The Uncovered

The Uncovered

            After watching the film Forgiving Dr. Mengele, I began to wonder why there wasn’t more information given on him or why they didn’t show more history on this terrible man. The film touched base on several different aspects, but it never told us what ever happened to him and never gave us too much information on him. I found the film interesting because it was something that I was never aware of and such a big issue back in those times. I never knew of the horrible experiments that they had to endure just because they were twins. And the question that kept playing through my mind as we watched the film, would they have been better off being sent to the gas chamber or living through those experiments?

            Dr. Josef Mengele was born March 16, 1911; he was born in to a wealthy Bavarian family that had a strict catholic background. The oldest of three sons, he was the son of father Karl Mengele and mother Walburga Mengele. “He studied philosophy in Munich, where he met the racial ideology of Alfred Rosenberg. In 1931, at the age of 20, he joined the Stahlhelm (Steel Helmet), then the SA in 1933, and applied for party membership in 1937. Upon being accepted into the Nazi party, he applied for membership in the SS. He later studied medicine at the University of Frankfurt, after which he joined the Institute for Hereditary Biology and Racial Hygiene in 1934. It was here that he developed his studies in physical anthropology and genetics”. (http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk)

            “The memory of this slightly built man, scarcely a hair out of place, his dark green tunic neatly pressed, his face well scrubbed, his Death's Head SS cap tilted rakishly to one side, remains vivid for those who survived his scrutiny when they arrived at the Auschwitz railhead. Polished boots slightly apart, his thumb resting on his pistol belt, he surveyed his prey with those dead gimlet eyes. Death to the left, life to the right. Four hundred thousand souls - babies, small children, young girls, mothers, fathers, and grandparents - are said to have been casually waved to the lefthand side with a flick of the cane clasped in a gloved hand”. (http://www.auschwitz.dk)

            Dr. Josef Mengele known as “the angel of death” was the chief doctor at the Auschwitz concentration camp during the Second World War. Prior to Dr. Mengele’s arrival of Auschwitz there were several substantial articles on genetic abnormalities and racial variations that he had published in primary features.” His career in academia looking bright, but the war interrupted his progress, and he was placed with reserve medical corps and a Waffen SS unit. Wounded, he was declared unfit for combat, but promoted to captain. An ardent Nazi, he served as medical officer with the Waffen SS during WW2, and was appointed chief doctor at the Auschwitz concentration camp where Jews were selected either for labour, extermination or medical experimentation”.( http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk)

            Known as the “Angel of Death” Dr. Mengele was in charge of massive numbers of fatal, abnormal and inhuman medical experiments that killed over 400,000 victims. Dispute surrounds the results of such horrendous experiments, as their irregularly sophisticated findings have evidenced of undeniable use. After the war it was said that Dr. Mengele escaped and fled somewhere in South America where he later surfaced in 1961. This is where he met another Nazi Wolfgang Gerhard, in Brazil. “Recent forensic advances, involving a body exhumed in 1985, suggest that he had assumed Gerhard’s identity upon his death, and was buried under that name”. (http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk)

                After researching all of this information on Dr. Mengele I have come to conclusion that he was a very cold hearted and evil man. It wasn’t something that he was just made to do but after researching it was something that he enjoyed doing and he. He tortured and killed thousands of people which he was later to escape. According to the research they actually don’t have a specific time as to when he passed away. This remains a mystery and I  plan on doing some further research to find out more.

           

           

 Works Cited

            "Josef Mengele, Angel of Death." Josef Mengele, Angel of Death. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 May 2013.

                 "Josef Mengele Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 01 May 2013.

                "Josef Mengele Biography." Josef Mengele. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 May 2013.

                

Journal # 8

            Writing has never been my favorite thing. I’ve never felt that I was good at writing, so I never could enjoy it. When I first took Mrs. Warren’s class for 1101 I was very nervous and dreaded taking it. Once I got used to it I actually started to enjoy writing and couldn’t wait for my next paper. One thing that I really enjoyed about 1101 was how we were able to write from personal experiences. Mrs. Warren is an awesome professor and I feel that the way she taught 1102 this semester was a great idea. However, if I had to do it over again I would choose 1101’s writing style. I found ENC 1102 to be boring because we always had to do research on each paper we had to write. This class was the first time I was introduced to blogging, there wasn’t much to it and wasn’t hard to do, but I would have to say that it isn’t something that I would keep up with if I didn’t have to. One thing that I did like about blogger was the ability to read all of my classmate’s papers. I enjoyed reading the different outlooks and opinions they had on each paper we did and would also use it as a learning tool. I can’t say that writing will never be something that I will one day love but if that day comes research papers will not be at the top of my list of favorites. 

Waiting for Superman

Uneducated

            Do you send your children to school every day expecting that they are going to learn something? I’m sure the majority of parents do. Our children attend school daily barely learning to write their names let alone in cursive. We always want to base the fact that our children aren’t learning as they should because of the neighborhoods we live in. I remember as a child I didn’t live in the best neighborhood in Duval County, but my second grade teacher was amazing. I now live in a decent neighborhood in Duval County that I have observed a second grade teacher that really doesn’t seem to care. The truth is we can have some of the best teachers in the worst neighborhoods.

            “Unfortunately, Duval County is not one of the higher-performing school districts in Florida; in fact Schooldigger.com ranks Duval County 56th out of 67 Florida counties. Nevertheless, there are many bright spots. For example, Jacksonville is home to four of the nation's top 100 high schools, and is also home to a number of high-quality elementary schools” (About.com). I live across the street from Greenland Pines Elementary school, a school that has been rated an A school. But the teacher that my 8 year old cousin has in the second grade is a perfect example of a bad teacher in a good neighborhood. My Aunt will normally take my cousin to school and when doing so has naturally come across several parents with kids in the same class. She has made it a point to ask them if their children were having issues with their grades in this teacher’s class, just to make sure it wasn’t just my cousin cutting up in class and not paying attention. Four of the other parents that she has spoken with have said that their child too was struggling, and two out of four of those parents had put their children in tutoring. If this isn’t a good example then I don’t know what is.

            When I was younger I lived off of 103^rd street, and attended Jacksonville Heights Elementary school. Granted 103^rd street is not considered to be the worst neighborhood in Jacksonville and clearly not the best. In 2nd grade I attended Jacksonville Heights and I never once came home with a bad grade. I remember Mrs. Daily as if it was yesterday, and I remember her because she was one of the best teachers I’ve ever had. She always spent so much time with her students. If my mother ever needed to be in contact with my teacher, it was always a simple process to do so. There was never a question on what homework was due, or what my grades were like, or if I was struggling and possibly going to fail.

            Now a days to get in touch with a teacher, is like waiting on the president to give you a call back. A really good friend of mine has a child in 5^th grade, and any time she needs to get in contact with the teacher, it’s never easy. The teacher lets her get bad grade after bad grade, and waits close to the end of the school year to let her know that her child is close to failing. If she had only known this earlier in the school year she could have addressed this issue. Now due to the lack of communication with the teacher, her child is at risk of failing. This teacher has an address, home phone, cell phone, work phone, email, and a student to send information home with but still shows no concern in this student’s education.

            Why is this? Why do our children have to take a chance in whether or not they have a good teacher? There was a quote from the film Waiting for Superman that really struck me the wrong way. “I get paid whether you learn or not”. (Waiting for Superman) I couldn’t agree with that statement more, this is exactly what those bad teachers stand by. And because of the policy tenure that has been put in place for teachers, teachers are allowed to feel this way and are basically allowed to put in less effort in teaching our children and encouraging them to stride for a better future and education. Because at the end of the day when those bad teachers go home they still have a job.” I have worked in a state that did not have tenure and one that does.  In both of those states, most of the teachers were hard working and dedicated to the children.  There were no more "poor" teachers in one state than the other”. (www.education.com)

           

                                                                         Works Cited

            "About.com Education." About.com Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

                "Duval County Public Schools: Teaching. Learning. Achieving." Duval County Public Schools: Teaching. Learning. Achieving. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

                "Should Teachers Have Tenure?" Education.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.

                "Waiting for 'Superman'(2010)." Yahoo! Movies. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2013

Journal 7 Waiting for Superman

Waiting for Superman

            Last class we watched a documentary called “Waiting for Superman”, it revealed the reality of the struggles that take place in our schools as our children strive to get an education. It saddened me to watch these helpless children struggle while trying to get an education. The Documentary showed what it’s like in our schools, how children never get a one on one with teachers and how they end up failing because of a bad teacher. Parents send their children to school every day expecting that they will get the proper education, and they only will if they are lucky enough to have a good teacher. The Documentary also showed the children that are unfortunate to have that bad teacher, and how they have resulted to being chosen to attend a better school. It broke my heart to watch the children’s faces as they sit in a room waiting for a chance in life, as their numbers or names were being called out or not. It is a sad situation and it happens in several schools, and it’s not only in the so called bad neighborhoods that these bad teachers work in.  I live in a decent neighborhood in Mandarin and the school that my 8 year old cousin goes to is graded an A school. However, the teacher that he has doesn’t reflect that. He’s been sent to a math tutor for several months to help him and once he was doing “wonderful” as the tutor said he no longer needed to attend. Since he’d been going to the tutor he brought his math up to an A, and since he’s stopped his grade dropped back down to a D. It isn’t just the neighborhood that we live in, but it’s the teachers want to teach our children. 

Miss Representation

Tiara Roman

ENC 1102

Miss Representation

09 April 2013

Undivided

            Have you ever been let go at a job or turned down because you weren’t a male? I have, and although you may not know it and though it states in an application that they will not discriminate it happens every day. You can be over qualified for the position and the male that sits beside you, be his first job ever and he get the position before you. Most of the time this isn’t something that us women always pay attention to, we base it on the economy and how many people have applied. But the truth is we are getting looked down upon, our qualifications are getting overlooked and we are being discriminated against.

            Reasons for discrimination against women vary amongst workers and bosses around the world. Because women could possibly become pregnant, they are seen as unreliable of a sort as they would leave the workplace for some amount of time, if not permanently, due to the child. Another reason is appearance. Many men that are in charge of hiring employees may deny a woman a job because a lack of sex appeal, or approve them because of a comely appearance.

            “The "glass ceiling" is also a form of gender discrimination. The term refers to the invisible barriers that prevent women from climbing the ranks of management because upper level and executive positions are given to men. Glass ceiling policies are unwritten, and sometimes referred to as the "old boys network," but whatever it is called, it is another form of gender discrimination. If men get more time off, better compensation packages or benefits than women based on unfair gender bias it is gender discrimination and it is illegal” (http://womeninbusiness.about.com). Although discrimination is not as prominent as earlier years, female workers still endure more of it than male worker. On average, men are paid more than women, and it is also more difficult for women to receive a promotion or a raise than it is for their male coworkers. Women are also succumbed to sexual harassment which, while highly illegal, is normally disregarded. While it may seem as though no woman should have to be given this poor treatment, it happens daily and can go without being treated properly.

            “If you’re being paid less than your male coworkers or you feel like you’re not being promoted because you’re a woman you can file a lawsuit or threaten to do so. Tread lightly though. If they find out you’re thinking about suing them they might fire you awfully fast. If you’re at a company where you’re not getting paid your worth or you’re being held down then you probably don’t want to work there. If your lawyer can prove that the company has systematically prevented women from advancing and refuses to pay them a fair wage then you’ll be in line for a big settlement. There’s a long history of cases of this nature going for the women” (http://womenslegalresource.com).

            “Computer Sciences Corporation was sued by a former high-level female executive who was fired after identifying and complaining about pattern and practice gender discrimination and sexual harassment. She was told to "quit complaining." She did not, she was fired” (PR Web. April 18, 2012). “In 2011, Wal-Mart dodged a bullet when the Supreme Court ultimately overturned a decision that would have held Wal-Mart accountable in a class action suit. The justices ruled that the "women did not share enough in common to qualify as a class in what would have been the largest class action discrimination suit in history." However, individual lawsuits against Wal-Mart continue to be filed” (Huffington Post. January 24, 2012).

            Although gender discrimination is not always gone about correctly, it continues to be a large problem in the working world. Women continue to lose jobs while men continuing receiving them. As time passes, whether the discrimination increases or decreases in occurrences remains completely in the hands of those around the world in charge of hiring and firing employees in their work environments.

            The truth that discrimination against women though it may be getting somewhat better is still happening is known. It should not be happening at all. There shouldn’t be any getting better, this needs to stop. Where I am currently working I don’t feel that I am being discriminated against, but you can definitely see that when it comes to a male, he will get the promotion or raise first. We are all equal as people, some can do things better than others but it shouldn’t divide us as women and men.

Works Cited

"Corporations Sued For Gender Discrimination Against Women And Men." About.com Women in Business. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Apr. 2013.

 "Discrimination against Women in the Workplace." Womens Legal Resource. N.p., n.d.

Web. 09 Apr. 2013.

"National Partnership for Women and Families: Workplace Discrimination." National Partnership for Women and Families: Workplace Discrimination. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Apr. 2013.

               

Journal 6 MIss Representation

Miss Representation

After watching the film Miss Representation I was surprised to see the reality of discrimination against women in Congress that I didn’t know about. The film showed several different aspects in how women are viewed by society and how degrading it can be. The video also showed the different levels of congress or government jobs that women are in and how little of them there are. Granted I’ve seen for myself how women are exploited on the television as a piece of meat but I didn’t know to the extent of discrimination in the work place. Watching the film also showed how even though a woman is in a position such as Congress, they still aren’t viewed differently nor as equal to a man. Society is so used to this happening, that it’s basically a hidden subject or just overseen. The film was a great view on what really goes on and opened my eyes to a lot that I did not know.  I too have applied for certain positions for employment that I know I was over qualified for and have been turned down to a male getting the position. I could literally work circles around this under certified male, but it didn’t matter because it was a warehouse job where mostly males worked. The application you fill out at a workplace states that they will not discriminate against, sex, race, orientation, etc. But the truth is, it happens every day. 

Diving In the Dumps

Tiara Roman
ENC 1102
Dive

12 March 2013

Diving in the Dumps

            People in the United States can go dumpster diving if they are hungry, but did you ever think about the people in other countries that have no dumpsters to dive in? If we are considered one of the top ten richest countries in the world, then why are there so many people in other countries starving or dying from starvation? Why is it considered too expensive to help these people? We can bail out car Dealerships by the millions, another vehicle sold, but thousands of children and people dead. Granted there are other countries richer than ours that could contribute to starving human beings in other countries. But what has the world come to? Why is this so neglected?

            “Hunger is a term which has three meanings” (Oxford English Dictionary 1971) “the uneasy or painful sensation caused by want of food; craving appetite, the exhausted condition caused by want of food, the want or scarcity of food in a country and third is a strong desire or craving”(Oxford English Dictionary 1971). And with hunger comes starvation, which is the “result of a severe or total lack of nutrients needed for the maintenance of life”       (http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com). Starvation has several causes and symptoms which include coma, stroke, and shrinkage of vital organs, immune deficiency, severe gastrointestinal disease and even death. There is a large Vitamin A deficiency in children, between 100 and 140 million children are vitamin A deficient. This deficiency can also cause growth retardation, reduces the body’s resistance to disease and night blindness. “An estimated 250,000 to 500,000 children become blind every year, half of them dying within 12 months of losing their sight” (World Health Organization). Though this is only a minor list of symptoms, it is severe.

            According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, statistics show that as of 2010 there were 925 million people hungry in the world. The majority of them are, 538 million people in Asia and the pacific, and 239 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa. “In round numbers there are 7 billion people in the world. Thus, with an estimated 925 million hungry people in the world, 13.1 percent, or almost 1 in 7 people are hungry” (FAO 2010). “The target set at the 1996 World Food Summit was to halve the number of undernourished people by 2015 from their number in 1990-92” (FAO uses three year averages in its calculation of undernourished people). The (estimated) number of undernourished people in developing countries was 824 million in 1990-92. In 2010, the number had climbed to 925 million people.  The WFS goal is a global goal adopted by the nations of the world; the present outcome indicates how marginal the efforts were in face of the real need. So, overall, the world is not making progress toward the world food summit goal, although there has been progress in Asia and in Latin America and the Caribbean” (http://www.worldhunger.org).

            You ask does the world have enough food to feed every person? The answer is yes! “The world produces enough food to feed everyone. World agriculture produces 17 percent more calories per person today than it did 30 years ago, despite a 70 percent population increase. This is enough to provide everyone in the world with at least 2,720 kilocalories (kcal) per person per day according to the most recent estimate that we could find. The principal problem is that many people in the world do not have sufficient land to grow, or income to purchase, enough food” (FAO 2002, p.9).

            World hunger is an ongoing issue that doesn’t seem like it will ever take presidents. As research shows not just in any particular country, but all around the world people and children are starving and dying as a result. Research also shows that no one should be hungry. The world does produce enough food to feed each and every one of us. Why this is still an issue? I’m still uncertain. If we came together to assist in at least terminating the amount of food wasted, maybe we could improve to the target the world summit has set. If anyone chose to donate to the people and children of these countries there are several website that it can be done, here are selected few, www.universitiesfightingworldhunger.org , http://www.nokidhungry.org, worldhungerrelief.org.  Donations don’t have to be made online to help limit wasted food, remember you can always donate to your local, shelters, churches or colleges.

                                                                Works Cited

Pelletier DL, Frongillo EA Jr, Schroeder D, Habicht JP.

            The effects of malnutrition on child mortality in developing countries. Bulletin of the           World Health Organization 1995; 73: 443–48.

http://www.top5ofanything.com/index.php?h=09a17b00

http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Starvedtodeath

            <a href="http://medical-          dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Starved+to+death">starvation</a>

Masset, Edoardo. 2011 In Press

            A review of hunger indices and methods to monitor country commitment to fighting         hunger Food Policy.

http://www.worldhunger.org/articles/Learn/world%20hunger%20facts%202002.htm

Journal # 5 - Dive

As I was watching the film “Dive”, I can honestly say that I was amazed to see people dumpster diving for large amounts of food.  I have never known people to actually dumpster dive for their everyday meals. At first it was really sad to see these people as human beings having to dumpster dive to feed themselves and their families. But my attention was easily diverted to the amount of food that they were actually pulling out of the dumpsters. It was sadder to see the pounds of wasted food they were recovering, than to see that they were actually consuming it. This film was a real eye opener and I really enjoyed watching it. Not only did it show people in trying times today but it was very informative on the amounts of food wasted. I could never imagine wasting so much food on a daily basis. As you can tell I don’t waste much food myself, but my family is guilty of throwing away perfectly good food, just because it’s taking up room in the fridge or pantry. After seeing the film I have decided, to one day have my family watch it and possibly change their ways and show them that there are places that soon to be wasted food could be taken. If it can’t be given to a shelter, it could possibly be given to your local church that has a food pantry, or as Mrs. Warren advised us, to your local college that participates in food donations.    

Lives Apart / American Dream Essay Final

Tiara Roman

ENC 1102

Social Media

26 February 2013

Lives Apart

 

            Many issues surrounding college students and their academic success are present today. While many of these issues are well known and preventive measures are taken accordingly there is still one issue that is not as talked about as often. The matter of the effects of divorced parents on their children away in college is a rising concern. It can also lead to other issues that plague these students. Preventing this problem is not as easy as some others either. While other problems can be handled by counselors or the students themselves this situation is out of their hands. This matter can only be resolved by the parents alone.

            Although todays divorce rate has started to plateau, this is more due to couples making the decision to not marry at all or staying together for the sake of shared financial responsibilities or their children. Married couples are now also waiting until the children have left the house for college. This may seem like a better choice, but can actually be more detrimental for the children in the long run. Students away in college finding out of their parents’ divorce have less of a support system and feel more alone and isolated without the emotional stability their parents provide. This can lead to emotional problems such as depression, drug use, and sexual promiscuity. They may also feel the need to leave school and return home to help mend their parent’s relationship. This can lead to them not returning to school or finding a high income job later in the future.

            The other side of the spectrum is students who come from a family whose parents still remain happily married. These students are expected to do better in their academic success and have a more stable family life once they get married. These students also have more a support system at home and have either parent to lean on in times of difficulty. They also are less likely to have problems with drug or alcohol use and spend more time with their family during holidays. Though it is better for the student emotionally for their parent’s to stay together they may also get too much support from mom and dad as well. The parents have more a tendency to caudle the child or bail them out of sticky situations, especially financial ones. These students may be more sheltered when they arrive to college and not adjust as easily as other, more independent students.

            Though there are generally negative views for students when coming from a divorced family, it is made known otherwise. As you would believe staying married in an unhappy home would be good for them, it is not. Statistics show that it is a lot less stressful on the child, teenager or even adult if the divorce process is established. Facts also show that parents unhappily married and divorced show equivalent signs of complications with mental health, poor academic performance and social adjustment. Studies also report that it is also not in the best interest for remarriage, it may even more damagingly influence the children than divorce. Though the effects of divorce might not be the same for every child, there is statistically substantial proof to show that divorce which results in a single family home has a negative effect on the academic success of children.

            While some parents may stay together for the sake of their family stability, others do what is best for them. As the academic state of students from broken homes plummets, studies on the matter continue to become more extensive. Although the reasons for someone’s life to spiral in a downward direction are not always able to be traced, it has been clearly recognized that broken homes are definitely seen as a component in the lives of children. Children do not always take divorces negatively, but the chances of it affecting the children of a family are present. Drug addicts, thieves, community delinquents, and other wrongdoers with history of divorced parents still remain prominent in the towns and lives of many. Actions are being taken, of course, to keep children from growing up into a citizen of crime, depression, and/or mistrust; however, whether or not it will be effective to which patients is unable to be determined. The future state of family members grows alongside the chances of downhill living for those experiencing the parental distress secondhand. Therapeutic remedies helping to ensure safe futures for patients continue to bedevil those receiving the treatment, but the world is greatly benefitted.

           

             

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Christine Cadena, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Dec 3, 2007 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."

 

Gould, M., Shaffer, D., Fisher, P., Garfinkel, R. (Feb 1998). Separation/divorce and child and adolescent completed suicide. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, v37, n2, 155(8).

 

Cummings, E. M., and P. Davies. 1994. Children and Marital Conflict. New York: Guilford.

 

Wallerstein, J., and J. Kelly. 1980. Surviving the Breakup: How Children and Parents Cope with Divorce. New York: Basic Books.

The American Dream Journal 4

The American Dream

Recently in class we had a guest speaker Mauricio Garcia that I thoroughly appreciated.  Typically when listening to a guest speakers it feels like it is never ending and my attention has been lost, but Mauricio kept mine. Mauricio was an amazing speaker something he really has a gift for it. He talked about his life experience and how he was forced to move to the United States from El Salvador when he was 16. He also told us about his life and the obstacles that he had to go through and overcome to get to his “American Dream”. I applaud him on all the things he went through to make it to where he is today. Mauricio talked about his family and how he had to leave them behind when he left. He had no mother or father while he was here in an unfamiliar place, uncomfortable and not knowing what to do, not wanting to be here. I left class that night slightly confused on what I was supposed to write about. I kept reviewing what was talked about and tried to somewhat compare anything to Mauricio’s life. Though he was only without his parents for a short period of time, I began to think about students who have divorced parents and what kind of role that plays in one’s life. Granted his parents were never divorced, but he was without his parents for quite some time and may be a factor that does affect students through their journeys to that American Dream.

Digital Nation: The Results of a Gamer

The Results of a Gamer

            Do you ever wonder what a video game could be doing to your child or even yourself? Many believe that these games have detrimental effects on the minds of the gamers. While this may be a controversial issue to some, others have faith in the studies conducted arguing that these seemingly harmless games are not what they seem at all. Some of these studies yield a convincing argument that these games are devastating to the minds, behaviors, and even health for all, but especially children. Various researches have been conducted in order to prove this very point.

            Although most seem to be more concerned with the mental effects violent video games have on gamers, the issues go even deeper than that. Gaming addictions have become such a problem that they are not only making the players more aggressive and less sensitive to real life violence, but also affecting them physically as well. Children especially are affected by this issue. The younger generation is now less active and spends more time indoors in front of a television screen than outside playing. Since video games are becoming increasingly more popular, obesity is on the rise. This has become more apparent after the video game industry surpassed the film and music industry both. It is disturbing how wide spread this obsession has become.

            Researchers have now found several disturbing health risks that are likely to impact these extreme players from engaging in these addictive video games. Video games are now producing serious and severe symptoms of abdominal pains, chest pains, headaches, weight loss, weight gain and exhaustion. Scientists have shown demonstrations attesting to older Myopia children   suffering from these painful side effects due to playing video games. Other reports have shown signs of musculoskeletal problems as well including, but not limited to, numbness, arm pain, and risks for forearm and wrist fractures. Clinical advice was recommended to discontinue usage of video games for at least seven days. After the children’s injuries were examined a week later all signs were absent in every patient.

            It is shocking to discover that more than 85% of games have violence in them and approximately half of video games include serious violent actions. After much research, scientists have found that due to such violent video games many of these gaming obsessed players have now undergone psychological desensitization. Participates were given the task to watch a 10 minute film containing real life violence while heart rate and skin perspiration  were being monitored. After viewing the ten minute film participants showed decreased signs of heart rate, reaction in skin perspiration, and psychological arousal to real life violence. The test administered also indicated the participates were less likely to help in a real life violent scenario or show any sympathy towards the victim. This point holds a convincing argument attesting to violent video games affecting players negatively. This study resulted in gamers feeling less guilty for their own violent acts, less sympathy towards the victims of other crimes of violence, and an increased level of aggression in behavior.

            Before video gaming became such a craze our generation spent more time with physical activities such as sports, now that these games have become such a hit, people are glued to their television screens and controllers. It seems as though society is less concerned with being physically fit, and more so with conquering an imaginary world. Sadly this has not only led to antisocialism, anger and aggression, but also obesity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention obesity in the children has more than tripled in the past 30 years in the United States. Video Games have gotten so out of control that the obesity rate has raised from 7% to 20%. Although there are plenty of negative emotions concerning this matter there is still a silver lining. The video game industry has taken these games and made them more interactive so that one can get exercise while still gaming. However, test reports still show that more than a third of the nation’s children are obese or overweight.

            While many may agree with the philosophy that video games are violent and doing more harm than good, it is also about the type of person playing. People have a choice. They can play extremely violent video games, and let it affect them, or they can choose the lighter side and play something more interactive, such as a Wii. In conclusion not all video games are a bad. While the majority of research shows that it is changing some of society for the worst, it is also about monitoring oneself, including parents observing the type of games their children play. If we all take the time to carefully decide what to expose ourselves to the world would be a more peaceful, happy place to live.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Funk, J. B. (2005). Video games. Adolescent Medicine Clinics, 16(2), 395-411, ix. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/215205389?accountid=45782

 

TV, Video Games Linked to Obesity, November 12, 2012, 12:08 am, By Jack Kelly/ Pittsburg Post- Gazette

 

Anderson, C.A., Gentile, D.A. , & Dill, K.E. (2012) Prosocial, Antisocial, And other effects of recreational video games Chapter in D.G. Singer, & J.L Singer (eds),

 

 

 

 

 

Journal 3 Social Media

Social Media

            I would have to say after watching the Social Media Documentary; I was given an even poorer outlook on gaming. I understand that technology is important to society, even to us as students in college, but I had no idea the extreme in which it has been taken. The gaming lifestyle that a large portion of society falls into is very unrealistic to me. At one time in my life I watched my younger brother live that lifestyle, which has left me with a distasteful perspective. My brother would go days upon days in front of a TV on XBOX, and dare you walk in front of him while he was playing. It even got to the extreme of him not sleeping properly. I would go to sleep and he would be on it, I would wake up and he would be on it. It didn’t matter what time of day, he lived and breathed those games. It even it got to the point of him not eating and having bad hygiene. Days would go by and he hadn’t showered or even thought about brushing his teeth. It became what I would like to call a terrible addiction. I am not saying everyone is like this, but it is something that happens, not in just kids, teenagers, but us as adults. It can become very unhealthy and I feel that it is something that should be monitored in our younger generation, so that as they grow older they know their limits therefore not allowing it to become an unhealthy addiction.

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Reality Television Journal 2

Ignorance is bliss

            Reality television is clearly overrated and a waste of time and the effort that it takes to film such, what I like to call garbage. Now I would be a hypocrite if I said I have never watched any of these shows. But I watch just enough to see what fresh rubbish they air just to trick people in to watching. They call it reality TV, but is it really reality? I feel that it is nothing more than a made up soap opera. All of the fake lying and fighting that is exploited on these TV shows are just absurd. They make these shows with the “oh my god factor”, just to draw viewers’ attention. It is absolutely ridiculous that they are even allowed to air it as reality television. When the majority of the time, behind the scenes they are telling the actors and actresses what to do, so that they can gain more viewers’, to make more money. The networks can monitor how many viewers have tuned in for each show. I believe that when there ratings are down they throw in john to beat up jack, and bam you have five thousand more viewers. The reality of it is, we the people allow them to air these TV shows because the more that you watch, the more they will continue to air. So maybe if we stop watching the outrageous reality TV shows the less they will be able to air.

Gallery Essay

Living Photography

            There are differences when it comes to art, it either conjures emotion in its observer or it does not. When an artist creates a piece of art it is meant to convey a certain feeling in the person viewing it. These feelings can vary from happiness, to hope, even despair. While some artists are good at making others experience these emotions others are experts. I was lucky enough to see some art from the art gallery that invoked these sentiments of my very own. Although all of them were good, there were three that stuck out the most. “Innocence”, and “Poppet”, both by Rachel Hammond, and “Table for one”, by Ashton Yorek.  While all three summoned different emotions in me, all were just as powerful as the last. In the words of ― Edgar Degas “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”

            The first photo I encountered was “Innocence”, by Rachel Hammond. This particular photograph was very powerful because it brought back memories of my own childhood and innocence, and its short lived existence. The small boy featured in this photo looks so tiny and pure as if nothing in life has damaged him yet. I see a naïve look of hope in his eyes, so oblivious to the struggles he may have to face in his future as a teenager and an adult. I cannot help but feel almost jealous of this young boy and the sheltered life I imagine him living, one so unlike my own. Although part of me wants to protect him from the difficult life he may inevitably face in his future. I know that we must all go through obstacles in life, for this is what makes us stronger as individuals. I know that if I had not been through some of the adversities I have had to overcome I would not be the person I am today. And I feel without these stepping stones I   may not be as understanding and empathetic towards others and their struggles.

            The second photo I encountered was “Poppet”, also by Rachel Hammond. When I first laid eyes on this photo my initial thought was, “Gross, I hate feet.” Although I do dislike feet, I was able to look past this and find the true beauty of the photo. It reminded me of waking up in the morning with the sun shining through my bedroom window on a warm summer day. And realizing at that moment I have no obligations. I get to lay back, close my eyes, relaxing in the comfort of my bed and enjoy doing nothing. The photo so elegantly describes this as there are not many days when I get to enjoy an occasion such as this, but when it does happen it is almost blissful.                                                               

                                                                                                                                               

            The last photo is Table for one, by Ashton Yorek. This one makes me feel independent and strong. While some might view this photo as being sad, or lonely I think of being happy and enjoying dinner alone, appreciating my own company. In the picture it appears as though someone neatly folded their napkin, placing it carefully on their plate, then the fork and knife on top with ease, no sense of urgency or haste. The fact they took their time gives me a calming feeling and encourages me to take a step back and enjoy the little things as well. I imagine this person also takes their time with other leisurely activities, such as smelling flowers as they walk through a park, skipping stones across a pool of still water during sunset, or taking the time to smile at strangers as they go about their day. The photo shows that being alone is not always meant to be sad, but it is nice to have alone time and enjoy peacefulness.

            These three photographs that I was so fortunate to be able to view on my own terms have not only brought me visual enjoyment, but have also made me think in more depth. They have made me interpret not only the photos themselves but the emotions they make me feel when I look at them. “Innocence” brought back childhood memories, for life to seem magical and secure, for a childlike bliss once again. “Poppet”, gave me a sense of happiness and relaxation. It made me remember what it is like to wake up with the sun shining on my face in the morning and appreciating the promise of each day. “Table for one”, I like this photo because it shows that even if you are alone you can still be happy. Although all three were very different, they all did their job in conveying emotion and allowing me to express my outlook on each one. 

Journal Entry #1

                      

                      When I first learned that I was going to be taking an English class I thought I was being setup for immediate failure. I was never good at writing, nor could I even make a complete sentence. So I never enjoyed it. Summer semester of 2011, I had Mrs. Warren for ENC1101. I was very intimidated by even being in the class, but Mrs. Warren came to the rescue and taught me everything that I needed to know about proper writing. It was all taught at an even pace that allowed me to become comfortable with. We also had the critique groups that I really enjoyed, because the class got a lot of helpful information from them. They allowed us to go over our papers and get constructive criticism. It also allowed us to get comfortable with someone else reading our papers and learning from mistakes made before submitting them for the final draft. About half way through the semester I was to the point where I actually enjoyed writing my journals or essays (not so much the research papers). When the semester was rounding to an end, I could say that I was extremely happy and yet a little sad. It was a great class and learned a lot from it. And after all the fear of failure I came out with an A in the class. Now on to the ENC1102 journey I can’t wait to see what new challenges there will be, I am sure there will be plenty more to learn.