Communication Theory And Public Intellectual, Radio, And...

In 1964, Marshall McLuhan, a Canadian philosopher of communication theory and public intellectual, coined the phrase â€Å"The medium is the message.† The aforementioned quote, taken straight from Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, states the medium itself controls and shapes controls and shapes how humans interact with the message; this quote has stayed with me since I learned it in high school, not only because it sparked my interest in the media business, but it also allowed me to understand on how I connected with it on different forms throughout my day. Over 24 hours, I come in contact with three different ‘highways’ of information that distorts and influences my views in the world: the Internet, Radio, and the Newspaper. The form of media that I consume the most: the Web. In fact, assuming I am awake for 16 hours, I regularly check some form of the Internet, at the minimum, once every hour. Whether through Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram), News sites (Toronto Star) and or aggregates (Reddit) the Internet keeps me connected with the world. Throughout my day, I have processes that are dependent on me being able to communicate. I check my email in the morning; I use apps on my phone that display the Toronto Star or Reddit so I could suffer the boredom of being on transit two hours a day. In class, I take fleeting chances to look at my phone and computer unrelated to the course. I also use the Internet to keep up with my work and social life. WithinShow MoreRelatedHistory of Mass Media1150 Words   |  5 PagesUNIT PLAN LECTURE AND TUTORIAL:- DAY : MONDAY TIME : 8.00 to 11.00 am ROOM : R4.2 OBJECTIVE To introduce students to the historical development of media, including books, newspapers, magazines, radio and TV broadcasting and cinema. Students will be able to trace the emergence of modern media institutions from their historical roots and discuss the impact of social and technological change. This will be able to provide the student withRead MoreA Brief Note On Media Influenced American Culture1515 Words   |  7 PagesCasondra Garrison Eng. 207 Mrs. Whetstine Cultural Analysis Media Influenced in American Culture Back in the 1920s people had receive news and entertainment through the radio, which then in turn out-shined newspapers and magazines. Now day’s social media sites have become the most popular form to get the news and information. The biggest tool in the media that generates revenue by the millions every day, is advertising. The media has its way of showing us constructive information when it comesRead MoreMass Communication5882 Words   |  24 Pagesof study In the United States, many university journalism departments evolved into schools or colleges of mass communication or journalism and mass communication, as reflected in the names of two major academic organizations. In addition to studying practical skills of journalism, public relations or advertising, students also may major in mass communication or mass communication research. The latter is often the title given to doctoral studies in such schools, whether the focus of the studentsRead MoreMedia Ethics, The Authoritarian Theory And Social Responsibility Theory Essay1076 Words   |  5 Pagesresponsibilities of the media to the public and how we should be watchful of the information we taking part in. There is two main theories in media ethics, the authoritarian theory and Social responsibility theory. The authoritarian theory press was seen as a very controlling tool, and those in authority used it to convey only that information that they wanted the public to know. Social responsibility theory of media ethics has become the norm now. This theory inspires self control of the mediaRead MoreAmusing Ourselves For Death : Public Discourse On The Age Of Show Business, By Neil Postman1495 Words   |  6 PagesAmusing Ourselves To Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business, Neil Postman familiarizes his readers to his main objective for his argument right away. His strategies to convince his readers of his claim are extraordinarily well and get across to the readers easily. Postman proposes that the public, without recognizing it, is losing its â€Å"autonomy, maturity, and history†. His thesis is that television is changing the way people interact by putting all pub lic rhetoric into on-screen entertainmentRead MoreMarxism and Pluralism Views on Media1826 Words   |  8 PagesInternet, television, newspapers, advertisements or the radio, we are constantly bombarded by mass media. As Burton observes, the main power of the media lies in the fact that it can shape what we know about the world and can be a main source of ideas and opinions (2002:2). As the media continues to compel such power over socialisation, many researchers have set out to perceive the power of the mass media (Curran, Gurevitch, Woollacott 2006:1). This essay will discuss these theories, namely the liberal-pluralistRead MoreMedia Studies1668 Words   |  7 Pagestheorists see the role of the mass media as a means of maintaining the existing state of affairs, while the liberal pluralists see the role of the mass media as a means to promote the freedom of speech. The following essay will look more closely into the theories of these two schools with regards to how they see the role of the media in society, and offer some examples related to media in South Africa and globally. According to the Marxist approach, capitalist society is seen as one of class authority;Read MoreRole of Media1877 Words   |  8 Pagesignore its importance. First of all we should know what the media is. Media is a source of information or communication. Media includes sources like print media and electronic media. Newspapers, magazines and any other form, which is written or printed, is included in print media and in electronic, media radio, television and Internet etc. are included. When there are so many channels and newspapers we cannot ignore its importance in the society. Media has lot of responsibility on its shoulders as todaysRead MoreElectronic Media vs Print (Thesis Paper)13276 Words   |  54 PagesLimitation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.......................†¦5 Methodology†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦5 Section 1: Birth of Electronic Media and its Popularity†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦6 Radio†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦6 Humble Beginnings†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦......6 From Navigation to News and Entertainment†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦......................†¦8 The â€Å"New† Radio: Digital Satellite†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦10 Television†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦12 Small Screen, Big Possibilities†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦12 Now in Color†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Read MoreCOM3702 Portfolio10930 Words   |  44 PagesOctober 2014 Witness: B. Moatshe MEDIA STUDIES TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 1. INTRODUCTION 4 2. MEDIA POLICY AND REGULATIONS 4 2.1 HISTORY OF COMMUNICATION POLICY 4 2.1.1 Paradigms of communication policy 4 2 1.2 Emerging Communication industry policy 5 2.1.3 Public service media policy 6 2.2 FREEDOM OF MEDIA 7 2.2.1 The need for freedom of expression 7 2.2.2 Threats to it 7 2.2.3 If, how and why such threats

On The Pulse Of The Morning Summary - 1078 Words

Christine’s View of a Good Speech: Maya Angelou’s, On the Pulse of the Morning On January 20th, 1993, African American poet, Maya Angelou, delivered On the Pulse of Morning at the first inauguration of President Bill Clinton. She made history that day by not only being African American but the second American to deliver a speech at a presidential inauguration. On the Pulse of the Morning signifies evolution, growth, and freedom for our country. Maya uses eternal motifs such as a tree, river, and a rock to solicit the eternal change in history. The rock corresponds with religious faith as well as the pilgrims’ landing at Plymouth rock and Americans’ faith in democracy. The river serves as the Potomac River winding its way through†¦show more content†¦By failing to live at peace with their men, they will cause turmoil and thus be disobeying the unwritten â€Å"law† of women. Maya Angelou values peace over conflict. In her speech she says, â€Å"Your armed struggles for profit, have left collars of waste upon my shore, currents of debris upon my breast. Yet, today I call you to my riverside, if you will study war no more. Come, clad in peace and I will sing the songs the Creator gave to me when I and the tree and stone were one.† (Stanza7), she describes mankind continuing to resist the power of Christ, yet, Christ still wants to welcome mankind in open arms and be at peace and in unity. Christine believes that women should â€Å"ponder long and hard whether she can do something. . . to prevent this war† (1, 8).She explains that â€Å"in this cause she will wish to work and labor carefully, calling God to her aid, and by good council she will do whatever she can do to find a way of peace† (1, 8).One of Christine’s seven important virtues that all women should strive for is concord and benevolence because it â€Å"engenders P eace and breaks up the sword of Anger† (2, 13).According to Christine, keeping the peace is a woman’s duty no matter the rank of social status she claims. Maya also says, â€Å"History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, and if faced with courage, need not be lived again† (Stanza18). She is telling us that even though our history is most likely ugly andShow MoreRelatedMaya Angelou Essay1019 Words   |  5 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Promising a new era in American History, President Bill Clinton asked Angelou to receipt her poem On the Pulse of Morning during his 1993 inauguration (Plot Summary: On the Pulse of Morning,). The poem drew people of all different races, cultures, and religions together to return to the basic values that made the United States great (Plot Summary: On the Pulse of Morning,).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Maya Angelou taught peace and growth through her many autobiographies and poems that reached peopleRead MoreNursing Assessment1391 Words   |  6 PagesPhysician Dismisses Nursing Assessments, Question of Nurse Advocacy. Summary: The patient was involved in a motorcycle accident in which his bike fell onto and injured his left leg. When the nurses assessing the patient could not detect a pulse in that leg, an ominous sign of circulatory failure. The physician when notified chose to dismiss this fact and discharge the patient. The patient would return soon after with worsening symptoms that would require emergency surgery. Should the nurses haveRead MoreThe Impact Of Communication On Nursing Leadership Processes1411 Words   |  6 Pagestheir leadership style and management skills. (comp. # 9) Key words: NM-nurse manager, HD- health department, comp- competency, EBP- evidence-based-practices Summary At the facility today, the HD was present and every unit was on high alert. The HD was at the hospital because the hospital was being approved for some purposes. During the morning meeting the Director, discussed with the NM’s of the different departments about being very vigilant. This meant to make sure that there is no reportable incidencesRead MoreClinical Activities Essay949 Words   |  4 Pageswas preparing to present the topic at post conference, but since a couple of the students were interested on the topic, I decided to share it with them. A few questions were asked, and we spent some time researching more information on the topic. Summary of Clinical Activities We started our day in the hospital lobby promptly at 0630, the professor started by explaining where on the unit each of us would be, as she usually does. This time it was biter sweet, because it was our last OB clinical. IRead MoreControl Of Society In Fahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury1018 Words   |  5 Pageswilderness. A deer. He smelled the heavy musk like perfume mingled with blood and the gummed exhalation of the animal’s breath, all cardamom and moss and ragweed odor in this huge night where the trees ran at him, pulled away, ran, pulled away, to the pulse of the heart behind his eyes. Warrant As the Hound finally miraculously leaves Montag, it seems he has finally escaped the control of society and is now enjoying the smells and trees and seeing things the way he truly should. Conclusion/Transition:Read MoreEssay On Clinical Activities855 Words   |  4 Pagesby using effective communication within the clinical group and the staff on the unit throughout the day, such as practicing open and honest communication. Also by leaving communication lines open to those who may need my help to address problems. Summary of Clinical Activities We started our day in the hospital lobby promptly at 0630, the professor started by explaining where on the unit each of us would be. I was placed on the Labor and Delivery floor along with three ladies. I was nervous, forRead MoreThe Effects Of Playtime On Kitmap Comment1404 Words   |  6 Pagessometimes and I intend to help them with anything they need assistance with in the future if they ask. WenjaHCF: This sever i was recently staff on around a month ago. I was Trial-Mod and was demoted due to Saying in chat Pulse 2.0 is coming out Mid conversation about Pulse. But not realising my mistake was that harsh, i was demoted. The server, and staff were very friendly and had loved to become apart of that loving community. Are you staff on any other servers currently? Currently i am notRead MoreStandards Terminology Paper : Nursing Intervention Classification And The Nursing Outcome Classification1493 Words   |  6 PagesState University Preface In standards terminology paper one patient’s assessment will be presented along with Nursing Diagnosis, Nursing intervention Classification and the Nursing Outcome Classification. In conclusion part of the paper, the summary of these systems will be provided. Clinical Encounter Mary Smith, Female, 56 years old, presented to Emergency Department with abnormal Chest Xray, fever, chills and generalized weakness on Friday, 10/31/2014. Per patient, she came to visit herRead MoreDescriptive Essay : 28 Days After My Escape 1660 Words   |  7 Pageskitchen and says, â€Å"Trilli, you really should slow down.† â€Å"I know mom,† I respond, rolling my eyes in spite of myself, â€Å"but I really can’t get another tardy.† Just like that I’m running down the street through the early morning haze with a burning piece of toast in hand. Like every morning, I see people sleeping on the streets and outside of buildings. With the overpopulation, anyone without a decent job does not receive a home. My mom works as a teacher for the elementary school kids, so we qualifiedRead MoreEvolutionary Families Essay1535 Words   |  7 PagesWaking up in the morning and scrambling to finish homework, realizing you left your textbook at your dad’s could be a problem. Your mom is late for work and cannot drive you to your dad’s house. As a result, you will receive a zero for the assignment. A few decades ago, scenarios like this were not prevalent. However, with the change in family structure, this situation is now very common. Over decades, television shows have reflected the social changes of the family structure. Starting with the

Why Kedarnath Happened Free Essays

string(67) " in mind that the geology is still roughly the same \(Picture 3\)\." A scientific analysis of the reasons for the disaster that struck Uttarakhand, particularly the temple town. THE primary trigger for the Uttarakhand disaster following the very heavy rain during June 16-18 was the extremely unusual behaviour of the monsoon this year over north India. The incessant, heavy rainfall over three days, perhaps accompanied by a few cloudburst-type events (which cannot be confirmed), resulted in flash floods and associated landslides. We will write a custom essay sample on Why Kedarnath Happened or any similar topic only for you Order Now The devastation all round in their wake has been huge but the largest impact has been at the temple town of Kedarnath, which was in the midst of the annual pilgrimage season, with tens of thousands of people thronging the town and the downstream region along the Mandakini river . 1). Rainfall measurements for June 16 and 17 at the Dehradun station, of 220 millimetres and 370 mm respectively, indicate the severity of the rain during these days in the region. Haridwar received 107 mm and 218 mm of rainfall on the two days. Uttarkashi received 122 mm and 207 mm. While Mukteshwar (altitude over 2,000 metres) received 237 mm and 183 mm respectively on June 17 and 18, Nainital on the same days received 176 mm and 170 mm. Though rainfall over a 24-hour period in different parts of Uttarakhand has greatly exceeded these figures in the past (on many occasions above 450-500 mm and once even 900 mm at Rajpur near Dehradun), prolonged heavy rainfall for nearly three days over a large area is perhaps unprecedented, and the cumulative effect, compounded by geophysical, meteorological and environmental factors, may be the reason for the enormity of the disaster. More pertinently, these numbers do not give the actual quantitative picture of the very heavy rainfall in the higher reaches of the Himalayas (above 3,000 m) in Uttarakhand, where Kedarnath, Gangotri and Badrinath are located and where the impact has been most severe. This is because the rain gauge stations of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) are all located largely in the lower Himalayan reaches (below 2,000 m) and there are no stations in the higher reaches (above 3000 m). This is probably because snowfall data is regarded as more important than detailed rainfall data in these regions. As a result, there is no proper estimate of the rainfall in the affected regions. Unexpected advance What was peculiar about the monsoon this year? On June 14, the monsoon front was located over eastern India. In fact it was a trifle sluggish compared with the normal progress of the front (Map 1a). But within a day (Map 1b), the front advanced right across Uttar Pradesh and the western regions to cover the entire country by June 15, exactly a month ahead of its normal date of July 15. While the IMD had forecast a rapid advance with the announcement that the monsoon would strike Delhi before the normal scheduled date of June 30, its advance right across to the west just within a day was entirely unexpected. This has never happened in the past, according to M. Rajeevan, Adviser in the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). A system of westerly winds from the Arabian Sea had also been active during the same period and had covered Pakistan. It was a strong westerly system, and Rajeevan noted that it was similar to the system that stayed anchored over Pakistan in July 2010 and caused widespread flooding in Sindh, Punjab and Baluchistan. Of course, by July 2010 the south-west monsoon had covered entire India, but this time around the system had formed in June itself. It was the interaction between the well-formed low-pressure system of the south-west monsoon from east to west and the upper air westerly trough running from north-west Rajasthan to the east that resulted in the heavy rainfall over Uttarakhand. In fact, the westerly system dragged the monsoon trough, which was anchored over Rajasthan and central India until then, towards the north across Haryana. A monsoon trough facilitates the movement of rainfall-causing low-pressure systems along its path. Its rapid movement northwards enabled the low-pressure system that was in the eastern part of the country to quickly traverse and locate itself over north-west India. According to Rajeevan, while the phenomenon of the monsoon trough being dragged northwards by the advancing strong westerly trough is known to occur, the exact dynamics of interaction between the two systems is not well studied. Thus, as the press release of June 20 of the IMD noted, â€Å"North-west India became the zone of an unusual confluence of the two branches of the monsoon—the Arabian Sea branch and the Bay of Bengal branch. The geology and orography of [the Himalayan regions] of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh resulted in the unprecedented impact in these two States. † While the IMD had issued warnings of widespread severe rainfall in the region soon after the observation of the advancing monsoon systems, the scale of impact could not be anticipated. Geophysical dynamics The peculiarity of the monsoon apart, the other interesting question is what geophysical dynamics channelled the major part of devastation along the Kedarnath valley and downstream of Kedarnath on the Mandakini. The region around Kedarnath is known to geologists to be prone to landslides. This is also clear from an early 1882 Geological Survey of India photograph of Kedarnath (Picture 2), which shows that the temple site is located not far away from the snouts of two mountain glaciers. David Petley, an expert on landslides at the Department of Geography at Durham University, United Kingdom, has analysed the calamitous event at Kedarnath on the basis of images from the remote-sensing satellites of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the U. S. Landsat. He points out that the amount of debris and rubble below the glacier on the left side of the 1882 picture suggests that transportation of sediment and debris from the upper reaches was active even then, and adds that the steep slope that is visible would have aided rapid transportation. It should be borne in mind that the geology is still roughly the same (Picture 3). You read "Why Kedarnath Happened" in category "Papers" It is evident from the post-event images of Kedarnath town around the temple that the massive destruction was the result of largescale debris carried by the huge volume of water from the upper reaches above the town. One of the compounding factors was that the glacial regions above Kedarnath had received fresh and excess snowfall when heavy rainfall hit the region (Pictures 4a b), according to scientists of the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) of ISRO. Rainwater, with higher temperature, falling on the snow must have led to heavy snow melt and this runoff would have added to the rainwater runoff, resulting in a huge water flow that carried with it a huge debris flow, which struck the town with enormous ferocity. The snow cover has, in fact, increased in general subsequent to the extreme rainfall and flooding events (the satellite image on May 28/June 1 shows less snow cover). According to the NRSC scientists, the detailed dynamics of water flow due to snow melt caused by rain, particularly when snowfall is in excess, and the hydrology of it are not well understood. The NRSC recently released excellent high-resolution pre-flood and post-flood images of the Kedarnath region (Pictures 5a 5b) taken by ISRO’s remote-sensing satellites Cartosat-2A and Resourcesat-2. The NRSC, on the basis of remote-sensing images from Resourcesat-2, has carried out an inventory of the landslides that occurred between Kedarnath and Sonprayag, a distance of approximately 20 km on the Mandakini. According to the preliminary report, the study identified a total of 192 landslides in this Himalayan stretch (Picture 6). Many landslides were triggered in the glacial regions in the mountains above Kedarnath. The large-scale debris flows from above were the result of these massive landslides. Double whammy Actually, for Kedarnath it was a double whammy. The massive damage caused to Kedarnath town can be seen clearly in the post-flood image. Just as there was an unusual confluence of two monsoon streams up in the atmosphere, in the mountainous terrain around Kedarnath, too, there was a coincidental reinforcing of two massive debris flows from above, one from the north-western side of the Kedarnath temple and the other from the north-eastern side. Petley has analysed these images to arrive at a plausible scenario as to what caused the massive onslaught on the town, virtually flattening it. This flow cascaded further and caused heavy damage downstream as well. The NRSC scientists, too, in their analysis, have come roughly to the same general conclusion. According to Petley, the two different but reinforcing events that caused the disaster were landslide-induced debris that came from the glaciated area in the north-east and a glacial-related flow that originated from the north-west glacier. From the images, one can distinctly identify the two flows. Petley, from his analysis of the images, the-cause -of-the-debris-flow-disaster-is-now -clear/), has inferred the following: 1. The flow from the north-east came down the margin of the glacier and spread out to strike the town. 2. The north-west flow descended from the other glacier to hit the town. 3. While a large part of the flow from the north-west passed the town on its west side, a part also struck it directly. On the basis of the pattern of overlay of sediments and their nature, Petley concludes that the flow from the north-west occurred after the one from the north-east. According to him, the debris flow from the north-east was triggered by a large, 75 m wide, landslide caused by heavy rainfall high on the mountains, which then came down the steep slope about 500 m, gathering the debris in its path. The flow was initially channelled into a narrow gully formed by the glacier and on exiting it the flow spread out in the floodplains before striking the town over a large area. The steepness of the slope would have given the debris enormous velocity when it struck the town. The total length traversed by this debris flow is estimated to be about 1,200 m. The event from the north-west was, however, quite different, points out Petley. The spot marked 1 in Picture 7 is a moraine, which had created a block for a basin to form, allowing the water to build up in it as a pool or a lake. This is what the local people call the Chorabari Tal, to which, in fact, pilgrims trek a few kilometres along the west side of the valley to have a dip. The Chorabari glacier has been retreating constantly in modern times, and according to D. P. Dobhal of the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, it has retreated about 300 m since 1960. The effect of the retreat is to leave a moraine that can allow lakes to form, which can then collapse,† pointed out Petley in an e-mail message to Frontline. â€Å"In Kedarnath, this is exactly what happened. I am not sure when the lake basin formed—it may not have been in modern times—but this is a dangerous situation. Of equal concern is the trend towards more intense rainfall, especially if this occurs early in the year (that is, during snowmelt),† Petley added. Wall of water Eyewitness accounts say a huge wall of water swept the Kedarnath town in a flash. The spot marked 2 shows that the moraine had been breached by the rapidly building up water because of heavy rainfall and the water overtopping the moraine wall. The breach led to the sudden release of the impounded water and resulted in a massive wall of water sweeping across the Kedarnath valley and the town and causing a huge flash flood. According to the NRSC scientists, this lake would have had a depth of about 15 m, and the event was not exactly a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF), which occurs when a dam or moraine wall is breached because of the sheer pressure exerted by the stagnant glacial water and ice that it encloses. This was a case of lake flooding because of excessive rainfall and consequent overtopping of the moraine wall, which eventually breached. The flow was so huge and forceful that it overtopped the moraine on the other side of the glacier as well, at the spot marked 3, resulting in three flows: one moving south-east to join the earlier debris flow from the north-east and enhancing it before turning southwards and striking the town. The third flow is a new channel that opened up, perhaps exploiting an existing old channel, because of the breach at spot 3. Heading down the slope towards the town at great velocity, it gathered sediment and debris en route and resulted in a muchwidened flow closer to Kedarnath. However, the bulk of the debris flow, as Picture 7 shows, moved southwards towards the town down the main channel on the south western side, which is the normal channel for glacial water flow. The spot marked 4 shows heavy erosion due to the flow in the area, suggesting that the flow must have carried a huge volume of water. According to Petley, this flow must have carried the many huge boulders and rocks seen in the post-flood image of the temple town. Closer to the town, the flow spread before striking. As a result, the debris and water flow moved to the east side of the town as well, engulfing the town from both sides. According to this picture supplied by Petley, which others too are in general agreement with, Kedarnath was first pounded by an earlier debris flow from the north-east, then a later pounding by the flow from the north-west. Petley suggests that the latter flow must have been more efficient because of the preceding events and also because it struck the town from both the west and the east simultaneously. The image also shows a dark patch just above Kedarnath on the north-eastern side (to the right of the spot marked 5) suggesting the formation of a new depression, which could have turned into a small-sized lake because of the heavy rainfall. It is also possible that water built up in this new depression, which would have been substantial, overtopped it and hit the town from the eastern side, enhancing the effect of the runoff and debris flow from the north-eastern side, an aspect that Petley has not considered. Downstream of Kedarnath, the flow remained contained within the channel. As a result, there was massive erosion of the banks of the Mandakini Further, smaller villages downstream were also severely damaged, and some of them, such as Rambara, were totally destroyed ). The damage caused to the Kedarnath region and downstream villages by the natural destruction resulting from unusual meteorological and geophysical processes was undoubtedly greatly enhanced because of the general environmental degradation caused by the massive and unregulated influx of pilgrims year after year, the haphazard development fuelled by tourist traffic, and the unplanned and poor construction of buildings and roads. Given the vulnerability of the region, the town itself has come up in a very dangerous location, points out Petley. Therefore, how much of the destruction in this event was actually man-made is a moot question. Besides the challenges of disaster management on such a massive scale, the Uttarakhand floods have also thrown up a lot of scientific challenges in the detailed understanding of monsoon dynamics as well as in the geophysical processes of landslides and large-scale debris flow and the heavy damage they can inflict on life, property and the ecology of a region. How to cite Why Kedarnath Happened, Papers