Description
Summarize the post .
For each discussion activity, you are responsible for posting a reply to at least one postings made by your classmates.
After you have made your original post, read some of the posts from your classmates and construct two reply post of 100-150 words that responds to two of your group-mate’s original posts. Your reply post should be written such that it does one or more of: identifies something that you find especially interesting or insightful about your classmate’s original post; poses an engaging and relevant question and/or builds on the ideas from your classmate’s original post; raises a real-life experience or observation that you feel would be relevant to illustrate or help further develop an idea or point in your classmate’s original post.
Please note that you will need to make an original post before you can read and respond to your peers’ posts.
Some points to keep in mind:
- Be clear and to the point in your postings.
- Edit your work. Your posts should be coherent and use proper grammar and spelling.
- Keep postings to 100-150 words. Quality is better than quantity.
- Contribute your own thoughts about the material you have read.
- Support your thoughts by referencing the readings used, and references used in post below or other outside literature.
- Raise additional questions or points of discussion to stimulate further discussion.
- If you have questions, show that you have already tried to find a solution.
- Respect the viewpoints of your peers. Ask for clarification if you don’t understand a point. Assume good intentions.
- Use the proper terminology introduced in the course readings.
- When using literature in your postings, make sure to provide references in proper APA 7 Style.
- Show respect and sensitivity to peers' gender, cultural and linguistic background, political, and religious beliefs.
- You are strongly encouraged to take the time to review the following documents on writing quality discussion posting and on taking roles in discussions.Taking a role in online discussion.Taking a Role in Online Discussions Below are some roles that anyone in an online discussion can fulfill in order to help move an online discussion forward in productive ways. See if you can determine what role is required in your online discussion and then write a message that takes on that role. Devil's Advocate • Takes opposing points of view to those currently under discussion Pollinator • Travels to other groups, reads their postings and summarizes points made in other groups not made in home group. Facilitator • Comments on the groups process (e.g. “Perhaps we should all remember to put a subject line in our messages.”) • Encourages others to participate, • Starts a thread or an idea on the topic, if the discussion lags. Summarizer / Discussion Weaver • Summarizes the discussion for the group at specific intervals in 1 or 2 short paragraphs. Usually summarizes twice per week or if the discussion lags • Reminds others about what has already been discussed. • Asks the group what issues have been concluded and what ones are still to be discussed. • Relates ideas in posted messages to one another. Researcher • Assumes responsibility for looking at what is available on the net, journals etc. and brings ideas back to the group. Responder Replies to others and builds on the ideas of others. This is a role that everyone in the group must perform for every discussion.
- Help others feel safe about participating;
- Show curiosity and willingness to experiment;
- Make or raise issues that are relevant to the current focus of the class;
- Offer support for arguments; and
- Take into consideration the ideas already offered by others
POST-1 (Syed Sami)
Why is this area prone to landslides?
The Portuguese Bend landslide, located on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in southern California, is a slow‐moving landslide whose activity has greatly impacted the residential community. The landslide is part of a larger complex of slope failures with activity dating back more than 100,000 years.
Why did landslides accelerate in this region last summer?
It can be credited to record-breaking rainfall in Southern California in 2023 and heavy precipitation in early 2024, according to NASA (Jacobo, 2025).
Describe the landslide that occurred at Portuguese Bend, just north of this area, in 1956.
In 1956, the Portuguese Bend landslide was reactivated when construction crews began to dump large amounts of fill to flatten and extend a roadbed. In some areas they placed as much as 20 meters of fill, adding a significant load to the slope. Simultaneously, new housing developments in the area raised the water table through landscaping practices and newly installed septic systems. Since the initiation of the slide in 1956, deformation of the PBL has continued at rates varying with the seasons and rainfall levels.
What is fueling this recent increase in land movement?
Heavy rainfall and precipitation events starting in 2022 and continuing into 2023 and 2024 have reduced soil strength ultimately destabilizing the ground. This slow destabilization can also be aided by its natural history of slope failures.
Is climate change accelerating these landslides? If so, how?
Climate change can certainly play a role in these landslides occurring as the increasing global temperatures are bringing out more rainfall and intensive storms, especially since 2022, explaining the sudden increase in shifting of The Palos Verdes Peninsula.
References
Calabro, M., Schmidt, D., & Roering, J. (2017, July 14). Movement on the Portuguese Bend Landslide. Crustal Deformation Research at the UW. Retrieved February 28, 2025, from https://faculty.washington.edu/dasc/site/research:portbend
Jacobo, J. (2025, February 5). California coastal community shifts 4 inches closer to the ocean each week: NASA. ABC News. Retrieved February 28, 2025, from https://abcnews.go.com/US/california-coastal-community-shifts-4-inches-closer-ocean/story?id=118493997
- POST-2 (Thomas Harper)
- Why is this area prone to landslides?This area is prone to landslides because of it’s geological composition. This region sits on top of ancient complex landslides that continually push the Palos Verdes Peinsula into the ocean. The constant coastal erosion and geological features create movement and multiple landslides. Why did landslides accelerate in this region last summer?The acceleration of landslides in the summer of 2023 is due to the heavy rainfall brought by Hurricane Hilary. The excessive moisture from the storm infiltrated the soil, increasing its weight and reducing internal friction, which in turn triggered more rapid land movement. Describe the landslide that occurred at Portuguese Bend, just north of this area, in 1956.In 1956, the Portuguese Bend area experienced a significant landslide that reactivated a portion of an ancient landslide complex. This event was triggered by construction activities, specifically the extension of Crenshaw Boulevard (Ozsvath, 2025). As a result, approximately 140 out of 170 homes were destroyed or displaced, marking it as one of the largest continuously active landslides in the United States.What is fueling this recent increase in land movement?The recent increase in land movement is primarily fueled by heavy rainfall events, such as those from Hurricane Hilary in 2023, which saturate the soil and reduce its stability. Additionally, the geological characteristics of the area, including ancient landslide complexes and weak soil structures, contribute to the increase in landslides. Is climate change accelerating these landslides? If so, how?Climate change is likely playing a role in accelerating these landslides. As global temperatures rise, the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, including heavy rainfall and hurricanes, are increasing. This in turn triggers more and more landslides, especially in areas such as the Palos Verdes Peninsula. ReferencesJacobo, J. (2025, February 5). California coastal community shifts 4 inches closer to the ocean each week: NASA. ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/US/california-coastal-community-shifts-4-inches-closer-ocean/story?id=118493997 Ozsvath, D. L. (n.d.). The Slippery Slope of Litigating Geologic Hazards: California’s Portuguese Bend Landslide.
- LABEL POST -1 AS (Syed Sami)Post -1 summary reply WRITE in 8-12 lines also add personal opinion it should be personal opinion about other post and also add creative attractive question. Do not use AI AND CHATGPT AS MAM HAS SOFTWARE TO DETECT EACH AND EVERY LINE . She has software to detect each and every single word.
- LABEL POST -2 AS (Thomas Harper)Post –2 summary reply WRITE in 8-12 lines also add personal opinion it should be personal opinion about other post and also add creative attractive question. Do not use AI AND CHATGPT AS MAM HAS SOFTWARE TO DETECT EACH AND EVERY LINE . She has software to detect each and every single word.
- Grading criteria is
Criteria A+ Discussion Post
Reply
Post(4-5 points)- All response posts engaged classmates in further dialogue on the topic.
Length guidelines met; writing clear and compelling; poses an engaging and relevant question and/or builds on the ideas from a classmate's original post OR raises a real-life experience or observation relevant to illustrating or further developing an idea or point in a classmate's original post. Help others feel safe about participating; Show curiosity and willingness to experiment; Make or raise issues that are relevant to the current focus of the class; Offer support for arguments; and Take into consideration the ideas already offered by others. Generally try to avoid using "I agree" style statements and focus your follow ups on adding and expanding to the discussion.
- All response posts engaged classmates in further dialogue on the topic.
Explanation & Answer
