Free Essays on Spotted Owl

ENVR 100 INTERNET ASSIGNMENT Website 1: â€Å"Brighter future for Spotted Owl in British Columbia† 31-10-2002 birdlife.net/news/news/2002/10/705.html Fact 1: Interfor says it will withdraw operations from designated Spotted Owl management areas. Fact 2: There are currently fewer than 25 breeding pairs of Spotted Owls in south west BC. Explanation: Interfor logging company has planned to stop logging in some areas that are home to some of the last remaining Spotted Owls of BC. Although environmentalists feel this is a step in the right direction, the logging company plans to follow the BC Government’s Spotted Owl Management Plan which has apparently been criticized in the past for itself contributing to a population decline of over 70% in the last seven years. Research on the Northern Spotted Owl has documented its dependence on coastal old-growth forests and the majority of old-growth in this owl’s range has already been logged. Those owls that remain are in some jeopardy as their populations will continue to decline as long as long as old-growth forest logging continues. Website 2: â€Å"Spotted Owls Going Extinct in Canada† 17-09-2002 forestethics.org/html/eng/434.shtml Fact 1: The plight of the owl is an indicator of both the poor health of BC’s forest ecosystems and the unwillingness of federal and provincial governments to protect endangered species. Fact 2: Eighty-seven per cent of spotted owl habitat loss is due to industrial logging. Explanation: A report was released by Sierra Legal Defence Fund, Western Canada Wilderness Committee and Forest Watch of British Columbia about how the Spotted Owl is on a fast-track to extinction due to BC Forestry practices. Our forest ecosystems are in bad shape as we continue to log what is left of our old-growth forests. These same old-growth forests are home to a much endangered species of BC, the Spotted Owl. ... Free Essays on Spotted Owl Free Essays on Spotted Owl ENVR 100 INTERNET ASSIGNMENT Website 1: â€Å"Brighter future for Spotted Owl in British Columbia† 31-10-2002 birdlife.net/news/news/2002/10/705.html Fact 1: Interfor says it will withdraw operations from designated Spotted Owl management areas. Fact 2: There are currently fewer than 25 breeding pairs of Spotted Owls in south west BC. Explanation: Interfor logging company has planned to stop logging in some areas that are home to some of the last remaining Spotted Owls of BC. Although environmentalists feel this is a step in the right direction, the logging company plans to follow the BC Government’s Spotted Owl Management Plan which has apparently been criticized in the past for itself contributing to a population decline of over 70% in the last seven years. Research on the Northern Spotted Owl has documented its dependence on coastal old-growth forests and the majority of old-growth in this owl’s range has already been logged. Those owls that remain are in some jeopardy as their populations will continue to decline as long as long as old-growth forest logging continues. Website 2: â€Å"Spotted Owls Going Extinct in Canada† 17-09-2002 forestethics.org/html/eng/434.shtml Fact 1: The plight of the owl is an indicator of both the poor health of BC’s forest ecosystems and the unwillingness of federal and provincial governments to protect endangered species. Fact 2: Eighty-seven per cent of spotted owl habitat loss is due to industrial logging. Explanation: A report was released by Sierra Legal Defence Fund, Western Canada Wilderness Committee and Forest Watch of British Columbia about how the Spotted Owl is on a fast-track to extinction due to BC Forestry practices. Our forest ecosystems are in bad shape as we continue to log what is left of our old-growth forests. These same old-growth forests are home to a much endangered species of BC, the Spotted Owl. ...

How to Get Your Commercial Driver’s License in Michigan and Idaho

How to Get Your Commercial Driver’s License in Michigan and Idaho This article applies to anyone who wants to apply for a CDL in Michigan and Idaho. If you want to learn about getting a CDL in other states, TheJobNetwork has put together a very comprehensive CDL guide on every state of the country. MichiganWho needs a CDL?Any Michigan resident who will  operate the following commercial vehicles is required to obtain a CDL:Single vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001+ poundsCombination vehicles towing a trailer or other vehicles with a GVWR of 10,001+ pounds when the GCWR is 26,001+ poundsVehicles designed to transport 16 or more people (including the driver) or carrying hazardous materials in amounts requiring placardingWho does not need a CDL?Active duty military (including National Guard) with military licenses operating military vehiclesPolice officers and firefighters who meet approved training standards and operate authorized emergency vehiclesFarmers operating vehicles within a 150 mile radius of their farm. However, an F-endorsement is needed by farmers operating combination vehicles whose towing vehicle has a GVWR of 26,001+ pounds. Also, farmers who carry hazardous materials in amounts requiring placarding while operating combination vehicles with a  towing vehicle  that has a GVWR of 26,001+ pounds or a single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001+ poundsneed a CDL with a hazardous materials endorsement.Individuals operating motor homes or other vehicles used exclusively to transport personal possessions or family members, for non-business purposesObtaining a CDLHere are the steps you must take in order to obtain your CDL.1. Visit a Secretary of State branch office. While there, you must provide:Proof of Social Security number (Social Security card, payroll check stub, W-2 Form).Proof of legal presence in the United StatesIf applying for a hazardous materials endorsement, proof of   Federal Security Threat  Assessment and  U.S. Citizenship or Lawful Permanent Resident2. Complete an application. You will have to certify at this time that you meet medical and driver qualifications.  If you have had any change in your physical condition since your last driver license renewal which may affect your ability to drive, you may need a special form before you can apply for your CDL.At this point, you will also have to prove that you meet driver record eligibility requirements as determined by Secretary of State branch office personnel. 3. Pass the Knowledge Test and a vision test. You must pass all required knowledge tests to first obtain a CLP, which lets you practice driving with another  driver who has a CDL for your vehicle  type. You need a CLP to  take the CDL skills tests (see Step 5).   If you do not pass a knowledge test on your first attempt, you must wait one day to retake the test.4. Pay your CDL fees.5. Schedule your  CDL skills test. Note:  You must wait 14 days after receiving your CDL to take the skills test and converting your CLP into a full  CDL.  You must schedule your skills test at least 2 days in advance.Once you have passed your CDL skills tests, return to the Secretary of State branch office to:6. Pay a correction fee to add CDL privileges to your license.7. Receive your CDL.IdahoWho needs a CDL?In Idaho, you must obtain  a CDL to operate any of the following commercial motor vehicles:Single vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001+ poundsCombination vehicles towing a trailer or other vehicles with a GVWR of 10,001+ pounds when the GCWR is 26,001+ poundsVehicles designed to transport 16 or more people (including the driver) or carrying hazardous materials in amounts requiring placardingWho does not need a CDL?Drivers of vehicles used exclusively to transport personal possessions or family members for non-business or recreational purposes.Military vehicle operators who are considered active-duty military personnelDrivers of firefighting or other emergency equipment used in response to emergencies involving the preservation of life or propertyDrivers of farm vehicles, including family members and farmhands.How to Obtain an Idaho CDLTo apply for a CDL, you must:Be at least 18 years oldHave a valid Idaho non-commercial license (Class D) or have passed all tests required to obtain one.Have one year of driving experienceApplication steps:1. Go to your county driver’s license office and supplyYour current driver’s licenseSocial Security cardProof of Idaho residenceMoney to pay your feesIf you are not a  U.S. citizen or a U.S. national, you should provide proof of lawful presence in the United States2. Your driving record will be checked, fees will be collected, and you will take a  vision and knowledge test.3. After passing these tests, you must make an appointment to take the skills test. A list of Examiners is available at the County DMV and online at www.itd.idaho.gov.When you  take your skills test, you will need to provide  proof of identification, proof of insurance, and your receipt showing you have passe d the written tests and paid the skills test receipt fee.4. Take your skills tests:   the vehicle inspection, the basic control skills test, and the road test. The skills test will take two to three hours to complete and must be taken in a vehicle that is representative of the license class you wish to obtain.5. Obtain your CDL from the County DMV.

Recent Political Changes in the Middle East Coursework

Recent Political Changes in the Middle East - Coursework Example Arab Spring when translated means Arab Revolution is a wave of revolution in the Arab World, the aim of this Arab Spring is to protest against the regime which is being followed in several Arab countries. People have also effectively used social networking websites to take their protest to another level; websites like Facebook and Twitter have been used to raise awareness and to bring down the regime which is being followed in several of these Arab countries. 18 December 2010 was the exact date when the Arab awakening picked up the pace, it was in Tunisia that the people first started protesting against the ill-treatment and the corrupt policemen. This wave of unrest picked a pace and spread to other Arab countries triggering war-like circumstances in several Arab countries.The general elections in Lebanon which took place in 2009 hogged the limelight, the minimum age to vote was 21 that time, the age was to be changed from 21 to 18 but this required a constitutional bill to be passe d which did not happen and things remained as they were, completely unchanged. After much ado, the government was formed in Lebanon in the year 2009 but the government could not survive for too long, the same government fell in the year 2011 when 11 ministers who formed an integral part of the government withdrew their support. A lot of other significant developments also took place during 2009 and 2011. In February 2009Â   Lebanon fired two rockets which were aimed towards northern Israel, the two countries have not had the best of relationships in the past and this development made their relationship even worse, they were at loggerheads once again. This event was not the first of its kind, the two countries have been exchanging rocket strikes for quite some time now, this was the third of its kind during 2009. Hezbollah group has been actively involved in such strikes but on that occasion, they clearly came forward and denied any such wrongdoing, Palestinian militant groups are a lso very active in Lebanon and it was believed that they were behind this rocket strike which deteriorated the relationship of Lebanon and Israel even further. This was just the tip of the iceberg, the country faced several other major issues in the year 2009, and its relationship with other Arab countries remained the highlight throughout the year.

Importance of Strategic thinking and formulation in the organisational Essay

Importance of Strategic thinking and formulation in the organisational change - Essay Example There are many stages involved in the process of the strategic management. These steps are divided in to three broad categories: 1) Strategy formulation 2) Strategy implementation 3) Strategy evaluation The first step namely the strategy formulation involves the development of the business mission, evaluation of the opportunities and threats faced by the business organisation in the business, by using tools such as SWOT analysis, examining the strengths and weaknesses of the business, determining the long term objectives of the business and designing the new strategies to eke in the process of achieving the new targets. It also include the processes to determine the investment direction, the business markets to be addressed, extension of the operations of the business, limitations faced by the business in order to undertake the business activities.... d the marketing efforts, planning the financial issues, alignment of the information system with the information needs of the employees and last but not least provisions of appraisals and rewards to the employees. The strategy implementation stage requires several actions to be taken by the management in order to get the most of it. The successful implementation of a strategy is directly related to the ability of a manger to motivate employees in the strategic direction and to develop an organisational culture to adopt the change and take it into the daily business practise. It also demands some crucial steps by the managers on personal level. The manger should depict different qualities such as discipline, high level of commitment and motivation, leadership and enthusiasm of making things possible. Successful implementation of strategy is very important. This is the most crucial step in the whole process since it involves many factors besides the ability of manger. This includes the adoption of change by the employees, their commitment levels, and the enthusiasm towards their jobs. Most often the business organisations fail to achieve their desired targets since they fail to implement their s trategies in a successful manner or fail to get support from their employees. The final stage is the strategy evaluation. After the implementation it is important for the managers to test the effectiveness of the strategy. The strategy of a company requires constant updating. With the changing conditions of market and industry it is important for an organisation to keep its strategy in tact with the changing environment. An out dated strategy cannot fulfil the needs of today's global environment. In order to go through the updating process the organisations should carry on

Eva Smiths Diary Essay Example for Free

Eva Smiths Diary Essay George maintains his game-playing and point-scoring with Martha by assuming a teacher-like tone, while Martha is the pupil. He explains that the chromosome business is very simple, Martha, patronising her like shes a child, again continuing the games. George belittles her, implying shes a monster with a ravenous, almost sexual, appetite that eats [chromosomes] for breakfast. His sudden increase in conversation may be a means to hinder Marthas incessant flirting with Nick, since he is feeling rather threatened by Nick. Although George is speaking to Martha he is directing it at Nick. He links the idea of the banal unvarying race personally to Nick, referring to the smooth, blond, and right at the middleweight limit civilisation of seemingly glorious men. Nick fits this description perfectly, personifying the typical, superficially perfect American Dream, and by making his condemnation of the vision specifically related to Nick, George challenges him. George is contemptuous towards Nick, and as the stage directions read, ignores him when Nick tries to protest. He doesnt trust Nick, and George openly challenges him: I know when Im being threatened. This demonstrates his acknowledgement of both the sexual threat Nick poses, and of the battle between art and science. George is not fooled by Nicks false courtesy as seen in the early stages of the play. Nicks guise of decorum is gradually beginning to uncover. Being a scientist makes him the victim of Georges criticism, and a contributor in the construction of a monotonous master race. Consequently, Nick does not have an opposing response to this vision since he plays a role in its development displayed through his joke of being the wave of the future. It also reveals elements of Nicks arrogance when he says it. He tries to, as seen in the stage directions: make light of it all, in a sarcastic reply to Georges attack, but there is a sense of overconfidence about it. Nick seems unable to take criticism and when he tries to interrupt George, he is impatient or says it grimly, showing how he wants to cease Georges belittling of him and his profession, and his frustration at George. Nick obviously dislikes and holds contempt to George. He gets very irritated with Georges comments about scientists being ants, demanding: Are you finished? Nick is becoming infuriated with Georges taunting, but tries to control himself by trying to make light of it all. The underlying tensions in Nicks relationship with Honey begin to show clearly. He snaps at her when she drunkenly asks: You never told me, and his angry outburst, as seen by the stage directions, [shocks] her. Nick unleashes his impatience and resentment onto Honey, showing that they are not the perfect couple that they appear to be. Here, Albee breaks down the image of the American Dream which Honey and Nick are supposed to embody. Nick calls himself a personal screwing machine in response to Marthas flirting with him. Martha surprisingly doesnt play a domineering part in this extract. She doesnt seem very interested in the totalitarian vision of the future, until George mentions Nick. Marthas responses: Hunh! Awww Goody, are not ones made with great enthusiasm or with interest, although she is impressed at the start of Georges explanation of chromosomes to her. When Martha does comment it does not exhibit anything that we dont already know about her, such as her sexual forwardness. Martha is subtly developing her relationship with Nick, flattering him constantly. She remarks how its not a bad idea if everyone looked like him, and salaciously says So, everyones going to look like you, eh? Marthas obvious flirting could either be taken seriously, or as just another game to annoy George. Along with her advances towards Nick, she gets at George by putting him down, teasing him about his paunch. Martha and Georges childish games are a common part of their interaction, and her mocking him is all part of the game. This extract is essential in showing how there is a gradual development of characters and their opinions, especially George. How the relationships between characters are portrayed in this extract is significant: they are beginning to develop, and their true nature is progressively being exposed. Yet Albee does not simply convey the characters and their relationships with each other, but perhaps even a portrayal of a wider society. In this extract, Albee criticises the concept of the American Dream, the idea of perfection through George, and successfully shows how all that glitters is not necessarily gold. (1263 words) Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE John Steinbeck section.

The Significance of Interspecies Communication Essay -- Exploratory Es

The Significance of Interspecies Communication "Koko is the kind of daughter who, even at 32 likes to settle into her mom's lap and cuddle. Never mind that she is 300 pounds" (Adams 1999). When Koko, a baby gorilla at the San Francisco Zoo, was adopted by her mother, Dr. Francine "Penny" Patterson, she was suffering from malnutrition. Koko, one of the most recognized gorillas in the world, is able to communicate with humans through American Sign Language or Ameslan, the hand of the deaf, used by an estimated 200,000 deaf Americans (Patterson 1978). Koko is famous for her ability to communicate with humans and her active role in saving her endangered species. Patterson inherited an interest in psychology from her father who was an educational psychology professor at the University of Illinois. In 1970, Patterson earned her undergraduate degree in developmental psychology from the University of Illinois, after discovering that she was far more interested in the make up of the animal brain. She later attended Stanford University, where she first encountered a chimpanzee using sign language to communicate with humans (Adams 1999). Soon after that, she became fascinated with Koko and the possibility of working with her in the same manner as the chimpanzees in the video. . The name Hanabi-Ko, which is Japanese for "Fireworks Child," was given to the gorilla, because of her Fourth of July birthday and Koko became her nickname (Patterson 1978). In 1972, when Dr. Patterson first visited Koko in the San Francisco Zoo, Koko was a three month-old lowland gorilla playing with her mother. After nine months, Dr. Patterson finally convinced the zoo director to let her teach Koko sign language. On her first visit, "Patterson greeted ... ...rch 9, 2004, From Educational Broadcasting Corporation Web site: www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/koko/print/newhome.html Linden, E. (1986). Silent partners. New York: Times Books. Pp.115- 129. Patterson, Francine. (1978). Conversations with a gorilla. National Geographic, Vol. 154. No. 4, 438-465 Robinson, Peter. (1999). Koko and me. Forbes, ASAP, Vol. 164 Issue eight, p81,1p Schneider, Elaine Ernst. (2001). American sign language (ASL) vs. signed english (SE). Retrieved March 8, 2004, From Lesson Tutor. Web site: http://www.lessontutor.com/eesASLIntro.html Spilky, Scott. (2002). The caretaker. Retrieved March 13, 2004, From The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois Web site:www.las.uiuc.edu/alumni/spotlight/03fall_patterson.html Trask, Larry. (1998). Koko the talking gorilla. Retrieved March 8, 2004, Web site: larryt@cogs.susx.ac.uk

Italian Hours Essay

Italian Hours, Henry James’s most acclaimed collection of travel stories written between 1882 and 1909, is a very interesting piece of travel literature. However, it does much more than a typical work in the genre would do, that is describing author’s experiences in a foreign, usually exotic, country. Instead, Italian Hours can be seen as an important document from a historical and anthropological perspective, since it catalogues living conditions, attitudes, customs and traditions of Italian people at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. There are other prominent examples of travel literature, such as Tocqueville’s Journey to America, which provide in-depth explorations of cultural idiosyncrasies and social organization of different societies; Italian Hours should be seen as one of the works in the latter category. James’s opinions on various matters are all more interesting for the reason that his perspective, as of an American writer and tourist, is â€Å"an embodiment of modernity by definition† (Manolescu-Oancea 2010, para. 1), while Italy is conventionally regarded to be a country that has entered the period of modernity later than other major European powers. In the subsequent paragraphs, a number of examples of the aforementioned will be presented. It is necessary to keep in mind that James’s work touches upon a wide variety of philosophical topics, which are all very intriguing yet unfortunately cannot be covered in this essay due to space constraints. This essay will focus primarily at James’s interpretation of social conditions, developments, and debates in Italy of the aforementioned period. The concluding section will briefly discuss the place of Italian Hours among other works of travel literature set in Italy. Along with describing natural beauties and historical sites of Italy, James devotes significant attention to analyzing people’s daily lives, which allows for a deduction about social structures that existed in Italy of those times. For instance, when describing Sienna, James (2008) talks of it as of a city that is still in the 14th century, with numerous and rich nobility that is â€Å"perfectly feudal and uplifted and separate† (p. 242). There is no middle class, or bourgeoisie; instead â€Å"immediately after the aristocracy come the poor people, who are very poor indeed† (James 2008, p. 42). A great divide between rich and poor has been very characteristic of Italy of the late 19th and early 20th century. The miserable situation of poorer Italians is exacerbated by the government that wields unreasonably high taxes. Upward social mobility is a rare phenomenon, and most Italians born outside of the upper classes were expecting a life of struggle and destitution . When recollecting his time in Venice, James writes that Italians’ â€Å"habitations are decayed; their taxes heavy; their pockets light; their opportunities few† (James 2008, p. 13). It is necessary to keep in mind that the unification of Italy occurred quite late in the 19th century. A lot of problems remained unresolved following the unification, ranging from economic deprivation to epidemics of fatal disease. Most researchers name â€Å"the huge material gulf between north and south† (p. 168) as one of the most pressing problems of the time: previously Austrian provinces of Lombardy and Venetia were more developed then southern provinces like Sicily. The following statistics give a fairly comprehensive picture of the level of economic development in the immediate aftermath of the unification: In 1870s the primary sector [agriculture, mining and forestry] accounted for 62 percent of total employment against less than 50 percent for France, Germany and the USA. For the UK the figure was only 22. 7 percent. Most of the industrial development was concentrated in very few areas, namely Lombardy, Piedmont and a few firms in the region of Naples† (Faini & Venturini 1994, p. 74). Yet the disparities in life quality between different provinces of Italy are not salient in James’s writings. Keen on noticing regional differences, the author of Italian Hours speaks of Italian people as generally poor, although income gap becomes more and more extreme as one moves southwards. Poor economic conditions have resulted in mass emigration of Italians to other country, mostly to the United States, which seems particularly ironic in the context of James’s observations about Italy and America. James (2008) describes Italians as simple and unpretentious; he writes of them as of people that â€Å"have at once the good and the evil fortune to be conscious of few wants† (p. 3). However, early modernity has already associated sophistication with having a variety of needs that are hard to satisfy. In accordance with these criteria, Italians might come across as being less civilized than other peoples, although such view is definitely misguided. Enjoying simple pleasures can be a sign of wisdom and contemplative approach to life; although many of the pleasures Italian cities offer might seem to be â€Å"superficial pastimes† (James 2008, p. 14), they are no less pleasurable from it. Enjoying works by great masters of the past or magnificent nature are some of the activities Italians often indulge in. One of the issues that have been heatedly debated at the times of James’s travels was the question of whether to restore or preserve ancient ruins, and how to do it. In Italian Hours, the author presents his negative â€Å"assessment of the results of renovation in Italian cities and in his criticism of the intrusions of modernity in the cityscape† (Manolescu-Oancea 2010, para. 1). In his opinion, buildings should be seen as humans, having their own lifecycles and histories, and therefore mortal. Moreover, buildings have a unique ability to tell stories of people who have once inhabited them and sometimes even have to atone for their sins: â€Å"Houses not only look like ageing bodies, they also seem to be permeated with the life of their former inhabitants, which lends them a dark human aura, a psyche† (Manolescu-Oancea 2010, para. 6). As with cityspaces, natural landscapes for James are not â€Å"merely a picturesque backdrop for romantic adventure†¦[but are]†¦endowed with some of the richness of symbolic values inherited from great historical events† (Mariani 1964, p. 42). Since the richness of Italian history and nature are so impressive, James notes with regret that so many Italians live in poverty. On the other hand, he believes that being constantly surrounded by breathtaking beauty is a fair compensation; moreover, the peculiarly lighthearted approach to life Italians have helps them cope with daily problems. Although a lot of criticism of social reality of the late 19th century and early 20th century is present in James’s text, a comparison with his own country, America, is usually to the disadvantage of the latter. In Monte Mario outside Rome, James (2008) observes â€Å"the idle elegance and grace of Italy alone, the natural stamp of the land which has the singular privilege of making one love her unsanctified beauty all but as well as those features of one’s own country toward which nature’s small allowance doubles that of one’s own affection† (p. 166). In comparing American and Italian cuisine, the author recollects Grotta Ferrata, a rather insignificant and unkempt village, yet al fresco food for its fair â€Å"couldn’t fail to suggest romantic analogies to a pilgrim from the land of no cooks† (James 1995; cited in Collister 2004, p. 95). When James expresses dissatisfaction with new developments in the centre of Florence, he thinks of America again, fearful of the ancient city being disfigured â€Å"under the treatment of enterprising syndics, into an ungirdled organism of the type, as they viciously say, of Chicago† (James 2008, p. 257). Ev en in term of attitudes, James (2008) appreciates the fact that Italians are more down-to-earth and relaxed than his fellow men when he fears that a day may come when people â€Å"rush about Venice as furiously as people rush about New York† (p. 57). Thus, while modernity and speed become synonymous with the New World, James’s observations unmistakably point to â€Å"cultural wrong-headedness and impoverishment of the America† (Collister 2004, p. 196). At the same time, Italy is to James â€Å"literally picturesque – real life composes itself into art at every turn† (Collister 2002, p. 340). Constant reminiscences of the New World serve several particular functions in James’s writing. First of all, it appears to be symbolic of his attempts to establish an emotional connection with his readers and – through his personal perspective – to help establish a connection between his readers and Italy. This device is frequently employed in travel literature: the reader can feel overwhelmed with descriptions of faraway places and strange cultures that bear no resemblance to their own; it is therefore the role of a writer to create a minimum level of comfort by recalling familiar places and phenomena. In such a way, readers can comprehend the mode of life in distant lands building on their own experience in their home countries. On the other hand, such reminiscences serve another purpose, as Manolescu-Oancea (2010) argues: James’s constant references to America and to his Americanness introduce a special kind of alienated perspective, both geographical and temporal, which is decidedly American in outlook† (para. 20). James’s fascination with Italy has been enduring, yet there were moments in his life when the writer has expressed a significant degree of dissatisfaction with living conditions there. Rome is the city that has come is for the most criticism in his private letters; in one of them he even writes the following: â€Å"I feel that I shouldn’t care if I never saw the perverted place again† (James 1907; cited in Lubbock 2008, p. 2). This perhaps can be attributed to the fact that his brother, William, has contracted malaria while in Rome and had to move southwards to Florence to improve his health (Gale 1959). It is indeed interesting to observe how both James’s life and writings create a rather accurate account of what it was like to live in Italy at the end of the 19th and at the beginning of the 20th century. James’s Italian Hours is one among many other literary travelogues of Italy; Sterne’s Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy (1768) and Dickens’ Pictures from Italy (1845) are perhaps the most known of them. What distinguishes Italian Hours, however, is that it â€Å"follows no chronology and even the geographical ordering – much dwelling upon Venice and a movement southwards as far as Naples with a return to Tuscany – is (unlike Goethe’s Italienische Reise) arbitrary† (Collister 2004, p. 194). At the same time, the peculiarity of the narrator’s style gives a powerful and overarching sense of organization to this seemingly odd collection of stories.