This Sunday at 10 PM on BBC America the Documentary “Super Skinny Me” (http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/story?id=3935938) will be premiered. Think back to “Super-size Me” and then invert it. Two journalists, Louise Burke and Kate Spicer spent 5 weeks trying radical diets along with extreme exercise. Over the course of those five weeks both women put themselves through the rollercoaster effects of dieting and exercise. Louise, who started her journey weighing 129 pounds ended up as a size zero after shedding 14 pounds. Kate went from a size 12 to a size 6 after loosing 17 pounds. Kate also went into a very dangerous bingeing and purging phase during the 5 weeks and was told that she needed to drop out of the experiment because she was dangerously close to developing bulimia. She held on during the last week but was very troubled by the severe effects of just five short weeks.
I’m really excited to tune in and watch this program and see the scary transition that these women will make. The dedication that they have to their profession is laudable although clearly there are huge risk factors involved. For me, I think the hardest part about watching this documentary will be the realization that this is the reality of life for so many women and men. They are willing to put their bodies at risk to loose that extra 5 pounds. I understand wanting to look good and feel satisfied with yourself, but there is a right way to go about changing your body and there is a wrong way. Fad diets and extreme exercise programs do much more harm then good in the long run, even if they help you shed a few extra pounds.
Besides the health issues at play here it is also important to understand what these tactics say about a person psychologically. I think a much more effective documentary would try and tackle the issues behind the dangerous habits, instead of just experimenting with the dangerous habits themselves. Talk to women and men and find out why they are so obsessed with weight and fitness. What drives them to these severe measures? Are certain people predisposed to push limits in regards to their health? Although I still have these questions I’m sure the documentary will be interesting and startling and I hope some of you can turn in to watch it.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Saturday, November 24, 2007
No Pain, No Gain?
I’ve been hearing a lot recently about the dangers of being and becoming beautiful. We have all heard the term “no pain, no gain,” but I think that it is safe to say that there is a limit to the amount of pain one should expect or accept for any sort of gain. I have two different sides to beauty in this post, but I think that its appropriate to show the wide range of affects that beauty has on the world of women.
1. I just read that the newly crowned Miss Puerto Rico Universe Ingrid Marie Rivera was maced and robbed in an effort to keep her from winning the crown (http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/11/25/pageant.pranks.ap/index.html). Apparently the culprits didn’t try hard enough. Congratulations Ingrid! Ingrid’s gown and all of her make-up was doused in pepper spray, causing her to break out in hives multiple times over the course of the pageant. She also had her bag, containing other gowns, make-up and credit cards, stolen from her.
I can understand the desire to win, but these tactics are too extreme, even in the apparently nasty world of competitive pageantry. Why are women so dead set on hating each other? Why is it that whenever I enter a room with women inside I feel as if I’m being judged and inspected to find my flaws. As if, by discovering what is wrong with me they can feel better about themselves. Its absurd. We shouldn’t’ be our own worst enemy. We should be helping each other out instead of pushing each other down.
2. The search for beauty took another victim recently in the death of Kanye West’s mother. Apparently Mrs. West, who was 58 at the time, underwent plastic surgery to get a breast reduction and a tummy tuck (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21742159/). While in recovery at her home she stopped breathing and died while on the way to the hospital. This sad story should begin to give pause to people who are all to eager to settle their physical insecurities with the blade of a knife and a well placed suction machine.
I understand the unrealistic ideals that women face today in western society. We’re supposed to be these wonder women who can do it all in stilettos and a sexy three-piece suit. Heaven forbid we have an off day, or are born with naturally frizzy hair or small breasts. If you’re pale, go to a tanning salon. If you are over weight, lose it any way to can, even if it means you have to get some doctor to suck it out for you. God forbid we try to love ourselves the way we are naturally. God forbid we start embracing the beauty in our differences.
If you spend your whole life trying to change the way you are, or how you look you’re going to wake up one day and realize that you are a stranger in your own skin. Love as many things about yourself that is possible, and try to add a new thing to the list everyday. Don’t look at the girl next to you as competition, because you’ll only end up losing yourself in the jealousy and insecurity. Never stop searching for the beauty in yourself and others. Never doubt that you deserve to be completely happy with yourself, just as you are.
1. I just read that the newly crowned Miss Puerto Rico Universe Ingrid Marie Rivera was maced and robbed in an effort to keep her from winning the crown (http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/11/25/pageant.pranks.ap/index.html). Apparently the culprits didn’t try hard enough. Congratulations Ingrid! Ingrid’s gown and all of her make-up was doused in pepper spray, causing her to break out in hives multiple times over the course of the pageant. She also had her bag, containing other gowns, make-up and credit cards, stolen from her.
I can understand the desire to win, but these tactics are too extreme, even in the apparently nasty world of competitive pageantry. Why are women so dead set on hating each other? Why is it that whenever I enter a room with women inside I feel as if I’m being judged and inspected to find my flaws. As if, by discovering what is wrong with me they can feel better about themselves. Its absurd. We shouldn’t’ be our own worst enemy. We should be helping each other out instead of pushing each other down.
2. The search for beauty took another victim recently in the death of Kanye West’s mother. Apparently Mrs. West, who was 58 at the time, underwent plastic surgery to get a breast reduction and a tummy tuck (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21742159/). While in recovery at her home she stopped breathing and died while on the way to the hospital. This sad story should begin to give pause to people who are all to eager to settle their physical insecurities with the blade of a knife and a well placed suction machine.
I understand the unrealistic ideals that women face today in western society. We’re supposed to be these wonder women who can do it all in stilettos and a sexy three-piece suit. Heaven forbid we have an off day, or are born with naturally frizzy hair or small breasts. If you’re pale, go to a tanning salon. If you are over weight, lose it any way to can, even if it means you have to get some doctor to suck it out for you. God forbid we try to love ourselves the way we are naturally. God forbid we start embracing the beauty in our differences.
If you spend your whole life trying to change the way you are, or how you look you’re going to wake up one day and realize that you are a stranger in your own skin. Love as many things about yourself that is possible, and try to add a new thing to the list everyday. Don’t look at the girl next to you as competition, because you’ll only end up losing yourself in the jealousy and insecurity. Never stop searching for the beauty in yourself and others. Never doubt that you deserve to be completely happy with yourself, just as you are.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Instead of Reading this GO Outside. Reality is Better than the Internet.
I think it’s time for Myspace to hang up its coat. Every week or so I hear another horror story about some helpless kid who befriended a pedophile, or ran away with their “Myspace boyfriend/girlfriend.” I’ll admit that in high school I was guilty of being a Myspacer. Every day after school I would rush to the computer in the hopes that someone might have posted on my page that day. Of course I entered the Myspace nation at the being of it all. I was a Myspace member when you could only have 10 pictures on your page. It was just a fun way for me and my friends to communicate with one another. Because spending all day at school together and then talking on AIM all night wasn’t enough. I never added people I didn’t know and I wasn’t interested in finding the latest cute boy to message with.
I just read an article (http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/wireStory?id=3879037) about a girl who killed herself because of the end of her Myspace relationship with a young boy. Apparently, 13 year-old Megan, who suffered from depression and ADD had formed a connection with a boy named Josh. Her parents recounted how Megan’s spirits soared whenever she would receive a message from Josh. About 6 weeks after their communication started Josh decided to break off the messaging, and sited that he had heard that she was a cruel person to her friends. Megan was crushed and hung herself in her room.
At first this seemed like an ordinary tale of an alienated fragile girl who had experienced “the last straw.” You can’t really blame Myspace for this tragedy; if it hadn’t been Josh on Myspace it would have been someone or something else. Obviously Megan had some much larger issues that she wasn’t dealing with. The shocking part of the story came when it was discovered that Josh never actually existed. The character Josh was formed from the collective imaginations of members of a neighborhood family. Apparently one of Megan’s old friends wanted to have a little fun at her expense. We can all agree that the price was too high.
Megan’s parents are now trying to find justice for the cruelty that was shown towards their daughter. Myspace does hold some responsibility here. Megan was only 13. To be on Myspace you are supposed to be 14 and older, but the safeguards for this rule are laughable. It’s as easy as making up your new birthday and you can be whatever and whoever you want to be. Plenty of my friends thought it was hilarious to 100 years-old in their profiles. It’s important that such an influential and expanding communication network try harder to monitor and protect their clients. The problem with this is that there are millions, probably billions, or Myspace members, with new profiles emerging every day, so it is even more important for parents to monitor their own children. Megan’s parents did observe their daughters communications through Myspace, but unfortunately there is only some much you can do.
I think their needs to be a retro movement. Lets start meeting people out in the real world. Lets start calling our friends and going out to fun stuff together. Lets actually communicate instead of just typing. Myspace, and the predators that use Myspace only have power if you are there listening and paying attention. Get up from your computer, grab a friend, or a football or a book and go outside. STOP READING. GO.
I just read an article (http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/wireStory?id=3879037) about a girl who killed herself because of the end of her Myspace relationship with a young boy. Apparently, 13 year-old Megan, who suffered from depression and ADD had formed a connection with a boy named Josh. Her parents recounted how Megan’s spirits soared whenever she would receive a message from Josh. About 6 weeks after their communication started Josh decided to break off the messaging, and sited that he had heard that she was a cruel person to her friends. Megan was crushed and hung herself in her room.
At first this seemed like an ordinary tale of an alienated fragile girl who had experienced “the last straw.” You can’t really blame Myspace for this tragedy; if it hadn’t been Josh on Myspace it would have been someone or something else. Obviously Megan had some much larger issues that she wasn’t dealing with. The shocking part of the story came when it was discovered that Josh never actually existed. The character Josh was formed from the collective imaginations of members of a neighborhood family. Apparently one of Megan’s old friends wanted to have a little fun at her expense. We can all agree that the price was too high.
Megan’s parents are now trying to find justice for the cruelty that was shown towards their daughter. Myspace does hold some responsibility here. Megan was only 13. To be on Myspace you are supposed to be 14 and older, but the safeguards for this rule are laughable. It’s as easy as making up your new birthday and you can be whatever and whoever you want to be. Plenty of my friends thought it was hilarious to 100 years-old in their profiles. It’s important that such an influential and expanding communication network try harder to monitor and protect their clients. The problem with this is that there are millions, probably billions, or Myspace members, with new profiles emerging every day, so it is even more important for parents to monitor their own children. Megan’s parents did observe their daughters communications through Myspace, but unfortunately there is only some much you can do.
I think their needs to be a retro movement. Lets start meeting people out in the real world. Lets start calling our friends and going out to fun stuff together. Lets actually communicate instead of just typing. Myspace, and the predators that use Myspace only have power if you are there listening and paying attention. Get up from your computer, grab a friend, or a football or a book and go outside. STOP READING. GO.
Friday, November 9, 2007
If You're Going to San Francisco I Hope You Don't Mind Oil in Your Hair.
I’m leaving for San Francisco in the morning, so I guess it’s the perfect time for there to be a large oil spill in the bay. Early Wednesday morning, in dense fog, a container ship headed for South Korea struck a supporting tower for the San Francisco- Oakland Bay Bridge, creating a large gash in the side of the ship, although thankfully the bridge did not suffer any structural damage. (http://www.ktvu.com/news/14541458/detail.html). This spill is reported to be the largest in San Francisco since 1988. Although it is technically considered a medium sized spill it’s impact will be great considering the environmental sensitivity of the people of northern California and the bay area especially.
One of the most troubling things about this spill is the slow reporting of the actual extent of oil that was released into the bay. The first accounts that were given reported that there had only been 140 gallons of oil spilt, however we now know that the number is actually 58, 000 gallons. Because of the delay in accurate information the city workers who were trying to control the spill handled the situation much differently. Knowing what we know now they are upset that they weren’t able to better stabilize the spread of the oil with the proper amount of boom lines.
The oil that is in the bay is now at the mercy of the currents and winds and has been seen as far as 40 miles up the coast. Marine life is also being affected and workers are doing everything possible to help those animals that are soaked in oil.
This oil spill seems so senseless to me. I realize that it can get very foggy in the bay, but a boat should never crash into a bridge. There is so much technology in navigation and other ways of “seeing” now that this occurrence is simply unacceptable.
Although the number of oil spills and the quantity of oil spilt has dropped since the 1970s (http://www.itopf.com/stats.html) it is still important that we work to make sure that accidents like the collision in the San Francisco bay don’t occur. Besides the obvious fact that oil is a huge commodity in our nation right now, as well as around the world, our growing environmental problems will only worsen at a quicker pace with occurrences like these. San Francisco and the surrounding beaches in Marin County are some of the most beautiful in California and it is important that we protect that beauty and the marine life that call these places home.
When I get to San Francisco tomorrow I want to be able to go to fisherman’s wharf and enjoy myself, instead i'll be reminded of yet another careless mistake we’ve made with our environment.
One of the most troubling things about this spill is the slow reporting of the actual extent of oil that was released into the bay. The first accounts that were given reported that there had only been 140 gallons of oil spilt, however we now know that the number is actually 58, 000 gallons. Because of the delay in accurate information the city workers who were trying to control the spill handled the situation much differently. Knowing what we know now they are upset that they weren’t able to better stabilize the spread of the oil with the proper amount of boom lines.
The oil that is in the bay is now at the mercy of the currents and winds and has been seen as far as 40 miles up the coast. Marine life is also being affected and workers are doing everything possible to help those animals that are soaked in oil.
This oil spill seems so senseless to me. I realize that it can get very foggy in the bay, but a boat should never crash into a bridge. There is so much technology in navigation and other ways of “seeing” now that this occurrence is simply unacceptable.
Although the number of oil spills and the quantity of oil spilt has dropped since the 1970s (http://www.itopf.com/stats.html) it is still important that we work to make sure that accidents like the collision in the San Francisco bay don’t occur. Besides the obvious fact that oil is a huge commodity in our nation right now, as well as around the world, our growing environmental problems will only worsen at a quicker pace with occurrences like these. San Francisco and the surrounding beaches in Marin County are some of the most beautiful in California and it is important that we protect that beauty and the marine life that call these places home.
When I get to San Francisco tomorrow I want to be able to go to fisherman’s wharf and enjoy myself, instead i'll be reminded of yet another careless mistake we’ve made with our environment.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Sex Education?
Since when are thirteen year-old boys sexually appealing? If my memory serves me correctly boys that age are immature, obnoxious and dirty. So why are we constantly hearing stories of teachers running off with their much younger students? Kelsey Peterson, a twenty-five year-old math teacher and basketball coach has just fled the country with a thirteen year-old student from Lexington middle school in Nebraska (http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3815758). Apparently Ms. Peterson and the boy, Fernando Rodriguez, have been emailing and texting their love for one another over the course of the last few months. Are these just coincidences, or is there something more to the large number of student teacher relations?
We all know the story of Mary Kay LeTourneau and her romantic love affair with one of her students, 13 year-old Vili Fualaau. In this case, Ms. LeTourneau actually ended up marrying her student after a seven-year prison sentence. They now have a family and a “normal” life together in Washington. This relationship is the exception. Although it may be uncomfortable to recognize, this outcome is far better than some of the alternatives when teachers fall in love or lust with their students.
In an investigation by the Associated Press it was discovered that from the years 2001- 2005 there were 2, 570 cases of teachers losing their credentials due to allegations of sexual misconduct (http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/wireStory?id=3755182). And these were just the reported cases. Most of the time assault goes unreported or ignored and many teachers are repeat offenders who get off with just a slap on the wrist. This is due in large part to the fact that school boards and officials do not want to deal with the fallout of a sex scandal at their school. They would rather sweep it under the rug than create unrest in their community, especially concerning the risk of lawsuits from both the victim and the teacher.
Another huge factor concerning the involvement of the school systems is the lack of uniformity between states, and even individual counties. Teachers have often skipped from state to state followed by allegations of sexual misconduct only to be greeted with ignorance by their new employers. It is a dangerous prospect that a sexual assaulter can elude punishment by merely crossing state lines. Maine, which is the only state that did not participate in the AP’s investigation, actually assures teachers disciplinary files and punishments are kept secret. Hawaii, had no disciplinary cases during the duration of the 5 year study, but they did have a number of their teachers in jail for various sex crimes. These are just some of the idiosyncrasies that the AP found. It is important that we start to form some sort of unified system in dealing with teacher’s sexual misconduct. They shouldn’t be allowed to slip through the cracks of our faulty system. There is too much at stake.
Congress mandated a report that said that of the 50 million Americans students in this country approximately 4.5 million of them have experienced sexual misconduct by a school employee sometime between kindergarten and the 12th grade. This number is unacceptable, especially when you add that only about 1 in every 10 victims actually come forward with their stories of abuse. Most children are too scared that they won’t be believed or that they will get in trouble. The sad fact is that these fears are not unwarranted. In one case a girl was expelled from school after reporting that one of her professors sexually assaulted her. When a second accusation was brought against him he was finally punished, but the young lady who accused him was ostracized and finally switched schools and left town. This should not be the case. Children and teens should not feel frightened to speak the truth.
Teaching is a privilege. It is not an excuse to abuse power. The future of this country relies on the ability of educators to do their jobs professionally and inspirationally. I can tell you the names of all of my favorite teachers. They impacted my life in such a powerful way. Their passion for knowledge and their drive to instill passion into their students is awe-inspiring. It is imperative for our children to have equally influential teachers in their lives. They hold the power to better our future, and that responsibility needs to be cherished. It is inexcusable to use authority and opportunity to manipulate a student in any way. That act of betrayal can leave lasting negative scars. They need to respect the power that they possess and they need to use it to the advantage of the student, not themselves.
We all know the story of Mary Kay LeTourneau and her romantic love affair with one of her students, 13 year-old Vili Fualaau. In this case, Ms. LeTourneau actually ended up marrying her student after a seven-year prison sentence. They now have a family and a “normal” life together in Washington. This relationship is the exception. Although it may be uncomfortable to recognize, this outcome is far better than some of the alternatives when teachers fall in love or lust with their students.
In an investigation by the Associated Press it was discovered that from the years 2001- 2005 there were 2, 570 cases of teachers losing their credentials due to allegations of sexual misconduct (http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/wireStory?id=3755182). And these were just the reported cases. Most of the time assault goes unreported or ignored and many teachers are repeat offenders who get off with just a slap on the wrist. This is due in large part to the fact that school boards and officials do not want to deal with the fallout of a sex scandal at their school. They would rather sweep it under the rug than create unrest in their community, especially concerning the risk of lawsuits from both the victim and the teacher.
Another huge factor concerning the involvement of the school systems is the lack of uniformity between states, and even individual counties. Teachers have often skipped from state to state followed by allegations of sexual misconduct only to be greeted with ignorance by their new employers. It is a dangerous prospect that a sexual assaulter can elude punishment by merely crossing state lines. Maine, which is the only state that did not participate in the AP’s investigation, actually assures teachers disciplinary files and punishments are kept secret. Hawaii, had no disciplinary cases during the duration of the 5 year study, but they did have a number of their teachers in jail for various sex crimes. These are just some of the idiosyncrasies that the AP found. It is important that we start to form some sort of unified system in dealing with teacher’s sexual misconduct. They shouldn’t be allowed to slip through the cracks of our faulty system. There is too much at stake.
Congress mandated a report that said that of the 50 million Americans students in this country approximately 4.5 million of them have experienced sexual misconduct by a school employee sometime between kindergarten and the 12th grade. This number is unacceptable, especially when you add that only about 1 in every 10 victims actually come forward with their stories of abuse. Most children are too scared that they won’t be believed or that they will get in trouble. The sad fact is that these fears are not unwarranted. In one case a girl was expelled from school after reporting that one of her professors sexually assaulted her. When a second accusation was brought against him he was finally punished, but the young lady who accused him was ostracized and finally switched schools and left town. This should not be the case. Children and teens should not feel frightened to speak the truth.
Teaching is a privilege. It is not an excuse to abuse power. The future of this country relies on the ability of educators to do their jobs professionally and inspirationally. I can tell you the names of all of my favorite teachers. They impacted my life in such a powerful way. Their passion for knowledge and their drive to instill passion into their students is awe-inspiring. It is imperative for our children to have equally influential teachers in their lives. They hold the power to better our future, and that responsibility needs to be cherished. It is inexcusable to use authority and opportunity to manipulate a student in any way. That act of betrayal can leave lasting negative scars. They need to respect the power that they possess and they need to use it to the advantage of the student, not themselves.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Think Before You Drink. The Why's Behind Your Wine Glass.
Evidently, the key to not drinking too much is to start drinking too early. In a recent CNN article by Jennifer Pifer entitled, “Author: Letting Kids Drink Early Reduces Binging,” Mr. Peele, a concerned parent, psychologist and author, has the innovative idea of exposing his daughter to alcohol starting in middle school so that the taboo and temptation of it won’t lead to binging and addiction.
Stanton Peele (http://www.peele.net/about/index.html) has spent much of his life and career dealing with the myths and misconceptions of addiction. His philosophy is that addiction is more of a mental pattern then a disease. He says that it is more important to observe people’s relationships and past behaviors when trying to understand their drug use and abuse. Although I don’t agree with his methods I think there is something to be said for the mental aspect of addiction, prevention and rehabilitation.
Over the last year we have witnessed a slew of celebrities enter and re-enter rehab facilities at the request of their parents, managers and agents. Britney Spears went to rehab twice this year after the request of her mother, but now denies the presence of any addiction. I think that alcohol and drug addiction is a serious issue, but I also think that rehab and addiction are being used as a quick fix right now. It seems that whenever a celebrity has had too much fun on a given weekend she or he is sent away to rehab to wipe the slate clean. I don’t think that all of these people have serious addictions; I just think they are making bad decisions.
Peele discusses the concept of preparing your children for the future by desensitizing them to the glamour of alcohol. I would venture to guess that Peele would believe what these celebrities need is a change in their relationships and environment instead of an expensive trip to rehab. The concept of exposing your children to alcohol to deter them from binging on alcohol seems a bit nonsensical. I can appreciate the logic behind his actions, but I think that he is putting too much faith in teenagers. I know parents who allowed their children to drink without worries in high school and it didn’t change the fact that all of their friends were still drinking and binging, it just allowed for a freer venue for their parties. The factor isn’t whether your parents are fine with you drinking. The factor is your friendships and the environments that you allow yourself to be in. If you are friends with people that like to go out on the weekends and drink, than the fact that your parents are ok with you having a casual glass of wine with dinner isn’t going to make that much of a difference when deciding if you are going to join them or just be responsible and stay home. The person that a teenager is around their family is not necessarily the person they are around their friends. It is more important to instill good values in your child than it is to distill alcohol to them.
The average American begins drinking regularly at 15.9 years old (http://www.focusas.com/Alcohol.html). This means that while Mr. Peele was allowing his daughter to casually drink at family functions the rest of her peers were also enjoying cocktails and beers with and without their parents consent. The statistics also show that “adolescents who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who begin drinking at age 21.” So, if the average teen is drinking by the age of 16, and parents like Mr. Peele are allowing their children to drink, then who are these people that actually wait until the age of 21 to begin drinking? What are the chances that if a person hasn’t begun drinking by the age of 21 that they are life-time abstainers? I can’t think of one person in my life over the age of 15 that I know for a fact has never consumed any alcohol, and I grew up in a city with a large Mormon population.
The point that I am trying to drive home with the anecdotes and the statistics is that it is not really important when people are drinking, but why they are drinking. Mr. Peele can give his daughter all the wine coolers that she wants, but because she has a good head on her shoulders, and has a strong set of beliefs she doesn’t binge on alcohol when she is trying to have fun. Celebrities go out all the time, trying to get noticed and unwind, so they tend to consume larger quantities of alcohol than the normal person. When you can walk right into all of the hottest nightclubs and the owners are sending you free drinks all night it can be hard to say no. On that same token, when a 15 year old boy is hanging out with his friends and one of them pulls out a bottle of rum that he took from his parents liquor cabinet, its hard to say no to the experience of “getting drunk with your buddies” for the first time. That is a memory that they will have with them forever, even if the hangover is something they would rather forget.
So why are you drinking? Are you trying to unwind from a hard day at work? Are your friends coming over for the big game? Do you have to loosen up before a hot date? Is the pressure of it all just too much? Does it just feel better to be fucked up? As long as your motivations are appropriate alcohol does not have to be the enemy. You can make it part of your life without letting it control it.
Stanton Peele (http://www.peele.net/about/index.html) has spent much of his life and career dealing with the myths and misconceptions of addiction. His philosophy is that addiction is more of a mental pattern then a disease. He says that it is more important to observe people’s relationships and past behaviors when trying to understand their drug use and abuse. Although I don’t agree with his methods I think there is something to be said for the mental aspect of addiction, prevention and rehabilitation.
Over the last year we have witnessed a slew of celebrities enter and re-enter rehab facilities at the request of their parents, managers and agents. Britney Spears went to rehab twice this year after the request of her mother, but now denies the presence of any addiction. I think that alcohol and drug addiction is a serious issue, but I also think that rehab and addiction are being used as a quick fix right now. It seems that whenever a celebrity has had too much fun on a given weekend she or he is sent away to rehab to wipe the slate clean. I don’t think that all of these people have serious addictions; I just think they are making bad decisions.
Peele discusses the concept of preparing your children for the future by desensitizing them to the glamour of alcohol. I would venture to guess that Peele would believe what these celebrities need is a change in their relationships and environment instead of an expensive trip to rehab. The concept of exposing your children to alcohol to deter them from binging on alcohol seems a bit nonsensical. I can appreciate the logic behind his actions, but I think that he is putting too much faith in teenagers. I know parents who allowed their children to drink without worries in high school and it didn’t change the fact that all of their friends were still drinking and binging, it just allowed for a freer venue for their parties. The factor isn’t whether your parents are fine with you drinking. The factor is your friendships and the environments that you allow yourself to be in. If you are friends with people that like to go out on the weekends and drink, than the fact that your parents are ok with you having a casual glass of wine with dinner isn’t going to make that much of a difference when deciding if you are going to join them or just be responsible and stay home. The person that a teenager is around their family is not necessarily the person they are around their friends. It is more important to instill good values in your child than it is to distill alcohol to them.
The average American begins drinking regularly at 15.9 years old (http://www.focusas.com/Alcohol.html). This means that while Mr. Peele was allowing his daughter to casually drink at family functions the rest of her peers were also enjoying cocktails and beers with and without their parents consent. The statistics also show that “adolescents who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who begin drinking at age 21.” So, if the average teen is drinking by the age of 16, and parents like Mr. Peele are allowing their children to drink, then who are these people that actually wait until the age of 21 to begin drinking? What are the chances that if a person hasn’t begun drinking by the age of 21 that they are life-time abstainers? I can’t think of one person in my life over the age of 15 that I know for a fact has never consumed any alcohol, and I grew up in a city with a large Mormon population.
The point that I am trying to drive home with the anecdotes and the statistics is that it is not really important when people are drinking, but why they are drinking. Mr. Peele can give his daughter all the wine coolers that she wants, but because she has a good head on her shoulders, and has a strong set of beliefs she doesn’t binge on alcohol when she is trying to have fun. Celebrities go out all the time, trying to get noticed and unwind, so they tend to consume larger quantities of alcohol than the normal person. When you can walk right into all of the hottest nightclubs and the owners are sending you free drinks all night it can be hard to say no. On that same token, when a 15 year old boy is hanging out with his friends and one of them pulls out a bottle of rum that he took from his parents liquor cabinet, its hard to say no to the experience of “getting drunk with your buddies” for the first time. That is a memory that they will have with them forever, even if the hangover is something they would rather forget.
So why are you drinking? Are you trying to unwind from a hard day at work? Are your friends coming over for the big game? Do you have to loosen up before a hot date? Is the pressure of it all just too much? Does it just feel better to be fucked up? As long as your motivations are appropriate alcohol does not have to be the enemy. You can make it part of your life without letting it control it.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Smart Bra? I Thought We Burned Those?
Professor Elias Siores of the University of Bolton in the UK has raised the bar for inventive ways of discovering early signs of cancer. The “smart bra” (http://abcnews.go.com/Health/OnCallPlus/Story?id=3722085&page=1) is supposed to use microwave antennae to detect heightened temperature in the breasts, which is a signal that a tumor is present. Although his prototype isn’t going to be out for at least another year I’m looking forward to seeing the effectiveness of such a creative solution.
The article I read on this bra, “A Smart Bra to Find Breast Cancer” left me with some unanswered questions. Would you wear the bra regularly? Would it need batteries? How would it warn the wearer? How heavy would it be? Would there be sensors everywhere in the cup or only in specific places? Could this idea be expanded for use in briefs for men? How much is it? I decided that I was unsatisfied with all of the missing pieces so I did a bit more investigating.
At the Discovery Channel website (http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/10/05/smartbra_tec_02.html?category=technology&guid=20071005093030) I was able to find some, although not all, of the answers. In the first sentence my question regarding the briefs was answered. They are working on them now and hope to be able to have cancer-finding briefs out to accompany the bra. The use of microwave radiometry will measure the rise in temperature. Cancerous tumors generally have higher temperatures than the surrounding tissue because of inflammation and blood flow changes. The antennae would be laced into the side of the bra and it would be worn for just a few minutes at a time while plugged in to a power supply. If the machine detected any irregularities it would signal the wearer through auditory and visual means. Although there are some concerns as to the effectiveness of this bra I think that it is a step in the right direction. It is important that we have creative preventative measures for discovering breast cancer at its earliest stages.
Breast cancer is a very real concern for women in America. In 1960 1 in 20 women were diagnosed with breast cancer. As of 2006 that number increased to 1 in 8 (http://www.breastcancer.org/about_us/press_room/press_kit/cancer_facts.jsp?gclid=CPG21amHjY8CFRctagodLka-eg#statistics). My grandmother’s twin sister had breast cancer as well as one of my best friends mother. In 2006 it was expected that almost 41,000 women would die from breast cancer in the US alone. This staggering number is unacceptable and any action taken towards reducing this number is important, even if it something as simple as a bra. It’s a serious reality and the quicker that we are able to find cancerous cells the better chances women have for a successful recovery and a full and happy life.
The article I read on this bra, “A Smart Bra to Find Breast Cancer” left me with some unanswered questions. Would you wear the bra regularly? Would it need batteries? How would it warn the wearer? How heavy would it be? Would there be sensors everywhere in the cup or only in specific places? Could this idea be expanded for use in briefs for men? How much is it? I decided that I was unsatisfied with all of the missing pieces so I did a bit more investigating.
At the Discovery Channel website (http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/10/05/smartbra_tec_02.html?category=technology&guid=20071005093030) I was able to find some, although not all, of the answers. In the first sentence my question regarding the briefs was answered. They are working on them now and hope to be able to have cancer-finding briefs out to accompany the bra. The use of microwave radiometry will measure the rise in temperature. Cancerous tumors generally have higher temperatures than the surrounding tissue because of inflammation and blood flow changes. The antennae would be laced into the side of the bra and it would be worn for just a few minutes at a time while plugged in to a power supply. If the machine detected any irregularities it would signal the wearer through auditory and visual means. Although there are some concerns as to the effectiveness of this bra I think that it is a step in the right direction. It is important that we have creative preventative measures for discovering breast cancer at its earliest stages.
Breast cancer is a very real concern for women in America. In 1960 1 in 20 women were diagnosed with breast cancer. As of 2006 that number increased to 1 in 8 (http://www.breastcancer.org/about_us/press_room/press_kit/cancer_facts.jsp?gclid=CPG21amHjY8CFRctagodLka-eg#statistics). My grandmother’s twin sister had breast cancer as well as one of my best friends mother. In 2006 it was expected that almost 41,000 women would die from breast cancer in the US alone. This staggering number is unacceptable and any action taken towards reducing this number is important, even if it something as simple as a bra. It’s a serious reality and the quicker that we are able to find cancerous cells the better chances women have for a successful recovery and a full and happy life.
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