Learning Technology Essay Example for Free

Learning Technology Essay Due to their nature, a lot of possibilities are opened up in virtual worlds that are not present in the real world. These can make it highly conducive to learning new things. For instance, students that are separated by geography can share a class. A virtual environment ensures that procedures or demonstrations normally limited by scope or expense can be repeated, observed and redone as often as necessary. The very idea that is entertainment, and not just another â€Å"day in class† provides a stimulus to education that real schools often lack. The greater opportunity for collaboration, relative safety and convenience provided by online gaming certainly makes it a solid platform capable of delivering the lessons of the future. Cons of Using Second Life as a Learning Technology Some aspects of learning can never be completely replaced however. While Second Life may offer a greatly enhanced experience and rapid transfer of information, it is still nothing like face-to-face interaction. A wholly automated method of teaching is still prone to disruption and malicious griefing, especially in an online game like Second Life. And virtual objects will never be a substitute for tangible things, making it difficult for educational applications that require hands-on training. Overall, the pros outweigh the cons, and many institutes of higher learning are already aware of this fact. Utilizing Second Life as a Educational Tool for the Real World Learning a new language is an effort that can be greatly enhanced by interaction with elements that are connected to the culture in some way. There a quite a few themed regions in Second Life that are almost perfect replicas of their real-world counterparts, complete with native speakers to boot. Virtual tourism is the perfect way to learn and remember commonly-used phrases before the real trip. References Kock, N. , Verville, J. , Garza, V. (2007). Media naturalness and online learning: Findings supporting both the significant- and nosignificant-difference perspectives. Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education, 5(2), 333-356.

The positive function and negative function of the social policy in Hong Kong society Essay Example for Free

The positive function and negative function of the social policy in Hong Kong society Essay Introduction Recently, starting from May 1, 2013, Hong Kong had issued an increase of the Statutory Minimum Wage (SMW) from $28 to $30. Setting SMW at an appropriate level is vital to striking the balance between the objectives of forestalling excessively low wages and minimising the loss of low-paid jobs, while sustaining Hong Kong’s economic growth and competitiveness (2012 report of the minimum wage commission, 2012). To fulfil this aim, the government have decided to increase the minimum wage rate in order for the people receiving the low-paid jobs to have a more fair salary. This paper will first discuss about the stakeholders that will be affected by the increase of the wage rates namely the workers earning the SMW rates, the employees earning above the minimum wage, the firms, the government and the society as a whole. All of the effects of this social policy, both positive and negative that will be implied to these stakeholders will be discussed. Then, the effects of this social policy will be compared with R. Titmuss’ teachings in the objectives of a social policy. Finally, an evaluative comment of what the government should have done to maximise the benefits of this policy and minimising its drawbacks will be given as a conclusion. Effects on Stakeholders Workers The first stakeholder that will be most affected by this social policy is the workers living by the SMW rate. These workers are usually blue-collared workers whose jobs require minimum requirements and manual labor. The minimum wage is used to provide a wage floor for them not to be exploited by the firms, but these workers are usually still the lowest paid amongst the society. They are referred to as the working poor in which the workers are still living below the poverty line of Hong Kong even when they already have a job. As shown by Lam (2013) At the article which has been released by the Commission of Poverty, Hong Kong had just implemented the poverty line in which a one-person household is living at below HK$3,600, two-person  households living below HK$7,700, and four-person households living below HK$14,300 monthly. In Hong Kong, around 19.6 percent of the population were living with less than the poverty line at the year 2012. By the increase of the minimum wage by roughly 7%, the government wanted to tackle the problem of the working poor especially with the rising costs due to inflation and rapid increase in the price of land. According to the Trading Economics (2013), from the year 1981-2013, Hong Kong’s inflation rate have averaged at 4.6 percent while the Global Property Guide (2013) showed that the price of properties in Hong Kong had skyrocketed by 73% over the past 3 years. These rising costs had brought problems to the workers living in the SMW as they usually do not experience an increase in their salaries if the government does not intervene. Their living standards will constantly fall every year and in order to prevent that from happening, the Hong Kong government implemented the increase in the SMW at May 1, 2013. The first time Hong Kong had provided the Statutory Minimum Wage of $28 is at 2011. According to Oxfam’s report on April 17, 2012, â€Å"59.5 per cent reported no improvement with the introduction of the Ordinance†. Oxfam (2012) explained that even when 70 per cent of the low income workers experienced increased wage rates, the employers reduced the remuneration packages, paid rest days, and working hours. Overall, it leads to similar income when the Ordinance have not been introduced which does not lead to any increase in the standard of living of the working poor. This might reoccur with the increase of the SMW, as the employers would want to cut back on the costs. The increase of the minimum wage in Hong Kong might not lead to an increase in the total income of the workers, but might only lead to a shorter working hours or even a decrease in their total income. Firms Another stakeholder that would be affected by the increase of the minimum wages are the firms, especially the small to medium sized ones. Because most of their staffs are earning minimum wage, the firms will either need to either reduce the working hours of their employees or face an increase in the labour cost. If the businesses were to reduce the employees or the  working hours, the quality of the products or services provided will most likely degrade over time due to the lack of labour. On the other hand, maintaining the same amount of labour and working hours will lead to an increased cost. In order for the firms to maintain their profitability, the prices of the product or services will most likely be increased. This will lead to the reduction of the competitiveness of small and medium firms compared to the large firms. Because large firms can most likely afford the increase of the minimum wage, they might not need to push the prices up to keep their demands. This can be disadvantageous to Hong Kong as a whole if it leads to the closure of the small and medium firms which leaves huge industries as monopolies in the industry. Card (1995) mentioned that the minimum wage has a â€Å"ripple effect† in many firms, leading to pay increases for workers initially earning slightly more than the new minimum wage. Because of this, the effects previously mentioned will be amplified even to firms which pay slightly above the new SMW even before the increase. Government In the government’s perspective, the increase of the minimum wage policy can help reduce the government expenditure in a country. According to the Social Welfare Department, Hong Kong has a scheme called the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme to help those who does not have sufficient income to cover their expenses (Comprehensive social security, 2013). For example, an able-bodied adult aged under 60 will receive HK$2,070 if he does not have a family. When the government increased the SMW, the income of the working people will increase and the amount of people that would need the government subsidies to cover their living expenses can decrease. This way, the government can spend more expenditures on other aspects such as better education or housing for the poor. Society This new legislation will also bring several impacts on the Hong Kong society as a whole. Firstly, it has been mentioned that the increase of the minimum wage rate of Hong Kong will lead to the increased cost of firms and ultimately the consumers. Since most of the goods that can be found locally  is manufactured by workers working in a minimum wage, the increase of the SMW will most likely inflate most of the price for most goods. The general increase in the prices level will lead to inflation which brings negative impacts to the lower class part of Hong Kong. According to the Census and Statistics Department of Hong Kong, the inflation rate of Hong Kong was recorded at 4.30 percent in October of 2013 compared to October of 2012 (Monthly report on, 2013). The increase of the Statutory Minimum Wage is a mere 7.14% since it was first released at May 1, 2011 while the inflationary pressures are roughly 4% annually. This shows that the increase of the minimum wage rate is insufficient to cope with the inflationary pressures that the workers are experiencing in the society. On the other hand, the increase of the minimum wage rate had reduced the income inequality even by a very small amount. The Hong Kong government’s economic report at the year 2012 had shown that Hong Kong has a Gini coefficient of 0.537 in the year 2011 for the original household income (Half-yearly economic report 2012, 2012). This is quite a high figure as the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)’s world factbook states that Hong Kong is ranked at the 11th place for the countries with the highest Gini coefficient. Singapore on the other hand, had a much lower Gini coefficient of 0.478 in the year 2012 and is ranked 26th in the world (The world factbook, ). These figures shows that Hong Kong is one of the worst countries in terms of income equality whereas the income of the rich greatly outweigh the poor. By increasing the Statutory Minimum Wage rate, the citizens with low incomes will be affected as their income will increase while the citizens with high income are barel y affected by this legislations. This will then reduce the wealth gap even just by a very small amount and Hong Kong’s Gini coefficient might drop by a slight amount in the future. Fajnzylber, Lederman, and Loayza (2002) had concluded in their paper that the increase in income inequality has a significant and robust effect of raising crime rates. According to the paper, when income inequality is high, the differences between the potential gains that could be acquired from doing a crime compared with the opportunity cost of it is high. This will  lead to an increase in the crime rates in a particular country where the Gini coefficient is high. By reducing the wealth gap, the government is also helping the society in minimising crime rates as the people in Hong Kong will be less desperate for them into being a criminal. Normally, people resolved into committing crimes when they cannot fulfil their basic needs, therefore the increase of the SMW of Hong Kong will make it more likely for the low income group of people to survive which will ultimately lead to the reduction of crimes. Objectives of a Social Policy According to R. Titmuss (1974), the objective of social policy is to meet social needs and promote social integration and discourage alienation. Because the increase of the Statutory Minimum Wage is a form of social policy, it should fulfil the three criteria mentioned by R. Titmuss. This part of the paper will talk about how well the increase in the minimum wage meet the social needs, promoting social integration, and discourage alienation in the Hong Kong society. Meeting the Social Needs The social needs of a society are the basic fundamentals that the citizens living in Hong Kong needs. One of the ways to dissect these needs is using Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. At the bottom of the triangle and the very basic fundamental human needs are the physiological needs which includes basic necessities to live such as food, shelter, and air. The social policy released by the government at May 1, 2013 regarding the new Statutory Minimum Wage does affect the physiological welfare of the minimum wage workers at some aspects. By increasing the SMW, the income of a substantial amount of the workers were expected to rise. This will allow them to be able to afford more of the basic products to survive such as food, water, etc. Due to the increase in their incomes and thus their disposable income, the spending powers of these parts of the society will increase and they should have a better standard of living. However, the paper had mentioned before that inflationary pressures can reduce and dilute the effects of the minimum wage increase. The increase in  the labour costs, which is one of the factors of production, can lead to a cost push inflation in which the rising costs are passed on to the consumers. Even though the workers earning the SMW might feel richer, the general price increase may lead to a small or no improvement in the living standards. According to Trading Economics (2013), Hong Kong’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) is reaching its all time high of 116.8 Index Points in September of 2013. This might even lead to a decrease in the living standard of the working poor as most goods and services are becoming more expensive. Another aspect that is related to the physiological needs of the society is shelter, or the rent of the apartments in the case of Hong Kong. According to Global Property Guide (2013), the property prices of land of Hong Kong had surged 73% which leads to really high rent rates which takes up a huge part of a person’s salary. The introduction of the increase in the minimum wage social policy does nothing to tackle this problem, meaning that the working poor would still need to spend a substantial amount of their salary just to pay for the rent. Even though the Hong Kong Housing Authority is currently attending to this particular need, it is insufficient to fulfil everyone’s physiological need of a decent shelter. The second level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is the safety needs of every individuals. Every working men would want a job that is both secure and consistent. They would not want a job that does not ensure a regular income to cover their expenses. When the minimum wage rate is increased, the firms will try to cut their costs sometimes by making the workers redundant or reducing their working hours. Both of the actions mentioned will lead to an insecure feeling by the workers as they might lose their jobs or have a decreased income. Therefore, the social policy for this case does not improve the social needs of the society, and even bring a sense of insecurity and anxiety. The other 3 aspects of the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs which are the love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualisation, does not apply for this social policy as they are more related with employees with higher income and mostly the white collar workers. Promoting Social Integration and Discourage Alienation Lastly, R. Titmuss (1974) mentioned about promoting social integration and discourage alienation. Social integration is a dynamic and principled process where all members participate in dialogue to achieve and maintain peaceful social relations (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs). This focused on both equal rights and secure social welfare. Even though the increase of the SMW of Hong Kong does not have anything to do with equal rights, it can promote a better social welfare in the society. As mentioned, there is a direct correlation between higher income and lower crime rates. Therefore, if the increase in the minimum wage does increase the total income of each or most individuals working at minimum wage rate, there is a high possibility that Hong Kong can promote more social integration. When social integration occurs, alienation are automatically reduced. When the wealth gap are reduced, communities can be more easily formed as the social classes will be more integrated towards each other. Conclusion and Evaluation As shown in the paper, the increase of the Statutory Minimum Wage in Hong Kong have led to both positive and negative functions in the society. Even though the aims and objectives of this social policy is favourable and positive, there are many factors which can turn them into negative results. One of the biggest factor is the difference between the inflation level compared with the increase in the wage rates. Right now, Hong Kong have a high CPI of 116.8 which can greatly reduce the effects of the improved minimum wage rates. I believe that the increase of the Statutory Minimum Wage from HK$28 to HK$30 is insufficient and should be further increased to at least HK$32 to counteract the inflation rates. On the other hand, the Hong Kong government should take actions to control the inflationary pressures which will be created from this increased labour costs. Fiscal policies such as the use of a higher progressive direct tax for the citizens with high income can be used to both control inflation and increase the government revenue for other uses. Moreover, the government should also try to tackle other social problems that are currently a big issue in Hong Kong like the housing problem. This situation is as critical as the increased amount of the working poor and the huge wealth inequality  and should be countered immediately. In order for a social policy to be beneficial to the society, R. Titmuss (1974) believed that it should cover all the three aspects, namely the social needs, social integration, and discourage alienation. Therefore, the government should take account of these features and redesign the Statutory Minimum Wage, increasing it to a more substantial amount. References: Minimum Wage Commission, (2012). 2012 report of the minimum wage commission. Retrieved from website: http://www.mwc.org.hk/en/downloadable_materials/2012MWCReport-Eng.pdf Hu , F., Yun , M. (2013, September 30). Hong kong poverty line shows wealth gap with one in five poor. Retrieved from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-29/hong-kong-poverty-line-shows-wealth-gap-with-one-in-five-poor.html Lam, C. (2013, September 30). Hong kongs first official poverty line purpose and value. Retrieved from http://www.povertyrelief.gov.hk/eng/pdf/20130930_article.pdf (2013, December 10). Retrieved from http://www.tradingeconomics.com/hong-kong/inflation-cpi Residential prices surging in hong kong!. (2013, February 15). Retrieved from http://www.globalpropertyguide.com/Asia/Hong-Kong/Price-History Oxfam. (2012, April 17). Poverty in the hong kong workforce, despite the minimum wage oxfam survey reveals 70% of low income workers and their families have more income, but almost half live in deprivation. Retrieved from http://www.oxfam.org.hk/en/news_1818.aspx Chasanov, A. (2004, May 11). No longer getting by—an increase in the minimum wage is long overdue. Retrieved from http://www.epi.org/publication/briefingpapers_bp151/ Social Welfare Department, (2013). Comprehensive social security assistance scheme. Retrieved from website: http://www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_socsecu/sub_socialsecurity/ Census and Statistics Department, (2013). Monthly report on the consumer price index. Retrieved from website: http://www.statistics.gov.hk/pub/B10600012013MM10B0100.pdf Central Intelligence Agency, (n.d.). The world factbook. Retrieved from website: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2172rank.html Hong Kong Economy Government, (2012). Half-yearly economic report 2012. Retrieved from website: http://www.hkeconomy.gov.hk/en/pdf/box-12q2-5-2.pdf Hong Kong Housing Authority, (2013). Annual report 2012/13. Retrieved from website: http://www.housingauthority.gov.hk/en/about-us/publications-and-statistics/index.html UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Division for Social Policy and Development. (n.d.). Working definition of social integration. Retrieved from website: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/sib/peacedialogue/soc_integration.htm Card, D. E. (1995). Myth and measurement: The new economics of the minimum wage. Princeton University Press. Fajnzlber, P., Lederman, D., Loayza, N. (2002). Inequality and violent crime. JL Econ., 45, 1. Titmuss, R. M., Abel-Smith, B., Titmuss, K. (1974). Social policy (pp.

Sustainable Construction in SMEs | Research Proposal

Sustainable Construction in SMEs | Research Proposal Introduction The construction industry is a significantly important sector in the UK and has profound economical, social and environmental impacts. The UK construction industry contributes 10% of UK GDP and provides employments to 1.5 million people. Unfortunately, the environmental impacts caused by the construction activities are appalling: annually 70 million tones of waste are produced and 50% of all energy generated is used by the industry (Addis, B Talbot, R, 2001:21). Worldwide, there has been a growing concern on the environmental impacts caused by the construction industry. Since the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, Sustainability and Sustainable Development have captured the attention of all the industries in the world especially the construction industry. As a result of this concern, the concept of Sustainable Construction emerged. It is proposed that sustainable construction is the way forward to improve the performance of the construction industry, making it more sustainable, and subsequently helps to minimise the environmental impacts caused by its activities. The development and progress of sustainable construction in the UK is improving, although it lags behind other countries in Europe. Within the construction industry itself, there is a gap of performance and progress between large construction companies (LE) and small construction companies (SME) in implementing sustainable construction. Interestingly, much of the available literature on the UK sustainable construction focuses more on the large companies, while studies on small construction companies are still under researched. Thus, this research aims to investigate to actual level of understanding and implementation of sustainable construction among construction SMEs, with further intention to identify the barriers to these companies in implementing sustainable construction practices. It is impossible to conduct this research based on all disciplines within the construction team hence, a scope is determined. The research focuses only on contractors firms which fall under the category of SMEs (general contractors with less than 50 employees) and therefore, the scope of the construction phase is limited to the production or on-site activities. Justification/Rational of the Research The contribution of small companies towards any changes and innovations proposed by the construction industry is very significant. This is because the largest part of the construction industry is made up of small firms. In 2004, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has registered more than 170,000 private construction contractors working in the UK and 93% of these companies employed less than 8 people (DTI, 2004). Interestingly, previous studies on construction innovations and initiatives by the construction SMEs indicate that this group is often ignored and hence, they are under-performed compared to large construction companies (Sexton, M.G. Barrett, P.S., 2003a). With regards to sustainable construction in the UK, there as been a rapid development since the publications of the Egan Report (1998) and `Building A Better Quality of Life` (2000), which promote and encourage sustainable construction practices. Despite the rapid development, in the construction industry: .take up of sustainability principles varies significantly, with some leading firms following recognised practice, but others still making little effort. (Environment Agency, 2006) There are continuing problems, reaching small and medium sized enterprises, and the entirely of supply chains. The author is intrigued by this matter which seems to suggest that the construction SMEs is lagging behind in implementing sustainable construction practices when compared to large construction companies. Consequently, the question arises as to `what are the barriers to the construction SMEs in implementing sustainable construction? At present, it is widely felt that investigate into barriers faced by construction SMEs in implementing sustainable construction is under researched. Therefore, the author would like to undertake a research on this area in order to explore the level of understanding and implementation of sustainable construction SMEs, and consequently identify the barriers involved. It is hoped that the finding, from this research will help the construction industry to encourage more construction SMEs to implement sustainable construction principles and techniques, as recommended by the UK Government in Building a Better Quality of Life. The scope of the research is limited to contractors companies that employ less than 50 people. The area of research investigation is also limited to the activities on construction site, or known as the production phase. The diagram below demonstrates the deductive approach taken for this research in order to narrow down the research area to specific issues and activities during construction site operation. Eventually, the research scope will be limited to five making practices in implementing environmental sustainable construction, which include waste management, energy efficiency, water conservation materials efficiency and protection of biodiversity.

Charlie Chaplin Essays -- Charlie Chaplin Essay

Sir Charles Chaplin’s speech from the 1940 motion picture called The Great Dictator was extremely hard-hitting and inspirational. It did very well to get the message across. His speech was a cry for help on behalf of many civilians, demanding a much needed change in the world back in the 1940s. He briefly touched on the intensity of the problem and what it could become in the future if no action would be taken. In doing so, he maintained respect with the audience; rather than talking down to them, he put himself onto their level without being too familiar. Very boldly, Chaplin effectively expressed to the people that it is our responsibility as humans to make the world a better place because its fate is determined by our influence. Right off the bat, Chaplin conveys his humility. In his speech, he makes it clear that he was not trying to be a dictator, such as Hitler. Rather, he wanted to show that he was just like them, a plain man who desired change in the world. Through his speech, it is apparent that Chaplin is the mediator, but not in a high place. His first two words, quietly uttered, are, â€Å"I’m sorry,†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (The Great Dictator 1940). As opposed to a president trying to win an election, saying these two words at the very beginning of a speech immediately bring Chaplin to the people’s level, even though he is the speaker and the demander of peace. I found this very effective because it is refreshing for me to see humility in such a powerful speech. It does not show that he wants to be worshipped. These two words immediately give him respect because it shows remorse, and in turn, the people will be more open to his words. It comforted me to see that he was not arrogant. He later goes on to say, â€Å"I s... ...is powerful because it encourages the audience to really see the problem, and without action taken by each individual, the problem will remain. Chaplin’s strategies paired with his powerful passionate voice helped him to successfully win the hearts of many and get through to his targeted audience. Works Cited http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/top25-quotes.htm>. http://www.culturaldiversity.com.au/practice-guides/cultural-awareness http://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2013/05/28/inspirational-quotes http://wallstcheatsheet.com/stocks/20-most-memorable-quotes-from-steve-jobs.html http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/cultural-differences http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/12080.Ralph_Waldo_Emerson http://moonlightenedshelves.wordpress.com/2012/03/23/charlie-chaplin-and-the-great-dictator-the-speech-that-resounds-across-time/

Krashen’s Hypotheses of Second Language Acquisition Essay -- Foreign L

Krashen’s Hypotheses of Second Language Acquisition For decades, foreign language teachers wandered in a scientific abyss. Until 1983, there had been little real research dealing with the ways in which someone acquires a second language. Teachers mostly used the audiolingual classroom model that had been in place for the past twenty years (or, even worse, the literally ancient grammatical translation model that had been used by civilizations millennia old). Clearly, language teaching methodology was in a poor situation. In 1983, however, Krashen published the results of an unprecedented body of research and paved the way for a revolution in our field. His five-point hypothesis focused on the difference between the acquisition of and the learning of a second language. Krashen has his detractors, of course, not the least of whom are American school districts, which have been reluctant to implement his teachings. Most experts agree, however, that his ideas are the most meritorious of the theories in circulation now, an d schools that refuse to incorporate them are doing their students a disservice. The first of Krashen’s hypotheses is the learning-acquisition hypothesis, which differentiates the two titular terms. According to Krashen, â€Å"acquisition† refers to the implicit knowledge we have of a language, whereas â€Å"learning† refers to explicit knowledge about a language. Implicit knowledge refers to command of a language as if it were one’s native language; explicit knowledge is what we unfortunately gain in most foreign language classes. One good example of this in Spanish is the phrase â€Å"me llamo,† which literally means â€Å"I call myself† but is usually translated by Spanish teachers as â€Å"my name is.... ... on teachers to find objective methods of evaluating students, which can be extremely difficult to do if they heed Krashen’s advice. The price that students pay for steady grading is, unfortunately, genuine competence in their chosen language, and it is far too high. The pending change in second-language teaching is often called an â€Å"incomplete revolution† because the educational establishment refuses to implement the system despite its acknowledged merits, choosing instead to languish in the mediocrity we face today. WORKS CITED Krashen, Stephen. Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. New York: Pergamon Press. 1982 Omaggio, Alice C. Teaching Language in Context. Proficiency Oriented Instruction. Boston: Heinle and Heinle. 1986 Sole, Yolanda Russino. â€Å"The input hypothesis and the bilingual learner.† Bilingual Review 19:2. 99-100.

Barbara Ehrenreichs Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America E

Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America Barbara Ehrenreich is a political/social journalist and writer. She is a best-selling author with a dozen book credits to her name. Her works include Blood Rites, The Worst Years of Our Lives, and Fear of Falling. She also has written articles for Time, Harpers, The New Republic, The Nation, and The New York Time Magazine. Her Ph.D. in biology endows her with the experience and discipline to approach as a scientific experiment the study resulting in her newest book, Nickel and Dimed. Light years removed from the kind of life she would eventually enter and write about, the genesis of the book happened during an expensive luncheon meeting with a magazine editor. As the conversation topic drifted, Ehrenreich casually wondered how people get by on the low wages of the â€Å"unskilled.† â€Å"Someone ought to do the old fashioned kind of journalism...go out there and try it for themselves,† she exhorted. She didn’t really have herself in mind, but her editor challenged her with a single word, â€Å"You.† The idea also came in the wake of sweeping welfare reform in 1996, which moved roughly four million women from the welfare rolls and into the workforce. The study Ehrenreich undertook then was to see how she could manage economically in the low wage work pool in which many such women found themselves. To prepare for the project, Ehrenreich set up some ground rules. When looking for work she would not fall back on the use of her usual skills as a writer, and she would take the highest paying job while at the same time seek the least expensive housing that still offered privacy and safety. Admittedly, she recognized the advantages she possessed -- good hea... ...ess, Ehrenreich’s book has received some criticism for its lack of policy suggestions. She does not offer concrete ideas on how to remedy this situation. Some also said she did not avail herself of the aide that is available. However, the reality is that those who need help aren’t magically endowed with the knowledge of how to receive it. In Barbara’s appeal for food assistance, it took initiative, seventy minutes of calling, driving, and nearly $3 spent in phone calls, which resulted in about $7 worth of food. In California, many of the working poor are made up of non-English speakers or those who are working here illegally. These people do not know where to start to get help or are not inclined to seek it for fear of reprisal. I found the book well written and very eye opening to the struggles faced by millions of women - and men - in the United States.

Women in World War II

Women served an important role in WWII. They not only took the challenge and stepped up to take the places of the men off fighting in the war to work in factories, but they also fought side by side with those risking their lives and fighting for their country. They were needed everywhere during the war. There were an unbelievable amount of job opportunities for women during the war and many supported the brave acts of voluntary enlistment. â€Å"‘A woman’s place is in the home’ was an old adage, but it still held true at the start of World War II. Even though millions of women worked, home and family we considered the focus of their lives† says Brenda Ralf Lewis. Without the help of those women who were brave enough to step, the war may have not ended as successfully as is did. Women’s jobs were very important in WWII. Women participated a great deal on the home front war effort. While the men in their lives were off fighting in the war, women were working in factories fulfilling the men’s jobs producing ammunition, tanks, and other weapons urgently needed during the war. According to Buzzle. com, â€Å"Women took over places initially meant for men and excelled in the same as well. If women weren’t in factories they were at home providing for their families. Supplies were rationed because of the shortages caused by lack of trade from other countries that were at war as well, such as Japan and Southeast Asia. Families were given booklets for each member which determining the amount received. Utilities such as toaster and waffle irons; flashlights and batteries; tea; toys and games; vacuum cleaners and vending machines were no longer manufactured because the materials were more of a priority for scrap metal to build the necessities for war. Use it up/ Wear it out/ Make it do/ or do without† became a well-known saying around the United States during the war according to Dot Chastney. During the war women were expected to step up in the places of the men. Some were brave enough to go out into the field while others didn’t have much of a choice but to work in factories in order to stay closer to home with their families. The war had an impact not only on the fighters and workers, but on the children as well. They were deprived of the education they deserved because funding started to go to the war efforts. Having to deal with the war caused people all around to make decisions that were best for everyone around rather than a specific group of people. One good thing that came out of the war was the extraordinary opportunities offered to women. Not only did it show that women can work as well as men did in those working conditions, it widened women’s work options, and let them contribute what they had to offer to the war. While men were at war, jobs were needed to be filled. War was heating up and according to Brenda Ralf Lewis. It was not entirely unexpected and anticipating the event was different from experiencing it first hand, which caused upheaval as m millions geared up to cope with its demands. † Jobs were a huge demand at this point and who else to fill the jobs? That’s right. The countries very own women. Women were granted with extraordinary opportunities. â€Å"Women learned new skills as they replaced men in war work, using expertise and physical strength many never knew they possessed. This did not always go down well with men still working in the wartime factories†, acknowledges Brenda Ralf Lewis. Being able to work in factories, women learned techniques they never knew they had and if it hadn’t been for the war, they probably never would have ever experienced it. Opportunities for women consisted of Army nurses, Navy nurses, Women Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC), Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES), women Marines, the Coast Guard preserve, jet pilots, and so many other amazing opportunities. There were not only needed for fighting on the front, but for factory jobs as well. Women quickly learned to work with the machines and build the necessary weapons that were in high demand during the war. Rosie the Riveter was a metaphoric figure used to represent the strength, dirty jobs, and work women provided for the war effort. Penny Colman states â€Å"Rosie the Riveter was supposedly based on Rose Bonavita, a riveter in the United States. † During the war more than six million women joined the workforce. In August of 1943 Newsweek Magazine reported: â€Å"They [women] are in the shipyards, lumber mills, steel mills, foundries. They are welders, electricians, mechanics, and even boiler makers. They operate street cars, buses, cranes, and tractors. Women engineers are working in the drafting rooms and women physicists and chemists in the great industrial laboratories. † Ever since then women proved that they can work in a man’s workplace and do just as well. Any job that was a man’s, was a women’s as well. Women were soon â€Å"the most needed workers of all† according to Brenda Ralf Lewis. Factory workers became known as â€Å"the soldiers without guns†. If women hadn’t stepped up to the line, winning the war wouldn’t have been as easy as it was for us. Not only did the women in factories and shipyards have a big part in doing their part in the war contributions, but so did the women who were out on the field fighting alongside with their men risking their very life. Women working and fighting on the line of protection had the toughest jobs. â€Å"Those working on the front line lived in constant danger as they worked to preserve life while everything happening around them was designed to destroy it† says Brenda Ralf Lewis. In the beginning women were discriminated and were doubted when doing the jobs on the front line. Thousands of women joined the women’s uniformed services in World War II. There was, inevitably, resistance to the idea of women in uniform, but their contribution was vital† reports Brenda Ralf Lewis. Not long after joining the armed forces they were able to prove the doubters otherwise. The Allied armed services drew thousands of women into military life, from all over the world. The United Stat es and Britain accounted for most employing women in all three armed forces and, in the case of the United States, in the Coast Guard and Marines as well. There were many different military branches women were able to join at that time. Some included Women’s Arm Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), Women’s Army Corps (WAC); Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) was incorporated with the Women’s Air Force Service Pilots (WASP) as well. Other countries such as Britain, Canada, Australia, South Africa, India, New Zealand, Burma, France, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and the Soviet Union all offered forces dedicated to women and the services they offered. Many questioned the fact if women should be allowed to serve at all. Women in the military had image problems. They were seen as femme’s fatales; their role was trivialized or they were dubbed ‘unfeminine’ for deserting their proper place, home. Not only did they prove them wrong by going out into the field and fighting on the front, but they also put their feminine qualities to work. Women became great undercover spies. According to Simone Payment, â€Å"Spies have been used in times of war and peace since the beginning of civilization and women have long been involved in these espionage pursuits. In the United States, female spies participate in both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. But it wasn’t until World War II that they became an official-and incredibly important-part of the war effort. Many female spies made a difference in World War II, often at a great personal cost†. Many never questioned the thought of a dainty and delicate woman to be able to posses such power. Women were able to go undercover easily by just being themselves and going along with their daily lives. Women took the risks of being captured and tortured if they were ever discovered. Some women that contributed their lives to the ware are: Tatiana Nikolaevna Baramzina who was born on December 12, 1919 in Glazov and was also the recipient of the Gold Star Award. In 1943, Tatiana was sent to the Central Women's Sniper Training School and upon her graduation in April, she was later sent to the 3rd Belorussian Front. She managed to kill around 16 enemies in the first three months itself. Unfortunately, she was captured by the enemies and tortured before she was shot point blank. Tatiana Nikolaevna Baramzina passed away on July 5, 1944. Today, the street where she grew up has been re-named in her memory. Another woman that dedicated her life to the war was named Hannah Szenes who was born on 17th July, 1921 and was trained to parachute by the British army into Yugoslavia during World War II. This task was given in order to save the Jews of Hungary. Her secret mission was not revealed even when she was tortured following her arrest at the Hungarian border. Hannah Szenes had to brave immense tortures, yet she did not lose heart. She bravely battled it out and tried to sing to keep her spirits high. She also kept a record of events in her diary till November 7, 1944, when she was finally executed by a firing squad. During the war, the efforts of many women had gone by unnoticed. Overall women had and enormous impact on the war with their contributions and dedication to help provide, step up and win the war. Without the help of the women, we might have never won. Every woman had an important role and they did it with great honor. To this day, women are in all different branches of the military.