The weight of the nation Essay Example for Free

The weight of the nation Essay More than 40 million children under the age evolve were overweight In 2011. Obesity is preventable. Most of the food commercials make you want to eat. My reaction to this movie is that people started eating more food over the 30 years so they should start taking food seriously. What makes people obese is: an increased Intake of energy-dense foods that are high In fat; and Increase In physical inactivity due to the increasingly sedentary nature of many forms of work, changing modes of transportation, and increasing urbanization. Not only the food matters but your physical activities that you do every day. childhood obesity Is associated with a higher chance of obesity, premature death and disability In adulthood. But in addition to Increased future risks, obese children experience breathing difficulties, increased risk of fractures, hypertension, early markers of cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and psychological effects. overweight and obesity, as well as their related noncommunicable diseases, are largely preventable. Supportive environments and communities are fundamental in shaping peoples choices, making the healthier choice of foods and regular physical activity the easiest choice (accessible, available and affordable), and therefore preventing obesity. At the individual level, people can: ;limit energy intake from total fats and sugars; ;increase consumption of fruit and vegetables, as well as legumes, whole grains and nuts; ;engage in regular physical activity (60 minutes a day for children and 150 minutes per week for adults). The weight of the nation essay By 611 The movie we watched is called The weight of the nation. I learned that: 200 million men and nearly 300 million women were obese. 5% of adults aged 20 and over were overweight in 2008, and 11% were obese. ;65% of the worlds

Flannery O’Connor: The Southern Catholic Essay -- Authors

To many critics, Flannery O’Connor was aâ€Å"very devout catholic, [of the] (thirteenth century, [O’Connor described] herself),† suggests Mark Bosco a Jesuit priest, professor of Theology and English studies at Loyola University Chicago (qtd in Bosco 41). Along with being a native Georgian, O’Connor experienced life, albeit short lived, during an era of racial conflict. Although, she considered herself from another century, she was acutely aware of her twentieth century southern world, and furthermore she expressed it through her short stories. As Robert Drake a writer and Prof. at the University of Texas explains â€Å"[she wrote of what she] knew [to be] at her own doorstep† (Drake, â€Å"Apocalyptic Perception† 32), meaning that her strong religious values, southern roots and the societal issues of her times influences her writing. The aspects of O’Connor’s life that are prevalently revealed as influences, are her strong rel igious values, southern roots and societal issues which are portrayed, in â€Å"Good Country People† and â€Å"Everything That Rises Must Converge,† through her characters. One aspect of O’Connor’s life that is revealed as an influence, in writing the characters, in both short stories, is her strong religious values. As Drake points out, â€Å"she was catholic in the oldest and truest sense of the word†¦ [And was] faithful† to her Christian principles, which was evident in the redemption of the protagonists (Drake 32). For example in â€Å"Good Country People,† the point of redemption comes for Joy when she realizes that instead of her seducing Manly, as she had planned, he has made her suffer by stealing her wood leg, mocking her intelligence, then leaving her helpless in a barn. Joy thought herself to be intellectually superior to Manly,... ...isiana State University Press.1980. xxvii. Print Drake, Robert. â€Å"Apocalyptic Perception.† Flannery O’Connor: A Memorial. Ed. J.J. Quinn, S.J. Scranton: University of Scranton Press, 1996. 29, 32-33. Print Hyman, Stanley. â€Å"Flannery O’Connor.† Seven American Women Writers of the Twentieth Century: An Introduction. Ed. Maureen Howard. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1977. 323. Print Meyers, Sr. Bertrande. â€Å"Ways of Interpretation.† Flannery O’Connor: A Memorial. Ed. J.J. Quinn, S.J. Scranton: University of Scranton Press, 1996. 19. Print Paulson, Suzanne. â€Å"Racial Conflict.† Flannery O’Connor: A Study of the Short Story Fiction. North Dakota: Minot State University. 1988. 69. Print Shackelford, D. Dean. "Flannery O’Connor." Critical Survey of Short Fiction, Second Revised Edition (2001): 1-7. Literary Reference Center. Web. 28 Apr. 2012.

How to make the world a better place to live in Essay

There is nothing which can be done to totally improve the world’s condition presently. However, there is something which can de done for the betterment of the world’s condition. The main point which could affect the condition of the world is Education. Education provides people with knowledge, communication skills, discipline, and also with dignity. â€Å"Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one† said Malcolm Forbes. The supporting idea which could improve the world’s current situation is Religion. Religion provides people with a belief system consisting of discipline, tradition, culture, and morality. Matthew Arnold had said that â€Å"the true meaning of religion is thus not simply morality, but morality touched with emotion†. Last thing that might help is looking at the world in a social aspect. Being social gives us a more understanding character, and it gives us more information about the current issues which at least makes us not ignorant, and it also makes us more open to people. If a person has knowledge, good communication skills, discipline, dignity, a belief system consisting of traditions, cultures, and moral values, understanding, not ignorant, and more open, than that person could cause no harm or trouble to anyone. If billions of people view the world as an educational, religious, and also a social place, then the condition of the world would be greatly improved and would be a â€Å"heaven† to some people. Today, people have no time to do anything. They are so busy working that they don’t even know what is going on around them. All they want to do is to earn money. Money is everything for everyone these days. Money brings happiness to people nowadays, which is totally wrong. Money can never bring peace in anyone’s life. Money can actually ruin a persons’ life by bringing jealousy, and proud into that person. If a person has a lot of money, he tends to have more power on others, which usually leads to an evil act or a selfish act. Billions of people look at the world in an economic view which is the cause of all the politics tensions, wars, and all different kinds of riots and disasters. However, if people look at the world in different aspects, the world could be a better place to live in. â€Å"Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one† said Malcolm Forbes. Education can improve the world’s condition greatly. Without  Education, people would just live like cavemen and cavewomen. They will have no idea about anything. If everyone in this world is educated, there would be fewer problems in the world for example, over population. Education provides people with knowledge, communication skills, discipline, and also with dignity. From knowledge, we learn, understand, and analyze. We need to learn in order to know how things work. We understand by the learning and by all this learning and understanding, we can analyze things. From good communication skills, we tend to communicate well with others with created a better understanding between others. From discipline, people get self-control. Having self-control is always good because you know how and when to act. Lastly, from dignity, people learn how to respect themselves which brings in them an optimistic view. Education can provide all these qualities in a person. Education can make the world’s condition better which would create fewer problems in the world. â€Å"The true meaning of religion is thus not simply morality, but morality touched with emotion† said Matthew Arnold. Religion could also improve the condition of the world with the support of education. Without religion, people would have no belief system or any traditions and cultures. People would not have any history of their own backgrounds and their ethnic values. A religion teaches us what is good and what is bad for us. Religion provides people with a belief system consisting of discipline, tradition, culture, and morality. We need a belief system in order to keep a systematic schedule between work and also personal life. We need discipline because we need self-control. Having self-control is always good because you know how and when to act. We need traditions and cultures because without traditions and cultures, we will just live out lives as a robot. We will not have any festivals and will not believe in anyone or God. Traditions and cultures affect the way we look at things and also affect our thinking. Our traditions and cultures make us act as we do. Lastly, religion provides us with moral values. We need moral values in order to know what is good and what is bad for us. Without religion, we are nothing but just a bunch of people looking at the world in a very practical view with results in selfishness. Supported with education, and religion, looking at the world in a social aspect also helps to improve the world’s condition. If a person is not socially involved, it is likely that that person would have fewer knowledge of what is going on around the world as that person would not discuss about current affairs with others. That person would also not know other people properly which could results in disaster especially during bad times when you need someone’s help. Being social gives us a more understanding character, and it gives us more information about the current issues which at least makes us not ignorant, and it also makes us more open to people. You need to be more understanding in order for you to make good relationship with other people which make it easier to be socially involved. If you are more understanding, people will tend to talk to you more, which could result in being open with other people. Being socially involved can be very enjoyable yet also could be very beneficial. If billions of people view the world as an educational, religious, and also a social place, then the condition of the world would be greatly improved and would be a â€Å"heaven† to some people. Education provides people with knowledge, communication skills, discipline, and also with dignity. Religion provides people with a belief system consisting of discipline, tradition, culture, and morality. Being social gives us a more understanding character, and it gives us more information about the current issues which at least makes us not ignorant, and it also makes us more open to people. If a person has knowledge, good communication skills, discipline, dignity, a belief system consisting of traditions, cultures, and moral values, understanding, not ignorant, and more open, than that person could cause no harm or trouble to anyone. Education is needed because it makes a person who he/she really is and what his/her capabilities are. Religion is needed because it is necessary for every individual in a society. Being social is needed in order for your own recognition in a society. Every person needs to be educated, religious, and also social. These are the three aspects of life. Billions of people’s life could be enhanced if everyone views this world in these three aspects.

Play Review Dead Mans Cell Phone by Sarah Ruhl

Two important themes arise in Sarah Ruhls Dead Mans Cell Phone  and it is a thought-provoking  play that may lead viewers to question their own reliance on technology. Phones have become an integral part of modern society and we live in an age with these seemingly magical devices that promise constant connection yet leave many of us feeling stranded. Beyond the role of technology in our lives, this play also reminds us about the fortunes to be made with the often illegal sale of human organs. Though a secondary theme, it is one that cannot be overlooked because it profoundly affects the main character in this Hitchcock-style production. First Productions Sarah Ruhls Dead Mans Cell Phone was first performed in June 2007 by the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. In March 2008 it premiered both in New York via Playwrights Horizons and Chicago via Steppenwolf Theatre Company. The Basic Plot Jean (unmarried, no children, approaching 40, an employee at the Holocaust museum) is innocently sitting at a cafe when a mans cellphone rings. And rings. And keeps on ringing. The man doesnt answer because, as the title suggests, hes dead. Jean, however, does pick up, and when she discovers that the cellphone owner has quietly died in the cafe. She not only dials 911, but she also keeps his phone in order to keep him alive in a strange yet significant way. She takes messages from the dead mans business associates, friends, family members, even his mistress. Things get even more complicated when Jean goes to the funeral of Gordon (the dead guy), pretending to be a former co-worker. Wanting to bring closure and a sense of fulfillment to others, Jean creates confabulations (Id call them lies) about Gordons last moments. The more we learn about Gordon the more we realize he was a terrible person who loved himself far more than anyone else in his life. However, Jeans imaginative reinvention of his character brings peace to Gordons family. The play takes its most bizarre turn when Jean discovers the truth about Gordons career: he was a broker for the  illegal sale of human organs. At this point, a typical character would probably back off and say, Im way over my head. But Jean, bless her eccentric heart, is far from typical, and so she flies to South Africa in order to donate her kidney as a sacrifice for Gordons sins. My Expectations Normally, when Im writing about the characters and themes of a play, I leave my personal expectations out of the equation. However, in this case, I should address my bias because it will have an impact on the rest of this analysis. Here goes: There are a handful of plays that, before I read or watch them, I make certain not to learn anything about them. August: Osage County was one example. I purposely avoided reading any reviews because I wanted to experience it on my own. The same held true for Dead Mans Cell Phone. All I knew about it was the basic premise. What an awesome idea! It had been on my list 2008, and this month I finally got to experience it. I have to admit, I was disappointed. The surrealistic goofiness doesnt work for me the way it works in Paula Vogels The Baltimore Waltz. As an audience member, I want to witness realistic characters in bizarre situations, or at the very least bizarre characters in realistic situations. Instead, Dead Mans Cell Phone offers a strange, Hitchcockian premise and then populates the storyline with silly characters who occasionally say smart things about modern society. But the sillier things get, the less I want to listen to them. In surrealism (or quirky farces), readers shouldnt expect believable characters; generally, the avant-garde is about the mood, the visuals, and the symbolic messages. Im all for that, dont get me wrong. Unfortunately, I had constructed these unfair expectations that didnt match the play Sarah Ruhl had created. (So now I should just shut up and watch North by Northwest  again.) Themes of Dead Mans Cell Phone Misguided expectations aside, theres much to discuss in Ruhls play. The themes of this comedy explore Americas post-millennial fixation with wireless communication. Gordons funeral service is interrupted twice by ringing cell phones. Gordons mother bitterly observes, Youll never walk alone. Thats right. Because youll always have a machine in your pants that might ring. The majority of us are so anxious to pick up as soon as our BlackBerry vibrates or a funky ringtone erupts from our iPhone. Are we craving a specific message? Why are we so inclined to interrupt our daily lives, maybe even thwart an actual conversation in real time in order to satisfy our curiosity about that next text message? During one of the cleverest moments in the play, Jean and Dwight (Gordons nice-guy brother) are falling for each other. However, their blossoming romance is in jeopardy because Jean cannot stop answering the dead mans cell phone. The Body Brokers Now that I have experienced the play first hand, Ive been reading the many positive reviews. Ive noticed that all of the critics laud the obvious themes about the need to connect in a technology-obsessed world. However, not too many reviews have paid sufficient attention to the most disturbing element of the storyline: the open market (and often illegal) trade of human remains and organs. In her acknowledgments, Ruhl thanks Annie Cheney for writing her investigative expose book, Body Brokers. This non-fictional book offers a disturbing look at a profitable and morally reprehensible underworld. Ruhls character Gordon is part of that underworld. We learn that he made a fortune by finding people willing to sell a kidney for $5000, while he obtained fees of over $100,000. He is also involved with organ sales from recently executed Chinese prisoners. And to make Gordons character even more loathsome, hes not even an organ donor! As if to balance Gordons selfishness with her altruism, Jean presents herself as a sacrifice, stating that: In our country, we can only give our organs away for love. She is willing to risk her life and give up a kidney so that she can reverse Gordons negative energy with her positive outlook on humanity. Review Originally Published: May 21, 2012