9. March 2010 by student.

Spring Break. Great time to relax and unwind. Have you ever tried meditating? Meditation is a mental discipline by which one attempts to get beyond the conditioned, “thinking” mind into a deeper state of relaxation or awareness. It has been practiced for over 5,000 years. Today for example, it is incorporated in yoga classes. I personally love to meditate and I want to share some of the benefits of meditation with you.

- Increase blood flow and slows heart rate
- Decreases high blood pressure
- Reduces anxiety
- Decreases muscle tension
- Helps with chronic diseases
- Enhances the immune system
- Reduces emtoiotnal distress
- Decreases cholesterol levelsm and lowers the risk for cardiovascular doseasse
- Decreases the aging process
- Builds self confidence
- Improved learning ability and memory
- Improved relationshions at home and work
- Purifies your character
- Increased job satisfaction
- Increases your listening skills
- Provides peace of mind and happiness
- deeper understanding of yourself
- changes your attitude towards life

You may want to check out these local web sites if your intrested:

http://www.meditationinflorida.org/

http://www.healthandharmonyonline.com/

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

9. March 2010 by student.

In today’s media we keep hearing more and more about teen pregnancy.  We have the show “16 and pregnant”  talking about this issue.  When people start watching this show and reading these articles most think “why are these girls doing this to themselves? They should just have an abortion”.  People say this because you always hear the horrible statistics on how teen pregnancies lead to girls dropping out of school and not receiving higher education and my not even complete high school.  This then leads to the mother and her child going on welfare.  People also say that these teens’ children are more likely to also have a teen pregnancy, so the cycle never stops.  These are the many reasons why people just want teens to have an abortion.  However, the show “16 and pregnant” shows us that we cannot stereo type the teens that get pregnant and show us there are other options besides abortion.  There are two great examples of this with Catelynn and Farrah.

Catelynn is a high school junior from a small town in Michigan. She is so grateful to have her boyfriend Tyler of three years to be there with her through this pregnancy because they both come from unsteady households.  Catelynn’s mom can be described as short fused and unreliable and Tyler’s dad is always in and out of jail.  To make matter worse Catelynn’s mom and Tyler’s dad are now getting married and Catelynn is pregnant with Tyler’s child.  Catelynn and Tyler decide that they are not ready to have a family and decide to put the child up for adoption.  Believe it or not Catelynn and Tyler’s friends are the only people supportive of their decision.  Catelynn’s mom is not supportive of adoption, and she tells Catelynn that she’s sure to change her mind when the time comes. Tyler’s dad is even less supportive. He can’t understand handing your baby to perfect strangers. So Catelynn and Tyler decide to give the baby for adoption against their parents’ wishes.  Tyler’s mom is the only family member who supports them. She drives them to an adoption agency to explore their options. Once there, the social worker, Dawn, gives them some “parent books” to look through, to see if anyone appeals to them. She says that sometimes the kindest thing one can do is be selfless and give up the baby. They agree to think it all over.   After looking over the “parent books” they find Brandon and Teresa that seem like the perfect family for their child.  When they tell their parents about their decision their parents go mad, put the young teens fight back saying they want better for their child then the life they had and have to live.  Then the time came for the baby to be born and they followed through with give up their baby girl for adoption and giving her a better life.Farrah is a popular cheerleader at her Council Bluffs, Iowa high school. She has big dreams, and juggles cheer with her job and grades.  She unexpectedly gets pregnant and rumors start flying around her school.  She has to deal with keeping the baby’s dad - who has proven unfit to be in the picture - in the dark about her news, and it’s getting harder to do with the gossip that’s flying around her.  Finally, Farrah attempts to squash the rumors by telling the team about her “situation.” They understand, and she hopes the drama will end here. After all, she has enough to deal with without this. She’s making big life decisions as a single “expecting” mom. And though her parents feel adoption is the best choice, Farrah’s not so sure.  The rumors keep flying and Farrah decides to quit cheerleading and decides to finish school out at the local community college.  Her mom, still has mixed feelings about her teenage daughter having a baby is her only consistent source of support, and makes it very clear that she doesn’t want Farrah partying or dating at such a serious time. In a last attempt at teenage-ness, Farrah defies her mom to go on a date with a boy from her work. When he bails on her at the last minute, she decides that her young, carefree days are over.  As her due date approaches, Farrah realizes that even her family might not be there for her in the way she needs. Her mom and sister are squeamish, and in the middle of Farrah’s delivery room tour, they reveal that they might not have it in them to be with her at the birth. Then one night Farrah’s water breaks at an inconvenient moment and her mom is left to coach her through the whole process alone. After 8 hours of labor, Farrah gives birth to Sophia, and her mom even cuts the umbilical cord. Motherhood seems to suit Farrah and even though she goes a little stir-crazy sometimes, she still goes out of her way to give Sophia the best life possible with the help and support of her family.There are so many other examples of how our class, ethnicity, and social standings really impact how these teen pregnancies are each affected.  Although, in the end there are other options then abortion and it’s good to hear and now woman are showing that there other options and they are taking responsibility for their actions.

Posted in Introduction to Sociology | 2 Comments »

9. March 2010 by student.

I’ve always wondered why movie ratings are so important.  Who decides who can watch a movie and how do they qualify some for a certain movie and no one for another.  So, I decided to look it up on mpaa.org which is the Motion Picture Association of America. “The ratings are decided by a full-time Rating Board located in Los Angeles. There are 10-13 members of the Board who serve for periods of varying length. They work for the Classification and Rating Administration, which is funded by fees charged to producers/distributors for the rating of their films. The MPAA Chairman chooses the Chairman of the Rating Board, thereby insulating the Board from industry or other group pressure. No one in the movie industry has the authority or power to push the Board in any direction or otherwise influence it. There are no special qualifications for Board membership, except that the members must have a shared parenthood experience, must be possessed of an intelligent maturity, and most of all, have the capacity to put themselves in the role of most American parents so they can view a film and apply a rating that most parents would find suitable and helpful in aiding their decisions about their children and what movies they see.”

So what do the ratings really mean?

G- General Audiences (All Ages Admitted)  “Contains nothing in theme, language, nudity, sex, violence or other matters that, in the view of the Rating Board, would offend parents whose younger children view the motion picture. The G rating is not a “certificate of approval,” nor does it signify a “children’s” motion picture.”

PG-Parental Guidance Suggested (Some material may not be suitable for children) “Should be investigated by parents before they let their younger children attend. There may be some profanity and some depictions of violence or brief nudity. There is no drug use content in a PG-rated motion picture.”

PG-13- Parents Strongly Cautioned (Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13) “A PG-13 rating is a sterner warning by the Rating Board to parents to determine whether their children under age 13 should view the motion picture, as some material might not be suited for them. A PG-13 motion picture may go beyond the PG rating in theme, violence, nudity, sensuality, language, adult activities or other elements, but does not reach the restricted R category.  The Rating Board nevertheless may rate such a motion picture PG-13 if, based on a special vote by a two-thirds majority, the Raters feel that most American parents would believe that a PG-13 rating is appropriate because of the context or manner in which the words are used or because the use of those words in the motion picture is inconspicuous.”

R- Restricted (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian) “An R-rated motion picture, in the view of the Rating Board, contains some adult material. An R-rated motion picture may include adult themes, adult activity, hard language, intense or persistent violence, sexually-oriented nudity, drug abuse or other elements, so that parents are counseled to take this rating very seriously. Children under 17 are not allowed to attend R-rated motion pictures unaccompanied by a parent or adult guardian.”

NC-17- No one 17 and under admitted “The rating simply signals that the content is appropriate only for an adult audience. An NC-17 rating can be based on violence, sex, aberrational behavior, drug abuse or any other element that most parents would consider too strong and therefore off-limits for viewing by their children.”

I believe that these ratings are very helpful for myself and parents around the world as well.  Though, most of the time they are not followed completely, I feel that they are a useful guide to teaching others of what is acceptable to watch for certain age groups.

Posted in Introduction to Sociology | 4 Comments »