Recent Changes

Sunday, January 11

  1. page Earl2 edited Growing Up Female/Male in America in 2010 FemaleGrowing Up Female/Male in America in 2010 Female …

    Growing Up Female/Male in America in 2010 FemaleGrowing Up Female/Male in America in 2010 Female
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    were left out and shunned.out. Growing up
    {http://www.ltcconline.net/lukas/gender/roles/pics/roles8.jpg} Average Working Woman
    In this ad to the side we see a woman who is labeled as a "Career Climber", she is dressed in loose clothing and apparently trying to attract the attention of all males and use that attention to move up in the work place. And just looking at the Ad you get the feeling that if the attention is not enough, she probably has other means of moving up. Ad's such as this in magazines like Maxim have created a idea that women who are successful in the work place use sex to get to the position they are at, and if that is the idea that we choose to believe then it is also the idea that will come to pass in our culture.
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Monday, September 20

  1. 1:57 pm

Monday, June 14

  1. page Evan edited Evan Farina Growing up male in America {file:///C:/Users/CAMELC%7E1/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-scr…

    Evan Farina
    Growing up male in America
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    Whether you notice it or not, if you are growing up a male in America your entire persona and way of life have been shaped (in one way or another) by the various means of false text dished out by advertising companies. The term “false text” refers to any type of media which dishes out exaggerated and false information to the viewers of the text. Text, in the twenty first century can be anything from a magazine article (in its most literal meaning of the term) to a TV commercial played during the Super Bowl.
    One of the most prominent forms of false advertising can be seen through the commercials from one of the most successful body and shower wash companies in America. The company I am referring to is Axe. Known for their racy ads and banned TV commercials, Axe has taken advertising to a whole new level in the twenty first century. Using repetitive images of half naked teenage girls in the same picture with a normal looking teenage boy, it is no surprise the popularity which has grown between Axe and the teenage boy.
    While looking through dozens of old Axe commercials, it seems as though each successive ad had become more and more suggestive; as if to say “they are catching up to us, we need to extend reality just a bit more.” Axe lost all meaning of the word “discrete” when their slogan became “Axe: how dirty boys get clean.” When combining this slogan with an advertisement of a boy making out with five other girls, one has to wonder how the advertisement being watched has anything to do with body wash.
    One ad which caught my attention, titled “shower pooling” is an Axe commercial which is revolved around the idea of a group of people showering together. What first began as a boy and a girl under one shower head quickly turned into a group of five girls and one boy under one shower head. Soon thereafter the slogan for the commercial, “take action, take your clothes off…shower pool” could be heard from a young woman.
    See the video for yourself here:
    Here is a commercial (now banned in most countries) which caught my attention. Clearly it has absolutely nothing to do with body wash, rather the astonishing effects that come from using the body wash.
    In order to properly determine the effects which text produced by companies such as Axe have on young boys growing up in America, one has to dissect each successive video, article and picture portrayed and determine the effect that each piece of information will have one a person. The most obvious of themes portrayed by Axe is the repetitive image of the sexy woman. In each add produced by Axe, one can be sure to find a half dressed, sexy looking model – always in a suggestive position. Often times, the women seem to be desperate for the first male they lay eyes on (especially one covered in Axe products). In almost every single Axe commercial there is a woman either throwing herself at a guy or sometimes even another girl as if to say “purchasing axe products will get you a good looking girl.”
    The American Dream Today
    The American Dream, a term first coined by James Truslow Adams in his 1931 book The Epic of America was the belief that everyone was born with equal opportunity, and should have an equal chance to become prosperous, and wealthy throughout their lives. The American Dream, however, was not intended to be a free ride to prosperity rather an initial opportunity for one to work to become all that he can be. According to spengler's article What is American Culture (found here:http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/EK18Aa01.html), America is just one big "melting pot... a large suburban morass..."
    {mall_of_america.jpg}
    And to be honest, Spengler has every right to make that claim. If one were to look outside during any given moment in America there is a very good chance that his eyes will be clogged with shopping malls, superstores, and fast food restaurants. The American dream is dead, and in its place is a "misguided sense of egalitarianism" (Spengler). This belief of egalitarianism in America was first written about in the Declaration of Independence "…held certain truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness." Unfortunately, Americans today believe that this egalitarianism can be translated into "you may do as you please." Perhaps this is the reason that Americas culture has stripped down and lost underneath the thousands of shopping malls across our once pristine nation.
    One of my favorite comedians, George Carlin once said this, referring to the clean and beautiful continent we once had. "It was Paradise. Have you seen it lately? Have you taken a good look at it lately from an objective vantage point? It's F*ing EMBARRASSING. Only a nation of unenlightened halfwits could have taken this beautiful place and turned it into what it is today -- A Shopping Mall. A big f*ing shopping mall."
    In addition to transcontinental shopping malls, America has too become flooded by the mass popularity of fast food restaurants. Fast food restaurants were once limited to burger and French fry joints, but have now been transformed into a social phenomenon, and directly contribute to the melting pot which makes up American society. In most countries around the world, cuisine makes up a very large, and special part of a {http://i42.tinypic.com/16jlaas.gif} nation's culture. Each country offers their own variety of cultural dishes, each holding their own respective meanings. In the United States, on the other hand, food dishes have been transformed into their fast food counterparts. For example, authentic Mexican cuisine is now Taco Bell, fresh seafood is often enjoyed through the Long John Silver's chain, and lastly one can be certain to find a hamburger and French fries on the menu at any restaurant around the country.
    In contrast to America's immensely diverse citizen pool during the immigration boom of the late 1800's and the early to mid 1900's, America is now just one large "melting pot." All aspects of each unique culture have been thrown together, and "Americanized." American culture itself no longer exists, and with it went the American dream. The unique belief by Americans that hard work and equal rights would one day be rewarded with prosperity is long gone.
    Differences in Society
    {http://www.scholarshiplink.com/student-aid/images/World_Religion.gif}
    The single greatest difference which separates every human being across the globe is religion. Religion dictates how a person lives each and every day of his life. From one's overall attitude on life, to his views on the afterlife are shaped (in one way or another) by religion. Many quarrels are formed from the basis of religion in the respect that different beliefs between large groups of people spark violence. This is especially evident throughout the Middle East where the Israel and Palestine continue to fight over "religious land."
    Around the world, hundreds of religions exist while only a select few have been commonly selected as the "main religions." The main religions include Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Atheism. The very slight differences between such religions are the basis to most holy wars, and perhaps world wars. Just like any usual fight amongst a small group of people, religious fights are initiated due to one person's desire to prove himself correct, while putting down the other person's beliefs. For the reason that people feel very strongly about religion, these quarrels often turn into decade long battles, with death toles in the hundreds of thousands of people.
    George Carlin, a comedian who passed away just a few years ago had a skit which portrayed how views on religion can be comprehended in different manors. Carlin's skit, religion is bullshit pokes fun at the idea of a God, and religion itself. In his skit, Carlin refers to God (the almighty and all powerful figure in most religions) as an "invisible man" who's most important rules (the ten commandments) is really just a made up list of things that shouldn't be done. Furthermore, Carlin jokes about the fact that God is "all powerful, all
    knowing,all perfect, and all wise" yet just can't seem to handle money. He notes that religion takes in billions of dollars each year, while they do not have any taxes to pay at all.
    George Carlin, an average person who has a good sense of humor was able to bisect a subject which is usually only looked at in terms of "black and white" ideologies.
    The Original Terrorist
    America, home of the brave and land of the free. Known for its fair and balanced government, unmatched freedoms, and undeniable world strength, America has earned its place as one of the worlds greatest powers. With power comes responsibility, and in recent years America has made it its responsibility to sift through the world's countries for terrorists and every living being which poses a threat to the American democracy.
    Containing one of the most powerful, wealthy militaries throughout the world, America has had no problems with stepping directly into the business of other countries, as long as it results in a pro-democratic manner. Encounters such the Vietnam war, are precise examples to the destruction America produces while egotistically focusing on its own benefits. The Vietnam war was originally fought between North Vietnam (communists) and South Vietnam (anti-communists). The North was clearly more powerful which is what led America to assume its bab {def1.jpg} y sitter role and come to the aid of the South. After all was said and done, approximately 58,000 Americans, as well as 266,000 South Vietnamese had been killed fighting for democracy.
    The fighting in Vietnam still plagues its citizens up to the present day as harmful chemicals dropped during the seventies, are negatively affecting the current generation of Vietnamese children. "Agent Orange", the code name for the harmful herbicide which America dropped on South Vietnam nearly 50 years ago is still destroying families a half a century later. The chemicals used in Agent Orange produce dioxins which come with many negative effects including cancer, as well as begin terribly harmful to the environment. Furthermore, the herbicide's effects genetically transfer from one generation to the next causing massive deformations at birth. America dropped over 20 million gallons of this chemical over South Vietnam alone (http://www.fractalenlightenment.com).
    http://www.fractalenlightenment.com/2008/06/america-real-terrorist.html

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    7:11 am

Friday, June 4

  1. page Sophie edited ... For more information on this topic please see The American Dream Growing Up Female in America…
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    For more information on this topic please see The American Dream
    Growing Up Female in America
    {http://www.janespalstoys.com/kentuckyderbybarbie.jpg} {http://www.ildeltadellaluna.net/images/barbie07.jpg} {http://www.kennedycatholic.org/images/uploads/Image/Cheerleading%20WEB%20(2).JPG}{http://www.kennedycatholic.org/images/uploads/Image/Cheerleading%20WEB%20%282%29.JPG} {http://www.classymommy.com/blog/uploaded_images/American-Girl-Dolls-2-776229.jpg} {http://www.plaidstallions.com/kenner/bake1.jpg}
    Starting at an early age our society imposes gender codes on us. After analyzing advertisements for products specifically geared towards female and advertisements targeting females for specific objects, one can more clearly see the visible gender codes. For example, while advertisements of young girls commonly show them playing with dolls or easy bake ovens. In contrast to the gender specific female products, advertisements for products that have been defined masculine include objects such as violent toy action figures, guns, and cars. Consistent with advertisements for male items and contrasting female items, parents commonly follow these gender codes, imposing these restrictions on their children.
    When I was younger, I remember having many dolls. Initially, I did not question this. However, later I began to realize that I genuinely did not enjoy playing with dolls and toys that were defined as feminine. Originally, I though that this was not a normal feeling, for on television it was not uncommon for commercials to display groups of girls playing together with their Barbie dolls. These girls seemed to be having so much fun, whereas I did not feel this way. Confused as to why I was not enjoying this feminine activity, I felt like there was something wrong with me. However, as I got older and more accepting of myself this feeling quickly passed and I replaced my “playing” with Barbie’s with decapitating them.
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    For more information on this topic please see Less Than Their Share?
    REPRESENTATION OF DIFFERENCE
    Oceanlab: If I Could Fly Music Video Image
    {http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/7vc_bmW8TZw/0.jpg}
    Oceanlab Clear Blue Water - Watch a funny movie here
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    4:23 am

Wednesday, June 2

  1. page Adena edited ... American Dream Goes On. Representation of Difference {http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wDUZQhTkKvc…
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    American Dream Goes On.
    Representation of Difference
    {http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wDUZQhTkKvc/Sq4_faaQveI/AAAAAAAABPY/ddOU3xNN4sQ/s400/Different-Races-Are-Genetically-Prone-to-Different-Diseases-2.jpg} {http://ocw.mit.edu/NR/rdonlyres/Writing-and-Humanistic-Studies/21W-742JSpring-2007/69F2F058-52B8-4D18-A68A-342D6A5A9BC4/0/chp_race.jpg}
    {http://webpages.scu.edu/ftp/mmostamandy/Diversity_Matters_photo_without_wording__.jpg}
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    The heart of America is made up of its people. People residing in our nation come from every part of the world, are different in so many ways, yet share great similarities as well. Unfortunately, many of us learn about our “fellow” Americans by believing that the images that are portrayed in the mass media are accurate depictions of the cultural differences of others who share our country. Sadly, however, the images that we are shown each day on television and in movies provide us with negative racial and religious stereotypes.
    Stereotyping by the media is so commonplace that the following partial list represents just how small-minded we can be if we blindly believe in the images which we are forced to see on a daily basis. For example, oftentimes, people from the middle east are depicted as being sinister; Jews are depicted as being cheap; blond women are portrayed as being empty-headed and stupid; African Americans are depicted as being lazy and stupid; disabled persons are portrayed as being dependent upon others; Gay women are depicted as being masculine; Gay men are depicted as being effeminate; Italians are depicted as being linked with the Mafia; etc….
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  2. page Adena edited ... The “American Dream” Today For hundred of years, despite it’s flaws, people from all over the…
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    The “American Dream” Today
    For hundred of years, despite it’s flaws, people from all over the globe have come to America in the hope of being part of what has been known as the “American Dream”. As an immigrant just getting to America, they have big hopes and dreams. They are most excited about making a new life themselves and their families. Often times life in the countries that they are leaving behind has not been easy and freedom is not a concept that many such people have had the good fortune to previously experience. Sadly, on coming to American shores, many immigrants find their fortune in America will most certainly not be reached overnight. Many of these people find themselves struggling in menial jobs with absolutely no hope of reaching the levels of success that they had dreamed about before coming to America. When this happens the hopes and dreams of these people are stripped away and they are left with little to no hope. Whatever struggles immigrants are experiencing, they are made even worse when our nation suffers an economic downturn. At this time, immigrants who hold onto low-paying jobs begin to be resented by other people in the nation who have lost their jobs.
    {http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/housing/low_down/familytree.jpg}{http://www.bannerbank.com/RealEstateLoans/PublishingImages/PicketFence-Family_PP.jpg}
    This image depicts the hopes and dreams of almost every American citizen. However the cruel reality which many immigrants face when they come to this country is depicted in the following photograph. The white picket fence and their happy smiling faces say it all. Obviously this family must have worked hard and has got what they wanted throughout life.
    {http://notquiteamerican.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/homeless-dinner.jpg}
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    7:58 pm
  3. page Sam edited ... Americans are among the most diversified group of people in the world. Our origins are located…
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    Americans are among the most diversified group of people in the world. Our origins are located across the planet, from every continent. Cultures, traditions and languages have all met here in America to create somewhat of a ‘monster’ culture, one built of different nationalities stuck together. With this in mind, it is easier to understand how so many people in one country can define the American dream differently.
    If one were to ask 100 people what they thought the American dream was, then that one person would come to understand what makes the states so unique. Out of 100 answers, as with everything, there would be some total surprises. But for the most part they would all fall within the same idea, but never exactly the same. Though many would answer successful job, wealthy family and big house, they were asked to expand on their answer then thats when the differences become more apparent.
    ...
    that simple, {americandream.gif} and is
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    or politics.

    The Fixed Definitions of Homo and Heterosexuality.
    {webkit-fake-url://41446F9A-F93B-4F19-874D-782052D19530/gay-boys-with-crabs.jpg} gay-boys-with-crabs.jpg
    Some would say the stages of childhood can be categorized by the child's behavior towards the opposite sex. From birth to around the age three or four (for me at least it was five), most children have a neutral opinion on their counterparts. But past that age, for most until twelve or fourteen, children reach the ‘cootie’ stage in their path for adulthood. For me, this is one of the most interesting things in the field of biology, the complete phobia and fear boys have of girls (and vise versa) at this tender age. Yet, it seems even then we understand that it will in fact be one of the demonized girls that we choose to grow old with. At an age when our main fear is the decease that is only carried by the locks of hair of the opposite gender, we can still understand that in society it is not right to view the same sex as attractive.
    The ‘cootie’ stage in our lives is when we would be watching TV with our parents and a couple would start to kiss, making us feel occupied to look away. We viewed it awkward and inappropriate, yet at the same time if we saw two men or women kissing we might not have looked away, and asked a parent ‘why is that man kissing that other man?’ {webkit-fake-url://49FB3ADA-B71F-40D8-883F-615DC1282392/Gay-Teens.jpg} Gay-Teens.jpgBy the time we grow out of the ‘cooties’ stage and move into the teenage years of our lives, we at some point learn of homosexuality, and those considered ‘gay.’ Like most things outside of the cultural norm, the word gay, or lesbian, or any other associated words have a strong ideology connected to it. Most will tell you women who like men also like dresses, flowers, pretty poetry and chocolate. Those same people, who were raised to believe what they do about straight man and women, will most likely tell you the exact opposite about women who instead are attracted to other women. They will say they enjoy masculine activities, things that any popular diva would never want to be seen doing. Spitting, fishing, foul mouthing, fist fighting or straight up being a man. Society has no problem categorizing things that a straight person would do, and things a homosexual would do.
    As a child the issue of health care is no more then the idea of something that is broke should be fixed. But as I age and become closer to achieving my high school diploma the argument of what to do with the nation as a patient becomes more and more complex. In todays system it seems there are too many variables that can, or are going wrong. Yet people will still say America has the best health care in the world, even if some statistics say otherwise. But as of now America is the only wealthy, industrialized nation that does not supply a universal health care system to its tax payers (Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences). It seems like todays system is very controversial and according to President Obama needs to change. After looking into some studying myself, and wondering what I would like my experience to be like at the hospital as an insurance payer, I concluded there are two main problems with todays health care system. The first is producers that are necessity to some, like finger transplants or kidney surgery, should not cost someone their entire retirement savings. The second is insurance companies should not be looking to make a well sized profit over caring for those who need their coverage. These two flaws in our system is causing troubles with many in our nation to the point it has become the title argument on most news shows, symbolizing its importance.
    The United States is famous for having the highest grade medical doctors and equipment, most likely because of the great funding the hospitals receive through ordinary patient bills. Like the situation in Michael Moore’s film Sicko, one should not have to decide which finger to get reattached because two would be too expensive. For a lot of people they are hurt accidentally or unintentionally, meaning they should not receive a bill that can erase multiple years salary for something they did not intend on doing. With a government run health care system everyone would be covered, so the amount of overwhelming hospital bills for those that weren't insured and got an expensive injury goes down. According to the Health Affairs Journal in 2005 about half of the bankruptcy filing in the Unites States are due to medical expenses. Everybody makes mistakes, and sometimes they get hurt because of them. But nobody should have to file bankruptcy because of one mistake.
    Now with the health care debate at every Americans door it is apparent to most that some privately own health care business's use unethical techniques to push a profit, like rejecting an expensive yet extremely necessary surgery. This is something else that no injured person deserves, having their fait rest in the hands of a business man purely looking for the path with the most money. It is scary to think that one day I might need a procedure done in a hospital to potentially save my life and there is a chance an insurance worker at a desk rejecting it for profit. With a government run health care system this would be more correctly monitored, meaning if you need a procedure to survive you will get it.
    As we grow older health care will eventually become the biggest topic in politics. We will start to take more and more visits to the doctor as we age and grow out of our young invincibility. We all hope that if anything happens to us the professionals at the hospital or a private practice can catch it before it becomes a big deal. But when the unexpected happens and you find your self in a hospital bed, you do not want to be worrying about the size of the bill, let alone whether or not the insurance companies will allow you to be treated correctly. At a time of physical pain and suffering no one should have to deal with an outside stress, especially if it is the money that most work so hard to earn.
    The Two Problems Plaguing Health Care
    As a child the issue of health care is no more then the idea of something that is broke should be fixed. But as I age and become closer to achieving my high school diploma the argument of what to do with the nation as a patient becomes more and more complex. In todays system it seems there are too many variables that can, or are going wrong. Yet people will still say America has the best health care in the world, even if some statistics say otherwise. But as of now America is the only wealthy, industrialized nation that does not supply a universal health care system to its tax payers (Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences). It seems like todays system is very controversial and according to President Obama needs to change. After looking into some studying myself, and wondering what I would like my experience to be like at the hospital as an insurance payer, I concluded there are two main problems with todays health care system. The first is producers that are necessity to some, like finger transplants or kidney surgery, should not cost someone their entire retirement savings. The second is insurance companies should not be looking to make a well sized profit over caring for those who need their coverage. These two flaws in our system is causing troubles with many in our nation to the point it has become the title argument on most news shows, symbolizing its importance. {webkit-fake-url://2CCDFEC9-E32C-4711-98B9-34EB10E466C4/v146.jpg} v146.jpg The United States is famous for having the highest grade medical doctors and equipment, most likely because of the great funding the hospitals receive through ordinary patient bills. Like the situation in Michael Moore’s film Sicko, one should not have to decide which finger to get reattached because two would be too expensive. For a lot of people they are hurt accidentally or unintentionally, meaning they should not receive a bill that can erase multiple years salary for something they did not intend on doing. With a government run health care system everyone would be covered, so the amount of overwhelming hospital bills for those that weren't insured and got an expensive injury goes down. According to the Health Affairs Journal in 2005 about half of the bankruptcy filing in the Unites States are due to medical expenses. Everybody makes mistakes, and sometimes they get hurt because of them. But nobody should have to file bankruptcy because of one mistake.
    {webkit-fake-url://FB1144C3-A98E-4F57-8E45-3AF8C0845453/Healthcare.jpg} Healthcare.jpgNow with the health care debate at every Americans door it is apparent to most that some privately own health care business's use unethical techniques to push a profit, like rejecting an expensive yet extremely necessary surgery. This is something else that no injured person deserves, having their fait rest in the hands of a business man purely looking for the path with the most money. It is scary to think that one day I might need a procedure done in a hospital to potentially save my life and there is a chance an insurance worker at a desk rejecting it for profit. With a government run health care system this would be more correctly monitored, meaning if you need a procedure to survive you will get it.
    As we grow older health care will eventually become the biggest topic in politics. We will start to take more and more visits to the doctor as we age and grow out of our young invincibility. We all hope that if anything happens to us the professionals at the hospital or a private practice can catch it before it becomes a big deal. But when the unexpected happens and you find your self in a hospital bed, you do not want to be worrying about the size of the bill, let alone whether or not the insurance companies will allow you to be treated correctly. At a time of physical pain and suffering no one should have to deal with an outside stress, especially if it is the money that most work so hard to earn.

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    5:41 pm

Monday, May 31

  1. page Camryn edited ... Everyone’s definition of the American Dream is different, but we are influenced by what we see…
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    Everyone’s definition of the American Dream is different, but we are influenced by what we see in media, photos, and advertisements. For example, the first family of America is under pressure to give the impression that they are the perfect family and that absolutely nothing can go wrong in their lives even though the husband and father, currently Barak Obama, is the president of a country and plenty could go wrong. Michelle and Barak’s two little girls are always in perfectly pressed little dresses and Michelle and Barak always have huge smiles in every picture that is taken of them, similarly to the people in the first picture I talked about.
    Sometimes it doesn’t even seem natural. Many people think “there is no way they are that happy all the time,” but the fact of the matter is, it doesn’t have to be true…you just have to pretend it is.
    Find out more at: http://www.americansc.org.uk/online/American_Dream.htm
    Growing Up Girl In America:
    I think th {http://www.almostgotit.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/easybakeoven-2.png} is picture kind of speaks for itself. It is a picture of a young girl, probably around the age of six, baking with here Easy-Bake-Oven. Below the picture, there is a caption that reads "Easy Bake Oven. Teaching girls their place since 1963."
    ...
    Toys like these give young girls the idea that their place is in the kitchen and on some sub-conscious level discourage them from the workplace and teach them that their place is in the home, taking care of children and their husband.
    In a world where we are trying to teach girls that they are worth something and useful in our workforce, toys like these could potentially be a setback. Do I truthfully find anything wrong with the easy bake oven? No I don’t. I find nothing wrong with developing an interest in cooking and baking. I myself am going to culinary school. However, I do not think that toys like these should only be marketing to one specific gender group because this send out the wrong messages to children about what it means to be a boy and what it means to be a girl.
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    gender revolution visitvisit: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/gender/gender22a.htm
    Representation of Difference:
    Being gay in America. The story that begins through the back door: AIDS, poverty, the casting off of cultural constructs.
    ...
    To compare it to something far less serious, it is sort of like being left handed. It is not something you can help, however we use to think that people who happened to be left handed were the spawn of the devil. My Grandma use to tell stories of how she was smacked with a ruler in school when caught writing with her left hand. However, now we accept them but life is made just that little bit harder by being left handed because the majority of the population is right handed so we cater more to that majority because it just makes it easier on ourselves.
    Being gay however has become more and more acceptable in our culture no-a-days thanks to stars coming out to the public, like Ellen Degeneris and Chely Wright. Thanks to people like those more and more people are becoming less afraid to become themselves and stop hiding themselves. Granted we still have a long way to go. We will never fully understand but if we can just manage to accept everyone for who they truly are, than society as a whole will be a lot better off.
    Find out more at: http://gaygenderissues.suite101.com/article.cfm/homosexuality_a_lifestyle_repressed_by_religion
    Political Landscape:
    1993 was not a good year for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgenders) equality. President Clinton signed into law a policy that effectively bans gay, lesbian, and bisexual service in the military. Don’t {http://the44diaries.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/dont-ask.jpg} ask, don’t tell, otherwise known as D.A.D.T. is a policy within the United States armed forces that makes it so the army servicemen cannot be searched for suspicion of being gay and that they are also not allowed to disclose the fact that they are gay while serving {http://christianityandtheconfusion.blogharbor.com/_photos/Don%27t%20ask,%20don%27t%20tell%202.sized.jpg} in the American Armed Forces. Discrimination and oppression are inherent to D.A.D.T. A gay soldier must lie and hide his or her true identity on a daily basis. Gay service-members who live openly and share information about their spouses, significant others, or dating life risk investigation and involuntary expulsion. Under D.A.D.T., any statement that one is gay, to anyone, at any time, before or after enlistment , can be reason for investigation and discharge. Your life is a constant liability to your career when you are gay in the military. {http://es.toonpool.com/user/1626/files/political_ads_214065.jpg}
    D.A.D.T. does not fulfill its promises to the soldiers who serve in silence. There is a lack of protection for gay soldiers because harassment cannot be openly discussed. Reporting a verbal or physical threat that involves references to sexual orientation can spark an investigation that leads to discharge.
    While we have come a long way in our society as a whole, the don’t ask, don’t tell policy of the military shows that we have a long way to go before we are fully accepting of differences among people.
    For news on the current DADT repeals visit: http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/politics/mullen-wants-the-congress-to-delay-the-dadt-repeal_100372892.html
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  2. page kat5 edited ... JULIA Difference, diversity, change, variables, and new things are a good thing. In a society…
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    JULIA
    Difference, diversity, change, variables, and new things are a good thing. In a society such as the one we live in, all of these factors are essential towards making us a more intellectual and culturally accepting society. The beauty of growing up in America today is that I encounter many different groups of people on a day to day basis including people from different religions, ethnicity, cultural backgrounds, and beliefs. Throughout my lifetime I will hopefully experience many more different kinds of people. As we interact with "others" from different races and origins, we tend to become more educated and possibly appreciative of those "others" around us. For example, in first grade, I had a Mexican friend that was in my class named Julia. Her mother was a single mother that would walk her to school every day because the school system could not afford to provide bus transportation to the elementary students. Whenever we would see Julia and her mother walking up the massive hill to school, my mother would pull the car over and offer her a ride. Many of the other kids in my class didn't pay much attention to Julia because she was poor and quiet. However, with my personal encounter with her on a regular basis I began to understand that she wasn't as shy and unusual as many of my fellow classmates had seen her. I learned many things about Julia by just spending a short five minute car ride with her every once in awhile. It so happened that one day, her mother made her a great Mexican meal for her lunch one day, and she shared it with me (I had never had Mexican food before.) I quickly realized I was missing out on the great style of food that all the other kids thought was "weird" because it wasn't a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with some chips.
    ...
    food today.
    In South Hadley Massachusetts, a high school girl was bullied into taking her own life. Three 15 year-old teenagers were allegedly relentlessly making comments about her body type and weight. The girl was a fifteen year-old from Ireland that came over to attend an American high school.
    Why do we HATE?
    (view changes)
    8:06 pm
  3. page Kat3 edited ... The American Dream comes face to face with death Link to Video ... Preston, now 22, 23, …
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    The American Dream comes face to face with death
    Link to Video
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    Preston, now 22,23, suffers many
    {http://images.huffingtonpost.com/gen/129417/thumbs/s-PRESTON-PLEVRETES-large.jpg} Preston--Senior Portrait {http://freehold.injersey.com/files/2009/12/preston1.jpg} Preston--La Salle University College Football {http://assets.mediaspanonline.com/prod/3872134/1230concussion_w300.jpg} Preston, 23, with his father
    What does the American Dream mean?
    (view changes)
    8:03 pm

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