7. April 2009 by student.

It clearly says in the United States Constitution that citizens should have the right to bear arms, so why would any politician despute the ownership of guns?? I understand denying convicted violent criminals the right, but to say that every citizen can not own a gun is obsurd. Are they really that naive, I mean I thought Barack Obama was supposed to be able to see things from the real perspective..

Tell me, what would be accomplished by banning the sell of assault weapons (AK-47’s, AR-15’s, or any other gun you can find at a gun store)? People say well “who needs a gun like that anyway?”, but the fact is if you take those guns away from people who legally own them you would only be giving a hand to criminals who illegally possess these guns (the automatic versions, not the semi-auto firing versions). The guns used in street violence are usually not legally owned and registered, so how can you ban that? They have no idea who has guns unless they are registered. So by banning these guns you are only taking weapons away from people who lawfully own them, and leaving the military and criminals as the only people who will own them.

I mean how naive do you need to be not to see this? In 1975 They banned ownership of HANDGUNS in Washington D.C, not bazookas or .50 cal machine guns, but HANDGUNS FOR GOD SAKE, a clear violation of the Constitution, only to see their crime rise and to have the ban overturned later.  Why? Because the criminals still had their guns, and the citizens were left without. So much for being able to defend your home and family.

The right to bear arms was given so that people can defend their homes from attackers, but how the F%$# can you protect your home with a hunting rifle when the attacker is carrying an automatic rifle?? You are simply giving criminals an upperhand and why do they not see that?? Automatic guns are already banned, but they are still abundant in the streets. Obama would only be doing the criminals a favor by banning the sale of assault weapons.

Posted in Introduction to Sociology | 3 Comments »

7. April 2009 by student.

Drinking and driving is one of the most dangerous things anyone can be involved in. It’s so dangerous it can lead to death. The problem is, is that a lot of people do it. I know more than three people that have been arrested for this issue. How do we stop it? We can’t. However, we can control it. Police are on the lookout every night (mostly weekends) of reckless drivers to pull over and then figuring out if they have been under hte influence or not. This topic is so relevant to everyday driving situations. The scary thing is, is that an innocent driver can be affected as well; in an accident. Of course, our society tries very hard to prevent drinking and driving by allowing new drivers to take educational courses and tests. But that doesn’t mean it’s going to stop young or older drivers from doing it. Even though it is seemed to believe that the younger drivers are more prevalant to this issue. Abovetheinfluence.com states that “In 2006, more than 19% of drivers ages 16 to 20 who died in motor vehicle crashes had been drinking alcohol.” I hope our society can discover different ways to prevent such a deadly issue in our world.                                              

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

7. April 2009 by student.

In today’s day and age, students in public schools are being thrown under the “stadardized test bus” at a rapid rate. No matter what public school you choose for your children, the main concern of the faculty and staff is producing good ”test scores” instead of the creation of a life long learner. Teachers are constantly teaching the test to students and not giving them the proper problem solving skills that they will need in the future. Sure teaching the test is illigal in some cases but just how illegal is it really? It is very common in schools today to have an FCAT workbook to do problems out of and to set aside a period of time for the children to do different FCAT exercises. Isnt this considered teaching the test to students? Students are being placed in the background due to the push for memorization and having quotas passed for test scores. What schools should be more concerned about is teaching students the processes for applying knowlege to their every day lives. Who remembers all of the facts they were forced to learn in grade school anyways? Instead of pushing our exceptional students and teachers to mediocrity, I think that a major face lift needs to occur in our educational system today.  

Posted in Social Problems | 4 Comments »

7. April 2009 by student.

Considering that I have already given my opinion about MyMathLab, I figured that I would also talk about another program that is similar to it called MyITLab.  This is an online computer training program that teaches students how to use Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Access.  This class is required for those entering into the Lutgert College of Business.  I took this class last semester and once again hated this program.  I understand that the teachers are trying to make it easier for students to be able to do their homework and trying to get students to pass their class, but MyITLab is worse than MyMathLab.  The program definitely favors PC’s, because Macs could not run the program, but I think that the program was still in its beta version.  For instance, I know from experience that most of the time I tried to do the homework online it would not even let me.  If it told me to bold a word, in Microsoft Word, sometimes it would not even let me do such an easy task.  Also on my computer MyITLab would freeze and then I would have to shut down the program and restart it all over again.  Sometimes it would even freeze my computer which would take even more time.  So I tried to find out the problem and I was told to use the computers on campus because they are compatible with MyITLab.  The next time I did my homework I went to the computer lab and still encountered the same program malfunctions.  There is also a hint button that shows you steps in order to do the task and throughout the entire semester I was never even able to use that button because it would freeze any computer I was on.  Another main problem with MyITLab is that it gets very meticulous.  By that I mean that you have to start doing tasks that not everyone even knows Word, Excel, Powerpoint, or Access have.  I know the goal of the class was to teach students how to use certain programs and be more efficient, but I think that this program was not the correct route to take.  This semester a couple of my friends are taking the same class and again must use MyITLab.  I watched as they took one of their tests and I noticed that they did a lot of things that my class never even touched base on.  For example, they went into such detail as to change the general properties of Microsoft Word.  Most students at this school are required to know computers and how to operate a lot of programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Access.  However, I believe that MyITLab went too far.  They showed students how to do things that most of them will never need to do.  All of these in depth questions also makes homework and tests hard to pass, which is changing what classes are intended to do.  They are supposed to require effort but not be so meticulous to make students not understand what they are doing or even how to do it.  I believe that this class should at least have some sort of test in order to be exempt from taking it.  Also MyITLab should not be used for the class.  If there are any other students that feel as strongly against this program or have any other regards to make concerning this subject please comment and let me know.   

Posted in Introduction to Sociology | 2 Comments »

7. April 2009 by student.

Being an athlete myself you hear about the different drugs that can inhance your performance or can hurt your performance. I have never used nor do I feel the need to use performance inhancers, but there are many athletes that believe they can only be so much better then the next person buy using and abusing these drugs. Not every sport tests randomly for steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs. Steroid abuse in baseball has become a huge problem and has spread across other sports and should not be taken lightly. These athletes are ruining their bodies and should learn to get better the natural way. Addiction to pain killers is also something to be focused on since many athletes have passed away due to the addiction. Some players spend weeks, even months, in the off season overcoming their dependency on medications and dealing with withdrawal symptoms. The all American image of athletes and the respect young people have for them is altered due to the drugs. These athletes offer improper role models for impressionable young people.

Posted in Social Problems | 2 Comments »

7. April 2009 by student.

The family can be seen as the origin of society.  It is the most essential social, economic, and political unit in the world.  It teaches young people how to relate to and treat one another and it provides a suitable place for nurturing, development, and education.  The institution of the family in today’s world is becoming increasingly threatened.  This is largely due to the fact that the norms of society are everchanging and the world in which we live is becoming more and more materialistic.  People today get so caught up in the thought that society wants them to make more money and buy more things that they forget about what is really important.  They are now more focused on quick satisfactions for their problems as well as “keeping up with the Jones’”.

In today’s world many people believe that the expectations of society require people to gain more assets instead of gaining a better relationship with their families.  People are so focused on working to buy a bigger house and more stuff that it leads them to forget about the most important thing which is their families.  Instead of being happy with what they have and increasing their bonds with their families people are doing whatever they can to make more money.  They use it to buy things that are unnecessary for them to be happy just because the society they live in tells them that they need more stuff.  Also, some people do not realize that meeting their short-term wants is destroying the long-term objective, which is to raise a strong family.  People look toward things such as drugs and alcohol (which are way too easily accessable now adays) as a quick fix for the pressures they are under and it is destroying the institution of the family.  Ecomomic times are tough right now, but people need to realize how much they already have before they work way too much for money that in many cases is not truely necessary and tears apart their families.

New technology and more ativities to take part in can also hurt the institution of the family.  Parents spend a lot more time now working on computers and kids spend too much time on the internet and playing video games instead of hanging out with the family.  An example of new technology that can harm families is the Ipod.  Cronic Ipod listeners are completely consumed within themselves and have no engagement whatsoever with their families when they are plugged in.  People need to realize that spending more quality time with their families will in the end lead to much more happiness than the short-term happiness that is received when they are consumed with themselves and their work.

The way that marraige is treated nowadays is also a huge reason why the institution of family is struggling.  Right now in America 75% of marraiges end within the first five years.  Many people rush into marraiges and do not take it as serious as it should be taken due to the fact that new legislation has made it easier to get a divorce.  This leads to many torn families where single parents struggle to make ends meet.  I believe that this problem could be fixed if the law would require some sort of marraige preparation period in which the couple could make sure that this is what they wanted.  I also believe that getting a divorce should not be as easy as it is.  Husbands and wives who think they want a divorce should have to go through marraige counseling and have to try to work out their relationship before they get one especially if they have kids.  They need to make sure that it is needed because nothing will tear up a family like a divorce.

I believe that the best way to save the institution of the family is through education.  People need to know that they cannot be selfish and that family comes before outside and personal interests.  As I said before, they need to know that short-term interests are no comparison to long-term family values.  Getting more stuff cannot repair a broken family.

Posted in Social Problems | 2 Comments »

7. April 2009 by student.

When we talk civil rights, are we talking civil rights for everyone? I’m curious. Is there a handful of powerful people who actually determine who should have civil rights and display this legally how they see fit? A few weeks ago I was up in gainesville, and there were protesters and activists on the street. As some of my friends and I drove past an old lady holding a sign, they yelled ” No on amendment one!” at her. Her sign read ” don’t allow men in women’s bathrooms”. Oh, what’s wrong with the little old lady not wanting a man to walk into the bathroom she’s in… Exactly, you fell into her scheme. The problem is that it directly attacks amendment 2 and civil rights. The people who are directly being attacked are the LGBT ( lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered). This was a big problem, after gainesville’s liberal side just won over amendment 2. The unjust powerful few had to come back and try to  take away the rights of those who equally deserve them. Not only this nonsense, but certain thick headed people believe that gay or lesbian couples should not be able to adopt. Florida is still the ONLY state to completely ban all gay/lesbian adoption. WHAT? Let me guess, gay parents wouldn’t provide a healthy growth or life to a child, compared to any kind of parents who have a straight relationship, although there are way more domestic violence cases in straight marriages or partnerships.  How is this not attacking civil rights. To me, this is the bible still having its play in the law. The bible doesn’t believe in the partnership between two of the same sex. So this IS affecting our rights, when it clearly shouldn’t. That or those who are very discriminant have to much power.  The discrimination towards this community doesn’t even stop there. People are losing their jobs over this issue too. How disgusting. One woman I can use as an example in the case not being able to adopt because she is gay, is Nadine Smith, the executive director of Equality Florida. She also was violently arrested with a false report against her during a trial to fire a City Commissioner because she was a transgendered. Now, to focus on this City Commissioner, this woman was very highly respected in her job, and after years of good work as city commissioner, all that was dropped at the blink of an eye just because people found out she was transgendered.  One good thing we can focus on is the progress we are trying to make for the future of the LGBT community. More people are becoming aware and proactive for their cause. Equality Florida is trying to pass a statewide safes schools law that would ban harassment and provide mandatory training for every teacher on how to identify and stop harassment when it occurs. Children need to feel free to be who they are as they grow, they should never be afraid to express themselves freely, this is how psychological problems occur starting at early points in life. I believe if we start this in schools, it will definitely open the younger generations up to being nondiscriminatory to all kinds people as they grow, and we may have a social change for the better because of it. LGBT are loving, caring, and living people just like you and me, and are free to their own opinions. If you haven’t been paying attention to this issue, then get on the train and speak up for some civil rights!! There are loving people out there who want to shed that love on a deserving child. There are hard working people out there that want the job they should be allowed to have. There are kids out there afraid to express their feelings completely and then being harassed! Lets do something about it and speak up for civil rights! 

Posted in Social Problems | 1 Comment »

7. April 2009 by student.

in light of today class i have been thinking a lot about corn. I also have been doing a tone of reading, all this reading has made me think about my own strange relationship with corn. I have been for the last, i don’t know, 4 or 5 years been anti high fructose corn syrup. Which let me tell you is a rough road to follow because everything seems to have some in it. I try my best to buy products that do not contain any high fructose corn syrup but it is becoming harder by the month. Now i know that there has been quite a bit of controversy surrounding high fructose corn syrup as of late weather it causes diabetes and rises the risk of a list of billion other things. The book i have been reading, The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Micheal Pollan pp. 89, brings High Fructose Corn Syrup up when talking about the different ways corn is processed. He states that in 1960’s a Japanese chemist finds a way to break the sweetness barrier and make a substance high fructose corn syrup that is just as sweet as sugar. So it kind of seems like a no brainier that that they started using high fructose corn syrup instead of sugar for one reason its much cheaper. But here is where my problem with it comes in it is not that same as sugar!!!! Though they substitute for sugar in many, many cases.

In light of all this i did a little research while i was at the grocery store and what i found did not surprise me at all but may surprise all of you………. OK i started the cereal isle, so appropriate after reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma,i let go of everything i think about food and based this solely on what looked good to eat. I picked up ten boxes of cereal and then i looked at ingredients out of ten i picked up only one did not include HFCS. That is crazy!!!! the one which did not have HFCS was made By Kashi, and i commend them because to the best of my knowledge none of the Kashi products have HFCS.

Next i moved on to the bread isle, where i took four breads and much to my surprise ALL the bread i had pulled down had HFCS!!! Slightly disgusted i moved to the frozen food, i pull a few TV dinner style entrees out that claim to be “all natural”……. and HFCS was in all of them again.
so when i am shopping at the store i absolutely try my best to buy nothing with HFCS which i am finding harder all the time. Companies are changing ingredient’s all the time, so i find myself always looking at the labels, which is an extremely time consuming process. OK so you maybe finding yourself saying…”OK so what is so bad about HFCS??” this is my theory, my theory first then the research…… HFCS is processed, very processed, and the less processed goods in body the better. Ok now the research…. a few months a ago there was article in The Washington Post which highlighted the evidence of Mercury in almost half of the HFCS that was researched and that Americans consume 12 teaspoons a day of HFCS and teenagers consume 80% more than that!!!!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/26/AR2009012601831.html
furthermore i found an article in TIME magazine which is helping sort out the answers. what the consensus of the research i have read that “they” do think that HFCS is contributing to the obesity factor in the United States, as well as, Juvenile diabetes and type II diabetes. http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1841910,00.html

I have also discovered the horrible way that corn is keep in the food by the government, by government subsides which force the market price down and keep framers producing corn at low prices. This ”corn issue” is a prefect example of the conflict perspective. the conflict perspective would say that the government keeps control over the corn market in order to have control of the money/power. By providing subsides it keeps the government hand involved in our corunty food production. 

After reading all of this i think i am going to keep HFCS out of my diet but i think the idea here is to know what you are putting in your body, if possible limit intake of HFCS. Moderation is always key weather it is sugar or HFCS. I encourage all of you to look in your cabients and see what has HFCS??? Knowledge is power.

Posted in Introduction to Sociology | 1 Comment »

7. April 2009 by student.

I work three to four times a week, part time with my father. My father works for a realestate company as his own boss. I am working for him just to earn extra money to survive in this society. He makes me do boring work which I repeat every 5mins such as file papers, call people to make appointments, email people documents, and run alot of errands. All which is easy work, but its so boring because of the atmosphere I work in. Even though I dred waking up early to head to a day full of paper work, phone calls, and computer typing; there is one main reason I DRED going to work with my father at his office.

OLD PEOPLE! There are old people everywhere at my father’s main realestate office. I am the only teenager working at the office with a bunch of old realestate agents who should’ve already been retired and in a nursing home or in their homes relaxing. The government has a retirement age of 65, so why are these 70-80 year olds still working? It is very annoying to me when I have to always help them with the computers, because they do not know how to operate one correctly.  I do get a kick of how slow they tend to walk and talk and how low their skins are sagging but it gets annoying after a while. Even though the atmosphere im in now is not such a great one for me, I do help them because they cannot keep up to our generation, our fast technology, and our society as fast as I can. Working at my father’s realestate office made me realize that society says that old people should retire at the age of 65, but it all depends on the agent when they would like to retire. 

Posted in Introduction to Sociology | 1 Comment »