Posts by Maxwell Berkow
Public Health Problems and Solutions
When discussing health problems in New York City, it is easy to target unhealthy products such as fast food and tobacco because consumption of these goods is proven to be detrimental to a person’s health. However, the same can be said for alcohol even though there is not a large movement in place to reduce that (with the exception of drinking and driving). Rather than focus on these problems (which can be drastically reduced by people simply having more self control) I would like to focus on unavoidable health issues for many New Yorkers. The first being the fact that lead content is still found in paint in many old homes. The old homes that contain this harmful paint often belong to low income families who cannot afford to test the walls themselves. As a result, many families (and especially children) have suffered from lead poisoning. It is so common that personal injury attorneys often advertise on trains their success winning money for injuries caused by lead paint. I even went to middle school with a student who suffers from mental retardation because of lead paint. A second issue is food deserts. Approximately 750,000 New Yorkers live in designated food deserts while 3 million live near few or far away from affordable healthy food options. The locations of these food deserts are Central/East Harlem and North/Central Brooklyn. These locations pose a serious health risk to the people living there, removing the previously discussed will power associated with choosing healthy food over fast food; people living in food deserts are often forced to eat unhealthy fast food due to financial reasons. Thirdly, I would like to discuss the related problem of unhealthy public school lunches. As a student in the public school system since pre-kindergarten, I have seen the awful food provided to students. It sets them up for failure. The DOE preaches that students should stay healthy but do not back it up with actions. While they state “gym” class is just as important as math and science classes, shown by gym teachers making the same amount of money as any other teacher, they completely ignore the fact that nutrition is half the battle. While I was fortunate enough to bring lunch from home every day, many families at my school could not and the city forced poor nutrition on their children.
An important change to school lunches is to increase the requirements of a “healthy meal.” Currently, 30 million students nationwide are few by The National School Lunch Program. In 1946, Harry Truman signed this program into law and the guidelines appear just as old: “No more than 30 percent of the meal’s calories may come from fat,” “Less than 10 percent of the meal’s calories may come from saturated fat,” and “Meals must provide one-third of the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) of protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, calcium and calories.” Many experts have said that these requirements make school lunch not any better than fasts food and President Obama’s White House chef has stated that the meals are high in fat, preservatives and high fructose corn syrup. In order to improve the school lunches, and health, of young children, the requirements must be updated based upon our better knowledge of nutrition since 1946.
[1] http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/menus/who-decides-lunch-plans.htm
[2] http://www.schoolfoodnyc.org/public1/default.aspx?logout=1
[3] http://www.foodispower.org/food-deserts/
Gender Lens on Economic Growth: Solutions
Looking at economic growth through a gender lens, the immediate impression is that women incur penalties in the job market because of their gender. Many in this class have discussed this problem in some facet. Personally, I wrote about this being a culture issue, resulting from the way that people are raised and holdovers from less progressive decades. I think that the only way to truly combat the issue of women being mistreated in the work force is change perceptions over time. This is not a quick fix but will be much more effective than forced equality through some sort of legislation. In some ways this strategy is already being implemented as society’s expectations for women have become more progressive in the last few years. However, this process can be sped up if an emphasis on equality between genders is taught to young children in environments such as their home and school. In these places, children look to adults for indicators on how they should behave. Although we cannot force a change inside peoples’ homes, changing the public school curriculum remains a strong possibility. Even in my elementary school, which promoted conservation, equality, and fairness, gender roles were evident in teachers’ unconsciousness assignments of classroom chores: girls were asked to clean and boys to put chairs on tables at the end of the day. By making a conscious effort to promote gender equality in classrooms society’s progressive shift can be accelerated.
Previously, I stated that forcing equality through legislation is not a real fix. However, it can still be an effective plan while we wait for societal norms to change. For example, a law dictating employers to provide employees in the same position equal pay would help regulate gender bias. Unfortunately, this is not really a feasible idea due to pushback from companies and employees who often negotiate starting salaries. A better idea is to require corporate transparency, forcing companies to release the salaries and bonuses of employees at least within their organization. This would give employees the ability to check their earnings in comparison to comparable peers. If enacted, this would allow employees to take advantage of laws against sexual discrimination in employment that have already been ratified.
One controversial idea on this subject is the implementation of Scandinavian maternity/paternity leave laws in the United States. In countries like Norway and Denmark, companies are required by law to give new parents extensive leave when compared to the United States. In this country maternity leave often does not exceed a few weeks and paternity leave is often nonexistent. However, Scandinavian parents receive much more than that. For example, Sweden allows parents to receive 90% of their wages during paid leave for a total of 480 days between them per child. Currently, 90% Swedish fathers take paternity leave for an average of seven weeks and mothers take more. In 2013, 12 million days of paid paternity leave were given to fathers in Sweden. Although this is not a plausible idea to be implemented in the United States due to f this country’s much more capitalistic nature, it should be noted that Sweden rates as one of the top nations in terms of gender equality.
References:
1. http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2014/07/economist-explains-15
2. http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/gender-equity-in-education.pdf
3. http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/leading-the-international-agenda/gender-and-education/
Questions for Kim Wales
1. On your website’s “What Is Wales Capital?” you list your works with start-ups before “world’s leading businesses, governments and institutions” therefore stressing your work with the former. Is this because you would rather work with start-ups than established global brands or because it gives your company more credibility to help a new brand grow than to help a large company continue its success?
2. As a consulting firm how often do companies not follow your advice and what is your strategy for dealing with this?
Questions for Arielle Kandel
1. On your website it states that the LEAD Program is currently in a pilot stage. How has it been received so far and how do you plan to publicize it to your target audience, young female immigrants who may not have a thorough understanding of computers and/or the internet?
2. One of the goals of the Hear Me! Project, as stated on your website, it to compile policy recommendations based upon your findings. How do you plan to support these goals to get them implemented?
Gender and Economic Growth Problems
Across the world there is a huge implications that come with being male or female. Assumed responsibilities, respect in leadership roles, and economic benefits differ between these two groups. Although people in the United States would like to believe that we have abolished gender discrimination, along with racial and religious discrimination, it is easily seen in the way each of the nation’s work force is treated. Up until 2010, it was even legal to discriminate between men and women when determining health care costs. Being a woman was considered a preexisting condition. Three concerns that I would like to highlight are the wage gap, the glass ceiling, and holdovers from when the United States was a more sexist country.
This most prominent discussion topic regarding women in the workplace is the wage gap. Different studies estimate different percentages but most agree that men usually get paid more for the same job as a female peer. Whether this Is due to employers wanting to account for maternity leave and other similar benefits or if it is because of this country’s history of sexism, it is an unfair practice. This issue has actually received a lot of publicity, featuring on Obama’s platform before the election. However, the wage gap is still prominent, often being estimated around 20 cents on the dollar. This can have a significant impact of quality of life because most American homes feature to sets of income, from the mother and father. The estimated difference in lost earnings is over ten thousand dollars, enough money to buy a year’s supply of groceries or.
Related to the wage gap is the glass ceiling, a catchy term used to publicize the trend that women are often never given the opportunity to fill high profile positions. Although more women now attend college than men it is not reflected in high profile positions in management. One recent study of 60 major corporations, conducted by Joanna Barsh and Lareina Yee, states that women make up 53 percent of the entry-level work but only contribute as 27 percent of vice presidents. The higher a position is on the corporate ladder, the less likely a woman to be appointed. This is detrimental to economic growth as it limits half of the population from fulfilling their potentials and also encourages the promotion of less qualified individuals. Capitalist societies rely on inefficient companies going bankrupt and well run corporations thriving, but failing companies also have huge negative impacts on the economy by decreasing jobs and possibly manufacturing. Ideally, corporations should be run by the best person for the job, but this is impossible if the determining factor is unrelated to that person’s productivity and ability.
The source of many gender related problems in economic growth is the continued belief of many stigmas women were associated with in the 1950s and 1960s. Beliefs such as the one that women should be housewives and marry a man who supports them is an archaic idea that is no longer practical. Especially in places like New York City, where people need a special tenacity and persistence to succeed, this belief often joked about among children of young ages is detrimental to young girls’ mental growth. However, this is also a belief shared among adults. This is clearly seen during election season when many male politicians are joined by their supportive wife who doesn’t work but instead exemplifies the old ideals of a “good” wife. Unfortunately, this is just one of many principles that need to be changed in society that wants to think of itself as fair.
References:
http://www.who.int/social_determinants/resources/csdh_media/wgekn_final_report_07.pdf
https://hbr.org/2015/03/the-throwback-sexism-of-kleiner-perkins
https://hbr.org/2013/09/women-in-the-workplace-a-research-roundup
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/30/health/30women.html?_r=0
Solutions: The Future of Work
In a previous blog post I discussed the problems with the future of work, specifically, with regards to the preparedness of the workforce and job security (whether it is due to other sources of labor or changing work environments). Finding solutions to these problems can be difficult because they are hypotheticals, based upon trends currently being observed. Although the problems have not occurred yet, it is important to be prepared with a plan.
The first alarming trend involves the increased dependence of companies on part-time and freelance work. A decade ago job security was a given and a trusted employee was less easily replaced. In the current age of technology and instant communication, access to potential employees has increased dramatically. Describing this situation in terms of the supply and demand model, the supply of employees has increased at a faster rate than the demand for these employees (in many occupations). When discussing this topic, it is easy to see freelance work as the problem because it is a contributing factor to decreasing job security. However, freelance workers provide an integral part to the country’s economy as well as providing a source of income for many Americans. In order to improve job security, while protecting freelance workers, the government can provide corporations with incentives to employ workers for long periods of time. One incentive can be a reduction in the amount that an employer has to pay towards the state unemployment tax. By providing workers with employment over long periods of time, these corporations are effectively reducing the unemployment rate [1], the same reason for the unemployment tax and thus making this reduction reasonable. In addition, regulations can establish a minimum percentage of workers that a corporation must employ full-time. This percentage can be on an increasing gradient based upon the total number of people that the company employees. Any company that does not meet their required quota of full-time workers would be subject to a new tax. The tax break and increased regulation both have the potential to greatly increase the job security of American workers.
A horrifying realization made by many recent graduates of American Universities is that they do not have the proper skill set to succeed in their intended profession[2]. It is a great failure to ourselves that the college model is so outdated and it must evolve in order to be effective. While many things are done right in higher education, a lack of emphasis on skills directly used in the workforce is disturbing. Many University presidents boast of their school’s production of well-rounded students who are ready to shape society, however, this is not entirely true because curricula have been set for years without change. One to plan to update this process is to increase the number of high quality adjunct professors. These industry professionals have the ability to share with students their experiences in the current professional working environment. This would require increased desirability for the position, which can be accomplished through increased wages. Currently, teachers at all levels are some of the most underpaid workers in America[3]. In addition, tenured professors should be held to the same standard of knowing knew developments in their field.
The third problem discussed was that of office place jobs, such as janitors and secretaries, decreasing with the reduction of traditional office environments. Since millions of Americans are currently employed in these occupations, even a small decrease in the number of offices would have large consequences. Most importantly, for the sake of the economy, these workers must not be left unemployed. I propose education stipends to workers in shrinking fields in order to quickly give these people a new job. These stipends would be towards formal colleges as well as vocational schools. Vocational schools are especially appropriate in this situation because they take less time than formal college four-year programs and provide students with practical knowledge about how to be a part of the workforce[4]. Even relatively small assistance may be enough to convince future unemployed people to enroll and reenter the workforce. This plan would further benefit from my second solution to combat the current state of Universities nationwide.
References:
- http://www.accountingcoach.com/payroll-accounting/explanation/4
- http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/tomorrows-college/lectures/rethinking-teaching.html
- http://www.businessinsider.com/most-overpaid-and-underpaid-jobs-2014-1
Questions for Debera Johnson
1. Does being environmentally conscious create any difficulties in designing and producing apparel and if so, how? (specifically with regards to the s.LAB)
2. How does BF+DA go through the process of selecting its academic fellows?
Problems with the Future of Work
As the landscape of work and office space changes, the futures of many occupations are called into question. After decades of the established office setup, where employees would clock in and out at a designated location, changing perceptions and an increase in world communication are changing the way that established businesses run. The underlying theme in these changes is to increase profits, whether this is from increased productivity or a decrease in costs, and while the evolution of the workplace is exciting, it may also lead to serious problems.
One significant impact seen in the evolution of work so far is the increase of freelance work. While this has positive impacts for the businesses as well as workers, the ramifications of this trend, if it continues in the future, could eventually mean an unprecedented loss of job security. It may have not seemed possible just five years ago, but with the success of smartphones, apps, and the general advancement of technology, it is much easier for companies to find employees to work part time or by project. Currently, there are apps to facilitate this sort of transaction that may become increasingly popular in the future. The problem with this is the possible decrease in job security and full-time positions that provide benefits for millions of Americans. This remote working experience makes it even easier to outsource jobs, as the transferring of information is now quick and efficient. Although flexibility is important, so is the stability of the nation’s work force.
Another problem with current trends is that the value of a college education is diminishing. This is due to the fundamental problem of the education system that many college students are not learning what they need to be successful after graduation. More students are attending college than ever in the history of the United States and this would not be a problem if they were all receiving an education that helped better their ability to contribute afterwards. In its current state, the education system is producing too many graduates who cannot find work in their field, often forcing them to take jobs that they would not have needed a college education to procure. In order for college to be practical, it must prepare graduates for the workforce as well as turn them into well-rounded individuals.
A third problem with the future of the work force is that a transition from the typical office workspace would make many people lose their jobs which rely on the existence of this established practice. People such as secretaries and janitors, 3.9471 million and 2.324 million people respectively (in the United States as of 2012), rely on the traditional setup to work. A shift towards freelance employment and people working from home would significantly reduce with the need for similar occupations without creating comparable jobs to replace them.
References:
- http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21637355-freelance-workers-available-moments-notice-will-reshape-nature-companies-and
- http://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/secretaries-and-administrative-assistants.htm
- http://www.bls.gov/ooh/building-and-grounds-cleaning/janitors-and-building-cleaners.htm
Centre for Social Innovation Questions
1. What is the most difficult part about creating and developing a social innovation?
2. What fields/issues do you find social missions targeting the most?
Solutions 1: Police Firearm Training
A long debate over police reform has recently been put into the spotlight because of officer misconduct. However, ideas for improvement are not a new occurrence. These suggestions vary both in quality and ideology; opinions on government and policing often coincide with party lines. One of the many issues being discussed, as I did in my Problems 1 assignment, is that of police officer training. Even this focus has to be clarified because of different people advocating for firearms training, proper conduct training, mental training, etc. I decided to specify firearms training as a source of problems. Rather than look at the incredibly difficult problem of tackling how police officers discern their situations and decide to react, I advocate for a change to the firearm training policy because I think that it is a simpler problem that if solved can have an immediate positive impact.
A problem with today’s police force is that many officers cannot use their weapons properly. Whether this is due to police departments not holding officers’ weapon proficiency accountable or because some officers are not used to high stress situations where they are forced to draw their gun, it is an inexcusable problem. This neglect is displayed in every confrontation where innocent bystanders are struck, an occurrence to often happening in New York City. While handguns are difficult to accurately shoot at longer distances, police should be aware of this effective range. While this is sometimes the problem, in an incident known as the Empire State Shooting, two police officers opened fire on an armed murderer from a reported distance of only 8 feet. Although this distance should have made for a clean kill, 16 shots were fired, killing the target but also hitting 9 innocent bystanders fleeing the confrontation. For the same reason that doctors have medical degrees and bus drivers have drivers licenses, a police officer must not be put in a position where they are given a deadly instrument that they are unable to properly operate.
I propose stricter tests, not allowing officers to carry a gun without meeting these higher standards. Many officers do not fire their weapon throughout their term of duty so this is much less of an inhibiting factor than it seems. However, the ultimate goal of this reform is to return weapons to all officers as long as they are proficient in its use. These tests would require changes at the police academy to obstruct the access of guns to those not qualified as well as the retesting of current officers. As seen in the presentation from Milk Not Jails, New York City has many more police than is necessary to handle the current crime rate. By reducing the police force by even 5 percent, enough money would be saved for the cost of retraining. Additionally, assuming that underperforming police with a history of misconduct are let go, only the superior members of the police force will remain. The additional training will aim to make sure that officers can fire their weapon accurately and know when protocol dictates the use of deadly force. A higher quality of police officer is important to the wellbeing of the city, not a higher number of police.
Sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/25/nyregion/empire-state-building-shooting.html?pagewanted=all
https://www.aclu.org/racial-justice_prisoners-rights_drug-law-reform_immigrants-rights/fighting-police-abuse-community-ac
http://thefreethoughtproject.com/137-shots-13-cops-dead-unarmed-civilians-equals-taxpayers-hook-3-million/
Comments by Maxwell Berkow
"While I think that there are definitive benefits to nationalizing the health insurance market, there are also drawbacks and I do not think this is a feasible solution, at least for right now. The first problem, as you mentioned it, are lobbyists. While companies lobbying congress often seems immoral and corrupt, it is common practice and the only feasible way to change it is through the congressmen and senators who are being lobbied. Secondly, there will major pushback from the thousands of employees who work in this industry. In order to make serious change, I think that new laws and regulations must be changed over time rather than a sudden switch to universal healthcare. This is along the lines of President Obama’s health care reform; it target some of the same problems that your post did but also did not directly limit the freedoms of the private insurance companies. However, even this proposal has been met with vicious criticism and stands to be reduced even further by a mostly Republic congress."
--( posted on May 7, 2015, commenting on the post
Revamping the Health Care System )
"I think that you did a good job determine three distinct health problems that New Yorkers suffer from. Obviously no having access to affordable healthy food is a big problem but I also liked how you targeted the abundance of antibiotics used in meat and produce. While labels such as “organic” and “grass fed” are thrown around to attract buyers and legitimize a higher price, I don’t think that most people are aware of why these products may be healthier for you. This can be seen in the “gluten free” trend causing people to avoid something that they do not need to. In fact, gluten is important for the body, and while people who are allergic should not consume it, many others choose to as well because of the current stigma around it. Your last problem of unaffordable health care is also a very important one. With a very privatized hospital system in the United States and the importance of medical treatment, many hospitals are charging exorbitant rates for treatment. In addition, lack of regulation has caused different hospitals to charge different costs. In New York City, the difference of 20 blocks can make the difference between thousands of dollars for the same treatment. Lastly, I think that the implementation of the ugly foods program could be very productive and make a real change in America. It is just a matter of getting grocery stores and farmers on board."
--( posted on May 7, 2015, commenting on the post
Public Heath Problems and Solutions )
"I agree with your idea to attack societal perceptions of women early on. Similar to my solution, you decided that the optimal time to do this would be in a child’s early years in elementary school. I like your idea that female empowerment should be taught implicitly because I don’t think it would be as effective if forced upon children. This is especially true since children at that age like to separate themselves by gender, thinking that the other group is ‘gross.’ While teaching about female successes in fields such as math and science, subjects often generalized as masculine, I think that your emphasis on co-ed sports is important. Team reliant activities such as sports often break through previous conflicts because of a shared interest in winning. In 1966, Muzafer Sherif conducted a psychological study at a boys camp that showed previously made rivalries and conflicts quickly become inconsequential when a competition pitted the boys against another camp. Using sports and other team competitions to reduce gender biases in children can be extremely effective."
--( posted on Apr 23, 2015, commenting on the post
Gender and Economic Growth Solution )
"I agree with your idea that increasing the number of women in STEM jobs will help reduce the prejudice against their gender entering the field. As you stated, I think that the cultural perceptions of women will be the deciding factor on whether gender equality improves in the future. However, I think some of your solutions are misguided although well intentioned. The study that you reference stating that women earn 33% more in STEM field does not relate to the wage gap because they are referring to two different things. This only means that they earn more money relative to women in other fields and does not incorporate men. That being said, I do think that increasing the number of women in STEM fields will help reduce the wage gap because it will reduce the cultural stigma against women in science. Currently, there are more women than men in college, but this is not true in the STEM fields. There is no biological reason for this gap to exist; however, the difference is evident. I am not sure if scholarships are the most effective solution considering it costs the same amount to get an engineering degree as it does a liberal arts degree. That being said, it cannot hurt and may give opportunities to women interested in STEM who would otherwise not be able to afford college."
--( posted on Apr 23, 2015, commenting on the post
Gender Solutions )
"I think that your point about women only comprising 20 percent of the Senate is an important one. While I think that private spending on campaigns and endorsements affects the outcomes of votes much greater than the gender of the Senators, the idea of proper representation conflicts with the current state of congress. An increase in qualified female senators might give a different perspective on gender equality without changing the balance of opinions on other subjects. However, mandating female congressmen is clearly an impractical solution and so I think this problem once again stems from the perception of women in society. In a different culture where women are more respected in leadership roles and are considered equal to men because of their actions and accomplishments there would be a much more even split in the gender of congressmen. Of the current 20 women in this nation’s 114th Congress, 14 of them are democrats, displaying a more progressive attitude from the states that they were elected in. Only 6 currently serving female senators are republican. Hopefully, in the future, gender equality can be separated from political parties."
--( posted on Mar 31, 2015, commenting on the post
Gender and Economic Growth Problems )
"I agree with your argument that one huge problem is the way that young girls are exposed to female stereotypes that promote a passiveness not conducive to the current work world. While I acknowledge that gender roles are thoroughly implanted in society, I do not think that they need to have the negative impact that they currently have on young girls and women. Currently, the perception of women as child caregivers has a negative impact because it is often associated with women not being able to provide for themselves. However, if this were to shift to the perception that women in child raising roles are strong and independent then this could change its affect on young girls. Right now, the emphasis of this stereotype and others like it are based around perceptions of women from an earlier time when the country was much more sexist. The sooner that this is recognized and society adjusts accordingly, the sooner more women will succeed because of higher self-confidence as well as evaluators being less sexist themselves. The later is very important because while many people think they aren’t sexist, they are if they automatically associate someone with a trait because of their gender."
--( posted on Mar 31, 2015, commenting on the post
Gender and Economic Growth Problems )
"The Thiel Fellowship is an interesting idea that I've heard people praise when it was announced. It provides brilliant students with an opportunity to learn through experience rather than the traditional college experience that might not suit them. Unfortunately, this requires the generous donation of investment capital from people such as Peter Thiel. While this means that most students will be unable to experience an opportunity such as this one, it is promising to see innovations in the field of education which has remained mostly constant for the past few decades. Hopefully, students in a few years will have more opportunities providing alternatives to the current system. Potentially, it is fellowships like this one which will force universities to rethink their currently established model."
--( posted on Mar 17, 2015, commenting on the post
Future of Work Solutions )
"I agree with your stance that an influx of government money would help to create jobs for many who don't have one. Reallocating money from the defense budget makes sense because it is a huge use of resources for our country. This is despite our nation's efforts to distance ourselves as an international police force. However, I don't think that this would result in the large creation of jobs that you expect. The billions of dollars spent on defense contribute thousands of jobs to hard working Americans. Even if the money could be used more efficiently to create jobs in another sector, this plan would also receive huge resistance from U.S. military servicemen and their families in addition to private contractors and manufacturers. If the United States reallocated a significant portion of the defense budget, the new jobs being created would be offset by the thousands of jobs lost. However, there are most likely funds in the defense budget that are inefficiently used. Improving this may provide the influx of funds that you are looking for."
--( posted on Mar 17, 2015, commenting on the post
Work Solutions )
"I agree that the current trends toward lower benefits and retirement packages and higher healthcare co-pays and premiums are detrimental for the future of work. In order to have a stable workforce, who also make up the bulk of consumers, they middle class employees must have job and benefit security. A stable middle class is key to the health of an economy and a lack there of has contributed negatively to the economies of nations such as China. While the United States has had the most affluent middle class for decades, this is no longer the case. Canada has now passed the United States even though Canada’s middle class lagged significantly behind that of the United States just 15 years ago, in 2000.
I also agree that general group work is more productive. Communication is key to a project and working in the same room or laboratory would increase this. If group members only meet at certain times, the efficiency and the speed at which a project is finished will be severely hindered. However, meetings are sometimes a necessary evil to provide updates to other groups on a large group that has many people working on it. It is not possible for all of these groups to work together in the same room. It would no longer be efficient as groups would be getting in each others way."
--( posted on Mar 10, 2015, commenting on the post
Future of Work Problems )
"I understand your argument that currently, students are being taught in a very traditional format that does not particularly lend itself to the “Google format” that is becoming more and more prevalent. However, I disagree with the notion that this will hinder the future of work. The only reason that this new way of working is being implemented is because it is increasing productivity amongst workers who have al been taught by the current traditional system. The increasing demand of this type of work is because of it being an improvement for both employees and employers. If the education system evolves with this new type of work I believe that this new layout of work will become even more productive.
I do agree with your comments on job security. The trend that work is currently following has a decrease in job security. While this appears to benefit employers, it is definitely bad for employees and also the economy. Consumers spend more money when they are in a good place financially. If people continue to lose faith that they have a stable job, they will spend less and hurt the nation’s GDP. This will result in lost earnings for the employers that began to reduce job security in the first place."
--( posted on Mar 10, 2015, commenting on the post
Future of Work Problems )
"Similar to your posts, I discussed the problem of improper police training. Although I discussed this issue in regards to fire arms training, mental training such has the behavioral analysis classes you discussed are just as important. Many of the unfortunate incidents we hear about on the news involve police officers who are in difficult positions and do not how to properly react. Basic instinct tells a person to defend themselves when they are in a dangerous situation but police officers are in a variety dangerous situations throughout their careers. I do not believe that police officers who harm innocent civilians meant to do so. I think that they were simply not prepared to handle what was happening and responded in the way they thought was appropriate. More training programs simulating specific encounters could help to prevent future incidents. These would include situations involving takedowns of large people and the assessing of possible threats as well as how to deal with the mentally handicapped."
--( posted on Mar 3, 2015, commenting on the post
Policing Solutions )
"The problem of reintegrating ex-criminals into society is clearly important. The high number of people released from and subsequently sent back to prison creates an unhealthy cycle for the both prisoners and their communities. A rehabilitation program preparing them for re-entry into the regular world could help with this problem. The inclusion of educational program, whether they be towards a GED or vocational degrees, would help to prevent a released inmate from returning to previous habits. However, the funding for this new program could be a problem. Prisons take a lot of money to maintain and the addition of new facilities may put too much more stress on the already weak system. I think that initial smaller versions of these programs, maybe with a few chosen inmates, could provide the results that would promote government funding. If inmates are shown to not be as likely to return to prison after undergoing this program, the money saved by not incarcerating them could potential be allocated to the expansion of this reintegration program."
--( posted on Mar 3, 2015, commenting on the post
Policing Solutions )
"Sorry, meant to type this:
I agree with your statement that the way prisoners are reintroduced into society is flawed. Although prisons like to display themselves as correctional facilities, they often provide little to no support for inmates to better themselves and contribute to their communities after their sentence is served. Instead, they are often put to work, typically laboring for fewer than five dollars each day. This gross negligence along with the absence of a plan for inmates after their release are the biggest contributing factors towards the unemployment that you described. The current system ends up harming both the released convicts and the communities that they join. Ideally, upon release, ex-convicts no longer want to commit crimes and would rather rejoin and contribute to their community. Even just thinking logically, most people will not want to go to jail, especially after witnessing it first hand. However, unemployment due to lack of rehabilitating programs forces them into the detrimental cycle that you describe. With overcrowding rampant in American prisons, the prioritization of private prisons to run a profit, and the stigma against released prisoners most likely created by the poor results of the modern prison system, it sadly makes sense that this cycle exists."
--( posted on Feb 19, 2015, commenting on the post
Policing Problems )
"I disagree with your criticism of metal detectors in schools. It is a shame the way that some schools implement metal detectors to the detriment of their students. However, unnecessary use and poor execution cannot invalidate a system that is solely intended to screen for weaponry. In my middle school a classmate was expelled for trying to stab another. The school did not implement any new policies because weapons were not often used on campus. This situation is completely different from that of a high school with a history of violence and weapons. Although it may be difficult at first to adjust to new policies, there are certain cases where these machines can actually save lives. Yes, I would prefer that this money could be used to improve the education that the school is providing and somehow also eliminate violence but sadly that is often an unrealistic goal. Critics of metal detectors cite instances where students are waiting on line for long periods of time before they can enter their school. However tragic, these are inadequacies of a severely underpaid and undertrained security staff and not that of a technology that has the potential to prevent guns and knives from a school where they could harm both teachers and students."
--( posted on Feb 19, 2015, commenting on the post
Policing Problems )
"I disagree with your criticism of metal detectors in schools. It is a shame the way that some schools implement metal detectors to the detriment of their students. However, unnecessary use and poor execution cannot invalidate a system that is solely intended to screen for weaponry. In my middle school a classmate was expelled for trying to stab another. The school did not implement any new policies because weapons were not often used on campus. This situation is completely different from that of a high school with a history of violence and weapons. Although it may be difficult at first to adjust to new policies, there are certain cases where these machines can actually save lives. Yes, I would prefer that this money could be used to improve the education that the school is providing and somehow also eliminate violence but sadly that is often an unrealistic goal. Critics of metal detectors cite instances where students are waiting on line for long periods of time before they can enter their school. However tragic, these are inadequacies of a severely underpaid and undertrained security staff and not that of a technology that has the potential to prevent guns and knives from a school where they could harm both teachers and students."
--( posted on Feb 19, 2015, commenting on the post
Problem 1 )
