Probation and Parole Through History

Probation and Parole Through History Free Online Research Papers In August 1841, a Boston, Massachusetts shoemaker named John Augustus bailed the first person out of jail. The person was a â€Å"common drunkard†, married with kids. A â€Å"common drunkard† is â€Å"legally defined at the time as someone who had arrested for intoxication at least three times in a six-month period† ( Panzarella, R. (2002, December). Theory and Practice of Probation of Bail in the Report of John Augustus. Federal Probation, 66(3), 38. Retrieved June 6, 2007, from Academic Search Premier Database). John Augustus was known as the Godfather of Probation. It was his devotion to helping the unfortunate that began the first probations in the United States. Mr. Augustus had strict rules on the types of people he would bail out of trouble. At first he only bailed men out and then in July 1842 he bailed the first woman out of trouble and in October 1843 he bailed out his first set of children. Augustus always checked out each person he was bailing out of trouble. If the men and women were not married with children and not repeat offenders, he would not bail them out. Children were the only group of people who he would bail out as first offenders. He had a strict rule that all probation was a family oriented arrangement and that all offenders had to be capable of working and supporting his or her family. Children were sent to school or supplied with some honest employment. According to Kathy Waters (2002), John Augustus, â€Å"had a definite view that the object of the law is to reform criminals, and to prevent crime and not to punish maliciously, or form a spirit of revenge† (Waters, Kathy. (September 2002) Probation, Parole, and Community Corrections. Past, Present and Future. Are We Prepared to Go There? Retrieved on June 7, 2007 from ojp.usdoj.gov/probation/chap3.htm). In 1878, Massachusetts followed Augustus’s lead and formally established probation and provided for a paid staff of probationers. On March 5, 1925 the National Probation Act was signed by President Calvin Coolidge. The Administration of federal probation was assigned to the Department of Justice under the Office of the Attorney General and placed under the direction of the Bureau of Prisons. In 1927 the first probation officers were appointed. There were three (3) in total. The position required that a person be high school graduates with at least 14 college credits and three years experience in social work. The age requirement was 21 through 54 with retirement age set at 70. By 1930 only five more probation officers were added. Probation and Parole has continued to grow since the 30s, more than 4.1 million people were on probation and 784,208 were on parole at the end of 2005. Probation and parole are integral to criminal and juvenile justice in the states. There are two major areas in the trends that affect probation and parole. These are environmental trends and strategic trends. According to William Burrell, â€Å"The environmental factors that have an impact on probation and parole include organizational structure, workload, resources and funding and legislative/political initiatives and support. The organizational structure of probation and parole is stable. Unlike the period of the late 1970s and early 1980s when parole came under attack and was abolished in 16 states, no large scale efforts are underway in terms of significantly altering the organizational structure of these community-based correctional agencies† (Trends in Probation and Parole in the States. Retrieved on June 7, 2007 from http:www.appa-net.org;/ccheadlines/docs/Trends_Probatin_Parole.pdf). The workloads for probation and parole are increasing rapidly. The funding to support this increase is not there. Therefore the caseloads for officers are sometimes overwhelming. Probation and parole receive only a small portion of the Department of Corrections budget. This lack of funding can cause less than adequate representation for the probationer or parolee. Collaboration and partnerships, results driven management, re-emergence of rehabilitation, specialization, technology, and community justice are strategic trends in probation and parole. Collaboration and partnerships – Probation and parole agencies realize that they cannot successfully do their jobs alone. They realize that they need expertise and assistance of others. Probation and parole officers have built good relationships with police officers, clerks of courts, judges, drug counselors, teachers, and employment specialist. These relationships help officers to do their jobs successfully and ensure that their charges have every opportunity for reform. Results-Driven Management – Probation and Parole are no different than any other organization, they must demonstrate both what they are doing and what the results of this action are. Are they providing adequate supervision and what are the results of this supervision? Does it meet the standards of expectation or do some changes need to take affect? Re-emergence of Rehabilitation – Probation and parole needs to make significant role redefinition and organizational changes to embrace a rehabilitative model. The large caseloads of probation officers will hinder the effectiveness of the rehabilitative model. Probation officers need the resources and funding to continue to help offenders becomes rehabilitated. The officers need to be able to monitor each and every one of his or her charges to effectively keep them on the right track. Specialization – The number of â€Å"special needs† offenders have increased drastically over the years. There are more offenders who are drug addicts, mentally ill, sex offenders, drunk drivers, gang members, violent offenders and offenders will a combination of all the above. These offenders need special programs and supervision to help them succeed. The large case loads per officers make it difficult for the officers to provide these needs to all the offenders. Technology – Advancement in technology has helped probation and parole with supervision of some offenders. The electronic monitoring device helps officers to supervisor offenders on house arrest. The hand-held breathe test machine helps to detect if a person has been drinking. There are always new technologies to help probation and parole agencies but again because of funding they are not always affordable to the agencies. Community Justice – Community justice systems involve the victim and the community in the sentencing and sanctioning of the offender. The courts can decide the victim should receive some form of restitution. The offender could be sentenced to do community service such as picking-up litter on the side of highways or volunteering in community offices. All of the trends show that improved performance of probation and parole agencies will lead to less crime and increased safety. Investing in increased capacity and capability will deliver effective probation and parole services which in return will provide a return in justice and community safety. This will also ensure a future for probation and parole in the criminal justice system. Probation and parole have become popular with judges as part of sentencing of offenders. With this increase in popularity has come with an increase of caseloads for probation and parole officers. This has caused the effectiveness of probation and parole to decrease. The types of offenders have changed over the years and with this change the specialization of officers have fallen behind. There are several solutions a person can talk about for the probation and parole system. One solution is to either hire more officers or decrease the number of offenders who are placed on probation or parole. This decrease in offenders on probation and parole will put another burden on the prison system. The prison systems are overcrowded now and like the probation and parole agencies cannot easily handle this increase. Another solution is to create more community programs to place the offenders in, such as more affordable rehabilitation centers for alcohol, drug, or even sexual addicts. This increase would mean the government would have to find the money to build the facilities and staff such facilities. This definitely would be a good solution but there is no money for such a solution. Another solution could be as simple as redefining the roles of the probation officers on staff at the moment. Such as most organizations of certain departments that handle different aspects of their organization, probation and parole agencies could again try this option. If probation and parole could reorganize the caseloads for each officer and give each officer only certain type of offenders, this might help the officers to be able to organize programs for their offenders. For example, if a probation officer’s caseload only included alcohol offenders the officer could possibly set up group meetings for the alcoholics such as the AA groups. The officer could set up programs within their department for random testing of the offenders. It just seems that if each probation officer only had certain types of offenders it could help to increase the supervision of such offenders. This increase in supervision would cause a decrease in repeat offenders. However, again this is not always a possibility in the smaller departments. If there were more alcohol offenders than drug offenders then one officer would be caring most of the load which would definitely cause a decrease in effectiveness. Probation and parole is still an effective means to help cut the cost to the community and government for housing of offenders in prison. Not only is it costly to house offenders in the prison system but not all offenses are serious enough to need this type of housing. A person who is convicted of their first Driving under the Influence charge or their first offense for any crime does not need to be house in the prison system. This is where probation and parole could prove effective in making sure the person does not become a repeat offender. It is always better if the courts are able to give person probation for first and possibly even second offenses. It not only saves money but it could help to keep this person from being housed with hardened criminals, which could cause this person to become a repeat offender or possibly even commit worse crimes. This author feels that there are times when a person should have some jail time to serve just to give them an idea of what it could be like to be in prison but only due time in a local jail. Then this person could be placed on probation for a certain amount of time to make sure that he or she gets the help they need to not become repeat offenders. Reference Burrell, William D. Trends in Probation and Parole in the States. Retrieved on June 7, 2007 from http:www.appa-net.org;/ccheadlines/docs/Trends_Probatin_Parole.pdf Panzarella, R. (2002, December). Theory and Practice of Probation on Bail in the Report of John Augustus. Federal Probation, 66(3), 38. Retrieved June 6, 2007, from Academic Search Premier Database. Waters, Kathy. (September 2002) Probation, Parole, and Community Corrections. Past, Present and Future. Are We Prepared to Go There? Retrieved on June 7, 2007 from ojp.usdoj.gov/probation/chap3.htm Research Papers on Probation and Parole Through HistoryCapital PunishmentThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesTwilight of the UAWAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenHip-Hop is ArtUnreasonable Searches and Seizures19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided Era

Homosexuality and Single-Sex Schools

Homosexuality and Single-Sex Schools Unfortunately, for many American students, insults and accusations are part of everyday life. All to often, students, as young as elementary school, are faced with criticism and judgment from their peers, and despite great efforts by many, there are still people in our country who are not the diverse, tolerant people wed like to surround ourselves with on a daily basis. This unfortunate truth means that some students look elsewhere to find supportive and welcoming environments for their middle and high school educations. This is where private school comes into play, as many private schools embrace the many facets of diversity that exist within students, creating vibrant communities unlike what most high school students embrace. However, there is debate among many about the role of single-sex schools when it comes to homosexuality. While some believe that schools that cater to just one gender provide a supportive place for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students, others believe that these schools  have a hidden side effect: they promote homosexuality. Scientific Studies Surprisingly, there are few scientific studies available to provide conclusive evidence, but no limit to personal opinions. The debate topics include whether or not single-sex schools promote gender stereotypes, if homosexuality is learned or genetic and, particularly, how single-sex schools may impact students if it homosexuality is, in fact, learned. Debate.com has a page dedicated to whether or not single-sex schools promote homosexuality. The outcome of those who have contributed to date shows a majority of debaters (59 percent) feel that single-sex schools do not promote homosexuality. Many single-sex school graduates claim that their experiences, be it high school or even college, were empowering and helped them grow as individuals. Others agree, but say that they discovered their gender identity in that environment because it was the first time they were allowed to experience something different than the stereotypes they grew up with of only male-female couples being acceptable. Unfortunately, for many children stereotypes are all they see in their daily lives and become what they understand simply because they are not exposed to diverse views. Most certainly, no child wants to be intimidated or ostracized simply because they are different. These difference sometimes mean that students are subject to bullying by peers who dont understand or accept them, and these actions can be especially harsh when adults look the other way or are not present. While some claim that single-sex schools promote gender stereotypes, others adamantly disagree, stating that the single-sex school breaks down the stereotypes and better educates students on a more diverse set of viewpoints. The Value of an Open and Affirming Culture What many people dont know is that boys and girls schools often  play to the strengths of students. These open and affirming cultures can provide better support, counseling, and education, empowering students to embrace who they are more than ever. When students can walk around their school community openly without fear of discrimination or bullying, they are able to grow as individuals and achieve more success. Both boys and girls have to deal with their sexuality, understanding their feelings and inclinations mean and how to handle them. If they havent thought of it themselves, the American entertainment industry will certainly put all those gender debates and discussions right under their noses. What any good private school is able to do is to provide some serious mentoring and discussion of issues like teenage sexuality. The tightly wrapped sense of community which most of these schools have makes young people feel comfortable discussing these and other issues. Teens are under enormous stress under normal conditions. Add to the mix worries about sexuality and grades and you potentially have a recipe for extreme measures of dealing with the stress. For some, this can lead to eating disorders, cutting, or even suicide. Heed the warning signs, no matter how insignificant you think they may be, and talk to someone if there are concerns about the physical, mental, or emotional health of a child. If students feel as though they cannot confront their classmates, they should alert an adult and make sure she follows through. Supporting a peer struggling with an issue often means going against their wishes to deal with issues privately in favor of getting help from a qualified individual.   Edited by Stacy Jagodowski

Research Proposal and Marking Schedule Coursework

Research Proposal and Marking Schedule - Coursework Example After identifying the target market, appropriate methodologies should be used to incorporate them in the research. However, since the market is wide and consists of very many people, it might not be an easy task to involve the whole population in the research. Because of this, there will be a need to use a sampling technique which is appropriate for the type of research and the target population to be used as the subject of the study. The most appropriate sampling technique to use is simple random. Under this design, each and every member of the target population will be granted equal chances of participating in the research. Meaning, they will be randomly selected to participate in the research. If this is properly done, it will be possible for the research to generate a set of accurate and error free data which can be generalized as a representative of the entire population. Besides, it will help in reducing the costs of conducting a research because it might be so challenging to subject the whole population to the studies. For the researchers to gather the necessary required information about the market, it is incumbent upon them to use the most appropriate tools during their research. Based on this fact, the research will incorporate the use of the following tools in the collection of data: After taking the population sample, they will be engaged in interviews. During this time, the researcher will meet the subjects and ask them questions which they will be expected to answer. However, for this to be effectively done, appropriate questions should be designed so as to enable them to give the information which can be used to by the researcher to know about their attitudes, tastes and preferences towards tea and coffee (Amor, 2009). At the same time, the questions should be properly designed to be much flexible. Meaning, there should be both open and closed ended questions. However, the respondents should

Theory paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Theory paper - Essay Example The cultural and historical development that influenced the development of the theory was Freud’s theory of psychosexual stages (Heffner, 2015). Whereas Freud analyzed human developmental stages through the prism of sexual orientation and social behavior drives, Erickson analyzed the crisis at each stage. That is not to imply that psychosocial theory was developed because Erikson disagreed with Freud’s approach, but that he perceived human developmental stages through a distinct prism that speaks volumes about each stage. The society was trying to find out factors influencing human behaviors during that time. Many psychologists attempted to provide answers to the wide array of unanswered questions. Therefore, it may be seen that psychosocial theory was found in response to shed more light on the role of nature and nurture in human development. For a long time the two concepts had not been addressed elaborately. Whereas Freud’s theory observes the perceived normal path, Erikson’s theory ventures deeply into analyzing non-conformity to the expected normal adjustment. In psychosocial theory, Erikson’s infancy stage takes place from the time a child is born until the child is one and half years. That is the stage when a child progressively learns how to walk. During this stage, the child faces a psychosocial stage called trust versus mistrust (Berk, 2013). During this stage, a child will trust people depending on how well they handle him/her. The child will allow some people to carry him/her during this stage but cry when others attempt to handle him/her. The crying is usually a rejection. The next stage, autonomy versus shame (1-3 years) is marked with confidence or fear. A child that has been nurtured well has a high self-esteem whereas some children may show shame when socializing in the public. At ages 3-6, a child goes

Bell Rock Lighthouse Essay Example for Free

Bell Rock Lighthouse Essay 5 WHERE THE MIND IS WITHOUT FEAR I. (i) The words ‘mind is without fear’ mean that one does not have any fear of oppression or compulsion. The poet is talking about the minds of the people of his country. He says so because his country was under the subjugation of the British, who perpetrated all sorts of oppression on his countrymen. (ii) The words ‘the head is held high’ mean to have self respect. The head is bowed down because of exploitation and oppression of the Indians by the British. It needs to be held high with pride and dignity which characterised the Indians before India was reduced to the status of a subjugated nation. (iii) By the words ‘Where knowledge is free’, the poet wants to say that in his country everyone should have the freedom to acquire knowledge without any restriction. The restrictions imposed on the spread of knowledge include the prejudices based on wealth, caste and religion. Further, the British imposed restrictions on the basis of the ruler (the British) and the ruled (the Indians). They curbed the freedom of speech and expression by putting restrictions on the Press. (iv) Due to the restrictions imposed on the spread of knowledge, people remained glued to their outdated customs and traditions and could not think rationally. (v) A sonnet is a poem of fourteen lines divided into an octave (the ?rst eight lines) and a sestet (the last six lines). The octave presents an idea, raises an argument, makes a proposition or poses a problem, whereas the sestet gives a solution to the problem posed by the octave. The poem ‘Where the Mind is Without Fear’ comprises an octave, in which the poet talks about the wonderful qualities his countrymen must achieve to make their country free and heaven-like. Since this poem is only a part of the complete song in his Nobel Prize winning work, Gitanjali, we can say that this poem is a part of the complete sonnet. II. (i) According to the poet, the narrow domestic walls or divisions based on caste, class, colour, religion, creed, region and superstitions break up the world into fragments or mutually exclusive compartments. (ii) The narrow domestic walls refer to narrow local divisions created 6TEACHERS’ HANDBOOK (ICSE POEMS) by prejudices like caste, colour, creed, region and religion. They are called ‘narrow’ by the poet because they are based on age- old customs and traditions and not on the basis of rational thinking. (iii) The narrow domestic walls can harm the nation by creating divisions among people and thereby, undermining the unity and  integrity of the nation. (iv) The poet wants to say that his countrymen should be able to express themselves truthfully without any fear. He feels so because his countrymen at that time did not have freedom of expression as various restrictions were imposed on the freedom of speech and the Press by the British. (v) Examples of alliteration are: (a) Where the world (b) Where words (vi) The poet shows that he has a religious outlook by praying to God to let his country awake to a blissful heaven of freedom. III. (i) ‘Tireless striving’ means to work hard without getting tired to achieve perfection. The poet wants his countrymen to achieve  the highest goals, i. e. , freedom at all levels — political, religious, spiritual, moral and intellectual. (ii) Reasoning allows a person to have clarity of thoughts without being restricted by narrow domestic walls such as caste, colour, creed, religion, region and superstitions. That is why it has been compared to a clear stream which is free of all impurities. (iii) ‘Dreary desert sand of dead habit’ is a metaphor. Through this metaphor the poet wants to say that his countrymen should work for perfection in everything and should not be led astray from their goal in the dry desert of dead habits, i.e. , in a place where outdated customs and traditions are followed. (iv) According to the poet, the hurdles in achieving perfection include the outdated customs and traditions based on irrational thinking rather than sound reasoning and scienti? c thought. (v) The ? gure of speech in the third line of the given extract is a ‘metaphor’. For explanation refer to answer (iii) above. (vi) This poem by Rabindranath Tagore is taken from his original volume called Naibedya, which bears the title ‘Prarthana’, i. e. , prayer. In this poem, the poet prays to a universal father-? gure, i. e.  , God to let his country awake to a blissful heaven of freedom. Thus, the poem is a song of prayer. 7 IV. (i) ‘Thee’ refers to God. (ii) The mind of the poet’s countrymen is to be led forward to the ‘heaven of freedom’, i. e. , to an ideal state where there is total freedom at all levels — political, religious, spiritual, moral and intellectual. (iii) The phrase ‘Heaven of freedom’ means an ideal state, where the poet wants the Almighty to lead his countrymen to. The three qualities required to be able to attain the heaven of freedom include: (a) there is no oppression and people can hold their heads high in self-respect. (b) there are no prejudices based on caste, colour, creed, religion, region and superstitions. (c) people should work tirelessly to attain perfection in everything by following scienti? c thought and rational thinking, without being led to follow obsolete traditions and customs. (iv) ‘Father’ in the above extract is a reference for God. He will awake the country by leading the poet’s countrymen to a heavenly state where there are all kinds of freedom and where they can hold their heads high in self-respect, without any fear of oppression or compulsion. (v) The poet prays for his country to attain all kinds of freedom —  political, religious, spiritual, moral and intellectual. And only then it will attain the blissful heaven of freedom, an ideal state where his countrymen would be able to hold their heads high in self-respect, will not have a blurred vision based on prejudices and work tirelessly to attain perfection in every sphere of life. I. (i) The Inchcape rock is referred to in the extract. The rock lay hidden in the sea off the east coast of Scotland. It sometimes remained hidden under sea water during the high tide. (ii) The words ‘surge’s swell’ mean the sea-waves moved up and down and rose high due to the in? uence of tides. The warning  bell refers to the bell placed on the Inchcape rock by the Abbot of Aberbrothok, to give a warning to the sailors about the danger from the rock. The warning bell was placed on a buoy and during high tides the movement of waves made the buoy to ? oat and in turn rang the bell and warned the sailors. THE INCHCAPE ROCK 8TEACHERS’ HANDBOOK (ICSE POEMS) (iii) The Rock was said to be perilous because many ships had been wrecked by it when it remained covered by sea water during a high tide. Sir Ralph’s ship struck against the Inchcape Rock and drowned in the sea. (iv) The Head monk of a monastery or church is known as an  Abbot. The mariners blessed the Abbot Aberbrothok because he placed a bell on the Inchcape Rock, which gave a warning to the mariners about the perilous rock and thus, saved them and their ships from drowning. (v) A ballad is a long narrative poem that tells a story. It is a heightened narration that uses narrative technique like rhyme and ? gures of speech. The two elements of ballad in the given extract are the following: (a) The rhyming pattern followed in this extract is aabb (Swell- Bell; Rock-Aberbrothok). (b) There is a repetition of consonant sound at the beginning of words (alliteration) to facilitate narration: 1. .. surge’s swell 2. .. then they II. (i) Sir Ralph was a rover or a sea pirate. He was a wicked and jealous man. (ii) The pleasant day in the spring season made the Rover sing. But the real reason was that in a such calm atmosphere he would be able to carry out his wicked plan of defaming the Abbot of Aberbrothok by cutting off the bell from the Inchcape Rock and thereby, loot the wealth from the shipwrecks. The given lines mean that the Rover’s heart was extremely joyful but his joy was due to his wicked plan. (iii) The Rover saw the buoy of the Inchcape Rock like a dark speck on the green ocean. He asked his sailors to lower the boat and row him to the Inchcape Rock. (iv) The Rover wanted to go near the Inchcape Rock to cut off the warning bell to spoil the fame and reputation of the Abbot of Aberbrothok, who has placed the bell there and to loot the wealth from the shipwrecks. (v) The Rover was in a joyful mood in the extract. His joyful mood is re? ected in the extract by his act of whistling and singing. At the end of the poem, the Rover was in a mood of despair and frustration. 9 III. (i) The boatmen rowed the boat to the Inchcape Rock. (ii) The Rover cut off the bell from the Inchcape Rock. He did so out of jealousy and self-interest. He wanted to spoil the fame and reputation of the Abbot of Aberbrothok, who has placed the bell there. It would also allow him to easily loot the wealth from the shipwrecks, caused by the Inchcape Rock. (iii) The Rover’s act of cutting the bell from the Inchcape Rock led to the collision of his ship with the rock and ? nally, the drowning of the ship with the Rover. (iv) After performing the wicked deed of cutting the bell from Inchcape Rock, the Rover said that from then onwards the mariners who used to thank the Abbot would no longer thank him. (v) The Abbot of Aberbrothok had kept the bell there. The bell was placed on the ? oat because the movement of the ? oat during the high tide would make the bell ring and warn the sailors of the danger from the rock. (vi) The sailors, passing by earlier, blessed the Abbot of Aberbrothok for placing the warning bell on the Inchcape Rock and thereby, saving them from the perilous rock. IV. (i) The Rover sailed away from the Inchcape Rock. He became rich by looting the wealth from the ships that struck against the Inchcape Rock. (ii) After amassing wealth, the Rover was sailing towards the shore  of Scotland. (iii) When the Rover was sailing, there was a thick haze over the atmosphere and no sun in the sky. There were strong winds and darkness all around. The weather conditions predicted that ?nally the Rover would meet his end in the sea. (iv) The Rover was a wicked man who was jealous of the fame and reputation of the Abbot of Aberbrothok. That is why he carried out his wicked plan of cutting off the warning bell on the Inchcape Rock, placed there by the Abbot. He was a robber who became rich by looting the wealth from the shipwrecks. (v) The Abbot was a kind and compassionate man, who placed a  warning bell on the Inchcape Rock to forewarn the sailors about the danger to their ships from the perilous rock. The Rover, on the other hand, was a jealous and wicked man, who cut off the warning bell on the Inchcape Rock to defame the Abbot and to loot the wealth from the shipwrecks. V. (i) When the Rover and his sailors were going towards the shore of Scotland, the weather was bad, with a thick haze over the atmosphere, no Sun in the sky and strong winds. THE INCHCAPE ROCK 10 TEACHERS’ HANDBOOK (ICSE POEMS) (ii) The words â€Å"the breakers roar† mean the roaring of the sea waves, i. e. , the sound made when the sea waves break on the  shore. The breakers roar normally signify a high tide when the sea waves surge up and down with a great force. (iii) The sailors wished that they could hear the Inchcape Rock. The ringing of the bell would have indicated the presence of the perilous rock and thus saved the ship from colliding with it. (iv) The sailors could not see any land on the way to Scotland’s shore because of bad weather. There was a thick haze in the atmosphere and total darkness in the absence of the Sun in the sky. Sir Ralph was optimistic that the weather would improve by night when the moon would rise in the sky. (v) In the absence of the Inchcape Bell, no warning sound was heard by the sailors and the vessel struck against the Inchcape Rock. VI. (i) They could not hear any sound due to the absence of the warning bell on the Inchcape Rock, which the Rover had cut off. If the sailors had heard the normal expected sound of the warning bell from the Inchcape Rock, they would have saved the ship from striking against the rock. (ii) (a) the swell is strong: there are strong waves in the sea. (b) They drifted along: They moved slowly towards the shore. (iii) The vessel struck against the Inchcape Rock. It was a shivering  shock because the ship collided with the rock and the waves from all sides began to engulf it. (iv) Sir Ralph was in a state of despair and shock when he realised that his ship had struck against the Inchcape Rock. In his frustration, he pulled his hair and cursed himself. Sir Ralph’s ship struck the very rock from which he had removed the warning bell and sank in the sea. (v) Sir Ralph was a sea pirate. He was a wicked and jealous man. He used to loot wealth from the ships that fatally crashed against the Inchcape Rock. But when the Abbot of Aberbrothok placed a warning bell, he cut off the bell to defame the good Abbot  and put the other helpless sailors into trouble. However, he got caught in his own trap of mischief when his ship struck against the Inchcape Rock and sank in the sea alongwith him. (vi) The moral conveyed through this poem is—As you sow, so shall you reap. The Rover cut off the bell from the Inchcape Rock, but his own ship struck against the very Rock because of the absence of any warning sound and sank in the sea. 11 VII. (i) The Rover could hear the sound of his sinking ship, which seemed to him like the sound made by the Inchcape Bell. The sound was dreadful because there was no chance of surviving  the shipwreck. (ii) The sound of the Inchcape Bell was a forewarning of the danger from the perilous rock to the sailors and was thus life-saving. The dreadful sound, on the other hand was that of the sinking ship that signalled the end of Sir Ralph. Therefore, it appeared to be like a funeral bell being run by the Devil himself. (iii) The Devil below was ringing his knell mean that the sound which Sir Ralph was hearing appeared to him like the sound of the Inchcape bell. But actually the sound was that of the sinking ship. (iv) Sir Ralph, the Rover cut off the warning bell, which the Abbot of  Aberbrothok had planted on the Inchcape Rock as a forewarning to the sailors. But Sir Ralph’s own ship struck against the very rock due to the absence of any forewarning sound and drowned in the sea with Sir Ralph. Thus, the evil that Sir Ralph plotted for the Abbot and the other sailors, recoiled on him. (v) The Inchcape Rock is a ballad comprising adventure, valour and jealousy. Sir Ralph, the pirate, went on an adventure trip on the sea with his sailors. He had the valour to take the risk of cutting off the bell from the Inchcape Rock, which the Abbot of Aberbrothok had placed there to warn the sailors. He did this wicked act out of jealousy as he could not accept the popularity of the good Abbot and wanted to defame him. He also did so because of sel? sh motive as he used to make wealth by looting money from the ships that crashed after striking against the Inchcape Rock. I. (i) The merchants are in the bazaars of Hyderabad. They are selling their goods in the market. The words ‘Richly displayed’ mean that the goods to be sold in the market have been beautifully displayed by the merchants to attract the buyers. (ii) The goods on sale in this market included crimson and silver  turbans, purple brocade tunics, mirrors framed in brownish yellow colour and daggers with handles of jade. (iii) The poet begins the stanza with a question to elicit an answer from the vendors about the goods they are selling. This pattern IN THE BAZAARS OF HYDERABAD 12 TEACHERS’ HANDBOOK (ICSE POEMS) of question-answer is used to bring out the splendour of the traditional bazaars of Hyderabad. The poet has used repetition as well as lyrics full of vibrant and colourful images to describe the scene. (iv) (a) Mirrors with panels of amber mean the mirrors having frames of brownish and yellow colour. (b) Scabbards of gold for the king mean sheaths of gold for the King to keep his swords in. (v) The King and his nobles are the likely customers of tunics of purple brocade and daggers with handles of jade. (vi) The visual imagery is stimulated by mentioning the various hues of colours in this stanza like silver, crimson, purple, amber and jade. II. (i) Chessmen are the pieces deployed on a chessboard for playing the game of chess. Ivory dice refers to small cubes made of ivory, having six sides numbered by dots from one to six. These are used to play games. (ii) Saffron, lentil, rice, sandalwood, henna and spices are sold by  weight, whereas chessmen and ivory dice are sold by numbers. (iii) The sellers of various goods in the bazaars of Hyderabad are referred to as vendors and merchants. The sellers, who go about from place to place with their goods for sale are called the pedlars. (iv) Food items included saffron, lentil and rice. Cosmetic items included sandalwood and henna and the recreational items included chessmen and ivory dice. (v) The senses of sight are stimulated in this extract by the various colours of the items like saffron, lentil, rice, sandalwood, henna and various spices. The sense of taste is produced by the mention  of staple Indian food like lentil and rice and spices. III. (i) The jeweller’s shop is referred to in the extract. ‘Girdles of gold’ mean ornamental belt made of gold worn round the waist by the dancers. ‘Scabbards of gold’ refer to the sheaths of gold for the king to keep his swords in. (ii) The items of gold on sale included ornaments like wristlets, anklets, rings, belts of gold worn by the dancers and sheaths for swords used by the kings. The gold jewellery reveals that both the owners and the buyers belonged to the wealthy sections of the society. 13 (iii) Bells were tied to the feet of blue pigeons as ornaments as well  as identity marks. Sheaths of gold were used by the kings, girdles (belts) were used by dancers and wristlets, anklets and rings were used by other people. (iv) â€Å"Frail as a dragon-? y’s wing† means as delicate as the wings of a dragon-? y. Frail is an apt description for describing the delicateness of the bells tied to the feet of blue pigeons. (v) The poet has described the Indian goods at the Indian bazaars for two reasons: (a) to depict the splendour of Indian bazaars which beckon the customers with their sounds, scents and goods. (b) to extoll the Indians to buy Swadeshi goods and boycott  foreign goods. IV. (i) The fruits included lemons, pomegranates and plums, whereas the musical instruments included sitar, sarangi and drum. (ii) The poet asks the musicians what musical instruments they are playing and asks the magicians what they are chanting. (iii) Spells for aeons to come mean the magical spells used by the magicians to charm everyone till eternity with their chanting. (iv) The whole poem is Indian in context and presentation as it depicts the beauty and vibrance of a traditional Indian bazaar. The landscape, the characters, the images and the background is typically Indian — such as: (a) the mention of dresses worn by Indians such as turbans and tunics. (b) the gold ornaments worn by Indians like wristlets, anklets, rings and girdles. (c) the musical instruments played by Indians like sitar, sarangi and drums. (d) the food items like lentil and rice and spices and fruits like lemons, pomegranates and plums. (e) the use of fresh ? owers on both happy and sad occasions. (v) The magicians are present in the bazaar for chanting magical spells to charm the customers. (vi) The panoramic view of the Indian bazaars presented in the poem with its hues of colour, sounds, smells and sights has appealed  to me the most because it gives a glimpse of the Indian culture, society and prosperity. IN THE BAZAARS OF HYDERABAD 14 TEACHERS’ HANDBOOK (ICSE POEMS) V. (i) The poet has highlighted the occupation of simple folks in India like the merchants, pedlars, vendors, fruit sellers, goldsmiths, musicians, magicians and ? ower girls. (ii) The ? owers are used on happy occasions like wedding for making garlands for the bridegroom and to decorate his nuptial bed. The ? owers are used on sad occasions such as death to pay the last respects by placing ? owers on the dead bodies or the graves. (iii) Crowns, chaplets and garlands were used for making garlands for the bridegroom and for decorating his nuptial bed. (iv) ‘Tassels of azure and red’ mean ornamental threads of sky-blue and red colour tied at one end to make garlands and nuptial beds for the bridegroom. (v) â€Å"To perfume the sleep of the dead† mean to place sheets of freshly gathered ? owers on the dead bodies or on the graves, which give pleasant smell. I. (i) The soldier boy was sitting underneath a tree during the war because he was fatally wounded and could not get up. (ii) The soldier was sitting calmly because he was fatally injured  during the war, was thirsty and could not get any help from anybody around. (iii) The soldier asked the narrator to come near him because he was thirsty and needed a sip of water. (iv) The battle had been long and hard can be discerned from the deep craters in the earth and the number of dead bodies of the soldiers, which the narrator could see lying all around. (v) In the above extract, the poet wants to convey the horrors of war and the agony of the soldiers, who ? ght it out on the battle? eld. II. (i) The narrator has been referred to by the soldier as ‘Sir’. He was on the battle? eld at that time. (ii) The soldier, according to the narrator, ‘smiled as best he could’ to hide his pain and suffering from him. It shows the spirit of a soldier, who gives up his life for his country, with a smile on his face. 15 (iii) The soldier wanted â€Å"A sip of water† because he was thirsty and fatigued for he had fought a long and tough battle throughout the night and was fatally wounded. (iv) The soldier could not take any rest because he had been ? ghting continuously day and night against the enemy. It tells us about the horrors of war and pain and suffering the soldiers had to endure on the battle? eld. (v) The soldier was having a pain in his chest because of the wound he had sustained during the ? ght on the battle? eld. Being a true soldier, who considers everything smaller than his duty for his country, the soldier called it as ‘small pain’. Further, in comparison to the soldiers, who had received larger wounds and had succumbed to their injuries on the battle? eld, his was a small pain. III. (i) The large stain on the soldier’s shirt was caused by a wound he received while ? ghting on the battle? eld. (ii) ‘warm blood mixed in with Asian dirt’ refers to the blood oozing  out from the wounds of the soldier and mixing with the dirt of the Asian soil as the war was being fought in Asia. (iii) By saying â€Å"Not much†, the soldier wanted to say that his wound was nothing in comparison to the wounds suffered by his fellow soldiers, who succumbed to their injuries. He said so because he was still alive. (iv) The soldier considered himself more lucky than his fellow soldiers because they died of the injuries sustained during the war, while he was still alive. IV. (i) The soldier was feeling weak and said that his weakness must be due to fatigue. His fatigue was caused by ? ghting day and  night on the battle? eld. (ii) The soldier smiled weakly because he had sustained fatal wounds and was in pain. It shows that though the soldier was in pain, he was trying to hide his suffering in the true spirit of a soldier. (iii) The soldier felt that he was getting old because he found himself weak and fatigued after battling it out on the warfront. (iv) The soldier felt cold despite the shining sun because the light of his life was fading, i. e. , he was about to die due to the fatal wounds that he had received on the battle? eld. (v) ‘The night exploded’ means that an explosion took place at night. As a result of the explosion the soldier got fatal wounds on his SMALL PAIN IN MY CHEST 16 TEACHERS’ HANDBOOK (ICSE POEMS) body, whereas a number of his fellow soldiers died because of the injuries sustained during the explosion. V. (i) The narrator described the soldier’s smile as the brightest that he has ever seen because the soldier wanted to express his gratitude to the narrator for providing water to him as well as to hide the pain he was enduring. (ii) The soldier was suffering from fatal physical injuries sustained during the explosion at night on the battle ? eld. Due to these injuries he was feeling physically weak and fatigued. (iii) The soldier considered it silly to be defeated by a small pain in his chest because he was a young, healthy man, full of energy and enthusiasm, who could have defeated even death. (iv) The soldier felt ashamed of himself to think about his wife’s reaction when she would see her husband, a strong and grown up man, sitting there defeated. He felt that his mother would never have imagined during his childhood that one day his son would be sitting on the battle? eld, defeated by a small pain in his chest. (v) ‘HERE’ refers to the battle? eld. The soldier was undergoing a mental pain at the thought of the reaction his wife and mother would have on seeing him sitting defeated on the battle? eld. VI. (i) The soldier felt that it was getting dark earlier than it used to be because the light of his life was fading, as he was slowly losing consciousness because of the fatal injuries sustained on the battle? eld and seeing the darkness all around him. (ii) ‘He’ refers to the soldier. He winced up at the sun with an expression of pain on his face to ? nd out why was it getting  dark so early despite the shining sun. (iii) (a) In the given line, the soldier told the narrator that before he would start his journey further, he would like to take a little rest. It signi? es the soldier’s spirit to continue his duty after taking little rest. It is also symbolic of the ? nal journey, i. e. , death, towards which the soldier was heading. (b) The narrator said â€Å"I think I must have cried†. He said so because he could not recall what was his reaction when the wounded soldier died in front of his eyes. It signi? es that the narrator was petri?  ed on seeing the horrifying death of the soldier. (iv) When the narrator pulled the soldier towards himself he felt the wound in his chest and the gravity of the pain the soldier was enduring. 17 (v) The narrator said that he had a large wound in his heart compared to the small one in the soldier’s heart because he was hurt by the suffering of the dead soldier, and felt the guilt on the part of humanity at not being able to give up war and thereby, end the suffering of the soldiers. VII. (i) The expression ‘Asian dirt’ means Asian soil and this indicates that the war was fought in Asia. The two hardships experienced by the soldier included: (a) The physical pain caused by the fatal wounds sustained on the battle? eld. (b) The emotional agony at being lonely and surrounded by dead bodies and the thought of his family’s reaction on seeing him defeated. (ii) Despite sustaining fatal injuries during the war, the soldier did not leave the battle? eld because he considered it at his duty to continue the ? ght till the end and die smiling while performing his duty in the true spirit of a soldier. (iii) The phrase â€Å"a small pain in my chest† is a refrain which is  repeated throughout the poem to emphasise the pain and suffering a soldier undergoes on the battle? eld. (iv) Yes, indeed the poem has a poignant ending. It makes the readers—(i) feel the agony a soldier endures on the battle? eld; and (ii) realise the horrors of war and the need to give up wars for the sake of humanity. (v) Small Pain in My Chest is an anti-war poem that describes the horrors of war and conveys the message to shun hatred and warfare. I. (i) The speaker wants to say that all his children, i. e. , his sons are economically well off and his two daughters are happily married. (ii) By saying, â€Å"Both have cars†, the speaker wants to convey that both his sons are well off and have a status in society. It conveys that in Indian society the worth of an individual is measured more by his ? nancial status than anything else. (iii) The â€Å"other† is a reference for the speaker’s third son. The speaker says that he is not doing â€Å"so well† because in comparison to his THE PROFESSOR 18 TEACHERS’ HANDBOOK (ICSE POEMS) other two sons, who have managerial jobs and are economically well off, he is not as successful as they are. (iv) By saying, â€Å"Every family must have black sheep†, the speaker  intends to say that in every family there is a person, who is different from the rest of the family and is an embarrassment to the family. The speaker considered his third son as the black sheep in his family because he was not as well off as his other two sons. (v) The extract shows that Indians value economic success more than academic success through the speaker’s attitude, who measures the success of his two sons by their managerial jobs and the cars they owned. II. (i) Sarala and Tarala are the speaker’s daughters. The practice of giving rhyming names to the siblings like ‘Sarala and Tarala’ is shown in this extract. (ii) The speaker says that his two daughters ‘Sarala and Tarala’ are happily married to nice boys. The speaker’s comment about the marriage of Sarala and Tarala hints at the gender bias prevalent in Indian society, which considers the success of a man by his economic status and a woman’s by getting married to a nice boy. (iii) By saying, â€Å"How many issues you have†, the speaker wants to enquire from his student about the number of children he has. He is directing this question to his former student. (iv) In reply to his former student’s remark that he has three children, the speaker says â€Å"That is good†. The speaker considers his student having three children as â€Å"good†. (v) The speaker is not against family planning. The irony in this statement is the fact that though the speaker says that he is not against family planning, yet he feels proud at having eleven grandchildren. (vi) The poem The Professor is a satire on the urban Indian way of life as it satirises: (a) the urban Indian society, which measures the success of a man by his economic success rather than his academic excellence. (b) gender bias present in Indian society which believes that woman should be happily married and con? ned within the.

Hiring Police Officers Essay -- Security Safety Law Enforcement Essays

Hiring Police Officers Hiring police officers to perform private security work has positive aspects and potential pitfalls. Business owners vary in their opinion on hiring police officers. Liability and cost are reasons some prefer to hire private security guards or take other security measures. Other business owners prefer the training, professionalism, deterrence, and authority that come with hiring a police officer. Due to lawsuits involving off-duty police officers, the Courts have had to develop tests to determine when a moonlighting police officer is working under the authority of the private company or in the role of a peace officer. Issues have arisen about the difference in police mentality and retail service. Some argue that police officers are not trained in the motto that the ‘customer is always right’. Others believe additional training can bridge the gap. Hiring off-duty police officers is big business and a growing field that benefits the community and the officer. Pros and cons of hiring police officers to engage in private security work   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The employment of off-duty officers in private security is a big business. An estimated 150,000 law enforcement officers engage in private security work on off-duty hours, and their combined income reaches $1.8 billion annually. The combined revenue of secondary police officer employment exceeds that of the combined top four security companies in 1988 (Trimble 1993). There are many positive aspects of the program that benefit the community and the officer. But to some the positives aspects do not outweigh the negative consequences of hiring police officers. In this paper, I will discuss the positive and negative aspects of hiring police officers for private security details, as well as, my personal experience, case law, and the polices of different police departments. HIRING OFF-DUTY POLICE OFFICERS Why would a company want to pay for a police officer to work a security detail at their store or facility? Police officers generally cost more to hire than a traditional security guard. What are the advantages that justify the cost? First, let’s define what is an off-duty police officer? Police are traditionally thought to be on-duty 24 hours a day. When officers are not actually working at the department, their law enforcement authority is in a type of reserve status. It is not necessary fo... ...NCES Beaver, D. When police walk the security beat. Retrieved November 14th, 2004, from http://www.amguard.com/featured_article.htm Brooks, B. Off duty police patrol shops along US 78. Gwinnett Daily Post Online Edition. Retrieved on November 14, 2004, from http://www.gwinnettdailyonline/GDP/archive/article78D9E0F872E44EBB9F88 Eiserer, T. (2001 October 28). Retailers face criticism over use of off duty police officers for security. Forth Worth Star – Telegram. Malcolm, A. (1989, February 26). When private employers hire public police. New York Times, p. 1 O’Leary, C. (1985, December 1). Minyard insisting on off duty police for security. Supermarket News, v. 46 n. 30 p. 18 Peck, D. (1999, October). When police walk the security beat. Security Magazine, v. 43 i. 10 p. 38 Scarlett, T. (2001, April). Private employees of off duty police may be liable in Tennessee. Trial, v. 37 i. 4 p. 32 Spain, N. (2002 October) Debate over using off duty police: Which argument rings true for you? Security Management, v. 37 n. 2 p. 65 Tolchin, M. (1985, December 1). Off duty officers doubling as private guards, but the system draws criticism. New York Times, v. 135 p. 41

Black Feminism

Black Feminism â€Å"Feminism in general  is a collection of movements and ideologies aimed at defining, establishing, and defending  equal  political, economic, and social rights for women. † Black Feminism is a strand of feminist thought, which highlights the manifold disadvantages of gender, class and race that shape the experiences of nonwhite women. Black feminist organizations emerged during the 1970s and they had to face manifold difficulties from both the white feminist and Black Nationalist political organizations they were confronting with.Black feminists had rejected the idea of a single unified gender oppression that faced evenly by all women, and argued that early feminist analysis reflected the specific concerns of white, middle-class women. One of the theories that evolved out of the Black feminist movement was Alice Walker's Womanism. Alice Walker and other womanists pointed out that black woman experienced a different and more intense kind of oppression from that of white women. They point out the emergence black feminism after earlier movements led by white middle-class women which they regard as having largely ignored oppression based on race and class.Patricia Hill Collins defined Black feminism, in Black Feminist Thought (1991), as including â€Å"women who theorize the experiences and ideas shared by ordinary black women that provide a unique angle of vision on self, community, and society†. Different critics gave their opinion regarding â€Å"Black Feminism† , some of them tried to justify their stand as the â€Å"Black Feminists†, some elaborated the purposes of this movement, some discussed the themes that work in this theory. They stated such as;Women of color have never been placed on a pedestal and protected the way white women are, and although women of color are thought of as a voiceless people, the stereotypes used to oppress them, â€Å"black matriarch†, â€Å"bitch† and â€Å"sapp hire†, contradict that notion (Hudson-Weems 211-213). In establishing why Black Feminism is relevant, it must be established that women of color have been thrice victimized: by racism, sexism and economic exploitation. These three oppressive forces affect women of color simultaneously and equally relentlessly (Gordon 166).Black Feminism is the acknowledgement that women of color have been oppressed by sexism and racism, that there was a failure to recognize and address these issues in the Feminist Movement and the Black Liberation Movement, and that women of color have their own agenda that neither movement can take on. Black Feminism focuses on the experiences needs and desires of women of color (Aldridge 193). The goal of Black Feminism is to create a criterion by which women of color can assess their realities, both in thought and in action (Hudson-Weems 210).Although it is contested that all struggles are the same, placing all women under feminism is the epitome of racist arrogance and domination, suggesting that white women’s experience is the standard and authority above any other experience (Hudson-Weems 209). Basically three characteristic themes are found in Black Feminist thought: †¢ Black women's self-definition and self-valuation; †¢ The interlocking nature of oppression; and †¢ The importance of Afro-American women's culture.We find the themes of Black Feminism like repression of women, self actualization, self-definition, self-valuation, political suppression and kind of racial, class and gender biases towards the women of Black race, in the stories of â€Å"Lice†, â€Å"Veil† and â€Å"Independence Day†. â€Å"Lice† is really a true illustration of deprivation of women because of their gender, kind of gender oppression and the stereotypical view of women in Black community that women are only to get married, have sex, and to devote their whole life for the family. There is a woman in the st ory, named â€Å"Sissie† a â€Å"voiceless creature†, as stereotypical view of Black Feminism is.In the Black community it is considered that if you are a woman you just have to perform certain roles other than that you have no identity of your own, as in the story the condition of sissie in Black community truly explained this stereotype â€Å"an ordinary wife with a normal marriage, ignored, double-timed, a harassed mother, a low paid teacher in a rotten third world education system. Black women have no personal identity without the male entity, as the words of sisse’s mother when sissie is going to married â€Å"Now our daughter has become a proper lady†. ith marriage comes a lot of responsibilities and she is left with no self-identity and have to behave like a Lady and then her mother thinks like a typical mother that she must stop calling her daughter ‘baby’ now because ‘†¦she was a grand old lady of five years’. In h er autobiography â€Å"Anne Moody†, brings the idea of black feminism into account, stating, â€Å"We were told in the same breath to be quiet both for the sake of being ‘ladylike' and take us less objectionable in the eyes of white people. † She is deprived of her wants and needs but in this situation as well her mother advises her to ‘remember counting her blessings’.She is having a husband who is legally and fully married to her but most of the time’ she also knows without looking that her husband was not occupying his side of the bed’’. She has no right to ask her husband because she is supposed to handle the households, not to look into the doings of her husband. As it is against the norms of patriarchal society, in which she is living. The depravity of the Black women also proves in the fact that their marriages are dependent on their pregnancies â€Å"Their marriages depended on it. Their feminity. Their humanity. † Third phase which depicts the darker aspect of black feminism is that of sexual oppression. Women are sexually harassed by male, as in the story Sissie is representative of the working women community, that how her Boss demanded sexual favor as a substitute for her promotion. Another blessing is mentioned that it is Saturday, which means no school but this Saturday means nothing for her as she has much to do at home on the free day, because there is no concept of rest for a woman even on the holiday. There is a car in her house which is her husband’s.She has no right regarding the car in spite of having investment in the car. Here again comes one of the major themes of Black Feminist thought that is of self valuation that a woman has no self possession. The very title of the story â€Å"Lice† is symbolic in the sense that apparently lice are in her daughter’s hair but symbolically these are the parasites that Black women have in their life in the form of biases, gender subjugation and typical concept about women as small creatures. â€Å"The Veil† refers to the theme of realization, self actualization in the Black feminism theory.It is the realization of woman after the real experience of having sex. The story is based on relationships and is being told by a woman that how a woman presuppose about having sex as an enjoyable activity but later on she realizes the truth that this enjoyment doesn’t last for long and at the end there remains nothing. Basically this story embodies the objectification of women and glorification of sex but sudden realization of the true fact, which is an important concept in Black Feminism that women of Black race starting realizing or identifying the things.As â€Å"His eyes are the only part of his body with which I have real contact. They dispel strangeness and ugliness and make my relationship with him real in the midst of numerous unreal ones† it is because in the beginning they used to spend time talking and sharing their interests and wants and this communication was carried out through eye contact as well as it was ‘a sort of meeting of minds, and gratifying’ but this relationship now lacks communication that’s what makes them feel strangers to each other and a number of questions arise in her mind that ‘whether it was the body’s desire for contact with another body? And this idea gives vent to ‘a violent desire’ to find out how ‘the meeting of my body with his could be like’. This lust for the fulfillment of bodily desires ‘draws me into loveless contacts simply in order to satisfy that curiosity’ and she experiences a kind of repulsion between their bodies except ‘in one situation – that of love. ’Then she thinks about the cause behind this repulsion and comes to know that ‘man worships his masculinity, so woman repulses him’ and the only way to get rid of this repulsion is ‘the victory of love over the male deity’ but she has no idea what it is and once again she is encountered by certain thoughts such as ‘Is the relationship between us love? ’ and ‘s love simply a fairy tale,†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ but suddenly a bitter realization stuck in her mind that ‘All the fairy tales come to an end and the veil fell from each of them. and ‘each time a veil fell,†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ she cries for ‘the beautiful illusion which was lost. ’ Then there comes a time when they both are having sex she notices that his body reveals ‘strength, youthfulness, cleanliness and good eating’ but later on when he is dressed and getting ready to leave ‘his face looks tired, as though he’s suddenly grown old and weary. ’ She experiences mixed ‘feelings of joy mingle with strange feelings of sadness’ as the man has left her alone once again.When ‘the effect of wine h as gone and the veil has lifted from my eyes’, she looks into the mirror as â€Å"I am about to walk away from the mirror, like every other time, to trample on the fallen veil at my feet and stamp on it with new found strength. But this time I do not leave my place. I bend down, pick up the veil from the ground and replace it once again on my face†. The story is all about the feelings of a woman that how she feels when the fantasy world or the glorified picture of having sexual pleasure turned into the reality. A veil of illusion is now dropped away from her eyes.But at the end of the day, she has to put up that veil over her face and pretend to be like as usual, because she is anticipated to behave like this. The story ‘Independence Day’ written by â€Å"Yvonne Vera† is a representation of political suppression of women of Black Color. This story refers to the variations in definition of independence according to men and women. In the story there i s a man who is watching Independence celebrations on television and he decides that ‘he was going to celebrate Independence properly; with cold beer and a woman. On the other hand, the celebrations are going on ‘the Prince and the new Prime Minister walked to the large flag pole in the middle of the stadium. ’ it is midnight and on one hand it is ‘the magic time of change’ whereas on the other side, the man is busy having sex with that prostitute. The whole country got independence but what about the woman who is still the slave of others and has to live her life the way she is told to. Although they were going to enter in a new era but it makes no difference for the women because there are specific boundaries settled by men for her, which is not allowed by the society to cross anyway.In short, we see that the black feminist movement had to contend with civil rights movements that wanted women in a lesser role. Men  believed the black women would or ganize around their own needs and minimize their own efforts, losing reliable allies in the struggle for civil rights. The black feminist movement not only had to compete with racial prejudice but also the structure of our patriarchal society, making their struggle much harder.

Existentialism: Sartre’s Views Essay

Existentialism is a movement that focuses on the significance of human features and its primary effects in our life and in our society. Since we always interact in the society, this movement had explained certain social phenomena that are left unexplained by other sociological and psychological theory. Since we deal with the conscious minds of the people around us, such a theory would explain why some people chose to do certain things that we think should not. This movement values the importance of real and existing rather than the concept and abstract. Jean Paul Sarte is one of the pioneer philosophers who introduced this kind of theory. He is one of the best existentialist philosopher and also a writer who wrote novels and autobiography of some prominent people. His experiences in his childhood and early youth had given him experiences for him to be able to reach the point of discovering the importance of existentialism. One of his claims is that if a person chooses to perform some action, then that person affirms that the action is good. He believed that we consciously choose the way we act and our counter reactions in everything that we experience in our daily lives. He believed that because we choose to do that action, therefore, we accept the consequences of it, believing that this is the good for us. Since being good is relative, therefore, it answers the questions and doubts about the legality of such concept. He claimed that in every action that we did, we choose what we think is the best for us and the best for all. We do not choose the evil or something that will result in a massive negative effect in our society because of our capability to think rationally. He argued that we do not have the capability of choosing an absolute evil. Because we are aware of the possible consequences of every actions that we do, we consciously weigh the possible outcomes of every actions that we are doing for us to be able to have the best reaction towards a certain situation. Then, if we assume that every thing that we are doing is good, and we believe it is good, therefore, no one is doing the â€Å"wrong† thing. As Sartre is trying to point out, â€Å"goodness† is relative across different ideas and beliefs and concepts of it. And he extended an explanation to address these kinds of arguments that tackles the reason why there are people who we think that what they are doing is right while some will say that obviously, it is not. This will lead us to his next assumption that it is psychologically distressing to affirm the value of an action which cannot be universalized. This will answer the question of the effects of our basis in doing things that we think are good and for the better of all the concerned party. He added that it should be universalized, or in other words, should be applicable to different people in a society having different point of views in their life. If such action that we affirm that is something good and for the betterment of our community, therefore, this action will lead to social dysfunction and some functional problems of our society. So therefore, he is trying to point out that our action should be applicable to different people for it to have a higher value in the society. Or else, if such action have different connotations to different people, it will only produce distress to the minds of the people thinking that what they are doing is something worthwhile not only for them but also for the society they belong. In universalizing certain actions, we should take into consideration his claims about the existence of different beliefs wherein many of the people are trying to relate themselves in the way that their society identifies them. This would give us the idea of having different meanings attached to certain actions that most of the people take for granted that it is the best thing that they should do. But for us to attain this level of explanation in certain actions that they are doing, we should assess the possible outcome of it or the realistic result and consequences that was due to the unbalanced acceptance of different people to different actions and roles that we are portraying. If we will take his two claims about the level of goodness of an action and its universality, therefore, it proves his third claim that to choose an action that can not be universalized is an error, and there is a reason not to choose such an action. Since we are assuming that what we are doing is the good for us and for the society we have, we must take into consideration in choosing the action that we are supposed to do the acceptance of different people and different subculture of the society. We are aware that we have different meanings attached to certain actions that we are doing and at the same time, these meanings vary depend upon the cultural explanation that they are offering. This cultural diversity that we have in effect will consolidate a certain sets of norms that were accepted by every body or the majority of the community and brand those actions that lie behind the accepted cultural norms as immoral. One of the major effects of this claim is that whenever that we are doing something for our self that we claim that this action is the good for us and somehow will benefit the people around you, but the society thinks that your action is well outside the boundary of accepted cultural beliefs, then you will be classified as an immoral being that failed to conform to the rigid rules of the society. This is one of the thresholds of the claims of Sartre. Because of his belief that what we do is something that we think is the best for us and the value of the action should conform to the norms of different parts of the society for it to be universalized, therefore, if we failed in doing the action that will be accepted by majority of the people then this is an error in our part because we failed to recognize the importance and the consequences of the actions that we did. This in fact is a manifestation of our wanting of doing the best things that we think is fitted in the situation that we are in. If ever that we failed to recognize and to choose the action that will be universalized and instead, we did the things that will cause distress to some people, he also claimed that there is always a valid reason in choosing that kind of behavior. We did a behavior that was consciously chosen by us to portray the good side of the action that we did. But we can not remove the fact that because of the social factors that affect the symbols and meanings of certain things that we did, in result, it will lead to doing things according to our own biases and cultural knowledge that is most probably, our own definition of goodness. And aside from that, we can not remove the fact that we choose things according to what is beneficial to us and according to our preferences, thus, some actions that we did seem to be outside the limitations set by the other people. Facticity and Transcendence: Bad Faith One of the concepts that he believed is having a two dimension of human beings. Since the For-Itself focuses on the experiences that we had and is consciously aware to what is happening in the environment, it is divided into two parts that have different functions and significance to the contribution to our reaction formation in certain circumstances that we are involved in. The first is the facticity. This gives importance to the past scenarios of every situation and the present or the actual scenario itself. It has a conscious definition of the things that was happened in the past as well as the physical characteristics of the environment he is in. On the other hand, the transcendence is the ability to explore the future and to decide on making choices that will affect the possible outcome of our actions. This includes the negating of the actual scenario for us to be able to have the capacity to think the worst possible scenario and therefore, giving us a broader perspective in the situations that we are all in. Also, in contrast with the facticity which primarily based the decision on the actual facts, the transcendence takes into consideration the things that are not actually happening or the situations that are non-existent. He tackled about the three persons who failed to establish the connection between the facticity of their For-Itself and its transcendence. In effect, they experience different kind of consequences that is somehow dysfunctional in the way that it should happen. This is what he called bad faith. The first one is the woman on a date. She had defined her factical and transcendence state but he failed to set the connection between them. She moved back and forth in its structure and therefore defined different actions that had no relation with each other. In effect, her consciousness as being a beautiful object had hindered her to express and to give a credit to the actual feeling that her date had for her. She thought that her body is just a mere object of attraction but eventually, shifted to different focus like her future plans in life. This unstable situation of her being resulted to confusion of the meaning of the reactions and the situation itself. The second one is the waiter. In contrast to the woman on a date, the waiter totally failed to establish his transcendence and focused on the actual scenario. He defined himself as a bounded creature and has limited opportunities and capabilities. But in reality, his failure of establishing this part of his being had affected the way he understood the flow of life of the society. Because he already assumed that his current situation is fixed, he had suppressed his freedom to explore many things in life that in reality, he has the capability to do so. The last one he mentioned is the homosexual. This is the contrast of the waiter, where he failed t recognized his facticity. In result, he sensationalized his transcendence being and thought the whole actual scenario as non-existence or being a false happening. He does not accept the facts that he had several relationship and encounters with the same sex. This facts had modified his own perception on what he is doing and in effect, had produced a feeling of guilt. This feeling of guilt had resulted to the manifestation of his tolerance to his actual doings and gave reasons to him to continue his behavior. But in reality, his clam that he is not gay while his conscious mind knew that he is a gay, therefore is a sign of having a bad faith because of his false knowledge. Bad faith is somehow the manifestation of our failure to set up the fluid connection of the two, as discussed on the different situation of three different people, failure to do so will result to functional dysfunction and will be a great social phenomena. Existentialism: Heidegger’s Perspective On the other hand, another philosopher from Germany, Martin Heidegger, had introduced some theories about existentialism. He has a close affinity to the church and therefore based most of his works in metaphysical aspects. One of his major concepts is how the worldly characters defined itself within the world. His structure of societal activities is composed of many assignments and references that if splited, will define the ready-to-hand objects in contrast with presence-at-hand objects. Presence-to-hand involved mainly observing the natural phenomenon and basing everything to known facts. But, against the common notion of its equality, it has different moods that affect the presence of an object and mainly deal with the metaphysical aspects that tend to bring all the level down. For example, we had a chair. When the chair is broken, it exists as presence-to-hand and needs the immediate action like repair or replace. The importance of the object is seen not because of its mere existence but its practical use for our benefit. By the time that this chair is fixed, it will suddenly turn into ready-to-hand object. Ready-to-hand concept primarily deals with the things without considering its theoretical importance. Ready-to-hand literally is the things that are present as of the moment and is available for practical purposes. This happens when we have conscious ideas on what is going on in our environment and society. Therefore, this ready-to-hand experience gives us a top view of the physical things that we are seeing today. We value greatly not its metaphysical value but its practicality for us. Connecting the two concepts of being, based on Heidegger, ready-to-hand is a more primordial way of life. It does not mean that being primordial is primitive or ancient way. What he meant is this is the basic foundation of our perception of different entities that we had an interaction. These entities are primarily affected by the question of which is the ready-to-hand and presence-at-hand entity. Therefore, in finding dealing with our everyday experience of the two, the ready-to-hand serves as the first implication of the things that we see in our common days. We do things not because of its theoretical backgrounds but because we have to use such thing without thinking deeper. In addition, the ready-to-hand lead us to a broader understanding of our being, because we understood it not just by theoretical assumption but through our experiences, therefore giving the notion that we can fully understand the essence of being through what is everyday or common experience for everyone and what is close to their habits and behaviors. (Guignon & Pereboom, 2001) Existentialism gives primary importance to the existence of human essence and beings. Therefore, a critical analysis of our own beings is needed for us to be able to give explanation to the reasons of our own behaviors, attitude and way of life.

How to Keep Your Christmas Tree From Drying Out

How to Keep Your Christmas Tree From Drying Out Whether you buy your Christmas tree from a lot or hike deep into the woods to cut your own, youll need to keep it fresh if you want it to last the holiday season. Maintaining your evergreen will ensure that it looks its best and prevent potential safety hazards. It will also make cleanup easier when Christmas is over and its time to say goodbye to the tree. Select a Long-Lasting Tree Consider the kind of tree you want. Most  fresh cut trees, if properly cared for (using the steps below), should last at least five weeks before completely drying out. Some species hold their moisture content longer than others. The  trees  that retain moisture the longest are the Fraser fir, Noble fir, and Douglas fir. The Eastern red cedar and Atlantic white cedar rapidly lose moisture and should be used only for a week or two. 'Refresh' Your Tree If youre buying a tree from a lot, odds are the evergreen was harvested days or weeks earlier and has already begun drying out. When  a tree is harvested, the sliced trunk oozes with pitch,  sealing  the transport cells that provide water to the needles. You will need to refresh  your Christmas  tree and open up the clogged cells so that the tree can deliver appropriate moisture to the foliage. Using a tree saw, make a straight cut along the bottom of the trunk- taking at least one inch off the original harvest cut- and immediately place the new cut in water. This will improve water uptake once the tree is on its stand. Even if your tree is freshly cut, you should still place the base in a bucket of water until youre ready to bring it inside. Use the Proper Stand The average Christmas tree is about six to seven feet tall and has a trunk diameter of four to six inches. A standard tree stand should be able to accommodate it. Trees are thirsty and can absorb a gallon of water a day, so look for a stand that holds 1 to 1.5 gallons. Water the new tree until water uptake stops and continue to maintain the level of the stands full mark. Keep the water at that mark through the season. There are dozens of Christmas tree stands for sale, ranging from basic metal models that sell for about $15 to elaborate self-leveling plastic units that cost more than $100. How much you choose to spend will depend on your budget, the size of your tree, and how much effort you want to put into making sure your tree is straight and stable. Keep Your Tree Hydrated Always keep the base of your tree submerged in regular tap water. When the stands water remains topped-up, the tree cut will not form a resinous clot over the cut end and the tree will be able to absorb water and retain moisture. You dont need to add anything to the tree water, say tree experts, such as commercially prepared mixes, aspirin, sugar, or other additives. Research has shown that plain water will keep a tree fresh. To make watering your tree easier, consider buying a funnel and a three- to  four-foot  tube. Slip the tube over the funnel outlet, extend the tubing down into the tree stand, and water without bending over or disturbing the tree skirt. Hide this system in an out-of-the-way part of the tree. Practice Safety Keeping your tree fresh does more than maintain its appearance. Its also a good way to prevent fires caused by strings of tree lights or other electric decorations. Maintain all electric accessories on and around the tree. Check for worn Christmas tree light  electrical cords and always unplug the complete system at night. Remember that miniature lights produce less heat than large lights and reduce the drying effect on the tree, which lessens the chance of starting a  fire. Additional safety tips are available from the National Fire Prevention Association. Dispose of Your Tree Properly Take the tree down before it dries completely and becomes a fire hazard. A tree that is totally dry will have brittle greenish gray needles. Be sure to remove all ornaments, lights, tinsel, and other decor before taking down the tree. Many municipalities have laws dictating how to dispose of a tree; you may have to bag the tree for curbside disposal or drop it off for recycling. Check your citys website for details.

How to Become a Bestselling Author on Amazon By ML Banner

How to Become a Bestselling Author on Amazon By ML Banner Becoming an Amazon Bestselling Author with a First Fiction Book: An Interview with ML Banner Last updated 07/06/2017.Writing is no easy thing. Most authors who end up making a living out of it actually say it’s one of the hardest professions. It takes a lot of time, dedication and energy.If on top of writing, you also have to do all the activities associated with publishing the book, it becomes more than just â€Å"hard†. 2014 was described by hybrid author Kristine Kathryn Rusch as the year when indies say â€Å"the end of the gold rush†. If you like roaming around on Kboards, you see more and more posts from authors â€Å"quitting† indie publishing.But now and again, you get to read about the latest awesome indie success story, and that always brings the optimism back. And who better than Hugh Howey to do that? When we read the guest post on his blog by ML Banner, bestselling author of Stone Age (his first book!), we thought we definitely had to interview him. So we did.He’s sharing his experience, insights, and creative marketing techniq ues with us. Through his creative marketing techniques, ML was able to become a bestselling author on Amazon  almost overnight - after working hard on his book, of course.For the lovers of the written word, we’ve transcribed most of the interview below. However, we strongly encourage you to switch the volume on and hit play, you’ll get so much more - like a very persistent fly constantly trying to interrupt Michael! Hi Michael, great to have you here. First, congratulations on getting your two first books out last year, and on hitting the ground running. You’ve had this idea for a book for a long time, right? What made you decide to â€Å"author publish† it in the first place?I have to say that the primer to this, probably, was Hugh Howey. I read about him in a Wall Street Journal article in 2013: about his Wool series (that I then read and loved) and what he had done to self-publish them. So that was always in the back of my mind, but to be honest at that time I didn’t really have the intention to write any fiction.Then I read an article one day about solar flares (I’ve always had a very keen interest in science), and what could happen if we had a similar solar storm today. So I just started doing research on it to find out that something like this actually happened once back in 1859, and that if it happened again today, it could be catastrophic. I thought: â€Å"ma n, this would make for a great book, I’m sure it must be on Amazon!† So I searched for it, and it wasn’t there†¦So I started rumbling, and thinking: â€Å"well if I had to write that book, here’s probably how I would approach it, with this plot, these characters, etc.† And I actually started writing the book, without my wife even knowing about it!And with that first book, you’ve actually become a bestselling author on Amazon in your category, so you’re the perfect example of the â€Å"indie publishing dream†. But you’ve also done a lot of pre-launch work for that, and a lot of things that I don’t see many authors out there doing. Do you think that’s because you have a tech/startup background?Sure, I know I approached it kind of differently. But first, once I knew I was going to self-publish, I really immersed myself in everything about self-publishing, reading book after book, articles, etc.Then, the fa ct that I have been a founder of several companies in the past (the last one is currently running: SmallBiz.com) and have worked a lot with technology has made me approach self-publishing from the same viewpoint. I used Google+ a lot, for example, as I’m a big believer in it, trying to forge connections with other writers.Also, I knew I had to approach the actual publishing bit as a publisher: â€Å"I have to be a publisher myself, so how can I really make this successful?†. I tried to come up with some creative ideas, the same way you’d do when starting a business: you try to do things differently to stand out in a competitive market.For example, I had a character in the book who was a scientist and I thought: it’d be really cool if he had this research institute. So I created a persona for him online: a G+ profile, a Twitter account, and a website for the CMER Institute. The key was really to think from my character’s standpoint and see what I wo uld do, in his place, to get the word out about this phenomenon that endangers the world.The beautiful thing about eBooks is the connectivity: you can embed hyperlinks. So I linked to this CMERI website where my character actually offered a reader magnet; a free ebook called â€Å"The Apocalypse Survival Guide†. And I actually got over 1,200 downloads of that book. Some people even seem to believe that the CMERI is real, as I got a couple of media inquiries!I think that’s definitely something more authors should do: explore the possibilities of eBooks to create something bigger than the story.I agree, I’ve seen only a rare few authors taking advantage of that. The thing you have to remember is that it’s so easy now to set up a web presence (for the author or for one of the characters). I have a GoDaddy unlimited account which costs around $200 a year so for the cost of a domain I can set up a professional-looking website in an hour or so, and embed your book in there. Also, if you can put some freebie stuff on your website, people usually love that. All this is really part of building a platform, which is one of the two most important things when you’re marketing your book.And you have actually set up your website around 6 months before the launch, if I’m not mistaken. But how do you get people interested in it when you don’t have the content yet? How did you manage doing pre-launch marketing?I did set up my author website probably 6 months before I launched, yes. But frankly, I had no one coming to it. You know, I see a lot of author websites out there and people seem to be confused about what their purpose is. My sole purpose with the website, right from the get go, was to acquire a mailing/subscriber list.Now, I don’t want to make it seem like I had all the answers, though, because I didn’t. It was trial and error. There’s a lot of things I did for the launch of my second book that I did n’t do for the first one. I set up the platform early on because I knew I was going to need that, but until I launched the first book, I think I only had 2 or 3 subscribers (probably friends)†¦Then, I set up the website for my scientist character, and a third website for the book series. I started building the platform from there because I knew it had to be there for when I launched. Also, at that time I wasn’t really worried about the launch, I was thinking: â€Å"get the book out and don’t worry too much about the marketing†. I’ve since changed my thinking on that with book two, where it was all about the launch.To me, a big part of getting a book launched is trying to get your reviews in line. Now, most reviews are just a condition of book sales (in my experience, you get one review every 50 to 100 sales or so). But what you can do is get the people ready for pre-reviews. That’s much easier when you already have a following, of cours e, but to get started I would go with Google+ and Goodreads communities. I set myself up early on on Goodreads: although it’s hard to do anything there until your book is launched, I immersed myself from a reader standpoint in different communities and once I had the book ready, I asked for people to do an advanced copy review. There are plenty of people out there, so if you’re writing a book that you think lots of people will want to buy and read, then surely you can entice a dozen people or so to review it.Amazon also does a cool thing with the pre-orders, which allows you to actually have a presence, a â€Å"product† even when your book is not necessarily ready. Just be careful not to miss the deadline, else you’ll be stuck in Amazon darkness for a year. You can set up the pre-order and then go to Goodreads and Google+ communities and tell everyone: â€Å"hey, I’ve got this book coming up, and I need some advance reviewers, who’s interes ted?†When launch time comes, the big thing to me is visibility. If you’re a brand new writer with no following, this means you’ll have to do something to get the Amazon algorithms to work for you. I think it’s best to launch at $.99, even if you’re just making 35%. You need to get on the â€Å"Hot New Releases† and there are things you can do to focus on that, as I explained in the Hugh Howey post.Another thing that worked well for me was doing giveaways (of other people’s books), just to build up my readership list within my genre. I like this idea of â€Å"giveaways†: not only is it something that you can do before your launch, it’s also a way to build relationships with other authors within your genre, who can then help you promote your books, right?Absolutely, I’m a big believer in the collaborating with other authors in your genre. It was in a Google+ community I think that another author told me to â€Å"befriend someone in my genre†.I took this idea to heart: there were a couple of authors I really liked so I wrote a review of one of their books on my blog and then contacted them directly. The important thing is to build a relationship. It might take some time but it’s worth it, because once you have this relationship you can ask them if they’d like to review your book, or tell their audience about it. And likewise, when they are the ones running a countdown or launching a book, you will tell your audience!One of my first relationships was with a UK author, and we ’re actually going to co-write a book within my Stone Age world now. That is a relationship that kind of grew from almost a year of corresponding back and forth and trying to help with each other’s marketing.This is actually something really unique and exciting in this world that we’re living in, the writers’ world. These people who are trying to sell their books in the same genre are not your competitors, they can be your best allies. On top of that, they already have developed their platform, they already have a readership (with their readers). So you just need to have them tell their readership about your book.I agree, and when doing that I think it’s especially important, even if you’re a starting author with not much to offer, to start by offering something, right?Oh definitely, I think it’s a mistake to approach immediately with â€Å"what can you do for me?†. The only exception to that is: â€Å"what has worked for you? †, that’s a different question that most are going to be very receptive to.Many authors, especially those that have done well, really want to share that with other authors. Look at bestselling author Hugh Howey, he’s a perfect example. And there are many like that, who are ready to welcome you, embrace you, and help you in your journey, especially if you’re willing to listen and learn. The best thing to do is to make their acquaintance, start with that first email.Of course, you need to build the relationship, but that’s like with anything else. On your first date, you’re not going to take the girl to meet your parents! That’s important to keep in mind: learn from the person, ask questions, don’t be a bother but actually try to help when you can.One thing that worked for me was to monitor their books. I’m kind of a data person so I’ve got spreadsheets with my book, my bestseller ranking, the number of sales, and Ià ¢â‚¬â„¢ve tracked many other books in my genre the same way, to get an idea of what’s going on and how much the bestseller ranks fluctuate. So when I see one pop up and hit #1, I’ll send an email to the newly bestselling author just to say: â€Å"Congratulations, that’s awesome! How did you do it, did you use a promo newsletter, or just had the magic Amazon-algorithms for you?† We’ve all got a lot to learn from each other.Hugh Howey was one of those that I was tracking, and when my book passed his in the ranking and went on to hit #1, I reached out to Hugh to say â€Å"hi† and let him know he had been a wonderful influence and the main reason why I decided to self-publish. I was rather surprised he responded back the next day, we corresponded a bit after that and the guest post on his blog was part of that.And that’s how we all found out about you! I’d have a more specific question now on exclusivity. What made you decide to go with KDP Select and be exclusive?Part of it was simplicity. I was still doing this as a very part-time activity, so I didn’t have the time and energy to explore the other platforms. It was also a business decision: I looked at the books in my genre that were bestsellers and hung a bit in there and found out quite a few of those were with Select.The other part was the Countdown. The little countdown clock is just a perfect psychological tool for readers. Plus, when you do the Countdown, Amazon exposes you to a portion of the market that you would otherwise not get. Not only does it bump up your book during the countdown period, it actually keeps it there for a bit after that, in my experience.Here’s the key thing, actually: once you can push your book to a place on Amazon where it’s visible, then there are other points of visibility that can connect you. Countdown helps you a lot with that first step. Then, when launching the second book, it was almost natural t o also have it in Select.What about Kindle Unlimited? And don’t you feel you’re â€Å"missing out† on other opportunities through other platforms?I think that Kindle Unlimited is quite interesting, even though it’s gotten a lot of bad press and is pretty much an untested thing. There are certainly some things about KU that aggravate me, personally, but I have to admit that the borrows have really propped up my books and maintained a visibility that they wouldn’t otherwise have had.Gaining visibility on the other platforms seems to be a very difficult thing. I’m actually surprised that BN, Apple or Kobo are not mimicking some things that Amazon does and that work so well for authors to get their works in front of readers. I think they’re handicapping themselves because of that.Of course, the market is changing every day, with new players constantly coming in, so it’s our job as independent authors to follow that and see which on es you can use in order to get our books out there.Well, thanks so much for your time and advice. I look forward to seeing more indie success-stories like yours!Follow @ML_Banner,  @RicardoFayet  and  @ReedsyHQ  on Twitter!Or, if you prefer red math signs to blue birds, we’re also on Google+: +MLBanner, and  +ReedsyWhat creative marketing techniques do you personally use in your quest to becoming a bestselling author? What’s your take on exclusivity and KDP Select? Do join the conversation, or ask Michael any question you want (even about what happened to the annoying fly after the interview) in the comments below!