A social class is, in the most basic sense, a group of people that share the same or similar social status. The relative importance and definition of membership in a particular class differs greatly over time and between societies, particularly in societies having a legal differentiation of groups of people by birth or occupation. In the well-known example of socioeconomic class, many scholars view societies as stratifying into a hierarchical system based on economic status, wealth, or income. With the social changes of the 20th century, a gradually developing urban middle class appeared in most Western countries, producing three strata: an Upper class of the immensely wealthy and/or powerful, a Middle class of managers and highly paid professionals, a Lower class of people paid average or low wages or receiving "welfare.” This includes those who are homeless. Karl Marx suggested that the primary social division was between a “ruling class" and a laboring class.
In the article I read, dated August 16th 2004, it describes how the gap between the rich and the poor has continuously increased over the years. And while there is some sociology rooted in this problem, most of it is political. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer, and this applies to this day. The rich and powerful will do everything they can to stop social mobility and to help their friends in the upper class. For example, President Bush’s tax cuts and how most of the $1.3 trillion dollars went to the wealthy and only a small portion of that went to the middle and lower classes. Here’s a statistic for you: The wealthiest 20% of households in 1973 accounted for 44% of total U.S. income, according to the Census Bureau. Their share jumped to 50 percent in 2002, while everyone else’s fell. For the bottom fifth or bottom 20%, the share dropped from 4.2% in 1973 to 3.5% now.
One of the problems affecting all that are not rich is inflation. Our economy has undergone inflation but everyone’s paychecks have not. People have not been getting raises and their salaries are more or less the same as it used to be and there has been close to no compensation in terms of keeping up with inflation and the economy’s growth. Many of the every day things we buy have went up drastically, including gas. Sooner or later people will not be able to afford the price of gas. Three in five pay below the national median hourly wage of $13.53, said Sung Won Sohn, chief economist for Wells Fargo. On a weekly basis, the average wage of $525.84 is at the lowest level since October 2001.
Another reason the poor are getting poorer is because of the crumby support system they have. Most of the poor have a worse education than one who has money. Rarely will you find a married couple both with Masters Degrees and still making close to nothing, but it is out there. People who are poor or homeless need two things to get themselves out of the lower class and to rise in to the middle class. First, they need a better welfare support system to help them with what they actually need, instead of trying to give someone a band-aid to fix a broken leg. Some people need some money and food stamps, some people don’t…it’s all dependant on the person. The other thing that is needed, though, is education. There needs to be a program that can give these people a better education, necessary for getting a higher paying job. Special schools or institutes, even allowing the earning of G. E. D’s during all times of the day should be implemented so they too, can move up the socio economic ladder.
The middle class is moving two ways. Many of the middle class jobs are being outsourced or companies are just laying massive amounts of people off. Either way, often times it is hard to find a new job that is steady with equal or better pay. So much of the middle class face economic trouble causing them to start to head down to the lower class level. And a good portion of the middle class is moving up, and they are making more money than they ever had before, mostly by working very diligently for most of their lives.
On the back of our 1 dollar bill, there is a pyramid, with the eye of illuminati. If you notice, the top of the pyramid is not attached and is floating above. That small section represents class structure and mostly a lack of social mobility. The rich and powerful is that small section with the all Seeing Eye, watching over you and controlling the ladder. The upper class has the smallest population, then the middle class is next in line, and the lower class has the largest population…able to be represented in a pyramid form. The reason the top section is detached is because no one below that is supposed to be able to reach that kind status, so the rich keep the rich in power.
So it seems the growing trend of our economy and society right now is for the middle class to thin out so much where there is only a small population still remaining in the middle class. The poor don’t have such programs stated earlier and many people are working multiple jobs just to put food on the table; there is almost no social mobility within the lower class. The upper class is the smallest, and certainly the richest, allowing close to no mobility in to the class of the rich and the powerful as well as controlling most of the job market. I explained a few things to help the lower class achieve a better socio economic status, but there is still way more to do as well as keeping a nice big middle class of informed, educated, Americans that don’t literally have to live paycheck to paycheck.
Friday, May 13, 2005
Global Warming...a problem? I think so.
The greenhouse effect is responsible for the Earth's warm, livable atmosphere. Greenhouse gasses keep the Earth about 33 C (60 F) warmer than it would be without its natural blanket of protective gas. While the greenhouse effect is perfectly natural, we can change the climate from things we do. Water vapor, methane, carbon dioxide, CFCs, ozone and nitrous oxide are all greenhouse gases.
The greenhouse effect is when sun rays go through our atmosphere to warm up the ground, water, and everything else exposed to the sun. Those things exposed to the sun emit infrared radiation a.k.a. heat. Molecules in the atmosphere absorb the infrared radiation and release heat within the atmosphere, trapping the heat in the atmosphere.
Chronologically, here is a timeline of what has happened historically with global warming. In 1896, a Swedish scientist named Svante Arrhenius discovered what the greenhouse effect does and what it is. In 1913, Charles Abbot found that global warming correlates to weather patterns. In 1979, the first World Climate Conference was held in Geneva to discuss global warming and its effects on us. In 1988, the U.N. establishes the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and Carbon Dioxide levels reach 350 parts per million from the pre-industrial level of 280 parts per million. In 1990, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change presented its first assessment report, stating that we are doing harm to our planet. In 1992, the United States, and more than 100 other countries sign the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Rio de Janeiro, attempting to make efforts to curb our global warming increases. In 1997, the Kyoto Protocol is negotiated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. The U. S. signs the treaty although the U.S. Senate agrees in advance not to ratify the treaty citing economic concerns. President Bush will withdraw the U.S. from the treaty in 2001. In 2005, the Kyoto Protocol enters into force on February 16. The Protocol was ratified by 140 countries that account for most of global emissions from industrialized nations, according to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Concentration of carbon dioxide now stands at 372 parts per million, higher than at any time in at least the past 420,000 years according to David King, chief science advisor to the British Government.
What has caused us to rise to 372 parts per million of Carbon Dioxide and what is causing us all this damage? One thing that is doing excessive damage and seems to be our number one global warmer is hog, pig, and cow raising. What makes them our top contender for the number one spot is because of what they are forced to be fed, causing excessive methane gas from their wastes. One million metric tons of methane is equivalent to the emissions of 24.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, so as you can see…methane is a very harmful greenhouse gas. Another thing that contributes to the highest carbon dioxide levels ever is our everyday trucks, cars, vans, sports utility vehicles, SUV’s, and pretty much all construction units with wheels. While cars, vans, and SUV’s have emissions standards, the rest have way less and some of them have no standards. So while these vehicles are running they are releasing CO2 & Chlorofluorocarbons, or CFC’s. Both of these are greenhouse gasses, which contribute to the warming of our atmosphere and other problems as well, like ozone depletion, quality of air, smog, etc. The other main contributor to global warming is the factories and plants all around the globe. The United States Republican government now has a policy of de-regulation for all of these big-business factories so they don’t have to spend as much on environmental regulations and filters on their smoke stacks. So instead of being able to produce much cleaner smoke in to the air, they are putting raw pollutants in to the air. The U.S. is the largest global warming contributor, and China is in the second place. The United State’s role of non-involvement with the Kyoto Accords just shows how greedy we are and how much the government doesn’t care about our long term future. China is listed as a developing country, still, so according to the Kyoto Accords, they need not have any emissions standards on their factories.
What is the effect that global warming is having on the planet and all of us? One of our main concerns is the raised water levels from melting ice caps on both poles. When the ice caps melt, the water level will rise so greatly that it will bring the water up multiple feet, entrenching many towns and large cities situated along the coasts. Giant icebergs are cracking off the Antarctic that are gigantic in proportion, showing a rise in surface temperature even down there. Warming up the planet where blooming and seasons for animals and reptiles are starting earlier every year. For instance, the Japanese cedar is a tree that many are allergic to, and this season it’s producing more pollen than it ever has due to global warming, so it is affecting the health of the Japanese citizens as well. Receding and melting glaciers on large mountains like Mt. Kilimanjaro are a large problem, and are causing longer droughts in the surrounding areas, affecting the whole ecosystem there too. Alaska’s polar bears are thought to be roaming on snow and ice but these days you can even find them on the frozen ground…why? Because the surface temperatures and atmospheric temperatures have risen to the point where it doesn’t snow there in as much of an excess as it did in the past. The Sea bird population decline has been linked to global warming as well. The black guillemot population is declining from 1990 levels because melting sea ice has increased the distance the birds must fly to forage for food and reduced the number of resting sites available. The warmer water can affect migratory patterns of fish too, and in turn birds who feed on those fish. Global warming does not just affect humans, it affects the entire biosphere.
Who can we blame? We can blame the republicans and conservatives who are anti-environment and pro-money. They are helping big business out by imposing their policies of de-regulation on the factories and plants so that it is cheaper to run the factories by letting pollutants enter the air more freely instead of them being filtered out through emissions standards. We can also blame the President for repeatedly declining involvement with the Kyoto Accords, which over 100 countries are parts of. We are supposed to set a positive example for the rest of the world but instead people from the other countries dislike us for all of the bad things we are doing internationally.
What can we do to prevent further damage? The first thing I would suggest is getting a new President of the United States. It is clear that his imposition of his lack of values is ruining our planet. Second, we can regulate the factories again, like we had done in the Clinton administration. We can set better emissions standards for our trucks, cars, and other vehicles, so fewer pollutants are released in the air. We can require that all hog factories meet permanent performance standards to achieve environmental and public health goals and that they take care of the waste problems as well in a clean manner. The last thing we can do is hope that nothing extremely major and life changing happens.
The greenhouse effect is when sun rays go through our atmosphere to warm up the ground, water, and everything else exposed to the sun. Those things exposed to the sun emit infrared radiation a.k.a. heat. Molecules in the atmosphere absorb the infrared radiation and release heat within the atmosphere, trapping the heat in the atmosphere.
Chronologically, here is a timeline of what has happened historically with global warming. In 1896, a Swedish scientist named Svante Arrhenius discovered what the greenhouse effect does and what it is. In 1913, Charles Abbot found that global warming correlates to weather patterns. In 1979, the first World Climate Conference was held in Geneva to discuss global warming and its effects on us. In 1988, the U.N. establishes the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and Carbon Dioxide levels reach 350 parts per million from the pre-industrial level of 280 parts per million. In 1990, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change presented its first assessment report, stating that we are doing harm to our planet. In 1992, the United States, and more than 100 other countries sign the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Rio de Janeiro, attempting to make efforts to curb our global warming increases. In 1997, the Kyoto Protocol is negotiated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. The U. S. signs the treaty although the U.S. Senate agrees in advance not to ratify the treaty citing economic concerns. President Bush will withdraw the U.S. from the treaty in 2001. In 2005, the Kyoto Protocol enters into force on February 16. The Protocol was ratified by 140 countries that account for most of global emissions from industrialized nations, according to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Concentration of carbon dioxide now stands at 372 parts per million, higher than at any time in at least the past 420,000 years according to David King, chief science advisor to the British Government.
What has caused us to rise to 372 parts per million of Carbon Dioxide and what is causing us all this damage? One thing that is doing excessive damage and seems to be our number one global warmer is hog, pig, and cow raising. What makes them our top contender for the number one spot is because of what they are forced to be fed, causing excessive methane gas from their wastes. One million metric tons of methane is equivalent to the emissions of 24.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, so as you can see…methane is a very harmful greenhouse gas. Another thing that contributes to the highest carbon dioxide levels ever is our everyday trucks, cars, vans, sports utility vehicles, SUV’s, and pretty much all construction units with wheels. While cars, vans, and SUV’s have emissions standards, the rest have way less and some of them have no standards. So while these vehicles are running they are releasing CO2 & Chlorofluorocarbons, or CFC’s. Both of these are greenhouse gasses, which contribute to the warming of our atmosphere and other problems as well, like ozone depletion, quality of air, smog, etc. The other main contributor to global warming is the factories and plants all around the globe. The United States Republican government now has a policy of de-regulation for all of these big-business factories so they don’t have to spend as much on environmental regulations and filters on their smoke stacks. So instead of being able to produce much cleaner smoke in to the air, they are putting raw pollutants in to the air. The U.S. is the largest global warming contributor, and China is in the second place. The United State’s role of non-involvement with the Kyoto Accords just shows how greedy we are and how much the government doesn’t care about our long term future. China is listed as a developing country, still, so according to the Kyoto Accords, they need not have any emissions standards on their factories.
What is the effect that global warming is having on the planet and all of us? One of our main concerns is the raised water levels from melting ice caps on both poles. When the ice caps melt, the water level will rise so greatly that it will bring the water up multiple feet, entrenching many towns and large cities situated along the coasts. Giant icebergs are cracking off the Antarctic that are gigantic in proportion, showing a rise in surface temperature even down there. Warming up the planet where blooming and seasons for animals and reptiles are starting earlier every year. For instance, the Japanese cedar is a tree that many are allergic to, and this season it’s producing more pollen than it ever has due to global warming, so it is affecting the health of the Japanese citizens as well. Receding and melting glaciers on large mountains like Mt. Kilimanjaro are a large problem, and are causing longer droughts in the surrounding areas, affecting the whole ecosystem there too. Alaska’s polar bears are thought to be roaming on snow and ice but these days you can even find them on the frozen ground…why? Because the surface temperatures and atmospheric temperatures have risen to the point where it doesn’t snow there in as much of an excess as it did in the past. The Sea bird population decline has been linked to global warming as well. The black guillemot population is declining from 1990 levels because melting sea ice has increased the distance the birds must fly to forage for food and reduced the number of resting sites available. The warmer water can affect migratory patterns of fish too, and in turn birds who feed on those fish. Global warming does not just affect humans, it affects the entire biosphere.
Who can we blame? We can blame the republicans and conservatives who are anti-environment and pro-money. They are helping big business out by imposing their policies of de-regulation on the factories and plants so that it is cheaper to run the factories by letting pollutants enter the air more freely instead of them being filtered out through emissions standards. We can also blame the President for repeatedly declining involvement with the Kyoto Accords, which over 100 countries are parts of. We are supposed to set a positive example for the rest of the world but instead people from the other countries dislike us for all of the bad things we are doing internationally.
What can we do to prevent further damage? The first thing I would suggest is getting a new President of the United States. It is clear that his imposition of his lack of values is ruining our planet. Second, we can regulate the factories again, like we had done in the Clinton administration. We can set better emissions standards for our trucks, cars, and other vehicles, so fewer pollutants are released in the air. We can require that all hog factories meet permanent performance standards to achieve environmental and public health goals and that they take care of the waste problems as well in a clean manner. The last thing we can do is hope that nothing extremely major and life changing happens.
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