10. March 2010 by student.

Depression among college students is on the rise. The combination of mounting stress, perfectionism, and lack of support is taking a toll on more and more college students. There is a lot more being demanded of students today than ever before due to the rise in number of graduates in the job market, the fear of not being able to find a job after graduation even with a degree, the state of the economy, and the pressure from family to do well.

“Today’s college students are twice as likely to become depressed and three times as likely to become suicidal than they were a decade ago (Zumer).” Many counseling center directors nationwide claim that the depressed economy has put more stress on students recently than grades have due to the fact that family’s dollars must be stretched further, this tends to put pressure on the student to do well because they are forced to graduate and get a good job so that they can pay off student loans and help to support their family.

Students also feel they must stand out among their peers because of the perception that there are very few opportunities in the workplace. Competition can be healthy, especially in an educational environment, but too much can lead to feelings of failure.

Cited- Student Depression Rates Rising. The Triangle Newspaper. Zumer, Bryna. Issue date: 1-11-08. http://media.www.thetriangle.org/media/storage/paper689/news/2008/01/11/News/Student.Depression.Rates.Rising-3149759-page3.shtml.

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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/

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6. March 2010 by student.

“Until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned, everywhere is war and until there are no longer first-class and second-class citizens of any nation, until the color of a man’s skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes. And until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race, there is war. And until that day, the dream of lasting peace, world citizenship, rule of international morality, will remain but a fleeting illusion to be pursued, but never attained… now everywhere is war.” Haile Selassie I I am in the conflict theorist camp.  I believe we must take on the struggle to lead to development of new ideas.  I do think the 2008 election of Barak Obama is a positive development in race relations.  I am discouraged though to hear the negative comments of my fellow Americans.  This makes me realize we still have a far ways to go.  We must stand up and not allow discrimination or prejudice of any kind in our everyday life.Since Sept. 11^th there has been increasing racism against Muslim-Americans.  I listened to NPR the other day where a Muslim-American Lady said she was afraid to put on her race on her census form.  Our government has in the past resounded racist attitudes and persecuted American Citizens. Remember the Japanese-American Internment Camps?  Everyone that has a conscious and deems themselves a moral member of society must stand up and make sure our people, our government never again persecutes citizens base on the silly notion of race.I am looking forward to the day when racists such as Ann Coulter no longer get book deals and tv appearances.

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4. March 2010 by student.

According to the National Council on Sexual Addiction Compulsivity an estimated 6-8% of Americans are sex addicts, which are roughly 18-24 million people. Sexual addiction is used to describe the behavior of a person who has an unusually intense sex drive or an obsession with sex.  Sex and the thought of sex tend to dominate the sex addict’s thinking, which then makes it difficult to work or engage in a healthy personal relationship. If more and more people are coming out with this addiction, will it start to be more acceptable in society? If so, will this have to become a topic of discussion when you first start dating someone to avoid the shock when you find out your partner has been unfaithful?

            Some psychologists and sociologists disagree on whether sex addiction is real or not.  According to the Diagnostics and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, sexual addiction is not listed. Why? Sociologists, Martin P Levine and Richard Troiden argue that simply shifting societal values are the main reason to blame. They believe the sex addict theory amounts to “transforming sin into sickness”  Levine said self-help groups like Sex Addicts Anonymous and Sexaholics Anonymous simply try “to shut down the sexual behavior and not deal with the underlying problem” for those who are unhappy because their frequent sexual behavior violates moral standards. “It used to be that people said, `The devil made me do this.’ Now they say, `My disease made me do this.’ If you enter the role of being a sick person, you’re not responsible for the behavior.”     

Levine and Troiden have some really good points of view on their feelings of sex addiction, but it seems that this addiction is growing. There are many treatment facilities around the country that offer a 12 step program which prohibits them from sexual stimulants (ex. porn) form 90 days, the same amount of time it typically takes for the brain chemicals to stop craving and the body to undergo withdrawls.  Just like alcoholics and drug addicts are instructed to never have a drink or get high again, sex addicts are prohibited from self – gratification. They are to focus on having making sex more of an emotional experience with a loving partner, rather than just for pure sexual gratification.

Now that celebrities are coming out with this addiction after being caught being unfaithful (ie, Tiger Woods, David Duchovny). Are more and more people going to start using that as an excuse like Levine mentioned earlier? Michael Douglas reportedly has a signed prenup with his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones that includes a $5 million “straying free” should he sleep with someone other than his wife. I’m curious to see which way our society will go about opening up with their spouses on this issue.

http://ils.unc.edu/~viles/172i/users/big/docs/AP881031-0282

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/30/earlyshow/health/main4400786.shtml

http://www.sacbee.com/2010/02/20/2550891/sex-poiu-opiu-opiu-opui-opiu-ipui.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35464930/ns/health-sexual_health/#storyContinued

http://www.myaddiction.com/education/articles/sex_statistics.html

http://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/guide/sexual-addiction

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4. March 2010 by student.

  It has been reported that babies who die rom sunden imfant death syndrp,e, or SIDS are showing lower amonuts of Serotonin. This was published in th Journal of the American Medical Association.

  Serotnin levels which regulates baby sleep, heart hate and breathing were 26% lower than in the brainstems of babies who died of other causes. The levels of the emzymes trypohande hydrozglase was also found to be 22% lower in SID babies, which is needed to made serotonin. According to the study they are focusing why certain babies are lacking the emzymes to make serotonin. Their is no test as of yet to determine which infants are at risk.

  Dr. Hannah Kinney, who is officiated with the Childer Hospital of Boston Mass, believes that they are decades away from discovering a physical marder of brainstem thatt will be identified in the blood. To advoid the frisk of SIDS, doctors recommend that parents make sure babies can breath uninhibited during sleep( fan helps). Place babies on their back to advoid their rolling over, don’t bundle the baby, and don’t leave loose bedding or stuffed toys in the crib.

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3. March 2010 by student.

  According to National Center for Health Statistics a Nation Survey of Family Growth a sample of almost 13,000 men and women showed that couples who live together before marriage and those who don;t both have about the same chance of a successful union. This information was announced Tuesday March 2nsd 2010. The resultsd surprised  researchers.

  Past reseach, using decades of old data had found signifcant higher divorce rate for ” not married but living together of the oppiste sex.” But now, in our day and age with 2/3 of couples who marry live together first. A different picture is emerging.

  Socioloist Pamela  Smock of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor consider the data definitive. ” on the basis of these numbers, thier is no negative effect pf cohabitation on marriages.” Another comment was made by Paul Anato a sociologist at Pennsylvania State University, ” Maybe the effect of permarital cohabitation is becoming less of a problem than in the past.”

  The report also take a closer look at different contributing factors such as, ethnicity,education level, up bringing and whether couples were engaged when they moved in. The odds that men and women will made 10 years of fmarriage is the same for who live together or don’t. 71% for engaged men and 69% eengaged non-cohabiting men. Amoung women the probability of making 10 years was similar (65%) to (66%) fr those who didn’t cohabit.

  There us a lot of inteesting work being done on difference amoung different groups of cohabitors as why, when, and how they cohabit……stay tunned.

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3. March 2010 by student.

Today suicide continues to be a serious problem for our young people. In the U.S. thousands of teenagers commit suicide each year. Suicide is the thrid leading cause of death for 15-to-24 year olds, and sixth leading cause of death for 5-to-14 years old accor5ding to the American Accademy of Child and Adolesent Psychiatry.

Stress, self-doubt , pressure to succeed, finical uncertainty, and other fears that teenagers experince while growing up. For some teenagers the stress of divorsce, multi-families, or moving to a new comminuity can bring on a owerwhelming sense of doubt. For some teens, suicide seems to be the only solution. ti their problems.

  If parents are in doubt wheather their child has a serious problem. An psychaiatric examimation can be helpful. Depression and suicidal feelings are treatable. The teens needs are recoginized and diagnosed.

  Many signs and symptons of suicide feelings are simiular to depression. Parents should be aware of different signs that adolescents may want to kill themselves. A change in eating habits, withdrawl from friends and family, violent behavior, selfmedication, neglect of their personal appearance. A loss of interest that they enjoy.

  If your teen is planning on commiting suicide they may give you a verbal hint, ” I won’t be a problem much longer, nothing matters. Also putting their affairs inorder. For example, giving away belongings and becoming suddenluy cheerful after a long period of derpression. No parent can afford to ignore statements such as, I want to kill myself, or I’m going to kill myself. Always take the statement serious and seek help.

  Sadly now one out of ten teens consider suicide and nearly half of million make an attept each year. Best advise is to listen and take action if you hanve any doubts. 

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3. March 2010 by student.

The 2010 Census is in full circulation this month. The first census was done in 1790. It is mandatory by the constitution of the United States of America, and is to be done every ten years. The census is used to divide and assign seats in the house of representatives. Also, the census is used to distribute federal funds annually. If you refuse to fill out the census government employees will come to your house and demand the information if necessary. If continual refusal you can face up to a 5,000 dollar fine. The census is asking more personal questions this year. The census questions are asking for your race, employment status, the name of everyone in your household, and your telephone number to name a few. There are concern with this years census because of two major changes.  First, ACORN is now involved, becoming a national partner with the 2010 Census. People are having many concerns about giving their personal information, and then handing it off to an ACORN employee. The reason for this concern is because ACORN’s employees have been indited after pleading guilty to voter fraud in the past. In addition to the concern of ACORN’s involvement, the white house announced they are taking control of the census bureau. The reporting authority of the census was  the commerce department,  and now it will report directly to the white house staff. If one political party controls this it may be rigged. The commerce departments rule for census counting is an actual head count. There has been talk about changing the counting rule by using sampling (a mathematical formula) in urban areas and with immigrants, to help count the census more accurately. That could allow the numbers to be screwed, and possibly causing one party to stay in congress longer or getting more political funding.   These concerns are valid. However, the forms must be filled out, regardless of concerns. It has huge effect on politics.  It helps shape our government and future state funding.  Get out your pens and pencils, take part in the 220 year mandatory tradition of the constitution, fill out your census.

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3. March 2010 by student.

  According to the U.S Public Health Service. Smoking Cigarettes is the single most peventable cause of death and diseasse in the U.S. When smoking doesn’t kill, it can result in chronic bronchities, emphysema and heart disease(CDC, 2008). Second-hand smoke affect countless others by smoke related fires and by prenatal expourse to Nicotine.

  Reasearches have also linked Nicotine to usage of other addictive drugs and that nicotine activates the same brain area as cocain. The reported presure are so powefully reinforced( relaxation, increased alertness dimished pain and appetite) that some smokers will continue to smoke even after a cancerous lung is removed.

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1. March 2010 by student.

There are 70,000 product liability law suits in America every year!  The following are real warning labels on products:A push chair carried the following warning: “Remove child before folding.”A sleeping pill prescription read: “Warning: May cause drowsiness.”An iron carried the following warning: “Never iron clothes while they are being worn.”A unique wind-proof beach towel told users: “This towel has been tested to withstand significantly strong winds. But please be advised that during a hurricane this product should not be used to secure yourself or anything of value.”A hair dryer warned users: “Never use while sleeping.”A bathroom heater company covered itself by saying: “This product is not to be used in bathrooms.”An under-arm deodorant container had printed on it: “Caution: Do not spray in eyes.”A toilet that uses recycled flush water had the following warning: “Recycled flush water - Unsafe for drinking.”A novelty rock garden set comes with the warning: “Eating rocks may lead to broken teeth.”A warning on an electric DIY drill cautions: “This product is not intended for use as a dental drill.”A set of cyclist’s shin pads carried the following warning: “Shin pads cannot protect any part of the body that they do not cover.” (www.mundayweb.com).

I think it is in some part the fault of the greedy plaintiffs and lawyers, and judges who cannot or most likely will not distinguish between a legitimate case and frivolous one. In most cases a large amount of the blame can be placed on state legislators that continue to protect their interests and pass laws that hinder the honest but provide loopholes for the greedy.  It seems like we have all heard stories of legitimate cases that were lost or took years to fight.  Most of you know the story of the “Love Canal”.  These people were dying because of their neighborhood being built on top of toxic waste. Their cases got thrown out of court time and time again. Some states, especially in medical malpractice cases make it next to impossible to sue.  In Indiana if you want to sue your doctor you must take your case before 3 doctors.  Those three peers must approve your lawsuit or you cannot take your lawsuit any further.  This is like the police policing the police.   Yet a woman can spill a cup of coffee ON HERSELF and sue McDonald’s for several millions.     

Munday, N. (n.d.). American useless facts. Retrieved from http://www.mundayweb.com/uselessfacts/american.php

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