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Oregon has a serious problem with its state finance system. On April 7, 2007 the libraries in Jackson County, Oregon are going to shut their doors due to lack of funding. There are 5562 children signed up for summer reading programs at the Jackson County libraries who are not going to get the chance to participate in those programs any more. Pediatricians and educators have been stressing the importance of reading to babies and preschoolers. Chris Abbott, a kindergarten teacher at Walker Elementary School in Ashland, said she sees a clear difference between children who have been read to and those who have not when they start school. There is no substitute for handling a book and surely these children are going to lose precious moments that can't be replaced. (Aldous) Unfortunately, libraries aren't the only things slated for closure here in Oregon. Vicki Phillips, Superintendent of Portland Public Schools, has announced her plan to close 14 schools here in the Portland area by 2010 despite the fact that the population is increasing in Portland and class sizes are also growing. Teachers are facing classrooms overburdened with over 30 students and are unable to give each student individual attention. For the brightest children the lack of individual attention may not affect them deeply, but students that need the extra attention will certainly suffer.

The Oregon State finance system is almost entirely dependent on personal income tax which tracks directly with how well the economy is doing. When times are good the economy is booming and the coffers spill over with surplus tax dollars that get sent back to us as a kicker check. When times are bad they are really bad. The economy takes a nose dive, the unemployment rate rises and the need for state assistance grows. The income tax is dependent on a booming economy, so when the unemployment rate is up the amount of money generated is smaller. For decades elected officials in Oregon have warned the population that the state is too dependent on the state income tax. In 2002 Governor Ted Kulongoski met with business leaders here in Portland to discuss his economic recovery plan that included a plan to cut the state income tax, and implement a sales tax. Kulongoski said, "Some sort of consumption tax, such as a sales tax or gross receipts tax should be considered to help provide more stable funding for Oregon's public schools." The idea was rejected by voters in favor of a temporary patch, and despite the imposition of the 3 year Multnomah I-tax, which generated three hundred seventy five million dollars for education, the problems aren't going away. The Oregon public school system is mediocre at best, getting worse every year, and the costs for higher education are skyrocketing. There is a solution to this terribly inconsistent tax system. A sales tax would level out Oregon's revenue problems.

Imposing a 5% sales tax, and cutting the income tax down to 4% is a fairer tax structure that would be distributed across the population in the most equal way. The main argument about the fairness of a sales tax is based on people from two very different income levels making the same purchase. Joe makes $15,000.00 per year and spends $100.00. Frank makes $100,000.00 and spends $100.00. Is it fair they pay the same amount of sales tax? This is called a "regressive tax" meaning that the tax burden is unfairly distributed and unduly burdens the lowest income citizens. I agree that in this simple situation that it seems unfair to Joe to have to pay the same amount of tax on the $100.00 purchase as Frank is paying. However, simple mathematics suggests that Joe can't possibly spend the same amount as Frank annually. When Joe is seeking to buy a television, Joe's perspective of what amounts to a major home entertainment purchase is going to be totally different than Frank's. Joe is searching the Sunday paper for the latest Fryes advertisement so he can buy the 25 inch Daewoo special for $299.99 with a total sales tax of $14.99. Frank has a totally different idea as to the amount of what a major entertainment purchase would entail. Franks television isn't a Daewoo special; it's a 50 inch Plasma television with surround sound speakers from Best Buy with a purchase price of $3999.99 and a total sales tax of $199.99. The total amount of tax paid by both is fair, and distributed amongst the citizens according to their ability to pay. Ironically the current income tax structure fits the definition given by the anti-sales tax activists of a regressive tax structure. (Vedder 12) In a research brief done by the State of Oregon Legislative Revenue Office, the effective tax rate for a low income household (under $14,525 annually) is 13.1%, and the effective tax rate for a household in the highest tax bracket (over $126,173 annually) is 11.4% clearly the tax burden isn't distributed fairly as the system stands. (Oregon)

Doomsayers are quick with indictments of the sales tax proposal stating that Oregon will lose its competitive edge, and lose the ability to lure new businesses to Oregon. In the current income tax structure businesses and corporations in Oregon have a very sweet deal. The minimum business income tax is set at $10.00 annually for businesses making over $500,000.00 in profits. (Leachman) It's difficult to see the fairness in a tax system that clearly favors the top 1% of our society, corporations, and businesses that are only responsible for 10% of our states revenue. A successful and profitable business such as Nike, which brings in billions of dollars in profits, pays only $10.00 in income taxes, and a low income household pays 13.1% of their income. Imposing a sales tax would increase the state budget by a billion dollars annually, and reduce the tax burden on individuals. Ben Westlund, a Democratic Oregon state senator, said, "Under my proposed tax reform plan, every tax-paying Oregonian would get a tax cut." Westlund's proposal would distribute the tax burden more fairly; businesses would shoulder a little more of the tax burden and the average tax-payer would save $473.00 annually.(Westlund 1) There are businesses in the other 46 states that have a sales tax, and they have no problem with a competitive edge, or attracting new business to their states. Businesses are in business to make money and if there is opportunity for profit (which there is) business would still be done in Oregon. (Keating 7)

There are certainly rogue elements in our society that are currently evading the current income tax structure. Illegal aliens and under the table employment are only a small part of the problem. (Sennsholz 21) Under Governor Ted Kulongoski's current general fund budget for the 2005-2007 cycle, Governor Kulongoski calls for a 34% increase in Department of Corrections spending to $1.1 billion dollars for the current bi-ennium. Drug dealers, prostitutes, and thieves would all be taxed with the sales tax. There are no concrete numbers as to a specific amount of taxes that are evaded by these elements of society, but punishing criminals is a billion dollar industry. It would be poetic justice for criminals to pay some of the taxes to support their incarceration.

Oregon draws people from all over the world and the tourism industry generates a great deal of revenue for the state economy. However, tourists get to enjoy all the services our great state provides untaxed. Projections indicate that 190 million dollars a year would be generated by a sales tax from tourism alone. The Argument against collecting sales tax on tourism states that it would be cost prohibitive, meaning it would cost more to collect than it would generate in state revenue. Those estimates are based on the cost of retooling our system to collect a sales tax only on tourism. The argument lacks backing, if we have instated a sales tax, and are collecting the sales tax from everyone else already, how could it possibly cost more to collect another 190 million dollars? 46 States have a sales or consumption tax, and have no problems with loss of tourism. Anti-sales tax activists claim that imposing a sales tax would eliminate cross-border purchases damaging Oregon's economy. Neighboring states Washington and California have significant sales taxes, and shoppers from those states definitely evade their state sales taxes by crossing the border to shop in Oregon. There is no doubt that cross-border purchasing (tax evasion) would slow as a result of imposing a sales tax, but Washington State's sales tax is still significantly higher than the proposed 5% sales tax in Oregon. The cross border purchases would be less frequent but for larger amounts.

There is clearly a problem with our state finance system, and the library closures are only a symptom of more serious problems. Oregon is currently solely dependent on the income tax. It is evident that the dependence on the income tax is reeking havoc on our public education system, and that the closure of schools is eminent. The state finance system needs a serious overhaul. 46 states have already figured out that the sales tax will diversify the states income streams and provide stability. We have an inherent responsibility to provide the best possible education to the next generation; after all they are going to be the leaders tomorrow. The average working class Oregonian has to hear the call to action. Winston Churchill said, "The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to a close. In its place, we are entering a period of consequences." The circumstances were obviously different, but the words apply well here. Our future as a society depends upon the future of our children. The call to action is clear we need to fix our public education system, and a sales tax will provide the stability needed to solve the problem.]]> English]]> Sun, 15 Apr 2007 18:43:38 -0400 http://www.readourpapers.com/english/experince-in-mumbai.html English]]> Mon, 02 Apr 2007 06:48:52 -0400 http://www.readourpapers.com/english/chinese-american-elders.html
These elders have gone through wars, and discrimination acts against them, moving from one culture to a totally different culture. Identity can be lost in such transitions; identity is an important thing in the Chinese American culture which should never be lost. Identity, is important in any culture, in the Chinese it is especially important because it usually has characteristics from ancestors and family from the past. The typical personality has its traditions, sayings and discipline.

In today’s more modern society, these identities are changing to more modern, the attire worn, down to the attitude towards elders. You can go to any china town and see a mix of America and Chinese culture in one place. You may see some elders dress in traditional Chinese dress, and others wearing American style clothing, both styles living together in harmony. In Chinatown, you may even mistake you’re in china, with all the signs in Chinese and smells of food, this demonstrates even though these elders have undergone much transformation, they have no forgotten their roots.]]> English]]> Mon, 01 Jan 2007 21:20:33 -0500 http://www.readourpapers.com/english/the-angels-are-here.html toward the tree. It was so beautiful.the tinsle made the tree all worth while to stare at. but
the only thing was that it didn't feel like my tree it felt like it was one of those tree on the
street all decorted on the street.it was horale when my famly spit up.but the whole time it was happning i knew that god and all his angels were here.]]> English]]> Fri, 22 Dec 2006 14:23:46 -0500 http://www.readourpapers.com/english/what-is-love-what-if.html
Love what is love? Is love saying that you are seriously attracted to to a person? What if he
is not attracted to in the way you are to him?�WHAT IF� constanly going through your
head what if you are wasting your time and your heart and your kisses? Then when you are
with him all your cares seem to melt away and you find yourself slipping in to a delirium where
you can not get out till the one you love is gone. Then it as if you are brought back into sharp reality the what if�s come back or the was this to much or should I back off some or a lot should I tell him I�m in love with him? Especially when he sayes that is saying a lot. May be I�m crazy and stupid and insane to think that some one could love me as much as I say that I love him. When people are together for only 3 weeks then maybe it is to much. Especially when we have so much against us because of age and what if he does not still love me in a year, or a month. Maybe it is my own insecurity fighting me making me miserable. Does this mean that I am not ready for a relationship? But I want a relationship with him!! I want it to work out between us. Dose this prove my inmaturity? That I�m not ready for this? I need answers and soon. I do not want him and me both to get our hearts tangled up then cut apart.
I do love him, he is every thing I want, he completes me, makes me whole. I have my own beliefs of how we should date and what is to far. I belive that he respects my wishes but hey, he is a guy and I doubt that in the moment of truth he would want to stop. But I completely trust him, am I loco or what? I�m afraid of myself, what if I go to far one time then the next time when he expects it tell him no then he gets confused. I hate when people confuse me but I think that I confuse him. Which I am worried that it may be a big turn off to him. He likes to take things as they come. What does that mean?? When he first asked me out I said that I wasn�t ready for lip kissing and he said that he was ok with it then well to put it plainly we have made out at least 3 times, 1 weeks after I said I�m not ready for lip kissing. One thing leads to another bit by bit first it was kissing on the cheek, then it was kissing on the lips, then kissing a little longer and not stoping, now we use our tongues. You might be saying EEEWWW!!!!! But I like it but how does he feel? I really can�t figure out if he is ok or what? I�m supposed to be a lady and be modest etc. but he said once that he does not care if I be a lady or not. I need answers should I ask him if I�m going to far. I do not want to turn him off by me doing something wrong. He is very competitive and likes to win I�m very stuborn and like my own way. But I really see us together for a long time. I WANT IT TO WORK!!!!!!]]> English]]> Wed, 13 Dec 2006 13:03:21 -0500 http://www.readourpapers.com/english/the-story-of-the-angel-on-the-tree.html Four of his elves got sick, and the trainee elves did not produce the toys because they were do drunk to think so Santa was beginning to feel the pressure of being behind schedule. When he went to check the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two had jumped the fence, shit knows where they went. Then when he began to load the sleigh one of the boards cracked and the toy bag fell off the sleigh. �Fuck this� ,Santa said. So, frustrated, Santa went into the house for a cup of coffee and a shot of whiskey. When he went to the cupboard, he discovered that the elves had hid the liquor and there was nothing to drink. In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the coffee pot and it broke into hundreds of little pieces all over the floor.
He went to get the broom and found two fat mice picking their tooth with the straws laying on the kitchen table. Just then the doorbell rang and Santa mumbled cuss words while walking towards the door. He opened the door and there was a little angel with a great big Christmas tree.
The angel said, very cheerfully, "Merry Christmas Santa. Isn't it just a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Isn't it just a lovely tree? Where would you like me to stick it?" Santa smiled, � I know exactly where to stick it.�
This began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree]]> English]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2006 23:49:45 -0500 http://www.readourpapers.com/english/astronomy.html English]]> Tue, 05 Dec 2006 21:58:02 -0500 http://www.readourpapers.com/english/free-vincent-booth.html
AMBER ALERT:

California Mother Jailed TWICE for Protecting Her Son Against Forced Drugging.

http://www.anniearmenlive.org/Vincent_Booth.htm

The Drugging of Our Children:
Michael Moore, Neil Bush. "A mother (Diane Booth) loses her son to government officials for refusing to put him on drugs." SEE DVD: http://www.ostrowandcompany.com/film_detail.php?film=The%20Drugging%20Of%20Our%20Children

TAINTED TRIALS STOLEN JUSTICE: http://tinyurl.com/dat5z

COVERING UP VINCENT'S MEDICAL RECORDS: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/05/15/THEFT.TMP

WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE:

Dianne McKenna was the owner/director of the Childrens Shelter on Union Avenue in San Jose, CA. - for CRIMINAL TRAFFICKING IN CHILDREN:

http://www.catc.ca.gov/ctcstaff/PressReleaseBios/McKennaLawsonLindseyPressRelease.htm

http://www.adhdfraud.org/commentary/021003-2.htm

JUDGE LEONARD P. EDWARDS

CAROL JONES AND ROBERT LUX - DAs

Appeals Court Judge Patricia Bamattre-Manoukian - denied us our due process rights. REMOVE THIS WITCH FROM THE BENCH!

Judge Edwards and Hollywood Rob Reiner resign:

http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/presscenter/newsreleases/NR79-03.HTM


http://republican.sen.ca.gov/news/14/pressrelease3782.asp

Foster Care Administrator and S&M website:
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/11/21/BAGGNFRLFD1.DTL

READ THE GRAND JURY REPORTS: http://www.sccsuperiorcourt.org/jury/GJreports/2003/InquiryChildrensShelter.pdf

PETITION Congressional Inquiry of CPS
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/512966888

http://www.msnusers.com/FreeVincentBooth/shoebox.msnw

YOU MUST SEE THIS SITE: http://www.rescuemykids.com

http://www.motherinterrupted.us/

SAN JOSE MAYOR ARRAIGNED ON CORRUPTION C...
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/special_packages/norcal/14911024.htm...

http://waysandmeans.house.gov/hearings.a...
MAY 23, 2006 WAYS & MEANS HEARING IN CONGRESS RE. CPS

http://waysandmeans.house.gov/hearings.asp?formmode=view&id=4947

http://waysandmeans.house.gov/hearings.asp?formmode=view&id=2215]]> English]]> Fri, 24 Nov 2006 19:58:18 -0500 http://www.readourpapers.com/english/the-village-within-a-small-town.html
There is also a small group of elderly laides who are the gossips or the facctiaul informational people of this village or more or less the local historians of the whole area they are sort of like the storie tellers of golden years andthe days gone by and the stories of the day of now.


Then you have the under sixty five crowd whom are always calling the local EMS personal too help them because they are dissabled or nearly dissabled,[it sort of puts you in mind of an toliken or rowling novel] life here sort of is like an shire or a village a place within a world of its own aplace of new but of old of years gone by a long time ago. This is what i meant by The VILLAGE within a small town, more or less what iam trying to convey isavillage lost in time where people young and old make due day by day as life goes on. the town that this village is layered in only has ten main streets and twelve stop signs no red lights and the village has only one stop sign and lest not too forget the two crossing walks which are mostly for the elderaly laides or the golden girls. Then you have the youthful ones or like myself and certian other ones whom are the care takers or the overseers of the place, of the other ones as much as its bothersum and teidous its very rewarding in a kind of good feeling way but all of us younger ones kind of always seem to come and go[there are never an complient assembely of younger people here it seems]. Now i know this seema like a fairy tale but its a way of life in rural pa,western md, and west va, in the mid western appalacaianns.This is away of life here for poor and dissabled people we cant vote araise we just take what we recive its an GODDLY WAY OF LIFE the whole county is full of churches and ministries and good people. Its atraniquial way of life but there are also hard feeling but all is forgiven on sunday morn.

Iwould like too make an qoute abought the people hereitgoes like this THESE PEOPLE HERE ARE GODS PEOPLE NOT OF LIKE THAT OF ANY OTHER BREED ON EARTH A GOOD AND WHOLESOME LIFE YOUNG AND OLD LIVE HERE TILL WE ARE CALLED ABOVE qoute un qoute


lIKE I SAID HERE YOU GREET ONE ANOTHER BY SAYING HEY INSTEAD OF SAYING HI TO GREET ONE ANOTHER. Well better go for now but think abought this story and wish and youcan only wish you lived here and called this place home.]]> English]]> Thu, 16 Nov 2006 07:59:26 -0500 http://www.readourpapers.com/english/a-known-raystar-2.html Thwy had a noble random shine
A studying star met my eyes
To hide in thousands I didn`t thuink wise
He`s s clever to live in night
It howers in space to be in my sight
To a novel meeting I could arrange
Granpa it must be asking me to change
One question in innocence
came in urgence
Where he was hiding?
when papa goes to farm
in neighbourhood warm]]> English]]> Fri, 27 Oct 2006 07:57:00 -0400 http://www.readourpapers.com/english/subliminal-messages-science-or-fairy-tale.html In the 1950s a man by the name James Vicary owned a company called Subliminal Projection Corporation. Vicary told his customers that he could create subliminal advertisements for their products. The 1950s, people were going to the theatres to watch movies like, Picnic starring Kim Novak. Vicary claimed he did a study on about 45,000 movie-goers that unintentionally participated. This study spliced in words like “Hungry? Eat Popcorn” and “Drink Coca-Cola” throughout a movie, he said had a great effect on participates. The messages were flashed so quickly that the conscious mind couldn’t read them and therefore didn’t perceive them. Vicary claimed that after the messages were introduced into the movie-goers subconscious mind, they began to buy popcorn and drink coke. A reported sales for popcorn increased 57%, believed to be from the messages. These results have never been reproduced. Greenwald considers these claims a myth or urban legend since none of the statistics were scientifically verifiable.
The theory of the unconscious came by Sigmund Freud, who alleged the motivating force behind human behavior was the unconscious mind. Through this unconscious, individuals could quit smoking, lose weight, and hundreds more. In an issue of the Berkeley Wellness Letter in 1991 mentioned “the complete lack of any scientific evidence that such messages can alter human behavior. Nevertheless, one survey shows that 68 percent of the public believes in subliminal tapes, which are now a $50-million-a-year business”. People believe in the subliminal self help techniques, but it seems to be just a placebo effect. The Wellness Letter claimed that “One research team noted a ‘non-specific placebo effect’”. Presenting that the self help audio tapes with subliminal messages didn’t have any effect on the people. Regardless of the evidence of subliminal content using much of the placebo effect on the individual than anything else, the self-help industry is still slightly increasing popularity.
The gaining popularity of the Christian “ministries” that claim they will help you become closer with God, or “a great breakthrough in science brings to use the opportunity to hide God’s Word in our hearts as never before” insisted Vicki Jamison from Peterson Ministries. There are several “ministries” that offer Christians audio tapes with subliminal messages. The W.V. Grant Evangelistic Association presented a subliminal necktie, the company explained “When a Christian wears Eagle Neckwear: He is reaching thousands –virtually everyone who looks his way with the message ‘Jesus Saves’- what a silent soul winning tool!”. Those claims are presented with no scientific research; I suppose they are for only entertainment purposes. The idea of using the unconscious mind as a tool to learn with subliminal content may not be best quest for a Christian ministry to participate in. The bible never talked or hinted at the unconscious mind. The scriptures always referred to the conscious mind. These Christian ministries are setting up clients with subliminal audio or visual items that are not backed up with scientific research as well as using the Freud notions instead of faith in God and His Word. These ministries are presenting some magical mindlessness instead of being obedient to study God’s Word. These gimmicks presented are there solely for business, making this industry “buyer beware”.
A music group Judas Priest said to have subliminal messages behind the beats, demanded in court after two teenagers committed suicide. Alleging that the group and encoded subliminal messages that sounded like “Do it, do it, do it”, caused the teens to commit suicide. The court didn’t find any message in the track, and therefore couldn’t have caused such behavior. The court also said there wasn’t any scientific evidence with effects from subliminal content.
Advertising have been using subliminal techniques in selling products and things associated with them. In one article, Benson & Hedges was selling cigarettes but had a much deeper meaning. In 1976 on the back cover of Time Magazine, Benson had an airbrushed penis in the art, which at first or second or even third glance would not be noticeable. This could not be done by a mistake, the ad cost around half-million dollars. The artwork was developed by skilled professionals whom knew exactly what they were doing. The caption on the ad says “If you got crushed in the clinch with your softpack, try our new hard pack.” There are two words that pop out of this caption, soft and hard. Advertising has used these types of techniques with subliminal artwork to try to tap into the subconscious mind and alter behaviors; why else would this penis and these words be presented in this fashion.
There is not much scientific research with subliminal content. Many researchers such as Greenwald, Loftus, and Bornstein have presented information that proves subliminal audio and visual do not have any effect on the subconscious mind. Their research is not as in dept as other theories on human behavior, but is accurate. This 50-million-a-year business is for entertainment. If we want to quit smoking, or want to release stress, you will, and you don’t need any subliminal messages in your mind to do so.]]> English]]> Wed, 11 Oct 2006 11:24:38 -0400 http://www.readourpapers.com/english/teenager-activities.html English]]> Wed, 11 Oct 2006 11:23:52 -0400 http://www.readourpapers.com/english/should-california-k-12-schools-offer-bilingual-education.html English]]> Wed, 11 Oct 2006 11:23:01 -0400 http://www.readourpapers.com/english/the-beatles.html
Rock and roll in the late 1950’s was centered on blues and R&B. Artists like Billy Fury, Cliff Richard, and Tommy Steele to Motown. Chuck Berry was a large influence to the Beatles main song writers, Lennon and McCartney. Lennon and McCartney’s roots paved the way for The Beatle’s authenticity. After the war, rock and roll needed a face lift; The Beatles would be the surgeon. The Beatles were unique, performing and writing their own songs. Most of their songs were about love, hitting the normal teenage girl’s heart.


McCartney was the group’s dreamy romantic writer, for example, “Why she Had to go I don't know, she wouldn't say I said, Something wrong, now I long for yesterday” (Yesterday 1965) as well as "She's leaving Home" (1967) [http://lyrics.rare-lyrics.com/B/Beatles/She's-Leaving-Home.html ]. Songs like those helped every teen boy and girl relate to The Beatles; giving the teenagers music to listen to that could resemble their life. It was the 60’s, The Beatles were selling albums like crazy, the music was popular, as were drugs.
In 1965 McCartney experimented with the LDS [lysergic acid diethylamide] a hallucinogen drug. "It [LSD] opened my eyes. We only use one-tenth of our brain. Just think of what we could accomplish if we could only tap that hidden part! It would mean a whole new world if the politicians would take LSD. There wouldn't be any more war or poverty or famine." (Paul McCartney, 1967). It is said that McCartney was on LSD which added a little more creative touch to Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) album which is probably true after taking a look at the album cover (http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000002UAU.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg ). Lennon was quoted, "[LSD] went on for years. I must have had a thousand trips. I used to just eat it all the time." (John Lennon, 1970), the National Institute on Drug Abuse states “Users refer to their experience with LSD as a ‘trip’ and to acute adverse reactions as a “bad trip.” These experiences are long; typically they begin to clear after about 12 hours.” (http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofax/lsd.html ).
These trips could have given The Beatles more creative edge to their song writing. The song “Help!” (1965) was written the same year Lennon and McCartney’s had their first LSD experience. Piece of the lyrics to “Help!”(1965) written by Lennon, seems to have resemblance to an LSD experience, “But now these days are gone and I'm not so self assured / now I find I've changed my mind, opened up the doors”. The LSD has opened doors in his mind, giving him a different perception to things. However, People misjudged the influence that drugs had on the Beatles’ music; Paul McCartney is quoted saying “…drugs informed what we did…A song like Got To Get You Into My Life, that's directly about pot, although everyone missed it at the time …There's others that make subtle hints about drugs, but, you know, it's easy to overestimate the influence of drugs on the Beatles' music” (Paul McCartney, http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/tm_objectid=14294630&method=full&siteid=50143&headline=mccartney--i-have-tried-heroin-name_page.html ).

In July of 1966 The Beatles took a trip to India where they went to a transcendental meditation camp. John Lennon wrote “I’m so tired” (LYRICS - http://www.musicsonglyrics.com/B/Beatles/Beatles%20-%20I';m%20So%20Tired%20lyrics.htm ) when he was at the camp and couldn’t sleep. When the Beatles returned from India, they had new creative energy that was about to explode.

The Indian influence was just what they needed. George Harrison, of the Beatles, brought the Indian sitar sound in “Norwegian Wood” (Audio http://www.terrificmusic.com/files/music/N/norwegian_wood_beatles.ram ). Using such an instrument was new to the west, which brought a sound that unique. The Beatles sound was superb without much controversy; but in the mid 60’s they began to create much controversy.

John Lennon in 1966 was quoted saying "Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue about that. I'm right and will be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first, rock 'n' roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right, but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It's them twisting it that ruins it for me.” This statement created much controversy which led to burning of Beatles records, threats from the Ku Klux Klan, and ended in an apology to religious groups.

After losing their manager Brian Epstein in 1967, the group started to go their own ways, working on solo projects. Their last concert was a live appearance on top of Apple Studios in London in January 1969. The band was on the verge of splitting up; Ringo Starr would take two week holidays, which was practically a temporary break-up. In April of 1970, the Band had called it quits. In 1980 John Lennon was murdered by Mark David Chapman. Many people believe John Lennon died in 1968 while he was in India; and was replaced with an actor; others have theories that Lennon was murdered, but not murdered by Chapman, but by the doorman, Jose Perdomo. Peter Cullen, an officer in the first police car that responded to the shooting believes it wasn’t Chapman; stating, Chapman “looked like a guy who worked in a bank” (http://www.jfkmontreal.com/john_lennon/Chapter01C.htm ). Salvador Astucia, writer of “Rethinking John Lennon’s Assassination - the FBI’S War on Rock Stars”, believes the murder was set up, “He [Chapman] claims he drew a gun but does not recall aiming at Lennon. Although Chapman says he drew a gun, it is unclear if the gun found at the crime scene was his or if it was planted by Perdomo” (http://www.jfkmontreal.com/john_lennon/Chapter01C.htm ). Before Lennon died, he was always in favor of peace, as was his wife, Yoko Ono. Crowned the most famous widow, Ono donates money for peace prizes and awards. She strives to spread the love promoting peace and Human Rights.

In conclusion, The Beatles made a large impact on rock and roll. They achieved so much for the little time they were together, less than a decade. From starting on the Ed Sullivan’s show, the Beatles released 13 albums, and unreleased songs are still being released. Listening to their music is soothing and interesting at the same time. The Beatles are still hitting the public’s ear with something absolutely distinguishable.








Works Cited

"Beatles, the." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2005. Encyclopædia Britannica Online 13 Feb. 2005 < http://0-search.eb.com.alice.dvc.edu/eb/article?tocId=9013958 >.

Craig Cross. Beatles-discography. 13 Feb. 2005 < http://www.beatles-discography.com/ >.

Jon Wilde. McCARTNEY: I HAVE TRIED HEROIN. Jun 2 2004. Mirror.co.uk. February 13, 2005 < http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/tm_objectid=14294630&method=full&siteid=50143&headline=mccartney--i-have-tried-heroin-name_page.html>.

Richie Unterberger. Beatles, The. All Music Guide. February 13, 2005 < http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/beatles/bio.jhtml >.

Stephen Hamel. Steve’s Beatles Page – Beatle Quotes. January 7, 2001. Steve’s Beatles Page. February 14, 2005 < http://www.stevesbeatles.com/quotes/ >.]]> English]]> Wed, 11 Oct 2006 11:21:41 -0400 http://www.readourpapers.com/english/rhyme-scheme-and-symbols-in-skunk-hour.html The introduction of the poem focuses solely on one woman, with Lowell filling the first four stanzas with a view of the declining state that surrounds the “hermit heiress” (1-2) in the poem. Not only are her own conditions worsening, but the town and society in which she lives as well. There is a possibility that these lines refer to Elizabeth Bishop herself, the woman that the poem was written for. Perhaps Lowell’s opinion of how her later years were spent is illustrated here. In the bleak atmosphere seen in the first stanza Lowell includes symbols representing high authority and ranking in social status, the woman’s son is a bishop, and even her farmer is a high ranking city official, known as a “selectman”. The lonely heiress lives a simple and elegant life in her “Spartan cottage”, yet her sanity, or possibly her memory, is deteriorating. She fanatically buys up all of the “eyesores” surrounding her, “thirsting for the hierarchic privacy of Queen Victoria’s century,” enjoying the resulting solitude as if it were an obsession.
The bleak image of the heiress’ existence is carried throughout the poem, with death and emptiness filling the environment. The third stanza presents a transition from winter to summer, the focus shifting to the “summer millionaire” of the village, a character whose monetary value is described in his put together appearance, as he “seemed to leap from an L.L. Bean.” The narrator describes how he will not return, the man once a millionaire is now nothing. His boat, a valuable “nine-knot yawl”, which is presumably where his passion lay is now being auctioned off. The next transition from summer to fall in the fourth stanza discusses a man with shop. The man’s business is failing, just as the heiress’ numerous estates crumbled and the millionaire’s luck had run out. The theme of decline is continued, he has sold little, and does not even have money to buy food. He is unable to catch fish, as the reference to his "fishnets filled with orange cork" shows. The line “he’d rather marry”, refers to his lack of wife and how he would prefer love to the lack of money in his work.
The final shift in the poem changes from the outward characters of the village to the inward thoughts of the narrator. In these last four stanzas Lowell sets a man alone, in a place or society that used to be full of people, but who now have vanished. In the fifth stanza the character is in his “Tudor ford” and begins to go insane, but realizes this and catches himself, as he states “My mind’s not right”. Continuing to the sixth and seventh stanza, the character is now hearing things, believing people are present, but yet there are only skunks among him. These skunks may be the lowest animal, but now they are the only companions. The skunks continue to the church where they have sanctuary with their family. The Main Street of the town symbolizes the ranking of society and how it has fallen to the level of a skunk. The man now understands his place in the last stanza, the society is crippled, and he is alone. As the character stated in the sixth stanza, “nobody’s here”. The man knows he is alone, among the skunks of the society, and he is content as he breathes the “rich air”. The character sees the family of skunks, working together to scrounge for food and can see that society is not what matters, but family.
Lowell’s poem is perceived differently by each reader. A reader must search for meaning of the symbols presented, and find the meaning that the reader can relate to personally. Throughout the extent of the poem, the transitions from one character to the next are all connected by the theme of decay. We see the old woman who is past her prime, the millionaire who has lost his fortune, the unsuccessful businessman, and a narrator who is completely alone in the world. These concepts provide the poem with fluidity, the flow from one stanza to the next tied in from one character to another.]]> English]]> Wed, 11 Oct 2006 03:08:32 -0400 http://www.readourpapers.com/english/sociology-final-cut-me-do-itttt.html
A countermovement is a resistance response in reaction to globalization, with its target being specific features of globalization and development, particularly the injustices or inequalities that occur as a result of these projects. Countermovements result when citizens disagree with the new and emerging rules of development that their government's often feel pressure to uphold and enforce, and these citizens opt for action. New opportunities for the people to renew the political process in areas where global restructuring has weakened nation-states; eroding their public welfare function, increasing social and regional polarization, and reducing state patronage systems. The vigorous and somewhat aggressive approach of these movements is what sets them apart from others, with their overwhelming aim around the globe being to clearly express the uncertainties and legitimacy deficit that populations endure as a result of the boundaries of developmentalism and the increasing exclusiveness of globalization. Countermovements share criticism of developmentalism, which advocates national and global economic management, heavy emphasis on industrialism and material abundance, and champions state and market institutions. The new movements tend to reject centralism and stress decentralized forms of social organization, emphasize appropriate technology and ecological balance, and seek autonomy and the implanting of markets in cooperative social arrangements. The new movements are marked by an expressive politics and their challenge to the economism and instrumental politics of the 'developed society' model. This movement has grown as the institutions of the welfare state have receded, and express the declining legitimacy of development in its national and global incarnations.
In the case of the feminism movement, much of its response to the Globalization Project is the result of women's contributions being made invisible by economic statistics that measure contributions to development only in terms of waged labor and commercial enterprises. While the development of feminism can be traced back many years before the Globalization Project took place, the fact remains that many of the early problems were never addressed, and in some cases these problems were magnified by global development and its organization. In the 1970s feminism took a new turn, with the move to integrate women into development arising. After the first global conference on women took place in 1975, the approach shifted from integration to 'agenda-setting', a transformation of the development model, challenging the existing development system of thought with a feminist viewpoint. One of the goals was to include women as decision makers concerned with empowering all women in their varying living situations. The women's position emerged to address the absence of gender issues in development theory and practice, an old argument that had yet to be solved. By identifying problems and coming up with solutions the feminism movement carried out its challenge to the Development Project. With the modern WED feminist (women, environment, and alternative development) position came critiques and remedies of the globalization project, the remedies designed to carry out the conceptual shift from WID (women in development), a more rational approach, to the more mobile and diverse understanding of the world under WED ideas. WED feminism argued that development is a relative, not universal, process, and that women's role in sustaining cultural and ecological relations is complex, place specific, and incapable of being reduced to universal formulas.
Some of the critiques that arose were: conventional economics is hierarchical and male-oriented in its assumptions about development strategies and excludes the contributions of women and nature from its models, development practices reveal a predatory relationship in which women are exploited and socially and economically marginalized, and nature is plundered, an alternative understanding of the world needs to be developed, with the reality that a new development paradigm must be established because economic theory is incapable of reform due to its rationalist approach, and that the work of caring for the environment and women's roles as nurturers are undervalued in the development theories that are in place.
Feminism stresses that development is a relative, not a universal, process, and that awareness of how ideals shape assumptions about other societies need to be addressed. The belief that all countries should strive for a universal formula of development and success is incorrect and unrealistic. The role of women in the development and globalization projects is an issue that has gone ignored for far too long, and feminists are shining light on this arena and demanding that it be addressed and corrected. The primary changes that are desired are that women's contributions will no longer be invisible and undervalued, that they will be appreciated for the integral part that they play, the male-oriented nature of economics needs to be redeveloped to include women and the role that they play in a society, and the exploitation of women and the environment that has occurred as a result of the predatory relationship of development models must be stopped and repaired.]]> English]]> Wed, 11 Oct 2006 01:37:53 -0400 http://www.readourpapers.com/english/a-father-s-love.html In the Trueba family, it is not uncommon for a member to keep something hidden from Esteban, due not only to fear of his opinion but also of his temper, both which are backed by a physical strength that is no stranger to violence. Blanca’s deception is merely one of the many secrets that are kept from Esteban, her gentle nature and “tranquil soul” (Ionesco 143) unable to withstand the physical and verbal abuse that Esteban would deal upon finding out. This fear is justified after Esteban learns of the secret affair from Jean de Satigny, unleashing the “evil character” (199) that strikes fear into the hearts of many, illustrating his point with “whip in the air, beating her mercilessly” (199). Clearly, such anger is best avoided. Many examples of Esteban’s uncontrollable temper are seen throughout the novel, and it is clearly in Blanca’s best interest to hide a relationship that she knows would bring Esteban’s anger to a rolling boil. Despite the overpowering love that Blanca and Pedro Tercero have for each other, their time apart spent exchanging “burning letters, which he signed with a woman’s name and which she hid as soon as they arrived,” even being as cautious to write in “secret code” (153), their love is not enough to give Blanca the courage to run away and elope or tell Esteban of the affair. And instead continues walking on eggshells to avoid another encounter with the physical and verbal abuse Esteban would release if he were to find out.
Upon first finding out of the secret lovers, Esteban quickly makes it clear that Blanca is to have nothing more to do with the “flea-ridden brat” (144) and find someone more her social (and Esteban’s political) equal, Pedro Tercero’s lower social standing a major contributing factor to Esteban’s disapproval. He would never consent to his daughter marrying the son of his foreman at Tres Marias, particularly because of the adulterous relations they had carried on outside the bonds of marriage. Despite the punishment Blanca receives she refuses to extinguish the love in her heart, choosing instead to keep Pedro Tercero a secret from her father’s hot temper, overbearing nature, and strong political beliefs that would never allow for his approval of the “born rebel” (154) whom she loves. The strong bond that forms between Blanca and Pedro Tercero during their childhood and throughout their lives proves to be unbreakable, the many obstructions that test it not strong enough to phase their love, from Esteban’s fits and threats, to Blanca’s forced marriage to Jean de Satigny, (a man that Esteban does approve of, mostly because Jean is the “most sought-after bachelor in the area” (184)), not even the loss of three of Pedro Tercero’s fingers to Esteban’s anger and axe are enough to extinguish the love that they share, these events clearly justifying Blanca’s desire for secrecy in the first place.
Ang Lee’s presentation of Taiwanese American immigrant Wai Tung’s struggle with his identity shares numerous similarities to Blanca’s situation in Allende’s novel, particularly his strict father and the fear of his father’s reaction if he were to find out about the relationship that Wai Tung has kept in secret for so many years. The parallel of a hidden lover is what most strongly ties Wai Tung to Blanca, with fear of disapproval and uncertain consequences also factoring in. The dilemma that arises here is also of whom Wai Tung has chosen to love, much like Blanca, it is a person that his father would not approve of, although in this instance the gender is the most problematic issue. While Wai Tung’s situation does not appear nearly as violent or threatening as Blanca’s, his father’s stubborn nature and strong belief in tradition that are akin to Esteban’s, not to mention his illustrious military past, are enough to cause Wai Tung’s misery and reason for secrecy. The main reasons for Esteban’s hatred of Pedro Tercero Garcia do not necessarily apply here, being that Wai Tung’s beloved is neither of lower social standing nor a political rebel, but the fact remains that Wai Tung is scared to tell his father the Commander of his relationship because of whom it is with. The strongest motivation for hiding Wai Tung’s boyfriend Simon from his father is the fear of shaming his family due to his sexual orientation, their deep-rooted traditional values, particularly his father’s, leaving no room for his homosexuality. Simon is not exactly the mate that his parents have always dreamed of, obviously because he is not female and therefore unable to provide the many grandchildren that they have wished for, Wai Tung’s father even going so far as to make a vow that he will not die until one is born to his son, Wai Tung being the last of their line. The idea of keeping the family name alive is very important to Wai Tung’s family and his culture, causing even more tension than is already present. The lengths that Wai Tung’s fear drives him to are as extensive as Blanca’s, as he too goes through with a marriage to someone he does not love in order to appease his father, a move that Simon later calls him a coward for going through with.
Both Blanca and Wai Tung share a fear of their father’s disapproval, going out of their way to keep their fathers in the dark when it comes to their relationships, convinced of their disapproval. This fear is the most dominating and influential factor in their lives, later having a great effect on the romantic relationships that they form in adulthood. This motivation leads them to keep the most significant portion of their lives – their relationships – in secret. The most important person in each of their lives is hidden from their fathers, the deceivers going to great lengths to shield themselves from the possibility of a father’s anger or disappointment. While the two’s individual situations are as drastically different as the men they are involved with, both strive for their father’s approval while simultaneously deceiving the same men they seek approval from, preventing the realization of their own desires by living untruthfully. The relationships that Wai Tung and Blanca have with their fathers has great impact on the romantic relationships that they form later in life, the fear of their fathers being a strong hold that they are unable to shake. Despite their desire to live as they please and love whomever they want, they are still held fast in their fathers’ grip, leaving them with the choice of leading a double-life to appease both their own hearts and avoid the shame of a father’s disapproval.]]> English]]> Wed, 11 Oct 2006 01:36:22 -0400 http://www.readourpapers.com/english/with-forked-tongue.html Book II of Paradise Lost opens with Satan asking his fellow devils what they believe they should do next, challenge God once more, or resign to their current situation. The first of four devils to respond is Moloch, 'sceptered king,' the 'strongest and the fiercest Spirit/That fought in heav'n' (Milton II.43-44). Before Moloch has spoken, his mere presence has commanded the attention of all, his power and might shine through in simply the way he carries his person. He has grown 'fiercer by despair' (II.44) determined not to let their first defeat keep him down, determination that gives him stronger passion in his speech. His plan gets straight to the point, simple and forward, an oratory style similar to a general speaking to his troops; 'My sentence is for open war' (II.51). With Moloch's first six words, all in attendance know immediately what he suggests, and he proceeds to describe images of battle, of glory, strength and power; images such as 'Millions that stand in arms' (II.55), of how they would be 'Armed with hell flames and fury all at once' (II.61), 'Turning our tortures into horrid arms' (II.64). He is essentially rallying troops for battle, attempting to get his peers to stand and fight once more. His powerful words reflect his resolve, and his strength of mind overpowers the ears of his listeners.
Following Moloch's authoritative speech are the words of Belial, 'in act more graceful and humaneâ'¦But all was false and hollow' (II.109-112). Belial's mind is at the opposite end of Moloch's, more from slothfulness than anything else, but his 'with persuasive accent' (II.118), he is able to sway those who had previously agreed with Moloch. He artfully hides any fear or apprehension he may possess with words that flow slowly and smoothly like liquid mercury. Belial glides over his opposition to Moloch's proposal, never directly stating that he does not agree. This is the 'art and character of the rhetorician' as seen in 'Rhetoric' by Stanley Fish, and it is in fact Belial whom Fish describes at the opening of his essay. Fish addresses Belial's skill at deterring his audience from his true self and motives, how he 'draws attention to his appearance, to his surface, and the suggestion of superficiality extends to the word 'act'; i.e., that which can be seen' (Fish I). His speech is extremely wordy, using as many adjectives and images as possible, with the first sentence alone, in which he introduces his view, is a lengthy ten lines, whereas Moloch's does not span one. He approaches the issue by skirting it, asking rhetorical questions, putting forth images of the devils living in the splendors that Hell has to offer them, the enjoyment of being away from Him that cast them there. Belial makes their punishment out to be a paradise, 'with words clothed in reason's garb,/Counseled ignoble ease, and peaceful sloth,/Not peace' (II.226-227), and that if their simply bide their time, God may forgive them and allow them back into Heaven once more. His elegant language is a carefully used device, enchanting nearly all who hear him, parallel to his looks that please the eye, his words please the ear.
Belial finishes, a flourish of figurative language, and a third, Mammon, soon rises. Mammon is distinct from both Moloch and Belial, in that he is straightforward, without being commanding or deceptive. He says simply what is on his mind, using plain language and reasonable thinking, his composure mirroring his stance. His words are filled with the wisdom that he possesses, and he works his way up to what he believes is the solution, reasoning why both Moloch's and Belial's plans will not work- 'the former vain to hope argues as vain/The latter' (II.234-235). Mammon is wiser by far than either Moloch or Belial, taking time to think of not only the immediate future, but the past and present as well, pointing out that fighting another war against God will only be won 'when everlasting fate shall yield/To fickle chance, and Chaos judge the strife' (II.232-233), and that making the most of their punishment is foolish, for it would be nothing more than 'new subjection' (II.239). His thoughts are balanced, taking on the full of what is before the newly fallen angels, and he has soon gathered all to his cause. He shows humility, intelligence, merely being an advisor, suggesting what he thinks, without proclaiming it or demanding it. Whereas Moloch and Belial were unable to appeal to all who listened, Mammon's wisdom and reason inspire all who hear.
Last of all is Beelzebub, taking in all that those before him have suggested, but already knowing of the plans that Satan intends to carry out. Beelzebub essentially says what Satan would have, relaying the plan that will be carried out, but with him suggesting it, it does not seem as if Satan is dictating orders. He rises to speak, 'and in his rising seemed/A pillar of stone' (II.301-302), with a presence far outshining all that preceded him, already receiving respect that he has not had to ask for. His countenance is calm, collected, 'princely counsel in his face yet shone/Majestic though in ruin' (II.304-305), his powerful 'Atlantean shoulders fit to be/The weight of mightiest monarchies' (306-307), all setting high the expectations for what he is to say. His audience absorbs every word, first he appeals to them by complimenting their power, strength, and accomplishments, how they have come so far, and then relates as to how they shall continue in their evildoings- by destroying the new world of Man. By doing this, they will do more damage than ever could have been done in battle, and he has soon convinced all present that this is the course to be taken.
The powers of rhetoric, combined with the intelligence and cunning of a determined devil, prove fatal for Man. The gift of free will has become a curse with the fall of Eden and the first Sin. It was rhetoric that robbed Eve of her innocence, the words of Satan snaking and slithering into her pure mind, polluting it into believing what they say. Moloch, Belial, Mammon, and Beelzebub all do something similar, trying to persuade their audience that their plan is paramount, that their thoughts are better than the others'. In presenting their ideas, each of the four devils also presents himself, with the reader learning an immense amount about each from things such as their word choice, the stance they have, the ways in which they command attention, and the manner in which they speak.












Works Cited

Fish, Stanley. 'Rhetoric.' Critical Terms for Literary Study. Ed. Frank Lentricchia and
Thomas McLaughlin. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1995.
Milton, John. Paradise Lost. Ed. Scott Elledge. New York: Norton & Company, Inc. 2nd
Edition. 1993. 32-45.]]> English]]> Wed, 11 Oct 2006 01:33:54 -0400 http://www.readourpapers.com/english/sociology-final-2.html
As seen in the 'Global Care Chain' the most significant impact of the mechanisms put into place by the global managers is the immense debt that has resulted from 1st World lending to 3rd World governments at such outrageous rates that it is literally impossibly to ever pay the debts- both pre-existing and new debts (increased by interest rates of repayment plans) off. As a result, many 3rd World economies are in ruins, with families suffering as a result. Women in these families go out into the workplace in search of a paycheck to bring home to their families, their husbands being either unable to find work or they receive such meager pay that they cannot manage to support their families alone, their children who no longer receive subsidized healthcare or public education, and their extended family who live with them because they have no where else to go. So the women go, they search, and they find that the best-paying jobs are in foreign countries, countries like Italy and the United States, and they gather all they can in order to get there, to find a job, and send as much as they can back to their families. The majority of the jobs available to a woman of their inexperience and status are in domestic work, ironically the same thing they had been doing at home without pay. The trend that has emerged as a result of this dependence on Third World care is termed a 'global heart transplant' as the love of the women from the Third World is transferred to the children of their First World employers. Their own children are thereby deprived of this love, psychological damage that both the mothers and their children experience evident in studies on the issue.
Female labor is constructed to be 'cheap labor' in several ways, as displayed in the 'Global Care Chain.' The majority of the jobs that women- specifically in the Third World- have available to them are low-wage, unskilled, and with high turnover rates. The countless women pushed into the labor force will put up with the conditions and wages, no matter that they are barely scraping by on such scanty pay, because they are still earning money to bring home to their families. The fact that so many women are in the same condition is another factor to take into account, the 'unskilled' nature of their labor, as it is so regarded, making it easy to replace a worker who refuses to or is no longer able to perform her job duties, her replacement often in worse financial condition and accepting of even lower pay. Another explanation for this trend is the fact that in many cases women are better cut out for such jobs, requiring small and nimble hands, keen eyesight, and the ability to perform a single repetitive task for hours on end. In almost all cases the men of the respective societies refuse to fill such jobs, their nature deemed 'unfit' for a man to perform. This coupled with women's urgent need to provide for their family, and these being almost the only job available to them has presented us with the situation we see today. The long-standing tradition of women's contributions being unaccounted for when measuring economic statistics, coupled with the idea of patriarchal superiority that has filled the past of most countries worldwide has also contributed to present conditions, specifically in the Third World.
An examination of the gendered division of labor has shown that women now make up half or very close to half of the global labor force. This is due to the rise of global subcontracting that transformed the division of labor between the skilled labor of the 1st World and the unskilled labor of the 3rd World into a bifurcation of labor worldwide. The division is no longer simply geographical, mainly because of the repetitive effect of global subcontracting bringing pressure to lean on organized workforces in the First World. The separation is of a core of relatively stable, well-paid from a periphery of casual, low-cost labor, wherever. Outsourcing meant cheaper labor and higher profits, becoming a global trend. Factors that pushed many women into entering the workforce include a steadily increasing cost of living, war-torn governments and economies, the debt of their country, reduced government subsidies, and encouragement from these very same governments in the hopes their wages will stimulate the economy.]]> English]]> Wed, 11 Oct 2006 01:33:26 -0400 http://www.readourpapers.com/english/sociology-final-2.html

Just as the rise of the development project was politically managed, the demise of the development project was as well. A deregulation of the international financial system was spurred by the U.S., who independently liberalized international financial relations in the early 1970s, the removal of exchange controls designed to protect the political independence and self-government of the states. This marked a change in the balance, presenting a period of increased and uncontrolled capital mobility that was beyond the control of national governments. National finances were destabilized by high rates of speculation, and governments' political and economic authorities were threatened as currency control was lost to their power. This action had a heavy hand in causing the debt crisis, setting the stage for unprecedented borrowing, lending, and spending. The assumption that countries could not go bankrupt was one that was paid for dearly a few short years later.
The decade that was 'lost' to the debt crisis was a period of great transition, with the greatest effects on the nations of the Third World. While the crisis was indeed global, those who suffered most were those in the poorer countries of the world. A majority of the 'positive' development that had occurred, (most often through negative means) was stunted and in actuality set back by the debt crisis. Debt management broke down the countries' political stand, national sovereignty, and divided the 3rd World into several zones, including the severely impoverished regions that some have termed the 'Fourth Word.' After such damage was done, the system of global governance was put into action, embracing the 'whole world,' and not just former colonial countries.
With the globe in an economic crisis, the stage was set for global governance, 'the adoption by nation-states of policies and rules that favor global circuits of money, capital, and goods'. The policies and rules that these nation-states follow were created and dispatched from the global managers, the officials of the multilateral institutions such as the IMF and World bank, G-7 political elites, executives of TNS, and global bankers. The debt regime had taken over the globe, with this form of stand-in global government holding most of the power. Indebted states aimed for only one goal, and that was to raise themselves up in the eyes of the global financial community so that they would be able to earn back credit. While the 1970s began with talk targeting the alleviation of poverty, this talk had shifted to the idea of world market participation being the key to development. The global market and the global economy had consumed the world, with participation in them the strongest driving force worldwide, marking the transition from development to globalization.
In the shifting tensions between development and globalization, states face a world order in which global institutions have assumed a more powerful governing role. The organization of the globalization project was that the superior global managers hand out the rules and policies that the rest of the rule will follow. They are essentially a Global 'President' of sorts, indebted states at their mercy as to debt repayment, rescheduling, and interest rates. The question of compliance is key, with consensus and coercion being the two ways of guaranteeing compliance. Consensus is achieved by government and citizen's acceptance of the legitimacy that market rule neutral and efficient. Coercion results when liberalization is questioned or resisted. Without compliance, the global managers would have no power, but on the same hand the nations that refused would have no means to access the global market, and paying back their debt would be placed in the hands of those they owed, perhaps at much higher interest rates or over shorter periods of time than that which was granted them by the global managers. National economic management was now in the hands of the heads of global governance, and in the same manner the social contract that development states had with their citizens was now null and void. Privatization became the new system under debt managers, a reduction in spending and the privatization of state enterprises. This reorganized development states by privileging the corporate sector and enlarged the area of foreign ownership of assets in the former 3rd world.
As opposed to the trend during the development project of learning from and catching up with the West, the new aim was for a nation to find its place in the global marketplace, doing whatever it took to get there. Specialization replaced replication as the path to economic prosperity, development now measured by one's participation in the world market. The consolidation of a global economy became prominent, no attention paid to the reality that universal formulas for success were simply impossible for former 3rd World countries to achieve. With world market participation deemed the key to development during this period, an attempt was made to fashion the world around a central principle through powerful political and financial institutions. Obviously paying off the immense debts accumulated throughout the 80s was another goal of the globalization project, with extensive lengths gone to: to displace one's debt elsewhere, to repay it through increasing exports and decreasing imports, to privatize state enterprises in the case of development states, but the overwhelming aim remained to participate in the global market.]]> English]]> Wed, 11 Oct 2006 01:33:04 -0400