Blog Post #5

A reoccurring theme in my mystory is economies. From discussing my future in the stock market, to my various proposal statements, economies are mentioned often. The above image is a picture of the American dollar, the thing that allows the United States' economy to function. It is the cause for the many debates in the many governments around the world. If you look at any disagreements within the American government, you can probably find the dollar at its roots. The dollar acts as an emblem that represents what interests me in the world. World economies intrigue me because they control how we live. They are the back bone of every country because they provide structure for the transactions, bartering, distribution of wealth, living conditions, etc. The American dollar truly is an emblem that represents one of my interests and my mystory.

Challenge Check-In #3

Writing about a hip hop space enhanced my understanding of what makes up hip hop culture. Hip hop is more than just a genre of a music, there is a whole set of customs and traditions that go along with it. This challenge has taught me that things like free speech and art can be directly related to hip hop music and culture. This genre is all about expressing oneself and it shows through the music. Artists sing about their roots, their living conditions, their everyday lives, and the struggles that they are going through at the time. Producing hip hop music allows these artists to relate to their listeners. Most of these listeners are going through the same struggles that the artists are going through. This helps listeners understand that there are other people out in the world suffering from similar problems and helps them get over them. The freedom of speech that surrounds hip hop culture is what allows it to maintain its popularity in today's society. This challenge assignment has helped understand that free speech within hip hop acts a outlet, a solution, and an answer to the current problems that many people are facing.

Blog Post #4: Community

C.
In Miami Springs, my home town, the city council just decided to tear down the recreational pool to build a new one. The thought of tearing it down was always present, they were just not sure on the design of the new pool. It came down to a pool with large kid's area and a four lane pool or a medium size kid's are with an eight lane p waterool. The council ultimately went with the large kid's area and the four lane pool. The majority of the city is upset with decision because it is quite expensive ($5 million to be exact), and it will destroy programs that need eight lanes. I played water polo for Miami Springs Senior High and I also played on the city's club team. The fact that the pool was eight lanes made it possible for it to be used as a water polo pool. When the new pool is built both of these programs will be no more. Also, the Miami Springs Senior High swimming team and the club swimming team will both be done away with because swim meets utilize eight lanes. There are other programs such as aquatic fitness classes that will also be done away with. This would not be such a problem if these programs did not make up the majority of the usage of the pool. The pool is used for recreational use by one to two people per day, numbers that are nothing close to the various programs' population. All things considered, the new pool will destroy many programs that the community is involved in and it will lower the pool's overall attendance.

Proposal Paper: Justification Statement

               A solution implemented at the federal level in the United States is the only solution that has the chance of ridding the earth of unethical production practices. Not only is it the most prudent solution, but also it’s the most economically feasible one. The only participants being economically effected are the corporations who practicing unethical production. This is because their production costs will increase because their subcontracted workers will be getting paid a higher hourly wage. The loss in profits that these companies will incur is so small compared to their overall economic profits that it will barely be felt. As a whole this solution has the least amount of negative consequences and the consequences that do exist are felt by the entities that can handle them.

               The most obvious solution for the problem at hand would be for American citizens to stop consuming products made by companies who are unethically producing them. The problem with this solution is that these products are the cheapest products on the market. The majority of consumers are only looking for the cheapest products rather than the ethically produced ones. Therefore, leaving it up to American consumers to solve this problem will have no positive effect. Another solution that is quite obvious is the enforcement of building codes and working standards. The problem with this solution is that most of these countries have corrupt governments that have no say over what factory owners do. When constructing a factory the proprietor, partnership, or corporation that is supplying the money is looking to build in the cheapest way possible. This mentality is what leads to the poor structure conditions, and the governments in these developing countries have no control over it. Also, due to their corrupt governments, a minimum wage cannot be enforced. Subcontractors are looking to maximize their profits, and because of this mindset they pay their workers low wages. Therefore, they will continue to pay their workers this amount until they are forced to do otherwise. A solution at the federal level in developing countries is just not feasible due to their governments’ current conditions.

               The idea of forcing American companies to allow inspectors into their overseas factories in order to write a report about working conditions is something that has been proven to better working conditions.  In the early 1990's, news that Nike was producing their products in poor working conditions was publicized. Workers were being paid wages that they could not support a family with and were working in conditions that were unsuitable for any human being. When the news broke and it became a large story in every newspaper, protests against Nike’s products began to occur. As Nike’s executives watched their revenue decrease, they realized that they needed to do something. They began to shift their production to safer factories and began to demand that their subcontractors pay their workers high wages. They followed this up by having inspectors go to their factories in developing countries and have them write up a 108 page report about the working conditions. This report is made public for all of American citizens to see. By making it public, they are forcing their selves to maintain good working conditions because they know that if not they will lose profits. Due to the fact that every American company is looking to maximize their profits, the publication of a report highlighting their working conditions in overseas factories will have large positive effects in the ethical sector of production. 

Challenge Check-In #2

Memo

To:          Mikayla Beaudrie, ENC1101 Instructor

From:      Patrick Perez, EN1101 Student

Date:       November 11, 2014

Re:          Challenge Check-In #2

Since picking which challenge I would like to do, I have decided that I will narrow my analysis down to the racial similarities between Kanye West's "Runaway" and another short film. 

I am currently undecided on which short film I will conduct my comparison with. Due to the fact that my comparison will be based mostly on similarities, I need to choose a film that is parallel in content relating to society's idea of racial division today.

This idea of racial division can be seen in "Runway" during the dinner scene. Everyone at the table is black and the servants are white. This is a flip of what society expects as the social norm. I need to find another short film that points out a similar kind racial division.  

Solutions To My Problem Statement

Solutions

1. Have consumers in developed countries stop buying items that are made unethically. This solution will have direct effects because companies will realize that their sales are going down. Due to the fact that companies strive to maximize profits, they will quickly begin producing their good ethically.

2. Have the United States government implement a tariff on imports that were made unethically. The tariff will make it expensive for companies to import unethically made goods. This action will decrease profits forcing companies to search for alternate production methods.

3. Legislation Enforced by the Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) under the Department of Labor. This legislation will require annual factory checks to make sure that a companies production practices are ethical. The people hired to carry out these checks will write a report about the building conditions and working conditions in these factories. These reports will be made public as an incentive for these companies to produce in an ethical manner. If consumers know that the products that they wish to buy are being produced by exploited workers, than they will most likely not want to buy them. Due to the fact that the United States is an economic super power, other developed countries will see how America is regulating the production practices of its companies and will implement similar legislation.

4. Have the governments of the countries where the unethical production practices are taking place enforce their building codes, working condition standards, and  minimum wages. By doing so the buildings will become safer places to work and workers will make enough money to support themselves and their families. Overall quality life will increase for these workers.

5. Sanctions can be put in place by developed countries' governments to dictate where companies can produce. By doing this, governments can make it illegal for companies to produce in countries that exploit their workers through poor overall working conditions. This will address the problem directly and will effectively solve the problem.


I have decided to choose solution 3 (bold) for my proposal simply because it has the least amount negative repercussions. Also, there are some aspects of the other four solutions that are not economically feasible or prudent.

Proposal Paper: Problem Statement

              The corporations that make up consumer markets in the United States have one goal in mind, to maximize their profits. Most of these corporations will stop at nothing to achieve this goal. A repercussion of this sad truth is that corporations will outsource their labor to developing countries that do not treat their workers in an ethical manner. The exploitation of these workers varies from their physical working conditions to their low pay. Due to the fact that these countries are developing their governments do not have much power over factory owners and do not have personnel to enforce building and working standards or codes. Factory owners will take advantage of the lack of enforcement of these standards and codes and will build factories as cheap as possible. This leads to poor working conditions that put workers’ health and even lives in danger. They work while knowing that the building can collapse at any time. Along with physical conditions, these factory workers get paid wages that can barely support one person. Being that the majority of these workers have families, most of them do not make enough to support an entire family. Factory owners can pay their workers as little as they please because there is either no minimum wage or there is no one to enforce the minimum wage. The problem of poor working conditions in factories that corporations in the United States outsource to can be otherwise known as unethical production practices.

               The problem of unethical production practices can be directly related to its facilitators. The source of the problem begins at the corporate level. Companies in the United States do not care how their product is being made, they only care if it is maximizing their profits. Along with these companies the governments in the developing countries where the unethical production practices are being carried out are also at fault. Due to the fact that they are not enforcing their building codes and working standards, workers are being exploited and put in life threatening work areas. Factory owners in these developing countries are also to blame due to the fact that they are carrying out their business in unsafe conditions and in an unethical way. They have the power to construct safe factories that are up to code and to pay their workers reasonable wages. The last facilitator of these unethical production practices is the government in the United States. They do not pressure the companies based in America to maintain ethical production practices. The solution to this problem rests in the hands of the American government.

               The solution to this problem will not directly effect United States citizens but it will surely be felt. Knowing that the products that they are consuming were made in an ethical manner will give them all the satisfaction that they need. The solution will directly effect the exploited workers in developing countries. Their working conditions will increase along with their wages. Fear for their health and life will no longer be a thought in these workers’ minds. Also, they will not have to worry about not making enough money to support their entire families. The inalienable rights that they posses will be given back to them through the deletion of their exploitation.     

Reducing HIV and AIDS Through Prevention (RHAP)

Terms:

1. noncoital: sexual intercourse not between a man and a woman.

2. self-effiacy: the strength of one's belief in one's own ability to complete tasks and reach goals.

3. lymphokines: protein mediators that direct the immune system response by signalling between its cells.

10 Problems

1. Unethical Production Practices in Developing Countries
2. Drunk Driving
3. ISIS Controlled Areas
4. Child Obesity
5. Illegal Music Downloading
6. Carbon Emissions
7. Social Media Privacy
8. College Textbook Prices vs. Their Course Use
9. Ebola Misconceptions
10. Under Ratings of University of Florida Football

Library Resources

Source 1

Title: Outsourcing
Summary: This book highlights the positive and negative effects of outsourcing on Americans. It also touches on ideas relating to the regulation of outsourcing. It then discusses the impact that outsourcing has on the world as a whole.
Use In My Argument: The portion of this book that I will use in my evaluation paper is the part that highlights the effects that outsourcing has on Americans. Ultimately outsourcing effect on Americans is what will make the decision whether it is something that is good or bad for the United States.

Source 2

Title: Outsourcing to India: The Offshore Advantage
Summary: This highlights the advantages of outsourcing labor to India. These advantages can be applied to outsourcing all around the world.
Use In My Argument: I will use the content of this book in my counterargument. This book will point out the advantages of outsourcing that I have not yet discovered. By knowing all the advantages, I will be able to create a counterargument that shuts down all the "positive" things related to outsourcing.

Blog Post #3 - Entertainment

2.

Enrique Igelsias (the man pictured above) is a Spaniard singer, songwriter, and actor who is well known in the music industry. His first songs were strictly Spanish, but as his music got popular in the United States he began to write songs in English. Since then he has recorded many songs that have topped the Billboard Charts.
To start, I identify myself with Iglesias because we both have Spaniard ties. These ties allows us to have a physical resemblance. I never thought that I looked much like him until a lady in the airport came up to me thinking that I was him. When I turned around she realized that I was not him, but proceeded to tell me how much I looked like him. When meeting new people, some of them will tell me that I look like "that Spanish singer". Later I confirm that they are indeed talking about Enrique Iglesias. Due to the resemblance that we have I would like to meet him to see if we are alike in any way other that looks. Hopefully he would spare me $1 million or $2 because of our similarities.

Challenge: Check-In #1

For my challenge paper I will be doing Challenge 4b. I decided on this challenge because I was captivated by the many meanings that "Runaway" by Kanye West had. I would like to connect these meanings to Hip Hop culture while also comparing this short film with one of the others. I will go about this by focusing more on the short films' similarities rather than their differences. This will allow me to bring the meaning of both the films into one cohesive idea that I will connect to Hip Hop culture.

Counter Argument for Evaluation Essay

Outsourcing to Foreign Countries

The idea of outsourcing factors of production such as land, labor, and capital to foreign countries is something that raises the unemployment rate in the United States; however, pro-outsourcing citizens argue that this will allow the growth of domestic higher quality jobs. They reinforce this argument by saying that it also fosters the desire of the working class to get a higher education in order to obtain these “higher quality” or white collar jobs, which supposedly allows the American economy to grow. The problems with this assertion is that most working class citizens do not have the required means to pursue a higher education and that there is not enough “higher quality” jobs for every citizen in the United States. Most of these people do not have the money or time to attend a higher education institution. With the current economic conditions there is an abundance of unemployed people who would be willing to work any job, yet pro-outsourcing citizens still desire to rid the United States’ economy of “lower quality” jobs. This will only lead to a rise in the unemployment rate in America.

Evaluative Writing

What is evaluative writing?

-Evaluative writing is a form of writing used to judge something based off of a specific set of criteria. It is used to compare two or more things or ideas and conclude which is the better choice based off the the set of criteria that has been presented with the comparison.

Why is establishing criteria an important for an evaluative essay?

-The criteria that you base your comparison off is what creates the argument. Without it, the argument can be open to anything that either of the things posses. The criteria narrows the argument down to a set of standards that puts boarders around the argument.

2. When Rosen says the music is an "outlet" for some people, she is saying that music acts as a form of escapism. It allows someone who has problems in everyday life to relate to an artist who is singing about these same problems.  I agree with Rosen's statement because music does act as an escape from reality for some people. The connection that they make with the artist aids them in their journey to overcome the problem that they are facing. 

Blog Post #2 - Family Discourse

As the time came to declare my major at the University of Florida, the pressure from my parents to pick either something in the field of law or business was evident. I was unsure if I wanted to pursue a degree in either of those fields because they seemed too professional for me. This indecisive mindset caused me to think back to conversations that I had with family members who work Bank of America and Goldman Sachs. It also made me ponder on the idea that my parents know what field of work my personality would fall under because they have watched and helped me develop as a person. The recollection of these conversations and this idea aided me in making my decision. To finalize my decision, I reflected on what work environment I believed that I could truly see myself in. I did this without allowing any influences from my family to aid in this part of my decision. Ultimately, I decided on finance because as I matured I felt like I would develop into somebody with professional qualities. The suit and tie career began to appeal to me more than ever before.

My decision to choose a more professional major/career was made based off of critical reflection on what qualities I believed that I can best use to become successful. The first image represents those three qualities (learning, confidence, and excellence) which have a direct correlation with the idea of professional development. The second image represents my indecisiveness in making my decision. In the moment of making this decision I felt as if I had grown personally because I had made a big decision based mostly off of ideals that I solely stood for. This personal growth fostered the professional growth that lead me to not only choose but heavily pursue m major/career in a professional field. 

Definition of Hip Hop

Definition of Hip Hop
Hip Hop cannot be defined as one specific art form or culture. As a whole, Hip Hop is a diverse culture that is made up of all aspects of art. This includes everything from the latest top song on the Billboard Charts to the graffiti seen in subway tunnels. From a culture standpoint, Hip Hop is characterized by free flowing ideas and rebellious mentalities. It cannot be suppressed by its critics because the drive backing its supporters is insurmountable. The defiant nature of its followers allows Hip Hop culture to progress and expand into other aspects of society.

Space/Place

The tunnel going underneath Thirteenth Street from the main campus to Norman Hall encompasses all aspects of Hip Hop. The walls are lined with graffiti that varies from "Free Palestine" to pieces done by legit artists. "Free Palestine" is a representation of the rebellious nature of people who associate with Hip Hop culture. The people who wrote this in the tunnel are supporting the revolutionaries in Palestine. The pieces of art done my legit artists that line the tunnel represent the free flowing ideas that make up Hip Hop culture. Artists are free to express themselves in any way they wish, and they use the concrete walls of the tunnel as their canvas. Being that a large part of Hip Hop originated in underground clubs and bars, the fact that the tunnel is underground makes it the ideal spot for people to express their free flowing thoughts and ideas. 

Media Analysis (Runaway)

The "Dinner Party" scene is a turning point in Kanye West's Runaway. This scene is when West's overall message begins to come out. When he sits down at the table with his new significant other, the person sitting next to him asks, "Do you know that your significant other is a bird?" West responds, "I never noticed", this is an indication that he has accepted the fact that she is different. The idea that everyone is created equal is Kanye West's overall message. Foreshadowing of this message begins in the "All of the Lights" scene when KKK executive members are seen in the parade. This is a sign that some kind of race issue will emerge later on in the movie. As the "Dinner Party" scene progresses, visually, one begins to notice that there are only black people at the table and that the servants are all white. This smashes the racist ideas of the KKK who were previously debuted. Through this scene Kanye West is able to show the high society does not only belong to white people and that a servant role can be given to somebody that is not black or Hispanic. The movie as a whole is a representation of racial equality.

Blog Post #1 - Career Discourse

A.

The image above is a picture of monitors displaying various sectors and stocks in the stock market either rising or falling in price. These monitors are commonly seen in the all the stock exchanges around the world. My reason for writing about this picture is due to the fact that I would like to be successful in the stock market in the future. The stock market is something that has many factors that make it up and effect it; therefore, it is hard to master and become successful in. The risk reward aspect of the market is what intrigues me the most. The idea that I can lose so much so easily sounds like more of a challenge rather than a negative consequence. This only encourages me to study the market and see how much I can make off my investments. The major that I am currently studying, finance, will allow me to gain knowledge on all markets around the world. In order to have a good understanding of stocks, I have to a good understanding of the markets that directly affect them. Throughout my years at the University of Florida, I will be sure to take a couple classes having to do with international and domestic markets and the stock market along with my core curriculum classes. I am planning on pursing the stock market along with my day to day job as a financial analyst or financial adviser. Both career ventures will benefit the other because they both have many similar aspects. This will allow me to not only be successful in the stock market, but also any financial venture that I decide to undertake.