Fast Food Causes Obesity For Kids

I read an article called “Study Links Fast-Food Ads To Child Obesity.” I learned that fast food advertisements have a huge influence on kids. I read that “A new study suggests that banning fast-food ads on TV could reduce the number of obese young children by 18 percent, and the number of obese older kids by 14 percent” which is a good deduction in obese kids. The article also said, “The study is based in part on several years of government survey data from the late 1990s. It also suggests that dropping an advertising expense tax deduction for fast-food restaurants could mean a slight reduction in childhood obesity” which makes me angry because the government knows that the obese kids’ health are affected by these fast food ads and they haven’t taken action yet. Hopefully the government will take care of the taxes for fast food. The study is being published in November in the Journal of Law & Economics.
I also think that using characters such as Ronald McDonald is a way to suck children into eating fast food. Kids are also attracted to the play places in the restaurants. I agree that fast food advertising should be banned. I also think that parents need to encourage their children to live a healthy life style by eating right.

What do you think?

http://www.wbaltv.com/health/18022185/detail.html

Jockey

I saw a Jockey commercial on TV the other day. I think this Jockey commercial is sending a good message. It is unlike other commercials. It shows people waiting in line to be changed into models. The women turn tall, thin, and blonde. After going through the machine the women’s breast also grow larger. The typical nerdy man with glasses is being changed into a tall muscular man. All the people going through the machine come out looking the same. I think the machine represents society changing people. I like that there are people escaping the machine so they wouldn’t change. I like how the two escapees do not look like the typical model types. The man has long messy hair and does not have a body builder type of body. The girl looks like an average every day girl. The escapees look like people I would see out in public. I like the message that Jockey is promoting which is “Dare to be you.” They are not telling people that they should look like models which a Victoria Secret commercial would portray.

I am not saying the commercial is perfect. There is still some room for improvement. I think they should have shown more diverse people in the line.


What do you think?

Flacco & Terry & The Special Olympics

Joe Flacco is the quarterback of the Ravens. He was on the 98 Rock Morning Show Tuesday. He will be doing the Polar Bear Plunge at Sandy Point State Park on January 24. He was involved with the Special Olympics in Delaware and now will be involved at Sandy Point State Park. Ravens’ offensive tackle Adam Terry took the plunge last year and he has invited Flacco to attend this year. Terry is a “season super plunger.”

I think this is a great cause for Terry and Flacco to be involved in. Many people look up to them and they can influence others to join. The Special Olympics are sports oriented and it is great to have Ravens’ football players there to be involved. Candace Whiting is a Special Olympics Athlete from Fredrick. She asked, Flacco to go in with her “five times.” She says, “For them to come and be apart of it. It’s huge.” I think Terry and Flacco are great role models. I watched a video in class called, "When Billy Broke His Head" which shows how physically and mentally disabled people are mistreated. The Special Olympics is a great association that gets people like Billy Golfus involved.


What do you think about the event?

watch at http://www.wbaltv.com/video/18010666/index.html

"Teacher Charged With Assault, Sex Offense"

I read an article called, “Teacher Charged With Assault, Sex Offense.” This article would make many parents concerned about sending their children to school. Police say, “Harford County sheriff’s deputies arrested a North Harford High School history teacher on suspicion that he has an inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old female student,” which is terrifying for parents who have kids going to public and private schools. It is also scary because Harford County is not far from where I live.
Investigators said, “Brian Norman, 34, took the girl to a mall on several occasions and had conversations on the phone and through AOL instant messaging. The victim also said Norman slapped her on the buttocks lat month.” He is 34 years old and he touching a young girl. Teachers are not supposed to have relationships with students and cannot go out with each other outside of school.
Police said, “They found numerous firearms during a search of his Forest Hill home last month. They also said he threatened school officials.”

They said,“ Norman was taken into custody on Thursday and charged with second-degree assault, fourth-degree sex offense and threatening an employee of the Board of Education. He was released on $25,000 bond.”

It really makes me mad that this man is out on bond. He is walking our streets. He does not live far from Anne Arundel County. The fact that this man is a teacher is scary. Parents do not know who they are sending their kids to school with all day long. These people are strangers and they are teaching your kids. He has guns and has threatened a school staff member. Can you imagine if there was a shooting in school with your kids there? This article is going to make parents want to home school their kids. This is seriously wrong. The man was touching his student sexually. I think teachers should be checked on more thoroughly.

How does this make you feel?
Read the article at http://www.wbaltv.com/news/17985347/detail.html

"Bigger Daycare Puts More Stress On Kids"

I read an article called, “Bigger Daycare Puts More Stress On Kids.” It was posted November 14, 2008. Researchers say, “The stress hormone cortisol usually peaks in people in the morning, then decreases through the day.” Researchers have also found that “some preschoolers’ cortisol levels rise through the day when they are in full-day childcare.” Maybe there is a problem with the classes being too long and too crowded. Researchers found that “Children in classes of 10 or less were more likely to show the normal decrease, but those in classes with closer to 20 others tended to show a rise.”
Researchers conducted a study among teachers and students with questions. They took fluid samples from the students to test hormone levels. They discovered, “The study of 191 preschoolers at 12 places also found that children who are clingier with teachers had more stress. Researchers surveyed students and teachers, and collected saliva samples from children.”
They noted that, “The study appears in the November/December 2008 issue of Child Development.”




I think in bigger class room settings that the children feel like they cannot get enough attention from a teacher. The teachers are probably too busy with all 20 children and cannot give each child one on one attention. The children can also be feeling social anxiety from being around so many children. I also think that the children’s full day is too long. Children do have a short attention span. They also may feel separation anxiety from their parents so some cling to the teachers.

What do you think about this research and the results? What do you think causes their stress?

Read the article at
http://www.wbaltv.com/health/17979504/detail.html#

Washington Post "Study First to Link TV Sex To Real Teen Pregnancies"

I recently read an article in The Washington Post called, “Study First To Link TV Sex To Real Teen Pregnancies”. The author who wrote the article is Rob Stein. The article was released Monday, November 3, 2008. The lead researcher of the study is Anita Chandra. Chandra said, “Watching this kind of sexual content on television is a powerful factor in increasing the likelihood of a teen pregnancy.” She also said, “We found a strong association.” The study is published in Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Valerie Huber of the National Abstinence Education Association said, “We have a highly sexualized culture that glamorizes sex.” She also said, “We really need to encourage schools to make abstinence centered programs a priority.” Stein said, “But others said there is no evidence that abstinence centered programs work.”

The researchers conducted a questionnaire for more than 2000 teens from age 12-17 from 2001 to 2004. Researchers found that, “Based on a detailed analysis of the sexual content of 23 shows in the 2000-2001 TV season, the researchers calculated how often the teens saw characters kissing, touching, having sex, and discussing past or future sexual activity.” Chandra said, “Sexual content on television has doubled in the last few years, especially during the period of our research.” Teens followed along with shows such as “Sex and the City, “Friends”, and “That ‘70s Show.” Chandra said, “they included dramas, comedies, reality shows and even animated programs on broadcast and cable networks.”
So what can society do about this issue? Researchers recommended that, “parents spend more time monitoring what their children watch and discussing what they see, including pointing out the possible negative consequences of early sexual activity. Programmers should also include more-realistic portrayals of the risks of sex, such as sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy.”

I personally agree with the results of this study. I have defiantly seen more sexual content on television. I also know many girls who are currently going through unplanned pregnancies. I have friends who are both male/female and they constantly joke and talk about sex. They talk about sex so casually. They do not seem to think of it as personal private information. They are so opened to talk about their sex lives. I defiantly see how teen pregnancies are becoming so common because of the way television and peers portray sex. I have male friends who make fun of other males who are virgins. If you are a male and you are a virgin than they think you are weird. If you are a guy who has many sexual partners than you are glorified as a pimp. If you are a girl and you have had many sexual partners than you are considered a slut . This is not a good message for people and it is not good pressure on people either.

I do not think Abstinence should be taught in schools. Abstinence is a moral issue and also a religious issue. I think people are going to have sex and the abstinence programs are not working. People should learn how to be safe. I also agree that the consequences should be talked about more. It is up to parents, friends, and the society to better influence these young teens. Teens should see more of the negatives aspects of sex. T.V . is making sex out to be a trend.


Do you agree with this research? How would you change things?

Hollywood and Virgins

Russell Brand was the host for the VMAs. He made a joke about the Jonas Brothers wearing purity rings. ShowBiz Tonight on CNN made a show about the controversy. Brand said, “I’d take it a little more seriously if they wore it on their dick.” Later, the Jonas Brothers accepted Brand’s apology by saying, “For us it’s cool to see that he recognized us as gentlemen.” Ben Widdicombe is an Editor-At-Large from “Star Magazine” and he agreed with Brand for making the joke in the first place. He said, “I do not believe for one second that all three of them are going to be virgins on their wedding night. Frankly, I would rather hear a young celebrity talking about how he is responsible and educated about his sexuality than pretending that the Disney marketing manual is a book in the New Testament.” Rachel Zalis is a Senior Editor of “Life & Style Magazine” and she said, “It’s nice to have young guys that are inspirational, role models to the teens. I mean, it’s a very schizophrenic time right now to be a teen there’s Gossip Girl and 91210, its very sexy those shows and here you have these guys that they really look up to and coming out very vocally about how that’s important to them and I think it’s great.”

Paris Hilton even made a comment. Paris tells Us Magazine.com, “I don’t pick on them. That’s something cool for a kid to keep, so don’t pick on them for that.” Ben thinks it absurd for Paris to defend them. Rachel says, “The Queen of the Sex Tapes how ironic that she’s the one standing up for them.” Rachel makes it clear that she supports the virginity wave but Paris’s comment was ironic.

I think that it is good that the Jonas Brothers decided to stay virgins and I think they are setting a good example. I do not think they should be made fun of for it. It is not right to make fun of someone for being a virgin and it is the wrong message to send to people. People will think that they are not cool if they are virgins and will want to have sex so they will not be made fun of. Sex is a serious act. There are many sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancies to worry about . This joke is not funny and other virgins will not want to be the butt of the joke. People will do anything to live up to this Hollywood standard and jokes like that will really affect peoples’ lives. People will take that joke serious and possibly go have sex. The Jonas Brothers are showing people that it’s alright to be a virgin and Russell Brand’s joke is making it not alright. How do you feel about this joke whether you are a virgin or not? I think the Jonas Brothers should fight back and make it clear that the joke was inappropriate. I think they should stand of for themselves and their fans. I agree with them for accepting Brand’s apology but I do not think they should have let it slide like they did. I agree with Rachel Zalis that there is a lot of pressure on teens. There are a lot of shows with sex and it is advertised everywhere. I also think that it was ironic for Paris to comment. I think it is nice of her to comment but on the other hand she acts very sexy. She is a contradiction and people are not going to take her comment serious if she does not live that way. I think you should practice what you preach. I also think Ben is ignorant for saying that the Jonas Brothers will not stay virgins until they are married. I doubt he knows them and I doubt he has E.S.P. I agree with him on the point that people should be educated and responsible about sex but what he said was rude and inappropriate.

What do you think about the comments of Rachel Zalis, Ben Widdicombe, Paris Hilton, Russell Brand, and the Jonas Brothers?