This video wasn't really that interesting to me. I believe it was about the human brain and explaining how it works compared to software. It was based on Ray Kurzweil's book: "The Singularity, a hard or soft takeoff". What caught my attention was when he began talking about evolution and how we've been around for "billions" of years. I totally disagree. Mr. Kurzweil may be a genius and be able to figure out things some people can't even imagine, but when he thinks that we evolved from worms, he doesn't seem so smart to me. Everything on this planet was created by the one and only God-in six days, not by a "big boom" that occurred billions of years ago. I don't know how anyone can think of this magnificent world being formed by an explosion. What really surprised me was that Mr. Kurzweil studies human brains and how they work. Knowing how complex the brain is, I don't know how he could think we evolved from worms or parasites even. In the end, I suppose people have different perspectives on how we got here and how it happened. I believe that God created each and every one of us along with animals and nature-EVERYTHING- and accomplished it in six days.
Mr. Kurzweil then talked about neurons and what's involved with them. Most of what he was saying, I couldn't comprehend. He seems very, very smart and is accomplished.
As for the discussion we had in class, I thought it was very interesting yet confusing. Trying to think of a future that would be nothing but technology is hard to fathom. If I had a choice between staying human or becoming part of technology, I would choose to stay human. I believe that God put us on this earth as humans for a reason, and that is to share His Word with others. Even if this future of technology were to come true(which I don't believe to be true) I pray that the Lord will come back or I will die. I know that sounds bad but if that's what it comes down to, I think I would rather die than to become part of a technological world.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Wal-Mart: High Cost of Low Prices
Is Wal-Mart really a good store to support? After watching this movie about small businesses going out after years and the way Wal-Mart treats their employees, I'm not really sure anymore. In the movie the CEO of Wal-Mart was saying how well they treat their employees and that they are paying them well, but the employees say something entirely different. Small businesses who had been thriving for over forty years were now closing their doors because Wal-Mart was coming in and building another "super center". I don't think Sam Walton would have wanted this to happen when he began this franchise. I also witnessed on the video that when small towns got wind that a Wal-Mart was "intruding" they immediately started a campaign to protest against it. I never really thought about the intricate details of a Wal-Mart and what they do, but after watching this movie it's changed my perspective on the way I look at it.
Moving on to the employees; I was shocked at the way they were treated. In order for them to have decent health care, they had to "buy" it from Wal-Mart and some employees were on medicaid or other certain government health care. Employees in China at the Wal-Mart factories were treated even worse. They were provided with apartments or dorms that were very small and unclean. The workers were paid $0.18 an hour to make shirts or anything they were told. These products (like T-shirts) were sold in America for $14.00 or more and none of the money was going back to the workers in China. I find this degrading. Certain Wal-Mart commercials would say how well the employees were treated and cared for when really they were lying through their teeth. Wal-Mart makes millions and millions of dollars each and every year and can't find a way to better accommodate their employees both here in America and in China??? Maybe Wal-Mart has lower prices than everyone else but are you willing to support the way they treat others? This video has opened my eyes and made me realize that there is a lot more going on than what you can see. It's made me think about why I would shop at Wal-Mart and if I'll continue to do so.
Moving on to the employees; I was shocked at the way they were treated. In order for them to have decent health care, they had to "buy" it from Wal-Mart and some employees were on medicaid or other certain government health care. Employees in China at the Wal-Mart factories were treated even worse. They were provided with apartments or dorms that were very small and unclean. The workers were paid $0.18 an hour to make shirts or anything they were told. These products (like T-shirts) were sold in America for $14.00 or more and none of the money was going back to the workers in China. I find this degrading. Certain Wal-Mart commercials would say how well the employees were treated and cared for when really they were lying through their teeth. Wal-Mart makes millions and millions of dollars each and every year and can't find a way to better accommodate their employees both here in America and in China??? Maybe Wal-Mart has lower prices than everyone else but are you willing to support the way they treat others? This video has opened my eyes and made me realize that there is a lot more going on than what you can see. It's made me think about why I would shop at Wal-Mart and if I'll continue to do so.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
The Corporation
The Corporation means: A collection of people or group of individuals going in the same direction or working together. It is known as an externalizing machine. Corporations "were" meant to help people with things they are unable to do themselves. They are helpful in ways such as building bridges, roads, and many more things. You might know some like: Nike, McDonald's, Wal-Mart, Lowe's, General Electric, Apple, Mary Kay, etc... Many people today rely on Corporations for their employment.
Watching this movie about "The Corporation" was eye opening. I haven't ever thought of how they work and what they do. In ways they can be helpful but they can also be harmful. Some Corporations don't care about their workers or "laborers" and how they are treated and even other small business owners. I saw that many employees of certain corporations only get paid $0.03 cents an hour for making a shirt and the shirt can be sold for $15.00. When this occurs, I think that the CEO of that certain corporation should try his/her best to fix it and make it better. One part in the movie was about the CEO, owner of Nike and being asked to go to Indonesia which was where a very big part of the shoes were being made. I was shocked when I heard him say that he has never been to Indonesia and doesn't have the time to go. This is just appalling. I don't understand how someone who owns a corporation like Nike can just sit back in his luxurious home and not care about the people who are making all of these shoes. Without them their would be nothing...
To run a corporation takes a lot of patience, determination and skill. I'm grateful for those who take on such tasks. Even though some corporations are beneficial, they can also be destructive towards workers, consumers, and other businesses. There can be illnesses, defects and diseases caused by corporations because of their lack of cleanliness and health. This should be unacceptable and should be changed very quickly. Yes, we can save money with Wal-Mart but what about those "small" businesses that are just being pushed to the side. The owners of that business put just as much if not more effort into making his business than a CEO of a big corporation. All in all, many corporations are in it for the money and don't really care about much else, although their are some who do care and will go to great links to satisfy the consumer.
Watching this movie about "The Corporation" was eye opening. I haven't ever thought of how they work and what they do. In ways they can be helpful but they can also be harmful. Some Corporations don't care about their workers or "laborers" and how they are treated and even other small business owners. I saw that many employees of certain corporations only get paid $0.03 cents an hour for making a shirt and the shirt can be sold for $15.00. When this occurs, I think that the CEO of that certain corporation should try his/her best to fix it and make it better. One part in the movie was about the CEO, owner of Nike and being asked to go to Indonesia which was where a very big part of the shoes were being made. I was shocked when I heard him say that he has never been to Indonesia and doesn't have the time to go. This is just appalling. I don't understand how someone who owns a corporation like Nike can just sit back in his luxurious home and not care about the people who are making all of these shoes. Without them their would be nothing...
To run a corporation takes a lot of patience, determination and skill. I'm grateful for those who take on such tasks. Even though some corporations are beneficial, they can also be destructive towards workers, consumers, and other businesses. There can be illnesses, defects and diseases caused by corporations because of their lack of cleanliness and health. This should be unacceptable and should be changed very quickly. Yes, we can save money with Wal-Mart but what about those "small" businesses that are just being pushed to the side. The owners of that business put just as much if not more effort into making his business than a CEO of a big corporation. All in all, many corporations are in it for the money and don't really care about much else, although their are some who do care and will go to great links to satisfy the consumer.