Mars Curiosity Rover is Uncovering Martian History

Mars Curiosity Rover is Uncovering Martian History Consistently an automated wanderer about the size of a little vehicle awakens and makes its best course of action over the outside of Mars. Its called the Curiosity Mars Science Laboratory meanderer, investigating around Mount Sharp at the focal point of Gale Crater (an antiquated effect site)â on the Red Planet. Its one of two working meanderers on the Red Planet. The other is the Opportunity meanderer, roosted on the west edge of Endeavor Crater. The Mars Exploration Rover Spirit quit working and is presently quiet following quite a long while of investigation all alone. Every year, Curiositys science group commends another full Martian year of investigation. A Mars year is longer than an Earth year, approximately 687 Earth days, and Curiosity has been carrying out its responsibility since August 6, 2012. It has been a groundbreaking time, uncovering amazing new data about Earths neighbor in the close planetary system. Planetary researchers and future Mars crucial areâ interested in conditions on the planet, especially its capacity to help life. The Search for Martian Water One of the most significant inquiries the Curiosity (and other) missions needs to answer is: what is the historical backdrop of water on Mars? Curiositys instruments and cameras were intended to help answer that. It was fitting at that point, that one of Curiositys first revelations was an antiquated riverbed running underneath the wanderers arrival site. Not far away, at a territory known as Yellowknife Bay, the wanderer dove into two chunks of mudstone (rock framed from mud)â and contemplated tests. The thought was to search for livable zones for basic living things. The investigation gave a distinct indeed, this could have been a spot neighborly to life answer. Examination of the mudstone tests indicated that they were once at the base of a lake loaded up with water wealthy in supplements. That is the sort of spot where life could have shaped and prospered on the early Earth. In the event that Mars had living beings, this would have been a decent home for them, as well.â Where Did the Water Go? One inquiry that keeps coming up is, If Mars had a ton of water before, where did everything go? The appropriate responses propose a scope of spots, from solidified underground supplies to the ice tops. Studies by the MAVEN rocket circling the planet unequivocally bolster the possibility that some scene of water misfortune to spaceâ occurred. This changed the planets climate. Curiosity has estimated different gases in the Martian atmosphereâ and has helped Mars researchers make sense of that a great part of the early environment (which was most likely wetter than now) ran away to space. Later examinations have uncovered underground ice on Mars, and conceivably salty meltwater just underneath the surface in some areas.â Rocks recount to a captivating story of Mars water. Curiosityâ has decided of the times of Martian rocks, and to what extent a stone has been presented to unsafe radiation. Shakes in direct contact with water in the past educate researchers more insights about waters job on Mars. The central issue: when watered stream unreservedly across Mars is as yet unanswered, yet Curiosity is giving information to help answer it soon. Curiosityâ has additionally returned significant data about radiation levels on the Martian surface, which would be significant for guaranteeing the wellbeing of future Mars pilgrims. Future outings go fromâ one-way missionsâ to long haul missions that send and return different teams to and from the Red Planet. Curiositys Future Curiosityâ is as yet running solid, in spite of some harm to one its wheels. That has driven colleagues and shuttle controllers to devise new investigation courses to suit the problem.The crucial one more advance to the possible human investigation of Mars. Likewise with our investigation of Earth over the previous hundreds of years - utilizing advance scoutsâ -this strategic others, similar to the MAVENmission and Indias Mars Orbiter Mission are sending back important word about the domain ahead, and what our first adventurers will discover.

The Stanford Experience Essay Example

The Stanford Experience Essay Criminal equity is a framework at which specialists use toâ keep up social request, control wrongdoings and rebuff the individuals who damage laws. The jail monitors and the jail itself assume an interweaved job in making discipline to the individuals who have submitted a conduct that isn't ethically acknowledged. What's more, regularly, encounters insider a prison will make serious impacts to the individuals who have been detained, and may likewise realize changes in the conduct of the prison watch himself.The changes in the conduct and consistence of the prison monitors and the detainees and how the sentiment of regulation in a jail cell has definitely evolved is found in the Stanford Prison Experiment wherein 18 school young men were taken to assume the jobs of nine watchmen andâ nine detainees. The progressions happened quick that the analysis must be cut at the 6th day as opposed to the first fourteen day experiment.In doing such a fragile examination, that includes the sent iments of the subjects, it must be given that the individuals behind the trial utilizes the logical standards on experiment.On induction, the investigation has prevailing as far as causing the detainees and the gatekeepers to feel that they are surely detainees, in actuality. the circumstance made for the two items were too reasonable that in such a brief timeframe, the detainees and the watchmen built up the feeling of being a genuine jail and a genuine watchman who should carry out their responsibilities in keeping up request in the prison. They have likewise devoured the pretend and later on built up the genuine anguish that genuine detainees feel, and the prison monitors on their part have felt their capacity incontrollable that they will in general maltreatment the position they hold simply like genuine jail watches do. On objectivity, the initial segment of determination was simply objective as the subjects were picked to assume the job of either a detainee or a watchman hapha zardly through a flip coin. Be that as it may, as the investigation advanced, the members endured the sentiment of subjectivity towards their jobs. This subjectivity being a balanced of sympathy towards the job they play.They have so expended that they have assimilated the genuine persona of the job they play. Detainees felt that they are truly detainees and the gatekeepers reacted the way that a genuine prison watchman would have reacted during the action. On distrust, however the specialists knew about the circumstance, they themselves were truly astounded of the result of the task. A proof of this was the first fourteen day plan being sliced short to scarcely seven days in view of the elevated feelings that flooded all through the test. On moral nonpartisanship, as the subjects were picked arbitrarily, they had the option to let them assume the job without inclinations towards the job. With respect to the specialists side, during the entire trial, they were feeling as though they were prison administrators and official as opposed to being a specialist examining the mental impacts of imprisonment.Thus I accept that the trial has passed the guidelines for moral nonpartisanship. On stinginess, I accept that the test has utilized the most assets they could in any event sum. They have utilized negligible assets that just filled in as extemporized for the genuine circumstance they needed to pretend however came about a profoundly exact turn outs with insignificant complex relations. On determinism, each activity done by either side was reacted by another demonstration from the opposite side. Which means, the subjects built up an arrangement of instruments expected to relate to a circumstance that stimulated inside the examination. On distribution, as can be seen in the site, it filled in as an intelligent record of how the analysis turned out. The best possible documentation of the analysis made it feasible for individuals to see and evaluate the turn of events a nd achievement or disappointment of the investigation. (Fitzgerald, pp 36-42)Given these angles, I imagine that the trial has consented well in the logical standards of research. They had the option to effectively extricate genuine realities and genuine anguish of detainees and prison monitors. They had the option to completely depict the circumstance of genuine jail encounters at all controlled route conceivable to them that adds to the validity of the investigation. A proof of this is the way that untouchables (with the end goal of the examination) responded after observing the circumstance of the subjects inside the prison. They as well, built up the inclination that to be sure, their children have become genuine prisoners.Moreover, based on inquire about procedure and moral guidelines, each investigation must keep up moral measures. The analyst must abstain from giving good decisions that may result to being bias.On namelessness and classification, the examination have utilized numbers rather than names for two purposes: one is to strip the detainees their personality and begin to capitulate to the feelings of being a genuine detainee, and the other is to keep their character out from general society, that lone the scientists know the genuine personality of their subjects. On hazard and deliberate educated assent, the subjects of the preliminary experienced a strategy of â€Å"audition† for the â€Å"role†. The scientists presented an advertisement on draw in potential subjects for the investigation. What's more, when these school individuals came, they went however a progression of testing to guarantee that they realize what they were doing and they were set up for the risks that being a subject of the examination involved. On double dealing in look into, I imagine that the analysis didn't utilize such, as the subjects of the examination were given subtleties of what the investigation is attempting to demonstrate. Prior to hand, the subjects were advised of the set up that they needed to experience for the examination. On sharing the outcomes and advantages of research, toward the finish of the investigation when they needed to cut the procedure on the 6th day, the scientists held experience meetings with the subjects to perceive how the examination changed their sentiments and how the circumstance influenced them. (Fitzgerald, pp 48-53)Given these realities, I feel that the investigation has conformed to the moral norms, expected to play out an examination that will secure the subjects. Despite the fact that the subjects especially the detainees endured elevated level of tension, they were appropriately guided before the beginning of the trial. They were paid for their interest and after the trial they were given experience meetings to allow the subjects to voice out their feelings in regards to the test and to communicate the stifled feelings they had during the experiment.Though the example populace utilized was ast oundingly little, the analysis was as yet ready to make an image of what occurs, all things considered, detainment facilities. It filled in as a little scope portrayal of the genuine circumstance in detainment facilities wherein detainees experience the ill effects of extraordinary nervousness and turmoil inside penitentiaries, while prison watches then again build up an outrageous feeling of power which they misuse and thus, adjusts their character. The outcomes are intelligent of the circumstance in jails like Attica, wherein the requests of the detainees is simply to just regard them as people. The examination has demonstrated how detainment facilities dehumanize detainees, how establishments like this who should show law violators how to have human sentiments have absent them of this fundamental principle.The explore is presently utilized as reason for the present circumstance in Iraq, and how political detainees are being dealt with, and furthermore on specific zones wherein de tainees are being embarrassed and without their rights.The test depends on an observational, accomplice study, wherein haphazardly chose people are set on a circumstance which is absolutely new to the entirety of the subjects, and in the process are put under sharp perception to survey how the subjects have changed by the circumstance that they were placed in. The components being watched are about the progressions that the gatherings may create over the span of the experiment.As expressed in the test, the people picked to become as subjects of the trial were picked among numerous other who needed to play the job in the wake of being exposed to a few mental questionings. After they were picked, two gatherings were made, nine for each gathering to become detainees and watchmen. No control variable or obstruction from the agents was utilized. Just the genuine encounters inside the set-up prison was being taken represented. The analysis notwithstanding, yielded results that however wer e normal, it came in such a brief timeframe. In two days, scarcely even 50% of the examination, the two gatherings: gatekeepers and detainees, have created as feeling of reality towards their circumstance. The gatekeepers have gone about as genuine watchmen, attempting to smother the detainees and built up a feeling of maltreatment with the position given to them. Then again, the detainees acted and felt as detainees, they were peeled off their actual personality and consumed the uneasiness and anguish of being left in control, with weight and time misshaping factors being predominant in the activity.The accomplishment of the analysis in delineating genuine circumstance in penitentiaries can fill in as a premise to survey maltreatment of intensity against detainees and a how a framework for reconstruction can be made to free the states of detainees and censure the specialists who misuse their forces inside jail grounds. The impact of the examination was sudden to such an extent that in an insignificant six days, standard understudies were changed into their not normal qualities (Zimbardo). Considering this, we could simply envision how genuine detainees have been experiencing genuine watchmen who have completely retained their job as â€Å"agents of criminal justice.†Thus the test lies on the most proficient method to change this framework. An adjustment in framework that will dispose of the thought of penitentiaries as heck, and make it a spot that is helpful for change and remorse.The analyze has experienced the procedure and has demonstrated the premise of their theory, that, all things considered, detainment facilities don't go about as a vehicle for change. This test fill in as

Biography of Psychologist Robert Sternberg

Biography of Psychologist Robert Sternberg June 13, 2019 AnonMoos / Wikimedia Commons / Public domain More in Psychology History and Biographies Psychotherapy Basics Student Resources Theories Phobias Emotions Sleep and Dreaming Robert Jeffrey Sternberg is an American psychologist known for his theories on love, intelligence, and creativity. He was born in New Jersey on December 9, 1949. Sternbergs interest in psychology began early in life. After suffering from test anxiety and doing poorly on an exam, he realized that the test was not an accurate measure of his actual knowledge and abilities. When he retook the same test in a different room with a group of younger students, he found that he felt more confident and was scored much higher as a result. The next year, Sternberg developed his very first intelligence test, which he named the Sternberg Test of Mental Ability (STOMA). His later academic experiences further demonstrated that standard tests were often poor measures of mental abilities. He actually performed so poorly in his Introductory Psychology class that his professor advised him to pursue a different major. Undeterred, Sternberg went on to graduate from Yale with a bachelors in psychology in 1972 and earned his Ph.D. from Stanford in 1975. Career After earning his degree, Sternberg returned to Yale as a professor of psychology. He later became the Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Tufts University. He was a professor of psychology at Oklahoma State University, and later president and professor of psychology and education at the University of Wyoming. He is currently professor of human development in the College of Human Ecology at Cornell University. Sternberg is perhaps best known for his research on intelligence, love, cognitive styles and creativity. His triarchic theory of intelligence focuses on what he refers to as successful intelligence which is composed of three elements: analytical intelligence (or problem-solving abilities), creative intelligence (using prior knowledge and skills to deal with new situations) and practical intelligence (the ability to adapt to a changing world). Successfully intelligent people discern their strengths and weaknesses, and then figure out how to capitalize on their strengths, and to compensate for or remediate their weaknesses, Sternberg writes. Successfully intelligent individuals succeed in part because they achieve a functional balance among a triarchy of abilities… Moreover, all of these abilities can be further developed. Sternberg is also known for his research on love. His triangular theory of love identifies commitment, passion, and intimacy as the three main components of love. When these three elements are combined in various ways, they result in different types of love. For example, passionate love is composed of passion and intimacy, while compassionate love is a mix of intimacy and commitment. Contributions to Psychology Sternberg served as the President of the American Psychological Association in 2003 and has won numerous awards including the Distinguished Scholar Award from the National Association for Gifted Children in 1985, the James McKeen Cattell Award from the American Psychological Society in 1999 and the E.L. Thorndike Award for Achievement in Educational Psychology from the APA in 2003. He also has written more than 1,600 articles, book chapters and books have been awarded 13 honorary doctorates. He was listed by the APA as one of the top 100 psychologists of the 20th century and is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Education. In addition to his research, teaching and university work, Sternberg is also a prolific writer. The following selected works represent just a small sampling of his work: Sternberg, R. J. (1985). Beyond IQ: A Triarchic Theory of Human Intelligence. New York: Cambridge University Press. Sternberg, R. J. (1996). Successful Intelligence. New York: Simon Schuster. (Paperback edition: New York: Dutton, 1997). Sternberg, R. J., Spear-Swerling, L. (1996). Teaching for Thinking. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Sternberg, R. J. (1997). Thinking Styles. New York: Cambridge University Press. Sternberg, R. J. (1999). The Theory of Successful Intelligence. Review of General Psychology, 3, 292-316 Sternberg, R. J., Grigorenko, E. L. (2000). Teaching for Successful Intelligence. Arlington Heights, IL: Skylight Training and Publishing Inc. Sternberg, R. J. (2007). Wisdom, Intelligence, and Creativity Synthesized. New York: Cambridge University Press. Robert Sternberg. Human Intelligence.

Disaster Recovery - 1955 Words

The Admitting System Crashes Patricia Hampton Dr. Allen HSA315 August 24, 2011 Identify at least three steps that the CIO could have taken to reduce the likelihood of the system failure. The chief information officer is the executive who manages the IT department and leads the organization in their efforts to develop and advance IT strategies. The role of the CIO in health care organizations is to: set visions and strategies, integrate information technology for business success, and make changes when necessary, build technological confidence, partner with customers, ensure information technology talent, and build networks and community. They should also establish and maintain good working relationships with the members of the†¦show more content†¦Another key change that JRMC could make is having a viable backup copy of the database. This would help the organization if failure were to occur again and also save them from performing a full database recovery. What factors did the Root Cause analysis reveal that contributed to the system failure problem? First, root cause analysis (RCA) is a problem solving method used to identify the root cause of a problem or event. The practice is believed to work best when attempting to address, correct, or eliminate root causes as opposed to simple addressing the immediate symptoms. By identifying the root cause of a problem, it can create effective corrective actions that can possible prevent that problem from ever recurring. The analysis is performed after the event or problem occurs, but it can also be used as a pro-active method (Bellinger, 2004). As stated in the case study, JRMC had a scheduled performance test being done on December 20, which caused them to take down the link between the main data center and the disaster recovery center. This is a routine test that should not cause any problems, but on December 21, JRMC lost power to the disaster recovery center. Emergency power was insta ntly put in place to get the disaster recovery center up and running. Losing power to the disaster recovery center is not good because the disaster recovery center is what the organization uses if the main data center goes down. As a precaution, a backup wasShow MoreRelatedDisaster Recovery639 Words   |  3 PagesDisaster recovery plans allows and gives the opportunity to a business to be able to recoup from any number of disasters, whether it may be a natural disaster or a fault of equipment to include power loss. These plans can be fairly basic with a goal and summary of what is to happen in the event of a disaster, to intensely involved and well spelled out plans that break down the summary, personal, intent, goal, and a timeline of events to follow. While disasters are unforeseen events that a businessRead MoreDisaster Recovery1475 Words   |  6 PagesMedia Madness Disaster Recovery Plan Overview By Loki Consulting, Inc. Iris Morgan Heather German Gwen Northrup EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Loki Consulting, Inc. was established in 1997 as a result of Hurricane Fran. Many businesses were devastated by the storm due to the absence of a disaster recovery plan. Realizing the need for disaster recovery consultation, Loki Consulting, Inc. was created to provide businesses with expert knowledge on implementing a critical component of any organizationRead MoreDisaster Recovery Plan1817 Words   |  7 Pages Disaster Recovery Plan Disasters are unavoidable within businesses and organizations alike. Disasters not only affect the business and organizational continuity, it will also result in a major modification of the organization’s operational mechanisms (Awasthy, 2009). Businesses now prepare a business continuity plan and a disaster recovery plan because of these reasons so that they may simplify the disaster management when next one occurs. 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Having a disaster recovery plan marks the difference between organizations that can successfully manage crises with minimal cost, effort and with maximum speed, and those organizations that cannot. By having back-up plans, not only for equipment and network recovery, but also detailed disaster recovery plans that precisely outline what stepsRead MoreEssay on Disaster Recovery Plan2302 Words   |  10 PagesDisaster Recovery Plan Student’s name: Tutor’s name: Course title: Date Introduction Disasters have become an inevitable part of businesses and organizations as well. They not only have a major effect on business and organizational continuity; they also result to an overhaul in organizational operational mechanisms (Awasthy, 2009). It is for this reason that many organizations and business resort to preparing business continuity plans and disaster recovery plans that will facilitateRead MorePrepared And Implement A Disaster Recovery Plan775 Words   |  4 PagesPrepared and implement a disaster recovery plan. The value of a Disaster Recovery or control plan is the ability to react to a threat or event swiftly and efficiently. This can be achieved when a department has informed staff, disaster supplies and planned procedures. 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The Story By Naigub Mahfouz - 1727 Words

Zaabalawi presents the case of returning to one’s roots and seeking a reconnection with the earlier forms of existence. It takes personal conviction from an individual in order to pursue their greater self and realization. On one perspective, the narrator (an ill man who desperately searches for a miracle worker to cure him) is in pursuit to achieve the mystical Islamic Zaabalawi. On the other perspective, the narrator’s pursuit appears as a search for piety, God, and mystical experience. One of the two perspectives depicts the search for inner peace while the other depicts the search for a great physician. Therefore, one of the search is necessitated by the illness while the other is an urge to return to the roots. The short story by†¦show more content†¦Foremost, in the interpretation of the story it appears that the pursuit of Zaabalawi is a symbolic term. The term in this case represents the journey that an individual can take into their soul and search for inner peace thus quenching their spiritual thirst. The term may also represent the idea of soul searching and separating oneself from the world in order to return to their traditions. The return to traditions involves tracing back the events that the ancestors practiced and replacing the modern actions with the ancient approaches. The narrator in this situation is a young man who later on may be referred to as the protagonist. The young man, the narrator, has set on a quest to find a cure for a disturbing illness. From the start, an allusion appears to the myth, which is Zaabalawi. The narrator seeks to understand from the father, â€Å"Who is Zaabalawi †¦ ?† (Mahfouz p.3). Dialogue between the narrator who is the protagonist in this case and his father continues with more allusion towards Zaabalawi. Furthermore, the allusion provides an in-depth depiction of the symbolism used in the short narrative. According to the response offered by the father, Zaabalawi is an icon ic figure who holds the power to bless an individual. Additionally, the description offered by the father to the protagonist depicts Zaabalawi as a saint of God who has the ability to remove troubles and the inner worries of man. The ability to find inner peace is the

A Game of Thrones Chapter Thirty-six Free Essays

string(27) " say he had you as a gift\." Daenerys The Horse Gate of Vaes Dothrak was made of two gigantic bronze stallions, rearing, their hooves meeting a hundred feet above the roadway to form a pointed arch. Dany could not have said why the city needed a gate when it had no walls . . We will write a custom essay sample on A Game of Thrones Chapter Thirty-six or any similar topic only for you Order Now . and no buildings that she could see. Yet there it stood, immense and beautiful, the great horses framing the distant purple mountain beyond. The bronze stallions threw long shadows across the waving grasses as Khal Drogo led the khalasar under their hooves and down the godsway, his bloodriders beside him. Dany followed on her silver, escorted by Ser Jorah Mormont and her brother Viserys, mounted once more. After the day in the grass when she had left him to walk back to the khalasar, the Dothraki had laughingly called him Khal Rhae Mhar, the Sorefoot King. Khal Drogo had offered him a place in a cart the next day, and Viserys had accepted. In his stubborn ignorance, he had not even known he was being mocked; the carts were for eunuchs, cripples, women giving birth, the very young and the very old. That won him yet another name: Khal Rhaggat, the Cart King. Her brother had thought it was the khal’s way of apologizing for the wrong Dany had done him. She had begged Ser Jorah not to tell him the truth, lest he be shamed. The knight had replied that the king could well do with a bit of shame . . . yet he had done as she bid. It had taken much pleading, and all the pillow tricks Doreah had taught her, before Dany had been able to make Drogo relent and allow Viserys to rejoin them at the head of the column. â€Å"Where is the city?† she asked as they passed beneath the bronze arch. There were no buildings to be seen, no people, only the grass and the road, lined with ancient monuments from all the lands the Dothraki had sacked over the centuries. â€Å"Ahead,† Ser Jorah answered. â€Å"Under the mountain.† Beyond the horse gate, plundered gods and stolen heroes loomed to either side of them. The forgotten deities of dead cities brandished their broken thunderbolts at the sky as Dany rode her silver past their feet. Stone kings looked down on her from their thrones, their faces chipped and stained, even their names lost in the mists of time. Lithe young maidens danced on marble plinths, draped only in flowers, or poured air from shattered jars. Monsters stood in the grass beside the road; black iron dragons with jewels for eyes, roaring griffins, manticores with their barbed tails poised to strike, and other beasts she could not name. Some of the statues were so lovely they took her breath away, others so misshapen and terrible that Dany could scarcely bear to look at them. Those, Ser Jorah said, had likely come from the Shadow Lands beyond Asshai. â€Å"So many,† she said as her silver stepped slowly onward, â€Å"and from so many lands.† Viserys was less impressed. â€Å"The trash of dead cities,† he sneered. He was careful to speak in the Common Tongue, which few Dothraki could understand, yet even so Dany found herself glancing back at the men of her khas, to make certain he had not been overheard. He went on blithely. â€Å"All these savages know how to do is steal the things better men have built . . . and kill.† He laughed. â€Å"They do know how to kill. Otherwise I’d have no use for them at all.† â€Å"They are my people now,† Dany said. â€Å"You should not call them savages, brother.† â€Å"The dragon speaks as he likes,† Viserys said . . . in the Common Tongue. He glanced over his shoulder at Aggo and Rakharo, riding behind them, and favored them with a mocking smile. â€Å"See, the savages lack the wit to understand the speech of civilized men.† A moss-eaten stone monolith loomed over the road, fifty feet tall. Viserys gazed at it with boredom in his eyes. â€Å"How long must we linger amidst these ruins before Drogo gives me my army? I grow tired of waiting.† â€Å"The princess must be presented to the dosh khaleen . . . â€Å" â€Å"The crones, yes,† her brother interrupted, â€Å"and there’s to be some mummer’s show of a prophecy for the whelp in her belly, you told me. What is that to me? I’m tired of eating horsemeat and I’m sick of the stink of these savages.† He sniffed at the wide, floppy sleeve of his tunic, where it was his custom to keep a sachet. It could not have helped much. The tunic was filthy. All the silk and heavy wools that Viserys had worn out of Pentos were stained by hard travel and rotted from sweat. Ser Jorah Mormont said, â€Å"The Western Market will have food more to your taste, Your Grace. The traders from the Free Cities come there to sell their wares. The khal will honor his promise in his own time.† â€Å"He had better,† Viserys said grimly. â€Å"I was promised a crown, and I mean to have it. The dragon is not mocked.† Spying an obscene likeness of a woman with six breasts and a ferret’s head, he rode off to inspect it more closely. Dany was relieved, yet no less anxious. â€Å"I pray that my sun-and-stars will not keep him waiting too long,† she told Ser Jorah when her brother was out of earshot. The knight looked after Viserys doubtfully. â€Å"Your brother should have bided his time in Pentos. There is no place for him in a khalasar. Illyrio tried to warn him.† â€Å"He will go as soon as he has his ten thousand. My lord husband promised a golden crown.† Ser Jorah grunted. â€Å"Yes, Khaleesi, but . . . the Dothraki look on these things differently than we do in the west. I have told him as much, as Illyrio told him, but your brother does not listen. The horselords are no traders. Viserys thinks he sold you, and now he wants his price. Yet Khal Drogo would say he had you as a gift. You read "A Game of Thrones Chapter Thirty-six" in category "Essay examples" He will give Viserys a gift in return, yes . . . in his own time. You do not demand a gift, not of a khal. You do not demand anything of a khal.† â€Å"It is not right to make him wait.† Dany did not know why she was defending her brother, yet she was. â€Å"Viserys says he could sweep the Seven Kingdoms with ten thousand Dothraki screamers.† Ser Jorah snorted. â€Å"Viserys could not sweep a stable with ten thousand brooms.† Dany could not pretend to surprise at the disdain in his tone. â€Å"What . . . what if it were not Viserys?† she asked. â€Å"If it were someone else who led them? Someone stronger? Could the Dothraki truly conquer the Seven Kingdoms?† Ser Jorah’s face grew thoughtful as their horses trod together down the godsway. â€Å"When I first went into exile, I looked at the Dothraki and saw half-naked barbarians, as wild as their horses. If you had asked me then, Princess, I should have told you that a thousand good knights would have no trouble putting to flight a hundred times as many Dothraki.† â€Å"But if I asked you now?† â€Å"Now,† the knight said, â€Å"I am less certain. They are better riders than any knight, utterly fearless, and their bows outrange ours. In the Seven Kingdoms, most archers fight on foot, from behind a shieldwall or a barricade of sharpened stakes. The Dothraki fire from horseback, charging or retreating, it makes no matter, they are full as deadly . . . and there are so many of them, my lady. Your lord husband alone counts forty thousand mounted warriors in his khalasar.† â€Å"Is that truly so many?† â€Å"Your brother Rhaegar brought as many men to the Trident,† Ser Jorah admitted, â€Å"but of that number, no more than a tenth were knights. The rest were archers, freeriders, and foot soldiers armed with spears and pikes. When Rhaegar fell, many threw down their weapons and fled the field. How long do you imagine such a rabble would stand against the charge of forty thousand screamers howling for blood? How well would boiled leather jerkins and mailed shirts protect them when the arrows fall like rain?† â€Å"Not long,† she said, â€Å"not well.† He nodded. â€Å"Mind you, Princess, if the lords of the Seven Kingdoms have the wit the gods gave a goose, it will never come to that. The riders have no taste for siegecraft. I doubt they could take even the weakest castle in the Seven Kingdoms, but if Robert Baratheon were fool enough to give them battle . . . â€Å" â€Å"Is he?† Dany asked. â€Å"A fool, I mean?† Ser Jorah considered that for a moment. â€Å"Robert should have been born Dothraki,† he said at last. â€Å"Your khal would tell you that only a coward hides behind stone walls instead of facing his enemy with a blade in hand. The Usurper would agree. He is a strong man, brave . . . and rash enough to meet a Dothraki horde in the open field. But the men around him, well, their pipers play a different tune. His brother Stannis, Lord Tywin Lannister, Eddard Stark . . . † He spat. â€Å"You hate this Lord Stark,† Dany said. â€Å"He took from me all I loved, for the sake of a few lice-ridden poachers and his precious honor,† Ser Jorah said bitterly. From his tone, she could tell the loss still pained him. He changed the subject quickly. â€Å"There,† he announced, pointing. â€Å"Vaes Dothrak. The city of the horselords.† Khal Drogo and his bloodriders led them through the great bazaar of the Western Market, down the broad ways beyond. Dany followed close on her silver, staring at the strangeness about her. Vaes Dothrak was at once the largest city and the smallest that she had ever known. She thought it must be ten times as large as Pentos, a vastness without walls or limits, its broad windswept streets paved in grass and mud and carpeted with wildflowers. In the Free Cities of the west, towers and manses and hovels and bridges and shops and halls all crowded in on one another, but Vaes Dothrak sprawled languorously, baking in the warm sun, ancient, arrogant, and empty. Even the buildings were so queer to her eyes. She saw carved stone pavilions, manses of woven grass as large as castles, rickety wooden towers, stepped pyramids faced with marble, log halls open to the sky. In place of walls, some palaces were surrounded by thorny hedges. â€Å"None of them are alike,† she said. â€Å"Your brother had part of the truth,† Ser Jorah admitted. â€Å"The Dothraki do not build. A thousand years ago, to make a house, they would dig a hole in the earth and cover it with a woven grass roof. The buildings you see were made by slaves brought here from lands they’ve plundered, and they built each after the fashion of their own peoples.† Most of the halls, even the largest, seemed deserted. â€Å"Where are the people who live here?† Dany asked. The bazaar had been full of running children and men shouting, but elsewhere she had seen only a few eunuchs going about their business. â€Å"Only the crones of the dosh khaleen dwell permanently in the sacred city, them and their slaves and servants,† Ser Jorah replied, â€Å"yet Vaes Dothrak is large enough to house every man of every khalasar, should all the khals return to the Mother at once. The crones have prophesied that one day that will come to pass, and so Vaes Dothrak must be ready to embrace all its children.† Khal Drogo finally called a halt near the Eastern Market where the caravans from Yi Ti and Asshai and the Shadow Lands came to trade, with the Mother of Mountains looming overhead. Dany smiled as she recalled Magister Illyrio’s slave girl and her talk of a palace with two hundred rooms and doors of solid silver. The â€Å"palace† was a cavernous wooden feasting hall, its rough-hewn timbered walls rising forty feet, its roof sewn silk, a vast billowing tent that could be raised to keep out the rare rains, or lowered to admit the endless sky. Around the hall were broad grassy horse yards fenced with high hedges, firepits, and hundreds of round earthen houses that bulged from the ground like miniature hills, covered with grass. A small army of slaves had gone ahead to prepare for Khal Drogo’s arrival. As each rider swung down from his saddle, he unbelted his arakh and handed it to a waiting slave, and any other weapons he carried as well. Even Khal Drogo himself was not exempt. Ser Jorah had explained that it was forbidden to carry a blade in Vaes Dothrak, or to shed a free man’s blood. Even warring khalasars put aside their feuds and shared meat and mead together when they were in sight of the Mother of Mountains. In this place, the crones of the dosh khaleen had decreed, all Dothraki were one blood, one khalasar, one herd. Cohollo came to Dany as Irri and Jhiqui were helping her down off her silver. He was the oldest of Drogo’s three bloodriders, a squat bald man with a crooked nose and a mouth full of broken teeth, shattered by a mace twenty years before when he saved the young khalakka from sellswords who hoped to sell him to his father’s enemies. His life had been bound to Drogo’s the day her lord husband was born. Every khal had his bloodriders. At first Dany had thought of them as a kind of Dothraki Kingsguard, sworn to protect their lord, but it went further than that. Jhiqui had taught her that a bloodrider was more than a guard; they were the khal’s brothers, his shadows, his fiercest friends. â€Å"Blood of my blood,† Drogo called them, and so it was; they shared a single life. The ancient traditions of the horselords demanded that when the khal died, his bloodriders died with him, to ride at his side in the night lands. If the khal died at the hands of some enemy, they lived only long enough to avenge him, and then followed him joyfully into the grave. In some khalasars, Jhiqui said, the bloodriders shared the khal’s wine, his tent, and even his wives, though never his horses. A man’s mount was his own. Daenerys was glad that Khal Drogo did not hold to those ancient ways. She should not have liked being shared. And while old Cohollo treated her kindly enough, the others frightened her; Haggo, huge and silent, often glowered as if he had forgotten who she was, and Qotho had cruel eyes and quick hands that liked to hurt. He left bruises on Doreah’s soft white skin whenever he touched her, and sometimes made Irri sob in the night. Even his horses seemed to fear him. Yet they were bound to Drogo for life and death, so Daenerys had no choice but to accept them. And sometimes she found herself wishing her father had been protected by such men. In the songs, the white knights of the Kingsguard were ever noble, valiant, and true, and yet King Aerys had been murdered by one of them, the handsome boy they now called the Kingslayer, and a second, Ser Barristan the Bold, had gone over to the Usurper. She wondered if all men were as false in the Seven Kingdoms. When her son sat the Iron Throne, she would see that he had bloodriders of his own to protect him against treachery in his Kingsguard. â€Å"Khaleesi,† Cohollo said to her, in Dothraki. â€Å"Drogo, who is blood of my blood, commands me to tell you that he must ascend the Mother of Mountains this night, to sacrifice to the gods for his safe return.† Only men were allowed to set foot on the Mother, Dany knew. The khal’s bloodriders would go with him, and return at dawn. â€Å"Tell my sun-and-stars that I dream of him, and wait anxious for his return,† she replied, thankful. Dany tired more easily as the child grew within her; in truth, a night of rest would be most welcome. Her pregnancy only seemed to have inflamed Drogo’s desire for her, and of late his embraces left her exhausted. Doreah led her to the hollow hill that had been prepared for her and her khal. It was cool and dim within, like a tent made of earth. â€Å"Jhiqui, a bath, please,† she commanded, to wash the dust of travel from her skin and soak her weary bones. It was pleasant to know that they would linger here for a while, that she would not need to climb back on her silver on the morrow. The water was scalding hot, as she liked it. â€Å"I will give my brother his gifts tonight,† she decided as Jhiqui was washing her hair. â€Å"He should look a king in the sacred city. Doreah, run and find him and invite him to sup with me.† Viserys was nicer to the Lysene girl than to her Dothraki handmaids, perhaps because Magister Illyrio had let him bed her back in Pentos. â€Å"Irri, go to the bazaar and buy fruit and meat. Anything but horseflesh.† â€Å"Horse is best,† Irri said. â€Å"Horse makes a man strong.† â€Å"Viserys hates horsemeat.† â€Å"As you say, Khaleesi.† She brought back a haunch of goat and a basket of fruits and vegetables. Jhiqui roasted the meat with sweetgrass and firepods, basting it with honey as it cooked, and there were melons and pomegranates and plums and some queer eastern fruit Dany did not know. While her handmaids prepared the meal, Dany laid out the clothing she’d had made to her brother’s measure: a tunic and leggings of crisp white linen, leather sandals that laced up to the knee, a bronze medallion belt, a leather vest painted with fire-breathing dragons. The Dothraki would respect him more if he looked less a beggar, she hoped, and perhaps he would forgive her for shaming him that day in the grass. He was still her king, after all, and her brother. They were both blood of the dragon. She was arranging the last of his gifts—a sandsilk cloak, green as grass, with a pale grey border that would bring out the silver in his hair—when Viserys arrived, dragging Doreah by the arm. Her eye was red where he’d hit her. â€Å"How dare you send this whore to give me commands,† he said. He shoved the handmaid roughly to the carpet. The anger took Dany utterly by surprise. â€Å"I only wanted . . . Doreah, what did you say?† â€Å"Khaleesi, pardons, forgive me. I went to him, as you bid, and told him you commanded him to join you for supper.† â€Å"No one commands the dragon,† Viserys snarled. â€Å"I am your king! I should have sent you back her head!† The Lysene girl quailed, but Dany calmed her with a touch. â€Å"Don’t be afraid, he won’t hurt you. Sweet brother, please, forgive her, the girl misspoke herself, I told her to ask you to sup with me, if it pleases Your Grace.† She took him by the hand and drew him across the room. â€Å"Look. These are for you.† Viserys frowned suspiciously. â€Å"What is all this?† â€Å"New raiment. I had it made for you.† Dany smiled shyly. He looked at her and sneered. â€Å"Dothraki rags. Do you presume to dress me now?† â€Å"Please . . . you’ll be cooler and more comfortable, and I thought . . . maybe if you dressed like them, the Dothraki . . . † Dany did not know how to say it without waking his dragon. â€Å"Next you’ll want to braid my hair.† â€Å"I’d never . . . † Why was he always so cruel? She had only wanted to help. â€Å"You have no right to a braid, you have won no victories yet.† It was the wrong thing to say. Fury shone from his lilac eyes, yet he dared not strike her, not with her handmaids watching and the warriors of her khas outside. Viserys picked up the cloak and sniffed at it. â€Å"This stinks of manure. Perhaps I shall use it as a horse blanket.† â€Å"I had Doreah sew it specially for you,† she told him, wounded. â€Å"These are garments fit for a khal.† â€Å"I am the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, not some grass-stained savage with bells in his hair,† Viserys spat back at her. He grabbed her arm. â€Å"You forget yourself, slut. Do you think that big belly will protect you if you wake the dragon?† His fingers dug into her arm painfully and for an instant Dany felt like a child again, quailing in the face of his rage. She reached out with her other hand and grabbed the first thing she touched, the belt she’d hoped to give him, a heavy chain of ornate bronze medallions. She swung it with all her strength. It caught him full in the face. Viserys let go of her. Blood ran down his cheek where the edge of one of the medallions had sliced it open. â€Å"You are the one who forgets himself,† Dany said to him. â€Å"Didn’t you learn anything that day in the grass? Leave me now, before I summon my khas to drag you out. And pray that Khal Drogo does not hear of this, or he will cut open your belly and feed you your own entrails.† Viserys scrambled back to his feet. â€Å"When I come into my kingdom, you will rue this day, slut.† He walked off, holding his torn face, leaving her gifts behind him. Drops of his blood had spattered the beautiful sandsilk cloak. Dany clutched the soft cloth to her cheek and sat cross-legged on her sleeping mats. â€Å"Your supper is ready, Khaleesi,† Jhiqui announced. â€Å"I’m not hungry,† Dany said sadly. She was suddenly very tired. â€Å"Share the food among yourselves, and send some to Ser Jorah, if you would.† After a moment she added, â€Å"Please, bring me one of the dragon’s eggs.† Irri fetched the egg with the deep green shell, bronze flecks shining amid its scales as she turned it in her small hands. Dany curled up on her side, pulling the sandsilk cloak across her and cradling the egg in the hollow between her swollen belly and small, tender breasts. She liked to hold them. They were so beautiful, and sometimes just being close to them made her feel stronger, braver, as if somehow she were drawing strength from the stone dragons locked inside. She was lying there, holding the egg, when she felt the child move within her . . . as if he were reaching out, brother to brother, blood to blood. â€Å"You are the dragon,† Dany whispered to him, â€Å"the true dragon. I know it. I know it.† And she smiled, and went to sleep dreaming of home. How to cite A Game of Thrones Chapter Thirty-six, Essay examples

The Environmental Issues and Unsustainable Tourism

Introduction Environmental concerns have taken the centre stage in economic debates since the late 1960. In many cases, the economic debates focus on productive and exhaustible resources. Moreover, the current debates touch on natural resources, and try to determine the economic benefits of the environment and impacts of its overuse, pollution, and degradation.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Environmental Issues and Unsustainable Tourism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Environment, quality of life, and economic activities are interdependent. To lead a quality life and to engage in productive economic activities, we need to have a sustainable environment. One of the economic activities that depend on the environment is tourism. Natural resources like lakes, mountains, beaches, rivers, and cities are the main sources of tourism attraction. Any exhaustion of these assets might slow down the development of tou rism business. Tourism exerts pressure to natural and synthetic resources and poses a threat to the environment. Cooper et al. posit, â€Å"In view of the fact that tourists have to visit the place of production in order to consume the output, it is inevitable that tourism activity is associated with environmental impacts† (1998, p. 149). Apart from exerting pressure on the natural environment, tourism also exerts pressure on the cultural environment leading to ruin of cultural practices and values of the communities living in the developing countries. Because of scarce financial and knowledge resources, developing countries are unable to meet the required environmental standards. Given the modern level of environmental concerns, tourism in the developing world is unsustainable. This paper will focus on some of the environmental issues that make tourism in developing countries unsustainable. Sustainable tourism The world Tourism Organization (WTO) describes sustainable touris m as â€Å"Tourism which leads to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be filled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support systems† (2002, p. 7). Since natural resources make up the main source of tourist attraction, states should factor in sustainability when developing their tourism industries. In addition, as many residents and tourists become aware of the importance of sustainable tourism, they are forcing the government and tourism firms to engage in activities that guarantee sustainability. Currently, countries and tourism firms are adopting the idea of ‘viable tourism’ to enhance sustainability.Advertising Looking for report on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The main snag that is affecting tourism in developing countries is environmental depletion. Government an d tourism firms are working hard to see that they come up with environmentally friendly tourism activities (Williams Shaw 2003). Today, developing countries have established environmental regulations that the tourism industry ought to follow. Nevertheless, complexity and fragmentation of the tourism industry make it hard for countries to enforce the regulations. How environmental concerns affect tourism Indisputably, tourism is a leading source of revenue and employment, particularly in the developing countries. Nevertheless, tourism is a business that depends on the frailest cultural and natural environments. Any innocent and trivial human action might cause problems to the existing environmental resources. This challenges sustainable tourism in the majority of the developing countries. Philippines are one of the developing states that depend on tourism (Alampay 2007). The country considers tourism as one of its crucial economic weapons. Nevertheless, the tourism industry, togethe r with the Philippines’ tourist markets has become more conscious of the depressing environmental costs that result from tourism development. This has made it hard for the country to achieve sustainable tourism since it requires adopting novel development techniques, which would yield environmentally sensitive tourism products. Such techniques are extremely expensive for a developing country like Philippines. Williams and Shaw (2003) allege that the growth of tourism in the developing countries has led to the countries experiencing immense environmental problems. For these countries to attain sustainable tourism, they should address the environmental concerns facing them. Tourism has resulted in depletion of numerous natural resources, environmental pollution, and has endangered a number of natural resources. Efforts by the developing countries to address these challenges bear no substantial results since the countries lack adequate financial capital and technological experti se (Williams Shaw 2003). It becomes hard for the countries to attain sustainable tourism as tourists stop visiting the countries gradually as resources are depleted.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Environmental Issues and Unsustainable Tourism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Because of the environmental challenges that tourism poses to the majority of countries across the globe, countries came together to formulate policies that would help to mitigate poor exploitation of natural resources. Presently, numerous international conventions and protocols that aim to help in environmental conservation are in place. In 1992, countries assembled in Rio Brazil and came up with guidelines that all countries ought to follow to attain sustainable tourism and environmental conservation (Wong 2000). Currently, institutions bestowed with the responsibility of conserving the environment, like United Nations Environmenta l Programme (UNEP) call for all countries to be conscious of the environment when developing their tourism industries. In many developing countries, tourism development is highly polarised leading to environmental challenges. The countries are unable to improve the quality of life for the visiting tourists as well as the local people. This threatens the sustainability of the tourism industry (Williams Shaw 2003). Besides the depletion of natural resources, tourism imposes pressure on resources like water, food, and energy. Moreover, it contributes to littering of the environment with solid waste. In countries like South Africa, tourism has triggered deforestation as investors construct tourism facilities. This has led to UNEP commanding the South African government to stop further depletion of environment in the name of tourism development. With the current emphasis on environmental conservation, it would be extremely hard for South Africa to attain sustainable tourism. In South Af rica, the tourism industry is already posing a serious threat to water resources in the coastal region as well as leading to pollution of the natural beaches. The pollution is posing a threat to marine life and as well as to the community, that lives around the ocean. The cost of maintaining these beaches is high relative to revenues obtained from the tourism industry. Consequently, as South Africa is under pressure to conserve the environment, it would be hard for the country to strike a balance between environmental conservation and sustainable tourism (Cooper et al. 1998). The same tourists that contribute to environmental degradation consider environmental factors when identifying the place to visit. South Africa struggles to maintain its natural beaches, which suffer from pollution.Advertising Looking for report on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Failure to maintain the beaches would lead to the country losing many tourists. Unfortunately, the same tourists that are particularly concerned about the environment are responsible for beach pollution. The country faces challenges in striking a balance between tourism and environmental conservation along the coast. If this trend continues, it will be hard for the South African government and private investors to sustain tourism activities at the coastal areas (Brierton 2003). In a majority of the developing countries, tourism industry is facing a serious threat due to climatic changes. Currently, global warming is high in the majority of the developing countries. Areas that were once tourist attraction sites, now suffer from perennial floods and diseases. Many people opt to tour certain countries hoping to enjoy a comfortable environment and beautiful sceneries (Hashimoto 1999). Nevertheless, the situation is changing in the majority of the developing countries. Environmental conc erns are leading to some countries slowing down their endeavour to develop the tourism industry. For instance, in Maldives Island, environmental challenges are frustrating the effort to achieve sustainable tourism. Tourism activities have contributed to increase in sea level within the island. In return, it has become hard to sustain tourism industry in Maldives Island. Hall (2008) and Scott, McBoyle and Schwartzentruber (2008) allege that developing countries in Africa, South America and the Caribbean do not understand the precise effects of environmental concerns on the tourism industry. Scott et al. Posit, â€Å"Tourists have the greatest capacity to adapt to the impacts of environmental changes, with relative freedom to avoid destinations impacted by environmental changes† (2008, p. 106). Personal safety, climate, travel cost, and natural environment are some of the factors that tourists consider when deciding which country to visit. One of the challenges that developing countries encounter is the inability to predict and deal with environmental changes (Hall 2008). Tourism industry in Kenya suffers from unpredictable weather changes, which pose a threat to tourists. As individuals and institutions wishing to invest in the tourism industry continue to emphasize on environmental conservation, developing countries like Kenya, which do not have the capacity to deal with natural catastrophes that affect the environment are unlikely to attain sustainable tourism. Since the majority of the developing countries lack long-term strategies for addressing environmental changes, majority of the investors are likely to direct their investments to developed countries. Majority of the developing countries depends on natural resources and cultural values as their main sources of tourist attraction. As tourists visit certain regions, these resources become scarce (Middleton Hawkins 2004). Moreover, they neutralize cultural values depriving the region its sole sourc e of tourist attraction. Paradoxically, when natural resources and local culture begin to die away, tourists feel robbed of their genuine experiences. Majority of the developing countries encourage mass arrival of tourists because it leads to increase in revenue. However, they do not understand that the influx leads to degradation of the cultural environment, which eventually renders some regions unattractive. As more tourists continue visiting African countries like South Africa and Kenya, many of the local communities continue adopting the western culture and abandoning their cultures, which act as the main sources of tourist attraction (Mihalic 2000). Hence, with time, it would be hard for developing countries like Kenya to continue witnessing large number of tourists who visit the country to share in its cultural environment. This underlines the reason why the Kenyan government encourages communities like the Maasai to uphold their cultures (Akama 2007). Conclusion Tourism indus try is one of the industries that support economic development in many developing countries. The countries invest heavily in the industry. However, increase in environmental concerns is frustrating the effort by developing countries to attain sustainable tourism. Majority of the tourist activities contributes to depletion of natural resources and cultural environment. Today, developing countries are under immense pressure to lower their rate of environmental pollution. These environmental concerns put the developing countries in a dilemma of conserving the environment and sacrificing the tourism industry or doing the opposite. Currently, the world countries have come up with regulations that outline the measures that both the developed and developing countries ought to take to conserve the environment. These measures prohibit the developing countries from engaging in activities that contribute to environmental pollution. Consequently, developing countries are unable to attain sustai nable tourism, as they are unable to satisfy all the environmental standards. Recommendations Tourism development contributes to environmental degradation, thus altering natural resources that act as the prime tourist attraction sites. Developing countries need to strike a balance between environmental conservation and tourism. In light of the current need to attain a balance between environmental conservation and tourism growth in the developing countries, the countries should ecolabel the tourism products. Ecolabeling refers to portraying tourism products and firms in a way that encourages tourists to be environmental conscious in all their actions. Besides, through ecolabeling, tourism companies educate tourists concerning the effects of their actions to the environment, in so doing making them adopt environmentally friendly actions. Developing countries may implement ecolabeling in tourism firms such as resorts, hotels and marinas to promote sustainable tourism. The countries ca n assign ecolabels to tourism enterprises they find to have limited effects on the environment. This would give the companies the responsibility of furnishing tourists with information concerning environmental policies they ought to observe when in their countries. This would help the tourists to make informed decisions when selecting the tourism products and services to use when in a country. Moreover, ecolabels would discourage tourists from relating with tourism firms that are not environmentally friendly. Hence, ecolabeling would help developing countries to conserve their environment and at the same time attain sustainable tourism. Reference List Akama, J 2007, ‘Marginalization of the Maasai in Kenya’, Annals of Tourism Research, vol. 26 no. 1, pp. 716–718. Alampay, R 2007, Sustainable tourism challenges for the Philippines. Web. Brierton, U 2003, ‘Tourism and the environment’, Contours, vol. 5 no. 1, pp. 18–19. Cooper, C, Fletcher, J, Gi lbert, D Wanhill, S 1998, Tourism Principles Practice, Longman, London. Hall, C 2008, ‘Tourism and climate change: Knowledge gaps and issues’, Tourism Recreation Research, vol. 33 no. 1, pp. 339-350. Hashimoto, A 1999, ‘Comparative evolutionary trends in environmental policy: Reflections on tourism development’, International Journal of Tourism Research, vol. 1 no. 1, pp. 195–216. Middleton, V Hawkins, R 2004, Sustainable tourism: A marketing perspective, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford. Mihalic, T 2000, ‘Environmental management of a tourist destination: A factor of tourism competitiveness’, Tourism Management, vol. 21 no. 1, pp. 65–78. Scott, D, McBoyle, G Schwartzentruber, M 2008, ‘Climate change and the distribution of climatic resources for tourism in North America’, Climate Research, vol. 27 no. 2, pp. 105-117. Williams, A Shaw, G 2003, Tourism, and Economic Development, Belhaven Press, London. Wong, P 2000, Tourism vs. environment: The case for coastal areas, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston. World Tourism Organization 2002, Contributions of the World Tourism Organization to the World Summit on Sustainable Development, World Trade Organization, Johannesburg. This report on The Environmental Issues and Unsustainable Tourism was written and submitted by user Punisher to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Case Study Charles Schwab in 2008

Case Study Charles Schwab in 2008 Introduction Investor confidence is one of the major factors that determine the funds that investors are willing to invest in various sectors of the economy. The current economic conditions determine the confidence of the investors. In addition, the future economic outlook also determines the investor confidence. Favorable future economic outlook increases the confidence of investors.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Case Study: Charles Schwab in 2008 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Prior to the global financial crisis, investor confidence was very high. Investors were willing to invest huge funds in the financial markets. This led to the growth of companies that specialized in the provision of financial services. These companies include stock brokerage firms, insurance companies, and banks. Charles Schwab is one of the companies that existed during this period. Charles Schwab was one of the most profitable comp anies that provided financial services. The company specialized in the provision of discount brokerage services. This helped in differentiating the company from other companies that provided financial services. However, the company also faced several problems. These problems necessitated the company to undertake several strategic decisions to improve its competitiveness. History, Development, and Growth of the Company One can trace the history of Charles Schwab to 1963. Charles R. â€Å"Chuck† Schwab was one of the founders of the company. In 1963, Chuck Schwab formed the Investor Indicator newsletter with the help of two other partners. They incorporated Investor Indicator on April 1971 as First Commander Corporation. First Commander was a subsidiary of the Commander Industries. The main business activity of First commander was to conduct a broker-dealer business and publish an investment magazine. Chuck Schwab and four others partners decided to buy back the stock of the co mpany from Commander. This facilitated the formation of Charles Schwab Co., Inc. The company has its headquarters in San Francisco. Brokerage transactions were the main services that the company offered. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) helps in the regulation of companies that engage in brokerage services. The SEC is one of the major bodies that determine the growth of brokerage firms. From time to time, the SEC implements various regulations that affect companies that provide financial services. Soon after the incorporation of Charles Schwab, the SEC implemented several changes that affected brokerage firms. In 1975, the SEC enacted regulation that that increased the flexibility of charges that companies that offered financial services charged its customers.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Several brokerage firms took advantage this directi ve to increase their commissions. However, Charles Schwab took advantage of this directive to increase its competitiveness. The company established discount brokerage. This was a new type of brokerage. This move enabled the company to attract more customers. In the financial services sector, service hours determine the number of customers that an organization may serve. Therefore, it is vital for companies to have long service hours. This would enable them to serve more customers. Throughout its history, Charles Schwab has used service hours to increase its competitiveness. The company has prolonged its service hours on several occasions. In 1978, Charles Schwab prolonged its service hours. This was the first time that a company in the industry had prolonged its service hours. This strategic move enabled the company to attract more customers. This strategic decision helped in increasing the number of customers of the company to more than 40,000. In 1980, Charles Schwab formed a 24-h our quotation service. This was the first time that a company had established a 24-hour quotation service in the industry. This strategic move enabled the company to increase its customers significantly. It enabled the company to increase its customers to approximately 150,000. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is one of the major stock exchanges in the world. Therefore, it was vital for Charles Schwab to become a member of this renowned stock exchange. Charles Schwab joined the NYSE in 1981. This enabled the company to trade on various stocks and securities in the stock market. When Charles Schwab became a member of the NYSE, its clients were more than 200,000. The company was on its way to becoming one of the most popular companies that offered financial services in the U.S. Technology enables companies that provide financial services to create a network that helps in supporting the activities of companies in this sector. Charles Schwab realized the importance of technology in it s growth. In 1979, the company made huge investments in a mainframe that used modern technology. This system enabled the company to automate its transactions.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Case Study: Charles Schwab in 2008 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In addition, the system helped in improving the record keeping of the company. In the 1980s, the company launched several technological solutions that helped in improving the competitiveness of the company. In 1984, the company introduced the ‘Mutual Fund Marketplace.’ In addition, the company launched the ‘TeleBroker’ in 1989. Launching several technological products helped in establishing the company as a leader in the online investment revolution. Charles Schwab used mergers and acquisitions to maintain its growth. In 2000, the company merged with U.S. Trust. During the same year, the company acquired CyBerCorp, Inc. This enable d the company to improve the quality of services it offers to online traders. Training Americans on how to be financially fit is one of the most recent campaigns of the company. The company collaborated with the Boys Girls Clubs of America to teach young people about money management. This helped in improving the visibility of the company in the industry. In addition, it guarantees the future growth and profitability of the company. This is because the teens are the future customers of the company. Various strategic decisions have enabled Charles Schwab to become a leader in the provision of financial services. The company has more than 300 offices and 7 million client brokerage accounts. In addition, the assets of the company’s clients are approximately $1 trillion. Various subsidiaries of the company enable it to offer a wide range of financial services to its customers. Internal Strengths and Weaknesses Engaging is discount brokerage is one of the factors that has improve d the competitiveness of Charles Schwab. Charles Schwab was one of the first companies that offered discount brokerage. The company offered discount brokerage instead of increasing its commission fees due to the SEC regulations that facilitated the negotiation of commission rates. Other companies took advantage of this directive to increase their commission rates. Therefore, this move helped in improving the image and reputation of the company.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More People associate the company with discount brokerage. It is a fact that Charles Schwab is not one of the cheapest discount brokerage in the industry. However, being among the first companies that engaged in discount brokerage has improved the reputation of the company. It is vital for companies that provide financial services to focus all their efforts on their customers. They should strive to improve the welfare of the customer while making handsome profits. Availability of information determines the investment decisions of customers. It is vital for companies that offer financial services to provide customers with all the information they may need to make sound investment decisions. Charles Schwab strives to provide their customers with all the information that they may need to make investment decisions. In addition, the company offers its customers various technological tools that enable them to make sound financial decisions. Empowering customers helps in improving the image and reputation of the customers. It reduces the likelihood of customers making the wrong financial decisions. This improves customer loyalty. It is vital for companies to strive to form good relationships with their clients. Customer relationships determine the competitiveness of companies. Companies that provide services use several strategies to improve the relationships with their customers. Forming personal relationships enables these companies to gain the trust of the customers. Charles Schwab strives to form personal relationships with its customers. This enables the company to increase customer loyalty. Companies in various industries strive to reduce their operating costs. This helps in increasing the profitability of the companies. Companies may use several strategies to reduce their operating costs. Technology is one of the major tools that enable companies to reduce their operating costs. Charles Schwab is one of the companies that use technology to reduce their operational costs. Throughout its history, the company has implemented various technological tools that have reduced its operating costs. In addition, these technological tools improve the quality of services that the company offers. Using an online platform is one of the strategies that have enabled the company to reduce its operating costs. It enables customers to place orders without having to visit the company’s offices. Online processing reduces the costs of maintaining the staff of the company. The perception that people have on a certain company determines its competitiveness. Since its inception, people have perceived Charles Schwab as a discount brokerage firm. This has made it difficult for the company to attract the high-end customers. High-end customers usually prefer full brokerage firms. This is because they offer personalized services. Despite being a discount brokerage firm, Charles Schwab also offers services that resemble those in full brokerage firms. Therefore, it is vital for the company to use various strategies to attract the high-end customers. However, the company should ensure that it does not shed its image as a discount brokerage firm. This is because the low-end customers are the major clients of the company. Therefore, losing these customers may have devastating effects on the company. It is vital for companies that would like to guarantee their future growth and profitability to improve their presence in emerging markets. Saturation of companies and services in developed countries reduces the growth potential of companies in these countries. Charles Schwab does not have a good presence in emerging markets. The company concentrates its activities in developed countries. Saturation in these markets reduces the growth potential of the company. Therefore, it is vital for the company to improve its presence in emerging markets. Nature of the External Environment Online trading holds the key to the future growth of companies that offer fina ncial services. Charles Schwab was one of the first companies that realized the importance of online trading in financial services. However, the revenue that the company gets from online trading has been declining. Increased competition is one of the major factors that have reduced the revenue from online trading. Companies can easily open online trading platforms. This has increased the number of companies that offer online trading services. Retirement packages account for a sizeable percentage of the products of companies that offer financial services. The U.S. population is aging. This would increase the demand for various retirement services. Therefore, it is vital for companies that offer financial services to take advantage of the changing population patterns. This would improve the profitability of the companies. Companies should create several products that target people who are retired. The global and domestic economic conditions affect the profitability of companies that p rovide financial services. Slowing of the economy has a negative effect on the growth and profitability of companies that provide financial services. Slowdown of the economy necessitated Charles Schwab to undertake several strategic decisions to safeguard its position. Investor confidence also determines the profitability of companies that offer financial services. Reduced investor confidence reduces the amount of money that investors are willing to invest in financial markets. In 2008, there was a significant reduction in the investor confidence. People were not willing to invest in the financial markets due to the revelations of problems in the subprime market. Most people withdrew their investments in the financial markets. Reduced investor confidence had a negative effect on the financial markets. It led to the steady decline of market indicators in various regions. This reduced the profitability of Charles Schwab. Market volatility also determines the profitability of companies that offer financial services. During the global financial crisis, the financial markets were on a steady decline. Companies that offer financial services operate in a highly regulated environment. The SEC is one of the major bodies that regulate companies that provide financial services. Regulation helps in safeguarding the investments of customers. It ensures that companies do not engage in illegal activities. In addition, it ensures that companies do not exploit their customers. In 2008, the SEC implemented various regulations to help in safeguarding the investments of customers of companies that offer financial services. However, these measures did not increase the investor confidence. Increased regulation may jeopardize companies that offer certain financial services. Regulation may increase the bureaucracy of the companies. This may reduce the number of customers who are willing to invest in the companies. In addition, regulation may limit the ability of companies to venture into various markets. This is because companies that offer financial services have to meet stringent requirements to receive licenses to operate in various regions. These requirements prevent companies from engaging in illegal activities. SWOT Analysis Strengths The presence of Chuck Schwab in the management of Charles Schwab is one of the major strengths of the company. Schwab has undertaken several strategic decisions that have helped in developing the company. In addition, he has invaluable experience in the stock brokerage industry. Schwab offers visionary leadership that helps in improving the current and future growth of the company. Charles Schwab is one of the most popular discount brokerage companies. The company has a very strong brand name. Charles Schwab was one of the first companies that offered discount brokerage services. Charles Schwab empowers its customers by offering them all the information that they would need to make investment decisions. This helps in improvi ng the image and reputation of the company. Charles Schwab has very low operating costs. The company uses technological tools to reduce its operating costs. The technological tools also enable the company to improve the efficiency of its activities. Charles Schwab forms personal relationships with its customers. This enables the company to retain its customers. In addition, it helps in improving customer satisfaction. Charles Schwab has efficient marketing strategies. The company launches advertising campaigns regularly. These advertising campaigns help in improving the visibility of the company Weaknesses Charles Schwab has been unable to shed its image as a discount brokerage firm. This has reduced the ability of the company to attract customers who have a high net worth. Therefore, customers who have a low net worth form the bulk of the company’s customers. Charles Schwab does not have a large presence in emerging markets. Most of the company’s operations are in dev eloped markets. This limits the future growth and profitability of the company since the developed markets are already saturated. Charles Schwab engages in expensive advertising campaigns. These advertising campaigns increase the operating costs of the company. Opportunities The aging of the American population provides the company with many growth opportunities. This is because it would increase the amount of retirement services that the company offers. This would improve the profitability of the company. Charles Schwab is one of the largest companies that provide financial services. This is despite the fact that the company focuses on developed markets. Therefore, venturing into the emerging markets would help in improving the future growth and profitability of the company. Threats Slowdown of the global economy would reduce the growth and profitability of the company. Reduced investor confidence threatens to lead to the total collapse of the company. During the global financial c risis, few investors were willing to commit funds to the financial markets. Technology has revolutionized the provision of financial services. Therefore, it is vital for the company to undertake several changes that would incorporate new technology regularly. Failure to do so would make the company become irrelevant. There is increased competition in the financial services sector. Various companies provide online financial services. The ease of opening platforms that enable companies to provide online financial services have increased the number of companies that provide financial services. Corporate-Level Strategy Corporate-level strategy guides the strategic decisions of a company. Companies use their corporate-level strategies to create value in their activities. The corporate-level strategy helps in coordinating different activities of the company. Companies use the corporate-level strategy to determine the direction that the organization should follow in the long term. The corp orate-level strategy enables companies to gain a competitive advantage. The corporate-level strategy enables an organization to determine the businesses that the organization to concentrate on to improve its long-term profitability. A company may decide to concentrate on a single business to improve its long-term profitability. In addition, a company may use vertical integration or diversification to improve its long-term profitability. Charles Schwab uses vertical integration to improve its long-term profitability. Throughout its history, the company has used mergers and acquisitions of other companies in the industry to improve its long-term profitability. Charles Schwab acquired companies that provide online services to improve its ability to provide online financial services. In 2000, the company acquired CyBerCorp. CyBerCorp was a company that provided online financial services. In 2001, Charles Schwab renamed the company to Cyber Trader. In addition, Charles Schwab enhanced th e software of the company. This helped in improving the quality of services of the company. The inability to capture customers who have a high net worth was one of the major problems of the company. In addition, most customers of the company left the company after their assets reached $500,000. This reduced the profitability of the company. Charles Schwab used vertical integration to capture the high net worth customers. The company merged with the U.S. Trust. The U.S. Trust was a company that focused on managing the wealth of high-end customers. This strategy enabled the company to increase the number of high-end customers. In addition, it enabled the company to retain customers whose assets reached $500,000. This strategy enabled the company to shed its image as a discount brokerage firm that served low-end customers. Charles Schwab later sold the U.S. Trust to Bank of America. Advances in technology enabled the company to retain high-end customers. The company used various techno logical tools to generate model investment portfolios. These portfolios helped in personalizing the financial services of the company. Technological tools enabled the company to reduce the number of forms of advice. This helped in improving the quality of services that the company offered its customers. In addition, it enabled the company to offer sound financial advice to customers in various locations. Vertical integration enables Charles Schwab to take advantage of the capabilities of other companies. Retirement-plan services are some of the major products of the company. However, the company would not have been able to increase its retirement products if it had not acquired other smaller companies that provided retirement services. In 1995, Charles Schwab acquired Hampton Co. Hampton was a company that specialized in the provision of retirement-plan services. Charles Schwab uses diversification to increase its long-term stability. The company offers a wide range of financial ser vices. These include brokerage of securities, mutual funds, investment advisory services, and banking. In addition, the company also provides retirement services. The growth of online financial services has helped in the growth of the company. In 2003, the company launched the Charles Schwab Bank. The bank provided home mortgage loans. Schwab Retirement Plan Services, Inc. enables the company to provide retirement services. Subsidiaries of the company enable it to provide a wide range of financial services effectively. Business-Level Strategy Business-level strategy helps in identifying the methods that a company would use to compete in a certain industry. Therefore, the business-level strategy determines the competitive strategy of the organization. One of the major differences between business-level strategy and corporate-level strategy is that business-level strategy focuses on only one business. On the other hand, corporate-level strategy focuses on a wide range of businesses wi thin an organization. Therefore, the business-level strategy enables an organization to manage its business effectively. The business-level strategy ensures that the activities of the business units conform to the corporate-level strategies of the organization. In addition, business-level strategy enables an organization to develop capabilities that would help in improving the competitiveness of the organization. Business-level strategy also helps in monitoring the industry environment of the company. Some business-level strategies include cost leadership, differentiation, and focus. Cost leadership is one of the major business-level strategies of Charles Schwab. The company strives to organize its activities in a method that enables it to provide various services at a lower cost. This enables the company to offer various services at very low prices. This strategy enables the company to gain a competitive edge in the provision of financial services. Use of information technology is one of the major methods that the company uses to reduce its operating costs. Technological tools enable the company to automate various activities. In addition, technological tools enable the company to improve the quality and efficiency of its activities. Online trading platforms enable companies to reduce their operational costs. They eliminate the need to open branches in various locations. Customers only need an internet connection to access the financial services. E*Trade is one of the major competitors of Charles Schwab. It was one of the first companies to offer its services via the internet only. This strategy enabled the company to reduce its operating costs significantly. Reduced operating costs enabled the company to offer its services a lower price. The threat posed by the company necessitated Charles Schwab to launch an online trading platform. The company launched ‘eSchwab’ to counter the threat posed by E*Trade. This product enabled the company to provid e real-time personalized financial information to customers. It enabled customers of the company to undertake financial transactions via the internet. In addition, it enabled customers to access financial information via the internet. This strategy enabled the company to reduce its operating costs significantly. Therefore, it could afford to reduce the prices of its services. Charles Schwab strives to empower its customers. The company offers financial information that helps customers to make sound investment decisions. Offering financial help helps in increasing customer loyalty. In addition, offering financial help enables the company to increase its interaction with customers. The company uses various strategies to show that it is willing to offer financial advice to its customers. The ‘Talk to Chuck’ campaign is one of the recent advertisements that highlight the willingness of the company to offer financial advice to its customers. In addition, this advertising cam paign showed the transparency of the company. It enabled customers to access information about the company. Organizational Structure Charles Schwab specializes in the provision of financial services. The company has operations in the United States, Hong Kong, and various European countries. In addition, the company offers online financial services to people around the globe. The company manages financial assets that are worth more than $1 trillion. Charles Schwab offers a wide range of financial services. These services include banking, mutual funds, and retirement-plan products. Therefore, it is vital for the company to use an organizational structure that would help in managing its activities efficiently. Charles Schwab uses a matrix organizational structure. This organizational structure enables the organization to coordinate its activities. Charles Schwab has various managers that oversee various functions of the organization. These functions include networking, engineering, sal es and marketing, and communication. This organizational structure enables the organization to benefit from the talent of its employees in various functions. The size of Charles Schwab makes it difficult for the company to use only the functional organizational structure. In addition, the company offers various financial products. Charles Schwab employs a divisional organizational structure to help in the management of various products of the company. This organizational structure enables the company to manage its banking services, retirement-plan products, and online financial products effectively. In addition, this organizational structure enables the organization to fulfill the needs of various stakeholders quickly. Charles Schwab uses teams to accomplish various tasks within the organization. This helps in improving the quality of the products of the organization. In addition, the company empowers employees to develop various innovative products that would improve the competitiv eness of the company. Empowering employees helps in improving the quality of their services. Conclusion Charles Schwab is one of the most popular companies that offer financial services in the U.S. The company has more than 300 offices in various regions around the world. Investing in technology is one of the major factors that led to the success of the company. Investing in technology enabled the company to reduce its operating costs. This enabled the company to offer its services at very low costs. Charles Schwab is renowned for its discount brokerage services. This image limits the ability of the company to attract high-end customers. The company merged with U.S. Trust to shed this image. The growth of the internet poses several risks to the company. This is because it has increased the number of the companies that provide online financial services. These companies have very low operating costs. This enables the companies to offer various financial services at very low costs.

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