Okay, first my bad for posting so late, I have been a bit confused with date changes and failed to read the posting dates for these questions, until a few hours ago. Although my favorite articles in this subject were from the Furgeson articles, I have selected this question. I was going to answer Q 9 because it interests and affects me, so I may slip it in.... The reserve army of labor (raol) is a very interesting group. I learned even more about it in the Furgeson articles which were perfect compliments to the Sen and So article. When I went to high school I was very interested in economics and other classes where I learned stats on the society. I remember that the average unemployment rate was 7%. I assumed that our country was trying continually to reduce that number and that it was a problem. Oh, no I have been realizing that is sooooo not true! My first realization that made my eyebrows furrow was that the unemployment rate only included those seeking jobs.... in other words the homeless and jobless were not even included in such an important statistic figure of who has and who needs jobs. I really liked the Gans article that outlined the bonuses from the undeserving poor stereotype. Sorry to tell all of the positive students in this class, but the positives in Soc do not come out of the stats, but out of the actions you and I take after we are woken up by the stats. The RAOL are pawns for our society and its capitalists. They are never given the opportunity to better their own situation, but any break they get is to better the corporations that need workers that will work for cheaper rates, or to break strikes or unions. Wow! If that does not change our American lie, I am not sure what will. We try so hard to hold on to the images we want to think about our country while people are starving and dying so we can go to sleep with an ideal. America is afraid of change. Many think that changing things is too dangerous because it is admitting we don't do everything right. Well, we don't and I have a lot more respect for politicians and FELLOW CITIZENS that have the maturity and strength and humility to say, "dang, we have messed up, we need a whole lot of big changes." Instead of a bunch of masqueraders that waltz around with a mask. My Pastor gave a message on Christians that go to the Christian Masquerade Ball on Sunday and really don't live for God. It was a really good sermon (if you want a copy hit me up) and it works for our society as well. America waltzes around and pretends that we don't need to change how our WHOLE SYSTEM works, even though we have statistic after statistic that shows how unequal and non-mobile our society and its wealth are. I will be so relieved when there are politiciams who can take off their masks, and be real. When we have a nation that makes money and uses its poor to better the small rich percentage we need internal surgery. It obviously does not take a PhD, a country club membership, or a multimillion dollar estate to see that things need to be scrapped and rebuilt.... because those that have the above are not thinking with their heart or their vote to the extent that they could. In the book of Luke Jesus states that to those that are given much, much are required. I couldn't agree more. ( :