This was a very interesting video to watch/read. Everyone knows that England was the major power house in 1900 but soon fell out to others. This can be seen today with the outsourcing and loss of jobs to other counties here in the United States. I think that China will soon be the new world super power and replace the U.S.
Thinking about the future while watching this video, really started the imagination flowing. If computers start to be smarter then human kind, will we become their servants? Will they take over the earth? I know I have a very weird imagination, but if what this video is saying, then computers will be smarter then humans. Who knows what technology will be developed that could be detrimental to the human race.
I don’t know if our educational system can keep up with the changing technologies. If they are changing and we don’t know what is next, how can we prepare for that change.
I like that the information technology has changed our lives to make some tasks easier. I do think that it will be our ultimate down fall in the future though. We will slowly loose our ability to communicate with each other if we don’t have a phone or computer to type on. We will loose our ability to interact with people on a one to one basis. We need to be out and physically active, but with this technology we are rapidly making our lives easier, which could produce a lot of overweight people that sit in front of the TV and play video games instead of working out side and playing. Oh wait a minute, don’t we have an obese child epidemic in the United States now?
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Rural and Urban Changes
I have had the opportunity to live in numerous different environments. The first area was my home town, Lewisburg, PA. This is a small town in central Pennsylvania. This wasn’t an extremely small town, but it had about 6-8000 people in it. It is surrounded by farms community with a downtown area. Life there was simple growing up and it is still relatively the same. The one big reason that I miss this area is the farmers market. This market was cheap, unlike the ones here. You got good quality fruits and vegetables. Bad traffic was a 5-10 minute delay, or being stuck behind a horse and buggy. This use to be the home of Pennsylvania house Furniture. But due to the cost of labor, it is now made overseas. There have been numerous job losses due to companies outsourcing. The quality of air was very good.
The next major place I lived was during my stint in the military. This was Pusan, South Korea. Immediate when I stepped off the plane I knew that I was no longer in the quiet town I was use to. The streets were extremely busy and the air quality was noticeably worse. I was informed it would take about a month or so to get use to the air quality. The thing that I enjoyed while there was the opportunity to shop for items. The prices were extremely cheap and very abundant. While in Korea I went to an island south of the peninsula for a school. This was a very rural setting and was interesting to see how the people functioned differently the their city counter parts. You could buy fresh sea food. Literally fresh. You looked out on the ocean and there were women with mask, snorkels and fins diving for fresh food to sell on the rocks beside the ocean. They would have buckets of fresh food for you to buy on the shore. On the main side of the island, since I mentioned about the traffic before, traffic was terrible. You would have a 5 lane highway go down to 2 lanes in each direction. This caused major traffic issues and then people were trying to cut in front of the convoys.
Now the last place was here in the D.C. suburbs. What fun this place is, isn’t it. There is a lot more to do then in the quiet town that I grew up in, but now you may have to wait in line to do it. I never saw the traffic issues that I see here in PA. People here are in a hurry and are quite rude. Unlike my home town where everyone knew you, you could go days without seeing anyone you know here. I don’t like that feeling at all. Let me go back to the traffic issue. I have lived in Fredericksburg for the last 10 years. I have seen the traffic going south multiply greatly as everyone is trying to buy houses in the cheaper suburbs. It use to be that traffic was extremely heavy traveling south in the summer but then lighted up (moving and not standing still) during the other 9 months of the year. It seamed like in 2005 that changed greatly. The summer exodus stuck year around.
I have been very lucky in my life to be able to visit different places in the world. We all can learn different things from one another about how to live and grow efficiently and how not to grow. Hopefully the next twenty to fifty years can bring smart growth to both the business and social world that we all belong. There is nothing that we can do to stop this growth, it is coming whether we like it or not.
I have found a quick video of the women diving in Korea.
http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=ltsax5Jm_qw&feature=related
This Video on You tube actually tells a little more about the women. The ones in this one work off of a boat. The last 30 seconds or so shows on scaling down rocks to swim out to fish. These were the like the rocks that I was at and observed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBb-oofr-7A&NR=1
The next major place I lived was during my stint in the military. This was Pusan, South Korea. Immediate when I stepped off the plane I knew that I was no longer in the quiet town I was use to. The streets were extremely busy and the air quality was noticeably worse. I was informed it would take about a month or so to get use to the air quality. The thing that I enjoyed while there was the opportunity to shop for items. The prices were extremely cheap and very abundant. While in Korea I went to an island south of the peninsula for a school. This was a very rural setting and was interesting to see how the people functioned differently the their city counter parts. You could buy fresh sea food. Literally fresh. You looked out on the ocean and there were women with mask, snorkels and fins diving for fresh food to sell on the rocks beside the ocean. They would have buckets of fresh food for you to buy on the shore. On the main side of the island, since I mentioned about the traffic before, traffic was terrible. You would have a 5 lane highway go down to 2 lanes in each direction. This caused major traffic issues and then people were trying to cut in front of the convoys.
Now the last place was here in the D.C. suburbs. What fun this place is, isn’t it. There is a lot more to do then in the quiet town that I grew up in, but now you may have to wait in line to do it. I never saw the traffic issues that I see here in PA. People here are in a hurry and are quite rude. Unlike my home town where everyone knew you, you could go days without seeing anyone you know here. I don’t like that feeling at all. Let me go back to the traffic issue. I have lived in Fredericksburg for the last 10 years. I have seen the traffic going south multiply greatly as everyone is trying to buy houses in the cheaper suburbs. It use to be that traffic was extremely heavy traveling south in the summer but then lighted up (moving and not standing still) during the other 9 months of the year. It seamed like in 2005 that changed greatly. The summer exodus stuck year around.
I have been very lucky in my life to be able to visit different places in the world. We all can learn different things from one another about how to live and grow efficiently and how not to grow. Hopefully the next twenty to fifty years can bring smart growth to both the business and social world that we all belong. There is nothing that we can do to stop this growth, it is coming whether we like it or not.
I have found a quick video of the women diving in Korea.
http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=ltsax5Jm_qw&feature=related
This Video on You tube actually tells a little more about the women. The ones in this one work off of a boat. The last 30 seconds or so shows on scaling down rocks to swim out to fish. These were the like the rocks that I was at and observed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBb-oofr-7A&NR=1
Friday, April 16, 2010
Who has the Power
Who welds the power in the United States? This is a very good question. Our nation was developed under the pretenses that the people have the power. I don’t know how true this statement is. We do have some power of the vote. This vote could dislodge our representatives in congress or senators. But how much do they listen to us? If law makers want to “Sneak” a law into existence they attach the bill to another one. If the bill that it is attached to is vetoed then at least they tried. But If it is passed then they are able to get their own way, even if it is not overly apparent to the United States Public. I think that this is underhanded and these attachments should not be made.
An example of this is the health care reform bill. There were many other bills attached to this document. Some of which could be very costly to the American people. One was that they were going to authorize inspections of houses to see how energy efficient you were being. You would then be required to upgrade certain features of your house. I think that this is a ridiculous idea. I am all for going green, but to have the government make you is ridiculous. I also wonder how many of our representatives actually read all the bill. This bill is huge. What is the impact and do they really know.
I think that we have the original power to place people in office that will do what they say they will during their perspective campaigns. The problem is that when they walk through the doors they tend to forget what they talked about during their last year or two of campaigning and everything is back to status normal.
I think the real power is in the lobbyists. These people have millions of dollars at their disposal and bribe all legislatures to pass items in their best interests, not necessarily the publics. These bribes are not necessarily money, but relocation of factories and bringing more businesses to states that vote in their favor.
Lets look back at the election in 2000. If the people truly had the power to elect those who they wanted to be elected into office, Al Gore would have been the president and not George Busch. I still do not understand the concept of the elector college and those votes counting toward what the people what when it does not reflect what the popular vote actually was.
If the people were really in charge I think that you would truly see change. The first item that really bugs me is the way the federal government keeps spending money that it doesn’t have. We are close to surpassing our Gross National Product for debt. If I ran my house like this I would be bankrupt. We need to get our spending under control and pay off all of our debt. If we can do this then we can really look at providing health care for every legal resident in our country. The interest that we are accruing for our debt would be able to pay for a lot of these programs. Another area that we could cut back is the military. Please don’t get me wrong, I am for a strong military force but why are we spending more half of world spending on the military in our country.
I guess I have rambled on enough. I will conclude that the power of our governmental system is spread out into phases. The first phase we have control over and the rest the government has control over.
An example of this is the health care reform bill. There were many other bills attached to this document. Some of which could be very costly to the American people. One was that they were going to authorize inspections of houses to see how energy efficient you were being. You would then be required to upgrade certain features of your house. I think that this is a ridiculous idea. I am all for going green, but to have the government make you is ridiculous. I also wonder how many of our representatives actually read all the bill. This bill is huge. What is the impact and do they really know.
I think that we have the original power to place people in office that will do what they say they will during their perspective campaigns. The problem is that when they walk through the doors they tend to forget what they talked about during their last year or two of campaigning and everything is back to status normal.
I think the real power is in the lobbyists. These people have millions of dollars at their disposal and bribe all legislatures to pass items in their best interests, not necessarily the publics. These bribes are not necessarily money, but relocation of factories and bringing more businesses to states that vote in their favor.
Lets look back at the election in 2000. If the people truly had the power to elect those who they wanted to be elected into office, Al Gore would have been the president and not George Busch. I still do not understand the concept of the elector college and those votes counting toward what the people what when it does not reflect what the popular vote actually was.
If the people were really in charge I think that you would truly see change. The first item that really bugs me is the way the federal government keeps spending money that it doesn’t have. We are close to surpassing our Gross National Product for debt. If I ran my house like this I would be bankrupt. We need to get our spending under control and pay off all of our debt. If we can do this then we can really look at providing health care for every legal resident in our country. The interest that we are accruing for our debt would be able to pay for a lot of these programs. Another area that we could cut back is the military. Please don’t get me wrong, I am for a strong military force but why are we spending more half of world spending on the military in our country.
I guess I have rambled on enough. I will conclude that the power of our governmental system is spread out into phases. The first phase we have control over and the rest the government has control over.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Is Wal-Mart Good for America
Wow. This is a great question. I am a bargain shopper and like to pay less for products that I use. I think we all do. We love lower prices. With this current economy we all need to ensure that our hard earned money is being spent in the wisest ways possible.
I knew that companies all over the country were outsourcing their products to China because of the cost of labor. I did not realize how much Wal-Mart had to due with the decision for these companies to outsource their labor over seas. This is very troubling for me to hear. I think that this company has gotten to big and has developed to much control over the market place. By them “bullying” these companies to manufacture products overseas so that they can sell them for less and make a bigger profit should be looked at by the government. I know this would be a touchy subject because of democracy and the freedoms that we have in the country, but how is this type of bullying any different then that on the school ground.
Now that all these companies have sent the manufacturing overseas we can not get away from purchasing things made in china. The products in Target, Kmart and Walmart are all made from the same companies located overseas. So even if everyone would boycott Wal-Mart, we are still buying products not made in America.
I am not buying the argument that Wal-Mart is making everyone in the United States more profitable by selling items cheaper. I would rather pay more for an item that is made in the united states and do without certain things until I have saved up enough money for those special things like a new T.V.
Here is just a thought. With the majority of the manufacturing jobs being shipped overseas, farms closing because they can’t operate due to financial reasons what will Americans do to make a living. We all can’t have office jobs, even those are being outsourced. How many times have you called the help desk for a computer company and talked to someone over seas. Another thought is what happens if the workers in China decide that they deserve raises? Where will the new factories be built?
In closing I want to re-emphasize that I do like low prices, but I don’t like taking jobs away from American people. No matter how you look at it, saving money in the store does not make up for a 40k a year job that is lost due to outsourcing.
I knew that companies all over the country were outsourcing their products to China because of the cost of labor. I did not realize how much Wal-Mart had to due with the decision for these companies to outsource their labor over seas. This is very troubling for me to hear. I think that this company has gotten to big and has developed to much control over the market place. By them “bullying” these companies to manufacture products overseas so that they can sell them for less and make a bigger profit should be looked at by the government. I know this would be a touchy subject because of democracy and the freedoms that we have in the country, but how is this type of bullying any different then that on the school ground.
Now that all these companies have sent the manufacturing overseas we can not get away from purchasing things made in china. The products in Target, Kmart and Walmart are all made from the same companies located overseas. So even if everyone would boycott Wal-Mart, we are still buying products not made in America.
I am not buying the argument that Wal-Mart is making everyone in the United States more profitable by selling items cheaper. I would rather pay more for an item that is made in the united states and do without certain things until I have saved up enough money for those special things like a new T.V.
Here is just a thought. With the majority of the manufacturing jobs being shipped overseas, farms closing because they can’t operate due to financial reasons what will Americans do to make a living. We all can’t have office jobs, even those are being outsourced. How many times have you called the help desk for a computer company and talked to someone over seas. Another thought is what happens if the workers in China decide that they deserve raises? Where will the new factories be built?
In closing I want to re-emphasize that I do like low prices, but I don’t like taking jobs away from American people. No matter how you look at it, saving money in the store does not make up for a 40k a year job that is lost due to outsourcing.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Division of labor
Anytime you place something down on paper you are able to visualize what is happening. For me I am a visual learner and conducting this exercise was very eye opening. The way my family is setup with the chores and daily life is very much traditional, the way that I grew up. The majority of the complex work or labor intensive work I perform. My wife gets frazzled over technical items such as programming the VCR or operating any other electronic devices. My wife takes on the majority of the “inside” domestic chores while I take on the outside ones. She takes care of the cooking, cleaning and the majority of the daily issues with the kids. She is a stay at home mom and enjoys these tasks. Another item is that all of her tasks around the house have to be done at certain times like the podcast stated. I never paid much attention to this. The cooking and cleaning needs to be accomplished in a timely manor or we will not have diner or clean clothes to wear. Don’t take this the wrong way, I enjoy and do help with cooking but she is the main cook.
I, on the other hand take care of the more complex tasks around the house. I mow the grass, fix issues with the house and program the VCR. I also tinker with fixing the cars to save money. I also work a second job to try to help support us in buying those extra little items that we want but not necessarily need. By working two jobs and actively taking college courses, it is hard for me to assume the responsibilities that require timely action like laundry and cooking every meal.
With all this said, I am hoping I can divide the labor up between my children when they are old enough so that they can learn the responsibilities of being a part of a family and honestly a team. With their help, willing I hope, the tasks will be done quicker and we will hopefully have more time for the fun things in life like camping and fishing. Both my daughter and my son will help in all arenas of house work so that each of them will see what it takes to keep a house up an running.
I, on the other hand take care of the more complex tasks around the house. I mow the grass, fix issues with the house and program the VCR. I also tinker with fixing the cars to save money. I also work a second job to try to help support us in buying those extra little items that we want but not necessarily need. By working two jobs and actively taking college courses, it is hard for me to assume the responsibilities that require timely action like laundry and cooking every meal.
With all this said, I am hoping I can divide the labor up between my children when they are old enough so that they can learn the responsibilities of being a part of a family and honestly a team. With their help, willing I hope, the tasks will be done quicker and we will hopefully have more time for the fun things in life like camping and fishing. Both my daughter and my son will help in all arenas of house work so that each of them will see what it takes to keep a house up an running.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Week 11 blog
I believe that society and the world is secularizing. This is evident in every day life. Let’s take a look at the Christian faith since this is the one that I know the best. There are a lot of aspects of the faith that are being waived or modified so that it does not offend people living in today’s social norms. When I say this I do not want to offend anyone, but if you believe in what the bible says and teaches then it needs to be followed. I hear so often that if the bible was written today it would allow for premarital relationships because this is what the times are saying.. I would have to strongly disagree. I believe that the reason they are saying this is because this is how these people are living their lives and don’t want to feel guilty about their actions. People are manipulating religions, any religion, so that they don’t have to feel bad about their actions or to try to ensure they have support for their agenda.
Lets look at the social aspect of church. When I was growing up there was a lot of help from everyone in the congregation. This ranged from child care, teaching classes and participating in choir and other activities that were sponsored by the church. I have noticed a steep decline in participation in activities at church. They are constantly asking for help in the nursery and teaching our children. It is the same people that are constantly volunteering for these tasks and are getting burnt out on them. It is almost like people think that there is nothing in it for them so why should they volunteer their time. This is a direct reflection on the morals and values of today’s society.
I have noticed that the congregation swells enormously for those who practice symbolic religion. During the major holidays Christmas and Easter, there are people that I have never seen before. It is like they know the importance of these days and know that they should be in church.
Earlier chapters talked about racism and prejudice against others of opposite races and ethnic backgrounds. Why is it that we forbid Christian students from praying at the flag pole before school or even before they eat. But when students who are Muslim want to pray they are allowed to. This does not seem right to me. This country was founded on the principle of freedom of religion and this should be the case no matter what your religious background. Sociologically speaking I think it is interesting to see how people respond to certain religious ideas and privileges, but as an American I find that it is very scary to think about where we will be in the next 10 - 20 years concerning our freedoms.
Lets look at the social aspect of church. When I was growing up there was a lot of help from everyone in the congregation. This ranged from child care, teaching classes and participating in choir and other activities that were sponsored by the church. I have noticed a steep decline in participation in activities at church. They are constantly asking for help in the nursery and teaching our children. It is the same people that are constantly volunteering for these tasks and are getting burnt out on them. It is almost like people think that there is nothing in it for them so why should they volunteer their time. This is a direct reflection on the morals and values of today’s society.
I have noticed that the congregation swells enormously for those who practice symbolic religion. During the major holidays Christmas and Easter, there are people that I have never seen before. It is like they know the importance of these days and know that they should be in church.
Earlier chapters talked about racism and prejudice against others of opposite races and ethnic backgrounds. Why is it that we forbid Christian students from praying at the flag pole before school or even before they eat. But when students who are Muslim want to pray they are allowed to. This does not seem right to me. This country was founded on the principle of freedom of religion and this should be the case no matter what your religious background. Sociologically speaking I think it is interesting to see how people respond to certain religious ideas and privileges, but as an American I find that it is very scary to think about where we will be in the next 10 - 20 years concerning our freedoms.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Modern Milgram Experiment
I saw this the other day at work and realized that it is the same type of experiment that Milgram did at Yale University in the 60's. This one was conducted in France under the cover of a game show. It shows that people really have not changed at all from their old tendencies. It also shows that we will do anything to be on tv and to make money.
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6312067n
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6312067n
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