Vulnerability Assessment Essay Example for Free

Vulnerability Assessment Essay The importance and criticality of water for the existence, continuity, safety and comfort of human existence has remained acknowledged since the beginning of human life. Different generations and civilizations have tried in various ways to harness it for diverse purposes, for sustenance, transportation, human safety, irrigation, power generation, and industry. While previous civilizations were content with settling near water sources, or in areas with greater rainfall, advances in technology and increases in population, have led (a) to the emergence of issues like urbanization, sanitation, control of waterborne diseases, water treatment, depletion, conservation, and reuse, (b) to the extensive study of water resources and water cycles, and (c) to the formulation and implementation of various actions to ensure its appropriate use for human comfort and development. Recent decades have seen the development of issues like widespread asphalting and concreting in urban areas, sharply increased demands for water on a global basis, increased contamination of naturally available water, disturbances in water cycles because of pollution and global warming, and terrorist threats aimed at contaminating or damaging water storage and supply systems. Water supply, and its availability for human usage, has thus become increasingly vulnerable to diverse forces, forcing administrations and decision makers to respond with short and long term strategies to reduce water vulnerability, now and in the future. Objective The three county region of Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade, in Southern Florida, represents one such area in the United States where rapid urbanization, increasing population and significant increases in water consumption have led to increased water vulnerability and to carefully thought out and constructed responses by administrators and policymakers to counter this development, both in the short and long term. This assignment aims to study, assess and analyze the issue on the basis of the following requirements, parameters and assumptions: †¢ Identification of supply and demand factors that, at present, define and affect water supply for specified tri county region on the basis of research. †¢ Identification and assessment of the natural and manmade hazards that can currently affect water supplies in the three counties. †¢ Forecasting of the likely environment, and identification of water supply and demand issues after 60 years, i. e. , in 2067, considering that (a) half the existing square footage of impervious surface is added every 30 years, (b) another 50% of the existing footage is remodeled every 30 years, and, the annual population grows at the rate of 1. 5% annually. †¢ Identification of measures to (a) mitigate adverse impacts to water supply and (b) to adapt buildings to the projected realities of 2067, on the basis of a comparative assessment of water supply vulnerability in 2007 and 2067. The research effort depends primarily upon material available on the subject by way of texts, journals, and magazines, in electronic and print format, as well as on official and other websites. All information sources are available in the bibliography. The assignment is structured into sections that deal with issues sequentially and thus enable progression of ideas and cohesion of thought. 2. Current Demand and Supply Factors that define and affect Water Supply in the Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties of Southern Florida. The Tri County area in Southern Florida lies in the southeastern tip of the United States, the peninsular finger like landmass that stretches into the oceans, bounded by the Atlantic on the east and the Gulf of Mexico on the west. Apart from its unique, practically tropical ecosystem, the Tri County area is well known for its diverse ethnic structure, its agricultural produce, its burgeoning population, its rapid urbanization, and its sophisticated and controlled water management system. All these factors, ecological and anthropogenic, have led to opposing environmental stresses, burgeoning demand, and a complex and vulnerable water supply situation. (Blake) a. Demand Demand factors have thus been governed by burgeoning population, increased demand for agricultural water, greater use of recreational facilities, and increased industrial demand. Demand for water has increased significantly during the last four decades. The population of the tri county area has increased from about 3500 in 1900 to more than five and a half million in 2006, making it one of the most densely inhabited areas of the USA. This sharp growth in population is due, apart from migration from other states and organic growth of local population, to significant immigration influx, which, in turn has led to a multi ethnic and multicultural demographic structure. The present population of 5. 5 million consists of 1. 29 million people living in Palm Beach, 2. 4 million in Miami-Dade, and 1. 79 million in Broward. The population is a mix of white, African American, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian ethnicity, the continuous expansion occurring because of agricultural development and expansion in the early and middle years of the 20th century, its substitution by industry and mining, and extensive urbanization. Water is needed for municipal, agricultural, recreational, industrial, and power generation needs. Usage of water in the Tri County increased, by about 250%, between 1965 and 2000, i. e. , from 875 to 2140 Mgal/day. (Impact of Anthropogenic Development on Coastal Ground-Water Hydrology in Southeastern Florida, 1900-2000) b. Supply Supply of water in the Tri County area is met in approximately proportions by surficial aquifer and ground water systems. Ground water is the principal source of municipal supply and is obtained from numerous well fields. Water for agricultural purposes comes largely from surface sources in Palm Beach and Miami Dade, and while its requirement had steadily increased until the late 80s, has since declined because of substitution. Freshwater in the Tri County is limited in quantity and is of inadequate quality. Groundwater has been subjected to surface contamination and by underground saltwater incursion. Some wells are near landfills, treatment plants, and contaminated sites, and are thus vulnerable to increasing contamination. Some areas still rely upon septic tank sanitation and private wells, both of which can cause public health problems. The Tri County area is characterized by high evapotranspiration, periodic floods and droughts, and infrequent hurricanes. Annual precipitation is between 50 to 62 inches. (Thomas) The Tri County and contiguous areas have had to suffer the development of a controlled water management system, aimed at using land for urbanization and agriculture, and comprising of a widespread system of â€Å"canals, levees, impoundments, surface-water control structures, and numerous municipal well fields, †¦ used to sustain the present-day Everglades hydrologic system, prevent overland flow from moving eastward and flooding urban and agricultural areas, maintain water levels to prevent saltwater intrusion, and provide †¦ adequate water supply. † (Impact of Anthropogenic Development on Coastal Ground-Water Hydrology in Southeastern Florida, 1900-2000) Fast increasing population and rapid urbanization has led to the development of unprecedented urbanization, with consequent asphalting and concreting of vast tracts of land. In an area dependent upon potable water ground wells for most of its fresh water resource, this has resulted in depletion of surface and intermediate aquifers, because of the forced routing of rainwater, unable to penetrate impervious concretized and asphalted surfaces, through runoffs and drains, into the seas. (Blake) 3. Identification and Assessment of Natural and Anthropogenic Hazards that can Currently Affect Water Supplies in the Tri County Area. Natural hazards in the area can arise from periodic floods and droughts. In fact, a drought like situation in 2007 has resulted in restriction of water supplies. Palm Beach and Broward are under Phase III water restrictions, with stipulations that outdoor watering should not occur more than once a week, whereas Miami-Dade is under a Phase II restriction. Hurricanes also occur but are reasonably infrequent. The area has seen massive human intervention for a number of decades, resulting in wide ranging changes to the ecosystem and the development of potentially hazardous situations. Population growth and urbanization have led to changes in the coastal hydrology of the surficial aquifer system. The construction of a complex water management system, involving drainage facilities, large well fields, and levees, along with widespread concretization, has led to the depletion of aquifers and can result in exacerbation of drought like conditions. The population explosion has put enormous stress on sanitation and water treatment facilities, and there is significant risk of drinking contamination where people still depend upon private wells, especially in areas where septic tanks are still in use. Runoffs from urbanized areas have introduced high level of phosphorus, nitrogen and other contaminants in water bodies, which can certainly pose health hazards if not tackled adequately. These pollutants, along with salt water intrusions can threaten the quality of groundwater, and in fact, have forced new well digging to move westwards, away from the sea. Ecological damage to existing flora and fauna and to the natural ecosystem has been extensive, resulting in (a) loss and damage of the water from the natural system due to discharge and seepage, (b) drop in wading bird populations, (c) infestation of land with exotic invasive plants and (d) the development of thousands of contaminated (brownfield) sites. (Thomas) Continuous population expansion, currently pegged at 1. 8% annually can also result in further pressure on water supply to the three counties. 4. Forecasting of Situation in 2067 on the basis of Assumptions provided in the Objectives listed in Section 1. The situation in 2067, sixty years from now, is unpredictable because of the largely unknown consequences of global warming and its effect upon annual precipitation, the periodicity of droughts and floods, temperature fluctuations, and the occurrence of hurricanes. Recent disasters like the Tsunami and Katrina have driven home the point that uncertainties in weather and geological behavior are going to become more pronounced, and while predictability is going to be difficult, implementation of early action warning systems could help in mitigating extensive damage to life and property. Projections need to be made upon the basis of certain assumptions, and in the Tri County area depend mainly upon population growth. While the average population growth in the past in this region has averaged 1. 8% annually, the forecasted growth of 1. 5% per annum would lead to the following population figures for the Tri County.

Good Year Tire Corporation :: essays research papers fc

COMPANY BACKGROUND By 1998, Goodyear had a debt of $3.7 billion dollars. From 1995-1998 Goodyear’s principal business was development, distribution, and sales of times for most applications. Goodyear was a multi-product, diversified conglomerate and its’ approach to becoming a global company was having only one single global strategy, instead of tailoring products and distribution to each national market. OVERVIEW OF STRENGTHS Size still matters and Goodyear has size. Its 1999 sales were $12,881,000,000 representing a one-year sales growth of 2%. Its net income was $241,000,000, a lot of money but a decrease of 64.7% from one year earlier. Despite that drop in net income, Goodyear paid a $.30 dividend. Its net income also beat Wall Street’s expectations. It has become the world leader in tire sales as a result of its alliance with Japan’s Sumitomo Rubber Industries. Goodyear ranks No. 130 in Fortune Magazine’s 500 list of large companies. Its product diversity includes the manufacture and sale of tires, industrial and consumer products from rubber including belts, hoses, and tank tracks, and a wide range of synthetic rubber, resins, and organic chemicals. Goodyear supplies tires to European and North American auto manufacturers and construction and agricultural equipment manufacturers and operates more than 900 retail tire outlets that also provide auto repair ser vices. Like many American manufacturers, though, it has extended its reach to include international markets in order to stay ahead of its competition. It has more than 90 facilities in 30 countries, and world-wide marketing operations. Two attributes that any company desires are brand recognition and brand loyalty. Goodyear enjoys both. Its’ blimps are one of the world’s most recognized advertising symbols. In 1999, it ranked No. 1 in six of eight categories to lead its industry in Fortune’s â€Å"Most Admired List†. Leadership categories included quality, innovativeness, employee talent, social responsibility, financial soundness, and long-term investment. Of these, quality is probably the most important in creating and keeping brand loyalty. Its P/E ratio is 15.95, a very conservative number when compared to Internet stocks, which frequently have P/E ratios of 50 or more. The industry (rubber/plastics) P/E ratio is 13.65 while the broad market (8,000 stocks traded on the NYSE, AMEX, and NASDAQ, has a P/E of 39.46. Another strength is its intangibles, which include a 100,000-person workforce, patents and trademarks. Goodyear owns 2,903 patents and five trademarks (Goodyear, Hi-Miler, Vi per, Vintner, and Allegra). OVERVIEW OF WEAKNESSES In 1999, Goodyear’s sales were down from 1998 in Eastern Europe, Africa Middle East market, Latin America market, Engineered Products market, and Chemical Products market.

Nurse symbolises Essay

In contrast to these three characters, the next characters show the opposition facing the accusations. Firstly I will discuss the protagonist of the play – John Proctor, whom I have already mentioned. Proctor is a steady man, in whose presence â€Å"a fool felt his foolishness instantly†. He is described as â€Å"a man in his prime, with a quiet confidence, and an unexpressed, hidden force†, which reveals his nature to the reader. Despite his affair with Abigail that becomes the source of the accusations, the reader feels sympathy towards him due to his preference of rationality over the supernatural, and his modern quality in his logic and his willingness for a better life for future generations. The Nurses, particularly Rebecca Nurse, are represented as near saints who rely upon practical wisdom and experience. Miller reveals that the Nurses have held a grudge against the Putnams both over land, and also over Putnam’s wanted man in the ministry. Rebecca Nurse symbolises the good in the community although this does not affect Putnam’s motivations and the accusations that are made. The last character is Giles Corey. He is a man who â€Å"didn’t give a hoot for public opinion†, but is able to oppose Putnam and Parris due to his contentious, and combative manner. Finally, there is the Reverend John Hale, who approaches religious matters with the conviction of a scientist. He holds the belief that they cannot rely upon superstition to solve the girls’ problems but they may find a supernatural explanation for the events. Although he does not side with anyone, he is wrapped up in the hysteria that has been created, and evokes further paranoia. He shows the essence of the conflict of religion and superstition that is at the foreground in ‘The Crucible’. The First Act of ‘The Crucible’ shows several significant themes that continue during the play. I think that one of the most important themes is the ability for accusations to snowball, gaining pace and involving others that were in the background. An early example of this is the charges against the girls and Tituba. At first they are accused of simply dancing, then of dancing naked. These accusations proceed until Tituba is deemed a witch, and others are accused of Satanism. Another important theme is the shift of blame from one character to another. This is largely due to the minority of people willing to accept the consequences of their actions. The ability of characters to choose whichever position suits their self-interest is encompassed in the First Act largely with Abigail, who uses everything for her own purpose. As I mentioned during my introduction, the play is aptly named ‘The Crucible’, which serves as an instrument in which tensions reach a climax under the cloud of accusations. In Act Three, Danforth refers to the title in saying â€Å"We burn a hot fire here; it melts down all concealment†. This is true in the sense that all the motives of the characters are revealed, but these have to be firstly explained, and this occurs in Act One. Miller uses imagery and language to add to the tensions and conflicts encountered in the First Act. He uses double negatives as a way to emphasise and also to set the play in the right period of history. Miller uses such imagery as â€Å"sweated like a stallion†: an image taken straight from the farm to reflect the themes and set the period. Miller writes that Abigail states that â€Å"Let either of you breath a word †¦ sun go down†. This quote contains very powerful language and gives a sense of the harshness of the atmosphere that they lived in. After Act One, the accusations spiral out of control with countless others being accused including Elizabeth Proctor, Rebecca Nurse, and John Proctor himself. The mass hysteria reaches a climax with the accused being hanged after refusing to confess to a sin that they did not do. Reverend John Hale sides with Proctor and says that these accusations are not based upon anything, just personal vendettas. In conclusion, Arthur Miller uses the First Act of ‘The Crucible’ as a strong foundation for the mass hysteria and the intensity of the paranoia that follows in the play. The themes of the play need to be sown into the play quickly and effectively so as to ensure the quick rise of tension. The main issue throughout the play of the conflict of religion and superstition is involved straight away and Miller establishes the stem of all the accusations of Abigail’s affair with Proctor quickly, as well as giving an insight into the motivations of the other characters. Miller establishes the characteristics of the Salem community that make it so receptive to the witch hunt and how accusations can ignite fears and panic which can seize a town to such a great extent. ‘The Crucible’, thought of as an allegory to the McCarthyism that gripped America is elaborately constructed to illustrate how fear and hysteria mixed with an atmosphere of persecution may lead to tragically unjust consequences. The seeds of future conflict are intricately sown in the first Act to provide ‘The Crucible’ with a solid base on which the accusations raise the tension and conflict to such extreme heights and where characters are wrapped up in the hysteria that make the play so compelling. All the important themes are encompassed during the first Act, such as the shifting of blame, and the conflicts of characters, that allow the rest of the play to spiral out of all proportions permitting ‘The Crucible’ to be so powerful and utterly riveting.

Results And Data Analysis Plan Essay - 1077 Words

Results Data Analysis Plan The raw data were analyzed as the mean BOLD activations and their standard deviations (Figure 5). Data were analyzed in 2 (Age) X 4 (Stimuli), within-subjects analysis of variance (ANOVA). Data regarding the face and scrambled face conditions were analyzed using a 2 (age) X 2 (Face Stimuli and Scrambled Face Stimuli), within-subjects ANOVA. Data regarding only the multi-part and chain objects stimuli were then analyzed using a 2 (Age) X 2 (Multi-Part Object, Chain Object), within subjects ANOVA. Lastly, the relationship between the BOLD response to familiar objects in 4-month-olds and the BOLD response to faces at 4-month-olds were analyzed using a t-test. Descriptive Statistics There was very little difference between participants in regard to gender (Males, n = 7, Females, n = 9) and race (White, n = 16). All of the infants were approximately 1-month-old at the first session (M = 1.1) and 4-months-old (M = 3.9) at the second session. Raw Data When examining the raw data, the average change in the BOLD signal for faces was significant (1.8% change) whereas the BOLD signal for the other stimuli was not significant (scrambled faces .35% change, familiar objects .37% change, novel objects .35% change) when the infants were 1-month-old. When the infants were 4-months-old and measured a second time, the average change was significant for face and familiar stimuli (1.75% and 1.25%). When measured the second time, the change in BOLD signal remainedShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Plan For The Chi Square Approach1018 Words   |  5 PagesThe chi-square approach includes four steps: Hypothesis, analysis plan, sample data sample already provided in milestone 2 and results. Hypothesis Once the data was processed and displayed in excel, observations of data and pattern were obtained. 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