Time dispersion parameters

When a signal is transmitted, this signal can endure a deformation caused by contemplations and scattered extension waies in the wireless channel, and these phenomenons cause that an indistinguishable signal arrives at different times at its finish. These different times are due that to the signal arrives via multiple waies and in different incident angles. The clip difference between the arrival minute of the first multipath constituent and the last 1 is called hold spread. In order to compare different multipath channels and to develop some general design guidelines for wireless systems, some parametric quantities are used to quantify the multipath channel. Some of these multipath parametric quantities are the average extra hold, rms delay spread, and maximal extra hold, and can be determined from a power hold profile. However, the mean extra hold and the rms delay spread are often used to quantify the clip diffusing belongingss of broad set multipath channels.Mean Excess DelayThe Mean Excess Delay is the first minute of the power hold profile ( PDP ) and is defined byRMS Delay SpreadThe root-mean-square ( RMS ) hold spread is likely the most of import individual step for the hold clip extent of a multipath wireless channel. This parametric quantity calculates the standard divergence value of the hold of contemplations, weighted relative to the energy in the reflected moving ridges. This parametric quantity can be considered like the square root of the 2nd cardinal minute of the power hold profile and is defined by We must take into consideration that these holds are measured comparative to the first noticeable signal arriving at the receiving system at = 0, and their equations do non trust on the absolute power degree of P ( ) , but merely the comparative amplitudes of the multipath constituents within P ( ) .Maximum Excess Delay ( X dubnium )The maximal extra hold ( X dubnium ) of the power hold profile is defined as the clip hold value after which the multipath energy falls to X dubnium below the maximal multipath energy ( non necesarily belonging to the first arriving constituent ) . It is besides called extra hold spread, but in all instances must be specified with a threshold that relates the multipath noise floor to the maximal standard multipath constituent. The values of these clip scattering parametric quantities besides depend on the noise threshold used to treat P ( ) , and if this noise is set excessively low, so the noise will be processed as multipath and therefore doing the parametric quantities to be higher.EnvironmentCoherence BandwidthCoherence bandwidth is a statistical step of the scope of frequences over which the channel can be considered â€Å" level † . If we define Coherence Bandwidth ( BC ) as the scope of frequences over which the frequence correlativity is above 0.9, so If we define Coherence Bandwidth as the scope of frequences over which the frequence correlativity is above 0.5, so The coherency bandwidth of the channel gives a good indicant about the frequence fluctuations of the channel in relation to the bandwidth of the familial signal. We can hold two different instances, depending on this bandwidth. If a signal with a bandwidth larger than Bc is transmitted through the channel, it will be capable to frequency selective deformation. The channel will be, in this instance, referred to as a frequence selective attenuation channel. However, if the signal transmitted has a bandwidth well less than Bc, it will see amplitude fading merely with no deformation since the channel features will be the same all over the spectrum of the signal. In this instance the channel is referred to as a frequence non-selective ( level ) melting channel.

Renewable energy sources

Traditionally, wood is the main form in which biomass is used as an energy source. The biomass is used to boil water to provide steam to turn turbines. In Great Britain most commercially produced wood is used for timber, but when a conifer plantation is felled, there are branches and low-grade timber that can be used for fuel. Straw left over from harvesting cereal crops can also be used to produce energy. When used for energy the cost of collecting, storage and transporting bulky problems is a problem. Most examples rely on a community-based collection used locally in a close plant or used on the farm that produced the straw and is widely used in Denmark and the USA. Stubble used to be burnt, but this was made illegal in the UK. Most stubble is used for bedding. When burnt straw leaves ash, which contains nutrients, which can quickly be extracted from the soil by the new crop. This method is still used in many developing countries. It is very rarely ploughed in as it takes along time to biodegrade and as it does so it creates anaerobic pockets in the soil. Wood can be exploited as a renewable resource if fast growing species are used. In the UK willow is used (popular was also used once). The plants are grown close together then once a sufficient root system is established they are coppiced. Then all new growths when of the correct length are harvested and chipped. Once the willow is dried and then used. This is often used on low quality land (marginal) or set aside, or areas where biological control is being encouraged. Biomass to Gasohol Fermentation of sugar by yeasts converts the energy in sugar biomass to ethanol, which can then be used as a fuel. Gasohol is made of 80-90% unleaded petrol and 10-20% ethanol and is used in cars (It can be used in pure form, but petrol is added to stop people drinking it). The sugar is obtained from sugar cane and sugar beet. This form has been relatively unsuccessful. Sugar cane is grown in tropical areas, where as sugar beat is grown in temperate countries. The sugary sap is extracted and then treated to make molasses, which is then stored until it is needed for fermenting. Ethanol is a much cleaner fuel and produces much less pollution, but it is much more expensive to produce. Especially as the farmers can also sell the crop to be made into refined sugar. This production is unlikely ever to work due to politics and the oil industry. In the end it can not be considered as a real alternative ,as 80-90% of it is made from a fossil fuel. Once the sugar is extracted the fibrous residue (bagasse) is dried and then burnt as a fuel to ferment the malasses. 1) Growing and cropping of sugar. 2) Extraction of sugars by crushing and washing cane. 3) Crystallization out of sucrose (for sale) leaving the syrup of glucose and fructose (molases) 4) Fermentation of molasses to yield dilute alcohol. 5) Distillation of dilute alcohol to give pure ethanol, using bagasse as a power source. A more promising is oilseed rape which has been used to power buses in certain areas of the UK as part of a trial and in Italy, it is added to diesel and can be added to make up 30% of the mixture (rpae methyl ester, RME). It produces fewer sooty particles and no sulphur dioxide. Also coconut oil in Philippines, palm and castor oil, Brazil and sunflower oil in South Africa. Domestic waste Disposal of domestic and industrial waste has become a large problem around the world. In the UK about 300kg of waste is produced per person per year. Dumping the waste causes many problems e.g. leakage of pollution and using up land. It might be possible to burn the fuel for energy (cellchip in the UK in London does this but people have to separate some of the waste first. However, all the houses that take part close to the plant reciev free hot water.) Some landfill sites have been constructed to collect the gas (methane) produced from the anaerobic conditions for use. Agricultural waste (Biogas) Biogas can convert the energy in biomass into biogas, a gaseous fuel that consists mainly of methane, by fermentation. Typically biogas is made of: 65% methane, 35% CO2, with tracea of ammonia, hydrogen sulphide and water vapour. usually dung (slurry) from farm animals is used in the fermentation process so that waste products are turned into something useful, as the leftover sludge can be used as a fertiliser. The digestion process occurs in 3 stages: 1) Aerobic bacteria convert lipids and carbohydrates in the biomass into sugars, fatty acids, amino acids and glycerol by hydrolysis (0-10 days, acids cause pH to fall). 2) Acetogenic bacteria convert sugars and other products of stage 1 into short-chain fatty acids e.g. acetic acid = acetogenesis (stages 2+3, 10-45 days acids used up, pH increases, methane produced.). 3) Anaerobic bacteria convert the fatty acids into methane = methogenesis. Conditions must be anaerobic as the bacteria are only active when there is no oxygen present. They are called obligate anaerobes. Temperatures must be kept between 30-40o because the bacteria are sensitive to temperature changes. The reactions take place in a digester. It must be i) Strong and large enough to hold large volumes of liquid and withstand pressure build up. ii) Gas-tight and allow aerobic conditions to be maintained. iii) Have an inlet for loading material, an outlet for the gas and a way of unloading the residue. iv) be buried in the ground to help withstand pressure and act as an insulator. Often several digesters are used together to maintain a continuous supply of gas. It provides a useful way of getting rid of animal waste. (eutrophication)

In what way is Dr. Faustus an Anti-Catholic Play? Essay

On the face of it, Dr. Faustus is not an anti-Catholic play. Yet, once you have read into it certain aspects of the play – there are many anti-Catholic notions and views that Marlowe has placed within the text. If the reader has no prior knowledge of how the world was in the Sixteenth century, then they would probably not uncover Marlowe’s hidden messages. There are many issues dealt with in the play, yet, they all follow a route to anti-Catholicism. All of the ideas dealt with are reminiscent of the period that Marlowe is writing in, when people did have quite ‘humanist’ views and were hostile towards the Catholic Church because of the lies that they had been telling.The main theme of anti-Catholicism is Dr. Faustus’ rejection of God. For a sixteenth century audience to watch someone reject God and sell their soul to the devil is the most anti-religious thing that they could do. They most probably would have been petrified of what the consequences o f his actions would be. Yet, at the same time, would most probably have admired his courage to stand against an establishment that had ruled their entire lives by preaching falsehoods and in effect stealing from them (through the sales of ‘indulgences’). Also, right from the beginning when we are introduced to Faustus, we find him in Wittenberg – the same place in which the monk Martin Luther lived – an anti-catholic statement in itself as Luther himself opposed the Catholic regime. I believe Marlowe has intentionally set the play in Wittenberg to make a statement right from the beginning that this play is set out to make anti-Catholic notions.The play deals with sin and damnation at the heart of Christianity’s understanding of the world. The play shows us that Faustus’ pride, which causes him to strive for knowledge, may have seemed admirable at the turning point in the Renaissance period, but that this pride and insolence to go against God makes him despaired of God’s mercy. Christian teaching at the time was that if you did not follow Gods rules, you ended up eternally damned to a place called ‘Hell’ – a place that Faustus both believes in and disbelieves throughout the play. Hell is represented as a rather psychological torture in the play rather than a physical one (as Mephistophilis puts it to Faustus). We can get an idea of the attitudes of the people in Faustus’ time by looking at how Marlowe represents Fau stus. We can guess that Marlowe has a negative view of what Faustus did because he compares him to ‘Icarus’ from Greek mythology when he says; â€Å"His waxen wings did mount above his reach, and melting heavens conspired his overthrow. For falling to a devilish exercise† By saying this, Marlowe is expressing that going against God and selling his soul was the ultimate sin that caused Faustus to be damned. The audience’s attitude towards Faustus may have been one of empathy rather than disdain for choosing to sin because at that time it was believed that it was our job to resist the temptations of the devil, like Christ did, but many people were tempted to go against God to find answers other than those written in the Bible, and would have understood his situation. It is not always certain if the play is a true representation of the attitude of a sixteenth century audience as Marlowe was a radical of his time and did have much more extreme views on Catholicism than his peers. Marlowe himself, spent time as a Cleric – even mocking religion and earning a reputation of being an atheist at a time when atheism was a state offence. This maybe being one of the reasons why the play is so anti-catholic because of his anti-religious views and as the most religious of all denominations, Catholicism was probably the easiest target.The first time we see the play’s anti-Catholic view is when Christopher Marlowe gives a sense of something wrong happening at the beginning of Scene III, when Faustus begins to conjure. We get this feeling that something is not quite right when Faustus describes the â€Å"gloomy shadows† and the â€Å"pitchy breath†, the image of darkness and night gives the impression that what Faustus is doing is dangerous and evil. Faustus practises the ‘Black Mass’, which was an anti-Catholic comment as it was praised by Satan worshippers, which would have made this scene extremely horrific for Marlowe’s audience, and definitely seen as a sinful act. Throughout the play, Faustus has doubts about what he is doing and thinks of repenting but it is his pride that keeps him from turning to God and asking for forgiveness. This happens throughout Scene V, where he doubts his actions, thinks of repenting and then because of his pride he becomes resolute again. The good angel tries to help him by saying â€Å"Faustus repent, yet God will pity thee† but he can’t face being humiliated and says, â€Å"My heart’s so hardened I cannot repent!† In the same scene, Faustus says that  he believes Hell is a â€Å"fable†, displaying yet again the anti-Catholic views of the play, as it is a direct comment from the Bible that here are two after-lives â€Å"Heaven† and â€Å"Hell†. By saying that there is no Hell, is saying that he believes that The Bible is lying – a sin against not only the catholic doctrine, but also all Christian religion. He is also writing off everything that he has ever been taught and in an indirect way, preaching to the audience that their whole religious life has also been a ‘fable’ in itself. Here, Dr. Faustus is taking empiricism to the extremes, as he honestly believes that he can sell his soul to the Devil and remain happily on Earth, this also shows Faustus’ extreme arrogance and the fact that he thinks he is superior to the rest of humanity. Scene V is an extremely anti-Catholic scene as it deals with the majority of subjects. One being the matter of the ‘Good Angel’ and ‘Bad Angel’; in this section of the scene, we ponder on the question ‘When is it too late to repent?’ – it is here that the divide in Christian denominations becomes apparent. Catholicism saying that after you have sold your soul, you are beyond the forgiveness of God. Then, the Protestant side, saying that in God’s eyes it is never too late to repent. The ‘Good Angel’ in the play is the one with the Protestant views – a blatant attack on Catholicism by labelling it ‘Bad’, then mocking it in the play. It is very possible that Marlowe wrote Dr Faustus in order to spite those around him – ‘those’ being the Catholics. Marlowe was not a religious man, let alone a Catholic and did not tolerate their beliefs, as evidenced by how clearly the play demonstrates the downfall of a religious man and reinforced themes of anti-Catholicism. It could be said that Marlowe created a man who would be considered an â€Å"ideal† Catholic – after we see him wanting to repent and the way in which he conforms to the people around him very easily, and then Marlowe damned him to eternal suffering; suggesting that during Marlowe’s life, he believed if you were a Catholic you were also damned to eternal suffering and saw no problem with this. Since reading between the lines and going into depth of some of the quotes that Christopher Marlowe so passionately wrote in 1550, it is acceptable to say that there are many aspects of the play that are either intentionally  anti-Catholic or unintentionally anti-Catholic. Yet it is also fair to say that Marlowe has deliberately put some comments into his play that are an attack onto the Catholic Church, its beliefs, practises and its followers.

Assignment Week 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assignment Week 4 - Essay Example The ordinary parking zone can be occupied by students who have opted for ordinary parking passes. A parking spot in this zone is not guaranteed but is rather filled up on a first-come first-served basis. The restriction imposed on ordinary parking zone would be that no special pass holder will be allowed to park their vehicles here. On the other hand if the peak hour parking slot is unoccupied after the designated time, it can be occupied by the ordinary pass holder if all ordinary parking zone is full to capacity. e.g.: If the peak hours are between 10:00 am - 12:00 noon and all parking spots are full except for a few peak hour parking spot, the same can be occupied by an ordinary pass holder after 1 hour from the end of peak time (i.e., 1:00 pm or later). In effect peak hour parking zone transforms into ordinary parking zone if spots are empty after end of peak hours to accommodate more vehicles. In this way students who regularly use the parking facility can be given a peak-time parking spot at higher rates to ensure maximum revenue, and additional revenue generated from ordinary parking zone where parking depends on first-come first-served. Parking slots for students, who require parking spots during peak hours, should be assigned only in the special parking zone. The ordinary parking zone can have students driving in and out of the parking lot and spots will not be reserved, thus ensuring that parking spots are not wasted. 3. The condition of the global market / the larger chain of consumers, clients, partners, competitors i.e. the linked organisations and entities that form the channel for revenue flow in and out of the industry and within the industry. If the target market is performing well and there is surplus demand than availability of resources then the pricing strategy should be adopted accordingly. Secondary factors that play a deciding role in the choice of a

ACID and Normalization Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ACID and Normalization - Assignment Example Equally, Isolation states that the concurrent occurrence of multiple transactions should not impact each other’s transactions. Finally, Durability guarantees that any modifications to the database are not lost. Normalization is a method of reducing or removing data redundancies in the database. Four goals are attained after normalization. First, there is the reduction of the number of duplicated data in the database. Additionally, there is ordering of data into logical groupings in such a way that each and every group describes a small part of the complete data. Thirdly, there is the building of a database in which manipulation and access to data is rapid and proficient, while still maintaining the integrity of the stored data. Lastly, the data is organized such that one can edit and make changes in one part of the data without affecting other parts. In this exercise, normalization of the database up to the third normal form is achieved. In addition, there is an ERD (entity-relation diagram) and an Oracle database with execution of SQL statements using PHPMYADMIN. The disadvantages of normalization include difficulty and increased costs required to implement, and extra skill requirement to offer functional views and maintain the database. In addition, extra skills are needed to create OLAP

Research Based Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Research Based Practice - Essay Example Health care providers also engage in experimental setups, which generate results and knowledge on the best means of providing health care. The findings from these experiments and the literature search are then used to make informed decisions and choices by nurses. Thus, decision-making process is based on the evidence, which is gathered from literature search and physical experiments. Health care providers also engage in questioning the decisions, which they make by evaluating the validity of the existing evidence. Such questions include â€Å"why† some methods and processes are in existences and not others. This creates foundation for the improvement of the research process in order to achieve the anticipated results of the research work. There is also partnership development at work with professional leaders. Such ensures that it is easier to disseminate and diffuse information on the best practice for the nursing. The partnerships also facilitate in end user adoption and im plementation of evidence-based

Students with disabilities in extracurricular athletics Essay

Students with disabilities in extracurricular athletics - Essay Example te in extracurricular activities is denying them the same opportunities as the other students to grow emotionally and to develop social skills such as leadership skills. Additionally, it puts them at a higher risk to be physically and physiologically unhealthy than the other students. This implies that they are likely to have heath issues that arise from not having physical activity such as diabetes, obesity and heart complications. To deal this discrepancy, the GAO recommends that the United States Department of Education Clarify and communicate the roles and responsibilities for enforcing section 504 of the rehabilitation Act of 1973. GAO explains that the Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has the responsibility of enforcing the section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a federal law and is geared towards protecting individuals with disabilities in all types of schools, private and public. As a result, the GAO reports the implementation of section 504 is not a choice for the OCR and must be implemented strictly as it has to deal with serious human rights issues. Section 504 first of all requires the schools to provide to the students with disability facilities that are similar or equivalent to the facilities that the students who do not have any disability have. To begin with, it rewires that every school district should have a committee made of experts and professionals who understand various disability issues including mental and emotional disabilities. These members of such a committee should also have a clear understanding of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 especially section 504. They must also have a more understanding of the procedures of classifying various disabilities. This is necessary in order to make sure that the students are not wrongly classified and therefore have them to end up in the wrong groups. In this regard, schools are supposed to be very careful not only in the ways they treat students

Performance & reward mgt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Performance & reward mgt - Essay Example The employee will respond to being treated with respect and courtesy by management, and improve performance. Performance-based rewards can also help motivation levels, as well as attention being paid to the human needs of the employee. This is why employee motivation should be approached as a continuing process rather than a series of isolated events. Specifically, the manager of employees wanting greater levels of motivation can use theories to develop several strategies to encourage an atmosphere of communication, teamwork, and fulfillment in the workplace that will result in this ultimate goal. This boosts human needs categories of self-esteem and social need fulfillment, and also encourages multiculturalism and diversity in the workplace. Using this method, employers can foster an atmosphere of friendly competition where leadership and hard work are shown to have psychological

Reader's Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reader's Response - Essay Example Her new house is in a squalid neighborhood that she is embarrassed of. Because of her house, her race and culture are more defined and the more she is shameful of it. However, Esperanza realizes that her identity is her own doing. After being raped, she resolves to free herself from her house, but not completely enough to forget its role in shaping her identity. â€Å"Everyday Use† uses the quilt as a symbol of the interconnectedness of traditions through the people who believe in its validity through lived experiences. The quilt stands for rural tradition that only Maggie understands. Like the quilt, Maggie and Mama have not changed at all, and they are happy with their simple rural life. Dee rejects this everyday use of their cultural artifacts: â€Å"[Maggie] probably be backward enough to put [the quilts] to everyday use† (Walker). Mama believes that she knows better, when she gives the quilts to Maggie. To use it every day is what their traditions are. Traditions are meant to be experienced and not hidden in a museum. Nathaniel Hawthorne studies the loss of innocence in â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† through the symbol of pink ribbons. These pink ribbons stand for the innocence of his wife and the purity of the church. Because of his dreams in the woods, the pink ribbons have turned into tools of deception. His dreams shook his faith and destroyed its pink ribbons that he once believed in. These symbols show how objects can be related to human issues and beliefs. A house can mean isolation and redemption. A pink ribbon reflects both innocence and delusion. A quilt stands for interconnection and traditions. Thus, these symbols acquire significance because these authors embedded meaning into their purposes and

Political Determinants Affecting the HK Insurance Market Essay Example for Free

Political Determinants Affecting the HK Insurance Market Essay Introduction This part of the paper will analyse the external environment of HK insurance market through the use of PESTEL and Five Forces Analysis. PESTEL Analysis It can be noted that the HK Insurance market has always been dependent on international business climate as well as its product cycles. Consequently, the HK Insurance market has been deliberated as one of the growing industries throughout the years. The following figure shows the analysis of the political, economical, socio-cultural and technological, legal and environmental attributes and determinants affecting HK Insurance market. Figure 1 PESTLE Analysis Political| Economical| Socio-Cultural| * Taxation Policy of Hong Kong * Foreign trade Regulations * Political status and condition of Hong Kong and the global market| * Product life cycles * Business Cycles * Rate of unempoyment * Disposable income| * Lifestyle of the target market * Income distribution * Cultural diversity| Technological| Legal| Environmental| * Rapid transition in technology * Speed of technological transfer| * Laws and regulations about that covers apparel industries * Following regulations in the foreign trade| * Awareness of environmental protection * Existence of Green Products| One of the political determinants that affect HK Insurance market is the diverse taxations which surrounds Hong Kong market which lead to re-imports. In this regard, the vehicles are being bought overseas, re-imported to the locale market which influence the price of the product. In the period of economical issues, clients do not substitute their financial and insurance products and services offerings. On one hand, there are some insurance firms which are common in the market environment which expresses a new way of providing their services to their clients. In line with technological determinants, HK Insurance market nowadays is being quiker in line with the business standards as well as considers information system for data records management. In addition, so as to cope with the environmental determinants, further consolidation of the HK Insurance market is expected and consideration of insurance products must be given emphasis. Aside from PESTLE analysis, the HK Insurance market will also be analysed through the consideration of Porter’s five Forces model. 1. Suppliers. In the case of the insuranceindustry, speficifically in the current objectives and plans of HK Insurance market, decision-makers of the corporation must have a clear comprehenson of the business dynamics in which employees are directly involved in. Such consider the employees’ concentration or and core corporate interests, diversity of the products as well as the designs being offered as well as the alternative resources that are accessible for the HK Insurance market in terms of business partnerships. Hence, it is most proper to build win–win relationships with employees or have an agreement on the use of multiple employees in array to protect the interests of both ends. 2. Power of BuyersThe power of clients/buyer s describes the implicate clients/buyer s/buyer ss have on an industry. When buyer power is robust, the relationship to the producing industry becomes closer tomarket conditions wherein the buyer has the most influence in shaping the price. In this regard, the insurance company should be able to provide the need of their clients specifically in lique with information system. 3. New Entrants and Barriers of Entry. The plausibility of new corporations entering the industry influences the pace of the industrial competition. Therefore, the key is to analyse the entry technique as well as exit approach of the new player to the HK Insurance market. Although any corporation must be able to enter and exit the sector, each industry presents diverse degrees of complexity influenced by economics. In terms of insurance market. 4. Substitutes. â€Å"Substitute products† as those that is accessible in other industries that meet an identical or similar demand for the end user. As more substitutes become obtainable as well as price affordable, the demand becomes more elastic since clients/buyer s/buyer ss have more optonss. The threat of substitutes often implicates price-based competition since substitute products may restrict the capability of corporations within an industry to raise prices and improve margins. 5. Industry Competitors. A considerable number of corporations have developed into an essential part of the period of global competition, increasing enhancement, enhanced corporate paradigms, and corporate restructure. The continuous transition from the conventional corporate framework with its hierarchical corporations to a worldwide, knowledge-founded financial system as well as intelligent corporations demands business management to realign and relocate its techniques (Oliver, 1997). Along with the intense marketing nowadays, corporations are faced with the challenge to sustain their own competitive edge so as to survive and be successful. Techniques and marketing tactics are carefully planned and executed to gain the ultimate goal of all: corporation growth (Porter, 1990). Among the HK Insurance market player the management of each company should be able to sustain their competencies. Reference Oliver, C 1997, Sustainable competitive advantage: Combining institutional and resource-Based views.   Strategic Management Journal18(9): 697-713. Porter, ME, 1980,  Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors, Free Press, New York.

English Essays Frankenstein

English Essays Frankenstein Why is Frankenstein considered a Gothic novel and Fathers and Sons and Great Expectations considered realist? Discuss in an essay of 2000 words with reference to Frankenstein and either Fathers and Sons or Great Expectations. Great Expectations and Frankenstein provide us with examples of the nineteenth century English novel frequently labeled realist and gothic respectively. This essay aims to discuss the characteristics that contribute to these labels and how far this sets the two novels apart. The realist novel is classified as such by its attempt to represent social types of the time and symbolize the community of a historical era by portraying particular individuals. Consequently, characters within the novel serve as examples of their particular social type. One of the aims of the realist novel was to bring life to history, to add a human viewpoint to a real historical situation. This means that the realist narrative focuses on the everyday concerns, thoughts and feelings of societys people. Not concerned solely with immediate feelings, the ambitions and desires of a person are also of great interest to the realist writer. As a result we are presented with a picture not just of how the world was, but how different social types imagined it to be. Great Expectations is set in early Victorian England at a time when great social changes were taking place. The Industrial Revolution of the late eighteenth and nineteenth century had transformed the social landscape, enabling capitalists and manufacturers to amass huge fortunes that would otherwise have been unattainable; social class was no longer a status dependent purely on birth. This is the dynamic environment into which Dickens places his protagonist, Pip. Pips sudden transformation from country laborer to city gentleman allows Dickens to commentate on the differences between social extremes. Pips decisions are constantly influenced by the strict rules and expectations that governed Victorian England at this time. The setting of the novel would have been familiar to its readership and certain aspects can clearly be linked to historical truth. For example, in 1841 there would have been three thousand civilian prisoners held aboard nine hulk ships anchored in English waters. It is reasonable to believe, therefore, that Magwitch could have escaped from a ship that found itself anchored off the Essex coast. The moral of the story is clear: social standing is a superficial and insufficient guide to character. Pip swiftly becomes driven by the fantasy of becoming a gentleman, and it is these great expectations that form the basic plot of the novel. As a result Dickens is able to satirise the very class system that he is a part of. The consequences of Pips actions allow us an insight into Dickens social ideals Pips life as a gentleman is no more satisfying or moral than his life as a country laborer. Indeed it is through Joe, Biddy and Magwitch that Pip learns that social and educational improvement are irrelevant to a persons true worth. Consequently, it must be noted that the realist novel is heavily influenced by the way that the realist novelist sees the world; Dickens focuses firmly on those in the community who have earned their status through commerce and as a result, the post-Industrial revolution class system portrayed largely ignores the nobility and aristocracy by birth. In thi s respect the realist novel can be read as more subjective social criticism and raises the issue of how reliable one author can be when it comes to presenting an objective view of the world. Characters in the novel naturally present us with conflicting views of society and it is left to Dickens to reconcile these ideas and present us with the answer, an answer that is heavily influenced by his own ideals. It can be argued that this technique over-simplifies social issues, in the words of Joe, one mans a blacksmith, and ones a whitesmith, and ones a goldsmith, and ones a coppersmith. Divisions among such must come, and must be met as they come. There seems to be little in between and each must be met as they are presented by Dickens. Other factors may also have come into play when producing this realist novel, particularly, the novels market. The content of Great Expectations would have been heavily influenced by the requirements of All the Year Round, one of the magazines for which Dickens wrote. Having just published a rather unsuccessful serial by another author, Dickens saw Great Expectations as a means of drawing in readers and getting the magazine back on track financially: an ironic influence considering the moral of the story which condemns the pursuit of financial and social gain. As mentioned previously, the setting of Great Expectations would have been familiar to its contemporary readers, allowing them to relate to characters. Setting is one factor that sets the realist novel apart from the gothic. The landscape presented in Frankenstein would have been wholly alien to readers of the time. Gothic novels tend to locate narratives in mysterious locations and this convention is clearly adhered to in Frankenstein, with action taking place in continental Europe and Arctic regions places it is unlikely Shelleys readers would have ever visited. In the same respect Victors experiments take place in an unknown setting as the majority of readers would have been unfamiliar with laboratories and scientific experiments. The use of strange and eerie settings succeeds in creating a mood of suspense and unsettling atmosphere, Who shall conceive the horrors of my secret toil as I dabbled among the unhallowed damps of the grave Another characteristic of the gothic novel is the use of the supernatural. Moers writes that, in Gothic writings fantasy predominates over reality, the strange over the commonplace, and the supernatural over the natural, with one definite authorial intent: to scare. Shelley uses the supernatural elements of raising the dead to frighten her readers. Through the eyes of Victor the monster is repulsive and altogether unnatural, shocking the reader out of reality, I suddenly beheld the figure of a man, at some distance, advancing toward me with superhuman speed. At a time of great scientific advancement this would have been a topical story that pushed the boundaries, presenting readers with a truly shocking idea removed from reality, but remotely possible. Not only is this topic unknown and mysterious, it is presented in such a macabre manner that terror consumes the reader. Victors decision to stop making a female monster is driven by fear that a race of devils would be propagated upon the earth who might make the very existence of the species of man a condition precarious and full of terror and this is the very feeling that has already been sparked in the reader during the creation of the first monster. The gothic tradition thrives on the sensational. In her essay on the Female Gothic, Moers argues that the gothic novel is primarily concerned with producing a physiological reaction, a story that chills the spine and curdles the blood. Victor himself experiences this bodily reaction induced by fear Sometimes my pulse beat so quickly and hardly that I felt the palpitation of every artery. In this respect, Shelleys novel clearly meets the criteria of the gothic traditions, illustrated by Lord Byron who is said to have run from the room screaming on first hearing the story of Frankenstein. Indeed, such sensationalist literature was highly sought after in this period and pandered to by such gothic fiction. These sensations are enhanced by the feeling of suspense that runs through Frankenstein, particularly from the moment the monster threatens Victor with the words, I will be with you on your wedding-night, a phrase that echoes through the novel from the moment it is spoken. Nature in the gothic novel is presented as sublime, a retreat from both physical and emotional strain. This is evident in Victors journey to the mountains to revive his spirits and the monsters joy when spring arrives. Nature is often used in conjunction with darkness to construe a feeling of foreboding or evil. This is the case as Victor creates the monster, an endeavor that forces him to shun daylight and lead a solitary life, the moon gazed on my midnight labours, while, with unrelaxed and breathless eagerness, I pursued nature to her hiding-places. As the novel progresses we would not expect life to be injected into the monster on any other night but a dreary night in November. Nature is used to a similar effect within Great Expectations where the mist that occurs on the nights when Pip visits Magwitch, The mist was heavier yet when I got out upon the marshes, and subsequently returns when he leaves for London, suggests that all will not run smoothly when he reaches the city. Through multiple narratives Shelley forces us to question our sympathies. In a Russian doll narrative style we are told the story of Frankenstein through Walton, who in turn tells the story of the monster, who in turn tells the story of Safie and the cottagers. However, it is not until halfway through the novel that we are subject to the monsters narrative and by this time we have already been influenced by Victors biased account of events. Consequently, we become aware of the complex nature of truth and the power of our own subjectivity. In the questions that are asked of us, supernatural becomes closer to natural than we may have first imagined. Although we are terrorized in true gothic fashion, we are simultaneously forced to question the source of this terror. Having said this, the complex narrative structure and the portrayal of the supernatural clearly invites more of a gothic reading. In his essay, Reading Frankenstein, Richard Allen points to narration as a signifier for narrative form, stating that Pips first person narrative makes his presentation in terms of what we might read as gothic excess in fact rather plausible, since it can also be understood as the product of a young imagination replete with the monsters and ogres of folk and fairy-tale tradition. The realist narrative directs us towards a more sensible and natural explanation, toning down what may be gothic content by presenting it from a realist perspective. This realist understanding of supernatural events can be identified in the reaction of the magistrate to whom Victor explains his story to, He had heard my story with that half kind of belief that is given to a tale of spirits and supernatural events. Both Dickens and Shelley draw from their own experiences in writing their respective novels. Dickens would have been extremely familiar with the city of London and the marshes surrounding Kent, and would also have experienced the law system, with his own father spending time in prison. Shelley was also frequently exposed to the ideas expressed in her novel, spending time with radical thinkers through her father and husband. Great Expectations may well be more openly realistic, but the subtext of Frankenstein connects to the natural more than a first reading may imply. There is a vast undercurrent of birth and abortion illustrated by a link that is often made between the creation of the monster and Marys loss of a child. Her journals explain that the baby died before it was given a name (just as Frankensteins monster remained nameless) and that she also experienced a vivid dream in which she was able to bring it back to life. It must be noted that neither novel can be classified by one single form. Great Expectations for example can also be read as a bildungsroman, another popular nineteenth century novel form which depicts growth and personal development by transition from childhood to adulthood. Much of the gothic novel also draws from the Romantic tradition, Shelleys portrayal of human feeling, compassions and discontent towards all that is commercial and inhuman is closely aligned with this movement. Walden observes this cross-over of genres, stating that what is especially interesting about Dickens writings is the degree to which they anticipate the continuing hybridity of genre expectations, a statement that can equally be applied to Shelley. Bibliography Frankenstein, Mary Shelley (Everymans Library, 1992) Great Expectations, Charles Dickens (Marshall Cavendish, 1986) The Endurance of Frankenstein: Essays on Mary Shelleys Novel, Edited by George Levine and U. C. Knoepflmacher (University of California Press, 1979) The Realist Novel, Edited by Dennis Walder (Routledge, 1995) http://intolerablehulks.com/intro.html

The Hotel Industry Of United Arab Emirates Tourism Essay

The Hotel Industry Of United Arab Emirates Tourism Essay First of all we will be analyzing the Hotel Industry of United Arab Emirates (UAE) using Industry Life Cycle Model. Then after deciding the stage in which the industry is, we will be analyzing the threats and opportunities associated with the industry using Michael Porters Five Forces model. Then after deciding the threats and opportunities respectively, we will be deciding the business level strategies that will be best for our growth and development. This selection of business level strategy will be on the basis of Michael Porters Generic Business-Level Strategies. Then we will be analyzing the areas that can prove to be our strength and then we will be deciding the functional strategies accordingly. The selection of the functional strategies will be according to the Value Chain Model. After that we will be having the internal analysis of our capabilities in order to mark our presence in the industry. Then the suitable business model will be proposed according to the resources avai lable and constraints. Further we would be focusing on our mission, vision and our goals and finally the conclusion. 2. External Analysis: Industry Life Cycle: The life cycle of an industry is very similar to a persons life cycle. Just as a person takes birth, then grows, matures and finally dies, similarly the industry also experiences such phases. The various stages of industry life cycle are: i. Early  Stages Phase   It is the first stage when any industry comes up. The main focus is this phase is design of the product i.e. the different firms try to attract as many customers as possible to create the domain and boundaries of the industry. ii. Innovation Phase In this phase the main focus is on the process design rather than on the product design. The competitors try to sustain the customers by providing attractive services or adopting creative processes. This phase also helps in designing energy efficient practices. iii. Cost or Shakeout Phase   Here the dominance of the major players in the industry is clearly shown. The established firms force the smaller players to leave the industry by acquiring them or by achieving economies of scale which makes it difficult for a smaller firm to survive in the market. iv. Maturity   Once the industry is established the focus shifts from growth to market share. Companies try to earn as much profit as they can. Market share becomes the main attraction for a company. v. Decline   After seeing the happy days, the industry has to face this phase also. There comes a significant decline in the sales of the firms, they no longer are able to attract new customers but also the older customers are also decreasing. The hotel industry in UAE is in its maturity phase definitely. A number of facts and figures support this. UAE is being famous for organizing a number of events (sport events, trade fairs, business meetings etc.) due to its profound infrastructure and world class facilities in terms of transportation, hospitality. This has attracted a large number of people from countries all over the world including Europe, Asia, and America for the last many years. Definitely this is possible when there is an established Hotel Industry having world class facilities in UAE. Dubai has also been voted as one of the top ten desirable places to be visited by the people all over the world. This clearly shows that the hotel industry in United Arab Emirates is established and is in a healthy state. It has been estimated that about 500,000 new staff will be required in the hotel industry in UAE over the next five years. Thus hotel industry will help in the economic development of UAE as it will be providing employment to a large number of people in the upcoming years. Also a handsome amount of foreign currency will be earned that will further help in the development of United Arab Emirates. Michael Porter Competitive Forces model analysis: The threat of the entry of new competitors: Since the hotel industry is an established industry in UAE there is very little threat for any established player from new entrants. On the other hand it is definitely a challenging task for a new entrant to enter and keep the pace up with the already established players, as they have an upper hand in adopting new strategies. Thus for a new entrant in the Hotel Industry in UAE it is better to enter through merger or acquisition with an already famous brand name. Alternatively in order to survive, the new entrant can come up with some innovative idea that has not been implemented by the existing players. In terms of legal issue, there is no major barrier being established by the law and regulations. However there are laws when a new player (including foreign player) wants to enter the industry. The intensity of competitive rivalry: Definitely there is a very strong competition among the established rivals like Burj Al Arab, Sheraton Dubai Creek, and Dubai 7 Star Hotel etc. Thus this is definitely a threat for a new entrant as the customer loyalty is one of the major factors in the hotel industry. The customers prefer to stick to the hotels they used to visit unless and until some other hotel is providing something exceptional. Thus this can be considered a major threat because even if a new player is able to make entry in the industry, it will be very difficult for him to survive in such a competitive environment. The threat of substitute products or services: The threat of substitute products or services is somewhat low in this case as the substitutes of hotels and restaurants cannot be much. The alternatives will again be some hotels with different specialties or features that make it stand alone from the rest. Thus it can be considered to be an opportunity for any new player as UAE is organizing a number of events in 2011 and subsequent years. Some of these events are Dubai International Parachuting Championship and Gulf Cup, Dubai trade fair and conference, Dubai Shopping Festival etc. This will attract a large number of people to Dubai. Thus it can be considered as an opportunity for a new entrant as well. The bargaining power of customers (buyers): Here in UAE customers do have the bargaining power with them as there are a large number of hotels with similar facilities available. The customers can anytime switch to another hotel whenever they feel dissatisfied with a particular hotel. Thus bargaining power of customers can prove to be a threat for a new entrant. The bargaining power of suppliers: The bargaining power of suppliers comes into light when there are many buyers or customers for the product they produce or they are limited number of suppliers of a particular item. Here in the Hotel Industry the suppliers can be the real decorators, real state builders, raw material suppliers, crockery suppliers etc. There are a large number of suppliers of all these basic requirements. Thus the suppliers do not have a very significant bargaining power and hence do not provide much threat to the Hotel Industry in United Arab Emirates. Thus some of the forces of the Michael Porters model appear to be a threat for a new entrant whereas others provide opportunities and new prospects for the new entrants. 3. Business- Level Strategy Michael Porter has laid down several Generic Business-Level Strategies to neutralize the threats and at the same time exploit the available opportunities. He has basically categorized the Business- Level Strategies in basically three broad heads. These are used by different business people to have a competitive advantage over others. The three categories are Cost Leadership strategy, Differentiation Strategy and Focus Strategy. The strategies are based on two dimensions: namely strategic scope and strategic strength. Strategic scope is a dimension that is based on the demand whereas strategic strength is a dimension based on the supply side. Strategic scope deals with the composition and the size of the targeted market whereas strategic strength looks at the core competency of the business. Cost Leadership strategy: This strategy aims at producing the products and services at the minimum possible rate. Then the firm sells its products at either the average market price or sometimes even less than the average market price. Selling at average price helps a firm to make profits while selling at a price even less than the average price helps a firm to acquire market share. The cost leadership strategy is applied in a wide market where there are a large number of buyers and sellers. The cost leadership is achieved by improving the efficiency of the various processes involved, by acquiring the materials at a lower rate, vertical integration and minimizing the wastage. Here in the Hotel Industry of United Arab Emirates (UAE) outperforming the established players on the basis of price is definitely a very challenging task because all the major hotels are into existence for a very long time. Thus they know how to deal or change strategies. Thus for a new hotel venture cost leade rship is quite difficult to achieve and can only be implemented with some new innovative plans. Differentiation Strategy: This strategy focuses on developing unique products and providing unique services. This allows business firms to decide their own prices which can be more than that what is charged by the competitors. This helps the firm to capture a large market share and that too with making handsome profits. Here in the Hotel Industry, product differentiation strategy can play a crucial role in making a hotel distinguish from others. Thus a new entrant can come up with a differentiation strategy that will make him stand distinguished from others. The new entrant can specialize in particular area, this will him to attract the customers. c) Focus Strategy: This strategy focuses on a narrow aspect that is either on differentiation or on the cost advantage. The new entering Hotel should better focus on a narrow segment of the industry. This will help in gaining the new loyal customers as the services being provided to them will be better. The firms having focus strategy are likely to have lower market share as they are targeting a particular section of the industry initially. Thus the new Hotel entering in UAE hotel industry should initially focus on a particular section of the industry and should then expand itself. Thus it will be best for the entering Hotel to adopt differentiation strategy as it will attract the customers. 4. Functional-Level Strategies Michael Porters Value Chain Model divides the activities at either support activities or primary activities. The primary activities include: Inbound logistics: It includes transportation scheduling, storing, inventory control etc. These are basically the requirements that are necessary for the production of any product or service. Operations (production): It includes assembling, packaging, maintenance of equipment, testing and packaging. These are associated with all the process from product (service) design, manufacturing, quality testing. Outbound logistics: It includes all those areas which are required to transfer the finished goods to the customer like warehouses. The manufactured products are transferred from the store of the company to the warehouse or store of the retailer so that he can further transfer the goods to the customers. Marketing and sales (demand): The activities covered in this step are the product value enhancing techniques like advertising, promotion, pricing, selling. Depending on the aim or objective of the organization the money spent on marketing strategy can vary significantly from a very small amount to very large budgets. Services (maintenance): It includes services like customer support, selection, management, training, upgrading etc. Some of the services can be on-site while in some the customer is required to come at the office of the organization itself. The support activities include: Administrative infrastructure management: Includes planning management, accounting, public affairs, quality management etc. Human resource management: The activities being focused here are related to the human labor management like recruiting, educating, compensating, Technology (RD): Focuses on the involvement of technology to support the activities of value chain, like process automation, process up gradation etc. Procurement: Activities related to procurement of items like raw materials, servicing, spare parts, machines etc are covered in this. Therefore the smart selection of the primary and support activities for the Hotel entrant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Hotel industry becomes very crucial. The one of the most important activity here for new entrant in the Hotel Industry is a proper selection of the Human work force as it plays a very significant role in this industry. A proper selection of Hotel managers, chefs, workers will help to attain new heights easily. Another important activity includes a very effective management which includes planning, organizing, leading and controlling of the workforce. This management plays a significant role in reducing the cost associated with any service provided by the hotel. The other primary activity that should be given appropriate focus is the services that are being offered that are aimed by the Hotel entering in UAE hotel industry. The services should be such that the consumers feel completely satisfied. The use of technology can ease the work of hotel management departm ent. Some of the work that can be easily managed with use of technology is the maintenance of a database system providing information regarding the rooms occupied, employee database, the information regarding the people coming to the hotel, automated billing system etc. This will help the hotel to provide quality and fast services which will further help the managers to focus their attention on other tasks as well. A proper strategy for the advertising of the hotel is also very important because that is something that will force the customers to leave their regular hotels and try the new one. Thus a proper and adequate amount of resources should be dedicated for the marketing purpose.    5. Internal analysis: The various capabilities for the new entrant (including having technologically advanced management, proper procurement, advertising, focused perspective etc.) can be a real bliss for the new entrant. For instance if the new hotel which is coming up in the industry has a proper planning of how to implement the automated system in all the activities (maintaining database of employees and customers, billing etc), it will be much easier for it to implement as compared to an existing hotel as its system has been designed in that way for many years and it will be difficult to shift to the technology. Other capability of the new Hotel that cannot be easily copied by the competitor is the innovative interior design of the rooms, reception, dining hall and other outdoor structures like swimming pools, lawns, parking etc. These better designs cannot be immediately imitated by the competitors because the change will require the redesigning and reconstruction which in itself is definitely a time taking process. Also the specialization in a particular type of food or beverages cannot be immediately copied by other rivals because for that new workers and chefs are required to be recruited which by any means is not an easy task. Also, as UAE is organizing a lot many events in the upcoming years a lot many tourists will come to UAE therefore having a proper advertising plan (online, magazines, newspaper, hoardings etc) will also be very beneficial for the new hotel. Also the hotel can provide some attractive packages like free city tour, or some discount on the hotel rates and food rates. This will help the hotel to make a beginning in the industry where already there are a number of established hotels like Burj Al Arab, Le Royal Meridien Resort, etc. 6. Business Model: The various components of a perfect business model are: Value proposition It is a complete picture of the problem of the customer, the process or the method that should be used to solve that problem and the values that should be taken into account while actually solving the problem. Here in UAE hotel industry the problem or objective is the hotel services to the customers. The process involved in providing those services includes clean and maintenance of the hotel, proper food facilities, proper lightning and water supply in the rooms. Market segment This component selects which segment of the market should be targeted according to the need or requirements in the market and then selecting which customers to target, so that the firm can acquire a large proportion of the market. Also focus on different segments of the market help the organization to create innovative processes as different strategies have to be adopted in different areas. The hotel industry of United Arab Emirates (UAE) is also divided into a number of segments. Sometimes need for expensive hotels come while at some other time cheap hotels may be in demand. Generally the expensive hotels are in demand for arranging business meetings whereas cheaper hotels may be preferred during some fair. Value chain structure It evaluates the position of the firm in the industry and how can the firm capture a major part of the value created by the firm. It can be a very important factor in the deciding that which hotel has how much share of the market and how the new entrant can vary its plans in order to capture the same. Revenue generation and margins This figures out the ways in which the revenue can be generated. The different steps could be support, sales, annual subscription etc. The firm always tries to maximize the revenue generated by the operation of the firm like selling products, or providing services. Here the upcoming hotel will try to find out the areas where the revenue generation possibilities exist. It is basically the exploration of the market areas which are still unexplored by the other competitors. Position in value network In this step the complementary firms and industries are identified. These complementary firms also need to be as competitive because since both industries are interdependent they need to be moving at the same pace. This will help in deciding that which hotels will be rivals and which other industries are must for the existence and the progress of the hotel industry. Competitive strategy Making profits only for the one time is not the motive of any firm. Every firm tries to sustain its profits making processes over larger time so as to prosper at a regular pace so that they can be at par with the major rivals. The new hotel will try not only to make one time profit, but the profits margin should increase steadily with time. The business models itself are very important factor in the success and profits of an organization. Thus the implementation of the above mentioned steps in a pre decided sequence is very important for the progress of a new hotel like us. We intend to enter the hotel industry of UAE by first opening a hotel and then expanding it as a chain in all the Emirates of Arab while at the same time providing the world class facilities in terms of hospitality, infrastructure, recreation, food, service and all the areas that befall under a hotel. As far as the business model is concerned we would mainly focus on the differentiation strategy that will attract the loyal customers of other hotels as well as the new customers also. This differentiation strategy includes all those things that are not focused by the established hotel names in United Arab Emirates. The functional strategies include adoption of a proper procurement process, effective management of all the resources (human, material etc), and moreover a separately focused advertising plan to spread to whole of UAE. As far as the core or the distinct competencies are considered, our main focus will be on the quality of service to the customers. We will be having the qualified managers and workers and most of them having past experience. This will help us serve the customers in a better way. 7. Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals: Our mission is to make an impressive entry in the Hotel Industry of the United Arab Emirates with quality customer service as our priority. It also includes attracting the tourists that will be arriving in UAE to attend events like Dubai Shopping Festival, Dubai International Parachuting Championship and Gulf Cup, Dubai trade fair and conference and many more. First of all we look forward to come up with a single but unique Hotel in the industry. As far as our vision is concerned we hope to have a chain of hotel all over the Emirates of Arab and become a famous name in the Hotel Industry of UAE. We value the customer as our main area of focus because customer satisfaction plays a very important role in long term run. Also our employees are a big asset for us and hence we value their satisfaction as one of our other priority. Without proper human resources it is not possible to survive in this industry. Our goal is to provide the tourist all the facilities that can ever think of. Some of these include providing best possible service, providing as many types of food types that can be possible, proper hospitality so that the tourists coming from all over the world should feel like A home away from home. 8. Conclusion Based on all the above mentioned strategies and plans we expect to make significant progress both in the short as well as the long term. Although we know that are a number of established players in the market which have their presence in every single area of the area, but we are quite positive about are plans and the strategies. It may be a bit difficult in the initial startup but the things will definitely work our way once we get a start. Also the initial profits may be somewhat less but in the long run we will definitely be able to outperform the existing major players. Our main focus as already mentioned above will be the Customer Satisfaction that will become an asset for us in the sustainable growth and development in the Hotel Industry of United Arab Emirates (UAE). This will help us in attracting the local as well as foreign visitors, tourists, business delegates etc to our hotel. Therefore the prospects of making huge success are quite bright, thus a properly planned and eff ective implementation of the strategies decided above will help us to achieve new heights in the Hotel Industry of United Arab Emirates (UAE). Diagrams: 1.Porters Generic Business Strategies: E:documentsgeneric-strategies-porters-mbaknol.jpg 2. Porters Five Forces ModelE:documentsPorter_Five_Forces1.jpg.png 3. The Value Chain Model E:documentsporter-value-chain.png 4. Business Model: E:documentsbusinessModel.jpg

The Importance of the Earl of Kent in Shakespeares King Lear Essays

The Importance of the Earl of Kent in King Lear   Ã‚   The Earl of Kent plays a small but important part in Shakespeare's play King Lear. From the beginning scenes to the end we see a minor character that is used to show the values that Shakespeare believed in. Whether Kent is an example of the dutiful servant or plays the intermediary between Lear and Cordelia he is essential to the functioning of the plot.    The role of Kent is important because of the use Shakespeare has for his character in giving the reader an example of what the values are in the play. In Kent the reader sees a man who is loyal to his King but is not blind to the wrong that this King has committed Kent is also able to defend his King even though he has been banished by him. Kent is an example of a dutiful servant and a symbol of reason. The reader discovers Kent's willingness to protect his King in the first scene. After Lear has had his daughter's display their love in a pubic competition Kent tries to persuade him that Cordelia "does not love him least" and that Lear should think about banishing her. Kent is trying to protect the King from his emotions and the decision that they have led him to. But Lear does not listen and instead banishes Kent from the Kingdom. His banishment is a result of another emotional outburst on the part of the King. If Lear were to look rationally at his actions and what his daughters have said he would realize his folly. Instead he is enraged by Kent and thinks that he is challenging his authority.    Even after he has been banished Kent goes back to protect Lear. He sees that the King is headed for trouble. He has let his emotions guide his actions. He has abandoned reason, and Kent is present as a reas... ... example of what is right and to show how powerful duty is. Without Kent the play would take a completely different course. He is able to connect the King's madness with the loss of reason that Lear displays in the first scene. Kent is a representative of Lear before he lost his power.    The actions of Kent are connected to the main plot of the play. He is present in almost all of the scenes in which Lear shows his descent from power into madness. The reader is able to make connections in the plot because of the presence of Kent. The reader also sees the strong moral messages of the plot through the character of Kent. Kent is the embodiment of honor and duty. These themes are needed in order to keep the story complete.       Works Cited and Consulted   Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of King Lear.   Ed. Russell Fraser.   New York: Penguin, 1998.

Affirmative Action :: essays research papers

In its tumultuous, nearly 40-year history, affirmative action has been both praised and pilloried as an answer to racial inequality. The policy was introduced in 1965 by President Johnson as a method of redressing discrimination that had persisted in spite of civil rights laws and constitutional guarantees. "This is the next and more profound stage of the battle for civil rights," Johnson asserted. "We seek†¦ not just equality as a right and a theory, but equality as a fact and as a result." Focusing in particular on education and jobs, affirmative action policies required that active measures be taken to ensure that blacks and other minorities enjoyed the same opportunities for promotions, salary increases, career advancement, school admissions, scholarships, and financial aid that had been the nearly exclusive province of whites. From the outset, affirmative action was envisioned as a temporary remedy that would end once there was a "level playing field" for all Americans. By the late '70s, however, flaws in the policy began to show up amid its good intentions. Reverse discrimination became an issue, epitomized by the famous Bakke case in 1978. Allan Bakke, a white male, had been rejected two years in a row by a medical school that had accepted less qualified minority applicants—the school had a separate admissions policy for minorities and reserved 16 out of 100 places for minority students. The Supreme Court outlawed inflexible quota systems in affirmative action programs, which in this case had unfairly discriminated against a white applicant. In the same ruling, however, the Court upheld the legality of affirmative action per se. Fueled by "angry white men," a backlash against affirmative action began to mount. To conservatives, the system was a zero-sum game that opened the door for jobs, promotions, or education to minorities while it shut the door on whites. In a country that prized the values of self-reliance and pulling oneself up by one's bootstraps, conservatives resented the idea that some unqualified minorities were getting a free ride on the American system. "Preferential treatment" and "quotas" became expressions of contempt. Even more contentious was the accusation that some minorities enjoyed playing the role of professional victim. Why could some minorities who had also experienced terrible adversity and racism—Jews and Asians, in particular—manage to make the American way work for them without government handouts? Liberals countered that "the land of opportunity" was a very different place for the European immigrants who landed on its shores than it was for those who arrived in the chains of slavery.

Life History Project

LIFE HISTORY PROJECT By Lorraine Ward PSY 355 5/14/09 TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 Life History Research †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4-8 Works Sited Page †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 9 Appendix †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 10- 15 Photo of Interviewee †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 16 ABSTRACT: This research delves into the special concerns of aging. I look at options that to be explored to make life more satisfying for senior citizens. Harry Lo Vette was my interviewee and his answers are similar to others his age, depending on ducational background, socioeconomic status, mental and physical health. Programs need to be implemented for older adults and their families to discuss the lifespan. Lorraine Ward 5/1/2009 PSY 355 Life History Paper I chose to do the life history interview. I interviewed my neighbor/family friend, Harry E. Lo Vette. I learned a lot of interesting facts about Harry. He is the type of person that you can have a conversation with for hours and lose track of the time. Our interview took at least two hours. I have decided to have my parents fill out a questionnaire. This will be great to look back on, when my children have their own children. I am going to fill one out, too. I think it is a great way to record people in your family. My great, great, great-grandchildren may find it comforting to hear that we started cleaning up our planet or that cars ran on gas or moon hotels hadn’t developed, yet. These could be included in time capsules to show how we’ve evolved through generation to generation. There are many similarities between my interview and what we discussed in class. The one that bothers me the most is the acceptance of pain. Harry said he had overall good health but later in the interview said â€Å"I hurt. I take a few pills & it makes you feel dumb in the head & the pain goes away for half an hour. † I know my grandmother suffers with pain, too and she takes hands full of prescription medication. A man at my job takes 15 different vitamin and medications, twice a day. He suffers with pain. I don’t understand why take the pills if you are still going to hurt? Why prescribe a medication that obviously doesn’t work? Why are we not looking for alternative methods to take their pain away, if medications/pain relievers aren’t working? It seems to me that the physicians are just dealing with the pain and not the cause. Do we just put our elderly on a shelf? â€Å"Here, take these. Go home and come back when these are gone. † Your children and grandchildren have their hectic lives and visit between PTA meetings, softball, and soccer games. Your friends either can’t drive, have passed on, go south for winter, or are in a nursing home, possibly suffering more than you. We treat animals better than we treat our elderly and our country is supposed to be a great place to live†¦.. We must look into changing this. â€Å"†¦there is more to aging than meets the eye! † (Althoff, pg. 9) â€Å"For some, later years are a time of struggle, while others enjoy greater success† (Crosnoe, pg. 310). This may be because of good physical and mental health or because of their socioeconomic status being a positive one. According to Crosnoe, three criteria must be met to have a successful adaptation to aging. These criteria are; family engagement, occupational success, and civic involvement. We must remember that everyone is unique in their aging process, also. These factors are relevant to a subject’s differences in longevity and aging; biological background, education, occupation, marital status and family life, ethnic group, geographic location, housing, recreation, religion, and social class. (Althoff, pg. 9) Family interactions are important throughout life (Brubaker, pg. 212). Time spent with one’s family is important and so is accomplishing career goals (Crosnoe, pg. 311). Harry was successful in his career and enjoyed his job at the telephone company. He had a bad fall but went back on the job after he could walk, again. Also, he was involved with Boy Scouts from the time he was a child. I can recall many stories he has told my family and I about his camping trips with the Boy Scouts. He really enjoyed teaching the young boys important life skills and respect. He has had a lot of civic involvement. Marital status can have a positive influence on aging, also, especially if it’s a long term marriage to only one partner. It enhances a person’s security and provides social networks, especially for men (Crosnoe, pg. 312). Harry has been married twice but he realizes his first marriage dissolved because of his alcoholism. â€Å"Alcoholism is disruptive†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Crosnoe, pg. 312). He still visits his first wife (Rose) in the nursing home she resides at. Donna his current wife understands because she realizes Rose has Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. Harry has been married to Donna for over twenty five years. Religion can be beneficial to aging subjects. It can provide comfort, direction, a sense of community, and an anchor in social networks, which can increase social amalgamation over time and aid in successful adaptation Crosnoe, pg. 313). Harry is active in his church, the Salvation Army. His church gives to the less fortunate and Harry finds this important. He came from a family that believed in giving. â€Å"†¦to the extent that aging includes a greater concern with others’ welfare. † (Silver, pg. 13). Harry’s mother brought food to those without, during the G reat Depression. It’s fulfilling to help others, out of the kindness of your heart. Organization within the family unit is important at any age. â€Å"Well-organized families weathered even severe losses, while disorganized families suffered severe disruption. (Duvall, pg. 131). Every family has conclusive essential tasks that must be met: (a) provide physical care, (b) allocate resources, (c) arbitrate who does what, (d) assure members’ socialization, (e) authenticate interaction models, (f) incorporate and extricate members, (g) relate to society through its institutions, (h) and affirm morale and motivation (Duvall, pg. 131). I know in my own family if we stay organized, things run more smoothly and we have spare time for leisure activities. If we don’t stay on top of things, then it’s very chaotic. Psychological well-being and social engagement is a lifelong process. (Crosnoe, pg. 309). â€Å"A positive view of the world may not be crucial for the young, but seeing the world as more than good and people as more trustworthy than not is a source of well-being for older adults. † (Silvers, pg. 14). I see this in Harry. During my interview with him, I asked if he had experienced any prejudice against him due to his age and he had said no. He went onto explain that a younger person needs to be taught to respect others. This is a positive view of the world. I do wonder if this is across the board or if only by those who have adapted well to aging. Also, I wonder if this occurs across multicultural backgrounds or just those of European decent. The Great Depression and World War II greatly affected the current generation of senior citizens. They probably knew someone who served in the armed forces at this time or they themselves served. Combat experience and family death are traumatic events that affect a person for the entirety of his/her life (Crosnoe, pg. 313). â€Å"Combat in World War II increased odds of eing less adjusted (289%)†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Crosnoe, pg. 321). Those who served in WWII or had suffered a loss of a child were less likely to be satisfied with their life than others (Crosnoe, pg. 323). War veterans have a less effective style for aging, even years later (Crosnoe, pg. 324). The end of WWII brought more problems with it. â€Å"American families were in disarray. † (Duvall, pg. 127). The men came back from the wa r changed by the event. The women had experienced a newfound independence of being employed outside the home. Children were either left fatherless (during the war) or went off to war. President Truman formed the First National Conference on the Family for 1948. The enlistment of participation of 123 national agencies centered on the family was called on. (Duvall, pg. 127). Truman actually acknowledged that families were in need of help. I wish our President or past President would acknowledge this. Our troops are coming home with many confusing thoughts and addictions (Heroin is cheaper in Iraq and Afghanistan. ). They have never been faced with these kinds of traumatic events. A person must ascertain a certain amount of habits to insure they live a fulfilling life, even into old age. One must moderate food, drink, and physical pleasures (Althoff, pg. 11). Too much of a good thing, is not good. A person should avoid grief, drugs, tobacco products, and an excess of alcohol (Althoff, pg. 11). These are toxins. It is wise to exercise daily, get plenty of sleep, get good medical care, have good personal hygiene, and breathe pure air. Quality medical care is hard to come by for lower income adults, especially the elderly, in America. It is recommended that one achieve a balance of physical and mental work throughout their lifespan (Althoff, pg. 11). It is a fact that as we age our bodily functions decrease. â€Å"The resolution of early stages greatly influences the outcomes of later stages. † (Dunkel, pg. 13). This would be along the same lines of Psychoanalytic theory, also. Erikson has eight stages in his theory. The one that affects this paper, though, is integrity versus despair. In old age the individual must assess their lives and have a sense of contentment or sorrow. Wisdom arrives with integrity as strength (Dunkel, pg. 4). According to Dunkel, a basic sense of trust develops an understanding of autonomy, industry, identity, intimacy, generativity, and integrity (Dunkel, pg. 14). Harry seemed comfortable with his childhood and therefore, I assume this is why he is adjusting well to aging. My grandmother, too, has adapted well to aging, even though she suffers through a lot of pain. Is it possible that surviving great hurdles like war and economic struggles can bring a family closer and help a person to learn coping mechanisms to deal with adaptations needed in aging? Listening to the power point presentations in class, those who had a closer family network and had to struggle at some point in their life had a better outlook on aging. Is it generational or a theory we need to further research? The next generation to reach old age is the baby boomers. They are facing a different set of problems than their parents did. There is a higher rate of single parents, divorced, multiple marriages, extramarital activities, women that had entered the job force, and live in households where both parents were working (Giordano, pg. 11). This generation was more likely to have parents still alive and live close to them (Giordano, pg. 411). They are the recipients of advanced medical research, greater economic security, more open to alternative lifestyles, rising social security payments, and achieved higher levels of education (Giordano, pg. 412). Harry’s daughters are examples of how true this is. All three of them are teachers and that is a higher educa tion than Harry achieved. This generation has developed a more positive attitude on aging. They have adapted well and have increased their leisure activities, enjoy happier marriages and family relations (Giordano, pg. 412). There are (and will be) more fourth and fifth generation families. These subjects will require more counseling, health and enrichment programs (individual and marriage), and family therapy techniques will need adjusting to compensate for larger family networks (Giordano, pg. 413). They will be the pacesetters for the increase use of technology. They will not suffer from as many serious health issues, as previous generations had (Giordano, pg. 14). My parents are baby boomers and I agree with Giordano on most of what he wrote about on this generation. My mother goes to Curves for fitness. My father gardens, and remodels their home. This is form of enjoyment. They both like to travel via car to different castles and other places of interest to them. I know my grandparents never did this. In fact, I don’t believe they could afford to. â€Å"Health may be the most important factor associated with an older person’s well-being. † (Brubaker, pg. 212-213). Retirement is a major influence in an older adult’s life. It adds to the possible confusion that accompanies growing older. There need to be support groups that are community based and accessible to all ethnicities and genders, surrounding the topic of retirement. â€Å"Women have more difficulty adjusting to retirement than men. † (Brubaker, pg. 215). These support groups need to address financial planning (retirement income), â€Å"empty nest† syndrome, leisure activities, smaller households/larger family networks, medical care, intergenerational issues, accessing new technologies, social changes, fitness for the mind and body, and emotional changes (Brubaker, pg. 13). â€Å"Concurrent with the changes in spousal interaction, older parents need to develop new patterns of communication and interaction with their independent children. † (Brubaker, pg. 213). Issues pertaining to retirement programs are: â€Å"theoretical assumptions that under pins the programs’ rationale†, significance of the agenda, timin g of such learning occasions, teaching patterns, and accessibility of the program (Brubaker, pg. 215). There are stereotypes encompassing senior citizens that need to be altered because so many are negative. The assumption that older subjects don’t engage in sexual activities is false, for the most part. Many may not realize that holding hands, caressing each other, massages, and foreplay can astute to sexual activity. Intercourse does not need to be the only way to relieve sexual tension. Also, they may need to hear that it’s perfectly normal and okay to engage in sexual activity. Previous generations may have been told that it was not okay and this may have been passed down to other generations. As long as a physician has not said to refrain from sexual activity, it should be safe to do so. Other stereotypes include hearing loss, memory loss, control of bladder, perversion (â€Å"dirty old man†), and the necessity to call them â€Å"honey† or â€Å"dear†. There is hearing loss but not in everyone and not to the extreme pictured in cartoons. Short term memory loss is common but generally, long term memory is intact and sharper than some younger persons. Bodily functions do decrease but not everybody loses control of their bladder. The â€Å"Depends† and â€Å"Serenity† commercials would have you believe this occurs with all older adults, but it just simply isn’t true. The â€Å"Viagara† commercials play on people in the same way. Old people are no more likely to be perverted than anyone else. It is okay to be sexually attracted to another adult at any age. The person the attraction is aimed at should feel honored to be noticed by a more distinguished person. The older adult should feel proud that these feelings can be evoked still. Many older adults are living to see their children’s children and some have no idea how to deal with this. â€Å"Nearly 75% of older people are grandparents and nearly half are great-grandparents. † (Brubaker, pg. 216). Classes should be offered on how to be adequate, functional grandparents. Issues to be taught through family education classes ought to include: what to do with a grandchild, different grandparenting styles, intergenerational differences/similarities, how these bonds will strengthen the family structure, gender differences, listening to views of younger people, lifespan development, generativity, increase satisfaction of having grandchildren, and how to improve family communication (Brubaker, pg. 216-217). A grandparent’s role is very different from a parent’s role. They are more nurturing and less disciplining. A grandparent can teach a child more than a parent can, though. A child can learn about a generation that has past, with more detail than a textbook. Grandparents offer a wide array of learning experiences for their grandchildren. Environment influences how a subject adapts to aging. â€Å"People with particular needs search for the environments that meet them best. † (Text, ch. 5). Many different cultures hold the older generation as the wisest. Some are chiefs in their nations or kings/queens of their empires. The United States is one of the most powerful countries in the world but they hold very little respect for senior citizens. In fact, there are very few programs available to older adults. They often are challenged with high medical bills, high costs of mobility equipment, transportation costs (after they lose use of their driver’s license), and possible nursing home costs. Senior citizens may feel distraught over the obstacle of maturing. Our economy will determine if more programs are able to be launched or not. It will ascertain how well or not, the elderly live. (Frontline Video: Living Old)The length of time they live will be affected by the cost of living. Nursing homes need to get a facelift. Instead of being waiting rooms for death, they should be improved to be gazed upon as an oasis for the elderly. They have lived full lives and deserve to be treated with respect. Programs required in this environment are; life history therapies, training for staff, co-ed rooms, family education about lifespan development, technology training, discussions about aging (group therapy), memory builder games or skill training, course availability (of their choice) at a local college or learning institution, and options about dying with dignity (vegetable state, assisted suicide? , living wills). Presently, our economy is facing a possible depression. Medicare has been cut and Social Security runs the risk of running out of funding. Older adults are being forced either out of a job or into an early retirement due to budget cutbacks, the closing of companies, or the companies have moved out of the country. This leaves an older adult at a loss of coping skills. This needs to be addressed within every community because it affects everyone. Many of these people don’t have the required skills to achieve another job without a higher education. Some may not even have a high school diploma or GED. They are now faced with competing for jobs with younger, more viable adults that do have the required education and skills. This is a major stressor for these misplaced aging adults. Their risk for acute illnesses may rise due to this added stress leaving them even more vulnerable. I learned a lot from this course on adult development and aging, the life history interview, and this research paper. I realized how condescending I may sound to elderly customers who step into my taxi by calling them â€Å"honey† or â€Å"sugar†. I had never even thought about it until we learned it in class. I’m conditioning myself to use it less and to treat senior citizens like others in my cab and in general. I respect my elders, always. This is how I was raised and something I struggle to instill in my children. They seem so stubborn (lol). I tried to include approximately the same information in my research paper as I asked in my life history interview with Harry Lo Vette. This wasn’t difficult because most of the information I found on aging surrounded these same topics or topics we had already discussed in class. I’m going to interview my parents and myself for fun. The answers may be worth putting in a time capsule or away for future generations to reminisce over. It will be interesting to review and revise my answers when I’m 50 or 60. This course was rewarding for me because I learned more than I ever thought I would. The achievements that older adults have over me are that they have successfully lived longer than I have (to date). WORKS SITED: Althoff, Sally A. (1975). Preparing Teachers, Students, and Citizens to Deal Constructively with the Problems and Potentialities of Aging. 1-79. Brubaker, T. H. , Roberto, K. A. (1993). Family Life Education for the Later Years. Family Relations, 42, 212-221. Crosnoe, R. , Elder, Jr, G. (2002). Successful Adaptation in the Later Years: A Life Course Approach to Aging. Social Psychology Quarterly, 65, 309-328. Dunkel, C. S. , Sefcek, J. A. (2009). Eriksonian Lifespan Theory and Life History Theory: An Integration Using the Examples of Identity Formation. Review of General Psychology, 13, 13-23. Duvall, Evelyn M. (1988). Family Development’s First Forty Years. Family Relations, 37, 127-134. Giordano, Jeffrey. (1988). Parents of the Baby Boomers: A New Generation of Young-Old. Family Relations, 37, 411-414. Silver, R. C. , Poulin, M. (2008). World Benevolence Beliefs and Well-Being Across the Life Span. Psychology and Aging, 23, 13-23. APPENDIX Life History Interview DEMOGRAPHIC INFO: 1) What is your full name? Harry Edward Lo Vette 2) Where were you born? Corning Hospital, Corning, NY 3) What is your age? 79 (10/19/1929) 4) Oldest of 5 children: 3 boys & 2 girls. I lost one brother here, 10 years ago. He worked with asbestos @ Corning Glass. He died of Cancer from the asbestos. 5) Where did you live as a child? Spent most of my life in 100 radius of Dundee area. Grew up in Monterey on a farm, during the Depression, for a number of years. Lived in the Chenango Forks down near Binghamton & then we came back to Dundee area – Lakemont. Then we moved back to Binghamton area & then back to Dundee, just before the War 1950. Then I graduated high school in 1949. Went to Korea, came home & got married, 1st marriage, lived there until 1955 when I went to work for the phone company down in Corning. 6) What do you recall about your family home and neighborhood; you lived in as a child? We lived on a 500 acre farm. We didn’t have many cows. We milked 35 cows by hand, my brother & I, my mother & my father did. Everything was done by mules. We had black mules. During The Depression time you didn’t know you were supposed to have money in your pocket but we had food. We lived good, on food. We had all kinds of animals. Plus, we hunted a lot. We had beef, pork, never raised rabbits. We had ducks, chickens, and we always had a couple of tame sheep. The neighbors raised sheep. My mother always made us our White shirts. And I went to a one room school house until I was in 4th grade, over in Monterey. One room school house, one teacher, maybe 16 students. My mother was strict. My father only hit me just one time & that was calling my brother a liar. He was a hard working man, but he didn’t condone that type of behavior. We were supposed to take turns cutting wood, fill the kindling box and heavy wood. Come in from chores one morning, my father said â€Å"Before you eat, who was supposed to cut kindling wood last night? † My brother said â€Å"Harry†. I turned around to him. My father said â€Å"Get out there & cut it†. When I went by my brother, I said â€Å"You liar†. I can remember it & I never saw it coming. He picked up the little coal shovel & caught me right across the fanny. (He chuckled) He use to threaten to tear our arm off & beat us to death with a bloody stump, but he didn’t mean it. My mother was the domineering one, belt, switch, leather strap. 7) Where do you live? 800 Hill Road, Genoa, NY 13071 8) How long have you lived @ your current address? 28 yrs. Married Donna & moved in. Donna lived there for 29 years. (He gets in conversation with my Mom about our family house. It was built in early 1800s. ) 9) With whom do you live? Donna (wife) 10) Are there any concerns about safety or mobility? No. I can’t do the things I use to do. A little lame, so far, no. 11) Both of us are retired. I retired after 32 years from the phone company. Your annual income: $20,000-$30,000. We run about $30,000 a year, between the 2 of us. 12) What is your ethnicity? Paternal Grandfather: French Canadian. Paternal Grandmother: Scottish & English. 13) What religion do you practice? Christianity. Salvation Army. 14) How has the church affected your life and the life of your family? Different attitude @ looking @ things. A lot of good friends. Changed my life by quitting drinking. I don’t get as upset as I use to. I find the Salvation Army is comforting. I’ve been down there since 1972. Many churches are cliquish. They have their small groups. They may even look down their nose @ you, if you’re not properly dressed or you’re not this or this. The Salvation Army has never been that way. Their theme has always been you can teach the Word to someone who is down and out and hungry. The 1st thing you do is feed them & pick them up. It’s been better for my life. 15) What did you do for a living (jobs)? Picked berries/grapes as a child (made $100 a season), high school: drove truck (17-18 without a driver’s license) (big) – markets, Corning Glass Works- television bulbs (Spring 1950-1st to make rectangle bulbs), Army (Korea), drove truck, Dundee Phone Comp, NY Phone Comp. was @ NY Phone Comp for 32 years (1953-1985) Got hurt on phone Comp job @ 32 (1962). Fell from top of pole & landed standing up, couldn’t walk for almost 1 year! 16) How has these jobs changed? People my age were brought up to work. The injury changed his life. The Army & Korea let him travel. People working the jobs changed. Cell phones changed the whole phone company. Computers took over my job. HEALTH and LEVEL of FUNCTIONING: 1) How is your overall health? Good. I take blood pressure medicine, but my blood pressure is good. I quit smoking in 1983. 2) Have you had any serious illnesses? Bronchitis. I get it every winter now. It was real bad this year the 1st Anti-biotic didn’t work. ) How did this affect your life? I didn’t get much done. This weekend was my 1st time in my wood shop this year. 4) Have there been any changes in your physical functioning over the last several years? (He chuckles)Not as much stamina. I can’t do hard work for as many hours, w/out rest. 5) Has your vision or hearing changed? Yeah! Had Cataracts removed & new lenses implanted. Then got better vision than before. All hearing gone in right ear & hard to hear in left. 6) Has your memory changed? Yes. 7) Does this affect your life? Long term is good. Short term memory is bad. Not as sharp. I can do mathematics & plan a deck still. My 1st wife has Alzheimer’s disease. 8) Has your ability to use your mind or learn new things changed? You have to adapt. Attitude makes the difference. If you want to learn, you will learn it. 9) How are you treated by younger people? Respect is given & taken. You have to give younger people respect. Lately, I haven’t had to associate with them. You have to lay it down to them. I never was discriminated against. 10) How do you feel about getting older? You learn to accept it. I don’t want to live to be 100. I just don’t want to go into a nursing home, unless I have to. I‘d rather not. 11) If you could be any age, what would you be? I’d like to go back & be 19, again. Up until 32, when I fell. Now, some days it’s an effort to get up & do anything. I hurt. I take a few pills & it makes you feel dumb in the head & pain goes away for half an hour. Yeah, those were good years. 12) Why? My life started. I enjoyed life. The last of the 40s (the 1940s) was good. AGE-GRADED, HISTORY-GRADED, and NON-NORMATIVE EVENTS: 1) What is your highest level of formal education? High school. Graduated in 1949. Army: map-making survey = 2 years of college. semester of college @ Auburn Community College, after I fell off the telephone pole. 2) Where did you attend school? Monterey (1 room school house), Dundee (built new school in 1939), Chenango Forks (1937-2 years), & Dundee. 3) How did you get back & forth from school? 1st walked ? mile, later walked 2 miles to catch the school bus. 4) What were some of your classmates’ names? Richard Peterso n, Roscoe (big bee guy), Mike Hartford, A. Chadwick, Mary Sharp (my old flame) 5) Do you recall any childhood girlfriends? Mary Sharp (8 years) – went bad while I was in Korea. 6) Marriages? 2. My 1st wife (Rose) has Alzheimer’s and liver cancer 7) Where did you meet Donna? At Work. She came to the phone company. 8) Children? 1st Marriage – 3 daughters (all over 50 years old), 2nd Marriage – 2 step-children (daughter & son). 9) Grandchildren? 4 & 4 step-grandchildren. 10) Where do your children live? Oregon, California, and Willard, NY. All are teachers. 11) How often do you see them? Out of state – not as often. The one in NY more often. 12) Romantic Relationships (not married to)? Honestly? 30. I was proposed to 3 times during the Leap Year I got out of service. Only 1 regret. 3) Are your children supportive in areas you need them to be as you age? Yes. Steps: David more than Dorie. 14) Do they respect your wishes? Yes. 15) What effect did (The Depression, World War I, and World War II) have on your life? The Depression – always had food. My mother made us white shirts. She was a good seamstress. Christmas wasn’t as big. My mom ma de our gifts. She made me a farm set by hand. Mother gave the neighbor some foods that we had made. World War 1 – It was depressing. I was 11 years old. World War 2 – a friend of our family was in a Japanese prison Camp (didn’t die). We lost friends in Normandy. In Maine – airplane spotters. 16) What changes have you noticed during your life in such areas as fashion, morality and technology? Fashion – always wore jeans, sweatshirts, shoes. Probably affected women more than men. Morality – NOT taught anymore! Depressing. I had a certain amount of wildness but not like today. 20s – No Respect. Drug Problem – mostly Blacks (out of large cities & high school drop-outs). We didn’t have television. Media changed, too. 1st World War – it was weeks before we heard anything. 2nd World War – took 1 week. Korea – 3-4 days. Vietnam – same day. We kept some things quiet/hidden. Technology – EVERYTHING! Farming, cars (model B-4, 6-cylinder), lawn mowers (we had push mowers) – riders, flying (My 1st ride â€Å"Old Home Days† 1935. $5. 00 in an open cockpit, 2-seater; now 35,000 feet above ground, across USA) 17) How do you feel about these changes? Some is good. A lot†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Pesticides/sprays/growth are NOT good. There is a certain amount you have to have. Manufacturers – processed food. Candy bars used to be made @ Hershey Chocolate factory. 18) What do you think is one of the best technologies? Medical field. The development. If we had MRIs & Cat Scans I wouldn’t have gone what I had when I fell. Sooner for recovery time. Extended life (transplants) 19) What do you think is one of the worst? Control over pesticides/growth hormones/sprays on our vegetation are TOXIC! I wonder if this has anything to do with the trouble with newborns. 20) What was family life like when you were growing up? We looked out for each other. We all had jobs around the house. My Dad was a truck driver. He taught me how to drive tractor trailer truck @ 14. We did things together as a family; picnics, family gatherings. My Dad taught me farm work. Dad was interested in my schooling. We were very close. He was killed in a truck accident while I was in the service. 21) What was your favorite radio show? Lone Ranger, Amos & Andy, The Green Hornet, & The Shadow, The Riflemen. 22) How old were you when you got your first television? 1947-48. It was an Admiral. 16† set. 23) What are some of the traditions still carried on by your family? Birthdays & holidays. Easter is big in the church. 24) What were your favorite childhood games? Sandlot Baseball. We had a family of full-blooded Indians that lived above us. We played a lot of Indian games; Lacrosse – we made our own sticks & balls (baked clay wrapped in cloth), Stone Toss (similar to Tidily Winks), and a homemade game using a dried out pig bladder ( air dried, inflated with air, and used as a ball), Softball, Allie-Allie Over (over the school house, 2 teams-one on each side), Kick the Can, Hide & Seek, see who could swing over the top of bar (above the swing), Foxfire (on Spook Night) (decaying wood, NOT handled by your (bare)hands), hunting, fishing. 25) What other entertainment have you enjoyed? Square & Round dances, hiking, swimming. SOCIAL LIFE: 1) How many friends do you have? 100 easy. 5 close. You should always have 5 close friends. 2) How many of these friends are childhood friends? 15-20, some have died. 3) How often are you able to visit with them? Some not for years (meaning more than 2), some every 2 years, & some everyday. It depends on if they are old friends or new friends. 4) What activities did you enjoy doing when you were in your 20s? Roller skating & dancing. Hunting & fishing. 30s? Fell off pole. Small amount of fishing. 40s? Hunted & fished. Some woodwork. 50s? Fished & Bear hunting (Canada). Built my wood shop in my late 50s – early 60s. Wood working. 5) What are some activities you like to do together? 1950-1972 Camping – Canada, Nova Scotia, had nice Gardens 6) How many of these activities have changed as a result of getting older? Lots of them. Not as many. Don’t hunt, little fishing, no camping. 7) Do you belong to any church or other social groups? Men’s Fellowship @ church. 8) How has the Boy scouts affected your life? Better understanding of the world. Nature. Benefit: live with nature & do it comfortably. 9) What â€Å"Words of Advice† would you like to pass on to future generations in your family? Get a good education that you can get money & be comfortable. Go to college in fields worthwhile & prosperous. Nothing wrong with making a good living. STORY TIME: Some people you've met during your lifetime leave footprints in your life forever. You could talk about your family members, relatives, friends, acquaintances, or special some ones and how they made an impact in your life or even changed your life. Also, places you've been to or where you lived could also be nice reminiscences since you could describe the place, the people in it, and how the weather was like. My 1st Scout Master – NOT to judge others to fast. Don’t know what they have been through. Dad – Stand up for what you believe in. Lots of people; in Korea, camping. Some memorable pieces or items could become great components of reminiscing. Things like your childhood toys or games. Heirlooms are wonderful jewelries that have been given from generation to generation that bring history. This can be anything that may not be important to others but may be significant to you and brought good memories. Some things of my Dad & my uncle. An emblem from a guy I met on my way to Korea. I never saw him, again. 1) Do you have any regrets about your life? Lots of things. 2) What are they? I wouldn’t have drunk like I did. I made a lot of money and didn’t save it. 3) Are there things you would like to do that you haven’t done yet? Fly faster than the speed of sound (had the opportunity in 1991. Didn’t do it. ), visit Australia. 4) Do you think you will do them? Maybe. Who knows? Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself or a story? I’ve lived a rich life. I was accepted at Oswego State Teaching School but I didn’t have the money to go. .