How to eat Essay Example for Free

How to eat Essay Trash Trash by Andy Mulligan, an important event in the book is when the police go to the dumpsite looking for the bag. This event is important because it make Raphael, Gardo and Rat curious, it also makes the police angry because they can’t find the bag. The last reason is that it’s a catalyst to other events in the story. The story is about three boys in a third world country who earn a living by picking through rubbish. One day they find a bag, the contents of it put them into a terrifying adventure, fighting against corruption and authority. In the event I chose when the police go to the dumpsite looking for the bag. The police go to the dumpsite asking the residents including Raphael, Gardo and Rat if they found a bag, but the police didn’t get any answers. The first reason why the police going to the dumpsite looking for the bag is an important event, is because it makes Raphael, Gardo and Rat curious. It makes Raphael, Gardo and Rat curious because they had the bag and wanted to know why it was so important. The police said â€Å"We think this bag might have something important in it to help us solve a crime.† In other words, the police looking for the bag is an important part in the story, and if the police didn’t go to the dumpsite looking for the bag Raphael wouldn’t have gone looking for answers. The second reason why the police going to the dumpsite looking for the bag is an important event, is because it is a catalyst to other events in the story. If the police didn’t go to the dumpsite looking for the bag Raphael, Gardo and Rat wouldn’t have gone to the police station to find out why the bag is so important. Therefore, the police going to the dumpsite looking for the bag is a key part of the story. The last reason why the police going to the dumpsite looking for the bag is an important event, is because it makes the police angry because they can’t find the bag and that makes them interrogate Raphael and that shows how the police are corrupt because they beat Raphael. â€Å"What did you find?† said the boss â€Å"I didn’t find a bag, sir.† Raphael said. In summary the police going  to the dumpsite looking for the bag shows how the police are corrupt. In conclusion, in trash the police going to the dumpsite is an important event for three reasons. These are it is a catalyst to other events, it makes Raphael Gardo and Rat curious and it makes to police angry because they can’t find the bag. Andy Mulligan wrote this book to show the gap between the rich and the poor and how the police and government are corrupt. The police going to the dumpsite looking for the bag illustrates this by showing that the police will do anything to protect themselves and the government. This is a powerful life message.

Sixth Sense Technology Introduction

Sixth Sense Technology Introduction Abstract: ‘Sixth Sense is a wearable gesture interface that augments the physical world around us with digital information and lets us use natural hand gestures to interact with that information. This technology will definitely give the user a new way of seeing the world with information at their fingertips it has been classified under the category ‘wearable computing’. The true power of Sixth Sense lies on its potential to connect the real world with the Internet, and overlaying the information on the world itself. The key here is that Sixth Sense recognizes the objects around you, displaying information automatically and letting you access it in any way you want, in the simplest way possible. This paper gives you just introduction about sixth sense. This paper makes you familiar with sixth sense technology which provides freedom of interacting with the digital world using hand gestures. The sixth sense prototype is comprised of pocket projector, a mirror, mobile components, color markers and a camera. The sixth sense technology is all about interacting to the digital world in most efficient and direct way. Sixth Sense devices are very much different from the Computers; this will be a new topic for the hackers and the other people also. Everyone can get general idea of sixth sense technology by look at this paper. Keywords: Sixth Sense, wearable computing, Augmented Reality, Gesture Recognition, Computer Vision __________________________________________________________*****_________________________________________________________ 1. INTRODUCTION We’ve evolved over millions of years to sense the world around us. When we encounter something, someone or some place, we use our five natural senses which include eye, ear, nose, tongue mind and body to perceive information about it; that information helps us make decisions and chose the right actions to take. But arguably the most useful information that can help us make the right decision is not naturally perceivable with our five senses, namely the data, information and knowledge that mankind has accumulated about everything and which is increasingly all available online. Although the miniaturization of computing devices allows us to carry computers in our pockets, keeping us continually connected to the digital world, there is no link between our digital devices and our interactions with the physical world. Information is confined traditionally on paper or digitally on a screen. Sixth Sense bridges this gap, bringing intangible, digital information out into the tangible world, and allowing us to interact with this information via natural hand gestures. ‘Sixth Sense’ frees information from its confines by seamlessly integrating it with reality, and thus making the entire world your computer. All of us are aware of the five basic senses – seeing, feeling, smelling, tasting and hearing. But there is also another sense called the sixth sense. It is basically a connection to something greater than what their physical senses are able to perceive. To a layman, it would be something supernatural. Some might just consider it to be a superstition or something psychological. But the invention of sixth sense technology has completely shocked the world. Although it is not widely known as of now but the time is not far when this technology will change our perception of the world. Fig. 1.1: Six Senses Sixth Sense is a wearable â€Å"gesture based† device that augments the physical world with digital information and lets people use natural hand gestures to interact with that information. Right now, we use our devices (computers, mobile phones, tablets, etc.) to go into the internet and get information that we want. With Sixth Sense we will use a device no bigger than current cell phones and probably eventually as small as a button on our shirts to bring the internet to us in order to interact with our world! Sixth Sense will allow us to interact with our world like never before. We can get information on anything we want from anywhere within a few moments! We will not only be able to interact with things on a whole new level but also with people. One great part of the device is its ability to scan objects or even people and project out information regarding what you are looking. 1.1 History and Evolution of Sixth Sense Technology Steve Mann is father of sixth sense who made a wearable computer in 1990. The Sixth Sense Technology was first implemented as the neck worn projector + camera system. He was a media lab student at that time. There after it was used and implemented by an Indian who is the man has become very famous in the recent Pranav Mistry. There will be a long future rather than the short period of history for the Sixth Sense technology. 1.2 Why choose Sixth Sense Technology This sixth sense technology provides us with the freedom of interacting with the digital world using hand gestures. This technology has a wide application in the field of artificial intelligence. This methodology can aid in synthesis of bots that will be able to interact with humans. This technology enables people to interact in the digital world as if they are interacting in the real world. The Sixth Sense prototype implements several applications that demonstrate the usefulness, viability and flexibility of the system [4]. 2. CONSTRUCTION AND WORKING The Sixth Sense prototype comprises a pocket projector a mirror and a camera contained in a pendant like, wearable device. Both the projector and the camera are connected to a mobile computing device in the user’s pocket. The projector projects visual information enabling surfaces, walls and physical objects around us to be used as interfaces; while the camera recognizes and tracks users hand gestures and physical objects using computer-vision based techniques. The software program processes the video stream data captured by the camera and tracks the locations of the colored markers (visual tracking fiducials) at the tip of the user’s fingers. The movements and arrangements of these fiducially are interpreted into gestures that act as interaction instructions for the projected application interfaces. Sixth Sense supports multi-touch and multi-user interaction. Fig. 2.1: Sixth Sense Technology Working 3. TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE RELATED TO SIXTH SENSE DEVICES 3.1. Augmented Reality The augmented reality is a visualization technology that allows the user to experience the virtual experience added over real world in real time. Augmented reality adds graphics, sounds, hepatic feedback and smell to the natural world as it exists [3]. 3.2. Gesture Recognition It is a technology which is aimed at interpreting human gestures with the help of mathematical algorithms. Gesture recognition technique basically special type of hand gloves which provide information about hand position orientation and flux of the fingers [3]. 3.3. Computer Vision Computer Vision is the technology in which machines are able to interpret necessary information from an image. This technology includes various fields like image processing, image analysis and machine vision. It includes certain aspect of artificial intelligence techniques like pattern recognition [3]. 3.4. Radio Frequency Identification Radio Frequency Identification systems transmit the identity of an object wirelessly, using radio magnetic waves. The main purpose of this technology is to enable the transfer of a data via a portable device. This technology is widely used in the fields like asset tracking, supply chain management, manufacturing, payment system etc [3]. 4. APPLICATIONS The Sixth Sense device has a huge number of applications. The following are few of the applications of Sixth Sense Technology:- 4.1. Viewing Map: With the help of a map application the user can call upon any map of his/her choice and navigate through them by projecting the map on to any surface. By using the thumb and index fingers movements the user can zoom in, zoom out or pan the selected map[2]. Fig -4.1: Viewing Map 4.2. Taking Pictures: Another application of Sixth Sense devices is the implementation of a gestural camera. This camera takes the photo of the location user is looking at by detecting the framing gesture. After taking the desired number of photos we can project them onto any surfaces and then use gestures to sort through those photos and organize and resize them[2]. Fig 4.2: Taking Pictures 4.3. Drawing Application: The drawing application allows the user you to draw on any surface by tracking the fingertip movements of the user’s index finger. The pictures that are drawn by the user can be stored and replaced on any other surface. The user can also shuffle through various pictures and drawing by using the hand gesture movements[2]. Fig -4.3: Drawing Application 4.4. Making Calls: We can make calls with the help of Sixth Sense device. The Sixth Sense device is used to protect the keyboard into your palm and using that virtual keypad we can make calls to anyone[2]. Fig -4.4. Making Calls 4.5. Interacting with Physical Objects: The Sixth Sense system also helps to interact with physical objects we use in a better way. It augments physical objects by projecting more information about these objects projected on them. For example, a gesture of drawing a circle on the user’s wrist projects a watch on the user’s hand. Similarly a newspaper can show live video news or dynamic information can be provided on a regular piece of paper[2]. Fig -4.5: Watching News 4.6. Flight Updates: The system will recognize your boarding pass and let you know whether your flight is on time and if the gate has changed[2]. Fig 4.6: Flight Updates 4.7. Other Applications: Sixth Sense also lets the user draw icons or symbols in the air using the movement of the index finger and recognizes those symbols as interaction instructions. For example, drawing a magnifying glass symbol takes the user to the map application or drawing a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢@à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬- symbol lets the user check his mail[2]. 5. KEY FEATURES OF SIXTHSENSE Sixth Sense is a user friendly interface which integrates digital information into the physical world and its objects, making the entire world your computer. Sixth Sense does not change human habits but causes computer and other machines to adapt to human needs. It uses hand gestures to interact with digital information, supports multi-touch and multi-user interaction. Data access directly from machine in real time. It is an open source and cost effective and we can mind map the idea anywhere. It is gesture-controlled wearable computing device that feeds our relevant information and turns any surface into an interactive display. It is portable and easy to carry as we can wear it in our neck. The device could be used by anyone without even a basic knowledge of a keyboard or mouse. There is no need to carry a camera anymore. If we are going for a holiday, then from now on wards it will be easy to capture photos by using mere fingers CONCLUSION As this technology will emerge may be new devices and hence forth new markets will evolve. This technology enables one to account, compute and browse data on any piece of paper we can find around. Sixth Sense devices are very much different from the computers; this will be a new topic for the hackers and the other people also. First thing is to provide the security for the Sixth Sense applications and devices. Lot of good technologies came and died due to the security threats. There are some weaknesses that can reduce the accuracy of the data. Some of them were the on palm phone keypad. It allows the user to dial a number of the phone using the keypad available on the palm. There will be a significant market competitor to the Sixth Sense technology since it still required some hardware involvement with the user. REFRENCES http://www.pranavmistry.com/projects/sixthsense/ http://dspace.cusat.ac.in/jspui/bitstream/123456789/2207/1/SI XTH%20SENSE%20TECHNOLOGY.pdf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SixthSense http://www.engineersgarage.com/articles/sixth-sense-technology http:/www.ted.com/talkspranav_mistry_the_thrilling_potential_of_sixthsense_technology.html

The Dilemma Of Gay Marriage Legislation Sociology Essay

The Dilemma Of Gay Marriage Legislation Sociology Essay Ladies and gentleman, we are gathered here today to witness Adam and Steve in the bonds of holy matrimony. In modern society this topic is a never ending battle. Between government officials and religious beliefs and teachings there is never a shortage of reasons why some think that homosexual marriage is immoral and unnatural. However to some it as a natural occurrence between two attracted individuals. Either opinion relies on the individuals own definition of the word normal. Many of Americas government officials such as George W. Bush are strongly against gay marriage. They believe that the sole purpose for the marriage of a man and a woman is a means of procreation and establishing a family union which is the basis of building a stable society. By recognizing the right of the same sex marriage would bring to big of a shift in the fundamental definition of the word marriage. So, as to not discriminate against homosexual peoples the Domestic Partnership Law came into place. This law was developed to give limited rights to same sex couples without denying them their constitutional rights. Gay Marriage: the Dilemma The modern society currently faces a never-ending debate on whether gay marriages should be an acceptable part of society. The argument revolves around the immorality and unnatural nature of homosexual marriages as seen through arguments forwarded by government officials and supported by religious beliefs and teachings. In opposition, some individuals argue that homosexual marriage is a natural occurrence between two individuals attracted to each other. Despite the basic argument, each opinion relies on the advocates definition of normal. In opposition to gay marriage, government officials argue that marriage should be an institution formed between a man and woman for procreation and establishing a family with the intention of building a stable society (Prager, 2004). This means that if the government were to recognize gay marriages, it would redefine the fundamental understanding of marriage. The case for marriage being for procreation is shared among both government and non-government that believe it is through marriage that children are born and raised to be moral social beings. As presented by Schiffren (1996), the society is a blend of cultures and traditions presented through the family, which starts with marriage where a couples shares love and has children. The children learn the cultural values and traditions as part of their upbringing. This argument denotes that gay marriages do not offer an opportunity for procreation, and may be harmful to children when the couple either adopts or has a child. In a gay marriage children are deprived either a mother or a father, which means children grow without the love and care of the deprived parent or the cultural values that would have been impacted by the missing parent (Prager, 2004; American Family Association, 2005). Agreeably, the child in a gay marriage will have two mothers or two fathers, but he or she will be deprived the right to have the other parent because of selfishness by the gay couple that seeks to have a family outside the norm. To solidify the anti-gay position, the U.S. government has passed various legislatures such as the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) passed in 1996 during Bill Clintons tenure. The law denotes that no state needs to recognize marriage union between people of the same sex even when conducted in another state that recognizes the marriage (Kholer, 1996). The legislation continues to indicate that the government does not need to recognize same sex marriage or polygamous marriage. DOMA developed in response to fear by some states that they would have to recognize same sex marriages conducted in Massachusetts, which had recognized gay unions. With the passage of the bill, twelve states banned all forms of gay marriages including those conducted as civil unions or domestic partnerships, and twenty states constructed a similar law, while other twenty-six states adopted constitutional amendments banning gay marriages. The passage of DOMA may have been in contravention of the Full Faith and Credit clause that mandates states to respect and enforce judicial rulings from other states, a case that applies to court orders, recognition of legal status, taxation, and spousal and child support (Kholer, 1996). However, as the Supreme Court argues states may make exceptions to the clause, as has been the case in firearm control, employment discrimination, and disability rulings. Nevertheless, a few compromises have been made such as through the Domestic Partnership Law adopted in California that came into effect to ensure homosexual people did not suffer discrimination. The law offers limited rights to same couples as part of their constitutional rights by defining their relationship as a domestic partnership. A domestic partnership is recognized as a legal or personal relationship between two individuals living together and sharing a common domestic life though not joined by traditional marriage (Pawelski et al, 2006). The domestic law provides benefits relating to adoptions, dental and medical insurance, dependent life insurance, and rights to a partners property in case of death. Other states have provided for gay couples through a civil unions policy such as Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, Connecticut and Vermont, recognizing a gay marriage but without the benefit of a title. Other opponents to gay marriages are religious groups such as Roman Catholics that base their opposition on the teachings of Christianity, an issue also shared by government officials opposing the marriage. According to the Christian faith, a man shall marry only a man as stated in the bible, and any marriage related union between two men or two women is unacceptable (American Family Association, 2005). The faith case also underlines that God created marriage as a union to facilitate procreation, a factor that raises one of the questions raised by supporters of gay marriages that whether people unable to procreate should not get married or should not have sexual intercourse (Sterling, 2004). Despite this question, the opponents hold that gay marriages cannot lead to procreation, making them immoral as well as unnatural though different views of what is natural and moral may abide. The definition of natural is something accepted and considered ordinary, while unnatural refers to things that deviate from the norm (Corvino, 1997). In the contemporary society, gay unions are publicized as unnatural despite their being a common part of daily life. For example, in most television shows and movies, gay characters are emerging as central characters, sometimes portrayed as showing affection such as kissing. The media has especially been instrumental in creating doubts concerning the unnaturalness of homosexuality making it difficult to discuss the social effects of gay marriage and leading to an almost social acceptance (Kurtz, 2003). Within this setting, proponents of gay marriages wonder why they are considered unnatural. Furthermore, some argue that gay attraction is a normal part of life in similar fashion to heterosexual attraction. The notion is that the way heterosexual people are born heterosexual and are attracted to the opposite sex, so are homosexuals born h omosexual and attracted to same sex persons. Therefore, homosexuality could be viewed as a natural reaction to ones sexuality and the society learn to deal with the issue instead of demonizing. Following this train, the Church should change its definition of natural by reinterpreting doctrine and accepting new information and becoming more open minded about emerging ideologies such as homosexuality. Furthermore, even some churches have adopted the viewpoint such as the Episcopalian church that now openly ordains gay Bishops (Public Agenda for Citizens, 2010). The Christian doctrine stands on the ground that God loves and accepts anyone, irrespective of their sins; therefore, on the same principle, homosexual people that may deviate from the classical normal are acceptable to God. However, to accept the argument the church may need to reconstruct some of the basic believes such as those indicating marriage to be between a man and woman. In my personal opinion, I think the government is unjustified in its handling of the gay marriage issue in that denies a person the ability to be free in a land considered free and home to opportunities. Within a free country, people should have the freedom to express their sexuality as gay or heterosexual and not dictated to be heterosexual. Further, marriage should not be defined as only a union between man and woman, but between two people willing to live together and share the joys and sorrows that come with marriage. Unfortunately, only few states have accepted this definition and made laws to that effect such as California; nonetheless, even those without respective laws should respect gay unions from other states in accordance with the full faith and credit clause and the Supreme Court should protect this clause instead of affording states loopholes. Currently, the government is afraid that allowing for gay marriages will corrupt the society, ruin children and families, and th e possible social change that may occur due to giving homosexuals their rights (Schulman, 2009). Instead of holding on to this fear, gay people should be afforded the opportunity to live with each other legally and enjoy the associated benefits as heterosexual couples for only their lives are likely to change. Further, the church has been too harsh on the homosexuals considering them as unnatural; instead, they should embrace them and offer them Gods love a concept taught throughout Christianity, such as I learnt in Catholic School. God accepts anyone willing to come to Him despite his or her faults. Furthermore, even the church has gay priests, so it would be fit to have gay followers, the same way there are heterosexual priests and followers. Agreeably, allowing gay followers is unlikely to benefit the church, but neither is denying them. Therefore, the same way the church is willing to accept people with a multitude of sins including those from genocidal Nazi; it can accept people with a different sexuality such as homosexuality. In conclusion, gay people have the right to decide for themselves how they wish to live without political or religious influences. Whichever way they choose, whether to get married or be joined in a civil union should be acceptable without any occurring discrimination. A revolution towards accepting this attitude is already occurring in the media as television shows include gay people and air their relationships; however, this should not only stop with the media but be accepted across generations and social groups. Noting the current trend, especially among the younger generation, which is more accepting, the American society may come to accept homosexuals as it has accepted those with heterosexual tendencies.

Platos Republic: The Virtues :: essays research papers

Plato's Republic: THe Virtues I. The Virtues In Robin Waterfield's translation of The Republic,Socrates attempts to give a definition of justice. At the end of Book II he began a detailed description of the construction of a good city. The good city is a relation to the human soul, and its four virtues. In the following paper I will discuss the virtues, what they are and where they are found. Also discussed will be the foundation, arrangement, and the interconnectedness with each one. Next discussed would be the 3 "H's" and the understanding Aristotle has on the role of happiness in the moral life. Lastly, I will discuss the experience that I had that related to Leonitus. The four virtues used by Plato are prudence, courage, temperance, and justice. Plato relates the virtues to a community, which is made up of the rulers, army, and workers. Now the base line is the workers, and they do not try to blend with the army as the army doesn't blend with the rulers. When all of these do their own job, the community becomes one. The first virtue to be discussed is prudence. Prudence, also known as wisdom, is found in the rulers. "The people who have it are those rulers†¦" (428d) In order to have wisdom one must be resourceful, in which he/she has obtained knowledge. Plato says, "†¦ resourcefulness is obviously a kind of knowledge†¦ it's not ignorance which makes people resourceful; it's knowledge." (428b) The second virtue is courage, which is found in the military section of the community. Courage is not the virtue of standing in front of a tank and say it will not hurt me, that is stupidity. Courage is the ability to apply what you have been taught: what is to be feared and what is not to be feared. Plato relates retention to courage, "I'm saying courage is a sort of retention†¦the retention of notion." (429c) The ability for one to retain what one has learned is courage. "Ability to retain under all circumstances a true and lawful notion about what is feared and what is not to be feared is what I'm calling courage." (430b) The next virtue temperance, is found in the workers of Plato's community. Temperance, also known as self-discipline, is needed by the workers, so that they do not desire to be in the ruler's position. It is seen that each position has its own importance in the community, and for the community to function correctly each one must agree on their position in life. Plato relates, "†¦ in this community†¦ the rulers and their subjects agree on

Illegal Street Racing Essay -- essays research papers fc

One of the fastest growing sports in the world is racing. Racing in general can consist of many different types such as: Drag Racing, NASCAR, Indy, Motor Cross, Truck Rally. The topic of racing that I am chose was street racing. Street racing originated from drag racing on the quarter-mile strip. The concept of drag racing is when two racers in different cars would line up at a white line, and in the middle of the two cars would be a light post, called the Christmas tree for its red, yellow and green bulbs. The tree does what a stoplight does, except backwards, it starts from red, then to yellow, then to green. On the quarter-mile strip, when the light hits green, the two racers are supposed to try to go as fast as they can before the end of the quarter-mile, which would then set off a electronic board showing their electronic times (E.T.) and their speeds. As the sport of street racing began to boom around the early ‘90s, people couldn’t really afford to go to a legal track and race their cars, because of the price that it cost and the rules that they had. So there was a street track that was created on Terminal Island, called the Brotherhood Raceway. The Brotherhood Raceway or Brotherhood for short was basically a quarter-mile drag strip that was put down on a closed off street, where street racers could go and find out their quarter-mile times and speeds for the price of nothing. This was a quarter-mile drag strip to keep racers off of normal streets and highways. Around time of the mid-90s, the Brotherhood was then closed down, forcing street racers to take their racing to another legalized track, or to the streets and highways. People say that street racing is bad, illegal and dangerous to everyone. There is another side which thinks that street racing is ok, and safe. All street racers know that street racing is illegal and can be dangerous, but in their minds they will think they won’t hurt people around them but accidents do happen. When it comes to racing on streets, racers an open or deserted street and line two cars up, and basically race off of the line and see who stays ahead of the other person, this set-up is basically like racing on a drag strip, just without lights and tech and safety people around. There is a person that acts like the lighting tree, who stands in the middle, and is called the â€Å"flagger.† This person puts his/her arms up, ... ...he track. That is why my opinion stands that they should re-open the Brotherhood Raceway, so racers can go and be safe while doing what they do. Street racing is a dangerous sport, but it’s a life and love that people have and are not willing to give up. I believe that as long as racers do what they can to keep street racing, that it should be legal. It all racers do their part in trying to keep it safe and not dangerous, then I think the government or city or whoever, should give street racers respect and allow them a place to have fun and do what they do best. Works Cited Atwood, Kathy. â€Å"Red Flag For The Racing Crowd.† Hearld Net. 2 January 2002. 13   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  April 2002 . Brown, John, Adam Jensen, Pat Silla, David Wong. â€Å"Streetracing: On The Inside.† 14 April   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2002   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  . Fontana, Aaron M. â€Å"The Fast and the Furious.† Entertainment Today. 10 April   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2002 .

Overweight Children Essay

Being overweight is one of the major health problems among the youth of today. In the United States, the number of children becoming overweight is steadily increasing as they allot more time watching TV, playing video games, and surfing or chatting on the Internet (Nemours Foundation, n.d.). According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, from the latter half of 1970s to 2004, the pervasiveness of excessive weight among children 2 to 5 years of age rose to 13.9 percent from 5 percent.   Among children 6 to 11 years of age, it escalated to 18.8 percent from 6.5 percent, while it increased to 17.4 percent from 5 percent among those who are 12 to 19 years of age (Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]), 2008). Thus, certain efforts were made by health and education experts to help parents encourage their children to engage in sports, exercise, and eat a healthy, balanced meal. After all, prevention is better than cure. If not taken care of, the excessive weight can make children vulnerable to certain diseases like high blood, diabetes, and other health illnesses (CDC, 2008; Boyse, 2007). Many experts suggest that one of the ways to help these children to lose weight without sacrificing the food that they want to eat is to encourage them to engage in sports and other group activities (Weintraub et al., 2008; Nemours, n.d.; Boyse, 2007). By engaging in physical activities, it will not only help the individual shed body fat, it would also promote self-esteem (Weintraub et al., 2008). Definition, Detection and Causes of Overweight   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Being overweight is a result of imbalance between the food intake and the activities needed to spend the energies taken (Daniels, 1997). It is characterized by an exceptionally large volume of body fat with respect to lean body mass (Stopka, 2005). To know if an individual is obese or overweight, his or her body mass index or BMI is computed (Stopka, 2005; Daniels, 1997). This method considers the proportionality of the individual’s weight to his or her height child (Stopka, 2005; Daniels, 1997). The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) states that individuals with BMI of 25 to 29.9 are considered as â€Å"overweight,† while those with a BMI of 30 and above is considered as â€Å"obese† (Stopka, 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A number of studies have discovered that that breastfeeding is associated with overweight children (Hediger, et al., 2001). Once a mother fails to nurture her child with the practice of breastfeeding, chances are that the child will become overweight in the future. Breastfeeding helps to lower the risk of obesity during the stage of childhood and adolescence (Hediger, et al., 2001). Most cases of overweight among children occur during the adolescence stage when the transition from child to adult happens (Hediger, et al., 2001). The food intake is later on built up as fats if not properly burned out of the body (Hediger, et al., 2001).   Fat distribution is also changed during this stage which also incorporates hormonal influences. The condition also varies according to gender. According to Heidger and his associates (2001), girls are more likely to be overweight than boys.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Most individuals on the adolescence stage are busy with their studies and participate in activities that will help them be informed and entertained. Many of them play video games and watch television after school as their own way of overcoming stress and pressures from school. While in the midst of these activities, they also munch junk food and drink sodas. As there are high amounts of calories in unhealthy food and drinks, they make children overweight (Collins, 2007). The incessant rise of fast food chains, consumption of calorie-dense foods and taking too much soft drink bring out more energy intake (Collins, 2007). However, this would not be a problem if the child regularly exercises and participates in activities. Lack of necessary exercise and physical activities also causes children to be overweight. When children eat more calories, they also need to burn more calories (Collins, 2007). Eating food that is detrimental to one’s health without enough physical activities to burn it will guarantee a child to be overweight (Collins, 2007). This is also said to be an environmental cause of obesity due to the technological means of entertainment available for children today. Collins (2007) calls this phenomenon as modern obesity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another cause of being overweight is the genetic roots of the child. The genes of the parents are inherited by children upon birth. Babies who are born to mothers who are overweight are more likely to gain more weight and are less active in actions (Collins, 2007). The metabolism of a child is also inherited from his or her parents. Thus, an obese parent whose metabolism is slow would have children with slow metabolism as well (Collins, 2007). The family eating habits also play a great influence as to why a child becomes overweight. Preparing and laying too much food on the table causes a child to eat more. Shopping and buying unhealthy foods and calorie-rich items will also cause the weight of children to increase (Collins, 2007). Effects of Obesity   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Risks are always present once a child is overweight. Chances are that the child will accumulate certain diseases most of which are related to too much calorie, cholesterol and sugar intake. Bone problems are also expected for overweight and obese individuals. The social development of a child is also affected because of being overweight. The overweight children may find it difficult to breathe.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Obese children are often inactive and lazy to do physical activities. This causes their hearts to weaken. With their relatively weak heart, it will pump harder than the normal sized individual. This condition is commonly known as cardiovascular abnormalities (Daniels, et al., 1997). Another cardiovascular abnormality that occurs in overweight or obese individuals is the escalation of blood pressure. When a child is obese, the blood pressure is more likely to increase. These cardiovascular abnormalities usually lead to a disease known as left ventricular hypertrophy which is a prevailing condition among obese and overweight children (Daniels, et al., 1997). This disease is characterized by an â€Å"increased left ventricular mass,† along with â€Å"lean body mass, fat mass and abnormalities in the systolic blood pressure† which predicts the accumulation of diseases such as â€Å"coronary heart disease, stroke and sudden death† (p. 804). Hypertension is also common for children with too much weight (Daniels, et al., 1997; Nemours Foundation, n.d.; CDC, 2008; Boyse, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The disease Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is also common among overweight children with a BMI of >30 kg/m2, which, according to adult standard, is counted as â€Å"obese.† According to the National Cholesterol Education Program, acquiring this disease also makes them vulnerable to cardiovascular diseases such as a coronary artery disease (Daniels, et al., 1997).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Being overweight also causes a child to mature early. In general, an overweight child’s body develops faster than those who have normal body sizes. Overweight female children also reach the pubertal stage earlier. This may be due to the fact that most overweight female children do not have strenuous activity that can help them lessen their weights. Since most foods taken by obese children are rich in oils and other fatty acids, they are also prone of having pimples, acnes and skin problems (Nemours Foundation, n.d.; CDC, 2008; Boyse, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Psychological and social problems are also present when a child is overweight. One of the most common issues on this is depression. When a child grows bigger than his or her peers, he or she is more likely to be humiliated and teased in school for having a different body shape. This is a delicate issue which the child may find hard to overcome. It also results in the child’s low self esteem and negative self image (Strauss & Pollack, 2003; Nemours Foundation, n.d.). The normal interaction towards other children is also limited because of this. More often than not, overweight children have fewer friends and their social life is limited to those who accept them as they are. Obese children are more likely to stay at home rather than go out and play with other people. They are isolated which makes them feel depressed, lonely, and stressed out. Teasing overweight children is also said to be associated with increased suicidal tendencies out of frustration and depression. Their condition causes them so many complications physically, emotionally and developmentally (Strauss & Pollack, 2003; Nemours Foundation, n.d.). Prevention of Obesity   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is better to prevent being overweight rather than regret it once a child becomes obese. This is not easy to do but it needs to begin as early as childhood days. This should be considered especially for those who are born to overweight parents. Behavior is also one good way of handling childhood obesity. Diminishing unhealthy eating habits and getting right exercise result in a healthier body and lifestyle. In addition, reducing stagnant physical activities like watching television and video games will also lower the chances of being overweight.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Limiting the intake of calories will also stop one from being overweight. Instead of drinking sodas and other carbonated drinks, a child may switch to drinking fresh fruit juices. Fresh juices are healthier instead of artificially made juices. Drinking the recommended number of glasses of water a day (8 to10 glasses) will also help in replenishing lost water in the body and digesting food easily, and therefore, prevent all those fatty food and huge amount of calories from getting stuck in the body. The children should also be advised to avoid eating meals in fast food restaurants, where the meals served contain preservatives and too much food extenders that have more calories (Matheson et. al., 2004). Parents should also encourage their child to eat home cooked meals and convince him or her that these meals are more delicious than those that can be bought outside. (Matheson et. al., 2004). This will also guarantee parents that the food eaten by their child is clean and well-prepared. The parents should also stop preparing large servings for their child, as this entices a child to eat more and makes him or her always expect the same size of serving every meal time (Matheson et. al., 2004). They should also limit the inactivity of children by giving them scheduled time for television and playing computer games (Matheson et. al., 2004). It will also help if a child is encouraged not to eat and watch at the same time. Too much focus on the television program makes a child unaware to the amount of food already consumed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For difficult cases like gene-related obesity, it is important to counter this by doing physical activities. Regular exercise helps to achieve good digestion and good metabolism. Physical activities such as â€Å"biking, walking, and swimming† can also be done with the whole family. These activities also help brings the heart in good condition. Playing ball games also prevents being overweight and helps children become more sociable towards their peers (Campbell et al., 2001). Basketball and soccer are some examples of sports which can help overweight children lose and maintain their weight. At the same time, by engaging in these kinds of group activities, they will enjoy themselves with their peers (Campbell et al., 2001). Indoor physically activities like dancing will also help children lose weight (Campbell et al., 2001).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In a recent six-month experiment conducted by Weintraub (2008) and her colleagues among fourth and fifth graders, they divided the 21 participants into two groups. The first group received a health education program after school, while the other was subjected to a soccer program. Midway through the study until the end, a significant decline in BMI was found among participants in the soccer group as compared to those who were in the health education group. In three months, there was also a considerable increase in the everyday average and strenuous physical activities among children in the soccer group. The authors concluded that making overweight and obese children participate in an â€Å"after-school soccer program† is a practical, agreeable, and effective method to control the weight of these children. Excessive weight increases the likelihood of children to acquire fatal diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. Being overweight also negatively affects their self-esteem and self-image, leaving them depressed as a result. Encouraging them to eat a balanced diet and do physical activities such as family and school sports can aid overweight children in losing and maintaining a standard weight. This is a great opportunity not only for the children but for the whole family to stay fit and active. References: Boyse, K. (2007, February). Obesity and overweight. University of Michigan Health System. Retrieved April 15, 2008 from http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/yourchild/obesity.htm Campbell K, Waters E, O’Meara S, & Summerbell C. (2001). Interventions for preventing obesity in childhood: a systematic review. Obesity Review, 2, 149–157. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2008, March 4). Overweight and obesity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved April 15, 2008 from http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/ Collins, Anne (2007). Causes of obesity. Anne Collins. Retrieved April 14, 2008 from:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.annecollins.com/obesity/causes-of-obesity.htm Daniels S.R., Khoury P.R., & Morrison J.A. (1997, June). The utility of body mass index as a measure of body fatness in children and adolescents: differences by race and gender. Pediatrics, 99 (6), 804–807. Retrieved April 14, 2008 from Pediatrics Database. Matheson D.M., Killen J.D., Wang Y., Varady A, & Robinson T.N. (2004). Children’s food   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   consumption during television viewing. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 79 (6), 1088–1094. Retrieved April 14, 2008 from the AJCN Database. Nemours Foundation (n.d.). Overweight and obesity. KidsHealth. Retrieved April 14, 2008 from http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/general/body/overweight_obesity.html Hediger M.L., Overpeck M.D., Kuczmarski R.J., & Ruan W.J. (2001). Association between infant breastfeeding and overweight in young children. The Journal of American Medical Association, 285 (19), 2453–2460. Retrieved April 14, 2008 from JAMA Database. Stopka, C. B. (2005) Chapter 18: Students with temporary disabilities and other special conditions. In J. Winnick (Ed.),   Instructors Manual, Adapted Physical Education and Sport, 4th Edition (pp. 323-340). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Strauss R.S. & Pollack H.A. (2003). Social marginalization of overweight children. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 157, 746–752. Retrieved April 15, 2008 from Archpredriatics Database. Weintraub, D.L., Tirumalai, E.C., Haydel, F., Fujimoto, M., Fulton, J.E., & Robinson, T.S. (2008). Team sports for overweight children. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 162 (3), 232-237. Retrieved April 15, 2008 from Archpredriatics Database.

Health Science

Ministry of Higher Education Oman Medical College Health Science Program By: Marwa Rashid Al-Flaiti Objectives: To fined the rate of fermentation of the apple and carrot juices, and compare their rates to each other. Introduction: Procedure: A 5. 00 ml of apple juice was taken in a clean 150 ml conical flask and diluted with 50 ml of distal water. Then, 2. 00 grams of Baker's yeast and 5. 00 ml of solution of Pasteur's salts were added to the above conical flask.The content of flask was shacked well and maintained the temperature of the reaction mixture between 35-40 ? c by using hot water path. After that, 10 drops of the reaction mixture from the flask were taken after 10 minutes and added to a test tube which contained 1. 00 ml of Benedict's reagent. The test tube was placed in hot water for about 2. 00 minutes and changes in color were noticed. The last step was repeated every 10. 00 minutes for 6 times.The same procedure was used for carrot solution and rate of fermentation for both solutions were found. Observation: * Volume of fruit juice taken = 5. 00 ml * Volume of dist. Water added = 50. 0 ml * Weight of Baker's yeast added = 2. 00 gm * Volume of solution of Pasteur's salts = 5. 00 ml Time (Min)| Color of reaction mixture on reaction with Benedict's solution in case of 😠 | Apple| Carrot| 10| Blue| Dark Blue| 20| Green| Green| 30| Green| Green| 40| Green| Green| 50| Green| Green| 60| Green| Dark Blue|