22. February 2010 by student.

When you wake up, you might turn on your computer before class to see a news update on Google, Yahoo, Bing, whatever your home page is set to.  You might grab a newspaper, or a coffee at Einstein Bros. while watching one of the many morning shows.  Later in the day you might pick up the latest sports magazine, or Cosmo.  Then you come home and “pre-game” for your favorite show, getting food ready, making sure your comfortable, and finishing all other work before relaxing in front of the television.  Then maybe you will watch a late night show, (whichever one your loyal to), right before you go to bed.  Every day we have some sort of schedule whether we set it or it just happens, and for most people the vast majority of this schedule includes interaction with some form of the media, whether it be newspaper or reality show.  We just don’t realize how much the media affects all of us.  According to a study made by California State University students, over 99% of households in the United States own a television.  The average American will watch over 4 hours of television a day, adding up to an astonishing 9 years of watching television during a 65-year life  (Television).  Now, not everyone watches that much television, and some of you may watch twice as much, but this is an astonishing statistic that many of us have contributed to.  In regards to magazines, according to the Media Information Center, the average magazine reader spends 45 minutes reading one issue.  85% of U.S. adults read magazines regularly, and 87% of those adults purchase a subscription  (Media Info Center).  From Cosmo to Late night with Jimmy Fallon, the media affects us more then we know.  People may wear certain clothes because of what fashion is currently being shown on the latest episode of The Hills.  Friends are torn apart by political news stations like Fox.  Girls are glued to magazines like Cosmopolitan and Vogue, guys to sports and car magazines.  People act like the actors and actresses they see on television and movies because they think it’s cool.  After great comedies like the Hangover come out, people repeat the jokes so much that it makes you wish the movie never even came out.  The media affects us in such a profound way that I can’t even begin to describe it with simple statistics and opinions.  I am not saying I don’t pre-game for my favorite shows and pick up a sports/car magazine every once in a while, but I don’t let the media change me, (at least not to much).  Whether the media’s effect is good or bad, that’s a matter of opinion.

http://www.mediainfocenter.org/magazine/magazinecategories.asp

http://www.csun.edu/science/health/docs/tv&health.html

Posted in Introduction to Sociology | 1 Comment »

22. February 2010 by student.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. “

-Nelson Mandela

               When we are young, we learn the most about life and who or what is important. Why is gender such an important idea and term in our society?  Why must we conform to these social institutions telling us who were supposed to be and who were not allowed to be?  When walking through toy stores, the toys are organized in a way to reinforce the ideas of femininity, masculinity, or other.  Walk down one aisle, pink overkill.  The next aisle is loaded with plastic muscles, guns, and trucks.  The next aisle is usually shades of yellow for those parents who don’t know the sex of their upcoming child or for newborns and babies, when these ideas are not as important to the parents because the children cannot yet tell which is right or wrong.  But is there a right or wrong?

               Why do only girls get to play with bratz dolls, shopping carts, and easy bake ovens?  The most dominant subjects for female gendered toys or games are beauty and popularity. As young girls and women, we are taught the things that are socially acceptable and “normal” for girls and women to achieve or portray regarding how we are supposed to look or act.  This learning period must also include socialization, which is a lifelong process of learning social skills and standards and acquiring status in society. 

               The most dominant subject for male gendered toys or games that I noticed is sports.  When walking through a toy store, one very noticeable section is trading cards.  Yet, almost every single card has a male pictured on it. Why is that?  Can only men play sports? Obviously not, there are many professional women players and teams out there, but why aren’t they on trading cards? This situation could also be perceived as dominance and subordination.  In this case, the dominant group (males), have defined that the most acceptable roles in sports are only acceptable for males to take part in and that females are the subordinate group because they are “worse” at sports. 

               I believe that toys & games are the main ingredient in our children’s newly constructed lives and play a major part in their futures.  A major part of all of this is marketing as the biggest contributor. It is important to teach our children the values and morals they need to succeed in life, and let them know that life does not revolve around gender alone.  We must learn who we truly are on our own and not by the colors or pictures on a box.

Posted in Introduction to Sociology | 1 Comment »

22. February 2010 by student.

Gabriela Nicotra (FGCU Intro to Soci.): Sleep Deprivation

       Most people find it a struggle or great effort to wake up in the morning. They may also even wish that they could have gotten at least two more extra hours of sleep. Most Americans suffer from sleep deprivation, or not getting enough hours of sleep.  It is can also cause psychiatric or physical symptoms, and may even possibly have an effect on every day rituals or routines (Stedman’s Medical Dictionary, 2006). There are many different types of sleep disorders. Sleep disorders can cause many different symptoms including feeling irritable throughout the day, having problems staying awake, having issues concentrating, having a slow reaction, feeling like taking a nap almost everyday, falling asleep or feeling very tired while driving, having emotional outbursts, or even using caffeinated drinks, such as coffee, to keep yourself awake. Above all, teens probably suffer the most by not getting enough hours of sleep each night. Teenagers today are always on the go either working a job or two, playing a sport, doing extracurricular activities, or on top of all that dealing with their school work. As a former teenager, a normal day usually starts around 6 am and tends to usually end around anywhere between 11pm-12am each night. Constantly being busy and always on the go usually ends up with a lack of sleep, or sleep deprivation. This can also lead to resulting in many possible disorders, which may even possibly affect sleep results.

       One type of sleep disorder includes sleep apnea. It is a known to be a type of state when inhalation discontinues or stops for more than a good ten seconds throughout your sleeping period (Robinson, R. & Frey, R. J., 2006).  Sleep apnea can also be a key cause of being very sleepy during the daytime. It can also even cause many severe harmful effects on a person. There are two forms of this. One form is called obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA. This is usually when breathing will stop because due to tissue which is located in the esophagus, resulting in closing or blocking off the air passage. A second type of this disorder includes central sleep apnea, or CSA. In CSA, the center of the brain is in charge for respiration and also to let it send some communication to the different muscles, such as those for inhalation. Also, OSA is very more common than CSA. (Robinson, R. & Frey, R. J., 2006).

    Another sleep disorder includes insomnia, which is known as the incapability to attain a sufficient quantity or value of sleep (
Barstow, D. G., 2006).  Most people with this sleep disorder usually do not feel rejuvenated when they awake. Many people who contain insomnia usually do not feel good when they wake up, and do not start off their day feeling revived. If anything, most people are usually feeling tired. Other effects of this disorder include the inability or difficulty in being able to fall asleep. Also, tossing and turning in bed for long periods of time can take place (
Barstow, D. G., 2006). In addition, it is also more commonly found in elderly people and even females. About 1 to 3 people in the
US experience habitual complexity in being able to fall asleep. Nervousness and anxiety disorders, along with being depressed are also some exceptionally downbeat symptoms (Kindersley, 2004).

       Furthermore, narcolepsy is another sleep disorder which can tend to cause unexpected times of deep sleep. These occurrences can usually happen at very unsuitable times, as well as when a person can be driving, eating, or even talking. Also, narcolepsy typically appears to effect people among the ages 15 and 30, yet this stipulation can also show up either later in life, or even earlier. From the instant these symptoms occur, the disorder is there for life. Narcolepsy affects at least 120,000 people in the
United States (Narcolepsy Disease/Disorder overview, 2007). People who have this disorder usually don’t need more hours or time of sleep; but instead, they tend to need daytime naps because they have a hard time staying awake for elongated periods of time.

       With this in mind, another type of disorder called the restless legs syndrome, or RLS, is an additional one which is associated with movement, feeling, and even sensation. Inhabitants with this condition usually enclose a very distasteful feeling of consciousness in each leg right after they lie down to go to bed. Also, most populace have a tough push to budge their legs or even their arms, which sometimes may even help them feel recovered. However, all this movement makes it more difficult or even impracticable to be able to get to sleep.

      Anonymous , (2008, October 17). Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS). Retrieved

            November 16, 2008, from eLibrary Web site:           

http://elibrary.bigchalk.com/libweb/curriculum/do/document?set=search&urn=urn:bigchalk:US;BCLib;document;158171514

Barstow, D. G. (2006). Insomnia. In The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, Vol. 3.          (3^rd ed., pp. 2032-2034)
Detroit: Gale Retrieved November 16, 2008, from Gale Virtual Reference Library via Gale: http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=GVRL&u=boca72467

Farrington, Jan (2003, November 1). Why teens need more sleep. Retrieved

November 16, 2008, from eLibrary Web site: http://elibrary.bigchalk.com/libweb/curriculum/do/document?set=search&groupid=1&requestid=lib_standard&resultid=23&edition=&ts=1B385A65E22C14A5799332C6804208B3_1226892358133&start=1&urn=urn%3Abigchalk%3AUS%3BBCLib%3Bdocument%3B88114458

Kindersley , Dorling (2004, November 1). Insomnia. Retrieved November 16,

2008, from eLibrary Web site: http://elibrary.bigchalk.com/libweb/curriculum/do/document?set=search&groupid=1&requestid=lib_standard&resultid=3&edition=&ts=31A9372579949F83F56B9D3A194D4BF3_1226899255950&start=1&urn=urn%3Abigchalk%3AUS%3BBCLib%3Bdocument%3B127038371

Posted in Mr. Andoscia, Introduction to Sociology | 1 Comment »

22. February 2010 by student.

Gabriela Nicotra (FGCU Intro to Soci.): The Truth about Autism  

     Some people may have misconception towards other’s behaviors. I know I do. Have you ever thought somebody was just kidding around when they were yelling obnoxiously at a store, randomly bursting out into words and/or phrases, or making weird noises and sounds? Well, according to autismspeaks.org, the odds of being diagnosed with autism are 1 in 150. Autism affects an estimated 10 to 20 of every 10,000 people. It is about 4 times more common in boys as in girls. Also, as many as 1.5 million people in the
US are born with some sort of form of autism. As many as 1.5 million people in this country may have some form of autism. Autism can affect all races, socioeconomic levels, and ethnic groups (Ellis, MD, 2005). Most likely what you may be witnessing may not just be kidding around at all. It might actually be someone who is suffering from autism. Autism is one of the most common conditions in a group of developmental disorders known as the autism spectrum disorders.

       Some common signs of autism include, not being able to socially interact as well as others, having difficulty with verbal and nonverbal communication, and having repetitive or constant behaviors. Also, parents tend to be the first ones to notice if their child is suffering from these symptoms (Dowshen, MD, 2008). Children who are born with this disease may tend to act normal up until a certain age, but then become different especially dealing with any social interactions or engagements. Suffering patients of autism, tend to not be able to look a person in the eye, or even be unsuccessful in responding to their own name. That is why one may not realize what the person is suffering from, and just assume they are either being obnoxious or having an inappropriate behavior on purpose. In addition, children with autism are also not as empathetic as a normal person would be, because they lack the ability to be able to understand people’s facial expressions or social cues. Head-banging, rocking, or biting are just a few examples of what a child with autism might take on in. Different signs of autism may come into view throughout the early years or stages of a person’s life.

        By the age of 3 the disorder is also usually diagnosed. Occasionally, the child’s growth expansion seems to be normal until about 2 years old and then regresses swiftly. Symptoms of autism occur in various combinations, including from mild to severe. For more severe however, medication is to be used. Also, some others signs of this disorder in infants include, a lack of any interesting toys, a lack of response to others, marked reduction or increase in activity level, or resisting cuddling (Swierzewski, III, M.D, 2000). According to kidshealth.org, people who have autism often enclose in postponed language development, show very little interest in the effort of making friends, and preferring to spend time alone. Also, another attribute of autism is called “sensory overload”. Sensory overload is when sounds seem louder, lights seem brighter, or smells seem stronger. Even though many people who suffer from autism also suffer from mental retardation, some of them are of average or have an even higher astuteness for knowledge. Furthermore, people who suffer with a form of autism, called savantism, have skills in specific areas or studies including, music, art, and numbers. People with savantism are capable of performing these skills without having any lessons(Dowshen, MD, 2008). In addition, not everybody with who suffers from autism have the same exact symptoms.       

       The symptoms can vary depending on a person and their condition. There are cases of autism that are mild, or there are cases that may be more brutal. Since autism tends to affect everyone in a different way, it is recognized as a spectrum disorder. Even if there are two people who may suffer or have the same spectrum disorder, it does not necessarily mean that will act the same or even have the same skills on possesses. Children suffering from autism may also live a life with a greater risk in resulting to becoming diagnosed with other diseases, such as: fragile X syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, epileptic seizures, Tourette syndrome, learning disabilities, and attention deficit disorder (Autism, 2008). As you can see, autism can help lead the way into other diseases, causing more damage to a person in the future. Almost 20 to 30 percent of children who suffer from autism tend to develop or also become diagnosed with epilepsy by the time they reach parenthood (NINDS, 2009). According to kidshleath.org, people who suffer from schizophrenia may perhaps also show autistic behaviors. What causes autism one might ask? The brain obtains over 100 billion nerve cells called neurons. Each neuron may have hundreds or even thousands of connections that carry messages to many different nerve cells in the brain and even the body.  

       Coming from a personal experience of mine, a good family friend of mine has a child whom suffers from autism. Ever since this child was a baby he has always engaged in many different autistic symptoms, including lack of eye contact, not listening, making random noises or sounds, and not being able to respond to his own name when his mother calls him. At first I was confused about what the boy was suffering from, or what he was possibly going threw, until I learned that it was autism. At an early age, his parents are doing everything the best they can do to try and make his life as realistic as possible, without suffering from this horrible disease. Since autism is not curable, it is certainly treatable, and can be made into a more positive, better situation for not only the person suffering, but for other family members as well. It has been proven that noticing early signs of autism, and treating them as soon as possible, can help have a positive effect or outcome in the long run. Today, there are still no x-rays, MRI’s, Cat scans, or even general lab tests that can be used to verify the identification of autism.     

    The diagnosis of autism is based on scientific verdict as regards to observations of the person’s behavior or actions (NINDS, 2009). A child with autism is not uncommon today, considering each day more and more babies are being born suffering unknowingly with this disease. Though we still do not exactly know what cause autism, we do know that research has told us that it may be included in genetics, hereditary, occur from certain types of infections, or even have problems come about at birth. According to webmd.com, some studies strongly tell us that some people have a genetic predisposition to autism, meaning that they are capable of developing this condition and that it may be passed on in your family.  Some guesses or theories may even suggest that the body’s immune system may inappropriately make antibodies that can attack the brains of children causing autism.      

      March 23, 2009, from WebMD Web site: http://www.webmd.com/parenting/guide/mental-health-autism?page=3Dowshen, MD, S (April 2008). What does autism mean? . Retrieved March 23,

Posted in Mr. Andoscia, Introduction to Sociology | 1 Comment »

22. February 2010 by student.

Gabriela Nicotra (FGCU Intro to Soci.): Healthcare:Should the United States have universal healthcare as a right of citizenship?  

       Should the United States have universal healthcare as a right of citizenship? Facts: According to cthealth.server101.com, the United States is the only industrialized nation that does not guarantee access to health care as a right of citizenship. Twenty eight industrialized nations have single payer universal health care systems, while only Germany has a multi-payer universal health care system, which President Clinton had once projected for this country (Battista and McCabe, 1994). Opposingviews.com also reveals that there are nearly 50 million Americans currently without health insurance who are struggling to pay their medical bills (Klepper, 2008). Cthealth.server101.com states that repeated national and state polls have shown that between 60% to 75% of Americans would like a universal health care system (Battista and McCabe, 1994). The US Census Bureau also states that the percentage of people in the United States without health insurance was 15.8% in 2006, and the number of uninsured was 47 million.

     Administrative costs for private health insurance are in the range of 11-14% of total premiums, while a shift to a single-payer system would yield net savings of about $99.6 billion (as of 2006) annually in reported administrative costs, or about $2100 in potential health-care benefits for each of the 47 million individuals currently uninsured (Zycher, 2007). According to cnn.com, Republican leaders and some conservative Democrats specifically oppose the government-funded plan, fearing it would lead to eventual elimination of private health insurance. However, the Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden, states that a national healthcare plan is on track to pass Congress by end of August (Lucas, 2009).    

     President Obama acknowledged he supports what is called “the national option”, saying it would increase competition for private plans. At the same time, the president insisted a national plan would be one of many choices as part of reforms intended to strengthen the U.S. system (Barrett and Keiler, 2009). “‘If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor,’” he said to applause. “‘If you like your health care plan, you will be able to keep your health care plan’” (Barrett and Keiler, 2009). He also stated that none of the plans would be able to deny coverage on the basis of pre-existing conditions and that Congress is expected to take up at least three healthcare proposals in coming months (Barrett and Keiler, 2009).

       Research has revealed that the United States is indeed the only industrialized nation that does not guarantee access to healthcare as a right of citizenship. While some may say universal healthcare would be too expensive, the facts prove differently. According to cthealth.server101.com, federal studies by the Congressional Budget Office and the General Accounting Office show that single payer universal healthcare would save $100 to $200 Billion per year, despite covering all the uninsured and increasing healthcare benefits (Battista and McCabe, 1999). The amount of money this country and its citizens would be saving, from the benefits of a universal healthcare system would be colossal.

      The United States denies healthcare based on the inability to pay. If everyone had access to a universal healthcare system, there would be less people worrying about how they were going to afford keeping their family happy and healthy. Also, in this country, access to quality healthcare is directly dependent on income and race. If there were universal healthcare, many minority and economically disadvantaged groups would have access to it. This would allow all citizens equal access to easy and quality healthcare. Some believe that healthcare would most likely result in more government control, intrusion, and the loss of freedom of choice. However, this is not true. Once again, according to cthealth.server101.com, single payer universal healthcare administered by a state public health system would be much more democratic and less intrusive than the current system (Battista and McCabe, 1999). Consumers and providers would have a voice in determining benefits, rates, and taxes. Problems with free choice, confidentiality, and medical decision making would be resolved.

       I believe that healthcare is a need, not a right, and that every legal US citizen should be eligible for good, affordable healthcare. Also affirmed from opposingviews.com, many healthcare experts believe that in the end, the cost of a universal coverage system would be less than we currently pay (Klepper, 2008). This should be a huge wakeup call and credible argument as to why universal healthcare is needed in this country. Just because we are one of the wealthiest nations, this does not mean everyone is able to afford or have health insurance. With a universal healthcare plan, this number would be greatly reduced, and our country would most likely be stronger as a whole.

      I believe that being a US citizen guarantees you the right to an easy, affordable healthcare plan. Whether you are working or not, you should have access to quality healthcare. As is well-known, many Americans are losing their jobs today. Many working families, who were struggling to pay for healthcare before, are under pressure more now due to job loss. Just imagine how many more US citizens are stressing about their healthcare now. 

      Just as stated in the United States Declaration of Independence, all Americans have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. People cannot pursue happiness if they are not healthy. Some will argue that it’s the government’s job to protect its citizens from harm. The same argument can be made for healthcare, since people are “harmed” when they get sick and cannot get help. It shouldn’t be argued, or even questioned, that a US American Citizen be guaranteed the right to a good healthcare plan; it should be provided.

   Barrett, T. and Keilar, B. (2009, June 11). Obama takes health care plan to the people. Cnn.com Web. Retrieved July 22, 2009, from http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/06/11/health.care.debate/ Battista, J. and McCabe, J. (1999, June 4). The Case for Universal Health Care in the United States. Connecticut Coalition for Universal Health Care Web. Retrieved July 16, 2009, from http://cthealth.server101.com/the_case_for_universal_health_care_in_the_united_states.htm Klepper, B. (2008). Should the U.S. Have Universal Healthcare? Opposing Views Web. Retrieved July 16, 2009, from http://www.opposingviews.com/arguments/universal-coverage-would-help-keep-americas-health-system-stable Lucas, F (2009, July 9). Biden Says National Health Care Plan Is on Track to Pass Congress by End of August. Csnews.com Web. Retrieved July 22, 2009, from http://www.cnsnews.com/Public/Content/article.aspx?RsrcID=50759 Zycher, B (October 2007). Medical Progress Report. Manhattan Institute for Policy Research Web. Retrieved July 22, 2009, from http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/mpr_05.htm

Posted in Mr. Andoscia, Introduction to Sociology | 1 Comment »

22. February 2010 by student.

Texting while driving is a high risk factor to our communities.  Those who read text message or send them while they drive seem to be “cool”, they can “multitask.” But the truth is everyone time someone looks down at their phone for a brief second, their eyes and concentration are taken off the road. 

The Department for Transport states that “Driving and mobile phones don’t mix. That is why we increased the penalty for illegally using a mobile when driving.”  Texting while driving shows an increase in speed changes, mostly slowing down, and swerving within lanes.  Swerving in and out of lanes because you are too busy on your phone is a dangerous hazard to yourself and to everyone else on the road.  48% of young Americans from 12-17 say they’ve been in a car while the driver was texting. 21% of fatal car crashes involving teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19 were the result of cell phone usage, each year. Drivers between 18 and 24, almost 50% are texting while driving.  Over one-third of all young drivers, ages 24 and under, are texting on the road. Many teenagers admit that texting is their number one distraction while on the road.

Texting while driving needs to be reduced, and I feel the only way to perform such an action is to make it illegal to be on your phone while behind the wheel.  Most states have already started enforcing a law for this behavior.  Yet, even though it is illegal, texting while driving seems to be a big risk with car accidents.  The data of a text is recorded with the service provider, which means that connection between texting and an accident is not very difficult to prove, just as it is with cell phone conversations.  From my previous experience I have look down at phone while driving for a split second and when I look up, I have to slam hard on my brakes so I do not hit the car in front of me.  Everyone who drives know that texting while behind the wheel is very dangerous, yet we keep performing this hazardous behavior.  In order to decrease accidents that occur from cell phone use behind the wheel, another step of action has to be taken.

Posted in Social Problems | 2 Comments »