How secure are public places really? Since the Virginia Tech shootings many college campuses have felt the need to bump up the security. However, does this increase in security actually help prevent crime? For example say you have to have an ID card to open buildings on campus. The fact that it is locked may make students feel at ease and assume that nothing is likely to go wrong. Yet some students hold the doors open, thus, inviting unexpected visitors in. Another example is in my neighborhood we have security guards that patrol the neighborhood 24/7. Naturally, I assume that a burglary is unlikely to happen, because the security guards would see something. Unfortunately one night 7 houses on my street were robbed.
Though an increase in security may reduce random assaults, I believe its unlikely to prevent pre meditated ones. If someone really wants to do something they will wait for the opportune time. On the other hand, if you increase security even more it can became a bother or result in the loss of your privacy. I often hear people complaining at air ports about how strict they are; you can’t even carry a liquid on the plane over a certain oz amount, and even legal items must be in a plastic bag, or you have to throw them out. How much of our privacy are we wiling to give up for a little extra protection, and does this extra security actually prevent anything, or is it just to make us feel better?
I personally believe that it is at least worth a try to heighten security. It is impossible to get the amount of security needed to make sure nothing will happen. It doesn’t matter if you are in a public or private place; you are still not safe. Anyone could just walk up and threaten you with a gun. You must be on guard at all times in order to truly protect yourself. Even when people go shopping, they get mugged in the parking lot.
It is sad that we have come to the point where it is hard to trust anyone. Last week a random guy came up to me in a parking lot. He was asking for fifty cents for a bus fair. Even though I had fifty cents, I was scared to give it to him. I was alone, and I kept thinking about how if I got out my wallet that he would snatch it and run away with it, or perhaps do something worse. I know I am not the only person that would do the same in this situation. There have been so many con artists, that it is hard to know who really needs help. I would hope if I was ever in this man’s situation that someone would help me out, but I am not sure it would happen.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Weight Obsession
I have noticed that the obsession to be skinnier has spread to younger and younger generations of women. Magazines and TV shows have made girls self conscious and focused on achieving a certain look. I’m not saying that it is bad to want to be fit or to care about your health or looks, because we all do it. It just worries me when girls in grade school are already dealing with these issues. Recently, my little sister, who is ten, brought a Victoria’s Secret catalogue up to me. Tears were streaming down her face as she asked me why she didn’t look like the models. I honestly didn’t know what to say to her. I mean I know very few people who actually look like those models. In fact, the models don’t even look like their pictures. The pictures have been digitally altered and enhanced to make them look flawless.
I think sometimes the media has caused girls to set unrealistic goals for what they should look like. These girls feel as thought they cant be happy or fit in until they have the “perfect” body. This way of thinking has leaded to many eating disorders and depression among young girls. Kids are still growing, their bodies are still developing, and they need their nutrients. Encouraging kids to eat healthy or to go outside and exercise isn’t a bad thing at all. It just concerns me when they start counting calories.
I think sometimes the media has caused girls to set unrealistic goals for what they should look like. These girls feel as thought they cant be happy or fit in until they have the “perfect” body. This way of thinking has leaded to many eating disorders and depression among young girls. Kids are still growing, their bodies are still developing, and they need their nutrients. Encouraging kids to eat healthy or to go outside and exercise isn’t a bad thing at all. It just concerns me when they start counting calories.
Little League Parents
Sports can often help teach children valuable lessons about life: teamwork, determination, and sportsmanship. They can help kids be healthy and active in the community. However, parents sometimes ruin the fun and excitement by putting too much pressure on their kids to perform well. Recent headlines have shown that “Last March in Greenwich Township, New Jersey, a community league basketball game for girls ages 10 and 11 ended with one angry father reportedly kicking the wife of the winning team’s coach. Witnesses say the meltdown began when a woman in the crowd began taunting players. That same month, a hockey dad in Westborough, Massachusetts, was arrested for allegedly kicking and punching a 10-year-old boy on his son’s opposing team. In June, a St. Paul, Minnesota, father was charged with making “terrorist threats” after, prosecutors say, he promised to shoot the coach of his 12-year-old son’s baseball team “like a dog.” The man explained to a local paper that he began arguing with the coach (he denies threatening to shoot him) because he wanted to protect his son from the trauma he felt as a child when a coach told him he was worthless.”( Crowley, Micheal. "Field of Screams". Reader's Digest. October 2007.).
These parents may feel like they are trying to protect their children, yet usually they are doing more harm than good. When I played little league sports, my dad was one of those loud, obnoxious parents who harassed the officials. His tantrums would absolutely mortify me. I was always embarrassed to be related to the dad that was acting up over trivial things. Then after the games my dad would only lecture me on everything I did wrong; He never focused on anything good. His behavior slowing diminished the passion I had felt for sports in my early years. Like my dad, I believe many parents try to live through their sons or daughters. Maybe they weren’t the star player, but they are obsessed with wanting that for their kids. Everyone wants their kids do well, but sometimes parents get out of hand and spoil the fun. Often at games, parents act more juvenile than their children. They are setting terrible examples and teaching bad lessons. Sometimes parents even taunt other children to mess them and try to make them look bad. What kind of person does this? They are just kids trying to have a good time.
One of the worst examples is the 2000 Thomas Juanta case where a hockey dad beat another dad to death. He was convicted on involuntary manslaughter. How would you feel if your dad killed a man over a sports game? Certain places have resorted to suspending sport schedules because the parents got to crazy, and it has become too dangerous. As long as there are sport games, parents will continue to throw tantrums. But how do we stop things from getting out of control? By banning those that act out from the rest of the games? Parents need to get it together and support the team in a positive way. They are the role models for their kids whether they want to be or not. It would be nice if they could focus on encouraging and cheering on their team instead of trying to put others down and start fights.
These parents may feel like they are trying to protect their children, yet usually they are doing more harm than good. When I played little league sports, my dad was one of those loud, obnoxious parents who harassed the officials. His tantrums would absolutely mortify me. I was always embarrassed to be related to the dad that was acting up over trivial things. Then after the games my dad would only lecture me on everything I did wrong; He never focused on anything good. His behavior slowing diminished the passion I had felt for sports in my early years. Like my dad, I believe many parents try to live through their sons or daughters. Maybe they weren’t the star player, but they are obsessed with wanting that for their kids. Everyone wants their kids do well, but sometimes parents get out of hand and spoil the fun. Often at games, parents act more juvenile than their children. They are setting terrible examples and teaching bad lessons. Sometimes parents even taunt other children to mess them and try to make them look bad. What kind of person does this? They are just kids trying to have a good time.
One of the worst examples is the 2000 Thomas Juanta case where a hockey dad beat another dad to death. He was convicted on involuntary manslaughter. How would you feel if your dad killed a man over a sports game? Certain places have resorted to suspending sport schedules because the parents got to crazy, and it has become too dangerous. As long as there are sport games, parents will continue to throw tantrums. But how do we stop things from getting out of control? By banning those that act out from the rest of the games? Parents need to get it together and support the team in a positive way. They are the role models for their kids whether they want to be or not. It would be nice if they could focus on encouraging and cheering on their team instead of trying to put others down and start fights.
Dirty DTown
Recently, one of my friends told me about a website known as Dirty D-Town. On this website anyone can send in pictures, and the people controlling the site post the pictures online with rude comments underneath. Sites like these make you more conscious of what you photos you choose to put online. This site even steals your photos off of facebook and uses them on their page.
My question is, is there anyway to stop a site like this? While some people have embarrassing pictures that they don’t want everyone to see, others just have normal photos on this site. These normal photos may not be of the most physically attractive people, and the site takes advantage of that by making fun of the way people look. I think it’s horrible of this site to make fun of people just taking an innocent picture with their friends. One picture online is of a group of girls (the one on the left is skinny and the one on the right is a little larger) ,and the caption reads “evolution of obesity”. How would you feel if you saw this picture of yourself online? It wasn’t like they were doing anything embarrassing; People just can’t control how they look. Yet, on the other hand, if you are careless or irresponsible enough to have a photo taken of you while you are doing something you would be embarrassed for others to see online, then maybe you should consider the consequences of your actions beforehand.
Another scary thing about this website is that anyone can send a picture of you without your knowledge. Especially now days, camera phones are everywhere. Anyone could just snap a shot, send it in, and you would never know. Is this an invasion of privacy? One more thing I will ask is what kind of person do you have to be to make this website? At first it might seem like a funny idea; Let’s post photos of people doing stupid things online! But I think in the long run it just ends up hurting people. If you don’t have any other productive way of using your time other than trying to make fun of people, you need to reevaluate your life.
My question is, is there anyway to stop a site like this? While some people have embarrassing pictures that they don’t want everyone to see, others just have normal photos on this site. These normal photos may not be of the most physically attractive people, and the site takes advantage of that by making fun of the way people look. I think it’s horrible of this site to make fun of people just taking an innocent picture with their friends. One picture online is of a group of girls (the one on the left is skinny and the one on the right is a little larger) ,and the caption reads “evolution of obesity”. How would you feel if you saw this picture of yourself online? It wasn’t like they were doing anything embarrassing; People just can’t control how they look. Yet, on the other hand, if you are careless or irresponsible enough to have a photo taken of you while you are doing something you would be embarrassed for others to see online, then maybe you should consider the consequences of your actions beforehand.
Another scary thing about this website is that anyone can send a picture of you without your knowledge. Especially now days, camera phones are everywhere. Anyone could just snap a shot, send it in, and you would never know. Is this an invasion of privacy? One more thing I will ask is what kind of person do you have to be to make this website? At first it might seem like a funny idea; Let’s post photos of people doing stupid things online! But I think in the long run it just ends up hurting people. If you don’t have any other productive way of using your time other than trying to make fun of people, you need to reevaluate your life.
The Parent Trap
Should parents consume less alcohol in front of their kids? It has been proven that the kids of parents who drink around them are more likely to start drinking at an earlier age. Also, the more the parents drink, the more the kids usually will. I personally don’t believe its bad for parents to drink in front of their kids, as long as no personality change is detectable. Parents need to set a good example and model good behavior in order to develop a sensible attitude toward drinking for the child. If parents are not able to model good behavior, then they are more than likely not able to properly care for their children. What would happen if there was an emergency, but the parent was to drunk to properly respond? I also think that when parents come home drunk it induces a positive attitude toward that type of behavior. The child views it as well my parents do it so it must be ok.
I baby sit for this family where the mom often comes home a little drunk. It’s not usually too bad, but I can definitely tell a personality change; she gets really loud and goofy. However, one night she comes home belligerently drunk and goes straight to her bedroom. The little girl I was babysitting usually takes her nighttime showers in her mom’s room. When we went into her bathroom there was throw up all over the floor, obviously the mom had missed the toilet. Then we hear the mom crying hysterically on the bed. Two minutes later she was passed out on top of all the sheets in her cocktail dress. Her daughter then started cracking up; she thought this was absolutely hilarious. To her, her mom was just so silly. To make things worse, my 10-year-old step sister was also at the house, and she viewed this type of behavior as funny and normal too; her mom has come home countless times reeking of wine and just passed out on her bed. This is what all adults do, right? I think this type of behavior is absolutely pathetic and irresponsible. I definitely didn’t want my little step sister to think this was ok or for her to think that people are funny when they get drunk. I think parents should set a better example for their kids in order to postpone drinking as long as possible. What do you all think?
I baby sit for this family where the mom often comes home a little drunk. It’s not usually too bad, but I can definitely tell a personality change; she gets really loud and goofy. However, one night she comes home belligerently drunk and goes straight to her bedroom. The little girl I was babysitting usually takes her nighttime showers in her mom’s room. When we went into her bathroom there was throw up all over the floor, obviously the mom had missed the toilet. Then we hear the mom crying hysterically on the bed. Two minutes later she was passed out on top of all the sheets in her cocktail dress. Her daughter then started cracking up; she thought this was absolutely hilarious. To her, her mom was just so silly. To make things worse, my 10-year-old step sister was also at the house, and she viewed this type of behavior as funny and normal too; her mom has come home countless times reeking of wine and just passed out on her bed. This is what all adults do, right? I think this type of behavior is absolutely pathetic and irresponsible. I definitely didn’t want my little step sister to think this was ok or for her to think that people are funny when they get drunk. I think parents should set a better example for their kids in order to postpone drinking as long as possible. What do you all think?
Beauty Contests
Are kids’ beauty pageants just child’s’ play? Sure most little girls love to dress up, play with makeup, and at first thought a beauty pageant might seem like a fun thing to them. But what do you think about the parents that allow or even push their kids into competing in these events? What messages are they sending to their children? Taking your kid to get a full head of highlights, a spray on tan, or even an eyebrow wax is basically saying, “You are not pretty enough the way you are.”
Beauty pageants don’t even measure naturally beauty. Parents have become obsessed to point where they make their kids wear loads of makeup, extensions, and even fake teeth! I believe this behavior destroys the whole innocence of the pageant. Beauty pageants may act like they are promoting a good cause or providing scholarships, but at what cost? The main focus of pageants is to judge a girl’s exterior, and a fake one at that. Shouldn’t we be more concerned with someone’s intellect than how they can make themselves look. For example, Miss Teen South Carolina was asked a question on why she thinks some Americans don’t know where the U.S.A. is located on a map. Though she is stunningly gorgeous with her long blonde hair and bright, white teeth, when she opened her mouth she completely botched the question. Maybe it would be effective to spend more time educating these young women than encouraging them to spend hours primping themselves.
When I was younger, I remember being interested in beauty pageants at some point. I thought it would be so fun to be crowned as the prettiest girl in the room. However, my mom was completely against letting me compete. She didn’t want anyone ever telling her little girl that she wasn’t good enough or that she wasn’t the most beautiful person up on the stage. Yet, some moms disagree. One beauty pageant mom was quoted saying, “I want my child to be aware that there’s always going to be somebody better than her. It’s a hard thing to learn- it was for me- and I want her to start early”. How awful is this comment? Why would you want to set your child up for failure? Parents should be encouraging them at this age and let them think that they can do what ever they want, not that they will never be good enough. But what do you all think about pageants? Are they simply harmless fun? I, personally, can’t think of many good things to say about pageants for any age group.
Beauty pageants don’t even measure naturally beauty. Parents have become obsessed to point where they make their kids wear loads of makeup, extensions, and even fake teeth! I believe this behavior destroys the whole innocence of the pageant. Beauty pageants may act like they are promoting a good cause or providing scholarships, but at what cost? The main focus of pageants is to judge a girl’s exterior, and a fake one at that. Shouldn’t we be more concerned with someone’s intellect than how they can make themselves look. For example, Miss Teen South Carolina was asked a question on why she thinks some Americans don’t know where the U.S.A. is located on a map. Though she is stunningly gorgeous with her long blonde hair and bright, white teeth, when she opened her mouth she completely botched the question. Maybe it would be effective to spend more time educating these young women than encouraging them to spend hours primping themselves.
When I was younger, I remember being interested in beauty pageants at some point. I thought it would be so fun to be crowned as the prettiest girl in the room. However, my mom was completely against letting me compete. She didn’t want anyone ever telling her little girl that she wasn’t good enough or that she wasn’t the most beautiful person up on the stage. Yet, some moms disagree. One beauty pageant mom was quoted saying, “I want my child to be aware that there’s always going to be somebody better than her. It’s a hard thing to learn- it was for me- and I want her to start early”. How awful is this comment? Why would you want to set your child up for failure? Parents should be encouraging them at this age and let them think that they can do what ever they want, not that they will never be good enough. But what do you all think about pageants? Are they simply harmless fun? I, personally, can’t think of many good things to say about pageants for any age group.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Body Language
Do you think couples use body language solely to communicate with themselves,, or are they trying to send messages out to others around them? Edward and Mildred Hall, the authors of The Sounds of Silence, say, “This language includes your posture, gestures, facial expression, costume, the way you walk, even your treatment of time and space and material things (Hall and Hall 100). One can tell a lot more about someone by observing theses things than by listening to the words that come out of someone’s mouth. After all, a picture is worth a 1000 words. When couples choose to show public displays of affection, sometimes it is not merely because they want express their desire for other person, but it is for an underlying ulterior motive. We like to think that PDA is intended to show affection between the couple. However, many times the public display of affection is actually intended to communicate other messages to outsiders.
For example, my friend, Aaron, had a group of all his friends come over to see his new apartment. However, Aaron’s new girlfriend, Megan, was not to happy about Aaron’s ex girlfriend, Kylie, showing up over there. Megan sat down very close to Aaron almost as if she was trying to sit in his lap. Her physical proximity showed she was comfortable being in an intimate zone with Aaron. She also kept glancing up, smiling at Aaron while trying to pull him in closer to her. The Halls say, “How a person handles space in dating others is an very obvious and very sensitive indicator about how he or she feels about the other person” (106). Because she sat so close to him and kept trying to pull him in even closer, it implies that she is possessive and territorial. Aaron was turned slightly away from Megan and towards Kylie. Since he was not responding to his girlfriend’s attempts to show their affection publicly, but he was turned toward Kylie, showing a possible interest in her, Megan crossed her arms and legs, tightly clenched her teeth, and turned her legs away from Kylie. Her body language shows that she felt threatened by Kylie’s presence in the apartment. She was pulling herself in and away from Kylie. Megan wanted to establish an intimate distance with Aaron and bring him into her bubble so that others, like Kylie, would get the message to back off ; Megan and Aaron are a couple. She was not sitting that close to Aaron simply because she had feelings for him, but so that others would know they were together or had that they had an official title to their relationship. Megan had a motive to show others that Aaron was taken, and that he was her’s only.
I believe people resort to using body language because it makes them uncomfortable to say how they feel in a certain situation. It would have been awkard if Megan had just shouted out, “Hey, he is mine! Back off!”
For example, my friend, Aaron, had a group of all his friends come over to see his new apartment. However, Aaron’s new girlfriend, Megan, was not to happy about Aaron’s ex girlfriend, Kylie, showing up over there. Megan sat down very close to Aaron almost as if she was trying to sit in his lap. Her physical proximity showed she was comfortable being in an intimate zone with Aaron. She also kept glancing up, smiling at Aaron while trying to pull him in closer to her. The Halls say, “How a person handles space in dating others is an very obvious and very sensitive indicator about how he or she feels about the other person” (106). Because she sat so close to him and kept trying to pull him in even closer, it implies that she is possessive and territorial. Aaron was turned slightly away from Megan and towards Kylie. Since he was not responding to his girlfriend’s attempts to show their affection publicly, but he was turned toward Kylie, showing a possible interest in her, Megan crossed her arms and legs, tightly clenched her teeth, and turned her legs away from Kylie. Her body language shows that she felt threatened by Kylie’s presence in the apartment. She was pulling herself in and away from Kylie. Megan wanted to establish an intimate distance with Aaron and bring him into her bubble so that others, like Kylie, would get the message to back off ; Megan and Aaron are a couple. She was not sitting that close to Aaron simply because she had feelings for him, but so that others would know they were together or had that they had an official title to their relationship. Megan had a motive to show others that Aaron was taken, and that he was her’s only.
I believe people resort to using body language because it makes them uncomfortable to say how they feel in a certain situation. It would have been awkard if Megan had just shouted out, “Hey, he is mine! Back off!”
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