Mind Travel

Mind Travel Free Online Research Papers Jamaica Kincaid’s â€Å"What I Have Been Doing Lately† and Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s â€Å"Kubla Khan† by comparison seem to share a similar theme. The narrators in both stories take the reader with them as they travel through a realm of delusion. Both authors give a depiction of a dream using vivid imagery, in which they both tell his or her story from a first-person point of view, giving the reader a fantastical description of the landscape. One of the most noticeable elements in kincaid’s short story is that of reality versus fantasy. The story begins with the narrator in bed, which perhaps implies that the story is a capricious dream. There are many details in this short story that depicts this idea. The narrator gives many descriptions that support this idea such as, the narrator describes how the landscape changes as the narrator passes through it and includes the detail that years passed as the narrator waited on the banks of the body of water. The narrator tells the reader of â€Å"Looking at the horizon again, I saw a lone figure coming toward me, but I wasn’t frightened because I was sure it was my mother† (244). The narrator discovered that the figure was a woman, and not the narrator’s mother. The woman said â€Å"’it’s you. Just look at that. It’s you’† (244). Although the woman recognized the narrator, the narrator did not recognize her. The woman asked, â€Å"’ and what have you been doing lately?’† (244). The narrator contemplated on how to answer the question and comes up with several different answers including, â€Å"I could have said,† â€Å"’I have been praying not to grow any taller’† (244), which implies that the narrator is tall. One answer in which the narrator contemplates finally tells the gender of the narrator, â€Å"I could have said,† â€Å"’ I have been listening carefully to my mother’s words, so as to make a good imitation of a dutiful daughter’† (244); this statement concludes to the reader that the narrator is a woman. Rather than answer the woman’s question using one of these answers she has conjured up in her mind, the narrator decides to tell the woman her story from the beginning, in which starts in the bed. The narrator essentially covers the same story twice: first when the recounted events ostensibly happen to the narrator and then when she answers the woman who asks her what it is she has been doing lately. However, the story does not place any of the events that take place within any specific time periods or national boundaries. The story carries the reader through diverse terrain, which may in fact exist only within a dream. In comparison, the narrator in Coleridge’s poem takes the reader on a drug-induced trip through Paradise in a dream. Referring to Paradise as Xanadu the narrator speaks of In Xanadu did Kubla Khan A stately pleasure dome decree: Where Alph, the sacred river, ran Through caverns measureless to man Down to a sunless sea. (1-5) This passage imparts that the narrator is describing a place he has imagined in his mind, a place that he has imagined in a state of euphoria. In the next passage the narrator uses vivid imagery to describe to the reader the landscape surrounding him: So twice five miles of fertile ground With walls and towers were girdled round: And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills, Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree; And here were forests ancient as the hills, Enfolding sunny spots of greenery.(6-11) Furthermore the speaker is repeating the contrasting images of the â€Å"sunny pleasure-dome†, and the â€Å"caves of ice† (36). The speaker gives his evaluation of the phenomenon depicted in the preceding lines; he terms it as a â€Å"miracle† (35), an unexpected event of a super- natural kind, and, at the same time, as based upon a very strange kind of design or plan â€Å"of rare device† (35). The poem contrasts a man-made, earthly paradise, which proves unable to resist demonic forces and is destined to be destroyed, with a true form of Paradise. The contradiction comes in the â€Å"sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice.† Because light is associated with heat, and ice with winter and death, this contradiction is both mystical and confounding. By using this fantastic image, the dome becomes once again a prison of nature, where the dome is warm, yet amidst the frigid caverns that lay beyond it or even as a part of it. From this point on, the pleas ure dome becomes a point of nostalgia for the speaker, and will be a point of reference to describe the extraordinary and ultimately unobtainable in the real world. In comparison both narrators speak of the beautiful landscape that surrounds them, however using vivid imagery they also describe dark places perhaps even demonic places that they visited in their dreams. In a sense the reader of Kincaid’s short story and Coleridge’s poem might get the impression that both authors are describing Heaven and Hell here on Earth. Both narrators’ language reflects a detachment from bizarre events in which they tell in a reportorial fashion. In the same way both authors use symbols and allegory to depict to the reader a fantastical dream. In Kincaid’s short story and Coleridge’s poem it is hard for the reader to pinpoint a specific theme, each tell a tale of supernatural events and describe mystical landscapes in which gives the reader a clear vision of surreal happenings. I have concluded that the only theme for both the story and the poem is that each author is describing a whimsical dream. In both the story and poem ea ch author take the reader on a journey through their imagination. Kincaid , Jamaica. â€Å"What I Have Been Doing Lately.† Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Ed, Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs. 8th ed. Upper Saddle River Pearson, 2007. 243-245. Coleridge, Taylor, Samuel. â€Å"Kubla Khan.† Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs. 8th ed. Upper Saddle River Pearson, 2007. 767-768. Research Papers on "Mind Travel"The Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsHip-Hop is ArtHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementStandardized TestingComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionWhere Wild and West MeetCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionThe Spring and Autumn

Blister Beetles, Family Meloidae

Blister Beetles, Family Meloidae Few North American species of blister beetles will actually cause blisters, but its still smart to be cautious when handling members of the beetle family Meloidae. Theres some debate over whether blister beetles are pests (because the adults feed on many agricultural crops and can be hazardous to livestock), or beneficial predators (because the larvae ​consume the young of other crop-eating insects, like grasshoppers). Description Blister beetles look superficially similar to members of some other beetle families, such as the soldier beetles and darkling beetles. Blister beetles, however, do have some unique features that will help you identify them. Their elytra appear leathery and soft, rather than rigid, and the forewings wrap around the sides of the beetles abdomen. The blister beetles pronotum is usually cylindrical or rounded, and narrower than both the head and the base of the elytra. Most adult blister beetles are medium in size, although the smallest species measures just a few millimeters in length and the largest can reach 7 centimeters long. Their bodies are generally elongate in shape, and their antennae will be either filiform or monofiliform. While many are dark or drab in color, particularly in the eastern U.S., some do come in bright, aposematic colors. Look for blister beetles on flowers or foliage. Classification Kingdom – AnimaliaPhylum – ArthropodaClass – InsectaOrder – ColeopteraFamily - Meloidae Diet Adult blister beetles feed on plants, particularly those in the legume, aster, and nightshade families. Although rarely considered a major crop pest, blister beetles do sometimes form large feeding aggregations in plants. Many blister beetles consume the flowers of their host plants, while some feed on the foliage. Blister beetle larvae have unusual feeding habits. Some species specialize in eating grasshopper eggs, and for this reason, are considered beneficial insects. Other blister beetle larvae eat the larvae and provisions of ground-nesting bees. In these species, the first instar larvae may hitch a ride on an adult bee as it flies back to its nest, and then settle in to eat the bees offspring. Life Cycle Blister beetles undergo complete metamorphosis, like all beetles, but in a somewhat unusual way. The first instar larvae (called triungulins) usually have functional legs, well-developed antennae, and are quite active. These young larvae need to move because they are parasitoids and must find their hosts. Once theyre settled in with their host (such as in a bee nest), each successive stage is typically less active, and the legs gradually diminish or even disappear. This larval development is referred to as hypermetamorphosis. The final instar is a pseudopupa stage, during which the beetle will overwinter. Depending on the species and environmental conditions, the blister beetle life cycle may last as long as three years. Most species will complete a full life cycle within one year, however. Special Behaviors and Defenses Blister beetles are usually soft-bodied and may seem vulnerable to predators, but they arent defenseless. Their bodies produce a caustic chemical called cantharidin, which they exude from their leg joints when threatened (a defensive strategy called reflex bleeding). Meloid species with high levels of cantharidin can cause skin blisters when handled, giving these beetles their common name. Cantharidin is an effective repellent for ants and other predators but can be extremely toxic if ingested by people or animals. Horses are particularly susceptible to cantharidin poisoning, which can occur if their hay feed is contaminated with blister beetle remains. Range and Distribution Blister beetles are most diverse in arid or semi-arid regions of the world, though widely distributed. Globally, blister beetle species number close to 4,000. In the U.S. and Canada, there are just over 400 documented blister beetle species. Sources: Borror and DeLongs Introduction to the Study of Insects, 7th edition, by Charles A. Triplehorn and Norman F. Johnson.Bugs Rule! An Introduction to the World of Insects, by Whitney Cranshaw and Richard Redak.Beetles of Eastern North America, by Arthur V. Evans.Family Meloidae – Blister Beetles, Bugguide.net. Accessed online January 14, 2016.Blister beetle, Texas AM University Department of Entomology website. Accessed online January 14, 2016.Blister Beetles: Pest or Beneficial Predator?, Washington State University Fact Sheet (PDF). Accessed online January 14, 2016.

The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in heaven Essay

The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in heaven - Essay Example The characters have been generalized to emphasize on the importance of this cultural conflict. For example in the very beginning, the grave shift workers are described in the same way, whether they are Indians or Americans,â€Å"The graveyard shift worker in the Third Avenue 7-11 looked like they all do. Acne scars and a bad haircut, work pants that showed off his white socks, and those cheap black shoes that have no support.†The concept of assimilation also comes in that is the minorities try to adapt to the ways of the prevailing culture. When the narrator goes in the store that is owned by the White grave shift worker, he is immediately tagged as a robber, because he is an Indian â€Å"†¦ clerk †¦ searching for some response that would reassure him that I was not an armed robber. He knew this dark skin and long black hair of mine was dangerous. I had potential.†The theme of conflict is described when the narrator goes to a posh area, by mistake and the rich ones call the police because he â€Å"didn’t fit the profile of the neighborhood†. Moreover, the narrator also wants to tell the policeman that he did not equate or gel in the â€Å"profile of the country† but knows that it would be a reason for his troubles. The narrator constantly feels that he does not belong in this world. He cannot relate to anything. There is this continuous feeling of nothingness and as if everything has been lost. He says that there are times that he does not remember where he is and is lost. He drives for extended time periods to find something he can associate with but fails. He goes on to say that he feels as if his entire life has been spent looking for that something familiar. In between the lines, we also see that the minorities are afraid to take a risk. They have accepted the cruel behavior because they think that nothing is ever going to change. They are not ready to stand up for themselves. For example, when they are playing basketball and there is a white kid

The Impact of New Media on the Design and Advertisement Industries Term Paper

The Impact of New Media on the Design and Advertisement Industries - Term Paper Example New media is a recent term that has come to be used in reference to the digital world more so with reference to computers in information and communication technology. It is a product of the twentieth century that saw its evolutionary roots from analog technology. It has characterized relations of this era by making globalization a popular topic. Trade between people and organizations in far geographical locations now takes place by just a touch of a button behind the comfort of one's personal computer via the internet. The incorporation of new media into the society inform of a globalized world tends to bring in threats into the moral social set up as indiscriminate receivership of information on the internet becomes difficult to control exposing people to different unethical practices. A research done by Millward Brown agency in the UK relayed information to prove that new media can give maximum impact to observers of its advertisements. Millward is a mobile phone marketing organization that took the first study to ascertain the significance of mobile phones in the advertisement. Advertisements were sent to mobile phone users in the UK and measure the impacts it had on the people who received them. The research came up with the findings that the branded advertisements effected 32% awareness of the people approached. It further indicated that 22% of the mobile phone users who received the advertisements were willing to buy the products should they go to the markets. The research measured these opinions from about 600 male consumers between the ages of 16 to 36 over a period of 5 weeks during the air of the advertisements. The study concluded that single advertisements strongly increase advertisement awareness and the probability of purchase. (Brown, 2008)Â  

Four Phases of the Business Cycle

Four Phases of the Business Cycle ECONOMICS Q 1 Define the term Business Cycle and also explain the phases of business or trade cycle in brief? Ans: The business cycle is the periodic but irregular up-and-down movements in economic activity, measured by fluctuations in real GDP and other macroeconomic variables.Diagram of Business Cycle (or Trade Cycle) :- The business cycle starts from a trough (lower point) and passes through a recovery phase followed by a period of expansion (upper turning point) and prosperity. After the peak point is reached there is a declining phase of recession followed by a depression. Again the business cycle continues similarly with ups and downs. Explanation of Four Phases of Business Cycle 1. Prosperity Phase : Expansion or Boom or Upswing of economy.When there is an expansion of output, income, employment, prices and profits, there is also a rise in the standard of living. This period is termed as Prosperity phase.The features of prosperity are :- High level of output and trade, High level of effective demand, High level of income and employment, Rising interest rates, Inflation, Large expansion of bank credit, Overall business optimism. 2. Recession Phase: from prosperity to recession (upper turning point). The turning point from prosperity to depression is termed as Recession Phase. During a recession period, the economic activities slow down. When demand starts falling, the overproduction and future investment plans are also given up. There is a steady decline in the output, income, employment, prices and profits. The businessmen lose confidence and become pessimistic (Negative). It reduces investment. The banks and the people try to get greater liquidity, so credit also contracts. Expansion of business stops, stock market falls. Orders are cancelled and people start losing their jobs. The increase in unemployment causes a sharp decline in income and aggregate demand. Generally, recession lasts for a short period. 3. Depression Phase : Contraction or Downswing of economy.When there is a continuous decrease of output, income, employment, prices and profits, there is a fall in the standard of living and depression sets in. The features of depression are :- Fall in volume of output and trade, Fall in income and rise in unemployment,Decline in consumption and demand, Fall in interest rate, Deflation, Contraction of bank credit, Overall business pessimism.In depression, there is under-utilization of resources and fall in GNP (Gross National Product). The aggregate economic activity is at the lowest, causing a decline in prices and profits until the economy reaches its Trough (low point). 4. Recovery Phase : from depression to prosperity (lower turning Point). The turning point from depression to expansion is termed as Recovery or Revival Phase.During the period of revival or recovery, there are expansions and rise in economic activities. When demand starts rising, production increases and this causes an increase in investment. There is a steady rise in output, income, employment, prices and profits. The businessmen gain confidence and become optimistic (Positive). This increases investments. The stimulation of investment brings about the revival or recovery of the economy.Thus we see that, during the expansionary or prosperity phase, there is inflation and during the contraction or depression phase, there is a deflation. Q2. Monopoly is the situation there exists a single control over the market producing a commodity having no substitutes with no possibilities for anyone to enter the industry to compete. In that situation, they will not charge a uniform price for all the customers in the market and also the pricing policy followed in that situation? Ans: A market structure characterized by a single seller, selling a unique product in the market. In a monopoly market, the seller faces no competition, as he is the sole seller of goods with no close substitute.In a monopoly market, factors like government license, ownership of resources, copyright and patent and high starting cost make an entity a single seller of goods. All these factors restrict the entry of other sellers in the market. Monopolies also possess some information that is not known to other sellers. Characteristics of monopoly: Only one single seller in the market, There is no competition, There are many buyers in the market, The firm enjoys abnormal profits, The seller controls the prices in that particular product or service and is the price maker, Consumers don’t have perfect information, There are barriers to entry. These barriers many be natural or artificial, The product does not have close substitutes. Advantages of monopoly Monopoly avoids duplication and hence wastage of resources. Due to the fact that monopolies make lot of profits, it can be used for research and development and to maintain their status as a monopoly. Monopolies may use price discrimination which benefits the economically weaker sections of the society. Monopolies can afford to invest in latest technology and machinery in order to be efficient and to avoid competition. Disadvantages of monopoly Poor level of service, No consumer sovereignty, Consumers may be charged high prices for low quality of goods and services, Lack of competition may lead to low quality and out dated goods and services. Price Discrimination : It is the ability to charge different prices to different individual. Need for price discrimination: increase output and profit. Buying pattern of individuals will be different. Increase the economic welfare. Eg: Air tickets, movie tickets , discount coupons etc. multiple types of price discrimination: First-degree price discrimination is an attempt by the seller to leave the price unannounced in advance and charge each customer the highest price they would be willing to pay for the purchase. A business may benefit by offering different prices to those who purchase in larger volumes because either they can increase their profit with the increased volume sales or their costs per unit decrease when items are purchased in volume. Businesses can create alternative pricing methods that distinguish high-volume buyers from low-volume buyers. This is second-degree price discrimination. Third-degree price discrimination is differential pricing to different groups of customers. One justification for this practice is that producing goods and services for sale to one identifiable group of customers is less than the cost of sales to another group of customers. For example, a publisher of music or books may be able to sell a music album or a book in electronic form for less cost than a physical form like a compact disc or printed text. Q3 Fiscal policy is a package of economic measures of the government regarding public expenditure, public revenue, public debt or borrowings. It is very important since it refers to the budgetary policy of the government. Explain the fiscal policy and its instruments in detail? Ans: Fiscal policy is the means by which a government adjusts its spending levels and tax rates to monitor and influence a nations economy. It is the sister strategy to monetary policy through which a central bank influences a nations money supply. instruments of Fiscal Policy are Automatic Stabilizer and Discretionary Fiscal Policy: Automatic Stabilizer: The tax structure and expenditure are programmed in such a way that there is increase in expenditure and decrease in tax in recession and decrease in expenditure and increase in tax revenue in the period of inflation. It refers to built-in response to the economic condition without any deliberate action on the part of government. It is called built- in- stabilizer to correct and thus restore economic stability. It works in the following manner, Tax revenue: Tax revenue increases when the income increases; as those who were not paying tax go into the higher income tax bracket. When there is depression, the income decreases and many people fall in the no-income-tax bracket and the tax revenue decreases. ii) Discretionary Fiscal Policy: Under this, to stabilize the economy, deliberate attempts are made by the government in taxation and expenditure. It entails definite and conscious actions. Instruments of Fiscal Policy: Some important instruments of fiscal policy are: 1.TAXATION: Taxation is always a very important source of revenue for both developed and developing countries. Tax comes under two headingu2013Tax on individual(direct tax) and tax on commodity (indirect tax or commodity tax). a) Direct tax includes income tax, corporate tax, taxes on property and wealth. Indirect tax is tax on the consumptions. It includes sales tax, excise duty and custom duties. Direct tax structure can be divided into three bases- Progressive tax: Progressive tax says that higher the level of income, greater the volume of tax burden you have to bear. This means as income increases, the tax contribution should also increase. Low income group people pay low tax, whereas the high income group people pay higher tax. 2 Regressive tax: It is theoretically possible, though no government implements such tax structure, because that leads to unequal distribution of income. As your income increases the contribution through tax decreases. Low income people will pay more and high income people will pay less. Proportional tax: When the tax imposed is irrespective of the income you earn, every income group, high or low pay the same amount of tax. b) Indirect Tax Or consumpyion tax: tax which is iimposed on every unit of product . Q4 Explain the various methods of forecasting demand? Ans : Economic forecasting is the process of making predictions about the economy. Forecasts can be carried out at a high level of aggregation—for example for GDP, inflation, unemployment or the fiscal deficit—or at a more disaggregated level, for specific sectors of the economy or even specific firms. Methods of forecasting demand: Assumptions For many goods, the length of the product cycle is shrinking. Not only does this make it more difficult to build a historical database, it accentuates the need to forecast correctly. Computer technology makes it possible to adjust pricing instantly and to modify sales promotions on the run. Without accurate historical information to measure the impact of price changes, the business owner may be forced to experiment. Sales performance of other goods with similar product attributes may serve as proxies for a current product with no track record. Trend Analysis If you have historical data or if you can create it from related products trend analysis is the first step in demand forecasting. Plotting sales over time will reveal the presence of a sales trend if one exists. If there are aberrations â€Å"hiccups† in the trend you can look for explanations, which could include price, weather or demographic changes. If you are proficient with spreadsheet programs, you can chart data points and insert a trend line over the data. A more sophisticated approach is using least squares regression analysis which can also be done with standard spreadsheet software. Qualitative Forecasting A more subjective approach uses expert opinions to predict demand. Especially useful when there is a lack of historical data, relying on the collective opinion of experts makes sense. Begin with an analysis of the marketplace, reviewing the economic conditions. Obtain as much information about competitors’ performance as you can. Then gather opinions from a variety of sources within your business. Include the owner, sales manager, accountant, attorney and any others whose opinion you value. If you wish, you can get outside opinions as well. Qualitative forecasting is based on the consensus view of your panel as you digest and aggregate their opinions. Forecasting with Economic Indicators Depending on the products you sell and the customers who buy them, basing your demand forecast on one or more economic indicators may be an effective method. This style of demand forecasting works better with industrial buyers rather than retail. First, find the indicators that relate to your business. For example, small businesses in construction-related work can look to housing starts, building permits, loan applications and interest rates for solid indicators of the future. Businesses in agriculture can find clues to the future from farm income, interest rates and weather forecasts. The Departments of Commerce and Agriculture release statistics on an ongoing basis. Agricultural Extension Services and other state agencies provide complementary data Q5 Define monopolistic competition and explain its characteristics? Ans: Monopolistic Competition: A market structure in which several or many sellers each produce similar, but slightly differentiated products. Each producer can set its price and quantity without affecting the market place as a whole. Monopolistically competitive markets exhibit the following characteristics: Each firm makes independent decisions about price and output, based on its product, its market, and its costs of production. Knowledge is widely spread between participants, but it is unlikely to be perfect. For example, diners can review all the menus available from restaurants in a town, before they make their choice. Once inside the restaurant, they can view the menu again, before ordering. However, they cannot fully appreciate the restaurant or the meal until after they have dined. The entrepreneur has a more significant role than in firms that are perfectly competitive because of the increased risks associated with decision making. There is freedom to enter or leave the market, as there are no major barriers to entry or exit. A central feature of monopolistic competition is that products are differentiated. There are four main types of differentiation: Physical product differentiation, where firms use size, design, colour, shape, performance, and features to make their products different. For example, consumer electronics can easily be physically differentiated. Marketing differentiation, where firms try to differentiate their product by distinctive packaging and other promotional techniques. For example, breakfast cereals can easily be differentiated through packaging. Human capital differentiation, where the firm creates differences through the skill of its employees, the level of training received, distinctive uniforms, and so on. Differentiation through distribution, including distribution via mail order or through internet shopping, such as Amazon.com, which differentiates itself from traditional bookstores by selling online. Firms are price makers and are faced with a downward sloping demand curve. Because each firm makes a unique product, it can charge a higher or lower price than its rivals. The firm can set its own price and does not have to ‘take it from the industry as a whole, though the industry price may be a guideline, or becomes a constraint. This also means that the demand curve will slope downwards. Firms operating under monopolistic competition usually have to engage in advertising. Firms are often in fierce competition with other (local) firms offering a similar product or service, and may need to advertise on a local basis, to let customers know their differences. Common methods of advertising for these firms are through local press and radio, local cinema, posters, leaflets and special promotions. Monopolistically competitive firms are assumed to beprofit maximisers because firms tend to be small with entrepreneurs actively involved in managing the business. There are usually a large numbers of independent firms competing in the market. Q6 When should a firm in perfectly competitive market shut down its operation? Ans Definition of Perfect Competition A market structure in which the following five criteria are met: 1) All firms sell an identical product; 2) All firms are price takers they cannot control the market price of their product; 3) All firms have a relatively small market share; 4) Buyers have complete information about the product being sold and the prices charged by each firm; and 5) The industry is characterized by freedom of entry and exit. Perfect competition is sometimes referred to as pure competition. The reason for firm shut down in perfect competition A perfectly competitive firm is presumed to shutdown production and produce no output in the short run, if price is less than average variable cost. This is one of three short-run production alternatives facing a firm. The other two are profit maximization (if price exceeds average total cost) and loss minimization (if price is greater than average variable cost but less than average total cost). A perfectly competitive firm guided by the pursuit of profit is inclined to produce no output if the quantity that equates marginal revenue and marginal cost in the short run incurs an economic loss greater than total fixed cost. The key to this loss minimization production decision is a comparison of the loss incurred from producing with the loss incurred from not producing. If price is less than average variable cost, then the firm incurs a smaller loss by not producing that by producing. One of Three Alternatives: Shutting down is one of three short-run production alternatives facing a perfectly competitive firm. All three are displayed in the table to the right. The other two are profit maximization and loss minimization. With profit maximization, price exceeds average total cost at the quantity that equates marginal revenue and marginal cost. In this case, the firm generates an economic profit. With loss minimization, price is greater than average variable cost but is less than average total cost at the quantity that equates marginal revenue and marginal cost. In this case, the firm incurs a smaller loss by producing some output than by not producing any output.

Childhood Obesity In America Essay

More and more American children are becoming overweight or obese. Years ago an elementary classroom may have one kid who was overweight but today that has drastically changed. We have a whole new generation of kids who are consuming much more â€Å"junk food† and eating fast food 3 or 4 nights a week and they are not as active as kids used to be. These kids are consuming things like Monster energy drinks, Starbucks coffee, Mountain Dew, chips, candy bars and more on a daily basis. Many of them are coach potatoes, video gamers, social networkers, texters, etc. We need to get this new generation of children to become more active. They also need to be educated on how to be aware of what they are eating and teach them to eat the so called â€Å"junk food† in moderation and incorporate more nutritious foods in his or her diet as well as maintain an active lifestyle. Childhood obesity is on the rise due to the many changes in our society and we need to do something to prevent it before it gets out of hand. Keywords: obesity, children, overweight Childhood Obesity in America Childhood obesity is becoming a problem across the globe and has been declared an epidemic in America. Children are consuming more calories than ever and many are not as active as earlier generations. For the first time in the history of this country, young people are less healthy and less prepared to take their places in society than were their parents. Diabetes is on the rise, American kids are getting sicker, becoming sadder and getting fatter. (W. Sears, M.D., M. Sears, R.N., J. Sears, M.D., R. Sears, M.D., 2006) Many of you probably remember running around the neighborhood when you were younger playing things like tag, hide and seek, capture the flag and many other outdoor games. Then you would get called in to eat, only to go right back out to play until it was time to come in for the  night. Now days you are more likely to find children indoors in front of the television, on the computer, texting a friend or playing a video game, not to mention they may be eating an unhealthy snack, such as a cookie or a bag of chips. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 12.5 million children and adolescents between the ages of 2 and 19 are obese. Obesity is a good indicator of unhealthy lifestyles, characterized by over-eating and lack of physical activity. Who is responsible for this you might ask. Is it the parents, the schools, fast food restaurants, technology, a down economy or even the food industry? We cannot single out and put the blame on any one of these. However, each one can be a contributing factor and the combination of them certainly could be part of the cause. Let’s take a look at how each of them impacts our children’s health. Let’s start with the parents. As I stated earlier, years ago children were outside playing much of the day. However, now parents are not letting the children out to play until they are much older because they worry about their safety. Part of the reason for this is that the world has changed. Ever hear the phrase â€Å"It takes a village†? Well years ago neighbors looked out for each other and their children. Now everyone minds their own business and keeps to him or herself. Even the cars going through the residential neighborhoods do not seem to be as cautious about watching for children. Maybe this has to do with the fact that children are not as often outside playing as they used to be. Families seem to be so much busier today than in the past. Most families are living on two incomes instead of one, which means there is not a stay at home parent making home cooked meals everyday. Not to mention families are having less and less meals together at the table. Instead parents are tired and are relying on quicker meals like frozen pizza’s, banquet chicken, corndogs, fries, hotdogs, macaroni and cheese, microwaveable meals, and even fast food. Many families are a single parent household and may be on a tight budget and may be purchasing the cheaper convenience foods that are typically less nutritious and have more additives and preservatives. Parents are not intentionally trying to make their children fat and/or sick. Most are trying to do the best they can and don’t realize the long-term effects of all the processed foods, especially combined with a less active lifestyle. What about the school’s role in all this? Kids spend a big part of their day at school and some eat breakfast and lunch at school. As a Licensed Family Child Care Provider, each year I have to take nutrition training through the USDA food program. After taking it one year and learning about high fat foods that are commonly served to children, I was looking at my son’s monthly lunch menu for the elementary school and noticed they were serving too many of these high fat foods in one week at lunch. In the same week the kids would be served chicken nuggets, pizza, and a breaded chicken sandwich. These foods are not bad if eaten on occasion and in moderation. However, what I learned in the nutrition training was that we should limit the amount of high fat foods served in one week. My daughter, who attends the high school, told me that everyday if the students don’t like the main option for lunch they could go and get a hamburger or hotdog with french fries as an alternative choice. Middle schools, junior highs, and high schools often have an a la carte line or snack bar at lunch, which consists of ice cream, cookies, juice, and other foods that are not very nutritious for a lunch. Some schools even have soda machines and snack machines. There have even been some schools that are cutting their physical education and sports programs. Technology plays a big role in the children not being as active as they used to be. There are no longer just Saturday morning cartoons. Now with channels like the Disney Channel and Cartoon Network kids can watch cartoons twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Today our children spend many hours on media devices, such as cell phones, Ipads, Kindles, and hand held video games as well as the television, computer, or other game systems such as Xbox. Many kids today would rather be inside on the computer or playing video games than out with a friend or being active. This morning I was at the doctor’s office to have my cholesterol checked. In the waiting room at my clinic they now have a TV up on the wall that is always playing something educational about staying healthy. Today as I was  watching it they were talking about how people who sit more than three hours at a time shave time off of their life. They said after three hours of sitting you should get up and move around for a while before sitting back down. According to this program we have enzymes in our body that help break down fat. However, when we are sedentary or sitting these enzymes are not able to break down the fat in our body. If that is true than these children who are spending hours on the computer, watching TV or playing video games are not burning as much fat as they could be if they took a break every now and then and got up and moved around for a bit before sitting back down. Another contributing factor to childhood obesity is the food industry. Why the food industry? I’ll tell you why. The food industry is packing more and more preservatives, dyes, fat, sodium, sugar and other stuff into our food to make it last longer and taste better, but what are these added ingredients doing to our children? They are literally turning our children into sugar and carb addicts. Products such as chips, cookies, candy and other junk food are being targeted towards our children. Watch a cartoon with your child sometime and pay attention to how many of these commercials you will see. You will be amazed. Something many of you might not think of is the down economy as another contributing factor. Many families are struggling and have had to make plenty of cutbacks on their spending. Yes, that sometimes includes cutbacks on food. It can get expensive feeding a family of four for a week. It is actually cheaper sometimes to buy processed foods and junk food than it is to buy natural and healthy foods. For example, it is much cheaper to buy a box of Little Debbie snacks than it is to buy a small bag of apples or carrots. During my own families rough financial times we discovered that feeding a family of four from McDonald’s $1 menu was not only more convenient but cheaper than cooking many meals as well. If everyone got 2 to 3 items it was less than $15 for the whole family. However, in the long run eating lots of the unhealthy foods and snacks is going to cost you more in healthcare and prescription medications from the consequences of eating an abundance of these foods. â€Å"A family with an obese child spends 30% more in health costs and 77% more in medication costs.† (Parekh, 2012, Prevention is Better than Cure, para 1). Also obesity in childhood often follows into adulthood, which further supports the importance of preventing childhood obesity. (Wang, 2011) Fast food is another big factor for some people. I am not saying you should never eat it at all but some families are eating the stuff three or more times in one week. When I was a kid I was lucky if I got fast food once every six months and that was a treat. McDonald’s seems to have taken the blunt for the fast food industry when it comes to the consequences of eating it too often. They have tried to make some changes like getting rid of the supersize portions and adding apple wedges as an alternative to fries in their kid’s Happy Meal. There even is a documentary that was made about the negative impact McDonalds and the rest of the fast food industry are having on society. The main character, Morgan Spurlock in the movie did a one-month experiment. He ate three full meals a day at McDonald’s, only ordered a super size meal when asked, and never ate food from any other source. By the end of Morgan Spurlock’s month long McDonald’s binge, he had become depressed and exhausted, he was experiencing dramatic mood swings, and his sex life had greatly diminished. He gained 25 pounds, his body fat percentage increased from 11% to 18%, his liver was showing notable signs of damage, and his total cholesterol increased from 168 to 225. However, because of Spurlock’s unrealistic extent of excess calorie consumption, the only thing that this really proves is that overeating is unhealthy. (2009) If eaten on occasion and in moderation as well as eating the right portion size it is not going to harm you and that movie can be misleading. However, it does show what can happen to those who eat it on a daily basis. Parents should limit their child’s meals at fast food restaurants and think of another quick healthy alternative for those other days they may be in a time crunch. Now that I’ve talked about some of the contributing factors of childhood obesity, let’s discuss the effects it has on our children’s health. Children are ending up with health problems such as, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and even type 2 diabetes. This form of diabetes was previously referred to as â€Å"adult onset† diabetes because it used to be more  typical for adults over the age of 40 to get this type. (Schraffenberger, L.A., 2012) Some of these overweight kids are also dealing with being teased by other kids and being called fat. This is leading to more kids being treated for depression. If these kids, some as young as elementary age, are having these kinds of health problems, what does that mean for their health as adults? So what changes have been made to fix this problem of childhood obesity in America? There have been some laws that have gone into effect. One such law has affected me as a childcare provider. The law went into effect in October of 2010 and states that all children over the age of 2 must be served low fat 1 percent milk or fat free skim milk. This law also applies to the schools. The schools have always had minimum calorie guidelines but now there is a maximum calorie guideline the school has to follow as well. This went into effect in July of 2012. Some schools are making changes like taking their soda and snack machines out or having them shut off during lunchtime. Some have even put in new machines with healthier options. Our first lady, Michele Obama has been actively involved in trying to prevent childhood obesity and has even visited some schools that have changed their menus to implement healthier options. Another big advocate in preventing childhood obesity is Rachael Ray. She has started the yum-o organization, which is a non-profit organization. According to the yum-o website, the yum-o organization â€Å"empowers kids and their families to develop healthy relationships with food and cooking.† Wang (2011) explains that the U.S. obesity epidemic can have many serious health and financial consequences if it cannot be controlled, and likely minority and low-income groups are hit harder. Childhood obesity is currently higher than it ever has been and we can do something to prevent it. Parents can help by limiting their child’s screen time, eating more nutritious home cooked meals at the table (not in front of the television) and encouraging their children to be active. For families with busy schedules the parents can take time on the weekends to plan meals ahead of time for the upcoming week. They do not have to be elaborate and can even consist of soup, sandwich fruit and milk. (American Academy of Pediatrics)  The schools can limit the â€Å"junk food† they offer in vending machines and the a la carte line or replace it with healthier options and offer more nutritious meals with the appropriate amount of calories. They can also stop cutting their physical education programs, as keeping children active is very important in preventing obesity as well. Families who are struggling financially can buy fruits and veggies that are on sale or in season and make meals that are cheap yet healthy. Also we should have more restrictions on the food industry, such as maybe a warning label for parents on foods that are way too high in sugar, fat, or sodium. If we all work together to make as many of these changes as we can our kids will be much happier and healthier. References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012). Obesity rates among all children in the united states. Retrieved September 30, 2012, from www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html Hassink, S. (Ed). (2006). A parent’s guide to childhood obesity. United States: American Academy of Pediatrics Parekh, N., (July 13, 2012). Childhood obesity prevention tips. Prevention is better than cure. Retrieved September 30, 2012, from http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/6-7-2004-55178.asp Ray, R., (2012). Rachael ray’s yum-o cook feed fund. Retrieved September 30, 2012, from http://www.yum-o.org/ Schraffenberger, L.A., (2012). Basic ICD-10-CM/PCS and ICD-9-CM Coding, Chapter 6, Page 123 Sears, W., Sears, M., Sears, J., Sears, R., (2006) The healthiest kid in the neighborhood. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company Wang, Y., (2011). Disparities in pediatric obesity in the united states. Retrieved October 21, 2012, from advances.nutrition.org/content/2/1/23.full.pdf+html

The Ethical Dilemma Of Using Facebook As A Means For...

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