The Swimmer Essay example -- essays research papers

"The Swimmer" by John Cheever describes Neddy Merril's "swim" home. Neddy is a husband and a father, he is also a drunk. The story encompasses about twenty years of his life of alcohol which ruined not only him but also his relationship with his family. One day after waking up with a hangover he drinks a little and decides to swim home. It is obvious he is a drunk because he is constantly searching for a drink on his swim home. Neddy was a wealthy man living in a wealthy high class neighborhood in Connecticut. He lived with his wife and kids. He was popular and had material possessions. He was living the good life, maybe too good. He was well respected and could usually be found at one of the invite only parties in his area. Neddy awoke from with a hangover one day and decided to swim home via the Lucinda river. The river was composed of the pools of people in his neighborhood. It was his version of "pool hopping" his way home. The story seems to take place over the course of a day but is, in fact, a twenty year period of his life in which alcoholism takes over his life and causes his family to desert him. Each pool he hops symbolizes a party he attended at that house some time over the course of the twenty years. Some pools bring back good memories with the parties which accompanied them. some not so good such as the public pool which wouldn't accept...

White Servitude and the Growth of Black Slavery in Colonial America

From â€Å"The Journal of Economical History†, Vol. 41, No. 1, author David W. Galenson provides a nine-page article published in March 1981 entitled â€Å"White Servitude and the Growth of Black Slavery† which I thoroughly read and will present my own analysis. In a unique approach author David Galenson examines the transition of servants to slaves during the 17th and 18th century of British America. He successfully covers the importance of slavery and the reason for its high demand. Galenson takes into consideration the demographic conditions and its differences throughout the West Indies, the Chesapeake colonies, Virginia and Maryland, and South Carolina. He also provides his own analysis, which is the belief that the growth of slavery may have been due to the decisions of planters. Despite our past and its complete disregard to the social consequences of its actions David Galenson attempts to piece together the puzzle and make sense of it all. Slavery served many purposes aside from being a foundation in constructing America’s agricultural staple. For many it meant a fresh start and others freedom however, they accepted the fact their debt would be paid in servitude sometimes slavery. Upon reading Galenson’s article it is evident that indenture servants and slaves were essential in developing the economy. Early on indentured servants were of high demand due to their credibility and skill. With the introduction of profitable staple crops the need for labor rose along with immigration. Supporting his evidence with primary sources Galenson provides charts of statistics. The first chart illustrates the need for servants and how over time they became obsolete from slaves fulfilling their duties. The second chart showed the numbers of skilled servants registered and place of destination. Quotes were pulled from letters sent oversea by planters so that Galenson could effectively defend his topic. One in particular he used read â€Å"want of servants is my greatest bane and will hinder my designe†¦. In January next god willing I shall begin to make sugar. So pray if you come neare to any port where shipping comes hither indenture produce and send me [servants]†¦. ett them be of any sort men women or boys†¦ what I shall not make use off and are not serviceable for mee I can exchange with others especially any sort of tradesmen†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The article emphasized the need for servants and slaves in order to make substantial growth however failed to mention where slavery derived from. As wrongful as slavery is it has been installed in our history for centuries. A reference to Ancient Egypt could have easily been made and just like then it was used to build a foundation of civilization. Slavery, indenture servants, immigration and planters all functioned in a cycle, which seemed to work but after long term failed. Planters needed labor to be done and immigrants wanted a way out from British rule so they sold themselves either into slavery or as an indenture servant. As an indenture servant they were contracted anywhere from 3 to 7 years and freed. Slavery on the other hand continued and was instilled into the culture. Galenson explains how servants at one point were worth more than slaves. Overtime the two flopped and slaves were of demand and the reason for that was due to cost. Planters realized they could train the slaves to pick up a trade and replace the indenture servants. This way they would be spending less money towards food and clothing for indenture servants. Slaves were merely property to the planters so less money was spent towards them. It makes perfect sense to why planters would choose slaves over servants however this led America into more problems down the road. Having got rid of most servants all that were left were slaves, which happen to be primarily of African descent. Slaves were acknowledged as property and thought less of. It was not until 1808 that congress banned importation of slaves from Africa. Slaves were not always deemed as property it was the result of numerous feuds over slaves and owners engaging in sexual activities. One must wonder why the slaves allow themselves to be treated this way and the reason behind that would be lack of education. Some slave owners even prohibited the slaves from ever reading. Uproar did occur with those who were fortunately educated and stir up rebellions and or fled. David Galenson did touch upon some key elements of slavery and its evolution but I feel he should have expressed more of its history to give his audience a well-rounded understanding. Having read â€Å"White Servitude and the Growth of Black Slavery† I have made connections to our course texts book â€Å"Visions of America† since it ties together with our current readings. Galenson effectively provides facts with supported evidence allowing his readers to have a well understanding of our history in slavery. What I found most convincing from his articles were the documents he provided. One of the records was literally an inventory of the servants and the duties the servants held along with the slaves. It is exponentially hard to trace documents of a specific time frame in which you want to argue for. If Galenson had left out those two main documents his article would be less accredited and hard to believe. Lastly what I really found convincing was his quotes from the planters. The quote made me feel as if I was apart of history reading it. It was definitely an eye open to how real and harsh the times were for the slaves at the time. In the end Galenson provides a great piece of work and constructively educated me through his writing. His article was well written in the sense it was brief and to the point.

Property legal studies

Compare and contrast the compulsory acquisition property laws that exist in China with those in that are currently in place in Australia. Describe how international pressure could be brought to bear on Chinese authorities to properly enforce the property rights that should be available to Chinese citizens. Introduction China has achieved remarkable economic growth in the last decade; compulsory land acquisition was inevitable during the process of development.According to the Chinese constitution, compulsory acquisition is an activity dominated by the overspent transferring the use right of land from personal to state and the land will use for construction purpose (International real estate review, 2003). Chinese government expropriates the land use right from individual and then sells the land to property developers and gets the land grand fee at the same time. The government requires acquiring authority to pay compensation and to reach a compensation agreement with the dispossessed people.However, only a small amount of money will pay to the individual as compensation. In contrast, the compulsory acquisition is under section 51 of Australia constitution and can be carry UT by federal and state government. It is normally happens for the public infrastructure such as road work, subway or some other circumstance which may have affect the public safety. Differently, in Australia the owners can get a fair market value for their property under the federal Jurisdiction (Compulsory acquisition, the basics, 2013).Issue As China is developing in all aspects, there has great demand for land for infrastructure and accommodations development. Developing itself is a good thing; it can bring many benefits both to the country and people. However, the compensation s not determined on the basis of the market price of land in China result in a lot of conflict. One of the famous cases that became headlines of media over worldwide happened in Shanghai China. A New Zealand nationa lists couples came back to Shanghai after they finishing studies.They have built a four-level house in Min Hang state; which is the biggest state in Shanghai. In 2008, they received a notice letter that told them their house would be compulsory acquired and they need to move out within 1 5 days because of the exploitation of Honoring Airport transportation hub. Panging couple would get 2,241 ARM per square meter of the land as compensation; which was total 670,000 ARM for the whole 480 square meters' house. At that time, the average market price for a house in that region was 12,000 ARM per square meter.Panging couple thought the compensation was inadequate so they refused to sign the relocation agreement. After 15 days the government delivered the demolition administrative Judgments, they started compulsory acquisition. One day, in the early morning, bulldozers came and directly pushed over the first-level door of Pangs house. Panging stood on her roof said to the construction team that engaged in polices, firemen, the director of transportation construction committee and some other people that if they do not have a writ from court, it is illegal to compulsorily acquire their house.However the construction team did not hear Panging, they kept chiseling the wall of Pangs house and throwing stones to her and her husband. In desperation, Panging left the homemade gasoline bottles. Pangs behavior offended the public security administration law and consequently panging couple were arrested and their house have compulsorily acquired (Compulsory acquisition, the basics, 2013). The issue here is according to the newest property law that law protects the personal legitimate properties, as same as the state and collective properties.People may think that I have my estate licenses and my house was legitimate property. Law should protect my rights not they have a demolition permit letter then you can do whatever you want to my house. (SOHO News 2009) Law apply Neverthele ss, the People Republic of China Property Law 2007 section 42 set an exception that authority prescribed by law can impose collective ownership of land ND unit, individual housing and other real estate.There has a lime light that the world using in the law is impose; which means the compensation fee uses for changing the ownership of the rights to use the land not for relocation. In other words, government buys the rights of use the land from individuals then they can develop it. Not like the case before, the transportation construction committee delivered the notice and offered only one fifths of the market price and started to move the house. According to the state council No. 90 2011, the regulation on the expropriation of buildings on state-owned land and compensation, section 3,article 19:' the compensation for the value of houses to be expropriated shall not be less than the market price of the real estate comparable to the houses to be expropriated on the date of the public n otice of the house expropriation decisions. The value of the houses to be expropriated shall be assessed and determined by real estate appraisal agencies with appropriate qualifications in accordance with the procedures for evaluating houses to be expropriated.Anyone who has objection to the value of he houses to be expropriated that has been assessed and determined may apply to the real estate appraisal agency for reassessment. Anyone who disagrees with the results of the review may apply to the real estate appraisal expert committee for appraisal. ‘ In the case, Panging coupes tried to negotiate with the committee. But the consequences were all the same that the committee would not change the price at all. Without the permission or without the owner signing the document, any departments have no rights to compulsorily acquire the land. The action happened on Phonons case was illegal.No solutions are coming out from the government and that is not the only case happened in Chin a. There are hundreds of the similar cases occurred every day. In contrast, compulsory acquisition in Australia can obtain the land by negotiated agreement. Acquisition by negotiated agreement involves the owner and the commonwealth agreeing to the terms of the agreement and the amount of compensation. In addition, if the owner not satisfied with the amount of compensation that government offers, they can find any two estimates accompany and get the average price as the compensation (The commonwealth and you:Compulsory Acquisition of Land 2011) Land Acquisition Reform: Law enforcement department need to carry out their obligation make sure all of the compulsory acquisitions happen legally and the compensation is adequately for dispossessed people. In addition, with the accession of China into the World Trade Organization, China has to upgrade the welfare of her citizens to international standards. Apparently, the acquire authorities did not fulfill their responsibilities and that le d to many people become homeless or even do not have enough food supply.Chinese government did not take any timely measures to solve this issue. Therefore I think that Amnesty International should urge Chinese government introduce new legislation to meet the international standards and stop the compulsory acquisition without getting an agreement with individuals and make ensure that victims of compulsory acquisition can get a fair trial and compensation. Conclusion: It's difficult to avoid compulsory acquire as there has a great demand for land for infrastructure development. However, home is the most important resources that humans rely on.Panging couple's actions offended the law and they received the enmeshment, but in other ways, their behavior also explained their frustration. The legislation should protect the property rights of citizens and once the people have a stable industry and income, the country could have a sustainable development.

Free Essays on Gender Bias

Gender Bias of Tender Years’ Doctrine Ever since 1970 the largest issue that kept on developing was focused on the fact that courts are very gender bias when it involves; tender years’ doctrine. This approach held that mothers were generally entitled to custody of the child during his or her tender years, which was the child’s period of nurture (from birth to the age of seven), after tender years the father became entitled to the custody of his child. Though the issues still a rise that mother’s can take better care of a child during his or her tender years’ doctrine, whereas many father social groups believe that there is no difference in fathers taking care of children or mothers. As researchers provide evidence that when a child lives with their mother through their tender years begin to go through a period where they begin to hate their fathers because of the lack of time fathers spend time with their child to. Ever since this belief was established, courts have proved how they are gender bias when it comes to tender years doctrine. There have been many magazines published, such as: Divorce Magazine, which provides information on divorce statistics and opinions of other parents which relate to the idea of divorce. Divorce Magazine has listed percentages of divorces and many other issues involving tender years doctrine, it has been said that twenty percentage of non-custodial parents miss daily contact with their own children who live with their mothers because of tender years doctrine. It has also listed the fact that forty-five percent of mother’s are the one who initiate divorce. Tender years doctrine, should only be useful to mother’s who have enough income to provide the children with his of her needs until the father doesn’t get custody. Some websites such as: www.dadsdivorce.com also express their opinions freely, w... Free Essays on Gender Bias Free Essays on Gender Bias Gender Bias of Tender Years’ Doctrine Ever since 1970 the largest issue that kept on developing was focused on the fact that courts are very gender bias when it involves; tender years’ doctrine. This approach held that mothers were generally entitled to custody of the child during his or her tender years, which was the child’s period of nurture (from birth to the age of seven), after tender years the father became entitled to the custody of his child. Though the issues still a rise that mother’s can take better care of a child during his or her tender years’ doctrine, whereas many father social groups believe that there is no difference in fathers taking care of children or mothers. As researchers provide evidence that when a child lives with their mother through their tender years begin to go through a period where they begin to hate their fathers because of the lack of time fathers spend time with their child to. Ever since this belief was established, courts have proved how they are gender bias when it comes to tender years doctrine. There have been many magazines published, such as: Divorce Magazine, which provides information on divorce statistics and opinions of other parents which relate to the idea of divorce. Divorce Magazine has listed percentages of divorces and many other issues involving tender years doctrine, it has been said that twenty percentage of non-custodial parents miss daily contact with their own children who live with their mothers because of tender years doctrine. It has also listed the fact that forty-five percent of mother’s are the one who initiate divorce. Tender years doctrine, should only be useful to mother’s who have enough income to provide the children with his of her needs until the father doesn’t get custody. Some websites such as: www.dadsdivorce.com also express their opinions freely, w...

8 Ways to Increase Your Attention Span

8 Ways to Increase Your Attention Span Are you having trouble concentrating when you’re reading a book or listening to a lecture? You can take heart in the knowledge that you may be able to increase your attention span. Although there are some medical reasons for being easily distracted, this is not always the case.   Sometimes your attention span length can be improved by non-medical factors. This list of activities might make a big difference in improving your study habits. Make a List What does making a list have to do with concentrating? Easy. We often have trouble paying attention to one thing because our brain wants to drift off to think about something else. When you’re supposed to be writing your history paper, for example, your brain may want to start think about playing a game or worrying about a math test that’s coming up. You should get into the habit of making a daily task list, writing down all of the things you need to do (think about) in a particular day. Then prioritize your list, in the order that you prefer to tackle these tasks. By writing down all the things you need to do (or think about), you gain a sense of control of your day. You don’t worry about whatever else you should be doing when you should be focusing on one particular task. As simple as this exercise may sound, it is actually very effective in helping you to concentrate on one thing at a time. Meditate If you think about it, meditation might seem like the opposite of paying attention. One objective of meditation is to clear the mind, but another element of meditation is inward peace. This means that the act of meditating is actually the act of training the brain to avoid distractions. While there are many definitions of meditation and much disagreement about what the goals of meditation may be, it is clear that meditation is an effective way to increase focus. And remember, you dont have to become an expert or obsessive meditator. Just take some time every day to go through a brief meditation exercise. You may start a new, healthy habit. Sleep More It seems logical that a lack of sleep affects our performance, but there is science that tells us exactly what happens to our brains when we deprive ourselves of sleep. Studies show that people who sleep fewer than eight hours a night for a prolonged period of time have slower response systems and more difficulty recalling information. In fact, even minor restrictions in your sleep patterns can affect your academic performance in a bad way. That is bad news for teens, who like to stay up late to study the night before a test. There is sound science to indicate that you may be doing more harm than good by cramming the night before an exam. And, if you’re a typical teen when it comes to sleep, science also suggests that you should make it a habit to sleep longer hours than you normally do. Eat Healthier Foods Are you guilty of indulging a bit too much in tasty junk foods? Let’s face it: many people enjoy foods high in fats and sugars. But these foods can be bad news when it comes to staying focused on a single subject or task. Foods that are high in fat and sugar might give you a temporary burst of energy, but that energy is soon followed by a crash. Once your body burns up the rush of nutrient-deprived, over-processed foods, you will start to feel groggy and lethargic.​ Reduce Screen Time This may be the most unpopular suggestion of all time among young people, but the science is clear. Screen time - or time spent looking at cell phones, televisions, computer screens, and game consoles, has a clear impact on the attention span.   Scientists are just beginning to study the relationship between attention spans and screen times, but one thing is certain: many researchers and education specialists advise parents to limit screen time while they gain a fuller understanding of the effects of bright lights and electronic screens. Join a Team At least one study has shown that concentration and academic skills improve for students who participate in team sports. It could be that being active is helpful in the same way that meditation works. Participating in a sport trains your brain to concentrate on specific tasks, and shut out thoughts that interfere with your performance. Just Be Active There are also studies that show any amount of physical activity can improve concentration. Simply walking for twenty minutes before reading a book may boost your ability to pay attention longer. This may be a result of relaxing your brain in preparation for the task at hand. Practice Paying Attention For many people, a wandering mind is really an undisciplined mind. With practice, you can teach your mind a little discipline. One thing you should try to determine is what is really distracting you. This exercise can help you determine why your mind wanders as you read, and what you can do to reduce your distractions. First, follow the advice at the top of this page, and make a list of all the things that you have to do. Get the easy things out of the way first.  Next, grab a stopwatch. Most phones are equipped with one.Now select a magazine, difficult book, or a newspaper and pick a passage to read that you normally would not read (unless forced).Start the stopwatch and begin reading. Try to concentrate, but stop yourself as soon as you feel your mind beginning to wander.Write down what it was that distracted you. What did you start to think about? Was it something fun that you could be doing instead, or was it something you are worried about?  Write down the topic or thought that led you astray. Do this five times and analyze the results. Do you see a pattern?   The more you run through the exercise above, the more you train your brain to stay on track. You are actually being very intentional about giving your brain some good old fashioned discipline!

Smart working. The impact of work organisation and job design Essay

Smart working. The impact of work organisation and job design - Essay Example It is claimed that the most significant resource of any business is the people it employs, its manpower or workforce. As the world adopts technology at a faster rate with more sophisticated applications and as products tend towards greater similarity there is a growing awareness that a business may differentiate itself by creating a quality, focused and well-motivated workforce. In addition, the world labor market is become more flexible with greater mobility for well-qualified staff to move between major business centers. It is therefore of greater significance than ever before to keep good staff and to continue to attract the best recruits possible. Due to the importance of the people of the company it is equally important and difficult for the managers to manage these people. With the passage of time, the world of work and the workers in it are becoming more and more competitive and aggressive about their success at work. The advent of globalization has demolished the economic barriers that once existed and has opened doors to markets that were once thought to be too out of reach to cater. The change in the attitude towards workforce management has been great and fundamental since the early years of the twentieth century and the introduction of mass production. There are still firms and factories that 'hire and fire' workers on an almost daily basis and offer no training and staff development at all. However, these are now the exception rather than the rule. Modern Human Resource Management has been developed not just in response to the legal constraints on how workers are treated but also as a recognition that a truly successful and competitive business depends on the support and co-ordination of a well trained and suitably motivated team of staff.

Public Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Public Relations - Essay Example Next, the media channels have to be meaningful. 3rd, the media channels have to be memorable. 4th, the media channels have to be understandable. 5th, the media channels have to be believable (164). The components of how audiences receive the messages and process them are very recognizable. First, the audiences receive the messages in various forms. Next, the basic data is transmitted to the audiences in its original state or form. 3rd, the message is often filtered by journalists, editors, bloggers, and other persons; the message remains intact when received by the intended person. 4th, the audience retains the incoming messages and validates them to be either valid. 5th, the audience believes, accepts, and implements the message received. 5th, majority of the audiences change their behavior in response to the incoming messages (165). Based on Figure 7.1 on page 166, there are five public relations perspective variables in Chapter 7 that refers to communication or transmittal of the plan in paragraph form; the same variables are essential to the professionals in communication. First, the communicator must focus on community relations. Next, the communicator should focus on media relationship. 3rd, the communicator should focus on consultant relations. 4th the communicator should focus on investor communications tor communication. Lastly, all persons must equally give enough time on employee and management communication. The topic is very important because complying with the tenets of the media story gatherers (166). Based on the above discussion, each person has his or her own interpretations when an incoming message is received. Media display can make or break a person. The components are necessary parts that will increase clarity of the media message. The characteristics are important in terms of ensuring the original message is received in its unadulterated period. The public relations perspective variables