Prostitution in Dutch Flemish Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Prostitution in Dutch Flemish Art - Essay Example They captured each emotion and took care of every little detail that could change the subject of the painting. These artists were meticulous enough when it came down to the choice of color palette and how to convey the message they bear in mind in a stabilized yet innovative manner. The different themes that represent the most notable era for the world of art and culture were historical paintings, portraiture (both group and single entity), genre paintings, landscapes and still life paintings. Historical paintings presented the real heroic scenes from the history with a touch of religious and national background. Portrait paintings included famous groups of people and their luxurious lifestyle and royal structures of various landmarks. Genre paintings on the other hand, gave a visionary meaning to mundane life along with an illustration of many Dutch quotes, proverbs and moralistic messages. Landscape paintings beautified the Dutch landscapes with the innovative imagination that made these artists produce such classic works of art. Still life paintings provided the Dutch painters to experiment with different textures and surfaces along with a merit of creating magic by the help of lighting effects. The socio-economical, political and religious position of the Netherlands helped in the emergence of a lucrative environment for the sphere of art. A great number of pictures and artists emerged during the 'Dutch golden age'. The popularity of genre paintings increased in between the span of 1600 to 1650 that well-preserved the scenes from everyday life while capturing the rhythm and thought provoking life back in the sixteenth century. Dutch genre paintings particularly in the sixteenth century were an excellent source of inspiration when it comes to the portrayal of family values, gratitude, social and moral responsibilities and duties. The mid-century genre paintings mostly portrayed women busy in indoor activities and taking care of the household. However, paintings which had depictions in them of women who were busy in any of the outdoor activities were often questioned and strongly criticized on moral grounds, specifically indicating towards the provocative character of a woma n. Dutch Culture and Prostitution: It is believed strongly that prostitution as per the Dutch culture is an expression of art and ingenuity which clearly predicts the existence of prostitution as a part of their culture and custom. Amsterdam, the Dutch capital is using prostitution as an instance to make way for artistic excellence along with cultural values and a representation of the Dutch people since it became a part of the global map. The Dutch culture and the candidness to prostitution within it has compelled the Dutch people to accept it as a legal part of their constitution which distinctly states that prostitutes can pursue their profession legally along with the payment of mandatory taxes. This quite evidently means that prostitution is acknowledged as standard and treated just like any other job that provides an individual with a monetary outcome. Therefore, the Dutch society who always fairly accepted the notion of prostitution because of its evident existence in their antiquity now has accepted prostitute s as legal workers having a legal job moreover, a contributing part of the society. In the

Paper on the Impact of Workplace Diversity in Team Dynamics Essay Example for Free

Paper on the Impact of Workplace Diversity in Team Dynamics Essay Every individual who is in the job force or in a school environment faces the inevitable fact that at some point they may have to work in a group or team composed of individuals that they may not like. This paper will try to shed some light on the subtle differences between a workgroup and a team and how it relates the team dynamics in the workplace. According to The Blackwell Dictionary of Sociology (2000), â€Å"A group is a social system involving regular interaction among members and a common group identity† (para. , this means that a group is composed of individuals who would maintain a constant communication with each other to create and share a common identity. The existence of the group identity is mostly only recognized by the group members of the particular group and not by the outsiders. The togetherness or the cohesion of the group tends to vary from one group to the next because it is not always clear if a group has enough communication or interaction to qualify as a group. To explain this further, The Blackwell Dictionary of Sociology (2000) explains that groups should not be seen a one distinct category, but instead a group should be perceived as a social system that has varying interactions that could range form the intense involvement and intense identity mostly associated in social structures like families and close friends. On the other hand, people who ride and see each other on a daily while riding a bus could not be considered as a group because there is no sense of involvement among the individuals. In addition, The Blackwell Dictionary of Sociology (2000) also states the groups tends to vary on the amount of interactions that the individuals have among the group, the longevity or life span of the group, and the reasons of the individuals in joining or participating in the group. According to Bales (1950), a group is a very important sociological concept because it has a complex and very important part in the development of an individuals’ social life. Bales (1950), mentions that â€Å"a group is a key agent of social control over individuals, for it is the group that social pressures toward conformity can be most directly applies, especially when those who deviate risk their membership as a result. † A group can be perceived as a controlling agent in the way individual conform to society and how he or she reacts to certain stimuli because if he or she deviates form the groups norms, he of she risks losing their membership with that particular group. Furthermore, according to Bales (1950), groups are important because of the impact of the social consequences the individuals learn in a group. Many individuals learn the benefits and consequences of their actions and decisions that they make in life in a group and that most of the social activities that an individual may take occurs within the membership in a group. Other the other hand, the definition of a team is somewhat different from the definitions given to a group. According the Weiss (1998), a team would consist of a few individuals who possess complimentary skills and are equally commits to a common goal, a purpose, and share a common working method in which they hold themselves mutually accountable for their actions. Sears (1998), states that teams must have a set of necessary elements to be defined as such. The elements to be considered as a team includes: there should be no more that 20 individuals in a team; individuals must possess adequate levels of complementary skills; individuals must possess a common team purpose; possess specific goal or goals; and possess a clear approach in the team working progress. Sears (1998) goes on to mention that teams tend to be risky, disruptive, and elusive. Sears (1998) states that even though after the members are chosen and the schedules and duties are set, very little constructive work comes out of it and eventually nothing is accomplished and work progress fails to emerge. Sears (1998) mentions that teams are disruptive because most organizations prefer individual accountability over team accountability especially in regard to performance and the reward structures of the organization. Sears (1998), states that most of the components needed to accomplish a task is mostly performed by an individual and that very little teamwork is needed to accomplish most of the work. Sears (1998) also identifies teams as elusive because teams are spontaneous. Sears (1998), states the teams do not just immediately become a team just because it is called a team, it needs so much work, nurturing, and team building exercises and sometimes that does not even work to make the members of the teamwork cohesively. On the other hand, Weiss (1998) gives insight into why teams are relatively popular. First, projects that are assigned to teams are more likely to be accomplished than those assigned to a specific individual. Second, teams make practical and reasonable decisions as long as the team is given specific and measurable goals to measure the team performance, and the teams are given meaningful and timely feedback. Third, the rewards and punishment are more effective in swaying ndividual performance when it is given by a workgroup rather by a single supervisor or manager. Fourth, working in a team is preferred by many individual employees, especially by those who hate being bossed around. Fifth, teams can effectively handle inventory, scheduling, quality assurance and other duties that are typically reserved for members of the upper management. Last, teams often lower the cost of management because of the lower ratio of supervisors to employees which is 1 to 50 employees. According to Cornell University (2010), Workplace diversity is a people issue, focused on the differences and similarities that people bring to an organization. It is usually defined broadly to include dimensions beyond those specified legally in equal opportunity and affirmative action non-discrimination statutes. Diversity is often interpreted to include dimensions which influence the identities and perspectives that people bring, such as profession, education, parental status and geographic location† (Workplace Diversity, para). Workplace diversity could bring many benefits to an organization when it is nurtured and given the time to be understood. The organization’s competitiveness and ultimate success relies on its ability to realize the multitude of benefits that workplace diversity brings. According to Greenberg (2005), â€Å"when organization actively assess their handling of workplace diversity issues, develop and implement diversity plans, multiple benefits are reported such as increased adaptability† (Diversity in the Workplace, para). Greenberg (2005) continues to state that organizations that employ a very diverse workforce will be able to provide different solutions to problems that arise in service, in sourcing, and allocation of the resources faced by the company. This states that in employing individuals from different backgrounds, an organization could utilize the different talents, abilities, and experiences that these individuals may have to come up with a possible solution to a problem. Furthermore, Greenberg (2005) also states that if an organization that acquires a workplace that has collection of a very diverse skills and experiences (such a different languages, national and cultural customs), an organization could potentially provide a better service to customers in a global scale. It could also provide better communication in relaying varying viewpoints and ideas to meet the organizations business strategy and more importantly, the needs of the customers. Workplace diversity also provides benefits to team dynamics. The Ehow. om (1999-2010) websites states workplace diversity brings vibrancy to the workplace that increases the camaraderie and the humanitarian spirit in each employee. In addition, according to Ehow. com (1999-2010), â€Å"teams working on complex and expansive projects can draw on the varied experiences of fellow workers from diverse backgrounds, learn new languages, understand new markets and execute tasks efficiently† (para). Last, the Ehow. com (1999-2010) website also mentions that in achieving increased diversity comes an equal increase in perspective. Many individuals in an organization comes from different cultural groups, practice different religions, have different racial and national backgrounds that may give an insight into how to solve a particular problem that could potentially attract potential customers with that same background. Many advantages, disadvantages, and differences between a group and a team exist. One might think that the words group and team could be used in exchange for the other, but they cannot because of the words’ ultimate definition. The word group is defined by scholars as a social group that involves a regular interaction between its members who has a common group identity. On the other hand, the word team is defined as a group of people who possesses complimentary skills committed to a single purpose and a common goal. This paper also introduced the benefits that could be achieved by an organization that promotes workplace diversity. These benefits include the increases adaptability, wider range of service, and variety of viewpoints, better execution, higher production, and better return on investment.

Civil War Essay -- American History Civil War

The election of Lincoln, secession of the southern states and the Confederate States of America Constitution set the stage for the bloodiest and saddest war in American history. Before the Civil War even began the nation was divided into four very distinct regions; Northeast, Northwest, Upper south and the Southwest. With two fundamentally different labor systems, slavery in the south and wage labor in the North, the political, economic and social changes across the nation would show the views of the North and the South. The civil war was based on the abolitionists' ideas of emancipation and liberation of slavery the North wanted the war in order to create a society without slavery. The North's aggression to control the south lead to the where were it was no longer tolerable for the South. With the election of the anti-slavery Republican Abraham Lincoln, the southern states decided they had to take drastic action in order to protect their own interests. The south had been waiting fo r an excuse to secede form the union, the election of Lincoln by the North was their chance. The Northern abolitionists' states were mainly responsible for the Civil war in many political, social and economic aspects. Politically, the Northerners contributed immensely to the opening of the Civil War. John Brown's Raid at Harpers Ferry made the south believe the Northerners had a whole scheme to ban slavery. The South wondered how or why they would remain in the Union when a "murderous gang of abolitionists" were running around. Southerners also believed that this violent abolitionist's view was a common one shared by the entire North. This act of the North made the South resent the North's pushy ways and begin to think of leaving the Union. The Dred... ...nt to the south to free the slaves from their masters and the Underground Railroad that secretly moved slaves from safe house to safe house until they were in Canada, tremendously angered the South. They realized that they needed to fight in order to get the independence they wished for, so then there could therefore do what they wished. Politically, the North further split the views on issues and developed more laws against slavery in the South. Socially the North strengthened their own cause in the because of things like Uncle Tom's cabin; that lead to Northerners forming the Underground Railroad. Economically, the South was crushed with protection tariffs that emptied out southern pockets. The North most definitely contributed to the Political, Social and Economic issues that divided and angered the country in the time before 1861; eventually leading to Civil War.

Rural Tourism

A BRIEF ANALYSIS ON THE STATUS OF RURAL TOURISM IN INDIA REFERENCE: GIMRM024 Table of Contents Abstract2 Initiatives6 Issues Faced8 Infrastructure10 Finance 11 Impact12 The Way Forward13 Bibligography14 ABSTRACT Tourism is one of the primary catalysts in generating sustainable livelihood in India. India’s vast rural diversity and heritage offers tremendous opportunity for rural tourism. The idea of rural tourism was born out of the need to provide first-hand experience of living in rural areas to the urban population and also as supplementary income for the local population. The Ministry of Tourism in its Outcome Budget for 2011-2012 has emphasized on the need of giving greater focus to rural tourism with the objective of creating employment, with specific emphasis on the upliftment of the status of women and to encourage local arts and handicraft. Rural tourism has the potential of carrying the additional burden of uplifting poverty and reducing migration towards urban areas. This research paper aims at studying the status of rural tourism in India, looking into some initiatives that have already been undertaken, both by the Ministry (The Choti Haldwani Project at the foothills of Nainital) and by organisations (NGO ViaDesh, Delhi and Himalayan Homestays, Ladakh) in different parts of India and the way forward. The paper concentrates on the following major areas: 1) Initiatives undertaken 2) Problems faced while trying to establish such initiatives 3) Infrastructure developed for this purpose ) The finances involved 5) The impact of such initiatives 6) Its co-relation with eco-tourism and agri-tourism 7) Future plans The government of India along with UN Development Programme (UNDP) has drafted policies and implemented some on the same lines by associating and granting funds to NGOs. Rural tourism will go a long way in realising some of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) laid out by the UNDP, to be achieved by 2015. â€Å"The air is soft and balmy. The wild flowers are in full bloom, and the butterfly is on the wing. The grasshopper is singing his ceaseless song, and the bees are humming a chorus thereto. † These are excerpts from Ruskin Bond’s novel â€Å"Mussoorie & Landour, Days of Wine and Roses†. Such is the beauty of the Indian landscape. Tourism in India is the biggest service industry contributing 6. 23% to GDP and providing a host of employment opportunities. With 5. 58 million Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in 2010 and a provisional number of 2. 92 million during the first half of 2011, the tourism industry is pegged to grow at a rate of 9. 4% annually over the next decade. It’s linkages with a myriad of sectors in the economy, like transport, construction, handicrafts, manufacturing, horticulture, agriculture, etc. , makes it a potential economy driver, while also becoming an effective tool for poverty alleviation and ensuring growth with equality. The focus, thus, is now on rural tourism, an avenue that provides immense possibilities and opportunities for inclusive growth and equality in rural India. The Ministry of Tourism (MoT) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have collaborated in an initiative named the Endogenous Tourism Project – Rural Tourism Scheme (ETP-RTS) on rural tourism. Initiated in 2003, the project identified 36 sites across India, where a number of pilot projects have been initiated to assess the impact of this kind of tourism in these areas. The principal objective of the project is to focus on sustainable livelihoods and at the same time aims at the convergence of issues such as gender equality, empowerment of women, youth and other disadvantaged sections and working towards cultural sensitivity and environmental sustainability. This paper will look into one such government initiative, Choti Haldwani, which is a community based tourism project. Apart from government initiatives, numerous NGOs have been involved in different forms of rural tourism, be it agri-tourism, treks, homestays, workshops with locals etc. In the NGO space, this paper cites the example of ViaDesh, a social enterprise, based out of Delhi that arranges expeditions and treks in Uttarakhand, the Himalayan Belt (Kargil, Leh, Ladakh etc) and Rajasthan. This paper also briefly looks at Himalayan Homestays, an initiative by the Snow Leopard Conservancy (SLC), The Mountain Institute, local tour operators and villagers living in important snow leopard areas. Traditional tourism, concentrated in coastal and mountain resorts, urban and cultural centres, has proven that tourism can bring enormous benefits to the economy, society and environment of a certain area. However at the same time there is a realization that certain parts of the country have been left behind in development. Rural tourism could be the harbinger of change in such a scenario. In recent years demands for holidays in small villages and the countryside has increased significantly in many rural regions of the world. The challenge for rural tourism then is to focus on providing sustainable livelihoods in rural areas all while preserving the traditions, cultures and values that exist in these areas, instead of trying to â€Å"urbanise† the area. INITIATIVES Choti Haldwani Choti Haldwani, better known as Jim Corbett’s village, is located in the Nainital District of Uttarakhand. Bought by Corbett in the early 1900s, this was the last village he stayed in before migrating to Kenya after Independence, donating the land to the 40 families residing in Choti Haldwani at that time. The village has now grown in population with 138 families making Choti Haldwani their home, and earning their livelihood mainly from agriculture. In 2001, Choti Haldwani was one of the four villages chosen to implement a community-based tourism (CBT) project. The CBN (Corbett National Park, Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, Nainital) Tourism Initiative was designed to develop a framework for conservation and tourism by making use participatory processes that seek to engage stakeholder groups for planning, to help develop a common vision, build ownership, and buy in from various stakeholder groups for plans and projects. Many consultations and deliberations later, the USP of the village was discovered. This led to the formation of the Corbett Heritage Trail (which included historical sites like Corbett’s house, the historical gun of Tejsingh and Moti’s House to name a few). ViaDesh ViaDesh (established in 2010) is a social enterprise based out of Delhi. Its philosophy is engrained in its name – ViaDesh literally translates to â€Å"by way of country†. Founded by Jamal Mohammad and aimed at promoting village life and providing sustainable livelihood options, Viadesh promotes itself as a unique holiday planner committed to giving a transformative experience to both the tourist and the host. ViaDesh works towards building partnerships with villagers, and forging relationships with them through community interaction. The expeditions and treks give the tourist a first-hand experience of rural living. They are exposed to the unique and rich village culture that every village brings with it. Villagers turn into guides, narrating stories from the village and sharing their own experiences with the tourists. Tourists also bear witness to the different folk songs and dances, gathering together with the village folk. Home-stays are arranged for tourists in some of the houses within the village itself. By doing this, ViaDesh ensures that the tourist is involved, from early morning, in every facet of village life. Starting from collection and preparation of fodder for animals to cooking food, to even plucking apples and apricots from plantations and planting herbs like oregano, tourists get hands-on experience of rural living. Rural locations offer an idealized release from stress and the opportunity to re-engage with a simpler, quieter way of life that offers rest and relaxation. Himalayan Homestays Himalayan Homestays is an Initiative by Snow Leopard Conservancy (SLC), The Mountain Institute, local tour operators and villagers living in important snow leopard areas. The need for this initiative was felt due to the rising disparity between the rural and the urban communities due to the fact that the tourism boom in Ladakh offered little opportunities to the rural people. The rural community was also facing the problem of diminishing livestock population due to Snow leopards. Hence they offered tourism as a solution to promote conservation as well as to combat livestock loss. Villagers defined the Himalayan Homestays in the following way: â€Å"A traditional village based Ladakhi Homestay would share their traditional way of life and values with visitors provide traditional food, in an eco-friendly environment that requires little initial investment. (Source – Redefining Tourism: Experiences and Insights from Rural Tourism Projects in India) The project was implemented with various guidelines for selecting locations to setting minimal facilities such as a separate room for tourist to a toilet (with door). Also 10% of the money generated was to be divulged into the conservation fund for village activities. Initially, for setting up, they assessed the demand and preferences of the tourist by conducting a survey for the location choice, food and accommodation option as well. Interestingly, the choice was local food was rated highly. Capacity building measures such as training the youth as nature guides. To avoid hygiene issues, community members were trained on cooking and cuisine as well. The main aim of SLC was community empowerment and hence it was decided that the tourists would be shared on rotation basis. For the homestays, which were far off, and where the tourists were unwilling to go, they were trained for additional services such as Parachute cafes, Guides etc. ISSUES FACED Rural tourism as a whole is a sensitive issue to deal with since it deals with people and also their livelihoods. The rural people are skeptical about the kind of invasion that happens due to rural tourism. While implementing rural tourism many issues have cropped up. It is necessary to understand that the issues faced by the government are different from private and non-governmental entities. a)Finance: It deals with arranging as well as managing finances for any project. This aspect is prevalent in all initiatives from the government. Here the government has struggled to route funds flow whereas private players have found it difficult to arrange funds for the project. If the funds flow issues crops up at the beginning of the project then it becomes difficult to keep the local community engaged as they tend to lose interest as well as trust in the initiative. b)Pace of the Project: It is an important issue that needs to be addressed. It has been observed that private entities have tried to build upon strong finances. This has resulted in very little time for institutions as well as the local community to reflect on their performance and also absorb this transition. In a fast paced project, the players fail to understand that this is a sensitive issue where resources and money are of equal importance. The pace of project should be best decided by the local communities involved as it would be help them adapt to their role. c)Partner Agencies: This issue is predominantly associated with the government where the implementing agencies differ in vision and also their work ethics. The government needs to understand that different agencies behave differently and hence the outcome of the projects would also vary. )Local Community: The basic motto of this project was to eradicate poverty and envisage an empowerment campaign. Many a time it has been observed that the richer community in the village gets all the control while the poorer sections takes a backseat, as they are deprived of minimum requirements for a tourist such as separate homestays or even proper education. Here the government needs to ensure that these people are involved in group activiti es where they could learn and also contribute. Also, conscious measures should be taken to incorporate the marginalized communities into the success story. Government as well as private players should make sure that inclusive growth takes place and hence the beneficiary is the entire village and not select individuals. e)Hygiene: Hygiene is an issue which has made foreign as well as domestic tourists hesitate in turning an eye to rural tourism. Basic facilities such as bathroom and sanitation have been a cause of concern for tourists. The players should make sure that proper training should be given to handle these things so that the village does not lose out. )Issues from Tourists: Tourists, many a time, tend to compare rural tourism with general tourist spots and hence get bogged down by the results. Tourists are not able to connect with the rural theme which results in loss of interest. Also, sometimes issues like food and lifestyle tend to be a hindrance in the project. Sometimes, the traditional and cultural beliefs of the rural people prevent them from catering to the needs of the tourists. g)Cultural and Environmental Pollution: Tourism is a phenomenon which also brings with itself the ill effects. If not implemented properly, it can lead to destruction of the very basic cause of rural tourism i. e. the cultural heritage. Also, with hordes of tourists pouring in, the environment is at risk. Moreover, sometimes there should be strict control at some places because there are traditions and cultural beliefs of people that will prevent them from catering to all that the tourists may require and even the tourist would know that this is what he can expect in a village and accordingly will prepare them before coming to that village. The major issue faced by the Choti Haldwani community was visibility. It gets lost in the mad rush of tourists from Corbett to Nainital. With the Himalayan Homestays initiative gaining popularity, many other institutions have also tried to tap into the market. But in the process, the focus has shifted from community development to profit making. It also did not consider the capacity of the community, hence impacting the social structure. Also, the influx of many tourists eventually led to negative influence on the environment. With the difficult terrain, many of the homestays would not get sufficient number of tourists. This led to disparity between the villagers. INFRASTRUCTURE A key aspect in setting up different facilities was the formation of the Corbett Gram Vikas Samiti that coordinated with the project team (mainly from Forest Department and consultants) and took up implementation of work at the village. This ensured that the inhabitants of the village had a say in the development of the village as a tourist site. Proper footpaths were organised, information signboards were set up, an entry gate set up and renovations at the various heritage sites carried out. To support the Heritage Trail, the following activities were carried out 1)Training of guides: Interested people were asked to register for training as guides, but since not many tourists opted for the walk, the number of guides is dwindling, but there still is hope with a number of women interested in undergoing training as guides. 2)Identifying homestays: Presently only two families provide homestays. Although the concept of homestays is fast catching up with the community, the facilities within the homes is a hurdle, as these houses are installed with the traditional Indian toilets. Unlike ViaDesh, new houses are thus being built with better facilities for the tourist. Homestays rents and dining are very nominal at the rate of Rs 250/- a day with Rs. 60/- per person for 3 meals. 3)Establishing a souvenir shop: The Moti Souvenir Shop, run by the village committee, ran into trouble initially with very little funds and limited knowledge on how to run and what to sell at the shop. Eventually, with the aid of the committee, Haldi (turmeric) was bought from a lady, which was powdered and sold at the shop. The profits are given out to the lady, which has resulted in other items like pulses and spices being sold at the shop. Also, with the help of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), three self-help ladies groups were started, who supply products like jam, jellies and pickles to the shops. In addition to this, handmade hankies , scarves, bed sheets, dupattas and sweaters from Ranikhet were sold at the shop. 4)Information kiosks: In a small section of the souvenir shop, a computer with internet connection has been set up, with a trained person manning it. Although introduced for the tourists, this has benefitted children more, as they are provided computer education with a fee of Rs. 200/-. ViaDesh’s policy is simple – no construction of new structures and the promotion of indigenous lifestyle. In an attempt to preserve the natural environment of the village and to inhibit urbanization of villages, ViaDesh, in partnership with the villagers, arrange for homestays within the village. One room in selected houses is refurbished to cater to the tourist lifestyle, which is taken care of by the residents. ViaDesh has installed eastern-style toilets in all homestays to give tourists the actual feel of rural life. Apart from this, hosts are trained about hygiene and cleanliness standards that need to be adopted. They are also trained to follow hygiene while cutting vegetables and preparing food. ViaDesh has tried to work around the available resources and provide a comfortable experience for the tourist. As such physical infrastructure was not built for the Himalayan Homestays project unlike mud houses in other places. The trust had decided on tourists sharing the rooms with the villagers. Hence, there was a need for virtual infrastructure to attract tourists and spread awareness. The trust tied up with local operators to market Himalayan homestays. It was a conscious effort that the local operators chosen would think as well as work in parallel towards the community. This move also helped in briefing the tourists about the norms to avoid confrontation at the later stages. The trust also developed a website to tap the tourist seeking a similar experience on the internet. To tap walk-in clients, the trust had designed posters and maps as well. It was decided that 10% of the fund would be shared with the conservation fund. Conservation fund was used for various community works such as preserving wildlife, tree plantation etc. FINANCE ViaDesh, being a fledgling organisation, is a self-financed enterprise. Initial investment for setting up rooms, toilets etc. was made by Jamal. Participants' project donations also help to ensure that funds are available throughout the year to maintain the work done by the teams. These funds are either channelled through ViaDesh’s own charity, Sustainable Tourism Trust, or partner charities. ViaDesh donates 10% of its profits from travel to community development projects in host areas, with a focus on health and education. The investment involved at Himalayan Homestays was only Rs. 500/- for one home as the people would be thoroughly trained in various aspects of tourism (as guides and drivers). Also, the tour operator charged Rs. 50/- for spreading awareness about the homestays. The villagers would get Rs. 300/- per tourist per night, which would be directly paid to the homestay provider, to avoid clashes with agents or guides. IMPACT The Choti Haldwani project has managed t o keep alive the history and legacy of Corbett. For the tourists visiting the National Park, Choti Haldwani adds another dimension to understanding Corbett. Even though the benefits (economics of it) are limited the motivation is very high. The interest & enthusiasm shown, the coming and working together of the community in a cohesive manner is another critical aspect of this initiative which is a significant reason why the community has been able to sustain this engagement. New jobs and supplementary sources of income have been created, with more opportunities in the offing. There has also been active participation from women in the SHGs that were formed in collaboration with WWF. While ViaDesh is still trying to evaluate its impact on villages, the potential impact of this venture and such ventures like this are enormous. It gives the locals an alternate source of income, from homestays, guides, drivers, porters and trekking activities. This in turn prevents the migration (which is rampant in rural areas for lack of better opportunities) of people to cities. ViaDesh ensures that the money earned from homestays etc. is given to the female member of the household, thus promoting woman empowerment. ViaDesh aims for these communities to build their capacity to make things, from handicrafts to eatables like jams, and for them to be able to sell such quality items in the city market. Initiatives like this also squash the myth that rural community is not open to change. With tourists coming in and staying with the locals, there is mutual benefit from such initiatives. It’s a mutually enriching experience. ViaDesh also aims at setting up quality education and health centres within the area from the funds set aside from profit for such a purpose. Himalayan Homestays has had a positive impact on the villagers. The additional income from the homestays was helpful in buying ration in lean season and even sending children to the school. It also helped villagers in protecting their livestock and build predator-proof pens. The income gave much deprived decision power to the women community of the villages. The tourism activity increased local participation with the fact that many parachute cafes and local businesses propped up. The flow of tourists also instilled a sense of pride in the local people for their culture and lifestyle. In a way, this activity also helped preserve Ladhaki culture as people can now take pride in displaying the distinct Ladhaki decor and cuisine. The community on a whole has had an increased awareness of hygiene. The tourism activity also helped in checking migration of youth towards city. Homestays helped in the overall personality development of the villagers as the interaction with foreign tourists increased. Some of the added benefits for the villagers were the utilization of conservation fund, adoption of waste management practices and tree plantation activities. A change of attitude was seen in the villagers towards the snow leopards as they are now the attractions for the tourists to visit this place. The homestay experience for the tourists helped in learning about Ladakhi cultures through nature treks and its cuisines. THE WAY FORWARD The way ahead for the Samiti at Choti Haldwani is now to work and continue development on the initiatives already undertaken, and also start new programmes like organic farming and bullock cart rides to further expand and provide different sustainable employment opportunities for the locals. ViaDesh intends to move further into different villages and start similar projects like the ones already established. At the same time, ViaDesh aims at phasing its operations out of the existing locations, thus making these villages self-sustainable, with a well-established education and health system running. The idea of converting a livelihood problem into tourism initiative has worked well for the community based around the Himalayan Homestays initiative. Also, this project shows how rural tourism is related to eco-tourism and agri-tourism. This project has helped the community in its economic upliftment through measures such as these, while keeping the local culture intact. This project has also helped in protecting snow leopards and generating an alternative source of income through it. It shows how a balance can be maintained between tourism and ecology. Rural tourism has immense potential in the overall development of the economy, while preserving the rural structure, cultures and keeping traditions intact. Government initiatives should constantly monitor the progress of the projects that have already been initiated, continuously identifying bottlenecks and obstacles, to ensure the smooth functioning of such initiatives. Rural Tourism can help achieve some of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that aims at ending poverty by 2015. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1)Redefining Tourism – Experiences and Insights from Rural Tourism Projects in India ( © Ministry of Tourism, Government of India / UNDP India 2008) 2)www. viadesh. com 3)www. himalayan-homestays. com 4)Performance of Tourism Sector during July 2011, Ministry of Tourism 5)Annual Report 2011 Ministry of Tourism 6)Equations Annual Report, 2009-2010 Rural Tourism A BRIEF ANALYSIS ON THE STATUS OF RURAL TOURISM IN INDIA REFERENCE: GIMRM024 Table of Contents Abstract2 Initiatives6 Issues Faced8 Infrastructure10 Finance 11 Impact12 The Way Forward13 Bibligography14 ABSTRACT Tourism is one of the primary catalysts in generating sustainable livelihood in India. India’s vast rural diversity and heritage offers tremendous opportunity for rural tourism. The idea of rural tourism was born out of the need to provide first-hand experience of living in rural areas to the urban population and also as supplementary income for the local population. The Ministry of Tourism in its Outcome Budget for 2011-2012 has emphasized on the need of giving greater focus to rural tourism with the objective of creating employment, with specific emphasis on the upliftment of the status of women and to encourage local arts and handicraft. Rural tourism has the potential of carrying the additional burden of uplifting poverty and reducing migration towards urban areas. This research paper aims at studying the status of rural tourism in India, looking into some initiatives that have already been undertaken, both by the Ministry (The Choti Haldwani Project at the foothills of Nainital) and by organisations (NGO ViaDesh, Delhi and Himalayan Homestays, Ladakh) in different parts of India and the way forward. The paper concentrates on the following major areas: 1) Initiatives undertaken 2) Problems faced while trying to establish such initiatives 3) Infrastructure developed for this purpose ) The finances involved 5) The impact of such initiatives 6) Its co-relation with eco-tourism and agri-tourism 7) Future plans The government of India along with UN Development Programme (UNDP) has drafted policies and implemented some on the same lines by associating and granting funds to NGOs. Rural tourism will go a long way in realising some of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) laid out by the UNDP, to be achieved by 2015. â€Å"The air is soft and balmy. The wild flowers are in full bloom, and the butterfly is on the wing. The grasshopper is singing his ceaseless song, and the bees are humming a chorus thereto. † These are excerpts from Ruskin Bond’s novel â€Å"Mussoorie & Landour, Days of Wine and Roses†. Such is the beauty of the Indian landscape. Tourism in India is the biggest service industry contributing 6. 23% to GDP and providing a host of employment opportunities. With 5. 58 million Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in 2010 and a provisional number of 2. 92 million during the first half of 2011, the tourism industry is pegged to grow at a rate of 9. 4% annually over the next decade. It’s linkages with a myriad of sectors in the economy, like transport, construction, handicrafts, manufacturing, horticulture, agriculture, etc. , makes it a potential economy driver, while also becoming an effective tool for poverty alleviation and ensuring growth with equality. The focus, thus, is now on rural tourism, an avenue that provides immense possibilities and opportunities for inclusive growth and equality in rural India. The Ministry of Tourism (MoT) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have collaborated in an initiative named the Endogenous Tourism Project – Rural Tourism Scheme (ETP-RTS) on rural tourism. Initiated in 2003, the project identified 36 sites across India, where a number of pilot projects have been initiated to assess the impact of this kind of tourism in these areas. The principal objective of the project is to focus on sustainable livelihoods and at the same time aims at the convergence of issues such as gender equality, empowerment of women, youth and other disadvantaged sections and working towards cultural sensitivity and environmental sustainability. This paper will look into one such government initiative, Choti Haldwani, which is a community based tourism project. Apart from government initiatives, numerous NGOs have been involved in different forms of rural tourism, be it agri-tourism, treks, homestays, workshops with locals etc. In the NGO space, this paper cites the example of ViaDesh, a social enterprise, based out of Delhi that arranges expeditions and treks in Uttarakhand, the Himalayan Belt (Kargil, Leh, Ladakh etc) and Rajasthan. This paper also briefly looks at Himalayan Homestays, an initiative by the Snow Leopard Conservancy (SLC), The Mountain Institute, local tour operators and villagers living in important snow leopard areas. Traditional tourism, concentrated in coastal and mountain resorts, urban and cultural centres, has proven that tourism can bring enormous benefits to the economy, society and environment of a certain area. However at the same time there is a realization that certain parts of the country have been left behind in development. Rural tourism could be the harbinger of change in such a scenario. In recent years demands for holidays in small villages and the countryside has increased significantly in many rural regions of the world. The challenge for rural tourism then is to focus on providing sustainable livelihoods in rural areas all while preserving the traditions, cultures and values that exist in these areas, instead of trying to â€Å"urbanise† the area. INITIATIVES Choti Haldwani Choti Haldwani, better known as Jim Corbett’s village, is located in the Nainital District of Uttarakhand. Bought by Corbett in the early 1900s, this was the last village he stayed in before migrating to Kenya after Independence, donating the land to the 40 families residing in Choti Haldwani at that time. The village has now grown in population with 138 families making Choti Haldwani their home, and earning their livelihood mainly from agriculture. In 2001, Choti Haldwani was one of the four villages chosen to implement a community-based tourism (CBT) project. The CBN (Corbett National Park, Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, Nainital) Tourism Initiative was designed to develop a framework for conservation and tourism by making use participatory processes that seek to engage stakeholder groups for planning, to help develop a common vision, build ownership, and buy in from various stakeholder groups for plans and projects. Many consultations and deliberations later, the USP of the village was discovered. This led to the formation of the Corbett Heritage Trail (which included historical sites like Corbett’s house, the historical gun of Tejsingh and Moti’s House to name a few). ViaDesh ViaDesh (established in 2010) is a social enterprise based out of Delhi. Its philosophy is engrained in its name – ViaDesh literally translates to â€Å"by way of country†. Founded by Jamal Mohammad and aimed at promoting village life and providing sustainable livelihood options, Viadesh promotes itself as a unique holiday planner committed to giving a transformative experience to both the tourist and the host. ViaDesh works towards building partnerships with villagers, and forging relationships with them through community interaction. The expeditions and treks give the tourist a first-hand experience of rural living. They are exposed to the unique and rich village culture that every village brings with it. Villagers turn into guides, narrating stories from the village and sharing their own experiences with the tourists. Tourists also bear witness to the different folk songs and dances, gathering together with the village folk. Home-stays are arranged for tourists in some of the houses within the village itself. By doing this, ViaDesh ensures that the tourist is involved, from early morning, in every facet of village life. Starting from collection and preparation of fodder for animals to cooking food, to even plucking apples and apricots from plantations and planting herbs like oregano, tourists get hands-on experience of rural living. Rural locations offer an idealized release from stress and the opportunity to re-engage with a simpler, quieter way of life that offers rest and relaxation. Himalayan Homestays Himalayan Homestays is an Initiative by Snow Leopard Conservancy (SLC), The Mountain Institute, local tour operators and villagers living in important snow leopard areas. The need for this initiative was felt due to the rising disparity between the rural and the urban communities due to the fact that the tourism boom in Ladakh offered little opportunities to the rural people. The rural community was also facing the problem of diminishing livestock population due to Snow leopards. Hence they offered tourism as a solution to promote conservation as well as to combat livestock loss. Villagers defined the Himalayan Homestays in the following way: â€Å"A traditional village based Ladakhi Homestay would share their traditional way of life and values with visitors provide traditional food, in an eco-friendly environment that requires little initial investment. (Source – Redefining Tourism: Experiences and Insights from Rural Tourism Projects in India) The project was implemented with various guidelines for selecting locations to setting minimal facilities such as a separate room for tourist to a toilet (with door). Also 10% of the money generated was to be divulged into the conservation fund for village activities. Initially, for setting up, they assessed the demand and preferences of the tourist by conducting a survey for the location choice, food and accommodation option as well. Interestingly, the choice was local food was rated highly. Capacity building measures such as training the youth as nature guides. To avoid hygiene issues, community members were trained on cooking and cuisine as well. The main aim of SLC was community empowerment and hence it was decided that the tourists would be shared on rotation basis. For the homestays, which were far off, and where the tourists were unwilling to go, they were trained for additional services such as Parachute cafes, Guides etc. ISSUES FACED Rural tourism as a whole is a sensitive issue to deal with since it deals with people and also their livelihoods. The rural people are skeptical about the kind of invasion that happens due to rural tourism. While implementing rural tourism many issues have cropped up. It is necessary to understand that the issues faced by the government are different from private and non-governmental entities. a)Finance: It deals with arranging as well as managing finances for any project. This aspect is prevalent in all initiatives from the government. Here the government has struggled to route funds flow whereas private players have found it difficult to arrange funds for the project. If the funds flow issues crops up at the beginning of the project then it becomes difficult to keep the local community engaged as they tend to lose interest as well as trust in the initiative. b)Pace of the Project: It is an important issue that needs to be addressed. It has been observed that private entities have tried to build upon strong finances. This has resulted in very little time for institutions as well as the local community to reflect on their performance and also absorb this transition. In a fast paced project, the players fail to understand that this is a sensitive issue where resources and money are of equal importance. The pace of project should be best decided by the local communities involved as it would be help them adapt to their role. c)Partner Agencies: This issue is predominantly associated with the government where the implementing agencies differ in vision and also their work ethics. The government needs to understand that different agencies behave differently and hence the outcome of the projects would also vary. )Local Community: The basic motto of this project was to eradicate poverty and envisage an empowerment campaign. Many a time it has been observed that the richer community in the village gets all the control while the poorer sections takes a backseat, as they are deprived of minimum requirements for a tourist such as separate homestays or even proper education. Here the government needs to ensure that these people are involved in group activiti es where they could learn and also contribute. Also, conscious measures should be taken to incorporate the marginalized communities into the success story. Government as well as private players should make sure that inclusive growth takes place and hence the beneficiary is the entire village and not select individuals. e)Hygiene: Hygiene is an issue which has made foreign as well as domestic tourists hesitate in turning an eye to rural tourism. Basic facilities such as bathroom and sanitation have been a cause of concern for tourists. The players should make sure that proper training should be given to handle these things so that the village does not lose out. )Issues from Tourists: Tourists, many a time, tend to compare rural tourism with general tourist spots and hence get bogged down by the results. Tourists are not able to connect with the rural theme which results in loss of interest. Also, sometimes issues like food and lifestyle tend to be a hindrance in the project. Sometimes, the traditional and cultural beliefs of the rural people prevent them from catering to the needs of the tourists. g)Cultural and Environmental Pollution: Tourism is a phenomenon which also brings with itself the ill effects. If not implemented properly, it can lead to destruction of the very basic cause of rural tourism i. e. the cultural heritage. Also, with hordes of tourists pouring in, the environment is at risk. Moreover, sometimes there should be strict control at some places because there are traditions and cultural beliefs of people that will prevent them from catering to all that the tourists may require and even the tourist would know that this is what he can expect in a village and accordingly will prepare them before coming to that village. The major issue faced by the Choti Haldwani community was visibility. It gets lost in the mad rush of tourists from Corbett to Nainital. With the Himalayan Homestays initiative gaining popularity, many other institutions have also tried to tap into the market. But in the process, the focus has shifted from community development to profit making. It also did not consider the capacity of the community, hence impacting the social structure. Also, the influx of many tourists eventually led to negative influence on the environment. With the difficult terrain, many of the homestays would not get sufficient number of tourists. This led to disparity between the villagers. INFRASTRUCTURE A key aspect in setting up different facilities was the formation of the Corbett Gram Vikas Samiti that coordinated with the project team (mainly from Forest Department and consultants) and took up implementation of work at the village. This ensured that the inhabitants of the village had a say in the development of the village as a tourist site. Proper footpaths were organised, information signboards were set up, an entry gate set up and renovations at the various heritage sites carried out. To support the Heritage Trail, the following activities were carried out 1)Training of guides: Interested people were asked to register for training as guides, but since not many tourists opted for the walk, the number of guides is dwindling, but there still is hope with a number of women interested in undergoing training as guides. 2)Identifying homestays: Presently only two families provide homestays. Although the concept of homestays is fast catching up with the community, the facilities within the homes is a hurdle, as these houses are installed with the traditional Indian toilets. Unlike ViaDesh, new houses are thus being built with better facilities for the tourist. Homestays rents and dining are very nominal at the rate of Rs 250/- a day with Rs. 60/- per person for 3 meals. 3)Establishing a souvenir shop: The Moti Souvenir Shop, run by the village committee, ran into trouble initially with very little funds and limited knowledge on how to run and what to sell at the shop. Eventually, with the aid of the committee, Haldi (turmeric) was bought from a lady, which was powdered and sold at the shop. The profits are given out to the lady, which has resulted in other items like pulses and spices being sold at the shop. Also, with the help of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), three self-help ladies groups were started, who supply products like jam, jellies and pickles to the shops. In addition to this, handmade hankies , scarves, bed sheets, dupattas and sweaters from Ranikhet were sold at the shop. 4)Information kiosks: In a small section of the souvenir shop, a computer with internet connection has been set up, with a trained person manning it. Although introduced for the tourists, this has benefitted children more, as they are provided computer education with a fee of Rs. 200/-. ViaDesh’s policy is simple – no construction of new structures and the promotion of indigenous lifestyle. In an attempt to preserve the natural environment of the village and to inhibit urbanization of villages, ViaDesh, in partnership with the villagers, arrange for homestays within the village. One room in selected houses is refurbished to cater to the tourist lifestyle, which is taken care of by the residents. ViaDesh has installed eastern-style toilets in all homestays to give tourists the actual feel of rural life. Apart from this, hosts are trained about hygiene and cleanliness standards that need to be adopted. They are also trained to follow hygiene while cutting vegetables and preparing food. ViaDesh has tried to work around the available resources and provide a comfortable experience for the tourist. As such physical infrastructure was not built for the Himalayan Homestays project unlike mud houses in other places. The trust had decided on tourists sharing the rooms with the villagers. Hence, there was a need for virtual infrastructure to attract tourists and spread awareness. The trust tied up with local operators to market Himalayan homestays. It was a conscious effort that the local operators chosen would think as well as work in parallel towards the community. This move also helped in briefing the tourists about the norms to avoid confrontation at the later stages. The trust also developed a website to tap the tourist seeking a similar experience on the internet. To tap walk-in clients, the trust had designed posters and maps as well. It was decided that 10% of the fund would be shared with the conservation fund. Conservation fund was used for various community works such as preserving wildlife, tree plantation etc. FINANCE ViaDesh, being a fledgling organisation, is a self-financed enterprise. Initial investment for setting up rooms, toilets etc. was made by Jamal. Participants' project donations also help to ensure that funds are available throughout the year to maintain the work done by the teams. These funds are either channelled through ViaDesh’s own charity, Sustainable Tourism Trust, or partner charities. ViaDesh donates 10% of its profits from travel to community development projects in host areas, with a focus on health and education. The investment involved at Himalayan Homestays was only Rs. 500/- for one home as the people would be thoroughly trained in various aspects of tourism (as guides and drivers). Also, the tour operator charged Rs. 50/- for spreading awareness about the homestays. The villagers would get Rs. 300/- per tourist per night, which would be directly paid to the homestay provider, to avoid clashes with agents or guides. IMPACT The Choti Haldwani project has managed t o keep alive the history and legacy of Corbett. For the tourists visiting the National Park, Choti Haldwani adds another dimension to understanding Corbett. Even though the benefits (economics of it) are limited the motivation is very high. The interest & enthusiasm shown, the coming and working together of the community in a cohesive manner is another critical aspect of this initiative which is a significant reason why the community has been able to sustain this engagement. New jobs and supplementary sources of income have been created, with more opportunities in the offing. There has also been active participation from women in the SHGs that were formed in collaboration with WWF. While ViaDesh is still trying to evaluate its impact on villages, the potential impact of this venture and such ventures like this are enormous. It gives the locals an alternate source of income, from homestays, guides, drivers, porters and trekking activities. This in turn prevents the migration (which is rampant in rural areas for lack of better opportunities) of people to cities. ViaDesh ensures that the money earned from homestays etc. is given to the female member of the household, thus promoting woman empowerment. ViaDesh aims for these communities to build their capacity to make things, from handicrafts to eatables like jams, and for them to be able to sell such quality items in the city market. Initiatives like this also squash the myth that rural community is not open to change. With tourists coming in and staying with the locals, there is mutual benefit from such initiatives. It’s a mutually enriching experience. ViaDesh also aims at setting up quality education and health centres within the area from the funds set aside from profit for such a purpose. Himalayan Homestays has had a positive impact on the villagers. The additional income from the homestays was helpful in buying ration in lean season and even sending children to the school. It also helped villagers in protecting their livestock and build predator-proof pens. The income gave much deprived decision power to the women community of the villages. The tourism activity increased local participation with the fact that many parachute cafes and local businesses propped up. The flow of tourists also instilled a sense of pride in the local people for their culture and lifestyle. In a way, this activity also helped preserve Ladhaki culture as people can now take pride in displaying the distinct Ladhaki decor and cuisine. The community on a whole has had an increased awareness of hygiene. The tourism activity also helped in checking migration of youth towards city. Homestays helped in the overall personality development of the villagers as the interaction with foreign tourists increased. Some of the added benefits for the villagers were the utilization of conservation fund, adoption of waste management practices and tree plantation activities. A change of attitude was seen in the villagers towards the snow leopards as they are now the attractions for the tourists to visit this place. The homestay experience for the tourists helped in learning about Ladakhi cultures through nature treks and its cuisines. THE WAY FORWARD The way ahead for the Samiti at Choti Haldwani is now to work and continue development on the initiatives already undertaken, and also start new programmes like organic farming and bullock cart rides to further expand and provide different sustainable employment opportunities for the locals. ViaDesh intends to move further into different villages and start similar projects like the ones already established. At the same time, ViaDesh aims at phasing its operations out of the existing locations, thus making these villages self-sustainable, with a well-established education and health system running. The idea of converting a livelihood problem into tourism initiative has worked well for the community based around the Himalayan Homestays initiative. Also, this project shows how rural tourism is related to eco-tourism and agri-tourism. This project has helped the community in its economic upliftment through measures such as these, while keeping the local culture intact. This project has also helped in protecting snow leopards and generating an alternative source of income through it. It shows how a balance can be maintained between tourism and ecology. Rural tourism has immense potential in the overall development of the economy, while preserving the rural structure, cultures and keeping traditions intact. Government initiatives should constantly monitor the progress of the projects that have already been initiated, continuously identifying bottlenecks and obstacles, to ensure the smooth functioning of such initiatives. Rural Tourism can help achieve some of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that aims at ending poverty by 2015. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1)Redefining Tourism – Experiences and Insights from Rural Tourism Projects in India ( © Ministry of Tourism, Government of India / UNDP India 2008) 2)www. viadesh. com 3)www. himalayan-homestays. com 4)Performance of Tourism Sector during July 2011, Ministry of Tourism 5)Annual Report 2011 Ministry of Tourism 6)Equations Annual Report, 2009-2010

Review of Marie Antoinette the Movie

Movie Review: Marie Antoinette As we all known the reign of Queen Marie Antoinette ended quite brutally with her head being cut off during the French Revolution. However, this movie tries not to displace such gruesome details. It merely ends with the royal family in a carriage on their way to Paris or others might call it ‘their doom’. Marie Antoinette, the movie was written and directed by Sofia Coppola starring Bring It On’s, Kirsten Dunst. In this movie Kirsten Dunst portrays Marie Antoinette how many of us believe she was. My view of Marie Antoinette seems a little bit less innocent however. In this version of the royal families’ life they aren’t mean or vindictive they’re plainly quite naive. They do not realize how much they are spending they just care about having fun and being care free. Being a girl I personally love shoes and the shoes that Marie Antoinette had designed were beautiful. There was a large array of colors and styles that drew them instantly to the eye. As well as shoes the costumes in the film we’re beautiful. There were many different gowns in baby blue, pink, and cream. I extremely liked how in the scenes in the Retreat house Dunst wore white peasantry dresses that almost made her look angelic. Throughout the beginning of the movie there was quite a lot of comic relief. Whether it is from the king’s mistress or something else. The best part by far is when Dunst is standing waiting to be dressed, naked, and her undergarments keep getting handed off because new women of higher class than the last keep coming into the room. Dunst is standing they’re freezing trying to understand French society and so far she thinks it’s quite blatantly absurd. I don’t blame her seeing as how these women are taking quite a long time coming in and taking their gloves off. If you were to only to watch the first half of the film you might even think it to be a comedy. Marie Antoinette was a lovely film. Filled with many twists and turns that were unexpected which in turn made the movie interesting and exciting to watch. Even though it runs for two long hours and twenty horrific minutes, it does not seem so at all and you will be pleasantly delighted by the end I guarantee it.

The Future of Automobile Technology essays

The Future of Automobile Technology essays You are cruising down the road at 60 mph in the newest sports car; you step on the gas expecting to hear a roar from the engine, instead, you hear nothing at all. You think to yourself for a brief moment, there must not be an engine. You know that that isnt correct as you try to re-inflate your lungs due to the g-forces that you experienced during acceleration. What in the world? Is this a dream? No, it is the future of automobile technology. No doubt you have heard talks of fuel cells, and hybrid automobiles. To most people, this is a foreign language. There is only one-way to clear up the confusion, that is to explain what they are, how they work, what problems there are with them, and how readily available the technology is. A fuel cell is a device that converts hydrogen and oxygen into water. When this change occurs, energy is created in the form of heat and more importantly electricity. It is essentially a battery that can be recharged while using it. There is one big advantage over batteries. A fuel cell uses hydrogen and oxygen instead of electricity to recharge itself. A fuel cell has water as its only byproduct. The water that leaves the tailpipe is clean enough to drink by most peoples standards. Environmentally sound? You better bet your britches. A hybrid automobile is a little different. A hybrid automobile is a vehicle that combines a gasoline engine and an electric motor. These cars are not as efficient as the fuel celled vehicles and are not as environmentally pure. However they are considered to be ultra-efficient by todays standards. The Honda Insight, a hybrid automobile, gets 66 mpg on the highway; this is compared to 37 mpg on a Honda Civic, one of the most fuel-efficient gasoline p owered automobiles on the market. (Fuel Economy, 2004) Now I will explain how they work. A fuel cell can work many different ways. The proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEM...

Suffolk University Admissions and Acceptance Rate

Suffolk University Admissions and Acceptance Rate With an acceptance rate of 84  percent, Suffolk University is largely accessible school. Students with solid grades and test scores within (or above) the ranges listed below have a good chance of being admitted each year. To apply, prospective students will need to submit an application, high school transcripts, letters of recommendation, and an essay/personal statement. If you have any questions about applying, be sure to contact the admissions office at Suffolk. Calculate your chances of getting in with this free tool from Cappex. Admissions Data (2016) Suffolk University Acceptance Rate: 84 percentGPA, SAT and ACT Graph for Suffolk AdmissionsTest Scores 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 450 / 560SAT Math: 460 / 560SAT Writing: - / -What these SAT numbers meanACT Composite: 20  / 25What these ACT numbers mean Suffolk University Description Suffolk University is a  private university  located in Boston, Massachusetts. Originally founded as a law school, the university has expanded to include colleges of arts and sciences, business and art and design. The urban campus is right in the heart of downtown Boston on Beacon Hill. The university also has two satellite campuses in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Madrid, Spain. Suffolk has a student-faculty ratio  of 12 to 1 for its undergraduate school and 17 to 1 in the law school. Its academic offerings include 41 undergraduate majors and 20 graduate programs in addition to the law school’s Juris Doctor, Master of Laws and Doctor of Juridicial Science degrees. Other popular areas of study include marketing, finance and communication/journalism. Outside of academics, students are actively involved in campus life, participating in nearly 90 clubs and organizations. The Suffolk University Rams compete in the NCAA Division III Great Northeast Athletic Conference. Enrollment (2016) Total Enrollment: 7,461  (5,191 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 45  percent male / 55 percent female95  percent full-time Costs (2016 -17) Tuition and Fees: $35,578Books: $1,200 (why so much?)Room and Board: $14,730Other Expenses: $2,525Total Cost: $54,033 Suffolk University Financial Aid (2015 -16) Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 93  percentPercentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 93 percentLoans: 60 percentAverage Amount of AidGrants: $18,575Loans: $9,127 Academic Programs Most Popular Majors:  Accounting, Business Administration, Crime and Justice, Finance, Marketing, Psychology, Public RelationsWhat major is right for you?  Sign up to take the free My Careers and Majors Quiz at Cappex. Graduation and Retention Rates First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 75  percent4-Year Graduation Rate: 45  percent6-Year Graduation Rate: 59  percent Intercollegiate Athletic Programs Mens Sports:  Baseball, Golf, Basketball, Hockey, Tennis, Cross Country, SoccerWomens Sports:  Soccer, Tennis, Softball, Volleyball, Basketball, Track and Field If You Like Suffolk University, You May Also Like These Schools: Bridgewater State University: Profile  Boston College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUMass - Amherst: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphMerrimack College: Profile  Roger Williams University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphCurry College: Profile  New York University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphHofstra University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphEmerson College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphNortheastern University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Rhode Island: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphEndicott College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics

Swedish Patronymics and Surnames Explained

Swedish Patronymics and Surnames Explained Until the turn of the  20th century, family surnames were not in common use in Sweden. Instead, most Swedes followed a  patronymic naming system, practiced by about  90–95% of the population.  Patronymics (from the Greek  pater, meaning  father, and  onoma, for name)  is the process of designating a surname based upon the given name of the father, thus consistently changing the family surname from one generation to the next. Using Gender Distinction In Sweden,  -son or -dotter was usually  added to the fathers given name for gender distinction. For example,  Johan Andersson would be the son of Anders (Anders’ son) and  Anna Svensdotter the daughter of Sven (Svens’ dotter). Swedish sons names are traditionally spelled with a double s- the first s is the possessive s (Nils as in Nils son) while the second is the s in son. Technically, names that already ended in s such as Nils or Anders should have three ss under this system, but that practice wasnt often followed. It is not uncommon to find Swedish emigrants dropping the extra s for practical reasons, to better assimilate into their new country. Swedish patronymic son names always end in  son, and never sen. In Denmark the regular patronymic is sen. In Norway, both are used, although sen is more common. Icelandic names traditionally end in son or dotir. Adopting Nature Names During the latter-half of the 19th century, some families in Sweden began to take on an additional surname to help distinguish them from others of the same name.  The use of an extra family surname  was more common  for people who moved from the countryside into the city where long-term use of patronymics would have  resulted in dozens of individuals with the same name.  These names were often a composition of words taken from nature, sometimes called nature names.  Generally, the names were made up of two natural features, which may or may not have made sense together (e.g. Lindberg from lind for linden and berg for mountain), although sometimes a single word would make up the entire family name (e.g. Falk for falcon). Sweden passed the Names Adoption Act in December  1901, requiring all citizens to adopt heritable surnames- names that would pass down intact instead of changing every generation. Many families adopted their current surname as their hereditary family surname; a practice  often referred to as a frozen patronymic. In some cases, the family just chose a name they liked- such as a nature name, an occupational surname related to their trade, or a name they were given in the military (e.g. Trygg for confident). At this time most women who were using patronymic surnames ending in -dotter changed their surname to the male version ending in -son. One last note about patronymic surnames. If you are interested in DNA testing for genealogical purposes, a frozen patronymic does not generally go back enough generations to be useful for a Y-DNA surname project. Instead, consider a geographical project such as the Sweden DNA Project.

Cause-Effect Essay(Analyze the impact of the internet on political Essay

Cause-Effect (Analyze the impact of the internet on political campaigns and elections) - Essay Example The internet has become one of the most popular sources for campaigning during elections and the most popular communication channel. Most of the political parties take the help of the mainstream social networking websites like Face book, twitter as well as MySpace to connect to the people and convert them. Electoral candidates gather their supporters from the internet. The candidates often share information and ask for feedback through emails (Kluver, 97). This enables them to come in touch with their supporters instantaneously. In the past elections instances have been there where president Obama has communicated to his supporters through personalised emails. Research has proved that internet had been the level playing field and a major platform for the competition between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney before the last Presidential Elections and both of the candidates had spent more than a billion dollar on this. Digital Advertising had been a growing area where even the political par ties are investing into. The parties also mimicked the popular social networking sites like Facebook, Amazon, Twitter and YouTube and have been successful in getting leads for any kind of fundraising programme or acquiring the votes of the supporters and converting the non supporters. These networking sites enable the parties to target each community and spread messages to specific demographic segments and thereby addressing specific needs. The funds that the parties require for successfully carrying out of the operations can be collected from the followers of these networking sites and also enables people to feel connected to the person whom they want to vote as would be President. But such funds are only donated by a certain section of the society who is wealthy and educated (Chadwick and Howard, 145). Thus people have more involvement in the election process. Survey revealed that 80% of the information flow related to the elections took place in the internet. Like the other daily chores that the common people undertake on the internet like banking and shopping, the information exchange is also taking place on the internet. Campaign on the internet also turns out to be a cost effective one because the costs of advertising on the television and buying air time is costly (Bimber and Davis, 8). The main motive for the political party is to stand out from its rivals. However, how much of this campaign is actually being converted into positive votes is questionable. The information that is circulated through the net is short lived and the supporters cannot retain such information for a longer period of time. However, the people have been constantly been addressed by the candidate through this path. Much of the section of the population is not computer literate. They do not know the use of computers. For them this kind of force of publicity is not acceptable as it does not reach them. The parties have to devise different strategies in that case. The social media c hannel reaches mostly the young people but studies prove that young people do not actually cast their votes on the day of the elections. However, it has made politics more transparent in front of the common man. Due to the use of the internet the political parties and the candidates can save a lot of time because they can reach out to a greater number of audiences in a shorter span of time. A lot of talented people who are good at strategising are getting engaged in the process and

Preventing Nuclear Capacities in North Korean or Iran Essay

Preventing Nuclear Capacities in North Korean or Iran - Essay Example The United States can possibly employ the use of economic pressure to try and force North Korea to return t the six-party negotiations that also include South Korea, Russia, Japan and China. These talks were originally designed to try and help in the establishment of a peaceful resolution to security concerns that happen to result from the nuclear weapons program that had been conducted by North Korea. The United States can endeavor to utilize these talks to try and convince North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program (Cronin, 273).1 The presence of nuclear weapons in the hands of North Korea is of relatively great concern to the United States. If the Six-party negotiations continue to be ineffective, the United States will potentially find itself quite unable to effectively address the concerns posed by nuclear capabilities in North Korea unless it engages directly with the country. A possible concession that can be made is that the United States can pledge that it will not attack North Korea if it willingly shuts down its plutonium program. Other options can involve the withdrawal of American troops from the Korean Peninsula in return for North Korea ending its uranium enrichment program (Cronin, 273).2 If all options fail, and the security of the country remains in critical danger, I would order the complete elimination of the considerable nuclear threat currently being posed by North Korea. A surgical and very speedy attack on the various nuclear weapons development sites across North Korea will have the effect of completely destroying North Korea’s ability to make nuclear bomb. It might also have the effect of precipitating the downfall of the oppressive regime of Kim-Jong-II in addition to sending a an emphatic and clear message that the United States will in no way accept any nuclear proliferation that poses as a threat to it (Ochmanek and Schwartz,

It is Practitioner Journal Article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

It is Practitioner Journal Article - Essay Example Young children transform materials during play, observe and comment on the results. Pre-school teachers can make preschoolers have a strong desire to experiment and learn more about maths. They can offer developmentally suitable resources and opportunities to help preschoolers appreciate maths. The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics helps kindergarten kids describe shapes and space as well as represent, relate and operate whole numbers in a set of objects. Preschool teachers have many chances of helping children develop their understanding of shapes and space. According to Hannibal (1999), pre-school maths helps children make sense of the world around them. It further helps them to reason and solve problems. In preschool, shapes support teaching and learning if used effectively by the teachers. This article endeavors to shed light on how shapes can be used to teach preschool children mathematics. To enable the children learn teachers use various strategies. I read information about shapes to children and asked the child to read along with me. Reading about shapes to children helps the teachers to know how much the child knows about shapes (Sarama & Clements, 2009). Through reading about shapes to children, they can recognize and name shapes such as square, triangle, circle or a rectangle. The child knew the rectangle, the triangle, the square and the circle. However, the child seemed not to know the shape of a diamond and the oval. The child asked, â€Å"How does a diamond look like†? I responded â€Å"a diamond has six sides†. The child asked again, â€Å"are all the sides of a diamond equal?† I responded â€Å"you can choose to have them equal or unequal†. Then the child asked â€Å"Is oval the shape of an egg?† I replied â€Å"Excellent! It looks like an egg.† The child was able to characterize the shapes by their properties. Further, the child was very amused at the realization that shapes could be associated with things they interact with on

Age of New Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Age of New Media - Essay Example Back home the same thing happens, open the laptop to do some work and some online surfing or online movie watching. Modern technology, specifically new media, has truly integrated itself into our daily lives. And it is not only adults that live by such lifestyle. From young children to teenagers, new media has become a way of life in the whole world. Vryzas and Tsitouridou (2002, pp. 9-17) examined how much access to home computers do children have in Greece. Of the 993 randomly chosen respondents, 305 had computers at home. These children could already make full use of the features of the computer after being taught by their older siblings or parents. The main activity that they did was play games using the computer. But they would also use other applications. Just what is new media? One definition could be â€Å"immediately suggests something far less settled [than â€Å"the media†] known, and identified†¦on the one hand, a rapidly changing set of formal and technological experiments and, on the other, a complex set of interactions between new technological possibilities and established media forms (Lister, 2003, p. 10-11). The term new media is so wide that it includes practically everything and anything that we use in modern times—digital, electronic, interactive, computer-mediated. And people have different concepts for the term so that â€Å"while a person using new media may have one kind of thing in mind (the Internet), others may mean something else (digital TV, new ways of imaging the body, a virtual environment or game)†, therefore the term refers to a â€Å"broad cultural resonance rather than a narrow technicist or specialist application† (Lister, 2003, p. 10-11) With all the explosion of new sites and activities using new media, especially those that can be found on the Internet, Lister’s definition encompasses a very broad range indeed. There are the social networking sites such as Facebook, Friendster, and MySpace,

Smith and Marx in Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Smith and Marx in Economics - Essay Example In his economic theory he focused largely on issues relating to labour and power, while Smith focused on capital and freedom. A significant number of people think that Adam Smith invented economics when he published The Wealth of Nations in 1776. In it, Smith wrote about how wealth is generated from both labour and land, and how this generation of wealth can lead to higher living standards and productivity. Accumulated wealth is capital that can be reinvested and yielf further dividends. The accumulation of wealth was a good thing; it was especially encouraged in systems that permitted free trade. Free trade permitted goods and services to be exchanged without tariffs. The main advantage of this was that it allowed people who had different items at their disposal to obtain things they needed. He wrote about the market’s â€Å"invisible hand.† This is an illustration that suggests that the market knows best, as it is the accumulation of peoples' desires. It is most famou sly summed up by Smith as follows: â€Å"It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities but of their advantages† (26-7). ... [T]his produce †¦ bears a greater or smaller proportion to the number of those who are to consume it †¦ .[B]ut this proportion must in every nation be regulated by two different circumstances; first, by the skill, dexterity, and judgement with which its labor is generally applied; and, secondly, by the proportion between the number of those who are employed in useful labour, and that of those who are not so employed (Smith, 10). His insight into 18th century economics was remarkable at the time. But hindsight makes Smith's contribution especially impressive as it resulted in political freedom and a remarkable generation of wealth. This was in direct contrast to the work of Marx, which led to misery and death. Smith's work was picked up great economists such as Frederick Hayek and Milton Freedman to argue for freer markets and more private ownership. Today the Wealth of Nations is considered a foundational text and Smith, who was cited frequently in his own day, is considere d one of the greatest economists (Campbell, et al, 7). Throughout the 19th century a number of economists took up Smith's work and added to it; but the greatest economist of that century was surely the German Karl Marx. His influence on world history was tremendous. His work was very different than Smith's. He focused on the unfairness inherent in the capitalistic system and felt that only labour was valuable. He felt that workers were being oppressed by employers and that they should rise up and form a new ruling class. Revolutionaries around the world took up his ideas in the 20th century to disastrous effect.

Final Exam MGT 123 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Final Exam MGT 123 - Essay Example 49). The system includes the private, public, and government finance systems that have a direct influence on each financial space. Human resource is the business component that entails the knowledge, the skills, and the motivation of people (2013, p. 67). Unlike other factors of production, human resource improves with age and experience, hence termed as the most crucial facet that holds the advantage for an organisations business objectives. The human resource can be used to mobilize other resources that will help achieve organisations profitability goals. Manufacturing encompasses the process of converting raw materials, parts, or components into finished products that meet customer specifications and expectations (2013, p. 92). Manufacturing involves the collaboration between human resource and machines in a well-defined structure to realize production. The prosperity of an enterprise relies on the seamless integration of the four facets discussed, because of the strong interrelationship between them. Human resource plays a pivotal role because it stimulates manufacturing based on the market specifications, after that creating the finance that will help in sustaining the enterprise. Marketing helps in guiding detailed manufacturing specifications that will meet the clients needs. The mutual relationship between the four parts will channel the organisations objectives to its target when they are implemented under good business leadership from the human resource (2013, p. 109). In marketing, the information of the target market regarding its demographics, segments, needs, and purchasing decisions will help define pricing, promotion, and the most strategic places for the business. The other information regarding the strengths and the weaknesses of the competition will help in designing products that leverage the competition to the benefit of the company (2013, p. 152). Pricing information will help in developing a proficient pricing strategy

Smith and Marx in Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Smith and Marx in Economics - Essay Example In his economic theory he focused largely on issues relating to labour and power, while Smith focused on capital and freedom. A significant number of people think that Adam Smith invented economics when he published The Wealth of Nations in 1776. In it, Smith wrote about how wealth is generated from both labour and land, and how this generation of wealth can lead to higher living standards and productivity. Accumulated wealth is capital that can be reinvested and yielf further dividends. The accumulation of wealth was a good thing; it was especially encouraged in systems that permitted free trade. Free trade permitted goods and services to be exchanged without tariffs. The main advantage of this was that it allowed people who had different items at their disposal to obtain things they needed. He wrote about the market’s â€Å"invisible hand.† This is an illustration that suggests that the market knows best, as it is the accumulation of peoples' desires. It is most famou sly summed up by Smith as follows: â€Å"It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities but of their advantages† (26-7). ... [T]his produce †¦ bears a greater or smaller proportion to the number of those who are to consume it †¦ .[B]ut this proportion must in every nation be regulated by two different circumstances; first, by the skill, dexterity, and judgement with which its labor is generally applied; and, secondly, by the proportion between the number of those who are employed in useful labour, and that of those who are not so employed (Smith, 10). His insight into 18th century economics was remarkable at the time. But hindsight makes Smith's contribution especially impressive as it resulted in political freedom and a remarkable generation of wealth. This was in direct contrast to the work of Marx, which led to misery and death. Smith's work was picked up great economists such as Frederick Hayek and Milton Freedman to argue for freer markets and more private ownership. Today the Wealth of Nations is considered a foundational text and Smith, who was cited frequently in his own day, is considere d one of the greatest economists (Campbell, et al, 7). Throughout the 19th century a number of economists took up Smith's work and added to it; but the greatest economist of that century was surely the German Karl Marx. His influence on world history was tremendous. His work was very different than Smith's. He focused on the unfairness inherent in the capitalistic system and felt that only labour was valuable. He felt that workers were being oppressed by employers and that they should rise up and form a new ruling class. Revolutionaries around the world took up his ideas in the 20th century to disastrous effect.

The elephant and the blind man Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The elephant and the blind man - Essay Example one might reasonably expect them to approach the topic in much the same way; however, as was the case with the blind men and the elephant, this is not the case. Whereas policy makers approach the elephant (healthcare) within the perspective of attempting to create policy decisions which will provide a greater benefit to the highest number of shareholders, the economic costs of some of these policies are often not considered. In this way, the economic policy makers have a firm grasp and understanding concerning the elephant’s tail; however, they lack a complete grasp of the entire animal as a function of what parts they are not realizing exist. In this way, those that focus too intensively on a specific aspect of the issue will oftentimes miss the overall broader application. Similarly, those specialists that approach the elephant (healthcare) from the economic standpoint are trying to find the most viable ways to provide the level of care that is needed while still doing so under an economically viable and reasonably fiscal model. This is oftentimes an impossibly difficult process due to the fact that treatment options are almost never easily determined to be perfectly economic as well as exhibiting a high level of care for the patient in question. In this way, the health economic analyst will likely be examining the micro application of the policies put in place by the economic policy makers (macro approach). The problem lies in the fact that one particular approach is examining the â€Å"wall† of health care policy and trying to make sense out of it; whereas the other economic approach is dealing with explaining how the tail must function with relationship to the larger entity. In this way, understanding both approaches is necessary for creating a more efficient and better healthcare policy; however, appreciating the fact that both the â€Å"wall† and the â€Å"tail† have their own unique functions is vital towards gaining a more complete understanding of

Comprehensive Classroom Technology Plan Essay Example for Free

Comprehensive Classroom Technology Plan Essay Introduction For many schools across the country there have been many studies on what type of communication is best for students, teachers, and parents going into the 21st century. Many school districts have chosen the (CMC) technology which is the Computer mediated communication and it has dramatically changed the ways for students to interact with their professors, especially for communication outside of the classroom (which is better choice pg1). For my future classrooms this along with the phone and paper is my preferred communication method of choice. Class Website From many studies students who are older prefer asynchronous communication such as email can effectively help students in solving problems outside of the classroom. Recently synchronous communication such as a virtual office hours using online chat was also widely used in the class room. (Which is a better choice page 9) For a school website to exist the schools must first follow these four objectives. 1: An introduction to who the school is. 2: An interface of outside resources 3: Publisher of good works 4: A Data resource. (Tech Trends vol 49 num. 6 pages 1.) Most schools already have websites that display this information however what would need to be created is simply a white board that parents and faculty members who are involved with the kindergarten level can access. White board A whiteboard is simply a website that parents and faculty members alike can log onto and check what is happening in the classroom as well as grades. For kindergarten I propose that this whiteboard would have a white page with buttons at the top that will take them to different links. These buttons are laid out in a simple tool bar layout. |Teacher |Student List |Grades |Work for week |School Calendar |Current curriculum |Classroom policies and | |Contact Info. . | | | | | |procedures | Tool Bar Buttons A: Teacher contact info. This will have my contact information and the hours I am available as well as my vision and mission statement. B: This will have the student’s names that are listed in my class as well as their parents Emergency contact information only visible to faculty. C: Will list the current grades for each subject for the quarter or semester that we are currently in. D: This will have any subjects or work that we are working on for the week so that parents can visually see what we are doing in class. E: This will have a classroom calendar will subject time slots as well as break schedules, lunch times, and other time slots as needed F: This will have my classroom curriculum for the semester and will be constantly updated as it changes G: To me it is important for parents to know the behavior system that you as a teacher put into place as well as any school policies regarding anything from parent –teacher conflict ,kids misbehaving, lunch procedures, etc. All of this involves the webmaster for the school simply using basic html web creating code to create. The information that is based on the website is simple text with minimal visualization. Email/phone The other form of communication that I would have my parents use would be email system as well as phones. Most parents who are in the current age of computers and 21st technology are familiar with how to email and use smart phones as well. I would use this system to keep parents informed in any behavior issues as they occur. The phone system would be not only an emergency behavior contact system but also an important communication tool for any parent to contact me. Technology hindered parents Now there are parents out there who may be ESL parents that are not familiar with how to access the whiteboard or email. For these parents I would suggest sending out monthly handouts that explain A: How to use the white board and email. B: my contact information as well as the schools. C: Since I am pretty fluent in computers I would also try an hold a 1hour class free to parents a month to show them not only the benefits of technology but how to access our whiteboard for student and classroom information. Of course C is based on the amount of computers that our school district has provided us because as we all know some rural schools are still not able to provide a computer lab. How would I setup communication for this school? Non Computer lab school. For a school that doesn’t have a computer lab or website I would revert back to the old fashion way of creating a folder for my students to take home every Friday that would encompass all the information that would be normally available on the website. School Website security Since I am a teacher obviously computer security would be the webmasters job. However I would ask parents to join the schools computer website by creating a username and password so that they would have access to the resources available on the classroom whiteboard as well as the schools website. Faculty For the white board I would ask my fellow teachers to setup a development team to keep the specific kindergarten audience in mind. They would submit a design as to what appropriate sites, cultural analysis, content organization for a culturally responsive website, as well as development of the site and constant site evaluation. (Tec trends Vol 49, number 6 pg. 35) Eventually after the site was created and used for a year I would ask the development team to go back and perform an analysis to see how convenient the site use was for parents and faculty. Then I would ask this analysis information to be passed around to other schools as well as school districts in hopes that it would spread across the state as well as country. I would recommend using all of this analysis with the website http://teacher. scholastic. com/homepagebuilder/ to build the whiteboard and website for all schools. Conclusion As you can see my vision for communication for the 21st century framework not only includes technology of old (paper, phones) but a computer mediated  communication website that provides all the details of myself as a teacher plus the classroom information for my class. This type of technology will help not only the student to parent communication about what is going on in class but also the parent to teacher communication about my vision and mission statement as a teacher. I believe a white board is what every classroom should have in education for classroom of the 21st century References. Author A: Lei Li1Author B: Finley, John1Author C: Pitts, Jennifer1Author D: Rong Guo1 (2010). Which is a better choice for student-faculty interaction: synchronous or asynchronous communication? Journal of Technology Research; Sep2010, Vol. 2, p1-12, 11p, 5 Charts Author A: Miller, Susan1Author B: Adsit, Karen I. 2, 3 Author C: Miller, Ted4 (Dec 2005) Evaluating the Importance of Common Components in School-Based Websites: Frequency of Appearance and Stakeholders Judged Value. TechTrends: Linking Research Practice to Improve Learning; Nov/Dec2005, Vol. 49 Issue 6, p34-40, 7p, 5 Charts Author A: Walters, Marlenel Author B: Fehring, Heather2 (2009) An investigation of the incorporation of Information and Communication Technology and thinking skills with Year 1 and 2 students. Australian Journal of Language Literacy; Oct2009, Vol. 32 Issue 3, p258-272, 15p, 1 Black and White Photograph, 6 Diagrams, 1 Chart Website: http://teacher. scholastic. com/homepagebuilder/