18. March 2009 by student.

Social Problems? Wow do we have many of those! It is never easy to pick just one to write about… But right now I’m extremely concerned with the health care issue in the United States. Has anybody noticed that when we go to the hospital’s they make us wait for hours if we do not have insurance or health care? Or is it just me that is going through this…? I don’t understand why health care is so insufficient for people, when health is the number one thing that the country should be worrying about. Without people being healthy, they won’t be able to work and without jobs getting done; our economy will just keep getting worst. Therefore why not do anything about this problem.  

One of the most pressing and complicated issues facing the future of health care inAmerica is the problem of the noninsured and the underinsured. With health care frequently being cited as the second most important issue to Americans behind education, many recognize the magnitude of the problem. The problem facing roughly 47 million people living in the United States without health insurance and access to care has been, until recently, largely ignored. As well as a complicated problem with no easy answer, it is growing in severity each day and the health and integrity of this country presses us to start asking the right questions and proposing real solutions. Health care reform needs to address not only the basic problem of all people not having health insurance, but it also needs to look at the exponentially rising costs of care, problems with Medicare and Medicaid policies prescription drug costs, shortcomings of health maintenance organizations, and concerns over the future of the nation’s health. 

The rising costs of health care are being followed closely by rising insurance costs.This has caused a backlash leading to falling rates of employer coverage, down from 69% in 2000 to 60% in 2005. The end result is an increasing number of uninsured people often forgo needed preventative and primary care services, only seeking medical attention under dire circumstances. For the noninsured and underinsured 25% of all Americans one costly medical expense can lead to impoverishment and bankruptcy. Frequently, hospital emergency rooms and state aid programs must absorb these substantial financial burdens. This translates into higher health care costs and higher insurance premiums for everyone. The problem of the uninsured and underinsured is one that is shared by all, either directly or indirectly. 

As a student in want of a future I ask for something to be done. I do not want to have to wait hours in a hospital just because I do not have Medicaid, Medicare or any of those type of insurance. It is not our fault they do not provide them to us, or we are not rich enough to buy insurance or pay a $1000 hospital bill!

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18. March 2009 by student.

Today, on the news, I saw a woman ridiculed and protested against because she decided to have an abortion.

This is so pathetic, I can’t even begin to rationalize it.

At what point in our world have we reached such a low to ridicule someone for their PERSONAL decision. A group of church-gowers, and conservative pro-lifers, sat outside an abortion clinic with picket signs saying “MURDER” and “MURDERER SUFFERS IN HELL” today as displayed on CNN on their 6:30 am report.

This just makes me sick. I have seen posts on this very blog about “abortion is killing” and you know what, it just makes me shake my head in disbelief, and then I go and sit and think about how doomed we are as a country.

“Why isn’t abortion illegal!” Why? I’ll tell you why Michael. It’s not illegal because there is NO DEFINITION on when life actually begins.. Is it the first trimester, the second trimester, or the third trimester? For the idiots who say, “it should ALL be illegal” theres only one logic retaliation. By your logic, ejaculating into a condom will be murder as well. So why not stay abstinant, good point. Stay abstinant, go for it, but excuse me while I choose the other option.

Ultimately, we are NOT playing God. One, because playing God, is just a stupid phrase that pro-life supporters throw out when they’ve run out of arguments. Show facts from the Bible, and when you do show facts on how God says, “Do not Play God and Abort your children!!!” I’d love to see SCIENTIFIC FACT.

The truth is no one knows when life begins, if you consider sperm to be alive, then it’s the first trimester, and everyone is commiting murder. If its the second trimester, which seems most plausable, the baby’s internals are now beginning to grow, but still no brain. Third trimester, the baby is fully functional, and at this point there is no argument, the baby IS alive. Or is it? Is it BIRTH that makes a baby “born” and alive?

The debate doesn’t stop.

What really annoys me though, is how pro-life conservatives will actually sit outside of an abortion clinic and tell the girl shes a “whore,” shes a “slut,” she’s “going to hell.” ARE YOU KIDDING?

If you’re religious more power to you, religion is good. It installs morals into people, but some people bring this into a whole new definition and FORCE it onto people like jackasses. “Convert and be saved, or be damned!” LMAO… I’d rather be damned than forced. Because those who are forced, are soon manipulated. I.e Nazi Regim, Han Dynasty, SAS Party, history seems to support that.

And I’ll say again, go by your own teachings, and do not force them on people.

It’s the womans choice NOT YOURS.

If she wants to let the baby be born, then it’s going to be born.

If she wants to abort the baby because she’s not ready for the responsibility, then SO BE IT. THERES NOTHING YOU CAN DO.

Because the truth is, your opinion means NOTHING to her. Absolutely nothing. And that’s why it’s not a law. Separation between church and state. And last time I checked. “Playing God” isn’t reputable enough to be considered as a FACT to ban this act.

Thanks,

Dillon

Posted in Introduction to Sociology, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

18. March 2009 by student.

In the past few weeks, we have heard constantly of Chris Brown and Rihanna. It has brought out the reality that domestic abuse is all around.

Though we knew it existed before, it seems this issue has brought it back out. I had a really good friend who was physically abused all the time by her boyfriend and she kept going right back to him. After all he did provide her with everything she wanted. No matter how bad the bruises were, no matter how black the eye was she still went back.  One day the abuse turned really bad and I witnessed it first hand. I never thought I would be put into a situation like this. I ran inside of the school to tell someone to call the police. The police arrived, but he had already disappeared. My friend, finally realized that he was capable of hurting her critcally and she finally left him. Though I have not talked to her in two years because we have moved apart. I have heard that she is engaged and having a child with a really great guy. I hear these stories all the time where the woman takes the guy back, is it because of finacial stabilty? Is it because she is the  type who always needs a man in her life? Or is it because “he promises he will never do it again?” The answer is all three. My mom was mentally abused by my dad  and she ended things. Another story that I will never forget is the one my mom told me. My mom was a paralegal and she would have to hear cases all the time. She had this woman who was young and married to a rich older man, who provided her with everything and more. He physically abused her so bad she was rushed to the hospital, she came into the law office saying she didn’t know what to do because she has nothing and he provides everything for her and she wouldn’t be able to take care of their kids. My mom and the other attorneys told her she can not stay in a relationship like this, so she filed for a divorce. Two weeks later she came in and cancelled the divorce saying he apologized and said he would never do that again. Two of the things that are generally said. Two weeks after this, tehy found the woman shot and killed by her husband. That is what happens a lot of the time, women take the man back thinking its all well and then something awful happens.

Back to the whole Rihanna/Chris Brown situation. When this whole thing first happened I was so mad at Chris Brown, I took all his music of my ipod, supported the fact that radio stations were banning his music and loved the fact he was being dropped by sponosors. I wanted him to be punished for what he did to her, especially after seeing the picture of what he did to her. Then a change of events occured. They reconiciled. She took him back. It is like the whole thing never happened. It is like the whole thing is null and void. I then become mad at her. Girls looked up to her and now they are going to think its okay to get back together with someone if they do something like that to you. I feel like now the punishment I wanted to so bad for Chris Brown, I don’t want anymore. I mean what’s the point? If she thinks it will all be better because he said he was sorry. This is not the first time he has done that to her and yet she still gets back together with him. The sad part is, is that with celebrities its not the issue of money, because they have enough of it.

Domestic abuse is everywhere. We need to take a stand. I donate to charties but the domestic abuse charities I donate to the most. We need to put an end to it.

Posted in Social Problems, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

18. March 2009 by student.

A year ago I went to the doctor. I had been having trouble sleeping , was generally anxious, and stressed etc. . I figured with all the personality enhancing drugs out there maybe that’s all I needed. I never researched anxiety or explored any other channels that could have been helpful. This proved to be a mistake. Had I known what I was in for, I would have never considered this option.  So…. like I said, I headed straight to my doctor because (like many people) I figured he knew what to do; and to an extent he did. After describing my symptoms he asked if I was interested in trying a medicine. According to him the side effects were mild and it worked really well.  He never warned me about anything.  He just pitched it to me like it was a new car or something.  like I said i did not question him; he’s the doctor. So I started taking Lexapro an SSRI ( serotonin enhancer). After the three days of insomnia, extreme anxiety,  and the 15 pounds of weight gain the drug finally began to do it’s job. I was able to sleep better and able to handle the stress of my six college classes and part time work with much less anxiety. I was very happy on the drug. Well last month (February) I decided I should try to get off Lexapro. I talked to my doctor and he said to slowly come of it, and gave me no warnings otherwise. The weening off seemed to be working fine until two weeks ago when I finally cut it out completely. In the two weeks I’ve been without the drug, I have been through the most uncomfortable experience of my life. At first it felt like I had the flu and within a few days i did get sick (yes i know possibly unrelated). On top of being sick I had volume swells in my ears and loud noises were literally painful. I eventually started hearing noises (like cracking whips) and lost all sense of coordination. I would get noises literally stuck in my head and find my self confused and disoriented. My head burns constantly…. I can go on and on. Point is, I went online and did some research (using as many reputable sites as possible) and it appears many people have had horrible experiences getting off this drug. It took some people months to feel normal again.It is up to us to read the side effects and look into these things. Make sure you know what your really doing to yourself and ask your self “Do I really need this”. Most importantly don’t believe your doctor, check for yourself, research, and question him or her.Don’t get the wrong idea…..Doctors are smart and I don’t thing doctors are a bad thing….infact; I want to become one…but not all doctors truly understand the effects of personality enhancing medicines.  Doctors are tainted by big business and told lies just like the rest of us. 

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

18. March 2009 by student.

Recently the city council has decided to allow these people to come into the town and change our building from one unit per ever ten acres to one in every one acre. I believe that was a poor choice on the part of the council. They claim that it will increase the money that we make in our takes and it will bring more jobs. That may be true however your are destroying the naturally lands and open areas of Florida. There is no need for us as a town to build one unit on every acre that we have. Many things can happen to the city because of this but you can not only look at what happens to the town you need to look at how it affects nature. By cutting down the trees and clearing the land your creating a higher chance of soil erosion. Also we are going to drive away many animals and other native plants that live there.Just because we live in one area does not give us the right to kick everything else out and build all over.I believe that it would have been much more beneficial that if the town decided they want the buildings that they choose a lower number. Maybe do one unit every six acres instead of every ten. A small change that can help us and we are not completely destroying other areas. Maybe coming to a compromise instead of just agreeing and not paying attention to what is going to happen. Does anyone agree with more or am I alone on my thoughts?

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