So the last few years I've stopped shopping at Wal-Mart (and Sam's Club, although I've never really been there in the last fifteen years) and sometimes I feel bad for fighting this corporation when really the only people I am hurting by not shopping there are the low-paid low-level workers. Well, not entirely I suppose, but I certainly am not putting a dent in the Walton family fortune. Nevertheless, I recently read an article in Newsweek contesting that Sam Walton should have won the Nobel Peace Prize because he pays workers more than the average living wage in poor Latin American and Southeast Asian countries. On average, a Latin American worker earns about $12 a day working for Wal-Mart, where a farmer in that region survives off of $1-2 a day. Now, all things considered, it is great that Wal-Mart is employing these otherwise impoverished people. But what kind of message does this send to other corporations?
It says that we can pay workers outside the United States whatever we want, even if its more than the average current living wage, because it benefits Americans wallets because they aren't spending so much at the store. If Wal-Mart can churn out multi-billion dollar profits a year, they can afford to pay their factory workers in developing nations a comparable salary to American factory workers. This could even benefit Wal-Mart because they would likely recruit the cream of the crop from these respective nations because of the inevitable competition for such a high-paying job. And putting more money into their wallets would help their economy as well, and perhaps they themselves could build hospitals and schools, instead of relying on foreign philanthropy.
There is another thing unmentioned often in the Wal-Mart debate. Well, putting aside the fact that they outsource most of their products and thus labor, it pins the American manufacturers against them, and Wal-Mart is too strong and too vast for them to not succumb to Wal-Mart's low quality standard for their products. The other factor is the environment. Now, I will concede Wal-Mart is making strides (they say they will cater to whatever the current modern consumer wants, which is why they now carry free range eggs and almond milk) in that capacity, and are even investing in alternative fuel and energy sources. This isn't enough though. When most of your products are coming from China, that is a huge environmental risk traveling your products (of which there are literally hundreds of thousands) across the largest ocean on the planet. This puts an enormous stress on our planet, and this is not the best way to help out the common American consumer. I must say, I will continue my boycott of Wal-Mart until they start localizing their business more (they are starting to do this with local farmers) and start paying these off-seas workers a real wage.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Why is Germany so resistant to multiculturalism?
I've lived in Germany. Not for a very long time, but it was enough to immerse myself in their culture and at least begin to understand it. But I must say that the German Chancellor's recent statement that multiculturalism is essentially not working in Germany comes at no surprise. Talking to many young people there, the sentiment of Germans toward the Turks is akin to that of many Americans toward Latin Americans. Both minority groups play similar roles in each culture as well, taking up much of the labor force and both are the largest minority groups in each nation.
I find these comments, however expected, quite disturbing. There are many jobs in Germany that are currently vacant. And with a surging technological market, and the desire for tens of thousands of engineers, Germany should be opening their borders, not closing them off. Being part of the EU, thats not really an option to close the borders. But Germany has strict laws regarding citizenship that are similar to those in the United States. If Germans care at all about their reputation in the world, they must recognize that many people still think of Nazism when they think of Germany. While this is unfortunate, it is understandable. World War II made an enormous impact on the entire world, and we still hear about it today, 65 years after its end. So if they really care about how the world thinks about them, they must understand their distaste for immigration is going to be compared with their distaste for other cultures 70 years ago. They must embrace immigration, and start making their public education system more streamlined and accepting to immigrants rather than creating a process that shuns them. If we want to live in a world of tolerance, we must accept one another's cultures, and we must adapt and evolve beyond these arcane convictions.
I find these comments, however expected, quite disturbing. There are many jobs in Germany that are currently vacant. And with a surging technological market, and the desire for tens of thousands of engineers, Germany should be opening their borders, not closing them off. Being part of the EU, thats not really an option to close the borders. But Germany has strict laws regarding citizenship that are similar to those in the United States. If Germans care at all about their reputation in the world, they must recognize that many people still think of Nazism when they think of Germany. While this is unfortunate, it is understandable. World War II made an enormous impact on the entire world, and we still hear about it today, 65 years after its end. So if they really care about how the world thinks about them, they must understand their distaste for immigration is going to be compared with their distaste for other cultures 70 years ago. They must embrace immigration, and start making their public education system more streamlined and accepting to immigrants rather than creating a process that shuns them. If we want to live in a world of tolerance, we must accept one another's cultures, and we must adapt and evolve beyond these arcane convictions.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
My goals for this blog...
When I started this blog for my Secondary education class I thought it would just be a cool thing to try. I certainly hoped it could lead somewhere for me. I think, eventually, it could look good to create a portfolio to add into a resume if I ever want to pursue a job in the field of journalism or publication. I also wanted to learn how to write without worrying about what others think. I will leave it open to the public but I do not plan on posting the link anywhere public. If someone happens to stumble upon it, then so be it. I am not trying to make money off of this venture, or to get my name 'out there.' I am doing this for myself, sort of as a way to vent as well. There are many issues in this society and culture I am passionate about and its nice to get them off my chest in a way that is helpful and beneficial to my future career in the field of English education.
The works I have submitted and will continue to submit are mostly political. I really am concerned with many currents events issues and I try to focus on those. I tend to focus on issues that are covered by media outlets that I read daily, such as: The Atlantic Monthly Journal, The New York Times, The New Yorker, ESPN, Deadspin, CNN, The Socialist Worker, The New Republic, National Public Radio, The Economist, Digg, and the Missouri Review. I also take class discussions from my English and Education classes, especially those relevant to current events and pop culture. Local issues are important to me, obviously because Chicago is a large, influential metropolitan area. I wrote for my high school's newspaper in high school and also for the Independent my freshman year of college at Northeastern Illinois University. I really try to take a stance on every issue, and I obviously write with a bit of a tone of persuasion, because I truly think that my opinion on these matters is the right one, otherwise it wouldn't be my opinion, eh? I think eventually I will post my blog address in a public forum or on a social networking site, but I really want to polish my work and check for accuracy of all facts mentioned and make certain I cite any references, although most of what I have written so far is either general common knowledge or things I have learned in the past and have become engrained in me. I really think online media outlets are an easy and great way to learn about current events, but one must truly try to get both sides of every story before making any judgments or opinions, and this is what I certainly strive to achieve.
I also want to add, that although I am very opiniated, I like to keep an open mind about everything. I like to exercise pragmatic values and realpolitik, but sometimes I feel my moral values and judgment get in the way, necessarily, in my posts. Ideological notions are necessary sometimes as well, but certainly not always practical, and in this sense one must certainly exercise some realpolitik in their writing. A fine balance of all of these is the best, most efficient way of getting one's point across.
The works I have submitted and will continue to submit are mostly political. I really am concerned with many currents events issues and I try to focus on those. I tend to focus on issues that are covered by media outlets that I read daily, such as: The Atlantic Monthly Journal, The New York Times, The New Yorker, ESPN, Deadspin, CNN, The Socialist Worker, The New Republic, National Public Radio, The Economist, Digg, and the Missouri Review. I also take class discussions from my English and Education classes, especially those relevant to current events and pop culture. Local issues are important to me, obviously because Chicago is a large, influential metropolitan area. I wrote for my high school's newspaper in high school and also for the Independent my freshman year of college at Northeastern Illinois University. I really try to take a stance on every issue, and I obviously write with a bit of a tone of persuasion, because I truly think that my opinion on these matters is the right one, otherwise it wouldn't be my opinion, eh? I think eventually I will post my blog address in a public forum or on a social networking site, but I really want to polish my work and check for accuracy of all facts mentioned and make certain I cite any references, although most of what I have written so far is either general common knowledge or things I have learned in the past and have become engrained in me. I really think online media outlets are an easy and great way to learn about current events, but one must truly try to get both sides of every story before making any judgments or opinions, and this is what I certainly strive to achieve.
I also want to add, that although I am very opiniated, I like to keep an open mind about everything. I like to exercise pragmatic values and realpolitik, but sometimes I feel my moral values and judgment get in the way, necessarily, in my posts. Ideological notions are necessary sometimes as well, but certainly not always practical, and in this sense one must certainly exercise some realpolitik in their writing. A fine balance of all of these is the best, most efficient way of getting one's point across.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Lake Shore Drive or Lake Shore...?
Chicago is a very lucky city. With 33 beaches and an 18-mile paved bike trail, an ample parking at most beaches, Chicago's citizens really get the full opportunity to enjoy the summer at the lake. And for out-of-towners, its easy to get to most of these beaches via Lake Shore Drive. But every year in Spring, there is a bike ride held, Bike The Ride. The main mission of these ride-goers is to turn Lake Shore Drive back into a place where kids can play, families can barbeque, and cyclists and roller-bladers can cruise without the worry of getting hit by a car or running into slow-joggers on the crowded lakefront bike-paths.
Now, I ride my bicycle probably a bit more than the common citizen of Chicago, and I also have a car to get around with as well. I can see both sides of the issue. Lake Shore Drive truly can be an eyesore, and it covers a stretch of real estate that probably could equate to billions upon billions of revenue for the City of Chicago if they were to depave the Drive and sell off parts of it to investors or realtors. This is what I foresee happening if they were to ever (which I don't feel they would even consider) depave the Drive. It wouldn't equate to more beaches, trails, and playgrounds, at least not entirely. Furthermore, if Lake Shore Drive were to be depaved, those that live off of Marine Drive adjacent to Lake Shore Drive would be stuck with an immense amount of traffic that Los Angelens would be afraid of. So much traffic is saved from local streets, especially in Chicago's Loop, by Lake Shore Drive. It serves as a bypass to all of the car traffic that goes on east of the Drive. I agree that it really is not the best location for a bypass 'highway,' given its proximity to one of the most beautiful lakes in the midwest, but for all practicality sense (and economic sense), tearing down the Drive would be an awful idea. There are ample bike-paths along the lake, and tons of parking and green space as it is. In an ideal world, no one would be driving and traffic would never be an issue. But we must face the facts and accept that this would not change under any circumstances. We have to keep the Drive to keep our sanity.
Now, I ride my bicycle probably a bit more than the common citizen of Chicago, and I also have a car to get around with as well. I can see both sides of the issue. Lake Shore Drive truly can be an eyesore, and it covers a stretch of real estate that probably could equate to billions upon billions of revenue for the City of Chicago if they were to depave the Drive and sell off parts of it to investors or realtors. This is what I foresee happening if they were to ever (which I don't feel they would even consider) depave the Drive. It wouldn't equate to more beaches, trails, and playgrounds, at least not entirely. Furthermore, if Lake Shore Drive were to be depaved, those that live off of Marine Drive adjacent to Lake Shore Drive would be stuck with an immense amount of traffic that Los Angelens would be afraid of. So much traffic is saved from local streets, especially in Chicago's Loop, by Lake Shore Drive. It serves as a bypass to all of the car traffic that goes on east of the Drive. I agree that it really is not the best location for a bypass 'highway,' given its proximity to one of the most beautiful lakes in the midwest, but for all practicality sense (and economic sense), tearing down the Drive would be an awful idea. There are ample bike-paths along the lake, and tons of parking and green space as it is. In an ideal world, no one would be driving and traffic would never be an issue. But we must face the facts and accept that this would not change under any circumstances. We have to keep the Drive to keep our sanity.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Educator Tenure
Teaching unions are very strong in the United States. A recent New York Times article stated that nearly one in a hundred doctors and lawyers lose their license. Educators, however, lose their certification at a rate just a bit higher. One in 2,500 teachers suffers these consequences. Teachers, arguably just as important as a doctor in the development of a child's life, are rarely fired because of the lack of ability to produce results or for failing to accomplish goals. Why are doctors and lawyers, who grow through a seemingly infinite amount of education, subject to tougher standards than educators, the foundation of our school system in this nation? Rhetorically I ask this, although unions are the answer.
I don't have a problem with unions. There are a lot of shady business dealers out there (see: Enron, Worldcom, Citigroup) and unions help to protect workers' jobs. They generally do a great service to employees in their field. Unfortunately, the teacher's union is very strong, and it leads to unsatisfactory performance by some members. Obviously the public education sector in the United States is not doing too great. Our children do not rank in the best of any content area of developed nations in this world. This is abhorrent in a country that should be leading the revolution, and one that spurned the industrial and technological revolutions.
Teachers definitely have a tough job, and sometimes they just have bad students. Its hard to argue that even a great teacher can get through to the worst student. This just isn't pragmatic. But, this is often not the case. After three years a teacher is granted tenure generally and their job is theirs to really screw up and lose. Tenure should be merit-based. A teacher's performance, not their seniority, should reflet their pay scale. We cannot continue to pay and keep teachers who are simply not doing a good job. In New York City alone, teachers who underperform or are under a subpoena, cost the city $65 million a year to pay these teachers not to teach essentially. We need to develop a method of evaluating and observing teachers, and by the rate at which their students succeed. This is what pay should be based off of, inherently this is the smartest and most ethical (to our students, society, and fellow educators) procedure for which to pay educators.
I don't have a problem with unions. There are a lot of shady business dealers out there (see: Enron, Worldcom, Citigroup) and unions help to protect workers' jobs. They generally do a great service to employees in their field. Unfortunately, the teacher's union is very strong, and it leads to unsatisfactory performance by some members. Obviously the public education sector in the United States is not doing too great. Our children do not rank in the best of any content area of developed nations in this world. This is abhorrent in a country that should be leading the revolution, and one that spurned the industrial and technological revolutions.
Teachers definitely have a tough job, and sometimes they just have bad students. Its hard to argue that even a great teacher can get through to the worst student. This just isn't pragmatic. But, this is often not the case. After three years a teacher is granted tenure generally and their job is theirs to really screw up and lose. Tenure should be merit-based. A teacher's performance, not their seniority, should reflet their pay scale. We cannot continue to pay and keep teachers who are simply not doing a good job. In New York City alone, teachers who underperform or are under a subpoena, cost the city $65 million a year to pay these teachers not to teach essentially. We need to develop a method of evaluating and observing teachers, and by the rate at which their students succeed. This is what pay should be based off of, inherently this is the smartest and most ethical (to our students, society, and fellow educators) procedure for which to pay educators.
Monday, October 4, 2010
The George Washington Bridge Jumper and why jail might be a deterrent...
Recently, a freshman at Rutgers University jumped off the George Washington Bridge in the DC Metro area, likely because his dorm-mate streamed a livecast of him having intercourse with another man. Obviously, this is deplorable and completely unacceptable. Authorities are still trying to determine whether or not to charge the man who filmed it. Apparently, a lot of this guy's friends are saying he wasn't a bad guy and was just trying to be funny and it was not a homophobic gesture at all. Now, I am certainly inclined to agree this wasn't an act of hate, or homophobia, but rather just an eighteen year old boy just having a laugh. Ostensibly, the outcome is truly saddening. The kid who filmed it will likely have this guilt in his conscience for the rest of his life, and thats something that will certainly not be easy to deal with, and its certainly a fit punishment for the 'crime,' right?
Well. I often think jail is an unsuitable option for crimes, especially things like minor possession of a drug. I think rehabilitation and educational classes are great alternatives that often work instead of a penitentiary. I really think jails should be reserved for criminals. But...jails truly are a deterrent. Many people certainly would commit more crimes if they knew beforehand that the only repercussion would be a class or a rehab clinic. There are very sadistic people out there who would film their friends sexual exploits without him knowing, and some people truly wouldn't care about the outcome, even death, especially those who may be homophobic. Its unfortunate, but definitely true. Therefore, I really, unfortunately, think that this kid needs to go to jail, if only because it will deter any other eighteen-year-old copycats out there from doing this again, if the only alternative would be not going to jail and living with the guilt. Sure counselors and therapy would be suitable, but I do not think they serve as a deterrent to heinous criminals, of which there are many out there. I think it sucks, to be fair, but it is a necessary evil to send people to prison, as they did commit the crime, especially when it tells others out there that this in unacceptable.
Well. I often think jail is an unsuitable option for crimes, especially things like minor possession of a drug. I think rehabilitation and educational classes are great alternatives that often work instead of a penitentiary. I really think jails should be reserved for criminals. But...jails truly are a deterrent. Many people certainly would commit more crimes if they knew beforehand that the only repercussion would be a class or a rehab clinic. There are very sadistic people out there who would film their friends sexual exploits without him knowing, and some people truly wouldn't care about the outcome, even death, especially those who may be homophobic. Its unfortunate, but definitely true. Therefore, I really, unfortunately, think that this kid needs to go to jail, if only because it will deter any other eighteen-year-old copycats out there from doing this again, if the only alternative would be not going to jail and living with the guilt. Sure counselors and therapy would be suitable, but I do not think they serve as a deterrent to heinous criminals, of which there are many out there. I think it sucks, to be fair, but it is a necessary evil to send people to prison, as they did commit the crime, especially when it tells others out there that this in unacceptable.
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