HELICOPTER PARENTS - Stop Hovering ME!!!!

Have you ever been rebellious just because someone told you that you could not or should not do it? Ever wanted to press the “DO NOT PRESS” button? Of course most of you have or have considered it, but most children who have helicopter parents would of all be the most curious or anxious. Babies are so impotent and harmless that it is natural for parents to be cautious and careful. However, as they grow up and mature some mothers and fathers just do not want to cut the umbilical chord. These helicopter parents want to protect their children from the “real world” with all the criminals and bad people, and want to be like guardian angels of their children. One article, Overprotective Parents, agrees that children are supposed to grow up and run, jump, fall, cry, and have some scars on the elbows and legs without the interference of over-bearing parents. Do you believe that this parental behavior is hurting relationship and the children? When children become older (especially in their teens), they do not view the hovering as love or nurturing; they see it as their parents not trusting them or considering them to have sufficient judgement to act on their own. These types of children who have parents to hover most likely result in defiance. So how do these parents know when to stop and can they?

Still Fighting!!!!

Is women considered equal in America? No they are not. In the article Women's Less Than Full Equality Under The U.S. Constitution by Partrica Ireland. Ireland whose the former president of NOW (National Organization for Women). In her article it talks about how women equality in America goes back to the constitution. Ireland points out in her article how in the constitutions 14th amendment states, “ equal protection for all under the law”, it says for all but in the second section it states “male citizens”. This shows from the get go how women equality wasn’t an ideal in our country’s goal. In America a woman can have the same job as a man and still get paid less. In Evenly Murphy, former Lt. governor of Massachusetts, and E.J. Graft, resident scholar at Brande’s Women’s Studies Research Center, article gender wage gap: are you paid as much as a man if he had your job it states, “a woman only earns 77 cents for every full time male dollar”. This shows how males are still considered dominant in America. Women have came far from the beginning but, can a woman get the same opportunites as a man!!! It isn't an man's world anymore.....

IS IT OKAY TO USE DEAD PEOPLES BODY PARTS?

IS IT OKAY TO USE DEAD PEOPLES BODY PARTS?

There is a serious debate arrising around the world pertaining to the usuage of dead peoples body parts. Personally I do not agree with the idea of tampering with dead peoples remains.

If the dead person did not specify when they were living that they were organ donors, then what gives someone the right to use their body? According to Dr.Mastromarino using the deceased peoples body parts was acceptable. The doctor became a corpse body snatcher. He made millions of dollars off of the selling of the dead people. The harvesting of human tissue from funeral homes led the sneaky doctor to face a 18-54 year sentence to prison for the terrible crime. Dr. Mastromarino's point of view was quite troublesome. Some people may say, why does it really matter, is the person not dead? Believe it or not its the fact of respect that shadows the needs and wants for the body parts. Many people around the world are involved in this illegal scandal. Some in it for the money, and some in desperate need of body parts, for themselves.

Skittles A Rainbow of Colors or A Rainbow of Harm?

When I was little foods and candies with bright colors enticed me because they were so pretty and they looked so yummy. Sour Neon Worms, Fruit Loops, and Push-Ups --I just couldn't get enough! Well now brightly colored foods do stick out to me but in a totally different way. When I look at them these days I'm not thinking, "Oh yummy, " Im thinking "DANGER DANGER DANGER!" As an 18 year old I am aware of teh many risks of teh food dyes used in these foods and canndies. It is ridiculous that the food industries are still able to use these dangerous colors in our food, especially the foods that are marketed to our children.
Artificial food dyes used in the manufacturing of colorful foods such as Skittles and Fruity Pebbles, pose extreme health risks and many groups are demanding that they be banned in the United States as they are in many countries all over the world such as Britain. James Huff, associate director for chemical carcinogens at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences' National Toxicology Program, states that the dyes are "unnecessary to humans, especially young children." The Center for Science in the Public Interest states that the dyes "can cause allergic reactions, hyperactivity, and even cancer." Three widely used dyes, Red 40, Yellow 5, adn Yellow 6 are all contaminated with known carcinogens. Red 3, a less commonly used dye, has been acknowledged for years by the FDA to be a carcinogen and "has clearly been shown to induce cancer, " yet 200,000 pounds of it is still used inour food supplyevery year.
Parents, schools, and even grandmas are killing the precious youth of America. Why? Because our government refuses to acknowledge the risk posed by the artificial dyes. Do we just not love our children as the British do? Why do we allow manufacturers to endanger our future for the sake of brighter and flashier food? Are we really that shallow?

Homeward Bound: Journey from Afghanistan

Nine years ago on September 11, 2001, the United States suffered a number of attacks from an Afghan-terrorist group known as Al Qaeda. This devastating occurrence resulted in an immense number of casualties as well as the destruction of the World Trade Center (specifically the Twin Towers). Following this mindless attack, the U.S. quickly responded with the deployment of thousands of U.S. troops on October 7, 2001, less than one month after the attack.

Thus, it should come as no surprise that when the United States went to war with Afghanistan in 2001, Americans had a great level of support for the endeavor. The recent devastation that U.S. citizens had faced was assertive to Americans’ uncontrollable desire for revenge; the nation needed answers and the war served as just that: an answer. However, as the years continue to pass and United States’ troops remain at war, America’s support has declined greatly. Poll: Waning support for Obama on wars, an article written by Richard Wolf of USA Today, expresses the recent decline in President Obama’s approval rating in relation to his handling of the war efforts. The article conveys the message that Americans are collectively becoming more and more favorable to the retraction of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Wolf states, “Support for Obama's management of the war fell to 36%, down from 48% in a February [2010] poll.”

The reason is mainly due to what Thomas Nagorski chronicles in his article, Editor's Notebook: Afghan War Now Country's Longest. Nagorski explains the change in support for the war, presenting that this war is the longest war the United States has ever been involved in. This long and drawn out war effort has increased American’s desire for the troops to come home, since it was never expected for the war to last this long. Nagorski states, “Surely, it seemed, this would be a brief campaign…And yet here we are, nearly a decade since that October Sunday, and the end of this often-tabbed "Other War" is hard to see, or fathom.”

With this war lasting what seems like an eternity and the wound from September 11, 2001 becoming an old scar, it is time for the U.S. government to begin implementing a plan that will bring this war to a close. America wants their sons and daughters to come home. Husbands miss their wives; wives miss their husbands, and most importantly children need their parents.

"I Hit You because I Love You"

When you see a young child having a temper tantrum in a store because they’re parents told them they could not have any candy, how do you think the situation should be handled? Some would say be talking to them and soothing them would be good, some would say completely ignoring them, but what if none of these work? This is when you pull out the big guns: The Hand, The Belt, or The Switch. In my family, there are a variety of uses of discipline, but I noticed with the ones who were spanked were doing better in school and were very respectful to their elders while the ones who were not spanked did not do what they were told, were very disrespectful to any and everyone, and were not as successful in school.

Researchers say that spanking can have good effects when use properly. Most children who have parents who use corporal punishment as a disciplinary tool have more productive lives and have respect for their elders. In the article, “Spanking Your Kid is a Good Way to Discipline”, it says that when only verbal discipline is used, a child get the feeling that they can do what they want and not get in too much trouble about it, and as they get older, they simply lose all respect and do not listen to there parents at all. Although spanking is a good thing, when used too early or too late in life, it can be ineffective. In the studies of psychologist Marjorie Gunnoe, she says that spanking is best effective for the age of two to six years of age. Some studies say that if a child is spanked before the age of two then the child could have development problems and if used too late in childhood, then it can lead to abusive behavior and problems learning in school. This is why i feel that spanking your child is effective, but only when used properly.

Are Appointed Authority Figures of the Church Abusing thier Powers?

As we all know Popes, Pastors, Bishops and Priest, are all placed on a high petal stool. As the role models of our community's and the heads of our churches, these are the people we run to when we need help. In our times of need, they are suppose to guide us, teach us right from wrong and help us to stay on the right path.

But when one individuals attains so much power, they tend to take advantage of the people they have power over. People who are in church( or people who have religious beliefs) appoint these religious figures and give them complete power over thier lives. I personally will not give anyone or anything full power over me (except for God, thats just what I belive in). But everyone is entitled to their own beliefs.

A prime example of an authority figure abusing his power is bishop Eddie Long. Bishop Eddie Long was allegedy accused of seducing multiple teenage males into sexual relationships,according to Jonathan L. Walton, the assistant professor of African-American religions at Harvard Divinity School. http//www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/09/27/walton.bishop.long/index.html
In the CNN article above Bishop Eddie Long delivered long sermons expressing how homosexuality is wrong in Gods eyes. Yet though the Bishop supposedly bought these young men gifts with all the glamorous things his wealth, POWER and status could bring. Shame!!!

Rappers turning youth violent?

As young people listen to the newest hits on the radio stations, they tend to not only like the song but like the artist. Today's youth is becoming influenced greatly by the lyrics and artists they hear. The unfortunate part is what the lyrics are really saying. Rappers talk about drugs, gangs, violence, sex, and more explicit lifestyles. The way they lure in young people is by wealth, according to Charles Duncan, at Associatedcontent.com. "When you multiply the effect by hearing that crime pays I am standing here as living proof, a dangerous patter begins to emerge," says Duncan. Young people have the easiest access to this vulgarity, due to Mp3 players, iPods, and YouTube. Tara Parker-Pope states, "Nearly 9 out 10 adolescents or teens have an Mp3 player or a compact disc player in their bedrooms," in Under the Influence of...Music? Music is a huge part of lives today. It's rare to run across a car without a radio or CD player. Also, TV has specified certain channels that play only music. Such a wide variety of music sources, gives youth easier opportunities to listen to their favorite Kanye or Lil Wayne song. But really, what is this making out of society's young people? They are hearing in every lyric how to smoke the right weed, or what kind of clothes they should wear. These are not the only things wrong with rappers lyrics today, but just a few. Not only are you what you eat, but it's proven you could be what you listen to, according to Project Muse.

What is Really More Important?

This planet is an amazing thing. We have everything we need to make life an enjoyable experience. The way people treat the earth is not representing a respect for the earth. We should appreciate the earth and everything it provides for us. Instead of taking care of our planet and taking time out of our own schedules to help slow down the dangerous toll we are taking on the earth, people just go on and completely ignore the signs. As everyday goes by we slowly take away from the earth. We are not considerate of the earth and how we constantly deplete our natural resources. The earth is screaming out for our help and attention but we constantly ignore it. The warning signs are clear when we take a look around and see how much we could do to prevent the possibly fatal outcome. According to the Environmental Defense organization, vehicles from the United States produce 314 tons of CO2 every year. Little things that we do everyday such as driving to work, throwing away a plastic bottle, and lawn care can make a big difference in the long run. In America, we spend around $25 billion dollars on our lawns in a year. We use chemicals and pesticides that are dangerous to our air to take care of our yards. It seems rather silly to do this when there are more important things to care about. People in third world countries barely have money to eat while we can spend $25 billion on our yards. It’s really sad that by some people lacking consideration for the earth that everyone has to suffer for it. We have built ourselves a spiral of bad behavior and the only thing that can stop the cycle is the world as a whole.

To be a polygamist is to be a probable cause?

Polygamist wives from flickrCC

Being married to more than one person at a time usually makes people turn their heads in disgust. A 2009 poll on USNEWS. Com revealed that 91% Americans think that polygamy is wrong. There are two types of titles for multiple marriages, polygamy and bigamy. Specifics even go further with a male polygamist being a polygyny, a woman polygamist is polyandry, and when both the man and woman in the marriage are polygamists, they are group marriages. Polygamy is illegal in all states of the U.S., but, as with any law, it is often broken. The hotspot for polygamy conduct is in the state of Utah. Utah had to give up the practice of polygamy over a century ago. It might make a person feel better to be told that there are investigations to pinpoint down polygamists. The down side of this statement is that that is not always true because it would cost too much money and be putting officers out of the job of fighting serious crimes.

The Brown family was being scrutinized for possibly breaking the law. It seems that they doomed themselves when publically coming out to talk about their lives on TLC’s “Sister Wives”. Brown and his family said that the reason to do the show was to make their definition of family known to people; they want people to see how normal their abnormal family is.

Utah says on The News Tribune that bigamy/polygamy is rarely investigated and in circumstances where it is, it is because of, “cases involving allegations of abuse, sexual assault and fraud, not bigamy”. Since bigamy is a crime just like the others in that list, then why is it overlooked? Tom Green was the last person Utah did arrest for a polygamy charge, which was in 2001. Just like Mr. Brown, Mr. Green talked about his lifestyle to national media. This does not seem fair, since other polygamists who live in silence are not even examined. Instead of this crime being investigated in Utah for the fraud or abuse icing on top, bigamy/polygamy, investigations need to be more abundant and for the sole purpose cracking down on polygamy felonies.

Don’t Let Him “Chris Brown” You!

Everybody is familiar with the story of Chris Brown and Rihanna right? If not, let me inform you. Chris Brown is a famous singer who was reportedly dating the huge pop star Rihanna. I was reading the story about Chris Brown and Rihanna last night and discovered some very interesting news. If I understood the reading right, Rihanna and Chris Brown are back together after he put his hands on her in his range rover, Which brings me to the topic of domestic violence in relationships. Love can drive people to do some crazy things, but the problem is that some things are too much. Domestic violence can happen in anybody’s relationship, but it’s up to the ladies not to let it happen. Many people overlook abusive men like Chris Brown because domestic violence is so common, but lately, domestic violence has been on the rise and is a major issue. According to Clark County attorney staff, domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44. This is more than car accidents, rapes, and muggings combined.
It is estimated that three to four million women in the United States are beaten in their homes each year by their husbands or boyfriends. The Uniform Crime FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigations) reported that one woman is beaten every 15 seconds in the U.S., and one in every 4 women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. This clearly shows that every woman that’s in a relationship is at risk of becoming a victim of domestic violence. Don’t let these men out here pull a “Chris Brown” act off. Women are too smart and beautiful to let their lover abuse them. If he hits you physically, he’s not a true lover, and you need to think again about running back his way.

Facebook Takeover

As I am a user of social networks I can see how indefinately they are beginning to take over the world. Facebook especially, you can have it on phones, iPods, as well as on computers, automatically signed in when the devices are turned on. As facebook was just beginning in February of 2004 it was only limited to Harvard students but just 3 months after July 15, 2009 in Tech Crunch it was announced to have "200 million users" but it was also said that was an under count. Now there are more than "500 million active users 50% of which log in on any given day" those users have an average of possibly 130 friends to communicate with on there and spend about 700 billion minutes per month on this network as said in the Facebook Press Room.



Founder Mark Zuckerberg has also created almost 900 million attractions to his site to keep peoples interest to a maximum. There is something on there for each individuals interest which keeps them coming back to facebook on an often basis, as well as expressing to others the possible interactions they have for themselves. This social network could be used for business and pleasure which helps to increase the amount of users. Business' are able to use this site for networking and to build their corporate empire, as regular everyday people use this system to connect to friends and join groups as well as other entertaining factors as said by "Linda Roeder in What is Facebook.com? What Does Facebook.com Have to Offer?". Its more than just socializing its broadening certain spectacles of personal and professional in one innovative network bringing the world to come and join in on the action Facebook the takeover. Look me up!

Texting While Driving Ban As Good As Invisible

Everyone from pre-teens to grandparents is texting. Texting is the easiest and fastest way to stay connected with friends, family, and the world. Texting while driving has been the cause of many accidents involving teenagers and is even considered “the new drunk driving.” On July 1, the no texting while driving ban went into effect in Georgia. The law states that it is illegal for anyone to read, type, or send a text message, but adults can use the keypad to dial a number. If caught the fine is $150. The purpose of this law is to reduce the number of accidents caused by texting, right? Wrong!

I am guilty of texting while driving, I am happy that this ban has been put into effect. There have been many cases where I was caught up in a text message that I almost caused an accident or I missed a green light. However, I have many issues with this law because I think it was poorly written; first I don’t understand how it is enforced, but according to this Atlanta Journal- Constitution article if seen “driving recklessly,” the driver will get pulled over. In some instances, I’ve seen police officers texting behind the wheel, so why should others take the law seriously? Second, texting while driving is considered distracted driving, but doing anything in one’s car besides steering the wheel is a distraction, such as adjusting the radio, talking on the phone, or talking to passengers. Also, allowing adults to dial on the keypad is just as dangerous. Third, if texting while driving is considered ‘the new drunk driving,” making it illegal to drive while under the influence doesn’t stop teenagers or adults from doing it, so what makes this any different? At least, with drunk driving a breathalyzer test can prove that drivers were drinking, but police officers will have no proof if drivers are texting. Last, according to the Highway Loss Data Institute, this ban has not reduced the number of car crashes, and in some places, it has increased it. Fernando Wilson, an assistant professor at the University of North Texas did a study showing that texting while driving increased car accidents by more than 16,000 between 2001 and 2007, which proves that this is definitely a major issue. In contrast, a recent study from the Automobile Club of Southern California, “found that texting while driving doubled in California after the state implemented its January 2009 texting ban and drivers who do adhere to texting bans might be replacing one distracted driving behavior with another.” If you can’t walk and text, please do everyone a favor and DON’T text and drive. Remember: NO text message is ever that important to take someone’s life away.

Girls With No Clothes On!

Today, women are challenged more than ever to show skin. The media portrays the pretty girls as sexy and almost naked while the girls that are not considered "pretty" by society supposedly go throughout their daily lives fully clothed with their heads hanging down near their shoulders and afraid to speak. According to Sheree Zielke's,"Hoochie Wear: Assessing The Trend of Revealing Clothing for Young Girls", she emphasizes that women receive their views of this "inappropriate" way of dress from "tv shows, movies and advertising". She also asserts that this particular style "tells today's young girls that true value lies in how sexy she can look".

When children grow up learning how to dress and how to act from the media, they grow up without a since of some of the most important morals. They go without learning that the men that are drawn by the attention of their body's are the kind of men that will not last. They go without learning that the people that look at them are automatically stereotyping them as fast, as a person that has no character or as someone who is sexually explicit.

In her same essay, Zielke emphasizes that girls should wear clothing that illustrates their values and not clothes that illustrate their availability. Revealing clothes draw negative energy, negative attention, and negative people. Because many children dress provocatively to seem more mature, it shows that they are immature in actuality because mature women represent themselves respectably.

Although dressing provocatively is disreputable and disgraceful there are serious possibilities that go along with this doing. Avigail Moor,a renown psychologist and expert on violence against women elucidates that women are often sexually abused because of the seduction of their half naked bodies in her essay "She Dresses to Attract, He Perceives Seduction: A gender gap in attribution of intent to women's revealing style in dress and its relation to blaming the victims of sexual violence". Although blaming the victim is not

her goal, she indicates that these predators who categorize these women as easy use their strength to over power them.

Those who want to be respected should dress in a respectable manner. Those who do not care about being respected should not change the way they present themselves. Although media can alter a person view on how to dress, there are also positive examples that represents appropriate attire and way of life.

Under Age Drinking

Many Americans today believe that alcohol should not be consumed by anyone under the age of twenty-one. All through our teen years either you, an acquaintance, or a friend has abused and rebelled against the alcohol regulations. Is this truly abuse or is usage of alcohol a lesson in life that every person will go through eventually no matter their age?

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website states that, "alcohol use by persons under age 21 years is a major public health problem." Yes, it is a health problem but it is a problem to every aged drinker; not just the under-aged drinker. Children grow up in homes where parents frequently drink and they are exposed to this behavior every day. Eventually that child will want to experiment and know what the alcohol will do to their body; most kids' curiosity grows when they become a teenager. Maybe if that child's parent had not exposed them to alcohol they would not be put into this teenage alcohol statistic.

Our media in the United States targets the youth or the worst of the crimes to create drama; they leave out the facts that nobody cares about, efor example the alcohol death rates of adults. In 1996 CBS did research on alcohol related deaths and compared it to a more recent study in 2002 and both studies show thta people between the ages of forty and sixty have had a much higher death rate than teens. Media attacks the teenage drinking, although it is illegal, but the bigger issue is the irresponsible adults that take alcohol as a right instead of a privilege. Typically if it is horrendous crime the offender was an adult, "Officer Daniel Shragal, of the DWI enforcement unit, tested Hudson and wrote in his report she registered a blood alcohol level nearly twice the legal limit on a portable breathalyzer. She was charged with public intoxication and taken to the Marion County Arrestee Processing Center." (John Tuohy). Rarely do you hear of a reckless drunken teenager with consumption of twice the legal limit, or raping and kidnapping some helpless child, or doing some outrageous crime.

Many foreign countries do not have a legal drinking age; Switzerland, Finland, Greece, Denmark, Poland, Italy and many more countries are included in this group. If we lower our drinking age children would not have the incentive to go out, drink, and party with friends; they would not have the sensation of doing something illegal; they would not be as irresponsible with alcohol as they are today. Alcohol kills an average total of 2,100 people in Switzerland each year comepared to Americas 85,000 alcohol consumption deaths. (Annual Causes of Death in the United States) If the United States lowered the drinking age we could lower our death rate also.

Other countries start drinking alcohol while you are practically in the mothers whom. This tactic could be very efficient for the United States. If we lower our drinking age it would prevent child alcohol abuse and it would lower the teen alcohol death rate. Instead of teens fighting the law and rebelling against their better judgment they would be raised on drinking a few beverages here and there; it would be second nature to them. The alcohol death rate would sufficiently go dowm because Americans would learn how to handle their liquor better and know their limits.

What It Means To Be Free

As a nation the United States claims that it is free. What exactly does that word mean? Since it is such a commonly used word it is hard to put only one meaning to it. We as Americans are considered to be free, but are we really? Another meaning of free is not costing any money. The first definition of free is the most important in my argument; it states that America is the freest and wealthiest nation in the world. Are we free in the eyes of everyday citizens, or are we free in the eyes of the government, which are two very different perspectives. When I think about freedom, to me means being independent and not having any higher authority besides ourselves, we all know this cannot happen though. Although laws keep society in the right path by punishing dangerous or potentially dangerous people there are some laws that go against what I believe to be freedom. For example, the current drinking age is 21, the age at which men and women can fight in the war is 18, now don’t you think if you’re old enough to die for your country you should be old enough to have a beer? There are so many rules and regulations now a days you’d be surprised how many things you do every day that are either illegal or could get you a fine, for example, jaywalking, littering (this includes cigarette butts), speeding, using programs like lime wire and YouTube to download and play copyrighted material, not using a blinker to change lanes, over excessive honking, talking on the phone and driving, texting and driving, ever had a card game with friends for money? Gambling is illegal in Georgia. Even many forms of sex are illegal! With all these in mind it is really hard to give the word freedom to the United States. They word freedom in relation to what rights we have should be changed to modern day slavery.

Can You Really Get Cancer From Eating Potato Chips?

The cause of cancer is defined by The American Cancer Society as “a complex group of diseases with many possible causes.” Today, many people are being told that cancer is caused from all the things around you. The little things that you do not think of are the things that are putting you into the most harm. Things such as bottles of water, microwaves, cell phones and potato chips have all been accused of causing different kinds of cancers. News articles have reported that cancer can be caused from anything from genetics to just simply walking down the street. Does this mean that everyone will die from cancer?

Things such as tobacco and radiation are commonly heard for causing cancer. But once giving cancer a closer look, I found that there are so many more things that are said to cause cancer. These items are ones that people on a daily basis would not give a second thought to causing cancer. They consist of using a cell phone, getting hit repeatedly, and dieting. Dieting is the one that people will be the most surprised about. In "The complete list of things that give you cancer," a article by epidemiologists, gum, alcohol, Chinese food, hamburgers, coffee, cokes, bread, baby food, and potato chips are just some of the things within a persons diet that could result in cancer. According to the epidemiologists, scientists that study "the patterns of health and illness in population groups, societies, and cultures", the everyday things that we eat are resulting in cancer .

The death rate of cancer had an all time high in the 1990's. As doctors and scientists have researched and discovered the causes and effects of cancer, the death rates have dropped significantly. This year alone the death rates have dropped twenty-one percent for men and twelve percent for women (American Cancer Society_ Facts and Figures). Scientists have tested items to see their effects on people and find out if they give off any rays that can cause cancer. But can they really know if all these everyday things can cause cancer? Even the American Cancer Society says cancer has many causes. Can the doctors really pinpoint the exact thing in a persons life or diet that caused them to get cancer?

According to The Big Site of Amazing Facts, throughout a year a person consumes five hundred and twenty-five pounds of food. This means about three hundred and sixty thousand pounds are consumed by the time we are seventy. Although cancer attacks people of all ages, the risk of getting cancer increases with age. That means many are consuming hundreds of thousands of food before their diagnosis. Without accurate documentation of all the food consumed through that persons lifetime up to that point, how can the scientists pinpoint the exact part of the diet that caused the cancer?

Although things within dieting can contribute to getting cancer, it is very unlikely for the doctors to say what in your diet caused your particular cancer. Things such as potato chips can give you high cholesterol and that can contribute to heart disease, including heart cancer, but potato chips may not be the only contributing factor. Eating right can help your overall health and keep your immune system high and prevent you from getting sick. The doctors and scientists are really informing people to stay healthy to prevent illness, not to inform them that the things they eat are actually causing cancer.

"Fratastic", destroying the stereotypes

Fraternity’s membership at Valdosta state university has taken a serious hit. The number of students to rush a fraternity this year was almost half of the amount in previous years. Fraternities, Greek life administrators, and alumni all question the reason for the sudden decline in membership, but the solution to the issue is quite simple.

Fraternities now need to break the stereo types that they are associated with. They need to break away from the "Animal House" references, and the hazing horror stories. The word fraternity should not have a negative connotation, but rather represent the organization you are a part of. Fraternities can first achieve this new reputation by expanding membership. Many don’t rush, due to the fact that they feel they need to dress a specific way, come from a wealthy family, or have a biased point of view on Greek life in general caused by the things they've heard.

Fraternities need to make it known that there society doesn't require any of these things, and that pledge ship is based on brotherhood rather than bank account. Communicating openly with freshman about what they have heard and what is actually true would have a serious effect on the number of student to rush.

The most important stereotype that must be put to rest is the issue of hazing. Students are wary of any organization where they could be humiliated or possibly open to ridicule from their peers. Addressing and denouncing hazing could entice new prospects to each fraternity.

Fraternities are not always what they seem. However, preconceived notions are out there. If Greek life wants to increase membership and diversity in these organizations they have to strike out the stereotypes from the past and create a new idea of what Greek life really is.

Steroids: For Better or Worse?

Many athletes these days refer to steroids in order to inhance their competetive edge. Little do people know there are two different kinds of steroids. There is cortisone which doctors give when a person has an inflamation in the body. Although, that is not the steroid in this case. This steroid is called "Andro." Athletes feel the need to be faster, stronger, and better than the person standing next to them. But athletes don't realize that when they think they are bettering their performance, they are also endangering their bodies. Steroids have harmful chemicals in them which can lead to a number of health problems that people don't think twice about when taking the drug.

So...one may ask how does this drug really work? we know that it builds muscle in the body to enhance performance, but thats not all it does. The drug resembles the natural sex hormone called testosterone, which is made naturally by the body. Dr. Steven Dowshen reports "it increases the level of testosterone in the blood, they stimulate muscle tissue in the body to grow larger and stronger." Yet, is buidling muscle more important than one's health of the body? Two major dangers of steroids are the negative affects of the reproductive system and they are illegal. If the drug is taken too much then the reproductive system starts to be disrupted and side effects such as liver tumors and heart disease start to occur. Athletes tend to not notice these side effects when taking the drug because they are only concerned with the future outcome, which could be a number of things depending on what it was used for. Knowing that steroids are illegal, people still take them for the benefit of being faster, stronger, ect. Although, different athletic organizations have found that if athletes are using these drugs they are banned from the sport. The only way to find out if someone is using the drug is a random drug test. Athletes don't know when or where, but they will come up every couple of months. So is taking a steroid worth enhancing one's performance or making sure that one's body is healthy to perform without the use of the drug?

Laptops: Not Good For Laps?

Have you ever sat your laptop in your lap to work on a project for hours at a time, and you feel it heating up your legs? Well, I suggest you rethink that habit.


ABC News reported on Tuesday, October 5th, a young woman's encounter with "toasted skin syndrome", also known as erythema ab igne. The woman, 24-year-old, Kristin Manigault, said, "It started looking really funny. Then I kind of overlooked it. It started to spread and of course that made me really nervous."

A second case emerged on Yahoo News, where a 12-year-old boy developed a sponge-patterened discoloration on his left thigh after playing computer games a few hours every day for several months was reported in an article in the journal, Pediatrics, by Swiss researchers. UPI also reports that these researchers at the University Hospital Basel in Switzerland say that laptop-induced dermatosis, whcih was first described in 2004, can lead to permanent darkening of the skin and, sometimes, skin cancer.

Yet another case is reported in Yahoo News involved a Virginia law student who needed treatment for the mottled discoloration on her leg. The doctor who treated her, Dr. Kimberly Salkey, was perplexed until she discovered that the student spent about six hours a day working with her laptop on her lap. Its temperature underneath was 125 degrees. This cause was reported in 2007, and is one of the 10 laptop-related cases reported in medical journals in the past six years. As UPI includes, the 10 patients, as published in the journal Pediatrics, had lesions on one or both of their upper legs.

Therefore, unless you're unclear on this subject, please do not work with your laptop on your laps, students. At least, not for extended periods of times because it can cause damaging effects to your skin. So, now that fall is upon us, cover up and stay warm, but not with your laptops!

Interracial Dating

As I look around, I have noticed that interracial dating had become a lot more common and respected then in the past years. Of course many would argue that it was once illegal, but even if it was legal in those times it would still not be as accepted as it is today. Interracial dating has always been an argumentative topic. As a nation that was once segregated, this is an awesome improvement. "People are finding people with common interests and common perspectives and are putting race aside," says Knapick, 22, in the article New generation doesn't blink at interracial relationships. Interracial dating seems to be challenging to many but in the same sense, there are many dating web sites that focus strictly on interracial dating, like interracial match. Having web sites that specialize in matching different races, shows that many people are quite interested in dating someone of a different race. After dealing with the looks, stares, and whispering, respect needs to be given to those who make that attempt to be optimistic. The thought of bring home someone of a different race to meet the parents always scares people away from the thought of interracial dating. In life many people let the thought of what others think influence how they feel about someone, but yet have the audacity to complain about not finding that “perfect match,” when in doubt they probably did but was being naive and missed out on the right one. Why would you let the thoughts of someone else influence your happiness?

When is Enough, Enough?

How many of you ladies are in love or have ever been “in love?” How many of you have been hit or beaten by the “love of your life?” That is a hard question to ask and even a harder question to answer. No girl wants to admit that she is in an abusive relationship but there are more abusive relationships out there than any of us really know. According to ACADV (Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence), about one in three high school students have been or will be involved in an abusive relationship, and 40% of teenage girls ages 14 to 17 say they know someone their age who has been hit or beaten by a boyfriend.

The abuse doesn’t always come physically, it also comes verbally and emotionally. Growing up in a household where there were abusive relationships puts everything into another perspective. Many people ask why do you stay? Why do you let him do that? What are you doing to fix it? And why are you letting it keep happen? These are the questions that I asked in my own home. Various answers come pouring out like “I want the relationship to work,” “I stay for the kids,” and “there is nowhere to go.” Many women believe that they are responsible for fixing all the problems in the relationship and that the abuse is normal because their friends are being abused too. What women don’t realize is that they are not alone, there are several shelters and people to help. Safeplace: Florence and 2nd Chance: Anniston are just a couple of shelters in Alabama that work with ACADV. The underlying question is when is enough, enough? When does it all stop? And when do you need help?