Old World Rus

The chapter “Governor Pyncheon” from The House of the Seven Gables is very important to text as a whole. Hawthorne dedicates nearly the entire chapter to dwelling on the dead body of Judge Pyncheon. The narrator exhausts the notion that the Judge is not dead. Continuing to prod the Judge by wondering why he was so still. Why had he not stood up? Why could he not rotate his arm to look at his watch and check to see how much time had passed.

The reader was already under the impression that the Judge was dead so why it is important to understand why Hawthorne subjects the reader to very strange sequence. This chapter is out of place and it is quite clear that this ghostly sequence was deliberately added by Hawthorne to emphasize some of his main points and themes. With the addition of this grisly scene, Hawthorne puts into jeopardy the eloquent realism throughout the novel.

The ghostly chapter of “governor Pyncheon” does not fit within the style and language of the rest of the novel. This signifies to the reader, like highlighting or bolding a text would that there is great value in those words. In this case it Hawthorne uses to richness of the language to leak some vital details to the reader. Hawthorne created this ghostly chapter for two reasons; to display the deepness of the hatred felt towards Judge Pyncheon, while also revealing the extent of his ambition. The details may not have added directly to the storyline, but the bit of information given really molds the reader’s perception of Judge Pyncheon. It seems that the narrator is gloating over the body but it is in the gruesome details that revealed how many people were in danger of Judge Pyncheon’s authority. The ironic attack of Judge Pyncheon’s is difficult to read without inwardly cringing. Hawthorne uses this erie ghost scene to solidify the theme that anyone on verge of their greatest achievements will somehow be denied and cut down.

“Recently I caught my dog peeing in the house. He’s never done this before, what’s going on?”

Dogs do this for any number of reasons. If he has been properly house-trained he should not be doing this. He might have UTI (Urinary Tract Infection), in which case the vet should be your first stop, or he might be scent marking.

“What is scent marking?”

Scent marking is a completely natural thing for your dog to do. By peeing somewhere he leaves his scent telling other dogs that this is his territory. Remember that a dog’s sense of smell is much better than our own, so for him a scent marked spot is a very interesting
place, while to us it just smells like dogpee!

“Do all dogs do this?”

Yes, they do. Some dogs are more likely to do so than others, males more than females, small dogs more than larger dogs, and so on. Two or more dogs in the same house may regard each other as competition and are then more prone to marking. Small dogs are also more likely to pee inside the house in general.

“Okay, I understand what marking is, but why is he doing it in the house?”

Your dog might be struggling with confidence problems, any sudden change in his home environment can trigger this behaviour. For instance; the arrival of a new baby may mean that your dog is now not getting as much attention as previously. Changes such as this engender anxiety, and may cause marking behaviour.

“What can I do about it? I want him to stop!”

Firstly, clean any spots where he has peed very well, using a 50/50 solution of water and vinegar. Don’t use ammonia – you’ll only encourage him! Unless you clean the spots well, it is impossible to stop the dog peeing in the house.

Secondly, don’t rant and rave at him. You’ll make the problem worse by eroding his confidence further.

Thirdly, observe him closely for a few days and when you see him looking for a place to mark distract him. You could build a shaker can (a soda can with a few coins in it that makes a rattling noise) and use this to distract him. When you have his attention play with him, or take him outside. You could even say “NO PEE” sternly when you see him getting ready. The distraction will be enough to stop your dog peeing in the house, at least until you can take him to a place where he IS allowed to pee. Remember to praise him lavishly when he does so. Dogs learn by positive reinforcement.

Fourthly, be consistent in your approach. You don’t want to confuse him.

“He’s not ill, and I don’t think he’s marking. What now?

If he’s not ill, and he’s not marking, it means that he really needs to pee during a time when he can’t get out. Make sure you give him ample time to pee before going to sleep, and don’t let him drink too much right before bedtime.

And finally…

I hope these little tips will help you to stop your dog peeing in the house, but if you would like to learn more about positively modifying your dog’s behaviour please visit my squidoo page and feel free to leave a comment.

So you are ready to buy a house and the time as come to make an offer. It sounds simple enough, but many people find themselves baffled by how much they should really offer and how they will go about determining that amount. Of course you already know the seller’s asking price. If you don’t mind possibly losing a little money, then taking their asking price is fine, but remember, buying a home is not like going to the mall. Most prices are negotiable. There are basically three major steps to figuring out your offer price; comparing the sales of similar properties, considering the condition of the home and seller’s motivation, and negotiating with the seller after determining a fair price. Comparing the sales of similar properties is the most overlooked strategy in this list, even though it really can be a huge factor in your negotiations.

Not only do comparable sales give you insight into the approximate value of the house, but they also give you a reference point for understanding the range of prices that should be considered. The houses that you compare should be similar in the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, lot size, construction type, garage space, and square footage. It is also extremely valuable to consider the most recently sold houses you can find. The public service record and the Multiple Listing Service are two ways to find this kind of information.

The public record is an open record, but without knowledge of this system, finding comparable sales can be quite difficult. The public record, recorded in the local county recorder’s office, includes the deed from the seller to the buyer as well as other information known about the property. However, this information is about two months behind due to the pending time of a sale, and is often delayed even farther than that due to escrow. By the time the deed is recorded, the prices may already have shifted in a particular area or in the market in general.

The Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is designed for those carrying a real estate license, that have joined MLS, to gather information about properties for sale and those sold. The MLS records are much more up to date, recording sales of listed properties when they close. Though the public can now view some parts of the MLS listing, only a realtor can see the amounts properties were sold for along with more property information. For this reason, it is important to have a real estate agent while looking to buy a home so that they can provide you with this information. Even though the MLS can show sale prices before the deed is recorded, this information is still somewhat delayed because of pending sales, waiting to become closed sales.

Many agents have other methods for determining the sale prices of comparable properties. Professional courtesies in the real estate business are common as long as it is for comparable research purposes. Obviously a selling agent cannot disclose the sale amount on a pending property to another potential buyer, but for someone interested in another similar property, this is sometimes acceptable. Also, some brokerage firms post their sales on a board in their offices. These resources are not usually necessary in comparable analysis, but sometimes in tight markets you will want to find the most recent, similar property sold.

Comparable property research is only one of the steps that should be taken in determining an offer price. When used in conjunction with a property condition analysis, research of current market values, and the seller’s circumstances, it can give the buyer a great understanding of what kind of offer is most reasonable as well as beneficial, while also supplying the buyer with a little verbal ammunition for the negotiation process. It is very possible the buyer will end up knowing more about the value of the house than the seller himself.