30. November 2010 by student.

In the 21st century stress is more relevant in the workplace than in the 20^th century. Stress in the workplace poses a serious threat to one’s own immune system and in some cases lead to death. Stress in the workplace has coined the phrase “Going Postal”, referring to the post office employee shooting 14 of his fellow employees. With technology constantly on the verge of receiving information faster every day, it’s no wonder stress has significantly increased in the workplace. The physical effects of stress have been linked to fatal health issues such as; heart attacks, ulcers, and other gastrointestinal disorders. Continual stress also takes a toll on the body’s immune system, causing frequent colds and other illnesses. Psychologically, stress can lead to depression, anxiety and even panic attacks. Stress in the workplace has become a hazard and must be overcome at all costs. Know your limitations and know yourself, most importantly take care of yourself.

Posted in Social Problems | 2 Comments »

30. November 2010 by student.

We hear about fatal car accidents all the time involving teens around the country. Some of us have lost our best friends in such accidents. Most of the time the teens lost were not wearing their seat belt. During my high school years we had about five students killed in accidents, and each one was not wearing a seat belt. Earlier this year I lost one of my best friends in an accident. There is no excuse for not wearing it. An accident can happen at any time. Most occur close to home. Teen drivers are less likely to wear seat belts than adult drivers. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, only 76% of teen drivers buckled up in 2006. Not wearing seat belts increases the risk of a teenager being injured or even killed in a car accident. 58% percent of drivers ages 16 to 20 who died in car accidents in 2006 were not wearing seat belts, according to the NHTSA. “In 2008, an average of 9 teens died every day because of car accidents, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, totaling 3,500 teen deaths that year. Simply wearing a seat belt can dramatically reduce the number of car accident fatalities. According to the NHTSA, seat belts saved more than 14,000 lives in 2002″ (Carpenter). Even in if your in the back of an SUV, you should still buckle up.  For those riding in the rear of vans and SUV’s during a car crash, rear seat belts are 73% better at preventing fatalities. We should all keep in mind that victims are not properly restrained in more than one-half of all fatal car accidents. So buckle up. Wearing a seat belt might be annoying, but it will save your life in the case of an accident.

http://www.ehow.com/about_7232036_should-teens-wear-seatbelts_.html

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

30. November 2010 by student.

In sports today a problem greater than the athletes lack of commitment, scandals, and their personal lives is the rampant drug use. Drug use in sports is wrong no matter if used in weight training regiments or a shot of cortisone to a player as a result of injury. No matter the circumstances drug use is wrong in sports. In baseball the drug of choice is steroids, steroids are chemical compounds that are produced in humans in a naturally controlled matter, but when taken unfairly it tips the scale so to speak in favor of the athlete taking them. But in most cases in baseball in which steroid use is so prevalent and so abused, and so considered the normality, the fact that it’s being taken by so many goes unnoticed. Baseball historians will classify the last two decades as the “Steroid Era”, which is very much factual, in the two decades we have seen countless players; Sammie Sosa, Barry Bonds, Jose Conseco, and Mark McGuire to name a few, entangled in the dark world of steroid drug use throughout the last decade.

There is no doubt that (performance enhancing) drug use in sports is a very big problem has to be stopped. By no means should drugs be used in sport to better one’s abilities, when it’s based solely on your god given talents. If drug use in sports is not brought to an abrupt end most of our famed sports; football, baseball, and basketball will be tarnished due to the rampant drug use and the negative connotation that it carries.  

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30. November 2010 by student.

In America it is commonplace for a significant portion of the population to have or know someone with an eating disorder, the most popular being anorexia and bulemia, but are there differences in the disorders experienced by those in other countries? According to a recent study there is. It is a growing epidemic here in the U.S. and many other Western countries to desire perfection at any cost, mainly due to the unrealistic characters we see in most of our mass media, but what are some of problems facing the people in other societies? A common problem in Latin countries is called susto, which is characterized by extreme anxiety, restlessness and an overwhelming fear of black magic, while in Japanese culture Taijin-kyofusho, or severe social anxiety and fear of eye contact, appears to terrorize the people. Now why would these conditions be centered in these locations? Culture and cultural history is to blame. In the U.S. and other similar Western countries we are driven to what is believed to be beautiful and successful at any costs. Magazines, news and other media convinces us, mostly women, that to be viewed as desireable you must be a twig, and so dangerous conditions such as anorexia come into play. In the Latin cultures, especially where Christianity is or was not the main religion, witch doctors were considered the most important men in the society, and thus to be feared the most. The threat they posed was that they had the power to use black magic, the choice of whether they would wield this power for harmful purposes or to help the people was up to them. Though they are not as frequent as they were a hundred years ago, their legacy and power still surround the people in these countries creating this condition that hinders the population. The problem in Japan stems from the pressure put on respect for elders that all children are taught, and usually harshly punished if they do not follow those guidelines, from an early age. Those that may have been pushed a little too hard may have some lasting effect from the punishments, such as fear of making eye contact with anyone for fear of the consequences. They will have been taught that they should make themselves as unapparent as possible. This will create the sense of normalcy and security when they are ignored, and extreme discomfort when they are put on the spot to the point that it may stop them from meshing into the normal community.

As is easily demonstrated by these three examples, many disorders depend on the social cirumstances of the society and its’ history. Most Americans are not worried about black magic, while many Japanese will not starve themselves for what is deemed beautiful. Society’s timeline and development of its’ different cultures has indeed created these disorders, and it is the duty of those who also reside in the society to assist in the complete destruction of them.

Posted in Introduction to Sociology | 1 Comment »

30. November 2010 by student.

Women during the 19th century were often thought of as inferior, second class citizens and or as just doormats.

What it is, what were the effects during this time, and what advancements have women received as a result of their fight for equality. First women suffrage is simply defined as the fight for women to have the right to vote, this movement was a way for women to gain the same rights as men had. At this time women during the mid to late 18^th and early 19^th century were in a constant struggle to gain the same rights and privileges as men. According to an article from 42explore2, Women during the early colonial times, voting was limited to adult males who owned property, many people who thought that property owners had the strongest interest in good government; therefore, they were best qualified to make good decisions. The right of women by law to vote in national and local elections, after seeing their voice and feeling disregarded a number of times, these women began to take to the streets and voice their distaste.

As we see today women have been granted the right to vote and since have also gained other advancement

Posted in Social Problems | 2 Comments »

30. November 2010 by student.

Claim of Fact

            Physical Education should be made mandatory in schools and the two reasons why.

Two reasons why physical education should be mandated in schools are to promote healthier lifestyles and to lower the obesity rating of teenagers.

            Physical Education has been one of the most important lessons that schools have been teaching children for years. It’s very important in their physical development as well as their communications skills. Children need to be taught at a young age such as around grade school the exercise is important and also teaches them the steps to get in shape and stay in shape, exercise, and how to play sports that will keep them engaged and also teach them teamwork.

Today, the percentage of childhood and teenage obesity is 15%, for those between the ages of 6-19 according to the (Palo Alto Medical Foundation). Obesity is defined as having excessive accumulation of body weight. Obesity is a common eating disorder associated with adolescence. If physical education was made mandatory in schools it would help teenagers work toward a healthier lifestyle. The physical education would as instill a strong sense of living the healthy way. With at least an hour–block dedicated to physical fitness which can prevent such diseases as certain heart diseases and type II diabetes associated with adolescences who don’t get enough exercise.

An important perk to mandating physical education is lowering the obesity rating. Physical education can help greatly because it can teach important social skills, by introducing concepts like sportsmanship and competition. Gym classes teach a variety of physical and social skills that are essential to physical and mental fitness. Another problem is the growing concern that students without physical education have poor eating habits and exercise much less than their parents did at that age, which leads to an unhealthy lifestyle.

In closing physical education should be made mandatory in our public institutions.  Physical fitness is an important developmental trait needed for youth and teenagers, which will help promote a healthier lifestyle and lower the obesity rating.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

30. November 2010 by student.

     The main thing industries use to promote there items is an attractive male and/or female to give the feeling to consumers that if they buy that product that they to can become like them or get someone like them. Sexual attractiveness or sex appeal refers to a person’s ability to attract in a sexual or erotic manner the interest of another person. The attraction may be to a physical quality of a person, or to other, more amorphous qualities of the person. Most people today look at a person for attractiveness rather than find out what exactly that person is like. Sexuality is the top thing on peoples mines through society today, it runs through the media which then runs through society because everyone wants to be consider sexy. In the media, singers and actors have to look good or else it will be on the front page of “Peoples” magazine and that makes people more insecure about themselves. When people don’t like that way they look and can’t find a method that works for them, it can lead to drastic measures such as eating disorders. It is estimated that 8 million Americans, 7 million females and 1 million males, have an eating disorder. All of this just to be considered the “norm” of sexuality. There is no need for singers to be dressed half naked in every music video created. The public may like it and it may make them good ratings on their video but it does touch some people in the wrong manner. Its been a stated fact that men tend to look for a younger and sexier women to settle down with and women look for a man who can support them. But this society tends to over look those who aren’t there “type.” Because sex appeal runs through the media so much it alters what attractiveness actually is.  Don’t always judge a book by its cover.

Posted in Introduction to Sociology | 1 Comment »

30. November 2010 by student.

There are many common causes to sexual addictions and the effects are major health problems and possibly even death. Sexual addiction has many common causes and effects in today society. Many people are addicted to sex and it can become serious matters between the addict family, friendships, work, lifestyle, it also can destroy relationship with his or her partner   In the beginning some sexual addicts don’t realize that they’re getting addicted to sex, until it’s too late when everything starts going wrong for them or losing loved ones because of the denial stage of their addiction. There are a number of theories on why sexual addiction occurs in men and women. For example, it could be psychosocial or emotional difficulties personality disorder, as a form of coping mechanism, a childhood trauma. The addict will start showing signs or symptoms of compulsive sexual behavior with partners, or having extramarital affairs, engaging in sex with anonymous partners and prostitutes. Sex addicts treat their sexual partner as objects rather than social intimates that are only used for sex. There’s a line between enjoying sex, peripheral pleasures and sexual addiction. However, men and women with sexual addiction behaviors often use sex as they escape from maybe childhood memories of things they might have endured growing up , such as anxiety and stress, sexual and physical abuse, also depression and social isolation. Some sex addicts think they can’t get away and change their lifestyles around, but that is not true. Sexual addiction is not a disease, but whereby someone is a helpless victim. They are victims of course, and addict himself may have been victimized when young, but as an adult is very much responsible for his or her choices and behavior, and calling it a disease implies we can’t control it and that we are therefore free to let it go. This can be justification for the addict and an excuse for their mate. While sexual addiction does have great power over us, it can be overcome.  Addicts are always thinking or in the mood for sex. Substitutes are needed to meet needs for intimacy. Sexual addictive behavior is most common among men. Their sexual addiction become an overwhelming desire for them to have sex, but if not engaged into sexual intercourse with a female companion or sex partner, many men will engage in excessive masturbation, porn, chat rooms or online pornography and sex chat phone lines to fulfill their fantasy. Most men have a hard time understanding the negative results for their actions, and may put themselves at risk both mentally and criminally. In women, who are sex addicted may have suffered being sexual molested as a child by a family member or a close friend of the family. In such cases, the woman’s self-esteem is degraded and she’s turned into a sexual object, feeling their not attractive or good enough for someone to love. Most women engage in sex with strangers, have dangerous affairs, and feel pleasure through sadomasochistic acts and usually feel depressed the morning after. The more men they have sex with the more they perceive themselves as worthy. Sexual gratification is usually bound up with a source of power, whether it can be emotional, psychological or financial, that they obtain through their sex addiction. People that are addicted to sex get a sense of euphoria from it, and that seems to go beyond reported by most people. Their sexual experience is not about intimacy. Addicts use sexual activity to seek pleasure, avoid unpleasant feelings or respond to outside stressors, such as work difficulties or interpersonal problems. Men and women with sexual addictions often put their physical health at risk because of their sexual behaviors.  Some addicts don’t understand that they’re sexual behaviors are putting others and themselves at risk. Sometimes sexual addicts have a hard time changing their ways, because they’re trying to find a connection and love from someone special.  Many sex addicts have became this way by searching for that right person to love and they don’t stop having sex until they have found that one person that will love and accept them for who they are. In that process some addicts get very emotional because they’re so desperate to find love in the right person.

Posted in Introduction to Sociology | 1 Comment »

30. November 2010 by student.

    A gang is a group of three or more people, of teens and young adults, who through organizations, formation and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. The social stratification of gangs impacts mostly the lower class. Those who grew up with little to no money and/or being a race that was highly picked on may have turned to gangs to access resources such as protection. Many people join gangs for different reasons and they can be described through sociological perspectives.

     The conflict perspective relates to gangs because gangs relate to power, status and resources. Power because there is always strength in numbers. Status, they want to make a name for themselves, within a society, to other gangs and amongst there fellow gang members and to be able to call certain places their turf. Resources, is a way to get money and make them more powerful, examples include narcotics, illegal weapons and stolen merchandise.

     The interactionism perspectives is that gangs are a form of symbolic interaction because it looks like a form of brotherhood to troubled young men and women. Wearing the same color, clothes, tattoos and gang symbols gives them the thought of being one, almost like a family. Some of those troubled kids find joining a gang to be the best rational choice because its a feeling of protection.

      The structural functionalism perspective is that gangs are a perfect way of retrieving social stability. Those who have come from a poor background look for a family and to them gangs is a perfect resemblance.

     Gangs are like a society within a society and are considered to be a deviant behavior. They follow there own rules, have their own beliefs, symbols and even language (Slang). But these different customs in a gang is a negative affect within society as a whole. Our belief system wants to put an end to the on going gang activity. This issue threatens our belief system, makes those that in gangs think its OK to commit criminal acts, and because their in a gang that they don’t have to follow the rules of society.

     Gang activity has become more of a personal and public matter rather than a problem amongst themselves. Personal because they make those who want to join hurt or kill innocent people, to be beaten up as initiation, and put that individual in danger of injury, disease, prison and/or death. Public because the deal illegal drugs on the street, rob people and stores, force people to pay for protection, sell stolen goods and distribute illegal weapons on the street.

      There are groups and movements against gang activity:

• Neighborhood task force
• Adult Mentoring
• Graffiti paint outs
• Church and religious organizations

The school system and law enforcements have teamed up to create a nonviolence and alcohol and other drug prevention programs in the schools. Gangs are a real threat in society and should not be allowed to make the public feel threaten in any way.

Posted in Introduction to Sociology | 1 Comment »

30. November 2010 by student.

When we go to the doctor for pain the doctor can prescribe us pain killers but these prescription drugs are potentially drugs that can be abused. We are finding that today more and more teens and adults in their 20’s are getting these prescribed drugs and if they have little brothers and/or sisters, the drugs come into the home with the children.

            Not all people who get these drugs abuse them however, so that can’t be assumed. Most people actually do just take the directed amount enough to relieve the pain. Doctors and parents just need to keep in mind that it is easy for these kids to start abusing these strong drugs being prescribed to them. Parents should keep an eye on their teens and monitor how much they are taking and how much is left in the bottle every so often. Also, some kids will pass down their prescribed drugs to other kids but of course not all but the parents and doctors need to be aware of this also.

            I think this is a big issue because we all hear stories about what happens to people when they are drug addicts and we see pictures of what being addicted to drugs does to people’s physical appearance. If doctors could just talk to the patients about the harmful effects of the drugs can cause if they take too much before they give it to them I think it will be taking a step in the right direction. We should be taking every step we can in the right direction to help society become less addicted to drugs.  

Posted in Introduction to Sociology | No Comments »