Helen Keller A True Hero Essay - 1200 Words

All the world is full of suffering. It is also full of overcoming said Helen Keller, a woman who faced many obstacles in her life (Fun). Most people dont dedicate their lives to help others, especially if they have disabilities themselves, but Helen Keller is a different story. At 19 months old, Helen Keller was diagnosed with a disease that led her to be deaf and blind. A true hero is someone who is dedicated to help others in need no matter the circumstances/struggle he or she faces, never gives up, and is an inspiration for others. Helen Keller is a hero because she overcame the struggle of being deaf and blind by never giving up, dedicated her life to help others, and made change in the world despite her disabilities. Helen Keller†¦show more content†¦Through hard work and persistence, she received it. She demonstrated that she was more than capable of taking care of herself as she changed people’s attitude to those who were deaf and blind and fought hard for her beliefs. Leslie Garratt, the author of Helen Keller: A Photographic Story of Life stated, â€Å"And now after a lifetime of effort and optimism, she was one of the most best-known and most respected women in the world† (Garrett 8). Keller demonstrated to all that a true hero is one that overcomes a struggle by never giving up. Just because you have a struggle, you are not considered a hero. A true hero never gives up no matter how hard or long it will take until he or she demonstrates that a tough obstacle can be faced and defeated. Helen Keller is a hero because she devoted her life to help others. Even though she had enough to worry about herself, she always ended up putting the needs of others before her. In fact, she traveled around the world giving speeches and used her education to influence and improve the lives of people with disabilities by lobbying and lecturing (McGinnity et al 3). Everywhere she traveled, she would change opinions towards people with disabilities. Her speeches were so inspiring and so successful, that countries, presidents, and royal families would all send her invitations. We can all see that she helped people who once lost hope. She took a long part of her lifetime to lecture those who needed to beShow MoreRelatedEssay on Lies My Teacher Told Me Heroification821 Words   |  4 Pageslike in the case of Helen Keller, Woodrow Wilson, and Christopher Columbus. â€Å"Heroification† (Loewen 11) has a negative effect on American textbooks because it gives students a false impression of their country’s history. A prime example of the â€Å"heroification† process is Helen Keller, is a famous historical figure that Loewen ironically claims â€Å"has been made mute by history† (Loewen 13). When college students were surveyed, very few students knew anything about Helen Keller beyond the fact thatRead MoreHelen Keller And The Naacp1701 Words   |  7 PagesRebecca Reed Honors American Studies I Mr. Cahalan 27 April 2015 Helen Keller and the NAACP A large issue in our country for the first two centuries, some would argue longer, of our time as our own, independent, country has been the issue of equality among races. This was an issue that was on the mind of many of the people who were very instrumental in our country including men like Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr., among others. The issue of equality among races caused lots of controversyRead MoreHelen Keller2150 Words   |  9 PagesHelen Keller Her life and legacy While they were saying among themselves it cannot be done, it was done. -Helen Keller Hailan El-Naas Grade 9A April 28, 2013 Table of Contents 1. Outline 1 2. Introduction Read MoreIs My Teacher Told Me?862 Words   |  4 Pagesreality versus the perception. Furthermore, throughout chapter 1 (Handicapped by History: The Process of Hero-making) in the novel Lies my teacher told me Loewen shows how false heroes can be created when history is told from a perspective rather than straightforwardly. He states, â€Å"Textbooks typically fail to show the interrelationship between the hero and the people. By giving credit to the hero, authors tell less than half of the story†, meaning that authors in textbooks are missing the majorityRead MoreHeroism : A Brave Soldier1054 Words   |  5 Pagesbeing a hero and helping others. For example, Dale Beatty, a National Guardsman, was driving in a Humvee in Northern Iraq when he drove over an anti-tank land mine. His legs were pinned down underneath the wreckage. He had to get them amputated. Even though lost his legs fighting for our country, he had a positive outlook and attitude from the very beginning. He started Purple Heart Homes, a nonprofit organization that helps provide homes for disable d veterans. Another example of a hero is Helen KellerRead More A True Hero Essay3569 Words   |  15 PagesA True Hero As I read David Halberstam’s ideas in his essay, â€Å"Who We Are† (2004), I started thinking about our nation’s leaders and heroes. September 11th came to my mind and the many firefighters and rescue workers who heroically risked their lives to save complete strangers. Then, I remembered that the media dubbed Jessica Lynch a hero when she came back to the United States. Not only Jessica, but also many other American soldiers fighting abroad are called heroes. I started wondering ifRead MoreQuotable Quotes1384 Words   |  6 Pagesdare it. Life is luck, make it. Life is too precious, do not destroy it. Life is life, fight for it.† ― Mother Teresa â€Å"Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.† ― Dr. Seuss â€Å"Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.† ― Dr. Seuss, Happy Birthday to You! â€Å"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow isRead MoreAn Analysis Of Helen Keller And Woodrow Wilson4117 Words   |  17 PagesTeachers Told Me Summaries and Reflection Chapter One Throughout history, people have been made into heroes. These heroes are portrayed as perfect or without mistakes. Helen Keller and Woodrow Wilson are two of the heroes who are discussed in the chapter. Helen Keller is famous for being the deaf-blind girl who learned how to read, write, and speak; but not much is known by the public about her political views. Loewen states, â€Å"Through research she learned that blindnessRead MoreDo Pit Bulls Make Good Pets? Essay1905 Words   |  8 Pagesvery important to this country. â€Å"In the early 20th Century pit bulls represented American WWI posters. Sergeant Stubby was the first canine war hero (a pit bull). Until his death, he was a guest of every White House administration. Another famous pit bull most should know is Petey from the Little Rascals. Woodrow Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt, Helen Keller, Fred Astaire, Humphrey Bogart, and Thomas Edison all owned Pit bulls† (PBRC). These are facts anyone could know if they only did a li ttle researchRead MoreHindi Quotes4316 Words   |  18 PagesQuote 1:  Great dreams of great dreamers are always transcended. In Hindi :  Ã  ¤ ®Ã  ¤ ¹Ã  ¤ ¾Ã  ¤ ¨ à ¤ ¸Ã  ¤ ªÃ  ¤ ¨Ã  ¥â€¡ à ¤ ¦Ã  ¥â€¡Ã  ¤â€"à ¤ ¨Ã  ¥â€¡ à ¤ µÃ  ¤ ¾Ã  ¤ ²Ã  ¥â€¹Ã  ¤â€š à ¤â€¢Ã  ¥â€¡ à ¤ ®Ã  ¤ ¹Ã  ¤ ¾Ã  ¤ ¨ à ¤ ¸Ã  ¤ ªÃ  ¤ ¨Ã  ¥â€¡ à ¤ ¹Ã  ¤ ®Ã  ¥â€¡Ã  ¤ ¶Ã  ¤ ¾ à ¤ ªÃ  ¥â€šÃ  ¤ °Ã  ¥â€¡ à ¤ ¹Ã  ¥â€¹Ã  ¤ ¤Ã  ¥â€¡ à ¤ ¹Ã  ¥Ë†Ã  ¤â€š. à ¤â€¦Ã  ¤ ¬Ã  ¥ Ã  ¤ ¦Ã  ¥ Ã  ¤ ² à ¤â€¢Ã  ¤ ²Ã  ¤ ¾Ã  ¤ ®Ã‚   Abdul Kalam Quote 2:  You have to dream before your dreams can come true. In Hindi :  Ã‚  Ã  ¤â€¡Ã  ¤ ¸Ã  ¤ ¸Ã  ¥â€¡ à ¤ ªÃ  ¤ ¹Ã  ¤ ²Ã  ¥â€¡ à ¤â€¢Ã  ¤ ¿ à ¤ ¸Ã  ¤ ªÃ  ¤ ¨Ã  ¥â€¡ à ¤ ¸Ã  ¤Å¡ à ¤ ¹Ã  ¥â€¹Ã  ¤â€š à ¤â€ Ã  ¤ ªÃ  ¤â€¢Ã  ¥â€¹ à ¤ ¸Ã  ¤ ªÃ  ¤ ¨Ã  ¥â€¡ à ¤ ¦Ã  ¥â€¡Ã  ¤â€"à ¤ ¨Ã  ¥â€¡ à ¤ ¹Ã  ¥â€¹Ã  ¤â€šÃ  ¤â€"à ¥â€¡ . à ¤â€¦Ã  ¤ ¬Ã  ¥ Ã  ¤ ¦Ã  ¥ Ã  ¤ ² à ¤â€¢Ã  ¤ ²Ã  ¤ ¾Ã  ¤ ®Ã‚   Abdul Kalam Quote 3 :Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. In Hindi :  Ã  ¤â€¢Ã  ¤ ¿Ã  ¤ ¸Ã  ¥â‚¬Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã  ¤ µÃ  ¥Æ'à ¤â€¢Ã  ¥ Ã  ¤ ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã  ¤â€¢Ã  ¥â€¹Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã  ¤â€¢Ã  ¤ ¾Ã  ¤Å¸Ã  ¤ ¨Ã  ¥â€¡Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã  ¤â€¢Ã  ¥â€¡Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã  ¤ ²Ã  ¤ ¿Ã  ¤ Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã  ¤â€ Ã  ¤ ªÃ‚  Ã‚  Ã  ¤ ®Ã  ¥ Ã  ¤ Ã  ¥â€¡Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã  ¤â€º:  Ã‚  Ã  ¤ËœÃ  ¤â€šÃ  ¤Å¸Ã  ¥â€¡Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã  ¤ ¦Ã  ¥â‚¬Ã  ¤Å"à ¤ ¿Ã  ¤ ¯Ã  ¥â€¡Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã  ¤â€Ã  ¤ °Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã  ¤ ®Ã  ¥Ë†Ã  ¤â€šÃ‚  Ã‚  Ã  ¤ ªÃ  ¤ ¹Ã  ¤ ²Ã  ¥â€¡Ã‚  Ã  ¤Å¡Ã  ¤ ¾Ã  ¤ °Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã  ¤ËœÃ  ¤â€šÃ  ¤Å¸Ã  ¥â€¡Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã  ¤â€¢Ã  ¥ Ã  ¤ ²Ã  ¥ Ã  ¤ ¹Ã  ¤ ¾Ã  ¤ ¡Ã  ¤ ¼Ã  ¥â‚¬Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã  ¤â€¢Ã  ¥â‚¬Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã  ¤ §Ã  ¤ ¾Ã  ¤ °Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã  ¤ ¤Ã  ¥â€¡Ã  ¤Å"  Ã‚  Ã  ¤â€¢Ã  ¤ °Ã  ¤ ¨Ã  ¥â€¡Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã  ¤ ®Ã  ¥â€¡Ã  ¤â€šÃ‚  Ã‚  Ã  ¤ ²Ã  ¤â€"à ¤ ¾Ã  ¤Å Ã  ¤â€šÃ  ¤â€"à ¤ ¾

Selyes Stress Theory - 2583 Words

1. Scope of the topic During the last decades one major health issue has become more and more important in society: stress. There is nearly no newspaper that does not contain at least a short article blaming stress to be the cause of managers or athletes breaking down.1 But also students are being put under pressure as the school system consists in one year less time to deal with the same amount of studies. Also employees requirements for graduates contain a wide range of skills and knowledge as well as excellent grades in university.2 All this sets high pressure to perform on students.3 That is the reason why this academic piece of work will deal with the question of what stress in the theory of Hans Selye really is and to which†¦show more content†¦(1974): p 58 14 Cf. Selye, H. (1974): p 58-59 6 4 3. The General Adaptation Syndrome Hans Selye believed that the stress reaction includes three different phases: alarm, resistance and exhaustion. He defined this phenomenon as the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) which contains the direct effect of stress on an individual, the endogenous reaction to fend an impending damage and the endogenous reaction to impend excessive defence measures.15 Additionally Selye introduced the normal level of resistance which every individual confronts during daily life. This means that the adaption to routinely upcoming stressors occurs automatically. Only if a stressor overloads the temporary available adaptive resources the body starts giving alarm by activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis.16 The alarm stage is divided into two parts, at first the individual finds itself in a phase of shock during which the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is being suppressed. If the impact of the stressor continues the anti shock phase is initialized which corresponds Canons â€Å"FightFlight† reaction.17 Here the perception of a possible stressor activates the hypothalamus which then stimulates the pituitary gland to release hormones that activate the adrenal centre. Their activation leads to a release of epinephrine (adrenaline) and nor epinephrine (nor adrenaline) into the bloodstream which arouses the SNS18 and prepares the body forShow MoreRelatedThe Relationship Between the Transactional Model, and the General Adaptation Syndrome1606 Words   |  7 PagesThe term ‘stress’ was generally thought to have been a concept created by Robert Hooke in the 17th century. He worked on the design of physical structures, such as bridges; his concept of stress came from how much pressure a structure could withstand. However, Lazarus (1993) pointed out that the term ‘stress’ has been used as far back as the 14th century, when it meant hardship or adversity. Back then it referred to the external stressor, such as the death of a spouse or financial worry; in the 20thRead MoreThe Effects Of Stress On Homeostasis1820 Words   |  8 Pagesstudy the effects of stress on homeostasis (6). He worked for John Hopkins, McGill University, and the University of Montreal (14). He first described his theory on general adaptati on in 1936 and introduced the concepts of eustress and distress (6). According to Selye’s theory, stress is any factor that threatens homeostasis in an individual (6). He reasoned that there must be a generalized stress response without regards to the cause of stress (6). His generalized response to stress included three stages:Read MoreNursing Theory Essay2198 Words   |  9 PagesUnit 10: Stress Theory; Selyle/Psychoneuroimmunology By Jessica Cronin RN, Teri Lieser RN Unit Summary Unit 10 examines stress, the stress response as described by Dr. Hans Selye in addition to clinical situations and research involving Stress Theory, a borrowed theory used in nursing practice. Unit Objectives 1. Describe the background, development and concepts of Stress Theory 2. Identify the relationship among Stress Theory concepts 3. Outline the phenomena, populations andRead MoreConcept of Nursing Theories Essay example642 Words   |  3 PagesNURSING THEORIES CORE CONCEPTS Nursing theory is still a young field and as such, it continues to evolve as new knowledge is gained. There are numerous theories of nursing, each of which took years to develop and most of which continue to evolve and adapt. There are commonalities between and among the existing theries although each may focus more heavily on different aspects f responsibilities. It has to do with the philosophical foundations for each theory. Moore (2008) reported a nursingRead MoreOutline and Evaluate Research Into the Relationship Between the Immune System and Stress Related Illness827 Words   |  4 Pagesrelationship between the immune system and stress related illness The main function of the immune system is to protect the body from infectious agents such as viruses and other toxins. The immune system can fail us in two ways-either by becoming under-vigilant, letting infections enter the body, or over-vigilant, so that it is the immune system itself, rather than an infectious agent that causes illness. Most studies of the relationship between stress and the immune system have focussed on acute(iRead MoreThe Biological And Cognitive Approaches1998 Words   |  8 Pagesapproach or perspective involves certain beliefs or assumptions about human behaviour; the way individuals function and which aspects of these functions are deemed worthy of study. (Glassman and Hadad, 2013). Alongside this, there may also be several theories within an approach but all share the described common assumptions. For the purpose of this essay the biological and cognitive approaches will be explored, compared and contrasted in relation to the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness, distressRead MoreEssay on Dealing With Stress654 Words   |  3 PagesDealing With Stress Before we look at different methods of dealing with stress we must first define stress and find out what causes stress. There are 3 definitions of stress: 1. The response definition: this is Selyes approach; it means that any stimulus that causes a stress response is by definition, a stressor. 2. The stimulus definition: This definition argues that we can agree that certain events are stressful, so therefore any reactionRead MoreStress And The Stress Management1474 Words   |  6 PagesThe definition of Stress, its history and how to manage Stress is a daily conversation word as the world is becoming more challenging and difficult to live. It is very important to understand, and know how to manage it on a daily basis especially on our workplace. This essay will be broken into four parts firstly it is going to discuss about the contrast and similarity in the definition of stress between Engineering and Selye’s approach. Then it is going to critically evaluate the General AdaptationRead MoreA Stressful Event That The Nurse Experienced1611 Words   |  7 Pagesnurse experienced in a working environment, and the ways to manage the stress with use of psychosocial mediator. The author will provide a specific stress producing situation and evidences supporting the event as a stressor. Selye s General Adaptation Syndrome will be described in relating to this stressful situation as well. Furthermore, the author will explain hardiness as a stress mediator and how to incorporate this stress mediator in the nursing practice . During the second semester in the RNRead MoreThe Effects Of Stress On Our Lives1381 Words   |  6 PagesUnfortunately stress is part of life. I do not recall having met a person that has not had to deal with some sort of stress in their life. According to author Barbara R. Bjorklund â€Å"Stress is a set of physical, cognitive, and emotional responses that humans (and other organisms) display in reaction to demands from the environment.† (Bjorklund, 2011, pg.304) There are many different phases to know when it comes to dealing of stress for example what causes stress, the types of stress, the effects and

Apax partners ad Xerium S.A. free essay sample

Apax took a well-designed strategy to bid for Xerium. First, they understood it was not a competitive auction. Secondly, they took advantage of the momentum and circumstances of the seller that was under distress. Finally, they spent huge resources to analyze and calculate the value of Xerium to Apax. First, they analyzed the competitors in the auction. The team observed it was a very opaque industry with only few companies public, limiting the access to information. Luckily, Apax had a competitive advantage (Wangner’s expertise) in the industry which allows Apax to know the sector inside and out. In addition to this, it seemed to be a very stable business with no high upside potential so the market was not heated about this sell. Furthermore, Apax analyzed the other bidders. They wanted to know if competitors where really interested in Xerium and what was the value for the competitors. Second, Apax understood why the company was being sold. We will write a custom essay sample on Apax partners ad Xerium S.A. or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The seller needed to sell this side business because Invensys was in distressed. Xerium was an easy way to cash in and an appealing asset to sell since it was a stable cash generator. Apax also realized they had big bargaining power because they were the only strong and strategic bidders and probably the natural acquirer because of the synergies with Wangner-Finckh. Finally, in order to come up for the value of Xerium to Apax, they did an exhaustive and expensive due diligence in order to find synergies, potential cost inefficiencies and revenue streams. The complexity of the business and the cost of accessing to information also discouraged competitors. Even though they over-due-diligence and over-spend competitors after this process, they knew more about the company than the seller. This and the fact that seller was hurrying to sell the company gave Apax a lot of bargaining power into the negotiation and into the transaction. A minor point is that Apax also did tax structuring to decrease the tax burden. Apax was very smart in its strategy. For all these reasons Apax could negotiate and not overpay for the transaction. On the other hand, Apax added value to Xerium by refinancing (repaying high coupon), two small acquisitions (consolidation), hiring Tom Gutierrez (industry experience), emphasis on RD (market leadership), cost savings, alignment of management incentives, and leverage on Wangner expertise. These actions allowed Apax to reform Xerium and brought a better Xerium to the market in 2002. 2. What should Apax do with Xerium in 2002? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each option? Why not an IPO? The options that Apex was facing includes A) accepting the bid, B) renegotiation with the third buyer, C) recapitalization, D) IPO, and E) divestiture of two business units. Brief pros-and-cons of each option are listed below. Option Pros Cons Accepting the bid Quick and clean exit Educated buyer Lower than expected valuation Market downturn pressuring the price Renegotiation with the third bidder Clean exit (but not quick) Partly educated buyers Distracting management from operations Being left in the disadvantage in negotiations Market downturn further pressuring price Recapitalization Cash flow earlier Potential of consolidation Potential of a higher price Price increase not guaranteed Low interest from buyers in the future IPO Too small for IPO Low interest in the paper sector Slow in filing, selling, and exit processes Falling financial markets Divestiture Attracting strategic buyers Potential of a higher price Restarting the process Time consuming in restructuring Unsatisfied management Redundant fees to banks Accepting the bid provides the quickest and cleanest exit for Apax. The buyer is already educated thus the time needed is limited. While the 29% IRR (see below Question 3) is still a good return to boost the performance of its Fund IV, it is hard for the fund managers to accept 935M in the end, since the bidding started with some 1 billion. Also, the market downturn in the paper industry may have a pressure on the price compared with its real value. Renegotiating with the third bidder is also a clean exit for Apax with the target buyer partly educated. Unfortunately, another round of negotiation will distract the management from operations, especially when Xerium is being put in the disadvantage side in the negotiation. As the only potential buyer, the third bidder may raise a lot of special requests including but not limited to price and due diligence. Moreover, the bidder has the incentive to â€Å"take his time† in making the decision, since the market downturn may further pressure the price. Recapitalization seems to be the best alternative discussed in the case, mainly because of the underlying 39% IRR (discussed below). There are chances to expand the pie (through consolidation and/or operational improvement) and sell it at a higher price, taking the advantage of the potential market pick-up in 2003. Two potential risks are that the higher price is not guaranteed and that there is low interest from financial buyers and no powerful strategic buyer, future selling negotiations may take time again. IPO is not feasible either. As discussed in the case, the company, although the market leader in its field, is too small in terms of revenue for an IPO. The paper sector is not hot either, thus the price won’t be too high. Furthermore, in an IPO transaction, the procedure of filing and selling will take a long time, and the fully exit may take years (with lock-up period). Thus the timing issue doesn’t meet Apax’s wish. Divestiture is not discussed in the case, but we think it might also be an option. As is mentioned in the case, the two business units Xerium operates are totally different in terms of customers’ needs/treatment (high quality + commodity vs. reliability + specialty) and Xerium’s operations (RD vs. on-site). Also, the main reason why Xerium failed to attract strategic buyers is its size (too big). Therefore, maybe separating its two business units and sell to different strategic buyers can increase not only the demand but also the transaction price. Since the current selling process is not fruitful and it looks bad to go back to talk to the third bidder, the new process will open a new round in which Apax and Xerium can re-choose their pool. However, this process will be very time consuming (this time not only in selling but also in the restructuring process). Also associated with the divestiture is the low morale of the current management team, who knows they will be fired when the business units are sold to the strategic buyers. Last but not least, the divestiture process will incur double consulting fees. 3. As part of #2 above, show the returns to Apax by taking the offer versus doing a leveraged recapitalization and selling later The returns to Apax for taking the offer versus doing a leveraged recapitalization are 29% and 38% IRR, respectively. The latter was reached based on a 5. 6x EBITDA exit multiple for the recapitalization scenario, the same exit multiple that is current on the table in 2002. We are assuming the sales price from the third bidder is higher (otherwise Apax won’t think about it anyway), thus the IRR will be 30%. However, the risk is also higher, and the 1% in increase can hardly compensate the additional risks. In this case, it would appear that the returns of the recapitalization scenario are large enough to justify these risks with its own pros and cons are discussed above.

Tsunami free essay sample

Tsunamis become disasters because of the human context in which they occur. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Use examples of known tsunami events recently and in the past to illustrate your arguments. According to Wisner et al 2004, disasters occur when hazards meet vulnerability,† implying that in unpopulated areas hazards can not become disasters as there is no vulnerability (Quarantelli E. L. 1998). Without humans being involved, tsunamis are nothing but giant waves; they may modify areas of uninhabited land and destroy some reefs but that does not make them disasters. Tsunamis become disasters when humans are involved; when their lives are at risk, their homes are destroyed, their livelihoods are lost etc. In addition, the economic loss caused by tsunamis could also largely effect the country as a whole. This essay will address the factors that affect the quality of human life in the 2011 Japan and 2004 South Asia tsunamis, and what made them become two of the words biggest disasters. We will write a custom essay sample on Tsunami or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Tsunamis become disasters when they result in loss of lives, injuries, and displacement of human population. In the case of South Asia and Tohoku tsunamis the coastline was densely populated leading to thousands of lives being lost as well as extensive damage to infrastructure these were two of the greatest disasters the modern world had ever seen. The 2004 South Asia tsunami caused more than 270,000 deaths in fourteen countries across two continents (The Bolton Council of Mosques 2007-2012), whereas the Tohoku tsunami had caused approximately 20,000 deaths. This latter death toll was surprisingly high as Japan has the worlds largest seismometer network, tsunami barriers and earthquake early-warning system (Cyranoski, 2011). In comparison, the Indian Ocean had no underwater warning system and therefore, the high count of human deaths in South Asia was expected. The number of casualties would have been less had Japans early-warning system not failed, when seismologists underestimated the magnitude of the earthquake (Cyranoski, 2011). Due to the false calculation, people were only expecting a tsunami of 4-5 metres and did not feel the need to flee to higher ground, as they relied on the 20-metre thick barriers to protect them. However, there was no way the barrier could have stopped such a large wave, rising an estimated 15-20 metres at sea and 50 metres at some points after hitting the shore. The number of casualties due to tsunamis are magnified as a result of high population densities living on coastlines. Nearly 3 billion people, or almost half the world population, live in coastal zones (Arun 2006) for a variety of reasons including fishing for income and survival, proximity to ports, tourist resorts and a simple fact that most cities were historically built on the coastlines. Without an adequate warning system coastline populations are at the most risk as they would have little or no warning of the tsunami approaching. Coastlines are usually completely washed away, boats are destroyed and people may not have enough time to find higher ground. In Thailand, the sudden withdrawal of the sea was the only indication that a tsunami was coming whereas in Sri Lanka, the huge wave would have been the first thing they saw (Cummins and Leonard, 2005). Tsunamis become disasters when they result in destruction of infrastructure and property in built-up areas, affecting the lives of the human population. Despite having a substantially lower number of casualties, the Tohoku disaster caused extensive damage. Large areas of coastline were completely washed away, villages were erased (Conder et al. , 2012) and those homes that survived will face many issues, such as flooding and structural damage. Reconstruction estimates have been as much as $310 billion (BBC News, 2011). Likewise, the South Asia tsunami caused damage to roads, bridges, water and electricity supplies, destroying health centres and schools. For developing nations in South Asia destruction to infrastructure has a more damaging effect than in developed countries due to limited financial capacity to rebuild. The landscape was altered unrecognisably, with large areas of coastlines washed away and some landmarks shifted to new locations. Debris and waste were widely scattered and farmland and underground water supplies flooded (Global Education, 2009). According to Grossman (2012), the large amount of the estimated 25 million tons of debris caused by both the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami washed away into the sea could hit the Hawaiian Islands and have catastrophic consequences, such as damage to the reefs and beaches that are homes of many indigenous species. The Tohoku tsunami resulted in the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident with three reactors melting down: the largest nuclear accident since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster (Kyutoku et al. , 2012). Officials from the Japanese Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency reported that radiation levels inside and outside the plant were up to 1,000 times and 8 times normal levels respectively (Tabuchi and Walk, 2011). The reactors of the nuclear plant sustained major damage to the cooling system meaning that radioactive isotopes were released into the air, ultimately leading to contamination of soil, water and food. Radioactive chemicals were found in tap water in many cities, as well as in the soil and food products (Hur, 2011). Damage and destruction of water treatment and sewage systems increase the likelihood of outbreaks of cholera and typhoid, although outbreaks are less likely to occur in developed countries (Conder et al. , 2012). Due to radioactive poisoning, affected areas faced food and water shortages, electricity failure resulted in large amounts of rotting food in warehouses and damage to transportation routes made food delivery problematic in those days immediately following the disaster (Makinen, 2011). The largest continuing food safety concerns relate to radiological contamination of both land and sea. Radiation levels exceeding legal limits were found in milk and certain vegetables in areas as far away as 120 km from the Fukushima plant (Hur, 2011; IAEA, 2011d; Olsen amp; McDonald,2011). Following the Tohoku Earthquake and tsunami, a nuclear emergency was declared. This was the first time a nuclear emergency had been declared in Japan, and 140,000 residents within 20km of the plant were evacuated. These people lost their homes. The tsunami heavily impacted Japans major industry and export: the fishing industry. Several fishing villages were destroyed, thousands of coastal fishing vessels were lost (Ydstie, 2011) with a total of 319 fishing ports, about 10% of Japans fishing ports damaged (Takahiro, 2011). Radioactive contamination of sea water is also a concern, given the contamination of seafood, with sand lance already found to contain elevated levels of contamination (IAEA, 2011). Not only did radioactive waste water leak directly from the damaged reactor to the sea for several days (Brumfiel, 2011), but the immediate need to cool down the damaged reactor quickly resulted in deliberate dumping of 10,000 tons of radioactive waste water into the ocean (Butler, 2011). The predominant wind direction also carried airborne radioactive contamination out to sea. The contaminated seawater dumped into the ocean may lead to radioactive bioaccumulation in fish and shrimp, which if eaten by local residents, may lead to increased human radiation exposure (Friis, 2007). Rice farms in the Sendai area providing approximately 8% of Japans rice production (Alabastor, 2011) have also been affected. The tsunami caused extensive damage to agricultural land and facilities, (Johnson, 2011) where hogs, dairy and beef cattle are raised alongside crops that include rice and a variety of vegetables. The Tohoku tsunami resulted in widespread infrastructure destruction, loss of life and environmental contamination. Perhaps the longest-lasting impact of the disaster will be felt from the damage to the nuclear power plants along the coast and the subsequent release of radioactive elements into the environment. The impacts were both immediate and local as they related to loss of life, injuries sustained during the disaster, displacement due to building damage, and food and water shortages. In addition, the disaster will continue to have long-term environmental impacts due to 30-year long half-life of radioactive Caesium isotope – the impact reaching beyond the immediate destruction zones, particularly as they relate to radioactive contamination. The poorest countries of South Asia were the most affected by the tsunami: these were Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand. Other than lacking an adequate warning system, these countries also did not have any type of acceptable emergency shelters, were in shortage of hospitals, medicines and emergency food supplies. The wounded died from untreated infections, hunger and depression. The tsunami has washed parts of coastline communities away leaving the survivors in devastation. Agricultural crops were flooded, fertile soil was salinized leading to large segments of the population losing their homes, lifetime assets, savings, and sources of livelihood. About 7% of the population is now living in temporary shelters or with relatives (China Daily, 2009) The two main industries affected by the South Asia tsunami were fishing and tourism (Gunatillake, 2007). Fishing communities have lost their ability to generate income as well as boats and fishing gear. In recent years the fishing industry has become a major export, generating significant foreign exchange earnings. Preliminary estimates indicate that 66% of the fishing fleet and industrial infrastructure in coastal regions have been destroyed by the wave surges, which will have adverse economic effects both at local and national levels (Staff Writer, 2005). The smaller economies of the Maldives and Sri Lanka are dependent on tourism and these are the ones affected most. In the Seychelles, where half of the national economy is dependent on tourism, damage is assessed at $30m, which may appear to be a small absolute figure, but is in fact 14% of the government’s national budget. But some economists believe that damage to the affected national economies will be minor because losses in the tourism and fishing industries are a relatively small percentage of the GDP. However, others caution that damage to infrastructure is an overriding factor. In some areas drinking water supplies and farm fields may have been contaminated for years by salt water from the ocean (Pearce, 2005). Even though only coastal regions were directly affected by the waters of the tsunami, the indirect effects have spread to inland provinces as well. The tsunami may have affected shipping in the Malacca Straits, where water depths are now only 100 feet in some areas, making shipping impossible and dangerous. These problems also made the delivery of relief aid more challenging as compiling new navigational charts may take months or years (Staff Writer, 2005).