Childhood Obesity in America Essay -- Obesity in Children

It’s a scary feeling when climbing a simple flight of stairs only to reach the top and be completely out of breath. In America today this is the reality that many children face. Obesity has become an epidemic in our world, it has many contributing factors, affects learning abilities but there are preventive methods for it. Although little is being done about obesity, it's affecting the lives of many but mostly children and by a multitude of different factors. The rising numbers of obese children has reached an alarming rate. With many Americans, â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬Ëœobesity’†¦carries the connotation of being extremely overweight. [But] health professionals define overweight as an excess amount of body weight that includes muscle, bone, fat and water; whereas obesity is specifically defined as an excess amount of body fat† (Andrews 1). More often than not we tend to switch these definitions and have false pretenses. Although, there are many health threats in the world today, â€Å"†¦childhood obesity (is) one of the leading health threats in the United States† (2). Even the statistics show that obesity is becoming an epidemic. In fact, â€Å"[s]ince the 1970s, the prevalence of obesity has more than doubled for preschool children and adolescents and more than tripled for school-aged children† (1). With the increasing numbers it causes people to wonder if there are other causes for obesity. Through tests and observations it has been found that obesity can be caused by other factors. Many scientists â€Å"†¦believe there are other causes for the obesity epidemic besides too many French fries†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Belluz 1). Eating habits can contribute to obesity but they’re not the only factor playing into the bigger picture. For instance, â€Å"[p]ollutants, like DDE, are believed to... ...n't be the ones that are out of breath. Work Cited Andrews, Shirley P., and Stan Andrews. â€Å"Fitness fun for everyone: classroom games and activities to support reading and math.† Childhood Education 2009:97. Beebe, Ginger, and Joe Thompson. "The problem of childhood obesity." Arkansas Business 2010: 7. Belluz, Julia. "Born to be fat: does prenatal exposure to chemicals called 'obesogens' help explain the epidemic of obesity?" Maclean's 8 Nov. 2010: 89. DeSantis, Cari. "On child obesity." Policy & Practice 2010: 3. "Move it." Current Events, a Weekly Reader publication 25 Oct. 2010: 6. "Physicians Group Urges Schools To Go Veggie.† American School & University 2010. 5. Skolnik, Neil S., and Mackenzie Mady. "Clinical guidelines for family physicians: screening for obesity in children and adolescents." Family Practice News 2010:49.

Gun Violence in America Research Paper

Since 1982, at least sixty-two mass shootings have occurred, thirty-two of them since 2006. (Aronsen). Jared Loughner was sentenced to life in prison after shooting nineteen people in January of 2011. Last July, fifty-eight people were shot and twelve killed while watching the new Batman movie in a theater in Colorado. In December, twenty-six people were murdered, including twenty first-graders, in a Connecticut elementary school (Follman). The issue of gun violence only becomes relevant after a horrific event such as these, then fades from public concern after about two weeks.The number of injuries and murders using guns in the United States is a large number, which can hopefully be lowered by implementing statewide, or even nationwide gun buyback programs, stricter carrying permit laws, and making it harder for the mentally unstable and convicted felons to legally obtain guns.HISTORY/BACKGROUNDThe argument for or against gun control has been an ongoing battle since the beginning of the nation. The Second Amendment gives people the â€Å"right to bear arms.† When arguing for this Amendment, the factor that is not considered is that it was made so one could protect their person in case of an emergency. There was no police force when this law was created; therefore it was almost every man for himself, the people protected themselves. Now the police force is incredibly large, and is always patrolling the streets to make sure all is well and everyone is safe. Carrying a small handgun in one’s car is reasonable, but is keeping ten different models of machine guns and semi-automatic rifles at home just for fun?PRODUCTION/OWNERSHIPEvery year, eight million small firearms and ten to fifteen billion rounds of ammunition are manufactured worldwide. Over eight hundred and seventy-five million firearms are in possession in the world, and 75% belong to the people (Alpers). In the United States, approximately 6. 1 million guns are produced each year and there is a ratio of 89 guns to every 100 people (â€Å"Firearms Death Rate per 100,000 by State, statehealthfacts. org†). According to a Gallup poll, the majority of gun owners possess guns for three main purposes: 67% for self-defense, 66% for target shooting, and 62%for hunting (Velasco). If one decides to own guns, they should be kept locked up safely in a private place, so there is not easy access for children in the household or someone incapable of properly operating a firearm.ARMED FELONS/MENTALLY UNSTABLEIn 2005, Erik Zettergren shot Jason Robinson in the head for attempting to have sex with his wife. He then forced Robinson’s fiancà ©e to assist him in dragging his dead body to the river for disposal. Zettergren was a man with a history of mental health problems, and was a convicted felon who had his rights to possess a gun barred.Two months before the murder, a judge reinstated his rights without even holding a hearing (Luo). Felons commit 90% of all gun crimes, y et most of their rights are given back with little or no review. Juveniles and the mentally unbalanced primarily carry out the remainder of the crimes (Kates Jr. ). A German Neurologist claims he has found the â€Å"dark patch† of killer’s brains that is associated with wicked behavior. He classifies these people into three groups. The first he classifies as ‘psychologically healthy,' people who grow up in an environment where it is ‘OK to beat, steal and murder'.The second type is the mentally disturbed criminal who looks at his world as threatening. The third group is pure psychopaths, a group in which tyrants such as Hitler and Stalin belong. (Hall)WILL IT SOLVE ANYTHING?Over thirty-eight thousand people use guns to commit suicide each year. If the guns are taken away from them, they will just find another way to kill themselves. Suicide is a problem that can’t really be solved. On the other hand, guns are also used to kill over eleven thousand pe ople a year (Becker).Again, if the guns are taken away, murderers will find other methods to kill, but if they aren’t using guns, there hopefully won’t be as many deaths. If a man goes into a building with a gun, he can kill an almost unlimited number of people, but if he only has a knife, for example, it’s going to take a lot longer to kill that many people by the time help arrives.ANTI-GUN ORGANIZATIONSOne of the most famous anti-gun organizations is the Brady Campaign, established in 1974, which has played a major role in the control of guns.Their main goal is to make it more difficult for convicted felons, the mentally unstable, and other such people to obtain guns (â€Å"About Us: History of the Brady Campaign†). They presented the Brady Act, passed in 1993, which would â€Å"impose a waiting period of up to five days for the purchase of a handgun, and subjects purchasers to a background check† (â€Å"Brady Act†). Since the imposition o f this act, over one hundred million background checks have been conducted, and more than seven hundred thousand attempted purchases have been denied (â€Å"National Instant Criminal Background Check System†).Another major group is the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, or the CSGV. Their mission statement is â€Å"The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence seeks to secure freedom from gun violence through research, strategic engagement and effective policy advocacy. † They are composed of forty-seven national organizations, including religious and social justice organizations, child welfare advocates, and public health professionals. This diversity allows them to reach a wide variety of grassroots in the world (â€Å"About Us – Coalition to Stop Gun Violence†).CONCLUSIONIf people like teachers had carrying permits, they could keep a gun locked up in the classroom, so if a person with a gun comes bursting through the door and threatens to shoot people, or does shoot someone, the teacher can run to grab the gun, and protect the lives of all the children and him/herself. Through further investigation, it has been found that the gun murder rate can be lowered through proper enforcement of carrying permit laws, better help for the mentally unbalanced, and increased gun buybacks. Gun Violence in America Research Paper Since 1982, at least sixty-two mass shootings have occurred, thirty-two of them since 2006. (Aronsen). Jared Loughner was sentenced to life in prison after shooting nineteen people in January of 2011. Last July, fifty-eight people were shot and twelve killed while watching the new Batman movie in a theater in Colorado. In December, twenty-six people were murdered, including twenty first-graders, in a Connecticut elementary school (Follman).The issue of gun violence only becomes relevant after a horrific event such as these, then fades from public concern after about two weeks. The number of injuries and murders using guns in the United States is a large number, which can hopefully be lowered by implementing statewide, or even nationwide gun buyback programs, stricter carrying permit laws, and making it harder for the mentally unstable and convicted felons to legally obtain guns.HISTORY/BACKGROUNDThe argument for or against gun control has been an ongoing battle since the beginning of the nation. The Second Amendment gives people the â€Å"right to bear arms.† When arguing for this Amendment, the factor that is not considered is that it was made so one could protect their person in case of an emergency. There was no police force when this law was created; therefore it was almost every man for himself, the people protected themselves. Now the police force is incredibly large, and is always patrolling the streets to make sure all is well and everyone is safe. Carrying a small handgun in one’s car is reasonable, but is keeping ten different models of machine guns and semi-automatic rifles at home just for fun?PRODUCTION/OWNERSHIPEvery year, eight million small firearms and ten to fifteen billion rounds of ammunition are manufactured worldwide. Over eight hundred and seventy-five million firearms are in possession in the world, and 75% belong to the people (Alpers). In the United States, approximately 6.1 million guns are produced each year and there i s a ratio of 89 guns to every 100 people (â€Å"Firearms Death Rate per 100,000 by State, statehealthfacts.org†).According to a Gallup poll, the majority of gun owners possess guns for three main purposes: 67% for self-defense, 66% for target shooting, and 62%  for hunting (Velasco). If one decides to own guns, they should be kept locked up safely in a private place, so there is not easy access for children in the household or someone incapable of properly operating a firearm.ARMED FELONS/MENTALLY UNSTABLEIn 2005, Erik Zettergren shot Jason Robinson in the head for attempting to have sex with his wife. He then forced Robinson’s fiancà ©e to assist him in dragging his dead body to the river for disposal. Zettergren was a man with a history of mental health problems, and was a convicted felon who had his rights to possess a gun barred. Two months before the murder, a judge reinstated his rights without even holding a hearing (Luo). Felons commit 90% of all gun crimes, yet most of their rights are given back with little or no review. Juveniles and the mentally unbalanced primarily carry out the remainder of the crimes (Kates Jr.).A German Neurologist claims he has found the â€Å"dark patch† of killer’s brains that is associated with wicked behavior. He classifies these people into three groups. The first he classifies as ‘psychologically healthy,' people who grow up in an environment where it is ‘OK to beat, steal and murder'. The second type is the mentally disturbed criminal who looks at his world as threatening. The third group is pure psychopaths, a group in which tyrants such as Hitler and Stalin belong. (Hall)WILL IT SOLVE ANYTHING?Over thirty-eight thousand people use guns to commit suicide each year. If the guns are taken away from them, they will just find another way to kill themselves. Suicide is a problem that can’t really be solved. On the other hand, guns are also used to kill over eleven thousand p eople a year (Becker). Again, if the guns are taken away, murderers will find other methods to kill, but if they aren’t using guns, there hopefully won’t be as many deaths. If a man goes into a building with a gun, he can kill an almost unlimited number of people, but if he only has a knife, for example, it’s going to take a lot longer to kill that many people by the time help arrives.ANTI-GUN ORGANIZATIONSOne of the most famous anti-gun organizations is the Brady Campaign, established in 1974, which has played a major role in the control of guns. Their main goal is to make it more difficult for convicted felons, the mentally unstable, and other such people to obtain guns (â€Å"About Us: History of the Brady Campaign†). They presented the Brady Act, passed in 1993, which would â€Å"impose a waiting period of up to five days for the purchase of a handgun, and subjects purchasers to a background check† (â€Å"Brady Act†). Since the impositio n of this act, over one hundred million background checks have been conducted, and more than seven hundred thousand attempted purchases have been denied (â€Å"National Instant Criminal Background Check System†).Another major group is the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, or the CSGV. Their mission statement is â€Å"The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence seeks to secure freedom from gun violence through research, strategic engagement and effective policy advocacy.† They are composed of forty-seven national organizations, including religious and social justice organizations, child welfare advocates, and public health professionals. This diversity allows them to reach a wide variety of grassroots in the world (â€Å"About Us – Coalition to Stop Gun Violence†).CONCLUSIONIf people like teachers had carrying permits, they could keep a gun locked up in the classroom, so if a person with a gun comes bursting through the door and threatens to shoot people, or does sho ot someone, the teacher can run to grab the gun, and protect the lives of all the children and him/herself. Through further investigation, it has been found that the gun murder rate can be lowered through proper enforcement of carrying permit laws, better help for the mentally unbalanced, and increased gun buybacks.

Henry David Thoreaus Thoughts on Love

Henry David Thoreau is thought of by many as Americas supreme nature writer and is most famous Walden, his book of observations and intermingled philosophy about the time he spent living on Walden Pond near Concord, Massachusetts. But he had thoughts to share about many other things, as this essay reveals. This work, originally titled Love and Friendship, was culled from a letter Thoreau wrote to a friend in September 1852. It was first published in the collection Letters to Various Persons (1865), edited by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thoreaus friend and mentor. Biographer Robert D. Richardson Jr. says that despite the essays faults (sentimental language, overblown idealizing, and choppy, unsure paragraphing), Love is refreshing in its desire to avoid sentimental cant. Love What the essential difference between man and woman is, that they should be thus attracted to one another, no one has satisfactorily answered. Perhaps we must acknowledge the justness of the distinction which assigns to man the sphere of wisdom and to woman that of love, though neither belongs exclusively to either. Man is continually saying to woman, Why will you not be more wise? Woman is continually saying to man, Why will you not be more loving? It is not in their wills to be wise or to be loving; but, unless each is both wise and loving, there can be neither wisdom nor love. All transcendent goodness is one, though appreciated in different ways, or by different senses. In beauty we see it, in music we hear it, in fragrance, we scent it, in the palatable the pure palate tastes it, and in rare health, the whole body feels it. The variety is in the surface or manifestation, but the radical identity we fail to express. The lover sees in the glance of his beloved the same beauty that in the sunset paints the western skies. It is the same daimon, here lurking under a human eyelid, and there under the closing eyelids of the day. Here, in small compass, is the ancient and natural beauty of evening and morning. What loving astronomer has ever fathomed the ethereal depths of the eye? The maiden conceals a fairer flower and sweeter fruit than any calyx in the field; and, if she goes with averted face, confiding in her purity and high resolves, she will make the heavens retrospective, and all nature humbly confess its queen. Under the influence of this sentiment, man is a string of an Aeolian harp, which vibrates with the zephyrs of the eternal morning. There is at first thought something trivial in the commonness of love. So many Indian youths and maidens along these banks have in ages past yielded to the influence of this great civilizer. Nevertheless, this generation is not disgusted nor discouraged, for love is no individuals experience; and though we are imperfect mediums, it does not partake of our imperfection; though we are finite, it is infinite and eternal; and the same divine influence broods over these banks, whatever race may inhabit them, and perchance still would, even if the human race did not dwell here. Perhaps an instinct survives through the intensest actual love, which prevents entire abandonment and devotion, and makes the most ardent lover a little reserved. It is the anticipation of change. For the most ardent lover is not the less practically wise, and seeks a love which will last forever. Considering how few poetical friendships there are, it is remarkable that so many are married. It would seem as if men yielded too easy an obedience to nature without consulting their genius. One may be drunk with love without being any nearer to finding his mate. There is more of good nature than of good sense at the bottom of most marriages. But the good nature must have the counsel of the good spirit or Intelligence. If common sense had been consulted, how many marriages would never have taken place; if uncommon or divine sense, how few marriages such as we witness would ever have taken place! Our love may be ascending or descending. What is its character, if it may be said of it -- We must respect the souls above,But only those below we love. Love is a severe critic. Hate can pardon more than love. They who aspire to love worthily, subject themselves to an ordeal more rigid than any other. Is your friend such a one that an increase of worth on your part will surely make her more your friend? Is she retained -- is she attracted by more nobleness in you -- by more of that virtue which is peculiarly yours, or is she indifferent and blind to that? Is she to be flattered and won by your meeting her on any other than the ascending path? Then duty requires that you separate from her. Love must be as much a light as a flame. Where there is not discernment, the behavior even of the purest soul may in effect amount to coarseness. A man of fine perceptions is more truly feminine than a merely sentimental woman. The heart is blind, but Love is not blind. None of the gods is so discriminating. In Love Friendship the imagination is as much exercised as the heart; and if either is outraged the other will be estranged. It is commonly the imagination which is wounded first, rather than the heart, it is so much the more sensitive. Comparatively, we can excuse any offense against the heart, but not against the imagination. The imagination knows -- nothing escapes its glance from out its eyry -- and it controls the breast. My heart may still yearn toward the valley, but my imagination will not permit me to jump off the precipice that debars me from it, for it is wounded, its wings are dipt, and it cannot fly, even descendingly. Our blundering hearts! some poet says. The imagination never forgets; it is a remembering. It is not foundationless, but most reasonable, and it alone uses all the knowledge of the intellect. Love is the profoundest of secrets. Divulged, even to the beloved, it is no longer Love. As if it were merely I that loved you. When love ceases, then it is divulged. In our intercourse with one we love, we wish to have answered those questions at the end of which we do not raise our voice; against which we put no interrogation-mark--answered with the same unfailing, universal aim toward every point of the compass. I require that thou knowest everything without being told anything. I parted from my beloved because there was one thing which I had to tell her. She  questioned  me. She should have known all by sympathy. That I had to tell it her was the difference between us--the misunderstanding. A lover never hears anything that is  told, for that is commonly either false or stale; but he hears things taking place, as the sentinels heard Trenck mining in the ground, and thought it was moles. The relation may be profaned in many ways. The parties may not regard it with equal sacredness. What if the lover should learn that his beloved dealt in incantations and philters! What if he should hear that she consulted a clairvoyant! The spell would be instantly broken. If to chaffer and higgle are bad in trade, they are much worse in Love. It demands directness as of an arrow. There is danger that we lose sight of what our friend is absolutely while considering what she is to us alone. The lover wants no partiality. He says, be so kind as to be just. Canst thou love with thy mind,And reason with thy heart?Canst thou be kind,And from thy darling part?Canst thou range earth, sea, and air,And so meet me everywhere?Through all events I will pursue thee,Through all persons I will woo thee. I need thy hate as much as thy love. Thou wilt not repel me entirely when thou repellest what is evil in me. Indeed, indeed, I cannot tell,Though I ponder on it well,Which were easier to state.All my love or all my hate.Surely, surely, thou wilt trust meWhen I say thou doth disgust me.O I hate thee with a hateThat would fain annihilate;Yet, sometimes, against my will,My dear Friend, I love thee still.It were treason to our love,And a sin to God above,One iota to abateOf a pure, impartial hate. It is not enough that we are truthful; we must cherish and carry out high purposes to be truthful about. It must be rare, indeed, that we meet with one to whom we are prepared to be quite ideally related, as she to us. We should have no reserve; we should give the whole of ourselves to that society; we should have no duty aside from that. One who could bear to be so wonderfully and beautifully exaggerated every day. I would take my friend out of her low self and set her higher, infinitely higher, and  there  know her. But, commonly, men are as much afraid of love as of hate. They have lower engagements. They have near ends to serve. They have not imagination enough to be thus employed about a human being but must be coopering a barrel, forsooth. What a difference, whether, in all your walks, you meet only strangers, or in one house is one who knows you, and whom you know. To have a brother or a sister! To have a gold mine on your farm! To find diamonds in the gravel heaps before your door! How rare these things are! To share the day with you--to people the earth. Whether to have a god or a goddess for companion in your walks or to walk alone with hinds and villains and carles. Would not a friend enhance the beauty of the landscape as much as a deer or hare? Everything would acknowledge and serve such a relation; the corn in the field, and the cranberries in the meadow. The flowers would bloom, and the birds sing, with a new impulse. There would be more fair days in the year. The object of love expands and grows before us to eternity until it includes all that is lovely, and we become all that can love.