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Kay Bradley

The Computer Curtis Built: Where Did All The Components Come From? on Vimeo - 6 views

shared by Kay Bradley on 03 Dec 10 - No Cached
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    The question I would have liked to look into is how the process my computer went through differs from the process a computer from apple or dell goes through
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    It is interesting to get a look at the origins of the components inside our computers. Often, we view the machine collectively, seeing that it was assembled in China. But our PCs are far more global indeed.
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    The audio and embedded videos on the vimeo site didn't work for me with the exception of the first slide. But just looking at the pictures, it was shocking to me that the parts were assembled by hand; I would have imagined that manufacturing is more automated by machines. In addition, does the metals for each part come from the same place? It would be interesting to see how many more countries are affected (note: I didn't see the audio, so these questions may already have been answered).
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    Similarly, I didn't get any of the audio or videos, but I wonder how economically feasible it is to recycle the parts, since they are complex amalgamations of different metals and plastics. And even if it's good for the planet, what are the labor conditions of the people who do the recycling?
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    Unfortunately the clip doesn't work for me as well (it kind of just stops at 40 seconds). I glanced at some of the images, though, and saw that there is a video about E-waste. I've seen billboards for E-waste drop-offs at local schools and such, but I'm curious about how this industry works, and which E-waste companies are better than others. How much does it cost to ensure that your computer is properly discarded of?
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    I also had problems with the video. But having looked at the recycling of a car for my own project, I wonder how much the process has in common with that of a computer - Does recycling a computer take a lot of money? Does it create even more pollution in the process?
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    Same, with others: video isn't working...
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    There are so many parts to a computer. Then the video stopped.
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    The video doesn't work for me either, but I would be very interested in finding out how the parts could be recycled. It is also amazing that Curtis built his own computer, I think that it would be cool to learn where all the parts came from and just how much goes into building the computer.
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    I had no audio as well. However, going along with what Arshia was saying, i also had the question about what are the working conditions for the people who are doing any recycling that is taking place. I know that we watched the video about our local recycling plant and the conditions seemed ok but would it be similar abroad?
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    As Harrison said, I'm surprised that circuit boards and such are made by hand. I always assumed they were produced by machines. Maybe it's on a size scale where human work is better quality? For really tiny things, machines are of course much more accurate, and for big things it's more efficient to use machines. But on this scale, it's feasible for people to do it, and humans can perhaps do it better than machines can(?), since we can adjust things properly and take things case-by-case. Or maybe it's just cheaper.
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    Unfortunately it stops working for me after the first 40 seconds as well (I think that this is the end of the first slide). Like Greg, though, I am interested in the specifics of recycling computer parts and how exactly this takes place.
Kay Bradley

The Challenges of A Transnational Organization - 3 views

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    An interesting perspective on what transnational means from the IEEE, world's oldest association of electrical engineers!
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    I really appreciate the IEEE's philosophy and I think this is the proper outlook that our military should follow in Pakistan- not taking matters into our own hands so actively and instead conforming to the Pakistani's laws.
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    I think it is interesting how many difficult questions must be asked when trying to understand how a transnational organization should act ethically. A transnational organization has to pay close attention to all of the different countries that it works with and understand all of the customs and laws. When trying to work with 100+ countries this is a difficult task. If you think about all of the trouble domestic companies have with laws, permits, etc., I can only imagine how much work it would take to run a transnational organization.
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    I think that the writer touches on the theory of transnational organizations perfectly - that its members should adhere to the transnational vision but remain sensitive to nations' interests and needs. But this is, after all, a theory. I'm doubtful as to whether transnational organizations will ever operate as they are supposed to. Many claim to work ethically with transnational organizations, but the reality is that everyone has egos and political agendas.
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    This article intelligently reveals the difficulties of bridging many different countries, which vary politically and culturally, under one goal or line of thought. The specific laws within each country (and each region of each country) must hinder uniform implementation to a notable extent, but I admire the organization's dedication to its vision. However, I wonder if, with the various global regions and political orientations into which the IEEE is divided, interpretations, and not just implementations, of the organization's vision may be different. With that in mind, can implementations change not only according to local laws, but also according to personal biases?
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    I found the part about regulations in certain countries especially interesting. It seems ridiculous that a country would ban the import a technical journal. The fact that the author never gives specifics about which country he is referring to further backs his points about what it means to maintain a transnational organization. And while I'm sure that the IEEE is committed to its goal, I am not sure how committed its members might be and if they might bring about international disputes despite the IEEE's best efforts.
Kay Bradley

The Story of Catherine's iPod on Vimeo - 3 views

shared by Kay Bradley on 03 Dec 10 - No Cached
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    "The Story of Catherine's iPod"
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    I had heard about the conditions at foxconn, but I was surprised about how bad conditions are for the extraction of raw materials like tungsten.
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    I would say that I was equally shocked to learn that the conditions for workers mining the metals put into the our Ipods; as I discovered while researching about flags, the products that have become quintessential parts of our consumer society harm those in other, less powerful countries.
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    I was very surprised to find out about the rape attacks that are happening in congo in connection to the mines. The fact that our materials are coming from the places, I feel that in some way we are supporting these actions. These conditions are terrible and something needs to be done to improve them, but I don't see anyone working on this.
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    I had no idea that the minerals needed for Ipods were mined in the Congo, and I was appalled at the militarization of the area. This just shows how sensitive the corporations are about protecting their businesses. This ties in to the fact that the corporations make it impossible to accurately trace the materials to its exact source in the Congo. I am also wondering if mining has negative health impacts on the workers and to the manufacturers in China.
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    In response to Catherine's essential question, often we feel powerless to stop such things. A few people boycotting Apple products isn't going to change anything. Education, really, is the best way to combat the terrible effects our consumer economy has on the world. If enough people are made aware of the conditions and care enough to give a voice to those workers in China and the Congo, then only will change occur.
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    What really struck me after watching Catherine's video was the inescapability of these problems. I may not need an Ipod, but to get by in school I certainly need to use a computer. And even if this computer isn't made by Apple, the same problems still apply. I agree with Arshia that education is the best way to try to eliminate terrbile practices such as those that happen in the "rape capitol." Many people at the diversity conference I just attented agreed that education was the best way to solve those problems as well.
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    I had absolutely no idea conditions for the "3 t's" mining was so awful and that the congo was such a hostile environment for women. This part of the video really puts an emphasis on how different our worlds are. I really like Arshia's point- I definitely agree- education is the key.
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    It was disturbing to learn that all the mines in Congo are militarized. Also, the crazy stickness of the factory in China struck me as disturbing.
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    I, too, agree with Arshia on using education to help solve this problem and one's similar. Reading all the comments to this video, it's obvious that most of us had no idea of the brutal rape in the congo-- most of us probably also didn't know the details of China's brutal labor conditions before taking this class. It's scary to think that people are so obsessed about getting the newest gadget, but generally don't know about all the horrible practices that go into making it.
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    I was pretty shocked to hear about the origins of what you called the "Three T's." Like you, until you read the article in the Huffington post, i had no idea about where the IPod came from (i just assumbed "assembeled in china") but really, also like the Prius, much more of the world is involved. Great Video!
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    The disconnect here is so weird. It begins with people digging in the mountainside with sticks, and ends with a tiny, sleek, lightweight computer that makes images flick past at the swipe of your finger and makes music. It's like magic, except instead of the instead of using "toe of newt and eye of frog" the world is making these products by allowing people to be greatly mistreated. Beyond educating people, as Arshia and Alison said, it seems we must either: find other materials to make electronics out of (although that doesn't strike me as very likely?) or pressure companies (who have the money and the leverage) to enforce better regulation. To follow up on Catherine's video, I put three t's into google and got an article about an investigation into the mining in the Congo (maybe Catherine has already seen this): http://africarising2010.blogspot.com/2009/11/tracing-3-ts-from-congo.html. It says: "Even though they found that it is relatively easy to determine the source of minerals based on different coloration and texture based on the source mine, there is insufficient regulation to make this work....Export companies are required to register with the government, but their method of determining the source of minerals they buy is to merely ask the seller whether their goods are from conflict mines. There is no system of confirming what the seller says."
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    This presentation kept shocking me. I was surprised to hear that basic parts of the iPod (the Three Ts) originate in the Congo rather than China. I was then shocked (and horrified) by the rape statistics. I had heard the statistics before, but not in relation to the acquisition of the Three Ts and production of products that we use. The story about the woman whose brother was ordered to rape her and then stabbed to death when he refused was particularly awful. I was also In summary, I was appalled at all the crimes that took place in the Congo- before the Three Ts even got to the factories in China that Catherine talked about. When Catherine started talking about the factories in China, I was again shocked at the working conditions- 100 workers sleeping to a room and clothes locked in a bucket with no visitors allowed (to protect the secrecy of Apple's product plans) while workers worked 15 hour days. The suicide reports from the FoxCon (spelling) factories were also shocking, as was the revelation that workers make just half of what they did in the 1800s. It was sad that the factory earns only $4 per iPod sold- while Apple earns $80. This presentation was very thought provoking- I had never assumed that Apple would be one of the "bad" companies with very questionable labor and humanitarian practices (a la Wal-Mart). Thanks for bringing it up, Catherine. I'm now thinking about it in a whole new light.
Kay Bradley

About Us - CANVAS - 0 views

  • Headquartered in Belgrade, CANVAS is run by Slobodan Djinovic and Srdja Popovic. It operates a network of international trainers and consultants with experience of successful democratic movements. CANVAS is a non-profit institution which relies solely on private funding; there is no charge for workshops and revolutionary know-how can be downloaded for free on the Internet. CANVAS was founded in 2003 by Srdja Popovic and Slobodan Dinovic as an organization that advocates for the use of nonviolent resistance to promote human rights and democracy. Since then, CANVAS has worked with pro-democracy activists from more than 50 countries, including Iran, Zimbabwe, Burma, Venezuela, Ukraine, Georgia, Palestine, Western Sahara, West Papua, Eritrea, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Tonga, Tunisia and Egypt. CANVAS works only in response to requests for assistance and offers free trainings to activists.
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    "The core of CANVAS's work is rather to spread the word of "people power" to the world than to achieve victories against one dictator or another. Our next big mission should obviously be to explain to the world what a powerful tool nonviolent struggle is when it comes to achieving freedom, democracy and human rights."
kylerussell

Enacting Cap-and-Trade Will Present Challenges Under China's System - 8 views

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    BEIJING - White House officials have lauded President Xi Jinping's anticipated promise of a national market for China in greenhouse gas quotas as a breakthrough in environmental cooperation and reform. But to work well, Mr. Xi's plan, expected to be announced in Washington on Friday, will demand big changes from a government accustomed to heavy-handed intervention and skewed statistics.
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    I liked this article for 2 reasons. 1) It would be environmentally beneficial for China to enact some type of cap and trade program because it is no secret that China is heavily polluted, which can be seen in the pictures. 2) It acknowledged the fact that even though a cap and trade system would not be economically beneficial for China, it would be the eco-friendly choice. "It can work perfectly if we have all the pieces of the puzzle ready, but if we don't have the rest of them, this one alone will not generate much benefit. There are also risks if we don't manage this well. The collapse of the carbon price may actually shut down the market." Even though the system is high risk, it is high reward with regards to the environment.
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    Cap and trade is a brilliant idea (I think). It creates scarcity (and rightfully so). I think it will be a driver for other countries to join the cap-and-trade revolution; as the article says, "The world's second-largest economy puts in place a price on carbon emissions, and this will be noted the world over." The only difficult part is with the measurement and verification aspect, of which Chinese businesses are known in particular in world markets to cut corners on occasion. As the world's largest polluter, and specifically the world's largest coal burner, China's continued free pollution policies do have global effects, and it is hard to force a nation to compensate for burdens bore by others.
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    I really like the cap and trade idea because it ensures that the every firm is paying the maximum amount each is willing to spend to pollute the air. Firms that don't value being able to pollute as much can sell their permits and use the money to become more environmentally friendly. The cap and trade method encourages technological change that reduces the harm from each unit of a firm's product. As the article says, "The intended result is a competitive market that induces companies to devise ways to reduce emissions." The cap and trade method will hopefully relieve China of some of its pollution.
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    The national environmental quota set by the cap and trade announced by President Xi shows that there is some possibility of environmental cooperation from China, one of the world's most heavy polluters. The article voices the well founded skepticism of critics, who doubt that this new system will work well when it hasn't exactly taken off among the nations of the European Union; however, China's state is very different from its western counterparts. Comparatively, it can exact more control over its countries' businesses and factories, so this system just may be successful.
Heather Anderson

Chevron Toxic Waste Pit in Ecuador: Designed to Pollute - 2 views

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    This is video evidence on the toxic pollution caused by Texaco, bought by Chevron, which now refuses to take responsibility to clean it up. A family friend used to be a geologist and work examining soil quality. The company she worked at got most of their business from (I think) Chevron. Chevron (or some other company) would finish with well sites and then neglect to clean them up/ make them safe. When environmental agencies requested that Chevron examine and clean up their left over sites, Chevron made our friend's company file a report saying that they were "monitoring" the site to see what happens. Basically, instead of working to help the environment, they were helping a big petroleum company squirm out of taking responsibility. She eventually quit her job because 1) it wasn't what she had hoped it would be, and 2) there was nothing to do all day, since one of their only jobs was to report that sites were being "monitored" and meanwhile do nothing. NOTE: take this story with a grain of salt, because I don't remember the conversation perfectly, nor do I know the details of her job, the company, the situation, etc... this is just my general recollection.
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    Wow. That's quite a story, Heather. Two years ago in Ethics we did a case study on this--a Head-Royce Alum who is a biologist and photographer participated in the making of a documentary about this story called "Crude."
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    Quite the video, too. It's sad how people get so upset over the BP oil spill, but when I bring up the chevron issue (and talk about what we studied toward the end of last year) to my friends, they typically have no idea this went on (and still is, since it seems the old sites are only being "monitored").
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    Yeah I sort of feel ignorant right now because i honestly had no idea that that was going on. I am shocked at how blatant that is. When i first saw the oil on the ground i was like wow that horrible but then i was even further horrified with i realized that it was so blatant they even put a pipe connecting it to the rest of the forest for drainage purposes. It is unbelievable what huge corporations do to the world and make a huge profit by polluting someone else's backyard. :( awesome video though Heather. Thank you for educating me
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    Last year Latino Club went to see "Crude" (Heather, I think you went too) and it only built off of what you see in this video here. The rivers that he was saying would get contaminated are used by different villages and many people developed cancer and other health problems from the oil in their water. It's appalling what Chevron did and, as you all said, how few people know about it.
Kay Bradley

Trade With China Essential Questions: Class List 11/2/10 - 0 views

1. Magnitude of trade: how has it changed over time? 2. Forecast? Will current trends continue? 3. Effects on small local business (define "small"; define "local.") 4. How critical is trade with Ch...

China Industrialized Democracies Less Developed World:

started by Kay Bradley on 02 Nov 10 no follow-up yet
Njeri Kamau-Devers

Wall Street Protesters Divided Over Occupy Movement's Demands - 2 views

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    This article is about how the protesters are experiencing a divide between those who want to work on consensus building versus those who would like to have majority "winner takes all" vote. The current issue is about how to vote for a massive public works program funded by ceasing America's overseas military operations.
lauran5556555

Group defends work in Haiti of 17 abducted missionaries - ABC News - 1 views

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    In total, 400 Mawozo, a Haitian gang, kidnapped twelve adults and five children. The U.S. is working to get them out, and U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the U.S. and other countries need to invest and aid Haiti in general.
anonymous

Finland Prime Minister's Aspirational Goal Of A Six-Hour, Four-Day Workweek: Will It Ev... - 3 views

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    Sanna Marin introduces a short more effective work week that could soon be implemented in Finland. Many are excited to see the outcomes, while others are hesitant. This new work schedule counteracts Henry Fords invention of the 9-5, allowing workers to focus on family and health, without worry of long hours.
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    An interesting thought that I just had regarding how this fits into globalization was the following: do you think reduced work in wealthy countries like Finland would create more earning potential in developing countries, thereby decreasing wealth inequality.
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    I think this article also shows the challenges of small businesses. As a culture, we want companies to take care of their employees, to care about standards, but these facets aren't really viable unless you're a big company.
madeirat

Education in the Middle East and North Africa - 2 views

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    While more children are being schooled and the literacy rate is rising, MENA schools are not sufficiently preparing their students for work, especially considering the GDPs of these countries and the percent of these GDPs they are spending on education.
Stuart Suplick

Millions of Poor Are Left Uncovered by Health Law - NYTimes.com - 1 views

    • Stuart Suplick
       
      For some states, it appears the expansion of Medicaid would be more burdensome than beneficial, perhaps through increases in taxes
  • Poor people excluded from the Medicaid expansion will not be subject to fines for lacking coverage.
  • Mississippi has the largest percentage of poor and uninsured people in the country — 13 percent. Willie Charles Carter, an unemployed 53-year-old whose most recent job was as a maintenance worker at a public school, has had problems with his leg since surgery last year. His income is below Mississippi’s ceiling for Medicaid — which is about $3,000 a year — but he has no dependent children, so he does not qualify. And his income is too low to make him eligible for subsidies on the federal health exchange. “You got to be almost dead before you can get Medicaid in Mississippi,” he said.
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    • Stuart Suplick
       
      An example of how healthcare eligibility can be hard to come by in some states--for instance, Mr. Carter cannot qualify for Mississippi's Medicaid because he has no dependents, yet his income isn't high enough to qualify him for subsidies.
  • Dr. Aaron Shirley, a physician who has worked for better health care for blacks in Mississippi, said that the history of segregation and violence against blacks still informs the way people see one another, particularly in the South, making some whites reluctant to support programs that they believe benefit blacks. That is compounded by the country’s rapidly changing demographics, Dr. Geiger said, in which minorities will eventually become a majority, a pattern that has produced a profound cultural unease, particularly when it has collided with economic insecurity. Dr. Shirley said: “If you look at the history of Mississippi, politicians have used race to oppose minimum wage, Head Start, all these social programs. It’s a tactic that appeals to people who would rather suffer themselves than see a black person benefit.” Opponents of the expansion bristled at the suggestion that race had anything to do with their position. State Senator Giles Ward of Mississippi, a Republican, called the idea that race was a factor “preposterous,” and said that with the demographics of the South — large shares of poor people and, in particular, poor blacks — “you can argue pretty much any way you want.”
    • Stuart Suplick
       
      How does one determine the role race plays, consciously or subconsciously, in policy making?
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    https://diigo.com/016s4p I found it particularly shocking how over half the states have rejected the ACA, and so jeopardize the health of "68 percent of poor, uninsured blacks and single mothers. About 60 percent of the country's uninsured working poor are in those states". Many of the states are in the South, and while the states' congressmen insist their opposition is solely economic, and not racial, it raises some serious questions. Also in question is whether cases like Mr. Carter's are anomalies, or whether they will snowball into significant rallying-cries for these 26 states to accept Medicare expansion, or introduce policy to solve eligibility issues.
Kako Ito

Public insurance and the least well-off | Lane Kenworthy - 6 views

  • Public insurance also boosts the living standards of the poor. It increases their income, and it provides them with services for which they bear relatively little of the cost.
  • Critics charge that public social programs tend to hurt the poor in the long run by reducing employment and economic growth. Are they correct?
  • Does public insurance erode self-reliance? Is a large private safety net as helpful to the least well-off as a large public one? Are universal programs more effective than targeted ones? Are income transfers the key, or are services important too?
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  • Once again we see no indication that public insurance generosity has had a damaging effect
  • Note also that the employment rate increased in nearly all of the countries during this period. On average, it rose by nine percentage points between 1979 and 2013. That’s not what we would expect to see if generous public insurance programs were inducing large numbers of able adults to withdraw from the labor market
  • What we see in the chart is that countries with more generous public insurance programs tend to have less material deprivation.
  • With globalization, the advance of computers and robots, increased pressure from shareholders for short-run profit maximization, union weakening, and other shifts, wages have been under pressure. Couple this with the fact that many people at the low end of the income ladder have labor market disadvantages — disability, family constraint, geographic vulnerability to structural unemployment — and we have a recipe for stagnation in the market incomes of the poor.
  • here’s a good reason for these shifts: government provision offers economies of scale and scope, which reduces the cost of a good or service and thereby makes it available to many people who couldn’t or wouldn’t get it on their own.
  • Government provides more insurance now than it used to. All of us, not just some, are dependent on it. And life for almost everyone is better because of it
  • hese expenditures are encouraged by government tax advantages.22 But they do little to help people on the bottom of the ladder, who often work for employers that don’t provide retirement or health benefits.
  • To make them more affordable, the government claws back some of the benefit by taxing it as though it were regular income. All countries do this, including the United States, but the Nordic countries do it more extensively. Does that hurt their poor? Not much. The tax rates increase with household income, so much of the tax clawback hits middle- and upper-income households.
  • Another difference is that public services such as schooling, childcare, medical care, housing, and transportation are more plentiful and of better quality for the poor in the Nordic countries. Public services reduce deprivation and free up income to be spent on other needs. It’s difficult to measure the impact of services on living standards, but one indirect way is to look at indicators of material deprivation,
  • Targeted transfers are directed (sometimes disproportionately, sometimes exclusively) to those with low incomes and assets, whereas universal transfers are provided to most or all citizens.
  • Targeted programs are more efficient at reducing poverty; each dollar or euro or kroner transferred is more likely to go to the least well-off. Increased targeting therefore could be an effective way to maintain or enhance public insurance in the face of diminished resources.
  • “the more we target benefits to the poor … the less likely we are to reduce poverty and inequality.”
  • Korpi and Palme found that the pattern across eleven affluent nations supported the hypothesis that greater use of targeting in transfers yields less redistribution
  • The hypothesis that targeting in social policy reduces political support and thereby lessens redistributive effort is a sensible one. Yet the experience of the rich countries in recent decades suggests reason to question it. Targeting has drawbacks relative to universalism: more stigma for recipients, lower take-up rates, and possibly less social trust.44 But targeting is less expensive. As pressures to contain government expenditures mount, policy makers may therefore turn to greater use of targeting. That may not be a bad thing.
  • Public insurance programs boost the incomes of the least well-off and improve their material well-being. If such programs are too generous, this benefit could be offset by reduced employment or economic growth, but the comparative evidence suggests that the world’s rich nations haven’t reached or exceeded the tipping point.
  • Spending lots of money on social protection is not in and of itself helpful to the poor. Total social expenditures in the United States are greater than in Denmark and Sweden, because the US has a large private welfare state. But relatively little of America’s private social spending reaches the poor.
  • Public services are an important antipoverty tool. Their benefit doesn’t show up in income data, but they appear to play a key role in reducing material hardship. Services expand the sphere of consumption for which the cost is zero or minimal. And they help to boost the earnings and capabilities of the poor by enhancing human capital, assisting with job search and placement, and facilitating work-family balance.
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    Through this article I have gained a deeper insight in how public expenditures and public goods promote wealth equality in a society. "Public services are an important antipoverty tool."
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    This article really helped me deepen my understanding of redistributing wealth downwards. I never thought about it, but things like social security, affirmative action programs, and public education are actually insurances that attempt to provide everybody with more equality when it comes to living standards as well as basic human rights.
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    Yeah, it is a very common argument to say that social expenditures disincentives workers; interesting analysis on how wealthy countries haven't reached the "tipping point." I am curious to see what happens to labor force participation and employment in the next decades as robots further divorce economic growth from labor supply/demand.
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    Cool theory in regards to "the tipping point". Interesting, and solid criticism of large social expenditures. Wonder how socialists view this, as opposed to free-market economists.
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    "Public services are an important antipoverty tool. Their benefit doesn't show up in income data, but they appear to play a key role in reducing material hardship." INteresting to see the statistics and how social expenditures help reduce poverty and the wealth gap.
Kay Bradley

YouTube - Crisis of Capitalism, The Critique - 0 views

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    Posted as a Critique to the David Harvey Piece--the author is anonymous (why?); identifies himself as "How the World Works"; in videos where he is talking, he looks like a college-age person.
Kay Bradley

The Story of American Flags: Made in China! on Vimeo - 3 views

shared by Kay Bradley on 03 Dec 10 - No Cached
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    I think its interesting that piracy is increasing throughout the world. Personally, I feel that its good that other countries are working to counter this threat.
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    It's funny that an organization (The Association of American Flag Manufacturers) had to be created because of the threat of Chinese manufacturers. I can't believe the irony - what our flag is supposed to represent, and the reality of how and where it is created.
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    I completely agree with Catherine on the irony of the Association of American Flag Manufacturers and of the contrast between the symbolism of our flag and the reality of its source. America, which proclaims itself to be the bellwether in freedom and democracy, is responsible for the suffering of workers internationally and domestically, even to the point of the country's icon, the flag. We boast thousands of these in parades and protests, like the many that I've seen in the news over the past few years, particularly those demanding better working conditions and benefits. And yet, the very purchase of these flags is counterproductive to their goals, as it funds this market that has contributed to their suffering.
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    I don't even understand how we came to the point where our patriotic symbol (the flag) has to be made in China. I agree that it is much cheaper mainly because of the cheap labor, but this is absurd. American's aren't even making the American flag. I had the same thought as the quote at the beginning of the video, "Thank heavens Betsey Ross isn't here to see [this]."
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    The US flag is certainly a symbol of what America has come to represent - a consumerist, exploitative world power - far from its ideals of equality and justice. And the worst part, as Harrison said, is the ignorant hypocrisy with which we proudly wave our flags.
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    One thing that I found myself wondering as I was watching the video was how the workers in China feel about producing the US flags. Do they not care and just feel releived to have a job? Or does it feel odd to them making an American flag, expecially if they have harsh feeling towards the US? I also found it intersting that the demand for flags increased so much after 9/11, really showing the effect that this event had on the American psyche. Again the irony that the other people commented about comes into play. The people who bought these flags were trying to show their patriotism and support for American, when the flags really represent our dependence on China and go to support Chinese factories.
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    Impressively thorough, Matthew. Two parts stood out for me: the Chinese military involvement and your point that our flags indirectly harm the welfare of people in other countries, particularly China. Well done
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    This video was ridiculously long & in depth. I love the juxtaposition of the idea of the american flag & all that it stands for and the fact that the flag is really made in China.
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    When I was watching the video, I had to wonder: are there any flags made in the USA? There was a quote somewhere in the video saying that there are, but they're of poorer quality. I would think, though, that the vast market of flags made in China would make any american made flag companies go out of business. I also wondered if most countries have their flags made in China, or if there are some that produce their own.
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    I had the same sentiments as Amara. When we were watching China Blue and the chinese workers were making Jeans which they knew were presumably heading for the United States I wondered how they must feel that they are slaving over something for another country. Then, this movie (which was very well done) shows that American Flags are made in China and i was trying to put myself in the shoes of a chinese factory worker slaving over constructing an American Flag. I am curious as to what they think about making them. Very good job at bringing out the irony in the situation too Matthew
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    I found it interesting that American-made American flags are lower quality than those made in China. It struck me as very similar to the situation faced by the speaker who came to talk to us about her bag business: how she had to outsource because she couldn't find a quality producer in the U.S. Something that bothered me is that many of the flags are synthetic; if the government is going to hand our hundreds of free flags that might just get thrown away, it seems as though it would be better to at least make them out of renewable materials like wood and cotton. However, I suppose that may be more expensive... Also, I visited the Jinteng factory website because I was curious if they specialized in a certain type of flag or not. It turns out that they make all different types of flags depending on the order, just as the jeans we saw in China Blue varied order by order. I suspect that although some workers feel frustrated making other countries' flags, their catalog indicates that they make flags for many countries, not just one, so any anger would perhaps be less likely to be directed toward a specific country due to constantly producing their flag.
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    I thought that it is sad (and ironic) that, as Matthew said, our symbols of freedom and patriotism are being paid for with people's rights (in China). I had never considered how 9/11 would have caused a drastic increase in demand for American flags, and though it shouldn't have, it surprised me that the low price of American flags from retailers such as Wal-Mart does not cover the production costs of the flags. Like Larkin, I found the juxtaposition of the symbols of the flag and where it is actually made notable. I also had the same question as Alison about whether any flags are actually made in the United States. I thought that Matthew did a nice job pointing out the odd juxtaposition and talking about the production cycle of the flag.
Saya McKenna

Gale Power Search - Document - 1 views

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    Bullet services to 'stay slow' during checks-investigation of "I've also learned from the investigation of the (Wenzhou) accident that many workers were actually working 24-7 (to meet deadlines), and multitasking can cause a series of problems," he said.
Njeri Kamau-Devers

Occupy Wall Street Planning a National Convention, Releases Potential Demands - 0 views

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    I never really knew much about occupy Wall Street, but it's really cool. It's like the "American Spring" or another American Revolution. The protesters seem to have a clear cut plan too. This articles discusses how the new "Demands Working Group" has drafted their own constitution which they've posted online. It demands that there be effort to create more jobs and that politicians be publicly supported in their campaigns rather than receiving money from private businesses. The movement of the "99%" seems strong and it is about time!
big_red

The Swiss Difference: A Gun Culture That Works - 0 views

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    An article analyzing Swiss gun culture. At first, it seems similar to the US gun culture because Swiss citizens are allowed to own select fire rifles and keep them in their homes. However, their rifle is for their country, not for themselves. The types of guns you can own isn't very restricted, but you are not allowed to have them in a vehicle unless youre going to a shooting range, and concealed carry is illegal. The Swiss own guns to quickly fight off an invading foreign army. Many Us citizens own guns to, in their mind, "keep the government in check".
smowat

U.N. poised to act on North Korea after nuclear test - CNN.com - 0 views

shared by smowat on 08 Jan 16 - No Cached
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    "(CNN)The U.N. Security Council is set to implement "significant" punitive measures after North Korea's nuclear test and will begin working on a new resolution "immediately," a statement released by Security Council President Elbio Rosselli says. "
smowat

North Korea nuclear test: What will China do? - CNN.com - 0 views

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    "Hong Kong (CNN)As world powers work to verify North Korea's claims that it has tested a hydrogen bomb, others are asking what the country's only real ally -- China -- will do. "
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