Week 12: I Believe That Video Games Are Unrelated To Violent Tendencies

When a violent event occurs, particularly in the United States, often times video games are blamed (at least in part) for why it happened. I believe that this is a false accusation, for many reasons.

Although studies have shown that there is a correlation between aggression and violent video games in children, I believe that the studies are flawed. Some studies have children play violent games, then study their aggression levels toward their peers. They report that children are more aggressive after playing these violent games. However - like most animals do - children attempt to imitate what they see as a means of learning. Children also have a large imagination, and a malleable mind. Akin to wanting to become a superhero, children may also imagine themselves to be a member of a black ops team infiltrating the enemy base.

While this may seem like a direct recipe for becoming a violent adult, there are things that can happen in between childhood and adult years that change that. First and foremost is the quality of parenting. If a parent nurtures a child in a loving way, the child may not grow up to have the same mental troubles that may lead someone to be violent as an adult. In contrast, if a child is not parented well, or grows up in a household that is full of violence, then they may become a violent adult.

As someone who worked in a store that sold video games, some parents paid attention to the rating of a game that the child wished for and took responsibility by either denying the child an M-rated (mature-rated game intended for audiences 17 and up, or making sure they're attentive when the child plays the game and will follow-up accordingly. There are also parents who don't pay attention to the rating of the game despite my warning of it, or will come back to return the game once they learn that the video game contains nudity and violence and blame me for selling the game to them (again, after my warning).

I believe the easiest way that a parent can help a child be less aggressive and dash any violent tendencies, is to be sure that the child is aware of the difference between fact and fiction. They need to be reminded that despite what they play, or may view on TV, it is not real and it is not all right to act in such a way.

Another interesting thing that I noticed concerns demographics. Whenever a violent incident occurs and video games are brought into it, the culprits are almost always male. However, there are a large number of females that play video games, and they play the same games that males do. So if video games are to blame for violence, why aren't at least some of these attackers female?

On the subject of video games themselves, not all of them have violent natures. There are video games intended for children specifically that are rated accordingly. Some of them can even be fun for teenagers and adults alike.

Does a video game like that look violent?

In conclusion, there are too many extra factors involved with violence in people to have a sole reason. I think it's unfair to make video games a victim because it may be an easy target. It is also unfair to take away all video games, because not all of them have the same violent content.

Week 12: Why Reading is an Absolute Necessity

Why Reading is an Absolute Necessity

Reading books has bad stigma and a negative connotation.

In middle and high school, it seemed like the general consensus was that reading was uncool and that bookworms were nerds. I distinctly remember in fifth grade participating in DEAR time: Drop Everything And Read. After lunch for fifteen minutes, we had to either read our library book for the week or another book we brought in from home.

Everyone hated DEAR time. Eleven-year olds don’t want to spend fifteen minutes reading, especially when they’re forced to do it. This sparks the resentment in reading, and it makes kids wonder why anyone would choose to read in their free time. Only an absolute nerd would do something as boring and tedious a task as reading.

So, for the next few years, everyone begins to resent reading. But then, around college, people begin not to care. Things that were lame and made someone a loser in high school are suddenly not so bad. If your neighbor wants to ride a scooter to class while carrying a wheel backpack, instead of making fun of him, you’re envious of his genius-ness—he’s getting to class quicker and doesn’t have to drag his textbooks around on his back, unlike you.

Likewise, when someone says they want to curl up and read a good book a hammock on a warm, summer day, it’s no longer uncool. In fact, it’s the opposite. Reading is an “aesthetic” or a “mood”. People take pictures of their books to brag about the fact that they’re spending their afternoon reading. Imagine having enough time to read for the evening? Everyone is instantly jealous.

Reading is a necessity. Where else can you look at symbols on a page and imagine an entire new world? Reading sparks your creativity. You read a romance story or an action-filled thriller, and it’s up to you to decide how it goes down. What do the characters look like? What are they wearing? What are their mannerisms?

As a reader, you are the director. You decide how the movements get carried out, what their expression looks like, and how they act in between the lines. It’s essentially like hallucinating: you get to think up this whole new world that is unique to you alone. Two people will perceive the same instance in two different ways. Your experience is unique to you, and a special bond is formed between you and these imaginary characters.

As an avid reader, I can attest to this. In middle school, I was “too cool” for reading, but in high school I began to change my view on things. Ultimately, I was disappointed in my lack of vocabulary, so I began reading more often. I read through the YA fiction classics: John Green, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Anna and the French Kiss, and the handful of popular dystopian YA novels.

Reading really did help my vocabulary. I did notice myself using better vocabulary and writing things more eloquently with smoother transitions. However, not only was I gaining knowledge on literacy and writing, I was also deepening my emotional experiences.

Reading allowed me to form personal relationships and grow attached to characters who didn’t even exist. My best friend and I deepened our friendship because we were able to share books with each other and discuss the characters as if they were real people.

We became closer friends with other bookworms like ourselves, and we were able to increase our critical thinking skills as we imagined what characters were thinking at certian points. We were angry at them, frustrated in their decisions, and feeling excited or proud of them at the exact same time. It was like a new set of friends.

As a girl who reads whenever she has the chance, I’d like to give you one piece of advice. Read whenever you can. Read to learn, read to experience. Read because, no matter what you thought in middle school, it is an absolute necessity.

Adopt, Don't Shop

     A topic that I often think about pertains to animal rights. Every year, thousands of animals living in shelters are euthanized for a multitude of reasons. Not only should this not be legal, but people should be rescuing rather than buying from a breeder. I personally have rescued animals in the past, and it is the best feeling knowing you are saving an animal and giving it a good life. There are far too many animals living day in and day out in shelters, which is a very unfair way to live. Although their basic needs are met, they aren't living happy or fulfilling lives in any way. Often times, rescuing a dog from a shelter is less expensive than buying from a breeder anyway. I included this picture of my dog Daphne, who we rescued when I was really little because you can see how happy she is. She was dropped off outside an animal shelter when she was a puppy. She didn't have any food or water, and it was very cold outside. Luckily, she was found and brought inside before any further harm was done to her, and we rescued her shortly after. We, as human beings, have the potential to completely change animals' lives. If you have been wanting a specific breed of dog for a really long time, check a couple of shelters first to see if they have any. If they don't and you purchase from a breeder, just try your best to make the next dog you get a rescue dog. I think more awareness needs to be made about what the reality of shelters is and how many dogs are being euthanized. According to the ASPCA, about 1.5 million animals living in shelters are euthanized every year, and this is something that needs to change immediately.

Week 12: Climate Change is Real

I believe our planet is doomed, and we, in turn, are doomed as well.  Climate change isn't just real and happening, it's happened.  It's at a point of no return.  It will take decades to implement the necessary changes to turn humanity around and save the planet, but we're already at a point where the consequences of our actions are happening.  The ice caps are melting, sea level and global temperature are rising.  It's too late, all that's left to do is live out our days trying to survive as long as possible.

I don't blame the industrial revolution inventors who wanted to make the world a better place.  I don't blame previous generations for using the products that were made available to them.  I don't even blame anyone today for not going above and beyond to recycle.  I blame the leaders.  People who knew early on that the actions of humanity were destroying the planet and chose not to believe it.  They were presented with evidence and proof that it is real and happening and they still did nothing.  To this day, some of the most influential world leaders refuse to believe scientific fact and refuse to take action.  It has doomed us all.

The planet will survive, but we won't.  It was here well before us and it will be here long after.  We are a disease that is trying to kill it, but it will kill us first.  It's sad to know that we could have lived harmoniously, in a way that both humanity and the planet could've survived, and we didn't.  We were selfish and greedy and we're finally paying for it.

WEEK 12: Pro-choice does not mean pro-abortion

The debate surrounding the issue of abortion has transformed dramatically over the course of history and still continues to transform.  All around the world women have used abortion to control their reproduction whether it has been illegal or not.

When abortion is made illegal it does not stop them from happening.  People still find ways to have an abortion, and they resort to extremely dangerous and unhealthy methods.

When people say they are "pro-choice" they are not saying they are pro-abortion.  Nobody LOVES abortions.  In short, being pro-choice means people should get to choose if and when they desire to terminate a pregnancy at any time.  Being pro-choice means a lot more than just this, though.  Being pro-choice means you understand that women are equal participants in this society.

Statistics show that one out of every three children placed in foster care are abused.  This means that this year over 133,334 children will be abused in our country.  This means that if we take all the children I know, all the children you know, all the children everybody in our class knows and add them all together, we still won't be any where near the number of children who will fall asleep in pain tonight.  

This is not a made up thing.  This is really happening.  

Being pro-choice means you understand that every single child deserves to be wanted, loved, and cared for.  

It's like some people care about the baby while its in the womb but once the baby is out they don't care anymore.  

You can not claim to be pro-life if you don't actively work to protect those already living.  Claiming to be pro-life and only actively working to protect people that are not born and not the children suffering in the foster system, or the children being separated from their parents at the border, or the families dying from inhaling chlorine gas in other countries then you are not truly pro-life. You can not be pro-life if you are not pro-all lives.  Pro saving lives.  Pro keeping people alive.  

We give people the choice to not vaccinate their children, to essentially kill their child AND OTHERS, but we don't give women the choice to save a child from being born into the world unwanted, extremely disabled, or into a corrupted foster care system.  

Being pro-choice essentially is being pro-life.  Being pro-choice means caring more about sentient women and children, and those children's quality of life.  Pro-choice means you care about the well-being and safety of children actually born into the world.  

Lastly, I would like to discuss the argument over fetuses having human rights.  Just because a fetus  has the "potential" to develop into a fully grown human does not mean it is the same as a functional human being.  As long as the fetus depends on the mother it is a part of the mother. When a fetus is capable of living outside of the mother, that is when they should have personhood. 

Nobody should be forced to be pregnant. 

To be pro-choice means to view every human on this earth as an equal.

To be pro-life means you are anti-women. 

You can not attempt to control women's bodies and sexualities and still claim to not be against women.  

Nobody should be punished for their sexuality.

To repeat myself, "pro-choice" is a political view that see women as equal parts of our society, and is based on the idea that all children deserve to be born wanted, loved, and cared for.

Week 12

    I have been watching and playing basketball for at least 20 years now and I think Stephen Curry is the best 3-point shoot of all time. Curry is the type of basketball player who seems to always gets better every year. Curry has it all. He has the quickest release the NBA has ever seen. As a result, he doesn’t need a lot of space or time for him to launch a shot, and his quick release makes it tough to block, even with an opponent in his face. A magician with the ball, Curry has the best handle in the NBA, and he can execute crossover dribbles like it’s nothing. With his ball-handling skills, he can easily throw up a shot off the dribble and he easily knocks it down. Steph is also a dangerous shooter by moving without the ball. He is so quick, elusive and smart that it is hard to guard him even when he doesn’t have the ball. 

According to Kirk Goldsberry an ESPN analyst, “Curry is halfway through his 10th season in the NBA. It took him only 655 games to catch Terry, who required 1,410 games to make 2,282 3s. Allen made his last 3-point shot in 2014 when he was 38 and playing in his 1,300th game. At his current pace over the past five years, Curry should surpass Allen's mark when he's just 32 and should become the first NBA player to hit over 3,000 triples just a few games later. If Curry stays healthy, there's no reason to believe he won't get to 4,000 or even 5,000 made triples by the time he's done.”

Week 12: Death

Not a lot of people feel the need to discuss death. Whether it makes them feel uncomfortable or fearful, I think it's essential for everyone to confront it head-on and even try to figure out more on the mystery of the afterlife.

I think death is the most fascinating thing in the entire universe. It's the final point of our journey through life. A Rasmussen Report (2017) found that 62% of American adults believe in an afterlife. But what if there isn't anything after we die? No matter how passionately your spiritual leader tells his listeners that there's something else after we die is lying. They don't know for sure, and that's where FAITH comes into play, where they tell you after you've asked one too many questions about god's existence that you just have to believe. 

I think even if you are religious and believe that this life isn't all there is, you should still have the conversation with yourself, "What if there's nothing?" Death is the ultimate authority in our lives, and the feeling that someday it will creep in on me is one that I cannot shake. It's too profound of a thing to think about so often, which is probably why people don't feel the need to strain themselves with the weight of the concept. But think about anything you would like to do in your life; travel, marry your partner, have children, chase that dream job. If I was lying on my death bed I would've wanted to do all of those things because I know the inevitable event of death is going to get me. Then again, I would also add some credence to the fact that death makes all of these things unimportant. The unimaginably long lifespan that Earth has had is one that puts events in history and our everyday lives to shame. Remember that one guy that died in 47 A.D.? No, no one does.

Consider the size of the universe! Watch one video on Earth's size compared to the universe and that one time you farted in front of your crush will seem wildly insignificant. Death can be a reassuring thing to think about, especially if you use it to frame your life in a way that is more urgent and adventurous. My point I'd really like to get across is the fact that death is the greatest mystery in existence, and we need to talk about it more as a country and as a planet. This concept is vital to our politics, relationships, and everyday ordinary decisions. So consider what death means to you, and do some research on what other people are saying about their findings or what they might believe.







Source

Rasmussen Reports, (2017). Retrieved from http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/lifestyle/general_lifestyle/june_2017/most_americans_believe_in_the_afterlife

WORDS change the WORLD

 

I grew up in an environment where I was suffocated. I was afraid to leave my room in elementary school because I was petrified of the drunken beast on the couch who guarded the kitchen. I grew up in a time where my mother couldn’t afford me a computer or cell phone. I was 12 years-old locked in a princess themed bedroom with stacks of novels and empty notebooks I hoarded from school. My Barbie dolls and Beanie-Babies glared at me from the floor as I clutched my diary; I no longer needed them to explore my thoughts and imaginations. I was at an age where English Language Arts became my fiery passion and I used words and grammar as a means of expression.  

I scribbled, line after line, on the crisp notebook paper about the beast. I wrote descriptively how the beast guarded the goods of the castle and that I would start my venture into the kitchen to scavenge once he fell asleep around 3 o’clock. 

I wrote the way my jeans made me feel fat at school and how the zits on my face made me ugly. Words carried me through my life. 

My migraine diary was born when I was a freshman in high school and got my first attack. I sketched out my thoughts, feelings, and behaviors through the episodes. I would look back on the pages and feel relief as I was searching for a cure. 

I wrote when my best friend broke my heart. I wrote until my wrist throbbed and the page was wet with the tears that had dripped off my nose. 

When I got my first iPhone I downloaded Scrabble and a thesaurus application. I wasn’t just “sad” anymore—I was more than “sad”—I was: sorrowful, despairing, and in dismay. As my body and mind matured so did my words. I grew with them like the little flowers that children bring home in Dixie cups from science class.  I developed; I transposed. 

In my first semester of college I won the award of Best Essay at Oakland Community College throughout the English department for my memoir about my challenges through high school. The essay was shared amongst students and faculty to read and enjoy.

        In The Power of Words by Benita Porter, she states: “I believe in the power of words. A passion for books and the words inside them saved me from ever knowing a moment’s loneliness during library hours. While nestled inside that divine sanctuary, words were my window to the world outside my perch in Columbus, Ohio.” 

I couldn’t agree with her more. 

Words did not only give me the ability to understand myself... they gave me power. 

        In Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson, he states: "In every work of genius we recognize our own rejected thoughts: they come back to us with a certain alienated majesty. Great works of art have no more affecting lesson for us than this." Emerson provides examples that even writing can be a work of art such as a painting or sculpture. Emerson exemplifies that words can leave such an impactful, lasting impression on human-beings. There are numerous instances where powerful speakers or writers leave an impression on society. 

       Martin Luther King Jr. spoke against the injustices during the Civil Right’s movement. At the podium the crowd stood silently as he bellowed: 

“With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.”

Even today, nearly every American recognizes the phrase, “I have a dream” due to the powerful persuasion of King’s words. King’s speeches didn’t just change the way society lives today, he changed the world by creating a movement to speak out for what one believes in. 

        According to InfoPlease, an online database, MLK’s speech at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963 was attended by more than 250,000 people! It was the largest demonstration ever seen in the nation's capital. It was also one of the first events to have extensive television coverage.

Words give humans the power to share their thoughts and ideas with the world. 

       From The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank, she hand-tells the horrors of World War II. Frank creates a book about a personal account during a time of terror where a young girl strives to hold onto her innocence. Frank quotes, “I don’t think of all the misery but of the beauty that still remains.” 

Frank became timeless with her writing. She displays perseverance in one of the worst instances of hatred in human history. 

A popular film, Dead Poet's Society, debuted in 1989. There is a pivotal moment where Robin Williams states and challenges his class: 

“We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for."

You have the power of words. Without the knowledge if it will change your future, or the future of someone else...

What will you say or write today? 

Works Cited:

https://www.theodysseyonline.com/10-ways-words-changed-world

https://thisibelieve.org/essay/4210/

https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/robin_williams_383827?src=t_words

This I Believe, You Are What You Eat

If you knew that the food you were eating was as toxic to your body as cigarettes would you change your eating habits? What if “they” told you all food was fine in moderation, but you had family members dying of chronic illnesses that could easily be prevented by simply changing eating habits?

As we are armed with more and more information about nutrition and the state of the food industry in America it is becoming clear that things are not as they once were. The food we are told to eat, by our government, our doctors, our parents and family members, and the advertising companies targeting us through television and social media is killing us. The information they tell us is scientific fact, facts they supposedly use to back up their nutrition advise and guidelines, is false. For example, we have heard it said time and time again that a diet low in sodium reduces one’s risk for developing chronic heart disease and according to an article from the New York Times, there is very little scientific evidence to support this claim. (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/17/upshot/salt-diet-heart-failure-little-evidence.html)

 It is an undeniable, irrefutable fact that over 70% of American’s are obese or overweight to a concerning degree and at risk for developing life threatening chronic disease. (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/2017/053.pdf)

Chronic diseases include Type 2 Diabetes, Heart Disease, Cancer, Dementia and Alzheimer’s (new studies are linking dementia and Alzheimer’s disease to chronically elevated blood glucose). These diseases kill people every day at an astounding rate. They are also quickly overwhelming the health care system and have a crippling effect on the American economy.

“There is an undeniable link between rising rates of obesity and rising medical spending. In a previous paper, Eric Finkelstein and colleagues ¹ demonstrated the extent to which excess weight increased annual medical spending for public and private payers alike. That study showed that the costs of overweight and obesity could have been as high as $78.5 billion in 1998 and that roughly half of this total was financed by Medicare and Medicaid. This analysis updates those previous findings. Our overall estimates show that the annual medical burden of obesity has risen to almost 10 percent of all medical spending and could amount to $147 billion per year in 2008. Other studies have also quantified the extent to which obesity influences aggregate health spending. For example, Kenneth Thorpe and colleagues ² found that obesity was responsible for 27 percent of the rise in inflation-adjusted health spending between 1987 and 2001.”(Cohen, Dietz, Finkelstein, Trogdon)

These diseases are also affecting our children. Diseases like Type 2 Diabetes, a preventable chronic illness that has begun to affect our youth at an astounding rate. These children are dying NOW. Dying every day from diseases that are preventable and unnecessary. My own niece was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 2. Two years old and her life was almost cut short. I have watched even more of my family members suffering from diseases whose causes are rooted in the very things they have eaten their entire lives thinking that they were feeding themselves and their children nourishing food.

So, what do we do about this? I know that I am not the only one who has seen and felt the effects of these diseases. How many of us have watched family members suffer, or have suffered ourselves? 

Do we continue to eat food that is killing us? To adhere to the guidelines established by our government, founded on faulty science, and propagated by the food industry that works harder and harder every day to tempt us into eating products that are essentially poisonous? If we decide to change our eating habits, where do we even start? 

There is so much misinformation being propagated that it can be very overwhelming to try and decipher the good from the bad in order to create sustainable habits that will have a lasting impact on your health. The good news is that there are resources available that can help us decipher how and what to eat for our health. We must start by educating ourselves. This can be done by listening to reputable podcasts, reading scientifically sound literature, and seeking the help of people who have studied nutrition to a high degree and have developed strategies based on eating whole and non-processed foods. And then? Then we have a responsibility to share this information with our friends and family. It’s totally up to you how you go about doing this, but the battle against poor nutrition and chronic disease is one we really cannot afford to lose.

Check out these resources for more information:

·        In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. Can be found in book form on Amazon or watch the documentary on Netflix

·        CrossFit.com: under their media section they have articles and links to articles that can help you get an understanding of the nuanced situation that is the American food and health industries.

·        The Case Against Sugar and Why We Get Fat by Gary Taubes

·        Chasing Excellence, a podcast available on iTunes by Ben Bergeron

Week 12: Changes Needed

It is no secret that Americans are currently divided between whether or not there is a need for more strict gun laws in the United States. I'm saying that I believe there is. Everytown Research posted on their website on the forth of April that “[e]very day, 100 Americans are killed with guns and hundreds more are shot and injured. The effects of gun violence extend far beyond these casualties—gun violence shapes the lives of millions of Americans who witness it, know someone who was shot, or live in fear of the next shooting” (https://everytownresearch.org/gun-violence-america/).

One reason that I see a lot on social media as to why more strict gun laws should not be enforced is that it takes away the second amendment right from American citizens. However, ensuring that people are educated, responsible, and mentally stable enough to carry such a dangerous weapon through rigorous background checking does not take away that right. To be truthful, I believe that if some people worry that their guns will be taken from them, they need to question whether or not they should be carrying one in the first place. 

I am the type of person who enjoys going to concerts, and the first thing that I always do when I get inside of the venue is look for my exits and plan what would be the quickest way out. Even though security guards pat everyone down before the show, check all bags, and make us all going through metal detectors, I still cannot help but worry. What if someone sneaked in or the security missed someone? The other day my friend and I were talking about going to the movies and something that we discussed was how after entering the theatre, we both look for a way out in case of a shooting. These kinds of thoughts follow me wherever I go whether I find myself occasionally thinking about what would happen if a shooter came into my work or on the school’s campus. 

And I’ve never personally witnessed any kind of shooting in my life. In 2018, “[t]here were at least 103 incidents of gunfire on school grounds” in the United States. (https://everytownresearch.org/gunfire-in-school/#ns) It is shocking when these tragic events are reported on news stations, but it’s important to think about the people who are personally affected by them and how their lives change forever. On March 24, it was reported that “a second Parkland shooting survivor died by suicide in a week’s span” due to survivor guilt (https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/broward/article228350134.html).

No person should have to experience what victims of gun violence are forced to experience. It is important that people feel safe. While guns are there for protection, they also have the ability to do a lot of harm. Some people say that there is no such thing as “gun violence,” and there is only “people violence.” In some ways that is correct, but the violence of some people is what brings them to having gun violence. Therefore, changes need to be made to the current gun laws so that these weapons are less likely to be put in the hands of those who abuse them.

Works Cited:

“Gun Violence in America.” EverytownResearch.org, 4 Apr. 2019, everytownresearch.org/gun-violence-america/. 

Madan, Monique O. “Leaders React and Take Steps after Second Tragedy at Parkland.” Miamiherald, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2019, www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/broward/article228350134.html. 

“The Long, Shameful List of Gunfire on School Grounds in America.” EverytownResearch.org, 3 Apr. 2019, everytownresearch.org/gunfire-in-school/#ns.

“Gun Violence in America.” EverytownResearch.org, 4 Apr. 2019, everytownresearch.org/gun-violence-america/. 

Madan, Monique O. “Leaders React and Take Steps after Second Tragedy at Parkland.” Miamiherald, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2019, www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/broward/article228350134.html. 

“The Long, Shameful List of Gunfire on School Grounds in America.” EverytownResearch.org, 3 Apr. 2019, everytownresearch.org/gunfire-in-school/#ns.“Gun Violence in America.” EverytownResearch.org, 4 Apr. 2019, everytownresearch.org/gun-violence-america/.

Madan, Monique O. “Leaders React and Take Steps after Second Tragedy at Parkland.” Miamiherald, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2019, www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/broward/article228350134.html. 

“The Long, Shameful List of Gunfire on School Grounds in America.” EverytownResearch.org, 3 Apr. 2019, everytownresearch.org/gunfire-in-school/#ns.“Gun Violence in America.” EverytownResearch.org, 4 Apr. 2019, everytownresearch.org/gun-violence-america/.

Madan, Monique O. “Leaders React and Take Steps after Second Tragedy at Parkland.” Miamiherald, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2019, www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/broward/article228350134.html. 

“The Long, Shameful List of Gunfire on School Grounds in America.” EverytownResearch.org, 3 Apr. 2019, everytownresearch.org/gunfire-in-school/#ns.“Gun Violence in America.” EverytownResearch.org, 4 Apr. 2019, everytownresearch.org/gun-violence-america/.

Madan, Monique O. “Leaders React and Take Steps after Second Tragedy at Parkland.” Miamiherald, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2019, www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/broward/article228350134.html. 

“The Long, Shameful List of Gunfire on School Grounds in America.” EverytownResearch.org, 3 Apr. 2019, everytownresearch.org/gunfire-in-school/#ns.

“Gun Violence in America.” EverytownResearch.org, 4 Apr. 2019, everytownresearch.org/gun-violence-america/. 

Madan, Monique O. “Leaders React and Take Steps after Second Tragedy at Parkland.” Miamiherald, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2019, www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/broward/article228350134.html. 

“The Long, Shameful List of Gunfire on School Grounds in America.” EverytownResearch.org, 3 Apr. 2019, everytownresearch.org/gunfire-in-school/#ns.“Gun Violence in America.” EverytownResearch.org, 4 Apr. 2019, everytownresearch.org/gun-violence-america/.

Madan, Monique O. “Leaders React and Take Steps after Second Tragedy at Parkland.” Miamiherald, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2019, www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/broward/article228350134.html. 

“The Long, Shameful List of Gunfire on School Grounds in America.” EverytownResearch.org, 3 Apr. 2019, everytownresearch.org/gunfire-in-school/#ns.

“Gun Violence in America.” EverytownResearch.org, 4 Apr. 2019, everytownresearch.org/gun-violence-america/. 

Madan, Monique O. “Leaders React and Take Steps after Second Tragedy at Parkland.” Miamiherald, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2019, www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/broward/article228350134.html. 

“The Long, Shameful List of Gunfire on School Grounds in America.” EverytownResearch.org, 3 Apr. 2019, everytownresearch.org/gunfire-in-school/#ns.

Week 12: Consumers Advocating for Transparency in Health-Care Costs

Commerce in America is a frustrating issue.  The majority of the American population has to carefully balance what they make with what they spend and save.  This means carefully analyzing what we spend on what we purchase by researching prices, especially on the larger items that we buy, like homes or vehicles.  Researching prices for those larger items is becoming easier with technology.  With the advent of smart phones, there are even apps now that make it easy to research these big-ticket item prices on the go.  However, one of the biggest-ticket items in the United States is health care.  But, what can American’s do to assuage anxiety over health-care spending?  How can we research health care costs in order to be prepared to incorporate them into the act of balancing what we make with what we spend and save?  I’ve never been able to find clear answers to these questions.

My second pregnancy resulted in my becoming a mother for both the second and the third time.  Those gorgeous twin babies were born premature and what followed was one of the scariest and most anxious three weeks of my life as my babies were cared for in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) before they were able to sustain life on their own and allowed to come home.  I’m not sure that the meaning of that last sentence is clearly stated enough; what I’m saying is that without the present advanced medical technology, which, in the grand scheme of history, came into being not at all that long ago, my babies (whom I am blissfully listening to run around in our backyard, playing in the beautiful sunshine) would not be here today.  I was at the mercy of the health care system.

A few months later, my husband and I received an itemized list of costs incurred during those three weeks.  The cost of that NICU stay for my daughter Mia, which was two weeks, was just over $56,000.  The cost of my daughter Eva’s three week long NICU stay was just over $75,000.  Thankfully, those costs then went through negotiations with our health care provider and after that only a small portion of that cost was assigned to us for payment.

However, the shock of those figures got me thinking.  How would I have known what to expect prior to any of those services.  I couldn’t even understand half of what was included in that list of itemized figures.  Since then, the whole idea of the cost of being cared for medically being a grab-bag type of surprise, where no two people, as far as I can tell, get the same amount billed for parallel care, has become a larger and larger anxiety for me.

A few years ago, I ran across this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tct38KwROdw) on YouTube and it really struck me how this really should be a larger issue for consumers in America.  The creator of this video really hit the nail right on the head.  We need transparency in health-care pricing so that the consumers know relatively what to expect and might even be able to shop for more affordable health care.  In recent year, there has been a push for more transparency in health care costs, but I think, as consumers, we should be demanding more.  If more consumers made hospitals and doctor’s offices aware of the fact that they sought that information prior to seeking care, it may motivate change.  If billing departments had to field calls all day with questions that they’re not able to answer, maybe those in authority would be more motivated to make those answers attainable.  So next time you go to the doctor’s office, think about giving them a call before you head over, just to ask if they have an estimate about roughly how much your visit will end up costing.

Work Cited:

Cervantes, Rodrigo. “Giving birth costs a lot. Hospitals won't tell you how much.” YouTube. Vox, 5 May 2016.

Week 12: Word Have Power

The first sentence of "This I believe..." really struck me because they ring true from my experiences as well.  "I believe in the power of words", which has been a personal philosophy of mine for most of my life.  For those people who do not believe in the power that words have over us I would ask them to reflect on their life and come up with a memory when words written or spoken had an effect on them.  Whether that is from childhood or adult hood everyone has had words that have effected them maybe more then even they understand.  

I know words have power because they have had such a strong power in my life that I cannot deny it.  Once I started reading in the 7th grade the words from the authors that I was reading captivated me.  I felt like what I was reading was changing me and molding me with the words that I read.  It is hard to not be influenced when you are young and don't understand the world.  So in my case words from books helped me to understand the world through the authors eyes.  

However, even if someone has never been influenced by written word that does not mean they escaped influence.  I want the reader to think of a time when they were young when something someone said to them hurt them deeply.  Often people remember the hurt that they felt from words instead of the positive things.  I know everyone remembering that memory can still feel the sting from the words of that person, which show just how powerful words can be.  That people remember there power even into their adult life.  

Even in the science of phycology this power in words is understood. From the University of College London’s Dr.Scott explains that, "the rhythm and intonation of a person’s voice affect us on such a deep emotional level." addressing the power in words and the fact that they do affect people on a deep level.  The power that word have is different for every person, but it is undeniable that everyone is affected strongly in some way.  Words have the power to change ideas, persuade others, and influence our actions.  Whether that was from childhood or adulthood the power of words is even recognized in phycology as being deeply influential.

Work Cited:

https://www.learning-mind.com/the-power-and-psychology-of-words-on-our-minds/

  

Week 11: The Financial Diet

https://thefinancialdiet.com/

The idea of personal finance is a topic that is not often discussed from a young age.  I really believe that there is a lack of education around the topic of personal finance and how you should manage it.  No one in high school or college ever explained to us how taxes work or how to save for the future or buy a house.  Thankfully the internet is now available to the younger generation and is an invaluable tool in the personal education of finance.

One of my favorite educational blogs is called "https://thefinancialdiet.com/", which is run by two women who's mission it is to educate the youth about the importance of understanding personal finance.  They made a lot of mistakes in their financial past, which they learned from and now are able to educate others so they will not make the same mistakes that they had made.  Their content shows how the reader can use the information they provide to create a financially stable life.  The topics they cover all relate to personal finance, but they do focus on the college years and how to be smart with your money before and after school.  This is something that may college students can benefit from and will help students to avoid mistakes in their lives.

Some of their motivational strategies are to use catching titles for all of their blog posts that will motivate the reader to click on that topic and learn more.  This is shown through there use of numbering steps in a majority of their posts in order to make the content seem easy to manage for the reader.  By having the reader feel confident in their ability the writers are motivating the reader to accomplish the steps that they set forth.

This blog is mainly geared toward young women, but in reality any young person can benefit that was never given an education around personal finance.  They also show that this is for a younger audience by making their site very modern and directed most of their content toward the younger generation.  The authors are also only in their 30s so they represent a younger author who gears their experience toward the main people who need the advice: the younger generation.

Are You Uncomfortable Yet?

Death is a hot topic in our country today. Whether it be the controversial death of a criminal or the death of an child. The question remains: at what point can we as a society say that killing is okay.

Does humanity begin at conception?  The answer to this question often begins with your view on religion. Your religious views are not something I wish to question, nor am I going to ty to try and change them. Instead I ask you to ask yourself: what if it was my daughter, my wife, my mother, my sister? What if something tragic happened to someone I loved that resulted in unplanned conception. What if you used all the protection? What if she was 12? What if she was dying? What if it was rape? What happens when all of these "what ifs" come true? What if it was you?

Many would agree that there are certain times where an abortion is deemed universally acceptable. For example: if the child is killing the mother in some way. At that point every doctor would agree that the plan would be to remove the fetus so that the mother may live, and hope that she is able to conceive again with no issues. Or if the to be mother was a victium of rape and a very young age, say for instance, 13 or 14. Most would agree that a child should not carry a child, especially in a tragic circumstance as that. What about these cases makes abortion more okay than if a woman at 26 decided to have one? It is still an abortion. The process has not changed, the end result is the same. Why is it so controversial to give a woman a choice about her own body and her own life. Why do strangers get to critique another's choice when it has no effect on their own lives.

Being Pro-Choice is NOT being pro-abortion. No one is asking women to go and kill their unborn children at 8 months pregnant because they suddenly decided they didn't want a baby anymore. Being Pro-Choice, is exactly what it says. It is giving women a choice to make, within a limited amount of time, what would be best for their own situation without the input of an entire country. Choosing the have an abortion when your unborn child is killing you is still having an abortion, it is still a choice that the mother must make. Why be allowed to choose only in certain cases?

Abortion will always be a touchy subject, will always be a hard choice, but the freedom of a woman to be trusted to make her own choices regarding her own body, life and child should always be hers. Never left to stranger, least of all a room of politicians who have never been in the situation.