2014 Somerset Levels Floods: Causes and Future Strategies

2014 Somerset Levels Floods: Causes and Future Strategies Following the 2014 Somerset Levels floods, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles publicly apologised for the lack of dredging of the Levels and criticised the Environment Agencies management strategy. Examine the causes of the Somerset Levels floods, and evaluate the flood management solutions. During the autumn and winter of 2013 2014, an unusually high frequency of depressions moved across the Somerset Levels, causing both fluvial and pluvial flooding on a prodigious scale. The two main rivers which flow through the Levels, The River Tone and Parrett, burst their banks, spilling into the already heavily saturated flood plain. A major incident was declared and subsequently allowed the Somerset council to request financial, and physical, aid to the region (House of Commons, 2014).This essay highlights the key reasons the Somerset Levels flooded, as well as evaluating the main management solutions that were put forward during the peak of the flooding. The autumn to winter period saw a record-breaking Jet Stream, fuelled by a diving cold Polar Vortex across the United States. With this, brought powerful storms across the United Kingdom (MetOffice, 2014). As the Polar Vortex moved southward, it interacted with the Jet Stream. This caused powerful Jet Streaks to form, thus producing rapid cyclogenesis in the mid-Atlantic. This pattern lasted several months, exacerbating the flooding issues across the Somerset Levels. As the storms became more frequent, the water table filled up exponentially, as the majority of the soil inside in the Somerset Levels consists of clay and, further inland, peat (North Somerset Council, 2008). Every year the area experiences pluvial flooding due to its impermeable calcareous clays, which drains water very slowly (Soilscapes, n.d.). In places, parts of the rivers that run through the Levels sit above farmland, which allowed broken river banks to spill water onto the neighbouring fields. Combined with the waterlogged land, it makes the area incessantly prone to flooding (House of Commons, 2014). The flooding eventually became a serious threat to residents and farmland which coerced the government to initialise flood management in the area, introducing extensive dredging upon the main rivers (Hartwell-Naguib and Roberts, 2014). This process takes silt deposits out from the river bed to increase the volume of the river. There has been a divide amongst the government and the Environment Agency as to whether this is a feasible and financially secure approach to flood management. The Environment Agency rejects that dredging rivers is the most important approach, as Lord Smith, chairman of the EA, claims that dredging the rivers would only make a small difference and that other management solutions would need to be applied (Guardian, 2014). The Environment Agency (Environment Agency, 2014) retains the idea that dredging would only work on a short-term basis, and the silt on the riverbed would soon return and need to be dredged once again, adding to the growing financial cost. Dred ging also has a detrimental effect on the ecosystems that run within the river, as the UK Marine Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) adds that dredging causes a range of potentially damaging environmental effects on our rivers (UK Marine, n.d.). These effects include the removal of certain species and poor quality of water for those species, primarily caused by suspended sediment after the dredging process (UK Marine, n.d.). Although there appears to be a strong basis of negativity towards the process of dredging, it can also reduce the time that flooding occurs due to the increase of water conveyance within the river (CIWEM, 2014). Another idea to limit river levels was to introduce natural filter strips; vegetation is introduced to the banks of rivers to slow down rain water from running into the river. This could in turn slow down the rise of river levels, and limit the amount of water that breaks the river bank (North Somerset Council, 2008). Another flood management solution that was recommended by the Environment Agency during the height of the floods was the use of high-capacity pumps from Holland. These pumps can drain up to 7.3 million tonnes of water each day out of the worst affected areas, into the River Sowey which then feeds into the River Parrett (CIWEM, 2014)(BBC News, 2014). The idea was to relieve pressure on the River Tone, as the surrounding areas were completely underwater. This system was highly effective at reducing water levels, however it unfortunately resulted in the displacement of water to other areas. This concluded in the areas, which previously were less affected, now being at a potential risk of flooding which caused a disposition in government. The government had been heavily criticised by the media, organisations and local residents for not acting sooner. The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) had warned the government that cuts to annual flood risk management had left a hole in financial investment in flood management across the UK, and in particular, Somerset (Hartwell-Naguib and Roberts, 2014). The Environment Agency also commented that the 10-15% cut in funding could overshadow the Somerset Levels as it’s not seen as a main threat (Alex Marshall, 2014). Responding to these concerns, the government have recently announced that a number of temporary flood defences and pumping sites will be made permanent by supporting farmers to manage flood risk better, to ensure all new developments in the area have suitable drainage systems. (Department for Environment, 2014). In summary the flood management solutions that were used to alleviate the Somerset floods came in far too late. The Somerset Levels are prone for flooding, yet only a small amount of preventative measures were put forward to protect those who were in potential danger. The dredging process has been the most popular form of flood management in the area, but due to its high cost and small effect on flood levels, it remains an issue as to whether it can continue as the main preventative system. A more permanent solution will need to be put forward that is both financially economic and suitable for the area, to ensure both residents and farmland are better protected. References: Environment Agency. (2014).Dredging and Flood Risk.Available: www.ourcityourriver.co.uk/downloads/Dredging Leaflet.pdf. Last accessed 07/12/2014. House of Commons. (2014).Winter Floods 2013/14.Available: www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/SN06809.pdf. [Accessed 06/12/2014.] North Somerset Council. (2008).Strategic Flood Risk Assessment: Level 1.Available: https://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/Environment/Planning_policy_and-research/researchandmonitoring/Documents/Level 1 study of North Somerset (pdf).pdf. [Accessed 06/12/2014.] Department for Environment. (2014).New action plan to protect Somerset from flooding.Available: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-action-plan-to-protect-somerset-from-flooding. [Accessed 30/11/2014.] BBC. (2014).What are the Somerset Levels?.Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-26080597. [Accessed 28/11/20.] BBC. (2014).UK floods: Somerset Levels Dutch pumps start work.Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-26167818. [Accessed 25/11/2014.] UK Marine. (n.d.).Dredging and disposal: Suspended sediments and turbidity.Available: http://www.ukmarinesac.org.uk/activities/ports/ph5_2_3.htm. [Accessed 27/11/2014.] Landis. (n.d.).Soilscapes.Available: http://www.landis.org.uk/soilscapes/. [Accessed 27/11/2014.] Meteorological Office. (2014).MetOffice.Available: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/interesting/2014-janwind. [Accessed 22/11/2014.] Hartwell-Naguib, S Roberts, N. (2014).Winter Floods 2013/14.Available: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/research/briefing-papers/SN06809/winter-floods-201314. [Accessed 24/11/2014.] CIWEM. (2014).Floods and Dredging a reality check.Available: http://www.ciwem.org/media/1035043/floods_and_dredging_-_a_reality_check.pdf. [Accessed 26/11/2014.] Alex Marshall. (2014).Environment Agency cuts: surviving the surgeon’s knife.Available: http://www.endsreport.com/41653/environment-agency-cuts-surviving-the-surgeons-knife. [Accessed 29/11/2014.] Guardian. (2014).Lord Smith: EA staff know 100 times more than any politician about flooding.Available: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/feb/10/lord-smith-ea-staff-know-100-times-more-on-flooding. [Accessed 30/11/2014.] Pointers: Structure your paragraphs! One point per paragraph. Make the essay flow. Every paragraph should link to the next. Theoretically you should be able to read it backwards and it’ll make sense. Point – make your point Evidence – give your evidence Explain – explain its relevance Link- link to the next paragraph Be careful with abbreviations. You can abbreviate only after you have written it in full once with the abbreviation after i.e. United Kingdom (UK). Then later you can use UK. Be careful not to be too chatty, be formal! You’re not talking to a friend. Don’t add new points in your conclusion paragraph. This is a summary of what you’ve already discussed. Summarise! Make sure your referencing everything! You can’t just know something, you have to prove how you know it and who it’s from. Try to use credited references from research papers/articles, don’t use Wikipedia or web pages, BBC news isn’t great either. Write all numbers in long hand, i.e. one hundred not 100. Remember 10% of your mark is in presentation. How does your uni want your essays presented? Font. Format etc.

The Globe Theater :: European Europe History

The Globe Theater Among the many famous writers we have studied this year is William Shakespeare. Shakespeare's life was assuredly most intriguing. Seeking answers, we had simple questions we wanted to determine. What were his morals? His passions? His legacy? When studying Shakespeare, we found that his life revolved around the Globe Theatre. Naturally we wanted to see why Shakespeare spent so much of his life involved in the Globe. The first Globe lasted from 1599-1613. Additionally, this structure was called the "wooden o" playhouse. Before the Globe, there was another "Theatre", which many people do not realize. "The Theatre" prospered for 21 years. Refusing to renew the players' lease, the landowner Giles Allen caused an unexpected problem for the players. James Burbage had recently died and his two sons, Richard and Cuthbert became managers. Although Allen owned the land, the sons owned the Theatre, and they wanted their valuable timber. In desperation, the brothers decided to take action. They leased land across the river and they waited until Christmastime to strike, when they could be sure Allen was away on vacation. At night they began to dismantle the Theatre piece by piece and floated it across the river Thames. With the timber, the brothers and their friends reconstructed their cherished playhouse. Because of the saying "the whole world is a stage" they would call it the Globe Theatre. By the middle of 1599 the Globe opened and was a huge success. Audiences were packed in "the house with a thatched roof", sometimes even so much as three thousand people could be held at once. For sixpence the rich sat in the Lord's Rooms to get a better view, which were on the top half of the Globe. For threepence they sat on cushions in the Gentlemen's Rooms. For twopence they perched on hard wooden benches, but most were called "groundlings" who paid a penny to stand in the yard beneath the open roof. Interestingly enough, there were two trap doors, the trap door to heaven and the trap door to hell. Since the players already had to pay for the structure most of the actors actually lived in the Theatre. During a play of Henry the V, a spark from a cannon accidentally caught the thatched roof on fire and the whole Globe was burned down in less than an hour. Yet within a year a second Globe was built and completed in 1614 but the Puritans tore it down in 1644.

Janoskians

The Janoskians are a group of 5 boys that are taking the world by storm! The Janoskians = Just, Another, Name, Of, Silly, Kids, In, Another, Nation. (Skip). The boys became known to the media and public and branded as ‘The YouTube and Online Sensations' in late March last year when their Meet & Greet and Luna Park, Melbourne, had a turn up of over 6000 fans and had to be closed down. They now have over 550K subscribers to their main YouTube channel – The Janoskians – with almost 56 million views to date on one channel alone!!They have caught the attention of Sony, MTV, are partnered with YouTube and have just signed with the likes of Keek and various other social platforms. The boys were also recently approached by the Moreland City Council Mayor, OscarYildez (Vic) and are proud to say that they have now joined forces with the ‘Bully Free Australia Foundation' (in which they promote awareness against bullying) are anti-bullying Board Members and Ambassadors for all online social networks that they are involved with. This campaign also reaches schools, workplaces and the wider community.Involved in this campaign include the likes of Pink, Melbourne Victory Football Club, EDFL, ACG and many other high profile celebrities and businesses. The Janoskians recently released their first single being ‘Set this world on Fire' with 3 more songs to be released in the next few months! The boys have just completed touring and performing in the ‘Summer Night's Tour' with Reece Mastin and The Justice Crew which was a great success and something the boys will never forget. The Janoskians look forward to now travel overseas to meet the ever growing Janoskian fan base all over the world!The boys have made 8 episodes with MTV including many ‘bonus' and ‘bloopers' clips added – in association with their show: www. mtv. com. au/thejanoskians. The show has now reached the UK and has attracted interest from Canada, Sweden and ma ny other countries and no doubt will go global this year with MTV which is very exciting! On Saturday, March 16, 2013, the boys will be attending the â€Å"Ribbon Cutting Ceremony† by the Honourable Prime Minister Julia Gillard who will be officially launching the Anti Bullying Australia Foundation!

Hills Like White Elephants

Hills Like White Elephants Free Online Research Papers Ernest Hemmingway tells the story â€Å"Hills like White Elephants† nearly through pure dialog about two lovers conflicted over a serious decision. As the story progresses and through their tight conversation he reveals to us a great deal about their personalities, but leaves the details of the relationship between the two hidden. He gives his audience just enough information to find out the details of his story through detective work instead of coming outright by writing â€Å"Their relationship has suffered a great deal because of this decision†¦Ã¢â‚¬  etc. He leaves it up to his readers to basically solve the mysteries of his literature, which in return grasps our interest to his work even more. Perhaps this intentional way of writing is the reason for his name being so well known in the literate world. The first thing I thought of while reading the title of this short story was the symbolism of the White Elephant. As many would know, they do not exist unless they were born with an albino deformity. This of course is something unwanted because they burn easily from the sun’s UV rays, thus helping make the white elephant symbolize something unwanted. The same goes as well for humans. And according to www.wikipedia.com, â€Å"A white elephant is a supposedly valuable possession whose upkeep exceeds its usefulness, and it is therefore a liability.† This unwanted issue of our couple is hinted to us through the story as the burden of a possible child. The lack of communication throughout the story creates tension between the American and the girl, whose name is later on revealed to us as Jig. This is seen through many areas of our story such as when Jig talks about how everything tastes the same, and Everything tastes of licorice.† (pg 351). She does not come out and say what is exactly on her mind, but rather hints her frustration immaturely by throwing little fits or being short with her American lover. By being referred to as the girl and by her communicative actions we can assume she is very young, which would make this decision even harder for her. It is clear to us that both the American and Jig have differentiating opinions on what action to take about the abortion. The American refers to the abortion as â€Å"the operation† as if taking the crucial importance away from it. He’s more nonchalant about the ordeal and to him; it’s more of a simple decision than the girl is making it out to be. To him it’s very simple. He believes this annoyance in their lives can be removed and never thought of again. Jig believes that whether or not she keeps the baby their relationship will never be as it once was. â€Å"And once they take it away, (they) could never have it back.† (pg 352). The difference is that the American is unattached because the fetus is not inside him. Jig on the other hand is carrying the life of a possible new human being inside her and feels the natural bond between a mother and her unborn child. The American tries to convince her that the abortion is simple, while Jig feels otherwise. She is tired of traveling and ready to settle down and start a family of her own. She is bored with her current lifestyle and longs for motherhood. The only thing holding her back from this is the disapproval of her man. She is trying to make a more mature outlook on life by debating the possibilities of keeping her child. Once she has come to these conclusions, Ernest Hemmingway gave her a name, instead of calling her just the girl, symbolizing the importance of her becoming a more mature woman able to make wiser decisions. Ernest Hemmingway’s work is so wonderfully written and the way he narrates his stories makes them flow so smoothly. As you stated earlier in class today, every word he uses needs to be there. He does not give us extra to read, but gets straight to the point and makes you really think along the way. He gives us just enough details to spark our imagination and gets us to think while allowing us to get inside the heads of our two main characters. Research Papers on Hills Like White ElephantsThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsMind TravelHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionThe Hockey GameCapital PunishmentThe Spring and AutumnWhere Wild and West Meet19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraStandardized TestingEffects of Television Violence on Children

Pips benefactor Essays

Pips benefactor Essays Pips benefactor Paper Pips benefactor Paper The convict has to treat Pip badly and frighten him because the convict is on the run and if he is caught he will be sentenced to death, therefore the convict has to be careful with Pip. If Pip is scared he will do as the convict tells him.  It is important for Dickens to start the novel with such a climatic and tension filled start, so that he grabs the readers attention. Pip supplies the convict with food in reward for friendship later on, hence the convict being Pips benefactor. I think that Dickens uses the supplying allegorically; Dickens supplies us with a climatic and tension full start in return for our attention and understanding of the message he was trying to get across. Which was: if you were rich you got treated well, if you werent then you didnt get treated well.  To mark the convicts second arrival the weather returns to cold, dark and stormy which re-suggests the imagery and pathetic fallacy of the first appearance. We think back to the churchyard and the horror genre, as we do not know that the convict has changed. Pip is startled to see the convict (at first he doesnt even recognise him because it has been such a long time since they first encountered one-another). Pip is happy for the convicts new life but wonders why he has come to visit him from Australia without any notice. Then it becomes apparent; the convict is Pips benefactor, much to Pips disappointment. Pip was so sure that Miss Havisham was his benefactor; All the truth of my position came flashing on me; and its disappointments, dangers, disgraces, consequences of all kinds, rushed in such a multitude that I was borne down by them and had to struggle for every breathe I drew. This was such a blow to Pip because he hoped that if Miss Havisham was his benefactor so that he could marry Estella. Pip talks to the convict in a negative way at first; Stay! said I, Keep off! If you are grateful to me for I did when I was a little child, I hope you have shown your gratitude by mending your way of life-thats like Pip saying nice of you to come but bye, go. Pips attitude of the convict quickly changes; they become great friends. I think that Dickens brings the convict back into the novel now because Pip and us have been led to believe that Miss Havisham was Pips benefactor because Estella has come back into Pips life and it fits concurrently.  This also creates tension; How will Pips relationship with the convict change, or will it? How will Pips relationship with Miss Havisham change, or will it? How will Pips relationship with Estella change, or will it? Pip becomes annoyed with Miss Havisham because she led him to believe that she was his benefactor but she doesnt care about her wrong doings because she wanted to break as many male hearts as possible, this was because her husband-to-be stood her up on the day of their wedding. After Pips shock of the convict being his benefactor they become great friends, almost like father and son, this friendship last until the convicts death; he had spoken his last words. The convict stays with Pip and the book until the convict dies but the scene where the convict gets sentenced is dark, dull and scary. The sun was striking in at the great windows of the court, through the glittering drops of rain upon the glass, and it made a broad shaft of light between the two-and-thirty and the judgedown to the drops of April rain on the window of the court, glittering in the rays of April sun all of this is describing the scene in which the convicts trial takes place. But it is also describing the convicts feelings using pathetic fallacy; the rain represents the convicts sadness, as he knows that he going to be sentenced to death. The sun symbolises the convicts happiness; he is pleased that he has changed his way of life and that he made Pips life a better one. The description of the weather is also a metaphor of what is happening to the convict; the rain is telling us that the convict is being judged and the sun tells us that Dickens considered the convict to be a good person and doesnt deserve to be sentenced to death. Where it says and others were chewing the fragments of herb they had taken from the sweet herbs lying about, we get the idea that the people sentenced to death wanted one last taste of sweet life before dying as their remaining time before being hung would be sour.  While the audience got up (putting their dresses right, as they might at church or elsewhere) we get the idea that as these poor people were getting sentenced to death the rich people would watch as if it were some type of show or something. This ties in with the point that Dickens was making, poor people were treated dishonourably, the way that all the two-and-thirty were all crammed into one room also supports Dickens point because if you were rich and getting sentenced you were sentenced by yourself.  Also with Dickens idea of the legal system being iniquitous the judge doesnt take into account that the convict has changed, he has helped Pip quite significantly, the convict made Pip a gentleman. The convict was now living a good life but this new lifestyle was ignored by the court due to his background.

Where the experience of male and female slaves similar or different in Essay

Where the experience of male and female slaves similar or different in the nineteenth-century, South - Essay Example were engaged both in urban areas and in the plantations especially in the South which was an agrarian economy and lived and worked under poor conditions. They were also harshly treated by their masters and women subjected to sexual exploitation. However, the experiences of slaves depended on the region, their masters and overseers. In this essay, I will argue that male and female slaves had different experiences in the nineteenth century, south although some aspects were similar depending on the size of the plantation. The antebellum south was a slave society as it had a high population of slaves and depended on them economically, socially and politically and also allowed masters extensive power over slaves unchecked by law.2 In small plantations, men and women performed similar tasks in the fields but in large plantations, men did different work from women. In the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Douglass gives an account of the experiences men went through in large plantations having been born into slavery by a colored women and a white father. According to Douglass, women were not given tasks outside the plantation hence these were performed by men and included such tasks as: manning vessels; gardening; driving carriages comprising of horses and coaches; carpentry; chopping wood and using field hand oxen to carry the load home; ploughing and wheat fanning among other field duties.3 Men were also used to transport crops and supplies and also hired out as artisans and craftsmen. Women on the other hand, did household chores such as cooking and caring after the master’s white children. They also did laundry, sewing, milking, and spinning, knitting, and working in rice, tobacco and cotton fields. The role of women was clearly highlighted by Deborah Gray White in her book Ar’n’t I a Woman? She argues that women had a very distinct role from that of men in that they bore children.4 These children whether from a white man (mulatto) or black man

Career Choices in Alternative Medicine Research Paper

Career Choices in Alternative Medicine - Research Paper Example Like every other career-line, alternative medicine is defined by the typical duties it entails. There is also the education that qualifies one for a career in alternative medicine. This will determine how salaries vary. As time passes by, the outlook of every job changes as the market dynamics, and needs get redefined. Some have a better outlook than others and this is dependent upon the functionality of the career in the ever-changing world. The intention of this paper is to explain the career opportunities that are available in alternative medicine. Definition Alternative medicine involves the prevention and treatment of illnesses through methods other than the traditional western ways (Malhotra). A medic dealing in alternative medicine is different from those in mainstream medicine in one way; in alternative medicine, the person is addressed as a whole, while in western medical practices, only the symptoms are treated. Depending on what the field specializes in, the practitioners of a particular field may need different types of education. Alternative medicine consists of medical practices that originate mostly from the East. It is a system of medicine that involves treating of the cause of illness rather than the symptoms that reveal themselves, by use of natural, non-toxic methods. It is traditional medicine from India, China, Japan, and other countries mainly from Asia. It is deemed to be over 5000 years old with practices proven effective over generations. They are significantly older than modern medicine which is 150 years old (Natural Health Careers – Complementary & Alternative Medicine). Until recently, though, alternative medicine was viewed as obscure and encompassed in mysticism. Their importance has, however, had to be recognized as the means involved in alternative medicine have been able to cure chronic illnesses. The ways that are widely used in alternative medicine are naturopathy, homeopathy, and Ayurveda. In addition to these methods , there are also those methods whose use is increasing in the medical field. They include yoga, reiki, and chiropracty. Then there are those methods which are rarely used, and these are methods such as Tibetan medicine, Unani, and Siddha. It is imperative that these practices be used alongside conventional western medicine. This being the case, alternative medicine can now be referred to as integrative or complementary medicine (Seitzer). RESULTS â€Å"Suitability† Profile Most of these practices involved in alternative medicine have their origin in the Eastern communities. Knowledge of any of the languages of the Eastern countries is important. Knowledge of the traditional practices and beliefs of Eastern Ancient civilizations is also helpful since it forms the basis if the different practice methods. To increase the suitability of a person in pursuing a career in alternative medicine, a person needs to have the appreciation of methods of treating ailments, other than conven tional Western medicine. Duties and responsibilities Ayurveda in not so strict terms translate to â€Å"the science of life.† Practiced in India for 5000 years, this method insists that to prevent and treat diseases, body, mind, and spirit all need to be used. It includes diets and the user of herbal remedies. Naturopathy involves numerous practices such as massage therapy, use of herbal medicine, acupuncture, exercise, dietary modifications, and minor surgery (Malhotra).  Ã‚