cyberbarf7.2

LABOR EDITION

ONCE THE ACADEMICS GET BEYOND THE QUEST FOR THE BASIC ELEMENTS OF LIFE, THE STRESS BETWEEN CAPITAL AND LABOR HAS TRANSFORMED SOCIETY INTO CLASS STRUGGLES AND THE MIXED MESSAGES OF THE AMERICAN DREAM, IN THIS ISSUE OF CYBERBARF.COM.

cyberbarf September, 2007 Vol. 7 No. 2

IN THIS ISSUE:

THE NEW LABOR MODEL

RAPTER AGENT

CITIZEN JOURNALISM

iToon on DATA BASE MANAGER

DR. PHILISTINE

EDUCATION IN AMERICA

iToon on ROCKY TRUMP

 

NOW ON SALE!

CUBS ROCK BOTTOM T-SHIRT!

IT HAS BEEN AN UP AND DOWN SEASON FOR THE CUBBIES.

WIN. LOSS. FRUSTRATION AFTER FRUSTRATION.

HAVE THEY HIT ROCK BOTTOM? BREAK THE CURSE!

 

cyberbarf

EXAMINE THE NET WAY OF LIFE

 

 

THE NEW LABOR MODEL

AFTER A SPECIAL ISSUE, IT IS BACK TO THE GRINDSTONE. SORT OF. THE EXPRESSION OF WORKING AT A GRINDSTONE IS A MONOTONOUS ENDEAVOR. A SCUTTLE OF INTENSE MANUAL LABOR. IN ANCIENT TIMES OR CULTURES, THE PULVERIZATION OF GRAINS WAS DONE BY HAND, USING THE ROUGH SURFACES OF TWO STONES TO BREAK DOWN THE MATERIAL INTO SOLUBLE FOOD INGREDIENTS. THE FORCE TO PUSH THE STONES WAS SUPPLIED BY A MAN OR WOMAN WHO WORKED THE GRAIN CROP INTO A POWDER. MOST PEOPLE IN A SUPERMARKET PICKING UP A BAG OF FLOUR OR CORN MEAL HAVE NO CONCEPT OF THE ANCIENT WORK NEEDED TO CREATE THIS AMOUNT OF FOOD. WE ARE SO FAR REMOVED FROM THE AGRICULTURAL PROCESSES THAT IT IS LIKE A FOREIGN LANGUAGE. TECHNOLOGY HAS TAKEN THE INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WORK AND BASIC FOOD SUPPLIES.

PRIOR TO 1900, THE UNITED STATES WAS PRIMARILY AN AGRICULTURAL AND CRAFTSMAN SOCIETY. WITH THE FACTORY MODEL OF MASS PRODUCTION, ALL ASPECTS OF AN AMERICAN FAMILY'S LIFE WAS TRANSFORMED INTO PREPACKAGED WARES. INSTEAD OF PLANTING SEEDS, FAMILIES WERE SENDING CHILDREN OFF TO SCHOOL TO LEARN THE BASIC TENETS IN ORDER TO BREAK FREE OF THE BACK BREAKING MANUAL LABOR OF THE FIELDS INTO THE NEW MECHANICAL WORLD OF FACTORY PRODUCTION. IN THE EARLY YEARS, FACTORIES WERE MORE DANGEROUS THAN THE FIELDS. CONDITIONS WERE POOR. THERE WERE NO LABOR STANDARDS. NO WORKER COMPENSATION FOR INJURIES. AT A TIME, WORKERS WERE DISPOSAL AS WORN GEARS IN A MACHINE. THE URBANIZATION OF THE CITY GATEWAYS CREATED THE CONGESTED AMERICAN CITY SCAPE. IT HAS BEEN SPRAWLING LIKE CREEPING WEEDS EVER SINCE.

THE CLASH OF SYSTEMS WAS JOLTING; IN RURAL AREAS, INDEPENDENCE AND SELF RELIANCE WAS THE KEY TO SURVIVAL WHILE IN URBAN MANUFACTURING AREAS, DEPENDENCE ON A JOB, CO-WORKERS AND THE COMPANY WAS THE KEY. THE STRESS OF THE INDEPENDENT NATURE OF AMERICANS AGAINST THE HARSH WORKING CONDITIONS IMPOSED BY EARLY BUSINESSMEN LED TO SERIOUS CONFRONTATIONS. THE DIVISION OF LABOR VERSUS CAPITAL TURNED INTO A VOLATILE POLITICAL SUBJECT. POLITICS IS A BASIC FORM OF REDISTRIBUTION OF POWER OR WEALTH. THE SPECTRA OF COMPETING IDEAS ON THE NEW INDUSTRIAL WORLD CLASHED IN WORLD WARS. THE COMMUNIST-SOCIALISTS BELIEVED THAT THE MEANS OF PRODUCTION SHOULD BE CONTROLLED BY THE WORKERS WHO CONTRIBUTED THEIR LABOR TO CREATE WEALTH. THE DEMOCRACY-CAPITALISTS BELIEVED THAT THE MEANS OF PRODUCTION SHOULD BE CONTROLLED BY THOSE WHO CREATED THE PRODUCTS THAT WOULD SELL TO MAKE NEW WEALTH.

THE CLASH OF PHILOSOPHIES CULLED INTO A UNION-LABOR AND MANAGEMENT TREATY. WORKERS AS A CLASS BARGAINED FOR WAGES, BENEFITS AND WORK CONDITIONS AS A WHOLE AGAINST THE COMPANY MANAGEMENT. PEACE WAS ACHIEVED THROUGH COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS. AFTERWARD, PRICES OF UNIONIZED PRODUCTS WERE SET TO OFF-SET WAGE BENEFIT INCREASES. SOME ECONOMISTS BELIEVE THAT RAISING THE STANDARD OF LIVING OF THE LOWER WORKING CLASSES WILL RAISE THE WEALTH OF ALL CLASSES. OTHER ECONOMISTS BELIEVE THAT ALLOWING THE UPPER CLASSES MORE REWARD IN INVESTING AND PRODUCING MORE JOBS WILL ALLOW WEALTH TO TRICKLE DOWN TO THE MASSES. NEITHER MODEL CAN BE REALIZED OR TESTED BECAUSE GOVERNMENT REGULATION HAS INTERTWINED THE DYNAMICS OF THE SYSTEM.

IN GENERAL, UNIONIZED GOODS AND SERVICES ARE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN NON-UNIONIZED EQUIVALENTS. IN A FULL INDUSTRIALIZED NATION, IT WAS EASY TO MASK THE INCREASE IN PRICE. IN A FULLY INTEGRATED NATION, EACH STEP OF THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS ALLOWED FOR A VALUE-ADDED COMPONENT. ONE COMPANY WOULD CREATE THE RAW MATERIALS. THOSE MATERIALS WOULD BE SHIPPED TO A PROCESSOR TO CREATE A PRODUCT. THAT PRODUCT WOULD BE SHIPPED TO AN ASSEMBLY PLANT WHERE IT WOULD BE JOINED WITH OTHER COMPONENTS TO CREATE A FINAL PRODUCT. EACH STAGE OF THE PROCESS ALLOWED FOR WORKER WAGES AND BUSINESS PROFITS. IN THE END, THE EFFICIENCY OF COSTS OF MASS PRODUCTION AND A GROWING CONSUMER ECONOMY ALLOWED FOR HIGHER STANDARD OF LIVING.

WORKERS HAD A STEADY JOB. MOST WORKED FOR THE SAME COMPANY OR FACTORY FOR THEIR ENTIRE WORK LIFE. GENERATIONS OF FAMILIES WHO WOULD HAVE SCRATCHED OUT AN EXISTENCE FARMING WERE NOW STEEL WORKERS WITH VACATION HOMES AND PENSIONS. SO LONG AS THE DEMAND OF AMERICAN PRODUCTS GREW, BUSINESS WAS GOOD FOR EVERYONE.

THIS PLAN WORKS WELL WHEN MANUFACTURING IS MAKING HIGH TECH, COMPLEX TANGIBLE PRODUCTS LIKE AUTOMOBILES, MACHINES, SKYSCRAPERS, AIRPLANES OR SATURN BOOSTER ROCKETS. THOUSANDS TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF COMPONENT PARTS ARE NEEDED TO MAKE ONE END UNIT. YOU NEED SKILLED WORKERS WITH KNOWLEDGE OF MATHEMATICS, ENGINEERING, PHYSICS, MECHANICS, AND CHEMISTRY.

IN THE PAST FEW DECADES, THE PLAN HAS CHANGED: AMERICA HAS MOVED FROM AN INDUSTRIAL SUPERPOWER TO A SERVICE ECONOMY. HEAVY MANUFACTURING HAS BEEN RELOCATED TO THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES WHERE WAGES ARE LOW AND GOVERNMENT REGULATION PRO-BUSINESS. THE OUTSOURCING OF AMERICAN JOBS WAS A POLITICAL PLATFORM FOR THIRD PARTIES AND SECOND TIER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES. UNION LEADERS WERE ALSO DEAF TO THE EARLY WARNINGS OF THE IMPACT OF EXPORTING TRADITIONAL AMERICAN JOBS TO OVERSEAS NATIONS. MOST LEADERS ARE SHORT SIGHTED REACTIONARIES. WHEN THEY REALIZE THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG, IT IS USUALLY TOO LATE.

ONCE A FACTORY OR MAJOR BUSINESS CLOSES, IT IS THE FIRST DOMINO TO FALL. HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES ARE DISPLACED BY A LOST PAYCHECK. HUNDREDS OF SUPPLIERS MUST ALSO CUT BACK. HUNDREDS OF LOCAL BUSINESSES WHERE THOSE PAYCHECKS ARE SPENT ARE IMPACTED. THOSE BUSINESSES CUT BACK AND THEIR SUPPLIERS ARE PINCHED BY LOWER SALES. THIS BEGINS A CYCLE OF LAY0FFS, CLOSURES AND BANKRUPTCIES. NOW, IF IT IS MORE THAN JUST ONE FACTORY BUT ENTIRE INDUSTRIES THAT CLOSE, THE SCALE IMPACT IS A HUNDRED FOLD NATIONALLY.

THE CURRENT LABOR MODEL DID NOT PROVIDE A SAFETY NET. UNION DUES AND BENEFITS WERE DEPENDENT ON THE CASH FLOW OF PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS OF ITS MEMBERS. IF THE MEMBERS WERE OUT OF WORK, THEN THE DEDUCTIONS CEASED AND MOST WORKERS WERE LEFT TO FIND NEW EMPLOYMENT. THE GOVERNMENT SAFETY NET OF UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WAS A TEMPORARY REMEDY SINCE IT WAS ALWAYS VIEWED THAT THE AMERICAN ECONOMY WAS GROWING FAST ENOUGH TO ABSORB ALL WORKERS. THIS HAS EVOLVED INTO A NEW MODEL: THE DISPLACED WORKER. THE DISPLACED WORKER IS ON HIS OWN. THE LOYALTY TO ONE COMPANY IS NO LONGER THE NORM. ONE SKILL SET IS NO LONGER AN EMPLOYABLE FEATURE.

THE NEW LABOR MODEL IS EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF. THIS IS NO CLEARER THAN IN THE EXECUTIVE SUITES WERE CEOS ARE MORE CONCERNED WITH THEIR INFLATED PAY PACKAGES THAN BEING ABLE TO RUN A VIABLE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS. THE GULF BETWEEN THE MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEE IS GREAT. IN THE 1960S, A BUSINESS OWNER MAY HAVE BEEN PAID 5 TO 10 TIMES THE COMPENSATION OF HIS EMPLOYEES. TODAY, BUSINESS CEOS DEMAND 100 TO 1000 TIMES THE COMPENSATION OF THEIR AVERAGE EMPLOYEES. $100 MILLION SEVERANCE PACKAGES FOR NON-PERFORMING EXECUTIVES GALL THE PUBLIC. THIS GULF IS MOST APPARENT WHEN ONE FINDS THE MIDDLE CLASS, THE ECONOMIC ENGINE OF THE AMERICAN CONSUMER ECONOMY, IS SHRINKING. THE MIDDLE CLASS JOB OF PROFESSIONALS, ENGINEERS, ACCOUNTANTS, MIDDLE MANAGERS, TECHNICAL WORKERS AND MANUFACTURING MACHINISTS HAVE BEEN DILUTED, DRAWN AND QUARTERED. AMERICAN BUSINESS HAS OUTSOURCED BOTH MANUFACTURING AND MANUFACTURING SUPPORT SERVICES OVERSEAS. IT IS TOUGH FOR A MIDDLE CLASS WORKER WITH TWO MORTGAGES, TWO KIDS TO EDUCATE AND GASOLINE AT $3.30/GALLON TO COMPETE WITH THE SAME EDUCATED INDIVIDUAL AT A CALL CENTER IN INDIA GETTING PAID HALF HIS PAST SALARY.

BUSINESS TRIES TO MAXIMIZE ITS PROFITS ANY WAY IT CAN; OUTSOURCING TO LOW WAGE AREAS IN THE GLOBE IS A SIMPLE SOLUTION. IMPORTING FINAL PRODUCTS TO THE AMERICAN CONSUMER IS THE ALTERNATIVE TO THE HIGH COSTS OF PRODUCTION IN-COUNTRY. THE AMERICAN ECONOMY DID NOT SINK BECAUSE OF ONE KEY FACTOR: CHEAP MONEY. THE MIDDLE CLASS WAS GIVEN EASY CREDIT TO MAINTAIN ITS MADISON AVENUE INSPIRED LIFESTYLE. MASSIVE BORROWING CAN MASK A NATION OF FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEMS. IF A PERSON TAKES A LOWER PAYING JOB TO HAVE A JOB, BUT INCREASES THE AMOUNT OF CREDIT CARD BORROWING, AND THEN PAY THE MINIMUM MONTH TO MONTH, THEY BELIEVE THEY ARE MAINTAINING THEIR EXISTENCE. IT IS A HOUSEHOLD PYRAMID SCHEME. THE CREDIT COMPANIES KNEW THIS WHEN THEY LOBBIED TO CHANGE THE BANKRUPTCY LAWS TO MAKE IT HARDER FOR CONSUMERS TO DISCHARGE, OR WIPE OUT, DEBT. SO BEFORE THE LAW WENT INTO EFFECT, THERE WAS A MASSIVE RUSH OF PERSONAL BANKRUPTCY FILINGS. WHEN THE FUNDAMENTAL RULES OF THE GAME CHANGED, THE PEOPLE REACTED IN A ATTEMPT TO STAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE.

HARD WORK HAS BEEN REPLACED BY THE DREAM OF EASY MONEY. LOTTERY TICKETS, STOCK SPECULATION, AND GAMBLING HAVE BECOME NOT ENTERTAINMENT BUT DEFAULT CAREERS FOR SOME DISPLACED WORKERS. MANY YOUNGSTERS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP THAT LIFE IS A REALITY GAME SHOW. THE MORE YOU FAIL, THE BETTER THE CHANCE THAT YOU WILL BECOME A SEMI-CELEBRITY AND MILK THE FADING LIGHT FOR EASY MONEY.

 

 

cyberbarf

EXAMINE THE NET WAY OF LIFE

RAPTER AGENT

 

CITIZEN JOURNALISM

THERE ARE DIVERSE VEHICLES OF INFORMATION SPEEDING TOWARD THE SAME INTERSECTION IN TIME AND SPACE. AS YOU ARE AWARE, A WRECK WILL OCCUR IN A BLAZE OF MANGLED PARTS. THE SOCIAL WEB NEO-JOURNALISM CRIES OF CITIZEN REPORTING CLASHES WITH THE FIRST AMENDMENT PROFESSION.

JOURNALISTS ARE TRAINED TO BE OBJECTIVE REPORTERS OF NEWS EVENTS. THEIR JOB IS TO WRITE FAIRLY, ACCURATELY AND WITH ATTRIBUTION THE STORIES OF THE DAY. WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, HOW AND WHY ARE THE QUESTIONS ASKED FOR EACH STORY. THE PROFESSION AND PUBLISHERS TOOK IT UPON THEMSELVES TO FOSTER THE CHECK AND BALANCE BETWEEN ITS READERS AND THEIR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.

IN THE PAST, THE JOURNALISM PROFESSION HAS HAD ITS ROCKY MOMENTS. YELLOW JOURNALISM, TABLOID HEADLINES AND GRUESOME CRIME PHOTOGRAPHY SULLIED THE APPEARANCE BUT IT WAS USED IN A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE NEWS PRINT MARKET. TODAY, MOST MAJOR METRO AREAS HAVE ONLY ONE OR AT MOST TWO MAJOR DAILY NEWSPAPERS. IN THE PAST, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN MORE THAN A DOZEN DAILIES ACTIVELY PUSHING THE REPORTING ENVELOPE TO SELL PAPERS ON THE STREETS.

PEOPLE WERE WILLING TO PAY FOR A DAILY SUMMATION OF THE NEWS. ADVERTISERS WERE WILLING TO PAY FOR LARGE CIRCULATION NUMBERS DAILY NEWSPAPERS OFFERED THEM. MOST OF THE ASPECTS OF THE POST-WORLD WAR II PRESS WAS LOCAL -- LOCAL NEWS, LOCAL REPORTING, LOCAL ADS WERE THE DRIVING FORCE TO EDUCATE THE LOCAL CITIZENS ON THE ISSUES OF THE DAY.

AT THE CROSSROAD IS OLD MEDIA AND THE INTERNET, IS A MURKY SIGNAL OF WHAT CONSTITUTES JOURNALISM TODAY. WITH PRINT MEDIA, RADIO AND TELEVISION LOSING VIEWERS AND IN TURN LOSING ADVERTISING DOLLARS, THE CUT BACK IN TRADITIONAL NEWS STORIES IS APPARENT. LESS REPORTERS EQUALS LESS LOCAL NEWS. LESS ADVERTISING MEANS LESS ACTUAL PAGES OF CONTENT. LESS FACTUAL NEWS MEANS A LESS INFORMED POPULOUS. ADVERTISERS HAVE BEEN DRAWN TO THE MANTRA OF NEW MEDIA PROMISES OF MILLIONS OF PAGE VIEWS. WEB EXPERTS AND WEB NOVICES ALIKE HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP ON THE NOTION THAT THE NET IS FREE. CONTENT IS FREE. EVERYTHING SHOULD BE FREE. NOT WITHSTANDING THE OLD SAYING THAT YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR, NET SURFERS ARE NOT DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN FACTUAL REPORTING AND BLATANT BIASED OPINION DISGUISED AS NEWS. SPIN, PUBLIC RELATIONS, AND ARGUMENTATIVE BIAS ARE THE NEW MAXIMS FOR BLOGGERS, POLITICAL SITES AND QUASI-NEWS PORTALS.

WHEN A MAJOR NEWS STORY BREAKS, TRADITIONAL MEDIA OUTLETS LIKE TV NEWS, THROWS INFORMATION ON THE AIR WITHOUT CHECKING, WITHOUT EDITING, WITHOUT CREATING A COHERENT MESSAGE. THE NEED TO BE FIRST IS THE ONLY THING FOR SOME NEWS PRODUCERS. WHEN THE I-35W BRIDGE COLLAPSED IN MINNEAPOLIS, THE NATIONAL NEWS OUTLETS WERE ON THE AIR BEGGING LOCALS TO SEND THEM CELL PHONE IMAGES OR VIDEO. LOCAL NEWS STATIONS ASK FOR CALLERS TO REPORT ON STORM DAMAGE DURING TORNADO WARNINGS OR SEVERE STORMS. WITH THE CUTBACKS IN THE NEWSROOMS, PRODUCERS OF NEWS CONTENT ARE MORE AND MORE RELYING ON LISTENERS, VIEWERS OR READERS TO SUPPLY THEM WITH THE RAW MATERIALS FOR THEIR PROGRAMS OR WEB PAGES. THE RESULT IS A MUDDLED, UNFOCUSED HIT OR MISS DISCUSSION OF THE EVENT, USUALLY WITH AN OUT-OF-TOUCH ANCHORMAN NOT LISTENING TO WHAT THE CALLER IS SAYING TO HIS FIRST QUESTION.

OTHER WEB SITES ARE TOUTING THE FREEDOM ASPECTS OF COLLECTIVE JOURNALISM. WIKI-STYLE NEWS STORY COLLABORATION WHERE READERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ADD, SUBTRACT OR EDIT THE STORY ON LINE. IT IS LIKE A PACK OF HYENAS CIRCLING A DYING WATER BUFFALO. PEOPLE ADDING SMALL BITES TO LARGE STORY CREATES NO COMPELLING, DETAILED OR COHERENT FINAL STORY. EDITORS IN TRADITIONAL JOURNALISM SHOPS HAVE AN IMPORTANT JOB TO READ THE STORY, SEE IF IT MAKES SENSE, CHECK THE FACTS, QUESTION THE REPORTER, THEN AGREE IT IS WORTHY OF PUBLICATION. IN THE COLLECTIVE JOURNALISM MODEL, THERE ARE NO EDITORIAL ROLES. A FREE FOR FALL OF ADDING INFORMATION, MISINFORMATION OR BIAS CANNOT CREATE A REAL SUBSTITUTE FOR A FAIR, BALANCED AND PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISM STORY. BUT IT IS CHEAPER TO HAVE NON-EMPLOYEES SUPPLY CONTENT FOR A NEWS STATION THAN TO HIRE A FULL TIME REPORTER TO COVER THE SAME EVENT. IT MAY BE GOLD TO A STATION'S BOTTOM LINE, BUT IT IS FOOL'S GOLD BECAUSE WITHOUT THE CREDIBILITY OF A PROFESSIONAL NEWS OPERATION, PEOPLE WILL EVENTFULLY TURN OFF THE STATION.

LOCAL NEWSPAPERS ARE ALSO CUTTING BACK SO MUCH THAT LOCAL POLICE REPORTS ARE NOW NONEXISTENT. A PERSON SEES A FIRE ENGINE RUSH THROUGH THE LOCAL STREETS, HE WANTS TO READ WHY THAT FIRE TRUCK RIPPED BY HIS WINDOW. NOTHING. WHEN A TAXPAYER GETS HIS LOCAL TAX BILL AND IT HAS JUMPED 50%, HE'D LIKE TO KNOW, IN DETAIL, WHERE HIS PAST TAX DOLLARS WERE SPENT BY HIS ELECTED OFFICIALS. THE DREARY AND DRY BOARD MEETINGS, SCHOOL PTA MEETINGS AND COURT FILINGS ARE BORING COMPARED TO THE FLASH AND GIGGLE OF LOHAN-HILTON-SPEARS PUBLICLY PHOTOGRAPHED MELTDOWN ON THE INTERNET OR YOUTUBE.

WHEN WIKI-ENTRY SUBJECTS ARE EDITING THEIR OWN BIOS, DELETING NEGATIVE MATTERS OR PUTTING THEIR OWN PUBLIC RELATIONS SPIN ON EVENTS OR CAREER HIGHLIGHTS, THIS IS NOT FACTUAL REPORTING. THIS IS NOT THE COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE OF AMERICA THAT HAS BEEN VERIFIED AND CAN BE RE-USED AS AN ACCURATE RECORDING OF HISTORY. GOOGLE IS NOT RESEARCH. WEB LINKS ARE NOT CONCRETE FACTS. CUTTING AND PASTING WEB PASSAGES INTO A REPORT IS NOT APPLIED KNOWLEDGE.

BUT MAYBE THE CURRENT AMERICAN READER DOES NOT CARE ABOUT ACCURACY, FACTUAL REPORTING OR HISTORICAL RELEVANCE. MORE AND MORE MEDIA IS DRAWN TO THE CELEBRITY GOSSIP, THE QUASI-CELEBRITY CRIME BLOTTER, THE SPORTS FRENZY AND THE FASHION CULTURE OF FORM OVER SUBSTANCE. PEOPLE ARE STILL BUYING THE POP CULTURE WEEKLY MAGAZINES. PEOPLE STILL SEEK OUT THE GOSSIP COLUMNISTS. PUBLISHERS WILL PAY $200-$20,000 FOR AMBUSH, SCANDALOUS, CELEBRITY PHOTOGRAPHS. CELEBS THEMSELVES ARE GETTING PAID MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO GRANT EXCLUSIVE ACCESS FOR WEDDINGS, BABY PICTURES, OR POST JAIL HOUSE INTERVIEWS. HISTORY IS BOUND TO REPEAT ITSELF; YELLOW TABLOID CHECK BOOK JOURNALISM IS BEING REBORN IN THIS ERA OF POP ICONS BEHAVING BADLY.

ANYONE CAN THROW UP A WEB SITE AND BECOME A POP CULTURE MUCKRAKER, COMPLETE WITH TAWDRY PHOTOGRAPHS, UNVERIFIED RUMORS, GOSSIP AND BITING SATIRE. REMEMBER, MOST YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOLE “NEWS SOURCE” IS JON STEWARTS' THE DAILY SHOW, WHICH ITSELF IS A COMIC PARODY OF THE NEWS. EVEN FOXNEWS HAS ITS OWN NEWS PARODY SHOW. NO WONDER THE DUMBER-DOWNS OF AMERICA VIEWERSHIP CANNOT SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT'S REAL AND WHAT'S FAKE NEWS.

 

cyberbarf

EXAMINE THE NET WAY OF LIFE

iToon

cyberbarf

EXAMINE THE NET WAY OF LIFE

DR. PHILISTINE

EDUCATION IN AMERICA

THERE IS A HUGE GAP BETWEEN THE UPPER CLASS AND THE LOWER CLASS. THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A GAP BETWEEN THOSE WITH MEANS AND THOSE ON THE POVERTY LEVEL.

THE SOCIETY'S GREAT EQUALIZER WAS EDUCATION. IF A PERSON HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET AN EDUCATION, HE OR SHE COULD BETTER THEIR LIFE - - BREAK THE CHAIN OF MANUAL OR SEMI-SKILLED LABOR TO JUMP ECONOMIC CLASSES TO THE HIGH PAYING, PROFESSIONAL SERVICE INDUSTRIES LIKE MEDICINE, SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, BUSINESS OR THE LAW.

PRIOR TO THE INDUSTRIALIZATION AND WORLD WAR I, AMERICAN FAMILIES WERE SELF SUFFICIENT ENTERPRISES WHICH EVERY FAMILY MEMBER CONTRIBUTED TO THE WHOLE. A FAMILY OF FARMERS FARMED TOGETHER. AN URBAN FAMILY SOUGHT VARIOUS SERVICE JOBS TO MAKE ENDS MEET. INDUSTRIALIZATION CREATED MORE JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE UNSKILLED CLASSES. THIS INCLUDED CHILDREN WHO WERE EXPECTED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE HOUSEHOLD INCOME. BUT IN A VICTORIAN AGE OF ENLIGHTENED THOUGHT, IT WAS FOUND THAT CHILDREN WERE PLACED IN SIGNIFICANT HAZARDOUS JOB SITUATIONS WITH NO STANDARDS OR REGULATIONS. IT WAS A FORM OF ECONOMIC SLAVERY. AS A RESULT, LEADERS DECIDED THAT CHILD LABOR LAWS AND MANDATORY PUBLIC EDUCATION WAS NEEDED TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN (THE NATION'S FUTURE) FROM THE NATION'S PRESENT. COUNTRY SCHOOLS AND HOME SCHOOLS WERE MADE BY COMMUNITIES TO TEACH CHILDREN THE FUNDAMENTALS OF RELIGIOUS TRAINING, I.E. READING THE BIBLE. MANDATORY ELEMENTARY EDUCATION SCHOOLS ALSO CREATED AND HONED THE FRAMEWORK FOR INDUSTRIAL AMERICA. CHILDREN LEARNED TO WORK IN ROOMS, AT DESKS (STATIONS), AND LEARN BASIC KNOWLEDGE SKILLS OF LANGUAGE, READING, WRITING AND MATH - - - ALL ELEMENTS NEEDED TO WORK IN FACTORIES, OFFICES, MECHANIZED EQUIPMENT OR OTHER URBAN JOBS.

THE SUCCESS OF PRIMARY EDUCATION LED TO SOCIETY INVESTING IN SECONDARY EDUCATION, COLLEGE AND POST-COLLEGE PROGRAMS. TO STRIVE TO ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE, BECOME AN EXPERT IN A FIELD, WAS REWARDED WITH A MIDDLE CLASS PROFESSION. AND STEADY EMPLOYMENT. AT A CERTAIN POINT, IT WAS EXPECTED THAT EVERY CHILD WOULD GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL, AND MOST GO ON TO COLLEGE TO GET A DEGREE OF THEIR CHOICE.

BUT THE CURRENT NUMBERS ARE STAGGERINGLY LOW. LESS THAN 50% OF THE STUDENTS GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL; AND LESS THAN 50% OF COLLEGE ENROLLEES GRADUATE. FOR A NATION WHICH HELD EDUCATION AS A VALUABLE CLASS EQUALIZER AND ECONOMIC ENGINE FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION, HAS AN OVERALL GRADUATION RATE OF LESS THAN 24% IN HIGHER EDUCATION.

TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON EDUCATION. BUT THE RESULTS ARE GETTING WORSE AND WORSE. IS MONEY BEING WASTED? PROBABLY. IS THE SYSTEM NOT WORKING TO EDUCATE? POSSIBLY. BUT WHAT IS MISSING FROM THE QUESTION IS WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF EDUCATION IN AMERICA TODAY?

AMERICAN MANUFACTURING HAS BEEN OUTSOURCED OVERSEAS TO SAVE COSTS AND THE EXPENSE OF EDUCATED JOBS. THERE IS A PRINCIPLE OF HUMAN EXISTENCE: HUMANS WILL TAKE THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE. IF EDUCATION REQUIRED JOBS ARE SHRINKING, PEOPLE WILL SKIP HARD STUDYING AND FALL TO THE LEVEL OF THE BASIC COMPETENCY. AND FOR MOST, IT IS MINIMUM WAGE RETAIL JOBS.

THE BIGGEST EMPLOYMENT SECTOR IN AMERICA IS THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY. MINIMUM WAGE HOURLY RATES THAT DO NOT NEED HIGHLY EDUCATED WORKERS. THE GREATEST FALLING SECTOR AFTER MANUFACTURING IS HIGHLY EDUCATED PROFESSIONAL WORKERS THAT THE U.S. IS NOW IMPORTING . . . MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS. MOST NEW MEDICAL DOCTORS ARE EDUCATED OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES OR TRAINED ELSEWHERE.

SO THE COUNTRY IS NOT REPLACING THE PROFESSIONALS OF THE PAST GENERATION. THE EDUCATION TRACK IS NOT THE ANSWER FOR MORE AND MORE PEOPLE. IS THE EDUCATION SYSTEM FAILING OR ARE THE STUDENTS FAILING THE EDUCATION SYSTEM? THERE IS A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE IN THE PERCEIVED VALUE OF AN AMERICAN EDUCATION BY THE ACTUAL AMERICANS WHO WOULD ATTAIN IT. THE TAXPAYERS, THE PAST GENERATIONS, ARE FUNDED AN INCREASING UNINTERESTED CUSTOMER BASE. BUT EDUCATION ADMINISTRATORS ARE NOT RECOGNIZING THE PROBLEM - - - THEY KEEP SCREAMING FOR MORE MONEY TO SOLVE THE NEGATIVE NEWS. THE TEACHERS, UNIONS AND STAFF EMPLOYEES ECHO THE NEED FOR MORE MONEY, RAISES, AND BETTER BENEFITS. BUT THERE IS NO ACCOUNTABILITY FOR FAILING SCHOOLS, LOWER TEST SCORES OR OTHER OBJECTIVE CRITERIA BECAUSE THE BASE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM IS THE STUDENT NO LONGER BELIEVES EDUCATION WILL FOSTER ANY REAL CHANGE IN THEIR ECONOMIC OUTLOOK IN LIFE.

 

 

cyberbarf

EXAMINE THE NET WAY OF LIFE

iToon

 

 

Your Interest keeps this Site moving forward.

THANKS FOR SUPPORTING US.

cyberbarf eStore

Webmaster Contact

cyberbarf

Distribution ©2001-2007 pindermedia.com, inc.

All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

THIS SITE IS POWERED BY

pindermedia.com, inc.

Wasted Time for Wasted Lives™