tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64960104461819567042024-03-13T11:08:05.764-07:00Education ArticlesAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16072606644015567721noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496010446181956704.post-14305164251701086622012-11-05T03:43:00.000-08:002012-11-08T03:43:37.244-08:00Barack Obama Closing School as Education in the US is Self<div id="article-content" style="text-align: justify;">
It doesn't take an engineer of the private space industry to
figure out that we have a problem with education in the US and whereas,
it isn't as bad as folks claim, it's also not as good as it could be
either. So, rather than condemning our schools, laying off teachers, and
closing some perhaps we need to re-think our schools going forward in
the age of instant information. Is the Obama Administration doing that?
Well, they are trying, I can agree with that.<br />
For
instance they have established a research arm for education modeled
after DARPA Defense Advanced Research Project Agency, and why not, it's
worked for the Intelligence Agencies with IARPA and for the DOE with
ARPA-E ("E" for energy), so there is no doubt it will work too to assist
in education. Still, we need to expedite these new technologies if we
are to save our schools, otherwise they will fall behind the needs of
this future generation of leaders. After all, a nation is only as strong
as it's schools were 20-years the prior right? I think we can all agree
with that as well.<br />
Not long ago, an acquaintance mentioned to me
after reading an article in "Yahoo! News" titled "Barack H. Obama
Elementary to close" and she stated who knows; "Maybe this is a good
sign of the future of the anointed one. Close the school named after him
and closes his chances of impressing anyone in the future with his
political nothingness." As we discussed the irony of this situation, she
lamented that although this is surely a coincidence it is also a
foreshadowing of things to come with President Obama's legacy, chances
for re-election, and promises for hope and change.<br />
Indeed, I
thought about the closing of this school, and the many others around our
nations, perhaps for budget cuts, or due to lack of performance, and I
thought, yes, we have problems and challenges in education. And yes,
this particular school closing, well, it's part of a major round of
budget cuts, but you have to admit it is a nice piece for the news, due
to the fact it is rather ironic, as Barak H. Obama has been so adamant
about the need for education and his fever in devising a plan to fix it,
using the (purported) greatest minds in academia to devise a plan.<br />
In
fact, I thanked my acquaintance for sending me this news, and our
follow-up dialogues and said; "I think I'll do an article on this.
Thanks," which led me to write this piece. Still, it's all part of a
much bigger picture isn't it? Sure it is, we have a terrible problem
with education in this country and nothing really seems to be working -
and I think everyone knows it too. Yes, this is a controversial topic,
but it is one we discuss rather often at our think tank. So, sound off
with any comments, questions, and or concerns you might have in this
venue. Think on it.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16072606644015567721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496010446181956704.post-52082788544091868342012-10-26T03:42:00.000-07:002012-11-08T03:42:31.778-08:00College Education Can Prepare Students for a Brave, New World in Journalism<div id="article-content" style="text-align: justify;">
The journalism profession was thrust into the spotlight in recent
days. A homeless man may have gotten his big break in the radio
industry, while a popular columnist and on-air personality in revealed
that he was gay.<br />
Ted
Williams, a 53-year-old homeless man from Ohio, achieved overnight fame
when a YouTube video of him boasting his rich vocal skills went viral.
Within a few days, he has appeared on national television and has
fielded several job offers, including a full-time gig with the NBA's
Cleveland Cavaliers.<br />
On Thursday, longtime Boston Herald sports
reporter Steve Buckley announced that he was gay in a column. Buckley,
who also regularly appears on Boston's WEEI sports radio station, is one
of the first well-known sports journalists to come out of the closet.<br />
The
recent news stories show just how diverse the journalism world is, and
proves that talent - not socioeconomic background or lifestyle choices -
can lead to a promising career. Thousands of students at colleges and
universities throughout the U.S. are pursuing education in TV, print,
radio and online journalism. Some schools offer concentrations in these
fields, while many large institutions own their own newspapers, radio
and television stations, which allow students to gain experience outside
of college classes.<br />
The journalism industry has drastically
changed in recent years, as the emergence of social media and online
news sources has hit more traditional mediums such as the newspaper and
radio. In his commencement speech at the University of Michigan last
spring, President Barack Obama said that is important - now more than
ever - that future journalists uphold the ethics that they acquired
throughout their college education.<br />
"Today's 24-7 echo chamber
amplifies the most inflammatory soundbites louder and faster than ever
before," Obama said, quoted by The Huffington Post. "This development
can be both good and bad for democracy. For if we choose only to expose
ourselves to opinions and viewpoints that are in line with our own,
studies suggest that we will become more polarized and set in our ways.
And that will only reinforce and even deepen the political divides in
this country."<br />
Students who are skilled in these fields may
consider pursuing freelancing opportunities or internships, which could
help defray education costs. At some schools, internships and certain
work experiences count toward college credits.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16072606644015567721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496010446181956704.post-69689285015924889442012-10-19T03:41:00.000-07:002012-11-08T03:41:35.503-08:00Deployed Troops Have Online Educational Opportunities<div id="article-content" style="text-align: justify;">
According to Georgia-based newspaper The Times-Herald, Army
specialist William Ward is pursuing a criminal justice degree online
while stationed in Iraq. Ward, a wheeled vehicle mechanic, has completed
28 of a 67-credit associate's degree program. He told the news provider
that he expects to be halfway finished with the requirements by the end
of his Army tenure, of which he has three more years.<br />
Ward,
who is enrolled in a web-based college out of Texas, was an electrician
before joining the Army. He decided he wanted a new challenge, and now
his ultimate goal is to become a police officer.<br />
Many distance
learning institutions offer online bachelor's degree education that is
catered to members of the armed forces. According to The News-Leader, a
community college in Missouri recently reached an agreement with a
four-year university in Maryland that allows associate's degree
recipients to transfer their credits and pursue the bachelor's degree
through the larger school's online program.<br />
The junior college's
president said that the main focus of the agreement was to better
accommodate military personnel, who can be deployed at any time.
Students who are stationed overseas have many different career paths,
such as pursuing a general business degree online or enrolling in human
resource management courses. Soldiers who are interested in continuing
their quest to protect Americans from outside threats may consider a
cyber crime justice degree online.<br />
And it's not just male soldiers
who are taking advantage of distance learning opportunities. According
to ABC news affiliate KCRG 9, Army specialist Emily Keating is studying
to become a personal trainer while she is stationed in Afghanistan. She
told the news source that her military schedule is conducive to academic
success because she works better on a strict deadline.<br />
Keating
added that apart from the weapons, the military is not that different
from a college setting in terms of camaraderie. Just like a graduate
returning from college, Keating hopes to return to America with plenty
of job prospects.<br />
While they may be thousands of miles from a
college campus, deployed military personnel can still follow their
dreams while helping preserve freedom. At the very least, some
individuals can at least take the first steps toward a promising career.
Many general education classes are available for those who wish to earn
a degree in teaching.<br />
Soldiers who are computer-savvy may consider enrolling in e-commerce training.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16072606644015567721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496010446181956704.post-3444797129400368272012-10-12T03:40:00.000-07:002012-11-08T03:40:48.460-08:00Middle School Students Take an Educational Tour of Georgia<div style="text-align: justify;">
Recently, I worked with Cathy Carlton, a Social Studies teacher for
Bennett's Mill Middle School in Fayetteville, Georgia, to create an
itinerary for a class trip that encompassed historical highlights of the
state of Georgia. Her class on Georgia history spans an entire school
year. The class begins with the prehistoric Indians and continues with
Colonial studies, a close look at the American Revolution, the
antebellum period and Civil War. Studies also include a consideration of
the impact of modern wars, a look at regions of Georgia and economics
that thrive in them, and the way entrepreneurs have impacted life in the
state.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
An Educational Tour of Georgia in Sync with Curriculum Objectives
<br />In previous years, Carlton took the student travel group to Savannah
for three days and two nights. This year, she found it more economical
to limit the trip to two days and one night, so more students could
afford to attend. But saving money was not the only motivation to create
this unique tour. "I felt like this trip was much more meaningful
because we were able to visit many more sites around the state," noted
Carlton.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Students Travel to Different Sites Across the State of Georgia
<br />Some highlights of the tour included a visit to Milledgeville,
Georgia, the first capital of the state, a tour of Andersonville Prison,
where prisoners of war were housed during the Civil War, and a tour of
CNN Studios in Atlanta, where students were able to see how television
news is produced. In Atlanta, students also visited the Governor's
Mansion as well as The Bremen Jewish Heritage and Holocaust Museum and
Oakland Cemetery, where famous Georgians were interred.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The first
stop on the tour was Andersonville Prison, a two-hour bus ride from the
group's hometown. Carlton wanted students to see this National Historic
Site, because it tied in with their classroom studies of the Civil War
and modern wars. Students toured the site and gained a better
understanding of the place where Northern soldiers were detained and
housed during the Civil War. They were also engaged in learning about
the dynamics of prisoners of war, and how it affects our society as a
whole.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A Student Tour of Milledgeville: Georgia's First Capital City
<br />The visit to Millledgeville seemed especially important to Carlton,
as it tied in nicely with her curriculum and gave students a chance to
actually see the grandeur of the historic capital. Carlton said,
"Students were really impressed by the fact that the capital began
there. It was eventually moved to Atlanta so it could be more centrally
located. We were able to visit the Old Capitol Building, but we missed
our tour of the Governor's Mansion there, because we were running a
little late, having spent more time at Andersonville then we
anticipated."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Educational Trip to Atlanta Includes Multiple Destinations
<br />When the student tour group reached Atlanta, they took a break to
eat supper at the Hard Rock Café, then toured Oakland Cemetery, where
Bobby Jones, Maynard Jackson and Margaret Mitchell are buried. "The
guided tours of Oakland Cemetery included the graves of these famous
Georgians -- which were part of our studies -- and many other historical
people as well," observed Carlton.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The educational tour group
spent the evening at the Hampton Inn near the Perimeter Mall where
breakfast was included the following morning. Their tour of Atlanta
began with a look at the Governor's Mansion, where they actually saw
Governor Perdue leaving the building that day. This was followed by
lunch at the Varsity, a famous Atlanta landmark.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The afternoon was
filled with a visit to the Bremen Holocaust Museum. Carlton was
impressed with the tours given here, which were led by "survivors or
family members of survivors. It was fascinating for students to hear
what the holocaust was actually like. The group also viewed artifacts
and videos of the holocaust."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The trip on Georgia history
concluded with a tour of CNN Studios in Atlanta, founded by the famous
entrepreneur Ted Turner, who also started the first television station
in Georgia, TBS. The group of over 81 students was broken up into
smaller groups for the studio tour, where they saw live news and also
had a chance to glimpse the behind the scenes work involved in airing
national news 24-hours per day. Carlton recalled, "Students were
thrilled by seeing the live newscasters, because they recognized some of
the people they've seen on television."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Educational Trip of Georgia was a Success!
<br />Overall, creating a historical tour of Georgia was a positive
experience for me and my staff. Usually, student tours are limited to
the Atlanta metro area, because there are many educational sites to see
in this city. After collaborating with Carlton on the creation of this
custom tour, I can now see the benefits of widening the scope of
destinations in Georgia. It provides students a larger view of Georgia's
history because it includes landmarks that may be lesser known, but are
equally important in understanding state history.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Student travel
groups interested in touring Atlanta may want to consider including some
of these prominent sites in their tour with visits to Milledgeville and
Andersonville Prison included on their itinerary. Overall, students did
not spend more than 3 ½ hours on the bus the first day, and they had
plenty of stops to keep the travel time interesting.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16072606644015567721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496010446181956704.post-68797913110451655392012-10-05T03:39:00.000-07:002012-11-08T03:39:54.824-08:00Sources of Political News<div id="article-content" style="text-align: justify;">
What source do you use to get political news? Are you sure you
are reading or watching an unbiased version of events? Recent polls
suggest that most journalists tend to be liberal and thus are more
likely to vote Democrats than Republicans. Depending on the individual
or the network they work for, their private opinions can sometimes
affect the quality of the news they broadcast.<br />
It
is a journalist's job to bring the news to the public but it should be
presented without being influenced by their personal opinion. They are
obliged to tell the truth and remain independent from the event being
covered. This is fine in theory but in practice how often are the news
people or the publications or networks they represent impartial?<br />
Some
people believe that political news is always biased depending on the
source of the information. For example certain individuals will only
believe what they hear on Fox news and not CNN, while others prefer CNN.
Some people believe that Fox leans to the right while others maintain
it just provides the news in a format that suits their listeners. At the
end of the day, it is a matter of education. You should try to obtain
information from a variety of sources so that you can form your own
educated opinion on current events. Political news will often be
controversial. Good news never sold newspapers or increased ratings!<br />
But
the people reporting political news should let the facts prove the
point. They shouldn't be tempted to stretch the truth particularly if
the reason for doing so is to improve ratings. But this is a theoretical
argument. In a society where the news stations with better ratings are
more successful and thus earn more money, it is probably unrealistic to
expect them to remain totally impartial to events happening in political
waters.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16072606644015567721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496010446181956704.post-9637991470260305542012-09-21T03:38:00.000-07:002012-11-08T03:39:05.129-08:00Become a TV News Producer<div id="article-content" style="text-align: justify;">
As a TV news producers you would have the job of creating TV news
stories, and having them presented by anchor people and news reporters.
The position required a lot of organization, data and fact collecting
and tight deadlines. If you are good at leading people in a media
environment becoming a TV news producer could be the thing for you.
Here's a guide on what it takes to get you started.<br />
Go
to college or university. A good education is one of the most important
aspects of this career. You will not have much chance of being a TV
news producer without a degree or diploma. Only the best qualified
people get this position. It is a good idea to specialize in media,
journalism or film production. Having experience in any of all of these
fields will be well regarded as there is no set qualification for this
particular job.<br />
The correct skills. Primarily you are a journalist
when you are a TV news producer. list. The job entails seeking out news
stories of interest to the TV viewing public - the same as a
journalist. However, a TV news producer must then work with a number of
other people - writers, reporters and anchors - to get the story to TV.
So you will need some technical know-how in production, and in
understanding how television shows are brought together.<br />
Work
experience. Education only goes so far. The hands-on experience in the
TV industry will benefit you most and will be what employers are looking
for on your résumé. So the best way to start if at all possible is to
get a job as an intern. As long as it will get you some experience
working in TV production, accept pretty much any internship that is
offered. The same goes for a lower paying job in a production company.
Alternatively, get a job as a news writer or news reporter first.
Needless to say you need to have quite a bit of experience working in TV
production or journalism before you apply for TV news producer jobs.<br />
Apply
for TV news producer jobs. This is considered a senior position, so you
must know that you won't be able to get this job right from school.
When you feel confident that you can take on the roles and
responsibilities of a television news producer, due to your previous
experience, apply to any jobs that are out there. There may be a job at
the station you work at, so keep your good reputation in people's minds
around the office. This will help move you on your path as a TV news
producer.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16072606644015567721noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496010446181956704.post-84233950926749058912012-09-14T03:37:00.000-07:002012-11-08T03:38:12.012-08:00Trading The News<div id="article-content" style="text-align: justify;">
News trading is a popular tactic that many Forex retail traders
will try sometime in their trading careers. However, not many people are
aware of what it takes to trade the news successfully.<br />
<b>What is news trading?</b><br />
This
involves the entering into trades just before, or immediately after the
release of important economic news announcements. Traders 'trade the
news' because market prices tend to move up on good news, and move down
on bad news. Important announcements typically affect currency prices
directly.<br />
<b>Why is news trading so popular?</b><br />
The biggest
reason for the popularity of news trading is the potential for large
price movements in a very short period of time. Prices can move up to
100 pips (or more) in under a minute just after certain news is
released.<br />
The large profit potential is what lures most traders to
take part in this form of trading. You can make a lot of money in a
very short period of time.<br />
<b>But! News trading is dangerous</b><br />
Indeed,
with the large profit potential comes the possibility of a large loss.
News trading is dangerous because if you're caught on the wrong side of a
trade, you can lose money so quickly that you won't even have enough
time to manually close your trades. Even stop loss orders are unreliable
because of the high probability of slippage due to the sudden price
surge.<br />
<b>Should you news trade?</b><br />
Honesty, I wouldn't
recommend this to anyone unless they're absolutely sure about what
they're doing. Successful news trading requires one to first have
superior (faster) news feeds and second to have uncanny reaction speeds
to quickly enter your trades the moment news is announced.<br />
Any
other form of news trading such as placing limit orders either above or
below the market price is simply guessing. And if you're guessing, you
won't survive very long in the market.<br />
My advice for most retail traders would be to avoid this form of trading altogether.<br />
</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16072606644015567721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496010446181956704.post-25763113741591586232012-09-07T03:36:00.000-07:002012-11-08T03:37:17.674-08:00Things to Consider in Dealing With Continuing Education<div id="article-content" style="text-align: justify;">
Now that you have already been employed, your next step in your
career would be to continue your job plainly as a staff nurse or take
some dream to level up and specialize. This is when continuing education
comes in. To some states, continuing education in nursing is but a
requirement in order to maintain the validity of the license and not
just something like of a military promotion adding decorations to their
nursing uniform. For some nurses, continuing education is their way of
updating their skills and practices so to be able to comply with the
demands of the advancement in the profession and in the technologies
associated with it.<br />
To
back us with some current stories about the importance of continuing
education for skill development, we can turn to some news channels. Just
a few weeks, a video of a British nurse who accidentally turn off a
quadriplegic's life support system had become viral over the net. So
viral that said video has even featured to local TV news outlets around
the world. The patient, according the news, suffered irreparable brain
damage caused by such accident. For one, the nurse in her nursing
uniform have been identified and known to be in her late 40's to early
50's. As initial assessment, the said nurse could have been no longer
updated about the system.<br />
Now we proceed on the things that you need to know in dealing with continuing education.<br />
Let
us take by way of an example the nursing profession particularly
Masters in Nursing or what is basically known as nursing specialization.
Specialization is another step toward nursing profession success. It is
a way of leveling up and to vie for a promotion or a salary increase.
Other forms of continuing education vary according to purpose and
credits and may be in a form of seminars, weekend conferences, online
classes, and send-in quizzes.<br />
The first thing that you should take
into consideration is your budget. If you are working, try to save
first and be as earnest as you can so as you can pursue post-graduate
courses. It is not just taken as a trend, but also it is for your
personal gain in the future. There are a lot of nurses who opt to wear
nursing uniforms outside their domiciled city, yet they become
successful. Missing your family is a little sacrifice compared to the
large amount of money that you can obtain in your employment.<br />
Then,
you need to consider your current situation in the family. If you are
married and you have a working husband or wife, you might think first of
discussing the idea with your partner. Also, you should remember that
going back to school will require time. You can choose the weekends to
take on classes of in between your shifts. You may also take a modular
scheme so you will be able to read your materials at least 3 hours of
your vacant time then get ready for a periodic exam.<br />
Continuing
education is becoming an integral part of the nursing profession and for
a nurse to complete her or his dream of caring for the sick while on
his/ her nursing uniform, CE is the way. Now, sit back and weigh the
things you need to consider for your next feat in your career.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16072606644015567721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496010446181956704.post-85574344345408855102012-08-31T03:35:00.000-07:002012-11-08T03:36:05.846-08:006 Common Novice Mistakes That See Traders Lose<div style="text-align: justify;">
Currency trading education is all about getting the right information
but most traders believe myths or base their trading strategies on
logic which is not correct and lose. Here we look at some common
mistakes, you must avoid to enjoy currency trading success...</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
One
of more of these mistakes are made by the majority of novice traders so
lets take a look at them, there in no particular order of importance to
avoid - there all important!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1. Forex Robots and Expert Advisors make Money</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
You
have seen them advertised, promising to double your money each month
with no effort and all you do is pay a hundred dollars or so for an
income for life.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
They don't work and if you use one these systems
you will lose very quickly. If making money was as easy as the robot
vendors claim, no one would work and everyone would trade for a living.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2. Day trading and scalping Work</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
All
short term volatility is random and there is no way you can get the
odds on your side and win because of this. Trading short term moves is a
loser's game - it looks low risk but you are guaranteed to be wiped
out.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
3. Markets can be Predicted</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Prediction is hoping or
guessing and you won't get far doing that in any venture in life and
that includes Forex. The far out investment crowd love the theories of
Elliot and Fibonacci which claim they can predict the future - but if
they can do this, why do they ever get a trade wrong? Never predict,
trade the reality of price change and you will have the odds on your
side.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
4. You can Trade breaking News Stories</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
News is discounted by the market instantly.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The
news itself is not important it's the investor's view of the news which
is and everyone may see the same facts but they all draw different
conclusions from them. Markets always fall when the market is most
bullish and rally when it's most bearish so never trade news stories.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
5. Working Hard or Being Clever Guarantees Success</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Forex
trading suits a simple approach as it's an odds based market. Over
complicate your trading and your Forex trading strategy will have to
many elements to break. Don't work hard, work smart - effort may make
you more money in a normal job but not in Forex.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
6. Leverage is the Key to Big Gains</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yes
it is but more novice traders wipe themselves out due to over leverage
than any other reason. You can get 200:1 leverage with any broker now
but novices should start with NO leverage at all, until they are
comfortable with there trading and use no more than 10:1 after that.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16072606644015567721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496010446181956704.post-32562944622105470412012-08-24T03:34:00.000-07:002012-11-08T03:35:10.572-08:00Sheila Blinoff and Carole Stimmell From the Beach Metro News<div id="article-content" style="text-align: justify;">
One of the central organizations in the Beach is Beach Metro
Community News, a non-profit, non-partisan community newspaper founded
in 1972 that is distributed throughout major portions of East Toronto.
The newspaper is available throughout the entire delivery area at
various merchants and public access points, and more than 23,000
families receive the newspaper delivered to their front door for free.<br />
My
request for an interview was graciously answered by Sheila Blinoff, the
General Manager, and Carole Stimmell, the Editor for the Beach Metro
News. We sat down around a big table in their premises near the
intersection of Gerrard and Main Streets. Sheila explained that the
Beach Metro Community News originally started in 1972 when a group of
volunteers got together to fight the Scarborough Expressway that was
supposed to cut a swath through all of East Toronto. This issue
galvanized the entire neighbourhood, and a group of volunteers started
publishing a free newspaper from the offices of the East City YMCA at
907 Kingston Road.<br />
The community had come together to rally
against the construction of the Scarborough Expressway, and their
collective efforts were successful. The dreaded construction of a major
highway that would have destroyed over 750 homes between Coxwell and
Victoria Park was averted. Today the Beach Metro Community News is a
non-partisan paper that does not feature editorials. A copy of the paper
goes to almost every business and residence in an area that extends
from Lake Ontario to a few streets north of Danforth Avenue, and from
Coxwell Avenue in the west to Midland Avenue in the East.<br />
Of the
30,000 papers delivered, 7000 are delivered to libraries, churches and
other public institutions while the rest goes out to private homes. An
extensive network of about 400 volunteers looks after free delivery,
with each volunteer donating their time and effort. Every second Tuesday
just after publication a team of about 30 volunteer captains receives
dozens of bundles of newspaper which they then distribute among their
individual neighbourhood volunteers who in turn take the paper and
deliver it street to street, house to house.<br />
The volunteer stories
are amazing. Sheila and Carole recounted so many fascinating tales of
individuals who dedicate their spare time towards delivering the
community news. The oldest of these volunteers is 96 years old and
enjoys the opportunity to interact with neighbours and make a
connection. Another delivery volunteer had a baby in the morning, and
the same afternoon she delivered the Beach Metro Community News, just as
she would any other second Tuesday. Another female delivery volunteer
requested to get her papers early on Tuesday since she was going to have
a Cesarean delivery the very next day on Wednesday. An elderly man once
called in and said he would not be able to deliver the paper this time
since his wife had just died, but he promised to be there to deliver the
next edition of the Beach Metro Community News.<br />
Sheila added that
her co-workers and the volunteer carriers not only help with the
production and distribution of the paper, they are also her eyes and
ears in the community, resulting in a network of hundreds of volunteer
news gatherers. Carole summed it up by saying that "not a leaf falls in
the Beach without us knowing about it".<br />
I needed to find out more
about these two women who are the driving force behind the Beach Metro
Community News and asked them to tell me more about their own personal
history and connection to the Beach. Carole admitted that she is a
relative newcomer to the Beach as well as to the Beach Metro Community
News: she has lived and worked here for "only" eleven years. Originally
from Wisconsin, Carole Stimmell moved to Toronto in order to complete a
Ph.D. in archeology at the University of Toronto. She and her husband
had met at the Washington Post where Carole was completing an
internship, and they decided to jointly move to Toronto to complete
their postgraduate studies. Carole's husband studied communications with
Marshall McLuhan, the famous Canadian educator, philosopher and scholar
who coined the expressions "the medium is the message" and the "global
village".<br />
Carole's first impressions of Canada were that it is
vastly different from the United States: Canadians are more accepting,
more reticent to judge as compared to the more dogmatic and aggressive
stance of people in the United States. She added that Canada's liberal
outlook suits her personally very well, and it would be hard for her to
move back to her birth country.<br />
After completing her doctorate
Carole worked on archeology projects for 20 years; these assignments
took her to Japan, the Arctic and the United States. Her archeology
projects in Toronto included digs at Trinity Bellwoods Park, in
Leslieville and at the Ashbridges House, the original homestead of the
Ashbridges family who had come from Pennsylvania and become the first
settlers in Toronto's Beach neighbourhood. For several years Carole was
also the editor of the Canadian Journal of Archeology.<br />
Her
connection with the Beach Metro Community News came about because she
was originally a volunteer carrier for the paper. When the long-term
editor of the paper retired, a new editor came in and started taking the
paper into a tabloid-like direction with a strong focus on crime and
negative news. Carole and many others did not like this new slant and
felt that the Beach Metro Community News was about positive news stories
and an emphasis on the good things that were going on in the community.
This editor did not last long, and Carole threw her hat in the ring for
this position. In the process she beat out 50 other candidates and
succeeded in getting the job because she understood what the paper was
all about.<br />
Today Carole still has an interest in history; she was
vice chair of the Toronto Historic Board, and she now sits on the board
of the Ontario Archeology Society. She also has an extensive collection
of historic post cards of the Beach; these photos are sometimes featured
under the heading of "Deja Views" in the Beach Metro Community News,
juxtaposing historic streetscapes with a current photo of the same
location.<br />
Sheila Blinoff came to Toronto from Great Britain in the
1960s and married into a German-Canadian family. She and her husband
moved to Balsam Avenue in 1969, making her a bona fide Beach resident
for almost 40 years. In 1971 Sheila had her first child, and when the
Beach Metro Community News started in 1972 Sheila connected with the
paper since they were in need of a volunteer typist. Sheila offered her
services and also started helping with the volunteer delivery of the
paper. Several months into her assignment, the paper received three
local program grants that enabled them to hire three people for six
month. Sheila figured she could do the job and beat out 30 people who
had applied.<br />
Around that time Sheila had her second child; the
grant meanwhile had run out of money. Sheila continued working on the
paper for six months from home without pay. Finally a fundraiser
generated $7000 which enabled the paper to pay two staff members -
Sheila, and Joan Latimer who was the editor for 22 years. Advertisers
came on board, and the Beach Metro Community News finally had a viable
economic base. Several more employees were hired over the years.<br />
In
the early years the entire production of the paper was a community
affair. Several interested neigbours would come together and jointly
handle the manual cut and paste layout of the paper. They would also
decide which stories should go into the paper, and opinions would often
diverge widely. Sheila concedes that trying to reconcile these
viewpoints was often tough going.<br />
Several years into the
publication the name was changed from the original name "Ward 9 News" to
"Beach Metro Community News". The official administrative name of the
Beach neighbourhood had changed from Ward 9 to Ward 32, so the original
name of the newspaper was no longer applicable. For Sheila and many
other "oldtimers", however, this publication will always be the "Ward 9
News".<br />
With years passing by the paper became more professional,
and specialized employees were hired to take over advertising sales,
accounting, photography, and news and entertainment reporting. Since the
1980s the organization has been doing its own typesetting. Sheila's
eyes light up when she says that she has met so many wonderful people
through her work with the Beach Metro Community News; she adds that she
has truly seen "the good side of human nature".<br />
One of her
favourite experiences has been her opportunity to participate in the
selection committee of a contest to name five streets in a new housing
development that went in on the former Woodbine Race Track premises,
just west of Woodbine Avenue and Queen Street. The new street names were
to have a local or historical connection with the area. As the
secretary of the contest committee, Sheila had the best job of all,
inputting all 660 suggestions into the computer and then verifying the
accuracy of the historical background of the submitted names. Sheila
chose the name "Sarah Ashbridge" in honour of the Quaker widow and
United Empire Loyalist from Philadelphia who settled in the Beach in
1793 and obtained a Crown land grant in 1799 for a farm. "Northern
Dancer" honoured all the horses that ever raced at the Woodbine Race
Track. "Boardwalk Avenue" was chosen for the area's proximity to the
famous East Toronto waterfront promenade.<br />
Both Carole and Sheila
love their neighbourhood, and they proudly told me that Queen Street
East in the Beach was chosen the Best Main Street in Ontario by TV
Ontario. One of the judges summarized it like this: "The Beach is an
all-round winner. A fantastic inner-city neighbourhood with a great
retail market, a great place to visit and a fabulous festival",
referring to the Toronto International Beaches Jazz Festival, one of
Toronto's largest music and entertainment events.<br />
The importance
and influence of the Beach Metro Community News cannot be understated.
After all, the individuals running the paper had a major hand in
stopping the Scarborough Expressway. Extensive coverage of dredging in
Lake Ontario at the foot of Beech Avenue also resulted in an outcry in
the community, and the government cancelled the project. Coverage of the
Ashbridges Bay Incinerator also mobilized many concerned citizens in
the neighbourhood, and their collective action resulted in the closure
of the unwanted incineration facility. Stories of important local issues
are kept in the public eye, and the community starts rallying around
these issues.<br />
What makes this neighbourhood really special are the
people and organizations that donate so much of their time to the
community. Sheila and Carole recounted a multitude of community
initiatives that illustrate that the spirit of charity and neighbourly
assistance is strong in the Beach. One example includes a major fire a
few years ago at the eastern end of Queen Street where two people died
and several others were rendered homeless. Several fundraisers were held
for the affected families, and money was raised to help them pay for
their first month's rent and furniture in their new apartments.<br />
When
the big Indian Ocean Tsunami struck in 2005, Centre 55 immediately set
up a fund to collect money for the victims and thousands of dollars were
sent to the affected areas. The local Balmy Beach Club raised money for
school computer labs when the government cut back its educational
budget. Together with strong parent volunteers at each school in the
area, initiatives like these make a huge difference in the community.<br />
In
the Beach community spirit manifests itself in many different ways. The
annual "Carolling in the Park Event'", held at the local Glen Stewart
Ravine, attracts more than 2000 people for a holiday sing-along.
Flashlights and candles in the ravine create a magical atmosphere and an
event that the community loves.<br />
Carole adds that there are so
many interesting people in the Beach; a collection of media people,
artists, actors, entrepreneurs and other eclectic people provide a lot
of fodder for interesting and inspiring stories. Sheila mentions the
example of a local man who owns the world's largest typewriter
collection. Another young man from the community, a gifted musician, had
attended the Julliard Music School in New York City and recently
debuted in a big concert at Carnegie Hall. The Beach Guild of Fine Arts
is a large group of artists who hold shows twice a year. Musicians,
actors, painters and artists of all kinds are well represented
throughout the Beach community and provide many story opportunities
throughout the year.<br />
The philosophy of the Beach Metro Community
News is to provide news of interest to local residents and businesses.
All revenue comes from advertising, which is kept affordable so that
local merchants and tradespeople remain able to advertise their products
and services. Sheila and Carole are selective as to which
advertisements they accept, and sometimes advertisers have to wait to
get into the paper.<br />
One of the key community initiatives of the
Beach Metro Community News is the "Citizen of the Year" award which is a
joint initiative with Community Centre 55 and the Beaches Lions Club to
honour volunteers who have made a significant difference in the
community over a number of years. The Citizen of the Year is honoured
with a plaque on the Beach Walk of Fame in the Community Garden in
Woodbine Park. They also get a special space in the Beaches Lions'
Easter Parade. People such as Gene Domagala, Glenn Cochrane, Arie Nerman
and Marie Perrotta have all been honoured with this exclusive
distinction.<br />
But not only does the Beach Metro Community News
bestow awards upon others; its contribution to the community has also
been noticed and gotten recognition. In 2002 Sheila and Carole were
themselves honoured with the Queen's Jubilee Medal as part of Queen
Elizabeth's 50 year anniversary as the Queen. At this occasion every
Canadian riding awarded medals to its top volunteers and community
builders, and Sheila and Carole were honoured together with other
prominent Beachers.<br />
As a non-profit organization, the Beach Metro
Community News donates some of its excess revenues right back into the
community. In 2006 the organization donated more than $14,000 to a wide
range of organizations, including the Arthritis Society, the Beaches
Easter Parade, the Churches by the Bluffs Food Bank, the
Share-A-Christmas Program run by Community Centre 55, the Glen Rhodes
Food Bank, Malvern High School Scholarships, the Pegasus Community
Project, Senior Link, the Toronto East General Hospital Foundation, the
Woodgreen Red Door Shelter for Women and many more.<br />
The Beach
Metro Community News not only covers the local news, it also makes news:
as a volunteer organization that acts as the virtual glue of the
community, as a champion of important neighbourhood causes, as an
organization who identifies and honours volunteers who make the
community work, and as a significant donor that contributes much-needed
funding to important neighbourhood organizations.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16072606644015567721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496010446181956704.post-30526159562261377812012-08-10T03:33:00.000-07:002012-11-08T03:34:10.772-08:00Educational Problem Solving<div id="article-content" style="text-align: justify;">
Abstract<br />
This
article introduces the educational solutions module of the world's most
recent personal and professional problem solving site, describing
competitive offerings, the customer profile, problem-oriented solutions,
target markets, product offerings, and usability features. It concludes
that the module is a major contribution to the information
superhighway.<br />
Introduction<br />
The aim of this article is to
introduce to the world the educational solutions module of the world's
most recent personal and professional problem solving site. The article
is addressed to those readers who may have an educational problem
bogging them and who may therefore be looking for a way out of their
predicament. The reader may be a parent, child, or student.<br />
It is a
common fact of life that we all have problems and that we are often
frustrated or we tend to lash out because of our inability to find
accessible and reliable information about our problems. This specialist
site fills this need - as our pragmatic friend for solving our
educational problems.<br />
To be of the greatest use to people a
problem solving site must combine pragmatic discussions of their
personal or professional problem with merchant products that provide
more detailed information. Typically, the web site will provide free
information in the form of news, articles, and advice, which direct the
visitor on what to do to solve her problems. Complementing this, the web
site will also provide merchant products which discuss in detail how
the visitor can go about resolving her problem. This means that the most
effective, visitor-oriented problem-solving site will be an
information-packed commercial site - and so is the world's most recent
personal and professional problem solving site and its specialist sites.<br />
The
approach that we have adopted below is to describe competitive
offerings, the customer profile, problem-oriented solutions, target
markets, product offerings, and usability features.<br />
Competitive Offerings<br />
The following are the top educational sites on the Internet, along with their offerings.<br />
US
Department of Education. It defines the US education policy and
provides information on financial aid, educational research and
statistics, grants and contracts, and teaching and learning resources.<br />
Educational Testing Service. It provides a range of test resources.<br />
FunBrain.com. It provides educational games for K-8 kids.<br />
PrimaryGames.com. It provides fun learning tools and games for kids.<br />
GEM. It provides educational resources such as lesson plans and other teaching and learning resources.<br />
Education World. It provides advice on lesson plans, professional development, and technology integration.<br />
NASA Education Enterprise. It provides educational materials and information relating to space exploration.<br />
Spartacus Educational. It is a British online encyclopedia that focuses on historical topics.<br />
Department
for Education and Skills. It is a UK government department site that
offers information and advice on various educational and skills topics.<br />
Times
Educational Supplement. It offers teaching news, teaching &
educational resources, and active forums to help UK teachers.
<br />All these sites are useful in the domains that they cover. Their main limitations are as follows:<br />
1. They tend to cover only a very narrow segment of the educational market.
<br />2. They do not take as their starting point the daily educational needs of the typical family.
<br />3. They lack a problem focus; i.e., they do not formulate the
typical learning and educational problems that pupils, students, and
parents face on a daily basis.
<br />4. As a result of the preceding point, the solutions offered are not as incisive (i.e. as problem-centred) as they could be.
<br />5. They do not offer merchant products that deepen the visitor's understanding of her problem and of the consequent solutions.<br />
The
educational solutions module of the world's most recent personal and
professional problem solving site addresses these problems by targeting a
multiplicity of market segments, adopting a customer profile that fits
the typical education-pursuing family, considering the specific needs or
problems that this family may face, offering incisive (problem-centred)
solutions to the various problems, and offering a range of merchant
products that deepen the visitor's appreciation of her problems and of
the solutions that are applicable to them.<br />
Customer Profile<br />
The
customer profile or target visitor characteristics of the educational
solutions module is the same as for all specialist sites of the world's
most recent personal and professional problem solving site. The site has
been designed to meet the needs of visitors who have an educational
problem bogging them. It is designed for both males and females, even
though it is often convenient to refer to just one sex when writing.<br />
This
visitor uses search engines to research information about her personal
or professional problem, with the intention of finding solutions to it.
The visitor is serious about solving her problem and is therefore
willing to buy products that help her to achieve her mission, provided
that she can find reliable and honest information about relevant
products so that she can make an informed decision about which ones to
acquire. This information will help her to apply her finances
economically, and hence avoid wasting money.<br />
The visitor will want
a money-back guarantee so that if a product does not live up to
expectations or if she were misled into buying a product she can get a
refund. Such a guarantee absolves her of purchase risks.<br />
The
visitor is intelligent (without necessarily being a genius), educated
(without necessarily being a PhD), computer literate (without
necessarily being a computer guru), and money-minded (without
necessarily being a freebie hunter or an unemployed person). This of
course does not mean that freebie hunters or unemployed persons cannot
gain a thing from the site. To the contrary, there is a great deal of
free information on the site. Just that it is hard to see how anyone can
gain the full benefits of the site without buying products.<br />
The
visitor wants high quality information products (usually in digital
form) and wants to pay the cheapest price for these (without paying so
much emphasis on price that she compromises quality). The visitor also
wants free bonus offers that are attached to the purchased goods.<br />
The
visitor is self-reliant and can cope on her own by reading, digesting,
and applying advice about her problem until she solves it or discovers
that she needs help from a professional, at which point her acquired
knowledge will help her to reduce her consulting fees. As a result of
the knowledge gained, the visitor will be able to assess consultants in
order to avoid incompetent or fraudulent ones.<br />
Problem-Centred Solutions<br />
Our
free solutions are organised in the form of pragmatic articles that are
written by top experts. Each article addresses a specific daily
problem, but does not go into detail. It explains the problem and tells
the visitor what she must do to solve her problem. However, it does not
tell the visitor how she must solve it - this is too much for an
article. To find out about the how, the visitor must buy a product
(usually an e-book or e-book set) that goes into greater depth.<br />
The set of educational articles that we have chosen, to provide initial solution to a visitor's problem are as follows:<br />
Signs of a Gifted Child - Informs parents on how to identify whether or not their children are gifted.<br />
Essential Parenting Lessons for Enriching Your Child's Education - Teaches parents how to enhance their child's education.<br />
Using
Positive Affirmations to Be a Better Student - Teaches students how to
use positive affirmations to improve their performance.<br />
They Are Just Afraid of Writing - Teaches writing skills to students<br />
How Can Parents Encourage Their Children to Read? - Shows parents how they can improve their children's reading skills.<br />
Test Preparation Tutoring - Discusses the topic of tutoring students to prepare for tests or exams.<br />
Test Taking Strategies - Discusses various strategies for taking and passing tests or exams<br />
Playing and Winning the Scholarship Game - Describes how to win scholarships.<br />
How to Get a Scholarship to a UK University - Describes how to win scholarships to a UK university.<br />
Saving Money for College - Instructs students on how they can save money in preparation for college.<br />
Student Loans: When Your Educational Dreams Can't Compete with the Cost - Explains to students the benefits of a student loan.<br />
Education Loans Can Fund a Higher Degree to Boost Your Career - Also explains to students the benefits of a student loan.<br />
The Secret to US Department of Education Loans - Teaches students how to get a US DoE loan to finance their higher education.<br />
Student
Loan Consolidation - Save Money, Pay Less, Spend More - Explains to
graduates how to make use of loan consolidation to reduce their student
loan repayments.<br />
Higher Education: Finding the Right College for
You - Explains to students how to find the right college or university
for their higher education studies.<br />
Mobile Learning - An Alternative Worth Considering - Explains the concept of mobile learning and its place in education.<br />
Online
Degrees - Is Online Education Right for You? - Analyses the merits of
online learning as compared to traditional learning.<br />
An Online College Education Overview - Reviews the whole concept of online learning.<br />
Finding
the Right Quotation for Your Paper or Speech Online - Shows writers and
speakers how to find the right quotation to use in their writings or
speeches.<br />
Collaboration: An Important Leadership Development Skill
- Explores the useful concept of collaboration and its role in
leadership development.<br />
At the end of each article is a list of
merchant products that supplement the article's content. A link is also
included for accessing the educational product catalogue.<br />
Target Markets and Product Offerings<br />
Now
let us turn to the target markets and their associated product
offerings. We have positioned the segments to address the various needs
of a visitor over a period of time, and at any given time a customer may
belong to one or more of the market segments. There are three general
classes of products offered: ClickBank products, Google products, and
eBay products. Google and eBay products are presented on each page of
the site. ClickBank products are grouped into product categories that
match the target markets. These categories and their markets are as
follows.<br />
Children and Parenting. This consists of visitors who
want parenting solutions for improving their children's upbringing.
Their needs are met through the Children and Parenting section of the
educational product catalogue.<br />
Difficult Admissions. This consists
of visitors who want to learn how to get admission into top
universities. Their needs are met through the Difficult Admissions
section of the educational product catalogue.<br />
Esoteric Needs. This
consists of visitors with unusual needs. Their needs are met through
the Esoteric Needs section of the educational product catalogue.<br />
Financial
Aid. This consists of visitors looking for scholarships, grants, or
loans. Their needs are met through the Financial Aid section of the
educational product catalogue.<br />
Leadership Skills. This consists of
visitors looking to develop their leadership skills. Their needs are
met through the Leadership Skills section of the educational product
catalogue.<br />
Learning. This consists of visitors who want to improve
their learning ability. Their needs are met through the Learning
section of the educational product catalogue.<br />
Mental Speed. This
consists of visitors who want to explode their mental speed. Their needs
are met through the Mental Speed section of the educational product
catalogue.<br />
Positive Affirmations. This consists of visitors who
want to transform their negative dispositions into a positive mindset in
order to improve their performance. Their needs are met through the
Positive Affirmations section of the educational product catalogue.<br />
Speaking.
This consists of visitors looking to improve their speaking skills.
Their needs are met through the Speaking section of the educational
product catalogue.<br />
Tests and Exams. This consists of visitors
looking to master exam technique. Their needs are met through the Tests
and Exams section of the educational product catalogue.<br />
Writing.
This consists of visitors looking to improve their writing skills. Their
needs are met through the Writing section of the educational product
catalogue.<br />
Usability Considerations<br />
Usability has been enhanced to make it easy for the visitor to find solutions to her problem, by following these steps:<br />
1.
The first thing the visitor sees are a set of articles whose titles
represent the specific problem area they address. The articles are
accessed from the Educational Problem Solving menu of the navigation bar
to the left of the screen or from the Educational Problem Solving main
page. By scanning these articles the visitor can identify whether or not
her problem is covered. If not the visitor can check the educational
product catalogue through the Product Catalogues menu of the same
navigation bar, to see whether a product exists that answers her query.
If she finds nothing she knows that her problem is not addressed. She
can proceed to the Related Sites pages, which are accessible from the
left navigation bar.<br />
2. If the visitor finds an article that
addresses her problem then she can begin to explore that; at the end of
the article she will find products that discuss her problem more deeply.
She can also access the educational product catalogue through an
article page.<br />
Conclusion<br />
This article has introduced the
educational solutions module of the world's most recent personal and
professional problem solving site. The article has examined competitive
offerings, the target customer profile, problem-oriented solutions,
target markets, product offerings, and usability considerations. It
concludes that the module is a major contribution to the information
superhighway.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16072606644015567721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496010446181956704.post-90892512078956387802012-08-03T03:32:00.000-07:002012-11-08T03:32:58.605-08:00Fight Terror, With Education<div id="article-content" style="text-align: justify;">
A War on Terrorism? Conventional war being brought on an
unconventional enemy is ineffective out of date. Building these
countries up to a certain level of stability, and allowing them to take
over and govern themselves is part of the Presidents plan. If we think
the need help getting to build a stable and profitable country in the
world market, than let's say what we mean and just do it. Weapons of
mass destruction if we had enough evidence to invade Iraq we should have
hit those sights first and had those weapons in the first days. Oh,
they must have hidden them, well how did we know about them in the first
place. It has been more than two years since the bold and terrible
attack on the World Trade Towers, and we are chasing shadows here and
there. The American Military, the greatest fighting force on the
planet, can only find a couple of the main targets. We cannot win a war
like this. The US Navy, Marines, Air Force and Army are the best
trained and most well equipped fighting force in the world. But for all
of their advanced weaponry and the technological advantage they have;
they still seem like a lumbering giant searching for the little Indian
jumping from tree to tree. Just to use an analogy, I am not prejudice
let's get that out of the way right now so I don't have to apologize to
every race I may happen to mention. The subject of prejudice would take
a whole paper of its own. So let's get back to the subject at hand.
How can we stop Terror?<br />
The
suicide bombings keep coming. Why do these people hate or fear us so
much? I believe that the root cause is a combination of jealousy and a
lack of education. Most of our terrorist threats come from impoverished
nations that are jealous of the standard of living in America. The
lack of education comes into play because it is easy to manipulate
uneducated minds. When the majority of citizens in a country cannot
even read and the best way to spread news is by recorded messages you
can fill people's minds with all manner of things. This lack of
education contributes directly to their country's stagnant economy.
They do not have sufficient numbers of the skilled people necessary to
build and run factories, powerplants, water treatment, tourist
industries, etc. Some of the things that we take for granted and yet
that are so necessary to the economic success of this country. We fight
to win a war indeed, but the military aspect is only the beginning.<br />
To
win this war we must take a look at our history and what made this
country great. How did we become the nation we are today? This
country's roots are founded in education, industry and innovation.
Innovation brought industry and industry brought financial wealth
providing for widespread education. The well-educated mind in turn spurs
on industry with yet further innovation. To win this war we must
teach those countries less fortunate than us, help them to develop
systems that will lead them to the national prosperity that the US,
Britain and most of the rest of Europe enjoy. We give billions a year
away in foreign aid. Why not build some schools, hire some teachers,
open some trade schools, teach them how to build a nation, and help them
do it. Showing these nations the tools to build better governmental,
educational and economic systems will enrich and add value and meaning
to the lives of their people. It will then not be so easy for some
"militant wacko" to persuade followers to give up their lives to kill
the evil Americans. They will be able to better care for their
families; dying in the name of Allah will no longer be the best way to
assure their family will be cared for. If they have no way to read and
study their religion for themselves then they must rely on the Spoken
words of others. The power of religion to motivate is amazing, and a
topic that could take it's own paper entirely. So again I will get back
to the topic at hand. Stabilizing these countries, means to bring them
into the world market, I believe that in the big picture this will be
the most efficient way to fight terror. Show them the dream that has
lit fire in the eyes of a nation for generations leading America to
where it is today. Everyone is born with the potential to change the
world.<br />
This will not have the lightning fast results that our
country demand after the catastrophic loss of life in the World Trade
Towers. Nor will it have the shock and awe we all witnessed on TV to
beginning with Iraq. This proposal will take time and resources. Time
and resources we have already committed. Let the military continue
rooting out the elements that will undermine a happy and peaceful
society. The president has already told us that this will take years.
So let us use these years. At the same time how long does it take to
educate a child to change the next generation? I am not proposing a
quick fix to these problems, but I we must begin now, with the
knowledge and faith that our action now will mean that the 5 year old
looking at our soldiers in confusion will not grow to become the man or
woman that flying a plane into what will be the work places of our
nations children.<br />
Changing education and life on a global scale is
a grand and hugely overwhelming proposition, bordering insanity but
what marvelous insanity to know that you did something to change the
world for the better. People dream of world peace, I know I do. Peace
begins with mutual respect for all mankind. Toleration and love for all
people together regard for race religion or appearance. All of these
qualities are found in this country, the news concentrates on the bad
because it sells, but by and large the majority in this nation live in
harmony. I envision a world where all nations have equal standing and
the betterment of the global quality of life becomes the driving force
of every nation. Think of the potential for innovation in medicine,
technology, space travel, food production, and use of natural resources
we have not even discovered. When we increase the population of
educated minds in the world we unlock the potential for genius.<br />
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