The samoa-tonga tsunami

The samoa-tonga tsunami Abstract   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On the 29th September 2009 a magnitude 8.0 earthquake occurring on the outer rise of the Tonga Trench generated a large tsunami. The tsunami struck Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga with devastating consequences. Waves which reached up to 7.4m struck the coastlines of the islands just one minute after the initial underestimated tsunami alert. The tsunami killed at least 182 people. It had a large impact on the populations of all the islands and also had a sizeable impact upon the environment especially coral reefs. Cases of dengue fever and leptospirosis disease have increased and there is expected to be a long term impact upon the regions economy. Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On the 29th of September 2009 a large earthquake of magnitude 8.0 occurred in the vicinity of the northern end of the Tonga Trench. This earthquake triggered a tsunami which had a large scale impact on the islands of Samoa, American Samoa and also in Tonga. It caused many fatalities and devastated many areas. The natural disaster although only directly affecting a small region does have a global significance. How the possibility of such a hazard was treated beforehand and how people responded during and after it occurred can be used as a model to show the impacts of future similar hazards not only in this region, but in others across the earth. This report examines the cause, consequences and impact of the earthquake generated tsunami. It also assesses the human response and whether the scale of the tsunami impact could have been less. Cause of the Tsunami   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The tsunami was generated by a magnitude 8.0 earthquake that struck at 17:48:10 UTC at a depth of 18km (United States Geological Survey (USGS) 2009a). It occurred towards the northern of the Tonga Trench, 190 km south of Apia Samoa. Figure 1 shows its location. The Tonga Trench marks the boundary between the Pacific and Australia plates. This is a convergent plate boundary where the oceanic Pacific plate subducts westward below the continental Australia plate at the Tonga Trench. The rate of this subduction is the fastest to be recorded worldwide with a maximum of 240mm per year at the northern end (Cousteau 2006). This makes this region one of the most seismically active in the world. Close to where the earthquake occurred the velocity has been measured to be 86mm per year (USGS 2009a) however in current worldwide plate tectonic movement this rate is still very fast. The actual earthquake occurred on a thin ridge called the outer rise to the east of the Tonga Tre nch (Annunziato et al 2009). Earthquakes occur in these regions, on the ocean side of a subduction zone, as normal faults are ruptured when the oceanic plate is forced to flex as it bends under the continental plate. Thus it can be deduced that the earthquake was a normal fault rupture on the outer rise of the Tonga Trench. The earthquake was felt across the islands in the region and was reported to have shaken the ground for up to 3 minutes (Adetunji and Gabbat 2009). In Iliili and Tafuna, American Samoa, the intensity was measured as reaching IV. According to the USGS modified Mercalli Intensity Scale (2009b) this would mean it would have been felt by most with the disturbance of objects such as â€Å"windows and doors†, â€Å"standing vehicles being noticeably rocked† and a â€Å"sensation like [a] heavy truck striking a building†. A higher intensity was felt in Apia, Samoa of V but it was felt strongest in Faleniu, American Samoa with an intensity of VII (USGS 2009a). This could have resulted in â€Å"considerable damage in poorly built or badly designed buildings† however there are no reports that any damage was caused by the earthquake before the tsunami hit. The Tsunami Tsunamis are generated by a sudden vertical displacement of ocean water. In this instance an earthquake rupture in the sea floor caused water to be pushed upwards. This water collapses producing a tsunami. Through deep water the tsunami moves rapidly with speeds up to 500 km/h but heights of the waves are usually less than 1m. As it nears shore the tsunami slows because of decreasing water depth but is compressed upwards thus growing in height. These waves are then capable of pushing far inshore (Keller and Blodgett 2008). The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre first sent out an alert 16 minutes after the earthquake. It had, however, an underestimation of the earthquake magnitude 7.1 and so it was only a green alert. It was not until 20 minutes after the earthquake that the alert was scaled up to orange (Annunziato et al 2009). Both these alerts however would have come too late to help those in the regions first in the tsunamis path. Reports that water began to retreat from coastal areas beyond the coral reefs (Mercer 2009) shows the tsunami was approaching Samoa soon after the Earthquake. This report also suggests the tsunami first struck Samoa shortly after 7:00 am local time or 18:00 UTC. The exact time for the first tsunami waves to hit Samoa is thought to be around 17 minutes after the earthquake (Annunziato et al 2009) or 18:05 UTC. Different sources provide various data for the heights of the tsunami waves. The USGS (2009a) report, lists recorded wave heights as being 314cm in Pago Pago, American Samoa and 140cm in Apia, Samoa. It also details the distance the tsunami travelled with it reaching Wellington, New Zealand where it was 11cm in height. The BBC reported waves of 5m in height (Mercer 2009) whilst the New Zealand Herald informed its readers that the island of Niuatoputapu, Tonga, experienced wave heights of 6m (Tahana 2009). With many of the sensors for measuring tidal height in the region not functioning, Annunziato et al (2009) carried out many calculations so as to try and determine actual wave height. Their results revealed tsunami heights of above 6m in some areas including 7.4m in Alaufu, American Samoa. There are also different reports on the extent to which the tsunami travelled inland causing damage. The Guardian reported the damage extending 100m inshore in Samoa (Adetunji and Gabbatt 2009) wh ere as in eastern Samoa the tsunami caused damage up to 330m inshore (NASA Earth Observatory 2009). In American Samoa there are reports of water surging 1km inland (TVNZ 2009). By utilising all of this data it is evident that this was a large tsunami the impact of which was devastating. The Tsunami Impact and Consequences   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The tsunami had a large impact upon the islands of Samoa and American Samoa and also proved to be destructive to the island of Niuatoputapu, Tonga. There were at least 149 killed in Samoa, 24 in American Samoa and 9 in Niuatoputapu (USGS 2009). In total it was reported to have affected around 32000 people and left close to 3000 homeless (Atayman 2009). Devastation was widespread with the destruction of tens of villages. Lalomanu, a village come holiday resort in south-eastern Samoa, was flattened by the tsunami (Mclean 2009). It was made up around 100 homes and resort huts, the majority of which were destroyed. The village of Poutasi in south-western Upolu, Samoa was another that suffered large scale destruction (TVNZ 2009). Radio New Zealand (2009) reported that along the south coast of Upolu the majority of resorts and hotels were destroyed. American Samoas main village of Pago Pago was â€Å"completely devastated† with only the foundations of buildings b eing left and a large degree of flooding. On a greater scale all of western American Samoa was left with no power. Lieutenant Governor Faoa Sunia of American Samoa reportedly said that water was limited in some areas due to damage to the water system (Samoa news staff 2009). In Niuatoputapu, home to just over 1000 people, 90% of homes had been ruined and the hospital was also badly damaged (Tahana 2009).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The long term consequences of the tsunami will be substantial. Not only will infrastructure have to be redeveloped but other factors are going to be problematic. The loss of homes means people have been forced to live outdoors. This has resulted in people becoming more at risk of dengue fever. The fever is spread by mosquitoes and so a lack of shelter means people are more likely to get bitten. American Samoas only hospital has confirmed that there has been an increase in patients suffering from dengue fever with 62 confirmed cases in October and the first two deaths from the disease in 2009 (Anon 2009). The risk of polluted water being drunk is also greatly enhanced by the poor living conditions. Leptospirosis, a disease spread by the contamination of water by the urine of rats and other species has also seen a rise in confirmed cases in American Samoa, according to the same report. The economic impact is going to be significant in the longer term. People from the rural areas of Samoa are dependent on agriculture, fisheries and eco-tourism (FAO 2009). Areas of vegetable cultivation were devastated and the tsunami swept away fishing boats and fishing gear. The destruction of holiday resorts around the coasts of the islands and that their owners are fearful of returning means many tourists are likely to look elsewhere (Coopes 2009). The environmental impacts of the tsunami were also extensive. The Samoa Tsunami Rapid Environmental Impact Assessment Report (Ifopo et al 2009) lists much of the damage caused and what damage was expected. It includes septic tank pollution, solid waste pollution and salinisation pollution which occurred in many areas. Salinisation pollution is going to be a significant impact to the agricultural industry as crops may fail to grow in soil with a high salt concentration. It also details that there was foreshore and beach erosion, damage to wetland areas and in particular mangroves. Damage to ecosystems extended beyond the coast with marine protected areas and no take zones heavily impacted. Coral reefs were also devastated. The Associated Press (2009) reported that some coral reefs had been â€Å"obliterated† whilst others may not be able to recover. Response to the Earthquake and Tsunami   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first tsunami alert was issued 16 minutes after the earthquake. This does appear to be relatively fast considering the data for the earthquake had to be received and analysed. However the first alert was green the lowest alert level due to the earthquake magnitude being underestimated. It wasnt until 20 minutes after the earthquake when the alert was upgraded to orange by which point the tsunami had already struck the Samoa islands. Many people didnt realise the earthquake could have generated a tsunami and thus few moved to higher ground (Driscoll 2009). It is therefore apparent that a faster and more accurate response to the earthquake was required so as to have saved at least some of the lives that were lost. As this could save lives in the future further investigations into methods on how to analyse earthquakes more quickly are worthwhile.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Aid response for the victims of the tsunami was issued within 2 days. The US, New Zealand and Australia provided the initial help with them all sending in planes to provide aid and assess the overall damage, the US also sent in a ship from their naval fleet to assist (Atayman 2009; Australian Government Department of Defence 2009). The American Samoa Power Authority (ASPA) delivered water to those who were affected by water shortages (Samoa news staff 2009) and the Red Cross set up camps for those who had been left homeless (Mercer 2009). The New Zealand Air Force provided medical supplies, medical teams and temporary morgue facilities to assist the hospital in Apia, Samoa (Young 2009). By October 8th all of Samoa was reconnected to the electricity grid and the main water pipes had been fixed as detailed in the 7th United Nations Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs (OCHA) situation report (2009b). The report informed that roads had been cleared in Samoa a nd Tonga and airports were functional. Financial aid was provided by governments and other organisations worldwide. Using information from OCHA situation reports 6 through to 9 and also 11 (2009a; 2009b; 2009c; 2009d; 2009e;) some of the funding provided can be listed as coming from; the European Union (over $2 million), the Japan International Cooperation Agency ($220 thousand), Australia ($874 thousand for Niuatoputapu), New Zealand (over $1.1 million), the European Commission ($150 thousand for Samoa) and the Asian Development Bank ($1 million). It is evident that the response to the tsunami was fast, well funded and efficient. Education   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When researching the initial response to the earthquake it was found that local people had previously been uninterested in the dangers of a tsunami (Driscoll 2009). This is likely to have been due to there being no living memory of the last significant tsunami which occurred in 1917 (Mataafa 2009). If they had knowledge of the consequences of a large earthquake occurring in the ocean they may have responded more quickly by moving to higher ground. In this case in order to have saved lives it would have been essential for the local people of Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga to react quickly as the tsunami alert came too late. By educating people on the affects of earthquakes and how they can generate earthquakes it may be possible to save lives in the future. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The 29th September Samoa Tonga tsunami devastated the islands and many of the people living on them. It was caused by a magnitude 8.0 earthquake which occurred on the outer ridge of the Tonga Trench. The Tsunami killed at least 182 people and affected thousands more. Much of the islands infrastructures were destroyed and the tsunami also had a significant environmental impact especially upon coral reefs. Long term consequences have already been seen with an increase in cases of dengue fever and leptospirosis disease. Economically the impacts are also going to be long lasting. The destruction of livelihoods whether it is through fishing, agriculture or tourism will be widespread. It was found that the initial tsunami alert issued was the lowest level and wasnt upgraded until after the first tsunami waves hit. The response in the days following the tsunami however was quick effective and well funded. By educating people especially in areas where the risk of tsunami is high it is probable that lives will be saved in the future. References Adetunji, J. and Gabbatt, A. (2009) Samoa tsunami: 100 feared dead on Pacific islands. Guardian, [internet] 30 September. Available at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/30/samoa-tsunami-pacific-earthquake [Accessed 5 November 2009]. Annunziato, A., Franchello, G., Ulutas, E. and De Groeve, T. (2009) 29 September 2009 Samoa Tsunami, (pp 70 of 2009). Luxembourg, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. Anon (2009) Dengue Fever in American Samoa rises after Tsunami. New Zealand Herald. [internet] 9 November. Available at http://www.nzherald.co.nz/samoa-tsunami/news/article.cfm?c_id=1502844objectid=10608167 [Accessed 12 November 2009). Associated Press (2009) Tsunami in Samoa takes toll on coral. New Zealand Herald. [internet] 2 November. Available at http://www.nzherald.co.nz/marine/news/article.cfm?c_id=61objectid=10606655 [Accessed 12 November 2009]. Atayman, B. (2009) Tsunami deaths likely to rise in Pacific islands: Villages and vacation resorts destroyed. The Windsor Star. [internet] 30 September. Available at http://www.windsorstar.com/news/Over+killed+tsunamis+smash+Pacific+islands/2049879/story.html [Accessed 6 November 2009]. Australian Government Department of Defence (2009) ADF support to Samoa update. Defence Media Release. [internet] 1 October. Available at http://www.defence.gov.au/media/DepartmentalTpl.cfm?CurrentId=9535 [Accessed 12 November 2009]. Coopes, A. (2009) Tsunami-hit Samoa braces for tourism slump. news.com.au, [internet] 7 October. Available at http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,26178055-23109,00.html [Accessed 12 November 2009). Cousteau, F. (2006) Atlas of the Oceans. In Ocean: The Worlds Last Wilderness Revealed, pp 480 481. London, Dorling Kindersley Limited. Driscoll, J. (2009) Lessons from Samoa: Local researcher part of team sent to tsunami zone. Times Standard. [internet] 3 November. Available at http://www.times-standard.com/ci_13701412?source=most_viewed [Accessed 12 November 2009]. FAO (2009) Recent natural disasters in Asia and the Pacific: Samoa, Tonga, American Samoa, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam. [online] (updated 2 October 2009) Available at ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/meeting/017/asia_emerg.pdf [Accessed 12 November]. Ifopo, P.E., Atherton, J., Miller-Taei, S., Anderson, P., Suaesi, T., Steffen, J., Paisley, S. And Sherley, G. (unpublished) Samoa Tsunami Rapid Environmental Impact Assessment Report. [internet] 14 October. Available at http://www.sprep.org/att/irc/ecopies/countries/samoa/171.pdf [Accessed 12 November 2009]. Mataafa, T. (2009) Tsunami scientist presents findings of Sept. 29 wave. Samoa News. [internet] 24 October. Available at http://www.samoanews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=10111 [Accessed 13 November 2009]. Mercer, P. (2009) Samoas tsunami death toll rises. BBC News, [internet] 2 October. Available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8286635.stm [Accessed 5 November 2009]. Mclean, T. (2009) Searching ruins for reason to live after tsunami. The Daily Telegraph, [internet] 2 October. Available at http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/searching-ruins-for-reason-to-live-after-the-tsunami/story-e6freuy9-1225781822624 [Accessed 9 November 2009]. NASA Earth Observatory (2009) Earthquake off Samoa Generates Tsunami. [online] (updated 13 October 2009) Available at http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=40532 [Accessed 2 November 2009). OCHA (2009a) Samoa/Tonga Tsunami Situation Report No. 6. [internet] 6 October. Available at http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWFiles2009.nsf/FilesByRWDocUnidFilename/AZHU-7WL2CX-full_report.pdf/$File/full_report.pdf [Accessed 12 November 2009]. OCHA (2009b) Samoa/Tonga Tsunami Situation Report No. 7. [internet] 8 October. Available at http://www.un.org.au/files/files/Samoa%20SitRep%20No%207%208%20Oct.pdf [Accessed 12 November 2009]. OCHA (2009c) Samoa/Tonga Tsunami Situation Report No. 8. [internet] 10 October. Available at http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWFiles2009.nsf/FilesByRWDocUnidFilename/MYAI-7WQ2JM-full_report.pdf/$File/full_report.pdf [Accessed 12 November 2009]. OCHA (2009d) Samoa/Tonga Tsunami Situation Report No. 9. [internet] 14 October. Available at http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWFiles2009.nsf/FilesByRWDocUnidFilename/EDIS-7WTR39-full_report.pdf/$File/full_report.pdf [Accessed 12 November 2009]. OCHA (2009e) Samoa/Tonga Tsunami Situation Report No. 11. [internet] 22 October. Available at http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWFiles2009.nsf/FilesByRWDocUnidFilename/AZHU-7X42LF-full_report.pdf/$File/full_report.pdf [Accessed 12 November 2009]. Radio New Zealand (2009) Samoa disaster toll soars. [internet] 30 September. Available at http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=readid=49414 [Accessed 9 November 2009). Samoa news staff (2009) 8.0 quake hits Samoa islands. Samoa News [internet] 29 September. Available at http://www.samoanews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=9550edition=1254218400 [Accessed 6 November 2009]. Tahana, Y. (2009) Teams Reach Tonga Victims. New Zealand Herald, [internet] 2 October. Available at http://www.nzherald.co.nz/samoa-tsunami/news/article.cfm?c_id=1502844objectid=10600831 [Accessed 6 November 2009]. TVNZ (2009) Over 100 feared dead in Samoa tsunami. [internet] 30 September. Available at http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/tsunami-sirens-wail-again-in-samoa-3041553/video [Accessed 9 November 2009]. USGS (2009a) Magnitude 8.0 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION. [online] (updated 28 October 2009) Available at http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/eqinthenews/2009/us2009mdbi/ [Accessed 2 November 2009). USGS (2009b) The Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale. [online] (updated 27 October 2009) Available at http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/topics/mercalli.php [Accessed 2 November 2009). Young, A. (2009) NZ aid arrives in Samoa. New Zealand Herald [internet] 1 October. Available at http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1objectid=10600651 [Accessed 12 November].

James Baldwin Essays -- Biography Bio

For The World to See James Baldwin was a man who wrote an exceptional amount of essays. He enticed audiences differing in race, sexuality, ethnic background, government preference and so much more. Each piece is a circulation of emotions and a teeter-totter on where he balances personal experiences and worldly events to the way you feel. Not only did he have the ability to catch readers’ attention through writing, but he also appeared on television a few times. Boston’s local public television station WGBH, under the leadership of Hartford Gunn, presented an array of educational and cultural programming. Similar to an earlier interview, in a 1963 taping of â€Å"The Negro and the American Promise,† Baldwin is interviewed by Dr. Kenneth Clark. This happened just months after Alabama’s governor, George Wallace, expressed his support of â€Å"segregation forever† (qtd. in PBS Online). To inflect the possibility that blacks were not as equal or fairly treated as whites in the mid-twentieth century, two very different African Americans were brought on air. Malcolm X based his interview on historical and present references, but James Baldwin took a more personal approach. As a grown black male Baldwin had encompassed a range of experiences, both horrifying and gratuitous. Those occurrences most treacherous were a focal point when he adds that, â€Å"It doesn’t matter any longer what you do to me; you can put me in jail, you can kill me. By the time I was 17, you’d done everything that you could do to me† (â€Å"The Negro† 2). Reflecting back on â€Å"Down at the Cross† for a moment, Baldwin starts by explaining the metamorphosis of both the black girls and boys. Most of his friends became pimps and whores, and the b... ...erance for those who are disrespectful, but realizes that people can and hopefully will change and that we need each other to change. The New York Times described the James Baldwin segment as "a television experience that seared the conscience" (qtd. in PBS Online). In one instance Baldwin makes a hearty and honest â€Å"can’t we all get along† statement. â€Å"In short, we, the black and the white, deeply need each other here if we are really to become a nation – if we are really, that is, to achieve our identity, our maturity as men and women† (Baldwin 342). Works Cited Baldwin, James. â€Å"Down at the Cross.† 1962. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998. 296-347. â€Å"The Negro and the American Promise.† Citizen King. 2004. PBS Online. 10 Mar. 2004 . James Baldwin Essays -- Biography Bio For The World to See James Baldwin was a man who wrote an exceptional amount of essays. He enticed audiences differing in race, sexuality, ethnic background, government preference and so much more. Each piece is a circulation of emotions and a teeter-totter on where he balances personal experiences and worldly events to the way you feel. Not only did he have the ability to catch readers’ attention through writing, but he also appeared on television a few times. Boston’s local public television station WGBH, under the leadership of Hartford Gunn, presented an array of educational and cultural programming. Similar to an earlier interview, in a 1963 taping of â€Å"The Negro and the American Promise,† Baldwin is interviewed by Dr. Kenneth Clark. This happened just months after Alabama’s governor, George Wallace, expressed his support of â€Å"segregation forever† (qtd. in PBS Online). To inflect the possibility that blacks were not as equal or fairly treated as whites in the mid-twentieth century, two very different African Americans were brought on air. Malcolm X based his interview on historical and present references, but James Baldwin took a more personal approach. As a grown black male Baldwin had encompassed a range of experiences, both horrifying and gratuitous. Those occurrences most treacherous were a focal point when he adds that, â€Å"It doesn’t matter any longer what you do to me; you can put me in jail, you can kill me. By the time I was 17, you’d done everything that you could do to me† (â€Å"The Negro† 2). Reflecting back on â€Å"Down at the Cross† for a moment, Baldwin starts by explaining the metamorphosis of both the black girls and boys. Most of his friends became pimps and whores, and the b... ...erance for those who are disrespectful, but realizes that people can and hopefully will change and that we need each other to change. The New York Times described the James Baldwin segment as "a television experience that seared the conscience" (qtd. in PBS Online). In one instance Baldwin makes a hearty and honest â€Å"can’t we all get along† statement. â€Å"In short, we, the black and the white, deeply need each other here if we are really to become a nation – if we are really, that is, to achieve our identity, our maturity as men and women† (Baldwin 342). Works Cited Baldwin, James. â€Å"Down at the Cross.† 1962. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998. 296-347. â€Å"The Negro and the American Promise.† Citizen King. 2004. PBS Online. 10 Mar. 2004 .

Police Ethics and Deviance Assignment

Running head: POLICE ETHICS AND DEVIANCE ASSIGNMENT Police Ethics and Deviance Assignment Axia College Police Ethics and Deviance Assignment Police officers live by a specific code of ethics that helps them to their chosen profession in the noblest means possible. The problem is that officers are human and as humans, they sometimes give in to temptation and bad judgment while trying to fulfill the completion of those duties. A few of the deviant behaviors that officers succumb to are corruption, misconduct, and brutality. Some officers will partake in the items previously listed in the name of doing the â€Å"right thing†. This has been given the name â€Å"The Dirty Harry† syndrome, after the movie of the same name (Dempsey & Frost, 2005). Regardless of the goodwill behind it, any abnormal behavior by a person sworn to uphold the law cannot and will not be tolerated. Ethics can be described as what one does that is considered right and wrong to society and people. Ethics helps one make decisions and behave in specific ways that will not bring shame and disgrace to one’s self. A police officer’s code of ethics has to be higher than the people they are protecting and serving. T. O’Connor (2005) cites the following Law Enforcement Code of Ethics: |The Law Enforcement Code of Ethics | |As a law enforcement officer, my fundamental duty is to serve mankind; to safeguard lives and property; to protect the | |innocent against deception; the weak against oppression or intimidation; and the peaceful against violence or disorder; and to| |respect the Constitutional rights of all men to liberty, equality, and justice. |  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I will keep my private life unsullied as an example to all; maintain courageous calm in the face of danger, scorn, or | |ridicule; develop self-restraint; and be constantly mindful of the welfare of others. Honest in my thought and deed in both | |personal and official life, I will be exemplary in obeying the laws of the land and the regulations of my department. Whatever| |I see or hear of a confidential nature or that i s confided to me in my official capacity will be kept ever secret unless | |revelation is necessary in the performance of my duties. |  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I will never act officiously or permit personal feelings, prejudices, animosities, or friendships to influence my | |decisions. With no compromise for crime and with relentless prosecution of criminals, I will enforce the law courteously and | |appropriately without fear or favor, malice or ill-will, never employing unnecessary force or violence, and never accepting | |gratuities. | |  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith, and I accept it as a public trust to be held so long as I| |am true to the ethics of police service. I will constantly strive to achieve these objectives and ideals, dedicating myself | |before God to my chosen profession — law enforcement. (para. 12) | As one can see, it is very specific about the treatment of others and how an officer is expected to act while working in the public trust (O’Connor, 2006). This code ethics provides an outline for the officers and takes away any gray areas that may cause some confusion and wrong choices by the officers. One of the first items of the code deals with an officer’s duty to protect and not deceive. Unfortunately, some officers do not apply this part to their working lives or they choose to forget it. This will lead an officer to the darker side of police work such as, corruption and misconduct by the officer. In Los Angeles, for example, corruption presents itself in many forms, such as financial kick-backs, drug-dealing, obstruction of justice, and theft (Staff, 2009). These acts will degrade an officer’s identity and create an air of mistrust amongst those they are supposed to help. Not to mention, they are against the law the police officers have sworn to uphold. This will lead to the officers answering for their actions and being reviewed by other officers, whose duty is to weed out the corrupt officers. Even lesser types of corruption, like taking gratuities and â€Å"cooping†, will compromise an officer’s integrity and effect how they do their job. By taking gifts they will show favoritism to those individuals giving them the gifts. Cooping is the term for when officers rest, sleep or just are negligent in doing their job. That is why it is very important that officer’s followed the code of ethics and remain above the public in everything they do. Misconduct is also something that an officer can do that will tarnish the whole department. Misconduct is what an officer does when they break departmental rules and regulations that guide police behavior. This is not a misuse of authority, but of how an officer acts in regard to the force. This type of deviant behavior shows the police force in a bad light and paints a negative picture of the police and what they do. Some of the types of misconduct are using police property for personal use, unsafe use of police property, failure to write reports, and improper searching of suspects. This is only a small collection of the many types of misconduct, but all are damaging to the character of the officer (Stevens, 2005). Police brutality is probably one of the most egregious of all the deviant behaviors that has been listed previously. It is the use of excessive force against suspects, civilians, and offenders (Dempsey & Frost, 2005, p. 308). This type of deviant behavior has been present since the inception of police work. These acts of aggression are direct infringements of constitutional rights against people who officers are supposed to protect and help. The needed trust in the police officer by the public is broken and is difficult to try to repair. Even if citizen oversight committees are formed and officers are punished for their actions, public trust usually is not restored. Police brutality usually goes hand-in-hand with perjury by the officer committing the brutality. An officer is more likely to lie under oath instead of risking punishment from the court and their department (O’Connor, 2005) Thankfully, most police officers follow the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics. Only a small fraction of â€Å"rogue† officers use the influence of the position to gain power and monetary gain. What needs to be done is to have more honest officers stand up and police their own. Only then will society be able to purge this nefarious aspect from its policing expectations and create a culture free from deceit and wrongdoings by those charged with protecting others. References Dempsey, J. S. , & Frost, L. S. (2005). Police and the law. In (Ed. ), An introduction to policing (pp. 250-290). Retrieved from Axia CJS 210. O’Connor, T. (2006). Topics in police ethics. Manuscript submitted for publication. Retrieved February 19, 2010, from http://www. apsu. edu/oconnort/3300/3300lect04. htm O’Connor, T. R. (2005). Police deviance and ethics. Retrieved February 20, 2010, from http://policecrimes. com/police_deviance. html Staff (2009, July). In the news: police corruption. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://articles. latimes. com/keyword/police-corruption Stevens, M. (2005). Police deviance and ethics (Masters Thesis, California State University – Fresno, 2005). Retrieved from http://faculty. ncwc. edu/mstevens/205/205lect11. htm

Battle of Ascalon in the First Crusade

Battle of Ascalon in the First Crusade Battle of Ascalon - Conflict Date: The Battle of Ascalon was fought August 12, 1099, and was the final engagement of the First Crusade (1096-1099). Armies Commanders: Crusaders Godfrey of BouillonRobert II, Count of FlandersRaymond of Toulouseapproximately 10,000 men Fatimids al-Afdal Shahanshahapproximately 10,000-12,000 men, possibly as high as 50,000 Battle of Ascalon - Background: Following the capture of Jerusalem from the Fatimids on July 15, 1099, the leaders of the First Crusade began to divide the titles and spoils. Godfrey of Bouillon was named Defender of the Holy Sepulchre on July 22 while Arnulf of Chocques became the Patriarch of Jerusalem on August 1. Four days later, Arnulf discovered a relic of the True Cross. These appointments created some strife within the crusader camp as Raymond IV of Toulouse and Robert of Normandy were angered by Godfreys election. As the crusaders consolidated their hold on Jerusalem, word was received that a Fatimid army was en route from Egypt to retake the city. Led by Vizier al-Afdal Shahanshah, the army encamped just north of the port of Ascalon. On August 10, Godfrey mobilized the crusader forces and moved towards the coast to meet the approaching enemy. He was accompanied by Arnulf who carried the True Cross and Raymond of Aguilers who bore a relic of the Holy Lance which had been captured at Antioch the previous year. Raymond and Robert remained in the city for a day until finally being convinced of the threat and joining Godfrey. Battle of Ascalon - Crusaders Outnumbered: While advancing, Godfrey was further reinforced by troops under his brother Eustace, Count of Boulogne, and Tancred. Despite these additions, the crusader army remained outnumbered by as much as five-to-one. Pressing forward on August 11, Godfrey halted for night near the Sorec River. While there, his scouts spotted what was initially thought to be a large body of enemy troops. Investigating, it was soon found to be a great number of livestock which had been gathered to feed al-Afdals army. Some sources indicate that these animals were exposed by the Fatimids in the hope that the crusaders would disperse to pillage the countryside, while others suggest that al-Afdal was unaware of Godfreys approach. Regardless, Godfrey held his men together and resumed the march the next morning with the animals in tow. Approaching Ascalon, Arnulf moved through the ranks with the True Cross blessing the men. Marching over the Plains of Ashdod near Ascalon, Godfrey formed his men for battle and took command of the armys left wing. Battle of Ascalon - The Crusaders Attack: The right wing was led by Raymond, while the center was guided by Robert of Normandy, Robert of Flanders, Tancred, Eustace, and Gaston IV of BÃ ©arn. Near Ascalon, al-Afdal raced to prepare his men to meet the approaching crusaders. Though more numerous, the Fatimid army was poorly trained relative to those the crusaders had faced previously and was composed of a mix of ethnicities from throughout the caliphate. As Godfreys men approached, the Fatimids became discouraged as the cloud of dust generated by the captured livestock suggested that the crusaders had been heavily reinforced. Advancing with infantry in the lead, Godfreys army exchanged arrows with the Fatimids until the two lines clashed. Striking hard and fast, the crusaders quickly overwhelmed the Fatimids on most parts of the battlefield. In the center, Robert of Normandy, leading the cavalry, shattered the Fatimid line. Nearby, a group of Ethiopians mounted a successful counterattack, but were defeated when Godfrey assaulted their flank. Driving the Fatimids from the field, the crusaders soon moved into the enemys camp. Fleeing, many of the Fatimids sought safety within the walls of Ascalon. Battle of Ascalon - Aftermath: Precise casualties for the Battle of Ascalon are not known though some sources indicate that Fatimid losses were around 10,000 to 12,000. While the Fatimid army retreated to Egypt, the crusaders looted al-Afdals camp before returning to Jerusalem on August 13. A subsequent dispute between Godfrey and Raymond regarding the future of Ascalon led to its garrison refusing to surrender. As a result, the city remained in Fatimid hands and served as a springboard for future attacks into the Kingdom of Jerusalem. With the Holy City secure, many of the crusader knights, believing their duty done, returned home to Europe. Selected Sources History of War: Battle of AscalonGodfrey His SuccessorsMedieval Crusades: Battle of Ascalon

Proper Language and Sentence Structure for Academic Writing by Lauren Gartner

Proper Language and Sentence Structure for Academic Writing Proper Language and Sentence Structure for Academic Writing Academic writing is the form of writing that students and others in the world of academia use to communicate their knowledge and informed opinions on a variety of subjects. Academic writing is by definition objective, evidence based, accurate, and written from an impersonal point of view. Notes about the Academic Writing Style The style that you will use to write academic papers is much different than the style that you would use for personal or business communication. For example, when writing in an academic setting, you would never use contractions. You would also never use slang, jargon, or colloquialisms. The rules of academic writing also require that you avoid filler words, vague words (thing, a lot, more), and phrases that can be replaced with one word. Sexist language should also be avoided. Use police officer instead of police man. Avoid using first person pronouns or gender based pronouns. Use they or their instead of he or she. Writing in the second person (you) is also expressly forbidden. Avoid using filler words. Having a good vocabulary will be beneficial to you, but big words will not impress simply because they are big words. Understanding The Conventions of Academic Writing Here are a few rules that may help you to understand what is expected of you when you write a research paper or essay: Your writing should be based on solid research Your goal when writing a research paper should be expressing what the evidence proves, not manipulating evidence to support your opinion Shorter words are often the better choice than longer words Paragraphs must always have a main idea sentence Your thesis should be clear Being concise is extremely important Your papers should have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion Help With Academic Writing Now that you better understand the characteristics of academic writing, let us discuss where you can get writing help both on and off campus. If your campus has a writing center, this is a great place to go and get help with academic writing assignments. The writing center will usually be staffed with assistant instructors or upperclassmen who are willing to volunteer their time to assist you. In some cases, your school's writing center will be internet based. In this case, you can log in to get information on various types of academic papers, rules of citation formats, and to see examples of various papers. If you need additional help, you may be able to find a tutor who can work with you one on one. A final option that many students use at least once are academic writing services. These are services that will write, edit, or proofread your academic papers for you. This is a very good option for students who are truly stuck on an assignment, and who are counting on getting a good gr ade. You can also use these services to help you to learn more about the proper structure and format of academic papers.

Cross calture issuse in international business Essay

Cross calture issuse in international business - Essay Example Each group has slightly different opinion. The main step for business growth IKEA took is to hire non Chinese managers and Chinese co-workers. The cross culture issues in international business Influence of cultural differences between china and Europe on IKEA IKEA is an international company owned by non-governmental organization. IKEA is the abbreviation of Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd. each term in its abbreviation has its own history. Ingvar Kamprad is the Swedish 17 year's old man who founded this company in 1943. this man was grown up in Elmtaryd and his home parish is in Agunnaryd. it is the world's largest retailer that designs and sell knock-down or flat pack furniture, home appliances and accessories. IKEA also launched a family mobile (Aug 8, 2008), a virtual mobile network running on T-mobiles. IKEA is known as one of the best company which does a lot for the third world. It built an image for the low price furniture but for the Chinese customers the case was opposit e when IKEA opened the first store in Shanghai, China (1998). Most of the Chinese likes to visit IKEA store but they mostly of them just wandered there and only few can by the items because of high prices. IKEA tried to low down their price but still their product became luxury for the Chinese customers. In the beginning IKEA had to face many challenges. For success in business it is much necessary to understand the cultural values of the country where you are setting your business. For IKEA, to achieve the strategy goal in china means to understand the culture and socio-economic conditions of china. In terms of culture and business practices, economical and political changes in china IKEA suffered with many ups and downs. The main issue for IKEA is to understand the environment and cultural difference which influence the Chinese customer's behavior. Hofstede's Cultural dimensions Geert Hofstede had done the influential work to demonstrate the cultural differences. He identified fiv e major dimensions along which cultural values vary: high vs. low power distance, individualism vs. collectivism, masculinity vs. femininity, and uncertainty avoidance vs. uncertainty acceptance and short-term vs. long-term orientation. Difference between china and Sweden culture In china culture dominant values in society are masculine. Caring of others and the quality of people and life are not so important but the importance is given to the assertiveness, acquisition of money and things. In china society muscularity, assertiveness and challenges are preferred over co-operation and good working relationship. Another important cultural trait of china is the high power distance. This means that the distance between subordinates and superiors in china is relatively high then west. We can consider it as a shape of narrow triangle in which the mangers placed on the apex while subordinates on the base. The management is not so common or in practice. This high power distance is basically roots from the imperial tradition in china. Until 1911, the emperors were given so high value that extremely they were called the sons of god. This resulted as an unequal relationship in the society. The subordinates are restricted to obey and owe their superiors in exchange for protection and consideration (Sriramesh, vercic, 2003, p 26). The local government institutions in china are powerful and mostly they operate on discretion. This is the main

Financial Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial Economics - Essay Example Under CAPM, the variations associated with returns are considered as sufficient measure of the risk related to a particular portfolio. But, on the other hand, there are several other risk factors, which may be considered as influential in the determination of risk involved in the investment in a portfolio. Apart from this, as per the assumption made in CAPM, returns related to assets are deemed to be normally distributed, which in real life situation, cannot be guaranteed as such (Kurschner, 2008). In addition to this, it is also pertinent to note that investors do not possess the same ability to invest and therefore investment costs to be borne by them may vary significantly. Similarly, assumptions relating to no variations in the expected returns and the concept of asset market without friction can also be considered as unfeasible. In fact, markets, which are assumed to be frictionless are reflective of situations where there exist no costs of transaction and other costs relating t o taxes or any limit on transactions. Moreover, the model also presumes that the assets traded in the market can be segregated to an infinite extent, thus enabling them to be held or sold. Apart from these limitations, one other significant limitations associated with the model is that CAPM does not require investors to take into consideration unsystematic risk, as the model presumes that it is not difficult to diversify such risks. But, since returns are directly related to the returns on market portfolio, therefore it is not possible to eliminate such risks with mere diversification (Kurschner, 2008). Roll’s Critique of the Early Empirical Tests of the CAPM Based on the empirical testing of the CAPM, Roll’s critical evaluation of the model relates to the determination of the fact that whether CAPM equation is valid and does it hold its ground? As per the equation of CAPM, E (Ri) signifies the returns expected from investment in a security â€Å"i† (Roll, 1977) . On the other hand, Rf is representative of the risk free return and ? represents systematic risk associated with the security for expected returns are to be determined. Moreover, it is also pertinent to note here that under CAPM making use of expected returns in relation to a real market portfolio carries out the evaluation of investment portfolio. As per the criticism of Roll, there is a relationship between systematic risk and returns expected from investment in a security, which is linear, provided that the value for ? is determined in the form of an index portfolio. Apart from this, the intercept also equates with the return when a portfolio with minimum return is considered. In light of these findings, it can be stated that the assumptions of the model are not required (Roll, 1977). Moreover, Roll also argued that as Capital Asset Pricing Model is concerned with the mean and variances therein in relation to efficiency of market portfolios and since it is not possible to obser ve the investments for which returns are being determined through it, it is therefore not possible to evaluate the model through empirical testing (Roll, 1977). Arbitrage Pricing Theory as an Alternative to CAPM’s Limitations The Arbitrage Pricing theory reflects that pricing of an