Commentary

By. Jessie Palatucci
Online Communications Specialist

We are sabotaging young Americans. Think back to when you were 22. What was on the horizon for you? Were you thinking of buying a house? Maybe getting married and starting a family?

 
This path, which was standard for many in previous generations, is increasingly out of reach for today’s graduates.
Imagine you are one of the roughly three million students graduating from high school this year. You have to go to college, right? That’s not just something people say; the numbers back it up. Individuals with higher levels of education earn more and are more likely to be employed. According to the Education Pays 2012 report, the typical bachelor’s degree recipient can expect to earn about 66% more during a 40-year working life than a high school graduate earns over the same period.

So you go to school and if you’re a typical student after four years you will have accumulated $25,250 in debt according to the Project on Student Debt. If you’re like many of my peers you could be looking at much higher numbers in the range of $30,000-80,000.

What does this mean for the millennial generation? In my experience it means you are absolutely not buying a house. In fact, you may be moving back in with your parents. You probably will have to delay starting a family for many years. It’s unlikely that you’re saving for your retirement and you may be racking up some significant credit card debt while trying to keep financially afloat. 
 This is a justice issue. It is not difficult to imagine the future problems that lie ahead, not just for the individuals being crushed under this burden, but for the country as a whole.

And things may soon be getting worse. The interest rates on federally subsidized Stafford loans, which are currently set at 3.4 percent, are scheduled to double as the 2007 law that lowered them expires on July 1st. This will impact 7.4 million students.

Rather than prioritizing the issue, Congress is gearing up for a political showdown over how to pay for the cost of extending these loan subsidies.

The House passed a measure that would pay for extending the lower student loan rate by cutting a health care fund that promotes preventive care. A move that, to my untrained ears, sounds an awful lot like robbing Peter to pay Paul. Meanwhile Senate Democrats put forth a proposal to finance the $6 billion bill by raising Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes on high-earning stock holders of some privately owned corporations. A proposal that is unlikely to gain enough support to pass, and which opponents are calling a political stunt.

If there is a better way to show young Americans that we do not care about their futures I can’t think of it. But this legislative dust-up is just a symptom of a much larger problem. As a nation we are putting our young people on a precarious path. A less optimistic person might say we’re setting them up for failure. Not only is that unfair, it is bad for all of us. And if we’re going to succeed as a nation, it needs to change.

Family matters. Few things are more gratifying than watching the children play at your family reunion, cooking your special dish, or laughing at old family photos. But imagine for a moment that you lost your ability to see. Enjoying these familiar sights would no longer be possible.

Americans agree that eyesight has a huge impact on their day-to-day lives and is one of the senses they fear losing most. However, people often do not pay attention to their vision unless they notice a problem. Many eye diseases and conditions have no early warning signs, so a person can have a potentially blinding eye disease and not even know it.
African Americans are at higher risk of developing eye diseases like glaucoma and diabetes-related eye problems. These diseases have no warning signs, and, if left untreated, can cause permanent vision loss. In fact, glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness in African Americans.

One of the most important things you can do to protect your vision is to get a comprehensive dilated eye exam. In this procedure, an eye care professional places drops in your eyes to dilate, or widen, the pupil to allow more light to enter the eye the same way an open door lets more light into a room. This allows your eye care professional to examine the back of the eyes for any signs of eye disease. Early detection and treatment can help to reduce your risk of vision loss and blindness.

“Diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration [AMD] affect millions of Americans,” says Dr. Paul Sieving, director of the National Eye Institute (NEI) of the National Institutes of Health. “These conditions were once untreatable, robbing people of their vision, mobility, and independence. Thankfully, in the last decade, medical researchers have developed highly effective, sight-saving treatments. However, these treatments are only effective if the disease is diagnosed before it causes vision loss. Since there are often no warning signs, regular dilated eye exams are important to early detection and treatment.”

Talking to your family members about their eye health history is also important, as many eye diseases and conditions tend to run in families. Make sure you pass on your history to the next generation so they can take care of their vision, too. And, tell your eye care professional if anyone in your family has an eye disease or condition.

Other simple steps to keep your vision at its best include the following:
Make healthy food choices—A variety of vegetables, especially dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, or collard greens, should be an important part of your diet. Researchers have found that people with diets that contain higher levels of vitamins C and E, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids (found in salmon, tuna, and halibut) are less likely
to develop AMD.

Quit smoking or never start—Tobacco smoking has been linked to an increased risk of AMD, cataract, and optic nerve damage, all of which can lead to vision loss.

Wear eye protection—If you play sports or even work on home projects, it is critical to wear appropriate eye protection to prevent eye injuries. It’s also important to wear sunglasses with 99 to 100 percent UV-A/UV-B protection.

For more information about eye health and tips for finding an eye care professional or organizations that provide financial assistance for eye care, visit http://www.nei.nih.gov/healthyeyes.&bull.

 Medical Myth? Men Think About Sex Every Seven Seconds

By Victor By. Minichiello, PhD, and Mitra Rashidian, PhD

Each time you turn on the television after 10pm, eavesdrop on a group of men at your local pub, or drive past a billboard, you’re likely to encounter some stereotypes about masculinity and men’s sexuality.

 We’re told that men’s minds are so immersed in thoughts of sex that it can become a full-time preoccupation.

Think of James Bond’s sexual exploits, Cola Cola’s “bigger is better” campaign, and the folklore that men think about sex every seven seconds (which would amount to more than 8,000 thoughts about sex a day).

Let’s focus, first, on one setting where there are ample opportunities for sexual interactions and discussions about sex: College. According to a recent study from Ohio State University, young men think about sex 19 times per day.

They also have other regular, needs-based thoughts about eating and sleeping.

In contrast, the Kinsey Report, which examined the sexual behavior of men aged under 60 years, found 54% think about sex every day or several times a day, 43% think about sex a few times a week or a few times a month, and 4% reported just one sexual thought, or less, a month.

Another study, from 1990, found 16- to 17-year-olds think about sex every five minutes. By age 40 to 49, this drops to a sexual thought every half an hour, and it keeps reducing with age.

 There’s certainly no consensus among researchers about the frequency of men’s sexual thoughts. And little is known about the nature of these thoughts.



So, do men think about sex more often than women?

A handful of researchers argue there are no significant differences between the frequency of men’s and women’s erotic thoughts outside of sex. But most studies show that men think about sex more often than their female partners. This is used to support the statement that men have more powerful sex drives than women.

 Studies have suggested testosterone contributes to men’s frequent preoccupation with sexual thoughts. In other words, because men have a higher level of testosterone than women, they have more frequent sexual fantasies and a stronger desire for sex.



Men’s sexual fantasies tend to be more explicit than women’s. And interestingly, men are more likely to fantasize during masturbation (86% of the time) compared with women (69% of the time).

 This difference has been attributed to men having greater opportunities – culturally and biologically – to experience sexual fantasies.

 Why men think about sex? 

A multitude of factors could contribute to some men’s preoccupation with sexual thoughts, feelings and behavior. A 2009 study by Reid and Carpenter, for example, found that factors such as emotional distress, discouragement, poor self-esteem, difficulties coping with stress, and self-doubt were associated with hyper-sexuality.



Psychologist Michael Bader suggests that sexual fantasies, and resulting sexual arousal, have more to do with unconscious problem solving than most of us realize.

 But men’s preoccupation with sexual thoughts cannot be fully understood without considering the effects social media and constant Internet access.

Young men are increasingly using Facebook to share pictures and stories about their sexual conquests. And the prospect of 24/7 access to pornography via mobile phones and laptops may prompt compulsive behavior and excessive sexual thoughts.



There are other myths about the sexual character of men: they should aspire to be virile, “well-endowed” studs and always ready for sex. But most men are not “well-endowed”: the average penis size is not nine inches but, rather, between five and seven inches.

As for being ever-ready for sex, as men age, they have sex less frequently and, some may even need medication to help with erectile function.

 So the question we need to ask is who benefits from the perpetuation of these myths? Perhaps Coca Cola or the sex industry. But certainly not men.


Professor Victor Minichiello, PhD, is a Dean at the University of New England and a gerontologist, health sociologist, sexual health and public health researcher.

Mitra Rashidian, PhD.D. specializes in sexual health of women as a Researcher at the University of New England.

By Dr. Brian K. Perkins, Director Urban Education Leaders Program Teachers College
Columbia University New York City

Think back to your school experience. Whether it was 10 or 50 years ago, chances are that you can remember the first and last name of at least one person that you considered a bully. The term “bully” is as synonymous with school as is the term “teacher”. This film is certain to evoke a whirlwind of emotions, including but not limited to anger, remorse, hope and despair. Within the first five minutes of the opening credits I had started on a 90-minute emotional roller-coaster.

Described as a film purposed to serve as a catalyst for change—it has the potential to serve as an important start to a long overdue conversation. Hirsch does an incredible job of giving the viewer an insider’s look at the school experience of several families affected by chronic bullying. Some spoke on film as the survivors of children that committed suicide and others who were survivors of suicide attempts and still others shared their experience as survivors of horrific school experiences. Throughout the movie, I pondered, “Is this a hidden camera?” Only later did I learn that all of this was filmed on a small portable camera in plain sight. I was amazed at how openly bullying occurred throughout the film.

The three groups previously mentioned served as the themes throughout the movie with the filmmaker sending us on junkets between the stories. In fact, the movies begins with a heart- broken father telling the story of his son, who took is life at age 17 after being the victim of bullying for his entire school experience. Tyler, a high-school ROTC cadet, had his entire life ahead of him, but according to his father found little to no support from the school community and gave up. Thereafter story after story presented the depressing theme of communities that failed to protect these children.
Most disturbing to me, likely associated with my role as a university professor responsible for the training and professional development of principals and urban superintendents, was the ineffective leadership displayed by a number of school personnel including principals, assistant principals and superintendents. Well-intentioned, but ill-prepared leaders responded to complaints and pleas from parents with ineffective strategies to end bullying. In one scene, the principal criticized one child for his reluctance to shake the hand of the bully after repeated infractions. “You’re no better than he is.” she exclaimed. “He tried to apologize...” To which the student responded, “He’s only going to do it again.”

Intentionally not structured as a single story, this film allows you to experience the pain and trauma of the students affected and effected by bullying. If nothing else, you will walk away acknowledging that the problem is universal and timeless. This film can truly serve as a “catalyst for change”. I strongly recommend this film to students, teachers, parents, administrators and communities. The Bully Project has a comprehensive viewing guide that can assist with the conversation that should follow. The film alone won’t lead to change. The conversation and actions that ensue are the new educational imperative.