What Is Globalization?

Globalization has become a bête noire for all sorts of people - activists and academics, reformists and revolutionaries. At a time when nationalism is resurgent, we see an internationalization of struggle. And yet confusion reins confusion over our objectives, our ideals, our methods and goals. A confusion that could be fatal if we miss our chance when it is presented to us we might not get another one. We are living in critical times. Therefore in the following pages we examine the background to globalization, the struggle against it and some of the confusions and misunderstandings that surround it. The current trend for opposing globalization appears to have fallen for an inverted version of the same illusion that those in favor of it suffer from - that what is occurring is something new and radically different to what has gone before. The things that are identified as constituting globalization - free trade, the free movement of capital, the growth of international regulatory bodies and institutions, the expansion of multinationals and the creation of one global 'culture' - are new in the sense that they are new forms of organization and structure but in essence they are a continuation of what has gone before.

Capital has always been global. The capitalist system is the most adaptable and voracious in history. From its beginning it has been driven by the need to constantly expand or die; the changes that have occurred in recent years are an expression of this need. Globalization is 'worse' in the sense that it represents an attempt at extending and intensifying capital's grip on humanity, but it is not worse, as some seem to imply, in opposition to a mythical idealized past when capitalism was nice and local and the state intervened to protect us against the markets. The logic is the same now as it always been - to exploit people and nature to the maximum extent possible. The fact that in some previous eras this exploitation may have taken place in a way that was softer or more 'democratic' doesn't change its essential nature.

Related Links:
Norwegian translator

How To Build Commitment In Your Relationship?

Do you know how can a person reduce his/her conflicts and increase relationship commitment? Here are four steps you can use to increase the commitment in your relationship:

• Take time to validate your partner-- This simple concept seldom occurs when couples are arguing and fighting. If you want to quickly change your relationship, begin by letting your partner know how much you appreciate him/her. Ask yourself the question, "When was the last time I let my partner know how much I loved him/her?"
• Be honest-- One thing that creates instant conflict is lying or telling partial truths. Honesty is the backbone of healthy relationships. If you want to deepen the level of commitment in your relationship, make sure that you are telling the truth in all of your communication.
• Be loyal-- When your partner knows that you are loyal to them, their heart is calmed. Loyalty is expressed by supporting them. There is a great story about Nancy Reagan showing support to President Reagan. Peter Robinson reports this. He tells of a story where Nancy was hosting a dinner, while President Reagan was gone. At the dinner two people started discussing something that President Reagan did that caused one of them to not be elected in his race. Frustrated Nancy asked them to stop talking about her husband that way. They acknowledged her, but a few minutes later returned to the conversation. At that point she got up and went to the offending party and directly told him to stop talking about her husband that way. Such loyalty does not go unrecognized.
• Express your commitment-- You can express your commitment in many ways, none will be more powerful than by your actions. We show commitment by being consistent, reliable, and dependable. Commitment also is manifest when we verbally tell our partner that we want a good relationship. It might sound something like this; "I want to let you know that I love being with you. I am committed to doing whatever I can to make this relationship an outstanding one." People generally don't say things like this, but what would be the outcome if they did?

If you want to reduce the level of conflict in your relationships, discover the power of commitment. You can do so by implementing the four strategies outlined above.

Overview of Facebook

Facebook. You have heard about it by now, whether from your teenager or a friend, or lately you've read about it in the business section. If you think that Facebook is just a Web site for high school and college kids to share funny pictures and stories, you are dead wrong. Facebook is a social networking website, launched on February 4, 2004. Facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg, a former Harvard student. Facebook has already become one of the most popular social networking sites in the world, with some 50 million users today, and that number has been doubling every six months. A large and growing percentage of Facebook users are over the age of 23. There are nearly 6 million Facebook users over the age of 23 in the United States, and more than 4 million users each in Canada and the UK. In fact, US users under the age of 24 make up only 30 percent of all Facebook users. Whether or not you completely understand social media or social networking sites, the one aspect you must understand is that they are going to change the way businesses advertise. Facebook is constantly evolving and improving its users' experience with new features and applications.