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(08/04/03 12:54am)
Scientific cloning is always a hotbed of debate. There seems to be some new reason to clone something or someone all the time, but now there seems the possibility of cloning the dead.\nSounds like a horror movie, but scientists in Japan hope to recreate a wooly mammoth from bone marrow, muscle and skin that was discovered in the Siberian tundra, The Associated Press reported earlier last month.\nThis animal has been extinct for more than 20,000 years. How would we benefit from bringing it back? \nWe wouldn't. \nIt borders on the lines of animal cruelty. It would be the only one of its kind and subject to scientific study its entire life. \nDidn't Michael Crichton teach us anything?\nThink of the other dozens of movies fueled by a plot consisting of a person from the past transported to live in present day or some person from an uncivilized or remote, rural locale taken to live in the city; it usually doesn't work -- they end up going home in the end. \nDidn't E.T. teach us anything?\nThis cloned beast certainly won't have the same environment it lived in during the Ice Age, nor will it have other mammoths to frolic with and do whatever it is mammoths do. It seems that it will be merely a product for scientific study. \nBack in May 2002, CNN reported the story of Australian scientists replicating the DNA of the Tasmanian tiger, an animal that died out 65 years ago. Mike Archer, director of the Australian Museum told CNN there currently was not a technology barrier but "only a hell of a lot of hard work." \nI hesitate to say the idea is "a crime against Mother Nature," partly because it's cliche and partly because cloning can be extremely important and beneficial in the case of stem cell research; however, I'm not sure this qualifies.\nInstead of using millions of dollars to reproduce an animal long extinct, why not use that money to help the animals on the brink of total disappearance? The World Wildlife Foundation (www.worldwildlife.org) reports that by 2025, one fifth of all the world's known species could be lost. These animals still have (at least some) of their ideal habitat remaining and could be living among others of their kind. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, there are a possible 1,895 manatees living in the waters of Florida. Only 196 Californian condors remain, rising from a population of 22 in 1982 after a captive breeding program. The right whale's count has dwindled to 350. \nWith no right whale, what's left ...\nWouldn't money and time be better spent helping these creatures stabilize their existence then bringing back to life one mammoth? Scientists aren't even absolutely certain the evidence found is a mammoth, but if so, they must then do testing to see if the DNA is well enough preserved to clone. \nI say stop all that now and direct the energy toward those who are barely living.\nJust because scientists might be able to reproduce something doesn't mean they should. What or who would benefit? It sounds like something that will turn into a doomed side show attraction or become subject to scientific study for life. We can't learn more about the ways of prehistoric life by recreating the mammoth and putting it in an artificial environment that could never be like its original surroundings.\nAll I can think about is the prophetic conversation between Dr. Ian Malcolm and Dr. Ellie Sattler:\nMalcolm: "God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs ...\nSattler: "Dinosaurs eat man. Woman inherits the earth .."
(07/21/03 12:46am)
A recent tragedy in Santa Monica, Calif., killed 10 people and left up to 45 others injured. This wasn't a mad gunman, terrorist attack, natural disaster or any other sort of epidemic. It was the result of a confused old man.\nWhy did 86-year-old George Russell Weller plow his car through a farmer's market last Wednesday? There is an investigation to see whether it was intentional, but this seems unlikely. Weller told investigators that he might have hit the gas pedal instead of the brake. \nPatti Yanochko, who was the coordinator of a statewide task force on older adults and traffic safety, told the Los Angeles Times, "Anecdotally, we have heard cases where older drivers have made that sort of mistake." \nThat's a big mistake.\nPolice also said that Weller recently damaged his own garage with his car. \nThis event has been raising concerns and questions about senior citizens on the road. Should they be allowed to drive, should there be regulations, and so on. But, first and foremost, driving tests for anyone over 70 need to be established. \nAccording to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 19 states require older drivers -- typically those over 65 or 70 -- to renew licenses in person, renew them more often or pass road and visiontests.\nBut this isn't enough. A driving test administered by a DMV official needs to be instituted in every state -- not just a renewal in person. A poll found on www.NBC5.com asked if seniors should be tested. Four percent (1,702 votes) answered no, while 38 percent (17,512 votes) said those over 65 should be tested and 34 percent (15,618 votes) think those over 70 should be tested.\nIn California, if this law would have passed, perhaps Weller's incident never would have occurred. NBC5.com also reported that in 2000 a proposal failed that would have required anyone over the age of 75 to take a driving test.\nThe bill was dropped due to senior groups protesting. \nI don't understand why this law isn't in effect everywhere or why there would be protesters. It is not prejudiced toward an age group, it is merely taking a safety precaution. According to www.seniorjournal.com, "Older adults (65+) have more crashes per mile driven than any other age group and are more likely to die in these accidents than any other adult age group." \nChecking whether a person is physically and mentally capable of driving is helping not only the others drivers on the road, but, of course, themselves as well. \n Currently, in some states only vision is assessed in these tests. However, www.seniorjournal.com found that these results are a weak interpreter of driving abilities because they do not fully mimic the demands of driving.\n When people age, things begin to slow down and fail, like vision, hearing and health -- this is not a mystery. Of course this is not the case with every person over 65 or 70, and many over these ages are very capable drivers. In those cases, they would pass a driving test with flying colors and shouldn't be concerned. \nBut some should be, like Weller. \nWeller is not a bad or evil person. He just should not have been driving. Maybe the only good that can be taken out of this tragedy is the prevention of future such occurrences if driving tests are properly put into action.
(07/07/03 12:12am)
Our nation just celebrated its 227th year. Wow. Think about all the huge, enormous, mind-boggling accomplishments and feats that have been achieved in that time block. One major advancement? The evolution of electricity. \nI was in my hometown for the holiday weekend and we were clobbered with storms, sadly canceling the fireworks showcase for not one but two successive nights. Mother Nature also decided to take out a few power lines with her, completely impoverishing my convenient and modern life. \nOur loss of power sidelined my Internet surfing, word processing and e-mailing from my energy-deprived home.\nI couldn't shower, make a cup of coffee, flush the toilet or check the news. How pathetic.\nNo electricity means no running water, no refrigeration, no microwaves, no computers, no television, no stereos, no washing machines, no blow-dryers … you get the idea.\nWhat in the world did Americans manage to do 227 years ago? What do the Amish do now? I just don't understand. We are an almighty, powerful nation, but take away our Internet, TV and power utilities and we fold into spineless nothings who complain like four-year-olds. Folk singer Ani Difranco so truly sings, "Take away our Playstations and we are a third world nation."\nLooking back into history, the electrical progression quickly took off after the invention of the Leyden jar in 1745 by Pieter van Musschenbroek. The device stored static electricity, and could be discharged all at once. This caused interest in electrical current and led to the invention of the battery around 1786, which paved the way for Ohm's law -- relating current, voltage and resistance, published in 1827 -- whatever any of that means.\nBut, it did equate into the rough development of an electric motor, later giving way to a generator, and the first power stations were built some 60 years later.\nCongress did not pass the Rural Electrification Act until 1936, spreading electrical power throughout the United States countryside. But since those way back days, we have become absolutely dependent upon everything modern and sustained by electrical current. Remember when you were a kid and wanted to be a pioneer or a cowboy, traveling by horse and covered wagon? Are we less creative and imaginative these days, or do we just want our MTV? Are we truly these sad creatures, helpless without running water and light bulbs?\nHmm, pretty much.\nIf some pioneer or cowboy who churned butter, hand-washed clothes, cooked by the open fire and read by candlelight had suddenly been given the gift of power, they would have thought they'd died and gone to heaven. Ha, if they saw a television, it would be over. Some channel is always airing westerns, "Bonanza" or "Little House on the Prairie." I bet some of them would even get a kick out of "The Osbournes." \n It's one thing to live your whole life without something, and keep on doing so, then to have something so convenient and necessary for modern living taken away from you without notice. That's my excuse anyway. \nJust like the pre-historic being evolved into today's human, people in the U.S. have evolved into a totally electricity-dependent society. It's how we have been brought up. This is a little depressing, reflecting upon the old days of the West -- the days of adventure and exploring -- but as the cable channel westerns prove, we still have a little of that. If only novel now, at least there's still that fascination with things of old and our natural desire for simplicity.
(06/23/03 12:51am)
Charles Schulz's Snoopy once soliloquized, "Yesterday I was a dog.Today I'm a dog. Tomorrow I'll probably still be a dog. Sigh! There's so little hope for advancement." \nGeez. I think our favorite beagle might be depressed. Actually, he might even be clinically depressed and going along untreated, as it seems many Americans (excluding dogs) are today. \nStudies in a recent edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association reveal that only one in five Americans with major depression are receiving effective treatment, and that 34 million people in the country experience depression at some point in their lives. \nRonald Kessler of Harvard Medical School in Boston, leader of the recent study, says the average person with major depression cannot function normally at work or during other activities for up to five weeks during the course of a year, as compared to 15 days of commission for people who have diabetes or hypertension. Even more disturbing is that this minimized attitude people tak toward their mental health adds up, literally. Depressed adults routinely go to work, but lack strong concentration abilities, therefore lowering company productivity. Because of this, depression can cost employers an estimated $31 billion a year, according to the AMA study. \nAnother study, led by Walter Stewart of AdvancePCS Center for Work and Health, found employed adults lose approximately eight hours of productivity a week. In our society, there seems to be some sort of unwritten rule that states we must always be invulnerable and "OK." We are embarrassed or unwilling to admit we might have problems that could require additional assistance besides some over-the-counter drugs or a good nap. There is the stigma that people just need to get over things, or "tough it out." \nIn some cases, this might be true. A break-up with a boyfriend or girlfriend or your favorite TV show being canceled cause some temporary sadness, but that is not what I am talking about here. Serious depression is a mental illness that requires some sort of treatment, whether it be medication, therapy or both. \nWhy is it that when people talk about "taking care" of themselves, this is so often thought of as simply physical health? Even many health insurances do not give adequate mental health coverage, a factor contributing to the lack of adults seeking help with depression. \nHowever, with these recent studies, evidence "confirms there's no scientific justification for treating mental disorders any differently than physical disorders," said Thomas Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health. Insel also said 30,000 Americans killed themselves last year, a statistic that almost doubles the number of homicides.\nDepression is not a small public health problem ... and only 21 percent are getting adequate care? I don't think that's acceptable. We wouldn't accept it for diabetes or hypertension, and we shouldn't accept it for depression.\nOur culture needs to reframe the image in which we view health. It's not just runny noses and broken bones -- it encompasses mind, body and spirit, all of which must be regulated and nourished. Snoopy might be a dog today and still tomorrow, but he can enjoy himself if he gets the proper treatment.
(06/09/03 1:14am)
Since AIDS and the HIV virus became a mainstream issue and concern of American society, the question of sex education and condom distribution in our high schools has sparked controversy and debate. Teenagers must have availability to condoms if they're going to be sexually active, the liberal side asserts. The conservatives, on the other hand, declare that providing teens with condoms encourages sex. This is a tired argument, with both sides remaining adamant in their opinions. \nI have never really understood how promoting safe sex automatically equates to any sort of activity. If teens are going to have sex, they are just going to, so it might as well be safe. The added presence or availability of protection isn't going to make a student exclaim, "Condoms! WOW! Now I can have sex!"\nA recent study published in the June issue of the American Journal of Public Health showed that teens whose high schools have condoms available were not more likely to have sex. \n"Condom availability was not associated with greater sexual activity among adolescents but was associated with greater condom use among those who were already sexually active, a highly positive result," said Susan M. Blake of George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services in the Journal.\nThe research took place in high schools throughout Massachusetts, where programs in condom education are endorsed. In most cases, students could obtain condoms from a school nurse or other staff members. Sexual behavior of approximately 4,000 students was compared, a quarter of whom had condom programs in their school. Half of the students, grades 9-12, reported they had sex, with 60 percent reporting they used a condom on the last occasion. The stigma, among more traditional parents and educators throughout school communities, that condom education and accessibility leads to a rise in sexual activity seems to be refuted. \n"The concerns of the small minority of parents who oppose providing condoms or related instruction in schools were not substantiated," Blake commented.\nSome results show that students who attended schools with condom programs were even less likely to have sex. \nSo what does all this mean? Obviously, talking about sex and familiarizing students with their responsibilities and risks of being sexually active is not a bad thing. For too long, conservative communities have lived under the assumption that if something isn't talked about, it won't happen. Actual discussion might plant ideas in little children's heads…\nIn this day and age, we cannot do that. We cannot take a passive approach at sexual health and education with today's risks. While many advances have been made in treating HIV/AIDS, it is still out there, and it is still a prominent concern. According to
(01/13/03 4:42am)
Well, the major television networks have tapped into something big: Americans love watching people be exploited, especially in the most intimate and personal of moments. And what is better television than reality dating? The parade of reality programs has been a part of pop culture since "Survivor" first hit it big three years ago. Quick to cash in on its high ratings, television producers have been turning out show after show, each with its own distinct gimmick. Apparently, we love watching "people like us" as opposed to those from Hollywood factory, but aren't we going too far?\nThe latest design allows viewers to witness "love" in the making. "The Bachelor," and now "The Bachelorette" are interesting premises -- various contestants all vying to be the chosen one.\n"Until they beat it to death, they're going to figure out every Bachelor/Bachelorette clone you can come up with," said Magna Global USA ad analyst Steve Sternberg.\nFox's "Joe Millionaire" adds an even more unnatural element to the dating process -- a big fat lie. We've all seen the commercials -- Joe isn't really a millionaire! People definitely want to see what happens in this weird, doom-destined scenario, because the "Joe Millionaire" premiere earned an estimated 18.6 million viewers, and "The Bachelorette" tallied similar numbers, according to USA Today. \nDo these shows' creators have no shame? If they make the show, inevitably they will be able to find people willing to be on it. It's our 15 minutes of fame mentality. I can't help but feel sorry for "The Bachelor" or "Joe Millionaire." Ultimately, these make-believe relationships will fail. A healthy, loving relationship cannot be manufactured for the sake of a TV show. Imagine one of these guys trying to get a girlfriend outside the show. There will be those who would want a date with "The Bachelor," but one date would probably be it. I mean, can you be serious with someone known to the world as "The Bachelor" or "Joe Millionaire?"\nThe shows reflect a somewhat nasty side of human nature. The networks know these shows will get big ratings because something outrageous has to happen; someone will get mad, hurt, or devastated. \nFox reality programming chief Mike Darnell told MSNBC, "In the end, he must reveal to her that he's basically broke. We get to see if she still wants to be with him. It's a spectacular show with a spectacular ending." \nThis "spectacular" ending could end up being poor "Joe Millionaire" being rejected on national television. Wow, spectacular. With both shows, disappointment becomes the main event, with so much built around the rejection of each man or woman. Do we like seeing people be hurt? Do we want to see "Joe Millionaire" dumped when the "lucky" girl finds out he is just a construction worker?\nAnd yet, millions still watch. It is that allure of trash television that catapulted Jerry Springer into the limelight. People will do just about anything to be on TV, and to think they just might get a boyfriend or girlfriend out of the deal! And, of course, those producers aren't hesitating to expose and ridicule others for some big ratings.\nIsn't that what reality television is all about? Maybe we should revert back to the time when reality television was just documentaries, and not extreme exploitation.
(12/10/02 4:30am)
We all laugh and make jokes concerning the now infamous dorm porn. But this is not a column about sex in college dormitories. It's about sex in middle schools.\nLast week, ABC News reported the increasing pressure young adults feel to engaged in sexual activities. Someone might think the story was a typical "wait until you're married'' pitch geared towards 17- and 18-year-olds or college students. \nBut this sexual pressure was pertaining to 13-year-olds. Anya Alvarez, a 13-year-old from Tulsa, Okla., agreed to record a video diary for the news program. She admits to worrying about whether to have sex, recalling "an incident with a guy and it wasn't a very good one." \nAlvarez, barely considered a woman, believes this guy " ... didn't care about me. It felt, I just felt dirty, I guess … After that I realized, you know, I wasn't important to him at all."\nIs this a worry a middle schooler should have? Those awkward years seem defined by how we're regarded by our peers, and for middle school girls nowadays, it's a fiercely sharp double-edged sword. \n"There's one girl at our football games that like gave oral sex to five different football players," Alvarez explained. This sexual promiscuity can quickly elevate popularity, but at the same time eradicates respect. For the girls, they become a "slut" while the boys are just being boys. \n"Guys don't get labeled if they have sex with girls," Alvarez said. This concept has been debated and pondered over for ages, but it's one thing when 18-year-olds are doing the contemplating as compared to 12- or 13-year-olds who are just beginning to understand themselves sexually. The lines between peer acceptance and personal choice are blurred into something indistinguishable. \nThe problem is a result of our society's hush-hush attitude toward sex and sexual education. The old conservative debate arises, and parents feel if we tell kids about sex, they'll experiment. If we don't talk about it, they won't do anything.\nHmm, yeah, that seems like a real winning argument. \nWell, sex is everywhere and every kid knows about or has some hint of it. Without proper early education, it becomes a forbidden fruit, and teens and pre-teens will use it to rebel.\nOn www.abcnews.com, it was reported that two 12-year-old students had oral sex in their science class while classmates watched. I don't think these were amorous star-crossed lovers proving their devotion for one other. They were making a show, impressing their peers by doing what they knew they shouldn't be. \nThe key is to teach kids early. Education programs through school are good but through parents is better. Sex educator Deborah Roffman wrote, "Sex and Sensibility: The Thinking Parent's Guide to Talking About Sex" in attempt to help parents with the awkward task of talking to their children about sex. \n"If there was smallpox in the street, we wouldn't say, 'Oh, I'm too uncomfortable with that subject.' We would figure out a way to get through our discomfort, and talk to them in the ways that they need for us to talk to them," Roffman said.\nNickelodeon is also smartly making efforts to make sex less of a taboo subject. On their Web site, www.nick.com, parent/child sex talks are highly encouraged. The site addresses parents saying, "It is important that they understand that sexual relationships involve caring, concern and responsibility. By discussing both the physical and emotional aspects of relationships, your child will be better informed to make decisions later on."\nThese steps and strides have to be made in order for pre-teens and teens to see that sex isn't something to use for popularity or rebellion. The more comfortable our society becomes in handling the subject, the fewer pressures youth will have regarding their own sexuality.
(11/26/02 4:24am)
You know, she's still Jenny from the block. She used to have a little, but now she has a lot -- like millions of dollars, Ben Affleck, and this year, Jennifer Lopez has reached the coveted status of pop culture darling. \nWith that title, she has become prime target for public scrutiny and worship in a nation obsessed with celebrities. Yeah, that's right: Obsessed. A country that produces Us Weekly has to be. Have you ever read Us Weekly? It is the saddest excuse for any attempt at journalistic integrity, and perhaps that's just why people read it. Thumbing through an issue, you might possibly discover what stars of the moment are or aren't eating, the exact components of their trash or maybe even what they bought from Saks Fifth Avenue or Fred Segal last week. \nHow do I know this? I, too, sadly am a participant in this national pastime. I read People, watch E!, and know a plethora of useless superstar trivia. \nBut doesn't it seem hard to avoid sometimes? ABC's "Primetime Live," a generally respected nighttime news program aired the much promoted Diane Sawyer interview with Miss J. Lo herself. The interview is just one of several "big'' name interviews the program has lined up. \nTowards the end of the interview, ABC aired a preview for another much hyped "exclusive:" Whitney Houston, and the truth behind all the tabloid headlines. This past Thursday, "Primetime" reporter Jay Schadler talked with who else? Eminem's mom.\nWhy the focus on celebrities, as opposed to more news-orientated topics? Well, it sells. The Jennifer Lopez interview landed the struggling ABC network a good 10.5 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. \nCelebrity worship is not a new concept but our definition of celebrity is. Before television and the mass media, there was the classic movie star. Before that, it was the hero. \nThere is the argument of a decline in 20th and 21st century morals with this celebrity versus hero idolatry. Paul Hollander, a professor emeritus of sociology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, recently wrote to the National Review Online on this question. He was commenting on an article in The New Yorker about Puff Daddy, or P. Diddy. Well, you know, Sean Combs. Hollander says, "The elevation of Puff Daddy to celebrity status illustrates a phenomenon that will one day be of interest to social historians seeking to understand the sources and manifestations of American cultural decline in the late 20th and early 21st century. It may be argued that the rise and veneration of celebrities has been a characteristic expression of this decline."\nOuch. He goes on to quote a famed social historian, Daniel Boorstin, who spoke to the issue of celebrity and hero nearly 50 years ago; a hero earns his "idol-" like status and is "distinguished by his achievement'' while a celebrity's is merely created by the media and that anyone can become a celebrity if "he can get into the news and stay there."\nBut don't some stars merit their fame from their talent? Sean Combs might not be Abraham Lincoln or Ghandi, but he is a self-made man. It takes something more than the media to become a business, fashion, and hip-hop mogul. Doesn't it? Maybe I am being too naive. \nWell, he did date Jennifer Lopez ...\nBeing entertained and interested by personal details of the rich and famous always has and will be something we find amusing. But, there is a fine line. Lately, it seems evident we have become a little too obsessed and need to focus on our own lives.\nOkay, enough. I have to go watch E!'s "Revealed with Jules Asner'' now.
(11/12/02 4:38am)
My grandfather started smoking when he was nine years old. Over the course of his life, he developed serious health conditions, partly attributed to his bad habit. Throughout my childhood, he was in and out of the hospital; news of his death would not have been a surprise. But it wasn't until years later that he passed away. Someone else's life was taken first. His wife, my grandmother, died seven months after she was diagnosed with lung cancer.\nMy grandmother never smoked a cigarette in her life.\nSecondhand smoke is classified as a known cause of lung cancer, resulting in an estimated 3,000 deaths according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The death of my grandmother caused a lot of anger and resentment toward my grandfather and the idea of secondhand smoke -- that your health can be endangered by another's personal choice. \nThis is a big issue nationally as well and has prompted California, Maine, Vermont, Delaware and Florida to ban smoking in the workplace, which includes certain restaurants and bars. The threat of a public smoking ban has generated a lot of debate, which is expected since Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approximates 47 million American adults are smokers.\nOpponents to a ban argue that individual freedoms are being taken away. In a recent MSNBC interview, Wendy Stone, a member of Floridians Fighting the Erosion of Individual Rights, and a non-smoker herself, said that the ban "violates private property rights of individual choice" and people "are smart enough to decide for ourselves what our tolerance level is for cigarette smoke." I can understand this side of the case -- the government playing Mom. If where the American public smokes can be dictated, what's next -- what we eat, how much we drink and how late we stay out? That makes sense, but it's wrong. \nSmoking is not just an issue of personal choice, it's a public health concern. The right to smoke is not being jeopardized here -- it's when that right infringes upon another person. The medical evidence regarding the harm of secondhand smoke is alarming, to say the least. What is most disheartening are the effects upon children. The EPA reports children exposed to passing smoke are at risk for lower respiratory tract infections in infants and children younger than 18 months (which results in 7,500 to 15,000 hospitalizations each year) and they are more likely to have reduced lung function and symptoms of respiratory irritation, among other possible effects. Secondhand smoke has even been linked to feline cancer in a study at Tufts University and the University of Massachusetts. \nSo, when a person is being exposed to smoke in a public place, that person should not have to compromise their agenda in order to maintain a healthy environment. Martin Larsen, Chairman of Smoke-Free Health, said in the same interview with Stone: "We don't blame the victim of a car accident hit by a drunk driver. What we do is we go and we throw the drunk driver in jail."\nI don't care if people smoke. In fact, I have lots of friends who smoke. Most college students have friends who smoke or smoke themselves. But 3,000 deaths from secondhand smoke is inexcusable. The ban in public work places needs to be extended to more states to ensure public health and make an attempt at lowering the statistics and possibly save lives.
(10/15/02 4:51am)
Buy this, watch this, like us ... at any cost. We don't care if we ruin your self-esteem or overall health. Whatever sells! Today, the media and advertising industry has the power to force the American public to believe the ideas and messages that they create are absolutely true. Ads not only sell products, but also values and standards of attractiveness, success, love, and normalcy. \nIt's no surprise they have such influence; in 1999 companies spent $180 billion on advertising, as opposed to $20 million in 1979. According to Dr. Jean Kilbourne's lecture and video series entitled, "Killing Us Softly," the average American views around 3000 ads a day and will spend three years of his or her life watching television commercials.\nShe points out how startling these media messages are, sent out by advertising industries, highlighting the abuses of alcohol and tobacco industries, the cult of thinness and the ways in which women are objectified. If you flip through any popular magazine, you might not realize the statements being made; the industry has elevated these statements to almost the level of indisputable truth. \nOne of these popular methods is the dismemberment of women; that is showing part of the woman, usually her chest or legs. What is that selling? What does this have to do with the actual product? It essentially dehumanizes women, turning them into sheer body parts. Dismemberment often goes hand in hand with objectification ads that turn women into mere objects. Kilbourne and many others argue that the effect of this communication has been the perpetration of violence toward women. Violence, they say, somehow becomes justifiable if women are depicting as mere objects, things. Ever seen that bruised make-up look? It's popular on the runway and in ads for everything and anything. Such tactics convey that woman should be submissive, even controlled by force, and that this is erotic and attractive. Do these marketing techniques add to the high numbers of violence against women? \nThe U.S. Department of Justice reported in 1998 that one in four women will be raped in her lifetime, and that boys and men rape girls and women somewhere in the United States every two minutes. A report from the FBI in 1990 stated 66-80 percent of victims know their offenders, and 30 percent of women murdered in the US were killed by their husbands, ex-husbands, or boyfriends.\nThe media is obviously telling men and women subtly and subliminally through ads that domestic violence is okay, and even deemed acceptable. These messages are being perceived and understood at very young ages. According to The Girls, Women, and Media Project, the average boy or girl spends 6.5 hours a day being exposed to some type of media.\nTherefore, a large portion of what TV, video games and the Internet promote become fact for children, regardless of their validity. This includes those longtime media myths such as "thinness equals beauty" and "drinking and smoking make you cool."\nObviously, the media and ad industry cannot be held accountable for all of our social and cultural ills. But they have more power than just about any other medium out there. This power has to be regulated and checked to ensure integrity, which is more important than selling a product (hopefully).
(10/02/02 5:19am)
The campaign for safe sex began dominating headlines more than 10 years ago in response to the rise in reported HIV cases. But, now, a study conducted at IU says more than safe sex must be promoted; proper condom education is also essential.\nResearchers from IU and Emory University in Atlanta, Ga. surveyed 361 male IU students from November 2000 to January 2001 on topics relating to condom error. While previous research and studies have shown the consistent usage of latex condoms provides highly effective protection against HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, there was not a sufficient amount of knowledge regarding condom usage errors and other problems.\n"We have known for quite some time that it is vital to get the message out to sexually active young people about the importance of consistent condom use," said lead study author Richard A. Crosby, Ph.D., who works at Emory University's Center for AIDS Research. "This research suggests that promoting consistent condom use may not be enough. It is important to provide adequate condom use education and skills-building instruction so that sexually active young men know how to use condoms correctly."\nThe research team selected men who identified themselves as heterosexual, reported they had never been married and had put condoms on themselves in the previous three months. One hundred, fifty eight out of the 361 men fit the criteria. The study, entitled "Condom Use Errors and Problems Among College Men" says 15 percent removed condoms before ending sex, and 43 percent put condoms on after starting sex. Technical error statistics said 75 percent did not check condoms for visible damage, 61 percent did not check the expiration date, and 30 percent put the condom on wrong side up and had to flip it over. Forty two percent reported they wanted a condom but did not have one, while 18 percent said there was a problem with the condom but did not have another available. In terms of communication, 60 percent of the men did not discuss condom use before sex with their partner. \nThis evidence is conclusive of the lack of proper condom knowledge among the study sample. But, these numbers only mirror a particular demographic. \n"We can only speculate as to how these results reflect on the bigger population," said co-author Cynthia A. Graham. "But, presumably the percentages of error would be much higher, considering this study sample was college-educated men."\nGraham, who works with IU's Kinsey Institute, said condoms do not come with instructions, creating some of these technical errors. \nThe absence of proper condom instructions or condom education most likely contributed to the 29 percent of participants reporting condom breakage and the 13 percent who said the condom slipped off during sex, Graham said.\n"These problems are likely the result of condom use errors rather than defects in the condom itself, which, again highlights the need for better condom education and instruction," Crosby said.\nThe Kinsey Institute's Web site, www.indiana.edu/~kisiss, contains links to a number of health institutions, which contain condom information and education material. Information and articles regarding HIV, STDs and condoms can also be located on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Web site, www.cdc.gov.
(10/01/02 4:55am)
I guess that old mind over matter saying has some merit. In a recent and somewhat controversial study, Irving Kirsh of the University of Connecticut and Guy Sapirstein of Westwood Lodge Hospital in Massachusetts assert that the wonder drug Prozac, a popular anti-depressant, basically works because patients believe it will work, and not because of its chemical matter. In scientific terms, this is called a placebo-effect. The men assert that placebos are 75 percent as effective as active drugs. The other 25 percent, they say, may work as an "active placebo", where the medicine given really does have actual side effects (Prevention & Treatment, http://journals.apa.org/prevention/volume1/toc-jun26-98.html).\nOf course this theory is raising all kinds of objections in the science and medical world, but the hypothesis does provoke significant questions regarding the way we govern our own mentalities. \nEssentially, we can control our emotions and frame of mind by the power of thought. It sounds so simple. But as we all know, when you are miserably depressed -- situationally or clinically -- just getting happy can seem impossible. \nTherefore, in our society of instant gratification, we blindly put faith into the concept that popping a pill will relieve our woes. Please note however, that in some cases, prescription drugs are absolutely necessary because of severe chemical imbalances of the brain. But, with such a widely prescribed (and relatively safe) anti-depressant as Prozac, questions should be made concerning why exactly it has evolved into such a reliable medication. We all want that quick fix for our problems, and in our day and age, medication had become that quick fix. If someone is unhappy, rather than first examining those underlying issues, it is much easier to believe that by doing x or y, problems will all magically be solved. \nBasically, we can psyche ourselves into believing anything. \nI'm reminded of an episode of Freaks and Geeks, a show that aired a few years ago about high-school life in the 1980s. In this particular storyline, the parents leave the two teenagers home alone for a weekend. Of course, that equals a big party. The older sister, much to the worry and disapproval of the younger, more innocent brother, buys a keg. Hoping to save the day, and avoid extreme parental punishment, the younger brother and his friends empty out the keg and refill it with non-alcoholic beer without anyone else's knowledge. But, nonetheless, all the party-goers believe they are intoxicated, exclaiming, "I'm sooooo wasted," and carrying on as outrageous, drunken kids.\nPeople do have the capability to change their situations. \nBeer is alcohol,and if you drink enough, you will get drunk. That is what we know as fact; if you believe you are drinking beer, you can believe you are drunk, even if reality tells a different story. Prozac is a medication and doctors tell us it helps, so therefore our mind lets us believe that it will, and our mentality improves. Is this to say Prozac, or other medications, shouldn't be used? No, not necessarily. Some people refuse or are incapable of redirecting their thinking patterns, so if they need medication and that placebo effect to lend a hand, there's nothing shameful in that. \nAccording to a segment on "Good Morning America" earlier this month, over-prescribing is a very scary thing in our society today -- often producing negative and unwanted consequences (For example, elementary school cases of Ritalin prescriptions are exceptionally high, and in many cases, the drug is not the correct answer to the child's problems, and actually can hinder behavior). \nThe mind is a powerful tool, and at times a powerful weapon.
(09/17/02 4:42am)
When I was young, I was completely in love with Peter Pan. I wanted to remain a child forever, and hoped every night the eternally innocent boy would come to my window and save me from the inevitable fate of growing up. \nThis wasn't just a simple musing. I was resolute in my belief that he must come, and I absolutely must not become an adult. I went so far as to wear my prettiest pair of pajamas every night for a time, so as not to be stranded in Never Never Land sporting an old, mundane baseball t-shirt. Needless to say, I was a bit consumed with the idea of forever being seven years old and living among mermaids, pirates, lost boys, fairies and a charmingly mischievous boy who could fly.\nBut, he never came. I eventually became accustomed to, and even embraced the idea of growing up. Yet, every now and again, even at the ripe age of 20, I wish to escape the challenging responsibilities accompanied with aging and be whisked away to that care-free, whimsical island in the sky -- you know, second star to the right and straight on 'til morning.\nThis childhood wish comes when that line between dependent daughter and financial independent becomes increasingly more blurred. The reality that sooner rather than later I will be on my own is strikingly clear. Though this autonomy is something I've desperately craved, at the same time, I just want to be a kid and leave taxes, bills, bank accounts and mortgages to my dad.\nBeing a kid, you worry about your abilities to beat up your older sister, whether or not Lindsey will invite you to her sleepover, coloring inside the lines, glue bottles versus glue sticks, who to sit next to at lunch and getting home from school in time to watch the last five minutes of your favorite cartoon.\nBeing a kid, you don't have to worry about degree requirements, post-college plans, serious relationships, President Bush's Homeland Security Bill, fat content in McDonald's french fries, U.S. plans to invade Iraq, the death penalty, corrupt business corporations, global warming, the stock market and beyond. Or maybe kids do fear some of these things. It seems today's youth are growing up way too fast and distressed over way too many adult matters. This summer I worked as a counselor at a day camp, and was dazed and dismayed by the worries these children carried with them. One eight year old girl thought she was too fat and didn't want to eat lunch. After a boy's dog passed away, he talked incessantly of the desire to die. Others cursed, completely and excitedly described violent acts from movies and real life,10-year-old boys referred to "getting with girls," and girls dressed not at all like how I did when I was eleven.\nCertainly, after Sept. 11, children's perceptions have widened and their awarenesses have heightened to their surrounding world. The "gay and heartless" characteristics of childhood that J.M. Barrie detailed are evolving into something of the past.\nWhile I occasionally yearn for that Never Never Land to run away from the unavoidable realities that come with being an authentic adult, I am concerned today's children don't spend enough time reveling in their imaginations and play lands. I hope they aren't worrying about the big grown-up stuff quite yet.\nWhere's Peter Pan when you need him?
(09/03/02 4:35am)
The right to vote, a freedom so desired that it has led to the waging of wars and the crumbling of countries. And now, we must be bribed by a $60,000 Corvette to mark their ballot?\nFirstly, I support the IU Student Association\'s campaign to motivate students to vote with the incentive of winning a car. Something has to be done to encourage participation in elections. But, I remain in disbelief at our nation's indifference to the course of political action. \nI cannot altogether say that my hands are clean of this crime. I played my part in conveniently forgetting to vote in the summer's Bloomington election, which had an incredibly low voter turn-out. After learning that it now takes the enticement of a car to do something that some countries can today only dream of, something that Americans gave their lives for, I realized this immunity to our civil liberties can no longer be ignored. \nThe numbers of votes cast in the 2000 presidential election is nothing short of depressing, disappointing and embarrassing. When only a portion of our population is concerned with the fate of our country, the election of our nation's leader, what does that say? There are those who complain that their ballot does not make a difference, since the ultimate decision is in the hands of the Electoral College. The Electoral College simply reflects those ideas of the people; an institute established near the dawn of the United States because of the low percentage of literacy. \nThe government was afraid that voters reading inabilities at that time could incorrectly skew the election's outcome. Of course now, that idea holds little precedence since the country is highly literate, so the electoral vote usually, but not always, follows the popular vote. This whole system probably should change, but that's a whole other topic. Anyway, the people still have a powerful influence in the presidential decision, and choosing not to act upon this right is sheer ignorance.\nWe seem to overlook far too often that this right extends to our states and cities. People can't even try to use the "my vote doesn't count" excuse here. So why didn't I take part in Bloomington's last election? If I ponder over the question, I might try to weasel out the lame excuse of unfamiliarity with the issues and candidates since I'm not originally from the area. But that just kind of makes me sound stupid since attending IU therefore makes me a part of the Bloomington community and somewhat of a local. And, it doesn't take a lot to become familiar with a candidate platform. So, overall, I probably would have to blame it on my own laziness. Bad me. But, I see the error of my ways, and recognize that not taking part in local elections is no longer acceptable today in the United States. \nWe all want our voices heard, and one outlet is our right to vote. Sure, voting for a city council position is not voting for the president, but it's still a vote, and it's still part of being an American. I'm not trying to get all patriotic, but this goes to the very heart of the existence of this country, no matter how many years ago the Constitution was written. Our freedoms to vote define this country. Who are we if we don't take advantage of this? When the local election rolls around, go out and vote, not because you can win a really awesome ride, but because it's part of who you are as an American.
(09/03/02 4:16am)
Twenty-two students have been named for the current academic year as Wells Scholars, IU's merit-based scholarship program named after late Chancellor Herman B Wells. It ranks among one of the most competitive and prestigious scholarships among American universities.\nWells Scholars are awarded with full tuition and fees, as well as a living stipend for four years of undergraduate study through IU-Bloomington. Each year, between 20 and 25 incoming freshmen are chosen, along with one or two current IU students who have displayed exceptional academic achievements, according to the Wells Scholar Web site. Students in the Wells Scholar program generally maintained between a 3.8 and 4.0 grade point average in high school, and scored 1300 or above on the SAT. For incoming freshmen, selections are made based upon nominations sent in by a student's high school. Besides high academic standards, students chosen also have exhibited strong character and leadership throughout their communities.\nFor students undecided on their college choice, discovering they have received the scholarship creates a completely different outlook on their prospective schools.\n"The scholarship did affect my college choice, as I was undecided between IU and Rose Hulman," said freshman Wells Scholar Patrick Milligan. "When I found out that I had gotten the scholarship, I sort of didn't believe it. There were people interviewing for it who seemed much more accomplished and, frankly, more interesting than me, but I am very grateful."\nHowever, some of the recently named students had already picked IU.\n"I want to be a concert violinist, and I was strongly considering IU for the School of Music even before I found out about the Wells program," said freshman Noah Bendix-Balgley.\nAlong with free tuition and fees, recipients also have the option of studying abroad for one of their four years at IU.\n"The Wells Scholarship gives me a lot more opportunities and flexibility in what I study," Bendix-Balgley said. "For example, the opportunity to study abroad for free, probably in Europe, is great, especially for me as a musician."\nA minimum 3.4 GPA and 12 credit hours each semester are required for students to maintain funding. They are also expected to participate in the variety of extracurricular activities. These opportunities allow Wells Scholars to interact informally with IU faculty, distinguished visitors, and other students. In the past, events have included afternoon tea with with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, dinner with Nigerian writer and Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, and multiple workshops ranging from genetics research to religious liberty, just to mention a few.\nNew Wells Scholars:\n• Erin Aakhus, of Evansville, Ind.\n• Elizabeth Adams, LaPorte, Ind.\n• Noah Bendix-Balgley, Cincinnati, Ohio\n• Vivek Chandrasekhar, Kokomo, Ind.\n• Kathleen Claussen, Bethlehem, Penn.\n• Anshuman Das, Valparaiso, Ind.\n• Julie Jochim, Owensville, Ind.\n• Asma Khalid, Crown Point, Ind.\n• Grace Lin, Indianapolis, Ind.\n• Elizabeth Lewis, Indianapolis, Ind.\n• Brian Matzke, Indianapolis, Ind\n• Emily McFarlin, Indianapolis, Ind.\n• Patrick Milligan, Williamsport, Ind.\n• Sara Phillips, Terre Haute, Ind.\n• Todd Relue, Granger, Ind.\n• Rushi Sheth, Louisville, Ky.\n• Vlad Simianu, Carmel, Ind.\n• Kari Stevenson, Bloomington, Ind.\n• Claire Tramm, Wilmette, Ill.\n• Rose Wongsampigoon, Winnetka, Ill.\n• Micah Zeller, Cincinnati, Ohio
(08/29/02 7:18am)
As another school year rolls around at IU, the annual move-in chaos and confusion into the dormitories includes another complication.\nThirty to 40 students will be spending their first days on campus living in a lounge. \nIU's largest freshman class ever left some students without a dorm room to move into Wednesday. A typical freshman class size usually numbers roughly around 6,700. This year however, that number jumped to 7,100, according to the Office of Admissions.\nThose who applied for housing late are living in makeshift rooms in Forest, Teter and Briscoe Quads until other arrangements are made. They will eventually take the places of prospective students who never showed up, said Bob Weith, director of residential operations for Residential Programs and Services, the University organization in charge of housing.\n"The students who will be assigned to lounges would all be rather late applicants," Weith said. "We're glad to identify a way to give them some place to stay even though they were late in applying."\nIn addition to late applicants, students who decide not to live in their assigned room and fail to notify RPS cause a problem.\nIn years past, anywhere from 150 to 200 students never checked-in, and the same numbers are anticipated for this semester. These students choose at the last minute to transfer universities, live off campus instead or defer college all together.\n"After (the residence hall) opening, we then get a list of the students who had signed a contract, chose not to check-in, and never notified us of their decision not to live on-campus," said RPS executive director Pat Connor.\nWhen these individuals and rooms are accounted for, those students sleeping in floor lounges can be shifted to their permanent locations.\n"We're hopeful that we'll get students integrated into regular student rooms as soon as possible once the semester is under way," Weith said.\nWhile the situation can be seen as a nuisance for the students, it also affects the community of the floor for that particular lounge. Lounges typically provide a social setting for those living on the floor. This can be especially helpful for freshmen to become better acquainted and more comfortable in their new environment.\n"It's an inconvenience for the rest of the floor, which doesn't get to use the lounge until the temporary students have moved out," Weith said. \nUp to four students can be housed in the lounges, which average 400 square feet. The lounges have air conditioning and couches.\n"The lounges are furnished and are actually a pretty nice place for students to live," Connor said. "In the past when this happened, most students didn't want to leave. We try to hurry and get them reassigned so the floor can have their lounge back, but they'd rather just stay in the lounge."\nBut all students will be moved into residence hall rooms. Students have been housed in lounges twice before within the past few years, and Connor expects that it will take about two weeks to get the students into their new rooms.\nStudents will be assigned to a lounge depending on the neighborhood they requested on their housing application. For example, someone who requested to live in the Central Neighborhood would be temporarily housed in the Teter location.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
A community is facing poverty, homelessness, hunger and unemployment.\nAnd the city is Bloomington.\nUnited Way launched its kick-off for the 2001-2002 campaign Thursday afternoon, hosting a lunch at the Hoosier Room of Memorial Stadium. \nMolly El Mouhajir, IU United Way Campaign Coordinator, said she hopes the campaign will expose social problems in Bloomington that are usually seen as urban issues. \n"There is a really big need in our community to focus on people. What happened in New York can happen anywhere, and in Bloomington there is unemployment, poverty and homelessness," Mouhajir said.\nThe kick-off program featured speakers who received assistance from United Way. People who have donated also spoke about why they deemed it a worthy cause.\nDiana Hawkins, a Monroe County resident, told a story of loss. \nHer house was destroyed by fire, but the American Red Cross, a United Way agency, assisted her immediate needs.\n"Losing my house was just like losing family," she said. "It was a mountain to climb, but Red Cross and United Way made all the difference."\nThe services were there to meet Hawkins' needs with vouchers for food, clothes and eyeglasses -- needs she saw mirrored recently in New York.\n"I took comfort when I saw that the American Red Cross and United Way were helping those in New York," Hawkins said.\nIn the wake of last week's events, the focus for the nation and students on campus is "How do we help the victims, family and communities? What can I do?" \nThe tragic scenes and stories of people now facing homeless and poverty break hearts and spirits. \nThose stories are also found in Bloomington throughout the year. \nThe United Way, which has a Monroe County and IU office at 441 S. College Ave., is always accepting donations, but there is an even greater need this year. Past layoffs and the current economic slowdown will create heightened demand for contributions. \nAlso, the Eli Lilly and Company Foundation will not donate matching funds as they did last year. \nThe IU United Way campaign lasts from Thursday's kickoff \nto Nov. 1, with a community goal of $1,600,000, and a campus goal of $600,000.\n"(Bloomington) must stick together and support our community," Mouhajir said. "IU is seen as a separate entity from Bloomington, but that is not true. IU and its students are a huge part of Bloomington."\nIn past years, Greek Fest has donated money United Way and this year the organization will try to reach more students and campus organization. \n"By investing in our community, the faculty, staff and students of Indiana University make their caring count for the many families and individuals who benefit from contributions," said Dorothy Frapwell, University Counsel, IU campaign co-chair.\nIf any student, faculty, or group is interested in helping the United Way cause, or would like extra information, contact Beverly Calender-Anderson can be contacted at the United Way office at 334-8370 or www.idsnews.com
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
"Jazz is my adventure," famed musician Thelonius Monk once said. For the Üt Haus Jazz Band, this genre of music has created just that sort of unique adventure. Combining their love of jazz and endearing friendship, the four IU alumni have been performing, composing and entertaining for the past twelve years. \nTonight those years will be celebrated at Bear's Place at 5:30 p.m. as part of the Jazz Fables Concert Series, created by Üt Haus member David Miller.\nTrumpeter Miller, Jerry Morris on French horn and vocals, Brian Kearney, saxophone, and bassist Steve Johnson compromise the full sound of the Üt Haus Jazz band. Tonight's performance will showcase a wide array of jazz styles and songs ranging from original compositions from the band to a piece by legend Duke Ellington to even variations of old favorites such as "Moon River" and "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." All the material to be played tonight was arranged by Morris.\n"His unique arrangements are what give us our sound," Miller said. \nThe band will also be playing an original composition by Miller, called "Stan's Gauge," dedicated to the late drummer Stan Gauge. \n"I'm really looking forward to 'Stan's Gauge,' which Dave wrote and Jerry arranged. It's a really fine piece," Kearney said. \nBesides the original and unique arrangements, the band is also anticipating playing together again live for an audience.\n"I'm excited for the performance after having practices in my basement every Monday of the year," Kearney said. "It's always a great opportunity to perform with the Jazz Fables series.\nThe band made a recording of these practices and released it onto CD-R format in May of 2001. It is called "Best of the Basement" and "Alt.Basement." The band will be releasing a limited number of a two CD set tonight allowing fans to hear how their music has progressed over the years.\nThe men played together in the high school band in Greenfield, Ind. in the 1960s. \n"We've known each other for about 40 years. I was in Cub scouts with Jerry. Dave and I met in the junior high band," Johnson said. \nThe summer of 1990 marked the beginning of Üt Haus. The core group of friends indulges in music outside the typical realm of jazz, creating the 'üt.' The 'haus' used with 'üt' indicates the band's close relation with home roots and remaining outside mainstream jazz. \n"(Üt Haus) is outside the norm. It lets us do something that's really personal. It's very close to my heart," Miller said.
(10/01/01 4:48am)
It's 1:37 a.m. and there are hours of studying to do. There are irregular subjunctive verb forms, gerunds and imperative form -- not to mention cultural history of the late 19th century.\nAt times like this, some students might find themselves asking, "Is a minor in (insert your foreign language here) really worth it?"\nYes.\n"Anybody who has the mindset that only what is in the United States matters is hurting themselves in the long run," said Clancy Clements, director of undergraduate studies in Spanish and Portuguese. \nThe Career Development Center and language department fact sheets show statistics that prove that foreign language knowledge in the working world is becoming increasingly vital. In more than 160 occupations, primary or ancillary foreign language skills are essential. About 60,687 positions, out of 1,261 companies surveyed, require a second language.\nStudents with foreign language skills possess an advantage in an array of careers, not just a few. Increasingly, all spectrums of professions are finding communication with the world a necessity. There are opportunities in publishing, graphic arts, health care, retail, education, politics, journalism, federal agencies, the postal service, business, bankers, import/export firms, and the list just keeps going.\nAndrea Ciccarelli, chairman of the department of French and Italian Studies, said languages are imperative for a job in the international business market, with worldwide chains such as McDonald's restaurants and Ford Motors; almost any business firm in the United States has a role in international affairs. \nA major industry in the U.S. tourism, as the United States is one of the leading destinations. That breaks down into a need for bilinguals in travel agencies, tourist attractions, waiters and waitresses, tour guides, resorts and hotels.\nIn countries around the world, English has become a critical skill to learn, with a large percentage of income coming from U.S. tourists.\n"Twenty years ago, no one knew English (overseas), now, even the street vendors know some," Ciccarelli said.\nFor many U.S. companies, East Asian languages are essential because of business with Japan and China.\n"More and more U.S. companies are establishing themselves overseas. Students with experience of (East Asian) language and culture will be in a better position for hiring," said Richard Rubinger, department chair of East Asian language and studies. \n"America is moving towards a pacific base. Trade and business in East Asia have grown exponentially in the past ten years," he said.\nJan Van Dyke, senior assistant director for career resources, recommends researching opportunities, such as internships, that accommodate a student's major. Besides the traditional job possibilities, he also cites the National Security Agency, U.S. embassies, U.S. State department and the Peace Corps as having excellent foreign language careers for minors and majors.\nBut there is more than just comprehending words in studying a language. There is the culture; understanding the people and their way of life. The most effective means of learning this is by overseas study.\n"Studying abroad is vital if you want to learn a culture," Clements said. "You can't learn that from books, or even if you speak a language perfect."\nClements said usually the students who don't end up using their language directly sometimes go into English as a second language or English as a foreign language.\n"There is the practical reasons for learning a foreign language, such as career possibilities, but there is also the theoretical reasons," Ciccarelli said. "Learning a language is learning a culture and diversity. Living one place your entire life creates biases without even knowing it."\nIU offers all kinds of overseas programs, even for those who have little or no foreign language background. From working summers abroad, to living overseas for an academic year, to internships in Japan, it is possible for students to experience a new world, enjoy themselves, and find part of themselves. \n"(Studying abroad) changes your life. That's kind of scary, but it's also very cool," Clements said.\nForeign language skills give students advantages in the job market, but they also create an open mind, providing knowledge of something other than American society. \nAll the pains of memorizing, reading, writing compositions, and studying can become painless sacrifices as compared to the gift of another land, another people, and endless opportunities.