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Thursday, July 16, 2009 in , , ,

Nationalism as a Liberating Movement

Nationalism as a Liberating Movement

Nationalism is a political or social philosophy in which the welfare of the nation - state as an entity is considered paramount. It is basically a collective state of mind or consciousness in which people believe their primary duty and loyalty is to the nation - state (Columbian Encyclopedia). The nation, from which nationalism is directly derived, is Latin in origin - nation was used in medieval times without 'most often any political connotation. It means, like the Greek term ethnos, people, nation, country (Nurbu, Dawa. Culture, and the Politics of the Third World Nationalism). Nationalism in this sense first recorded 1844; earlier it was used in a theological sense of "doctine of divine election of nations" (1836). (Etymological Dictionary)

Historically, nationalism has been fostered by various technological, cultural, political and economic advances. The beginnings of modern nationalism may be traced back to the disintegration, at the end of the Middle Ages, of the social order in Europe and of the cultural unity of the various European states. National feeling was strengthened in various countries during the Reformation, when the adoption of either Catholicism or Protestantism as a national religion became an added force for national cohesion. Nationalism has becime increasingly popular since the French Revolution. National feeling in France until then had centered in the king. As a result of the revolution, loyalty to the king was replaced by loyalty to the patrie or fatherland. (Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia). Regional divisions, with their separate traditions and rights, were abolished, and France become a uniform and united national territory, with common laws and institutions. By the close of the 19th century, nationalism - a very pliant doctrine, as it turned about - was espoused by elements of both the left and right. Leftish have supported it as a vehicle to improve the well-being of citizens, while rightist use it to encourage unity and stability. (Baradat, Leon, Political Ideologies) World War I, early in the twentieth century, was at least partically cause by imperalistic competiton of Europe's powers that had been fostered by rightist nationalism. The war's end saw a general disenchantment with rightist nationalist. The end of the Cold War has seen many people who were formerly controlled by the Soviet Union asert their right to national self deterimination. At the same time, however, Western European Countries and North American states have taken steps toward international unions and the Muslim world has toyed with the idea of a huge, reactionary Pan-Islamic state.

Filipino nationalism is an upsurge of patriotic sentiments and nationalist idelas in the Philippines as a result of the Propaganda Movement. Nationalism in this sense, is the ideology of the struggle toward national liberation of the vast majority of Filipinos from suffering and poverty resulting from elitist and neocolonialist rule. (Ordonezm Elmer A., the Other View) The racial prejudices of the Spaniards against the natives had proved to be one of the strongest unifying factors, in which nationalism arise. The racial discrimination controvery that led to the execution of the the three martyr fathers Burgos, Gomez, and Zamora led to the birth of Filipino nationalism in the year 1872. The powerful force that charged it all out, igniting a fresh volley of courage was the time of Rizal's martyrdom. As a sentiment, nationalism has neither strongly swept or deeply penetreated the entire Philippine nation. However, some observers note that Filipinos suffer from "national amnesia" and colonial mentality. (Panopia (2004). Sociology: Focus on the Philippines). Filipinos have a strong preference for imported goods and easily adapt themselves to foreign ideas and ways. Many attribute their / our lack of national integration. However, schools, people's organizations, groups and individuals are now exploring more about their cultural roots and searching for national identity. This may eventually lead to a stronge sense of nationalism.

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Democratic Capitalism as a Regulated Economic System

Democratic Capitalism as a Regulated Economic System

Democratic capitalism is an economic ideology based on a tripartite agreement of a market-based economy base on an amalgam of three systems: an economy based predominantly on free markets and economic incentives; a democratic polity: and a classical-liberal moral cultural system which encourages pluralism. (Noval, Michael). The free market creates an intricate web of supply and demand relationships and fosters economic growth, social mobility and innovation. Political liberty allows for a constitutional systems of government in which both individuals and groups are represented. The moral-cultural sphere, which includes values such as a work ethic, individual initiative, honesty, and respect for private propety, is supported by the mediating institutions of family, church, and numerous other voluntary associations (Edward Youkins, 1998)

Most liberals and conservatives generally support some form democratic capitalism their economic practices. In 1776 Adam Smith defined a new industrial system that could eliminate material scarcity, but he warned of the threat from speculators. Smith's vision of economic freedom was complemented by the political freedoms in the new American republic. Robert Owen provided early experimental verification that investment in human capital produces superior results, and Karl Marx and John Stuart Mill enlarged the definition of democratic capitalism by examining worker ownership as a way to distribute wealth broadly. Mill's manifesto contains the radical proposal that industrial performance and the worker's quality of life are synergistic: It is scarcely possible to rate too highly this material benefit, which yet is nothing compared to the moral revolution in society that would accompany it; a new sense of security and independence in the laboring class; and the conversion of each human being's daily occupation into a school of the social sympathies and the practical intelligence. Mill's manifesto and Marx's Communist Manifesto appeared at the same time, 1848, yet the record does not show that the intellectual community synthesized these two powerful statements. I also draw on the Marquis de Condorcet's 1794 summary of the work of the Enlightenment; the examination of the American democratic experiment by another Frenchman, Alexis de Tocqueville; and the march toward freedom described by the German Idealists Kant, Hegel, and Marx. Kant also proposed the imperative of law, not violence, in the relations among nations in order for economic and political freedoms to be functional. Marx’s axiom that social progress depends on movement to a superior economic system is contrasted to the flawed cultural tradition in which reformers are conditioned by a contempt for commerce and a love of state.

Democratic capitalism is a complex concept consisting of three-dynamic and converging systems. The economy is based on a substantially competitive market-system, private ownership and economic freedom while the political system is based on consent by the people, limited government power, a reliance on checks and balances, and a legal order that protects individual rights and voluntary exchange. Economic and political freedom are inextricably linked in democratic capitalism. The ideas of a market economy and political democracy stem from the same reasoning and the same moral-cultural values, institutions, and assumptions. Both the economic sector and the political sector affect and are affected by the moral-cultural sphere, which reflects ideals such as freedom, justice, productivity, and hard work. One of the central areas of dispute revolves around the relationship between capital and labor.

* Eward, Youkins (1998). The Conceptual Foundations of Democratic Capitalism
* Ray, Carey: Democratic: Capitalism, The Way to a World of Peace and Plenty: A Reader's Guide

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How to Train Your Pet

Process Essay: How to Train Your Pet

Have you ever wonder how the animals you see on TV and in moves are trained to perform such amazing tricks? Many of their trainers use a technique based on the teaching methods developed by behavioral psychologists such as B. F. Skinner. Skinner studied techniques for reinforcing desired behaviors in animals. Animals can be taught many sophisticated tricks using Skinner's techniqes. If you want to teach your pet do do a trick, you must understand the techniques pyschologists call "shaping." Shaping manes reinforcing, or strengthening, behaviors that you want to encourage. Here is how you can use his techniques to train you pet to do tricks.

The first thing you must do is choose your subject. You can pick any household pet, such as a cat, hamster, parrot or dog. For example, suppose you want to teach your dog to do a trick. Next, choose a reward. Food is usually the easiest reward to use. Keep in mind that in order for food to be an effective reward, you dog must be hungry. Don't try to teach him a new trick after he has eaten a big meal. Also, a reward is most effective when it is given at the same time the dog performs the desired trick. Since you will not not always be able to give the dog food as quickly as you would like to, you will need to develop a "conditioned reinforcer". You can do this by connecting the food with something else, such as ringing a bell. In this case, the sould the bell makes is the conditioned reinforcer.

You are now ready to begin conditioning the dog to respond to the bell. Get out about 40 small dog biscuits. Toss a few of them to your dog, one at a time, at a rate of about one or two biscuits a minute. As soon as the dog begins eating the biscuits, ring the bell and then throw him another biscuit. Wait about 30 seconds and then repeat the steps. When you ring the bell, do not make any other sound or movement. Give the biscuit only when the dog is standing in the place where he gets his food. When your dog reaches the point where he goes to the food plate whenever you ring the bell, you are ready to begin teaching him the trick.

At this point, you need to choose the trick you want to teach. An easy trick is teaching your dog to roll over. Shape the dog's behavior by reinforcing anything that resembles the behavior you are trying to teach. Begin by reinforcing any attempt to lie down. Then reinforce any movement of his body when he is lying down. Every time you reinforce any of his behaviors that resembles rolling over, immediately give him a biscuit and ring the bell. In this way, he will begin to associate the sound of the bell with the trick. Continue reinforcing closer approximations of rolling over with the biscuits and the bell. During the teaching session, do not touch the dog, talk to him, or in any way distract him. A normal dog, according to Skinner, will learn the trick within five minutes.

As you can see, it is really not very difficult to train your pet to do a trick. It is only a matter of a little time and some effort. Once you have established a conditioned reinforcer, you can easily teach your dog a new trick by shaping his behavior. Remember, though, that if you want to teach you dog another trick, you must eliminate the first behavior by no longer reinforcing it. Eventually, he will stop rolling over and will be ready to learn something new.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009 in , ,

Democratic Socialism as an liberal economic development movement

Democratic Socialism as an liberal economic development movement
Democratic socialism is the wing of the socialist movement that combines a belief in a socially owned economy with that off political democracy. (Busky, Donalod: Democratic Socialism: a global survey). Sometimes, simply called socialism, the adjective democratic is added by democratic socialist. They believe that economy and society should be run democratically - to meet the needs of the whole community, not to make profits for a few. It is the movement of people to end their own exploitation and the destruction of environment whereas power is taken out of the hands of elites who run political and economic systems solely for their own benefit at the direct expense to everyone and everything else.

Democratic Socialism that arose in late 19th and early 20th century Europe, out of the evolutionary wing of the Second Communist International. During this period Mill and Thomas Hill Green followed the logic of Bentham and increased call for social consciousness, thus leading the way toward democratic socialism. (Baradat, Leon : Political Ideologies) Dewey called upon the people to constantly question the values upon which society is based and to boldly try to improve the human conditions through social engineering. Democratic socialism took firm root in European politics after World War I. (Columbian Enyclopedia) Socialist democratic parties actively participated in government in Great Britain, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands and other nations. Socialism also became a powerful force in parts of Latin America, Asia and Africa. The prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru and other leaders of independece movements considered democractic socialism as an attractive alternative to the systems of private enterprise and exploitation established by their foreign rulers. After World War II, socialist parties came to power in many nations throughout the world, and much private industry was nationalized. In Africa and ASIA where the workers are peasants, not industrial laborers, socialist programs stressed land reform and other agrarian measures. These nations until recently, have also emphasized government planning for rapid economic develooment. African socialism has also included the revival of precolonial values and institutions, while modernizing through the centralized apparatus of the one-party state. Recently, the collapse of Eastern European and Soviet Communist states has led socialist throughout the world to discard much of their doctrines regarding centralized planning and nationalization of enterprises.

Democratic socialist maintain a commitment to the re-distribution of wealth and the nationalization of major industry, and some believer in a planned economy; these are all concepts which social democrats have largely abandoned. Politically, it involves a commitment to popular, constitutional rule and protection of basic rights. Economically, it involves an equitable distribution of the community's wealth . To achieve a more just society , many structures of our government and economy must be transformed through greater economics and social democracy so that ordinary people can participate in the decisions that affect our lives. Democratic socialists maintain that the key aspects of economic life must be publicly owned or a mixed economy with a greater emphasis on worker and consumer co-operatives, credit unions, family farms and small businesses.

Source:
Riemer, Neal & Simon & Romans: The Challenge of Politics: An Introduction to Political Science, 2nd edition. Drew University

Saturday, July 11, 2009 in , , , ,

Progeria – “accelerated aging disease”

In my previous class, public speaking, we were tasked to make an informative speech...some can make a speech on how to make something, like to make a rose winem by showing the steps..But i decided to give an informative speech about progeria...I got some info here, and others were added by me...

--on the photo: 8 year old Fransie Geringer of South Africa, left, and 9 year old Mickey Hays of the United States—have the premature aging disease, progeria. Mickey Hays is an actor and appeared on the Aurora Encounters. He died when he was 20 years old and is know to be one ofthe longest survivors of progeria.




Progeria – “accelerated aging disease”
Imagine for a second that you are 10 years old. Your friends call you up to go out and play but you can't because you have a painful case of arthritis that hurts with every step you take. Or, your chronic heart disease disables you from being able to breathe easily. These conditions are just a few that a child with Progeria may suffer from. Progeria is also known as Hutchinson-Gilford Syndrome. It is an extremely rare aging disease that causes a child to age up to eight times faster than normal. It is also know as the “accelerated aging diseases. I first became interested in Progeria when I have read it from an article in Nature.The disease affects between 1 in 4 million and 1 in 8 million newborns. Currently, there are 51 known cases in the world. Most people with progeria die at around 13 years of age.
The condition was first identified in 1886 by Jonathan Hutchinson and in 1987 by Hastings Gilford. The condition was later named Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria syndrome (HGPS). However until now scientist have yet found a medicine for this condition. In the beginning, Progeria was studied as a disease that included the process of normal aging, just at an incredible rate. This is no longer be true because Progeria does not affect all of the body's organs. For instance, there is no evidence of aging in the central nervous system. A few are mentally retarded, but most have normal intelligence and may even be advanced. A child with Progeria is just a normal seven-year-old in a 70-year-old body!
The cause of this rare disorder is not yet fully understood. In 2003, researchers announced the discovery of a single gene mutation responsible for Hutchison-Gilford progeria syndrome. The gene is known as lamin A (LMNA), which makes a protein necessary to holding the center (nucleus) of a cell together. Researchers believe the genetic mutation renders cells unstable, which appears to lead to progeria's characteristic aging process. Unlike many genetic mutations, Hutchison-Gilford progeria isn't passed down in families. Rather, the gene change is a chance occurrence that researchers believe affects a single sperm or egg just before conception. Neither parent is a carrier, so the mutations in the children's genes are new (de novo).
          Individuals with Progeria appear normal at birth. It is not until about the age of one that signs become evident. Growth is extremely stunted, and they may only reach the height of a normal two or three-year-old. It is very unlikely that they will grow taller than a normal five-year-old will, even though they have the physical characteristics of a 60-year-old.
According to the Hutchinson-Gilford entry of the Electronic Textbook of Internal Medicine, there are many signs to detect the presence of Progeria. These signs include: (visual aide) baldness, prominent scalp veins, beaked nose, receding chin, prominent eyes, a narrow chest, a protruding abdomen, an enlargement of the spleen, and the absence of eyebrows and lashes. The sex organs also remain small and underdeveloped, and they are not able to reproduce. They often have relatively large heads with small faces and crowded irregular teeth. Individuals with Progeria often develop diseases related to aging, such as arthritis and heart disease. Another common cause of death is angina pectoris, which is a condition in which there is a sudden decrease of blood in the heart muscle. Progeria is extremely rare. In my speech, I have informed you of the extremely rare aging disease known as Progeria.


Wednesday, July 8, 2009 in , , ,

Filipino Debate: PAKSA: ANIM NA TAONG LANG ANG TERMINO NG ISANG PANGULO (Affirmative)

oI am just cleaning the files in my pc, when i saw one of my homeworks in my Filipino class, i think this was about 2 years ago..the teacher gave our group to debate about the term of the president....(6 years term)..i was tasked to debate in affirmative side, which means i am in favor of the 6 years term... it was bit hard to debate in Tagalog...i needed to translate the constitution and my debate as well from English to Tagalog..

here is my tagalog debate, i will post the english translation when i have time...

PAKSA: ANIM NA TAONG LANG ANG TERMINO NG ISANG PANGULO
(Affirmative)
Magandang Hapon sa ating lahat!!!
Malugod kong binabati ang lahat ng nandito. Nagpapasalamat ako sa pagkakataong ibinigay niyo upang ating mapag-usapan ang pagkakaroon ng anim na taong termino ng President ng Pilipinas.

Ako’y nakikiayon sa ating 1987 Constitution na ang termino ng pangulo ng Pilipinas ay anim na taong lamang dahil sa mga sumusunod na kadahilanan:
  • Una: Kapag ang ating pangulo ay may anim na taong termino mas magagawa niya ng mabuti ang kanyang mga tunkulin dahil magkakaroon siya ng sapat na panahong upang maisakatuparan ang mga programang nasa plataporma niya. Halimbawa: Binabalak ng Pangulo na magpatayo ng mga tulay at kalsada. Ang pagtatayo ng mga tulay at kalsada ay nangangailangnan ng ilang taon. Kung mahaba ang termino ng Pangulo, nakakasigurong matatapos ang mga imprastrakturang ito. Magkakaroon din siya ng sapat na panahon upang maisagawa ang mga batas na makakatalong sa mga programa na binabalak pa lamang at mga programang kasalukuyang ginagampanan. Halimbawa: Binabalak ng Pangulo na bignyang ng malaking pansin ang pambansang kalusugan. Kinakailangang may sapat na panahon upang mapagkasunduan ito ng kongreso at senado senado sa loob ng termino ng pangulo.
  • Pangalawa: mababawasan ang pabagobago ng mga opisyales na napasailalim sa pangulo kung ito’y manunungkulan ng anim na taon dahil tuloy-tuloy ang pakikitungo ng goberyo at ng mga mamayan. Kung ang ating pangulo ay magkakaroon ng anim na taong termino mababawasan ang kalituhan at problema dahil ito’y maayos na ng mga kaslukuyang opisyales. Sa pamamagitan ng pagkakaron ng ang ating pangulo ng 6 na taong termino, nakakatipid ang bansa sa mas bawas na botohan. Malimit mangyari ang paghihimpil o pagbabagal ng komersiyo tuwing may eleksiyon. Higit na tuluy-tuloy ang paglakas ng pangangalakal. Kung tuluy-tuloy ang komersiyo, mananatiling matatag ito, at makikinabang ang buong bansa.
  • Pangatlo: Sa pakikipagpanukala ng ating pangulo sa ibang bansa, higit na mapapabuti ang kaugnayan ng ating bansa sa kanila dahil mayroong personal na kaugnayan ang ating Pangulo at sa ibang bansa. , kabilang na dito ang pandaigdigang samahan.
Narito ang nakasaad sa ating konstitusyong magpapatibay na dapat ang isang pangulo ay manunungklulan ng anim na taon

Artikulo VII
SEKSYON 4. Ang Pangulo at Pangalawang Pangulo ay dapat mahalal sa pamamagitan ng tuwirang boto ng sambayanan para sa taning na anim na taon na magsisimula sa katanghalian ng ikatatlumpung araw ng Hunyo na sumusunod sa araw ng halalan at magtatapos sa katanghalian ng gayon ding petsa pagkaraan ng anim na taon. Ang Pangulo ay hindi magiging karapat-dapat sa ano mang muling paghahalal. Ang sino mang tao na humalili bilang Pangulo at naglingkod nang gayon sa loob ng higit na apat na taon ay hindi dapat maging kwalipikado sa paghahalal sa katularing katungkulan sa alin mang panahon.

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Time?


Time?

As life passes by us we sometimes

do not notice the simple things in life.

Like the way a bird collects straw for her nest.

Or the way a flower blooms over night.

But we should stop to notice these things.

We are always so caught up in our own

lives we sometimes forget the

rest of world and before you know it could be all gone.

So stop today and take a minute to notice the little things in life.

Thursday, July 2, 2009 in

my subjects this semester..

I only got 4 subjects the first semester..... i might get 4 others next semester because i took advanced classes in the previous summer classes.. now i have free time to relax, since only got 4 subjects..weee! i just do not like the schedules, since i have only one subject for TTHS, and 3 for MWF...and its until 7 pm... no classes in the morning, nice one, but its too late...

My subjects are this semesters are the following:

Pol Sc 11A Introduction to Philippine Law 2

Pol Sc 26 Political Economy

Pol Sci 28 Computer Applications in Political Sciences

Pol Sc 9 Philippine Public Administration

My World, My Life.!

I have been a student for almost all my life..I am still a student now, and when i am out of school when i graduate, i will still learn a lot of things..things and lessons that i have yet to encounter in school. Learning does not pick ages, its a lifetime process... I remember when i was young, i use to say that i want to be a doctor, scientist, and the like... But as i get older, i told myself..."how can i be a scientist, i have not invented anything at all... I have came to see the truth..the world is full of people who takes advantages of the others, a world that is full of injustice, corruption and etc... I wanted to a be lawyer, a detective, a criminal investigator, and more...I choose to study political science...I want to study politics, and analyze it...In the course of this process, i might find a way to change the political systems of government that corrupts the people...An alternative, which is yet to be found....

I want to accomplish a lot of things in my life...study other courses... Finding my purpose in my life, is one of my goals..I must do my best to finish the things that i have started to start another one...Life is but a track, a journey if you will, a constant search for our destiny, our mission, the purpose why where are here...

I am Diamond... I am a graduating political science student....After graduating, i might take up law...but other thing's might happen...I do not know for sure what destiny will bring me...