Blog Project Wrap Up

Overall, I feel that it is possible to change the negative results the soda industries have imposed on Americans. Diabetes is preventable. It may seem like a tough job, which it will be, but if we start removing sugary soft drinks from our daily diets and environments, our efforts will be rewarded. What has proven helpful for many other campaigns, including the campaigns soda companies, has been advertisement. What if we turned this against themselves. If more people knew the truth of the dangers that soft drinks pose to them and their children, they would be less likely to consume the drinks. In this way, less people would be at risk for diabetes, and obesity rates might even drop. Our nation should be a picture of health. America is not a third world country. We have high quality medical care, technonolgy, and education. This should be reflected by a population of happy, healthy people; people whose lives aren't shortened by a disease brought on by poor diet.

A New Millenia of Cinema!

According to the American Film Institute, in 1998, a film had to meet seven critical requirements to be considered cinematic gold.

1. Feature-length: Narrative format, at least 40 minutes long.
2. American film: English language, with significant creative and/or financial production elements of the United States.
3. Critical Recognition: Formal commendation in print.
4. Major Award Winner
5. Popularity Over Time
6. Historical Significance: A film's mark on the history of the moving image through technical innovation, visionary narrative devices, or other groundbreaking achievements.
7. Cultural Impact

As the World daringly steps into the new Millenia, fresh criteria should be added to this list, to make what I would consider the perfect rubric for rating and assigning status among the movies which were released in the Year 2000 onward. In addition, I feel that the first four criteria are less important than the final three. Number five especially, Popularity Over Time, does not apply as much in respect to the Year 2010.

My list will focus more on the comedy, fantasy, and even science fiction genres, as I feel they are important in capturing the essence of the Era which has begun. We are now living in a time which novelists once dreamed of as fantastic and terrible. The modern world must embrace this Age of Discovery with an open mind, spirit, and heart.

The proverb which states, "Laughter is the best medicine," has proven itself true innummerable times. If one viewed the world without a trace of positive perspective we would live in an even darker world than we do now. Therefore, the first criteria for my list shall be-

1. A film's ability to make the audience laugh, no matter age, gender, status, or race.

2. A film should inspire wonder in the audience, whether it be due to storyline, dynamic characters, plot twists, and/or stunning visual effects.

3. A film must leave its viewers with something meaningful, something which they may take away with them, and apply to their own lives. Expanding on this, a film may qualify due to its ability to protray historical significancies with a totally new or alien perspective.

4. The film must have the capacity to unite people across cultural and societal boundaries.

5. Film Length is important: I would say at least an hour is needed to establish a narrative story. However, short computer-generated cartoons as one sees before a Pixar film, qualify for recognition if viewed as a collection of shorter stories.

6. Finally, Directors and Actors play a huge role in a film's failure or success. So, big name or new name, the people involved in the production of the film are crucial to it's success as a movie.

I don't care if the movie is computer animated, stop-motion, or utitilzes the traditional acting of the past decades. Any movie is eligible to attain a spot on this list. It also does not hurt if the movie contains the actor Will Ferrell, or any person who has participated in the American Television Show Saturday Night Live. My list will include movies not made in America.

The 50 Greatest Movies of the 21st Century!


1. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
2. Avatar
3. Inglourious Basterds
4. Precious
5. Star Trek
6. District Nine
7. The Blind Side
8. The Hurt Locker
9. Superbad
10. Pineapple Express
11. Anchorman
12. Knocked Up
13. Gladiator
14. Meet the Parents
16. Me, Myself, and Irene
17. Monsters, Inc.
18. Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone
19. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
20. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
21. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
22. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
23. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
24. How to Train Your Dragon
25. Up
26. Shrek
27. Finding Nemo
28. Bruce Almighty
29. Baby Mama
30. The Passion of the Christ
31. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
32. King Kong
33. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
34. The Dark Knight
35. Hitch
36. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
37. Ice Age
38. Happy Feet
39. Transformers
40. 300
41. Wall-E
42. The Hangover
43. Alice in Wonderland
44. Tropic Thunder
45. Snakes on a Plane
46. Pan's Labyrinth
47. United 93
48. The Incredibles
49. Pride and Prejudice
50. Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

Blog Project Post Number 4

The New England Journal of Medicine posted the results of a few studies that were done to view the relationship between sodas and diabetes. "Three prospective, observational studies — one involving nurses in the United States, one involving Finnish men and women, and one involving black women — each showed positive associations between the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and the risk of type 2 diabetes.13,20,21 Among the 91,249 women in the Nurses' Health Study II who were followed for 8 years, the risk of diabetes among women who consumed one or more servings of sugar-sweetened beverages per day was nearly double the risk among women who consumed less than one serving of sugar-sweetened beverages per month13; about half the excess risk was accounted for by greater body weight." That's a lot to think about!

The rate of diabetes and obesity in America is much too high. By having soda machines in school we put our children at risk for these diseases. But, by imposing a small tax on these drinks their consumption could be decreased significantly. Then, the empty calories those drinks are made of would be consumed less and less. Diabetes is a serious disease that shortens your life while making it very uncomfortable. You can be your own advocate. Support the taxes being passed on sodas. Exercise, and eat a healthy diet. A healthy body is a happy body.
Plus, the benefits of a tax on sugary soft drinks are more than just good health. The money raised from the pennies extra you pay can go towards things like healthcare and public works projects. So, while you're losing weight, a new park might be erected in your neighborhood.

"Coke Will Turn Green". Aurum3 Newtech. March 6, 2010 .

Massachusett's Medical Society, "The Public Health and Economic Benefits of Taxing Sugar-Sweetened Beverages". The New England Journal of Medicine. March 2, 2010 .

Blog Project Post Number 3

According to WebMD, some of the common symptoms of diabetes include:
"Excessive thirst and appetite
Increased urination (sometimes as often as every hour)
Unusual weight loss or gain
Fatigue
Nausea, perhaps vomiting
Blurred vision
In women, frequent vaginal infections
In men and women, yeast infections
Dry mouth
Slow-healing sores or cuts
Itching skin, especially in the groin or vaginal area"

None of those symptoms sounds very pleasant. Plus, as a diabetic, one must be constantly aware of his or her blood sugar levels. This is done by pricking onself with a needle multiple times a day. In addition to that, in the final stages of the disease it is not uncommon for extremities such as the toes to contract gangrene and fall off. Adult Onset Diabetes is an entirely preventable disease! Excessive weight and poor diet often lead to this disease. Sodas have no nutritional value and are thus a part of poor diets. A 12 ounce Coke has 39 grams of sugar in it which is approximately how much sugar an adult should consume in one day! It is deplorable that schools make these beverages readily available for children. There is no reason for children to be put in situations that set them up for physiological failure. Aside from putting children at risk for diabetes, sodas also supply useless empty calories, thereby contributing to the nation's obesity problem. According to NYDAILYNEWS.com, "sugar-sweetened beverages now supply 10% to 15% of total daily calories, both in children and adults...Rigorous scientific studies have shown that consumption of sugared beverages is associated with poor diet, increased rates of obesity and an increased risk of diabetes."

History of Insulin Administration For Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus Type 1". Tinta Pelajar Medik. March 10, 2010 .



"Diabetes Symptoms". Web MD. March 2, 2010 .

"Want a healthier state? Save Gov. Paterson's tax on sugar soda". NY Daily News. March 2, 2010 .

Blog Project Post Number 2

Sugary soft drinks are bad for you, no doubt. That's why it's ridiculous that Americans consume so much Coke and Dr. Pepper. Sure, the drinks may taste good, but the toll on your body is significant. Before you even consider how much sugar is in one 12 ounce can of Coke, 39 grams by the way, think of what sodas do to the enamel of your teeth. Bone soaked in Coke overnight dissolves! Sodas stain teeth and contribute to diseases such as osteoporosis in the long run. That's in addition to obesity and diabetes, diseases that lower your life expectancy in a big way.
Right now, federal taxes on sodas are being considered by the Senate. "The Congressional Budget Office...estimated that adding a tax of three cents per 12-ounce serving to these types of sweetened drinks would generate $24 billion over the next four years." This revenue would be put towards healthcare. In addition, "Proponents of the tax cite research showing that consuming sugar-sweetened drinks can lead to obesity, diabetes and other ailments. They say the tax would lower consumption, reduce health problems and save medical costs."
By supporting efforts such as these, you CAN make a difference. You can choose to stop endorsing soft drinks by not buying them, a move which is smart and healthy. In school you can push for the drink machines to stop carrying sodas so that healthier beverages such as water and juice can be sold. There is no limit to what you can do to work to change diabetes in America.

"Stained Teeth and How to Prevent". Teeth Pictures. March 10, 2010 .

Dow Jones & Company, Inc, "Soda Tax Weighed to Pay for Healthcare". Wall Street Journal. February, 23, 2010 .

Benefits of a Sugar Tax on Sodas in Relation to Diabetes Blog Project Post #1

Sodas have little to no nutritional value, it says so on the label. Soft drinks are composed entirely of empty calories provided by sugar. Children and adolescents who drink these beverages are increasing their chances of devoloping diabetes and becoming overweight or obese exponentially. One 12 ounce can of soda has approximately 130 calories. Most people who drink soft drinks do not just drink one a day. Therefore, there are people who consume something like 400 calories a day of pure sugar from drinks. How could that be good for you in any way? It has been proven many times that consuming such beverages is highly detrimental to your health.
Why do schools make such drinks readily available for children? In doing so they are laying the foundation for a poor diet! I know they taste great but sodas are obviously addicting and kids don't deserve to be hoodwinked by soft drink corporations disguising a whole day's worth of sugar in a brightly packaged bottle!
One way to help the fight against diabetes is by enacting a sugar tax on sugared beverages. In this way, soda consumption will be deterred by higher prices. This is a strategy which has worked on tobacco products. If a soda costs more than something healthy there would be a bigger chance that a person would buy the cheaper and healthier drink. An article in the New England Journal of Medicine by Kelly D. Brownell and Thomas R. Friedan stated that, "A penny-per-ounce excise tax could reduce consumption of sugared beverages by more than 10%." Imagine the impact that could have on reducing the numbers of people suffering from diabetes and obesity. So, even if we can't get soda machines removed from places such as junior highs right now, we can still impact the immediate future.

"First direct evidence of link between belly fat and heart disease". TopNews.in. March 10, 2010 .



"Ounces of Prevention — The Public Policy Case for Taxes on Sugared Beverages". The New England Journal of Medicine. February, 12, 2010 .

Rebuttal To Kendall

http://stephanrhet.blogspot.com/

Whether or not pornography is classified as adultery in the dictionary is irrelevant. This is a question of emotions and whether or not viewing pornography constitutes cheating to the party who feels betrayed. If he or she feels that by viewing pornography his or her partner has betrayed his or her trust, the dictionary will not be able to convince them otherwise, If a husband has a porn habit that has affected his marriage, it is not his choice to decide if that habit is adulterous. His wife will believe it is or it isn't, no matter what someone else has to say.