Masculinity and Violence in Fight Club and Drowning Tucson Essay

Masculinity and Violence in Fight Club and Drowning Tucson - Essay Example However, when â€Å"a generation of men† is raised by women, there is no â€Å"male example† (Palahniuk 50) to follow and males only have that urge for liberalization and the need to ascertain their masculinity. One can see that the Tyler in Fight Club is the real macho man who tries to struggle away from the feminized Narrator, or, in other words, Tyler is the real male self of the Narrator. In fact, what Palahniuk points out and what the reader feels is that real masculinity involves surplus aggressiveness and sexual and emotional desires. In the real society, most males are forced to employ surplus repression to look civilized. Thus, there are institutions of male bonding which offer them a way to unleash this hidden aggression in the safest possible way. They engage in fist fight in such institutions and enjoy a sense of power. In the novel, the Narrator is a person who has lost his sense of manhood. He does not have a name, lives alone, and is unable to make health y relations with others. This extreme pain and alienation makes the real man in him struggle away and become Tyler who wants to become the leader of the â€Å"space monkeys† (Palahniuk 132).... The more comfortable the Narrator becomes with Marla, the more detached he gets with the destructive plans made by Tyler. Finally, by the time he admits he likes her, the Narrator is in total contradiction with Tyler, and eliminates him (Palahniuk 15). However, the men who are still isolated continue demanding the return of the anarchic Tyler. At least the Narrator realizes Marla is not the reason behind anarchy. Thus, one can see that there are various factors Palahniuk tries to point out as the reasons behind violence. The first one is the lack of role models of maleness for the new generation which is often brought up in a feminized society. The feminist era took away everything that is good as the virtues of femaleness and men of the post-feminist period were left with nothing more than mere ambiguity regarding masculinity and parenting (Palahniuk 141). The second important factor is the ‘homophobia’ developed by men in a patriarchal society. It is admitted facts tha t many hate crimes occur as a result of doubts over sexual orientation. In Fight Club, the Narrator gives Angel Face a severe beating to see that his beauty is reduced because the Narrator hates the favoritism Tayler shows towards him. (Palahniuk 96) Evidently, males have their own ways of measuring masculinity. To illustrate, in Fight Club, it is seen that the ability to conquer a woman is an important aspect of deciding ones maleness. As a result, there is a kind of rift between males that arises out of this competition to win women, and in the novel, there is a great degree of tension between Tayler and the Narrator in this regard. (Palahniuk 113) Thus, it becomes evident that men’s lives are structured around aggressiveness and power relations. The highly phallic notion of masculinity

Understanding The Concept Of Gender Mainstreaming Sociology Essay

Understanding The Concept Of Gender Mainstreaming Sociology Essay This report is about gender mainstreaming which entered the mainstream of international public policy in September 1995, when it featured in the platform for Action of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing where most nations have signed the Platform. The report present the background and the foundation of gender mainstreaming and discusses why, how and outcome of gender mainstreaming application in the institution and some problems and restrictions will be presented which may hinder the process of mainstreaming. 2.0 Background The road to guaranteeing equality between men and women began some decades back, and progress was made in certain sectors of society but we still a long way far from being to announce and state that equality exists in terms of womens access too all of society sphere. Access has been restricted in areas of power or those requiring further education which has lead to the glass ceiling phenomena which still exist up to now in most organizations and institutions. There has been always efforts and progressive approaches to achieve equality for women in the society and the main concern was over womens issues and womens access and opportunity to the different positions in the society. In the 1970s, which this period called the period of individual rights women in development (WID) main focus was on how women could better be integrated into existing development initiatives and was regarded as beneficiaries rather than full member of development. This approach has relevance to women only which had the effect of isolation and marginalizing of women n the decision making. In the 1980s, which this period called the period of specific action due to the ineffectiveness and limited approach of the (WID), it became an evident that a new paradigm was needed to explain the relationship between women and men, Gender and Development GAD approach was different from WID and is it approach was: The gender is not a women issue but both men and women Both men and women have different and special needs. Women can not be treated as homogenous group. Women are disadvantaged to men The inequality between men and women is systemic and structural. Gender equality and equity in institutions and organization must be looked at with the understanding the complex lives of people and in order to have an effective gender analysis, must make a practical explaining the differences n mens and womens lives and helping to produce policies and programs that reduce inequalities. The concept of gender mainstreaming was first proposed at the 1985 Third world Conference on Women in Nirobi and was developed further by the United Nation development community and is recognized as a global strategy for the promotion of gender equality. The idea of gender mainstreaming was formally featured in 1995 at the Fourth Conference on women which was held in Beijing. The UN Economic and Social Council defined the concept of gender mainstreaming as: Mainstreaming a gender perspective is the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programs, in all areas and at all levels. It is a strategy for making womens as well as ens concerns and experiences an integral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programs in all political, economic and societal spheres so that women and men can benefit equally and inequality is not perpetuated. The ultimate goal is to achieve gender equality. The importance of gender mainstreaming has been widely discussed since governments committed to the concept in Beijing Platform for Action in1995. It has become a generally accepted procedure that gender equality is a prerequisite for a sustainable human development. Gender mainstreaming is an essential strategy not only for attaining gender equality, but also for the sustainable development of societies as whole. National womens machineries (NWM) around the globe have been grappling with the complex task of turning concepts into reality to implement gender mainstreaming strategies. Gender mainstreaming incorporates the GAD perspective and aims to look the relationships between men and women in their access to and control over resources, decision making and benefits and rewards within a particular system. The system could be an institution, organization, a government or a department society. The mainstream refer to an inter-related set of dominant ideas, values, practices, institutions and organizations that determine who gets what within a society. The ideas and practices within the mainstream tend to reflect an reinforce each other and thus provide a rationale for any given allocation of societal resources and opportunities. Being part of the mainstream means that women and men have equitable access to resources, including opportunities and rewards. It implies equal participation influencing what is valued in shaping options within society. Becoming part of the mainstream means sharing equitable in the benefits of development. Becoming part of the mainstream offers the opportunity to influence who does what in a society, who won what, who has access to jobs and income, who controls the societys resources and institutions, who makes decisions and who sets priorities. Gender mainstreaming is a long term, complex and multi dimensional process that focuses on the needs of both men and women in order to achieve the optimal development and equality in the organization, gender streaming can defined as follows: Is a process or a strategy to work toward the goal of gender equality and it is not and end in itself. It is an approach to governance that makes mens and womens concerns and experience and integral part of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programs in all sectors of society. It involves changing policies and institutions so that they actively promote gender equality. It is a long term, transformative process that involves rethinking socio-cultural values and development goals. The gender mainstreaming involve not restricting efforts to promote equality to the implementation of specific measures to help women, but mobilizing all general policies and measure specifically for the purpose of achieving equality by actively and openly taking the account at the planning stage their possible effects on the perspective situation of men and women. An effective gender mainstreaming policy consists of four steps: Getting organized is on implementation and organization, and building awareness and ownership. Implementation and organization of gender mainstreaming refers to the process of providing a structural and cultural basis of equal opportunity. This includes formulation of objectives and targets, making a plan and drawing a budget and defining responsibilities and accountability of the different actors involved. All stakeholders involved in the policy should take equal opportunities of men and women in account. Training is essential in order to create a certain degree of gender awareness and expertise. Learning about gender differences, a description of the actual situation is essential in order to access actual gender inequality. In addition, monitoring the situation over time and making an assessment such as participation (group/population) such as the share of men and women in unemployment, among the disabled or among those with flexible contracts. Resources such as access or distribution of time, money, space, information, political and economic power. Norms and values such as influence gender roles, gender division of labor, the altitude of men and women. Values attached to men and women. It is essential to identify the role of policy measures in reinforcing social norms and values that maintain gender inequality. Rights pertain to direct or indirect sex discrimination, human rights, and access to justice in the legal, political or socio-economic environment. Assessing the policy impact is to analyze the potential gender impact of the policy with reference to participation, resources, norms and values and rights. Both quantitative and qualitative aspects should be taken account of participant. Its important to differentiate between particular groups of men and women such as ethnic minority groups, age groups, and regional groups. Its the changing policies and institutions so that they actively promote gender equality. It is a long term transformative process that involves rethinking socio-cultural values, development goals and redesigning policies to identify ways in which the policy could be redesigned to promote gender equality in the even of having negative impact on gender equality or to be broadly gender neutral. An effective gender mainstreaming policy diagram 3.0 Gender Streaming why, how and outcome: 3.1 Why Gender Streaming Gender mainstreaming is an important aspect of good governance. It seeks to ensure that institutions, organizations, policies and programs respond to the needs and interests of women as well as men and distribute benefits equally and justice for women and men. Thus enhancing the accountability of organizations / governments to achieve results for all citizens. The gender mainstreaming process does not mean a move away from specific women programs, special measures or women specific activities may still be required to address inequalities. Reducing poverty, boosting economic growth and strengthening citizenship is a proactive process designed to tackle inequalities which can discriminate against either sex. Gender mainstreaming is not only about women but it is also about men and society in general. It is also important for both men and women to feel comfortable as pat of the gender mainstreaming process and must play an active role in ensuring gender equality. It will benefit the organization directly in terms of improving its image, credibility ad enhancing their political capital. Mainstreaming can play an important role in eliminating sexual harassment and unprofessional attitudes towards people involved in gender work are series barriers that may not be easily surmountable through good augmentation strategies. Gender sensitivity and efforts to change attitudes within organization structure are vital elements in the gender mainstreaming process. Gender mainstreaming may load to changes which give women and men equal access to the operation, power and resources. In addition the mainstreaming will have a direct effect on the effective service of the organization and better distribution of resources for both men and women. It will lead also to more legal security, better democracy in that women and men are treated equally and a better grasp of gender equality policy and of the needs of those who use the organizations services. Why gender mainstreaming can be summarized as follows: Target major economic and social policies that deliver resources Make good economic sense ensuring that women as well as men are active, using full of the productive labor force. Represent a further step in the search for equality. Gender is the one of the most fundamental organizing features in society and affects our lives from the moment we are born. Recognition of male and female identities and recognizes that differences exist in mens and womens lives and therefore our needs, experience and priorities are different. Willingness to establish a balanced distribution of responsibilities between women and men. Needs determined political action and support with clear indicators and targets. Will not happen overnight, it is a continuous process. Equal division of power and influence between women and men. Women and men shall have the same rights and opportunities to be active citizens and to shape the conditions for decision making. Economic equality between women and men. Women and men shall have the same opportunities and conditions with regard to education and paid work that provide lifelong economic independence. Men violence against women must stop. Women and men shall have equal rights and opportunities in terms of physical integrity. 3.2 How, Gender Mainstreaming Gender mainstreaming in any organizations policy must first take stock to determine where equality needs to be established. We need a clear idea of the political measure for change. Previously such measures were usually understood to the promotion of women, thus the new strategy is called the gender mainstreaming which combined political perspective should then provide and idea of what must be changed, how, and with what means. All measures must first be checked for their political effects for both sexes and implemented only of they contribute to gender equality. Many measures must still contribute essentially to the promotion of women, that is, the dismantling of structural disadvantages for women, and to active gender equality. Gender mainstreaming resides in gender controlling, that is, in the analysis of each and every political activity from the perspective of its contribution to the establishment of equal opportunity. For such an analysis to be successful, expert knowledge, gender competence, and power must come together. Expert knowledge refers to knowledge of processes, that is, one must have a through knowledge of the legal, political, and bureaucratic conditions of the given field of action. Gender competence signifies the development of critical view of gender that will help to recognize gender hierarchies. Pointing out general patriarchal structures is no longer enough; rather, subtle processes of constrictions on men as well as women must be recognized. Power also means the power to define problems in any given situation by pointing and filtering out issues that needs and require action in order modify its situation. The inequalities exist in the organization is part of the domain of knowledge that would have to be made broadly available and should not remain in the hands of only a few specialists and mainstreaming means introducing gender relations in all themes and the fields they cover. A key point of gender mainstreaming is the demand that gender questions be made an obligatory theme in all areas, and a special theme for only a few. Giving this approach a political and legal foundation that is, as a measure applied from above will certainly makes things easier for activities struggling for general equality from below. But how to approach the theme, where it belongs, and how it is to be pursued remain largely open and needs expert recommendations. The different pattern of participation of the sexes in the varies departments and levels of the institution must be achieved, this apply to all people within the institutions. We need acknowledgment that unequal distributions are a problem and obstacle in equality, such an acknowledgment is relevant in identifying and applying the particular policies to achieve equality. Gender mainstreaming involves varies actions to be determined in order to formulate a policy of gender integration to achieve the final outcome, these actions include: Carefully assessing the situation of women and men in the organizing and identifying the different vulnerable groups of women and men and thats include ethnic minorities, disabled in relation to the objectives we need to achieve in our work. Determining the steps needed to improve the gender equality within the organization in order to support this improvement. Tracking the progress of mainstreaming with indicators or other means of monitoring the gender equality related issues. Raising awareness about gender equality problems, obstacles and the importance of adopting a gender prospective. Building a capacity program among the organization and partners to adopt a gender sensitive approach. Ensuring visibility of the gender dimensions of the activities in the organization with proper documentation, reports, seminars and public information materials. Sex disaggregated data and statistics Skills and opportunities to carry out gender analysis. Effective monitoring and evaluation systems and tools. Effective communication, networks and linkages Skilled human resource base Civil society participation. 3.3 Outcome of Gender Mainstreaming Gender mainstreaming was established as a global strategy for achieving gender equality, and in turn for achieving sustainable economic development in the 1995 Beijing platform for action ratified by all United Nations member states. It is now incumbent upon nation-states and international organizations to carry out gender mainstreaming and as such, has achieved widespread endorsement by individuals governments, regional suptra state bodies such as the European Union, the Nordic Council of Ministries and the Organization of American States, the United nations and its varies agencies, the Organization foe Economic Cooperation and Development and the Council of Europe. Gender mainstreaming is a process rather than a goal, where efforts to integrate gender into existing institutions of the mainstream have little value for their own sake. Mainstream gender concerns to achieve gender equality and improve the relevance of development agendas. Such an approach shows that the cost of womens marginalization and gender inequality are born by all. Gender mainstreaming include attempts to establish a gender-equality perspective across all policy areas, even where the gender issues at stake may be not immediately apparent, and where the impact of mainstreaming policy on gender relations is often indirect. Gender mainstreaming is neither conceived of as an achievement in itself nor as a liberal policy to include women in decision making roles, rather it is conceived as a strategy to re-invent the process of policy design, implementation and evaluation by taking into account the gender specific and often diverse interests and values of differently situated women and men. All accounts of gender mainstreaming imply significant changes to gendered institutions, a range of different visions or models of gender equality have been invoked. Three main models of gender equality have been identified: The first model is one in which equality based on sameness is fostered, especially where women enter previously male domains and this known as the transformations of gender relations. The second in which there is a move towards the equal valuation of existing and different contributions of women and men in a gender segregated society known as tailoring situations to fit the needs of the women. The third is one in where there is a new standard for both men and women, which is the transformation of gender relations in which there are new standards for everyone, replacing the segregated institutions and standards associated with masculinity and femininity. Gender mainstreaming is highly diverse with uneven impacts, it is situated within the development of global politics, multi forms of governance and diverse discourses of human rights. All gender mainstreaming agendas and policies must should be evaluated from the perspective of whether or not it reduces or increases gender inequalities, unfair and unequal gender outcomes can be redresses. Gender equality and justice thus rely on the creative and technical capacity of gender analysis and gender specialists in the institutions. The gender mainstreaming main aim and the resulting goal is to help to transform a society to better gender equality, the result of such an events can be difficult to identify and track. The signs of the outcome of the gender streaming may be observed after a long term and can be identified by the increase in equality and the development results may include: Womens increased access to and control over a societys development resources and opportunities. Reduction in poverty for both women and men assessed through several indicators associated with areas where significant gender gaps exist, such as health and income. More equitable participation in decision making concerning allocation of development resources that might produce results such as improved health service delivery or better access to opportunities. Improved media images of womens roles in relationship and society, promoting women as individuals with full human rights and discouraging intolerance and violence against women. The emergence of committed gender-sensitive leaders, planers and implementers, both men and women applying gender analysis to their work on a regular basis. Identification of gender focal points in various government ministries with the capacity to provide leadership and accountability. The provision of adequate resources for the collection and analysis of sex disaggregated data, particularly to track impact of policies and programming. Putting mechanism in place to facilitate regular consultation and validation of policy decisions with civil society groups and organizations promoting gender equality. 4.0 Possible Problems or restrictions of gender mainstreaming Gender mainstreaming is a new strategy which has not been a great success so far, and essentially contested form of feminist politics and policy, existing in the tension between the mainstream and interventions to secure gender equality. The gender mainstreaming in development policies has been limited by its discursive construction as well as the failure to empower key gendered actors and its development has been uneven and weakened by its subordination to other policy goals. Gender mainstreaming has been criticized as a confusing conceptual framework at best, and at worst, a force that has totally undermined womens rights. Some say that it has resulted in the disappearance of attention to womens specific needs and the gender differentiated impacts of policies and programs. Mainstreaming has been described as a deceptive simple concept that is likely to be extremely difficult to operationlize and as an extraordinary demanding concept, which requires the adoption of a gender perspective by all the central actors in the policy process. Most Organizations embrace mainstreaming without implementing the extensive ground work and structural change that is necessary to ensure effective outcomes. Gender mainstreaming has emerged as a strategy in a period in which many governments and organizations have been anxious to reduce the costs and burdens imposed on market actors. Present approaches to macroeconomics have tended to reinforce a simplistic anti-poverty agenda that is incompatible wit process of gender mainstreaming. The lack of general understanding of what gender mainstreaming entails in practical terms and a lack of access to support mechanism and the gaps between policy and practice, with particular challenges to inadequate institutional mechanism, including the area of data collection, accountability, monitoring, reporting and training, as well as inadequate resource allocation. Other factors which hindered and restricted the gender mainstreaming include: Women organization may influence the outcome of mainstreaming due to their claim that streaming is not the appropriate procedure to achieve equality and feel that their situation will even become worse than before. The policy of gender mainstreaming sometime will lead to the abandonment of specific, positive actions on behalf of women and the particular policies on behalf of women may be discontinued and the equal opportunity unit will be weakened in the name of mainstreaming. There is a far that gender mainstreaming might be an attempt to integrate womens work to cut down costs and to downsize staff and the fear of some women is that it might lead to integration and elimination of womens movement and therefore lad to invisibility rather than to transformation. Many of the initiative undertaken under its mandate fail to create and legally enforceable rights, such as equal pay. The promise of the mainstreaming approach lies not in the short term creation of legally enforceable rights, but in the long term transformation of the policy process to serve the goal of equal opportunity between women and men. Political will and leadership: Understanding and commitment from authorities is obviously crucial to creating an enabling environment for the implementation of gender mainstreaming. Formal acknowledgement from political leaders that gender equality is an essential component of sustainable development is a starting point. Policy framework: without a formal policy in place related to gender streaming, often the results will be weak and missed. Unavailable of Sufficient Resources: without sufficient of resources, the commitment to gender streaming will not be achieved. Resources must be allocated to support the structure and practice required of mainstreaming. Sex-disaggregated and data information system: Information are not available to assure that there differences in circumstances and opportunities between women and men in order to provide the basis for policy and program development and evaluations. Tools and knowledge for gender analysis is not available and missing, such as inappropriate person in key position, lack of understanding concerning national gender equality and rational, scarce human, financial and technical resources, a lack of incentives / recognition rewards, lack of professionalism or political skills within the organization who will be responsible for establishing linage with other agencies and government departments. 5.0 Steps and procedures needed to address issues in mainstreaming Gender mainstreaming is relatively new phenomena and drives from only 20 years experience and the main procedure needed to the successful polices of mainstreaming is capacity building and training is needed to ensure and enhance the system gender sensitivity and gender expertise and these include: Integrate a gender perspective into all training programs. Provide continuous gender training for all staff, including those at the highest levels. Provide special training for gender experts to enhance their skills. Ensure that specialized gender expertise is available to them. Coordinate their training efforts though a system-wide evaluation of the impact of gender training. Gender disaggregated statistics and indicators to be collected and analyzed. Information exchange on gender mainstreaming within organization in particular women watch groups. Provide gender sensitive public information activities and materials to all concerned parties. In addition all problems and restrictions of gender mainstreaming of previous section can be avoided in order to not to hinder the development policies of gender mainstreaming. 6.0 Conclusion The gender mainstreaming is relatively new and has taken a center stage in the world order since the United Nations Conferences in Cairo, Copenhagen and Beijing have created very important aspects for women equality and rights to move the International development agenda from small scale to emphasizing the importance of gender mainstreaming in impacting the status of women in economics, social and political development. The mainstreaming gender equality is a commitment of organization to ensure that womens as well as mens concerns are the main parameters of the design policy in order to achieve equality for all sexes and to shatter the glass ceiling.

Data Transfer Systems Essay -- Communication, Infrastructure

Data transfer systems are divided into conducted media and wireless media. Cellular telephones are only one types of appliances which depend on radio waves to successfully operate. Because cell phones belong to the wireless industry, it is not possible to organize suitable standards. Current business theories cannot organize and predict dynamic industries, such as the wireless industry, because several companies in the industry coexist and evolve together, so they inevitably affect each other and form irregular movement patterns on the market (Seo & Mak, 2010). The current progress in advancement of cellular telephone technology does not allow cell phones to use only one protocol standard because it is economically inefficient and technically impossible. The communication infrastructure is crucial to national well-being, but competitiveness and monopolization tendencies require regulations to keep the industry productive (Wu, 2006). While Wu (2006) supports rules and regulations that will control discrimination and monopoly in the industry, it is not possible to remove diversity by...

A Lesson Before Dying Essay

â€Å"A Lesson Before Dying† takes place in a small Louisiana Cajun community in the late 1940’s. In the novel, Jefferson, a young black man, is an unwitting party to a liquor store shoot out in which three men are killed; being the only survivor, he is convicted of a murder and sentenced to death. To portray this novel Gaines displays respectable literary devices like setting, tone, and characterization; therefore helping I as the reader feel the emotions of Jefferson from his point of view. In the initial setting of the novel, Jefferson sits in a courtroom located in rural Louisiana, which is filled with anger, tension, isolation, and quietness from the people in the room. This setting of the book supports Jefferson’s personality in chapter nine when Jefferson’s character is introduced. Jefferson’s cell could be considered the second setting or Jefferson’s setting in the book. Jefferson’s relationship to the courtroom (initial setting) supports Jefferson’s personality in the prison. He is isolated just like in the courtroom. â€Å"There was an empty cell between Jefferson and the rest of the prisoners† (Gaines 71). Jefferson’s cell was not only isolated like a courtroom in rural Louisiana, but quiet. â€Å"Jefferson’s been quiet . . . He didn’t answer† (Gaines 71). Due to Jefferson’s isolation and quietness, he has built anger inside. An anger which had been building up since the courtroom conviction. â€Å"Nothing don’t matter,† he said looking up at the ceiling. The first setting of the novel is similar to Jefferson’s cell setting. The three settings: The courtrooms, location and time era of the town, and prison all have similarities to Jefferson’s character traits. The court trial scene embodies everything that is contained within the novel. All events that occur throughout the entire novel are a repercussion of Jefferson’s court case. These circumstances set up the tone that is simply perceived throughout the novel. Gaines tone in the novel shifts as the novel progresses. Gaines made the novel begin with a pessimism view; everything seemed awful and negative especially the court trial. Gaines shows us this disgust tone by telling us the details of the jury members. The twelve â€Å"white† jury members of the case shows us that Jefferson felt dominated by the whites. As the novel goes on Gaines tone shifts and Jefferson seems more aware and confident, the anger and disgust diminishes the longer Jefferson sits in jail. The twelve white jury members were also Gaines way of showing the dominance, and power of the whites during this ime, only thinking that blacks are only good for working, and is incapable of thinking for themselves†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Do you see a modicum of intelligence? A trait inherited from his ancestors in the deepest jungle of blackest Africa†¦ What you see here is a thing that acts on command. â€Å"(Gaines7). Understanding this time era is important for the tone, and Gaines gives good examples representing the era to the tone. Gaines’s style is unique because the figurative language that he uses improves the reader’s mental picture. For example, when Gaines was describing Miss Emma at the beginning of the novel he says â€Å"she became as immobile as a great stone or as one of our oak cypress stumps†(Gaines 36). This allowed me as the reader to picture Miss Emma and the condition that she is in with a mental image throughout the entire novel. He also used figurative language while he describes in chapter fourteen the Louisiana Countryside. Gaines told in great detail the cemetery appearance as Grant walked through and then explain the smells and feelings he has while Grant explores the Sugar Cane Planation with Vivian. The literary devices were greatly put to use by Gaines to explain, and portray his novel to any reader. He has made a novel enjoyable for an audience that may not like reading due to his sarcasm (tone), and figurative language to set up numerous scenes. The settings are a main building block for this novel because the court room and the jail cell is when the story line is put together. Each trial, and everyday described by Gaines about Jefferson in jail puts the novel together into one amazing novel that I will be sure to recommend. A Lesson Before Dying Essay The economic downturn of the past several years has been devastating to local economies and, by extension, their local law enforcement agencies. According to a report by the National Institute of Justice, the United States is currently experiencing the 10th economic decline since World War II (Wiseman 2011). The impact of this downturn will result in a change of how law enforcement services are delivered. As has been discussed by the COPS Office Director, Bernard Melekian, in a series of recent articles published in the Community Policing Dispatch, expectations will not be lowered just because an agency now has fewer officers, or because the budget is limited. Simply doing less while waiting for local budgets to recover to pre-2008 levels is not a viable option. Law enforcement leaders are faced with budget contractions that are in need to identified in different ways to deliver police services and, perhaps more importantly, articulate what the new public safety models will look like to their communities (Melekian 2011a). The effects of the economic downturn on law enforcement agencies may be felt for the next 5–10 years, or worse, permanently. These changes could be permanently driven not just by the economy, but by local government officials who determined that allocating 30–50 percent of their general fund budgets for public safety costs is no longer a fiscal possibility (Melekian 2011b). While it appears that the economy is beginning to recover on the national level, most economists agree that local jurisdictions are still in decline and will continue to be so, at least in the short term. Due to the decline of tax revenues because of Foreclosures County and municipal budgets tend lagging behind the general economy, which is one of the main source of funding for local agencies. Agencies are also faced with the budget realities, the current model for service delivery—which has been with us for the last 50 years—is already starting to change, and will be forced to continue to change dramatically and rapidly in the next 3–5 years. Police departments have been one of the affected by the current economic climate. Restricting revenues nationwide have forced local governments to make cuts in spending across the board, which has affected everything to include public safety operating budgets. However, while these budget cuts are threatening law enforcement jobs the responsibility to serve and protect remain. There has been no methodical way of measuring the effect the economic downturn has had on police agencies across our nation. A good example is how Nigeria has been experiencing difficulties in Budget implementation. The objective of the article was to present alternative forms of budgeting and after exposition on them, to recommend one that could mitigate budget implementation problem for Nigeria. Two types of budgeting addressed are incremental and zero-base. Under incremental budgeting, a certain percentage is added or subtracted from previous period’s figures to arrive at new period’s budget. Under zero bases, every program is reevaluated for its merits, as if previous budgets never existed. The starting points are the results hoped to achieve, and every debate about budget implementation is done prior to passage. Zero base budgeting is analogous to marketing concept in terms of information requirement and zeroing in on customized needs. To the extent that zero base budgeting plans, executes and controls, it serves as a management tool. Nigeria’s budgeting has been incremental, overly politicized and not carried out by experts, but merely based on benchmark price and quota of daily oil production. Factors militating against proper budgeting in Nigeria are distortions in fiscal transparency. Budget implementation in Nigeria is a critical problem. Many have blamed our poor socio-economic and infrastructural development on low degree of budget implementation, which is a result of incremental budgeting process. The paper therefore recommends zero based budgeting to Nigeria at all levels (GJSS, 2012). Sometimes inefficiencies result due to poor integration of the finance and strategy. â€Å"Budgeting and performance are typically overseen by the finance department, whereas planning s coordinated by strategy department. Often, the two processes aren’t well integrated, resulting in strategies that are often dictated by the budget process instead of vice versa† (Gary 2003). The reason for this could be that everyone involved may be attempting to accomplish the same goals, but also trying to make sure that the outcome will be beneficial to them, such as a substantial bonus or a reward. A budget cycle refers to the whole process from the commencement of developing a budget to the execution of the final charge on the budget. Since the majority of the budgets are prepared for a one year period, budget cycles cover the costs and expenditures for a period of one year. However, there are budget cycles that run for more than one year period. Government budgets have a budget cycle of at least 18 months from the conception of the various departments’ budgets to the time the appropriation bills are signed into law (Hyde, 2001). The initial steps of the budget cycle take place in the various departments and agencies. The program officers in the various departments compile all information that is necessary in the preparation of the budget. The budget cycle culminates with the president’s budget application to the Congress. This often takes place in February (USDOJ, 2011). A budget refers to a list of premeditated revenues and expenses. It represents a tool for savings and expenditure. A budget can also be defined as an organizational plan that is stated in monetary terms. It is used as a road map for conducting the activities, objectives, assumptions, and strategies of an organization. A budget cycle is comprised of various stages. Budget planning for the new fiscal year marks the first step of the budget cycle, while closing and carry forward activities mark the end of a budget cycle (Hyde, 2001). The steps outlined below are steps of a sample government’s budget cycle: Budget submissions: this entails the submission of the budget plans to the respective Budget Offers in various government departments. The budgets are reviewed and approved. Budget approval: this entails the executive committee approving the budget. The Initial Budget Authorizations are then submitted to the respective supervisors who address the respective cost items. Global Changes: the salaries are adjusted so that they reflect salary increases that are permitted by the Salary Subcommittee and the Human Resources Department. Closing: this entails the closure of the budgets at the end of the fiscal year. Carry forwards: it entails carrying forward all the unspent money to the following fiscal year. This marks the last step in the budget cycle. In most instances, law enforcement management prepares master budget for the coming year. The master budget includes the projected expenses and maintenance which is incorporated in the master budget and other smaller budgets such as training, overtime, marketing, administrative, and departmental budgets. By establishing an operating and financial budget for a future period, management can identify problems in advance. This can be maintained by forecasting for future predictions. A forecast is a reflection of the future. When forecasting is taken into account, two key aspects to consider are cash budgets and expenditure forecast. In most instances, budgets are and should be prepared for a future period such as an oncoming accounting or financial year. They are detailed by quarters or months. Typically, annual budgets are not altered once the year begins. However, budgets should not be rigid so as to prevent timely actions if need arises. Instead, budgets should only act as a guide rather than a restriction. However, there are rare circumstances when an annual budget should be revised such as due to a radical change in the business environment. Budgets are also important for obtaining funding since they portray an organization’s capacity to the lending institutions and financiers. Additionally, budgets are important management tools, they aid in setting milestones that need accountability to achieve, and aid an organization in identifying risks and establishing benchmarks. Thus, budgets facilitate the process of making adjustments to avoid risks, and to measure the benchmarks. Understanding the significance of budgeting marks the first step towards successful financial planning. It plays a significant role in the strategic planning process by an organization. It outlines the future financial goals and needs of an organization such as technological needs, overhead needs, financial requirements, and capital improvements. I have a very strong opinion that budgeting should not be scrapped, rather be modified to meet the current business environment. Organizations would have to restructure compensation programs so that managers no longer have an incentive to favors short-term goals over the longer-term. Budgeting will have to be flexible to be able to be adjusted from time to time to reflect changes in organizational goals and the economic environment. Again, accounting department should be responsible for compiling only budget information; they should not determine the budgeting process. Management, through the planning process should determine the budget, and all departments should be included in the process. Budgeting should be both top down and bottom up; i. e. upper level management and middle level management will both work to finalize a budget. We can streamline the budgeting process by developing a financial model. Financial models can facilitate â€Å"what if† analysis so we can assess decisions before they are made. This can dramatically improve the budgeting process. One of the biggest challenges within financial planning and budgeting is how do we make it value-added. Budgeting requires clear channels of communication, support from upper-level management, participation from various personnel, and predictive characteristics. Budgeting should not strive for accuracy, but should strive to support the decision making process. If we focus too much on accuracy, we will end-up with a budgeting process that incurs time and costs in excess of the benefits derived. The challenge is to make financial planning a value-added activity that helps the organization achieve its strategic goals and objectives. In order for department to compensate for dwindling budget, many law enforcement officer have had to learn how to focus on what can they can sacrifice from their normal lifestyle in order to offset the reduction in available spending. Some of these sacrifices have included families foregoing summer vacations, or shopping in discount stores instead of department stores they are accustomed too. However, today law enforcement agencies are faced with the difficult task of maintaining the same service that their communities expect despite the extreme reduction in available resources. And, in order for them to deliver the same high level of protection and emergency responsiveness that the communities depend on, law enforcement agencies must find new and inventive techniques to address those needs in cost-effective and maintainable way. Agencies must have a good understanding of how budgeting marks the first step towards successful financial planning. Budgeting has a significant role in the strategic planning process by any organization. It provides the framework for future financial goals and the needs of an organization such as technical equipment like laptops, radios, and side arms. It also shows the overhead needs, and departmental financial requirements. It can also outline the costs involved in order to get the resources that are required to meet their financial goals. Developing a budget is an important tool for determining the department’s performance, in motivating the upper-management, other members of staff, and measuring the results towards accomplishing the organization’s financial goal. References Gary, L (2003) Breaking the Budget Impasse. Pg 3, Retrieved September 30, 2013, Idio, U. S. (2012). THE BUDGET AS A MANAGEMENT TOOL: ZERO BASE BUDGETING, PANACEA TO BUDGET IMPLEMENTATION IN NIGERIA. Global Journal of Social Sciences, 11(1), 1-7. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/1036581432? accountid=32521 http://www. cops. usdoj. gov/files/RIC/Publications/e101113406_Economic%20Impact. pdf Melekian, B. , (2011a). Director’s Message. Community Policing Dispatch vol. 4, no. 3. http://cops. usdoj. gov/html/dispatch/03-2011/DirectorMessage. asp. Melekian, B. , (2011b). Director’s Column: July 2011. Community Policing Dispatch vol. 4, no. 7. http://cops. usdoj. gov/html/dispatch/07-2011/DirectorMessage. asp. Wiseman, J. , (2011). Strategic Cutback Management: Law Enforcement Leadership for Lean Times. Research for Practice, Washington, D. C. : U. S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, NCJ 232077.

Beetlejuice Screenwrite

The beginning of the film starts out with a camera overlooking the whole town of which this movie is going to take place. As the credits end, the camera ends up focused on a large house on a hill. You can clearly tell that the house is made up of some sort of material, but it was used as a way to introduce one of the main characters. A spider crawls up on top of the model house and in comes Adam. The first thing he does is carelessly pick up this massive spider as if it where one of his pets and carries it to a window where he releases it.Right off the bat you could tell hat this man is kind to nature and very gentle with the way he handled the spider. In comes his wife, Barbara, who is filled with Joy and love. Their mutual understanding of each other makes them love each other more and more. They both hear something come from outside and realize that it is a house bidder trying to sell their home to people that are more â€Å"deserving† of it. This house bidder assumes that because Just two people are living in a large home by themselves that it is irrational for them to agree to sell it.The one thing that both Adam and Barbara share is their eagerness to keep their home. The couple denies the house bidder and then drives into town to pick up some supplies. Looking at the surrounding environment makes it obvious that Adam and Barber's home is the focal point of the town. Adam leaves his car to go in the store to get the supplies, when he realizes that the clerk isn't at the front desk he takes money out of his pocket and puts it into the cash register himself. This again, exemplifies the honesty of this man.On the drive back home, they see a dog in the road and Barbara quickly swerves off the road crashing into a wooden bridge that is completely unstable. Their car ends up falling into a river and the scene cuts. They end up back at their house but do not realize how they got there. After very bizarre things occur to them, they start to question what h as happened. They find a book titled â€Å"book for the Deceased† and realize that they have in fact died. The first conflict comes into play when they are trying to adjust or figure out why they cannot step out of their own house.The character Betelgeuse is introduced and although we do not get a full view of him we figure out what type of character he is. Betelgeuse is a ruthless and mean person. He seems like the type that has no problem in taking advantage of you. From the start, you can foreshadow that this character will be a conflict of interest later on in the film. The movie then switches to the new family that has began to move into the now vacant house. The door to the house slams open and large amounts of furniture are being moved in.It's as if the writer of this movie wanted the audience to feel like the house was being torn down and re-done from the ground up. First is Delia, who is a red haired woman, and the first impression is that she is a stuck up, conceite d, but neat and tidy person. She takes pride in her pieces of artwork even though they're clearly not well done. Then there is her husband Charles, who is the influential and uptight dad that is searching for seamlessly deserving relaxation. The Daughter is introduced as a disturbed and rebellious gothic girl.You could tell by the way she admires the houses cob webs and are ghosts living in her new home. Deli's assistant, is a very feminine character that is oblivious and careless with his actions. He acts as a big shot and talks like one too. Both Delia and her assistant share a mutual outlook with how things should be. When Barbara and Adam realize that new people have moved into their house they come furious and want to drive them out. This is another conflict introduced in the movie and it depicts the click © of ghosts trying to haunt people.Adam and Barbara try scaring the new house owners but realize they aren't doing a good Job at it. The ignorance these two characters have pushes them to learn more about who they are and the new abilities they have as Ghosts. The way this screenwriter set up the characters along with the conflicts really creates a good buildup, thus making the movie more enjoyable and fun. There are multiple conflicts, which make the viewer wonder how each one of them is going to be resolved.

Nick Stephenson on Reader Magnets and Amazon SEO Reedsy

Nick Stephenson on Reader Magnets and Amazon SEO Reedsy Reader Magnets and Amazon SEO - Nick Stephenson on Author Marketing Last update: 07/06/2017â€Å"You’ve got to think about what the benefit is for the reader.† This is what author marketing is all about, according to bestselling author Nick Stephenson, who we have the pleasure of interviewing today.We first reached out to Nick over a year ago, when he had started implementing this mindset and his reader magnets technique. In a year, he has built a hugely profitable business out of his writing career, hitting bestsellers lists, writing full-time, and now offering a premium marketing training program for authors: "Your First 10k Readers".He shares his insights on email lists, incentives (reader magnets), reviews, and Amazon search engine optimization. If you want 24 minutes of exceptionally condensed marketing advice, just hit â€Å"play† below. For the lovers of the written word, we also provide, as always, a nice, clean transcript. Enjoy! Hi Nick, great to have you here! You’re a UK bestselling indie author of crime and thrillers. Can you give us a bit of background on what your books are about?Thanks for having me. I write mystery and thrillers, the Leopold Blake series, and I write non-fiction as well: books specifically designed to help authors find their first 10,000 readers and build their platform.My fiction work is based on a modern-day Sherlock Holmes character and is great fun. It’s all based in the US, with American characters and American language. There are 6 books in the series; I’ve been publishing for about two years now and started seeing some amazing results about 12 months ago, when I started really focusing on building my marketing strategy and on what works. It’s been a very exciting year or so for me.I can imagine. And it’s actually a year ago that I first got in touch with you to present you the idea we had about Reedsy, so I’d say it’s been a gre at year for both of us!Absolutely, yes! It’s great to see so many emerging authors and services to help grow this industry, because it’s such a new market! It’s just great to see all this exciting stuff happening.Exciting is definitely the word! You also have a free webinar on the Your First 10k Readers website that I really enjoyed, especially the first video, because that video starts by effectively setting the right mindset for book marketing. I see many authors out there thinking â€Å"how can I sell my books†, when it should actually all be about adopting a reader’s perspective.Absolutely. I think the problem with a lot of authors, like you said, is that they see marketing as a problem, when marketing can be fun as well! Because when you’re building a real connection with your fans, you get to have that exchange of ideas. Getting emails from people telling you how much they love your books and how they can’t wait for your next on e, every day, is a wonderful feeling.And when you have a next book to launch, knowing that you can launch it into the top 200 on Amazon, go to the top of the charts on your bestseller lists, without having to pay for advertising, that is amazing, because you have this built-in platform that you have direct control over. Whereas if you’re relying on Amazon or other ebook stores, or even Facebook, to do that for you, the rules can change at any minute.That’s because you don’t own that platform: it’s their platform, so they can change the rules. But if you have your own platform, you don’t have to worry about that: you control it, and therefore control your career. So my premium training is all based around how to develop that for yourself and how to build that up, so you can take control over being an author.The webinar you mention are the free videos that I show to people to let them know exactly what they can do to get this process started. There a re currently 3 videos and you can sign up for them at Your First 10k Readers.The first one will essentially take you through how the online retailers work. And this is a big one because most authors think about marketing like old school, traditional marketing that publishers used to do (and some still do), where it’s all about the physical bookstores.It’s nothing like that, because Amazon and the other stores are really search engines. They’re like Google for products, Google for books. And if you don’t understand how a search engine works, how it indexes books and pages and how you can get to the top of those search results, you’re leaving a lot of visibility on the table. So I talk about exactly how to get that right mindset.So how can authors do SEO (Search Engine Optimization)? How should they, for example, decide which keywords to enter for their book?It’s difficult I think, because Amazon and the other retailers don’t publish th eir search traffic. If you’re on Google, you can go to the Google Keywords tool, type some keywords and see how much traffic they get, what the competition is like, etc. Amazon doesn’t do this, they keep it very much to themselves, so you’ve got to be manual about it - you have to use a bit of common sense.The easiest way to do it is to use the search bar at the top of the book page and start typing in some relevant search terms that you think might apply. Amazon will suggest some for you, so you just pick some suggested terms and check out whether the books listed under those terms are selling well. If they are, it’s a good keyword, so you have to determine whether you can compete at that level of sales. So if you’re currently selling one copy a day, you don’t want to be in a keyword pool of books that are selling hundreds of copies a day. It’s a lot of manual work, trial and error, but keywords are so important.Do your recommend cha nging them often and testing/iterating?It depends, I don’t change mine that often. If I see my sales drop, I’ll go back and check, but really there is no kind of set that you want to change them out, there’s no magic answer.One post I really liked on your blog was the one about readers magnets. Because often, I finish an indie book and I read something like â€Å"we indie authors rely on reviews/on our newsletter, so please leave a review/subscribe to my newsletter†, and that to me is not a real incentive. You, however, offer a real incentive. Can you tell us more about these reader magnets?Yes, you’ve got to think about what the benefit is for the reader. Because if you put a call to action at the end of your book like â€Å"buy the next book† or â€Å"subscribe to my mailing list† or â€Å"leave a review†, the reader’s thinking: â€Å"what’s in it for me? Why should I do that?†I mean, some people will do it, of course, but most people will just completely ignore that. What you have to do to get more results is offer the reader something for them, something of value, to get them to take action. And personally I’d rather have them subscribe to my mailing list than anything else. Because if you get their email address and get their consent for you to contact them in the future, you can ask them for reviews or sales later on down the line, when you’ve built up that brand and that relationship. And this is where reader magnets really come in.Reader magnets are basically something of value that you give to your readers in exchange for an email address.That has made a tremendous difference. We’re talking more than a 1000% increase in signups, just from doing that. I offer them a book as a magnet, a full book (either another book in the series, or a related book if it’s a non-fiction book), but you don’t have to offer a full book, you can offer bonus chapt ers, deleted scenes; or in non-fiction: cheat sheets, case studies, videos, anything you want as long as it’s related to the book that the reader has just finished.It just makes all the difference because with reader magnets you’re thinking about what is in it for your readers, not what’s in it for you.Exactly, I think that is definitely the key in marketing. And it’s funny because in January, we’ve seen a couple of indie author stars like Hugh Howey or Joanna Penn posting videos about their reading habits and how they find their next reads. It shows that they have this right mindset: they easily put themselves into their readers’ shoes because they are readers themselves.Absolutely, and they build a connection with their readers that way. I’m always going to make as much effort as possible to build a connection with readers, because from a reader’s point of view, you’ve got a book out there but they have no idea who you are, they don’t know what your life story is, what their personality is, all they know is your book.If you’re publishing videos like Joanna Penn and Hugh Howey, you really build that connection and readers start to understand who you are as a person. And then they’re much more likely to buy from you because they’re invested in your success: they feel like they know you.Another great thing about indie authors is the community they’ve built, and the collaborations that emerge between authors. You’ve been working very closely yourself with Matt Iden, another author in your genre, right?I think collaboration is absolutely key, because this kind of old school mentality of â€Å"book launch is the be all and end all† is gone, you know. It used to be that where your book didn’t sell 20 or 30 thousand copies in the first three months, your publisher would either drop you or reduce your advances, or be less invested in marketing your n ext book. The indie mentality is different because we don’t rely on huge sales in the beginning, we can be happy with a few hundred sales in the first month, or a few dozen, or even ten!We’re not â€Å"in competition†, because we don’t have to compete for shelf space with this or that bestseller during launch week: we’re available forever. So we can actually work with other authors to benefit everybody because in the end we all have the same objective, which is to reach more readers and get our work out into the world. And there’s no reason we can’t do that together: I email out my audience all the time, and if I’ve got nothing of my own to promote, I’ll recommend other authors’ books. I want my readers to trust me so if I can give them something good to read that’s a great way of doing it!Another thing I wanted to discuss was your brand, that you’ve built across the years, and that is particularly e vident in your covers. Would you say that branding is one of your selling points or is it just there to support your other marketing activities?Branding is very important because it basically means that your readers know what to expect. Your name is a brand, so if someone is going to read the next Nick Stephenson book, they should understand what that’s going to be like.From a visual point of view, having those covers, almost identical across the series, means that when they’re scrolling through a list of books, they immediately know it when they see a Nick Stephenson book. And if they look at it, they’ll see the â€Å"also bought† at the bottom of the page and there will be all my covers lined up. And on my website they can see them in a banner too. It creates a very strong visual trigger that gets people excited about looking at your books.One of the most important things you should do is have a nice, professional cover, and if you’re writing in a series, having those covers match as closely as possible can make a very big difference.Do you do â€Å"perma-free† on the first book in the series?Yes, I do, and there is a reason for this. We talked about ebook stores being like search engines, right? Well, this is like any other online business, you need two things: traffic, and conversion (turning traffic into customers).Perma-free is a wonderful way to get traffic, because you can get 50x to 100x more downloads on a book if it is free, compared to if it was even 99c. Then, if you’re smart about it, you can find ways to convert that traffic into paying customers (using reader magnets, typically).Even if you don’t do perma-free you can do regular free promotions if you’re enrolled in KDP Select, and use those 5 days every 90 days when your book is free to really promote it. You’ll get subscribers that way that you can then lead on to your other books. It just makes a huge difference.One thing I’ve noticed in the latest numbers you disclosed about your expenditures for your books, is that you’re not afraid to spend money as long as it brings more back. I’ve heard that you’ve even tried Facebook ads, is that right?Yes, I do, even if I didn’t include it in the breakdown (I’d only been doing it for a couple of months). It’s like anything, you know, if you want to take your business to the next level, you’re not going to be able to do it using free marketing tools, or a $5 add.I’m not saying that you cannot have sales without paid marketing, I’ve started making serious money from publishing without really spending that much money. But you hit a plateau pretty quickly. And if you want to go to the next level, you really need to think about how you can invest in your own business.Then, it’s not about cost, it’s about how much value that investment is going to bring. If it’s going to earn you money, save you money, or save you time, then it’s a good investment.Facebook ads have been absolutely incredible. Aiming it at my non-fiction author marketing side of things (and advertising my free Reader Magnets book), I’m getting subscribers through Facebook ads that cost me around a dollar, but they’re earning me around $15, so it’s just an incredible amount of ROI. I actually don’t think that will last forever, Facebook will catch on to how much money people are making through this, and prices will go up. But while it’s like that, it’s just fantastic!Thanks for these insights, Nick, and for your time!  For more insider tips on author marketing, check out our free Reedsy learning courses on marketing.How do you build your mailing list? Do you use any reader magnets? Leaves us your author marketing thoughts and tips in the comments below! And don’t hesitate to ask Nick Stephenson any questions!

Rude Literary Agents

Rude Literary Agents A long-time follower and fellow mystery author wrote me recently after the smack-down from a rude literary agent. I recently got a nasty rejection letter from an agent that said, When we said we were looking for new Southern writers, we were looking for the next Pat Conroynot the next Dukes of Hazzard. I should have been insulted, but it kind of rings true, and I reminded her the show was on the air for seven years! A back-wood badge of honor! I understood. An agent once asked me in a rejection letter, Why would we want a book about an insurance agent? She was talking about Carolina Slade, the protagonist in my original mystery series who was an investigator for agriculture. My first instinct at reading that ignorance was that I didnt need an agent with that attitude or lack of sense, and I considered that rejection as me dodging a bullet. Ive been to enough writers conferences to see agents act foolishly, behaving as if they were royalty walking amongst the commoners. Theyve laughed on panels at the naivete of certain writers, chuckled behind their hands during blind critiquing panels, and sat at tables at banquets, only with other agents, mind you, while sniggering at the speakers. Regardless of how lofty these souls think they are, you do not want that personality representing you. They will not be loyal. If they sign you, youll be the current favorite toy until a brighter, shinier thing comes along. Last week, I spoke of self-respect. The more self-assured you are, the better your chances are of landing an agent. . . the right agent. Of course, your writing has to be good, but if you are confident in yourself, a good agent will recognize that strength. Theyll see you wont be deterred Most of all, theyll see that youre interested in creating your stories and spreading them to the world, and thats what any reputable agent wants, too.

Comin Thro the Rye by Robert Burns

Comin Thro the Rye by Robert Burns The poem Comin Thro the Rye by  Scottish writer  Robert Burns  (1759–1796),  is probably best known because of Holden Caulfields misinterpretation of it in J.D. Salingers novel  The Catcher in the Rye. Instead of meeting a body in the rye, he remembers it as catching a body. Discussing the poem with his sister, Phoebe, Holden tells her a fantasy that he is  a rescuer of children playing in a field of rye, and he is catching them before they fall off a cliff. The reference to the poem in The Catcher in the Rye has prompted writers and scholars to take a look at the source when discussing the novel. The poem was written with a  Scottish dialect;  draiglt  translates to  drags;  weet  to  wet;  gin  to  when or if,  depending on the interpretation;  ilka to  every; loe to love;  waur to  worse off;  and  ken  to  know. Depending on the source, the last line of the second verse has a period or a question mark, and the third verse has a question mark or an exclamation point. Note: The second setting wasnt signed by Burns but is widely accepted as being by him. Poem Text Comin Thro the Rye by Robert Burns [First Setting] Comin thro the rye, poor body,Comin thro the rye,She draiglt aher petticoatie,Comin thro the rye. Chorus:O, Jennys a weet, poor body,Jennys seldom dry;She draiglt a her petticoattieComin thro the rye.Gin a body meet a bodyComin thro the rye,Gin a body kiss a body- Need a body cry. [To chorus] Gin a body meet a bodyComin thro the glen,Gin a body kiss a body,Need the warld ken! [To chorus] [Second Setting]   Gin a body meet a body, comin thro the rye,   Gin a body kiss a body, need a body cry;   Ilka body has a body, neer a ane hae I;   But a the lads they loe me, and what the waur am I.   Gin a body meet a body, comin frae the well,   Gin a body kiss a body, need a body tell;   Ilka body has a body, neer a ane hae I,   But a the lads they loe me, and what the waur am I.   Gin a body meet a body, comin frae the town,   Gin a body kiss a body, need a body gloom;   Ilka Jenny has her Jockey, neer a ane hae I,   But a the lads they loe me, and what the waur am I.   How the Poem Relates to Catcher in the Rye The poems theme is the question of whether casual sex is OK. Meeting a body in a field isnt just running across someone and saying hello. The poem asks Need a body cry? as in- Is it worth getting upset over? This relates to Salingers novel because the  sex question is a source of moral conflict inside the 16-year-old Holden. Saving children from falling off a cliff, then, in his fantasy, can be equated to helping children keep their innocence as long as possible.

Summarise this text. What was child saving What impact did it have in Essay

Summarise this text. What was child saving What impact did it have in shaping the creation of juvenile justice in Great Britain Discuss with reference to the - Essay Example The discovery of the concept of adolescence by Rousseau in 1760 who compared adolescence to a second birth mainly due emotional unrest leading to moral deterioration most particularly in the aspect of sex, hence suggested that the youth must be confined and segregated from adult life as long as possible. However, Musgrove contested this idea who attributed the youth's moral decline to prolonged education granted to upper class students and apprentices in the late 18th century which was later debated on as to whether the male youth education be done at home or in public schools. Thus, giving birth to the state of adolescence in mid 19th century but only to the bourgeoisie while to the labouring group, the issue was immaterial until the late 19th century where the beginning of compulsory state education to the age of 13. At this stage, the issue on adolescence was attributed to the failure of the family or labour to control them leading to a more negative implication. By the turn of the 19th century, adult supervision and control on all behaviour of youngsters of all classes was necessary because of the natural aspect of adolescence and not on the social norms of a particular class of society However, in the 20th century, the natural aspect of adolescence became contrary to the working class youth of this stage who had to work for survival hence rendering them to be more independent and less conforming to the idea of being "young' thus branded as "delinquent". According psychologist Granville Stanley Hall, adolescence is an upsetting stage because young people are torn between the opposite directions of primal childhood and rational and civilized state of adulthood. In 1880's, revival on the issue of rude and independent working youth due to the following factors: a.) the failure of urban working class family to discipline and exert its authoritarian duty over the youth regardless of whether they were working or not b.) independence from the family's supervision was gained by the working youth due to their ability to look for job and earn their own money Moreover, these working youth spend their leisure time on the streets that in the late 19th century, these leisure undertakings become less wholesome and undesirable like street gambling and football ( street gangs) which certainly result to minor offenses or delinquency and criminality. Thus reformers saw the need to undertaken measure to intervene between the working youth and their family so that control over these working-class adolescents can be set-up with the aim of getting back their dependency on their family, namely: 1.) Setting up of youth clubs to provide discipline, regulations and guidance which parent could not provide on the working youth especially the working class girls who were deemed socially undesirable due to too

Character analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Character analysis - Essay Example Despite the apparent similarities, these characters exhibit differences in expressing their loneliness: Laura resorted to collecting glass figurines, termed by her mother as glass menagerie; while Tom frequents the movie every night to get out of the apartment and avoid having to converse with his mother. As noted, Tom and Laura, both being victims of a life without their father seemed to be living a lonely and recluse life. Since their father allegedly left them a long time ago, both children must have to contend with living with their mother who could have been devastated when their father left them. The result was the feeling of being trapped in their lives where Tom had to resort to being the breadwinner for the family and supporting both his mother and his sister. The feeling of wanting to escape from the challenges and difficulties of life led to both characters finding ways to relieve their miseries and venge on other outlets such as watching movies night after night (for Tom) and collecting glass figurines (for Laura). The movies seemed the perfect outlet for Tom to venture into lives of actors and actresses who get to portray different roles and go to different places – a life he apparently longs for; but could not achieve. On the other hand, Laura’s form of escape was different from Tom since she had been afflicted with a disability when she was young and could not move freely without a brace. This situation is also perceived as a form of being trapped in the situation she currently is and the only way to get her mind off from this misery was through collecting glass figurines: fagile, beautiful, transparent, and as she described the unicorn, she averred that â€Å"hold him over the light. He loves the light! You see how the light shines through him?† (Willams 779). Her collections seem to mirror her traits: fragile, beautiful, but cold and detached. As emphasized, Laura is â€Å"so shy that she finds ordinary human relationships almost unbearable, she is totally unequipped for the romantic role in which her mother has cast her. She takes refuge among her glass figurines, the â€Å"glass menagerie† that is the symbol of her fragility and her retreat from reality† (The Glass Menagerie par. 3). Another point of similarity is their deceptiveness to their mother. Laura was thought to still be enrolled in a business school by her mother; only to be found out that she has dropped out of school, Her inability to explain the fact that she could not continue pursuing the program that her mother advised her to take, led to the deception. When discovered, it was already about six months that she had been trying to go out every day supposedly to attend her classes; but instead, she allegedly stayed in the park or engaged in other activities. Tom, on the other hand, was likewise confronted by her mother, who also believed that he was likewise deceiving her. His excuse for going out every night was to go to the movies. Her mother could not comprehend how he could do that time and again without fail and took him considerable lengths of time. These moves and behavior exhibited their inability to confront their mother and tell her the truth about their own feelings and what their hopes, dreams, and plans in life are. Both characters have inner secrets which they could not reveal to their

FMC Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

FMC Corporation - Essay Example In any situation where one unit handsomely starts scoring over another, a desire does emerge to replicate its success. Faced with an uphill task ahead, Kenneth Dailey has to negotiate a "change management" consensus with a disinterested, and possibly hostile Green River senior management. After all, it strikes them at their core; it's not easy to convince experience-laden people used to an authoritative style of functioning, to give up on their way of thinking and make a radical departure to an organic system where experience and position count less than skills and performance. nity to exercise his managerial acumen and insight, and see if he can inject the same degree of motivation and passion in the management and in the employees, that Jack Welch was able to when he took over the helm of General Electric in 1981, and brilliantly transformed it from a manufacturing company to the world's biggest service giant. ving change, possible sources of disagreement, and possible range of expectations employees may have in view of a change. No organization must be a one-man show; it is incumbent upon Dailey to brainstorm for the above pointers with everyone concerned, especially the influential senior management lobby without whose support it's difficult to undertake this ambitious makeover. Communications is the key to understanding what exactly ails the organization; all problems and detrimental factors must come to the fore before any tangible decisions are taken. It could be that finance and R&D department heads do not see eye-to-eye due to ideological misgivings, it could be that the purchase division has a tiff with suppliers hampering consistent growth, it could be that low wages has led to a low employee morale and hence, declined productivity. Whatever be the state-of-affairs, Dailey must seek everyone's involvement in seeking answers to tough questions. Like an able surgeon, he must be abl e to diagnose all areas where the company has failed its people, and vice versa. Only then can a remedial plan-of-action follow suit. The next step would be to integrate all the forward and backward functions of Green River in evolving a broad Aberdeen-like framework for corporate excellence. Und- erstandably, Aberdeen's open framework was not built in a day. In order to start from scratch, Dailey may

How important are the opinions of experts in the search for knowledge Essay

How important are the opinions of experts in the search for knowledge - Essay Example Most of the time, such claims can invite a long list of counterclaims. In search for the truth, many people often consider the personal opinion of the experts as a valid idea which forms and contribute to our development of knowledge. The problem with heavily relying on the personal opinion of other people is that opinion itself is highly dependent on each person’s upbringing, reasoning, and emotions which could adversely affect the validity of other people’s personal opinion. Even though the personal opinions coming from the experts could significantly affect our search for knowledge one way or the other, this report will discuss the reasons why we should not fully rely on the personal opinions of the experts when searching for new and valid idea which forms our knowledge. As part of going through the main discussion, this report will discuss TOK in relation to the study of human sciences, history, and ethics. TOK in Relation to the Study of Human Sciences, History, an d Ethics Human Science Sociology is basically the study on how people within the society would function as a whole. Aiming to improve the social relationship, confidence level, personal productivity, and overall experiences in the life of young individuals, the Landmark Education is offering the opportunity for young individuals to participate in Landmark Forum (Landmark Education 2011). As a non-expert in the field of psychology, it is not easy to comprehend how the Landmark Education could encourage the young individuals to improve their quality of living by merely joining the Landmark Forum. Therefore, a lot of people often misunderstood that Landmark is just a form of cult which influences a large group of people (Bralliar 1996; Lowell 1996). To enable the non-experts to gain better understanding with regards to this matter, several psychologists, psychotherapists, and psychiatrists were invited to share their personal opinions on how the Landmark Forum could serve as a communic ation link between the young individuals and the experts (Landmark Education 2011). According to Edward H. Lowell (1996) who is a medical doctor specializing in psychiatry, the Landmark Forum and other related programs offered by Landmark Education provides the young individuals and the medical professionals the opportunity to learn from one another on how one can gain independence and higher self-confidence as a result of each individual’s accomplishments in life (Bralliar 1996; Lowell 1996). Because of Lowell’s and Bralliar’s personal experiences with the Landmark Forum, these two experts were able to provide solid evidences why people should not classify Landmark as a form of cult. Considering the professional and education background of Bralliar and Lowell in psychiatry, people who reads his personal statement concerning how Landmark Forum works is enough evidence to convince the people that Landmark is not a cult. History The study of history focuses on ana lyzing and interpreting what happened in the past. Since each individual has their own way of expressing how they understand what took place in the past, there is a risk for historical experts to encounter conflicts with regards to their opinions based on what they understood about the past events. Medical history is one subject that commonly encounters discrepancy between scientific-based evidences and personal opinion of the medical experts. The problem most of the

Health care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Health care - Essay Example The caregivers were even in favor of such services because they needed counseling services due to the every day stress they were experiencing and this stress was ruining their work and personal life balance. According to a research conducted by Roberts and others, people who are near to death, stay at home and prepare to die and need the support of caregivers such as health care professionals and family members to live the remaining days of their life in peace (Roberts 2007). With the assistance of telecommunication, assistance can be provided to such patients as healthcare settings can not remain available 24/7. Those who are terminally ill can not move themselves and require immediate attention when they suffer different kinds of health issues. Availability of tele hospice services will assist such patients as they will be able to obtain advice and treatment for their issues over a simple phone call. Several patients suffer from loneliness and anxiety in their every day life, these disorders are mostly found in those individuals who do not have support and who do not have someone to talk to. It is not easy for patients to reach hospitals all the time when they need support and assistance from care givers. The health care professionals even need assistance and counseling because of the traumatic events they experience in their every day life. Tele hospice services can help solve all these issues. Due to availability of hospice services through the telecommunication, patients who do not need to attend health care settings can easily obtain support and counseling services over phone calls. On the other end, a special line for health care professionals can help them release their stress and obtain advice when they suffer from heavy stress due to their everyday work. The health care settings experience the problem of limited staff availability due to which they can not attend all pat ients and those patients who do not need to

Karl Marx - Capital Ch 7 Ch 9 Sec 1 Ch 10 Sec 1 Essay

Karl Marx - Capital Ch 7 Ch 9 Sec 1 Ch 10 Sec 1 - Essay Example Yet the legions of workers who once provided labor commodity with their hands (sweat equity, in other words), the spindle operators, for instance, to whom Marx refers in Chapter 7, have been supplanted by a technological revolution that has made the computer a tool nearly as utilitarian and ubiquitous as the spindle once was. In the modern economy, technology transforms the very nature of labor and the way in which that labor produces wealth. In the â€Å"Information Age† economy, the laborer’s work product is intrinsically intellectual, a work type rooted in the cogitative rather than the muscular. It places a premium on communication, since computer-based labor is informational, allowing communication to take place in the blink of an eye, and requiring the laborer to locate, extrapolate and respond to Name 2 unprecedented amounts of information each day. Decision-making, even among a company’s lowest strata, becomes a necessary and desirable skill, a thing unhe ard of among submissive 19th century laborers held in thrall by exploitative capitalists. In tracing the process involved in producing yarn, Marx outlines a chain of events that assesses the worth of the raw material needed to make yarn, the spindle used to produce it and the labor expended to manufacture it.

Health care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Health care - Essay Example The caregivers were even in favor of such services because they needed counseling services due to the every day stress they were experiencing and this stress was ruining their work and personal life balance. According to a research conducted by Roberts and others, people who are near to death, stay at home and prepare to die and need the support of caregivers such as health care professionals and family members to live the remaining days of their life in peace (Roberts 2007). With the assistance of telecommunication, assistance can be provided to such patients as healthcare settings can not remain available 24/7. Those who are terminally ill can not move themselves and require immediate attention when they suffer different kinds of health issues. Availability of tele hospice services will assist such patients as they will be able to obtain advice and treatment for their issues over a simple phone call. Several patients suffer from loneliness and anxiety in their every day life, these disorders are mostly found in those individuals who do not have support and who do not have someone to talk to. It is not easy for patients to reach hospitals all the time when they need support and assistance from care givers. The health care professionals even need assistance and counseling because of the traumatic events they experience in their every day life. Tele hospice services can help solve all these issues. Due to availability of hospice services through the telecommunication, patients who do not need to attend health care settings can easily obtain support and counseling services over phone calls. On the other end, a special line for health care professionals can help them release their stress and obtain advice when they suffer from heavy stress due to their everyday work. The health care settings experience the problem of limited staff availability due to which they can not attend all pat ients and those patients who do not need to

Vp 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Vp 2 - Essay Example The Tea Ceremony is a ritualized Japanese cultural contribution that involves taking tea in a specific space with prearranged procedures. Supposed to have started in the 16th century, the tea ceremony was a wealthy affair sought to unite rulers, warriors, and merchants. It was a social function for the rich that provided them a forum to discuss weighty issues (Cooper and McLean 1). They used natural forms of utensils, especially from China and Korea, countries revered for their culture. To an extent, the value of these objects and utensils was synonymous to that of treasures. The Japanese have a liking for such imperfect objects (natural form), which is a characteristic of their culture. Most of them were unglazed objects made in kilns that may seem to have no value at first sight. Their value has remained over the years to present where the utensils/objects re still seen as valuable. The preparation and drinking powdered green tea (matcha) is a delicate procedure that involves years of training. It involves detailed choreography that a layperson cannot easily master. The interaction in a tearoom not only involves the host and the guests, but also the utensils (Cooper and McLean 5). The guests witness the tea preparation and each step must be done specifically. Surprisingly, there is no repetition of the process in any other subsequent ceremony; the choreography only applies to a singular tea gathering. In addition, there is tea etiquette pertaining to the drinking of the tea, and the usage of the utensils. The utensils have both a practical value and an aesthetic value that the Japanese tradition appreciates. During a ceremony, there are several objects and utensils, but only a few serve in the occasion. The Tea Ceremony resulted in the creation of several other forms of objects that are enshrined in Japanese traditions. The relevance and significance of the ceremony lie in the need for purification and the connection with nature. Although

Biography of Pope John Paul II Essay Example for Free

Biography of Pope John Paul II Essay I. Early Life The Pope John Paul II was born Karol Jà ³zef WojtyÅ‚a, before his papacy in October 1978 .He was born in the Polish town of Wadowice, a small city 50 kilometers from Krakow, on May 18, 1920. Karol Jà ³zef WojtyÅ‚a was then the youngest of the three children born to Karol WojtyÅ‚a and Emilia Kaczorowska. His mother died in 1929 while Edmund, his eldest brother who was a doctor, died in 1932 and his father who was a non-commissioned army officer died in 1941. A sister, Olga, had died before he was born. Fr. Franciszek Zak baptized Karol Jà ³zef WojtyÅ‚a on The 20th of June in 1920 in the parish church of Wadowice. He was nine (9) years old when he took his First Holy Communion and was a confirmed Catholic at the age of eighteen at eighteen (18). â€Å"Upon graduation from Marcin Wadowita high school in Wadowice, he enrolled in Krakows Jagiellonian University in 1938 and in a school for drama.† (Short Biography, 2005) A year after, the university was closed by the Nazi forces. The young Karol instead had to work in a quarry from 1940 until 1944 and after in the factory of chemicals, Solvay, to earn his living and to keep away from being deported to Germany. Karol was always aware of his religious callings, and it was in 1942 when he started courses of becoming a priest in the clandestine seminary of Krakow, managed by Cardinal Adam Stefan Sapieha, the archbishop of Krakow at that time. â€Å"At the same time, Karol WojtyÅ‚a was one of the pioneers of the Rhapsodic Theatre, also clandestine.† (Short Biography, 2005) II. Post World War II Life with the Church Karol Jà ³zef WojtyÅ‚a pursued his studies in the major seminary of Krakow when it had reopened after the Second World War. At the same time he was a faculty of theology of the Jagiellonian University. It was in 1946, at the first day of November when he was ordained to the priesthood in Krakow. Archbishop Sapieha did the honor to ordain him. Thereafter, the same cardinal sent Father Karol WojtyÅ‚a to Rome to work under the direction of the French Dominican, Garrigou-Lagrange It was in 1948 when Father WojtyÅ‚a finished his doctorate in theology having a thesis on the â€Å"subject of faith in the works of St. John of the Cross (Doctrina de fide apud Sanctum Ioannem a Cruce)†. (Short Biography, 2005).   Even then, he was a good catholic and a person because that time after having his doctorate degree, while he was on vacations, he applied his pastoral ministry among the Polish immigrants of France, Belgium and Holland. During the same year he returned to his home country and became a vicar of many parishes in Krakow as well as chaplain to young students in the university and these roles and activities lasted until 1951. Beginning 1951 he pursued his studies again to widen his knowledge on philosophy and theology and two years after he was to defend a thesis on evaluation of the possibility of founding a Catholic ethic on the ethical system of Max Scheler at Lublin Catholic University.† (Short Biography, 2005) After this event he became a professor teaching about moral theology and social ethics in the key seminary of Krakow as served as a Faculty of Theology of at the same time. He was appointed as a titular bishop of Ombi on the 4th of July in 1958. The Pope Pius XII also appointed him as an auxiliary of Krakow on that same moment. On the 28th of September of the same year he was consecrated as a bishop by Archbishop Eugeniusz Baziak in Wawel Cathedral located in Krakow. Bishop WojtyÅ‚a had a lot of meaningful religious activities before he became the pope in October 1978. Among these are the publication of his dissertation in 1960, Evaluation of the Possibility of Constructing a Christian Ethic based on the System of Max Scheler† and the publication of Love and Responsibility; and in 1965 he made his Letter of Reconciliation of the Polish Bishops to the German Bishops, containing the famous words We forgive and ask forgiveness (Pre-Pontificate, 2005) III. And He Became the Pope John Paul II It was October 16, 1978 when Cardinal Karol WojtyÅ‚a  was elected successor to Pope John Paul I, the 264th Pope of the Catholic Church and takes the name  John Paul II. (Pontificate, 2005) During his election as the pope, â€Å"there were three surprises: that the new pope should be so young 58; that he should be a non-Italian; and that he should come from an Eastern European country. Though there has been noticeably less talk about the Holy Spirit, once again the cardinals have said how satisfied they are with their choice.†Ã‚  (Hebblethwaite 3) During his first year in the papal seat in 1978, he made numerous and notable activities and encouragement to the whole Catholic world. Among these are the Urbi et Orbi  radio message, John Paul IIs historic embrace of Cardinal  WyszyÅ„ski, the visits  to the Shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Mentorella, Rome and to  Assisi  to venerate the tomb of St. Francis, patron of Italy, and to the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva to venerate the tomb of St. Catherine, patroness of Italy, The preceding year of his papacy and the years after it, Pope John Paul II simply inspired the whole Catholic community with his leadership. In 1979, the Pope accepted the request made by  Argentina  and  Chile  for the Holy See’s mediation in solving the controversy that was on going between the two nations. He also made the Pastoral Visit to  Santo Domingo in Dominican Republic, to Mexico  for the Third General Conference of the Latin American Bishops and the Bahamas  on January 25th to February 1st 1979 for his 1st Apostolic Voyage. (Pontificate, 2005) This voyage was succeeded by the second, third and fourth, all happening in the same year, 1979. These were the visits or voyages to Poland in June, in  Ireland, the U.N.  and the  United States of America  in September and in Turkey in November. During his voyage to his homeland, he had a very specific message to his countrymen. â€Å"The popes letter on the purpose of his visit, in which he stressed that he hoped to serve the unity of the Poles. (Hebblethwaite 3) During the 1980s, among the outstanding activities of Pope John Paul II involve Pastoral Voyages to  Zaire, Republic of Congo, Kenya, Ghana, Upper Volta  and  Ivory Coast, France, Brazil, and West Germany. His pastoral visit to Naples, Potenza, Balvano  and  Avellino was made after the earthquake. The apostolic voyages, which obviously result to greater acceptance among the Catholics of the respective visited nations, also serve as reminders to each and every one to restore their faith and be better followers of God. The pope never missed in reinstating this message anywhere he visits. At the year 1980 was ending the pope made his Apostolic Letter  Egregiae virtutis  in which he proclaimed Sts. Cyril and Methodius, together with St. Benedict, Patrons of Europe. As the leader, teacher and model of millions of Catholic followers, John Paul II made and performed his papal responsibilities dutifully. The Popes 1988 encyclical,  Sollicitudo Rei Socialis,  which is about social justice threading a middle ground between the sides of capitalists and socialists and putting arguments on both economic developments and placing the needs of those millions of poors over the wants of the selected wealthy. This Sollicitudo Rei Socialis is in fact believed to be â€Å"one of his most substantial documents.† (John Paul II) A new catechism was approved by Pope John Paul II in 1992. This contained comprehensive statements of devotion meant to unify the entire Catholic It was in October of this year when the Pope was able to publish a large encyclical on moral issues fairly â€Å"inspired by the pedophilia or the sexual attraction of adults to children crisis† (John Paul II) that was rampant in the United States. It was called Veritatis Splendor  or The Resplendence of Truth. In 1994 the Pope was with the Special Assembly for Africa  of the Synod of Bishops on the theme:† The Church in Africa and Her Evangelizing Mission Towards the Year 2000: You Shall Be My Witnesses. On that same year however, on the month of April the Pope had an accidental fall on the evening of the 28th causing a fracture on his right femur. Thereafter the Holy Father recovered at the Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital and undergone an operation and was hospitalized until the 27th of May. (Pontificate, 2005) Fulfilling the promise of his apostolic letter  Tertio Millennio adveniente  (As the Third Millennium Draws Near, 1994 the pope entered the year 2000, which he greeted by a proclamation of this year as the year of the Great Jubilee.   The Pope carried on this year â€Å"with a series of epoch-making activities calling for dialogue and brotherhood among the faiths.† (Pope John Paul) In February of the new millennium, John Paul II was the first pope to make a visit to Egypt, where he celebrated a mass in Cairo, stirring on discrimination against Christians in Egypt and other countries of Africa. On March 12, 2000, the pope also asked for forgiveness for many of the Catholic Churchs past sins, such as its treatment of Jews, heretics, women, and native peoples. â€Å"This was believed to be the first time in the history of the Catholic Church that one of its leaders sought such a sweeping pardon.† (John Paul II Biography) In the beginning of 2004, the Pope made his appeal to everyone regarding World Peace. â€Å"All of you, hear the humble appeal of the Successor of Peter who cries out: today too, at the beginning of the New Year 2004,  peace remains possible. And if peace is possible,  it is also a duty!†(John Paul II, 2004) A year before his death, Pope John Paul II was conferred the  International Charlemagne Prize, a prestigious award given annually by the city of Aachen, Germany, in recognition â€Å"of the Pope’s personal commitment, and that of the Holy See, in favor of unity among the peoples of Europe on the basis of the values rooted in the common human nature and efficaciously promoted by Christianity† (Pontificate, 2005) On February, at least a month before his death the Memory and Identity was published. This book was all about the Pope John Paul II, his life, and his legacy to the world. With his great contribution to the Catholic Church and in humanity in general, Pope John Paul II died in Vatican on April 2, 2005 at 9:37 in the evening. He was a great pope, leader, teacher and a person who gave much inspiration and teachings to his followers.