Sleep Deprivation

It should be no surprise that our nation is overtired and lacking in sleep altogether. But, what does that do for the way we look? Recent studies led by John Axelsson at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden show that not only are our poor sleeping habits affecting the American people psychologically, but as well as our health in our overall looks. Axelsson, associate professor in the clinical neuroscience department, and his team have now shown just how “ugly” people can get simply by not receiving enough sleep at night.
It has been known that a severe lack in sleep over time may affect the body’s defenses, including the ability to fight off infection which remains present as a factor in illnesses such as diabetes and obesity, but now studies show it really does affect how we look. This is important because in spite the money being spent to cure these physiological imperfections, (as well as the money being spent in cosmetics) all it may take to prevent such costs could just be a full night’s rest. Lack of sleep also affects important organs such as the heart and brain, and has been known to reduce reaction time and may be a factor in some cases of heart disease.
In a study done on sleep deprivation, 23 adults were allowed a full night’s sleep, and then were not allowed to sleep for 31 consecutive hours. Each of the subjects involved in the study were photographed after being well rested, and after staying up for almost a full day and a half. Then, another 65 people were asked to rate how attractive, healthy and tired the 23 adults looked following the experiment. The results from the study were conclusive. People are not the same when they are lacking in sleep. The numbers reveal that when not allowed sleep, the subjects involved in the study looked 4 percent noticeably less attractive, 6 percent less healthy, and 19 percent more tired after 31 hours with no rest.
Most people know that they are recommended to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night. Unfortunately, the busy world we live in doesn’t always allow for that.
According to Axelsson, this study proves to be a wake-up call to many people who are consistently getting less than 6 hours of sleep per night, which he states is true of 1 in 5 Americans. The affects of sleep deprivation are clearly seen on the faces of 23 individuals involved in the experiment, as well as a large number of people who repeatedly do not get a full 8 hours of sleep every night.
In conclusion, the results ultimately show us the importance of being well rested. Axelsson states, “A good night’s sleep does not only improve you physiological health, it will also make you look healthier and more attractive, which in turn improves the chance of better treatments in a wide range of social situations.” After testing the idea that lack of sleep may affect our looks, John Axelsson and his crew have now provided clear evidence showing how much more unattractive people can be who don’t sleep enough. He says, “We propose that sleep is a cheap and effective beauty treatment, both acutely and in the long-term. Sleep should be seen as the body’s natural beauty treatment and a clear alternative or complement to other beauty treatment.”

http://bodyodd.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/12/15/5644892-want-to-look-hotter-hit-the-sack

Charities

It’s that time of year when giving to others is especially important. The charitable giving season starts now. But with budgets tight, it's important to get the most out of your gift, and you might get more out from your contributions by giving to smaller and local organizations rather than to the big brand-name charities.
Sadly though, overall donations to charities are down. 40% of charities said they saw contributions decline in the first half of 2010 compared to 2009, according to one survey, some signs suggest givers are still supporting local charities. When times get tough people tend to shift their giving toward groups that provide basic needs, and the groups best able to meet those needs tend to be local. Of the few non-profits that saw increased contributions in 2009, many including ones like the AmeriCares Foundation, rely on donated goods such as clothing and food.
Local organizations may also be easier to give to than national groups. Meaning there’s a better shot at assessing whether a group accomplishes its aim. Before you write a check, you could visit a local animal shelter to see first hand how many kittens have been saved and placed or volunteer for a shift at the soup kitchen to see how it's run and how many people it serves nightly. "That visit is usually a pretty good indicator of whether you like what's going on." says Tim Seiler, the director of the Fund Raising School for The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.
Local groups are often able to fundraise more efficiently too. Even in cases where the local charity breaks even with national or falls behind, there's an advantage to having the impact such as, more aid for the homeless or better literacy programs in your neighborhood. Local charities are better investments for your community.
Some causes though, are better served nationally. Charities for medical research and giving to the Hurricane Katrina survivors are some examples. National charities are better to make a difference quickly and distributing their contributions more effectively and quickly.
If you are one who likes to give donations you can go both ways, serve to local and national charities. Local charities are more beneficial to your own community and you have a better chance at knowing what they are doing and where your money is going. With national charities the donations are distributed more quickly and effectively. With the holidays coming up, giving any sort of donation to any charity could make someone else's holidays better.

Drinking and Drowning?

There has been 9 river drowning’s in the past 14 years in LaCrosse between 1997 and 2006. What's puzzling is why do people go to the river and end up drowning there? Keeping people from drowning in the Mississippi is still a top priority for our local law enforcement with the help of student volunteers.
The two recent drowning’s are of Craig Meyers and Luke Homan. Luke was the 8th college student to drown after partying with friends at Oktoberfest in 2006. He was only 21. Craig was the 9th after partying at a wedding reception in 2010. He also was only 21. The first seven all ranged from ages 19-28 and all of their deaths have been related to alcohol consumption.
Although the mysterious drowning’s have become apart of the past there are still measures taken to prevent one from happening again. Volunteers are patrolling Riverside Park on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, even during the winter. The group started out as only patrolling the river on weekend nights and now, they are equipped with flashlights, police radios, and warm clothing. This semester the group has about 100 volunteers who take turns with the patrols. But, they could always use more.
The river safety volunteers say they are routinely stopping people from heading towards the river. What makes it scary is the majority of those people are intoxicated and lost. One of the volunteers says, "There are incidents where people will come down there and they have no idea where they are or where they're going. That's really when it gets kind of scary and you're just glad that someone was down there."
There have been speculations of a so called serial killer causing the drowning’s. It was rumored that there was someone on the prowl for good looking young men who were intoxicated and pushing them into the river. There was a lot of talk that it was a random taxi driver, a women, and or even a police officer! So far investigators say there is no boogeyman causing the drowning’s.
If you plan on "partying" in downtown LaCrosse be aware of your surroundings and keep a "buddy system" so neither you or your friends end up near the river. The river has already taken the lives of Craig Meyers, Luke Homan, and several others simply by them being intoxicated and not knowing where they are going. As a city known for the largest six pack and street line of bars, we should be extremely appreciative of the volunteers who use their own time to ensure the safety of others. Although LaCrosse hasn't had a drowing recently, it's still a top priority to prevent one from happening again.

Drink&Drive

       Driving intoxicated or drunk is dangerous and can cause car accidents, injuries, and even death. Every injury and death caused by drinking and driving is totally preventable but, it's still a big problem. Christopher Trautman of Rochester Minnesota killed one and injured three others last weekend from drunk driving.

       Around 12 A.M. on Saturday Trautman was driving and had been drinking with some friends. Once the policeman caught him they tested him for his blood alcohol level which was 0.18%. Twice the legal limit. He hit the 4 people going 50mph in a 30mph zone. Now, the sad part is he hit the individuals 2 different times. First he hit 2 men, one of them being Austin Melville whom was killed, and then minutes later hit the 2 other people. I can't fathom how such a horrible thing can happen all at once in one night.

      Three of the 4 were critically injured but, it was fatal for Austin Melville. He was a graduate from Winona University who had plans for his life but they were taken away in an instant. He had a degree in Mass Communications and had a dream to become a sportscaster. It's upsetting to think one innocent life is taken and others injured because of another's stupid decision.

      Drinking and driving I believe is one of the lowest things a person can do because they know its wrong. Millions of people are injured in alcohol related traffic crashes annually. It doesn't matter whether you had just 2 or 3 drinks just wait to drive! It also doesn't matter what your drinking, alcohol is alcohol and time is the only cure. Why run the risk of injuring yourself and or others? You could even end up having your licence revoked and then how will you get around on your own time? Drinking and driving is dangerous and you can believe every myth that comes with it.

      Imagine being in Christopher's shoes. He faces 14 charges including 3 felony counts of criminal vehicular homicide. Not only will he have to face these charges but also the fact that he took a life because of his dumb decision. Just this one night changed everything not only for him but the other individuals who were injured and effected.

       In order to protect yourself from ever being in this situation you can do a couple different things. First you can give up a couple drinks and volunteer to be the designated driver if no one else will. Always remember to wear your seat belt and avoid rural/country roads especially if its dark out. Also, don't let the drunks in the car distract you. And most importantly, never let your friends drive intoxicated or ride with a intoxicated driver. Simply following these tips can save your from a world of hurt.

      Christopher Trautman will have to live the rest of his life not only with this on his record but also with guilt. Three were injured and one was killed. Injuries and deaths caused by drinking and driving are preventable, using the helpful tips will keep you from a situation like this. Don't become a statistic but a change.

 

http://www.wkbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=13575132

The "Winter Blues"

      As the days get shorter and colder, it is found that more people suffer from depression. Its not just any normal depression though, its seasonal depression. Although people get excited for winter activities and the new year, more people are feeling the "winter blues."

       According to Cleveland Clinic, its estimated that at least 10 to 20% of the population suffers from some sort of seasonal depression brought on by shorter days. And an additional 4 to 6% of North Americans suffer from a more extreme cases of the "winter blues" called Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD (Cook paragraph 2). This disorder is related to insufficient light and disruption in the pineal gland which secretes Melatonin. Melatonin is the hormone which helps you sleep. Because of the shorter days and less exposure to light people feel tired all the time and "down in the dumps." I for one am one of those people that suffer from this. I can't help but hate winter because I dislike the cold and how tired and grumpy I get. People who suffer from the "winter blues" may show symptoms like: change in appetite, change in sleep patterns, oversleep more, avoidance of social situations, irritability, and decreased energy.

      There are ways to beat the winter blues and avoid the depression. The first suggestion would be to get outside! Even some exposure to natural outdoor light helps brighten your mood. You can benefit from it even when its cloudy outside. The next thing you can do is change your light bulbs. Because light exposure is such a critical element to this seasonal depression, changing light bulbs will also help lighten your mood. Simply changing your usual office light bulbs to full spectrum light bulbs will help. Full spectrum light bulbs are more bright and have different rays of color. Your also supporting "going green" using these light bulbs.

        Another suggestion to beat the blues is exercise regularly. Exercise can help relieve stress and anxiety and obviously help keep you in shape. It can also help keep you in a more positive mood with endorphins pumping though you. According to Mayo Clinic, regular exercise can decrease the seasonal depression. You could go all out and even exercise outside. Finally, remember your intake of vitamins. Be sure to watch your diet and eat healthy. The most important vitamin this time of year is Vitamin D. Vitamin D is the best replacement for the lack of sunlight we get this time of year. Also, Vitamin B is critical because it helps with emotions, with the lack of light and being tired all the time people get very emotional and stressed. You can easily go to your local pharmacy and purchase these vitamins.

      Just because summer and the warm days are gone does not mean you have to live with the "winter blues." If you try to get outside, change your light bulbs, exercise regularly, and remember to take your vitamins you can beat the blues and enjoy the season. Bright light back into your days.

 

 http://shine.yahoo.com/event/green/five-natural-ways-to-beat-the-winter-blues-2408703/

Students Cheating

       Close to 600 students at the University of Central Florida must retake their midterm exam due to cheating among the students. Professor Richard Quinn was tipped off by some of the students who told him some of his other students got a hold of the exam key and used it and passed it on. The class was students in a senior level business course, all of which have to retake the midterm. I'm appalled not only that so many students took the risk but, it was a class of senior college students.

       I think that this sort of thing proves that there's no direct border where cheating stops among students. It doesn't matter whether the students are in middle school or in college, its an unavoidable thing that happens. Sometimes I think its also hard not to resist when there's so much going on in your life. Two hundred students which is about 1/3 of the class of seniors were believed to have got their hands on advanced copies of the exam. Now why would so many students feel the need to cheat? It could be a couple different reasons but how did it get so bad? It could come down to where the students are just too lazy to study bit then again it could be because they didn't feel as if their professor prepared them enough. Some students will do anything for the grade I guess.

      Students that admitted they cheated wouldn't run the risk of getting into major trouble. If they owned up to it they would get the chance for a clean slate if they attended a 4 hour ethic seminar. I believe this to be a very generous offer. I would have thought there would have been a worse punishment since there was so many students involved. Professor Quinn says that the students left him "physically ill and absolutely disgusted." The students who were proved not to have cheated also still have to retake the midterm but are able to keep the higher score of the two. It is said that this is the largest cheating scandal in the University's history.

     In my opinion if your going into business you shouldn't run the risk of cheating. What does that say about what kind of business person you will be? You should want to learn the ropes of the job and or how to run a successful business, if that's what your planning on doing, and not just take the short cut just because you want the grade.

Babysitting Nightmare Final Draft

It was an early fall Saturday night, I was 17 years old and about to have the most horrific night of babysitting I've ever had. I've babysat for Hayden, who was 5, and Jackson, who was 2, before but no other night with them could compare to that Saturday nights events. Driving to their house I had expected any other normal night but it turned into something totally different. In all my years of babysitting I had never been faced with a terrifying challenge with kids, I was no longer one to sit back and panic but, step up and be the adult, take responsibility, and take action.

            The front door shut and there was the 3 of us, the night had started out normal but, the darker it got outside, the more tense things got. They had a big house with of course, a lot of big windows, windows so big that it took no effort for the neighbors to merely glimpse over and see what we were doing. The house was also beautiful, but "overly clean." It seemed as if nothing was out of place and if something was, you felt the need to fix it. Walking into the house you would never have expected young children living there, until you looked into the backyard where the big wooden yellow playground and trampoline sat. Hayden and Jackson were usually well behaved until they got on each others nerves. While eating their chicken, green beans, and their overall "perfect meal for growing kids" that their mom made, they began acting up. It was the same conflict as every other dinner with them, Hayden telling Jackson what to eat and why, and Jackson refusing. "Jackson eat your green beans, mom says they are good for you," "No I don't have to, you're not mom." I began to feel irritated and annoyed after listening to this continuous back and forth battle so I suggested we go outside. After we put on our light fall coats and shoes, we went to the backyard.

            The air was cold and crisp, red and yellow leaves covered their big yard. We were having fun jumping on the trampoline, swinging, and playing tag. While swinging I watched them play pirates on the top level of the playground but, what I missed was the huge open gap between a step onto another level of the playground, a gap big enough for a small person to fall through. "Arrrggg mi matey Jackson reach up on the mantel and give me that telescope," said Hayden. “Ayay captain Hayden!" said Jackson attempting to crawl up the step. While I was sitting on the swing, the next thing to happen was unexpected. It was all in slow motion yet happened in only seconds. Jackson had slipped and fell through the big gap. His tiny body fell at least 3 feet face down onto the dirt floor. I sprinted from my spot on the swing before he could even hit the ground yet I was too far away to catch him on time. Panic, fear, and every heightened emotion ran through me; the world seemed to stop for that moment, and all that mattered was getting to Jackson. Everything blurred out around me, but the shocked looked on Hayden’s face caught me. I dropped to the ground and picked him up before he could even shed a tear. "Is he okay?!" "Is he breathing!?" Screamed Hayden. I didn't process to answer because what I had just witnessed made Hayden a blur. I could see that Jackson was in shock, our eyes connected until the pain struck him. Blood was gushing from his mouth and he was sobbing, I knew I had to take action or something bad would happen. I picked him up into my arms, and ran to the house. Screaming at my back, Hayden followed me into the kitchen.

      I sat Jackson on the floor and tried to figure out what I should do next. There were blood spots on my white shirt, Hayden was panicking, and Jackson was screaming and crying. I grabbed a towel and put it to the big gash on his lip where all the blood was coming from. I analyzed him and looked him over to make sure no other major damage had been done. We were all still in shock. He stood there with his hands to his mouth still sobbing. I was amazed he didn't break anything nor had teeth missing. There he stood before me with only a major cut on his lip. I consoled Jackson and tried calming him and Hayden. At 17 I had never been stuck in such a crisis situation with a child, the only thing I could think to do and the only thing I could really do was call their parents. After talking to their dad I was informed that wasn't the first time Jackson had fallen from the playground, and if he wasn’t seriously hurt he would be okay.

            After talking with their parents and finally calming down, we went to watch a movie. An activity I thought we could do together without any risks. But, for the first time we stayed upstairs and not in the basement that was totally closed off with no windows. Sitting on the couch together we were totally focused on the movie until we all realized it was pitch black outside. The kind of dark where you don't even want to put your face near the window because you’re afraid at what might pop out at you. Helping Jackson hold the towel to his lip, I realized that every little creak in the house became apparent to my ears, when there was absolute silence I could hear by heart beating and the sounds of Hayden and Jackson breathing. I noticed my heart beating faster and I could feel my adrenaline running through me, and if something was to happen right then and there I was ready to jump. By then I think the kids felt the tension; every noise seemed to make chills run up and down my spine and make our hair stand on end. I had the constant feeling that someone was watching us. I was too afraid to look at any of the windows thinking I might catch him staring at us. "I'm scared," Jackson said looking up at me. I wished I could say I was too but, I was their protection and their adult right now. "There's nothing to be scared of, I’m here," I replied. But, inside all I heard was "Your 17 you shouldn't be scared!" I couldn't help but think of every horror movie with a helpless babysitter. I was being paranoid. We sat through the movie without moving or making a sound. It was 10 o'clock and they needed to go to bed. I did not want to be left alone, even if it meant sitting with the company of two children at the ages of 5 and 2. Even when I was afraid, I knew it was more important to overcome my fears to be there for these kids.

            After tucking them in, I dreaded going back downstairs by myself. I gradually made my way down the stairs bracing myself for anything to come, again, being paranoid. I clenched the railing and took each step individually trying to make the trip downstairs as long as possible. Once I reached the bottom I froze, I could feel my heart racing. I stood there in silence and waited. I wasn't sure what I was waiting for but every possible bad thing ran through my head. All I could imagine was someone coming up behind me and grabbing me, or a noise that would give him away giving me the chance to run back upstairs.  After a minute, I worked up some nerve and made my way over to the couch, wrapped myself in a blanket, and tried to make myself as invisible as possible until their parents got home. Even though I had worked up some nerve, I still sat scared.

            It was a relief once their parents had arrived home. Shocked by the stains of blood on my shirt, I had to give them detailed events of the night. I was happy to drive home and relieved that the night was over but, the picture of Jackson falling off the playground and the overall terrifying night will always be a scarring memory of mine. From a night that started out normal to becoming my most horrific and challenging night of babysitting, I came to realize that I had to be the responsible and strong adult. Also, not to let fear take you over and panic but, take action when you’re put in an intimidating situation.