the
Herald By and for the students of Hobart and William Smith Colleges
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2012
VOLUME CXXXIV ISSUE 2
GENEVA, NY
Apple Products Raise Questions of Morality By Emma Stratigos ‘12 Campus Happenings Editor There is nothing quite of the issue, Apple like opening that sleek released this statement: white box and laying eyes “We care about every on the chic, shining Apple worker in our worldwide product that situates us in supply chain.” the digital age. Focusing The conflict lies in on the journey the product supply and demand. must travel, however, Even if the company took sheds a different light on the initiative to improve the attractive technology. factory conditions, it The inhumane conditions often doesn’t bode well of many technology for important supplier manufacturing plants relations and speedy in China have recently delivery to consumers. attracted the attention of Meeting the demand the media and consumers does not leave room for a alike. major system overhaul. The systems used to Published reports meet demands for vast from Apple require all numbers of technology unfair labor conditions to products are sophisticated. be corrected, but finding Apple, along with other new suppliers is a costly line workers in China face unfavorable conditions on a daily basis. large corporations, wants Assembly and time-consuming Photo Courtesy of static.guim.co.uk their products to be built undertaking. There are as quickly as the ideas for not many manufacturers alerted to the unsafe conditions of billion worth of merchandise and them are conceived. Respect for its facilities. in the world with the resources to collected a $13.06 billion profit. workers is sacrificed for efficiency. build huge numbers of iPhones “What’s morally repugnant Foxconn is one of Apple’s Workers on assembly lines are in one country is accepted largest and most influential and iPads like Foxconn. expected to work excessive hours, business practices in another, and manufacturing partners. One “Apple never cared about sometimes seven days a week companies take advantage of that,” anonymous worker at the Foxconn anything other than increasing without sufficient breaks, and live said Nicholas Ashford, former factory in Chengdu, China, where product quality and decreasing in crowded dorms. They are often chairman of the National Advisory one of the deadly explosions production cost,” said Li Migqui, a banned from talking or sitting Committee on Occupational Safety occurred, earns less than $1 an former management worker at the down in the factories, causing and Health that advises the U.S. hour for her work. Foxconn location. many to report swelling of the legs Department of Health. “If Apple “We’ve known about labor She works a 60-hour week on so severe that walking is impeded. was warned [about the hazardous an assembly line where she applies abuses in some factories for four They are required to work with conditions], and didn’t act, that’s more than 4,000 stickers a day years, and they’re still going on,” poisonous chemicals and in reprehensible.” by hand to iPad screens. “They explained an anonymous executive extremely dangerous conditions. Throughout the last decade, use women as men and men as from Apple. In the past year there have been Apple has grown to become machines,” she said. She saw her “Why? Because the system two explosions in Chinese factories one of the most powerful global first fully assembled iPad during works for us. Suppliers would resulting in four deaths and 77 manufacturing change everything tomorrow if companies. an interview with CNN. injuries. These incidents occurred Last quarter, Apple sold $46.3 In response to CNN‘s coverage Apple told them they didn’t have even after Apple was reportedly another choice.” got some air Super Bowl Play 60 and 60and Program positive publicity from viewers across the United XBOX Kinect Tackle States. In the Super Bowl Play 60 commercial, young girls Childhood Obesity and boys accompanied by By Meghan Gaucher ‘14 Sports Editor
Photo Courtesy of marketingonlineetc.files.wordpress.com
On Sunday, Feb. 5th during the big game between the Giants and the Patriots, crowds of viewers fell silent after the chirps and spirited cheering for their desired team to view and judge the Super Bowl commercials for 2012. Aside from Coca Cola’s ad starring the polar bears and Acura SNX’s ad featuring Jerry Seinfeld, the National Football League’s (N.F.L.) Play
pro football players “get their whole body in the game” on the game field and on the home field. The slogan, “be a player, get up and play 60 minutes a day” is used by the Play 60 Ad Council to promote “the N.F.L. movement for an active generation”, according to nflrush.com. By including star athletes in Play 60 ads like Arthur Blank from the Falcons, N.F.L. encourages kids to jump in and pledge to Play 60 initiative to promote exercise and join the fight against child obesity. Obesity in the United States has dramatically increased due to high-fat, high-calorie diets and lack of exercise-due to such timekillers as television and video games. In 2010 alone, no state had a presence of obesity less than 20 percent, according to cdc.gov. Put into effect at a grassroots level, N.F.L. Play 60 has hosted after school team-based programs and educational sessions to create student awareness about obesity and the importance of exercise. Coaches and athletes support Play 60 year round, holding special activities around key NFL events such
as: Thanks Giving, Kick-off, the Draft and the Super Bowl. The such contests as the Punt, Pass and Kick to the Pro Bowl or the Play 60 Super Bowl Contest that bring athletes and children together in an active, friendly setting usually on school grounds or community fields and parks. “Our players recognize the value of staying healthy,” Roger Goodell, the N.F.L. commissioner says. “It’s important that young fans recognize the benefits of exercise. Play 60 is a tool that ensures children to get their daily physical activity.” Many of these contests and after school events require a submitted essay and photograph by a teacher or administrator in order to win a visit from the N.F.L. Play 60 bus full of pro football players. Although video games have played a part in rising obesity levels, N.F.L. Play 60 has shed light on a new and evolutionary way of exercise through its rather recent partnership with XBOX 360. Whether inside or outside of the house, families participated in the contest “Kinect for XBOX 360 Super Bowl Challenge” in which Drew Brees and Play 60 teamed up with XBOX and Kinect to challenge everyone-young and old- to participate in a total of 60 minutes of controller-free activities with Kinect for XBOX 360 anytime during Super Bowl Sunday. XBOX, a video game console owned by Microsoft created Kinect, a controller free video game that allows players to virtually participate in such videos games as Kinect Adventures or Kinect Carnival. Many parents, kids, sponsors and professional athletes have rectified the innovation and appeal that Kinect possesses that contributes to bettering general health. “Weather and daylight can limit how long kids OBESITY continued on page 14
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