Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Lap 5 Reflection

I believe my group did well. I feel like the class had a clear understanding of what our chapter was about. I feel that we could have been better prepared as a whole but I still think we did well. The only issue would be us being so separated. Things got in the way during our lap 5. Susan and I were missing a lot so that lead to us not being able to work together and leaving Michael. I feel like the presentation could have been better if we were not so divided at the time but I still think it went well. 

Child Labor Activity 3

I recently read this article about Child Labor in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/hine-photos/

     During the 1800s it was very common for children to be working. There were no laws or restrictions on child labor like there are now. A reason why a lot of those laws are in place are because of Lewis Hine. Lewis was a photographer of the time who took in upon himself to show the real work being done in America and by who.
    Wages at the time were extremely low, and families needed almost everyone working to support the family but it was a never ending cycle. By the children working they're not in school getting the education that could possibly get them out of this poverty striking lifestyle. It's really sad when you think about it, especially living in this day and age. We as young people tend to complain about going to school and not having a job. They didn't even have a choice.
     The huge companies and factories did not want the rest of the world to know of the harsh conditions that the children were in. There were many injuries and "accidents" that went on during the time that were covered up. It is already identified by many researches that children are not fully developed until pretty much  21+. That being the reason we have age restriction laws on so many things. The work that these factory owners allowed these children to do were way more demanding physically and mentally then their small bodies and minds could comprehend.
  Lewis Hine went into these factories and documented the TRUTH that went on. He died in poverty but his work still lives on today.

"There is work that profits children, and there is work that brings profit only to employers. The object of employing children is not to train them, but to get high profits from their work."
-- Lewis Hine, 1908


Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Blog 1 (Compare industrialization in China today to the description of a Carnegie factory of the past)

    Andrew Carnegie is a man who made his fortune in Steel. His Steel was the best of its’ time as well as being cheap. Carnegie made millions; the workers on the other hand had a different story to tell. Since Andrew’s steel was so cheap, his wages were extremely low. For the work that they did, as well as the conditions they deserved so much more. This trip down memory lane, happens to be still relevant, just in a different country. 


    Look around, almost everything in front of you right now is "Made in China." We honestly don't think much about the things we see in store and the things we own. When I first got an ipod I didn't wonder "Whoa, I wonder who made this and how much they were being paid to do so." I said thank you to my mom and that was it. Andrew's Steel Mills had very horrible work conditions. The pay and health care coverage of the time was even worse. Consideration for the works health was not a main factor. 


     This brings me to how industrialization in China has changed it so. Supply and Demand. 3 words that make the world run... oh yeah that and money.  Once American business owners realized that they could pay people less and do the same job a lot of the business moved else where a lot of it to China. For instance Apple Inc. uses China to assemble their products. The wages are low, the conditions are not always safe and sanitary, much less comfortable.  They work extremely long hours, and actually live on base. 


    The industrialization in China is not much different from the industrialization of  Carnegie's time in America. The only true differnce is the year, the location, and the products.   

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Inspiration

This is a rainbow that I saw maybe 3 or 4 months ago. At this moment it is 12:12 am. I can't seem to shut my eyes. I have this horrible pain in my chest and it's getting hard go breathe. I'm going through my photos and I see this rainbow... After a storm, something beautiful is always produced, may it be a flower, a rainbow, or a photo such as this. We must keep in mind that as our storms are passing, something beautiful will come out of it. -Maya

Thursday, February 16, 2012

My last letter:

To rise, but not really wake. I fell in love with myself again. Seeing as though I'm the only one who cared. Yesterday died and tomorrow is bleeding.

I'm slipping into my old self again. The cuts are getting deeper. I'm ever more so eager to rush into the things I fear.

Slice. Not even a tear was shed.

Drowning is my own thoughts is some how worse then dead.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Tears shall always fall.

Pit. Pat. Pit. Pat.
Each tear drop makes.
It's like hearing foot steps right before you make your escape.
It's like God himself unleashing a powerful storm on the sea.

Pit. Pat. Pit. Pat.
Breaking the silence of my thoughts. Ones mind even when the tears fall is ever going.
The sound is a constant reminder of being alone. It's like a tree with no leaves. It's like a guitar with broken strings.

Pit. Pat. Pit. Pat.
At some point the tears will dry.
Someone will finally give you a reason not to cry.