This Gendered World

Women walking on the street get whistled at, why don’t men? Women are often asked to, or voluntarily choose to give up their careers to be caretakers of their children. Why don’t men do the same? Women often feel unsafe walking home from work at 10pm on a weeknight. Why don’t men?

We live in a gendered world. The words gender and sex are often used interchangeably, but there is a critical difference between the two. The male or female sex is simply a biological or physical trait. The word gender, however, carries with it a strong socio-political connotation.

For a more clear definition and example of gender, read what the World Health Organization said here:

Definition:"Gender" refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities, and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for men and women.

Examples of gender characteristics :

-In the United States (and most other countries), women earn significantly less money than men for similar work
-In Viet Nam, many more men than women smoke, as female smoking has not traditionally been considered appropriate
-In Saudi Arabia men are allowed to drive cars while women are not
-In most of the world, women do more housework than men

As you can see, these roles have nothing to do with biological restrictions or attributes. Earning less money, for example, does not have to do with how a male or female is structured.

When examining gender roles around the world, we see that women have been oppressed in different ways since time immemorial. Mustering up courage after centuries of inequality, women gained political freedom in a number of democracies. It wasn’t until 1920 that women gained voting rights in the United States. Men, of course, had the original and unquestioned right to vote. Why was there this difference? Why does this difference persist? And why is this difference so pervasive in all walks of life?

Yes, the crux of this article is feminism. Not the bra-burning, man-hating type. That’s actually not at all what it’s about. Feminism isn’t anti-men, it is pro-women. There’s a stark difference. Feminism is a way of life. It’s a light into a dark, dark tunnel. It opens your eyes to the realities around you. On reading political theories of Machiavelli, Rousseau and even contemporary theorists like John Rawls, we find that either women do not constitute a part of the canon at all, or they are treated as inferior.

We might disagree with some of the more extreme feminist arguments, but there is a high possibility, no, a surety that we will agree with a large part of them. Feminist writing has the power to make women around the world feel more enlightened, more aware of the injustice, stereotypes and biases we suffer from today. (Find examples of great feminist writing at the end of this article)

Why is Isabella Swan, the lead character from the Twilight novels, in constant need of being saved? Why does she need protection from her beau? Why is she portrayed as a meek, weak, irrational girl? Why is she so indecisive? Her character feeds into the stereotype for many women today. There are countless examples from popular culture that highlight characters like this but where’s the girl power we keep talking about? Why don’t we see enough of it in books and movies?

It is clear that women are at a disadvantage in some cases and that much of these embedded stereotypes are so ingrained that they are hard to fight. It is clear that there are systems to blame and governments to criticize. However, let us not be fooled into believing ourselves helpless. The sad truth is that we can not ignore that women themselves are often perpetrators of this very stereotype. In order for these stereotypes to discontinue, there has to be some level of effort and cooperation- be it at home, at the workplace or even at school. If at every turn, women refused to play into oppressive gender roles, those roles would be scrutinized and eventually done away with at a faster rate. We have to take some accountability as well, because we create stereotypes and we create society. In situations like these, where we as women continue to feed into backward thinking, we are also accountable for creating some of the misery around us.

Fortunately, Democratic power and the freedom of speech have given us the power to protest, share opinions and gain insight. We have the tools to make a change, so what are we waiting for?

The key is education, so take time to learn more about these stereotypes and what feminism really means (forget what you’ve heard). Here are a few links and recommended authors to get you started:


-http://www.carolhanisch.org/CHwritings/PIP.html

http://autof.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/butler-judith-gender-trouble-feminism-and-the-subversion-of-identity-1990.pdf

- http://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3963&context=flr






-Disha Brara is a proud jumbler currently pursuing an MBA at Mumbai’s Welingkar Institute of Management. She is an alumnus of Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi where she studied Political Science. Disha writes only to share, not to be published since she has little inclination towards journalism. She is looking to pursue a career in Marketing.

Spiritual vs Religious?

http://www.jumbletalk.com/art9_spiritual_04_12_13.html

I am a Muslim who loves to blog and over the past few weeks I have been receiving a lot of questions on the anonymous “ask what you please” link on my blog. These questions were regarding my religion and included questions related to sexuality, partying habits, and why I wear the headscarf. I love my readers and followers because their questions entice me to think about things I usually try to avoid thinking about and this stimulates me intellectually.

Many of these questions are intertwined with my religious beliefs and theological view on life. As I answered each question I began to ask myself questions I have always been afraid to ask because I was afraid of the answers I might discover. Questions like “How Muslim am I, if I am a true Muslim at all?” “Am I spiritually religious?” “Have I become too westernized?” and other such question. To stimulate thought and raise awareness to this topic, I want to share my spiritual journey and my relationship with God.

Recently, in a conversation with an old friend, I asked her, “Do you think I am a bad person?” She responded, asking “What makes a person good to tell who is bad?”. I should have known. Of course she is smart and asks questions as such. It certainly got me thinking, what does it mean to be good? Am I “good” good, or am I just good. Am I neither and just not good? I did not have an answer because technically, according to my religion, you’re a good person when you’re a good Muslim and obviously I wasn’t even close to being an average Muslim. Society tells you you’re a good person if you don’t lie, steal, and cheat, respect the elderly, and such, but I can not wholeheartedly say I adhere to these morals.

Now, this might not mean that I lie, steal and cheat literally. Instead it means that I sometimes commit such actions without even knowing and in ways I am not aware of. So are these actions good? Are these qualities of a good Muslim? Is my moral code “moral”? In attempting to ask those in my life whether or not they thought I was good. I began asking the religious people in my life if I was a good Muslim or not and I began to try and see myself through the eyes of others.

In doing so, I realized I was on the wrong track. I was missing one key component: me. Do I think I am a good person? Do I think I am a good Muslim or even Muslim at all? I began to shift my attention from what others thought to what I thought. This led me to a few little discoveries. It took me sometime to realize that there was a difference between spirituality and religion. Being one or the other meant different things. I continued my thought process and then had a talk with my sister, whom I asked the same type of questions: what does it mean to be spiritual vs. religious?

Well, to me at least, being spiritual means having a personal, heart-filled relationship with God where you believe there is no god but God and essentially just believing that there is a higher power that controls us all. To believe that there is one God that controls us all means believing that God is omnipotent, all-creating, all-powerful, immortal and simply one. The 113th chapter of the Holy Quran says it best:

Say: “He is Allah, (the) One. Allah, The Self-Sufficient Master, He begets not, nor was He begotten; And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him.”

So to be considered a Muslim, one must believe in the oneness of Allah (swt) and believe Mohammad (pbuh) is his last messenger. “Okay, so I believe this to be true, what now? Am I Muslim or not?” I asked myself, but it wasn’t that simple. Islam comes with rules, and Islam is a communal religion that takes more than one person to practice it fully. How come? Here is an example: part of the five pillars is Zakat, which is an obligatory form of tax that is given every year to feed and help the poor. Another part of Islam is respecting your elders, taking care of your parents, giving charity, etc. Therefore, it really does take a community, or Umah, to fully experience Islam.

Fortunately, I grew up in a predominantly Muslim country, Palestine, for about 13 years. Because of this, I had that Umah, that community of Muslims which allowed me to properly practice the religion my parents and God chose for me. However, what happens when culture mixes with religion and you are too confused to tell them apart? For me it took a really long time to tell them apart because anything I would do that was “wrong” was said to be “haram” or “A’eab” meaning either forbidden or socially unacceptable. Those two words are used interchangeably ALL the time and it confused me and bothered me that they were used in that way.

So while sitting there trying to figure out my relationship with religion, I had to figure out what was really forbidden by God, not simply society, along with why it was forbidden and what it meant to me morally. It was quite a process. In the end, I know one day God will forgive me like I have learnt to forgive myself and I know one day I will be a modest Muslim female, but for now, I’m good with being spiritual and being the person I am regardless of if I am “good” or “bad”. I share this with you to stimulate thought and to encourage you to also take a deeper look into your spirituality. I believe that in the end, it will serve us all well.

-Muna Sharma is a proud jumbler and a former student at the University of Virginia who is currently applying to art schools hoping to major in photography. She plans to work in the Fashion Photography field and is currently working for BeachMonkey.com. You can contact her at mrs5pd@virginia.edu and find her on Wordpress

Free or Fair Education?

The issue of free education has come to limelight few months back in Malaysia as the 13th General Election is coming soon next month. It has been something all students have been looking forward to and various political parties have come up with different mandates to attract student voters and fulfill their demands. The demand arises due to the fact that many students are still struggling to clear their student loan and find themselves stuck in the midst of other debts shortly after graduating.

What happens when a student graduates with the burden of student loan? The education fee everywhere varies with your choice of study and university. Courses like medicine and engineering would inevitably cost much more than language studies or management courses. On the other hand, you should pay more when you get enrolled in universities with high reputation as the value of your certificate and education increases with the quality of the studies they offer. So, at average a student who newly graduates would have to pay an amount of RM 50,000. Apart from that, graduate students face the burden of paying monthly installment for their vehicles and managing monthly expenses such as house rentals.

So, with an average pay of RM 3,000 for fresh graduates, they find it difficult to cope with the ridiculous cost of living while paying off their debts. Hence, the demand for free education has arisen. How important is free education and what expenses will it incur? Many countries in the European Union that provide free education tax their citizens on other fees like registration and administration.

What can be done to ease graduate students’ burden? What really matters in an education system? I’m a student with some amount of education loan to face after my graduation and I feel free education is not the issue that should top the priority of lawmakers and students. I feel that by enlarging the duration for loan payback and demolishing the interest taxed on student loans, students should be able to settle their debts after having a well-established job.

While free education is an idea to be celebrated, I feel fair education should be the focal point of lawmakers and those in the education sector. Fair education is still a dream never came true for many people all over the world. Discrimination is education still prevails through various forms such as race and gender. For women in the Middle East, getting a balanced and fair education like their brothers is still a struggle and a dream seems impossible. While in some other countries, chances to pursue higher education are brighter for students of a particular race and religion which dampen the spirit of other students who have done equally well in studies. Worse still, education is a privilege for the rich when the poor suffer from extreme poverty. Discrimination against gender, race, skin colour and religion when it comes to education has to come to an end. Only then a country will truly flourish and the best brains of a nation can emerge champions to serve the people better. After all, everyone is entitled to have the opportunity to learn. So, what difference can it make when we neglect fair education and fight for free education instead?

-Jasveena Prabhagaran lives in Malaysia and will be graduating this year with a Bachelors of Chemical Engineering from Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP). An ardent blogger, debater, feminist, freelance writer and highly independent woman. She is currently in search of writing opportunities and job offers related to Chemical Engineering. Jasveena can be found on Twitter and LinkedIn. Her writings can be viewed at: http://thoughtsandviewsthatmatter. blogspot.com and her e-mail address is jassie987@hotmail.com

Holi, A Festival of Color!

Image Source: http://www.soschmeckt.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/holi-festival-of-colors-2012_soschmeckt-3.jpg

This article on Holi is late, but you know what? My community’s celebration of the festival is too. But it's for good reason, you see, because the city I live in here in the States has a somewhat moody temperament with regards to the weather, and this was a particularly pissed off winter. So, while India celebrated the arrival of their spring a few weeks ago (March 27th), we here in colder areas wait for it to hit the 70s before we can lionize the festival of colors in honor of the arrival of spring.

In general, Holi is a gala time in. Celebrated in India and the diaspora, the religious festival of colors is literally that: About using waterguns and waterballoons to wet and color people- your friends, or on the street. It's about making rangoli (intricate designs with colored powder) on your doorstep. People either wear new white clothes and have them splashed with color all day long or wear faded clothes they don't mind getting dirty. To walk on the street means you're fair game; Don't risk it if you're not ready. There is a special Holi drink too, it's called bhang and it's made from milk, ghee (clarified butter), spices, and….cannabis. It's really popular too, rumor has it an adult neighbor once tried it before she was aware of its ingredients, and apparently, she had a good Holi.

For me, living in India, the celebration climaxed in middle school. That was when the war was still playful, but had just begun to get personal. We used eggs, water guns, powder, balloons, mud – I remember one of the biggest games I ever played was against my neighbors when I lived by the sea in Bombay. There, when I looked like a brown canvas that a child had used to throw globfulls of paint at, there was always the warm sea to lay in, reveling in the day's victories. That fat water balloon full of purple color I threw stealthily from afar at a neighbor boy. He was impressed, too. And not that new “safe” vegetable color either; the original kind, the one that lasted on your ears and neck for weeks to come.

As to the religious background of Holi; it's a Hindu festival, and in part, celebrates Prahlada's salvation. This I remember well, curling up to my grandmother in her small bedroom under the gentle creaking of her ceiling fan, and requesting her to tell it for the two hundredth time. It’s my favorite story from the Bhagvada Purana: the story of Prahlada. In a previous avatar, the Lord Vishnu killed a monster. His brother, Hiranyakashipu, wanted to avenge his death and so prays to Lord Brahma vehemently in order to be granted a boon that may help him in this goal. When Lord Brahma answers his prayer, Hiranyakashipu asks for immortality. Brahma says he cannot grant this, but that Hiranyakashipu can ask for a death bound by conditions, which he asks for. His conditions were that death cannot be from the hands of a creature living or dead made by Brahma and cannot be by animal or man, inside or outside, on earth or in space.

With that, Hiranyakashipu sets out to find Vishnu. But Hiranyakashipu's son, Prahlad, is a devout follower of Vishnu, and believes him to be the center of the universe. So Hiranyakashipu turns his attention to Prahlad and tries to kill his own son; each time though, Prahlad is protected by Vishnu in his new avatar Narsimah, who finally descends to finish Hiranyakashipu. Keeping with Brahma's boon, Narsimah appears in the form of a half-lion-half-man, in the threshold of the house (neither inside nor outside), places the monster on his knee (neither on earth nor in space) and eviscerates him with a nail.

Holi, then, is about Prahlada's deliverance. It’s a wonderful and glorious celebration and will always be a favorite of mine.

-Nikhita Venkateish is a proud jumbler and a student at the University of Virginia who will be graduating in 2013 with a B.A. in Biology and minor in Media Studies. She plans to work in the Media/Communications field and is currently looking for entry level positions in that field as well as in Advertising. You can contact her at nv5bs@virginia.edu and find her resume on LinkedIn at this link: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=230685366&trk=tab_pro

College Choices and Tuition Truths

In a recent publication, professors from two of the leading Universities in the U.S (University of Virginia and Stanford) shed insight on an interesting topic: it isn’t very common to see high-achieving students of low-income enroll in top-tier colleges. Why? If they are high-achieving then it is not because they wouldn’t gain admission, right? Professors Sarah Turner (UVA) and Caroline Hoxby (Stanford) explained that their low representation is due to the fact that many don’t even apply in the first place. Confusing? The truth is, high-achieving low-income students tend not to apply to top-tier colleges because many of them haven’t been informed about the way finances work in the college system.

First, those who think of applying to certain colleges, may see a steep application fee and decide they can’t afford it. They are unaware, however, that institutions waive fees for different reasons, one of which is financial need, as long as the right paperwork is filed. Second, the cost of tuition is a determining factor, as it is for all applicants, but they see the higher cost without taking into account that colleges have programs in place that can cut it down drastically for those in need. The University of Virginia, for example, has a program called AccessUVa, whose goal is to make tuition affordable (with financial aid) to any student who has been accepted into the institution. With programs like these, no qualified and accepted student will have to decline offers based on finances and it would be in these students’ best interest to apply regardless of income.

Often, high-achieving low-income students make decisions about colleges based on assumptions about cost. They end up paying more to attend schools they feel they could afford than they would actually pay at the more selective college after tuition negotiations.

These are only a few of the reasons some of these students don’t follow through with applications to top-tier schools. It’s important for colleges and school counselors to reach out and educate students about the options available to them. Unfortunately, so many of these high-achieving students are dispersed and may be only one of few others in their area. Certain college’s outreach programs (designed to educate and inform students about the different parts of the application process and enrollment, including finances) won’t necessarily reach those areas when the high-achieving demographic is spread so thin.

Hopefully efforts in the future will bring more awareness to this issue. At the very least, we need to be sure that faculty at high schools are informed enough to relay the information on to the students and steer them in the right direction.

NWS

Source: http://news.virginia.edu/content/new-inexpensive-tools-help-smart-low-income-kids-realize-great-college-opportunities-study

Basketball Articles for Basketball Fans

If you are a big basketball fan and you simply cannot get enough of the game, you will surely want to know where to go and look for basketball articles.

As basketball fans, you cannot help but agree that it is one of the best and most exciting sports in the world. After all, not only is it high-energy and fast-paced, but the players are larger than life and are quite colorful. In fact, the players' lives outside the court are sometimes even more titillating than what happens on the court. If you are a big basketball fan and you simply cannot get enough of the game, you will surely want to know where to go and look for basketball articles.

These basketball articles will tell you all you need to know about the finder points of the games and you may even find articles based on the analyses of experts. If you are more interested in the lives of your favorite players, you can find basketball articles that are centered on these super athletes.

After all, appreciating the game better can also be brought about by learning more about the game. When you are looking for basketball articles, you can get them from the sports pages of your local papers or you may get them from sports magazines. However, if you want to get articles that are hot and fresh, you will want to look for them online as there are sites that are dedicated to bringing you only the best and freshest of basketball news and articles.

As a basketball fan, you need to see these sites as they can really help you appreciate the game better and learn more about your favorite teams and players as well.

Now if, for example, you happen to be a fan of a major sport like basketball yet you happen to be a cricket fan as well, then of course you will want to look for a site that has news on both sports for you. Normally, you would not expect to find basketball news articles and a write up of cricket terms and schedules in one site, but find the right website and you can for sure. It takes a very special site to cater to all your sports needs and you just need to check online so you can find the best site that has the best information. You do not want to miss out on these sites as they can really help you out and help you learn more about basketball and cricket.
 
There are many such sites you will find online but of course, you want only the best. For you to find the best, you will want to see sportspundit news on sports of all kinds. After all, this is a site headed by a team of sports enthusiasts who are dedicated to bringing you fresh and informative news on all types of sports. They offer you articles written by experts, but they also offer you the chance to be a pundit and write articles for them so you can share your opinion with other viewers on the site.

-Beno Plaston

Aside from checking out the sportspundit news on sports, you'll also learn that they have various unbiased basketball articles and articles for other sports as well as a complete set of jargon for the sport you love such as cricket terms which makes this website your one-stop website for everything you need to learn about sports.

Awareness About World Health Day

April 7th is approaching which celebrates World Health Day and marks anniversary of WHO foundation in 1948. In order to protect people's health; this day calls for collective actions. So start thinking seriously about your health as well as health conditions around you. Every year a theme is selected for this day to create awareness around the world. 'High Blood Pressure' is selected as a theme for this year - 2013 and the goal is to reduce strokes and heart attacks.

High Blood Pressure and its consequences:
High blood pressure or Hypertension which is a common risk factor for many ailments can produce a lot of complications in the body. It is a medical condition that requires heart to work more in order to circulate blood through blood vessels. This 'silent killer' increases chances of kidney failure, heart attacks, blindness, strokes and peripheral arterial diseases. If your blood pressure is at or above 140/90 mmHg then you tend to suffer from hyper tension.

Some of its illustrated consequences are:
Brain Damage: As brain function depends on blood supply, abruptable supply can lead to several brain problems. Temporary disruption of blood supply can occur resulting in Mini Stroke. Your brain can be deprived of oxygen and other nutrients resulting in damage of brain cells. This leads to Stroke. Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment are other brain diseases related with this.

Heart Damage: Sometimes blood is prevented to flow freely through arteries resulting in Coronary Artery Disease. Heart failures, enlarged left heart are some of the consequences of hypertension.

Kidney Damage: Apart from kidney failure; Glomeruli which are tiny blood vessels within your kidney are severely damaged when they leave kidney to filter body waste. Such situation is called Kidney Scarring and can lead to kidney failure. Bulges in the walls of blood vessels can also occur resulting in Kidney Artery Aneurysms.

Artery Damage: High blood pressure can result in Artery Narrowing which damages artery's inner lining. A situation called Arteriosclerosis or hardening of arteries can arise which can ultimately lead to stoppage of blood through various parts of body resulting in total damage. Bulge formation often known as Aneurysm can cause internal bleeding which can threaten your life.

However Hypertension is preventable and treatable by following health tips:

1. Minimize salt intake in your daily food.
2. Maintain body weight by including weight-loss exercises in your daily exercising routine.
3. Daily meal is not just enough, so adding some diet supplements, vitamins, Omega-3 fatty acids, and other health products can help attaining a better health. There's wide variety of health products available in market, get the best by using diet & health coupons. Eat a balanced diet and stay healthier by including high-quality health supplements to your routine.
4. Avoid use of tobacco and alcohol.
Blood pressure depends on daily diet, and a more balanced meal means less risk of increased blood pressure. ON World Health Day take a pledge to take some time out of your busy schedule to enjoy and live healthier. So, live happy & health by following these simple steps.

-Maria Johnson
CouponAlbum - One stop destination for online coupons, coupon codes, promo codes and discount deals.

Top Five Resume Blunders

Standing out from hundreds and thousands of job seekers may prove to be quite a challenge, particularly when you don't have an idea yet of how exactly you should attract the attention of hiring managers and recruiters. Going over the top and exaggerating the content of your resume to gain the attention of the one screening you for an interview won't help either. To help you gain more advantage in battling for that job you're eyeing for ages, figure out if you are guilty of the following resume-writing blunders and vow not to commit them again.

1. Attaching a photo of yourself.

A photograph in your resume would be helpful if you're after jobs which require the employer to gauge in your appearance. Customer service and hospitality industries are two fields that usually require a photograph attached to your resume. However, if the job doesn't call for you to groom yourself every day at work (e.g. flight attendant posts, receptionists), by all means, forego the photo.

2. Being too focused on your previous job roles and responsibilities.

A functional resume does not list down the duties and responsibilities of your previous work experiences. Go beyond the boring rundown of your previous job roles and put special attention instead on your achievements. After all, if you put yourself in the position of your prospective employer, would you like to hire candidates who can perform the basic job functions or would you prefer those individuals with an excellent track record of accomplishments? When emphasizing your accomplishments, ask yourself the following questions:

-- what were the challenges and problems you encountered while on the job? how did you overcome such challenges? was an action plan involved? how did you formulate it?

-- what made you perform better than the others? can you cite specific instances which displayed such superior performance?

-- were there any awards, promotions or recognitions you received during the duration of the post?

3. Using personal pronouns and/or unprofessional email addresses.

Consider your resume as a professional document and as a form of business communication. Avoid using personal pronouns like I, me and my. Furthermore, never use naughty or unprofessional email addresses. To be on the safe side, simply use your full name.

4. Incorporating too much or irrelevant information.

How much is "too much" in drafting resumes? You may not include all of your previous work experience. Tailor-fit your resume by incorporating the roles and accomplishments you had which is only related to the post you're after.

Include only information that is relevant to the job vacancy; don't include your hobbies if they have nothing to do with the target job.

5. Writing very long paragraphs.

Your hiring manager doesn't expect to read a novel out of your resume. Break your long paragraphs to short ones by using bullet points.
Now that you're armed with the knowledge on what to avoid when drafting resumes, you are one step ahead of the game.

-Richard Jenkins

Check out CareerFact’s guide to landing a job in your target industry. It discusses tips on how to make use of your research and networking skills to finalize a resume that attracts a recruiter’s attention.

Arrival of College Safety Apps

In a perfect world, the issue of safety would not need to be an important factor that students must consider in their college decision-making process. As it happens, college safety is indeed a poignant factor to turn over. Luckily, however, technology is headed in a direction where the stock in safety conditions can be less risky. Developers are on the scramble to design the best there is in a college safety app. This will no doubt make considerable headway in making college campuses safer, therein providing some peace of mind to students and parents alike.

Consider the following: 1 of every 22 college students will experience a crime during their time at school. Also consider, that by 2016, 91% of students will have a smartphone. Seventy-three percent already do. It is no wonder, then, why developers would want to create a college safety app. With the myriad of apps that already exist for every purpose you can dream of, a viable college safety app will undoubtedly become as commonplace an item on every student's phone as is YouTube.

Without a doubt, mobile phones are any student's preferred medium. And with the advent of the Internet on them, students have begun to use their cell phones more and more for the same reasons that got them glued to computers in the first place: entertainment, communication, and to stay informed. Certainly, the purpose of a college safety app will touch on the latter two, except instead of the often useless information about social groups and celebrities they soak up, it would be information that will help keep them from harm, and maybe even save their lives.

Just as online social media platforms have rampaged the everyday social schema, a college safety app can reinvent the approach on safety by using the same sort of concepts. What students need is a college safety app that keeps them consistently connected to law enforcement in a way that will open dialogue and dampen the hardened image that students often feel regarding campus security.

If law enforcement decides to pick up on this sitting duck of an opportunity, engaging students in safety can be an easier task than ever before, and ultimately will create safer college communities as a whole. Then, deciding on which college to attend can be much more based on the level of education provided and not on the level of safety - all the more help in the effort for building a perfect world.

-Eman Pahlavani
http://www.EmanLawGroup.com

Go Big or Go Home

What car are you driving? Or if you’re in the transition period, what cars have caught your eye lately, and why? It’s probably safe to assume that one of the requirements for your car is space and comfort, right?

There’s a current car advertisement running that got us thinking. The ad is for the new Buick Lacrosse, and it’s celebrity promoter, or “size authority” as they refer to him, is Shaquille O’Neal. From start to finish, the entire ad highlights one main component: space. Buick boasts that the 2012 Lacrosse is spacious enough to comfortably fit even a giant like former Magic/Heat/Lakers/Suns/Celtics ( you get the point) player Shaq, who claims to have “shoes that are bigger than most hybrids”. Clearly, size and space are extremely important for Americans when it comes to cars. In fact, Americans have a “space” complex in general, but we’ll touch on that more later.

Today, the cars we drive are seen as an extension of who we are. Needless to say, we associate the brand names with certain standards and class. If you canvas different countries, it is interesting to see how certain cultures view cars. Across Asia and Europe, cars tend to be smaller and more fuel efficient. Most of these cultures, compared to the United States, tend to have a more advanced public transportation system that helps avoid using cars all the time and most of these countries emit (relative to population size) less toxins and pollution when it comes to cars alone. There are, of course, some exceptions in those continents, but the U.S. is definitely behind in waste management and the like.

Shaquille O'Neal: "I have shoes
that are bigger than most hybrids"

So why aren’t we crazy about smaller cars? It feels like hybrids and mini cars are constantly being talked about in America, but somehow not yet winning over the masses. Some years back, the Smart car was all the rage. Well, it certainly was the object of much joking and commentary. Americans weren’t accustomed to the tiny vehicles, and they couldn’t go unnoticed in between the Hummers and SUVs that surrounded them on all sides. Undoubtedly, the unflattering view of the cars lead to its declining popularity. People, men especially, would be less inclined to buy a smaller car because the stigmas associated with these vehicles aren’t particularly masculine or strong. In general, this creates an aversion to them in particular demographics. When our car is an extension of who we are, the reputation is very important.

For example, today the Toyota Prius comes with a certain reputation linked to the “green” lifestyle, as if anyone choosing a Prius is also a vegan or intense Greenpeace advocate. In all honesty, one of the greatest selling points of a hybrid car is the cut in cost and mileage, which is definitely a big advantage, even if you ignore the benefits to our environment.

So, despite these advantages, what is it that drives the lust for bigger, more expensive cars? Even in the throes of such a devastating financial crisis, the unquenchable American thirst for big cars could not be affected. It probably boils down to personal space. In general, Americans have a psychological “complex” about space. This, of course, is bred in the individualist society. Compare the U.S with countries like China and those within the African continent and notice the differences.

The other countries are “collective” societies, which, briefly explained, value and highlight the group over the individual. This is reflected in many aspects of the lifestyle, but an easy example can be found in the food culture. In those countries, eating off of the same plate or ordering meals for the table as a whole is the norm, contrasted with the American who orders a plate for him or herself when dining in a group. Furthermore, when finances allow, American families give each child his/her individual bedroom, computer etc. Much of this has to do with the societal norms that push everyone in different directions, but it is still interesting to note the difference.

A dog gets it's own seat in the car,
dozes off on a long car ride :)

The same phenomena is found with cars. Since plenty of Americans live in suburban areas with limited public transportation, it is vital to keep the flexibility that comes with having one’s own car. In families of three, both parents tend to have a personal vehicle. Add a pet or two, and that family of three will argue the necessity of a large van or SUV to accomodate the dog’s bed on long trips and the occasional carpool of a child’s friend. All jokes aside, the truth is, it’s more about habit than anything else for the majority. If it were required, a good percentage of families with SUVs could easily get by with a smaller car for the daily activities. The sale of SUVs and trucks are often to those who factor in only the occasional family road trip or home improvement venture requiring space, not simply those that actually use any of that space on a regular basis.

Alas, it doesn’t seem the small car craze will be catching on in the States still after all this time. For Americans, it’s go big or go home. Many take pride in their choice for SUVs or trucks, claiming that it’s within their right to choose to pay more for gas if they want. For some, it’s nationalism as well, since big cars have come to be a symbol of America and small cars are left for the “softer” Europeans.

I’m not sure, however, that the jumbler* generation will always be opposed to smaller cars and I can see many of them sticking with their smaller sedans instead of upgrading to SUVs for no particular reason. Perhaps in a few decades, we’ll all have grown accustomed to smaller cars and hybrids. If that happens, our environment will thank us as well.

N.W.S & F.E.A


*"Jumbler" is a new term more directly describing the age-group between the open-ended “young adult” and the broad “adults”. A jumbler is an intellectually sound and aware 17-27 year old with opinions and genuine concern or interest in the world around him/her as well as the issues affecting its communities.

This blog, JumbleTalk, and our news source website www.jumbletalk.com are completely run and written by jumblers, giving them a voice and outlet that reflects their influential, relevant opinions and their strong abilities and skills.

North Korea Claims Shift of Focus to "Economic Development"

Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Latest: Kim Jong-un Speech Claims A Shift of Focus Towards National/Economic Development

Kim Jong-un, present North Korean Leader

Early this morning, Kim Jong-un gave a speech which took a different approach from North Korea’s usual hostile rhetoric. These days, North Korea is making headlines and being closely watched and scrutinized all over the world. Breaking news comes regularly, from the recent passing of former “Great Leader” Kim Jong Il to their recurring threats of pursuing a nuclear war with the U.S. As North Korea pulls closer to achieving nuclear capability- and as we get more and more alerts of nuclear activity and tests on their soil- these serious threats carry far more weight than before.

Today’s speech, however, did not call for war, but rather highlighted his apparent shift in focus towards national and economic development. He clarified that the nuclear activity and capabilities were necessary in that they supported the economy and when speaking on current affairs, he blamed the U.S. of forcing North Korea into an arms race solely for the purpose of hindering economic growth. In light of everything that is going on, one wonders if this isn’t some ploy to dim the burning spotlight he has so successfully placed on the ever-controversial and secretive country.

His claims of foreign bullying are not far-fetched. Just this past weekend, the White House took a strong position in response to the threats by deploying counter missile warships off the Korean coast. Aerial presence of a B-2 stealth bomber in South Korea skies only gives Kim Jong-un more reason to worry. Critics believe, and it seems inevitable, that the U.S. show of strength will soon cause a military retaliation from North Korea.

Kim Jong-un is extremely young (30) and clearly under high pressure to prove himself and step from under his father’s shadow. It is speculated that he is being coerced by the older, experienced and highly influential military generals into taking a more definitive stance against both South Korea and the United States.

Tensions continue to escalate between the North and South, with both sides drawing closer to an eventual military standoff. Much of this tension has only been further instigated by the United States, who has repeatedly asked the UN to place tougher sanctions on North Korea. On March 8th, 2013 these sanctions passed with all votes in the UN and if China- North Korea’s number one trading partner and ally- eventually cracks down (unlikely), it will certainly be interesting to see where the country turns for support.

F.E.A


This blog, JumbleTalk, and our news source website www.jumbletalk.com are completely run and written by jumblers, giving them a voice and outlet that reflects their influential, relevant opinions and their strong abilities and skills.

Internet Privacy

Have you ever Googled yourself? I’m sure you have! But, recently? If you have a common name, have you tried searching your various usernames? Usernames, even more than full names, is where it gets interesting. Whereas the full name may find your awards or Linkedin profile, a username search might find you any public post you’ve made, liked, commented on or shared.

Internet privacy is always a pressing issue and it’s surprising to realize how unaware many people are about their online presence and accessibility. Today, more than ever, it is important to be educating our youth on the subject too. We should be going further than just teaching them to block and avoid any stranger online, to also teaching them the difference between sharing with a select group of friends and making a post public. They may be under the impression that public means only their accepted friends can see their posts and unaware that it is actually open to any searcher on the web. Teaching them the differences and how to choose will help them make educated decisions about what they share and with whom. Of course, the most important thing is to teach them that certain subjects or types of pictures should be avoided altogether online, regardless of who it is shared with.

It seems normal to me that schools would have classes or sessions that reinforce the importance of online privacy, since the age of children connected to the internet keeps getting younger and younger. Although it may ultimately be the parents responsibility to monitor online activity, we should all be pushing for this type of education to be added to schools as well; this can really help keep our children safer, but also help avoid serious repercussions for them years later. There is no harm in reinforcing what they are hearing at home when it will prove so beneficial to them.

The information age has us connected to the internet from a very young age. Even for those whose parents manage to keep their children off of Facebook and the like until high-school are connected at an age where they are still a bit naive or possibly too openly opinionated while not really thinking of the repercussions. They will realize that they have quite a bit of work to do once they try and delete all of their internet content at 21 when applying to jobs (the majority of, if not all, hiring managers today will at least search applicants on Google or Facebook).

Image Source: http://blogs.trb.com/news/opinion/chanlowe/blog/

Perhaps upon reading this you’ve just searched your own username again and found very old posts that would be better off deleted. At an older age it is easier to look back but the the real worry is for the youth who haven't yet defined their own values or identity and may make very critical mistakes when going through certain adjustment periods. Those comments or posts or poetry submissions will haunt them once they are of a more stable position or mindset in their late twenties or older. Even if they are okay with the posts, cleaning them up might be necessary depending on the field of work they choose to go into or the kind of example they want to set for their children. It could be easy to lose authority over your teen when s/he stumbles upon an old video of you engaging in some college prank or YouTube stunt.

It’s hard to have to think so far ahead or to know what you’ll prefer later on, but it’s important to be aware. For example, commenting alone can be quite troublesome. Those links and threads can all be traced back and googling a username can bring up all the past comments. Some apps or websites today don’t actually have a particular privacy setting and others still aren’t easy to manipulate without searching extensively (ex. The app Keek documents every comment made and shows each of them, in order, in a tab on your profile page for all to see).

Writing or stories get copied and stolen without permission since you've put it on a public forum, and now the issue of plagiarism comes into play. Pictures and videos are probably the biggest issues because your face is the most recognizable thing about you, which won’t soon be confused with someone else who has the same name or username. What's worse, at some point that video may have been shared elsewhere and you no longer have any control of where that particular post goes or whether it can be deleted. Even if you've only shared with friends, they can now re-post or re-share it and the audience has grown tenfold. Whenever someone is accessing it through their laptop or phone, they can not only download it if they so wish, but now can instantly take a screenshot of the picture or part of a video and this requires virtually no effort or time on their part. Deleting a friend later does not mean s/he won’t have any of your old pictures or posts saved. The unnerving part isn’t as much the worry about a malicious act from the friend, but rather the idea that it is no longer in your full control. Particularly for people you may not know very well, if you're inclined to add them it is better to add them as a restricted party first, allowing them only to see your public posts until you get to know them better, at which point you can change the privacy setting.

As we discuss this, it’s hard not to remember one of the first reality TV shows- The Real World- and wonder where the "stars" of the early seasons are now and whether they have children who watch their episodes. That show was particularly controversial when it first aired because of the types of things filmed and documented for the world to watch. Shock and entertainment was certainly the point, but did those early “stars” realize how long that behavior may haunt them? From that point on, they no longer have any rights to the footage, which can easily still be found on the web.

Being a contestant or “star” of a reality TV show wouldn’t be an easy thing to hide from your rebellious adolescent who has searched your name and witnessed all your youthful or carefree antics. Once found, it could easily undermine your authority and you would find it difficult to forbid actions that you yourself were a part of at that age. Even if you think you may be "that parent" who'd be proud to show off their adolescent ventures to their children, you may benefit from thinking twice. The truth is, it will all look different in hindsight as we change constantly and substantially throughout our lives.

If you need proof, just think back to your posts on AOL (remember when that was all you used?) or your first few uploaded pictures to Facebook at a relatively young age and tell me you've never gone back to delete them or reread them, wondering "What on Earth was I thinking? How embarrassing!". If you haven't already, you may want to do so now….

N.W.S


This blog, JumbleTalk, and our news source website www.jumbletalk.com are completely run and written by jumblers, giving them a voice and outlet that reflects their influential, relevant opinions and their strong abilities and skills.