The Black And White Americans - 1652 Words

The idea that affluence in a capitalist society can be achieved through hard work and dedication regardless of the social and economic circumstances of the individual has been romanticized throughout history and entrenched in American thought culture. Private ownership is a hallmark of the â€Å"American Dream†, representing the opportunity for American citizens to achieve upward social mobility. Though America is famed for providing equality of opportunity to American citizens, a look at America s past tells a different story. After spending 245 years in slavery accumulating wealth on behalf of white Americans, African Americans were denied the 40 acres and a mule promised to them by the United States government. Even in the absence of de†¦show more content†¦I reasoned that a tax credit would make the tax system fairer, support home-ownership among families with lower incomes, and generate substantial revenues to fund asset-building programs for the poor. The proble m with the tax credit policy is that it fails to break the lock-in because black Americans face discrimination in the housing markets even today, so blacks would not benefit from the tax credit policy as much as poor white Americans would. Anarcho-syndicalism is a political strategy that opposes exploitation and domination of the working class by replacing capitalism and government control with a voluntary socialist system, in which the working class is in control of property and the means of production through the formation of syndicate networks. If implemented correctly, anarcho-syndicalism stands to reduce the wealth gap between black and white Americans over the next 50 years. Capitalism does not support equality, rather it discriminates against individuals in a society based on class, which is based on occupation, income, and wealth; this is called social stratification. Black Americans have been racially stratified through many years of discrimination to the point where much o f the black population belong to the poor working class. Whites, being that they were the first to occupy positions of power and own land, disproportionately make up the affluent ruling class. Capitalism is a profit-driven economic system where a small class of

Lawrence School Poems Free Essays

David Herbert Lawrence was an English novelist, poet and playwright. In 1908 Lawrence qualified as a teacher and found employment at Davidson Road School in Croydon. According to the author of D. We will write a custom essay sample on Lawrence School Poems or any similar topic only for you Order Now H. Lawrence: The Life of an Outsider (2005): â€Å"He found the demands of teaching in a large school in a poor area very different from those at Eastwood under a protective headmaster. Nevertheless he established himself as an energetic teacher, ready to use new teaching methods like performing the Shakespearean dramas they had as text. Best of School† and â€Å"Last Lesson of the Afternoon† are two poems about his experiences as a teacher. Quite extraordinarily, they present two completely contrasting views. â€Å"Best of School† is about the pleasure a teacher experiences while partaking his duties as a teacher, while â€Å"Last Lesson† speaks about the unpleasant task of teaching. â€Å"Best of School† begins with an image of the â€Å"boys and the room in a colourless gloom of underwater float†. The poet compares the boys working in a classroom to an underwater scene. Their ideas and thoughts are like â€Å"bright ripples†. Their ideas are defined as â€Å"bright† because they are young boys and full of creativity and innovation. These boys’ heads are ‘busily bowed† in pursuit of knowledge, they are completely blind to the outside world. The teacher separates himself from the boys as a passive spectator sitting â€Å"on the shores of the class†. The pupils require no external help from him; they are a single entity, united in their pursuit of knowledge. They tend to look up to him from time to time to gain morsels of inspiration for their work and then carry on working busily. Having got what was to be had†, he stresses the fact that he does not actively take part in the children’s learning process, it is natural and voluntary. The â€Å"ripening morning† echoes the ripening thoughts of the young boys and in the â€Å"sunlight† reflects the light of knowledge and intellect. â€Å"Last Lesson†, on the other hand is an exact opposite view. It begins with an image of weariness and disgust, the teacher begins by conceding defeat. Both the students and the teacher are being forced to sit in the classroom, waiting for the bell to ring. He says â€Å"I can haul them and urge them no more†. The teacher is experiencing great despair by having to sit in the classroom with his â€Å"pack of unruly hounds†, who are straining to be free. There is a sense of utter frustration; neither is the teacher interested in teaching and nor are the boys interested in gaining knowledge. The teacher can â€Å"no longer endure the brunt† of teaching a mass of uninterested children. The speaker in â€Å"Best of School† goes on to say that the boys are â€Å"like birds that steal and flee†. The boys raise their heads from time to time for getting the discipline necessary for concentration; the very presence of the teacher is an unspoken motivation for the students. He compares the glances of the students to the movement of tiny birds. â€Å"Touch after touch I feel on me†, he can almost feel the bright, inspired eyes of the students looking up to him for inspiration. He calls this inspiration â€Å"grain/Of rigour† that â€Å"they taste delightedly. † In complete contrast, the teacher in â€Å"Last Lesson† calls his students’ work â€Å"insults of blotted pages† and â€Å"slovenly work†. It is a sharp negative feeling that he expresses. He turns to the pile of sickly books on his desk and exclaims that it is impossible for him to plough through his corrections. To him it is a Herculean task, it is tedious and tiresome. The students are not interested in learning so the work seems to be a vivid insult to the teacher. He asks himself in desperation â€Å"shall I take/ My last dear fuel of life to heap on my soul? † and ascertains, â€Å"I will not! †, â€Å"I will not waste my soul and my strength for this. † He realizes that it is a complete waste of both his time and energy to try to discipline his students and take them on a path to knowledge. He declares that he no longer cares how his students will fair because his students are so disinterested that both the teaching and their apparent learning, â€Å"goes down the same abyss†, down a deep dark hole of forgetfulness and oblivion. He continues the argument deliberately reducing the scope of education to inconsequential things like â€Å"A description of a dog† and saying that all his efforts are going to waste because his students are completely frustrated and not at all enthusiastic about learning. The larger picture of holistic education is lost due to their unwillingness to learn but the teacher also deviously justifies his argument. He says that the whole situation is rubbish and that nobody cares so there’s no point in this unnecessary pursuit. His final analogy in â€Å"Best of School† is probably the strongest and most beautiful one. The minds of his young pupils are like the â€Å"tendrils that reach out yearningly†. The young enthusiastic minds cling to the teacher for support. It is merely for inspiration and not learning. The teacher (tree) is wise, tall and firm. The students need the support and guidance of the teacher like a silent and strong beam of enlightenment on which they can fall back in times of trial. The teacher and student relationship is shown to be a beautiful one. The teacher is sitting at a distance but feels his students â€Å"clinging† to him. This is not an actual dependence for notes and explanation but it is spiritual and emotional, self-motivational. A stout and sturdy tree covered in tendrils seems to be covered in a green coat. Their lives are closely entwined and they grow together. The speaker says, â€Å"my time/Is hidden in theirs, their thrills are mine. † It is a delightfully rewarding experience for him to be able to contribute to the student’s spiritual growth and enlightenment in an unobtrusive way. The two poems, as mentioned earlier, present complete contrasts to each other. While the speaker in the â€Å"Last Lesson of the Afternoon† is tired of teaching and disturbed by just being in the classroom, the speaker/teacher in â€Å"Best of School† enjoys a fresh look at his job. Education is believed to be an individual process. Each one learns at their own pace and in their own way. When pupils find pleasure in learning by themselves, the process of teaching becomes an extremely rewarding one for the teacher. When the student is motivated, education is most worthwhile. The teacher believes that the pupils should make the journey on their own as only then will the journey be meaningful. It is surprising that whereas in one poem the teacher delights himself by inspiring his students, in the other the teacher is under a terrific compulsion to sit and wait for the bell before he can rush out of class. These two poems, present together, a great insight into the two perspectives of gaining education and knowledge. One is a tiresome, hauling process while the other demands independence and free thinking. How to cite Lawrence School Poems, Essay examples

Business in Computers Essay Example For Students

Business in Computers Essay Business in ComputersI understand that some students that have already graduated from Collegeare having a bit of trouble getting their new businesses started. I know of atool that will be extremely helpful and is already available to them; theInternet. Up until a few years ago, when a student graduated they were basicallythrown out into the real world with just their education and their wits. Mostof the time this wasnt good enough because after three or four years of college,the perspective entrepreneur either forgot too much of what they were supposedto learn, or they just didnt have the finances. Then by the time they savesufficient money, they again had forgotten too much. I believe I have found theanswer. On the Internet your students will be able to find literally thousandsof links to help them with their future enterprises. In almost every city allacross North America, no matter where these students move to, they are able tolink up and find everything they need. They can find links like CreativeIdeas, a place they can go and retrieve ideas, innovations, inventions, patentsand licensing. Once they come up with their own products, they can find freeexpert advice on how to market their products. There are easily accessiblelinks to experts, analysts, consultants and business leaders to guide their wayto starting up their own business, careers and lives. These experts can helppush the beginners in the right direction in every field of business, includingevery way to generate start up revenue from better management of personalfinances to diving into the stock market. When the beginner has sufficientfunds to actually open their own company, they cant just expect the customersto come to them, they have to go out and attract them.This is where the Internet becomes most useful, in advertising. On theInternet, in every major consumer area in the world, there are dozens of ways toadvertise. The easiest and cheapest way, is to join groups such asEntrepreneur Weekly. These groups offer weekly newsletters sent all over theworld to major and minor businesses informing them about new companies on themarket. It includes everything about your business from what you make/sell andwhere to find you, to what your worth. These groups also advertise to thegeneral public. The major portion of the advertising is done over the Internet,but this is good because that is their target market. By now, hopefully theirbusiness is doing well, sales are up and money is flowing in. How do they keeptrack of all their funds without paying for an expensive accountant? Back tothe Internet. They can find lots of expert advice on where they should reinvesttheir money. Including how many and how qualified of staff to hire, whattechnical equipment to buy and even what insurance to purchase. This is where alot of companies get into trouble, during expansion. Too many entrepreneurs tryto leap right into the highly competitive mid-size company world. On theInternet, experts give their secrets on how to let their companies naturalgrowth force its way in. This way they are more financially stable for therough road ahead. The Internet isnt always going to give you the answers youare looking for, but it will always lead you in the right direction. That iswhy I hope you will accept my proposal and make aware the students of today ofthis invaluable business tool. Technology

Walt Whitman Argumentative Essay Example For Students

Walt Whitman Argumentative Essay Leaves of Grass. One only needs to see those three words to recognize the famous work of poetry. Published almost 150 years ago, the great work is still as recognized today as it was all those years ago. We hear about the great poems in movies and in books today. In the movie Dead Poets Society, the solemn poem, O Captain, My Captain, is talked about. In the recent movie, The Notebook, a copy of Leaves of Grass is the companion of a man who is losing his wife to Alzheimers. Who was the man that wrote the historic work? Why is the work so famous today and why is a bridge spanning Philadelphia to Camden named after the writer? This essay will introduce you to Walt Whitman, not only the writer, but the humanitarian too. We will write a custom essay on Walt Whitman Argumentative specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Walt Whitman was born at West Hills, near Huntington, Long Island, New York on May 31, 1819 (Platt). Walt was born to Walter Whitman and Louisa Van Velsor. His mother was always the deepest emotional attachment of his life. His mother came from Dutch and Welsh backgrounds. Her parents lived only a few miles away at Cold Spring Harbor, so naturally, Walt often visited them. His grandmother Naomi, or Amy, was a Quakeress who wore plain garments and cap and had a gentle manner. Walt Whitmans father contributed his full share to the making of the poet. The Long Island Whitmans derived from Zechariah Whitman, an English minister who had come to Connecticut in the seventeenth century (Marinacci, Pg 9). His fathers claim to fame was being a good friend to Thomas Paine who wrote Common Sense (Bengtsson). Walts mother taught him to read the bible faithfully and to be a good Quaker. Walts father had little time for his family as he was to busy fighting for the cause of his friend Thomas Paine. It is doubtful that Whitmans mother or father had ever read any of his works. To Walt the word father would never have the same positive meaning as mother. By temperament, Walter Whitman was a perfectionist; he was also moody and easily upset and irritated. His love and approval were often held in abeyance, not freely given or displayed. Frequently he spun dreams of some glory or sudden success, then, when his neatly wrought schemes fell apart, perhaps because he had convinced them unrealistically, he took his frustration and disappointment out on his family (Marinacci, Pg 12). Walt had eight other siblings and when he was about 4 years old, his family removed to Brooklyn. Walt attended the public schools of Brooklyn, and somewhere between the ages of nine and twelve, is when he dropped out of school and started to work for a short time as an errand-boy in a lawyers office. At he age of twelve, Walt started work in the printing office of one of his fathers favorite newspapers, the Long Island Patriot, affectionately called the Pat. Taught by an old printer named William Hartshorne, Walt quickly took to this new trade. He learned to sort the jumble of type called pi and to use the composing stick (Marinacci, Pg 25). He enjoyed handling the metal type, slicing and stacking the crisp paper sheets, and smelling the ever-present printers ink, this was also around the time where he had taught himself how to read and write (Platt). In 1835, when Walt was seventeen years old, he moved to New York City. After several years of apprenticeship on the Star he qualified as a journeyman printer. Always attracted to Manhattan, Walt found a job in the print shop of a newspaper and took a room in a nearby rooming house. No longer did he have to ride the ferry across the river to spend just a few hours at the theater or sightseeing, now he was able to absorb the full daily and nightly life styles of the city (Marinacci, Pg 38). Walt moved back to Long Island where he taught several terms in country schools. As a new teacher, Walt began to put into practice some ideas that came naturally to his particular temperament. Although probably unaware of it, he used some of the unconventional teaching methods that others of this period had been trying out, especially in New England. Walt instructed his students in the standard Three Rs of his day, yet did not stop there. He did not want them to learn by rote, as he had to do while he was in school, but to understand the meaning and relevance of what they were learning. Frequently he read poems and asked his children to memorize them; sometimes they were his own compositions, but more often those by some of his favorite poets. He declined to use the usual corporal punishment. Instead of whipping recalcitrant pupils, he tried to change their attitudes and behavior by gentler methods such as patience, reasoning, reward and providing good examples. What he ideally wished to achieve, as an actual teacher must have been similar to the effect he later hoped to have upon would be readers of his poetry (Marinacci, Pg 44). .u77ee8b4f4f7a746f1fb440ad94d6e344 , .u77ee8b4f4f7a746f1fb440ad94d6e344 .postImageUrl , .u77ee8b4f4f7a746f1fb440ad94d6e344 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u77ee8b4f4f7a746f1fb440ad94d6e344 , .u77ee8b4f4f7a746f1fb440ad94d6e344:hover , .u77ee8b4f4f7a746f1fb440ad94d6e344:visited , .u77ee8b4f4f7a746f1fb440ad94d6e344:active { border:0!important; } .u77ee8b4f4f7a746f1fb440ad94d6e344 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u77ee8b4f4f7a746f1fb440ad94d6e344 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u77ee8b4f4f7a746f1fb440ad94d6e344:active , .u77ee8b4f4f7a746f1fb440ad94d6e344:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u77ee8b4f4f7a746f1fb440ad94d6e344 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u77ee8b4f4f7a746f1fb440ad94d6e344 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u77ee8b4f4f7a746f1fb440ad94d6e344 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u77ee8b4f4f7a746f1fb440ad94d6e344 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u77ee8b4f4f7a746f1fb440ad94d6e344:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u77ee8b4f4f7a746f1fb440ad94d6e344 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u77ee8b4f4f7a746f1fb440ad94d6e344 .u77ee8b4f4f7a746f1fb440ad94d6e344-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u77ee8b4f4f7a746f1fb440ad94d6e344:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Charlotte O"Neil"s song EssayAfter teaching he opened a printing office in Huntington, Long Island, starting a new weekly newspaper called The Long Islander, which is still being published to this day. After about eight months of publishing the Long Islander, Walt gave up the paper, probably on the strong advice of his backers and so it was sold. Restless, dissatisfied with his limited horizons, he had grown bored with the daily routine of his work and then began neglecting it (Rubin). He worked at the newspaper until around 1840, when he moved back New York. Spending several summers in the country doing farm work, Walt had published Franklin Evans in The New World paper i n 1841, and also contributed essays and tales to the Democratic Review, until around 1848, when he became the editor of The Brooklyn Eagle. A year later, Walt started working with his brother Jeff on a long winding journey through the Middle and Southern States as far as New Orleans, where he worked for some time on the editorial staff of The Crescent (Platt). It seemed as though no matter where he had gone he always got involved with the press. In 1850 Walt returned to Brooklyn, where he had published a newspaper called The Freeman. Staying in Brooklyn for a few years, he began working with his father building and selling houses. Five years later the first edition of Leaves Of Grass was published in Brooklyn, New York. Later that year in July, Walts father had passed away. A few days later, Walt received a letter from Ralph Waldo Emerson, praising him for the book he had written, Leaves of Grass. A few months after sending the letter, Emerson went to visit Walt in Brooklyn, and later, he also received a visit from Henry David Thoreau, after the second edition of Leaves of Grass was published in New York and the third edition, which was later published in Boston (Platt). In 1862, Walt headed to Fredericksburg, Virginia to visit his brother George, who was wounded while fighting in the Civil War. While visiting his brother and helping him recuperate from his injuries, Walts eyes were awakened to the horrors of war. Walt began his next life as a civil servant and for the next three years stayed around Virginia and Washington D.C. ministering to sick and wounded soldiers. While serving in army hospitals, Walts life became recharged. Once angered and dismayed over the breakup of the Union and after his brother being held prisoner by confederate soldiers, Walts heart and eyes were opened that the Union could only survive with a reconciliation. Walt was no longer just the poet of Long Island; he became the poet of a nation. After spending a few years with his brother he spent the next six years working with his book. Leaves of Grass has been called a lot of things, but mostly a work of art and an amazing read. Leaves of Grass is Walts way of putting his li fe, dreams and thoughts down on paper. It is about love, family and compassion I personally read it and loved it. Walt had suffered a stroke that had paralyzed one side of his body. Walt who had praised and cultivated bodily health and vigor now felt betrayed. Yet he believed that he would fully recover in time, through persistent effort and sheer force of will. His doctor seemed optimistic as well. Walt assured his mother that he would soon recover and return to work. Then he would buy a little house where he would have her and Eddie come and live with him. As it was, Walt employed a substitute to do his office work for him, so that he would still receive at least a portion of his salary. .u659932ca8fd6f08c131efda6aac9d1d8 , .u659932ca8fd6f08c131efda6aac9d1d8 .postImageUrl , .u659932ca8fd6f08c131efda6aac9d1d8 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u659932ca8fd6f08c131efda6aac9d1d8 , .u659932ca8fd6f08c131efda6aac9d1d8:hover , .u659932ca8fd6f08c131efda6aac9d1d8:visited , .u659932ca8fd6f08c131efda6aac9d1d8:active { border:0!important; } .u659932ca8fd6f08c131efda6aac9d1d8 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u659932ca8fd6f08c131efda6aac9d1d8 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u659932ca8fd6f08c131efda6aac9d1d8:active , .u659932ca8fd6f08c131efda6aac9d1d8:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u659932ca8fd6f08c131efda6aac9d1d8 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u659932ca8fd6f08c131efda6aac9d1d8 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u659932ca8fd6f08c131efda6aac9d1d8 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u659932ca8fd6f08c131efda6aac9d1d8 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u659932ca8fd6f08c131efda6aac9d1d8:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u659932ca8fd6f08c131efda6aac9d1d8 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u659932ca8fd6f08c131efda6aac9d1d8 .u659932ca8fd6f08c131efda6aac9d1d8-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u659932ca8fd6f08c131efda6aac9d1d8:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Heroes in Homer's Poetry EssayBy May Walt was well enough to spend several hours a day on the job. Then he heard that his mothers health had suddenly and seriously failed. Alarmed, he left right away for Camden. Three days later, on May 23 his mother died, at the age of seventy-eight. Her death was the hardest blow that Walt had ever had to bear. It is the great cloud of my life, he wrote in anguish. His mothers death coming on top of his own illness proved too much for Walt. He returned to Washington a week after the funeral. Extremely depressed and debilitated, he now accepted the Ashtons hospitality, for he did not want to be alone (Marinacci, Pg 285). Walt Whitman live d such an amazing life doing the very best at everything he put his mind to. But at dusk on March 26, 1892, as a light rain pattered down on Camdens rooftops, Walt Whitman died, at the age of seventy-two. His soul was off at long last on that long-anticipated outward-bound journey (Marinacci, Pg 341).

Sample Essay on Lyme Disease - This Is Easy!

Sample Essay on Lyme Disease - This Is Easy!The process of writing a sample essay on Lyme disease is simple. In fact, you can do it in just a few minutes. And, there are no special tools or manuals that will be required to accomplish this simple task.The first thing that you must do is begin with an introduction. Let your story begin. Focus on the experience that brought you to this point and how you came to realize the possibility of Lyme disease.Begin by describing the symptoms of Lyme disease. Include the time period that you have been diagnosed with the disease. This will help you to develop a narrative that includes the location where you were diagnosed. Then you will want to describe your first few months with this illness.If you are going to include a doctor's name, indicate in the introduction who diagnosed you with Lyme disease. A beginning medical student can do this easily, because you will likely be given your diagnosis by a doctor or other health care professional. You w ill need to tell us about the symptoms that you experienced and the range of these symptoms.Now you will want to write a one paragraph essay, which will help to guide you as you write your essay. I recommend the following structure: Action, Narrative, Conclusion. You can combine them if you prefer.You may find that you are having trouble being able to put your thoughts down on paper but don't worry. You can always use a writing program to help you.As you can see, writing a sample essay on Lyme disease is not difficult at all. However, you should still exercise good judgment and consult with your health care provider if you have concerns. For more information, please visit my website.

Free Essays on Barbara Ehrenreich

Book Critique I’ve never read one of Barbara Ehrenreich’s books but I might have to check one of them out after reading Nickeled and Dimed. I admired the argument, actually enjoyed reading for a change, and also learned a lot from every page. When I finished the book, I looked at it as what I only can call loathing. Writing up for the rich the results of an upper class essayist’s anthropological mission to see how the other half live is worthwhile. It is part of the task of affiliating the comfortable, which needs to be carried out much more strongly if we are ever to have a better society. The point of Ehrenreich’s rapiers of intellect, art, and wit are ever more prevalent when she points out that even so-called â€Å"unskilled† work- is demanding and challenging: the memory skills required of a waitress, the physical labor of a house cleaner with a vacuum on her back, and the patience of a wal-mart â€Å"zoner† hanging up the same blouse for the nin th time can push human capacities close to their limits- and for the truly lousy pay. I feel that the focus or purpose of her writings were to remind her readers that every job is worth doing well, and that people who do it well deserve respect: â€Å"†¦when I wake up at 4 A.M. in my own cold sweat, I am thinking of the table where I screwed up the order and one of the kids didn’t get his kiddie meal until the rest of the family had moved on to their Key lime pies.† That is something that her readers need to hear more often. So maybe the next time their (the readers) order isn’t perfect they’ll show a little patience and understanding, with their waiter or waitress. Mrs. Ehrenreich often found it a struggle to make ends meet even though she was working two jobs, seven days a week. Something is terribly wrong with this picture. A white, middle aged, capable woman with dependable transportation can’t support herself working two jobs. Even she admits that she... Free Essays on Barbara Ehrenreich Free Essays on Barbara Ehrenreich Book Critique I’ve never read one of Barbara Ehrenreich’s books but I might have to check one of them out after reading Nickeled and Dimed. I admired the argument, actually enjoyed reading for a change, and also learned a lot from every page. When I finished the book, I looked at it as what I only can call loathing. Writing up for the rich the results of an upper class essayist’s anthropological mission to see how the other half live is worthwhile. It is part of the task of affiliating the comfortable, which needs to be carried out much more strongly if we are ever to have a better society. The point of Ehrenreich’s rapiers of intellect, art, and wit are ever more prevalent when she points out that even so-called â€Å"unskilled† work- is demanding and challenging: the memory skills required of a waitress, the physical labor of a house cleaner with a vacuum on her back, and the patience of a wal-mart â€Å"zoner† hanging up the same blouse for the nin th time can push human capacities close to their limits- and for the truly lousy pay. I feel that the focus or purpose of her writings were to remind her readers that every job is worth doing well, and that people who do it well deserve respect: â€Å"†¦when I wake up at 4 A.M. in my own cold sweat, I am thinking of the table where I screwed up the order and one of the kids didn’t get his kiddie meal until the rest of the family had moved on to their Key lime pies.† That is something that her readers need to hear more often. So maybe the next time their (the readers) order isn’t perfect they’ll show a little patience and understanding, with their waiter or waitress. Mrs. Ehrenreich often found it a struggle to make ends meet even though she was working two jobs, seven days a week. Something is terribly wrong with this picture. A white, middle aged, capable woman with dependable transportation can’t support herself working two jobs. Even she admits that she...

Time Management Tips for Graduate Students

Time Management Tips for Graduate Students All academics, graduate students, and faculty alike struggle with the challenge of managing their time. New graduate students are often amazed at how much there is to do each day: classes, research, study groups, meetings with professors, reading, writing, and attempts at a social life. Many students believe that it will get better after they graduate, but, unfortunately, most people report being even busier as new professors, researchers, and professionals. With so much to do and so little time, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. But dont let stress and deadlines overtake your life. How to Avoid Burnout My best advice for avoiding burnout and getting bogged down is to keep track of your time: Record your days and maintain daily progress towards your goals. The simple term for this is time management. Many people dislike this term, but, call it what you will, managing yourself is essential to your success in grad school. Use a Calendar System By now, you probably use a calendar to keep track of weekly appointments and meetings. Grad school requires taking a long-term perspective on time. Use a yearly, monthly, and weekly calendar. Year Scale. Its difficult to keep track of today and remember what needs to be done in six months. Long term deadlines for financial aid, conference submission, and grant proposals creep up quickly! Dont find yourself surprised to realize that your comprehensive exams are in a few weeks. Plan at least two years ahead with a yearly calendar, divided into months. Add all long-term deadlines on this calendar.Month Scale. Your monthly calendar should include all paper deadlines, test dates, and appointments so that you can plan ahead. Add self-imposed deadlines for completing long-term projects like papers.Week Scale. Most academic planners use a weekly scale of measurement. Your weekly calendar includes your day-to-day appointments and deadlines. Have a study group on Thursday afternoon? Record it here. Carry your weekly calendar everywhere. Use a To-Do List Your to-do list will keep you moving towards your goals on a daily basis. Take 10 minutes every night and make a to-do list for the next day. Look at your calendar for the next couple of weeks to remember tasks that need to be planned in advance: searching for literature for that term paper,  buying and sending birthday cards, and preparing submissions to conferences and grants. Your to-do list is your friend; never leave home without it. Prioritize your to-do list. Rank each item by importance and attack your list accordingly so that you dont waste time on non-essential tasks.Schedule time to work on classes and research each day, even if it is just a few 20-minute blocks. Think you cant get much done in 20 minutes? Youd be surprised. Whats more important is that the material will stay fresh in your mind, enabling you to reflect on it at unexpected times (like on your ride to school or walk to the library).Be flexible. Allow time for interruptions and distractions. Aim to plan just 50 percent or less of your time so that youll have the flexibility to handle unexpected interruptions. When youre distracted by a new task or something that you need to remember, write it down and get back to work. Dont let a flight of ideas keep you from completing the task at hand. When youre interrupted by others or seemingly urgent tasks, ask yourself, What is the most important thing I can do right now? Whats most urgent? Use your ans wer to plan your time and get back on track. Time management doesnt have to be a dirty word. Use these simple techniques to get things done your way.