Creating an Emergency Response Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Creating an Emergency Response Plan - Essay Example In any case, the wildfire is able to reach the factory the engineers of the factory are aware of the extent of damage it would cause and even the potential threat it would pose to the employees, and the community living nearby the factory. Therefore, the office of the factory engineer will be in-charge of implementing this emergency response plan and the maintenance department will play a supporting role because in normal circumstances the factory engineer devises plans, which are forwarded to the maintenance department where other junior engineers and technicians can implement the plan (Fema, 2008). One of the steps the engineer could take is to create a barrier surrounding the factory, which will prevent fire from spreading into the factory. This would be achieved by cutting all the grass within 10 meters from the wall and making a pavement around the wall, additionally, grass will be cut down inside the factory compound. Secondly, the factory engineer will select strategic locations where water taps will be placed within the compound in order to help put off fire in case the fire is able to reach the compound. Thirdly, plan would involve putting fire extinguishers within strategic locations inside the factory and ensuing there are no leakages of any toxic chemical. Lastly, the plan will also involve both departments (engineering and maintenance) training the factory staff about fire safety measures. FEMA. (2008). Producing emergency plans: A guide for all-hazard emergency operations planning for state, territorial, local, and tribal governments (CPG-101). Retrieved from http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/edu/docs/cgo/Week%203%20- %20Producing%20Emergency%20Plans.pdf Accessed on

Unemployment and Development Authority Essay Example for Free

Unemployment and Development Authority Essay Unemployment Rate in Philippines decreased to 6.80 percent in the third quarter of 2012 from 7 percent in the second quarter of 2012. Unemployment Rate in Philippines is reported by the National Statistics Office (NSO). Historically, from 1994 until 2012, Philippines Unemployment Rate averaged 9.14 Percent reaching an all time high of 13.90 Percent in March of 2000 and a record low of 6.30 Percent in September of 2007. In Philippines, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labor force. This page includes a chart with historical data for Philippines Unemployment Rate. Underemployment in the Philippines According to the last quarter report of the National Statistics Office (NSO), the underemployment rate slightly dipped to 19.1 percent in October 2011 from the 19.6 percent in October 2010. National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Director-General Cayetano Paderanga, Jr. said this could be attributed to the higher quality of jobs generated in the different sectors last year.For example, some jobs in call centers require engineering or medical expertise and not only call-and-answer skills as many presume, Paderanga said. This year, the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry is expected to continue to be major job provider in the country. At the same time, the tourism sector will be given priority as it can generate jobs that require various level of skills.Agro-industrial processing and other allied industries will be intensified, especially for those living in the rural areas, so they will no longer have to transfer to the cities to look for jobs, he said. Paderanga said t hat in the previous years, most of the available jobs targeted individuals with higher education and skills. This year, they are planning to produce jobs that would require lower skills and training which will be offered throughout the country. Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will also work hand-in-hand with different government agencies to conduct livelihood and skills training. The level of unemployment in the Philippines remained the same in July as a year ago, according to the National Statistics Office (NSO). Unemployed Filipinos numbered 2.8 million in July, or a rate of 7 percent, the results of the July 2012 Labor Force Survey showed. The NSO said the latest unemployment figure is almost the same as the 7.1 percent reported in the same month last year. It said the July jobless rate was virtually unchanged from the 6.9 percent recorded in the previous quarter. More than half, or 51.2 percent of unemployed Filipinos, were in 15-to-24 age group, which only validates the difficulty faced by fresh graduates looking for work, said Rene Ofreneo of the School of Labor and Industrial Relations at the University of the Philippines. A third, or 33.3 percent of the unemployed, were high school graduates, 13.9 percent were college undergraduates, and 19.2 percent were college graduates. â€Å"The pattern of the labor force did not change. A major change will happen if there will be a major structural change in the economy like an industrial transformation and an agricultural modernization,† Ofreneo said. Metro Manila (National Capital Region) posted the highest unemployment rate at 9.9 percent while Cagayan Valley registered the lowest unemployment rate at 3.2 percent. An estimated 37.6 million Filipinos were employed in July, against the 37.1 million recorded in the same month last year. But the number of Filipinos with jobs in July was fewer than the 37.8 million in April. Emmanuel F. Esguerra, deputy director general of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda), said the quality of employment deteriorated in the face of the higher underemployment rate of 22.7 percent in July, against 19 perc ent in the same month last year. The number of underemployed persons in July 2012 was 8.54 million, against 7.1 million in the same month last year, or an increase of 1.45 million underemployed persons. Employed persons who expressed the desire to have additional hours of work in their present job or to have an additional job, or to have a new job with longer working hours, are considered underemployed. Most of the underemployed were working in the services sector (42.5 percent) and the agriculture sector (41.5 percent). The underemployed in the industry sector accounted for 16 percent. â€Å"The high underemployment rate can be partly attributed to the bulk of the new labor force entrants, those aged 15 to 24 years old, who may be employed as casuals and receiving less than their reservation wage, owing to their lack of skills or inexperience,† Esguerra said. â€Å"Moreover, the higher underemployment rate suggests that workers are not earning enough which makes them look for more work,† he added. The Department of Labor and Employment said it was â€Å"seriously concerned† about the steady growth of the underemployed. Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the increase occurred largely among wage and salary workers in private establishments where most of the employment expansion during the quarter materialized.

The Adventures of Nigel and Corky :: essays research papers

The Adventures of Nigel and Corky †¦ They were on a rickety old plane that looked like I could’ve been flown sometime during the fifties, everyone was snickering and making comments about it when all of a sudden the engines started to sputter and die. The engines went out and the pilot was forced into attempting a crash landing, he dint do too good and the only survivors were Nigel Frumpton, a world famous explorer and professional treasure hunter and Corky, the pilots assistant, see Corky was a little slower than normal and the only reason he worked for the pilot is because the pilot felt sorry for him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As they gathered all the supplies that were salvageable Nigel was trying to come up with some sort a plan. After they were ready Nigel explained to Corky that they were going to continue with the expedition while looking for some sort of civilization where they could get a hold of someone to come help them. It didn’t really look too likely for a while because they were stranded deep in the middle of the thick jungles of South America.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  They started walking north figuring they would run into something after a while but they found something all too soon. Before Nigel knew he could hear Corky yelling for help about thirty feet away from him. Corky had wandered off a little bit and walked right into a big puddle of quicksand and was slowly sinking helplessly. Nigel had the think quick so he looked for something to throw Corky, he noticed long sturdy looking vines hanging off of a tree nearby and ran over to cut a vine down to toss to Corky as a makeshift life saver. In his rush to help he didn’t pay much attention to what vine he was grabbing, when he reached up and grabbed onto the closest vine to him he heard a very intimidating hiss from very close. As he looked down to see what was hissing he noticed the â€Å"vine† he grabbed wasn’t a vine at all it was a vine snake! Vine snakes are notorious for blending in with the vines of a long tree and striking on unsuspecting victims , releasing their extremely venomous poison into the victim killing them almost instantly. Nigel being the expert he was didn’t over react to the situation and calmly let go of the snake and at the same time quickly cut off a nearby vine from the tree and ran over to Corky, by this time he had sunk to his waistline and was getting pretty impatient with Nigel.

Colonization of Africa

Conquests, colonization, the slave trade, and the spread of consumerist society have shaped and formed the grounds for which developing countries find themselves today. The countries of the developing world subjected to colonialism have been faced with a number of impediments throughout the years which have hindered social and economic growth, and laid the foundation which bred cultural conflict. Colonialism, however, too bought Western civilization and all its attractions to underdeveloped countries during the process of colonialism.The following essay will highlight the effects of colonialism on the developing world from an economic, political and social perspective. The colonization of Africa has a long history, and can be explained as being set in motion as early as 200 AD, with the migration of Bantu speaking Africans from central Africa to the south of Africa due to the agricultural boom and overpopulation of tribes, known as one of the largest human migrations in history (ref) . Following the migration of the Bantu language group was the spread of Islam from 750 – 1500 AD, which was first accepted in West Africa by the Dya’ogo Dynasty.Following this spread, the establishment of empires throughout the continent transpired which created extensive trade networks throughout North and West Africa, allowing a peaceful medium through which Islam could broaden through the merchant class (Akosua Perbi, 2001). The Trans-Saharan and internal trade occurring in the same time period contributed to the diversity of inhabitants as a result of the ongoing slave trade through Ghana from the 1st to the 16th century. The first stage of European colonialism occurred during 1500 – 1880, and was based on the gold and slave trade.The Portuguese arrived on the coast of West Africa in 1471 to find a rapid trade in slaves and other goods between Ghana and its neighbouring coastal countries (Akosua Perbi, 2001). Portugal then continued to partake in the trade, and for 100 years were the only European country which traded directly with Ghana and its neighbouring countries (Kimble, 126). Wars often waged between neighbouring countries, with which captives were possessed as slaves and traded in Ghana for gold (Kimble, 126).The most important phase of colonialism, known as the European scramble for Africa, occurred during the 19th and 20th century following the collapse of the slave trade and the expansion of the European capitalist Industrial Revolution (Iweribor, 2002). It appears that three factors drove the push for European Imperialism, including economic, political and social motives. Driving the economic factor, the demand for assured sources of raw materials and the search for guaranteed markets and profitable investment outlets were the catalysts to the European scramble and the resultant conquest of Africa (Iweribor, 2002).The political force derived from the impact of inter-European power struggles between Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Portugal and Spain too played an important role in the process of colonisation. To exhibit superiority, acquisition of territories around the world including Africa was essential to national pre-eminence. The social factor presented the third major element in the push to colonise. As a result of industrialization, extreme social problems appeared in Europe that included unemployment, poverty, social displacement and homelessness as not all people could be absorbed by the new capitalist industries (Iweribor, 2002).The acquisition of colonies enabled European countries to send this excess of population into what would then be established as settler-colonies in Algeria, Tunisia, South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, Angola and some central African areas like Zimbabwe and Zambia (Iweribor, 1). The interplay of these economic, political and social factors led to the crazed attempts by European agents to declare and establish a share in African territory for trade and claims to control of waterways and commercial routes throughout parts of Africa.The extremity of the scramble forced the German chancellor Otto von Bismarck to convene a summit of European powers to avoid the possibility of inter-imperialist conflict, known as the Berlin Conference held from November 1884 to February 1885 (Stilwell, 2002). The conference fabricated the Berlin Act, a treaty with provisions to lead the conduct of the European imperialist opposition in Africa. This treaty, drawn up without African participation, provided the grounds for the successive separation, invasion and colonisation of Africa.It presented European powers an open market for trade that bought more from colonial power than it sold overall (Shillington, 2005). From this stage, African territory was divided randomly between the European countries. France and England had a significant influence in reshaping the colonies. Britain as well as Germany utilized the idea of ‘Imperial Monachy’, while t he French struggled to incorporate Africans into republican traditions (Grinker, 2010). During this process, some of the local values and institutions were replaced by more modern/western ones.Furthermore, colonisation obstructed the internal process of state formation and development in Africa, leaving legacies of corruption and political instability (Tangie, 2006). Africa experienced extreme cultural clashes which were resultant from the influence of political, economic, social and religious factors on the indigenous societies of Africa. Along with the occupation, the Europeans brought with them traditions and religions to implement and utilize as a justification for their presence in Africa at the time (Tangie, 2006).The effects of colonialism can be reflected in the changes touching various aspects including cultures and institutions. The exploitative utilization of Africa as a means of economic prosperity for the superior minority projected Africa as an inferior race. Colonizat ion was a means of displaying racial arrogance that humiliated African leaders and their people (Toyin, 2005). It encouraged competition and conflict between ethnic groups based on the ideals and principles that had been implemented in the various countries. With violence, colonialism created new frontiers and developed new economic and political objectives.New governments expressed their desire to maintain the colonial boundaries created during the colonisation period, however, it appeared that governmental institutions, good governance skills and experience to rule lacked. These boundaries created back-up zones for guerrilla groups to harass legitimate governments, and also made it impossible for internal unity and identity to be generated among African states (Jacobson, 2007). The imposition of a western system of governance has created many problems that have been difficult to solve over the years.The western system deviated from the culture and traditions of Africa, which were inherently dictatorial, starting from the family system and ending with the government. A gap was created between the tradition system of governance and that of the Western model, with minimal or no effort made to create a blend between the two. Therefore, as a result, all efforts were towards replacing the traditional systems that were identified as primitive, which veered off from the tradition and cultural norms of the people, contributing to a loss in identity (Jacobson, 2007).After the end of colonialism, a border dispute has become one of the most critical causes of conflict in Africa, particularly manifested in the boundary disputes between Ethiopia and Eritrea, and Nigeria and Cameroon as examples (Teshome, 2009). These lengthy periods of conflict and war, along with famine and droughts detrimentally affected the economy as well as the populations well-being. As a result, the output per head in Africa is the lowest of any major world region, and has expanded slowly only sinc e 1960 (Teshome, 2009).The negative effects of colonialism on education can be identified in some colonial countries such as Ethiopia. The Ethiopian educational system faced many obstacles due to the history of educational traditions, as for a long period of time religion was spread by Christian and Islamic missionaries. When Italy invaded Ethiopia, the educational system collapsed and the government was forced to rebuild the system from scratch, and by 1974 only 15. 3 percent of children were attending primary school.The main issues were related to the problems of quality, equity and relevance (Teshome, 2009). Another example relating to education is that of the Senegal case, which illustrates how little is possible when the education system has been affected. According to statistics, two thirds of children enrol in primary school and of that almost a quarter drop out later on (Teshome, 2009). While literacy for children was 49. 1 percent in 2004, in the same year the literacy for adults was only 39. 3 percent (Jacobson, 2007).Over half of the population are unable to read and write, which means over half of the population are unable to acquire jobs. Although colonialism created various obstacles to economic growth, it too introduced integration to the international system for Africa, abolishing the popular slave trade that existed in Africa preceding colonisation (Siemensen, 1999). Colonialism also created a rich diversity in Africa, with a mixture of people, languages, religions and customs which has created the ‘rainbow nation’ that we are identified with today.The process of colonialism also introduced many Western ideals and practices that are still implemented today that have positively influenced economic growth and social welfare. In conclusion, it can be identified that the effects of colonial rule over African countries has contributed significantly to the issues facing developing countries today in relation to economic growth, educatio n, development as well as war and conflict created through policies and ideals implemented during the process of colonialism by European countries.

The Game That Went Wrong!

It was 9. 00pm on a dark and cold night. Michael, Simon, Steffanie and Gemma were walking through the woods. â€Å"God it's a bit dark here init! † said Steff as they were trudging through the dirt and the tall, dark trees. â€Å"God you're a wimp! † said Mike as he came up behind her and scared her half to death. Steff grabbed his hand so tightly you could nearly see his face turn purple. â€Å"Guys†¦..! † shouted gem a few feet behind them, â€Å"I think we've lost si! † â€Å"What do you mean LOST him? † â€Å"He was right behind us! † said a scared and worried steff, â€Å"you know si, he's probably just being stupid† â€Å"yeh well it isn't very funny is it! Si, Si, give it up now, it isn't funny† They kept walking while shouting him. â€Å"Guys, he's bin gone for nearly an hour now, where is he? † gem said! They kept walking and finally came to the end of the woods; Steff was really worrying about him now. â€Å"I thought I said to stick together but no†¦ That's too much to ask isn't it! We can't do anything without someone going missing or something going wrong! † â€Å"Try his mobile† gem pulled out her mobile and started ringing him, â€Å"it's switched off! † â€Å"Great†¦ just bloody great! † â€Å"Si! † screamed steff. It was at this point that everyone was starting to get worried. What if something has happened to him? † â€Å"Will you shut up; you're giving me a headache! Look he said he was going to hide in the woods and try and scare you but he's been gone way too long now! † â€Å"Be careful, the last thing we need is to loose another one of us! † â€Å"Ill b fine! † Mike set off back inside the woods. It was even darker now as 2 hours had nearly passed. â€Å"What happens if we never see him again, I mean he could have been killed or anything! † â€Å"Steff!!!! Will you shut up, he will be fine, he's very much alive just lost or something! Stop exaggerating and calm down! † Mike came walking back towards us; there was no sign of Si! â€Å"Well†¦ where is he? Please tell me you found him! † â€Å"No, ive looked everywhere but there was no sign of him, all I found was this! † he put his hand in his jacket pocket and pulled out Si's phone and wallet! â€Å"Oh my god! † â€Å"Something must have happened to him,† â€Å"He will turn up, don't worry, you know what Si is like! † â€Å"Its getting late, we gota tell someone! † â€Å"Look†¦ I aint leaving until we have found him! † â€Å"Im not giving up, he wouldn't give up on us! † It was at this point that everyone was panicking and didn't know what to do. Ring his mum; ask her if she's heard from him! † Gem pulled out her phone and started to ring, there was no answer, â€Å"I think they must be out or something because they aren't answering. † We've got half an hour to find him! † â€Å"If he doesn't turn up we'll just have to hope he's turned up at home or something! † They all stayed together and kept searching but they didn't find him, it was now 11. 30pm and to it was too dark and too late to keep looking for him. â€Å"I think we should get going† They all started walking up the street â€Å"I will try ringing his parents again when I get in, if I hear anything I will let u know! Mike said as he was walking down his drive, â€Å"ok†¦ I hope he is ok! † â€Å"See ya tomorrow! † It was a very long night for everyone, they didn't have a clue where Simon was or where he had gone, Steff was all up night as she couldn't sleep as she was too worried about Simon. Every time she looked at the clock just an hour had passed, 2 o'clock, 3 o'clock, 4 o'clock and yet still no one had heard anything about Si. The next day Steff rang Mike to see if he had heard anything. â€Å"No I haven't, I rang his parents again this morning and they said they haven't heard from him and he never came home last night! they thought he had they said that they were worried so they have rang around and nobody has seen him so they rang the police to file a missing persons report so I think they have gone out looking for him! † â€Å"What exactly did you say to them, how did they take it? † â€Å"Well I spoke to his mum and I told her we were just messing about and we were just playing, then we lost Si and we went looking for him but couldn't find him, she was pretty upset, she started crying and I didn't know what to say, She said that if he's not found by within the next few hours could we give in a statement so I said yes? â€Å"Oh my god, what happens if we never see him again, it's my entire fault! † â€Å"Steff just calm down, we don't know what's happened yet, we just got to wait and see, it isn't your fault, it isn't any of our faults, we just got to stay calm and stick together! † â€Å"I hope he's ok or I will never forgive myself! † â€Å"Look I'm really sorry but I've got to go now, a police car has just pulled up outside my house! † â€Å"Ok, what are you going to say? † â€Å"I'm gonna be honest and tell them everything! † â€Å"Ok ring me later and tell me how it's gone, tra! Mike opened the door to the two police officers and they came in and sat down. With the look on the officers faces, Mike started to worry, â€Å"Were very sorry to deliver this news to you but I'm afraid we found Simons body! † â€Å"We found it in a black bag amongst some bushes deep in the woods, were very sorry! † Mike paused and didn't say anything, he was completely taken back. â€Å"God!! I didn't think he was dead, when did you find him, we were only having a bit of fun!! † â€Å"Were very sorry! † â€Å"I think his parents may want to speak to you shortly! † â€Å"Err err yeh that's ok! † the police officers got up and walked out! â€Å"

Religion and Sarah Grimke essays

Religion and Sarah Grimke essays The concept of religion is something that is widely used but frequently misunderstood. During the 19th century religious ideologies were widely practiced, and had subsequent influences on nearly every facet of society. Sadly, religion was used particularly in the form of Christianity to keep certain groups oppressed; these groups included (but not limited to) both women and Blacks. Christianity despite its teachings of kindness, love and equality was somehow twisted and instead of focusing on doctrines that promote liberty, White Americans used it to keep minority groups marginalized. The writings of Sarah Grimke, Prince Hall The Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions each contend with issues of oppression surrounding each authors individual minority group. Yet it can easily be noted that religion seems to be a reoccurring theme in each of the writings. Therefore, because the 19th century man had a sacrilegious mindset, he imposed various social oppressions on both women and Blacks. It could be understood that the common thread throughout each of the responses made by Grimke, Hall, and the Seneca Falls piece is that of religion. Prince Hall, in the Petition to Massachusetts Legislature makes many bold assertions regarding the role of Blacks in American society. Hall contends that because America has labeled herself as a free country granting everyone the natural and unalienable right to freedom, it only seems fair for Blacks to enjoy this right also. The basis of his argument is the fact that the great parent of the universe, has bestowed the right of freedom upon man, and because these rights have never been forfeited, it is only fair for Blacks enjoy their unalienable rights likewise. In support of this idea, Hall employs the comparison of Americas struggle with Britain. America felt as if it was her natural right to be freed of Britain's hold, yet she won&a...

Riots in Vancouver Essay Example

Riots in Vancouver Essay Example Riots in Vancouver Paper Riots in Vancouver Paper Essay Topic: Citizen Kane The term riot is often used in tandem with events like protests, rallies or marches. We think of people with common goals and/or grievances coming together to have their opinions and voices heard. Common themes include injustice, freedom and human rights. We can watch riots on the news on a near daily basis. Egypt is rioting for the end of an autocratic government, Syria is protesting the dictatorship of their President, and Greece is rioting for economic reform. These protests often begin with peaceful intentions but can lead to emotional flare-ups and violent outbursts. This moment is when a rally becomes a riot. Those who engage in such behaviours like acting out towards law enforcement, or damaging personal or public property can be considered deviant. These so called-deviants are going against the natural social order of things and disrupting society. Sometimes such deviant acts are considered malicious or criminal in nature and other times these same acts are considered heroic and for the â€Å"greater good† of society. It may become difficult to distinguish what constitutes a deviant act. For example, two people may engage in burning police cars but if one of those people is doing so in protest of civil war, society sees merit in his/her actions. If the second person is burning the police car in an alcohol-fueled rage against the loss of a hockey game, that person is seen as deviant and their actions are seen as criminal. This paper will focus on the Vancouver riots of the 2011 Stanley Cup finals. The main objective will be to take a sociological perspective in regards to crowd behaviour; the deviant act of rioting and the role social media is playing in response to Vancouver riots themselves. On Wednesday, June 15th 2011 in the city of Vancouver, hockey fans turned against the city in response to the 4-0 victory of the Boston Bruins over the Vancouver Canucks. Some 100,000 people crowded the streets of the downtown area to watch the Stanley cup game 7 finals and when the outcome was determined, a few so-called fans took their anger and disappointment out on cars, windows and each other. Damage was estimated at approximately $1. 3 million dollars and over 140 people were reported as injured (â€Å"A Tale,†2011). In an article by The Vancouver Sun, Vancouver’s police chief Jim Chu was reported saying that the riot was a result of young men and women disguised as Canucks fans who were actually criminals and anarchists† (Kane, 2011). Although there has been some backlash for how the police handled the riot, the Vancouver Police department had the riot under control within 3 hours of its outbreak. Canada has a long history with respect to riots and hockey. Win or lose, Canadians have found a reason to riot in response to Canada’s national pastime. The Globe and Mail presents a timeline for hockey riots in Canada. Beginning in 1955, when Montreal rioted after Maurice â€Å"Rocket† Richard was suspended and unable to play for the rest of the season. Habs fans took to the streets to protest the NHL decision and caused an estimated $100,000 in damage. Of the 8 riots mentioned in the timeline, Montreal was host to 5 of them. In 1994, Vancouver rioted in response to the loss of game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals to the New York Rangers. Approximately $1. 1 million dollars in damage, and over 200 injuries were reported. Edmonton has also rioted in the name of hockey, this time for a win. Edmontonians took to the streets of Whyte Avenue in celebration of the western conference win over the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. The celebration quickly changed its tune as members of the crowd began starting fires and looting from near by businesses. Clearly the relationship between rioting and hockey can be seen as a recurrent theme in Canadian sports history. The Vancouver riots of 2011 are not a new phenomenon. If past behaviour predicts future behaviour, then these riots will probably not be the last (â€Å"Hockey riots,† 2011). All riots must be considered as isolated events. Throughout the entire 2011 playoff series crowds of fans gathered in the streets to watch the games and cheer on their team without incident. In fact, Vancouver hosted the 2010 winter Olympics which boasted huge amounts of people crowding the streets without riots or altercation. To point a finger at all Canadians and say that we are unable to assemble in a crowd without issue would be ludicrous. The only thing that this particular riots can tell us is that a few â€Å"bad people† can ruin it for the rest of us. A few people made some poor choices and the city of Vancouver and its residents have to pay. On a positive note, crowds of people joined together the next day to clean up after the mess that these few individuals made. That speaks volumes about the kind of crowd behaviour that exists in Canada. Most sociological perspectives offer an interpretation of deviance and its causes. The most common approach to explaining deviance is probably conflict theory, stemming from the industrial revolution and Karl Marx (Plath, 2008, p. 2). Conflict theory, in brief, describes the tension between the ruling class and the working class within a capitalist society. Conflict arises between these groups because of the unequal division of wealth and power. This theory would posit that the oppressed peoples would eventually become aware of their oppression and revolt against those who oppress them (Barkan p14). The concept of two groups vying for power over one another does not seem to characterize the underlying causes of the Vancouver riots. Luke Plath, author of Anatomy of a Riot (2008) discusses how labeling theory coupled with law enforcement presence can lead to violent, unplanned outbursts within a crowd (p. 2). First, labeling theory is the act of attaching a label to someone and then consequentially treating him/her according to that label. Often, people will internalize the labels they receive and begin to act in accordance with them (Bereska, 2011, p. 79). Plath (2008) mentions that the mere presence of police, even at a peaceful protest or gathering, can instigate the feelings of being treated like a criminal. If enough people in the crowd internalize this feeling of being seen as deviant by the eyes of the law, a peaceful gathering can soon escalate to a violent riot (p. ). The concept of collective behaviour can be incorporated into the discussion of deviant behaviour and its relation to rioting. Steve Barkan (2011) defines collective behaviour as â€Å"relatively spontaneous and relatively unstructured behaviour by large numbers of individuals acting with or being influenced by other individuals† (p. 458). Barkan (2011) discusses four main types of crowds: casual, conventional , expressive and acting. Casual and conventional crowds are more general and do not really detail collective behaviour or deviant acts by groups or individuals. Expressive crowds reflect a group of individuals who gather for a specific purpose and with emotionally expressive tendencies, like at a political rally. If an expressive crowd becomes too emotionally charged, it may progress into an acting crowd and engage in violent, destructive behaviour (p. 459). The word riot can stir up many negative connotations. One definition of a riot is a relatively spontaneous outburst of violence by a large group of people (Barkan, 2011, p. 460). According to the previously stated definitions and oncepts, it would appear that before a riot occurs, the right type of crowd must assemble, under the right type of condition and must include the right individuals who are influenced easily by others. Contagion and Convergence theories can also be used to posit on the cause of deviant behaviour resulting in acts of riot. Contagion theory, made popular by Gustave le Bon, states that individuals are rational on their own but in crowds, individuals can get carried away in the mob mentality and act irrationally and sometimes violent. As a result people engage in collective behaviour and are influenced by the others around them (Barkan, 2011, p. 64). Convergent theory, on the other hand, implies that crowds are not the cause of irrational behaviour but rather, the people within the crowd is what causes the behaviour. Basically, convergent theory says that people with like minds and attitudes will converge together and form a crowd that may act in deviant or destructive ways (Barkan, 2011, p. 464). Contagion and convergence theories provide a framework for analyzing what happens when people in groups become agitated and the snowball effect that can precipitate a full blown riot. However, these theories fail to address the tipping point that causes groups dynamic to shift from peaceful to violent. Through the process of deindividuation, people act out behaviours in a group setting that are not consistent with how they would act alone (Bhatia, 2011). The accountability of one individual is blurred by the crowd, which can encourage people to act impulsively and destructively (Handwerk, 2005). Combine anonymity, adrenaline fueled sports fans with alcohol and the outcome could be a disaster. Brian Handwerk describes the psychology behind being a sports fan as an identity and a social network for people to belong to (â€Å"Sports Riots,† 2005). This concept can easily apply to mob mentality as well, joining a group of rioters is a way to fit in and be apart of something larger then one’s self. Sometime the need to belong can blur our moral codes of right and wrong. A deviant act is only deviant as long as the power’s that be says it is. To avoid creating a riot culture without repercussion the Vancouver Police Department needs to find those responsible and make public examples of them fast. If not, The Vancouver Police have the tough job ahead of them to find and charge those involved in the riots. A task that at one time would have been nearly impossible is gaining some help from photos, videos and the Internet. Social media outlets like Facebook and twitter are being employed in an effort to identify the culprits. The Vancouver police have asked citizens to come forward and anonymously provide video footage and photos of the riot in hopes that it will lead to arrests (Bolan 2001). Facebook groups have been set up so that people can join and hopefully identify some of the people in the photos. In reality, those that participated in the riots will likely go unpunished. However, the social outcry by the public via the Internet and other media is new form of punishment. The Internet has become a forum for people to speak their minds indirectly to these rioting â€Å"hockey fans† and hopefully the guilt and shame will be lesson enough. As a native Vancouverite and a Canuck fan, it is embarrassing to watch history repeat itself and all for a hockey game. The riot was not in protest of a tyrannical dictator, or to bring public awareness to the needs of impoverished children, it was far less important then that. The Vancouver riots were an embarrassing moment, caught on camera and seen around the world. All the sociological theorizing in the world could not make sense of it, nor justify it. It was not due to strain or frustration between opposing classes, it was not due to a learned behaviour or a label placed upon these people. If you look at the pictures of those involved, you will see a handful of adolescents and young adults making poor decisions and demonstrating a lack of respect and pride in themselves, their hockey team and their country A Tale of two riots. (2011). Retrieved on July 31, 2011 from cbc. ca/news/canada/story/2011/06/16/f-vancouver-riot-1994-2011. html Kane, Laura and Kelly Sinoski. (2011) Vancouver top cop blames Stanley Cup riots on ‘anarchists’. Retrieved on July 31, 2011 from vancouversun. com/sports/Vancouver+blames+Stanley+riot+anarchists/4957678/story. html Brakan, Steve. (2001). Sociology: Understanding and changing the social world. Retrieved from flatworldknowledge. com/pub/1. 0/sociology-understanding-and-ch/364149#pdf-469 Retrieved on July 31, 2011 Bereska, Tami M. (2011). Deviance, Conformity and Social control in Canada. Toronto, ON: Pearson Canada Inc. Plath, Luke. (2008). Anatomy of a riot. Retrieved on July 31, 2011 from associatedcontent. com/article/701217/anatomy_of_a_riot_pg3. html? cat=17 Hockey riots throughout Canadian history. (2011). Retrieved from theglobeandmail. com/news/national/british-columbia/hockey-riots-throughout-canadian-history/article2064096. Retrieved on July 31, 2011. Handwerk, Brian. (2005). Sports riots: The Psychology of sports mayhem. Retrieved on July 31, 2011 from http://news. ationalgeographic. com/news/2005/06/0620_050620_sportsriots_2. html Bhatia, Maneet. (2011). Reflecting on Vancouver: Why do people riot?. Retrieved on July 31, 2011 from http://psychstateofmind. com/2011/06/17/reflecting-on-vancouver-why-do-people-riot/ Bolan, Kim. (2011). Vancouver Police want your riot video and photos. Retrieved on July 31, 2011 from http://communities. canada. com/vancouversun/blogs/realscoop/archive/2011/06/16/vancouver-p olice-want-your-riot-video-and-photos. aspx I Predict a Riot Jessi Evanoff Sociology 224 August 4th 2011