Thursday, October 31, 2019

ECON337 4 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

ECON337 4 - Coursework Example These especially were; iron and steel, ships, chemicals and petroleum products. The growth of heavy manufacturing industries in Japan after World War II can mainly be to increased exports and wages of male workers(Paul & Hart., pp.110-111). The export of heavy-manufactured products increased as compared to the earlier over-reliance on domestic markets. The increased male wage and improved working conditions improved their purchasing power for the heavy manufactured goods like automobiles and advanced electronic products increasing the local market. In addition, the ability of Japan to keep real wage increases below productivity gains ensured that the heavy manufacturing industries would still make profits despite the increased labor costs. This gave Japan an added advantage over most of its international counterparts leading to rapid growth and export success (Paul & Hart, p.112). The industries scrapped off during this period were mainly the light manufacturing sector. These are the production of cotton textiles, synthetic textiles and labor-intensive electronic production- including radio, TV’s, and Tape recorders. The reason for scrapping off such industries was mainly the rising cost of labor in the country and external pressure from its bilateral (US &European governments) and multilateral trade partners (IMF, OECD & GATT).Unlike the heavy and chemical manufacturing industries that predominantly depended on male labor, the light manufacturing sector would accommodate both male and female employment. In this case, women, labor would be preferred since it would be cheap. Unfortunately, after WWII even women labor became expensive mostly due to the rapid growth of output as well as employment. As Japan increased its share of the worlds manufactured export market, other capitalists countries felt threatened and imposed import restrictions on Japan and demanded that it liberalizes its imports. This was mainly in

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Employment Discrimination based on Religion Research Paper

Employment Discrimination based on Religion - Research Paper Example Furthermore, in a workplace, several employees are often viewed to request for not to work on certain days due to religious holidays and also seek for a break for prayer. Hypothetically, diverse religious based activities might raise several arguments concerning the protection of rights of the employees in workplace. These activities can be regarded as major subjects of concern revealing that every citizen possesses the right of expressing their individual religious beliefs. Furthermore, the activities can also be duly considered as a debatable issue for organizations towards accommodating the right of individuals without compromising organizational objectives. The organizations must possess the responsibility to maintain proper balance with respect to employment rights, treatment of each employees and profitability (Evans, 2007). With this concern, this paper intends to analyze the issue concerning employment discrimination particularly based upon religion and providing effective solutions to address and mitigate this critical issue. Identification of the Problem of Religious Discrimination in Employment In general, discrimination denotes partial or detrimental treatment according to personal characteristic. There lays a greater need to understand the aspects of religion and belief for the purpose of identifying the problem associated with employment discrimination based on the aspect of religion. Precisely, religion is described as a belief and worship of a personal preference of god or an acknowledged system of conviction. On the other hand, the word belief is used for a system of moral belief which directs one’s life. Thus, based on these aspects, religious discrimination is often characterized by preconception, unfair conduct and harassment or any other form of violence based on individual religion or belief. Religious discrimination denotes a disadvantageous consideration or distinction of individuals according to religious affiliation, individual belief, faith oriented appearance or expected religiou s relationship. Unfair treatment and hostility based personal beliefs are quite common in organizations and they are often endangered by prejudgment, particularly towards certain religious sections (Evans, 2007). According to the observation made by European Network against Racism (2007), individuals are frequently subjected to discrimination on numerous bases. For instance, in the year 2007, the survey of Eurobarometer Report on Discrimination stated that about 44% of Europeans felt discrimination based on religion. The ‘third country nationals’ particularly the undocumented migrants, the Jewish and Muslim communities are especially susceptible towards religious discrimination. For these communities, religious individuality is usually observed as closely associated with racial identity (European Network against Racism, 2007). Religious discrimination in employment occurs when an organization treat employees less positively based on religion or certain belief. For insta nce, an organization can discharge an employee who belongs to Muslim religion. According to the report of The US Census Bureau, the percentage of the US population, comprising Asian origin has augmented extensively during the period 1990 to 2000. Immigration also augmented the diversity among black Americans as new immigrants appeared from Caribbean and Africa. The American organizations have also observed a corresponding increase in workforce diversity. In the year 1999, the number of immigrant employees in the US was about 15.7 million, representing 12% of the workforce. Moreover, during the period 1990 to 1998, about 12.7 million new employments were created in the US and among them about 5.1 million i.e. 38% were

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Theodore Levitts Theory of Globalization

Theodore Levitts Theory of Globalization To most of us, globalization—as a political, economic, social, and technological force—appears all but unstoppable. The ever-faster flow of information across the globe has made people aware of the tastes, preferences, and lifestyles of citizens in other countries. Through this information flow, we are all becoming—at varying speeds and at least in economic terms—global citizens. This convergence is controversial, even offensive, to some who consider globalization a threat to their identity and way of life. It is not surprising, therefore, that globalization has evoked counter forces aimed at preserving differences and deepening a sense of local identity. Yet, at the same time, we increasingly take advantage of what a global economy has to offer—we drive BMWs and Toyotas, work with an Apple or IBM notebook, communicate with a Nokia phone or BlackBerry, wear Zara clothes or Nike sneakers, drink Coca-Cola, eat McDonald’s hamburgers, entertain t he kids with a Sony PlayStation, and travel with designer luggage. This is equally true for the buying habits of businesses. The market boundaries for IBM global services, Hewlett-Packard computers, General Electric (GE) aircraft engines, or PricewaterhouseCoopers consulting are no longer defined in political or geographic terms. Rather, it is the intrinsic value of the products and services that defines their appeal. Like it or not, we are living in a global economy. Levitt’s argument was about new technology has â€Å"proletarianized† communication, transport, and travel, a new commercial reality-the emergence of global markets for standardized consumer products, Converging Consumption Pattern: Almost everyone, everywhere wants global products, wish of modernity, Prefer low prices to supposed national characteristics and the Earth is flat. He also argued about Global Corporation vs Multinational Corporation and further more over Multinational corporations knows a lot about great many countries and adapts to supposed differences. Now while doing the critical evaluation of his arguments, he proposed strategies that companies should move from multinational to global corporation because in his view the market for multinationals was sinking. He found much more scope when it comes to operate over the Global market. He also proposed that not to adapt the superficial differences but force suitably standardized products globally. Which mean s that the market for standardized products should be kept global. He urged over making the standardized products global in order to maintain their market worth and image. Another concept given by Levitt was about offering everyone simultaneously high-quality, more or less standardized products at optimally low prices. This idea was basically approved to satisfy the needs of everyone as the products will be available at optimal prices. People tend to prefer more standardized products so this was the best deal for them. He also wanted few standardized markets instead of many customized markets. Because of this the customization of products was ended and with formulation of few standardized markets the Global corporations maintained a better worth instead of going through the customized markets form. The most important strategy proposed by Levitt was, there is no other appeal like price. People like money, and they want to spread it over as many goods as they can. So if the prices of commodities will be available at low and it will be standardized as well then people will definitely prefer to spend money and the most motivational factor for people to buy something is its good quality on low prices. Levitt quoted about the concept of Standardization that â€Å"If a company forces costs and prices down and pushed quality and reliability up while maintaining reasonable concern for suitability –customers will prefer world standardized products†. This statement has got clear linkage with the above strategies evaluated by Levitt’s views. Now if we put a light over the marketing concepts he proposed, in his opinion the company should know more about what customers wants than the customer himself or herself knows, or at least more than the customer can articulate. The successful global corporation does not abjure customization or differentiation for the requirements of markets that differ in product preferences, spending patterns, shopping preferences and institutional or legal arrangement. But global corporations accepts and adjusts to these differences only reluctantly, only after relentlessly testing their immutability, after trying in various ways to circumvent and reshape them. Global strategy and organization has been strong in the last two decades. Numerous perspectives have been proposed to examine the issue, and so have numerous prescriptions for businesses facing global competition. On the one hand, these perspectives have enriched our understanding of the complexity of competing globally. On the other hand, the diversity of perspectives creates a great deal of ambiguity and confusion about how to compete worldwide, about the definition of a global strategy, about why a business chooses a global strategy, and about the implications of that choice. Without a unified framework to integrate these diverse perspectives, ambiguity and confusion are likely to persist, leading to contradicting theories and discouraging practical application of knowledge. Levitt (1983) argues forcefully that advances in communication and transportation technologies and increased worldwide travel have homogenized world markets. Increasingly, consumers in different parts of the world tend to demand the same products and have the same preferences. In this new era, the strategic imperative for businesses competing globally is to achieve the economies of scale which the global market affords. Thus, multinational corporations which treat individual country markets separately are likely to disappear and be replaced by global corporations which sell standardized products the same way everywhere in the world. A major source of competitive advantage has become the ability to produce high-quality products at lowest cost, since global consumers will sacrifice their idiosyncratic preferences for the high-quality but low-priced products. Instead of a single standardized product, they recommend a broad product portfolio, with many product varieties, so that investments on technologies and distribution channels can be shared. Cross subsidization across products and markets, and the development of a strong world-wide distribution system, are the two moves that find the pride of place in these authors views on how to succeed in the game of global chess. When the global producer offers his lower costs internationally, his patronage expands exponentially. He not only reaches into distant markets, but also attracts customers who previously held to local preferences and now capitulate to the attractions of lower prices. The strategy of standardization not only responds to worldwide homogenized markets but also expands those markets with aggressive low pricing. According to Levitt (1983), the optimum global strategy is to produce a single standardized product and sell it through a standardized marketing program. The essays argument is that the emergence of global markets for standardized consumer products† of a hitherto undreamed-of magnitude. The era of the â€Å"multinational corporation† was drawing to a close, Levitt asserted. The future belonged to the â€Å"global corporation.† The global corporation did not cater to local differences in taste. Those differences were being overwhelmed by the ability of the global corporation to market standardized products of high quality at a cost lower than that of competitors due to â€Å"enormous economies of scale in production, distribution, marketing, and management.† The global corporation was being called forth by a new era of â€Å"homogenized demand.† A few years ago, globalization was the new paradigm in international business, however from a branding pers pective it has lost its initial efficiency giving the fact that consumers do not seem to feel a connection anymore with the standardized products of global corporations, catered to them in mass marketing communication programs. With their centralized decision making, most companies simply stopped having a connection with the new global marketplace and neglected its emergence. There are arguments for and against the idea of the globalization of markets. On the one hand, people are gradually seeking high quality/low cost products due to the advancement of technology and communication (Levitt, 1983). Levitt both overestimated and underestimated globalization. He did not anticipate that some markets would react against globalization, especially against Western globalization. He also underestimated the power of globalization to transform entire nations to actually embrace elements of global capitalism, as is happening in the former Soviet Union, China, and other parts of the world. He was right, however, about the importance of branding and its role in forging the convergence of consumer preferences on a global scale. Think of Coca-Cola, Starbucks, McDonald’s, or Google. A global product is an important element of a global marketing strategy. A product can be defined as global if it can be marketed in different markets, with minimal or virtually no modification or adaptation. The focus of an enterprise is on serving global markets with global products. A global product does not have to sell in every market. For some types of products, the U.S., Japan, and Europe can represen t 70% (or even 90%) of the world market demand. And within this increasingly homogeneous triad, many manufacturers can benefit from universal product designs. A global product brings benefits to the producer and the consumer. The advantages to the producer are lower costs and economies of scale in production and management. The consumer benefits through lower prices, better serviceability, increased quality and consistent reliability. However, not all products can become global products. Studies have found that the ability of a product to be global significantly depends on whether the product is regarded as being essential and without close substitutes. Globalization which essentially refers to growth of trade and investment, accompanied by the growth in international businesses, and the integration of economies around the world, advanced in 1990’s and in the twenty first century. The globalization of business is easy to recognize in the spread of many brands and services spr eads around the world. Forexample, Japanese electronics and automobiles are common in large part of the world. Moreover, companies have become transnational or multinational those are based in one country but have operations in others. For example, Japan/based automaker Honda operates the largest single factory in the United States, while U.S. based Coca-Cola operates plants in other countries including France and Belgium with about 80% percent ofthat company’s profits come from overseas sales. Nevertheless, the rapid growth of globalization that was considered as a success particularly due to the rapid economic growth and success of Asian Tigers and Taiwan in early 1990’s, was undermined by these countries major economic setbacks in the late 90’s. A number of rallies of anti-globalization forces attempted to portrait that globalization is not a panacea for the worlds problems. Their demonstration in all fronts during the Seattle meetings of the World Trade Orga nization that turned into a fiasco is an example. Thus, globalization continues through its agents, i.e. MNE by changing strategies to internationalize theirbusinesses. Prof Ghemawat, (2007) believed that the above definition of Levitt still reign the world, he however, challenges it and redefined globalization as it will be explained later. Multinational enterprises (MNEs) are the key drivers of globalization, as they fosterincreased economic interdependence among national markets. The ultimate test to assess whether these MNEs are global themselves is their actual penetration level of markets across the globe, especially in the broad triad markets of NAFTA, the European Union andAsia. A powerful force drives the world toward a converging commonality, and that force is technology. It has proletarianized communication, transport, and travel. It has made isolated places and impoverished peoples eager for modernity’s allurements. Almost everyone everywhere wants all the things they have heard about, seen, or experienced via the new technologies. The result is a new commercial reality—the emergence of global markets for standardized consumer products on a previously unimagined scale of magnitude. Corporations geared to this new reality benefit from enormous economies of scale in production, distribution, marketing, and management. By translating these benefits into reduced world prices, they can decimate competitors that still live in the disabling grip of old assumptions about how the world works. Gone are accustomed differences in national or regional preference. Gone are the days when a company could sell last year’s models—or lesser versions of advanced products—in the less-developed world. And gone are the days when prices, margins, and profits abroad were generally higher than at home. The globalization of markets is at hand. With that, the multinational commercial world nears its end, and so does the multinational corporation. The multinational and the global corporation are not the same thing. The multinational corporation operates in a number of countries, and adjusts its products and practices in each—at high relative costs. The global corporation operates with resolute constancy—at low relative cost—as if the entire world (or major regions of it) were a single entity; it sells the same things in the same way everywhere. Which strategy is better is not a matter of opinion but of necessity. Worldwide communications carry everyw here the constant drumbeat of modern possibilities to lighten and enhance work, raise living standards, divert, and entertain. The same countries that ask the world to recognize and respect the individuality of their cultures insist on the wholesale transfer to them of modern goods, services, and technologies. Modernity is not just a wish but also a widespread practice among those who cling, with unyielding passion or religious fervor, to ancient attitudes and heritages. Companies may enter the global market through various kinds of international investments. Companies may choose to make foreign direct investments, (FDI) which allow them to control companies and assets in other countries. Indeed, the largest 500 MNEs account forover 90% of the world stock of foreign direct investment (FDI) and they, themselves, conduct about half the world’s trade, (Rugman, 2004). In addition, companies may elect to make portfolio investments, by acquiring the stock of companies in other countries in order to gain control of these companies. They may participate in the international market by eitherlicensing or franchising. Another way companies tap into the global market is by forming strategic alliances with companies in other countries. While strategic alliances come in many forms, some enable each company to access the home market of the other and there by market their products as being affiliated with the well-known host company. This method ofinternational business also enables a company to bypass some of the difficulties associated with inte rnationalization such as different political, regulatory, and social conditions. The home company can help the multinational company address and overcome these difficulties because it is accustomed to them. Multinational enterprises (MNEs) largely operate within their home region of the triad, or, at best, are bi-regional (competing only across two of the triads of the EU, NAFTA and Asia. Most of the largest 500 MNEs are interested in the deepening of regional trade and investment agreements in Europe, the Americas and Asia. This is a high end  ³niche ´ of the commonality viewpoint in which they argue that the world’s clearly becoming more unified and homogeneous ´. However, basically every aspect oftheir arguments wrong. Instead of one language, one thirst, one food, one car, etc. there are strong regional differences within each part of the triad. Despite their global nature, some argues that companies must customize their products orservices to meet the needs of vari ous international markets, and hence must use a multi-domestic strategy at least in part. For example, a US fast food companies such as KFC, McDonalds although have a standard approach globally, they adapted their strategy to the preference of regions or countries like in China, Japan, Middle-East. KFC introduced smallerpieces of foods to cater to a Japanese preference, and located restaurants in crowded are as along with other restaurants, moving away from independent sites. As a result of these changes, the fast-food restaurant experienced stronger demand in Japan. As Grant, 2008, indicated, for instance McDonald carefully blends of global standardization and local adaptation in most countries. Its menus feature an increasing number of locally developed items like McVeggie Burger in India, McArabia in Kofta in Saudi Arabia, Kosher food in Israel by still maintaining globally standardized items, i.e. the big Mac and potato fries. Carindustries like Toyota adapt their product also as per region. Product for the US market and other part of the world is different. As the rising tide of globalization, some companies may lost the way or make mistakes to set out to create a worldwide strategy. In fact, better results come from strong regional strategies, which is the bridge that connect the local and global initiatives, and can significantly boost a company’s performance. As indicated earlier, an increasing number ofcompanies regard regions as enabler o f cross-border integration because high level ofcross-border integration usually accompany with high level of regionalization. Besides the geographic proximity, the cultural, administrative and economic proximity also become an important competitive advantage in regionalization and contribute a significant weight ofsales. Embracing regional strategies requires flexibility and creativity. Managers must be conscious that markets, supplies, investors, locations, partners, and competitors can be anywhere in the world. Successful businesses will take advantage of opportunities wherever they are and will be prepared for downfalls. Successful managers, in this environment, need to understand the similarities and differences across national boundaries, in order to utilize the opportunities and deal with the potential downfalls. Once this analysis is complete, managers must establish strategic goals, which are the significant goals a company seeks to achieve through a particular pursuit such as entering a new regional market through considering the above five regional strategy model. International strategies refer to those that address competition in each country or region on an individual basis, whereas global strategy refers to addressing competition in an integrated and holistic manner across country and regional boundaries. Hence, multi-domestic international strategies attempt to appeal to the needs of customers in different countries or regions, while global strategies attempt to standardize products and marketing to work across boundaries. Levitt will be remembered by the world as the man who coined the word â€Å"globalization,† but for his former students, his colleagues, and his loved ones, he was above all a man who could bestow down-to-earth advice as well as ground-breaking theory.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Computers In Business :: essays research papers

Computers In Business - ------------------------- In the business world today, computers and the software applications that run on them basically control a well organized business. Every major company is equipped with a computer, or network that connects through different branches throughout the firm. Computer Hardware: To keep up with the fastest technology that dominates the market is to be a sensible buyer. A system can be outdated in a matter of two years time. Software applications based on today's needs require more hard disk space and speed to run efficiently. The most powerful system would be the 586 machine which was developed in November, 1992. The space required on a business system depends on the firm. If a company has a network, their memory would range on the applications required to run the system productively. A one to three gigabyte hard drive would be most common for businesses. To keep these applications on the computer, you need a fair amount of RAM memory as well as hard disk space. An application developed in 1993, probably will be to powerful and run quite slow on a previous system that was 'top of the line' in 1991. That's why it is important for companies to understand that they must think years down the road before spending thousands of dollars on the technology of today. The best way is to prepare for the future such as making sure your mainframe is upgradeable and contains at least 8 expansion slots, which should already be loaded with enhanced graphics cards, the necessary amount of serial ports etc.. Networks are everywhere in the world of business. A network is a series of computers throughout the company which rely on one or two fileservers. Or it can be used in long distance communication through modem. An example would be that a company located in Calgary can call up its other branch in Toronto via modem, also able to up and download valuable files or records. Networks have their disadvantages also. Computer viruses are always present somewhere in a disk or computer system ready to strike. If an over powering, destructive virus enters a network system, all data can be severely damaged or lost completely. That's why there is back-up drives to store existing data that is written onto the disk each day. Anti virus programs are there to alert the user and wipe the virus off the system before it does any destruction to the data stored on the network. As far as practicality and mobility is concerned, the laptop has been around for quite a long time. A laptop computer is a Computers In Business :: essays research papers Computers In Business - ------------------------- In the business world today, computers and the software applications that run on them basically control a well organized business. Every major company is equipped with a computer, or network that connects through different branches throughout the firm. Computer Hardware: To keep up with the fastest technology that dominates the market is to be a sensible buyer. A system can be outdated in a matter of two years time. Software applications based on today's needs require more hard disk space and speed to run efficiently. The most powerful system would be the 586 machine which was developed in November, 1992. The space required on a business system depends on the firm. If a company has a network, their memory would range on the applications required to run the system productively. A one to three gigabyte hard drive would be most common for businesses. To keep these applications on the computer, you need a fair amount of RAM memory as well as hard disk space. An application developed in 1993, probably will be to powerful and run quite slow on a previous system that was 'top of the line' in 1991. That's why it is important for companies to understand that they must think years down the road before spending thousands of dollars on the technology of today. The best way is to prepare for the future such as making sure your mainframe is upgradeable and contains at least 8 expansion slots, which should already be loaded with enhanced graphics cards, the necessary amount of serial ports etc.. Networks are everywhere in the world of business. A network is a series of computers throughout the company which rely on one or two fileservers. Or it can be used in long distance communication through modem. An example would be that a company located in Calgary can call up its other branch in Toronto via modem, also able to up and download valuable files or records. Networks have their disadvantages also. Computer viruses are always present somewhere in a disk or computer system ready to strike. If an over powering, destructive virus enters a network system, all data can be severely damaged or lost completely. That's why there is back-up drives to store existing data that is written onto the disk each day. Anti virus programs are there to alert the user and wipe the virus off the system before it does any destruction to the data stored on the network. As far as practicality and mobility is concerned, the laptop has been around for quite a long time. A laptop computer is a

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Teacher in America

Final Paper My Call To Action More than ever, I believe that my place is in the classroom. I have now completed two and a half years of teaching and have had a lot of emotions and questions running through me. Sometimes they made me question whether I should be in the classroom or not. I mean, how can I be a teacher and have all these negative thoughts and feelings about how our school system works. I thought I was alone in feeling this way. However, from the readings, reflections and discussions during the course of this class, I have now realized I am not alone in feeling this way.In fact, most teachers have the same apprehensions that I share. One major thing I have noticed since becoming a teacher is how my views on education have changed. Before I became a teacher I assumed things about teaching that are not at all correct. I thought that when I became a teacher, it would be really easy. After all, my teachers (and mother) made it seem fairly easy. I was completely wrong. I thou ght I would be able to stand up there, teach and every single student would understand what I would be teaching. I thought all the students would do their work, behave and listen to me.Boy was I mistaken. There are so many different learning styles that I have to accommodate for, different activities I have to come up with in order to spark the students’ interests, and behaviors I never dreamed I would have to deal with. I am only into my third year of teaching I have been teaching for only three years, and each year I have had to make changes to accommodate the types of students I have. Some teachers assume the students will be the same every year and do not make changes at all. The learning process for each individual student is different.For some, it comes easier, for others it can be might be a little more difficult. ‘Teachers who develop classroom plans based solely on beliefs and expectations born of their own life experiences are likely to be ineffective (Hinchey Pg. 23). ’ Most of us became teachers because somewhere in our past we had a really good experience with school and our teachers. Just because what we experienced was good does not necessarily mean that the same exact thing would work with our students today. I know that I catch myself looking back to when I was the same age as my students.I am often trying to do things with my students that my teachers did with me. Not surprisingly, a lot of them are not working as I thought they would. Before my first day of teaching, I had certain expectations for my students. Starting off with the same expectations that my teachers had for me is not feasible where I teach. ‘Most public school teachers come from significantly different cultures than their students (Hinchey pg. 27). ’ I know I have had to completely adjust my way of thinking in the classroom because my educational experience is the complete opposite of what I teach.When I was a student, my friends and I had co mplete support from adults in our lives. Today, my students hardly have any adults around them outside of school guiding them in the right direction. When I was in high school, there was no question about receiving your high school diploma and going to college. In my community, a high school diploma alone was not good enough, you needed to get that college degree. In the district I work in, the atmosphere is different. In Waukegan, people act like earning the high school diploma is golden.One big assumption of mine that has changed in my short three years of teaching is thinking all students are the same outside of school. When I was growing up, it seemed that my life and my friends’ lives where all the same. Consequently, I grew up assuming that everyone lives where a mirrored image of mine. Teaching opened my eyes up to see how wrong I was. I have some students who come from a loving home with two working parents, and then I also have some students who are homeless because both parents are in prison.As teachers, we are told to treat every student the same, but that is completely impossible. Every student has his or her own story and each of those stories needs to be treated differently. I have also questioned my own judgment on what it means to be well educated. Being well education should not only relate to what is learned inside of a school building, but also what is learned outside of the school walls. I have a lot of students who are educated about topics that are not covered be a school curriculum, so should I consider that knowledge to be worthless because they did not learn it in a classroom?Is your education measured on what you are taught or what you remember? If it is based on what you remember, then most of American can fall into the category of being uneducated. The brain forgets what it does not use. In fact, it is impossible to remember everything you have been taught. There is not enough space in the brain to retain all those facts. Las tly, ‘Students from poor communities often have their own very strong evidence that schooling is not likely to make a significant difference in their own lives (Hinchey pg. 24). ’ I hear students talk like this everyday in my classroom.I constantly hear ‘how is this going to apply to my life, it's not like I am going to college anyway. ’ These students think there is no hope for them. As a teacher, how am I supposed to change the minds of 15 and 16 years olds when this is what they have been told their whole lives? This is a battle that those of us who teach in urban schools fight everyday. Yes, I believe it is important to educate our students on academics, but I believe it is more important teach our students how to set realistic goals for themselves. Goals they are truly able to obtain.One major drawback of school is the way it is structured. School has a â€Å"one size fit all† curriculum, which doesn’t work. There are so many different le arning styles with students. Schools need to come up with a unique way to be able to aid each student in his or her own learning style. Schools also function like factories, which isn’t a surprise because they were founded when the country moved more towards an industrialized economy. Students, just like factory workers, have learned the process of lining up, walking in straight lines and staying quiet for long periods of time.Is this how schools should be? Schools have been functioning this way for decades. If we made changes, would it benefit or harm schools? ‘If all it takes to succeed is hard work, then poor people must be lazy. ‘ Everyday I tell my students that if they want to be successful in life they need to work hard. However, this does not mean that people are poor just because they never worked hard. In fact, poor people work harder than most rich people. Most poor people work several part time jobs averaging 50-60 hours a week at a minimum wage rate.T hey work more hours than a middle class person, but still make a lot less money. Next time you go out to eat, pay attention to who is working hard, for minimum wage, in the kitchen. ‘Rather than believing economic success comes from hard work, and failure from laziness, students must ask what besides laziness might explain why so many families are living in poverty and why the widening chasm between our wealthiest and poorest citizens. ‘ It is my job to get my students to believe that they can meet their goals, if they are willing to put the effort into it.However, because of the struggles seen at home, many of them cannot see their future in a positive way. My students liven in a poor community and that know a lot of people who have earned their high school diploma but cannot find a decent job close by to where they live. If they want a decent job they have to travel far. Sadly, many of them do not have a car and their only means of transportation is the city bus. As a result, it may take over an hour for them to get to work; so many of them do not take the job. As someone who has had a car since I turned 16, I do not know what it is like to struggle without a car.Twenty miles does not seem far to me, but to someone who doesn’t have his or her own means of transportation, it could be too much of a hassle than what the job is worth. I know understand why people do not take job offers that are a certain distance from their home. This trickles down to the teenagers. Its no wonder they think it doesn’t matter if they work hard, they wont find a decent job anyway. I never considered myself ‘privileged' just because I was white. However, since reading Hinchey, I now realize how much easier my life is just because of my skin color.Before I started teaching I was mostly around Caucasian people; people who are just like me. I was able to go shopping without being harassed. I was able to take any job I wanted without having people think I got the job only because of my skin color. Basically, I never had to worry about anything. Now that I work (and live) in a city where a majority of the population is either Hispanic or African American, my eyes have been opened to how people of color are mistreated. My students see and experience this in their everyday lives. I am struggling on how to teach my students how to overcome this.As of now, I have not figured out a way. One thing that my students have pointed out to me, as well as Hinchey, is that white people hold most of the power in our country. A majority of CEOs, politicians and even every president, until President Obama, has been white. No wonder my students think they will always come second to the ‘white man,’ they have only known white people to be in charge. This class has been very beneficial in my teaching practices. As a new teacher I feel I am still naive about certain things that relate to school. I have always tried to teach my students to t he best f their abilities. Sometimes I would be frustrated because they went grasping certain basic concepts. I now view learning, teaching, school and society in a completely different way than I did before starting this class. I am now less frustrated with my students since learning more about their history and thoughts towards education. My whole thought on how schools are operated has also changed. The current ways that schools function is not conducive to help the students in urban schools in any way. It is actually harming them. As teachers, we need to take a stand and fight for what is best for our students.As an educator, I am teaching for each and every one of my students. I am educating them not only on academics, but life issues. They are #1 and everyone or everything else comes second to that. As teachers, we have every and any obstacle to overcome that one could imagine. We actually do not have the world behind is pushing us forward; we have it in front of us pushing us backwards. Right now, I would like to challenge myself that, no matter what hurdles I may come across in my practice, that I always fight for my students to put them first and always have what’s best for them in mind.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Deception Point Page 50

With calm bred from the performance of countless executions, Delta-One dialed a ten-second delay into the grenade's screw-dial, slid out the pin, and threw the grenade down into the chasm. The bomb plummeted into the darkness and disappeared. Then Delta-One and his partner cleared back up onto the top of the berm and waited. This would be a sight to behold. Even in her delirious state of mind, Rachel Sexton had a very good idea what the attackers had just dropped into the crevasse. Whether Michael Tolland also knew or whether he was reading the fear in her eyes was unclear, but she saw him go pale, shooting a horrified glance down at the mammoth slab of ice on which they were stranded, clearly realizing the inevitable. Like a storm cloud lit by an internal flash of lightning, the ice beneath Rachel illuminated from within. The eerie white translucence shot out in all directions. For a hundred yards around them, the glacier flashed white. The concussion came next. Not a rumble like an earthquake, but a deafening shock wave of gut-churning force. Rachel felt the impact tearing up through the ice into her body. Instantly, as if a wedge had been driven between the ice shelf and the block of ice supporting them, the cliff began to shear off with a sickening crack. Rachel's eyes locked with Tolland's in a freeze-frame of terror. Corky let out a scream nearby. The bottom dropped out. Rachel felt weightless for an instant, hovering over the multimillion-pound block of ice. Then they were riding the iceberg down-plummeting into the frigid sea. 56 The deafening grating of ice against ice assaulted Rachel's ears as the massive slab slid down the face of the Milne Ice Shelf, sending towering plumes of spray into the air. As the slab splashed downward, it slowed, and Rachel's previously weightless body crashed down onto the top of the ice. Tolland and Corky landed hard nearby. As the block's downward momentum plunged it deeper into the sea, Rachel could see the foaming surface of the ocean racing upward with a kind of taunting deceleration, like the ground beneath a bungee-jumper whose cord was a few feet too long. Rising†¦ rising†¦ and then it was there. Her childhood nightmare was back. The ice†¦ the water†¦ the darkness. The dread was almost primal. The top of the slab slipped below the waterline, and the frigid Arctic Ocean poured over the edges in a torrent. As the ocean rushed in all around her, Rachel felt herself sucked under. The bare skin on her face tightened and burned as the saltwater hit. The flooring of ice disappeared beneath her, and Rachel fought her way back to the surface, buoyed by the gel in her suit. She took in a mouthful of saltwater, sputtering to the surface. She could see the others floundering nearby, all of them tangled in tethers. Just as Rachel righted herself, Tolland yelled out. â€Å"It's coming back up!† As his words echoed above the tumult, Rachel felt an eerie upwelling in the water beneath her. Like a massive locomotive straining to reverse direction, the slab of ice had groaned to a stop underwater and was now beginning its ascent directly beneath them. Fathoms below, a sickening low frequency rumble resonated upward through the water as the gigantic submerged sheet began scraping its way back up the face of the glacier. The slab rose fast, accelerating as it came, swooping up from the darkness. Rachel felt herself rising. The ocean roiled all around as the ice met her body. She scrambled in vain, trying to find her balance as the ice propelled her skyward along with millions of gallons of seawater. Buoying upward, the giant sheet bobbed above the surface, heaving and teetering, looking for its center of gravity. Rachel found herself scrambling in waist-deep water across the enormous, flat expanse. As the water began pouring off the surface, the current swallowed Rachel and dragged her toward the edge. Sliding, splayed flat on her stomach, Rachel could see the edge looming fast. Hold on! Rachel's mother's voice was calling the same way it had when Rachel was just a child floundering beneath the icy pond. Hold on! Don't go under! The wrenching yank on her harness expelled what little air Rachel had left in her lungs. She jerked to a dead stop only yards from the edge. The motion spun her in place. Ten yards away, she could see Corky's limp body, still tethered to her, also jolting to a stop. They had been flowing off the sheet in opposite directions and his momentum had stopped her. As the water ran off and grew more shallow, another dark form appeared over near Corky. He was on his hands and knees, grasping Corky's tether and vomiting saltwater. Michael Tolland. As the last of the wake drained past her and flowed off the iceberg, Rachel lay in terrified silence, listening to the sounds of the ocean. Then, feeling the onset of deadly cold, she dragged herself onto her hands and knees. The ‘berg was still bobbing back and forth, like a giant ice cube. Delirious and in pain, she crawled back toward the others. High above on the glacier, Delta-One peered through his night-vision goggles at the water churning around the Arctic Ocean's newest tabular iceberg. Although he saw no bodies in the water, he was not surprised. The ocean was dark, and his quarry's weather suits and skullcaps were black. As he passed his gaze across the surface of the enormous floating sheet of ice, he had a hard time keeping it in focus. It was receding quickly, already heading out to sea in the strong offshore currents. He was about to turn his gaze back to the sea when he saw something unexpected. Three specks of black on the ice. Are those bodies? Delta-One tried to bring them into focus. â€Å"See something?† Delta-Two asked. Delta-One said nothing, focusing in with his magnifier. In the pale tint of the iceberg, he was stunned to see three human forms huddled motionless on the island of ice. Whether they were alive or dead, Delta-One had no idea. It hardly mattered. If they were alive, even in weather suits, they'd be dead within the hour; they were wet, a storm was coming in, and they were drifting seaward into one of the most deadly oceans on the planet. Their bodies would never be found. â€Å"Just shadows,† Delta-One said, turning from the cliff. â€Å"Let's get back to base.† 57 Senator Sedgewick Sexton set his snifter of Courvoisier on the mantelpiece of his Westbrook apartment and stoked the fire for several moments, gathering his thoughts. The six men in the den with him sat in silence now†¦ waiting. The small talk was over. It was time for Senator Sexton to make his pitch. They knew it. He knew it. Politics was sales. Establish trust. Let them know you understand their problems. â€Å"As you may know,† Sexton said, turning toward them, â€Å"over the past months, I have met with many men in your same position.† He smiled and sat down, joining them on their level. â€Å"You are the only ones I have ever brought into my home. You are extraordinary men, and I am honored to meet you.† Sexton folded his hands and let his eyes circle the room, making personal contact with each of his guests. Then he focused in on his first mark-the heavyset man in the cowboy hat. â€Å"Space Industries of Houston,† Sexton said. â€Å"I'm glad you came.† The Texan grunted. â€Å"I hate this town.† â€Å"I don't blame you. Washington has been unfair to you.† The Texan stared out from beneath the rim of his hat but said nothing. â€Å"Twelve years back,† Sexton began, â€Å"you made an offer to the U.S. government. You proposed to build them a U.S. space station for a mere five billion dollars.† â€Å"Yeah, I did. I still have the blueprints.† â€Å"And yet NASA convinced the government that a U.S. space station should be a NASA project.† â€Å"Right. NASA started building almost a decade ago.†