and rights enjoyed by Western culture, student protest became commonplace throughout the 1980’s as the Chinese people struggled for further reforms to add more choice in their daily lives. The unrest came to a head in 1989 when students and others joined together for a demonstration in Tiananmen Square, Beijing. Eventually armored troops stormed the city center killing numerous defenseless civilians to put an end to the demonstration. Although the Tiananmen Square incident hurt the country’s foreign relations to some degree with ti me, ties were mended. Throughout the 1990’s China’s international reputation greatly improved. In fact, the United Kingdom and Portugal, respectively, handed over control of Hong Kong in 1997 and Macao in 1999 to the People’s Republic of China. This was a tremendous accomplishment for the then newly elected president, Jiang Zemin. Zemin continued to pursue the economic liberalization started by Deng Xiaoping. In addition to the transfer of power in Hong Kong and Macao, he also successfully negotiated a trade agreement with the United States that reduced barriers to commerce between the two countries. The world over took this as the next step in China’s Open Door policy. This in turn resulted in bilateral trade agreements with many other nations. By December 2001, China was formally admitted into the World Trade Organization marking what will become the rebirth of the Chinese economy. CULTURE Over 20 percent of the world’s population lives in the PRC. Most of the country’s inhabitants (92 percent) are considered ethnic Han Chinese. Approximately 5,000 years ago people began settling the plains and plateaus of northern and central China. These people eventually absorbed the residents of southern China 2,000 years ago, which spawned a shared culture and the people known today as Han. Minority nationalities make up the remaining 8 percent of the population that include ethnicities such as Mongols and Tibetans. The scarcely settled regions of western and southwestern China are home to most of the minorities. In 1982 China became the first nation with a population that just exceeded 1 billion. By 2004 China’s estimated population has grown to 1,294,629,600. The country is showing signs of decreased population growth rates in conjunction with declining fertility and birth rates. Since the Chinese Communist Party came into rule in 1950, the average number of children born per woman during their lifetime (fertility rate) declined from 6.2 to 1.7 in 2004. Over the same period, the birth rate dropped from an average of 45 births per 1,000 people to an approximated 13. This in turn has had a dramatic affect on the population’s growth rate, which was reduced from 2.25 percent in the early 1950’s to .59 percent in 2004. Even with these reductions, China’s population still increases by the millions each year. Although the nation’s economy grew significantly during this time period, China continually faces the problem of gainfully employing the millions of new wor kers entering the workforce each year. The fertility rate has dropped primarily because of government intervention. For example, couples have been encouraged to marry at an older age than what was previously common. In addition, the state began a campaign in 1979 to prevent couples from having more than one child. To assist with the one-child policy, abortion has remained legal and more public health facilities were created to distribute birth-control devices and information. Beyond these measures, women who become pregnant that already have a child will often be coerced to terminate their pregnancy due to social and administrative forces. Although the one-child policy still remains active, there are times when it’s not strictly enforced. This is often the case for females whom are considered minorities. Due to the high mortality rate among minorities, non-Han people have typically been granted more cultural freedom by the government to have larger families. This stance also serves the government who wishes to appear to be sympathetic towards the desires of the various ethnic groups within China. The one-child policy has led to an uncommonly high ratio of males to females. The preferences for males are due in part to a complicated set of cultural traditions. For example, the birth of a son ensures that the family name will be carried on. Sons are also necessary to be able to fulfill the customary requirements of ancestral worship. Most importantly, men are charged with the obligation of taking care of their natural parents once old age sets in. Women also care for their husband’s parents which can make it difficult financially for the parents of daughters in old age because the Chinese government provides little to no retirement funds in rural areas where a majority of the population is located. To adhere to the one-child policy the Chinese often take what would elsewhere be considered extreme measures to ensure the birth of a son. Males are so preferred that it’s common to see baby girls abandoned and left for adoption in public places. Some employ new technologies to determine the sex of unborn fetuses so that a pregnancy can be terminated if a daughter is expected. It’s also not uncommon to hear of baby girls being killed soon after being born so that another attempt at a son is possible.

Heredity in a Doll’s House Essay

One major topic incorperated in Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll House is the influence of heredity on a person. Ibsen seems to think that heredity is responsible for all faults in a person’s existence. Even what modern-day scientists would classify as environemental factors are ocnsidered heredity in Ibsen’s play. The first discussion of inheretid traits comes barely a dozen pages into the play. Helmer is telling Nora how she is a spendthrift: You’re an odd little one. Exactly the way your father was. . . . It’s deep in your blood. Yes, those things are hereditary, Nora. Most of the discussions having to do with heredity seem to be accusing the person of inheriting an ill-suited trait. This could be because in general people want to appear as though everything good that happens to them is a direct result of something they themselves did. Anything bad that happens is always someone else’s fault. Also, characters in the story place such credence upon the concept of heredity that one does not want to give his sons a bad start in life due ot his bad â€Å"genes. † Krogstad is an example: â€Å"My boys are growing up. For their sakes, I’ll have to win back as much respect as possible here in town. † Helmer, perhaps more than any other character, puts much faith into this system. He remarks, â€Å"Because that kind of atmosphere of lies infects the whole life of a home. Every breath the children take in is filled with the germs of something degenerate. Further, â€Å"Oh, I’ve seen it often enough as a lawyer. Almost everyone who goes bad early in life has a mother who’s a chronic liar. † Heredity plays a large part in setting up the belief systems of the characters such that the background provided in the first act carries through to its eventual conclusion in the final act. The power of heredity ot shape the play is shown by the last li ne of the first act, uttered by Nora: â€Å"Hurt my children—! Poison my home? That’s not true. Never. Never in all the world. â€Å"

Sociological Impacts of the Hurricane Essay

Sociological Impacts of the Hurricane Essay Social Dimensions of Disaster Essay Example Social Dimensions of Disaster Essay Example Hurricanes are very intense storms, which are created over water, especially in oceans, and then shift towards the neighboring land. They are categorized into five types according to their wind damage potential, central pressure and the velocity of the wind. Category 5, 4, and 3 are major hurricanes considering the scale since they have high wind speeds that cause great destructions. Category 1 and 2 are not as destructive as other major storms but can still result into the demolition of properties and wounds to individuals. These types of natural disasters have an effect on inland and coastal regions. However, the latter are the most affected ones because they are closer to the oceans than the mainland areas. The primary hazards associated with hurricanes include storm surges, rip currents, cyclones, inland flooding, severe rainfalls, as well as high winds. Due to the destructive effects of hurricanes, countries should have programs for preparing their citizens for a potential occur rence of such disasters. This paper evaluates how a community that lives in the coastal region should react to a storm warning. It will further discuss the recovery process after the storm has hit the area. As an Emergency Management Director in the region, it is important to offer the community 24, 48, and 72-hour plans during the emergency. Moreover, it is necessary to provide possible evacuation approaches before the disaster. Finally, the paper highlights sociological and psychological aspects just before, amid, as well as after the catastrophe. Early Preparation The coastal community must prepare for a possible occurrence of a hurricane in the region within 72 hours. The tragedy may cause the interruption of services like gas, transportation, communications, and power, injuries and deaths of animals and people, and the demolition of buildings (Hamilton, 2012). Animal and human injuries are mainly brought about by collapsing buildings or structures from flooding, storm surge, and high winds. Therefore, preparation is significant to reduce the number of deaths, injuries, and destructions. A preparation plan should be elaborated and divided into three phases of 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours before the hurricane hits the coastal region. Besides, the process entails evacuation arrangements to evade the disaster. Preparation Within 72 Hours 72 hours before the hurricane, most of the conditions are not known certainty except a hurricane alert. This phase may require the senior management in the Emergency Management Department to assess the existing and the predicted hurricane path. They should also ensure that all response preparation measures are set in motion, including the last arrangements. The team should continue highlighting general methods and the readiness of the whole community. All hurricane preparation plans and emergency strategies are laid down. The team may start examining the weather from different media sources from time to time. Moreover, the department needs to ensure that all households in the community have enough supplies of water, food and fuel to use during the disaster period. Since most people in the region will not be working during this time, an adequate food supply is necessary. At this point, the department can discuss plans to clear the ground from all debris, dead limbs, loose materials, a nd equipment and uproot all weak trees together with the local population (Nardo, 2009). These activities are imperative since such materials may result into injuries during the hurricane. Households have to make sure that they have the latest phone numbers for receiving fuel, water, food emergency generator suppliers, and any other support responses. During the 72-hour duration, support responses may be needed any time since the community will be mostly indoors. Other plans during the 72-hour phase include providing community hospitals with adequate oxygen as well as fuel supplies. Injuries are common during catastrophes, and hospitals should be fully prepared to handle high numbers of casualties to prevent possible deaths. The hospital staff must be equipped with necessary tools and equipment to undertake their duties appropriately. All hospital phones should be working in case of any emergencies affecting the coastal community. Furthermore, the latter ought to ensure their family readiness. Structures and homes will be blocked by sandbags filled and put suitably (Schaefer-Jones, 2007). Lastly, the emergency department must be fully equipped, and the IT staff should guarantee that all Command Center phones are working. Briefings need to be held on a regular basis to discuss the changing weather conditions and evacuation plans. Preparation Within 48 Hours The second phase of the preparation process is the 48-hour plan before the hurricane. The latter is just two days before it hits the area, and the community is to make the final preparations. The hurricane poses a considerable threat to the area, and the catastrophe path remains unpredictable. The emergency team should be holding meetings to assess new weather conditions to brief the community if necessary. Some of the team members can disperse in different parts of the region to help the community in securing their buildings from the hurricane (Schaefer-Jones, 2007). The activities of protecting homes may involve giving them sandbags to to prevent heavy flooding waters. Besides, house items are supposed to be moved to one section of the house. Food and water supplies should also be kept in a safe place in a house, where every member of the family can access them prior to the disaster. Furthermore, all drainage systems around homes should be clear to ease the flow of water to avert flooding. Poor drainage contributes a lot to flooding being dangerous as it carries debris and may drown people or animals. Clearing the drains involves unblocking any blocked systems and collecting all items around the houses. There are circumstances that will require people to shield themselves from strong winds caused by the tornado. Therefore, families ought to start recognizing protective spots around their homes. Such locations may include small rooms that do not have windows like a closet or a bathroom located on the lowly sides of houses. Every member of the family should practice taking cover in a shielding location rapidly. Institutions like schools need to be closed for all students to be able to join their families before the storm. Hospitals can discharge all patients who are not severely ill and can recuperate at homes. This strategy aims to create more space in the local hospitals in anticipation of possible casualties. The hospital management will divide the hospital staff into groups for proper coordination during the disaster. Each group expected to be on duty during the catastrophe will be informed to go to work as soon as the emergency management department in the area gives a warning. They will then be discharged from obligations 24 hours preceding the disaster to deal with individual needs and come back to their separate organizations before the typhoon hits the region (Schaefer-Jones, 2007). Additionally, the emergency team in the area will start releasing weather alerts to the community as soon as it receives them from meteorologists. Evacuation strategies should start 48 hours before the hurricane strikes. The authorities and emergency management teams should purpose to evacuate as many residents as possible from dangerous locations (Stein, Dueà ±as-Osorio, Subramanian, 2010). Consequently, all risky areas that are located in the hurricane’s path will be identified. The general population is urged to act to their greatest advantage and willfully clear high-risk regions before a suggested evacuation. In the event if one intends to evacuate, he or she should leave ahead of schedule, as it will be prudent before the typhoon winds and hurricane surges cause road blockages. Leaving early may likewise help the people to maintain a strategic distance from massive traffic jams experienced later during an evacuation. Sitting in front of the television and listening to the radio is hence significant to get the most recent reports about the tornado. Most of the time, three phases of evacuation are carried out in areas prone to hurricanes and other catastrophes (Dixit, 2008). The first step involves moving those people who reside in parts that are the most susceptible to the results of storm water and winds. They include people on boats, in low-lying regions and islands, offshore employees, and those in need of special medical attention. This phase is mostly undertaken starting from 50 hours ahead of the hurricane. The second stage focuses on residents of risky areas like those in flood-prone parts, low-lying regions, and those living in manufactured houses such as mobile homes. In addition, all persons residing outside levee protection are considered during this stage. It starts 40 hours or less before the hurricane hits the region. The final phase of evacuation is the most serious and takes place 30 hours before the disaster. The emergency team collaborating with the local authority should stress an evacuation and restrict acce ss to risky regions. The establishment of contra-flow lanes is done at this phase to redirect traffic. The routes used during the evacuation will be secured as the hurricane nears the vulnerable area. The community people evacuating the region need to be well prepared before they leave their homes. They should pack some of their most valuable items in bags. Parents ought to gather their children, pets, livestock, and any other animals ready to move. Medical equipment, medicines, hearing aids, eyeglasses, power cords, and batteries should also be taken, as they are very vital. All relevant documents such as school and insurance certificates whether in hard or soft copies must be the first things to pack (Dixit, 2008). Moreover, items for personal needs like the first aid kit, cash, credit cards, ATMs, clothing, water, and food are to be included in the bag. Finally, there are priceless things with an emotional attachment such as mementos and pictures, which should not be left behind during the evacuation procedure. Preparation Within 24 Hours The third stage of the preparation process is a 24-hour plan before the storm in the coastal area. Before this stage, almost all persons in high-risk locations have already been evacuated. A few people remaining will be evacuated within 24 hours. Those in low-risk areas who are not evacuating will also take precautionary measures to reduce or eliminate damages and injuries. Such measures include but not limited to staying in houses, but away from any glass doors and windows. Strong winds during the hurricane lead to flying debris that may be deadly if they hit people. Unnecessary lights should be put off since the storm interferes with electricity and can be dangerous. However, using candles is discouraged as well as it can cause fires. If in darkness, one should use flashlights because they are safer. The emergency management team should ensure that all vehicles to be used during emergencies are fuelled. All local hospitals should be ready, and the staff who will be working during t he storm should go back to the hospital. Lastly, people can communicate with their friends and families to avoid overwhelming the telephone system once the hurricane hits (Schaefer-Jones, 2007). Recovery Process Another primary process that is required in the event of a disaster is assisting the community in recovering after the hurricane is over. The process of disaster recovery is a combination of different activities that take place ahead of, amid, and after the catastrophe. The disaster recovery procedure usually starts prior to the occurrence of the hurricane. This phase is known as preparedness, and the community equips itself with all necessary things to cope with the aftereffects of the hurricane during evacuation, warning, and sheltering (Hamilton, 2012). Furthermore, such activities as the removal of debris, organization of volunteers, donations and utility restoration are regular in high-risk regions. Such recovery plans before the disaster lead to a reduction of the effects of the hurricane and post-recovery procedures. Most of the time, post-calamity recovery takes place in two stages, that is, long-term and short-term. The latter comprises searches and rescue, utility restoration, debris clearance, public information and damage assessments. Long-term recuperation starts when the local community begins to repair and restore streets, extensions, homes, as well as stores. This period also entails changes and improvements, for example, fortifying construction standards, zoning assignments, changing area utilization, progressing transportation passages and considering affordable housing (Schaefer-Jones, 2007). A majority of changes and improvements occur at this stage whether they are well thought-out before the disaster or not. The long-term recovery process aims at decreasing the number of fatalities during subsequent catastrophes. Psychological and Sociological Impacts of the Hurricane From the moment a hurricane warning is issued in a particular region like the coastal area, some people will be affected sociologically and psychologically. Psychological aspects are those that affect the community emotionally. Before the hurricane hits the region, nearly everyone will be stressed due to the fear of losing one’s life or his or her property. Others may be anxious since they are not sure they will reunite with their family and friends after the storm. Panic attacks are common during this period, and it is characterized by extreme fear and psychological arousal. Furthermore, one thinks that he or she is about to die expressing hopelessness, uncertainty, and the feeling of severe environmental restriction (Fink, 2010). Different individuals will experience various symptoms such as vertigo, sweating, nausea, hyperventilation, cardiac palpitations, and bradycardia. During the actual occurrence of the disaster, psychological effects may include panic attacks. Some people may be unable to contain themselves and start running from safe locations. Such scenarios will cause injuries or even deaths since going outside the buildings is perilous. Persons may experience irregular heart rhythms, rise in blood pressure or gastrointestinal problems. Events in which people wet, particularly children, are common during a hurricane due to fear. Other people may be so distressed because of strong winds that shake the buildings that they commit a suicide (Fink, 2010). The worst psychological effects among people in risky regions occur after the disaster because some have lost their loved ones and property worth a lot. One of the most common is post-traumatic stress, which may include nightmares, evading and withdrawal reactions and physical arousal reactions. The second effect is traumatic grief, which is described as distress that a person undergoes after losing a relative or a friend in a traumatic way, such as a hurricane. Such people cannot grieve properly as they concentrate on death’s circumstances regularly. Depression is also a very common psychological impact of the hurricane that influences its survivors. Its symptoms can incorporate discouraged temperament, diminished enthusiasm for exercises, change in rest patterns or appetite, weakness, and emotions of misery and uselessness (Fink, 2010). Undesirable changes, delayed pain, and misfortune are clearly identified with the buildup of post-catastrophe dissatisfaction. Some young people and grown-ups may encounter self-destructive contemplations, which is a noteworthy issue that ought to be considered important to avert a self-hurting conduct. Someone who is undergoing such symptoms is advised to seek medical and counseling help promptly. Physical effects such as headaches may also be experienced even without physical harm (Fink, 2010). The impact of social factors before a tragedy hits a region is inevitable since social ties will be broken. For instance, family members may be separated during the evacuation process, especially if they do not live in the same region. School-going children, work colleagues, and neighbors are also divided at this period (Thomas, Phillips, Lovekamp, Fothergill, 2013). Social ties are further broken during the hurricane as some people die, and others are caught up in the debris. Communicating with the loved ones during the catastrophe is almost impossible as telephone lines are overwhelmed, and one cannot leave the house. Social connections are vital because they are important components of society. The community finds it difficult to recover even after the hurricane effects have been reduced. After the storm, social relationships suffer greatly since people are scattered all over the country. Children who lose their parents or guardians are often placed in foster homes. It breaks the ties among siblings further. There are cases of people who get lost after the disaster despite the rescue efforts by the local authorities. Others cannot relate with their families and friends because of their post-disaster traumas. Institutions like churches, schools, and business organizations are also affected negatively by the events (Thomas, Phillips, Lovekamp, Fothergill, 2013). Consequently, the community ought to undertake all efforts necessary to restore the broken social ties since they will affect even the economic aspect of the country. In conclusion, hurricanes affect all aspects of a community life, whether social or economic. As a result, the preparedness of the community before the region is stricken by the disaster is essential. The preparation process should include phases of 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours. Activities undertaken by the community during this period may include an evacuation, securing buildings, and keeping food and water supplies safe. The recovery process involves procedures of helping society make progress after the catastrophe. The community can also identify useful efforts that could have reduced fatalities in the recovery process. Reconstructing homes, roads, and other social amenities occurs in this period. Finally, people are affected socially and psychologically by the events that occur during a hurricane. Since the whole community is impacted negatively, there is the need to reduce such effects.

The Weimar Republic essays

The Weimar Republic essays Why did the Weimar Republic get off to a "bad start?" What were the republics main successes and failures? What were the unique features of the Weimar constitution? What social problems existed in post war Germany? What does "We shall all be nationalists in ten years," mean? Why was 1926 a good year of the republic? Why was 1929 a bad one? Make a chronological list of the major events in Hitlers early life through 1933. This will be collected. Rosa Luxemburg- (One of the Sparticist leaders murdered by German police)"Freedom only for the supporters of the government, only for the members of one party however numerous they may be is no freedom at all. Freedom is always and exclusively freedom for the one who thinks." Of all liberal attempts at reconstruction, none began more hopefully nor ended more pathetically than the German republic. On paper-that is, in its constitution-it appeared to be one of the most advanced democratic nations of the times, but almost from the beginning it encountered die-hard opposition from both ends of the political spectrum. Its founders carried the onus of having accepted the Versailles treaty with the war guilt clause. It was overwhelmed by the worldwide depression, which struck Germany with greater severity than almost any other nation. The republic got off to a bad start. The provisional government declared an immediate end to martial law and the reestablishment of traditional civil liberties and set about preparing for an election for a constituent assembly. Before the election could take place the Sparticist uprising in Berlin showed that the forces of democracy would be opposed on the Left as well as the Right. The government called on elements of the old imperial army to suppress the revolt and executed its leaders without trial, both of which were bad precedents for a new democracy. At the same time it went ahead with plans for the election, the freest and most democratic i...