20. June 2009 by Mr. Andoscia.

Thanks everybody for your contributions. It was a great semester blog wise.  You all have some very strong opinions.  I hope that you have learned to use the social facts to help shape and reinforce your right to speak.

Trio, please e-mail me because I don’t know who you are.

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20. June 2009 by student.

How could anyone abuse a defenseless child? Most of us can’t imagine what would make an adult abuse a child. The worse the behavior is, the more unimaginable it seems. Yet sadly, child abuse is much more common than you might think. Child abuse cuts across social classes and all ethnicities. And the abuse overwhelmingly is at the hands of those who are supposed to be protecting the child, the caretakers. Child abuse happens in many different ways, but the result is the same, serious physical or emotional harm. Physical or sexual abuse may be the most striking types of abuse, since they often unfortunately leave physical evidence behind. However, emotional abuse and neglect are serious types of child abuse that are often more subtle and difficult to spot. Child neglect is the most common type of child abuse. All types of child abuse and neglect leave lasting scars. Some of these scars might be physical, but emotional scarring has long lasting effects throughout life, damaging a child’s sense of self and ability to have healthy relationships. One of the most painful effects of child abuse is its tendency to repeat itself. One of every three abused or neglected children will grow up to become an abusive parent. You may be reluctant to interfere in someone’s family, but you can make a huge difference in a child’s life if you do. The earlier abused children get help, the greater chance they have to heal from their abuse and not perpetuate the cycle.

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20. June 2009 by student.

Measures of success have shifted substantially in the US over the past hundred years. In the past, social standing was broadly measured qualitatively, by the strength of the family, standing with the community, or what can be lumped together as traditional values, with little influence of direct wealth on that image of respect beyond the staples of a home. The idea of purchasing million dollar homes and hundred thousand dollar cars to flaunt was not of major prevalence in society in the early 1900s. Then came the engineers.

The rise of technology changed many of the values of society as a whole by offering cheaper, mass produced alternatives to hard work. The push mower became the gas mower became the riding mower. The sink was replaced by a dishwasher, microwaves shortened cooking times, and washers and driers really took over. This shift from personal pride to efficiency provoked a materialistic response. Machines were now doing the household labor, and the personal accomplishments fell to the wayside as wealth and machines became the new source of productivity, pushing the source of pride from what the person did, to what the machines did for the person, finally to the machines themselves. The task became unimportant. Only the quality of the machine that performed that task was relevant.

Fast forward to today and the same mentality applies. Cost and popularity over function rule the materialistic aspects of society, which is a great deal. However, there has been another subtle shift, this time away from materialism, along several fronts. Primarily, the current financial state of the US has really shifted the societal focus from bigger TVs and cars to a desire to maintain a home, though recently that is a materialistic drive in its own right. The other source is the environmental movement. The source of environmental pollution stems from the need for more things, which require chemicals to create and energy to run. With the eco conscious drive, fewer items are being sold daily resulting in a shift away from materialism for society. What this will lead to is anyones guess, but likely increase in efficiency technology rather than the focus on bigger and better things.

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20. June 2009 by student.

Let me start with some of the latest facts.  Cape Coral is in the top five for having the largest amount of forclosures. The city council is being mocked constantly because they have no respect for one another and their meetings once a week are like reality tv. I have actually had people tell me they watch it for fun. So not only are there families struggling in these hard economic times to keep their homes but now the city wants to put a tax on our electric bill to make up for lost property tax, tax the square footage of our home to pay to keep the fire fighter (Which I do agree we need! The fire fighters! And they deserve every penny they make), and even though we are a city that is exempt from the watering law in the state of Florida they still want to put restrictions on us for watering so they can fine us. The reason Cape Coral is exempt is because we the citizens have paid to have a recycling water plant that recycles our waste water and then it is used for irrigation water. And as we have watering restriction and they are fining people for watering the city is taking that overload of recycled water and dumping it into the river when they are to full at the plant. Makes me wonder who we have running our city!

Posted in Introduction to Sociology | 1 Comment »

20. June 2009 by student.

As we all know Haiti tend to be the poorest country in the Western Hemispere. In the 17th century the French colonisation of St Domingue(Haiti) began. St Domingue was the name of the island given by the French. St Domingue had a succesful plantation of sugar canne,coffee ,and it was the most cherish  French colony. St Domingue was the most flourishing colony that France had ever had, and at that time France was considered as the comercial empire of Europe. As a result, the colony  of St Domingue (Haiti)  was called “pearl of the Antilles”. While the political upheaval began in France, The Revolution of St Domingue began. Slaves started to realized slavery was inhuman, and they wanted their personal freedom. In 1804, St Domingue became Haiti. It took France 21 years later in 1825 to accept the freedom they have faught for, and make the Haitian government pay 150 million francs and a reduction of 50% of taxes in profit of France for comercial exchange. After that  Haiti starded commercial exchange with France and other country. Our economy was stable , and Haiti had a strong agricultural economy those days. Every Haitian was able to live, and now Haiti is famous only for being the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. Nowadays, our economy is based only on exportation, and we need to buy everything we need from the imperialism while they supply less from us.  It still hard to believe a flourishing colony ended just like that while Haiti still have a lot of ressources. Haiti still have a chance to be what it used to be in the past. I believe another Haiti is possible.

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20. June 2009 by student.

Why would any person wish to lower the drinking age to 18- or anything other than 21? Alcohol limits one’s capabilities of accomplishing any given task. Nevertheless, alcohol kills. It’s as simple as that. Alcohol can be related to specific diseases-especially liver-and also to homicides and car accidents. People under the influence are likely to commit actions that they wouldn’t ordinarily do on a regular basis. Alcohol can have significant effects on feelings, perceptions, and physiology. Although, one or two drinks might lighten up someone who is feeling depressed-Why the heck do people-specifically adolescents-drink? Adolescents drink to feel as if they are rebelling. (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Publications Distribution Center) It is a sense of rebellion because it’s simply illegal. Alcohol use is merely ridiculous. A glass of wine won’t hurt an adult-but I’m sure giving a teenager a beer ball might harm them-eventually.

Alcohol’s Effects

(http://www.alcohol.vt.edu/Students/alcoholEffects/index.htm)

Progressive Effects of Alcohol

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20. June 2009 by student.

Poverty is a large problem in the United States as well as the world. America is no longer the power house economy is once used to be. Poverty has always existed in the United States, however it is now growing to record numbers. Out of the ten riches people in the world, only three are American, slowly America is losing the economic race (Forbes). Government is losing its control on industries and large companies, this puts the money in the hands of big business, and as seen in history, when money is put in control of the large industries, it hurts the American people. This was particularly seen under the Harding administration.

This is also a matter that can affect different genders, it is particularly a problem for women because of sexual discrimination which leads to fewer opportunities for women, the glass ceiling truly hurts the pockets of women. The problem of poverty can also cause other harsh conditions on the Earth. Those who need energy, those part of lower income families, will burn whatever they can in order to get this energy needed. This will release dangerous toxins into the environment, causing great harm to the o-zone, and environment in general. This shows how one problem can cause a major chain reaction, leading to another problem that is just as bad. This is truly a horrible cause and effect situation. And governments and organizations must intervene to stop this growing problem, they will only get worse, especially at this time of economic peril.

Posted in Introduction to Sociology | 5 Comments »

20. June 2009 by student.

Why is there so much violence among young people in today’s generations? Why are Kids taking guns to school and shooting teachers? You hear stories on the news all the time of violence and murder. Everyday the suspects get younger and younger. Many parents blame the culture. Too much sex, drugs, and violence is exposed to our children through TV and especially video games. Video games are used and played by kids of all ages. What are the children learning from video games?
One finding reported by psychologists stated that the major problem with video games is that they award aggressive behavior. Experts are concerned that children are learning that violence is an acceptable response to aggressive behavior. Children ages 6 to 17 years of age play an average of 13 hours a week of video games. Regardless of content, that’s a lot of time invested into one activity. 49% of video games are rated “T”, which means their violent. Not all video games are violent but it’s been estimated that 89% of video games have some sort of violence in them.
Many studies have proven that kids who play a lot of video games are more hostile and more likely to think that it’s okay to use alcohol and marijuana and be competitive in another task. Experts say that desensitization is the culprit to increased hostility. Desensitation is when someone actually thinks that violence is normal. Some games especially online role playing games, can be a substitute for real life and players can become immersed in the experience of living in an imaginary world.
There are also unhealthy side affects of being a video gamer. Video gaming leads to severe obesity and also increased anxiety and withdrawals from family and society. There are even support groups for people who can’t stop playing video games. A lot of hardcore gamers feel symptoms of RSI. RSI is repetitive strain injury, which is caused by sitting for too long. For gamers, it’s common to get RSI in the wrist where tissue covers the tendons causing inflammation and sores.
It’s obvious that video games can be harmful for children and that parent’s play a large role in their children’s well being. If parents take the initiative to monitor what their kids play and for how long it could help reduce hostility and increase productivity in school and community activities.

A.M.H

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20. June 2009 by student.

Theism, which in our society is most commonly associated with the monotheistic, personal all-powerful God, has been part and parcel of the Western view of religion. It is hard for us to think about religion without the central presence of such a deity – the God who is transcendent. It is not that other aspects of God are absent in most recognized religions, but the transcendent element is salient and stands out in Western literature and practice.

There is theism in Yoga and it is historically closely linked to the deities of Hinduism, which is a soft polytheism that views the gods as being subsumed into a greater whole. We may however reject the connection because our discomfort with theism or with anything that is not acutely monotheistic.

Yoga emphasizes the imminent aspect of God. Yoga holds great teachings and wisdom to help us understand, comprehend, and experience the sacred within the self and in everyday life. The imminent God is not absent from monotheistic religions, but is veiled in their mystical practices that are not readily available for seekers. It is therefore hard for many of us to see Yoga as a religion when it lacks a transcendent God, the one we idealize as firm, controlling, and unreachable being. Notwithstanding, Yoga teachings in the West remain accessible and meaningful to many people in connecting to divinity, community, and self, suggesting that an imminent God is a better fit for some at this time of history.

Yoga models may also be attractive because they focus on the individual and are more democratic in nature – at least they appear to be from their presentation here in the West. These models may provide a more internal passageway to divinity, more freedom and spontaneity, and be experienced as more embracing and non-threatening portal to mystical experiences.

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20. June 2009 by student.

An estimated 48 millions persons in the United states have one or more physical or mental disabilities that differentially affect their opportunities for employment. Nowday, with advanced in medical technology many people who formerly would have died from an accident or illness now survive, although sometime with an impairment.  In 1990 the U.S. became the first nation to formally sddress the issue of eqaulit for persons with disabilities, when Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Workers with disability are able to engage in a wide variety of occupation when they are offered the opportunity to do so.

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