Response to both students with at least 3 references. each response Coursework

Response to both students with at least 3 references. each response must state the name of the student at the beginning and the reference immediately after the response - Coursework Example Generally, my view is that society and policy must reach some form of consensus in order to avoid conflict of a mismatch between social realities and policy structures. I agree with your opinion that public policy could be used to affect social change just like social change can provide the necessary pressure to create appropriate policy. I base my support on the fact that social change and public policy are connected as causative agents of each other (Den Hond & De Bakker, 2010; Lempert & Light, 2009). Essentially, social change involves the development of visionary structures that would guide the process towards the desired ends. Policy frameworks are built within these structures. The examples of Cesar Chavez of Union Farm Workers and Max Heller’s Greenville 2005, The Journey Forward, are suitable illustrations of the role of policy as the provider of operational mechanism of social change (Greenville Forward, 2012; United Farm Workers, 2012). I also back your view that policy provides the visionary framework that determines the course of social change. In the two cases you have cited, the vision of the two individuals were condensed into meaningful policies that supported the processes of social change. Den Hond, F., & De Bakker, F. G. (2010).Ideologically motivated activism.In G. R. Hickman (Ed.), Leading Organizations Perspectives for a New Era (pp. 618-641). Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington DC:

Computer Physical Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Computer Physical Security - Essay Example Biometric characteristics are exclusively individual; therefore making such characteristics a basis of user identification provides high reliability of protection. So we may define a biometric system as 'a pattern recognition system which recognizes a user by determining the authenticity of a specific physiological or behavioral characteristic possessed by the user'2. The tests made by the International Computer Security Association (ICSA) have allowed to issue certificates to rather limited number of systems of biometric identification. It is necessary to notice that six products certificated by the ICSA have been selected as a result of the careful analysis from a plenty of models. In the manual 'Biometric Industry Product Guide' issued by the ICSA, there is a description of 170 systems, allowing to make identification of users on basis of their unique physical parameters. Many independent users, including representatives of the ICSA, appreciate certified systems at their true value. The majority of biometric systems operate in the following way: the digital mark of a fingerprint, an iris or a voice is stored in the system database. A person, who is going to get access to a computer network, enters his/her own personal biometric information into the system by means of a microphone, a scanner of finger-prints or other devices. The received data are compared with the sample, which is kept in the database. Let us consider the mostly used biometric systems of computes access control.FINGERPRINT RECOGNITION Recently the dactyloscopy has attracted the attention as a biometric parameter, which quite possibly will become the most popular in the future. Already now the application of this technology has received wide circulation in Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) used by police throughout all territory of the USA and more than in other 30 countries of the world. In the USA devices of access control based on fingerprint identification are established in military institution, including the Pentagon. Among the advantages of fingerprint scanners are simplicity, usability and reliability. Though the percent of erroneous negative identification is about 3 %, a mistake of positive access is less than one to one million. All process of identification lasts no more than several seconds and does not demand any efforts from those, who use the given system of access. Nowadays such systems are made in the size of less than a pack of cards. The certain disadvantage constraining the de velopment of the given method is the bias of a part of people, which do not wish to make the information on their fingerprints available. Thus the counterargument of developers of such equipment is the assurance that the information about papillate pattern of a finger is not stored. What is stored is only short identification code constructed on the basis of prominent features of your finger-print.HAND GEOMETRY RECOGNITION The method of identification of users by hand geometry by it's the technological structure and the level of reliability is quite comparable to the method of ident

Programs for Incarcerated Women Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Programs for Incarcerated Women - Research Paper Example Previously, women in prison were arrested and incarcerated for violent crimes such as murder, poisoning and arson, but the last few decades saw that a growing number of new female inmates were inside a prison for non-violent crimes, meaning these are crimes which are economic in nature. This is not a surprising fact, given that a lot of female inmates belong to racial and ethnic or other minorities such as those belonging to the lower socio-economic classes or being uneducated. The negative effect of incarcerated mothers gave rise to innovative ideas and approaches when it comes to dealing with children whose mothers are in prison. Special attention was paid to their daughters, and that is how the Girl Scouts of the USA came out with their â€Å"Girl Scouts Beyond Bars† program which made a positive influence on people who would otherwise had lost hope. Keywords: daughters, drugs, economic, girl scouts, incarcerated, women in prison Introduction The issue of women in prison is a very sensitive topic for most people. Only lately has it caught the attention of policy makers, politicians and other interested parties because of the so-called women's movement, or feminism. The previous research on this subject was limited to the gender gap among highly visible political issues such as voting preferences between males and females, social equality discussions at the workplace, abortion rights and gender differences in attitudes towards crime and punishment. Some studies showed that most women, who feel that they are more vulnerable to crime due to their enhanced feelings of insecurity, usually favor a harsher and more severe punishment for convicted offenders to serve as deterrence. Female attitudes with regard to appropriate punishments include a longer prison sentence and capital punishment. The prevailing psychology in this regard is that punishment is used as deterrence for potential crime offenders and that the said punishment will somehow reduce crime in society. Women feel particularly vulnerable when it comes to certain crimes in which by their very nature, women are the predominant victims, such as domestic violence and rape. A general perception is that the two sexes have a different attitude towards crime and punishment, with women oriented to more â€Å"ethic in care† while men prefer the â€Å"ethic in equity of justice† by which criminals must be punished immediately with enough severity, sometimes by applying death penalty. Only lately has the issue of women in prison been brought out into the open and included in the public discourse. The feminists have done quite a job in highlighting the problems of women in prison, including the racial and economic differences found to be inherent in the criminal justice system, and in particular, how female prisoners fare. This topic is the subject of this paper. Discussion The previous focus of the women's movement had been on the perceived vulnerability of women to cert ain crimes targeting them specifically. This feeling of fear and insecurity is of a great consequence in terms of their feeling and perception as potential victims. However, a new feminist focus today is one on the problem of women ending up in prisons and all the other issues related to female incarceration. The prior years had been focused on women as victims, but this new tack in public discourse has now shifted to women as

Response to both students with at least 3 references. each response Coursework

Response to both students with at least 3 references. each response must state the name of the student at the beginning and the reference immediately after the response - Coursework Example Generally, my view is that society and policy must reach some form of consensus in order to avoid conflict of a mismatch between social realities and policy structures. I agree with your opinion that public policy could be used to affect social change just like social change can provide the necessary pressure to create appropriate policy. I base my support on the fact that social change and public policy are connected as causative agents of each other (Den Hond & De Bakker, 2010; Lempert & Light, 2009). Essentially, social change involves the development of visionary structures that would guide the process towards the desired ends. Policy frameworks are built within these structures. The examples of Cesar Chavez of Union Farm Workers and Max Heller’s Greenville 2005, The Journey Forward, are suitable illustrations of the role of policy as the provider of operational mechanism of social change (Greenville Forward, 2012; United Farm Workers, 2012). I also back your view that policy provides the visionary framework that determines the course of social change. In the two cases you have cited, the vision of the two individuals were condensed into meaningful policies that supported the processes of social change. Den Hond, F., & De Bakker, F. G. (2010).Ideologically motivated activism.In G. R. Hickman (Ed.), Leading Organizations Perspectives for a New Era (pp. 618-641). Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington DC:

Programs for Incarcerated Women Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Programs for Incarcerated Women - Research Paper Example Previously, women in prison were arrested and incarcerated for violent crimes such as murder, poisoning and arson, but the last few decades saw that a growing number of new female inmates were inside a prison for non-violent crimes, meaning these are crimes which are economic in nature. This is not a surprising fact, given that a lot of female inmates belong to racial and ethnic or other minorities such as those belonging to the lower socio-economic classes or being uneducated. The negative effect of incarcerated mothers gave rise to innovative ideas and approaches when it comes to dealing with children whose mothers are in prison. Special attention was paid to their daughters, and that is how the Girl Scouts of the USA came out with their â€Å"Girl Scouts Beyond Bars† program which made a positive influence on people who would otherwise had lost hope. Keywords: daughters, drugs, economic, girl scouts, incarcerated, women in prison Introduction The issue of women in prison is a very sensitive topic for most people. Only lately has it caught the attention of policy makers, politicians and other interested parties because of the so-called women's movement, or feminism. The previous research on this subject was limited to the gender gap among highly visible political issues such as voting preferences between males and females, social equality discussions at the workplace, abortion rights and gender differences in attitudes towards crime and punishment. Some studies showed that most women, who feel that they are more vulnerable to crime due to their enhanced feelings of insecurity, usually favor a harsher and more severe punishment for convicted offenders to serve as deterrence. Female attitudes with regard to appropriate punishments include a longer prison sentence and capital punishment. The prevailing psychology in this regard is that punishment is used as deterrence for potential crime offenders and that the said punishment will somehow reduce crime in society. Women feel particularly vulnerable when it comes to certain crimes in which by their very nature, women are the predominant victims, such as domestic violence and rape. A general perception is that the two sexes have a different attitude towards crime and punishment, with women oriented to more â€Å"ethic in care† while men prefer the â€Å"ethic in equity of justice† by which criminals must be punished immediately with enough severity, sometimes by applying death penalty. Only lately has the issue of women in prison been brought out into the open and included in the public discourse. The feminists have done quite a job in highlighting the problems of women in prison, including the racial and economic differences found to be inherent in the criminal justice system, and in particular, how female prisoners fare. This topic is the subject of this paper. Discussion The previous focus of the women's movement had been on the perceived vulnerability of women to cert ain crimes targeting them specifically. This feeling of fear and insecurity is of a great consequence in terms of their feeling and perception as potential victims. However, a new feminist focus today is one on the problem of women ending up in prisons and all the other issues related to female incarceration. The prior years had been focused on women as victims, but this new tack in public discourse has now shifted to women as

A Walk in My Shoes Essay Example for Free

A Walk in My Shoes Essay My name is Jr. I hope you enjoy reading as I take you on a journey and a walk in my shoes. Join me as I walk you through my adolescent years up to adult hood. After reading you will be able to see how I developed socioemotionally and became who I am today and why I am the way I am. I will share some of my favorite memories along with some not so fond memories, which changed who I would become as a Father. I was born and raised on the south side of San Antonio, Texas. I am fourth generation Texan, The Sanchez family settled in Eagle Pass, Texas dating back to before Texas became a Republic in 1836. The south side of San Antonio is predominantly Hispanic. Plus I went to a predominantly all Hispanic Catholic School, mainly due to location. Growing up I had little to no interaction with any other races. I feel this gave my classmates and I a feeling of belonging. As I have learned since we all shared the same race, culture, and religion this also helps young people with identity formation. We not only embraced our Mexican heritage we also embraced our Texan heritage. I grew up learning both Spanish and English. Studies show that youths with a positive ethnic identity who also embrace the American culture have more positive outcomes (Umana-Taylor, 2006). My Family growing up was very close. It seemed we always had aunts and uncles living with us at some point in time. I did not mind as I was always looked after and they were excellent role models and provided emotional stability. I am the oldest of four and we are spaced about 4 years apart. My baby sister, the youngest of my siblings came to us when I was about 15. My Father was very strict growing up. It was the typical wait until your dad gets home of scenario. He was a hard working man, and a great provider to his family. He worked two jobs for over twenty years. He put me and my sister and brother through Catholic private school. My father barely graduated high school and was very proud to have graduated. He wore his High school graduation ring until the day he died. If this does not tell you why he sacrificed working two jobs for twenty years I will tell you. There was nothing more important in my dads eyes than going to school and getting a good education. He did not want his kids to have to work as hard as he had to, he wanted a better life for us. Where would I be without my mother. My mother is truly an amazing woman. I know everyone must think their mom is pretty great; unless you can tell me that your mom can go from working a 8-12 hour day, come home feed the kids, help with homework and finish laundry all in one night, than I would say you have a great mom. What sets my mom apart from other moms is she can Cook, garden, fix you’re a/c unit, retile your floor, install your carpet, change out your oil, alternator, pumps, fix your toilet, you name it my mom can do it. So how about that for some motivation, drive, will to do better. When I say I learned my hard work dedication and will to always strive to be the best from my parents, you can see, I truly mean it. My Father was a great provider and like I mentioned before he wanted the best for his kids. I remember him helping me learn to ride a bike, swim, drive a car and even ride a motorcycle. Which are all key points in a child’s life. My mother also worked very hard and late hours. I was cared for by my grandmother whom I grew very attached to. I know it’s not nice to say but I don’t think it was a big secret, I was her favorite. Going to private school definitely positively impacted my life. It is there I would like to say I met my second family. I went to the same school with practically the same students, teachers, nuns and priests from pre-k to 8th grade. It is there I felt safe, I never had to worry about drugs, fights or any negative influences. I played a few sports growing up, like soccer, baseball, volleyball, and most importantly basketball. I also became an alter boy for about 4 years. The church taught me moral character and to love everyone as we are all children of God. My parents were very lively and loved spending time with each other. They seldom ever left us out, we went right along wit them. So this meant if they were going to a dance, so were we. I loved watching my parents dance. We went to many weddings, quinceaneras, and school dances. Another favorite pass time was going to the lake, or the beach, amusement and water parks. I have a lot of fond memories of growing up with my grandmother. I use to love going to her house in the summers, because that meant great cooking, anything we wanted of course and playing with my cousins. My grandmother did not have a very big yard but it was amazing the things we would come up with playing outside. I mentioned before I played basketball. Well I grew up the shortest in class every year but what I lacked in height I made up for in speed. My dad encouraged me like no other, he taught me not to let the bigger kids beat me, he would always say, do not let them eat your sandwich. I never really understood that until I got older. I think what he meant was if you let people take what is yours you will go hungry. This inspired me some how and I collected a lot of sandwiches, because I was feared on the court, fear I would steal the basketball. I continued to play basketball until my 8th grade year. Our team won City champs two years in a row, plus one first place in every tournament for three years. Talk about building up self esteem. Another memory that sticks out in my head is the day I had enough guts to get up and learn how to dance. My mom taught me well. I enjoyed dancing so much I learned how to swing dance, lindy hop, country dance and tejano dance. My dad bought me my first car, it was a 1972 Volkswagen beetle. It was not in the best of shape but little by little my dad helped me fix it right up. All said and done it had a midnight blue metallic clear coated finished paint job with centerline rims, Pirelli tires and smoke black tented windows. I bought my first Harley Davidson when I was about 25 years old. My father always had a motorcycle until I was about the age of 15. I would say about 1 month after I bought mine, he went and bought himself one. For the first time, in a long time he was back on a bike and we were riding together. As a teenager I was pretty active. We moved from the south side of San Antonio to the outskirts of the southeast side of town. This was about the time I graduated from 8th grade. My life was about to change as I knew it. See, up to this point I only knew and interacted with Hispanics. The High school in my district in our new neighbor hood was well versed and predominately white. It is here I would truly feel and learn what assimilation was. There was a mix of races, homosexuality and people of different religious back ground. I did not fully grasp the concept of racism, to me everyone was equal. This was a very tough adjustment for me, especially since I gravitated to the basketball players, which I had always fit in with. I could not fit in with the basketball players they were much to tall, and a lot better skilled than I was. I did however end up getting picked up for the football team, but stopped playing after my sophomore year. I turned my focus to soccer. By the end of my junior year my dad had his first heart attack and I no longer wanted to play sports. I started working to help pay for things that my parents could no longer support me with. I kept some money and gave some to my parents. Without sports I quickly started falling into the wrong crowd. It was not long until I figured out I was headed on the wrong path and with some guidance from my cousins I snapped back into reality. I enjoyed going to clubs and dancing with girls, showing them all the fancy moves my parents had shown me. I can remember dancing until 2 a. m sometimes. This was not a popular decision with my parents of course. In my lifetime I have held many jobs. My first job was with a pharmacy drug store called Eckards. This introduced me to the cruel world of dishonest people. I eventually had to quit this job as I was accused of taking money from the register. I did not take any money from the register but on camera it looked like I took money from the guy that was over paid and whom owed me money, he took the change from a mystery shopper gave me what he owed me and stuck the rest in his pocket. I was very trusting and naive, I never did question what was going on. So I hit the streets, pizza hut delivery that is. I did that for a few weeks but very quickly was introduced to more than what I care to share about from transvestites to abuse. I did not do that job very long. I went to work for West Telemarketing where I found a comfortable, professional, and challenging job as an ATT representative. I am not going to lie to you this job was boring but I was really good at it, and made a lot of money as a senior in high school. After High school I partied a lot with friends and tried going to a local community college. I also tried to move out of a perfectly good home that I had with my parents. My mother cried for a long time the day I told her I wanted to move out. As it turns out, my mom was right this was not a very good idea and I probably would have done better in community college had I listened to her. I found what I thought was going to be my future in working for Pace Foods. I quickly moved up from learning how to run every machine in the place to being selected as a on the job trained mechanic in about one year. This job found me. I did not choose it. I will never forget my Tio Polo cornering me one afternoon at his house after a night of drinking. He shot it to me strait and gave me the best advise of my life, God Bless His Soul. I joined the Coast Guard at age 20. In the Coast Guard I have had many jobs. I have been a deck hand, a painter, and even a boat rescue swimmer. I really got my calling as I chose to be a corpsman in the Coast Guard. I have done everything from pharmacy, lab tech, x-ray tech, and a physical therapy technician. As I matured in my job I was trained in tactical field medicine and a swat team member. After that I was appointed as a Clinic supervisor. Currently I am running my own clinic as I am the only medical provider for over 60 people. In the Future I would like to make E-7 a rank not easily attained. I would like to finish my degree and retire in San Antonio. I have two kids an ex-wife and the woman of my dreams my wife. My second marriage has worked so well partly because we come from similar religious back grounds and we both believe in making things work. I can honestly say we don’t always see eye to eye, but our Love for each other pushes us past any short falls. I have a son from a previous marriage and she has a daughter from a previous marriage. We currently do not have one together. I hope to instill hardworking ethics and strong leadership to my children. Throughout my life I learned some of the most important things. There are many different walk of people in this world and everyone conforms to whom they were brought up to be. Individually it is our job to note all our differences, along with each persons strengths and weaknesses. I tend to follow my parents footsteps in working hard for what I have and raising my kids with strong moral and respective manners. I hope they grow up to have the respect that I have for my elders. The purpose of such rites is to show society that it has a new adult and to impress on the former youth that he or she is now an adult and expected to act as such. Social scientists like Kottak (2008) believe that rites of passage create new adult identities and allow elders to be looked at as sources of wisdom and role modeling for adult thinking and behavior.

Factors for Visitor Centre Design Effectiveness

Factors for Visitor Centre Design Effectiveness An investigation and analysis of visitor centres and their use with regard to interpretation. Visitor centres are an important component of attractions or sites. Indeed, their purpose is manifold, ranging from information referencing to travel advisement. Architectural design is also a distinguishing visitor centre feature. Designs range from the traditional to the nuance. Discussed here is a comparative visitor centre analysis based on three general themes: i) General Purposes, ii) Design and iii) Information: A How to Guide. General Purposes The primary role of a visitor centre is to convey information regarding a specific or grouped set of attractions within a defined geographical area to a continual visitor stream. In this sense, visitor centres are designed to act as reference guides both through directions and information sourcing to those interested in a particular site or attraction (England 2005, Florence 2006, Petrilli 2004). An analysis of visitor centres both within the UK and around the world reveals that information is presented in myriad fashion based on general site theme. Several secondary roles are also associated with visitor centres. For example, visitor centres may act as a shelter and hospitality (however limited) provider (Wright 2004[1]). These roles may be especially prevalent among outdoor and/or geographically remote centres relative to more urban-set counterparts. Another secondary visitor function may involve travel advisement (Rompf et al. 2005). For example, visitor centres of specific towns or cities may offer services such as road-maps sales, hotel and restaurant directories and weather advisories. These functions exist to minimize the time and financial effort expended by an individual who possesses specific queries regarding personal travel plans. It is important to note that regardless of specific function performed by a given visitor centre, each serves to provide primary informative or logistical services with time and cost-efficiency to individuals. Design There are several elements that contribute to visitor centre design effectiveness. These elements include primary structural design, accessibility and invasiveness. It should be noted that within certain categories there are several variations. For example, primary structural designs may consist of simple, traditional enclosures or complex, nuance architecture. Evaluation of design effectiveness is based not on preconceived notions simply of what is good vs. what is bad, but rather overall appropriateness relative to primary mission of the visitor centre. Discussed below are examples of high vs. poor quality visitor centres. Under each heading, primary examples are listed and discussed. Each example is discussed relative to the main criteria within the design realm (i.e. structural effectiveness, accessibility and invasiveness) that characterizes a visitor centre. High Quality Designs Sydney Visitor Centres, Sydney, Australia Structural designs of the Sydney visitor centres are large and open (see visitor centre, The Rocks, right). The Sydney Visitor Centres are situated in the downtown precinct. Accessibility is excellent given proximity to commercial, entertainment and transportation hubs (i.e. Circular Quay). Also, the centers are well marked to the public. For example, the visitor centre situated in The Rocks (see right) is marked with a large yellow pillar denoting the information symbol. The degree of invasiveness is minimal because the centres exist within already developed commercial areas. Poor Quality Designs Stonehenge Visitor Centre, England The Stonehenge Visitor Centre designs are sound in structure, but poor in accessibility and invasiveness. For example, early renditions of the visitors centre reflect its use as a modern facility wherein visitors can become engaged in Stonehenge’s historical significance. However, a new visitor centre demands motor-based transportation between the centre and Stonehenge monument itself (BBC Online). Critics assert the environmental damage sustained with building of new road infrastructure to facilitate such transfers (BBC Online). Also, the centre is placed such that traffic is bottlenecked along a major interstate motorway (BBC Online). Information: A How to Guide Information presented within a visitor centre is critical to the user’s overall experience and satisfaction. There are three primary elements of information presentation that act not in mutual exclusivity, but in coordination to provide a comprehensive learning experience for a given individual. The first element is information accuracy. Information must be presented with high accuracy to must lucidly inform individuals of what and why a certain site bears historical, cultural or economic significance. The second element is presentation style. Critical to this element is a balance between detail and restrain. Information is most effectively presented if it enables satisfaction among users of a variety of ages, intelligence and general interest levels. The final element involves integration. This refers to the ability to present various different information pieces (i.e. historical accounts, vegetation descriptions[2], maps etc) in context of the site’s general theme or purpose. For example, the Centre for Disease Control in Atlanta, US, hosts an exhibit entitled â€Å"The World Ahead† (CDC 2003). The exhibit incorporates several presentations dealing with real, modern risks and threats to global health such as bioterrorism and infectious disease (CDC 2003). Information integration is highly effective as the exhibit exists on the premises of one of the most advanced health laboratories in the world. Discussed below are two examples of visitor centres that convey information with high effectiveness. Each example is discussed relative to main criteria within the information realm (i.e. information accuracy, presentation style and integration) that characterizes a visitor centre. As well, visitor centres are examined based on inclusion of essential issues – who, what, where, when, why and how – related to a specific site. Sydney Visitor Centres, Information Services Consider this example that uses a template for information services offered by the Sydney Visitor Centres Online. The following is an exert taken from Sydney Visitor Centres Online website (Information Services, http://www.sydneyvisitorcentre.com/content/dyncontent.cfm?pg=100360) that explains the range of services available within or facilitated by each of its two downtown visitor centres: â€Å"Sydney Visitor Centres offer a comprehensive information service, which includes: Conveniently located centres at The Rocks (9.30am- 5.30pm) and Darling Harbour (9.30am- 5.30pm) open every day of the year except Christmas Day and Good Friday Expert Visitor Services Advisers many of whom are multi-lingual Free information brochures and tourist guides A real-time Booking Service for accommodation, day tours, cruises and other activities in and around Sydney Exclusive souvenirs and gifts, postcards, phone cards, travel cards, tickets and passes for purchase† (Information Services, Sydney Visitors Centres 2006) Consider this outline of information services in the context of satisfying the essential criteria behind any marketing piece – answering the Who, What, Where, Why, When and How regarding the visitor centres and their services. First, the ‘who’ is clearly outlined in the heading, avoiding confusion among individuals as to who to consult vis-à  -vis Sydney attractions and sites. The ‘what’ is explained in terms of each service offered by the visitor centres (i.e. service advisers, booking services, amenities such as phone cards, tickets etc). Heritage and Leisure, Cork, Ireland Information and links distributed through the Heritage and Leisure Department of Cork City council highlights the city’s most famous attractions. For example, links are provided to the Cork Museum, Blarney Castle and Cobh Heritage Centre, each of which possesses a unique significance to Irish culture and history (Cork City Council 2006). The Cobh Centre is particularly well advertised and explained as a sea-farers port, in past for Irish emigrants and in present for cruise liners (Cork City Council 2006). This centre also satisfies the essential information criteria regarding the subject of the site – ‘who’ (Cobh Heritage Centre), ‘what’ (past port for Irish emigrants), ‘where’ (Irish southeastern coast), ‘why’ (drought), ‘when’ (mid 19th to mid 20th century) and ‘how’ (via ship). Conclusions Visitor centres are most effective when blended into respective surroundings and when information is most aptly presented and explained based on site theme. Planners and contractors should heed such fundamental criteria such that future visitor centres accentuate, not dominate specific sites. References BBC Online Version. ‘Visitor Centre â€Å"Will Never Happen†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. Undated, Anonymous. Accessed online at http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/stoned/countess.shtml>, April 17, 2006 CDC Hopes to Draw Crowds of Tourists to New Visitors Center. Anonymous. 2003. Physicians Financial News. 21(13): 25 Cork City Council, Ireland. 2006. Heritage and Leisure. Accessed online at http://www.corkcorp.ie/strategiccorkguide/our_city/heritage_and_leisure.shtml, April 16, 2006 England J. 2005. Historic Wood Used in Nature Preserve. Rocky Mountain Construction. 86(16): 42 Florence B. 2006. ‘Quill Lakes Prepares for Hordes of Spring Visitors’. StarPhoenix, 10 April, p. A3 Information Services, Sydney Visitors Centres. 2006. Accessed online at http://www.sydneyvisitorcentre.com/content/dyncontent.cfm?pg=100360>, April 17, 2006 Petrilli PE. 2004. River of Life. Consulting-Specifying Engineer. 36(4): 48 Rompf P., DiPietro RB and P. Ricci. 2005. Locals’ Involvement in Travelers’ Informational Search and Venue Decision Strategies While at Destination. Journal of Travel Tourism Marketing. 18(3): 11 Sydney Visitors Centres (SVC). 2006. Sydney Visitors Centres. Accessed online at http://www.sydneyvisitorcentre.com/content/dyncontent.cfm?pg=100355>, April 17, 2006 Wright G. 2004. Capitol Visitor Centre Project Nears Halfway Mark. 2004. Building Design Construction. 45(6): 7 Footnotes [1] Note that the Capitol Visitor Centre in Washington, DC, holds a capacity of ~600 for dining events (Wright 2004) [2] See Petrilli (2004) for description of Sandstone Visitor Centre, US, and connection to eco-friendliness