First – Business’s are started in the nonprofit sector because they are commenced from the heart. People usually want to change something in the world. This area of work is not a capital success. The nonprofit sector dominates in areas that the government does not cover. That doesn’t mean nonprofits  are just in huge areas like health care, social services, education, ect. There are nonprofits for animals; example: if someone wants to start a nonprofit to save stray cats that need a home, then someone can start a nonprofit that saves stray cats. Why would they make it a nonprofit? Good question! Well the cat saving nonprofit started because of the persons intention (which came from the heart, not the head), and a nonprofit it tax free. Another part of being a nonprofit is the capital. Nonprofits aren’t propelled by making capital for themselves. Nonprofits will accept money to reach their mission goal, but not to thrive on receiving money for personal benefits. Now I want to talk about businesses in capitalism and how some are for the heart and not entirely for profit.

The reason I want to talk about businesses in the capital system; because I felt that in  class the majority of people were accelerating with the nonprofit idea, but didn’t understand the business aspect of reality. The stereotype that was talked about in class was that businesses use their head and not their heart. Well I think differently about that stereotype. My thought of working in life is that I want to do something that I love doing. That is the benefit of being in a capital system people. If I cant find a job doing something I love, than I will create one. Simple idea, but hard to do in reality. There are many businesses that have a good heart; they are never heard of due to the negative impact of capitalism and humans. My parents wanted to grow a great cherry, a cherry that is huge, full of flavor, and taste good. The average cherry on the market is the size of a quarter, red and sour! So my parents wanted to start a new path in life for cherries. The big question was how are we gonna do this and support our family (6 people). Today we grow the best cherry in the North West, because it is sweet, big, crunchy, and they look amazing (this opinion is mine). We as a family business do our best to go by good morals and not let the capital system overcome our family. There are many other examples of businesses doing well for the world. I end on reminding people to keep an open view in life, and don’t listen to everything you hear, find out for yourself.

Our system in America is structured on capitalism, by observing capitalism in our system we can understand some environmental problems. I do not think that we can completely change the system, but we can add some changes to it and help guide it to what we want. My area of focus is in the agriculture sector of the world. There have been some key issues brought up for the future of the world. Some topics are: America changing its laws for which chemicals can be used/how much? Urban communities having agriculture (community gardens). Is globalization hurting the world? or Is it helping the world? (in the agriculture sector)

I will discuss the globalization of agriculture within the Urban community by using telling a story for an example. This last weekend I was in San Francisco for PAC 10′s in Track and Field, while I was there I stayed with my sister who lives in the downtown area (Nob hill). Her apartment is located within walking distance of everything she needs in SF. The Whole Foods grocery store is about 8 blocks and the Saturday market is about 12 blocks from her apartment. Other lower end stores in SF are further away and exceed her range of a good distance. This limits her to just 2 main locations.

By shopping at Whole Foods; she acts with society in supporting globalization. When she shops at the Saturday market; she reduces globalization by shopping local, and supporting the local farm market. If we compare the prices of the two markets, we will notice that they are about equal. There are positive and negative factors about both of these markets, but I would lean to support the Saturday market. Being an orchardist, I support USA grown fruit, and if possible local.

I think that local community gardens and support for local agriculture are awesome; but how do address problems like world hunger without globalization. Can we provide agriculture for foreign countries without globalization?

Another point with globalization is separation of rural and urban. It is impossible for a large urban population to survive on local urban markets. (within the city) The urban population relies heavily on rural support and agriculture from foreign countries, especially in the winter. How would we address this issue?

My reaction to this subject is full of questions. If you have an idea please comment.

I have chosen to focus on the Education area, because I have an interest in Education. In the future I would like to teach at a high school level, particularly in Geography focus.I hope to learn more about our Education system now, Where Obama wants it to go, and How I can help transform it to a better system.

links to some sources:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/education/

http://www.recovery.gov/Pages/home.aspx

http://change.gov/agenda/education_agenda/

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Pages/home.aspx

Advocate: one who speaks or writes in support of another or a cause.

After reading this, I thought duhhhh…. this sounds like a true American word. This is what makes America so awesome and interesting at the same time. This is our first Amendment: Freedom of Speech. Without advocacy, America wouldn’t exist.

The nonprofit definition was very interesting; “primarily engaged in promoting a particular cause or working for the realization of a specific social or political goal to benefit a broad or specific constituency” (Nonprofit Nation page136). To have a reaction to this, I have to think, and I like to think ‘why did this come about?’ This tells me that not everyone has the same opinion in the USA, and this helps define our American Culture. I know that there are probably a lot of organizations in this area of the nonprofit sector but, I did not know there were 8, 343 organizations! Now that is a lot of Advocacy in the USA. (That makes me think of that song by John Melloncamp; Born in the USA, random but very true)

A solid point from the reading which I agreed with, “all nonprofit organizations may engage in some advocacy work” (Nonprofit Nation page138). This really stood out to me when I was reading because, it is so true. Nonprofits usually form from a group of people who want to support their belief or values, and this comes from the heart. The reason there are so many advocacy organizations, people want to change the policies and practices of the government and corporations. Advocacy makes America, but at the same time it breaks it down. Do you think Advocacy organizations go to far with their purposes? I think most of these organizations do well in society equaling out our checks and balances.

My reaction to the chapter on Advocacy, makes me think of how we as college students are young advocates. At the UO, I feel that they support advocacy and encourage students to express their opinion publicly. I feel that our classes are kind of like practice to becoming an advocate. Which I like, because this lets us hear others. By listening to someone else can strengthen your own opinion. If you can understand how the other thinks, then you can think yourself. I feel this is a lost thought in today’s society. No one wants to understand someone else, they just want to be right. This class is a good way to open your mind from the left – right and gain knowledge.

For this post I don’t feel like discussing religion because, I already wrote about that topic last post. For education, I was really excited last class to hear so many opinions and ideas about education. Another reason, is that my focus in school is ‘Geography Education’ and I would like to teach some day in the far future (like 10-15yrs). There was a lot of talk about about public school vs. private schools. I thought the majority of people agreed on the problems addressed, this really made me think WOW. I am WOWed because, 1st – everyone has an agreement (close enough for a majority), 2nd – I ask myself; It sounds like there is an agreement that public education needs some restructuring but, Why hasn’t it happened?

I went home this weekend and pondered on this question. While I was out and about riding my  horse through the country side, I came up with a couple of ideas. 1st -  maybe we focus to much of our politics on bigger problems and foreign problems, we are distracted and forget about domestic problems. 2nd – maybe there isn’t enough funding to improve public education. (but I think  not) 3rd – maybe the federal/state government doesn’t want to deal with it during our economic crisis and Obama is waiting to approach this after the economy returns back to a stable level. So, if your reading my post, please comment your thought on why the Education system has not been restructured?

If you are wondering what I mean by ?Restructured?

I mean newer schools, more teachers, higher paid teachers, more schools to help highly populated areas, making sure schools don’t have to cut days back, giving kids the activities and sports they want, not cutting their education because of money. I hope this helps make things clear.

After reviewing the chapter on Education and Research, from Nonprofit Nation, I was not surprised by the amount of private schools and students there are in the U.S.A., especially after last weeks class on Religion. So a question I have for people, How are Private schools checked to make sure they are teaching the States requirements for education?

“The challenges and opportunities facing non-profit education and research arise partly from their work and partly from larger societal demands” (Nonprofit Nation pg123). If there is a demand for a better education and research, why haven’t these been addressed to the National level?

I think that if the government gave money to Private schools, it would create huge controversial problems. Which Private school to give money to, and these schools being religious? With the separation of church and state, how would that work?

The majority of Americans believe in a God, may not be the same one, but its a God of some sort. This plays a huge role in peoples life, and how they go about living it. I think religion shows how people interact with others in there culture. My personal experiences with religion are from a young child. Now that I am an adult and can think for myself, I do not think religion should be as important in my life as it was for my mother when she was growing up. Until the 7th grade I had to go to church twice a week, being that I was in a Private Catholic School for 7 years we had to attend church once a week. Then my family went once a week on Sundays. My whole life I was confused with church, I would always be thinking of what I could be doing; like skiing, or biking, or playing sports, never feeling excited to attend church. Now that I am older and look back on my experience with Religion, I think of how it had an impact on my life. I think that going to church helps build a good moral base for people, but I am not an avid church goer.

Church definitely has a social impact on people in society. The book talked about how in Chicago neighbor hoods were associated with which church you attend. This plays a huge role on your culture, you might have more friends from your church than others. This is why Churches are usually nonprofits, because they are doing things from their heart. Their religion is their belief.

After reading this chapter on Religion, I think that the reason Religion has done well in America is because of Church-State separation. The U.S. constitution allows such a diverse country: The federal government can not create a national, established church. Citizens have the right to pursue their own religious beliefs. These main points make me proud to be an American. Americans benefit greatly through this part of the nonprofit sector through health, education, social services, and international aide.

The next chapter in Nonprofit Nation is about Social Services. I did not know a lot about this area of the nonprofit sector until now. I have worked in some of these areas, like meals on wheels and the salvation army. When helping with Meals on Wheels, it was shocking to find out how many different people needed help and were thankful to have a warm meal. I think that this area of the non-profit sector is better off as it is than being apart of the government, because these services are not easily done on a day to day basis. It takes lots of hard work, and people that are unselfish and very giving. These services have people with good morals and this is why these services have small numbers of people helping.

I am a senior at the University of Oregon, my focus is in Geography (not geology but Geography). I am from a small town in Oregon by Mount Hood. I would like to either be a high school teacher or follow family foot steps and be an orchardist. I am taking this course to help broaden my knowledge in the nonprofit sector, because I know nothing about it. Not knowing anything about the nonprofit sector, this class looked very interesting to me. I am hoping to learn the history of the nonprofit sector; where and why it started? What is the focus and purpose of the nonprofit sector?

After attending class and having an introduction to the nonprofit sector, I had a ‘wow’ feeling from the lecture by Professor Choquette. A surprise to me was its history, starting with John Harvard in 1638. It is interesting how Philanthropy was viewed as “begging” when Harvard conducts a fund drive. The view taken back then surprises me, compared with today. Learning about well known people doing great things, that I did not know about really surprised me. Especially about Andrew Carnegie, in 1889 building 2,507 libraries throughout the U.S and the world. This made me think, why did this happen? Why would someone spend their own money on someone else? After Monday’s class from Professor Choquette, I realized these people did this from their heart.

A point from the book I found interesting was about Alexis de Tocqueville. “Nothing in my view, more deserves attention than the intellectual and moral associations in America” ([1835]1969,page 517) Here we have a French observer in a country that has only been around since 1776, saying that the moral associations in America deserve attention. The book covered quite a bit about Tocqueville and his observations. After reading this, I felt that Tocqueville really felt that the nonprofit sector helps improve society in areas the government can not help very well.

In class we discussed the two federal laws that govern the nonprofit sector. I didn’t know there were so many different classes among associations. Like the difference in a 501(c)1 and a 501(c)3. The laws for classification among the nonprofit sector is very large. Thats because it is a large, diverse and powerful sector that produces a lot of economic money.

In conclusion to my first post, I now have a brief definition of the nonprofit sector and know a little about where it came from, and how it was started. I have also learned some of the nonprofits that are out there by use of the Internet; American Humane Society, American Farmland Trust, American Heart Association and many more. The question that still floats in my head is ‘Why these activities gravitate to the nonprofit sector rather than other sectors?

So Long For Now!

my last race was went well. the course was a brutal 8 km with 2 rolling hills and wind beating your face to the ground. the first lap was slow no huge accelerations but a good pace for myself. each lap the pace quickened, Belgium races only get faster, not slower. by now the wind is screaming by as we grind away. by the 3rd lap I am starting to notice that guys are falling off the back and I am 20 from the back myself. as start the 4th lap I am getting tired, we turn a corner half way. slightly up hill with a strong wind, the pace explodes. I cant hold the wheel, I panic, I stand to go faster but the wind sits me back down, I think of how nice that wheel would feel. but I cant, It speeds up. I am off the back.