Category: Disaster

Introduction

Disturbing events like natural disasters and terrorist attacks have made societies concerned about the level of emergency preparedness and disaster recovery. Natural and manmade disasters occur at an alarming rate. The magnitude of disasters is widespread and are damaging to infrastructure. The likely hood of attacks by terrorists in the United States is a paramount concern.

Disaster recovery is the way that leads to resumption of normal business operation after a disruption. The September 11 attacks on America have made organizations grow the need to get ready for disaster recovery. In this regard, the US government has allocated many resources in preparation for such attacks. The public health and department of homeland security receives a lot of money from the government to deal with such.

In 1996, the New York City Office of Emergency Management was established. It has the responsibility of planning and carrying out management of emergencies. New York City OEM regularly conducts tests and reacts to emergencies. OEM is working with partners all over the city of New York to come up with strategies that improve the ability of the city to recover from disasters (Pinkowski, 2008).

Disaster Preparation Plans in New York

Homeland security and the department of health are working together with an aim of preparing for disasters that can be either manmade or natural. The damage that caused by such disasters can affect lives of the people of New York, the infrastructure and the economy of the United States at large. It is essential that preparation for such be at bay as it may take the city a number of years to recover from these disasters should they occur.

In 2009, the health department in New York confirmed the first case of H1N1 virus infection among students from a local college. The OEM worked together with various bodies and individuals to ensure that there is minimization to the spread of this virus. Revision of health regulations already in place on a yearly basis has been their priority.

A task force was formed to concentrate on eliminating the spread of infections from this virus. The OEM has qualified health professionals in place to oversee outbreak of diseases and deal with any kind of disease that may be a threat to the people in New York.

The administration in New York established a Coastal Storm Plan (CSP) that deals with issues arising from storms especially hurricanes. This coastal storm plan is revised every year and has illustrations on the plans the city has should there be a storm.

Effects of storms including inadequate drinking water, destroyed communication media, electrical faults and blocked roads are some of the issues discussed in this plan. The city of New York is well prepared for such calamities and already has a plan to deal with them should they occur.

The city of New York has a disaster housing recovery plan. This plan focuses on providing shelter to post disaster victims. The government is ready to provide shelter to New York City residents should there be a disaster that leave them homeless. Already in place is an emergency shelter program that has constructed buildings to accommodate more than 600,000 people (Philips, 2009).

The mayor’s office in New York has a laid out strategy to tack flash floods and their effects on the city. The 2007 floods that affected New York City saw the establishment of a task force from various arms of the government. A significant responsibility of this force is restoring the transport system back to its state of operation. Assistance areas were quickly set up and basic need given to the affected individuals.

The City’s Donation and Volunteer Management Plan created in 2009 defines the mobilization of volunteers and donors to assist people affected by disasters. Creation of an online portal to ease the helping process and a call center is in place. These make donating easy as information on requirements by a majority of the victims is easily accessible.

An emergency stockpile consists of medical supplies, clothing, blankets etc. OEM has set up an emergency stockpile within the city of New York. These necessities are released within a period of 48 hours to different areas of New York to help the affected persons. The emergency stockpile can sustain thousands of individuals for up to a week.

Strengths and Challenges

The city of New York has recently encountered a variety of disasters. This has helped the government in preparing against future recurrence of these disasters. Coming up with these plans and strategies has seen the establishment of task forces that discuss in detail the situation before hand and come up with solutions. The people of New York become aware about possible calamities and the necessary steps followed should they strike.

One key challenge is insufficient finances and human resources. Funds are only available to provide for a specific number of the population in the event of a disaster. The resources available cannot be enough for the majority of people in New York. Laying out strategies and plans is one thing but their approval is another. It takes time for the government to approve these disaster preparation plans because of their financial impact on the economy.

Role of the Government

The United States department of treasury through the IRS counsel and assist individuals who have lost their property to disasters. The department of Homeland security in conjunction with the health department has the overall task of managing the disaster preparedness plans.

The departments of housing and urban development give loans to victims of disaster to enable them buy new homes in cases where there is destruction of houses. Department of Health and Human Services offer health services to needy as well as aged people without health insurance cover whenever there is a disaster.

Conclusion

Natural disasters and terrorist attacks have been in the news a lot lately in the United States. This has raised concern about America’s level of emergency preparedness and disaster recovery (Bradbury, 2008).The impact of such disasters on the economy is immense. It is therefore vital that a city such as New York embark on preparations to recover from such attacks and calamities.

The United States government through the Homeland Security and health departments has set aside resources for disaster preparation. These departments are working together with other organizations to ensure recovery from natural disasters and terrorist attacks. New York City prepared well for recovery from most natural disasters and attacks. There are however challenges of funds to effectively achieve this.

References

Bradbury, C. (2008). DISASTER! Creating and testing an effective Recovery Plan.

The British Journal of administrative Management, 14

Philips, B. (2009). Disaster Recovery, New York: CRC Press.

Pinkowski, J. (2008). Disaster Management Handbook, New York: CRC Press.

How the article aid DEM professionals in providing competent and ethical assistance to the citizens affected by disasters

Digital Elevation Models are essential tools used by the geological departments in a nation to help reveal various aspects of earth’s structure. Generally, a combination of various factors is known to cause disasters; these include political factors, cultural/social factors, economic factors, and physical/geographical factors in a given area (Rovins, p.3).

The above-mentioned article examines possible consequences that can be seen if proper response to a disaster is not followed by a recovery from the disaster. It reminds different professionals about their collective responsibility in managing disasters should they occur.

In fact, it emphasizes the fact that there is need to predict and prepare for such incidences. DEM professionals can thus use the model to help in predicting disasters, for instance, the possible occurrence of a volcanic eruption of faulting along some lien of weakness on the surface of the earth.

The concept of physical vulnerability is described in the paper. The way the infrastructure of a country is designed in relation to the geographical location has been portrayed as one of the factors leading to disasters. It is also observed that even though attempts have been made to plan for hazards that results into disasters, implementation of such plans often fails. The DEM professionals should consider it a responsibility on their side, to be involved in the planning process.

Perhaps, it is lack of enough information that could lead to poor implementation of the plans, thus these DEM professionals should be involved during the planning of infrastructure. In addition, surface terrain should be considered when designing infrastructure such as roads and railways, while houses that happen to have been erected on lines of weaknesses should be brought down following recommendations from the professionals.

How the information can be used to create democratic public policies and programs that assist the community in mitigating, preparing for, responding to, and recovering from the disasters

In managing disasters, much focus has been given to mitigation planning. This paper reveals that the implementation of plans has been thwarted especially by the fact that the causative agents may not follow a predictable or regular pattern. Policies that allow for flexibility in the operations of the government could thus be enacted based on such a principle. Moreover, a special program department in a government could be created that deals with such issues.

Besides, it has been stressed that planning for disasters should not be isolated from all the other planning in a community or country. Thus, a democratic system of government would be one that advocates for the incorporation of such plans in the national budget and obtaining views from the public concerning such steps. This has been supported by the paper as reducing losses that are experienced in the response to and recovery from a disaster.

Moreover, arguments have been put forward that the cost of mitigation planning can be very high. However, it is still acknowledged that such costs cannot be higher than the unpredictable damages that can follow a disaster. Therefore, policies to be adopted should be those that would prefer reducing benefits rather than completely losing such benefits.

Evacuation of victims of disasters from the struck areas has been used in some areas in order to reduce casualties. However, the findings in the paper reveal that it is not a good solution, as it is just a temporary solution that would soon wither away with a short time.

Instead, physical planning should be done to ensure that the population is settled on safer locations. The authority can then find appropriate activities suitable for such areas. This can be easily used in the management of flood disasters

Reference

Rovins, J. (2009). Effective Hazard Mitigation: Are Local Mitigation Strategies Getting the Job Done? American Military University. Retrieved from https://training.fema.gov/hiedu/highpapers.aspx

Department

Fire departments are usually front line workers in a disaster situation. Therefore, during a disaster, the general public depends a lot on fire department for assistance.

However, provision of rescue services complexes under calamities like earth quakes, hurricanes and floods. Therefore, this necessitates increased staffing to meet the threshold of effective response.

Under calamities of such a large scale as tornados, government disaster assistance teams are called in after local resources have been exhausted (National Response Framework, 1998, p. 15).

Rescue steps

The first step should involve assessing the extent of the damage. This will help the department to consider the adequacy of its staff requirements.

Staff requirement analysis might involve how personnel will be activated, the management of catastrophic coverage, and the organization of shifts in situations where rescue operations will take more than 12 hours.

Nevertheless, in case of staff shortage, additional support might be requested from the staff on leave (Newman & Clarke, 2008).

Secondly, fire department should identify necessary extended operations to support rescue missions. This will involve indentifying services or fire departments that will support service provision not under the control of fire department (National Response Framework, 1998, p. 15).

The third step should involve setting up of emergency operations center from where lost friends and media briefings will be undertaken from.

This center will also act as a point of support for rescue teams, survivors and their relatives while controlling human traffic in collaboration with security department (Law enforcement guide for emergency operations, 2009).

The fourth step will involve ensuring the safety of rescue personnel. This will involve communicating with rescue team family members concerning their whereabouts.

The final step should involve organizing logistical support services in order to help the victims (Preparing for emergencies: University of California San Francisco Police Department, n. d.).

Necessary operational support services

One might argue that tornado management might be beyond the scope of the fire department. The official guidelines, however, state that fire department staff is responsible for carrying out rescue missions for saving the people that are in the vicinity of the tornado eruption.

The National Response Framework states that “Fire Department – Assumes the role of Incident Command on scene. Determines the hazard level of the incident and directs response operations as directed by” (National Response Framework, 1998, p. 19).

Therefore, the role of the fire department is crucial in the process of tornado protection and managing the tornado related rescue missions.

As the National Response Framework shows, however, not only the efforts of the fire department alone, but also the joined efforts of the fire department and the law enforcement that allows for addressing the problem promptly and efficiently. “.

Programs have been difficult to initiate or maintain unless they have been demanded by the citizens or mandated by law and paid for by the state or federal government” (National Response Framework, 1998, p. 31).

Therefore, fire department should work hand in hand with the local law enforcement agencies for support in clearing blocked highways and access roads (RECP law enforcement and coroner/medical examiner subsidiary plan: San Francisco Bay Area regional emergency coordination plan, 2008).

This increases response time and safety of the rescue team members. In our case, debris was from destroyed buildings and residential houses. Also, as tornado resulted in some shootings, law enforcement was necessary as it might increase the level of risk to the unarmed emergency rescue team members.

In some instances, law enforcers might also provide vehicles and planes thus increasing the level of efficiency of patients’ evacuation (Fire department preparedness for extreme weather emergencies and natural disasters, 2008; Guidance for community HAZMAT response plans, 2008; Richards et al., 2006).

As Tornado destroyed more than 60 percent of town’s businesses and residential houses, power blackouts were possible. Power line live wires could be lying in the floods, which might cause electrocution to emergency rescue teams.

Therefore, a local utility company will be needed to check any possibility of electrocution, support the provision of essential services like telephones, and clean water and sewerage systems necessary for a rescue process (Fire department preparedness for extreme weather emergencies and natural disasters, 2008; Guidance for community HAZMAT response plans, 2008; Richards et al., 2006).

The third most important agency in the given scenario is the department of roads and public works. These offices usually possess heavy machineries; that might support the removal of debris off the streets for emergency vehicles (Tornado protection: Selecting refuge areas in buildings, 2009, p. 9).

In addition, this department may also be equipped with structural engineers who will assist in safety assessment on the affected business and residential buildings.

This department also has plumbers among its key human resources; these plumbers will be able to provide water pumping services in the buildings, where the water supply system has been damaged by the tornado.

Thus, the fire department personnel will be relieved of some of their duties (Fire department preparedness for extreme weather emergencies and natural disasters, 2008; Guidance for community HAZMAT response plans, 2008; Richards et al., 2006).

The department of transport (DOT) will also be necessary in this rescue operation (Guide to IAFC model policies and procedures for emergency vehicle safety, n. d.). They will also assist in clearing streets and roads of debris, which might hasten rescue personnel movements.

The department might also provide four wheel vehicles to support the transportation of operational teams in case if rescue vehicle will not suffice (Online Support for Bomb Threat Response Planning Tool, n. d.).

Since the department has also qualified engineers, they may support traffic control through the installation of street lightings, stop signals and four way intersections.

Reference list

Fire department preparedness for extreme weather emergencies and natural disasters (2008). U.S Fire Administration, FEMA. Web.

Guidance for community HAZMAT response plans (2008). Emergency management and homeland security division, state of Michigan. Web.

Guide to IAFC model policies and procedures for emergency vehicle safety. International Association of Fire Chiefs. Web.

Law enforcement guide for emergency operations (2009). California Emergency Management Agency. Web.

National Response Framework (1998). Risk assessment of natural and man made disasters of the Signal Hill Fire Protection District St. Clair County, Illinois. Web.

Newman, G. R. & Clarke, R. V. (2008). Policing terrorism: An executive’s guide. U.S. Department of Justice. Web.

Online Support for Bomb Threat Response Planning Tool. Web.

Preparing for emergencies: University of California San Francisco Police Department. Web.

RECP law enforcement and coroner/medical examiner subsidiary plan: San Francisco Bay Area regional emergency coordination plan (2008). Web.

Richards, E. P., Ruthbun, K. C., Brito, C. S. & Luna, A. (2006). The role of law enforcement in public health emergencies: Special considerations for all hazards approach. Bureau of Justice Assistance. Web

Tornado protection: Selecting refuge areas in buildings (2009). Web.

Issue

The Somali Democratic Republic in a Sunni Muslim country which is ruled with the socialist authoritarian regime. It shares borders with Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and is shored by the Indian Ocean on the east of the country and by the Golf of Eden on the north. It is headed by the President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and the Prime Minister Abdi Farrah Shirdon Said. With the population of under eleven million people, the birth rate of 41/1000, infant mortality rate of 100,14/1000 and the life expectancy of 5,8 (Infoplease par. 1), the country faces major challenges in the humanitarian needs.

According to the European Commission’s report on Somalia, almost five million Somalis are in desperate need for humanitarian assistance due to extreme lack of food and clean water in settlements, outbreaks of diseases and poor hygiene (2). Furthermore, the climate conditions do not do any favors to the population – El Niño caused major flooding in the region, leaving 4.3 million people either in need of shelter or life-saving (United Nations in Somalia par. 1). Thus, in the conditions that are already not suitable for comfortable and safe living, natural disasters like flood have a devastating result.

Outbreaks of cholera, measles, and polio are linked to the poor provision of health care, which cannot offer help to all mothers and children; thus, the maternal and child mortality rates are increasing with each year. With the Somali Civil War and the conflict with Yemen, the population is in desperate need for post-war surgeries and treatment. Thus, one of the most prominent issues that need to be solved in Somalia is the lack of adequate healthcare and living conditions.

Solutions Plan

With the issue discussed above, the conclusion has been made that there is no time for the international organizations to take their time to design a strict plan of solving issues in Somalia; actions should be taken straightaway.

The establishment of life-saving healthcare as illustrated in the example of the EU’s SOS Children’s Village in Badbadho camp. The facility provides an appropriate level of life-saving health care, including birth delivering. Furthermore, it provides assistance for victims of sexual abuse, an issue which is also common for the region (European Commission 4). Similar facilities should be established with the assistance from the global community.

Provision of humanitarian aid for children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding women. Malnutrition is one of the most problematic issues for these groups (Unicef Somalia par. 1) of the population; thus, they should be provided with the necessary amount of food and clean water through humanitarian campaigns funded by the global humanitarian organizations.

Provision of shelter for the displaced Somalis that were forced to leave their housing due to unsanitary or dangerous conditions of the civil war. A prime example is a site built by the Danish and Norwegian Refugee Councils that was able to provide housing and sanitation facilities for more than eight hundred relocated families (Baulhassani par. 9). Furthermore, displaced families can greatly benefit from cash transfers which they can use to pay for shelter and food.

Initiation of a peaceful process to resolve the civil war. Global authorities should understand that war in Somalia is what caused the humanitarian disaster in the region. Finding ways to negotiate with the country’s leaders and their opponents may become a start to establishing peace in the region (Said 11).

Works Cited

Baulhassani, Jasmin. Seeking Solutions to Displacement. 2016.

European Commission. Somalia Echo Fact Sheet. 2016. Web.

Infoplease. Somalia. 2016. Web.

Said, Ahmed. Somalia: Solutions at the End of the Tunnel. 2013.

Unicef Somalia. Nutrition. n.d. Web.

United Nations in Somalia. Somalia 2015-16 El Niño Contingency Plan. 2015.

After the First World War was ended, the League of Nations Health Organization was formed. This was a health body crafted under the instruments of the League of Nations that had earlier been formed to prohibit the outbreak of another war (Burci & Vignes, 2004).

It is profound to note that the post world war era was faced with myriads of challenges such as lack of adequate health facilities, poorly growing economies and also weak democracies. Therefore, there was a need to set up various agencies under the League of Nations that would foresee the socio-economic wellbeing of the ravaged world population.

The main covenant of the league was to promote good health by devising ways of controlling and preventing various infections. However, the advent of the Second World War significantly interfered with the overall performance of the health above agency. As a result, the UN relief and rehabilitation administration was compelled to come up with viable health measures that would save the growing world population.

This explains the reason why the United Nations Conference on International Organization was held shortly after the end of the Second World War (Burci & Vignes, 2004). There were several references to health that were made at this conference. For instance, the meeting resolved that a global health body would be set up.

Consequently, the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations assisted in developing the overall policy document and constitution of the newly created body (World Health Organization) in 1946. The title “international” was replaced with the word “world.”

In terms of structure, it is profound to note that the United Nations Development Group is part and parcel of the World Health Organization. It had up to 194 member states by the close of the year 2012. All the member states of the UN belong to the World Health Organization except states such as Niue, Cook Islands, and Liechtenstein.

States which do not enjoy adequate diplomatic recognition have not been included in the membership structure of the World Health Organization. The World Health Assembly is the key body that makes vital decisions on behalf of WHO. As such, the delegations are usually appointed to this assembly by the respective member states of the world health organization.

Moreover, the World Health Organization has a formal relationship with the UN observer agencies such as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the UN observer organizations International Committee of the Red Cross. Geneva is the current headquarters of the World Health Organization.

It is also vital to mention that the legislative roles of the WHO are executed by the World Health Assembly. The director general is also appointed by the assembly on a regular length of five years. During the meetings, the assembly concentrates on issues related to finance and policy frameworks of the overall health agency.

For instance, the agency’s budget is usually drafted and reviewed by the assembly courtesy of the delegated members of the WHO member states. Also, the Executive Board’s reports are usually reviewed and endorsed by the assembly. The assembly is also mandated to offer additional recommendations whenever it deems fit to do so.

The board mainly plays the roles of facilitating the duties of the assembly, advising the assembly and executing certain policy decisions (Burci & Vignes, 2004). One of the recent efforts made by the agency was the clinical trials that were carried out in 2009 to control the influenza pandemic. The discovery of the H1N1 influenza virus was a major effort towards curbing the spread of this outbreak.

Mentally ill persons have basic rights as enshrined in the federal constitution of the United States. To begin with, such individuals are supposed to be given prompt medical attention after being admitted in a healthcare facility. The treatment plan should also be elaborate enough for the affected person in the sense that such services should be reviewed regularly before the patient can be finally discharged from a health facility (Mental Health America of Central Virginia, n.d).

They also have the right to be supplied with adequate information on the progress of their treatment as well as how their treatment plans are being revised periodically. The latter should also entail the planning of services to be offered to the mentally ill persons.

Mentally ill patients can also decide to refuse treatment since the federal constitution guarantees them the right to choose. However, this provision may be revoked if the patient is in an emergency condition that requires urgent redress. Also, the existing rule of law may also hinder the application of this basic right of mentally ill patients especially in cases where such a constitutional provision may jeopardize the well being of other people.

A mentally ill patient has the right to refuse taking part in any clinical experiment especially if there is no prior written consent from the affected person. The patient cannot be coerced into such a practice (Mental Health America of Central Virginia, n.d). He or she can also revoke any consent made earlier in regards to taking part in clinical trials.

Individuals who are mentally ill cannot be secluded or restraint under any circumstances since they also enjoy the right to freedom in such cases. However, an emergency may deny them this type of freedom as enshrined in the constitution (Mental Health America of Central Virginia, n.d).

References

Burci, G. L. & Vignes C. (2004). World Health Organization. The Hague: Kluwer Law International.

Mental Health America of Central Virginia. Bill of Rights for Mentally Ill Patient. Web.

One of the most important functions of any government is to avail basic services in the event of a catastrophe. It is therefore very important that in the event of a disaster, the different arms of government would join up and come up with an effective way to avail all the essential services needed in the course of the disaster and its aftermath (Regional Disaster Management Centre of Excellence, 2011).

Let me use the Sinai Fire Disaster that happened in September of 2011 to illustrate how in Kenya the Local government and the National government worked together to contain the situation. The fire that killed 92 people was caused by the pipeline’s spillage into the slum’s drainage.

The administration police at the scene not only conducted surveillance for safety of the public and the rescuers, but also helped contain the crowd that had gathered to rescue their friends and belongings. The ministry of Special Programs set up tents to offer counseling services in addition to the distribution of foodstuff and medication to the survivors. Many of them were left in need of blankets and tents to be able to spend the night.

The Prime Minister Raila Odinga, the Vice President, Kalonzo Musyoka, and Kiraitu Murungi, the Minister of Energy at that time together with some of the other ministers in government arrived at the scene later on and reassured members of the public that the government would cater for the hospital bills of the affected (Maxwell, 2011).

In the example above we see the different echelons of government involved. For instance, we can see the Executive working together with the local government to aid the victims. The administration police are also working together with the fire department and the ministry of energy to contain the situation.

Some of the advantages that can be accrued when different levels of government interrelate and work together include:

1. Efficiency in execution of services and reduced of costs of operation.
2. Intergovernmental relations also eliminate the need for the establishment of special tribunals to handle shared projects.
3. Coordination between levels of government allows for better planning and distribution of tasks and resources and for the development of better policies that concern the area.
4. Additionally, expanded resources and services are always because of cooperation and may avail resources to places that may otherwise be without.

On the other hand, some of the disadvantages of Intergovernmental relations include:

1. Compromises can sometimes be hard to come to by, especially if the parties involved are of different persuasions on the matter they are to tackle together.
2. Bias may also affect the distribution or resources if one of the involved parties is more dominant then the others.

Therefore, it is in the fostering of good inter-governmental relations that disasters can be managed quicker and more efficiently. Additionally, there is a spirit of brotherhood that is fostered and encouraged among the members of the different arms of government. Although it was a pleasant sight to see the different arms of government, much can still be done to improve inter-governmental relations. Some of the ways wherein inter-governmental communication might be improved include: Encouraging discussion forums among the different levels of government, increasing transparency in governmental activities, and encouraging inter-governmental conferences among others.

References

Maxwell, M., (2011). 75 Die in Sinai Fire Disaster. Web.

Regional Disaster Management Centre of Excellence. (2011). Sinai Disaster. Web.

Nowadays, deep and persistent political dissatisfaction permeates American society. Indeed, democracy is still held as the ideal; however, its noble goals have yet to be attained. What captures attention about the social mood is that more and more citizens shift from mistrusting politicians’ actions to disdaining who they are and how they rose to power. Many people claim that those belonging to the Establishment have grown so detached from a common man’s reality that they are barely able to heed citizens’ needs.

When one traces back current politicians’ stories of success, it is easy to see that many of them did not struggle a day in their lives as they came from exceedingly affluent families. The question arises as to whether replacing politicians with regular people could tackle the issue. This essay outlines three reasons why such a decision could be spectacularly disastrous.

Randomized Selection

The first problem would manifest itself at the selection stage. It is exceptionally strenuous to elaborate a selection mechanism that would enable building a group of people based on non-probability sampling excluding specific demographic cohorts. For instance, those with a criminal record or a history of mental disorders would not be eligible. Developing inclusion and exclusion criteria is likely to be controversial as many people would like to contribute to the discussion about who may be deemed worthy of such a high position. The first “pilot” selection is projected to have various background check errors and allow unqualified people into Congress. One may only imagine how much havoc senile, delinquent, and mentally unstable people could wreak on the work of the US House and Senate.

Political Knowledge

It is imperative, to be honest about an average American’s legal and civic literacy. A recent survey showed that citizens’ knowledge about the Constitution, the government, and President’s powers are worrisome. For instance, two-thirds of young Americans cannot name the three government branches and their purpose whereas 70% of respondents do not recognize Madison as the Father of the US Constitution (American Council of Trustees and Alumni 4).

It is easy to see why it takes people many years to study law and political sciences even to get closer to understanding the intricate systems which constitute a state. Ordinary people, on the other hand, are susceptible to adopting mainstream, simplified views. Their convictions are often a concoction of what the TV says, what they read on the Internet, and what their peers think. In Congress, they will be offering unreasonable solutions due to their inability to perceive an issue in its complexity. In turn, inadequate solutions will lead to ineffective, inconsistent measures compromising the country’s stability.

Altruism vs Egoism

Being selfish is perfectly normal and necessary for a person’s success and survival. However, being in a position of power takes a great deal of selflessness and altruism to refrain from pursuing one’s interests and focus on citizens’ needs. A recent study showed that common good and teamwork do not prompt young Americans to take action; on the contrary, the thought of interdependency may decrease their motivation (Hamedani et al. 193). Normally, working in Congress does not allow one to be an independent thinker and address the issues single-handedly. However, if selected randomly, ordinary citizens will concentrate on their everyday needs and will be unable to collaborate successfully.

Conclusion

Randomly choosing senators and representatives from each state might be a bold, fascinating idea. Some may even say that given the current political dissatisfaction, such a strategy could reflect the true spirit of democracy and relieve the tension in American society. However, upon further investigation, it becomes evident that random selection would give rise to numerous problems. For instance, it is barely possible to automate the selection process so that it would take into account all the exclusion criteria. Second, the lack of formal education and political knowledge would inhibit the newly formed Congress from making reasonable decisions. Lastly, ordinary citizens are unlikely to overcome their selfishness which will complicate or make cooperation impossible.

Works Cited

American Council of Trustees and Alumni. A Crisis in Civic Education. 2016. Web.

Hamedani, Maryam G., et al. “In the Land of the Free, Interdependent Action Undermines Motivation.” Psychological Science, vol. 24, no. 2, 2013, pp. 189-196.

The Nightmare Scenario

The charges of Atwood in the novel “Year of the Flood” are based off her concept that never in the history of creation has a species had the means to its own mass extinction that it literally had it within its very fingertips.

This is idea is of course inspired from the potentially destructive forces of nuclear holocausts, unmitigated genetic engineering and an increasingly divisive society where the potential for class warfare is a growing concern as seen by the recent uprisings in the Middle East. For Atwood, her destruction of choice is death by plague wherein humanity is wiped out by a plague that was initially disguised as a prophylactic.

While the Geneva Convention on Human Rights has banned the use and development of biological agents as a means of warfare, thus sparing humanity the possibility of dying due to a virulent disease, the fact remains that studies still do continue in the realm of genetic engineering wherein the secrets of the genetic code are continuously being explored by scientists. For Atwood the structure of our culture involving sciences, religion and people are inherently flawed and in need for change.

The current norm in society is in the fostering of the concept of social inequality which can and will create problems in the future in relation to cooperation between all sectors of humanity (Brooks, 11). It is due to this that Atwood portrays the future in such a dystopic faction since it is actually a good enough impression of what the world will look like should nothing be done.

In relation to the science of genetic engineering, it has been able to create bioengineered corn that is more resistant to disease, created effective means of treatment through hormones and gene therapy, all while the science of genetic engineering is still within its infancy. On the other hand various negative outcomes have also come about such as bioengineered crops that humans are actually allergic to and untold side-effects on the human body by the current myriad of drugs and inoculations developed by pharmaceutical companies.

While unlikely, the possibility is still there for catastrophe to occur; one statement by Atwood in the book summarizes this possibility “this was not an ordinary pandemic it wouldn’t be contained after a few hundred thousand deaths, the obliterated with bio-tools and bleach, this was the Waterless Flood the Gardeners so often had warned about, it had all the signs: it travelled through the air as if on wings, it burned through the cities like fire, spreading germ-ridden mobs, terror, and butchery” (Atwood, 20).

This particular quote from the book shows how a biological contagion can sweep through society; unhindered, unstoppable and un-killable.

The point that Atwood is trying to make in this particular instance is that with every step we take towards scientific progress is a possible step towards human extinction. In the case of the actions of Craker she seemingly posits the idea that if progress isn’t tempered with sufficient mental fortitude and care the result could be disastrous.

In order for humanity to arrive at level shown in “Year of the Flood” current trends and practices don’t need to be exaggerated rather letting them follow on through with their current course of action will inevitably lead to the current dystopic future shown in the novel (Snyder, 19).

Already unmitigated pollutants being released into the atmosphere have unleashed all manner of contagions for humanity, the continued expansion of the gap between rich and poor will inevitably reach a boiling point and undisciplined genetic experiments done in the name of science can and will unleash some form of genetic aberration onto the world that will make life more difficult for humanity (Brooks, 15).

The inevitable nightmare scenario does not need any further catalyst nor exaggeration in order for it to come to pass, rather, inaction by government leaders, communities and scientists will bring it about one way or another.

Pessimistic Thinking

After a moment of self-introspection I would have to say that I would classify myself as being a generally pessimistic thinker. While I don’t go around looking at the possible negative implications of the various actions humanity has committed I am not so naive as to expect that true and positive change will not come without some form of impetus triggering it.

For example right now regions such as the U.A.E, Australia and China have been implementing increasingly stringent methods of internet censorship in order to prevent the general public from “being harmed” by various antigovernment propaganda currently proliferating the web at this very moment.

What must be understood though is that the internet is one of the best tools today for social and political change as seen in the recent uprisings in the Middle East. One scene from the novel actually shows the inevitability of such an action ” then the CorpSeCorps had outlawed firearms in the interests of public security, reserving the newly invented spray guns for themselves, and suddenly people were officially weaponless” (Atwood, 24).

With the development of the internet as a true tool of social change and reform it comes as no surprise that governments would then step in to control it just as the CorpSeCrops stepped in as mentioned in the novel for the purpose of “public security”. As such based on what can be seen in the present regarding increasingly stringent government control over the lives of their citizens one cannot help but remain pessimistic as the very tools citizens can use to fight back are slowly being taken away from them.

Humanity and machines

Generally speaking, the primary purpose of machines has always been to make human lives easier. In fact their benefits have been mentioned in the book in the following passage “The food came in through the safety-sealed hatchway, plus there was the minifridge with snacks, and the water was filtered, coming in and out both” (Atwood, 7).

As such it can be seen that it is even in the opinion of Atwood that as machines get better in providing human needs so to does the possibility of the quality of life increase. On the other hand it can also be stated that as machines continue to grow so to will the jobs previously done by humans be phased out in favor of cold machine efficiency.

In fact it can even be seen in various sections of the book where the increased isolation of the educated half of the population in the environments provided by the companies is due to the fact that an increasing amount of human jobs being outsourced to robots which cause a large percentage of the population to live in poverty. As such, while it can be said that while machines get better the quality of human life will increase this degree of quality will be increasingly isolated towards the upper echelons of society.

Changing Along With Machines

One of the messages Atwood tries to impart in the novel is the concept of friendship however this concept can be further interpreted as having to care for your fellow man. What must be taken into consideration is the fact that along with improvements in machines humanity must also improve along with them.

This does not mean the evolution of the physical self but rather the evolution of thought wherein humanity develops a sufficient enough capacity to understand that its continued actions will harm rather than help humanity as a whole. As such, this means developing new societal structures that foster equality rather than inequality, better cultural norms that focus on morals and ethics and finally the development of the self to encompass both a love for life and the desire to protect it.

Works Cited

Atwood, Margaret. The Year of the Flood. 1st. London: Bloomsbery, 2009. 3-48. Print.

Brooks Bouson, J. ““We’re Using Up the Earth. It’s Almost Gone”: A Return to the Post-Apocalyptic Future in Margaret Atwood’s The Year of the Flood.” Journal of Commonwealth Literature 46.1 (2011): 9-26. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web.

Snyder, Katherine V. “It’s the End of the World As We Know It.” Women’s Review of Books 27.2 (2010): 19-20. Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. Web.

Thesis of the Book

The thesis of this book is a personal account of Mount Everest disaster in which the author had taken part, but it had turned out to be tragic in which he had lost some of his climbing partners as the disaster unfolded. Although the book has many themes that unfold as the story continues, the theme of mutual trust and care remains dominant across this entire tragic book.

Thesis of the Essay

The essay aims at summarizing the book in which the writer makes a personal opinion of the accounts as they are narrated in the book and criticizes the book to bring out the faults that can be identified in the author’s story of how the Mount Everest disaster occurred.

Summary of the book

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster is a book which was published in the year 1997. The book sets off to narrate one of the deadliest disasters that had taken place in Mount Everest from an individual point of view in which the reader is given a description of what actually happened from a survivor of the ordeal.

Krakauer who is the author of this book tells vividly of the accounts that occurred at the world’s highest mountain with such emotional clarity. This depicts why the book became a best selling nonfiction book on its release. The author of this book narrates how he participated in Mount Everest expedition, despite having surrendered his career in mountain climbing way years back.

The event took place in the month of May in the year 2006. The author, a professional journalist wrote and featured articles for the outside magazine. He had previous participated in many other mountain climbing expeditions from which he had gathered materials for his articles in the magazine. He later on gave up his career prior to this particular event that involved climbing Mount Everest (Krakauer 20).

Krakauer justified his change of heart to participate in Mount Everest expedition as being purely professional. In the initial plan as it had been reported in the magazine, Krakauer was to climb up to the Mount Everest base in which he was to make a report on the commercialization of the mountain.

However, in his childhood and wildest dreams, it evident that Krakauer had always aspired of climbing Mount Everest and this was the best opportunity which was right on the table. He requested his editor to hold off the story until later in the year so that he could get ample time to train hard for the monstrous task of climbing to the summit of the highest mountain in the world.

It is from this point that the book exhaustively and chronologically narrates the events that happened on the mountain as they ascended to the top of the world’s highest mountain. The author tells of the tragedies that unfolded in pursuit of getting to the world’s ceiling by the determined mountaineers.

Personal opinion derived from the book

It is evident that the tragedy that took place in Mount Everest was an example of an artificial disaster that was manageable if only the set guidelines that have been stipulated to guide such expeditions had been followed to the latter.

The author has in a nutshell pointed out that some of the safety guidelines that had been formulated by the most experienced mountaineers in the world had been violated. It is evident that the violation was done because of the competition that was prevailing between the existing companies that provided the mountaineers with guides who led the mountaineers throughout the ascent on the mountain.

This competition has resulted in some of the companies compromising the well-being of the mountaineers, some of whom do not have enough training and experience to take part in events such as ascending to the summit of Mount Everest (Krakauer 122).

Issues that have arisen from this book

It is evident that this book was a success in its release as it sold over a million copies. However, despite the success a lot of criticism has been made by renowned mountaineers and people who had also participated in the expedition in which they had escaped the ordeal. The critics have disputed the material facts that Krakauer has relayed in the book with regard to one of the guides of Russian origin who had been mandated with guiding the team throughout the ascent of Mount Everest.

It is evident that in the book, the guide had descended the mountain ahead of his clients in which his motive was to find help and lead a rescue mission in which he would have saved more adventurers when the adventure turned sour. Krakauer in his book seems to question the rationale that this guide had applied in which he had decided to leave his clients alone on the mountain, despite fully knowing that they lacked the experience to handle the situations that were prevailing at that time.

He questions the guide’s judgment in not having used supplement oxygen that was an essential component in the paraphernalia that were required by the adventurers. He rebukes the interaction techniques that were applied by the guide in his interaction with the clients. He finally questions the mountaineering gears that were used by the adventurers in their quest to ascend the mountain to its summit.

On the other hand a number of professional renowned mountaineers like Galen Rowell have criticized Krakauer’s account in his narration by faulting it as irrational and clouded by individual judgment that is prejudicial in retelling exactly what happened in the fateful adventure.

He points out the inconsistencies that are in Krakauer’s account in which he observes that Krakauer was sleeping in his tent and he had no idea what the guide was doing. It is evident that as Krakauer was sleeping, the guide was busy rescuing some of the climbers who were in dire need of medical attention. Galen reckons that the actions of the guide were heroic and he had used his wisdom to forebode the shortcoming that arose from the expedition.

Work Cited

Krakauer , Jones. Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster. New York: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2009. Print.

It is not a secret that humanity is very interested in such questions as: “Where did we come from? And when?” Mankind tries to find the answer to these important questions. It is a universal truth that there is a great number of tales and stories which transmits from one generation to another generation. And such ancient works as The Epic of Gilgamesh, Genesis in the Bible and The Metamorphoses of Ovid are such shining examples.

In these books, the flood interpretation has a very deep meaning and pays attention to many people during much time. Though these three interpretations of flood are separated in some details and have been written at different times, but they have also similarities. And they are very important for all generations up to this day. And we can make a parallel between them.

The most significant similarity in these stories is their plot. And there is one approval that Genesis in the Bible was written on the basis of The Epic of Gilgamesh, or vice versa. “Noah’s Ark is based on the story of Utnapishtim’s flood” (Lawal 657). And it is not surprising, because these two stories and we can add to them The Metamorphoses of Ovid, are very similar.

So, the aim of these three stories was to warn the next generations to be moral, kind, not violent, in order not to ruin their lives.

The one similarity in all these three stories is the symbol of the water as the purification of the land from the evil and the resolution to a new generation to live without crime, harm, but only in love and peace. That is why in three stories the flood is the symbol of rebirth and renovation. To my mind, this is the main similarity which gives rise to understanding that these stories differs only in some small and insignificant details.

The similarity is in the reason of the beginning of the flood. In all these stories gods were not satisfied with the humanity. In The Epic of Gilgamesh the god decides to destroy mankind because they are very loud, numerous, and people prevent him from sleeping. In Genesis in the Bible the god makes up his mind to renew the world because people became very angry, crafty and cruel, and lawlessness dominated the earth. God pointed out that people were sinful. In The Metamorphoses of Ovid the god destroys the generation because of their disobedience and immorality. The author writes that Jupiter decides to punish the humanity, because they do not respect him, and Lycaon even has tried to kill him. And they implement their plan with the help of the flood.

In The Epic of Gilgamesh the god saves Utnapishtim’s family and allows him to build the ark and take with him somebody who is eager to come with him. In Genesis in the Bible the god allows Noah and his family to build the ark, and then he asks him to bring two creatures of both sexes and six species of each clean animal. In The Metamorphoses of Ovid Deucalion and Pyrrha become the survivals, because the god has mercy on them. All these people were warned beforehand about the gods’ plan to send a great flood. And the main reason why the gods have chosen these people is their great respect to the gods, their decency, and their obedience. And these three families seemed to have a right to be near God during the great flood. And they are the symbols of the best in mankind. And by doing this, the gods give the world and the human race to survive.

To my mind, these three stories have a great opportunity to prove us that we are the descendants of Utnapishtim, Noah and Deucalion. And we must follow their examples in order to live with our families, relatives and the surrounding in welfare and peace. As Ovid writes, the two people, who has survived, “throw stones over each of his and her shoulder. The stones that Deucalion throw become men, and the ones that Pyrrha toss, turn into women” (Ovid 557).

As in Genesis in the Bible is written: “When the rain stops, “the water [prevails] upon the earth for one hundred and fifty days”(Bible 7:24). “After ten months, the mountain tops [become] visible” (Bible 8:5). “At the end of one year, one month, and twenty- seven days, Noah, his family, and the various animals exit the ark” (Bible 8:13-18).

To cap it all, I can say that the flood interpretation in these three tales: The Epic of Gilgamesh, Genesis in the Bible and The Metamorphoses of Ovid has some differences and similarities, which everybody can observe at once. And the thing is that these three stories were written at different times, with their own techniques of writing. But the main thing which combines these three works is to convey the one idea. My point of view is that all the generations have to evaluate these works with great respect for them.

Works Cited

Lawal, Sarah. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. W. W. Norton & Company; 2nd edition, 2003. Print.

The Holy Bible. Good News Publishers/Crossway Books, 2007. Print.

Ovid, The Metamorphoses. Trans. Allen Mandelbaum. San Diego: Harcourt Brace & Co.1993. Print.