Beware of Video Game Violence

Mature Video Game Rating-wikimedia commons

Being a gamer, I keep up with all the latest games and gaming trends. Playing games has been a hobby of my friends and I ever since we could understand what hobbies were. That being said, it is no surprise to me that video games has become a dominate industry. Video games have gone from being rather simple to highly sophisticated and realistic. Scott Steinberg puts this in perspective in his article "Why new music video games rock". Steinberg talks about all of the new features for the games that allow the player to feel like he or she is actually playing an instrument or singing on a stage. For all those out there who remember the games from generations past, these new add ons make the older games look prehistoric. Not only has technology for video games become more advanced, but competition has become fiercer as well. Of all video games on the market, the most popular games are those that make violence the center point. Ben Parfitt's "Modern Warfare 2 Still rules Xbox Live" gives a good example of the type of competition that takes place in the gaming market. The example given is the rivalry between Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 and Halo Reach. These two games rival each other for the top position on the video game charts. In both game plays the player has to kill the enemy to win. With the massive success of games like these, it can be hard to see what these types of games are doing to society.

Are young people who play violent video games more hostile than those who play video games with a different theme?  Kristin Kalning addresses this question head on in her article "Does game violence make teens aggressive?" this article provides information from a study conducted by the researchers of the Indiana University School of Medicine. This study consisted of two groups of twenty-two adolescents; one group played a violent video game, while the other played a racing game. The results of this study were that the brains of the children who played the violent game suffered negative effects in the emotional area of the brain, whereas, those who played the racing game the negative results were not present. With video games becoming more realistic and the violence seemingly becoming more real the negative effects mentioned are only going to get worse unless this dispersal of violence is stopped.

In her article, "Do You Know What Video Games Your Children Are Playing?" Pamela Eakes, who is a supporter for Mothers Against Violence in America, says that 90 percent of parents do not monitor the ratings on their children's games. If the parents don't monitor what is going on, how can anyone expect the kids to know if what they are playing is bad for them? Violence in games are destroying the mentality of  young people, so are we really going to let these childrem keep playing something we know that will hurt them?

Calm Down With the Coffee All Ready

Coffee is the sustaining force behind our busy American lives. We drink coffee in the morning, the afternoon, and even at night. I’ve especially noticed this since I came to a college with three coffee shops, and seen how many people are drinking coffee at all hours of the day. But there comes a point when we have to start thinking about what we’re doing to our body each time we get that extra jolt.

Now I’m not saying I think we should stop drinking coffee, for me that would basically mean stop living. I’m just trying to say that too much coffee (more than 500 mg-600 mg, or

4-7cups) can have detrimental side effects to our brains, bodies, and of course, our sleep, and that we should take that into consideration before we drink yet another cup of coffee.

Caffeine can be a very addictive and sometimes harmful drug. If a person isn’t careful, they could end up having to have it throughout the day, just to stay alert, or even awake.

This could adversely affect our system in many ways.

The reason caffeine works so quickly and effectively is because of what it does to our hormones. Adenosine, adrenaline, cortisol, and dopamine are some of the hormones affected by caffeine. Caffeine makes it hard for your body to absorb adenosine, which is what calms the body. This can give you a boost temporarily, but that night, your body won’t get the proper R.E.M. that it needs, because it isn’t getting the proper amount of adenosine.

Also adrenaline is released, which is what makes you feel alert and awake, but once the caffeine leaves your system, you crash, which results in finding more caffeine. Cortisol is also released, which is called the “stress hormone”. This causes many issues, like weight gain, moodiness, heart disease, and diabetes. One other hormone affected is dopamine. This has the same affect as amphetamines, which can make you feel good after taking them but lead to a significant “low” as they begin to wear off. This is also what causes our dependence on caffeine; it makes the nervous system feel like it always needs to have a lot of dopamine going on. Coffee affects many things in our bodies.

Coffee/Caffeine is large part of many people’s lives, and while it can be a wonderful thing, it can also be very harmful to us, if we have too much each day.

Skateboarders = Dangerous Athletes

Skateboarding is not just a fun past time of rolling on a piece of wood nailed to four wheels. I would know, because I enjoy it way more than most would think! This sport has evolved very much from being a fun hobby. It has become an extreme sport phenomenon that can earn a living for a lot of people. Today’s skaters are some of the most talented athletes. They have a superb skill level, deal with high levels of danger and difficulty, and include variety in their tricks. All those awesome aspects of this sport are what attracted me to it and made me want to start skateboarding.
Hockey players and basketball players may be versatile, but their range or play and/or action are limited compared to skateboarders. Hockey and basketball players have one set area to play in wherever they play, but skaters can run free with no boundaries anytime they want! Plus, they don’t need other people in order to participate in the sport. Some styles and tricks of skateboarding are life-threatening. In 2007, there was an estimated 16,477 head injuries treated due to skateboarding. Helmets don’t seem to be much of a trend anymore. As more tricks are invented, the less “cool” it becomes to wear helmets. Honestly…I’ve never worn one either!
Before any competition, skaters need to warm up and stretch, just like any other athlete. It is just as easy for them to pull a muscle or catch a cramp while participating in the sport. They have to stay in shape too. Skateboarders are beginning younger and younger every year, raising the bar for careless injuries that could be avoided, due to kids not knowing much about skateboarding. According to the AAP, kids 5 and under shouldn’t skate. I think the younger the better. They’ll learn the “dos and don’ts” way earlier. The main reason for the popularity of the sport is the celebrity status of many skaters. It’s fun, exhilarating, and isn’t that hard to learn. Yet, it’s still dangerous. So, if you’re not afraid of a challenge, jump on board…a skateboard that is!

Deadly Punishment:Should Capital punishment be abolished?

Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, has existed since the beginning of recorded human history. It either is still in use or has been by nearly every society. It's the end result of a criminal convicted of a capital offense. People have their own viewpoints about this very controversial topic. They're equally strong from both sides of the spectrum.(supporter/protestors).

But wouldn't any sensible human being would agree that murder is morally wrong. Isn't that all capital punishment is? If it's against the law for citizens to murder one anothen, then it should be the same for the government. One should not justify murder with murder. Amesty International states; "The death penalty is the ultimate denial of human rights."

You might as well call it a lawful pre-meditated murder if you wanna be technical. Capital punishment contradicts the basic human rights stated in the Declaration of Independence.
Everyone knows that our branches of government are flawed. The branch that decides the fate of a lot of men, the Judicial Branch, is the most flawed. Innocent and guilty men are put away everyday. Some are locked away for the rest of their lives. If a man is wrongly convicted of a crime, he can immediately be released. If a man is wrongly convicted of a crime and is put to death, then there's no bringing him back.

Pictured above is Troy Davis. He was convicted of murdering police officer Mark MacPhail back in 1989 in my hometown of Savannah, Georgia and is currently on death row. Many efforts have been made to keep him alive and appeal his death sentence. Whether he's innocent or not doesn't matter. It is a violation of the basic human rights to lawfully murder someone. See Mark MacPhail below:

Many may argue that one who commits murder has abandoned the principle of individual rights. Whether it is or not, there's no reward for killing an already imprisoned man but satisfaction. Justice shouldn't be served by removing someone. It should be served by promoting growth, happiness, and the welfare of society. Do you agree?

Babies Having Babies

For many high school students, seeing pregnant peers is roughly apart of the high school experience. So when the Lifetime channel decided to put teen pregnancy in the forefront with their feature film, The Pregnancy Pact. Many students weren’t exactly shocked to see that things of this nature were happening in other parts of the U.S. because of their prior knowledge to teen pregnancy. After seeing this movie, I thought to myself this school is just like my school, everybody’s pregnant. It kind of makes you wonder if babies are new accessories for people. Even in Hollywood, it seems as if everybody’s pregnant. If Americans keep this up we’ll have population problems like China. Recently I discovered a Time Magazine article posted on their website about a recent rise in teen pregnancy in the U.S., which also caused abortion rates to rise. According to the article rates were on a downfall in the 1990’s, but by 2006 was at an all time high. Which isn’t a big shock to me. I mean like the old saying says, out with the old and in with the new. This saying just happens to apply to a not so good habit.

Time Magazine Article: New Data: Teen Pregnancy on the Rise, Abortions Too

Read more:

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1956645,00.html

Guttmacher report: Following Decade-Long Decline, U.S. Teen Pregnancy Rate Increases As Both Births And Abortions Rise

Read more:

http://www.guttmacher.org/media/nr/2010/01/26/index.html

Underage Drinking: Is It As Harmless As Everyone Thinks?

Laws in America seem to be guidelines for what we as citizens can and cannot do. One law that is certainly abused is the national drinking age. The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 requested that every state raise their minimum drinking and purchasing of alcohol to the age of twenty-one. But it does not specifically state that anyone underage cannot drink alcohol.

Many high school and college students do consume alcohol at an astounding rate. According to an article by the Centers for Disease Control, 11% of consumed alcohol is drunk by teens between the ages of twelve and twenty. Approximately 90% of this alcohol consumed is through binge drinking. MedicineNet.com defines binge drinking as “the dangerous practice of consuming large quantities of alcoholic beverages in a single session,” with a side note saying, “Binge drinking carries a serious risk of harm, including alcohol poisoning."

Out of all the teens that drink underage, 19% reported that they were binge drinking at one time or another. There are many risks to binge drinking. Some of the serious risks are a greater risk of committing homicide or suicide, injuries, memory loss later in life, abusing other drugs, life-long effects that could change brain development, or death by alcohol poisoning. Many underage drinkers think that they are invincible, and nothing bad can happen to them. Alcohol poisoning is a serious risk to these drinkers. One article published by the Campaign Safe and Sober, states that the Remove Intoxicated Drivers’ research estimates that about 4,000 deaths each year are contributed by alcohol poisoning. Alcohol poisoning can cause the victim to choke on their own vomit, their breathing may become irregular or even stop, their heart beat may become irregular or stop, hypothermia that can lead to cardiac arrest, or hypoglycemia that leads to seizures. Even if the victim of alcohol poisoning lives, they could suffer from irreversible brain damage.

Many people are aware of alcohol poisoning, but many don't know the warning signs. CollegeDrinking Prevention.com says that you should call 911 for help if the victim cannot be awoken, is having difficulty breathing, having seizures, vomiting, or is a pale, blue color. Alcohol prevents the nerves from functioning properly. A large amount could stop body functions completely. A person's blood alcohol content (BAC) can still rise after passing out. Alcohol that is still in the stomach will continue to move through the blood, making their BAC higher. Due to this fact, the website warns readers to be aware that a sleeping or passes out person may die.

Underage drinking may seem like something small at the time of doing it, but it can turn into something much bigger. Binge drinking leads to all sorts of harmful outcomes. Alcohol poisoning is very serious and everyone should be aware that it could happen to them. Drinking is harmful and should only be done when one is of age and is done responsibly.

Effects on Children With Gay/Lesbian Parents

Effects on Children With Gay/Lesbian Parents:

What makes a family? Some may say, “a father, a mother, and any children that may result in their love and happiness,” but the meaning of the world family has changed dramatically over the years. Lately, this term family has escalated to a level that most are uncomfortable with. We see two women walking down the street holding hands, while watching their son run ahead of them, or two men playing in the park with a little girl they adopted. Are these groups of people any thing less than a family? Some may argue that these people are not families, well, not in the traditional sense. I have been with my partner for three and half years, and we have a 15-month-old son. We are more than a group of people. We are a family, and I will not be considered as anything less than that. My son is quite a character just as any child his age. He cries, laughs, and loves to hug. None of which, are negative effects of being raised by two mothers. But with all of our opinions pushed aside regarding if families are really families, let’s discuss they the effects upon children that live within same-sex parent homes.

National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) has some pretty interesting findings when a study was conducted around homes without a father. This study included homes with single heterosexual mothers, and homes with two lesbian mothers. One finding included that sons of lesbian mothers are more likely to be more nurturing and affectionate to their future families. Another observation during the study showed daughter whether with heterosexual mother or lesbian mother were more likely to have future occupations in areas that were traditionally non-female. A third finding told researchers that children raised by lesbians were more likely to consider a homosexual relationship. The information above is certainly not all the data collected, and not all nontraditional families should be limited to be these results.

There is another interesting article I found while looking into this issue. The article, “Children of Lesbians May Do Better Than Their Peers,” reassured me as a lesbian mother. Children of lesbian mothers seems to have no significant differences in social development and adjustments compared to children raised in heterosexual homes. However, even with the almost unnoticeable differences with children’s social development and adjustments the children have higher levels of self-esteem and confidence, and did better academically. This is an amazing find. We, as a society, have been told that homosexuality is bad, and will only affect the children of America in negative ways. This article proves that we, as homosexuals, are breaking barriers, and proving ourselves as parents and as families.

While doing research on this subject I cannot find much information regarding the effects on children that may have two fathers. What do you think that is? My opinion is that it is much harder to become a parent if you are two gay males trying to start a family. Adoption can be difficult and expensive, and finding someone to carry the child can be time consuming, again expensive, and emotional draining. What are your thoughts?

Feminists Are All Lesbian Man-haters That Yell About Nonsense, Right?

When people envision feminists, the stereotypical image of a livid, man-hating, bra-burning woman with hairy armpits becomes the forefront. For the most part, (of course there are those exceptions) this is almost never the case. It has become quite upsetting to see young women not wanting to take part in a movement that is made to not only to better their communities but especially their own rights. However, researchers are turning the tables on the feminist label. The Author of the article, Ken Branson, even suggested that “If African-Americans ridiculed and stigmatized Martin Luther King Jr., that would be really big news. This negative stereotyping seems to be happening under the radar. And to find out that college women didn’t know very much about Gloria Steinem and the other women who fought for the rights they enjoy … that was really hard to bear.” So before we can change our communities, we must first change our mind-sets. It is up to people to form their own opinions and morals. So instead of walking around with an ignorant mask on, our society should open its mind to the good that can come from feminism.

A further stereotype corresponds with the ambitions of upper-class white women who have customarily been given, and still are likely to have, limitless power to spread their message. However, the movement is so much more than that. Throughout history it is clear that various women with different races, ages and backgrounds support the same cause. For example, the itinerant preacher, abolitionist and feminist, Soujouner Truth. Or perhaps another model might be the first woman to both graduate from college as well as the first woman to keep her last name when married, Lucy Stone. As well as the legendary Susan B. Anthony, who lived her entire life as a women’s rights activist. Feminism is for everyone. It is for the poor and the rich. It is for the males and the females. And it is for anyone who is ready and eager to make some changes.

Again, feminism is not simply about women’s rights, it is very largely about human respect and equality. So lastly, another concept that boggles my mind is society’s acceptance of both slurs as well as racist and sexist jokes. We believe that as long as the person telling the joke or saying the term is part of the targeted group then it is all right. And I understand it's expected to pass as self belittling comedy, and audiences are supposed to be aware of that. However, they shouldn't be amusing to anybody; the majority of them are spiteful expressions of prejudice, and that remains true regardless of who made them up or told them. Women who want to run with the big dogs (men in this case), feel like they need to possess the same amusement as a man. For example, making jokes about how women should stay in the kitchen, that is sexist. Or calling a female a bitch because she would rather eat alone than with a man that is panting with his eyes, that is beyond insolent. Or even shaming a woman by calling her a slut, because she is comfortable and confident in her own skin. Researchers even say that these “jokes” can promote discrimination against women. All of these slurs and sexist jokes are cleanly put-downs, and I feel that they are ethically wrong regardless of who tells them.

I believe that women should control their own lives. I trust in equality. I reason that social justice is acceptable. I think ending violence and discrimination is the only path to peace. I also believe in wearing makeup and shaving my legs. As well as having a romantic relationship with a man. So you tell me, is your idea of a feminist still accurate?