Social Stratification Multimedia Project

This is my final multimedia project for SOC 5203 Social Stratification.  In this video, I cover the theory of the power elite and who rules America by William Domhoff.  I basically took clips from other videos to create this movie.  I've used William Domhoff himself, George Carlin, and the Disney movie, "Bug's Life" to make my point that those in high corporate positions really rule our society.  I've also added some graphs to further prove my point.

I hope you enjoy my final project.

Jane Elliott - Brown Eyes vs. Blue Eyes

This clip introduces prejudice through the Eliott brown vs. blue eyes footage. In it, children are divided by eye color and told that one color represents a superior person.  This allows them to experience discrimination first hand. Also has footage of the kids grown up.

Racial Health Disparities

MDiTV News senior anchor Andrew Holtz on health care media coverage bias. Read the accompanying article and watch the news on other health topics at www.MDiTV.com

Racial and Ethnic Stratification

This is an interesting video I discovered on "YouTube" about racial and ethnic stratification.  The creator used clips from movies, television, and standup comedy to present the issues with stratification.

The Word African American Needs To Go!!!

GoGreen58 shot this video, with his friend Dwight, in his dorm room at the University of South Carolina, Beaufort, yesterday. He discusses how being called 'African-American' makes him feel 'Half American'. 'I'm not from Africa, so I'm not African-American!' He thinks it is unfair that black Americans are called African-American, but white Americans are not referred to by their ancestral heritage. 'If you are going to call me an African-American, white people need to be called European American or Irish American,' he says. 'White people don't want to be referred to where their ancestors may have come from, so why should black people? We are all Americans and we all pay American taxes... If you're born in America, you're an American.' He says although his ancestors came from Africa, he does not relate to the people or its culture like he does to America and its culture. 'If I went to Africa...they're not going to give me a hand clap of praise for I guess "Returning to the Mother Land". They are going to treat me as an American with money,' he says 'I would die for America, not Africa. I'm wanting to move forward toward a more united nation and stop the separation. All I know is my future kids won't be African-Americans, but they will be 110% American.'
- ssesha, CNN iReport producer

I have to agree with these guys.  Yes, I'm white, however, my very recent ancestors all came from Germany.  So, I don't make people call me a "German-American" because I AM AN AMERICAN!

Hilary Rosen Attacking Stay-At-Home-Moms

I wouldn't be surprised if this woman got punched in the face anytime soon.  She attacks Ann Romney for talking to her husband, Mitt Romney, about economics and other political topics when she's never had a job because her choice was to be a stay-at-home-mom.  I have talked to a lot of women that have children that work, and most will tell you they wish they could stay at home instead of work.  Don't bash a woman for choosing to stay at ome with her children.

Gene Sharp - How To Start A Revolution

This is a documentary following the life and work of revolutionary academic Gene Sharp who wrote "From Dictatorship to Democracy" the book used to topple dictatorships all over the world.  This clip is only a trailer, however the documentary is powerful and inspiring on how to start a revolution nonviolently.

The French Revolution

This is from The History Channel on the French Revolution.  The French Revolution (French: Révolution française; 1789--99) was a period of radical social and political upheaval in French and European history. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years. French society underwent an epic transformation as feudal, aristocratic and religious privileges evaporated under a sustained assault from liberal political groups and the masses on the streets. Old ideas about hierarchy and tradition succumbed to new Enlightenment principles of citizenship and inalienable rights.

Trayvon Martin Case

This whole incident concerning the death of an innocent young man name Trayvon Martin and the killer, Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, is extremely sad.  This is the phone conversations going on with the death of Martin.  You can't help but wonder if this is all happened because of racism.  Extremely sad!

Advertisement on Racism

This is a controversial United Nations advertisement addressing racism I found on YouTube.  It looks like any normal commercial about face cream, however as the clip goes on you see the woman get uglier and uglier.  The point the UN is trying to present is that the more racism you apply, the uglier you get.

Taxpayer's Getting Screwed Again

Lawmakers aghast over report of lavish conference footed by taxpayers
Foxnews.com presents a story on a federal conference that was held at Vegas that was extremely lavish, all on the taxpayers dime.  Another reason how taxpayers are getting screwed by those in federal positions on their lavish spending....as our country's economic woes continue.

An obscure federal agency may have set a new benchmark for lavish conferences on the taxpayers' dime.

Lawmakers are voicing outrage following a government report that found the General Services Administration held a blowout $820,000 conference near Las Vegas which grossly exceeded what the planners were allowed to spend.

The employees dropped thousands of dollars on luxury items and convention giveaways -- including more than $6,000 on commemorative coins, $8,000 on a "yearbook," and $3,200 for an in-house mind reader.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/04/03/lawmakers-aghast-over-report-lavish-conference-footed-by-taxpayers/#ixzz1r0m35DkG

Black Wealth vs. White Wealth

This is a clip of the comedian, Chris Rock, doing his standup.  He explains, in a very comedic way, the difference between the rich and the wealthy; where white men are wealthy and black men are rich.

The College Conspiracy?

Is college a conspiracy??  That's what's being discussed in this 60 minute clip.  An overview of this video is below:

College Conspiracy is the most comprehensive documentary ever produced about higher education in the U.S. The film exposes the facts and truth about America's college education system. 'College Conspiracy' was produced over a six-month period by NIA's team of expert Austrian economists with the help of thousands of NIA members who contributed their ideas and personal stories for the film. NIA believes the U.S. college education system is a scam that turns vulnerable young Americans into debt slaves for life.

NIA tracks price inflation in all U.S. industries and there is no industry that has seen more consistent price inflation this decade than college education. After the burst of the Real Estate bubble, student loans are now the easiest loan to receive in the U.S., and total student loan debts now exceed credit card debts. The government gives out easy student loans to anybody, regardless of grades, credit history, what they are majoring in, and what their job prospects are. NIA believes it is illegal for the U.S. government to be in the student loan business because the U.S. constitution doesn't authorize it. Just like how the U.S. government created Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to make housing affordable, but instead drove housing prices through the roof; the U.S. government, by trying to make college more affordable, is accomplishing the exact opposite and driving tuition prices to astronomical levels that provide a negative return on investment.

The U.S. has been experiencing 5.15% annual college tuition inflation this decade. Despite this, 70.1% of high school graduates are now enrolling into college, a new all time record. 2/3 of college students are now graduating with an average of $24,000 in debt. There is nothing special about getting a college degree if everyone else has one, and it is certainly not worth getting $24,000 into debt to camouflage yourself into the crowd. NIA's President is friends with hundreds of CEOs of mid-sized corporations who tell him that someone who skipped college is a lot more likely to stand out amongst the hundreds of applicants who apply for each job available.

The real unemployment rate in America is now 22% and 60% of college graduates who are lucky enough to find a job, are receiving low skilled jobs where a college degree isn't even required. In fact, 70% of high school graduates who didn't go to college, were able to get these very same jobs as the average college graduate. The main difference is, by the time Americans who went to college get their degree, those who went straight into the work force after high school will already have 4 to 6 years of valuable workplace experience. Instead of having $24,000 in debt, these experienced Americans will be working their way up to a higher paid position or a better job at a different company.

All across America, colleges are deceiving prospective students with misleading and often fraudulent tactics and statistics. The fact is, law schools are handing out 43,000 law degrees each year, when there are 15,000 less attorney and legal staff jobs in the U.S. than three years ago. Many law schools are advertising a 90% job placement rate within one year of graduating. However, weeks before job placement surveys are conducted, some law schools will hire unemployed graduates to work in their admissions department. They are let go as soon as these surveys are completed, but count as being part of the 90% employed.

'College Conspiracy' also exposes how three years ago when 15 new pharmacist schools were getting ready to open in the U.S., the college cartel created a pharmacist shortage hoax to scam Americans into investing hundreds of thousands of dollars to attend pharmacist school. NIA has uncovered how economists were bribed to produce phony studies that forecast the need for 150,000 new pharmacists in America by 2020. Today, NIA is hearing from many young Americans who were deceived into getting pharmacist degrees and can't find any pharmacist jobs no matter how many they apply for. These Americans are now deeply in debt and admit that they would have been better off getting minimum wage jobs stocking shelves somewhere.

Fannie and Freddie Mac Bonuses

Report examines Obama administration's contradictory rhetoric on bonuses, $1.7 million non-performance based 'signing bonus' for Fannie executive

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa today released a new report, "Government-Sponsored Moguls: Executive Compensation at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac." Highlights of the report include:

Assessments of controversial executive compensation decisions approved or allowed by the administration including the decision to award a $1.7 million non-performance based "signing bonus" to a recruited executive.
An examination of Obama Administration rhetoric on executive compensation for the private sector and decisions on compensation for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac executives.
FHFA Inspector General criticisms of Fannie and Freddie executive compensation practices.
"While taxpayers are saddled with billions in losses, executives at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are being rewarded with millions for their efforts to pursue public policy goals of the Obama administration," said Chairman Issa. "This report examines and explains fundamental criticisms of executive compensation decisions for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- decisions made under an administration that excoriates private companies for big bonuses on the backs of taxpayers but looks the other way when our own federal entities heap cash on their executives for a job left undone."

The Oversight and Government Reform Committee will hold a hearing at 10 AM in 2154 Rayburn House Office Building with the CEOs of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as well as the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director on executive compensation policies.

Income Inequality and Bank Bonuses

In this clip, the host Cenk Uygur discusses the stunning facts about bank bonuses on Wall Street, average compensation and homeless kids.  It still sickens me the bonuses the executives of these large corporations are still receiving when they are hurting their own clientele.

Homeless Hotspots

Ever have the problem when you're out and can't find a internet hotspot?  Well our answers are solved now that the idea of homeless hotspots has hit the streets.  That's right, homeless men and women are now being equipped to be human hotspots in cities.  Courtesy of Manhattan-based marketing firm Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH), some of the city’s homeless people were given T-shirts, printed with their names, that identified themselves as “homeless hotspots.” They carried devices that allowed them to offer a 4G wireless connection in exchange for donations.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/defense-homeless-hotspots-article-1.1039973#ixzz1pZoxlTsP

This clip is from Jon Stewart's "The Daily Show" that covers the story.  It takes a minute or two to get to it, but the clip does eventually get around to the topic. 

Even though I think this is a sick concept, apparently it's not looked at that way by the homeless involved.  The homeless believe it can become a life-changing experience.  No longer are people walking by and ignoring the homeless, but now interacting with them on a personal basis.  They also tell those they are interacting with what they really need.  The good news is...out of all this, is that they are getting paid for being a mobile hotspot and wearing the t-shirts.  They get $50 a day for their services and also receive tips from those using their services.  

Overall, the interpretation of this concept is in the eyes of the beholder.  There are positives and negatives to this human hotspotting.

Is College Worth It?

This is an interesting clip reported by John Stossel on whether college is really worth it.  Many college graduates are in major debt due to school loans....some equaling over $100K.  Once they graduate they end up moving back in with their parents because they can't find a job that they went to school for or just a well paying job to begin with.  We as Americans are told that going to college will make us all a step higher than others and make us more money just by having that degree.  Unfortunately, it may not be true.  Many of the jobs graduates are getting they could have gotten without even going to college. Interesting.......

The Overspent America

This clip is a brief overview of a study on "The Overspent America, Why We Spend What We Don't Have".  It looks at history and how we as American's work more hours and spend a lot more money on consumer goods.  When back in the day, the American dream was a house with a white picket fence, a car, and 2.2 kids.  That was really it.  However, now that car is a luxury car...that house is a mansion....and then add all the toys and random luxuries we try to acquire.  The American Dream as been blown way out of proportion.  We work harder and longer hours to acquire more money, to buy stuff we really don't need.

Occupy Wall Street Simplified

This is a nice little overview of the current Occupy Wall Street movement in a cartoon version.

School House Rock - Sufferin' Till Suffrage (Women's Rights)

School House Rock...an oldie, but a goodie.  It's a musical cartoon on the Women's Rights Movement.

When the power elite get defeated (a cartoon version)

Funny how an elite corporation like Disney would put something like this in their movies...the power elite getting defeated by the classes below them.  But in any case, this is a clip from the movie "Bugs Life".  At this moment of the movie, the power elite is trying to convince the classes below them that they need to stop having ideas and stop trying to over power the way things are.  The upper class tries to convince the lower classes that they need the upper class, but really it's the other way around.  It basically shows what could happen when the lower classes take on the upper class.  If you think about it, they're right.  The upper class needs the lower class.

George Carlin and the Class Structure

In this clip, George Carlin puts a comedic look on his take on the class structure and taxes.  He says politics divides us on purpose and to cause conflict/fighting.  He says the upper class has all the money and pays no taxes, whereas everyone else does.  However, the lower class is there to scare the middle class.

Who Rules America?

This clip is based off the question, "who rules America?"  George William Domhoff is the author of Who Rules America?.  This was a controversial 1960's book which argued that the United States is dominated by an elite class both politically and economically.  He explains that it is the elite that really rule America.

John Stossel Tries to Open a Lemonade Stand

In this article, by John Stossel on the Fox Business Network, he investigated what it would take to open up a lemonade stand in American.  Sounds crazy, but lately little kids are having their side-of-the-road lemonade stands shut down by police.  This was happening because police  said they "weren't aware of how the lemonade was made, who made the lemonade, and of what the lemonade was made with".  So, because of this they shut the stands down.  Kids trying their first experiment with entrepreneurship are being shut down all over America.

John Stossel decided he would try to open up his own little lemonade stand and follow all that goes into starting a small business.  The findings were outrageous (in my opinion).  What the outcome was that Mr. Stossel couldn't even finish the whole process. For him to open his little lemonade stand legally, it would take over 65 days.

John Stossel's point here is, Politicians say, "We support entrepreneurs," but the bureaucrats make it hard. The Feds alone add 80,000 pages of new rules every year. Local governments add more. There are so many incomprehensible rules that even the bureaucrats can't tell you what's legal. In the name of public safety, politicians strangle opportunity.

Read more at:  http://www.foxbusiness.com/on-air/stossel/blog/2012/02/23/i-tried-open-lemonade-stand-illegal-everything-airs-tonight-9pm-fox-news-channel

Green Energy Company lays off employees, but gives pay raise to executives

Green energy company given federal stimulus funds lays off 125 workers, gives pay raise to executives

Published February 26, 2012

| FoxNews.com

An electric car battery company reportedly has laid off 125 employees since receiving $390 million in government subsidies, but is still handing out big pay raises to company executives.

A123 systems, which was touted as a stimulus "success story" by former Gov. Jennifer Granholm, D-Mich., had a net loss of $172 million through the first three quarters of 2011, according to the Washington Examiner's "Beltway Confidential" blog, citing a report from the Michigan-based Mackinac Center for Public Policy.

A123's primary customer, Fisker Automotive, is also struggling financially. "Yet, this month A123’s Compensation Committee approved a $30,000 raise for [Chief Financial Officer David] Prystash just days after Fisker Automotive announced the U.S. Energy Department had cut off what was left of its $528.7 million loan it had previously received.”

This month has seen significant pay boosts for other A123 executives, as well, including vice presidents Robert Johnson and Jason Forcier.

The raises were reported by the company in its filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, according to the Mackinac report.

“It looks highly suspicious,” Paul Chesser, associate fellow for the National Legal & Policy Center, told Mackinac. “It looks like they are trying to pad their top people's wallets in case something really bad happens.”

Prison vs. Princeton....from "The Society Pages"

 Prison vs. Princeton: Annual cost comparison

I found this to be quite interesting on "The Society Pages".  It's some graphs that present Prison vs. Princton statistics.  

Education vs. Prison in California | Public Administration

References

Public Administration. (October 2011) “Prison vs. Princeton” [information graphic]
Resnick, Brian. (1 November 2011) Chart: One year of prison costs more than Princeton The Atlantic online.

Apple's Foxconn

This is an ABC News "Nightline" clip from "YouTube" that goes behind the scenes of the Apple FoxConn factory in China.  Bill Weir from "Nightline" expands his report upon an original report, and included footage from inside the factory, interviews with the workers, and even a visit to a local village.  I think the most astonishing thing about this article is the nets outside all the windows.  They are designed to eliminate suicide, which they had a string of them recently. 

Linsanity Postgame Cold Open

Linsanity Postgame Cold Open

This is a clip from Saturday Night Live spoofing all the racism going on with the current accomplishments of Knicks basketball player Jeremy Lin.

It Was Inevitable: Racial Ignorance Against Jeremy Lin

 

Lately there has been a lot of hype over the recent accomplishments of Knicks basketball player Jeremy Lin.  should be a good think...right?  Of course not.  Jeremy Lin is an Asian American and thanks to news/sport media, they are making it into a racist issue.  I have attached a clip on a summary from a news station on the ESPN issue calling Lin a "chink in the armor".  Another clip I was watching (but I didn't post) was on discussing his height and then about his eyes.  Really sad that we still say these racist things on television.  The Society Page covers some of the racism on this topic at:
  http://thesocietypages.org/colorline/2012/02/20/it-was-inevitable-racial-ignorance-against-jeremy-lin/

Trapped in Unemployment

A Day in the Life of Social Media

This is another clip similar to the social media revolution.  Again, it will blow your mind.  Just goes to show that it's all about social media these days.  This is called "The Day in the Life of Social Media".

Social Media Revolution....(YIKES)

I found this clip after I saw something on TV about "Socionomics".  I decided to do a search on "YouTube" and found this very interesting clip on the social media revolution.  When you see the numbers, they are mind blowing on how social media is shaping our world.  From social networking sites like "Twitter" and "Facebook", and the use of blogs (like this one), our world has been a non-stop flow of information (good/bad/important/non important). 

Showtime: Penn & Teller: Bullshit! Official Site

Showtime: Penn & Teller: Bullshit! Official Site

Record Inequality Between Rich and Poor

I found this video on "YouTube".  It's a quick clip from "Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)"  that presents the ever increasing gap between the rich and poor in many countries all over the world.  It is highlighting the fact that the inequality has reached its highest level in over 30 years.

Link:  http://www.oecd.org/document/51/0,3746,en_2649_33933_49147827_1_1_1_1,00.html

The True Meaning of Christmas

This "YouTube" clip was taken from "A Charlie Brown Christmas".  This animated tv special was aired  back in 1965, and was animated by the late Charles Schultz.  He was the creator of Charlie Brown and all the Peanut's characters.  This special was groundbreaking at the time because of a few reasons.  One, the animated characters' voices were of actual young children; this had never been done before.  Second, there was no laugh track; Mr. Schultz believed that the television audience was capable of figuring out when to laugh and when not too. 
What was also interesting was the controversy behind this episode.  Network executives from CBS were very much opposed to have Linus quote verses from the Bible.  In this clip, it is where Linus is standing on stage, by himself, and repeating the Luke 2:8-14 verse from the Bible.  Schultz stuck to his guns because he knew how crucial this part of the show's actual theme...Charlie Brown's search for the true meaning of Christmas.  Charlie Brown is lost in a world of commercialism, and lost the true meaning of Christmas altogether.  Worried that this decision to keep this part in was going to make the show a failure, it ended up being a hit and an instant classic.

For The Birds

This clip is from "YouTube" on a short film by "Pixar".  It's called, "For the Birds".  What I liked about this clip is that is emphasizes the outcast....the not wanted, and the bullying that takes place.  However, in this clip, the bullies get a taste of their own medicine.

The American Dream

George Carlin emphasizes the gap between "the owners of this country" and the rest of us. Carlin states that the owners control the politicians by lobbying to get what they want, but they also control people through education and media. They keep the educational system just good enough to educate people to be obedient workers but keep it poor enough so that it does not teach people enough to be able to think for themselves. They use the media to tell people what to believe, what to buy, and what to think. Because people can vote, they suffer the illusion that they have "freedom of choice." Suffering from false consciousness, they support ideas that are against their own self interests; for example they accept the reduced pay, fewer benefits, and less social programs that the owners claim are in their interests. All the while, they remain powerless to the owners. This illustrates Marx's concept of ideology; Marx stated “the ideas of the ruling class are in every epoch the ruling ideas." These ruling ideas, or ideologies, obscure the structural violence and exploitation used to keep oppressed groups in their place. The clip ends with the statement "it's called the American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it," emphasizing a fundamental ideology that legitimates social inequality and oppression.

This is from Youtube and The Sociological Cinema websites

Updated Xtranormal movie of Seinfeld routine

This is an updated movie clip made by me on the website "Xtranormal".  It is of the Seinfeld standup routine at the end of the episode, "The Bris".  Enjoy!

"The Bris" on the website, "The Economics of Seinfeld"

"The Economics of Seinfeld" the clip, "The Bris"

This is the clip from the website, "The Economics of Seinfeld."  This clip is called "The Bris" and it covers the little video I made on the last post from "Xtranormal".  This clip is at the end of the episode where Jerry does a quick standup act.  In it, he discusses the topic of jobs and how there are jobs out there, however there are some jobs no one wants to do...even if you're poor.

Xtranormal Video of a clip from Seinfeld

This clip is a movie I made on the website "Xtranormal" on a description of a clip on the show Seinfeld.  I got the clip from a website called "The Economics of Seinfeld" and the episode is called "The Bris"

Dave Chappelle on Racism

This clip is of Dave Chappelle's standup on Racism.  He has become famous over the years for his take on racist issues and putting comedy to it.

Lewis Black on Greed

This is a clip of a section of one of Lewis Black's standup performances.  He does an exploration of the bizarre world of corporate, glorified greed.

Jerry Seinfeld on David Letterman 2011.11.16

This is a clip of Jerry Seinfeld on the David Letterman show on 11/16/2011.  He does what he does best and dissects things in our everyday life and jokes about it.  Making fun of our daily activities is classic.

"Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" by Professor Randy Pausch

Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch (Oct. 23, 1960 - July 25, 2008) gave his last lecture at the university Sept. 18, 2007, before a packed McConomy Auditorium. In his moving presentation, "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams," Pausch talked about his lessons learned and gave advice to students on how to achieve their own career and personal goals.

Professor Randy Pausch died of cancer less than a year after he gave this inspiring and motivational speech.

Comedic Satire on Racism

Clayton Bigsby, Black White Supremacist

Featured on "The Dave Chappelle Show" on the channel Comedy Central, this is a parody of a blind black man who is a white supremacist.  The character, Clayton Bigsby, is played by Dave Chappelle.

Welcome to my first ever blog

Let me welcome you to my personal blog.......and warn you. This is my first EVER blog, so Look out....you have entered an experiment to test whether I am truly an entertaining human being. My life's interests and questions are quite immense; you will see my ADD in full force. But seeing how this is a sociological experiment, I will focus a lot of this blog on subjects I find fascinating and eye opening. That is why I feel the header on this blog is fitting, "Mind Bloggerling". Enjoy! Cheers!