...The informative and narrative essay “Can You Tell the Truth in a Small Town” by Kathleen Norris focuses on a small town community in the Dakotas in order to explain a bigger picture on how American society does not want to highlight failures and mistakes from the past. Norris conveys many individuals apart of this community have been trying to remember things the way they want to than how things actually are in reality, and therefore the community masks the truth and hides their history. On the other side of the spectrum, the informative and revealing essay “A Secret Society of the Starving” by Mim Udovitch validates the way individuals, especially young girls, engage themselves in dangerous activities and behaviors because of the familiar environment they have with others who can relate to them. Specifically in Udovitch’s essay, she targets a population of young girls who have an eating disorder and seek an emotional understanding within others on websites that promote an eating disorder community by sharing their experiences. Norris and Udovitch present different issues regarding communities in their essays, but they both explain that acceptance in American society affects how people cope with their problems, how they tell the truth, and what crucial details of their stories they leave out for others to hear. In both essays, females are pushed to follow their role in society if they want to fit in with the rest of their community. In Norris’s essay, she focuses on the expectations...
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...Complementary essay on Bariatric Surgery Week 7 Adil Khan English 112: Composition Professor Robert Zancy Devry University In a world where fast food is preferred over home cooked meals, due to convenient drive-through lanes, obesity has become an epidemic throughout America. According to the Mayo Clinic “Almost two-thirds of Americans are classified as overweight, obese, or extremely (morbidly) obese and these numbers are expected to increase.”(Curry, 2003) Obesity is basically the buildup of body fat, which usually is around 20% or more over the ideal body weight. The division of medicine that treats and manages of obesity is known as bariatrics. Obesity has become a key health problem in the United States, therefore Gastric Bypass surgery has become a significant therapeutic option because of its documented efficiency in causing significant weight loss with a consequent improvement in comorbid conditions such as coronary artery disease, hypertension and diabetes. Bariatric surgery is a very invasive medical procedure that can causes dramatic weight loss which is accomplished by decreasing the size of the stomach with a gastric band or by removing a portion of the stomach itself. Weight loss surgery is the most effective and sustainable treatment option for the morbidly obesity as long as the individual is motivated to make the lifestyle changes required (Madura, 2012). Currently, bariatric surgery is the one obtainable treatment for morbidly obese individuals that consistently...
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...Huntington’s disorder is an inherited, degenerative disease that destroys brain cells. It primarily affects the caudate, the putamen, and further on in the disease, the cerebral cortex. It is quite uncommon, as roughly only 30 000 people who live in America display its symptoms. Individuals with this disease experience difficulty with processing emotion, and aren’t able to process movement as quickly. They also begin to forget things they once knew. This essay will include the research of this disorder from its specific symptoms, its genetics and mutation, and finally, to the treatment for this genetic disorder. There are several symptoms that are associated with Huntington's Disorder. Regarding the onset of this disorder, it most commonly occurs between ages 35-44. However, there have been cases where children do start showing these symptoms. In the early stages, things like cognitive and physical skills start becoming difficult....
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...All of these disorders impair normal functioning of the human brain and therefore it would be cruel to sentence them to harsh punishment in prison. For example, solitary confinement, as previously discussed, results in adverse psychological effects. Locking a mentally ill prisoner in a dark room for twenty hours a day will worsen their sanity and increase risks of suicide and recidivism if or when released. This is completely unnecessary and harmful when what many prisoners need is mental health treatment. When they do not receive it, their condition will worsen. When put in an inhumane environment, their mental health will deteriorate. It would be a more effective method of management to implement psychotherapy or behaviour modification as a form of treatment for these offenders to target the root cause of their crime, which will minimize the likelihood of them reoffending. This has been studied and discovered to be true, as Vanderbilt...
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...David Zinczenko in his essay “Don’t Blame the Eater” confronts the topic of adolescent obesity and its correlation to the daily consumption of fast-foods. The author reveals that he too, at one point, fell victim to the “golden arches”. The author’s personal narrative revealed that after eating fast-food twice a day he weighed two-hundred and twelve pounds standing at only five foot ten. I sympathize with the author about the ever increasing numbers of childhood obesity, the money in which is donated to childhood obesity research, and the misconception of nutrition labels of prepared foods. The author used valid statistics to acclimate the reader to his point of view. He believes that the problem should not just be assumed by the consumers...
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...Danielle Walker 20 October 2011 Hlavaty Argumentative Research Essay Exploitation in Beauty Pageants In 1920, the World War I ended and the women’s movement began to take off, marking the first year of the American beauty pageant formally known as The Miss America Pageant (“Child Beauty Pageants,” 2011). Women from all over the United States were given the opportunity to show their talent, superficial beauty and inner intelligence. Little did our country know that 40 years later, children as young as ten months old would be competing in these beauty pageants; since the tragic death of JonBenet Ramsey in 1996, child beauty pageants have become a topic of debate (“JonBenet Ramsby,” 2011). Ramsey’s death opened a new door to the skepticism of beauty pageants. The media began to see beauty pageants as a threat to children and their safety. Children were exposed to the world at a young age with a made-up face of inappropriate maturity. Destruction of a child’s self-esteem and attentiveness to appearance are major ploys that continue to grow, ploys of outstanding expenses, loss of educational concern and loss of innocence also remain. Strengthening the fact that beauty pageants are harmful to children who compete in them therefore, children under the age of ten should not be allowed to participate in beauty pageants. Children who are aspiring beauty queens tend to be pressured by their parents. According to the article titled, “The child beauty-pageant queens who grew up” (2008)...
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...Persuasive Essay Because many African American men don’t go to the doctors regularly they unintentially put them selves at risk for developing lupus a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body. According to the Lupus Foundation of America one in 2,000 people in the United States has Lupus. But regularly check ups can help detect early stages of the disease, which in turn can help patients avoid the need for Dialysis or a Kidney transplant. As African American women whose brother has recently battled with lupus, I understand how debilitating and frightening this disease can be. I also understand how, in many cases, such suffering may be needless. Indeed, had my brother gone to the doctor’s and been proactive in his healthcare, his Lupus could have been averted. I argue all of my readers, especially African American men, to do what they can to protect their health, including receiving regular physical exams and adopting health maintenance habits. Around June 2009, my brother Justin 29 began to get ill. Most days he was fatigued and had some slight swelling in his feet. Expecting that the swelling was only temporary, he didn’t go to the doctor. However as the symptoms worsened and swelling continued moving from his feet to his knees he finally went to the doctor. “I thought I was having an allergic reaction to something I ate and would be better in a couple of days” he remembers. Months and months went by; doctor’s visits increased and the...
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...Alli Carpenter WRTG 2010-060 Literature Review Pressure to be Perfect Media has become an increasingly important aspect of today’s society. People interact with many different forms of media on a daily basis. Because of the frequent usage of media, it is reasonable to assume that it has its effects on people. The topic discussed in this paper is the impact social media has truly had on society. Focusing on the main factors that cause an influence to the general well being of people in modern society, this paper will discuss how the effects of media are determined and explore what is believed to be the two main categories in which media affects today’s society: mental illness and body dissatisfaction. In reviewing the literature on the different effects that media has on society as a whole, ten pieces of literature that discuss the effects that media has on the psychological well being of society will be shown, and that ultimately what is at stake in this conversation is the health of our society. In reviewing the literature regarding the health impacts of social media on society, the authors used in this paper discuss either mental illness or body dissatisfaction. Authors such as Dohyun Ahn, Sheri Bauman, and Sandee LaMotte discuss the mental illnesses in their articles (“Is the Social Use of Media…”, “Associations Among Bullying…”, and “The Health Risks of Cyberbullying…” respectively. The remaining seven authors who focus on body image and how it is influenced by...
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...Literature Review Pressure to be Perfect Media has become an increasingly important aspect of today’s society. People interact with many different forms of media on a daily basis. Because of the frequent usage of media, it is reasonable to assume that it has its effects on people. The topic discussed in this paper is the impact social media has truly had on society. Focusing on the main factors that cause an influence to the general well being of people in modern society, this paper will discuss how the effects of media are determined and explore what is believed to be the two main categories in which media affects today’s society: mental illness and body dissatisfaction. In reviewing the literature on the different effects that media has on society as a whole, ten pieces of literature that discuss the effects that media has on the psychological well being of society will be shown, and that ultimately what is at stake in this conversation is the health of our society. In reviewing the literature regarding the health impacts of social media on society, the authors used in this paper discuss either mental illness or body dissatisfaction. Authors such as Dohyun Ahn, Sheri Bauman, and Sandee LaMotte discuss the mental illnesses in their articles (“Is the Social Use of Media…”, “Associations Among Bullying…”, and “The Health Risks of Cyberbullying…” respectively. The remaining seven authors who focus on body image and how it is influenced by the media can be separated by three...
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...July 20, 2012 Lesson 7 Cause and Effect Essay Rough Draft May 30, 2012 Effects of Sleep Deprivation Getting the proper amount of sleep can be very rewarding. You wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. Sleep is also required to maintain health and allowing your body time to repair itself from hectic days. The effects of sleep deprivation are many, and the effects can be not only harmful, but deadly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website on sleep, “insufficient sleep is associated with…diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression.” America is already becoming a heavier nation with increasing health problems due to poor eating habits and lack of exercise, and a lack of sleep only exacerbates these already dangerous problems. Even with exercise several times a week and maintaining a healthy diet, sleep deprivation will eventually take a toll on one’s body. It can also advance the aging process, making a person feel and appear much older than they may actually be. Driving when you are drowsy may have the same effect as a person who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, impairing a driver’s ability to remain aware of their surroundings. However, because they are not technically breaking the law, people may drive even if they have been out or working all night. Many people believe that they can handle the sleepiness and don’t realize the danger they may be facing. This is a simple...
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...very first subject that intrigues us is a scene from a documentary “66 Scenes of America” to which Andy Warhol is seen eating a hamburger. Why does it captivate our imagination and sparked interest? Maybe because it was layered, to ordinary viewer it might have looked like a simple scene of a man slowly eating a hamburger, but deep down there’s message that the director want to get across that can be analyzed through various theorem taught in the class. The group chose “Post-Modernism”, “Barthes’s semiotics” and “Baudrillard’s Simulacra and Simulation” theorem to analyze the subject in matter. Perhaps we chose these 3 are because the content of the clip is laden with subdued symbols and signs and the relationship between objects in the clip. The segregation of art, between high and low. A model where cultural, political and social progress defines art. A movement that flourished from post world war development and growth in society. The entire characteristic above signifies Modernism, and Postmodernism is standing opposed of that. Postmodernism rises from time of peace, it does not dictate rules or narratives, instead it focuses on contradiction, reality and disorder. Postmodernism mixes the high and low art from the Modernist period as a statement that there is no boundaries to art. The clip of Andy Warhol eating a hamburger was a small section of a larger documentary called 66 Scenes of America by Jorgen Leth. The documentaries itself is a representation of values in Postmodernism...
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...Rachel Hoffman and Sarah Gentil Ms. Wolverton English 1010 January 9, 2013 Body Brainwash? From the beginning civilizations all had their own ideas of the perfect body shape; this ideal image of the body has evolved throughout time, and continues to this day. In this essay we will discuss different aspects of what America specifically believes the ideal body image should be today. The different issues we will be discussing will involve: concerns with the body image, obesity, cosmetic surgery, compulsive exercise, masculinity and models. There are heated debates about whether these topics are negative or positive. Every part of the world has some kind of ideal body image and will go to certain extremes trying to achieve this perfect image. Probably the most known would be foot binding. Some historical records claim that foot binding began its origin in the Song Dynasty 960-1279 A.D.; the practice was outlawed in 1915 (Lim). Yet some continued in secret. At that time foot binding was a status symbol and the only way for a woman to be able to get married in a decent setting. There are a couple of survivors from this practice, Zhou Guizhen, 86, now regrets binding her feet, yet understands that she had no choice. No one would have married her and at the time that was what women were expected to do (Lim). On the other side of the world, Europe had their own opinion on what the ideal body image was. It wasn’t tiny feet, but tiny waists. In Dave Girdle’s site the author gives...
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...Have you ever seen a commercial with an attractive person in it and thought to yourself, “I wish I could look like that?” Well, so have other Americans and that is what are wrong with today’s society. People feel that they need to look like a superstar to be happy. One thing that influence this thought process are popular magazines showing how people can lose weight and saying that if you’re not in perfect shape then you’re not attractive. “One body-image study found that 45 percent of men were dissatisfied with their physiques; women were only slightly less satisfied at 55 percent.”(Potter). Most people think that this only happens to females but it affects males greatly also. In today’s society women feel that they need to be 5’5” and 110 pounds to be attractive. It is reasons like this that females suffer from diseases such as anorexia and bulimia all because advertisements imply that they are not attractive. Women look at magazines like Victoria’s Secret, Playboy, and Maxim and see how guys react to those pictures and think that they need to look like this to get the same attention. So, it is pretty obvious that the majority of males are not helping this cause out at all, because they participate in the purchase of these items and act negatively towards women who do not fit this image. Although men may cause women to feel like this, women do the same exact thing to men. Every time a girl see’s a 6’0” muscular man with a six pack they get all googly over him. That...
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...We hear the term “greenhouse gas” a lot—but what is it? Humans add various gases to the earth’s atmosphere every day; these gases (known as “greenhouse gases”) consist primarily of carbon dioxide, ozone, chlorofluorocarbons, nitrous oxide, and methane, and tend to warm the earth. Trees help counter greenhouse gas production during photosynthesis, by taking in carbon dioxide as waste material and producing oxygen, which of course we all need to survive. Scientists predict that the daily addition of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, combined with daily removal of large portions of the world’s forests, will raise the earth’s average temperature by several degrees in the next century. This in turn will raise the level of the sea and potentially create significant changes in weather patterns on a global scale. As we move into the future, many climatologists expect that most of the United States will warm. What we do not know yet is how to scientifically predict which parts of the nation will become wetter or drier. We do know there is likely to be an overall trend toward increased precipitation and evaporation, and more intense weather systems, in the form of violent rainstorms, blizzards and sun-baked, drier soils. The Facts—What Do We Already Know About Changing Global Conditions (Global Warming)? Global temperatures are rising. Observations collected over the last century suggest that the average land surface temperature has risen 0.45-0.6°C (0.8-1.0°F) in the last...
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...an undeniable truth, but no matter what it seems as though people are more interested in shifting the blame to something else for example childhood obesity instead of blaming the person who spent years and years eating three meals a day from McDonald’s not concerned with the calories or the health issues just shoveling food in their mouth, no...
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