Causal- Pinkheart84

Posted on March 6, 2023 by pinkheart84

The internet is a very powerful and impulsive environment for teenagers. Most teenagers find it very difficult to turn off their electronics and not have the internet control them. Sleeping is a very important and necessary act that each person needs in their life. It is the body’s way of getting a reset button or charging through the night. The internet is causing insomnia to teenagers who obsessively use their smartphones. Insomnia disorder is very common in adolescents. Using technology like smartphones, computers, and TV before going to bed can make it extremely hard to fall asleep. This can cause serious issues to teenagers and may overall become a bad habit and sleeping disorder. When technology interferes with our sleep process, it can allow us to lose the sleep we are supposed to have. Teenagers will begin to see an improvement of their energy and how their mind is if they get a good night’s sleep.
First thing to remember, the usage of phones before bed can make your brain think of so many other things rather than sleep. Some teens may admit that they have issues falling asleep at night but will refuse to say that social media is the cause of it. An article was written by Fran Molloy, who is an author and journalist. She mentions the issues that can be caused by overusing technology at night and the affect it has on people’s brains. Fran Molloy interviewed sleep specialists to receive their thoughts and opinions on this topic. She brings in a doctor’s point of view, Dr. Wayne Warburton, who is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology. He states that, “using mobile phones in bed sends ‘mixed messages’ to your brain.” This simply can be the reason why most people’s brains are so stimulated and not relaxed after bed. For the most part, social media is not allowing people to receive the rest that they need because they are so addicted to their smartphones. Teens will need to understand the consequences of not receiving enough sleep because eventually this will severely affect their brain.
In particular, internet use before bed will cause lack of sleep and can turn into insomnia. This is a common sleep disorder that will make it hard for someone to fall asleep or stay asleep. Jean Twenge is a psychologist who advocates for teens to use less technology and believes it is draining for these young people. She complicates the matter further when she writes, “In just the four years from 2012 to 2015, 22 percent more teens failed to get seven hours of sleep. The increase is suspiciously timed, once again starting around when most teens got a smartphone” (Twenge, 2017). This shows that once teens are old enough to receive unlimited technology access, their sleep time begins to decrease. Teens would rather scroll through their social media and stay up texting their friends, rather than get a good night’s rest.
Similarly, the internet is creating an obsessive and reliable place for teens to distract themselves with. Twenge actually started doing interviews with teenagers to see how deep this theory really was. Come to find out, most teens “checked social media right before they went to sleep, and reached for their phone as soon as they woke up in the morning” (Twenge, 2017). This clearly means that teens are limiting their sleep and using their smartphones as an obsessive comfort source by constantly checking their media and scrolling through multiple apps and platforms. When a person is keeping their phone next to them or on them while they sleep, it may cause lack of sleep because this is a constant distraction. According to Twenge, “Nearly all slept with their phone, putting it under their pillow, on the mattress, or at the very least within arm’s reach of the bed” (Twenge, 2017). Twenge believes the teens that were interviewed are obsessed with their phones and that those who sleep with it after using it see it as a sort of “comfort”. Initially this will cause bad habits and insomnia to people who continue to overuse their phone at night.
Furthermore, teens are deeply attached to their electronics and can seriously damage their sleep schedules. Insomnia is not something that teens should have to experience or go through. Nowadays teens are using their phones like crazy and becoming dependent on it. Sarah Rose Cavanagh is a psychologist and author who talks about the significance of teens separating themselves from their smartphones. She states, “Yes, we should put down our phones once in a while and take a walk in the damn woods” (Cavanagh, 2017). This quote is a perfect example to show that not only is staring at a screen before bed genuinely unhealthy but if teens would get the sleep they need, they would be a lot more energized and able to do different things rather than staring at their smartphones all day and night.
To sum up, there is no question that technology is ruining sleep for many people. The internet is a very arguable topic because people don’t want to give up their electronics. Insomnia affects not only the mind, but also our bodies in all different ways. In this generation, and many others, teenagers have become fixated on using social media and the internet before bed. For most of them, it is already a habit that they don’t even realize they’re doing. The constant notifications, buzzes, alerts, and other noises from the phone is a huge distraction when lying in bed trying to fall asleep. And with that, people will want to check their phones after ever noise which will be nonstop, and this can be deeply disrupting the time that they have to sleep. Social media and the internet itself are shown to be a struggle for people to let go of. Good sleep habits can help prevent insomnia, but those who stay up late on the internet will see that the lack of sleep is only hurting themselves.

References


Molloy, Fran. (2019, April). Do mobile phones affect your sleep? The Lighthouse. https://lighthouse.mq.edu.au/article/please-explain/do-mobile-phones-affect-your-sleep
Twenge, J. (2017, September). Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation? The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/09/has-the-smartphone-destroyed-a-generation/534198/
Cavanagh, S.R (2017, August). No, Smartphones are Not Destroying a Generation. Psychology Today.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/once-more-feeling/201708/no-smartphones-are-not-destroying-generation

Posted in Causal Argument, PinkHeart, Portfolio PinkHeart, Portfolio SP23 | Leave a comment

Definition Rewrite – Sunflower

Posted on March 6, 2023 by sunflower0311

Exergaming: The New Way to Get Active

One of the biggest problems afflicting our youth in America today is obesity. However, these children are not only overweight they are dangerously overweight. Technology has become increasingly easier to access and the amount of video games, movies and television shows being created has promoted a more sedentary lifestyle to kids at a young age. Once you realize just how problematic being obese can be for children its natural to wonder what we can possibly do to reverse this. School is the number one place where kids can get physically active in a safe environment through physical education classes and recess. However not every kid loves to play sports or is considered to be athletic, so those kids often do not get the same amount of physical activity that their more athletic counterparts get. There is a surprising solution that can solve all of these problems and it is called exergaming. This new form of physical activity called exergaming can be utilized in American schools and help alleviate childhood obesity.

Exergaming is a fairly new concept, and it stands for exercise gaming. This new gaming experience combines the technology aspect that kids are fond of and physical activity. Exergaming requires the kids to physically interact with the game by moving their arms, legs or in some cases, their entire body. Dance Dance Revolution is one example of an exergame. An article from the Journal of Sports and Health Science goes into detail of how a game like Dance Dance Revolution can impact kids. “Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) combines dancing, which involves agility, balance, and cardiorespiratory endurance, with energetic music and visuals, which capture children’s interest and promote a health-enhancing level of PA for fitness.” One of the reasons kids find exergaming to be fun is because they find the gameplay to be more engaging than the typical methods of physical activity we are used to. 

Physical activity is not easy for all kids especially in a group setting such as physical education. Many children experience anxiety or low self-esteem because they constantly compare themselves to the more athletic kids. These feelings are especially apparent when playing games such as soccer or baseball where some of the kids have been specifically trained in that sport. While it is understandable for some kids to be reluctant to participate due to these confidence issues it ultimately does affect their health and sometimes it can be in major ways. To combat this problem utilizing the exergaming within physical education classes can make physical activity more accessible and enjoyable for all types of students. Exergaming is fairly simple and does not require a high athletic ability to be able to effectively play and win the game. This allows for students to be more equal in their abilities and helps build up confidence.

In addition, exergaming can be used anywhere and at any time. Seeing that exergaming is meant to be used indoors it is not dependent on the weather and therefore can be used whenever and wherever as long as there is electricity. This type of gaming can be a great substitute for indoor recess or physical education class because it allows the students to still get their energy out and get active without having to brave bad weather. In addition, for families that can afford it they can even incorporate these exergames at home as well. They do not require much space and can be easily played inside the house.

In addition, exergaming also gives students more motivation than some of the more typical physical education activities. A study was done involving two different physical education teachers who implemented exergaming within their classrooms. Overall, throughout the study both the teachers and the students reacted positively towards the exergaming. In an article from the Journal of Case Studies in Education two physical education teachers were interviewed about the use of exergaming in their classrooms. “It was really highly motivating for them; they were really into exergaming. I thought that, depending on what station they were at, the engagement for all of them was almost equal, it didn’t matter what station they were at, they were all excited.” Being able to have high scores that can be beat within the game is one reason why exergaming helps motivate students. They continuously want to do better and therefore put in more work and increase their physical activity. In addition to motivation the students also showed a lot of enthusiasm when they saw improvement in their performance on the games. 

Another interesting thing about exergaming was that gender played no role in both enjoyment of the game or the amount of physical activity that they got out of it. When it came to testing out a bunch of different types of games it was found that both boys and girls enjoyed all of them equally. In addition, it was found that regardless of gender more than fifty percent of the students saw an increase in physical activity while playing the exergame. This was surprising because when it comes to most things there seems to be some sort of divide between boys and girls however the fact that both genders were able to equally enjoy exergaming makes it the perfect thing to utilize in physical education.

The issue of physical activity is a huge one in America today. Kids do not play outside or do as many physically demanding activities as much. Having unlimited access to technology such as iPads, iPhones and television have promoted sedentary lifestyles in children. An article from the Journal of Sport and Health Science talks about how it is recommended that kids get at least sixty minutes of physical activity a day however more and more kids are missing that mark. “Research indicated only 42% of U.S. children aged 6–11 years and 8% of adolescents participated in the recommended 60 min of MVPA per day. Schools reach nearly 95% of children in the USA and are important venues to promote weekday PA participation.” Even just the community that the child is from can play a huge part on whether or not they will get enough physical activity. Some communities have many different programs that kids can participate in such as sports teams or classes such as dance or gymnastics. However underserved communities do not have these opportunities and rely almost exclusively on school to provide physical activity opportunities. Being able to have exergaming equipment in schools can be an answer to help provide physical activity opportunities to every type of student no matter their gender, athletic ability or even where they reside.

References

Gao, Z., Pope, Z., Eun Lee, J., Stodden, D., Roncesvalles, N., Pasco, D., Huang, C. C., & Feng, D. (2016, November 24). Impact of exergaming on young children’s School Day Energy expenditure and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels. Journal of Sport and Health Science. Retrieved March 7, 2023,

Sheehan, D. P., Katz, L., & Kooiman, B. J. (2015). Exergaming and physical education: A qualitative examination from the teachers’ perspectives . Journal of Case Studies in Education, 4, 1–14. Retrieved March 7, 2023

Posted in Definition Rewrite, Portfolio Sunflower, Sunflower | 12 Comments

Definition – Sunflower

Posted on March 6, 2023 by sunflower0311

Exergaming: The New Way to Get Active

Obesity is one of the biggest problems afflicting our youth in America today. Technology has become increasingly easier to access and the amount of video games, movies and television shows being created has promoted a more sedentary lifestyle to kids at a young age. To some, obesity may not seem like it is that big of a problem and does not have that many consequences, however obesity can cause cardiovascular disease and diabetes in children as they age. However, these are just two things obesity can cause and once you realize just how much obesity can affect our children’s futures it’s natural to wonder what we could possibly do to alleviate this problem. School is the number one place where kids can get physically active in a safe environment through physical education classes and recess. However not every kid loves to play sports or is considered to be athletic. Utilizing exergaming in American schools can help alleviate childhood obesity. 

This idea may seem impossible at first when considering the fact that video gaming itself has been one of the causes of children living such sedentary lifestyles. However, exergaming requires the kids to physically interact with the game by moving their arms, legs or in some cases, their entire body, because of these elements’ exergaming would be the perfect addition to a physical education class.  One of the reasons why using exergaming in an educational setting could be beneficial is that exergames cater towards a child’s interest in technology while also getting them to participate in physical activity. Dance Dance Revolution is one example of exergaming that is being utilized in schools. “Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) combines dancing, which involves agility, balance, and cardiorespiratory endurance, with energetic music and visuals, which capture children’s interest and promote a health-enhancing level of PA for fitness.” These days kids tend to find games such as these to be more engaging than the typical games we grew up playing in physical education class. One of the reasons kids find exergaming to be fun is because they find the gameplay to be engaging. 

Another reason kids may find exergames to be more engaging than the usual games you would play in physical education is because of their level of athleticism. Not every kid is good at playing games such as soccer or football however exergaming is meant for kids of all athletic abilities. Many kids have confidence issues or can become anxious when they are forced to play sports games against kids who know what they are doing. Allowing kids to play these games that you do not necessarily have to be athletic to win helps build kid’s confidence in themselves and make them want to engage in physical activity.

In addition, exergaming can be used anywhere and at any time. Exergaming is not dependent on the weather and therefore can be used whenever it is needed. This type of gaming can be a great substitute for indoor recess or physical education class because it allows the students to still get their energy out and get active without having to brave bad weather. In addition, for families that can afford it they can even incorporate these exergames at home as well. They do not require much space and can be easily played inside the house.

A study was done involving two different physical education teachers who implemented exergaming within their classrooms. Overall, throughout the study both the teachers and the students reacted positively towards the exergaming. The teachers both noticed that motivation in the classroom was at an all-time high. “It was really highly motivating for them; they were really into exergaming. I thought that, depending on what station they were at, the engagement for all of them was almost equal, it didn’t matter what station they were at, they were all excited.” Being able to have high scores that can be beat within the game is one reason why exergaming helps motivate students. They continuously want to do better and therefore put in more work and increase their physical activity. In addition to motivation the students also showed a lot of enthusiasm when they saw improvement in their performance on the games. 

Another interesting thing about exergaming was that gender played no role in both enjoyment of the game or the amount of physical activity that they got out of it. When it came to testing out a bunch of different types of games it was found that both boys and girls enjoyed all of them equally. In addition, it was found that regardless of gender more than fifty percent of the students saw an increase in physical activity while playing the exergame. This was surprising because when it comes to most things there seems to be some sort of divide between boys and girls however the fact that both genders were able to equally enjoy exergaming makes it the perfect thing to utilize in physical education. The issue of physical activity is a huge one in America today. Kids do not play outside or do as many physically demanding activities as much. Having unlimited access to technology such as iPads, iPhones and television have promoted sedentary lifestyles in children. It is recommended that kids get at least sixty minutes of physical activity a day however more and more kids are missing that mark. “Research indicated only 42% of U.S. children aged 6–11 years and 8% of adolescents participated in the recommended 60 min of MVPA per day. Schools reach nearly 95% of children in the USA and are important venues to promote weekday PA participation.” Even just the community that the child is from can play a huge part on whether or not they will get enough physical activity. Some communities have many different programs that kids can participate in such as sports teams or classes such as dance or gymnastics. However underserved communities do not have these opportunities and rely almost exclusively on school to provide physical activity opportunities. Being able to have exergaming equipment in schools can be an answer to help provide physical activity opportunities to these underserved communities.

References

Gao, Z., Pope, Z., Eun Lee, J., Stodden, D., Roncesvalles, N., Pasco, D., Huang, C. C., & Feng, D. (2016, November 24). Impact of exergaming on young children’s School Day Energy expenditure and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels. Journal of Sport and Health Science. Retrieved March 7, 2023, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095254616301181

Quan, M., Pope, Z., & Gao, Z. (2018, September 25). Examining young children’s physical activity and sedentary behaviors in an exergaming program using accelerometry. MDPI. Retrieved March 7, 2023, from https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/7/10/302

Sheehan, D. P., Katz, L., & Kooiman, B. J. (2015). Exergaming and physical education: A qualitative examination from the teachers’ perspectives . Journal of Case Studies in Education, 4, 1–14. Retrieved March 7, 2023, from https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/85843092/152301-libre.pdf?1652272281=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename%3DExergaming_and_physical_education_A_qual.pdf&Expires=1678207409&Signature=Rc1e4mAzG0VQw4At06z-gtiwJNnWa25apN4ssXiAV76HDUrR1gMyhwTQE4TaIvRP6jDN8AbfMnB-EyVnGEF1yXEiOuX0GCLfK7EVxQL7MhrYnfPzNhB-jY7VfC0cjiLtPhhZqItYGnf3LChgx~-F-7n9DJv~MFpYLxNv2vJ3qOH2UGgeXX2TXbEC9qIYkIBMC0k2M18y2OBdRTj1YA1e32YUmf2eRDOG7skPWm6dXkG2ick7h~fiBKwPio3E23p1vSXqUMhaGKMvhVNUSaRWIPJD50NMBT5vvNkj1nPGCmTMZLIGtq116WIGp~rbTHHZOE70W~S-AuVvjw9fLUPNPA__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA.

Posted in Definition, Portfolio Sunflower, Sunflower | Leave a comment

Definition Rewrite—SortableElms

Posted on March 6, 2023 by sortableelms

The Difference Between Graffiti and Street Art

Many negative works like incomprehensible, blasphemous, and obscene are used to describe graffiti. Graffiti is such a negative term for something that can be so beautiful. Graffiti isn’t defined as being bad as we are taught. The definition for graffiti is simply writing or drawings on a wall or other surface. It is another visual form of communication. The negative connotation revolving around graffiti artists with true talents gets lumped together with criminals or gang members. The term guerrilla art or more commonly street art is now used to differentiate the two art forms. 

Graffiti is characterized as being made up of words that are usually meant to form an idea. Graffiti predates street art, and many street artists draw their inspiration from different forms of graffiti. Street art uses images to get along meaning. Graffiti and street art are confused because there are many similarities between the two art forms, including location, politics, and materials. 

The location is the biggest form of comparison. Both graffiti and street art are forms of art that are displayed outdoors, in public and private places. They are free to view, making them valid forms of public art. Street art and graffiti can coexist in the exact same locations, sometimes they can be harmonious in a way that combines the two. At other times graffiti artists will tag over street artists’ work. Graffiti and street art are used to get artists’ political and social commentary and activism out in the world. They are both used to get the ideas of underrepresented groups to get the truth and most importantly, the uncensored message out into the public’s line of view.

The one major difference between graffiti and street art is the way they are trying to inform the viewer of a message. Graffiti is seen as unsightly and bad. Street art is used to help support a message and bring attention to it in a positive way. Graffiti is usually illegal and involves the unauthorized marking of public space. In street art, many artists will get to do it legally because their illegal work received a lot of attention. 

In the 1980s, street artists took a shift from the text-based works of the early 1960s and 70s to a more visual and artistic approach. Much of modern street art can be attributed to artists like Richard Hambleton, Keith Haring, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. 

Richard Hambleton was an artist that emerged from the New York art scene in the 1980s. He’s most known for his street art but also had his works in galleries. His earliest forms of art are his Image Mass Murder artworks. From 1976 to 1978 he would paint outlines around volunteer “homicide victims.” He then would splash red paint on and around the outlines. It would leave behind a realistic crime scene. He did it in 15 different major cities in the United States. In New York, in 1979 he began doing what he would become known for. They were his “Shadowman” paintings. They were life-sized black silhouettes that had a splashy look to them. The shadows were painted depicting many different poses. They were painted in a way that is believed to have the most impact on unsuspecting passersby. Hambleton’s “shadowmen” have been painted on hundreds of structures in New York and around the world including Paris, London, and Rome. In 1984, Hambleton painted 17 “shadowmen” on the East side of the Berlin wall and returned to paint more on the West side. Hambleton’s artworks often had the effect of shocking people who walked by. 

Keith Haring was a pop artist that had animated imagery. He used his work to spread awareness of unpopular but necessary ideas that needed to be talked about. Much of his work includes social activism to advocate for anti-drugs, safe sex, homosexuality, and AIDS awareness. He is known for his graffiti art in subways. He created white chalk drawings on black, unused advertisement backboards in subway stations in New York. A crawling infant with emitting rays of light became his most recognized symbol. It is known as The Radiant Baby and Haring used it to tag his art work in the subways. Haring was one of only twelve artists to have the work displayed on a computer-animated billboard in Times Square in 1982. 

Jean-Michel Basquiat is one of the most recognizable artists from the street art movement in the 1980s. He was a part of the Neo-Expressionism movement. Basquiat’s art focused on portraying topics like slavery, colonialism, and the contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different, such as wealth versus poverty, integration versus segregation, and inner versus outer experience. He often used symbolism. Frequent symbols in his works include human bodies, boxers, and skulls and the most recognizable among them is the three-pointed crown. The meaning of all of his symbols is still debated by art critics but many different ideas and suggestions have been put forward. 

There are several blocks in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bushwick called the Bushwick Collective where street artists have free permission to paint murals on building walls and are encouraged to let loose their talents. The Bushwick Collective was first established by Bushwick native Joe Ficalora. The first mural was created in 2011. The Bushwick is a great example of the wonders that can come from letting artists be able to be free and unleash their creativity in a legal way. The blocks have gained art from artists all over the world. Ficalora started the idea of an open art gallery in the 1980s when the area of Bushwick was only known for high crime rates. The open art gallery was made for everyone to be able to enjoy and help cope with painful memories. They hold an annual art event that has World-renowned local, national, and even international artists that are invited to showcase their creations. The Bushwick Collective Block party has been hosted every June since 2012.

Artists being able to create works in safe and legal places like the Bushwick Collective are able to create modern-day Richard Hambleton, Keith Haring, and Jean-Michel Basquiat without the fear that they faced when doing artwork.

References

Dickinson, James. From graffiti to murals and back again: Philadelphia’s spectacular streetscape. January 2012.

Megan. “Everything You Need to Know About Visiting the Bushwick Collective.” Your Brooklyn Guide, 16 April 2021, https://yourbrooklynguide.com/the-bushwick-collective/. Accessed 6 March 2023.

“Seres Lu.” Graffiti vs. Street Art, Columbia Journalism School, http://www.columbia.edu/~sl3731/graffitiART/. Accessed 6 March 2023.

Posted in Definition Rewrite, SortableElms | 2 Comments

Definition—SortableElms

Posted on March 6, 2023 by sortableelms

Many negative works like incomprehensible, blasphemous, and obscene are used to describe graffiti. Graffiti is such a negative term for something that can be so beautiful. Graffiti isn’t defined as being bad as we are taught. The definition for graffiti is simply writing or drawings on a wall or other surface. It is another visual form of communication. With the negative connotation revolving around graffiti artists with true talents get lumped together with criminals or gang members. The term guerrilla art or more commonly street art is now used to differentiate the two art forms. 

Graffiti is characterized as being made up of words that are usually meant to form an idea. Graffiti predates street art, and many street artists draw their inspiration from different forms of graffiti. Street art uses images to get along meaning. Graffiti and street art are confused because there are many similarities between the two art forms, including location, politics, and materials. 

The location is the biggest form of comparison. Both graffiti and street art are forms of art that are displayed outdoors, in public and private places. They are free to view, making them valid forms of public art. Street art and graffiti can coexist in the exact same locations, sometimes they can be harmonious in a way that combines the two. At other times graffiti artists will tagging over street artists’ work. Graffiti and street art are used to get artists political and social commentary and activism out in the world. They are both used to get the ideas of underrepresented groups to get the truth and most importantly, the uncensored message out into the public’s line of view.

The one major difference between graffiti and street art is the way they are trying to inform the viewer of a message. Graffiti is seen as unsightly and bad. Street art is used to help support a message and bring attention to it in a positive way. Graffiti is usually illegal and involves unauthorized marking of public space. In street art, many artists will get to do it legally because their illegal work received a lot of attention. 

In the 1980s, street artists took a shift from the text based works of the early 1960s and 70s to a more visual and artistic approach. Much of modern street art can be attributed to artists like Richard Hambleton, Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. 

Richard Hambleton was an artist that emerged from the New York art scene in the 1980s. He’s most known for his street art but also had his works in galleries. His earliest forms of art are his Image Mass Murder artworks. In 1976 to 1978 he would paint outlines around volunteer “homicide victims.” He then would splash red paint on and around the outlines. It would leave behind a realistic crime scene. He did it in 15 different major cities in the United States. In New York in 1979 he began doing what he would become known for. They were his “Shadowman” paintings.They were life sized black silhouettes that had a splashy look to them. The shadows were painted depicting many different poses.They were painted in a way that is believed to have the most impact to unsuspecting passerby. Hambleton’s “shadowmen” have been painted on hundreds of structures in New York and around the world including Paris, London and Rome. In 1984, Hambleton painted 17 “shadowmen” on the East side of the Berlin wall and returned to paint more on the West side. Hambleton’s artworks often had the effect of shocking people who walked by. 

Keith Haring was a pop artist that had animated imagery. He used his work to spread awareness to unpopular but necessary ideas that needed to be talked about. Much of his work includes social activism to advocate for anti-drugs, safe sex, holosexuality and AIDS awareness. He is known for his graffiti art in subways. He created white chalk drawings on black, unused advertisement backboards in the subway stations in New York. A crawling infant with emitting rays of light, became his most recognized symbol. It is known as The Radiant Baby and Haring used it to tag his art work in the subways. Haring was one of only twelve artists to have the work displayed on a computer animated billboard in Times Square in 1982. 

Jean-Michel Basquiat is one of the most recognizable artists from the street art movement in the 1980s. He was a part of the Neo Expressionism movement. Basquiat’s art focused on portraying topics like slavery, colonialism and the contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different, such as wealth versus poverty, integration versus segregation, and inner versus outer experience. He often used symbolism. Frequent symbols in his works include human bodies, boxers, skulls and the most recognizable among them is the three pointed crown. The meaning between all of his symbols are still debated by art critics but many different ideas and suggestions have been put forward. 

There are several blocks in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bushwick called the Bushwick Collective where street artists have free permission to paint murals on building walls and are encouraged to let loose their talents.The Bushwick Collective was first established by Bushwick native Joe Ficalora. The first mural was created in 2011. The Bushwick is a great example of the wonders that can come from letting artists be able to be free and unleash their creativity in a legal way. The blocks have gained art from artists all over the world. Ficalora started the idea of the open art gallery in the 1980s when the area of Bushwick was only known for high crime rates. The open art gallery was made for everyone to be able to enjoy and help cope with painful memories. They hold an annual art event that has World-renowned local, national and even international artists that are invited to showcase their creations. The Bushwick Collective Block party has been hosted every June since 2012.

Artists being able to create works in safe and legal places like the Bushwick Collective are able to create modern-day Richard Hambleton, Keith Haring, and Jean-Michel Basquiat without the fear that they faced when doing artworks.

Posted in Definition, SortableElms | Leave a comment

Definition Rewrite – Rowanluver29

Posted on March 6, 2023 by rowanluver29

The Key to Raising a Perfect Serial Killer

Serial killers are known for being inhumane, notorious, horrifying individuals who kill purely because it brings them a certain sense of, well, do we really know what type of feeling a murderer gets after they committed arguably the worst crime? Different serial killers have different motives and senses of comfort they get when they are taking the life of another person, and many do not know or understand the four different types of murderers, or where their motives come from. A lot of it starts from when they were young, and how they were raised. A lot of different traumas and haunting personal experiences can drive someone to become a certain type of serial killer. There are perfect childhoods that can raise a perfect type of serial killer.

The first and most popular type of murderer would be serial killer for power and control. The article “Serial homicide for Power and Control” by Scott A. Bonn, describes why these types of murderers are driven to take the lives of others. The primary motivation for a power and control murderer is simply the joy they get from the entire process of the murder; these murderers choose to prolong the process for their own pleasure. They find it sexually arousing to stalk, capture, and torture their victim, but find it most satisfying when they finish the homicide, because it helps show an expression in the power, they hold over their chosen prey. Murderers find this final step so powerful because they are able to choose under which circumstances, they can torture and kill their victim. To assert their power in a different way, they also tend to rape their victims. Not because of the sexual arousing’s mentioned before, but because this gives them another outlet to feel a certain sense of control and dominance. Lastly, these types of murderers tend to keep souvenirs from their crimes to remind themselves of the achievement they accomplished. The memorabilia they keep helps fuel the killers’ fantasies, and they often give their memorabilia to family members or a partner to display their trophy in a non-cholent, yet public way. As an example, the famous serial killer Ted Bundy once took a necklace from a victim and gave it to his wife. He also took pictures of his victims after he murdered them. When asked why he did such a thing, he responded with: “When you work hard to do something right, you don’t want to forget it.” The FBI classified these types of killers as to have stone-cold psychopathic tendencies, because they are meticulous planners and tend to be charming, charismatic and intelligent. Ted Bundy grew up shy, which led him to become a severe target for bullying while he was in grade school. Explaining why he wanted to assert his power over others. He went on to create normal relationships in college, and was very favored amongst the ladies because of his flirtatious and endearing personality. Yet confessed to 28 murders, but is assumed to have been responsible for hundreds of deaths.

The second type of murderer is called a visionary murderer. Scott A. Bonn states in his article “Visionary Serial Killers Are Driven By Inner Demons” that these killers commit murders because of imagined internal or external voices that are perceived to be real. These killers are mainly suffering from a mental illness, most commonly being schizophrenia. These murderers usually experience some sort of psychotic break that leads them to go crazy and commit such a crime. In many other cases with the other types of murderers, they more commonly have a specific demographic that they like to murder. An example of this would be blonde, short, females. But visionary murderers have their agendas synchronized to whatever their mind is telling them to do at that specific moment. Visionary killers are classified as “disorganized” by the FBI because of their impulsive tendencies, there is almost always no pattern to their killing. Many murderers that fall under this category have claimed that another entity has taken over their body when the murders were committed, usually being “God mandated” or “demon mandated.” David Berkowitz is known as a classic example of a visionary serial killer. Berkowitz shot thirteen people in New York City ranging between 1967-1977, also known as his reign of terror. After his murders and prior to his arrest, he wrote letters to the local police station that stated Satan was ordering him to kill. In the article titled “David Berkowitz” found on Wikipedia, it is found that Berkowitz had a troubled childhood. He was above average in intelligence but was known to be difficult, spoiled, and a harsh bully. He was also associated with petty larceny and arson in his younger years. Berkowitz was also put up for adoption at birth, and never knew who his birth mother was until he was 17. When he was able to connect with his birth mother and speak to her for the first time, forensic anthropologists called that his “primary crisis” and believed it shattered his sense of identity. This shattered sense of identity led researchers to believe this is why Berkowitz committed murder.

The second to last killer is titled a pragmatic mission killer. In the article “Understanding Pragmatic Mission Killers” by Scott A. Bonn, it is stated that these murderers have a diabolical purpose. They believe that their killing is mission oriented and by committing this crime they are improving the world based off of their standards. These murderers usually target large specific groups that do not fit what the killer believes, this can include people of a certain religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation. Missionary murderers are classified as clinically insane and they’re murders are planned out, quick and concise. They truly believe that each victim is selected for them to kill, and that the victims are grateful to have been selected to get their lives taken. One example of a missionary killer is Joseph P. Franklin, a former member of the Ku Klux Klan. Franklin was convicted of homicides that included two black men who had been jogging with a white woman, and an interracial couple. Franklin explained his wrongful doing by saying this statement to the press, “Race mixing is a sin against God and nature… I feel it is my duty as a servant of God to protect white womanhood from injury or degradation.” As we can see, the targeted group of people in this case was men of color with a goal to protect white women, and his reasoning was that it was a sin against his God and his religion.

The fourth and final kind of killer would be considered the hedonist lust killer. With the other types of murderers, sex is a motive for half of all serial killers. But a hedonist lust murderer is the only exception, sex is their primary and only motivation to their killing sprees, whether their victims or dead or alive. For this type of murderer, sex and killing is not the only thing that can solve the need for these murders. Some may actually drink their victim’s blood or resort to cannibalism. One example of a hedonist murderer is the well-known killer, Jeffery Dahmer. Dahmer fantasized greatly over the perfect lover. He wanted them to be beautiful, submissive and eternal. Whilst trying to find the perfect partner, it led him to murder and cannibalize 17 males between the years 1978 and 1991.  Dahmer’s murders started strictly off of sexual stimulation, but the more he murdered, the more he experimented with. Leading him to then partake in experimenting with cannibalism as well as drugs. It is said that he ingested human flesh of the victims he believed he was in love with, so that he can keep his secret lover forever. When Dahmer experimented with drugs, his purpose was to try and make his victims into living zombies with drilling a hole inside of the victim’s head and pouring acid and other chemicals into their brain. In the article “Hedonist Lust Killers Must Feed Their Insatiable Hunger” by author Scott A. Bonn, Dahmer is quoted when he talks about his own motivations as a hedonist lust killer. Dahmer himself claimed the following: “I wanted to see if it was possible to make—again, it sounds really gross—uh, zombies, people that would not have a will of their own, but would follow my instructions without resistance.” He also stated that lust and control in sexual situations were his main drive when murdering someone. When growing up, Dahmer always had a desire for killing. Since 13 years old he had been having thoughts about killing men and having sex with their corpses, these thoughts took up two-thirds of his day. He used to dissect roadkill with his father and put the animals he murdered up on display in the woods by a propped up wooden stick.  But Dahmer’s main motivation was sexual arousing’s, not making it surprising when he was diagnosed with the personality disorder called necrophilia; the sexual attraction to corpses. Dahmer was also severely bullied in school. In the article “Did Jeffery Dahmer Have Seizures, Did He Have Aids?” by author Shraman Mitra, it is stated that Dahmer got bullied in school and only had a handful of friends. He was starved of attention at home and also in school, which gave him the idea to fake seizures to get others to notice his presence.

Posted in Definition Rewrite, Portfolio RowanLuver, RowanLuver | Leave a comment

Causal – Rowanluver29

Posted on March 6, 2023 by rowanluver29

Childhood trauma paved the way for a lot of widely known serial killers to begin their murder sprees. Researchers have noted that a lot of the most known serial killers came from childhood trauma, or a shaky home life. FBI profiler Robert Ressler had interviewed 36 convicted murderers, in the interviews he conducted he found out about the murderers’ histories, motives, as well as their psychological and behavioral characteristics. He found that all murderers he interviewed had a traumatic childhood involving specific types of abuse. 40% of the murderers he interviewed were physically beaten or abused, while the other 70% had witnessed abuse growing up. Proving that some of the most notorious people to walk the Earth, became the way they are because they were not given enough care in the most vital years of their life.

Robert Ressler is a very prominent researcher and source in the article, “Serial Killers and Child Abuse: Is There A Link?” by Fiona Guy. The following quote Ressler stated sums up a lot of what fellow researchers and readers think about this counterintuitive topic: “Let me state unequivocally that there is no such thing as the person who at age thirty-five suddenly changes from being perfectly normal and erupts into totally evil, disruptive, murderous behavior. The behaviors that are precursors to murder have been present and developing in that person’s life for a long, long time – since childhood.” Along with Ressler, researchers from Radford University in Virginia, Mitchell and Aamodt, continued to further the studies in 2005 about the relation between an abusive childhood and a tendency of serial killing later in life. Mitchell and Aamodt focused their studies on the different types of abuse that these serial killers can encounter, and the probability that related their actions to their backgrounds. The groups consisted of physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse and neglect. After collecting data that compared the general population compared to the serial killers, it is found that serial killers are six times more reported physical abuse during childhood compared to the rest of the general population. The biggest difference between the general population and serial killer population fell underneath the psychological abuse category. When it came to the general population, the rates of psychological abuse were only 2%. But the serial killer group studied was 50%. This shows us that childhood abuse is strikingly more widespread amongst serial killers versus a normal population.

Although abuse can be the direct source (a retaliation against the encounters of their own violence), of serial killers committing their actions, it also can be the first step in a three-step process. This three-step process includes 1.) the inflicted abuse, 2.) the mental illness resulting from the abuse and 3.) the murder tendencies/actions. So not only can child abuse drive children to have violent tendencies and eventually reenact that abuse onto other people, they can also receive mental illnesses because of this abuse, which can cause their actions to be even more savage in the long run. All starting at the root, that being child abuse. In the article “The Dark Psychology of Serial Killers: Unpacking the Factors Behind their Brutal Behavior” by author Dennis Relojo-Howell, Howell states that child abuse can lead to mental disorders including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD), narcissistic personality disorder, and borderline personality disorder. All of these mental disorders increase the probability of a child becoming a serial killer. PTSD increases the violence in a child due to an uneasy and unsafe feeling depending upon different settings and/or situations. Personality disorders also play a role in a serial killer’s development. This includes ASPD, which is characterized by a severe lack of empathy, and an urge to get involved in illegal activities. Personality disorders often cause people to disengage from reality and connect with forms of violent behavior to cope. Sometimes, the abuse that children grow up with do not have to be personal to their physical or mental well-being. Social and environmental factors also can take a toll and encourage the psychological development of a killer. Growing up around violence, whether that be in the home or community, or even watching violent media such as tv shows, video games or movies have been linked to an increase in violent behaviors starting at very young ages. The exposure to violence at a young age makes children think that these actions are normal. Growing up with this sort of mental state that makes children believe it is okay to intentionally inflict pain on others on a day to day, can only get worse as they get older.

In psychology, there is an ongoing argument that discusses nature vs nurture, and which one has more of an influence in who we are as people. Nature is the genetic and hereditary factor that goes into one’s personality. While nurture are the external variables, that include childhood experience, family life, social surroundings, etc. When it comes to the mind of a serial killer, we need both 50% nature and 50% nurture to create a murderer. According to Dr. Adrian Raine in the article “From Abused Child to Serial Killer: Investigating Nature vs. Nurture in Methods of Murder” by author Nicole Davies, those with a specific variant of the enzyme monoamine-oxidase are more prone to displaying severely violent behavior if they have had an abusive upbringing. Or those who suffer from mentally illness in general may have more violent actions. But those who have this gene, or a mental illness does not mean they are born to be a criminal; it goes hand and hand with their personal environmental factors. Both of these works together to shape a violent person, or a murderer. For example, murderer Richard Ramirez suffered from adolescent deviant behavior. This mental disorder includes antisocial behaviors, anti-disciplinary tendencies, delinquent likelihood, and unlawful and self-harming/suicidal actions. Not only did he suffer with a mental disorder, but he also suffered severe personal traumas whilst growing up. He endured many beatings from his father, and also had a cousin who would murder women and show Ramirez pictures of deceased bodies. Both of these leading Ramirez to romanticize acts of violence and murder. Ramirez’s case only proves Dr. Adrian Raine’s theory that nature and nurture go hand and hand to create a serial killer.

Posted in Causal Argument, RowanLuver | Leave a comment

Definition—Gobirds115

Posted on March 6, 2023 by gobirds115

Needs a Title

Use of drugs in Major League Baseball is something that has been viewed under a microscope over the couple of decades. Street drugs, PED’s, and stimulants are all different kinds of drugs that Major League Baseball has cracked down on. So much so, that Major League Baseball published a list of every single banned substance that has been revised and re-evaluated over the years. The list is divided into 3 major categories compiling over 140 different substances.

The first category on the list is Drugs of Abuse. Drugs of abuse, as defined by Major League Baseball are “Any and all drugs or substances included on Schedules I and II of the Code of Federal Regulations’ Schedule of Controlled Substances (“Schedule I or Schedule II”), as amended from time to time, shall be considered Drugs of Abuse” Some of the drugs included in this category are cocaine, codeine, heroin, MDMA, LSD, and PCP.

The next category within the banned substance list is stimulants. Stimulants are drugs that improve brain to body communication. Amphetamines are the commonly known types of stimulant drugs and are a part of Major League Baseball’s banned substance list under the stimulant category.

The third category of banned substances is performance enhancing substances. This category is divided into multiple subcategories. One of the subcategories is Anabolic Agents which are defined by Major League Baseball as “Any and all Anabolic Androgenic Steroids included in Schedule III of the Code of Federal Regulations’ Schedule of Controlled Substances (“Schedule III”), as amended from time to time, shall be considered a Performance Enhancing Substance covered by the Program.” Some notable anabolic agents that are included on the list are trenbolone, testosterone, oxymetholone, nandrolone, boldenone, and oxandrolone. The next subcategory is Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors and Related Substances. These substances initiate and regulate cortisol release and tissue production. Some notable substances banned from this category are hGH, IGF-1, and HGC. The last subcategory of PED’s I’ll cover is Diuretics and Masking Agents. Major League Baseball defines these substances as “products that substitute, dilute, mask, or adulterate a specimen used in drug testing, or impair the excretion of Prohibited Substances to conceal their presence in a specimen.” Thiazides are on the banned list and are the most common diuretic. Examples of Thiazides are Bendroflumethiazide, Chlorothiazide, and Hydrochlorothiazide.

Of each category of banned substances in Major League Baseball, Performance Enhancing Substances have accounted for the most suspensions at the major league level. Since suspensions became the punishment for violating performance enhancers policies in 2005, an average of over 6 players a year have been suspended at the major league level for banned performance enhancers.

The most recent and notable suspension for PED’s was one of the games most coveted superstars, Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres. Tatis was suspended 80 games after testing positive for clostebol, an anabolic-androgenic steroid that serves a similar purpose as testosterone. Clostebol is a part of the MLB’s banned substance list. However, Tatis claims he didn’t use the drug to improve his performance. Tatis claims to have taken the drug as a treatment for ringworm. In an article from MARCA, a sports media outlet, it states “This is a fungus that is very common in athletes and they treat it with medication that contains Clostebol….Tatis trusted his physician and made a terrible mistake that cost him nearly a full season’s worth of suspension. ” Although in Tatis’ case he wasn’t using PED’s to improve his game, the history of past abuse in the league left Major League Baseball no choice but to suspend Tatis. This is where I believe a line needs to be drawn.

I fully understand the history of PED abuse in baseball and why Major League Baseball went to the extremes they went to in hopes to prevent the power trips and blatant abuse of steroids that we saw in the 1990’s and 2000’s. But there are cases where these banned substances are a necessary means of recovery for athletes. Tatis’ case is a perfect example. A solution to a case like Tatis’ is a network of medical personnel from the players personal doctor to the league office. If a player’s personal doctor prescribes them a medicine that includes a banned substance, there should be a communication network from that doctor, to a league medical official who authorizes/monitors the prescription/dosage. Another step that would be necessary to this process is baseline testing. If a player has a baseline test of certain levels of hormones and other internal/physical factors, there will be a way of telling if a player is using the substances for their medically intended purpose and if the player abused the drug based on the comparison of their baseline to their retest.

One of the key reasons I’d like to see the MLB adopt a system similar to this is because of oblique injuries. In a study done on oblique injuries from the 2011 season to the 2015 season, 259 players at the major league level suffered oblique injuries resulting in 6,132 days missed. Batters/Position Players averaged 3 weeks missed per injury with over an 8% chance of re-injury. Starting Pitchers averaged nearly a month missed with a re-injury rate of around 5% and relievers averaged about 24 days missed with a re-injury rate of nearly 10%. The average days missed on recurrent oblique injuries is also higher compared to the days missed from the primary injury. These injuries are not a day to day type of injury and a statistical analysis of recovery methods shows that some players required injection of a corticosteroid, a legal steroid in Major League Baseball. However, this still didn’t speed up recovery process as it took players 30 days to recover post injection.

Anabolic steroids are known for speeding the recovery of muscle injuries at rates much better than others. Regulation and supervision of anabolic steroids in Major League Baseball specifically for injury recovery could lead to injuries like oblique strains having faster recovery times and less recurrence. With the system in place that I mentioned previously, there could definitely be a way to make sure that the substances aren’t abused and that players don’t exceed their baseline levels/capability while using these substances.

References

“MLB steroid suspensions (2005-2022).” Baseball Almanac. Retrieved March 6, 2023

“Epidemiology and Impact of Abdominal Oblique Injuries in Major and Minor League Baseball Christopher L. Camp,* MD, Stan Conte,†‡ PT, DPT, ATC, Steven B. Cohen,§ MD, Matthew Thompson,|| MD, John D’ Angelo,{ BS, Joseph T. Nguyen,# MPH,
and Joshua S. Dines,** MD. Retrieved March 6, 2023

“What is Clostebol? the steroid Fernando Tatis Jr. took by accident and got him suspended“. MARCA. (2022, August 13) Retrieved March 6, 2023

“Major League Baseball’s Minor League Drug Prevention And Treatment Program.“. (2021). Retrieved March 6, 2023,

Posted in Definition, GoBirds, Portfolio GoBirds | Leave a comment

Definition/Categorical Rewrite—Gobirds115

Posted on March 6, 2023 by gobirds115

Banned Drugs Are The Key to Making Baseball Better

Permitting practical, therapeutic, and supervised use of anabolic steroids which are currently banned by Major League Baseball may reduce recovery time and increase fan interest.

Major League Baseball has published a list of every single banned substance that has been revised and re-evaluated over the years. The list is divided into 3 major categories; Drugs of Abuse, Stimulants, and PED’s. Of these three categories I am in full agreement that the stimulants and drugs of abuse that have been banned by Major League Baseball are rightfully banned.

Drugs of abuse, as defined by Major League Baseball are “Any and all drugs or substances included on Schedules I and II of the Code of Federal Regulations’ Schedule of Controlled Substances (“Schedule I or Schedule II”), as amended from time to time, shall be considered Drugs of Abuse” Some of the drugs included in this category are cocaine, codeine, heroin, MDMA, LSD, and PCP. Stimulants are drugs that improve brain to body communication. Amphetamines are the commonly known types of stimulant drugs and are a part of Major League Baseball’s banned substance list under the stimulant category. Drugs under these categories that reside on the MLB’s banned substance list are justifiably there. These drugs are known as addictive and the side effects of these substances aren’t in any way shape or form useful or safe for players to experience while on the field.

The third category of banned substances is performance enhancing substances. This category is divided into multiple subcategories. One of the subcategories is Anabolic Agents which are defined by Major League Baseball as “Any and all Anabolic Androgenic Steroids included in Schedule III of the Code of Federal Regulations’ Schedule of Controlled Substances (“Schedule III”), as amended from time to time, shall be considered a Performance Enhancing Substance covered by the Program.” Some notable anabolic agents that are included on the list are trenbolone, testosterone, oxymetholone, nandrolone, boldenone, and oxandrolone. The next subcategory is Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors and Related Substances. These substances initiate and regulate cortisol release and tissue production. Some notable substances banned from this category are hGH, IGF-1, and HGC. The last subcategory of PED’s I’ll cover is Diuretics and Masking Agents. Major League Baseball defines these substances as “products that substitute, dilute, mask, or adulterate a specimen used in drug testing, or impair the excretion of Prohibited Substances to conceal their presence in a specimen.” Thiazides are on the banned list and are the most common diuretic. Examples of Thiazides are Bendroflumethiazide, Chlorothiazide, and Hydrochlorothiazide.

Of each category of banned substances in Major League Baseball, Performance Enhancing Substances have accounted for the most suspensions at the major league level. Since suspensions became the punishment for violating performance enhancers policies in 2005, an average of over 6 players a year have been suspended at the major league level for banned performance enhancers.

The most recent and notable suspension for PED’s was one of the games most coveted superstars, Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres. Tatis was suspended 80 games after testing positive for clostebol, an anabolic-androgenic steroid that serves a similar purpose as testosterone. Clostebol is a part of the MLB’s banned substance list. However, Tatis claims he didn’t use the drug to improve his performance. Tatis claims to have taken the drug as a treatment for ringworm. In an article from MARCA, a sports media outlet, it states “This is a fungus that is very common in athletes and they treat it with medication that contains Clostebol….Tatis trusted his physician and made a terrible mistake that cost him nearly a full season’s worth of suspension. ” Although in Tatis’ case he wasn’t using PED’s to improve his game, the history of past abuse in the league left Major League Baseball no choice but to suspend Tatis. This is where I believe a line needs to be drawn.

I fully understand the history of PED abuse in baseball and why Major League Baseball went to the extremes they went to in hopes to prevent the power trips and blatant abuse of steroids that we saw in the 1990’s and 2000’s. But there are cases where these banned substances are a necessary means of recovery for athletes. Tatis’ case is a perfect example. A solution to a case like Tatis’ is a network of medical personnel from the players personal doctor to the league office. If a player’s personal doctor prescribes them a medicine that includes a banned substance, there should be a communication network from that doctor, to a league medical official who authorizes/monitors the prescription/dosage. Another step that would be necessary to this process is baseline testing. If a player has a baseline test of certain levels of hormones and other internal/physical factors, there will be a way of telling if a player is using the substances for their medically intended purpose and if the player abused the drug based on the comparison of their baseline to their retest.

One of the key reasons I’d like to see the MLB adopt a system similar to this is because of oblique injuries. In a study done on oblique injuries from the 2011 season to the 2015 season, 259 players at the major league level suffered oblique injuries resulting in 6,132 days missed. Batters/Position Players averaged 3 weeks missed per injury with over an 8% chance of re-injury. Starting Pitchers averaged nearly a month missed with a re-injury rate of around 5% and relievers averaged about 24 days missed with a re-injury rate of nearly 10%. The average days missed on recurrent oblique injuries is also higher compared to the days missed from the primary injury. These injuries are not a day to day type of injury and a statistical analysis of recovery methods shows that some players required injection of a corticosteroid, a legal steroid in Major League Baseball. However, this still didn’t speed up recovery process as it took players 30 days to recover post injection.

Anabolic steroids are known for speeding the recovery of muscle injuries at rates much better than others. Regulation and supervision of anabolic steroids in Major League Baseball specifically for injury recovery could lead to injuries like oblique strains having faster recovery times and less recurrence. With the system in place that I mentioned previously, there could definitely be a way to make sure that the substances aren’t abused and that players don’t exceed their baseline levels/capability while using these substances.

References

“MLB steroid suspensions (2005-2022).” Baseball Almanac. Retrieved March 6, 2023

“Epidemiology and Impact of Abdominal Oblique Injuries in Major and Minor League Baseball Christopher L. Camp,* MD, Stan Conte,†‡ PT, DPT, ATC, Steven B. Cohen,§ MD, Matthew Thompson,|| MD, John D’ Angelo,{ BS, Joseph T. Nguyen,# MPH,
and Joshua S. Dines,** MD. Retrieved March 6, 2023

“What is Clostebol? the steroid Fernando Tatis Jr. took by accident and got him suspended“. MARCA. (2022, August 13) Retrieved March 6, 2023

“Major League Baseball’s Minor League Drug Prevention And Treatment Program.“. (2021). Retrieved March 6, 2023,

Posted in Definition, GoBirds, Portfolio GoBirds | 1 Comment

Definition Rewrite—Mellowtacos

Posted on March 6, 2023 by mellowtacos

Pandemic puppies deserted
after serving their short-term purpose

Although covid negatively impacted humans, dogs benefited tremendously. Shelters were being whipped clean due to the sudden increase in families and home owners wanting a furry companion during this time. In the article “Human–dog relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic: booming dog adoption during social isolation” by Liat Morgan she discussed how covid disturbed our lives and how dogs have helped. During Covid-19 there were many who suffered from any and all types of health issues while being locked away in their house. Dogs have shown to positively increase mental health. In stress-full positions such as the pandemic these pets have shown tremendous help, specifically with anxiety and depressions. Those who also deal with social anxiety whether the pandemic caused it or not will show lots of progress with a therapy animal. Studies have shown that humans and dogs are more alike due to the fact that we are both “social animals” where we can both benefit from one another. However the relationship between the two is bidirectional because we have shown to have negative effects on animals. There is a strong correlation between negative health and well being of the owner and the negative health and well being of the pet.

It’s extremely common for people to find comfort in dogs, in fact this has been deeply researched by Gabrielle Marie McKeon who works with therapy dogs. In her article “Health and Happiness: Dogs and Their Therapeutic Value” she shares with us all the benefits that therapy dogs provide us with. Sigmon Freud, a credible psychotherapist, believed that dogs had the ability to sense tension, which they then respond to. During the pandemic households were flooded with tensions and could benefit from a dog according to Freud’s study. Therapy dogs work in many different places such as homes, schools, and hospitals. Liz Cleaves, owner and operator of Auntie Dog Training Studio, says she feels that training these dogs gives her “ a deeper and better relationship”(McKeon, 9). These dogs can range from all different types of sizes and breeds. A member from a TDI Certified Therapy Team said that one of the dogs was able to connect to a patient who was very self abusive and got her to stop hitting herself. Kathryn Kircher and her dog who is TDI certified stopped by a hospital and visited an older gentleman who was not commutative and depressed for a week. That man’s daughter thanked Kircher for bringing her dog to visit because they connected so much it made him “alert and upbeat”(McKeon, 28). Dr. Stuart Markowitz, the president of Hartford hospital says that ‘“the companionship that animals bring is vital to all of us

The connection between your pet and your mental health is proven to positively affect the spiking population of those with poor mental health which shot up 25% during covid according to The World Health Organization. An online survey was conducted on Amazon Mechanical Turk, where they found that those who have pets are more satisfied in life than those who do not. They broke the data down and found that dog owners scored higher showing that they have better overall wellbeing. This would explain why millions of dogs were adopted. Research also showed that There has yet to be many studies proving that there’s a positive impact on those with good mental health. This could explain why many people returned their dogs to the shelter after the pandemic because they no longer felt they needed that comfort they once needed.

With all the information we have found throughout the years that prove therapy animals are beneficial, why wouldn’t someone adopt in an attempt to help themselves during the pandemic. It’s a win-win situation, until it wasn’t. The pandemic left some people desperately struggling with depression, anxiety or high stress levels. In hopes to find comfort in a scary time these people coped by adopting dogs. Millions of dogs were adopted and taken in with open arms. However, people did not take into consideration everything that comes with the responsibility of owning a dog, especially puppies. Dogs require an abundance of energy and responsibility, they are not at our dispense for when we are down. Dogs were given back to the shelters at an alarming rate because of poor planning. Some pandemic adopters who could afford the cost of the dogs ended up not being able to provide the care needed when returning to work after. Others may not have been able to afford their dogs when the pandemic hit and money got. The further Morgan looked into this, she noted that there was an obvious difference between an “individual’s quality of life and their perceptions of their dog’s quality of life”. 312 people were asked why they had decided to get a dog in the beginning of the pandemic. 38.5% said they had been thinking about it for a while and thought this was the perfect opportunity. 37.8% said they were going to get a dog no matter what. 8.0% adopted in an effort to not feel lonely and 9.3% said they felt obligated after hearing about how others were returning their dogs.

The shelters were severely impacted by covid because of the amount of dogs going in and not as many going out. These shelters were ending up without supplies and room to house all the animals new and old. What happens with shelters that don’t have enough room is that they will have to refuse people who bring them in and those dogs end up on the street, in the wrong hands, or euthanized. Shelters are still recovering from the pandemic till this day. Unfortunately, way too many dogs weren’t able to find room in shelter.

References

Health and happiness: Dogs and their therapeutic value. (n.d.). Retrieved March 6, 2023, from https://digitalrepository.salemstate.edu/bitstream/handle/20.500.13013/597/Thesis.pdf?sequence=2 

Pets and happiness: Examining the association between pet ownership and Wellbeing. Taylor & Francis. (n.d.). Retrieved March 6, 2023, from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08927936.2016.1152721

Morgan, L., Protopopova, A., Birkler, R. I. D., Itin-Shwartz, B., Sutton, G. A., Gamliel, A., Yakobson, B., & Raz, T. (2020, November 24). Human–dog relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic: Booming dog adoption during social isolation. Nature News. Retrieved March 6, 2023, from https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-020-00649-x

World Health Organization. (n.d.). “Covid-19 pandemic triggers 25% increase in prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide.” World Health Organization. Retrieved March 6, 2023.

MECHANICAL NOTES:

You can hide the LONNNNGGGG urls by linking them behind your article titles, as I have done for the fourth source. I appears your sources are NOT books, but journal articles. THEREFORE, the correct punctuation for them is quotation marks, not italics. I’ve made that correction to your fourth source also. Any questions?

Posted in Definition Rewrite, MellowTacos | 6 Comments