Nickle and Dimed Argument essay Essays

Nickle and Dimed Argument essay Essays Nickle and Dimed Argument essay Essay Nickle and Dimed Argument essay Essay Every day, millions of low-wage working class Americans venture forth into a reality of unsubstantial living and work environments, plagued with uncertainty. In Barbara Ehrenreichs novel, Nickel and Dimed On (Not) Getting By In America, she experiences the low-wage working world first hand, writing upon her experiences about many of hardships she faced. She exposes the substandard ways in which these wage- earners work and live, touching on the topics of business practices with negative effects, lack of government aid and criminalization of poor, and middle to upper class isrepresentation of the situations of the poor, utilizing each in an argument stating the socioeconomic environment of America is not feasible in regards to millions upon millions of Americans and how they live. Practices of certain employers do not make it any less difficult for low-wage workers to live, as Ehrenreich shows clearly through her writings on Walmart and The Maids cleaning service, but these practices extend to many other businesses as well. First and foremost is the low-wage these workers are paid, which is incredibly disproportionate to the amount of physical labor low-wage workers are subjected to (Ehrenreich, 72). Ehrenreich also puts on display the pitiful incentives which employers attempt to use as a means to Justify the low-wages their workers are paid, these include continental breakfasts (coffee and donuts), employee discounts, or some other excuse to keep wages low. While working at Walmart, ehrenreich also experienced another practice of large corporations, spreading out right lies and demonizing unions as evil wage stealing monsters, who no longer have much to offer orkers. Here Ehrenreich paints a very clear picture of corporations, greedy, controlling entities that steal the life, energy, and labor of the people they employe. This lead into the idea that management, along with the corporation it supports, is truly more corporate than actually human. Barbara Ehrenreich discusses the managers at both the Hearthside and Jennys, who belittle employees and make them out to be little more than replaceable workhorses, illustrated by Ehrenreichs analysis of the want ads, which do not necessarily reflect open positions, but as she came to nderstand, they simply reflect which employers are looking for replacements and a constant stream of cheap labor. Barbara Ehrenreichs argument that certain practices of employers cause negative effects clearly has weight to it, and comes together with her larger argument concerning the socioeconomic environment of America. Along with touching upon her experiences with Employer practices, Barbara Ehrenreich also utilizes her experience with the lack of government aid she faced, and the criminalization of the poor she was exposed to, in her argument. While searching for inancial and food assistance in Maine, Ehrenreich encounters several hurdles, which many others have likely encountered in their search for aid. A common theme seems to be having to speak to the people on the phone lines who represent the organizations, until they finally relent and either offer another number or some type of assistance, of which Ehrenreich only was able to acquire after spending 70 minutes in driving and calling, along with $2. 80, for $7. 2 worth of food, which came to milk, cereal, a pound of chopped meat, and a can of kidney beans. Not the most utritionally Olverse T TTs, out tney get tne Joo done . DlsaalnTul attltuaes towards aid seekers, criminalization of the poor, anti-begging laws and similar ordinances being passed in large cities, which keep the destitute from sleeping or sitting in public places, though officials boast the ordinances are aimed at all, they are kidding themselves when they believe they do not discriminate. It only appears that the crackdown and criminalization on the poor has increased, a homeless man was arrested in a shelter for being homeless, Barbara states after a friend had told er. Laws against handing out food to those in need in public places have even been put in place. More evidence pointing towards a downward trend in the living statuses of the poor Barbara observed. This criminalization likely stems from another topic that Barbara Ehrenreich covers in her argument against the current environment the poor must face, which is middle to upper class misrepresentation of the poor. Many middle to upper class people have the notion that many of the poor are able to in fact do research about the types of employment available to them, also being ble to drive the long distances and locate charitable agencies which will of course help them very much, but the food assistance offered to the destitute by these organization provides empty calories, from candy, sugary cereals, fatty red meats, and other things that are not fruits, vegetables, or quality ingredients for balanced meals. Ehrenreich notes that though many middle and upper class people look down upon the poor for their assumed substandard diets, but when put in perspective what is there alternative? Those who have tried to supply the destitute with healthier eals have been criminalized as well. As with the case of Barbara Ehrenreichs co- workers, and many other low-wage workers across America, employment is not a magical spell, capable of curing all of lifes woes immediately. It does help by providing some financial support, but low-wage employment is incredibly unpredictable and difficult to live with. Also, Ehrenreich learned later as she experienced the low-wage work environment, that the poor do not have secret tips and tricks for surviving and making it much better for themselves, their life styles ruly are not glamorous in any sense of the word. Barbara Ehrenreichs argument presented in Nickel and Dimed On (Not) Getting By In America covers the current socioeconomic environment in America and how it continues to shape the lives of the low-wage working class, and how it is not feasible in its current state. Covering several topics while melding them together with her own personal experiences, Ehrenreich creates an effective argument calling for better treatment and conditions for low-wage workers in America, possibly all over the world.

Globalisation as a Catalyst for Western Job Loss Essay

Globalisation as a Catalyst for Western Job Loss - Essay Example Globalisation as a Catalyst for Western Job Loss Making the statement that all jobs will be lost as a factor of globalisation is not supported by the research on this topic of study, hence concluding with support for the notion would be an irresponsible assessment. Domestic labourers can be sacrificed in favour of a new variety of worker, who is foreign in residence and can be paid wages which are considerably lower than their domestic counterparts. Further, globalisation provides the foundation for an imbalance between domestic product output and the volume of importations experienced by Western nations each year; especially the United States. Though to say that complete elimination of domestic jobs will occur would be somewhat unrealistic, it is clear that due to an aggressive push toward globalising the corporate West, substantial domestic job loss is likely inevitable. Multiple Perspectives on Globalisation and Job Loss Scott (2003) provides ample support for continued job loss stemming from globalisation by highlighting a series of statistics in the U.S. domestic job market. The author points out how the imbalance between import and export goods which is created when previously-domestic production facilities are shifted to overseas markets. To illustrate this point, Scott further suggests that during the 1990’s, the U.S. experienced considerable job growth, due to phenomenon he identifies as the boom and bust period where consumer consumption levels were high, driving domestic production.

Tom Bradley Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Tom Bradley - Research Paper Example At some point the family went on public assistance. His parents divorced and Tom’s mother was working hard to raise five children by herself. Bradley entered Polytechnic High School, because he was a very good athlete. This school was mostly white. However, he became the first black president of the Poly Boy’s League. He also became a record-breaking track team captain and a star in the quarter-mile and long jump. Winning the athletic championship gave Tom admission to UCLA. While there, he had many jobs, one of which was as a photographer for comedian Jimmy Durante. During his junior year in college, Bradley took an exam to join the Los Angeles Police Department. His grade was excellent and entered the department academy in 1940. He served as Police Officer in Los Angeles for 21 years. When he first started working in the police department, there were only 100 black people among 4,000 officers. Blacks could never work with a white officer. They could only serve a black community or work traffic downtown. By the time Bradley retired in 1961, he reached the rank of Lieutenant. That was the highest position black officer could achieve at that time. Because of the racism, Bradley could not advance in this carrier any more. So instead, he attended Southwestern Law School and became an attorney. He took interest in politics when he still was a police officer. In 1963, he got elected to the Los Angeles City Council. He became one of three African American men elected that year. That was the first time black people were in the City Council. On the council, he was closely overseeing the Police Department and working to overcome racial strives. In the mid 1950s - 1960s, there was a strong race discrimination. There were restaurants and shops that would not serve black people; they would be refused to enter hotels etc. In 1961, this conservatism led to the election of Sam Yorty as Mayor of Los Angeles. Then the society climate started to change. There was a wave of riots and large-scale unrests throughout the country. The nation needed a change. To mention some events of 1968: a number of anti-Vietnam war demonstrations increased; within months of each other Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the candidate for President Robert Kennedy were assassinated; over 20,000 students in five East LA schools walked out as a sign of protest against racial inequality. At this time Tom Bradley decided to run for mayoral elections. African Americans were a minority of the population, so for Bradley to win he would have to create a multi-racial coalition. There were many candidates for mayor position to start with; however, the final race entered only Bradley and Yorty. After long and less then honorable electoral campaign the voters elected Yorty for his next term. Bradley took his time to prepare for the next elections, four years later, which he won and became first African American mayor of Los Angeles. He made a history by that. It attracted n ational and international attention. His success came as a result of continuous building of his extraordinary trans-racial coalition, and proved that it is possible for black voters and white voters to unite. His election also set a stage to other similar campaigns nationwide. There are many changes Mayor Tom Bradley brought to the city. His first term started during an energy crisis. To help his city he came up with curtailment program, and it was so successful that it was implemented in

The use of spinal immobilisation in the prehospital environment An Essay

The use of spinal immobilisation in the prehospital environment An investigative study - Essay Example Findings such as continuous oozing, subcutaneous emphysema and especially expanding haematoma were initially missed. Current literature does not directly address the indications, benefit and risk concerning so-called immobilization for penetrating neck injuries. This is true for both journals and major trauma textbooks. Most authors simply recommend that all patients with such injuries should be immobilized, or merely state that such is the practice in their emergency department and pre-hospital trauma care. Even the manual of the ATLS does not make a distinction between blunt and penetrating neck trauma, generally stating that "any patient with a suspected spine injury must be immobilized above and below the suspected injury site until injury has been excluded by roentgenograms". In addition it stresses that "cervical spine injury requires continuous immobilization of the entire patient with a semi-rigid cervical collar, backboard, tape and straps before and during transfer to a definite-care facility". (Sauerland, 2004) In depth analysis of the text following these statements reveals that the au thor is referring only to casualties from blunt injury! Although there is no proven benefit of spin... Immobilization has been demonstrated to cause back and head pain, resulting in an increased number of radiographs required to clear the spine in the emergency department (ED). Rigid spine immobilization can also cause pressure-related tissue breakdown, restrict respirations, and, if used aggressively, actually cause spinal cord injury. (Jones, 2004) Importance of Spinal Immobilization ED studies have confirmed the ability of clinical criteria to reliably determine the need for spine radiographs, although the majority of these have addressed only the cervical spine. Stevens reported that only a small number of patients with cervical spine injury escaped capture using clinical clearance criteria in the ED. Although the ED use of clinical spine clearance protocols has been reported, the validity of using a similar protocol in the EMS setting has not been fully addressed. The goal of prehospital management of SCI is to reduce neurological deficit and to prevent any additional loss of neurological function. (March, 2002) Therefore, prehospital management at the scene should include a rapid primary evaluation of the patient, resuscitation of vital functions (airway, breathing, circulation; the "ABCs"), a more detailed secondary assessment, and finally definitive care (including transport and admission to a trauma centre). Moreover, after arrival at the scene, it is impo rtant to "read" the scene and to appreciate the mechanism of injury in order to identify the potential for SCI. Prehospital management in general and the management of the airway and ventilation in particular should include immobilisation of the spine in suspicious cases to reduce the risk of a secondary SCI. (Hoffman, 2000) Cardiovascular

What is Philosophy? :: essays research papers

What is Philosophy?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I believe that Philosophy is the study of different ways of thinking. In philosophy, you should question everything and never take anything for face value. There are always two sides to every coin as there are different ways of looking at things, is what philosophy teaches us. In philosophy, you must throw off all the limitations you have set on yourself when dealing with how you view things and how things seem to be.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Reality is a big topic of discussion in philosophy. How you view things may not be how they really are. A schitzophrenicÕs reality is different from the reality of a Ã’saneÓ persons. Therefore I deem reality to be based on experiences, and perceptions. Something you deem to be wrong may be the same thing your friend deems to be right. So does this mean that there really is no one true reality?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Philosophy, we learn that it is okay to doubt things that occur in our lives. It is not only okay but it is a natural response to something you are unclear or uncertain about. Sometimes, though, the build-up of doubt becomes too much for someone to handle so they become suicidal or just give up trying to think about it all together. When this happens, there is a tendency to become cynical, and this is a tragedy because then you feel like nothing is really worth trying to figure out.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most of philosophy deals with the Ã’selfÓ. People are always trying to find out who they are; why theyÕre here; or how things relate to them. All of our lives are spent on a road of self discovery, seeing what the world has to offer us, and where our place really is. If we were to actually look closely, we would see that   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  page 2 we knew who we were all along, we just didnÕt realize it.

Macbeth and the Jacobean Scot

In Macbeth, the Jacobean Scot, and the Politics of the Union, Sharon Alker and Holly Faith Nelson demonstrate a well-informed opinion of the relation between the idea of the Jacobian Scot and it’s arguable relation, or lack thereof, to William Shakespeare’s Elizabethan play, Macbeth. Though many scholars find it easy to draw a connection between the traditional Jacobian Scot that was typically presented in Elizabethan plays during the Jacobian era, Alker and Nelson seek to highlight the ambiguous nature of the play by demonstrating the various ways in which it can be read and/or interpreted. Not only this, but Alker and Nelson also manage to shed light on the conflicting aspects of Macbeth in relation to it’s connection with Jacobean ideas and portrayals of Scots at the time. At the time that Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, is thought to have been performed in 1606, a huge change was making it’s way across what we now refer to as Great Britain. During this time, the former king of Scotland, James VI, became the king of England as a result of the Union of Crowns, following the death of his cousin, Queen Elizabeth I of England. This union caused much friction between Scotland and England, as many English felt imposed upon and thought the Scottish to be inferior and somewhat barbaric in their ways. Due to the attitudes of many English people towards the Scottish during the Elizabethan era, the Scottish were most often characterized as people who were opposed to what was thought to be â€Å"legitimate† authority by the English, along with being represented as lesser than and in need of subordination to the English. The typical ‘stage Scot’ was often portrayed as dualistic, lacking in loyalty, and intrusive of other’s property in their relentless ambitions for power. However, there were three different views regarding the union of England and Scotland. One English view thought that English systems and such should be most prevalent across Britain, while another view (mainly called for by Scots) looked to equality by maintaining political and religious institutions separately. The third view, held mostly by those who supported King James, sought for a unity â€Å"in the hearts and minds of the two peoples. Due to the fact that Macbeth is thought to have been performed in the time between the proposal of these 3 policies and the actual implementation of any new policies, many critics believe that the play is a direct representation of English views of the ‘Jacobian Scot’. In contrast to this idea, Alker and Nelson would like to â€Å"demonstrate that Shakespeareâ €™s Macbeth does not present a particular position on the Anglo-Scottish politics that defines itself in relation to the belief system of one small political body†. Instead, Alker and Nelson did a more flexible reading of the play that consisted of possible relations to any of the three models of the union. First of all, Alker and Nelson bring the character of Macbeth into consideration, as he is not only the main character of the play, but also natively Scottish. Although Macbeth does seem to maintain all the traditional characteristics of a Jacobian Scot: disloyal, subordinate, and barbaric, Alker and Nelson point out the characteristics of Macbeth that stand in complete contrast to this traditional model. To begin with, the traditional stage Scot would never possess noble values such as loyalty, kinship, and hospitality. However, in Shakespeare’s play the Scottish character of Macbeth, though troubled and duplicitous, is read to possess such qualities somewhere in the make-up of his conscious. This is apparent in Macbeth’s back-and-forth notions of whether or not to kill the king and gain power or preserve his loyalty to the king and maintain his integrity as one of Duncan’s kin. Although Macbeth ultimately proves to allow evil and selfishness to rule his decisions, the agonizing consideration of right and wrong that Macbeth struggles through prior to murdering Duncan shows that Macbeth is not simply a barbaric creature driven solely by greed and desire. Rather, Macbeth is seen working through his conflicting desire for power and his code of honor and sense of respect for the king. The typical stage Scot normally would not embody such qualities as guilt and/or remorse. Also, there is a hint that Macbeth may not fully understand his own desires and actions, as he was not initially driven by the idea of power when the witches first prophesized his coming kinghood. Instead, it was Banquo who first displayed excitement and anxiousness at the witches’ prophecy and spurred later excitement and ambition in Macbeth. Along with Banquo, Lady Macbeth is portrayed to having been more ambitious towards ideas of power and kingship than Macbeth originally was. This aspect of the play hints at the fact that Macbeth was aided, or led to his violent ways, rather than singularly contriving an evil murder plan against the king. The traditional portrayal of the stage Scot would be that of stubborn, insistent, uncivilized, and unconcerned with duties or issues of loyalty. In the case of Macbeth, he was more or less guided into such characteristics as he was governed by his wife’s unrelenting desire for power in order to first summon up such murderous notions and ideas. The typical stage Scot would have possessed these qualities initially, without the need of any sort of encouragement. In conclusion, the character of Macbeth in Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, as Alker and Nelson would argue, stand in contrast to the role of the typical Jacobian Scot that was predominately presented in Elizabethan plays. Though Macbeth ultimately possessed many of the characteristics that the traditional Jacobian Scot would possess, he also held many contradictory characteristics. Where Scots were typically portrayed as immoral and barbaric, lacking any sense of guilt and/or consideration for others, Macbeth is portrayed as a less-stubborn, remorseful character that is filled with anxiety and logical dualism over any sort of misdeed or wrong doing he considers. Therefore, although Macbeth may be read as a villainous and selfish character driven by greed and other characteristics thought to have been attributed to Scottishness, he can also be read as a regretful and conscious-stricken man whose inner-turmoil is the result of conflicting instincts of morality and of power.

Environmental Policies Of The United States - 1331 Words

Over the years the United States environmental policies have expanded as well as the awareness of the public and the opinions of many party members, interest groups, and those directly effected by the environment s decline. There are many institutions that have an effect on environmental policy like congress, many federal agencies, the office of management and budget and the executive branch, nongovernmental forces, individual citizens, and the main one, the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (Cohen, Steven). America s general belief is more contrary to objective reality. Many Americans fear sever water and air pollution over the next 50 years. This is because of industrialization, population growth, and mass consumption. The public have recently started pushing environmental problems to the top of the political agenda. Support for the environmental policies in the United States comes from the way individuals assess the environment, and their perception of the governmenta l regulation of the environment and their relative evaluation of the line between environmental protection and economic forces (Carman, Christopher). Interest groups have been the catalyst of getting environmental information out to the public. They have researched and studied and are made up of individuals with drives to help the world. They passionately push for change in the way America views the environment. America needs to be leaders of the world especially when it comes to saving itShow MoreRelatedEnvironmental Policies Of The United States1438 Words   |  6 Pagesto enter the state arena and took part in the policy making process. Environmentalist scholars were also given positions in the public sector, marking a step forward in the Taiwanese political history. 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A year later, additional legislation was passed to refine the state’s responsibilities in environment al management and enforcement by allowing city and state governments to regulate industrial and manufacturingRead MoreHow Does The Governmental Transfer Of Power Impacts Wildlife And The Workforces That Conserve And Protect Wildlife?1538 Words   |  7 Pagesimpacts wildlife and the workforces that conserve and protect wildlife? The United States government is constantly rotating officials in control of regulating previous and developing laws, forming future concepts and regulations on various assemblies, and striving to improve the lives of the American citizens. However, the ever changing governmental powers may cause a positive or negative impact on wildlife conservation and policy, due to varying opinions of the governmental officials formerly in commandRead MoreCommand And Control Policy. Student’S Name:. Institution:.1523 Words   |  7 Pages Command and Control Policy Student’s Name: Institution: Date: Command and Control Policy Introduction Climate change poses a huge risk to human beings and natural system hence the need for policies to reduce carbon dioxide gas emissions to the environment and the damages caused by the rapidly changing climate. This is the reason countries like the United States of America enacted command and control policies to try and curb the rate of pollution of the environmentRead MoreThe Paris Climate Agreement1292 Words   |  6 Pagesstruggled to combat climate change and reduce global emissions. On Thursday, June 1st, 2017 President Trump announce that the United States would officially withdraw from the Paris climate agreement. Following through on his campaign promise, and defying the wishes of other world leaders who pleaded with him to remain a party in the pact. Governing with an American First policy, he said he was carrying out the will of the voters. â€Å"I was elected by the citizens of Pittsburgh,† Trump said, â€Å"not Paris