Sophocles’ antigone

Oedipus meets all the criteria of a tragic hero.   He is of noble birth with a character that is consistent throughout as a truth-seeker, always in quest of knowledge, and a riddle-solver wanting to be a savior of people; yet as every other person, he had his flaws, which reversed his prosperity.His intelligence and stateliness is worthy of that of a king, so his doom fills the readers with pity and fear, which is the essence of a tragedy.Though Oedipus realizes that fate had a hand in his doom, he knew he had his own flaws.A woman can also be a tragic hero so long as she meets the criteria set for a tragic hero, and Antigone meets all the criteria. Yet I consider Oedipus to be the best tragic hero here, he being glorious and his fall, dramatic.To go by Aristotle’s view, Antigone, Oedipus and Creon, all   meet the criteria of   being tragic heroes in that all of them face disastrous consequences because of certain fundamental flaws common to humanity.(3)Antigone strongly felt Creon should not interfere in matters relating to religion, andleaving the dead unburied was against the divine law.   She defies Creon and does notever regret it even in the face of death. Thus her remark, â€Å"I do not think your edicts strong enough to overrule the unwritten unalterable laws of God and heaven, you being only a man.†Creon on the other hand respects the rules of the state, and though he could have changed them, if he so chose, remains adamant that Polynice, her brother, be left to rot.   Ismene does not act emotionally.   She thinks twice about dying for the dead.Antigone’s views clashed with that of the others in that she failed to see the impact of her action on those around her, for instance Haemon.(4)The Greek view is that a tragic hero should ideally be a king so that his people also experience his fall.   He should be venerable but imperfect so that the audience may associate themselves with him.As great as the hero is, they feel his fall should be as great too, a calamity worthy of their hero.  Ã‚   But modern-day hero is not necessarily of royal birth. He can rise to glory by contributing positively to the society or the world at large, and unlike the tragic hero, who often dies or survives only to suffer, may even be victorious, and his flaws are not fatal.To quote Duane Lowry, a member of the American Political Historians Association, an American hero is â€Å"someone who embodies popular values and is the driving force behind an important social, political, or scientific change or transformation that lifts the spirit of America and betters the situation of the country.†

Narrative observation

Ruby climbs up the stairs of the slide holding the bars with her hands and sits on the edge and then slides down. She then climbs up the slope from the bottom and then slides down again laughing as she does so. She repeats climbing up the stair and this time goes on her front and slides down body faced downwards. Appendix 2 Name of children and ages: Sara- 4. 8; Tests – 3. 9; Dawn -3. 5 Sara is playing in the nursery garden as it is time for free play.Since she is the oldest child in the nursery, lot of other children enjoy following her and taking part in her role play activities as she is good at directing play and is imaginative. Sara [4. 8] runs up behind me with a piece off pipe in her hand and takes hold of my hand with her free one. She tugs me forward. Sara: â€Å"Look out miss Marina! There's a fire behind you! Run! Quick! † I turn around and pretend to be scared. Me: â€Å"Oh no Sara! What shall we do? How will you save me?! † Sara: â€Å"Don't worry, my team Is here, you won't get hurt.Just follow me! Dawn comes up behind me as well with a pipe In his hand and pushes me. Dawn: â€Å"l save you! Come on! Run! † I quickly follow Sara, who has become the leader of the â€Å"fire fighters† and am followed by Dawn and Tests who are part of the team. Sara leads us towards the Wendy house on the other side of the garden. Sara: â€Å"Come Inside miss Marina, you'll be safe here. Ill look after you†. I pretend to be deeply traumatized and followed Sara Into the Wendy house. Sara: â€Å"Stay here, 'cause the fire will hurt you.I have to put out the firer Come Tests, lets goal Dawn, follow us in the fire engine! † Sara runs to the and pretend to put out the fire. They make â€Å"whoosh' sounds as if the water is spurting out of the picks. Two minutes later the bell to signal the end of play time and Sara runs back to the Wendy house. Sara: â€Å"Miss Marina, we have to go inside now but can you play fire fight ers with us next time too? † Me: â€Å"Of course I can Sara. Shall we pack the things up as Ms Nina is calling everyone over to line up.

Harmony

Music is composed by four elements, this elements are harmony, rhythm, form and melody. I consider harmony to be the most important and my personal favorite because harmony is what gives the feeling and character to a song. The harmony gives emotions to a song, some of this emotions are sadness, happiness and/ darkness. Harmony is any combination of tones simultaneously. It is the structure of music with respect to the composition and progression of chords. It is often referred as the â€Å"vertical† side of music with melody being the â€Å"horizontal† side of music.Usually harmonization sounds pleasant to the ear as long as the consonant and the dissonant sounds are balanced. Which means that there is a balance between the â€Å"tense† and the â€Å"relaxed† moments. The word harmony comes from the Greek word harmonia that means â€Å"agreement† and from the verb harmozo that means â€Å"to Joint†. In the past the word harmony was used to r efer to the whole field of music while the word â€Å"music† was used to refer to the arts in general. There are different types of harmony.Some of these types are open position, close position, subordinate and oordinate. Even though some types of music can exist without harmony like percussive music that doesn't utilize harmony, doesn't mean that all kinds of music can exist without harmony. No, they can't. One of the genres of music that highlights the use of harmony is Jazz. Any music that utilizes instruments like piano, guitar or voices utilizes harmony. A song that I like and highlights the use of harmony is â€Å"Hotel California† by The Eagles.In this song some of the chords they use mimic the ringing f the â€Å"mission bell† on top of hotel. There is also a Spanish feeling in the song that I think could relate to the Spanish heritage of California. In the beginning of the song there is also a â€Å"shaker† sound that kind of resembles that of th e rattlesnake. When you hear this sound you can imagine a desert. All of this and other sounds in the song creates a mood. Also during the chorus you can hear a few other voices in the background that resembles there sound of voices echoing through the hallways of the hotel.

Succubus Blues CHAPTER 1

Statistics show that most mortals sell their souls for five reasons: sex, money, power, revenge, and love. In that order. I suppose I should have been reassured, then, that I was out here assisting with numero uno, but the whole situation just made me feel†¦ well, sleazy. And coming from me, that was something. Maybe I just can't empathize anymore, I mused. It's been too long. When I was a virgin, people still believed swans could impregnate girls. Nearby, Hugh waited patiently for me to overcome my reticence. He stuffed his hands into well-pressed khakis, leaning his large frame against his Lexus. â€Å"I don't see what the big deal is. You do this all the time.† That wasn't exactly true, but we both knew what he meant. Ignoring him, I instead made a great show of studying my surroundings, not that that improved my mood. The suburbs always dragged me down. Identical houses. Perfect lawns. Far too many SUVs. Somewhere in the night, a dog refused to stop yapping. â€Å"I don't do this, † I said finally. â€Å"Even I have standards.† Hugh snorted, expressing his opinion of my standards. â€Å"Okay, if it makes you feel better, don't think of this in terms of damnation. Think of it as a charity case.† â€Å"A charity case?† â€Å"Sure.† He pulled out his Pocket PC, looking briskly businesslike, despite the unorthodox setting. Not that I should have been surprised. Hugh was a professional imp, a master at getting mortals to sell their souls, an expert in contracts and legal loopholes that would have made any lawyer wince in envy. He was also my friend. It sort of gave new meaning to the With friends like these†¦ adage. â€Å"Listen to these stats,† he continued. â€Å"Martin Miller. Male, of course. Caucasian. Nonpracticing Lutheran. Works over at a game store in the mall. Lives in the basement here – his parents' house.† â€Å"Jesus.† â€Å"Told you.† â€Å"Charity or no, it still seems so†¦ extreme. How old is he again?† â€Å"Thirty-four.† † Ew.† â€Å"Exactly. If you were that old and hadn't gotten any, you might seek desperate measures too.† He glanced down at his watch. â€Å"So are you going to do this or not?† No doubt I was keeping Hugh from a date with some hot woman half his age – by which I meant, of course, the age Hugh looked. In reality, he was pushing a century. I set my purse on the ground and gave him a warning glance. â€Å"You owe me.† â€Å"I do,† he conceded. This wasn't my usual gig, thank goodness. The imp normally â€Å"outsourced† this kind of thing but had run into some kind of scheduling problem tonight. I couldn't imagine who he normally got to do this. I started toward the house, but he stopped me. â€Å"Georgina?† â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"There's†¦ one other thing†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I turned back around, not liking the tone in his voice. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"He, um, sort of had a special request.† I raised an eyebrow and waited. â€Å"You see, uh, he's really into the whole, like, evil thing. You know, figures if he sold his soul to the devil – so to speak – then he should lose his virginity to a, I don't know, demoness or something.† I swear, even the dog stopped barking at that. â€Å"You're joking.† Hugh didn't respond. â€Å"I'm not a – no. No way am I going to – â€Å" â€Å"Come on, Georgina. It's nothing. A flourish. Smoke and mirrors. Please? Just do this for me?† He turned wistful, cajoling. Hard to resist. Like I said, he was good at his job. â€Å"I'm really in a tight spot†¦ if you could help me out here†¦ it would mean so much†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I groaned, unable to refuse the pathetic look on his broad face. â€Å"If anyone finds out about this – â€Å" â€Å"My lips are sealed.† He actually had the audacity to make a sealing motion. Bending down, resigned, I unfastened the straps on my shoes. â€Å"What are you doing?† he asked. â€Å"These are my favorite Bruno Maglis. I don't want them absorbed when I change.† â€Å"Yeah, but†¦ you can just shape-shift them back.† â€Å"They won't be the same.† â€Å"They will. You can make them anything you want. This is just silly.† â€Å"Look,† I demanded, â€Å"do you want to stand out here arguing shoes, or do you want me to go make a man of your virgin?† Hugh clamped his mouth shut and gestured toward the house. I padded away in the grass, the blades tickling my bare feet. The back patio leading to the basement was open, just as Hugh had promised. I let myself into the sleeping house, hoping they didn't have a dog, blearily wondering how I'd reached this low point in my existence. Adjusting to the darkness, my eyes soon discerned the features of a comfortable, middle-class family room: sofa, television, bookshelves. A stairwell rose to the left, and a hallway veered to the right. I turned down the hall, letting my appearance shape-shift as I walked. The sensation was so familiar, so second nature to me, that I didn't even need to see my exterior to know what was happening. My petite frame grew taller, the slim build still staying slim but taking on a leaner, harder edge. My skin paled to death white, leaving no memory of its faint tan. The hair, already to my midback, stayed the same length but darkened to jet black, the fine waviness turning straight and coarse. My breasts – impressive by most standards – became larger still, rivaling those of the comic book heroines this guy had undoubtedly grown up with. As for my outfit†¦ well, away went the cute Banana Republic slacks and blouse. Thigh-high black leather boots appeared on my legs, paired with a matching halter top and a skirt I never could have bent over in. Spiky wings, horns, and a whip completed the package. â€Å"Oh Lord,† I muttered, accidentally taking in the whole effect in a small decorative mirror. I hoped none of the local demonesses ever found about this. They were really quite classy. Turning from the taunting mirror, I stared down the hall at my destination: a closed door with a yellow MEN AT WORK sign attached to it. I thought I could hear the faint sounds of a video game bleeping from beyond, though such noises silenced immediately when I knocked. A moment later, the door opened, and I stood facing a five-foot-eight guy with shoulder-length, dirty blond hair rapidly receding on top. A large, hairy belly peeped out from underneath his Homer Simpson T-shirt, and he held a bag of potato chips in one hand. The bag dropped to the floor when he saw me. â€Å"Martin Miller?† â€Å"Y-yes,† he gasped out. I cracked the whip. â€Å"You ready to play with me?† Exactly six minutes later, I left the Miller residence. Apparently thirty-four years doesn't do much for one's stamina. â€Å"Whoa, that was fast,† Hugh noted, seeing me walk across the front yard. He was leaning against the car again, smoking a cigarette. â€Å"No shit. Got another one of those?† He grinned and handed over his own cigarette, giving me a once-over. â€Å"Would you be offended if I said the wings kind of get me hot?† I took the cigarette, narrowing my eyes at him as I inhaled. A quick check ascertained no one else was around, and I shape-shifted back to my usual form. â€Å"You owe me big,† I reminded him, putting the shoes back on. â€Å"I know. Of course, some might argue you owe me. You got a nice fix from it. Better than you're used to.† I couldn't deny that, but I didn't have to feel good about it either. Poor Martin. Geek or no, committing his soul to eternal damnation was a helluva price to pay for six minutes. â€Å"You wanna get a drink?† Hugh offered. â€Å"No, it's too late. I'm going home. Got a book to read.† â€Å"Ah, of course. When's the big day?† â€Å"Tomorrow,† I proclaimed. The imp chuckled at my hero worship. â€Å"He just writes mainstream fiction, you know. He's hardly Nietzsche or Thoreau.† â€Å"Hey, one doesn't have to be surreal or transcendental to be a great writer. I should know; I've seen a few over the years.† Hugh grunted at my imperious air, giving me a mock bow. â€Å"Far be it from me to argue with a lady about her age.† I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, then walked two blocks to where I had parked. I was unlocking the car door when I felt it: the warm, tingling feeling indicative of another immortal nearby. Vampire, I registered, only a millisecond before he appeared beside me. Damn, they moved fast. â€Å"Georgina, my belle, my sweet succubus, my goddess of delight,† he intoned, placing his hands over his heart dramatically. Great. Just what I needed. Duane was quite possibly the most obnoxious immortal I'd ever met. He kept his blond hair shaved to a close buzz, and as usual, he demonstrated terrible taste in both fashion and deodorant. â€Å"Go away, Duane. I have nothing to say to you.† â€Å"Oh come on,† he crooned, his hand snaking out to hold the door as I tried to open it. â€Å"Even you can't play coy this time. Look at you. You're positively glowing. Good hunting, eh?† I scowled at the reference to Martin's life energy, knowing it must be wreathing me. Obstinately, I tried to pry my door open against Duane's hold. No luck. â€Å"He'll be out for days, from the looks of it,† the vampire added, peering at me closely. â€Å"Still, I imagine whoever he was enjoyed the ride – both on you and to hell.† He gave me a lazy smile, just barely revealing his pointed teeth. â€Å"He must have been someone pretty good for you to look as hot as you do now. What happened? I thought you only fucked the scum of the earth. The real assholes.† â€Å"Change of policy. I didn't want to give you false hope.† He shook his head appreciatively. â€Å"Oh Georgina, you never disappoint – you and your witticisms. But then, I've always found whores know how to make good use of their mouths, on or off the job.† â€Å"Let go,† I snapped, tugging harder at the door. â€Å"Why the hurry? I have a right to know what you and the imp were doing over here. The Eastside is my turf.† â€Å"We don't have to abide by your ‘turf rules, and you know it.† â€Å"Still, common courtesy dictates when you're in the neighborhood – literally, in this case – you at least say hello. Besides, how come we never hang out? You owe me some quality time. You spend enough time with those other losers.† The losers he referred to were my friends and the only decent vampires I'd ever met. Most vampires – like Duane – were arrogant, devoid of social skills, and obsessed with territoriality. Not unlike a lot of mortal men I'd met. â€Å"If you don't let me go, you're going to learn a whole new definition of ‘common courtesy.'† Okay, it was a stupid, faux action-movie line, but it was the best I could come up with on the spot. I made my voice sound as menacing as possible, but it was pure bravado, and he knew it. Succubi were gifted with charisma and shape-shifting; vampires had super strength and speed. What this meant was that one of us mingled better at parties, and the other could break a man's wrist with a handshake. â€Å"Are you actually threatening me?† He ran a playful hand along my cheek, making the hairs on my neck stand on end – in a bad way. I squirmed. â€Å"That's adorable. And kind of arousing. I actually think I'd like to see you on the offensive. Maybe if you'd just behave like a good girl – ow !You little bitch!† With both of his hands occupied, I had seized my window of opportunity. A quick burst of shape-shifting, and sharp, three-inch claws appeared on my right hand. I swiped them across his cheek. His superior reflexes didn't let me get very far with the gesture, but I did draw blood before he gripped my wrist and slammed it against the car. â€Å"What's the matter? Not offensive enough for you?† I managed through my pain. More bad movie lines. â€Å"Cute, Georgina. Very cute. We'll see how cute you are by the time I – â€Å" Headlights glimmered in the night as a car turned the corner on the next block and headed toward us. In that split second, I could see the indecision on Duane's face. Our t §?e- §?t §?e would undoubtedly be noticed by the driver. While Duane could easily kill an intervening mortal – hell, it was what he did for a living – having the kill linked to his harassment of me would not look good to our superiors. Even an asshole like Duane would think twice before stirring up that kind of paperwork. â€Å"We aren't finished,† he hissed, releasing my wrist. â€Å"Oh, I think we are.† I could feel braver now that salvation was on the way. â€Å"The next time you come near me's going to be the last.† â€Å"I'm quaking in terror,† he simpered. His eyes gleamed once in the darkness, and then he was gone, moving off into the night just as the car drove past. Thank God for whatever liaison or ice cream run had pulled that driver out tonight. Not wasting any more time, I got into my car and drove off, anxious to be back in the city. I tried to ignore the shaking of my hands on the wheel, but the truth of the matter was, Duane terrified me. I had told him off plenty of times in the presence of my immortal friends, but taking him on alone on a dark street was an entirely different matter, especially since all my threats had been empty ones. I actually abhorred violence in all its forms. I suppose this came from living through periods of history fraught with levels of cruelty and brutality no one in the modern world could even comprehend. People like to say we live in violent times now, but they have no idea. Sure, there had been a certain satisfaction centuries ago in seeing a rapist castrated swiftly and promptly for his crimes, without endless courtroom drama or an early release for â€Å"good behavior.† Unfortunately, those who deal in revenge and vigilantism rarely know where to draw the line, so I'd take the bureaucracy of the modern judicial system any day. Thinking back to how I'd presumed the fortuitous driver was on an ice cream run, I decided a little dessert would do me some good too. Once I was safely back in Seattle, I stopped in a 24-hour grocery store, discovering some marketing mastermind had created tiramisu-flavored ice cream. Tiramisu and ice cream. The ingenuity of mortals never failed to amaze me. As I was about to pay, I passed a display of flowers. They were cheap and a little tattered, but I watched as a young man came in and nervously scanned them over. At last he selected some autumn-colored mums and carried them off. My eyes followed him wistfully, half-jealous of whatever girl would be getting those. As Duane had noted, I usually fed off losers, guys I didn't have to feel guilty about hurting or rendering unconscious for a few days. Those kind did not send flowers and usually avoided most romantic gestures altogether. As for the guys who did send flowers, well, I avoided them. For their own good. That was out of character for a succubus, but I was too jaded to care about propriety anymore. Feeling sad and lonely, I picked up a bouquet of red carnations for myself and paid for it and the ice cream. When I arrived home, my phone was ringing. Setting down my goods, I glanced at the Caller-ID. Caller unknown. â€Å"My lord and master,† I answered. â€Å"What a perfect ending to a perfect night.† â€Å"Save your quips, Georgie. Why were you fucking with Duane?† â€Å"Jerome, I – what?† â€Å"He just called. Said you were unduly hassling him.† â€Å"Hassling? Him?† Outrage surged inside me. â€Å"He started it! He came up to me and – â€Å" â€Å"Did you hit him?† â€Å"I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Did you?† I sighed. Jerome was the archdemon of the greater Seattle hierarchy of evil, as well as my supervisor. It was his job to manage all of us, make sure we did our duties, and keep us in line. Like any lazy demon, however, he preferred we create as little work for him as possible. His annoyance was almost palpable through the phone line. â€Å"I did sort of hit him. Actually, it was more of a swipe.† â€Å"I see. A swipe. And did you threaten him too?† â€Å"Well, yes, I guess, if you want to argue semantics, but Jerome, come on! He's a vampire. I can't touch him. You know that.† The archdemon hesitated, apparently considering the outcome of me going head-to-head with Duane. I must have lost in the hypothetical battle because I heard Jerome exhale a moment later. â€Å"Yes. I suppose. But don't provoke him anymore. I've got enough to work on right now without you children having catfights.† â€Å"Since when do you work?† Children indeed. â€Å"Good night, Georgie. Don't tangle with Duane again.† The phone disconnected. Demons weren't big on small talk. I hung up, feeling highly offended. I couldn't believe Duane had tattled on me and then made me out to be the bad guy. Worse, Jerome seemed to have believed it. At least at first. That probably hurt me most of all because, my slacker-succubus habits aside, I'd always enjoyed a kind of indulgent, teacher's pet role with the archdemon. Seeking consolation, I carried the ice cream off to my bedroom, shedding my clothes for a loose nightshirt. Aubrey, my cat, stood up from where she'd been sleeping at the foot of my bed and stretched. Solid white save for some black smudges on her forehead, she squinted green eyes at me in greeting. â€Å"I can't go to bed,† I told her, stifling a yawn. â€Å"I have to read first.† I curled up with the pint and my book, recalling again how I'd finally be meeting my favorite author at the signing tomorrow. Seth Mortensen's writing always spoke to me, awakening something inside I hadn't even known was asleep. His current book, The Glasgow Pact, couldn't ease the guilt I felt over what had happened with Martin, but it filled an aching emptiness in me nonetheless. I marveled that mortals, living so short a time, could create such wonderful things. â€Å"I never created anything when I was a mortal,† I told Aubrey when I'd finished five pages. She rubbed against me, purring sympathetically, and I had just enough presence of mind to put the ice cream away before collapsing back into bed and falling asleep.

Compares the significance of the dominant conservative parties and Essay

Compares the significance of the dominant conservative parties and their opponents on the left (and in the center, as in the case of the DPJ) in France and Japan - Essay Example Due to this unity, the Japan Democratic Party won the next elections, held this power for over almost five decades, but lost the power in 1993. The party strategies came from its strong ties with the United Nation and the USSR. However, Criminal Intelligence Agency in US was not happy with the Socialist and the Communist party and therefore spent millions of dollars influencing Japans elections in the favor of the Liberal Democratic Party. Many analysts argue that the influence was due to the second world war that really affected the Japanese hence the CIA were worried of their counter reaction. The influence of the US CIA was a deep kept secret and was only revealed later in the 1990 thanks to The New York Times. In the 1960’s LDP managed to host 1964 Olympics and neutralize the Vietnam War (Fackler, Osaka Mayors Radical Message Has Broad Appeal in a Weary Japan). Their success continued as the Party managed to improve the country’s economy. However, the Party did not have it smooth all the way. The Party encountered resistance from the Socialist Party and Japan Community party. LDP also encountered many scandals including some of young members breaking away from the government and joining their opponents. Despite this, the government managed to consolidate and move forward. The Party made policies from all specters of the economy that managed to hold the party into leadership until 1993 when it lost. The party lost due to lack of power to influence voters in addition to many scandals in the government. Despite the loss the LDP was able to gunner its power back and after three years it was back to leadership. In 1998, Democratic Party of Japan was formed. The party challenged LDP mostly in 2003 and 2004 in parliamentary elections (Sieg). France political interest began hundreds of year ago with philosophers such as Locke challenging the government in its governance role.

SPORT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

SPORT - Essay Example Scoring high grades is the widely known measure of a student’s success, while there are several activities in school that scholars engage in (Ripley, 2014). Institutions of higher learning forever compete to produce excellent students that are marketable in the job industry. Sport is among the extra curriculum activities that scholar take part while in school besides academics, even other children are enrolled in gaming clubs away from school. Research documents that sport is essential as a form of relaxation to a scholar, a way from books or as a physical exercise. Sports on the other hand, offer a platform for continuous learning and overall growth. Sports do not interfere with a student academic performance and thus parents should be enforcers in their children choice of extra curriculum activities? The main mission of an education center is to train scholars on various subjects such as Math, English among others. Moreover, most institutions of higher learning are equipped with facilities to promote the process of knowledge acquisition. Amanda Ripley suggests that, the world smartest countries support 100% learning activities only yet some students still perform poorly. Inclusion of a sport program has never caused harm to any student and their academic performance instead; games are best in breaking the monotony of the class-teaching set-up. The realization of the importance of extra curriculum activities by the school managers is necessary for scholars stand to reap benefits as well as the institution. Trophies and prizes won during sports competitions aren’t individualized by scholars instead displayed at the school’s reception bring pride, prestige and fame to the institution. Sponsoring sports in line with the school’s mission offers an ample environme nt for both academic and extra curriculum performance. Scholars are able to grow all round with valuable principles such teamwork, discipline and

WALES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

WALES - Essay Example According to the BBC report dated 14 Nov 2012, Wales had an employment rate of 8.2% in November 2012 whereas the rate was 7.8% in the case of the whole UK for the same period. Deprivation index: - while analyzing the Wales’ deprivation index 2012, it seems that the country has satisfactory living conditions. Wales as a Tourist Destination According to BBC report dated Sep19, 2012, Wales is a rapidly emerging tourist destination in the United Kingdom with an annual industry turnover of ?3.5 billion. Statistical reports indicate that 8,078,900 people visited National Trust and Welsh Tourist Board destinations in 2002 (Wales Information, n.d.). Tourism industry plays a key role in boosting the economic growth of the Wales. To illustrate, in 2005 the tourism industry supported the economy of Wales by providing more than 100,000 service sector jobs which accounted for the country’s 8% of the workforce (ibid). The major tourist activities in Wales are mountain hiking; visitin g historic places, museums, and galleries; and shopping. Another report indicates that foreign tourists made over 1.1 million trips to Wales in 2006 (Countryside Council for Wales). Mainly, overseas tourists to Wales are from Republic of Ireland, Germany, and the United States. According to statistical information, tourism-related employment in Wales increased from 59,000 in 2000 to 78,000 in 2007 (Cultural tourism, 2012). Cardiff, the capital of the Wales, is the most popular tourist destination in the country. As Alford (2010) reports, the Cardiff tourism sector provides over 26,300 jobs and it had 14.6 million visitors in 2009. In 2004, the three cities, in term of tourists spent the most money, were Cardiff, Conwy, and Gwynedd. Wales offers improved accommodation and leisure amenities to visitors. Successes and Weaknesses While analyzing Wales’ tourism sector, it is clear that the country’s history and distinctive culture, natural environment, and attractive scener y and heritage significantly contribute to its success. The Museum of Welsh Life is the most popular tourist attraction in the country, attracting more than 600,000 tourists annually (Wales vacation packages). In addition, many castles like Caernarfon Castle and Caerphilly Castle attract visitors having historical interests. The varied landscape is another major tourist attraction in Wales. The country has three national parks including the Snowdonia National Park, the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, and the Brecon Beacons National Park. Wales is prominent for its extreme sports activities like downhill cycling, surfing, and hang gliding. The Wales Rally GB is organized in the country annually. It has been estimated that nearly 1.8 million US citizens have Welsh ancestral roots (webarchieve.com). Hence, genealogy is major reason why many US citizens visit Wales each year. Well developed infrastructure is another reason making Wales one of the world’s popular tourist destin ations. The country has also developed improved road, rail, and air travel facilities, which are crucial to the success of the tourism industry. Wales’ proximity to all other UK markets contributes to the success of the Wales tourism industry. The country can offer a wide range of leisure activities including walking, mountaineering, and fishing (Sports and leisure activities in Wales). Wales Tourist Board (WTB) is a well established and financially sound entity.