Avalanches :: essays research papers

Avalanche Testing and Safety White soft fluffy snow, hard to imagine something so innocent could be so destructive. Just picture a few tons of snow traveling down the mountain at approximately 80 miles per hour, taking down everything in its path. Avalanches have been a threat as long as there has been snow and mountains. Since I’m an avid backcountry skier it is important to learn about these life threatening snow masses. So in order to protect yourself from anything you must first learn how it works. First off there is three main components to an avalanche, without them you can’t have an avalanche. They go as follows: 1) snow 2) slope 3) snow instability. Secondly, there are two kinds of avalanches; slab and loose snow. Loose snow are minor and usually never exceed 20 miles per hour. While slab avalanches are the destructive and deadly mountain slides. It is not uncommon for one of these to destroy a small town or forest. Since loose snow avalanches aren’t very dangerous, I will discuss slab avalanches. The fundamentals of how these snow masses occur, what to look for when testing and just all-together prevention. The basic chemistry behind a slab avalanche is when one layer of snow does not bond to the layer below it. Any kind of temperature change, fresh snowfall, the weight of a person, all can cause the slab to break free from the lower layer. The formation of a slab is possible in many ways. One way is for the snow to develop a crust and then there be more snowfall. Since snow doesn’t bond to the crust it becomes a potential for an avalanche zone. Another way is for surface hoar to develop, or large ice crystal on the snow. This is usually caused by condensation on the snow surface. This will also have poor bonding characteristics, and cause for a potential slide. The crystal itself is also very stable and will stay in that formation until melted usually. Slab avalanches usually only occur between 35-45 degree slopes and on a concave slope. There are ways possible to test for an avalanche zone. These tests have been developed over the years by ski patrollers, avalanche safety, and seasoned mountaineers. Make sure whenever performing an avalanche test you are not in an area where you could possibly trigger or be in the path of an avalanche. The most common test to use is the shear test.

African American Identity in Media

The print ad was about drug abuse and risky teenage behavior. We have to be realistic and see that many of the victims continue to be African American teenagers, especially the ones coming from poorer families.Although any young person would be attracted to an ad like this one, it seems to reach out to African Americans more because it speaks of struggles and pressure, both of which they are most acquainted compared to other people in this country.What shared values or norms are promoted in the media or marketing piece you selected?The print ad highlights the values of identity and freedom. What the ad is saying is that you don’t have to give in to peer-pressure. You can do what your own thing and be your own person without destroying your life. You can be free from drugs and you do not have to fit into the stereotype of a â€Å"teenage junkie†. It’s not worth it. Be your own person. Own yourself.How do these values contribute to the cultural identity of African- Americans?It should bring about feelings of liberation and pride. African Americans have fought so hard in the past to have the same rights, walk the same streets and work in the same jobs as white people. This is what these ads are reminding them of. That they must continue to fight whatever it is that keeps them from being free.They must resist the stereotypes and transcend these daily temptations to join the deteriorating masses. These values create a sense of connection between them because it reminds them that freedom does not come easy but the sweetness of freedom makes it worth fighting for. Today many African Americans are leaders in business, media, sports, entertainment and all other possible fields — all because they transcended the stereotypes.   

Childhood Vaccines Lead to Autism, Fact or Fiction

Childhood Vaccines Lead to Autism, Fact? Or Fiction? â€Å"Today one in every 150 children has been diagnosed on the autism spectrum; 20 years ago that statistic was one in 10,000† (Mooney, 2009, p. 58). There are many vaccines that are administered to children today that protect them from measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, tetanus, invasive Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib) infections, etc. (Miller amp; Reynolds, 2009, p. 167). Among these and many other diseases children are currently being vaccinated against 14 diseases, and these take place from infancy until the start of kindergarten. These childhood vaccinations are given as early as they can be to make sure the children are protected against any diseases that can occur in their†¦show more content†¦170). Thimerosal was first introduced in the 1930’s and is a preservative that eliminated the bacterial contamination in vaccines, but could possibly sit in the brain and cause neurological damage (Mooney, 2009, p. 60). Before 1989, American preschoolers had to only receive three vaccines; for polio, diphtheria-pertussis, and MMR. In 1999 the FDA and CDC decided that vaccine users should reduce or even get rid of the amount of thimerosal used in vaccines. The CDC also recommended that newborns should wait to get the Hepatitis B vaccination until a thimerosal free vaccination became available (Miller amp; Reynolds, 2009, p. 170). According to head of the chemistry department at University of Kentucky, Dr. Boyd Haley, â€Å"‘You couldn’t even construct a study that shows thimerosal is safe, it’s just too darn toxic. If you inject thimerosal into an animal, its brain will sicken. If you apply it to living tissues, the cells die. Knowing these things, it would be shocking if one inject it into an infant without causing damage’† (Kennedy, 2005, p. 59). With the being said, vaccine manufacturers began working to find a way to make a thimerosal-free vaccina tion, and eventually they made one. Then a decade later, children were receiving a total of 22 vaccinations by the time they started first grade. As the number of vaccines that children needed went up, the autism rate stayedShow MoreRelatedShould You Vaccinate Your Child? Essay1813 Words   |  8 PagesShould You Vaccinate Your Child? The Center for Disease Control describes vaccines as the greatest development in public health since clean drinking water. For several decades, vaccines have saved countless lives and helped eradicate some fatal diseases. The push to do away with vaccines will not only endanger our youth, but our society as a whole. Vaccination is needed to maintain a healthy balance within our country. Vaccines provide the immunity that comes from a natural infection without the consequencesRead MoreVaccination : Helpful Or Harmful?1887 Words   |  8 Pagesadministering of a virus or bacteria to a recipient. The purpose of vaccinating is to prepare the recipient’s immune system to fight future infections of the virus or bacteria that could cause diseases leading to death or permanent injury. There are many vaccines, designed for many common diseases. The main reason for peoplesomeone to have themselves or their children vaccinated is to protect them from certain diseases. Immunisation als o exists to eradicate disease among the population. If vaccinating decreasesRead MoreGump Notes Essay7299 Words   |  30 Pagesroutines or plans and a lack of comprehensive grasp of objects. He has these problems described above with onset prior to age 3 years his disturbance is not accounted for by childhood disintegrative disorder (characterized by loss of previously acquired skills). In result, a total of six items could be confirmed and his childhood characteristics fulfill DSM-IV criteria for autistic disorder. In addition, all his natures including these items are frequently observed in individuals with autistic disorder