Response to a peer's article

We are all aware of the issue of childhood obesity and how it has increased throughout the years. Madi's article from The New York Times captures how the environment children have been in affects their eating habits as they grow up. Catherine Musemeche explians how "as a doctor who treats children, many of whom are overweight or obese, I don’t think there can be much doubt that child-directed advertising is fueling the obesity epidemic". Later in the article researchers found a ban lasting 32 years on fast-food advertising to kids through electronic and print media in Quebec, Canada, reduced the childhood obesity rate drastically.
After reading the article, I was surprised how difficult it is for parents to respond to their children when being asked to buy sugary cereals, and fast-food generally advertised on television. This is a big issue for parents especially when having children who don't understand the effects of junk-food in the future. I never imagined how big of an issue it is with parents; rejecting something from your own child. Initially, my view towards whose to blame for the increase in childhood obesity was the parents. It still is. Children are mainly around their parents for the first few years of their lives, ergo they are the ones who feed them and such. "It doesn’t matter that children aren’t necessarily the ones checking out at the grocery store and driving up to the fast-food outlet", but they are still exposed to fast-food through the media no matter what. As Musemeche states, "Parents need to be aware of the pervasive advertising their children are being exposed to, take steps to manage their child’s media exposure, provide healthy alternatives to cereals and fast food and support legislation to curtail advertising to kids".

Fast food/obesity article

Here is an article from CBS News regarding how fast food is affecting children.

Zulu wedding

           Lately I have been thinking about the future and what it might hold in store. Who wouldn't? We are seniors in high school, it comes up. Skipping past the college I would like to attend and career parts I started contemplating about marriage. Do I want to get married? Truthfully, I have not taken this question into deep consideration as others have. (You would be surprised). As I watched TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress I began to think more and more about weddings especially the different traditions around the world.

           Zululand, South Africa. Once I started reading about the traditions and customs I was amazed by how much effort the Zulu people give into making a wedding enjoyable for everyone. It all starts off with the bride. The bride may change her clothes up to three times a day in order to show off how beautiful she looks in a variety of colors to her in-laws. Bags of assorted pebbles are tied to her ankles, primarily to help with the rhythm as she dances later throughout her wedding.  A major aspect of a Zulu wedding consists of beaded jewelry. The bride-to-be makes two sets of bead necklaces in matching colors; one for the groom-to-be and one for her. These color-coded necklaces let everyone in the village know they are an item. The wedding typically takes place at night when the moon is bright since a “faint mole” is a symbol of bad luck as well as making the celebration less festive. Traditionally the bride’s parents do not attend the wedding as it is too sad to see her go. The ceremony may last up to two days and ends once the bride picks up her sleeping mat and heads for her husband’s house. For the wedding ceremony, she will change into a traditional outfit including a headdress made from her mother’s hair. The wedding ceremony ends with ukwaba, which is the process where the bride gives gifts in the form of blankets to her new family. The long-deceased family members receive gifts as well and are represented by the living ones. The bride accompanied by her bridesmaids end by performing a dance. Now it wouldn't be a wedding if the in-laws didn't welcome the bride, would it? After the ceremony is over, the bride is traditionally introduced to her new family with the slaughter of a cow. The cow is slaughtered by the groom's family to show their acceptance of the new bride in their home. The bride then puts money inside the cow's stomach while her guests look on; she is now officially part of the family.

 

 

 

"Going for the Look" essay

Here is a link to my nonfinished essay.